by A. C. Cobble
15
Akew Woods
“It’s sparsely populated, which could save some lives, and it’s far enough from the Sanctuary she can’t get help from them. Shamiil is one of its few trading partners, so it will make sense that we are on a vessel headed there,” stated Rhys.
“Why does it sound so familiar?” wondered Ben.
“Akew Woods is where Saala and Seneschal Tomas went before we fled the Sanctuary,” explained Amelie. “Remember? Tomas said they were sent on a diplomatic mission. We later found it was to get them away from the City so Lord Jason could snatch me from the Sanctuary.”
“What kind of mission would your father have in Akew Woods?” wondered Towaal.
Amelie shook her head. “None that make sense to me, but I wonder now if Tomas did have some reason to go there? Or he may have simply been looking for a way to get Saala out of the City. Regardless, he had other immediate plans for me. I don’t think anything he did in Akew Woods will impact us.”
“We can hope,” said Towaal.
Ben could tell the mage was worried about any unknown factor, and he didn’t blame her. They were counting on everything falling into place perfectly, and if it didn’t, they could be dead before they had a chance to react.
When using the thought meld to contact Jasper, they asked Martin to steer close to other ships that were following the same trade route. Eldred would know where they were and where they were going, but she didn’t know which ship they were on. They hoped that she wouldn’t simply torch anything that came within sight of land. Instead, they expected she would be watching the town, waiting for them to disembark.
Based on her past behavior, they believed the dark mage would want to confront them. She would try to toy with them before delivering a fatal blow. They needed that, so they could get close enough for Rhys to take her on. The plan had risk, but Ben was confident they’d assessed the woman’s personality accurately. She liked getting her hands dirty. She would want to see their blood when she spilled it.
The trick was that they had to surprise her and not the other way around. In preparation, Ben found one of the sailors who’d been to Akew Woods and quizzed the man about the town.
“Not much to see there,” the scrawny sea faring man declared. “It’s a small place, much smaller than the City, and you can’t go inland. They got uncivilized people living outside of town in the woods. The town itself is a trading hub, so there’s a lot of visitors coming and going. It’s got a few decent taverns, but the girls are a bit spoiled for my taste. Charge you far more’n they are worth. I recommend the One-Eyed Badger though, and a girl named—”
Ben cut the man off. “That’s not really what I was interested in. Can you talk to me about the layout of the place? What we should expect, anything we should watch out for?”
“You should watch out for getting overcharged by one of the uppity whores,” grumbled the man.
Amelie cleared her throat.
“Sorry,” sulked the sailor. “To understand Akew Woods, you gotta understand that it’s just about the only real town west of the Venmoor River. Everything else is wilderness and hill people. The hill people live in little dirt villages, I’m told. Like anyone though, they gotta trade. They come to Akew Woods for stuff they can’t make in a mud shack or the forest. Merchants come up from Shamiil with foodstuffs, ale, wine, and the like. Lotta ships from the west berth there too, bringing luxury goods and weird spices. They trade with the merchants from Shamiil.”
“The west?” wondered Amelie.
The sailor looked at her. “Yeah, the west. It’s where the sun sets.”
“I thought Akew Woods was the west,” she said, struggling futilely to keep the exasperation out of her voice.
“It’s the western tip of Alcott,” explained the sailor, speaking slow like he was telling a child about numbers. “It ain’t the western end of the world. It’s not like the sea just falls off into the air beyond there.”
“What is to the west then?” queried Ben. He’d never heard tale about any lands other than Alcott and the Southern Continent.
The sailor shrugged. “Don’t know. Never been there.”
“Tell us more about the town then,” suggested Amelie.
“It’s on the tip of a peninsula, which kinda curls around the harbor,” said the sailor, hooking his hand to demonstrate. “The backside of the town sits on a steep cliff. Then, the front slopes down to the docks. Just like anywhere, the rich folk live above and the poor down below. Shit runs downhill, you know?”
Ben nodded. He knew.
