Warning: There are some scenes in the novel that may be disturbing including references to assault, fighting and graphic depictions.

Time was running out as the carriage flew down the desolate road. My heart hammered in my chest as time dragged by like thick honey on my life. They would be after me, and I had one, desperate chance to escape their talons.

The air seemed to hum with the approaching storm, dark thunder clouds hovering on the horizon. It could have been my imagination, but it felt like it was following me, circling slowly.

Without the carriages jarring motion and the incessant beating of my heart, I would have been content to relax into the thin woolen cushions and enjoy the view. I was in desperate need of sleep, but the growing pit in the base of my stomach kept my eyes from resting.

I sighed, looking away from the dingy curtains that hid me from the outer world and toward the folds of my dress.

The loud banging from the front of the box startled me and I jumped. The case rattled in my shaking hands and I slipped it into my skirt, the cold metal bleeding through the fabric.

"We're almost to the wharf. Get your things," the driver said, his gruff voice mixed with the horse's hooves.

I pulled the burlap bag onto my lap and sunk my fingers into it. My only possessions were inside. While none of the objects had material worth, they were the only treasures I could carry with me. With everything I had ever known behind me, the anxious tick of unresolve swept in.

The carriage shook as the dirt road gave way to cobbled streets and the warm country morphed into tall buildings that shadowed our small vehicle.

The lights flashing as we passed building after building sending shadows reeling around me.

The waterfront city was small and most of the buildings were dedicated to manufacturing and trade. The newer constructions were decorated with intricate designs while the old ones had been worn away through years of weather and neglect.

Clusters of smoke lifted from the large mills, hiding the city from the sky. It was like I had entered another, dirtier world. I was no longer in the expansive woods and high ceilings of my family's estate.

The horses protested as the wheels came to a stop in front of the long, crowded docks.

Clouded windows hid the products resting inside the closed doors while peeling paint hung on every storefront. Everywhere I looked, poverty and hunger rampaged.

Beggars lined every back alley ranging from ancient faces to children barely old enough to walk on their own. Greasy faces, smudged with dirt and grime from years of street life were fixed on the worn passersby.

I averted my eyes before the pity I felt for the children clouded my judgment and pressed me into making a fatal mistake. I couldn't afford to think with my heart when my brain was the only thing keeping me one step ahead of my pursuers.

"Get out," the driver complained. "I can't hang around all day, waiting for a spoiled rich girl to take in the slums. Get out or pay me another coin."

His words woke me to reality and I looked away from the windows, letting the moth-eaten curtain fall back in place.

I stood, angling the metal folds of my dress around the seats, and propped the door open. The wind swept through the door sending goose-flesh up my arms.

Stepping out of the carriage, I felt the pull pressure of the sea and air and tightened my overcoat. The cool breeze from the ocean mixed with mist and chilled me to the bone. The smell of fish and salt was overwhelming and invaded my nostrils.

"Thank you, sir," I called as my feet met the solid stone. "Can you tell me what the time of day is or perhaps what time the ships normally depart?"

Hearing the carriage begin to pull away, I was overcome with a feeling of unease.

I looked back at the driver, but he was already guiding the horses down the road, no hint of recognition on his face. I should have waited to give him the money. I would not make that mistake again.

The back of the faded transit disappeared in the masses of people, the uneven wheels fighting the cracked pavement and swarms of people. It was slightly reassuring knowing his rudeness was being repaid.

I rolled my shoulders and turned to the docks, clenching my bag tightly. I had a strict schedule to maintain and being late was not an option.

Children brushed past me, fingers dipping into my pockets and twirling around my bag. A young girl with a face full of oil and dirt found my pocket and her fingers just brushing against my thigh. Her tiny digits were barely recognizable in the mass of cloth.

"I have nothing in there," I said as I patted the fabric. Her lips pouted, but she withdrew her hand. The rest of the children vanished into the crowd and the would-be-thief followed them.

I shrugged off the encounter and began weaving between the men and woman, making my way to the wooden docks that extended over the tides. Makeshift stores were constructed out of old wood and the roofs of many shacks were caving in. The stores offered an abundance of services, most of which were illegal.

The streets were littered with waste and old paper. The discarded newspapers from the last few days marked the beginning of the summer season with The Royal Fair of Algeciras, Spain. My father had talked about attending but decided not to attend seeing as it was a three-day journey from our estate and he couldn't be bothered with the trip.

