The Wisterian

Chapter 26: The Old Salt Coast

Rowan West wants to scream. To plead for her life and say this is all some sort of terrible mistake. That she would never kill anyone. She's no murderer. But the body cooling on the ground just outside of this unruly circle of enraged pirates tends to disagree.

The Pirate Queen's words ring through her ears. Walk the plank?

This is definitely, for sure, the way she's going to die.

Tears well in her eyes, shoulders slumping in defeat as she tosses her bow aside and reaches her hands toward the beautiful cerulean sky. Puffy white clouds dance over the bleached sandy coast and an endless blue horizon. At least it's somewhere beautiful.

She mumbles a quick prayer to the drowned gods, or whatever it is they worship out here, that she might yet survive this day. Can't hurt at this point, right?

The world shifts beneath her feet. The island seems to rise and fall in time with the waves crashing on the sandy shore. Her eyes clamp shut, attempting to banish the rising tide of nausea and bile in her throat.

Clinging to one last splinter of hope, she waits for the knives and bullets to fly. She didn't fail Briar. Leaf is safe. At least as safe as they can be in the company of pirates.

With a flick of her wrist, the Pirate Queen signals her crew to restrain Rowan. Two burly women grab her arms, wrenching them behind her back. They force Rowan to her knees. Orbs of magic, fire, water, and swirling gray winds join the many guns and swords aimed in her direction.

Bryony Ravin, aka Captain Quell, aka the Pirate Queen of Blight, the living legend herself stares Rowan down. Terrifying by any name. She lifts one perfectly arched brow at the forager's rapidly paling face.

Neither the first Pirate Queen, nor the last, but arguably the most formidable. She embodies everything necessary for the position. Poise. Authority. An even keel and foreboding presence. A dark and deep undertow of danger. Every movement practiced, every gesture carefully calculated for maximum deadly efficacy.

And yes, it was having the intended effect on Rowan.

She cowers, trying to compact her bulk into a small and harmless thing. She lowers her gaze, sagging forward as if to pledge her undying fealty to the Pirate Queen. Uncertain as to how far she might be willing to take this little charade, perhaps drownings are a regular occurrence in pirate life.

Based on the hard glint in Bryony's eyes, and the fact that she manages to be this menacing without any weapons in her hands. They might very well be.

Yes. This is definitely how she dies.

One last chance. Her words run together as she begs for her life.

"Please, I thought he was going to kill Leaf. I didn't have time to think. Please don't kill me. I'll do anything, I swear I'll-"

"Relax. We don't even have a plank." Bryony shakes her head, smiling wryly. The murderous glint in her eyes fades to a twinkle, giving Rowan a false sense of security.

Relief floods her body as she thanks all the gods she never believed in before but will absolutely be paying more attention to from now on, she swears. Allowing herself a deep calming breath, she straightens. Her will to live sparking hope as she dares to squint up at the Pirate Queen.

"We don't need one." Bryony smiles, sharp as a knife and twice as deadly.

Rowan snaps to attention at those words. Oh, this can't be good.

"I could drown you where you stand." Bryony chuckles, clearly relishing toying with Rowan. Her magic rolls around her like waves. Shades of blue and white crashing against her skin like surf breaking against the shore.