Nadia's expression was thoughtful. "Are the clans truly that awful?"
"War's the only thing they know. Sure, some clans might be better than others, but you can't really tell who you're dealing with until you get too close. Better to keep your distance."
As the days passed, Markus grew more and more restless. Being at sea didn't bother him as much as he'd thought it would, but it was still making him feel insane. Every day, he peered across the endless water, hoping to see their destination.
"We're not even close yet," Kris told him one evening as they stared at a red sky. The captain smiled. "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Ever heard that saying?"
Markus shook his head.
"Guess you wouldn't have where you come from."
"And what does it mean if there's a red sky in the morning?" Nadia asked.
"Means there are storms on the way. You know what a hurricane is?"
"I've come across the term in my reading," Nadia said.
"I've been through a few in my time." Kris leaned on the ship's railing. "Nearly lost an entire ship and crew once."
"You think we'll face storms now?" Markus asked.
"We're getting toward winter now, so chances are we won't. In winter, most of the bad storms hit much farther north."
It was strange to think that so much time had passed, and yet so little. Markus's thoughts drifted back to home. As much as he hated Warrick, he missed the Empire. Missed the forest. Missed Crayden. He even missed his uncle.
But more than anything, he missed Rik. With every day that passed, that hole inside Markus grew larger. He'd known Rik ever since they were young. In all his life, Markus had never imagined doing anything without Rik. Now Rik was lost and alone, subject to the evils of a land so strange and distant Markus could barely imagine it.
"You look like you're deep in thought," Kris said.
"I was just thinking about my friend."
"Is he dead?"
"I have no idea," Markus said. "He's in a place called the Shadowed Land."
Kris's expression became grave. "I've heard of it. I'm sorry."
"We're going to find a way to get him back," Markus said. He didn't care what he had to do. He would see Rik again. He had to. Life without Rik wasn't worth living.
"Maybe you will," Kris said. "After all, you did escape the Empire, and there's something about you. My instincts say you're going to do big things. Maybe that's why I felt drawn to help you out. Normally, we don't take on passengers like you."
"How could you possibly trust your instincts like that?" Nadia asked.
"Sorcery runs in my family. That may be the way it manifests for me. I've never felt any desire to go on the Pilgrimage, though. I'd rather be a simple sailor. When you get mixed up with magic, bad things tend to happen. Sorcerers are always out for their own gain."
"But you trade with Luminia," Nadia said.
"I trade with anyone who'll take my goods. Doesn't matter if I like them."
Markus gazed into the red sunset. "I have trouble believing we might be anything special. We've survived a lot of situations on pure luck. I suppose we each have some form of magic, but that doesn't seem all that rare." He sighed deeply. "All I care about is saving Rik."
"Well, I hope you find a way," Kris said, before returning to his duties.
"It seems hopeless," Nadia said. "Doesn't it?"
Markus knew what she meant. When she'd saved him, she'd had a definite plan. Right now, Markus felt lost and adrift, as if he were a ship upon the sea with no sail. If the Luminian sorcerers knew how to bring back somebody from the Shadowed Land, they would have done it by now.
According to Cyrus, no one had ever returned.
But maybe that had changed in the last five hundred years.
"It does seem hopeless," he said. "But we can't give up hope. Rik needs us. He ended up there because he was trying to save me. I will not let him stay there. I don't care if I have to go up against a thousand armies or a thousand sorcerers as powerful as Warrick."
Nadia shook her head. "That's a nice thing to say, but you'd still be dead."
"I know."
Their journey to the east continued. They stayed close enough to the shore that they could see it, but never ventured any closer. These parts of the Clanlands were very dangerous. Once they reached the kingdom of Seaside, they could restock before heading to Luminia.
"You see those mountains," Tam said, pointing to the north as they stood on deck in the warm sun. "Once we're past them, we'll be safe to step foot on land."
"Good," Markus said. "I'm sick of the ocean."
"At least we can still see land," Tam said. "Once we leave the port of Seaside, there'll be nothing but water between us and Luminia. It will test just how much you can take. To tell you the truth, it still bothers me a bit."
A sudden shout rang out from the crow's nest. "Enemy ship spotted!"
The crew moved as if some strange force had taken hold of them. They rushed around the deck, shouting orders, preparing the ship's many armaments. The air was alive with tension. Markus stood on deck, watching it all with no idea of what he should be doing.
Many of the sailors carried weapons they called rifles. Tam had shown them how the weapons worked, and they scared Markus a bit. He felt more comfortable with a sword in his hands. Nadia, however, had taken to target practice with the rifles. In fact, she'd just left another session, so she had a rifle strapped to her shoulder.
"What're we supposed to do?" Markus asked, trembling.
"I want to see this enemy ship."
They hurried to the other side of the ship and stood at the railing. The enemy vessel was barely more than a dot on the southern horizon, but it was closing in on them, moving at an unnatural speed. The wind was blowing from the west, so it wouldn't catch the ship's black sails. Markus leaned on the railing, watching. Waiting.
