Treasures of Fantasy - Margaret Weis [179]
Skylan cried out and plunged excitedly into the water and was nearly swept away by the current. Keeper caught hold of him and dragged him back to land. Skylan shouted and the Dragon Kahg steered the Venjekar close into a small inlet partially sheltered from the wind by a gigantic willow tree.
Aylaen stood on the bank holding her sister in her arms. Treia was shivering violently. Blood oozed from the wound on her head. She paid no heed to all attempts to speak to her. If Aylaen had not been supporting her, she would have fallen to the ground.
Keeper and Skylan and Acronis stripped off their heavy armor and then waded into the water to seize hold of the hull and drag the ship close to the shore. Sigurd and Grimuir jumped over the side, assisting Skylan and Acronis as they tried to hang on to the ship long enough for the others to board.
“Where did you go?” Skylan yelled at Sigurd as they stood side by side, trying desperately to hold on to the ship that the river was threatening to tear from their grasp.
“Ask him!” Sigurd jerked his head toward the prow.
The dragon’s eyes burned an angry red and Skylan decided to let the matter drop.
“Nice haul, by the way,” Sigurd said, his gaze going to Skylan’s neck. “The gold in that must be worth a fortune.”
Skylan clasped his hand around the spiritbone and tucked it under his sodden tunic.
Keeper boosted Aylaen up and over the hull. Treia made no resistance, but she did nothing to help herself either. They could have let her sink beneath the water and she would have gone down without a murmur. Keeper gave a great heave and flung her onto the ship. Bjorn caught hold of her and eased her down onto the deck.
Sigurd had looked astonished to see Acronis, then he’d grinned. “Slave master now the slave. Good thinking.”
Skylan said nothing, not wasting his breath in explanations that Sigurd would not understand. Acronis knew how to navigate the river, and he had knowledge of much more besides. Knowledge that might be useful to Skylan, such as how to sail the ship across the open sea at night without losing his way, how to read the squiggly lines on a map, how to use some of the mystifying instruments that Zahakis had brought on board.
“Keeper, help the Legate!” Skylan shouted.
The ogre didn’t waste time. He lifted Acronis and tumbled him over the side. Acronis landed on the deck, where Erdmun and Farinn hauled him to his feet.
The river was rising steadily, eating away at the bank beneath them.
“You next, my friend!” Skylan ordered Keeper. “We’ll take you to your people.”
Keeper was about to clamor on board the ship when a gust of wind caused a large willow branch to whip around and strike the ogre in the head. Keeper’s grip slipped off the hull and he started to go under.
Skylan shouted and grabbed hold of the ogre by his leather harness. Sigurd and Grimuir and others seized hold of him by any part they could latch on to—his harness, his belt. They managed to haul the ogre over the side, though they nearly swamped the ship in the process.
Skylan was the last to board. He was so tired he did not think he had strength enough. Sigurd and Grimuir reached down their hands. Skylan caught hold of them and he was once more standing with his feet on the deck of his ship.
“Now what?” Sigurd asked.
“We follow our plan,” Skylan yelled. “Sail down the river to the sea and home!”
Sigurd scowled. “You mean we sail down the river and into the arms of the ogres!”
“They will be happy to see us,” said Skylan. “We are bringing them one of their godlords.” He pointed at Keeper.
Sigurd grinned.
“I could get to like you,” he said, slapping Skylan on the shoulder.
Skylan leaned wearily against the rail. The horses were running off, heading for higher ground. He hoped they reached safety. He asked Torval’s blessing on them, then.
He made his way across the heaving deck to see how Keeper was doing. He found, to his relief, that the ogre was conscious.
“Another bump on the head,