by Cat Wilder
EYE OF THE GODDESS
By
Cat Wilder
PUBLISHED BY:
Smokin' Hot Press
Copyright 2018 by Cat Wilder
Cover by Willsin Rowe
Cover Art by Vanette Kosman
This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, and locations within either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All characters in this story are 18 years old or older.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
List of Cat's Other Titles
About the Author
Eye of the Goddess
by Cat Wilder
Tara studied the pre-dawn mists intently for any signs of pursuit. All three of her long, sleek longships moved swiftly past the fork in the river where the Sarako River emptied into the Kartassa Sea. If another waterborne ambush was waiting, this was the place. But there were no Qodistani Royal Navy longships waiting for them, or any following.
She grinned, a thrill slithering up her spine. Gods, how she loved spiting those arrogant Qodistani! So she turned to look ahead, tugging up on her black thigh-high boots. Her red leather pants and black leather corset protected Tara from the cold wind while on the water. She also wore a white long-sleeved shirt, and stood ready with a curved sword on her back.
"Steady as she goes, Vaark," Tara said. She stood by the steering oar, with Vaark manning it. The half-goblin kept looking back warily. "Those Qodistani are sneaky and devious, but I think we'll be best served it you keep your eyes forward."
"Aye, Captain."
She paused to consider the irony of her, a pirate captain, calling her enemies sneaky and devious. Most honest folks would side with the Qodistani Royal Navy against a bunch of pirates. Until she'd been "recruited" at sword point, Tara was firmly in the anti-pirate camp as well.
"The world changes, and changes us," she whispered, looking around at the organized chaos and debris of battle. Her bright emerald eyes returned to her first mate and favorite lover, Lujak. There was a time she thought the very idea of sleeping with a minotaur disgusting. "And I wouldn't change a thing."
She got all tingly inside when Lujak stepped off the small foredeck and began stomping around deck, barking orders. The seven foot tall, reddish-brown beast of a man was the biggest, fierciest fighter in all three crews. And yet he submitted to following her. Yeah, Lujak was obsessed with her, so would do anything she asked.
I'm probably taking unfair advantage of him, she thought.
The raven-haired beauty stood tall for a human woman, with waist-length hair, emerald eyes, and a body men went crazy over. Yet, she was trained as a warrior from before she could remember. Few men could stand against her fury.
I have no choice now, she thought. We have to return to Amana to refit Reaper. She paused and grinned. Yeah, my crew will like that.
Reaper and her mixed crew of humans, goblins, elves, and orcs had taken the brunt of the attack, and damage. Most of the damage to Reaper and her crew came from sorcerous attacks. While the ship did have protective wards, the Qodistani mages' lightning bolts proved more powerful. Twenty of her crew of seventy-five were killed, and both her mast and dragonhead were blasted to smithereens, but by far their worst loss was Reaper's third mate. Neither Valiant nor Swiftwater had suffered any deaths during the ambush.
Lujak stood on the foredeck eagerly looking for any threat. Hell, the big minotaur always wanted to find someone else to fight. He still clutched his massive battleaxe, unable to stand still in his agitation. Everyone else manned the sixteen sets of oars, since their mast had been destroyed in battle by a sorcerous bolt.
I should've bought that spare mask last time we were in Amana, she thought. Yet, a spare mast took up a lot of room on that ship.
About an hour past the river, Tara commanded her three clinker-built longships to slow and come together. Reaper moved into the center and the other two ships slid alongside. Valiant tied up on Reaper’s starboard and Swiftwater to the port.
As they drifted just off the coast, the pirates cared for their injured and surveyed the damage. Reaper's dragonhead would be easy enough to replace, but masts were expensive. They could make one themselves, but Tara didn’t want to use an uncured mast.
Tara called her captains and mates over for a meeting. She told them her plans to head for Amana for repairs. Everyone seemed relieved, except Lujak who always seemed anxious about Amana.
"What about Orcsbane?" Caruso asked. "We’re in no shape to tangle with Padraig now."
Tara turned scornful eyes on her own second mate. She wondered what Padraig had done to him to fill him with such dread.
"We are three ship to his one," she said, glaring at the human warrior. "If those odds scare you, then I need a new second mate. Indeed, I have no use for anyone who quakes at having a mere three to one advantage."
Caruso’s face turned blood red. Tara turned from him, looking at her other leaders.
"Anyone else lose his backbone?"
"I’m not afraid of anyone!" Caruso said. "Test me! I’ll fight anyone you send against me."
"Then you kill Padraig," she said. Tara seized his face in both hands, holding his eyes in a fierce gaze. "I need you! I rely on you, Caruso! You are a beast in battle, and don't ever forget that. And above all else, please, trust me."
"I do, Tara. I am yours," he said through clenched teeth. "I will kill Padraig. For you."
She kissed the corner of his mouth before releasing him. Tara surveyed the officers and men, all of whom were staring at her. There was no fear in any of their faces. Well, Lujak glared at Caruso.
"Any other arguments?" Tara said. No one said a word, so she called Ciara over.
