Chapter 8

 

Skyler pushed Jason back against the wall and had to drag Bragg out of the brig and onto the main deck.

"What are you doing, Skyler?" He yelled and pulled his arm from her grasp.

"I'm not going to let you kill our only hope of finding that treasure, Bragg."

Bragg sat on the edge of one of the starboard cannons, "I wasn't going to kill him."

Skyler laughed harshly, "Bragg, I've sailed and fought with you for three years, I know when you want to kill someone. I see it in your eyes."

Bragg got up, "He accused me of stealing, Skyler!"

"Did you?" Skyler asked.

"Did I what?"

"Steal his treasure?"

Bragg looked taken aback, "Skyler, you just said you knew me."

"You didn't answer my question."

Bragg sat once again on the cannon and was silent.

Skyler sighed and sat next to him, "Why did you take it?"

"I didn't take all of it . . . it was just one thing."

Skyler put her head in her hands, "What happened?”

Bragg launched into the story; "It was the last raid before Jason betrayed us. We attacked that ship with the skull and wings on its colors, if you remember."

Skyler nodded, "Aye, The Raven."

Bragg nodded in response, "Well after the raid when we was splitting the loot four ways between you, me, Anna, and Jason.  I saw something in Jason's lot that caught my eye, it was a golden compass . . . it belonged to my father. I guess the crew of The Raven got hold of it somehow. Anyway, Jason took real pride in that compass and he kept it in his cabin but I had to have it back. The day before Jason broke bonds with the Breaker I took my fathers golden compass from his cabin." Bragg reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the compass, "It's rightfully mine, Skyler, but Jason thinks I stole his property."

Skyler shook her head; "He stole a chest full of our most valuable treasure just because you stole that compass."

Bragg shrugged, "Aye, that he did."

            “It must have been for something more . . . “ Skyler thought aloud.

Bragg was about to say something when Ezra came stumbling up the stairs from the brig. His hand was covering his stomach.

Skyler looked over, "Ezra, how's Jason’s head?"

Ezra said nothing and fell over on the deck.

Skyler and Bragg leapt up and rushed over to his side, "Ezra?" Skyler said her voice was full of panic.

Bragg removed the boy’s hand from his stomach to reveal a deep gash in his side.

"Skyler, look at this." Bragg said.

Skyler examined the wound, "It's not a gun shot."

" . . . knife." Ezra said, his voice shaky.

Skyler and Bragg propped him up and leaned him against the wooden base of the foremast.

"What happened?" Skyler asked.

"He had a knife, Cap'n." Ezra said softly.

"Who?" Bragg asked.

"Jason. He somehow … got one and he cut me right when I got into his brig.  I managed to close the door before … he got out.”

His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he was out.

Skyler's pulse quickened. She felt for the scabbard at her side where he dagger should have been but it was gone.

"That bloody …" Skyler began.

Bragg looked up, "What?"

"Get him down to the medic cabin." Skyler said.

"He needs a doctor." Bragg said, urgently.

"He is the doctor.  When you get him down there splash some water on his face until he wakes, then let him stitch himself up."

Bragg hesitated, "Stitch himself up?"

Skyler stood and walked towards the brig, "Don't look like that Bragg, he's done it before."

"Where are you going, Skyler?"  Bragg asked behind her.

Skyler didn't answer and ran down to Jason's cell.  He was sitting down pretending to be asleep.

"Give it to me." she said walking into his brig.

Jason looked up, "Give what to you?"

"Don't play dumb with me, give me my dagger!" Skyler yelled.

Jason smiled and motioned to the corner where a bloody dagger was.

Skyler picked it up, "I see you haven't lost your touch in picking a pocket." She tossed the dagger into her right hand and walked towards Jason.

Jason shrugged, "The kid had it commin'."

Skyler gave a mocking smile, "Oh really?" She fell on her knees and stabbed Jason in the leg. Jason gasped in pain.

"Tell me what you did with the treasure!" Skyler yelled.

Jason said nothing.

Skyler began to twisted the dagger, "Tell me NOW!"

"Off the map!" Jason gasped, "Over the edge!"

Skyler stopped twisting, "What?"

"I hid it … over the edge."

Skyler pulled the dagger out of Jason's leg, “What edge are you talking about?”

Jason pushed his hands on his leg and looked at Skyler with cold eyes, "The only edge there is, Skyler. Over the edge of the world."

 

Author's Note

ignore grammar