Silver Mirrors
Page 31
He laughed and looked into the horizon. “Guess I’ll have to trust Celeste to find it again.”
Saskia waited for the pang that usually accompanied a mention of Ritsuko, but it didn’t come. “She’d be the one to do it.” She smiled and leaned in closer. He turned toward her, squinting against the sea spray. “I’m glad you found someone to give you some peace, Janus.”
“I’m not sure that I’m quite there yet, Saskia.” He reached over to wrap his fingers around her hand. “But I do think she’s the one to show me the way.”
She chewed her bottom lip and held his gaze. “I know. I suppose it’s past time to admit that we are better as adventuring companions than lovers.”
“Well, I can’t promise you that we’ll always have insane sorcerers and dragons to fight, but I’ll always have your back, Saskia.” He grinned and looked even more wolfish as he did.
“No? I’m disappointed.” She smiled, glad to have found a new ease with him. “Now move, will you? I need to see my ship to port. We’re nearing Summer’s north shore.” She pointed toward the east, where a verdant shore, wooded and undulating with gentle hills, had come into view. “We’ll have you safe and sound on land in hours.”
“Can’t bloody wait. Love the company, hate the ship.”
Janus made his way gingerly back to the deck, and she followed with a laugh. He waved without turning and headed for his quarters; she started aft to relieve Mr. Ferro at the wheel. When she reached the mainmast, she spotted Irahi lounging near the stairs up to the stern castle.
We haven’t had much of a chance to talk since we left Northport.
When he spotted her, the doctor smiled. There was a warmth in his dark eyes of which she’d only recently become aware. So she measured her steps toward him with an answering smile. “All the men patched up?”
“They just need time now. I’ve done all I can.”
“The same could be said for us all,” she murmured.
“Isn’t that the truth?” He leaned down to kiss her lightly, and she reached up to caress his jaw, lingering before easing back. “So Li’l White, does this mean you’ll be at sea again? Or are you going back to your dusty ledgers?”
Saskia frowned. “I . . . I’m not sure, Irahi. The company needs to be run, but I missed this. I’d forgotten what it was like to feel the sea beneath me and the wind in my hair.” She wrapped her arms around his and leaned back, grinning up at him. “Full sails, good wind, and a different port every week, like the old days.”
“Not quite,” he said softly.
Better now. But it wasn’t the time to discuss serious matters, not during a quick chat on deck on her way to the stern. So she smiled up at him.
Saskia tugged, pulling him toward the stairs. “If we go back to Dorstaad, we’ll be held in some dingy Council office while we answer endless questions. At best. At worst, well, we might end up locked up. I do so hate being locked up.”
“I’m well aware of that, woman. Might as well try to cage the wind.” Irahi followed her up and waited while she dismissed Ferro.
Breathing deep, she took control of the clipper, exulting in the way the ship leapt over the waves at her command. “Is this where we talk about our future?”
“I’d rather not. I’m afraid you’ll tell me we don’t have one.” Though the doctor was smiling, she caught a serious undertone in his voice.
“Oh, Irahi. We have a future . . . just don’t ask how long. Live for today, with me.” She turned to him, her hand steady on the wheel. “Will that be enough?”
“Since it’s more than I ever thought I’d get with you, it’s perfect.” He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
She leaned back against him, ignoring curious looks from sailors nearby. They gossiped like old women, but Irahi was worth a little talk. If he hears them, though, they might end up overboard. At a glance from Saskia, they went about their work, and the vessel skimmed along the sea, ever closer to their destination.
• • •
A FEW HOURS later, just before sunset, Saskia turned the Gull back over to the first mate. The sky was alight with a brighter sunset than they’d seen since leaving the Summer Isle. Clouds hung low in the sky, pierced through with streaks of amber light, swirls of pink and dark umber. Lower still, there were violet lines that served as a reminder of those she’d lost.
It’s good to leave the travails of Winter behind.
