by Eve Langlais
As they entered the mouth of the crevice, Tanzie appeared on deck armed with a crossbow. She had a quiver at her back, more arrows at her feet.
“Are you expecting company?” Shereen squeaked.
“Did you not look at the walls?” Tanzie remarked, drawing Shereen’s attention to the holes in the stone face.
Caves, to be more precise. Dark maws that had her hugging her upper body.
“Are there things inside them?” Shereen asked with some trepidation.
“No idea but the captain wanted me ready.”
“Wouldn’t a gun make more sense?” Because a crossbow took time to load between shots.
“I wouldn’t dare use a firearm in here. A bullet hitting the wrong spot could start a rockslide.”
Not the most reassuring thing. Even worse was Tanzie’s last grim statement. “Hope we make it out of this skinny space before night because I have no doubt we’ll be meeting whoever lives inside those caves.”
With that kind of ominous prediction, Shereen spent a bit of time in the bridge, but the closed space eventually sent her back onto the deck.
The crevasse had changed since her last peek. Now wide at the bottom, not so above, the sheer walls rising and arching, squeezing the daylight into a slim blue sliver. Better than complete darkness. The light refracted off the rock and bounced off the water, keeping the area well lit.
However, the day passed, afternoon began to wane, and her anxiety began to mount as she recalled Tanzie’s words. What if those caves did hold monsters? Everything she knew said demons liked to live in dark places and only emerged at night.
As twilight fell and shadows began to take hold, Darius bellowed, “Light ‘er up!”
The command was repeated, and soon various beams illuminated all over the ship, a glowing beacon that was actually quite pretty she noted as Darius joined her on the deck.
“This is the second time you’ve lit up the ship. But you never did it at sea.”
“Out there, bright lights draw monsters, so we usually keep it low key. But on land, things that like the dark can’t stand the light. And I don’t know about you, but I’d rather see what’s coming.”
“Not really,” she muttered.
He dropped to one knee and put his hand on the deck.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Listening to my ship.”
“Your boat talks to you?”
He flashed her a quick grin. “In a sense. I know how to read her vibrations.” He shouted behind him to Jorah on the bridge. “Reduce our speed.”
“But, Capn’,” Jorah stuck his head out, “if we slow down, we’ll be easier ta catch.”
“Go too fast and we might smash against something and be in even more trouble. Our visibility is compromised.”
A glance to the prow showed a swirling mist appearing. “Is it dangerous?” she asked.
“Best not take chances. Seal the ship. We’ve got fog,” he yelled, tugging her to follow him to the bridge.
She was glad he didn’t send her to the cabin to pace alone. She perched on a stool in the corner as he and his top mates fiddled with everything they could.
After an hour or more, her head nodded, and she found herself sleeping. Only to wake when she was swung into a pair of arms, Darius rumbling, “Let’s get you to bed.”
“Are we safe?” she murmured.
“Safe enough you should get some sleep in a proper bed,” was his reply as he headed to their cabin.
“A bed sounds good,” she murmured, snuggling closer.
He juggled her to open the door. Tucked her in but didn’t join her.
She protested. “Aren’t you coming to bed?”
“In a few. Dawn is almost here, and I want to check on a few things before I catch a nap with you.”
She pouted. He kissed her lips. “Get some rest. I’ll be joining you before you know it.”
He left, and the door sealed shut behind him. A short time later, she heard it open again and assumed it was him.
She smiled as she heard the steps approach. Then frowned at the odd smell that arrived with it.
Opening her eyes, she was in time to see furry fingers reaching for her. She opened her mouth to scream, sucking in a deep breath just as a powder was sprinkled in her face.
Chapter 12
When would it happen? When would the lovely serenity they’d sailed into shatter? Because it would happen.
Everything looked just perfect. Too perfect. Too calm. He didn’t trust it.
Just before dawn, the Avenger had emerged from the tight crevice unmolested, to Darius’s surprise. He’d spent the night tense and waiting for an attack that never came.
Kind of disappointing, actually. It made him feel bad he’d kept Shereen with him, curled up in a chair a better part of the night. He wasn’t yet ready to examine why he couldn’t bear to have her out of his sight, why he worried he wouldn’t be around if they ran into trouble.
They’d passed an uneventful night, and now they’d exited the slim pass. He shook his head in disbelief. He’d found paradise.
He didn’t exaggerate.
A well-traveled man, Darius had seen many places, but this truly was one of the most beautiful. The space had opened up into a massive valley. In the distance, the rocks walls splitting from the crevice widening to encircle this hidden jungle oasis with a massive lake in the center, fed by a river on either end and what appeared to be a waterfall at the farther north-eastern point. And if he wasn’t mistaken, what appeared to be the cone tip of a pyramid. A little too far from his boat for hiking.
When he shut down the motors to give them a break and a chance for Clyde to tune them, the churn of the lake slowed and he noticed the clarity of the water. So clear he could see fish swimming in it, their colors vivid and their motions sharp and quick. It appeared the lake went deep because, when the aquatic life dove, he lost them from sight, the lake bottom only a dark smudge.
