Possessing the Grimstone - By John Grover Page 0,61
of the cheese, and dove for the railing again. “I… I…” he coughed and gagged. “Will… throw… you into the sea… get away from me!”
Pim laughed before stuffing the cheese away and walking along the side of the ship. He spotted one of the men from Fionngall steering the ship while he heard the rowers churning below the decks.
Tolan spoke to the captain at the wheel for a few moments, examining a map before joining Shannara at the bow. Pim stopped and stared at Shannara, her long legs, and her dark hair glinting in the sunlight. He waited, eavesdropping.
“I’m sorry about the loss of your warriors,” Tolan said to Shannara.
She turned to him, her face soft, eyes bright. “My heart weeps for them. Since the time we are young girls, we are prepared for this. We always know we will be called into battle; it is the life of a warrior. Still, it doesn’t make it any easier.”
“Aye, nothing does. A soldier never enjoys the battle, and he never forgets it.”
“Sometimes I wish we could forget.”
“Maybe for a little while, we can.” Tolan put his hand over hers.
Pim’s blood boiled, and his stomach was in knots. He watched them: Tolan moved closer to her. Pim dropped his pack and raced toward the two.
Shannara was just about to remove Tolan’s hand when Pim collided with Tolan. The two of them stumbled. Pim looked up at Tolan, seething. “Why must you always have her attention?”
Tolan’s jaw dropped. “Pim, I…”
The Wivering dashed behind Tolan with his fleet, and swept the soldier’s legs out from under him. Tolan crashed onto the deck, and Pim leaped onto his chest.
“Pim, you’ve gone mad!”
“You won’t let me get close to her! You won’t let me talk to her!” Pim swung his fists, but Tolan blocked the blows.
The warrior locked onto Pim’s shoulders and used his foot to flip the boy over him and onto his back. Tolan jumped to his feet. “Pim, enough! I am not keeping you from anyone. Shannara can follow her own heart.”
“You’re always sticking yourself in front of her!” Pim unleashed his fleet again, but Tolan was prepared.
He side-stepped the Wivering and drove him into a fishing net. “I told you that only works once, boy. You need more strategy.”
Pim growled, struggling to get out of the net. His feet were tangled, and crashed down onto the deck.He saw Tolan grinning at him, and lunged for him.
Tolan backhanded the young Wivering, sending him down again. “Pim, stay down. This is foolish! Why are we fighting? Shannara has made no choice.”
Pim tasted salt in his mouth, and wiped blood from his lips. He got up again and balled his fists, preparing to lunge for Tolan again. The man braced for the attack.
“I have no choice to make!” Shannara called, stopping both men cold. “My choice was made a long time ago.” She looked over at the threshold and below the deck. The seers, Panno and Jodan, stood there. Moving down to them, and she kissed them, both. “I am married! These are my husbands.”
“Husbands?” Tolan asked, shock in his voice.
“Yes. D’Elkyrie women may take more than one husband. I choose to stop at two. I must divide my time between leadership and marriage. Two is enough.”
“My apologies, Queen of the D’Elkyrie, I did not know.”
“Two…” Pim whispered. He shook his head and began walking away.
“Any woman would be glad to have such brave warriors as you two for her own,” Shannara called. Pim stopped and looked back, feeling the blood rush to his face as he grew warm.
Shannara turned to Panno. “The fight roused you from your sleep?”
“No,” Panno answered. “There is danger.”
“Brigands!” The captain yelled from the wheel.
Tolan, Pim, and Shannara rushed to the side of the boat.
A ship with red sails raced toward them. The air filled with the barks of men shouting to their rowers.
“You bring revenge down on us!” The captain yelled, “You said you would stop the Brigands, not bring more!”
Tolan drew his sword, Pim and Shannara following his lead. The last three D’Elkyrie warriors braced for attack, and the last Cardoon soldier waited for orders.
Drith looked up, retched again, and reached for his sword. Instead, he lost his balance, and collapsed.
The ship drew closer. “Let them come,” Shannara said.
A roar cut through the sea, and something even more dangerous exploded from the waters. A gigantic, green-scaled sea serpent leaped from the ocean.
The Brigand ship was tossed about: men screamed, and the scaly serpent wrapped its horned tail around