Accidental Duelist
Page 23
Desmond's mouth moved but nothing came out but bloody spittle. Cari pushed him over backwards with her boot, knocking him to the floor where he writhed until he bled out a few seconds later.
* * *
3,000 experience awarded
Level Up!
* * *
Cari leaned against the wall, breathing hard, wincing at the pain in her side. The nausea that followed for her after killing came once again, but not nearly as strong as it usually did. She didn’t like the reaction she had each time she won a fight but she also hoped the lighter reaction didn’t mean she was growing callused to killing people.
Clearing her mind and taking a deep breath to settle her stomach, Cari leaned over and rifled Desmond’s pockets until she retrieved the black room key. She also discovered a single, folded paper.
A quick glance at the paper brought a smile to her face, despite the pain in her side. This was a lucky turn of events.
* * *
Quest completed - retrieve the orders from Desmond Thorne
5,000 experience awarded
* * *
A tap at the door jerked her attention away from the dead captain.
"Cap'n Dix. I heard noises. Are you in there?"
"Hold on, Percy. I'm coming out. See if there's a back stairway down from up here."
"Yes, ma'am. Let me look."
Cari fumbled with the key, the adrenaline draining from her muscles causing her fingers to tremble. It took her a few tries, but she finally managed to open the lock.
Percy waited for her on the other side.
"There's no stairs other than the ones we came up but there is a window looking out over the alley behind the tavern. It's not far down to the ground, ma'am."
"Good man, Percy. That's the way we'll go, then."
Cari pulled the door closed and locked it, bending down and shoving the key back under the door.
"That should keep the crew from bothering their captain for a while. Come on, Percy. We've got to hurry and get back to the Vengeance before they discover we're gone."
"I'm right behind you, ma'am."
The two of them raced to the window at the end of the hallway. Cari climbed through and dropped to the muddy ground behind the tavern. Percy landed right next to her. The landing jarred her ribs, causing her to gasp in pain.
“Are you alright, ma’am?”
“I’ll be fine. The captain proved harder to deal with than I expected. Let’s get back to the ship and we’ll see if one of the ladies can’t bind up my broken ribs again.”
The boy shot her a worried glance but nodded and followed her back towards the docks. Together they ran into the deepening dusk of sundown.
It was time to head for Tandon. They had an assassin to catch.
Chapter 27
Cari stood at the stern rail, watching the lights of the raider town and Cairn Island dim in the distance. It looked like they'd made it clear of the harbor and no one was in pursuit.
Her hand reached across and clutched at her cracked ribs as a muscle spasm caused her to wince in pain. She waited for it to subside before turning to her first officer.
"Mr. Bowcott."
"Yes, Cap'n?"
"I'll be in my cabin if anyone needs me. Continue on the North-Northeast course I set."
"Aye, ma'am."
Cari needed to wrap her torso in bandages to splint the ribs while they healed. Again.
"And send one of the female crew members down to assist me."
"Are you injured, ma'am? Do you need help?"
"I'm not an invalid, Mr. Bowcott. It's the damned ribs again. Painful, but nothing that won't heal on its own in time. I just need some assistance with the binding bandages to splint them."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll send Helen down. She's helped you before I believe."
"She'll do fine. You have the deck."
"Yes, ma'am."
Cari went down to her cabin and waited for Helen. She took the opportunity to pull up her stats and look at her options for the latest level up.
Knowing she faced an accomplished assassin on this part of her quest, Cari added two more points to her speed attribute, increasing her defense bonus. She also bumped her Prescience to level two. It might help her avoid an assassin's sneak attack if he or she got the drop on her.
When she finished, she checked them over one last time before dismissing the display.
* * *
Name: Cari Dix
Class: Duelist
Level: 9
* * *
Attributes:
Brawn: 12 - +2
Wisdom: 10 - +1
Luck: 10 - +1
Speed: 20 - +6
Charm: 14 - +3
Health: 52/90
* * *
Skills: Two-Weapon Combat, Acrobatic Dodge — 2, Multi-Foe Tactics — 2, Feint — 2, Bladesmith — Master, Prescience — 2, Seamanship, Navigation — 2
Experience: 44,900/76,800
* * *
A tap sounded at her door.
"Come in."
Helen, a woman in her forties, entered. Streaks of gray wound through her braided brown hair. She was lean and fit though and looked like she'd lived a hard life. Her skin was tanned and creased by long days sailing in these tropical waters.
Despite how she looked on the outside, Helen’s touch was surprisingly gentle. The woman had a reputation for a delicate hand and knowledge of herbal remedies. She often tended to injuries for members of the crew.
"The first mate said you injured yourself again, Cap’n. Let me see what you’ve done."
“It’s the ribs again, Helen. Someone tried to squeeze the life out of me back on the island. I’m afraid he’s re-broken the ones I broke before.”
"You should be more careful, ma’am." Helen pointed to her linen shirt. "Off with the blouse. I can’t tend to what I cannot see."
