“I’m sorry, Captain, I’m afraid I still have no idea what you are on about,” Elle said.
“I will not have you inciting mutiny on my ship!” he shouted. “Or do you really want me to hang you by that little neck of yours?”
“Mutiny?” Elle said, rising from her seat. “Who said anything about mutiny?”
A few crewmen coughed uncomfortably behind her.
“Come now, Captain. That’s taking it a bit too far now. Me and the fellas were only engaging in idle gossip,” Heller said behind them. He had followed Dashwood into the mess. He gave Elle a reassuring look. “We all like tales of booty and riches. Even you do,” he said in soothing tones.
Dashwood’s face was like stone. “Anyone who even thinks about supporting these crazy notions will be made to take to the wing. Do I make myself clear?”
There was a soft gasp from more than a few crewmen. Taking to the wing or walking the plank was a rather nasty punishment which was usually metered out for the worst of crimes. It entailed being thrown out of the back of the cargo hold with a rope round one’s waist. If the fall did not rip a man in two, the extreme cold would cause certain death.
Elle put her hands on her hips. “Excuse me, Captain, but don’t you think that you are overreacting just a tiny bit?”
“Overreacting?” Dashwood roared as he turned on her. “I take you in. Give you a place here. Feed you, clothe you, put up with your irritating demands and … and the first thing you do as soon as my guard is lowered, is try to steal my crew. I say mutiny certainly warrants my reaction, madam.”
“Steal your crew? Have you completely lost your mind?” Elle said.
Dashwood glared at her. “That’s it. Another week in the brig. And don’t try me, because the next step is lashes. Lady or not.”
Elle paled. “But I’ve done nothing wrong—”
“Um, Captain, me and the boys would like to say a word,” Heller interrupted.
“What?” Dashwood swung round to face him.
“Well, seeing as this is not the navy, and we are all freebooters here, me and the boys feel that we should put the matter to a vote. They say the lost city is paved with gold. I, for one, would at least like to prove that such a rumor were wrong …”
There were murmurs of agreement among the crew.
“I don’t believe this.” Dashwood threw his hands up in dismay.
“Angkor Wat does exist and were it not for you scrapping my ship, I would be on my way to it right now,” Elle said. “In fact, I intend to procure a ship as soon as I am able to do so.” She turned to the crew. “You all know that I was the captain of the Water Lily. I am a very resourceful woman, so do not doubt that I will find the money to fund such an expedition myself. The only thing stopping me is the fact that Captain Dashwood is keeping me prisoner on this ship when every prisoner here is free. So any man who wants to join me in finding the city would be welcome on board.”
There were a few cheers, which were abruptly cut off by Dashwood’s murderous glare.
“Begging your pardon, Captain,” Heller spoke again. “It has been a while since we’ve seen any proper money. What with the haul in North Africa not being worth much and all that went wrong in San Francisco … the boys are eager for a bit of action, is all.”
“Who else feels this way?” Dashwood said.
A few more men grunted their agreement.
“Is this the crew I have? A bunch of milk-livered sons of whores who are ready to run the moment someone whispers the word gold?”
Dashwood looked apoplectic, his hands balled into fists by his side. She would have to step in and do something soon, or else there would be bloodshed.
“Why don’t you just let me go, Captain?” she said. “You know I don’t belong here. You said so yourself. Set me down somewhere. And perhaps also anyone who wants to find Angkor Wat. We would be on our way, never to bother you again at the next port. That way you will be rid of all the troublemakers.” She took a deep breath. “I will see if I can find us a charter. It won’t be an easy journey but I promise to be a fair to anyone who follows me. Let us agree to part ways with no hard feelings, shall we?”
“Who else wants to go off and die on this crazy half-cocked idea? Any man who does, step to the other side of the room now,” Dashwood said. He was still seething, but Elle noticed with no small measure of relief that at least he was listening to her.
“I do. The lass is lucky. Everyone has seen it,” Heller said. He stepped to the other side of the mess. “Sorry, Captain,” he mumbled.
