Miguel hadn't received the El Dorado title for nothing. He kept his promise. Although I'd heard of his accomplishments four years ago and saw his massive fleet before the Royal Navy sank it, I underestimated him. In a month, we looted so much gold that we had to sell some. The booty wouldn't fit in our cargo hold! Not just gold but also sugar, clothes, jewelry... Everything. I cried every day because of Maartje and Laurens, but what Gálvez and I had done was my consolation. When the two returned, they'd be proud... Assuming we'd find them. My chest hurt when I remembered Wright's attitude and my friends' situation... Why didn't he meet me at the tavern? Were my cousin and her partner alright? I couldn't ask myself those questions without wanting to sob, so let's prioritize the good things. It was raining gold in my vessel... Miguel and I created the golden storm! El Dorado means "The Golden" in Spanish and I'm Storm... You got it. I grinned widely while leaning on the quarterdeck's port side. The sun was stronger than ever.

I turned to a female crewmember, "Have you seen my quartermaster?"

"He's helping Kenneth," the woman pointed at the forecastle deck. "Right there."

I nodded and stopped by the main deck for an instant. Luna, Tess, and Willem wouldn't stop laughing while playing... How could kids have such adorable smiles? I never understood that! Francis wagged his tail excitedly as Luna caressed him.

If Mrs. Campbell arrests my babies again, I'll destroy her.

My eyes bulged as I arrived at the forecastle deck... Gálvez was shirtless while assisting Kenneth with a repair. My jaw dropped to the floor and my mouth watered... Damn! I'd forgotten how well-built Miguel was. Francis walked closer and barked.

I chuckled nervously, "Don't judge me, Francis."

My dog tilted his head to the side, seemingly confused. I was paralyzed like an idiot while staring at Miguel. How could I have such a hot quartermaster? That wasn't fair! Even Francis agreed.

Miguel turned to me, "Is there anything I can help you with, Eva?"

"You're so... I mean, yes!" I glanced away. "Can we talk in private?"

"Of course," Gálvez looked at Kenneth. "We can finish this later."

Kenneth wiped the sweat off his head, "Don't worry, Quartermaster Gálvez. I got this."

The Spaniard nodded and approached me. My hands were sweatier than ever. I was so hypnotized that I didn't blink. Perhaps Dirk told the truth when he said Miguel cast spells... Don't judge me! I wasn't blind.

"It's about the children," I pressed my lips together to stop gaping like a crazy lady. "Are you sure it's a good idea to leave them with your mom?"

"She'll be surprised to find out we had Luna without being married," Miguel bit his lower lip. "Don't worry. Mom will probably say some bad words and stop."

I raised my brows, "That's so reassuring! I'm calmer than a drunken turtle!"

Gálvez chuckled, "I was just teasing you. My mother is nice to everyone."

My lips curled into a weak smile. Although Miguel and Nuria had assured me their mom was good, I had a bad feeling... What if she freaked out and hit the children? Hendrika would never leave my mind, so I couldn't trust a stranger with the kids. Miguel slowly caressed my back, giving me a strange warmth inside.

"I'll miss the kids, but this is temporary. My mom will protect them," Gálvez walked closer. "We're doing this to keep them safe, remember?"

"I know. We'll get the children back after defeating the SHA and... and..." I scowled. "Could you please put your shirt on? I can't concentrate!"

I can't believe I said this out loud!

Miguel laughed softly and kept gazing at me for an instant. I looked away to stop myself from saying more nonsense. He put his white shirt, black vest, and dark-green coat back on, so my weird sensations vanished.

Gálvez smiled, "I didn't know I distracted you."

"You're the most handsome man I've ever seen, so it's impossible not to..." I cleared my throat. "I'll shut up now."

He shrugged, "I wasn't complaining."

Staring at the ground, I hoped I hadn't blushed... Would I ever stop being ridiculous? I guess not! I should've been arrested for excessive embarrassment, not piracy.

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you for being an excellent quartermaster," I sighed and grinned. "I can't believe we looted so much in a month! Especially gold."

"I wouldn't have accomplished nada without the best captain ever. Maartje and Laurens would be proud," Miguel's smile faded as he looked away. "I hope they're unharmed."

I knit my brows, "What if Mrs. Campbell captured our friends just to kill them brutally? I can't stop thinking about it!"

"I wonder why she also wanted Willem," Gálvez rubbed his chin. "The guards were looking for him when we escaped."

Taking a deep breath, I tried to recall Mrs. Campbell's words... Had she mentioned any kids? I couldn't remember! Although I didn't know about Laurens, my cousin had no idea who that lady was, so where was the connection? Understanding Luna when she mixed Spanish and Dutch was easier than figuring that out.

