Norrington's Darling

Singapore

POV: Zuri Sparrow

If there was a place I hated more than Tortuga, it was Singapore. Not only was it Sao Feng's nesting place, but it was also full of tricksters and scoundrels and thieves worse than my very own brother.

And that's saying something.

My hand tightened on the staff I held. The worn wood was a comforting texture that calmed the rapid beating in my heart that had nothing to do with love and everything to do with everything that could go wrong.

I glanced down and just ahead of the bridge I stood on. There, in a small paddleboat, was Elizabeth, effectively disguised. I hurried my footsteps and began walking on the path that ran alongside the river. This much closer to her, I could hear the song that fell from Elizabeth's lips.

My gut twinged at the words and I mouthed them myself. I had heard this song many times before and it haunted my dreams with the ghost of those I had lost.

As she sang, Elizabeth pulled the boat to shore. "...the bell has been raised from its watery grave; hear its sepulchral tone? A call to all, pay heed the squall, and turn your sails toward home... Yo ho, all together, hoist the colors high. Yo ho, thieves—"

"—and beggars, never say we die." A familiar form stepped from the darkness, his eyes sharp. Tai Huang, a man who I had once had the pleasure of beating up. He had always stared at me with fear in his eyes afterward. What would he do when I revealed myself here?

Elizabeth started, stepping back, dangerously close to the edge.

"A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its meaning," Tai Huang continued. "Particularly a woman." He stepped closer to her, the goons behind him hanging in the shadows. "Particularly a woman alone."

From the dark steps on Huang's left, Barbossa stepped down. "What makes you think she's alone?"

I emerged from my shadowy niche, a grin promising a fight on my face, my staff at the ready. If Huang tried anything, I would swing. "Hello, Tai Huang. Have you missed me?"

Something akin to panic in his eyes, Huang glanced at Barbossa, keeping one wary eye on me. "You protect her?"

Elizabeth held her knife to Huang's neck. My lips curled up more. I had taught her well—and she was a willing student. "And what makes you think I need protecting?"

Barbossa took a lazy, casual step forward. It seemed idle, but every piece of this plot had been planned to the T. If anything were to fall out of place, we could trigger Sao Feng's anger. It was even more treacherous due to Will disappearing on his mission to steal Feng's collection of maps last month. I would have gone myself if it weren't for my role here—to distract Sao Feng with beauty the way I often had when Jack and I came to Singapore.

That was why, despite the staff and fighting leathers, I had my hair and face made up immaculately. If I could keep Sao Feng from noticing the holes in our plot with beauty, we might just be able to pull this off.

That was what I was most uncomfortable with. For all my beauty, I had never really done anything like this before. If any part of this plan were to fail, it would be my flirting. James had never needed any type of flirting or sultry attempts to lure him in. He'd loved me for me.

Barbossa's voice jolted me from my worries. "Your master's expectin' us. An unexpected death would cast a slight pall on our meeting."

I smirked, even though the message was also intended for Elizabeth—killing Tai Huang would make life difficult for the next few hours.

Elizabeth removed her knife from Huang's neck.

I stepped forward, allowing the gypsy skirt I wore over my fighting leathers to inch up, the slit widening over nearly bare skin, the pant leather tied loosely with cloth strips that left much of my skin exposed. Huang's eyes dipped down and I leaned forward, taking his chin in my hand. The design of the leathers allowed for my chest to be very visible, and it was on my breasts that Huang's attention stayed. My skin crawling at the hungry, lewd gaze so different from James's embarrassed but loving one, I purred, "Lead us to Sao Feng."