The Soldier and the Thief

Chapter 9

They found the horses with little trouble. After an internal debate, Nik swallowed his pride and asked Padfoot to help him sit the thief in front of him in the saddle. She'd insisted she was fine, so Nik had let go of her while saddling Sundance and she'd immediately collapsed to the ground. The entire front of her green corset was stained dark red, and her eye was swollen shut to the point where she couldn't see out of it. Padfoot handed Nik Phantom's reins and bade him farewell with a toothy grin, having been told he could keep the Qu.

Before they left the stable Nik adjusted the thief's cloak so that her face and stained corset were hidden. They trotted down the main street and hurried past the Salty Workers Inn, avoiding any conflict from Lloyd and his men. When Nik reached the wharf, there was no sign of the man who had promised them passage across the Lake of Ellan. His hopes faded. The man had lied and taken their saddlebags and run. 

A whistle alerted him to his right, and he only just caught sight of a gloved hand waving to him among the bracken that ringed the lake's edges. He turned Sundance towards it and Phantom followed obediently. The thief's dead weight lolled forward and Nik quickly wrapped an arm around her chest to stop her from falling. He was left with only his legs to guide Sundance toward the bracken. When they were close enough the man from earlier appeared and took Phantom's reins from him. In the light Nik now saw that he was missing an eye, and the entire left side of his face was disfigured. 

"Follow me." The man gestured, and went in front of them leading Phantom. Nik couldn't help but steal a glance at the back of the thief's hooded head and think wryly of her likeness to the fisherman in front of him. The arm around her chest felt wet. Nik urged Sundance into the bracken and discovered behind the thin layer of bush that there was a hidden path leading to the water's edge. A small boat was moored in the shallows. The man was already waist-deep in the water, leading Phantom out into the depths. A moment of hesitation before Nik pushed Sundance to follow, unable to keep from wondering how they'd get the horses onto the boat. 

When the man reached the boat, he undid a catch on the back and a ramp fell backwards, hitting the water with a splash and sinking under the surface. He led Phantom onto the back of the ferry and Nik followed. Sundance shied at something under the water and Nik glanced down to see small reptilian creatures swimming around her legs. A sharp-toothed face and crocodile eyes leered at him through the water. 

"Come on girl." Nik pushed Sundance on and up the ramp. The man had already locked Phantom into one of the small stables on the back of the ferry, and held up his hands to take the thief. Nik made sure he had her before dismounting and stabling Sundance beside the grey gelding. The ferry was smaller than the other three at the wharf, but at the front of the boat were rooms and the captain's quarters were on a second story. The man carried the thief into one of the cabins and laid her on the bed. He disappeared for a second before returning with a small tin box of bandages and a bottle of whiskey. 

"Excuse me for asking, but who are you?" Nik asked as the man rummaged through the box. The thief stirred on the bed. 

"Willem Grey."

"Why are you helping us?" 

"Are you kidding me? A chick the size of a peanut comes out of her room and starts a fight with one of the fisherman and wins? Why wouldn't I jump at the chance to find out who she and her apparent escort - a soldier from Obaroth no less - are?" Willem replied, pulling out a bandage. He whistled. "Damn, darlin', you look like an open autopsy." The thief opened her eyes and saw the bottle of whiskey in Willem's hand. 

"Oh great, pain relief." She grabbed the bottle and took a hearty swig. Willem stared at her, then looked down at his empty hand, before chuckling.