by Unknown
Mr. Hollingsworth turned and stepped back inside his blue, velvet lined carriage. The driver closed the door, then climbed back up to his seat and took the reins in hand, snapping them once to get the horses moving again. The carriage pulled around and started back down the main street the way it had come by. Gideon and Ethan fell in line, walking behind it. The soldiers broke ranks and took up the rear.
People stood upon sidewalks on either side of the street, watching the procession pass on its way toward the royal palace. There were no cheers, only murmuring as they watched the priests of Shaddai in their drab clothing following the royal carriage.
Ethan heard one voice among the silence held by the other pedestrians. “Alms for the poor,� a man called. “Alms for a blind man who believes in the Almighty.�
Ethan pulled a silver coin from his money pouch and walked over to the man as the carriage passed. His eyes were open, but held an odd colorless tone in the irises. He did not look at Ethan directly, but seemed to sense his presence, turning his head as the young man approached. The blind man wore a ragged brown cloak with the hood back and held a battered tin cup out toward the street. He appeared to be in his late twenties and Ethan supposed he might have been born in this condition.
Ethan dropped the silver coin into the cup. “Thank you kindly, good sir,� the beggar said then, he reached out a calloused hand to Ethan. He took it politely intending to shake it, but the blind man seized him with both hands, quickly groping up his arm, pushing back the sleeve. Alarmed, Ethan tried to pull away from the beggar, but the man held him fast in an iron grip. His finger traced out the birthmark on Ethan’s arm—the very same identifying him as Shaddai’s Deliverer.
“Leave off ‘em,� shouted a soldier, drawing near to accost the blind beggar.
The man’s face turned slightly, regarding the approach of the soldier. He pulled Ethan near by his arm and whispered, “Beware, Deliverer of Shaddai.�
The soldier shooed the beggar away, slapping him with a studded leather gauntlet. Ethan stood there astonished but unsure what to make of the beggar. He backed away, rejoining Gideon in the procession. The beggar disappeared among the crowd.
“What was that all about?� Gideon asked.
Ethan turned back to the crowded sidewalk again, searching. “I’m not really sure.�
A ROYAL WELCOME
Captain Levi Bonifast finished his prayer for Gideon and Ethan. He stood up in his cabin and grabbed his tricorn hat from the stand next to his bed. He turned and looked once again at the silver chest containing the scrolls with Shaddai’s Word imprinted upon them.
Levi had been privileged to study a set of scrolls while in Wayland in the service of the king. Stephen had been responsible for his conversion to the faith, and the king had allowed him to be tutored in the royal palace itself. It saddened him to think that Stephen may have actually lost his faith in the Shaddai’s prophecy concerning the Deliverer.
Levi stepped closer to the chest and ran a hand along its surface. All the power of Heaven and Earth is contained within these parchments, he thought. The chest had been loaded into the hold of the ship back in Hopple. But when Levi realized it, he had immediately commanded the chest to be made secure in his own cabin. “The Word of the Lord will have nothing but the best accommodations aboard my ship.�
The sound of his own voice made him aware of the sudden silence. The men had been set to the task of cleaning the ship, taking on food and water, and their bogus cargo—things that were all noisy by necessity. Levi stood very still. He heard nothing, no activity beyond the door to his cabin. He went to the door and reached for the knob. Before he turned it, he instinctively placed one hand on a pistol inside a brace across his chest, placing his thumb on the hammer.
He opened the door and let his hand fall away from the pistol. Everywhere across the deck, firing pins on long rifles clicked back into their firing positions. Soldiers in black and crimson armor stood across the deck of the Trinity. They guarded his crew and were armed to the teeth.
A large man stood forward as his men parted before him. He was clearly in charge. Only Wraith Riders held positions of leadership in Mordred’s army.
The man wore a short graying beard, and a jagged scar ran just above his left eye down across his left cheek very near to his jaw. The leather armor moaned and popped as he moved, barely containing his bulk.
