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Finn had been keelhauled less than two days ago; ed, soht not survive the night Now, the ry pink, but his wounds had closed He looked as though he’d been on the mend for weeks, not just a day and a half
Jack stared open He had compared Ghost to Lucifer, considered the Larsen a hell ship, the devil’s ship Noondered if that uessed That Finn should have healed so fully--that he could even be walking on his oo feet--was not possible But Jack had encountered the impossible before
The rest of the crew finished reefing the sails towind, then drew into a circle around the fighting er arms But despite his miraculous recovery, Finn had lost a step As they faced each other across the blood-spattered deck, bothfreely, Finn feinted with a left and then sith his right, a punishing blow that ht have shattered Demetrius’s jaw if it had connected But the fata trio of thunderous thumps to Finn’s abdorabbed a fistful of Dereasy hair and yanked sideways The Greek clawed at hi theht becaentle roll, they scrabbled for superior position, and the sailors began to cheer Finn punched Deed at Finn’s left eye, driving his thumb in so hard that Jack expected the eye to splurt fro the spectacle Vukovich and Maurilio were partially crouched, as though they re, and Tree were grinning, Louis’s gold tooth glinting in the sun The circle tightened around the vicious scrap
"It’s hideous," someone whispered behind him, and he shivered with pleasure, for he knew that voice
Jack turned Sabine had eed from the aft cabin, and now her sad eyes ca in ugly, war-ravaged ground, she brought an incongruous and unearthly beauty to the moment Clad in a bone-white dress, her hair pinned back in a simple sweep that cast the shadows of secrets on her eyes, she si this," Jack said, taking her by the elbow and trying to turn her back toward the cabin
But Sabine refused to be turned Lips pressed tight, she watched the vicious brawl as though it had been her purpose for co on deck
"I kneould come," she said softly "I’ht," Jack said "You have the sight, or so Louis tells reed "And it is an albatross But this has nothing to do with rown restless and put himself in disfavor with the captain Demetrius is at the bottom of the pack, but with Finn weak, this is a chance for hiht He had already s or wolves
"You talk like they’re aniht have been pity
A roar of pain drew their attention back to the fight Deenitals in his fist and now squeezed and twisted Finn screaed teeth, and for a moment he was more ani down, head shaking … and tore off the fat Greek’s left ear Blood spurted, Demetrius cried out, and the tables had turned
"My God," Jack whispered, turning away
But he saw that Sabine had not looked away She looked sickened but continued watching the fight as if she were a great queen and one of the sailors fought for her honor Jack felt a tremor of jealousy in him, and he looked around to see if any of the crew had even noticed her Who was she trying to impress? But, of course, he knew the answer: the captain
Jack saw hi the barbaric proceedings with his hands behind his back His eyes were slitted and his face betrayed no eavel, he could have been there as a judge
The Scandinavians stood flanking hian to approach the circle of observers, the rest of the crew scuttled aside Jack iht and punish both ave a s his per for the terrible outcoht? Had Deht while Finn eak, so that he couldthe crew’s expectant faces and the ferocity hich Finn and De more than pride was at stake here
Where do I fit into the hierarchy? Jack wondered A prisoner, but also a meht the captives locked down in the hold ht they ht be safer down there than he was, up here in the pirates’ erly as the rest He ht be the first mate, but Jack had realized that he was not the ed to the Scandinavians, who seemed always to be with hiht of Jack and Sabine He gave the the on deck with hiered to his feet One of his arht he could see yellow bone jutting froe at them all to stop thisthat one or both of the men could be useless to him as sailors for weeks to come, or forever, should one of them be killed? Jack turned to look at Sabine A tear traced a path down her cheek, but she refused to look away Johansen kept glancing at them, as if equally entranced by their reaction as by the barbarism before them
Demetrius rose shakily to his feet One of his eyes ollen shut, seeping blood and viscous fluid Where his ear had been, only ragged flesh remained Furrows had been clawed in his face and chest And yet he grinned, and a lol began deep in his chest Despite his injuries, he still seeer than his opponent
Finn li But he had only one useful arun to heal, ht have been exhaustion or soy, but he waited for Demetrius to move, and eventually the fat Greek thundered toward hi bull
Finn stepped deftly aside and snapped a kick at De his knee The fat sailor screaood ar Finn freed a rope that had been tied to a cleat and wrapped it around the Greek’s throat, then began to hoist hi hilanced at Sabine, but she had lowered her gaze at last He could not stand and watch any longer He touched her arers on silken skin that sent an electrical charge shuddering through hie at his core
"Captain," he said, hurrying toward Ghost, "you can’t let this go on Whatever happens, it’ll be murder, and you’ll be a party to it"
The Scandinavians shifted to block his access to the captain Jack halted but kept his gaze fixed on Ghost until, at last, the pirate chief turned to look at hi Jack," Ghost said, his voice low He bared his teeth, but it was no smile "You’ll come to learn that there is no place for civility or propriety here The strongest eat first, and the runts go hungry And some would rather die than be the runt"
Ghost turned away, his attention back on the fight Jack wanted to appeal again, but the twins’ cold blue eyes fixed him in his place, their promise of violence and pain overt He backed off a few steps, heard the splintering of wood; and when he looked, the tables had turned yet again De, and now he hammered at Finn, arded off the first two i a blow to the head Finn ht back or even lift a hand in defense
Derabbed a fistful of Finn’s hair Jack watched in stunned horror as the Greek slaainst the deck, then opened his jaide to clamp his teeth on Finn’s throat
"No," Jack whispered The fight had been savage, but this was inhuman
Ghost strode past the twins, the circle opening for him He struck Demetrius a ferocious kick in the ribs, and the fat sailor went over onto his own back, just as subh," Ghost said "You’ve proved your point"
When Sabine touched his back, Jack almost shouted in surprise All eyes were on Ghost now … all eyes but hers She kept her hand on the small of his back, a small, secret intimacy that took his breath away He knew instinctively that he had to be careful of sharing any intimacy at all with her Ghost possessed her, just as he did this ship and its crew, and he would guard his possessions jealously