I made sure to avoid the notice of the roving shapeshifter as I made my escape. When I felt I was out of imdiate danger, I reviewed my prompts.
The Athair has sunk your vessel!
You have unlocked the quest Sins of the Father, Sins of the Son. Despite your personal admonitions on how you never cared who your father was, deep down you recognized it was untrue. Now, the identity of your father will have untold consequences for your new life. Find out who he is!
I stopped swimming, stunned into immobility. It was only the slight upward buoyancy of my drifting body that snapped back into motion.
I didnt like being called out on feelings I buried. The ssage was right; my passive attitude about the absence of my father was a front. Id always felt abandoned by the man, or worse discarded. The idea that my father was the deceased Marston noble was no comfort, and the Marston family had gone to extensive asures to make sure I never felt like he could have been. Rather than fruitlessly roll in my anger and sorrow, I buried it and moved on as best I could. At least, until a prompt with a quest popped up to dredge the grave.
Why did I get a quest for it? Quests didnt pop up involving every mystery. There was no standard quest issued to bastards labelled find the identity of your father. Why did I get one? Was it just because of who I was? Did the power of my position make it a concern big enough to warrant a quest? Or was it my father who was important enough, and I only got the other half of what he was pursuing?
Was my father pursuing my identity? How would I feel if he tried to find after all this ti?
No, that was too coincidental. My quest probably was only half: it was labeled as sins of both the father and son. Yet the timing of it stank. Why had I been given this quest at the exact mont I encountered the invisible wall? Was it possible that was the mont it beca applicable that my efforts clashed with those of my father? Was my father on the Athair?
I hardened my heart to those questions. It didnt matter. I didnt care. I would never pursue this quest. The man whod hired my mother as a courtesan and then left behind didnt deserve my attention. He could rot in the deep for all I cared. If he dared to stand aboard a ship that opposed I wouldnt hesitate to send it to its grave!
I scrutinized the docks before I exited the harbor. Things were indeed quiet, but that wasnt to say the docks were vacant. Crews, workers and bystanders were huddled to watch the ship and gossip about what was going on. I climbed up a pier that should have been out of sight from anyone, but a small man imdiately walked toward . It was easy to see I was his destination by how focused he was on . I t his eyes as I deliberately moved to avoid his path, and we were both shocked at the result.
Unknown Human has tried to engage you in ntal combat!
ntal effects resisted!
The man didnt seem to expect the result any more than Id expected such an attack. It painted him as a clear enemy to , however. I glanced around and saw no one else in the vicinity, so I t the mans eyes again. This ti, I was the instigator.
Id spent enough ti training with Renshaw that entering Tadra was natural to , even if I was dragging an unknown mind with . I found myself on the familiar deck of my ship, though now there were storm clouds rumbling over the crystal waters.
My opponent was even more stunned to find himself in my mindscape than he was that Id resisted his challenge. He imdiately tried to escape back to his body, but I refused to concede. With a cry he fled instead, looking to find another ans of removing himself from my ntal domain.
He ran to the side and jumped over, landing on the water and running, each stride carrying him further and faster. I dove over the side as well, but the water accepted into its depths. I rocketed under him and interrupted his escape in a whirling waterspout. He was surprised enough that his next step failed to catch him on the surface and he crashed into the sea.
I was frankly rather surprised. I expected soone who knew the deeper ntal magic to be much more proficient in Tadra. Either he was an amateur, or my training with Renshaw had skewed my standards.
I bound him in ice, but he teleported away. It took only a mont to catch him again, overwhelming his efforts to alter reality with the power inherent in my own mindscape. Isolating and controlling his mind then felt easy.
Renshaw had never allowed to practice subjugating or exploring his mind. I didnt bla him; the old wizard had his secrets and the practice would have him at my rcy. Nevertheless, wed discussed the principles in detail. Now I found that domineering my opponents mind was intuitive borderline easy.
My mindscape faded slightly while I dove into the mans mind. He was terrified. He knew I was Jones lieutenant and he knew I outclassed him. He hadnt been able to cry for help. There were five others picketed along the docks two masters and their apprentices. They were waiting, fulfilling their role of the plan making sure Jones lieutenant had no allies on hand to help him escape the trap that was in place.
I pulled my mind back slightly to process that. It was a trap specifically for . They knew I was here. How?
