“You know, Aven,” said Cai, scratching at the scruff on his cheek. “I’m pretty good at offering odds. The whole crew bet on whether or not you’d come back with any useful information. Most of ‘em bet for you,” he said, gesturing at the rest of the crew. They were gathered around a roaring fire on the deck, taking in the wild story Aven had just told them. “But I didn’t even bother making odds for: good info, but Bill gets caught by a rival criminal and Aven comes back to the ship with a new girlfriend.”
“I know it’s nuts, but that’s what happened,” Aven said to the crew with Ji by his side.
Cai took a deep breath and sighed. “Why’d you bring her here? We are supposed to be laying low. Palling around with a rogue acolyte doesn’t really fit with that.”
“I had to bring her,” Aven insisted, gesturing to the silent Ji. “She wouldn’t leave me alone until I did. And I needed the extra muscle if I had a shot at freeing Bill. We still need the extra muscle to go get him.”
“Why didn’t you just call the guards and tell them there was a tied-up man in the carriage?” Cai asked. “That would have been a lot simpler.”
“I couldn’t bring the guards into it. It would have brought too much attention to us,” Aven snapped.
“Some thugs kidnapped my Ezu. He’s in that carriage,” Cai said slowly. “What questions do you have to answer then?”
Aven blinked, eyes going wide. He cursed and grabbed his head, digging his fingernails into his scalp. “How did I not see that?”
“Because you’re a thief. And you’re young,” Cai said, stepping in front of Aven and Ji. “Because you’re young, you fell for this ruse too,” he said, nodding at Ji and sticking his hand into his pocket. “You were panicking, and you believed her lies.”
Ji’s tail slammed against the deck with a loud thump. “I am not a liar! I didn’t know he was drunk.”
“Aven!” Cai snapped, pulling out a steel mirror and holding it up in front of Ji’s face. “What do you see?”
Aven looked up and saw Ji’s bewildered expression in the mirror. “No glow. She’s fine.”
“You,” Ji stammered, pointing at the mirror. “You think I’m possessed?”
Cai nodded, dropping the mirror back into his pocket. “Strange behavior is a sign. But if you’re not possessed. I believe you. No criminal or spy could think up a scheme that stupid and expect it to work,” he said, warming his hands by the fire.
“So now that we’re sure that Ji isn’t possessed,” Aven said, taking a breath. “Bill is being held in a warehouse. We have to go get him now.”
“Why?” asked Batro, firelight playing off his bare chest and red hair.
“What?” Aven said, eyes narrowing.
Batro stepped out of the group, turning to face the rest of the crew. “Why go get him at all? We have what we need to get the stupid book. It’s his own damn fault for getting drunk off his ass.” Quiet murmuring broke out among the others as Batro kept talking. “Why should we risk our lives for him?”
“Because he’s the captain,” Aven fired back.
“This isn’t a navy ship,” Batro snorted. “Captains come and go. Why don’t we put it to a vote right now?”
“We don’t have time for this!” Aven snapped.
Cai whistled sharply, turning all eyes to the old man. “You both bring up some good points. You aren’t kidding about time either,” he said, turning away from the fire and picking up a cloth sack. “We didn’t have anything to say to the messenger your Vao friend sent. Depending on how long that takes to get to him, there might be a horde of summons coming after us right now,” he said with a shrug. The crew looked out onto the dark docks and into the sky, as if expecting raptors and giants to come hurtling out of the darkness. “Smart thing to do would be to run while we can.”
“Cai, what are you doing?” Aven hissed.
“You’re the first mate. Call a vote,” said Batro.
“Still talking,” Cai said, wagging his finger at Batro. “I’m old, so it could be a while,” he said, grinning wide enough to show his golden teeth. “Running’s the smart thing to do, but I don’t think any of us have ever been good at doing the smart thing. We sailed all the way across the Raoin Sea on a single unarmed ship to steal a book. Doesn’t sound very smart to me, but we did it because of what’s waiting for us.”
The crew went silent, but Batro raised his voice. “We don’t even know what this plan is unless he told you and kept it from the rest of us.”
“I’m just as in the dark as the rest of you,” Cai said, shaking his head. “But I’ve heard enough to read between the lines. I know that Abatel, Zeidu, and Laojen have all signed on to be part of whatever it is. You’ve sailed under Abatel Batro, has she ever been willing to fly under someone else’s flag?”
Batro was silent for a moment, staring into the fire. “No.”
