Suddenly, Draxen’s eyes are no longer on me, and I hear swords drop to the deck.
What the—
I turn around, though I already suspect what I’ll find.
The pirate king has arrived.
I look around the ship, spot Niridia, and catch her eye. The message conveyed in the look I give her is obvious. Did you do this? She shakes her head once. No.
My next action is to kick Tylon in the shin.
“Ow,” he says.
“You brought him here?”
“Of course. You obviously called for help. Why wouldn’t I bring him here?”
“Because we don’t need his help.” I make a sound akin to a growl. Then I advance to the ship’s edge. “Hello, Father.”
“Do you have it?” he asks. He does not look pleased. My father is a bear of a man. Dark brown hair and beard. Wide-set shoulders. Over six feet tall. You don’t have to meet him beforehand to know who he is. My father commands attention in the same way the winds command the waves.
“Of course,” I respond.
I reach a hand into the single pocket on my breeches and pull out the small orb. Draxen was so concerned for his brother’s life, he did not think to check me for the map again. He might not have even realized it was no longer in his possession.
In a very businesslike manner, I place the map into my father’s waiting hands. He looks over the glass, confirming I’ve given him what he wants.
“Now explain yourself. Why did you call Niridia?”
Everything is silent, halted. All the men and women hold Draxen’s crew at gun- or sword-point. My father doesn’t care about their discomfort. He’ll take as much time as he wants to question me. It’s as if everything stops for him. It has always been this way.
“I needed a way off the ship. I had the map and needed a way to transport it.”
He looks at me, slightly disbelieving. “Why didn’t you bring this ship to me?” Before I can answer, he holds up a hand to silence me. “Niridia?”
“Aye, sir!” Niridia shouts from where she has two men held at gunpoint.
“Tell me, where did you find my daughter when you boarded the ship?”
“She was—”
“In the brig,” I interject. Niridia would lie for me. She’d die for me, too. And in this case, they would be the same thing. My father may do many things to me, but I know he would never kill me. He would not show the same courtesy to anyone who lied to him.
“It was a minor setback,” I say. “I was kidnapped off this ship. Vordan Serad came for me.”
“Vordan?” My father’s face darkens. He has a deep contempt for his competitors. “How did he know you were here?”
“He had a spy on the ship.”
“What did he want with you?”
“He was curious about my … skills. He locked me up and forced me to do things for him.” I try to keep the conversation as unrevealing as possible since we have listening ears.
“What did he learn?”
“A lot, I’m afraid. But he already knew most of it. Said he had a spy high up in your ranks.”
My father’s eyes pass over his men quickly. “Be that the case, I will deal with it later. Was your escape difficult?”
I hold myself straight. “I handled it fine.”
“And Vordan?”
“Dead.”
“Did you search his body for his map?”
“Aye. It wasn’t there, and the circumstances of my escape didn’t allow me time to do a search of the area.”
“Really?” my father asks doubtfully. He has trouble seeing how others are unable to complete even the most difficult of tasks. “And why was that?”
Because I had to get Riden away to safety. “His whole crew was nearby. They were being alerted to my escape. I did not have time on my side.”
“Time?”
I’m really starting to hate his prying questions. They always unnerve me, but I try to keep my temper in check. My father is a good man. He has to keep a tough face in front of the crew, even during his dealings with me.
“It was difficult enough taking down Vordan’s massive bulk and escaping. I needed to get out of there.”
Now Kalligan looks at me strangely; I cannot guess the reason for it. “Describe Vordan to me.”
“He was tall,” I say. “Over six feet. Well-muscled. Bald on top with a brown beard. Had five gold hoops in his left ear—”
“That wasn’t Vordan.”
“What do you mean?”
“Vordan is an unremarkable man. Average looks and build. Brown hair. Casual clothes. He likes to blend in, in a crowd. Although, he does have a rather obvious habit. Likes to flip a coin over his fingers.”
My mind feels as though it physically expands as the information seeps into my ears. My jaw drops.
“Clever bastard!” I exclaim.
“What?” my father asks.
“He was there. He was here. He was the spy on the ship. He wanted to observe me for himself, but he didn’t want me to know who he was, so he let one of his men pretend to be him. He ensured that all the attention was kept away from himself.” That’s why he was the one who had the key to my cell. And he would have been the one carrying the final map piece.
Father looks up suddenly. He grabs me by the arm and hauls me to the side just as Draxen lands right where we’d been standing, his sword pointed at the pirate king. He must have climbed the netting when all the attention was on my father and me.
Damn idiot! If I’m bothering to save his sorry arse, Draxen could at least make it easy for me!
My father’s men move forward, prepared to protect their king.
“No,” he tells them, holding up his hands to halt them. “I’ll handle the boy.” He draws his sword and prepares to duel.
“Father,” I say hurriedly.
“What?” He keeps his eyes on Draxen, but I can see the look of annoyance on his face.
“Death by your hand is too good for him and his crew. Let me take them captive.” I smile in a way I hope is convincing now that Father’s glanced my way. “I’d like to return the courtesy they have shown me while I was aboard their ship.” It shouldn’t matter to me if Draxen dies, or anyone else in his crew, but it does.