“There aren’t any walls or conventional defenses like you’d see in a lot of places,” continued the man, “but they do have some pretty big ballistae they could fire at approaching ships. Keeps the pirates in line, I was told. Most of the foreigners stay down near the docks. You load, unload, then get out of there without seeing much of the place. It can be a dangerous town if you’re not careful.”
“Pirates?” quizzed Ben.
The sailor nodded. “Aye, I told you ships from the west berthed there. They’re pirates for the most part. Deadly men, the type you don’t want to run afoul of in the tavern. That’s why I think the One-Eyed Badger is where you should go. It’s safe, and the proprietor sells the ale and the girls cheap. You can get two girls for the price you’d pay at some of the other—”
“Akew Woods is a pirate port?” demanded Amelie, interrupting the man and trying to ignore his insistence on describing the town’s working girls.
“Aye,” said the sailor, “of course it is. Isn’t that why you want to go? Martin said you used to be partners with the boss. What else would a person like you be doing in a place like that?”
Ben coughed.
They had the sailor draw a map of what he recalled of the town, which focused heavily on the location of taverns. Then, they met with Rhys and Towaal to discuss strategy.
“A town full of pirates and a dark mage seeking our blood,” said Rhys. “I’m feeling better and better about this plan of yours, Ben.”
“Hold on,” objected Ben.
“He’s kidding with you,” said Amelie.
Rhys winked at him and Ben bent back over the map, grumbling under his breath.
“We’re taking a bit of a gamble,” said Ben, turning the conversation to business, “but we don’t think Eldred can detect us unless she gets lucky far-seeing or we manipulate enough energy she could sense it from afar. With that in mind, I’m pretty confident we can sneak into town.”
“What are you thinking?” inquired Rhys.
“We wait until nightfall. Then we slip over the side of the ship,” said Ben. “We’ll swim to shore in the harbor. In the dark water, I doubt she’ll be able to see us. There are too many vessels for her to be far-seeing all of them at the same time, and she has to sleep.”
“I’m not sure about that last bit,” remarked Rhys, “but I agree she can’t watch every ship all the time. At night, far-seeing a dark harbor will be almost useless. What do you think, Karina?”
Lady Towaal nodded. “It’s a sound plan.”
“We still have to find her once we get on shore,” reminded Amelie. “If she’s there and waiting, then she’ll be in position to spring a trap for us.”
Ben grinned. “Exactly. That’s why we need to set a trap of our own.”
Amelie raised an eyebrow.
“If giving away our position with the thought meld worked to draw her to Akew Woods, then giving it away again will bring her right where we want her.”
“Where do we want her?” asked Rhys.
“I’m thinking here,” said Ben, stabbing a finger onto the map.
Outside of town, there was a deep bowl of rock. The sailor told them it was used for festivals, games, and events. The way he described it, it sounded like it was originally a rock quarry. It was away from the people in town, a place they could take their time preparing as best they were able for Eldred. They should have good range of vision to see when she a
pproached.
“I wish Jasper was here,” mumbled Amelie.
“He has another mission,” said Ben. “If all goes well, we’ll see him soon enough.”
Towaal and Rhys shared a look, and the rogue shrugged.
“Let’s get ready then,” suggested Towaal.
* * *
They sailed into Akew Woods’ harbor in broad daylight. Ben, Amelie, Towaal, and Rhys clustered below deck, taking turns peering out of a narrow portal. It was a safe assumption that Eldred couldn’t spot them, and Ben hesitated to admit it, but they weren’t even sure she’d be there. Depending on where she was in Alcott, it could mean significant travel to Akew Woods. Still, all of them were worried that they’d miscalculated, and a sizzling bolt of energy would fall upon them at any moment.
They slowly drifted by other ships in the harbor, and Ben studied them closely.
“After they unload, they move away from the docks so they don’t have to pay the warfage fees any longer than necessary,” explained Rhys. “A merchant vessel comes and goes as quickly as possible. Time is money after all. But a pirate captain likely wants to give his men time to rest, heal, and prepare. Maybe he needs to recruit a few more men if the last raid went poorly. They’ve got to plan and find an optimal time to strike.”
