Pirate's Promise

by Chris A. Jackson

  "I want each of you to think about this tonight." Torius downed his rum and stood. "We sail for Okeno on the morning tide, and if you're not okay with this, I need to know."

  "Don't need to think about it." Snick bounced up from her seat with a big grin. "Screwing over a bunch of slavers for money? What could be more fun than that?"

  "I don't have any problems with a slight increase in risk for hugely increased profits." Thillion rose, finished his wine, and smiled at his captain. "Thank you for telling us, Captain. I knew there had to be more going on than just a sudden urge to be a privateer. All the pieces of the puzzle now fit together nicely, and our place among them is clear."

  "Thank you, Thillion." Torius nodded to Thillion and Snick. "You two go on. I trust you to keep this on the sly. As far as the rest of the crew's concerned, we're privateers, and that's all."

  "Aye, sir." The two saluted and left the cabin.

  Torius looked to Grogul, but the half-orc just sat there, unmoving and silent, staring at the gems. Torius slid into the seat across from him and poured another measure of rum into their glasses. Grogul ignored his rum and stared at the pile of sapphires, his heavy brow furrowed. Torius endured the silence a while longer, then finally spoke.

  "What's eating you, Grogul?"

  The bosun's eyes snapped up to his, then turned away to stare out the stern windows. "Dunno, sir. Just seems like we're in over our heads on this one. I been fightin' my whole life. Never needed a reason. It's just what I'm good at. But this just seems ...I dunno ...bigger than me."

  "It's bigger than all of us, Grogul. What's wrong with being part of something bigger than ourselves? Something important."

  "Nothin', I guess, but this ain't my fight."

  "Neither were the dozens of other scraps I've put us in the middle of. Why is this different?"

  "It's different 'cause this time we wouldn't be fightin' for us. We'd be fightin' for them." He jerked his head toward the stern windows, beyond which glittered the lights of Almas. "A bunch of stuffed shirts with high ideals and no more sense than an ogre in an alehouse."

  Torius let that statement hang for a moment before he asked, "You remember the day we met, Grogul?"

  "Aye, sir. I remember." Grogul's eyes drifted back to the pile of gems on the table. "And I owe you more'n I can ever pay back for what you did for me."

  "You don't owe me anything, Grogul. That's not what I'm getting at." Torius took a breath and gritted his teeth against the tirade that wanted to escape. He couldn't—wouldn't—try to force Grogul's loyalty. Torius valued his friendship more than that. Grogul had to make his own decision, but that didn't mean Torius couldn't try to nudge his thoughts along the right track. "You've felt the lash, the chains around your wrists. You know what it is to be a slave. Isn't that worth fighting against?"

  "It is, and that's not why I'm not feelin' right about this. It's these damned Andorens! The way they think, the way they look at us." Grogul tossed back his rum and growled deep in his chest. "They're so convinced they're right, they'll sacrifice anything to make things the way they think they ought to be. That includes us. There's no loyalty in them."

  Torius nodded. "I wouldn't trust the Gray Corsairs with my back, but Admiral Weathers seemed to be different. I wish you'd met her, Grogul. I can't try to convince you, but I think she'll do right by us."

  "For the privateerin', maybe, but what about the spyin'? Are you ready to trust Vreva again?"

  "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Torius shrugged, finished his rum, and stood. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, Grogul. You have to make your own decision, but make it for the right reasons—your own reasons, not mine."

  "All right, sir." Grogul stood and started for the door, but with his hand on the latch, he turned back. "What are you gonna tell Celeste?"

  "The truth." Torius quirked a smile. "I have little doubt that Celeste will be willing to wage open war against slavers."

  "And if she says no?"

  "She won't." Torius was more positive about that than he was about anything else in this entire deal.

  "Aye." Grogul nodded and opened the door, then turned back once more. "But will she go along with it because she wants to, or because she loves you?"

  "Both, I hope."

  "Aye." Grogul scowled and nodded. "I gotta think on this some, sir, but I'll let you know when we get to Katapesh."

  "Fair enough."

  "G'nite, sir."

