Gorgoroth (Haladras #2)

EIGHT

"Kendyl?"

Skylar stared down at the bright red-head as though he were seeing a ghost. She shivered again and weakly replied.

"So, you remember my name?" she replied feebly.

"What are you—"

Skylar broke off, realizing that she was unwell. He crouched down to help her to up. She resisted.

"You're ill," he said. "Let me help you to the main cabin. You'll be warmer there. And I can fetch you some blankets.

"I'm fine," said Kendyl. "Just cold and hungry."

"Haven't you anything to eat?" replied Skylar. He immediately wished he hadn't said it.

"Your cook failed to consider that there might be a stowaway in the cargo hold and leave out a dish for me. I had an oat bar to nibble on. And a water flask."

Despite her initial protest, Kendyl allowed him to help her up. She was weak and pale.

"You don't need to grip my arm like that," she said. "I can walk."

"Sorry."

Skylar quickly let go, and awkwardly ushered her out of the cargo hold. They found Endrick sitting down at the steel table that served as their dining table, desk, and planning surface. At first sight of Kendyl, Endrick threw his hands into the air and let out a cry.

"Great Yurik! Her again? How did she get on board? On second thought, don't tell me. Just put her back where to found her."

"I'm not putting her back," said Skylar, moving one of the chairs for Kendyl to sit in. Then he ran to the sleeping quarters and stole a blanket from his bunk. When we returned, Endrick was hunched over his folded arms, looking down at the table muttering something about damsels being trouble. Hesitantly, Skylar took the blanket and wrapped it around Kendyl's shoulders. A bit to his surprise, she didn't jerk away or claim she didn't want it but wrapped the warm material tightly around her fatigued body. The blanket was his own, that he brought from home. A gift from his mother when he was eight. She had weaved it herself out of scraps of yarn she had saved from the textile mill.

"I'll get you some water," he said, striding over to the mess unit and dispensing a bottle of water. He handed it to her. "It's cold and tastes like sulfur, but I'm sure you need the hydration. I'll get you something to eat, too."

Kendyl did no reply, but merely brought the bottle to her lips and took a sip. The cringe on her face showed that she found the water to be as disgusting as Skylar did. She looked up at Skylar with a wary look on her face, then swallowed like rocks were going down her throat.

"After a while, you get used to it," said Skylar.

"Now, don't get too used to it," said Endrick. "Or to eating our food. We didn't bring enough stores for four people. It won't do for all of us to go starving to death on this flying scrapyard."

"Since you eat for two, I'll just halve your portions."

In spite of Endrick's protests about withering away to a skinny shadow, Skylar got out as much food as he could readily find. In terms of palatability, it wasn't much. The famished girl didn't complain but set into everything with more appetite than even Endrick himself usually managed. After she had eaten, color gradually returned to her face and vitality to her body. Now she sat up and looked more alert. Endrick and Skylar quizzed her as much as she allowed them to. Of primary interest to Skylar was why she was aboard.

"I don't want to talk about that right now," she said.

"Well, then, how did you get onboard?"

She explained that she asked one of the dockhands she knew about the incoming private vessels from Ahlderon. According to him, the Luna was the only one that week so far. She also learned from him that an order of supplies had been sent to the harbor to be loaded onto the Luna. Knowing that, she went to the harbor, where she located the ship and hid in the cargo hold in a moment when no one was watching.