There was also no sign of the sailors that used the boats to come to shore, which worried Kai a great deal. He decided to investigate the boats for clues to their identity. With any luck, they would be friendly and were just there to rescue him.
Kai chuckled. He was not that lucky.
He stayed low and used whatever he could for cover as he crossed the beach toward the boats. As he got closer, though, he saw something strange. Is the air shimmering? he thought to himself. The closer he got, the better he could see the phenomenon.
“That is something,” he said aloud to himself. “What in the world would make the air shine like that?”
“It is a dragon-hunting camouflage dome. Latest thing from the Sacred Blood. It’s not so good up close but from far away it works like a charm,” a deep voice said from somewhere close by.
Kai jumped and was instantly filled with dread as his mind flashed back to his last encounter with the Sacred Blood. They were the one’s responsible for Raven’s disappearance. They also used powerful illusion magic which filled Kai with even more fear. Whatever this was seemed very much like the magic the Brotherhood used when they attacked the Tower at Mara but not as powerful or elegant.
“Who are you?” he asked as he pulled his sword from its sheath. “Where are you?”
“Turn it off,” the commanding voice said.
The shimmer grew brighter until it was so bright Kai could not stand to keep his eyes open any longer. When he saw the light fade through his eyelids, he opened his eyes to find a whole crew of sailors surrounding him. The wolfhounds sat behind the group of men, staring intently at him.
One man stepped forward. He was a tall man, with a muscular frame. A thick, blond beard covered his face and hung nearly as long as the braid of long, blond hair that was tied at the back of his head. The man had the aura of a warrior, which Kai knew very well.
“Who are you?” Kai asked again.
“I am Captain Jeremiah Paeleon. And, these fine gentlemen are the crew of my ship, The Scarlet Shade.” The captain bowed as he would to another noble but Kai knew there was nothing noble about this man.
“I have heard of your ship,” Kai said, recalling bar room tales. “They say it is crewed by foul monsters who were once foul men, destined to the cruel fate of eternal servitude upon a ghost ship for their crime of consuming the flesh of their own.”
The captain threw his head back in laughter which was quickly joined by the dozens of men around him.
“That sure does sound terrifying,” Captain Paeleon said when his laughter abated. “What do you think, boys, are you a bunch of foul monsters?”
The crew of the Scarlet Shade erupted in shouts of agreement. Captain Paeleon locked eyes with Kai and gave him a wide, toothy smile.
“Seems you are correct,” the captain said as he gave Kai a wink. He turned around and shouted, “We’re done here. Pack him up. Let’s go.”
Kai was grabbed and roughly stripped of his weapons before being bound and thrown into one of the boats. He lay helpless on the floor of the boat as the crew assisted the wolfhounds onto the boats. One animal per boat was all the vessels could handle along with a half-complement of crew members. Thankfully, he was not also in a boat that carried a beast. It did not escape him that less than an hour ago those very animals had him pinned down and would have eaten him if given the chance.
At least I am not going to die on this wretched island, he thought. He struggled at first, hoping to escape the bonds and flee but soon realized they were saving him. He decided to not resist and hopefully enjoy some long-forgotten comforts instead of being beaten for insolence.
After a few long moments, the sailors pushed the boat out into the water and loaded in. There were twenty crew members and nineteen of them gave Kai a kick as they walked by. They were careful not to damage him too severely but he did end up with swollen eyes, sore ribs, and a bleeding nose.
The one sailor that did not partake in the beating sat closest to him. Kai could not see his face but he could the man was set to guard him while the others paddled.
“You are in a whole lot of trouble,” the sailor said quietly as the boat left the island.
Kai knew the man was right but what was more startling was that he recognized the sailor’s voice.
15
“I don’t do well on the sea,” Kai said as he was being led below the deck of a massive ship known as the Scarlet Shade.
The ship was one of the biggest that Kai had ever seen in his life. The hull of the ship was stained black as many pirate vessels were. It helped hide them at night. The three massive sails were a field of deep scarlet red, meant to symbolize that death was coming.
