by T B Phillips
Geir lowered his voice, “I see six men on the starboard.”
“Are they following?”
“They split up and three crossed the street, so I think that they’ll just flank us for a while.”
“Hopefully they’re only supposed to observe and not apprehend.” Sam felt butterflies in his stomach as he spoke. Normally, his contacts came to him. This was the first time that he had attempted to personally meet with his Diaph agent in fifteen years.
The men continued walking toward the tavern district, paying close attention to the shadows, but laughing and pretending to be unaware. As they approached a seedy looking inn called the Listing Barge, Jan grabbed the shoulders of the others and asked loudly, “Hey guys, why is Estonian Ale like a canoe?”
Geir thought for a moment, but Kernigan responded immediately. “Because it’s close to water.”
All three men erupted in laughter, and Jan leaned in close, whispering, “All six men are on the street behind us.”
Kernigan, still smiling, answered, “Never mind them, we’re here. This is the spot.” He looked up at the old and weathered shop sign which, as faded as it was, looked newer than the planks that made up the walls. The sounds inside indicated there would be a large amount of witnesses. He hoped that would deter the guards from following.
The trio went inside and found a table next to the fireplace that was also near the kitchen door. They each turned their chairs so that they could watch the entrance. The room was crowded with travelers who wanted to get in before the storm, and a group of four men entered shortly after they did. Kernigan’s eyes shot to Jan, but the small man shook his head with a low “no,” as if to confirm that they were not from the group of six waiting outside. Nerves settling a little, he looked around. Samani could see that he and his companions were lucky to get a table at all, much less one in such a perfectly defensible position.
A busty waitress with black hair and piercing green eyes approached with a tray under her arm, wiping her free hands on a towel. “What’ll it be, gents?” Jan ordered a Logan lager and Geir asked for an Estonian ale. This earned a questionable look from the girl as all three men erupted into laughter. She waited impatiently for them to finish, then pointed at Samani. “And for you?”
Sam finished his laugh, then watched the girl intently for a reaction when he said, “I want an Astian Pearl.” Both pirates looked at him with serious wonderment, but the girl nodded and said that she would be right back with their drinks.
“What the hell is an Astian Pearl Sam?” Jan looked at Geir who merely shrugged.
“An imported amusement, I assure you.” Kernigan smiled disarmingly and the men continued to talk and to watch the door. A few moments later, the girl returned with their drinks, placing them in front of first Jan, then Geir. In front of Sam she placed a glass of white wine with a perfectly round black rock at the bottom. Sam smiled and handed the girl a silver coin. She looked at it, nodded and then walked away to wait on another group of travelers. His two companions threw back their drinks, but he merely swished the contents of his own, frowning intently at the pebble.
After a few more minutes, an old woman with a black shawl wrapped around her silver hair entered the Listing Barge. On her arm hung a woven basket full of healing herbs and elixirs. Sam and Geir watched her as she moved from table to table speaking with each tavern goer, occasionally stopping to pull out a pouch and trade it for a coin before moving to the next patron.
Pointing at the woman, Geir prodded, “Maybe the witch has something to make Jan less ugly.” Upon hearing his name, the smaller man looked up.
“Or, she might have something to help Geir get up his willy.” This made the bigger man’s face change, the first time that Sam had seen him grow serious. Sam sat up in anticipation, hoping that the men did not start their own disruption.
Geir looked Jan in the eye and flatly asked, “Your mom told you about that problem, did she?” Both men threw their heads back in laughter and Sam relaxed.
When she finally approached, she sat her basket on the table and looked Kernigan directly in the eye. “You are taking a chance coming here, Samani.”
“Hello Pearl.” A slight smile curved from the sides of his mouth when he greeted her.
Jan and Geir looked at each other, eyebrows raised incredulously, but did not speak.
“A messenger from The Cove arrived three days ago. He passed around descriptions of you and said that some “Lord Nevra” is offering a substantial reward for your return.”
