Blink woke to Ra’Handa shaking him gently. He sat up quickly and looked around. Ra’Handa was kneeling next to him swaying as the ship moved across the waves.

‘You was having a nightmare. It’s about midday,’ she said answering a question that showed on his face.

Light was streaming in through the gaps in the deck and Blink could smell the rich scent of salt and sea airfilling his lungs. He could hear footsteps up above as crewmen moved about their duties. Occasionally, there would be a call and shout of gruff voices issuing commands. Ra’Handa handed him some dried jerky and a honey cake she had swiped from the kitchens when they left. He tore into them, barely even taking time to chew.

‘Careful you don’t lose one of yer fingers there,’ she laughed. She handed him a metal canister from her bag, and he gratefully drank the fresh clean water. It felt cooling on his raw mouth and throat. He paused as he almost finished it and realised, he hadn’t left any for Ra’Handa. ‘Sorry Ra. I’m just so thirst and hungry,’ he said with some huskiness remaining in his voice. That aside it had seemed to have passed enough for speaking to have become easier.

‘Don’t worry about it. We’re in the cargo hold and there’s plenty of water in here. Not much in the way of food though. They’ll be keepin’ that in the kitchens.’

‘Where are we?’ he asked.

‘Passenger ship. You forget that already after your big nap ey,’ she said wryly.

‘Not the ship. Where are we at sea?’ he said tersely at her attempt to lighten then mood.

‘We’ve been at sea for hours now. We passed Hangman’s Isle a while back now, she said putting a whole honey cake into her mouth as she did. Hangman’s Isle was a small body of land off the coast of Bonny. The island got its name not only for the purpose it had served, but also the shape. The island itself appeared as a man hanging from a noose. The noose being a bridge that connected it to the mainland.

It was where Annette Bonny herself was said to have been executed. It had been the resting place of many a pirate and freedom fighter of the days when Bonny had been the province of Dayargain and Halfreach. It was little used these days and had long since become a marker change for the city. Annette Bonny herself was hanged there in payment for the emancipation of the city.

‘Where is the ship taking us?’ he asked.

‘I heard one of ‘em say Dayargain,’ She replied with little concern for whom they had escaped.

‘Dayargain!’ he exclaimed. She put her fingers to her lips.

‘Quiet. You tryin’ to get us thrown overboard?’ she whispered.

‘Ra, those two that were looking for the black figurine were from there. One of ‘em is the captain of the guard. We can’t go there,’ he said fearfully.

‘So we just be careful and lay low for a while,’ she said laying back in her bedroll nonchalantly. ‘Besides they don’t know we’ve gone there, do they? And it’s probably the last place they’ll think we would go,’ she added.

Blink thought for a moment. ‘What are we gunna do when we get there anyway? We’ve got no coin and not many prospects for a slave and a thief,’ he said laying back down next to her.

‘Former you mean,’ she said.

‘Former what?’ he asked confused.

‘Slave. You ain’t a slave any more mate. You’ve got the whole world at your feet now,’ she said smiling at him. He supposed she was right. The moment he had agreed to run away and fought off Demera he had thrown away the word slave. A twisting knife of guilt in his stomach reminded him of exactly how he had managed that. Slave no more, but perhaps murderer would be his new shame.

‘No, I guess you’re right. I’m not a slave anymore,’ he said in response. He hoped she wouldn’t mention it any further. But that was never really like Ra’Handa.

‘Never seen someone so glum about good news mate,’ she said.

‘I am glad we left. I think I’d be dead soon if we hadn’t. Leaving means he won’t let us get away with it. And… I killed someone Ra,’ he said the last part softly. He almost thought it might not have been said aloud at all.

‘She had it comin’ and besides that she didn’t give us much choice as far as I saw things. She was going to end me if she had her way. Way I see it you saved my life,’ she said looking up at the roof of cargo hold.

‘Thank you, Ra; I wish there had been another way,’ he added.

‘I know you do. But it don’t make ya a bad person. Maybe it even makes ya my hero,’ she said with a snorting laugh.

‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ he said forcing a smile. Although Ra’Handa’s words felt right in many ways it did little to ease the weight on his heart. He has still ended a life. Blink silently hoped he would never have to do so again. After a time sitting in silence together Ra’Handa spoke.

