and she heard them lap against its sides.
“It is beyond, that way?” Peng asked, squinting into the white haze.
“Yes.”
“How far?” he asked.
She flung her spirit forward, and there was no tautness in her navel this time. “Soon within shouting distance.”
He turned to her, his black eyes unreadable. “Yen!” The pilot emerged like a wraith in the weak morning light.
“Are the fire lances ready?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“I’ll give the signal,” Peng said.
Five men ran to the railing. Ai Ling saw that the closest one carried a tube the length of his arm.
“It’s made from bamboo and filled with gunpowder.” Chen Yong leaned closer. “It can shoot flame, but not far.”
A blast of intense fire burst from the fog toward them.
“The heavens have mercy,” Peng said. “They have a flamethrower.”
“What’s that?” Ai Ling asked, her heart thudding too fast.
“It uses a double-piston bellow to shoot fierce fire oil. The flames can’t be doused with water,” Peng said in a grim voice. “If it ignites the ship, we’re doomed.”
They could hear shouting now. And a roar and stench filled the heavy air, as another explosion of fire shot toward the Gliding Dragon like a lashing tongue. The fog lifted slightly, and they could see the hulking shape of another ship, heading toward them.
“Extra sails!” Peng bellowed. “Go!”
The crew scrambled to their stations, but it seemed to Ai Ling that the Gliding Dragon was stuck in rice glue while the other ship slid on cooking grease. She could see the pirates now, drawing ever closer.
“Put down your weapons! Or we’ll set your ship afire!” A voice boomed from the prow of the pirate ship.
A loud hiss and another flare. This time the ball offire disappeared into the water just short of the Gliding Dragon .
“Curses on the devil’s daughter,” Peng muttered. “Drop your weapons.”
The men obeyed, and their weapons clattered to the deck.
“Very good. I’m sending over fifteen men armed with flame lances. Don’t do anything foolish, and no one will get killed.” The pirate captain paused. “We want the cargo, that’s all. If we meet resistance, we’ll burn your ship.”
He was lying. The pirates would kill them and take the Gliding Dragon . Blood thirst mingled with greed ricocheted among the pirates to her. She flung herself forward, gripping the spirit of every man on the other ship. She held them immobile and focused on the pirate behind the flamethrower, leaped into his being. Excitement coursed though him, and his heart beat hard against his ribs. Heavy sweat rolled down his back.
He was the best with the flamethrower and itched to set the Gliding Dragon on fire. But not unless the idiots were dumb enough to fight. He wanted the loot but would almost trade it to ignite the ship. It would burn so gloriously.
Ai Ling was aware of the terrified babbling of the men who had discovered that they couldn’t control their limbs. Their terror mounted even as their captain shouted for calm. She folded herself over the pirate behind the flamethrower and took possession of his body. He mewed in surprise. She probed through his mind, understood how the weapon worked, and turned the four-wheel pushcart until its mouth was aimed at the bridge of the pirate ship.
The fire roared across the deck shooting up the masts and igniting the sails.
“Idiot! Are you mad?” the pirate captain bellowed. “We’re bedeviled!”
Ai Ling snapped back into her own being with a gasp and collapsed hard against the railing, trying to keep from sliding to the deck. The pirates were screaming. They would burn to death or drown. She didn’t know which fate was worse. The Gliding Dragon ’s crew erupted into rowdy cheering, dancing behind her. The mist had cleared, and the sun rose like a blazing god across the sky. Hungry flames fed on the planks of the pirate ship, leaping like angry phantoms.
Suddenly a strong wind blew toward them, carrying the
“It is beyond, that way?” Peng asked, squinting into the white haze.
“Yes.”
“How far?” he asked.
She flung her spirit forward, and there was no tautness in her navel this time. “Soon within shouting distance.”
He turned to her, his black eyes unreadable. “Yen!” The pilot emerged like a wraith in the weak morning light.
“Are the fire lances ready?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“I’ll give the signal,” Peng said.
Five men ran to the railing. Ai Ling saw that the closest one carried a tube the length of his arm.
“It’s made from bamboo and filled with gunpowder.” Chen Yong leaned closer. “It can shoot flame, but not far.”
A blast of intense fire burst from the fog toward them.
“The heavens have mercy,” Peng said. “They have a flamethrower.”
“What’s that?” Ai Ling asked, her heart thudding too fast.
“It uses a double-piston bellow to shoot fierce fire oil. The flames can’t be doused with water,” Peng said in a grim voice. “If it ignites the ship, we’re doomed.”
They could hear shouting now. And a roar and stench filled the heavy air, as another explosion of fire shot toward the Gliding Dragon like a lashing tongue. The fog lifted slightly, and they could see the hulking shape of another ship, heading toward them.
“Extra sails!” Peng bellowed. “Go!”
The crew scrambled to their stations, but it seemed to Ai Ling that the Gliding Dragon was stuck in rice glue while the other ship slid on cooking grease. She could see the pirates now, drawing ever closer.
“Put down your weapons! Or we’ll set your ship afire!” A voice boomed from the prow of the pirate ship.
A loud hiss and another flare. This time the ball offire disappeared into the water just short of the Gliding Dragon .
“Curses on the devil’s daughter,” Peng muttered. “Drop your weapons.”
The men obeyed, and their weapons clattered to the deck.
“Very good. I’m sending over fifteen men armed with flame lances. Don’t do anything foolish, and no one will get killed.” The pirate captain paused. “We want the cargo, that’s all. If we meet resistance, we’ll burn your ship.”
He was lying. The pirates would kill them and take the Gliding Dragon . Blood thirst mingled with greed ricocheted among the pirates to her. She flung herself forward, gripping the spirit of every man on the other ship. She held them immobile and focused on the pirate behind the flamethrower, leaped into his being. Excitement coursed though him, and his heart beat hard against his ribs. Heavy sweat rolled down his back.
He was the best with the flamethrower and itched to set the Gliding Dragon on fire. But not unless the idiots were dumb enough to fight. He wanted the loot but would almost trade it to ignite the ship. It would burn so gloriously.
Ai Ling was aware of the terrified babbling of the men who had discovered that they couldn’t control their limbs. Their terror mounted even as their captain shouted for calm. She folded herself over the pirate behind the flamethrower and took possession of his body. He mewed in surprise. She probed through his mind, understood how the weapon worked, and turned the four-wheel pushcart until its mouth was aimed at the bridge of the pirate ship.
The fire roared across the deck shooting up the masts and igniting the sails.
“Idiot! Are you mad?” the pirate captain bellowed. “We’re bedeviled!”
Ai Ling snapped back into her own being with a gasp and collapsed hard against the railing, trying to keep from sliding to the deck. The pirates were screaming. They would burn to death or drown. She didn’t know which fate was worse. The Gliding Dragon ’s crew erupted into rowdy cheering, dancing behind her. The mist had cleared, and the sun rose like a blazing god across the sky. Hungry flames fed on the planks of the pirate ship, leaping like angry phantoms.
Suddenly a strong wind blew toward them, carrying the
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