The Severed City

by Christopher Mitchell

  He sat on the bed.

  ‘You should go,’ he said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’ll take you to the gates of the Holdings City, and let you go. You can return to your people.’

  Chane moved closer to him.

  ‘Do you mean that?’

  ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I’ve tried to turn you into something you’re not. I’d rather release you than see you this way.’

  She kissed his cheek, and put her hand onto his armoured chest. ‘I’m here for you, my lord,’ she said. ‘I’m going nowhere.’

  Chapter 14

  In Disguise

  Holder’s Bay, Inner Sea – 24th Day, Last Third Summer 505

  Keira spat over the side of the ship, in the direction of the high sea walls of Plateau City.

  ‘Today might be the day Keilyn,’ Kylon said, ‘when we can finally get off this boat.’

  ‘You said that yesterday.’

  ‘And we would have,’ he said, ‘if those grain ships hadn’t arrived. You know the Holdings are letting all shipments of food through first. The rest of us just have to wait our turn.’

  ‘At least we’ve had decent weather,’ Leah said, glancing up at the deep blue sky, the sun an hour east of noon.

  ‘It’s too hot,’ Keira said.

  Leah scowled. ‘Then why don’t ye jump off the fucking boat? Ye can cool down while ye swim to shore. All yer problems solved. And maybe you’ll give us some fucking peace at the same time.’

  ‘Sarky cow,’ Keira said. ‘You know I cannae swim. And anyway, even if I could, the closest land to here is infested with those Sanang bastards.’

  They gazed at the shore. For several days their vessel had been anchored a hundred yards from the eastern coastline of the plateau, level with a stretch of abandoned wall on the river bank opposite the city. Three days previously, they had witnessed the arrival of the Sanang, and the bloody massacre of the Holdings peasants.

  ‘For those monkey-assed minks,’ Keira said, ‘I’m tempted to drop the disguise and torch the fucking lot of them.’

  ‘Cutting and dying your hair isn’t much of a disguise,’ Leah said.

  Keira ran her fingers through her short blonde locks. The others had cropped her hair as soon as they had set sail from Rainsby and it now fell to just below her ears. They had then bleached it, turning her brown hair almost orange at first, though twenty days in the sun had since lightened it to blonde.

  ‘I got a tattoo as well,’ she said.

  ‘Aye,’ Kylon said, ‘of a volcano. No one will associate that with a fire mage.’

  She looked at her upper right arm, now inked in black. Not far above her elbow, a small triangle symbolised Pyre, the Kellach Brigdomin fire god, and above it rose intricately weaved tendrils of smoke, rising up to her shoulder.

  ‘I like it,’ she said, ‘and nobody who knows me thinks I have a tattoo.’

  ‘I’ve seen priests with similar ones,’ Leah said. ‘People might think you’re a priestess of pyre.’

  ‘Aye,’ Keira laughed. ‘If any fucker asks, tell them I’m a holy woman.’

  ‘Don’t do that,’ Leah said. ‘There’s bound to be a group of religious freaks in the Kellach camp. I don’t want them hanging around.’

  ‘Look,’ said Kylon, pointing in the direction of the harbour.

  Keira turned and saw a small, single-sailed vessel speeding towards them, skipping through the water.

  ‘That’s the Holdings harbour boat,’ Kylon said, ‘hopefully come to tell us it’s our turn.’

  As the vessel pulled alongside, Kylon nodded to Baoryn. The Rahain walked across the deck, to join the sailors assisting with the harbour boat.

  ‘We’re going to have to learn to speak Holdings,’ Kylon said.

  They watched as six dark-skinned folk climbed up onto the deck of the ship. The Rahain captain was waiting for them, and greeted the Holdings men and women like old friends. Baoryn lurked in the background, close enough to listen in.

  ‘I still can’t get over them,’ Keira said. ‘Dark-skinned folk, just like in Kalayne’s prophecy. I wonder if Killop has heard of them yet.’ She turned to Kylon. ‘Was Kallie there when you saw him?’

  ‘No,’ he said, ‘but she’s still alive, as far as I know. She and Killop had split up.’

  ‘Fuck,’ Keira said. ‘Did Killop say why?’

  ‘It was after they escaped from prison,’ he said, ‘but I don’t know the reason.’

  Leah scowled, and raised an eyebrow.