Elle held her breath. One by one, every single crewman stepped across the line to her side.
Dashwood looked like he was about to explode. “So this really is a mutiny then,” he growled. “I never thought I’d live to see it on a ship of mine.”
“It doesn’t have to be. All you need to do is give the order,” Elle said softly.
She watched the captain wrestle with his thoughts and in that moment she almost felt sorry for him. There really was nowhere for him to go in order to salvage his pride. His crew had overruled him.
“Seems I have no choice in the matter,” he said. “But mark my words. This will go terribly and horribly wrong. This woman is not lucky—she is cursed.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Elle said, before he could say any more. She felt a deep surge of relief wash over her.
“Hold on a moment. We are not done negotiating. I have one condition: If I am going to risk this ship on your crazy half-baked plan, then any haul of treasure is ours,” he said.
Elle shook her head. “Sorry, Captain, fifty-fifty. I provide the map and you promote me to chief navigational pilot. And day shifts only. Fair is fair.”
Dashwood regarded her for a long time. “Eighty for me—twenty for you and I let you live.”
Elle laughed. “You have got to be joking. I could have you put into the brig and dropped off at the very next port. Can’t I, boys?”
A few of the crewmen guffawed.
Dashwood narrowed his eyes and Elle knew she had won.
“Sixty-forty. The Inanna takes the bigger share and not a penny more,” he said between gritted teeth.
“And I am promoted,” Elle said. “No more scrubbing out thruster chambers.”
Dashwood cursed. “Done.” He stuck out her hand and shook hers. He gripped her hand so hard that she could feel her knuckles pop and she had to clench her teeth so as not to flinch.
“Long live Captain Dashwood!” Heller started cheering, and soon all the men joined in.
“Why do I still have the distinct feeling that you are not telling me everything?” he said as he withdrew his hand.
Elle gave him a sweet smile. “I think you’ll find, Captain, that sometimes ignorance really is bliss. You keep your eye on the Khmer gold and I will keep an eye on the rest.”
Dashwood shook his head in resignation. “I just can’t win with you, can I?”
“It’s not about winning, sir,” Elle said.
Dashwood shook his head. “All right then, all hands back to your stations. Chance, report to the bridge. We set course due northeast immediately. Engineers, I am going to need some steam. Who wants to stop off in Socotra to refuel?”
There was a unanimous cheer from everyone.
“Aye, Captain.” Elle touched her eyebrow in a small salute.
Elle wasn’t so sure about stopping off in Socotra. It was the dreaded pirate city. For hundreds of years, pirates had prowled the oceans, plundering as they went, but with the dawn of the Age of Steam and airships, they had taken to the skies. Robbing airships was even more profitable than robbing sea-faring vessels. In addition, a pirate could go anywhere he wanted to in the sky. There were more places to hide, and in response a number of pirate cities had sprung up across the world. They were free places where spoils could be traded and they offered all manner of diversions and entertainments for crewmen with a bit of gold in their pockets.
In retaliation to this mass migration of pirates
to airships, the sovereign nations of the world sent naval airships out to hunt pirates and bring them down to earth, where they were tried and in most cases executed. The act of piracy was punishable by death. Great armadas of battle cruisers patrolled the freight routes, armed to the teeth and always on the lookout for a fight.
As air traffic increased, so the freedom pirates once had diminished. One by one these great pleasure cities had been found and invaded. Most of them were either burned to the ground or taken as outposts.
But not Socotra. Some said that the city was hidden somewhere deep in the storm clouds that brewed across the ocean. Others said that only those with pirate blood could enter through its gates, but Elle was sure that these were all just tall tales.
The fact remained that its location was a closely guarded secret and so it had remained hidden from all but those who were allowed to enter for hundreds of years. It was the last truly free outpost where freebooters could meet and trade without fear of persecution.
