Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate (43 page)

Each dragon-statue had a dragon-globe hanging from a rope-basket attached to its outstretched, clawed hand, and as we climbed the stairs behind the Shadowman, who reached the archway first, he patted the haunch of the right-hand statue as if for good luck. “Captain Hawkins, would you believe there’s an ancient Artifact golem underneath this? The plaster on each was badly cracked when we took over Freehold and we stripped them both down before we let the villagers plaster them over again. They’re not like any golems we’ve ever seen, and the Dark Sisters tell us not only are they made of some material the Dark Sisters call resin, but they’re both at least several thousand years old.” He chuckled. “Bill tried to get one of them to animate it, and they said the dragon-ghost would have to be a couple thousand years old herself to make it work. Which is a shame, but there it is.” He looked at me with his red-eyed gaze and motioned towards the dragon statue on the left. “If you’d like to examine it, we let the feet remained exposed.”

Captain Hawkins nodded, and I warily walked over to the large golem covered over in black painted plaster and knelt down beside it. The plaster only went down to the golem’s ankles, leaving exposed its clawed feet, which resembled a lizard’s, what I could see of it as black and shiny as any golem I’d heard of. But its texture was strange I realized, as I brushed away dirt and debris from the scaled foot and ran my hands along it. A normal golem was only as good as the woodcarver’s skill, but the detail of this golem was perfect, each scale slightly different from the others, growing larger in size the farther up the leg they went, until the painted plaster covered it over. It wasn’t only the scales, but where I could see flesh it looked like a lizard’s flesh was supposed to look, not perfect but with striations and pockmarks. I looked up to see Jeremiah standing over me and I pointed at the scales. “Kneel down and touch this: whatever ‘resin’ is, it isn’t anything like wood.”

Jeremiah knelt down beside me as the Shadowman called out, “Best not to touch it, since the left-hand statue’s considered to be ill-luck.” He gave me a false smile. “Personally, I believe a sailor’s luck is superstition, but I did promise not to allow any of the crew to come to harm.”

Jade’s voice whispered between me and Jeremiah. “This golem is not un-lucky at all. Resin absorbs all of a dragon-spirit’s strength, so if I enter it and leave I will be drained, but the golem will retain the strength indefinitely, so I could use it, leave, and re-enter later to use it again.”

I whispered back, “Is it too large or old for you to use?”

I could hear satisfaction in her voice as she whispered, “Not in the least.”

From across the stone platform the Shadowman frowned at me. “Is there a problem?”

“Not in the least,” Jeremiah answered as he grabbed my arm so we rose together. “We were just admiring the details.” We walked back to the others, Captain Hawkins giving me a calculating look but saying nothing as we followed the Shadowman inside.

The dragon-globes set on stands in various spots around the room gave a stronger light than the ones in the village had, and I was immediately reminded of the mural room in the House of Memory, the size and shape being the same with the ceiling extending upwards into darkness. But any paintings on these walls were long gone, covered over by the grease and smoke I smelled as we walked through the entrance. A fire-pit had been dug into the floor and an entire pig was roasting on a spit, its juices crackling and hissing as they hit the flames, its scent heavy in the air, along with the aroma of tobacco and another scent, sweeter but also cloying in an unpleasant way.

Wooden tables and chairs were set up in the middle of the room where most of the light was, old men for the most part sitting around them eating and drinking, while a tall African in the back of the room served ale and other spirits from behind a long wooden counter that, from the way it curved around, looked to have been once part of the bow of a ship. Young women in tattered finery and wearing gold drifted between the tables.

All conversation stopped as we entered the large room, the Shadowman removing his hat as he raised a hand in greeting. “A fine evening, lads.”

The Shadowman looked young enough to be their grandson, but the oldsters called out, “Fine evening, sir.”

“Welcome back, good master.”

“Good to have you returned safe, sir”

All of the women had stopped what they were doing and now began drifting towards us, a blond haired woman in a green dress with ripped sleeves and her entire back exposed stopped in front of Maria, her thin hand caressing a lock of Maria’s hair. “You’re...so...pretty.”

“And you’re so fierce,” a dark haired woman in a blue dress, ripped to shreds then repaired, said to Panther, who’d stepped back with her hand on her knife when the woman tried to caress her as well.

