I couldn't tell him. I would have to lie.

  "A pirate got into the hold where I was hiding," I began. Lucky immediately looked suspicious. I figured he'd been on the deck, and he knew no pirate had entered the hold that way. Time to improvise. "He climbed up the stern. Had a big axe. You know that big hole in the aft hull? That's his doing-cut his way in."

  "Must've been one big pirate to cut through the hull of a ship!" Lucky exclaimed.

  "The biggest man I've ever seen," I replied. "I figure he had some ore-or something-in him. Anyway, so he chops into the hold right where I'm hiding. And he wants to go through the hold and up the hatch and attack the crew from behind. But I couldn't let him do that. So I sneaked up and tied a rope to his ankle then tied it to the rowboat and dropped the boat into the water."

  "Oy, good thought! But how'd that get yourself a wound?"

  "He crashed into me on his way out of the hold," I said. "Knocked me right into the splintered wood he'd cut through."

  Lucky winced. "Guess you ain't as lucky as your name says, then."

  "He's a liar." The voice caught me off guard. It was deep and powerful, but not harsh. It reminded me of the distant thunder of a storm on its way out, damage done but mercifully leaving. It belonged to the pirate in the back of the cage-only he was no longer at the back of the cage. He stood right against the bars, staring at me, unblinking.

  "Oy, shut your mouth and don't talk no more, you wretched wretch!" Lucky drew his cutlass from its sheath and waved it threateningly at the man.

  "The child is lying to you. He is concealing something."

  Lucky spat at the pirate and stepped between us. "If ye think I'll trust you over the boy, you're dumber than a sea sponge."

  "I don't ask for trust. But I have a question. Little Maimun, what is that lump in your shirt beside your heart?"

  Lucky turned to look at me, staring intently. I was sure he'd see the lump and ask about it, and I couldn't answer him. I slowly moved my feet, one behind the other.

  "I need to find Drizzt to relieve Tin," I said, and before Lucky could say anything, I turned on my heel and sprinted away.

  I found Drizzt on the deck at the prow of the ship. The disguise that made him appear as a sun elf was off, his black skin exposed to the summer sun. He held his head high, eyes closed against the breeze, feeling the sun on his face and the wind sweeping back his thick white hair. I crept up silently, not wanting to disturb his meditation, but he heard my approach.

  "Greetings, Maimun," he said, not opening his eyes or turning his head. "Captain Deudermont told me of your new position. Congratulations."

  "Thank you, sir," I said. "I have orders from the captain for you."

  "To take my shift at the brig, I'm suppose," he said.

  "Yes sir."

  "Thank you, then." He opened his eyes and turned to face me.

  "Can I ask you a question?" I said. "You just did."

  "I mean… you know what I meant." I stammered, suddenly nervous. "Where… where is your home? Where is your family?"

  He looked at me for a moment, studying me intently. I don't knowwhat he was looking for, but apparently he found it. He nodded, and answered. "My home is wherever my family is, and my family are my friends and traveling companions. It is not a large family, so far, as few trust me. Few trust any of my dark heritage."

  "But the others who fought the pirates here," I said. "Wulfgar, and the dwarf, and the woman. They trust you, right?"

  "They do. And those three are my family. Well, those three and a fourth who is not here. You're an orphan, aren't you?"

  "I am." I sighed. Thrice an orphan, I wanted to say. "How did you know?"

  "You understand what I mean by family. Most do not. Most think of a family as parents and siblings, aunts and uncles, but really, a family are those people you know here," he pointed to his head, "and trust here." He laid his hand over his heart.

  I nodded my agreement. "So who is the last of your close family?"

  "A halfling named Regis. He was taken from us and is being held prisoner in Galimport by a very powerful and evil man. For his sake, we sail south."

  "Sounds dangerous. Are you sure he wishes you to save him?" I asked. I immediately thought I should have picked my words more carefully, but Drizzt didn't seem upset.

  "How do you mean?" he asked. I think he knew exactly what I meant, but he was leading me on. Perrault did the same thing. He'd lead me on, knowing the answer, to force me to articulate it. Because, he'd say, only after I had spoken it would I truly understand what I meant.

