* * *
Large waves slapped against the Sealander. Captain Joenf and Dewgoss struggled to pull away from whatever had hit them. But in the darkness of fog, pouring rain, and wind, visibility was almost zero. Emit, who was wearing a costume and mask he had taken from the costume room along with his companion swiftly entered the bridge. They drew their daggers and used them to take control of the helm.
Emit’s tall and stocky friend Odeuss pressed a dagger to Dewgoss’s throat, demanding the chest. But an enormous wave crashed through the glass and slammed both of them against the door on the opposite side of the bridge. The door opened, spilling them out onto the narrow walkway.
While the captain lay low and drew his dagger, Emit reached for his own, but discovered it had fallen out. Instead he found a long piece of broken glass and held it in his leather glove.
The captain got to his feet just as Emit made his first thrust. As the captain moved back to avoid the attack, he stumbled against the wheel. Emit went for him. The captain let out a few choice words as he kicked Emit against the wall. Emit fell to the floor, dropping the glass. He quickly realized Captain Joenf had dropped his dagger, and reached for it.
Another wave crashed the bridge. While Captain Joenf and Emit struggled to dominate the dagger inside the bridge, Dewgoss and Odeuss were fighting on the narrow bridge walkway. Dewgoss had drew his sword and plunged it into Odeuss’s gut. Dewgoss withdrew his sword and shoved his opponent over the railing onto the main deck.
Emit had freed himself from the captain, seen what Dewgoss had done, and before Dewgoss realized what was going on, Emit shoved him over the railing.
The captain, on his hands and knees, grabbed Emit by the leg. Emit fell onto the walkway. And once again the two were fighting hand to hand combat. Emit held a dagger, while the captain too held a dagger. But he also held his sword which had been hanging from it sheath on the wall inside the bridge.
The captain swung at Emit, missing him, the blade scared the bridge’s exterior. Emit back off. The Captain lowered his blade and used its hilt instead and went for him. His dagger in his other hand, he smashed Emit in the face with the hilt, dropped his sword and went to pierce Emit with his dagger.
Emit moved to one side, grabbed the captain by the shoulder and threw him down onto the deck just outside the door, and jumped him from behind. The two struggled. Emit’s dagger plunged into the wooden walkway. The captain felt the sharpness of its blade.
The captain got to his feet. Emit, dagger in hand, and a fearless rage in his eyes, went for the Captain again. The captain elbowed him in the gut, knocked him in the face with the hilt of his dagger, and pushed him over the railing onto the main deck.
Captain fired his pistol, but the cap had gotten wet.
Dylc and crew-Zac Tuenale rushed the opposite side of the bridge. Alarmed, Dylc took hold the wheel, realizing it was locked in place. He quickly freed it. But it didn’t do much good. They weren’t going anywhere, and the ship was sinking. “The Captain’s over here. He needs help!” Dylc dashed out the door and took hold the captain.
“The ship’s sinking!” someone cried.
Confusion and fright swept over each and every Zac on board as they made ready the lifeboats to abandon ship. Rain beat against Tuenale’s dark silverish-blue, rough-looking face as he shouted, “There’s no land out this way for at least another day on the sea!” He felt fear not only for his own life, but for everyone else as well.
The Dagger-Key and The Lost Treasures of Kebadon Page 7
