by Red Culver
"We never catch a break, do we?" I groaned.
"What do you mean?" Cerissa asked.
"Weren't you wondering who sold us out?" I said. "That asshole Axehead all but swore revenge on me for how we pulled him out of the brothel. And I saw him watching as Bell was dragged away."
"Shit," said Cerissa. She'd learned that from me.
We reached the narrow, rocky strand below the cliff just as the caravan did. The shore petered out pretty quickly on either side of us, consumed by crashing waves from the sea. A glance showed no caves in the cliff face. We were trapped.
"Travelers there!" called a voice from the barge. A massive shape stood waving at the prow. As the ship drew closer to the shore, my worst fears were confirmed: Axehead.
The masska sent a rowboat for us, which we piled into, soggy and defeated. As we made our way back across the rolling water to the barge, I pondered our options. Maybe we could bribe Axehead to forget about us. Or I could challenge him to single combat... if I had a couple weeks to regain all my HP.
Axehead stood waiting for us on the barge. As the rowboat pulled alongside, he reached down a hand to help Bell aboard, then did the same for Cerissa. I had to make my own way out of the rocking boat.
"We want to talk to Don White Lantern," I said as soon as I had my feet under me on the deck of the barge.
"Old don is dead," said Axehead. "I am don now."
"How'd he die?" I asked, but I already knew the answer.
"Slain," said Axehead. "By me."
"Congrats on the hostile takeover," I said. "And all you had to do was break a deal your dowt made and kill your dad."
Axehead shook his head, scowling. "No. I do not like you, human, but I did not break contract. My father did. Very dishonorable. So I kill him."
"White Lantern sold us out?" asked Bell incredulously.
"Much money was involved," said Axehead. "And father was old. Still. Was not proper." The big warrior shrugged. "Is done now. I am don. And I will make up for poor treatment." He looked at Bell. "I am told you need a dowt. We will take you, if you wish it. Make you one of ours."
Bell's ears twitched. "Really?"
Axehead nodded somberly.
"I need to think about it." Bell turned away. "My whole life was in Gate, my father's shop... I don't know."
"You have time," said Axehead. He turned to me and Cerissa. "You two, we will take anywhere. One time. Then we are rid of you."
Cerissa and I looked at each other. I knew where I wanted to go, and I could see in her eyes that she felt the same way.
"Gate," I said. Home. It was funny how that had happened. During the weeks I'd spent in Gate, it had been a strange new place, far from my true home in Texas. But after the river, Seaspahn, and Deadwater Prison, all I wanted was to stumble back to my room at the Red Donkey Inn and curl up on the floor.
"Hmm," said Axehead. "We cannot go in Seaspahn. But there is landing, north. We go there. Then you take roads to Gate."
"Where's that?" I asked Cerissa.
"Gradenkirk," she said. Gradenkirk. It sounded as good as anything else.
"Gradenkirk it is, then," I said.
