King Breaker

by Rowena Cory Daniells

  Garzik could see blood dripping from the hammocks. ‘Where’s Vesnibor?’

  Luvrenc gestured to the deck above. Garzik cursed and climbed the ladder, heart thumping. He heard a shout, then breaking glass, and caught a glimpse of movement through the open door to the captain’s cabin.

  Two Utlanders restrained the captain and Garzik arrived just in time to see Vesnibor stab the man before stepping back. The Utlanders tossed the captain’s body aside. Three more Merofynians lay sprawled in pools of blood.

  Vesnibor wiped his knife and issued Garzik a challenging look. The other four Utlanders waited to see what he would do.

  Strength was all they respected.

  The broken-nosed warrior smirked and grabbed an open wine bottle. ‘I say we—’

  Garzik swung his fist, putting all his weight behind the blow. Vesnibor’s head snapped back and he collapsed. The wine bottle flew from his hand, hit the floor and rolled. The other Utlanders said nothing. Wine gurgled as it poured from the bottle.

  ‘Go,’ Garzik told them. ‘Signal Captain Rusan.’

  Vesnibor’s four supporters hesitated.

  Garzik picked up a lamp and gave it to Dizov. ‘Go give the signal.’

  They shuffled out, leaving Vesnibor to climb to his feet alone. Blood poured from between his fingers as he clutched his nose, broken for a third time.

  Garzik’s hand went to his knife hilt.

  Vesnibor shuffled out, cursing under his breath.

  Feeling slightly nauseous, Garzik bent to get the wine bottle. A pair of frightened eyes watched him from behind the partly open privy door. The cabin boy.

  Holding the cabin boy’s eyes, Garzik lifted his finger to his lips. He took the lamp and went to walk out, but a stone filled with coruscating reds and golds caught his eye. The captain had been using it as a paper weight. About the size and shape of an egg, it had been polished until it gleamed. The stone reminded him of the fire stones that had sat in his father’s great hall. Of course, one fire stone was no use without its mate, but on the off chance he might one day find a fire stone that brought this one to life, he slipped it in his pocket.

  Back on deck, he found Rusan’s ship drawing close. This was the tricky part. He had seen ships transferring stores while moored, but one of the nearby ship’s captains might know the merchant vessel wasn’t supposed to make this transfer.

  Ropes sailed out across the gap, and the Utlanders caught them and made them fast. Olbin jumped aboard, followed by a dozen raiders.

  ‘Look lively now, and keep it quiet,’ Olbin ordered softly. They headed below deck and the big Utlander gave Garzik a nod. ‘Well done, Wynn.’

  Knowing he would abandon them before dawn, Garzik could not meet Olbin’s eyes.

  The Utlanders formed a human chain, passing bales, barrels and bundles up from the hold and then across to Rusan’s ship, where the stolen goods were stowed away. It was hard, consistent work with barely a moment’s pause, done in silence and semi-dark on deck. Below deck they had lanterns, but they were soon sweating in the close quarters.

  Towards dawn, Garzik went up on deck to grab a drink and look for Trafyn. They were running out of time. The squire was supposed to be unloading, ready to slip away at a moment’s notice, but there was no sign of him. Garzik cursed under his breath.

  ‘Wynn?’ Olbin passed him a chest. ‘Put this in the captain’s cabin for Rus.’

  It was the perfect opportunity. Garzik grunted as he took the chest from Olbin. ‘What’s in it, gold bars?’

  Olbin winked. ‘Treasure of another kind.’

  Intrigued, Garzik flipped open the lid. ‘Books?’

  Judging by the titles, Olbin had chosen Ostronite books. He’d pretended disinterest in Rusan’s lessons, yet clearly he’d been paying attention. It was a shame Garzik wouldn’t be around to coach Rusan anymore, but the Utland captain was clever enough to go on alone.

  Garzik carried the chest across to the other deck and then into the captain’s cabin, where he found the squire sleeping soundly. Furious, he kicked Trafyn’s legs, then put the chest down.

  The squire woke with a jerk and rubbed his face. ‘Fell asleep, waiting for you to call me.’

  That wasn’t what they’d agreed, but Garzik let it pass.

  Trafyn’s eyes narrowed. ‘What’s in the chest?’

  ‘Books, if you must know.’

