Capítulo 77: A Good Shot

Soon enough they caught the ship that was supposedly bringing the corna to Kinley. They were quite close to the Oathbreaker's Cove and the other vessel proceeded to circle around the most dangerous waters with the ease of a small sailing ship.

The smuggler was trying to outmaneuver them by turning towards the shallows, but it failed to calculate just how well the Princess sailed in those waters, even without its skilled boatswain. Apparently the captain assumed them to be mercenaries of the crown who utilized far more conventional tactics. Serenica knew little about seafaring, but she did know that the pirates and other outlaws always had to be one step ahead.

"It's getting away!" the first mate yelled.

"Damn me if it is," Spade said, turning the helm so violently that the very core of the ship groaned against the strong winds.

"What are you doing? There is a reef there!"

"And I know the reef like I know myself. Gadfly was not the only one with an eye for sailing. Calm down and take care of her like she was your own infant!"

The way sailors spoke of their ships resembled the way they spoke of their loved ones.

Serenica waited, heart jumping at her throat like a rabid dog, as the Princess navigated the perilous waters in order to cut through the reef and reach the smuggler. She pressed against her chest, asking the blood of the mouse she had drank from for protection, trying to telepathically influence the captain and the crew to make the right calls.

The reef scratched them and the ship trembled.

Serenica stopped breathing for a moment.

"We go through!" the captain roared.

They pushed onwards.

"Something is not right," Spade said. "That ship belongs to a friend of Theod. I was sure the redhead would have taken Kinley's side. Still hurts, though. A betrayal is a betrayal."

"He's double-dealing, we know that," Serenica said. "I should not have rubbed shoulders with that eel."

"You're beginning to sound like a proper pirate. We're close enough, so fire!" he roared.

The command was so abrupt that Serenica didn't have time to cover her ears. The cannon shots left her head ringing like a bell.

There were three big holes in the side of the smuggler and the screams of the wounded could be heard all the way to the Princess.

"I want you down under," the captain said. "Now!"

"I will not hide," Serenica said. "Not when it was me who got us into this mess all along."

"You want to die?"

"I'm a good shot at the very least. I've heard it from you that I'm dangerous. Let me be."

They were approaching the vessel quickly and some shots flew over their heads already. There was little time to make informed decisions.

"Then take your bloody gun and try to take out as many as you can. But stay aboard the Princess. I will not have you in any greater danger than necessary."

The Princess came side to side with the smuggler and Serenica bent down in order to avoid being seen. She waited for a good moment to get up and as the pirates were jumping overboard, she quickly stretched herself to her full height and aimed at the first sailor she could reasonably get.

A redhead appeared in her line of sight, ugly and tall in stature, but enough like Theod that Serenica was fooled for a moment. He got a mouthful of a pistol shot and fell down next to his teeth.

Serenica got down on her knees again.

She heard screaming and gunshots and the metallic sounds of blades hitting blades. She heard Theod roar in desperation and she heard her own captain cackle like a madman. She could smell gunpowder and even blood. It was funny how strong the liquid of life reeked to the initiated. The metallic scent had an unique sting to it.

Serenica tried to get up, but a splinter of wood from the Princess nearly decapitated her. She got back down and prayed.

The battle was short-lived, though. Soon enough there was no reason to shoot anyone anymore, as the crew of the smuggler had surrendered, probably after having seen Spade himself leading the attack. There was just no reason to put up a fight against the terror of the high seas.

Serenica got back up and jumped on the other vessel.

Spade glanced at her. He was interrogating the captain, who was indeed Theod himself, about the contents of their cargo. It seemed they had struck gold. Barrel after barrel of corna leaves was carried up and towards the hold of the Princess.

"You don't have a problem with robbing another outlaw?" the smuggler captain asked, raising an eyebrow. It was apparent that this was the bravest thing Theod could accomplish at the moment. He was trembling, because of anger or fear or both, Serenica didn't know.

"You don't have a problem with cooperating with the enemy of all outlaws?" Spade asked back and slit the captain's throat with one swift move, turning away just in time to avoid getting himself dirty.

Theod held the wound for a moment before losing too much blood. Deim didn't care if he got his reward dead or alive, Spade had told Serenica that much.

"That was callous," Serenica said.

"As was he. What kind a man chooses to be, so must be his end. And you – you are one to talk, a healer witch with blood on her hands."

Serenica said no more and returned to patching up what little wounds her men had.

The wounds of the living men were easy to tend to, but there was a much bigger problem ahead. The reef had scratched the Princess badly. They had a hard time getting to a safe place to lay anchor in.

Gadfly was hard to replace with anyone. What he had lacked in general intellect, he had more than compensated with his expert knowledge of the one topic he had been passionate about, besides violence, of course.

Serenica allowed herself to shed a few tears for her friend. Gadfly had been, in his own way, a man of honor, and most certainly useful.

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