Dragonclaw Dare

by Brian S. Ference

  What the—? Darek sucked air back in his lungs, shaking his dimming vision back to normal. The other pirates were nearly upon them. Darek dove on top of Nax, digging dirty fingernails into the boy’s flesh, pressing his full weight on top of him. He bore them to the edge of the walkway. Nax, realizing his danger, snatched a quick look; he was inches away from a leaping Nargale’s mouth. He screeched in terror. Darek straddling his chest, shoved his hands aside and pushed him down even lower. One swipe, two swipes of the bloodthirsty fish’s teeth and Nax’s life would be over.

  The bloodlust in him fading, Darek thought he heard Lvis calling his name. Darek didn’t know what had come over him. With a grunt of effort, he hauled his enemy up onto the roped platforms and the two lay gasping on the planks. Hreg got there first and lifted Darek like a doll, and in a mad dream he saw green water looming closer. But Darmenstra put a stop to it, snapping Hreg with her whip and ordering him to stand down.

  With a vicious growl, Hreg stepped over his gaping son, rounding on Darmenstra, his own sword gleaming in the sun’s bright glare.

  Darmenstra caught the weapon with her whip, her grin wide and heavy. “Try it, Harpoonmaster.”

  Hreg realized suddenly whose wife he was threatening and pulled back sharply with a snarl.

  Serle spoke a dark word behind him. “Go ahead, Hreg, I’d like to see you try to dunk her. Your son has already proven himself a fool. Let’s not make his father one as well.”

  Hreg’s bitter anger faded into shame as he let his sword arm fall.

  Lvis was carted away, while Hreg hauled Nax roughly to his feet and two other seamen lifted Darek and the dazed Briad up and dragged them down the boardwalk to the shore.

  * * *

  In his private yurt, Serle interrogated his daughter with rough words. “What were you thinking sneaking into the fight and challenging Nax? He’ll never marry you now.”

  “I’ve told you before—”

  “What am I do with a pig-headed daughter like you?”

  “Why don’t you let me join you on your raids?”

  Serle shook his head. “It isn’t our way. Already the more superstitious folk among us believe this Red Claw boy is a demon, some curse laid upon us that must be extinguished. I’m inclined to agree with them. First Manx’s death and our ship destroyed by serpents, now this. I won’t add to it by having you killed sailing with us. As for the boy...”

  A desperate look gleamed in her eye. “But you saw, father, that he saved me, and his friend. He didn’t even kill Nax when he had the chance. How can that be a curse?”

  “My hands are tied, I cannot go up against the voice of the people.”

  Lvis’s face turned a shade of white. “You’re a coward. What happened to the father I used to know? One who defied rules and took on all challenges?”

  Serle’s lip formed into a curl of anger. “Don’t press your luck. You’re already confined to home from now on.”

  “What? That’s not fair!” Lvis screamed.

  “Go!” bellowed Serle. Lvis shook her head in frustration and stormed out of the yurt blinking back tears.

  Serle was afraid of what he had seen the boy do, both the violence and the restraint. He mumbled darkly to himself and he wondered how the day had gone so sour.

  Darmenstra came to pay him a visit shortly after. “What did you say to her?”

  Serle made a gruff sound. “What she needed to hear.”

  Darmenstra’s lower lip twitched. “The girl’s run off.”

  “What?” Serle demanded.

  Putting an arm on his shoulder, she tried to calm her husband. “She’ll come back. She always does.”

  Serle shook his head. “This time, I don’t think so. I know my daughter. She’s taken with that slave boy. She won’t stand idly by and watch him be executed.”

  Darmenstra sighed. “I think you’re right,” she said. “I could sense the fire in her belly the first time those two laid eyes on each other.”

  Serle growled. “So be it, Darmenstra. Lvis’ll have to understand the basic truth of things. Slaves have their place and no more. Like Osun who culls the fish.”

  “You’re a fool Serle. You spew this superstition about Osun as easily as that witch hunter Jonse, and you can no more control your fragile kingdom than you can control Lvis or me. Your daughter has come to realize it, and she’s old enough to choose her own life’s course.”

