Read Online Jalia Prevails (Book 5) by John Booth - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: John Booth
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Sila was dragged from the hold as soon as the knot came free. Jalia grabbed hold of her and tried to keep hold, as the cover was pulled downstream by the fast flowing river. Her fingers began to slip as Sila screamed.
The rope parted at the cut Jalia had started. Sila fell on top of Jalia as the drag vanished. Jalia held on to the lip of the cover hole for her life. Then she felt the ship begin to tilt further into the river.
She heard the sound of the mooring line dropping into the water as it was cut by the Steam Dragon’s crew.
Sila turned over and was able to assess their situation.
“We are going to die, aren’t we?”
Jalia was tempted to nod, as she could see no way out of their predicament. Then she heard the sound of something crashing onto the deck. Jalia turned in response to the noise, trying to figure out what had just happened.
High up on the viewing platform on the Steam Dragons funnel, Jalia saw two small figures swinging a rope towards them with a weight attached to its end. She saw at once that the two were Hala and Nin. They had tied their end of a rope to the safety rail and were leaning over it to assist its swing. They pulled the rope up as it came back towards the Steam Dragon before letting it down as it flew down towards the wreck.
“Come on.” Jalia dragged Sila to the higher part of the ship where the weight had previously hit. They scrambled up the incline as the ship shuddered beneath them.
The weight came back towards them and Jalia grabbed it as it landed for a second time. She dropped down the deck towards the mast, towing Sila behind her. Seconds later, she had tied the rope around the mast.
The Steam Dragon was once again tied to the ship and in some danger as a result. Jalia saw the Captain his crew rush towards the funnel to cut the rope. She and Sila didn’t have much time to make their escape.
“We have to climb the mast and take the rope with us,” Jalia told Sila, who nodded her understanding. As they climbed the sloping mast, they could reach higher up the rope. The end of the rope would still be tied to the ship, but that wouldn’t matter.
Jalia kept an eye on Captain Toren, who was now halfway up the steps to the viewing platform.
“We need to hurry. Drop that bag of yours, it’s slowing us down,” Jalia told Sila, who ignored her.
Jalia cut the rope below her as she saw Hala holding the Captain at bay with her knife. Sila grabbed hold of her as she wrapped the rope around her hands. She let go of the mast and the women swung towards the Steam Dragon.
They crashed into the hull of the Dragon with their feet in the water. Willing hands pulled the rope up as the women clung on for their lives. Jalia was sure her arms were being pulled from their sockets. She couldn’t believe how heavy Sila was.
Then hands grabbed them and lifted them up onto the deck. Jalia turned in time to see the sailing ship slip beneath the water.
She got to her feet, seeing that it was Cara and Don who had rescued them.
“Glad to be able to do something to help,” Cara said apologetically. “I’m hopeless at climbing ropes and I’ve never learned to swim.”
“You need to go on a diet,” Don said. “The two of you were so heavy I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to pull you up.”
“Thank you. I especially owe a debt of gratitude to you, Don. It took a lot of nerve to follow me over to the ship and get Alin back to the Dragon.”
While they were talking, Sila staggered to her feet. “You all have my thanks and I will say them again when I am less the worse for wear. Right now, I must go and see to my secretary.” She walked unsteadily towards Alin. Jak was examining Alin’s leg, still hidden by the hooded cloak he always wore.
“I gather the hooded one is a healer,” Cara remarked. “He must get hot in that cloak in this heat.”
“It looks like you have more trouble coming, Jalia,” Don said and nodded his head at something behind her. Jalia turned
Sila was dragged from the hold as soon as the knot came free. Jalia grabbed hold of her and tried to keep hold, as the cover was pulled downstream by the fast flowing river. Her fingers began to slip as Sila screamed.
The rope parted at the cut Jalia had started. Sila fell on top of Jalia as the drag vanished. Jalia held on to the lip of the cover hole for her life. Then she felt the ship begin to tilt further into the river.
She heard the sound of the mooring line dropping into the water as it was cut by the Steam Dragon’s crew.
Sila turned over and was able to assess their situation.
“We are going to die, aren’t we?”
Jalia was tempted to nod, as she could see no way out of their predicament. Then she heard the sound of something crashing onto the deck. Jalia turned in response to the noise, trying to figure out what had just happened.
High up on the viewing platform on the Steam Dragons funnel, Jalia saw two small figures swinging a rope towards them with a weight attached to its end. She saw at once that the two were Hala and Nin. They had tied their end of a rope to the safety rail and were leaning over it to assist its swing. They pulled the rope up as it came back towards the Steam Dragon before letting it down as it flew down towards the wreck.
“Come on.” Jalia dragged Sila to the higher part of the ship where the weight had previously hit. They scrambled up the incline as the ship shuddered beneath them.
The weight came back towards them and Jalia grabbed it as it landed for a second time. She dropped down the deck towards the mast, towing Sila behind her. Seconds later, she had tied the rope around the mast.
The Steam Dragon was once again tied to the ship and in some danger as a result. Jalia saw the Captain his crew rush towards the funnel to cut the rope. She and Sila didn’t have much time to make their escape.
“We have to climb the mast and take the rope with us,” Jalia told Sila, who nodded her understanding. As they climbed the sloping mast, they could reach higher up the rope. The end of the rope would still be tied to the ship, but that wouldn’t matter.
Jalia kept an eye on Captain Toren, who was now halfway up the steps to the viewing platform.
“We need to hurry. Drop that bag of yours, it’s slowing us down,” Jalia told Sila, who ignored her.
Jalia cut the rope below her as she saw Hala holding the Captain at bay with her knife. Sila grabbed hold of her as she wrapped the rope around her hands. She let go of the mast and the women swung towards the Steam Dragon.
They crashed into the hull of the Dragon with their feet in the water. Willing hands pulled the rope up as the women clung on for their lives. Jalia was sure her arms were being pulled from their sockets. She couldn’t believe how heavy Sila was.
Then hands grabbed them and lifted them up onto the deck. Jalia turned in time to see the sailing ship slip beneath the water.
She got to her feet, seeing that it was Cara and Don who had rescued them.
“Glad to be able to do something to help,” Cara said apologetically. “I’m hopeless at climbing ropes and I’ve never learned to swim.”
“You need to go on a diet,” Don said. “The two of you were so heavy I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to pull you up.”
“Thank you. I especially owe a debt of gratitude to you, Don. It took a lot of nerve to follow me over to the ship and get Alin back to the Dragon.”
While they were talking, Sila staggered to her feet. “You all have my thanks and I will say them again when I am less the worse for wear. Right now, I must go and see to my secretary.” She walked unsteadily towards Alin. Jak was examining Alin’s leg, still hidden by the hooded cloak he always wore.
“I gather the hooded one is a healer,” Cara remarked. “He must get hot in that cloak in this heat.”
“It looks like you have more trouble coming, Jalia,” Don said and nodded his head at something behind her. Jalia turned
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