Mají began to laugh as we approached the ship, grinning crazily and breaking into a sprint, practically dragging me along seeing as he refused to let go of my hand until we reached the rope ladder.
“Fame! Jumé!” he roared as soon as his feet touched the deck.
Both men popped their heads out of their respective cabins, joining Mají and I within a minute.
“Is there trouble Captain?” Jumé asked, his glance shifting uneasily between Mají and myself.
“We’re raiding Tempest Storm’s Camp,” Mají said, grabbing my hand once more.
Jumé’s eyes widened in shock, and I couldn’t help the smug look I knew had plastered itself on my face.
“Fame, I want you to find Obsidarian and wheel the cannon out. Move it across the field and in front of Storm’s main gate, but not so close that a lookout will be able to tell what it is,” Mají continued.
“Aye Cap’n,” Fame said, nodding briefly before entering Mají’s cabin.
“Jumé, I want a few more men with us, no one too serious. Grab Xament; tell him to bring his fiddle, those guys that hang around Obsidarian…. And remind Forcan of what will happen if he doesn’t keep his mouth shut. Then grab a few cannonballs and gunpowder between the lot of you.”
“Fuses as well sir?” Jumé asked.
Mají paused in his instructions, turning to me.
“Do you need fuses? Or can you light the gunpowder directly?”
“No fuses,” I told Jumé. “The shot and powder will be enough, providing you bring the ramrod with you.”
Jumé didn’t move. He stood and kept his eyes on Mají, not acknowledging my instructions. I moved my hand to my blade but Mají drew before I could. Before Jumé could blink the kingblade was pressed against his shoulder.
“Now you know I wouldn’t kill you for a stupid reason,” Mají warned. “But there is nothing against me taking your hand or arm for insubordination Jumé-falio. Gittoran Flame is the Queen of Thieves, making her almost my equal, and your superior. If she gives an order, you are to follow it as if it came from my own mouth. Is that understood?”
A blank expression settled over Jumé’s face. He bowed his head in Mají’s direction, and then narrowed his eyes at the both of us before turning and disappearing below deck.
“He’s going to hate me now,” I sighed.
“Jumé has never liked orders, he only tolerates mine because we are friends,” Mají said. “But if you stay with me…. He’ll come around in time.”
“So do we go out to the field now?” I asked; eager to change the subject.
“This is about your show of power,” he said, smiling slightly. “We have time… you can appear to Storm as the girl he’s been trying to drown for a few days, or you can appear as the vengeful Queen of Thieves.”
I grinned at him, standing up on my toes to kiss him on the cheek as a thank-you. I darted below deck, calling for Briamy as I ran down the steps to my room. Throwing open the door I found her sitting beside the bed, a glittering blade in her lap. She beamed at me at first, the happiness in her expression quickly changing to shock.
YOU ARE READING
FireSweet
Fantasy"My name changed before my eyes, the paper before me read "Welcome Gittoran Scarlet", I felt a searing pain in my left shoulder and the world spun around me. I dropped to the floor, and blacked out." Gittoran was your average party-girl with attit...
