by John Bierce
“That,” Alustin said, reaching out to pull Talia upright, “is because she’s very badly concussed. We need to get these shards out of her quickly so the ship’s healer can fix the damage, because we have a short window to work here. Treating concussions is tricky, time-sensitive business. Not to mention, enchanted items are generally created using some very nasty alchemical compounds, so it’s best not to leave pieces of them in wounds for long. I’m very sorry, Talia, but I don’t have a choice.”
Hugh glanced at the sheet of paper, noticing a particularly complex spellform in its center, with smaller spellforms running along its edges. He thought they were wards for a brief moment, but they were structured entirely wrong for that.
“Hold very still,” Alustin told Talia.
“Alright,” she said, but kept shifting around.
“Artur,” Alustin said. “A hand, please.”
Artur crouched down and gently cradled Talia’s neck and chin.
Alustin waited for a moment to make sure Artur was keeping her still, and then the spellform glyphs on the paper lit up— the center glyph first, followed by the ones along the edges. With a slow, smooth, cautious motion, he guided the paper over Talia’s head, the paper slicing through Talia’s hair less than a finger width from her scalp. As it moved, the paper’s shape perfectly shifted to curve around and keep an even distance from Talia’s scalp. The paper’s edge sliced through Talia’s hair like it were just an illusion, which was pretty alarming, given how thick it was— Hugh doubted a sword could chop through her hair so easily. He knew for a fact scissors had trouble with it, from Talia’s many complaints on the matter.
The burnt remains of Talia’s hair slumped to the ground, mixing in with the scattered wooden coins.
Alustin sighed, then, with a flick of his hand that was probably entirely unnecessary, he sent the sheet of paper flying off the side of the ship.
Hugh’s eyes widened when he saw it slice through the top inch of the railing as easily as it had chopped through Talia’s hair, but he didn’t say anything, not wanting to alarm her.
Artur let go of Talia’s head, and Alustin returned to her scalp, carefully picking out the shards of metal from her cuts.
Without her hair, Talia looked tiny and oddly vulnerable. Hugh was so used to thinking of Talia as a terrifying, unstoppable juggernaut that it felt deeply uncomfortable to see her like this. He had to force himself not to look away in discomfort.
Then he noticed, with some alarm, that several of the cuts had broken the lines of Talia’s tattoos.
“Sir, Talia’s tattoos…” Hugh began, but stopped, not knowing what to say without further upsetting her.
“Her tattoos will be fine,” Alustin said. “Any decently constructed magical tattoo has self-repair functions, and they’re as much aether construct as physical construct. I’ve heard of tattoos that have even remained functional when the limb they were on was lost before, though that’s something of an extreme case. And I believe I’ve told you not to call me sir before.”
Hugh would need to eventually ask what, exactly, an aether construct was, but for now he just filed it away.
He glanced back down at Talia, and realized, to his shock, that she was weeping silently.
Hugh glanced over to Godrick, who looked back helplessly. Hugh’s spellbook was looking a little less ill in his friend’s arms, and was staring at Talia with what looked like shame in its… binding? Spine?
One of these days, Hugh was going to figure out exactly how his spellbook conveyed emotions without facial features, or features of any sort.
He made himself look back to Talia, feeling just as helpless as Godrick looked. He did know a hair mage back at Skyhold who could help her grow her hair back out, but that did nothing for her at the moment. He couldn’t make her healing go any faster, or…
Then he thought back, and remembered a time when Talia had simply sat with him and offered him kindness when he’d needed it, when he’d still been broken inside, before he’d really believed he deserved friendship or happiness.
Hugh swept a section of decking clear of wooden coins and sat down next to Talia. He quietly reached out and took her hand in his, not saying anything.
She squeezed his hand hard.
They sat like that as Alustin finished cleaning out the wounds in her scalp. As Sabae returned with the healer. As the healer had worked her magic and Talia’s eyes started focusing properly again. As the healer lectured Talia, telling her not to sleep until at least after sundown, and not to use any magic for at least two days.
