The Darkness at the Edge of Noon: a Thalassia novel

by Patrick McClafferty

  “Men like slow dancing as well as women, I’ll let you know.” Aileen chimed in, grinning. “It gives them a chance to snuggle in public.” Logan could feel his face turning red as he remembered the night at the Cabaret with Rhiannon. The medic quickly noted his discomfiture. “Ohhh. I’m sorry Logan. I didn’t mean to embarrass....”

  “It’s all right.” He cut in. “I...” He swallowed, embarrassed at his feelings. “It was a good night, that’s all.” She gave him an understanding look. “All right, the rest of you. Get ready for bed. I’ll go relieve Tiana on watch. Grady, remember—it is NOT your honeymoon.” The big man blushed and the rest of the group let out a low chuckle.

  The silence outside was broken only by the song of a lone cricket, and the cold air was chill and invigorating. Logan sniffed, smelling the spicy scent of cedar. Tiana was sitting with her back to a rock, almost invisible. “How are things progressing?” He asked curiously, looking around at the now empty forest.

  “Good. Our friend left when the music stopped.” She gave him a long look. “He was dancing, Logan. When you played that first reel he started tapping his feet, and by the end of the second reel he was really getting in to it, spinning and dancing and waving all four of his arms. You stopped and he stopped, stared at the cave for a minute, picked up his weapon and left. Something is going on here that I don’t understand.”

  “I don’t understand either, Tiana, but I intend to find out. You get some sleep. I’ll take the next watch. Tell Max to relieve me in a couple of hours.”

  “I’ll do that, Logan. Good night.”

  “Night, Tiana.”

  He pulled his heavy woolen traveling cloak over his head, sat down in the same spot Tiana had vacated and set his sword on his lap. He put his hand to his medallion.

  “Rhiannon?” He whispered, the words seeming to leave his mouth with the steaming cloud of his breath.

  “Yes, dear one. Don’t you ever sleep?”

  “I’m on watch. I need to talk with you.” He paused, organizing his thoughts. “Something happened tonight. It might be significant and it might not.” He quickly relayed the story of the silent Zzzkntti, dancing in the moonlight to ancient reels.

  “I feel that it is something we need to watch, dear one, but a single instance isn’t something for us to pin our hopes on.”

  “I agree, Nan.” He replied slowly. “It is about time we had a little good luck here, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I would, dear one.”

  They remained silent for several moments, but he didn’t remove his hand from the medallion. “What will we do, when all this is over, Rhiannon?” Her little laugh was wicked. “Besides THAT.”

  “Oh, I suspect that there will be plenty of other things to keep us occupied.”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a vacation.”

  “Ohhh. Well now.” She replied with some interest.

  “Deserted island, warm sandy beach, cold wine, hot nights.” Logan could feel himself blushing.

  “Oh, dear!” He heard her gasp, and then it turned to a laugh. “I know just the place, but you need to finish your watch and get some sleep.” He felt warm lips brush his cheek. “Good night, Logan.”

  The night remained still and quiet. Max came to relieve Logan, and the leader of the small band gratefully crawled into his rude bed and pulled the blankets over his head.

  Logan was munching on a tart green apple as they packed their meager breakfast dishes and sleeping rolls.

  Bel looked bleary-eyed. “Where to today, Logan?”

  “We continue on west, Bel.”

  The scout glanced at the mountains looming to the north, dark and purple in the morning sun. “That will get us up and out of the coastal flatlands. It will be tougher walking.”

  “Tougher for us and tougher for anything following us.” Bel shot him a worried look. “Tiana didn’t tell you?”

  The worried look turned into a frown. “No.” Her answer was flat.

  “We had company last night, during the music. A single big Zzzkntti just sat and watched, and then during the reels started to dance.”

  “Dance?”

  “That’s what Tiana said. After the music stopped he left.”

  “Why didn’t she tell the rest of us?”

  Logan chuckled as he shouldered his pack. “She probably had other things on her mind, right about then.”