The auburn-headed elfmaid was a tall warrior. Her body was lean and athletic, and she dressed much like Tara. Her shirt was a dark red, while her leather britches were blue leather. Black over the knee boots protected her legs and feet. She carried a straight sword.
"Yes, Captain?" Ciara asked.
"Ciara," Tara asked. "Do you want to be my third mate?"
"Me?" she said, her beautiful face lighting up. "Do you really think I could do it?"
Tara carefully kept her demeanor cool and confident. The officers around her stiffened, looking shocked. She knew what was coming, but she'd thought long and hard on it. As captain, it was her duty to know who was the best person to promote into any position when the inevitable deaths occurred. Ciara was the best person to replace the late third mate. The elfmaid was popular, and pretty much bossed all of the men around already.
"Of course I do," Tara said.
"Then I except," she said. "I'll make you proud, too."
"Ah, Captain," Caruso said. He shifted uneasily, glancing at Lujak for support. "Don’t you think a man would be a better choice for third mate?"
"I agree," Lujak said. "Nothing against Ciara. She’s a stark warrior for sure, but most pirates prefer to be led by other men."
She was ready for that argument.
"I’m a woman," Tara challenged, glaring at them. Everyone she looked at averted his eyes. "And I’m
the captain of a three ship fleet. Name one man who can say the same."
The challenge was a formidable one. Tara was the only pirate captain in command of more than one ship on the Kartassa Sea. Pirates weren’t people who easily trusted others and pirate captains jealously guarded their power and independence. So for one captain to assemble a fleet, no matter how small, was an unheard of deed.
"Yes you are, but you're the rare exception," Lujak said.
Tara cut him a fierce look. He shut up. It was a Reaper issue, so the other ships' officers knew better than offer their opinions. At least she hoped so. If another captain challenged her, there could be trouble.
"True," Caruso said. "You are a natural leader and can inspire even these men."
"Are you saying I lack any ability?" Ciara said, green eyes flashing. "I can do anything you dogs can, and probably better, too."
"Now, Ciara, don’t take this personal, but a woman just doesn’t have the physical strength to handle the third mate position effectively," Lujak said.
"True, the position of third mate takes a lot of raw strength," Caruso said. "Besides, the men you’d have to command would expect you to prove you’re stronger than them, and a woman would have to rely more on cunning than strength and intimidation when commanding such men."
"Now you have gone too far," Tara said, emerald eyes narrowing. "You two make it sound as if we are all living off the charity of men. Both me and Ciara have always pulled our weight here. She is the best qualified and she is my new third mate. Ciara, you are posted."
Ciara glared at Lujak and Caruso and then marched off. A heartbeat later, her voice could be heard shouting orders.
"You boys going to sit around all day?" Tara asked, gave them a fierce look, and then spun on her heel and stalked away. Well, that went better than expected.
~**~**~
"You two are getting better and better at pissing off Tara," Captain Rolf said. The half-elf pirate watched his commander a moment, before turning back to the big minotaur. "You really should keep your thoughts to yourself. She hasn’t been wrong yet. If she feels Ciara is the best choice for the job, she’s probably right."
"Maybe so," Lujak replied. "But it isn't right just picking Ciara and promoting her like that. Mates are elected."
"No one else is challenging her decision," Rolf said.
Caruso just grunted and walked away toward a group of men gathered around the remnants of the dragonhead. Lujak watched the human a second with narrowed eyes before he headed back to his position beside the steersman. The two men were rivals for position and Tara’s affections. They rarely agreed on anything, just on principle.
The captains of the other two ships watched them both go. Captain Kamra looked at Rolf and shrugged happily. Then he headed back to his own ship, Swiftwater. Rolf watched the fierce orc warrior turned pirate a second.
He knew Kamra wanted to make Tara his own, but hadn’t found a way yet. She was very attached to Lujak. So every time the big minotaur did anything to upset her, Kamra was happy. Rolf was worried. There had been several tense confrontations between the two men. Lujak tended to be possessive and didn’t like anyone else getting too close to "his woman." The amazing part was that the usually very alert Tara didn’t seem to notice the problem brewing.
Or she's playing some head games with them, he thought.
Rolf shook his head and sighed. He was just glad that neither Lujak nor Kamra was out to get him. Kamra wasn’t as huge as Lujak, or nearly as strong, but orcs were one and all fierce fighters. The half-elf was above average in height with a thick powerful chest and small waist. His black hair was still short after shaving his head to rid it of vermin after his escape from slavery as a galley slave aboard Swiftwater.
"This is why my father warned me about joining mixed crews of men and women," he muttered.
Both Lujak and Kamra had similar temperaments. They were about equal in the martial arts, but Lujak was much larger and stronger. And he had known Tara longer. Then throw in Caruso, who no one truly understood, and the situation became even more heated.
Rolf couldn’t blame them. He would have loved to be Tara’s lover himself. Indeed, every man in all three crews longed to be her lover. He just hoped he wasn’t around when the situation exploded.
