The grubby streets turned into over grown paths. Kraken moved with sure steps over roots and around trees and vines. He knew the cliff edge would be coming up because the steep climb had leveled out. He heard no voices, no sound, on the path. Cousin was silent in her movement, though he could feel her presence close behind. No birds or insects sang. Yet the smell of oily, unwashed bodies was clear to Kraken.
The path cleared to a breath taking view. Sunset over the ocean painted scarlet hues across the breaking waves. Sparse clouds floated dark in front of a brilliant horizon.
Kraken stopped and looked. He stood taking in the sight. He breathed deep. “Well, this is worth the climb,” he said.
Cousin didn’t answer. She stood her back to his.
“You could at least look at this before it is gone,” Kraken said. “And give an opening to our ambush party,” he thought.
“Aye,” Cousin said. She put her dirk away. Stepping to Kraken’s side, she took in the sunset painted ocean. She thought it was almost as good as a starry sky.
Kraken turned and pulled her to him. He kissed her soft on the mouth. Breaking the kiss, he whispered to her about the smell and the motion he was seeing out of the corner of his eye. He ducked his head to her neck, asking her to look with different eyes.
Cousin knew the kiss gave Kraken a reason to whisper to her that wouldn’t rouse suspension. She changed her eyes, and the heat from eight bodies became clear. Cousin pretended to kiss Kraken’s check. She whispered what she saw, and wished they were alone.
Kraken straightened, his eyes glazed over. He wished he hadn’t started the kissing. His body’s response was beyond anything he had experienced with another. “Definitely, not a sister,” he said, his throat working while he struggled to focus on the present.
“Never,” Cousin said, and tripped the first attacker sending him over the cliff.
Four men swarmed Kraken trying to push him over. Kraken lunged forward, and sent them tripping over his low flung body. Another fell.
Three men circled Cousin. Their jeering faces taunted. They grew bold when she didn’t draw her dirk. Laughing the largest promised to educate her in what men wanted if she would come quietly. Cousin waited until he grabbed her before she ripped the heart from his chest.
Kraken stood facing three. The change in circumstance was still registering on his attackers. The black staff thumped against Kraken’s leg. He scowled at the men. They gathered their courage and charged. The staff connected with the first man, and his bones shattered with a muffled explosion. He fell in a heap that did not resemble anything human. The staff met the second man’s sword. The man fell through a rain of metal splinters, and into the path of the third man’s attack. Kraken jumped back.
Two men watched their comrade sink to his knees and tip over. The laughs and leers melted away when they saw the still beating heart in Cousin’s hand. She tossed it at their feet. They stumbled back and bumped into each other. An argument ensued. The first un-clipped the whip from his belt, and they flanked her. Cousin looked straight ahead, not favoring either man. The whip stroke wrapped her Sor-von protected forearm, and the other man lunged and grappled. The Sor-von sliced the whip, and the first man fell. The second man crumpled at Cousin’s feet, a portion of his spine dangling from her fist.
Kraken waited for his remaining attackers to re-group. He chanced a glance at Cousin, and one of the men threw a long knife. The black staff moved on its own and took the blade. A flick of Kraken’s wrist, and the blade lodged in its owner’s eye, and protruded through the back of his skull. The second man was dead before he saw Kraken move, the staff connecting with his head.
Cousin stood over her attacker. He scooted backward on his ass until he bumped into Kraken’s legs. The black staff came to rest gently against the man’s chest. He looked up and knew his life was over.
“One chance to live,” Kraken said. “Who? How? What?”
The man blinked.
“Who sent you? How did you shadow us? What were you to do?” Cousin said.
“Captain said we was hired. He gave us these papers,” the man said taking a charm from his pants. “We were to capture you and kill Kraken.”
“Captain?” Kraken asked.
“Captain Drake.”
Cousin stood back.
Kraken stepped away from the man. “Your choices: go back to Drake, or run and let him think you died with the rest. Me. I wouldn’t go back. Drake’s an asshole.”
The man scrambled to his feet, dropping the paper. He walked backward stumbling over roots and rocks until he got to the tree line. With one last look at the scene he turned and ran.
Cousin looked at the paper on the ground where the man had dropped it.
Kraken took a stick and punctured it. He tossed the whole over the cliff. “Any of that blood yours?”
“No.”
“I think I’ll use this as an example the next time one of the crew refuses their bath,” Kraken said.
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