by K Hanson
“Yes, sir.” Limbani left to carry out her orders with new vigor after their victory.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“And then, she shot lightning out of her hands and the ships were completely destroyed,” said a man with eyes as wild as his short hair as he animated his story with his hands.
Erhan listened from a booth in the corner of a tavern in Trabizan. He had come to the crossroads city in search of anyone who had seen or heard news of Nereyda. After a week, he had almost moved on after not discovering anything. Then, this man had started telling a story of a woman with raven hair performing miracles.
The man’s friend on the other side of their table shook his head. “I don’t believe it. Nobody can do that. Not since the gods took that from us.”
“Now you become religious. I don’t care about what the church says. Maybe this woman got her powers from the gods, maybe from someplace else. I know what I saw.”
Erhan slid out of his seat and rushed over to their table, helping himself to a seat.
“Excuse us, do we know you?” asked the storyteller’s friend.
“No, but I heard your story.” He focused on the storyteller, whose well-kept clothes clashed with the rest of his appearance. “You said you saw this in Antalia?”
“Yes, that’s right.” The man’s dark eyes sparkled.
“What’s your name? What can you tell me about this woman?”
“My name is Hayri. And I don’t know much. I was up in the city, and she was on a ship in the harbor. I could only see that she had dark hair. But I also heard she organized the whole rebellion that kicked the Empire out. Her name is Reyda, or something like that.” Hayri’s expression carried a steady honesty as he spoke.
Erhan’s heart hammered at the discovery of a new lead. “How did you get out of the city?” he asked with excitement. “Wasn’t it sealed off?”
Hayri shook his head. “No, after they kicked the Imperials out, they made it much easier to come and go. Merchants like me no longer need to get a pass for every trip. Now, they just make sure we’re not Imperial soldiers in disguise.”
“Would you be willing to come with me to tell your story to some other people?”
Hayri shrugged and eyed Erhan with suspicion. “Maybe. Where would we need to go? And who wants to know?”
“We’d go to Goremia and tell the priests there what you saw.”
The man shook his head. “That’s several days out of my way. I have no need to go that far, not this time of year. My carts sit empty and I need to restock. Goremia has nothing I need. And what would the priests do with this story? I don’t want to get this woman in any sort of trouble.”
“This woman could be a sign that the gods have turned their favor back to humanity and given her the chance to prove that we’re worthy. And I can pay you to come with me. One hundred gold. Half now and half after you tell the priests what you saw.”
“I’d easily make that or more in the time it would take to make that trip.”
“Two hundred?”
The man’s eyes widened. “If you’re sure this won’t be bad for her, I suppose I could make time for that kind of money. When would we leave?”
“As soon as we can.”
“I can probably be ready tomorrow morning.”
“Meet me here at sunrise, and we’ll leave.”
Hayri proved to be a fine travel companion. He did not complain about long days on the road and helped set up camp each night. Conversation had been sparse, but that didn’t bother Erhan. When they strode into the Temple of Ameretat in Goremia, a high priest with a familiar face emerged from a door at the back of the sanctuary. “Ah,” Sabah said, “you’re back. With a friend, I see. What can I help you with this time?”
“This is Hayri, a witness who saw the woman I talked to you about last time.”
Sabah raised his eyebrows. “Interesting.” He turned to Hayri. “Tell me what you saw, Hayri.”
Hayri told the story of Nereyda destroying the two frigates with lightning, admiration ringing in his voice.
The priest frowned as he finished his tale. “This is concerning. I should go get the rest of the priests. They need to hear this. Both of you, please wait here while I summon them.” He hurried into the back.
“You’re sure this isn’t going to cause problems for that woman?” Hayri asked. “The priest didn’t seem happy with what I told him.”
“He’s probably just worried about what it means for the church. It’s existed for centuries without anyone doing anything like this. Someone suddenly showing up with powers from the gods will change everything. Besides, you came all this way. You can’t turn back now. And you don’t want to leave before telling the priests your story. They have the authority to force you to come before them. It’s much better to be cooperative.”
“If you say so. When do I get the other half of my payment?”
“After you talk to the priests.”
A few minutes later, Sabah came out with four others in blue robes. The five of them gathered on the central platform.
“Both of you,” said Sabah, “come forward and sit on the front bench.”
They moved up and sat before the priests.
“Now, Hayri, tell them what you told me.”
The man repeated his story to the priests. After he had finished, they turned to each other and spoke in whispers that Erhan couldn’t overhear.
When they stopped, Sabah spoke. “This testimony is most troubling, indeed, and is much more concrete than the rumors you brought to me before. However, we need more than one account from an average citizen before we can act. Unless you have another account to offer us, we cannot do anything yet. Perhaps, concerned citizen,” he said with a pointed gaze at Erhan, “if you were more forthcoming about who you are and where you heard your stories, we could proceed. If you’re reluctant to reveal yourself, I want to remind you that the church does not have to disclose anything to other Imperial authorities.”
