Of Sails and Souls

Chapter Eight

Ent nodded. "Very well, Captain. If you find one that suits your needs but they try to flee, would you like me to pursue them?"

"What? No! It would make sense, but I want to keep a low profile." It was a tempting thought, but it was true, the less attention they got, the better.

"With all due respect, Captain, I don't think we're inconspicuous. I am tall even by Sorian standards, your brother is tall and large by human standards, and you have both blue hair and a predator-like aura. If subtlety was our goal, we have already failed at it, I believe."

She really needed a break from all this logic. If Ent didn't shut up, she just might go crazy.

"Just keep searching. We're not going to the prisons until we have to." Her attention was captured as a young Lhele sauntered by, his tail just barely grazing Makani. She would have thought nothing of it if there wasn't suddenly a bag of coins in the Lhele's grasp. They locked eyes and he smirked, eyes dancing with mirth. In one fluid motion, he disappeared into the mass of bodies.

"Ent! I want that one. Get him!" She was probably going to regret saying that at some point, shouting at the top of her lungs, hair a mess around her face, and the connotations bordering more on kidnapping than hiring.

The Sorian didn't even need a second word. She turned and followed the Lhele, a glowing trident somehow in her hand and the most frightening growl resounding from her throat. Was it strange that the angry war cry was more surprising than the magically appearing trident?

These were the questions invading her thoughts as Nalu followed behind her, realizing that being two feet shorter really did make a difference when it came to running.

Ent wove expertly around people, barely touching anyone. Nalu... not so much. Still, she kept at it, having to tuck away her admiration for Ent. Because, shikes, she was good.

The sound of her feet faded dully in the background, along with her pounding heart. Only the deep blue of the Lhele's skin remained in focus. Sweat began to cling to her shirt, but she ignored it. If only he had tried to run away towards the water. Even the smell of the sea would have helped.

Ahead of her, Ent grabbed onto a window and swung herself up onto a bakery roof. It took Nalu a moment to realize that the thief had started to run along the rooftops. Right, Lheles were from Adhair. Heights and climbing were their thing.

And yet Ent still pursued him. For what felt like the fifteenth time, Nalu was glad to have her. But she still hated her.

It took Nalu but a second to realize that climbing was not an option for her. Maybe she could cut him off from below. With that thought, she disappeared into the alley, weaving between empty crates and rotting food.

Marks sure was a filthy city. Did no one clean? Nalu swallowed back a gag as she narrowly missed the stinking carcass of a cat. The clattering of shingles was directly above her, and so she risked a glance upwards, trying to also watch her step.

The Lhele was insanely fast, leaping gracefully from rooftop to rooftop, never faltering once. Ent was close behind, decidedly less graceful, but holding her own. Her trident was terrifyingly beautiful, and Nalu realized she needed one in her life.

"Shikes," she spit out as her foot caught in some rubble and she went tumbling down. Pain seared upwards from her legs, and as she gingerly sat up, she noted a black liquid seeping through the fabric of her pants. Great, now she could bleed in black. Was there anything else about Sirens she should know?

A surprised yelp drew her attention and she watched the Lhele fall unceremoniously off of the building. He collapsed in a dusty heap just inches from Nalu's feet. "Here is the culprit, Captain." Ent was breathing heavily, but her trident was steadily held against the throat of the thief.

"Thank you." Nalu crouched down next to the Lhele. "What's your name?"

"It's Fingus Stealyourgold, ma'am." His eyes twinkled with a devilish light. "Can I ask why you've accosted me in such a heinous manner?"

Before Nalu could think of a smart retort, Ent backhanded him. "The proper form is 'May I ask,' you scoundrel. Plus, we know you stole coins from us. Now answer the Captain before I find other ways to get that puny throat of yours working." The Sorian got in his face, her eyes sparking with fury.

Nalu was speechless. Had Ent just... Had that been a... What in Kolas was going on?! "Uh, Ent, I think I can handle him. Thank you for the assistance, though."The Sorian nodded briskly and withdrew a few feet away.

Staring hard at him, she gave him a full inspection. About her height, deep blue skin, lanky built, brown eyes, long tail, and the clawed hands of a Lhele. "What's your real name? I can always just ask a constable to come over and arrest you. Trust me, I'm pretty persuasive with my words." For a split second, she wondered if he'd call her out on her bluff--she refused to use her voice manipulation-- but he didn't.

Instead, she saw fear in his eyes. "We don't need to involve the constables, alright? Let's just talk this out." His voice was smooth and nasally, something that was probably a Lhele characteristic. It was rare to meet anyone from Adhair, though, considering their hostility with even their allies.

"You're right, we don't need to involve anyone. Just tell me your name." It would be tough for him to admit--names could be dangerous things in a place like Marks.

His eyes hardened, trying to figure out what she was thinking. It was a good thing Nalu was always so spontaneous. The thought was rather humorous, but she managed to keep a straight face.

"Granite."

It was said in a soft, defeated tone, and for a moment, Nalu felt guilty. But why should she feel guilty? She wasn't forcing him to do anything but reveal his name, and he was the one who stole from them.

"Let me guess, you steal to help your family?" The sarcasm was obvious, so she was surprised when he nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we need money. Not too many people are trusting those from Adhair these days for real jobs." Granite shrugged, but his eyes said it was serious. "Might as well give the people of Uise a real reason to hate me, right?" Suddenly, the light-hearted tone was back, along with the care-free smile. But Nalu knew better than anyone how to fake happiness and confidence to hide real emotions. She also knew she was about to make an extremely stupid decision. Makani was totally going to hate it. So she was obviously going to do it.

"You're clever, Granite, and pretty fast too. I'm looking for crew members." The cocky grin on her face matched the one he had just now replaced with suspicion. "How would you like to serve on The Bountiful?"