Ashlynn stepped up and offered a greeting. “Ashlynn Fallbright, Sherriff of Estole and Voice for King Edvard. May harmony find you.”
“Well, now,” Crescencia said with a true smile this time. “A female sheriff. I’m beginning to like Estole already.”
Grinning back, Ashlynn introduced, “This is my partner, Broden Ravenscroft and our spymaster, Troi. Captain Versch, Captain Auman, we were not expecting you.”
“Oh? Well, true enough, we weren’t paid by Estole for this shipment.”
Auman nodded in support of this, eyes darting about in curiosity even as he joined the conversation. “True, our employer used a third-party broker to do everything, remained anonymous the whole time. Even we find it strange.”
Strange? Broden thought the word “strange” an understatement in the extreme. Who would purchase two ships worth of cargo and then send it to a country anonymously? Only the very wealthy could afford to do so. Why not take credit for it, if you were going to take the risk?
“What are your cargos?” Ashlynn pressed.
They both handed over the ships’ manifests readily, but Crescencia gave a verbal answer as well. “Mostly food, as you can see, a few other supplies such as blankets, thick tents, coal and such to tide people through winter. The broker was very specific in that we were to bring goods that would help refugees. Now that I’ve seen a glimpse of the place coming in, I realize why. You’re near overrun with people.”
Broden thought that was probably the best description of the situation he had heard in a while. “Aye, that we be.”
“And apparently you have people coming in from all over.” Crescencia gave him a frank appraisal. “That accent, where is it from?”
“Cloud’s Rest.”
“Ahhh now that’s a place I’ve never been. Must be quite the story of how you came to be here, and her partner.” Crescencia gave him a wink. “I’ll buy you a drink later, so tell me the story when the work is done.”
Were all sailors like this? Constantly on the search for a good story? Broden agreed readily, “Aye, we can do that. The other two captains will join us for dinner, if ye’d like to do the same?”
“Oh? I thank you for the invitation, and I certainly will. Skaff, you going to join us?”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Skaff paused, finger at his chin, and stared hard at Troi. “You’re the spymaster for Estole? That right?”
“Yes, Captain, so I am,” Troi responded politely.
“In that case, got a message for you.” Skaff pulled a sealed envelope from his breast pocket, one that had clearly been riding there for some time, as it looked extremely creased. “Our anonymous employer was very specific that this was to be handed to you, and only to you.”
This just got progressively stranger. Broden was very curious as Troi took the envelope and drew out the paper inside. It was a single sheet, the handwriting neat and plain. It was not a letter, as Broden expected, but instead seemed to be a list of names.
Troi read through it in a blink and then started swearing loudly, in the most foul language that Broden had ever heard from a man.
Ashlynn regarded their spymaster with open alarm. “Troi! I’ve never heard such language from you. What in Lugh’s name—”
Waving the paper in front of her nose, Troi snarled, “THIS lists a quarter of the spies I have in Kremser right now!”
All blood drained south and left Broden feeling light headed. “Man. Do no’ say me daughter’s name be on it.”
“No, fortunately,” Troi calmed himself down enough to answer but he was still nearly purple with rage. “But this is bad. It’s not even my fake spies, it’s my flesh-and-blood ones.” Enraged, he ripped the sheet into shreds and then threw it to the ground, stomping on it for good measure. “WHO? Who found my spies?!”
Ashlynn, in her normally delicate and sensitive manner, slapped him in the back of the head. “Throw a fit later, be grateful for the information and go and contact those spies now! You need to get them out before they’re caught.”
Troi swore, fetched up the scraps, and then sprinted for his office.
Both captains were left staring after him, Auman in appreciation for the sheer creativity of the cursing, Crescencia in narrow eyed speculation. “Now I’m very curious about our employer. Which is more the gift, I wonder? The supplies or the information?”
That was indeed the question. “Captain,” Broden said firmly, “there be a great many questions we need to ask of ye.”
“That I can see. Let’s offload the supplies and go for that dinner, shall we? I’ll tell you all I know and some of what I suspect. Maybe with enough heads put together, we can figure this out.”
