Head Hunt (Daracka Volume I)

Forty-Nine ✧ The Anger of the Seas

Several ships docked at the port, but only one was lit with lamps; a galleon with a massive hull and towering masts. Shadows moved on the deck behind the balustrade, and the dominating voice of a man rose over the noise of footsteps and work.

As Jiro walked up the gangway, he saw the ship's crew busying themselves with the orders of the captain, who stood at the center of the deck by the mainmast.

The captain had his back to the ramp and wore a dark red coat and polished boots. When he turned, he instantly reached for the pistol at his side, drawing it and pointing it at Jiro.

"Who are you?" the captain said with a finger over the trigger of the gun, giving Jiro a warning glare, dark brown eyes narrowing. The white tattoo on his chin formed three straight lines that sloped to his neck, flowing down into the collar of his tunic—a beautiful contrast of bright strips over his dark skin.

Arms raised to show no weapons, Jiro stopped. After the fight with Mariko, somehow, looking down the barrel of the captain's gun didn't seem frightening. "We need to cross the Wari Strait. We can pay."

The crew paused what they were doing and stared at Jiro. The captain regarded him for a moment. "We're not taking passengers tonight. It's a full moon. Unless you want to die in this strait." His hand relaxed, returning his pistol to its holster on his side. He tucked his arms back, a familiar stance Jiro had seen before.

Jiro dropped his hands to his sides, but he didn't relax. His muscles became alert as he watched the captain, glancing at the tucked pistol. Guns in Daracka were a privilege. They could not own firearms unless they were soldiers or served in the army. So how did this man get one? A sudden doubt and mistrust came over him, but he had no choice. They needed to get out of Kata now.

"But you're sailing tonight, aren't you?" Jiro said.

The captain didn't answer him; instead, he walked to the balustrade and looked down at the dock where Alet stood waiting with the nyx. The girl looked up and met the man's eyes.

"We've been sailing under the full moon for years, and the waters don't seem to like me that much. They don't want to take me and my ship." He looked at Jiro then.

"Take us with you to the southern port of Adar. Please." Jiro fished a gold coin from his pocket and raised it to the captain. It was the last hed he had. He thought of saving it, but they were desperate. They couldn't stay here for longer. They still had days, maybe even weeks, to go before they reached Kazima, but they needed to leave the city now. Mariko could already be awake looking for them.

The captain raised a dark brow, his blue eyes widening. "Well, now. There's something I can't refuse." He grinned with yellowed teeth and turned back to look down at Alet on the dock. Then he waved a hand for her to climb aboard the ship.

"Thank you," Jiro tossed the coin to the man.

"If you drown, you can't say I didn't warn you." The captain caught the coin in the air with a wide grin plastered to his face. "And the nyx stays below deck at all times until we reach Adar."

The crew took a few more minutes before they declared the ship ready to sail. One of them guided Alet below the decks to get the nyx settled in while Jiro watched the shore anxiously.

From the balustrade, Jiro expected Mariko to come flying from the city with her knife in her hand. The image was vivid in his mind. When the anchor raised, a sense of relief washed over him, but he kept his watch on the dark docks.

The bright moon above came to its fullest, and though the waters were calm near the shore, Jiro caught the scent of distant rain. The air turned hotter and more humid as the ship drifted away from the water port.