“What is my strong suit?”
“You’ve never hesitated to act,” Evie said. “But there are times when even the most well-intentioned action has unintended consequences.”
“I am familiar with thinking through consequences.” That was the entire purpose of the game Tsatsun. Carth was a master at it, better and more skilled than anyone else she had ever played. She sought anyone who might have some ability, but had not found anyone who could present much of a challenge.
“You are familiar, but this is different.”
Carth sighed. She would take time to gather enough information so that she could help the others in Asador. Once she did, then she would see that she paid back whoever this attacker was in such a way that he reaped the pain that he had sowed.
5
Carth stood on the deck of the Goth Spald, staring over the railing, letting the shadows swirl in the darkness around her. There was a certain sense of relaxation from the shadows that came from her connection to them, from pulling upon the shadows, and she let them wash over her.
She didn’t have the same connection to the flame. For some reason, it had always been different with the A’ras magic, though she didn’t know why that should be. She had a connection to the flame, and could use that magic, and had been born to it much like the descendants of Lashasn were born to the flame.
She often wondered if it was as simple as that she had never known Lashasn. Maybe that gave her a different connection to her magic. Then again, she had not known Ih-lash, or even Ih, and somehow she still had a greater connection to the shadow magic. Did it come from the fact that she had learned the shadows first? Or was she simply more attuned to that aspect of herself?
Yet, there was no denying her affinity for the shadows. She always reached for them first.
Tonight they carried with them a different sense, one that came from uncertainty. It had been a while since Carth had doubted herself, a while since she’d doubted what she must do, but attacking Jamie had left her questioning.
Had she made a mistake?
Evie had made it clear that he would live, that the injuries weren’t life-threatening, but he would require healing and time, things he would not have needed had Carth not brutally attacked him as she had.
She didn’t regret acting. All the time she’d spent training, studying, preparing had made it clear she couldn’t second-guess herself. Certainly not when it came to things like that. At the same time, she didn’t like the fact that it was her fault the man was injured as he was. An innocent man.
Lindy joined her at the railing. “You’re more silent than I’m accustomed to,” Lindy said.
Carth stared into the darkness. She didn’t know quite what to say. “I harmed that man. Because of me, he’s lying in our hospital. I should’ve learned more before attacking.”
“You reacted because you knew what’s been happening in the city. You’ve been worried about those who work with you. Those are women you promised to protect.” Lindy took her hand. “You did what you needed to do.”
Carth sighed. She couldn’t shake the thought that perhaps she had made a mistake. And here she was the one trying to set up a larger network. Perhaps she had not planned this as well as she’d thought. She’d believed that she played the game as well as anyone, but maybe she did not.
“Why don’t we go below deck, and play a game?”
Carth blinked, turning her attention to Lindy. She was a beautiful woman; her hair—so much like Carth’s own, and reminiscent of the people of Ih—was as much a sign that she was of Ih and had an ability with the shadows. Lindy had been a friend since Carth had rescued her. She had skill with the shadows, though not nearly as much as Carth, but that skill grew with time. That was not something Carth had expected. She didn’t realize the shadow blessed could develop increasing prowess with shadows over time. She had thought it was something they were born with, and little more than that.
Then again, Carth’s abilities had improved over time. The more she used them, the more she trained them, the more her abilities came out.
“I don’t know that you really want to play Tsatsun with me.”
“I almost beat you the last time,” Lindy said.
Carth smiled. “I think you’re stretching the word almost.”
Lindy shrugged. “If you don’t want to play…”
Carth stared into the darkness. She needed to know what to do next, and maybe playing Tsatsun would help. The game had a soothing effect, one that helped her situate herself in such a way that gave her a chance to determine her next move. Perhaps Lindy was right, and playing would help her. Her friend always seemed to know what was needed. It was a blessing Lindy was with her, something Carth was very thankful for.
They made their way below deck and entered the captain’s quarters. Once this had been Guya’s room. It still held his bed, though the sheets and all his belongings had long since been burned. Carth had disposed of the ashes in the sea, something she’d thought Guya would appreciate. The man had betrayed her, betrayed those who had depended on him, and she wanted no memory of him.
The only thing that remained was his Tsatsun board. Carth had been surprised that he had one. She had since sourced a nicer one, but occasionally she still played with his.
Lindy made quick work of setting up the pieces and moving them into place. She had played as a child, having learned from her grandmother, a woman Carth suspected had been descended from Lashasn, though Lindy likely didn’t know that. The childhood game had allowed Lindy to acquire not inconsiderable skill with the game, but Carth had trained with a true master.
Lindy made a move, sliding a Calvary forward.
Carth took a seat across from her. Moving Calvary first was a strong move, but it was not one that would lead to victory very easily. Carth had played that when she’d first attempted learning, and it wasn’t that it was a beginner’s move so much that it was a type of move that rarely allowed the necessary pieces to remain on the board.
