The Conqueror's Promise (Ashes of Entecea Book 3) by Kacey Ezell & Chris Kennedy

Author:Kacey Ezell & Chris Kennedy [Ezell, Kacey & Kennedy, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Theogony Books
Published: 2024-05-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

“The Last Harbor?” Sophie’s jaw dropped.

“What?” Jason asked, his eyes wide.

“You have to be kidding, Captain!” Stremen said.

Dara frowned. “Apparently, you forgot the part where they said they would kill you.”

“Forgot it?” Caledin shook his head. “No, and I hope they haven’t, either.”

Dara shook her head. “You’ve said and done some crazy things, but this time, I’m not sure you haven’t lost your mind entirely.”

“Let’s face it,” Caledin said. “We have to do this.”

“Why?”

“Two reasons.” Caledin held up a finger. “The Ajenite Navy is going to be outnumbered and need assistance.” He held up a second finger. “There’s no one else we can get to bolster their numbers, except the combined pirate fleet.”

Dara scoffed. “Since you seem to have forgotten them, let me remind you of two things.” She held up a finger the way Caledin had done. “They’re pirates, and they don’t do anything that doesn’t result in a financial gain for them.” She extended a second finger. “Nor do they do anything that is likely to result in their deaths.” She dropped her hand. “Fighting the Zhretennais Navy violates both of those tenets.”

“I don’t think so.” Caledin shook his head. “Their lives are now in jeopardy from the Zhretennais Navy. I just have to make them see that, and I’m hoping they’ll help.”

“They’re more likely to run to the end of Zhretien’s domain.”

“Perhaps, but isn’t the saying, ‘we have to hang together, or we’ll all hang separately?’”

“Sure,” Dara said, making a face like she’d eaten something sour. “Unless they decide to throw in their cards and leave.”

“We’ll never know unless we try.” Caledin shrugged. “Besides, what other options do we have?”

Dara opened her mouth but then closed it again. Finally, she sighed. “None.” Her shoulders slumped as she resigned herself to the idea. “Let’s do it.”

Sophie looked up from her console. “I can’t find The Last Harbor in my system. Where is it?”

“No idea,” Caledin said. “I’ve never been there. The coordinates don’t exist. If you’re not on the Pirate Council, it’s death to go there.”

“Well, then how are we going to find it?”

“We’ll have to talk to someone on the council. Hopefully, we’ll find one at the Phantom Way Station.”

* * *

If there was a place that wasn’t close to anywhere, it was the Phantom Way Station. Located in the middle of deep space well outside any of the star lanes, it wasn’t something you’d find by accident. If you weren’t a pirate, you didn’t know it existed, and even if you were one, the odds were that you only knew of it from rumor and supposition.

Caledin and the Rampart had actually been there—twice—and he knew where to find it. Luckily, it was on the way to Ajen, so the time spent heading there wasn’t lost time.

“Leaving Russell space… now,” Sophie said.

“I’ve got the station,” Stremen said a few moments later. “Right where it’s supposed—” He stopped suddenly, and his eyes widened. “Captain, we’re being illuminated by a missile radar!”

“Sophie, talk to them and let them know who we are,” Caledin ordered.

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