“No,” Cai repeated, looking at the crew. “I also know that we’ve got him onboard,” he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to where Tsen had his cabin. “If this plan needs a favor from Tsen to work, it has to be big. So, we could run,” Cai shrugged. “Take the safe bet and limp along to the next port. Or we could double down and play the odds. All in favor of raising anchor?” he asked.
No one said anything or raised their hand, not even Batro.
“Thought so,” Cai said, rubbing his hands together.
-
Aven crouched against the wall, peering through the darkness. Down the street the warehouse still had two men standing guard, and a pair of burning torches lit up the area just around them. The rest of the district was dark and quiet. Off in the distance, a column of black smoke rose into the air accompanied by the sound of clanging bells and shouting.
Aven snuck back down the alley to where the others were waiting. Cai leaned against the wall, ramming a bullet down the barrel of his last pistol. He had a dozen of them hanging somewhere on his front, back or sides. Batro paced back and forth, mumbling something to himself. A sheathed cutlass hung on his waist, clattering against his leg with each step. Ji knelt on the ground, taking slow, even breaths. “I think all of the attention is back on the fire the rest of the crew started,” Aven whispered as the others turned to him. “That should distract the guards long enough for us to get in and get out with Bill.”
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“How many are we dealing with?” asked Cai, cocking back the hammer of his pistol.
“Don’t know,” Aven said, shaking his head. “Just the two outside that I can see. I climbed up the roof and looked through the vents. There are some torches burning in there, but it’s too dim for me to actually see anyone.”
“I say we go in hard,” said Batro.
“I agree. Surprise is going to be the only advantage we have if we’re outnumbered,” said Cai. “Batro and I go in first, drop the two guards. Aven, can you blow that door apart?”
Aven pulled out his clay jar of ash and started drawing symbols down his arm. “Yes, no problem.”
Cai nodded. “Good. After you drop the door, we’ll make a huge ruckus at the front, draw out anyone else in there. Aven, you and Ji go around the right side and get to Bill in the back. Toss the rope ladder and get him out. Let us know when he’s clear. You go out the back door and we scatter into the night to meet back up at the ship. Remember, the less time we spend inside, the better. Ready?”
“Ready,” said Batro, pulling his sword out of its sheath.
“Ready,” Aven said, flexing the arm that bore the symbols.
“Ready,” Ji swallowed, rubbing her sweaty palms against her shirt.
Cai went first with a pistol in each hand, followed closely by Batro. He stepped out into the light of the torches and let out no battle cry, no shout of challenge. By the time the guards realized he was there, the sharp crack of two pistols firing ripped through the air. One of the guards dropped in an instant, slumping to the ground in a heap. The other staggered backwards, tripping over his own feet. When he looked up, Batro was charging him with his sword raised. The guard let go of his spear and bolted away into the night. “Now!” shouted Cai, waving Aven forward and stepping to the side of the door with Batro.
Aven leapt from the shadows and sprinted across the road with Ji close behind. He slammed his hand into the wooden door and felt power flow through his arm. A gentle clatter of nails falling to the ground preceded the crash of the wooden panels slamming into the ground. On the other side of the door were six men standing behind barrels and crates, all pointing muskets at him. Aven grabbed Ji’s arm and dragged her down with him. The roar of gunfire rolled over them as bullets streaked through the air. The volley of gunfire blew out a thick cloud of choking smoke that Aven took advantage of. “Follow me,” he whispered to Ji, running through the smoke to the right wall.
“Chesai! Come out and fight!” bellowed Cai, pointing his gun around the corner and firing. Batro rushed in when they ducked for cover, leaping onto one of the men standing behind a barrel, sword flashing. “We’ve got a bone to pick with you!” shouted Cai, firing another pistol.
Aven led the way through the dim light, weaving around crates and barrels as the men guarding the warehouse rushed to the front, leaving the pit unguarded. “Watch my back,” he said to Ji, hurrying over to the edge. “Bill?” he asked, looking down into the darkness.
“I thought I heard you coming,” Bill said from below. “Get me out of here!”
“Let me tie off this rope,” Aven said, unwinding the coil of knotted rope wrapped around his chest. He tied the rope off to one of the crates and tossed the rest in. “Can you climb?”
“Already halfway up!” Bill called.
“Someone’s coming!” Ji shouted, crouched and ready to fight.
