Demons of the Ocean (16 page)

"And to you," said Connor. Smiling as ever, but all business, Bart rushed off to join the other three hulks who made up his team of four.Connor rejoined his team, who were psyching themselves up for the attack, much like the sports teams Connor had played on since he was a young kid. Some of the pirates were limbering up--lunging forward to loosen their legs or twisting from side to side to ensure they could achieve the maximum range of motion. Others were practicing stabbing and slicing through the open air with their rapiers. Thinking of the swords in real action made Connor shiver and feel somewhat nauseous.He brushed his fingers against the hilt of the rapier that now hung at his own hip. Cate had gone through Connor's

 role within the attack and told him that it was highly unlikely he'd be called upon to use the sword for anything more than intimidation. But this was not a game. Nothing was guaranteed. Connor felt the weight of the sword. It was heavy, but heavier still was his growing sense of dread at using it. Maybe he wasn't cut out for the life of a pirate after all. But it was too late to step away now--the others were depending on him.Suddenly, Cheng Li appeared at his side. He had thought for sure she'd have been one of the first eights. Perhaps she was just coming to wish him luck."I'm joining this team," Cheng Li announced. "Johnna--go and take my place in the first eights. You've been promoted. I'm staying back to keep my eye on Tempest."

The other pirate--Johnna--was clearly delighted. She saluted Cheng Li then raced over to join the rest of her team. Connor looked at Cheng Li. Had she actually chosen to step back, he wondered, or had she been demoted? Her dark eyes warned him not to even think about it further.Suddenly, there was a deafening noise from right above Connor's head. Looking up, he saw a heavy metal grid falling toward him. Instinctively, he jumped out of the way. As he did so, the narrow grid swung down but came to a halt at a forty-five-degree angle. Two similar structures had appeared at intervals farther along the deck. They jutted out menacingly like half-raised drawbridges."What are those?" Connor asked Cheng Li, already suspecting the worst."How do you think you're going to get over from our ship to theirs?" she replied.Connor looked up at the narrow grid that hovered above his head, as the ship rocked from side to side. It looked far from stable."When the cannon sounds," Cheng Li told him, "it will swing down until it's flat and make a bridge."Connor was unconvinced.The pirate on his other side nudged him. "We calls 'em the 'Three Wishes," he said, "cuz all you can do is wish that you make it over to the other ship and safe home again."

"Thanks," said Cheng Li testily, "that's very helpful."

Connor felt really sick.The cannon sounded.The pirate ship had drawn up alongside its target, easily outrunning the smaller craft, like a shark closing in on a dolphin.The vessels clashed.The noise in Connor's ears was deafening as the cannons sounded again and, at the same time, the Three Wishes were lowered to a ninety-degree angle and positioned to make bridges from The Diablo to the other vessel.As the metal grids clattered into place, the three teams of broadsworders lost no time in racing over the fragile structures, high over the churning sea. Connor saw that each bridge had a thin guardrail on either side, but even so they looked anything but sturdy, lurching up and down as the two ships rocked in the rough water."I can't do it," Connor said, panic spreading through him like ice."Of course you can," Cheng Li said. "The trick is to run over as quickly as you can. The slower you go, the more unstable you'll feel. And whatever you do, Connor, don't look down!"But Connor couldn't help but look down right now. Far below the metal grids lay the churning ocean, waiting hungrily to receive him back into its cold embrace.He trembled. He'd never been keen on heights--even living in a lighthouse hadn't conquered that. He felt a heavy sickness and a frightening swell of adrenaline in his veins. One moment, his whole body felt as heavy as lead, the next as fragile and vulnerable as a feather. There was no way he could set foot on the bridge. One slip or missed footing and he'd plummet into the icy depths. He wanted to crawl away and take shelter. Why had Captain Wrathe chosen him to take part in the raid? He couldn't do this."Yes, you can."It was his dad's voice once more. Right inside his head. "You can do this, Connor."The calmness and certainty in his dad's voice reassured him. The flow of adrenaline slowed and Connor felt a momentary calm."First eights in," cried Cate, suddenly breaking from the pack and darting over the wish.And now three teams of eight pirates ran off across the metal bridges like racehorses, jumping from one ship to the other, running down their prey.Now Connor and the others on the second team of eightsmen stepped up, in a line, to the ship's side. He was last but one. Cheng Li stood behind him.This was it. The moment. He couldn't tell how the battle was going. It was impossible to see what was happening on the deck of the other ship.In front of him, the wish rocked up and down. Though he'd now seen twelve pirates safely run across it, he still feared the worst. But what option did he have now? He was part of a team and Connor Tempest never let down his team."Second eights," came a cry.The pirates in front of him shot across the wish, their hands not even reaching for the guardwire. Suddenly, Connor was at the front. He hesitated for an instant, but Cheng Li gave him a firm push forward."Do it, boy. Prove to me I didn't rescue a coward."Taking a deep breath, Connor jumped up onto the wish and, not looking down, not reaching out his hand, propelled himself forward. Just a few steps and he landed with a thud on the wooden deck of the vessel. He'd made it."Excellent, boy!" cried Cheng Li as she jumped down beside him. There was no time for further chat. Connor parted company with Cheng Li. His job was to seek out Cate and follow her instructions.Around him, the first eights were engaged in one-on-one combat. He was so full of adrenaline, he might have been tempted to join in, but Cate's instructions had been crystal clear. There was a system and it must be kept to. Ahead, he saw Cate, signaling him over. He ran to her side. Cate's rapier was held over two men, whose faces told of surrender even if their bodies had not trembled like reeds in the wind.

