"Take the helm!" Kira ordered Jason, crouching and looking for targets. The rifles fired again, old-style Mechanics Guild repeaters by the sound of them. The same weapons which had once almost killed her mother. Fortunately, many of the surviving models were old and not very accurate. The muzzle flashes illuminated perhaps ten figures rushing into the water and splashing toward them as the bullets tore more splinters from the hull of the small boat. "Get us away from here!"

Chapter 14

Jason dove to the tiller, grabbing it and swinging it hard to port. The sail fluttered as the boat swung, losing speed in the turn. It caught again, the boat moving away from the shore.

Then most of the boom disappeared, leaving the sail fluttering uselessly.

Kira searched for the Mage responsible, but couldn't see anything in the dark. She wasn't sure why, but she felt reluctant to strain too much to spot the Mage's spell as she had at the entrance to the sally port.

More shots thundered from the shore, ripping holes in the side of the boat. Two hands grasped the edge of the boat and a man reared up, a dagger clutched in his teeth. Kira kept her balance as the boat rocked, aiming a kick at his face that knocked the man back into the water. Another hand grasped at the stern sheet. Jason picked up the owner's dropped knife and jabbed at the hand, drawing a howl of pain. The hand fell away.

"Jason! Have you ever rowed a boat?"

"Uh, no. Not for real. But I watched them rowing earlier today, and I was a galley slave a few times in the Roma Imperia historical immersive massive group simulation so I think I remember how it's supposed to be done."

"What? Never mind! We're slowing down. Just get the oars in place and start rowing! If we don't get out of here they'll swamp us." On the heels of her words a woman rolled up over the side of the boat, coming to a crouch on the deck just in time to catch Kira's boot on her jaw. Kira followed up with a punch that hurled the woman out of the boat. "Move it, Jason!"

"I'm moving! I'm moving!"

She caught glimpses of Jason fumbling with the oars as he set them into the oarlocks, then Kira spun and fired at another hand grasping the bow. Splinters flew near it and the hand dropped away.

The boom finally reappeared, but the bottom of the sail was no longer attached and continued to flap uselessly.

A man heaved himself up near Jason, who was trying to set the second oar in place. Jason twisted, swinging one end of the oar to slam into the man's chest and knock him back overboard. A pair of hands was gripping the bow again, but Jason kept the oar swinging, bringing its broad end down on the hands. There was a howl of pain and they dropped away.