Hal was still up on deck after midnight, standing at the stern and watching the ship that trailed after them. Kyle stepped up next to him and handed him a mug of tea. “Do you know who it is?”
“No. But I have my suspicions.” He took a sip of tea. “I didn’t see the ship anywhere near the wharf, but there are other places to drop anchor around Tortuga.”
Kyle looked towards the ship. The clouds he had seen earlier had rolled in over them so there was no moon tonight. The ship was only visible by it’s lamps now, but the red sails had been obvious even without the spyglass as the ship drew closer before dusk. It was someone who was cocky, who didn’t care if their boat was seen and identified. “Amon Sur?”
Hal nodded and took another drink of his tea. “Makes sense. It’s a common strategy. Wait until we’re away from anyone else, no allies to help.” He looked at Kyle and winked. “Too bad it won’t do him any good against the Dawn.”
Kyle gave him a weak smile back. He only wished he could feel that confident. He knew they were relatively safe on the Emerald Dawn, but during the time he had been onboard they had only run up against ships that they had decided to attack, ships that had given up easily. Now they were the prey for a man with a grudge.
“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,” Hal said. “But just in case, I want you to keep Sodam below and out of sight. Especially keep him away from the cannons.” He drained the tea and handed the mug back to Kyle.
“I will,” Kyle said. Even if he had to tie the boy to a chair with every bit of rope they had.
Hal leaned over and kissed him. “Go to bed. I’ll be down soon. Guy is going to come up and keep watch for the rest of the night.”
“See you soon, then,” Kyle said. He went back down into the ship, but rather than going to the captain’s cabin he continued down to the next deck.
Guy was just coming out of his room, buttoning up his coat. “Sodam’s fine. I haven’t heard a peep out of him for at least an hour.”
Kyle nodded. “I know. I just ...” He shrugged.
Guy gave him a sympathetic smile. “I check on my girls at least five times a night when I’m home.” He clapped Kyle on the shoulder as he passed.
Kyle opened the door and looked inside. The candle was still lit, making Sodam’s crystal prism throw a brilliant rainbow across the wall. Sodam was fast asleep, sprawled out on his bed with his sheet kicked off. Mona was sleeping next to him on his pillow with her tail curled around her body. Kyle went into the room as quietly as he could and pulled up the sheet to cover Sodam. Mona lifted her head to look at him. “Go back to sleep,” he whispered to her. The monkey yawned and lay her head back down.
He turned around to blow out the candle and noticed the mess left on the table: coins, cookie crumbs, seed husks, a peach pit. Kyle put the money back in the pouch, then scraped the rest of the mess into the mug he was carrying.
He dropped the mug off in the galley, then went back to the captain’s cabin. Hal was sitting on the couch, pulling off his boots. “He asleep?”
“Yes.” He walked over to Hal and kneeled over his lap, straddling him, and bent down to kiss him deeply. When they stopped to breath he sighed against Hal’s mouth. “We finally get a night alone and we have that bloody ship to worry about.”
Hal pulled open the buttons of Kyle’s shirt. “I don’t know about you, but I have better things to worry about than a ship.” He ran his hands over Kyle’s chest, then leaned forward to kiss him just below the pendant. “Like how much I want you right now.”
Kyle stood up and pulled Hal to his feet. Still holding his hand, Kyle led him into the bedroom. They pulled their clothes off as quick as they could, then fell together onto the bed. Hal rolled on top of Kyle, pushing his knees between Kyle’s thighs, and leaned over to search for the small bottle of oil.
It was hard and fast and Kyle was pretty sure he was going to be sore for a day or so, but he didn’t care. He wrapped himself around Hal afterward, both of them sweaty and sticky, holding him tight as their hearts pounded together.
John came to wake them just as dawn was lighting the sky. “The ship is moving closer,” John said from the doorway as Hal pulled on his clothes. “Guy got a good look at it in the glass. You were right. It’s Amon Sur.”
