The Broken Key (02) - Hunter of the Horde (62 page)

“They’ve broken off,” Chyfe announced.

Riyan glanced back and saw the boat with the archers beginning to turn about.

“Thank goodness,” he said. Then to Chad he asked, “Any sign of the Water Dancer?” Chad shook his head, “Not yet.”

Kevik’s wind spell was pushing them along at a pretty good clip. To the twins he asked, “Think you can hold on for awhile longer?”

“It was just the initial blast that was hard to take,” said Seth. “Now that the pressure is constant, it’s not such a burden.” Soth nodded agreement.

“Then let’s take it all the way back to Catha,” Riyan suggested.

“I don’t think that would be wise,” countered Chyfe. When Riyan glanced in his direction he pointed behind them and said, “Once they get underway, they’ll quickly overtake us. We have to get to land as quickly as possible.”

“There she is!” Chad hollered. They all turned to find sails appearing on the eastern horizon. “Right on time.”

“Thank goodness,” Riyan said. Using one of the other oars as a rudder, he altered their heading until they were aiming to intercept the ship. Ten minutes later, they saw that it was indeed the Water Dancer.

Another fifteen minutes and they were alongside the ship. A sailor cast a rope ladder over the side. Riyan was the first to make it up the side of the ship.

“Didn’t really think to see you again,” the captain said as Riyan climbed over the side and stood on deck.

Riyan cast him a grin. “Sorry to have disappointed you,” he replied. He then looked toward the island and the barely visible sails of the two merchantmen.

Once the others were on deck, two sailors went over the side to retrieve the boat.

“Captain!” one of them hollered. “This isn’t ours.”

“What?” the captain asked. Then he turned his attention to Riyan and arced an eyebrow questioningly.

“It’s sort of a long story,” Riyan said turning his attention back to the captain.

“Sails!” came the cry from a sailor high in the rigging.

“Where away?” the captain demanded to know. When the sailor pointed toward the island, they turned to look at two ships moving to intercept. “Anything I should know about?” he asked Riyan.

Riyan didn’t say anything. Instead, he watched the sails growing larger as the ships began heading their way.

“Sir!” the man in the rigging hollered down to the captain, “they’re Lord Eythryn’s.”

“Damn!” the captain cursed. Then he turned an angry face to Riyan. “What have you done!” Riyan was about to reply when the captain rushed to the side of the ship. Leaning over, he hollered to the two men who were working to secure guy ropes to the ends of the boat to haul it back up. “Leave it!”

To the men in the rigging he hollered, “Full sails!”

“Full sails, aye,” the men replied.

Even before the men down on the small boat were fully back on board, the wind filled the quickly unfurling sails and the ship began turning toward Catha. Soon, it was skimming along the top of waves at a fast clip.

The captain kept his attention focused on the two ships of Lord Eythryn. When he saw them alter course to follow, he cursed. “Make all speed for Catha,” he told his first mate.

“Aye, Captain,” he said.

“Now,” the captain said as he turned back towards Riyan and the others, “why is it that my ship is being pursued by Lord Eythryn?”

Riyan glanced to Chad and received a shrug in reply. Returning his gaze to the captain, he said, “An associate of his doesn’t care too much for us. In fact, they would have killed us had they caught us.”

“I see,” he said. “Go on.”

Riyan withered under the stern gaze of the captain. “And we might have stolen one of their boats during our escape,” he continued.

“They had destroyed the one you lent us first,” argued Chad.

“Lent?” the captain exclaimed. “I lent you nothing and I’ll be keeping your gold.”

“What will happen if he catches us?” asked Kevik.

“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out,” replied the captain. “Water Dancer is slightly smaller so we should be able to reach Catha before them. If I can get you off my ship before they catch me, I can claim you were never here.”

“They aren’t going to buy that,” Seth said. “They know we got on.”

“Knowing and proving are two different things lad,” the captain said. “Lord Eythryn may be powerful, but he’s not the only one with friends in high places. Without proof, there’s not much he can do.”

“Sorry to have brought this upon you,” Riyan said.

The captain stared at him for a second then cracked a grin. “If seeing you to safety will put Lord Eythryn in a foul mood, then it’s worth it,” he said.

