"I'm a healer, and I tell you he can't be moved."

Three of the guards dismounted and strode toward the house. Sparrow ran ahead of them. "You can't take him!"

"We do whatever our Empress orders. Get out of the way, or we'll arrest you." The guard shoved Sparrow aside and stepped into the house. She forced her way past them and stood in front of Lock as he sat up, all traces of sleep vanishing from his face.

"What's this?" he demanded.

"The Empress wants you back at the palace as a gladiator," Sparrow said.

"Do as you're told, slave, or we'll take you in chains."

To Sparrow's surprise, Lock sighed and appeared resigned as he stepped forward. As he walked by the guards toward the door, he kicked backwards, his foot striking one of the guards in the stomach and knocking him into the man behind him. While the third guard drew his blade and shouted for his companions outside, Sparrow picked up the chair by the bed and smashed it over the nearest guard's head. Lock had already wrestled the first guard's blade from his hand and knocked him unconscious. The guard he'd kicked leapt to his feet. His sword clashed with Lock's stolen one just as the three guards rushed through the door, their swords drawn. Two of them joined the man Lock was fighting while the third charged at Sparrow. She leapt over the bed and grabbed a burning log from the fire, rolling aside as the guard's blade smashed against the stone mantle, just missing her head.

Lock kicked the guard who'd attacked Sparrow face first into a wall as he continued fighting the remaining two guards. Sparrow tossed the flaming wood at the men, distracting them while Lock killed one and struck the other unconscious.

Shea-Ann hurried to Sparrow. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Sparrow stepped over one of the bodies toward Lock. His shoulder had been cut by one of the guard's blades, and blood dripped down his arm to the floor.

Immediately Shea-Ann bid him to sit while she cleaned and st.i.tched the injury.

"You have to leave right away," the healer said.

"I can't leave Sparrow. You know what the law states will happen to her."

"I'm going with you," Sparrow said.

"We'll never get away in time. I can't ride fast for very long. Daryn will send more guards and they'll catch us. d.a.m.n it! I don't care about myself, but why did I have to put you in danger?"

"The ship," Sparrow said, meeting Shea-Ann's eyes. The healer looked worried, but nodded in agreement.

"What ship?" Lock demanded.

"Rino's pirate ship is setting sail this afternoon. Lock, you can talk to him and get us pa.s.sage on it."

"Absolutely not," Lock stated.

Sparrow grasped his arm. "It's the only way."

"I can't take you to sea. I told you that."

"Why can't you take me?"

"Remember those dreams I told you about? The ones that come true? I had one about you at sea. There was a storm. Someone was attacking you."

"That doesn't mean it will happen on Rino's ship," Sparrow said, though fear crept down her spine. When Lock had told her about his dreams, she'd been skeptical, not wanting to believe he might possess the power to see into the future. The idea that one of his visions might involve her was more unsettling than she wanted to admit.

"I'm going back to the city," Lock said.

"And do what?" Shea-Ann placed her hands on her hips.

"Whatever the Empress wants. If I have to go back to the ring-"

"No!" Sparrow grasped his arm, her fingers biting into the hard curve of his biceps. "If you go there, I'll attack her myself! Do you want me to be executed for murdering the Empress?"

Lock's startled eyes met hers. "You said you're not a killer."

"I would be if it meant your life." Sparrow's own words shocked her. She would sooner kill Daryn and risk her own life than see Lock as a gladiator.

"We have no time for this foolishness!" Shea-Ann snapped. "These guards will awaken soon. You have to get on board that pirate ship."

"What about you?" Sparrow embraced her friend. "You might be punished if we go."

Shea-Ann shook her head. "I'll say Lock went crazy, took you, threatened me, and escaped. By law, he's your responsibility, not mine. As long as they believe I was forced, I'll be in no danger. Yak, go saddle your horse. I'll help Sparrow pack a few things. You both have to leave right away."

Lock held Sparrow's gaze before he headed for the barn.

Sparrow tossed some of their belongings into a leather bag while Shea-Ann packed food and simple healing supplies. "Lock knows what to do with them."

"I'll miss you, Shea-Ann." Sparrow embraced her old nanny tightly.

Shea-Ann kissed her cheek. "Take care of yourself, Sparrow. I know Lock loves you, but be careful of him. Years of wickedness can't be wiped out in a few months."

"We love each other," Sparrow said. "It'll be enough. It'll have to be."

"I knew it all along, Lock the White!" Rino laughed from where he leaned against the rail of the Lady Fire. "You'd never last as a slave. So now you come crawling to me for pa.s.sage."

Lock resisted the urge to climb on board and strangle the life from Rino. The man's smug expression and mocking tone twisted his stomach, but boarding the Lady Fire was the only way to escape the Empress's guards. It was the only way for Lock and Sparrow to start a life together. His dream might not even happen. If they could make it to a safe sh.o.r.e, then Sparrow would never have to set foot on another ship again.

"I'll work for pa.s.sage for me, Sparrow, and this horse."

Rino whistled. "Haven't much room for a horse, but I know you'll do the work of three strong men, and we could use that woman of yours, too. My last cook died of a fever shortly before we landed here."

Lock glanced at Sparrow who murmured, "It's fine with me. We have to hurry."