“Not used to the waves? Pretty common with you landlubbers,” Captain Paeleon said as he followed the crew members that were escorting Kai through the ship. They brought him to a small but comfortable looking room. The crewmen pushed him in and the captain walked in behind. “You are probably wondering what is going on? Who we are? Why we came to find you? All valid questions. I will answer them all. You deserve at least that. Plus, I must admit, that I am curious to speak with you. You will have dinner with me tonight. Until then, get yourself cleaned up. We have a wash tub on board and I will have someone get you some fresh clothes. You are a captive but you don’t have to be treated like a prisoner. That choice is up to you. The brig is not as comfortable as this room is.”
The captain flashed a smile and gave Kai a wink. “Here, drink this,” he said, handing Kai a small vial of clear liquid. “It will take away your seasickness. Don’t worry. It’s not poison. I would have left you on the beach if I was going to kill you.”
Kai accepted the vial and sat on the small bed. It was comfortable. He had forgotten how soft a bed actually was. He tipped the liquid into his mouth and swallowed.
“I will not cause any problems,” he said, giving the captain a reassuring nod. “You have my word.”
“Glad to hear it,” Paeleon said, smacking his open hand on the door frame. “I will you see you later, then.”
The captain shut the door behind him as he left the room but Kai did not hear the click of a lock. Kai thought for a moment that he should check the door to see if that was a possible escape route but he suppressed the urge and lay back on the soft mattress. He was just too tired. He would follow the captain’s instructions and wait for the right time.
He was just beginning to doze off when the door of the room open and a crewman entered.
“I was just about asleep,” Kai said, without opening his eyes.
“I came to bring you to the bath,” the crewman said.
It was the voice from earlier.
The one he recognized.
Kai’s eye’s shot open and he quickly sat up. Standing before him was a man dressed as any traditional seaman would with his long dark hair tied behind his head and a thick but trimmed beard. He knew those eyes.
“Aarav,” Kai said loudly. “What in the …”
“Aye. Keep your voice down or you’ll give us away.” The man quickly shut the door and drew closer to Kai.
“How did you find me? How did you even know I was there?” Kai felt tears of joy welling up in his eyes as hope rushed back into his heart. Aarav Graham was a captain of his Daxrah back home at Mara.
“Woah. Slow down. Just relax for now. I will fill you in later but for now you must play along. Don’t cause any problems and I will get you out of this,” Aarav said, putting his hand on Kai’s shoulder to reassure him. “Now, quickly, I will take you to the wash tub. Remember, play along.”
Kai nodded and followed Aarav through the ship to the lowest deck to the kitchens where there was a wash bin large enough for a man. The water was heated by a large oven.
There were only a few crewmen in the room, performing tasks, but Kai would not have cared if the whole crew was there watching him. He stripped down and plunged himself into the warm bath. Aarav gave him a straight razor and a mirror to deal with his beard which Kai
was more than grateful to strip from his face. Aarav then gave his hair a trim. It sat much longer than he was used to but at least he did not look like an animal any longer.
Freshly bathed with a set of clean clothes, Kai felt like a new man. That thought was reaffirmed when he looked in the mirror and the man who looked back at him was thinner and more lined than the man he remembered seeing. It was almost like looking at a stranger.
“The captain will be ready for you shortly,” Aarav said.
Kai ran his hands through his damp hair and tucked the long ends behind his ears. “What should I expect?” he asked.
“He won’t lie to you. Accept what he says but know that I will not let any of it happen,” Aarav said, then he leaned in to whisper into Kai’s ear. “When we reach port, we will escape.”
Kai nodded and followed Aarav to the captain’s cabin.
“Enter,” was the response to Aarav’s knock. He pushed the door open and held it for Kai to enter.
