The Scourge - Page 76

Bartek folded his arms. "We're not leaving this ship, girl. You're bluffing."

I did not flinch. "I will count down from five. At zero, the first cannon fires. I hope it's not the one right beneath your feet."

He smiled. "Or yours."

My smile mirrored his. "Five. Four."

At four, an explosion burst from below, creating a large hole in the deck and sending pieces of wood everywhere. I nearly fell backward into the hold below, and saw Bartek had fallen too. One sailor had been standing very near the explosion, but he didn't look seriously hurt. Only sheer luck had saved him, though, and we all knew it.

From below, Weevil shouted up, "Sorry! I lit the fuse too early!"

Bartek looked down at him. "That's your team below? Another insane grub like you?"

"He's not insane, just terrible at counting." Then I continued from before. "Three. Two."

"I'm lighting the next fuse now!" Weevil yelled.

"All right!" Bartek said. "Abandon ship, or what's left of it now." He glared at me as his men jumped overboard. "You might think this feels like a victory, but where will you go? Dulan won't take you, and as damaged as this ship is, no other country is within reach. Keldanians are terrified of the Scourge. They'll welcome you home with pistols drawn, anything to keep from getting the same disease."

"The Scourge is not a disease," I said. "As of now, the Scourge is victory. We are the Scourge, and we're going home."

The instant the sailors of Dulan exited the ship, I ran to Weevil and told him to stop lighting cannons and to join me on the deck. And I didn't need to tell the imprisoned crew members and Colonists to come up--they were already on their way.

Jonas had run back up the beach to meet Della, who was hurrying down to him. Although he held out his arms to carry her, she shook her head and continued walking on her own. I thought she must want to reclaim her freedom on her own two feet, and I was proud of her for it.

Marjorie was one of the first to arrive on the ship, and she nearly collapsed on the deck with either gratitude or exhaustion, or both. While I helped her find a place to sit, other Colonists continued arriving.

"I didn't know how you were going to do it," Clement said to me. "But I knew you would."

By the time Jonas got Della into the ship, she looked every bit as tired as Marjorie did, but her eyes were lit with excitement. "Please tell me there's food on this ship!" she said.

"I'm sure there is," I replied. "If you and Jonas want to find some, I think everyone on board needs to eat."

They nodded and went hand in hand to make a search.

Brogg came up next. I eyed him cautiously, trying to determine whose side he was on. He only removed his warden's hat and nodded at me and said, "If all River People are like you, then from now on, I want to be one of your people."

"We're all Keldanians here," I answered. "You are one of my people. Prove you're amongst the good ones."

He nodded at me. "I swear that I will."

Weevil was half bent over the deck's railing, watching for his father. I could practically see his heart beating from where I stood and though I wanted to join him, I didn't. This was his moment.

His father was the last to climb the ladder onto the ship, and by the time he reached the top, tears were streaming down both their faces. Weevil's father had always been a strong man, proud and confident. Now he fell to his knees and reached out for Weevil, who ran into his arms. From where I stood, I only saw Weevil's back, but his shoulders were shaking and I was sure he was crying too, but only for the best of reasons.

Weevil leaned back at one point and his father put his hands on Weevil's face. They spoke a few words to each other, and then hugged again.

While watching them, I realized how much I missed my own father, and my mother too. First I had disappeared, and then my father. Did she know where he was? The River People would hide him and Sir Willoughby if they were asked to, but I doubted that my father would have dared put them at so much risk. By now, my mother probably wasn't even sure I was still alive. I couldn't imagine what she was going through.

I wanted so desperately to just go home.

Weevil must've felt me staring at him, for he finally turned away from his father and motioned for me to come over.

I brushed my sweaty palms against what remained of my skirts, walked over to them, and curtsied to his father. "You probably don't remember me, but--"

"Ani Mells. Could anyone else have done all this? You've grown into such a lovely young lady."

I brushed loose strands of hair away from my face. "I was in the storm last night. You can hardly see me through all this dirt."

Tags: Jennifer A. Nielsen Fantasy
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