The Pirate Queen's Captive


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CONTENTS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Introduction
 
 
 
 
 Prologue
 
 
 Chapter 1
 
 
 Chapter 2
 
 
 Chapter 3
 
 
 Chapter 4
 
 
 Chapter 5
 
 
 Chapter 6
 
 
 Chapter 7
 
 
 Chapter 8
 
 
 Chapter 9
 
 
 Chapter 10
 
 
 Chapter 11
 
 
 Chapter 12
 
 
 Chapter 13
 
 
 Chapter 14
 
 
 Chapter 15
 
 
 Chapter 16
 
 
 Chapter 17
 
 
 Chapter 18
 
 
 Chapter 19
 
 
 Chapter 20
 
 
 Chapter 21
 
 
 Chapter 22
 
 
 Chapter 23
 
 
 Chapter 24
 
 
 Chapter 25
 
 
 Chapter 26
 
 
 Chapter 27
 
 
 Epilogue
 
 
 
 
 More Fantasy Books by Eve Langlais
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Pirate Queen’s Captive © 2022, Eve Langlais
 © Cover Art by Alex at AddictiveCovers.com
 Produced in Canada
 Published by Eve Langlais ~ www.EveLanglais.com
 E ISBN: 978 177384 3582
 Print ISBN: 9781 177 384 3599
 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 
 
 This story is a work of fiction and the characters, events and dialogue found within the story are of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, either living or deceased, is completely coincidental.
 No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to digital copying, file sharing, audio recording, email and printing without permission in writing from the author.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 INTRODUCTION
 
 ASSASSINS AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE HEROES.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 It should have been a simple task: sail the ocean, dump some dangerous stones, and return to his daughter’s side—only Jrijori didn’t count on being abducted.
 Kind of embarrassing given he’s supposed to be a renowned assassin, but he doesn’t mind once he realizes who’s taken him captive.
 Zora never forgave Jrijori for trying to kill her father and fleeing. Now that she’s a Queen without an island to rule, she’s turned to pirating to make ends meet. However, what if she could free her home from the monsters infesting it?
 Does she even want to?
 She might not get a choice, as magical forces are at work, determined to use her whether she agrees or not.
 Will she prevail, or will this pirate Queen lose everything?
 
 Looking for more information or books? Visit Evelanglais.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PROLOGUE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I killed my first man when I was eleven.
 It was my father, a mean drunk who beat me, my mother, and pretty much anyone who got on his bad side. It should be noted that he didn’t have a good one.
 The night I ended his reign of terror, he’d returned home in a particularly foul mood. From my cubby in the rafters, I heard him bellowing. Complaining, as usual. According to him, the world conspired to bring him down, and he insisted that my mum abetted those working against him.
 Not even remotely close to true. My mum, a quiet woman, worked hard and had little time for plotting—or her only child. She took her beatings with resignation because fighting back only served to anger my father further.
 I refused to be a victim of his rages. I never meekly accepted the fists or kicks without at least trying to get away. The few times I managed to land a blow my father made me regret it—a puny boy no match for a grown man. Each bruise only steadied my resolve that I’d fight harder the next time.
 That fateful night, I lay in my ragged blanket and listened to my father blustering and banging around. It didn’t take long before he started beating Mum. She didn’t utter a word in her defense, not even a whimper. despite the meaty thuds of his fists connecting.
 I lay there, my fists clenched, anger building with each blow.
 Why won’t she fight back? A part of me understood that she lacked the strength or will. Yet I didn’t understand why she accepted it. For some reason, the longer it went on, the more it bothered me.
 I slipped out of my cubby and down the ladder, the noise of it covered by my father’s huffing as he strained to be a bully. As I stood behind my father—who always made me address him as sir—my mum opened her eyes for a brief second, and her gaze caught mine. The resignation there had me speaking out.
 “Stop hitting her.”
 My father didn’t hear me.
 “I said stop it!” I yelled and clenched my fists as my father finally heard and turned to face me.
 “What did you say to me?” His greasy hair hung in hanks, and he reeked, the result of not bathing and too much ale.
 My chest puffed as I said, “Leave Mum alone.” I don’t know where the courage came from. I was a scrawny boy—a lack of steady food will do that. But I had a wiry strength built over years of working the docks, trying to bring home scraps to help Mum and me survive.
 “She deserves it.”
 “She’s done nothing wrong. You’re just a bully.” I couldn’t believe the words came out of my mouth, and judging by my father’s expression, neither could he.
 “Disrespectful bastard. Seems your mother isn’t the only one who needs a lesson.”
 I dodged the first fist that swung my way and even retaliated, my balled hand hitting my dad’s soft stomach to no effect. The next cuff caught me on the ear, and my head snapped. My vision blurred, and I