I wish I could sweeten the deal with a little song. But my powers of persuasion don’t work on my father, unfortunately. Actually, none of my abilities work on him. He’s the only man I’ve ever met who is immune to all my abilities (though I now know my powers of seduction don’t work on men like Vordan—or whoever that man was pretending to be Vordan). It probably has to do with the fact that he’s my father. His blood runs through my veins.
Kalligan finally looks at me with approval, and it warms me to see that look on his face. “Very well. Take who you will. Kill the rest. Can’t have any of them going free. Dump their bodies in the sea and bring me back this ship.”
“Aye, sir.”
“And when you’re done and cleaned up, come find me. I’m expecting a full report.” The pirate king leaves the ship, taking his men with him. Tylon and his men follow.
My crew have already removed all the weapons from Draxen’s men. They are now moved before me in a line and forced to their knees. Several of my girls have to wrestle Draxen’s sword from him. Even though he’s surrounded, he still won’t go down without a fight. But he’s forced to the ground in line with everyone else.
I survey them slowly, letting the fear sink in. I have experienced a great many things while on this ship that I’d rather forget. These men will not suffer the same misfortunes. They’ll only face death or imprisonment. So a little fear is healthy for them right now.
“This feels oddly familiar,” I say to the pirates who are now at my mercy. I knew this day would come; I just hadn’t expected it to feel so good. “Who wants to live? Should I be merciful? Or should I kill you all like you tried to do with my crew when you captured me?” I address that last part to Draxen specifically.
“Do what y
ou will, woman,” Draxen says, spitting on the deck.
I hadn’t expected him to face death so nobly. “Your men should be disappointed that you don’t even try to bargain for their lives.”
“If it’s all the same,” one pirate pipes up, “I’d prefer to live.” This from Kearan.
I smile. “Very well. Wallov, Deros, take this pirate to the brig.” Wallov and Deros are the only two men in my crew. They are all muscle, both of them, and they’re handy dealing with prisoners. Particularly large ones like Kearan. But their muscles are not the only things that make them useful. I need at least one man on my ship at all times. Men are the only ones who can hear my song. Or at least be affected by it. When I’m parted from my crew, it’s good to always have a way to contact them quickly when they’re within reach of my song.
“Take this one, too,” I order, pointing to Enwen. “And the captain. Also, you should find an injured man, suffering from two gunshot wounds in the rooms off the main deck. Take him to the ship as well. Mandsy?”
“Aye, Captain?”
“See to him, will you?”
“Of course.”
I order several more to be brought over, a few of the really young ones. It’s harder to allow such youth to be taken from the world so easily. I’ll let them go at the next port, and Kalligan will be none the wiser.
But the others, those who were cruel to me, those who are truly despicable lowlifes, like Ulgin—those I want to see rotting at the bottom of the sea.
“Kill the rest,” I say.
Sorinda is the first to take out her sword. She starts stepping behind the men and slitting their throats one after the other. Killing is practically an art for her. The way she moves is magical.
Everyone hurries to follow orders. The prisoners are taken over to the ship. I arrange for a few of my crew to stay aboard the Night Farer to steer her toward the meeting place. The bodies are dumped overboard, and everyone returns to their positions.
It is only when everything is sorted out that I can return to my own ship. When I finally step onto the deck of the Ava-lee, the taste of freedom hits me. I was never really a prisoner while on the Night Farer, of course, but there’s something truly sweet about being home again.
Chapter 21
I TRAIL MY HANDS along the wooden railing as I walk. It was damaged once during a battle against a ship that tried to desert my father’s fleet. A cannon from my ship tore through the opposing vessel’s mizzenmast, and the whole thing managed to come down onto my ship, tearing through the railing and denting the deck. The crew and I quickly sailed for the island of Butana, where we stole wooden planks from the island’s fine lumberyards. Nearly lost a member of the crew, too. Men with saws and axes chased us away, but even carrying heavy wooden planks, we still all made it out alive. We rebuilt the railing ourselves and replaced the damaged planks in the deck.
Each piece of this ship has a story. Each piece was fought hard for and earned. It makes the whole so much more rewarding, because it took so much effort to put her together.
I love my ship almost as much as I love my crew.
I see the door to my quarters, and I feel a strong pull in that direction, but I ignore it. There will be time to get comfortable later.
“Hiya, Cap’n,” a tiny voice says from above. Roslyn sways down from a rope until her bare feet hit the ground. The wee lass is more stable swinging through the air than she is on flat ground.
I ruffle the girl’s hair as I take in the faces of all my crew, promising myself that there will be time to catch up with everyone later. But there are a few things that must be settled first.
“Niridia,” I say. No matter where I am on the ship, my first mate always manages to hear me. I swear I could whisper to her from down below and she’d hear me from the crow’s nest. It’s a fantastic ability of her own.
“Aye, Captain?” she asks, materializing in front of me.
“How many dead in the skirmish?”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. When there is fighting to be done, good men and women will be lost. And there’s not one on this ship who isn’t willing to die for you.”
“How many?” I repeat.
