Romancing the Pirate 01 - Blood and Treasure by Jennifer Bray-Weber

Lieutenant Trent standing by his side. “That means he most certainly still has The Serpent.” He watched as a scrawny kid ushered the wench below the Rissa’s deck.
    “How are we going to get The Serpent?” Trent squinted at the ship, his hand shielding his eyes against the rising sun.
    Lieutenant Trent acted as Bennington’s first in command. And as such, he was ever ready to be compliant to his orders. Bennington could command him to take a flying leap off the nearest cliff and Trent would do so without ever questioning why, saluting him while plummeting to his death. And the man didn’t have the slightest inclination to be a leader. He couldn’t prognosticate an enemy’s move, much less plan his own. He was a follower that continually bore on Bennington’s tolerance.
    “Well, dear piteous sir, we take it from him. Right after we hammer him into surrender.”
    Trent mocked him with a skeptical huff. “Captain Fox will never surrender.”
    “Hmm. Yes, I am well aware of the fact. That is why we mustn’t give him an option, must we, Trent?” He yelled to his officers overseeing the soldiers manning the guns. “Continue your fire!”
    Bennington handed Trent the telescope and turned to the helmsman. “I think we’ve got his attention. Bring her in close to her larboard. I want to be able to spit on her.”
    *****
    Lianna’s stomach churned like she had eaten a head of rotten lettuce.
    “This way, ma’am.” Jason descended the steps down the hatchway with Lianna close behind.
    The ship jolted as it took a hit, causing her to lose her footing. She slipped down several steps before catching herself. “Oh, God save us,” she uttered.
    “Don’t count on it, ma’am,” Jason helped her regain her balance. “A blind eye has He for the likes of us pirate bastards.”
    How sad a boy so young could have a bleak outlook on life. But then most lowborn or unfortunate people such as themselves wore these blinders, forcing them to only see what they are, not what they could become or what they could achieve. They were brought into this world without a chance. The best they could hope for was not to suffer too terribly. Her comprehensive view was more positive, for that she was glad—even if it may be an unrealistic fancy, a wispy cloud too high to reach.
    Jason moved forward all too calm as they made their way, traversing around huge stacks of cable tiers and eight large water casks. Lianna flinched at every jounce, every deafening boom. Her heart raced and she fought back the urge to curl up into a ball on the floor and wish it all away. But Jason hurried on like a seasoned sea dog. He had orders from his captain to carry out and she noted his bravery as something to be deferred to and learned from. ’Twould take her a little longer to get used to being on a ship under attack.
    They reached the cargo hold and three men bustled out of the adjacent powder room carrying heavy boxes of ammunition. Jason carried the sole lantern casting little light to their greasy, sunken faces. Two of the gruff men rushed past, but the third stopped short of the boy.
    Uh-oh. Lianna blanched. Bull.
    The hulking monster filled up the space. He hunched over in the cramped room as his height kept him from standing erect and hitting his lumpy dome on a crossbeam. A blast of fear surged through Lianna as malice glazed his eyes and spread across his blistered mouth.
    Bull pushed the lad into the cargo hold slamming the door behind him, engaging the latch and wedging the ammunition in front, keeping Jason locked inside. The thick planks muffled the sounds of his pounding and desperate pleading.
    “What are you doing? Let him out!”
    The behemoth pinned her against the wall. Wet with oily sweat, his overbearing stench caused her to go cross-eyed. Lianna screamed but the thunderous battle above drowned out any hope of being heard. She struggled against his mass, but the more she resisted the more fuel she set in his fire.
    “I got