“All clear!” Aven shouted from the crow’s nest as Chanan Island disappeared over the horizon. The crew cheered as the ship pushed on through choppy water. If no one was chasing them down yet, then their chances of getting away just went up. Aven threw his leg over the edge of the nest and climbed down, clinging tight to the rigging as the ship rocked back and forth. He jumped down to the scorched stern where Cai stood at the helm and Bill knelt over a map.
“Turn our heading west by southwest,” Bill said, gently adjusting a brass compass. “If they follow our last visible heading their search ships will keep going north until they hit the coast.”
“Aye,” said Cai, spinning the wooden wheel around. The ship leaned sideways, and Aven spread his stance to keep his balance. “How many days to Ortan?”
“Less than eight, more than five,” Bill said, rolling up the map. “This is an unseasonable wind. No idea how long it could last.” He glanced at Aven. “Everything good up top?”
Aven nodded. “No sails or clouds behind us. Nothing but open sea all around.”
Bill patted him on the shoulder. “Good, I’m going to take a turn up top, try to get a feel for this wind. You’ve got a new job.”
Aven looked down at the scorched deckboards under his feet. “It’s not cleaning the stern, is it?”
Bill barked out a laugh. “I don’t think we’re ever getting this off. Right now, I need you to put our three new crewmembers working,” Bill pointed at Yazwa, Ji, and Saiyun. “Then get their berths sorted out.”
“What should I have them do?” Aven asked.
“Since I’m sure none of them know how to trim sails, get them to help haul out the guns,” replied Bill.
“Right,” Aven said, making his way down to the main deck. The rest of the crew moved the cover off the ship’s hold and swung out a block and tackle connected to the main mast. “We need help setting up the guns. Once they’re hauled up on a deck, we’ll push them into place against the side of the ship.”
“You have cannons?” Yazwa asked as a rope was dropped down into the hold. A team of men climbed down into the bowels of the ship to secure the guns. “I’ve seen those forged before. Are they bronze or iron?”
“You’ll see,” Aven said as the crew pulled on the rope, hauling the cannon up bit by bit.
Saiyun furrowed his brow as the gun popped into view, complete with carriage. “If you had cannons the whole time, why didn’t you use them when we were attacked?”
Aven said nothing as he stepped forward and helped ease the cannon over onto the deck with the rest of the crew. “This is why,” he said, rapping the gun with his knuckles.
“Wait,” Yazwa said. “Are those…logs painted black?”
“Yup,” Aven said, bracing his feet against the deck and shoving the fake weapon to face the side of the ship. “Almost as heavy as the real thing. Come here and help me. The trick is to heave it with your whole body.”
Yazwa came over and copied Aven. When she pushed the whole thing swung around quickly, and Aven fell face first onto the deck. “I thought you said these were heavy?” she said with a smirk.
Aven stood up and rubbed his nose, trying to ignore the chuckling of the crew. “They are,” he said, catching sight of the rippling muscles in Yazwa’s arm. Right, she was a lot stronger than she looked. “Since this one is so easy for you, you get it into position, we’ll work on the other ones.”
After some pushing, shoving and some cursing, all eight guns were in place. The fake cannons pointed out to sea, lashed in place to keep them from moving around in heavy seas. Saiyun sank to the ground, his breath labored and sweating.
“You going to make it?” Aven asked, only to be waved off.
“I don’t understand,” Ji said, running her hand along the log. “Why even bother having these if they don’t even work?”
“Misdirection,” Aven said, only to be greeted with a blank stare. “There are a lot of ships out on the water looking to attack another ship and steal its cargo. Each one is looking for an easy target. If they sail up looking for trouble, they see these and decide it’s not worth it.”
“Why not just get real ones then?” asked Ji.
“Because they’re expensive,” Yazwa replied.
Aven nodded. “That and real cannons bring their own problems. Most states don’t want anyone carrying guns in their waters without their permission, which isn’t easy to get. If a customs ship boards us all we have to do is point out that they’re fake and we’re on our way.”
Ji furrowed her brow and looked out over the endless expanse of water. “I always knew the sea was dangerous, but I didn’t think it was that bad.”
