King Breaker (30 page)

When he reached the reardeck rail, he peered through the balustrades, looking for the night watch. Seeing no one, he swung his weight over the rail, dropped onto the deck, then signalled to the others.

Of course, Vesnibor was first to reach for the rope. As the Utlander began the climb, Garzik turned to check the deck.

He was just in time to see a man coming his way. Before the Merofynian could yell a warning, Garzik sprang for him. The sailor’s cry turned into a grunt as they hit the deck. Garzik lost his knife in the scuffle. Over and over they went. One moment the sailor loomed above Garzik, silhouetted against the lantern on the reardeck mast, the next Garzik was on top.

In desperation, Garzik drove his forehead into the bridge of the sailor’s nose.

The Merofynian’s grip slackened and Garzik shoved the sailor off. He barely had time retrieve his knife before the sailor tackled him to the deck, pinning his arm, but the knife had been in position and the Merofynian gave a grunt of surprise as the blade slid between his ribs.

Garzik felt him shudder, felt hot blood on his knife hand.

Shoving the sailor aside, he came to his knees to find Vesnibor watching. The Utlander had made no attempt to help.

Garzik retrieved his knife and cleaned it, hoping his hands would stop shaking by the time he stood up. When he turned around, another of the Utlanders had climbed aboard.

Keeping low, Garzik went to the middeck rail. The deck appeared to be deserted. It was dark except for the slight glow coming from the captain’s cabin, and the lantern on the fore-mast at the prow.

One of the Utlanders whispered and Garzik signalled for silence as a boy came out of the middeck hatch and headed towards the captain’s cabin with a bottle of wine. Garzik waited until the door closed after the lad before turning to face the raiding party.

Young Luvrenc stepped over the dead sailor. ‘Was this the only night watch?’

‘That I could see,’ Garzik said.

‘Lazy hot-landers,’ Vesnibor muttered. ‘They deserve what they get.’

Several of the others smirked and Garzik knew he was already in danger of losing command. ‘Quiet. Follow me.’

He led them onto the middeck and down the hatch into the dark, where he could just make out hammocks strung from the rafters. The way the sides of the hammocks closed around the sleeping sailors, they would not stand a chance. Killing a man while he slept made Garzik sick to his stomach, but he knew the pragmatic Utlanders would welcome any advantage.

He gestured to the sleeping sailors. ‘Deal with them, then wait while I check the other cabins.’

The cook had finished for the day and the galley was empty. Garzik went through to the surgeon’s cabin. Here, he found the air thick with the stench of alcohol and a man snoring heavily. Garzik was reminded of Rishardt, the Merofynian ship’s surgeon who had taken him in, and he experienced a pang of loss. Rishardt had been trying to give up the bottle and reclaim his life when the Utlanders had killed him.

Standing there in this Merofynian surgeon’s cabin, Garzik realised he had very little in common with the Garzik who had been Rishardt’s apprentice.

Garzik hesitated next to the drunken surgeon’s bed. If he couldn’t kill a sleeping man, he certainly couldn’t kill a drunken man. By the look of him, the surgeon would not be waking any time soon. Garzik slipped out, closing the door behind him.

He checked the other cabins to find they were all being used for cargo before returning to the hatch ladder. Only Luvrenc remained below-deck. He’d lit a lamp and was hanging it on a hook.

Garzik could see blood dripping from the hammocks. ‘Where’s Vesnibor?’

Luvrenc gestured to the deck above. Garzik cursed and climbed the ladder, heart thumping. He heard a shout, then breaking glass, and caught a glimpse of movement through the open door to the captain’s cabin.

Two Utlanders restrained the captain and Garzik arrived just in time to see Vesnibor stab the man before stepping back. The Utlanders tossed the captain’s body aside. Three more Merofynians lay sprawled in pools of blood.

Vesnibor wiped his knife and issued Garzik a challenging look. The other four Utlanders waited to see what he would do.

Strength was all they respected.

The broken-nosed warrior smirked and grabbed an open wine bottle. ‘I say we—’

Garzik swung his fist, putting all his weight behind the blow. Vesnibor’s head snapped back and he collapsed. The wine bottle flew from his hand, hit the floor and rolled. The other Utlanders said nothing. Wine gurgled as it poured from the bottle.

‘Go,’ Garzik told them. ‘Signal Captain Rusan.’

Vesnibor’s four supporters hesitated.

Garzik picked up a lamp and gave it to Dizov. ‘Go give the signal.’