"Hold them here, while I go deeper," Cate instructed.Connor drew his own rapier and extended it toward the men, hoping that they could not sense his inexperience. Judging by their whimpering, they did not."Don't mess with Tempest," Cate told them. "He's one of our most bloodthirsty." Winking secretly at Connor, she moved on.Maybe it wasn't so hard being a pirate, after all. Connor let out a deep breath and smiled at his captives. This seemed to unnerve them utterly."Just being friendly," he shrugged, cheekily moving the tip of his rapier closer to the pair.He felt a tap on his back. He spun around. One of the defending crew had broken free and was hovering before him--a rapier in his hand. He must have taken it from one of The Diablo's crew. He wore no protection, but his eyes were full of hatred."Bloody pirates," he said. "Think we're easy prey, do you? Well, think again."He struck out at Connor with the sword but Connor saw the move coming and darted out of the way.The man came right back at him, and this time the rapier grazed his shoulder. Connor felt a searing pain. But it was okay--it was better than okay. The pain was like a wake-up call. It pulled Connor together. Now they stood opposite each other, weighing the possibilities. Connor brought himself to focus, summoning up the lessons he'd learned from Cate and Bart."You're just a boy," sneered his opponent. "Are they running out of proper pirates and taking on youth trainees?"He mustn't rise to the bait. The man was trying to throw him off his guard. Connor kept his gaze fixed on the man's eyes. It paid off. As the man took another swing at him, Connor predicted the move and blocked the blade with his own. Then he used all his strength to force down the attacking rapier. As he did so, pain shot through his shoulder. The effort had been too much. He could feel warm blood seeping from the wound.He mustn't let himself get distracted. He'd have to get in the next attack first. And he did. He pulled his rapier away and dived toward his opponent, roaring with adrenaline. His eyes boring into the man, he plunged his rapier toward his chest. But the deck had become wet with dirt and blood and Connor slipped. The rapier did not make the man's chest, but the attack threw him backward and his head bashed against the mast. He slumped to the floor, blood instantly gushing down over his head and face like a waterfall.Connor's heart was racing as he reached down and tore the rapier out of the man's limp hands. When he brought his hand away, it was soaked in the man's blood. He wiped it dry on his trousers.He didn't want the man to die. He wanted to protect himself but he didn't want the man to die. He looked around the deck. The battle was ending. The pirates of The Diablo had won. But Connor didn't feel like a winner.He raced over to the two prisoners Cate had asked him to watch over before. They had seen his duel and reared back in fright as he returned."Be merciful!" one of them cried."Take off your scarf," Connor rasped. "Take off your scarf. NOW!"The man's shaking hands unraveled the scarf. "Come with me!" Connor commanded him."Please--be merciful!"

"Just come." Connor was almost out of voice now.He grabbed the man by the wrists and pulled him over to the mast, where his erstwhile opponent was now covered in blood from his head wound. Taking the scarf, Connor pressed it to the man's skull, holding it there to still the flow of blood."Here, you take over," he said, placing the other man's hand over the blood-soaked scarf. "Keep it there and keep the pressure strong. It's a bad wound but it won't be fatal."

"You are merciful! Thank you!" the man said, smiling through chattering teeth.Connor stood there, breathing in quick bursts. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't fight anymore. There was no fight left in him.He turned.

"Good work, boy," said Cheng Li. "We may need to work on your killer instincts, but good work all the same." Cate came running over."Connor, I heard what happened. Well done! Brilliant stuff. And Cheng Li..."

"Yes?"Cheng Li and Cate faced each other, their swords

 in their hands."Fantastic work, Mistress Li. As usual. Thanks for looking after Connor. But I want you back at the front of the attack next time. You put the other eights to shame. Beautiful precision wounds. You'll have to show me some of those moves with the katanas sometime."