Aquata came shimmying down the mast, the only other one of his crew awake. They’d spent the first half of the night in tense anticipation waiting for an attack. When it never came, Darius sent most of his crew to get some much-needed rest while he kept an eye on things.
“I’ve got the Eegullai watching for motion,” she noted with a quick glance overhead.
The Eeegullai was a device that he’d bought from some vendor in the Zarro marketplace. Ancient technology that was difficult to replicate. Expensive, too. It somehow managed to watch great distances for motion and changes in temperature. It used to analyze the air for toxins, but that feature had stopped working a few months ago, which they discovered after almost dying of asphyxiation when going through the Vaype Islands.
Here was hoping it kept working. He didn’t want to pay to replace it.
“Drop the anchor.”
Aquata headed for the front of the boat and tugged two levers, one for each anchor at either end of the boat. He heard the clanking as the chain dropped. Hopefully it would hit the bottom and provide some stability.
Clank. Clank. Clank. Thud. They’d found the bottom.
“Depth?” he asked.
“One hundred and three chain links for the nose,” Aquata declared before walking swiftly along the edge of the boat, peeking in the water, returning not long after to say, “One hundred links at the rear.”
Good to know they wouldn’t run aground. He glanced at the vast girth of the lake, more than large enough for them to turn around and sail back through that narrow gap. They’d return, but not quite yet.
It would take them all day to get through the gap. Then what? Back to the whirlpool at night? Probably not the best plan.
“Wake Clyde and Jorah and then take a turn getting some rest,” Darius ordered. “I declare this a day of relaxation. And observation.”
“Looks pretty,” Aquata declared, head cocked at the forest. She’d taken to wearing her aquamarine hair short of late, showing off the delicate edging of her ears, thin like fins. Th
e piercing in her ear had gone from a large stone in the shape of a skull to a more delicate blue stone.
“I don’t trust pretty,” he said. With the exception of maybe Shereen. That woman had too much expression. He could always read her face.
“Yet you trust me,” Aquata said with a smirk. She canted her head. “It’s a well-known fact I am adorable.”
“And not conceited at all.”
“Go to bed,” she said. “I’ll tell the crew to get moving.”
“Someone has to stay on deck and keep an eye on things.”
“Suit yourself.”
Darius stood outside and leaned against the bridge wall. He closed his eyes and basked in the dawning light.
“Ready for duty, Capn’.” The statement jolted him.
He opened one eye and glared. “How are you so fucking quiet?” The stealthy nature of Jorah still surprised.
His first mate grinned. “Guess I’m light on ma feet.”
But only when he wanted to be. Most of the time Darius could hear Jorah coming by the heavy clomp of his boots.
“We’re going to sit here for a day, maybe two if it looks promising.” Fresh produce and meat would be good. “Wake me if you spot any trouble.”
Holding back a yawn, Darius headed for his cabin, wondering if the princess still slept. He froze, though, when he heard a beep. A glance overhead showed the Eegullai flashing.
Not even thinking twice, he grabbed the rungs on the mast and climbed. He climbed into the little nest at the top and eyed the device strapped there. About the size of his hand, it had a sensor band that ran all the way around. The screen showed contours—the far shore, the ship. Tiny dots heading for the ship.
What the fuck?
Whirling, he glanced to the rear of his boat, but the sun glinted off the water, bouncing and refracting, making him squint. Could that be messing with the Eegullai?
His gut said he needed to go look. He swung over the top, grabbed a rope. Practice meant he could use it to slide down without burning the palm of his hand or crashing on deck.
“What’s up?” Jorah asked as Darius jogged past the bridge.
“Something weird setting off the Eegullai. I’m going to check it out.”
As he rounded the corner of the upper deck housing, he froze. A furry shape, its hair slick with moisture, emerged from his room with a body in its arms.
The surprise of it stole his voice for a moment before the adrenaline kicked in. “Intruder!” he yelled, pulling his pistol and taking aim.
The creature looked right at him, its eyes all too human in a face simian in nature. Its two tails thrashed behind it, sinuous things a few feet long. The beast ululated, a strange and warbling sound that turned the blood cold as it was answered in a chorus.
The pretty forest was about to show its ugly face. About time. He almost felt relieved.
There was a thump of boots as Jorah answered his call, but he needed his first mate to ensure the crew was roused.
“Under attack. Everyone at arms,” Darius yelled as he ran for the intruder.
The hairy thing, clutching Shereen tight, moved for the rail, and Darius muttered, “I don’t think so.” He raised his gun and carefully fired.
The creature hit the deck in a dead heap, the headshot taking it out. Darius ran for the princess, who’d also dropped. She had yet to move or say anything.
Please don’t let her be dead.
“Incoming!” Jorah’s bellow couldn’t be ignored.
Darius didn’t want to slow down, but he did at his first mate’s warning. A turn of his head to look to the shore and he saw the problem right away in the sway of the trees and the agitation of the water. The pointed tips of tails rising from the waves showed a disturbing number of beasts coming to say hello.
“Get us out of here,” Darius hollered, sprinting for the princess.
