by Elise Kova
“Well, then, don’t keep the captain waiting with your lordly business.” Vi pushed away from the dock pylon and led the woman up the gangplank.
A Southerner… what would have Twintle working with a Southerner? Whatever it was, Vi was certain it wasn’t good. But perhaps, hopefully, this marked the start of a lead that would bring her to Adela.
Whatever the woman and Cole spoke about was short. She was strolling back down the gangplank with the same smug smile in only ten minutes. Vi worried the chain around her neck and wished, not for the first time in Norin, that she could still summon Taavin.
A few hours later, when the decks had long since quieted, a red-cloaked figure emerged from the night’s haze. Vi shifted off her perch, instantly alert.
“Fiarum evantes,” Luke said, just as he had all those months ago.
“Kotun in nox,” Vi replied, eying the red cape around his shoulders. Did the Knights of Jadar still meet in that warehouse? She’d cased it a few times without success, but perhaps she should do so again.
He started up the gangplank, but stopped only a few steps up and faced her once more. “You were that girl we liberated from the South. What was your name?”
“Violet,” Vi said.
“That’s right. You were the one who knew of my family.” Luke paused, hands folded behind his back. He looked more and more like his father as his hair began to salt. “How did you put it? That my kin, ‘protected the old ways’?”
“It’s what I was always taught growing up here in Norin. And it’s made working for you an honor, sir.”
“Is that so?” He stepped forward, looking her up and down in the dim light of the docks. “How old are you, Violet?”
“Twenty, sir.” She looked like she could be twenty, right? The longer Vi was alive, the harder it was to feel any age.
“You were a toddler when this city fell, then.”
“But I grew up with the stories. They were vivid enough that, even as a girl, I felt like I had been in those battles.”
“You remind me of a woman I knew, then,” he said, his voice going soft with memory. Vi smiled innocently. He’d said as much in Oparium.
“Who?” Let’s see if you can remember this time.
“I can’t recall.” Twintle shook his head. Couldn’t? Or didn’t want to? Vi didn’t ask. “But more importantly, I have a proposition for you.”
“Oh?” This was the most Twintle had spoken to her in the past year. They’d otherwise had only brief, polite interactions.
“I’m going to expand the business ventures of this vessel. We’ll need an adaptable crew. One that is loyal above all else. Dower only has good things to say about you and your work ethic. I’ve never seen you fraternizing with the wrong crowd.”
“I’m flattered you’ve taken such an interest in me.”
“It’s one of my duties to see that the young men and women of the West are both protected and raised with our ideals. You do share our ideals, don’t you?” Vi nodded. “Good. Then perhaps I could put in a word with Dower and you will remain one of the crew.”
“I’d be honored.” Vi didn’t like the idea that she was at risk of getting kicked off the ship. It would make returning to Oparium difficult, at the very least. She watched Twintle start up the gangplank once more. Vi stepped forward before she could think better of it, stopping him with a soft, “Sir?”
“Yes?” He turned, his expression one of surprise.
“In the stories of the old West my parents told me… red-hooded knights were always the saviors.” Vi motioned to the cape he now wore. “This made me remember those words.”
“I see.” He had a knowing smile.
“If such knights existed, it would be my life’s goal to serve them.” Vi stopped herself there. If she said too much, she’d risk suspicion.
“That is most good to know.” Luke bowed his head and Vi mirrored the motion. He disappeared up the gangplank and onto the ship.
The next morning, the whole crew was brought on deck. Dower walked the line of them, looking each up and down.
“For many of you, this is your last day of service to Lord Twintle and the Lady Black.” Murmurs rippled through the assembled crew. “Many of you have been top-notch sailors the likes of which any captain would be lucky to have. I’ve communicated this to the Lord and he will be offering you a generous severance and a glowing recommendation for any future captains you wish to sail under.”
“If we’re such good sailors, why is he letting us go?” one of them asked.