"If you wish," Cheng Li said nonchalantly, but Connor could see that she was pleased.Cate ran off to make official news of the ship's surrender. The Diablo fired two cannon shots to signal victory and the defeated ship sounded the solo cannon of surrender. And so it was over, as swiftly as it had begun.The captain of the defeated ship had taken little convincing. He knew he was outnumbered. As Cate led him from his cabin, all he could do was moan about what his boss would say when he learned that his precious cargo had been taken."You can tell him that Captain Molucco Wrathe of The Diablo sends him his warmest regards," said a familiar voice.

Captain Wrathe stepped out from the trailing cannon smoke, looking utterly pristine, his swords already back in their silver scabbards."We thank you kindly for your cargo," Captain Wrathe said. "And if you'll just assist with carrying it up here for loading, we shall not impose any further upon your precious time."On Cate's orders, Connor followed a pair of prisoners down to the hold, and kept his sword trained on them as they made four journeys each to haul up the treasures stowed below. They were too terrified to be indignant.Finally, the bounty was piled high on the deck like a bonfire of riches. The pirates divided up again into two teams. The first eights held the defeated crew in a circle while the broadsworders and the second eightsmen collected the goods and carried them across the Three Wishes to the deck of The Diablo. After a couple of journeys back and forth, Connor had all but lost his earlier fear."Can ya give me a hand here, buddy?" Bart called.Beaming, Connor picked up the other end of the last chest and, together, they hauled it over the wish.The rest of the attack teams returned, jumping down from the Three Wishes triumphantly onto the deck. The three temporary bridges were raised behind them like drawbridges, dormant until the next raid.Cheers greeted the attackers' return and there was a ceaseless round of hugs and backslapping and high fives.

"Well done, buddy!" said Bart, slapping Connor heartily on the back."Well done, indeed!" cried Captain Wrathe. "A fine raid, my fellows. A fine raid." He put a broad arm around Cate and hugged her. "Magnificent work, Cate, truly magnificent."Cate blushed furiously."We did it," Connor said to Bart. "We did it!"

"You're a pirate now," Bart said to him. "May God help ya, you're a bona fide pirate."Connor turned his gaze toward the ocean and saw the defeated ship beating a swift retreat toward the darkening horizon. He walked away from the others, up to the guardrail."I told you you could do it," said another familiar voice. "Dad!" he said aloud."You did well today, Connor."

"Where's Grace?" Connor asked. "Is she alive? Where is she?"He waited but there was silence. Behind him, he heard the jubilant crew. Why had his dad ignored his last question?There was more cannon fire. Still he stood at the guardrail, his eyes fixed on the horizon, waiting.At last, the calm voice spoke once more inside his head. "Not yet, Connor. Not yet. But soon."

CHAPTER 26

THE FIGUREHEAD

Grace turned on her feet and ran back out of the kitchen, into the corridor. Where were the stairs? How much time did she have?The bell tolled again.How could she have lost track of the day like this? She must have slept for far longer than she had realized. She wondered what secret ingredient the cook might have slipped into her bread and soup.By the next toll of the bell, she had reached the corridor where Old Nathaniel had stumbled out of his cabin. It was quiet now and the doors were all closed. Perhaps there was still time.Throwing herself at the stairway, she took two steps at a time, no longer concerned at the noise she was making.

Her heart pounded wildly. She had to make it back to her cabin before the crew awoke.Again the bell tolled. How many strikes did she have?Now she was in the corridor beneath the main deck. She could hear signs of life behind the closed doors. No, more like signs of death. Don't even think about it, Grace, just run!She was already out of breath when she reached the last stairwell. If only she was as fit as Connor. Never mind, not much farther now. She could almost hear him giving her encouragement.Reaching the top of the stairs, she looked back along the corridor. Then she realized there was a quicker way. The door here--the one she'd ignored earlier--opened out onto the deck. She could get to her cabin quicker that way. She pushed it open as the bell sounded once more.It was a shock to find it was dark outside, though of course she knew it must be. But it was utterly dark and she had to pause to get her bearings. If she ran off wildly now, she might easily slip off the edge of the ship or run into the mast or some other hidden danger.Suddenly, a glow of light appeared at her side. Gratefully, Grace looked around. The light grew stronger, strong enough to tell her that she needed to run to her left."Ain't you gonna stop and say how-do?"It was a girl's voice. Behind her. Grace knew she should just put her head down and run. The captain had told her to return to her cabin by nightfall. And she'd almost made it."Well, that's just rude if you ask me. And I have no truck with rude persons."