“So where are we going to be sleeping?” Yazwa asked, adjusting the strap of her bag. “I’d like to find a place to put my things before it gets dark.”
“This way,” Aven said, leading them down a flight of stairs into the hold.
Ji hopped to her feet, adjusting to the sway of the deck with ease. “I thought we’d be sleeping on the deck.”
“You can,” Aven shrugged, leading them down into the belly of the ship. “No one will stop you, but it’s nice to have a dry place to sleep when it rains.”
Yazwa laughed, ducking low to get under the door frames. “I can’t argue with that.”
Aven led them to a long stretch of space against the ship’s outer hull. Seven hammocks were hung between the massive ribs of the ship. A few chests and boxes laid underneath them, all locked tight. “Here’s Batro’s. Who wants it?” he said, pointing to one of the hammocks.
“What?” said Yazwa, looking up and down the line.
“Batro is going to be sleeping in Bill’s cabin while his leg heals up,” Aven said, tapping the empty hammock and letting it sway. “That will take a few weeks, and he can find another berth when he’s better.”
“You can’t be serious,” Saiyun said, bracing his hand against the wall.
“I’ll take it,” Ji said, raising her hand.
“No,” said Yazwa, grabbing Ji’s wrist. “Where are the cabins?”
“Cabins?” asked Aven. “We’ve got two. Tsen took the fore cabin and the only one left is the captain’s cabin and Batro has that.”
“Where else can we sleep?” asked Yazwa.
“There are more berths on the other side of the ship, but they’re the same as this,” Aven replied.
Ji pulled her hand out of Yazwa’s grip. “I don’t see a problem with this spot. It’s just like my quarters back at the temple. We all slept together.”
Saiyun rested his face in his hands. “These men are not acolytes of En Chitei. They are pirates. It wouldn’t be proper for you to sleep among them.”
“Exactly,” said Yazwa. “We need somewhere separate, somewhere private. Where else is there?”
Aven took a breath and shrugged. “Ships like this don’t have a lot of space. They’re practically holds with sails. It’s here or on deck under the rain.”
“Wait,” Yazwa said, snapping her fingers. “Do you have any blankets or uh, or spare sails or something?”
“We have some spare cover for the hold, but why does that matter?” asked Aven.
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“Show me where it is, I have an idea,” said Yazwa.
After they found the spare canvas Saiyun took his leave to set up his own area, while Aven went to go check on Batro. Yazwa tracked down a hammer and a few nails with Ji and started putting up the sheet. “Good thing these ceilings are so low,” Yazwa grinned, pounding a nail into the wooden beam through the canvas. It was hard enough standing up straight with the ship swaying back and forth, getting up on a box or a ladder would have been impossible. “Good, hold it up just like that.”
Ji stood on her toes to reach the beam, holding the canvas taught. “I will.”
After a few minutes of hammering and shuffling, the canvas sheet hung around their hammocks. “Let’s see how it looks,” Yazwa said, lifting it up so she and Ji could walk under.
“It seems…dark,” Ji said as the canvas fell to the ground and cut out what little light the hold had.
Yazwa fumbled forward until she found the wooden hatch cut into the hull of the ship. She fiddled with the latch until the hatch swung open, sending a beam of sunlight in. It was cramped, the two hammocks brushed up against the canvas and there was barely enough room for one person to sit between them. “Not bad for a rush job,” she grinned, wiping a bead of sweat off her forehead. “I haven’t had to share a bedroom in a long time, I promise I won’t be a pain.”
Ji cocked her head to one side. “How could you be a pain?”
“Well, I mean. Well…” Yazwa fumbled. Sharing a room with her little sister when they were younger had been challenging. But fights over toys, clothes and which side of the room belonged to who didn’t seem like it would come up all that often. “You must be used to sharing a bedroom then?”
“Not really,” said Ji, walking over to her rope hammock and pressing her hand into it. “None of us had bedrooms, all of the acolytes slept together in the main hall. Every morning we would pack away the cots and blankets to make it ready for morning practice.”