Hal nodded and stood up. He looked at Kyle. “Make sure Sodam stays below. Sur is definitely the type to shoot children.” He strode out of the room, John on his heels.
Kyle pulled his clothes on and went to find Sodam. He caught him just as the boy was heading up the stairs to the top deck. “No. You have to stay below,” he said, pulling him back down the stairs.
“Why?”
“Because the Captain said so,” Kyle said, keeping his voice stern.
Sodam sighed and shuffled after him. “It’s boring down here. I want to see the other ship.”
“Did you lock up Mona?” Kyle asked, trying to change the subject. He took Sodam’s arm and guided him towards the galley so they could get something to eat.
“Yes,” he said.
There was a sudden boom of a cannon. Sodam squeaked in surprise and Kyle froze, waiting for the impact. But it didn’t come. Either it was a warning shot or they missed. The ship was bustling now, with the men getting the Dawn’s cannons ready. Kyle grabbed some bread off a tray and took Sodam’s arm again, dragging him quickly through the chaos. “We’ll go see if Soranik needs help.” Now that he was training to help her, it was where he was supposed to be during a battle. And it was safer there.
Soranik was busy getting supplies ready: bandages, vinegar, sutures. “Got anything for Sodam to do?” Kyle asked as he pushed the boy into the sickbay.
Soranik looked around, then grabbed a sheet and some scissors. “He can cut this up for bandages.”
Kyle knew they didn’t need anymore bandages, but she had caught on that he wanted to keep Sodam busy. He sat the boy on one of the bunks and got him started, then went back over to Soranik. “Thank you,” he whispered to her.
She smiled. “I figured if we didn’t keep him busy he’d try to be up in the thick of things. He’s a lot like the Captain that way, isn’t he?”
Kilowog’s voice boomed “Fire!” and Kyle flinched when the entire ship shook as the cannons went off. There was a clatter of metal behind him. Sodam had dropped the scissors and was staring wide-eyed at the door.
“Are you all right?” Kyle asked. Sodam nodded and picked up his scissors again.
There was a muffled boom again, and this time there were thuds and cracks as cannon balls hit the side of the ship. Kyle looked up, thinking of Hal -- please be safe -- then peered out the door. It looked like they were about ready to fire again.
The cannons boomed. Kyle looked over at Sodam. This time the boy had a smile on his face.
The other ship fired again and the Emerald Dawn was pelted with cannon balls. There was also the crack of musketfire up above, which meant the ships were probably very close now. He swallowed hard, trying not to think too hard about what Hal was in the middle of.
When the Emerald Dawn’s cannon fired again, this time it was followed by a howl of pain. “I’ll go,” Kyle said, heading for the door.
“I want to come, too!” Sodam exclaimed.
“No!” Kyle shouted. “You stay here!” He ran out onto the deck, weaving between the men getting the cannons ready again. Kilowog was on the floor, grimacing and holding his leg. His foot was twisted at an angle that could only mean his ankle was broken. Kyle bent down to put his arm under Kilowog’s. “I’ll take you to Soranik.”
“No! Just set me against the wall,” Kilowog growled at him.
Another boom, another clatter of metal agains the ship. Kyle took a deep breath to calm himself. “If we don’t get that ankle taken care of, you could lose the foot.”
The man grumbled, then turned to look behind him. “Keep them going, Sarn!”
“Fire!” Vath yelled.
The cannons went off and for a moment Kyle couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in his ears. Then he jerked Kilowog to his feet and hauled him down to the sickbay.
He got Kilowg on the bed and Soranik bent over to examine his ankle. “I’m going to have to set it,” she finally said. Kyle caught the quick brush of her fingers over Kilowog’s. “You ready?” she asked. The big man nodded.
Kyle held Kilowog’s leg down while Soranik straightened the bones. The Dawn’s cannons fired again just as Kilowog bellowed in pain.
“I think I got it,” Soranik said. “At least good enough for the ring to continue healing it. Kyle, get me a splint, please. Sodam, will you bring me a bandage?”
