Mastery Is Earned

Raymond and Mara helped Henk onto the boat. Then, following Raymond’s directions, they rowed around to the reed-covered side of the island.

Since Henk was injured, Raymond moored the boat beside the reeds and helped him into the cover along the shore, where he could rest out of sight and avoid any fishfolk that might attack. Raymond and Mara then retraced Raymond’s earlier route to the cave to recover the valuable cargo.

“What exactly is going on between you and Henk? Why are the two of you so close?” Mara asked along the way.

Raymond glanced at her. “What? You can already tell we’re close?”

“I’m not blind. I can see it.” Mara pointed at her eyes. “I’ve never seen a human treat a half-orc so well.”

Raymond sighed. “Have you considered that you might simply have met too few humans? And I don’t like the way you put that. I consider half-orcs part of humanity. Saying things like that only creates a divide between us.”

“Is that so?” Mara asked dismissively. “Do you truly believe you’re the same kind as us?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” Raymond replied with a smile.

Mara studied him seriously, then lowered her head. “Maybe that’s what you believe, but other people don’t think that way. My mother always told me to be careful around humans. She said humans were the most cunning of all.”

Raymond had no intention of continuing the subject. After a brief silence, he asked, “I’m curious. Why didn’t you help Bram and Ned?”

“Why would I help them?” Mara asked, plainly baffled.

Raymond found himself momentarily at a loss. After thinking about it, he said, “They were your companions, weren’t they? Wouldn’t helping them have been the natural thing to do?”

“Henk was my companion too. By that reasoning, I should have helped him.” Mara tilted her head.

Raymond smiled and shook his head. “When you put it that way, I suppose you’re right.”

Mara sighed, sounding troubled. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to do, so I helped neither side. And to tell you the truth, even though they were half-orcs, I never really liked either of them. Maybe they’d spent too much time around humans.”

“Come to think of it, I never did learn much about them.” Raymond rubbed his chin. “You and Henk are both half-orcs from the north. Bram and Ned were half-orcs too, but they didn’t seem much like either of you.”

Mara nodded. “You’re right. They were half-orcs, but they grew up in the south. I don’t know much more than that. Neither of them was willing to talk about his past.”

Raymond did not dwell on the histories of two dead men. He had only started the conversation with Mara to ease the awkward atmosphere between them.

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Perhaps because the fishfolk leader had been defeated, Raymond and Mara reached the cave without encountering any more fishfolk or other danger.

“Is he dead?” Mara asked, giving Teddy’s body a kick where it lay outside the cave.

Raymond nodded. “I made sure of it.”

“What a shame.” Mara crouched down and began searching Teddy’s body.

Raymond pulled out a small coin purse and shook it. “Don’t bother. I already took all their money.”

“You’re devious.” Mara curled her lip. “After lecturing me, you turn out to be no different.”

Raymond did not argue. “Forget about him. Let’s go inside. We still have things to carry out. Keep your weapon ready and be careful. I don’t know whether any other fishfolk have returned to the cave.”

Mara casually drew a shortsword from her belt and gave Raymond an impatient look. “Stop ordering me around. I’m not one of your subordinates. And what exactly are we supposed to be carrying?”

“I’m not ordering you around. I’m only telling you to be careful.” Raymond sighed helplessly. “And I don’t know what they are either.”

“You don’t even know what they are, and you still brought me here to carry them?”

“Whatever they are, they’re definitely valuable,” Raymond said with certainty. “Don’t worry. You’ll receive a share of this cargo. If we manage to sell it, I’ll give you part of the money. If we can’t, I’ll pay you something extra myself.”

“Why?”

“Because you deserve it, Mara,” Raymond said seriously. “You’re the only one who didn’t betray us.”

His words made Mara uncomfortable. She shrugged and tried to sound unconcerned. “It’s fine. We’re all here to make money anyway. The payment for this job is already gone, so I certainly won’t complain if you’re willing to make up some of it.”

They entered the cave together as they spoke. Just as before, the interior was dark except for the faint light given off by the glowing plants.

The goods had been separated by type and stored in different parts of the cave. Raymond led Mara to the left side, where the ground was highest. Most of the things kept there were miscellaneous items of little immediate use.

There was woolen and linen cloth already stained with mud, along with spices, medicinal herbs, and dyes stored in small jars. A chest held pottery, cups, and other assorted objects. Three crates wrapped in several layers and tightly sealed with wax stood out among all the clutter.

The three crates were identical in size, timber, and clasps. Each had also been wrapped in oilcloth bearing a prominent emblem, and every seam had been filled with wax to seal out moisture. Whatever they contained was clearly no ordinary cargo.

Each crate weighed more than thirty pounds. Lifting one was difficult, but still manageable. Their only real problem was their size, which made it impossible for one person to carry two at once. If Raymond and Mara each took one, they would have to return for the third. With fishfolk possibly still on the island, Raymond did not want to waste that much time.

Each crate had ropes attached for carrying. Raymond and Mara bound the three crates tightly together side by side, then found a thick wooden pole and slid it beneath the ropes.

Before they left, Mara strapped all the small jars of spices, medicinal herbs, and dyes around her body, apparently intending to take them as well.

“What are you looking at? These are mine. If you want something, find it yourself,” Mara growled when she noticed Raymond watching her.

Raymond smiled without answering and merely pointed at the three crates. “These are worth far more than your little jars. Don’t forget, they’re worth at least five gold coins. Ready?”

“You don’t need to ask.”

They lifted the pole between them, one at either end, and carried all three crates at once. The crates were much heavier than they looked, but the two of them could just manage the load.

Halfway to the entrance, Mara suddenly turned and looked down at the bodies of Derek and the others. “You’re more capable than you look. Did you kill all of them by yourself?”

Raymond looked at the corpses below with a complicated expression and sighed. “It isn’t something worth boasting about.”

“Did the two of you anger someone? Why were all of them bribed to betray you?” Mara asked curiously.

“Maybe we crossed the wrong people,” Raymond murmured, his head lowered. “Or maybe they crossed the wrong people.”