by Jamie Davis
Merrick reached into his pocket and pulled out Cari's projector cube.
"I still have this strange artifact you gave as collateral. Don't you want it back?"
"It would be nice," Cari admitted. "I don't suppose you'd let me have it now?"
Merrick laughed and returned the cube to his pocket.
"What kind of businessman would I be if I gave up my collateral for sentimental reasons? Don't worry. I'll keep it safe for you until you return with either the Prince or the money he owes me."
Cari supposed that was fair but she would like to get it back. It held photos and holovids of her family in addition to her school work and she didn't want to lose them if she was truly stuck in this world.
"Let's turn to what you said about getting me out of here. You can get me out of the city and on my way to catch up to Timron and my other friend?"
"As a matter of fact, I can get you out of the city before the sun rises this morning. This barge is set to leave with cargo bound for the coast. The city's river watch is expecting it to pass through the river gate in a few hours."
"What's the price of my passage? I assume you don't offer your services smuggling people and goods in and out of the city without some sort of fee."
"In your case, I'll add it to the cost of collecting the Prince's debt. Let him pay for it since he's already late on his payments. We’ll call it an additional collection fee."
"That's very generous of him," Cari chuckled. "Are you sure he won't mind?"
"Seeing as how he's not here to complain, we'll have to assume he's in agreement."
"Then I accept your offer to take me down the river and leave the city."
"Excellent, we'll be casting off soon, probably within the hour. I'll show you where you can wait and hide until we're past the River Gate."
Cari turned to Harley.
"I can't thank you enough, Harley. You've helped me when you had no need or duty to do so."
"Not true, Cari. It's a duty owed by my family for the person who freed my Gramps from slavery many years ago. I am honored to pay back that debt and help free another."
Harley extended a hand and Cari reached out and clasped wrists with the city watchman.
"I'll be here when you return. Don’t hesitate to seek me for more help if you need it."
"What makes you think I'll be back?" Cari asked.
“The Empress is here and she still needs your help,” Harley said. “You'll be back. I'm certain of it.”
Cari smiled. Perhaps he was right. She turned and followed Merrick down the barge's passageway to her hiding place. For now, though, it was time to leave the city.
Chapter 17
After Harley took his leave, Merrick led Cari down into the bowels of the barge amidst the cargo bound for towns down the river. Beyond the cargo hold were two more rooms. The larger of the two housed a double row of bunks for the small group of river sailors who crewed the barge up and down the river. The other contained ropes, pulleys, and a host of tools used to manage the cargo and repair the vessel when needed. All were hung on pegs and hooks mounted in the walls of the small room.
Stopping outside the tool room, Merrick stepped inside and pulled a hidden lever. The back wall of the room popped open a few inches. He stepped back and gestured to Cari.
"Behind that panel is a small space where you may wait while we pole the boat through the city canals and locks to the River Gate. Once we're away from the city, I'll send someone to fetch you. An inspector from the city will surely board us when we arrive at the gate. Just remain quiet while we handle the business of the inspection. It should only take a few minutes and then we'll be on our way."
"This will be fine," Cari said after stepping into the tool room and pulling the panel open. The space behind the panel was tiny, but there was room to sit down and rest. She could use some rest.
Cari turned to Merrick. "Thank you again for helping me on my journey."
He shrugged.
"It's good business. You just make sure I get paid."
"I'll do my best. You understand I can make no promises."
“I know but I believe you are a person of your word. If you say you’ll do your best to make him pay me, you’ll do just that.”
Cari nodded and pulled the panel closed until it clicked. She could see the latching mechanism on the inner side of the panel. It looked easy enough to operate from this side so she wouldn’t be trapped. The light in the tiny space dimmed as Merrick shut the outer door. It was dark in the smuggler’s hiding spot but some light filtered into the room through the cracks in the wooden wall between her and the hold.
There was a crate on the floor and Cari sat down on it leaning against the outer hull, settling in for a long wait. The motion of the barge in the water changed a little after a few minutes and Cari realized they'd cast off and were moving down the canal towards the River Gate. She was on her way.
Cari leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She'd been up for almost a full day and was still slightly wounded from her escape from the Duke's palace. The barge's gentle rocking completed the equation and soon she was asleep.
* * *
———
* * *
Voices just outside the hidden room jerked Cari upright and for a few seconds she experienced complete disorientation. She dreamt she was home in her own bed and waking up here in the hidden compartment of a medieval barge was jarring. Cari gathered her wits quickly and strained to listen to the two muffled, unidentified male voices outside in the hold.
"I don't care what the usual inspector accepts as a bribe, I'm not the usual inspector and I intend to search every inch of this barge."
"If you'd just tell me what you're looking for, I could perhaps help you find it."
"We got word from a source in your factor’s enclave that a fugitive is on board this vessel."