They shuffled out, leaving Vesnibor to climb to his feet alone. Blood poured from between his fingers as he clutched his nose, broken for a third time.

Garzik’s hand went to his knife hilt.

Vesnibor shuffled out, cursing under his breath.

Feeling slightly nauseous, Garzik bent to get the wine bottle. A pair of frightened eyes watched him from behind the partly open privy door. The cabin boy.

Holding the cabin boy’s eyes, Garzik lifted his finger to his lips. He took the lamp and went to walk out, but a stone filled with coruscating reds and golds caught his eye. The captain had been using it as a paper weight. About the size and shape of an egg, it had been polished until it gleamed. The stone reminded him of the fire stones that had sat in his father’s great hall. Of course, one fire stone was no use without its mate, but on the off chance he might one day find a fire stone that brought this one to life, he slipped it in his pocket.

Back on deck, he found Rusan’s ship drawing close. This was the tricky part. He had seen ships transferring stores while moored, but one of the nearby ship’s captains might know the merchant vessel wasn’t supposed to make this transfer.

Ropes sailed out across the gap, and the Utlanders caught them and made them fast. Olbin jumped aboard, followed by a dozen raiders.

‘Look lively now, and keep it quiet,’ Olbin ordered softly. They headed below deck and the big Utlander gave Garzik a nod. ‘Well done, Wynn.’

Knowing he would abandon them before dawn, Garzik could not meet Olbin’s eyes.

The Utlanders formed a human chain, passing bales, barrels and bundles up from the hold and then across to Rusan’s ship, where the stolen goods were stowed away. It was hard, consistent work with barely a moment’s pause, done in silence and semi-dark on deck. Below deck they had lanterns, but they were soon sweating in the close quarters.

Towards dawn, Garzik went up on deck to grab a drink and look for Trafyn. They were running out of time. The squire was supposed to be unloading, ready to slip away at a moment’s notice, but there was no sign of him. Garzik cursed under his breath.

‘Wynn?’ Olbin passed him a chest. ‘Put this in the captain’s cabin for Rus.’

It was the perfect opportunity. Garzik grunted as he took the chest from Olbin. ‘What’s in it, gold bars?’

Olbin winked. ‘Treasure of another kind.’

Intrigued, Garzik flipped open the lid. ‘Books?’

Judging by the titles, Olbin had chosen Ostronite books. He’d pretended disinterest in Rusan’s lessons, yet clearly he’d been paying attention. It was a shame Garzik wouldn’t be around to coach Rusan anymore, but the Utland captain was clever enough to go on alone.

Garzik carried the chest across to the other deck and then into the captain’s cabin, where he found the squire sleeping soundly. Furious, he kicked Trafyn’s legs, then put the chest down.

The squire woke with a jerk and rubbed his face. ‘Fell asleep, waiting for you to call me.’

That wasn’t what they’d agreed, but Garzik let it pass.

Trafyn’s eyes narrowed. ‘What’s in the chest?’

‘Books, if you must know.’

‘What does a savage want with books? It’s not as if he can...’ Trafyn frowned, then looked shocked. ‘You taught him to read?’

‘I did. Now come across to the other ship and pitch in. At my signal we go over the side. Got it?’

‘It’s too far from the shore. I’ll never—’

‘We can throw a barrel over the side. Come on.’ Garzik went down the passage, out onto the deck, and walked through the working Utlanders as though he had no plans to desert them.

Once he and Trafyn were on the other ship, they took their places passing stores across the deck.

Before long, Rusan signalled Garzik. ‘Tell Olbin to finish up. The tide’s about to turn. We leave with the dawn breeze.’

Garzik nodded, caught Trafyn’s eye and went below to find Olbin. Soon the last of the Utlanders carried bales across to the other deck, and Trafyn sat with his back to the ship’s mainmast to catch his breath.

‘I’ll make sure everyone’s out,’ Olbin called up from the hold.

Garzik nodded. Any moment now, the ships would part and Jost would claim this vessel. He and Trafyn had to be over the side before that happened.

The squire nudged Garzik and gestured to the barrel. ‘I don’t think I can carry it. I’m exhausted.’

Garzik grabbed the barrel and headed for the far side of the ship. Resting the barrel on the rail, he glanced to the Rusan’s deck one last time. Jost’s supporters had gathered there.

Time to go.

Then he remembered the cabin boy. Jost would kill him, or worse. He told Trafyn to wait, and ran into the captain’s cabin, where he threw open the privy door. The cabin boy gave a squeak of fright. Garzik held out his hand. ‘Come with me if you want to live.’