“Can I help you, gov’ner?� Bonifast said in an overly innocent tone. He smiled wide and toothy for the man who stood a good six inches taller. General Hevas Rommil, returned the smile, if only slightly. “Tie him up in his cabin and secure the crew in the hold below. I want this ship under continuous guard.�
Bonifast started to protest the action.
Hevas Rommil turned slightly to his own men, then turning back to Levi, he punched him dead in the face with an arm the size of a grown man’s leg. Levi reeled backward, unconscious before he even landed on the floor of his cabin.
When the procession, following Mr. Hollingsworth and the royal carriage, finally arrived two miles later at King Nichol’s castle, trumpets at the main gate announced their arrival. Gideon and Ethan scanned the castle walls as they proceeded through the portcullis, trying to anticipate any point of potential attack. They might be set upon by archers from the walls, or riflemen from the rear. If Mr. Hollingsworth suddenly lobbed a grenade from the window of his carriage, they wanted to be prepared even for that.
But nothing happened—no surprise attack. Only a royal welcome as they entered the courtyard of the castle. The priests observed that it was not a very large castle, at least not when compared to the palace at Emmanuel. Its gray stone certainly did not compare with the grandeur of the pristine white, granite walls in their capital city.
Soldiers in deep blue and gray dress uniforms lined the yard on either side of a rose-colored carpet, which began in the courtyard and extended into the great vestibule beyond. The royal carriage pulled along side the carpet so that the door opened onto it. Mr. Hollingsworth waited for the footman and then stepped out onto the carpet.
Gideon and Ethan rounded the coach to meet the Royal Advisor to the king. The soldiers fell into ranks and escorted them inside. “You will address the king in his throne room momentarily, then His Majesty has prepared a banquet in your honor.�
“Thank you,� Gideon said, “but that’s really not necessary.�
“Of course it is. Don’t be so modest, gentlemen. You are honored guests here in Macedon. Please allow His Majesty the pleasure of treating you as such.�
Gideon and Ethan bowed in acceptance, then followed Mr. Hollingsworth along the rose-colored carpet, through the gauntlet of soldiers, and into the castle. As they walked along the torch-lit hallway, Gideon wondered at what level this ruse would breakdown. Royal carriages, Gavin’s colors, trumpets and such…but do they really have a King of Macedon?
When the hall ended in great wooden double doors, Gideon stood near behind Mr. Hollingsworth. He was prepared to dispatch this so-called Royal Advisor at the first sign of deception. The guards opened the doors and Mr. Hollingsworth entered with Gideon and Ethan close behind.
“Presenting the Royal Advisor, Mr. Hollingsworth and the distinguished gentlemen from The Order of Shaddai,� the Herald announced.
To Gideon’s genuine surprise, a young man sat upon the throne in the modest chamber. Mr. Hollingsworth led the priests before the throne.
“Gentlemen, so good of you to answer our call for the Word of Shaddai. I am Nichols, King of Macedon.�
Gideon bowed. Ethan followed his mentor’s gesture of good will. “My name is Gideon and this is my apprentice, Ethan. Forgive me, my Lord, but I was unaware that a king presided over the throne in Macedon. According to our prior contacts, the island was still
under the control of Mordred and his Wraith Riders.�
“Of course, of course,� Nichols said. “That was the case, until very recently. My father died, imprisoned by Mordred’s Wraith General, Hevas Rommil. In order to help secure the cooperation of the people, Rommil allowed my mother and myself to live in one of our homes on the other side of the island, howbeit under constant guard.
“About a year ago, I was able to organize a revolution and overthrow the sparse army remaining on the island. I captured General Rommil myself and in a gesture of good will, banished him from the island rather than kill him.�
“A mighty deed, for such a young man,� Gideon said.
Nichols swelled with pride. He wasn’t the sort of man one would consider to be a mighty warrior. It wasn’t his size that was in question so much as his manner. Nichols was a bit foppish and pudgy to boot.
