Charging yet another opponent, Teach slammed through two additional soldiers, but Pelham rushed through the throng and into the house, slamming the door shut behind him. Teach started toward the house, but Easton grabbed his arm. “If you want to get out of here alive, then we need to leave now.”
With a muttered curse, Teach rushed after Easton, the rest of their men falling in behind. They raced toward the gate and the darkened streets of Nassau. Shouts burst from the courtyard as Pelham’s soldiers attempted to rally and give chase.
Teach followed the men darting down side alleyways and passages, breathing through the stitch in his side. As much as Teach wanted to see Pelham suffer and save Alastair, his biggest concern now was to get back to Anne. It was too dangerous to stay in Nassau.
Easton held up a fist and the group slowed to a stop, hiding in the shadows of a warehouse along the docks. Hillel stood beside Easton. Teach glanced at Kitts, and noticed that he was bleeding, his left arm hanging limply down his side.
“Kitts is hurt,” Teach said.
“It’s not bad,” Kitts insisted.
Easton peered through the darkness. “Did you find a ship, Hillel?”
“Aye. It’s right there.”
The ship in question was a long, slender craft, renowned for its speed. Teach had only seen one once before. It was armed with big guns at the bow and several swivel guns mounted along the side rails. The figure of a woman rested under the bowsprit.
The pirate grinned. “Reva will love it.” He led the way, and several of the men followed, crouched low. Hearty laughter drifting from the waterfront tavern nearby drowned out their footsteps. Once they were safely on board, they provided cover for the next group.
Teach and Kitts were some of the last men to leave the shelter of the warehouse. They’d only taken a few steps when several shots rang out as soldiers barreled toward them, their footsteps echoing along the wharf.
“Move!” Easton yelled as the soldiers reloaded their muskets. The ship was already pushing off from the dock, under the control of oars.
Teach and Kitts both ran headlong toward the escaping vessel. Taking a flying leap, Teach soared over the clear water below, hoping he hadn’t misjudged the distance due to the gloomy night. Landing on the deck with a grunt, he rolled and came to his feet. He grabbed the weapon Easton shoved at him and took aim, holding the wooden stock flush with his shoulder. The rifle cracked and a soldier on the wharf dropped where he stood.
Kitts wasn’t so lucky. With his injured arm held against his chest, he barely cleared the water. His chest slammed into the railing and as he started to fall backward, Easton grabbed hold of his shirt. Several of his men rushed forward and pulled him on board.
The distance between the dock and the ship grew as they continued toward the entrance of the harbor. Soon they were out of gunshot range of the wharf. A cannon fired from the fort but the ball fell short, the command given much too late. The stolen ship drew alongside the Fortune, but they didn’t stop. Easton shouted at his men on the Fortune to ready for sail. It didn’t take long before both vessels were streaming toward the open water of the sea, and Easton yelled for more canvas to be raised.
Panting, Teach leaned against the railing, the rifle still in his hands. The weapon was smooth and well made, much more accurate than the muskets the soldiers had used. The owner of the ship they’d just stolen was obviously wealthy.
Easton crouched low and patted a hand on Kitts’s back, the moonlight illuminating his features. “I’m sorry you got hurt, lad. But better you than me.”
“Sod off,” Kitts choked out.
For all the things Kitts wasn’t, he was a man of honor and good intentions, and Teach was glad he’d survived. If only they’d been able to rescue Alastair and the rest of his crew. Just thinking about them caused Teach’s fury to rise. “That’s not very sporting of you, now is it? Go and have one of my men take a look at that,” Easton said.
“It’s nothing,” Kitts insisted, blood pouring down his shoulder.
“Excellent. So you won’t mind if you lose the use of that arm. Then, by all means, stay here and enjoy the view. Did you enjoy your time in Nassau?”
Kitts muttered something beneath his breath, but Easton simply waited, a serene look on his face. Rolling to his feet, Kitts headed off in the direction of the stairs leading belowdecks.
Once Kitts was gone, Easton looked back at the lights of Nassau. “As soon as they get a ship ready, they’ll be coming for us.”
With his breath at last under control, Teach stood. “I know.”
“We’ll be ready for them.”
Teach said nothing as he stared down at the deck, clenching the rifle in his hands, his knuckles white. He felt guilty at the number of lives lost. He wracked his brain, thinking of things he could have done differently, but there was no guarantee any of them would have worked. And now Teach had to return to Anne and tell her he’d failed.
“I’m sorry you lost your friends back there. I know what that’s like.”
“You know nothing,” Teach growled, his head snapping up as he rounded on Easton. “My men were innocent! They died because they placed their trust in me and I let them down. I told them I wouldn’t abandon them, and that’s just what I did! You and your crew chose this life. The life of a pirate.”
“And yet here we are, sailing on the same ship, having just worked together to bring a corrupt man to justice.”
“There’s a big difference between us. I came back to Nassau to try to save lives. You merely came back for revenge.”
“Don’t you dare judge me,” Easton said, his voice low. “You have no idea what I’ve been through or why I’ve made the choices I have. You asked once if the rumors about me were true. Like I said, I’m not innocent. When Webb agreed to work with us, he wanted Nelson to take the lead because Nelson had the same merciless streak as the governor. But most of the men followed me. Nelson was bitter and angry and often took it out on the victims of the ships we attacked.”
“Why didn’t you stop him?”
“I tried. When you figure out a way to be on two ships at the same time, then please let me know the secret to your success.”
Loosening his hold on the rifle, Teach averted his gaze.
“Listen, I understand your guilt. And your anger. But just because we got rid of Webb doesn’t mean this fight is over.”
“It is for me,” Teach said. “At least until I can speak with Anne. Together we’ll figure out what to do. We’re through taking orders from others.” First Teach’s father, then Captain Murrell, and finally Governor Webb. Teach was ready to take matters into his own hands. He wanted to go after Pelham and save Alastair, but it would be dangerous to get involved, and Teach wouldn’t make any decisions until he’d spoken with Anne.
Easton nodded, giving Teach’s words some thought. “Now that Pelham knows who you are, he won’t rest until he sees you dead.”
“If he can find me.”