The Wolf On The Run (The Wolf of Corwick Castle Book 3)

by Terry Cloutier

  “It’s a long story,” I said. “The Cardians?”

  “All dead but one,” Jebido replied. “Malo is talking with the bastard right now.”

  I grimaced, remembering the talk the House Agent had with the two men we’d caught up with several days ago. They had eventually told us Rorian was heading for the cove after some none-too-gentle prodding from Malo and his short sword.

  “Everyone all right?” I asked. I tried to guide Sabina toward the shore again, but she just held me tighter and shook her head stubbornly. I thought about pushing her away, but I wasn’t willing to chance her anger a second time after what had happened on the clifftop. This slight girl, I’d learned, did not react well to rejection.

  “Fine,” Jebido answered. “Sim and Putt are banged up a bit, but nothing too serious.”

  I nodded, relieved as I lifted Sabina’s chin. She had a bruise on her forehead and her scalp showed blood where a chunk of hair was missing. I noticed her face was deathly pale and her lips were turning blue as she shivered in my arms.

  “We need to get you out of the water,” I said, this time a little more forcefully. Sabina turned reluctantly as I put an arm around her waist, supporting her as we headed for the shore. “You were very brave,” I told her. Sabina smiled wearily and put her head on my shoulder. I’d never met anyone, I realized, who could be so strong-minded one moment, and then utterly vulnerable the next. “Pretending to drown was a brilliant idea,” I added. “What made you think of it?”

  “It wasn’t my idea,” Sabina said as we reached the shore. She smiled gratefully at Jebido as he helped her out of the water. “It was the seas.” She saw the confused look on my face. “That first wave actually caught me completely by surprise. I didn’t have much of a plan after getting to the ship, so I just decided to go along with it and see what happened.”

  I grinned, shaking my head as Malo strode stiffly toward us.

  “We need to talk,” the House Agent said gruffly. He motioned for me to follow him as he headed up the beach.

  I sighed, shrugging at Baine and Jebido as I trailed after him. Malo stopped between the bonfires with his arms crossed over his chest. The driftwood the Cardians had used to make the fires cracked, popped, and sizzled as I halted in front of him. I put out my hands, warming them over the flames.

  “So?” I finally asked. “What is it now?”

  “The Cardians were waiting for the men who escaped from Springlight with Rorian,” Malo said. “After that, they were heading back to Cardia. That’s why they stayed behind.”

  “Ah,” I said with a shrug. “I thought they needed the tide to free the ship.”

  “That too, I suppose,” Malo agreed, looking distracted.

  I could see something in the House Agent’s eyes. A wariness I had only seen before when he was about to give me bad news.

  “But that’s not what you called me over here to tell me, is it?” I said.

  Malo shook his head. “No, it isn’t. I know where Rorian is heading now.” He paused. “But you are not going to like it.”

  I felt my face tighten. “Tell me,” I growled.

  “Hadrack, they are going to Calban.”

  I stared at Malo in disbelief. What possible reason could the scholar have to go to Calban? I thought of Shana and I shook my head. There had to be some mistake. Shana hated Cardians more than I did after what they had done. I knew that she would never allow them back within her walls.

  “The man wasn’t lying,” Malo said. “Just in case that’s what you are thinking. I don’t like it any more than you do, but trust me, Rorian is sailing for Calban.”

  “But it doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “Why would he go there of all places?”

  “I don’t know,” Malo muttered. “The Cardian died before he could tell me.” He flicked his eyes to the hulking boat behind me. “But if we hurry, we can catch the bastard before he even gets near the place.”

  8: Sea-Dragon

  The Cardian ship was called Sea-Dragon, which I have to say, was a fitting name for her. She had appeared ugly and ungainly while trapped on the beach. But, once the tide lifted the boat from her bonds and we guided her into deeper waters, Sea-Dragon cut through the rolling waves with an effortlessness that bellied my first impressions. I thought of the gannets that I’d observed back at the cove, seeing a marked similarity between the plump seabirds and the hulking ship. Both appeared awkward and clumsy-looking at first glance. But put them in their element, and they miraculously transformed into something graceful and powerful.

