Pirate's Prophecy, page 16
Vreva choked on the burning fumes, turning her face away from the putrid green mass.
A streak of black fur leapt up at Bushatra’s face, claws raking at her eyes. As Mathias’s claws slashed, however, a serpent struck from hiding beneath the witch’s writhing hair. The cat twisted out of the way of the striking fangs and clamped onto the snake’s body with his teeth. The two tumbled aside in a tangle of fur and scales, spitting and slashing.
Vreva grabbed the chance to cast another spell. Gauging the distance carefully, she sent a spark of flame streaking past Bushatra’s ear. The spell detonated and an expanding sheet of fire rushed toward them. This time, Bushatra couldn’t dodge the inferno.
Vreva screamed as her skin blistered from the searing heat, but her placement proved good. The witch took the brunt of the conflagration, her body shielding Vreva from the worst of the blast. Bushatra shrieked in pain, and the writhing tendrils of hair withered. As Vreva’s feet touched the floor, she lashed out with her envenomed dagger, but the witch’s slime-coated hand met her wrist. The gooey mass stuck like glue, burning her skin like acid.
Vreva tried to rake the witch’s arm with her dagger, but the pain from the caustic slime was too much and her grip on the hilt failed. She jerked her hand free of the woman’s burning grasp and rolled away from the writhing mass of smoldering hair that was already growing back from Bushatra’s blistered scalp. The slime was spreading, oozing up Vreva’s arm toward her elbow. She scuttled to the fire pit and thrust the afflicted arm into the blazing coals. Agony tore a scream from her throat, but the consuming mass of slime blackened and fell away. When Vreva pulled back from the coals, her skin was charred black, but she could still clench her hand.
At the sound of another hissed incantation behind her, Vreva dodged. A lashing whip of flame struck the cauldron, missing her by inches. Rolling to her feet, she gaped at the hellish whip of fire writhing from the witch’s mouth. Like a long, fiery tentacle, the woman’s tongue lashed forth again. Vreva tried to evade the flaming member, but it scored a burning track across her shoulder.
Vreva dove behind the only significant barrier available, the heavy iron cauldron. There, she considered her dwindling options. Her daggers and crossbow were strewn about the room, and the witch seemed somehow able to resist magical attacks. Vreva only had one other weapon, but to use it, she had to get close to her foe. As the tongue of flame lashed against the unyielding iron pot, Vreva cast her invisibility spell once again. Pressing her charred hand to the gash in her leg to try to prevent leaving a blood trail, she limped out of hiding, skirting the edge of the room as quietly as she could.
Bushatra looked as bad as Vreva felt—her writhing hair smoking, her face a mess of oozing blisters, her clothing nothing but charred scraps. Circling the cauldron and finding Vreva gone, the witch swallowed the writhing tongue of flame and cast another spell. The air buzzed ominously as a swarm of wasps materialized around the witch in a nimbus of venomous fury.
No matter, Vreva thought stoically. She would take a few stings, but that wouldn’t save the witch. She glanced around for Mathias and saw a lump of black fur still entwined with Bushatra’s serpent, both motionless. Her heart skipped a beat, but she hadn’t felt the gut-wrenching lurch of her familiar’s death, a sensation she knew all too well. Mathias might yet survive, but the witch had to be dealt with first.
Another incantation from the witch snapped her attention back to her task. A sheet of flame shot out from Bushatra’s outstretched hands, but it missed Vreva by a wide margin. The witch was desperate, firing off spells without a target. Vreva steeled her nerves and flipped open the leather flap that covered her bracer. She withdrew the envenomed needles and gripped them in her fist. With a deep breath and a mental plea to Calistria, she lunged into the swarm of wasps. As Vreva plunged the needles into the witch’s neck, she felt the wasps’ stingers pierce her skin.
Screams from both women echoed through the chamber. The witch whirled, her hair lashing out like a mass of whips across Vreva’s face, but as she began casting yet another spell, her words faltered. Her eyes widened in shock as the massive dose of poison brought her heart to a standstill. Bushatra collapsed in a noisome heap, the buzzing swarm hovering around her like a death shroud.
