“You’re in control of these men?” the captain said.
“Aye, I’m their captain.”
The man glanced down quickly and ran his tongue across his overly large front teeth. Elaina felt her lip twitch in disgust.
“A word if you please, Captain,” he said, looking up into Elaina’s eyes.
Elaina pretended to think about it for a moment before nodding and stepping backwards, waving for the man to follow.
“I’d make it quick if I were you,” Elaina said with a grin. “That other ship ain’t here to help you.”
“But is it here to help you?”
Elaina laughed at the man’s arrogance. “Do I look like I need the help? But before ya go thinking it might be some sort of saviour in disguise, it happens that my brother is captain of that ship.” Her smile vanished. “Ya wanted a word, time ya spoke ya piece.”
The man nodded. “My name is Captain Marvle Tel’touten.” An Acanthian name, and no mistake. “I sail for the Bal’rio merchant family.” Elaina nodded along sagely, as if any of those names meant a damn to her. “The head of the Bal’rio family is the Lord Merchant Dellin, a long-time supporter of Thom and contributor to his cause.”
Finally, a name Elaina did recognise. She plastered a conspiratorial look onto her face and winked. “Ah, the Guild.”
Tel’touten nodded. “Indeed. So, you see, we are… guaranteed against situations just such as this.”
Elaina knew she shouldn’t string the man along, but she just couldn’t help herself. “Got any proof?” She made it sound hopeful, as if robbing the ship blind was something she really didn’t want to do.
“Well, no. Of course not.” Captain Tel’touten looked worried for the first time. “While any sort of proof would help to facilitate the immediate cessation of hostilities just such as this, if we were to carry any, its discovery by a naval vessel or even by a legitimate port authority would mean almost certain death, as well as confiscation of the ship’s wares. Not to mention, the implication towards the Bal’rio family would be a scandal.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” Elaina agreed. “Only problem is, without proof, how do I know you’re not just some two-bit Acanthian pissing himself and trying to worm away from a rightful robbing?” Tel’touten took a step backwards, fear now plain on his face, and opened his mouth to speak just as Rovel appeared from below decks.
“Not a bad haul, Cap.” Rovel's grin was as wide as a mast is tall. “Some interesting shit down there. Got the crew hauling it over to the Dawn as we speak.”
“This all of them?” Elaina said, gesturing to the crew of the fluyt huddled together on the main deck.
Rovel nodded. “Checked all over, this is the entire crew.”
“Good.” Elaina grinned at Captain Tel’touten. “No survivors.” She lurched forwards, drawing a dagger from her belt and plunging it up to the hilt into the captain’s belly. The man stumbled backwards, his face caught between shock, horror, and confusion. He collapsed onto the deck, his blood spreading over the planks. His last few breaths came out as an undignified moan. Elaina knelt down, pulled the dagger from the man’s belly, and used it to slit his throat, while her pirates set about the murder of the fluyt’s crew. In just a couple of minutes they were dead to a man and already being hauled over the side of the ship.
Rovel joined Elaina by one of the boarding planks set up between the two ships. “Dirty work, that.”
Elaina shrugged. “Couldn’t leave any of them alive.”
“Ah,” Rovel said, pointing behind her. “Your brother.”
Elaina looked up to see the Ocean Deep pulling alongside them. Up close, the ship truly was monstruous. Blu was looking down at her from the upper deck, and even from a distance Elaina could tell the bastard was grinning. Blu Black swung down onto the deck of the fluyt from a rope tethered to his own ship. He was tall and broad, just like their father; unlike Tanner Black, however, Blu sported a scraggly beard dyed blue and a wide-brimmed hat of foolish proportions complete with a sapphire cock feather. He also had a nasty habit of showing his teeth when he talked, as if everything he said was a challenge to everyone around him. It made Elaina dream of punching the idiot so hard he’d swallow those teeth.
“Ho there, little sister,” Blu said as his boots hit the deck, followed quickly by another couple of pairs as two of his crew flanked him. “I see you’ve taken me prize.”
Elaina squared up to her brother, annoyed as ever that he was so much taller than her. “Don’t remember givin’ ya permission to come aboard, Blu.”
He smiled down at her. “I don’t remember askin’.”
“Ya really wanna make this a fight? Don’t ya remember what happened last time? Dyed that fluff on your face red, didn’t I.”
“Crude, little sister.” Blu showed his teeth. “You always wanna be takin’ it ta fists. We ain’t supposed ta fight no more. Da says we’re ta work together.”
“Da ain’t here,” Elaina hissed. Ever since they were young, Blu had always hidden behind either their father or mother. The only times he fought his own battles also happened to be the times he lost.
“Well, I suppose I’ll be the bigger man then,” Blu said, wearing a dirty smile.
“I doubt that.”
“Permission ta come aboard, Captain Little Sister,” he continued, ignoring Elaina’s jab.
Elaina nodded. “Aye. Granted. Might as well, seein’ as you’re already here.”
“How cordial. So did ya have ta kill ’em all?” Blu waved at the blood on the deck.
“Seemed prudent. You saw the flag they were flying. Some merchant or other from Acanthia is gonna be missin’ a ship and crew, an’ they ain’t exactly gonna be too happy ’bout it. Reckon the Guild won’t either.” Elaina started to walk towards the plank to her own ship, but paused. She turned to find Blu and his two crew members close on her heels. “Why are you here, Blu?”
“Huntin’. Just like you.”
“This far out towards Acanthia?” Elaina sniffed; the air smelled of lies. “Ain’t your style.”
Blu shrugged, smiling toothily. “Ain’t yours either, little sister, an’ yet here ya are. Hard to believe we had the same idea. Pickings are slim an’ all, these days. Too many pirates, not enough prizes, an’ always the crew need their pussy money.”
Elaina narrowed her eyes, unable to contain her suspicion, but Blu forged on before she could accuse him of anything. “Fancy lettin’ us have a look around? Take anythin’ you an’ yours don’t want. I’ll let ya take anythin’ ya do.”
There was a veiled threat there, the possibility that if she refused Blu might order his own men to attack Elaina’s smaller force. “What is it ya lookin’ for? Might be we already found it.”
Blu’s eyes twitched to something over Elaina’s shoulder, and she knew full well the captain’s cabin was behind her. It was fair to say whatever her brother was looking for was in there, but that meant this wasn’t a random act of piracy. He was after this ship specifically.
“Listen, Elaina,” Blu started with a wide smile. “I’m willin’ ta let ya loot the whole damned ship, an’ all I ask is…”
“Sail! Stern!” The cry went up from two different sources, almost at the same time.
Elaina and Blu shared a look, then both ran for the stern of the fluyt. When they reached the railing Blu pulled out his monoscope, and Elaina cursed herself for handing hers to Rovel and not taking it back.
“What the fuck is it, Blu?” she said after a few moments of tense waiting.
“Five Kingdoms galleon,” he replied, still looking down the monoscope. “Looks like navy. I need ta get back ta my ship an’ run.”