Chapter 9

The forecastle was filled with men all trying to keep out of the rain as the storm rocked the ship. It was loud and crowded and Carmen was quite obviously uncomfortable being crammed inside with so many loud men so Shane had suggested they sleep on the gun deck below. They headed down below deck and onto the gun deck once Carmen had finished patching up the rest of the men. It was near empty except for three men that sat down at the far end, talking amongst themselves. Shane sat down in her wet clothes as Carmen wrapped a large dry comforter around her body that Mark had taken from his own quarters, finding sympathy for the wet girl.

Carmen sat beside a large cast iron cannon and relaxed against the hull finally earning some time for herself. Shane leaned back against the hull beside her and winced slightly when her back made contact with the side of the ship. She tried to ignore it but found herself flinching forward slightly at the shooting pain it sent up her spine.

It didn’t go unnoticed to Carmen as she simply cocked a brow at Shane in admonishment.

“What?” Shane asked trying to lean back again and this time baring the pain to appease Carmen’s curious and displeased look.

Carmen sighed loudly and tossed her comforter off of her shoulders and crawled in front of Shane on her knees. Shane rolled her eyes back knowing full well that the Latina wasn’t going to let it drop so easily. She averted her eyes from Carmen and instead focused on a few more men who had decided to escape the crowded forecastle. Both Victor and Diego had come down onto the gun deck, Victor holding a deck of cards and Diego holding his wet shirt in his hands and trying desperately to ring the water from it.

“Take off your shirt. Let me see.” Carmen ordered bringing Shane’s attention back to her.

“I’m fine, Carmen.” Shane waved it off trying to get her to simply drop it. For one thing she wasn’t about to expose herself on a ship where she’d be sure to be marooned for her deception. For another she was afraid to tell Carmen. Not only because she would risk her own life in doing so but because she had made such progress with Carmen, she didn’t want the girl to reject her simply because she wasn’t who Carmen thought she was.