  ‘What does a savage want with books? It’s not as if he can...’ Trafyn frowned, then looked shocked. ‘You taught him to read?’

  ‘I did. Now come across to the other ship and pitch in. At my signal we go over the side. Got it?’

  ‘It’s too far from the shore. I’ll never—’

  ‘We can throw a barrel over the side. Come on.’ Garzik went down the passage, out onto the deck, and walked through the working Utlanders as though he had no plans to desert them.

  Once he and Trafyn were on the other ship, they took their places passing stores across the deck.

  Before long, Rusan signalled Garzik. ‘Tell Olbin to finish up. The tide’s about to turn. We leave with the dawn breeze.’

  Garzik nodded, caught Trafyn’s eye and went below to find Olbin. Soon the last of the Utlanders carried bales across to the other deck, and Trafyn sat with his back to the ship’s mainmast to catch his breath.

  ‘I’ll make sure everyone’s out,’ Olbin called up from the hold.

  Garzik nodded. Any moment now, the ships would part and Jost would claim this vessel. He and Trafyn had to be over the side before that happened.

  The squire nudged Garzik and gestured to the barrel. ‘I don’t think I can carry it. I’m exhausted.’

  Garzik grabbed the barrel and headed for the far side of the ship. Resting the barrel on the rail, he glanced to the Rusan’s deck one last time. Jost’s supporters had gathered there.

  Time to go.

  Then he remembered the cabin boy. Jost would kill him, or worse. He told Trafyn to wait, and ran into the captain’s cabin, where he threw open the privy door. The cabin boy gave a squeak of fright. Garzik held out his hand. ‘Come with me if you want to live.’

  The boy’s small hand slipped into his.

  ‘We’re going over the side,’ Garzik told him. ‘Hold onto the barrel and kick for shore.’

  ‘I can swim.’

  ‘Good.’ Garzik paused at the door to check the deck was clear. No sign of Jost yet. ‘Follow me.’

  Trafyn was not waiting where Garzik had left him.

  Garzik ran to the ship’s side. Sure enough, there he was in the water, holding onto the barrel and kicking for all he was worth.

  ‘Catch up with him,’ Garzik told the cabin boy, who gave one quick nod and jumped.

  Garzik glanced back to Rusan’s ship one last time, expecting to see Jost and his brothers taking their leave of Rusan. Instead Jost and his two brothers were watching the captain as he stood over the hatch, speaking to someone below.

  Jost signalled his brothers. They charged Rusan.

  In that moment Garzik knew one ship was not enough for Jost. He wanted both. More than that, he wanted revenge.

  As far as Garzik knew, Olbin was still in the captured ship’s hold, checking for stragglers. He ran to the hatch. ‘Olbin?’

  The big Utlander came to the bottom of the ladder. ‘What?’

  Garzik looked over to the other ship. The brothers had disarmed Rusan and were dragging him across the deck towards Jost, who clearly relished what was to come. ‘It’s Jost. Rusan’s in trouble.’

  Drawing his knife, Garzik ran for the other ship, jumping onto the deck.

  ‘Rusan!’ Garzik shouted as he threw his knife at one of Jost’s brothers and launched himself at Jost.

  The nearest brother went down as the knife hit him. The other one was so surprised he released Rusan, who snatched his attacker’s blade and turned it on him.

  ‘Rusan!’ Olbin bellowed, and others took up the battle cry. Fools, they’d bring the sea-hounds down on them.

  Garzik
tackled Jost, sending the Utlander’s short sword spinning. They wrestled, trying to get the upper hand. Jost pinned Garzik beneath him, fingers closing around his throat. Fighting to suck in a breath, Garzik tried to peel the fingers away. Stars wheeled in his vision. He went for Jost’s eyes, couldn’t get a grip.

  Sounds faded. Fool, he’d missed his chance to help Byren. Now he’d never...

  A weight lifted from his chest.

  Garzik fought to suck in a desperate breath. It felt like his throat was crushed.

  His vision cleared in time to see Olbin toss Jost’s body aside. The big Utlander reached down and hauled Garzik to his feet.

  ‘Cut the ropes, raise the sails, take the helm.’ Olbin thrust a bloody knife into his hands. ‘If we don’t make headway, we’re dead men!’

  Avoiding several Utlanders locked in deadly struggles, Garzik staggered to the ship’s side. As he hacked through the ropes that bound them to the other vessel, his head cleared.