It was harder to root that knowledge from this apprentice; he wasnt directly involved in it. Apparently, thered been so ans of noticing the magic I used when I raised my ships. It wasnt enough for them to pinpoint, but every ship Id raised as practice had been a beacon helping them to narrow down the area. When they had it narrowed down enough, so mage specialist had perford a spell that identified my location. It was a long, difficult spell but Id given them ample opportunity by staying in the sa spot so long.
Now they were here to exterminate . King Leopold had spoken with other nations, and Oorkom had spared so of its ships in the endeavor. The mage whod pinned my location was aboard the Athair, and she was using magic to restrict the movent of any cursed being. They were only able to block the harbor mouth, but they believed that would be enough. They would scour the harbor until I was dead.
There was no question of any other option. They had no contingency for taking alive or even asking questions first. They also didnt believe I was capable of coming ashore. The mind mages had been looking for possible accomplices, not showing up myself.
That made wonder if I hadnt missed an opportunity to have accomplices. Renshaw knew my secret and hadnt condemned for it, could I have established a network to support ?
Bah, what did I know of making or running sothing like that? Id be terrified the whole ti soone was going to rat out. Maybe I missed the chance for a few more confidants, but certainly keeping my secret had been the right play.
Andross army had postponed their planned takeover of Tulisang until after everything was in place to get . Theyd had more than enough ti to prepare, were backed by additional troops and allies, and even had sources inside the city that were willing to help or make deals. That went far in explaining the quietness of the town; Tulisangs leaders already knew it was coming and had planned accordingly. Apparently fighting in the streets wasnt part of their plan this ti. The timing of the local quest to eliminate the wolf-bat problem was coincidental, but they capitalized on it to make their move easier.
I tried to see if there was anything about Renshaw in the plans for the city, but this apprentice didnt have any such knowledge. I breathed a quick sigh of relief. Renshaw should still be safe.
Dominating my opponents mind gave options on what to do with him. It would be easy enough to kill him, but I worried that his death might send so sort of alarm to his master. He was also only level 4; despite the fact he knew a deeper magic. Life in Andross court hadnt provided many opportunities for leveling. The XP I might get for killing him wasnt worth the risk.
But I couldnt risk him sharing what he knew of , could I? If he was found dead, all theyd be able to glean was that hed been killed with ntal magic. If he was rescued, theyd know I could step on land, theyd know my na and whatever stats the apprentice could recall, and theyd know how powerful I was in Tadra.
I didnt have a choice. I grasped his mind and began to destroy it.
In the physical world, his body would be experiencing no changes besides a drop in HP. I was inflicting direct ntal damage onto him, and after Id inflicted enough his mind faded away, gone from my mindscape and his body.
I left Tadra and scanned the area, ignoring the prompt of XP gained. Engaging in ntal magic left you vulnerable. The apprentice laid on the ground where hed fell. A pair of sailors were approaching, having noticed sothing was going on and investigating.
I grabbed the apprentice under the arms and propped him against an old crate. I started talking to him and slapping his face like I was trying to get him to wake up. When the sailors arrived I stood and ran past them.
Hes not looking so good! Im going to try and get so help!
One of them called out a suggestion for a nearby healer, so I had to divert a bit to look like I actually was going for help. By the ti any mind mages ca around looking for him, Id be nothing more than an anecdote in the unexplained story of how the apprentice died.
I was going to Renshaws place by an indirect route to make sure I wasnt leaving a trail. It was when crossing a main road that I saw the occupying force.
Andross military wasnt here as a token garrison anymore. Marching down the street was a wall of yellow and black with shields magically linked. There might not be much resistance, but theyd more than prepared for it. There were forty shield-wall soldiers at the front of the formation, another forty in the rear.
In the middle was a strange group of twenty: they wore uniforms of red and black and carried strange bows. The bows looked like soone had made a longbow into a crossbow, but then added another facing the wrong direction. The bulky design of limbs and strings was not what I expected of an archer regint, but a quick analyze said they were all better trained with their weapons than the shield soldiers. Were these the allies that the apprentice had thought of?
Between the archers and the shield soldiers were several mages. They had magical shields surrounding them to protect from ambush tactics. One of them spotted watching and yelled for to return to my ho. I quickly departed, but only to circle around sowhere else.
I encountered several such companies while crossing town, and those were the lightly ard patrols. The main concentration of forces seed to be localized where they expected trouble: the territory of the green armbands. I heard sounds of so fighting, but it was more like resistance being put down than rebellion.