  "I mean," I began, "are you sure he isn't in a cell somewhere, scared to death that you and your family-his family-might try to rescue him but fail? That one of you might be killed for his sake?"

  Drizzt nodded again, his expression somewhere between grim and hopeful. "I am quite certain he's thinking exactly that."

  "Then why go?"

  "Because he cares more for us than for himself. We'd be terrible friends if we didn't return the favor." With that, he bowed his head slightly then stepped to the ladder to the hold.

  "Drizzt!" I called after him. "If you die, where should they bury you?"

  "It doesn't matter. My friends will know where to look for me."

  Instinctively, my hand went to my heart- because, of course, he meant his friends would only need to look within. But in reaching for my heart, my hand bumped against something else. Something the size of a child's fist, held in a leather pouch. The stone.

  Chapter Twenly-Seven

  The next several days were a blur. I spent my waking hours running around the ship delivering small scrolls of parchment, or verbally passing orders to the sailors who couldn't read. I ran Deudermont's meals from the galley to his cabin, and was rewarded with the privilege of dining with him. During those hours, Deudermont, true to his word, began to teach me the craft of seamanship, telling me of the tactics of running a ship- when and how to set sail or make port, weather signs, and all the things a captain should know.When I was idle, I learned the practical art of sailing. I spent hours sitting on the deck watching the crew as they went about their affairs. I memorized the knots they tied. I watched them furl and unfurl the sails, and turn those sails to catch the wind. I listened to the calls from the helm, usually just numbers, to change our bearing. Soon I was confident I could have undertaken any job on the ship. For the first time in my life, I felt at home.

  I learned most of the crewmen's names, and some snippets of their stories, but I kept to myself and they did the same. I was worried that I would have to tell my story again, to lie again. I was worried that Lucky, in particular, had pieced some of it together, and that I would be blamed for the pirate attack. But even Lucky was friendly toward me, and he never once asked about the lump on my chest.

  The days flew by, and before I knew it, we were sailing into Memnon.

  I thought Baldur's Gate to be a great city, but it would have fit a dozen times into the sprawl that was Memnon. As the northernmost port in Calimshan, the city was built where the Calim Desert met the ocean, where the sea breeze could break up the stifling heat of the parched sand-scape. The sprawl reminded me of the poorest parts of the lower city of Baldur's Gate mixed with the richest parts of the upper city, thrown into a mixing pot and stirred well. Ramshackle huts built of driftwood stood against mighty palaces of white marble. Low warehouses lined the docks, like in Baldur's Gate, but the windows were empty of glass, and by the sheer volume of people moving in and out, I figured most of the structures served as homes for those who could find nowhere else to be, rather than as storage for trade goods.

  The sprawl made its way into the harbor as well. The docks were completely full, and a hundred more ships were anchored beyond them. Great trade galleons mingled with tiny fishing vessels, and the flags of a hundred ports of a dozen kingdoms flew from the masts.

  Moving around the ships were longboats, each crewed by a dozen men chained to their seats and pulling at oars. Each boat bore a beacon lantern at the bow, and a flag flew from the stern, marking them as official vessels of the city of Memnon. Captain Deudermont informed me that they were the Memnon Harbor Guard, and they were searching incoming vessels for contraband. Or, more accurately, they were forcing those ships holding contraband to pay bribes. Otherwise, they would be refused access to the port.

  They would also be the ones taking the captured pirates off our hands. A reward was offered for bringing captured pirates to Memnon. But Deudermont said the Harbor Guard would surely make up some reason the reward could not be paid. They were experts at extorting money, he said, but very bad at paying it. And they wouldn't be checking our ship for at least a day.

  On the first day in port, Drizzt and his companions prepared to depart.

  Drizzt talked to Captain Deudermont in his cabin, and I wasn't invited to sit in. I tried to listen at the door, but their voices were low and I couldn't make out what was said.

