A hush fell over the crew standing nearby where Captain Serpentis, Finn, Toni, and myself spoke, like I\u2019d uttered the single worst curse there was. But I didn\u2019t care. It didn\u2019t matter who heard me. I told the truth. I would get justice for Maester Bobbins and the thirty-two other small-folk of Hill Hollow who died because of Hellbringer and his raiders.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scent of iron stung my nostrils. Had I gotten so angry I\u2019d started a nosebleed? I wiped my upper lip with a single finger and there wasn\u2019t a trace of blood. But the smell of coin and metal still persisted. Hot rage seeped through my body as I finally spotted another ship sailing toward the Onyx Glory. My focus narrowed in on the all-black boat, from its sails to its hull. It was like I couldn\u2019t see anything else around me. I didn\u2019t even hear Finnan saying my name until he shook my shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKit, you\u2019re not serious, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I blinked, almost unwilling to rip my gaze away from the approaching vessel, but Finn shook me again and I finally looked him in the eyes. He was frowning, eyebrows bunched together with concern.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m completely serious,\u201d\u00a0I said. Why would he even doubt that I was serious in the first place?\u00a0\u201cThat man either killed or terrorized everyone I care about. I\u2019m not just going to hide and let him get away with that. That would be a dishonor to what everyone lost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finn looked ready to argue with me, but the captain intercepted our disagreement.\u00a0\u201cI know what you and the small-folk of Hill Hollow went through, Kithri, but taking on Hellbringer means taking on his entire crew. My sailors didn\u2019t sign up for that fight, and I can\u2019t condone anything that would put them in harm\u2019s way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I scowled at the captain, chewing on the logic of his words, but I didn\u2019t want to be logical.\u00a0\u201cAll I\u2019m hearing is that you\u2019re refusing to do the right thing, you coward,\u201d\u00a0I said, pulling away from my friend\u2019s hand on my shoulder and crossing my arms in defiance of their logic and decisions. I looked around for Toni, hoping he\u2019d back me up, but he\u2019d disappeared, apparently willing to follow orders and go below deck to make medicine to help the villains coming toward us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019d experienced small acts of betrayal before. Liora tattling to Ma and Da after catching me practicing magic. Finnan saying he was sick but was actually hanging out with another friend,\u00a0Gillia<\/em>, the youngest child of a dryad family who lived in the forest behind his home. Uncle Simeon not returning to Hill Hollow after promising \u2014 after his trip to Galsteadon, the capital city in Pytenna \u2014 that he\u2019d take me with him on his next grand adventure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those were just disappointments compared to this new, awful treachery. I tried to steel myself, harden my exterior so they wouldn\u2019t know how much they\u2019d hurt me, but tears bubbled to my eyes and slid down my cheeks in another unfaithful act. I dug my fingernails into my palms. Maybe physical pain would alleviate the pain from how my heart was tearing in two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The captain took a knee in front of me, reminding me of how I would kneel before my youngest siblings to talk to them. I looked away from him, refusing to meet his gaze. He could clearly see the tears, but I wasn\u2019t going to let him see how deep the hurt ran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He spoke anyhow.\u00a0\u201cKit, sometimes the only right thing we can do is wait for the\u00a0right<\/bdi><\/bdo><\/em>\u00a0time to take action.\u201d\u00a0His voice was soft, gentler than I\u2019d ever imagined he could speak. He\u2019d always been the loudest one on the ship for the past three days \u2014 no matter the circumstance. Now, it was like he thought he could break me with his breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, when is the right time going to happen if not now? When else am I going to be right here when he isn\u2019t expecting me?\u201d\u00a0I asked, wiping away a\u00a0treacherous\u00a0tear trailing down my cheek with a quick swipe of my hand. Finn\u2019s arm wrapped around my shoulder and squeezed me to his side. I took a deep breath and it was like the last whiff of the Hollow mustered itself to greet me from his sun-warmed skin and clothes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a sign.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hill Hollow was still there. Hill Hollow was still good, despite all the evil that he\u2019d wrought on the people\u2026\u00a0my people<\/em>. The reason I ever left on this journey was to learn how to protect them, not to take revenge on the person who hurt us. I couldn\u2019t forget that.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I raised my gaze from the ground to meet Captain Serpentis\u2019s gaze. His gray eyes were warm and so full of sympathy that I started feeling a little guilty about calling him a coward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLook, Hellbringer is a skilled warrior and sailor. To take him on, you\u2019d have to grow your combat skills. Simply based on knowing your\u00a0true<\/bdi><\/bdo><\/em>\u00a0age and not your skill level, I know he is a better fighter than you,\u201d\u00a0the Captain said. I told myself I wouldn\u2019t take that comment personally, but a sour taste rose in the back of my throat that told me otherwise. Captain Serpentis spoke the truth, but that didn\u2019t mean it didn\u2019t sting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finn rubbed my shoulder with his whole palm in an excited and frantic spasm.\u00a0\u201cWell, we\u2019re on our way so I can learn to fight, so there\u2019s that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the use of training if I can never get to him? He\u2019s in the middle of the Golden Sea,\u201d\u00a0I said, gesturing to the endless sea behind us and then over to Stormreach.