  "Goodnight, Grogul." The door closed, and Torius looked around the empty cabin, feeling more alone than he had in years. "Celeste ..." Gazing out through the skylight at the dim stars overhead, he imagined her happily staring at the same stars over the Observatory, and missed her more than anything.

  Chapter Seventeen

  A Lover's Message

  Celeste never thought she would be so happy to see the towering stone walls of Katapesh. The long, sweltering trip from the Observatory had left her exhausted and nerve-wracked. She had slept fitfully, plagued by dreams in which she was bound in chains until she submitted to Astrus, only to wake writhing with the memory of his intoxicating essence.

  The elaborate carving above the Serpent Gate greeted Celeste like a long-lost relative. The city guard eyed the Dog Roller skeptically, but let them pass without interference. Katapesh was, if anything, a city open to trade. Celeste directed them past the two looming statues that girded the river, and south along the avenue to cross the Two Penny Bridge. She found the crowds and noise unsettling after the deep silence of the desert, and wondered if she would have difficulty reacquainting herself with Stargazer.

  "I think we all deserve a little luxury," she declared as she called them to a halt.

  "At Zandrek's Pesh Palace?" Dukkol raised one bushy eyebrow as he eyed the domed building to their right, its burnished bronze colonnade gleaming in the sun.

  "Certainly not! I mean at a decent inn. One with baths." Her announcement elicited weary enthusiasm, and jests about which smelled worse, the pirates or their camels. "Lacy, ride down to the docks and see if Stargazer is in port. If she is, bid the good captain come and join us. I'll send someone to meet you at the Night Gate to guide you back to wherever we decide to stay."

  "Aye, ma'am." Lacy applied her quirt, and her camel trotted off.

  Celeste turned the rest of the caravan north along the lane toward the Golden Oasis. The oasis served as a haven for travelers and pilgrims who came to sit by the fabled waters and commune with the gods. Numerous inns lined the palm-shaded lane, each sporting a unique, colorful façade.

  "I don't know which—"

  "Your pardon, Miss Celeste, but that one's the finest you'll find for the price."

  She looked at Eutep with mild surprise, and glanced at the stately inn. "You know it?"

  "Quite well, ma'am." His sunburned features stretched into a smile, and Celeste noticed that his withdrawals were easing already. "They cater to caravans, and there are no rats."

  "Very well. Dukkol, that one."

  "Aye, ma'am." The dwarf guided the wagon up a wide drive. When they stopped, a veritable swarm of slaves hurried forward to take the reins of their tired animals.

  "Welcome, gracious lady!" A tall fellow in dazzling white robes approached and bowed. His almond-shaped eyes hinted at mixed elven heritage, and Celeste would have bet that his turban covered long, pointed ears. "I am Shiel. How may our humble caravanserai serve you today?"

  Humble was too modest a descriptor for the inn, with its palm-lined drive, spotless flagstones, and gleaming white pillars, but a little luxury after so long in the desert would be welcome.

  "I require a suite of rooms for myself and my entourage, for tonight at the least, perhaps longer. We're supposed to be meeting a ship to continue our journey, but I don't know if it's arrived yet."

  "The Desert Rose will be happy to accommodate you for as long as you desire, Lady ..." He arched a slim eyebrow.

  "Celeste."

  "Lady Celeste, I am at your service." Shiel bowed agai
n, then held out his hand to help her descend from the wagon.

  Celeste cursed silently. She hadn't thought he would offer to take her hand, and she couldn't cast her transformation spell without giving him a real surprise, since she had neglected to don clothes. She manipulated her illusion hesitantly, her mind racing for a solution.

  Rescue came from an unexpected quarter.

  "Please, sir!" Eutep stepped in front of the elf. "My lady is a priestess of Karafadiki, the Burning One! Only those cleansed in the holy fires may touch her!"

  "Ah! Of course." The elf bowed and backed away. "My apologies."

  "You couldn't have known. Thank you, Eutep." She manipulated her illusion to take Eutep's hand and descended. He had come a long way in the last few days. As his withdrawal symptoms subsided, he had made every effort to work hard, even learning a bit of swordplay. "Thank you, Shiel. As you can see, I have my own retainers, so I won't require help from the inn's ...personnel." The last thing she wanted was slaves assigned to see to her comfort.

