The Wandering Knave of the Seven Seas: The Voyage of Neptune's Mermaids

Chapter Nine: Bleeding Emeralds

An emerald has never seemed so threatening.

The shinning and glistening colour under the flicker of candle lights was enticing to someone whom, like me, could barely hope for gold let alone gems every other day. If I were to simply pocket it, along with Abigail’s Pirate coin, then I would have unimaginable riches. Sophie and I could leave with haste for the countryside where we would tend to ourselves, and not worry whether Abigail had been handed the right dress shoes, or if George had let his eyes linger a little too long; where we will not be slaves subjected to honour and to love. I would come back for Elijah one day and pay for his help so that one day he could maybe return to be the same man whom my parent’s had used to adore and cherish. A brother whom could love me.

But I could not do that.

My fight was not here anymore, as much as I might sometimes wish it to be so. My fight was on the seas, sailing to new destinations to face new challenges. My challenges without Pirates—that I would stick by. I would not sail under a captain’s command, as Horingold had suggested.

I leant back against the wall in a huff, tucking my arms tightly around my stomach. I mournfully remembered the food William had offered on his ship, and the plate I had not had a chance to touch at the celebration. George had left me here outside his office with the promise of a return—and, although it was without protocol, I had hoped food was part of the deal.

I had tried the handle of his office several times but it was locked tight. Part of me just wanted to sit down, but the other darker part of me wanted to search for the blade. The sooner I could find it the sooner I could get out of here. But no matter how much I willed for the door to open, there was no way it was going to out of pure will. So I satisfied with just leaning against the door, looking down the hall and waiting for George with the ring playing in my fingers.

There was the sound of footfalls on the stones approaching and I abruptly straightened up, slipping the ring back into its pouch immediately. “George?”

There was a dark chuckle, and then William turned around the corner. He was wearing a suit, and the look of it on him after seeing him in the ragged shirt was startling. “Sorry to disappoint, sweetheart. What’s taking you so long? Horingold get my message?”

“Yes,” I said curtly, “Before he tried to kill me, that is.”

William shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, if you can not stand that part of the adventure, then why bother accompanying me at all? Now, what are we waiting for? Other then your George, of course. I was sure you’d have said your goodbyes by now…”

I rolled my eyes. “That is not of your business, Pirate.”

William strolled towards the doors and tried the handle too. When it did not budge he slammed his shoulder against it, but still the door to not fall open. William stepped back, readying himself to run at it, probably, but before he could I had stepped in his path.

“He has a message for you too, William.”

“William, is it now?” He mocked, stepping back again. He motioned to the door, “Well, are you going to move or are we going to stand out here all night?”