  On the way out, Drizzt gave me a look. "I'll see you again," the look said-and he put his hand over his heart in salute. His skin was as light as a sun elf s again, just as it had been the first time I'd laid eyes upon him. Though I knew it was an illusion, it was still strange to see him again in his magical disguise. At least he didn't look as uncomfortable as he had that first time. I felt a strange kinship as I watched him walk away. Something had changed for him aboard Sea Sprite, just as it had for me.

  Drizzt and his friends boarded a hired launch, and he was gone, drifting through the harbor toward the docks. All I had left of him was that look.

  lyt I awoke the next morning to shouts coming from the deck. I quickly dressed and scurried above to discover three uniformed members of the Memnon Harbor Guard climbing aboard. Captain Deudermont rushed from his cabin to meet them. He looked somewhat disheveled, obviously surprised by the quick arrival of the inspectors. He'd told me to expect them late that day or early the next.

  I quickly moved to his side. As soon as I reached him, he said, "Maimun, go rouse the crew. Tell them we're unloading the pirates."

  I opened my mouth to say something, but Deudermont waved his hand at me and turned back to his conversation with the guards.

  I did as I was told, and soon the pirates were marching up from the hold, each man tied at the wrists and ankles, and each tied to the man in front of and behind him. On the captured pirate vessel, a similar scene occurred, but I noticed many more pirates crossing the deck than the two dozen crossing ours. It seemed the pirate ship had a larger brig than Sea Sprite.

  But the pirates on our ship were more intimidating. The strange pirate who had confronted me was on deck, and he stared right at me again. I turned to the nearest crewman-it happened to be Tin.

  "What's that one's problem, Tonnid?" I asked him, motioning toward the staring pirate. "I dunno, bud. He's just rude, I think." "Aren't all pirates rude?"

  Tin paused, thinking over his answer. "Yep, I figure they is," he replied. "That one's just even ruder."

  Tin smiled at his almost-joke, and I laughed a little. It wasn't funny, but Tin liked people laughing at his jokes.

  In the blink of an eye, Tin's smile was gone, replaced by a look of shock and horror.

  Behind me I heard a soft thud, followed by loud shouting. I turned to see the strange pirate free of his bonds, the ropes uncut but lying on the deck. The man charged right at me.

  "Hey, you's gonna get it for that, mister ruder!" Tin shouted, jumping in front of me, fists up in front of his face, ready to throw a punch.

  The blue-faced pirate didn't hesitate, and didn't flinch when Tin threw a heavy punch at his jaw. The blow landed with a crunch, the sound of bone breaking, I thought. But the pirate didn't even slow. Instead, Tin fell back a step, clutching his wounded hand. The pirate bowled right over him, shoving him roughly to the deck, and reached out for me.

  My stiletto was out, thrusting for his hand. Like Tin's, my blow struck squarely, but had no effect, bouncing harmlessly aside. The hand grabbed the front of my shirt and I was airborne.

  The pirate, with me in his grasp, took two running strides and leaped over the side of the ship. With a splash, we hit the water and plummeted to the bottom, as if we were tied to one of the ship's anchors.

  I struggled against that iron grip, but he was strong and I couldn't break free. I swung my stiletto at him, but the water slowed my movements, and I felt as though I was striking stone. The pirate ignored me and ignored the water, walking along the floor of the harbor as if he were strolling down a sunny street.

  I held my breath as long as I could, until I felt as though my lungs would explode. I hadn't had a chance to take a deep breath before we entered the water, and the exertion of swinging my dagger used up my air. The pirate took no notice of my struggling. He walked along, uncaring that I was about to drown.

  I could take it no more. My breath came out in a bubble, and I inhaled deeply.

  But somehow, air, not water, entered my lungs.

  The pirate finally acknowledged my existence. He pulled me in front of him, face to face. He looked at me as I took my first few unsettling breaths then he began to laugh.

  "Fool," he said. His voice sounded even more sinister distorted by the water. "Did you think I would let you die? You are worth twice as much alive! Though truly, the sum for your corpse would still be worth my time." Again, that terrible laugh.

  An old horror jolted through me. Only one person-one creature-would put a bounty on my head. The foul blue pirate meant to sell me to Asbeel.