  Fortunately for us, Putt had been the son of a fisherman before he’d fled his father’s beatings, so he had a rudimentary knowledge of sailing. Since no one else had the slightest idea how to sail Sea-Dragon properly, Putt was duly elected captain by process of elimination. I found it rather comical to watch the red-haired outlaw as he strutted back and forth on the stern deck, puffing out his chest and barking orders. As it turned out, Baine had a deft hand on the rudder, so he was nominated pilot, while the rest of us became deckhands beneath Putt’s disapproving eyes.

  Sea-Dragon had a single, large square sail, which had a surprising amount of ropes and lines attached to it that all had to work in unison to function correctly. None of us had ever heard of a halyard, buntline, or clewline before, but we slowly learned under Putt’s scornful tutelage. At one point, our new captain and Tyris came close to blows and I’d been forced to step in before knives were drawn. I pulled Putt aside after that and reminded him rather forcefully that he served at my pleasure, not the other way around. Putt had been more respectful once I’d had my say, though he still tended to speak a little too harshly when someone didn’t understand what he wanted.

  The ship had been designed to be either a warship or a trading vessel, depending upon the need. Putt told me she was called a cog, a new breed of boats that was becoming more popular. The fore and aft platforms—called castles—were protected by thick walls where archers could rake arrows down on smaller vessels. She had a long and roomy hold that smelled of rat shit, mold, and piss, and her lower deck had enough space to carry perhaps as many as ten horses. Since we couldn’t bring our mounts down the cliff to the ship, I left Sim behind with instructions to guide the horses back to Halhaven, where he was to inform Daughter Gernet of the turn of events and then wait to hear from us. Malo and I had agreed we would worry about how we’d get back to Halhaven later once we dealt with Rorian.

  I’d ordered Sabina to go with Sim as well, but the girl had her own ideas about that. Her father was out there somewhere and she was going after him, and no amount of arguing from me or anyone else would change her mind. I’d briefly considered leaving her behind anyway, but after everything she had done for us, I realized she deserved to come along. If it were my father on that Cardian boat, nothing would stop me from following him either.

  We had been sailing beneath a moonless sky for more than three hours, and the sea ahead was almost as black as my mood. I stood alone on the forecastle with my legs braced against the wind as it tore at my hair and clothing. A small patch of churning water lit by a lantern hanging from the bowsprit was all I could see as I scanned the darkened skyline. It had taken a lot of time for us to figure out how to get Sea-Dragon out to sea and running beneath the wind, despite Putt’s knowledge and instructions. Time that had allowed our quarry to get even farther ahead. I knew we wouldn’t be able to catch up to them tonight, yet a part of me hoped that I was wrong. I was unusually tense and irritable and I needed to vent my frustration out on something. I couldn’t think of anything better than giving Wolf’s Head some Cardian blood to taste.

  I turned as a noise sounded behind me, groaning as Jebido climbed up the wooden ladder to the platform. My friend’s silver hair snapped wildly around his head as he shuffled unsteadily toward me, fighting against the pitch of the ship. I nodded to him in greeting, trying to keep the annoyance I felt at having my solitude broken from showing on my face.

  “I think Putt is enjo
ying his new position in life a little too much,” Jebido said as he came to stand beside me.

  “I’ve already spoken to him about it,” I replied, trying to keep the irritation from my voice.

  “Uh-huh,” Jebido muttered, looking unconvinced. “That you did. But the man has a thick skull, Hadrack. It might take a few more words, this time with a little more meat on them to get through to him.”

  “I’ll take care of it when I go back down,” I grunted. “If Putt gets on your nerves before then, you can always toss him overboard.”

  Jebido smiled wistfully. “Don’t tempt me.” Sea-Dragon crested a large wave and her deck rolled beneath our feet as Jebido clutched awkwardly at the gunwale. He looked nervously over the side of the hull. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to sail at night?”

  I flicked my eyes at him, surprised by the slight quiver in his voice. “Why wouldn’t it be?” I asked.