  "Of course, milady." Nodding toward the wagon, Shiel said, "That is an ingenious vehicle. I've seen nothing like it before."

  "A modification for desert travel. I have no further use for it or the camels, if you know of a caravaneer who might be interested in them."

  "I'm sure I can find someone to give you a fair price, Lady Celeste."

  "Excellent. Dukkol, see to the unloading, and send someone to meet Lacy at the Night Gate."

  "Aye, Miss Celeste." The dwarf followed the slaves as they led the mules and camels toward the stable.

  Shiel directed Celeste and Eutep into an opulent lobby and clapped his hands. Four more slaves hurried forward. "Show Lady Celeste and her entourage to the Princess Suite, and see that their baggage is brought up directly."

  On their way up the stairs, Celeste leaned close to Eutep's ear and whispered, "I've never heard of Karafadiki."

  "Probably because I just made it up." He grinned at her. "Didn't want to blaspheme, so ..."

  "You're brilliant, Eutep." He blushed at her praise, which made it all the more worthwhile.

  The suite was spacious, and lavishly decorated. The Stargazers weren't accustomed to such luxury, but Celeste didn't see the harm in a bit of coddling. They barely got situated, the slaves bringing up their dunnage, when a downcast Lacy Jane arrived.

  "Sorry, Miss Celeste, but nobody's seen Stargazer since they left."

  "Damn!" Celeste slithered in a tight circle and glared out beyond the broad balcony. The swaying palms and bustling crowds of merchants, pilgrims, and travelers seemed incongruously pastoral in comparison to the turmoil of her mind. The vagaries of sea travel precluded strict schedules, but she had so looked forward to seeing Torius, to feeling his hand trail through her hair, and simply talk with him. "Damn Vreva Jhafae and her intrigues."

  "Orders, Miss Celeste?" The pirates all looked at her expectantly.

  "Shore leave by watches, Dukkol. I'll treat everyone to baths and meals here. If anyone wants more than that, they're spending their own coin."

  "Aye, Miss!" Dukkol turned to the others. "By watches then. First shift to be back here by four bells."

  Lacy Jane grinned and grabbed Eutep by the arm. "Come on, Fish Bait. We'll find someone to scrub the land stench off your worthless hide."

  Half of the Stargazers left with Lacy, obviously intent on enjoying themselves to the fullest. Celeste turned back to the window, wishing that she'd picked an inn with a view of the sea.

  "I'm sure they're all right, Miss," Dukkol assured her.

  "I'm sure ..." Her tail twitched. "Unfortunately there's no way to know, is there?"

  "Ain't there, Miss?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Seems to me Captain Vin was gettin' messages all the time from folks one way or another. Wasn't it one that called him away from the Observatory?"

  "Yes ...Yes, it was."

  "Well can't you whip up some kind of magic to give him a hail?"

  "I don't know." Celeste had no experience with such spells, but if there was such a thing to be bought anywhere in the world, she could find it in Katapesh. "Do you know the city well enough to find me a wizard's shop nearby?"

  "Not around here, Miss. I could point you to a few down in the Lower City, but that's about it. But Eutep says he knows Katapesh like the back of his hand. Should I go fetch him?"

  "No rush, Dukkol." She looked out at the swaying palms and felt a flurry of hope in her stomach. "If we can find the spell I'm thinking of, I won't need it until the night watch."

  ∗ ∗ ∗

  A stout rap on the cabin door, and a call of, "Comin' on to eight bells, Captain!" brought Torius from deep sleep to full wakefulness in the blink of an eye.

  "Very good!" He rolled out of his bunk and reached for his trousers. "I'll be on deck presently."

  "Aye, sir! Coffee and porridge on the stove."

  "Thank you, Fenric." Torius stomped his feet into his boots and reached for his shirt, but as he slipped his arms into the sleeves, the crystalline memory of his recent dream brought him up short. "Celeste!"

  Her face shone clear in his mind, and her words rang in his ears.