  They were making enough noise to wake the dead. Worried, he scanned the deck of a nearby ship, where Merofynians were lighting lanterns and calling for arms.

  He ran towards the mainmast.

  Vesnibor blocked his way, grinning cruelly.

  Garzik tried to tell him they had to work together to escape, but it hurt too much to talk. He swallowed, then wished he hadn’t.

  Vesnibor laughed and lunged to gut him.

  It was an attack Garzik had practised many times. His body took over as he side-stepped the strike and drove the hilt of his knife into Vesnibor’s temple. Vesnibor dropped and Garzik kept running.

  Reaching the mainmast, he hauled on the concertina sail and made it fast. The fighting was slowing as he made for the next mast and did the same.

  By the time he’d run up to reardeck and released the sail there, Jost’s supporters had been disarmed. Garzik didn’t wait to see what would happen as he took the helm.

  Lucky for them, the dawn breeze was picking up. But it would also fill their enemies’ sails.

  He heard shouting as Olbin ordered more sail. The ship responded, gaining headway. They glided past another ship, where the confused crew were still climbing up on deck.

  There were other ships scattered out to the west, but the breeze was coming from the north. Anyone trying to cut them off before they reached the headlands would have to tack across the wind.

  Garzik heard the sails creak as the wind picked up and felt the ship gain speed. He turned his head and winced.

  One of the sleek sea-hound ships was giving chase. The vessel was a good way off yet, but it was built for speed, unlike their merchant ship. Garzik focused on the bay’s headlands.

  All they had to do was get past Mulcibar’s Gate and the outgoing tide would carry them through the passage. But it would do the same for their pursuers. He didn’t see how they could escape. He cursed Jost for a vindictive, short-sighted fool.

  Olbin came running up the steps to the reardeck.

  Garzik prepared to hand over the helm, but Olbin shook his head, went to the rear rail and studied their pursuers. He strode back to Garzik. ‘They’ll catch us before we reach Mulcibar’s Gate.’

  Then, to Garzik’s amazement, he laughed.

  Rusan came up the steps at a run. ‘How many?’

  ‘One... no, two sea-hounds on our tail,’ Olbin reported.

  Garzik stole another look over his shoulder. A second sleek vessel was making for them, tacking to get the right heading.

  ‘We can’t outrun them,’ Olbin said.

  Rusan judged the distance, the wind and their comparative sails, then strode over to Garzik, who relinquished the helm.

  ‘Arm everyone,’ he told Olbin.

  ‘Even Jost’s—’

  ‘Everyone,’ Rusan barked. ‘Or we’ll all be dead before this day is out.’

  Olbin caught Garzik’s eye and they made for the steps.

  ‘Wynn?’ Rusan called.

  He turned.

  ‘You did well.’

  Garzik nodded. Apart from the pain in his throat, he was happier than he had a right to be.

  Down on deck, he found bloody patches but no bodies. They’d already thrown the dead overboard. Five captured Utlanders lay face down on the deck, their arms tied behind their backs. Vesnibor was one of them.

  Garzik cursed. Why had he disarmed Vesnibor instead of killing him? Because his father’s master-at-arms had prepared him for life as a Rolencian noble, not as an Utland barbarian.

  Olbin released Jost’s supporters and the five climbed to their feet. ‘Arm yourselves. There’s a pack of sea-hounds bearing down on us.’

  Garzik tucked his knife in his belt, strapped another to his thigh and buckled the short sword around his waist.

  They made good time, and by mid-morning they were approaching Mulcibar’s Gate on their starboard side, but the first of the sea-hounds was almost within bowshot. From the look of it they were aiming to board them on the starboard side. And the second sea-hound vessel was rapidly gaining on them.

  The Utlanders made obscene gestures, shouting savage challenges at their pursuers.

  Garzik studied the ship’s position in relation to the inner headland. Surely they were going too wide around Mulcibar’s Gate? He climbed the steps to join Rusan at the helm.

  The nearest of the two sea-hound vessels was so close he could see their pursuers’ faces as they crowded the ship’s side.

  Garzik was right. Rusan was taking his ship wide.

  ‘Come here.’ Rusan took his hands and placed them on the wheel. ‘Keep us wide. Feel that?’

