Dragons Ahoy by Ian Madison Keller

Author:Ian Madison Keller [Ian Madison Keller]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rainbow Dog Books
Published: 2022-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter seven

The Dragon Sympathizer

Riastel watched, fascinated, as the sailors swarmed over the ship to adjust the sails. The ship was sailing straight for the cliffs and he was a little nervous about how close they were already. However, he’d seen enough of the sailors working aboard Wings of Gold to know that the ship’s captain had to have a plan to deal with the upcoming cliffs. In fact, even now he saw that they headed toward a dark shadow. A cave hidden in the cliff face.

A warning cry went up as the largest sail suddenly bent over backward. Riastel ducked and scuttled back against the railing, but he needn’t have worried; a large block set into the upper deck caught the pole, holding it off deck. A sailor grabbed a rope and knotted it across the pole, tying it in place. The other sail followed suit. Riastel turned at the sound of scraping wood and peered overboard.

Oars were being poked out the side of the now sail-less ship and belowdecks sailors called orders to each other. In unison the oars all dipped into the water.

Someone grabbed Riastel’s arm and dragged him away from the railing. “Hey, stop loafing off and get back to work.” A man’s hand cracked him alongside the jaw. The blow knocked Riastel to the deck, spitting blood.

Another man grabbed Riastel’s other arm and they dragged him belowdecks, dumping him into an empty seat. “Grab an oar and row, you worthless cur.”

Riastel glared at the men and folded his arms. His jaw ached where the man had punched him and the back of his head still throbbed.

“I’ll do no such thing.” The wooden pole in front of him looked rough and ill-used, he might get a splinter. Not to mention that it looked difficult. The men at the other oars were grunting with effort. Sweat glistened on every brow and they’d barely started.

The man moved behind Riastel and bent him forward, pressing his face against the oar. The other sailor grabbed Riastel’s wrists and clamped thick iron chains around each one before the big man released him. When Riastel sat up he found himself shackled between the oar and the floor.

“Row, or you’ll get the whip.” The big man heaved the flat end of the oar out of the hole. The chains dragged Riastel along with it and he grabbed at the pole to keep his balance. As Riastel leaned back the weight of the water dragged at the oar and he struggled to keep a grip on it.

The sun coming in through the slit abruptly vanished as the boat slipped into the cave, leaving them in total darkness.

“Heave! . . . Ho! . . . Heave! . . . Ho!” The cries of the coxswain and the creaking of the boat became Riastel’s whole world. Riastel was exhausted in moments and only the shackles kept him at his task. When the coxswain called for them to stop Riastel slumped forward as far as the chains would allow, panting and heaving.

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