Broden hoped so as well.
Ashlynn gave a noise of agreement and went back to sitting. “We’ll do that. If you don’t mind, though, I need to alert my kings of what just happened.”
“Of course, of course. Let’s all get back to work and speculate later.” Crescencia returned to her a ship with a thoughtful look on her face.
Feeling a headache coming on, Broden did the same.
Neither of the captains had much to offer when it came to facts. Most of what they spoke about were guesses and supposition. While all of that was interesting in its own right, they did not have a solid enough basis to build any assumptions on, so it became nothing more than an intellectual exercise.
Their best guess was that a supporter of Estole was, in their own way, rebelling against Iysh. Someone wealthy and with their hands deep in politics, someone that could not show their interests openly without reprisal. After going around and around several times in a row, they let the topic rest.
In the limited amount of time they had before the light failed, they were unable to completely offload all four ships. There just was not enough dock space to unload four merchants’ ships at the same time. The food came off first, as no one wanted to give it a chance to spoil, and then the rest of the cargo was slated to be unloaded in the morning.
Ashlynn had the hard job of making sure the food went to the right places while Broden’s responsibility was the rest of the cargo. He stood on his crate again, pointing and giving directions, trying to keep track of the list in his hands to make sure that he was not misguiding people. As he did, he noticed a commotion at the ferry side of the docks. Scanning the three guardsmen involved in the tussle, he found a face he recognized and called out, “Amber! What be this about?”
“We have a pirate!” she yelled back.
A what? Hoping rising in his chest, Broden hopped down, shoved the manifest list into Larek’s hands, and went straight for her. Could this be a messenger?
Seeing him approach, Amber shifted to one side to make way, a scowl on her face. “Sir. I know you have contacts with pirates; do you know this whelp?”
“So I do,” Broden responded, regarding JJ’s ship boy with open delight. “The name be Kyne, I believe?”
“Aye, sir.” Kyne rubbed his hands together, looking more than a little cold, and his nose kept trying to run. His clothes were not really thick enough to ward off the snowfall they had seen over the past few days. He must have been traveling for quite some time to get here, so his half-frozen state was understandable. “Captain JJ has his hands full, but he ’xpressly promised ye a message when he be done, so here I be.”
“Well, lad, that be a kindness. Let’s have it.”
As if reciting verbatim, Kyne puffed his chest out a little and stated plainly, “We caught most of them. There were eight ships, we managed to stop five, but three got through. There was a schooner with Maddox’s colors on it, and I believe that the prince was on board. The rest had either supplies or soldiers.” Dropping the imitation, Kyne added candidly, “The Cap’n dropped me off on land and I followed ’em a ways, just to make sure. Only so far, though, had to double back to Gethin to make it here. Cap’n said ye’d reward me if I spied a bit.”
“I certainly will, lad,” Broden responded whole-heartedly. He knew better than t
o press for an immediate answer, although he wanted one. This was the moment when bartering came into place. Kyne had information, he wanted something in return, and he would not say a peep until he got some sort of deal in place. Even if the lad was barely a teenager, he knew the basics of this life. Broden threw out what he thought was a reasonable price. “Supplies for the way back, a fur-lined coat, and matching hat.”
Kyne’s eyes lit up. He was in skimpy gear, ankles and wrists sticking out from his clothes, and it was clear he was in a growing spree and did not have the funds to get anything better. “Plus boots.”
Broden was tempted to get the boy a whole outfit, and would, if he could find anything that would fit. But for now, this would do. He held out a hand and sealed the bargain with a firm handshake. “A bargain it be. Kyne, me lad, be the prince on that schooner?”
“Aye, he be. If he followed the course he set on, he should now be in Gethin Forest and heading this way with nigh on a thousand soldiers. I counted ’em three times to be sure,” Kyne added proudly.
“For that, lad, I’ll make sure ye get a full outfitting,” Broden swore. The information was worth more than that, but they did not have the funds to give him more.
