The woman's reflection in the large mirror was that of a stranger.
That was the still coherent thought that came to mind.
The chambermaid brushed the long, unruly locks that fell down her pale face before braiding them at the top of her neck, adorning it with strands of gold and pearls. The young woman just watched indifferently as if everything happened to someone else. Averting her gaze lost in reflex, Faith screwed up her face in pain despite the satisfaction.
The woman beside her complains in Spanish she barely understands, but it wasn't necessary.
A small riot had started when the foreman had given the orders for the captives to be brought back ashore.
Some were crying and whining and as usual, the guards had used opium to calm the screaming and despair. Milder women always hit higher bids at auctions.
Faith had watched the scene with contempt and arrogance and stopped to face Garro. She could easily kill him. The idea was too tempting. That man did not expect that she would be meekly taken captive.
She was thinking only of the agony of dry pain that made her throat burn. She frowned as she brought her hand to her throat. The first opportunity had come unexpectedly. Faith watched the attempted escape of one of the women who had been brought in screaming.
Ignoring the confusion that clouded his senses. His head hurt terribly. Her sensitive, keen ears processed information that for a moment made her doubt her sanity.
She wasn't out of control. There was complete clarity. She had just looked at the man who guarded her. Very aware of the melodious sound that drew her. Heartbeats were controlled. It was a throbbing sound and alive and alluring. She could feel her mouth watering. The sound of that throbbing heart was alluring and so wet it was sure to quell the fire that seemed to burn in her throat. Her ears rang. The pain of thirst was ravenous. So scorching it made thinking difficult.
What was happening to her?
This was the timely distraction she had been waiting for. Jacke was not serious about her waiting for the arrival of Gaia. She was going to escape. Let her die in the attempt. It didn't matter. It would not be treated as a commodity.
Finally, her eager fingers reached for the sword. The scimitar could have been a bird singing in his nimble hands. All the tiredness was gone. There was adrenaline coursing through her body. And there was... Blood. She gasped again, too conscious of thirst.
She was dominated again. The irresistible attraction struggled against her base instincts and finally gave way to the vital need to defend herself. Her lips drew back of their own volition as an insane growl tore from her throat, exposing her fangs.
It was an animal growl coming out of her mouth. She had stopped short for a moment. Again confused. What had they done to her?
Cassie soaked up the scents of the wet earth and damp air. And another scent—a scent so delicious it could quench her thirst.
She needed to get out of there. The ability to think wasn't going to last long. Flames gnawed at her throat. She was thirsty. She had held her breath to try to control herself. Forcing the way. The cart with horses was not far away. It was freedom.
Cassie ignored everything. The sword roared in his sharp, deadly hand. She knew with absolute security how to handle it and intended to run away. There was no remorse on her part as she attacked the first guard.
Until then her memories were confused. There was so much blood. His sharp blade pierced the man and she watched the surprise in the sentry's eyes. She had sometimes been referred to as the captain. She handled weapons. She had the feeling she had done this many times.
Only this time it was different. The sensation was strong, dizzying, and somehow electrifying. She could only focus her mind on one thing. The head office. It was pure self-preservation. She looked at the guard expectantly. He was hurt and he smelled thick, hot and penetrating. Strong and wet enough to ease the hellish burning in his throat.
The women around her screamed as they walked away. She saw renewed hope for freedom.
There was only one catch. Her body had slanted suggestively toward the man. The filled one was too attractive to be ignored. She obsessed and hypnotized compulsively.
No, Cassie. It's forbidden. Can't do this!
Another brutal growl surfaced. She now defended her prey.
So all the air was just gone. The throat not only burned, but it also choked. The whip when snapped had left bright marks on her neck as it curled up in a deadly embrace.
His behavioural temper had finally drawn curses from the foreman. He wondered what? He didn't care if they took his daily ration. He wasn't hungry or thirsty for it.
"I'll have her killed, damn woman!" Garro was screaming at the top of his lungs.
He was shouting orders to capture her as his nervous fingers fumbled with the little bundle of wolves. He was always cautious.
She drops to her knees to Garro's screams. The whip went down her back leaving painful cuts. Changed like wolves had a natural gift of healing.
Successive flashes passed before her eyes. God, the dagger was buried in her flesh. The pain was excruciating.
It was almost a pleasure to feel the pain of the whip bringing her to the present and blessed reality. Her skin throbbed when she was hit with the three-bladed steel tip, and blood gushed from the cuts and furrows.
The scene from the top of the belfry was a colourful sight of people of different nationalities roaming the main streets of the island of Chabone. The stalls were erected and stocked with an infinite variety of exotic goods, from food to fine spices in a lucrative trade.
The port is crowded with schooners and ships as they embark and disembark large wooden chests and crates with an infinite variety of goods. The air was redolent of spices like cinnamon, pepper and saffron.
All over town, disguised men mingled, speaking in different languages in an assorted mix of accents. The festival had a delayed start but finally began with great anticipation, greeting the arrival of ships from the Orient.
The open-air auction had started early in the morning with the sale of slaves that were brought in from slave ships. They showed Africans in chains who were neat and had their skin oiled to bring out the colour of the skin. Younger, young, and beautiful girls were displayed naked from the waist up, revealing well-curved bodies and generous breasts in front of slave masters and plantation owners.