Cari unbuttoned her shirt and winced as she slid her arm out of the sleeve and pulled the shirt out of the way. Her whole side was bruised black and blue.
Helen made a ticking sound while she shook her head.
Cari chuckled and cringed at the searing muscle spasm caused by her laughter.
"You should see the other guy," she managed to croak out through the pain.
"He better be dead for doing this to you. Otherwise, I'll swim back and finish the job."
“Don’t worry, he won't be attacking innocent ladies any more.”
"Well, that's good to hear."
Helen fetched the wide strips of muslin cloth they'd used to bind Cari's ribs before and started wrapping them around her chest while Cari raised her arms.
"There's blood all matted in your hair. Is it yours?"
"No, he had me wrapped up from behind. That's from his nose when I broke it, I think."
"My goodness, I think I'd have paid to see that fight."
"Honestly, it was terrifying. I'd rather not repeat it again. I much prefer not having to kill people. I’d rather try to find a non-lethal way to solve my problems."
"Well, as you said, Cap’n, you dealt with him when you had to. Plus, you got away to tell about it. Good for you. Now, let's get you to your bunk. A good night's rest will help start you healing. I’ll bring you some willow bark tea to help with the pain. Don't worry about the ship. Mr. Bowcott and Mr. Dawkins have the Vengeance and the crew well in hand."
Cari smiled and let the older woman help her over to the bed. Once she laid down, she was surprised at how fast her exhaustion caught up with her. She barely managed to remain awake long enough to drink the bitter willow bark tea Helen brought back for her.
She lay back down and was asleep before she could thank Helen for her help.
* * *
———
* * *
The seven days at sea on the way to Tandon gave Cari plenty of time to ponder questions raised by what Captain Thorne let slip before she killed him. On top of that, she had the paper she’d retrieved from the raider captain’s pocket.
Since any ship could be considered a smuggler, it gave the bearer unlimited rights to chase down and board any merchant vessel it encountered.
Desmond almost certainly used the official document from a member of the Empire’s Privy Council to avoid getting searched by naval boarding parties after capturing and sinking merchant ships, or raiding coastal communities. If one of the raider captains had such a license to act as a privateer from the Duke, it was a sure bet others had similar letters.
Cari wondered if the Vengeance’s former captain had one like it. She’d been unconscious when his body had been dumped with the other dead overboard. No one had thought to search his body for papers beforehand.
Given what she’d discovered, she couldn't wait to hand over the letter to Liam. He'd know how to present it in the capital in such a way that it offered proof of the Duke's operations against the Empire.
Thinking of Liam, Rodrigo, Chance, and Thad got her thinking about the possibility of a traitor among them again. The information she had so far pointed to someone feeding the Duke’s agents information on their whereabouts.
She went over and over their conversations and interactions in her mind to try to see if there was any indication who it might be.
Cari was pretty sure it wasn't Rodrigo. He’d had ample opportunity to kill Timron and herself while she slept when they were cooped up in that apartment back in the Crystal City.
Of course, he also was one of the only ones who knew of their plan to escape in the coach wearing disguises. Had he merely waited for a more opportune moment for his treachery when it wouldn’t betray him?
Cari didn’t think so, but she couldn’t be sure.
She didn't know the other Dragoons well enough to make a decision either way. Thad didn’t seem to have the sophistication to undertake such subterfuge. Chance had been the only one to figure out who she was in the beginning. He seemed loyal to the Empress as well.
Given the uncertainty of the situation, Cari decided to keep the Letter of Marque to herself rather than disclose it to Liam right away. If he was the traitor, she'd only be handing valuable evidence against the Duke right into the hands of one of his agents.
Realizing that rehashing the same questions over and over wasn't offering her any answers, Cari tucked the official document into her coat pocket and headed up to the quarter deck.
The bosun had the watch and he was taking advantage of the fair weather and light winds to teach Percy to handle the ship's wheel, under the watchful eye of the helmsman, of course.
"Good day, Mr. Dawkins. How is our young crewman doing with his current lesson?"
"Very well indeed, Cap’n. He's coming along nicely. Mr. McShea is a born seafarer for sure."
Percy tried without success to hold back a smile. Cari chuckled and walked back to the stern rail to look out over their wake.
Mr. Dawkins soon joined her.
"Um, Cap'n, if I may, can I ask you a question?"
"You just did," Cari said using a quick comeback to that question she had often heard from her father.
"Yes, I did at that," he replied with a little laugh under his breath. “I have another question, too."
"What is on your mind, Dawkins??"
"Mr. Bowcott and I were talking amongst ourselves and we wondered if you'd given any thought to the disposition of the Vengeance after we arrive in Tandon."
The question caught Cari by surprise. It wasn't something she'd considered at all. Mr. Bowcott explained the law of the sea pertaining to captured vessels away from land. The ship, or at least a significant share of it, belonged to her as the captain. The remaining shares usually belonged to the crew.
