Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 by Galvin, Aaron (read 50 shades of grey .TXT) 📕

day. The last she had seen of Garrett, the two of them had been with Owens when they all entered New Pearlaya together. All to find Makeda awaiting within to collect Sydney’s two former classmates and force them into service of the Painted Guard.

Sydney looked over to the Orc cages then, studying their faces once more as if she might have missed seeing Garrett among them. A part of her craved seeing him there, if only because it would prove that he too was still alive for the moment.

But, as with her brother, Jun, her Silkie friend, Ellie, and so many others from home and those Sydney had come to know beneath the waves, Garrett Weaver was not among the prisoners.

Sydney clung to their absences as a sliver of hope when Malik Blackfin shouted the crowds to quite once more.

“So,” he continued his inquiry of Jack Mayfield and Amelia. “Your daughter traveled here with both the princess and the son of another traitor—”

“My dad’s not a traitor!” Owens interrupted, shouting from the cage that held him. “He’s as loyal a soldier as you’ll ever find! He’d take down any of you fools in a fair fight too!”

Sydney’s breath caught in her throat as Solomon rushed to the cage, his hand already reaching for his sword.

“Peace, Solomon,” Malik called him down. “The boy clearly does not understand the severity of his situation.”

Owens would not be silenced. “I know you’re the real traitor,” he said to Malik. “And your sister here, Makeda? She’s the real Orc leader! She’s only in chains because you and your Violovar betrayed her and everyone else in this city!”

A murmur went through the crowd, and was quickly silenced with a look from Malik Blackfin.

“Are you quite finished, boy?” he asked of Owens, then.

“Nah, man,” said Owens. “I got loads to say.”

“Good,” said Malik. “For your time will come. As will justice for the claims against my sister and your father too. Perhaps that justice will fall even sooner for all of you, if you dare to interrupt me again, boy. In truth, if it were left to my decision, justice would fall to each of you this very day. For as I look upon the faces here, I know most for oath-breakers. All pathetic souls who swore to leave the Salt and never return. That each of you still lives comes only from the king’s mercy.” He glared at Owens. “But this is still a royal trial. Whether innocent or guilty to the charged crimes, any who think to speak out of line again will pay the consequences for disruption.”

Just shut up, Owens. Sydney thought, her gaze pleading with him.

Another spoke up for all those quieted by the Blackfin’s threat.

Her haggard voice came from one of the other prisoner cages, but her tongue was sharp as ever. “Disruption . . .” Ms. Morgan steadied herself against the bars, then pointed a bony finger in the Blackfin’s direction. “That’s a funny word from the likes of you, boy.”

All hint of former amusement dropped from the face of Malik Blackfin then, his lip curling at the slight.

Sydney heard her mother speak for the first time too, Nattie Gao calling out to the Tiber High School vice principal. “Morgan . . .” the queen’s voice cracked. “Don’t. Please.”

“Aye.” Malik glared at the elderly prisoner. “Listen to your queen, hag. Perhaps whatever vision remains to you in that poor excuse for an eye clouds your judgement, but I will not tolerate—”

“No, you’ll not tolerate much, will you?” Ms. Morgan asked, barking a laugh. “You’re the Blackfin - feared by all throughout the five oceans and beyond.” She waved a shackled hand as if warding off a passing butterfly. “Aye, or so most of those here tell me.”

Malik snorted. “You would be wise to heed them, hag.”

“Might be I should.” Ms. Morgan looked on him squarely, just as Sydney had seen her do to thousands of students before him. “But I’ve been ashore too long now to care for fanciful Salt stories of little bullies like you.”

Malik Blackfin laughed at that, long and loud. He marched over to the cage that his shadow might envelope the smaller prisoner. “You call me little?”

“I did,” Ms. Morgan answered, staring up at him. “And it was you who mistook me, boy, if you thought by throwing me in these cages that I would be the one to keep my silence in such matters and lies as these.” She grunted. “So, perhaps it’s you that’s blind, Blackfin. Either that, or else you’ve not got the brains to recognize a simple truth when it’s staring you straight in the eyes.”

Malik clucked his tongue. “Admittedly, it’s difficult for me to tell where you are looking, crone.” He chuckled to himself before glancing away. “Solomon . . .”

“Aye, m’lord?”

“Bring her out,” he ordered. “It seems this . . . Merrow hag . . . is more than eager to testify.”

No. Sydney thought when Solomon quickly obeyed, waving forth an Orc to bring him keys to unlock the cage.

Again, Nattie Gao called out from her position. “Malik, please. She’s old and doesn’t know what she says.”

Ms. Morgan scoffed. “Many thanks, my queen,” she said as Solomon laid hands on her. “But I know well and good what I’m on about. Same as what these here are on about too. What this sham of a trial really is and means for you and our people.” Ms. Morgan jerked her chin toward the silent crowds. “High time the rest of these watching come to understand what’ll be their fates too, if they keep to such silence.”

Sydney’s pulse quickened as Solomon brought Ms. Morgan out and stood her before his leader.

Malik Blackfin looked upon her like an inquisitive dog determining whether something was food or a toy. “And what are you on about, hag? What is this truth you desire to speak?”

“Same as you claim to share,” said Ms. Morgan, her voice strengthening that all might hear her scorn of him. “But I