August 11, 1717

"How 'bout you try my lap, this time, Mags?"

I laughed as I set down a new bottle of rum at the table. "I don't need to try it, Rackham. I heard all about your lap from the other girls."

Ed guffawed and nearly fell out of his chair. Even Hornigold and Vane were laughing rather heartily. Whatever they'd been up to this week, it had gone well. Spirits were high, and the celebration was in full swing. Neither Kidd nor Kenway were there. I hadn't seen either in a few days. But if everyone else was in town and celebrating at my tavern, they should be here at any moment.

As I worked the room, picking up discarded mugs and refilling others, my eyes kept drifting to the door. Every time I heard it swing open, I looked up, anxiety prickling at the back of my neck. Rackham's jokes had reached the point of being utterly crass by the time Kidd walked through the door. Behind him, Kenway hesitated, his eyes scanning the room, stopping only when they settled on me. I froze when I saw him, but then I realized he was waiting just outside the doorway and looking right at me. Like he was asking permission to come in. Bemused, I nodded. He ducked his head in thanks and made his way to the table of pirates.

Aside from that interaction, Kenway didn't acknowledge me. But I heard his voice over all the others. Even though he wasn't talking any louder, it stood out. It got under my skin. It kept me off balance. I tripped over an uneven board in the floor and nearly lost two tankards of ale. A few minutes after that, I dropped a bottle of rum. Then cut myself while picking up the shattered pieces. By the time most of the night's patrons had trickled out, my head was pounding. Anne took pity on me and sat me down at a table with my own drink, taking over the rest of the tavern on her own. It was mostly our friends anyway, the Flying Gang, as we'd taken to calling them.

I kept to my corner, drank my ale, and watched the room with disinterest. I couldn't quite figure why I was feeling so out of sorts. Maybe it was Kenway, but nothing about this situation, the entire group celebrating on the other side of the room, should be of concern. No one but Anne even realized I was no longer serving them. No one seemed to be aware I was sitting and drinking but not sitting and drinking with them. No one was even looking my way. I was just another detail in the room, easily overlooked.

I had finished my ale and was picking at the bandage I'd sloppily wrapped around my hand when Kidd strolled up.

"I hear we owe you some thanks."

I gave him a small smile and shook my head. "I didn't do anything other than panic and look for you."

"And poisoned a man and helped dispose of his body and got the information we needed to save quite a few lives," Kidd gave me a crooked grin.

"I'm glad to have helped then," I sighed and looked back down at my hands.

"Who's responsible for that mess?"

I looked up at him and saw him gesture at my hand. I rolled my eyes. "I am."

He chuckled and pulled a chair up next to me, taking my hand. Watching his slender fingers unwrap and rewrap the bandage, it was easy to remember that Kidd was a woman. After tying a snug knot in the bandage and returning my hand to me, he tilted his head.

"Y'alright?"

I looked up, meeting Kidd's eyes. I nodded.

"I take it you won't be joining us though?"

I glanced over at the table and shook my head. "I have had enough of Rackham tonight."

"It's Jack who's keeping you away, is it?" He cocked an eyebrow and smiled wryly.

"Mostly," I said. It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't the whole truth. Kidd knew. He just nodded and stood up, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze. I watched him saunter back over to the group and caught Kenway watching me. I looked away quickly, suddenly realizing part of the problem. I was embarrassed that I was afraid of him. I was embarrassed to admit it to myself and even more embarrassed at having admitted it to him. And I was confused as to why I even cared what he thought of me. With a sigh, I picked up my empty tankard and began collecting other empty mugs from the nearby tables.

I was behind the bar, awkwardly trying to wipe down mugs and tankards with my left hand to keep my bandaged hand dry, when Kenway appeared. Startled, I blinked up at him. He set three empty mugs on the counter in front of me. I shot a quick glance at the table. Anne was sitting on Rackham's lap, nuzzling his neck. Kidd had his head bent close to Ed, discussing something serious. Vane was passed out, facedown on the table, and it looked like Hornigold had left.

"Thanks," I mumbled to Kenway, nodding to the dishes he'd brought over. He nodded and turned away.

"Kenway," I blurted. When he turned back to me, eyebrows raised, I froze. I wasn't sure what I wanted to say, but I knew I needed to say something. Something to make this less uncomfortable. A second passed. Then another. His eyebrows slowly crept higher as I said nothing. I shook my head quickly, grabbing onto the first coherent thought I could. An olive branch, of sorts.

"You can come here whenever you want," I said, focusing my eyes on the pistol strapped to his chest rather than on his face.

"You sure, lass?" His voice was strangely quiet, almost soft.

I nodded, forcing myself to look him in the eye. We stared at each other for several heartbeats. While his face remained otherwise impassive, I could see emotions flicker in his blue eyes. I couldn't tell what exactly they were. Relief. Gratitude, maybe. And another one that made no sense at all but felt a bit like concern. I had no idea what he was seeing in my own eyes aside from exhaustion. At least, I hoped that was all he saw—and not anything that might give away the erratic beating of my heart.

A sharp whistle broke through, and Kenway spun and strode to the table like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Kidd had Vane's arm over his shoulder, half carrying him towards the door. Ed, clapped Kenway on the shoulder and headed for the door as well. Anne and Rackham, still attached to each other, were also stumbling in that direction. Anne caught my eye and waved. The tavern was empty. I locked the door behind them and slowly walked to my room. I could clean in the morning.