  Bel gave a disgusted snort. “I wish she’d stop thinking with her crotch. She’s as bad as a man, sometimes.” She looked up and flushed slightly. “Sorry, Logan.” She shot him a quick grin as she picked up her crossbow. “I don’t see you mooning over Rhiannon.”

  He pointed to the trail. “Move out, Corporal.”

  “Sir, yes, sir.” She was still grinning.

  The game trail they were following widened for a while, then narrowed, and then disappeared; to reappear a few miles further along the sloping mountainside. The path continued to climb into the low foothills of the towering range to the north. Icy streams and rivers burbled over shiny, well-worn rocks or crashed over high waterfalls. Logan glanced into one deep cold pool at the base of a waterfall and saw the long fat shapes of trout beneath the rippling water.

  “It’s a beautiful land.” Padraig said quietly at Logan’s shoulder. “I could live here if it weren’t so damn far from everything.”

  “If we’re successful, people will be able to live here, someday.” He glanced down the mountain, and across the flat coastal plain to the glint of the ocean on the distant horizon. “That would be good farming country down there.”

  “I didn’t know you were a farmer at heart.” The tall second-in-command said dryly.

  “I’m not. It’s just an observation. My wife used to say that I had a brown thumb.”

  “I didn’t know that you were married.” Padraig said gently.

  Logan sighed. “She and my son died of the plague five years ago. I was out on a long patrol at the time. When I got back they were gone.”

  “Sorry, my friend. I didn’t mean to reopen old wounds.”

  “That’s all right, Padraig. I seem to have another family, now. Not the same as my first family, but I find that I love them just as much.”

  They ate on their feet, chewing dried rations and washing it down with sips from the sweet icy streams. As the afternoon progressed, Logan called an early halt by a large deep pool, and while the rest of the squad set up tents and the fire. He and Grady broke out their small fishing lines to catch dinner.

  Either the fish had never seen a hook before, or possibly they were just starving for the small bugs Logan and Grady were using for bait. Regardless of the reason, the two soldiers soon had a dozen fat fish caught, cleaned and ready. Padraig was prepared with a small handful of his own special spices, spearing and cooking the fish with quick efficient motions. They all took turns cooking. Padraig turned out tasty, flamboyant meals, while the rest simply concentrated on filling. Tiana usually cooked for Grady, which was a small blessing for everyone.

  Logan, who had just finished his tea, sat relaxing in front of his small tent.

  “So, fearless leader, what do we practice tonight?” Megan was grinning as she tightened the strings on her tambura, a long skinny stringed instrument.

  Logan plucked a chord on the mandolin. “Slow dancing tonight, ladies and gentlemen. We’ll start with a simple pavane.” He strummed a rapid series of chords. “When we reach civilization, we will probably want to play a variety of music.” He played the first round of the music, and then the others joined in, improvising their own unique accompaniment. He held up his instrument at the end of the piece. “Very good. I’d have thought that you were all musicians, and not soldiers. Let’s try a coranto next. Bel, did I see a recorder packed along with your flute?” The woman nodded shyly. “Good. I’ll start off with basic melody, then you will begin the song. We’ll all jump in after the first round. All right?”

  The bright little dance was over quickly, so they repeated it a seco
nd and third time.

  “Break!” Megan gasped, laughing, trying to catch her breath.

  “A break sounds good. I’ll be back.” Logan set down the mandolin and disappeared into the dark, where he found Max sitting quietly.

  “Our friend from last night is back.” Max was almost whispering. “Just like you said. It almost seemed as if he was remembering the dance steps to that last song. Whatever, he was having himself a good time.”

  Logan touched the youth’s shoulder. “You keep a close eye on him. If he starts to get closer call out. Do you hear me?” The boy nodded, and turned his wide-eyed gaze back to the monster.

  Logan was thoughtful when he returned to the fire. “Everything all right?” There was concern in Padraig’s eyes.

  “Our friend is back, and he’s dancing again. I wish I knew what was going on.” He shook his head. “Something a little slower this time, I think. Tanden, do you know lavolta?”

