Read Online Into the Wind by Shira Anthony - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shira Anthony
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port near Gate Town, on the main island.”
“And her crew?” Taren’s heart pounded against his ribs and he swallowed hard.
“Safe, I hear tell. Her mizzen was destroyed, but the crew survived.”
Taren released a long, slow breath, then sat back down heavily. He’d never been so relieved. “Thank the goddess,” he muttered. No doubt Ian would have undertaken repairs as soon as possible, but with damage such as that, the Phantom wouldn’t be able to sail for several months. Time enough to look for Odhrán.
“You will take me to him, then,” Taren said. If he knew Ian was safe, perhaps Ian knew the same was true for him. Delaying his return to the Phantom by a few days would change nothing. Ian might be angry with him, but he’d also forgive him.
“But you will have to pay me.”
“Pay you?” Taren would have gladly shared any coins he had if only the boy could eat. As it was, however, he had nothing of value to offer. “If I could pay you, would I have borrowed these clothes?”
“You can pay me with something other than coins. Your necklace would do nicely.”
Taren put his hand to his neck and felt the familiar rugged stones and colorful bits of shell strung there. He’d forgotten he still wore his mother’s necklace. Of course he’d never willingly part with it. Then again, he was pretty sure Brynn had no idea where Odhrán was. And if by some chance the boy wasn’t full of bluster and led him to Odhrán, Taren would figure out some other form of payment once he met up with the Phantom and her crew.
“All right.” Ian would have called him a fool for following the boy, but Taren reckoned it was a risk worth taking. Brynn certainly had been capable of injuring him, even if he doubted the boy would have killed him. And if there was a chance he was telling Taren the truth….
Brynn’s eyes lit up with pleasure as he held out his hand.
“You’ll not get paid until you deliver on your part of the bargain.”
Brynn frowned but did not protest. The boy was a quick study. “He lives on an island to the west of here. We will need a boat.”
“And where did you expect I might find a boat?” Taren asked.
“Borrow one?” One corner of Brynn’s mouth curved upward and his eyes sparkled with humor.
Six
T ARENANDBrynn slept under the stars not far from the thicket of trees where they’d hidden the small fishing boat. It had taken them several hours to carry the boat through the thick forest to a secluded cove where they wouldn’t be spotted by the villagers, and by then, it had been too dark to sail.
Taren hadn’t wanted to risk making a fire for fear they might be spotted, so they ate the fish they’d caught in the small net left in the boat without cooking it. Brynn didn’t seem to mind. Taren watched as Brynn thoroughly licked each of his fingers after tossing what was left of a fish—little more than bones—into the nearby bushes. Taren knew few humans who would eat raw fish without complaint. He guessed the boy often went hungry.
“Where do you live?” Taren asked as he drank the water from one of the coconuts he’d harvested from a nearby tree.
“Here and there,” Brynn answered with a shrug.
“Parents?”
Another shrug.
Taren passed the half-empty coconut to the boy, who drank the remaining liquid and set the shell down beside him. “What do you know about Odhrán?”
“Not much. He pays me enough that I can eat.” Brynn pointed to Taren’s half-eaten fish and asked, “Are you going to finish that?”
“You’re welcome to it.”
Brynn took the fish and devoured it in the blink of an eye.
“Haven’t been paid recently?” Taren sat back on his hands and watched Brynn wipe his face with the back of his hand.
Brynn scowled and scratched his head. His hair was long, even longer than Taren’s, and so light that it appeared almost white in the fading light. Some of the strands near the front of his face were woven into tiny braids, knotted at the ends.
“And her crew?” Taren’s heart pounded against his ribs and he swallowed hard.
“Safe, I hear tell. Her mizzen was destroyed, but the crew survived.”
Taren released a long, slow breath, then sat back down heavily. He’d never been so relieved. “Thank the goddess,” he muttered. No doubt Ian would have undertaken repairs as soon as possible, but with damage such as that, the Phantom wouldn’t be able to sail for several months. Time enough to look for Odhrán.
“You will take me to him, then,” Taren said. If he knew Ian was safe, perhaps Ian knew the same was true for him. Delaying his return to the Phantom by a few days would change nothing. Ian might be angry with him, but he’d also forgive him.
“But you will have to pay me.”
“Pay you?” Taren would have gladly shared any coins he had if only the boy could eat. As it was, however, he had nothing of value to offer. “If I could pay you, would I have borrowed these clothes?”
“You can pay me with something other than coins. Your necklace would do nicely.”
Taren put his hand to his neck and felt the familiar rugged stones and colorful bits of shell strung there. He’d forgotten he still wore his mother’s necklace. Of course he’d never willingly part with it. Then again, he was pretty sure Brynn had no idea where Odhrán was. And if by some chance the boy wasn’t full of bluster and led him to Odhrán, Taren would figure out some other form of payment once he met up with the Phantom and her crew.
“All right.” Ian would have called him a fool for following the boy, but Taren reckoned it was a risk worth taking. Brynn certainly had been capable of injuring him, even if he doubted the boy would have killed him. And if there was a chance he was telling Taren the truth….
Brynn’s eyes lit up with pleasure as he held out his hand.
“You’ll not get paid until you deliver on your part of the bargain.”
Brynn frowned but did not protest. The boy was a quick study. “He lives on an island to the west of here. We will need a boat.”
“And where did you expect I might find a boat?” Taren asked.
“Borrow one?” One corner of Brynn’s mouth curved upward and his eyes sparkled with humor.
Six
T ARENANDBrynn slept under the stars not far from the thicket of trees where they’d hidden the small fishing boat. It had taken them several hours to carry the boat through the thick forest to a secluded cove where they wouldn’t be spotted by the villagers, and by then, it had been too dark to sail.
Taren hadn’t wanted to risk making a fire for fear they might be spotted, so they ate the fish they’d caught in the small net left in the boat without cooking it. Brynn didn’t seem to mind. Taren watched as Brynn thoroughly licked each of his fingers after tossing what was left of a fish—little more than bones—into the nearby bushes. Taren knew few humans who would eat raw fish without complaint. He guessed the boy often went hungry.
“Where do you live?” Taren asked as he drank the water from one of the coconuts he’d harvested from a nearby tree.
“Here and there,” Brynn answered with a shrug.
“Parents?”
Another shrug.
Taren passed the half-empty coconut to the boy, who drank the remaining liquid and set the shell down beside him. “What do you know about Odhrán?”
“Not much. He pays me enough that I can eat.” Brynn pointed to Taren’s half-eaten fish and asked, “Are you going to finish that?”
“You’re welcome to it.”
Brynn took the fish and devoured it in the blink of an eye.
“Haven’t been paid recently?” Taren sat back on his hands and watched Brynn wipe his face with the back of his hand.
Brynn scowled and scratched his head. His hair was long, even longer than Taren’s, and so light that it appeared almost white in the fading light. Some of the strands near the front of his face were woven into tiny braids, knotted at the ends.
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