by Conrad Mason
She ran on, out of the town, climbing the path up to the eastern cliffs, beyond the lighthouse, then down to the beach. The sand soaked up the last of her energy, each step exhausting. The night was almost over and she could see things clearly now – the deep blue shape of the Brig, crouched on the shoreline against the azure sky, waves lapping at its hull.
Dawn was coming. But she couldn’t rest yet. If Jeb, Joseph and Pallione had taken the Snitch’s ship out of Fayt, there was only one way she could go after them. It was a risk, of course. But it wasn’t as though she had a choice. If that princess didn’t get back to her father, the merfolk wouldn’t fight. And if the merfolk didn’t fight, Port Fayt was doomed, along with all the watchmen. Hal, the Bootle twins, Newt …
The surface of the Brig was covered in cemented seagull droppings, old seaweed and barnacles, so encrusted that there were plenty of foot- and handholds. And Tabitha had always been a good climber. She clambered along the length of the vessel, out above the sea, peering in at the tiny barred windows. It seemed to take for ever, but she knew she was getting closer all the time.
At last she found the right window. She tapped at the wood beside it, pushed her face up against the bars. Beyond, the dawn light picked out gentle ripples on the surface of the water in the merfolk tank.
‘Wake up,’ she hissed. ‘Come on, wake up!’
A face appeared at the window, so suddenly that Tabitha almost lost her grip and fell. A merman, glaring at her from between long damp strands of black hair plastered to his face. It’s all right, she told herself. He can’t hurt you. Not until he’s out, anyway.
‘You,’ growled the merman. ‘I remember you. You came to the Brig. Two days ago. What do you want?’
So they can speak. Or at least, this one can. Good.
Tabitha reached for her belt and pulled out the hand saw.
‘Shh,’ she murmured. ‘You’ll wake the troll. I’m getting you out of here.’
The merman’s eyes narrowed. ‘Why?’
Don’t lose your temper.
‘Do you want me to explain,’ asked Tabitha, ‘or do you want me to saw?’
Chapter Twenty-eight
‘OUT OF THE WAY, mongrel!’
Joseph’s eyes flicked open, and he rolled aside just in time to avoid the heavy boots. The sailor stomped by, coiling up a length of rope.
Already the blankets the crew had slept on were rolled up and stowed away, and the junk bustled with activity. Joseph sat up, clutching his own blanket to him and blinking. It was a glorious golden morning, gulls crying, sunshine slanting across the water, making the tips of the waves sparkle. Still, it wasn’t exactly welcome. He’d barely slept. Couldn’t stop thinking about Tabs, all alone in Port Fayt …
Sleeping under the stars hadn’t helped, of course. Jeb had taken the guest cabin and left him out here on deck – and there was nothing he could do about it. Back in the warehouse he’d been the one with the gun, and the Snitch had to do what he said. But here, among the hobgoblin’s crew, he wasn’t so sure. These were Jeb’s friends, not his. And from the looks they gave him, he was starting to realize they didn’t like him very much.
He took a deep breath to calm himself. No need to worry. Everything would be all right, just as soon as they got to the island. What had he expected, after all? A cosy warm bed and friendly faces?
Not that. But not this, either.
He rolled up his blanket and made his way across the deck, ducking and dodging to avoid the busy sailors. Once or twice he got in the way, and that earned him curses and even a clip round the ear. He felt like he wasn’t wanted here. And he hadn’t seen Jeb or the mermaid since they’d left port.
Of course, there was a reason why he hadn’t gone down below to see Pallione. She’d ask him questions. She’d want to know why he’d abandoned Tabitha. Not abandoned. Left behind. No. That sounded even worse.
He joined a shuffling line and collected breakfast from a skinny young hobgoblin serving from behind a pair of barrels. A plate of salted fish with a slab of rockbread on the side. He hesitated a moment. He still didn’t really want to see her, but she’d be hungry, and she deserved some breakfast at least. Can’t put it off for ever. With a heavy heart, he climbed down the steps into the hold.
It was dark below, but as his eyes adjusted Joseph could make out the shape of the mermaid, seated and tied to the base of the mainmast. It made him feel sick. Why had they done that? It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t as though she could run away, was it?