  Garzik nodded. He could feel the tide sweeping them towards Mulcibar’s Gate and into the passage where the water funnelled between the two headlands.

  ‘Keep this bearing for now,’ Rusan told him.

  ‘We’re too wide,’ Garzik croaked.

  Rusan smiled grimly. ‘Trust me.’

  Then he walked to the rail and looked down onto the middeck. Olbin ran up to join him. Rusan issued quick instructions. As Olbin glanced at their pursuers, then Mulcibar’s Gate, Garzik wished he could hear what was being said.

  Rusan drew his short sword. Lifting it above his head he shouted to his raiders on the middeck. ‘We sailed into the hot-landers’ jaws, now those jaws are closing on us. But we’re going to give them something to remember us by. Are you with me?’

  They cheered.

  A rush of noise came from behind them as the sea-hounds hurled insults at them. A glance over Garzik’s shoulder revealed sea-hounds swinging grappling hooks as their ship approached on the starboard side, between the Utlanders and the inner headland.

  He held his position at the helm, held the ship on its course. The sea-hound deck was lower than theirs and he saw the helmsman, gripping the wheel with fierce determination, judging their ships’ comparative speeds.

  Grappling hooks swung through the air and made fast against the Utlander ship. Almost right away, the two ships shuddered as their timbers met. The moment the ropes were made fast, eager sea-hounds leapt aboard.

  Rusan returned to take the wheel. ‘Protect me.’

  Garzik nodded. There was fighting on the middeck. He glanced behind them. The other sea-hound ship was bearing down. They didn’t have long before they were attacked on both sides.

  A sea-hound pounded up the steps to the reardeck. Garzik met him with a blow and a kick that send him falling back to the middeck into the melee.

  The two ships plunged through the waves, driven by the force of the retreating tide. Garzik checked the second sea-hound ship. It was less than a bowshot behind them, coming up on their port side.

  They were approaching the passage now, but Rusan had changed their bearing. He was edging closer to Mulcibar’s Gate, to the billowing steam where the sea met the molten rock.

  While Garzik was distracted, an old sea-hound had run up the steps. The grizzled warrioraimed a blow at his head. Diverting the strike, Garzik stepped in and drove his short sword into the man’s belly
, before shoving his attacker over the rail onto the middeck. The sea-hound hadn’t expected such swordsmanship from an Utlander.

  A second sea-hound approached Garzik. He was no older than Byren, handsome, better dressed than the rest and confident.

  They traded blow for blow as Garzik backed up, watching for his chance to slip under the sea-hound’s guard. They ended up shoulder to shoulder, swords locked at the hilt.

  Garzik caught a glimpse of Rusan turning the wheel sharply and felt the ship respond.

  ‘Be ready to tell Olbin to cut us free, Wynn!’ Rusan yelled.

  And he understood. Rusan meant to drive the enemy’s ship onto the molten rock. In that same instant the sea-hound understood and his eyes widened with horror.

  Below the surface, the rocks would tear out the side of the sea-hounds’ ship.

  Garzik grinned.

  The sea-hound sprang back, cast Garzik one last look then leaped over the rail onto the lower deck of his ship. He yelled orders, calling his men off the Utland ship, but they were too intent on the attack. In desperation, the sea-hound captain joined his helmsman and they both tried to turn their ship, but Rusan’s merchant ship was the heavier vessel.

  ‘Now, Wynn!’ Rusan yelled.

  Garzik ran to the rail, shouting for Olbin to cut their ship free, but the big Utlander was in the thick of the fighting and did not hear. Garzik jumped the rail and landed on the deck. He ran to the nearest rope, hacking at it.

  He was on the second when Olbin cut the third. Not a moment too soon, as the sea-hound ship struck the rocks. The timbers shrieked and both vessels shuddered.

  The impact caused the sea-hound ship’s masts to crack with a sound like thunder. Everyone staggered, some fell to their knees.

  Two of the masts fell onto the molten rock. Greedy flames consumed the canvas and ropes, racing along the masts and onto the deck. The helmsman struggled to free himself from tangled ropes and sails. Garzik couldn’t spot the captain and wondered what had become of him.

  All this Garzik saw at a glance as Rusan’s ship plunged past the stricken vessel. Funnelled by the headlands, the tidal waters drew their ship along into the passage.

  The Utlanders cheered as panicking sea-hounds jumped overboard.