Legends of the Vengeance : The First Adventure (9781310742866) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Jaime’s eyes cut him off
as he protested. Without another word, Sebastian rushed to his
quarters and pulled out the despised garments. He worked swiftly,
shedding his shirt and breeches and jerking the hot, stiff dress
over his head.
    “I’m too old—what?” Sebastian stared into
the bodice with disgust. “That is just not fair. I’m old enough to
fight for myself. I’m the best on board with daggers and everyone
knows it, but I am still stuck in this stupid dress like a stupid
girl.” He glared at the bodice as he stared down at it. “Padding. I
guess I’m too tall to be a little girl now. Should I put—” Even as
he grumbled, he frowned at the combs that fell to the floor when
the skirt dropped into place. “It’s a degradation. I hate
this.”
    The door burst open and Jaime hurried into
the cabin. “Let me get you fastened up. It fits all right? Giorgio
was very proud of the um… enhancements.”
    “Jaime, why? I’m—”
    “Too old not to look like the young lady
you’re supposed to be.”
    “It’s ridiculous. I’m good with daggers. I
can protect myself. I’m even good with a coltellaccio —not as
good as Father, but…”
    “But he loves you too much to risk it.”
    Filled with the anger and embarrassment of
his latest humiliation, Sebastian spat, “Loves me enough to rail at
me over exploring a town. He boxed my ears!”
    “Fear masks itself as anger. Let’s get your
hair in the combs.”
    He heard nothing more of what Jaime said.
His friend’s words rolled over and over in his mind until they were
tangled and confusing. Fear masks itself as anger . What did
that mean? Could it be true? His father’s rage was simply a cover
for fear? Fear of what?
    “If that’s true, what—”
    The ship lurched, sending both of them
careening across the small space and slamming them into the door.
Jaime held one finger over his lips and exited,
locking the door behind him. Sebastian clenched his teeth and
balled his fists. The walls pressed in on him each time he
heard the click of the key in the lock. Sometimes, he shoved his
head out the hole in an effort to feel as if he could breathe
again.
    He listened at the door, at the porthole,
and even the floor—anything to hear what might be happening. A
cannon fired, hitting the water a hundred yards away by the sound
of it. A warning shot. Eduardo would recommend a sharp turn toward
the cannon shot. They wouldn’t expect it. Jaime would recommend not
turning at all. Turning takes up precious time if you have to run.
A pursuer also wouldn’t expect to see no change of course.
    Sebastian waited to see whose suggestion
would prevail. Seconds passed, a minute then two. He grinned.
Jaime. It made sense to him too. Once they made it around the tip
of Sicily, they’d be safe. Getting there might not be so easy.
    After another half hour and another cannon
splash, it seemed as though his father intended to outrun the other
ship. It was probably larger and slower, likely a military vessel.
Who else would fire upon them? Who else would his father run from
rather than fight?
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    They sailed south to the tip of Sicily,
occasional cannon fire causing them to weave, but it was clear even
to Sebastian, locked in his quarters, that their pursuers did not
wish to sink them. In fact, he wondered if they even hoped to
capture them. It was an odd chase and one that made no sense.
    He felt the shift—the change in the water as The Vengeance headed through the Golfo di Noto and
out into the Mediterranean. They must be far ahead of the other
ship. No cannon fire had announced the presence of their pursuer in
the past hour. Of course, Sebastian ached to know who they were and why his father allowed himself to be chased out into the
Mediterranean.
    It had been a curious day, and night
encroached onto it. Without a moon, they would float until morning
and then continue to run. Again, he wondered why. Why had they
docked so early and then hurried from port just hours