Firehurler (Twinborn Trilogy) by J.S. Morin

Author:J.S. Morin [Morin, J.S.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Magical Scrivener Press
Published: 2013-12-30T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22 - Good Help Is Hard to Find

“I’d never before thought of a life at sea, but you make your point, Cap’n,” Grosh replied when asked if he would join Denrik as part of his crew. “I have no trade without acting outside my guild, and who has heard of a rogue tailor? At least with you, sir, I know where I stand.”

Denrik nodded in acknowledgment. That makes one of the ones I wanted, at the least. He stood with his men arranged about him in a semicircle, and was going about finding out once and for all who was staying on with him. It was to be their last night camped among the low cliffs to Scar Harbor’s south. By morning, they would either be sailing as free men, or be dead. None among them wished to be recaptured.

“And you, Jimony?” Denrik asked.

“Good coin, ya say? I got you on that one, right? We get loot and get rich?” Jimony asked, his priorities transparent. The wiry viper’s eyes gleamed as he imagined piles of treasure akin to the stories in Neiron the Kingthief and pictured them for himself.

“Better than knifing old men coming home from the tavern, certainly,” Denrik replied dryly. “Learn a trade aboard ship, and you shall earn a full share of the loot. Same goes for all of you lads. Work as a pirate, get paid as one.”

“Aye, Cap’n. Count me in,” Jimony replied enthusiastically.

Denrik was chagrined but little surprised. It was the easiest money a lowlife like Jimony could imagine, preying on merchants and traders who quickly became much more interested in saving their own skins than in protecting their investments, and far from the reach of any sort of law. On the open waters, it was the Law of Guns: whoever possessed the most cannons was in charge.

“Oh, me too!” exclaimed Andur. “Loot for everyone!”

Everyone laughed, and Denrik supposed he was stuck with Andur for the foreseeable future.

Denrik did not ask again but simply turned to Tawmund and looked questioningly at him. As a man of few words himself, Tawmund understood the implied query.

“Yeah, sure,” was all Tawmund said, but from Denrik’s perspective, that was all he needed to hear.

Whether they would change their minds later once they found out that life aboard ship was not for everyone, and certainly was not day after day of plunder interrupted only by port calls for drinking and whoring … Well, he would just wait and see how they took to it.

* * * * * * * *

Stalyart arrived for one final visit early in the afternoon. He seemed in good spirits as well—and why not? For, his plan to take to the seas with his old captain was about to come to fruition. He was dressed more plainly than the other times he had come to them, in the plain drab-brown coveralls and boots of a dock worker. He was lugging a large sack along with him.

“Mr. Stalyart, good news I hope,” Denrik said as Tawmund and Grosh moved to help him unburden his load.

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