Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates by Philip Caveney Read Free Book Online

crumpled shape was lying in the dust a good distance away, but from where they were standing it didn't look anything like a panther.
     
'Shadlog's beard!' muttered Cornelius. He drew his sword from its scabbard and began to walk back along the trail. Sebastian followed, drawing his own sword. First they came to the end of the long length of rope; they followed it to find that the noose was looped around the neck of a dead man. He lay face down, naked and bloodied. Cornelius knelt beside the body and turned the head round to reveal the face.
     
'Adam!' whispered Sebastian. 'But . . . how can that be? It was a panther I roped – we both saw it.'
     
'A changeling,' said Cornelius. 'A shape-shifter. I've heard people speak of their existence but I've never seen one till now.' He thought for a moment. 'That's how they were able to escape through that narrow gap in the cave!'
     
' They? You mean—'
     
A deep rumbling growl snapped Sebastian's gaze back up to the tree line. The second panther, a female, was crouching there, staring at him intently with her malevolent yellow eyes. Oddly familiar eyes, Sebastian thought, and a cold chill ran through him. As he watched, the panther began to change her shape. Her body reared upwards, her fur receded, her paws melted and elongated into fingers, and almost faster than his eye could follow, the cat was a naked woman and it was Leonora who stood there, glaring at him with cold hatred in her eyes.
     
'You killed my brother,' she snarled.
     
'It . . . it was an accident,' said Sebastian. 'Well, no, it wasn't an accident, obviously, but I thought he was a panther. Well, he was a panther! And he was attacking my friend! Er . . . look, do you know you haven't got any clothes on?'
     
She said nothing for a moment, just stood there glowering at him in silent accusation. Then she raised an arm to point a finger at him. 'I curse you, Sebastian Darke,' she said.
     
'Oh no, don't do that! There's really no need to—'
     
'I curse you and your friends. You will find what you seek but it shall never be yours. Never! And you shall see me again. This I swear!'
     
'Look, can't we just talk about this?' Sebastian spread his arms in a gesture of helplessness. 'Adam shouldn't have attacked us like that. We—'
     
But now Leonora was muttering some strange, incomprehensible language and waving her hands in front of her, as though plucking invisible objects out of the air.
     
'Right,' said Cornelius. 'I've had about enough of this.'
     
He leaped to his feet and, lifting his sword above his head, raced towards Leonora, bellowing as he ran. But as he brought back his sword to strike her, there was a sudden flash of brilliant light, so intense that he and Sebastian had to cover their eyes with their hands. And when they could see again, Leonora was gone. She seemed to have vanished.
     
Sebastian stared at Cornelius. 'What happened to her?' he gasped.
     
'Who cares?' said the little warrior. 'Let's get out of here.'
     
Sebastian pointed to Adam's body. 'What about him?'
     
'Leave him here. Let her take care of him, since she's so upset.' Cornelius saw the look of dismay on Sebastian's face and slapped him on the hip. 'Don't torment yourself, lad – you were only doing what any of us would have done. You didn't know it was him.'
     
'What about the curse?' said Sebastian as they walked back to the caravan. 'You heard what she said.'
     
'Pah! I don't give any credence to that sort of codswallop.' Cornelius clambered up onto the seat of the caravan.
     
'Yes, but I bet until today you wouldn't have believed that a man could turn into a panther,' argued Sebastian, climbing up beside him.
     
Max looked back over his shoulder. 'A man turned into a panther?' he echoed.
     
'Yes, Max,' said Cornelius. 'It was Adam, Leonora's brother.
     
And she can do it too. They're shape-shifters!'
     
'I knew there was something funny about that witch,' said Max.
     
'Don't call her that!' Sebastian slapped a hand