‘You sure it’s worth something. Looks like plain old obsidian to me. That figurine I mean,’ she said disbelievingly.

‘They wanted it alright. They looked through everything and barely even paid attention to the gold or gems. Even if we can just get a couple of coins for it, we can move on outta there and find someplace else,’ Blink said hopefully. He was eager to be far away from Dayargain as possible. Being a military base of strength and a defending city against the south it was a terrifying through that they would be there. Even if they had not been fleeing the attentions of Bornwald and Jadissa Blink would not have chosen it as a place to go.

‘One of the guys in the Magpies come from there. He told me the guard there are tasked with protecting the city from the undead that wander about.’ Blink felt a chill run up his spine at the mention of undead. Now and then the occasional drowned sailor could be seen wandering the beaches and ports at Bonny. They were delt with quickly and although causing a stir through the city they never did much harm. Despite that they still gave Blink a feeling of deep uneasiness.

Blink had nightmares as a youngling from the stories he had heard of the Dawn Isles and the undead that plagued that whole region. When the Great War between the Northern Continent of Haydellon and the Southern Continent of Ishtarik ended over 1000 years ago the undead started turning up in hoards. Supposedly, the desert wastelands of Ishtarik were now plagued by the Corruption causing the dead to keep rising. Dayargain was the only large city close to the south and therefore they became the main stronghold against them. Blink had heard tales from Fisk about pockets of that very corruption that found their way to other lands. Smaller and more manageable they were contained somewhat, but it was enough to twist whatever lived there into an abomination of itself. The stories caused shivers to run through his spine.

‘We shouldn’t be mucking about with dead things Ra.’

‘Gimme a minute,’ she sighed, annoyed at his interruption. ‘My mate told me the guard can’t manage all of ‘em, so they employ a few guilds to help ‘em out. We could find one and join. Then we’d be able to make some coin, have a place to stay and blend in outta sight.’ Blink thought on it. If they could find work and make some coin, they might be able to stay on the move. The idea of having to fight monsters and particularly the undead filled him with dread. His whole body tingled all over and felt those same weights of terror in his muscles. At the same time there was another sensation there. Something that excited him, a drive to do it, to be the adventurer that he and Ra’Handa had dreamed of being as children. What am I thinking. We’re likely the get ourselves killed before we make enough gold to do anything. And… those things were people once too. .

‘Alright. But we aren’t doing anything crazy. Just quiet low-level things until we save enough to move on. I’m not fighting dead things Ra,’ He said and Ra’Handa’s face wore an enormous grin as if she had won some unspoken battle. ‘Ra, I know you and you just want to go adventuring, find treasure and make a name for yourself.’ The smile faded slightly. ‘I’ll agree to do this but on one condition.’

‘Yeah?’ she said wryly.

‘I mean it; as soon as we have enough coin to get on a ship outta there we do. You can be hero somewhere else. Somewhere far away from Dayargain and Bonny.’

‘Deal.’ She said and spat on her green and calloused hand. She held it out to him. Blink did the same and they shook on it.

‘So how long until we get there?’ he asked.

‘I reckon it’s about a week. We’ll have to stay outta sight that long. How’s your arm by the way?’

Blink winced at the mention of his arm. He lifted it up. The burns wrapping around his skin all the way to his shoulder were crimson and inflamed. He could still feel the constant sting and throb they produced.

‘We better get sumthin’ for that before it gets rotten.’

It was only now that Blink remembered the wound Demera had given Ra’Handa. ‘What about you Ra? Are you ok?’ he said unable to hide the guilt in his voice.

‘Ah I’m alright,’ she said nonchalantly. ‘Besides, half-orc skin is pretty tough.’ She pulled aside part of her shirt to show the edges of the eaten away skin beneath. The skin looked as though a flame had spread outwards on a piece of paper. Layers of skin eaten away showed different tinges of green and blackened dry blood. The wound had started to heal already, and Blink could see that scabs had formed. He knew from their sparring that Ra’Handa could take a hit better than most seasoned brawling sailors. Blink was more concerned about her mention of being a half-orc. She rarely brought attention to it and whenever anyone else had, she’d been sure to give them a black eye as a warning. Ra’Handa refused to make contact with Blink’s eye. There was pain in her, but not the kind brandished on her chest. Something far deeper.