  “Yeah, I know the music, but I’ve never seen it danced. Not much need fer slo dancing on a ship.” He chuckled. “Why don’t yer give us a little demonstration, like so’s we kin know whet it looks like.”

  Logan returned the man a flat look. “All right, ladies.” He said with a sigh. “Which of you lovelies knows lavolta?” He remembered the dance with Rhiannon, and the feel of her smooth warm back under his hands. He shook his head to clear the memories. “One of you MUST be able to do lavolta. It’s not that hard.”

  Finally, it was Maeve who stood. “I should have known.” Logan was grinning as he took her hand. Her face was serious, and her eyes dark and mysterious. He swallowed hard. “Any time you’re ready, Tanden.” The music started.

  “It’s over, Logan.” Someone was tapping him on the shoulder. There were sniggers of laughter; Logan felt his face turn red. Serious blue eyes were staring into his.

  “Thank you for the dance, Logan. I—enjoyed it.” Her voice was thick, as she quickly turned away, but not quickly enough, and Logan caught the glint of tears in her eyes.

  “I enjoyed it too, Maeve.” He stared at the retreating back and wondered what that had been about. He looked up at the rest of the squad and shrugged, giving them all a crooked grin. “Good work tonight, folks. Pack it up now. It will be an early day tomorrow. I’ll take next watch. Tiana, you can relieve me in a couple of hours.” The blond haired woman grinned at him, then cast a shy smile at Grady.

  “I didn’t see it too well.” Max was saying hesitantly. “But it looked like it was crying.”

  “Crying?” Logan’s tone was incredulous.

  “Yup. Tears running down the cheeks and everything. When he left he even forgot his club.” The boy handed Logan a gnarled and twisted chunk of limb so heavy that he could barely lift it. There was still hair embedded in it from the last creature the Zzzkntti had killed.

  “You didn’t tell...”

  “Oh, no! You told me not to, Captain.”

  “Logan. Call me Logan.”

  “Yes, ah, Logan.”

  Logan sighed. “Go to bed, Max.”

  “But, my watch is only half...”

  “Go to bed. I’ll take it.”

  “Yes, sir, Mister Logan, sir.” He almost saluted.

  “Good night, Max.”

  Clouds were moving over the moons and rings, and the darkness became more absolute. The sounds of the night slowly returned to normal: the call of an owl, a chatter of a disturbed squirrel, the strident chirp of the crickets.

  Logan pulled his hood over his head, blending his shape in with the surrounding rocks and trees. Maeve bothered him. He found the woman uncommonly attractive, and when they were close he found himself becoming physically aroused by her presence. Tonight when they danced he would have sworn that he had danced with her before. The way she moved under his hands was familiar, and the way she looked at him. He unbuttoned the top of his cloak to let out the heat. He knew that he was missing some simple little thing that would solve his questions about Maeve. He just knew it.

  It was raining when they woke, the breakfast fire nothing more than a cold sodden pile of wet wood and ash. “We’ve been wet before.” Logan urged his people on. “We’ll be wet again. It won’t kill us.” He shrugged his wet pack over his shoulders.

  “How much further?” Grady’s wet dark hair dripped in his face.

  “A week or so. Maybe ten days. Depends on the weather and how much up and down travel we have to do.”

  “And the snow.” Grady looked up into the heavy gray clouds. “It smells like snow.”

  Logan took a deep breath. “Yup. It sure does.”

  “Wonderful,” was Grady’s answer.

  The trail wound up and down the side of the steep mountain, alternating between slippery mud and slick rock. Tanden slipped on one particularly greasy spot of mud and rolled several dozen yards before coming to rest against the trunk of a twisted pine tree leaning drunkenly over a thousand foot drop. He lay there shaking until Logan and Grady rescued him, and then limped along at the end of the company, mumbling curses.

  After that the weather turned worse. Rain turned to sleet, then freezing rain. Logan, feeling a growing sense of urgency, sent out both scouts to find them shelter for an early night.

