Ship of Destiny

But Paragon was already underway and the will of a liveship propelled him as much as the wind in his sails. He gathered speed u

The beleaguered crew of the Vivacia had sprung to at the news that their captain was taken. Every man who could move sprang to hoist the anchor and raise the sails. For the time being, they ignored the bodies that littered the deck. The wounded that could staggered to their feet to help run the ship. Malta, unharmed but obviously shaken, wandered, stricken, through the tangled dead. Wintrow had taken command away from the rattled Jola. Etta seemed to be everywhere, lending a hand and shouting for speed at every task.

"Althea!" Jek shouted, breaking her from her trance. "Get moving!" Jek had already joined the men at the anchor.

"After him!" Althea joined her shouts to Wintrow's. "Paragon must not face them alone!"

Before the anchor was completely out of the water, Vivacia was gathering momentum.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR — Rescues

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT KENNIT!" BRASHEN ROARED. "GO BACK FOR ALTHEA!"

"She is safe where she is for now!" Paragon shouted defiantly. "I must have Ke

Brashen clenched his teeth. So close, for an instant, and then they had swept past. The need to see Althea and know she was safe hollowed him, but the headstrong ship seemed intent on bearing them to their deaths. Every time Brashen began to trust Paragon, he dashed his hopes again. He defied both rudder and orders, arrowing after the fleeing Jamaillian ship. The white serpent leapt and dove in their bow wave like a dolphin. On the foredeck, Mother leaned on the railing as if she could push the ship to go faster. Amber stood straight and tall, the wind whipping her hair. Her eyes were wide as if she listened to distant music. "At least slow down," Brashen begged. "Let the other ships pull even with us. We don't need to face the whole Jamaillian fleet alone."

But Paragon rushed blindly ahead. Brashen surmised that somehow the white serpent guided him. "I can't delay. They'll kill him, Brashen. They might be killing him right now. He must not die without me."

That had an ominous tone. Brashen suddenly felt a light touch on his wrist. He glanced down to find Ke

"As I must!" Paragon flung back at him.

"As must we all," Amber agreed quietly.

Brashen rounded on her, glad of a new target. "I suppose this is the destiny you bespoke," he challenged Amber in frustration.

She gave him an ethereal smile. "Oh, yes indeed," she promised him. "And not just Paragon's. Mine. And yours." She flung an arm wide. "And all the world's."

KENNIT HAD NEVER BEEN IN A WORSE PLACE. CRUTCHLESS, WEAPONLESS, HE SAT on the deck while working sailors moved matter-of-factly past him. The few men who had boarded with him were bloody corpses. Pointless to take satisfaction in the Jamaillians they had taken with them. The Satrap was a crumpled heap behind him. He was uninjured but swooned. Ke

He sat on the open deck near the house of the ship. He had to look up at his guards. He refused to do so. He'd had enough of their sneering faces and mocking grins. They'd taken much pleasure in snatching his crutch away and letting him fall. His ribs ached from their boots. The sudden change in his fortunes dazed him as much as his injuries. Where had his good luck vanished? How could this have happened to him, King Ke

Behind him, he felt the Satrap stirring from his dead faint. He moaned faintly. Ke

The Lord High Satrap of all Jamaillia sat up, sniffled and looked fearfully around. On the deck, men thundered past them, intent on wringing yet more speed out of the ship. Two men guarded them, one with a long knife, the other with a nasty short club. Ke

"I am lost. All is lost." The Satrap rocked himself.

"Stop it!" Ke

Ke

"Slowly," the Satrap said in a voice that still shook slightly. "Slowly they will die," he said more firmly, "with much time to regret their stupidity." He managed to sit up. He wrapped the scarlet cloak more closely about himself and glared at their guards. Anger, Ke

A guard had overheard him. He gave the Satrap a disdainful shove with his foot. "Shut up. You'll be dead before the day is out. I heard them say. They just want to do it where they all can witness it. Binding by blood, they call it." He gri

"KENNIT!"

The roar was the voice of the wind itself, the cry of an outraged god. The taunting guard spun around to look aft. A terrible shiver ran over Ke