When I finally heard the roar of Finn’s deep voice ringing out across the ship, alerting the crew that we were making landfall, I let out a breath that had holed up in my chest for weeks. I made it. The Caribbean. I managed to sail across the Atlantic once again, unscathed–for the most part–and would soon be on my way to getting my soul back. But most importantly, I managed to avoid Benjamin since leaving Portugal. Which, now given the time to dwell on my actions, was probably the best for both of us. I longed to see something else besides the confines of my bunk and the kitchen where I found refuge.
Noise clamoured in my ears as the crew readied the ship, and we all lowered into a rowboat to get ashore. The Lady Brianna was too large to enter the shallows of the port. I secured my heavy satchel around my body and grabbed an oar to help row us all ashore. The deckhands didn’t want to stay behind and wait for Finn this time, so we’d all piled in the small boat and I was thankful Benjamin sat at the furthest end from me.
The darkness that toiled in my chest seemed to have subsided over the weeks that passed, but I recognized a trigger. One of the few things that seemed to rouse it from its unnerving slumber. Benjamin. Or…proximity to him. His touch, his warmth, the sound of his voice. The darkness wanted him and…it toyed with my will.
Rather than enter the bustling port, Benjamin steered us off to the side where we pulled the boat in over a small beach. He tied the rope to a tree and turned to us.
“It’s best we don’t make our arrival known,” he warned.
“Would we nae be welcome?” Finn asked.
Ben threw a glance over his own shoulder toward the port in the short distance, then leaned in and lowered his voice. “This is a hub for pirates from all over the world. They’ll spot our ship in the distance soon enough but, for now, we should keep a low profile. Blend in. You just don’t know the types you’ll run into here.” For the first time in weeks, his eyes met mine. “The civil ways of the world don’t exactly apply to this place. It’s a pirate’s world.”
I tugged at the taut strap of my shoulder bag. “Well, it’s been a while since you were last here. Maybe things have changed.”
He stared at me for a moment, his face unreadable. “Maybe.”
“Well,” Freya spoke up and stuck her arm around Ben’s. “Let’s go find us a place to stay.”
Everyone turned and followed the two of them and I stomped behind in a huff, jealousy suddenly burning in my chest at the sight of her touching Benjamin. By the time we all trudged across the soft warm sand of the beach that stretched the entire length of the pirate hub, I could practically taste the envy on my tongue. It was all I could stand.
The port bustled with people. Pirates and locals and merchants alike. Ships were being unloaded, goods moved about, music played somewhere in the distance. Voices of all volumes rang together and mixed with the heavy scent of various foods cooking in the air. Freya’s loud and purposeful laugh pierced through everything as she continued to walk arm in arm with Benjamin a few feet ahead. I stifled an eye roll and averted my attention to the busy alley of shop fronts and what appeared to be apartments of some kind. The ground beneath us was paved with flat stones that were painted a gorgeous teal. The paint had worn through in some areas of high traffic and gave it a sort of rustic look. A beautiful woman with a white feathered robe leaned against the railing of a tiny balcony and peered down at us with a bewitching look. Her glossy blonde hair draped down across her half-exposed bosom.
We entered the building I assumed was apartments but were clearly lodgings. The interior was dimly lit by the bit of sunlight that managed to filter in through closed drapes. Cigar smoke danced in the air as men and women alike sat around in large, comfy chairs. A gorgeous woman on their laps.
I stepped up to Ben’s side and tugged at his sleeve. “This is a brothel.”
He chuckled lightly. “You won’t find a tavern or inn around here, Dianna.” When I looked at his face, his eyes were lingering on my lips but quickly averted when a woman appeared and cleared her throat.
“Welcome,” she said in a velvety voice. She was beautiful under the years of her lifestyle. Her dark hair, touched with grey, was neatly kept in a loose bun. Her dainty hands clasped in front of her under a thin silky blouse. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re hoping you have some rooms available,” Benjamin replied. “We’re stopping over on our way to the mainland.”