“Mathias!” Vreva hobbled to her familiar, the pain of her wounds stabbing her anew with every stride. Kneeling, she examined the two entwined animals. They were locked in an embrace of fangs, the snake’s lodged deep in the cat’s shoulder, Mathias’s clamped just behind the snake’s head, crushing the fragile spine. Vreva carefully pulled the serpent’s fangs free and threw the creature aside. Mathias still breathed, but barely.
“Mathias?” She jostled him, and he opened an eye.
*Got … bit.* He licked his nose and flipped his tail weakly. *Dirty rotten reptile bit me…*
“Hold still.” Vreva lifted her belt flap and pulled out a vial. Long experience with poisons had taught her to be prepared. An old instructor with the Twilight Talons had once told her that an ounce of prevention might be worth a pound of cure, but a handy cure was worth its weight in platinum. Popping the cork, she poured the contents into her familiar’s mouth. “Swallow.”
*Tastes like rat piss!* he complained, but his eyes flicked open and he breathed easier. *I feel a little better, though.* Mathias struggled to his feet and shook himself, then eyed her critically. *You look like crap.*
“Thanks.” Vreva plucked out another vial and downed the contents. The deep wound in her leg and the horrible burns on her hand faded. She still ached all over, but she could walk without limping too badly. “Can you walk? We have to get out of here.”
Mathias took a few wobbly steps. *Um … can you carry me? I can’t seem to make my legs work right.*
“Sure. Wait one minute.” Scouting around the room, Vreva retrieved her lost weapons. She cast one more spell, and grinned as several magical auras came alight in her sight. Keah’s charm bracelet and ring were the first to go in her pocket. Next, she collected an amulet and a curious pair of polyhedral dice from Pothario. Lastly she looked to Bushatra. Deeply tattooed with runes, the woman’s close-fitting leather garment glowed brightly with potent magic despite some charring. Surely this was what had interfered with Vreva’s spells, but she was loath to peel it off the dead witch, let alone wear such a vile thing. Bushatra’s dagger was also enchanted, and Vreva took it, along with a ring of keys and odds and ends from her pouches and pockets.
“Time to get to Stargazer.” Gently lifting Mathias into her arms, Vreva walked to the stairs, then turned back. The flames from her fire spell still smoldered, the thick overhead timbers burnt nearly through. They couldn’t take much more punishment before the entire house came crashing down into the cellar.
*What are you waiting for?*
Vreva recalled the slave Keah murdered, the plan to annihilate Augustana, killing thousands for nothing other than money and prestige. Cleansing the world of such vile pestilence with fire seemed just.
“Nothing at all.” Vreva cast a spell, and watched the tiny spark of orange flame dance atop her finger. Flicking her wrist, she sent the mote streaking into the smoldering rafters. Flames billowed anew, engulfing the room. Without a twinge of remorse, Vreva hurried up the stairs. She still had work to do tonight. The tipping point was behind her, and there was no looking back.
10
The Devil’s Den
“Celeste! Trouble.”
Three hard raps snapped Celeste out of her stellar musing. She slithered to the door of Torius’s cabin, muttering an oath. What could have possibly gone wrong already? They’d only just arrived, Torius was out with loathsome Lothera, and they hadn’t even contacted Vreva yet. She flipped the latch on the door with a flick of magic and opened it a crack to peer through.
“What’s wrong? Who—” A glance told her everything she needed to know. Behind Snick stood Grogul with one meaty arm wrapped around Vreva. His embrace seemed to be the only thing keeping her upright. Instead of her usual garb, the woman wore dark pants and shirt and various weapons. With tattered and bloody clothing, and several nasty burns, Vreva looked like she’d been run through a meat grinder, then thrown on a grill. She cradled a black bundle of fur in one arm, the cat’s tail dangling limply. Celeste flung open the door. “Inside, quick! Did anyone see you come aboard?”
“Give me a little credit, dear,” Vreva said with a tired smile. “They saw a drunken sailor stumble aboard, which I daresay is nothing unusual for this ship.” She glanced around. “Where’s Torius?”
“Out.” Celeste slithered out of the way. “Snick, get your healer’s kit. Grogul, put her on the bunk and go get Thillion. What happened to Mathias?”
