Pirate’s Prophecy by Chris A. Jackson

Author:Chris A. Jackson [Jackson, Chris A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781466847347
Publisher: A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

11

A Change of Plans

Vreva stifled a sigh of relief as she and Yami emerged onto the deck of Devil’s Trident. Maneuvering through the narrow corridors belowdecks amid a cordon of Chelish marines had wound her nerves tighter than a crossbow string. Though still surrounded, at least now she had a little breathing room. She blinked in the bright sunlight and surveyed her surroundings.

Robust lay rafted up between Devil’s Trident and the frigate, Fury’s Crown, thick lines binding them together like a child between two protective parents. The galleon wasn’t much to look at—beamy and drab, without the grandeur of the flagship or the sleek lines of the frigate. She had been aptly named, built to haul vast amounts of cargo and withstand hard use, not to win any prizes for speed or aesthetics.

The frigate contrasted with the galleon in every respect. Trim and smart, her crew turned out in full regalia, Fury’s Crown was one of the gems of the Ostenso fleet, fast and deadly. That the frigate would be their sole escort was both heartening and worrisome.

Admiral Ronnel had visited them first thing that morning to give them the details. “Robust has arrived, and everything’s ready for the transfer. Captain Giavano has his orders, and Captain Lance of Fury’s Crown has hers. We can’t risk sending an entire squadron into Andoren waters, but Fury’s Crown’s a crack ship. She’ll follow close enough to protect Robust from mishaps, but far enough to look like she’s not sailing in company. If an Andoren ship shows up, she’s fast enough to evade.”

That was the encouraging part. With only a single ship as escort, the plan forming in Vreva’s head might just work. If Torius is willing to go along.

Vreva clutched Yami’s arm and followed Anguillithek across the deck. Thankfully, the devil’s attention remained focused on their surroundings, not Vreva. The longer she interacted with it, the more likely the devil would be to pierce her deception. Yami seemed to accept her disguise without question. They paused at the boarding hatch where the gangway inclined steeply down to the galleon’s deck.

“I don’t see why we have to go aboard a different ship.” Yami sounded like any disgruntled youngster as he looked dubiously at the lesser vessel. “Why can’t we stay on this one?”

“Because this one can’t take us where we need to go.” Vreva urged the boy across. The drowning devil rose off the deck and hovered in escort as they crossed, its iridescent finlike wings flapping lazily as its blank eyes scanned nonstop. Looking down the narrow gap between the two ships, Vreva briefly considered dragging Yami over the side with her. Kalli was down there somewhere to help, but with so many sailors and marines on deck, and the drowning devil, too, she knew they would never escape.

No, it’s got to be at sea. That was the only plan that had a chance of success.

She caught a flicker of movement down in the shadow between the ships, a small black shape

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