nose hooked oddly, as if it had been broken more than once. He wore no jewelry, had no tattoos, and his age was difficult to gauge, but Catrin guessed he was in his middle years. Had she been asked, she would have thought him to be a farmer or fishermen, but certainly not a pirate.
'Lady Catrin, I'm Kenward Trell, captain of the Slippery Eel, and I welcome you aboard,' he said, going to one knee. 'Please accept my apologies for not recognizing your discomfort. I've brought you a bit of herb to calm your stomach, and it should also help with the headaches.' The herb mixture tasted vile and nearly made her retch, but she had confidence in folk medicine and she focused on keeping it down as she waited for relief.
'You should feel better in a little while,' the captain said. 'For now, we can talk where you are comfortable.'
'Thank you, Captain Trell. Your men saved our lives, and we will be forever grateful.'
'Please, Lady Catrin, call me Kenward. Captain Trell was my father's name, and I've never answered to it,' he said with a grin.
'Thank you, Kenward, and I am just Catrin.'
'I'm disappointed Benjin is not with us yet, but a man as stubborn as he is could never come to harm. I'm sure he'll be along soon,' Kenward said. 'Your passage fees have been paid by Miss Mariss, though I'd have done it for free had she only asked,' he said, winking. 'I'll only be taking you part of the way; the Eel is stout, but the journey across the Dark Sea is best made in a larger ship. I'll get you as far as the Falcon Isles, where you'll board a larger ship.'
'I've never heard of the Falcon Isles.'
'Most haven't. It's a string of little islands inhabited mostly by primitive tribes, but they also serve as trading ports and hideouts for pirates, mercenaries, and other misfits-like me.' He winked again.
'How do we know there will be a ship there for us?'
'Have no worries. My family has a large ship at port there right now, and they are waiting for the Eel to deliver goods before they sail for the Greatland. Your passage has been arranged for on that ship. You've probably heard the folklore about pirates, but we're just free sailors who bow to no government, and we trade goods with other, like-minded groups and individuals. They call us pirates, and we use it to our advantage; it makes us seem more frightening.' He chuckled. 'That label helps us in many ways. We're in a tight spot now, no arguing that-the cliffs on one side and the reef on the other, not to mention the obstacles in between. We'll need half a day to reach a sizable gap in the reef, but when we're clear, we have open seas to the Falcon Isles.
'Our biggest problem is that the Zjhon know we're trying to escape, even if they don't know for sure where we are. They've probably guessed we're within the reefs and will most likely have the gaps guarded. I doubt they'll bring tall ships inside the ring, for their drafts are much too deep. And let me tell ya that we had quite a time getting the Eel in here ourselves, but she's a sneaky wench. The Eel 's faster and more maneuverable than the Zjhon ships, so we'll just have to weave our way through them.
'The cabin past mine is reserved for you, and there are dry clothes in the chest. If your gut is still sour, feel free to sleep on the deck,' he said. Their conversation had taken her mind from her upset stomach, which, now that she thought about it, was feeling much better. Her body seemed to have adjusted to the movements of the ship. Getting dry seemed like a good idea. She thanked him and excused herself. As she walked toward her quarters, Vertook approached Kenward.
'How can such a big thing stay on top water when a man falls under?' he asked Kenward.
'It's all about buoyancy, my friend. Let me show you…'
Their voices faded as she walked past the captain's quarters to her own and stepped inside. It was just large enough to hold a hammock, chair, and a small chest. A narrow shelf was built into one wall, and on it was a small lamp, burning low.
Catrin took off her damp clothes and sifted through the chest for something near her size. She found pants that were close enough. She had to pull the belt strings tight to keep them up, but they were comfortable, and she found a baggy shirt made of light material.
A knock at her door interrupted her thinking about how to get into the sleeping hammock.
'Who is it?' Catrin asked.
'Nat,' came the response.
'Come in.'
'I'm so sorry I pushed you off the cliff, Catrin. It was the only way to save you. I wanted us to go farther east where we could have climbed down slowly. But the soldiers were too close behind us; we would have made easy targets. The bowmen would have done us all in, and I didn't want Irvil's sacrifice to be for naught. I did what I had to do, as much as I didn't want to do it,' he said.
'You really frightened me, and you terrified Vertook!'
'I know it. Vertook is quite wroth with me, and I fear he will not be so forgiving. He hasn't spoken to me since we boarded the ship, and he has been shooting me some nasty looks. Would you explain things to him for me, please?'
In that moment, Catrin realized Vertook, who was from a different culture, might want to take revenge to protect her as well as his honor. Although being pushed over the cliff may have been the only way to save her life, Vertook might not see it that way.
'Certainly. I'll talk to Vertook, but right now, I'm simply exhausted and really need to sleep.' Another knock came at the door, and Nat slipped out as Bryn stepped in, carrying a mug of soup.
'Hullo again. I thought you might like something to eat,' he said. 'It's compliments of Grubb, our cook. He says that'll cure what ails ya.'
'You are all very kind.'
'It's still hot,' he warned before she tasted it. It was a hearty broth with chunks of vegetable, and Catrin knew it was the kind of sustenance she needed.
'Would you like me to get your clothes laundered for you?' he asked pointing to the pile of clothing she had dropped on the floor.
'That would be kind of you. Are you sure you have the time?'
'You're my main responsibility for most of this trip,' he said. 'Cap'n wants me to make sure you're comfortable and that you have everything you need.'
She watched him as he folded her dirty clothes over his arm and backed out of the cabin door.
'G'night, miss. If you need anything, be sure to holler out. There's always someone on watch. Right now, you'd best get some sleep. Tomorrow'll be a long day,' he said as he closed the door.
Their journey would begin at first light, and Catrin was too exhausted to stay awake and worry, but her dreams were visions of blood and fire.
Chapter 21
Stars are the souls of old sailors. They plot the skies and guide the wayward home.
Dawn found the Slippery Eel deserving of her name. The crew scrambled, and the passengers huddled in the deckhouse, trying to stay out of the way. Maneuvering the ship with incredible skill, the crew prepared to guide the Eel through the cavern entrance, which was just barely wide enough for the ship to pass, and wood occasionally strained against rock. Using oars and poles, they worked in concert to guide the ship around the many obstacles, but some were unavoidable, and the ship listed and jerked underfoot.
'Have no worries; the Eel can withstand those little bumps and a lot more. We've taken no damage,' Kenward assured them as they rounded the last bend, the horizon beyond. Waves battered the coastline; swirling vortices formed around unseen rock formations, and Catrin feared they would be crushed on the rocks. Kenward