It seemed like an eternity passed before the ship came fully into view, and when it did, Markus felt as if his insides had turned to water. The ship had to be at least twice the size of theirs. Even from a distance, Markus could see massive cannons that looked much more formidable than those on the deck of Kris's ship.
"We're outmatched," Tam said. "This won't end well."
"Whose ship is it?" Nadia asked.
"New Earth Empire. They don't usually come this far north, and let's just say we don't get along with them. I have no idea what they want." He stared at the ship. "At least they haven't fired upon us. Whatever happens, we can't engage in a battle with them. We'll lose."
Markus glanced back to the north. "Could we try to make a run for the coast?"
"They'd simply bombard us on land."
"Then what should we do?" Markus asked, feeling sick.
"I've got no idea."
The ship grew closer and closer. At last, it sat upon the water perhaps twenty feet away. A man dressed in a crisp black military uniform strode to the edge of his ship.
"Where is your captain?" he demanded.
"I'm Captain Kris Tanner." He stood maybe ten feet to Markus's left. "What do you want from us?"
"We want very little from you. We want the two passengers you're carrying: the ones who call themselves Markus and Nadia."
Chapter 4: The New Earth Empire
Nadia felt as if a hand had tightened around her heart. How did these strangers know who they were, and why did they want them? Whatever was happening, it surely couldn't be good. She tightened her grip on her rifle but had not yet pointed it at the other ship.
Off to the left, Kris stepped to the railing. "And if I don't give them to you?"
Nadia gave him a stern look. He hadn't even tried denying that they were there. It seemed as if he actually planned to hand them over. Had she misjudged the man that badly?
"Just look at our armaments," said the other captain. His accent came with a strange drawl she'd never heard before. "I think you know what's gonna happen?"
"Why are they so important to you?" Kris demande
d, fire in his gaze.
"That don't matter. You'll hand 'em over, or suffer the consequences."
Nadia trembled. She knew all too well what was going to happen. When she glanced at Kris, though, she saw the internal war he was fighting. A sudden sense of certainty came over her, and she stepped to the railing, joining Kris.
"I am Nadia," she called out. "Markus and I will give ourselves up willingly. Promise me that you will do no harm to this ship or the men and women aboard it."
The captain looked her in the eye from twenty feet away. "You have my word. We've got no immediate quarrel with these people. They can go on with their lives."
Markus approached and put a hand on her shoulder. "You sure that was the right choice?"
Her stomach swirled. "It was the only choice."
"And I thank you for it," Kris said.
"I knew how I'd feel in your situation," Nadia said. "I couldn't let you risk your crew for us."
Kris leaned close and spoke in a low voice. "I believe they'll let us go, but you shouldn't trust these people. The New Earth Empire stands for everything that's wrong with the world."
"We'll find a way to survive this," Nadia said. She handed her rifle to one of the nearby sailors.
"What if they want to execute us?" Markus asked.
"I don't think they do. I have to trust my instincts."
Markus wrapped an arm around her. "And I trust you, Nadia."
The enemy vessel moved closer, and its crew set up a wooden plank between the two ships. Nadia took a deep breath before stepping onto the plank. It felt flimsy, and her stomach lurched. The waves looked cold and unforgiving.
When she reached the other ship, a couple of the crewmen helped her off the plank. They weren't rough about it, but once she was on the deck, one of them did place a firm hand on her shoulder. He wasn't restraining her, but it was a gesture of control, telling her that things would not end well if she attempted to run.
Not that there was anywhere to go.
Markus followed a few moments later and received the same treatment. She met his gaze, feeling sick to her stomach. He forced a smile, but the pallor of his face told her how he truly felt. They could only watch as the crew removed the plank, and soon the ship began to move away from Kris's vessel. Nadia watched with a heavy heart as it faded into the distance.
Then she turned her attention to the ship's crew. The uniforms they wore were unlike any she'd ever seen. No chain mail. No plate armor. Instead, they wore black uniforms that looked crisp and clean, as if a master tailor had created them. All kinds of buttons and pins decorated the uniforms. The crew also wore unusual hats with a flat, semi-circular piece jutting out at the front.
The captain remained nearby, looking at them curiously. He was a handsome man, dark-haired and clean-shaven, close to forty years old. Not at all what she expected of a terrible enemy. Of course, Tylen was also handsome, and she knew what kind of man he was.
Nadia tried to keep her tone civil. "What do you want from us?"
The captain stepped toward her. "No idea. The president ordered us to retrieve you, so that's what we did."
A president. Nadia felt a strange thrill. She remembered her time in the castle library, when she'd read about the form of government known as the democratic republic. Many of those governments featured a president as the leader. Perhaps Kris was wrong about the New Earth Empire. Surely any place that adopted such a fair form of government couldn't represent everything that was wrong with the world.
"And what were your orders about our treatment?" Markus asked.
"You are to be treated as guests aboard our ship," the captain said. "As long as you behave yourselves. Don't try anything stupid. Don't even think about jumping into the sea."
Nadia glanced toward the visible shoreline. The thought of jumping into the sea had crossed her mind.
"If you do," the captain continued, "we'll destroy the ship you were on."
Nadia believed him. He was treating them civilly, but something in his gaze told her he was the kind of man who'd do anything if it served his cause. Perhaps there was something dangerous about those handsome, dark-haired men.
