by Brandon Fox
“Can we still get to the docks?” Ander asked.
“It’ll take longer, but I know another way. Keep close. And stay away from shadows.”
Thane led the way, relying on his memory of the city’s labyrinthine streets. They detoured through an entertainment district where brothels competed with inns and taverns. Nobody challenged them, but furtive figures kept pace. Soon they turned downhill again. The slap of water on stone got louder, and they emerged quayside. A line of ships bobbed gently on inky water, lamps hanging from booms swaying overhead like drunken moons.
“Which one?” Ander asked.
Thane studied the line of ships. Most were merchantmen, ranging from sleek galiots to four-masted carracks. He started walking down the quay and examining each vessel closely. The others followed, keeping wary watch on the side streets. Finally he stopped beside a three-masted vessel with a carved dragon on its prow. The fierce beast was painted red and gold, with black eyes that bulged from its long head.
“This one,” Thane said. “It’s the only one built in the eastern style. And it’s big enough to take on passengers.” He put down his luggage and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Is anyone aboard?” he called. “We seek passage. Hello, is anyone on watch?”
Soon a man appeared on the foredeck and ambled over to the taffrail. The tilt of his eyes confirmed Thane’s guess about the ship’s origins. He peered at them, then spat into the water.
“Go away. Have full crew.” He turned and started walking back toward the helm.
“Wait, come back,” Thane called. “Let me talk to your captain. We can pay.”
The man paused, then turned. “We leave soon, home to Gaizhou. How much?” The interest in his voice belied his nonchalant pose.
Ander leaned close to Thane. “We’re making progress.” He dug a silver coin out of a pocket and tossed it to the man aboard ship, who caught it deftly. “There’s more where that came from,” he said. “If your captain gives us passage, I’ll double it.”
After holding the coin up to light and confirming its authenticity, the sailor gave Ander a small salute before turning and jogging to a companionway.
“He’d better not take long,” Skorri said. He pointed to an alley on the far side of a warehouse. “Somebody’s over there. I heard him.”
“Probably a nightblade,” Erik said, scowling. “Waiting for his friends. There’s no cover here. We’re done for if they bring bows.”
Thane’s stomach knotted, but he stood fast. “A little longer. None of the streets would be much better. Be ready to jump into the river if you have to.”
A minute passed, then two. Thane began to fear the sailor had failed, that they had run out of time. Then the companionway door swung open, and a tough-looking woman in silk robes stepped onto the deck. Two sailors followed her.
While female captains were rare in Izmir, the eastern kingdoms had no such prejudices. The woman walked to the taffrail and looked at them curiously. Her rich robes, decorated with intricate needlepoint, spoke of nobility. The design featured an embroidered dragon that matched the ship’s figurehead.
“Thank you for coming,” Thane said. “Can you grant us passage? We can pay.”
The woman gave them a careful inspection. “My man was right. You’re the best-looking boys ever to turn up on the wharf. But that’s not enough to earn you passage.” Though she bore the almond eyes and sleek black hair of the east, her strong voice had only a slight accent.
Thane blushed but didn’t look away. He pulled the bag of coins Lord Tolmin had given him from a cloak pocket and poured gold onto his palm. “Here, see for yourself. We’re honest merchants.”
The woman snorted. “I can guess what you’ve been selling. Keep your money. I was curious to see if you were as fair as my man claimed, that’s all. But I’ve carried westerners before, and it’s more trouble than it’s worth. You don’t understand our ways. I don’t need your fare that badly.” She turned to leave.
“Wait!” Thane shouted. The captain ignored him.
Ander immediately pulled his guitar from its case and sat cross-legged on the quay. He started playing with fierce concentration, a dissonant melody that made no sense to Thane’s ears. It sounded devilishly difficult.
The captain was halfway to the companionway, but she stopped and cocked her head to listen. After a short pause, she returned to the taffrail. She looked astonished.
“Keep playing,” Thane whispered. “Whatever you’re doing is working.” Ander didn’t seem to hear him. A true musician who felt music to the depths of his heart, he was oblivious to distractions. His fingers flew over the fingerboard as the music whirled and danced. The captain watched him intently. Several sailors appeared at the taffrail and seemed equally awed.
