Free Legend of the Gypsy Queen Skull: The Devil's Triangle - Book 1 by otis duane

Coast
Waters

    The final pirate ship was making a run for
the Port of Algiers with the Lexington in hot pursuit. Darcy and
his men were about a quarter-mile behind the corsairs when they
started noticing bales of hemp and barrels of ale bobbing up and
down in the water. Captain Gliv was lightening their load to gain
some much-needed speed to outrun the royal warship.
    With quill in hand, Captain Darcy duly
charted the contraband’s nautical coordinates on his map. In time
they’d return to retrieve the discarded spoils and divvy them
amongst his crew. True leadership, he believed, sometimes meant
bending the rules to reward one’s crew for their service. Even
Darcy, a sworn rum drinker if ever there was one, had been known to
indulge in an occasional hemp-infused cigar.
    ~*~
    As the Lexington closed in, things suddenly
became deadly serious on the pirate ship.
    Grabbing a slave by his neck, Captain Gliv
snarled into his ear.
    “Let’s see if His Majesty’s navy pities your
soul,” and tossed him overboard. Turning to his fellow cutthroats
he growled, “Throw the lot of ’em into the sea!”
    One of the slaves, who was still shackled in
chains, dropped to his knees, clasped his hands together, and
sobbingly pleaded.
    “Please master, I beg thee, spare my
wretched soul.”
    But Gliv sneered and backhanded him with his
meaty paw, knocking him down to the deck.
    “Throw this chum to the sharks.”
    His henchmen quickly seized ahold the slave
and dragged him kicking and screaming to the railing where they
tossed him overboard. His cries were only silenced when he plunged
into the waves, never to resurface.
    “Unchain, the others,” Gliv added. “Maybe
they’ll slow ‘em down.”
    Moments later, the pirates tossed more of
their captives overboard but at least this time they were able to
tread water.
    ~*~
    Gliv’s cruelty made Captain Darcy’s blood
boil as he watched the slaves drift by the Lexington, shrieking out
for help. But the veteran sea captain knew better than to take the
bait. During battle, momentum was everything, and now wasn’t the
time to flinch. Any delay would surely allow the pirates to slip
away.
    Even more worrisome was their proximity to
Algiers. Should Gliv and his pirates manage to escape, they would
surely rally a fleet of Barbary Coast pirate ships to mount a
counterattack. The royal convoy would have a day’s jump on them but
they’d never make it to a safe port in time. The only option was to
deal with this last corsair boat now, but the sun was already
beginning to dip below the horizon.
    ~*~
    “See to it they throw any nonessentials
overboard. We’ve gotta lighten her up,” Darcy said to his
lieutenant. “We’ve maybe 40 minutes of daylight left to catch ’em,
then our goose is cooked, aye.”
    “Aye,” Fairfield replied and hurried
off.
    Turning to his detail on the main deck, the
captain shouted out.
    “Cut loose all the lifeboats!”
    If they didn’t catch Gliv and his thugs, the
rowboats wouldn’t do them any good anyway. Once the Barbary pirate
fleet had caught up with them, they’d blow every vessel they had
out of the water. At least now the slaves in the water could use
them.
    ~*~
    Fifteen minutes later, the Lexington was now
only feet away from the rear of the pirate ship, but the real task
was yet to be had. They still had to capture the pirate flagship
and Gliv’s crew wasn’t going down without a fight. Also, the other
royal convoy ships were still dealing with their own corsair
vessels and wouldn’t be able to assist them. Darcy and his men
would be on their own in this fight.
    Drawing his two flintlock pistols from his
waistband, Captain Darcy double checked them, ensuring they were
loaded. This mission had become personal, and he had murder in his
eyes. These dogs were going to pay dearly for what they had done,
beginning with their brutish captain.
    ~*~
    As the Lexington pulled up alongside the
pirate ship, Captain Gliv could hear their oars crackling