“What if they don’t have any triangle cards to give?”
Then they must draw a card from the deck. If it is a triangle, they hand it over. Anything else, they keep in their hand.”
Nadine sat quietly in the uneven chair. She was highly uncomfortable having three grown men staring intently at her. She looked down at the monster under the bed card that was played by the player to her right. It taunted her imagination—a pair of clawed hands reached from under the dirty cot. In her hand, she had six triangles and two cards—a small nightmare goblin resting on the bed frame, and a dagger in the back. She had played a lot of games when she was younger, but this was a very strange card game. Nadine rested her hand on the tip of the nightmare goblin card. She moved her finger over to the dagger in the back card and placed it on top of the monster under the bed card in the center of the stained table. There was a groan from the group.
The man to her right pursed his lips and adjusted the thin rimmed spectacles. His gray hair curled in every which direction. He sniffed, sighed, and handed over a black triangle.
One more.
Across from her, the man with slick black hair, arched brows, and dark eyes stared at her, down at the cards, and back at her. He revealed a sly grin. “Nadine,” he said with a sing song voice. “Do you think you’ve won?”
She gripped the cards a bit too tightly. “No.”
He rubbed the pointed goatee. “You should.” He handed over a triangle card.
Nadine sighed in relief as the men threw down their cards in disgust. She revealed the eight triangles. She noticed the man carefully placing his cards face down on the table. He winked, stood up, and waltzed to the other side of the room.
“Damn that Taire,” said one of the men at the table.
Nadine questioned Ty about the events. Amused, Ty shook his head. “That was the creator of the game. Luck was on your side, lass.”
Decyl pushed the barrel of the gun away from his face. “I’ll be going now.” He grinned a wide set of sharp teeth and headed out the door.
Mal rolled his eyes. “Bugger never said thanks.”
Nadine patted her brother on the head. “He did in his own way.”
Xoey walked in as Decyl walked out. “Why does Decyl have a handful of watches?” She heard Mal mutter bits and pieces of the story—it went in one ear and out the other. Instead of nodding, she ran across the room. “Taire!”
Taire went down on one knee, arms spread out waiting for Xoey to jump into them. She did so, losing her hat in the process, and wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. They laughed as they each thought of times long ago. When she let go, he patted her white hair. “The last time I saw you, you and the crew were landlocked.”
“We would have been bored out of our skulls if you hadn’t been there. We could never forget the song about slaying gargantuan beasts with eyes as dark as the night and sharp razor teeth.”
Taire was a tall man dressed in a long, black, buckled jacket with heavy tassels hanging off the shoulders. His narrow black pants were tucked neatly into black boots. His ensemble would not be complete without a top hat. “Ah, the infamous tale that is so deadly that one could not believe their ears.” He revealed a sly grin. “The tavern would be empty if the beasts appeared—a very sad tale indeed.” He looked around the room. “Speaking of beasts, where is the crew?”
Xoey shifted her gaze to the floor and she retrieved her hat to avoid speaking. He understood her silence and so he said, “When the circus is all set, we could use an extra set of hands.”
Mal and Nadine exchanged worrisome glances. Xoey scratched her nose. “Can my friends come, too?”
Taire shifted his dark lined glance to the siblings. “Of course.”
He lifted up Xoey’s hat and ruffled her hair. “Now it is time for me to find a mattress to sleep on.” Taire bowed to the group and left.
Tymon removed his ten gallon hat from the back of the chair, placed it on his head, and nodded to the kids. “Let’s take a stroll. I need to find my son.”
“He’s just outside,” said Xoey.
Tymon pushed open the saloon doors to allow the kids to go first. They found Ramos across the dirt street, brushing a large, dark, six-legged beast of burden with long curled horns on the top of its head. Its mane was braided to the right side and its long red tail touched the ground behind him. There was no way Xoey could even reach the top of the animal’s back. “What is that?” she asked.
“It’s a Windren. They are used for riding long distances,” said Nadine. “Boys have red tails and girls have yellow tails. It’s amazing that he even has one as they are quite rare. Generally, they’re found near No Man’s Land.”
