The Chronicles of Lumineia: Book 01 - Elseerian (12 page)

“No!” Taryn cut him off. “Come with me, and tell your men to jump overboard as we go.”

Raize looked like he was about to argue, but a flick of Ianna at his throat and he called to his men to jump overboard. For several long seconds, no one moved. Truthfully, Taryn didn’t expect the pirates to listen. They were pirates, after all, but the way they had coordinated the attack told Taryn that there was something unified about this group, and after what seemed like an eternity of glancing back and forth, one of them dropped his weapon and jumped over the rail—encouraged by the tip of Mazer.

One by one, the others followed the first man into the sea. Several men looked like they were going to resist, but their hesitation cost them. One moment was all Taryn needed to disarm them and kick them into the ocean. When they were done with the first ship, he retrieved his throwing knife and moved the captain from ship to ship, forcing the pirates of each vessel into the water. As he went, Taryn took the time to disable the helm and sails. Some hadn't seen him before and tried to resist, but Taryn blocked every attack with his father’s sword and simply knocked them overboard—all while maintaining Ianna at Raize’s throat.

Once he’d cleared all four ships on this side, he returned to his own. As he crossed with his prisoner, he told the captain to get ready to sail as quickly as possible. Every time Raize tried to speak, Ianna cut into his neck a little, making it clear that Taryn wasn’t there for conversation. It only took another couple of minutes to empty the last three ships of their crews. For good measure, he cut the sinking one loose from its neighbors. Without oarsmen or anyone to bail water out, it settled deep and began to tip, falling quickly behind.

As soon as he got back on the
Sea Dancer
with his pirate prisoner, the captain called out to cut them free from the pirate’s boats. As they began to pull ahead, their surviving crew rushed to repair the sail and rigging damaged in the battle. The experienced sailors worked fast to raise the ragged mainsail into the strong wind and they picked up speed. Before the
Sea Dancer
had even moved off, pirates began climbing back onto their ships, but there was no way they could fix the damage that Taryn had left in his wake—not in time to give chase.

Erix let out an explosive sigh as the pirate ships got smaller in the distance behind them. “Well done, mates. Hun, bind Taryn’s
friend
and take him below. Make sure he can’t get loose. I don’t want someone getting killed because he frees himself. Frey, lay the dead out on the deck and get the injured below as well. Tend to them as best you can.”

“I can help with the injured,” Mae said.

“I can too,” Trin offered.

“You
are
injured,” Liri said with a small smile as she noted a bleeding cut on his arm.

He smirked and shook his head, but followed Mae down to help with the wounded.

“Liri, would you take care of the prisoners that were freed?” the captain asked. She nodded and moved towards the man and the children who were huddled in one corner of the deck.

“Taryn, would you mind helping with the dead?” the captain asked soberly.

Taryn nodded and left the captain giving orders to other members of the crew. He helped Frey gather the sailors that had been killed in the attack, as well as any dead pirates, and lay them out on one side of the boat. Of the forty-two sailors, nine had been killed, twelve were severely injured, and almost everyone else had minor injuries. Few had survived unscathed.

As he sifted through some wreckage, Taryn heard a groan and moved a board to reveal the pirate he’d kneed in the stomach. He was a short man, and young too, barely out of his teens, with light hair and stubble on his chin. Taryn cleared some more debris until he could get to the man.

“I found a pirate, and he’s alive,” he called out.

“Cut his throat and toss him overboard,” a sailor said under his breath behind him, but the captain frowned.

“Tie him up as well, but keep him separate from the other one,” he ordered. “I don’t want them talking.”

After Taryn took care of the other pirate he returned to the deck to find the captain had asked the entire crew to meet together.

Once everyone was gathered, he began, “You all fought well. I was proud to fight alongside you.” He glanced around and gave a small smile. “We have survived for now, but we are in a tough situation. Our ship is damaged and almost half of our crew is either dead or too injured to help us sail home. From this moment on, every crew member is on double shifts.” A hard look at Taryn and his friends showed that they were included in that statement.

