“Has he returned since then?”
“Not in person, but there have been instances where I’ve felt his presence.”
“What do your enemies want?”
“Money and magic. Anything to gain more power.”
“Then come with us,” said Aisling.
“I appreciate your offer, more than you know. But my people have suffered these last few years. The rice crop is now improving, but there are many areas that are still unproductive. Some of the farmers had to sell their tools in order to survive, and are no longer able to cultivate the land. Much work needs to be done. I could not justify leaving now. It would not be right.”
“I can try to create a weather event, to replenish the soil.”
“Can you help the remote areas as well?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you. One more thing. Time is running out. Once it’s discovered that your ships have grain, marauders will plunder your cargo. Now the threat is even greater, given your new dagger. You must go back.”
Aisling looked up at the prince, who nodded in agreement.
“I will, Nawab. Thank you for your wise counsel. Please get better soon. If we can help you in the future, we will.”
“Your coming here means a great deal to me. I know it was selfish to put you in danger, but it’s for my people. Otherwise, I would not have asked.”
Aisling reached out for the Nawab’s hand. What courage he has shown, to transfer his magic so that dark forces wouldn’t prevail, she thought.
He looked so small, and yet his wisdom belied his age.
They bid their farewells and headed down the staircase, past a number of portraits. The princess paused as she viewed the countenance of a stern-looking woman, who seemed to glare at her from the wall.
Aisling turned to her husband and murmured in low tones. “Before we leave these grounds, I should fulfill his request.”
“How much time do you need?”
“A few minutes should do.”
“I’ll keep watch.”
She hurried down the front steps and veered to a nearby grove of trees. Extending her daggers into the air, she closed her eyes and issued a command.
“Increase the nutrients in the earth to multiply the yield of rice and other crops, in populated and rural areas.”
The power surged out of her hands, creating a blue aura around the weapons.
She felt drops of rain on her face and ran up the stone steps, where the prince was waiting. He signaled the others. They left the grain supply with members of the staff, and headed through the gates of the compound.
As they hurried through town, the main road started to flood, creating more pockets of mire. They slogged through the sludge, veering around those who were running for cover.
Ahead of them were a number of men on the hill, blocking their path to the port.
The prince signaled his soldiers and they withdrew their swords, surrounding Aisling.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Word must have spread that we have grain. Stay close to me.”
She looked behind her and saw more mercenaries, fully armed.
“Those are the Nawab’s men,” said Aisling. “I think they’ve come to help us.”
Drayaen motioned for his soldiers to stop, and waved his new allies forward. The clerk they had just met came running up the hill.
“The Nawab sent you some protection. He thought you might run into trouble. We’ll help you fight the marauders.”
The prince nodded, his acute gaze tracking the crowds that were forming on the sides of the road.
He gave the signal, and the combined forces charged up the hill. The thieves took several steps back and hesitated, as their men began to fall. After a few minutes, the attackers retreated.
Once the enemy was defeated, the prince thanked the Nawab’s forces and shouted to his group. They rushed down the path toward the water.
As Prince Drayaen approached the harbor, he stopped.
Their ships were gone.
CHAPTER SIX
THE UNFORSEEN
The prince scoured the terrain, his mind racing as he searched for an explanation. He glanced behind him. It was a matter of time before other criminals targeted their group.
“Where could they be?” he asked, turning to Aisling.
“Maológ and Ryen would not have moved unless it was an emergency.”
“We can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous.”
They both turned as Colonel Lex ran down the dock. “I talked with the harbormaster. A message was left for us,” he said as he handed the envelope to Aisling.
“It’s from Maológ,” she murmured, breaking the seal. Her brow furrowed. “Earlier today, a group of scavengers tried to board one of our ships.”
“What happened?” asked Drayaen.
“The thieves were unsuccessful. Given the unrest in the area, the fleet was moved about a mile west of here.”
“We still have our rowboats. We could find them and be onboard before dark.”
“That’s a good plan. As soon as we reach the Saoirse, we should take the Nawab’s advice,” she said, “and leave this place.”
The prince nodded and rubbed his fingers across his brow. He wondered why there would be such a blatant attack during the day, in close proximity to other vessels.
The crew boarded the rowboats and navigated the choppy waters. Soon, the ships came into view. Aisling exhaled a deep breath. We’ll all be together again, she reflected.
Later that night, she paced in her quarters, her silk robe rustling in the cool night air. She paused to glance out the window, and shivered. The moonlight cast a luminous sheen across the waves.
Her thoughts turned back to the conversation with the Nawab of Bengal. His sense of duty was admirable, and she wished her visit could have been longer. When they had rushed through the village, Aisling had seen the effects of human suffering. Although officials had declared the famine to be over, it was apparent that the devastation continued. The powerful were still preying upon the weak.
If my magic is stronger now, she reasoned, is it possible to make a bigger impact? With the addition of the Nawab’s wizardry, she was already feeling more capable.