"We understand," Markus said, and Nadia jerked her head in agreement.
"Good," the captain said. "One of my men will show you to your cabin."
A nearby sailor beckoned them forward. He didn't speak to them and kept a brisk pace, leading them across the open deck, past countless crates and barrels, and toward the center of the ship. They stepped through a wooden door that creaked on its hinges and into a brightly lit corridor. The man led them to the right, then opened a nearby door.
"This is your cabin," he said. "You should spend most of your time here. You're welcome to join us in the mess hall, but try not to get in our way." The man turned and left.
Nadia and Markus stepped into the cabin, which was much larger than Nadia had expected. There were two beds, and the room looked as if it had been cleaned recently. Nadia and Markus had only those supplies that were strapped to them, but somebody had provided some clothes and towels for them to use.
"A comfortable prison is still a prison," Nadia said.
"Yeah," Markus said, "but I'd take this over Warrick's dungeon any day." He plopped down on one of the beds. "What do you think they really want?"
"I don't know. I think the captain was telling the truth. He doesn't know any more than he told us. He's just a soldier carrying out his orders."
"Then it's a good thing he didn't have orders to kill us."
They checked through the clothes provided for them. None of them were a perfect fit, but they were close enough. The clothes were also quite unusual. Blue pants made out of a sturdy material Nadia had never seen before. Lightweight, collarless shirts made of a soft, flexible material. The clothes were plain but well-made.
"I think I'll keep the clothes on my back," Markus said.
"We might as well try out these new clothes," Nadia said. "What could it hurt?"
They both slipped into some of the new clothing. At first, Markus had trouble figuring out how to put the pants on. He fumbled with the zipper, at which time Nadia had to zip it for him. She'd encountered similar devices on some of her dresses back home.
"We look ridiculous," Markus said, once they were dressed.
"We'll probably look just like everybody else in the New Earth Empire."
"Maybe, but we can't talk like them. Their accents are strange."
There wasn't much to do in their cabin, so Nadia led Markus out into the corridor. To her surprise, there were no guards at their door. Did the captain trust them that much, or did he figure his threat was enough to control them?
They got lost as they tried to find the mess hall. Once, one of the sailors had to direct them away from a place called the engine room. The same sailor also gave them directions to the mess hall, and they found it a few minutes later.
Nadia still couldn't decide how to feel about their captors. They all behaved courteously enough, but were they only doing so because of orders?
In the mess hall, Nadia and Markus grabbed plates of food and found seats in a secluded corner of the room. The sailors ignored them for the most part. Nadia hoped their voyage wouldn't take long because she feared she'd grow bored and restless rather quickly.
Halfway through their meal, Nadia looked up to see the captain approaching them.
"How do you find your accommodations?" he asked. His tone seemed much friendlier now, but was it all an act?
"It's certainly the most comfortable prison I've seen," Nadia said. She probably shouldn't have said it, but she wanted to see how the captain would react.
His expression remained neutral. "I can see how you might view this is a prison, and perhaps it is. After all, I don't know what the president intends for you. Though if he wanted to harm you, I think he would have given us different orders." He held out a hand to Nadia. "I never introduced myself. I'm Captain Tomas Cress."
She shook his hand. His
grip was firm.
"Would you really have killed the entire crew of the other ship?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And you wouldn't have felt at all bad about it?"
He shrugged. "They wouldn't have been the first crew I've killed. I'm a soldier. That's my job, my duty. I might regret taking lives, but if it's necessary, I'll do it. Believe me, I'm glad you two didn't make me resort to anything unnecessary."
Again, she believed him. He reminded her of some of Warrick's Imperial Guards. For the most part, they didn't kill if they didn't have to, but when Warrick ordered it, they killed without remorse. She'd always had trouble understanding that mindset. After all, she still thought of the people they'd killed in the last months.
"How long till we reach our destination," Markus asked.
"A few days," said Captain Cress.
"And what if we try to escape there?" Markus asked.
"You won't be able to." The captain turned and left. Nadia had no doubt that he was telling the truth. He didn't need to specify how they'd be restrained. Surely she'd find out once they reached shore. Were all the stories of the New Earth Empire's technology true?
Nadia and Markus spent the next few days trying to entertain themselves. They talked to the sailors, but most of them didn't say much. In a strange way, Nadia looked forward to reaching shore. At least she'd be on solid ground again. She didn't suffer from seasickness, but being out on the open sea made her feel trapped.
All that water. Nothing but water as far as the eye could see.
They were standing on deck when the shore first came into view. The ship's powerful engines propelled it toward the shore. Nadia's stomach churned as her mind raced with terrible thoughts of what would happen now. Would they still be prisoners? Would the president expect them to do something for him? Why else would he go to all this effort?
Night fell before they reached their destination, but there was no doubt where they were headed. To the southeast was the brightest glow Nadia had ever seen. It wasn't orange like the typical glow of a city back home. It was a combination of all kind of colors. Blues. Whites. Reds. Oranges. Yellows. Even pinks and purples. It was beautiful, and terrifying.
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 98