The piece raced to a fiery conclusion. Ander took a deep breath, then rose gracefully and gave the captain a bow. “A small gift,” he said when he lifted his gaze. “We understand some of your ways and would like to learn more. That’s why we’re traveling east.”
The captain tapped her fingers on the taffrail, regarding them with a serious expression. At last she gave a single nod. “I judged too quickly. Those with great beauty are often shallow, but it’s a mistake to judge by appearances. Would you be willing to play for me during the journey?”
“I would be honored,” Ander said as he bowed again.
The captain returned the bow, then gestured to her sailors. They extended a gangplank to the wharf.
Thane sent his friends aboard while keeping a wary eye on the alley where trouble lurked. Figures moved in the shadows as he boarded with the last of their saddlebags. He took a final look at Chanture as the gangplank was withdrawn. Will I ever see it again? Or Lord Tolmin? There was no way to know. He took a slow breath, then followed the others below deck.
Chapter Two
“HAVE something to eat, Ander.” Captain Jiang swept her hand over the low table. Blue porcelain dishes filled with aromatic delicacies cluttered its lacquered surface. “I’ve been a poor host. I’ve been enjoying myself too much.”
Ander laid his guitar aside. He was grateful for the respite but careful not to show it. They had been at the captain’s table for an hour, and he’d barely touched the food. “It was my pleasure, captain. An appreciative audience is a musician’s greatest joy.”
Captain Jiang handed him a goblet of wine. “Fate smiles on the Anshan tonight. I had thought our return to Gaizhou would be dreary. But now I shall relish it.”
Ander ducked his head in an abbreviated bow and accepted the goblet. He wanted to eat, not get drawn into conversation. After a sip of tart wine, he put down the goblet and started collecting samples of the exotic foods in a small bowl. Captain Jiang turned back to Thane and resumed their conversation.
Ander bit into a spring roll. Rich flavors of cured cabbage and grilled chicken filled his mouth, spicy but not overwhelming. His eyes widened with pleased surprise, and the morsel vanished before he knew it. Next he tried a dumpling containing bits of barbecued pork embedded in sweet dough. Strange, but pleasing. He chewed contentedly and looked around the room.
They dined in the captain’s cabin, a small but elegant chamber paneled with dark mahogany and lit by oil lamps. Skorri and Erik sat across the table from Captain Jiang. They leaned against each other, their eyes half-shut. Both had eaten heartily and enjoyed the wine, more than they were accustomed to. And they had ridden hard to reach Chanture ahead of the zamindar’s heralds. Fatigue had overcome them, and they were stifling yawns.
Turning back to the feast, Ander sampled the varied fare and sipped his wine while Thane traded information with the captain. She seemed as fascinated by the conversation as she had been by Ander’s music. It was hardly surprising. Thane’s mind was like a beacon, illuminating unusual ideas and obscure facts that few paused to examine. Ander was glad to see Thane warming to the journey. His greatest fear was for his partner’s safety, and he wouldn’t breathe easy until they had evaded the zamindar’s net
.
Ander was enjoying noodles spiced with peanuts and sesame seeds when a sailor entered the cabin and signaled the captain. She uncurled from the floor with surprising grace, then bowed to her guests. “You must excuse me. It’s time to set sail. Please stay and finish your dinner. We’ll talk again later.” She bowed again before leaving with the sailor.
“Why don’t you two turn in,” Thane said to Erik and Skorri. “I’ll stay while Ander finishes his dinner.” They got to their feet, blinking sleepily, and left the captain’s quarters. Their saddlebags were already stowed in a cabin they were all sharing near the crew’s quarters, a small but clean room with two beds.
Thane met Ander’s gaze. He looked exhausted. “Perhaps she’s right. Maybe fate does favor us today. I wouldn’t have thought so a few hours ago.”
“Fate helps those who help themselves. At least that’s what Sorel says. Come to think of it, he said you told him that.”
Thane leaned over and brushed a stray lock of hair from Ander’s eyes. “Don’t believe everything Sorel tells you. Eat, while it’s still hot. You earned your dinner tonight.”
