Free The Unwilling Accomplice (Book 5) by Heidi Willard Page A

his staff at the eagle. Fred's eyes widened and he jumped on Ned's staff. "No!" he cried out.
    Hot flaming balls burst from Ned's staff and shot into the ground, scorching the grass and shattered the stones with their heat. Fred looked up and caught one last glimpse of Martley before she disappeared around the mountain. He breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe.
    Fred stumbled back onto the bench as the guards hurried up to them. The men looked at where the eagle had gone, and then to Ned. "Was that the intruder?" the guard asked Ned.
    "Indeed, and I fear you won't find her among the rocky holes in the cliff," Ned commented.
    "Not likely. Some of those caves can fit a group of men," the elven guard agreed. "But what was she here for? Did she tell you?" he wondered.
    Ned turned to Fred who held his head clasped in his hands. "Could we perhaps delay the questioning for another time? My apprentice isn't feeling well," he told them.
    The guard bowed his head. "Of course, Edwin. Whenever you please."
    Ned strode over and grasped Fred's shoulders. Fred agreed to be lifted and led past the guards and down the path to the stairs. He had other things to occupy his mind.

CHAPTER 10
     
    While Ned and Fred had their conversation with Martley, Percy retread the road they had taken from the port. He strode down the cart path and back to Captain Lee's ship. There was a large pile of bee boxes on the dock, two dozen in total, and Captain Lee himself stood beside his cargo.
    The captain turned at the sound of Percy's boots on the dock boards and smiled at the young man. "What can I do for you, young Percy?" he wondered.
    Percy's face was grave. "You know why I've come here," he returned.
    Captain Lee chuckled. "Perhaps I do, but wouldn't you want to speak it over a glass of ale? The elves aren't great at making liquor, but the imports that come off these ships are some of the finest in the world."
    "Very well," Percy grudgingly agreed.
    The captain threw his arm over Percy's shoulders and turned them toward the row of buildings along the peers. "Come, Percy, and let us enjoy the bountiful harvest that is the drink of Crutchen," the captain invited him.
    Percy smiled and bowed his head. "I am your student in the art of drinking," he returned.
    "Good, then let us to class!"
    The captain guided Percy to one of the bars, a building hardly better than a shack. There were a few front windows on both its ground and upper floors, but those were covered in dust from the cart traffic that passed by continuously. The paint was peeled from the wooden slats that made up the walls, and there was a worn sign above the centered door. It read The Wild Mermaid.
    "I'm surprised the elves allow such an establishment," Percy commented.
    "Ransan turns a blind eye when he takes a profit," Captain Lee explained. He led Percy inside, and the interior was as rough as the exterior.
    The walls were blackened with countless decades of smoke, and the round tables were covered in grimy clothes. The single room was poorly lit with candles, and the captain took a table in a corner so dark Percy had trouble finding a chair. He fumbled for the top of a chair and seated himself, but his stiff manner showed he wasn't looking forward to this conversation.
    The captain leaned back in his own chair and chuckled. "You're as tense as a freshly-hewn board. I won't tell your secret to anyone," he promised.
    "My secret?" Percy questioned him.
    The captain nodded. "That you have done more than touch the Region Stones. Even now you have several pieces of different stones on your person. I can feel their power pulsing around you," the captain told him.
    Percy's lips pursed together and he leaned away from the man. "And what might I have to trade for this secret keeping?"
    "Your allegiance, as your father did before you," the captain replied.
    "My father? What do you know of him?" Percy asked him.
    The captain smirked and set his hand on the table. The ring on his finger glistened even in