Pirate of the Prophecy

by Jack Campbell

  Sweat streamed down her face as Jules ran, her breath coming in great gasps.

  How far had she come? Straight inland so far, she thought. Or mostly straight, she corrected herself, using glimpses of the sun between the tree tops to orient her path.

  Something growled far behind her. Something big. Jules had never heard anything like it. She discovered she could run a little faster.

  It must be time to turn toward the coast, toward the bay where help was supposed to be waiting. Jules pulled off her coat, dropping it to the ground where it would hopefully mislead her pursuers, then ran to her right, trying to put as much distance as she could between her former path and her current route.

  Struggling up another ridge, onto a cleared section where a tree had fallen, Jules paused to look back, her chest heaving with exertion.

  Something was moving in the trees back there, down in a gap between two ridges, something tall enough to brush the limbs near the top of the trees. Jules caught glimpses of something shiny moving through the trunks, and saw one tree topple as if a giant had shoved it over.

  Whatever it was, it seemed to be chasing her. And it didn’t seem like a good idea to let it catch up.

  She ran again, down the slope, relieved to see that she seemed to have topped off her flight. From here it was downhill, though that involved more than one more ridge whose side had to be climbed on the way down toward the water that beckoned through the trees.

  A scream shattered the air of the forest, sending birds frantically flying in all directions. She looked back, leaning with one hand on a tree trunk as she gasped for air. The scream seemed to have come from where she’d left her coat.

  What the blazes had made that scream?

  Jules staggered down the slope toward the beach, knowing she was slowing down, unable to keep moving faster because of her exhaustion.

  She heard something crashing through the trees behind her. Was it her imagination that the ground was shaking from the impacts of something very heavy running after her?

  A branch fell before Jules, telling her it wasn’t entirely her imagination. The ground really was shaking.

  She ran out of the trees and onto the beach, almost sobbing with relief as she saw a rowboat resting a little way down the beach with two sailors standing by it. Out in the small bay, the sloop of war Storm Queen rested at anchor. At the moment, with some unseen terror at her heels, the Storm Queen looked like the most beautiful ship that had ever been built.

  Despite the burning muscles in her legs and the rawness of her throat as she breathed in deep gasps, Jules managed to break into a run again. She gestured frantically with her arms toward the sailors with the rowboat, trying to get them to understand that they needed to go quickly.

  The sailors seemed to get the hint, pulling the boat out into the water.

  Another inhuman scream sounded behind her as a nightmare burst out of the trees.

  Jules spared only one glance back, but that was enough to sear into her mind the image of the monster chasing her. At least three times her height, it stood on two massive hind legs tipped with claws. An equally massive tail stood out behind, balancing the creature as it ran. The creature’s arms ended in hands that looked disturbingly human but were tipped with long claws. The head was a mass of sharp-edged bone interrupted by a huge mouth lined with teeth like daggers. The whole beast was covered in scales that shimmered in the light and looked very much like the scaled armor worn by some of the Imperial cavalry.

  The monster’s dark eyes searched the beach, alighting on Jules.

  It screamed again, sounding like an eagle’s cry made huge and terrifying, and began running after her.

  Jules put on a burst of speed she didn’t think she was capable of.

  The sailors with the rowboat had seen the monster, too, and were pushing the boat into deeper water, clambering in and setting the oars into the locks with frantic haste. Out on the water, sailors had burst into motion on the Storm Queen, bringing up the anchor and racing up the rigging to unfurl the sails.

  Not knowing how far the beast was behind her, Jules didn’t pause when she got close to the rowboat, splashing out into the water with steps as broad as she could take before leaping the final distance and grabbing onto the stern of the boat as her body flopped onto the water. The sailors were already rowing, staring terrified at the monster behind Jules.

  Jules pulled herself up and into the stern of the rowboat as it fled, her breath still coming in rapid, fear-driven bursts. She looked back, seeing the monster far too close. It began to run into the water after the boat, the resistance of the water slowing down its massive legs. But even though the panicked sailors were rowing so hard that the boat was practically leaping from the water on each pull, the monster was still getting closer.

  Crouching in the stern of the rowboat, holding on as the boat rocked across the water, Jules knew that the Mechanic revolver wouldn’t help her against this thing.

  A thrown line with a weight on the end thumped into the rowboat. One of the rowers let off long enough to hastily tie off the line at the bow. The other was tied to the Storm Queen, which hauled the rowboat with her as the sloop slowly picked up speed. Sailors on the deck of the ship began pulling in the line, aiding the boat in getting closer to the ship and adding a little speed to its progress.

  A huge hand tipped with claws grabbed the stern of the rowboat as the monster caught up. The two sailors from the Storm Queen bolted forward, hand-over-handing along the remaining length of line up to the ship.

  Afraid that she’d be seized by those claws if she turned her back, Jules grabbed one of the oars out of its lock and thrust the broad blade like a spear at the dagger-lined maw lunging toward her.

  The creature bit down on the oar, the impact knocking Jules back onto her butt in the bow of the rowboat. Splinters flew, leaving Jules holding only the shaft and handle of the oar.

  She swung it high and brought it down on the head of the monster with all her strength.

