halfway. “Wait, no. Not just me. If I find Zenhala, all the Pirate Youth go free. No one gets left behind. No one but Rook.”
One-Eyed Jack stroked the back of Sisto’s neck as he overhauled Dean’s words. “Making demands, are we, Seaborne?”
“No, sir. Just a humble request.”
One-Eyed Jack nodded. “So be it. Gentleman Jim was the only one who ever wanted those half-pints anyway.”
Dean took Sisto onto his arm, and Rook threw up his hands. “I don’t believe this.”
Scurvy Gill slapped Rook on the back of the head. “Believe it, Rook. You’re goin’ with ’im.”
Dean straightened his back. “I’m not going anywhere with that snake. I don’t trust him.”
One-Eyed Jack laughed. “Don’t waste your time arguing with me. Rook’s coming along to keep you honest. Or rather, to keep you
dishonest.
Too much of Gentleman Jim’s virtue has rubbed off on you already, I can tell. You don’t have that problem, do you, Rook?”
Rook laughed. “No. Not I.”
“I thought not. It’s settled. You have one week and not a day more, Seaborne. You’ve always been a smart one. Now’s not the time to be changing that. We both know there’s not a place on earth that I can’t get to you, so just do your job and get out of there. If I don’t hear from you … if I even think for a single fleeting moment that you’re going to run? I’ll come after you with every ship I’ve got.”
Dean nodded. “I know you will.”
“Good.” One-Eyed Jack glanced out the window. “The sun’s almost up. Get some proper clothes on and get on your way.” One-Eyed Jack had a sneer on his face. “Your loyal subjects are waiting.”
CHAPTER 11
A NCHORS A WEIGH
A n hour later, Dean and Rook rowed out to meet the
Tideturner
at sea. They made it to the ship by sunrise. Dean’s brow dripped with sweat as they closed in on the boat.
What did I get myself into this time?
he wondered. Dean still wasn’t sure what manner of ship the
Tideturner
was, or what to make of Verrick and his crew. The ship was a Bermuda rigged sloop. Bermuda. As in the Bermuda Triangle. Dean might have hoped that Verrick’s story was real if he didn’t know sloops so well. The slender, single-masted vessel was a favorite of Caribbean pirates because its quick speed and low lines made it difficult to hit with cannon fire. That knowledge gave Dean pause, but he had to admit, such attributes would have proved equally valuable tothe traders of Zenhala, if they existed. Dean climbed aboard with Rook at his back and Sisto on his shoulder, not knowing what to believe. When his feet hit the deck, he saw Ronan tied to the mast, being questioned by Verrick.
“I’ll ask you again, for the last time. My patience is wearing thin. Where is my prince?”
Ronan struggled against his ropes to no avail. “I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Where’s Captain Harper?” he demanded.
“Neptune’s beard, you’re thick!” Verrick threw his hands up and turned away. “We’ve been through this time and again. I’ve not seen your captain. I wish I had! All hands were brought on board when we saved your crew. If your captain was lost at sea, he’s got my sympathy, but my concern is for the living. Now the lost prince is suddenly lost once more, and he left you in his place. Where did he go and why?”
Dean paid close attention. It was telling that Verrick was so anxious to find him and continued to refer to him as a prince.
“I don’t know any prince!” Ronan shouted. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“You know who I mean. The boy. He was part of your crew!”
“We’re all boys in my crew. Who are you talking about?”
Dean stepped out into the open. “Me, Ronan. He means me.”
Ronan leaned forward, squinting. “Seaborne?”
Verrick closed his eyes and gently exhaled. “The prince!”exclaimed several members of his crew. They rushed to Dean’s side, greatly relieved. The parrot flapped its wings and
One-Eyed Jack stroked the back of Sisto’s neck as he overhauled Dean’s words. “Making demands, are we, Seaborne?”
“No, sir. Just a humble request.”
One-Eyed Jack nodded. “So be it. Gentleman Jim was the only one who ever wanted those half-pints anyway.”
Dean took Sisto onto his arm, and Rook threw up his hands. “I don’t believe this.”
Scurvy Gill slapped Rook on the back of the head. “Believe it, Rook. You’re goin’ with ’im.”
Dean straightened his back. “I’m not going anywhere with that snake. I don’t trust him.”
One-Eyed Jack laughed. “Don’t waste your time arguing with me. Rook’s coming along to keep you honest. Or rather, to keep you
dishonest.
Too much of Gentleman Jim’s virtue has rubbed off on you already, I can tell. You don’t have that problem, do you, Rook?”
Rook laughed. “No. Not I.”
“I thought not. It’s settled. You have one week and not a day more, Seaborne. You’ve always been a smart one. Now’s not the time to be changing that. We both know there’s not a place on earth that I can’t get to you, so just do your job and get out of there. If I don’t hear from you … if I even think for a single fleeting moment that you’re going to run? I’ll come after you with every ship I’ve got.”
Dean nodded. “I know you will.”
“Good.” One-Eyed Jack glanced out the window. “The sun’s almost up. Get some proper clothes on and get on your way.” One-Eyed Jack had a sneer on his face. “Your loyal subjects are waiting.”
CHAPTER 11
A NCHORS A WEIGH
A n hour later, Dean and Rook rowed out to meet the
Tideturner
at sea. They made it to the ship by sunrise. Dean’s brow dripped with sweat as they closed in on the boat.
What did I get myself into this time?
he wondered. Dean still wasn’t sure what manner of ship the
Tideturner
was, or what to make of Verrick and his crew. The ship was a Bermuda rigged sloop. Bermuda. As in the Bermuda Triangle. Dean might have hoped that Verrick’s story was real if he didn’t know sloops so well. The slender, single-masted vessel was a favorite of Caribbean pirates because its quick speed and low lines made it difficult to hit with cannon fire. That knowledge gave Dean pause, but he had to admit, such attributes would have proved equally valuable tothe traders of Zenhala, if they existed. Dean climbed aboard with Rook at his back and Sisto on his shoulder, not knowing what to believe. When his feet hit the deck, he saw Ronan tied to the mast, being questioned by Verrick.
“I’ll ask you again, for the last time. My patience is wearing thin. Where is my prince?”
Ronan struggled against his ropes to no avail. “I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Where’s Captain Harper?” he demanded.
“Neptune’s beard, you’re thick!” Verrick threw his hands up and turned away. “We’ve been through this time and again. I’ve not seen your captain. I wish I had! All hands were brought on board when we saved your crew. If your captain was lost at sea, he’s got my sympathy, but my concern is for the living. Now the lost prince is suddenly lost once more, and he left you in his place. Where did he go and why?”
Dean paid close attention. It was telling that Verrick was so anxious to find him and continued to refer to him as a prince.
“I don’t know any prince!” Ronan shouted. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“You know who I mean. The boy. He was part of your crew!”
“We’re all boys in my crew. Who are you talking about?”
Dean stepped out into the open. “Me, Ronan. He means me.”
Ronan leaned forward, squinting. “Seaborne?”
Verrick closed his eyes and gently exhaled. “The prince!”exclaimed several members of his crew. They rushed to Dean’s side, greatly relieved. The parrot flapped its wings and
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