Rising on tiptoes to peer toward the rapidly approaching shore, she inspected Celbridge. She hadn’t visited Janus’s home before, and it was surprisingly picturesque. Weathered stone buildings lined the harbor, with small piers spaced evenly around the curved coastline. Most had brightly painted boats bobbing nearby, sleek enough to be sailed by one or two men, and others were so small that one man likely crewed them, equipped with oars and a net. In the twilight, the sea gleamed deep blue out past the jagged rocks, tinged green closer to the rocky beach where the algae grew in slick bursts. Tile roofs brightened the village, contrasting with the patchwork of green and brown farther inland, farms framing the cluster of homes in the town proper.
Bronze gods, they’ll sink us.
The small harbor wasn’t accustomed to ships the size of the Gull, and the local dockworkers almost managed to run her aground. Distracted from the view, she strode along the deck, inspecting their progress, then glaring at the dockhands. “Secure her properly, or I’ll hang you from the gunwales to keep her from scraping the pier!”
She waited for them to tie the lines again before sounding the bell to signal their official arrival to port. “Mr. Ferro! Get the men sorted and a watch set up. We sail tomorrow, first thing; anyone not back on board can learn to herd sheep or whatever they do up here.”
“They breed horses and grow wheat, actually.” Janus walked toward her, Ritsuko at his side. “Sheep are more of an eastern thing.”
“Looks like a fishing village to me,” Saskia muttered.
“It’s lovely,” Ritsuko said. “Peaceful. Do you know, I’ve never been out of Dorstaad until recently? Now it appears as if I’m to see the world.”
“I’m hoping for a brief respite before doing any more world-seeing. And I’d rather we do it by land for a while.” Mikani smiled at Ritsuko. “But first things first; let’s get a hot meal and some cold beer. Unless they finally managed to wreck it, the local inn’s a quarter mile up the road.”
In the morning—after a wild night of drinking and merriment—the officers stumbled out to meet Saskia in front of the Tankard and Tackle. Mr. Ferro was disheveled and red-eyed, and though the man could hold his drink, he’d put away a lot, even for him. Of them all, Irahi looked the best, with Nell Oliver coming in second. Saskia suspected her own hair seemed as if she’d combed it with an egg whisk.
Worth it.
For a few moments, she thought Janus might sleep through their leave-taking, but he burst out the front door seconds before she decided to set off for the harbor. Ritsuko joined him shortly thereafter, tidier and put together. The village was so small, there was no transport apart from her two feet, so she led the group back to the Gull.
Several sailors were still passed out on deck. Hope they’re not too hungover to set sail. If they were, Nell Oliver would shout them deaf. Mr. Ferro called to the mate on deck, who lowered the gangplank with a wooden clatter. This is it.
Somber, she turned to Janus and his partner. “I haven’t thanked you properly for everything you did. It was neither easy nor painless, but we did the right thing.”
“There were no better choices,” Ritsuko said. “But I’m glad we helped you if we did.”
“You know I’ll always do anything I can for you, Saskia.” Janus was smiling despite a tired, worn expression and a hint of something darker.
“I should think so. You still owe me a favor, Janus, and I’ll be along to collect.”
He widened his eyes in mock dread. “I can only imagine what you’ll ask for next.”
Mr. Ferro paused beside the
group, brows lifted in what looked almost like a friendly expression. “You weren’t entirely useless. Fair winds, safe travels, and suchlike.” With that, the mate went past and boarded the Gull, where he immediately set to work.
And that’s why I keep him on.
“He’s a charmer,” Janus observed.
Saskia grinned. “He does remind me of you.”
Nell Oliver offered Janus and his partner a hearty handshake. “You were both handy in a crisis, and you didn’t make my job harder. Can’t ask for more.”
Ritsuko smiled at the boatswain. “I was truly impressed with how you keep the men in line. Perhaps I need lessons.”
“Gods spare me,” Janus murmured.
That left Saskia standing beside a silent Irahi on the pebbled shore, waves lapping toward her toes. They needed to get under way before high tide ended, so she had to make this quick. Throat thick, she reached for Janus first, squeezing tight around his neck. Then she turned to the other woman, hesitated, and Ritsuko bobbed a little nod, which she took for permission. It was a quick hug but sincere for all that. When she stepped back, Irahi took her place, drawing both of them into a clumsy embrace. He thumped Janus on the back and kissed Ritsuko’s forehead.