Tymon moved in behind them. “I found him when he was a little fellow.”
Xoey brushed a finger along the Windren’s side. Even though his hair gleamed and shined, it was coarse and rough. She imagined that it had to be protected from the harsh elements of the town. Ramos put the large bristled brush in the bucket beside him and headed inside the tavern.
They followed him to find a large imposing man of what seemed to be impossible proportions. He stood a few inches from the ceiling and his large chest barreled out heavily, but he had thin little spindly legs. He gestured down the long hall as he handed Ramos a key. “Room 202. It’s in the back of the hall, up the stairs, second door on the left.”
The modest room had two beds on either side, a small rickety table with a pitcher and a large bowl used to wash up, and a window straight across that looked out on the Saloon. Tymon urged the kids to sit down. Xoey sat on the right bed, Ramos moved in beside her, as Mal and Nadine sat on the opposite bed. He regarded Mal and Nadine. “Your parents were here a few nights ago under the care of Gesler.”
Mal sulked. “In the care of Gesler? That’s an oxymoron.”
“Who is Gesler?” asked Xoey.
“As every captain has their first mate, Nix has an associate that acts as his right hand man, a man who focuses on handling the dirty tasks. Gesler is a man of a polite nature, but I assure you, his actions are rather deceiving. He is anything but good.” Tymon paused. “You’ll find that they left a parcel for you under the bed.”
Nadine was quicker than Mal and soon the brown paper box was in her hands. Inside they found a bag of coins, and a short letter that read:
M & N:
Heading to SH.
R & N
“SH?” asked Mal.
“Storm’s Hold,” responded Nadine.
“Gesler’s final destination will be the circus. It is up to you on the path you choose to take from here,” said Tymon.
Xoey could feel their questioning glances upon her. She swallowed hard at the decision she apparently had to make. It wasn’t that she wanted to be a leader, but she was destined to be one. Sometimes she wished she was back on the ship with Brighton in command. “If we go with Taire, we’ll have a way into the circus. He has costumes to hide us in. But we may be able to catch up with your parents in Storm’s Hold…”
Tymon nodded. “It is settled then.”
He gestured for Ramos to leave the room with him. “When you are ready to sleep, pull the chain.” He motioned to the tasseled chain in the corner of the room. “Two additional beds will slide out of the wall.”
The night carried chimes of drunken laughter and squeals radiating from the Saloon. Every domestic shutter pulled in mostly tight to avoid looking upon the rambunctious fights spilling out into the dirt streets, Mal stared out the window. “Nadine, look at this. They are shooting at each other with just their fingers.”
Nadine yawned with a stretch of her arms. “Why would I care?”
“Clearly you lack imagination,” Decyl said as he observed the two grown men out on the main street. They were five feet apart from one another. Their hands in the shapes of guns occupied empty holsters. Squinting, t
hey shifted thin sticks from one side of the mouth to the other. Decyl removed two metal balls from his bag. Xoey watched as the gnome nudged Mal. “Got good aim?”
She climbed out of the bed and down the ladder. Decyl dropped a ball behind one of the shooters, as Mal threw one behind the other. Decyl handed Xoey a black box adorned with a red button on top. “Do the honors.”
She mashed the button. The two men drew their fingers to shoot the other, and as they did, the balls exploded in light and sound, flashes of sparkling colored light whizzing in every direction. The duelists jumped for cover, scared out of their wits. The hotel room echoed with laughter as they dodged from the window to prevent being caught in the prank.
The door burst open. Xoey pursed her lips at the sight of a very concerned Ty. “You need to go, now.”
Wide-eyed, Mal pushed the box out of Xoey’s grasp. It clattered to the ground. “We didn’t do it.”
Ty shook his head rather annoyed. “No. Spotters saw Nix’s caravan heading this way. He’ll be here any minute.”
Xoey grabbed her hat. “We’ll find Taire and head out now.”
Ty knelt down. “You can’t. Nix expects him to be here. He’s better off staying behind to fill his head with tall tales.” He noticed the gear pin on her shirt. “Where did you find this?”