A native woman wearing only a man’s ruffled shirt held up a felt bag that clinked as she shook it. “We bring gifts from the masters.”

The three women and a fourth, willowy slender with raven black hair and high cheekbones like Selene’s, wearing a dress of tattered red silk, dipped their hands into the bag and began pulling out gold necklaces, rings, anklets, and even a thin gold armband. The first three began fastening the jewelry on Maria and Panther, with Jeremiah and Claude standing beside their ladies watching the strange women like hawks, while the fourth stepped in front of Pepper.

Her red silk dress had once been the height of fashion perhaps fifty years ago, with puffy sleeves and layers of fabric falling down the skirt like waves. But now the dress was badly ripped and never repaired, one sleeve near torn off as was much of the skirt, and her entire back exposed down to her waist. Her skin was pale as a Shadowman’s, suggesting she hadn’t seen the sun in a long time, which considering who she had to serve, wasn’t surprising. I was beside Pepper the moment I saw the woman move towards her, Redbeard a large shadow at Pepper’s back a moment later, as the woman slipped several gold rings on Pepper’s fingers and a heavy gold necklace around her throat. But then the black haired woman held out a pair of anklets, complete with charms of beaten gold, and handed them to me.

Bemused, I knelt down at Pepper’s feet, the woman kneeling down beside me as I wrapped the first chain around Pepper’s ankle. She whispered in my ear, “All of you are in peril.” I gave a start, for the voice was Arabella’s, the Shadowhunter, and she touched a finger to her lips a brief moment. “Stay wary,” she whispered as I fastened the hook to the ring on the other end of the chain and moved to Pepper’s other ankle. “The rum punch is laced with opium, but there are several unopened bottles of claret behind the tavern counter.”

I whispered, “Star, find them.”

“I’m on it,” she whispered back.

I attached the other anklet and stood up as Arabella remained on her knees to adjust the gold charms. Pepper gave me a suspicious look, so I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Arabella says to be wary.” Pepper’s eyes went wide and as I pulled back she opened her mouth to speak. So I kissed her fast.

From the far, dark corner of the room, a strange voice called out, “Harry, I see yer apprentice is as lusty a lad as you been, once.”

Captain Hawkins whirled towards the voice as the others put hands to their weapons, the captain calling back, “Bells of Hades, William, where are you?”

A light flared in the far corner of the room as I released Pepper and we turned to look. Someone began lighting candles, and I saw a long, wooden table set up at an angle in the far, right hand corner in front of an open doorway, several chairs set in front of the table and one chair set behind, giving the man who now sat down a clear shot towards the open doorway behind him, if he wished. “I’m right here,” the man called back, his voice rough as sharp rocks churning the sea into spray as he added, “Come share a drink with yer old shipmate.”

The Shadowman Tommy gave us a courteous bow. “I prefer not to intrude on a meeting of old friends, so I’ll inform the others you’re here and come back to check on you later.” He turned and walked towards another doorway, next to the tavern counter.

Captain Hawkins motioned for me to join him at once and I did so, moving away from Pepper, who said, “Captain, I’ll bide here a moment, if you’ll allow. The girl’s got more gold to give me, and I’d like to speak with her. I’ve...been where these women are, in a manner of speaking.”

“As you will,” the captain replied. “Dava, stay with her.”

“Aye, captain,” Redbeard replied before lowering his voice. “Harry, remember this nae be the William we both knew.”

“I know that.” Redbeard gave him a disbelieving look and the captain added with a touch of exasperation, “No one knows how much men change better than I do. Tomas, come along.”

The Shadowman Tommy left the room as the captain strode towards the table in the corner, and I quickened my pace to match his as the rest of the group followed. I glanced back over my shoulder. Pepper had dropped to her knees beside Arabella, who was now attaching another gold chain to Pepper’s throat as they quietly spoke together, Redbeard standing over them with his arms crossed, reminding me of a grandfather oak.

As we approached the man sitting in the corner, Star whispered in my ear, “I found several bottles of claret in a wooden crate behind the counter.”

I whispered back my thanks as the captain gave me a narrow-eyed look. “I hear a lot of whispering going on tonight.”

Jade’s voice suddenly spoke in a low but urgent tone between us. “Be wary in your speech, for there is a Dark Sister hovering in the corner above William, and her hearing is sharp.”

