by Katie Roman
“Pim said the guards were looking for you and that old Joshua was going to turn you over,” Daisy explained. “Bless him for warning you, but I could kill him from sending you out alone like that.” She took a quick drink from her bottle and offered it to Aleka, who started to decline. “Nothing more than cider,” Daisy promised.
Aleka pointed to her water skin and passed the cider to Essie instead. “What choice did he have?” she asked, biting into her breakfast.
“That’s what I told her,” Essie cut in. “But you try reasoning with her! We’re glad you’re alright, but why didn’t you come to us for help? We were afraid you were dead in some back alley!”
“Or worse.” Daisy reached over and gently knocked Aleka upside the head. A lesson, more than a punishment. “You disappeared, and then I had to hear from Jack Anders, of all people, that you were alive and well.”
“I tried to get to Essie,” Aleka admitted, “but I was driven off from the Angel. After that, I didn’t think you’d allow a wanted woman in your lives.”
Daisy gave an unladylike snort and waved a dismissive hand before looking away and shaking her head.
“The guards aren’t likely to search our boarding house, and there’s no reason for them to suspect you’d hide with us,” Essie said. “We can house you until this storm passes.”
Eye of the storm, Aleka thought. That was what Iuhry told Aleka she was now. Not the chaotic storm itself, but rather the balanced, calm center. This storm wasn’t going to pass, but at least Aleka could collect herself in the eye while everything around her was uprooted.
“I should have come to you,” Aleka admitted. The idea did flit through her mind, but after her run-in at the Angel, it felt too dangerous to try. Certainly they were friends enough, but Aleka thought she had friends in Lord and Lady Ghilian’s home, and none of them came to her defense when Halia was murdered. Janey and Taki even tried to turn her over to the guards! Why should she have believed Essie and Daisy would be different? Aleka nervously pulled apart her pastry, with bits of the crust falling into the dirt.
“Instead you went to Jack,” Essie said shrewdly. “Why?”
“I’ve decided to leave Glenbard, and I needed someone to give me weapons training.” Aleka stuffed half the pastry into her mouth, barely even tasting the spice that flavored the egg.
“Weapons training? Are you training to be a knight?” Daisy asked, laughing loudly. A few passersby turned to look, but quickly lost interest.
Aleka narrowed her eyes and fixed Daisy with a stare that could curdle milk. She just laughed louder, drawing more stares from market goers. If she was any louder, the guards would stop by to see what was happening. Aleka curled her lip and realized belatedly that Daisy’s renewed laughs were due to the food stuffed in Aleka’s cheeks like some rodent. It somewhat diminished the effect of the glare. She finished chewing and hastily swallowed.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Daisy,” Aleka growled.
Daisy shook her head between the last of her giggles. “Imagine Her Majesty here trying to win her shield. Why, they’ll put your feats into song!”
As Daisy laughed, Essie silently worked through something before she clutched Aleka’s arm. “Daisy, I overheard some thief lads saying Victor Blackstone is in Glenbard.”
Daisy raised an eyebrow. “That’s right; he was by the Emerald for his usual game of cards. Seems that freak storm the other night damaged the Fearless Dawn. But why does that matter? Blackstone is hardly a stranger to Glenbard, even if he is a wanted man.”
Essie pinched Aleka’s arm. “You’re going to try to join his crew. That’s why you went to Anders, and it’s probably what you were really doing down at the pier while I was looking for real work for you.”
Daisy’s last rogue giggles died in her throat as Essie’s words sank in. “Come again?”
“Essie…” Aleka warned.
“This one told me she wants to join the crew of the Fearless Dawn.”
“I’d appreciate some quiet on the subject,” Aleka mumbled, stuffing the rest of the pastry into her mouth. It may as well have been chalk as much as she noticed the flavor. She looked around to make sure no guards were near. The nearest ones were on the far end of the market, watching a group of potential pickpockets. Aleka could tell the group was merely a diversion for the real pickpocket – the young girl Ridley at work, cutting purses.
