Mira yawned softly as the golems brought the last of the large crates out of the hold of the Unseen Blade and the sun neared Halor’s western horizon. Jamor, Shawna and Tibek were still working on unloading the smaller parcels for the merchants gathered on the dock, who were busily taking inventory. Knowing that the golems’ use was at an end for the day, Mira gave them the command to return to the hold. They buzzed to themselves and obediently boarded the ship. Tibek set one last cask down on the pier and went over to stand with Jamor and Shawna.

  “That’s the last of it, I think,” Mira said.

  “Indeed,” a clerk said, checking his inventory list one last time. “That’s it, all right.”

  Olim Brandywine, an older gentleman with an easy smile, nodded at the clerk and turned to Mira. He handed her a pouch of money. “My thanks for delivering this cargo from Carseton, captain. If you’re in port again, call on me at my shop, or better yet, call on my brother in Carseton. He has a shipment for me once a month.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Brandywine,” Mira said. “You can be sure I’ll do that.”

  They shook hands in conclusion of their deal, and Mira boarded the Blade. Jamor, Shawna, and Tibek followed. As was their custom, they went into the command room of the ship to divide their pay. Mira always got three shares, and the others each got one share as they had previously agreed.

  “We’re going to get something to drink,” Shawna said to Mira as she pointed a thumb at Tibek. “Care to join us?”

  “I’m really tired,” Mira said. “Thanks, though. Next time.”

  Tibek and Shawna took their leave to explore the local taverns as was their habit, and Jamor lingered behind. He wrapped his arms around Mira, who leaned her head against his chest.

  “You look as tired as you sound,” Jamor said. “Anything I can do for you?”

  “You know there’s something you can do,” Mira said with a naughty smile. “I think a light dinner, then bed is what I need, though.”

  “That sounds good to me, too,” Jamor said. “I heard about this little inn close by that would be perfect.”

  “Sure, let’s go,” Mira said.

  Mira and Jamor were debarking from the Blade when a portly fellow in tailored, expensive clothes waddled up to them. He blocked their path, then bowed slightly at the waist.

  “Captain Porter, I presume?” he said.

  “That’s me,” Mira replied.

  “Pleased to meet you,” he said. “I’m Fadell Shieldbearer, and I represent a guild of armor smiths here in Halor. We have need of a reliable captain to bring a load of arms to Yeshir, and time is of the essence. Would we be able to retain your services for this?”

  “When do you need me?” Mira asked.

  “As soon as possible,” Fadell said. “The armor is desperately needed and has been waiting on a suitable means of transport for a week. How quickly can you get my cargo there?”

  Mira tried to think, her mind fogged by exhaustion. “About five days, I think, if we leave tomorrow morning.”

  “That would be splendid!” Fadell said brightly. “We’ll bring our cargo at first light.”

  “Great. See you then,” Mira said.

  Fadell gave them a half-hearted wave as he turned and began waddling off to make the arrangements.

  “I’m going to have to ask for more than the standard rate,” Mira said.

  “Let’s get something to eat,” Jamor said. “I’m starving.”

  The two of them walked three streets over from the docks and entered a small inn whose sign depicted a sleeping man in a bed. It was a cozy place with a smaller than usual common room. The innkeeper was cleaning a mug behind a small bar. He was a young man, probably in his thirties, and had a clean-shaven face and a ready smile.

  “Welcome to the Slumbering Sailor!” the innkeeper said. “What can I do for you tonight?”

  “We’d like dinner for two, and a couple glasses of your best wine, please,” Jamor said.

  “Coming right up. Pick any table you like,” he said as he bustled into the kitchen.

  Mira and Jamor sat at a table in the corner and were making small talk about the armor shipment when the innkeeper delivered a glass of wine for each to their table. He bustled back into the kitchen, leaving them without interrupting them.

  “I hope you don’t mind my asking,” Jamor said hesitantly, “but did someone special give you that necklace? I’ve never seen you take it off.”

  “This?” Mira asked as her fingers automatically went to the G.A.S.P. “It’s special to me, yes, but no former paramour gave it to me. It was my former teacher, in fact.”

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  “Oh, I see,” Jamor said. “It’s just that, well, you always seem a little reserved around me, almost like there was someone else in your life. I thought maybe that necklace was a trinket he gave you. They wear marriage necklaces sort of like that in Fellton, you know.”

  Mira squirmed a little bit and looked down at her glass before answering. “As it happens, I was betrothed and legally married to a young man from my hometown, but we had a parting of the ways.”

  “I’m glad you decided to follow your heart,” Jamor said, still smiling. “Should I be looking over my shoulder for him?”

  “No. We have an understanding,” Mira said evasively.

  “Should I be worried? And where is your hometown?”

  “It’s Stonekeep, and no, you don’t need to be worried,” Mira said.

  “All right, then. Tell me about him,” Jamor said confidently.

  “There’s not much to tell,” Mira lied. “He’s part of my past, that’s all.”

  Sensing she would tell him nothing more, “Good enough for me,” Jamor said. Changing the subject, he said, “You know, I’ve always loved the sea, the feel of the wind and sun on my skin, the feeling of freedom from everything waiting for me on dry land.”

  “I feel the same way,” Mira said intently looking into his eyes.

  They made lighter conversation through dinner and the walk back to the ship, hand in hand. She almost couldn’t smell the dock anymore, so close were they becoming. Mira focused on Jamor’s perfume, letting it shield her from the smell of the city. Inside the cabin of the ship, in the hallway where the officers’ quarters were, Jamor held Mira in his athletic arms. They shared a long, lingering kiss. Mira pulled back a little bit, then led Jamor by the hand into her chamber.

