Free Bring Me the Horizon by Jennifer Bray-Weber Page A

movements, the men’s bodies stiffened once Carrion took his seat at Cutler’s table, and their glances more frequent. Funny, they didn’t notice Kipp sat at the other end of the bar watching them.
    A throaty chuckle erupted from the vile man’s blistered lips. “Given choices, I prefer the thick cries of red.”
    “As do I when an enemy needs eradicating.
    Cutler and Carrion stared in silence at one another until Carrion’s mug was filled and the serving wench gone.
    “I won’t wheedle you with polite words of rubbish,” Cutler finally said.
    “What do ya want, Cutler?”
    “The woman.”
    Another chuckle. “Emma is all yours. But watch your coins. She’s a nippin’ thief.”
    “Not the mutton. Sarah DuBois.”
    Carrion’s brow deepened. “I know no Sarah.”
    “The woman you nabbed in your carnage at Santo Domingo in search for the Bobadilla nugget.”
    “The witch?” He idly took a swig from his mug, wiping his cracked lips upon his sleeve. “That useless bunter knew nothin’.”
    “Where is she?”
    He shrugged. “Feedin’ the worms, I suppose.”
    Cutler leaned forward. “Come again?”
    “’Tis costly to chase a myth. And I weren’t in no mood to have the bitch spit in me eye. So, I killed her.”
    Carrion’s confession slammed into Cutler, damn near causing him to react. Instead, confusion and anger swarmed within him like a raging hurricane. He desperately grappled to understand.
    “She’s dead.” It wasn’t a question.
    “Put up a right good fight, too. Might’ve spared herself had she not tried to protect her wee sister.” Carrion clucked and sighed, swirling his drink around in his mug. “Alas, that little witch got away.”
    Burn and sink me. Gracie knew her sister was dead. And yet, she sent him after Carrion. She lied to him. Lied! His gut clenched. He was wrong about her. She was no better than Antonia. He wished it weren’t true. God, he wished it weren’t true. She had cleaved her way into his heart, his every thought, his every breath. Had him dreaming of a better life with her.
    He was through. Whatever her designs, it didn’t matter. Soon as he got back to Rissa , he’d throw her arse off his ship. With the anger bleeding from every pore and his heart blackening once again, that was showing her clemency.
    “Well then, Carrion, if the lass is dead, there is nothing more to discuss.”
    Carrion’s weathered eye squinted in skepticism. “Have you whereabouts of the nugget?”
    “Nay. Only the girl.” Let the wretch believe he was after the same treasure. ’Twould keep him overly suspicious. “I’ve wasted enough time on this pointless venture.” That was a true word.
    Cutler rose slowly from his seat as to not startle the dolts at the bar. “Enjoy your liquor, mate.”
    “Here’s to a bloody shirt and plenty of tight scuts,” Carrion said.
    Cutler sidled up to the bar beside Kipp. “Take your leisure, mate. This mission is over.” Before Kipp could answer or question why, Cutler grabbed a fresh bottle of tobacco rum from the tavern keep, nodded to Carrion’s lackeys, and stole out the door. He needed to clear his head of Gracie and cloud his reasoning with anger before heading back to the ship. ’Twas a glorious thing to get completely mauled and be blind by rum.
     
    The air in the dark alley was so thick, dank and musty, Gracie could taste the shadows on her tongue. And the smell of urine clogged her nose. She swallowed again and again to keep from vomiting.
    It had been nearly two hours since she convinced Richard to row her to shore. Actually, he didn’t need convincing at all. After his apparent scolding from Cutler, Richard was eager to spurn any directive his captain gave him. She then gave him the slip at the docks as he tied the boat to the pier cleat.
    Now here she stood, wedged behind the empty crates and barrels behind a tavern. ’Twasn’t hard to find Carrion. She simply meandered down the streets, asking port residents where she might