“And I shall die a happy man.” He gripped my arms and held them out. “Pray, Captain, look at you!”

I wore a blue gown that clewed up at the hips, exposing the striped seaman’s trousers and black boots beneath. The corset accentuated curves and musculature that hadn’t rounded my frame a month ago.

The jade stone dangled from my throat. A brace of knives hung about my waist, along with my compass and cutlass. I hadn’t fully regained the strength required to wield such a weighty weapon. But my father’s blade belonged there, on my hip, close at hand.

“Your hat, Captain.” The cabin boy stepped forward, holding out the three-cornered hat.

I jammed it on my head and tilted up my chin to meet his eyes. “D’Arcy, I daresay you’ve grown a fathom since I last saw you.”

Twin stains of scarlet bloomed on his smiling cheeks.

Three months ago, Reynolds had pushed me over the bow and tossed me onto a path I would’ve never imagined. A lot had changed since I last stood on this deck as Captain Sharp. But my favorite things had remained exactly the same.

“Captain.” Jobah strolled toward me, his long arms drawing me into a hug. “Welcome home.”

I squeezed him tight and rose on my tiptoes to put my mouth against the black skin of his cheek. “I know about the compass.”

His laughter rumbled through me, and I shoved him away. Shoulders back and spine straight, I tried to stand before him as his captain. But he couldn’t stop laughing.

Neither could I. “Next time, I’ll punish you.”

“Yes, Captain.” The bloody bastard didn’t believe me. Not for a second.

I looked at Reynolds, sobering. “Thank you for waiting for me at Harbour Island.”

“Anytime, anywhere, Captain.” His eyes drifted over my shoulder toward the companionway. “Priest and Ashley are waiting. You must be here for your surprise.”

“Evidently.” I started to turn then glanced back at Jobah and Reynolds. “Are you coming?”

They shared a smile, and Reynolds said, “We wouldn’t miss it.”

Moments later, I stood in my cabin and stared at the tiny scroll on the desk.

“That’s not the surprise.” Leaning against the wall beside Jobah, Priest rubbed his whiskered jaw. “Go ahead. Every man in this room has already peeked at it.”

I glanced at Jobah, Reynolds, and Ashley, their blank expressions giving nothing away.

“I had my reasons for not telling you about the map,” I said to them. “It was my most safely guarded secret. I presume Priest told you its history.”

Reynolds glanced down at his boots and nodded. “While we sailed from Harbor Island to the island of the birds to get you back, he told the crew everything.”

The moment I’d made the map known to Madwulf and his pirates, it was no longer a secret. Priest had done the right thing.