\u00a0\u201cI may never have this chance again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Captain Serpentis stood tall and scanned the crew around us, listening to our conversation. They all began moving, acting like they\u2019d heard nothing we just said. Jeremey, a blue-skinned sea elf with light blue tattoos covering his skin, stood nearby, whistling under his breath and pretending to clean the deck with a dry mop. The crew liked to call him Jeremey the Daft for good reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow about a proposal?\u201d\u00a0Captain Serpentis said, not loud enough for the entire ship to hear, but with enough volume that I knew he intended on keeping whatever proposal he was about to make.\u00a0\u201cIf you go, train with this mysterious Dragon\u2019s Helm, and come find me again, I\u2019ll allow you to challenge me to a duel, however many times you wish. Once you defeat me, I will help gather enough willing fighters and crew to man the ship that will help you take down Hellbringer and his raiders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beat the captain in a duel? There was no way\u2026\u00a0especially<\/em>\u00a0not now. I\u2019d only practiced on trees, not moving targets, or targets that can hit back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I had to hope \u2014 I had to believe in myself. My future self, at least.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got a deal,\u201d\u00a0I said, shaking his extended hand with a firm resolve. I would become good enough. I had to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGreat. We have a plan. Now, can we hide before anybody on his crew spots that we\u2019re on the ship?\u201d\u00a0Finn asked. He was still clutching my shoulder. I felt a nervous shiver run through his body.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wanted to call him a big baby but bit my tongue. Finn had never been, and likely never would be, a fighter. He had joined me on this journey due to of a sense of loyalty. He was here to help because that was who he was. But I couldn\u2019t tell him to enter a fight if he didn\u2019t want to.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I couldn\u2019t put another person I cared about in harm\u2019s way to settle a score with someone. That went against everything I wanted to fight for \u2014 those peaceful small-folk who had done nothing to deserve Hellbringer\u2019s wrath. Just because I was walking down the path of a warrior didn\u2019t mean that Finnan had to do the same. I loved him for his carefree spirit and gentle heart, and also for his courage to leave the safety of home and walk into the unknown with me. When the time came for the fight with Hellbringer, I\u2019d leave him behind, where he was safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, let\u2019s go hide away now,\u201d\u00a0I said, wrapping a grateful arm around my friend, walking into the captain\u2019s quarters, and locking the door behind us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An hour passed before movement really started onboard the Onyx Glory. I peered out onto the main deck through a sliver of open curtains in Captain Serpentis\u2019 quarters. I couldn\u2019t risk more than that in case Hellbringer decided to look too closely around the ship. Several sailors I didn\u2019t recognize stalked through my tiny point of view, snarling. My blood ran cold at the sight of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I took a deep breath, and the now familiar mix of leather and cardamom warmed my rising nerves. He was so close now. If I could just sneak out\u2026 I could finish the fight before it started. At least, I hoped I could do that. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my rusty scimitar. Maybe not. More unrecognizable sailors stalked the deck of the ship now. There wasn\u2019t a space on board that wasn\u2019t in their view now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re here. They\u2019re everywhere,\u201d\u00a0I whispered to Finn. He was lounging in a pillowed alcove next to a port window in Captain Serpentis\u2019s room, reading a novel he found on the Captain\u2019s bookshelf called\u00a0Tides of Fervor<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have to be extra quiet then,\u201d\u00a0Finn whispered back.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t have to look at him to know that he hadn\u2019t looked up from the book. He\u2019d gasped in excitement just a few moments ago. A good book could distract him from the end of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A formidable figure appeared in the middle of the ship, standing nearly as tall as Captain Serpentis next to him. He faced away from me, but it was clear that he was speaking with the captain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Half of a dark tattoo peeked up over the long, tattered black coat with silver embroidery that he wore. It had to be heavily embroidered, since I could see it from across the deck. Around his waist, a broad belt held more weapons than one person could ever need \u2014 a silver, curved cutlass, several dark daggers, and a flintlock pistol.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wish I could hear what they were saying,\u201d\u00a0I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh?\u201d\u00a0Finnan finally stirred behind me. He\u2019d really been lost in whatever world existed in that silly book he was reading. He tiptoed over to where I was at the window and peeked out above my head.\u00a0\u201cHellbringer is asking Captain Serpentis for a toll to cross\u00a0his<\/bdi><\/bdo><\/em>\u00a0waters,\u201d\u00a0he said like he was sure of the conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were behind a thick wooden wall, there was\u00a0no way<\/em>\u00a0he could hear them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? How would you know that?\u201d\u00a0I asked, whirling around to inspect my friend and his strange behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m reading Jeremey\u2019s mind, and he\u2019s just saying what they\u2019re saying in his head. And wondering about lunch,\u201d\u00a0Finn said, shrugging like this was normal.\u00a0\u201cThe captain just talked Hellbringer down from fifty gold pieces by offering him some of the wares we have on board.