So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)(24)

During that time, Ansel taught them everything he knew about sailing, while Stefan continued to teach him fencing and archery. Rupert read every book he could find, and with the endless sky around him, he was finally able to practice and master his special gift.

When Rupert was nineteen, the merchant who had owned the trading ship managed to squander away his fortune at the gaming tables. With the ship up for sale, Ansel, Stefan, and Rupert had pooled all their resources and bought it. And that was when the three of them had set the Official Plan into motion.

With their one ship, they attacked a small convoy of Tourinian naval ships carrying gold. Not only did they abscond with some gold, but they took one of the ships. The Golden Star. Many of the seamen onboard, frustrated by the measly pay from the royal navy, decided to join Rupert. The officers were put ashore, Stefan became captain, and each sailor on the two ships was rewarded with a gold coin.

Rupert’s career as an infamous pirate had begun.

Now he was returning to Danport, where they’d bought supplies two days earlier. They’d traveled south for over an hour. It was time to turn eastward and head for shore.

As he adjusted the wind, Jeffrey’s voice filtered up from the quarterdeck. What did the women want now? Was Brigitta crying again? Had she been impressed by the privy he had invented for himself and Stefan?

What do you care what she thinks? Each time Rupert had heard one of the women’s complaints he’d gotten distracted and lost his concentration. That had to stop. He needed to get his fleet to Danport as quickly as possible before other pirates attacked the town.

Down below, Stefan was telling Jeffrey to give the ladies some books from his room. They were bored, and Jeffrey hadn’t known what to do.

Stay out of it. It’s not your problem. With muttered curse, Rupert turned toward them. “The captain’s books are all about warfare and navigation. Not what I would call entertaining.”

Stefan sighed. “You have a better idea?”

“There’s a book in my room about a mermaid and a sorcerer. Take that one to them, Jeffrey.”

“Yes, Admiral!” The boy started for the stairs.

“Is she still crying?” Rupert asked, then slapped himself mentally.

“Lady Brigitta?” Jeffrey hesitated. “No. She asked me what you were planning to do with her, but I didn’t know. She doesn’t want to go to Tourin or see her brother.”

Rupert’s grip on the railing tightened.

Stefan cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should have a talk with her—”

“Later,” Rupert interrupted. He turned back to the bow of the ship and reinforced the wind. She didn’t want to go to Tourin? She could be a princess there. Didn’t that appeal to her? She’s the enemy. Why should you care what she wants? With a muttered curse, he yanked the spyglass from his belt. But what if she’s innocent? He shoved that thought aside while he took a look through the spyglass.

Holy crap! In the distance, there were seven ships. Sails with red and black stripes. The Eberoni Royal Navy.

Dammit, he should have spotted them earlier. Once again, he’d let himself get distracted. “Seven Eberoni naval ships to the east,” he called down to Stefan.

“Have they spotted us yet?” Stefan asked.

Rupert didn’t think so. Their spyglasses were not as powerful as his. The navy was traveling south, hugging the coastline. No doubt, hunting for pirates. And here he was, a pirate, headed southeast, straight for them.

He adjusted the wind once more, sending his ships south on a parallel course and increasing their speed. With any luck, his fleet could skirt around the navy unnoticed and arrive at Danport first. When he took another look through his spyglass, he spotted three pirate ships far in distance, closing in on Danport. Bloody vultures.

“Three pirate ships to the south,” he called down to Stefan. He swung his spyglass back to the navy. Damn! They’d spotted his ships and were turning his way.

“Navy’s coming in first,” he yelled. He shoved his hat on his head as he yanked a red flag from its container inside the crow’s nest.

He faced the other ships of his fleet and waved the red flag back and forth. The closest two in the V formation started waving their red flags from their crows’ nests, then the next two and next down the line till the whole fleet knew to prepare themselves.

“Jeffrey, make sure the women stay below,” Rupert ordered. He couldn’t let anything distract him now.

Stefan shouted, “Battle stations!”





Chapter Six

Brigitta removed another item from the bag of women’s clothing. A nightgown, snowy-white linen with blue embroidery and a blue satin ribbon drawstring around the neck. Her gowns and nightgowns at the convent had always been plain cream-colored wool. “’Tis very pretty.”

“Don’t even think about wearing it,” Sister Fallyn warned her as she watered down the wine.

“It just makes me wonder…” Brigitta’s insatiable curiosity was aroused. She fingered the white lace at the edge of the long bell-shaped sleeves. Whoever had owned these clothes must have been fairly wealthy. What had happened to her? Why were her possessions on a pirate ship?

Brigitta smoothed a hand over the linen. Sometimes when she handled objects, she would receive mental clues, a flash of pictures or traces of emotion that would help her understand why the object had been hidden or discarded. But all she could sense from these clothes was a feeling of great relief. “Why would she leave such lovely things behind?”