Face lighting up, Kyne demanded, “Ye word on that?”
“Aye, me word on it. Are you sure on his course?”
“Could only follow him so far afore I had to go back to the ship. But aye, he was heading straight as the crow flies towards Ganforth.”
That was a good enough answer for Broden. “Then ye’ve earned yer pay, lad. In fact, come and speak to the spymaster here. Tell him all ye know. As yer doing that, I’ll find the best clothes available.” Bending down a little, he added confidentially, “Perhaps a bit too long, eh, to last through this growth spurt ye be in?”
“I’d like that fine,” Kyne responded thankfully. “Sir,” he added almost belatedly.
Grateful enough to remember his manners, eh? Broden bit back a smile. “Amber, escort our young spy direct to Troi. I will finish up here, see to his payment, and report to Edvard.” Not exactly in that order. But he had to give her an idea of what places he would be in if she needed to find him later.
“Of course, sir.” Amber was a little gentler with the boy as she led him off, now that she knew he was not there just to make mischief.
Broden was not as sure about that. Pirates would make mischief whether they were on a mission or not. He was not too worried about the matter, as between Amber and Troi, they would keep him out of the worst of it.
A thousand soldiers north of them. And Maddox. Broden felt unsure whether to be relieved at the news or overwhelmed by it. He was heartily glad to know the location of the prince and the number of troops heading his direction, but by the same token, what could they do to defend their northern border? More than they were already?
“Larek!” he bellowed out as he moved. “Take over here!”
“Of course,” Larek agreed readily, having already taken over Broden’s spot on top of the crate. “But where will you go?”
“To report to a king.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Lady Saira.” Robert Elwood gave a slight bow over her hand, trying his best to look roguish and handsome. He missed by a large margin because of a weak chin and a nervous tic near his left eye but his smile was sincere. “Enchanted to see you.”
“Lord Robert,” she returned the greeting with a genuine smile of her own. Robert Elwood was one of the sadly disinherited ones, which was a pity, as she rather liked him. He had been kind to her since their first introduction. “The music tonight is quite splendid, is it not?”
“Ah,” he turned to take notice of the contralto singing in the front of the garden. “In truth, Lady Saira, I’ve heard her perform often over the years. But since you are new to Kremser, I suppose this is your first time hearing her?”
“Indeed, yes.” Riana had never heard music performed professionally before. She’d never had the opportunity. The first half hour of this musical soiree she had been sitting near the woman’s stage, completely spellbound. It had taken Woelfel almost manhandling her to get her back to work. “I find her voice quite stunning.”
Robert turned to look at the singer again, as if seeing her through new eyes. “Yes. Yes, I suppose she does possess a remarkable voice. I am very glad that you are here, Lady Saira, to give me a fresh perspective on life.”
Riana unfurled her fan with a soft snap and lifted it to her face, obscuring all but her eyes, manner demure. “Lord Robert, you’ll make me blush with such statements.”
Feeling as if he were gaining some ground with her, he tried to press on the moment. “Indeed, my lady, it is not my intent, but I want to express to you how invigorated I feel whenever in your company.”
Mentally, Riana could feel a rumble from Ash, like a thunderstorm that was just cresting the horizon. She wasn’t quite sure how, but somehow he had picked up on an emotional cue that told him when she was flirting. It was probably that particular mix of patience, amusement, and manipulation that told him what she was up to. Riana found this jealously perfectly hilarious and didn’t even try to squelch it.
“My.” She fluttered her fan a little and peeked up at him through her lashes, a move specifically taught to her by Bria. It did its designed effect and Robert looked back at her in a stargazed fashion.
Hmm, that look was remarkably effective. Riana wasn’t at all sure why, but men seemed truly weak to it. Perhaps she should try it on Ash tonight when she returned.
Nervously licking his lips, Robert took a half step forward. “My dear Lady Saira, I—”
“Lady Saira!” Someone knocked into her, upsetting her balance, but fortunately not enough to send them both to the ground. “Oh, I do beg your pardon, clumsy of me.”
