‘Omens!’ wailed the man with crooked teeth. ‘Omens of doom!’
He tore his eyes from the hovering Ak-Baba and fixed them on Verity. She was staring straight ahead, staring at the Light.
‘We are cursed!’ the man shrieked. ‘Thirteen days we have lingered here, and still the girl lives. The whole of nature is taking revenge on us for her sake! Our only hope is to free her. Cut her down!’
He took out a knife and started for the prow.
‘Stop!’ The voice was like the crack of a whip. The man with the crooked teeth froze, and the others shrank back as Laughing Jack strode onto the deck.
‘I have had news,’ he barked. ‘Unexpected, but welcome. It seems that we are no longer needed here.’
He moved closer to Verity. ‘Your sacrifice has been in vain, witch!’ he spat. ‘Here is something that you and your idiot father did not count upon. The magic that fed the Bone Point Light has died.’
‘You lie,’ the girl whispered.
Laughing Jack’s skull-like face split in a humourless grin.
‘At dawn this day the Belt of Deltora was broken,’ he sneered. ‘The seven gems were scattered. The Ak-Baba you now see in the sky carried but one of them. Like the others, that gem will never be found.’
Lief felt a shiver run down his spine. He realised that he and Barda were witnessing events that had happened the very day of the Shadow Lord’s invasion—a time before he was born, when so many lives were changed forever.
His eyes were drawn to the lowering clouds on the eastern horizon. Often he had been told of the darkness that swept over Del with the coming of the Shadow Lord. Now he was seeing it for himself.
He glanced down at the seven jewels shining in their medallions of steel as if to remind himself that Laughing Jack was wrong—the gems had been found.
Once lost in the Maze of the Beast, the ghastly domain of the Glus, the amethyst, symbol of truth, now shone on the Belt, bright as a great purple star, fiery as the Bone Point Light.
Verity’s voice, husky with pain and disuse, broke through his thoughts. Quickly he looked again at the moving image in the golden frame.
‘Del may fall, James Gant,’ the girl said. ‘The whole kingdom may fall to the Enemy who is your master. But the magic of Tora is ancient. It does not depend on the Belt. By the will of the Torans, the Light will continue to shine.’
Laughing Jack’s grin broadened. ‘Indeed?’ he said with relish. ‘Well, here is something you do not know. At dawn the king and queen fled from Del. They asked help from Tora, but Tora broke its vow of loyalty and refused refuge. As a result the Torans have been swept away, exiled by their own ancestors’ magic.’
Verity’s exhausted face seemed to grow a little paler.
Gleefully Laughing Jack rubbed his hands. ‘You did not expect that, did you, witch?’ he crowed. ‘And you know what it means, I see. The Light burns now only by the will and efforts of your stubborn father. But unprotected he will be easy prey.’
‘You touch the Light at your peril, James Gant,’ Verity breathed.
The man scowled. ‘The Light is not longer my concern,’ he spat. ‘It will die of its own accord once your father is gone, and others will see to him. We are to return to the River Tor.’
He turned to the gaping crew. ‘Man the oars!’ he snapped. ‘We must be away with all speed. I have been warned—’
A high sound split the air. Laughing Jack spun round, his eyes wide with shock. Verity was laughing!
‘You cannot deceive me!’ she cried. ‘Your master is displeased with you. You failed him! If the Light dies at last, it will not be because of you, but because the Torans broke their ancient vow. That is why he denies you the satisfaction of taking your revenge on my father.’
‘Silence!’ Laughing Jack shrieked.
Flecks of foam had gathered at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were wild.
He snatched his knife from his belt and pointed it at the helpless girl.
‘You will pay!’ he hissed. ‘You will pay in pain and blood for every day you have defied me. When we are under way—’
He glanced over his shoulder at his men, as if just realising that they had not moved.
‘Why do you stand gaping there?’ he shouted. ‘I gave you an order!’
The men looked at one another. Scrawn licked his lips, then spoke.
‘We are not paid to row, Captain,’ he said sullenly. ‘We did not choose to sail in haste from the head of the Tor to the sea. We begged you to stop along the way—to replace the slaves delivered to the Grey Guards with new ones to man the oars. But you would not listen.’
Lief felt a thrill of horror. So the final fate of the unlucky gamblers who borrowed from Laughing Jack had been even more terrible than he had imagined. They had manned the oars of his ship for a time, certainly. But they had ended their lives as slaves in the Shadowlands.
‘How dare you question my orders!’ Laughing Jack barked. ‘The ship is becalmed, you fool! If we are to move, you must row. Get below!’
Beef slowly shook his massive head. ‘Too many have died down there, Captain,’ he grunted. ‘It is unwholesome.’
Laughing Jack bared his teeth in fury. ‘We—must—get—to—the—Tor!’ he hissed. ‘Or at least, for now, away from this cursed Point, with its rocks and shallows, to a safe harbour further south.’
When the men still did not move, he stabbed a bony finger at the eastern horizon.
‘A great storm is coming!’ he almost screamed. ‘Do you not see it?’
‘We see it, right enough,’ called the man with crooked teeth. ‘And whoever summoned it—the redheaded witch now tied to the prow or the sorcerer you call your master—we will never outrun it.’
He turned to the rest of the crew. ‘I say this ship is finished! This ship, and its captain too.’
‘Mutiny!’ shouted Laughing Jack. ‘You will hang for this, Coffin!’
The man called Coffin made no sign that he had heard.
‘We owe James Gant no loyalty,’ he roared. ‘You all know what he is! He supplies slaves to the Shadowlands, and in return he has this ship, fine food and drink, and some of the sorcerer’s powers he craves. But is this all he has? Oh, no!’
He bared his peg-like teeth. ‘With my own eyes I have seen his treasure chest in the gaming room. It overflows with the gold he cheats from his victims before sending them to the oars. But has he ever offered to share this bounty with us? No! He has become as rich as a king, while we toil for a pittance!’
‘So why should we risk our lives for him?’ grunted Beef.
‘Indeed!’ Coffin shouted. ‘I say we take the lifeboat and make for the shore—take the girl with us, and release her. Perhaps then the sea’s vengeance will fall where it deserves—on our brave captain! Let him use his magic to save himself—if he can!’
10 – Deadly Bargain
Most of the men roared agreement. Those nearest to Laughing Jack drew their swords and daggers. His face twitching horribly with fear and anger, Laughing Jack took a step back.
‘Wait!’ he cried, his voice cracking. ‘Wait! I will make a bargain with you.’
The men hesitated.
‘Do not listen to him!’ shouted Coffin. ‘He lies as easily as he breathes!’
‘No! Hear me!’ shrieked Laughing Jack, clasping his hands. ‘I have treated you unfairly—I see that now. But I will make it up to you, if only you will help me.’
Coffin scowled and shook his head. The other men looked uncertainly at one another, then at the storm clouds rushing towards them from the east.
‘Beware!’ cried Verity. ‘Whatever you swear here will bind you. I cannot prevent it.’
‘What is your offer, Gant?’ Scrawn snapped, ignoring her.
‘I do not want to lose my ship!’ quavered Laughing Jack. ‘The Lady Luck is all that is important to me. So I promise you this: all the treasure will be yours to share if you will man the oars until others are found to replace you!’