There was a hum of agreement and acknowledgement.
“Sail!”
The shouted word pierced the relative silence like a sword.
“Sail!Sail to starboard!”I recognized Boone’s raised voice.
We looked towards the bow, where the captain’s former bodyguard pointed into the distance.We followed his gesture to see an approaching vessel coming out of the mist.
Other men picked up the shout.
“Sail!”
“A ship!To starboard!”
“Someone get me my glass,” Dinesh ordered, stepping down from the platform.“And prepare yourselves for anything.”
***
Sheapproachedatanalarming pace.A hulk of a vessel with a flat black flag that flapped in the wind, and a hull covered with scratches and gashes, as if she’d fought and survived numerous battles.
She was a ship out of my worst nightmares.
Domingo had gone and now came back with the captain’s spyglass and handed the implement to him.
“Thank you, Domingo.”
He braced his elbows on the rail and peered through the scope, frowning with concern.
“That’s odd,” he said, moving the glass as if trying to find something.
My skin went cold and clammy.
“What is?”I asked.
“I don’t see anyone on deck,” he muttered.“But how can that be?She’s plainly on approach.Her sails are full.Someone had to have set them.”
“Are they under cover?”Domingo asked.“Perhaps they are trying to confuse us, like theEloise.”
“Tricky to run a ship without anyone about,” Hillier said, holding his hand out and tapping the captain’s shoulder.“TheEloisewas at a standstill.We approached her.May I?”
Captain Martin passed the glass to Hillier and turned to face the men.
“Prepare for attack,” he announced.“Ready the guns.All hands on deck.We defend ourselves against these villains.They shan’t have theArrow.I swear it!”
My blood ran cold, and I hugged my arms about myself.
The captain looked at me.I looked at him.
I nodded, prepared to attempt an invocation if needed.
“Can’t see a man anywhere!”Hillier said, lowering the glass and squinting at the oncoming vessel that rode the choppy sea towards us.
“Steady on!”Captain Martin said.“Hillier, take over.We need to get ready…”
“She hasn’t fired on us.”
“No, but I fear it’s only moments.If we show her we mean to defend ourselves, perhaps she’ll turn away.”
