Voidhawk - Lost Soul (12 page)

“I meant nothing ill of her.”

“Keep it that way until I tell you otherwise,” Dexter said. He slapped the table softly and stood up. “Might be good to have a wizard on the deck, in case we run into any trouble.”

Xander sighed and pushed his own plate back. He rose and followed the Captain up onto the deck. He noticed along the way that Dexter had taken to wearing his sword all the time. It was another reminder of the old days, before they’d freed the elders from their banishment.

“Captain!” Tasha called out after she saw Dexter had moved halfway across the deck towards the bow.

Dexter knew the tone. He broke into a jog to finish crossing the deck. He saw what had Tasha riled up when he neared the railing on the forecastle. It was another elven ship. No simple scout this time, it was a full sized warship, one of the new ones that had been built after elven fleet had been devastated in the war with the elders. More than twice the size of the Voidhawk.

“Sir, they’ve raised a hailing flag.”

Dexter felt a knot let loose in his stomach he hadn’t known was there. “Bring us about,” he said.
“And bear in mind they’ve got weapons like our own and a lot more of them.”

“Aye,
sir!” Tasha said. She turned and called out the necessary orders, performing them with an efficiency that impressed him. The Voidhawk turned to starboard, coming about on an intercept course.

The distance closed rapidly, each second slipping past with Dexter wondering if he should wake the slumbering members of his crew. Jenna, in particular, would be of use. He knew each elven vessel was in magical communication with Flasgoryll. They’d already know of her renunciation and whatever fate the new elven council had decreed for him.

Soon the ship came close enough he could make out the details. Each elven vessel was unique. They shared many characteristics among the different classes, but the manner in which they were grown guaranteed individuality. He recognized this one, it had been one of the first he’d toured when it was ready to be put in service.

“I still can’t pronounce the elven name,” Dexter said for Xander and Tasha’s benefit. “It
means New Winds.”

“Let’s hope those winds blow in our favor.”

Dexter smirked at the wizard’s words. If they didn’t, things would get complicated. They could outrun the massive warship but getting distance enough to be safe from the New Winds’ weapons would require a miracle, even with the blessings the elders had bestowed upon the ‘Hawk. For now all he could do was wait.

The atmospheres of the two ships merged and, a moment later, they felt the subtle pull of the News Winds gravity plane affecting their own. Tasha reacted, calling out to drop the ‘Hawk until it was level with the New Wind’s plane
. Dexter credited her for the quick reaction, but it was a reminder of her lack of experience in her position. A skilled pilot would have been prepared for the union.

Dexter moved to the port side of the deck and waited as the New Winds came alongside his ship. Nearly twenty feet separated the ships when they reached a full stop. Dexter noted the Captain of the New Winds, an elf by the name of Rejinal Tellurim.

“Hail, Voidhawk!”

Dexter raised his hand. “Swift passage to you, Captain Tellurim.”

“Strange times, these,” the Captain said. Dexter nodded, knowing his counterpart could see the movement. “Can I come aboard?”

“You honor my ship.”

Captain Tellurim grinned. The Voidhawk was more than legendary amongst the elves. The younger generation revered it while the rebellious elves considered it a symbol of their fall from grace. Dexter hoped that the elven captain meant it when he said, “No, sir, the honor is mine.”

A few minutes later and a skiff lifted from the deck and sailed across the short distance between ships.
It pulled up beside the Voidhawk’s stern deck. Lines were lashed to keep it alongside before the Captain climbed over the railing and stood before Dexter. Wordlessly, Captain Tellurim thrust his hand forward. Dexter took it and pumped it strongly. He couldn’t stop the grin from making its way to his face.

“
Well met, Captain Silvercloud. Have you a place we can talk?”

Dexter glanced around. With Jenna asleep in their cabin the only free rooms were the cargo holds and a stateroom. The holds would be an insult, so the stateroom it was. “Aye, follow me. Just you?”

“Do I need anyone else?”

