A Sellsword's Compassion by Jacob Peppers

Author:Jacob Peppers [Peppers, Jacob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Jacob Peppers
Published: 2017-10-04T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

The only sounds in the pitch-black corridor were those of Gryle’s panicked breaths and the steady susurration of the ocean currents. As they walked, Aaron kept glancing over his shoulder expecting to see the faint light of the door being opened as Aster’s men charged after them, but there was only him and the others and the darkness that wrapped around them, hugging them tight. After what felt like hours, they came to a dead end. Squinting, Aaron could just make out the light of the moon as it came through cracks in what must be the opening. Tricky bastard, that Leomin, he thought, shaking his head. From the outside, the door, he was sure, would look like any other part of the ship.

He hurried forward, dug his fingers into the thin crack, and heaved. At first, the wood refused to budge, but after a strained, anxious moment, the door gave and began to slide open. Aaron was mildly surprised to find the boat waiting, just as the captain said it would be. The man seemed a good enough sort, and clearly his men loved him, but Aaron was still reasonably sure he was mad. Clever, true, but mad nonetheless.

He followed the others into the boat. The two ropes that held it aloft ran through a winch mounted on the craft. He grabbed hold of the winch’s lever and began to lower them down to the distant water, wincing as the unoiled, damp metal squeaked in protest. The wind was heavy, blowing his hair around wildly and rocking the boat as they descended, and in the darkness he could barely see the others around him. He was glad of that darkness, though. Better that than that bastard Aster and his men spot them.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity spent floating in a sea of night, the boat settled into the water. He unfastened the rope from the winch, grabbed the oars, and began to row. “Aaron,” the princess began.

“Shh,” he said softly, “not yet.” There was little chance of them being heard over the gusting wind and the roiling water, but he wasn’t about to take a chance, not when they were so close to escaping.

He continued to work the oars, and it wasn’t until the ship was little more than a distant smudge on the dark horizon that the princess spoke again. “Aaron?”

“What is it?” he asked between strokes.

“Do you think … the captain and Balen—“

“They’ll be fine,” he said, knowing it was a lie even as he did. “Leomin’s a crazy bastard, but he’s a clever one too. He wouldn’t have left himself no way out.”

She considered this in silence for a moment, then, “Where are we going?”

He shrugged before realizing she wouldn’t be able to see the gesture in the darkness. “According to what Balen told me, the Clandestine was taking a course mostly parallel to the eastern coast. If we continue in this direction, we should end up on land before long. As for where that will be … only Iladen knows.

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