Erhan scowled down at the floor. Either he’d need to go out and find a second witness, or he’d have to serve as a witness himself. He couldn’t waste time. He needed to trust that the priests wouldn’t report him as a deserter or worse, a traitor.
Erhan rose, his head held high, and announced, “I am Commander Erhan of the Imperial Navy. I was present at the battle at the mines, though I have been hesitant to return to duty due to the questions that might be asked about my absence. A while ago, I apprehended the pirate captain Nereyda. At that time, she did not exhibit any talents with these strange abilities. After she and I were shipwrecked on an island near the Shattered Sea, I observed her throw some sort of fire demon through the air with a blast of wind. As we were about to board a raft we had made, she struck me with lightning and tied me up so I couldn’t follow her, though I did manage to hail a civilian vessel as it passed through the area. I knew that she would want to go to the mines to attempt to free the rest of her crew, so I went there to intercept her. After being captured there, she made an escape attempt with her crew and was caught. She decided to bear the full punishment for her crew, and while she was being whipped, she froze her restraints until they shattered and killed the guards with lightning. Shortly after that, Stalsta attacked, and I made use of Nereyda and her pirates to help fight them. During that fight, she destroyed most of the fire demons with a wall of water and tossed me against a wall with her wind. That is my full account of what I know about this Nereyda and the abilities she has come to possess.”
Sabah rubbed his chin, pulling on his beard. “That is an extensive testimony about this alleged gift thief. Do you have proof of your identity?”
“Gift thief?” asked Hayri. “I thought you said this wouldn’t get her in trouble?”
Erhan ignored him. From a pocket in his jacket, he pulled out his commander’s patch, which had his identification number, along with his service papers. He also handed over the original order from High Judge Aydin instructing him to arrest Captain Nereyda.
Erhan nodded. “I understand and swear that my testimony is true.”
Sabah turned to Hayri. “Do you say the same about your own account?”
“Yes, I told you everything that I saw. I didn’t make it up.”
“Very well. Both of you will remain on the temple grounds as our guests while we check some of our sources. If we can confirm that you are who you say, this may be enough for the Inquisition that you asked about when you last came here.”
“Wait,” said Hayri, “we’re prisoners now?”
“No, while you are confined to the temple grounds, you will be free to use any of our trails, and you will not want for comforts. If you need anything from the city below, we will send a courier to retrieve it. Also, as we don’t have any current guests, you can stay in our best guest suites. These are the rooms used by the Emperor himself, along with high-ranking nobles and military officers.”
“It still sounds like a fancy prison. What about my life?” he yelled. “I’m a merchant and have a business to run.”
“The church is not blind to the economic needs of others. I assure you, you will be compensated for your time away from your daily affairs.”
“So you’ll pay me to stay here? Fine, that doesn’t sound so bad.” He nodded, then stopped with a frown. “Wait, what was that about an Inquisition? That doesn’t sound good for this woman.”
Sabah smiled at the man. “‘Inquisition’ is simply a church term for an investigation. Before we decide what action is appropriate, we need to learn more about this woman, how she obtained these gifts, and what her intentions are. I assure you, we will do what’s best for her, the church, and the Empire.”
“If you say so.” He leaned back against the back of the bench and crossed his arms.
Sabah tilted his head toward Erhan. “Do you have any concerns about the church’s hospitality?”
He shook his head. “No, of course not. I’ll stay here as long as it takes.”
“Good. We’ll get started on checking these right away.” He waved the papers in his hand. “We won’t keep you waiting any longer than necessary. An acolyte will show you to your temporary quarters.”
After four days, Erhan and Hayri were summoned back to the sanctuary, where all of the priests were assembled. Once they reached the front bench, Sabah spoke with them. “Commander Erhan, it seems that you are who you say you are. I verified the authenticity of your order with the High Judge himself. Also, Hayri, we heard some other rumors coming out of Antalia that support your own account. Some of them featured exaggerations, as these stories often do, but there was enough there for us to believe that you were honest in your testimony.”
“What’s next?” asked Erhan.
“Based on what you’ve told us, we have enough information to pursue an Inquisition. And we believe that you should lead it yourself. You have the military qualifications to lead such an effort. And, given your history with this individual, I believe that you are the best suited to bringing her in. Here, we have the tools for a proper examination once you bring this Nereyda to us.”
Erhan cracked a rare smile at the thought of properly and finally pursuing his revenge.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Every inch of Nereyda’s body hurt with a sharp pain as she woke up, as if a thousand wasps had stung her all over. Her muscles were leaden and sluggish as she rolled onto her side. The sheets stuck to her clammy skin. Sunlight streamed in through the window next to the bed she lay in. She recognized the room as one in the Bawdy Bard but didn’t remember arriving. The last thing she remembered was the battle against the frigates out in the harbor.
And Elvar. Her breaths felt heavy as she remembered how he had died in a volley of cannon fire. After that, she didn’t remember much. Her inner storm had surged, but nothing after that came to her. Not that it mattered anyway when she had lost someone close to her.