“No one is going to get much sleep over the next week, so pace yourselves.” He broke off and looked at the nine bodies that were lined up on the port side of the ship. Shaking his head he said, “We have lost some good men. Let us have a moment of silence for their sacrifice for us.”

Taryn joined in with the crew in remembering the dead and watched sadly as one by one their bodies were committed to the deep. The captain said a few things about each man that had perished before they were reverently slid into the ocean. As Taryn listened to his words, a numbness set into his mind at what had happened, and he found himself regretting something but not knowing what.

Just then, Liri leaned against him and he caught her soft look. Knowing she understood did make him feel better, but the faces of the men that had been killed would stick with him, and he found himself wishing there had been a way to win without bloodshed. Deep down he recognized that hadn’t been possible—but he still wondered if any one of the men lying in front of him would have survived if he’d slain any of the pirates.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of one of the children they’d rescued, and he looked at the young men and women crowding around the man. In that brief moment he understood a little of what his uncle had said about protecting the weak, and like a ray of light his profound sadness was softened by a warm feeling of having done something right. It didn’t completely dispel the emptiness of seeing so many men die, but at least it gave a reason for the price paid.

The captain finished his memorials, and the last of the dead sailors disappeared into the dark waters. Each man and woman contemplated the loss of the brave men whose blood stained the deck under their feet. These men had lost their lives so that others could live, and the living recognized the profound sacrifice.

By the end of the day, six more would join them.

Chapter 7:
Thacker’s Tale

By the time they got the deck cleaned up, the sun was setting, and some of the crew were off to some much needed sleep. Taryn and his friends stood on the rail looking out at the fading light. No one had said much after the battle, with each person focused on the individual tasks to be accomplished, but with the breeze filling the sail and a beautiful sunset in view, it was difficult for the seasoned sailors and young fighters to dwell on the dead. In the end, it only took one remark to change the mood.

 “I don’t think the pirates like Taryn very much,” Trin said.

Liri tried not to laugh. She even covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle it.

Trin saw her and continued with a straight face, “Seriously. . .” He looked at Taryn with a sober expression, “What if they couldn’t swim?”

She couldn’t help it, and the sound of her lighthearted laughter floated across the ship like the cool breeze that pushed the vessel forward. The soft tinkling sound lifted the hearts of the surviving sailors and washed away the evil morning more effectively than anything else could have. Within a few moments sailors began talking again—subdued conversation, but at least it replaced the silence.

When she had gotten control of the giggles, Liri turned a serious expression on Taryn. “Why did that even work anyway?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” the captain spoke up behind them. They turned to see him striding towards them. “Pirates aren’t known for their loyalty. At the sight of their captain in trouble, someone
should
have tried to kill you both.”

Taryn returned the gaze of the captain and scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know why they didn’t just go after me—but it wasn’t the only odd thing about the pirates. All of them grouped together like that is one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen. What would cause pirates to unite like that?”

That statement left all of them scratching their heads. Trin gave up first and blew out his breath in exasperation. “I don’t know either, but I’m happy for whatever it is. It certainly saved our skins today, anyway.”

Erix smiled and nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps we should get some answers,” Mae mused.

Liri looked at her and nodded, pursing her lips. “Hmm. Perhaps it is time to get some answers from the family, if they are ready to talk.”

The captain was quick to agree. “Let’s go see if they’re awake. You aren’t the only ones with questions for them, but I do believe that the room they’re in is too small for all of us to have a quiet conversation. Why don’t I invite one of them to join us in my cabin? You can all meet me there.”

Several minutes later the man Taryn had rescued walked tiredly through the captain’s door and crumpled into the offered chair. As the four fighters and the captain found places to sit around the small office, Taryn took a moment to study the man. He hadn’t gotten much of a chance before, and the only thing he knew about him was that his name was Thacker. As he looked closer, he began to notice much more than he’d seen at first glance.

