There was the sudden scuff of leather on stone behind them; Locke and Jean fell silent in unison. Jean turned in time to see a large, dark shape hop the wall behind them, and the slap of heels on cobbles told him that a man of some weight had just landed.
In one smooth motion, Jean slipped out of his coat, swung it in a high arc and brought it down over the man’s upper body. While the shadowy shape struggled with the coat, Jean leapt up and cracked the top of his opponent’s head with the blunt end of his hatchet. He followed this with a punch to the solar plexus, folding the man in half. It was child’s play after that to guide the man face-first to the ground with a shove on the back.
Locke shook a tiny alchemical lamp, little more than a thumb-sized vial, to life. He shielded the wan glow against his body and let the light fall in only one direction, on the man Jean had subdued. Jean obligingly took back his coat, revealing a tall, well-muscled fellow with a shaven head. He was dressed nondescriptly in the fashion of a coachman or servant, and he threw a gloved hand across his face as he moaned in pain. Jean set the blade of his hatchet just beneath the man’s jaw.
“M-master de… de Ferra, no, please,” the man whispered. “Sweet gods. I’m with Merrain. I’m to… look after you.”
Locke seized the man’s left hand and peeled his leather glove off. By the pale lamplight, Jean saw a tattoo on the back of the stranger’s hand, an open eye in the centre of a rose. Locke sighed and whispered, “He’s an Eye.”
“He’s a bloody fool,” said Jean, glancing around them before setting his hatchet down quietly. He rolled the man onto his back. “Easy, friend. I pulled the blow to your head, but not to your stomach. Just lay there and breathe for a few minutes.”
“I” ve been hit before,” huffed the stranger, and Jean could see that tears of pain gleamed on his cheeks. “Gods. I marvel at the thought that you need protecting at all.”
“We clearly do,” said Locke. “I saw you in the Thousand Days, didn’t I?”
“Yes. And I saw you give up your glasses of ale to that poor woman. Oh, fuck, my stomach is like to burst.”
“It will pass,” said Jean. “Did you see where that missing barkeep went?”
“I saw him enter the kitchen, and I never looked for him to come back. Didn’t have any reason to at the time.”
“Shit.” Locke scowled. “Knowing Merrain, does she have soldiers nearby against need?”
“Four in an old warehouse just a block south.” The Eye gasped several times before continuing. “I was to take you there in case of trouble.”
“This qualifies,” said Locke. “When you can move, take us to them. We need to reach the Sword Marina in one piece. And then I’ll need you to carry a message to her. Can you reach her tonight?”
“Within the hour,” the man said, rubbing his stomach and staring up at the starless sky.
“Tell her we wish to take her up on her earlier offer of… room and board.” Jean rubbed his beard thoughtfully, then nodded.
Til send a note to Requin,” said Locke. “I’ll tell him we’re leaving in a day or two. We won’t be around much longer than that, in truth. I’m no longer confident we can walk the streets. We can demand an escort to fetch our things from the Villa Candessa tomorrow, close our suite, put most of our clothes into storage. Then we’ll hide in the Sword Marina.” “We have orders to guard your lives,” said the Eye.
T know,” said Locke. “About the only thing we’re sure of is that for the time being, your master means to use us, not kill us. So we’ll rely on his hospitality” Locke passed the soldier’s glove back to him. “For now.”
11
Two carriages of Eyes, dressed in plain fashion, accompanied Locke and Jean when they packed their personal effects at the Villa Candessa the next morning.
“We’re heartily sorry to see you go,” said the chief steward as Locke scratched Leocanto Kosta’s signature onto a last few scraps of parchment. “You” ve been superb guests; we hope that you’ll consider us again the next time you visit Tal Verrar.”
Locke had no doubt the inn had been glad of their business; at five silvers a day for a year and a half, plus the price of additional services, he and Jean had left behind a pile of solari large enough to purchase a decent-sized house of their own, and hire capable staff.
