Read Online The Ghostfaces by John A. Flanagan - Free Book Online

clunk of the oars being unstowed and then placed into the oarlocks. The crew members took their places on either side, ready to begin rowing.
    Hal waited until they were a bare hundred meters from the river mouth and nodded to Stig. The first mate called for Ulf and Wulf to bring the sail down and stow it, then to take their places in the rowing wells. With the sail down, the ship gradually lost way. She was almost at a stop when Stig took his own oar and called for the first stroke.
    Seven oars dipped into the water as one, then heaved the little ship forward. Hal felt the renewed life in the tiller as she started to move, swooping up the long ocean rollers at an angle, cutting through the crests and sliding down diagonally into the troughs once more.
    They made ground swiftly to the inlet. Lydia, with no rowing duties, was in the bow, keeping a keen eye out for hidden rocks or shoals. But the way in was clear.
    The tall cliffs towered above them on either side, blocking the sunlight and casting deep shadows over the water. Then they werethrough the entrance and Hal cried out in surprise at the sight that greeted him.
    He had assumed that the narrow gap in the cliffs was the mouth of a river. Instead, it turned out to be the entrance into a massive, wide bay, at least four kilometers across. Straight ahead was the long, narrow promontory that had seemed to fill the gap between the heads, but on either side, the bay swelled out into a huge natural harbor, fringed by heavily treed shores.
    The crew, hearing his exclamation of surprise, looked over their shoulders and paused in their stroke. Angrily, Stig urged them on again and they went back to work. But they continued to look over their shoulders at the huge enclosed space of water that now surrounded them.
    â€œLooks like a river to the north,” Thorn called and they all swung their gazes that way.
    There was a gap in the trees that might well have been a river mouth. Hal nodded, but continued to look for another water source. The river, if it was one, and not just a shallow inlet, would be tidal. They’d have to travel several kilometers inland to find freshwater.
    â€œTo the south,” he said, pointing.
    On the southern curve of the vast bay’s coastline, he could see the pale sand of a long beach. And, issuing from the cliffs above it, a shower of sparkling water fell down the rock face. Unconsciously, he licked his dry lips at the sight of it, as did several of the others.
    He swung the
Heron
to the south and the rowers drove her on with renewed energy. They had all seen the silver sparkle of water cascading down the cliff to the beach below. That meant freshwater ready to hand.
    The seawater gurgled and thumped under the hull as the
Heron
gathered speed. They cruised smoothly across the bay, watching that sparkling, gushing source of drinking water, licking dry, cracked lips at the thought of drinking unlimited amounts of it. Only Thorn kept his wits about him.
    â€œKeep a good lookout,” he said, his voice rasping. “There could be people here.”
    That thought hadn’t occurred to them, and they began to sweep the shoreline with their eyes, looking for some sign that there were people here—people who might not be altogether welcoming.
    But the shoreline seemed deserted and the peacefulness of the bay, after the rush of wind and waves on the open sea outside, seemed to wrap itself around them, giving them a sense of security.
    â€œCan’t see anyone,” Hal called.
    â€œDoesn’t mean there’s no one here,” Thorn replied. “When we reach the shore, don’t go dashing off to get water. Keep your weapons handy while we make sure this place is as deserted as it looks.”
    Lydia looked at him and nodded agreement. She unclipped her atlatl from her belt and took a dart from the quiver slung over her shoulder, casually fitting its base into the hooked receptacle on the end of the handle.
    Stig glanced