Behind them, the distance between Water Dancer and two ships was no longer shrinking. If anything, the gap was slowly widening as the crew of the Water Dancer sent her flying across the waves.

Just as the captain was about to turn away, Riyan stopped him by saying, “There’s one more thing.”

Turning back to him, the captain asked, “What?”

“We were forced to leave a friend of ours behind when we fled,” he said. “We were wondering if it would be possible to…” As he talked, the captain’s expression darkened until Riyan finally stopped.

“No,” the captain replied. He knew what it was Riyan had been about to ask. “Once you’re off my ship, I’m through with this.”

Chad was about to argue but then the withering gaze of the captain turned full onto him and he thought twice about continuing the argument.

“I won’t risk my ship and crew for your friend,” he said. “Especially since Lord Eythryn is involved. Best thing for you to do is go to another town and try to find another captain who might help.”

Riyan nodded. “Very well,” he said. As the captain turned away, Riyan returned his gaze to the two ships behind him.

“Can’t this go any faster?” Durik demanded of Lord Eythryn. Shortly after discovering the lord had disappeared, they had found him lying unconscious in one of the abandoned buildings. He couldn’t recall how he had come to be there. All he knew was that the back of his head sported a goose egg size bump that hurt badly.

Durik managed to convince him to give chase, and now they were on the trail of a ship that had appeared out of nowhere as if by magic. It was soon recognized as that of a known trader that plied his goods throughout the towns on the shores of the lake.

“We’re a deeper draft than his ship,” explained the captain whom he had tried to bully on the shore. “We’re at full sails now.” Both ships had their sails extended to the fullest to take advantage of every gust of wind.

At least his quarry was in sight. Durik stood on the deck with Pyck beside him and watched the ship gradually pull away.

“We know where she’s going,” Pyck assured him. “The captain said we would arrive at Catha not too long after she docked.”

And when that happened, the hunt would resume.

Water Dancer continued widening the distance. When Catha finally was sighted on the horizon, the ships were but a speck on the horizon.

Riyan and the others remained at the prow as the captain maneuvered the ship toward the docks. Through skillful trimming of sails, he brought Water Dancer in. Dockhands were ready and when the side of the ship brushed gently against the pilings, sailors threw mooring lines to the men on the dock who quickly secured them. Water Dancer continued forward a few feet before the mooring lines grew taut, then came to a complete stop.

Two sailors extended the gangplank. The captain met Riyan and the others before they left his ship. “Good luck to you all,” he said. “And if anyone should ask, you never heard of the Water Dancer.”

Behind them, the two ships were drawing closer as they, too, made ready to approach the dock.

“We appreciate all you’ve done for us,” Riyan said.

The captain nodded. “Now, get off my ship.”

Chad was the first one to step upon the gangplank, the others quickly followed. Once off the ship, they made a beeline for the inn where they kept their horses. “We’re going to need supplies before we leave town,” stated Chad.

“The inn may have some that we can buy,” Riyan said.

“But what about Durik?” Chyfe asked. “Isn’t he going to be hunting for us?”

“We won’t stay that long,” Riyan replied. “Just long enough to get supplied and maybe a quick meal.” As if to accentuate what he was saying, his stomach gave off with a growl. It had been a day or more since any of them had eaten anything of real substance. Hurrying down the street, they headed for the inn.

“About time,” Durik said as he stood on deck near where the gangplank would be extended. He, Pyck, and the rest of his men gathered together as the mooring lines were cast to the waiting men on the dock.

“This is where our bargain ends,” Lord Eythryn said as he came up behind Durik. His head sported a new bandage wrapped around the area where he had been struck.

Durik turned to the lord and said. “I’ll see you later this evening with the merchandise.”

The pilings gave off with a groan as the mooring lines brought the ship to a stop. Two sailors extended the gangplank.

“Good luck in finding them,” Lord Eythryn said as Durik stepped upon the gangplank.

“Just be sure to…” he began, then stopped when he saw a figure on the dock. The figure had a dart in one hand and was staring right at him. Before Durik could say anything, the figure arced his arm back and threw.