Could Maartje and Laurens still be alive? Will I ever find them?

I sighed in relief once my temporary boatswain walked towards me. To avoid crying, the best thing was when someone I didn't know well showed up... Don't judge me! I know you also try to hide your emotions when strangers are nearby. The guy wasn't a complete stranger, but we weren't friends.

The man pointed at the quarterdeck, "Ashton told me we'll arrive in San Agustín soon."

"Great!" I swallowed hard while remembering my kids would be left with a woman I didn't trust. "Dock us once we get to the port!"

The guy nodded, "Aye, Captain!"

It didn't take long for us to arrive. Although I was chewing on my lip nonstop, the beautiful landscape calmed me down. Luna, Tess, and Willem kept playing as we walked. I gaped while observing the beautiful white and red constructions. Gálvez and Francis wouldn't stop looking around, apparently impressed as well. The colors were vibrant and the trees were greener there. I squinted as the sunlight reached my eyes. That place was so alive, warm, and lovely... So Miguel.

"Aren't we in the wrong place?" my eyes widened. "This is too beautiful to be a pirate city."

"Nuria said many pirates come here," Miguel observed the constructions. "I don't mean to be cocky, but the Spanish architecture is what makes San Agustín special."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, "Of course! It's the Spanish magic..."

Despite my irony, Gálvez was probably right. San Agustín was a Spanish city outside Spain, so it made sense for him to think that. Even though I wanted to keep observing the landscape, my smile faded. Nuria waved, which meant we'd arrived at the house. Giacomo was there too, but I had no idea why Joaquim had come... Perhaps all the brothels in the city were closed? Anyway, my heart pounded as Nuria knocked on the door. I gulped once a woman who seemed to be in her fifties showed up. She had light skin, blue eyes, and straight dark-brown hair... An older version of Luna. She wore a long orange dress and a crucifix big enough to kill a hundred demons.

This woman will try to pulverize me with holy water...

"Hola, mamá. I missed you greatly," Miguel smiled as he approached me. "These are Luna and Tess, my daughters, and Eva Van Acker, their mom."

I controlled myself not to smile... Gálvez was indeed determined to give Tess a father! Wasn't that cute? The woman gazed at her son, then back at me... I was sure she'd point the crucifix at me soon. I swallowed hard as the lady analyzed my outfit.

The Spanish lady narrowed her eyes, "I hope Eva is Catholic and married you while still a virgin."

Gálvez's eyes bulged and he froze. I knit my brows, waiting for the lady to start the exorcism. The woman pressed her lips together. I frowned, wondering what was in her mind. Francis cocked his head, apparently intrigued. When I thought I'd be called a witch, the lady burst out in laughter and gave Miguel a pat on the back.

"You had to see your face, Miguelito! It was hilarious!" the woman hugged her son tightly and grinned. "Your mama doesn't care about these things, mi hijo. Traditions are for boring people."

I sighed, "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that."

"I'm delighted to meet you, Eva," Miguel's mother embraced me. "Did you know I didn't marry as a virgin? I'll never forget that handsome..."

Nuria chuckled, "Mom, I'm sure Eva isn't interested in your... adventures."

This has to be a hallucination!

No, you didn't read it wrong. Controlling myself not to gawk, I wondered if I'd gotten tricked... That woman wasn't serious, right? Was she really that amazing? I gulped as Miguel's mom walked closer. She examined me entirely.

"I'm Rosa Navarro. You're gorgeous and I love your outfit!" Rosa's lips curled into a sweet smile. "Where are you from?"

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Navarro. Thank you," I grinned while still wondering if that lady was real. "I'm Dutch."

"Call me Rosa, cariño. We're family," she turned to Miguel. "Is my son treating you right? If he disrespects you, I'll tell him off!"

"He's the sweetest man I've ever met," I glanced at the ground. "Besides, we aren't together, so you don't have to worry."

"I see," Rosa nodded and sighed. "I know Giacomo, but who's this other good-looking man?"

"I'm Joaquim Faria," the Portuguese captain kissed Rosa's hand and smiled. "It's always a pleasure to meet beautiful women."

Rosa raised a brow and analyzed Joaquim. Although she gazed at me with admiration, the same didn't happen to Faria... She kept looking at Pilantra as if she expected him to say something. Joaquim took a step back, seemingly feeling her apparent hostility. Francis whined.

What was that about?

"Let's get some food! Lunch is ready," Miguel's mom smiled. "I want to talk to everyone, especially my granddaughters. I can't believe I'm a grandma!"