“Is anyone on those ships then?” asked Amelie.
“I’d guess the most junior cabin boy is left behind to keep an eye on things,” said Rhys. “The fighting men will be in town, getting drunk, and spending time with the women. Most of those taverns will be set up to cater to a man’s every need while he’s in port. When it’s done right, the sailors won’t even leave a place. They’ll stay, getting drunk and laid until the captain comes and collects them for the next voyage.”
Amelie tsked in disapproval.
Rhys grinned and waved his finger back and forth between Ben and Amelie. “Try spending a few months at sea without someone to give you a roll. A smart captain always makes sure his men have enough coin in their purses to have a bit of fun when they make port.”
“Look at that,” said Ben, interrupting the banter.
They all looked out the portal and saw three corpses hanging from the yardarm of a vessel. They were shirtless and bootless, only wearing dirty trousers. From what Ben could tell, they were freshly hung and had been beaten before getting strung up.
“Betrayed their crew, maybe,” suggested Rhys. “Pirates aren’t known for loyalty. Remember that when we move through the place. Don’t trust anyone, and watch your backs.”
Ben watched the other ships as they drifted by. Compact catapults and ballistae sat on several of the decks. The vessels sprouted sails and had slots for oars. They floated low in the water, lean and fast. There was minimal room for crew quarters or even cargo. In those boats, the pirates could close on another vessel fast, foul their rigging, grapple the other ship, and pull it close. Once they boarded, it was a matter of time and how much blood would be spilled before the victims surrendered. No merchant sailed with enough arms men to fight off a boat full of pirates.
Judging by the lack of cargo holds, these ships didn’t go out to rob wheat or beans. They would be interested in valuables. Carpets, precious metals, fine wines, oils and perfumes, or magical devices, the type of stuff that would be easy to transport and would fetch a good price even if its providence was suspect.
They felt their vessel slow and heard the shouts of a pilot guiding them to the docks. They’d stay below deck until midnight and then slip into the water away from the town. They hoped anyone watching for them would be focused on the gangplanks and traffic on the dock instead of the water.
“Let’s get some rest,” suggested Rhys. “We have a long night ahead of us.”
* * *
The ship creaked as the waves gently rocked it against the dock. Wood rubbed on bumpers, and ropes stretched and relaxed. Outside of the comfortable sounds of a boat at dock, it was quiet.
Martin hadn’t originally intended to travel to Akew Woods, so they had little cargo to unload there. He and the crew had taken the day off and were out carousing in the taverns. Only the cabin boys remained on ship, sleeping on deck, watching for intruders. Ben supposed that when the port was full of pirates, you couldn’t be too careful.
One of the boy’s eyes flicked open as Ben and his party passed. In the moonlight, Ben could see the boy tracking them. Other than that, he didn’t move. The cabin boys had been instructed to ignore what they were doing. As crew on a smuggler’s ship, Ben suspected it wasn’t the first time they’d witnessed shady activities.
On the far side of the vessel, two empty barrels had been dropped over the side and were floating in the water. A hemp rope hung down to them.
“Don’t slip,” advised Rhys. “A big splash will give us away.”
“Thanks for always reminding me of the worst-case scenario,” muttered Ben.
“Any time that Benjamin Ashwood is climbing something,” retorted Rhys, “is the worst-case scenario.”
Grumbling under his breath, Ben slung a leg over the gunwale and rappelled down the side of the ship. He didn’t fall, and when he got to the bottom of the rope, he slipped noiselessly into the water. He began untying the empty ale barrels. By the time his friends joined him, they were able to paddle out from the boat using the barrels for flotation and cover if they needed it. Barrels floating in the harbor shouldn’t be a remarkable sight in a busy port.
For a bell, they kicked slowly, swimming to the far corner of the docks where they hoped Eldred’s watchers wouldn’t be waiting. It was dark there with no ships on berth, and none of the warehouses showed any signs of activity.