He only let go of her hand when the healer ordered Talia belowdecks to rest.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Hiding
Hugh watched quietly as Sabae escorted Talia belowdecks, the healer pacing along and reiterating her orders that Talia wasn’t to sleep.
When he looked back to the others, Godrick was giving him an odd look.
“What’s that look?” he asked Godrick.
Godrick just shook his head. “Yeh’re a good friend, is all. Talia’s lucky ta have yeh in her life. We all are.”
Hugh rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and picked up a handful of the wooden coins to look at. The first one had what looked like a bee on one side, and… Hugh didn’t even know what the thing on the other side was.
Captain Grepha came striding up towards them, an inscrutable expression on her face.
“I need to both apologize to and thank you all,” she said.
“Apologize for what?” Alustin said from his seat on the railing.
“If we’d had a proper serpent-watch set,” Grepha said, “none of this would have been a problem. We—”
Artur raised his hand to interrupt. “It woulda’ been silly fer yeh ta set yer mages ta that this time a’ year an’ this close ta’ Ampioc’s territory. There shouldn’t be any serpents this close ta shore in summertime.”
Hugh shot Artur a surprised look, then Godrick a curious one. He thought Artur hated ships, so how did he know so much about sea serpents, of all things?
Godrick just shook his head.
“Nonetheless,” Captain Grepha continued, “it’s still my responsibility as captain of this vessel to—”
Alustin made a farting noise with his mouth. Everyone shot him surprised looks.
“You’re being absurd,” Alustin said. “You’re apologizing for something that was out of your control and utterly unreasonable to predict. It is a waste of your time and ours, and so far as I’m concerned, you and your crew reacted commendably fast to anomalous circumstances. I’m far more interested in hearing the news of the victims, and if there’s anything we can do to assist further.”
Captain Grepha stared at Alustin for a long count, and Hugh wondered whether she’d take offense.
Finally, her shoulders slumped.
“Thank you,” she said. “Not just for the kind words, but for the aid you and your students rendered. We would have lost quite a few sailors if not for you all.”
“How bad was it?” Alustin asked quietly.
The captain sighed unhappily and massaged the back of her neck. “Two dead. One missing, almost certainly dead. Three badly wounded. A few lesser wounds. I need to especially thank your tall apprentice with the scars— we’ve never gotten anyone dragged under by serpents back before. I apologize, but I didn’t catch her name.”
“Sabae Kaen Das,” Alustin said.
Captain Grepha’s jaw dropped.
“You’re messing with me,” she said.
Alustin shook his head.
“She’s some by-blow or distant cousin, surely?” the captain asked.
Alustin shook his head again as he took Hugh’s spellbook from Godrick’s arms.
“She’s Ilinia’s granddaughter,” he said. “Hugh, I’ll look over your book, but it seems the worst has passed. I’ll get in touch with Kanderon as well to see what she has to say about the situation.”
Grepha’s eyes got even wider at Kanderon’s name.
Hugh reflected that perhaps he took his relationship with Kanderon a bit too much for granted.
“Is there anything else I can assist you with, Captain?” Alustin asked.
“Uh, I—” Grepha started, then paused to collect herself.
“Yes, actually,” she continued. “If there’s one sea serpent pack this close to shore in summer, there’s almost certainly more. We’re considering taking the Silent Straits instead of the southern route. If you could scry it for us to check whether it’s safe, I’d appreciate it.”
Both Alustin and Artur looked at Grepha in surprise, but Alustin finally nodded.
“I can do that,” he said. “I haven’t heard any rumors of the Listener stirring of late, so it might be feasible. I’ll check with Kanderon on that as well.”
“Much appreciated,” Grepha said, swiveling to return to her duties. She gave them one more searching look before she left. “Kaen Das girls and Kanderon Crux. Next you’ll tell me green-eyes here is a Prince of Highvale.”
“No,” Godrick said, a mischievous look in his eyes, “but he is arch-rival to one.”
Hugh just scowled at his friend as Grepha strode off, muttering to herself.
Artur leaned down and picked up a wooden coin. “Some kind a’ wingless dragon on one side an’ a chamber pot on the other,” he said.
