Free Within a Captain's Treasure by Lisa A. Olech

sacks of black powder waiting for the next round of fire. The entire procedure like a well-choreographed dance.
    Through the chaos, Quinn stormed toward her. “Get below.”
    In the bow, Robbins maneuvered his cannon and fired a shot across the other ship’s bow. Alice ducked. “I can fight.”
    Quinn shook his head. “Not on my ship.”
    “You’ve seen me in battle.”
    “I’ve seen you swing blindly and get lucky. Go below.” He grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him as he drew his sword.
    The two ships moved closer. Boarding ladders swung into place. The crew began firing smoke pots onto the other deck to disorient their prey as they shot their muskets into the fog.
    She tugged at him. “Give me a weapon and I’ll prove you wrong.”
    Gavin growled through clenched teeth. “I’ve no time to argue with a bullheaded woman, get below, that’s an—”
    “Oh my God, Bump.” Alice caught sight of the boy scrambling up the rigging.
    Gavin followed her line of sight. “He’s high and away from the battle.”
    Her jaw dropped at his lack of concern. “High and away?”
    The crew started to swing across the open water to drop down upon the deck of the other ship. The battle was on. Through the smoke, the clang of blade meeting blade rang out.
    “I’ll not tell you again—” He pointed toward the ladder way.
    The fight intensified. The other crew was not backing down. Several made it past the initial flood of pirates and fought their way onto the decks of the Scarlet Night . Quinn pulled his cutlass and a long dirk from his boot and ordered again over his shoulder. “Go.”
    Alice hadn’t taken her eyes off the child clinging to the rigging. Her heart clogged her throat. Either the child would fall to his death or be killed by a random shot. She had to get him down and to safety.
    “Bump, come down,” she shouted above the fray. What was the use? The boy couldn’t hear her. She’d have to go up after him. Before she could get there, another had taken notice of the lad and had same idea, but this man was not a member of the Scarlet Night crew. He pulled a dagger, narrowed his gaze, and began to climb for the child.
    Panic roared in her head drowning out the bedlam of the battle around her. Her vision tunneled. Rushing to Quinn’s side, she dodged the swing of his left arm as he finished off his opponent. She yanked one of his pistols from his baldric, turned, aimed and fired. Bump’s attacker fell against the net of rigging before dropping to the deck. She shoved the smoking gun into her belt. The heat of the barrel scorched her blouse and burned her skin, but her only thought was to get to the boy before he lost his hold and careened to the deck below.
    Quinn grabbed for her. She wrenched herself from his grasp and rushed across the deck. His angry shouts followed her, but somehow Bump had seen her and she didn’t stop until the child was safely in her arms.
    Turning, she met Quinn’s furious glare with one of her own. He yanked his pistol from her belt and balled the front of her blouse in his fist.
    “My cabin, and stay there, or I’ll throw you from this ship.” He ground out the words through a clenched jaw. “Now.” He jerked her toward the ladder way before releasing her blouse.
    Blood still pounded in her ears. Angry tears threatened. The battle on deck was drawing to a close, but the battle to come was going to be epic.
     

Chapter 8
     
    A lead ball zipped so close to his ear, the breeze brushed Quinn’s cheek. Lucky for him he had another loaded pistol strapped into his baldric, and he put a quick end to the man firing at him. Fury raged hot through his veins as the surrounding skirmish with the Spanish carrack reached its ultimate end. Victory was theirs.
    In the end, thirty men begged quarter. They’d lost ten in battle, including their captain and first officer, and the decision was made that Tom Bellamy would assume command of the ship called Ala de Cuervo or Raven Wing . The