Free Only the Heart by Brian Caswell and David Chiem

where we stood.
    On the floor the injured man raised his bloody head and stared into the eyes of the leader, holding his gaze defiantly. He didn’t even blink.
    The whole incident could have taken no more than a few seconds, but it seemed to stretch forever. I saw the man’s eyes and I saw the face of the pirate leader. And I waited for the explosion that would end it. But it never arrived.
    An expression passed over that arrogant face, which at the time I couldn’t read. I think now that it was probably respect. But perhaps he just enjoyed demonstrating his power.
    As the silence stretched, and no one breathed, he uttered one word. Not a shout; barely more than a whisper, really. But the authority in his voice stopped the execution. The man with the gun paused with the trigger half-depressed, and turned to face his leader. Nothing more was said, but a slight movement of those eyes and the man stepped back.
    I felt my mother’s fingers digging into my shoulders, and I realised that she had probably been gripping me like that for some time. I just hadn’t noticed. I shifted slightly and the pressure eased, but she didn’t let go.
    The two pirates continued their search, pushing people around and striking them if they were too slow to respond to orders they didn’t really understand, but the leader had lost interest. He was looking towards Aunt Mai.
    And Phuong.
    Though she was only thirteen, Phuong had always been the most beautiful girl in the street. She was never vain about it, but it was a fact.
    And in the middle of the ocean, when the only law is the law of the gun …
    *
    MAI
    â€œVery pretty!” The big man speaks Vietnamese with a Thai accent, and his eyes are fixed on the girl.
    Phuong tries to look away, but his gaze is demanding, and all she can manage is to lower her eyes. He reaches out to touch her, and she flinches as his fingertips linger on her breast.
    â€œVery nice …”
    And suddenly his hand is knocked away.
    Black anger flares in his eyes and he grabs the offending wrist, but Mai holds his gaze. For the second time in as many minutes he sees defiance, but this time his reaction is different. With his free hand he delivers a stinging blow that snaps her head to the side. She stumbles backwards half a pace but does not fall, and her eyes remain fixed on his.
    â€œShe is just a child.” The words are a plea, but there is no weakness there.
    After a moment the big man smiles. A cruel curving of the lips without a trace of humour.
    â€œBut soon she will be a woman … “His eyes stray back to the girl. “Very soon.” He reaches out again and takes some of the child’s long hair between his fingers, watching it slip through. “It would be a shame not to … experience such beauty.”
    He holds the child’s face in one of his huge hands and studies her.
    â€œTake me.” Mai’s voice is steady. The words hang in the air between them, as he turns to face her. “Leave her and take me.”
    Before he can answer, an urgent shout drifts down from the deck above. He listens then smiles again.
    â€œWe have company.”
    He looks up momentarily towards the open hatch. Then his gaze returns to Mai.
    â€œAnd why should I be interested in this … exchange?”
    â€œShe is just a child. I am … experienced. What I can give —”
    â€œWhat you can give? I think you are in no position to make deals. I think it might be … interesting to take you both. Experience and …” He studies the child, and leaves the sentence unfinished. He is enjoying the game, though his men look nervously towards the hatchway.
    â€œSai,” one ventures. “The ship …”But the warning is swallowed as his leader’s gaze slides dangerously over him.
    As if the interruption had never happened, he waits for her reply.
    Her face is unreadable as she moves across to place a protective arm around her