Freedom's Horizon (WLW) (Full Trilogy - Ongoing/Editing)

Book Two: Part Four: Chapter Eighteen

July 1747, Onboard The Harbinger, Caribbean Sea Near Cayman Islands

Ines was thrown into the cage holding her family and caught in gentle arms that carefully ushered her to the floor. Brushing her hair from her face was a familiar hand and she peeled her eyes upward to find Aimee keeping her close. However, her friend's eyes were pointed elsewhere. Running her gaze toward what held hers, Ines watched Colel locking the brig door and impassively gazing at them as Felipe approached the bars.

"Colel, please... Let us go." He reached for her, but she gamely avoided his touch, pulling back at the last moment as she eyed him with a tilted head. Her brow furrowed and sweat beaded down her forehead with the straining of her neck muscles. "That's it, my love. Remember me. Us. Remember your family."

Ines spied Esme approaching the bars and felt herself being turned onto her side, followed by a gasped wave of shock as her backside was revealed. "Where is Genny, Colel? Where is your sister? The person who aided you without regard for her life and brought you to us? To Felipe..."

Colel eyed Esme through a furrowed brow, yet just as Ines thought they may be making some progress, another voice echoed into the brig. "She is already with her family." Zyanya stepped around the stairs leading to the main deck and leaned along the wall. Ines glanced over her body, then at Colel and despite the physical similarities between the two, she knew the latter would never hurt any of them without regard. This wasn't her, though she also surmised she could be freed. That Colel simply needed release and the holder of that key could have been closer than they even realized. She cast her gaze up at Aimee as she listened to Zyanya's monologue. "Colel is not yours and never was. This is the real Colel.

"Do you not see you have been fooled? All of you are simpletons to believe she always bore your best interest at heart." At this, Ines felt Aimee stiffen and as she heard footsteps nearing them, trying her hardest to ignore the almost stifling pain along her backside and listen. As soon as she arrived at Colel's side, Zyanya grasped a clump of her hair at the back of her head and began leading her away. "Come sister. Do not waste energy on those already doomed. You wish to see your children again, correct?"

Upon her final sentence, Felipe repeatedly slammed his fists against the bars as he yelled, "Colel, the children are safe! Please, do not believe her lies! We have them--"

"Nowhere." Zyanya finished as they neared the stairs and she shoved Colel toward them, the echo of her leaving footsteps resonating toward them. "Did Arthur and Francisco not tell you? Your children are not in Roatan. Where might they be, I wonder...?"

"You bitch! I'll kill you if you hurt my children or my--"

"Do as you are told and they will remain alive. Falter and they will feel the end of my blade." With one final utterance, Zyanya left and Felipe collapsed to his knees, resting his head and hands along the bars.

Esme hurried over to Ines and touched her shoulder, cautiously overturning her as Aimee stabilized her head. She groaned as Esme parted the tattered flaps of her pullover, and then turned her eyes upward, glowering at the wooden paneled ceiling. Dawn came over as she undid the buttons of her trademark blue dress and slipped it off. She began tearing away at it in only her breeches and a relatively thin chemise, then started handing the pieces to Esme as Ines could no longer keep her mouth shut.

"Where are the others?" She attempted rolling back over and ignoring her pain, though Esme was having none of it. "Where are Lana, Trevor and Cameron?"

Ricky stepped closer and held Ines' hand as Esme began wrapping the larger of her lashes. After Gen revealed the location of the Dagger of Sol and it was found, as a form of further punishment Ines had been kept strapped to the main mast. She was flogged for a good ten minutes before she was escorted below and Gen remained above deck. Shaking herself loose from Ricky's hold, Ines turned onto her side and caught Esme's eyes.