Page 42 of A Tribute of Fire

A man came into view, his face illuminated by the torch. I didn’t recognize him, but there were so many men on board that wasn’tsurprising. Ever since we’d been put in our cell, we had only seen Acmon and Jason as they brought us food and water.

The man slid the torch into a bracket and took the key from where it hung on the post. He reached into a pouch at his side and threw something on the floor. I heard a kind of hissing sound as it hit the planks, but I was unsure of what he’d just done. He walked over to me and came to a stop about an arm’s length from the cell.

“Who are you?” I demanded. Could he see that I was armed? I kept my sword at my side, and hoped it was hidden in the shadows.

“Your savior.”

He had the same dark hair and brown skin of an Ilionian or Locrian, but his accent was unlike any I’d ever heard.

I stayed quiet, assessing my situation. He had a sword at his side that he hadn’t drawn yet. But he had the key and could open the door to our cell.

Could put his hands on me or Quynh.

“We’ve come to free you,” he said.

For one quick moment I thought I could send Quynh with them. I would continue on to Ilion, but she could escape with these men and be safe. It seemed like a perfect solution.

“You can trust us. We mean you no harm,” he added, and it felt like a step too far.

Things that seem too good to be true usually are.

Now it was my father’s voice I heard in my head. Warning me.

Something was off.

“Would you like to come with us?” he offered.

The sounds of battle raged above us, swords meeting swords, bodies hitting the deck as men were struck down. Which side was winning? Would I have to face this one man alone or would there be more?

“No thank you,” I said. “I think I’ll stay here.”

He made a tsking sound and shook his head. “That was the wrong answer.”

There were more footsteps on the stairs and the man was joined by two others. The newcomers already had their weapons drawn.

An eerie calm settled into my nerves as I prepared for what was coming. The man would have to unlock the cell to get at me, and then I would have the chance to strike. I could do a lot of damage to him before the others could reach me.

“Maybe your little friend would like to join us. We’ll wake her up gently and then we’ll ask her. And we’ll make sure she enjoys our particular kind of questioning,” the man said, and his companions laughed.

I raised my sword then, fury gripping my gut. “I will kill you if you touch her.”

“With your tiny little knife?” he asked, amused.

“Many a man has lost his life to this blade. I would be happy to add you to the list.” I hoped he wouldn’t see through my bravado. There was no way I would be able to defend us against three armed warriors.

The men above deck were all fighting for their lives. No one had time to worry about me and Quynh.

We were on our own.

“Lia?” She chose that moment to wake up, and my stomach dropped down to my feet. It would have been better if she’d stayed asleep. I didn’t want her to see what was going to happen next.

“It will be all right,” I told her in a soft voice. “Stay low and out of the way as best you can.”

She immediately scooted herself into the far corner of the cell.

The man held up the key, letting me know that he intended to open the door. “I was hoping you’d make this easy, but it will be much more fun if you’re going to put up a fight first. We know how Locrian women like to be treated.”

I didn’t know what that was even supposed to mean, but I wasn’t going to ask him for a further explanation because it didn’t matter. It was obvious that they intended to hurt us.

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