Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

18: Pelenu

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" Dante called back, in a surprisingly good impression of the captain's voice. "What is it?"

"There's a problem in the furnace room."

"Is the mechanic on hand to fix it?"

"Yes, but he wants your opinion."

Delilah was afraid to breathe in case they heard her.

"Tell him I trust him completely," Dante said. "And while you're here, tell the rest of the crew I do not want anyone to visit the prisoners."

"Why?" There was a faint thud as the man pressed against the door to listen.

"I have already ordered a group of men to go down there to guard them. So if anyone reports them missing, they're on guard duty and you are all forbidden to enter the room. I want no distractions. These people are dangerous."

"Yes, sir." The soldier sounded confused. "But -"

"Do you doubt my orders?" Dante barked.

"No, but -"

"Spread the word, then. Make sure the whole crew knows, and if anyone disobeys me, I will hold you accountable."

"Yes, sir."

"Now go! I've got a route to plan, so I need leaving in peace, unless you want us to go astray."

There were hurried footsteps as the soldier practically ran down the corridor.

"That was brilliant!" Delilah breathed. "Good thinking."

Dante gave her a mildly amused look before returning to watch the river. "If I wasn't clever, I'd have lost my throne to my own treacherous council as soon as I was crowned. Remember, you must be cunning above all else."

She nodded, realising he was giving genuine advice, and looked back at the chart she held. "When the river splits into two tributaries, take the left one."

"You mean port."

"Yeah, port, whatever."

"They're strange, these warships," Dante murmured, and Delilah tensed a little, recognising the way he narrowed his eyes. It meant he was thinking furiously, perhaps devising ways he could use the information to help Vale. "They're much more advanced than anything I've seen."

"Pelenan engineers are always experimenting," Delilah said. "These three ships are probably the only ones operational. Whenever there's a breakthrough, Gaol gives it all to the military. He spends thousands on things like this, rather than feeding the poor." She scowled. "I don't know why you look so interested - Vale doesn't have the space, resources or money to make any."

He whipped around to glare at her. "You don't need to remind me. When war comes, I'll melt these metal contraptions along with the men inside. See how far they get. No army or navy will match the Opals."

Delilah blinked. "Where are the wraiths?"

They scanned the empty room, frowning.

"We've been fighting," Dante said. "We must have been able to block them out."

"So it is possible."

"By the way... you never told me Mala was your mother."

Delilah swallowed and turned away from him. "Well, she is, and she's dying as we speak."

"How do you know that?"

"I know where I cut her," she said bluntly, trying to push away the pain that crept through her. "She was in our way."