She pondered the question. What were her intentions with the ship after they arrived at their destination?
Her time over the last three weeks at sea, while harrowing, had been among the most freeing moments of her life. For the first time, she'd earned something on her own merits and abilities. She'd fought her way, literally, to become what she was sure was one of the youngest sea captains ever.
The crew of the Vengeance was behind her. They’d proven they were willing to follow her into the teeth of the enemy without blinking. She'd shown her own loyalty to them in return, getting them safely away when her work was finished.
Cari realized Mr. Dawkins was waiting for her reply. She sighed.
"Will it disappoint you if I tell you I don't know?"
"No, ma'am. We thought with all you had on your mind, you might not have considered it."
"And you and Mr. Bowcott have, I take it."
"Yes, ma'am. It all hinges on determining how long you think you'll be after we dock in Tandon."
"I'm honestly not sure. Why does that matter?"
"Well, ma’am, the Vengeance is in need of some refitting and repair and the hull is in need of a good scraping to remove barnacles. There's a pretty good shipyard in Tandon. Mr. Bowcott and I thought we could use some of the raider treasure to reinvest in the ship and make those repairs. That would likely mean a couple of weeks in dry dock."
"And you'd like to know if I intend to return to the captain's job after my work ashore was completed."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Who'd take the job if I didn't return?"
"Elrod, um, I mean Mr. Bowcott, is the senior and more experienced of the two of us. I'd step in as his first officer. But that is our option of last resort. We'd like it if you'd consider returning and taking the job yourself."
"Are you sure?" Cari asked. "This is the opportunity for you both to take on new and lucrative opportunities."
"Neither of us is Cari Dix, if you pardon my forwardness. You’re lucky, ma’am, far luckier than either of us. It's like you really are the lost princess of legend, returned to take on the enemies of the Empire like her father did before her."
That elicited a smile from Cari. If they only knew.
She thought about it for a few seconds. The man deserved an answer. The whole crew did. The problem was, she couldn't offer them any assurances, no matter what her personal desires were. There were so many variables in play.
"Whether I return to the Vengeance or not depends on things I don't yet know. If I had the choice to make on my own, I’d return and sail away with you all on the Vengeance in search of adventure and fortune on the high seas. The problem is I have other potential obligations I have to discharge first. I know that's not the answer you wanted so let me tell you this. You said the refit of the ship will take a few weeks, right?"
Dawkins nodded.
"Then I say go ahead with the refit. If I'm not back by the time it's finished, then you and Mr. Bowcott may split my share of the ship and take her to sea as joint owners of the Vengeance. How's that sound?"
"But if you do return, we get you back as our captain, right?"
"If that's what you and the crew truly want, then I'll do my best to come back. Honestly, Mr. Dawkins, I've enjoyed my time aboard the Vengeance these last few weeks immensely. If things ashore work out in the right way, I'll try to return. Otherwise, I'll be happy in the knowledge that you both will take good care of her for me."
"Yes, ma'am. We'll do our very best. Thank you, ma’am."
The bosun left her alone at the rail once again alone with her thoughts. Her brow creased with worry.
Now she had even more to think about when she went ashore in a few days.
Chapter 28
"Land ho!"
The cry from the foretop lookout carried down to the stern on the wind.
Cari pulled the spyglass from her pocket and scanned the horizon. She could just see the tops of distant hills over the swells of the s
ea. They were making good time and with this tailwind, they'd be in Tandon harbor before they knew it.
Percy bounced on the balls of his bare feet next to her and she handed the spyglass over to him so he could take a look. She had some other things to attend to.
"Mr. Bowcott, have Helen bring that young girl we found up to the quarterdeck once we reach the docks. Make sure she has whatever belongings she has with her. I'd like Helen to go ashore when I do and try to find an appropriate foster family for her. A child her age has no business living on a ship like this."
"It would offer her the chance at a trade someday, ma'am."
"That is true, but we can always come and collect her once she's older if that's what she wants to do."
"We, ma'am? Have you decided to return to us for sure?"
"You'll be one of the first to know when I make that decision, Mr. Bowcott, I assure you."
The headland ahead of them revealed the mouth of the harbor as the Vengeance continued cutting through the calm waters towards the city.
“Have the crew prepare for arrival and let's see if we can sell off some of the contraband cargo we have in the hold. That'll get us a nice profit, too, on top of everything else we have aboard to divide amongst us.”
"Aye, aye, ma'am."
The Vengeance's crew took in the most of the sails as they reached the inlet leading to Tandon's harbor, slowing their progress. With only a few sails to catch the wind, they moved in closer to the docks.
Mr. Bowcott, along with Mr. Dawkins and the helmsman, showed great seamanship and expertise as they brought the ship right alongside one of the wooden piers jutting out into the harbor.
Sailors hurled the thick hawsers over the side to the dockworkers ashore who secured the ship in place at the dock. Cari looked out at the huge city sprawling out from the harbor.
They'd done it. They'd finally reached Tandon.