Her perfectly penciled eyebrow arched. “Pirates?”
He shook his head. “No, Ma’am. Just…travellers.”
“How many nights?” The woman’s chin tipped upward, her deep blue eyes judging us.
Ben looked at me, but I shrugged. I had no idea how long it would take to locate Davy Jones. He gave his attention back to the woman. “Two nights should suffice.”
Two? That was it? Was he that confident in his plan? The idea that I could be home with Henry and the kids in a matter of days made my head spin. It did nothing for the useless organ in my chest, however. My eyes averted to Freya’s ever-tightening grip around Benjamin’s arm, and I grumbled under my breath.
“I’m going for a walk,” I told them and bolted for the door before anyone could respond.
I strolled through stone-paved streets and admired the beauty of the eclectic designs. One building adorned with gothic carvings and details painted with gold, while the next showed strength, built of wood and stained dark to contrast with the luscious treasures from the sea. Shells and pearls and gems of all sorts. One section of the narrow alley area consisted of fabric canopies propped up with rustic logs. Under them, an array of tables filled with goods I assumed were brought in by the high traffic of pirates.
I approached one of the tables and ran my fingers over the display of jewelled brooches, rings, and necklaces. Surely far too grand for commoners. The goods were clearly stolen from royal ships and fleets. I stopped and glanced around at the other tables, noting the other goods definitely meant for a higher class. Pearl necklaces, silk fabrics, bags of herbs and spices, coffees, teas, fine china. The stolen goods were endless.
Then it wouldn’t matter if you stole some…
A yelp chirped from my throat and I looked around frantically to ensure I hadn’t attracted attention. The eerie whisper had been so quiet for so long that I almost forgot what it sounded like. Of course, it would rear its ugly head now. When the temptation of evil was at my fingertips. I wanted to ignore it, but I found my hand skimming over items, touching slick jewels, and smoothing over fabrics. A trader clad in leather gear eyed me and I smiled at him. When he seemed confident I wasn’t going to steal anything, he turned his attention to something behind him and I swiftly pocketed a comb carved of bone.
“So, you’re a thief now, are you?” a deep, raspy voice purred in my ear.
With a startle, I spun around to come face to face with Ben. His nose just inches from mine. He stared at me with an unreadable expression and my heart bounced around in my chest like a caged animal.
I failed to put away the devilish grin that I felt pinching at the corner of my mouth. “Following me again?”
His suspicious eyes locked on mine and he pursed his lips under the dark scruff that covered his face. I itched to reach out and caress it.
“Just making sure you’re not off murdering more mythical creatures,” he replied, his tone flat.
I waggled my fingers. “Nope, just common thievery.” Benjamin tipped his head and sighed. With an exaggerated eye roll, I fetched the comb from my pocket and put it back. “Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” he replied curtly and tugged at my arm to haul me off to the side. He took stock of our surroundings and when no one was in earshot, he leaned toward me. “I actually thought you’d like to go see David Jones.”
“Already?”
“Well, there’s something we have to go do first.” His shoulders shrugged dramatically. “Unless you’d like to wait?”
“No, no,” I hastily replied. “Where do we have to go?”
Benjamin pressed his lips together and craned his neck to throw his gaze out toward the sea in the far distance. “Somewhere I haven’t been in a lifetime or two.” He breathed deeply. “Home.”
***
I followed Benjamin for nearly half an hour before we came upon a small, rundown village further inland. There were no merchants, no shops, not even a house to be found. Just tiny huts that were thrown together with debris and other things. I noted how there was hardly an adult to be seen, and children littered the dirt-clad street that ran down the middle. Soiled rags hung from their skinny bodies. Some played, while others sat around and glared at us as we passed. One child, not much older than ten, sat perched on a log and carved a piece of wood in his little hands with a concerning blade.
That’s who Ben approached. “Boy,” he said and nodded his chin. “Who is the marketeer here?”