Durik tried to dodge out of the way, but the gangplank didn’t allow him room to maneuver. Pain flared as the dart’s tip penetrated the skin of his arm. “Get him!” Durik yelled to his men. But when they looked to the dock, no one was there.

Pain. More pain than there should have been began coursing up his arm. “I’ve been poisoned,” he cried out. “Pyck, the scroll!”

Just as Pyck was reaching into his shirt for the healing scroll, pain erupted from his chest as another dart embedded itself in his chest. Before him, Durik collapsed to the gangplank.

“What’s going on?” Lord Eythryn demanded as he came to realize something was not right. He gasped when he saw Durik on his knees. Then Durik’s man Pyck suddenly collapsed, hit the side of the gangplank and plummeted to the water below.

Another of Durik’s men rushed forward just in time to prevent the Hunter from following Pyck into the murky depths. Durik lifted his darkly swollen arm, tried to talk, then passed out. A second later, he was dead.

From further down the docks, Bart looked on in satisfaction as Durik succumbed to the poison that had been on the dart. “I told you I would kill you,” Bart said to the dead man. “I’m a man of my word.” Turning away, he left the growing state of confusion the death of Durik and his man had sown upon the docks.

Back at the inn, they had a quick meal of bread, sliced beef, and cheese while Aryn loaded other foodstuffs into their packs. The old man was absent as was the wife.

“How’s your father doing?” asked Chad.

“About the same,” she replied as she brought out a pitcher of ale. “He’s in one of his good days today.”

“I’m glad,” he said.

She returned to the kitchen to finish packing the food they had bought into travel packs.

They ate fast as they needed to get out of Catha before Durik was able to locate them.

Once out of town, they planned to head east toward what Chyfe said was the closest fishing village where they might be able to arrange transport back to the island to rescue Bart.

Before they finished, Aryn emerged from the kitchen with four bulging sacks filled with the food they had bought. “You’re all set,” she said as she came to their table.

“We appreciate this,” Riyan said. There looked to be more food in the packs than the silver coins he had given her should have warranted. He grabbed one and indicated for Chad and the twins to take the others.

She nodded. “Come back again if you’re ever in Catha,” she said.

“We will,” Chad assured her. Aryn flashed him a smile.

They grabbed their packs and hurried out to the stable where they quickly saddled the horses. Riyan saddled Bart’s horse as well and soon they were all mounted. “How far is it to this village?” he asked Chyfe.

“Couple hours,” he replied.

“Lead the way,” Riyan said.

Chyfe nodded and took the lead as they left the stable. They were just about to leave the courtyard behind the inn when they heard, “Where are you guys going with my horse?” Leaning against the side of the inner wall of the courtyard was Bart.

“Bart!” Riyan exclaimed. Leaping from his horse, he rushed to embrace his friend.

“How did you get here?” It was almost inconceivable for him to be here.

“While you were escaping in the boat,” he explained as he held up a hand to forestall Riyan’s enthusiastic greeting, “I was working to stall any pursuit.” Grinning, he walked over to his horse and mounted. “I knocked out Lord Eythryn and hid him for awhile. As I had anticipated, they emptied the ships to search for him which gave me the opportunity to sneak aboard unnoticed. Unfortunately, they found him sooner than I expected. I had hoped to give you a little more time to escape. After that, I kept my Cloak tight about me and kept out of the way. When the ship docked here at Catha, it was easy to shinny down one of the mooring lines.”

They left the inn’s courtyard and made their way eastward which was the fastest way out of town from there. During their ride through Catha, Bart told them of the fall of Durik.

“Good!” exclaimed Chyfe. The others were equally pleased that particular threat had been eliminated.

“Any idea where to find the last segment?” asked Seth.

“Not a clue,” Riyan said. “Maybe further searching in the Archives will divulge something.”

“I too may be able to aid in this endeavor,” Kevik said. “As a Practitioner, I now have access to one of the libraries in the Tower.”

“Excellent,” Chyfe said. “Back to Gilbeth then?”

“Back to Gilbeth,” affirmed Riyan. Just then, snow began to fall. Pulling his jacket close around him to retain what warmth he could, Riyan thought wintering at Kevik’s estate might not be such a bad idea. They turned about, worked their way around the northern edge of town, and headed home.