Chapter 6
Copyright J.B. Norman
Dunstana’s ship is anchored just off the sandbars past the Porthaven lighthouse and the deck is abuzz with activity. A merchant ship out of Albatross Bay hit the sandbars during a storm, and the captain focused on getting his crew to safety, so most of its cargo is still in the hold or drifting around the sandbars.
Dunstana licks her lips in anticipation. This is going to be the best Salvage Thursday ever! She just knows it.
As Jimena and Myra look on, Dunstana supervises her crew as they tie a rope around Williams and prepares to lower him over the side to the wreck. She gives the knot one final tug to ensure that Williams is securely fastened. After all, the last thing she needs is for her ship’s notary to go floating away.
The Brotherhood would not like that at all.
“Remember,” Dunstana tells him, “tug the rope three times when you’ve found the salvage, and we’ll pull you back up.”
“Right,” Williams says. “But, Captain. I’m the ship’s notary. Why am I the one going into the water? This is not what I’m trained for!”
Dunstana dismissively waves her hand, ignoring her notary’s objections. “You’ll be fine. And if there’s sharks, Williams—”
“There’s sharks?” he gasps.
“Oh, don’t even worry about it. They’re more scared of you than you are of them,” Dunstana assures him. “Just open your jacket and make yourself look big.”
“That’s cougars,” Myra mutters.
The rest of the crew steps forward reassuringly.
“If there’s sharks, just show those fish who’s boss and punch ’em in the nose, Williams.”
“That’s just good advice in general,” Dunstana agrees. “Ready, Williams?”
“Not really, Captain.”
“I believe in you, and if you don’t believe in you, believe in me believing in you,” Dunstana tells him, smiling reassuringly at him.
“What?”
“We’ll go on three, okay?”
“What?”
“Three. Like, after two, not as much as four.”
Williams swallows nervously. “Is that one, two, go? Or one, two, three, go?”
“Beasley likes you!” Dunstana declares suddenly.
“What?” William exclaims, glancing over at the female pirate. “She does? But I thought—”
“You can ask her all about when you get back,” Abrams says, giving Williams a quick shove.
Williams yelps and splashes down into the water.
“You okay, Williams?” Dunstana calls over the side of the ship.
“He pushed me!” Williams cries as he surfaces. “I wasn’t ready!”
“We helped you,” Dunstana says.
“You were so worried about getting into the water, that you never would have jumped,” Abrams explains.
Williams’ brow furrows. “That is true,” he mutters.
“And, hey, we got you in the water, didn’t we?” Abrams notes.
“You did,” Williams concedes. “Well, I guess I’m off to find the salvage. Three tugs on the rope, right?”
“Good luck, Williams!” Beasley calls, giving him a wave and a wink.
“So,” Abrams says, grinning to his crewmate, “you and Williams, huh?”
“Stow it,” Beasley mutters.
Bored with having to wait for Williams’ return, Dunstana sprawls herself on the deck and alternates between complaining about how bored she is and singing sea shanties to herself:
“’Twas on the field at Campo-del-Rey
It’s up, Gran Hidalgo
Where Gran Hidalgo gained the day
Along the plains of Pelayo.
So, roll along and away we go,
It’s up, Gran Hidalgo.
Roll along and away we go,
Along the plains of Pelayo.”
Still bored, Dunstana yawns and sits up.
“You know,” she muses, “that song never made sense to me. Is Gran Hidalgo a guy or a boat? And we’re pirates, we sail. On the Ocean. Why are we singing about plains?”
Her eyes go wide at a sudden realisation.
“Unless,” she notes excitedly, “it’s because plains are like the Land-Ocean! That must be it. I’m a genius!” She glances over at her crew. “Any sign of Williams yet?”
“Maybe the sharks got him,” Beasley answers.
“He’s your boyfriend. Maybe you should go after him,” Abrams offers.
“Maybe you should shut your mouth,” Beasley counters, reaching for her sword.
“Maybe you all should be paying attention to the rope,” Myra says.
Dunstana’s eyes go wide as she watches Williams’ rope. The rope snaps taut mid-tug.
“How many tugs was that?” she asks, springing to her feet. “Who’s watching the rope?”
“Clearly not you,” Myra sighs.
Dunstana raptly stares at the rope.
One, two, three. Then a brief pauses. One, two, three again.
“He did it!” Dunstana exclaims. “He found treasure! Hurry up! Hurry up!”
Soon, the Raiders are hauling Williams back up onto the deck. He’s clutching a chest about the size of Dunstana.
“Here’s a towel, Williams,” Dunstana says once he’s back on deck.
“Thank you, Captain,” he says, reaching for the towel.
“Well,” Beasley asks. “Were there any sharks?”
“No,” Williams answers. “But a stubbornfish kept following me around the wreck and headbutting me.” He shudders. “What a horrible little creature.”
“You did good, Williams.” Beasley gives him a smile at a kiss on the cheek.
“Gross,” Dunstana mutters.
“Good job, kid. You got the salvage.” Myra points off the port side of the ship. “So what do you plan to do about that?”
Another ship is quickly closing in on the Raiders.
“Well,” Dunstana notes, “you’re the mentor here. So we should really be asking for your plan.”
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
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