Godrick picked up another. “Ah’ve got a smilin’ guy on one side and the same guy frownin’ on the other.”
Hugh sorted through the wooden coins he was holding. “I’ve found at least three bees, a fire-breathing goat, a sand drake, and a pile of books.”
Alustin arched his eyebrows at them, and leaned down to pick one up. He didn’t say anything for a moment.
“What’s on yours?” Hugh asked.
“A sea serpent,” Alustin said.
No one said anything for a moment.
“An’ the other side?” Artur asked.
Alustin flipped the coin over. “Looks like… a pigeon.”
The paper mage shot Hugh a curious look. “How does Emblin deal with sea serpents and other threats, by the way? The mana desert extends well out to sea, doesn’t it?”
Hugh shrugged. “I suppose it does. I’d guess that most of the biggest monsters just avoid the low aether density, and Emblin has a deal worked out with a few intelligent sea monsters. Dunno what, exactly, but we trade them beef and mutton and such to keep our shores safe.”
Alustin grunted at that. He tossed the coin off the ship, then stood atop the railing.
“I’ll be getting started on my scrying, then,” he said. He strode off down the railing with the relaxed gait of someone walking down a road, not someone walking on the railing of a sailing ship at sea.
“E’s in a particularly bad mood,” Artur said.
“How can yeh tell?” Godrick asked.
Artur shrugged. “Known ‘im since before ‘e got so good at actin’,” he said. “Hugh, yeh up fer some work on our project?”
Hugh nodded, and tossed the wooden coins back on the pile.
“Ah guess ah’ll go check on Talia,” Godrick said. “Try not ta’ blow up the ship with yer secret project, huh?”
“No promises,” Hugh said.
“Go away!” Talia yelled, when Godrick knocked on the door to her and Sabae’s cabin.
“It’s me,” Godrick said.
“Come in, Godrick,” Sabae called. “Ignore Talia.”
Godrick opened the door and ducked under the frame, then carefully shut it behind him.
Talia was curled up in a ball on the corner of the lower bunk, Sabae sitting next to her. Talia had pulled the blanket around her like a cloak, hiding all but the lower part of her face.
Rather than try to cram onto the too-small bunk, Godrick snagged the blanket and pillow from Sabae’s bed and made himself a cushion to sit on the deck with, and settled down next to the girls.
“I want to be alone,” Talia said quietly.
“And we’re under healer’s orders to not leave you alone until nightfall at least,” Sabae said.
Talia sniffed, but didn’t argue further.
None of them spoke for a few minutes. Finally, Sabae broke the silence.
“You saved my life again,” Sabae said. “That first serpent would have gotten me if it weren’t for you. Thank you, Talia.”
“It’s not—” Talia started, but Godrick interrupted her.
“Yeh best not be sayin’ it’s not a big deal, Talia,” he said. “Cause far as ah’m concerned, it’s most certainly a big deal.”
Talia made a few grumbling noises, but then she poked a little more of her face out from under her blanket.
“It was pretty amazing how you went into the water after Dell,” she said.
Sabae grimaced. “I’m still amazed I didn’t die,” she said. “I definitely would have at the end if Hugh hadn’t killed that last serpent.”
Talia seemed to retreat a little bit at Hugh’s name, and Godrick grimaced.
“Ah was the only one who was useless today,” he said. “Yeh three all saved lives, an’ ah was just standin’ there like an idiot holdin’ a book.”
Both Sabae and Talia glared at him, Talia’s face mostly emerging from the blanket to do so. Her eyes were much more focused than they’d been before the healer had seen to her.
“You’ve saved our lives more than enough in the past,” Sabae said. “None of that nonsense.”
“If I don’t get to talk down on myself, neither do you,” Talia said.
Godrick sighed. “Fine. Ah just feel so useless out here on the water,” he said. “None a’ my affinities are much use here. If we were in the north and there were ice around, ah’d feel more useful, but…”
“Ice?” Sabae asked.
