that hideous scheming witch, Leonora—'
'I've warned you, don't call her that!'
'And suddenly you're completely besotted with her , a woman who would happily slice your head from your shoulders if she could only get within striking distance. A fine sweetheart she makes!'
'I appreciate she's not perfect, but—'
'And finally, to cap it all, you've got what must be the only female captain in Ramalat going all weak at the knees over you. I suppose it's only a matter of time before you fall for her charms!'
'That's nonsense. Me and Jenna Swift? I can't think of a more unlikely partnership. I mean, she wears men's clothes, for goodness' sake! All right, she's quite good looking, I suppose . . .'
Cornelius shook his head and buried his face in his hands. 'We are most definitely in trouble,' he concluded. 'If you've noticed that much about her, the rest is sure to follow.'
'No, I assure you, the only woman who occupies my mind is Leonora.'
Cornelius groaned. 'Perfect,' he said. 'The one who wants you dead is the one you'd give your heart to. Sebastian, you are the absolute limit!'
'Oh, now, don't be like that.' Sebastian left his place at the window and came to sit at the table opposite his friend. 'Come on, Cornelius, you must have been through similar times yourself.'
'You are joking. When it comes to matters of the heart, nobody in the world has had similar times to you. You're a . . . serial romancer!'
'I'll take that as a compliment. But . . . there must have been young ladies in Golmira when you were a young man. Little ladies. You're not telling me you didn't fall for any of them?'
Cornelius sat up straight in his seat and smiled wistfully. 'There were plenty of young ladies in Golmira. It's famed for the beauty of its women. But there was only one who I ever really cared about.'
'Ah-ha!' Sebastian clapped his hands triumphantly. 'And what happened to her?'
Cornelius's smile faded. 'She married somebody else. A rich merchant, if you must know. So I enlisted in the army and since then I haven't so much as looked at another woman. And do you know what, Sebastian? I've been happy. Romance is an unnecessary complication. You're better off without it.'
Sebastian thought about that for a moment. 'Perhaps you're right,' he said. 'But what can I do? I'm under an enchantment. And until I find a way to shrug it off, I must accept what my heart tells me is true.'
Cornelius gave a loud tut of annoyance and went back to counting his coins. 'You're a hopeless case,' he said.
'Maybe,' admitted Sebastian. He got up and walked back to the window, where he stood gazing out over the great restless sweep of the ocean, shimmering like a carpet of precious jewels in the moonlight. Amidst the other points of light, two glittering jewels seemed to stand out from the rest, burning with a powerful tawny glow.
PART TWO
C HAPTER 13
THE SEA WITCH
Sebastian and Cornelius were at the quayside as the first light of morning began to colour the eastern horizon. They were leading a very sorry-looking Max, who had quite clearly endured a restless night.
'My poor head!' he groaned. 'Which one of you insisted on me drinking that second bucket of ale?'
'Neither of us,' said Sebastian, not without a certain sense of satisfaction. 'That was all your idea.'
'I'm nauseous, I tell you! I've spent the entire night groaning in my stall. And that ostler wasn't very sympathetic either. Kept telling me to belt up!'
Cornelius gave Max a suspicious look. 'I hope you didn't tell him anything you shouldn't have,' he growled.
'Of course not! I was too sick to form actual words. Fine friends you two turned out to be, allowing me to get into such a state!'
'You're an adult,' Sebastian reminded him. 'It's up to you to exercise control. You've never drunk ale before and do you take it easy? Oh no. You drink two bucketfuls!' He glanced at Cornelius. 'I suppose we should have warned
'I've warned you, don't call her that!'
'And suddenly you're completely besotted with her , a woman who would happily slice your head from your shoulders if she could only get within striking distance. A fine sweetheart she makes!'
'I appreciate she's not perfect, but—'
'And finally, to cap it all, you've got what must be the only female captain in Ramalat going all weak at the knees over you. I suppose it's only a matter of time before you fall for her charms!'
'That's nonsense. Me and Jenna Swift? I can't think of a more unlikely partnership. I mean, she wears men's clothes, for goodness' sake! All right, she's quite good looking, I suppose . . .'
Cornelius shook his head and buried his face in his hands. 'We are most definitely in trouble,' he concluded. 'If you've noticed that much about her, the rest is sure to follow.'
'No, I assure you, the only woman who occupies my mind is Leonora.'
Cornelius groaned. 'Perfect,' he said. 'The one who wants you dead is the one you'd give your heart to. Sebastian, you are the absolute limit!'
'Oh, now, don't be like that.' Sebastian left his place at the window and came to sit at the table opposite his friend. 'Come on, Cornelius, you must have been through similar times yourself.'
'You are joking. When it comes to matters of the heart, nobody in the world has had similar times to you. You're a . . . serial romancer!'
'I'll take that as a compliment. But . . . there must have been young ladies in Golmira when you were a young man. Little ladies. You're not telling me you didn't fall for any of them?'
Cornelius sat up straight in his seat and smiled wistfully. 'There were plenty of young ladies in Golmira. It's famed for the beauty of its women. But there was only one who I ever really cared about.'
'Ah-ha!' Sebastian clapped his hands triumphantly. 'And what happened to her?'
Cornelius's smile faded. 'She married somebody else. A rich merchant, if you must know. So I enlisted in the army and since then I haven't so much as looked at another woman. And do you know what, Sebastian? I've been happy. Romance is an unnecessary complication. You're better off without it.'
Sebastian thought about that for a moment. 'Perhaps you're right,' he said. 'But what can I do? I'm under an enchantment. And until I find a way to shrug it off, I must accept what my heart tells me is true.'
Cornelius gave a loud tut of annoyance and went back to counting his coins. 'You're a hopeless case,' he said.
'Maybe,' admitted Sebastian. He got up and walked back to the window, where he stood gazing out over the great restless sweep of the ocean, shimmering like a carpet of precious jewels in the moonlight. Amidst the other points of light, two glittering jewels seemed to stand out from the rest, burning with a powerful tawny glow.
PART TWO
C HAPTER 13
THE SEA WITCH
Sebastian and Cornelius were at the quayside as the first light of morning began to colour the eastern horizon. They were leading a very sorry-looking Max, who had quite clearly endured a restless night.
'My poor head!' he groaned. 'Which one of you insisted on me drinking that second bucket of ale?'
'Neither of us,' said Sebastian, not without a certain sense of satisfaction. 'That was all your idea.'
'I'm nauseous, I tell you! I've spent the entire night groaning in my stall. And that ostler wasn't very sympathetic either. Kept telling me to belt up!'
Cornelius gave Max a suspicious look. 'I hope you didn't tell him anything you shouldn't have,' he growled.
'Of course not! I was too sick to form actual words. Fine friends you two turned out to be, allowing me to get into such a state!'
'You're an adult,' Sebastian reminded him. 'It's up to you to exercise control. You've never drunk ale before and do you take it easy? Oh no. You drink two bucketfuls!' He glanced at Cornelius. 'I suppose we should have warned
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