Chapter 31: Not According to Plan

Evie Stanton

Two days.

Two days of cutlass lessons with Gunner.

Two days of me doubting everything.

My stomach churned. What was I doing here?

Now, I wore a cutlass on my hip like most of the crew. I had been getting used to the additional weight as I moved around on deck. Katarina even tailored one of Rio's trousers to fit me better, a white blouse parted in the middle. I looked like I belonged on deck with everyone else.

I was no longer the Stanton Princess. I was just Evie. The translator. A pirate.

My conflicting feelings never went away.

I didn't feel like a pirate. More like an imposter.

Everything felt different for me now. No longer in constricting corsets or puffy gowns. I wasn't being forced into etiquette lessons or an arranged marriage. I had the freedom to figure out who I was.

But I was still trying to discover that for myself.

The lookout in the crow's nest signaled we were approaching the merchant vessel. Thane wanted me to stay on the Sea Ser