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“I’d rather risk your life than theirs. Be off with you. Riden, go with her.”
I think it strange that Draxen would risk me when he knows he needs me as leverage. I suspect he’s trying to make up for what happened back on my ship. He placed teaching me a lesson over the lives of his own men. Now he’s showing that he’s putting me at risk before them. It’s a clever play. Especially since it’s very unlikely that anyone would still be over at the ship. And, as a last precaution, he’s sending Riden over with me.
We secure the gangplank between the two ships. The damaged ship before us appears to be a cargo vessel. There’s bound to be lots of food and water aboard. It’s its own kind of treasure out here.
The gangplank is plenty big to walk across without having to try to balance. I could probably do it with my eyes closed. Still, its width is small enough that I’m tempted to give Riden a slight push.
As if sensing this, he says, “Don’t even think about it.”
“I already did.”
“I could have you shot.”
“Your gun would have a hard time working once it’s wet.”
“I didn’t say I had to be the one to shoot.”
“But let’s face it, you’d like that pleasure for yourself.”
He smiles.
The ship’s mainmast has broken clean off. It lies at an angle on the ship, supported by the railing on the starboard side. That’ll lock the ship in place for sure. All the rowboats are missing from the ship, which leads me to wonder how far from land we could be. The ship still floats. It would hold the men steady for as long as their food and supplies lasted, so why row away if there’s nowhere to make it to in time?
The deck is one scattered mess. Ropes lie haphazardly, some in knots, some in coils. Articles of clothing sit here and there, likely having fallen out of their owner’s bags in the confusion. The wood’s still wet. Everything’s wet. We have to be extra alert not to trip or slip.
“Anything valuable will likely be belowdecks,” Riden says.
“I know.”
“So, what are you waiting for?”
I raise an eyebrow. “You’re going to make me go first?”
“Can’t risk you trying to jump me from behind.”
“But I don’t have a weapon.”
“That hasn’t stopped you before.”
I can’t help but smile. “I meant, how can you expect me to go below first without a weapon?”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
“That’s not the comfort you think it is.”
“I know.” His brown eyes are alight with merriment. I think he enjoys our little spats. I think of them as part of my act. I’m playing a part. If I keep too much of myself hidden, he might be suspicious that I’m planning something. So I give him the resistance he expects. The enjoyment I get out of toying with him is an added bonus. I could have been stuck with a worse questioner. Why he’s not captaining theNight Farer, I’ll never know.
“Go now, Alosa,” he says.
Water drips from everywhere it seems. Today is the first day after the night of the storm that the rain’s let up. It’s dark below, further suggesting that no one’s belowdecks.
Riden, ever prepared, brought a lantern over with us. He lights it. Then he hands it to me. “Lead on.”
We find the kitchens, where dried meats, well-stored water, crackers, pickled vegetables, and other seaworthy foods are safely secured in their cupboards. These will all be taken over to theNight Farer, no doubt.
We pass through the sleeping quarters. Some blankets remain. The smell is much better here than back on theNight Farer. Why couldn’t Draxen’s men show more aptitude for personal hygiene? Truly, it benefits everyone on board.
We’re about to pass into the next room when the candlelight catches something on the floor.