“My apprentice had the displeasure of facing Rommil’s brother in battle on the mainland,� Gideon said.
“Ah, really…and the outcome, young man?’
Gideon looked at Ethan, giving him leave to speak up. “I killed him, Majesty.�
Gideon observed the young king closely. Nichols’ eyes betrayed a hint of fear—the slightest twitch of concern over Ethan’s confession.
“Good show, Master Ethan,� he said. At this point, Mr. Hollingsworth interjected. “Sire, our guests did not bring the scrolls with them to the castle.�
“Really—why not?�
“We felt it would be wiser to establish contact with you first,� Gideon said. “After all, we did not know Mordred’s army had been defeated on the island.�
Nichols settled back into the cushions upon his throne. “Well,� he said clapping his hands, “no matter. I’m sure there is plenty of time to retrieve the scrolls from your ship, eh? First, I’ve taken the liberty of having a banquet prepared in your honor. I do hope you will do us the kindness of accepting?�
“Of course, Majesty. Ethan and I would be honored. Would it be possible for us to return to our ship and retrieve more appropriate attire?� he said, tugging on his drab clothing.
Nichols seemed to stammer for the slightest moment. He recovered quickly. “Better yet, I will have my royal tailor provide you with custom garments—a small token of our gratitude for the dangerous journey you’ve made on our behalf.�
Gideon knew Nichols would be insulted if they refused his hospitality. He gave a slight bow at the waist, thanking the king. Nichols was a tactful politician if nothing else.
“Mr. Hollingsworth will show you the way and see that you are well cared for,� Nichols said. “I look forward to talking with you again at dinner.�
Gideon and Ethan followed the Royal Advisor through another door and down a side hall from the throne room. Having met Macedon’s king, Gideon felt less comfortable with this situation than he had before. In fact, he wondered if the danger might not be far worse than he had previously imagined.
BLIND FURY
“I want you men to relieve the deck guard,� said one of Rommil’s captains, “and you men give relief to the guard on the docks around the ship. The crew must be maintained below deck and Captain Bonifast is not allowed out of his cabin. Lieutenant, be sure to assign two men from your company to relieve the two guards in Bonifast’s cabin.�
He finished dissecting his company of soldiers and sent them on their way with their commanding officers. The captain then turned and marched back from the docks toward the shore. He passed a number of homeless urchins huddled up in various places—doorways of dock master offices and small restaurants, all of which littered the massive complex along the Calveran shore.
Among the poor wretches, covered up in their own cloaks upon the ground, one particular blind man rose after the captain had passed. He had dressed completely in black except for his head. His pale blind eyes seemed not to hinder him in the least as he moved fluidly along the floating pathway, toward the Trinity, silent as a ghost.
The man in black hid a mere forty yards from the soldiers guarding the Trinity. Then he entered the water. Up to this point, he had crept quickly and quietly among the shadows, blending like a chameleon with the darkness. The seawater remained quite warm around Macedon, and the blind beggar swam without disturbing the surface of the water in any way that might alert the guards.
He rounded the Trinity, appearing at the stern. The man pulled himself cautiously from the water, sure to minimize the sound of water dripping from his clothes as he ascended. Despite his sightless eyes, his fingers managed to find the nooks and crannies on the hull surface. He pulled himself up the back of the ship, until he was level with the windowpanes of the captain’s cabin, where he listened intently.
Levi Bonifast stirred as one of the guards kicked his boot. The soldiers had beaten him, even after the one-punch-thrashing the Rommil had given him. His face throbbed and one of his eyes was nearly swollen shut. A dull purple mottled his complexion.
The captain had been bound to his leather, desk-chair in the rear of the room, near three panes of glass comprising most of the back wall. One of the two soldiers in the cabin leaned down to Bonifast, examining him with disdain as his companion watched.