Remembering my close encounter with one on the Dutch Flyte, I suppressed a shudder as I said, “Sir, please remember I’m loyal to you, no matter what.”

His suspicious look resumed its usual stern expression as he turned towards the Shadowman now hailing us. “Harry, it’s been too long. Yer looking unchanged from the last time Olde Bill seen you.”

We reached the table, scarred and wine stained with a half-dozen previously broken and crudely repaired chairs sitting in front of it, the smell of smoke lessened here from a slight breeze with a salt water tang to it coming from the open doorway, and I got my first good look at the Shadowman. He was old, with a face like a gnarled tree riddled with black fungus, the flat, tell-tale growths of the black pox contrasting sharply with his dead white face. He wore clothes of black leather, his wide brimmed hat on the table beside him, and the shadows from the light of the candles gave his face an evil cast as Captain Hawkins leaned forward. “You as well. Now, before we speak another word I want the gold you promised.”

The Shadowman cackled like an old witch from a story. “Same old suspicious Harry. But a bargain’s a bargain,” he said as the others joined us, “so here’s what Olde Bill promised ye.” He reached down and began picking up bulging leather bags that clinked as he tossed them, one by one, to the men. When he reached me he paused. “Yer not a member of the crew, but yer betrothed is, so she gets yer share.” He tossed a bag to Pepper, who’d just walked up with Arabella and Redbeard, Pepper catching hers with a surprised look as Redbeard got the next, the Shadowman giving the captain an evil grin as he tossed the largest bag of all on the table in front of the captain. “There...promise kept.”

From around me came exclamations of surprise. Jeremiah held out his open bag so I could look inside, the gold coins with the head of the king of Spain glinting as if they’d been polished, and I heard surprise in the Mulatto’s voice as he said, “This is far more than I expected.”

Black Pox Bill spread out his arms, the black leather gloves on his hands cut off at the knuckles, leaving his white fingers exposed. “We’re all friends here,” his smile becoming almost pleasant as he motioned back towards the tavern counter. “I had Sam back there make up a special batch of bumbo rum punch in yer honor, and our girls who been drinking it say it’s right tasty.”

An alarm bell began clanging in my head. “Sir, I had Star poke around and she found several bottles of claret behind the counter. Since I know your fondness for wine, I’ll gladly go get them so we can all drink that instead.”

The smile left the Shadowman’s face. “The bumbo’s far tastier than claret. Harry, are ye gonna let yer apprentice dictate to ye?”

“I be thinking drinking claret’s a fine idea,” Redbeard said. “Anyway, the lad not be dictating to anyone but be keeping his captain’s interests first in his mind.”

Black Pox Bill gave Redbeard an incredulous look. “The Dava I used to know never turned down rum punch.”

“Aye, but the Dava Harry knows now likes to know what be in his punch before he be drinking it.”

“We didn’t come here to drink,” Captain Hawkins said, his suspicious look now turned on the Shadowman. “Let me hear your proposal so I can get back to the Davy.”

Black Pox Bill gave me a dark look before motioning towards the chairs, his exposed fingers gnarled as old tree roots. “As ye will. Tie up to the dock and we’ll talk.”

Redbeard gave the chairs a dubious look and remained on his feet as did Pepper, Maria and Panther joining her. The rest of the men traded looks before sitting down, Jeremiah and the Mulatto moving their chairs so each could keep an eye on the entire room as I stood at the captain’s shoulder. Arabella drifted over, her voice different as she spoke with the accent of a dock whore. “Master, lemme stay too. I kin make the captain feel more welcome.”

Black Pox Bill gave me a sly look as he spoke. “Turn yer charms on the Dragon’s redhead, so she and the rest of the crew’s entertained while me and Harry talk.”

Anger flashed inside me like lightning before a storm as Arabella turned and drifted towards Pepper, who gave me a look of such sadness I wondered how many times she’d been forced to perform for a Shadowman’s pleasure, as Arabella came up behind Pepper and put her arms around the girl’s waist, her lips caressing the freckled back of Pepper’s neck. I knew most men standing where I was would’ve looked at Pepper as tainted from what she’d been through, deeming it somehow her fault...but I wasn’t most men. I began to step forward but a look from the captain held me in place, his eyes locked on mine a moment before he turned back towards Black Pox Bill. “Is this necessary?”