Page 59 of Virelai's Hoard
There were still faint sounds of the intruders, only coming from above now. They sounded like they were leaving. Riley hoped that was true.
Eryx stopped against a walled off section, and they fumbled with a hatch. A moment later, they were all through. Riley recognized the corridor leading to the officers’ quarters. Clearly, her explorations of the ship hadn’t been nearly thorough enough.
They took off to the chart room, and Merrow was right there–his body slumped against the open door. A bleeding gash on his forehead.
A strangled sound tore its way from Eryx’s throat as they crouched by Merrow, felt his pulse. Then they relaxed, just a fraction, enough to make Riley and Kittredge exhale in relief. Eryx fumbled with their shirt, took it off. They bunched it up and pressed it to Merrow’s forehead.
Kittredge rushed past Riley, and into the chart room, and came back out with a pitcher of water. She threw it in Merrow’s face.
The old man sputtered as he came to.
Riley just stood there, boots glued to the floor. Beyond the door, the chart room was a mess, more than Merrow’s ordered chaos. Maps and charts ripped up and thrown all over the floor. Merrow’s chair, splintered into scattered pieces. The desk’s drawer, always closed and locked tight, was now open. Empty. They’d taken something.
Merrow took hold of the bunched up fabric and kept it pressed to his forehead as he pushed Eryx away. “Stop crowding the old man,” he admonished them weakly. “I’ve had scrapes worse than this. Go up the deck. Sound the bell. We need to alert the others.”
They didn’t move.
“Who did this?” Kit asked, the bite still in her voice.
Merrow spat a glob of bloodied saliva on the floor beside him. “Who do you think? Pirates.” He peered inside the chart room. “They must be after the same thing we are. They got the first clue. For all the good it’ll do them.”
When they finally made it above deck, all three of them just stared, at a loss of words.
They couldn’t alert the others–the ship’s bell had been cut. But that was not the worst of it. Ripped sails, cut rope, slashed rigging. They’d been sabotaged.
Kittredge let out a slow whistle as their eyes locked on a ship, sailing away into the distance. “Captain’s gonna bepissed.”
A gust of wind made Riley shiver, and she wrapped her arms around herself. They were going to get in trouble for this. She could only hope they wouldn’t still be drunk by the time the others came back. Because shereallydidn’t want to be on the receiving end of Calla’s fury.
18. The Fractured Deck
Sable
As soon as she stepped foot on deck, Sable knew something was wrong. The others did too, the expedition group gazing around frowning, eyes darting in every direction to pinpoint everything that was off.
Sable did her own silent assessment, tacking up an ever lengthening list. Ripped sails, cut rigging, scuff marks on deck, smoke coming off a burnt barrel. And, most telling of all, thereallyguilty expression on Kittredge’s face. She, Riley and Eryx approached them slowly, like dogs waiting for a beating, shoulders sagging and hands worrying at their clothes. Sable met Riley’s eyes. It only took a split moment for Riley to look away.
This wasn’t good.
“What happened?” Calla asked, her flinty gaze set on the three of them.
“Well, uh…” Kittredge trailed off, trying to find the words.
Riley and Eryx didn’t seem very inclined to intervene, and Sable could see Calla was losing patience by the moment. Frankly, Sablealsowanted to know how their ship got in such a state in the time they were all gone, and shuffling their feet would not gain them much sympathy.
“The captain asked you a question,” Sable intervened before Calla had to, her own voice hard. “I suggest you answer, and you answer fast.”
It was Merrow who saved them. Setting a reassuring hand on Kit’s shoulder, he spoke up, “Pirates.” Sable’s eyes zeroed in on the bloodied bruise on their navigator’s forehead, and she stiffened. “The Stingers, by the looks of their flying banner.” Merrow glanced at Eryx, who nodded their head in confirmation. “They snuck on board, too many of them for us to put up a fight, and… they seemed to know exactly what to look for, and where.” He paused, then met Calla’s gaze. “Captain. They took the first clue. And some supplies. That’s all they wanted, by my assessment.”
“Thisis what happens under your fucking leadership,” Venn snarled, shoving past Calla as he stormed off and below deck.
Everyone was silent for a moment, then low murmurs erupted among the crew. No one followed Venn. Sable narrowed her eyes at the three guilty-looking pirates. Riley shifted on her feet under her gaze. If Merrow was right, they had no reason to act this suspiciously. Which meant he was covering for them.
Calla’s voice cut through the air like sharp glass. “Why did no one sound the bell?”
Kittredge mumbled something, looking down at her feet.
The captain walked right up to her. The other pirates scrambled to get out of her way. They could all tell this wouldn’t be pretty. “Speak up,” she said, her voice quiet but clearly heard. Her tone left no room for anything but obedience.