“Dannon,” the kid replied with an accent I couldn’t quite place, and he pointed to a beautiful home in the distance.
Ben looked at me and cocked his head toward the property before heading off. I scrambled behind him.
“What is this place?” I asked him.
He didn’t break his stride. “This is where I grew up, Dianna.”
“What?” I looked around, seeing the area differently as I tried to picture a little Benjamin running around in rags. “Were you born here? Where were your parents?”
He waited a moment before answering. “I don’t remember them. I was hardly four years old when a crew of slave traders plucked Abraham and me from our home and brought us here.” He clucked his tongue. “I didn’t expect it to be exactly the same. After all these years, they’re still ripping children from their mothers and forcing them into slavery.”
“You were…a slave?” The words were bitter in my throat.
“A pearl harvester, to be more precise,” he replied. “One of the neighbouring islands was once lush with beds of shelled sea life. I spent every day for years, diving and swimming around the rocky shores. We weren’t allowed to return until our bags were full.”
I knew he was from the Caribbean, but that was about all I knew of his past. He continued walking, but I grabbed his arm and forced him to face me. “Ben, you were an orphan and a slave?” I shook my head. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
He shrugged away from my touch. “You never asked.”
We stood in place for what felt like eons, just locked in an embracing stare as our chest slightly heaved with the labour of walking and the intensity that seemed to swarm around us.
“Look, are we…going to talk about what happened–”
His hand whipped up and waved off my words. “No need,” he blurted. “I get it. You’re lost in the past, away from the one you love, torn away from your children.” A dry swallow worked its way down his thick throat, and I could see in his brown eyes how he struggled to believe his own words. “You’re lonely and confused–”
“Let’s just get this over with.” I sucked in a deep breath, but it fettered in my chest as I stalked past him.
He jogged to catch up with me and fell in stride by my side. “Sorry,” he said glumly. “I know you don’t like to talk about them. I can’t imagine how hard it is.”
“Tell me more about your life here,” I changed the subject, hoping he’d catch on. “How long did you live here?”
He thought for a moment. “I believe I was about fifteen, maybe a little younger, when a crew of pirates came into the port looking to recruit. Abraham brought me with him, lied about my age, and that was the last time I ever saw this place.”
We came to a halt just outside an old iron gate. It surrounded the grand home the boy had pointed to, and I peered in through the bars to examine the property. Once lush gardens now overgrown with weeds and deadened leaves. Ivy crawled over the stone figures of lions that sat perched on either side of the stairs that led to the entrance. The home, clearly an old mansion, was three stories tall and some windows in the higher level were boarded up.
“It doesn’t look like anyone lives here,” I noted.
Benjamin stared at the mansion with a pained and distant expression. “No, he’s there.” He turned and pointed back to where we came from. “Or they wouldn’t be.”
Without another word, he pushed open the gate and the sound of metal on metal screeched through the air. A flock of birds took off from one of the overgrown trees near the side of the property, and we continued toward the wide stone staircase. I followed behind him quietly as he turned the giant brass knob and hauled open the door. I found it strange that there were no guards, no locks on anything. Anyone could just stroll on into this marketeer’s mansion? A man who wrangled child slaves and apparently had a way to find a mythical dealer of souls. Or was this Dannon character David himself?
I followed quietly, unsure of what to expect but trusting Benjamin wholeheartedly. The exterior of the home was just a glimpse of what was inside. Dimly lit rooms where bleak rays of sun filtered in through dirty curtains, catching all the bits of dust that floated in the air. Strange, jagged shapes were shoved off in corners–furniture covered in sheets.
Our footsteps echoed off the empty walls and again as we ascended a grand marble staircase to the second floor. Immediately, my skin reached for the warmth of a fire burning in a large hearth to the left, the scent of rum, and some kind of roasted meat. Endless amounts of crates were stacked all around. Each bearing the insignia of various merchants and fleets. A man sat behind a massive block of a desk, flanked by two overgrown dogs, their breed completely lost to me. They looked like a mix between a German Sheppard and a Great Dane. Their thick necks were wrapped in chains that led to the desk and they sat dutifully.