The cabin was a large room, split into two sections. The back half of the room contained the usual contents of a bedroom while the front section contained a large desk cluttered with scrolls and maps and a large assortment of weapons hung on the walls. There was a large table in the center of the front section that was set for two.
What really stood out to Kai was how lavish everything was. Kai could not remember any time in his life when he saw so many rich objects in one place.
“Are you impressed by my baubles?” Paeleon asked, handing Kai a crystal cup filled with a dark amber liquid.
Kai remained silent as he accepted the cup. He sniffed the contents but did not take a sip.
“Whiskey,” Paeleon said as he took a swig of his own cup.
“I know. I am not much of a drinker,” Kai said, placing the cup on the table. “Gracious of you, though. And, I must thank you for the remedy for seasickness. We’ve been on the ocean for a few hours and I have not felt even the slightest bit upset.”
Paeleon laughed. “Yes, well, travelling the world has certain benefits, such as access to exotic potions,” he said. The smile disappeared from his face as he continued. “You do offend me, though, by refusing my offer. That is some of the rarest and most expensive liquor in this world. Some men would give their life to have even just a single drop touch their tongue.”
Kai contemplated picking the glass back up but quickly let the thought out of his mind.
“My apologies but I just can’t. A ghost from my past.”
“Ah, well, we all have those, don’t we?” Paeleon said, the smile returning to his face. “I will forgive you, but just this once. Please sit.”
Kai was impressed by the captain. He had a certain swagger, he thought to himself as he sat at the offered chair, the setting to the left of the captain.
Captain Jeremiah Paeleon was a roughly the same height as Kai but outweighed him by a great deal, thanks to the lean diet he had while he was on the island. Kai could tell the captain was a man who worked on his ship, or at least worked his muscles to the bulging mass they were. He wore a fine linen shirt, open around the neck to show a thick gold chain, and soft leather leggings. His boots were plainly the finest money could buy, with thick, silver buckles.
“Are you hungry? Or are you planning on refusing my food as well?”
“I am famished,” Kai said, his mouth suddenly watering with the prospect of something other than fruit or wild vegetables.
“Fantastic. It should be here any moment,” Paeleon said as he settled into the high-backed chair. “So, how long were you on the island for?”
“Months, I think.”
“That bastard, Browe, just left you there, eh? He’s kicking himself now, let me tell you.” Paeleon laughed and slapped the table.
Kai was confused. “Why?”
“Of course, you don’t know. Word got out that the Commander of the Dragon Princess’ army was looking for passage to Evresh. The Sacred Blood put out a bounty on you when they heard. They will pay more for you alive, so that’s why you are sitting here and not in a box in the hold.” Paeleon chuckled to himself and took a swig from his cup before continuing. “Browe came into port at Bridgewater at the same time I was there on some business. We are old friends and we met up for a night of drinking. He told me the story of how he left you on Berris Island because his boys wanted to chase a jewel ship. Well, I tell you, I laughed right in his face and left the bar immediately. He had not heard about the bounty yet so I needed to get a head start. You are one valuable man, my friend.”
Kai was shocked by the information he had just received. A bounty?
“How much?” he asked.
“Not money. Weapons,” Paeleon said. “Anything I want. For life. I could weaponize an entire army, should I so choose. It is a priceless reward, one a clever man would not pass up.”
Why am I worth so much to them? Kai wondered.
The door opened and a pair of crewman entered carrying two platters. They set them down on the table and exited the room.
Kai looked at the massive platter in front of him. There were potatoes, roasted and spiced, with thick slabs of meat covered in a dark gravy. Kai could not believe how amazing the smell was. His mouth watered even more profusely than before.
“Go ahead. Dig in,” Paeleon said.
Kai grabbed the utensils and went to work on the platter. The two men ate in silence as Kai would have been unable to converse with his mouth as stuffed as it was.
Paeleon finished first with still half his food remaining. He threw his napkin on the platter and sat back in the chair to watch Kai continue to plow through the massive portion.
