Part 16 (1/2)
”Better go there,” he cried. ”Over before they try to gut you!”
”Kill!” The word shrilled into a roar from the Rovers. They started up the deck toward Ross and Loketh. Then someone leaped between, and Vistur fronted his own comrades.
”Stand away--” One of the others ran forward, thrusting at the tall Rover with a stiffened out-held arm to fend him out of their path.
Vistur rolled a shoulder, sending the fellow shunting away. He went down while two more, unable to halt, thudded on him. Vistur stamped on an outstretched hand and sent a sword spinning.
”What goes here!” Torgul's demand was loud enough to be heard. It stopped a few of the crew and two more went down as the Captain struck out with his fists. Then he was facing Ross, and the chill in his eyes was the threat the others had voiced.
”I told you, sea stranger, that if I found you were a danger to me or mine, you would meet the Justice of Phutka!”
”You did,” Ross returned. ”And in what way am I now a danger, Captain?”
”Kyn Add has been taken by those who are not Wreckers, not Rovers, not those who serve the Foanna--but strangers out of the sea!”
Ross could only stare back, confused. And then the full force of his danger struck home. Who those raiding sea strangers could be, he had no idea, but that he was now condemned out of his own mouth was true and he realized that these men were not going to listen to any argument from him in their present state of mind.
The growl of the crew was that of a hungry animal. Ross saw the wisdom in Loketh's choice. Far better chance the open sea than the mob before them.
But his time for choice had pa.s.sed. Out of nowhere whirled a lacy gray-white net, slapping him back against a bulkhead to glue him there.
Ross tried to twist loose, got his head around in time to see Loketh scramble to the top of the rail, turn as if to launch himself at the men speeding for the now helpless Terran. But the Hawaikan's crippled leg failed him and he toppled back overside.
”No!” Again Torgul's shout halted the crew. ”He shall take the Black Curse with him when he goes to meet the Shadow--and only one can speak that curse. Bring him!”
Helpless, reeling under their blows, dragged along, Ross was thrown into the Captain's cabin, confronted by a figure braced up by coverings and cus.h.i.+ons in Torgul's own chair.
A woman, her face a drawn death's head of skin pulled tight upon bone, yet a fiery inner strength holding her mind above the suffering of her body, looked at the Terran with narrowed eyes. She nursed a bandaged arm against her, and now and then her mouth quivered as if she could not altogether control some emotion or physical pain.
”Yours is the cursing, Lady Jazia. Make it heavy to bear for him as his kind has laid the burden of pain and remembering on all of us.”
She brought her good hand up to her mouth, wiping its back across her lips as if to temper their quiver. And all the time her eyes held upon Ross.
”Why do you bring me this man?” Her voice was strained, high. ”He is not of those who brought the Shadow to Kyn Add.”
”What--?” Torgul began and then schooled his voice to a more normal tone. ”Those were from the sea?” He was gentle in his questioning. ”They came out of the sea, using weapons against which we had no defense?”
She nodded. ”Yes, they made very sure that only the dead remained. But I had gone to the Shrine of Phutka, since it was my day of duty, and Phutka's power threw its shade over me. So I did not die, but I saw--yes, I saw!”
”Not those like me?” Ross dared to speak to her directly.
”No, not those like you. There were few ... only so many--” She spread out her five fingers. ”And they were all of one like as if born in one birth. They had no hair on their heads, and their bodies were of this hue--” She plucked at one of the coverings they had heaped around her; it was a lavender-blue mixture.
Ross sucked in his breath, and Torgul was fast to pounce upon the understanding he read in the Terran's face.
”Not your kind--but still you know them!”
”I know them,” Ross agreed. ”They are the enemy!”