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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Whitley
It's painful to force my eyes open. Dry and stiff, the sun so immensely bright.
I groan and roll to hide my face from the bright light, only to realize that gives me a face full of sand.
I spit and pull my head away from the ground. Sand is everywhere, sticking to every inch of my body. Or at least it feels that way. I blink rapidly to pull my mind back into focus.
Waves rush up to a beautiful sandy beach not far from my feet, beyond which is pure ocean. Nothing else in view but water and sky.
The beach reaches a mile or so in each direction. Behind me is forest. Jungle, perhaps.
Last night comes rushing back. We escaped The Freedom, and our future rendezvous with Simon. Bluff and I swam to shore and then... heat rushes to my cheeks. It was only a kiss.
An amazing, mind bending—rather long—kiss. But I don't know what any of this means. I don't know what happens now. On the island or with Bluff.
Now I don't even know where he is.
My skirt is bunched on the side, sand itches my skin, even from the inside of my dress and my hair is plastered to my neck. Sleeping on the beach sounds a lot more luxurious than it is. I adjust my skirt and try to brush some of the sand from my chest.
Then, I turn towards the forest behind me, unsure what kinds of creatures, if any, would live in such a place. Twisting brown vines and green leaves, so much brighter than any I'd seen before, block the view of anything more. How deep does it go? I step into the shadow of the towering trees and it gives my skin immediate relief from the hot sun.
There's a rustle of movement inside the brush a few feet in and my heart stops, like it too is listening for more. I wait, eyes pinned to the spot I saw something.
The rustling grows louder, closer. I step back and swallow.
Then Bluff immerges from between the vines. I gasp and he smiles, his eyes shining. "Good, you're awake. I was worried you'd lay in the sun too long."
"Is the sun bad?" I ask. I'd heard it can be, but most of the worry my father had was about how it affects your appearance. Fair is fashionable, apparently. I for one, like the look of tanned skin. Especially on Bluff.
"Too much of it is."
I nod. I suppose that's true about most things. If not all.
I look down and notice Bluff holding onto a cluster of strange brown fruit. Or are they nuts? He notices my gaze and holds them up like a prize he won. "I have breakfast."
