Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (red queen free ebook txt) 📗

and bring up some dry clothes, once it does.” Silas was sitting on the deck, leaning back against the rail at the aft of the ship. His chest heaving with every breath. He called the mate over to get the count of those on board. The mate reported, “We lost one, sir. One'a the others said 'e saw 'im get flung outta the riggin' when the ship snapped upright. We've sent out a boat ta look fer 'im...  That was nicely done, sir.” Silas was shaking his head, “It was nicely done… because you fixed my calls. I’ll see that you get an additional share aboard, even if it comes outta mine.” The mate was obviously pleased with the compliment, and the bonus, but he simply shrugged, “I do thank’e, sir. But I didn’t need ta watch all you was watching. Ya kept us clear-a the rocks, even with the wind boxing the compass a time or two. And ye got the boat around right smart-like. No, Silas t'was yer doin’. I jus’ made the calls how I knew ye wanted ‘em.” He sat heavily on the deck beside the larger man, “You were already Third Sword, but considerin’ you’ve got the only sailing ship in the Wharf City, you gotta be First of sumthin’ now.” They shared a chuckle as Kinsman joined them and announced, “A few of your men are nursing some nasty rope burns, and probably a few sprains and broken bones, especially some of those climbing down now. With your permission, I’ll have those men seen to.” Silas nodded his agreement, “You have my thanks. Sea water makes for bitter salve. How long before we can get your people unloaded? As soon as this storm passes, we need to pull out of here and get on to Temidan. The Prince’s ships will surely come looking for the ones who emptied his prison. We may not have any prisoners left aboard, but I want to be as far away as we can manage before then.” Kinsman joked, knowing they were anchored, “I’m not sure… how much closer can you get to the base of the cliffs?”

The rocks making up the treacherous coastline of the Broken Coast might provide shelter from the full brunt of the ocean’s fury, but it didn’t feel like it. Several people wondered aloud whether the longboats lashed to the sides of the ship would even survive a single trip to the cliffs without capsizing. Considering that it wouldn’t be safe to shuttle more than eight or nine passengers in a single trip, and fewer in the cases where prisoners weren’t strong enough to sit upright, it would take at least seven trips, and probably closer to nine, to shuttle everyone off the ship. Cooper wondered whether it would be safe to send eight or nine people at one time in the basket. And would it withstand nine, or even eight trips up and down the cliff face? He shook his head and told himself, “Now is not the time for doubting.” Almost all the able-bodied Guild members were on deck, “Breathing the free air”, he assumed. Loryn was helping Aden to keep his balance. The younger boy looked like he was naught but skin and bones and his pallor settled somewhere between grey and a dusty yellow. He stepped forward to grasp Aden's outstretched hand and gave him a one-armed hug as he leaned in to say, “Good to see you survived. Another couple of hours and everyone should be tucked away, fed, and dry. Miss Camilla will be so glad to see you.” Aden pulled his head away with his eyes wide with realization. Cooper smiled to assure him that he'd heard correctly. Aden opened and closed his mouth a couple times, as if searching for the right words, “Miss Camilla?!”. Cooper clapped a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder and nodded, “She'll likely feel the same way when she sees you.” He winked, then turned and indicated Loryn and Gaff, “You two go up as part of the first group. Help Birt and Dailen with getting everyone unloaded from the basket and into the wagons. They’re going to have their hands full enough just managing the horses. We need to keep that basket moving.”

Despite the continuing rain, everyone had gathered on the deck, those that could move without assistant helped those that could not. Kinsman found it necessary to repeat his instructions and assurances more than once. The third time he was unable to conceal his irritation, “The basket is large enough to hold seven or eight people, at the least. Keep your hands and feet inside it as you go up. There are teams of horses above that will be raising and lowering the basket. Yes, there may be some falling rocks. No, we’ve not done this before. You are welcome to remain aboard the ship and sail on to whatever destination the captain decides but I should warn you… we didn’t take the time to check how well the ship had been provisioned when we took it. Everyone aboard might become quite hungry and thirsty before reaching the next port. I’ve climbed these cliffs before. This time I’ll gladly ride in the basket.” He gave Loryn and Gaff a nod and walked to the port side of the boat to help lower the longboat that had been lashed to the rail and then assist passengers in descending to board the smaller vessel. Kolrem was among the first to climb down, joking, “I’ve already spent more time aboard a ship than I wanted.” Four others joined them in the longboat and the Wharfsider’s paddled strongly through the rough water to the base of the cliffs. A couple of the oarsmen did their best to keep the boat up against the rocks as the waves tossed it. The others helped the people get transferred into the basket, then they clambered back into the boat and began paddling back to