The Quest for the Trilogy: Boneslicer; Seaspray; Deathwhisper by Mel Odom Read Free Book Online Page B

bird before?”
    It was obvious that Verdin hadn’t.
    â€œWhy, ye’re a pantywaist, ye are,” the rhowdor crowed fiercely. It walked along the rafter, and from the stumbling steps it took, Wick knew the bird had drunk far too much for its own good. “I could take ye with one wing tied behind me an’ me tail feathers on fire.” The bird held one wing behind its back and fluttered the other one, nearly knocking itself from the rafter. “I’ll show ye. Somebody get me a rope an’ tie me wing up behind me back.”
    â€œSomebody get me a stewpot ,” Verdin replied, and several of the tavern’s patrons—including members of One-Eyed Peggie ’s crew—laughed uproariously.
    â€œI’ll keelhaul ye!” Critter swore. “I’ll turn ye inside out an’ hang ye with yer own tripe!” The rhowdor launched itself from the rafter, spreading its multicolored wings out in a three-foot span that suddenly made it look huge. It flew straight at Verdin, claws raking the air.
    The human sailor ducked beneath the claws, eyes wide with surprise.
    Critter sailed above the heads of the other patrons, wobbling drunkenly like a floundering ship, and managed to swing around for another pass. It screeched at the top of its voice.
    Verdin stood suddenly and snatched a serving platter from a nearby table. The young sailor held the platter up like a shield.
    Spotting the obstruction, Critter tried to stop the attack. Instead, all the rhowdor managed was an ungainly and panicked wing flapping. It hit the wooden serving platter with a pronounced thump! that scattered feathers in all directions.
    The crowd all groaned, “Ooooooooh!” in sympathy.
    Even though he didn’t especially like the rhowdor, Wick winced a little himself. The bird would be lucky if something wasn’t broken by the impact.
    Off balance, Critter sailed on, flapping weakly and somehow gliding back
toward Hallekk and the dwarven pirate crew. The front row of human sailors had to duck to let the rhowdor go by. It landed on its back, wings spread across the sawdust-covered floor, feathers wafting through the air in its wake, and came to a stop at Hallekk’s boots.
    â€œThat’s gonna leave a mark,” someone promised.
    â€œ Awwwwwwrrrrrkkkkk! ” Critter cried out. The rhowdor lifted its head uncertainly, bobbing at the end of its long neck, and fastened its beady eye on Hallekk. “He sucker-punched me, Hallekk! Struck me while I wasn’t lookin’!” Its head wobbled one last time, then thudded against the floor. The rhowdor lay still.
    Wick stood in frozen awe. Even though he didn’t like Critter, he’d never wished the rhowdor harm. Well, maybe that wasn’t quite as truthful as it could have been. He actually had wished Critter harm; he’d just never wanted to be there when it happened.
    The silence held for a moment as everyone stared at the fallen rhowdor.
    Finally, someone asked, “Is it dead?”
    â€œWe should be so lucky,” someone else (and Wick truly believed it was one of One-Eyed Peggie ’s crew that said this) unkindly added.
    Hallekk knelt down and picked up the rhowdor by the feet. The bird dangled limply, a scrawny shadow of its former self. The dwarf squinted at it and smelled its beak.
    â€œOh, it’s dead all right,” the big dwarf growled. “Dead drunk .” He shook his shaggy head. “It’s still breathin’.”
    â€œBe careful with him!” Slops shouldered his way out of the crowd of dwarven pirates. Old and flinty-eyed, he was the ship’s cook. When Wick had been shanghaied and first crewed aboard One-Eyed Peggie , Slops had been a cruel taskmaster in the galley.
    Twisting slightly and flipping his wrist, Hallekk tossed the unconscious rhowdor to Slops. The cook caught Critter tenderly, and held the bird in his arms like a newborn babe.
    â€œYe gonna let that loudmouth