Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

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What was it that Esmeralda had said? You’ll know if—or when— it’s the right time.… Ayisha looked out at the sea, thinking, thinking, and then feeling. “It’s the right time,” she whispered, softly. “I want to live. I want this….” That night, she put on one of the two nightgowns she had made for herself. One was for everyday, and was made of cotton, but she had made another from the white silk. Standing in the darkness of her canvas-walled “cabin,” hearing Tarek’s gentle snores, she worked by feel, sliding the silk one on. It was a very simple garment, long, sleeveless, with a deep V neck. She had washed today, even her hair, and the strands curled around her fingers as she combed it. Picking up the old gray shawl, she pulled it over her shoulders, then went swiftly out of the cabin, and up the ladder to the weather deck. There were so many stars in the sky that she could almost feel their light sinking into her skin, making the white silk of her nightgown luminous. Luminous to her, perhaps, but not to the crewmen on watch. A simple illusion had taken care of that, making the human eye slide away from her. Ayisha padded across the weather deck, then turned and went between the two ladders leading up to the quarterdeck, to the door of the captain’s cabin. Quietly she opened it and stepped inside, closing it behind her. She heard a sound, from the bunk. Her eyes were well-adjusted to the dark. She could see the lightness of the bedclothes, and then the comparative darkness of Jack’s upper body. She heard a metallic click, and realized it was a pistol being cocked. “Jack?” she said, hastily. “It’s me.” “Ayisha?” He sounded incredulous, then concerned. “What’s happened? Are you all right?” She heard his fingers scrabbling again. “I’m fine,” she said, taking a step toward him. “Don’t strike a light.” Jack stopped scrabbling, and was still, very still. When he spoke again, his voice was different. “Why are you here, love?” “I’m here because I want to be,” she said, hearing a fierceness in
her own voice. A hungry fierceness. She took another step, then a third, and then her legs, beneath the thin fabric, touched the side of the bunk. Ayisha put out a hand, blindly, and touched the bare warmth that was his shoulder. She heard his breath draw in, as she ran her fingers along his skin. It was a very hungry sound. We are both of us hungry, she thought. “I can’t see,” she whispered, though that wasn’t altogether true. “I need help, to find you.” “I’m right here, love,” he said. His hand moved up, holding hers, then he moved his body sideways a bit, making room for her. His hand tightened on hers, and then drew her toward him, until she was lying beside him, there in the dark.…
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Copyright © 2011 Disney Enterprise
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ALSO BY A. C. CRISPIN The Han Solo
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Acknowledgments Few authors can wri
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The reenactors, docents, and staff
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Prologue Zerzura: The Lost City THE
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acelet that he never removed, the b
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east. “What then?” she asked.
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only a slim strip of woven grass en
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CHAPTER ONE Fair Winds and Black Sh
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the crew, who were mumbling and shu
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eaction, while Farmer was dunked a
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“Aye, Mr. Sparrow,” Robby said.
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she was no naval vessel. Jack Sparr
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um!” The barkeep, an enormous, hu
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“You got it from a Spanish vessel
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thought for a moment. “They say t
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Several onlookers hastily volunteer
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Hastily, Jack beckoned Christophe t
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Baldy, “you’ll have to wait. I
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Jack sighed. “I fear she’s a Bl
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CHAPTER TWO Lady Esmeralda JACK TUR
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another long look, then handed it b
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ing of truth about it, sir.” Jack
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intending to head back into Shipwre
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neck. His name meant “little butc
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upon you to provide an introduction
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as a dagger in a fight.” “So wh
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She laughed softly. “Not directly
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usually good at that kind of thing.
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for certain that he was another pir
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Teague.” Jack glanced at the litt
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that the Fair Wind was more or less
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harmed. I recommend we strike our c
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these elements were fairly standard
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Jack pursed his lips and shook his
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e wise to remember that. And so, la
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to cross freely back and forth betw
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across the weather deck. As he ran,
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as smoothly as a dolphin’s leap,
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positioning himself so he was parti
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“Dare I hope that you won’t tak
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as soft as he remembered. He bowed
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ichly furnished. On the left there
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desperately hiding, forced into clo
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her; he sensed that would be a majo
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She nodded, and half turned away.