Ander indulged himself, sampling and tasting until he was sated. He wiped his fingers on a napkin and finished the last of his wine.
“Ready for bed?” Thane asked. “It’s been a long day.”
“Let’s get some air first. It’ll clear my head.”
Thane nodded agreeably. They left the warm confines of the captain’s cabin and went on deck. Sails billowed overhead, canvas flapping softly in a light wind. Twilight had settled over the river valley like indigo snow. Chanture was already behind them, its intricate stone mansions dwindling in the distance. Gargantuan columns made of hard rock that had withstood the river for millennia stood like sentinels along the bank.
Ander stood at the railing and watched the landscape slide past. “I think Captain Jiang likes you,” he said as he leaned against Thane. “Did you see her surprise when you asked her about Quangdo legends? She was pleased.”
Thane put an arm around him. “Your music is what really impressed her. For good reason.”
Ander basked in his lover’s praise. Though he’d received many compliments on his playing, he could feel Thane’s sincerity through their bond. Forged by the art and reinforced each time they made love, the psychic link conveyed more than his partner’s sensations. He could feel Thane’s heart, the core of fierce determination and loyalty that defined his spirit.
“We were lucky,” he said. “Leif’s mother was a singer and taught me the tunes. It made Leif happy to hear me play them, especially after she died.”
“You’re too modest,” Thane said as he gave his partner a squeeze. “It’s your skill that breathes life into the music. But never mind. I’m glad we’re together now. That’s all that matters.”
The melancholy coloring their bond told Ander more than words could ever convey. Visiting Chanture always reminded Thane of Lucian and the pain of his loss.
They watched dark fields glide silently past, as if they were stationary and the landscape moved. Moonlight painted the rock pillars with silvery light and cast shimmering reflections over the river’s surface. The deck rocked gently beneath their feet. Ander leaned against Thane, enjoying his partner’s solid presence. The close contact turned his mind to the opportunities presented by life aboard ship. There was one sure way to take Thane’s mind off the past.
Thane laughed softly, then turned his head and nuzzled Ander’s ear. “I can tell what you’re thinking,” he whispered. “I always know when you’re randy. Which is most of the time, it seems.”
Ander didn’t try to deny the claim. “Look who’s talking. You seduced me first, remember?” He turned and put a hand on Thane’s crotch, cupping the mound of flesh beneath the soft leathers while using his body to conceal the gesture from any crewmen who might be watching. Thane’s cock hardened within seconds.
“You’re as relentless as Skorri,” Thane said. “Why I ever thought you were shy, I’ll never know.”
“I was shy.” He stepped back and took Thane by the hand, tugging him away from the railing. “But not anymore. Now I’m just horny.” He pulled his partner toward the ship’s bow. “Enough talk. Let’s go to our cabin. Want to wager if Erik and Skorri are sleeping?”
Thane laughed and shook his head, following willingly. They entered a narrow companionway in the forecastle. Faint light shone through portholes, barely enough to find the way to their cabin. Ander knocked on the door. “It’s us,” he said softly. After a short wait, a bolt was thrown and the door opened a crack. Erik peeked out, then moved aside to let them enter.
A single oil lamp suspended from a rafter in the middle of the ceiling bathed the cabin’s pine walls with golden light. Erik and Skorri seemed to have revived once they were alone together. Skorri reclined on one of the beds with his legs spread wide. His long cock stretched across his furrowed abdomen, glistening with spit. Erik’s erection speared up from his groin with potent vigor. He shut and bolted the door, then slid onto the bed beside his partner.
Ander’s gaze swept the handsome lovers. Though he had been lured into their bed several times since joining Thane’s band of mages, he hadn’t seen them naked together for over two weeks. They were a stunning pair, Erik’s deeply tanned skin and serious blue gaze contrasting with Skorri’s golden radiance and lively green eyes.
Erik stroked Skorri’s lean torso from nipple to navel, then gave his erection a gentle squeeze. Clear fluid oozed onto Skorri’s flat belly. “Want to join us?” Erik asked while using a fingertip to smear the natural lubricant over the head of his partner’s phallus. “There’s not much room, but we could manage.”