‘Yeah… you’re right. Looks ok.’ Blink tried to redirect. Ra’Handa gave him a wink and bumped her bust playfully.

‘Better than ok mate.’ She laughed.

The days were slow down there in the cargo hold. When they weren’t sleeping and tending to their wounds, they were listening intently for what information they could gather. They had discovered that there were all kinds of folk on board including mages of different schools of magic. The crew talked of two women on board they had seen using strange magical arts. Whilst magic wasn’t uncommon there was a natural distrust from those that didn’t have any. As always things that were misunderstood seemed to drive the fears and worse still, the rumours that accompany them. Some even said it were bad luck to bear the two abord the ship and would spit on the decks at the very mention of it. Others spoke of one of them being of the Ghel’Narran, there had even been low spoken warnings to keep children away should the barbaric Ghel grow hungry for child flesh. Blink thought it unlikely one fo the Ghel’Narran would board the ship, and even moreso that they would allow a cannibal aboard. He thought often of the stories Fisk had told him. Little of any sailor’s gossip could be trusted and it were best to make one’s own assumptions. From what they heard it seemed that both women had separate rooms and didn’t seem to be travelling together. At night most of the travellers would be dining with the captain and the crew, as for these two they made few appearances but had been known to eat there at times. It was not surprising they would avoid the side-long looks and muffled voices.

‘Ya know, we might be able to find sumthin’ for your arm in their rooms,’ Ra’Handa persisted. She had been trying to convince Blink for most of the evening that sneaking in and pilfering the rooms would be worth it. She always had twitchy fingers at the prospect of coin.

‘Do you really think it’s a good idea. They use magic, they could be witches or worse. Have you any idea how dangerous that could be?’ Blink repeated indignantly. He was long since exhausted by the argument.

‘Forgettin’ who you’re travellin’ with?’ she gestured with her arms open.

‘I know you’re good Ra but the last thing we need is to be blown up by some angry mage or worse turned into something. I’ve no desire to spend by days as a rodent on this ship,’ he wasn’t true certain they could do such things, but he had heard the tales. Tales often reserved for naughty noble children given by their parents true. But that didn’t seem so important at this point. Not matter the consequence it was one Blink wished to avoid.

‘Trust me. In and out quick as a sailor on shore leave in a brothel,’ she winked. Blink tried not to laugh at that.

‘I don’t like it,’ he said. She dropped the grin and grew serious.

‘Blink come off it. I’ve seen how painful that burn is and it’s getting infected.’ He couldn’t deny that it wasn’t getting better. He had been starting to develop a cold sweat and the wound itself had been looking more inflamed. The skin about it was begging to develop note of yellow puss. It was difficult to keep it clean in these tight quarters and without proper treatment. He’d be no good to either of them if they were found out or got sick before they even reached land.

‘Ok. But we find something to heal this and that’s all,’ he conceded. 'If there we’re to do this, it will be as brief a visit as possible. Do you even know which room they’re in?’

‘When you was sleeping I gave myself a little tour of the ship. A couple of little rooms past the dining cabin,’ she said knowing full well the dangers of doing so.

‘Ra!’ he exclaimed.

‘I wasn’t noticed,’ she said defensively. ‘Once I worked out who one of em was, I followed her to her room. She’s a day dreamy one and didn’t notice a thing,’ she said growing eager.

‘What if you had been seen? What then?’ said Blink scolding her.

‘Wouldn’t have happened. I know what I’m doing mate. Find your mark, watch, and learn their habits and ways, find a weakness, and exploit it for the goods,’ she said as if remembering some long past lesson. Blink imagined of the thieves in her guild must have said the same thing.

‘We aren’t in Bonny any more Ra; and you don’t have the Magpies to watch you back if something goes wrong. You need to be more careful,’ he said chiding.

‘I know my business and you outta mind your own mate,’ she said.

‘Your actions are my business when they could mean I’ll be swimming to Dayargain,’ he said not giving an inch.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

‘It’ll be fine. You worry too much, and I know what I’m doing. Just trust me already, will ya? I got you out of Bonny alive, didn’t I?’ she said growing frustrated with his reprimand.

