Chapter Twenty-Seven

A cart was waiting for them on the other bank of the river. The woman driver was a veritable termagant, middle-aged, wearing a long dress and ordering their two captors about to the disgust of Cedric, in particular.

“When I was plying my trade as a sailor there was a reason it was considered unlucky to have a female aboard,” he remarked to his mate, “and we ended up with three of them. Now this.” He spat over the side.

“I don’t need to cast a die to forecast you’ll be seeing the ship of the desert very soon,” the hag said as they concealed the boat as best they could.

“That is where I come in, “Sayed said.

Miriam wondered what they were talking about.

“Which one is the Princess?”

“I am,” Daphne said.

“Not as beautiful as I had been led to believe.”

“That’s because you’re looking at the wrong one,” Cedric pointed out. “We brought her since she was available, nothing more.”

“And this half-drowned creature?”

“Another bonus, you might say. She spent some time in the harem if you know what