Pallione struggled against her bonds and tried to spit out a dirty rag that had been stuffed in her mouth. Joseph dreaded what she was going to say, but he couldn’t leave her like that. He wove through the crates and kegs, crouched down and pulled the gag away from her face.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he told her. ‘I didn’t know they’d tied you up. If I had, I’d have … well …’ What? What would I have done?
She was silent, just looking at him. ‘Why are you doing this?’ she said at last.
Joseph set the plate on her lap and tried to feed her some of the fish, but Pallione just shook her head.
‘There must be a reason.’ She’d been trussed up in the hold for hours, but for once, she didn’t seem angry – just curious. ‘You’re a terrible singer, and any shark would make mincemeat of you. But you’re a good person. So why are you helping the goblin?’
‘We’re taking you back to your father,’ said Joseph lamely. He broke off a bit of rockbread and offered it to her, but again she shook her head.
‘I’m not hungry. And you’re not answering me. What do you get?’
Joseph put down the food and glanced around. The hold was empty. Up above he could hear the gulls and the shouts of the sailors keeping the junk on course.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘Jeb says my father is alive, somewhere in the Old World. He told me that if I helped him get his reward, I’d see him again.’
‘You believe him?’
Joseph reached into his pocket, brought out the tarnished silver pocket watch and showed it to her. ‘This belonged to my father. Elijah. And Eleanor was my mother.’
The mermaid frowned, scrunching up her nose. ‘How do you know the filthy goblin didn’t steal it?’
‘I – I just … know.’ It sounded ridiculous. ‘Anyway, even if there’s a chance it’s true I have to take it. Otherwise Jeb said he’d do something bad to him. I can’t let that happen.’
‘It’s all right,’ said the mermaid. ‘I don’t blame you.’ Her green eyes sparkled. ‘But then, I am not the blue-haired girl.’
Joseph felt as though he was dangling from a cliff, losing grip with every word Pallione spoke.
‘You don’t understand.’
‘You’re right, I don’t.’ She bit her lip, brow furrowed in thought. ‘You know what my father told me?’ she said at last. ‘Always do the right thing. He says you know, deep down, what the right thing is. And you have to do it. Even if it’s not the thing you want to do. Even if—’
She stopped and took a deep breath.
‘Are you all right?’
Pallione shrugged. And then, suddenly, the tears came.
For a moment Joseph forgot about his own father.
‘You’ll see him soon,’ he said gently. ‘I promise. And I bet he cares about you more than you think.’
‘Really?’ Joseph was startled by the tone of her voice. Anxious. Pleading. ‘I was thinking about what you said. In the warehouse. I ought to have listened to him. I should never have swum so close to Port Fayt.’
A shout came from above. ‘Land ahoy!’
Their eyes met for a moment.
‘I’ll be back,’ said Joseph, his voice no more than a croak. The mermaid sniffed and nodded. He hurried across the hold and climbed the steps to the deck.
The wind was up, and Joseph had to fight against the tilting of the deck as he made his way to the gunwale. He shielded his eyes and looked out over the shining sea.
There was the island
where they’d left their fellow watchmen – a rock in the distance. The thought of seeing them again should have made him happy, but instead he felt ill. Where’s Tabs? they’d ask him. She’s still in Fayt? You did what?
Movement caught his eyes in the surrounding water, and he gasped. Heads were dotted amongst the waves. Merfolk. Hundreds of them – maybe more. It was impossible to tell. The surface was endlessly breaking as they breached, dived down, arced through the air, twisting and flicking water at their friends, signing to one another with rapid hand movements.
More merfolk than he’d ever seen. Each one ready to fight.
‘Hold course,’ called someone from amidships. Joseph turned to see Jeb the Snitch swaggering over. He popped a last morsel of fish and rockbread into his mouth, licked his fingers and winked. ‘Morning, mongrel. Sleep well?’
Joseph felt a sudden rush of anger. He shook his head. ‘Never mind that. Why did they tie her up? She’s not our prisoner.’
