The Bastard Girl (The Bastard Girl Series, Book #1)

Chapter 9~ Dr. Zagaeski's Wonders

Chapter 9~ Dr. Zagaeski's Wonders

Over the next few days, the Cabin Boy's visits were strictly professional. I had no torturing injuries, so he had no real reason to stay. And part of me didn't want him to stay like he used to. It was clear that I was no longer any kind of friend to him—to anyone. If he was content with that, I knew I must be as well. Sometimes, I would be released at night to get fresh air. But, I'd always be cloaked in case I was spotted. At least every hour, I'd wonder how long it had been since I first was kidnapped. Tew once said a ransom letter was to be sent. But, that felt like years ago now. My father was perhaps never coming. Who knows? Maybe Tew's stilled actions meant he was ready to kill me once and for all and give up the hunt for Every.

Every day, I started coming to terms with my own potential murder so that when it came, I wouldn't be scared. I could welcome it like a long-lost friend.

But today was to be very different than the rest. That previous night, Edmund had mentioned that we were to port in Cape Town in the morning. And we did. The island smelled of citrus, apples, and green plant life. I was released to roam the deck in the morning. All the while, the ship was being stocked for another long journey ahead of us. Men rolled in barrels of rum, sacks of sugar, and crates of mysterious substances. Everyone had their jobs and busied themselves. And, surprisingly, the security was lacking. Perfect...

"I wouldn't if I were you," said a voice behind me.

I glanced around and rolled my eyes. "What? Would you stop me, Edmund?"

He folded his arms and looked around quickly for anyone watching our conversation. "'Course not. But a bullet in the head might."

I smirked to myself and watched the islanders load sacks into the pirate's arms. Making a quick decision, I turned to face Edmund. "It was nice knowing you, Edmund. Good luck becoming a doctor."

"What?" he laughed, amused. I nodded and approached an islander carrying another sack. Hiding under the hood of my cloak and lowering my voice to an uncomfortable level, I grunted, "I'll take it from here." The islander paused, a little worried about the figure before him but hauled it into my arms nonetheless. I turned to go to the back of the ship when the islander's call stopped me.

"Wait," he said in a thick African accent, "this one was in the wrong pile. Put it back with the other loads on the dock." My head raised only slightly in surprise. This was it! The chance I'd been waiting for for months. Edmund was just as surprised as me, witnessing a possible miracle before him. But, I still looked to him as if to ask if I should do it. Wide-eyed, he nodded feverishly. That was all I needed. All those years of appearing unfeminine may pay off. Nonchalantly, I lugged the bag down to the dock, keeping my head down so no one would look at me. Maybe then I would disappear into the air. Terror and excitement flowed through my blood but I did everything in my power to keep from showing it. Seconds felt like hours and every face that I passed made my heart crawl closer and closer up to my throat. I could just imagine, any moment now, Tew coming barreling down the dock to drag me back into my personal hell. Nothing good lasts forever, after all.

My foot landed on the steady wood floor of the deck. It was the first steady ground I'd been on in forever; I could've kissed it. However, there wasn't a moment to spare. I laid the sack down in the area the islander directed me to and quickly, silently walked away. So easy...Like they were just waiting for me to go.

Cape Town was nothing short of miraculous. That citrus scent was an uplifting, heavenly aroma that I could've gotten drunk on. Palm trees lined the shoreline, and the mountaintops in the distance called my name. The city was a wildfire of people in the markets playing joyous street music and selling goods I'd never even heard of in England. Everything about this place was entrancing and miraculous. But, I'd stopped walking. A voice inside me was yelling. So loud, almost deafening. It said I'd left something behind. I looked back on the ship and could only think of one reason I would ever turn back to that place. A reason I'd almost completely forgotten about in my haste.