  “Leave me be!” he cried angrily. He hated being lectured, though he knew his wife was right. Denying it would change nothing.

  * * *

  Darek and Briad found themselves once again in their cell, this time with a guard posted. The tattooed man was one of Serle’s and kept glancing Darek’s way, while making a sign of protection across his eye.

  Briad winced as he ran his fingers over the bruise forming on his ribs. “We should’ve tried to swim to your boat instead of staying to help Lvis,” he said.

  “How can you be so heartless?” returned Darek. “She saved your life.”

  “A lot of good it’s done,” muttered Briad, “I overheard one of the guards saying we’re to be burned for witchcraft tomorrow—they would’ve done it by now but they wanted to wait for the one they call Jonse to come in on the morning tide.”

  Darek scowled. “We still have the knife.”

  “Great. One knife and two half-starved slaves covered in bruises against an island of pirates.” Briad nodded to a table where a dark figure sat drinking slowly from a rum bottle. “You think Hreg over there is going to take his eyes off us after what you did to Nax?”

  They might have been able to escape before, but it would be impossible while under the watchful eye of both a guard and the Harpoonmaster.

  “Do you think he’s dead?” Darek asked.

  “Don’t know,” said Briad with a shrug, “you sure burned him up bad though.”

  They broke eye contact. It was best not to think of what had happened. Darek sank down hopelessly on his haunches and tried to ignore his wounds.

  He must have dozed off, for the next thing he knew men were running and someone was yelling “Fire!” Darek shot to his feet. A black swirl of smoke rose from the straw-roofed huts near the auroch pen. The terrified animals began to bellow, pushing against their pens as the smell of fire filled the air.

  “Tend to the animals!” cried Darmenstra, running toward them. A figure in dark clothing ducked into the shadows just as the gate swung open. The massive creatures began to stampede. People, food carts, and wagons were swept aside by the charging sea of flesh. It was utter chaos—a perfect chance to escape.

  Chapter 10.

  The Fire Coral

  Retrieving the hidden knife, Darek began to saw away at the lashings holding together the bars at the back of their cage. He had almost cut through one of thick ropes when a face appeared on the other side of the bars. He jumped back, convinced that they had been caught and would be executed.

  The pretty face smiled at them. “What do you think of my diversion?” asked Lvis.

  “Lvis? Is that you?” asked Briad.

  Her long brown hair was coiled in a tight braid and she wore a faded man’s doublet and a tight-fitting pair of breeches. Darek grinned. Had she really set fire to her own people’s buildings and turned loose the animals she had cared for most her life? This was a very different Lvis.

  “Of course, it’s me,” she whispered with a wink, “who else would save your sorry hide from the gallows?”

  She produced another, larger knife and together they quickly cut free two of the bars. It was enough for Darek and Briad to squeeze through.

  Darek spared a glance toward the fire, the sun dipping low and staining the stickypalms a shade of red. Serle had organized a bucket brigade from the well. The water turned the black smoke to white—soon they would have it under control.

  “Quick,” urged Lvis, “we don’t have much time.”

  They took off at a run and made it nearly halfway to the place of trials before a pirat
e noticed someone running away from the fire instead of toward it.

  “The slaves are escaping!” screamed Hreg. “It was that witch-boy who started the fire! Drop those buckets and cut them down!”

  A dozen strapping brutes dropped their pails, drew their cutlasses, and gave chase. Lvis might have made it to the dock on her own, but Briad and Darek slowed them down as they lurched up the sandy path, slowed to half speed by their injuries.

  Darek snatched a glimpse back at the advancing figures. “We’re not going to make it,” warned Darek. “Leave us and go on alone.”

  “Forget that.” Lvis rushed back and lifted Briad’s arm over her shoulders, darting anxious glances as their pursuers continued to gain ground. They caught up to them just as they reached the waterline. The docks were too far away to make a run for it, but Darek was always a stronger swimmer than runner, as most islanders were.

