Read Queen of the Savages - Complete for Free Online Page B

"It takes one to know one."
    A look of rage flashed across Hal's face. He raised his hand to smack Tracy, but Tul grabbed his arm.
    "Watch it. Don't damage the merchandise," he said.
    Halc reluctantly dropped his hand while glaring at Tul.
    Tul stroked his beard. "Facts is facts. The captain, rest his black-hearted soul, is dead, but business needs to be done. Lock her in the brig while I handle the exchange for the tracker."
    "Who died and made you captain?" complained Halc.
    "Idiot! The captain did. I am the first mate. Well, I was until this terrible tragedy happened." Tul grinned. He didn't seem too broken up about his promotion.
    "You can't be captain until the crew approves it," Halc whined.
    "Until then, let's lock the female in the brig."
    "Wait a second," said Halc, his face brightening. "Maybe Zywth will want her too. This way we can get more money. And we won't need to share it with anyone because no one else will know about it."
    "We can sell her ourselves later."
    "Yeah, but until then we'd have to feed her. You remember what Kor said about feeding extra people."
    Tul started pacing the room, thinking about what to do.
    Tracy was rapidly becoming more alarmed at the turn of the conversation. Being stuck on this ship was bad, but at least it was a known problem, and she thought she might be able to outwit these guys. She had no idea who they were thinking about selling her to. If her new handlers were intelligent, she was going to have a more difficult time escaping.
    Watching these two pirates discuss her fate like she was a piece of meat was the last straw.
    She looked at Tul carefully as he walked closer to her. A laser pistol hung from his hip. It stuck out from the impossibly large beard hanging over his body. Tracy eyed the pistol as the hairy, gnome-sized man moved closer to her.
    She carefully slipped out one wrist from the loops holding her wrists, eyeing the distance between her and the weapon. If he got close enough, she'd grab that pistol. She didn't know what she'd do after that. Hopefully she would be able to figure out how to fire it.
    "What is going on here?"
    A rough, deep voice broke her concentration, and her head turned to the source of the disruption.
    In the doorway of the cabin stood a tall, dark man, his skin a shade of blue. His eyes and lips were black as coal. He wore a jacket and slacks that looked to be black leather, though there was a pattern in the leather that reminded Tracy of snakeskin.
    Tracy felt queasy.
    "Zywth!" said Tul. "We've been waiting for you!" His voice trembled.
    "What is all this?" Zywth stepped through the threshold and entered the room. Tracy caught sight of a powerful green man entering behind him.
    For a second, Tracy's heart lifted, thinking that this was Rev. While his face bore a resemblance to Rev's, there were obvious differences. His nose was a little crooked. Perhaps it had been broken in the past and never set properly. He was also thinner. They were both the same shade of green, though. Probably a Kerdim, like Rev.
    "We found the captain like this." Tul stammered.
    Zywth stood over the body of the pirate captain. He glanced over to the Jer'hym's cage.
    "It's a shame about the Jer'hym. I definitely could have found a use for him, possibly even a buyer. Well, get your men together. Tell them to pack what they need. We'll be leaving here in thirty minutes."
    "Who says? I'm captain now," said Tul.
    Zywth bore down on Tul immediately and slapped him so hard that he stumbled.
    "I'm doing you a favor by allowing you to join my crew. Don't abuse my generosity. I can get disagreeable quickly if my good nature is unappreciated."
    Tul swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."
    The green man had been staring at Tracy the whole time.
    "And what's this?" he growled.
    "The tracker's mate," squeaked Tul.
    Bending toward Tracy, the green Kerdim male drew in a deep breath. His expression was unreadable. Suddenly he hauled her to her feet and untied her ankles. He removed the bindings