‘Fine. But if we get caught it’ll be you swimming across the ocean and not me. I’ll not lift a finger,’ he said lying. He would never truly leave Ra’Handa but he didn’t have to like this plan at all.

‘It’ll be fine. You’re too serious mate. Always too serious.’ At least one of us needs to be. If I left you to yourself, we’d have had our throats cut or been thrown overboard by now, he thought to himself. That mixture of fear and thrill churned in his stomach. It had been constant since his first awakening on the ship. It was like a hive of bees buzzing through his gut and chest threatened to burst out at any moment.

They made their way carefully through the halls of the cabin. There were doors running along both lengths of the ship and the dining area situated in the middle. They could hear talking and music from the dining hall. There was singing along with the playing of a lute. Must be a mistral on board. What I wouldn’t give to be in there listening than skulking about with Ra, he thought as they passed it. Blink couldn’t help wishing he was in there listening, dancing, and eating with everyone else. Not that I even know how to dance or what to do with my feet. But I might meet a pretty girl… not that I really know what to say to them either. Blink hadn’t had many opportunities to do the things those other young men his age got to. He had, had flirtatious glances with some of the serving girls in Horrog’s manor and even kissed Delil, one of merchant’s daughters last Winter’s Breath Festival, but that had been the limits of his experience with women. Blink thought about how he had never felt he could do these things. What kind of life could he offer a woman as a slave? Or even a former slave. Always on the run and hiding from Horrog. They would not know a moment’s peace and even if they did find a place, what woman would want him at his station? Kissing in the hay after too much hot mead at a festival was one thing, but marriage and a life providing for a family was another. I hope this isn’t my life now; running, hiding, always thinking I’ll be found out and taken right back. Doesn’t feel like freedom at all yet, his thoughts wondered as the move carefully along the halls.

Dodging the crew was easy enough and the few that saw them disregarded them quickly as they were too busy with upkeep of their tasks. To all appearances they would not look very different than the paying passengers for that matter. Once they made their way down toward a room at the far end Ra’Handa whispered to Blink, ‘keep an eye out. Anyone comes you gimme a nudge.’ At that she pulled out a set of metal rods on an iron loop. Each of them was bent and twisted in different forms and shapes. Ra’Handa selected two of them and began picking the lock on the door. Blink kept a look out. There was no one coming but the distinct smell of cooked meat and bread danced through the air along with the sounds of the musician singing and playing. He longed to join them, and his stomach growled with hunger. The cakes and scraps they were able to come by weren’t enough to quell his hunger for long. The joy and music brought his mind back to the dream he had been having the past nights. Of the people dancing around the fire. They seemed like joyous people, happy, safe, and secure in who they were. The joy and warmth in that dream always left him feeling a deep longing for something lost or missing. It was a feeling that was difficult to put into words. It was as though he missed something he was not sure he had ever had to begin with. How do you miss what you never had?

‘Got it,’ Ra’Handa whispered waking Blink from his ruminations. She slowly opened the door and walked in with Blink close behind. They shut the door as quietly as possible and surveyed the insides. Inside the room was a small wooden bed built into the side wall, a small side table and a chest for belongings to be safely kept inside. It was a tight fit for both, but they could manage. They hadn’t noticed it at first due to the sound of the waves and the music in the other rooms but sitting up on the bed was a ginger tabby. It unfurled its tail and sat staring at them. It’s bright green eyes regarding them carefully. Its fluffy tail curled and swayed lazily from side to side, almost hypnotically in its persistence.

‘Just a cat. I’ll take the chest if you search the side table,’ she directed.

‘Why’s it lookin’ at me like that?’ said Blink watching as the cat’s eyes followed it back and forth. It seemed to be summing him up with a look.

‘A cat is just a cat mate. Look through there before she comes back, ey?’ she said dismissing his question. Blink supposed she was right; it was silly to be so thrown by the presence and gaze of the cat. He had known many cats about the Horrog’s manor and the strays of the docks. They would do and behave in the most strange and unexpected ways. Why should this cat that fixed him pointedly with its eyes be any different? This is what Blink told himself, even more so as he gingerly gave it a second glace.

