Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates (23 page)

A series of huge bubbles came floating to the surface from its wake, gurgling obscenely, and then Sebastian saw the bodies of the dead pirates drifting up from the decks like life-sized rag dolls. And then he noticed a last chilling detail: a series of triangular fins cutting the surface of the water as the kelfers came cruising in, looking for a meal.

The others turned away in disgust and started towards the cabin, but glancing back, Sebastian noticed that the Kid remained standing at the rail, staring down at the swirling waters where the
Black Hand
had passed, as though hoping against hope that she might somehow rise again.

Early the following morning the
Sea Witch
nosed her way through a slight mist towards the harbour of Lemora. Scores of ships of every shape and size rode at anchor in the bay, but the dock seemed deserted. Standing on the prow, Cornelius and Sebastian eyed the wooden wharf and its grubby collection of waterside shanties with understandable suspicion. The memory of their visit to the lawless city of Brigandia was still fresh in Sebastian's mind and he remembered only too well how they had only just escaped with their lives.

'Seems quiet,' observed Cornelius. 'There's hardly anyone about.'

'They're probably in hiding,' replied Sebastian. 'Waiting to jump out at us with knives and swords.'

'Oh, you're too pessimistic.'

'Even so, there's no real reason to go ashore, is there? Unless . . .'

'Unless what?' asked Cornelius.

'I've been thinking about the Kid.'

'Oh yes?'

'I was reminding myself that if we do take him back to Ramalat, they'll hang him. I don't know about you, but the thought of letting a young lad go to the gallows is not one I can easily accept. Especially when it turns out he never really wanted to be a pirate in the first place.'

Cornelius smiled and nodded. 'I'm with you on that,' he said.

'So maybe we
should
have a quick look around Lemora.'

'Yes. And while we're there, it might just be that young Beverly manages to escape from us. All those narrow streets and everything . . . Well, it would be pointless looking for him in a labyrinth like that, wouldn't it?'

Sebastian grinned. 'Sounds like a great idea. What about his crew?'

Cornelius's expression hardened. 'Oh no, they're adults. They're also robbing, murdering scum. I've no problem with seeing the likes of
them
hang.'

'You're all heart,' said Sebastian.

Jenna came walking towards them from the stern. 'What are you two conspiring about?' she asked as she approached.

'Nothing!' said Sebastian, a little too quickly.

'We were just saying,' said Cornelius, 'that Lemora seems like an interesting place to explore.'

Jenna looked doubtful about that. 'I wouldn't recommend any stranger to go into that hell-hole,' she said flatly. 'Not without a small army to back them up.'

'Oh, but we'll have an expert guide,' said Cornelius. 'Where is the Kid this morning?'

'Still eating his breakfast, I believe. You know, that boy could charm the birds out of the trees. He's got Thaddeus to whip him up a batch of pancakes. I've never known that cantankerous old coot do that for anyone.' She looked suddenly thoughtful. 'You know, I've been doing some thinking . . .'

Sebastian and Cornelius exchanged knowing glances.

'If you insist on taking the Kid into Lemora, you might want to consider coming back
without
him.'

Cornelius raised his eyebrows. 'What? But he's a pirate, Jenna. He and his crew would have plundered the
Sea Witch
without a thought if they'd had the opportunity!'

'I know, but . . . well, he's just a kid.'

Sebastian shook his head. 'Pay no attention to him. We've already planned to let him get away.'

Jenna smiled, which seemed to light up her entire face. 'I'm glad,' she said. 'I was dreading the thought of taking him back and letting Trencherman have his revenge. Well, I'll leave the details up to you. I'll be here, supervising repairs.' She studied Cornelius for a moment. 'You'll be stepping into a den of thieves. Perhaps you'd like to leave the treasure map with me for safe-keeping?'

Cornelius shook his head, smiling. 'Oh no,' he said. 'I think I'd rather keep that with me.'

'Really, Captain Drummel!' she cried, in mock horror. 'Anyone would think you didn't trust me.' She chuckled. 'Anyway, I'd better go and see about bringing this old tub into harbour.' She started to turn away but Sebastian put out a hand to grasp her arm.

'Captain Swift?' he said. 'Er . . . Jenna? Could I ask a small favour?'

