by B. T. Narro
Her father paused for a breath. “This has been very difficult, but we must go on with the plan anyway.”
Leida forced herself to ignore the heart-wrenching thought that she could’ve been here at the same time as her parents. She had been so close. But she could tell from her father’s serious tone that she needed to put it behind her. He had already done so because there were more important matters now. The real risk was finally about to begin.
“An old sea captain came back from Kanoan a few years ago. He’s the only known person to have made it back, although I believe there could have been others. That doesn’t matter right now. He witnessed something there that could change the future of Ovira. There are flying creatures that don’t seem to have any ability with energy, and yet they are able to produce enormous explosions powerful enough to crumble mountains. It took some time to confirm that this old man had not gone mad, but through the help of Annah I firmly believe his accounts of these explosions are true.
“If these creatures can cause these explosions, I believe it should be even easier for humans. We just have to go there to see how they are doing it. The explosions have been too far from the settlement of exiled criminals for anyone in Kanoan to see how they are done, but with my portal-making ability it should be safe for me to get close enough. I don’t mean to use this weapon, only the threat of it. This should be enough to stop war for good, but if Fernan figures out how to use it, I don’t know what he’ll do. I’m not sure if he’s sent people to Kanoan yet in hopes of figuring it out, but I do know that he’s trying to capture me. He’ll probably force me to go to Kanoan under the threat of life in prison, but he’ll stick me with a team of his choosing that I won’t be able to shake.”
Basen’s mouth twisted. “I refuse to do that. Your mother and I planned to find out how to create these explosions with our own trusted team. Now I wish I was going alone because I fear for your mother’s safety. But she’s better off with me than here where she’ll certainly be imprisoned. I’m sure you know through Adriya that Cleve and Reela have a major role in the Wind Knights. I realize we haven’t spoken much about them, and that was to keep you from revealing something to a psychic, perhaps by accident. But now I have no choice but to address it. I need their help. Speak to Cleve and Reela about this. It would be ideal if both of them came. Talk to Abith and Neeko about going as well. You know I trust them.”
He glanced around. “Alabell doesn’t want others to come because it would mean putting them in danger. While that is true, she’s at too great a risk with just me by her side. I know you’ll want to come as well, Leida. Your mother doesn’t want you to, and I don’t either, but if you gather a large enough group, like those four people I mentioned, you should be safe with them until all of us are able to find each other.”
Basen suddenly put on a smile as he looked to the side, presumably catching sight of his wife. He gestured for her, whispering to Leida, “Your mother’s here. Please seek out those people.” His voice rose to a normal level. “I was just leaving a memory for our daughter.” Basen pointed at the perspective point, the window into the memory.
Alabell stepped into view, her hair rushing wildly in all directions from the wind. Both of Leida’s parents looked older than she remembered even though it couldn’t have been more than a week since she’d seen them. Their wrinkles were deep around their eyes as they each forced a smile in Leida’s direction.
“Don’t come, Leida,” Alabell pleaded. “I know you’ll want to, but please don’t. It’s not safe. We’re going to investigate these explosions and return. Unfortunately, we’ll have to remain in hiding after we get back until we can figure out how to produce the explosions by our own will. We will reunite with you eventually. You’ll be safe at the Academy.” She looked at Basen. “Did I just repeat everything you already said?”
“Yes,” he confirmed with a chuckle.
“We love you,” Alabell told Leida. “But don’t come.”
“We love you,” her father repeated. “I suppose that’s it.” He glanced over at his wife, but the look she gave back to him was a scowl.
“Did you tell her to send people to Kanoan?”
He hesitated.
“Basen, do not let this memory end yet and answer me,” she demanded.
“It’s not safe, like you said,” he countered.
“I thought we agreed!”
“I’m not sure I can protect both of us on my own. We don’t know how dangerous it will be.” Unlike Alabell’s, his voice held no anger, only sadness.
“And that is exactly why we shouldn’t get anyone else involved. They’re needed at the Academy. What if they come to Kanoan weeks behind us and we never find each other? They could be stranded there when we take a portal back. Or what if they come and die there, and Kyrro loses the war because their best fighters have thrown away their lives for nothing? Tell me you haven’t ended the memory yet.”
Leida had seen her parents argue before, but this was different. She could tell they had put their lives into this matter. Importance made each word heavy and punctuated.
“I promise I haven’t ended the memory.” Basen reached out and took Alabell’s hand. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position.”
The memory had already gone on for a long while, the sights becoming hazy, the sounds crackling.
Leida’s mother took a slow breath. “I knew what I was getting involved in when I started meeting with you and Annah. I figured it could come to this one day. Instead of apologizing to me, I would rather you tell our daughter to stay home. You know she will want to come, and if she gets on a ship with others, she won’t stay behind when they disembark. We have to be forceful.”
Basen thought for a moment. Eventually he turned toward Leida. “You must not come if you can’t gather a strong enough group to keep you safe.”
“Basen!” Alabell yelped. “Leida, don’t come at all.”
