the harbor. Anxious to take stock of the damage to Hulburg’s defenses and deal with surviving pirate gangs, Kara chose to stay behind. But Sarth and Hamil joined Geran again, and most of the warship’s company remained aboard, including the first mate Worthel, Andurth Galehand, Larken the prelate, and the rest of the officers.
Geran paced anxiously across the quarterdeck, watching Galehand steer the ship past the Arches. By his count,
“What if they run t’ Mulmaster instead?” Andurth asked.
“I don’t think Kamoth will want to risk getting trapped in Mulmaster’s narrow harbor. He knows
They kept on their southwest course for most of the day without sighting the pirate flagship. At sunset Sarth made use of the privacy and space in the captain’s cabin to perform his divination again, and reported that
Geran gambled again on a long run to the north and back, to make the best speed westward possible with the wind, and kept up the pursuit through the night and the morning following. A little after noon on the day after they’d set sail, the lookout in
Geran ran to the forecastle and peered over the bow. He could just barely make out the topsails of the ship ahead of them. Hamil joined him, climbing up the ratlines of the foremast to gain a better view. The halfling’s sight was quite keen, but after peering for a long moment he gave up with a shrug. “I’m not sure if it’s Kamoth,” Hamil said.
“It’s about where I would expect Kamoth to be if he’s running west toward the Talons. But we’ll have to close the distance to know for sure.” Geran studied the distant sails for a moment and then nodded to himself. “I’m going to assume that’s
The afternoon seemed to crawl by as they slowly narrowed the distance to the ship ahead of them. Geran tried not to pace the decks or otherwise show the crew how anxious he was, but it took all of his willpower to restrain himself. Andurth had the ship in better trim than he could have managed, and they were making the best speed they possibly could. Instead, he leaned against the leeward rail near the helm and silently murmured prayers to every deity of mercy and fortune he could think of, hoping that Mirya and her daughter were simply being held on the other ship and not tormented in some way. The very idea of Mirya hurt or killed by Kamoth and his murderers made Geran’s heart grow cold. He didn’t know what it was that he felt for her; in all honesty, he had no claim on her heart and couldn’t imagine how he might even try to win her again, not after the years that had fallen between them and the grief he’d caused her. But he’d go to the ends of the world and lay down his life, if that would see her safely home again.
“Sergen knows her value, Geran,” Hamil said softly.
Geran shook himself and looked at his friend. “What?”
“Mirya. I can see you’re worried sick for her. Sergen has to recognize her value as a hostage. He’d be a fool to let her come to harm without trying to use her against you. Nothing will happen to her as long as he believes she might be useful to him.” Hamil reached up to set a hand on Geran’s shoulder. “Sergen is rotten to the core, but he’s not a fool.”
“I hear you,” Geran answered. “But that doesn’t mean Sergen will treat her well or protect her from Kamoth. It might not be up to him.”
“Hope for the best, Geran. There’s no point in dwelling on the alternatives.”
Geran snorted. “Since when have you become an optimist?”
“Don’t let anyone else know. I’ve my cynical reputation to think of.” Hamil squinted at the ship ahead of them and allowed himself a small smile. “I think that’s her. You can make out the black hull and the gilding on the stern now.”
Geran looked more closely and decided that Hamil was right. They were chasing
“The afternoon is getting on,” Hamil warned. “We might run out of daylight before we catch Kamoth.”
“See? Now there’s the doomsayer I’m accustomed to.” Of course, the same thought had occurred to him, but the skies looked clear, and there’d be a half-moon early in the evening. He thought they’d be able to keep
The distance steadily narrowed throughout the afternoon, until sunset found
Geran took a quarter hour to duck into his cabin, eat a few bites of food, and buckle on the scabbard of his elven steel. The blade felt good in his hand after the heavy, poorly balanced cutlass he’d relied on aboard
I don’t like this, Geran decided. Kamoth was up to something, he was certain of it. He wished Tao Zhe was at hand; it was unlikely that the cook could have offered any real insights about Kamoth’s intentions, but he would have known these waters better than Geran. However, Tao Zhe was back in Hulburg, since Hamil had offered the old Shou a billet with the Red Sail Coster before they’d sailed. “Keep after
“Aye, m’lord,” Galehand answered. The dwarf bellowed his orders over the deck, and
“She’s threading a fine channel, m’lord,” Andurth warned.
“Follow her in,” Geran ordered. “If there’s enough water beneath the keel for
“Aye, m’lord,” the sailing master replied. He scowled but said nothing more, moving to stand beside the helmsman.