He turned to see another ship fast approaching on their starboard side. His gunners struggled to turn their cannons into position for it and reload.
As they made ready to fire, he realized that the ship wasn’t aiming at them. It’d struck its mark.
Devyl grimaced as soon as he saw who it was. “Halt! ’Tis friendly.”
Sort of, anyway. Though a friend should be a little more circumspect than to be firing at them like this.
William groaned out loud as he recognized the ship. “Santiago?”
“Aye. Bugger’s no doubt thinking to lend us a hand.” Devyl grimaced at the slimy chunks of entrails that clung to him. “Would rather he lend me a towel, to be honest.”
William laughed. “Indeed.” Then he sobered as he glanced around at the number of their crew who’d been wounded or “killed.”
It was a sight Devyl could have done without, as it took him back to a past he’d never been particularly proud of. Aye, he’d led his army through untold bloody conquests. Driven by reasons that seemed paltry now, he’d been ruthless as he tore his enemies asunder.
But at least this army wouldn’t stay dead. In fact, their “dead” were already rising up from where they’d fallen. Griping and moaning in colorful alacrity as they returned to physical form and pulled themselves together.
Literally, in some cases.
It was the one benefit they had in serving Thorn. The only way the Deadmen could die again was for something to obliterate their bodies or souls. So long as their flesh remained intact, as well as their souls, they would reanimate.
Fire, axes, and acid, however, could still ruin their days.
Even a vat of piranha could prove a rather grisly end for them.
Hmmm … that gave him a thought for their guest.
He turned toward Bart. “Did we lose anyone, Mr. Meers?”
“Don’t think so, Captain.” He cast an eye toward one of their crew who was slowly healing from death. “Least not permanently.”
Devyl continued to wipe at his face and neck. “Good. Send over some of our best rum to Santiago, with my compliments.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
With a determined stride, he headed for William. “Death? Get to our Miss Jack and keep an eye on her. Make sure she stays put and safe. Continue heading us toward land to patch our lady. Keep a weather eye for more attackers.”
Bart drew up short at those words. “You think there are more?”
“I know it.” And with that, he continued on to return belowdecks so that he could make sure Belle hadn’t been injured in the fighting.
If she had …
He’d be bathing these guts off his flesh over a Blackthorn bonfire.
As soon as he entered the small cabin room and Mona saw the expression on his face, she shrank back in terror. And well she should, for he was through playing her games. Worse, he was in too much pain for them. Bile rose into his throat as he seized her wrist and yanked her forward. “Do you know what my people did with zraif?” He used the ancient name they’d given the Blackthorns.
She paled considerably. “Nay.”
An insidious smile curled his lips. “’Tis said sulphur runs through you. Powerful magick is in the root of your hearts and bones. Bones we’d grind into blood potions to protect us during war and for healing any wounds we might incur. Potions we used to commune with our darker gods when we summoned them for wisdom and insight. Or make blood offerings to Mórrígan and Aeron before battle. But the most prized parts?”
She gulped audibly. “W-w-what?”
“Your hearts we’d devour for spells and eyes we’d eat for visions.”
“You’re a monster!”
He laughed at her. “You’ve no idea. Now, you will tell me where that gate resides or I will begin carving off pieces of your anatomy and adding decoration for Rosie’s chest plate.”
Her blood turned black in her veins as his words struck their mark. It ran down her pale skin, forming a road map over her body, marbling over the alabaster. “I told you I would give it to you.”
“And then we were attacked.”
“I-I had nothing to do with that.”
Devyl scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”
She tried to pull away, but he held her fast. Cringing, she put her arm up, over her face. “Why would I betray you?”
“Because you’re an idiot.”
“Duel! Let her go!”
He ignored Mara as she came into the room with them. “Answer me, Mona, or else I will begin carving you into all manner of objects for my use.”
“Duel!”
He glared at Mara over his shoulder. “I’m not a dog to heel at your command!”
“Yet I am your commander, am I not?”
His eyes glowed an instant before he let out a curse so foul even Thorn would have blushed had he heard it. Reluctantly, he released Mona and stepped back, but not before he passed a sullen grimace to Mara that would have made a petulant toddler proud.
Disregarding his distemper, she stepped forward to deal with their betrayer. She put herself between Mona and Devyl, and it took everything he had not to cut off both their heads. If not for the fact it would only make them stronger, he would have given in to the impulse.
With a calmness he couldn’t fathom, Mara took a deep breath. “Vine sent you here, didn’t she?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Very well.” Mara reached out then and shoved her hand straight into Mona’s chest. Devyl’s jaw dropped as she wrested the bitch’s heart from her bosom and yanked it out, then used her powers to incinerate Mona before she could hit the floor.
Her expression one of total serenity, she turned to face him and held the bloody heart toward him. “Use it to heal us as fast as possible. I’m sure others are on their way to attack us.”
Dumbfounded by an act that was completely incongruous to her nature, he stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
Still her features betrayed nothing. “In all the centuries we’ve been together, you’ve never bothered to learn the most basic thing about me. Never had a single conversation with me where you asked about my thoughts on any matter. And you know nothing of my people. When Vine killed you, she knew I would die, too. Did that thought never occur to you?”
Nay, it had not.
“In my darker hours, I’ve wondered which of us was the real target of her wrath. And why she did what she did. I’ve always assumed it was you, Du, because it was more comforting to do so. Yet what if it wasn’t? Either way, she is our enemy now. Both of ours. Mona has proven that without a doubt. You would have left Mona alive, not knowing that Vine was able to use her as a living conduit to us. A doorway better kept closed. And now I am weak. My powers are fading. I can’t heal myself. Therefore, I need you to do it for me.”
He caught her as she passed out. Cradling her against his chest, he took care not to crush Mona’s heart or harm Mara.