The Runaway King (13 page)

I
was still seated against the pole when Erick came for me very early the next morning.

“Already awake I see?”

Awake and still furious. I didn’t even look at him.

“I heard you tried to sneak out last night.”

“Everyone else is permitted to move about as they’d like. Why not me?”

“Because you’re not one of us yet.”

“Then we’re not going to the pirates.”

“Why not?”

Now I looked at him. “If you don’t trust me, how will you convince them to?”

Erick’s face reddened. “Maybe I shouldn’t trust you.” He motioned with his arm and a man with a long scar on his right cheek entered the tent. I closed my eyes a moment, certain that if I listened carefully enough I’d hear the devils laughing at this new joke on me. He was the man who’d held the torch the night I fought to rescue Nila, and he clearly recognized me. I reluctantly stood to acknowledge him. His shoulder was visibly bandaged, which gave me some pleasure. So that’s where I got him.

“Fendon returned to us last night,” Erick said. “One of the men we played Queen’s Cross with thought something was suspicious about you, so he asked Fendon to come see. Fendon said your horse looked familiar. Thinks you do too.”

Fendon swaggered forward. Before I could stop him, he lifted up my shirt and showed the cut to Erick. “Yep, this is the boy I told you about. That’s where I stabbed him.”

“Stabbed?” I snorted at that. “You couldn’t control your sword to do worse than scratch me.”

“You forgot to tell me about attacking members of my family,” Erick accused.

I quietly put a hand on my knife. “You forgot to ask.”

Fendon reared back and hit me in the jaw. I tumbled to the ground but grabbed his shirt on the way and pulled him down with me. He landed on his wounded shoulder and grunted in pain. Then I withdrew my knife, putting it at Fendon’s throat. “Maybe you should ask why they killed an innocent woman and nearly killed her young daughter?”

Erick’s eyes widened. “They did what?”

“It’s been too long since you participated in those Carthyan raids.” Then I leaned in closer to Fendon. “And if you participate in any again, I’ll find you.”

Erick grabbed me by the shoulders and dragged me off the thief, then put a foot on his chest to keep him from coming after me. When Fendon signaled that he had calmed down, Erick told him to sit up. He kept his seat, but his glare was fierce and his fists remained tightly balled.

“We have rules here!” Erick said. “We’re thieves, not murderers.”

“Isn’t that what he did in the noble’s house last night, to that man?” Fendon pointed a stubby finger at me.

“If that man had escaped, he’d have called others to capture us,” Erick said. “Sage saved all of us — twice — and he netted a fine profit besides. But what you did, that is inexcusable.”

“It won’t happen again.” Fendon’s pouting tone suggested he couldn’t care less if it happened again. Then he addressed me. “You’re one of us now?”

“A pea-brained maggot like you?” I said. “No, never. Erick and I are leaving today.”

Fendon’s lip curled. “I’ll be waiting here when you get back. We have a score to settle.”

“Get used to waiting. I’m not coming back.” With that, I marched out of the tent.

I kept to myself while we completed our preparations to leave, although Erick made several attempts to ask about my part in the raid. I told him as little as possible, and nothing about Nila. It surprised me to find that he was nearly as bothered about the event as I had been.

“The pirates have a code about women and children,” he said. “They don’t touch them, not if they’re innocents. It should be the thieves’ code too.”

“Maybe the code will protect me,” I said. “Do I still count as a child?”

Erick tilted his head. “You don’t count as an innocent.”

Fink brought me an extra serving of breakfast soon after. “Not because I’m a servant,” he pointed out when he handed me the bowl. “But just because we’re friends, right?”

“Did you spit in it?”

“No.”

“Then we’re friends.”

When it was time to leave soon after, Fink made a last-minute appeal to come with us. He didn’t bring out the tears, so I suspected he’d already played that card.

“You’ll be in the way,” Erick said.

“I can help,” Fink protested, but Erick shook his head.

“Erick doesn’t have time to look after you,” I said. “He’s going to have enough trouble just watching me the whole time, making sure I don’t run off.”

Erick sighed, then he noticed my grin. “All right, you can come,” he finally said to Fink. “But you’re too young to become a pirate, so you’ll only be there as my boy. And you will keep an eye on Sage any time I’m not around.” Then he walked up to me as he untied his horse. “Don’t think you’ve tricked me into taking him,” he muttered. “I chose to bring him. He’s useful to have around.”

I chuckled lightly and mounted Mystic. “Here you go,” Erick said, handing me a sword. “You earned this.”

It was cheaply made and not weighted properly. Even if I were only a thief, I still wouldn’t have accepted it. I gave it back to him. “This isn’t mine.”

“But it’s good enough for you.”