“He was bitten by a viper. He’s sleeping, but the venom’s made him sick.” Vreva winced as Grogul lifted her onto Torius’s bunk. “Thank you, Grogul. You’re a dear.”
“You’re welcome.” Grogul ducked out of the cabin to fetch the first mate.
“Oh, stop being polite and tell us what happened!” Celeste snapped.
“I’d really rather wait until everyone’s here. That way I only have to tell it once.” Vreva pushed herself up on the bed and winced.
Snick returned with her satchel of potions and bandages, a blue bottle already in her hand. “Here you go!”
“Oh, thank Calistria.” Vreva popped the cork and downed the contents. “Ah, much better.”
“And if Mathias is sick from snakebite, this should set him up.” Snick handed over another bottle, this one of green instead of blue.
“Oh, excellent! Thank you, Snick!”
Celeste watched anxiously as Vreva jostled her familiar awake and fed him the potion. She breathed easier when the cat perked up, yawned, and lashed his tail. She had known Mathias since the day he’d become Vreva’s familiar, and had liked him from the start. Though she couldn’t actually speak with him, she knew Mathias was one of the team, more family than pet. She smiled when he let out a yowl and lashed his tail.
“Be civil, Mathias. I carried you here, and you slept all the way.” Vreva scratched his chin, and he sat down to tolerate the abuse. “Now, as to what happened—”
Another knock on the door heralded Grogul and a bleary-eyed Thillion. “Sorry. I was reading and must have dozed off. I didn’t hear you come aboard.” The half-elf looked around and blinked. “Where’s the captain?”
“He’s still out.” With Lothera … Celeste banished the image of him stepping aboard the carriage with the harbormaster and focused on Vreva. “I don’t know when he’ll be back.”
“Well, I’m afraid I can’t wait for him to return. I’ve got a lot to tell you, and more to do tonight.”
They all paid rapt attention as Vreva filled them in on everything she’d learned about Admiral Ronnel’s plan. Though she glazed over her intimate encounters with the admiral, she provided all the details about the witch’s coven and her battle with Bushatra.
Celeste’s tail twitched. “Did you have to burn the place down? That’s going to draw attention.”
“I know, but there was no other way. If anyone identifies Bushatra’s body, I’m dead.” Vreva moved to sit on the edge of the bed and rubbed her eyes. “Now, did a trunk and bag arrive by messenger?”
“Oh, yeah. Twilp brought a couple of things.” Snick grinned, obviously pleased by the halfling’s visit. “Didn’t say who they were for, so I put ’em in the hold. They’re yours?”
“Yes, and I need to change and get some supplies before I go aboard Devil’s Trident.”
“Before you what?” Celeste gaped at her anew. “With a devil watching over that weapon, you’re just going to walk in and destroy it?”
“Um, I’ll get the bags.” Grogul ducked out of the room, obviously reticent about being around while the two got into another argument.
Celeste didn’t understand his discomfort. It’s not like he hasn’t seen us fight before. Her long history of disagreements with Vreva originated with the courtesan’s attempts to seduce Torius and culminated in her betrayal of the pirates. Of course, that was before they knew she was actually a spy for Andoran. Baptized together in a desperate battle against slavers, they now shared the same goals and risks. But that didn’t stop them from disagreeing. Especially when she comes up with stupid ideas like this.
“That’s basically the plan.” Vreva shrugged and scratched Mathias. “Bushatra said that she was the only one who could wield the weapon, but we can’t take any chances. If I can destroy the weapon while Anguillithek’s away, I should be able to create some kind of catastrophic distraction and slip off the ship without too much trouble. I’ve got to do it before Robust puts to sea with the weapon aboard.”
“Why?” Thillion withdrew a puzzle chain from a pocket and started working the links quickly through his fingers, his usual habit when applying his keen mind to a complex problem. “We can easily catch a galleon. We could take them at sea before they reach Augustana. Or we could simply inform the Gray Corsairs and have them destroy the ship.”
“Because we don’t know what Ronnel will send along as an escort. If they’re surrounded by half a dozen warships—” Mathias interrupted Vreva with a yowl, which brought a smile to her lips. “And Mathias doesn’t like sea travel.”
