"I've been taking care of him," Hullyn objected. "I saw that it was infected. I've been keeping that scalp wound like that on purpose. Like my old da always taught me. You get infection set in like that, you let flies get to it. Then maggots will eat out the rotten meat so it'll heal up proper."

Jherek's stomach lurched. Malorrie's instruction had covered such things, but those methods were to be used only under harsh and difficult circumstances, when no recourse to a healer was available.

"That way would leave a terrible scar," Sabyna said.

"Lady," Jherek said patiently, "I bear scars from past times. There's no-"

"You're not bearing this one on my behalf," she stated with determination.

"I gather that shape-shifting ability you've suddenly developed isn't going to last forever," Tynnel growled. He was angry too, Jherek noted, but the captain's disfavor appeared to be shared between Sabyna and himself.

"No," Sabyna answered, turning to face the captain, "it won't."

"Then I suggest you use this time you've taken to risk your life. How many men are there aboard Breezerunner?"

"Twenty-seven," Sabyna answered.

"I never saw that many," Tynnel said.

"You never saw all of them," the pretty ship's mage replied.

Tynnel pulled a face. "How well versed are they in ship's craft?"

"They know their way around a ship," Sabyna said, "and they're all heavily armed."

"Do you know where they're going?"

"To the end of the Chionthar. After that Vurgrom plans on making his way back to the Sea of Fallen Stars. He came to Baldur's Gate to deliver an item to the man responsible for the attack on Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate."

"You mean the sahuagin responsible-"Tynnel started to say.

"The man," Sabyna repeated. "He's called Iakhovas."

The news slammed into Jherek. It was one thing to think of the sea devils rising up to strike along the Sword Coast in concert, but it was even more stunning to learn that a man had orchestrated those strikes.

"I've never heard the name," Tynnel said.

"I've got the feeling you will. Vurgrom rails on about what Iakhovas is going to do to the Sea of Fallen Stars."

"Vurgrom's making you use that chair he brought aboard, isn't he?" Tynnel asked.

Embarrassment flushed Sabyna's face with color. "I've never seen its like. When I'm sitting there, Breezerunner feels more alive than ever. She moves when and where I tell her."

"Then stop her," Tynnel commanded. "On your next shift in that chair, stop her dead in the water."

Sabyna shook her head. "That would only get us all killed.

They tie me in that chair under guard when it's my shift. As soon as I did that, they'd slit my throat, then come kill the lot of you."

"They won't let us live anyway," Tynnel said. "Not when they're done with us and Breezerunner."

"Then I'm the only chance we all have," Sabyna declared. She swept the crew with her gaze and Jherek saw the care she held for them and the distress she felt for them in that glance. "I would have been here sooner to check on you but they won't let me near the cargo hold. I finally had the chance to get into my room and get one of the potions I had. Unfortunately, it was the only one I had. I'd intended to trade it in Lantan to a mage there who hasn't been able to learn the spell himself. This will be the only time I can get down here like this."

"Can you open the door?"

Sabyna shook her head. "Vurgrom keeps the key with him at all times."

"Can't you magic him, lass?" Hullyn asked. "Put him to sleep or fry him with a lightning bolt?"

"I've already considered that," Sabyna said. "The problem is if I fail, Vurgrom will execute two of you. If I get caught in here now, I'm sure two of you will be killed."

"Then what the hell are you doing in here risking our lives like this?" Aysel demanded.

"Because I don't know if your lives won't be forfeit anyway if I can't get you out of here," she told him.

Aysel gaped at her, then turned away angrily. "We put our necks in the noose for a petty little twit like her. Umberlee take her into the dark and deep. We should have took our chances back at the dock."

Jherek started forward and Aysel turned toward him, a malicious grin on his brutal face.

Before Jherek could get close, Tynnel seized Aysel by the shirt collar and yanked him into the wall. Aysel's head slammed into the hard wood with a dulled gonging sound. Stunned, the big man dropped to his knees.

Tynnel shifted his hold to Aysel's hair and yanked the man's head back. The captain ripped the sailor's other dagger earring out, splitting the fleshy lobe, and held the keen little blade against the corner of Aysel's eye.

"Another word out of you," Tynnel promised in a tight voice, "and I'll carve you a face to frighten young children with during Moonfest. Do you understand me? Nod carefully."

Slowly, Aysel dipped his chin. "Aye, sir."

"Another thing, when we get to the next port of call, civilized or not," Tynnel said, "you're no longer part of this ship's crew. I stand by those who stand by me, and I've given you considerable leave of your responsibilities."

"You can't do that," Aysel blustered. "I'm a hell of a sailor."

"Aye," Tynnel replied. "That you are, but you're not much of a man. Keep your mouth shut till I tell you to speak."

Aysel dropped into a crouch against the wall and glared heated rage at Jherek.

Tynnel kept the small dagger. He turned back to Sabyna. "While you've got this ability I want you to get clear of Breezerunner."

"You want me to?" Sabyna narrowed her eyes at him. "Since when do I listen to what you want?"

Tynnel appeared somewhat taken off-balance, but he recovered quickly, staring hard at her. "Consider it an order, then."

"Were it an order while you were in command of this ship, and it made sense to me, I'd think it over. Neither of those is true at this moment."

"Damn your eyes, Sabyna, get off the ship like I told you to." Tynnel took a step forward.

Unconsciously, Jherek took a step forward too, setting himself to intervene on behalf of Sabyna if it looked like Tynnel was going to get physical with her. Both of them noticed his approach at once. Tynnel made an effort to calm himself and didn't move any closer.

"And if I do get off this ship," Sabyna challenged, "Vurgrom will start killing all of you down here."

"Lass," Hullyn said softly, "Cap'n's right. This ain't no place for a young lady like yourself. If you have the chance to get clear of this stumble, you should take it."

"There's nothing out there to go to," Sabyna said. "Give me the sea and I could live off it, but not those plains and sparse forests. The river might offer a better chance, but I'm not happy with that either." She plucked a tiny hourglass from her necklace and checked the swift-moving sands.

"It would be safer there than here,"Tynnel argued, "and if we didn't have to worry about you, Vurgrom's hold over us wouldn't be as tight."

"Says you. There's safety in numbers, Cap'n. Or did you forget that?"

Hot spots of color flared on Tynnel's cheeks. "You're getting really close to insubordination."

"Draw a line," Sabyna told him, "and I'll step over it just to make sure we both know."

"Gods, you can be so stubborn at times."

"Only when I'm right, and you know that." Sabyna turned to Jherek. "I'll need help getting back up there."

"As you wish," Jherek said.

A smile dawned on her face as she heard his words, and the sight of it shot pain through Jherek's heart. She was so beautiful and independent, yet she was so far from anything he could ever hope to attain. If she saw the tattoo of Bloody Falkane that he bore, it would be enough to trigger undying hatred on her part.

"As you wish," she repeated softly. "I'll try to get some heal potion down here, or at least some salve you can put on that head of yours."