  “Into the water!” he yelled. He ducked under the slice of a gleaming blade held by the fastest of the pirates. Grappling with the man for a moment, he was determined to give Lvis and Briad a head start. Grabbing a handful of sand, Darek threw it into the man’s eyes then kneed him in the gut, before turning to shallow dive into the water.

  The other pirates laughed at their sand-covered mate as he wiped his eyes clean. They kicked off their boots and dropped their swords in the sand. Short knives appeared in knuckled fists as they waded into the gentle waves—they were expert swimmers to a man.

  Forging into deeper water, Darek ploughed his way through the waves, quickly catching up to Lvis and Briad. Behind them, smoke curled from the ring of trees on the shore. They heard the desperate cries of men and panicked animals. If they could make it across the strait, maybe they’d have a chance of escaping. He turned back to see the pirates were closing the distance. The glint of steel peeked between their clenched teeth. They would be on them in moments.

  A sudden idea dawned. He motioned for his two companions to follow him as he entered the narrow channel of fire coral.

  “Don’t go into the fire coral!” she cried.

  “We have no choice,” grunted Darek. He knew from his own experience off the shoals of Cape Spear that a single brush against the fire coral could paralyze an unlucky swimmer with pain, burning for days as the poison worked its way out of the wound.

  Kicking his legs together like a dolphin its fins, Darek dove under the water, trying to stay in the center of the channel. The studded, bony limbs of the coral branched out toward his sides, like some sort of alien tree. Already his eyes began to sting from the red-tinted poison in the water. If he could just make it through, he would reach the sloop docked on the other side. Seeing a clear path, Darek squeezed his eyes shut. He shot forward as fast as he could. A few seconds later he cracked open an eye—just in time to avoid scraping against an oblong piece of coral that stuck out farther than the others. Darek swam above it. The burning was getting worse, but he was almost through. With a last thrust of speed, Darek pushed back out into open water.

  Briad screamed as a piece of coral scraped against his leg. Darek looked back to see him barely staying afloat, swimming at the pace of a snail. The pirates would have caught him if they hadn’t broken off to chase after Lvis who was making speed up the other way. The pursuers must have preferred a longer swim to braving the fire coral.

  Darek turned back with a frustrated groan, making his way back into the channel. He grabbed Briad just as he went under and dragged him upward—but not before the fire coral cut into Darek’s hand and struck at Briad’s foot this time. By the time the two pulled themselves over the gunnels of the sloop, the pirates had captured Lvis. They dragged her through the water toward shore, kicking and biting.

  “Lvis!” Darek howled.

  “They won’t hurt her. She’s Serle’s daughter,” Briad moaned. “If we don’t leave now though, they’ll kill us.”

  Darek grit his teeth and cast off the lines. I’ll come back for you, Lvis.

  Other ships came slicing after them, but Darek had a good lead by the time they had reached the larger swells.

  Darkness fell on a moonless night as they approached the two guard towers on the outer reef.

  “Finally, some luck,” groaned Briad as he poured salt water on his swollen leg, the skin inflamed where it had touched the fire coral. Darek slackened the sail as he approached the area he remembered scattered with submerged rocks. As luck would have it, they sailed closer under the nose of the harpoon guns, the tower guards dozing after chugging too much ale. No crew would be crazy enough to navigate a ship through the treacherous channel in the dead of night...would it? Fortunately, he remembered where the rocks jutted up and stayed well in the channel’s middle.

  But the slower speed cost them. The jeers of men and creak of rigging soon echoed across the still water. Then the plish of a harpoon firing blindly into the water. A dark, menacing shape loomed behind them.

  Darek cursed as Briad wormed his way closer, clutching his arm. “They’ve sighted us. They’ll kill us all!”

  “Not if I can help it.” Darek jammed the rudder hard to the left and pulled Briad with him to the other side of the boat as he tacked across the bow of the incoming ship. He narrowly missed its sharp prow. A harpoon sliced inches from the gunwales. There was more than a rock or two hidden in this shallower water.

  Darek heard the sudden harsh grating of wood on stone. He turned, his breath stopping. The lead ship had passed too close to the danger and her side had now caught a jagged rock.