“Down at the lake. What is it?”
“An allegiance pin. Nix’s Council of Six is the only group to wear it.” He removed the pin and set it in her hand. “Under the General Store is an entrance to the mine. Ramos is waiting there. Follow the tracks.” Xoey could have slapped her own head. She remembered that she saw Nix wearing one inside of the circus.
Outside, a large steam powered vehicle with two great sprocket wheels in the back and a smaller one in the front rolled up. Black steam hissed from the bolted metal cylinder attached to the rear of the vehicle. Xoey stared down as Nix stepped out of the contraption. He tapped his cane on the side of his oiled boots. He wore a navy jacket buttoned from neck to navel. The high rise khaki pants he sported fashionably widened at his thighs and narrowed significantly at his calves. He tinkered with the remains of the metal ball with the tip of his cane. “A gnome device. Intriguing.”
Taire stepped outside with arms wide open. “Nix, a pleasure as always. What brings you here?”
Nix twitched his mouth with a rub of his mustache. “I can go where I please,” he said.
The musician smiled. “Of course. Would you care to join me in the Saloon?”
Nadine pulled Xoey away from the window. “We need to find a way out.”
Down below, something clanked, followed by three heavy footsteps. Xoey whispered, “He is in the building.”
Mal ran headlong to the window, checking to see if the coast was clear. “Come on then.”
Tired of running, Xoey sulked under the large brim hat. Pirates faced their fears head on. Decyl pushed at her back. “Now isn’t the time to stand your ground. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and too many of the decent shooters in this town are drowning in their brew.”
Xoey huffed in protest. Her legs, however, did not. She followed Mal and Nadine out onto the roof. Daring not to make a sound, the four tiptoed across the flat shingles. A soft buzz echoed in the distance. Nadine craned her head to take a look at the source. She inhaled fear and exhaled a ragged breath that formed a whisper. “Incoming.”
Mal, eyes wide, ducked behind the stone chimney. “That’s a Glider Bike.” Guided by the large lantern hanging from the center of the handlebars, the small bike with red wings soared over the Sheriff’s office. From a distance, it reminded her of the mythological flying creatures her father would tell her about. Usually he’d say that if she didn’t eat her curd, he’d toss her to the Brashine. The Brashine was a furred and horned flying creature with green eyes and rows of sharp teeth. She wished one would appear now. It didn’t happen.
Xoey peered over the edge of the roof. “We can climb down the gutter drain pipe.”
The bike circled the building. Decyl urged them down. “Hurry. I imagine he has a ray on his bike.”
“What’s a ray?” Xoey asked.
But Mal and Nadine seemed to understand. Judging by their level of fear, it wasn’t a good thing.
Mal climbed down the pipe. Nadine followed. “It’s a device that can detect shadows, even in the darkest of the night.”
Xoey swung over the edge of the roof, gripping onto the edge with her fingers. Her feet scrambled to find footing on the sides of the pipe. Careful not to hit the side of the inn, she exhaled as her foot rested on the bolt holding the pipe to the siding. In a matter of seconds, she jumped down beside Mal and Nadine. Decyl didn’t struggle as much as she did. With the help of his tail, he maintained his balance all the way down.
Decyl motioned for them to stay still. He edged around the corner. His tail twitched in anticipation. He held up two fingers for number count, followed by a forward motion. Mal and Nadine grabbed hands and ran across the street to the Store. From inside the inn, she could hear voices rising, clearly angry.
Decyl pulled himself back around the corner. Xoey inhaled at the sight of the gnome arming his rifle. He handed Xoey a gun. It was suitable for her small hands. On the right side of the barrel rested a wooden handle. “Whatever you do, do not push the blue button. To shoot, crank the handle clockwise. To reload, crank the handle in the other direction.” She pointed the gun to the ground. It was a rule on the ship, if one was armed, they never pointed at another—unless they intended to kill.
“Where is the blue button?” she asked, afraid she’d accidently press it.
