Under Fallen Stars

"I've been taking care of him," Hullyn objected. "I saw that it was infected. I've been keeping that scalp wound like that on purpose. Like my old da always taught me. You get infection set in like that, you let flies get to it. Then maggots will eat out the rotten meat so it'll heal up proper."

Jherek's stomach lurched. Malorrie's instruction had covered such things, but those methods were to be used only under harsh and difficult circumstances, when no recourse to a healer was available.

"That way would leave a terrible scar," Sabyna said.

"Lady," Jherek said patiently, "I bear scars from past times. There's no-"

"You're not bearing this one on my behalf," she stated with determination.

"I gather that shape-shifting ability you've suddenly developed isn't going to last forever," Ty

"No," Sabyna answered, turning to face the captain, "it won't."

"Then I suggest you use this time you've taken to risk your life. How many men are there aboard Breezeru

"Twenty-seven," Sabyna answered.

"I never saw that many," Ty

"You never saw all of them," the pretty ship's mage replied.

Ty

"They know their way around a ship," Sabyna said, "and they're all heavily armed."

"Do you know where they're going?"

"To the end of the Chionthar. After that Vurgrom plans on making his way back to the Sea of Fallen Stars. He came to Baldur's Gate to deliver an item to the man responsible for the attack on Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate."

"You mean the sahuagin responsible-"Ty

"The man," Sabyna repeated. "He's called Iakhovas."

The news slammed into Jherek. It was one thing to think of the sea devils rising up to strike along the Sword Coast in concert, but it was even more stu

"I've never heard the name," Ty

"I've got the feeling you will. Vurgrom rails on about what Iakhovas is going to do to the Sea of Fallen Stars."

"Vurgrom's making you use that chair he brought aboard, isn't he?" Ty

Embarrassment flushed Sabyna's face with color. "I've never seen its like. When I'm sitting there, Breezeru

"Then stop her," Ty

Sabyna shook her head. "That would only get us all killed.

They tie me in that chair under guard when it's my shift. As soon as I did that, they'd slit my throat, then come kill the lot of you."

"They won't let us live anyway," Ty

"Then I'm the only chance we all have," Sabyna declared. She swept the crew with her gaze and Jherek saw the care she held for them and the distress she felt for them in that glance. "I would have been here sooner to check on you but they won't let me near the cargo hold. I finally had the chance to get into my room and get one of the potions I had. Unfortunately, it was the only one I had. I'd intended to trade it in Lantan to a mage there who hasn't been able to learn the spell himself. This will be the only time I can get down here like this."

"Can you open the door?"

Sabyna shook her head. "Vurgrom keeps the key with him at all times."

"Can't you magic him, lass?" Hullyn asked. "Put him to sleep or fry him with a lightning bolt?"

"I've already considered that," Sabyna said. "The problem is if I fail, Vurgrom will execute two of you. If I get caught in here now, I'm sure two of you will be killed."

"Then what the hell are you doing in here risking our lives like this?" Aysel demanded.

"Because I don't know if your lives won't be forfeit anyway if I can't get you out of here," she told him.

Aysel gaped at her, then turned away angrily. "We put our necks in the noose for a petty little twit like her. Umberlee take her into the dark and deep. We should have took our chances back at the dock."

Jherek started forward and Aysel turned toward him, a malicious grin on his brutal face.

Before Jherek could get close, Ty

Ty

"Another word out of you," Ty

Slowly, Aysel dipped his chin. "Aye, sir."

"Another thing, when we get to the next port of call, civilized or not," Ty

"You can't do that," Aysel blustered. "I'm a hell of a sailor."

"Aye," Ty

Aysel dropped into a crouch against the wall and glared heated rage at Jherek.

Ty

"You want me to?" Sabyna narrowed her eyes at him. "Since when do I listen to what you want?"

Ty

"Were it an order while you were in command of this ship, and it made sense to me, I'd think it over. Neither of those is true at this moment."

"Damn your eyes, Sabyna, get off the ship like I told you to." Ty

Unconsciously, Jherek took a step forward too, setting himself to intervene on behalf of Sabyna if it looked like Ty

"And if I do get off this ship," Sabyna challenged, "Vurgrom will start killing all of you down here."

"Lass," Hullyn said softly, "Cap'n's right. This ain't no place for a young lady like yourself. If you have the chance to get clear of this stumble, you should take it."

"There's nothing out there to go to," Sabyna said. "Give me the sea and I could live off it, but not those plains and sparse forests. The river might offer a better chance, but I'm not happy with that either." She plucked a tiny hourglass from her necklace and checked the swift-moving sands.

"It would be safer there than here,"Ty

"Says you. There's safety in numbers, Cap'n. Or did you forget that?"

Hot spots of color flared on Ty

"Draw a line," Sabyna told him, "and I'll step over it just to make sure we both know."

"Gods, you can be so stubborn at times."

"Only when I'm right, and you know that." Sabyna turned to Jherek. "I'll need help getting back up there."

"As you wish," Jherek said.

A smile dawned on her face as she heard his words, and the sight of it shot pain through Jherek's heart. She was so beautiful and independent, yet she was so far from anything he could ever hope to attain. If she saw the tattoo of Bloody Falkane that he bore, it would be enough to trigger undying hatred on her part.

"As you wish," she repeated softly. "I'll try to get some heal potion down here, or at least some salve you can put on that head of yours."