The boy’s small hand slipped into his.

‘We’re going over the side,’ Garzik told him. ‘Hold onto the barrel and kick for shore.’

‘I can swim.’

‘Good.’ Garzik paused at the door to check the deck was clear. No sign of Jost yet. ‘Follow me.’

Trafyn was not waiting where Garzik had left him.

Garzik ran to the ship’s side. Sure enough, there he was in the water, holding onto the barrel and kicking for all he was worth.

‘Catch up with him,’ Garzik told the cabin boy, who gave one quick nod and jumped.

Garzik glanced back to Rusan’s ship one last time, expecting to see Jost and his brothers taking their leave of Rusan. Instead Jost and his two brothers were watching the captain as he stood over the hatch, speaking to someone below.

Jost signalled his brothers. They charged Rusan.

In that moment Garzik knew one ship was not enough for Jost. He wanted both. More than that, he wanted revenge.

As far as Garzik knew, Olbin was still in the captured ship’s hold, checking for stragglers. He ran to the hatch. ‘Olbin?’

The big Utlander came to the bottom of the ladder. ‘What?’

Garzik looked over to the other ship. The brothers had disarmed Rusan and were dragging him across the deck towards Jost, who clearly relished what was to come. ‘It’s Jost. Rusan’s in trouble.’

Drawing his knife, Garzik ran for the other ship, jumping onto the deck.

‘Rusan!’ Garzik shouted as he threw his knife at one of Jost’s brothers and launched himself at Jost.

The nearest brother went down as the knife hit him. The other one was so surprised he released Rusan, who snatched his attacker’s blade and turned it on him.

‘Rusan!’ Olbin bellowed, and others took up the battle cry. Fools, they’d bring the sea-hounds down on them.

Garzik tackled Jost, sending the Utlander’s short sword spinning. They wrestled, trying to get the upper hand. Jost pinned Garzik beneath him, fingers closing around his throat. Fighting to suck in a breath, Garzik tried to peel the fingers away. Stars wheeled in his vision. He went for Jost’s eyes, couldn’t get a grip.

Sounds faded. Fool, he’d missed his chance to help Byren. Now he’d never...

A weight lifted from his chest.

Garzik fought to suck in a desperate breath. It felt like his throat was crushed.

His vision cleared in time to see Olbin toss Jost’s body aside. The big Utlander reached down and hauled Garzik to his feet.

‘Cut the ropes, raise the sails, take the helm.’ Olbin thrust a bloody knife into his hands. ‘If we don’t make headway, we’re dead men!’

Avoiding several Utlanders locked in deadly struggles, Garzik staggered to the ship’s side. As he hacked through the ropes that bound them to the other vessel, his head cleared.

They were making enough noise to wake the dead. Worried, he scanned the deck of a nearby ship, where Merofynians were lighting lanterns and calling for arms.

He ran towards the mainmast.

Vesnibor blocked his way, grinning cruelly.

Garzik tried to tell him they had to work together to escape, but it hurt too much to talk. He swallowed, then wished he hadn’t.

Vesnibor laughed and lunged to gut him.

It was an attack Garzik had practised many times. His body took over as he side-stepped the strike and drove the hilt of his knife into Vesnibor’s temple. Vesnibor dropped and Garzik kept running.

Reaching the mainmast, he hauled on the concertina sail and made it fast. The fighting was slowing as he made for the next mast and did the same.

By the time he’d run up to reardeck and released the sail there, Jost’s supporters had been disarmed. Garzik didn’t wait to see what would happen as he took the helm.

Lucky for them, the dawn breeze was picking up. But it would also fill their enemies’ sails.

He heard shouting as Olbin ordered more sail. The ship responded, gaining headway. They glided past another ship, where the confused crew were still climbing up on deck.

There were other ships scattered out to the west, but the breeze was coming from the north. Anyone trying to cut them off before they reached the headlands would have to tack across the wind.

Garzik heard the sails creak as the wind picked up and felt the ship gain speed. He turned his head and winced.

One of the sleek sea-hound ships was giving chase. The vessel was a good way off yet, but it was built for speed, unlike their merchant ship. Garzik focused on the bay’s headlands.

All they had to do was get past Mulcibar’s Gate and the outgoing tide would carry them through the passage. But it would do the same for their pursuers. He didn’t see how they could escape. He cursed Jost for a vindictive, short-sighted fool.