Whispers of the Sea (The Compulsion Bride Series) Book II (Unedited)

Chapter Forty

Jake climb the slippery rocks one by one and made it to the shoreline. His cheek rested on the damp sand and he lay there exhausted, his chest rising rapidly as he tried to regulate his breathing. It was almost dawn, he turned on his back, watching as the sky cracked opened with a hint of light. Beside him Fez, coughing alerted him of the others and he sat upright. All men had made it safely to shore. Fez had needed a bit of help as tiredness seeps into his old bones to soon and Jake had had to aid him.

Jake looked out in the horizon at the ship, a smile lingering on his face. What he wouldn't give to see the Commander's face now. "Captain! Where do we go from here?" Fez shouted, between coughs. Jake moved towards the man, vividly aware of the others following. "Fez, I know you are a stranger to this land, therefore you may take residence with my cousin in Nottingham. I'll inform him immediately of your arrival. Remmy, Oliver you are welcome to stay there as well."

"No" Oliver shook his head. "I'll find my way around besides I think I may still have a few cousins here and there" Jake nodded his approval then turned to Remmy.

"I'm coming with you, even if there are objections"

"As a matter of fact, there are a few objections" He removed his wet hair from his forehead. "I can't risk any more of you getting killed because of me and I rather make this visit alone. I am no longer your Captain, you are free to do whatever you want."

"You aren't alone Jake and for once in your life, let someone help you. Is it not that's what you are going to search for?" Remmy quirked one eyebrow in the air.

Jake's jaw clenched. "They want me Remmy, this is my battle to fight. Samantha and the others are --"

"They are our friends to Jake" He retorted.

Oliver grunted with disapproval at that statement. "She's the reason why we are in this mess. I told you all having her aboard was curse itself" Jake's hand clenched into a fist as he glared at Oliver. It amazes him how the man was a surgeon and so unsympathetic towards an innocent human being. "It's so unfortunate that they took the others along with her." He mumbled with a sigh.

"What did you just say?" Remmy held Jake back from punching Oliver, who was now scowling at him. "I know you had some part to play in her capture. What did you do!" He shrugged Remmy's hands off of him. "My god," Jake stare at him incredulously "It was you....you place that gown in sight!" At Oliver's silence, Jake chuckled nastily. "If I had known I would have drowned you by accident last night" inhaling a deep breath, he looked to the heavens, eyes closing momentarily as he asked God to give him the strength to not kill the man then turned and walked away. Nothing he would do to the man would change things. It wouldn't get Samantha and the others back, the damage had already been made. He needed to focus.

Cook spare a menacing glance at Oliver before he ran too caught up with the captain. He didn't know the man's hatred would be this venomous.

"Did you actually do it?" Remmy focus his gaze on Oliver.

"I had no choice." He gritted. "The woman was cursed. I wanted her off the ship" He had sawed his opportunity and took it. She was the one that had made them got caught, her bad omen was too strong, she would have taken out the entire ship and in an orthodox sort of way. She did. The crew had perished and the ship has been confiscated by the King.

Remmy did what he had prevented Jake from doing "I hope you die soon." He glared down at Oliver who was holding his broken nose, blood making themselves visible through his fingers. "You earned it." Was all Remmy said to him before walking away to join the others.

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Fingers squeezed the spyglass, as the Commander saw the figures gracing the shoreline of England. The waves crashed against the shores, covering their feet before it became visible again. He had heard of their escape when above battling the storm, one of his men had betrayed him. He removed his gaze from the escaped prisoners and turned to glare at the young soldier. His chest rising and falling with rage.

"Tie him to the mast and beat him until he dies!" He shouted, shoving the spyglass at the nearest soldier then disappeared below as his commands were being obeyed. That imbecile of a soldier didn't know what he had just done! Kicking his cabin door shut behind him, he grabbed his bottle of whiskey and placed it to his head. After a long drink, it crushed against the wall, shattering in pieces.

He had Jake where he wanted him, under his nose and now this happened! With a heavy heart, he drop back on his chair, his elbows resting on the desk while his fingers tangled in his hair. Jake would not go to the King, it was too risky but in case he does, Commander Mcmillian need to be there. There were only a few places for him to go and he knew all of them as soon as they reached the harbour, he would send men at all locations.

This might be good news to tell the King, the guilty always run and now Jake Clairwood was a fugitive. He chuckled leaning back on the chair, he placed both feet on the table, just another tale to crush the King's heart even more. Yes, this was perfect besides Jake would not leave England for he didn't know where the others are being taken, he might even be the one to seek him out when the time was right.

The Commander sighed, reaching for another bottle, his hand hesitated over it and with a gasped he surged to his feet and went to the small window in his cabin. The bright sunlight that was awakening, illuminating his skin, making the purple lines in his hands visible. "What the Hell was this!" He growled. Why were his veins turning purple?

His hands shook as he thought of what could have caused this, it wasn't long before he remembered the disturbing Pirate's warning. He would turn into a rotten corpse? On wobbling legs, he walked back towards his desk and took a seat, just as his cabin door opened, Lord Millinton appeared.

"The Young man is deceased," He said, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. "Any suggestions of where to start looking for the Duke?" His forehead creased at the Commander's lack of attention. "Commander?"

"Millinton," He began not taking his eyes off his hand.

"Sir?" One eyebrow quirked in the air.

"Can you not see it?" He lifted one of his hands displaying it to Lord Millinton.

"What exactly should I be looking for?" His hands were still wrinkled as before, Millinton thought. Nothing has changed.

"You can't see it" He mumbled to himself. That sonafobitch! "Millinton, I want you and half my men to locate a lady by the name of Gabrielle, she called herself Foxie here in England. Bring her to me"

"Sir, there may be lots of ladies that goes by that name here. Any idea of her features or family name?"

"GODDAMIT! I have no idea!" He banged his palms on the desk and rose slightly from his seat. How does the daughter of a man like that look anyway? "She has got to be the only person with the name Foxie. If you must bring every female you find with that name!"

With a slight bow, Lord Millinton left the cabin, as soon as the door clicked shut, The Commander, dropped back on his seat, opening a new bottle of whiskey he placed it to his lips. He had encountered the devil himself at sea and even worst, made a deal with him. Not that he had had a choice.

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