Dexter grinned. “If you had the intentions of the last elves we ran across, you’d be needing the rest of your crew.”

His lips tightened, an expression Dexter didn’t miss. “Confusing things are happening in the empire lately. Seems you and your wife are at the heart of them. Come, let us talk in private.”

Dexter motioned for him to follow then turned and made his way to the aft companionway and down to the unoccupied stateroom. Once inside he shut the door, blocking Xander from entering with him. He heard the man mutter something on the other side, then turned back to face the elven Captain.

“How’ve you been, Captain?”

“Thirsty,” the elf admitted. He glanced around, taking in the richly appointed room. When he turned back Dexter could tell the man wasn’t impressed, but neither did he look disappointed or disturbed.

Dexter turned and cracked the door open. “Xander, fetch me a bottle of elven wine from the bilge.”

“Wine? I thought humans had stronger stomachs?”

Xander’s eyes widened at the overheard remark. “Belay that,” Dexter said. “Grab a bottle of brandy. Something dwarven.” The wizard cringed as he turned to find the requested beverage.

“Where’s your wife?” Rejinal asked.

“Sleeping,” Dexter said. “She had a long shift and deserved a break.”

“Aye, she’s six years into deserving a break, if not longer!”

Dexter smiled at the gracious remark. “I’ve known her for seven, I’d give her that much time and longer.”

Xander knocked on the door. Dexter turned to open it and found Jenna standing there, bottle and cups in hand. “Seems she woke up,” Dexter said. “Captain Tellurim, meet my First Mate, Jenna.”

He bowed before her, going so far as to drop to one knee. “Empress, you honor me!”

“Rise, Captain,” Jenna said, her voice instantly shifting to the courtly tone she’d used. When he did so she smiled at him and dropped the noble mask. “I renounced the crown, surely you know this? I’m just another vagabond sailing the void.”

He snorted while Dexter filled the three cups with the expensive brandy. Captain Tellurim took the offered cup and drank a healthy swallow of it. In a heartbeat he coughed and pulled his free hand to his chest. When he recovered his eyes were still watering in spite of the smile on his face. “That’s what I expected!”

“What’s going on? We’ve heard no word since we left,” Dexter asked.

“There’s a growing movement trying to disband the Council of Royals you appointed,” Rejinal said. “The Council is talking to them, giving them too much influence.”

Jenna swore, causing the elven Captain’s eyes to widen in surprise. “They should have used the guard to put them down. That’s the problem with a committee, they can’t agree on anything.”

Rejinal nodded. “But a single ruler can be far worse if their heart’s in the wrong place. I speak only for myself, Empress, but I wish you hadn’t left.”

“We were attacked by three scout ships a couple of days past,” Dexter shared.

He nodded. “It’s no surprise. We were told to be on the watch for you.”

“How do they know where we are?”

“They’re telling everyone,” the elf said. “But I was told in confidence that you’d be headed this way.”

“And your orders?”

“Detain you and bring you back.”

Dexter and Jenna both swore. Different phrases, but their combined efforts left their guest taking a fresh drink to brace himself.

“We won’t go,” Dexter said. “Not when we’re this close to finding our daughter.”

“I suspected as much. I’ve heard a little of what happened, but not through the naval missives I received.”

“How?”

“The wizards on my ship have their own means of keeping in touch.”

Dexter frowned and thought of Xander. Why didn’t his wizard have a line of communication available?

“It’s true. Jianna is deathly ill and we have to find a cure for her,” Jenna offered. “If you get in our way, Captain, you’ll give us no choice but to fight you.”

He held up his hands, the cup in one of them. “You’ll have no quarrel with me. Even with your crew outnumbered thirty to one and my ship more than twice the size of yours, I know better than to tangle with the Voidhawk and its crew.”

“Then why tell us this?” Dexter asked.

“So you know the peril you face. There’s a vocal member of the elven nobility that is calling for your return and imprisonment. Or death. He claims you’ve stolen his daughter as well as committed crimes against the elven people.”

