When Whitley winds up on the top of a pirate hit-list thanks to her con-artist father, she must hide her identity and board another pirate ship, trusting in one shape-shifting pirate named Bluff to help her escape. Too bad you can never, ever, trust...
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Bluff
Every prisoner is on alert the second we hear the door to the prison hall squeals open. I rise from my uncomfortable spot on the cold concrete floor, and press my cheek against the rusty bars in hopes of spying something. There are very few reasons we get visitors. Guards don't come down here for anything other than bringing or taking prisoners. It's not near time for grub, so that leaves our options few.
I struggle to see naught but some vague movement but I can hear. The footsteps are light and slow. Very clearly only one person. I take a look around. Who will be taken today? We hadn't heard of a date with the gallows scheduled. Usually they make a big deal of it.
"Hey there, lovely," A gravelly voice calls, echoing through the chamber.
I blink at that. Is a pirate calling a guard lovely? It could happen, but takes a bold soul and not something I've heard from this lost in the week I've been here.
A small gasp, the kind that could only come from a dainty thing, sounds in response.
That is not a guard. I catch just the flash of a blue skirt from my vantage point. I hate that they stuck me all the way back here. I want to know who this princess is that has decided to grace us with her presence, but it's very hard to see much of anything.
The light footsteps continue, my heart pounds in anticipation. She's coming closer.
As she nears me, a head of precisely pinned blonde hair comes into view first, until finally, I can get a good look. Her neck is bare of jewelry, which could mean she's of low status but every other sign says otherwise. Primly pressed dress with bright color, immaculate hair, clean nails and... hearty leather boots. She's recently been traveling, I suspect.
A pretty young lady, new to town has come to visit the pirates at the fort? What a strange thing.
She stops right in front of my cell and turns to face me, which makes sense because I am at the very end of the hall. There is nowhere to go but to turn around. Even so, it causes my heart to beat faster.
She looks me in the eye and confusion crosses her face. "How, how old are you?" she stutters, then immediately blushes like she hadn't meant to utter a word.
She looks me up and down, and my stomach twists. I can't help but give her a smirk. Is she impressed to find a pirate as young as her? Better yet, one that causes a flutter in her chest?
I ignore the flutter in my own.
"Sixteen," I tell her.
Her head tilts slightly.
My eyebrows raise in amusement. What a strange creature.
"What-- what are you doing here, who are you?" she asks.