“Awfully brave of you to just stroll on in unannounced,” the man spoke cheekily and lit a fat cigar. He swung his feet down from the top of the desk and took a big swig of rum from a mug. “And you bring no goods with you?”
Benjamin stood stiffly, eying the man. “Dannon, I presume?”
Dannon raised his brows. “The one and only.”
He stood from the worn wingback chair he sat in and I could better examine the guy. Well-dressed, better than expected for the state of the home. A leather button vest hung open over his crisp white blouse and matched the pants he wore. He was older, much older than either of us, but wore his age well with a cleanly shaven face and slicked back white hair.
“Now,” he added as he leaned back against the front of his desk. “What can I do for you?” Dannon motioned to our general appearance. “I see no goods to trade, so I assume you either want to buy from me or have information to share.”
“Neither,” Benjamin replied gruffly. “I’ve come to collect something that’s been held here for safekeeping.”
“Oh?” Dannon raised curious brows and puffed on his cigar. But I caught the slightest flicker of his gaze as it darted to the fireplace. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” Ben’s hands clenched at his sides. “My brother left something here with a previous marketeer. A sword.”
Dannon guffawed. “The previous marketeer? Dear boy, I’ve been running this establishment for nearly forty years. I highly doubt any brother of yours dealt with my father.”
“No, not your father,” Ben said. “Your grandfather. A man by the name of Branson.”
Dannon’s eyes flicked to the fireplace once again, and this time Ben caught it. “Branson would be my grandfather, indeed.” He swallowed nervously. “But I still don’t see how it’s possible that your brother would have dealt with him.”
Benjamin heaved a heavy and impatient sigh as he stalked over toward the fireplace. “Don’t you know by now, hardly anything is impossible, Dannon.” His large fingers crawled over the brickwork until he found what he was looking for and slammed the base of his fist against a loose stone. A long and narrow chamber opened up, revealing a sword. “Surely, being in this position, you’ve seen things.” He plucked the weapon from its hiding place. “Know things.”
“How did you–” Dannon whomped out his cigar in a large amber dish. “All I know of that sword is that it’s cursed. My father warned me never to remove it from the hearth. Doing so would unleash unescapable darkness over the land.”
Ben held the blade straight up, letting it catch the sun, and admired it with a sort of pained longing. “Well, your father wasn’t wrong.” His eyes moved across the room and landed on me. “This is a weapon like no other.”
I squinted to examine the sword in his hand and noted how the oversized hilt was carved of bone, inlaid with sea glass, and filled with sand. Was that what we needed to find Davy Jones? Abraham’s old, ornate, and strange sword? And why would Ben’s brother keep it here, hidden?
“How is that going to lead us to David Jones?” I asked.
“David Jones?” Dannon squawked and made a move for the weapon. Ben swung the blade in the space between them, forcing the man to step back. “I-I…you cannot seriously be looking to resurrect that beast? Why unleash that on us? There wouldn’t be a safe shore for miles.”
Benjamin chortled. “Miles? There’d be no place on Earth you could hide from him.”
“Why, then?” Dannon asked.
Benjamin swung the sword again, this time pointing its tip right at me. “Because I made a lady a promise, and this is the only way.” The blade made a schwing sound as he flung it toward Dannon and nicked the tip of his nose. The two statue-like dogs revealed their teeth with a snarl. “Now, about those slave children outside.”
Despite having the tip of a sword in his face, Dannon scowled at the mention. “What about them? They are my property to be leased out.”
“Your property?” Benjamin bit and took a step toward the man, causing him to back up. The dogs barked. “They’re children. Babies. You’ll release them immediately or lose your head, good sir.”
I gasped. “Ben…”
Behind his back, he shooed a hand at me. I held my breath in wait and stood off to the side.
