“That would be me.”
The words landed like a blade.
Jack stared at her.
“You what?”
Olivia turned toward Eva, eyes glittering.
“You really didn’t see it coming?”
Several pirates stepped back instinctively.
Olivia laughed.
“You thought I joined you out of admiration?”
Her voice grew colder.
“My family was destroyed by King Charles.”
The wind roared harder.
“And pirates… pirates are the only power strong enough to challenge the crown.”
She gestured toward the approaching pirate fleet.
“I contacted Jack’s former captains.”
Jack’s jaw tightened.
“You betrayed us.”
Olivia shrugged.
“I offered them something better.”
Her eyes locked onto Eva.
“Your head.”
The pirate ships ahead began forming a semicircle.
Cannons aimed directly at the Hunter Shark.
Behind them, the Spanish fleet advanced through the storm.
Their commander stood proudly on the deck of the largest warship, watching the pirate queen he had hunted for months.
“Prepare to fire,” he ordered.
Back on the Hunter Shark, tension exploded.
“We’re trapped!”
“No powder!”
“Captain—!”
Eva raised one hand.
The chaos stopped instantly.
Her voice was calm.
“Sebastian.”
“Yes.”
“Plan.”
Sebastian leaned closer, speaking quietly.
Jack listened.
Then slowly smiled.
“Risky.”
Eva replied simply,
“So is dying.”
Meanwhile Olivia drew a thin dagger from her sleeve.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“This ends now.”
She lunged toward Eva.
But Eva was faster.
Her sword flashed from its sheath.
Steel met flesh.
Olivia screamed.
The blade pierced straight through her wrist, pinning her arm to the wooden mast behind her.
Blood dripped onto the deck.
The crew stared in shock.
Eva’s voice was ice.
“Did you think I hadn’t suspected?”
Olivia gasped in pain.
“You—”
Eva twisted the blade slightly.
“You talk too much.”
Jack whistled softly.
“That’s messy.”
Eva pulled the sword free.
“Lock her below deck.”
Two pirates dragged the screaming Olivia away.
The storm roared louder.
Enemy ships closed in.
Jack cracked his neck.
“So.”
He turned toward the pirate fleet ahead.
“My old friends want me dead.”
Eva met his gaze.
“What will you do?”
Jack smiled slowly.
Then shouted to the crew.
“Turn the ship!”
The helmsman blinked.
“Toward the pirates?”
Jack laughed.
“No.”
He pointed directly at the Spanish fleet.
“Full speed.”
The crew hesitated.
“Captain?”
Jack’s grin turned savage.
“My brother died on a Spanish blade.”
His eyes burned.
“I’d rather burn the ocean than let them win.”
The Hunter Shark surged forward.
Straight toward the Spanish warships.
Across the water, the pirate captains stared in confusion.
“What is he doing?”
The Spanish commander frowned.
“Fire!”
Cannons roared.
But before they struck—
More ships appeared through the storm.
Dark silhouettes flying British naval flags.
The Spanish commander’s eyes widened.
“Impossible.”
Sebastian smiled faintly.
“I sent a message weeks ago.”
Eva looked at him.
“You contacted them?”
“My former Royal Navy allies.”
The approaching ships fired their cannons.
Explosions ripped across the Spanish fleet.
Chaos erupted instantly.
Spanish ships turned to defend themselves.
Jack laughed wildly.
“Now this is a battle!”
The pirate fleet realized too late they had miscalculated.
Caught between Eva’s ship and the British warships, panic spread through their ranks.
“Retreat!”
But it was too late.
The Hunter Shark slammed into the nearest pirate vessel.
Grappling hooks flew.
Eva led the charge across the ropes.
Steel flashed.
Men screamed.
The storm howled as pirate fought pirate.
Jack cut down two of his former allies with brutal precision.
“Should’ve stayed loyal!”
Sebastian fought beside Eva, calm and deadly.
Within an hour, the battle was over.
The Spanish fleet burned across the horizon.
The traitorous pirate captains sank beneath the waves.
And the Hunter Shark still floated.
Victory belonged to Eva.
As dawn broke over the Atlantic, the crew gathered silently around her.
Jack wiped blood from his blade.
“Well, Captain.”
He bowed slightly.
“You’ve officially conquered the ocean.”
Sebastian stood beside her, his expression proud.
“The Atlantic now knows your name.”
Eva looked across the endless water.
Her voice was quiet.
“Good.”
Because far away—
In London—
Word of the pirate queen who had defeated fleets and kings alike had already begun spreading.
And soon…
Even the British crown would hear of Eva Thorne.