I snorted. “Hardly.”

He tried again. “Take this sword.”

“I want the one I came here with.”

“Why that one?”

“The stones in the handle match my eyes.”

“Take this one or none at all.” When it was clear I wouldn’t accept the sword, Erick frowned at me, then kicked his horse forward, the rejected sword in his white-knuckled grip.

I prodded Mystic ahead as well, only I turned him toward the tent where they still kept my sword. Charging forward, I used my knife to slice through the tent fabric, flashed the blade at the startled thief inside, then grabbed my sword off the table. When I rode out again, Erick was waiting for me.

“You’re incorrigible,” he said.

“More than you know.” I attached the sword and its scabbard around my waist, then said, “Shall we go?”

Erick continued to look at me. “I think I may grow to hate you before this is over.”

“But you don’t already and that’s got to be some sort of record.”

To my surprise, Erick laughed. Within minutes we had left the thieves’ camp behind and were on our way to the pirates. Erick could barely contain his excitement.

“Tell me about the pirates,” I said. “What I should expect.”

“Who knows what they’ll think of you. You’re young, but they’ll accept boys your age if they think you’re useful. Devlin got in four years ago after making a deal to kill the younger prince of Carthya. He later killed the priest who was suspected of hiding that boy. Not long after, he became the pirates’ king.” He looked my way before adding, “Fink already told you about the priest, and I can see it upsets you now.”

“I knew him once.” Of course that was only half the reason that my fists were clenched and my heart was pounding.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Erick asked. “Because if it is —”

“No.
That
will not be a problem.” I cocked my head. “How did Devlin become king?”

Erick brushed his hand through the air. “Any pirate can challenge the king to a sword fight. If he kills the king in the fight, then that pirate is immediately recognized as the new king.”

“Has Devlin been challenged before?”

“Sure, but he’s never lost. He’s a fierce warrior and requires strict obedience to the pirate code.”

I knew a little about the code, or at least, what the code had been many years ago when the book from the castle library was written. Most of the code related to the mandatory punishments for various wrongdoings. It struck me as odd that a group who made their living off criminal activity would have such strict discipline. But at the heart of the code was the order of loyalty: first to the pirate king, second to their comrades, and third to their home country of Avenia and its crown. If this was true, then it meant they would only follow King Vargan if it suited them. They could attack Carthya with or without Avenia’s blessing.

Erick had continued speaking while my mind wandered. I began listening again as he said, “Besides, if the pirates are like my thieves, as long as you’re fair, they’re just as happy no matter who’s in charge.”

“What’ll happen to the thieves, now that you’ve left?”

“Someone else will take over. I’m almost sorry you didn’t accept my offer to stay, Sage. You seem to have the makings of a leader in you.”

Laughter burst from my mouth. “I can provide a very long list of people who’d disagree with you.” I imagined what Gregor would think if he knew I was here and not cowering in my bed at the castle. That led me to wonder for the hundredth time whether Amarinda really would keep from him the secret of who truly was there. But I had to push those worries away and concentrate on what lay ahead. “So what’s the pirate camp like?”

“They call it Tarblade Bay, or just Tarblade, and it’s a rather clever place. There’re no marked roads to it, obviously, so the only way you’d know it’s there is to pass close by it. And if you do, you’re bound to be captured. Once a person discovers the camp, they never leave.”

“Obviously,” I said.

“Obviously,” Erick echoed.

“How many pirates live there?”

“Hard to say. It could easily sleep a hundred, but there are always plenty out on the water, so I’m not sure how many there would be if they were all together. We’ll likely see at least fifty there now, possibly more.”

I glanced at Erick. “They say that no one returns from the pirates. But you have.”

“I was there as a friend, and only left because they allowed it. It’s outsiders who don’t return, and if they make us pirates, we’ll only leave by their permission.”

That certainly complicated things. I said, “Tell me more about Tarblade Bay.”

Erick nodded. “It exists on three elevations, all of it visible from the sea, but by the time a ship is close enough to see it, the pirates have spotted them. By land, only the highest level is visible, and all it appears to be is a cleared field surrounded by tall, thick trees. That’s where they meet as a group. Down a little hill are the kitchen and various tents. But again, a traveler could pass right beside it and not know any of it was there, unless they heard noises.”

“Obviously.”

Erick was less amused this time. “Do you want to know this or not?” I shrugged and he continued. “There’s a steep path that leads from the living areas down to the beach below. It’s a cliff wall along most of that beach otherwise. Backed against the cliff wall are places for everyone to sleep, except for the senior pirates up on top.”

“That’s where we’ll sleep, then,” I said, “by the beach.”

