Chasing the Lantern(23)

"I hope you're right. Always comes down to that, eventually." Sarah pulled a pipe from her vest. Filling it, she stood to walk away, then stopped, as if she'd remembered something. "Oscar's making trouble for you," she said conversationally. "You should do something about that. Make sure you don't lose any of those ropes over the side."

Lina bent herself to her task, too tired to respond. As the moon fell beneath the horizon the pile became less tangled, neat coils appearing beside it. She stepped nimbly amongst them; all she needed was to get her feet tangled and trip back over the gunwales.

Without the moon the deck was dark. Lina and the others worked on by the light of two small lanterns, one far to the fore and the other far aft. Over the deck came the muffled steps of someone approaching.

"Here you are, girl," said Oscar Pleasant. He glanced around, ratlike.

"Hello, Oscar," replied Lina, unable to hide the weariness in her voice. The last of the tangle was in her hands and loose. Stooping with a grunt, she tied one end to the gunwales, then began coiling it at her feet.

"We never got to finish our chat last night," said the pirate.

"Nothing to talk about," she replied.

"I think there is." He stepped closer, hemming her in against the railing.

She looked up at him and took in his stance, his cocksure smile. Oscar plainly hadn't intended to give up on her.

"You're playing at this, girl," he said. "Was obvious to me all night. You're too slow, and not nearly strong enough for this work. You're not going to be able to keep up. I daresay it's only going to get worse once a bit o' bloodshed starts."

"I'll get stronger," she replied. "And I've been in a scrap or two." It was true, though she didn't like to think on it much.

Oscar smiled condescendingly. He leaned in, trapping her against the rail with both arms. "You're a whore, girl. On a ship full of pirates. And there's only one way for you to keep riding along." He leered. "I tried to break it to you gently last night, but here I'll say it plain. Now, I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

Lina glared at him. Then she dropped her eyes, pretending intimidation. She looked to her footing, then Oscar's. He was standing in the loose loop of a slipknot. "I...you're right."

The pirate grinned. "I knew you'd see sense."

"Yep."

She stepped on the rope and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him towards her as if for a kiss. Then she ducked. Surprised, Oscar pitched over the railing, the rope tangled about his feet. Lina rolled out of the way as he fell.

Lina rose and peered over the edge of the rail, watching Oscar plummet past the lower decks. The rope pulled taut and he jerked with a scream. Lina sighed. It would have been nice if he'd continued his fall. The rest of the crew perked up at the noise and ran over to the starboard railing.

"You hear me down there?" she yelled.

"Oh, Goddess!" cried Oscar. "My leg! Pull me up!"

"Here's the agreement," Lina bellowed down at him. "I'm not whoring for you, your mates, or anyone else on this ship! You're going to keep your paws to yourself, or I will cut them off. I make my own way, you prick, and I'll be a better, meaner brigand than you'll ever hope to be! Cross me again and I'll cut off your stones and feed them to you!"

She fell back, panting, ignoring Oscar's cries. She looked up to see the rest of the crew staring at her, like a doormouse that had suddenly turned into a lion.

Sarah Lome pushed her way through the crowd. "Something wrong here, Miss Stone?"" she asked, voice level.

Lina stood up straight. "No, ma'am. Almost lost a rope, but I tied it off. I think we can get it back, if we want it."

The huge piratess nodded. "Well, don't wait too long then. Shift is almost over." She looked to two of the pirates. "Ryan, Andrea, take these coils to the front locker." Then she turned and walked calmly back to the stern.

Two pirates bent to pick up the ropes at their feet. The woman, Andrea, winked at Lina as she bent. The rest of the pirates drifted away to their tasks, a few chuckling to themselves. A few, Oscar's mates, glanced her way; Lina caught their gazes and held them, challenging them. All turned away.

Lina bent back to the rail. Resting her elbows on either side of the rope, she looked out at the horizon while Oscar Pleasant sobbed and cursed below.

Yep. I am home.





Chapter Five



Fengel climbed up out of the hatchway stair. He rose into cool shade, the gasbag frame shrouding the deck of the Dawnhawk from the morning sun. The crew on watch moved about their tasks, holystoning the deck and checking the lines. A warm breeze gusted about, bringing with it a bouquet scented by the green growing things on the islands below and the salt brine of the Atalian Sea.