"When are you sailing?"

"Now."

"Give us permission to board, and you've got yourself a cook and a crewman."

"Lock, can you handle that kind of work with your ribs?" she whispered.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Lock snapped, though he kept his voice low. "Whatever you do, girl, don't let him know I'm not up to par. He can't be trusted in any way."

Lock noted the concerned look in her eyes, but she nodded and followed him and Sea Storm on board. She glanced over her shoulder toward the hills. Though she couldn't see her farm from the dock, her thoughts were with Shea-Ann. She hoped one day she'd see her old nanny again.

On the deck, Rino approached, his straight red hair hanging down his shoulders like blood, his expression smug as he folded his arms across his chest and said, "Whoever thought you'd be working on my vessel-and bringing me such a lovely cook to boot."

Rino stepped closer to Sparrow, touching her shoulder with a long, grubby index finger.

Lock's stomach tightened and his hands clenched Sea Storm's reins so tightly the leather cut into his palm. He stepped between Sparrow and Rino.

"You better get that mean that look off your face," the Captain's green eyes fixed on Lock's. "This is my vessel."

"This is your vessel," Lock's words were even in spite of the rage threatening to boil him from the inside out, "but the woman is mine. We understand each other?"

After a moment, Rino smiled easily. "Has she gelded you, Lock? Don't worry about it. There's a world full of women. I don't need to steal yours. One of my men will show you where to keep the horse and bring the woman to the galley."

"My name is Sparrow."

Rino ignored her and turned away. "You're really going to earn your keep, Lock. Every pirate in the Archipelago would love to be me at this moment, having Lock the White scrubbing his deck."

"I hate him," Sparrow whispered to Lock.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I promise. I'll kill him first."

"Don't start talking mutiny already. All we have to do is make it to the next port, right?"

"The next port," he said. With his luck, the next port would be a month away.

Chapter Twenty.

Lock clenched his teeth as he hoisted the anchor, his ribs screaming against the motion. When he finished, he joined several other crewmen in clearing s.p.a.ce for the barrels of wine expected at the next port.

Rino approached, nodding at the blood seeping through Lock's sleeve. "Wounded, are you?"

"Scratch." Lock tied a fast, secure knot on a crate and tugged the next one into place.

Rino's lips twisted into a grin. "Where'd you get that sword? Looks like a familiar design."

"Belongs to the Begonian guard who gave me the scratch."

The red-haired pirate threw back his head and laughed. He punched Lock in the shoulder. "Ain't changed a bit, Lock the White."

"Neither have you."

Rino suddenly strode across the deck and grasped the arm of a lanky young crewman drinking from a wooden mug. "What the h.e.l.l's that?"

"Water, Cap'n."

Reno sniffed the mug's contents. His green eyes narrowed and his teeth gleamed as he snarled, "Expensive water, boy. Stealing from the barrels below and drinking it right on deck?"

"No, Cap'n Rino. I-"

Rino dragged the boy across the deck, picked him up over his head, and flung him overboard.

Lock noticed several crew members-probably new-staring with wide eyes at Rino. Sparrow, who had emerged from below carrying a bucket, watched with a frozen expression as the boy shrieked and splashed in the water below. She took a step toward Rino. "You can't just throw someone overboard like that! You-"

Rino laughed at her and many men joined him.

"That's what I get for letting a woman on board." Rino placed his hands on his hips. "Little beauty, that's what happens to anyone who doesn't follow my rules. Any Captain worth his salt keeps control of his vessel, ain't that right, Lock?"

"Sparrow, get over here," Lock called, keeping his eyes focused on the knot he was tying.

"Keep that woman in line, Lock!" Rino bellowed. "Or else I'll have to do it!"

"Lock, how can everybody just stand by while that man drowns?"

Lock's fierce blue eyes met hers. "Keep your mouth shut, girl. That crewman stole cargo. I'd have done the same as Rino."

Sparrow blinked. "I can't believe-"

"Think I haven't done it? Think any man in charge of a ship like this hasn't done it? This ain't a farmhouse in Begonia, Sparrow. Keep your mouth shut, do what I tell you, and we'll get to the next port safe enough."

Sparrow's chest rose and fell with agitated breathing. She hissed through clenched teeth. "I hate this."

"It'll be over and done before you know it."

"Your arm is bleeding. Let me check it for you."

Lock glanced at his sleeve. The arm hurt much less than his ribs.

"Hey, woman!" A short, thickly built man with balding black hair and a mangy beard shouted to Sparrow. "Got squid for you here!"

"Dinner," Sparrow muttered. "I'll be back to take care of your arm."

"Don't bother. I've got plenty more work to do, and it'll only tear open again. Fix it later."

"But-"

"I said fix it later!" Lock snarled.

Sparrow turned on her heel, but not before her eyes flashed rage at him.

He knew he shouldn't have been so short with her, but the idea that she'd been forced on the Lady Fire and was surrounded by sc.u.m like... like me.

He had to make sure she knew how important it was not to incite Rino's anger. If he was forced to defend Sparrow against the Captain, he'd have to kill him. There would be no other way. And if he took the Lady Fire-a ship as fine as his own had once been-he wasn't sure he could let it go.