Treasures of Fantasy - Margaret Weis [42]
Wulfe lay down beside Skylan. “My blanket’s wet,” he grumbled.
“Stop complaining. You’re lucky you’re alive,” said Skylan.
“Not lucky,” said Wulfe. “The oceanaids saved me.”
Skylan remembered the faces in the wave. He eyed Wulfe. “How did that jellyfish get on board?”
“It was funny, wasn’t it?” Wulfe said. “Watching Zahakis jump up and down and shake his hand, trying to get it to let go.”
“Wulfe—”
“I’m sleepy,” he said, and he curled up in a ball and pressed his back to Skylan for warmth.
Sigurd dug his elbow into Skylan’s ribs.
“Whoever draws first blood is chief. You agreed to that. You swore by Torval.”
Skylan didn’t answer.
CHAPTER
10
* * *
BOOK ONE
The day of the Vutmana dawned bright and clear, cool and cloudless. Skylan took the sunshine for a good omen; Aylis was smiling on them. The sea was flat, no wind at all. The ships would have had to use rowers, but the Legate had declared today a holiday. The Light of the Sea and the Venjekar bobbed gently up and down on the smooth water. The sailors lowered the gangplank, and Acronis, accompanied by his bodyguards and a servant carrying a collapsible stool, crossed from the galley to the Venjekar. The crew of the Light of the Sea, including the rowers, gathered on the deck to watch the spectacle of the barbarians fighting each other.
“What happened to your hand?” asked Acronis, noting the red weals on the Tribune’s fingers, palm, and wrist.
Zahakis described the night’s events.
“How very odd,” said Acronis. “Raegar flings the boy into the sea and the sea flings the boy back.”
“So it would seem, my lord,” said Zahakis.
Acronis glanced at the soldiers. “How did the men react?”
“Raegar tried to drown the boy, sir. The troops didn’t like it.”
“The same soldiers who would think nothing of butchering this boy if they came across him while sacking his city are upset when a priest tries to drown him,” said Acronis. He shook his head.
“It is one thing to kill in the heat of battle, my lord, and another to watch a man throw a helpless child into the sea,” said Zahakis, mildly reproving.
Acronis frowned. “Yes, well, I can’t say I blame them.” He drew in a deep breath of the sea air, glad to change the subject. “Are the barbarians prepared for the fight? Raegar does not approve of this, you know.”
“Raegar’s not having a good voyage, my lord,” said Zahakis with a smile. “All is in readiness. The men have their orders.”
“Very well,” said Acronis. “Let whatever this is called begin.”
Down in the hold, Raegar paced the small area, a difficult feat for a man of his height. He had to keep his head bowed and shoulders hunched. Aylaen would have ignored him, as usual, but she was curious to know what had happened last night. All the women knew was that there had been yelling and shouting and the ship had heeled violently, sending them both careening across the deck of the hold. Then the ship had righted itself and all had been quiet and the women had no idea what had happened.
Aylaen was angry at herself for being curious, for wanting to know what had happened. Garn was dead. She shouldn’t be taking an interest in life. Yet she had to hide a smile when she heard Raegar claim that Wulfe had caused a jellyfish to leap on board the ship and attack Zahakis. Apparently she didn’t hide it well, because Treia cast her a rebuking glance.
“The boy is a danger,” Raegar continued. “I have tried to warn these fools, but they won’t listen. Aelon commanded that I take action. I threw the boy in the sea—”
“You did what?” Aylaen cried in shock.
“Quite right,” said Treia severely.
“Sister, how can you say that? Wulfe was just a boy and this man murdered him!”
“He is not dead,” Raegar said. “His daemon friends saved him. A wave threw him back on board.”
Aylaen opened her mouth to point out that this was ridiculous. Treia frowned at her, and Aylaen kept silent. Her sister was happy again. Raegar had forgiven Treia for the failure with the dragon and had once more deigned to honor her with his attentions. Aylaen might have been pleased about this for Treia