Part 42 (1/2)
Sparrow, barefoot, wearing only her cloak, grasped his arm hard. ”Lock, what are you doing?”
”s.h.i.+p's sinking off the west beach. Go to the village and get help. Have them wait on sh.o.r.e.”
”How do you know there's a s.h.i.+p sinking?” she demanded.
”I saw it in a dream.”
”Just because you had a few dreams that came true-”
”Means I know the difference between one that's foolishness and one that's a vision.”
”What are you going to do?”
”Take the s.h.i.+p out.” He mounted Sea-Storm and using hands and knees, nudged the animal down the path toward the beach.
”Lock! You can't take the s.h.i.+p out in this storm! It's not completely finished and you don't have a crew! You'll be killed!”
”Maybe, but if I don't go, they won't make it. Do as I tell you, Sparrow!”
He kicked the white stallion to a gallop and didn't stop until he reached his s.h.i.+p tossing in the dock amidst the raging storm.
Squinting against the rain and wind, he turned the s.h.i.+p out to sea.
Waves crashed over the s.h.i.+p. Several times he thought he'd capsize and wondered if Sparrow was right. She'd looked at him as if he was mad. Perhaps he was, for there was no s.h.i.+p in...There! Just ahead the vessel was halfway down. Several men leapt from the rails and joined the others who struggled to keep their heads above the waves. The lifeboat had already sunk.
One of the men noticed Lock and swam for his s.h.i.+p. He threw the swimmer a line and hauled him on deck. Two other men followed. Lock saw that there were two swimming with the burden of a companion in distress.
Kicking off his boots, s.h.i.+rt, and trousers, he asked one of the men nearest him, ”Can you control this vessel?”
The man nodded, and Lock jumped into the freezing water. Having spent most of his life in the ocean, Lock was an excellent swimmer and had on more than one occasion plucked companions from the sea during wrecks. He swam toward the two men aiding their injured companion and took the wounded one to the s.h.i.+p before dragging three more men aboard and climbing on deck himself where he sat on his knees, gasping, tendrils of wet hair streaming in his face.
”How many of you were lost?” Lock panted.
”We're it,” said a tall, slender man with a dark, wiry beard. ”We're all here.”
”All?” Lock narrowed his eyes at his pa.s.sengers. Though the s.h.i.+p was far too full for a craft of its size, there were no more than twelve on board and two large, tawny dogs-scarcely any for the size of the s.h.i.+p, which had almost disappeared beneath the water.
”Because of the battles with Zaltana, there were few to send on this mission,” the bearded man continued as he stooped by one of his wounded comrades and did his best to stop the bleeding from a gash on his arm. Lock noticed both the men wore a black uniform with a circle of red thorns embroidered around a ruby over their hearts. The man who'd been talking wore a green sash about his narrow waist. He suddenly realized they were all Knights of the Ruby Order.
Lock took control of his vessel, knowing they had to get away from the sinking s.h.i.+p quickly lest they be dragged down with it.
A tall, slim redhead with an even redder beard and eyes almost as pale as Lock's approached him. This man also wore a green sash over his wet black tunic. He touched Lock's arm. ”You listened when the Spirits spoke. Thank you.”
”Eh?” Lock demanded as he fought the storm for control of the s.h.i.+p.
”Your vision,” the redhead told him.
”How did you know about that?”
Though he didn't reply, a streak of lightning revealed the redhead's smile.
Lock sighed with relief when he saw the sh.o.r.eline. Sparrow and several villagers ran toward them as they docked.
”G.o.ddess!” Sparrow murmured, staring at the men on board. ”You were right, Lock!”
”I told you,” he said. ”Some of these men are wounded, and they'll need places to stay for the night.”
”Knights of the Ruby Order?” a villager said. ”All of you?”
”We are,” said the one with the dark beard.
Several villagers volunteered their homes and took the wounded as Lock and the healthy pa.s.sengers carried them off the s.h.i.+p.
”Can we put up a few, girl?” Lock glanced at Sparrow.
”Of course,” she said. ”We have plenty of room.”
Lock and Sparrow's home was closest to the beach, so they helped the two bearded Knights with green sashes and another lanky comrade with short, black hair haul three of the wounded to the house. The two dogs followed.
Inside, Sparrow lit lanterns and fetched a bucket of water.
The Knights settled the wounded. While the redhead worked on their injuries, the one with the dark beard said, ”I'm going to the village to help the others.”
”I'll go with you.” The black-haired knight stood. Both paused as they reached the door and thanked Lock for his a.s.sistance.
”Most of us wouldn't have survived without your help.” The black-haired one extended his hand to Lock.
”Was nothing. No bother.”
”My name is Torn. This is Crag.” He pointed to his companion with the dark, wiry beard.
”We're in your debt,” Crag said.
”Not at all.”
As the two Knights left the house, Lock kindled the fire.
”Mate of the Key, help me,” the redhead stated. Lock glanced over his shoulder, and the Knight smiled. ”Yes. Help me bind this leg. Good practice for you.”
Lock approached and applied pressure to the cut on the man's thigh. This Knight had dark hair and deep blue eyes. Both dogs hovered around him like drooling gargoyles. He patted them weakly and gasped as Lock began cleaning the wound according to the redhead's instructions. Lock didn't take his eyes from his task and marveled that the redhead could so easily instruct and work at the same time.
Lock's charge cursed under his breath as the former pirate applied more pressure. ”Don't know your own strength, man!”
”What do you call these beasts?” Lock motioned with his head towards the dogs in an attempt to keep the man's mind off his injury.
”That's Roland. And the pretty one's Melinda.”
Lock chuckled, stealing a quick glance at the dog's snubbed and wrinkled black face. ”She's a beauty all right.”