Carth countered, moving one of the Shoevls into place. They were shaped like cats, though they would have been enormous cats were they to scale like the rest of the pieces, and she sat back, waiting for Lindy’s next move.
“You don’t need to be worried about what you did to that man, Carth. You’re trying to protect those you care about. It was the promise you made to the women of the city.”
Lindy moved again, sliding a piece they referred to as the Warden. It was vaguely man-shaped. She moved this next to her Calvary. The Warden could move in many directions, though not quite as freely as some pieces on the board.
Carth frowned, studying the move, thinking of various possibilities. If there was nothing else that came from playing Tsatsun, it was the fact that she learned to anticipate, thinking dozens of steps into the future.
Playing helped hone her mind. It helped calm her.
Most of the time, she found herself playing against herself. There were few players of any real skill. There were times Carth wished that there were, but so far, she had not found one. Even Ras with all his skill likely would no longer present with her much of a challenge.
It was much like working with her shadow magic, or even the A’ras magic. The more she worked with someone with any skill, the more her own skill increased. Having the Hjan to face had helped improve her skill more than anything else.
Carth quickly determined the way the game would go. At this point, there were dozens of different ways the game could play out, but none would result in Lindy winning.
Carth didn’t tell her that. Lindy needed to discover on her own which way her moves would take her. Having played as often as she had, Carth was able to anticipate the possibilities, calculating them in her mind.
There were times when she could do that in real life. When she had first managed to face the A’ras, the Reshian, and the Hjan, forcing the accords, she had done so because she had been able to think through all possible moves.
Now the game board was t
oo fast. She was unable even to know which pieces were on the board, let alone figure out how they moved around it. That was part of the trouble. Carth could move them one way, but other moves happened around her. Before acting, she needed to know what pieces were out there, and that meant she had to position them in such a way that the game would play out as she intended.
It was a challenging game, and it was one she enjoyed.
Now that she’d figured out Lindy’s tactic, she only had to focus on the game. Lindy continued talking to her, going on about plans and preparations within Asador. Lindy had taken it upon herself to make many of the plans for the city. Carth appreciated that she had, thankful that her friends had been so skilled at making these plans. It was something Carth didn’t have the desire—or the interest—to do on a day-to-day basis. Her interest was in strategy. That was why she needed people like Lindy, and like Dara, to help. She didn’t have enough people like that—yet.
Could she change that?
Carth started thinking that through. That was the question, wasn’t it? She couldn’t abandon Asador—she had barely felt comfortable abandoning Dara where she was for fear that others might harm those she cared about. Yet, many of the people she had trained had skill, especially Lindy and Dara, even if they didn’t have the same level of skill. Carth had trained them, working with them as much as she could, but that had limitations. There was only so much she could teach, especially to those with limited magical power.
Carth made her final move, sliding the stone.
What if she could arrange for protection?
Her mind went towards Timothy, the hired assassin she had worked with when she had secured Asador.
There were others like him, she was sure of it. She had access to resources, and that would grant her the ability to find others like him, others whose loyalty she could buy.
There were risks to that move. Doing so placed her at the mercy of the sellswords. If they found a higher bidder, it was possible they would be swayed towards another side, but it was equally possible that Carth could first purchase their loyalty, and then earn it. If that was possible, then she wouldn’t have to worry about her friends.
There was another advantage that came from hiring a man like Timothy—a man sublimely skilled with the sword. She wouldn’t have to be dependent upon those with magical abilities. They could train Carth’s women in more traditional skills.
Lindy set her hand on either side of the table and let out a frustrated groan. “How long ago did you know that you had me beat?”
Carth met her eyes, noting the earnestness in her expression. Would she hurt Lindy by telling the truth? Would it damage her fledgling confidence? The woman had skill with the shadows and was more than an asset—she was her friend. She didn’t want to damage that.
“Only a few moves ago.”
Carth hated that she had to lie to her friend, hated that she had to be so calculating in everything that she did, but if she wasn’t, she could already plan for how things turn out.
Lindy offered a satisfied grin. “See? I’m getting closer to beating you each time we play.”
Carth forced a smile. If only she could find a true challenger. Then she could improve her skill, and then she would be able to find a way to develop herself.
Then again, if she found a true opponent, she feared they would try to manipulate her much as she was manipulating her friend, and the way she often wondered if Ras had manipulated her to the C’than.
6
The streets of Asador were quiet tonight. Carth liked to think it was because people feared she was out prowling—that they knew she wandered the streets—but that wasn’t entirely likely. Her network might be growing, but it hadn’t gained enough strength to be an intimidating force, certainly not in a city like Asador.
She had spent the last few hours checking on the couple in the hospital. The man was recovering, the wounds Carth had inflicted significant but not life-threatening. The wounds to the woman were more difficult. Carth didn’t exactly know what had happened to her, and the healers couldn’t tell either. Evie was a skilled healer, but there were limits to her abilities, and she claimed that whatever had happened to this woman needed a defter touch then she possessed. Still, she tried.