“Hey, Bonifast, what’s wrong? You look a bit sad to be in our company,� he said mockingly. He looked back at his friend for approval. “I’ve heard of you, ya know? They say you were once the scourge of the Four Seas, a pirate to be reckoned with. You don’t look so tough to me, though. I think maybe you made up those stories just to satisfy your own ego, eh?�
Bonifast peered up at him slightly. On his face scattered rivulets of dried blood ran from small lacerations. The captain said nothing. He wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of provoking further physical abuse. Instead, he wondered about the well-being of Gideon and Ethan. None of the guards had mentioned them at all, and they had not returned to the ship.
“Too bad about your little mission of mercy, Bonifast,� the guard said. “I suppose, by now, General Rommil is probably having those boys tortured to death. Children make the most fascinating noises when you’re peeling the flesh from their bones.�
Bonifast thrust up, toward the soldier, against the bindings on his wrist and ankles. The ropes held him fast to the chair. The soldier looked pleased. He drew back a leather-covered fist to smash the defiance out of Bonifast.
The swivel latch on the right side window popped. The pane swung open on its hinge, and suddenly the soldier found himself overtaken by a living shadow. An arm around his neck dragged him off his feet.
The attacker crossed the room with the first soldier in tow. He assailed the second man almost before the guard noticed the sudden movement in the room. A precision strike to the soldier’s trachea sent him to the floor clutching his throat breathlessly as though he were choking on a piece of food.
Bonifast watched as the soldier turned blue and then relaxed. The attacker still held the first soldier in an iron grip. A jerk of his arm produced an unpleasant snap. The man in black released the guard’s limp body to the floor in silence.
Levi hadn’t been gagged, but he was too astonished to speak. The mysterious man produced a stunted blade and made quick work of Levi’s bindings. “I’m Seth,� he whispered. “I’m from The Order.�
This was all the encouragement Levi needed. He jumped to his feet ready for action. “We must get to your friends,� Seth said, heading for the window.
It was at this moment that Levi looked into Seth’s face, into his eyes. “But your blind,� he stammered.
Seth ignored the remark. “Your friends are in grave danger, Captain.�
Boni
fast regained his composure, nodding his understanding. Privately, the mysterious younger man affecting his rescue bewildered him. An untamed mop of brown curls accentuated his boyish features, but it was the pale eyes, which struck him.
Seth led the way and leaped out of the window. Levi flew out of the window after him making the slightest adjustment to his trajectory to miss Seth in the water.
Due to the care Seth had taken for silence and the lackadaisical attitude of the sleepy soldiers guarding the deck, the slain guards in the captain’s cabin and their missing prisoner would not be discovered before the next rotation.
ROYAL TREATMENT
When the time came for the feast Nichols had promised, Gideon and Ethan entered the dining hall, wearing the custom garments prepared for them. The blue and silver material was luxurious to the touch and the Royal Tailor had done an excellent job with the fittings. Still, it was uncomfortable to be out of their priestly garb, and Ethan wondered if they weren’t now lounging in the gifts of a deceiver, or worse their own burial attire.
A fabulous spread of food lay on a large table before them. Ethan noticed all of the other guests at the dinner happened to be military personnel—and as their dress allowed, they were armed. Ethan and Gideon had not had the opportunity. Their weapons had been removed along with the ragged clothing they had been wearing.
Ethan unconsciously decided which of the soldiers sitting near them would be the first to be disarmed if he and Gideon ran into trouble. At the slightest provocation, he could realm shift to King Nichol’s place at the head of the table and hold the man hostage in order to withhold an attack if necessary.
Still, Nichol’s military officers seemed not the least bit interested in bothering them. They wore no tense, eager expressions nor did nervous hands guard the hilts of their brightly polished swords. All remained jovial and filled their faces at once when the servants brought their plates. Nichol’s also looked on with great pleasure, toasting the priestly order from the head of the table.