A stunned inhale rippled through the ship and thinned the air. Then footsteps erupted into action.

I spun toward the foremast, my heart cracking into pieces as Jade hoisted a white flag for the first time under my command.

“What the devil are you doing?” Reynolds snarled at my ear. “If we surrender, they’ll hang us.”

“Stop talking.” I grabbed the spyglass and trained it on Lord Cutler, positioning my hands to hide the movement of my lips. “He’s watching.”

Reynolds stiffened on my stern. Jobah appeared at my fore, flanking me. Brilliant. I needed them both to hear this.

“In a few minutes, I’m going to jump up on this gunwale. When I do…” I glanced at Reynolds. “You will push me overboard. Don’t argue.”

He worked his jaw, eyebrows pinning together, and hands opening and closing at his sides.

“Dead or alive,” I said, “I’m worth more to Lord Cutler than all of Jade and her crew.”

My husband’s head was as valuable as mine, but our marriage wasn’t known. Lord Cutler had no reason to connect me to Priest and therefore, no reason to search my ship for him.

The only way to save my crew was to prevent the Royal Navy from boarding. I needed to keep Priest’s presence a secret and remove myself from this vessel.

“After you push me over, take command of Jade,” I said to Reynolds. “Set a course to Harbour Island and wait for me there. Your job is to hide and protect my ship and her crew. Swear to God, if you disobey me, I will keelhaul you until naught a flap of flesh hangs from your bones.”

His eyes hardened, unblinking, and his lips pressed into a line. Whatever he wanted to say bobbed in his throat, but he knew better than to question.

I turned my attention to Jobah. “The instant I hit the water, head up two points and begin your run. Full and by.”

“Captain…”

“Run until Jade is out of range of their guns and too far gone to catch up. If they believe you have no interest in rescuing me, they’ll let you go and focus on pulling me from the water. I’m the one they want.”

Capturing Edric Sharp’s daughter, one of the most wanted pirates in the world, was a monumental boon for a pirate hunter’s career. The noose around my bent neck would likely raise Lord Ashley Cutler to the coveted flag rank of admiral.

My shoulders hunched, reflexively protecting my vulnerable throat.

I’m not giving up. Not even close.

Across the water, the jolly boat began to lower toward the water. It was almost time.

Reynolds rubbed a hand over his mouth, concealing his words. “Once they have you, you won’t be able to escape.”

“That’s why you’re going to release your brother from the bilge.”