“This thing with your former employer will pass over,” Daisy reasoned. “You’ll find a big enough hole to hide in, and they’ll eventually forget all about you.” Suddenly serious, she added, “It’s not like you murdered anyone. But if you join the Fearless Dawn, you’ll be wanted everywhere you go. Not just Cesernan, but Sera, Rivaella, Nareroc, Drodun, and any other place you can name. Have you gone mad?”
“She’s right,” Essie agreed. “When you first told me your plan, I assumed you were just upset and blowing off steam. You can’t possibly think signing on with those brigands is a good idea!”
“Look, neither one of you understands –” Aleka began, but stopped when she saw Krassi from the Gilded Lily standing before her.
“Miss Lansa, I bring a message from Madam Alise.” She looked quizzically at Daisy and Essie.
“They can hear it.” Aleka handed her a silver.
Krassi quickly palmed it, tucked it into her belt purse, and nodded. “You’re to be at the Gilded Lily tonight no later than the nine o’clock hour. Alise said that if you arrive early, she’ll feed you.” Krassi nodded her head and didn’t wait for a response before turning to disappear into the crowd.
“Kunegunda, don’t go!” Essie pleaded. “Whatever madness you have worked out with Alise, it’ll only end badly. Just wait this out.”
Aleka stood, dusting off the crumbs from her breakfast. “You are good friends and I appreciate your counsel, but there’s no waiting this storm out.” With those words, she turned on her heel and stalked off.
~*~*~
Aleka practiced with Jack all afternoon, although his face was ashen and he had a sheen of sweat all over. His earlier patience gone, he snapped when she made a mistake. Aleka caught him staring lustfully at the bottle of King’s Head Reserve more than once. When she offered him some of her fruit juice, he sniffed it, sighed, and drank while making a face like he was drinking spoiled cream.
“It’s not that bad!” Aleka snapped, drinking some herself. “When was the last time you went without drinking?”
“A few months back.” He laid back onto his hay mattress, rubbing his head. “I couldn’t even make it a day.”
Aleka sheathed her sword and sat next to him, bringing her knees to her chest. “I thought you might nip something at the Emerald.” She shook her head.
He sat up with some effort. “You hate alcohol, yet you seem to find yourself in a lot of taverns.” Jack rubbed his temples, breathing heavily as he did.
“I go where I must.”
“You said that in your experience, alcohol and blades don’t mix. What happened?” He watched Aleka with wide, if somewhat bloodshot eyes.
“If I tell you, will you tell me what really drove you to the bottle? It has to be more than a silly broken heart.” Jack looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. “Well, when you’re ready to tell me the truth, I’ll tell you my truth as well.”
They sat in silence for some time. Aleka’s limbs and heart felt heavy. She licked her finger and rubbed off a bit of mud from her boot heel. Everything hinged on what happened tonight. She knew she should continue to practice, but it felt impossible to stand now. If she failed with Captain Blackstone, she would be worse off than when she first ran away. Guards were combing the city for her. She would need to flee if Blackstone denied her, but where could she go?
She stood. “Can we fence?”
Jack rose too, somewhat unsteadily. His face went from ashen to green, and for a moment, she worried he would vomit on her, but he swallowed hard and took up his sword. He moaned a little and took a sip of her juice. “Gods. Alright,
take the guard position.”
Aleka took the guard position. Before doing the same, Jack adjusted her stance, pushing her feet a little wider apart and lifting her sword arm two inches higher. They crossed swords and he called out what she needed to do, taking things slow their first attempt. He stopped after about two minutes to wipe his brow and drink more juice. He looked better than he had all day, with his cheeks now a rosy pink from the exertion of the fencing.
“You know, you’re much nicer when you’re not at the bottle,” Aleka observed, taking some juice herself. “You can still be a surly bastard, but overall, you’re not so bad. You’re even handsome when you bother to keep clean.”
“You’re rather pretty when you let your guard down,” he countered. Aleka blushed and looked away.