I approached Renshaws ho thinking about what I expected him to help with. Was there a way to move through the encroaching army down the coast to a beach outside of the ambush that had been set for ? I could find so boat small enough for to manage on my own. Would I have to be alone? Tulisang was no longer anything but a trap for . It wouldnt be much better for Renshaw. I knew the wizard would reject any offer to be part of my crew, but maybe hed be willing to escape with ? Who knows where our friendship could go from there? I didnt need to be his captain if he was willing to hang around as a friend.
His door was ajar.
I imdiately picked up on the splintered doorjamb and dropped into stealth. I peeked through the door and adjacent windows but saw no one and heard nothing. I entered slowly, cognizant of potential traps. There were no traps, no signs of a struggle, and no people.
I wasnt foolish enough to call out. I snuck around the house to check for other signs. Maybe Renshaw had broken his own doorjamb, but that strained credibility. If there werent signs of a fight, then it ant Andros had entered to make an arrest and hed gone with them willingly.
There was a struggle though. When I got to the bedroom the signs of magical damage were all too clear. Renshaw had been alerted and fought. Surely he wouldnt have fought against troops?
Surely if he had fought, thered be signs of his victims. Renshaw was much too powerful of a mage to go down without taking his attackers down with him. I could understand attackers taking their dead with them when they left, but where was the blood?
What if it hadnt been troops that had arrived to arrest him for the training hed given pirates and the unbridled talent he possessed? What if soone else had co for him? An older enemy from his past? Hed thought I was sothing else when he discovered my curse, what if the people he really feared had found him like Andros and Oorkom had found ?
The battle extended from Renshaws bedroom through a broken window into the backyard. There at least to my senses it ended. I hunted about for signs that Renshaw had escaped or the battle had moved sowhere else, but I lacked the tracking skill and my observation skill wasnt up for the task.
I went to the adjacent house and banged on the door until a wizened old lady cracked it open. She looked up and down and her expression soured.
Whaddaya want?
The house next door, I growled, jerking my thumb. What happened there?
She glanced outside in the direction of Renshaws ho. He woke up last night with his magicking! I look the other way for all those people he has coming and going, training them outside of a proper college. But if he starts making as much of a commotion as he did last night, Ill see that hes arrested! See if I dont!
With a few more questions, it beca clear that the old woman knew nothing other than thered been a commotion. I pounded on more doors in the neighborhood but didnt get much more information than that.
I did see soone wearing black, the man across the road said. It sounded like a fight, so I peeked out to see what was going on. Not that Id know who to help. To my understanding, wizard Renshaw was teaching anyone who had the coin.
Yes, yes, I said, impatient with the politics of the situation. I knew that all Renshaws neighbors had been at least tolerant, if not friendly. Everyone knew there was a regi being established in town now, so they suddenly beca upstanding, patriotic citizens. Who did you see?
No one, least no one I might recognize. Like I said, they were wearing black robes head-to-toe. I only caught a glimpse of one, looked like he was standing watch. When the fight stopped, nothing else happened. I probably watched for close to an hour, but I didnt see anybody leave. I was getting ready to go over there this morning to check on him when the army ca back. The man shrugged. I figured by that point, it was too late to help the old man if he needed it anyway.
I made an effort not to grind my teeth. They were all wearing black robes did they have a crest? Symbol? Anything?
The man shook his head. Nothing. They were trying to avoid anything like that, Im sure of it. Funny, I didnt know the army had people who did that. My cousins in the army you know! Ive heard from him
I left the man before he could find a way to remind how patriotic he and his family were. None of the neighbors knew anything besides thered been a commotion, with one account of mysterious black clad figures.
Renshaw had been captured. There was no body, blood or remains of any kind not from him or his assailants. Who captured him remained a mystery, as it seed less and less plausible that Andros would preempt their invasion to take out a single wizard. Especially not if it necessitated a team powerful enough to do it without casualties. People that powerful would be needed elsewhere.
Ive never felt so trapped by my curse, not even when I was seconds from dying on the docks. Renshaw had been my friend my best friend. That was a less pathetic way of saying my only friend. He had been captured and I had no lead and no ti to hunt one down. If the army had captured him then I had no ans of helping, not in the hours I had left. If it was another organization I had even less chance.
I had to get myself out of town to safety. I had to leave my friend to his own fate.
