Chapter 30
Thirty
Cali stood in the kitchen doorway for a long moment, taking in the bound hellkin and the raccoon with the whisk. Her gaze traveled from Bramble to the oven mitt jammed in the hellkin’s mouth, and she lowered her bow.
The point of Bonnie’s sword drooped, and she pressed two fingers to the bridge of her nose. “Someone, please explain.”
Marvella and Thrain exchanged a look, and she dipped her head toward the dwarf beside her as if granting him a favor.
Thrain rocked back on his heels and drew a slow breath. “We were in the kitchen,” he began. “Marvella and me.”
“Making scones,” Marvella added.
“Aye, but not just any scones.” He raised a finger. “She got coconuts and sea limes from a fruit vendor at the end of the dock.”
Marvella hiked a thumb toward Thrain. “He’s never had coconut before.”
“Never in my life.” Thrain shook his head. “Not many co-co-nuts in the Ice Lands.”
Marvella smoothed some errant red curls back into her kerchief and nodded to a bowl of small, turquoise fruits. “Or sea limes.”
“Aye,” Thrain said. “That’s true enough.”
Bonnie cleared her throat, her toe tapping softly on the floor. “The hellkin?”
Thrain looked briefly abashed. He tugged at the hem of his shirt. “Right. So, we’re making the coconut sea lime scones—”
“I was rolling out the dough,” Marvella said. “He was eating the coconut.”
“—when we heard the thumping.” Thrain lowered his voice. “On the side of the ship. Like something climbing up the side. We didn’t know what it was, but then we heard the commotion up top.”
Marvella nodded grimly. “We grabbed what was at hand.”
“She had her rolling pin.” He gestured to it on the counter. “I had the iron skillet, and the wee fella grabbed a whisk, as you can see.”
The raccoon, still on the worktable, squared his small shoulders.
Thrain leaned forward, his voice a hush. “We crept down the hall and hid under the stairs, the three of us, and we waited. When the footsteps came down—” He brought his hands together in a loud clap. “We hit him before he’d cleared the last step.”
The bound hellkin made a noise through the oven mitt.
Thrain shuffled from one foot to the other. “We didn’t know that Seraphina had already subdued him and tied him up.”
“She was walking behind him,” Marvella said, “but he deserved it all the same for trying to sneak onto our ship.”
“Bramble might not have gnawed on his ankles if he’d known the hellkin wasn’t a threat, but we can’t blame the wee lad.” He reached over and scruffed the raccoon’s head. “I don’t know what that wee creature’s teeth are made of, but the hellkin went down fast.”
The hellkin made another noise, louder and more pointed.
“Our visitor was, in fact, attacked after I had him tied up,” Seraphina said, “but he’ll survive.”
The hellkin emitted more sounds that sounded like string disagreements.
“And we were just debating what to do with our prisoner when you came in.” The dwarf glanced at the hellkin. “I was in favor of tossing him in the bay.”
“I don’t like things cluttering up my kitchen,” Marvella said, “so I wasn’t opposed.”
The master-at-arms slid Marvella and Thrain narrowed-eyed looks. “I informed the dwarves that security on this ship is not something we vote on.”
Bonnie stepped forward, moving around the edge of the worktable until she stood in front of the captive.
He was soaked through, with dark hair plastered to his forehead and his crimson skin shiny.
His shirt was torn at the collar, and there was a lump on his forehead that was turning purple. “He was the only one?”
“I found no others,” Seraphina confirmed.
Thrain grunted. “No sign of her anywhere.”
He didn’t say the name. He didn’t need to. Cali’s fur rose along the back of her neck at the implication of it, anyway. The thought of Marina aboard the Cruel Mistress made fury flare hot in her chest.
The door swung open and Pinkie came through it at speed, chest heaving, her purple hair in considerable disarray. She pulled up short at the sight of the hellkin, and her eyes went wide and round.
“Gert sent me,” she managed between breaths. “No intruders on deck. No damage either. She’s still checking the rigging, but it all looks sound.”
Bonnie nodded. “Good. Thanks, Pink. Take your post and keep a careful watch, in case any more like this one decide to pay us a visit tonight.”
Pinkie’s gaze lingered on the hellkin for one more moment before she turned and went, her footsteps tapping a brisk retreat.
Bonnie reached down and pulled the oven mitt free. The hellkin gasped, and then he worked his jaw a few times as if checking that it still functioned.
“There’s no one else coming.” His voice was rough. “It’s just me. I’m alone.” He looked up at the captain, and his eyes had a wildness to them that was more fear than aggression. “I didn’t come to cause trouble.”
Bonnie said nothing.
The hellkin licked his parched lips. “I wasn’t trying to steal the ship. Came to strike a deal with you.”
“A deal?” Cali asked. “Marina didn’t send you?”
The hellkin snorted a dark laugh. “Hardly. That’s why I’m here. I’ve had my fill of her and her worthless schemes.” He looked at the floor and then back up. “If you give me safe passage back to the Known Lands, I’ll lead you to Marina.”
Cali eyed the hellkin with suspicion. “And all you want for betraying Marina is a return trip?”
“That’s right. I want to go home.” The hellkin released a weary breath. “Just as long as it isn’t in that hells-cursed boat.”