“Because Lord Twintle is having the Lady Black take on a new directive that requires a specialized crew,” Dower answered lightly. Nothing to worry about here; don’t read too closely into this, Vi mentally filled in the blanks for him. “Now, please step forward if I call your name…”
“Louis.” That was Cole’s first mate. Expected.
“Joyce.” The woman was a Western Waterrunner, but that was all Vi knew about her.
“Violet.” Vi stepped forward, relieved to be included. If she stood with Louis, she stood with the group that was staying.
“You three will remain. The rest of you can go.”
“A-All of us, cap?” the man from earlier stuttered in shock.
“Yes, you’re dismissed.” At Cole’s final command, the crew of the Lady Black trudged belowdecks to gather their things. Vi stood a little straighter as he addressed them once more. She was still the newest of the lot and the one with the weakest relationship with Cole. “Louis, wait for me in my cabin; we need to go over what we’ll be looking for in our new hires. Joyce, see to the crew below and escort them off if need be.”
“Make sure there’s no trouble, you mean.” She had a wicked glint in her eye.
“Behave,” Cole cautioned her before turning to Vi. “You, join me on the quarterdeck.”
Vi did as she was told. Anticipation built with each step toward the back of the vessel. Cole went straight to the railing, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was around. When he spoke, he didn’t look at her.
“You’re here on the direct order of Twintle. If it were up to me, you’d be leaving with the rest of them.”
“Thank you for that,” Vi said, somewhat dryly. She folded her arms and leaned against the railing, looking in the opposite direction. “Or should I say to pass on my thanks to Lord Twintle?”
“Don’t get me wrong, you’re a fine sailor, Violet. But this is going to require loyalty—something you haven’t really been tested on.”
“What is?” She wanted him to say it outright, whatever it was. Vi was more than ready to know if all of this following Twintle was actually going to lead to information on Adela and the crown, or not.
“Know I won’t hesitate to gut you and tip you over the railing should you betray us.”
“Noted. Now tell me what we’re doing.”
“We need to make some special deliveries into the South. Henrietta—you met her last night—is going to help us with that.” The Southerner with the scar over her eye.
“What kind of deliveries?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
“Are we still docking in Oparium?”
“Yes.”
“Will Henrietta be part of our crew?”
“In a matter of speaking. We’ll pick up some new crew members that are specially trained for this work.” Vi opened her mouth for another inquiry but Cole interrupted her. “That’s all you need to know for now. Do as you’re told. Keep your head down and your mouth shut.” Vi physically shut her mouth on the recommendation. “Good. We set sail with our new crew tomorrow.”
Vi watched Cole descend to the main deck amid the steady flow of departing sailors. Twintle was clearly up to something. The question was… what? And, more importantly, was Henrietta working for Adela?
Every time Vi laid eyes on Oparium, her heart fluttered to the point of breathlessness. She’d made five runs now with the Lady Black, working with Henrietta and her crew.
Henrietta turned out to be the captain of a small smuggling operation that was now under Twintle’s employ. A day before the Lady Black reached Oparium, they’d drop anchor in the sheltered cliffs of the southern mountains and meet up with Henrietta and her crew. Vi and the rest would connect the two vessels by a few precarious planks and carefully offload heavy crates of Western rubies onto Henrietta’s boat.
Henrietta would then sneak the crates of rubies into the South through some secret dock to avoid taxes and questions raised about where they were going. Judging from the rumors Taavin and Deneya had heard, Henrietta was using Waterrunners to illusion her ship to look like the Stormfrost. No one in town wanted to investigate a ghostly-looking vessel that might belong to the infamous Adela.
But where the rubies came from, what the money from their sales was going toward, who was buying them, and whether Henrietta was actually in league with Adela were all things Vi had yet to find out. Despite having so many unanswered questions, every time she returned to Oparium, she did so with optimism… and excitement.
Taavin, Taavin, Taavin, every pulse whispered. Vi paused at the deck rail, watching the city come into focus through the early morning fog. She knew he’d be waiting at the docks for her. Sometimes Deneya was there, sometimes not.