I cursed the military and all the factions in town, adding in a shadow organization for good asure. Id had a friend here who was only a persuasive argunt from being a companion. Hed been snatched away just hours before I had the chance to ask. Was this an unintended effect of my curse? Was anyone I considered a friend caught up in it and rushed to their own fates?
With shaking fists, I forced myself to leave the area. I forced myself to ignore the feeling that I was abandoning soone whod helped , whod been kind to . But before I did, I went inside Renshaws ho and took several books from his library. I did it partly because I was being pragmatic: I needed more information and he didnt need them. The other part of wanted to have ntos and tell myself that Id safely store them and return them to him later. That allowed to believe I hadnt seen the last of him.
I scouted out the edge of town and found that surround the town was being taken literally. There was no wall of shields but there was a soldier picketed every few yards and reserves waiting for an alarm to rush forward and quash any attempts to escape. I dont know if it was my fault, but King Leopold had invested far more troops than necessary to assert control over his unruly port.
I found myself on the sa street Id been on when I first entered town several months ago. Id co looking for so food and basic supplies, finding training and a ans of experinting with my profession was just gravy on top. Id grown attached since then, used to the routine, the friendship with Renshaw, the camaraderie with Kane and his other itinerant students.
Id considered asking Kane for help, but Renshaws first warning about the man stuck in my head. He was a heck of a trainer, but he was a rcenary. He couldnt be trusted with my secret and he wouldnt stick his neck out for with the trouble going on. With no other options presenting themselves, I walked the sa road I had on my first visit.
So it wasnt that surprising when I found myself outside Donovans Reef. Id avoided the area ever since Id caught that hawk spying on . The tavern was nice, but the risk just seed too high. Id hardly thought of food as anything except fuel for the past few months, Id been pushing myself too hard.
I thought back to the night when Id run into Donovan doing whatever shady business hed been up to on the docks. He hadnt been happy to see then, but maybe hed just thought I was spying on him. There were a number of things he was no doubt involved in that he wouldnt want to witness. The cloaked strangers hed been with had sailed out before Renshaws capture and didnt seem to match the description of the assailants anyway, so I doubted he was involved in that aspect of it.
Feeling the noose tightening around , I entered Donovans Reef.
It was still early morning, and with the trouble going on the place looked deserted. Donovan was still behind the bar, though, and a troupe was practicing for an evening performance that would probably be very thin.
I thought I heard the Old Man say:
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her."
Tomorrow you will get your pay
And it's ti for us to leave her
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's ti for us to leave her
Oh, the work was hard and the wages low.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
I guess its ti for us to go
and its ti for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's ti for us to leave her
We swear by rote for want of more.
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her!"
But now were through so we'll go on shore.
And it's ti for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's ti for us to leave her
Pilgrim! Donovan greeted enthusiastically when he saw , no trace of awkwardness over our last encounter. If anything, there was a twinkle in his eye. I was hoping youd be a regular those months back when I pointed you towards Smitty, but youve kept yourself a stranger. Too busy to drop by and scope things out? He seed to find sothing he said very amusing.
I have been busy, I said, approaching the bar. Trained up a few of my skills. Tell , I gestured at the empty room and then at a large patrol that was passing by outside. You seem awfully chipper this morning. I wouldve expected you to be a bit more concerned with everything going on.
Donovan swept his arm in a grand gesture to his establishnt. What does a businessman such as myself have to fear from soldiers? My dealings are entirely legitimate! More soldiers will simply an more custors. He chuckled again, like there was hidden aning in his words that only he found funny.
The perforrs had to pause while one of their number replaced a string, leaving an empty silence to underscore my headache. Id had a pretty rough morning, so I was in a bad mood all around. Donovans rrint didnt improve my disposition. You an youre not a mber of the Free Brethren? I accused.
Donovan waged his finger at . The only cri of being associated with the Free Brethren is when they take up arms against the nation or facilitate the theft of slaves, such as that unfortunate business on the plantation the other day. My compatriots and I why, we only support the advocacy program of the Free Brethren. Entirely legal! Weve gone so far as to approach the commander of the local forces to make sure our position is clear. He was still amused. So imagine my surprise to see you of all people back here today. Tell , he leaned forward, his elbows on the bar. What help can I offer you this fine morning?
I didnt have the ti to involve myself in the politics at play here. I actually need a ship out of town.
Donovan looked surprised, then suspicious, studying intently. I knew his analyze skill was good, but he hadnt seen through before. Id only ever made him apprehensive.
