A Pirate's Curse (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix) by ML Guida Read Free Book Online Page B

streamed down between his lips, but she managed to get most of it down his throat. Her father coughed, but kept the water down.
    Doc laid the tray down next to the wooden bowl. Water and soup sloshed inside their bowls. “Chicken soup, laced with garlic, sure way to help bring him about. He needs food.”
    “You ’re very kind, Doc.” 
    “Captain, wants to see me, lass,” Doc said. “I see he’s in good hands with ye. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    Hannah nodded as Doc left, but kept her eyes on her father. She remembered not so long ago when she had been ill with pneumonia and her father cared for her. He had never left her side and fed her chicken soup. He said it had been her mother’s recipe and swore it fought back any cold. Tears welled in her eyes. Her father rarely showed he cared and although she had been deathly sick, she treasured the memory. “I won’t leave you father, I promise.”
    For the next few hours, Hannah waited on her father. She bathed his sweat, forced him to drink and kept him warm. Exhausted she napped in a hammock next to her father, but his groans awakened her. Sweat dripped down her forehead and into her eyes. Kane’s shirt stuck to her skin and her stomach growled, but she couldn’t eat now. Not with her father’s life in the balance.
    Hannah dabbed his forehead. Had she imagined it or had her father’s grayish skin regain color? His eyes fluttered. Hannah’s arm stilled.
    “Father?”
    Her father blinked. His eyes glossy, he stared. “Hannah?” He frowned. “What happened? Where are we?”
    “Oh, father. ” She draped her arms around his neck. “You’re alive.”
    He hugged her. “I’m fine, daughter. Now tell me, where are we?”
    Hannah released him and quickly recounted the past events.
    Her father put his hand on his forehead. “Damn. A pirate ship?”
    Hannah nodded.
    He frowned and gritted his teeth. “Where are we headed?”
    “I don’ t know, father.”
    He grimaced.
    “Are you in pain?”
    “ ’Tis, this infernal headache,” he said. “Go get your mother.”
    She blinked. “What?”
    She felt his forehead. Hot. “Father?”
    His glossy eyes focused on her and he grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I want your mother. Where is she?”
    “I’ ll get Doc.”
    Her father gripped her wrist. “Be careful lass. Your mother will know what to do.” He closed his eyes and his breathing grew shallow.
    Hannah swallowed back her panic. A fever meant an infection. Untreated infections killed people.
    She rushed out of the crew’s quarters and ran up the steps leading to the deck. Her heart beat hard and her stomach hurt. “Doc, where are you? Doc?”
    With each step she took, cold air wrapped around her. Water trickled down the steps and outside thunder roared. Lightning flashed as she stepped out onto the deck. The sails fluttered and flapped in the howling wind. Lines banged against the mast as crewmen tried to tie them down. The ship shifted, and Hannah slipped. Screaming, she fell onto her knees, pain jolting through her. 
    Rain pelted her face. Another flash of lightning lit up the churning black ocean. “Doc, where are you?”
    She clamored to her feet, but t he ship rocked and she lurched forward, skidding on the wet deck. Her body slammed into the portside railing. She grabbed the railing and hung on.
    “Lassie,” Doc boomed from behind her. He grabbed her arm and whirled her around. Water splashed up onto the deck, spraying them both. “What are you doing up here?”
    “My father …,” she cried. “He’s delirious.”
    Doc’s eyebrows knotted and concern spread across his face. “’Tis not good lass.”
    Lightning crashed again. Hannah cringed. She didn’t know if ’twas from the storm or Doc’s grave face. She bit back a sob. Her father lay dying. She clenched her hands into fists. Trembled all over. He was the only person she had left.
    Her knees weakened and she thought she might vomit. No. She must not give into despair. Her