Had only Hoga remained, they might be able to know what had happened.
Carth positioned herself in the shadows, looking for evidence of the rumors Evie had mentioned about the attacks that had been taking place in the city. They were indiscriminate, the kind of attacks that were mostly a display of power. Carth recognized them, having seen something similar with the Thevers while in Nyaesh.
Making her way off the street, she found an alley that ran perpendicular, cutting between some of the buildings. The shops in this section of the city were less prosperous than some, though there was a certain liveliness to them, a sense of vibrancy to them that other places just did not possess. Doors were brightly painted, though in places their paint was fading. Some shops had signs hung out front, leaving them swinging in the wind. Others had clear glass windows revealing the wares inside. Carth passed anything from lamp makers to seamstresses to bakers, lingering the longest at the last. The taverns in Asador served decent food, but it was nothing like what she remembered from her time with Vera and Hal.
There were other shops here as well. Some, like the metalsmith, caught her attention because it reminded her of supplies she needed. She had several well-made knives, including the shadow knife and the A’ras knife that she kept with her at all times. But she had need of a sword; the longer length would be beneficial to her if she faced others like Timothy. She hadn’t seen any other sellsword since he’d left her months ago, but now that she knew sellswords existed, she had little doubt that she would encounter them again.
As Carth continued along the alley, she heard a scuffling and paused.
She leaned back against the wall, trying to draw the shadows around her. Night was her time, the time when she could use the shadows, where she could conceal herself. But night was also the time when the underworld of the city was active, and it would be night when someone thought to challenge her.
As she remained in the shadows, cloaking herself, she used a combination of her Lashasn magic and a hint of the shadows, staying hidden. The combined effect helped her detect whether there was anyone near her. It was a trick she had only recently learned.
There was much she still struggled to learn about her abilities. She had gone to the remnants of Ih-lash with the hope of finding others who could help her learn the shadows, but there had been no one. She had studied with the masters of A’ras, learning how to control the power of the flame, but they reached a different power than she did, nothing more than a memory of it. Only Invar could reach the true flame, that of the Lashasn magic. Even those few she’d met who were the descendants of Lashasn weren’t able to reach it as clearly as she was.
What Carth needed—what she wanted—was to find someone who could teach her. What she needed was a mentor, someone like Ras, who could help her learn the intricacies of her abilities. He had taught her about Tsatsun, but had not taught her anything about how to use the power of the flame. She suspected that he had great knowledge in that area, knowledge that she could utilize, if only he would teach it, but he no longer had that interest, if he ever did. Now he served the C’than.
With Carth having committed herself to them, she could go to him and see what he might be willing to teach, but that meant abandoning Asador. She wasn’t ready for that yet.
As she stood hidden in the shadows, reaching out in all directions with her powers, she noted someone near her. There was a sense of pressure upon her, and she froze.
She had detected something like this before. It was the sense of someone with ability—the sense of someone who could use power. Carth couldn’t tell what power, but recognized that they were aware of her presence.
She relaxed everything except for her hold on the shadows.
She held on to th
at as a cloak, using only the barest amount necessary so that she could maintain that connection. As she did, she focused on which direction she could feel the presence, straining toward where they might be along the street. She had known there were others with power in the city but had not encountered anyone else in some time. Certainly, she had not in the time since she’d been in Reva and left Dara.
Nothing changed.
She slid forward, holding on to the shadows, but pushing them out in front of her. When she was first learning of her shadow ability, she had struggled to move with the shadows, and it was not until she had learned—and understood—that she was shadow born that she knew what exactly that meant, and how she could move with them. At first, she had cloaked herself before moving and then recloaked herself. That was inefficient and had risked attracting notice. Now she could move while cloaked.
As Carth moved towards the presence she detected, the resistance she had felt receded. She couldn’t tell if they were aware of her, or if they had simply moved.
She paused again, maintaining her connection to the shadows and adding a hint of the flame. The power surged within her, giving her awareness of heat and movement. It was almost a signature, almost as if she could see without seeing. Shades of color flashed before her before fading as she released her connection to the flame.
Carth continued forward, creeping slowly, more curious than anything, before releasing both her powers. She tracked someone, but never managed to get any closer. There was a sense of them there, but when she neared where she expected them to be, they were gone once more.
Tracking led her to the shore. Carth stood between a pair of buildings leaning precipitously close to each other, more ramshackle than many others she’d come across. A few people moved along the street, but not many. From where she stood, she could see smugglers, their eyes more piercing than the average sailor’s. There were a few men who appeared to be traditional sailors, making their way towards the taverns after coming off the boats. Some were merchants, pushing carts before them. Even at night, activity didn’t stop. Perhaps especially at night, given the nature of some of these men’s work.
Shadow Found (The Shadow Accords Book 6) Page 4