“Did he specify dead or alive?”
“No. He left that detail out. Who’s Nevra? I thought Artema Horn led the guild, but rumor now has it that Horn was killed. Is that true?”
Samani shook his head. “Sadly, Artema is alive and a traitor. He sold out to Marcus Esterling and helped him kill the Queen.”
Her face scrunched, wrinkles deepening all over her face. “I thought that was Braston.”
“No. It was Matteas Brohn working with the brat and Horn.”
“What about the northern prince then? Why is he taking the fall for the crown?”
“Because he is a convenient target. Esterling had tried to sell him to his brother in Fjorik, but the trade broke down.”
She nodded and then shrugged. “Well, he has a large bounty also. Both the guild and his brother are hunting him, and there are a lot of thugs watching the waterfront for you both.”
Sam shook his head and sighed. “Pearl, I need your help to get word out. All ships of The Cove that stand against Nevra must sail with haste to back Braen Braston.”
“Word? Back? Are you interfering with Andalonian affairs?” Her face took on a look of shock and displeasure.
“Braston is planning to overthrow Nevra and will also retake Fjorik. He is the one, Pearl.” He looked back at Jan and Geir and then again toward Pearl. He lowered his voice and quickly added, “He’s awakened.”
The old woman stood in silence as the words sunk in. After the long pause, she lifted her cloudy grey eyes to meet his, lips curling into a smile that deepened her lined face and she repeated the word in a whisper of excitement, “awakened!”
“Yes, Pearl.” He leaned in close, mouth next to her ear so that his companions would not overhear and said, “The prophecy is fulfilled.”
The old woman nodded, eyes round in a mix of shock and glee, and placed her arm back through the handle of the basket. She turned in silence away from the three men and shuffled toward another table, again looking frail and very ancient. She paused at a table by the door, exchanged another tiny sack for an imperial coin from a sailor, and then waddled out of the door, leaving it open to let in the night. A blast of cold wind briefly blew large snowflakes into the room, and the sailor closest to it stood and slammed the heavy oak tight against its frame. Kernigan watched as the man pulled the collar of his jacket up around his neck before sitting to resume work on his drink.
Samani watched the door for a while. After the dusting of snow had turned to a puddle, he held up his glass in a silent toast to the old woman. Then, he threw back the contents, swallowing both the liquid and the stone. His eyes immediately grew wider, his pupils suddenly huge. Turning them to his companions he dropped his smile. Suddenly serious he said, “Gentlemen. We need to go now.”
Abruptly the doors flew open and the cold wind, now fully blowing from the north, blasted the occupants and forcing everyone in the room to gasp. In the doorway was a man in a brown robe with feathered collar and a leather hood. Perched atop his right arm was a very large hawk. Snow swirled around the man, framing the hooded specter and adding to his hellish appearance. The bird of prey turned directly toward Samani and then spread its wings and squawked a high pitched and horrible cry. Six men dressed in city guard clothing rushed past the Falconer and pointed crossbows at all three men sitting by the fire.
Jan leaped to his feet and drew two
short swords that were hidden beneath his cloak. But before they could be useful, a bolt sprouted from his chest, pinning him to the wooden mantle. Geir was slower with his own reaction and a bolt pinned his right arm to his side forcing him to leave his sword in its scabbard. Samani looked at his companions as blood poured from their wounds. He shook his head as Geir clawed at the bolt with his left hand, trying to pull the giant splinter from his bicep. Wisps of air wrapped tightly around his own hands, locking them in place as effectively as manacles. He shook his head as another bolt took Geir in the chest, putting him out of his misery. Frowning, he turned his wide eyes back up toward the Falconer. “Hello Kestral. I’d hoped that it would be you who finally found me.”
Eusari stood alongside her teams atop She Wolf. There were six in all, each comprised of five men. Everyone dressed in black from head to foot with an eyepatch over one eye. Even their faces were painted black to match the moonless night.
