Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

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shipmates will know I said good-bye. I will miss them. Most of them can’t read or write, but they are good men all the same. I am real glad that Lucius and Etienne are friends now. We were all getting tired of hearing them go on at each other. Wishing you calm seas and following winds, Chamba P.S. Miss Ayisha just told me to tell you not to try and follow us into the fog, Captain. Doing that would be very dangerous. Jack finished reading the letter, then looked up. His crewmen were staring at him, shaking their heads and muttering. Featherstone and de Ver were bristling a bit at their shipmates. “Listen up, mates,” Jack said, “I’m going to assign three men to divide up this reward, to ensure that each man gets his fair share. Judging by the size of this sack, I would advise all of you to put your share somewhere safe, so you can have it available to you when you’re too old to sail, or you get injured. Or perhaps you’ll want to make sure it’s available to your families if something should happen to you one of these days. We all know a seaman’s life is not an easy one. Not too many of us live to a ripe old age and die in our beds, lads.” He looked around the assembled faces. “First Mate Greene, Second Mate Connery, and…Samuel Newton. Can you please handle the task of dividing up this reward?” “Aye, Captain!” they all replied. “Good. Now, lads…” Jack took a deep breath. “Far be it from me to advise any of my crew to be less than honest with our employer. After all, the EITC pays us generous wages, does it not?” The expected amount of grumbling negatives greeted this comment. “So I’m just going to mention here, that, technically, it’s my duty to tell the EITC, in the person of Mr. Beckett, about this, er, windfall, here.” Jack gestured at the sacks lying at his feet. “However, Captain Jack Sparrow is not one to insist on niggling, unimportant technicalities of maritime regulations and contracts, when the welfare of his crew is at stake. So I intend to say nothing of this, lads.” He indicated the pile of
gold. “What each man here chooses to do is up to him, and the dictates of his conscience.” There was a relieved murmur. “Oh, and Mr. Greene, Mr. Connery, and Mr. Newton?” “Aye, Captain?” “The money should be divided equally among you, except that I’ll take a half-share, please. The other half of my share should be divided four ways, one-quarter to George Perkins,” he said, naming the topman whose broken leg had been amputated by Doctor Martinez, “and one-quarter each to the families of Micah Wilson, Sam Hopkins, and Nathan Bolton. I feel that is only fair,” Jack concluded. His crew spontaneously broke into cheers. “Huzzah for Captain Sparrow!” Samuel Newton cheered as loudly as any of them. George Perkins, leaning on his crutch, had tears running down his cheeks. Jack smiled graciously, waving aside the topman’s efforts to thank him. Jack raised a hand for quiet. “Now, lads, there’s just one more thing. Mr. Beckett assigned me to find the bearings for this island Chamba mentions. Apparently some of Prince Shabako’s and Miss Ayisha’s people live on this island. Mr Beckett read about the island in a book, and told me to bring back the bearings. I think the island lies over there, inside that fogbank.” He pointed, and the crew looked over at the smudge on the western horizon. “So, mates, let’s get some canvas on the old girl. We’re following where Chamba and our passengers went!” Jack heard murmurs from the crew, whispers that included the word “danger,” but there were no actual protests. “Mr. Greene, Mr. Connery, lock these sacks up in the arms locker for now. Mr. Trafford, I’ll want you on our helm. Let’s make sail and get the bearings for this island for Mr. Beckett!” His crew scattered. “Jack,” Robby said, half an hour later, as they stood together on the bow, and the Wicked Wench plunged toward the looming fogbank, “I don’t like the looks of this at all.” He glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. “You told me that Kerma had powerful spells guarding it. This looks…uncanny.” “It does,” Jack said. “Nevertheless, Robby, Mr. Beckett gave us
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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
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leeding. “Now help me up,” Jack
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e on his way. He be old, can’t mo
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“Borya…Koldunya. Borya…Koldun
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sure none of those hits came anywhe
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“She appears to be asleep,” Tar
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whole, not wounded. He wasn’t sur
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN Hard Bargains AN H
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hadn’t been fancy fare, but the b
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efore him, then, with a wet rag, sh
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ones.” Reaching over with his rig
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speed up. “Like you, Jack.” Jac
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“Boy or girl?” “She had a lit
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illusions. But it seems she can do
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his guilt about not being honest wi
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yesterday, if you recall.” She sm
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of sleep if you didn’t, mi coraz
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Footsteps approached, and she heard
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He smiled. “That’s a lot of que
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ladder, but she’d gotten the hang
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“You are not used to wearing colo
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tend to be very long. One can grow
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Ayisha giggled. “That was clever,
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“Oh, we certainly did!” Ayisha
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little craft’s bow. Then he began
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way. Savvy?” “I confess I am su
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live. The moment the Wicked Wench b
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her own voice. A hungry fierceness.
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“But when I called your name, the
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know. It doesn’t really matter. H
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like quartz, but it gave off light.
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cheek, searching until she found hi
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death for those who do not know the
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less than a mile away. Up close, it
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Jack was standing on the port side
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and making her way down the ladder.
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“‘The Shining City.’” “Pr
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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
Page 555 and 556: cutlass penetrated the creature’s
Page 557 and 558: “This is his temple, after all.
Page 559 and 560: “Jack, are you all right?” the
Page 561 and 562: Jacques.” Christophe took his han
Page 563 and 564: his head on the floor, and that his
Page 565 and 566: hard she nearly drove the breath fr
Page 567 and 568: time to sail away. How long will th
Page 569 and 570: forth in the sunlight, admiring it,
Page 571 and 572: added to it.” “What is that?”
Page 573 and 574: this herbal drink, sweetened with h
Page 575 and 576: Looks like the last act of Hamlet.
Page 577: The next quarter of an hour was a r
Page 581 and 582: Slowly, the Wicked Wench turned and
Page 583 and 584: instincts, and his own sword, a col
Page 585 and 586: at the throat and wrists, Christoph
Page 587 and 588: he continued to retreat. “Strateg
Page 589 and 590: eath…” “Hah!” Jack exclaime
Page 591 and 592: his sword at him—throw it, to hit
Page 593 and 594: Jack looked at Robby, who had stuck
Page 595 and 596: wouldn’t need protection when he
Page 597 and 598: merely nodded. “And, finally,”
Page 599 and 600: elected to put up a fight.” “Ye
Page 601 and 602: Beckett,” and left. Cutler Becket
Page 603 and 604: voyage that don’t seem to add up,
Page 605 and 606: together on the top of the table in
Page 607 and 608: spoken to some members of your crew
Page 609 and 610: was walking down by the docks one e
Page 611 and 612: there were two scars, fairly close
Page 613 and 614: going to back down this time. The c
Page 615 and 616: “That’s all right,” Beckett s
Page 617 and 618: of hushed, fearful conversations in
Page 619 and 620: Finally, he spat a last time, then
Page 621 and 622: dead, and at my hand. Well, I had h
Page 623 and 624: Amenirdis must be on her way, Jack
Page 625 and 626: “Yes, Jack. All good suggestions.
Page 627 and 628: to pull away, then added, hastily,
Page 629 and 630:
Sullen muttering greeted his declar
Page 631 and 632:
pallet, Jack leaned his head in his
Page 633 and 634:
when suddenly he’d had to switch
Page 635 and 636:
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
Page 641 and 642:
punishment.” He smiled as if he w
Page 643 and 644:
“I don’t have time to argue!”
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The deck jumped and lurched. Everyt
Page 647 and 648:
“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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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

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