Decyl responded, “If you have to ask, you won’t find it.” From his satchel, he retrieved the jumper boots. “My feet are too small.” He gestured to her boots. “Leave your shoes on and they should fit perfectly.”
She swallowed hard, unsure, insecure, and the simple life of her old world called to her. She quickly fastened the jumper boots over her shoes. Decyl’s mouth moved, words came out, but all she could hear was loud whirring. He furrowed his furry brows, tugging at her sleeve. She looked up to see the red wing bike. The pilot was a man with straw-colored hair, green eyes tucked behind copper goggles, and a devilish smile. He waved. She didn’t see anything friendly about the man. She didn’t wave back either.
From her pocket, Xoey pulled out the boomerang stick that she took from Under City. Decyl gestured that someone was coming. She grabbed the lighter from his belt. The dynamite stick hissed to life. Throwing was a trait she’d learned from Lucas on the ship. From behind the bike, she threw the stick up and over the glider. It landed in the center of the street ahead of them. Decyl fired upon the bike as she grabbed his arm and pulled him farther down the alley. The man on the bike turned to follow, but the dynamite exploded in the street, shot up, curved in the direction that Xoey had thrown it and it landed in his lap. Xoey grinned at the sound and rumble of the second explosion.
The ruckus caused chaos in the streets. They dashed in and out of shadows. She was surprised to find that the jumper boots were light and agile. Nix shouted. She was beginning to become familiar with his anger.
The General Store was quite empty and quite dark. It smelled of stale bread. She wondered why the shelves were bare. Decyl shook, starting at his head and moving all the way to this tail. He sighed, somewhat relieved. “Downstairs.”
They walked in through the side room and down the mud steps. Ramos, Nadine, and Mal were waiting for them. Nadine exhaled. “Oh thank the gods, you’re alive.”
Ramos held up a lantern and five pairs of goggles. “We need to hurry.” The tracks disappeared into the deep dark cave. Next to Ramos were three carts on four wheels. A thick smokestack attached tightly to the back of each cart. She guessed it to be powered by coal. They didn’t appear to be the most comfortable of rides, but when Xoey peered into the back cart she saw that the seats were surprisingly plush. Ra
mos told her, “You steer with the wheel. The handle on the side is the brake.”
Xoey climbed into the first cart. Ramos slid in next to her. “It’s a long bumpy ride, and sometimes you’ll feel your stomach rise.” Xoey grinned. She loved the feeling. Sometimes when the ship hit a wave and plummeted down, her stomach would hit her chest. Mal and Nadine climbed into the second cart and Decyl hopped into the last, a little too giddy. He smiled a toothy grin, put his goggles down over his black eyes, and grabbed ahold of the steering wheel.
Ramos released the brake on their cart. He pumped the lever on the opposite side. Seeing Xoey’s curious glance, he explained. “It starts the fire to burn the coal underneath. The seats are cooled with cold liquid running through metal coils.” The wheels moved forward. Xoey covered her eyes with the goggles. She felt the breeze on her face. Behind her, she could hear Mal and Nadine fighting over the wheel.
Decyl kicked at the cart in front of him. “Move it!”
They settled on Mal steering. Nadine seemed content keeping her hand on the brake.
Decyl bumped into the front carts, shoving them forward. Mal grumbled and his complaints were drowned out by the gnome’s cackling. “We should have let him go first.”
The carts sped down the steep hill. Xoey could feel the goggles tighten against her skin when she grinned. She tucked the edge of her hat between her and the edge of the seat.
She stood on the forecastle deck. Oliver, a dumpling shaped man and a fine cook, patted her on the head. The sea lapped at the side of the boat. The calm waters invited many a men to jump overboard. The clouds tipped in gray, foretelling a violent sky. “Better get below,” he said. Her strong sea legs stomped down the steps and into the dark damp quarters. The smell changed drastically; no longer did the salt of the sea rub at the nose, instead it was irritated with tar, poor hygiene, and bilge water. Her father sat on a dirty cot chewing on a licorice stick. She knew the moment wouldn’t last, as he would have to head above to man the sails.
Adventures of Captain Xdey Page 7