Elle smiled at Atticus Crow as he passed her on the gangway. He grinned at her, his eyes twinkling with excitement. Perhaps she was being overly cautious. She’d never been to Socotra. Perhaps the place was not as bad as people said. Besides, what harm could come of a little shore leave if she kept to herself? Perhaps a few nights in a pirate cove might be just what the doctor ordered. It might even be fun, who knows?
Around her the rest of the crew jumped to attention to the captain’s orders.
As she left the mess, Heller winked at her. “That was nicely played, lass. Nicely played indeed,” he whispered.
“Thanks, Heller.” She gave him her widest smile.
Out in the corridor, Elle let out her breath slowly and smiled in triumph. She was going to find the city of Angkor Wat and, hopefully with it, some answers.
CHAPTER 17
TIGER CITY, SOCROTA
A week after the Inanna had altered course to the east, the island of Socotra came into view. It was not the kind of place one would find on any ordinary map. In fact, many had died over the years so that the location of the city could remain a secret. The island was located off the east coast of Africa and south of the Yemen, in the heart of the Arabian Sea. The secret city of the sky pirates was a place only the most intrepid and skilled pilots could find—and then only if one knew someone who could tell them how to navigate the treacherous air currents and storm banks that shrouded it.
Half the year, the high sea cliffs were blasted by blistering hot dust from the desert winds that came from the north and west. These winds lay down layer upon layer of gritty air pockets—air turbulence violent enough to split a ship in half. The other half of the year, the monsoons from the east turned the skies into a boiling storm, just waiting to swallow any unsuspecting ship whole. It was, however, the richest and most coveted pirate cove in all the skies, so traders and freebooters frequently came here, regardless of the danger.
Elle watched with fascination as the Inanna docked against one of the rickety plank-and-rope landing docks set high against the cliff tops that surrounded Tiger City.
Below them, the sheer rock face dropped down into the stormy sea.
Elle and the rest of the crew, all—with the exception of Heller—had been granted had shore leave, followed Dashwood along the stone walkway leading up to the enormous wooden gates of the stronghold. Behind the walls, stone buildings rose up, almost perfect in their rectangular symmetry. The side of each building featured rows of perfectly square windows, neatly painted with white frames.
“This is all rather neat and clean for a pirate city,” Elle mused. “I must admit that I was expecting much more squalor and depravity.”
“You just wait till you see what’s inside,” Fat Paul said. “You’ll find depravity by the spade there.” He was leafing through the lists he had made; the Inanna was sorely in need of supplies.
As a peace offering, Dashwood had even granted everyone a day’s shore leave and the crew was anxious to make up for lost drinking time. Everyone except Heller had gone ashore. He was charged with guarding the ship while they were docked. It seemed that Captain Dashwood had not quite forgiven his first mate for his part in the coup.
There was an air of anticipation when Dashwood reached the gate. “Now remember, we want to keep our heads down. And no talk about you-know-what. The last thing we want is everyone and his dog beating us to the chase, now do we?”
There was a murmur of agreement from everyone.
“Don’t you worry, Captain. You can count on us,” Atticus Crow said.
“That’s what I am worried about,” Dashwood muttered. He turned to Elle. “Would you care to do the honors, Mrs. Marsh?” Dashwood motioned to a thick rope that was attached to a large gong strung high above their heads.
“Why, thank you.” Elle gave him one of her best smiles. Ringing the gong was a privilege reserved for ship captains only. Was Dashwood trying to make peace with her? He had even let her come ashore without a cuff on her arm this time. This was a good sign, she hoped.
“Two rings, the first separated by a count to seven from the second,” he said. It was the code needed to gain entrance to this place.
Elle pulled the rope, counted to seven and rang again. The gong reverberated with each pull and then returned to silence.
A muscular man in a leather jerkin opened the pedestrian door. He had a long moustache which was segmented by little silver cuffs and hung all the way past his chin. On his head he wore a round metal cap. He looked them up and down for a few moments.
“The captain and crew of the free ship Inanna seek admittance,” Dashwood said.