  That notion sent me into a frenzy. I tried with all my might to pull away. I stabbed at him, at his chest and his face, again and again. I kicked and screamed, though my words were so distorted as to be unintelligible. I fought desperately, but I only ripped my shirt, and as soon as that happened, the pirate adjusted his grip, holding firm to my wounded left shoulder.

  And all the while, Memnon's docks approached.

  The water in front of the pirate turned white. Not noticing, he continued walking-right into a thick sheet of ice.

  At the instant of impact, I felt his grip loosen. I jerked sharply, bracing my feet against his thigh and pushing off with all my might, and I was free.

  But in my next breath, I caught water, not air. I was choking, sputtering, with no air in my lungs and none to bring in. Instantly my chest ached, a horrible, acute pain, and I tried to resist the urge to breathe. The pirate reached for me, and I was tempted to grab his hand just so I could take a breath. But I knew if that hand caught me, I wouldn't be free again. I wanted to swim for the surface, but the surface was a long way off, and I was weighed down by my sodden clothes. I would surely die before I made it.

  Then I was rising, streaming through the water, and before I knew it I broke the surface-not just my head, but my entire body. I coughed and sputtered, and gulped down air and expelled water.

  Glancing around to orient myself, I found I was much closer to the docks than to Sea Sprite. Somehow I was lying atop the water, floating perhaps an inch off the surface. A slight depression, like a bowl on the waves, formed beneath me, as if I repelled the water. Curious, I reached down to touch the surface, and some invisible force pushed back against my hand. I pushed harder, but it pushed harder back, the depression in the water growing deeper, my hand barely moving.

  I looked up, wondering at the source of that miracle, and found it standing above me.

  The man wore a deep blue robe and had a bearded face, which in turn wore an expression of pure amusement.

  "Done coughing, boy?" he asked, his voice dripping sarcasm.

  I nodded, taking a few more deep breaths to steady myself then stood bobbing in my invisible bowl. "Who are you, sir?" I asked.

  He seemed pleased to be addressed as "sir," as if that was an uncommon occurrence. "My name is Robillard, and I work with the Memnon Harbor Guard. I was overseeing the transfer of Captain Pinochet and his pirates from Sea Sprite to our control, when that fool"-he motioned toward the water-"grabbed you. You're lucky to be alive, boy."

  I shook my head. "He wasn't going to kill me, sir."

  "Then what did he want with you?"

  I hesitated. "It's personal," I finally said.

  "You knew that pirate?" There was no sarcasm in his voice-he was accusing me.

  "No, sir. He's working for someone who wants to capture me."

  "So you're a runaway?" Robillard arched an eyebrow. "What is your name, child?"

  I glared at him. "My name is none of your-"

  Suddenly, the force that had kept me above the water gave way, and down I went with a splash. As soon as I was completely under, I was rising again. It happened so quickly that I landed perfectly on my feet, stunned but unhurt.

  "Beware whom you speak to so rudely," Robillard said. "And more importantly, beware whenyou speak so rudely. Fool."

  Another voice carried across the waves-a familiar voice. Lucky. "Oy, Maimun, you look all wet!" Then a friendly burst of laughter. "Not hurt, are ye?"

  I turned to face the voice, and saw that Sea Sprite had already replaced her ruined launch. Lucky and two other crewmen glided toward me-Lucky standing at the prow, the other two rowing. They were still a good distance away, but would come alongside me quickly.

  "No, I'm not hurt," I called. "How's Tin?"

  "Broke his hand, he did. I always told him, never swing with a closed fist, you'll break it for sure, but did he listen? No sir, 'course not, he ain't smart enough to listen to me."

  My mind spun in a dozen different directions as I watched the launch approach. Mostly my thoughts focused on Asbeel and his cohorts, on the troll I had thrown from the ship, and the strange pirate who had taken me captive. I had thought that out at sea, I would be safe from Asbeel. But I was wrong.

  I had already caused the deaths of several men in the battle with the pirates-Tasso, and more whose names I didn't even know. I couldn't stand the thought of Deudermont, or Lucky, or Tin dying on my behalf. I couldn't allow it to happen again.