Raised By Wolves Volume four- Wolves by W. A. Hoffman Read Free Book Online

not be our doin’. It be theirs. It be a thingo’ lords.”
I cursed ever rescuinghimfromthe King’s Hope .
“Then if it is not your concern, why should you attempt to protect them?”the tallmanasked.
“’Cause we agreed to watch over them. It be a job for friends,”Daveysaid.
Our captor sighed and chuckled. “Now. Why are you trying to protect them, now? Why will you lie for them? I will cause your manhere great agonyuntilyoutellme the truth. Ifit is not your concern, why not simply tell me what I want to know and save your friend the pain?”
“You arse! Because I don’t know nuthin’ ’bout a boat onthe northcoast!”
“Aye, good. Do you know where the boat is on the southerncoast?”our tallcaptor asked withglee.
“Aye!”Daveyspat. “I know that! We allknow that!”
Our captor fought laughter. “Good! Where? Tellme!”
Daveyshook his head infrustration. “Nay! I can’t tellya. I would have ta show ya.”
“Aye, aye! Excellent. Thenyouwillshow us.”
“Nay!”Daveysaid.
“Whynot?”Our captor kicked Julio again.
“Youbastard!”Daveyhowled. “I can’t! It be wrong! He would never forgive me!”
I gasped withsurprised relief.
The tall man was no longer amused. “Why? It is a thing oflords, as yousay. Whyshould he care?”
“He does!” Davey yelled back. “That be the way of it. They be our friends. We stand by them. I don’t like this business none, but I stand byhim.”
“Aloyalidiot!” the tallman spat, and began to kick Julio ferociously.
Davey roared incoherently and tried to throw himself betweenthem, but the tallman’s mercenaries restrained him.
The abuse was only stopped by the stocky man named Jeffries gingerly approaching and tapping his employer’s shoulder.
“What?”the tallmanasked angrily.
The stocky man spoke quietly, and I could not hear him,
but Theodore could. I saw my friend’s eyes dart to first the front
     
but Theodore could. I saw my friend’s eyes dart to first the front and thenthe back ofthe house.
    Movement caught my eye from above, though. There was a man silhouetted against the stars on the roof, and then another, and another. Allaimed muskets downinto the atrium.
    I was not the only one who saw them. The mercenaries scrambled for cover under the balconies, and aimed at the men on the roof that they could see. The tall man dove across the atriumto wave a menacingpistolat Gaston, Striker, and me.
    Morgan and Savant pushed their way through the front doors: looking like a two headed porcupine for all the muskets poking out around them to aim at our captors. I was extremely happy to see them, but I was not yet relieved: we were not yet saved. I was nearly disappointed that they had not entered shooting: it would have been our best chance of escape, but the courtyard filling with random gunfire would have surely resulted inmanydeaths—includingours.
    “What is this?”Morganroared.
“Who the Devilare you?”the tallmanasked. “AdmiralHenryMorgan.”
“Admiral?” the tall man scoffed. “Truly, does His
    Majesty’s Navyknow?”
“Ofthe Brethren ofthe Coast!”Morgan said. “And I am
leader ofthe militia. Who the Devilare you?”
The tall man smirked. “Ah, aye, well, I am also not a
representative of Britain’s fine army or navy. I am the Earl of
Dorshire’s man, and my business here is my lord’s, and it has
beenapproved byyour Governor.”
“Your name, sir,”Morgandemanded.
    “Your name, sir,”Morgandemanded.
“Thorp,” the tall man said with a sketch of a bow. “JebediahThorp ifyoumust know. I willnot sayI ampleased to meet you. Now, whyare youinterruptingmybusiness here?”
“You have abducted a French lord,” Savant said in French. The man who had been interpreting for himrepeated the words inEnglish.
Hope flared in my heart. I could not save us all, but perhaps we now had the leverage to push our earlier offer into place.
Thorp gave a disparaging snort—and to my ire and fear —aimed his pistol squarely at Gaston. “I will reserve