In the side table Blink found a few leather-bound books. One had the symbol of a golden stag embossed into the front. Letters streamed across the top in a flowing elegant script. The other book appeared to be a catalogue of some kind. There were sketches of plants with various labels and arrows. The writing was indistinguishable to Blink who had never been taught his letters before, so it mattered little to him. Placing the books aside he lifted out a small piece of silk cloth with something inside. The cloth held a small clay pot and after lifting the lid the pale yellow, creamy, congealed substance was exposed. It smelt of bee’s wax, honey and an array of spices, some of which he recognised from Cookie’s kitchen and others completely foreign. The aromas tingled his sensitive nose, not unpleasantly, but enough for him to replace the lid.

‘Ra, you think this is something?’ Ra’Handa stopped what she was doing and looked over. She was holding a small bag of her own that jingled with the sound of coins within. She tied them to her belt and took the jar.

‘Smells kinda like the stuff the healers use but different,’ she said as she sniffed. ‘Might sooth your burns.’ She stuck her finger in the pot and took Blink’s arm roughly.

‘Arrgh,’ he winced. She smeared the substance on a small area on the top of his wrist. It felt cold and he instantly felt relief from the throbbing burn. All of sudden there was a thin pale hand reaching out from the bed that snatched the bag of coins Ra’Handa had attached to her belt.

‘These belong to me,’ came a high pitched and sullen voice. Both Blink and Ra’Handa looked to the bed where the hand had come from, their faces marred with astonishment. Their mouths hung open at the sight in front of them. Where the ginger tabby had once sat regarding them was now a slender, short statured young woman. Her skin was pale and freckled, and her long hair hung low around her body in blonde dreadlocks intermixed with braids, beads, feathers, and wooden ornaments throughout. She had a round face with pouty pink lips and big green eyes. Her forehead was tattooed with blue ink depicting the phases of the moon. Most shocking of all was that she was completely naked with a gnarled and twisted staff in one hand and the bang of coins in the other.

‘She’s naked!’ were the first words Ra’Handa managed to get out of her mouth. She motioned toward the door to get away but the wooden floorboards beneath them sprouted branches that quickly ensnared their bodies. The rough bark scrapped against the burns on Blink’s arm wrenching pained bark from him.

‘It’s not that bad,’ the naked girl said with a raised eyebrow.

‘Let us go! Please don’t turn us into a frog or newt or… or…’ Ra’Handa begged unable to get out the final words as a branch moved across her mouth cutting her off.

‘Why are you in my room?’ she asked not looking at Ra’Handa at all. ‘Have you come to rob me and kill me in my sleep you brigands? Or worse! You come for my body! That’s it isn’t it, scoundrels both of you,’ she said frantically.

‘No. No! Nothing like that I swear!’ Blink exclaimed. ‘We weren’t going to hurt anyone,’ he said trying hard not to look at her naked form. He tried to twist his head away, but the restricting branches would not allow it; instead he shut his eyes tightly. What have you got me into Ra? He thought angrily thinking of how he would admonish her for this. The naked girl, still sitting on the bed turned the staff toward Blink and held it firmly in front of his face. Feeling the breeze of its movement, he dared a slight opening of one eye. Seeing the still naked form he shut it again quickly.

‘Don’t lie. Or I’ll tell the wood to squeeze so hard your head pops off like a… a… a thing that does that!’ She said desperately searching for the words. Despite the uncertainty of her words Blink did not doubt that she could do the things she has threatened.

‘It’s true! I swear it. My friend was just trying to find me some medicine for my burn.’ Blink emphasised the word friend angrily and glared in Ra’Handa’s direction. Blink could hear her muffled objection but was unable to make out the words.

‘She thought a witch like you must have some kind of special medicine to heal it,’ he said and immediately regretted his choice of words.

‘I’m not a witch,’ she said and jabbed the staff at Blink hitting him on the forehead. ‘I’m a druid. I’m no witch,’ she said and gave a small sharp spitting sound as she said the words .

‘If you need something then could just ask for it… and I suppose you planned on paying me with my own coins,’ she said scowling her round face at them both.

‘Yes, yes, you are right. We should have just asked. We are sorry. Aren’t we Ra,’ he said with daggers in her direction. Ra’Handa spoke with her wide eyes and have restrained little nods in agreement. The young woman looked back and forth at Blink and Ra’Handa and then toward the burns along the length of Blink’s arm. His shirt sleeve was still pulled back and the branches wrapped painfully around holding it in place. The naked girl lowered her staff and moved to the end of the bed and gathered a green dress and furred lined cloak, putting them on. She wrapped it around herself and took the small jar from Ra’Handa’s hand. She had been holding it the entire time. The girl began inspecting the wounds on Blink’s arm.