Now why would you need a ticket out of town today?
Turns out that trouble I ca here to avoid arrived with the army. Now Im in the awkward situation of trying to get out of a town thats doing its best to keep anyone from making an escape.
Youre lying, Donovan quietly. Why are you keeping at it? We threw your superiors a bone and theres no evidence. What do you hope to achieve?
My superiors? I said, surprise coming easily to my voice. Wait, you think you think Im working for the army? As a spy? You think Im an informant trying to get you to talk?
Arent you? Donovan said quizzically.
No. No, Im not! I dont care that youre Free Brethren, even if one of your mages did try and zap during the last battle! I dont care if youre on a crusade to free every slave in the nation. I dont want anything to do with the local politics here.
Then who are you? Donovan demanded.
We both paused to think about what was going on and what wed said and assud in the past.
You were the one spying on with the hawk, werent you? I asked.
And you were waiting outside the Gate to spy on us.
The Gate? Was that the ship where I saw you the other night? No, I wasnt waiting or spying! I was walking by! If I was spying, do you think that ship would have just left? You were hiding, what? Almost a hundred people on board? Who they were or what you were doing wasnt any of my business!
Consternation filled Donovans features. I mustve guessed true. Hed been happy because his ship had gotten away clean in spite of what he saw as my interference.
That leaves us the question: if youre not spying on or my fellows, why do you need to get out of town so badly? He was scrutinizing like if he could just try hard enough the pieces would click and hed be able to understand .
And to both of our surprise, thats exactly what happened. Donovan made a logical leap and ard with his knowledge his analyze skill easily verified the assumption.
Your ability Hide True Nature has failed!
My face paled as his jaw dropped.
So youre the one!
I backed away, preparing to cast magic and pull any of my weapons from my inventory, should I need to. Donovan just stared slack jawed. Before I did so hasty preemptive strike he gathered himself and glanced around, then beckoned closer. When I hesitated he did it more insistently.
Theyre dredging the harbor for you! They didnt think any spawn of Jones could step foot ashore.
Im hardly spawn.
Donovan nodded. But they do have you closed in, and you want a way out.
And youre suddenly willing to accommodate ? Why does this sll like a trap?
He pointed outside his windows at the red-and-black uniford troops at the center of a patrol. Do you see that? Those n are from Makam: the new human empire. The empire is huge, theyre our only neighbor in the east or south. They stretch all the way across to the outer oceans. The emperor wants to own Andros and build his wooden rails through here, establishing a continuous trade route from the outer oceans to the inner ones. Its a vital piece of the puzzle they need to keep expanding. Theyre at a stalemate with their neighbors right now, and Andros is the weak link.
The emperor offers to help King Leopold fill his coffers by establishing a slave trade, and that kid monarch jumps to lick his hand! The emperor says port trade is vital to imports and exports, and the king leaps to crack down on Tulisang. The emperor offers to move troops into Andros to help bolster their numbers and organization, and the idiot kid goes for it! The only reason Andros isnt part of Makam already is because the emperor knows Leopold will be a loyal pet if he doesnt rush things.
Why would I help you? Old histories say that Davy Jones was a captain during the peak of the second empire. When he was betrayed and cast into the sea the ocean chose him as its avatar to break the empire and whatever the empire had been doing to the seas. He made the seas run red with imperial blood, weakening their hold over each colony. The oppressed inhabitants of each nation were able to rise and reclaim much of their own thanks to him.
Until that quest was shared months ago, I didnt even think Davy Jones still existed. Would I support anyone that did sothing like that? You betcha. If I thought there was a chance that power would co again to deny a similar evil, do you think Id help it escape a trap in an occupied pirate town so it would have a chance? He brought his face inches away from mine. Bloody right I would!
I wanted to believe Donovan, but what I wanted to believe didnt matter much anyway. I only had a few hours before Id have to run back to the harbor and take my chances fighting whoever ca.
Do you have a way out for ?
Donovan chewed his lip for a mont. I do. The Gate was taking all the slaves we were able to free from the surrounding plantations during the chaos of that local quest. That was a significant portion of the workforce, all the farms that can afford it have swapped to slave labor. Because of everything thats going on now, more slaves are being moved out either for safekeeping or to be sold at Dagat.
You can smuggle in with the slaves.
