Page 7 of Betraying Korth
“You don’t,” I answered pleasantly. “But I can promise bloodshed if you stay.”
“And you expect us to starve to death on the island?”
A cruel smile curled my lips. “Not at all. I’m far too benevolent to allow you to die in such a way. There is a ship coming to pick you up in two days’ time once you have some of the fight starved out of you. What was the captain’s name again?” I asked Garrik, as if we were discussing the matter at a garden party.
He leered. “Captain Tyrone Renshaw, one of the most feared pirates on the seven seas.”
I nodded. “Yes, that delightful man. He has agreed to come and pick up anyone who would like to live, and you will join his crew. Or you’re more than welcome to refuse. I just can’t say what will happen after that.”
“Dahlia…” Another soldier spoke up, each word measured and slow. “You aren’t a killer.”
“No,” I agreed coolly, “I’m not.”
“But I am,” Garrik interjected with a gravelly growl, forcing Odette to lean against the knife still to her throat. His eyes were riveted on mine. “Say the word,Princess, and I’ll follow your every command.”
“Then release me!” Odette squeaked, wriggling her arms against his grip.
Garrik’s low chuckle was sinister enough that no one ever would have doubted his willingness to go through with the plan. “I wasn’t addressingyou,” he snarled to Odette. “You ain’t the princess no more.”
“Thiswoman’scrimes against those she and her father have abused and enslaved for years are worthy of any punishment,” I called, projecting my voice so it reached every corner of the ship. “And we won’t allow her to continue in a position of power any longer.”
A stunned silence met my words. To emphasize my point, Garrik grunted and pressed the blade harder across Odette’s throat. She let out a small squeak of terror. If she wasn’t such an odious person who’d never batted an eye when ordering servants to be beaten, I might have felt sorry for her. The soldiers below looked paralyzed with fright, eyes darting around to all the mutineers bearing arms. There were enough blocking the stairs that they must have known they had no chance of saving Odette.
“You’ll be found out,” one of the soldiers said slowly, holding his hands up as two of my comrades snarled and jabbed their blades in his direction.
“I don’t think we will,” I answered. “First of all, you will all be handing over your uniforms and weapons before you walk the plank. If, by some miracle, another ship comes along before Captain Renshaw, everyone will know where you’re from by your accents.” I smirked. “And let’s be honest. Even if you do manage to be rescued after being marooned, we all know that sailors from Ebora have a sullied reputation. You’ll be written off as pirates trying to cook up a wild goose story to avoid punishment for your crimes. You may as well join the actual pirate willing to have you on his crew. I hear they often get a share of his treasure.”
The dumbfounded expression on Odette’s face was worth all the distasteful words I uttered.
“Strip down!” the captain called, marching around and relieving the soldiers of their uniforms and weapons. “Keep your long johns on, Ferrus, nobody wants to see that unseemly sight! Same for all of you! There’s still a lady on board. And Odetteis, too,” he added with a sneer as he dumped the bundle of uniforms in his quarters.
“I’m a lady,” Odette muttered under her breath, but a snarl from Garrik cut her off. I bit my tongue. If my nerves hadn’t been on edge from the mutiny, I’d almost have found it amusing that she was more insulted by the captain’s comment than she was upset about watching innocent men be stranded, all for the sake of who paid their salary.
“I’m not here to debate,” I said coolly. “Anyone who wants a chance at living can swim for the island and wait for your next ride.” I pointed to the line of filled water skins hanging on the side of the bulwarks. “Go now and I’ll even let you keep your water skins.”
The king’s soldiers were forced toward the plank by the members of the mutiny.
“But, but I didn’t know there was a rebellion!” one of the soldiers objected, backing away from a rapier’s sharpened tip. “I don’t agree with what they’ve done. Can I join?”
“I trust your word about as much as you trust mine,” I told him, gesturing for him to walk the plank first. “There’s no way to test your allegiance without endangering our mission, so off you go. Have a nice swim and do try to avoid sharks and sirens.”
The rapier’s tip was jabbed at him again, and the man, clad only in his underwear and clutching his water skin, took the plunge to the ocean below.
Once all Odette’s supporters were in the chilly water, the mutineers leaned against the bulwarks, watching as the soldiers’ heads bobbed in the water, striking out for the land in the distance.
“I wonder if any sea creatures will get them before they reach land,” Curdy said with a laugh. “We can still kill them, you know. Easy target practice.”
“No,” I said coldly. “They’ll make it to land.Alive.We won’t stoop to Raquel and Odette’s level.” I shot a warning look at the assembled men.
It was a pity, really. Leaving them alive did open up the possibility that they could be rescued before the pirate captain showed up, but the word of a few stranded sailors wouldn’t hold much weight, and Captain Renshaw was said to be a loyal member of the rebellion, even if he was a pirate.
It might have been a wiser option to kill them all, but at least now I’d be able to sleep at night, knowing that it hadn’t been my hand that took their lives. In the distance, the fastest swimmer of the knot of stranded men dragged himself onto the small island, and I stared. I had no idea what life aboard a pirate ship would be like. Had I condemned him to a fate far worse than a quick and merciful death? Did any of them deserve to suffer that way?
I turned away. Yes, they did. Even if those soldiers hadn’t agreed with the actions of King Raquel, they had obediently carried out horrific crimes without objection. They’d imprisoned women and enslaved children. It didn’t matter if they agreed or not. They had done it. They deserved their fate.
“What’s going to happen tome?” Odette sniveled, still held fast by Garrik. She hadn’t so much as spared a glance at the men who’d leapt overboard.
No one answered her. The members of the rebellion on the deck below were slapping shoulders, congratulating each other on such a successful and bloodless mutiny. How many others could claim a casualty-free act of treason?