Riana could smell the wine on him and she tried to hide a grimace. “Not at all, Lord Halloway.”
He had a firm grip on her elbow, whether to hold her up or to keep his own balance was anyone’s guess. For a moment, just a brief moment, his eyes focused on her with clear lucidity. “Lady Saira, I have been trying to find your cousin. Is Lord Woelfel with you this evening?”
Seriously, what was this man? Woelfel kept forgetting to explain to her who he was but Riana absolutely knew that he had to be an agent of some sort, as both men’s behavior didn’t make sense otherwise. “Indeed he is, my lord. I saw him next to the stage not a moment ago. Perhaps you can start your search there?”
Lapsing back into his drunk behavior, he gave her a grin and toasted her with a mostly empty wine glass. “My thanks, fair lady!” With that, he staggered off.
Riana waved her fan in front of her face, trying to dissipate the smell of alcohol. The man fairly reeked of it, so much so that she suspected he doused his clothes in it instead of merely drinking it. Stealing a peek at Robert, she found that he was watching Halloway with distinct pity and a dash of annoyance. Annoyance she understood, but pity? “Are you acquainted with Lord Halloway?”
“Yes. Well, no, not really. More like I know of him.” Robert wanted to dismiss this with a wave of the fingers.
Riana wasn’t about to let him, she sensed an excellent way to turn topics. “Indeed? I have run into him thrice now but I have little idea of his family or connections. Why does the poor man always seem to be drunk, for that matter?”
“Ah, that.” Robert heaved a resigned sigh. “He’s like my poor brother in that sense. One of the victims to the Inheritance Law.”
“Oh, how dreadful! I am so sorry to hear it.”
“We all are, in different senses. My brother has found a way to take care of me, as we’re close enough that he’s not about to leave me high and dry. But some of the lords and ladies aren’t as lucky. Halloway is a good example of that.” This time, Robert took another step forward but with the intent of sharing gossip. “What I’m about to tell you is well known but considered a semi-taboo subject.”
She leaned forward. “I’m all ears. Do tell me.”
/> “I have all of this second hand, mind you, but from a reliable source. Halloway was actually the captain of the City Guard. Quite good at his job, too, although it might be hard to believe it seeing him now. He was a well-known supporter of Prince Hendrix right before Estole rebelled. In fact, it was in part why he lost his position. You see, they blamed him when Edvard Knolton escaped the city after attacking King Zelman.”
Several more pieces clicked into place. “Should they have?”
“Well,” Robert hedged, “the man was actually outside of the city on the king’s command dealing with something else entirely, and wasn’t even aware an attack had taken place until he came back the next day. Draw your own conclusions.”
In other words, no. But he was a good scapegoat for it.
“The hypocrisy comes later, when the current captain of the Palace Guard replaced him. And if anyone should be blamed for that disaster, I would think it’s him.”
“Truly,” she murmured, staring after Halloway thoughtfully. So, he was disinherited by Zelman, lost his position do to Zelman’s poor management skills and bad politics, and now was cut off from any true position or power. If the man wasn’t a spy for Estole with that kind of background, Riana would eat both boots. “I do wonder at King Zelman’s passing of that law. I realize that he dislikes Prince Hendrix, but there’s so many others suffering because of it.”
Robert realized they were speaking directly of a taboo subject and lowered his voice to a bare whisper. “I do agree but it’s dangerous to say such things.”
“Oh, you’re right,” she agreed with a slightly surprised expression. It was hard to make it seem genuine and not fake. “I just feel so sorry for those lords and ladies that have lost everything. Why, can you imagine—”
“Lady Saira!” a cheerful voice rang out.
Riana just about jumped out of her skin as she spun about.
Smiling down at her was Savir, expression not at all indicating that he had just interrupted a conversation. “Lord Robert, do forgive me, I wish to steal your companion away for a moment. My mother has requested that I bring her along this evening. She quite enjoys Lady Saira’s company.”
Arrows of Revolution (Kingmakers Book 3) Page 17