In addition to her newly acquired magic, she now possessed the dagger that had been in the cabin at the pirate camp. She thought about the storm she had created in the woods to keep the enemy at bay—it was one of the most destructive forces she had mustered to date.
With three wands, would her powers be amplified? Or perhaps she’d have access to new skills? She sighed and rubbed her arms to ward off the chill. The more I use my magic, the greater the number of questions I seem to have, she realized.
Deep in thought, she jumped as a pair of steely arms wrapped themselves around her.
“What’s keeping you awake tonight?” he asked in a deep, soothing voice.
She turned around and gazed at the prince, who pulled her closer. Aisling smiled and looked into his warm, sparkling eyes.
“I was thinking about our journey today. For the first time since I’ve had my special powers, I’ve seen the limitations of my magic. I thought I could help resolve the problem here, but it’s more complicated than a weather issue or an agricultural problem. There’s also violence, corruption and oppression. To really fix the issue, other solutions are needed.” She exhaled a deep breath. “It may require more than I’m able to deliver.”
“You have to believe that your efforts will make a difference, even if there’s a partial solution. The Nawab thought so. He trusted you enough to relinquish his power so that it would be put to good use.”
“I have greater magic now, but also an increased responsibility that goes with it. There’s something I want to show you.” Aisling walked over to her trunk and retrieved the second sword.
“I discovered this at the pirate’s camp. It was so hectic after our escape that I forgot to mention it.”
“Where did you find
it?”
“It was in an underground enclosure, in a wooden box. When we were fleeing our kidnappers, I grabbed this sword, by accident, to create the storm. It almost seems more potent than the one I inherited.”
“So now you have three?”
“I do. My capacity is multiplying.”
The prince grasped her by the shoulders. “Aisling, you need to tell me when something like this happens. The thieves that tried to board our ship may not have been looking for grain.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, glancing at his pensive expression.
“There are people out there who know you have this sword. They may be trying to reclaim it.”
Aisling inhaled a deep breath as she realized that her preoccupation with her newfound abilities might have put the crew in danger. The wizard’s advice before the start of her journey came to mind. Work with others to achieve the best impact. She was beginning to understand the meaning of those words.
“I thought we had traveled far enough that no one could track us.”
“If this dagger is as powerful as you believe, we should make haste back to Europe.”
“I know. You’re right. But I’ve just read my next set of instructions, and we’ll have to make a few stops along the way.”
“Where?”
“Mauritius. There’s a contact who needs help.”
“At least that will put more distance between us and the enemy. I’ll talk with Lex about increasing security.”
“Do you think they’ll follow us all the way back to Ireland?”
“Perhaps. We have to anticipate the lengths people will go to, to steal your legacy. I’m also concerned about the King of Floe. If he is a formidable enemy of the Nawab’s, we could be his next target.”
“You may be right.” Aisling sighed. “What do you think of our journey so far? Is it what you were expecting?”
“I underestimated the risks. We’ll have to be more vigilant. But we’re together, and that means more to me than anything.” He leaned in and kissed her eyelids and cheeks before moving across her lips.
As she wrapped her arms around his powerful frame, her pulse raced.
He moved them both over to the bed and pulled her toward him.
For a while, all thoughts of their enemies vanished.
Moonlight cast shadows over the sea, illuminating the languid waters like a million tiny fireflies dancing across the waves. Aisling stood on the quarterdeck and scanned the horizon. She breathed in the night air, salty and damp from the mist moving over the ship.
She recalled the times when she and her father would stand on the deck and review the highlights of the day. A pang of sadness washed over her as she thought about her parents. She sighed. Such a lot had happened since then, and there were many things she wished she had said to them.
Her thoughts turned back to her current journey. Earlier, she had read the most peculiar note from her father. In it, he described a quest he wanted her to complete on an island in the Indian Ocean. One of his connections from a previous journey lived there, a young man named Rémy. He was a ‘maroon’ who had fled when the French invaded the island and now lived in exile in the mountains. Aisling’s instructions were to connect with him, trade goods, and discover how she could be useful. Although Rémy was not part of the secret network, her father asked her to help him in any way possible.
Things on the island are not what they seem, he had written. Do not let the glorious beauty of the locale beguile you. There is a soulless side to the place.
He warned her to exercise caution against darker forces.
I’m not sure about the meaning of that, she thought, but I’ll do my best.
*
The night was still. Rémy climbed the steep, winding granite steps from the cave and emerged into open green terrain. At the top, he paused to inhale the warm and humid mountain air.
After peering into the dark and watching for raiders, he decided that he was alone. With his net and spear, he descended the jagged rocks. As he looked out over the ledge to the vast sea, he wondered if he would ever see Lord Bailey again.
“I hope to see you soon,” he muttered. “Things here are worse than you can imagine.”
With a heavy sigh, he navigated the incline in search of food, wondering how long he could stay alive.