“Fine!” Celeste conceded. “But if you insist on doing this, you need to tell us one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“What you want written on your tombstone, because walking into a room with a devil is likely to get you killed! This is suicide!” Celeste rattled her tail against the table leg in irritation.
“There’s no need to be insulting, Celeste. I have been in the company of devils before. I’m Chelish, after all, but I—”
The door opened, and Grogul entered, Vreva’s trunk in his hands and her handbag looking comically dainty looped over his shoulder. “You two still goin’ at it? Where do you want these?”
“Right there’s fine, Grogul. Thank you.” Vreva got up and opened the chest, then started rifling through the contents, talking as she worked. “As for my tombstone, if I get caught, they probably won’t hand over my body for burial, so there’ll be no need for one.” Pulling out two vials, she popped the tops off and downed the contents. Shaking herself as if newly invigorated, she started removing her weapons and tossing them on the bed.
“If you get caught, they’ll interrogate you,” Celeste pointed out.
“I don’t intend to let that happen ever again.” Vreva fixed Celeste with a serious stare as she slipped off her shoes. “Once was more than enough, thank you. I’ve got ways of taking my life if they catch me.”
Grogul growled deep in his chest and Celeste twitched her tail. They all knew what Vreva had gone through the last time she’d been captured. Celeste couldn’t blame her for planning suicide rather than go through it again. “So if you’re going to dance with the devil, what’s our role in your plan?”
“If I am discovered and have a chance to escape, I’m going to need a quick way out of Ostenso.” Vreva unfastened her belt and slipped out of her torn and bloody trousers and scorched shirt. She wore scanties and a snug camisole beneath that were less revealing than some of the gowns Celeste had seen her wear as a courtesan. Dampening a cloth in the washbasin, she scrubbed the blood and soot from her legs and arms as she spoke. “I may have to jump into the bay, so I’ll need a way to get to Stargazer before they shoot me full of arrows or the devil comes after me.”
“We can station Kalli under the ship while you’re aboard,” Thillion offered. “She can stay underwater indefinitely and help you if the need arises.”
“Got one of those potions that let you breathe like a fish, too,” Snick offered. “Kalli can give it to you if you have to jump in.”
“That’s all good, but…” Celeste frowned. Though she didn’t want to be the one to bring it up, another subject had to be addressed. “… if you’re discovered and you don’t have a chance to escape … how will we know?”
“If Mathias returns without me, it means I’m dead.” Vreva donned a clean shirt and pants, and secured her daggers and bandolier of crossbow bolts. Mathias yowled, but she hushed the cat with a wave of her hand. “If that happens, you’ll have to destroy Robust at sea, or if that’s impossible, contact Trellis and have her call in the Gray Corsairs. But if I am caught, even if they get no information from me, they’ll know their plan’s been discovered. They might change things, or even lay a trap for you.”
“What if you aren’t caught, but need more time to neutralize the weapon?” Thillion’s fingers were clicking through the puzzle chain at top speed. Obviously, he wanted to consider every possible eventuality. “You still have no idea what this weapon is, so it may take you some time to decide how to best disarm or destroy it.”
“Have someone keep an eye on the ships. If you see Bushatra cross over to Robust, you’ll know I’m still working on it. I’ll contact you using magic to let you know what my plan is.”
“I wish Captain Vin was here,” the first mate said tightly. “He might have more questions.”
“No time,” Vreva said, an inscrutable smile quirking across her lips. “I’ve got to board Devil’s Trident before Bushatra’s overdue.” She checked over her gear one more time and picked a few more items out of her chest, tucking them in her belt pouch.
“Don’t know how you can go in there alone.” Snick frowned, her usual ebullient mood quashed by the gravity of what the spy was proposing.
Mathias meowed loudly and thrashed his tail.
“See? I won’t be alone.” Vreva smiled and sighed. “Don’t look so glum. There’s no way to know if it’ll work or not, so the best we can do is—”
“Wait!” No way to know … Celeste writhed her coils in agitation. She hadn’t told anyone but Torius about her strange new abilities, though they had been on her mind constantly. She had even tried practicing, asking questions of the heavens to see if they deigned to answer. Most of the time she got no answer, but sometimes she did. I have to at least try.
