DragonKnight - Donita K. Paul [37]
“Which way did you say it went, Mistress Seeno?”
“Look down, to your right.”
In the eerie light of a half moon, he saw a dark, sketchy trail like a mass of inky lines entangling solid footprints. The beast walked upright on two legs with its many arms trailing. With another shock of revulsion, Bardon realized the dark lines would be red in the sunlight. The creature oozed the fluids of its last meal.
“Don’t touch that,” warned Jue Seeno.
“I know.” Bardon held his breath. “I know it’s poisonous.”
“Even the smell will become toxic soon.”
“It’ll smell worse than this?”
“Definitely.”
“Let’s get rid of this creature. I’m already tired of his company.”
Bardon drew his sword and followed, careful not to step on the slimy trail. The sound of a man struggling put an end to his caution. He ran from the shadows of the quarterdeck with his sword raised, ready to strike. Jue Seeno squeaked and leapt from his shoulder, landing on a barrel and shouting a cheer, “Skewer it through and through, young man! Don’t let it get the best of you!”
“To arms!” Bardon shouted. “To arms!”
He did not wait for an answer to his call for help but sprinted across the deck. The quiss, with its bulbous head and flailing arms, all but covered a small, wiry man. With a downward swing, Bardon sliced open the back of the creature. The ease with which his sword penetrated the body of the quiss surprised him.
I’ll have to be careful not to cut through this beast and into the sailor.
A brief glimpse of the seaman’s face as the quiss twirled toward its attacker told Bardon he need not worry about the man’s fate. His sword could no longer injure the sailor.
Behind him, Bardon heard the heavy footsteps of men, shouts of dismay, and the voice of the captain issuing orders. He hoped Jue Seeno had made it below deck without being seen.
The longer, heavier arms of the quiss squeezed its victim. The shorter, more limber appendages whipped out at the young squire. Bardon swung his sword in an arc and lopped off the closest threatening arms. Pulling back, he placed both hands on the hilt of his weapon and with a lunge, skewered the beast clean through. The force of the blow pushed the speared quiss and sailor back against a rail. The sword tip stuck in the wood. The remaining smaller arms thrashed the air. The larger arms continued to embrace the dead man. Slowly, the violent thrashing of the creature subsided. Its body quivered.
Bardon stepped back. He left the sword impaling the quiss and the corpse. A crowd now stood upon the deck. Hushed murmurs rustled behind him, but the young squire did not take his eyes off the tangled mass of squirming tentacles. Instead, he drew his hunting knife as if the creature would somehow escape certain death, free itself from the sword, and spring at him.
It opened its eyes and focused on him. The small orbs looked strangely like those of one of the high races except for the lack of hair on the brow and lid. Its expression filled Bardon with sorrow.
The eyes shifted to something beyond the squire. Bardon turned slightly to find N’Rae standing beside him. A nightgown and a voluminous shawl swathed her slight frame. She stared at the dying creature. Bardon knew that look. He put his arm around her quaking shoulders. In a moment the creature closed its eyes. Its body became still.
“He’s dead,” N’Rae whispered.
After sheathing the hunting knife, Bardon stepped forward and wrenched his sword from the two corpses. They fell as one to the deck.
“Bardon.” N’Rae’s voice trembled. “Take me away from here. Take me back to Granny Kye and Jue Seeno.”
With his arm around her waist, he awkwardly guided her through the crowd. He didn’t want to put the soiled sword into its scabbard.
The first mate intercepted them. “I’d be honored to clean your weapon for you, Squire Bardon. The captain said to extend his thanks. He’s busy now calming both the passengers and the