Richard watched the streets and the noisy movement with his eyes. Morgan with the wolves was not far away. They sniffed around looking for the woman. He was exasperated. Kassuim. He didn't know what to do about that girl. The girl was always the subject of discussion he didn't know how to convince her that she was innocent. At least Richard didn't have Jacke there to irritate him with the girl's excessive protection. Although Bloody Pirate was in love with Faith, he treated Kassuim like a younger sister. If the man for any moment knew of the ultimatum he had given the girl he could easily expect a duel.
Where was Cassie? She looked at Adam with distaste. Michael had stayed in the village looking after Ayla and Christina. Annoyed Kassuim had said goodbye to her husband with a distant and sad look. The girl wasn't going to do anything foolish, was she? All he had to do was walk away. Everything had turned into chaos. It was Christina, Kassuim and the Order.
Rumours ran wild in the taverns where disguised corsairs sipped and joked about the exotic wares Garro intended to offer. And an upset Richard imagined the exorbitant value of buying a white slave girl with eyes the colour of amethyst. Ah, it could be a lot worse. At least they didn't know she was a half-breed to trade for the Order. He mentally cursed. There was something wrong. Everyone was focused on rescuing Cassie. The Order of Light would have paid a fortune in gold and jewellery for the acquisition of a mestizo. They were rare, special, and blood highly prized for the power they contained. When he returned he would give orders that the girl is taken to Gaia and be safe. Richard was surprised that James wasn't after the girl.
The hours dragged by with an irritating slowness. Adam hadn't brought any good news. An incident in the streets while transporting slaves during the night was said to have caused the deaths of two soldiers.
-None of them managed to escape. – Giles spoke very embarrassed and also with pity. -They said there was turmoil, and agitation by the comments of the guards who were killed. No one expected a slave to attempt an escape.
"Killed by the sword?" was all Richard could ask when the voice finally returned. That was typical of Cassie.
He couldn't even imagine the scene. The foremen's reputation for guarding valuable goods was not the best. He had all the conviction in the world that this irresponsible woman was looking for her death.
It certainly wasn't asking too much of her to wait like any helpless woman while they negotiated her freedom. It couldn't be that hard. Did it cross that mindless fool's mind that he wouldn't rescue her?
-We were lucky. None of them was killed. That means the girl is alive. – Adam sighed, trying to calm his older brother's spirits.
-But of course. – the answer was scathing.
Richard struggled with doubts. That was Cassie. He became thoughtful again. Most of the ships' crew were waiting there. Something wasn't right. He felt it in the raised hairs on his body. He sighed in resignation. Kassuim. James imagined the opportunity to get close to the wayward daughter while they were busy rescuing their sister? By Kassuim's temper, he would hardly be obedient and tolerant or not get into trouble. She had at the very least defied the earl and pissed him off enough for the Order to use a forbidden spell like the blood curse. He listened silently, inevitably remembering the last time he had seen his wife. He avoided noticing the smouldering hurt looks, resorting to military discipline by covering up Morgan's extravagances with a whore. Yet he had delivered the coup de grace. It was by no means negotiable. The island was surrounded by ships from Gazarra. The resourceful population desperately sought to escape the approaching battle. It was the Great Battle of the Siege as it later became known. Cassie was going to board one of those ships anyway and go back to Garrone. She would be safe in Scarlet Castle.
I don't care who was responsible for this feud or who started it. She had always known that the Armada would not tolerate the Revenge being under the leadership of a woman.
That had been a mistake and a lie. The Armada council had radically opposed his demands. His wife was not going to take part in the battle. He couldn't stand the idea of anything happening to him. She didn't understand that he was incapable of leading the corsairs in that challenge knowing she might be in danger. Garro had threatened to kill Cassie. And there was Cornor. Cassie had simply ordered them to set fire to the ship filled with the innkeeper's cargo of oil and gunpowder. Jacke had supported that fool. Garro was not at all pleased.
Richard was stunned. It had to be a gift for her to be able to piss off her enemies like that. Was there anyone who wasn't hunting that reckless one?
He closed his eyes; the memories returning. Cassie was her enemy's prisoner. She had given herself up to save her sister. The damn Pieces of Four. He wondered who wasn't looking for those cursed objects.
He shook his head again, uncomfortable. Kassuim's hostility was the usual towards him. Wasn't it amazing how everything went on as usual? She had got it all wrong.
-Can you feel it?- Richard asked anxiously watching the old sailor approach.
The alpha looked up at him with a scowl. It was clear that the old man had noticed that he had said something to the woman that she had not liked. Richard was even more concerned about the possibility of the girl committing a fool. It was absurd.
-No, I can't. They must have used aconite to cover her tracks at the very least.
They should have brought the witch. There was a bond between the sisters because of the Stone of Balthazar. Michael had not agreed at all. Richard had expected a lot of protests from the girl when her husband had in all ways denied his participation in the war. Perplexity surfaced in disbelief. The rebellious girl even visibly upset had agreed with her husband's pleas. Since when did that girl obey anyone, Lord? He had almost destroyed the stone anyway. Richard watched lividly as his sister-in-law in connection with his sister writhe in convulsions as she recognized the use of wolf. Michael had come toward him, ready to attack him, and with every reason. The girl carried her heir. He had stared at his brother white-faced, realizing they were torturing Cassie. The ground disappeared under his feet. He had never felt so helpless. This time he could kill Garro. Kassuim's pregnancy inspired care until they could break the curse. In addition to rescuing Faith, they would need to get the blood of a sorcerer. What were the chances that the child would be born healthy the way it developed that fast? The betrayal of his family...
-I know I shouldn't ask, but... - Richard was cautious.