The Charnel Prince - J. Gregory Keyes [130]
“Aye, I see it,” the fellow said. “It’ll be close.”
“What’s going on?” Cazio asked.
“Watch their sails,” he replied.
Cazio tried, but it was difficult, as about that time another volley of flaming pots came hurtling toward them. One struck the mainsail.
“Put that out!” Malconio hollered. “We’re about to need it.”
At that moment, the sails of the other ship went suddenly slack.
“Come about, now!” Malconio thundered.
Sailors leapt to their tasks, pulling yards. The boom swung around and the still-flaming sail filled with a faint puff of air. It hardly seemed enough to move the ship, but then the men all cheered.
“What happened?” Cazio asked.
“Netuno took their wind and sent us one from another direction,” Malconio said.
“It’s not much of a wind,” Cazio observed.
“No, which makes it perfect for us. We can run straight before it, and we’ll start out faster than her.”
“I thought she was faster,” Cazio said.
“Aye, in full wind. But we’ll make the speed faster, because we’re smaller. By the time they turn and start again, we’ll have two leagues on them.”
Once again, his brother was right. Even though they barely seemed to be moving, the big ship wasn’t moving at all. The arbalests kept up the rain of fire, however. Cazio joined the crew putting out the fires as they slowly, painfully tacked out of range. When the arbalest rounds started at last falling short, another cheer went up.
They ran straight with the wind, then—no more tacking—and with a sluggishness Cazio found maddening they began to outpace their pursuer.
But by dusk the big ship was gaining again.
The sounds of bombardment waxed and then gradually waned away. Since her outburst, Austra had huddled on her cot, unspeaking.
“They’re cheering,” Anne noticed. “It must be good news.”
Austra nodded vaguely but still wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“I’ll go see what’s happening,” Anne said. “Do you want to come along?”
Austra shook her head and closed her eyes. “It’s too much,” she said.
Anne regarded the younger girl for a moment, wishing there were something she could say. “You were right before,” she said finally.
“About what?”
“Back when I tried to run away. When I thought I could dress as a man and make my own way in the world. When I wanted adventure. You told me that I was being stupid, that I would starve or be killed or kidnapped within a nineday.”
“Oh, right,” Austra said. “I did say that.”
“At the time I only agreed to stay because you asked me to, because I worried about what would happen to you if I left. Now I know you were right about everything. I didn’t know anything at all about how the world works. I barely do now. But if there is one thing I do know, it’s that I don’t want any more adventure. I want to be back in Eslen. I want the worst thing that could happen to me to be a scolding from Fastia or mother. And I want you there with me.”
“I’m glad you finally admit that I can be right about something,” Austra said.
“A lot of people have died for me,” Anne said. “The sisters at the coven. Sir Neil. I’m afraid to go abovedecks, because I’m afraid to find out who else. I don’t want anyone else to die for me, Austra. I’m sick of this whole thing.”
“Well, why not try telling them that?” Austra said. “The next time those men catch up with us, just tell them you don’t want to play anymore, and that you’ll be good, and please leave us alone.”
Anne smiled, thinking Austra was joking and the mood was finally starting to lighten. But then she saw her friend’s face.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re sick of,” Austra said. “It’s all going to happen anyway.”
Anne felt her heart slacken. “Please, Austra—”
“You still aren’t going to tell me what’s going on.”
Anne felt herself near tears, and even nearer to begging. “I think if I tell you anything, it will only make things worse for you. I’m afraid it will get you killed.”
“I’m going to get killed anyway,” Austra said. “Can’t you feel it? Don’t you know?”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“Nothing.