His intention in coming up to the quarterdeck was to talk. He armed himself with infinite patience to control his temper. The way the girl always seemed ready to defy his orders had a lot to do with his controlling temper.
Richard Morgan loved control. He was the captain of the ship and a Commodore of the Armada. He had at his command several ships and crew that could easily equal an army.
His orders were fair, few complained about his command when giving orders. He was considered a just man and abhorred the physical punishments that were usually applied onboard a ship and he had made that very clear to the privateer captains who sailed with him. He was a respected and feared man.
He was not prepared for the strong clash of personalities. Kassuim challenged, attracted, and aroused him like no other woman. It was hell the damn temptation to dominate that girl.
All of his unshakable resolve to remain calm and try to talk—they were two normal, grown-up people—had suddenly been forgotten.
He'd made it clear that he didn't want the girl on deck doing the heavy lifting with the crew. Her physical condition still worried him. She ate poorly, was recovering from a serious injury, and still looked haggard and frail. The kitchen was effortless and would keep her away from the men in their occupations. She was losing weight again.
All that was forgotten. He stopped in astonishment, taking a deep breath, as the anger slowly and gradually built up. She was on deck. An inexperienced new crew member had difficulties managing the ship's rigging. He heard the laughter and banter so common onboard the ship, grinding his teeth in possession.
It couldn't be that difficult to obey orders. It was just being quiet, resting, and eating. Could it be that difficult? Could???
He walked angrily as he stopped behind her, telling himself it was enough to keep his unhappy control. If the damn fledgling got any closer to her he might… his blood boiled in his veins in anger. He stopped with his arms crossed against his chest, perplexed by his reaction.
It was hell! Was he jealous?
-What do you want? she asked without needing to turn around to face him. She knew it was him. She could feel it from the vibration of anger he gave off as he approached. Sometimes being an empath was a problem.
Richard mulled the words. No way. His intention was not to create more disagreements between them. He wasn't going to approach the girl like that. But the sight of her helping a new crewman infuriated him with jealousy. It was a curse. He had given simple orders. He didn't want the girl on the quarterdeck doing heavy chores while he recovered. But in the kitchen, Paddy sure as hell hadn't made it easy. There she was, taking care of the ship's rigging quite naturally. That infuriated him even more. He shivered with rage.
-That schooner was a disastrous attack. The attack on the village was even worse. Zagorra is dead. What more could you want? You have already carried out my father's orders.
Was she hurt by that? His surprise knew no bounds. Oh, rays. He hadn't come here just for Will.
Kassuim took a deep breath. He could even be annoying when he wanted to. Did he intend to do an interrogation on the quarterdeck as well? The men around him were starting to pay attention. And with what rights? From what Paddy said, the damn man had been busy enough to miss him. After all, there was no lack of female companionship. Mayra? Just Mayra. She was angry. Anger at yourself.
- It's late and it's getting dark. The day was tiring.
Rick looked around with murderous eyes. No one there who loved life dared to get close to her. He was capable of butchering the first cheeky prankster...
-It was tiring for everyone. There's always work on deck and deck, even more so if we're going to anchor.
It wasn't the subject he intended to talk to her about either. The infernal woman hadn't expected him to allow her to sleep with the crew of men. They were going to find out she was a woman. Damn her stubbornness. Anyone else would have noticed that.
She finally turned around, keeping her head up to face him. outraged. Oh, if anyone here should have been furious, it was him. She, however, might be able to shoot him with her eyes flashing. He sighed. It was going to be an argument. Where the hell had his damned charm with women gone? It was the angry image of a pagan goddess.
He wanted answers. He had naturally found among the wreckage of the burned-out village the emblem of James of Macgrover. The thought that perhaps his enemy was chasing the woman filled her with worries. Rays. She didn't trust him!
You were pregnant! It can't be that hard to be quiet, rest and feed
"You know, I doubt they left the ship's cabin crew on the schooner when they abandoned her." He intended to be as calm as possible. Make her understand the seriousness of the situation. - And you can retire after explaining certain details to me. Just one. Who's after you?
Kassuim bit his lip. I was beginning to hate the way he was direct and observant. Had the man noticed that detail too, sir?
-Like?
- They didn't leave her by chance. And usually, when there is confusion like this we have the intervention of a very respectable figure.
She stares at him dumbfounded and pale
"I did!", Rick bristled at the thought.
It would be hell if James had found out the girl was his wife, but he would also explain those bombings. The man was chasing his family. Kassuim would be the perfect target to hit him.
-What are you implying? Good privateers died that day. - Pain raged through Kassuim. His fault. They had died from the ambush to capture her. The feeling was devastating. - Zagorra and so many others... For God's sake! Can't you leave them alone even now?
