by Mel Odom
“Are you seriously not going to help?” Iados demanded. He slammed his buckler into the stomach of another man, then whirled, braced himself on his tail, and lashed out with a flying kick that knocked an opponent through the front window.
“If I do, who’s going to bail you out when the watch comes to arrest you?” Shang-Li asked.
“Surely the watch will be understanding,” Thava said. “This was a matter of honor.” She lashed out with a big hand and punched a man in the face.
The man went out like a candle flame in a wind and rolled up against the wall.
“The watch doesn’t understand honor nearly as much as you want them to,” Shang-Li said. “Now fines and punishment? They’re very clear about those things.”
Lukkob, the tavernkeeper, placed a tankard of hot tea in front of Shang-Li. “It’s good to see you, Shang-Li. It’s been a long time.”
“It has.”
Lukkob looked at Kwan Yung. “Would you like anything, master?”
“Master?” Kwan Yung stroked his beard and smiled in obvious delight.
“I have spent some time in a Shou monastery,” Lukkob said.
“To learn to fight, I suppose.”
“To learn to read. My father was very adamant about my life taking a different turn than his had. Reading was important to him, and it is to me.”
“Ah. So you listen to your father?” Kwan Yung shot a disdainful glance at Shang-Li.
“I did,” Lukkob agreed. “He’s gone from me now, but I knew him to be a very wise man.”
“It is so refreshing to hear a son praise his father,” Kwan Yung said. His elbow dug sharply into Shang-Li’s back as he bellied up to the bar. “Did you hear what he said?”
“Yes.” Shang-Li moved away and blocked a thrown chair with one of the fighting sticks. “He offered you tea.”
“Is it good tea?” Shang-Li heard his father sniff the tea he’d been given.
“Very good tea,” Lukkob replied. “A special blend that I have shipped in. You won’t find better tea in Westgate.”
“Then yes, please.”
The fight ended quickly. Near the end, with the grunts sounding winded and the blows coming with less enthusiasm, the watch arrived in their burgundy jackets and chainmail shirts. By that time, the mercenaries and sailors had realized they were totally outmatched and had started to flee.
The watch captured many of them before they could get away. Either they would be ransomed back to their ships or places of business by the watch, or they would be put to work for a time building new dock improvements in the city. Either way, their imprisonment wouldn’t be wasted.
“Who started this?” a watch sergeant demanded. She had fair hair and a good figure that the chainmail didn’t quite disguise. Attractive and self-assured, she commanded instant respect.
“Not us,” Iados blustered. “We were beset by these ruffians—”
“We started the actual fighting,” Thava said.
Iados rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Then he glared at Thava. “Must you persist in always putting the noose about our neck?”
Shang-Li smiled. Thava never lied, not even by omission, much to Iados’s chagrin. The paladin’s sense of honor had gotten them into bad situations before because her view was so black and white.
“I like her,” his father whispered. She’s very truthful.”
“The two of you?” the watch sergeant said in obvious disbelief. “You decided to take on a whole tavern full of mercenaries and sailors?”
“No. But some of these men made disparaging comments,” Thava replied.
“To you?” The watch commander said that with some disbelief. “They must have been deep into their cups.”
“To our server.”
The watch sergeant blinked. “They made disparaging comments to your server?”
“Me,” the serving wench sang out happily and waved her arms for attention as if she’d just won a prize. “They disparaged me.”
The watch sergeant shot the server an irritated glance. Then she glanced at Lukkob, who only shrugged and smiled. She looked back at Thava. “I don’t suppose it occurred to you to simply ignore those comments?”
Thava drew herself upright and looked almost offended. “No. It did not. Her honor was at stake. As was mine. I live for honor. It is as necessary to me as the air that I breathe.”
“Gods save me from paladins.” Cursing beneath her breath, the watch sergeant turned to Lukkob. “You’ve got someone to pay for this mess?”
Lukkob pointed at Iados and Thava. “Them.”
She turned back to the paladin and warrior. “You agree to this?”
“Of course,” Thava said. “This is an honorable debt. I could do no less.”
“You know,” Iados said, “since we’re traveling together, you might at least ask my consent before you speak for my purse.”
“Then I will pay the debt,” Thava said.
“No you won’t,” Iados growled. “You haven’t enough coins for all this mess. You keep giving your coins away to churches and paupers.”
“Some of us follow a higher calling.”
“Some of us like to eat regularly and sleep in dry places.”
“Then I assume all the debt and you won’t have to pay a single copper.” Thava folded her massive arms as she turned once more to the watch sergeant. “I will gladly work off the debt.”
The watch sergeant took in the dragonborn’s armor with a pained look. “You’re a paladin. I can’t have a paladin working on a jail crew. There will be arguments and fights every day. The churches will protest. Gods, the headaches alone from that will be too much to bear.”
“You can’t refuse my offer,” Thava said. “I have assumed the debt, and I must pay it. I will insist”
Several members of the watch stepped back.
“I really do like her,” Kwan Yung whispered.
Iados cursed and lifted a purse heavy with coins from the inside of his shirt. “I’ll pay for the damages.”
