Read Online Barefoot Pirate by Sherwood Smith - Free Book Online Page B

individual named Nitre. The Prince’s household was under the
rule of Lady Olucar, Nitre’s wife, who was every bit as mean. It was this pair
who had decided to “clean up” the city of Fortanya by getting rid of the street
children—kids who, Sarilda said indignantly, were living on the streets only
because the warts had done away with or imprisoned their parents, like Shor and
Mican. The brother and sister had been caught stealing, and were selected for
hanging in order to serve as examples. They would have been dead but for a
daring rescue made by Warron and Tarsen while the others provided a diversion.
    “We cut loose all the horses in the garrison, and stampeded
them through the execution square,” Sarilda exclaimed, chortling. “Blackeye
thought that one up. What fun it was! The vultures who gathered to watch the
hanging all screaming and running, and Nitre and the warts cursing and
scrambling out of the way. It was a, uh, an okay sight.”
    Everybody laughed.
    “Wow,” Joe said admiringly. “Wish we coulda seen that. What
other things have you done?”
    Blackeye shrugged. “Tell you what. Let’s get some rest now,
and we can trade stories to while away the long ride through the islands, day
after next. You must be tired.”
    Joe started to shake his head—then was caught by a yawn.
“Guess so,” he said sheepishly. “But hey, at least I’m not falling asleep right
on my plate anymore.”
    The others laughed, but not meanly. Most went off to bed.
    Nan lingered, hoping to hear more talk. She was content to
sit in the background and listen; therefore she was surprised when Blackeye
turned to her and said with a smile, “Interested in a little night run?”

Seven
    “Uh, what kind of run?” Nan asked cautiously.
    “Just a spy-run,” Blackeye said. “Other side of the island.
See what those Lorjee toffs in the yacht are up to at the outpost.”
    “Oh.” Nan’s heart began to thump warningly. “Okay,” she
said, trying to sound cool.
    Blackeye gave her a grin, and reached down to slap her
shoulder. “Let’s go.”
    Nan stood up. Her tiredness had disappeared—replaced by
nervousness.
    “Got something dark to put on?” Sarilda spoke softly behind
her.
    Nan shook her head. “I didn’t bring much.”
    “Well, I have an extra tunic, and you aren’t much taller.
Your hose will do quite nicely. So thick,” Sarilda added, leading the way to
the girls’ room. “And sturdy.”
    “They’re called jeans,” Nan said. The word didn’t translate.
    “A strange word!” Sarilda laughed.
    Nothing more was said as Sarilda opened her trunk and drew
out two garments. Nan changed quickly, then followed Sarilda back up the
tunnel, rejoicing in the heavy tunic of unfamiliar fabric, and the belt with a
knife attached around her waist.
    Mican and Warron waited, Mican with a sort of skeptical
watchfulness on his face and a twist to his smile that cut into Nan’s joy and
made her feel a twinge of warning.
    Blackeye joined them from another direction, saying,
“Tarsen?”
    “Bunked out,” Mican answered. “He’s still getting up early
to give Joe extra practice with the blades.”
    Blackeye nodded. “Right. Let’s go.”
    She and Warron led the way out of the cave.
    The night air was balmy, and Nan smelled the same sharp tang
of saltwater mixed with of herbs that she remembered from her arrival.
    “Wait here,” Sarilda murmured when they reached the sand.
    The others disappeared briefly, then reappeared carrying a
long, narrow boat. Like a canoe, Nan thought.
    “Here. You paddle this way.” Sarilda demonstrated with her
hands, just barely visible in the weak light of a low moon. “And you ship it
like this when we’re still moving.” She balanced her pretend paddle across her
knees. “So it doesn’t make any noise. Water carries noises real far, and we
don’t know who might be out patrolling.”
    Nan’s heart thumped in warning again, but she only nodded.
    The other three expertly flipped