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We lay on the rug, bracing our backs against the wall as Katrina nestled herself into my lap. I stroked her neck with my fingertips, brushing back stray hair along her smooth skin. She fell asleep almost instantly, but my eyes wouldn’t seem to close.
I stared up at the window, straining to see the stars through the glass, and I wondered what tomorrow would bring. I feared finding the trident. I didn’t know what it would cost to use. I didn’t know what it would demand of Katrina. And though I wouldn’t burden her by showing it, I was scared of finding out.
32
Set Sail
Katrina
“Rise and shine, mateys!” Noah’s voice startled me awake. The room was fully lit, and the sun was up long past dawn.
“We overslept!” I jolted upright, waking up Milo who lied against me.
“That’s what happens when you stay out all night.” McKenzie pulled her boots on as she spoke. “We were worried about you two. But we also kinda figured you wanted some alone time.” She winked.
“I could say the same thing for you two. I’m sure you both just had the worst possible time here alone in this room together.” I stood, adjusting my own boots over my loose pants and tying my belt around my waist.
“Look at us,” Milo said, standing to his feet. “We almost look like a real crew.”
“That’s about all we’ve got going for us,” Noah uttered. “I guess that makes you captain?”
“A captain’s not much without his first mate,” Milo said, pulling out his compass and slapping it into Noah’s open palm.
“What do you want me to do with this?” Noah looked on in bewilderment.
“Just hold onto it until I need it. Consider it a peace offering. So, take care of it.” Milo’s voice shifted as he addressed all of us together. “Now we need to hurry. It’s going to be harder than ever to take one of those ships in broad daylight.”
“Can’t we just take one of your father’s?” I asked as we made our way down to the tavern.
“That’s the plan.” Milo cocked his head. “But no doubt Thane is already securing them with his own crew. He’ll see me taking one as breaking the code. But we don’t have much of a choice.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter who we piss off here if we get to leave. And right now, that’s our only chance.” McKenzie spoke as we grabbed some loaves of bread for a quick breakfast that we carried outside.
With jittery nerves and quick, but unsure steps we trudged to the harbor, where we watched from our own little hiding spot in the trees nearby as Milo pinpointed the ship best for the taking. It was a smaller boat, perfect for stealthy maneuvering and a quick getaway, he assured. I studied it with careful eyes, it’s reddish-brown hull contrasting against the bright blue beneath it.
“That’s her. The Falcon.” Milo squinted in the sunlight. “At least the weather’s on our side. These winds will carry us out of port quickly.”
“So, what do you need us to do?” McKenzie shrugged with her hand on her hip.
“I’ll board first in case there’s anyone already there and I’ll take care of it. Noah, you and I will have to raise the anchor as fast as we can. And then, I’ll head straight to the helm to steer us out. Katrina and McKenzie, that leaves you two to adjust the sails as I direct.”
McKenzie and I glanced at each other. I’d barely figured out the sails on the modern motorsailer back home, so I wasn’t feeling very confident about manning a centuries old pirate ship. And I doubted McKenzie had any previous experience with the latter either. But figuring it out was our only option.
“Just tell us what to do,” I said. “But try to use words we understand.”
Milo raised an eyebrow and lifted his chin. “I’ll do my best to go easy on you, but manning even the smallest schooner with a crew of four is going to be one hell of an undertaking.”
The plan was easy. Loaded in an abandoned old skiff we’d found, we’d row to the schooner on the far side of the water. With heavy nets that Noah acquired from a harbor merchant stand using the last of our money, we’d do our best to look like simple fishermen, and it was unlikely anyone would notice we weren’t, given the lackadaisical atmosphere of the island. We’d keep to the outside of the harbor so as not to draw attention.
Milo and Noah crafted a grappling hook from an old piece of anchor metal and rope that we would use to climb up the ship. And then it would be up to our speed and skill to get the ship out of the port before anyone who cared noticed.
With tired arms, we rowed, bracing ourselves for the climb. Sailors called out to and fro from the ships we passed, but most were too preoccupied with their own business to pay us any attention. If they did, we’d simply throw off suspicion with a wave and nod of acknowledgement.
I watched Milo, noticing how he kept a close eye on the decks of the ships within sight. I figured he was looking for Thane, but I couldn’t be too sure. He seemed thoroughly focused on whatever was running through his mind.
Once at the base of the Falcon, we positioned our little boat near the lowest point of the hull in the midsection of the ship, and ducked as Milo carefully swung the grapple. It latched perfectly, and we steadied ourselves by holding onto it one by one. The schooner was even smaller than it looked from a distance.
Milo ascended first. It was barely even a climb for him, as the schooner’s hull was only a few feet high from the water in which it floated. We waited, and once we saw Milo’s hand signal over the edge of the boat, it was our turn to come aboard.
