The night is young. Most of the pirates will still be in town, sleeping off their drinks. Tonight is perfect for some sneaking about. I need to find that map. I’m
ready to be rid of this ship and its cocky first mate. I still can’t believe he managed to slice me. More than anything, it was a cut to my pride.
“The only amount of luck to be found is in cold, hard gold,” Belor says. “You
have that, and you can buy all the luck you need.”
“Which is why I purchased these here pearls,” Enwen says, pulling out his necklace.
Enwen relays the story of how he got the pearls. I doubt Belor hears a word of
it, as he does naught but watch Enwen’s purse. Neither pirate pays me any attention. They really are making it easy for me to escape. Not a soul on my own
crew would ever be so careless. Not even little Roslyn, who is the youngest of
my crew at six years old. Course, I would never have her watch over prisoners.
She stays mostly in the rigging, where she climbs better than any monkey ever could.
As quietly as I can, I flip over the table and reach for the leg on the bottom
left corner. I hollowed it out with my dagger and shoved the lockpicks in there
after knocking out Azek and Jolek. It’s a shame for Riden that he never thought
to check here.
“You know, I might have something you’d like, Enwen.” Belor pulls out of his pocket what looks like a leather string. “Man who gave me this told me it came from a siren’s wrist. It’s supposed to give the wearer protection on the sea.”
Enwen looks at it with reverence, but I’m pretty sure Belor just pulled it off
of his boot when no one was watching.
“I’ll give it to you for three gold pieces,” Belor says.
I’ve already got the door open. I stand before the two pirates. “It’s a terrible
trade, Enwen. The man’s lying. He just wants your gold.”
“But what if he’s not? How can I pass up such a trade? No more harm at sea,
Miss Alosa!”
“Then why in the world would he trade it for only three coins?”
“You’re right. I should give him five for it.”
Belor finally looks up from the sack of gold, the prospect of more money shining in his eyes. “Oi! What are you doing out of your cell?”
“Making sure you don’t take advantage of poor Enwen, here.” Although, now
that I think of it, Enwen is probably intending to steal the gold back bit by bit over the next several days.
“Appreciate the help, Miss Alosa, but you best be getting back in your cell,”
he says as he reaches for his sword.
“Can’t do that. Sorry about this, Enwen. I rather like you.”
I knock them both out a moment later. Enwen’s going to want to drink as much as Kearan to relieve the headache he’ll have when he wakes. I honestly feel bad, but I don’t have the time to wait for them to fall asleep. That could be a
while, and I need to take advantage of a nearly empty ship.
Once I’m up top, I observe everything carefully. The two pirates who were guarding the deck have gone, and Theris is nowhere to be seen. They were probably permitted to go ashore now that Riden is on board. Shame, that. Best to
avoid him. Probably in his quarters now. I pass by them silently and walk over to the railing, where I ended my search the previous night. I run my hands over it,
thumping with my feet as lightly as possible on the wooden planks below, checking for dead spots.
“Hello, Alosa.”
I sigh and look heavenward before turning around.
“Hello, Riden.”
“Been waiting for you to come up. You don’t disappoint.” Riden steps out of
the shadows cast by the stairs leading up to the second level. Ah, no wonder I didn’t see him.
“You knew I would try to escape again?”
“There are only three pirates left on this vessel, assuming you left Enwen and
Belor alive. We’re close to land. And I couldn’t find whatever it was you used to escape your cell last time. So, yes. I assumed you would try to escape again.”
“So you’re no longer convinced I’m up to more nefarious deeds?”
“I would have continued to have my doubts had you not gone straight for the
edge of the ship.”
Thank the stars I went there first. Who knows what would have happened if
Riden had seen me searching the ship?
“Now, Riden. There’s no reason why you can’t let me go. You can tell your
dear captain I got away due to your own stupidity. Shouldn’t be too hard for him