  ‘You fucking lying to me, Kylon?’ Keira cried.

  ‘All right,’ he said. ‘Your brother was sleeping with someone else.’

  ‘The wee bastard,’ Keira snarled. ‘Who? I’ll kill the cow.’

  ‘Nobody you know,’ he muttered.

  ‘Was it Bridget?’ Keira said. ‘I know that wee hussy was locked up with them. Was it her?’

  ‘No,’ he said, ‘but I saw Bridget. She stayed with your brother when Kallie left.’

  Keira turned to Leah. ‘Is he telling the truth?’

  ‘As far as I know,’ Leah said, staring out to sea, ‘Bridget has never fucked your brother.’

  Keira spat over the side and turned away. Stupid wee brother. Throwing away what he had with Kallie for some floozy. She looked across the deck of the ship just as one of the Holdings harbourmasters turned and caught her eye.

  He stood still for a moment, gazing at her, then spoke to the captain.

  ‘Shit,’ she said. ‘Think they might have rumbled us.’

  ‘There’s nothing to rumble, Keilyn,’ Kylon said. ‘We’re paying passengers, we’re doing nothing wrong.’

  Keira tried to look nonchalant as the party of Holdings looked in her direction. One of them wrote something down in a book, while the captain showed them documents.

  After another minute, the Holdings shook hands with the Rahain captain, and the harbour party climbed back down to their boat.

  Baoryn sidled back alongside them.

  ‘We’ll be docking today,’ he said.

  Kylon turned to him. ‘And what were they saying about us?’

  ‘The Holdings were surprised to see Kellach,’ Baoryn replied. ‘Captain showed them your tickets.’

  ‘They’re probably not used to seeing Kellach folk who can afford to go by ship,’ Kylon said to the others. ‘We’re bound to be asked some questions when we land. Just stick to the story.’

  Several hours later, as the sun was westering, their ship weighed anchor, and they sailed towards the harbour, passing vessels on both sides. As they neared the breakwater, they got a close view of the Sanang warriors on the opposite shore. Keira saw they were pale-skinned, like her, but shorter, occupying the same range of heights as the Rahain and Holdings folk. Their shoulders however, were as broad as any Kellach, and their arms were as long and powerful, reminding her of tales of the mountain apes that legends claimed roamed the high peaks of Lach.

  The sound of defiant cries rose to her ears, as the warriors on the shore raised their swords and spears at the passing ship, many making slitting motions across their throats.

  ‘I could shoot one from here,’ Leah muttered.

  ‘Go on then,’ Keira said. ‘I dare you.’

  The Lach woman grinned, and pulled the longbow from her shoulder.

  ‘Absolutely no fucking way,’ Kylon said.

  Leah ignored him and set an arrow to her bow. She pulled her right hand to her ear, leant back, aimed, and loosed.

  The arrow arced high through the air, then fell. As the Sanang warriors gazed up, it struck one clean through his open mouth, bursting out the back of his skull, sending fragments of his head showering onto the rocky shore.

  ‘Fucking shot,’ Keira whistled, as the warriors on the shore howled and danced in impotent fury.

  ‘You two are fucking out of order,’ Kylon said. ‘We’re supposed to be discreet. The whole harbour saw that.’

  Keira turned, and noticed the wharves to the left, lined with s
hips and dock workers. Many were watching their vessel as it passed, while others were pointing at the far river bank where the arrow had landed.

  ‘I like to make an entrance,’ she said.

  ‘This is a Rahain ship,’ she heard the captain shout. She turned and saw him approach, several armed sailors behind him. ‘And I am its captain. You have broken the laws of the sea, and fired upon a nation with whom the Rahain Republic is not at war.’

  He stormed up to them. His stony face softened and split into a smile.

  ‘But what the hell, eh?’ he said. ‘I daresay that scum deserved it. And might I say madam, a fine shot indeed.’

  He held out a bottle of Rahain brandy.

  ‘A gift,’ he said. ‘I have a feeling you may need to bribe somebody when we dock.’

  ‘Thank you captain,’ Kylon said.

  The old Rahain nodded and turned to his men.

  ‘Ready the ship,’ he yelled.

  Sailors rushed around the deck, and up the masts, and the vessel pulled into an empty space on a pier crowded with enormous grain ships.