"This is a cargo barge. We don't take passengers. We don't even have cabins except what passes for a crew bunk room right there."
"Yes, and you've shown me that rat hole. But don't tell me you don't smuggle things on this barge. You’re all smugglers at heart. I know you’ve got some hidden hole or compartment where you keep things from people like me. It will go a lot better for you if you show me where it is so I don't have to find it for myself. Otherwise, you're not going anywhere and I'll bring a whole squad of the Duke's guard down here and tear this place apart."
Cari drew her dagger and held it ready in front of her. There was no room for the sword in this cramped compartment so her dagger would have to do. The outer door to the tool room opened and additional light from a lantern poured in. Cari could see through a crack in the planks of the false wall as one of the barge's crew pointed into the tool room. A man in the uniform of the Duke's guard stood next to him peering in.
She readied her blade to surprise the guard. It was only a matter of time before he found the hidden lever.
"Stop!" Merrick said from somewhere out of sight. "I demand you stop harassing my crew and let this vessel pass down river."
The guard took a last look into the room and turned away to face back into the hold.
"And who are you to make such a demand? You aren't my superior officer."
"I'm the owner of this barge and I have this letter of passage signed by the Duke himself. When I am traveling aboard, I'm not to be detained from my duties. I have to be down river for an important meeting by tonight and you and your mysterious inspection are going to make me late. I'll have you fired, or worse, if you don't let me pass immediately."
"Let me see this letter of yours."
The sound of rustling paper was soon followed by a curse from the guard suggesting Merrick’s letter from the Duke was real. What a handy thing to have, Cari thought. It wasn’t by chance she was sure. Merrick didn’t seem to be a man who took unnecessary risks.
"As you can see," Merrick said. "The letter and seal are genuine. Now it appears you've inspected the vessel. Have you found anything to l
ead you to believe there is anyone here but myself and the crew?"
"No, but…"
"There are no 'buts' about it. You haven't discovered anything at all. I don't know who you got your information from but there are probably fifty barges out there waiting for inspection. Your fugitive is likely on one of the others because I can assure you there is no one on this barge that I don't know about."
"Yes, sir. Of course, you're right, sir."
The guard stepped away from the doorway and the crewman closed the tool room door.
Footsteps moved away from Cari's hiding place and another door shut leaving her in relative silence once again. Realizing she'd been holding her breath, Cari let out a long sigh and sheathed her dagger.
She'd been sure she was going to have to defend herself and make a run for it right past a squad of the Duke's guards.
The barge began rocking again and soon they were on the way down the river. She heard shouts of orders from up above and the sound of running footsteps pounding overhead as the crew went about the work of running the barge once it was underway.
Fifteen minutes later, the outer door opened and Merrick called in to her.
"You can come out now, Cari. We're out of the city."
Cari popped open the panel and shot Merrick a smile.
"That was a close one with the inspection, right?"
Merrick shook his head.
"Closer than I expected. I need to have some words with my people back at the enclave. Someone tipped off that guard captain."
Cari walked with Merrick back towards the stairs up to the main deck. A thought occurred to her.
"You think it was Quint? Isn't he here with us?"
"Him, or more likely one of his relatives in the enclave. I'll get to the bottom of it. This isn't personal, no matter who you killed. You’re under my protection. It's business and there's no place for feelings in it as far as I’m concerned."
Cari pondered how callous it was to think business outweighed someone's death, even if it worked to her benefit. Either Merrick was a cold-hearted individual, or he was up to something else. Her arrival on deck distracted her from her suspicious thoughts as she got her first good look at the countryside outside the Crystal City.
The view from the river was spectacular. A broad plain stretched off in both directions, dotted here and there with small farm communities and tilled fields. Beyond the river plain, Cari could make out rolling hills stretching into the distance.
The city filled the horizon behind them with the great reflective walls of magically polished stone rising up from the ground giving the capital its name. She took a deep breath and smiled. She wasn't smelling human waste and other odors common to the city anymore. The fresh air made her grin. She'd become used to the dirt and grime of the medieval city over the last week or so and didn't even notice the smells anymore until they were gone.
Merrick noticed the look on her face.
"It's good to get away from the city and see the way the ordinary folk live, isn't it?"
"I didn't know what it looked like outside the city. It's beautiful. Is the whole journey to the coast like this?"
"How is it you've never seen outside the city's walls? Were you kept prisoner inside all your life or something?"
"I came to the city by, uh, unconventional means shall we say," Cari said. "Where I come from, there are few places of open land like this anymore."
"What a shame for you and your people, then. It is a joy to drink in this view as we travel down the river. If you think this is good wait until we pass among the trees of the great southern forest. It all depends on how long you intend to stay with us. I’m not sure how far you’re going. All we discussed was getting you outside the walls."
Cari decided she had to share some of what she knew with Merrick. He had gotten her this far after all.
