Page 85 of Wanted: Rogues and Bards

Unfortunately, Strandby wasn’t an option due to Rain’s past. The town watch would be on them the second they spotted the red sails. And according to Rain, Loksi wasn’t any better.

The only “safe” port was a pirate haven.

Even the sight of Pirate Isles as they crawled to the docks was enough to raise an eyebrow or three. Ships of all sizes were crammed in, some in better shape than others. All species and genders roamed about the docks, with people hawking wares—including offers for murder. Assassinations sold well to the right crowd. The air was thick with the scent of smoking meat, various drugs in pipe smoke, and the salty brine of the ocean. Quite the cacophony in his nose.

Well, there were worse places. Lirion had been in a few, so he could speak from experience.

A sharp whistle sliced the air. Lirion turned his head to see why, only to find Rain waving him in closer.

Curious, he went up a level and came to a stop at the tub’s edge. “Yes?”

“I realize you’re a guest on board,” Rain started in his gentlemanly pirate manner, “but I wonder if I could call upon you for a favor.”

“If I can help, of course.”

“I believe you’ll be splendid at this. It’s just, I need to send someone in for more wood and various other supplies, as well as to handle the hiring of a few hands to carry all the goods. Normally I’d send in Fenric, as he knows where to go, but it’s a bit much for one person to handle and he’s a grumpy cur right now. Would you and Maxie go in with him? Smooth things over. Maybe get us a good deal on the supplies?” He smiled and winked, making it clear he was hoping Lirion might use just a bit of his charm to haggle the price down.

“That’s fine. For my information, what wood should we get?”

“Teak. Most of the ship is made out of it.”

Lirion knew little about boats. Mostly he knew how to stay on one without getting dog sick. “Teak, really?”

“Oh, teak is wonderful wood.” Rain’s eyes were on navigating the ship, as they were close to docking, but he expounded on this as he steered. “It’s exceptionally durable, naturally resistant to water, decay, and even pests. The perfect wood for shipbuilding. The frames of ships are made of oak, especially white oak, but we use teak for the hull and keel.”

“I had no idea teak wood was so sturdy. I do know it’s expensive.”

“That’s rather why. People love to build out of it.” Rain pulled a purse out of his pocket and handed it over. “Don’t be afraid to haggle; the asking price is insane, and never what I actually pay.”

“Ah, good to know.”

“We’ll work on the ship and prepare for the patch while you’re doing that. Everything’s so jagged, we’ll have to square up the edges. Still, I hope by late tonight we’ll be done and can set sail again by morning. I know time is critical for your sister.”

Lirion blinked, almost flinching at Rain, his unexpected thoughtfulness sneaking past his guard. Lirion normally kept people at arm’s length, emotionally speaking, but he found it almost impossible to do so with this group. They were too charming, too kind, and a joy to be around. It made Lirion want to be friends.

Shaking the thought off, he smiled warmly at Rain. “I appreciate it. All right, we’ll be back soon with wood.”

The skelebabies were at work, going through the motions to dock the ship, and the second the gangplank was down, the group of three left. Maxie looked about curiously with the peppy energy of a puppy out on a walk.

“This is a pirate haven?” he asked, even as he turned his head to study something more carefully. The skies had immediately cleared after Dead Man’s Curve, and the sun had returned to dry them all out, leaving Maxie’s head topped with a wild fluff of golden-brown curls as if he were a puffy dandelion. Their days in the sun had turned his skin into a dark olive complexion that beautifully set off his wide, curious golden eyes. His soft, gentle demeanor and proper language tended to make Lirion think of him as a younger brother in need of protecting and coddling. Yet, there was something about seeing him striding along, his head up and shoulders straight, that Lirion was finally able to see him as an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old young man ready for adventure. He wasn’t a little boy, and Lirion wasn’t the only one who needed reminding of that.

“So much so it’s known as the Pirate Isles.” Fenric kept right in step with Maxie, a weather eye on him like a parent would a young child. “Listen, there’s only two rules here. First rule: You start something, no one’s going to come to your rescue. So don’t start something.”

And yet, despite the beauty of the youth before him, Lirion found himself craving the rugged good looks of a certain devilish rogue with his crisscrossing scars, crooked smile, and captivating, green-rimmed golden eyes. The allure of the young man was nice, but Lirion preferred the strength and devilry of Fenric.

Maxie gave a serious nod. “Okay. What’s the second rule?”

“Gravity.”

Lirion snorted. “That’s rather accurate. Only law that can’t be broken is the law of gravity.”

With a small cant of the head, Maxie asked, “You’ve been here before, Lirion?”

“A time or three. Usually because the ship I was on had an issue, like now, and we needed a place to stop. It’s a very transient place. Most do not linger.”

“The ones who do have something very wrong with them,” Fenric muttered under his breath.

“Also, everyone tends to mind their own business,” Fenric continued. “Bounties are useless here. The kings of Moorwood and Cotra are content to leave the Pirate Isles alone so long as the lawless don’t leak into their domains.”