The Lost Prince Read Free Page A

chuckled and went back to counting his winnings. “What makes you think my life needs changing?”
    “Begging your pardon, sir, but you’re on St. Diogenes. There’s only one man on this island who couldn’t use a change of scenery.”
    Gentleman Jim took a swig from a pewter tankard and wiped the foam from his beard. “All right, lad. I’ll grant you that.”
    Dean smiled. “No reasonable man could argue otherwise.”
    Truer words had never been spoken. St. Diogenes was One-Eyed Jack’s private island. Its main port of Bartleby Bay was a dreadful place made up almost entirely of taverns and gambling halls. The dirty shacks and crumbling buildings that housed these seedy establishments were all on the verge of collapse, as were most of the pirates who frequented them. Men in town had far too much rum in their stomachs, and not a single night passed without a series of brawls, robberies, and murders. Bartleby Bay was not a safe place by any means, but it was safe from the law. Mountainous and inaccessible from the north, the island possessed a well-defended harbor that made it an ideal pirate haunt. St. Diogenes was a kingdom ruled by One-Eyed Jack.
    Gentleman Jim dropped his coins into a velvet pouch and tucked it into a pocket inside his coat. Careful not to stare, Dean took note of exactly which one.
    “What have you got for me, then? What’s going to change my life?”
    Dean hunched his shoulders and looked around guardedly. Once he was sure no one was eavesdropping, he produced a small scroll that he had tucked inside his shirt. “A map. A map and a chance for a fortune in gold.”
    Gentleman Jim was unimpressed. “You don’t say. A map to where?”
    Dean looked around again. He made a big show of shielding the map from prying eyes. “Let’s just say it leads to an island in the Bermuda Triangle. A
golden
opportunity, if you get my meaning.”
    Gentleman Jim stroked his beard. “I do indeed.… How did you come by this map?”
    Dean gripped the map tight, holding it as if it were the most valuable thing in the world. “You have to understand, I wasn’t always the worthless street rat you see before you today, sir. I was once a deckhand on a shining ship, a golden vessel from a magic island … a trade ship from Zenhala.” He leaned in to whisper the last part for dramatic effect.
    Gentleman Jim could barely hide his amusement. “The island where gold grows on trees? Truly? You’re native to the Golden Isle?”
    “Born and bred, though I’ve not seen it for some time.”
    “Why not? What happened to you, lad?”
    Dean put on a sad face. “My ship was attacked by pirates. Iwas knocked overboard. Lost at sea for days I was, but I survived and ended up here. Still can’t decide if that makes me lucky or unlucky.”
    “I’d say a bit of both.”
    “I’ll admit it hasn’t been easy, making it on these streets, but I won’t be staying much longer. You see, I know the way home.” Dean offered up the map. “From the looks of things, you’re a gambling man, sir. I’ll wager that where other men see risk, you see reward. Play your cards right with this hand, and the pot will be bigger than you can well imagine.”
    Gentleman Jim sized up Dean for a moment before he took the map from his hand. He spread it out on the table and shook his head. It was a crude, worthless plot of lines scribbled down in haste, nothing more. “This looks like you drew it.”
    “Aye, sir. I drew it from memory.”
    “What am I supposed to do with it? It’s a mess.”
    “I can read it for you.”
    Gentleman Jim leaned back with a smile. “Now we come to it. That’s what you want in return for this, I take it? A ride?”
    “Aye, sir, a place on your ship. Nothing more. It’s in your interest to take me with you. If we arrive together, you’ll be hailed as a hero bringing a native son home to Ze—” Dean stopped and looked over his shoulder again. He lowered his voice. “Home to Zenhala. If you go it alone,