sweeping the floor. They only paused to glare at him. Where is Oginski? He must be on the ship somewhere, surely?
Blizzard’s ship looked to be in bad shape. Blood stained the steps to the upper deck and Dakkar grimaced as he tried to step over it.
‘That was spilt by a good friend of mine,’ Finch growled. ‘I ’ope they hang you from the highest yardarm, me laddo.’
The daylight dazzled Dakkar as he staggered up on deck. The crew were hurrying up and down rigging, and the sound of shouting, hammering and sawing rang across the ship.
‘We didn’t fare too badly,’ a voice called out from above him. Dakkar turned and recognised the scar-faced commander standing on the quarterdeck at the stern of the ship. Blizzard leaned on the rails and stared down at Dakkar. ‘We’ll soon be back to full sail and on our mission again. So, boy, welcome aboard the Palaemon .’
‘Where’s Oginski?’ Dakkar hissed.
‘Oginski?’ Blizzard frowned, peering closer at Dakkar. Then his eyes widened. ‘Good Lord! It’s you, Oginski’s prince! But how is that possible? And why are you consorting with pirates?’
‘You broke into our castle,’ Dakkar said angrily. ‘You killed Mrs Evans and took Oginski away.’
‘I took him away?’ Blizzard repeated, and he started to laugh. ‘You think I’m holding Oginski on this ship?’
‘Your monsters kidnapped him,’ Dakkar said through clenched teeth.
Blizzard’s mirth evaporated. His face hardened. ‘I did intend to send some men to search the premises – I suspect Oginski might be withholding some secrets from us – but I didn’t have him taken.’
‘You’re lying!’ Dakkar snarled, taking a step forward.
Slater and Finch reached for him. Dakkar ducked under their grasp. He rushed at the commander but found himself with the point of Blizzard’s sword at his throat.
Blizzard fixed Dakkar with an icy glare. ‘If you were a grown man,’ he said in a low voice, ‘I’d kill you for calling me a liar. As it is, I’ll put your poor manners down to a bad upbringing and youthful folly. Keep a civil tongue in your head or I’ll cut it out.’
Dakkar stood stock-still. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said. ‘I was certain Oginski was on this ship. You said you were coming back for him!’
‘That was a bit of a bluff, if I’m honest,’ Blizzard said, sheathing his sword. ‘And Oginski would have known that.’
Dakkar shook his head, still unwilling to believe the truth. He felt hollow and empty. Chasing after Blizzard had been for nothing and now he was trapped on this ship miles from home, with the Makara lying smashed at the bottom of the ocean. Tears stung his eyes and he stared down at the deck, fighting them back.
‘But if Oginski isn’t here, who has taken him?’ he murmured.
‘That,’ Blizzard said, ‘is a good question. But a better one is why shouldn’t I have you hanged like a common pirate? Take hold of him – now!’
Slater advanced on Dakkar, while Finch coiled a rope.
Chapter Eight
No Answers
Finch and Slater grabbed Dakkar and pinned his arms to his sides with the rope.
‘I should warn you that my men are in no mood to trifle,’ Blizzard said. ‘They lost some good friends today and are thirsty for revenge.’
‘Aye,’ Slater snarled. ‘Let’s string him up, sir, and those other dogs in the hold!’
‘Steady, Slater,’ Blizzard said, raising a calming hand. ‘Now, your highness , suppose you tell me how it’s possible for me to see you but a couple of days ago at your home in England and then meet you again here on a pirate vessel that has doubtless come from the other side of the ocean?’
‘I flew,’ Dakkar sneered, which earned him a chubby backhand over the head from Finch.
‘I’m not an idiot, Prince Dakkar,’ Blizzard said. ‘Oh yes, I know precisely who you are. I keep my ear to the ground, so to speak. My spies are everywhere.’
Dakkar pursed his lips and ignored Blizzard’s game.
‘Let’s have a
Blizzard’s ship looked to be in bad shape. Blood stained the steps to the upper deck and Dakkar grimaced as he tried to step over it.
‘That was spilt by a good friend of mine,’ Finch growled. ‘I ’ope they hang you from the highest yardarm, me laddo.’
The daylight dazzled Dakkar as he staggered up on deck. The crew were hurrying up and down rigging, and the sound of shouting, hammering and sawing rang across the ship.
‘We didn’t fare too badly,’ a voice called out from above him. Dakkar turned and recognised the scar-faced commander standing on the quarterdeck at the stern of the ship. Blizzard leaned on the rails and stared down at Dakkar. ‘We’ll soon be back to full sail and on our mission again. So, boy, welcome aboard the Palaemon .’
‘Where’s Oginski?’ Dakkar hissed.
‘Oginski?’ Blizzard frowned, peering closer at Dakkar. Then his eyes widened. ‘Good Lord! It’s you, Oginski’s prince! But how is that possible? And why are you consorting with pirates?’
‘You broke into our castle,’ Dakkar said angrily. ‘You killed Mrs Evans and took Oginski away.’
‘I took him away?’ Blizzard repeated, and he started to laugh. ‘You think I’m holding Oginski on this ship?’
‘Your monsters kidnapped him,’ Dakkar said through clenched teeth.
Blizzard’s mirth evaporated. His face hardened. ‘I did intend to send some men to search the premises – I suspect Oginski might be withholding some secrets from us – but I didn’t have him taken.’
‘You’re lying!’ Dakkar snarled, taking a step forward.
Slater and Finch reached for him. Dakkar ducked under their grasp. He rushed at the commander but found himself with the point of Blizzard’s sword at his throat.
Blizzard fixed Dakkar with an icy glare. ‘If you were a grown man,’ he said in a low voice, ‘I’d kill you for calling me a liar. As it is, I’ll put your poor manners down to a bad upbringing and youthful folly. Keep a civil tongue in your head or I’ll cut it out.’
Dakkar stood stock-still. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said. ‘I was certain Oginski was on this ship. You said you were coming back for him!’
‘That was a bit of a bluff, if I’m honest,’ Blizzard said, sheathing his sword. ‘And Oginski would have known that.’
Dakkar shook his head, still unwilling to believe the truth. He felt hollow and empty. Chasing after Blizzard had been for nothing and now he was trapped on this ship miles from home, with the Makara lying smashed at the bottom of the ocean. Tears stung his eyes and he stared down at the deck, fighting them back.
‘But if Oginski isn’t here, who has taken him?’ he murmured.
‘That,’ Blizzard said, ‘is a good question. But a better one is why shouldn’t I have you hanged like a common pirate? Take hold of him – now!’
Slater advanced on Dakkar, while Finch coiled a rope.
Chapter Eight
No Answers
Finch and Slater grabbed Dakkar and pinned his arms to his sides with the rope.
‘I should warn you that my men are in no mood to trifle,’ Blizzard said. ‘They lost some good friends today and are thirsty for revenge.’
‘Aye,’ Slater snarled. ‘Let’s string him up, sir, and those other dogs in the hold!’
‘Steady, Slater,’ Blizzard said, raising a calming hand. ‘Now, your highness , suppose you tell me how it’s possible for me to see you but a couple of days ago at your home in England and then meet you again here on a pirate vessel that has doubtless come from the other side of the ocean?’
‘I flew,’ Dakkar sneered, which earned him a chubby backhand over the head from Finch.
‘I’m not an idiot, Prince Dakkar,’ Blizzard said. ‘Oh yes, I know precisely who you are. I keep my ear to the ground, so to speak. My spies are everywhere.’
Dakkar pursed his lips and ignored Blizzard’s game.
‘Let’s have a
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