  -----

  Mira blinked rapidly and rubbed her bloodshot eyes, trying to clear her vision. She was dead tired, but they were still three days from the port of Yeshir by her best estimate. She looked carefully at the table to the left of the captain’s chair on the Unseen Blade. It was a miniature map of Aldon with a little blue dagger that marked the position of the ship. There were yellow dots here and there that depicted cities. Noting their position and heading, Mira nodded. About three days to go. She didn’t know how she was going to stay awake much longer, but she didn’t want to lock their course and go to sleep in case they were blown off course or ran aground or something. There were small islands, shoals and reefs sprinkled here and there that she had to be wary of.

  A few minutes later she heard footsteps on the stairway down to the officers’ cabins. Jamor lightly sprang up the last two stairs and walked over to the captain’s chair. Mira smiled and blinked heavily.

  “You must be exhausted, Mira,” Jamor said as he ran his hands over her shoulders from behind. He gently massaged her neck and shoulders.

  “I really am, but I was just thinking I would change course to head out into deeper waters and get some sleep,” Mira said.

  “Why don’t you let me take over for you?” Jamor suggested as he gently rubbed at the knots in her shoulders. “I’ve seen how you control the ship, and you have to admit, it’s pretty easy.”

  “I’ll just change course and rest,” Mira said as she turned the ship slightly to starboard.

  “We’ll be late, though,” Jamor said.

  Mira cursed. He was right. Mira was very cautious about the command words that controlled the ship and the golems, but she was so fatigued that she didn’t see another way to keep her schedule, which was very important to the merchant she was transporting goods for.

  “Don’t you trust me?” Jamor asked with a wounded expression.

  “I do trust you. You’re on board my ship, aren’t you?” Mira asked rhetorically. She half turned in the chair and pulled Jamor’s head down for a passionate kiss.

  Jamor let her end the kiss in her own time. “You look like you can hardly keep your eyes open, dear. Let me help you.”

  She really was very tired. What would it hurt to have him steer for a while? “All right,” Mira said. She gave him the command words, which was a mixture of Arborean and some gibberish the Pirate King had made up. Jamor tried saying it and failed the first two times. With some coaching, he got it on the third try, then said it three more times to make sure.

  “If I see anything coming, I’ll wake you up right away,” Jamor said. “You can rest easy, love.”

  “I will. Thanks,” Mira gratefully said as she got out of the chair.

  The ship lurched a little as the speed control lever reset to the idle position. Jamor caught her in strong arms and gave her another passionate kiss. Mira blushed a bit, reliving briefly their last night together in her mind, then pushed away weakly. Jamor let her go, then climbed into the captain’s chair as Mira walked unsteadily down the stairs. He said the command words perfectly, then pushed the speed control lever to the “full speed forward” setting. The Unseen Blade resumed her course towards Yeshir and the fares that awaited them there. Jamor smiled as he ran his hands over the wheel and armrests of the captain’s chair.

  A few minutes later, Shawna and Tibek tiptoed up the stairs in bare feet with wide smiles on their faces. Shawna did a little happy dance around the captain’s chair as Tibek sprawled out onto one of the couches lining the room.

  “At last!” Tibek exclaimed softly.

  “I told you,” Jamor said with a wide grin.

  “When I felt the ship slow, then speed back up, and Mira came down the stairs, I almost whooped I was so happy!” Shawna said as she slid into Jamor’s lap. Jamor frowned a little and glanced at the stairway.

  Noticing Jamor’s discomfort, Tibek said, “Relax, man. We heard her snoring before we came up.”

  Hearing this, Jamor ran his hands all along Shawna’s body from behind, who wiggled and giggled appreciatively. “What did I tell you? With a tight schedule and a lot of loving, I put her in a position where she couldn’t help but trust me with the command words,” Jamor said with a cruel smile.

  “You’re the man,” Tibek said, laughing softly.

  “Tell us the command words already, will you?” Shawna demanded.

  Jamor did so, and both Shawna and Tibek tried saying the phrases. Jamor had to correct them several times before Shawna got it right. A few tries later Tibek had it. When they’d committed them to memory, they shared the satisfaction of a job well done.

  “It only took a few weeks of eavesdropping and hard work, but we have all the command words for the golems and the ship now,” Shawna said.

  “Sure do,” Jamor said.

  “Keep up the act with Mira,” Shawna said smugly as she pulled her blouse up and over her head. “We may be able to convince her to be equal partners with us in our coming ventures.”

  “I’m not so sure she’s the type that would take part in piracy,” Jamor said.

  “You’re probably right,” Shawna said. “You never know, though. Test the waters in the weeks ahead. If she joins us, then great. It’d be fun to add a fourth.”

  “Yeah, she’s really energetic in bed,” Jamor said.

  “I’d like to test that out myself,” Tibek said.

  “You’ll have to wait,” Shawna said. “She may not be the sharing sort, and we don’t want to risk it. We need to get to Kraken’s Rock before we give her the choice.”

  “Why’s that?” Tibek said, frowning to himself.

  “Because it’s easy to get drugs and poisons there, idiot,” Shawna said. “We need to be holding all the cards before we display our hand.”

  “What if she doesn’t join us?” Jamor asked.

  “Then we’ll get rid of her,” Shawna said. “Until we’re ready, she can’t suspect a thing.”