Thava smiled and clapped the tiefling on the shoulder hard enough to jar him to his boot soles. “My companion and I will settle the bill.”
“I don’t see you reaching into your purse,” Iados said.
“I tipped our server for her troubles.”
“So you have nothing?” Iados sounded as though he couldn’t believe it.
“No. Wealth is an unwelcome burden, Iados. I keep telling you that.”
“I gladly welcome it.”
The watch sergeant, obviously sensing another argument brewing, ordered, “Settle the matter.” She turned her attention to Lukkob. “Do you have a sum in mind?”
“I do.” Lukkob named it and looked apologetically at Iados. “It is a fair price.”
Looking at all the damage, Shang-Li had to agree. He tucked his fighting sticks back up his sleeves.
Grudgingly, Iados counted out gold and silver coins and spread them across the bar. His purse was considerably lighter when he returned it to his shirt. Lukkob scooped up the coins and made them disappear.
“Thank you, Iados,” Thava said happily.
“You’re going to make paupers of us both,” Iados complained.
“But you’ll have lived with honor,” the paladin said. “And honor is its own reward.”
“Honor doesn’t pay the tavern bill or for lodging.” Iados looked gloomy.
“Bahamut always provides.”
“Truly? I find your god provides from my purse quite often when it comes to your service.”
“Don’t blaspheme or question Bahamut. He accepts your faults and you should be grateful for the tasks he gives you.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The watch sergeant gave the command to her men to take their prisoners from the tavern. Outside, a crowd had gathered to watch now that the violence had come to a halt. A few even dared to come in and have a look around. Lukkob immediately informed them there was a charge for gawking. Some of them still stayed and
chose to pay the price.
Thava crossed to Shang-Li and grabbed him in a bear hug that crushed the air from his lungs. “It’s good to see you again, my friend.”
Shang-Li patted her on the back, then took a deep breath when she finally released him. “I’ve missed you as well.”
“You’ll have to tell me of your adventures.” Thava smiled, but a dragonborn’s features never looked entirely devoid of threat. “I’m certain you have plenty to tell.” She reached over and casually righted a table with one massive hand. “We can sit here.”
Kwan Yung cleared his throat, managing to sound like as obnoxious as a strangling goose.
“Thava,” Shang-Li said, “may I present my father, Master Kwan Yung of the Standing Tree Monastery. Father, this is Thava, a paladin.”
Thava’s iridescent eyes focused on Kwan Yung. “This is your father?”
“Yes.”
“But he looks so … so … small.”
“Small?” Kwan Yung raised offended eyebrows and stretched himself to his full height, barely topping Shang-Li’s shoulder. “I am not small.”
“No, of course you aren’t, Master Kwan,” Thava said quickly. “My humblest apologies. But from Shang-Li’s description of you, I’d just expected someone much larger, more fierce, and possessing the temperament of an owlbear.”
“That was his description of me?”
“No. It was more the … manner he said you had regarding him. The interpretive image was my own.” Thava smiled. “But I see I was mistaken. Hail and well met, Kwan Yung, father of my friend. I am most pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Shang-Li didn’t know if his father was more upset over the description or by the bone-bruising hug Thava insisted on giving him. When she sat him down on the floor again, his father glared indignantly at Shang-Li.
“Please forgive my companion, Master Kwan,” Iados said smoothly as he stepped into the mix. “I am Iados Lockhyr. A … traveler and entrepreneur.” He bowed. “Your son has spoken of you with nothing but the utmost respect.”
“You are a much better swordsman than you are a liar,” Kwan Yung said.
“I respectfully beg to differ,” Iados objected. “I’ll wager that you’ll find I am a most excellent liar, this topic notwithstanding.”
“Lying is not one of his most endearing qualities,” Thava said. “But I feel obligated to let you know that he is one of the best liars I have ever seen. Do not overtrust him.”
“Thank you, Thava.” Iados looked confused, obviously wondering if he’d been complimented or condemned, but he gestured to the table Thava had righted. “Shall we sit?”
“Aren’t you concerned that the men you fought earlier might return?” Kwan Yung asked.
Thava and Iados looked at each other and smiled. Then Iados said, “No. Not really. And if they do, if would be their mistake. We’ve already paid for the damage to the tavern.” He turned to Lukkob. “If I’ve paid for the tavern, perhaps I could get some service.”
Lukkob grinned at him. “Aye. And I’ll even name one of the new rooms in your honor when I have them built.”
“You’re much too kind,” Iados replied dryly.
One of the servers brought over a bottle of ale for Iados and Thava and fresh tea for Shang-Li and his father.
“Would you like supper as well?” Lukkob asked. “At least the oven is still of a piece.”
“Gentlemen?” Iados asked. “Thava and I had just sat down to eat when we were interrupted.” He leaned forward and pretended to speak so that Thava couldn’t hear. “But I must warn you: it isn’t safe to let a dragonborn get too long between meals. If you know what I mean.”
“I take offense at that,” Thava said.
“Do so,” Iados warned, “and you’ll be washing dishes for your supper.”
“Perhaps I’m not as offended as I’d first thought.” She drummed her large fingers on the table top.
“Supper would be good,” Shang-Li said. “We have much to discuss.”
