Read Online The Eye of Neptune by Jon Mayhew - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jon Mayhew
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you,’ he panted. ‘I think you just saved my life.’
For some time, the crew stumbled around in mute wonder, uncertain of what they had just experienced. They took Blizzard to his cabin and went through the motions of clearing up and counting the dead. The shocked silence that followed the attack hung over them like a storm cloud.
‘It’s a curse,’ Slater whispered, pointing a bony finger at Dakkar. ‘It’s that boy. He’s brought bad luck on us!’
The sailors gathered around him, murmuring their disquiet. Dakkar’s heart pounded. He looked from one angry face to the next.
‘He just appeared from the sea,’ one of the pirates called from the back of the crowd. ‘He wasn’t with us.’
‘Funny how he managed to fight the beast off,’ Slater hissed. ‘But it was throwin’ the rest of us around the ship like a shark playin’ with seal pups!’
‘Leave him be, Slater,’ Finch said, stepping forward. ‘The boy saved my life. I’d have been squid fodder if it weren’t for him.’
‘No, I reckon he’s brought bad luck on us all,’ Slater snarled, bringing his face close to Finch’s. ‘Throw him overboard, I say!’
‘You’ll have to get past me first!’ Finch growled back. ‘This boy is a hero – you should be thankin’ him!’
Finch squared his shoulders and stared into Slater’s eyes. Dakkar watched the two men glaring at each other. Finch was a big man but Slater looked wiry and fast.
A gunshot broke the tension and made everyone turn. Blizzard leaned against the door to his cabin, a pistol in his hand. A white bandage swathed his leg and he looked pale and feverish.
‘The boy is under my protection,’ he gasped. ‘Slater, unless you want flogging, I suggest you refrain from stirring up trouble.’
‘But, sir, I was only suggestin’ –’ Slater began.
‘One more word out of you, man, and I’ll have you clapped in irons,’ Blizzard snapped, wincing a little. ‘Now, everyone back to their duties. This ship doesn’t sail herself. Finch, sort a hammock out for Dakkar down below – he’s no longer a prisoner.’
‘Aye, sir,’ Finch said, grinning and winking at Dakkar. He leaned down and whispered, ‘Don’t worry, lad. I’ll stay close by you.’
The following morning, Dakkar found Blizzard limping along the quarterdeck. He had a stick and, although he looked pale, he seemed in better spirits.
‘Dakkar,’ he said, patting him on the shoulder, ‘you fought that beast off valiantly yesterday.’
‘I didn’t feel very valiant,’ Dakkar said, blushing. ‘My father taught me how to fight with a lance, though I usually practised on horseback. Where did the giant squid come from? And why did it attack?’
‘Who knows?’ Blizzard shrugged. ‘It’s very strange to encounter such a beast this far north.’
‘You’ve seen them before?’ Dakkar asked, his eyes widening.
‘Yes, but never that big,’ Blizzard said, nodding. He grew more serious. ‘And it is strange that it just popped out of the ocean and attacked us. Of course if I knew half of what was going on, maybe I could make some sense of it.’ He gave Dakkar a wry look and Dakkar glanced away to the horizon.
‘I have to find Oginski,’ Dakkar murmured.
‘We’re nearing our destination,’ Blizzard said, shifting his position a little and suppressing a wince. ‘I know you maintain that Oginski and Fulton aren’t in contact, but if they were then I’d say that he might be worth a visit. I know roughly where Fulton’s home is. I could take a slight detour and my men could put you ashore. You’d be on your own though, and the Americans don’t take kindly to spies.’
‘You’d do that for me?’ Dakkar said, wondering at Blizzard’s sudden change of heart.
‘I owe you my life, Dakkar,’ Blizzard said, looking solemn. ‘I’m a man of honour and I see my debts paid.’
‘Then you could tell me more about this alleged reward that my father offered,’ Dakkar said, suddenly
For some time, the crew stumbled around in mute wonder, uncertain of what they had just experienced. They took Blizzard to his cabin and went through the motions of clearing up and counting the dead. The shocked silence that followed the attack hung over them like a storm cloud.
‘It’s a curse,’ Slater whispered, pointing a bony finger at Dakkar. ‘It’s that boy. He’s brought bad luck on us!’
The sailors gathered around him, murmuring their disquiet. Dakkar’s heart pounded. He looked from one angry face to the next.
‘He just appeared from the sea,’ one of the pirates called from the back of the crowd. ‘He wasn’t with us.’
‘Funny how he managed to fight the beast off,’ Slater hissed. ‘But it was throwin’ the rest of us around the ship like a shark playin’ with seal pups!’
‘Leave him be, Slater,’ Finch said, stepping forward. ‘The boy saved my life. I’d have been squid fodder if it weren’t for him.’
‘No, I reckon he’s brought bad luck on us all,’ Slater snarled, bringing his face close to Finch’s. ‘Throw him overboard, I say!’
‘You’ll have to get past me first!’ Finch growled back. ‘This boy is a hero – you should be thankin’ him!’
Finch squared his shoulders and stared into Slater’s eyes. Dakkar watched the two men glaring at each other. Finch was a big man but Slater looked wiry and fast.
A gunshot broke the tension and made everyone turn. Blizzard leaned against the door to his cabin, a pistol in his hand. A white bandage swathed his leg and he looked pale and feverish.
‘The boy is under my protection,’ he gasped. ‘Slater, unless you want flogging, I suggest you refrain from stirring up trouble.’
‘But, sir, I was only suggestin’ –’ Slater began.
‘One more word out of you, man, and I’ll have you clapped in irons,’ Blizzard snapped, wincing a little. ‘Now, everyone back to their duties. This ship doesn’t sail herself. Finch, sort a hammock out for Dakkar down below – he’s no longer a prisoner.’
‘Aye, sir,’ Finch said, grinning and winking at Dakkar. He leaned down and whispered, ‘Don’t worry, lad. I’ll stay close by you.’
The following morning, Dakkar found Blizzard limping along the quarterdeck. He had a stick and, although he looked pale, he seemed in better spirits.
‘Dakkar,’ he said, patting him on the shoulder, ‘you fought that beast off valiantly yesterday.’
‘I didn’t feel very valiant,’ Dakkar said, blushing. ‘My father taught me how to fight with a lance, though I usually practised on horseback. Where did the giant squid come from? And why did it attack?’
‘Who knows?’ Blizzard shrugged. ‘It’s very strange to encounter such a beast this far north.’
‘You’ve seen them before?’ Dakkar asked, his eyes widening.
‘Yes, but never that big,’ Blizzard said, nodding. He grew more serious. ‘And it is strange that it just popped out of the ocean and attacked us. Of course if I knew half of what was going on, maybe I could make some sense of it.’ He gave Dakkar a wry look and Dakkar glanced away to the horizon.
‘I have to find Oginski,’ Dakkar murmured.
‘We’re nearing our destination,’ Blizzard said, shifting his position a little and suppressing a wince. ‘I know you maintain that Oginski and Fulton aren’t in contact, but if they were then I’d say that he might be worth a visit. I know roughly where Fulton’s home is. I could take a slight detour and my men could put you ashore. You’d be on your own though, and the Americans don’t take kindly to spies.’
‘You’d do that for me?’ Dakkar said, wondering at Blizzard’s sudden change of heart.
‘I owe you my life, Dakkar,’ Blizzard said, looking solemn. ‘I’m a man of honour and I see my debts paid.’
‘Then you could tell me more about this alleged reward that my father offered,’ Dakkar said, suddenly
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