Ander’s cock hardened as he watched Skorri squirm. The last time all four of them had shared a tumble had been a lusty and strenuous adventure.
Loud pounding on the cabin door made Ander jump. “Come see captain!” a man said loudly. “She’s talking with you.”
Thane groaned. “I forgot she wanted to talk some more after we got under way. But when the captain calls, you go.” He hesitated. “Do you want to go too? Be forewarned, she’ll probably have you making music until midnight.”
“Of course,” Ander said, reaching for his guitar. “I can always use the practice.” His tired posture belied his words.
Thane snorted and pushed Ander down onto the unoccupied bunk. “You’ll never be a slyboots, jirí. That wouldn’t have fooled me even without our bond. I’ll entertain the captain and try to learn more about our destination. You get some rest.”
Ander nodded, reclining on the bunk opposite Erik and Skorri. Thane was right. He was far too tired to perform again. “I’ll wait for you,” he said as he tugged a boot off.
Knocking resumed as Thane doused the lamp. He tousled Ander’s hair, then unlatched the door and left with the sailor.
Ander stripped and pulled a blanket up to his waist while Erik and Skorri resumed their lovemaking. He knew they would have welcomed him, but he wanted to wait for Thane’s return. He soon fell asleep, accompanied by soft sounds of pleasure.
MORNING light cast a beam through the porthole. Ander stretched as he woke, comforted by the familiar feel of Thane’s sturdy body at his side. He rubbed his eyes and tried to remember when his lover had returned to the cabin. Nothing. He must have slept soundly.
A few feet away, Skorri slept with an arm flung across Erik’s broad chest and his head resting on the hunter’s shoulder. Their bodies gleamed with oil left from the night’s lovemaking. A faint scent of cloves told Ander the oil contained sensitizing elixirs.
Thane woke as Ander stirred. They embraced, then shared a leisurely kiss. Ander still marveled at his lover’s beauty. Lean and strongly muscled, possessing alluring features but tanned like a field laborer, he was uncommonly sexy. Kissing him never failed to produce an aching erection.
“Morning,” Ander said. “When did you get back?”
“Well past midnight. Captain Jiang and I got along well. Sh
e’s inquisitive and well read. I managed to learn as much from her as she learned from me.”
“Did she get you out of your clothes?” Ander pressed himself against Thane, enjoying the feel of his cock against his partner’s naked body.
Thane laughed and rolled on top of him, pinning him down. His phallus throbbed against Ander’s flat belly. “If she was interested, she didn’t say anything. She knows you’re my jirimandari. And she’s far too polite to ask for a tumble. Unlike some wanton beasts I know.” His sultry gaze left no doubt as to whom he was referring to.
“Huh! Feels to me like you’re ready to fuck something yourself.”
Thane lowered his head and kissed Ander again, pressing their bodies together and rubbing cocks, then rolled off. “I’d like nothing better, but we’ll have to wait. The captain told me we’ll reach Jaffna by midmorning. We’ll be taking on supplies for the trip down the coast. I need to have something to eat and get back in our cabin before we arrive. Ports are always swarming with the zamindar’s spies.”
Ander reluctantly got out of bed and started dressing. Erik and Skorri had woken and were rubbing sleep from their eyes. Soon all four joined the crew on deck for porridge and biscuits.
The river had widened to a broad delta, and the sun already glowed overhead like a golden dinner plate. The breeze held a hint of the sea. They watched the scenery, marveling at the comfort and ease of traveling by ship. Thane stayed on deck until the port city of Jaffna appeared in the distance. The zamindar’s heralds might not have reached so far south yet, but there was no reason to take a chance.
Ander stayed above deck while the mighty river carried the Anshan into port with surprising speed. They moored at a crowded wharf alongside vessels larger than he had ever seen. Erik and Skorri were speechless with wonder.
Casks of rice and salted meat were rolled aboard and quickly stowed. Quayage at Jaffna was paid by the hour, and Captain Jiang plainly wanted to avoid delay. The loading was almost done when three unfamiliar figures strode up the gangplank and stepped onto the deck.