Finally, they made it and clambered onto a rocky beach that marked the end of the commercial docks. There were small fishing skiffs and personal crafts dragged up on the beach, but no one appeared to be watching them. Pirates had no interest in stealing those.
They opened one of the barrels and pulled out neatly tied bundles of clothing and their weapons. After changing quickly into the dry clothes, they stuffed the wet ones back into one of the barrels. Rhys yanked the tap out of it then shoved the barrel back into the water. With any luck, it would sink to the bottom of the harbor before daylight. They didn’t want to leave any trace that someone came ashore, and they definitely didn’t want to slink through town with an armful of wet clothing.
They skirted the dark warehouses and moved closer to the light and sounds of Akew Woods. Even at midnight, the taverns blazed with activity. Boisterous singing floated on the night air, giving the place a sense of frantic revelry. The occasional clash of metal or scream added a dash of danger.
Halfway to the first well-lit street, Rhys held up a fist. He pointed ahead of them and Ben saw a spark of light in the shadows. A man was sitting on a crate and puffing on a pipe.
“Thieves guild, maybe?” wondered Ben. “Thieves are common in most of the ports I’ve seen. Potentially unguarded ships and drunk sailors who aren’t paying attention to their purses. That’s how Renfro made his bread before we met him.”
Rhys shook his head and whispered, “That looks to be a full-grown man. Local thieves would use children for this kind of work. It may be confirmation Eldred is in the city.” Rhys paused. “Want me to go find out for sure if he’s working for the dark mage?”
“No,” Ben answered. “If that is her man and he goes missing, it will alert her that something is going on. We need her overconfident when she walks into our trap.”
Rhys grunted. “I hate to leave an enemy alive when we’ll have to deal with him later, but I see your point.”
“You’re just looking for an excuse to use those long knives,” chided Amelie.
“What good is sneaking into a place at night if you don’t stab someone?” complained Rhys.
“Let’s move,” said Towaal. “We still have a long way to go to clear Akew Woods before daybreak.”
They set off again, veering into the dark alleys between warehouses to avoid the man sitting on t
he crate. Their pace was slow, and several more times they stopped and circled around people on the streets. They didn’t think they were all Eldred’s men, but any of them could be. They didn’t want to risk being seen by anyone.
Rhys stopped them again. Ahead, a five-man brawl spilled out of a brightly lit tavern into the dark street. Punches were thrown, and kicks were launched. Then one man went down. Another pounced on top of him, plunging a knife into the fallen man’s body. Suddenly, all of them drew weapons, and the fight continued. No one called out. No one yelled for help. They fell on each other wordlessly. The only vocalization was when one of the men took a blade to the gut and died slowly.
In heartbeats, only two men remained standing. One limped to the other and threw an arm over his shoulder. They both stumbled back into the tavern. Three bodies lay motionless behind them.
Another party came down the street, singing drinking songs loudly in the night. They stepped over the bodies and entered the bright door of the tavern. No one came out to look. No one alerted the watch.
“Ruthless killers,” muttered Rhys. “Don’t get in a tavern fight in this town.”
They moved on, steering clear of the taverns and bawdy houses, sticking to the dark alleys and commercial streets that were shuttered for the night.
“What would your father’s seneschal Tomas be doing in a place like this?” wondered Ben.
“I don’t know,” replied Amelie, “but I see why he would have wanted Saala with him.”
Near the edge of town, they found a pair of watchers pacing back and forth in front of a row of dark buildings. Ben guessed the men were moving to stay awake through the night. They were standing just half a block from the end of town.
The men were watching the hard-packed road that led into the forest. Ben was sure of it.
For a quarter league, the road outside of town was barren and lifeless. The spit of land that housed Akew Woods jutted out from the mainland and was only five-hundred paces wide outside of the city. It was all rock and thick moss. Nothing that would hide a party of four on a moonlit night. Anything even resembling a tree had been cut down and used in construction or burned.