Food

“Where do you get them?”

“From the docks.” His lips were the only part visible beneath the shadow of the brim of that large hat. Making him look utterly emotionless.

“You just nab people?”

“Sometimes. Sometimes we buy them. Whatever it takes to obtain them. Sometimes they’re from the crews of the ships we overtake.”

Oh my God. The thought that one or more of these men could’ve been someone I’d glimpsed aboard the Mandrake made me queasy. I swallowed back the bile and tried to retain my composure.

Like it’s not the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen.

I couldn’t have had nightmares about this.

“What happens if they die before you get there?

“Then we’d starve.”

“You can’t consume their blood then?”

He shook his head adamantly, eyeing me askance. “The blood of a dead man will kill us.”

I gave him a long look.

“Come.” He caught my arm again and drug me past the cook.