“Be safe, both of you. I’d tell you to behave, but I know that one too well.” He tilted his head at Janus.
“I won’t say good-bye. Come, Irahi.”
Saskia turned and boarded the Gull. The sails swelled with a fair and friendly wind; the ship turned with Mr. Ferro’s expert handling. Each whispering swell of the waves seemed to sing of bittersweet partings. She moved along the rail to keep her friends in sight until they were only small specks on the beach, and the sea carried her away.
CHAPTER 34
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR RITSUKO TO GATHER HER FEW possessions; the journey through the Winter Isle had left her with precious little. Once she had everything, she met Mikani in the inn’s common room. He’d washed but not shaved, and his shirt had several permanent stains. Since she didn’t look any better, she didn’t mention it.
She felt unaccountably nervous about meeting his family, so she fiddled with her bag. “How far is it?”
“Two miles, give or take. Let’s go.”
As they walked through Celbridge, people took a second glance at Mikani, then called out a greeting or lifted a hand to say hello. Some, she noticed, didn’t look entirely pleased to see him, while others seemed delighted the prodigal son had returned home. A woman who was stacking apples for display tossed one to her partner.
“Does your mother know you’re back?”
Mikani caught it, shaking his head with a conspiratorial expression. “It’s a surprise.” With a wink, he touched his index finger to his lips and walked on as the fruit merchant laughed.
“This is a pretty place,” Ritsuko said, admiring the scenery.
“It is.” Though she didn’t ask why he’d left, he sensed the question. “But it wasn’t quite big enough after my father disappeared. I saw his shadow everywhere. I found that I couldn’t just step into his shoes and take on everything.”
“So you moved to Dorstaad and went to work for the CID.”
He flashed a wry smile. “Eventually. I explored other options first.”
“I feel odd about descending on your family uninvited. And I’m concerned about the consequences for sheltering us.”
“I’ll warn them. Whatever you may think of me, I don’t lie to my mother.” He wore an oddly sheepish expression.
Ritsuko found it disconcertingly adorable. Mikani was known for being a quick-tempered rogue, fast with his fists, and she added this small tidbit to the storehouse of information she’d been collecting on him for the past several years. She thought about the way he always scanned a crowd until he found her in it and how he only relaxed when he knew she was safe. That subtle slip of his shoulders had come to mean a great deal to her.
And now I’m meeting his family.
But it wasn’t for personal reasons. They just needed a place to hide while waiting for the furor to die down in Dorstaad. She hoped Mr. Loison could keep his promise about expunging information from Mikani’s file. Otherwise, the authorities would be here in a matter of days.
“No, I didn’t think you did. I was just worried.”
“You worry too much. Haven’t I said we’ll be fine?”
Her lips twitched as she gave his words back to him. “You say many things.”
“And I mean them all where you’re concerned.” Mikani quickened his step, heading for the narrow wagon path leading out of town. “I’ve cousins farther up along the coast. If need be, we can introduce you to the whole clan while we stay ahead of trouble.”
The two-mile walk over level ground was easy compared to recent travel. In less than an hour, Ritsuko was standing on the path before Mikani’s family farm, sprawling with a couple of additions tacked on here and there; she could tell which was the oldest by the different levels of weathering on the stone. Roughly shaped like an E, the house had been recently whitewashed, a contrast with the outbuildings that lay farther from the main dwelling.
A cluster of fruit trees grew on the far corner of the property, perfuming the air with the sweetness of ripening apples. There was also a verdant smell, probably from the crops nearly ready to come to harvest in distant fields, underscored by the tang of freshly turned earth. Ritsuko pulled in a deep breath, and Mikani regarded her with curiosity.
“What?”
“Incredible. There’s no soot in the air. No smoke. I’ve never known anything like it.”