It wasn't what interested him. Curse. She was his wife! Except he'd spent those years aboard the Star with Thalagar. Only the idea spurred him on. The girl owed him an explanation. Was Thalagar his lover? She belonged to him.
-It's true, they're dead. – He agreed so hard and cold that for a moment Kassuim stopped without recognizing him. -You probably had a falling out with Thalagar, didn't you? A fight? And the unfortunate decision to go to hell. Allying with whom?
Kassuim was perplexed. He couldn't even imagine how true that was. The shock was visible on his face.
-You're insinuating that... - She couldn't speak the man's name. Her gaze went dismayed to her wrists. He didn't. The gold bracelet was not visible to anyone. This was usually also the problem for imprisoning a sorcerer. 'Do you think the earl was...?' Our men are dead. They were good privateers, men of honor. -She hated him at that moment. He believed what?
The whole thing was a horror. She couldn't explain it to him. She had had no choice; she had already tried everything to get rid of the unfortunate bracelet. Thalagar had gotten it from ancient sorcerers on Muir. The Star of Tomorrow was nothing more than a prison. She couldn't just leave the ship. But for some reason, the magic seemed to have weakened. She was off the Star and her quarterdeck. it was amazing
"Do you think…" She twitched with desperation covering her like a cloak. Finally understanding Thalagar's intentions. She had been with him for years even though she had been forced and compelled to do so, Richard Morgan didn't know.
Rick's face was an emotionless mask.
Her anger surfaced.
-HOW DARE YOU? You're a devil! - She shouted in annoyance and raised her hand.
She felt her body trembling with her heart almost in her throat. He hadn't even given her the benefit of the doubt. She had chosen to believe the worst about her. Did she believe Thalagar to be her... his lover?
Everything went dark around her. Before she knew it, her hand was slamming as hard as possible into his arrogant face with the irrational desire to hurt. Just as he was doing to her now.
There was an absurd silence on the quarterdeck. Now all the corsairs stopped their chores to observe the scene.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Her audacity seemed to have stopped time itself. Like aboard the Duke's Revenge. She also watched with horror as the imprint of her fingers on his face came alive. She just didn't believe it. And she was at the mercy of that man on the ship.
Her blue eyes turned grimly dark and penetrating. She also noticed the muscles in her strong jaw tighten. The air around her was charged with fury. Slowly the angry blue eyes began to glow in the dark. bad sign.
She stared at RichardMorgan with growing horror. Her whole body shivers, a deadly cold enveloping her. She knew she should at least pull away, yet his gaze held her still. Her legs wouldn't obey
-I...
Her eyes roamed the deck waiting for the storm of fury to erupt. That was probably the way he faced his enemies. The heavy silence of the corsairs revealed astonishment and curiosity.
Kassuim tried to breathe. He noticed that he was involuntarily starting to shake. Very slowly, he took the initiative to move away. Maybe just losing the magic wasn't so bad. She would be free from the spell that kept the Duke's Revenge lurking for her not to abandon the Star... aboard the Star those creatures could not find her.
It was then, suddenly, that he attacked.
Rick's anger filled her with fear as the callused hand gripped her arm violently.
-You better be quiet! – he warned softly, so low that it sounded even more threatening. - Come with me or I'll embarrass you in front of everyone.
"God. What did I do?"
She found herself being dragged unceremoniously toward the deck and another memory blasted through her. She stumbled reliving the scene in horror. Thalagar had gone to extreme lengths to ensure she didn't get close to the man she thought was her rival. She was stunned and scared to react. She was reviewing the same scene. She was dragged. There were sorcerers on the abandoned, deserted quarterdeck. Several objects were arranged in symmetry and a complete circle. It was a binding spell. Kassuim watched with growing dread. Did he intend to use spells to imprison her aboard the Star? He looked in disbelief at what awaited her if she didn't stay close to the ship. ICHICHOS! That wretch had miserably cast a location spell for those creatures to find her, that only the Star of Tomorrow was a holy place where it couldn't be touched, found, or drained by those freaks.
Richard dragged her towards the cabin, opened the door, and pushed her without any delicacy.
- Do you think I'm a fool? - he finally released all the anger and frustration. That village had no valuable cargo or treasures to attack and you were left there.
Kassuim was suffocating. Conor was slowly realizing that something was keeping her aboard that ship. He resented the attentions Thalagar paid him despite all his distaste. She was a rival. It was clear that the Spaniard intended to get rid of his rival. What better opportunity than looking for your enemies? He knew James was looking for her.
-That's not what you're thinking! – she was distressed. She couldn't tell him that. And it wouldn't take long either. How many days had she been away from Estrela? Would the proximity of the ship be enough to keep those creatures away?
She stared into the mirror, stunned, losing herself in her own fuzzy, flickering reflection. The spell's protection was failing.
-What was the reason for all this confusion? Quarrel between lovers?