A Chance at Life

Astra replied, "Am I going to have to demonstrate who is mistress here?" She glowered at the mate, who looked her cooly in the eye.

"We know more about you than you understand, Princess Astra. Yes, you could turn our ship into a wreck. Of course, your companions would be all dead, and you would be forced to fly out to sea. Can you make it to land? I doubt it. So you would die in vain."

The mate was right. Although she might survive their crossbows, they had her treasure and four of her companions. And there were two or three days' sailing distance. She had few cards to play.

"And you offer me a better choice?"

The mate said, "I offer you and your companions a chance at life."

"Do you intend on ransoming me?"

The mate responded, "If we can. Of course, that would take a while. The Aqualarian monarchs have never been friendly to mariners, and getting their attention may take some time. But we will find a place for you."

"I should like to talk with Fred, without your evesdropping."

"Upon my word as a Sea Lord, neither I nor anyone on the Gold Coast will do such a thing."

The word of a pirate did not mean much, but Astra started to talk to Fred anyway, in a low, lispy voice.

Astra asked, "Whereth others? Whoth this Charlie?"

Fred answered, "They are in the dark, far below decks, tied and bound. Sartoma is not able to use her magic, and I think that Solbert is hiding his ability because of what happened to Sartoma. Jan was knocked out. All of us were bound. I never saw Charlie."

Astra hissed, "They are not goingth to leth a thragon off this boath alive."

Fred replied, "No, they do not look stupid. A vengeful dragon at large is not something that they would want."

"So they must finth a way to kill me."

"Or remove the enchantment."

Astra thought, "So no rain of crothbow arrowth. Too muth trouble. But Charlie shoulda attackth."

Fred replied, "Charlie has to be afraid of something. Even mages have limits to their power. And he is busy holding Sartoma in check."

Astra then asked, "The cointh?"

Fred answered

1. by gulping and patting his belly. Did Fred swallow the coins?
2. by looking out to sea and making a slow circular motion around his upright left palm with his right. Astra understood that Checkers had palmed them before leaving the gondola.

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