*
Aisling sat in the Captain’s Quarters, reviewing her notes about the secret society. It was difficult to find time alone, but she needed to piece together more information about the network.
Since leaving India, the journey had proceeded without incident. They were now sailing west, across the Indian Ocean. The candle on Aisling’s desk flickered as it gutted into a wisp of smoke. Most of the crew had retired for the night, and Drayaen was checking the armory. Aisling rubbed her eyes and secured her papers in the desk. As she stood up, the quill rolled off the table. “Bad weather,” she muttered. She crossed to the door and opened it to find Ryen, ready to knock.
“Commander, there’s a squall ahead of us. The range of low clouds shows a large weather front. It looks like cold and warm air currents are mixing, and conditions are unstable.”
Aisling nodded. “What are the options?”
“We could go through the storm, but there may be cyclonic winds that could damage the ships. The other course is to veer southwest. It will put us east of Madagascar and southeast of Mauritius.” He moved to the table and pointed at the map.
Aisling tapped a finger against her lips. “If the ships are damaged, we’ll be prey for pirates. Let’s evade the storm. If conditions worsen, please inform me at once.”
“Aye, we’ll signal the other ships to adjust their course. Good night, Commander.”
Aisling looked out the window at the roiling seas and hoped they could elude the danger.
*
The winds howled. Rémy and the other maroons took shelter. Through the small entranceway, they could see the tops of the baobab trees, the branches distending toward the sky. As the gales intensified, limbs snapped and scattered across the landscape.
Rémy had first entered the cave, located within the heart of Le Morne Brabant, when he was a child. He was entranced by its cocoa-colored walls, marbleized rock in shades of red, orange, and amber, and pale waters that formed pools inside the network of interior chambers.
Columns of calcified stone framed the gold and white stalagmites that hung from the ceiling, forming surreal images of people and animals. These inanimate objects came to life at night, when the candlelight flickered against the black walls and illuminated gleaming visions of lion heads and bear claws.
When Rémy was first brought to the grotto, it became his makeshift home. Since then, a number of other people desperate to escape oppression found their way to the same place. While he rejoiced for their freedom, he worried they would be discovered. Their numbers were increasing, and more food was needed. Each time he left the confines of the cave, he fretted about the threat of capture, and not just his own.
“I can’t lead them back to anyone here,” he muttered. “One mistake and I will change lives forever.”
Rémy made his way down the secret tunnel, past the jutting amber stalactites that looked like the opened jaws of a monstrous dinosaur. As he climbed the makeshift ladder, he thought about how long he had lived in this hideaway.
It had taken him years to locate an escape route, critical in the event they were discovered by outsiders. He had installed a large rock over the hole. Once he pushed it to the side, he was able to exit the cave from an interior chamber and climb through the opening at the top of the mountain. From the rocky overhang, he had a clear vista of the beach below and the sea beyond.
The view afforded him warning of ships on their way to port. Slave ships. The thought sent shivers of dread up his spine.
There was a storm coming. He made his way back to the interior of the cave. He could hear the wind as it breached the entrance, the shrieking sound permeating the hidden chambers. T
orrents of rain pounded the structure and created mini rivers that flowed down the walls, pooling onto the damp, earthen floor.
The dwellers huddled in an effort to keep warm and dry. As they whispered in low tones, they heard distress calls from the outside. Rémy glanced around the room at the terrified faces.
“Stay here. I’ll go.”
He ran back into the depths of the cave and crawled out to his mountain perch to look at the sea. A vessel with a black flag had run aground, and their crew was abandoning ship. He was about to retreat when he heard wails. It wasn’t coming from the crew, but the passengers.
He turned icy as he recognized the sound.
It was the grief and heartache of captivity.
Rémy raced back to his fellow cave dwellers. “A slave ship has gone aground. There are people who need help. Stay here; it’s dangerous. If I get caught, protect the shelter. Remember to go out when it’s dark.”
A murmur of concern followed him as he dashed up the steps and into the light.
*
Aisling summoned one of the ship’s assistants. “Please tell the first officer that I am looking for him.”
“Aye, Commander, right away.”
As she viewed the map on her wall, Ryen knocked on the door.
“It looks like we’ve evaded most of the storm.”
“Is there any damage?”
“Aye, minor repairs on the Dublin, but the other ships are fine.”
Aisling nodded. “It was fortunate that we diverted when we did. What is our exact location?”
“We are approaching Mauritius.”
“Nice work. Please tell Cookie he can serve food now.”
“Aye. We battened down before the storm, so I daresay the crew will appreciate food and drink.” He opened the door and retreated to the galley.
A short while later, Aisling left her cabin and headed for the deck. She ran into her first officer, barreling around the corner.
“What is it?”
“We’ve spotted a pirate ship. It’s too late to evade. They’ve anchored off the southern tip of the island.”
Aisling picked up her spyglass. “That’s odd. There’s no port there. Let’s take a closer look.”
Princess of Wind and Sea Page 4