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higher and leaned over to peer at i
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treasure was enough to make Jack’
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Jack looked around to see that the
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logbook for review. The manager of
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of his new assignment. Angrily, he
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making himself very useful to them.
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son, Bartholomew, served as Directo
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now. A brutal hand grabbed his hair
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to know what happened today?” Cut
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important stylistic differences. Th
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frequently. Even though they’d ne
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suite prepared.” “Thank you, th
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to a title. It was clear from every
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snuff-colored britches were worn gr
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undeniably made sense, and held the
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Greene was up off his chair in a mo
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Sparrow’s dark eyes. “So…how
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actually own. It’s an older ship.
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mounting a search for Zerzura hasn
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was seeing. Forcing himself to move
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some ancient tomb in the land that
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Apedemak’s most ancient temple an
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landing. The eunuch rested his huge
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crawl between two of her guardsmen.
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searched further, and pulled out a
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“Yes,” Tarek said. “And that
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out the outlines of her surrounding
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shoulder. She never let it out of h
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the sun. Ayisha would spin the tan
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Not long before noon, Mistress Dalt
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with graceful, gilded lilies and sc
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other berths and shipped out, but t
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As Robby escorted the new crew away
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and eating all them unnatural vermi
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or two after being stored in a carg
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moment his eyes met those of the yo
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even counting that the coins in his
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indeed. In view of this, Jack was p
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On the starboard side of the quarte
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eally am. But there’s nothing to
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was stained. Tomorrow he’d check
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For the first time, a light sparked
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here thinks we might have a stowawa
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Jack’s cabin, “what in the name
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Jack relaxed, enjoying the colors o
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and reefed the sails. Jack, seeing
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there is.” “Aye, Cap’n!” As
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age, he’d spit you like a sucklin
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With a little laugh at his sillines
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he mouthed. Christophe gave him a h
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Esmeralda, and watching Christophe
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immediately. “And then go straigh
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etrieve his effects. “I think he
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them, Jack went to the railing, and
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CHAPTER SEVEN Lost and Found JACK B
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having your bath. Hurry up, it’s
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Jack halted. “I don’t think so,
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appreciatively—but carefully. Aga
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sounds as though you’re building
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who tended to get into one of their
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“Well, sure, Cap’n. I was just
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from under Blount’s nose required
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the handwriting on the envelope as
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that I would enjoy, that I seem to
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won’t come into London with us, t
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what’s wrong with her, after what
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will be ending soon.” “As you s
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god, begging him to help by stoppin
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She sagged in her chair, finally al
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fingers. The door to his cabin swun
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mooring post, feet dangling over th
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carefully, and untied the painter f
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“I’ve missed you, too. You have
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finally I gave up searching, and we
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on that side. “That’s half of t
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Esmeralda bit her lip and rowed ste
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surprise, then began fumbling to pu
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eneath the seat, and, beneath it wa
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“But then he announced that he’
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Ancient benches and chairs filled t
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ight enough,” the captain conclud
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Esmeralda, looking for evidence tha
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and waved them in the air. A murmur
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“I’ve never seen him, but he’
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treason in our numbers. You are lor
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the Brethren. The Code is the law.