But as the ship neared port, Vi knew immediately that something was wrong. A host of city soldiers were lined up, waiting where the Lady Black usually tied off her ropes. Vi, along with the rest of the crew, regarded each other skeptically. No one said anything until Cole was on deck, staring down at the portmaster and the head of the city guard.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Cole asked.
“Your ship is temporarily embargoed,” the head of the guard announced.
“Under what cause?”
“We have reason to believe you’re not accurately representing your goods,” the portmaster said meekly.
Cole scoffed. “Your men inspect our goods every time.”
“This time the city guard will do it,” the head guard said, taking control of the situation once more. “No one on or off the ship until my men have time to go through every box and bag in your hull.”
“Be my guest. I’ll lower the gangplank now.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t spare you the men now.” The head guard smirked.
He couldn’t spare the men? But he had a whole score of them lined up for their arrival. Typical power play.
“When do you think you can spare them?” Cole ground out.
“We’ll see.” Yes, the city guard was toying with them, no doubt ensuring that they would be punished regardless of whether or not they were found guilty.
She swept her eyes over the docks, looking for Taavin, as the head guard appointed someone to watch their ship day and night. Taavin and Deneya likely knew what was going on, and the real meaning behind this holdup. She just had to get to them.
Vi waited until nightfall. There wasn’t much to do on the ship, and it was hard to slip away from the crew unnoticed. She made the excuse of a trip to the latrine. When she was there, she uttered “durroe watt radia,” then slipped out the next time a sailor opened the latrine door.
She’d been practicing her Lightspinning. Vi couldn’t shake the feeling since making a body for Taavin that she had been given permission to challenge the conventions of how the magic worked. Nothing seemed impossible anymore—not even moving while invisible, without any kind of distortion. It still wasn’t perfect. But with more power, perhaps it could be.
Perhaps with the scythe…
Padding lightly on the main deck, Vi headed for a spot she’d identified earlier, where the crates stacked on the docks were high enough for her to jump. She listened to the creaking of the ship, memorizing the patterns the waves made. During one loud groan of the vessel, when no one was looking, Vi jumped off. She left a rope right at the deck’s edge that she could push down with kot sorre later to get back aboard.
“Durroe watt ivin,” she whispered quickly, replacing one glyph for another. Vi slipped into the second skin of a Southerner, and made her way through the city to the one-room abode Deneya and Taavin still occupied.
Vi didn’t even bother knocking.
“What the—”
“It’s me.” Vi closed the door, relaxing her illusion.
“See, told you she’d make it.” Deneya gave Taavin a look of triumph. “And you were worried.”
“We were just discussing how we’d break you out,” Taavin said, standing. He crossed over to her and, without hesitation, enveloped her in his arms. “I was worried I wouldn’t get to see you this time.”
“If the world itself being rebuilt couldn’t keep me from you, nothing will.” Vi held him tightly and sneaked in a kiss before they broke apart. “But what’s going on in the city? They’ve finally decided to investigate all the pirate talk?”
“The rumors of Adela have gotten worse,” Deneya said. “Henrietta is getting bold or sloppy, but sightings of her vessel have increased and it’s roused all kinds of suspicion.”
“Too bad it’s not actually Adela,” Vi muttered.
“First time I’ve ever heard someone say that.” Deneya snorted with amusement. “Any confirmation if Henrietta is actually working for Adela?”
Vi shook her head. “Though I’m beginning to wonder if her ability to masquerade her ship as the Stormfrost without Adela coming to put an end to it is proof enough.”
“Adela could be on the other side of the world. She might not even know.”
“There have been some other developments since you were last here,” Taavin said. “Notably, the prince has come to town and things seem to be escalating swiftly with his presence.”
“Again? He came last summer and nothing changed.” Vi didn’t need to ask which prince. According to all rumors, Aldrik had grown to be a harsh man, shaped by the cards Vi had dealt him with her own hands. Only Baldair left the capital with any regularity.