“Pressing matters compel our presence elsewhere,” muttered Locke coldly. He rebuked himself in his thoughts a moment later — it wasn’t the steward’s fault they were being chased from comfort by Stragos, Bondsmagi and bloody mysterious assassins. “Here,” he said, fishing three solari out of his coat and setting them down on the desk. “See that this is split evenly and passed out to everyone on staff.” He turned his palm up and with a minor bit of legerdemain conjured another gold coin. “And this for yourself, to express our compliments for your hospitality.” “Return any time,” said the steward, bowing deeply.
“We shall,” said Locke. “Before we go, I’d like to arrange to have some of our wardrobe stored indefinitely. You can be certain we’ll be back to claim it.”
While the steward happily scrawled the necessary orders on a parchment, Locke borrowed a square of the Villa Candessa’s pale-blue formal stationery. On this he wrote: I depart immediately by the means previously discussed. Rely upon my return. I remain deeply grateful for the forbearance you have shown me.
Locke watched the steward seal it with the house’s black wax and said: “See that this is delivered without fail to the Master of the Sinspire. If not personally, then only to his major-domo, Selendri. They will want it immediately.”
Locke suppressed a smile at the slight widening of the steward’s eyes. The suggestion that Requin had a vested personal interest in the contents of the note would do much to speed it safely on its way. Nonetheless, Locke still planned to send another copy later through one of Stragos’s agents. No sense in taking chances.
“So much for those fine beds,” said Jean as he carried their two trunks of remaining possessions out to the waiting carriages. They had kept only their implements of thieving — lockpicks, weapons, alchemical dyes, disguise items — plus a few hundred solari in cold metal and a few sets of tunics and breeches to take to sea. “So much for Jerome de Ferra’s money”
“So much for Durenna and Corvaleur,” said Locke with a tight smile. “So much for looking over our shoulders everywhere we go. Because, in truth, we’re stepping into a cage. But just for a few days.”
“No,” said Jean thoughtfully as he stepped up into a carriage door held open by a bodyguard. “No, the cage goes on much farther than that. It goes wherever we go.”
12
Their training with Caldris, which resumed that afternoon, only grew more arduous. The sailing master walked them from end to end of the ship, drilling them in the operation of everything from the capstan to the cooking box. With the help of a pair of Eyes, they unlashed the ship’s boat, hoisted it over the side and retrieved it. They pulled the gratings from the main-deck cargo hatches and practised sending barrels up and down with various arrangements of block and tackle. Everywhere they went, Caldris had them tying knots and naming obscure devices.
Locke and Jean were given the stern cabin of the Red Messenger for their living quarters. At sea, Jean’s compartment would be separated from Locke’s by a thin wall of stiffened canvas — and Caldris’s equally tiny “cabin” would be just across the passage — but for now they made the space into tolerably comfortable bachelor accommodations. The necessity of their enclosure seemed to impress upon them both the utter seriousness of their situation, and they redoubled their efforts, learning confusing new things with speed they had not required since they had last been under the tutelage of Father Chains. Locke found himself falling asleep with his copy of the Lexicon for a pillow nearly every night.
Mornings they sailed their dinghy west of the city, within the glass reefs but with increasing confidence that only somewhat eclipsed actual skill. Afternoons, Caldris would call out items and locations on the de
ck of the ship and expect them to run to each place he named.
“Binnacle,” the sailing master cried, and Locke and Jean raced together for the small wooden box just beside the ship’s wheel that held a compass and several other navigational aids. No sooner had they touched it than Caldris cried, “Taffrail,” which was easy enough — the stern rail at the very end of the ship. Next, Caldris shouted, “Craplines!” Locke and Jean ran past the bemused kitten, who lounged on the sunlit quarterdeck licking her paws. They were grimacing as they ran, for the craplines were what thed’r be bracing themselves against when they crawled out onto the bowsprit to relieve themselves into the sea. More commodious methods of shitting were for rich passengers on larger vessels.
“Mizzenmast,” bellowed Caldris, and Locke and Jean both fetched up short, breathing heavily.
“Ship doesn’t bloody have one,” said Locke. “Just foremast and mainmast!”
“Oh, clever you! You” ve undone my subtle ruse, Master Kosta. Get your bloody uniform and we’ll let you act the peacock for a few hours.”