  The impact jarred her hands so badly that Jules dropped the broken oar. The monster seemed only momentarily dazed though, lunging at her again.

  It went underwater.

  Jules realized that the depth had increased enough that the creature couldn’t keep its head above water. By now the rowboat had been hauled up right next to the ship. Terrified at the idea of the colossal beast swimming underneath her, Jules jumped off the bow toward the side of the Storm Queen, where hands caught hers and helped her over the side and onto the deck.

  Jules got to her feet, barely able to move because of her exhaustion, staring back where the monster had last been.

  It reappeared near where she’d last seen it, thrashing at the water as it screamed again, its eyes still fixed on the Storm Queen. Still fixed on Jules. It wasn’t just hunting random prey. It had been hunting her.

  “It can’t swim,” Captain Lars said.

  Jules realized that he was standing beside her. “What is it?” she gasped between breaths, swaying on her feet.

  “A Mage dragon. One of their monsters.”

  “That’s a dragon?”

  “It fits what I was told,” Lars said. He was doing a good job of pretending to be unruffled so his crew wouldn’t panic, but the tremors in his voice and his hands gave away his fear to Jules. “Not a lot of people survive their encounters with dragons to offer up descriptions. I’ve heard the size varies. How big they are, I mean. I have no idea why. Maybe it depends on how powerful the Mage is.”

  Jules sagged, only staying up thanks to the railing she was leaning on. “I nearly didn’t survive my encounter with this one. I owe you.”

  “We’re not clear yet.” Lars pointed ahead. “See that cloud on the horizon?”

  Jules looked. “That’s from one of the Mechanic ships.”

  “And there’s another,” Lars said, pointing off to starboard.

  “That second one is probably the Mechanic ship that was in Jacksport,” Jules gasped, still short of
breath. “Two of them? They sent two of those things after me?”

  “You are, um, important, I understand,” Lars said.

  “Yay, me.” Jules looked around the horizon. “You can’t outrun them, but you can take the northwest channel between the islands. The Storm Queen has a shallow enough draft to get through there, but I hear those Mechanic ships draw a lot more water.”

  “One of them might be able to catch us at the other end,” Lars said. “It depends how much they want to risk running aground.”

  “Yeah. At the moment, I don’t think it’s a good idea to test how badly they want me.” Jules squinted to the north. “On your way to the channel, swing close by the north island. I’ll drop off when they can’t see me and swim ashore. That way they won’t find anything on you if they catch you. I’ve got a mirror so I can signal the Sun Queen when she comes looking for me.”

  Lars rubbed his chin as he thought. “There are fresh springs on the north island. You should be all right for a little while. We’ll do that.” He was doing a very good job of not letting his relief show at being able to get Jules off of his ship.

  “Can I borrow a cutlass?” Jules asked, her breathing finally moderating a little. Her legs still felt incredibly weak and wobbly.

  “I think we can do that, too. What the blazes happened back there?”

  “A lot of Mechanics and Mages were trying to kill me. And that dragon was trying to kill me, too. I thought that was kind of obvious.”

  “Was there any particular reason, or just general hostility toward a young pirate of some renown?” Lars asked.

  Jules grinned for a moment at the memory, despite her lingering fear as she saw the dragon pacing on the beach far behind them. “I told some Mechanics they were stupid.”

  “To their faces?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, I wish I’d been there.”

  “Me, too,” Jules said. “I would have tripped you while that dragon was chasing us.”

  Lars laughed, but Jules honestly didn’t know if she was joking.

  * * *

  About a half hour later, having eaten and drunk some water, settled a cutlass at her waist, and been given a waterproof pack of hardtack, Jules eased over the side of the Storm Queen as the ship coasted close past the northernmost of the Sharr Isles. Jules slipped into the water with as little splash and sound as possible, her clothes and boots in an oilskin bag to keep them dry. The Mechanics might be using their far-seers to watch the Storm Queen, and who knew how far the far-seers could see? And no one really knew everything that Mages were capable of.

  Jules swam ashore, grateful that the Storm Queen had been able to come close to shore so the swim was a very short one before her feet found the bottom. Wading through the shallows, she scuttled across the beach and into the trees.

  Relatively small, with the roughest interior terrain and the only one of the Isles without a decent natural harbor, the north island had yet to attract any settlers. Maybe it never would.

  It didn’t take long for the breeze to dry her enough to get dressed. Jules made her way inland, traveling slowly both because of the rough landscape and because she was still worn out from her frantic dash to escape Jacksport. Climbing a slope facing south, she found an open ledge that provided a wide view of the waters, including the hills rising on the island where Jacksport was located.

  She wondered if the dragon was still pacing on that beach.

  How long would the dragon be there, waiting for her to come back?

  It would have a long wait. She was never going back to that island.

  With finally some time to think, Jules settled back against the slope behind her, chewing on some hardtack.

  She wished the other Mechanic hadn’t been Hal. Arrogant as he was, he had appeared open to thinking of commons as worthy of being treated decently. But even Hal had seemed to embrace the idea that Mechanic Gin had openly stated, that commons like Jules were the equivalent of horses. Useful, worth grooming sometimes, but ultimately a form of life meant to serve others. Hal had been just as shocked as Gin, just as outraged, over Jules’ words.