  Jebido grimaced. “What if we hit a rock or something?”

  “Then we sink,” I said with a disinterested shrug. “If that’s The Mother’s plan for us, then so be it. I’m tired of worrying about things that I can’t control.”

  I hadn’t been able to keep the edge from my voice this time and Jebido pursed his lips thoughtfully while he studied me. I turned back to the sea to escape his probing gaze.

  “Is everything all right, Hadrack?” Jebido asked.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “I don’t know,” Jebido said. “You seem upset.”

  I took a deep breath, staring down into the water. Jebido was my friend and a man that I had looked up to my entire life. I’d never held anything back from him before, but I couldn’t tell him how conflicted I felt right now. We were racing across a darkened sea—chasing after a man that had been nothing but bad news since I’d had the misfortune to hear his name. That man was sailing directly toward the woman I loved for reasons that I couldn’t even imagine, while we followed after him with a girl that I barely knew, yet couldn’t stop myself from thinking about. I’d tried all night to picture Shana’s face the last time I’d seen her, but every time I did, Sabina’s pale features and green eyes would appear instead. I knew it was ridiculous, but I couldn’t help but feel that I was betraying Shana somehow with my thoughts.

  “It’s the girl that’s bothering you, isn’t it?” Jebido said.

  I sighed and turned to face him. Jebido had an uncanny way of getting right to the heart of the matter. It was quite frustrating, actually. I decided before this went any further, that I would try to throw him off the scent. “Yes,” I replied. “I can’t wrap my head around why Rorian is heading for Calban. I’m worried about Shana.”

  Jebido nodded in agreement. “I know, so am I.” He frowned. “But that’s not the girl I’m talking about, and you know it.” I looked down at the deck as Jebido put his hand on my shoulder. “Want some friendly advice, lad?” he asked. I didn’t answer, knowing that it wouldn’t matter one way or the other what I said. I was getting Jebido’s advice whether I wanted it or not. “You are a young man, Hadrack, with a lot of life ahead of you.”

  “How is that advice?” I grunted.

  Jebido shrugged. “I’m just trying to say that you shouldn’t beat yourself up for enjoying being around a pretty girl. There are very few things in life that can give a man pleasure. Pretty women are one of them, so why not enjoy yourself?” He looked to where Sabina sat on one of the benches below us. “The Mother knows if I were twenty years younger, I’d be sniffing around her too.”

  “I’m not sniffing around her!” I protested, perhaps a little too loudly.

  “Maybe not,” Jebido said with a wink. “But trust me, that girl sure is sniffing around you.” He sighed and shook his head. “You have been through a lot already, Hadrack, but you’re still naïve about things sometimes.”

  “Honor isn’t naïve,” I muttered as I turned away from him and leaned on the railing.

  “Honor?” Jebido repeated in mock surprise. “Who said anything about that? I’ve never met a man with more honor than you. All I’m saying is you and Sabina are both young right now. But I have a little secret for you. Despite what you believe, that won’t last forever. My advice is to take advantage of that youth while you still can. No one would blame or judge you for having a little fun.”

  I didn’t reply. Instead, I stared moodily out at the water as I thought about what Jebido had just said. I was shocked by my friend’s surprising views on my problem. I knew he cared deeply for Shana and his almost callous words seemed very out of character. I glanced over at him. “So, you are telling me I should just go and rut with Sabina and not worry about the consequences?” I shook my head in disgust. “You sound like a Pith.”

  “Fine, let’s try to come at this another way,” Jebido said, ignoring my jibe. “What did you and Lady Shana talk about the last time you were together?”

  “What?” I asked, caught off-guard. Jebido just stared at me, waiting. “I don’t know,” I finally said. “That was months ago.”

  “And yet,” Jebido said with a chuckle, “I’d wager she could recite everything you spoke about word for word. Women are like that.”

  I sighed. “Do you have a point, Jebido?” I asked. “Because if you don’t get to it soon, I’m the one who will be jumping overboard.”

  “The point, Hadrack,” Jebido said, clapping me on the back soundly. “Is during all the time the two of you spent together, did you ever promise her you would be celibate?”