“We’re teleporting to the Elven village in Merejic today,” Basen continued. “We can’t wait for your group there because their leader doesn’t like me, so we’ll be taking a ship to Kanoan soon after. There’s only one way to the island that doesn’t involve being seen by the territorial flying creatures or the criminals there.”
He swung his bag around and pulled out a map, then stepped close to show it to Leida. The outline of Kanoan was complete, but the entire center of the map showed only a cloud with a question mark in the middle. Even if it had been clear, the distorting memory might’ve made it impossible for Leida to read.
“We will disembark here on the eastern side of the island.” Basen traced his finger along the sea and down into what Leida believed was a crevice where two points of land met. “We plan to wait around there for as long as we can to unite with the group you bring. I’ll leave a memory for you with instructions once your mother and I agree upon them.”
“I disagree with all of this, but you’re not giving me another choice,” Alabell interjected. “Leida, I hope this is the last time I have to say it. Stay at the Academy.”
“I’m ending the memory,” Basen said, and their images disappeared.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Desil watched as Leida came out of her trance. Her eyes focused on something in the distance as her hands came down.
“They disagree,” she uttered.
“Who are you going to listen to?” Desil asked.
“I would go after them even if both of them told me to stay, but I will take my father’s advice to see about gathering a team first.”
“I hope I can be part of that team.”
She showed him a soft and sweet smile. “Of course, but you might change your mind after you hear my plan.”
“It’s not the same as your father’s?”
“It might turn out to be, but not yet. I don’t want to spend weeks getting to the Elves in Merejic with a mere hope of convincing them to lend us a ship. There’s no telling what could happen to my parents in Kanoan during that time. Instead, I
want to find a man here in Kyrro to take us to the island as soon as possible. It’s someone who’s been there before, though he is old. Could you help me look for him while I gather the team?”
“Definitely. What’s his name?”
“It’s strange. He goes by mmm-zaza. Captain Mmzaza.”
“Him?” At first Desil figured this was a joke. Perhaps she’d met the captain in the Magic Tavern and thought this would be funny, but Leida didn’t seem like the type to jest, especially not during times like this.
“My bastial stars, you know him already!” She hopped with joy. “How?”
“He’s been drinking in my mother’s tavern for the last week. He comes and goes throughout the day.”
“What luck!”
“I wouldn’t say so. I think you should meet him before you abandon the idea of going to Merejic. I would be glad if I never returned to that jungle, but even I think it’s safer than taking a ship with Mmzaza. Granted he’s been well-behaved since my mother threatened to ban him from our tavern after he mentioned that ours was the last one in Kyrro where he’s welcome. But needing him to take us to Kanoan will certainly unleash his worst side.”
“I’m sure you and I can handle however he behaves.”
“I’m not worried about myself. I’m concerned for you.”
“I’ll be fine. Please go keep track of him. We won’t say anything until the team is assembled, to best keep Beatrix and Kirnich from finding out. If I hurry, I should be there with people we can depend on before nightfall. Please. And thank you!”
She ran by, stopping briefly to press her lips against his cheek in a quick kiss. He tried to say something to stop her, but no words came out. He couldn’t bring himself to take away her joyous excitement, but Captain Mmzaza was a nightmare.
Desil had no idea Mmzaza had been to Kanoan. He’d stumbled into their tavern a week ago and immediately started going on about how beautiful Effie was. It didn’t take long for his comments to go from flattering to vulgar. Desil had forced him out with one chance to return and behave himself. He came back the next day sober and was somehow worse, even with Effie out of sight in the kitchen. He started to disturb the other guests by bragging about his ability to sail and drink, usually at the same time. Desil was about to force the old man out again when Effie had rushed out from the kitchen and made a threat that finally shut him up.
Desil wished he’d filled Leida in on all of that before she’d left. All he could do now was return to the tavern.
As Desil walked back, he found himself doubting Leida could gather at least some of the team her father had mentioned. Adriya’s parents were the first people Basen had brought up, which meant they were the ones he thought most likely to join him, but they’d already chosen not to get involved. They might even want to keep Adriya from going, but Desil figured the stubborn woman would find a way if she wanted to.
Poor Leida. It would probably just be the three of them, and they would most likely need to find their way to Merejic rather than trust Mmzaza. Once among the Elves, they probably wouldn’t even be able to get a ship. This could all be for nothing, but Desil wouldn’t give up until every option was exhausted. They would get to Kanoan and find her family…somehow at some point. Desil and Leida might be weeks behind, but they would make it to the forsaken island. Now it was clear that he’d seen just that in jumbled visions while falling into the headmaster’s memories.
Desil chuckled to himself. It sounded insane, and yet that did nothing to stop him from trusting this feeling in his heart. Following this through was the best use of his talents.
*****
Desil would tell his mother he was leaving but only when he was certain how he would get there. He spent the rest of the evening watching Captain Mmzaza mumbling into an empty glass. The old man had a shallow look in his eyes as if the past had no effect on him, as if all that mattered was now. It almost reminded Desil of a child, though the rest of the captain’s face showed his true age. His wild, gray eyebrows drooped as if dying, his loose cheeks sagged. A maze of wrinkles scoured his forehead.
