Free The Eye of Neptune by Jon Mayhew

feeling bold.
    ‘All I know is what I told you yesterday,’ Blizzard said, shrugging. ‘Four years ago, you went missing. Your father offered a reward.’
    ‘But Father sent me to Oginski,’ Dakkar insisted. ‘He was to be my mentor.’
    ‘It does seem strange,’ Blizzard said, raising his eye-brows. ‘A father offers a reward for his missing son, when all along he knows he’s safe. What did your father say in his letters?’
    ‘Letters?’ Dakkar repeated. ‘I didn’t get any. He wanted my location to be a secret from his enemies and so made no contact.’
    ‘I found you,’ Blizzard said, a slight smile twisting the unscarred half of his face. ‘There’s not much gossip that doesn’t reach my ears and the fisherfolk of the village were very chatty. Someone else did too, by the sound of it. Could it have been your father?’
    ‘My own father who kidnapped Oginski and murdered Mrs Evans?’ Dakkar spluttered. ‘Why would he do that when he could just tell Oginski to send me home?’
    Blizzard gave another lopsided smile. He looked sad. ‘Maybe he couldn’t. Oginski is a law unto himself – you know that. What if your father couldn’t get you back?’
    ‘Oginski would never do that,’ Dakkar said, horrified. ‘He’d never hold me against my will. Maybe my father put out the reward to confuse his enemies!’
    Blizzard nodded his head slowly, but whether he was agreeing Dakkar couldn’t tell.
    Dakkar stamped down the steps from the quarterdeck. I should be pleased , he thought. If I can find Fulton, then maybe I’ll have a clue as to who took Oginski . But the conversation about the reward nagged at him.
     
    The next few days saw Dakkar on light duties – Finch and Blizzard made sure of that. Dakkar kept out of the way of Slater, who glowered at him whenever they crossed paths.
    Finally, one evening, the lookout shouted and Dakkar ran forward to see a distant strip of grey on the horizon.
    ‘Americay!’ Finch laughed. ‘We’ll have to be careful, mind – there’ll be patrols back and forth, and if anyone spots us from shore they’ll sound the alarm.’
    Dakkar stared at the indistinct mass in the distance. His stomach twisted and he felt like telling Blizzard that he’d changed his mind. What if Fulton didn’t know anything? What if he were caught and hanged as a spy?
    ‘You don’t have to go, y’know,’ Finch said, giving Dakkar a sidelong glance. ‘I don’t reckon Blizzard would be for seein’ yer hang when we get back to England.’
    ‘No,’ Dakkar muttered, shaking his head. ‘If there’s a chance of finding Oginski, then I must take it.’
    ‘Ship to starboard!’ cried the lookout, sending Finch and Dakkar scurrying over to the other side of the ship.
    ‘Look lively, men!’ Blizzard bellowed from the quarterdeck. He limped over to starboard and pulled open his telescope.
    Sailors ran to and fro. Some hurried to the cannon that lined the deck; others scrambled down below.
    ‘Is she American?’ Dakkar asked, clambering up the steps to Blizzard.
    ‘Hard to tell, lad,’ Blizzard murmured. ‘I can’t make out her colours yet but we can’t be too careful. We must get ready for a fight.’
    ‘I’ll need a weapon then,’ Dakkar said, narrowing his eyes at the horizon.
    ‘Of course – I didn’t expect you to be cowering in the hold, Prince!’ Blizzard laughed, and patted Dakkar on the back. ‘Go with Finch and choose your weapons.’
    ‘Come with me, lad,’ Finch said, grinning.
    Dakkar followed Finch down to the main deck, where marines were giving out swords, pistols and powder.
    ‘Arm the pirates too,’ Blizzard called over the crowd. ‘They’ll fight for their lives as well as any.’
    Soon, Dakkar stood among the anxious mob, their swords clinking, lead balls rattling down musket barrels.
    ‘What’s the situation, lookout?’ Blizzard called up to the man on top of the mast.
    ‘She doesn’t seem to be paying us much attention, sir,’ the lookout