To her surprise, Jack moved forward, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in for a kiss. While not wholly unpleasant, it was wholly unwarranted. Aleka balled up her fist and knocked him hard against the side of his head. He released her and stumbled away, clutching his head.
“Gods! What is wrong with you?” he bellowed.
Aleka shook her finger at him. “What’s wrong with you?” Her voice jumped an octave. “No one invited you to kiss me!”
Jack straightened. “I’m sorry,” he said meekly, continuing to rub his head. “I thought…”
“You thought wrong!” she snapped.
He looked away, his cheeks burning a crimson red. Jack shuffled back to his mattress and sat. “I read you wrong, Lansa. I’m sorry.”
Jack told her a girl had broken his heart. Aleka couldn’t believe that was all that drove him to drink, but she could understand a broken heart playing a hand in it. Visions of the Admiral’s drunken rages flashed before her. “Jack, you’ve been kind to me. And while I’m thankful for your help, we are merely friends. And for now, that’s all we’ll ever be, especially as long as you drink to excess.”
“I’m sorry. I thought you… Well, it doesn’t matter what I thought. I’m losing my mind without the drink. Please, let’s pretend it didn’t happen and move past it.” He cleared his throat, back to business. “Your form is better and you take instruction well, but you’re hesitant in your movements. You need to be able to perform these basic moves without thinking. Run through the sword dances I’ve shown you once more.”
~*~*~
When Jack left for the Emerald, Aleka continued to practice alone until eight. They didn’t discuss the kiss again, and Jack looked suitably embarrassed the rest of the afternoon. Aleka was still angry at his forwardness, but chose not to speak anymore on it. There were more important things to do than chastise Jack after he’d already apologized.
When she finished practicing, she washed her face, changed out of her sweaty clothes, and pulled on the clothes provided by Iuhry and Paora. It was half past eight when she arrived at the Gilded Liy. As before, she left her sword with Bree and was shown to Alise’s private chambers.
“So good to see you early,” Alise greeted her warmly. “I’ll have dinner brought up for you.”
Aleka waved her hand. “I’m a bit too nervous for food.”
“As you like it.” Alise looked back down at the ledger she had been studying before Aleka came in.
“Was feeding me the only reason you wanted me to arrive early?” Aleka asked when the silence became too much.
Alise didn’t even look up when she spoke. “Did you expect I had more to say on the matter?”
“I thought perhaps you did. You said if I came early – but that could have been hours early, so I thought–”
“You thought that perhaps I’d offer you a job? Or maybe some matronly advice? Ask why you, a talented musician, is so foolish? No. You merely looked underfed. I don’t host the most reputable business in the city, but I don’t like to see people go hungry. If you’re truly not interested in dinner, then I will have Bree show you to the chambers where you’ll conduct your business.”
Aleka expected her to have set up a bedroom for the meeting place as a subtle jibe that Aleka shouldn’t think herself above a prostitute by making her conduct her business on a bed. But Alise either wasn’t that spiteful, or just didn’t want to waste her time. The room she had prepared contained a small chess table set up with two cushioned armchairs. The chess pieces were gone, but the white and black of the board was visible under the cards that had been laid out. A small side table was staged with a bowl of pitted green olives, another bowl of macadamia nuts, and a flask of wine. Aleka knew those food items were hard to obtain in Cesernan, which meant the vintage of the wine was probably superior, if Alise had provided delicacies such as these for snacks to accompany it.
Just after the nine o’clock hour was called, Victor Blackstone was led in by Alise. “I’ll leave you to it,” she said simply, backing out of the room quietly. Her eyes flicked to Aleka, but didn’t betray her feelings about this meeting.
Blackstone was shorter than Aleka envisioned. He was barrel chested and slightly bow legged, with a long face and sharp cheekbones. He had flaming red hair that curled around the top of his head, though he kept himself clean-shaven and he was more freckle than man. His green eyes took in Aleka carefully as he sat across from her.
“I see Alise put out the goods I brought her,” he said blithely, nodding toward the bowls. “My favorites and hers too, I think. Now, I understand you wanted to speak to me, Miss Lansa.” When he spoke, Aleka could hear the lilting accent of Sera. He picked up the cards and started to shuffle them.