“You’ll love it,” Erick said. “Each wave hitting the shore is another note in a lullaby.”

With that we fell into silence. Although I had to admit an excitement to sit beside the sea again, I was nervous about meeting the pirates. Everything I cared about hinged on my success, and at this point, failure seemed far more likely. It was several hours later when Erick halted our group and pointed ahead. From our position there was very little evidence of anyone living here, yet Erick proudly announced, “Welcome to Tarblade.”

A
s we rode farther into Tarblade Bay, our reception was as frosty as I’d expected. Pirates dressed mostly in black peered around corners of huts or from beneath their low-brimmed hats. A few of them withdrew whatever weapon they carried and slunk toward Erick, Fink, and me. A quick glance at my companions told me they felt just as anxious as I did. There were far too many ways for this moment to go wrong.

Erick held out his sword, blade down, then signaled for me to do the same. Fink had snagged the sword I’d refused, but it looked large for him and he struggled to manage it with only one hand.

The expressions on the pirates’ faces ranged from unfriendly to murderous, with more of them in the latter category than I’d have liked. They looked rougher than most other men I’d ever encountered and were more sordid than any description I’d read about them. I wondered if Devlin was amongst them and how I’d respond when we met. I could hardly think his name without a surge of anger inside me.

As the pirates got closer, one of them recognized Erick. Perhaps this man had been stretched too often as a child, because everything about him seemed long: his height, his face, his nose. His cobalt blue eyes were too close together, but at least they’d escaped the stretching, and his thin dark hair fell like twine and came almost to his shoulders. When he saw us, his face widened into a grin. “Erick, my friend! How long has it been?”

“Too long, Agor. Too long.” Erick replaced his sword, then dismounted. Gesturing, he said, “This is Fink, an errand boy of mine” — I noticed Fink blink at that — “and this is a new member of my family, Sage.”

I tried to look like whatever Agor would expect to see as he studied me.

“Are you Avenian?” Agor asked. “What’s your history?”

“He’s Avenian,” Erick answered for me. “But his reputation was made in Carthya.”

Agor raised an eyebrow and with a chuckle I added, “Trust me, I am very well known in Carthya.”

Agor considered that, then said to Erick, “Why have you come?”

“To talk to Devlin. I have a proposal for him.”

“Devlin won’t return until this afternoon. You can tell me your proposal.”

Erick hesitated. He didn’t want Agor to get the credit for our news, but he couldn’t refuse a direct request either. Finally, with a smile, he made the only choice he could. “Of course, my friend. But I’d rather we spoke in private.”

“You make me curious.” Agor motioned that they should walk down the hill, to where the huts were located. Fink and I slid off our horses with the intention of joining the meeting, but Agor held up a hand. “Not you two. I don’t know you yet.”

“But it’s my idea he wants to tell you about,” I protested.

“It’s only talk,” Erick said calmly. “You and Fink wait here for me.”

“Not here.” Agor gestured to a couple of men behind us. “Lock them up.”

I went for my knife but Erick got to me quickly and put a steadying hand on my arm. “It’s just until I talk to them. Let them have your weapons.”

“If we decide you’re all right, you’ll get these back,” Agor said as I reluctantly handed my knife and sword to the men.

“What if you decide I’m not?”

Agor grinned, revealing gaps between several of his teeth. “Then you won’t need these weapons where you’re going.”

“Come this way,” a black-haired pirate said, using my own sword to guide Fink and me deeper into Tarblade.

The prison wasn’t far from the hut where Agor and Erick went to meet, but it was mostly dug into the ground, with only a small iron-barred window near the roof for air and light. The room itself was tiny and lined with stale earth or rusty bars. Beyond that a chair had been placed, where the black-haired pirate was to be our vigil.

“How long do you think we’ll be in here?” Fink asked.

“Dunno.” I pulled at the bars blocking the window, but they were firm.

“Pull all you want. You wouldn’t be the first to try escaping.” The man stood as if someone had caught his attention and went up the steps. I couldn’t hear the conversation at first, until he said something about us being fine as we were.

Then a female voice said, “Agor wants them treated like guests. I’ve got some water here to refresh them.”

At the first word, my heart had stopped cold in my chest, for it was a voice that I knew as well as my own. But only seconds later, before I could even begin to grasp what it might mean, Imogen walked down the stairs.

She avoided my eyes, but clearly wasn’t surprised to see me. True, several people knew the pirates and I had unfinished business, but it was also supposed to be true that a person couldn’t just find the pirates. They had to let the pirates find them. How was she here?

“Will you keep an eye on these two while I’m at the outhouse?” our vigil asked. “They shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“Of course.” As the man ran up the stairs, Imogen turned to us. “Agor doesn’t want you mistreated. So how are you?”

