The only thing she could do was cooperate so that her friends wouldn’t suffer for her failure.
Pete was quick to take her downstairs then into the cell. Without a second look, he tossed her inside and locked the door behind him. The wood beneath her bare feet was damp and cold, causing her to shiver. She sat in the corner, wrapping her arms around her legs to contain some warmth.
Pete failed to search her before throwing her inside. He was in too much of a hurry to make sure the captain was all right to remember. She still had the knife, but it wasn’t much use to her now. Unless one of them got close enough to the bars, she could use it to stab one of them or use it as a threat for her release. Even then, there was no guarantee the posted guard would have the key.
Her face fell onto her arms as tears started to fall. She had failed her mission. She had failed the rebellion. Mentally cursing herself, she forced the tears away, wiping her wet cheeks. There was always a way out, that’s what Finn had always told her. She needed to suck it up and think. There must be a way out of here. I know it.
It wasn’t long until Finn and Theren were forced to join her. They were tossed like sacks of potatoes into the cell. Prisoners.
Theren stood and banged on the bars, cursing relentlessly at the crew members—particularly Pete. Some of his curses were in a language she wasn’t familiar with. It must’ve been elven. She supposed he liked using the more… colorful words from his people’s language.
He slumped down on the floor with his eyes closed. Finn held his palm to his face, groaning at the pain. When he turned to Serra, she noticed his eye was slightly swollen, an ugly shade of red and black.
“Nice to see we have good company, eh, elf?” He jested. Theren’s eyes shot open. He rushed over, cupping her face in his hands.
“Did he hurt you? What happened?” A ping of guilt filled her chest. It was her fault they were there. She messed up and got caught. She should’ve been more careful. Taking a deep breath, she told her friends what had happened.
Finn shook his head. “And here I thought, ‘This is too easy!’”
“What do we do now?” asked Theren.
“We need to get out of here. We have to tell Sharlea what we found.” She stood and tugged on the bars as if they would suddenly break with her strength. “Need the key. I don’t see anything we can use to break the bars or bend them far enough apart to wiggle through.”
“Perhaps the elf can hit it again. With all that anger, he may put a dent in them for you.”
Theren glared at Finn. “Shut it, dwarf.”
“Enough! This isn’t helping!” she snapped. They did as she ordered and turned away from one another like angry siblings who had just been scolded by their mother. Theren moved to the other side of the bars as far away as he could get from Finn. Yes, children indeed.
Serra put her face in her hands, trying to think of a way out. Her mind tumbled with possibilities, but they all came down to the same conclusion. A clank stopped her thoughts, and she looked over toward the steps to find a crew member with a bucket and mop.
She squinted her eyes to see who it was, but all she could clearly make out was his hair. It was a bright red, shaded only by the shadows and spotted freckles. His belly hung over his belt, making him seem bigger than he was. Out of all the crew, his skin barely held a tan. One would assume he never saw much of the sun. Serra’s eyes widened as she recalled Tully’s list. This might be their way out.
She waited until the crewmember was close enough to the bars before she called out to him. “You. Your name is Will, right?”
He glanced over his shoulder but didn’t give an answer.
“Listen, I have no intention of harming your captain. I needed information about that silver mine he shifted course to.” Again, he ignored her. Serra looked back at her friends to see Finn waving his hand, urging her on while Theren simply stared.
She examined her nails as if uninterested. “I did find what I was looking for, but I also came across some information about his crew.” This caused Will to stop and face her. “Seems he has his first mate on the lookout for particular crew members who may be a problem. I can’t imagine why, of course.”
His eyebrows narrowed. “That’s ’cause the captain didn’t like some of us questioning about our pay. Guess he’s trying to find reasons to be rid of us.”
She put on a smile, pointing her finger toward the ceiling. “Ah! That might explain the bonuses he’s been getting. Oh? You didn’t know that his buddy at the mine has been giving him a generous bonus for all his trouble?”
“What’d ye’ know ‘bout that, girl?” He titled his head, eyeing her face.
Serra shrugged. “Oh, just found a paper filled with transactions. Now, I’m not a coin master, by any means, but I think ‘additional sum’ means something of a bonus. Was this amount not shared with any of you?”
“How much are we talkin’?”
She leaned her face partially through the bars. “More than you probably make in a year.”
He shifted backward, stunned by her words. Glancing around, he made sure no one could overhear him. “Why should I believe ye’? Yer’ just a girl with an elf and a dwarf as yer’ buddies.”
Waving her hand, she urged him closer. “I may be just a girl, but I managed to get into the captain’s cabin with ease. I’m only here to find out about the slave trade. I’m not here for your money, but I can prove to you that the captain is screwing all of you over. Your name, along with others, were on a list for his first mate to watch. He wants to be rid of anyone who questions him. That very list is in his cabin now. If you can get in there, you will find it.”
“Let’s say you’re tellin’ the truth. What do ye’ want and what do I get out of it?” He crossed his arms.
“Simple, get our equipment over there,” she pointed to Finn’s cargo, “release us, and we will help you get rid of the captain and his first mate. The ship could be yours. All we ask is for a safe return to Adhelm, and you will never see us again.”