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“maybe this will save me from hav
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Put on those nice ones Mr. Beckett
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Cutler Beckett was sitting behind h
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“I doubt anyone is that charming,
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Ward doesn’t say anything about w
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“Yes, I believe she could manage
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economy and administration of every
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skeins of fine thread. For the embr
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mother, Queen Tiyy. Envisioning thi
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crowded, noisy enclave consisted of
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Jack and Ayisha waited for his retu
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Miss Ayisha,” Jack said. He looke
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away without notice, drove his crew
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island where there’s a lot of gol
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Chamba translated. The woman’s he
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on? Jack was skeptical. Could it be
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“Oh, he’s just a little stiff o
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ut he supposed it couldn’t do any
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was in the saddle, her skirts tucke
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CHAPTER TEN Revelations THE DAY THE
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“He does, Cap’n,” Robby agree
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“Aye, Cap’n!” chorused three
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Lucius passed the lines out, and th
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light below them, coming up the lad
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um—ordinary EITC-issued rum. Ther
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Jack stared at the barman in some a
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and nose with a handkerchief. “Lo
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silent, staring at him, Barbossa ga
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“Borya gave up the second rogue t
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Jack almost spat in disgust, but re
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They hurried through the twilight,
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growled. The prison dog’s ears pr
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gritted his teeth, remembering that
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“Now,” he said, and pulled her
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along the docks, Jack wondered what
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Captain Teague’s orders.” Jack
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care if you’re present, Roger, bu
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“You’ll be free of the bonds of
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It creaked, but not too loudly. Pus
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All around him Christophe’s crew,
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The rabble of rogues headed for the
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Jack rolled over, and immediately f
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She gave him a cool glance, but rep
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you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go
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Ayisha opened her mouth, then shut
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CHAPTER ELEVEN Pirates and Rogues J
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his cabin. Seeing Lucius Feathersto
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know.” “All right.” Jack sear
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steadily alongside the rogues, not
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aiting me, trying to get me to do s
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of the hapless flute. Automatically
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When the mast came down…I knew th
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lion’s head, beautifully formed b
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ungrapple La Vipère. I cannot risk
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not spit it in Christophe’s face.
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sometimes when we boarded, I had to
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Jack watched her, wondering if he
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Jack nodded slowly. “I take your
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the Arts of keeping a Civilized Hou
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“Doesn’t seem likely, sir.”
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had boarded the Lindesfarne in Lond
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new employee. The official who had
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CHAPTER TWELVE Shabako AS THOUGH TO
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spun exactly the right tale to ensu
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had the eunuch demonstrate his favo
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Jack laughed. “That’s a refresh
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est to fulfill his promise to the d
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As they reached the fourth dock alo
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Chamba never took his eyes off Ayis
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Lord Spar—” Breaking off, Jack
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the raw sugarcane were still under
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get her alone. But after a moment,
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fields, with Jack chattering away,
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“Thank you,” Fenwick said. “I
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eached into the bodice of her dress
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Shabako would move closer and close
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nonsense about her wearing a “mas
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN “Red Flag…Ho!
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most notable rider to hounds in all
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neckcloth and put his coat back on.
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Christophe and how much he needed t
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Jack yelled up to the Irishman, “
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to see what the sloop would do. Thi
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He knew his plan was risky. If he d
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the cargo hold.” Jack fixed Tarek
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on Great Abaco. It wasn’t long be
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the end of the trough, and run into
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ising. “Nearly took a purler down
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leading up from the cargo hold. Ayi
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Tarek shrugged, helplessly. “The
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of those, either. Soon the sun woul
Page 453 and 454: leeding. “Now help me up,” Jack
Page 455 and 456: e on his way. He be old, can’t mo
Page 457 and 458: “Borya…Koldunya. Borya…Koldun
Page 459 and 460: sure none of those hits came anywhe
Page 461 and 462: “She appears to be asleep,” Tar
Page 463 and 464: whole, not wounded. He wasn’t sur
Page 465 and 466: CHAPTER FOURTEEN Hard Bargains AN H
Page 467 and 468: hadn’t been fancy fare, but the b
Page 469 and 470: efore him, then, with a wet rag, sh
Page 471 and 472: ones.” Reaching over with his rig
Page 473 and 474: speed up. “Like you, Jack.” Jac
Page 475 and 476: “Boy or girl?” “She had a lit
Page 477 and 478: illusions. But it seems she can do
Page 479 and 480: his guilt about not being honest wi
Page 481 and 482: yesterday, if you recall.” She sm
Page 483 and 484: of sleep if you didn’t, mi coraz
Page 485 and 486: Footsteps approached, and she heard
Page 487 and 488: He smiled. “That’s a lot of que
Page 489 and 490: ladder, but she’d gotten the hang
Page 491 and 492: “You are not used to wearing colo
Page 493 and 494: tend to be very long. One can grow
Page 495 and 496: Ayisha giggled. “That was clever,
Page 497 and 498: “Oh, we certainly did!” Ayisha
Page 499 and 500: little craft’s bow. Then he began
Page 501 and 502: way. Savvy?” “I confess I am su
Page 503: live. The moment the Wicked Wench b
Page 507 and 508: “But when I called your name, the
Page 509 and 510: know. It doesn’t really matter. H
Page 511 and 512: like quartz, but it gave off light.
