I surrendered to the darkness and the black.
38. TheEndorathil
I usually remembered my dreams. Unfortunately, I usually remembered my nightmares, too, so when these memories of beatings and blood, impaling and surrender, were still with me when I woke, for a brief moment, I hoped that nightmare was all they were. But my head throbbed, my ribs ached, and the room smelled of blood, tar, and piss, telling me otherwise.
I was not on theTouchstone.
I pushed myself to my hands and knees. I was alone in a brig. There was no port, the ceiling was low, and the floor was tarred to repel the piss and the blood.
I was on theEndorathil.
I waited until the pain ebbed like a low tide before I forced myself to sit, my back against a bulwark, arms across my knees. I had no gloves, and my scars still gleamed, so at least I had some resources. I could burn a hole in the wall, but I had no idea of where aRhi’Ahrbrig was located. TheEndorathilwas a large four-master. I could crawl out of here straight into the captain’s quarters, for all I knew of their ships.
Thanavar wasn’t here. Dev wasn’t here. I was alone.
Echo?
Kill the rest.
Mother?
I wished I hadn’t seen Buck die.So fast, so brutal, for such a noble man. And at Smoke’s hand. The horror still twisted my gut. I wished I had stayed in the hold with my mother and Echo, but they were right. I had mutiny in my bones. I would pay for it every minute of every day for the rest of my life, which, on this ship, wouldn’t be long.
I wished I hadn’t seen the sword come down, separating Thanavar’s hand from his wrist. The source of deep magik,the caster of spells. A mage’s hands were his livelihood. For Thanavar, they were his life. Now, he was down to one,ifhe was alive at all.
And Smoke. Oh, the bile that rose up my throat at the thought of him, the charming, witty, vulgar quartermaster who had sold us out for the price of a boat. I’d kill him the next time I saw him, but because of this little cell, he might live a very long time.
I wondered about Worley. Had he really been the traitor, the soul aboard? What if it was Smoke all along, cleverly capitalizing on Worley’s hatred ofRhi’Ahrand magik with birds? I couldn’t believe it, and yet Worley was dead and Smoke was captain of an enemy ship.
I rubbed my head. I couldn’t believe any of it, even though I had seen it all for myself.
And so, I sat in this dark, small, tar-stained cell forever, until the door rattled and aRhi’Ahrpulled me to my feet.
TheEndorathilwas big even for a man-of-war. Five decks, not including hold or bilge, with a crew of at least two hundred soldiers and seamen. She was beautiful. She was clean. She was polished to gleaming. She was art. Her masts were carved with story, and her sails sang legends in gold. Arches, curves, bevels, and curls made even the most ordinary details exquisite, and everything looked like it could be a weapon in the right hands. Art and war. They made it seem natural, and I envied them the skill.
I was taken through a wide companionway and a set of arched doors that made those on theTouchstonelook common. My heart ached to know I’d never see her again. I prayed they didn’tjust sink her outright, but if they did, that she would go swift.
I could hear Smoke’s voice from the other side of the door, and I steeled the knots in my belly.
“Just a small crew,” he was saying. “Twelve able seamen would be fine. Maybe ten. I’ll pick up a full crew in Flogger’s Bay. And I can’t bloody well make port at Corvallan or Hodgetown anytime soon, can I? Not afterMarelethanand company pounded the shite out of them just for fun.”
“How will you report?”
“A friend of mine had a clutch of swifts, just like yours. We can imprint them ship to ship with aDomunusspell. Easy as a High Temple courtesan. I just need to pop over to theTouchstoneand fetch ’em.”
“Your Bracebridge will be here by morning with a fleet of cruisers,” said Ilvalour. “He expects me to trade the prince, but I may do as you say and keep the boy for myself. The Impirius would be pleased if I present him such a prize.”
There was a pause.
“Keeping Bracebridge as an ally is not a bad thing,” said Smoke.
“Bracebridge is a fool. I have what I want and no longer need him.”
“No, listen. Send the prince back to High Temple with him. Then, the King of Oversea owes you a debt he can never repay.”
“I care nothing for the King of Oversea. Before I leaveLindurithain, theEndorathiland theMarelethanwill sink theTouchstonetogether. Tonight, two ships under my command will end her reign of terror, and I will be restored to glory.”
“Well then, that’s a plan as fine as a ninny-backed bitch.” Silence. “That’s a good thing.”