The man grunted, scratched his wide belly where it protruded from the leather tunic he wore and held out his hand.
Dashwood placed a purse full of coins on his outstretched palm.
The doorman weighed the money in his palm for a moment and then stepped aside with a nod to allow them in through the gates.
There was a brief cheer as the crew passed through the doors, the men elated that they were free to do as they pleased within the walls of the pirate city.
“To the left, to be searched,” the man with the moustache growled.
Elle stepped into the queue of people waiting to be searched by the guards. Tiger City was a place where anything went. Women, drink and gambling were all available in abundance. There was, however, one rule, and that was that no one was allowed to enter the city armed. To be found in possession of a weapon in Tiger City was an act punishable by instant death. Dashwood had made them all empty their pockets of weaponry before they came ashore.
“Not hiding anything inside that corset now, are you, pretty lady?” the guard asked her as she stepped up to the wooden box they used as a search platform.
Elle gave the pirate her most winning smile. “Of course not.”
“Off you go then.” The guard gave her a quick slap on the bottom to encourage her in, as she stepped off the box. Elle’s eyes widened at this ill treatment, but the guard had already moved on to the next man. Instead, she took a deep breath and pressed her lips together. As much as she wanted to take the guard to task, it would only attract attention. And the last thing she wanted was for someone to find the slim blade she had tucked inside the secret compartment in her corset. There was one other rule in Tiger City. That was the rule that everything started and ended at the gate. She was taking a huge chance bringing a blade in here, but after her little talk with Jack she could not afford to take any chances.
“Easy now, Mrs. Marsh,” Dashwood said in a low voice next to her ear as if he were reading her thoughts. “He was not very gallant, I agree, but this is not the place to pick a fight.” He gripped her elbow as if to reiterate the point.
She glared at Dashwood. He just gave a low chuckle as he walked alongside her. One by one, Elle’s compatriots fell to the call, peeling off into the numerous brightly painted taverns and houses of ill repute that lined the streets.
Pretty soon, only Elle, Dashwood and F
at Paul were left.
“Let’s get the supplies out of the way first, shall we?” Dashwood said as they headed up to the supply caves that were carved into the rock face behind the city.
The city sat high up into the cliff face, its foundation carved from the very rock that made the mountain. The thick walls that encased the city were flanked on each side by huge, wooden landing platforms and sky docks lashed to the outcrops with ropes as thick as a man’s forearm. On these docks, Sky schooners, clippers and an impressive array of other non-regulation aircraft of all shapes and sizes drifted gently in the sea air. Elle felt a pang of sadness when she spotted a smallish wooden freighter among the hulls. The ship could have been the Water Lily’s twin.
Below the city, a long stone staircase spilled down to the bottom of the dry valley that stretched before it. Tiger City was proud of its reputation as a place that had never been invaded from the ground. Any army mad enough to brave the arid valley and climb the stone stairs would be too exhausted to fight by the time they reached the top, so no one bothered.
“It’s quite beautiful,” Elle said as she admired the whitewashed walls and green clay-tiled roofs of the place, as Dashwood paid the pirate merchant for a consignment of barrels of beer. The emblem of the brewers had been singed off the side of the barrels with a branding iron. It would be anyone’s guess what make or type of ale it was.
“Yes, it is rather. Place was abandoned for years till the sky ships found it.”
“A haven for those who prowl the skies,” she murmured.
“It’s a strange place this,” Dashwood said. “I’ve never been across the island, but some men say that it is full of brightly colored lizards as venomous as snakes. Plants that grow upside down.” He leaned in closer as he spoke. “Some even say that dragons live here.”
Elle stared at him. “Seriously?”
Dashwood started laughing. “No, but you seem very eager to believe old tales.”
Elle shrugged, feeling suddenly embarrassed. “Who knows,” she said, looking off into the distance. “There is more in this world than you and I could ever know.” She would not have believed that two-headed dog-monsters existed either, but they did. But that was not something she could share with her captain.
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