Emma had spent the rest of her night plagued with dreams again, only this time she knew precisely how Charles could make her feel. She had woken up twice when the dreams became too intense and her body reacted, even in her slumbering state. It left her irritable and overstimulated.

  She had received a surprise in the morning when Silver said they would enjoy some time on deck together.

  “I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a change.” Silver tried to put some enthusiasm into his tone, but Emma could tell he was stressed.

  Few men had come to visit Silver as his leg healed from the wounds he had received. Their admiration spoke for itself, as did the alterations they had begun around the ship. They had made sure the rails around the vessel were bolted. They had set up ropes for Silver to hang onto as he walked to help with balance as he learned to navigate with one leg.

  His struggles distracted Emma from her own as she helped him around the ship. He pushed himself hard, a little too much, but he did lean on her for stability a few times. The stairs were the one area where he was humbled. He sat on the bottom stair and lifted himself, one by one. He managed to get himself to the quarter deck, and the two sat in peace, letting the breeze run through their hair.

  Small groups of men would disturb them every so often to pass their thanks on to Silver for his brave act. Emma could tell after a while that the weight of the act was now weighing on him, while the men looked so relieved. They spoke highly of his bravery, but Emma didn’t need convincing that he was a good fellow. He’d already proved that with his company over the small amount of time they’d spent together.

  While Silver was distracted with conversation, Emma snuck in a bit of reading time. She had found a small book of poetry hidden in a cabinet in the captain’s quarters. She hadn’t been reading long when a familiar voice barked an order.

  She didn’t even need to look at the voice’s owner to have her blood run hot. She was sure her skin flushed, and she hoped she could pass it off as being on the sunlit deck. She spared one glance at him and regretted it. Just the sight of Charles in front of her, even leagues away on the other side of the deck, was enough to make her mind go hazy.

  She quickly looked back at her poetry, but every word seemed to entice the longing in her, and she would sneak another glance. She was so engrossed that Silver’s voice startled her.

  “You've been on the same page for nearly half an hour. Something else caught your interest?” Silver teased as he himself watched the thing of interest along with her.

  Emma looked back down at her book and ignored his comment.

  “You’re even blushing.” Silver teased her further.

  “Stop it, Silver.” Emma chastised him, but it only made him chuckle more.

  He did, but only for a moment.

  “Go and talk to him.” Silver suggested after the silence.

  “I don't have any reason to talk to him. It would be awkward.” Emma finally snapped to get him to stop.

  “You like him, that is reason enough.” Silver said. “I know if I found someone I loved, I would want nothing more than to just talk to them and hold them in my arms for the rest of my days.”

  “You really think Charles is going to hold me for the rest of my days?” Emma scoffed at Silver's romanticized suggestion.

  “Stranger things have happened.” Silver shrugged.

  “How very reassuring.” Emma snarked back.

  When another minute went by, Silver let out a chicken cluck, and Emma hit his arm with her book for the offense.

  “Go.” Silver nudged her as he chuckled.

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  Fed up with Silver's teasing and slightly curious, Emma did get up.

  “Fine!” She had no idea what she was going to say or do, but she closed the distance between herself and Charles. When she arrived, his back was to her, unsure of what to do or say, she greeted him.

  “Good morning, Charles.”

  Charles turned around to face her. He looked her over and repeated her greeting.

  “Good morning.”

  Emma had nothing else to say. In hopes she didn't look like a fool, she decided to bring up the only topic she could, which happened to be in her hand.

  “I've been reading this book of poetry that was in the captain’s quarters. It's quite good, would you like to borrow it?”

  She held the book out to him, and Charles gave her a strange look. When he didn't take it and continued to stare at her, she pulled the book back.

  “Are pirates not allowed to read poetry?” Emma asked to tease him.

  “No, we just don't.” Charles sounded almost angry.

  Emma glanced around the crowded deck and decided right now was not the time to pick a fight with him for being rude, especially since she didn't know why he was upset.

  “Well, you know where it is if you change your mind,” Emma said as she pulled the offered book back.