‘Now, now,’ said Jeb, leaning over the gunwale and picking his teeth. ‘No need to get yer breeches in a twist. It’s just a little precaution. This is Captain Lortt’s ship, remember, so what he says goes.’
‘And why are we holding course? We need to turn north. If we carry on east, we’ll pass the island.’
‘Why, so we will.’ Jeb grinned.
Something’s wrong.
‘We have to drop the mermaid off,’ said Joseph. ‘Her father’s waiting for her. I thought … I mean …’
Jeb put an arm around his shoulders, as though he was sharing a secret. ‘Now listen, mate. Might be I wasn’t entirely straight with yer back in Port Fayt. Thing is, see, we’re still going on to the Old World. But we’re not taking the mermaid back to her pa. We’re taking her to Illon.’
Something’s very wrong.
‘Illon? What do you—?’
‘Truth is, the Duke of Garran got wind of your little deal with the merfolk pretty sharpish. So a couple of days ago his people got a message to me, asked me if I could get hold of the mermaid for him. For a price, of course. That way he can hang onto her, make sure the King keeps his nose out of the battle.’
Panic gripped Joseph’s chest so tightly he could barely breathe. He’s the biggest liar in Port Fayt. That’s what Tabitha had told him. And she’d been right.
‘You’re working for the League?’
‘It’s just business, mongrel. It’s always just business with old Jeb. The mermaid won’t come to no harm, so long as the merfolk don’t fight. And you’ll get to see your pa again. Makes no odds to you. Remember what I told yer, back in the warehouse? Do something for yerself for a change. Who knows, maybe the Fayters’ll win the battle anyway.’
Joseph looked out to sea, and an image came into his head of Newton’s fleet, blown apart by enemy gunfire. Sailors screaming for help. Newt would fight to the end, of course, even as his men fell around him.
A cold weight settled in his stomach. He wouldn’t let it happen. He couldn’t. How could he look his father in the eye, if he’d betrayed his friends? If he’d kept Pallione and the King apart? She’d saved his life, twice. Was this how he was going to repay her?
What was he doing?
What, in Thalin’s name, was he doing?
The deck juddered, and Joseph had to grab hold of the gunwale. Shouts went up. He looked around and saw the other sailors staring at each other, eyes wide, uncertain. Jeb’s pale eyes darted nervously to the prow. ‘What the—?’
The deck gave another shudder, longer and harder this time, and the hull groaned.
The cabin door banged open and Captain Lortt strode out.
‘Sky’s sake!’ barked the hobgoblin. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Don’t know, sir,’ said a sailor.
‘Maybe a rock?’ suggested another.
Lortt frowned. ‘We’re too far from shore for—’
A third time, the vessel shook. A barrel came loose from its moorings and rolled across the deck, banging against the side.
‘What’s going on?’ shouted Lortt. ‘Answer me, someone.’
And in the silence which followed, a voice floated up from the waters below. A voice Joseph would have known anywhere.
‘Ahoy,’ Tabitha called. ‘Surrender the mermaid, or we attack.’
He peered over the edge of the gunwale. There were three haggard merfolk bobbing in the waves, none armed, but all looking desperate and determined. Where did they come from? Tabitha sat on the shoulders of one of the mermaids, pale and tired, her wet blue hair clinging to her head, her brown coat soaking wet. Knives glittered in both hands, poised to be thrown. She met Joseph’s eye, and a cloud passed across her face. He felt his stomach lurch as she looked away again.
‘Come on!’ yelled Tabitha. ‘You’re surrounded. We haven’t got all day.’
Joseph turned back to the ship, his heart weighing him down with such a swell of emotion that he didn’t know what to do. ‘We should give them the mermaid,’ he said.
But no one was listening. Jeb had scurried away towards the cabin. Captain Lortt was reeling off orders, and already sailors were rushing up from below carrying muskets, crossbows and blunderbusses. They lined up along the sides of the ship, nocking bolts, pouring out gunpowder, taking aim. Joseph found himself pushed back, away from Tabitha.
‘Ready,’ shouted Lortt. ‘Aim … FIRE!’