He grew up here . . . and he chose to go away. I don’t think I ever could. But then, she’d never left Dorstaad until recently.
“It is . . . clean,” he admitted.
She glimpsed conflict in his face, likely driven by memories of his father. He strode toward the front door, painted a glistening red. Ritsuko wondered if he would knock, but no, he pushed it open and strode through into a warm and welcoming room, decorated in the same haphazard style she’d first seen in his own cottage. There were knickknacks and wall hangings, bits of sewing and embroidery scattered about. Deeper in the house, she heard children calling to each other and a woman’s lower tone admonishing them.
“Is that any way to greet a hungry wanderer?” Mikani called out.
The sound of pottery shattering followed, then the quick patter of footsteps. For a moment, Ritsuko was overwhelmed by the number of people, mostly women, who ran into the front room. She identified his mother straightaway, both from the graying brown curls and the incredibly bright blue eyes. The woman was tall and solidly built, with a stained white apron wrapped around her middle. She pressed a hand to her mouth as she skimmed Mikani from head to toe, then she grabbed him in a tight hug. Women she took to be his sisters closed in either side, all talking at once. He hugged them all, kissing heads in turn.
A dash of color in short pants squealed and ran in full tilt, clambering over a chair to leap in the air and toward them. Mikani barely had time to step back and catch the boy in his arms, stumbling back against the wall and knocking a vase to shatter on the floor.
“Bloody hell, young Janus, you’ll prove your mum right in saying I’m a bad influence.”
“Janus, both of you! Language! Bronze gods, what are you doing here?” The taller of his sisters seemed torn between crying and laughing. That must be Helena. Her hair was longer and features softer, but she was definitely the twin. Mikani merely shook his head, and they exchanged a look as he handed her gleefully squealing son back to her.
Ritsuko had no experience with children and less with families. Life with her grandfather had certainly never been this noisy or . . . warm. That’s the word. She saw their gladness in every word, every gesture. The little ones were fairly bouncing for his attention, stretching up on tiptoes to rummage through his pockets. He usually brings sweets, I suppose.
Someone tugged at Ritsuko’s split skirt. She found a girl, no more than six, studying her intent
ly. “Are you my auntie? Mum said Uncle Jay wouldn’t be back until he got married.”
Much as she would’ve liked to tease Mikani, Ritsuko shook her head. “I’m his partner, Celeste Ritsuko. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand, wondering if manners applied to people under a certain age.
The girl tilted her head before taking her hand in small fingers. “How do you do. I’m Lena, and I’m almost seven.” Her smile revealed two missing front teeth.
“A very respectable age,” Ritsuko said.
She faintly hoped someone would save her from this conversation, and her wish was granted when the smaller of Mikani’s sisters set a hand on Lena’s head, frowning at her brother. “Is there some reason you haven’t performed the introductions?”
Too many curious eyes focused on her. Ritsuko worked not to fidget. I wish I was making a better impression. I look like I’ve fallen off mountains and nearly drowned and been terrified by a dragon and then faced a would-be Ferisher queen. She would give a lot for an immaculate suit, a tidy haircut, and perhaps a spritz of her favorite perfume. Ritsuko couldn’t even remember the last time she’d worn any.
“I was being assaulted by a wild Janus.” He gave his nephew a look, and Ritsuko could see the love for the little boy in his eyes. “Celeste Ritsuko, this is Agatha Mikani, my mother. Helena Brunn and Daphne Signael, my sisters.”
The three women pressed closer, and Agatha ignored the offered hand to pull Ritsuko into a close embrace. She’d never been hugged by a stranger before, but she did her best not to seem awkward or unfriendly. Then she shook hands with his sisters and offered polite greetings to the children milling about her legs.
“She’s his partner,” Lena piped up.
Mikani added, “You’ve met Lena. Irena’s the shy blonde in the corner, and Cassia’s the eldest. The little flying goblin’s Janus; though I still think the Ferishers switched my sweet nephew for an imp when he was born.”
Helena smiled at her brother, then slapped the back of his head. “He’s your spitting image in everything, gods keep us.”