'Well we've got all day. I'll rest up, if you don't mind, but so long as it's simple stuff, I should be all right. Just don't ask me to frame a MindMelt.'
'ShadowWings?' asked Denser.
'Borderline but probably,' replied Ilkar.
'You'd better be able to,' said Hirad. 'Because I'm coming with you.'
'Has it occurred to you, Hirad, that these are not the conditions for carrying someone of your bulk any distance at all?' said Ilkar. 'Sorry, but this is going to be just me and Denser alone.'
Hirad shook his head. 'No, it isn't, because I've had an idea.'
Chapter 30
By the time darkness had fallen, Hirad could see the Ocean Elm through the murk of the rain and low cloud. The wind had abated just a little, the swell had settled and Jevin had ordered the bo'sun to deploy as much sail as he dared, knowing the skipper of the Elm would dally as long as he could.
But as the night began to obscure their quarry, it was clear they still had a long way to go and, at current speeds, would not catch them for another day at least. As the sea softened, the sleeker Elm could pull away from the wider merchantman on which The Raven travelled, and Hirad found himself hoping for another storm. In the middle of the night his prayers were answered but far more violently than he'd wanted.
Taking a rest along with Denser and Ilkar to prepare for their attack, he was flung awake in pitch dark as the ship rolled sicken-ingly, almost throwing him from his bunk. Ilkar, lying on the edge of his, wasn't so lucky and tumbled to the floor, cursing. The thundering of feet and the echoes of shouted orders floated down.
'Doesn't sound good,' said Hirad, just about seeing Ilkar's outline and dropping to the floor to help him up.
'What time of night is it?'
'Gone midnight, I think,' said Hirad. 'How's your stomach?'
'Bearable,' said Ilkar. 'We should have been woken before now-'
They were thrown together as another wave struck the ship broadside, shaking figures out of the shrine and throwing their blankets off their bunks.
'Let's get topside, then,' said Hirad. 'You get Denser and meet me on the wheel deck. I hope we've closed enough on the Elm for you.'
'So do I.'
They half ran, half stumbled from the cabin, Hirad feeling his way back to the doors to the main deck, Ilkar going next door to fetch Denser. The Unknown and Thraun would just have to be all right for the time being. Besides, Darrick was sitting with them and the spells would keep them asleep.
On deck, there was bedlam. Jevin and the bo'sun were screaming orders at the crew. Above on the main mast, one sail was torn in half, its shreds flapping in the gale. All around, the seas were huge and Hirad could see the helmsman fighting to turn the ship head-on to the worst of the swell. Rain hammered down on to the deck and, up in the rigging, elves grappled with sail, trying to furl enough to give them back control.
Hirad raced for the wheel deck, making it out in the gloom. There were no lights anywhere on board. They wanted to remain hidden and the elves didn't need them anyway. Halfway up the ladder, another wave struck the forward port side, water pouring across the deck. Hirad lost grip with one hand but clung on with the other, smacking backwards into the wood above the aft hatch.
As the ship righted, he swung himself back on to the ladder and scrambled up the last few rungs.
'What the hell happened?' he shouted, not releasing his grip on the deck rail. The ship lurching, thundering down into a trough.
'It came from nowhere,' answered Jevin. 'Are you ready?'
'Why, how close are we?' The rain became hail, drumming on to the decks and tliudding painfully on their heads. Hirad dragged his furs up over his skull.
'On the sea, more than a day, still. For you on your wings, I don't know. But we'll get barely closer tonight. If the Elm has any sense, she'll have hove to by now, trying to ride it out. I'm dropping all but topsail. Either that or we'll founder.'
Hirad nodded. 'Thank you for all your efforts,' he said.
'Perhaps there'll be bonus pay in this.'
'Count on it,' said Hirad.
Ilkar and Denser were heading up the ladder. Ilkar looked pale but better than he had on the first day, the Lemiir buying him the time to rest and eat what he could keep down. Denser had a savage light in his eyes, a determination edged with desperation. Hirad had seen it before. It would make him powerful, but changeable.
'This is it,' said Hirad, voice barely less than a shout. 'Jevin says we'll get no closer tonight and The Unknown can't wait any longer.'
'Can you see the Elm? Denser asked Ilkar. The Julatsan peered forward, the hail like a sheet in front of them. Hirad could barely see the prow of their ship. Beyond, it was just raging darkness. The wind howled across the open sea.
'No. We'll just have to fly high and hope.'
'Terrific'
'Stay close to me,' said Ilkar. 'I'm your eyes.'
Denser beckoned them both close and put an arm around each shoulder.
'We'll need wings trimmed for speed, not mass, so I'll be unstable with Hirad hanging off me. Don't you take your eyes off me for long because, if he falls, you'll be getting him. And remember, Ren said Erienne's cabin was aft. We'll have to assume she's not been moved.'
'If she has, this could be a very long night,' said Hirad.
They broke. Hirad fetched a length of rope he'd had tied round his waist all night. Ilkar tied one end around his left wrist and then he lay fiat on the deck while the elf attached the other end to Denser's left ankle. One thing Hirad couldn't risk was- fouling Denser's wings.
'Just you get there safe, all right?' said Ilkar.
'Tell him that, he's driving,' said Hirad. 'Have you two got enough weapons? This could be a good night for knives, I think.'
'We're sorted out. Ready?'
'Of course not.'
Ilkar clapped him on the back. 'Then let's go.'
Hirad readied himself. Denser stood with his legs apart enough for Hirad to put his head through them and hang on to both his calves. 'I can't believe I'm doing this,' he muttered.
The hail came down harder. He heard a shout from Denser and a heartbeat later he was airborne and yelling his fear into the teeth of a gale.
'So kill me then!' roared the skipper. 'Kill any one you like. Because if we raise any more sail we'll all die anyway.' He shoved Selik away
from him, the Black Wing steadying himself quickly and coming back, dagger still drawn.
'And what the hell good is that handkerchief you've got fluttering up there going to do for us, eh?' He renewed his grip on the skipper's throat, three of his men in attendance should the elf try to fight him.
The fury of the storm had taken them all by surprise, boiling up from the south under cloud so low they felt they could almost touch it. The skipper had called all hands to the deck and they'd swarmed up the rigging to furl sail as waves crashed across his deck, hurling two Black Wings and a member of bis crew into the water to drown in the merciless ocean. Another of his crew had fallen from the rigging and he too would die, his body broken.
But Selik had stormed up to the wheel deck, demanding he go faster. Faster? They were lucky to be still afloat at all.
'I'll tell you what it'll do, you ignorant fool,' spat the skipper. 'It'll give us just enough manoeuvrability to keep our head to the wind so we can survive this thing. I take it you do want to survive?'
'Your tone will get you very badly hurt.'
The Captain grabbed Selik's hand and dragged the dagger towards his own throat.
'Then do it now, Black Wing, because I am past caring.'
Selik stared at him, jerked his hand away and backed off a pace, letting go the skipper's throat. He nodded.
'And what about them behind us?' he demanded, pointing over the skipper's shoulder into the filthy night.