information.”
Instead of retorting his knowledge of his family’s safety, Talis nodded and thanked the man. “You have my vow, Captain Cridd. All sea trading rights for the Storm family and goods from Naru are yours for a span of say ten years?”
“Twenty.” Avarice gleamed in the pirate’s eyes at his quick retort.
“Fifteen years, Captain, and we’ll agree at once. If you pass on the offer, so be it, I can arrange other means of transportation. But tell me, do you have enough ships to handle our trading requirements? My father does a brisk business.”
The pirate spread his hands wide, his face displaying a wounded expression. “I have fifteen fine ships under my control, all spread across the known world. And after delivering this haul of silver ore to Carvina, I’ll add another three ships to my fleet. Fifteen years and you’ll shake on it and make a vow to the gods?”
“I swear to the Goddess Nacrea to grant Captain Cridd fifteen years worth of sea trading rights with the Storm family and all goods to and from Naru.” Talis shook the pirate’s hand and smiled as the man swelled in excitement over the deal. The Captain beckoned them towards the longboat and Talis and Mara collected their packs and he allowed Mara to board first. Master Goleth sent Talis a grateful expression as he followed.
Talis watched the Captain hand Hestor a heavy purse and the smuggler’s surprised face nodded in appreciation. “More jewels for your bribes. Keep the ore flowing, and bring us gold and platinum next time!”
Mara leaned over and studied the sea as the sailors rowed the longboat out to the caravel. Colorful fish danced under the clear, emerald water, and she squealed as she spotted a sea turtle gliding along indignantly. Farther out the waves crested and fell hard, causing Mara to seize Talis’s arm for support. She glanced excitedly at the three-masted ship with a buxom figurehead of a goddess mounted high on the prow. The crew of thuggish, bare-chested pirates lowered the ladder, and as Talis climbed up after Mara, he noticed the motley crew wore a wide collection of necklaces made of teeth and bone and gold nuggets. Such a friendly bunch of pox-faced, toothy bastards, he thought.
“Am I the only girl on this ship?” Mara whispered, and Talis glanced around at the lechery in the sailor’s eyes as they stared at her.
“Get back to work, you lazy sacks of sow shit!” the Captain bellowed, and his wrathful expression sent the men scurrying across the deck and many climbed like spider monkeys up to the tops of the three masts. “Hoist the anchor and prepare to sail! I want you whore-loving whelps to move your bloody arses like I’m holding a sabre to it!”
The deck exploded in a fury of preparation for their voyage. Talis was amazed to see how quickly the crew worked in unison, and soon the caravel’s three sails popped under the wind and the ship swung around and out into the open sea. They were finally leaving, and Talis was glad at the prospect of journeying along the southern coast, but as he caught Mara staring wistfully at the smuggler’s cove, he knew their peaceful time along the beautiful beach was over.
Carvina and the Emperor awaited them. If they could survive the passage around the notoriously dangerous Horn of Hardrin…
8. THE SWEET SULTRY SEA
Callith rarely let Nikulo sleep at night, instead choosing to torment him for hours, even after the blissful haze of sleep had washed over him. The voyage across the Nalgoran Desert and on to the Ursulan Coast had been one long hot, hazy dream filled with ale and vice. Not that he minded it. He was thankfully free of the pain, and the voices had stayed in the background, allowing him a respite from the madness.
With the caravan parked on hill overlooking Ursula, he stared through the open canvas flap at the throng of whitewashed houses bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun. Fires dotted the central part of the city and he
Instead of retorting his knowledge of his family’s safety, Talis nodded and thanked the man. “You have my vow, Captain Cridd. All sea trading rights for the Storm family and goods from Naru are yours for a span of say ten years?”
“Twenty.” Avarice gleamed in the pirate’s eyes at his quick retort.
“Fifteen years, Captain, and we’ll agree at once. If you pass on the offer, so be it, I can arrange other means of transportation. But tell me, do you have enough ships to handle our trading requirements? My father does a brisk business.”
The pirate spread his hands wide, his face displaying a wounded expression. “I have fifteen fine ships under my control, all spread across the known world. And after delivering this haul of silver ore to Carvina, I’ll add another three ships to my fleet. Fifteen years and you’ll shake on it and make a vow to the gods?”
“I swear to the Goddess Nacrea to grant Captain Cridd fifteen years worth of sea trading rights with the Storm family and all goods to and from Naru.” Talis shook the pirate’s hand and smiled as the man swelled in excitement over the deal. The Captain beckoned them towards the longboat and Talis and Mara collected their packs and he allowed Mara to board first. Master Goleth sent Talis a grateful expression as he followed.
Talis watched the Captain hand Hestor a heavy purse and the smuggler’s surprised face nodded in appreciation. “More jewels for your bribes. Keep the ore flowing, and bring us gold and platinum next time!”
Mara leaned over and studied the sea as the sailors rowed the longboat out to the caravel. Colorful fish danced under the clear, emerald water, and she squealed as she spotted a sea turtle gliding along indignantly. Farther out the waves crested and fell hard, causing Mara to seize Talis’s arm for support. She glanced excitedly at the three-masted ship with a buxom figurehead of a goddess mounted high on the prow. The crew of thuggish, bare-chested pirates lowered the ladder, and as Talis climbed up after Mara, he noticed the motley crew wore a wide collection of necklaces made of teeth and bone and gold nuggets. Such a friendly bunch of pox-faced, toothy bastards, he thought.
“Am I the only girl on this ship?” Mara whispered, and Talis glanced around at the lechery in the sailor’s eyes as they stared at her.
“Get back to work, you lazy sacks of sow shit!” the Captain bellowed, and his wrathful expression sent the men scurrying across the deck and many climbed like spider monkeys up to the tops of the three masts. “Hoist the anchor and prepare to sail! I want you whore-loving whelps to move your bloody arses like I’m holding a sabre to it!”
The deck exploded in a fury of preparation for their voyage. Talis was amazed to see how quickly the crew worked in unison, and soon the caravel’s three sails popped under the wind and the ship swung around and out into the open sea. They were finally leaving, and Talis was glad at the prospect of journeying along the southern coast, but as he caught Mara staring wistfully at the smuggler’s cove, he knew their peaceful time along the beautiful beach was over.
Carvina and the Emperor awaited them. If they could survive the passage around the notoriously dangerous Horn of Hardrin…
8. THE SWEET SULTRY SEA
Callith rarely let Nikulo sleep at night, instead choosing to torment him for hours, even after the blissful haze of sleep had washed over him. The voyage across the Nalgoran Desert and on to the Ursulan Coast had been one long hot, hazy dream filled with ale and vice. Not that he minded it. He was thankfully free of the pain, and the voices had stayed in the background, allowing him a respite from the madness.
With the caravan parked on hill overlooking Ursula, he stared through the open canvas flap at the throng of whitewashed houses bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun. Fires dotted the central part of the city and he
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