Pirate's Gold - S.J. Sanders Page 0,38

from the tree. Even the impact of his feet hitting the ground was light as his crouched body connected with the turf, a hand slightly outstretched for balance. His claws were out, and they dragged against the ground as he drew back and slowly stood, his menacing glare fixed on the pirate captain.

For his part, Egbor didn’t appear even remotely fazed. His expression was hard and emotionless as he lifted a second blaster from its holster and pointed it directly at her.

“Just so that we are very clear here on who holds all the power,” he said with a chilly smile.

“For now,” Veral agreed.

A burst of laughter escaped the pirate and he shook his head. “As amusing as this all is, there is something of a time schedule involved here—my own. There is only so long before someone notices my ship orbiting around the planet. I must insist that we continue. Now.”

A rattling growl rose from Veral as he turned away and stalked by her, yet as he passed, she felt his vibrissae slide against her cheek and the glide of his hand against her own before he was gone. Terri stared after him, frustration brewing within her.

She hated being so helpless.

A weapon prodded her, and she turned to meet Egbor’s amused gaze. From the corner of her eye, she noted that Azan had stiffened at her side.

“Do not get any ideas, little female,” he said. Then he dropped the blaster and holstered it. “Just a small reminder that your wellbeing is entirely in my hands. You would do well to cooperate and make certain that I continue to have a use for you.”

“If anything happens to me, Veral will destroy all of you,” Terri returned.

The captain inclined his head in agreement. “If I kill you, yes. But this is a dangerous place, and accidents do happen.” His lips curved into a sharp smile before his eyes dropped on the boy at their side. “Come, Garswal, you will walk with me today. It appears we will be walking through a thicker stretch of forest. I suspect there will be some need to clear the route. Might as well have your blade at the ready.”

With that reminder, he walked away, his guards joining him as they followed along the path that Veral was cutting through the forest, Garswal struggling to keep up at their heels.

Even from that distance, Terri could see the thick vines hanging low from the trees, obstructing the path. Several males were already hacking at them with blades, though Veral seemed to slip through them without trouble, his vibrissae moving around him as he found the easiest path. It seemed that the pirates were well underway. Only a few lingered to bring up the rear, their eyes resting on Azan and Terri.

“Move on,” Azan hissed impatiently with a sharp nudge.

Terri stumbled forward but didn’t take it personally. The female was still staring off into the distance, her eyes filled with concern as they followed Garswal’s slow progress as he began to cut away the vines nearest to the captain.

“He will be okay, won’t he? I mean, the captain wouldn’t put his own child in danger…” Terri began, hoping to reassure the female.

Azan barked out a disdainful laugh as they pushed forward. “You haven’t been around Blaithari long enough to understand. Garswal is useful to him. That he sired him merely makes him possessive of him as any other belonging, but not out of any paternal affections. My father was a loving male… He never would have put me in danger like that. But Garswal, he is only half-Blaithari… and among many males, particularly among the nobles, that makes him only half a person. Definitely not a son. His only purpose is to serve Egbor. The captain will kill any male who harms him but will use the youngling and sacrifice him without thinking twice about it.”

Terri’s teeth sank into her bottom lip as they stepped into the gradually thickening brush. She was startled at how quickly the terrain shifted as they began to climb from the spongy flatlands. The salvage was located among the ravines, from what she recalled of the schematic. This meant that they were leaving the boggy terrain for the dangerous cliffs of the inner forest.

She swallowed nervously as loose rocks and soils shifted out from under her feet. They were only beginning their ascent, but a cold sweat broke over her at the thought of falling from the side of the cliffs, the captain’s