Gold Dust

Chapter 11

Gwen was thrown onto the stained wood floor of the deck. It was wet, probably always was when it was at sea. Everything held an air of dampness, as if truly signifying that not only was the sea around them, but also in the air itself. Nothing could escape from the sea, only it's for, steady land, could fight back against her mighty storms and rages.

She raised her eyes from where she wanted to look at a stain, possibly blood, by her hand. A warm body huddled against her leg, Gull keeping under her skirts. There was no way to hide in her cell without her to hide under, so Gull tagged along as the pirate had gripped her upper arm and dragged her up a flight of stairs. As it turns out, that not only was the Captain here, but his Warlock, and everybody else in the crew. Stinky, unwashed men who had been out in the sunshine for too long surrounded her.

They all watched her, their eyes hungry for something she wasn't going to give. Old stories said that women were bad luck on a ship, that's how men kept women going to sea. However, it was more bad luck for the woman if she was ever found out on a ship. Their eyes were sharp, and all of them made Gwen feel like vomiting again.

A curl of wind twirled around Gwen's hair, fresh air suddenly in her senses. She had grown use to the revolting smell of the holding cell, and hadn't noticed it anymore. But fresh air was full of light, and Gwen breathed a little bit easier than she had been the last few days.

It was finally then, when Gwen looked up into the scarred face of the Captain. Oh, he was angry. The Warlock's face was like stone, unmoving. She noted that her wand was wrapped in his dirty hands, and her jaw clenched. Gwen hated people touching her wand.

"Ye only have two chances to tell us how to use the wand. Or I will slit yer throat." The Captain unsheathed his gaudy sword, it's metal glinting in the sunlight. He was seething.

Gwen stood up, crossing her arms and looking up into the Captain's face. "Make me." She said, a sweet smile on her face. "You can't use it, and you can't kill me unless you want to know the secret." There wasn't any. Only Gwen could use it, nobody else. It was a simple fact. You couldn't force a witch to do anything, but a witch could force you.

The Captain's fingers tightened on his sword, and Gwen could see him slicing her throat in his mind. He wanted to, too. It wasn't hard to read his body, as he stiffly put his sword away.

"Aye," he said, "I can't kill ya. But I can hurt ya. And after some time, I think you'll tell me exactly what I need to know." He drew a dagger with a wicked blade. It looked more deadly than the sword.

"Captain," the Warlock intruded with a cool voice. "She has survived a week of painful torture of my magic. If you hurt her now, you will be giving her what she wants."

The Captain hesitated, and sent Gwen a dark glare. A promise of a bloody end. He reluctantly put his dagger away, but stepped back next to the Warlock.

"Girl," Warlock said, "the powers of this magical wand is above your head. If you were to tell me how you managed to use the meager portion of it's power, I promise I will take you the nearest port with not a harm on your head."

"Bite me, pig." Gwen spat, and the pirate nearest to her backhanded her. She stumbled, but held her ground. "I won't tell you anything."

"That would be the wrong choice, girl." The Warlock sighed, "you see, I am already close to seeing how unlock its power. Anything you tell me would just save me some time. And I assure you, if you don't tell me anything of use in the next ten seconds, you will be the first to meet the end of this wand."

"I don't believe you." She didn't. There was no way that he could do anything with her wand. The Warlock simply arched a thick eyebrow, before pointing her wand to the nearest coil of rope and mumbled something under his breath.