  A grin of satisfaction broke out on Darek’s sweating face. Angry shouts erupted from the listing schooner and echoed across the dark waters. Lights went on in the tower above as the guards finally realized what was happening.

  But too late... Star-runner was out of range of her deadly harpoons.

  Sailing through the darkness, Darek and Briad slept in shifts and set their heading by the stars. Star-runner lived up to her name. Darek tried to ignore the burning in his left hand as he formulated plans on how to rescue Lvis. He was sure they had lost the other ships behind them and that they would turn around at first light...

  Until the dawn revealed a set of sails approaching in the distance.

  Darek’s mouth sagged in dismay. He bet Serle himself was on that shadowy ship. Darek trimmed the sail and urged the sloop to greater speed. But no matter what he did, the brigade of pirate vessels behind them kept pace. A band of stars blazed above them like a trove of pearls. Darek could see dim silhouettes set against the darker water: wide-bellied hulls, thick at the waist, angling in on them like whale-sharks. If they could just make it back to the Red Claw Islands, the pirates might think twice and break off.

  For half a day they sailed that way. Briad managed to catch a small grouper with a silver lure and line they found in a trunk below deck. The pair devoured it raw.

  The high peaks of Kratoke finally appeared before them, giving Darek hope that they might actually make it.

  Until a three-masted man-of-war loomed in front of them like a great sea-hunting goliath. Darek tried to turn Star-runner around, but the larger ship fired a harpoon across her bow as a warning.

  Briad gave a miserable cry. He slumped to the deck in defeat. Darek, haggard-eyed and silent, fingered his long knife with a sorrowful grimace. Cutoff from his way home and now flanked from behind by the pirates, the young sailor had no choice but to fly a white flag of surrender.

  * * *

  Captain Raithan scowled as the two prisoners were hauled aboard. He paused as he saw Darek’s face, a gleam of recognition in his eye. The pirate vessels had fled as soon as his ship was joined by another flying the colors of the wizard Cyrus. The ominous figure had come aboard as well, covered in a litany of scratches and bruises and in a very foul mood.

  “Greetings, Apprentice Mage,” said Raithan in a monotonous tone, “how fortunate that you have arrived at this precise moment.”

  Cyrus smoothed back his oiled hair, his black robe swishing noiselessly across the deck. Da
rek’s blood turned cold. Never would he forget the cruelness of that chiseled face.

  “By my Master’s grace. Tell me what you have found.”

  “We have a situation,” grunted Raithan. “These two say they were captured by the Free Band Pirates near Windbit Isle, and they have the scars to prove it. It seems that he is the one you spoke of and somehow managed to escape.” He jerked a thumb at Darek who glowered, trussed up in a corner. “One of the pirate ships was attacked by a sea serpent, my scouts say.”

  “Serpents, you say, this close to Windbit Isle?” Cyrus feigned ignorance as he turned on Raithan. “That area is off limits, sacred and forbidden. If you were patrolling, then why weren’t you there to put a stop to it?”

  “My ships were nearby,” Raithan growled, “but it is a vast ocean, is it not?”

  “Then how is it that these two boys managed to desecrate holy ground and escape, leaving you dependent on a mangy band of pirates to do your job?” Cyrus’s scowl bordered on a sinister leer.

  Raithan’s jaw clenched in nervous reflex. An anxious hand strayed to his forehead. “I don’t know.”

  Raithan looked at Darek with indecision. It seemed the captain was torn between conflicting interests. “What are we to do with this one?”

  Cyrus shot the boy a feral glance. “Punish him severely.” The mage paused as if struck by a certain thought. “Work him to the bone but keep him alive. Death would be too easy.”

  “As you wish,” replied Raithan, “and the other prisoner with fire coral rash on his leg?”

  “Give him to me,” said Cyrus with a smile that was missing two teeth. “I have need of a resilient slave.”

  —That concludes the prequel. We would appreciate it if you took the time to leave a review. We greatly value your feedback and read each of the reviews personally.