Chapter 2 – Part 5

Thomas’ mind cleared as soon as the fiendish harpy’s song became a screech of pain. Arrows pierced its flesh in wet thunks, some of them throwing up bursts of fire or electricity as they hit.

Thomas turned and pulled, kicking his feet as hard as he could while maintaining his grip on the changeling. He could make it, if he kept moving. Delegado was giving them cover.

The harpies wheeled and screeched, and flew toward the ship where the half-orc was firing upon them from. Two never made it, falling from mortal arrow wounds into the cold sea.

The third bore down on Delegado and began to sing. Thomas saw the half-orc hesitate for second, then put an arrow through the demon-bird-woman’s forehead.

When the last fiendish harpy had fallen, Delegado dropped his longbow and grabbed the rope holding Thomas and Ois. The half-daelkyr felt the rope surge forward.

If you would but follow your father, you could have an army of orcs, pulling whatever you desired, came the thoughts of the stormstalk. It became loudest when his own body became weakest.

Delegado helps me without me having to grovel for his approval, Thomas thought fiercely.

Delegado helps his changeling woman, the stormstalk noted slyly. The woman you followed, thinking that if a monstrous bugbear can gain forgiveness then so can you.

To that, Thomas had no answer. When he finally cleared the railing of the ship, Delegado would take the half-daelkyr’s gritted teeth to be due to the cold.