watched. Had Pey Lu hired him? Why would he betray his own people and try to help these pirates get the museum items?
“Nothing on the boy, Cap’n,” one of the men searching Yanko said.
He ground his teeth at being called a boy and also at seeing his belongings spilled out on the rocks, including the warrior mage robe. His spare smallclothes lay draped across the book he had received from the mind mage at the prison. A wonderful thing to have on display for a bunch of strangers. And his mother.
Pey Lu walked close enough to read the title on the thick, leather-bound book. “Musings and Applications of Mental Magic, the Complete Essays by Senshoth Fire Badger?” She did not comment on the smallclothes.
“It was a gift,” Yanko said. A gift given under false pretense and one now sodden from his swim in the pool. He hoped it would still be legible when it dried out. “What do pirates want with this old stuff?” Yanko waved at the cave.
“The Golden Lodestone is wanted by many.”
Hearing the blunt admission that she sought the same thing as he was alarming, even if he had assumed as much already. “What’s a lost continent to a fleet of pirates?”
“Nothing,” Pey Lu said, “but people and governments are willing to pay a fortune for the pretty rock.”
Several pirates chuckled and nodded their appreciation at the word fortune.
“Why do you need money? Don’t you just steal what you need?”
Her eyes closed to slits.
Maybe it would be wiser not to provoke her, but Yanko couldn’t bring himself to smooth her silks.
“I have seven ships under my command,” Pey Lu said. “The crews expect to be paid. I make sure that happens regularly, even between opportunities for acquiring booty. It’s why they stay with me.”
Acquiring booty. Stealing.
“Anyone of them who want to ought to be able to retire off what people are willing to pay for that rock,” Pey Lu added.
“Is that what you want to do? Retire?” Yanko shook his head in puzzlement. She never would have had to work if she had simply stayed in the village. The White Foxes weren’t rich, but they had land enough to support the family. Unless she dreamed of ridiculous wealth, there had been no reason to leave. Even if she did dream of ridiculous wealth, an entrepreneurial person in an honored family would have the resources to increase the family coffers legitimately. Why turn to crime?
“Retirement would be dull, I imagine,” she said.
“Then why—”
An angry protest came from the waterfall, a woman cursing her captors in Kyattese. Gramon, Pey Lu’s lover or first mate or whatever he was, had a firm grip on his prisoner’s arms, forcing her toward his captain. Other pirates followed in his wake, one restraining the male archer, who walked with a limp, his face contorted in pain. The two Kyattese who had fallen in the chamber were not brought out. Yanko looked over at Lakeo, meeting her eyes. Were they dead? And if so, had it been from the soul construct? Or because of the pirates?
Pey Lu, apparently considering her conversation with Yanko over, waved at Scruffy and jerked a thumb toward the river. The pirates behind Yanko startled him by hoisting him off his feet. He was slung over some hulking Turgonian’s shoulder, as if he were a toddler instead of a grown man. Heat flushed his cheeks, and he wasn’t sure if it was more indignation or anger.
Before he could do more than contemplate an attack, he spotted one of the orange-robed Nurians walking at his side. The man arched an eyebrow at Yanko and formed a fist-sized ball of fire in his hand. Yanko wanted to scoff, but in truth, he had little experience battling mages. With Sun Dragon, there had been a half mile between them, distance enough to see the fireball coming and work up a defense. Would he have time to deflect such an attack if it came from two feet away?
In addition to the mage, no less than ten pirates with swords and firearms walked alongside the man toting Yanko. Alas, this was not the time to pick a fight.
“I’m not a rolled-up carpet to be toted to your estate, you dung-licking baboons,” Lakeo said. She was getting the same treatment.
Yanko twisted his head, looking back toward the pool. Many pirates remained with Pey Lu, and he struggled to see what was going on. Several men headed into the cave. Others were ordered to jump in and