Her part of the plan was difficult. Two dark longboats were positioned on the port side of the vessel, each able to hold fifteen men. As they approached the third mile marker from the city, the first boat would disembark over the side, delivering three teams led by Shon, Marque and Devil Jacque to the first rendezvous point. The length of the protected harbor was another mile, and, after clearing the far side, they would deliver the second longboat and three more teams led by Eusari, Giovani and Porter.
As long as She Wolf was not delayed by other vessels on the river, the teams planned to reach their positions at approximately the same time. There were four batteries to the riverside and two on the forest side. After neutralizing each position, the teams would each move to their secondary mission targets. Each leader had their individual orders and would prioritize the secondary objectives.
Eusari held her breath as She Wolf approached the Eastern outpost. Inside, some bored junior sentry had the watch, and hopefully would be more intently watching the coming storm rather than looking for intruders. Torchlight burned from inside, but she did not see any activity that seemed alarmed. Finally, a head bobbed in front of the torch to look at the passing ship on the river, but then returned to the warm windbreak beneath the window. Once it was gone from sight, she gave the order and deckhands gently lowered the first longboat into the water without a splash. The first teams were away, and Shon gave Eusari a casual salute as they rowed gently to shore in the shadows of the tall pines.
After the boat launched, she anxiously watched from the stern, straining her eyes for any indication that the sentry had seen the longboat in the water. Holding her breath, she waited until she saw her men run aground, dragging the vessel into cover. Letting out a slow breath, she knew that as long as her men acted exactly as they were trained, that sentry would not be a factor on their return.
Peter Longshanks approached and joined her at the stern. “We have ‘bout fifteen minutes before we cross the harbor and signal Ice Prince, Cap’n.”
“Thank you, Peter. You and the crew are doing an excellent job tonight.”
Surprised by her expression of gratitude, the man stood dumbfounded. She turned her eyes away from the shore and looked up into his face, smiling a little at his shocked expression. “What? What is it?”
“Well. It’s just that...”
“Yes?”
He let out a breath and then locked his eyes on hers. “It’s just that I’ve never heard you say, ‘thank you,’ Cap’n. I’ve also never seen you smile as much as you have in recent weeks.”
She raised an eyebrow at this, then thought about his words. He was right. She hadn’t even realized it until that moment. “Well, I am doing a lot of things that I’ve never done.” Indicating the remaining longboat, she added, “Including leading a coordinated raid with six teams on an amphibious assault.”
“No. I don’t reck’n many folk’ve done that, mum.” Peter looked down at the wolf beside Eusari. “He is stickin’ around, is he? When you go ashore?”
“That is the plan. But he does seem to have a mind of his own and wants to be by my side every moment.”
“May I?” He pointed down, as if he intended to have a word with a child after asking for the parent’s permission.
She chuckled. Another new habit. “Be my guest, Peter.”
The peg legged man bent down until his nose was close to the wolf’s. “My name is Peter. It is nice to be mak’n your acquaintance, mister…” He looked up at Eusari questioningly.
She shook her head, smiling at his foolery. “He hasn’t told me his name, Peter.”
“Well, he reminds me of a story about a nobleman long ago. When I was a wee one, mah mummy told me the nobleman was out of his home and had left his family and favorite dog, behind. When he returned, the baby was miss’n from the cradle, and the dog had blood all over himself. Come to think of it, there was blood all over the house. The man lost his senses and killed the dog on the spot in a feverish rage. But the yelp woke the baby, who was sleepin’ be’neath the cradle next to a dead wolf.” He stopped the story and bent back down to the animal, “Sorry sir. Din’t mean to be rude or alarm ya with talk of one of yer deceased ancestors.” Surprisingly the wolf shook its head and licked his face as if responding. Peter continued his story. “So. It turns out that the dog had protected the wee one, and the noble man wasn’t so noble after all because he didn’t get all his facts before killin’ the pup. They say the man never smiled after that day because of his mistake.”