“We are taking you to Evresh. I sent word immediately to the Brotherhood when I learned of your location and they have agreed to meet us there to pick you up. We should be pulling into the Tri about this time tomorrow,” Paeleon said as he sipped from the cup of whiskey Kai had refused. “So, this could be your last good meal. You seem to be enjoying it.”
Kai paused for a moment as what the captain said sunk in but then continued to eat in silence.
“That’s fine. I don’t mind listening to my own voice,” Paeleon said with a chuckle. “I would like to hear about your time on the island when you are finished though. So, anyway, we set sail immediately and sure enough you were exactly where Browe said you would be. It was quite the surprise though to find you had gone wandering around the island. Didn’t anyone tell you not to do that? There are things that live on the island that would make one pray for death. Mostly they are contained to the center of the island. You probably saw there was no way to access the center of the island?”
Kai nodded.
“Well, they say there is a legend that the gods came down and sheered the cliffs to prevent whatever was up there from escaping. No one really knows for sure, mind you, but there are stories of strange happenings on that place. It is used as a prison, in case you were wondering. There are many similar islands around the Grim Isles. A fellow can survive if he’s smart but there is no escape. Pirates use them usually for mutinied captains. From what Browe told me, it was either you or him staying on that island. You got lucky, if you ask me. They could have just killed you.”
“Finnely,” Kai said with his mouth stuffed with potatoes.
“Ah, yes. Of course. Finnely would, wouldn’t he. Well, you survived. I can’t say for how much longer but I am willing to let you have some comfort before you find out. I am not a monster, no matter what anyone says about me.” Paeleon laughed at that. He took another sip from the cup and sat silently as Kai finished his food.
“Do you know why they want me?” Kai asked as he pushed the empty platter away and belched loudly. “Excuse me.”
“I’m sure they have their reasons. Rumor has it they have new leadership, which is very possible because they seem to be a lot more active lately. Quite the operation that bunch has going on, let me tell you.”
Now Kai had food in his stomach he was beginning to feel a little more cle
ar-headed. He sat back in the chair and met Paeleon’s gaze.
“So, what would you like to know about the island?” he asked.
For the next few hours, Kai and Paeleon talked about Kai’s experiences on the island. He would tell a story and Paeleon would ask questions which would lead to another story. Kai felt the tension he felt about the island begin to slowly melt away as he spoke. He realized what he had endured could have been so much worse and speaking with the captain helped him understand.
Finally, the captain stood and stretched his back. “Well, I must say I am pleasantly surprised by your company this evening. It was most entertaining. I hope you sleep well. Another vial of the remedy, just in case,” Paeleon said, handing Kai a small vial.
“Thank you,” Kai said, tucking the vial into a belt pouch. “Good night to you, Captain.”
Kai was led back to his room by a crew member he had not seen before.
“Is Aarav around?” he asked as they got to the room.
“He’s on deck duty.”
Kai settled into the bed. He planned on working out his options for escape but as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out.
He woke to find sun streaming in through a small, circular window directly onto his face. He slowly lifted his head and looked around the room but nothing was out of place. He lay his head back down and thought about the night before.
After a short while the door opened and Aarav stuck his head in the room. “You awake? Good. Get up. Captain wants you up on deck.”
Kai nodded and pulled himself out of the bed. He washed his face in a basin of water Aarav brought for him and made his way to the upper deck unescorted.
“Ah, good. You’re here,” Paeleon said as Kai approached. “How’s the seasickness?”
“Haven’t had to use the second vial yet,” Kai said. He looked out over the wide, open ocean. The sun was shining brightly overhead and there was not a cloud in the sky. Ahead in the far distance, Kai could make out land. “Is that Evresh?”
“Yes, it is.” Paeleon followed his gaze and nodded. “We will arrive at the Tri-ports before sundown. I thought this would be a fantastic time for us to have another conversation. I trust you slept well?”
Dragon Flight: Sisera's Gift 3 (Dragonblood Sagas Book 5) Page 11