  “Not likely.” Charles snipped as he frowned at the book in her hand.

  Emma turned and practically ran back to Silver. She was almost mad enough to smack the smirk off his face with her book.

  “That went terribly.” She huffed as she plopped down next to him in defeat.

  “But you spoke with him. That’s better than sitting there like a chicken.” Silver argued with more words of encouragement, but it fell flat.

  Emma’s pride didn’t think so.

  As the day wore on, Emma watched Charles, and she couldn't shake the reason he would be so dismissive of the book until the answer came to her. Charles had been born a slave. Emma knew the horrors of being a slave. She had been on the receiving end of her Father's cruelty, but it was nothing compared to what he had done to his slaves. Slaves Emma had helped nurse back to health in hopes of swaying their mindset that not all who bore her skin color were heartless. She wasn't sure if her so-called mercy had done much to sway them, and she didn't consider her conscience clear for helping them in that small way. If she'd been braver, she would have freed them instead of subjecting them to her father's madness at all.

  Slaves were not given an education, which meant Charles could be illiterate. He must have been profoundly offended and thought it a joke when she'd offered him the book.

  She let out a groan, and Silver heard it as she buried her face in her hands.

  “What's that all about?” He inquired.

  “I'm a dolt,” Emma spoke more to herself than to Silver.

  “Why?”

  “I offered Charles my book, not realizing he might not know how to read,” Emma confessed. “I've insulted him in front of his crew.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but I doubt that's the greatest insult that has ever come his way,” Silver said seriously as he looked at the man across the deck.

  “Not from me.” Emma sighed.

  “Do you really think it is that big a deal to him?” Silver seemed invested in the conversation now.

  “Maybe?”

  Charles had told Emma about his life. He didn't seem to look back on those years with any fondness. Would he consider such a thing a disadvantage?

  “I should apologize,” Emma told Silver.

  “If that's what you think is best, then by all means, apologize to him.” Silver's inflection of the word gave her an idea of how he assumed the apology would go.

  Emma just glared at him in response. There was no way to get around Silver's clever way with words, and whatever she said in this moment could be used against her, so she stayed silent, turned on her heels, and went to say she was sorry to Charles. Silver's laugh mocked her the entire way.

  Charles saw her coming, and at least he greeted her with a smile.

  “Twice in one day. An honor.” He joked in his gravelly voice.

  “I'm sorry, Charles.” Emma rushed to apologize, fearing she would say something else and insult him even more.

  “What for?” Charles asked, his brows furrowing.

  “I offered you my book, but I didn't give it any thought as to whether or not you could read it.” Emma expressed her wrong against him.

  Charles's frown deepened.

  “I don't mean to insult you by saying you can't read if you can. I just. I don't know.” Emma was jumbling up her explanation and making an ass of herself.

  “I could teach you if you want.” Emma finally spoke when he didn't.

  “Why would I want to learn?” Charles laughed, but it was an empty laugh.

  “Why not? Learning isn't a weakness, Charles. If anything, it makes you more powerful. No one can cheat you if you know how to read.” Emma argued.

  “If they had the balls to try and cheat me, I'd just kill them.” Charles shrugged, “But if learning it means I get to spend time with you, it might be worth it.”

  “I'm so glad you have found the silver lining.” Emma quipped sarcastically.

  Charles let out another barking laugh, this time more pleasant. Graveled and deep. When he was done, he reached for the book and lifted it from her grasp.

  “Fine then, teach me whatever you want.” He smirked as he opened the book and looked over the words. “Where should we start?”

  “Do you know the alphabet?” Emma asked cautiously. She didn't want to offend him.

  “Just a few letters,” Charles confessed.

  “Then we'll start there,” Emma told him.

  The pair of them tucked themselves into a quiet part of the ship Charles had brought them to, and Emma spent the next hour teaching Charles how to spell his own name. She would have felt very accomplished by the end of the lesson if there hadn’t been a suspicious look in Charles’s eyes.