“Ice is a type a’ rock,” Godrick said, readying himself for the inevitable argument.
“No it’s not,” Sabae said. “It’s frozen water.”
Godrick rolled his eyes. “And rock’s just frozen magma.”
“It’s different,” Sabae insisted.
“Only in that it freezes at a cooler temperature than magma,” Godrick said.
“There’s no way ice is a rock,” Sabae insisted.
Godrick shrugged. “Well, technically it’s a mineral. But ah can affect minerals with mah stone affinity too. Not as powerfully as rocks made of mixed minerals, but ah can. And ice is one a’ the hardest minerals fer me ta’ affect, but ah can still do it.”
“Can you make armor out of ice?” Talia asked.
Godrick nodded. “Ah prefer not to— it’s ice still, and ah can’t say ah enjoy gettin’ frozen— but me da’s had me try it a couple times.”
“There is something deeply wrong with all of this,” Sabae said. “Are you sure you don’t just have an ice affinity as well?”
Godrick rolled his eyes. “Ah think ah’d notice if ah had a fourth affinity, Sabae.”
“Can you affect water like you can lava?” Talia asked. She’d perked up a little more and was leaning forwards out of curiosity.
Godrick noticed Sabae wince a little as Talia mentioned lava.
“Not unless it has little bit a’ ice in it,” Godrick said.
“Can you—” Talia started, only to stop when the blanket slipped off her head. She immediately yanked the blanket back over her nearly-bald scalp and curled up tighter again.
Godrick sighed, and gently reached out to pat Talia’s shoulder. “Yeh don’t need ta’ hide from us,” he said.
“I’m hideous,” Talia said.
“No you’re not,” Sabae said, sounding exasperated. “Quit being ridiculous.”
“Yes I am,” Talia said.
“You’re not hideous in the slightest,” Sabae said. “Nor have you ever been.”
“I am too,” Talia insisted.
Godrick snorted. “Yeh’re bein’ petulant, Talia, quit that.”
He reached out and pulled the blanket off Talia’s head. She glared at him miserably.
“Yeh’re not t
he first mage ta’ burn off their hair,” Godrick said. “These things happen, and yeh can’t beat yerself up about it. It’ll grow back. And honestly, with yer tattoos, it doesn’t look bad at all. Yeh look kinda scary, honestly.”
“You’re just saying I look scary to make me feel better,” Talia said, but she seemed a little pleased by that.
“And because you actually are terrifying,” Sabae said.
Talia sniffled a bit, but gave them a small smile.
“I really loved my hair,” she said. “I know I complained about it a lot, but it was my favorite feature.”
“It was pretty amazing,” Sabae said.
“Ah always felt Hugh was the odd man out there,” Godrick said. “We all have amazin’ hair, but he’s just got pretty normal hair.”
“I like his hair,” Talia muttered.
“You like everything about him,” Sabae said, rolling her eyes.
Talia pulled her hand out of the blanket as though to hit Sabae, then scowled at her fist. She tucked it back into the blanket.
“I’m being a total idiot about him, aren’t I?” she asked. “I doubt he’s ever even thought of me as anything but a friend.”
Godrick shrugged. “Ah’ve got no idea. If he has, ah doubt he ever thought it was a serious possibility. He’s better than he used ta be, but he still doesn’t think much of himself.”
“Godrick’s right,” Sabae said. “I don’t think he believes that anyone could actually have feelings for him, even after Avah. Plus, you know, Hugh’s completely thick when it comes to this sort of thing.”
“Not like it matters much,” Talia said. “One of the girls on this ship is going to snag him while I’m hiding away down here, I know it.”
“He’s workin’ with me da on their secret project right now,” Godrick said. “The one that ah need ta’ keep pretendin’ ah haven’t already guessed is doin’ somethin’ with that ice sword me da seized from the Havathi ta replace mah lost hammer. Besides, that would be absurdly fast fer someone to move on Hugh.”
Talia didn’t say anything, and Godrick frowned.
“Unless yeh meant that yeh were plannin’ ta stay hidden down here the entire time until yer hair grew back?”