“I would like to sign on to your crew.”
“No.” He dealt each of them five cards.
“Is it because I’m a woman?” She knew he’d say no at first, but she felt she needed to go through the motions and feel him out.
“The Fearless Dawn has women on it. My cook, as well as a few lasses who’ve run away from home in search of adventure. Anyone who pulls their weight is welcome on my crew.”
“Except me.”
“You’ve got guts, but you seem light on brains and discretion from all Alise told me. I’ve no need for a violinist and an untrained sailor.”
“I can learn.” Aleka looked at her cards. She had nothing good in her hand, but when had she ever?
“Maybe, but you seem like too much trouble.” Blackstone didn’t look up from his cards. He traded in two of his cards, pulling new ones from the deck and placing a copper on the table.
“Then why did you agree to meet with me?”
“You paid good coin for the honor. I could at least see you got your money’s worth.”
Aleka raised him a silver, keeping her face neutral. He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised she had played so much off a copper piece.
“I have a proposition for you. Something no one else can offer.”
“Hold?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He placed a silver to match hers. “What can you offer? Music lessons for my crew? It’s not really something they’ve any interest in learning,” he joked.
“I don’t play anymore, nor will I.” She laid down another silver. “I have something a man in your position would find quite useful.”
Blackstone put down two silvers. “Will you raise me again?”
Aleka reached into her purse and dumped her last gold piece on the table. Aside from a few coppers, it was all she had left. Blackstone kept a neutral face, but did make a small “huh” sound.
“Alright, you have my attention. What do you have?”
“I can get you a royal navy seal,” she said. “An admiral uses it to–”
“I know what the seal is for. There are only four in all Cesernan. With a skilled forgery, we could fake papers all across the Emerald Sea. But how do you have access to it?”
“Give me until tomorrow night and I’ll have it. I just need time to get it.” She tapped her fingers against the tabletop.
“And if you can’t obtain it?”
“Then I’ll be dead and will no longer care if you take me onto y
our crew. I have an ‘in’ with Admiral Ghilian. If I can get his admiral’s seal, let me on your crew and it’s yours.”
Blackstone rubbed his chin, considering her proposal. “Alright, you have a deal. I was always one for a gamble,” he looked down at the gold pieces. “I think I’ll fold this hand.” He laid his cards face-up, revealing a court of hearts; an excellent hand.
Aleka put her hand face-down and shoveled the coins into her purse. “I’ve work to do if I am to deliver on my promise.” She held her hand out.
Blackstone took it, giving it a firm shake. “And your hand?”
Aleka flipped her cards over, revealing a random assortment of cards that made no courts or rows. Blackstone laughed through his nose.
“Clever girl,” he said as Aleka winked and left.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Deana,
You’ve always been a friend to me, and now I need your help. I would like to reconcile with my father. Please, I beg of you, have him meet me at my mother’s grave tomorrow at dawn. It will do us both good to discuss what happened to her, and maybe to forgive each other. I want to return home to be with you and baby Anita. Please, Deana, help.
Love,
Aleka
Aleka paid an urchin to deliver the letter just before she went to get sleep at Jack’s. It felt wrong to deceive Deana, who was the one person who had always done right by Aleka, but unfortunately it was the way things had to be. Aleka just hoped her one-time friend could eventually forgive her.
She spent the rest of the day at Jack’s, practicing and trying to sleep. As the day wore on into the evening, she sat by the door, chewing her thumb.
“You’re going to chew it off,” Jack said through the dark.
“I can’t help it.”
She heard him get up, and in the darkness, he sat next to her. “What’s on your mind?”
“I have to do something, but I’m worried I’ll fail.”
Jack shifted in the dark. “What sort of trouble are you in, Kunegunda?” His voice was laced with concern.
“I need to meet someone at dawn, and I’m afraid he’ll kill me. But even if he doesn’t, I’m afraid I’ll have to kill him.”