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“Do we have a deal?” snapped Oriel.
“Yes.”
“In ten minutes, you better be on a lifeboat. If I see any weapons or magic, you’ll have fire and Roth’s lightning coming at you. In such cramped quarters, you’ll all be fucked. Even if you live, have fun swimming to shore.”
“Fine.”
Oriel explained what Aspen would have to do, and he didn’t complain even though the crossbow was heavy. He’d taken archery lessons before, so he hoped he could make one decent hit even though he hadn’t practiced in ages. He’d handled crossbows before too, although they had been lighter.
When Oriel opened the door, the deck appeared empty. One of the frames on the port side was empty, showing that a lifeboat had been taken down. Roth followed him out. Aspen locked the door and listened by it. No shouts or sounds of fighting came, so maybe everyone had listened.
Nalha tried to speak through the gag, and Aspen side-eyed him. “Shut up, you sack of shit. I’m just a scared twig, remember?”
When Oriel knocked and spoke, Aspen opened the door. This was it. With his crossbow ready and the bolt coated in oil to make the flame last longer, Aspen approached the portside railing with the other two and got between two smaller cannons. A couple of balls from those would annihilate a lifeboat, but they’d take too long to load and deal with. Oriel and Roth probably didn’t even know how to effectively use one.
The men made an easier target with the two lanterns they’d brought. Aspen had to support an elbow on the side to deal with the weight, but it also helped to steady his aim a little as he positioned the crossbow. Oriel and Roth were already on the other side of the cannon to his right. Oriel held a normal crossbow and set another down. He straightened and started to speak as though he intended to follow through with the deal, and Aspen summoned his fire.
The metal crossbow lit up and grew faintly warm since Aspen’s own magic wouldn’t burn him. It would certainly burn another fairy if they touched it right now. The oil on the tip of the crossbow flared brighter than the rest of his pale yellow fire, and he pushed the trigger lever.
The lit bolt flew toward the boat. One of the men shouted something as it hit a wooden seat and narrowly missed someone’s thigh. Roth sent out his lightning as Aspen ducked.
“Yessss,” Oriel hissed after he crouched. “I hit the lantern.”
Roth dropped down as a fireball whizzed overhead, harmlessly went the width of the boat, and headed down. The ocean would put that out. Aspen went around the cannon as Oriel took a smaller crossbow, stood, aimed, and ducked just in time to avoid another fireball.
“They dropped the oars. The boat’s on fire, a few are dead or knocked out, and I think a couple jumped.”
Roth stood, and while Aspen didn’t dare stand to see, he heard screams, and he knew Roth had sent electricity toward someone in the water. Purplish sparks were carried up and snuffed out by the wind.
“Most of them must have been channelers like Aspen,” Roth said as he ducked.
Someone splashed and shouted. Like anyone would help them now. Roth stood one more time to attack again, and it grew quieter. Oriel stood.
“Are they dead?”
“I think some are knocked out, and they’ll drown.”
“Good riddance.”
“Dead men can’t talk.”
Aspen stood and peeked out. Since the ship was moving, the remains of the lifeboat were bobbing farther out now, and a piece of flaming wood went under. They wouldn’t have to worry about those sailors anymore. A little shudder of relief went through him, and Roth squeezed his shoulder.
“Good aim earlier.”
Now for the Captain.
Nalha didn’t try to scream or beg when he was dragged out and tied to the mast. He seemed half out of it since he’d lost a lot of blood, and he could barely keep his footing while Roth and Oriel worked on the bindings. The rope around his neck to help keep him up was probably too tight, but Aspen certainly didn’t have any sympathy toward him. Oriel started cutting off the man’s trousers.
Wait. Was he really going to do it? Aspen had thought he was just saying that.
Nalha let out a muffled shriek when the edge of Oriel’s dagger bit into his ballsack. He thrashed against the ropes keeping him in place as blood poured. Oriel ignored his racket and kept cutting. After he dropped the man’s testicles on the deck, he started on the Captain’s dick.
Nalha’s screams weren’t pleasant, but Oriel didn’t hesitate, and he sliced away as though he was simply carving a roast for dinner.
“Fuck you!” He dropped the severed dick too. “That’s for Aspen, you fucking piece of shit. For wanting to sell us out, you can bleed to death. We’ve already lost enough, and you wanted to take more from us.”
Nalha had gone rigid and silent as shock seemed to take over. Blood flowed from his crotch, and he grew paler in the light of the lantern that Roth held. Disbelief flickered in Nalha’s eyes as if he’d really thought Oriel would show some shred of mercy in the end.