Her muscles felt like fire as she forced herself out of bed. A clean robe lay on the dresser nearby. She wrapped it tight around herself as she stared out the window at the harbor, where ship wreckage still floated in the water. Tears flowed down her face as she thought about losing her friend. The crew of the Storm Raven would not be the same without him. It broke her heart that Elvar would never get to live free on the sea again.
The door behind her clicked, and Nereyda turned around to see Fariha with a wet cloth in her hand. “Oh, Reyda, you should have waited for me to help you up,” she said with concern in her emerald eyes. She closed the door as she entered, her copper hair swaying in a braid.
“I can stand on my own,” Nereyda said. She tilted toward the wall and caught herself. “What happened? How did I get here?”
“Let’s sit you back down.” Fariha grabbed Nereyda’s arm and guided her back to the bed. “Some of your crew carried you in. You’ve been out for a few days. I was coming to put this cloth on your forehead for a while. You’ve been running hot.”
“How did they bring me here? We were losing to those frigates.”
“Apparently, you didn’t lose.” Fariha dabbed the cloth on Nereyda’s face and wiped away the sweat. “From what I heard from your crew, you shot lightning out of your hands and destroyed their ships. I don’t know about that, but I did hear an awfully loud bit of thunder from the harbor right before the Imperials surrendered.”
“Wait, the Imperials surrendered? You mean we won?”
Fariha set the cloth down. “Oh, forgive me. I probably should have started with that. Yes, Antalia now belongs to its people again. Some soldiers in green uniforms came in through the gate and helped take the rest of the Imperial camps. Between their help and what happened in the harbor, the rest of the Imperials threw down their weapons quickly. You should hear what the people are saying about you. They’re calling you the Savior of Antalia.”
Nereyda grabbed her pillow and clutched it to her chest. “I’m no savior. If I was, I’d have saved Elvar.”
Fariha’s mouth hung open and she put a hand on Nereyda’s shoulder. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know he was gone. I just figured he was somewhere else when the crew brought you in.”
“He was right next to me on the ship.” She clenched her fingers into the pillow. “Maybe I could have done something. I could have used wind to protect him, maybe.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t know exactly what, but I should have tried.”
“You did your best, Nereyda. I know you. You always do whatever you can. He died doing what he loved.”
“What do you mean?” Nereyda gave Fariha a sideways glance. “He never got to be a pirate again.”
“That’s not how I see it. Isn’t stealing a ship being a pirate? And he helped you take out four ships with a single frigate. But I’m not talking about being a pirate. He died standing side by side with the people he cared most about. And remember, you got him out of those damn mines. A death fighting on the sea has to be better than a life slaving away in that place. You’ve given him the best life and the best end you could. He would be incredibly proud of you. And he’d want you to cheer up and go out and celebrate your victory.”
A tear slid down Nereyda’s cheek. “Thank you, Fariha. I’m sure they’ve been celebrating the last few days, though.”
“They have, but they’ve been holding back. I think they’ve been waiting for you. Your crew definitely has. Also, a Lord
Devrim has been asking about you. He came in with the green-uniformed soldiers. He’s been by a few times a day.”
“Ah, yes, he’s the one behind all of this. He’ll want to know I’m not dead. Do you know where he is?”
“He stayed here the first night, but I think he’s moved into the administration building.”
“Where is this place?”
“It’s on the south side of the harbor. You won’t be able to miss it, especially with our green friends running in and out of it.”
“Okay, I’ll head out in a bit. Do you have any food downstairs? I’m starving.”
“Sure. I’ll find something for you and have it ready by the time you come down. Your clothes are in the wardrobe next to the window. You might want to grab a bath first, though. I did what I could but, well, you did fight in a battle and have been in bed for three days.”
Nereyda smelled herself and wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“You can use the washroom through that door.” Fariha pointed at a door on the other side of the room from the bed.
“Do each of your rooms have a washroom?”
“No, but you lucked out and got our suite. I give it out as a free bonus to anyone who successfully leads a rebellion in Antalia.”
Nereyda let out a short laugh before wincing in pain. “I’ll have to do it again someday. Thank you, Fariha, for all of your help.”
“Not the first time I’ve taken care of you while you’ve been passed out.”
“You’re not wrong. Are there many people downstairs right now?”
“It’s the busiest it’s been in years, aside from the night after you showed up.”
“Can you bring food up here, then? I don’t feel like celebrating at the moment, and I don’t want to bring the mood down for everyone else.”
“Sure, I can do that. It’ll be waiting when you’re clean and dressed.”
Fariha left the room, and Nereyda went into the washroom. The bathtub even had running water, a benefit of a well-developed city like Antalia. She turned the faucet and undressed as the tub filled with hot water. She let out a sigh as she slid into the bath. If she hadn’t already slept for three days, she would have been tempted to take a nap. As it was, she enjoyed how the water relaxed her muscles and loosened them up. After washing, she dressed and stepped back into the bedroom. A tray of eggs, bacon, and toast sat on the dresser. She barely tasted any of it as she shoveled it into her mouth.