Cutlass by Ashley Nixon Read Free Book Online

gathered her dress up as much as she could and continued forward. “If it is too bothersome for you, we can cut the skirt away.”
    Larkin twisted, almost slipping as she did. Her eyes fell upon Barren, narrow and unkind.
    “You will not touch me.”
    Barren held up his hands. “I was just offering an option to ease your struggling.”
    “I’m not struggling!”
    She turned around and to her great annoyance, fell again as the rocks and mud gave way beneath her feet. This time, Barren stood aside as she got to her feet again. She refused to look at him, her face burning with embarrassment.
    Soon, the large mouth of a cave appeared before them, an endless hole in one of the many cliffs. It rested before the water silently. Larkin gazed behind her—no sign of Maris lingered there—no outline of the port, no castle, not even lantern lights. Barren gave her a little push and they were engulfed by the darkness.
    The crew filed into the cave, one by one. Barren steered Larkin toward a wall, leaving her in the muggy, dank atmosphere.
    “Start a fire, Leaf,” Barren’s voice rose in the darkness.
    Larkin scoffed. “And draw your enemies to you…good idea.”
    As she spoke, blue fire sparked at the center of the cave, and Leaf’s face was illuminated over the glow. “It’s not a normal fire, Lady,” said the Elf. “It will only provide us with a soft glow so that you may eat and, most unfortunately, see our faces.”
    Larkin stared at the fire apprehensively. Despite being half-Elf, Larkin had been taught to believe that Elves shouldn’t be trusted—that they were mischievous folk, devious and unkind and their magic was worse. Her governess had said that during Cathmor’s reign as king, the people of the Orient endlessly feared attacks by magic. Even now, there were rumors that the Elves hid a powerful magic that had the potential to destroy the whole of Mariana. It was for this reason only that Lord Alder was still allowed to rule his kingdom, which was technically within the bounds of the Orient and should be ruled by the King of the Orient.
    “Is that magic?” she asked.
    Leaf laughed, clearly amused. “No,” he said and extended his palm to her—tiny seeds were stuck to his hand. “Unless you count seeds and herbs as magic.”
    Larkin didn’t say anything. Instead, she looked around, observing the cave they were in. The place looked much like a storage room with pots and pans stacked in the corner, a few sacks of potatoes, and even more sacks of apples. Several barrels filled the back of the cave; she imagined they were full of ale or wine. Then there were fragments of everyday life that made her think this was where Barren and his crew stayed when they weren’t sailing before Maris, awaiting the chance to attack ships and kill William Reed. Makeshift beds were scattered about, composed of hay, a blanket and a pillow, and even some clothes hung above her head on a frayed rope. The light from Leaf’s magic fire did not make for a warming glow; instead, it cast bluish shadows on the wall, and gave everyone’s skin a pallid flush.
    Her head shot toward the entrance as a laugh filled the cave. It was deep and strangely rough and it emanated from Barren. Larkin felt chills prick her arms. She found it strange that Barren and his crew ambled about this cave doing completely normal things like laughing. She always imagined them plotting to kill, constantly lusting for blood, and using especially crude manners. While she had experienced the crude manners, the other two things had yet to be seen, and she wondered when they would transform into the monstrous men she knew them to be.
    “Where are the twins?” Larkin asked suddenly. The twins were Natherious and Datherious—the king’s sons—and she didn’t see them anywhere.
    Barren chuckled. “You already admire members of my crew? Now, that did not take long.”
    “I do not admire them,” Larkin protested. “They are traitors to their