A Hidden Queen

Chapter 42

Joe covers her head, feeling the heat of the bullets as they splinter the wood behind her. She breathes heavily, gazing out over the mad mob of men fighting amongst themselves. Her body withers as she steadily comes to her knees. Joe's breathing catches as a loud throaty yell pulls her attention to port. The blue eyes widen in diameter, helplessly watching as the soldier charges with a bayonet armed high. He thrusts the sharpened weapon forward. Joe's mind blanks as her instincts take over. Her arms flex swiftly rolling her onto her back. The eyes snap over as the bayonet splinters the wood near her throat. Her throat bobs, her breathing rapidly increasing with her anxiety.

Joe flinches as the soldier yanks the weapon from its lodging. Her face twists upwards as she kicks him in the groin. He cries out, the weapon clacking to the deck. A pitiful groan leaves his body as his hand clutch his gentiles. Joe scrambles away as Burnt suddenly grabs the man by the shoulders. The soldier cries out in surprise as he is spun over the brute's shoulder and into the water below.

Joe rests her head back against the blank. She closes her eyes regulating her breathing. Her chest and throat feel tight and her hands shook with the extra adrenaline. Her blue eyes pop open as Burnt fists the front of her shirt. Joe stares up at him alarmed. She instinctively wraps her fingers around his wrist. An undignified yelp leaves Joe as Burnt yanks her to her feet.

Burnt loosens his grip as he stares out over the weather deck. Joe chokes as the air fills with smoke along with the scent of cooper. Her heart races as cries of the wounded filters out the silence that had embraced her only moments before. Joe frowns, covering her mouth with a shaking hand as blood hung in the air like dew droplets.

"Damn you Wickman." Joe mutters. She growls, thrusting her head upwards. "Damn you and your eyes!" She hollers to the maintop. "You're supposed to have the best eyes on this bloody ship! How did you miss these boats?"

Joe sneers as she is forced to turn around. Burnt wraps his meaty hands around her biceps. He shakes her once.

"Never mind that!" Burnt scolds. "You need to go to your uncle."

"Are you insane!" Joe shouts, pushes against his chest. "He's across the bloody ship! There is no way I can get through that mess down there in one piece."

"You must try." Burnt urges, shaking her again. "I do not care if you have to swing from the sailing lines to get over there. Just get over there!"

"You're asking the impossible!"

"Go!" Burnt shouts

Joe stumbles backwards as Burnt shoves her towards the weather deck. Burnt turns away from her, grabbing one of the soldiers rushing up into the cramped area. Joe takes a step forward only to flinch back. She raises her arms to cover her face as wood pieces fly through the air. Her wide eyes shift over to the bullet laden jib-boom. She ducks down as more shots soar past her head. A deep growl shoves its way upwards as she turns, jumping from the forecastle.

Joe's boots tear into the wood as she lands soundly. She weaves, ducks and dodges the weapons and failing bodies. Her eyes whip to her right as she catches movement out of the corner. Joe's inhales sharply as the soldier madly rushes her. Her body lurches backwards. The soldier's sword gliding by her stomach. Joe snarls, grasping the hilt of the weapon. She flexes her legs ramming her shoulder into the man's jaw. Blood splatters from his mouth as he spins to the ground.

Joe winces as a bruise begins to form on her collar bone. She backs up several paces, a crying out in surprise as her foot slips. Joe grunts as her backside collides with the unmoving wood. Her face twists repulsively as the blood spreads between her fingers. She groans, shaking the sticky red substances from her hands. She freezes as her ears twitch with the double click of a loaded gun. The blue eyes slowly raise, her heart pounding in her ears, as she stares down the barrel of a flintlock.