“Two.”
“Who?”
“Zimah and Mim.”
I close my eyes and picture their faces in my mind. Zimah was one of the three who volunteered to come with me on the journey to get myself kidnapped by Draxen. She was a great tracker and a fine conversationalist. She had all kinds of stories to share about the places she’d been. I loved listening to her. Mim had a good pair of hands on her. Always willing to do what I asked, glad no matter what it was. A mighty fine pirate. I shall miss them both dearly. I hate to think it was because I called for help that the two of them died. I realize every man and woman knows what they sign up for when they join the crew, but still. I hate the constant losses that come with pirating.
“We will light candles for them tonight,” I say.
“Already sent the order to Roslyn.”
“Good.” As captain, I have to push aside losses and focus on what’s best for the crew. I hate that part, too. “We’ll need a new navigator. Someone who can track and knows the lands and waters well.”
Niridia nods.
A crazy thought comes to me. “I know just the man.”
“Man?” Niridia asks. “Didn’t you swear after Ralin that you’d never take on another man for the crew so long as we already had one?”
“Oh, don’t remind me about Ralin. Couldn’t keep his hands off the crew, that one. Despicable creature.”
“He was a bit more bearable once you cut them off.”
“Yes, shame he decided to leave our employ after that. Can’t imagine what that was about.”
Niridia smiles. “Some men don’t have the stomach for being pirates.”
“This one, if he’s willing, should be well cut out for the job. He’s more interested in his drink than in the girls. And he’s so slow, he wouldn’t be able to catch any of the women.”
“Sounds like a fine specimen. How could we turn down such an able-bodied man?”
I laugh. “I missed you, Niridia.”
“Missed you, too, Captain.”
“I need to go belowdecks, but I should be back shortly. Get us going, will you? I want to get to the checkpoint as quickly as possible.”
“Of course.”
It doesn’t seem right that the first place I should go once boarding my own ship, the Ava-lee, is the brig. I’ve spent so much time in cages, cells, and other forms of entrapment over the last month. It’s hardly the sight I want to be met with now.
But there is lots to do, and why waste time?
Besides, Draxen’s in my brig, and I want to gloat.
I tread belowdecks. The sound of my feet pounding on the wooden steps is much sweeter than when Riden was dragging me belowdecks on the Night Farer. Freedom is a sound unlike any other. And my ship is so much prettier. I doubt I could find its likeness anywhere.
The cells are all full. I like to keep the prisoners as separated as possible. Less chance of escaping that way. As it is, some have to share, two men to a cell. Not Draxen, though. He’s the one to be especially wary of. He’s all the way down on the end by himself.
I probably kept more of Draxen’s crew than I should have. There will be plenty of opportunities for getting rid of them. Ideally, before Trianne runs out of food to make in the kitchen. Men are more expensive to feed.
Wallov and Deros stand to attention once I enter the brig. Draxen looks pointedly away from me.
“Why so sullen, Draxen?” I ask. “You got the best cell.”
He ignores me. I smile as I look to my men.
“Good to see you, Captain,” Wallov says. “Roslyn’s been asking after you for quite some time.”
“How is she coming with her letters?”
“Quite well. Likes to read everything in sight.”
“Glad to hear it. It’s good to see you both again. Sadly, I must
cut the chatting short. We will have plenty of time to celebrate finding the map and to catch up later tonight. Right now, would you kindly bring me out that one?” I ask, pointing at a cell in the middle.
“The large one, Captain?”
“Aye.”
“Sure thing.”
They both enter the cell, Deros standing near the door while Wallov goes in all the way. There are two pirates in this cell. The younger one stands up and tries to give Wallov some trouble, but Wallov shoves him backward, sending him to the ground and leaving a free trail to Kearan.
Kearan’s slumped on the floor, but he stands quickly. “No need for force, mate. I’ve got no reason not to come willingly.”
Wallov lets him walk back on his own, but he keeps an eye on Kearan. He’s got strong arms and sharp eyes, that Wallov.
Deros locks the cell back up while Wallov brings Kearan to me. I’m standing back over by the entryway to the brig. No need for all the pirates to hear what I’m about to offer him. Might give them all the wrong idea. For Kearan is one of only two men I intend to recruit.
“Kearan?”
“Yes?” he asks, not bothering to tack on any sort of civil title. Even in such a dire situation, he has his come-what-may attitude.
“One of my good women died in the skirmish. A spot’s opened up on my crew. I could use a navigator like yourself. Are you interested?”
“It’s been only a month since you tried to kill me. Now you want to hire me?” He doesn’t look confused or scared or even grateful. Just bored.
“I know. I’m questioning it myself.”
“What’ll happen if I say no?”
“You’ll stay down here until I either kill you or … well, killing you is probably the only option.” I don’t want to tell him I’d let him go. He can’t think he has too many options. Besides, once he spends some time on my ship, he won’t regret the decision.
“With such gracious options like those, how can I choose?”
I cross my arms. “I think I’m being more than fair. You’re lazy, and you wouldn’t need to contribute all that often.”
“In the meantime, will I stay down here?”
Daughter of the Pirate King Page 21