  "My captain! I ...don't know how to ...I've never used this spell before, so I honestly don't know what to say. I hope this message finds you in good health. At least I know that you're alive. I was told that the spell wouldn't work if you were ...not. We've arrived back in Katapesh. There was some ...trouble at the Observatory. There was an attack by that mad priestess, Brigid Zelegan, and I'm sorry to tell you that Twigs was killed. But we gave them ...I think you would call it a sound thrashing, and the rest of us are fine. I thought you would be back by now. I hope there was no trouble. Send word if you can. We're staying at the Inn of the Desert Rose, by the Golden Oasis." Celeste smiled, and unconsciously bit her lip. "I don't know what else to say except that I miss you and ...I love you. Hurry back."

  A wave of emotions swept over him; alarm that there had been a battle, sorrow for Twigs's death, relief that Celeste and the rest of the crew were all right, and confusion at them being back in Katapesh already. He'd thought that he'd have to drag her away when their stores ran low. There seemed to be more behind her words. He thought about it for a moment, and realized that she hadn't said a word about Astrus. Now he was worried.

  Stop it! Torius buttoned his shirt, clipped a belt knife to his side and strode for the door. Celeste can take care of herself.

  He grabbed a cup of Soursop's double-strong night-watch coffee from the galley before joining Thillion on the quarterdeck. One glance aloft told him that nothing had appreciably changed since his last watch. They were still on a beam reach under all plain sail. The wind had slacked somewhat, and he estimated their speed to be only six knots or so. The sky was strewn with so many stars that the constellations were barely distinguishable.

  "Celeste ..." he muttered, staring into the heavens.

  "Wind's dying, sir." Thillion breathed in the warm night breeze. "Could be a storm over the Zho Mountains drawing down the trades."

  "Maybe." Torius gazed east. The stars shone all the way to the horizon. If there was a storm, it wasn't close. A true tempest at this time of year would be rare. "Or it could just be one of Gozreh's little pranks. She gave us a fine sirocco to put us where we needed to be on the way north, now she's being capricious on our way south." He prayed to the sea goddess, and donated to her temples, but she was as capricious with her gifts as the sea itself.

  "Unless the wind fails completely, we should make Okeno sometime tomorrow." Thillion must have picked up something in Torius's voice, because he cocked an eyebrow at his captain. "Does something worry you, Captain?"

  Torius took a deep breath and shook his head. "Celeste sent me a message. They're back in Katapesh."

  "Was there trouble at the Observatory?"

  "There was an attack. Twigs was killed."

  "The Duenas you encountered on your outward trip?"

  "No." He filled Thillion
in on the details. "She's fine on her own. I just wish there was a way I could tell her that we're the same."

  "Well, I can't help you there, Captain." Thillion yawned. "With your permission, I'll retire."

  "Go ahead."

  "Thank you, sir." Thillion saluted and trundled down the steps to the main deck just as the bell struck for the watch change.

  Torius made his rounds, bidding the retiring watch goodnight and welcoming the recently wakened crew. The new faces were scattered in, and he managed to recall their names. A full dozen of the freed slaves had asked to serve aboard Stargazer, all prime sailors, and he didn't regret taking a single one. Kalli was shaping up into a good bosun's mate, though it still unnerved him to watch her and her brother dive into the sea and swim beside the ship to wet their skin and gills. And he had to admit, Stargazer handled better after they cleaned the weed from her hull.

  Torius took a celestial fix and calculated their position, which corresponded nicely with his dead reckoning. If they arrived in Okeno around midday, conducted their business with Vreva quickly, and departed on the evening tide, they'd make Katapesh in three or four days. Then he would sit down with Celeste and explain the deals he'd made with the Andorens.

  A distant flash of lightning to the east caught his eye. Thillion had been right. There was a storm over the mountains, and though the wind was slacking now, it might bring dirty weather by morning. He ordered Kalli to break out the heavy weather canvas in preparation and gazed at the stars.

  "Fair winds, Gozreh," he whispered into the breeze. "Fair winds to bring me home ..."

  ∗ ∗ ∗

  Vreva's heart skipped a beat as she sat down at her breakfast table. The usual letters—pleas from patrons, lavish promises, and bad poetry—were piled beside her plate, but she recognized the hand on the top one instantly. Dismissing the slave hovering at her elbow, she picked up the letter with a trembling hand. Her eating knife broke the wax seal pressed with imprint of the key of Abadar, and she read.