She turned back to look at him, her dark eyes flashing, and smiled in a way that was designed to make his heart flutter but was wasted on a man so enchanted. 'Of course. What is it?'

'Do you think . . . well, do you think that Max might be allowed to accompany us into Lemora?'

'Max?' She looked puzzled, as though struggling to remember the name.

'My buffalope. He's going crazy cooped up in that hold. I had a long conversation with him last night—'

'I can imagine,' murmured Cornelius, rolling his eyes.

'– and he told me that if he didn't get his feet on dry land soon, he would go crazy. And, well, when a buffalope goes crazy, he's liable to smash into anything that gets in his way. Could cause a lot of damage down there.'

Jenna frowned. 'We don't want any more damage than we already have,' she said. 'Well, yes, I'm sure somebody in the harbour will have a hoist. I could use the opportunity to send somebody down there to do some mucking out.'

'Oh yes, he's very embarrassed about that,' Sebastian assured her. 'But there really was nowhere else for him to go. And besides, he was frightened. The noise of the sea battle and everything . . .'

Jenna nodded. 'Oh dear,' she said. 'I'm sorry if I . . . embarrassed your buffalope.' She gave him a strange look: either she found him interesting or she thought he was some kind of dangerous lunatic – it was difficult to tell which. Then she strode away, shouting orders to her crew, as the
Sea Witch
swept into the shallow waters of the harbour.

Sebastian turned back to Cornelius to find that his friend was giving him a cool look of appraisal.

'She's really after you,' he said.

Sebastian gave him a look of total innocence. 'Oh, I seriously doubt it.'

'Come on, man! I haven't much experience of affairs of the heart but . . . I think she's very interested in you, Sebastian. What a pity you're already committed to another.'

'Huh? What are you talking about?' Sebastian glared at him. 'If you're referring to Leonora, you know perfectly well that whatever hold she has on me is against my will.'

'I wasn't, actually.'

'Then who?'

'That ruddy buffalope!' Cornelius shook his head in disbelief. 'Taking him out for a stroll? You'll be tucking him in and reading him a bedtime story next!'

'That's not fair! Max has been in the Darke family for a very long time . . . And in case you've forgotten, he's saved your neck on one or two occasions.'

'I appreciate that,' admitted Cornelius. 'But you seem to forget, Sebastian, that he's just a simple beast of burden, not some relative of yours. Little wonder that Jenna gave you such a strange look!'

'I thought you said she was interested in me?'

'That was before you came up with the bit about Max being embarrassed.'

'But he is!' insisted Sebastian. 'Max is not your average, run-of-the-mill buffalope. He's . . . special.'

'Perhaps. But he won't be around for ever, my friend. And you need to remember that.'

A shout went up from behind them as the
Sea Witch
swung round out of the wind. The crew hauled on the ropes, furling the sails, and the ship slowed as she crossed the shallows. Sailors ran to grab the mooring ropes as she came smoothly alongside the wooden jetty to make berth in Lemora, City of Pirates.

Max complained bitterly about being hauled out of the hold in such an undignified fashion, but he was nonetheless grateful to get his hooves back onto dry land. He stood there on the jetty, blinking uncertainly at Sebastian and Cornelius, his eyes clearly unused to the full glare of sunlight. A couple of crewmen removed the leather harness from around his shaggy body, and he shook himself, flared his nostrils and took a deep breath of sea air.

'Dry land!' he cried, almost in exultation. 'I was beginning to think I'd never see it again.' He stamped one hoof repeatedly on the wooden boards beneath him. 'Look at that,' he said, as if in amazement. 'It doesn't move under your feet. It's solid!' He stamped again and a wooden board snapped beneath him. 'Well, fairly solid,' he muttered, and moved along a few steps. He glanced around at the tumbledown dwellings that clustered along the jetty, then noticed Jenna and Lem entering what looked like a carpenter's shop. Max stared suspiciously at his friends. 'Where are we exactly?' he asked. 'This isn't the treasure island, surely?'

'No. It's the island of Lemora,' said Cornelius matter-of-factly.

'The island of—' Max's mouth dropped open in dismay. 'Lemora? Isn't that the place where all the pirates live?'

Sebastian frowned. 'Umm . . . yes, but—'

'Oh well, that's typical, isn't it! The first chance I've had to get ashore in ages and where do you bring me? A place that's infested with pirates.'