Maddie was able to get a ride on a small boat heading down the coast. It would pass through Caer Lug in a few days. She spent her time trying to figure out Tereus’s plan. He wanted war between the Britons and the Picts, that was clear. But to what end? Pressure from the north might distract the Britons, but there were still a lot of pieces she was lacking. She was also disappointed that her knowledge of the pirates’ target hadn't really gained her any insight.

It was on the third day,in the dead of night, that the pirates attacked.

Maddie woke to the *twang* of bowstrings and the *thunk* of crossbows. Immediately awake, she grabbed her blade and snuck toward the stairs to the deck. She stopped to listen when she got to the stairs. No clashing of weapons, no shouts. That meant that whatever ship they were firing at hadn't boarded yet.

The small ship was at a disadvantage. It was a small cargo ship that more often acted as a ferry, following the coastline rather than going out into deeper waters. They had neither heavy weapons nor the skill to resist a well-armed boarding party. The only advantage they had was Maddie.

The ship rocked as something crashed into the side. Probably a ship-mounted ballista. Abandoning all stealth, maddie rushed through the door.

The deck was lit with lanterns. Sailors ran around in a panic. Rather than bother controlling them, the captain -- a slightly grizzled older man whose no-nonsense demeanor had impressed Maddie -- was ordering the sailors who could shoot to target the opposing force as much as possible. A few men rushed to get weapons -- mostly worn-out swords and time-dulled spears.

The other ship was complete darkness. There was no moon and it had no lanterns lit. Even with her enhanced night-vision it looked like a big black shadow to Maddie.

But shadows were her speciality.

She stepped across the space between the ship, no exact destination in mind. A bit risky, but necessary. As soon as she hit the void things changed.

Instead of the dark of night, she was now in a world of grey. She could see the outlines of the ships as if they were drawn in charcoal. More importantly, she could see the outlines of the sailors.

Boarding hooks at the ready, the sailors of the opposing ship were well-armed and wore leather cuirasses. A line of crossbowmen stood in the back. The largest ballista Maddie had ever seen mounted on a ship was preparing to fire another shot. Judging from the angle and where the other bolt had hit, they were trying to sink the small cargo ship. Since any cargo would be lost, it was a strange motive for pirates.

Maddie finished her step next to the ballista. With one quick swipe she sliced the bolt and the mechanism in half. With another she sliced the pirates operating it in half. She turned away and ran at the line of crossbows. The weapons all hit the deck along with the bodies of their wielders. Once she had reached the end of the line shrugged vaulted to the upper deck where she had seen the captain. She appeared behind him and put the flat of her blade to his neck.

“Who are you and why are you trying to sink my ship?”

“I was hired to,” he grunted, completely ignoring her first question. His name was unimportant, however, so she let it go.

“Hired by whom?”

“I don't know his name, but he had a pin with a weird gorgon head. He told me to sink this ship with everyone on board. Told me that something dangerous was on board and that I should use all the force I could. And he gave me that giant ballista, said it could put a small ship like yours at the bottom of the sea with a few hits.

Maddie cut the captain and his men down without even thinking about it. She wove a deadly dance as she stepped from shadow to shadow, every strike a hit and every hit a death-blow. She spent the time thinking about the captain's words. The Gorgoneion identified the contract-holder as an agent of Tereus. But we're there any clues as to who it might be? Tereus himself, or a rogue element within the Army of Mars? She should have asked the captain for a more thorough description of the man before she killed him. But she hadn't though of it. Good thing she was an assassin and not a spy. She would make a terrible spy.

A few minutes later she appeared in front of the captain of the small vessel. The pirate ship had begun to list, sinking into the sea. Maddie was becoming quite good at sinking ships, apparently. Perhaps it was a new calling, though probably not as in demand as her current occupation.

The captain was wide-eyed as he looked at her and the destruction she had wrought.

“There you go, captain. Wake me if there are any more problems.”

She went down the stairs to her cramped bunk, made even more cramped by the remains of the ballista that she had surreptitiously removed from the other ship. Placing her sword carefully next to her, she went back to sleep.