"With who's?"
Laughter rolled off the pirates mouth as they looked down at the group.
"Stop playing and let them up, we might become friends!" A voice yelled from up there but it gave Jess the chills that sounded sinister.
Jean was already halfway up the ladder before anyone could stop her, calling over her shoulder, "If they stab me, avenge me stylishly."
Jess clutched the edge of the boat, pale as the mist. "This was a bad idea," she whispered.
Alaric smirked and climbed the rope ladder next, fearless. "Relax, Jess. Pirates are just warriors with worse hygiene."
"Encouraging," she muttered, holding back a gag as she looked up at the ship's greasy underbelly.
Once aboard, the deck was chaos in motion—ropes swinging, men shouting, crates being moved, and someone playing a fiddle like the world was ending.
They were immediately surrounded.
Weapons were drawn—not raised, but close enough. The crew circled them like sharks sniffing blood, curious and cruel.