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n My best friend was doing\u00a0magic<\/em>. He was doing magic better than I could do magic. I\u2019d been unable to conjure up my little glowing hand for over a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFinnan Anadromus Windwick<\/bdi><\/bdo><\/em>, how in the seventh heaven did you start doing magic?\u201d\u00a0I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finn\u2019s brown skin tinged with a nervous flush.\u00a0\u201cGilly has been helping me,\u201d\u00a0he said, likely breaking his concentration on whatever Jeremey was thinking.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I glanced back out of the window. Jeremey was standing idly by the captain\u2019s quarters, staring intently at his twiddling thumbs. An anxious tick of his. Back to Finnan\u2019s goings-ons.Of course,\u00a0Gillia<\/em>\u00a0had been helping him with magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I restrained myself from rolling my eyes, even though Finn wasn\u2019t even looking at me. He was looking at the ground, probably reveling in what a shameful fraud he was.\u00a0\u201cYou didn\u2019t think to mention it, or, I dunno, ask me for help?\u201d\u00a0I asked, folding my arms across my chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t do what you do,\u201d\u00a0Finn replied, his voice cracking.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s not about learning motions and words from a book. I had to figure out how to unlock these abilities in a different way. I\u2019m still learning how to do that, for the most part. My mums have been teaching me some of the smaller things they know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He got to share his magic with his family. I couldn\u2019t do that.\u00a0\u201cLucky you,\u201d\u00a0I muttered, feeling a rise of jealousy like a tidal wave about to crash over me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finnan\u2019s head snapped up, and he narrowed his eyes at me.\u00a0\u201cKit, you are capable of plenty of things that I\u2019d never fathom achieving. This is something good for both of us. I can be helpful this way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh<\/em>. He thought I wasn\u2019t happy he could do magic. That was incorrect of him to assume. I sighed, the tide washing back out to sea before it could fully reach me.\u00a0\u201cI know. I\u2019m excited for you, Finn. There\u2019s just other things underneath the excitement. Were\u00a0your parents\u00a0excited<\/em>\u00a0for you when you found your magic? Did they encourage you to learn as much as possible? It seems like it. Look how good you already are. My parents practically forbade me of anything to do with magic and all I can do is make tiny illusions. I\u2019ve been working on this for years and that\u2019s all I\u2019ve got to show for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finn hugged me tight as I stood limp, letting him squeeze me against his chest.\u00a0\u201cIsn\u2019t that what this journey is all about? Finding out how to\u00a0control your magic? Learning to wield a sword from a great warrior? It will happen. I know it will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A crate thudded on the deck outside the cabin and made us both jump. I slunk over to the window and peeked out again. Colten Hellbringer was facing in my direction now, mid-deck, hat pulled from his head.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n His face was rugged and handsome \u2014 with a square jawline covered in a neatly trimmed black beard with silver streaks. His eyes were piercing, ice blue, and calculating, like he was sizing everyone up for a fight. His hair, dark as a raven\u2019s wing, fell to his shoulders in loose waves. It must have been tied up and tucked under his hat, when he first got on the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you want me to read Jeremey\u2019s mind again?\u201d\u00a0Finn whispered. But I could read Hellbringer\u2019s lips now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen this war starts, my crew is heading back to Dellegan to make some money off of small-folk pelts.\u201d<\/bdi><\/bdo><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Captain Serpentis\u2019s posture went rigid, and he clenched his fist into a tight knot. My fingers clawed into the wooden sill of the window and smoke curled up into my nostrils and over my face. I ripped my hand away to see burnt wood under where my fingers had just been.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d nearly set the ship aflame<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t know what Captain Serpentis said back, but whatever it was, it made Hellbringer laugh. He clapped a hand on the Captain\u2019s shoulder and said,\u00a0\u201cSerpentis, I didn\u2019t take you for a fool. Don\u2019t make an enemy where you could have a powerful benefactor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hellbringer whistled loudly and motioned his hand toward the side of the Onyx Glory where his ship had docked. His crew stalked out of sight and presumably off the ship, snatching bottles from Toni\u2019s arms as he appeared from below deck. Toni lowered his gaze, visibly trembling though I was across the ship from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow long did you say we had until a war starts in Roahdhan?\u201d\u00a0I asked Finnan, thinking of all the news clippings he had in his office at the library. They went back for years. The most recent one, where Pytenna\u2019s king, who was the leader of the nearest kingdom to Roahdhan, called his military to the capital city was alarming however. If he was preparing for the fall out, that meant things were escalating beyond rumors and rumblings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s a while yet,\u201d\u00a0Finn said, his voice hinting at a million thoughts he wanted to say.\u00a0\u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0he asked, managing to sum up whatever was on his mind in a single question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause I have to get strong enough to defeat Hellbringer before the war starts, or he\u2019ll start killing small-folk in Dellegan while the rest of the world is distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Continue the adventure into chapter six here.<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n