Two burly men raced forward, short swords in hand. “Boss you were right, they’re back here!” one shouted, rushing to cut down Ji. She snapped to action, shuffling to the left to avoid their charge, launching a straight punch at her closest opponent’s face. He staggered, and she pushed the attack, raining body blows down onto him until he was thrown off his balance and fell to the floor. The other man slashed at her neck but only managed a shallow cut on her arm. Ji twisted her whole body, tail smashing into the man’s ankle and sending him to the ground. She surged forward and slammed her fist into his face and he went limp. The other man staggered to his feet, but Ji was on him before he could get his sword up, and a solid strike to his face sent him to the ground with his partner.
Bill hauled himself up the rope and out of the pit with a helping hand from Aven. “She’s on our side now?”
“Yeah,” gasped Aven.
“Well, I don’t feel as bad about losing to her now,” Bill shrugged.
“Hold it!” Chesai snapped, stepping out from behind a crate, ornate pistol pointed at Bill. “Get back in your hole,” he snarled over the sound of gunshot from the front of the warehouse.
“You know you can’t hurt me with that. It’s over,” Bill said, eyes locked on the pistol's hammer. “Cut your losses and let us leave.”
Chesai swung the pistol and pointed it at Aven. “I know you’re the sentimental type when it comes to your crew. Tell me where it is or I shoot him in the heart.”
Aven tensed up, ready to drop to the ground at a moment’s notice. Ji froze, eyes darting around the room with only the tip of her tail twitching. “Circle around,” Aven whispered to her, shuffling towards some cover.
“You’ll get off one shot and you’re dead. How valuable can this thing be?” Bill demanded. A low rumble shook the ground. The sound of battle was replaced by screams as the floor shook again. “Oh shit,” Bill muttered as a familiar screech split through the air.
A raptor with bright feathers leapt on top of the crates, letting out an ear splitting battle cry. It leapt at Chesai, but the old criminal threw himself to the side and the talons slashed only his clothes. He raised his pistol and fired point-blank at the raptor's head, and it crumbled into bare dirt. “None of this would have happened if you just brought me that fucking tapestry!” he shouted at Bill as he poured powder down the barrel.
“Let’s go!” Bill said, turning towards the side door. A heavy crate sailed through the air and smashed into the door, blocking it with a pile of debris. Over the tops of the crate loomed the giant with no head and an eye in the center of its chest. It picked up a barrel and hurled it at Bill, forcing him to turn to water and flow away.
“Ji, on your left!” Aven cried, drawing his long dagger. Another raptor appeared, bolting towards Ji with its mouth wide open. She slid to one side, but its tail caught her in the stomach and sent her sprawling to the ground. She leapt to her feet, but the raptor was already past her and heading straight for Bill as he reformed. It leapt, claws out, but Bill ducked and let its momentum carry it past him into the pit. “We have to go!” Aven shouted, waving them towards the unblocked door.
The giant kicked a crate, sending it skidding across the floor past Bill and into the pit. Its chest eye darted to Chesai, then stomped towards him. He raised his pistol but the giant hit him with a heavy backhand, sending him flying into the wall. Chesai slumped to the ground in a broken heap.
“Hey, tail,” Bill said, cracking his knuckles as the giant turned its attention to them. “You ever fight anything like this before?”
“No,” Ji rasped, trying to block out the pain in her stomach.
“Dance around it,” Bill said, shuffling away from the edge of the pit. “Keep out of it’s reach. Don’t bother attacking the body; go for the feet and knees.”
Dual pistol shots rang out and the giant lurched. Cai stood atop one of the crates and he dropped a pair of smoking pistols, pulling out another pair before the first set hit the ground. He fired again and again as the giant lumbered towards him, arms outstretched. After eight guns hit the ground, the ninth and tenth did the job. Bullets tore into the giants eye and it collapsed into a pile of dirt.
“Or you could just shoot it,” Bill said.
“Where’s Batro?” Aven called out.
“Standing watch. Ready to scatter?” Cai asked, picking up and holstering his pistols.
“As we’ll ever be!” Bill said.
“Batro, scatter!” Cai shouted, jumping off the crate. “He’ll go his own way. Bill, you’re with me. Ji and Aven will make their way back on their own,” he said, running to the door and taking the pistol off Chesai’s body.
Bill knelt in front of Chesai’s body and closed his eyes. “Sorry it went like this,” he said, tracing a sacred pattern onto Chesai’s face. “If anyone can make the swim through the Caves it’s you. See you in Eternity.” He rose, then bolted out the door into the night.