* * *
A couple of hours later, Gef stormed into the room with the mouse in one hand and a crumpled sheaf of paper in the other.
“Magdalah, get your things together, we’re getting off this boat, now! Hurry!”
“What? We’re in the middle of the sea, we can’t get off! Whatever are you talking about?”
He handed the mouse to Merrith.
She kissed the mouse’s nose and tucked him safely back in her pocket.
Gef waved the paper at Magdalah. “I found that mouse outside the wheelhouse dragging this, so I grabbed it – the mouse and the paper – and it’s lucky I found it! Lagnor plans to sell us out. The paper describes it, remember I told you he planned something! This isn’t his real boat. He has a much bigger one, a proper ship. It’s going to meet us in a few hours, pretending to belong to the priests. They’ll send a demand that Lagnor bring the child to them. Then, once he complies, he and his men will ram us and shoot flaming arrows into boat, leaving us to drown or burn.”
Magdalah clutched her chest and stared at him in horror. “No, no, what will we do?”
Krell and I will take on Lagnor, you get everything together. Gather all the supplies you can as well. I’m not sure how this will end. My plan is to set Lagnor afloat in the lifeboat. Then we’ll take this boat on a different route.”
“Do you know how to sail?”
“No, but I’ve seen what Lagnor does, we’ll have to do the best we can. If it doesn’t work out the way I hope, we may have to take the lifeboat ourselves.”
Merrith moved to Gef’s side and tugged on his sleeve. “Captain Lagnor won’t stop you.”
Gef knelt before the child. “I hope you’re right, Merrith. Keep those thoughts.”
He left to find Krell while Magdalah began to pack.
Merrith sat on the bunk and said, “It’s alright Miss Magdalah. Everything will work out well.”
Magdalah wrung her hands and looked about, “Oh, dear, we have to be ready for anything.”
Merrith went to her and took her hand. “Don’t worry anymore.”
With a sigh, Magdalah looked down at her little charge. A huge relief flooded her body. “I suppose you’re right, my dear.” With that she sat in the rocker and dozed off.
Merrith watched until her breathing became deep and regular, then she slipped out the door and up onto the deck.