John Flanagan - The Royal Ranger

As they did, another fire arrow hissed down, landing in the bow of the ship, where coils of tarred rope were lying ready for use. The flame shot up, licking at the tar, melting it, then igniting it.

“Put that out!” the captain yelled at Ruhl and his men. His own crew almost had the burning sail under control. As Maddie watched, they heaved a still burning remnant over the side into the sea. There was an immense hiss and a cloud of steam. Realising that there was nobody paying any attention to the camp site, she darted out from the shadows and ran towards the mess tent with its abandoned table and overturned chairs. In her haste, she went to the wrong upright and had a moment of panic when she saw there were no keys hanging there. Then she re-oriented herself and saw them hanging on the next post. She seized them and turned towards the cave.

In the bow of the ship, the coil of rope had begun to burn fiercely, and the flames spread to a spare sail furled and stowed along the bulwark. Ruhl and his men beat at the flames with their jackets and cloaks. Unfamiliar with the layout of the ship, they didn’t know where to lay their hands on the buckets that the sailors were using. The captain realised this and sent two of his men forward, laden with half a dozen buckets. The men began to hurl sea water on the flames, slowly bringing them under control.

Ruhl searched frantically for the source of the arrows.

“Who’s shooting at us?” he screamed in fury. As he said the words, another arrow hissed down. But this wasn’t a fire arrow. It was a war arrow and it buried itself in the chest of the man beside him.

The slaver staggered under the impact of the heavy shaft, then fell across the burning sail, extinguishing some of the flames. Ruhl looked around, in time to see another fire arrow arc up from the rocks. It was Will’s final fire arrow, but there was no way the panicked men on the ship could know that.

“They’re in the rocks at the base of the cliff!” Ruhl shouted, pointing to the spot where he’d seen that curving light begin. He felt the deck of the ship lurch under him and looked around to see the captain severing the anchor rope with a small axe. La Bruja began to move. Ruhl ran down the deck, grabbing the captain’s arm.

“What are you doing? Are you mad?”

The captain glared at him. His face was smeared with ash from the burning sail and his arm was red and blistered where the flames had seared him as he had helped throw it overboard. He was in no mood to argue with Ruhl. He knew how quickly fire could claim his ship.

“I’m getting her out of danger. She’s a sitting duck here and I’m not risking her!”

The ebbing tide was moving the ship faster and faster. Ruhl looked around in desperation.

“They’re in the rocks!” he shouted. “The archers are in the rocks! We can catch them!”

“Then do so! I’ll leave two of my men with you.” The captain glanced down the deck, assessing his crew. “Enrico! Anselmo! Go with Señor Ruhl!” He looked back at Jory Ruhl. “You’d better go if you’re going. We’ll return tomorrow.”

Ruhl hesitated a moment, then came to a decision. He leapt over the bulwark, landing in waist-deep water, yelling at his men to follow. He heard a series of splashes behind him as he waded ashore. Glancing back, he saw his men and the two Iberian sailors forcing their way against the tide behind him.

He staggered onto dry sand, then stumbled, saving his life. An arrow sliced through the air just over his head. He looked at the rocks. He had no idea how many archers were hidden there but he realised that he and his men were armed with nothing but knives.

“Get your weapons!” he shouted as an arrow slammed into the upper arm of the man nearest him. The slaver cried out in pain, but it was a glancing blow and the arrow tore free. One of his companions quickly bound the flesh wound with his neck scarf.

“He’s okay!” he called to Ruhl.

The Stealer nodded, then, crouching in an unwitting attempt to avoid further arrows, led his men up the beach to the camp.

Maddie had reached the barred gate that closed the entrance to the cave. She was fumbling with the keys, searching for the correct one. Inside the cave, she heard a querulous voice cry out. Obviously, the prisoners thought the time had come for them to be taken to the ship. They could see only a dark, cloaked figure at the entrance. One of them began to cry.

“Quiet!” she hissed. “It’s all right! I’m here to help you. I—”

She became aware of running feet behind her and whirled around. Ruhl and his men were racing back up the sand towards her. For a moment, she thought she’d been discovered and she reached into her shot pouch to load her sling.

Then she heard Ruhl issuing a string of orders.

“Get your weapons! Brad, bring your crossbow! They’re in the rocks at the base of the cliff. Spread out, use cover as much as you can!”

Maddie pressed herself against the dark rock face beside the gate. Inside, one of the children was still crying. She could hear another making soothing noises and trying to comfort his companion. She wished fervently that they’d both shut up. All she needed now was for Ruhl or one of his men to come and see what was happening.

The Stealer was still yelling orders and she turned back to the cave, hoping that the slavers wouldn’t hear her above his shouting.

“Quiet!” she hissed again. “Quiet or I’ll come in there and whip you!”

She was reluctant to threaten the obviously terrified children that way, but it seemed to have the desired effect. The crying died away to a few desperate muffled sobs. She shrugged. She’d make it up to the unfortunate child later.

In the rocks at the base of the cliffs, Will had been studying his handiwork with grim satisfaction. The black ship was now halfway out of the bay, drifting on the outgoing tide while her reduced crew struggled to get a pair of oars in the water.

He’d had a moment of panic when Ruhl had led his men back to the tents. At the time, he feared that someone had spotted Maddie. Then he heard the slaver yelling orders and realised they were fetching their weapons before coming after him.

“Should have thought of that,” he muttered. It was one of those unforeseeable things that can spoil a plan. He hoped they hadn’t caught Maddie napping. Then he saw the slavers heading back down the beach again, rushing from cover to cover.

He thought about whittling their numbers down a little but rejected the idea. If he made things too risky for them now, they might stay in cover close to the camp, and that would ruin Maddie’s chances of getting the children out. He needed to let them reach the rocks, needed them to follow him as he led them away.

“Time enough to reduce their numbers tomorrow,” he said and began to make his way up the rough path to the clifftop.

Without thinking about it, he moved silently and swiftly, as he had practised for so many years. Then he realised that this wasn’t the time for stealth. He wanted them to see him and to follow him. There was a small pile of rocks on the edge of the path and he nudged them over with his boot, sending them clattering and bouncing down the cliff face.

Ruhl heard the noise, looked up and saw the dark figure halfway up the cliff.

“There they go!” he yelled, pointing the way. Then he led a rush towards the base of the cliff. One of his men, armed with a crossbow, stopped and knelt down to aim. He aimed the weapon at the dark figure on the path and tripped the trigger.

Will heard the all too recognisable slamming sound of a crossbow releasing and dropped flat to the ground. A second later, the heavy quarrel buzzed overhead and screeched off the rocks, its iron point striking sparks where it hit.