The question was so simple I almost couldn’t comprehend it. All I could do was stare at her with my mouth hung open. Imogen’s servant braid had returned, as had her far more humble clothes, a muslin chemise with a brown overdress that laced up the front. Back at the castle she’d said she would leave as she came, but I’d had no idea then how literally she’d meant it.

“We’re fine,” Fink said.

I caught Imogen’s eye, but only for a moment before she looked away. Had she volunteered to bring us the food so that I would know she was here, or had she come reluctantly, and only on orders?

“The pirates rarely get visitors,” she said. “So we were all surprised when you rode in.”

Fink pointed to me. “He has something for them.”

“Ah. And what could a ragged boy like him have that’s worth offering Avenian pirates?”

Fink looked at me, unsure of whether he should answer her. I was too consumed with questions about Imogen to care if he did or not. She had been in my court only five days ago. To be here now, she must have come directly to Tarblade, and yet I couldn’t believe she had any prior connection to the pirates. There were very few people in this world whom I trusted completely. Imogen was one of them.

She smiled at Fink. “Is your friend a mute, or is he just pretending that he can’t speak? What’s his name?”

“Oh, he can speak plenty, though most of it’s not very nice. His name is Sage.”

Imogen’s cheery expression deflated when she looked at me. “Really? Something so familiar?” A frown formed as she dropped the pretense of being a stranger to me. “That can’t be your name.”

Fink looked from Imogen over to me, and back to her again. Clearly confused, he asked, “Do you know each other?”

Recovering, Imogen shook her head, dismissing our friendship as coldly as I had rejected her back at the castle. “I once knew someone who looks like him. But no, I don’t know this boy at all.”

“I demand to know what’s happening,” I finally said, sounding as angry and confused as I felt.

“Your friend has a harsh tone to his voice,” Imogen said to Fink. “Does he always talk that way?”

“Yes,” he said. “I warned you.”

“Then tell him he’s in no position to demand anything from me,” she said.

Fink looked over as if to tell me that, then saw my hands already in fists and wisely decided against it. Obviously, she was still upset for how I’d sent her away. But if this was her idea of revenge, it made no sense. Why was she here?

Fink said, “I didn’t think they let girls become pirates.”

“I’m only hired help,” Imogen said. “We work in the kitchen mostly and serve the food.” Then she looked back at me. “But I hope my time here is very short.”

It would be. I’d make sure of that.

“Can you explain why your friend keeps staring at me?” she asked Fink. “Does he know how rude that is? How
obvious
it is?”

Fink giggled. “Maybe he likes you.”

“Maybe I think this is no place for you,” I said.

“As if a boy like you would ever care about me.” She dipped a ladle into a bucket of water and held it out for Fink, who eagerly drank. Then she put the ladle back in the bucket and moved to leave.

“None for me?” I asked.

She frowned. “Not until I can see some humility in you. From now on, you’ll speak politely to me, like a true friend, or not speak at all.” And as our vigil returned to his post, she whisked herself upstairs.

There was a brief silence before Fink said, “Wow, she really hates you.”

I ignored him and instead used a small stool in the room to prop myself up high enough to see out the window again.

“What do you see?” Fink asked.

“Stop talking and let me think!”

“This is why people don’t like you,” Fink said. “You’re lucky I’m more patient.”

There she was, crossing away from the prison. She paused as if she could feel me watching her, then stopped and turned around. She marched to the bars and held the water bucket by the handle and base, then without warning splashed it all in my face.

“Stop staring at me, filthy thief,” she said.

I fell backward off the stool, with the top half of my body soaked. Both Fink and the vigil launched into fits of laughter.

“Never seen the flower girl so upset,” the vigil said.

I wiped my hair off my face. “Flower girl?”

“She’s only been here a day or two, but so far she has spent every free moment collecting flowers in the woods and replanting them around the camp. Says they beautify the place, but I think just having her here does that. Don’t you?”

Rather than answer, I considered reaching through the bars to choke him. She was nearly half his age.

“Devlin wouldn’t let her plant them at first, but then he decided why not?”

I knew why not. Because she had no business being here.

“That’s the most I’ve heard her say yet,” the vigil continued. “Something about you really offends her.”

“Yep, she definitely hates you,” Fink agreed.

I shook my head to get rid of the dripping water, but a small flash of metal nearby caught my attention. Imogen hadn’t only thrown water at me. She had hidden something in the bucket, a hairpin. I palmed it and let it fall into my boot. It probably wouldn’t be too much longer before the pirates released me, but if they didn’t, Imogen had given me a way through the locked doors.

Maybe she didn’t hate me so much after all.