Page 23 of Queen's Griffon

“Crabs as in the delicious kind we eat in cake?”

“Bah, that’s for the puny ones. The ones we kill are huge. Think dog-sized.” Simhi held out her arms. “Cook has a special tub he sets up on deck to boil them. Once cooked, he serves them with some flavored oil.” Simhi kissed her fingertips. “So good.”

“Are they hard to kill?”

“Not really. Smashing them on the skull is the quickest way to drop them and keep the meat intact. Some like to sever their claws to render them harmless.”

“And what of krakens? The captain claims they are very dangerous.”

“Aye, they are.” Simhi nodded somberly. “Best thing to do when you encounter one is get out of its territory quick as you can. Lucky for us, the engine lets us move faster than they can swim. Boats without one have been sunk by adult kraken. They just wrap their tentacles around and crush it.” Simhi closed her fist to mime the effect.

“I’m really starting to wonder why people enjoy sailing. Seems dangerous to me.”

“Keeps us on our toes. Besides, what’s not to like about the freedom of riding the waves.”

“How is it freedom when you’re penned together on a boat?”

“Hard to explain other than we’re family. And family likes to be together.”

Avera bit her lip lest she blurt she’d never had such a thing growing up. Her siblings wanted nothing to do with her, Avera being the bastard their mother had.

Still, with Simhi’s explanation, she began to observe the ship and its crew in a different light. Noticed the friendships among them. How no one had to ask for help. If a sailor saw someone struggling, they offered a hand. This wasn’t to say no one fought. She caught a few yelling matches and scuffles, nothing extreme and always quickly resolved.

The next few days passed quickly and without event. To keep herself busy, Avera presented herself every morning to Garth who had plenty of tasks for her. She enjoyed the wealth of knowledge and stories Garth imparted. Even better, he taught her how the machines, that had long fascinated her, worked. Mealtimes she found herself not only with Simhi to chat with but some of the crew who appeared to have accepted her as one of them since the fight. Kreed, Garth, Monty, Peri, Lindrose, and Krysta to name a few.

As for the captain, while she did spot him here and there, he made no effort to speak to her. It miffed more than it should have and she didn’t understand why.

When an island came in sight, the lookout that day—of the one eye, which seemed an odd choice for the post—hollered, “Saarpira in sight.”

Avera couldn’t help but make her way to the prow to get a glimpse at this infamous pirate isle. It proved to be an eclectic mix of structures on a huge hunk of rock with very little green.

Atop the tallest promontory sat a small castle of stone. The outside was jagged, not smooth like the one she’d lived in. Below it was a very large town which ranged from wooden siding to notched logs to more rock, and even a building of bright red brick. The docks themselves numbered as many as Seaserpent Bay, jutting out in neat lines at which she counted three ships.

Three! Maybe she could convince one of those captains to drop her in a dinghy near Verlora. While she still lacked coin or anything of value to pay, perhaps they’d be willing for a relic from Verlora, or a promise from a queen in exile for when she returned to power.

To her surprise, a presence at her back turned out to be the captain. He stood grim-faced as he faced the island.

“Did you want something?” was her cool query.

“Just thought I’d explain what’s going to happen once we dock.”

“Going to put me in chains and parade me before the town?”

“No need. They’ll know who you belong to and there’s nowhere for you to go.”

She didn’t mention the other ships.

He did, though. “You’re probably thinking you can sweet talk another captain into taking you. They won’t. Not if they want to keep berthing here. We might be pirates, but on Saarpira there is a code we all follow that prevents us from poaching from each other.”

“Thieves banned from stealing. Seems a strange rule, and even stranger that any would follow it.”

“The consequences aren’t worth it.”

“Won’t the people find it odd you’ve got me? I’ve heard Saarpira doesn’t allow the buying and selling of people.”

“We don’t. However, there is nothing against the ransom of nobles. You forget, there is a large sum on your head.”

“Selling me to Benoit is the equivalent of killing me.”

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