Sodam brought the bandage over. He looked a little pale. “Are you all right, Mister Kilowog?”
Kilowog nodded and patted Sodam’s shoulder. “I’m all right. Damned cannon jumped and got my leg.”
At the mention of cannons, Kyle stopped and listened. “I think the cannons stopped.” He looked out the door. Everyone was at their station at the ready, but nobody was firing.
“Go up on deck, see if anyone needs help,” Soranik said.
Kyle grabbed some bandages and a bottle of vinegar. Before Sodam could even ask, Kyle turned to him. “You stay here and help Soranik.” The boy frowned and pouted, but he didn’t try to argue.
Kyle sprinted up the stairs and reached the top deck just in time to see the main mast of the other ship collapse, breaking off below the fork of the middle spar, it’s lines twanging like violin strings. The sails were on fire and ash was swirling around like snow.
He looked around the Dawn’s deck. There didn’t appear to be any serious injuries so he set the bottle and bandages on a crate and went over to Hal.
Hal was standing at the rail, looking down at the ship next to them. It was close enough that a leap could have gotten Kyle over there, but it wasn’t a place he would want to be. The deck was battered, with gaping holes in the planks, and littered with the bodies of the dead and dying.
Amon Sur was leaned back against the capstan, his shoulder soaked in blood.
“Go on! Shoot me, Jordan!” the man shouted.
That’s when Kyle noticed Hal had a pistol in his hand, his finger twitching over the trigger.
“Do it, Hal,” Guy muttered. “Though it would be a waste of lead.”
Hal raised the pistol and Kyle sucked in his breath. Hal’s eyes were cold and his jaw twitched as he glared down at Amon Sur. Kyle tensed for the explosion of the gun going off. But Hal shook his head and lowered the pistol. “I made a promise to your father I would not harm you, Sur, and I cannot break my promises.”
“I knew you were soft, Jordan,” Amon spat. “Everyone is afraid of you, but in reality you are weak. You can’t even kill me!”
“I can’t kill you,” Hal said. “But Salaak never made such a promise.” He handed the pistol to Salaak. In one swift movement, Salaak lifted the gun and fired. Amon Sur slumped to the deck, a hole in his forehead and a shocked look on his face.
“Captain Sur is avenged,” Salaak said. He handed the pistol back to Hal and walked away.
Hal turned to his crew. “Mister Gardner, get us out of here.”
“Yes, Captain!” Guy ran up the steps to the wheel, shouting orders to the men. Hal turned to Kyle and gave him a quick once-over. “You’re all right? How is Sodam?”
“He’s fine. Just upset that he missed all the excitement up here. Soranik has him making bandages.”
Hal nodded. “Good. Was anyone hurt below?”
“Nothing too serious. Kilowog just broke his ankle.” Kyle grinned. “But I’m sure Soranik will take good care of him.”
Kyle leaned on the rail, staring out at the sea in front of him. Somewhere out there was England. In about a month, he would be back where he started, but far different than when he left. The Kyle Rayner that had first been ‘kidnapped’ so many months ago was nothing like the Kyle Rayner that was returning. He only hoped there would be no trouble for his crewmates or himself.
He still didn’t know what he would do about his inheritance. Lord Scott obviously knew he had never arrived in Charles Town, but did he know Kyle had joined the Emerald Dawn? Would Scott still help him now that he had become a pirate? He would have been happy just ignoring the situation, pretending he had never heard about his father’s death, but Hal insisted he had to go claim the inheritance that was due him, if only to get rid of the baggage he was carrying around about his father.
A body pressed up beside him. “What are you thinking about?” Hal asked.
Kyle sighed. “I wish I never got that letter. It ruined an otherwise perfect Christmas.” He pressed closer to Hal. “I got a love token, a monkey, and a child. I don’t need anything else.”
Hal put his arm around him. “Still worried about going home?”
“No,” Kyle said. “Because I’m not going home.” He turned to face Hal and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I’m already home.”