  ‘The Sanang won’t be starving them out any time soon,’ Leah said, as they gazed up at the huge vessels.

  ‘Just as long as the fuckers are sharing it with the Kellach,’ Keira said.

  Ropes were flung from the decks down to the pier, and the ship was pulled in close, and tied up. The four passengers picked up their packs, and walked to the side of the deck, where a gangplank was being put in place.

  Great gulls circled overhead, their raucous cries mingling with the sound of bustle and work from the docks. Keira looked down at the Holdings workers, and noticed many among them of a shorter stature.

  ‘Rakanese,’ Leah said. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see any of them here.’

  ‘Won’t their mage be in the city?’ Keira asked. ‘The one you rescued?’

  ‘This is where she was heading,’ Kylon said, ‘but remember, no mention of her if we’re asked questions. Keeping your identity hidden is more important.’

  With the gangplank in position, a sailor gestured, and the passengers made their way down to the stone pier. From amid the crowds emerged a squad of Holdings soldiers, led by an officer.

  ‘Welcome to the Realm of the Holdings,’ she said to them in fluent Rahain. ‘I am Captain Suthers, of the Plateau City Port Authority.’

  ‘Let me guess,’ Keira said, ‘you want to check our papers.’

  The captain smiled. ‘We are under siege, ma’am. Security at the port has been stepped up, and everyone who arrives by ship has to have their background and identity examined.’ She looked around. ‘Do you have any luggage?’

  ‘Just what we’re carrying,’ Kylon said.

  The captain nodded. ‘Then if you would please follow me.’

  She turned, and strode down the pier towards the city wall, where it was pierced with a row of large archways.

  Kylon shrugged, and they followed, troopers flanking them as they walked through the crowds of dock workers. They were led to an entrance in the side of the city wall, and into a large chamber. The captain spoke to a group of other officers, and they approached.

  ‘You will each be taken to a different room for questioning and documenting,’ Suthers said.

  Two officers walked up to Keira, a young man, and an older woman.

  ‘This is Lieutenant Corby, ma’am,’ the woman said to Keira, ‘and I’m Captain Gunn.’

  She gestured to a side door.

  Keira nodded, and they went into a small room, a barred opening in the stone wall letting in the afternoon light. She sat at a table, while the two officers followed her in and closed the door. They sat opposite her, and Corby took out a ledger book and a quill and ink set.

  ‘We’ll start with your name, ma’am,’ Gunn said.

  ‘Do you read Rahain as well as speak it?’ Keira asked.

  ‘We do.’

  Keira reached into her pack and pulled out a folded sheet of card. She tossed it onto the table, and Gunn leaned forward, squinting.

  ‘Ah,’ she said. ‘A Rainsby identification form. This should save some time.’

  Keira sat back and looked out of the window as the Holdings officers examined her card. She could see the main road passing under a high arch. Wagons, horses, carts and people streamed by in both directions, generating a busy background rumble of noise.

  ‘Miss Keilyn?’ Gunn said.

  Keira turned. ‘Aye?’

  ‘This document doesn’t mention any tattoo.’

  ‘I had it done on the boat,’ Keira said. ‘It’s Pyre, the fire god.’ She pointed. ‘Look, there’s the wee volcano.’

  ‘The one that the Rahain destroyed?’ Gunn said. ‘Many refugees have spoken of this.’

  ‘Aye,’ Keira frowned. ‘Thanks for reminding me.’

  ‘And how do you feel about the Rahain now?’

  Keira scrunched her face up. ‘Are you joking?’ she said. ‘I fucking hate them, what do you think?’

  Corby continued to write in the ledger.

  ‘Then why,’ Gunn went on, ‘is there a Rahain travelling in your group?’

  ‘Baoryn?’ Keira said. ‘He’s a scaly wee bastard right enough, but he’s alright. Kylon took pity on him back in the war. It was from him that we learned to speak the lizard tongue. He hates the Rahain government. He’s not a spy, if that’s what you’re getting at.’

  Gunn nodded. ‘May I ask why you’ve come to Plateau City?’

  ‘Rainsby’s a hellhole,’ Keira said. ‘Plateau City can’t be any worse. Of course, we didn’t know there was going to be a siege.’

  ‘And has that affected your view?’

  ‘You saw what we did on the way in?’