Page 513 and 514: cheek, searching until she found hi
Page 515 and 516: death for those who do not know the
Page 517 and 518: less than a mile away. Up close, it
Page 519 and 520: Jack was standing on the port side
Page 521 and 522: and making her way down the ladder.
Page 523 and 524: “‘The Shining City.’” “Pr
Page 525 and 526: summon a handmaiden to help you dre
Page 527 and 528: Her people did not have mirrors lik
Page 529 and 530: After Jack reached the Wicked Wench
Page 531 and 532: Beckett rather rubbed me the wrong
Page 533 and 534: a merchant who saw a perfect pearl,
Page 535 and 536: After a long, uncomfortable minute,
Page 537 and 538: chattering away since they’d firs
Page 539 and 540: homeland. For one thing, I believe
Page 541 and 542: his people. Chamba stood beside him
Page 543 and 544: and I know what I need to do. So ye
Page 545 and 546: CHAPTER SIXTEEN The Heart of Zerzur
Page 547 and 548: had all of this venture planned out
Page 549 and 550: Christophe rolled his eyes. “Why
Page 551 and 552: when I was standing on the edge of
Page 553 and 554: Then, moments later, she was on the
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cutlass penetrated the creature’s
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“This is his temple, after all.
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“Jack, are you all right?” the
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Jacques.” Christophe took his han
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his head on the floor, and that his
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hard she nearly drove the breath fr
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time to sail away. How long will th
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forth in the sunlight, admiring it,
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added to it.” “What is that?”
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this herbal drink, sweetened with h
Page 575 and 576:
Looks like the last act of Hamlet.
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The next quarter of an hour was a r
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gold. “What each man here chooses
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Slowly, the Wicked Wench turned and
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instincts, and his own sword, a col
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at the throat and wrists, Christoph
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he continued to retreat. “Strateg
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eath…” “Hah!” Jack exclaime
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his sword at him—throw it, to hit
Page 593 and 594:
Jack looked at Robby, who had stuck
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wouldn’t need protection when he
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merely nodded. “And, finally,”
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elected to put up a fight.” “Ye
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Beckett,” and left. Cutler Becket
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voyage that don’t seem to add up,
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together on the top of the table in
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spoken to some members of your crew
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was walking down by the docks one e
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there were two scars, fairly close
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going to back down this time. The c
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“That’s all right,” Beckett s
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of hushed, fearful conversations in
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Finally, he spat a last time, then
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dead, and at my hand. Well, I had h
Page 623 and 624:
Amenirdis must be on her way, Jack
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“Yes, Jack. All good suggestions.
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to pull away, then added, hastily,
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Sullen muttering greeted his declar
Page 631 and 632:
pallet, Jack leaned his head in his
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when suddenly he’d had to switch
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I wouldn’t eat anything but fresh
Page 637 and 638:
Beckett decided to simply drop them
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again, this time with the back of h
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punishment.” He smiled as if he w
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“I don’t have time to argue!”
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The deck jumped and lurched. Everyt
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“Captain Jones,” Jack said, mar
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Tortuga’s best tradition, they we
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eeze tugged at his loose hair. It w
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gotten a new baldric for his cutlas
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