“There’s been a murder on the royal estate during one of his infamous parties,” Deneya picked up the explanation. “He’s now looking into the Adela rumors as a result.”
“What made him link the murder to Adela? Or Henrietta?”
“According to talk on the town, the murdered woman had the mark of Adela carved into her dead body,” Deneya said grimly.
“Henrietta’s getting greedy,” Vi muttered. All good things had to come to an end, especially when those good things involved smugglers teaming up with traitors. Despite what was claimed, there was never honor among thieves. “Do you think Henrietta has a lead on Adela’s treasure?”
“I don’t see how she couldn’t. She’s been docking in the Caverns and using their tunnels for over a year.”
Vi folded her arms, a scowl on her lips. She’d hated the feeling of stagnancy for years. It was becoming harder and harder not to just rush in and smoke out the smuggling rats with her own flames.
“I take it you still haven’t made much progress investigating the tunnels with them there?”
“We’ve had to be cautious,” Taavin said grimly. “We don’t want to disrupt fate too much.”
Vi barely resisted screaming.
“But we did find something,” Deneya said hastily, as if sensing her agitation.
“What?” Vi asked eagerly.
“It’ll likely be easier if we showed you.”
They each donned an illusion, stepping into the skin of a Southerner so as not to stand out. The three traveled down the winding staircases that descended to a rocky beach not far from the port. From there, they went north, until the beach was nothing more than a narrow line of rocks where the waves ended. Soon, there wasn’t a path anymore, and large boulders blocked their progression. The stone was slick with sea spray and it made the going slow.
Eventually, they came to a narrow pebble beach, and Deneya took the lead. The cliffs had completely hidden the town from view. Vi followed along to a point where the sea flowed in to a giant cavern.
“We�
�ve seen a ship go in and out of here—judging from your description, and those of the other sailors in town, likely Henrietta’s.”
“You couldn’t investigate the caves anymore, so you investigated the cliffs,” Vi said aloud as it dawned on her. “That’s brilliant.”
“This isn’t even the most interesting bit.” Taavin stopped at the water’s edge. “We’ll get wet from here on.”
They swam across the deep channel—definitely deep enough for Henrietta’s smuggling vessel—to the rocky beach on the other side. From there, they continued walking, climbing, and scrambling across boulders and cliff faces that had long ago fallen into the sea. There were a few other channels they had to swim across, and just when Vi was about to suggest they just tell her rather than show her whatever it was they were bringing her to, the roar of water could be heard.
“What’s that?”
“What we want to show you.” Deneya walked ahead this time.
“About a month ago, we came across this.” Taavin pointed.
They stopped at another opening in the cliffs. Water roared out of the mouth of a cave in giant splashes, foaming with white, and racing to the sea. All of the other openings had water flowing in from the ocean. But this one was like a giant spigot someone had long forgotten to turn off.
“Some kind of spring, or waterfall created by mountain run-off?”
“We thought that too since the water is icy and fresh,” Deneya said.
“But look closer.” Taavin pointed to something wedged between the rocks just under the water’s surface. It was a speck of gold, shining in the moonlight.
Vi crossed over and knelt down. Reaching into the chilly water, she retrieved a coin from where it had been stuck for what appeared to be a long time, judging by its worn surface. Vi flipped it over in her fingers, summoning a mote of flame to see by. On the side of the coin that had not been blasted by water for years, an imprint was still legible.
“Solaris,” she murmured. But this was not a coin used by the Solaris Empire. “The Kingdom of Solaris.” Vi stood. Now that she knew what to look for, dozens more flashes of gold illuminated the night. “Then this means…” She turned her gaze back toward the sheer rocks. Vi could think of only one way ancient treasure would be collecting here—Adela’s stolen gold was somewhere close. The treasure, and the crystal crown, had never left the Dark Isle. “We should go into the caves tonight.”