To Reivan’s surprise, the crewman returned with several chisels and mallets. She guessed that if a ship needed repair in some isolated place, the entire crew were expected to help in the work, and so they carried enough tools for all.
The two Elai had swum closer. Four more heads had appeared farther away.
“Demonstrate how they are used,” Imenja ordered.
The crewman cast about, then grabbed a bucket, placed it between his knees, and began chipping away at the wood. Imenja turned to the Elai.
“I will give you these tools. Use them to break the bottom of the raider ship. Water will flow in and the ship will sink.”
“But we’d never catch up with it,” an Elai protested.
“You will if you come aboard,” she told them. “My ship is faster than theirs.”
The two Elai vanished under the water then reappeared among the distant four. Several minutes passed, then four of the heads disappeared and, a moment later, reappeared beside the ship.
“We will come with you,” one said.
As crew threw ropes over the sides for the Elai to climb, Reivan turned to smile at Imenja.
“I can’t believe you convinced them to come aboard,” she murmured.
“They’re young and, like Imi, frustrated by being cooped up in their crowded city so much of the time,” Imenja explained quietly.
“Where are the others?” Reivan asked, looking out to where the two remaining Elai had been.
“They’ll follow at a distance, in case this proves to be a trick.” As the Elai reached the deck she stepped forward to greet them, drawing their attention to the raider ship on the horizon and telling them she would catch it in an hour or two. She then introduced Reivan to them.
The Elai warriors struggled to stay balanced on the rocking of the ship. If they were intimidated by Imenja, they hid it well. The crewman handed over the chisels and mallets. The Elai held them confidently and Reivan concluded she had been right: they knew how to use them.
The ship suddenly lurched forward. Reivan hadn’t noticed the sails being unfurled. Now ropes and mast creaked as the wind in the sails increased. The crew stopped and exchanged surprised looks, but the Elai appeared to accept this change without question.
Ahead, the raiders were bearing down on the merchant ship, which was too heavy and slow to outrun its pursuer. Every move in the distant struggle was laborious and deliberate.
“Have they seen us?” Reivan asked.
“Yes,” Imenja replied. “They think they can rob the merchant and get away before we arrive. And no Pentadrian ships have ever attacked them before.”
The closer they came to the raider ship and its intended victim, the faster they seemed to travel. Suddenly the raiders veered away from the merchant ship.
“They’ve realized we’re travelling faster than they first thought,” Imenja murmured. “Now the chase begins.”
Time stretched out. They passed the merchant vessel close enough to see the confused and frightened crew watching them. Imenja raised a hand to them, then turned her attention back to the raiders.
The distance between them shortened steadily. When they were close enough to see the men on board, the raider ship abruptly - or as quickly as a vessel could manage - turned about.
“They have decided to fight,” Imenja said. She spun around to face the Elai. “Now is your chance to strike your enemy. Take care. Once they realize what you are doing they will shoot arrows in the water.”
The warriors nodded, then, without speaking a word, moved to the rail and dove out into the water.
“Stay by me, Reivan,” Imenja said quietly.
The air thrummed with the sound of approaching arrows. Imenja darted to the side of the ship and spread her arms. The arrows bounced off an invisible barrier.
“This hardly seems fair,” Reivan muttered. “They can’t possibly defeat you.”
Imenja laughed. “Would you have me stand back and let my people die for the sake of a fair fight?”
“Of course not,” Reivan replied.
“Be assured these are thieves and murderers. We do not kill innocent men.”
The raider ship passed a few strides away. A few grappling hooks were thrown, but Imenja’s barrier blocked them and they fell down into the water. Reivan looked down, but she could not see far beneath the surface.
“How are the Elai doing?” she asked.
Imenja chuckled. “They’re enjoying themselves. I cannot tell if they’re making any progress because they don’t know themselves. The raiders are worried, though. They can hear the tapping.”
A man moved to the railing of the raider ship. He was dressed well, and gold glittered on his hands and chest.
“The raider captain,” Reivan guessed.
“Yes. A Skilled one.”
The man raised his arms and the air rippled. Imenja laughed quietly.
“It does seem unfair,” she admitted. She glanced at the crew, who were holding bows at the ready. “Fire!”
Before the arrows met their target the raider ship lurched in the water. A few raiders scurried out of the hull. Their panicked shouts sent a chill down Reivan’s spine. The sea began to nibble at the sides of ship, sucking it down. Her stomach sank as the raiders began to fight each other for a place on the small row boat. The raider captain abandoned his magical attack on Imenja to stake his place on the little vessel.
The ship tipped. Water spilled over the deck, then claimed it. Bubbles of air rose as the vessel vanished into the depths. A chill ran over Reivan’s skin as she saw men thrashing in the water, clearly unable to swim. They soon disappeared. Then she realized that those who were swimming confidently were going down too, pulled beneath the surface by shadowy attackers.
Reivan shuddered and looked away. The desperate pleas and shouts of anger dwindled. An ominous silence descended and she heard Imenja sigh.
“It’s over. No survivors. And the Elai did most of it themselves.”
“No survivors?” Reivan turned to see the little row boat floating upside down. “What happened to the captain?”
“Our sea-folk friends took care of him.”
Two dark heads suddenly appeared close by. The white teeth of the Elai warriors flashed as they grinned.
“Bravely done,” Imenja called. “You gave us almost no chance to attack them ourselves! You’ve brought down a raider ship all by yourselves!”
“We couldn’t have caught them without your help,” one of the warriors called back.
“No, but they saw us coming,” she told him. “You could have easily snuck up on them underwater.”
“Do you want the cutters back?”
She shook her head. “Keep them.”
Another dark head appeared. The warrior held up a gold goblet. “Look. Their ship is full of it.”
“Stolen from merchants,” Imenja told them. “It is yours now. So should be the treasure on any raider ship you sink.”
The warriors’ grins widened.
“But take care to be sure the ships you sink are raiders,” she warned. “If you sink a trader ship there are landwalkers who would seek to punish your people for the crime. Powerful landwalkers with powerful magic. They would make raiders seem as dangerous as children, and my people could do nothing to stop them.”
The grins had faded. Imenja raised a hand in farewell. “Well done, warriors of Elai. The sea is a little safer today, thanks to you. Go celebrate your victory with your people.”
“Yes!” the warrior with the goblet agreed.
“Farewell, then,” one of the warriors called. “Have a safe journey.”