After one last glance around Reaper, Rolf headed back to his ship. Valiant was the newest and, he felt, finest ship in their little fleet. Though Tara had been the one that captured it, she had chosen to command the fleet from Reaper for some reason. He didn’t know why since it was evident that she preferred the lateen rigged Valiant to Reaper which was rigged for a rectangular sail. At eighty feet with sixteen sets of oars, the older Reaper was slightly larger than his ship. But her fifteen sets of oars could propel Valiant along a little bit faster.
Chapter 2
The small fleet returned to Amana without further incident. As usual, Reaper led with Swiftwater following and Valiant bringing up the rear. Tara kept them close to the coastline during the trip. They all watched with amusement at how all the other ships on the water gave them a wide berth. Some ships quickly beached and prepared to abandon ship if they were attacked. Apparently, their crews weren’t interested in dying to protect their cargo. Several merchant ships even reversed course and ran upon spotting them. Longships that didn’t fly the flag of a kingdom were suspect, and for good reason. But what really struck fear into the hearts of the civilian crews was Tara’s flag flying from the masts of all three ships. The red flag with black crossed swords was fast becoming the most feared sight on the Kartassa. Then as they neared the city, the interval between the ships was decreased to about fifty paces before passing through Amana’s main gate.
"It's good to be home," Tara said. She loved that city. It was the most dangerous place she knew, yet it embraced her when other cities would hang her. "I really should buy a house."
Amana was an open city. It had no extradition treaties and rarely even enforced its own laws outside of King's Isle. And it was the most infamous haven for outlaws and pirates in the Lowlands. The city sat in the middle of a vast swamp. It was also surrounded by tall granite walls. Therefore, with its natural and manmade defenses, it was considered one of the best defended cities.
Within the walls were twelve inhabited islands. Some of the smallest islands were owned by rich merchants and nobles, though a few were owned by renowned pirate captains. Many a powerful castle dotted the inner harbor on these islands. King's Isle was the home of the city’s Royal Family and most of its nobility. It had its own walls surrounding it. Amana Island was easily three times the size of King's Isle and was where the vast majority of the city’s residents lived.
"I wonder what the king's men would do if I just took one of these island castles?" she asked. "After all, what's the benefit of being called 'Tara the Terrible' if I don't do something terrible?"
Tara hate, hate, hated the name. As pirates go, she wasn't particularly violent or cruel. She only attacked the shipping of her hereditary enemies, while letting ships laden with great wealth pass from other nations. It drove her crews crazy, but she still managed to bring in more loot than any of them had seen before. And she didn't have to raid helpless farming and fishing villages, either.
"I agree, but you keep acting like you'd rather be a beloved folk hero than a feared pirate," Lujak replied.
"A flaw in my character, I'm sure," she said, and playfully punched him in the ribs.
Lujak laughed, throwing a thick arm around her shoulders. He kissed her.
"I'm working on you," he said. "One day, you'll live up to your nickname."
Tara paused to study the island they approached. Amana Island was completely encircled by docks. Also, a series of canals cut through it. Most merchants built their homes and warehouses along these canals or along the docks.
"Hey, be respectful, you overgrown cow. I'm practically a priestess," she said, reaching up to tug down on one of his horns. "You know, the prim and proper type, who only do the ri
ght thing. I have a goddess to answer to, after all."
"Ha!" he laughed. Copping a feel, he leered down at her. "There's nothing prim or proper about Varissa's Own."
Tara laughed, but pushed his hands away.
Varissa was a pretty good goddess as they go. The goddess did have the right of life and death over Her Own. Technically, Tara wasn't subject to Temple Law since she hadn't made that final vow. But growing up in the temple dedicated to war and adventure, and mastering all of the skill sets for both, had saved her butt many times.
Tara headed straight for Amana Island and found three slots near the shipyards on the north side. Reaper pulled up next to the pier and Swiftwater pulled up behind her. Valiant's crew moored her on the other side of the pier from Swiftwater and behind a merchantman.
Tara ordered Reaper’s deck cleared and prepared for the shipwright's inspection. She wanted all three crews to stay on board until she returned from arranging to have her ship repaired. Then she, the ship’s carpenter, and Rolf headed for the shipyards. Rolf had grown up in Amana and knew who to go to and who to avoid.
Captain Rolf was one of Tara’s best friends and most loyal followers. He was from one of Amana’s premier pirate families, though not wealthy by any standards. He had grown up on the streets of Amana before shipping out with pirates at an early age. No one knew the streets and people of Amana better than the half-elf. An unassuming and friendly man, he had nevertheless proven himself an able commander.
Rolf took Tara to see Master Turgut. He proved an ancient, weathered man with an intense pride in his work and his profession. Master Turgut showed her some different design ideas for the dragon's head. Tara made her choice and he ordered his craftsmen to begin work immediately.
"Captain," Master Turgut asked. "Is your ship rigged for lateen or square? We can do either."
"Square rigged," Tara said.
"This is your chance to change Reaper to a lateen sail," Rolf said.