taste in his mouth.
We are being followed, Xuxa said.
I know, Baylee replied. / picked them up as we left the Fickle Mermaid. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get too close.
'We have company,' Cthulad said.
Baylee nodded. 'They'll be with us till we show up at Wind-chaser. Until then, we'll take a stop here, then find a good lunch. You won't have such a thing when we're aboard Windchaser.'
The building was a narrow expanse between a leather-working shop and a jewelry shop. Hand-lettering across the glass read Vlayn's Potions and Potables.
'What do we need here?' Cthulad said.
'The wreck is under water somewhere,' Baylee said. 'We're going to need a way to get down to it.'
'So you're going to buy a potion of water breathing?'
'It does seem advisable.'
Cthulad nodded. 'Don't forget to pick up a few healing potions. With Uziraff along, I think we'll need them.'
Baylee halted inside the door to the apothecary. 'Where will you be?'
'I spotted a weapons shop a little further down,' the old ranger said. 'While you haggle over the potions, I'll see if there's anything there we might need. You still don't have a sword. I thought I might find a present for you.'
'I don't usually like to carry a weapon,' Baylee said. 'There are ways to deal with problems rather than violence.'
'These are not usual times,' Cthulad said. 'And we are dealing with Uziraff and his sense of greed. Just the-the three of us.'
Listen to him, Baylee, Xuxa urged.
'Yes,' Cthulad added. 'I am an expert in these matters. Uziraff will not be satisfied until blood has been spilled at this point.'
Baylee nodded.
'What would you prefer?'
'A composite long bow,' Baylee said after a moment. 'Tilmentus, the weaponsmith there, makes a good, collapsible bow that stores in a quiver of arrows. Tell him its for me and he'll know the draw of the arrows and the pull adjustment. Also tell him that I want sheaf arrows, three dozen in a side-by-side back quiver, with a half dozen of those already set up as incendiaries. A bag of caltrops. A spring-bladed parrying dagger. A good combat knife. And a long sword. And a brace of throwing knives.'
Cthulad raised his eyebrows slightly. 'Is there anything else?'
Baylee regarded him. 'Only if you think there is anything I've forgotten.'
'No, that should be quite sufficient. I'll return as quickly as I can.'
'Our splitting up is going to worry the people tailing us somewhat, so try to stay in sight.'
Cthulad tossed him a quick salute and walked toward the weapon shop.
Baylee entered the shop. It was dark and mysterious, smelling of arcane flowers and herbs. Most people who entered it would have been intimidated by the four skeleton displays hanging from hooks on the walls. They would have felt even more menaced if they knew Vlayn could have called them forth to defend him if he needed it.
'Baylee!' the heavyset apothecary called out from behind the counter. 'It has seemed like forever since I have seen you last, my friend.'
'And it's felt twice as long,' Baylee responded. Then he settled in to haggle over the potions. Vlayn was a friendly merchant, but he always drove a hard bargain.
'You are Junior Civilar Cordyan Tsald?'
Cordyan studied the old sailor who stood before her. He was a shriveled brown nut of a man, his iron-gray hair in disarray. She had barely arrived at Caer Callidyrr when she'd been accosted. Her hand rested on her sword hilt. Her men had only begun disembarking. 'Who are you, and how is it you know my name?'
'I am Floon, Junior Civilar, merely a day laborer hoping to earn an honest day's wages. I was charged with awaiting your arrival and getting a message to you.' The old sailor seemed uncomfortable as members of the watch surrounded him.
'Who charged you with such a task?'
'An old man. A warrior by the look of him. One who's been in a number of battles. He said to tell you Ciwa Cthulad, but I don't know for sure that he gave me a true name.'
Cordyan swapped looks with Calebaan. She looked back at the old sailor. 'What was the message?'
'That the person you're looking for is aboard Windchaser.'
'A ship?'
'Aye, lady, and a bad one at that. She's under the command of Uziraff Fireblade. And a worse pirate there's never been.'
'Where might I find this ship?' Cordyan asked. She felt some constriction at the back of her throat. Why had Baylee turned to someone like Uziraff Fireblade?
'Windchaser's already left,' the sailor answered.
'Where?'
'Sailing north,' the man answered. 'I talked to some of her crew before she left as the old warrior suggested, helping them load the supplies for a few silver pieces. They talked of going to Mintarn.'
'What's in Mintarn?'
'Lady, I could not say.'
'Thank you.' Cordyan reached into her purse for a few coins.
Floon held up his hands. 'I could not. The old warrior, he more than adequately paid me for my time.'
'You would know Windchaser, though, wouldn't you?'
The man nodded.
'And you're familiar with the sea in this area, and Mintarn?'
'Aye, lady.'
'Then perhaps I could hire you to guide us. Our captain is not overly familiar with these waters.'
The man smiled and nodded. 'It's been many a day since I was out for a real sail, lady. I'd appreciate the opportunity to be of service.'
'Then you're hired, Floon.' Cordyan turned to her sergeant. 'Hammal.'
The sergeant turned to face her.
'Get the supplies loaded quickly. We need to cast off again at once.'
The man gave her a crisp salute. Then he turned and started shouting orders to the other members of the watch.
'How long ago did Windchaser leave?' Cordyan asked.
'She set sail three hours ago, lady.'
'Have we a chance of catching her?'
The man hesitated, then shook his head. 'She's a cog, lady, much like your own. But Uziraff has her set up to sail in these islands. She is as fleet as they come.'
Then we'll do the best we can. I'll have you taken to the captain. Tell him I want you to take a look over the provisions. If there is anything we need to purchase that we don't have, let him know to buy it.' She called for a nearby guard and sent the old sailor off with the man. She turned to Calebaan, who was regarding the sea with amusement. 'Why would Cthulad tip us off as to where they were going and who they were going with?'
'There is the possibility he lied,' Calebaan pointed out. 'Do you think that's probable? You spent more time with him than I did.'
'No. I said that in jest. With Ciwa Cthulad's real name being used, you know the message was given by him. And he is not a man prone to lying to escape trouble.'
'He might, if he thought we were offering him or Baylee any harm, yet did not want to harm us either.'
Calebaan regarded her. 'You've been given too much time to think. What do your instincts tell you?'
Cordyan took a deep breath and let it out. 'Only that Cthulad realized Baylee was getting them in over their
