Verath the Red (Dragonwall Series #3)

Chapter 38 - Brokering Passage North

Kastali Dun

Bennett drained his tankard of ale and slammed it on the table harder than intended. A belch erupted from his chest. He let it loose, pounding his sternum with a fist. Nearby drinkers lifted their tankards and cheered.

The night was nearly over, and it had been a rowdy one. While all the pretentious nobles were up in the castle having their fancy dance, all the common folk were drinking away their worries on cheap ale. He wasn't necessarily poor as far as poor went. He made a decent living as a merchant captain—quite decent after the king had paid him for the transport of precious cargo from up north. But a good deal of what he made was often spent on the meager entertainment he could scrounge up landside.

"Beggin' your pardon, Captain, but there's a woman says she's here ta see ya." The bar wench leaned over the table to collect his tankard. "You'll take another, I presume?" He nodded. "Good. So...the woman. Shall I send her over?"

"I'm not looking fer a bed tonight," he growled. What was it about ship captains? Perhaps word got around. He always paid his women well.

"Oh!" Morita laughed. "I don' think she's peddlin' herself that way."

"Then who is she and what the damn hell does she want, eh? I'm not in the mood for antics tonight." He followed Morita's gaze across the room. His eyes landed on a cloaked woman. She sat alone at a table, her head down. Entirely out of place.

"Humph. Don't look like anyone I know. I'm not lookin' fer business tonight," he said, slurring his words, and turned away.

"Give her a chance, hmm? She paid me well to come and talk to you. Seems pretty desperate. I'll send her over."

"Ugh, woman! You're bold tonight. Fine. Send her over so I can send her away." He gritted his teeth as the tavern walls around him tilted and lurched back into place. Morita disappeared, heading for the bar to refill his mug. She stopped beside the cloaked woman and whispered something in her ear. The woman glanced in his direction before nodding. She rose and came over. At least she had succeeded in piquing his curiosity. He pulled out the chair beside him. She took it.

"Captain Bennett?" Her voice was low. She glanced around before turning back.

He tried to make out her face under the shadowed hood. She was young.

"Aye. I'm he. Who's asking?"

"I am."

"Obviously, girl. That's not what I meant. What do you want?"

"I heard that you are the best merchant captain in Dragonwall. I'm looking to transport valuable merchandise north."

"Valuable merchandise?" His eyes narrowed. "How far north?"

"Ice Port."

"Gods, girl! What the hell do you need to take up there? There are plenty of adequate merchant captains. I can refer you to a few if you like...for a price." He eyed her. Her cloak alone would fetch a pretty steely.

She tutted. "I came to you for a reason, Captain Bennett, not a referral. I seek discretion."

"Right. For your valuable cargo." He snorted. "Of course. Tell me what it is, and I might consider it."

"I can see there's no lying to you." She crossed her arms. "The cargo is me."

He threw back his head and roared. "Valuable cargo indeed!" Tears leaked out of his eyes. Gods! This woman!

Morita chose that moment to bring his refill to the table. He took up the mug and drank before returning his attention to the matter at hand.

"I don't operate a passenger ship, girl. You'll have to try elsewhere."