Glancing back, he saw Vennet surrender the helm to a junior officer, then make his way forward, collecting Geth as he went. Shifter and half-elf joined them in the bow of the ship. Vennet gathered them all close together in a conspiratorial huddle. 'Listen,' he said quietly, 'we'll reach Zarash'ak at about dusk. You can disembark with the other passengers then if you want to, but I've got a problem I'd appreciate if you help me with.' He jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the stern of the ship. 'I have cargo in that aft hold that needs to be taken ashore here.'
'And you can't unload it with Ashi tied down in the middle of the hold,' guessed Dandra.
Vennet nodded. 'Aye. I have a plan, though.' He glanced at each of them. 'I know a man who lives close to the docks and he has a strongroom in his house. Between the four of us and Karth, I think we can walk Ashi that far. Because we're docking so close to dark, it won't seem odd if I give the crew the night on shore and leave unloading for the morning. Once they're all off the ship, we can get Ashi away without anyone getting alarmed. Then when the unloading is finished…'
'… we bring her back onboard, shackle her down again, and you carry her off for Sharn.' Singe scratched at his chin under his beard. The plan struck him as risky. 'Can't you unload the forward hold, move her up there, then unload the aft?'
Vennet looked at him like he was an idiot. 'The ship needs to be balanced, Singe.'
'Really?' He felt half like the captain was pulling his leg, but Vennet's expression was serious.
'Leave questions of sailing to House Lyrandar and I'll leave questions of defense to House Deneith.' Vennet glanced at them all, then looked back to Singe. 'Help me with this and I'll waive the fee for taking her to Sharn.'
That was five hundred gold. 'Done,' Singe said quickly. Vennet clapped him on the shoulder.
'Good man. Thank you.' The half-elf stepped back. 'It won't take long for the crew to clear off once we're tied up. Be ready.' He grinned at them all. 'In the meantime, you might want to keep yourselves out of the way. If you thought leaving port was busy onboard a ship, you don't want to see how busy the crew is coming into port.'
Vennet hadn't been joking about how busy the crew would be. As Lightning on Water slid up the river, the ship's crew scrambled all over her, above deck and below. Vennet was as busy as his men, maybe even busier. Singe and Dandra tried to find a moment to get into the forward hold to collect their meager gear-including the honor blade Singe had taken from Ashi and the crystal band, cunningly hidden by Dandra to avoid the necessity of carrying it constantly-but so many sailors moved through the hatch that it was easier to avoid it.
'It will only take a few moments to gather,' Dandra pointed out. 'It can wait.'
Singe grimaced. 'I'd feel better about having everything to hand.' Geth grinned at him and patted his own gear, brought up on deck days earlier. Singe gave him a cool glare.
At least he and Dandra were unencumbered as they gathered with the other passengers to watch as the ship came into port at Zarash'ak. The City of Stilts was, Singe thought critically, far from the most impressive port he had ever seen. True to its name, the city's wooden buildings and plank streets sprawled above river and marsh on a forest of stilts, props, and piles. Singe couldn't help but think of a child's makeshift fort carried to extremes. Still, there was something curious to the way Zarash'ak almost hovered above the water, long rickety bridges leaping from platform to platform. Small boats skimmed the shadowed water around and between the piles. Smoke rose above the city, mingling with evening mist and merging with the twilight sky. Croaking frogs and calling marsh birds made a soft chorus, broken only by the rhythmic shouts between dockworkers and sailors as Lightning was guided into her berth. The entire scene was surprisingly beautiful.
As the ship bumped against the dock and the other passengers waited patiently for the gangplank to be lowered, Singe looked around. There was a figure missing from the small crowd. The wizard reached out and tapped Pandon. 'Where's Natrac?' he asked. He would have assumed the half-orc would be among the most eager to disembark.
Pandon, however, gave him an awkward look. 'I suppose you wouldn't have heard,' he said.
'Heard what?'
The thin man shifted and sighed. 'He's not coming ashore at Zarash'ak. He's staying in his cabin and going on to Sharn. He's afraid that you've ruined his business and House Deneith will be investigating him.'
'What?' said Singe. 'Pandon, you know that was just a joke!'
'Apparently Natrac thought otherwise,' Pandon said. 'Captain Vennet told me himself. Natrac has even released his clients from their contracts. They're free to do as they please.'
He pointed. Singe followed his gesture and his eyes widened as he took in the sight of the Natrac's thugs, held back by the crew, waiting eagerly in the stern of the ship for their turn at the gangplank. Singe smacked a hand against his forehead and groaned.
'Twelve moons! What is he thinking? Dandra!' The kalashtar looked around. 'I have to go to find Natrac and talk to him,' he told her. 'Can you gather my gear when you fetch yours? You know where all of it is.'
Dandra nodded and Singe strode back toward the hatch that led to the tiny passenger cabins. The thud of the gangplank hitting the dock followed him. Shortly afterward, he heard the murmur of Vennet's disembarking passengers, then the excited calls of Natrac's former clients as they rushed to embrace a new life.
The crew would follow next; they had certainly already abandoned the rest of the ship. Singe stopped at the door of Natrac's cabin and banged loudly on the thin wood. 'Natrac!' he called. 'We need to talk. You're making a mistake. There's no House Deneith investigation. I was just having you on!'
There was no response. 'Natrac!' Singe called again. Was the half-orc even inside? He paused and listened closely at the door.
A soft moaning met his ear-and a vile smell his nose. A wretched stink like an overflowing chamber pot wafted through the door. 'Natrac?'
He tested the door. It was latched, but nothing more. It opened easily.
Natrac lay on the narrow bed, struggling fitfully. His clothes were soiled with his own excrement and only an open porthole vented the reek out of the ship. His face was flushed. His wrists and ankles had been lashed securely to the bed's frame and a gag forced into his mouth. Singe bit back a curse.
A heavy bottle nestled in a little boxshelf attached to the wall inside. Singe eased carefully into the cabin and fished it out. When he opened the bottle, a sickly sweet smell wafted out. There was a bluish stain around the cork. Singe hissed and glanced at Natrac's flushed face. A matching blue stain colored his lips and trickled down his face. Singe hesitated for a moment, then stepped out of the cabin and hurried back up to the deck.
Dandra met him at the hatch. She had her spear, but not their gear. Her face was pale. 'The crystal band and the honor blade are gone!'
Singe clenched his teeth and touched the rapier at his side. 'Something's wrong. Where's Geth?'
'He wandered down onto the dock with the other passengers. He said he wanted to feel something solid under his feet again.' Dandra's nose crinkled. 'What's that smell?'
'Natrac,' said Singe grimly. 'He's been drugged.' The ship was entirely silent around them. Everyone had gone. 'We should join Geth.' He started across the deck toward the gangplank.
A curved sailor's cutlass swept out of the shadow of the captain's cabin, barring his way. He leaped back as Vennet followed the weapon into the light. The crystal band was clutched in his free hand. Behind him, Ashi glided out the shadows as well, the unsheathed honor blade held low before her.
'I have a better idea,' said Vennet. 'Let's wait for Geth to come back and join us.'
CHAPTER 9
Singe stared at the crystal band in the half-elf's grasp, then studied his face. His eyes narrowed. 'Have you worn it already, Vennet?'
He heard Dandra draw a sharp breath and stretched out a hand to her. Vennet's cutlass twitched sharply. 'Don't move,' the captain said. 'Not a muscle.'
Singe let his hand fall slowly back to his side.
Vennet nodded as Ashi came up beside him. 'That's good,' he murmured, 'that's very good.'
