Vampirates 3: Blood Captain Read Online Free PDF Page B

asked.
    “Something wet and furry just ran past me,” Shanti said. “Didn’t you feel it?”
    “No,” said Lorcan, unable to keep a note of amusement out of his voice.
    “Oh, yes,” Shanti said. “It’s very funny, isn’t it? Climbing up a mountain path so dark we can’t see a step ahead of us, with wild beasts running among us.” Her voice was spiraling higher and higher into hysterics.
    “There, there,” said Lorcan, calmly. “Don’t trouble yourself, Shanti. If you did feel a wild creature, remember that this mountain is their home. I reckon it only came out to take a look . . .”
    “ This time,” Shanti said. “Next time, it might attack.”
    “It was probably just confused,” Lorcan said. “On account of your coat.”
    He couldn’t restrain a laugh. Grace tried to resist joining in, but failed.
    “Yes, yes,” Shanti said. “You two have your joke. You enjoy yourselves. But you’ll see that I’m right. This journey will be the death of us.” She paused, then continued even more pointedly. “Those of us who aren’t dead already.”
    Her words echoed around them, turning the mood dark once more, reverberating in the chill night air. It had grown colder, Grace noticed. At first, she had thought she was simply becoming better at dodging the low-hanging branches, but now she realized that the vegetation was growing sparser on either side. They were moving into a more exposed area.
    She noticed too how the path was steadily becoming steeper, requiring more effort to climb. Her legs were feeling the strain. It had been a long time since she’d embarked on physical activity on this scale. If only I’d gone on the morning runs at Pirate Academy, she thought wryly. Looking ahead, she saw the captain had come to a stop. Why? She wondered if he was finding it difficult, too. She caught up with him and waited for the others.
    “The path grows steeper here,” the captain warned. Saying no more, he began walking on. The others followed. As the path turned, a shaft of moonlight illuminated the mountainside.
    Shanti gave a small cry. Grace just shook her head. The light was meager, but it showed the path continuing right up the mountain on a cliff face so steep that the track had to zigzag back and forth. The path was cut into the rock and was barely a footstep wide, with a perilous drop.
    “He cannot be serious,” Shanti moaned.
    “Is it bad?” Lorcan asked.
    “It’s steep,” Grace said, looking up at the sheer, exposed rock-face. Her own heart was beating fast. She was okay with heights — unlike her brother — but this was something else. She had to agree with Shanti. This challenge could well be beyond them. And yet she had absolute faith in the captain. She couldn’t believe he would have led them here to fail.
    “It is steep,” Grace repeated, “but we can do it. We’ll just have to be very careful.”
    “It’s a sheer drop!” Shanti said. “And the wind’s getting up, too. Can’t you feel how cold it is? My face is numb.”
    Grace didn’t think it would be helpful to point out to Shanti that as she was the only one dressed in fur, the others were feeling even colder.
    “We can make it,” she said instead. “The captain wouldn’t be leading us this way if he thought we’d fail.” Her words were gentle but firm. She looked ahead, realizing that the lights from the captain’s cape were now growing faint. She wondered why he had walked on so far ahead of them. Why didn’t he stay to help them?
    “Come on,” she said. “We can do this. Lorcan, do you want us to hold on to you or would you rather walk alone?”
    “Let’s try to carry on as we are for the moment,” he said. “If I need you to guide me, I’ll say.”
    “All right, then,” Grace said, turning to Shanti. “Do you want to lead for a bit?”
    “ Lead? ” Shanti seemed surprised.
    “Yes,” Grace said. “One of us needs to go ahead of Lorcan and one behind. Which would you prefer?”
    Shanti shook