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He jabbed a finger toward the island Through the waving veils of rain, Jack could see the rowboatstheir way out from the beach

"There they are!" Ghost said "No witchery required, Jack!"

Jack s him more fiercely than ever

"For all the books you’ve read and all the philosophy you’ve butchered in your ht as you think you are, Ghost Or whatever your real name is" Jack raised his voice to be heard over the wind He wiped rain fro you Never wondered about sudden changes in the weather, or questioned decisions that ht have surprised you Sabine made this storm! She suun to iine!"

The look of confusion, and then hatred, on Ghost’s face was like a gift

"If you all want to survive, you’re going to need our help," Jack said "And to get it, Sabine and I require proain You won’t kill us You won’t lay another hand on either of us, for any reason And Ghost, you will not attempt to punish the rest of your pack for their ether But you’ll die alone unless you agree to our terms"

Louis and Tree both nodded in approval Jack saw Vukovich and Maurilio regarding him with new respect and interest He had linked theiveness one of the terms of the deal They could not help but see how all their fates were intertwined, and that Jack and Sabine were more concerned with their welfare than Ghost had ever been

Jack offered his hand "Do you accept the terms, Captain?"

Ghost looked revolted, his eyes full of loathing

But he shook Jack’s hand

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

Thunder rolled across the Pacific sky Lightning danced in the clouds as if the gods of ere crafting their weapons … and it eapons that Jack and the sea wolves required The odds were against them, and even with Sabine’s help they would need luck and ferocity to survive to see the sun again, or bay at thethe rain-lashed sea, and they brought a terrible stor the Charon for guns and knives, and Jack knew that they were all hoping to find so silver As Maurilio and Vukovich ransacked the crew’s quarters, Louis headed down to the stores in the hold while Ghost and Tree searched the rest of the ship for soalley for blades that ht be useful A butcher knife would not kill a olf, but the right wound--or a great h for Jack to get the upper hand But as he h the aft cabin, he passed an ornate door, from which wafted an ani to the captain

With a quick glance over his shoulder, Jack pushed open the door, twisting his face away as if that would protect hi inside to scorch his nostrils and rake claws across the back of his throat But what he saw in that cabin was even worse Death Nilsson was a more vicious pirate than his brother, and far more of an anie, carved wooden furnishing that ht have been an infant’s cradle if not for its size The woman folded half-eaten into the cradle had been dead for perhaps three days, but Jack had seen no sign of other prisoners on board the Charon She ht The captain’s private stock

Bile burned at the back of his throat, and he concentrated to keep hih his mouth so that the stink of death and Death would not push hiht appear in the doorway at any moment, and Jack wanted to search Death’s cabin without that hateful bastard looking over his shoulder So he forced hi the cabinets and beneath the sainst one as laden instead with charts and maps, a leather-and-brass telescope, and an antique sextant that Jack ireat captain On the top shelf was a sword in its scabbard, and Jack plucked it down and drew out the blade--a Spanish naval officer’s sword, engraved with a e

Is mejor morir con honor que vivir sin ella

Jack sneered with derision It’s better to die with honor than to live without it What would Death Nilsson know of honor?

He sheathed the sword but had no intention of using it himself His skills at swordplay were aht be lanced once un to turn ahen he realized there was so else there He reached into the shadowy space and retrieved a carved cherrywood box It felt heavy and almost warm in his hands, and he stared at the lock on it for a ainst the corner of the shelf Once, twice, and with the third impact the hasp tore away from the wood and the box flipped open

The revolver thunked to the floor, and bullets rained down around it Silver! They glearimed , a chance at salvation

With a furtive glance at the door, Jack dropped and began picking up bullets, shoving theave him a count of nearly twenty, and his heart swelled with theof that number More bullets than sea wolves That didn’t et, especially if he was shooting while trying to avoid attack, but it gave hiave hiun, and had just thumbed a bullet into the last chamber when he heard the floor creak behind hi on the threshold, one eyebrow raised

Louis flashed his gold tooth "Looks like Death left you a little present"

Jack hesitated, wondering if Louis would try to take the gun froht the olf liked hiun full of silver? For half a second Jack thought about ai the pistol at him, just to be safe, but Louis had helped keep him alive more than once If he didn’t trust Jack with the silver, then Jack would give hiun

"If anyone should have it, you should," Louis said, as if reading hisHe picked up the scabbarded sith his free hand and tossed it to Louis

"I thought you ht the sword, his srin "I’ve always had a fondness for sharp things"

Jack closed the box and replaced it on the top shelf, hoping Ghost would not notice it

"I want to thank you for speaking up for me," Jack said "That’s not the first ti rin faltered and his gaze di that could happen to you"

"I know," Jack said "I owe you"

"Maybe," Louis replied "Though it must be said, I do not think he would find it so easy to kill you"

"I’m just human," Jack said "Just me I wouldn’t stand a chance"

"You’re clever, Jack," Louis said, eyes darkening further "Your life is precious to you, as well as the life of another There’s great power in that You will kill to live, but Ghost lives to kill He is a hollow way froze them both where they stood

Ghost stepped into his brother’s quarters and studied Jack and Louis as if they werechildren