Scorpion Mountain by John A. Flanagan Read Free Book Online

totally unsatisfactory. It’s an insult to me and to Araluen.”
    They were all startled by a roar of fury from Thorn, matching Duncan’s raised voice. The old warrior erupted from his chair and shook his wooden hook at the King.
    â€œSecond rate?
Second rate?
Where do you get off your high horse calling the
Heron
second rate? I’ll have you know, King, she is the finest vessel in the Skandian fleet and you’re lucky to have her!”
    But now Duncan was on his feet as well, leaning forward to threaten Thorn. “How dare you speak to me like that? I am the King, do you understand?”
    â€œHah!” Thorn snorted derisively.
    â€œAnd don’t go pointing that . . . thing at me!” Duncan roared, indicating the polished wood hook on Thorn’s right arm. Thorn was unabashed, although he did lower his voice somewhat.
    â€œThen don’t you go insulting our ship and our skirl. Our
second-rate
ship has just rescued a dozen of your people from the Socorran slavers. How second rate was that? Now you will apologize to our ship and our skirl or we’ll just walk out of here and sail back to Skandia,” he said.
    â€œThorn, sit down,” Hal said, standing and placing a hand on Thorn’s arm. The old sea wolf looked at him angrily, but his regard for Hal, both as a person and as his skirl, made him sit down again. Hal turned back to the King, but now Gilan was on his feet as well.
    â€œMy lord, could I have a word, please?” He indicated a door leading to another room. Duncan, his face red with anger, glared at Thorn, who glared back, then, tight lipped, the King nodded and led the way to the other room.
    Once they were in private, Gilan spoke before Duncan could say anything.
    â€œMy lord, I’ve just spent the past three weeks with this ship and this crew, and believe me, there is nothing second rate about them. She may be small, but
Heron
is fast and highly maneuverable. She’ll outsail any normal wolfship.”
    â€œWell, that may be . . . ,” Duncan began, a little mollified by Gilan’s obvious sincerity. The King had a quick temper but he was, at heart, a fair man. That was why he allowed his Rangers to dispute with him if they thought he was in the wrong.
    â€œAs for the crew,” Gilan continued, “I couldn’t ask for better help if it comes to a fight. Young Stig there is every bit as good as Horace himself. He’s fast and agile and deadly. And Thorn is even better.”
    â€œBetter than Horace? That shabby one-armed man?”
    â€œThat shabby one-armed man was the premier warrior in Skandia for three years in a row,” Gilan told him. Lydia had filled him in on Thorn’s background while they were in Socorro. “Nobody else has ever achieved that. And the rest of the crew are all seasoned fighters as well. Thorn’s trained them himself. Even the girl, Lydia, is a warrior. She’s an absolute dead shot with her atlatl darts.”
    He paused, watching Duncan’s breathing settle and the red flush of anger drain from his face.
    â€œI know them, my lord. I’ve fought beside them. They’ll be better than any troop of cavalry.”
    â€œWell . . . all right. If you say so.”
    â€œI do, my lord. Trust me.”
    Duncan groaned. “Why do I hate it when people say that?”
    Gilan waited. Finally, Duncan came to a decision.
    â€œAll right. Let’s go back in there. But I’m not apologizing to that one-armed ruffian,” he added. Gilan allowed a ghost of a grin to touch his lips.
    â€œThat’s all right, my lord. I’m sure he doesn’t plan to apologize to you.”

chapter six
    W hile the King and Gilan were absent from the room, Hal spoke urgently to Thorn.
    â€œThorn, for pity’s sake, will you settle down? You can’t go around ranting at the King like that. He’s the King, after all.”
    Thorn looked at him,