He didn’t look like a man of regret, but he clearly had nothing to look forward to. Eventually Desil couldn’t take it any longer and convinced his mother they should offer the captain a free meal, as it had become abundantly clear by his lack of drink orders that he had no more coin. Desil made the food himself because she was busy cooking for the dozen other patrons.
When he set a plate in front of Mmzaza with hot bread topped with a line of chopped pork, the old man started to drool like a dog.
“What’s this, boy?” He wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. “You’d best not play tricks. I may be old, but I’ve never lost a fight!”
That can’t possibly be true. “It’s not a trick. I made it for you.”
Desil barely finished his sentence before Mmzaza stuffed a hunk of bread into his mouth.
“Thank you! Thank you! But tell your mother to bring out the next course.” He pulled Desil down by the collar of his shirt. “I like…” He stopped himself, then began to chuckle. “I’ll save the words for her.”
“You will say nothing but thank you. And that’s all you’ll get for now, so enjoy it.”
Desil left the table to focus on the other patrons, leaving Mmzaza growling at him through a full mouth. By the time Desil had finished getting a few drinks for others, he looked back to find Mmzaza glancing at his empty plate with the same shallow look as before, as if that meal had been his whole world, just to be forgotten moments after finishing it.
Most people began to leave as night quickly approached. Effie didn’t like people staying past sundown, as it became increasingly more difficult to get rid of the lonelier ones, but she hardly ever forced anyone out. Desil didn’t have the heart to do it either, unless it was Mmzaza. The old man didn’t seem to respond to anything but ferocity, and he almost always brought it out in everyone he spoke to. In this case, however, Desil rushed over as the captain shrugged into his coat as if to leave.
“Stay a little longer,” Desil said.
Mmzaza looked over his shoulder as if expecting to find someone behind him.
“You talking to me, boy?” he asked in disbelief.
“Yes. I will make you the same meal as before.”
He smiled at first, but then his eyes squinted. “What did you tell them about Captain Mmzaza?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I can smell lies like a dog smells meat, boy!”
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. Someone’s coming who requires your services.”
The captain tried to push Desil out of the way with weak arms so he could get to the door. Desil easily stood his ground. “Wait. There’s no reason—”
Suddenly they were wrestling, the captain putting everything he had into getting Desil out of the way.
“You be a traitor! You feed Captain Mmzaza to make him slow. Make him drunk, too. Cruel generosity! There’s nothing else but. Move, boy!” He shoved hard. Desil tripped on a chair and fell into the seat.
“What’s going on?” his mother asked as she rushed into the dining area.
Desil quickly got back in the captain’s way and told him, “It’s only someone who wants to hire you.”
The two other patrons on their way out the door, both middle-aged men with worried looks, stopped and stared. A scene like this was the last thing Desil and Leida needed. If word got to Beatrix about Desil keeping the captain in the tavern, it might be clear to her why.
Mmzaza tried to punch Desil, but the swing was as slow as that from a dying man. Bastial hell, was this old man even strong enough to handle the wheel of a ship? Desil caught the blow, and then another from the captain’s even weaker left hand.
“If I was forty years younger…!”
Desil could think of nothing he could say to pacify the old man except for one thing. “It’s a beautiful woman who wants to hire you. She’ll be here soon.”
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His mouth formed an O, his eyes twinkling as if Desil had just offered a kingly gift. Mmzaza let his hands fall to his side.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier!”
Good question. Fortunately, Mmzaza didn’t seem to be waiting for an answer as he looked over his shoulder.
“I must find a mirror to make myself handsome.” He barreled down the walkway, shoving Effie out of the way. But he stopped as the tavern door opened, the bells at its upper frame chiming. Leida stepped in, followed by Adriya. Desil wasn’t surprised when no one else came in after. It had seemed unlikely for them to recruit anyone, but it was a disappointment nonetheless.
Captain Mmzaza muttered a curse as he came up to Desil and put his wrinkled arm around Desil’s shoulder. “You said one was coming, but I’d eat a pig’s snout if there weren’t two young and beautiful women before me!” Desil was thankful the old man was whispering, though he didn’t appreciate the heavy scent of sakal invading his nostrils.
“Behave yourself,” Desil whispered back.
“Never.” The captain let go and started toward Leida and Adriya, Leida smiling politely but Adriya staring with the usual skepticism in her eyes. Desil could almost hear her thoughts. This was the man to take them to Kanoan?
It would only get worse after he spoke. At least the other patrons were on their way out. They thanked Effie as she came up behind Desil and asked him, “Were you expecting Leida and Adriya?”
“Yes.”
“You should’ve told me.”
“I’m sorry but I couldn’t yet.”
His mother scrunched her nose in obvious disapproval. “What’s to happen now?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Beautiful ladies,” Mmzaza began. “I am Captain Mmzaza, the most talented captain in all of Ovira. I will take you wherever you want to go.”