‘Hmm. How did you get this burn?’ Blink didn’t want to tell her the truth. The last thing he needed was something that linked him back to Horrog.

‘Fell on some hot wires at the smithy and got tangled,’ he lied, still with his eyes closed.

‘If that’s what you want me to believe,’ she said incredulously. ‘Oh, and you can open your eyes now.’ Blink did as she said and saw her kneeling on the bed in front of him with the thick fur cloak wrapping her body. The cloak itself was a tanned leather with a hood. The hood was lined with a multitude of furs some orange, brown, blacks and greys. Beneath the cloak he could see the green dress. It was decorated with embroidered flowers and vines across the breast. Several carefully carved and varnished wooden buttons adorned the length of the bust holding it closed. The girl began applying the cold substance to the burns she could reach between the wood. The relief and coolness were almost instantaneous.

‘Cernnunos orfaina il agirna estaba, es nunil vinadil fretia,’ she said to herself, and she picked up the staff and closed her eyes. The wood of the staff began to sprout leaves and small twigs. A faint smell of wet earth filled the room and the area where the substance was applied began to glow and tingle. Blink stared, eyes wide as the damaged flesh steamed and tightened easing the pain and leaving behind a warped scar.

‘H…How?’ he said in astonishment.

‘I can take care of the rest and let you go but you’ll owe me,’ she said ignoring his question.

‘We don’t have anything,’ he said truthfully. Being indebted to a powerful witch, or druid as she said, was not an appealing thought. Blink would have taken the risk of the burns festering over indenture to another, especially one that could harm him with magic again.

‘Why are you headed toward Dayargain?’ she asked, with an expression that hid something behind it? Does she know of Horrog? I can’t tell her the truth. Blink looked at Ra’Handa for help. Ra’Handa began speaking but couldn’t be understood through the mumbles and wood. The girl raised the staff and the branches subsided from around Ra’Handa’s mouth. As she did so Blink noticed that the staff continued to grow. Whatever magic she was using was causing the staff to respond with its own growth. The leaves unfurled and small acorns began to sprout from them.

With her mouth finally free she said, ‘the guild. We’re wanting to join a guild and make some money.’ The girl eyed them carefully and considered. Her large green eyes were like mossy ponds that hid the depth beneath. It was hard to know what she was thinking. She reminded Blink of a family of possums that had found their way into the warehouses by the docks seeking a safe warm place in the daylight. Their eyes seemed to catch the light like mirrors when they looked at you. This young girl’s eyes almost seemed to do the same… or at least he thought they did.

‘Very well then. I believe you… well, mostly anyway,’ she said suddenly without any further interrogation. That’s it? She’s clearly never needed to bargain anyone before. Fisk would’ve haggled away half her home and wealth with that lack of savvy, Blink thought.

‘I just so happen to be heading there for the same reason. There’s a guild there called the Iron Lioness. I’ll let you go, and I’ll even fix you up if you help me get in.’ Before either of them could respond they heard a scream from the deck and heavy footsteps. The sound of fighting began to break out all above them. Has Horrog and his men caught up to us already? We can’t let them catch us; Blink mind reeled with possibilities of who could be up there. Whether Horrog and his men or Bornwald, or worse, Lady Jadissa; not one of these possibilities relieved the fears of the other.

‘Something upstairs mate,’ said Ra’Handa speaking his thoughts.

‘You have to let us go,’ said Blink pleadingly.

‘Not until you’ve promised,’ said the strange girl. Promised? She sounds like one of younglings, Blink thought. His incredulous thoughts must have shown on his face because she gave him a haughty look in return.

‘Yes, we promise. We’ll help you get in. Just get us out of these already!’ Blink said raising his voice in exasperation.

‘Excellent,’ the girl said as she raised her staff yet again. The staff sprouted more branches as the thick wood binding Blink and Ra’Handa receded and returned to the floor they were standing on.

‘My name is Danu Wilver,’ she said as if not hearing the struggles from the deck of the ship.

