Chapter Nine
Magni
Two men shoved the four bairns toward a small dock, a boat tied to it. Magni had no idea where they were, other than the water.
Tora grinned as she climbed onto the ship, exclaiming her delight. “I love widing in boats. I’m going to wave to my mama when we go by.”
“Shut up, lass, unless ye wish to swim to the other side. I would wager ye don’t know how to swim. Do ye?” He laughed, his beady eyes staring at her.
She stared back and said, “But you canno’ swim either.”
He jumped as if burned, then turned away, hollering over his shoulder, “Just sit down. Don’t be causing trouble, wee one.”
Magni said, “He looks like a pirate with that patch over his eye. Do you think he is one?”
Rowan observed the man carefully. “Nay. There are no pirates around here, or I’d have seen a pirate ship pass by my castle.”
The ship wasn’t as big as the usual ferry that went between Oban and Craignure, but Magni hadn’t seen many ships, anyway. What did he know?
Rowan whispered to Magni, “Does Tora know that man?”
Magni shook his head.
“How did she know he can’t swim?”
From the opposite side of the boat, Tora looked at him and pointed to her forehead. “I see it hewe.”
“She’s a seer,” Lia explained. “The heavens gave her a special talent.”
“What’s a seer?” Rowan asked.
“She can tell what’s going to happen, or sometimes she knows things that are only in your mind.”
“Tora, what am I thinking?” Rowan asked.
“That you think I’m stupid, but I’m not. I’m wiser than you.”
Rowan stomped his foot, but he jerked to face front because Pirate Man was back with someone else.
“He’s hairy,” Magni whispered. “He has hair everywhere. Even coming out of his ears and his nose.” He made a face and looked at Rowan.
“Aye, he is. I’m calling him Hairy.” Rowan nearly giggled but kept it in, staring at both men.
Magni did giggle, his hand covering his mouth. “Hairy and Pirate Man.”
Pirate Man said, “Anyone who doesn’t do what I tell them will have to clean my feet.” He guffawed at his own jest.
Lia said, “I would do it, if you needed it, Master Pirate Man.”
The man grabbed Lia by the neck and lifted her into the air. “What did you call me?”
Tora, Magni, and Rowan all yelled in unison, “Nay!”
“What did you call me?” he repeated, squeezing her neck.
Tora got up and moved in front of him, her hands on her hips. “Put hew down.”
Pirate Man let go of Lia, dropping her onto Magni’s and Rowan’s laps. Then he picked up Tora by her shoulders and shook her.
“Put me down, or I’ll tell him about the thing you have in youw pocket.”
Pirate Man stopped shaking her, but still held her over his head. “What thing?”
“That thing you took fwom him,” she whispered.
He tossed her down and crossed himself. “You’re a witch! Stay away from me.”
A group of men came aboard and went below deck to handle the oars if the sails didn’t work. Pirate Man came back and said, “We’re shoving off. All the bairns below deck and stay there.”
Magni led the group, Rowan huddling with Tora and Lia strolling behind. Once they reached the bottom, they each took a hard look at the oarsmen, who said nothing to them. Magni moved to the back and put his arm around his sister. “I’ll protect you, Lia.”
“I’m sure I will not need protection here. But many thanks to you. I know I can always depend on you, Magni.”
Rowan turned to Magni and said, “Mayhap they will tell us where we’re going. I bet they’re taking us to Oban.”
“But then where?”
Rowan stepped closer to one man and whispered, “Where are they taking us?”
The man grinned, revealing his two missing front teeth, and leaned toward Rowan. “To the land of daft ogres. You’ll never get away.”
Then he leaned his head back and laughed. The other men joined him, laughing and laughing.
Magni whispered, “But I don’t like ogres.”
Tora said, “I do.”
The first man stopped and leaned down to Tora. “What did you say, wee one?”
“I said I like ogwes.”
The man’s eyes danced with delight, then he broke out in guffaws.
Magni couldn’t help but wonder what kind of land they were headed toward.