The story hit Eusari in the gut, thinking immediately about what she had done to Braen when she had confused him with his brother. She fought very hard to keep the tears out of her eyes and asked, “What was the dog’s name?”
“Gelert, mum. His name was Gelert.”
The wolf sat up at the name and wagged its tail like a dog. “He likes it.”
“Yes, Cap’n. I think he does.” Peter looked over his shoulder and squinted his eyes. “Looks like the harbor is comin’ up on starboard, mum.” The sailor ambled around with his wooden leg and began to stroll to the bow.
“Peter!” Eusari called after him hesitantly. “Thank you.” She gave him a small smile that felt warm on her face despite the bitter cold.
“For what, mum?”
“Thank you for the story.” She laughed a little, thinking that she had now thanked him three times in just a few minutes. “And for not giving up on me.”
He swept out an exaggerated bow that looked hilarious with his wooden leg sticking out for balance. “Just don’t lose that smile, Cap’n.” With that he left her on the stern and went about his topside work, preparing the men for another longboat deployment.
She looked starboard and saw Ice Prince moored in the harbor. The wind had picked up from the north, and the crew below decks rowed hard against the current. Snow was falling, swirling around the night air and sticking to the wet surfaces that had iced in the cold. Focusing on a figure aboard the other ship, she smiled once more and whispered into the night, “Thank you, Braen. Thank you for forgiving me.” She lingered for a moment, then joined her blindfolded team in the longboat. A few minutes later, the crew had lowered the craft into the dark water, and she was rowing toward shore. Thankfully her new pal Gelert the wolf had stayed aboard She Wolf.
Part III
Eagle Rose
All forces of nature have awakened,
Chaos sown without distinction.
No longer controlled by boundaries,
Siblings consume each other.
– The Oracle of Astian, 805th year of order
Chapter Thirty-Four
Pain gripped Samani and his muscles spasmed as Kestrel dragged him into the cold. Snow blew everywhere, landing in his eyes that were locked open, unable to close from the drug. The specter half carried, and half dragged him from the tavern, finally tossing him down on the icy street. His tense muscles quivered and convulsed as he landed with a thud, unable to break his fall for the ma
nacles of air around his wrists. Strong hands heaved him and tossed him into a wagon, surging pain wracking his entire body.
He willed the Da’ash’mael to hold off a bit longer and focused on the world around him. Unfortunately, the oracle bead had taken full effect and he slipped into the first stages. Idle thoughts about his childhood bubbled to the surface with tears from a different kind of pain falling for the family he would never see. The faces of two sisters lingered, then were gone after the drug fully took over his subconscious. With a surge he felt his mind leave his body, his stomach in the back of the cart. The omniscient sensation was one of flying and from this vantage he could see above the treetops and the storm on the mountains. It barreled toward a river winding through the trees.
He focused on the river with his mind’s eye, clearly recognizing a black ship rowing against the current. Despite his pain he smiled as the figurehead came into view, a black wolf howling into the night with the bowsprit protruding from its open mouth. Against all odds, She Wolf had gained a lead on the winds and made all three checkpoints on time.
Samani watched Eusari and the landing team row to shore, silently cheering them on as they dragged their longboat into the cover of the forest. They wasted no time and split into three groups before heading for the walls. In the east, Shon and the other teams were already in position, ready to scale the walls. Splitting his consciousness, he followed all six teams simultaneously as they approached their first objectives.
Intense pain poured through every muscle of Samani’s body. For a moment he returned to reality and left the dream state. His eyes focused on Kestrel standing above, stoically watching with incredulous attention.
“Why did you consume the bead, Samani? That was a foolish move and you drew the attention of every Falconer in the city.
“What will you… do with me?” It hurt to talk, but his voice worked fine. He discovered that he could anchor in reality while maintaining his view of the teams.