Now I stood in the darkest part of the city as the trading vessels unloaded their cargo in preparation for the fair. The increased number of people made it easy to slip through unnoticed, at least that was what I was counting on.

I passed the multiple taverns where the clouded windows hid sinful exchanges. The loud shouts and cheers flowed through the door and blocked the sound of the gulls that circled above.

"Well hello there, miss. I just noticed you looking a touch lost. Why don't you come inside and I can help you out?"

The greasy voice belonged to a sleazy man leaning on the doorframe. His clothes were in various states of damage with loose seams threatening to break at the slightest touch. A lopsided board read The Salty Gull in what I assume had once been bold, red letters above him.

I stepped away slightly, just outside the pulsing crowd, but far enough that the man couldn't touch me.

"No, thank you." I averted my eyes as the man's grin grew to reveal yellowed teeth and rotting gums.

I started walking again, rejoining the tide of people aiming for their destinations. Our bodies pushed together and the smell of bodily odors infected my nose.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" The man appeared once more, hissing in my ear.

His body was pressing far too close for comfort and I found myself leaning away before I had heard him speak. The smell that emanated from him was like a calling card telling me something rotten had approached.

"I have to catch a boat," I replied, averting my eyes and studying the passing ships. "I happen to be in a hurry, so I must reject your offer."

None of them was the one I was looking for and I was slowly running out of possibilities. Most were hardy ships and I would be honored to the board, but the ship I was looking for was of a far lower class.

"Anyone in particular?" He asked, hand snaking down my back, the seams of my dress rippling with his movements. It rested on my lower back, just above my crinolines base. "I could help you."

I pushed away from him, my feet dancing between others and I got numerous glares from the passersby who I bumped into. Most people in the crowd were dressed modestly and I stood out with my dark skirts and the golden embroidery.

"No," I began, glaring at the lustful man. "I would prefer to find it on my own. There is no need for you to leave your tavern."

"Don't be a prude" He stalked closer, the sea of people partying around us. "I can help and you're turning me down. Don't be vazey."

The man grabbed my arm, the thin fabric between us was not enough to hide the calluses and cut fingers, years of hard work laid on them like a map.

"Please, I don't want your help," I said, picking his hand off my forearm. "I would prefer to travel alone."

His arm dropped down to rest next to his body, resting next to a fisherman's blade. The metal still had blood coated on the edges, the remnants of his last kill. I gulped, the salvia rolling slowly down my esophagus like sweet molasses.

"And I'd prefer," the man stepped closer, "that you accept my offer to help. Tell me, what is the name of the ship?"

He grabbed my arm once again, but his grip was tighter than before, impossible to remove. I dug my heels into the ground as he began dragging me through the crowd.

"The Black Voyage," I bit, giving into the harmless question. I didn't have to like it, but the rouge works at the docks.

"I know that on," he laughed, his joy turning into a coughing fit as we neared the end of the crowded wharf.

He covered his mouth, letting go of my arm to point to a ship up ahead. I couldn't help but scoff when I saw the vessel.

It wasn't very impressive, a single mast attached to a ship no bigger than half a city block. Perhaps I was wrong, but it looked like it wouldn't make it out of the bay let alone the open ocean.

"Johnny, what ya got there, boy?" A man appeared at the railing of the decaying ships.

He was wearing a tattered captain uniform and his flyaway white hair floated in the winds. He smiled down at me, a few black holes where teeth used to rest.

"I'm looking for Captain Pierre." I took the lead, moving ahead of the man behind me. "I have booked a passage on The Black Voyage, this ship. It was my understanding he was to meet me on the main deck upon my arrival."

"Ya talk too much, miss." The old captain laughed as he looked down on us. "So many words and ya don't say much more."

"I apologize, sir." I wasn't sure what to say. All my companions had long-winded speech, over-emphasizing their words and dragging out stories. It was how I was raised.

"Sir? I haven't heard that in a long while. What's your name, lass?"

"My name is Maurea de'Laure." My voice was quiet compared to the men's laughter.

"Maurea, ya say?" The caption thought about my name for a moment. "You're the special lassie who ran away from her family?"

'Please, sir. I would greatly appreciate that detail remaining secret. I don't want to draw attention to myself or the ship." I glanced at Johnny, knowing he would recall my name to anyone with a dime. "Do you know the captain?"

I didn't dare hope for a fortunate outcome easily, but I wouldn't consider this a simple encounter.

"Course I do," the man bellowed. "Bringer 'er on board, Johnny boy,  and try not to scratch the valuables."