“Ye’ want no money? Not the ship? Are you barkin’?”
Money and a ship would be nice, she thought. “Perhaps, but I have no use for money or a ship right now. What I need is information and a ride home.”
Will looked at his feet, considering for a long moment. “First, tell me the names on that list.”
With ease, she recited all of them. Will. Olyver. Mor. Ray. He shook his head at Mor’s name, giving the impression that he was not surprised, but seemed concerned for the other two. “All right, girl. If I find that list, I’ll take your deal, but only if that list actually exists.”
An eyebrow lifted. This seemed too easy. “Why would you say that if you didn’t already believe me?”
He shrugged. “I’ve had a gut feelin’ the captain was having Pete on watch. Notice he had been giving us the same pay for the last seven months despite more work. Ye’ be providing me somethin’ to look for.”
And with that, Will went back upstairs, leaving Serra and her friends behind. The plan was set in motion. Now all they could do was wait.
Many hours passed, though it was unknown to Serra exactly how many. There was no sign of Will yet. She wondered if he was trying to find a way into the captain’s cabin to see the evidence. Maybe he couldn’t find a way and decided to give up or he’d lied to her, but it didn’t seem likely. His anger was legitimate over the lack of pay he felt he deserved.
Finn lay on his back, snoring. If they weren’t currently in a cell, she would imagine they were already home after a long day after her dwarven friend had a few drinks. At least the swelling on his eye had already calmed down a bit.
Theren lay on his side, curled up. Her friends seemed to sleep peacefully, but all she could feel was restlessness. Everything depended on Will and whether he decided to believe her. She felt powerless. She wasn’t used to having to depend on others. Not like this.
Kneeling, Serra reached out to the neighboring cell toward a blanket that was laying unuse
d. It was within inches of her fingertips, but she couldn’t force herself through the bars any more. Unsheathing the dagger, she dug the tip of the blade on the edge of the blanket and tugged carefully toward her until she could pull it the rest of the way.
She beat the blanket against the bars to help make it somewhat cleaner than before then she placed it over Theren. A small clump of hair covered his face. Without thinking, she moved it back behind his pointed ear. He shifted in his sleep at the touch, rolling onto his back. Her cheeks reddened, worried that she had woken him up, but he no longer stirred.
His skin had tanned over the past several days being in the sun. She guessed elves didn’t get sunburnt like humans. Still, the change brought emphasis on his white hair, making him even more handsome. With time, she was sure he would grow stronger and heathier. Being away from his master was healing his body, but she wasn’t sure if his heart would do the same.
She had noticed more and more of his resentment toward Tully’s crew. She hoped it wasn’t against humans in general as she was one, but the thought remained in the back of her mind. Would Theren one day resent her for what she was? Were his feelings no more than an infatuation due to her kindness?
Shaking her head, she dismissed any further thought on it. She would tell him how she felt when they were off this ship and safe at home. But first thing first: they had to get out of the brig. Serra began pacing back and forth, chewing on her thumbnail. Voices could be heard right above her; she assumed the brig sat below the dining room. The pounding of boots escalated. It must be dinner time. She chuckled to herself at the thought of the chef wishing she was there to help feed the crew. He was on his own tonight.
It was about forty minutes before the doorway up the steps opened. Will was carrying a large tray with three bowls on top of it. “Dinner is served,” he said, placing the tray on the floor next to the bars.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m afraid I can’t reach them from here,” she said, offering a pleasant smile.
He crossed his arms. “Listen, girl. I can’t get into the captain’s cabin. He’s even more paranoid now after that stunt ye’ pulled. So, we are in a bit of a predicament.”
Her smile faded, and worry crept up in her chest. “Does this mean our deal is off?”
“I talked to the others. They are inclined to believe ya, though they don’t like it.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Captain has a lot of angry people on this ship. One way or another, we will get our pay.”
They were so close… so close to getting out of here. Serra needed to tell Sharlea what they found out. She needed to get her friend’s home. “The way I see it, Will, is you have two options. One, you can politely tell the captain about your concerns, and he will listen to them, or two, you help me and my friends out of here and you can have the ship. Like I said before, I don’t want your money or your ship. All I want is to return home.”
Will pulled up a box to sit on. “Let me ask yer’ something, girl. Why do ye’ want to help some mining folk? It’s just a bunch of criminals and slaves. They ain’t got nothing for ye’. With yer’ looks, ye’ could get yer’self a good husband. Why bother with all this?” It seemed unwise to tell him the truth—even partially, but she was grasping straws at this point. She needed to convince him to help her.
She leaned her head against the bars. “My family was murdered when I was child. Damned thieves looking for anything they could steal for some coin. I’ve spent my whole life on the road since. I know you don’t give a shit about the elves, but humans are being tortured there. I know what it’s like to be ripped away from your family. That’s why I don’t care about your ship or your captain. There are bigger things on my mind, but I can’t do anything being locked up here.”
To her surprise, Will chuckled. “Aye, girl. Lookin’ for adventure? Want to cause some trouble for those with too heavy of pockets? Ye’ should’ve been a sailor.”