But as he spoke the last word there were splashes on either side of the junk, and several shapes arced overhead like dolphins, casting shadows across the deck. Joseph had never seen merfolk leap so high or so far. Gunfire erupted from the crew, but they were too late. A pair of them were seized and dragged wailing over the gunwale into the sea. Joseph caught a glimpse of Tabitha in mid-air, her mouth open wide in a battle cry, held tight by her mermaid companion. One of her knives flashed down and struck Captain Lortt’s foot. The hobgoblin yelped and hopped, screaming abuse at the merfolk.
‘Reload!’ yelled Jeb the Snitch.
Captain Lortt pulled the knife out of his foot and began hobbling back towards his cabin.
Do something. Do something now.
Joseph scrambled after the discarded blade, wiped the blood off on his breeches. He raced across to the hatch as more gunfire sounded and more merfolk arced overhead, back the way they’d come, snatching more sailors with them as they dived into the sea.
You know, deep down, what the right thing is.
He clattered down the steps into the darkness of the hold. Pallione was struggling against her ropes, trying to get free.
‘Stay still,’ he told her.
‘What are you … ?’ Then something changed in her face, and she stopped moving. She smiled at him, and to his surprise, Joseph found himself smiling back. ‘I knew you were a good person,’ she said.
Joseph didn’t know what to say to that, so instead he hacked at the rope, sawing and chopping until it frayed into nothingness, then tugged the rest away as fast as he could. He was scared. But at the same time he was buzzing with energy. He felt good. Like he’d been locked away in a dusty room and was finally emerging into fresh air. And all he’d had to do was make the right choice. Do the right thing.
He bent down, straining his muscles to lift her over his shoulder. She wasn’t heavy, but then, Joseph wasn’t strong either.
‘Careful!’ she snapped. ‘I’m a princess, remember.’
He staggered with her, climbing the steps into the open air.
‘Oi!’
Joseph turned and saw Jeb the Snitch striding across the deck towards them, snarling and brandishing a pistol. ‘Drop that mermaid, mongrel.’
‘Don’t you dare,’ said Pallione.
More gunfire, and Jeb crouched down along with the rest of the crew as the merfolk flung themselves above the deck once again. ‘I got one,’ shouted a crewman. Joseph hoped in the name of Thalin that he hadn’t.
He kept going, stumbling across the deck to the side of the ship near the prow, which was empty of sailors. The crew were too busy
fighting off the merfolk to worry about them. All except Jeb.
‘One more step, mongrel,’ said the goblin. ‘We had a deal.’
Joseph didn’t even look back. He should have known better than to trust Jeb the Snitch. And now he wasn’t going to listen to another word from him.
A pistol crack, noticeable even amongst the other gunshots, and in front of them splinters flew from the deck. Joseph’s heart hammered inside his chest. He set Pallione down on the gunwale, placing himself in front of her so that she was out of harm’s way.
Jeb was fumbling to reload. ‘What about your father, boy?’ he yelled. ‘You’ll never see him again. I’ll make sure of it.’
‘Leave me,’ said Pallione suddenly.
‘What did you say?’
The breeze whipped the mermaid’s white hair across her face. Her green eyes were wide and filled with doubt. Were those fresh tears forming in them or was it just the wind?
‘I don’t … What if he’s right?’ There was panic in her voice. ‘What if you never see your father again? Because of me.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Joseph, and as he spoke he knew it was true. ‘Remember what you said? I have to do the right thing.’
He clambered up onto the gunwale, took hold of Pallione’s hand and pushed off over the edge. He barely noticed the crack of the second pistol shot.
Chapter Twenty-nine
‘COMCE ON, MATE,’ said Frank. ‘Is it a League ship or Fayters?’
Phineus Clagg peered through the spyglass, his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth as he concentrated.
‘Beats me, matey. But either way I wager they’ll have a drop of firewater on board. Saved at last!’
Paddy rolled his eyes and took the spyglass from him. ‘It’s a hobgoblin junk,’ he said. ‘See those battened sails? So the odds are good.’
‘Then why are those merfolk attacking it?’ asked Frank.
‘Something’s changed,’ said Hal. They all looked back at the ship. The gunfire had stopped and the merfolk had disappeared into the water. There was still movement on deck though.