“The…main hall?” Yazwa asked, frowning. She barely knew anything about anyone on this ship. Her bunkmate would probably be a good place to start. “So, I guess you’re used to sleeping around other people.”
“Yes,” Ji said, leaning against the hammock, but pausing when it swung away. “How am I supposed to get into this?”
Yazwa shuffled past her and examined her own hammock. She’d heard of them before, but it was the first time she’d ever seen one. “It can’t be that much different than getting into a regular bed.” Yazwa lifted one leg and leaned over the hammock, only to freeze when it swung away from her. She tried a few more times with no success.
“I see a way,” Ji said, grabbing one of the wooden beams over her hammock with her fingertips. She lifted herself up and slowly lowered herself down. “There, it is easy.”
Yazwa gawked at Ji as she knelt at the center of the hammock. She knew Ji was strong, but the sheer amount of finger strength needed to do that was amazing. “I don’t think I can pull that off,” she said, tossing one of her dreadlocks back behind her shoulder. “Maybe if I try to sit first…”
“Center yourself,” Ji said, watching Yazwa’s attempt. “Keep your core over the middle of the hammock.”
“Got it!” Yazwa cheered when she finally managed to sit down. The hammock swung back and forth and she held on for dear life until it came to a stop. With some careful twisting and turning she stretched out fully on her back. “That shouldn’t have been so hard.”
“You should try my way next time,” Ji said, laying down on her stomach, tail hanging over the edge of the hammock.
“I’ll stick with mine. Where did you learn how to do that?” Yazwa asked, turning her head to look at Ji.
“It was part of my training at the Monastery,” answered Ji. “A strong grip makes for a strong fist.”
“You learned that at the temple up on the cliffs? The one where that Esgan lady came from?” asked Yazwa.
“No,” Ji said, rising up on her knees, somehow without making the hammock even twitch. “I have only studied there for a few months. I grew up at the Lujin Monastery. I was the only acolyte in my year selected to further my studies abroad.”
Yazwa couldn’t help but notice the note of pride that crept into her voice. “Wow, that’s great. No wonder you’re so strong.”
Ji’s eyes dropped to the floor. “I am not.”
“Uh…” Yazwa stammered, scrambling to think of something that would cheer her up. “You’re still a lot stronger than me! And uh…the whole reason she sent you out with us was so you could get stronger. So, you’re on your way, right?”
“I suppose,” Ji said, taking a deep breath. “But I do not even know where to start.”
“Me neither,” Yazwa said. “I think a good place to start would be to introduce ourselves to the rest of the crew. We should at least know who we’re sailing with.”
“I agree,” Ji nodded. She looked down at the hammock underneath her, then up at the ceiling beam that was out of her reach. “How do we get out of these?”
-
Getting themselves out of the hammocks was even harder than getting in, and Yazwa was doubly grateful for the canvas screen that kept their troubles private. After swearing Ji to secrecy Yazwa led her up above decks. Most of the crew seemed quite busy, running this way and that while the sails billowed above them. Bill stood at the steering wheel, calling out orders while Cai knelt on the deck nearby, making measurements on a map.
“It looks like everyone is too busy right now,” Yazwa said, sidestepping a crew member running to the front of the ship. Then she heard a loud bellow come from the Captain’s cabin. Its door was ajar, swinging as the ship swayed.
“Perhaps they are not busy,” Ji said, making for the open door.
Yazwa reached out to Ji, but the words stuck in her throat. Not long ago, she had been fighting for her life in that cabin. No. She took a deep breath and slapped her cheeks. She won. She was alive. The fight was over. Yazwa hurried after Ji and passed through the door. “We heard shouting.”
Batro lay face down on the captain’s bed, snarling something that sounded impolite in a language Yazwa didn’t understand. His wounded leg rested on a piece of canvas, blood oozing out of the stitched-up gash. Aven stood over him, washing his hands in a silver bowl. “Four weeks?” Batro snapped in Gray, glaring at Aven.
“That’s what I said,” Aven said, drying his hands.
“What is wrong?” Ji asked, walking up to Batro’s bedside.
“I have a hole in my leg,” Batro replied.