Thacker’s clothes were light and made of homespun material, and although they were quite dirty, looked to be stitched well, as if they had been tailored specifically for him. Probably made by someone close to him, a wife perhaps? Beyond his stained tunic, his hands and face were darkened by the sun in a way that could not have been recent. This was a man who worked outside frequently. Taryn wondered briefly if he was a farmer, or maybe a fisherman.

As he looked at the man’s face, Taryn felt his heart go out to him. He appeared to be exhausted, worn beyond compare. When he sat down he gave the impression of settling into the seat like he would never get up, like he lacked even the energy to stand. Bags under his eyes showed white through his tan and his hunched shoulders carried unseen weight.

The captain cleared his throat. “Thank you for being willing to talk to us and answer some questions. We will try to be brief so you can get some rest.”

Thacker nodded and blinked, trying to focus. “What would you like to know?”

“Why were you being held prisoner?” the captain asked.

Thacker hesitated, looking around the room. His eyes were abruptly clear and focused—evaluating. The silence continued as he looked at each individual, taking their measure.

“You can trust us,” Mae said in her usual quiet voice. Taryn glanced at her at the same time everyone else did. Something in her eyes or words seemed to settle his concern, because he only hesitated a moment more after locking eyes with the short elf.

“I believe you, but it is still hard to tell a secret that can be used against you.” He looked away from Mae’s sincere face as if he was in pain. “A year ago my family and I lived in a fishing village a day’s journey south of Keese. My wife and I have seven children, and each one is . . . special.” He hesitated again, but when the captain nodded at him he continued, “They can talk to each other, mind to mind.” He said the last phrase like he was anxious to get it out and at the same time struggling to keep it in. If he’d looked up he would have seen five astonished people in the room.

“They get it from me,” he continued. “I could do it with my sister, and somehow it got passed on to my family. My youngest son is very . . . boisterous, and likes to show off. He told one of his friends while they were playing on the docks. I think someone overheard him because a few days later a couple of pirate ships raided our village. My wife . . . was killed.” He choked and had to swallow to regain his composure.

“They took my family and forced us to work for them under that villain you have in the hold, Raize. In a different life he probably would have been a great general. He draws people to him, and it didn’t take long for more pirates to join him. As he added more ships and men, he began using us to communicate between ships so his attacks would be more successful. I tried to hold out against him. I tried to tell him it wasn’t always clear what we tried to say to each other, but he didn’t believe me. We have been enslaved by the pirates for several months now, watching his fleet grow, and helping him do unspeakable things…”

He went quiet and slumped into the chair. The silence lasted for several moments while everyone looked at each other, wondering what to say.

“You have your children, and you kept them alive,” Liri said, touching his shoulder.

His head snapped up. “Almost all of them. My oldest son is being held by a crew at Keese.”

“You have another child?” the captain asked, rising to his feet.

A sad nod confirmed the answer.

“We will help you find your son.” The quiet voice of Mae cut through the babble of speculation that had sprung up in the room. Taryn’s eyes snapped to Mae’s. Her tone had made it evident she was volunteering the four of them, not just herself or the crew on the ship. He felt like he should be annoyed at her, but the truth was if she hadn’t said something he probably would have. A glance at Trin’s and Liri’s faces revealed they had arrived at the same conclusion. Smiling to himself, he turned to look at Thacker, who was sitting up with the first glimmerings of hope radiating from his tired eyes.

“Thank you so much. You have done so much for me already. I couldn’t begin to pay you back.”

Erix leaned away from the wall. “It’s settled then. When we get to Keese, we find Thacker’s son.” Seeing the questioning look in Taryn’s face he smiled. “I can’t let you four have all the fun. Besides, you seem to be good luck.”

A gruff laugh from Trin startled Thacker. “Excellent,” he boomed, “I always look forward to a good fight.” He looked at Taryn with a pleading look. “Can it
please
be on land, and not on some tiny ship? My sword is a bit long for enclosed spaces.”