Free Voyage of the Owl by Belinda Murrell Page A

lassie,’ welcomed Fox, gesturing to the polished oak table and benches. ‘Let us discuss your business proposal.’
    In the warm lantern light they could see their host clearly for the first time. He was a tall man with bright red hair, swept back into a ponytail like a fox’s brush. He had a closely cropped red beard and a gold hoop earring in his left ear. His face was tanned from the sun and deeply wrinkled around his pale blue eyes.
    Fox wore black breeches and a thin black silk shirt, similar to the ones they had borrowed at Goldcoin Cove. Saira had said these silk shirts wereworn by the smugglers as camouflage, and also to help protect against arrow wounds.
    His hands were strong and capable, with thickly calloused palms. He wore a sheathed cutlass at his waist, a dirk in an ornately carved scabbard in his belt and a dagger in his boot. Despite his jokes and poetry, he was a formidable character.
    The most unusual thing about Fox was a small creature sitting on his shoulder, cuddling into his neck. It was this that had given Fox his misshapen silhouette on the beach. The creature was small and brown, with a wrinkled, wise face and two bright, inquisitive eyes peering at them. The children all stared at the creature in amazement.
    ‘This is Mia,’ laughed Fox, noticing their gaze. ‘Mia is my monkey, and the love of my life, after the Owl , that is. Careful, she bites, and she hates strangers.’
    The four children sat around the table, eyes agog, with Aisha staring anxiously at the strange creature. Haltingly, Saxon told the story of the Sea Dragon , the ship that should be sailing tomorrow for Sedah and the Nine Isles. He was not sure how much to tell Fox, and how much to withhold.
    ‘There is something on board that ship, which belongs to my friend Roan … Rowan,’ Saxonexplained. ‘And we need to get it back. We were told you might be able to help us.’
    ‘Something on board that ship?’ asked Fox disbelievingly. ‘And you want me to get it back for you? I am a smuggler, not a pirate. It would be madness to attack a fully armed Sedah warship, laden with the stolen treasures of Tiregian. We would be blown to smithereens. Have you seen the cannon on that ship?’
    Saxon nodded hopelessly.
    ‘What about taking it by surprise?’ asked Ethan. ‘At night? In the middle of the ocean? They would never see us coming.’
    ‘We have gold,’ added Roana. ‘Gold to pay for your trouble now, and for the boat we lost.’
    Fox hesitated at the mention of gold. Mia the monkey patted him gently on the head.
    ‘As you said, the Sea Dragon is laden with treasure,’ Lily said, pressing the advantage. ‘There would be plenty for you and your men.’
    ‘Plus it would be a patriotic duty to stop those thieving Sedah invaders from stealing our Tiregian treasure,’ pronounced Roana passionately.
    ‘Why should I care about patriotic duty?’ swore Fox angrily. ‘What did King Radnor ever do for me? Fox and Owl and Mia just look after themselves.’
    Mia chattered angrily at the children who had dared upset her beloved master.
    ‘As the fisherfolk of Mereworth say, the boat is much safer in the harbour but you do not catch any fish there,’ Saxon added quietly.
    Fox laughed, slapping his thigh.
    ‘Right you are, lad. It would be a great adventure to get the better of those Sedah scoundrels, and my coffers are looking woefully empty at the moment,’ he said. ‘Okay, here’s the deal. Fifty gold crescents to cover my time, and the boat. That’s just to get you on board the Sea Dragon . If you get what you’re looking for, we get any extra treasure we can find. Deal?’
    Roana went pale feeling the coin pouch tucked into her waist. She knew they did not possess fifty gold crescents.
    ‘Ten crescents,’ said Saxon quickly, before anyone else could reply.
    Fox rolled his eyes.
    ‘You get the treasure, remember?’ Saxon added enticingly.
    ‘Your father’s son!’ Fox replied, chuckling. ‘Thirty