The Undead Hordes of Kan-Gul Read Free Page A

evil magic.”
    “You believe it?”
    Neviah frowned as she slid the knife back into its sheath. “I believe it enough to want to avoid the land and anything to do with Kan-Gul.”
    The ship lolled to one side, and Ran’s stomach rolled with it. He swallowed quickly and tried to concentrate on dispelling his nausea. “I need some air.”
    He climbed topside and was immediately drenched as a wave crashed over the bow of the ship. Ran sputtered and stumbled toward the rail and spat the salt water out of his mouth. Still, the cold water refreshed him.
    A full day had passed, and dawn was close. The dark clouds overhead were lighter toward the heaving horizon. Malkyr stood by the tiller, and Ran wondered if the captain had even slept. Another wave crashed over him, and Ran steadied himself, watching the roiling seas, and he forgot his queasiness for a moment.
    Mostly because he’d noticed something moving out of flow with the surging waves.
    “Malkyr?”
    “What is it?”
    “I’ve heard stories of creatures that live in the seas. Have you ever seen them?”
    Malkyr laughed. “There are things that swim in these waters that will eat you in one gulp, my boy. Huge, dangerous beasts that don’t care if you have a sword on your hip or not.” He paused. “Why do you ask?”
    Ran pointed just as the ship rose on another swell. “There appears to be something following us. Just under the surface.”
    “Probably a pod of dolphin,” said Malkyr.
    But Ran heard the uncertainty in his voice and saw a ripple of concern crease his forehead. Malkyr turned and barked an order to his first mate in the strange tongue that the seafarers used. Ran didn’t understand the language—if you could even call the short, guttural utterance that—but he understood that Malkyr was concerned enough to order the first mate to stand ready with a large harpoon. Even as the storm clouds drew closer to the ship, the polished, folded-steel tip of the harpoon gleamed like an eye, searching for prey.
    The first mate hefted the harpoon with scarred, tanned arms. A broken nose jutted out from under his brow, but his eyes were keen as they searched the waters around the ship. He said nothing to the captain but stood ready to hurl the giant spear.
    The fingers of Ran’s left hand rested just below the guard of his sword. Normal warriors in his country often used their thumbs to ease the blade forward in its scabbard. But Shinobujin preferred using their index fingers underneath to accomplish the same motion. It often gave them the barest moment of advantage. In battle, you took whatever advantage you could get. Ran wasn’t sure how effective the edge of his folded steel sword would be against a leviathan from the deep, but he felt a measure of confidence anyway.
    “Are you certain you saw something?” asked Malkyr.
    Ran kept his eyes on the churning swells. “I did. It moved out of time with the flow of the water around us. We are definitely being stalked.”
    Malkyr grunted and aimed the bow of the ship into another wave, keeping a firm hand as he fought to keep the Aqaria from turning and taking a potentially mortal wave broadside. Ran was grateful for his experience. He wouldn’t have wanted to go overboard in seas like this, regardless of the beast stalking the depths below them.
    A sudden boom overhead tore open the skies, and rain dropped down in sheets. Ran heard Malkyr laughing and found the man’s behavior strange. “How can you find this funny?”
    Malkyr pointed at the heavens. “The gods love to make the lives of mortals miserable. This weather, these waves, and even now the presence of some watery behemoth . . . But I’ll show them. Never let them see the fear that threatens to squeeze your heart. I’ll face whatever they throw at me. And more.” He shook a fist at the sky as more thunder roared. “You can’t kill me!”
    Ran’s frown deepened. He wasn’t certain what the gods might or might not have to do with his present