“Celia’s not stolen,” Jenna blurted out. Dexter held out his hand, stopping her from saying more.

“It’s a complicated issue, to be sure, but she’ll swear on her life she wants to be here,” Dexter said.

Rejinal waved the cup dismissively. He glanced at it and saw it was empty. Dexter grabbed the decanter and refilled it, then drank with him. “I’d never ask, nor would I believe for a moment the allegations. Captain, anyone serious about a career in the Navy has studied your history.”

“Bad choices and crazy luck make a poor career path.”

He took another drink before shaking his head. “Brilliant moves, Captain.
Every one of them. The faith and trust you’ve shown in your crew and ship are humbling. I hope to one day aspire to earn the loyalty you’ve managed.”

Dexter snorted his own drink, then felt the burn in his nose from the brandy. When his vision cleared he saw Captain Tellurim eyeing the decanter again. Dexter refilled his drink, grateful for the chance to recover a little more. It did little good, the burn in his nose matched the growing warmth in his belly.

“You mentioned trouble you’d last met?”

Dexter nodded. “Aye, three ships sought to complicate our lives. I wish some of them had survived, my crew lacks imagination compared to them.”

Jenna snorted to show her different opinion of the encounter.

“Three ships?” Captain Tellurim shook his head. “The Voidhawk is indestructible!”

Dexter laughed. “No such thing as something that can’t be broken, including the ‘Hawk.”

“But your ship shows no signs of dam
age. Sailors rumors or not, there’s no way you could escape unscathed!”

“Aye, but there’s little that can’t be mended.”

He shook his head but let Dexter’s vague explanation suffice. “Well then, Captain, if I can’t change your mind…”

“Change my mind? About what, exactly, are you to be changing my mind about?”

“Returning to Flasgoryll, of course.”

Jenna’s breath hissed between her teeth, echoing Dexter’s sentiments. He lowered his cup slowly. “No, you can’t.”

“Captain Tellurim, if you mean to try and stop us or threaten us, the laws of parley won’t be able to save you,” Jenna growled at him.

Tellurim held up his hands. “
I’d hoped I might be able to talk you into it,” he admitted. “You can send out others on your behalf. Empress, the Empire needs stability right now. I didn’t think it possible, but you provided it. The nobles…and others…want your return for their own reasons. My reasons are for the empire.”

“Your empire’s
been nothing but trouble as long as I’ve been alive,” Dexter muttered.

Captain Tellurim nodded. “That could be, for you. But you’ve been a part of it now. You’ve seen both sides, can you not appreciate how it has also been a source of
prosperity for my people?”

Dexter’s eyes narrowed but it was Jenna who carried the fight. “Prosperity at what cost? The elves thrived on the backs of others. Anything not of pure elven blood was used and cast aside. Slavery and torture are the least of their crimes! Is this what you want a return to? Doesn’t the fact  that none of the changes that have taken place would have been possible with Dexter, a human? And there’s our other friends, half elves, dwarves, and others. I was once the only elf on this ship and they managed to succeed in spite of my foolish upbringing!”

“Empress, I recognize their worth. I am a captain of a voidship in the Elven Navy. I’m certain I possess some bias, but I’m also willing to change. We must all be willing to change. But we need help. Your help!”

“Why is it people have such funny ways of asking us for help?” Dexter wondered aloud.

“You won’t return then?” Captain Tellurim asked.

“I’m short-handed and less than half your size,” Dexter said. “I expect that almost evens the odds.”

Rejinal’s eyes widened. “Captain, I’d hoped to appeal to your better judgment, I don’t want any more blood spilt over this.”

“Better judgment?” Jenna spat out. Dexter intercepted her as she stepped towards him with her f
ists balled up.

“That’s your cue to leave,” Dexter warned him. “She’s stronger than she looks and I’m not sure I can keep her from tearing them pointy ears off your head much longer.”