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“Flint?” A familiar, serious voice whispered from behind me.
I jumped. “Violet, shush,” I whispered back, placing a finger on my lips.
“Don’t tell me to shush,” she growled, hitting my finger away from my lip.
I rolled my eyes. “I saw Mira, on the beach, from my window!” I explained, slyly moving towards the door.
“Well, if you’re going to escape our loving home, you might as well do it smartly,” she said in a smug voice, pointing towards a painting.
I looked at her curiously. She was lifting the painting off the wall and placing it on the floor. Behind the painting, there was a small tunnel leading to the beach. I crawled inside, first hugging Violet in gratitude.
She blushed. “Flint?” she asked, before I disappeared into the darkness.
I turned around.
“I’m coming with you.” She smiled and followed me into the tunnel. We clambered out and trailed down the gravel road until we reached the beach.
“Mira!” I screamed, running towards the ship. Violet followed excitedly, her leather shoes filling up with sand.
The two men pulled swords out of their satchels. Violet and I staggered backwards, alarmed by the men.
“Who are these people?” yelled a tall, slim woman, as she climbed down the ladder. She wore a heavy coat, and a dark eyepatch covered her left eye. I gasped. Behind her was Mira! Mira followed the lady gloomily, gasping too when she saw me.
“Go children! Before I let these men use their swords!” the lady commanded, pointing towards the gravel road with her skinny, cut finger.
Violet nudged me and towed me away from the pirates. We slipped behind a bush.
“So much for an adventure! We better go …” Violet said, climbing out from behind the bush.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “Violet! Didn’t you see? That was Mira! She looks so sad … we have to save her.”
“B … But those were pirates, Flint. Pirates! We can’t handle pirates,” Violet snapped back, hitting my arm away. “Don’t touch me like that. Didn’t you learn anything in France? To be a good man? You said you were the prime minister’s son!”
I grinned at my latest lie that I had told Violet and her siblings during dinner. They were all surprised and impressed. It had made me feel special, acting as the French prime minister’s son. “Please help me save Mira,” I said again, looking at the pirates as they prepared to board their ship.