She wanted to be a blacksmith. She never considered being out on the open seas, pirating wealthy merchants and lords for their coin. She imagined Finn wouldn’t like being out in the ocean like that. He hated the open waters. Will’s idea made her chuckle though. “I suppose, but that’s the truth of it.”
“Ye’ going to get ye’self killed to an early grave there by doing that.”
She shrugged. “Perhaps, but I’ll have a lot of fun doing it.” That caused him to laugh harder, and he wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He stood, pulling his keys off his belt. He undid one of the smaller ones and tossed the key between the bars. Serra stared at the key then looked at Will in amazement. He was giving her the key to the cell.
“I better get back up there before they notice I’ve been gone too long. Stay here until one of my men come down and give ye’ the signal. Meantime, get dressed. The mutiny will start once it’s quiet.” Will left before she had the chance to say anything. Gripping the key tightly in her hand, she felt a surge of confidence. The crew accepted her deal.
She barely waited two minutes before she unlocked the door, heading straight for Finn’s cargo to take out their equipment. As she timed the cheers from upstairs, she dug a metal bar into the lid and forced it open. She pushed aside all the loose hay to reach the two sacks buried at the bottom.
When she returned to the cell, Theren was already waking up. “What’s happening? How did you—”
She tossed him one of the bags. “Get dressed. The mutiny will start soon.” She pulled out Finn’s clothes and tossed them on his face, causing him to curse as he wakened. Once he recognized his clothes, he wasted no time before he took off his overcoat.
Serra started pulling off her dress before she realized she was undressing in front of Theren. Blushing, she turned her back to him hoping it was dark enough where he wouldn’t see anything. Within seconds, she threw it off then put on her shirt then her pants, making it the quickest time she knew of getting dressed.
She glanced back at Theren who was undressing himself, revealing his chest. Her cheeks warmed as she turned away. She focused on gathering their weapons.
She had packed Finn’s dual axes, her sword, and a spare for Theren. He wasn’t as familiar with a blade as she was, but it was better than being unarmed. She would need to make sure he stayed behind her so he wouldn’t be forced to fight. Luckily, these sailors knew their way around a sword. Tying her sword to her belt, she felt ready for a fight.
They waited in silence as they listened closely to the noise upstairs. Serra often stared at the door, waiting for one of Will’s men to open it. After what seemed like hours, the voices of the crew softened. Only the rumbling of their footsteps could be heard. Will’s plan must be a surprise hit on the crew members loyal to the captain while they slept. She imagined there wasn’t too many loyal if any of the crew felt the way Will did.
Serra looked over her shoulder and saw Finn using his dagger to clean out his nails, clearly bored with the waiting. Theren moved beside her, watching the door. A pair of footsteps moved quickly above them, coming closer to them. Within moments, the door opened. A man poked his head through, glancing back before he made his way down the steps. He waved his hand to follow him. Carefully, Serra opened the cell door as her friends trailed behind her.
They reached the second floor. The man they followed put his finger to his mouth then made his way down the hall towards the dining room. When they approached the door, the man knocked twice then did it again. The door opened with Will’s face in the crack. He left them in.
The dining room was filled with more crew members than Serra had assumed there would be. Two thirds of the crew were battle ready with blades and heavy leather armor across their chests. Some of them acknowledged her with a single nod. Others simply watched as they entered the room. She recognized one of them clearly, the chef decided to join their cause.
Will waved his hand and the crew huddled around him. “All right then. Now, Pete has gone straight to the captain’s cabin. This is our shot.” He gave out the orders to several of
the men to head toward the bunks and clean house. Theren and Finn were to join the largest group to secure the deck. Serra was to follow Will’s main group to head straight for the cabin. His group consisted of the best swordsmen and biggest men, he explained to her. She didn’t like to be separated from her friends, but Finn’s nod told her that he would watch out for Theren while she and Will got to the captain.
They moved in minutes as the three groups separated. Once they reached the deck, the attack begun as several men had their throats cut and thrown overboard. Two of the crewmen headed straight for Serra, but before she could defend herself, the largest member of the mutiny smacked their heads together, killing them instantly.
Sizing the man, Serra felt like a child compared to him. He was a good foot and a half taller than her with a large stomach and his muscles were bigger than her arms and legs combined. He was bald with a thick black beard.
He picked up one of the crew that had his back toward him then threw him overboard. The crewmember screamed and flayed his arms. The ship was moving too fast for him to catch up.
Another one attacked, yelling as he aimed to bring his sword down on her head. She brought her sword above her then swiped it to her left as she pulled out her dagger and stabbed him in the belly. Two more rushed after her. She used the man she had stabbed and pushed him into the others, knocking them off balance.
The large man roared, causing her to look over her shoulder. He was holding a barrel over his head. She ducked to the floor as he threw at the group of men several feet in front of her. The large man smiled, pleased with his aim. She had no words but nodded as a thank you.
“Watch out!” a voice called.
Serra turned and saw Theren swinging his sword above her head to parry the sword from an attacker. Theren twirled and slammed his shoulder into him, pushing him back.
Rise of the Champion (The Champion Book 1) Page 15