Under Fallen Stars - Mel Odom [83]
"Can you open the door?"
Sabyna shook her head. "Vurgrom keeps the key with him at all times."
"Can't you magic him, lass?" Hullyn asked. "Put him to sleep or fry him with a lightning bolt?"
"I've already considered that," Sabyna said. "The problem is if I fail, Vurgrom will execute two of you. If I get caught in here now, I'm sure two of you will be killed."
"Then what the hell are you doing in here risking our lives like this?" Aysel demanded.
"Because I don't know if your lives won't be forfeit anyway if I can't get you out of here," she told him.
Aysel gaped at her, then turned away angrily. "We put our necks in the noose for a petty little twit like her. Umberlee take her into the dark and deep. We should have took our chances back at the dock."
Jherek started forward and Aysel turned toward him, a malicious grin on his brutal face.
Before Jherek could get close, Tynnel seized Aysel by the shirt collar and yanked him into the wall. Aysel's head slammed into the hard wood with a dulled gonging sound. Stunned, the big man dropped to his knees.
Tynnel shifted his hold to Aysel's hair and yanked the man's head back. The captain ripped the sailor's other dagger earring out, splitting the fleshy lobe, and held the keen little blade against the corner of Aysel's eye.
"Another word out of you," Tynnel promised in a tight voice, "and I'll carve you a face to frighten young children with during Moonfest. Do you understand me? Nod carefully."
Slowly, Aysel dipped his chin. "Aye, sir."
"Another thing, when we get to the next port of call, civilized or not," Tynnel said, "you're no longer part of this ship's crew. I stand by those who stand by me, and I've given you considerable leave of your responsibilities."
"You can't do that," Aysel blustered. "I'm a hell of a sailor."
"Aye," Tynnel replied. "That you are, but you're not much of a man. Keep your mouth shut till I tell you to speak."
Aysel dropped into a crouch against the wall and glared heated rage at Jherek.
Tynnel kept the small dagger. He turned back to Sabyna. "While you've got this ability I want you to get clear of Breezerunner."
"You want me to?" Sabyna narrowed her eyes at him. "Since when do I listen to what you want?"
Tynnel appeared somewhat taken off-balance, but he recovered quickly, staring hard at her. "Consider it an order, then."
"Were it an order while you were in command of this ship, and it made sense to me, I'd think it over. Neither of those is true at this moment."
"Damn your eyes, Sabyna, get off the ship like I told you to." Tynnel took a step forward.
Unconsciously, Jherek took a step forward too, setting himself to intervene on behalf of Sabyna if it looked like Tynnel was going to get physical with her. Both of them noticed his approach at once. Tynnel made an effort to calm himself and didn't move any closer.
"And if I do get off this ship," Sabyna challenged, "Vurgrom will start killing all of you down here."
"Lass," Hullyn said softly, "Cap'n's right. This ain't no place for a young lady like yourself. If you have the chance to get clear of this stumble, you should take it."
"There's nothing out there to go to," Sabyna said. "Give me the sea and I could live off it, but not those plains and sparse forests. The river might offer a better chance, but I'm not happy with that either." She plucked a tiny hourglass from her necklace and checked the swift-moving sands.
"It would be safer there than here,"Tynnel argued, "and if we didn't have to worry about you, Vurgrom's hold over us wouldn't be as tight."
"Says you. There's safety in numbers, Cap'n. Or did you forget that?"
Hot spots of color flared on Tynnel's cheeks. "You're getting really close to insubordination."