His father looked at him doubtfully.
“Lukkob sets a fine table,” Iados said, picking up on the unspoken question. “If you’ve been aboardship for the last few days, you’ll find yourself rewarded. And it will be my treat.”
You’ve just won my father’s heart, Shang-Li thought.
“Very well,” Kwan Yung said as he moved to take one of the chairs at the table. “Thank you.”
Supper came and went, and it wasn’t long before the candles on the table guttered in the wind that blew through the broken windows. Lukkob had covered the empty spaces with pieces of sailcloth for the time being, but the bitter wind slipped around them carrying the stink of salt and dead fish. The heat from the fireplace didn’t quite fill the room and there was just enough warmth to make Shang-Li long for more.
“You plan to find the shipwreck and the Blue Lady?” Iados asked after Shang-Li had finished his tale.
“I’d rather find only the shipwreck,” Shang-Li said, “but I have the feeling that I won’t find one far from the other. Given that she has proven to be dangerous in the past, I thought it might be a good idea to look for you two while we were here in Westgate.”
“How do you propose to do this?” Thava leaned forward, intent and attentive.
“I’ve got the coordinates where Grayling went down. Ships tend to drift through the ocean when they go down, so I don’t expect to find the wreckage there, but it gives us a point of origin to begin with.” Shang-Li marshaled his thoughts. “I’ve dived for shipwrecks before. Sometimes you get lucky and find them in a short time, but you need to know that this could take a while.”
“Shipwrecks also mean the possibility of salvage.” Iados grinned. “I’ve dived a few of those myself. If you have good information to begin with and stick to the effort, the time you put into the exploration can be quite lucrative. I’m willing to invest some time after everything you’ve told me. Grayling isn’t the only ship that’s been taken in that area.”
“No.” Shang-Li remembered all the ships he’d seen broken and scattered across the sea floor. “But that’s part of the problem. This woman—whatever she is—is incredibly powerful and incredibly dangerous.”
“Then why is she appearing in your dreams?”
Shang-Li shook his head.
Iados leaned back in his chair, which creaked under his weight. “If she has the book, and the potential to read about these portals, why would she need you?”
Although his father hadn’t been comfortable with telling Iados and Thava everything about Liou’s books, Shang-Li had make it a sticking point of their continued joint efforts. In the end, it had been Thava and her gentle ways that had won over his father.
His father spoke quietly. “In the seventy years she has had Liou’s books, she hasn’t opened a portal. We can assume that she hasn’t yet learned the power to do so.”
“Or that the information was wrong and the spell doesn’t work.” Iados’s tail flicked casually across the floor.
“The information is correct.” Kwan Yung didn’t raise his voice, but the authority resonated in his words.
“Of course, Master Kwan. I meant no disrespect.” Iados inclined his horned head.
“No disrespect taken, Iados. But the spells are a danger if they fall into the wrong hands. I cannot stress that enough.”
“And if the Blue Lady thought the spells were deficient, she wouldn’t be interested in attracting Shang-Li to her.” Thava fixed her gaze on Shang-Li. “But she is. And since she is, I want to point out the possibility that perhaps she needs you to translate Liou’s books. You said they were all written in code.”
Shang-Li nodded. “They are. I don’t know if I can read them. My father and I—and the Standing Tree Monastery—only want to secure those books before they fall into the wrong hands.”
Iados took in a breath and let it out. He scratched at the tabletop with a long talon. “What must books like that be worth?”
Thava frowned at him.
<
br /> “What?” Iados did his best to look innocent but the horns didn’t help him pull that effort off. “I was just thinking.”
“In going to rescue those books, you also pose a serious threat to them.” Thava studied Shang-Li. “Maybe it would be better if you stayed out of this.”
“Sit back and wait to hear?” That appalled Shang-Li. He’d never been one to sit when there was action.
“It would be safest.”
Kwan Yung shrugged. “My son and I are also the only authorities on Liou Chang’s works. We cannot risk that forgeries are found instead of the real books. We have no choice about going.”
“We are at an impasse then.” Thava nodded. “There is no way to do this or not do this without risk.”
“Exactly as I see it.”
“All right.” Iados leaned forward again. “So we stock the ship for a long voyage and we begin searching for Grayling. What’s left of her. What do we do about the Blue Lady?”
“I’m still working that out.” Shang-Li looked around the table. “So if any of you have any ideas, I’m open to them.”
The candlelight flickered along the tiefling’s horns, chipping away the shadows that had gathered in the tavern. The effect made him look even more demonic. His smile was chilling. No one in the Edge sat close by them.
“Sounds dangerous.” Iados pulled at his chin whiskers.
“She’s pulled whole ships to the bottom of the Sea of Fallen Stars,” Shang-Li said. There was no way to make that sound any less threatening.
“Dangerous is more expensive.”
“Nonsense,” Thava said. “You were telling me only a few days ago that you were tired of protecting caravans along the trade roads. You were longing for the sea. And we haven’t had a good adventure in several tendays.”
Shang-Li hid a smile. Iados had a restless nature and tended to always look for the next patch of green grass.
“I might remind you,” Iados said, “that our last adventure nearly killed me.”