Dexter slid down as well, then looked around at the shadowy forms of the other prisoners in the murky half light. “Don’t think too long, I’ll be gone soon enough and so will the offer.”
The next day and a half proved almost more than Dexter could bear. Nearly finished with his jail term, he longed to be out and working on getting the Hawk’s Talon ready to fly again. Not only that, but the elf continued to stick close to him, talking occasionally though sharing nothing more of herself. He had never been happier to see his friend than when two guards opened up the cell door and Kragor stood waiting with them. Dexter grinned and turned to Jenna. She regarded the dwarf, muttering something in elvish that Dexter knew was derogatory. She returned her gaze to Dexter and nodded. Another man stood and cleared his throat, stepping closer to Dexter. Slim and a few inches shorter than Dexter, the man had hair closely shorn to his head beneath the cowl of a hood that kept his face shadowed.
He hissed in a surprisingly soft voice, “I’ve heard what you’ve spoken of and I would offer my services as well.”
Dexter’s bounced between Jenna and the other prisoner. “Who are you and what are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about. I can help you… I’m an experienced helmsman and if you don’t take me, I’ll tell the Feds what you were really up to that got you tossed in here.”
Dexter’s eyes widened and his fists clenched at his sides. Jenna glared at the man, staring daggers into him, but under the watchful eyes of the guard they said and did nothing.
“Dexter Silvercloud, get your arse out here or you can rot in there till the rats eat the flesh from your bones!” One of the guards called into the cell.
Dexter stared at the man a moment longer, then nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He turned and walked to the guards, who waited until he was out of the cell before shutting the door on those behind him.
“I’d like to secure the release of those two prisoners,” Dexter said, pointing at Jenna and the mysterious prisoner.
“You hit your head in there? You’ve got a record!” The guard that had spoken before said.
Dexter sighed, rolled his eyes, and looked at Kragor. The dwarf nodded and spoke, “I’d like to secure the release of those two prisoners.”
“Can he do that?” The other guard asked.
The first guard shrugged. “Come up top to sign the paperwork.”
“Go and get it,” Dexter said. The guard ignored him, however, so he looked to Kragor again.
“Go get it,” the dwarf parroted, clearly annoyed.
“I head back up them stairs I ain’t coming back down here today,” the guard said.
“What’s their bond?” Kragor asked.
“5 gold for the eunuch, and 50 for the elf.”
“50 gold?” Dexter protested. He knew they had inflated the prices to line their own pockets, but that was a ludicrous amount. Not only that, but he had no idea where he was going to get 50 gold.
“Here,” Kragor said, reaching into a pouch at his belt and counting out 55 gold coins.
Dexter stared at him, stunned. He looked at the guard who smiled smugly. He counted the coins and then tested a couple with his teeth before motioning for the other guard to open the door and let the other two prisoners out. The stepped out of the cell quickly and fell in behind Dexter.
“Right, you’re free to go,” the guard said.
“What about my things?” Dexter protested.
“Don’t I have to sign something?” Kragor asked, confused.
“Your things were part of your issue from the Federation, they belong to us, not you,” the guard said to Dexter, sneering.
“Now get out of here and hope I don’t see you again!”
Dexter hesitated a moment then nodded, walking down the passage towards the stairs and the fresh air of freedom.
* * * *
“What can you tell me to keep me from spilling your blood here and now?” Dexter said after he had slammed the nearly bald man into the wall of an alley not far from the Federation prisons.
“Aye, and why’d the guard call you a eunuch?” Kragor said, squinting one eye and widening the other to look mildly deranged. It was a good look for the dwarf.
The sudden captive looked back and forth between them while the elf woman, Jenna, prowled at the mouth of the alley to discourage anybody from showing too much interest.
“Gelded or not, no man gets away with blackmailing me!” Dexter said, tightening his grip.
“I’m no man.”
“What?”
“What?”
Dexter and Kragor looked at one another for their simultaneous questions. The stranger suddenly spun in Dexter’s grip, breaking free, and moved in a way that suggested a graceful and flowing dance as much as much as it did anything. Dexter turned to face the man.
“He’s a she, and she’s a half elf,” Jenna said from behind them.
As though they were twins, both Dexter and Kragor again repeated, “What?”
“Tis true, My name is Bekka, I am half-elf and half-human.”
“But you’ve got no hair!” Kragor protested. “No self respecting woman would cut their hair off!”
“I’m not a dwarf,” Bekka said.
“Aye, but…but…”
Dexter’s hand fell on Kragor’s shoulder, silencing his sputtering friend. “How about you tell me what you’re about.”
“My thanks,” Bekka said, bowing her head. “I heard what you said to her and I believe I have found someone that I have been looking for. Someone willing to look beyond race and parentage, to a person’s true worth. Am I right?”
Dexter looked at Jenna, who just shrugged noncommittally. Kragor was still trying to understand her chosen haircut, so he was of no use to the man either. Finally Dexter nodded. “Go on.”
“I can fight and I have some magic at my disposal, I would offer you my services if you would have me,” she said.
“Jenna, keep an eye on her please,” Dexter said, grabbing Kragor’s shirt and pulling him after him deeper into the alley. Dexter glanced back at Jenna but her eyes were glued to Bekka, like a hawk to her prey.
“What do you think?” Dexter asked the dwarf.
“What do I think? You’re daft, boy-o, that’s what I think! You’re hiring a crew straight outta the brig? Daft ain’t the word!”
Dexter waved him silent. “Trust me, Kragor, Jenna is a good pick.”
Kragor snorted. “She’s an elf, no trusting them. You mark my words, Dex, she can’t be trusted!”
Dexter sighed. “Okay, I’ll keep an eye on her. Now the other one. It’d be nice to have a spare helmsman, and better if she’s a wizard, she can help us get the Hawk’s Talon charged up!”
“I figured we’d buy a battery to get her enough juice to bring her to a dock,” Kragor offered.
“How’d you get so much gold?” Dexter asked, suddenly remembering the pouch full of gold at Kragor’s side.
Kragor grinned. “Been busy while you’ve been resting with your girlfriends. Brought the cat and the ballista back on the ant after I fixed her up and sold them off to some people I know. Then bought more supplies and did more work on the ship.”
Dexter shook his head. He clapped the dwarf on the back and turned back. Kragor frowned and spoke up, “Wait, I didn’t tell you what I thought of them.”
Dexter shrugged, “That’s okay, I made up my mind.”
The dwarf stood there for a moment, jaw open in stunned surprise. Dexter looked back at him and winked,