  The Mechanics wouldn’t let up on her now. They wouldn’t let her escape again. She’d have to avoid getting caught.

  The Mages must be furious that she’d gotten away, too. If Mages could be furious.

  The Emperor was mad enough to worry even the Mechanics Guild. If he got his hands on Jules now, she figured she’d probably end up chained to a bed somewhere in Marandur, the Emperor visiting once a year or so to get her pregnant again. She wondered how many such pregnancies she’d survive. And if having the children didn’t kill her, once the Emperor had several heirs by Jules there wouldn’t be any reason to keep her alive any longer. She would have fulfilled her purpose. Blazes, the Emperor would want her dead to ensure no other man had children with her.

  Maybe he’d throw her to the Mages then. That would probably be a kinder and quicker death than anything else the Imperials or the Mechanics might do.

  She tried to think things through as Mak would want her to do. The old plan, to be allied with the Mechanics Guild while actually working against it, was out the window. Once again it was her being chased by the Mages and the Imperials, only this time the Mechanics wanted her head as well. Hazardous cargo. The old words of Captain Erin applied once more. But had Jules’ status changed as well? Certainly the crew of the Sun Queen respected her, saw her as solidly one of their own.

  She was no longer just the young woman of the prophecy. A lot of people had heard of her acts of piracy. Her name meant something. Her reputation meant something. Jules didn’t even think of herself the same way any longer. While the burden of knowing she’d give birth to a line that would lead to that distant daughter hadn’t diminished, she’d taken to heart Mak’s advice to build her own life apart from that. Mak hadn’t always seemed thrilled by the risks she’d run, but he seemed happy with who she was.

  She’d acquired a lot of friends among the commons. And there were more places to hide as new settlements went up and more people escaped from the Emperor’s rule. If worse came to worse, she could always follow that pass west from Kelsi’s settlement.

  That would put her a long way from the sea, though. Jules looked out on the water, wondering if she could ever be happy if the sea wasn’t there in sight, wasn’t under the hull of a ship she was riding. She understood old Ferd, courting death when the prospect of leaving the sea grew too near to him. It’d be a sort of death, wouldn’t it, to never ride the waves again?

  She saw one of the Mechanic ships come through the waters between the north island and the southern island that held Jacksport. The Mechanic vessel moved slowly, cruising past the southern island, plainly searching its shores.

  Would the Mechanics kill the dragon with that giant weapon on the front of their ship?

  But if the dragon was still there the Mechanics ignored it, sailing on past back toward Jacksport, the smoke coming out the tubes or chimneys on top of the ship tinted by the setting sun just as if it were clouds.

  The sun set, night coming on. Jules sat looking out across the night-darkened waters, hoping that the Sun Queen and all on her were all right.

  She finally fell asleep, worn out by the day’s labors.

  The morning sun and a persistent insect combined to wake her. Jules grimaced, smacking her mouth and taking a drink of water to try to clear a bad taste. Maybe she’d inhaled another bug. Among other things, land had too many insects. The sea kept such creatures away where they couldn’t pester people.

  Her worries grew as the sun rose, lighting up the islands Jules could see. Where was the Sun Queen? Had the Mechanics seized her? Sunk her? What had happened to Mak and the others?

  She caught occasional flashes of light from the island that held Jacksport. Sun reflecting off of metal or glass. Search parties? Were the Mechanics still looking for her there?

  The sun was nearing noon when Jules perked up at the sight of masts coming around the islan
d. She stood up, balancing on the slope, gazing anxiously as the masts grew higher, sails appearing under them, then the hull.

  The three-master looked a lot like the Sun Queen. Was it?

  The ship coasted past the small bay, clearly searching for someone ashore.

  Deciding that she had to risk it, Jules pulled out her mirror and flashed reflected sunlight toward the ship.

  It took a while for someone on the ship to notice, since they were all apparently looking toward the southern island. But eventually the ship tacked to the north and came toward her.

  Jules waited as it got closer, deciding that if this wasn’t the Sun Queen it was a ship that might as well have been her twin. She started down the slope toward the beach.

  By the time she got there, the longboat was only a short distance off. Jules saw Ang waving to her and finally relaxed.

  * * *

  “Sorry it took us a while to get here,” Mak said as Jules climbed up on deck. “The Mechanics warned us that if we left port yesterday they’d sink us. But this morning their ship came back and sent a lot of Mechanics ashore, so we felt it was safe to sneak out.”

  “Search parties,” Jules said. “They think I’m still on that island.”

  “They probably let us go this morning in hopes that you’d go out onto a beach to meet us so they could find you,” Mak said.

  “Then they might have seen you pick me up,” Jules said. “We need to get out of here. You do, anyway. Sir, I can’t stay on this ship. You know that. The next time a Mechanic ship catches us they’ll just sink the Queen right off. Get me somewhere I can hop another ship.”

  Mak turned to yell at the crew as they hoisted the longboat back aboard. “Jeri says she should leave the ship so the rest of us would be safer. What say you?”