“Don’t be…whoa,” Yazwa said, eyes drawn to the gash in Batro’s leg. The white thread that held the wound together stood out sharply against Batro’s tanned skin and the rust-red clotted blood. All it took to do that damage was a glancing blow from a blade. When she realized she was staring she shook her head and tore her gaze away. “Does that hurt?”
“Not at all,” Batro said brightly.
Aven sighed and pulled a roll of fresh cloth bandages out of his bag. “You should be happy you can still walk. It was deep, but it missed the tendons and the bone. If you stay in bed, you should be able to make a full recovery. But if you get up and try to hobble around before it’s healed then you’ll probably have a limp for the rest of your life.”
“Four weeks,” Batro replied. “Not one day more.”
“Just hold still while I wrap it back up,” Aven said.
“Do you need help?” Yazwa asked, glancing back at the wound.
“No, this will be easy,” Aven said. “Leave me to it.”
“Will it scar?” Ji asked Batro, kneeling beside the bed.
“You bet,” Batro grinned. “Big, nasty jagged one that’s going to be easy to show off. I even have the blade that did it. It’s perfect.”
Yazwa blinked “How is that perfect? You nearly lost your foot.”
“Only nearly. When I show it to the matchmaker, they’ll know they have a strong man on their hands,” Batro said, flinching when Aven tightened the bandages. “Scars and trophies go a long way in making a marriage.”
Ji stared at him. “I do not understand.”
“Yeah, you’re going to have to explain that again for me too,” said Yazwa.
Batro let out a sigh. “I don’t even know why I bother. Oh. Introductions. Call me Batro.”
“I am Ji,” said Ji with a gentle bow of her head.
“Yazwa Imala,” Yazwa said.
Batro looked them both up and down. “I know you’re an acolyte of En Chitei, but where did you learn to swing a stick like that Yazwa? That something they teach all Achali?”
“My uncle taught me,” Yazwa replied. “He was an old soldier, he taught everyone in the family how to use a staff. I wouldn’t know if they teach all Achali that, I’m not one.”
“Wait,” said Batro, sitting up. “I saw your eyes glowing before. Only Achali can do that, right?”
“Well, no. Kind of,” replied Yazwa, scratching her arm. “I learned it when I was a kid, but since I didn’t pass the Tellatl rites I’m forbidden from learning any more.”
“Oh,” Batro said. “That’s shit. Maybe you should learn how to be a Vao like Saiyun.”
Yazwa blinked. “Of course I couldn’t do that. I’m not a follower of Riyao.”
“No, I sailed with a guy who was an Ezu like Bill, but he was a Vao too. Said anyone could learn if they put their mind to it,” said Batro.
“Well, even though he’s an Ezu he’s still a follower of Riyao,” Yazwa explained.
“AcEzu, Vao, and En Chitei are all under the light of Riyao,” Aven said, snapping his bag shut. “So their followers can learn each other's magic. Someone who follows Illitzo and Atemzl can only learn Achal.”
“Fine, fine. Are you any good with a sword?” Batro asked Yazwa, eyes shining.
“Uh, no,” Yazwa said, scratching the back of her neck. “I can make them, but back home only the nobles were allowed to wield swords. My family learned to fight with staves so we could be familiar with how a weapon worked.”
Batro clucked his tongue. “Shame. Oh well. When I can walk again, we should spar. I’m sick to death of sparring with Cai. He’s the only other person on this ship who’s decent with a blade.”
“I would like to spar as well!” Ji piped up, tip of her tail twitching back and forth.
“No point,” Batro shrugged. “You fight with your fists. I fight with a weapon like a sensible person. Nothing to learn. Besides, I want to go up against someone with some bloodlust.”
Yazwa pointed at herself. “Are you…are you talking about me? I don’t have bloodlust!”
“I’ve been to war,” Batro said. “I know it when I see it. When the Governor was coming for us, you were practically drooling.”
“I was not, I was just...” Yazwa trailed off, looking down at the decks. A cold feeling washed over her as she thought back to the moments when the Governor and his summons were bearing down on them. She took a step back from Batro’s sick bed and turned to leave. “I hope you feel better soon. I’m going to go...rest for a little while.”