Vega- Kidnapping

“Let’s drink to it,” suggested Captain Cane, raising his goblet. The three of them downed their mulled wines and clattered the wooden cups into one another.

“What time do we sail?” asked Hector.

“At sunup,” said the sea captain. “I have some further provisions to secure for the journey—bread, spices, fruit—but we’ll be at sea with the sun at our backs.”

Drew leaned back in his chair, edging closer to the fire and the warmth it was throwing out. He’d leave the rest of the conversation to Hector for the evening. He wasn’t happy about the choice of passage, but it was passage nonetheless, and beggars couldn’t be choosers. His body still ached with the exertions of recent weeks, and he wasn’t yet fully recovered from Vala’s venom. He could feel sleep approaching fast.

“I say again, it’s a great shame the lady can’t join us on this journey,” said Captain Cane, withdrawing a cigar from a pocket within his cape and lighting it swiftly with a match. “It would have made for a far more pleasant journey with such an unusual lady on board.”

Drew turned his head to look at the man, and noticed that Hector was also slumping in his own chair, head lolling as his temple drew ever closer to the table top.

“What’s the name again?” said the sea captain, scratching his chin with a hooked thumb. “Gretchen, isn’t it? Such an enchanting creature.”

Drew’s mind went blurry and he tried desperately to focus his thoughts.  He stared at the empty goblets and then to his drowsy friend.

Cane leaned forward and patted Hector’s right hand, stroking an elegant finger over the signet ring with the boar’s head.

“Which would make you, my portly young friend, Hector, would it not?” Hector’s head slumped with a thump onto the tabletop.

Drew couldn’t keep his eyes open. Though he fought the oncoming sleep with all his might, he couldn’t resist the power of whatever sedative the captain had used to lace their drinks. He had just time to see Cane lean in closer, blowing smoke into his face.

“And you . . . would be the Wolf.”

B1 P5 C2