  Surprisingly, it was Tiana who returned first. “There are ruins of an old fort of some kind Logan. At least two buildings still have their roofs, and there is enough dry wood under shelter for a substantial fire.

  Logan looked at his huddling, miserable squad. “It sounds good to me. Any signs of occupancy?” They both knew what he meant.

  “There are a few prints about, but all animal. The rain has smudged the tracks pretty thoroughly.” Her hand pointed diagonally up the mountain. “It’s that-a-way, about a mile or so, tucked into a narrow canyon.”

  “Find Bel. We’ll meet you there.” She nodded once and was gone. “Max, you lead out. Tanden, do you need a hand?” The big man mumbled a curse, but all Logan caught was ...bloody friggin...before he turned to follow the squad into the woods.

  Twelve more days it took them to reach the outskirts of Falun. The heavily fortified city, built on a sheer sided peninsula seemed busy with carts drawn by oxen, and strange four legged beasts Logan had never seen before. They had seen their Zzzkntti admirer five more times, the last time no more than a dozen hours back, almost in sight of the walled city. The monster had been getting closer and closer, but at no time did it appear threatening. It simply wanted to listen.

  A party of ten armed men riding the strange beasts met them when they were halfway across the meadow that backed up to the forest. The air held a biting chill.

  The leader of the band lowered a long lance and approached them cautiously. “Who are you, and what do you want here?”

  Padraig gave Logan a sideways glance. “Not too friendly, are they?”

  Logan shrugged. “Travelers from Gjøvik with important messages for your Chief or King.”

  The lance didn’t waver. “Why didn’t you just sail in?”

  “Sea monsters sank our ship just past some damn big river. We lost half our crew or more.”

  “Bloody idiot. What do you take me for? No one sails past the River Slidr in spawning season. And no one walks in the jungles south of here without getting killed by the bloody monsters. We don’t want no idiots in Falun. Go back where you came.”

  Logan slowly drew his sword. “Come down here and say that again, pretty boy.” The man lowered his lance, closed his faceplate and spurred his riding beast all in one motion. Logan stepped aside, slashing with his sword as the beast thundered by, and cut the long lance in two. Jerking his reins roughly, the charging man skidded his mount to a halt.

  “You bloody cretin.” He drew a long glittering stelwood crystal blade. “I’ll teach you.” Behind him the other mounted men closed on the two fighters, lances lowered. Logan made a quick hand signal. The armored man swung a mighty overhand cut, which Logan parried easily, raising his glittering sword high over his head with both hands for a crushing chop. T
he tip of the expensive stelwood blade wobbled slightly, before it froze. Logan’s blade was touching the man’s left armpit through a small gap in his armor.

  “Tell your men to drop their weapons. They’re outmatched.”

  “Like bloody hells I will.” The man answered.

  Logan sighed, and raised a single finger. There was a thump, and a shrill cry from one of the mounted men as he clasped a gauntleted hand to the bolt standing out of his armored thigh. “The next shot goes through his chest. Your whole little command will be dead in thirty seconds. Think quickly.”

  The crystal blade hit the ground. “Dismount and drop your weapons.” The beaten leader called out, hands still raised. “Get off the damn horses or they’ll kill you!”

  All the riders but one obeyed. That one lowered his lance and charged. Tiana had been waiting. The chestnut horse covered twenty feet before the man fell from his saddle and landed with a resounding crash of bending armor. A crossbow bolt was buried in his shoulder. Logan made a hand motion for his people to cover the leader of the patrol, and walked casually over to the fallen knight. He removed the stricken man’s sword and tossed it negligently into the field, then put the tip of his sword on the man’s exposed throat.

  “You might want to get that shoulder looked at, neighbor. It looks painful. Not as painful as a bolt in the chest would have been, mind you, but still painful.” Logan had the patrol of knights rounded up in short order, and with the two wounded men riding and all the rest walking, they made a slow solemn procession back to the city of Falun.