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.” She forced herself up out of her chair with the aid of her two friends, grimacing at the pain in her back.“But I agree with you on one thing: we should prepare for the worst.” Before she turned to go back inside to draft her letters, she lingered to enjoy one more long look at the peaceful evening.Memories of blood staining the water and of fire sweeping across Scimitar Bay sprang unbidden into Cynthia’s mind.All she could do was pray to Odea: Please, don’t let it happen again…Chapter SixteenHearts and DesiresCynthia rose from the sea in a column of water and stepped onto the deck of Orin’s Pride.Willing the water away, her bare feet were dry as they touched the wood, the soft trade winds fluttering her sea-blue sarong.Startled exclamations and oaths issued from the crew who did not know her, but none from the captain.Feldrin Brelak just stood there smiling that incongruously boyish smile, his huge arms folded over his barrel chest.Cynthia remembered those arms around her, the mountainous solidity of his chest, and her knees suddenly felt unsteady.His dark eyes, glinting with pleasure, were fully occupied with taking in the sight of her, and for a moment she couldn’t speak.Mouse provided a welcome distraction by swooping through the rigging with a peal of impossibly high-pitched laughter and a blur of gossamer-crystal wings.He settled on Feldrin’s shoulder, tweaked his ear, and swooped off to torment the crew.Cynthia tore her eyes away from Feldrin and swept a glance over the deck once before returning to the only thing aboard for which she truly cared.The glance confirmed that Feldrin had, as the rumors suggested, outfitted Orin’s Pride as a privateer.Aside from the weaponry — ballistae mounted fore and aft on the deck, and a catapult on the foredeck — she could see the scars, new wood and paint that told tales of battle.It saddened her that her creation, a ship that bore her own likeness as a figurehead, had been put to such a use, though she knew there was no malice in Feldrin’s intent.Making war against pirates was simply what he did best.Her eyes found him again and she could see the same scars of war, though he wore them better than his ship did.“Quite an entrance, lass.” His boyish smile widened to a grin as he stepped forward, but he stopped short of his customary embrace.His eyes left her face for the first time, taking in her expansive belly, and his smile faltered.“Yer, uh…”“As big as a house, I know,” she finished for him, enjoying his reaction.“Your fault, you know.”“Oh, aye.I’ll take the blame, lass.” He took one more step forward, and reached out.Cynthia knew not what possessed everyone within five feet of a pregnant woman to feel the sudden urge to touch her bulging abdomen, but she’d had about all of it she could take.She took an involuntary step back.The flash of pain on Feldrin’s face told her that her reaction had been the absolute worst thing she could have done.“I’m sorry, Feldrin, I didn’t mean to — ”“No, I’m sorry, lass,” he said, trying to smile again, but failing.He stepped forward once again, cautious, tentative, and reached out to take her hand in his, not, as she had expected, to touch her swollen stomach.“I’m sorry I ever left ya here alone.” He bent and brought her hand to his lips, pressing it with a feverish intensity.“Yer pardon, Captain,” Horace cut in with an apologetic nod, “but the wind’s died completely and we can’t make the mooring.”Feldrin stiffened, his swarthy features darkening as his eyes left her for the first time.“Well, drop the bloody anchor before we drift into somethin’, Horace! Do I have to do bloody everything aboard this bloody ship?”“No, sir! I — ”“I’m sorry, Feldrin,” Cynthia broke in, smiling sheepishly at them both.“I did that.I was going to bring you into the pier, unless you want to sail her in.” Her hand was still firmly clasped in his, and she gave it a squeeze.“She’s your ship, Captain.”“Furl all sails, Horace, and put fenders on her starboard side.Mistress Flaxal will be docking the ship.” He smiled down at her, squeezing her hand like he would never let it go.≈“That’s the seamage’s husband?” Edan asked in a whisper as the couple strolled up the pier toward the keep, arms entwined [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]