Miguel approached his mother, "Mom, I'm glad you're excited, but we should discuss something in private first. We need your help."

"Of course!" Rosa pinched Miguel's cheeks and then Nuria's. "Anything for my pequeñitos."

Nuria laughed, "You're embarrassing us. We're adults now."

"You'll always be my babies," Rosa took a step back. "Come on in! Tell your mama what's going on. We'll catch up afterwards."

After everyone entered, the Gálvez siblings and their mother talked alone in the living room. Giacomo and Joaquim were in different rooms. Although I didn't hear the conversation, I knew what they talked about. Despite hearing about the SHA and my girls' kidnapping, Rosa didn't seem she wanted to kill me yet... What a relief! She nodded continuously, apparently okay with the pirate life her children and family lived. Once the conversation ended, I went to the backyard and sighed as the kids played. My chest hurt once I recalled my girls would stay away from me while the SHA still existed... What if my enemies found them regardless? I caressed Francis to avoid thinking about it. I swallowed hard as Rosa approached me... Yes, my agony only increased.

"It's a pity you and my son aren't together. Although we just met, I know you're a great woman," Rosa grinned. "He wouldn't stop saying good things about you."

Looking away, I hoped I didn't blush... Why would my cheeks get red for such a silly reason? I shouldn't care about Miguel's opinion of me! There was no way I'd let my crazy emotions take control. We had nothing between us, end of the story.

"Anyway, I'm not here to stick my nose in your personal life. I want to tell you my impression of Joaquim," Rosa decreased her tone of voice. "Miguel told me he's one of your allies."

I walked closer, "Is anything wrong?"

She nodded, "Something about Joaquim doesn't seem right. He's pretending."

My eyes widened... What could Rosa be talking about? Had I joined forces with a traitor? Yes, I was paranoid, but Miguel's mother definitely didn't warn me for nothing. Perhaps Rosa noticed Joaquim was hiding that mysterious secret Nuria mentioned. I bit my lower lip sharply, wondering if Faria had anything to do with my friends' disappearance.

"Really?" I pressed my lips together. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not saying Joaquim is bad, but he isn't genuine," Rosa narrowed her eyes while rubbing her chin. "I can feel it."

Great! More problems!

Sweat flooded my back as I thought of the kids. Could Pilantra try to hurt them? Rosa had put another question on my mind... How wonderful! As if I didn't have enough things to think about... If I'd trusted a traitor again, I deserved a punch in the face. I should've learned my lesson with Sven.

Rosa caressed my back, "I like you, so I don't want you to get hurt. Keep an eye on that man, cariño."

I nodded, "I will. Thank you for the warning."

Miguel's mother left and I controlled myself not to sob. Why did I bring Joaquim to the house where the kids would stay? They could be in danger and it was all my fault! Things couldn't get any worse... Except that they did. Admiral Wright stood against a wall while observing me. Pursing my lips, I walked fast towards him. I grabbed my cutlass, ready to destroy the bastard who'd taken two of my family members away.

"The liar returned! How great!" my lips curled into a sarcastic grin. "I can't offer more people for you to kidnap, but would you accept a drink?"

Wright took a deep breath, "I didn't have time to say everything that day. We must talk."

I looked in every direction, wondering if that wasn't a trap... How did the master of all idiots find me? My life kept getting harder! Regardless, I'd face that situation with bravery... and rum. Although I wasn't sure Wright would lie again, my gut told me I should give him a chance. He would've killed me already if he wanted to, right? I returned my cutlass to the weapon belt, hoping I wouldn't regret putting my guard down. 

****

Author's note: Hey! Thank you for reading! I hope everyone is well. Please vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter and follow the "Battles and Secrets" playlist on Spotify. Is Rosa right about Joaquim? What does Admiral Wright want from Eva? Keep reading and you'll find out... :-) Also, take a look at my aesthetic for Rosa below the translations. 

I dedicate this chapter to my dear friend sukruthi8

Foreign words/expressions in order of appearance:

1. Nada means "anything" in Spanish

2. Hola, mamá means "hi, mom" in Spanish

3. The ito after Miguel's name is diminutive, but not in a bad way. His mom called him "little Miguel" as a sign of love.

4. Mi hijo means "my son" in Spanish

5. Pequeñitos means "little ones" in Spanish

I chose Lynda Carter to be Rosa Navarro because she fits Rosa's description perfectly and I really like her as an actress. Besides, she has Spanish ancestry, so I thought it'd make sense. If "Battles and Secrets" becomes a movie someday, I believe Lynda would be a great choice to play Rosa. I hope you like my aesthetic!