The three men worked together across the days to define a system of hand and verbal signals, with Locke and Jean making a few sensible adaptations from their existing private language.
“Privacy on a ship at sea is about as real as fucking fairy piss,” Caldris grumbled one afternoon. “I might not be able to give you clear spoken instructions with gods-know-who watching and listening. We’ll work with lots of nudges and whispers. If you know something complicated is coming up, best thing to say is just—”
“Let’s see if you know your business, Caldris!” Locke found that the Verrari naval uniform was a great aid when it came to conjuring an authoritative voice.
“Right. That or something like it. And if one of the sailors cops technical and wants your opinion on something you don’t know—”
“Come now, imaginary seaman, surely I don’t have to spell it out for you like a child?” “Right, good. Give me another one.”
“Gods damn you, I know this ship’s lines like the back of my hand!” Locke looked down his nose at Caldris, which was only possible because his leather boots added an inch and a half to his height. “And I know what she’s capable of. Trust my judgment or feel free to start swimming.”
“Yes. A fine job, Master Kosta!” The sailing master squinted at Locke and scratched his beard. “Where does Master Kosta go when you do that? What exactly is it you do for a living, Leocanto?” “I do this, I suppose. I’m a professional pretender. I… act.” “On the stage?”
“Once upon a time. Jerome and I both. Now I suppose we make this ship our stage.”
“Indeed you do.” Caldris moved to the wheel (which was actually a pair of wheels, joined by a mechanism below the deck, to allow more than one sailor to exert their strength against it in hard weather), evading a brief attack on his bare feet by the kitten. “Places!”
Locke and Jean hurried to the quarterdeck to stand near him, ostensibly aloof and concentrating on their own tasks while remaining close enough to pick up on a whisper or a prompting gesture.
“Imagine us beating to windward with the breeze coming in across the larboard bow,” said Caldris. It was necessary to imagine, for in the enclosed little bay not the slightest breeze stirred. “The time has come for us to tack. Just sound off the steps. I need to know you” ve got them down.”
Locke pictured the operation in his head. No square-rigged ship could sail straight into the wind. To move in a desired direction against the breeze required sailing at something like a forty-five-degree angle to it, and switching over at intervals to present different sides of the bow to the wind. It was in effect a series of zigzags, tack after tack, arduously clawing in a desired direction. Each changeover, from larboard tack to starboard tack or vice versa, was a delicate operation with many opportunities for disaster.
“Master Caldris,” he bellowed, “we shall put the ship about. The wheel is yours.” “Very good, sir.” “Master de Ferra!”
Jean gave three short blasts on the whistle he wore, as Locke did, around his neck. “All hands! All hands ready to put the ship about!”
“Master Caldris,” said Locke, “neatness counts. Seize your wheel. Put your helm down.”
Locke waited a few seconds for dramatic effect, then yelled: “Helm a-lee!”
Caldris mimed hauling the wheel in the direction of the ship’s lee side, in this case the starboard, which would tilt the rudder in the opposite direction. Locke conjured a vivid mental picture of the sudden press of water against it, forcing the ship into a turn to larboard. They would be coming into the eye of the wind, feeling its full force; an error at this point could “lock them in irons”, stalling all progress, stealing power from rudder and sails alike. They would be helpless for minutes, or worse — an error like that in heavy weather could flip them, and ships were not acrobats.
“Imaginary sailors! Tacks and sheets!” Jean waved his arms and hollered his instructions to the invisible deck hands. “Smartly now, you slothful dogs!”
“Master de Ferra,” called Locke, “that imaginary sailor is not minding his duty!”
“I’ll fuckin” kill you later, you cabbage-brained pig-rapist! Seize your rope and wait for my word!”
“Master Caldris!” Locke whirled toward the sailing master, who was nonchalantly sipping from a leather skin of pinkwater. “Hard over!”
“Aye, sir.” He belched and set the skin down on the deck at his feet. “By your word, hard over.” “Up mainsail,” cried Locke.
“Bowlines off! Braces off!” Jean blew another blast on his whistle. “Yards around for the starboard tack!”
