Read Online Scimitar Sun by Chris A. Jackson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chris A. Jackson
Ads: Link
no easy way to tell it. “We was passed by a warship on the way south from Rockport. A small two-master. Didn’t pass close enough to see a name, thank the gods, but it was a Tsing warship sure enough, and makin’ a good twelve knots!”
“A warship?” Sam’s eyes widened and her gaze flicked back and forth between the two captains.
“Aw, it couldn’ta been! Wha’s a warship doing down here? Pro’lly headed fer M’rathia, and good riddance!” Farin downed his rum and reached for the bottle, but Sam snatched it first.
“Hey, now! Gimme that, ye li’l rat!” The mate tried to stand, but couldn’t quite manage it.
Sam’s quick eyes glanced a question to Parek, but he just smiled and said, “Pour Farin another drink, if you please, Sam. It’s his last tonight.”
“Best make it last, mate!” she said, pulling the cork and pouring him a scant measure.
Seoril watched the exchange and frowned. Favorite indeed, more like his private watchdog , he thought. “I don’t think the warship was headed for any eastern port, and I’ll tell you why. If he was headed for Marathia or Fornice, or even Southaven, he’d have made for Saber Cut and worked his way through usin’ his sweeps. Them warships can make four knots straight into the wind if there ain’t much sea.”
“Which begs the question: where was he headed?”
“Let me find him for you, sir!” Sam offered, her face lit up like sunrise. “I can take the cat boat and work my way down the islands and back in four days.”
“You think he’s somewhere here in the Shattered Isles, Sam?” the captain asked, one eyebrow arching.
“Where else? Like Seoril said, if he was makin’ for any eastern port, he’d have cut through the isles farther north. He’s not headed straight south, that’s for sure. Ain’t nothin’ out there but seaweed and sea drakes!”
“ Captain Seoril, if you please, Sam,” Seoril said, narrowing his eyes at the girl, then flicking his gaze toward Parek. Favorite or no, the girl was getting a bit big for her britches.
“Yes, Sam,” Parek said, nodding to the other captain. “I know we’ve all had a bit to drink, but you’re junior here. Show some respect.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, pressing a knuckle to her forehead in salute to Seoril. “Sorry, Captain. It won’t happen again.”
“I gotta say, she’s right though,” he said, acknowledging her apology with a nod. “The warship’s patrolling, and they’ve never done that before, or they’ve come here for a visit.”
“And there’s only one person they’d be visitin’ in the Shattered Isles,” Sam said, eyeing both captains again. “They’ve come to see the sea witch.”
“That was my thinkin’ as well.” Seoril stood and nodded his respects to the table. Farin had passed out flat on his face and was snoring in a puddle of rum. “I better get back to the Gull before that dimwit Beckel stores the sugar next to the water barrels again. We’ll transfer cargo tomorrow and be off at dusk. Thanks for the rum, Parek.”
“Sleep well, my friend,” the Cutthroat’s captain said, leaning back in his seat and stretching. “And don’t worry about the warship. It’s obvious they’re not hunting us.”
“Aye, and I’m thankful for that. Goodnight.”
≈
After Seoril had ducked out of the mess, Sam reached for the rum bottle one more time and, under Parek’s watchful gaze, poured them both another measure.
“I could be off in an hour with the catboat and you’d know if that warship was at Plume Isle by mornin’, Captain,” she said.
“Aye, I suppose you could, Sam, but it’ll have to wait until the morning. You and the whole crew have had a bit to drink, and sailing a catboat in the trades takes a sharp wit, not a sodden one.” He pushed himself up and took his cup. “Besides, I’ve got something else for you to do first.”
“And what might that be, Captain?” she asked. The knowing smile that played across her face seemed to
“A warship?” Sam’s eyes widened and her gaze flicked back and forth between the two captains.
“Aw, it couldn’ta been! Wha’s a warship doing down here? Pro’lly headed fer M’rathia, and good riddance!” Farin downed his rum and reached for the bottle, but Sam snatched it first.
“Hey, now! Gimme that, ye li’l rat!” The mate tried to stand, but couldn’t quite manage it.
Sam’s quick eyes glanced a question to Parek, but he just smiled and said, “Pour Farin another drink, if you please, Sam. It’s his last tonight.”
“Best make it last, mate!” she said, pulling the cork and pouring him a scant measure.
Seoril watched the exchange and frowned. Favorite indeed, more like his private watchdog , he thought. “I don’t think the warship was headed for any eastern port, and I’ll tell you why. If he was headed for Marathia or Fornice, or even Southaven, he’d have made for Saber Cut and worked his way through usin’ his sweeps. Them warships can make four knots straight into the wind if there ain’t much sea.”
“Which begs the question: where was he headed?”
“Let me find him for you, sir!” Sam offered, her face lit up like sunrise. “I can take the cat boat and work my way down the islands and back in four days.”
“You think he’s somewhere here in the Shattered Isles, Sam?” the captain asked, one eyebrow arching.
“Where else? Like Seoril said, if he was makin’ for any eastern port, he’d have cut through the isles farther north. He’s not headed straight south, that’s for sure. Ain’t nothin’ out there but seaweed and sea drakes!”
“ Captain Seoril, if you please, Sam,” Seoril said, narrowing his eyes at the girl, then flicking his gaze toward Parek. Favorite or no, the girl was getting a bit big for her britches.
“Yes, Sam,” Parek said, nodding to the other captain. “I know we’ve all had a bit to drink, but you’re junior here. Show some respect.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, pressing a knuckle to her forehead in salute to Seoril. “Sorry, Captain. It won’t happen again.”
“I gotta say, she’s right though,” he said, acknowledging her apology with a nod. “The warship’s patrolling, and they’ve never done that before, or they’ve come here for a visit.”
“And there’s only one person they’d be visitin’ in the Shattered Isles,” Sam said, eyeing both captains again. “They’ve come to see the sea witch.”
“That was my thinkin’ as well.” Seoril stood and nodded his respects to the table. Farin had passed out flat on his face and was snoring in a puddle of rum. “I better get back to the Gull before that dimwit Beckel stores the sugar next to the water barrels again. We’ll transfer cargo tomorrow and be off at dusk. Thanks for the rum, Parek.”
“Sleep well, my friend,” the Cutthroat’s captain said, leaning back in his seat and stretching. “And don’t worry about the warship. It’s obvious they’re not hunting us.”
“Aye, and I’m thankful for that. Goodnight.”
≈
After Seoril had ducked out of the mess, Sam reached for the rum bottle one more time and, under Parek’s watchful gaze, poured them both another measure.
“I could be off in an hour with the catboat and you’d know if that warship was at Plume Isle by mornin’, Captain,” she said.
“Aye, I suppose you could, Sam, but it’ll have to wait until the morning. You and the whole crew have had a bit to drink, and sailing a catboat in the trades takes a sharp wit, not a sodden one.” He pushed himself up and took his cup. “Besides, I’ve got something else for you to do first.”
“And what might that be, Captain?” she asked. The knowing smile that played across her face seemed to
Similar Books
