The Admiral

James Morgan

Well, this certainly didn’t go according to plan. Arden’s going to kill me.

I’m sitting in a cell on a ship which I assume is The Dragon. I could be wrong since I was unconscious when I woke up here. This won’t bode well for me. Under no circumstances does the Fleet negotiate with pirates, and the whole crew here knows it. No doubt he’s told his crew about all of the Fleet’s ins and outs.

Not sure what they’re waiting for, or why I’m chained up at my wrists and feet. Christ my head hurts. I put up a fight when they tried to take me last night, I managed to take down three until I got unexpectedly knocked out from behind.

I sigh audibly.

“Bored, are we?” A man’s voice asks from the doorway.

“Got any books I can read? I’ll take anything at this point. Harlequin? An atlas maybe?”

I hear the man approaching and look over from my little cot to see it’s the Pirate King himself, Wyatt Grayson.

He stands at my cell for a moment just watching me, “James Morgan. I thought I had you when The Orion blew. I saw you, you had me in your sights, and knowing you, you’d have ended me right then,” he shrugs, “Lucky me.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Christ, you haven’t changed.”

“I’m sorry, have we met?”

“Cut the shit James or I’ll have one of my guys cut something off.”

“Why, can’t do the dirty work yourself, Wyatt? I’ve read the protocols; you wouldn’t have survived a day, especially after seeing what Arden did to your men.”

“And look where that got her: stranded in Sal on a little ship about to be blown out of the water. Shame really, she’s the reason we’re all here.”

I stand up and make my way over to talk to him face-to-face. I casually lean on the bars and look at him, “I only know what she told me. Her side of the story was that you weren’t man enough to follow her lead when she was made Admiral, at least that was my interpretation of it.”

He nods, “Your interpretation is interesting to say the least.” Wyatt takes a breath and a moment to think before looking at me. “She always was oblivious. You were the reason I left, and it wasn’t the Fleet I was leaving, so much as it was the pain Arden inflicted on me with her indifference. I never stood a chance after we left the Academy. You wormed your way in there, and day by day I watched her shut me out completely.”

It takes a moment to process his words, “You made yourself into the thing she hates the most because her love for you couldn’t shift from that of a brother to a lover? Doesn’t that sound a little extreme to you?”

Wyatt shrugs, “That and I want to destroy the Fleet, Arden will simply be collateral damage,” he smirks, “How was she, by the way? Did she let you fuck her?”

Wyatt stares me down for a reaction. I won’t give him one, plus he’s out of reach and I’m not that stupid. I’ll need to wait for the opportune moment because this isn’t it.

I sigh, “So that’s a no on the Harlequin novel then? How about some breakfast, how’s your cook, any good?”

Wyatt smirks, “I’ll have someone bring you something.” A whistle is blown up top, “Excuse me.”

I watch Wyatt leave and finally allow his words to take effect. He knows Arden is on the west coast on a small ship and already seems to have a plan in action to have her taken out. Meanwhile, I’m stuck here with no means of protecting her.

When I heard someone approaching, I thought it would be with the plate of food promised me, but instead the man unlocks my cage and opens the door, “The captain would like you topside.”

I nod and do as I’m told. When I make my way onto deck it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sunlight. The sun’s already high in the sky, which means I’ve been out most of the day, and for all I know Arden and her tiny ship are at the bottom of the sea.

How wrong I was. Arden is standing on the beach Elwin was sketching a map of last night. Right there, white hair blowing on the wind on a beach, that from here, looks very much like a trap.

Wyatt motions for me to walk over to stand by him, “What do you suppose she’s up to now Morgan?”

I look out to see a handful of men rowing their way over to the beach, “I’m not entirely sure.”

“Seems a bit too good to be true, doesn’t it?” Wyatt looks at me, “She’s not here for me, that’s clear as day.”

Wyatt turns to address his men, “Then this woman comes aboard, no one is to lay a single hand on her, is this understood?” There’s a murmur of yeses, and aye’s all around. “If this order is disobeyed, she will be the last thing that hand touches.”

I watch Wyatt turn around and watch as Arden gets into the rowboat, he watches her until she gets to her feet to climb up the rope ladder. He still loves her, there’s no doubt about it.

Wyatt goes over to offer his hand for Arden to take as she steps up on deck. Without blinking an eye, she takes it.

Arden doesn’t even look my way, instead, she just looks up at Wyatt and shakes her head at him, smirking, “I like the beard.”

Wyatt scratches his beard a little self-consciously and shrugs, “It’s starting to grow on me.”

Arden sniggers, “That was terrible.”

Wyatt smiles, “You hungry?”

The way his eyes roam Arden’s face as she looks back to the beach she just came from, pisses me off. He’s so blatant about it, how is Arden so oblivious?

Arden crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at him, “Depends, how’s your cook?”

“Not as good as Cookie,” Wyatt smirks.

“No one’s as good as Cookie,” Arden looks at Wyatt and her smile slowly fades. She sighs and eyes him. “It’s surprisingly nice to see you Wyatt, I just wish it was under different circumstances.”

Wyatt’s gaze drops, almost as if he were ashamed. What the fuck is going on? Why is Adren here? Everything she’s told me about Wyatt has given me the impression she hates him for betraying her, yet here she is letting him pull her in for a hug.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss you,” Wyatt mumbles quietly, “What are you doing here?” He holds Arden by her shoulders and examines her. “Alone, nonetheless, this is highly irregular for an Admiral.”

Arden nods my way, “You have something I want, I’m here to negotiate.”

“The Fleet doesn’t negotiate,” Wyatt reminds her.

“I resigned as Admiral; I am no longer The Fleet.” Wyatt seems stuck for words, just watching her carefully, “I’m just me.”

Wyatt looks my way; he lets his arms drop to his side before turning around at talking quietly with one of his crew.

I barely saw it coming. Wyatt pulls out a gun, points it directly at me and fires.