I jerked hard. There was a sharp thud, followed by a shock of pain in the back of my head. I gasped, and my eyes flew wide. The fingers of one hand moved reflexively around a fistful of air. The blanket had twisted around me, and I scrambled from the mess to stare wildly through sleep-filled eyes.
The world slowly came to right—four bare wooden walls, a low ceiling and no window. The lantern burned dim in the corner near the door, casting an eerie glow through the small cabin. James and Julian slept undisturbed on the floor. Justine mumbled something in her sleep from the other bunk before turning over to face the wall.
It was only a dream... Deri isn’t here... Nora isn’t hurt.
A breath shuddered from me. It had been months since my last nightmare, when I’d dreamt of drowning and woken up covered in sweat and fighting the bedcovers. This dream had been no less real with the laughter and plaintive cries. I gently rubbed the tender spot on the back of my head, feeling the beginnings of a lump.
Especially the cries...
The softest noise drifted into the room, settled like an iron rod in my spine. I sat stone still, not even daring to breathe, and listened for all I was worth.
It came again, a little stronger this time, the sound of a girl crying in the passageway not too far from the cabin door. A memory of the battered face flashed through my mind, bringing my feet instinctively to the floor.
She had been real after all and clearly in need of help. For the briefest moment, I debated waking one of the men for extra security. But that would waste valuable time and inevitably lead to heated discussions regarding either overactive imaginations or minding my own business. By then, the girl could be well away, vanishing again into the maze of cargo.
Having made up my mind, I pushed up from the bed and picked my way through the tangle of outstretched legs and discarded shoes. The ship rocked beneath me, turning the furtive action into an acrobatic feat. It seemed to take forever, while my heart thumped a staccato, so loud I thought it might wake the ship’s crew by the time I reached the door. At the last step, I held back a relieved sigh, glancing around instead to make sure my companions were none the wiser.
No one stirred. James snored softly. Julian lay on his back, hands crossed on his chest in peaceful sleep. My aunt remained on her side, facing the wall with the woolen blanket pulled up to her chin. I grabbed the lantern and winced from the grinding rasp of the metal hinge. Lifting the latch, I slipped outside and pulled the door shut behind me.
The ship creaked and groaned. Ropes and nets strained against the weight of the cargo. The wind blew above deck, and the various sails flapped an endless chatter. Several long seconds passed before the higher pitch of crying found my ears again, guiding me away from the main hatchway, deeper into the ship’s hull.
The lantern swayed slightly with each tiptoed step. Crates soon appeared on either side of the passageway. “Don’t be afraid,” I said in a low voice. “I’ve come to help you.”
A loud sniffle sounded in reply, ahead and to the right. I crept forward, peering into any gap large enough to hold a person. Another step, and I held the lantern between two stacks of crates, in a space no wider than my shoulders. My gaze dropped to knee-level, to a disheveled top of mousy-brown hair.
The girl was crouched sideways a few feet off the passageway, her legs hugged tight to her chest. The heart-shaped face was hidden from sight, buried in a nest of arms and rough green wool. I sank to my haunches, setting the lantern on the floor. With a whimper, she turned her head toward me. The one eye had almost swollen shut. The other was rimmed red from crying, and tears glistened on her bruised cheeks. I stared at her, dismayed that I could ever have thought such damage to be a product of my imagination.
I forced a gentle smile and reached a hand toward her. “I can help you if you’d like.”
The girl shook her head. “Go away,” she whispered, in a gruff Irish lilt. “I’ve done me part, now leave me be.”
A sudden chill found my neck. I shivered forcibly, dropping my arm for support as goose bumps raced across my skin. “Good heavens, it’s cold out here. Why don’t you come into my cabin, and we’ll see to those bruises.”
“You’ve no help to offer me.”
“I’ve a great deal of experience with healing.” My gaze moved to her neck and the slight form concealed beneath the dark green gown. “Have you more injuries?”
Her eyes shifted away from me. “There’s nothing more to see.”
My mouth tightened with anger. Based on her tone, the damage to her face was just the tip of the iceberg. “Who did this to you?”
“It’s none o’ your concern.” She pushed sideways, increasing the distance between us. “Go now afore it’s too late.”
“Too late for what? Is someone searching for you?” Another shiver ran the length of me, and I braced myself against the crate to keep from tumbling over.