In Locke’s mind, the ship’s bow was now tilting past the heart of the wind; the larboard bow would become their lee and the wind would blow in across the starboard side of the ship. The yards would be rapidly rebraced for the sails to take advantage of the wind’s new aspect, and Caldris would be frantically reversing his wheel’s turn. The Red Messenger would need to stabilize her new course; if she were pushed too far to larboard, they might find themselves moving in the opposite of their intended direction, with the sails braced improperly to boot. They would be lucky to be merely embarrassed by such a fiasco. “Hard over,” he yelled again. “Aye, sir,” cried Caldris. “Heard the captain fine the first time.”
“Lines on! Braces on!” Jean blew his whistle yet again. “Haul off all, you fuckin” maggots!”
“We’re now on the starboard tack, Captain,” said Caldris. “Surprisingly, we didn’t lose her in stays and we’ll all live to see another hour.”
“Aye, no bloody thanks to this useless cur of an imaginary sailor!” Locke mimed grabbing a man and forcing him to the deck. “What’s your gods-damned problem, you work-shirking little orlop worm?”
“First mate de Ferra beats me cruelly,” cried Jean in a squeaky voice. “He is a monstrous bad fellow, who makes me wish I’d taken priest’s orders and never set foot aboard!”
“Of course he does! It’s what I pay him for.” Locke mimed hefting a blade. “For your crimes, I swear you’ll die on this very deck unless you can answer two bloody questions! First — where the hell is my non-imaginary crew? And second, why in the name of all the gods am I supposed to practise wearing this damned uniform?”
He was startled out of his act by the sound of applause from behind him. He whirled to see Merrain standing just beside the entry port at the ship’s rail; she’d come up the ramp in absolute silence.
“Oh, wonderful!” She smiled at the three men on deck, stooped down and plucked up the kitten, who’d moved immediately to attack Merrain’s fine leather boots. “Very convincing. But your poor invisible sailor doesn’t have the answers you seek.” “Are you here to name someone who does?”
“On the morrow,” she said, “the Archon orders you to take the sails of one of his private boats. He wishes to see a demonstration of your skills before you receive your final orders for sea. He and I will be your passengers. If you can keep
our heads above water, he’ll show you where your crew is. And why we’ve had you practising with that uniform.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Casting Loose
1
There was one guard pacing the dock at the base of the lonely island. His lamp cast soft yellow light rippling across the black water as Locke threw him a rope from within the little launch. Rather than tying them up, the guard thrust his lantern down toward Locke, Jean and Caldris, and said, “This dock is strictly off… oh, gods. My apologies, sir.”
Locke grinned, feeling the authority of the full Verrari captain’s uniform enfold him like nothing so much as a warm blanket. He grabbed a piling and heaved himself up onto the dock, while the guard saluted him awkwardly with his lantern-hand crossed over his chest.
“Gods defend the Archon of Tal Verrar,” said Locke. “Carry on. It’s your job to challenge strange boats at night, soldier.”
While the soldier tied the launch to a piling, Locke reached down and helped Jean up. Moving gracefully in the now-familiar costume, Locke then stepped around behind the dock guard, unfurled a leather crimper’s hood from within his jacket, slammed it down over the soldier’s head and cinched the drawstring tight.
“Gods know there’s none stranger than ours that you’re ever likely to see.”
Jean held the soldier by his arms while the drugs inside the hood did their job. He lacked the constitution of the last man Locke had tried to knock out with such a hood, and sagged after just a few seconds of muffled struggle. When Locke and Jean tied him firmly to the piling at the far corner of the dock and stuffed a rag in his mouth, he was sleeping peacefully.
Caldris clambered out of the boat, picked up the guard’s lantern and began pacing with it in his place.
Locke stared up at the stone tower that was their objective: seven storeys tall, its battlements were orange-lit by alchemical navigation beacons warning ships away. Ordinarily there would be guards up there as well, watching the waters and the dock, but the hand of Stragos was at already at wort Nothing moved atop the tower.
Red Seas Under Red Skies gb-2 Page 31