  I gaped at him, astounded that he could even ask such a thing. “What kind of question is that?” I demanded.

  “The kind that requires an answer.”

  I hesitated. It had never even occurred to me to make such a promise. Why would it? A part of my brain—the part that I’d been fighting all night—gleefully latched onto Jebido’s words, using it to justify what I had been thinking about Sabina.

  “That’s what I thought,” Jebido said at the look on my face. “So, why the guilt then? You have done nothing wrong, and even if you choose to lay with Sabina, you’re not married or even betrothed to Lady Shana. So, where is the problem?” I took a deep breath, not answering. Jebido turned me toward the ladder. “Go sleep on it. I’m sure you will see things clearer in the morning. I’ll take the rest of the watch.”

  I hesitated. If I stayed where I was, I knew Jebido would just keep talking about this all night long.

  “I’ll go,” I finally said. “But make sure you come and get me in a few hours.”

  “I’ll do that,” Jebido agreed.

  Even though our talk had accomplished nothing useful in my opinion, my black mood had lifted somewhat. I paused halfway down the ladder and glanced back at Jebido, who was gingerly rubbing the scabbed-over burn that dominated the tip of his nose.

  “Picking at that thing won’t make it any smaller,” I said with a wry grin.

  Jebido snatched his hand away from his nose guiltily and grimaced at me. “Very funny.”

  Jebido didn’t awaken me like I’d asked, and it wasn’t until the first rays of sunlight started to sneak over the gunwale and tickle my face that I finally awoke. I stared up at the sky—which was already a bright blue and clear of cloud cover. I could hear the harsh calls of seabirds as they circled high above the ship as I slowly sat up and scratched at my scalp. Niko was sleeping soundly on his side near me, snoring softly with an empty bottle tucked into his chest. I had no idea where he’d gotten the wine, but I knew I would have to put a stop to it right away. Niko was a good-natured, likable fellow, but put enough drink in him and he would turn black and dangerous in the blink of an eye.

  I could see Malo and Putt moving around up on the sterncastle, while Baine stood with his back to me near the rudder, staring down into the sea. I glanced at the bow, where Jebido and Sabina stood together on the forecastle talking. I felt a moment of anxiety, afraid my friend might be telling her of our conversation the previous night. I heard Sabina’s musical laughter as it drifted down to me and I
relaxed, realizing Jebido would never break that confidence.

  I stood and pissed into the sea, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight on my face as I relieved myself. The eastern skies were still showing a hint of pink, which promised a beautiful day ahead. Niko muttered something unintelligible in his sleep behind me and I glanced down at him. The young outlaw scratched at his scraggly beard, releasing the empty bottle, which rattled noisily away across the deck. He grumbled fitfully, then turned onto his back and opened his eyes, blinking up at me.

  “Morning,” I said cheerfully.

  I felt surprisingly well-rested and as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The whispers of desire that had plagued me since I’d met Sabina had finally been silenced, banished somehow during my sleep. I looked up at Jebido and said a silent word of gratitude toward him. It had felt like my friend was pushing me toward Sabina last night. But, by pointing me in that direction so obviously, he’d actually turned me away from it. Which I suspected had been his intent all along. From now on, I resolved, I would keep Sabina at arms length. We would still be friends, of course, but nothing more than that.

  “Good morning, my lord,” Niko said as he sat up. He yawned and stretched his arms, then blinked up at the sky. “Not much of a wind,” he muttered.

  I glanced up at the slack sail in surprise. I hadn’t noticed, but Niko was right. We were barely moving at all.

  “My lord!” I heard from above. I shielded my eyes and craned my neck to see Tyris balancing on a small wooden platform near the top of the mast. He held onto the tip of the pole with one hand and pointed to the north. “I see sails ahead!” He held up a pair of fingers. “Two of them!”

  I stared in the direction the blond archer had pointed, but saw nothing other than rolling waves and blue sky. I headed for the sterncastle at a run, climbing the ladder two rungs at a time. Malo was waiting for me when I reached the top.

  “Is it them?” I asked eagerly.