Free The Wilds: The Wilds Book One by Donna Augustine

sail line at the other end. There were five pirates in view and all seemed quite filthy considering they were surrounded by water.
    The three bikes were on the deck as well, and Patches and Scar were at the other end of a boat that looked about forty feet long.
    I moved to the rail to get a better view and leaned over as much as I could, looking at the waves that were kicking up along with some winds.
    “Don’t think of jumping,” he said.
    I wouldn’t ever jump. I looked up at the coast. It was a long ways away, especially for someone who couldn’t swim. I’d drown if they didn’t come in after me, but hell if I’d tell them that. I hadn’t finally gotten out to end up throwing it away drowning, but I wasn’t in the habit of broadcasting my weak spots so I kept my mouth shut.
    I could feel his eyes on me. “You shouldn’t have run.”
    “And you should’ve done what you’d agreed to, Dax .”
    His head didn’t move and his eyes didn’t break contact with me. I had this strange idea that he was aware of every single person’s location on that deck even when he looked otherwise preoccupied.
    “I think they’re following us,” he said.
    I knew who they were, and he didn’t mean the pirates. He meant Newco and the friendly staff of the Cement Giant. I gripped the side of the boat to keep from reacting, before telling myself there was no way he knew that for sure.
    “Once we get to that land over there, that’s when we’ll talk.”
    I looked at the land on the other side nearing us, like I had a choice in the matter. “Fine.”
    Dax didn’t say anything else and moved to the opposite railing, to go stand by Patches and Scar. I stayed where I was and looked out at the water and the coast beyond. It was so beautiful. Even with an uncertain future and an eye swollen shut, I tilted my head back as the wind caught my hair, and couldn’t stop the smile. I was really out of there.
    “What’s she so fucking happy about?” I heard one the pirates ask his friend.
    “Didn’t you see her hands before he put the glove back on? She’s a Plaguer. She’s nuts,” his friend answered. “We’re all going to be lucky if we’re standing come tomorrow. I can’t believe the captain agreed to this.”
    “Somebody should push her over.”
    “I’m not touching her.”
    “Me neither.”
    My smile didn’t falter.
     
     
     
     
    “We’re going,” Dax said to me some ten minutes later.
    I nodded and watched as they rolled two of the metal bikes up and then lowered them down with ropes to a floating square made up of wood that also had Patches and Scar on it. The pirates rowed the raft to shore, dropped off its riders and then returned to the boat.
    It was my turn and I was climbing down a rope ladder to an area tight with the last bike, a couple of pirates, including the big burly one who hit me, Dax and the last bike. I would’ve stayed closer to the center, even if it was near the burly pirate, if it wasn’t for Dax steering me in a different corner. I’d never admit it but I was grateful for the arm Dax looped around my waist when I ended up by the edge of the raft, even if it did make me intensely aware of him. I couldn’t wait until the pirates paddled us closer to the coast.
    I wasn’t prepared for Dax to jump off the raft with me in tow once we hit waist-deep water. Vacations with my parents flitted to mind again, memories of being in waters like this and a life that seemed like it had been too idyllic to have been real. It was the last time I’d been in a pool of water. The Cement Giant only had showers. Now that I could feel my feet touch the bottom and I knew I wouldn’t drown, it was amazing. I wanted to dunk my entire body in it and splash around.
    Dax moved ahead and the raft was towed in with ropes on two ends, and I moved along with everyone else, resisting the urge to submerge myself.
    I slowed my pace as the burly pirate moved in front of me. Seabirds caught my attention and I looked up