Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
It sails through the waters, spearing the target. The fish flutters and immediately drifts, the forked end of the spear having pierced through the fish’s head and come out the other side.
Vali looks to me, waving her arms under the water with excitement. If she could scream with joy under the waves, she would. I indicate she should surface, and I swim down to collect her prey. This was perfect. Lord Vor is smiling upon us this day for certain.
When I surface with the heavy catch, Vali squeals with delight. “Did you see? Wasn’t that a good shot?”
“It was flawless,” I agree, holding the end of the spear out to her. The hefty fish is on the other end, trailing blood in the waters. I’m not going to let her swim back with such a weighty load, but she can hold it for now and relish her victory. “You did very well.”
She takes the spear without complaint, bobbing under the water at the weight of it, and I realize the size of the thing might be bigger than my mate is. She surfaces again with a chuckle and a rueful look at me. “Think the gods would mind if you carried this to shore for me?”
I grin at her. “Why would they give you a strong husband if not for such things?”
“Why indeed.” Vali gives me a playful splash. “So we take this to shore, light a fire and burn it for Lord Vor. After that…” She gives me a meaningful look and licks her lips.
“We celebrate?”
“Absolutely.” Vali smiles, her expression full of giddy promise.
I like the way my wife thinks.
EPILOGUE TWO
VALI
Five Years Later
I watch the oncoming ship approach with interest, a stolen spyglass held up to my eye. Akara is in her spot, blocking the narrow strait with her large body, and the approaching ship is just now about to figure that out. We’re at the other end of the channel on a raft, and when the two ships slowly make their way into the channel, we move in behind them, neatly blocking them in the pass.
“A more agile ship could avoid all this,” Ranan comments, musing. “You would think the Aventinians would learn.”
“I’m glad they haven’t,” I tell my husband. “Their ships are the easiest to rob.”
“And the easiest to tip,” he agrees, smiling at my enthusiasm. “Are you ready to board, my sweet wife?”
I put on the fake slave collar we’ve made for such adventures and adjust my torn, tattered clothing. I love the pretending most of all. “Ready.”
He puts a hand on my shoulders, mouth twitching. “Quit looking so happy. You’re supposed to be a slave.”
I adjust my features, trying to put an appropriately grim expression on my face. Truth is, I love this. I love the thrill of robbing bad people. I love that we’re taking their spoils from them and giving them to the people we love or using that money for ourselves. I love that after we’re done, my husband’s blood runs hot and we make love like wild demons.
So yes, I absolutely love a life of piracy.
We watch as the ships come along the bend, skirting the jagged rocks and moving close to the cliffs. The straits are narrow here, and they’ve yet to notice that we’re behind them. I want to laugh at how low the long, heavy ship is in the waters. There’s one smaller boat and a much larger one with rowers. It’s the one with all the cargo. I count heads. They have far too many people on board, and not all of them are rowing. “Slave ship,” I point out to my husband.
“Aye, I see it.”
“Can we rescue them? The slaves?”
“Always.”
Another reason why I love the man. I hide my feral grin as the occupants on the ship notice us behind them and begin pointing. Time for the acting to begin. I pick up the large copper bell at my feet and ring it with the striker. As I do, I put on my “slave” expression. I make my face worried and fretful as I step forward. I ring the bell again and again as the two boats slowly approach Akara. Someone turns around in the boats and points at our raft behind them, and a cry goes up.
“Stay where you are,” I call out. “Listen to my master and no one gets hurt!”
We’d had the idea for me to pretend to be his slave the moment I volunteered to assist him. I can’t do the things he can in the water, and I don’t have the strength he does. But if people view me as an unwilling servant, they’re more likely to keep their focus on Ranan instead of taking out their anger on me.
And if that doesn’t work, I have a few strategically placed knives under my costume. I’m not afraid to jump overboard, and that stops most people from following me.