Upon reaching the carcass of the thing he’d killed, he tugged it away from Shereen and heaved it over the side. It hit with a splash and sank, scattering bright fish. The anchors rattled as they were tugged faster than the machinery could handle. Darius lurched as Jorah spun the ship, more quickly than the groaning metal liked.
And it still wasn’t fast enough.
The creatures who’d answered the call of their dead comrade practically flew over the sides, using their hands—and the feet that were shaped like hands—along with their tails to propel them. They hit the deck and beat their chests, uttering guttural cries.
“Fuck me,” Darius muttered as he took a stance over the princess.
One man against a swell of wet and wiry bodies. He did his best to fight them off, firing his pistol to devastating result. Still they kept coming.
His crew spilled onto the deck, coming to his aid, their daggers and guns delivering even more damage and death. Just not enough. There were too many to kill. And they killed a lot of them. It helped they weren’t very good at fighting. Sure the creatures swung and knocked them around. Even picked up Clyde and tossed him. But they didn’t use their teeth. Didn’t appear to have claws. They mostly tried to entangle and strangle with their hands or tails.
Amidst the fighting it also became clear they were determined to get to Shereen. Darius did his best to stop it from happening, but the damned things swarmed him. With their tails and hands, they managed to grab him, immobilizing his arms and even his legs. They tossed him from the ship, where he landed with a splash in the warm water. He sank a bit before kicking hard enough to propel himself to the surface.
He wasn’t the only one in the water.
Tanzie treaded beside him, muttering, “This is embarrassing.”
Beaten by forest animals. “We need to get back to the ship.” He began to swim.
Tanzie kept pace, muttering, “What are they doing?”
A good question. Keeping his head above water, he’d been watching the ship as he swam. Noticed how the creatures ignored their dead and dying and how they grabbed the sleeping princess. The swarm took her limp body with them over the side of the ship, the opposite from where he swam.
Out of sight. But not out of mind. He had to rescue her.
When he reached the ship, Jorah was there to offer a helping hand and a grumbled complaint. “Fuckin’ chimpetis.”
“Chimp what?” Darius asked.
“Nuisance creatures. Created before ma birth by some lord who wanted ta make da perfect servant. He crossed da genetics of an extinct breed called yetis with chimpanzees. It didna work out so good.”
“He let his experiment loose?”
Jorah shook his head. “Not on purpose. Da lord didna hold dem secure and dey got loose in da jungle. Turned out to be bad ‘cause of how rapidly dey reproduce.”
“Which might explain why they didn’t care about their casualties,” Darius remarked as the crew cleaned the decks of the bodies. “But why attack us only to take the princess?”
“Um.” Jorah turned a ruddy shade and looked to the sky.
“You know why they took her.”
“Er.” The first mate stared at his oversized feet.
“Spit it out,” Darius growled.
“I only knows da rumors. Might not be true.”
“Jorah!” he said with a warning note.
The big man sighed. “Whenever da chunks of moon converge, de chimpetis has some kind of fertility ritual dat requires a female. Preferably a human one.”
Darius’s mind went to a dark place. A horrifying place. “They’re going to—to—” He couldn’t even say it.
“Not ‘xactly,” Jorah said cautiously.
“Oh, for fucks sake, you can be such a prude,” Tanzie huffed as she did her best to wring out some of the water in her clothes. “What your slow first mate is trying to say is the ritual involves all the males jacking off and smothering the sacrifice in it.”
“And how do you know this?”
“Because, when I was young, I saw some in captivity on one of the islands. It was one of the attractions for the circu
s. They charged extra during the moon convergence because people are sick fucks. Women actually volunteered to be the recipient.”
Darius made a face. “That’s gross.
“Whatever floats their boat. The good news is most of the time the female getting jizzed on lives.”
“The circus only had a few in captivity though.” He glanced at the forest. “There were well over thirty of them that stole her.”
“There will be more,” Jorah warned.
Tanzie pursed her lips. “Guess quantity in this case would make a difference.”
“Ya think?” Darius stared at the jungle with his fists clenched. “I am not letting that happen. Jorah, bring us to shore. Tanzie, arm the cannons and cover me. I am going after the princess.”
Never mind the fact he had no idea where the chimpetis were taking her. He had to at least attempt to get her back. And he didn’t care what his crew thought. He wouldn’t be talked out of it. He emerged from his room still strapping on his pistol when he saw Jorah and Tanzie, waiting for him.
“You can’t change my mind. I’m going.”
“Wasn’t about to try. We’re coming with you,” Tanzie stated
It was at that moment Darius realized the pair was armed to the teeth. The butt of a missile launcher jutted from above Jorah’s shoulder.
He nodded. He should have known better. “All rightee then. Let’s go save the princess.”
Chapter 13
Shereen regained consciousness in water.
Why am I in water?
Immediate panic suffused her. She tried to flail, only to realize she was tightly gripped. And not by hands. It felt like furry bands twined around her limbs, the slickness of the hair apparent around her exposed wrists and lower legs. They coasted her along on her back like a raft.
A slight tilt of her head showed her the beasts holding her. Big hairy things with too human eyes but inhuman emotion within.
