Lorik The Protector (Lorik Trilogy) by Toby Neighbors Page A

stations, either at the oars or on either end of the ship. They began to row, and Yulver guided them dangerously close to one of the bigger rocks. It was the size of a small boulder above the water. The surface of the rock was rough and covered in a green slime.
    “Time to say goodbye to our guest,” Yulver called out. Lorik and several of the sailors approached Tobiah, who was sleeping near the mast. They picked him up by his arms and legs. The outlaw cried out pitifully, but they tossed him overboard without a moment’s hesitation. The man dropped below the surface, then came up sputtering.
    Yulver gave another order and the rowers propelled the ship away from the big rock. Lorik and the others watched as the outlaw swam to the rock and climbed up its craggy surface.
    “Are we going to leave him there?” Stone asked.
    “Aye,” Yulver said. “We’ll let the sea dispense justice.”
    “But what if someone else comes by and picks him up?”
    “We’re one of the few vessels who will come this close to the Sailor’s Graveyard,” Yulver explained. “He’ll bake in the sun until he’s mad with thirst. Then he’ll either drink himself to death on seawater or drown trying to swim to shore.”
    They moved on, carefully maneuvering between the rocks. The sailors at the bow leaned as far out over the water as they could, looking for submerged rocks that could tear a hole in the ship’s hull. Occasionally they called out, but Yulver was experienced in sailing through the maze of rocks and navigating the dangerous currents.
    Vera helped Jons wrap Selber’s body in a wide piece of canvas. They stitched the burial shroud together and when they were finished, Yulver spoke words of comfort to his crew.
    “Selber was a good sailor, but he was more than that,” the salty sea captain said. “He was part of the sea. Many people love the wild beauty of the oceans, but a certain few are born of the sea. Selber was such a man, always quick to see the good in any situation. His smile will be sorely missed. He gave his life following orders and I believe he was helping a friend. Death is the enemy of all, the one inescapable aspect of life we all must face. Selber has surely found a place in the halls of the sea gods. Let us return his body to the waters he loved so much.”
    They all stood, even though they were still in a dangerous stretch of the Sailor’s Graveyard. Lorik and Stone stood with their faces down, shame clouding their features. When the sailors who carried Selber’s body to the rail lowered it into the water, the sailors all cheered. Then the body, wrapped in canvas and weighted with links from the anchor chain, slipped out of sight. The sailors lingered a moment, then returned to their oars.
    Lorik stood at the bow of the ship as they sailed away. He couldn’t stop the tears from spilling from his eyes. His wounds ached, but he welcomed the pain. It reminded him that he was still alive, while at the same time making him feel as if he were paying for the death of his friend somehow.
    “It’s not your fault,” Vera said from behind Lorik.
    He wiped at the tears on his cheeks before turning to face her.
    “I’m surprised to hear you say that,” Lorik said. “I’d have thought you blamed me for everything.”
    “I don’t,” she said softly. “Am I happy about sailing north with you? No, I’m honestly not. Life wasn’t exactly what I’d expected it to be when I left the Point, but I was with the man I love and there was a sweetness in him that I’d never known before. It reminded me of your parents. They loved each other deeply.”
    “Aye, they did,” Lorik agreed.
    “When I saw you, Lorik, I knew that things would change. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to go north and fight the Norsik. I didn’t want to see people getting hurt, but I knew it was unavoidable. So, I’m not happy about that turn of events, but I am happy to see you again. You’re my dearest friend.”
    Lorik smiled.