Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

I wanted to cry. All this trouble and pain for that. Fergus might call it a trick but the thing had hit me hard. I ached from the top of my head where it had pulled my hair almost from the roots, to my toes, where it had stomped my feet.

“You are right, Gloriana.” Fergus glared at Helen then at the bowl. “Useless. MacDonald, McFee, MacTavish, McGovern, McKnight, McCall, I could go on and on.” He reached for the bowl as if to smash it against the wall.

“Don’t touch it.” Helen stood in front of it. “I have given you all that I can.” She snatched up my coin and pointed at the door. “It’s time for you to leave.” She was clearly feeling the effects of that visit from the underworld. Her face was pale and she held onto her stomach as if she was about to lose its contents.

“Thank you, Helen.” I pressed yet another coin into her hand. “I know this wasn’t easy for you. Now give back the arrow. Jeremiah will expect to see it again.”

She sighed and poured more water into her bowl. The sludge cleared but the arrow wasn’t there. “Where is it? It should still be here.” She began to look around the table, searching under it and around while Fergus and I watched. At first, she seemed merely irritated that she couldn’t find it, then she waved her hands and muttered incantations. A finding spell, she explained. When her cat ran in through the open door, she picked it up and seemed to communicate with it.

“Gone! The arrow is gone.” She put the cat on the floor and collapsed into her chair. “Evil has entered my home and taken it. This is all your fault, Gloriana St. Clair. Leave here. I have a protective spell to make. My last one clearly wasn’t strong enough.” Her gaze was haunted. “Be careful. This enemy won’t rest until it has you. That much I do see.”

Fergus dragged me outside. “Don’t listen to her, Gloriana. Witches love to make you worry. It’s all a show put on so you’ll give them more coin. Worked, didn’t it?”

“Where is the arrow then?” I wasn’t moving willingly. “Do you want to go back and look for it?”

“For all I know she’s hidden it in her robes. The woman could have half the armory in there and we wouldn’t be able to tell.” Fergus glanced back at the hut when the door slammed. “You know I’m not about to search the body of a witch. Or any woman. Definitely not the body of a beautiful one. Maggie would not like it and I might like it too much.” He glanced back at the hut. “Witch’s wiles. I don’t trust them.”

“You are right to be wary.” Did all men have a weakness for beautiful women? Even steadfast Fergus? I noticed a boat setting out from Jeremiah’s ship. Was that him with his father being rowed ashore? Just my luck to be caught outside the witch’s hut. “Hurry. I don’t want to be here when that boat hits the beach.”

“Surely you are going to tell Jeremiah what just happened.” Fergus gave me a searching look. “If you don’t, I will. He needs to know. Yes, he will fuss, but, even useless, the witch’s clue is something to consider.”

“Really? By my count, Helen’s just eliminated perhaps three men in the castle with her letter ‘M’.” I was in a foul mood and didn’t feel like apologizing for it. When Flo appeared on the path, I wasn’t even surprised.

“You know I waited to see who the bear was that threatened us.” Flo glared at Fergus. “If it had been someone who meant you harm, I would have stayed and helped you fight.”

“Thank you, Flo.” I found a smile for her. “As you saw, the bear was my old friend Fergus. He noticed Valdez at last meal and drew his own conclusions. Gods forbid I should be allowed to take a walk outside without an armed guard.”

“Just doing my duty, lass. You should be grateful, not complain about it.” Fergus kept his hand on his knife. He hadn’t worn a sword but then guarding me had been a last-minute decision. “Step lively. I have things to do at the castle and have spent enough time with you this night.”

“So sorry to have kept you from more important work.” I linked my arm through Flo’s. “You should have seen what happened at the witch’s house, Flo. Look at me. I was attacked by an evil spirit.” I could feel my hair was down from its pretty braids and in a tangle.

“That she was.” Fergus nodded. “It was a sight I’ll not soon forget. Made me feel right helpless against it, truth be told. If I was Jeremiah, I’d see if locking you in your bedchamber would keep you safe, Gloriana. You’re a menace, girl, make no mistake about it.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Neither could Flo. She lit into Fergus, calling him something in Italian that I was glad the man obviously didn’t understand.

“All I did was witness Zarah taking her own life.” I tried to defend myself.

“To be fair, Glory. You shot her first and ruined her arm.” Flo sounded like she was going to let me take the blame for this.

“The pirates were attacking us. They started it!” Now I sounded childish. But it was the truth. I had been defending the castle.

“Very true.” Fergus took my elbow to hurry us along. “You are a fine shot. It is the talk of the castle. Every man whose name starts with the letter ‘M’ knows it. Putting you down makes a point for the pirates. They need a win, badly, to keep fear in the hearts of those who live along the coast. I see that.” Fergus delivered us to the gate where Valdez stood waiting. He did not look happy. No, he was fuming.

“Relax, lad. I handled things. But you know the