Free Scimitar War by Chris A. Jackson

startled both men. Huffington glanced at Norris, and the count shook his head; he expected no visitors. Norris strode to the door, and Huffington rested a hand upon the dagger beneath his waistcoat.
    “Who is it?”
    “It’s Tim, Father. Can I come in?”
    Norris flung the door open and said, “Gods of Light, Tim, I should have called for you earlier. You’ve heard the news, no doubt.”
    Tim entered. The boy seemed to have matured a great deal in the last few weeks. The count had proudly related his son’s bravery and resourcefulness during the cannibal attack, and in finding and confronting the pirate, Parek. What the count probably hadn’t noticed—and undoubtedly wouldn’t approve of—was that Tim now carried a hidden dagger, the sheath tied to his calf beneath his pant leg. The bulge was subtle, but had caught Huffington’s trained eye. Tim noticed Huffington’s attention and nodded to him, shifting in discomfort at the scrutiny.
    “I’ve heard a lot of things in the last half hour, Father, and most of it doesn’t make sense at all. The imperials are saying that Paska and Tipos killed two marines, stole Flothrindel , and took Miss Cammy hostage.” The boy bit his lip again and shook his head. “I’ve known them for two years, Father. Paska and Tipos would never have done that.”
    “They didn’t, Tim.” Norris nodded to Huffington. “Show him the note.”
    Huffington retrieved the wrinkled paper and Tim took it. He watched the boy’s eyes widen as he read. When he had finished, Tim handed the note back, slowly nodding his head, his lips pursed in consternation. Not the reaction Huffington had expected. Tim’s next words surprised him even more.
    “This explains everything, Father.”
    “It does?” Norris’ voice cracked on the question.
    “It’s Hydra,” the boy said, staring first at his father, then at Huffington. “Don’t you see? Somehow the demon survived, and it’s possessed Camilla!”
    “Demon?” Huffington asked. “What demon?”
    “You’ve heard the stories about Bloodwind’s sorceress, Hydra?” Tim asked. They both nodded, having heard many rumors about the pirate captain and his vile creature. “Well, she wasn’t really a sorceress, but a witch. I mean a real witch, with a demon inside her that gave her magic. In the end, it killed her. Then Bloodwind and his pirates hacked it to bits and tossed it into the sea.”
    “Where did you hear this, Tim?” Norris interrupted, skepticism plain in his voice.
    “From Mistress Flaxal and Miss Cammy, Father. They were both there when it happened.” The incredulous look on the count’s face would have been humorous, Huffington thought, if not for the gravity of the subject. Tim continued, “Don’t you see, the demon must have survived somehow, then possessed Miss Cammy when she was down in Hydra’s lair. She says right in her letter that she was possessed by something. It explains what happened to the soldiers! She must have fed on them.”
    “ Fed on them?” Norris’ tone was flat, bordering on anger now. It looked like he was about to chastise Tim for having a wild imagination.
    “Tim,” Huffington interceded. “The marine I saw had not been eaten.”
    “No, not totally eaten,” Tim corrected. “Bloodwind’s witch used to drink blood for her magic. That’s why the demon killed her; she couldn’t get any more blood. I never saw it, but lots of the pirates talked about it. They said her mouth went all toothy and she’d rip a man’s throat out just like that!” Tim snapped his fingers, and Huffington watched Norris’ face go pale. He swiftly eased his master into a chair. “I’m sorry, Father, I…” Norris waved him away, staring into empty space for a moment, obviously overwhelmed.
    Huffington remembered the strange wound in the marine’s throat and suppressed a shiver. He also recalled the small, feminine footprint they had found; it had never crossed his mind to compare it to Camilla’s foot. “And