No, I cant. What I can do is get you a position on the ship thats carrying them to market. Ive well, such ships are currently unpopular and theyre under-crewed. I can bring you straight to the captain and pass it off as Free Brethren ingratiating themselves with the regi. Youre a dab hand, I gather?
Yes. When does this ship sail?
The last group of slaves should be arriving by noon. Theyll sail as soon as they have them in the hold. They want to get the investnts away from any potential trouble.
Alright, Ill do it.
Seaborn, Donovan grabbed my shirt and pulled halfway over the bar. You go on that ship for passage only. Im helping you because I think it may help others. You pick up the slave trade yourself and dare show your face here again the sea have rcy on you.
I hope the sea has rcy on anyway. I said as he released my shirt. I used up all my lifes luck in one week, four months ago.
Donovan went to a back room to grab so of his things. I waited, antsy and shifting on my feet. The band had started up again and the lyrics spoke to , injecting with lancholy.
Oh, the wind was foul and the sea ran high
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her!"
She shipped it green and none went by
And it's ti for us to leave her
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's ti for us to leave her
The old man swears and the mate swears too,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
The crew will swear and so will you and
its ti for us to leave her,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's ti for us to leave her
We swear by rote for want of more.
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her!"
But now were through so we'll go on shore.
And it's ti for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's ti for us to leave her.
I hadnt beco attached to Tulisang not the land, at least. Id beco attached to my ti here, though. The friendship Id had with Renshaw, the normalcy Id had with Smitty and Kane, even the camaraderie Id had training with pirates all of it had added up and lashed to the town as tightly as any mooring line. The song seed to be speaking to , telling my ti here was done. The friendship and normalcy were gone.
Donovan left the bar and led personally to the docks to a carrack nad the Consort. Of course it was a carrack. If I was going to make an escape, it would have to be aboard a ship I hated. Donovan led up the gangplank and made a beeline towards the captain, a grizzled bulldog of a man with a nose that looked like it had been broken more than once.
Captain Burdette! Donovan said, with a cheer that I knew must be fake. Before he could say anything else the captain interrupted him.
Whaddaya want here, copper-mouth?
I hadnt heard that particular slur before, but I could tell there was vitriol behind it and Donovan struggled briefly to maintain his false cheer.
Well Burdette, Im looking to make so restitution. I tried finding so hands to supplent your crew, but most of them seem to have gone to ground. You probably wouldnt want too many from anyway, would ya? Anyway, this here fellers got years of experience on the sea and all hes looking for in return is a ride out of this brushfire before it eats us all up. How about it?
I was a head taller than Captain Burdette, and he looked up at like he was trying to place where hed seen before. I hope he didnt solve that puzzle, because I already had. Months ago when I first arrived, the king had posted notice of the quest involving . In my impatience, Id barged up and snatched the notice from a man, then ignored his temper.
Captain Burdette was that man.
He analyzed critically and I took the chance to do the sa to him. He was level 17 but had a seamanship level of 24. That put him among the best sailors to ply the waves. In all my years at sea, the highest seamanship level Id ever seen was 27 it was a private goal of mine to make 30 before I died, and at my rate it just might be possible. Captain Burdette didnt have my perk, but he was clearly a natural to have such a high level and no gray hairs. At least, I didnt think any the hairs on his shaved head were gray.
Lad, you know that this heres a slave vessel, and you agree to work for and follow my orders? He glanced at Donovan. And none of this bleeding-heart nonsense over the goods?
Are you sure you wish to enter the service of Captain Burdette?
Yes, captain, I said, accepting the prompt. The sa things had happened when I signed an agreent with Smitty. If Jones suddenly showed up to demand I break my agreent, Id just thank him for getting out of this ss.
Good. Ill take im, Donovan. Dont think this single sailor is going to redeem yourself any, though! Now get off the Consort before the next batch cos, and I swear if I see you up to any funny business with them Ill have you wearing chains too!
Donovan raised his hands in surrender and backed away, shooting a aningful glance as he departed. Donovan wasnt saving my hide out of friendship, he thought Id be useful. That was fine, it was fair play. He also didnt want to make friends with Burdette or anyone else here. If the captain was as abrasive with as he was with Donovan, that wouldnt be a problem. I didnt plan on making any promises, though.
I looked out to where the Athair sat in the mouth of the harbor. Id made the first step, but I still had to get past that ship that may or may not have my father aboard. I sure hope that wall that blocked didnt extend above the surface of the water.
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