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Authors: Amalie Vantana
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consideration and planning. I was prepared to write to
my sister and the other Phantoms, to call for their aid in the fight, but Leo
convinced me to wait until we knew more. Once Guinevere’s sister was safe, then
we would make plans to capture her uncle.
That night as
sleep eluded me, I pulled on my boots to go topside. With Leo guarding the
women’s cabin, it was far too quiet for me in our own. Picking up my loaded
pistol, I exited my cabin. Leo was not the only one with a lack of trust for a
ship full of men, no matter how orderly the captain kept his vessel. In our
line of work, one did not throw trust around to every kind soul that you met.
We had to choose whom we trusted as we would choose a weapon. Who would best
protect us should the need arise.
As I climbed the
ladder and pushed open the door to the deck, a blast of cool night air struck
my face. The life of a sailor had never appealed to me, but it did fascinate me
to be aboard such a mighty vessel. It appeared that I was not alone in my
feelings.
There were three
others on the deck as I stepped into the moonlight.
What stood out
to me first was that there was no sailor at the helm. All three people were
standing in the shadows near one of the rails. As I moved closer on silent
feet, it became evident that something wicked was at play.
“Do not be
foolish, for it will get you killed,” one of the sailors was saying.
“I am not the
one who was foolish. You thought I would not recognize you? I see all.”
The voice struck
me a hard blow. What was she doing on deck with two sailors?
“If you should
reach Savannah, do be sure to give him my greeting.” Guinevere stepped back,
and the man beside her picked up the sailor and tossed him overboard.
My body burned with
fury as I ran toward the man beside Guinevere, who would not be long for this
world.
Grabbing the
sailor’s shoulder, I twisted him toward me and let my fist fly.
“Jack!”
Guinevere shrieked as my fist struck the corner of the man’s mouth.
He stumbled back
a step, a rope in his hands slipping out of his grasp. I grabbed his coat and
brought him toward me again. My fist soared to do more damage.
He caught my
first in his palm, gripping my hand with painful strength. “You going to kill
me, Jack?”
“What the devil!”
I swore as I released him. “Leo?”
“One and the
same,” he said as he felt where I punched him.
“What are you
doing up here?” I asked as I shook out my hand filled with pain.
“Disposing of
vermin.” He stepped away from Guinevere, who was gazing over the side of the
ship. “Now that you are here I will return to my post.”
Leo backed away
then went below deck, and I shifted to Guinevere.
“What in the
name of all that is good did you think you were doing?” she demanded of me .
“Rescuing you from
a would-be attacker?” I mocked.
She huffed.
“When have you ever known me to require aid in escaping would be attackers?”
“Oh, I do not
know, last evening perhaps. Or was that a staged rehearsal of things to come?”
“Do you mock
me?” she asked, standing toe to toe with me as if she could best me in a fight.
“Do you make a
habit of throwing unsuspecting sailors over the side of ships?” I retorted.
“He was far from
unsuspecting. He was a royal guard, and it is not like we left him to drown. We
gave him a boat.”
Sure enough, she
spoke the truth. There was a boat shifting with the waves and a wriggling
figure fighting against ropes. Leo must have been lowering him down when I
struck.
“Do tell me the
truth. If you are so capable of handling such things yourself why then did you
beg for my assistance in rescuing your sister?”
“I never
begged!” Guinevere protested.
“Implored,
enticed, and revealed,” I assured her.
“Never,” she
retorted with vehemence.
Her indignation
melted my own. Leaning close to her face, she was scowling at me. “You wanted
me for more than my aid alone. Admit it. You wanted me as much as
my sister and the other Phantoms, to call for their aid in the fight, but Leo
convinced me to wait until we knew more. Once Guinevere’s sister was safe, then
we would make plans to capture her uncle.
That night as
sleep eluded me, I pulled on my boots to go topside. With Leo guarding the
women’s cabin, it was far too quiet for me in our own. Picking up my loaded
pistol, I exited my cabin. Leo was not the only one with a lack of trust for a
ship full of men, no matter how orderly the captain kept his vessel. In our
line of work, one did not throw trust around to every kind soul that you met.
We had to choose whom we trusted as we would choose a weapon. Who would best
protect us should the need arise.
As I climbed the
ladder and pushed open the door to the deck, a blast of cool night air struck
my face. The life of a sailor had never appealed to me, but it did fascinate me
to be aboard such a mighty vessel. It appeared that I was not alone in my
feelings.
There were three
others on the deck as I stepped into the moonlight.
What stood out
to me first was that there was no sailor at the helm. All three people were
standing in the shadows near one of the rails. As I moved closer on silent
feet, it became evident that something wicked was at play.
“Do not be
foolish, for it will get you killed,” one of the sailors was saying.
“I am not the
one who was foolish. You thought I would not recognize you? I see all.”
The voice struck
me a hard blow. What was she doing on deck with two sailors?
“If you should
reach Savannah, do be sure to give him my greeting.” Guinevere stepped back,
and the man beside her picked up the sailor and tossed him overboard.
My body burned with
fury as I ran toward the man beside Guinevere, who would not be long for this
world.
Grabbing the
sailor’s shoulder, I twisted him toward me and let my fist fly.
“Jack!”
Guinevere shrieked as my fist struck the corner of the man’s mouth.
He stumbled back
a step, a rope in his hands slipping out of his grasp. I grabbed his coat and
brought him toward me again. My fist soared to do more damage.
He caught my
first in his palm, gripping my hand with painful strength. “You going to kill
me, Jack?”
“What the devil!”
I swore as I released him. “Leo?”
“One and the
same,” he said as he felt where I punched him.
“What are you
doing up here?” I asked as I shook out my hand filled with pain.
“Disposing of
vermin.” He stepped away from Guinevere, who was gazing over the side of the
ship. “Now that you are here I will return to my post.”
Leo backed away
then went below deck, and I shifted to Guinevere.
“What in the
name of all that is good did you think you were doing?” she demanded of me .
“Rescuing you from
a would-be attacker?” I mocked.
She huffed.
“When have you ever known me to require aid in escaping would be attackers?”
“Oh, I do not
know, last evening perhaps. Or was that a staged rehearsal of things to come?”
“Do you mock
me?” she asked, standing toe to toe with me as if she could best me in a fight.
“Do you make a
habit of throwing unsuspecting sailors over the side of ships?” I retorted.
“He was far from
unsuspecting. He was a royal guard, and it is not like we left him to drown. We
gave him a boat.”
Sure enough, she
spoke the truth. There was a boat shifting with the waves and a wriggling
figure fighting against ropes. Leo must have been lowering him down when I
struck.
“Do tell me the
truth. If you are so capable of handling such things yourself why then did you
beg for my assistance in rescuing your sister?”
“I never
begged!” Guinevere protested.
“Implored,
enticed, and revealed,” I assured her.
“Never,” she
retorted with vehemence.
Her indignation
melted my own. Leaning close to her face, she was scowling at me. “You wanted
me for more than my aid alone. Admit it. You wanted me as much as
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