‘I’m Blink and this is Ra’Handa,’ he said reflexively.

There was a loud thud above them as though something or someone had hit the deck hard and painfully.

‘Here,’ Ra’Handa said as she pushed one of her daggers into Blink's hand. Holding a weapon felt strange and oddly heavier than he would have thought. He’d never needed to use one before, at least not like this. All his life he had the protection of property that came with his association to Horrog. He had always used wood for practice swords when sparring with Ra’Handa. It was terrifying and powerful holding a blade that was meant to kill. Blink told himself it was just a piece of metal, albeit a well-worked and refined one, but metal, nonetheless. Despite this is felt different in his hand. It had become something other than a dagger now that he held it. Blink supposed that he would need to get used to this. Holding a tool that could take the life of another, as he had taken the life of Demera before they escaped Bonny.

‘We should go help them,’ said Danu. Ra’Handa nodded in agreement.

‘You sure that’s a good idea Ra?’ Blink said hoping she would understand his meaning. He couldn’t state that they were stow aways in front of Danu, but he needed her to understand.

‘Worry about that later mate. If we do nothing there might not be a ship for us to ride,’ she said and ran from the room before Blink could interject. Danu waved him on out of her way to follow.

‘Well don’t just stand there like a stunned mouse in a snake pit. You’re wanting to join a guild after all. Have some backbone and go help,’ she said reproachfully the way some of the nobles spoke to their maidens. It seemed she misunderstood his apprehension of discovery as cowardice. Perhaps there was a little cowardice there, but then what fool would want to put themself in front of danger? Blink nodded and gripped the dagger in his hand harder. He didn’t like it at all but if they were it make to Dayargain at all they would need to fight.

‘Blast you Ra. You’ll be the death of me one of these days,’ he cursed to himself and followed behind.

Outside the room other passengers were frantically moving about and trying to get to their rooms. They moved through the hallway and up the stairs to the deck of the ship. It was night outside, yet the light from the moon and lanterns shed an odd glow on the chaotic scene. Blink didn’t need the light of the lanterns; the world before him appeared in that strange greyness. The light sources appeared white and brighter than normal whilst everything else around him grew more visible, his eyes absorbing every minute gleam of light available to him. Blink expected to see pirates attacking the crew, all of them emblazoned with the axe and seven stars of Horrog. If not them then surely it would have been Bornwald and the Daybreaker looking for that figurine. Instead, he saw the crew struggling against strange, terrible, fish-like creatures. They were the size of a human, standing on two legs and with long arms that hung low toward the ground. Their entire bodies were covered in wet slimy scales and jagged fins. Where toes and fingers should have been were elongated webbed claws tipped with sharp nails that threatened to rend flesh. The head of the creatures was that of a human, except with twisted features in the grotesque visage of a fish with a wipe stretching mouth and scaled flesh. The creature’s mouths gapped wide as they spoke in gargled chortles revealing several rows of small needle-like teeth. The only thing they wore that even resembled clothing were scraps of cloth or leathers wrapped around their forms. Some even had seaweed and shells tied about them as adornments.

‘What… What are they?’ Blink said in astonishment.

‘No time for that. Just kill ‘em,’ were Ra’Handa’s words as she charged into the fray with a daggerflashing. She moved so quickly and without any hesitation. Where did this come from? Blink thought. He watched as Ra’Handa slid in behind one of the creatures that was managing to push back the crew. The creature slashed at the crewman slicing through the flesh of his arm as would through the currents of the sea. The man screamed and dropped his sword. As this happened Ra’Handa drove her dagger through the creature’s side to the very hilt. The creature let out a gurgling guttural screech like a drowned animal. She withdrew the dagger ran it across the creature’s neck. The screech ended like water bubbling down a drain. When did she learn to do that? This isn’t the Ra I know. We spar sometimes but she’s never moved like this. It was then that they heard a loud scream of a crewmen as he fell to the floor. His face sliced open and bleeding. The two creatures standing over him were going to kill him. Blink turned to Danu, but she was already gone. A large wild cat standing in her place ran forward and pounced onto one of the creatures driving it to the ground. She turned on the other creature and they faced off circling one another. It was only now that Blink realise another was staring directly at him. It bent low sizing him up before it made its move to strike. Do something you fool. Move. Move. Move!