  ‘The arrow?’ Gunn asked. ‘Was that you?’

  ‘Not me personally, but it came from us. We saw what those sick bastards did to your folk.’

  ‘And what about the ship, ma’am? I believe you are the first Kellach Brigdomin to arrive as private passengers on a Rahain merchant vessel. How did you pay for it?’

  ‘Kylon had the cash,’ she shrugged. ‘Never told me how he got it. He knows I only half-listen to him at the best of times, so he doesn’t bother giving me details if he thinks I’ll just mangle them anyway.’

  ‘Is it possible that the Rahain gave him the money so that he could enter Plateau City in order to do some mischief?’

  Keira laughed. ‘Kylon wants to smash the Rahain as much as anyone.’

  Gunn nodded.

  ‘One more question, ma’am,’ she said. ‘Have you seen or heard anything about the current whereabouts of Keira ae Caela ae Kell, the fire mage?’

  ‘Nope,’ Keira said. ‘I mean, I heard what she did, someone told me in Rainsby, but I’ve no idea where she is.’

  ‘Thank you,’ the captain nodded. ‘Now, I am required to search your pack.’

  ‘Go ahead,’ Keira said. ‘There are no weapons in there.’

  ‘None?’ said Gunn as she stood. ‘We must correct that.’

  The officer walked to a cabinet against a wall, and opened it. She took out a sheathed longsword, and closed the cabinet door.

  ‘Here,’ she said, laying the sword on the table.

  ‘What the fuck?’ Keira gasped. ‘You’re giving me a sword?’

  ‘King’s orders,’ the captain said, picking up Keira’s pack, and placing it onto the table. ‘All Kellach Brigdomin who are able to fight are to be supplied with a weapon, so that they can defend themselves if the Sanang attack.’

  Keira watched her open the pack.

  ‘Then what are you looking for?’

  ‘Narcotics,’ Gunn replied. ‘Sanang weed, to be precise. It’s illegal under Holdings law.’

  ‘I approve,’ Keira said. ‘I’ve seen what it’s done to the camp in Rainsby. Turned them into the living dead.’

  ‘Alcohol is also illegal,’ Gunn said.

  ‘What?’ Keira cried. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

  The officer smiled as she
finished her search of Keira’s pack. ‘Don’t worry, the ban doesn’t extend to the Kellach Brigdomin camp. Don’t be too surprised if you see the occasional Holdings officer out in your camp getting drunk. The rest of the city’s dry.’

  With the interview ended, Keira was escorted though a passageway running through the centre of the wide sea wall, to a hall. On the far wall was a guarded door.

  ‘Through there is the Kellach camp,’ Gunn said to her. ‘Good luck, ma’am.’

  Keira nodded, and walked to the door, the new sword strapped to her waist.

  A full squad of Holdings troopers watched her approach, then unbarred the large thick wooden door, and swung it open.

  Keira stepped through, and the troopers closed the door behind her.

  She looked out, the fading afternoon light casting the land ahead of her into shadow. She stood at the top of a flight of stone steps, the great Kellach encampment spread out before her. Unlike Rainsby, the camp had been ordered into neat lines of tents and huts, with several larger wooden structures dotted around. In the distance, she could see a great raised earthen bank enclosing the far end of the camp, beyond which she assumed the Sanang army lay.

  ‘Keilyn,’ she heard a voice cry, and she looked over to see Leah waving at her from the bottom of the steps, where several wagons were situated, distributing food and water to queues of Kellach.

  ‘Well that was fucking weird,’ Keira said as she went down the steps. ‘Fuckers gave me a sword.’

  Leah frowned. ‘They congratulated me on my shot, and filled my pack with arrows.’

  ‘Any sign of Kylon?’ Keira asked. ‘Or our wee lizard pal?’

  Leah shook her head. ‘They asked me a few questions,’ she said. ‘Mainly about how Kylon got the money for the voyage.’

  ‘Me too,’ Keira said. ‘Looks like they aren’t interested in us two, just the boys.’

  ‘That might have been Kylon’s plan,’ Leah said. ‘Get the attention away from you.’

  ‘Hello girls,’ said a voice.

  They turned to see a man approach, his long brown hair hanging in braids.

  ‘Two pretty blondes,’ he said. ‘My lucky day. You new?’