"I need to get to a place called Morton Creek. I haven't even seen a map but I get a sense it is four to five days by fast horse from the capital."
"It is, though we'll cut off some of that time for you. If we put you ashore when we get to the other side of the southern forest, you'll be about one and a half day's travel on foot from Morton Creek."
"When do we reach the forest?"
"With the current behind us, it will be two days from now. That should cut a day or two off your trip."
A crewman came over and whispered something in Merrick's ear.
"Um, if you'll excuse me, I have something else to attend to. Feel free to explore the ship but try to stay out of the crew's way. The cook will prepare a midday meal which we eat up here on deck when the weather permits. Until then, I'll leave you to your thoughts."
"Thank you, Merrick. See you at lunch."
Cari walked to the rail and spent the morning watching the countryside pass by and listening to the crewmen at work. They told some interesting tales of their exploits in love and other adventuress. She suspected less than half of what they claimed was true but the stories did make her smile.
After lunch, Cari decided to try to stretch out her sore shoulder injured during her escape. According to her stats, her health points weren't healing on their own, though she probably needed more than a few hours’ rest for that to work.
Stretching seemed to help, though, and after going through a routine from her Taekwondo training, a new message popped up.
* * *
Healing action - Health +2
* * *
A quick glance at her health stats revealed she'd regained some of her health points.
* * *
Health: 54/60
* * *
Her sensei had always touted the benefits of the meditative routine she’d used. Cari had always thought he was just spouting off some sort of eastern mysticism. Given how effective it was, she'd try the stretching and training routine again tomorrow after a good night's sleep and see if she could regain more points. It would be nice to be fully healed before she headed out across country alone.
For now, Cari sat back against the deck rail and watched the countryside drift by, enjoying the view, free from the concerns of the past few days. She was happy to let her mind wander as they floated down the river. It would be time to revisit everything all over again soon enough once she was on the road to Morton Creek.
Chapter 18
Merrick had the barge pull up to a small landing on the river's western bank two days later. Cari, fully healed and rested, gathered her few belongings and prepared for the journey.
"You have the map I prepared for you?" Merrick asked.
"It's in my pack, along with the traveling cloak, blanket, and food. You've been very generous."
"One last thing, then."
Merrick held out a small, leather coin purse with a drawstring top.
"What is this?"
"It is some money for the journey. You mentioned the Duke's men took what little you had."
"I cannot accept a loan from you. I don't want to be in debt to you like Timron is."
"You misunderstand me, Cari. You are performing a task for me and therefore, as my employee, you must be paid. The coins in here will cover the cost of your time. Take the purse."
Merrick shook the purse a little. The clink of the coins bouncing against each other inside helped her decide. She could use the extra coin on the road south. Cari reached out and took the purse, tying the drawstrings to her belt next to her leather pouch.
"Thank you again for your help. I will deliver your message to the Prince and encourage him to make good on his debt."
"That is all I ask. Goodbye Cari Dix. Godspeed."
Merrick stepped back onto the barge and the crewmen pushed the vessel away from the stone landing, leaving Cari behind. She watched them drift downstream for a few minutes then started down the road leading westward.
According to the directions she'd received, she should head due west for half a day until she reached the north/south road. Turning south from there would lead her to Morton Creek along
the coast perhaps one day later.
There was supposed to be an inn at the crossroads where she could stay the night. If not, and the weather held, Cari thought she might opt to stay the night under the stars and enjoy the outdoors for a change. It would save her money though Merrick had been more than generous in his gift of the purse.
While Cari enjoyed backpacking at home with her family, by the time she arrived at the crossroads where she was to turn south she remembered how much she liked staying in a warm bed, too. Luckily, Merrick's information was correct and there was a small inn located at the crossroads.
It was dark when she pushed open the door at the Merchant's Hostel and stepped inside. Heads turned to see who entered as a slight breeze caused the candle flames on the tables to shift and waver when the door opened. The faces registered mild interest at seeing a strange face but turned back to their conversations and food almost immediately.
The common room was small in the tiny, two-story inn. She approached the bar where the bartender met her with a smile.
"What can I do for you, young lady?" The portly man asked. "We don't get many travelers through here so it's a pleasure to serve a new face."
"I think I'd like a room for the night, and some dinner if I have enough coin for it. How much?"
"A silver piece for the room if you don't mind sharing a bed with Grandma Gerald in the corner over there." He referred to a striking silver-haired woman seated at a table by herself. "She's on her monthly trip to visit her daughter in Morton Creek. Two silvers if you want a room to yourself. Dinner is another silver but includes all you want tonight, breakfast tomorrow before you leave, and a tankard of ale. What'll you have?"
Cari thought about what she had from Merrick. She could afford a private room and dinner but hated to waste money when she didn’t know if she’d get more anytime soon. She decided to suck it up and share the room with the old lady to save a little bit.