“Call off the hounds,” he ordered. Dannon nodded and snapped once. The two dogs went rod stiff. “Now, how much to release them?”
Dannon quivered. “Well, a price is merely–”
The blade broke the surface of the skin of his cheek and Benjamin lowered his brow over his glaring stare. “How. Much.”
Dannon took a few quick breaths. “They’re not for sale.”
Benjamin let his head lull, and he stared down at his boots with a reluctant sigh. My heart beat wildly in my chest with anticipation.
He raised his head and pursed his lips. “Wrong answer.”
Before I could muster a single word, the blade sunk into Dannon’s chest and I stood frozen in horror at what I was witnessing my sweet Benjamin do. I watched, mouth gaping silently as the life drained from the man’s face and his body slunk to the floor.
“Ben…” the word was hardly a whisper.
He didn’t look at me as he spun around and unlatched the chain that tethered the dogs. They took off down the hall and out of the house. No real loyalty to their master to be found.
“It had to be done, Dianna,” he replied with a scowl. “The world will be better for it. Plus…” He raised it, and the sword in Ben’s hand suddenly pulsed with life. The blood on the blade slid down toward the hilt and seeped into the dry bone. Through the windows of sea glass, I watched the idle sand swirl and move like a tornado.
“What the hell is this?” I asked.
“David Jones’ sword.”
I balked at his response. “What? How did you get this?”
His shoulders slumped, and he loosened a deep sigh. “Just another one of Abraham’s coveted treasures. He had a knack for pissing off mythical beings.”
A guffaw hiccupped in my chest. “You think?”
“This sword is made from the same bone that David’s ship is made of. The sand in the hilt is earth. With this, he could harvest souls from the sea and the land. But without it…”
It all clicked together. “He couldn’t follow you.”
“Exactly,” Benjamin replied. “In fact, the beast was bound to the sea and the location of the sword. So, he’s been lurking beneath the surface of the ocean just outside. Unable to venture anywhere else. Pirates and sailors around the world were finally free to sail the sea without the worry of being recruited board The Flying Dutchman.”
“And that’s how Abraham convinced the old marketeer to keep it here,” I finished for him.
We stood in stony silence. I tried not to pay attention to the body that bled out on the floor just a few feet away. I was certain if I possessed my emotions that they’d surely possess me in that moment. My mind raced with thoughts, struggled to make sense of the sudden turn of events.
“We were men when we returned to this place,” he breathed. “Established pirates, feared even. Abraham had made a name for himself, but he wanted the ultimate prize. Control over the soul harvester that plagued our seas.”
Ben stopped and thoughtfully turned the sword over in his hands. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it must have been for him to return to this place, to drum up all these horrible memories.
He did it for you…
“I wish you’d told me,” I said.
“You wouldn’t have come,” he replied with certainty. “I know you would never have let me bring you across the sea and do this if I’d told you the price. And I knew this was the only way.”
“But you’re going to release a monster, Ben.” I took a step toward him and he stiffened. “I could have just asked the sirens.”
“No,” he said, and his eyes locked on mine. “I would never let you do that. Not after what I…”
He couldn’t get the words out and I cupped my hand over his cheek. He relaxed into it as if he’d been holding his breath the whole time. My thumb whisked the stressed skin beneath his eyes and I wanted nothing more to take it away, his pain, his worn-out heart. The life he’d lived wasn’t meant for someone who could love as he could. The darkness that lived in me sprang to life and twirled in my chest, possessing my limbs. I lowered my thumb and dragged it across his bottom lip. His hot breath poured out over and caress the skin of my hand and I parted my lips.
His hand shot up and seized my wrist, tearing my hand away from him. Without a word, he turned and stomped out of the room and I followed after I took a moment to collect myself. And for the first time since leaving Scotland, I worried for him. How much of himself was he sacrificing to return me to Henry? And here I was, throwing myself at him when I knew very well that nothing in this world would make him happier. I was dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit, knowing full well that the rabbit couldn’t have it.
What kind of monster had I become?