The Balance of Power (Godsland Series: Books Four, Five, and Six)

by Rathbone, Brian

  Feeling small and powerless, Sinjin was also humbled by the construction of these figures. How powerful had these people been to leave such a massive message for the ages to come. He'd never seen such efforts, save what Thorakis had done, and he hoped the ancients had employed much different methods and thinking. He recognized the fact that Thorakis may have truly had good intentions when he began his work, and perhaps it had only been the presence of the feral dragons that had been his downfall. It seemed peculiar that the dragons used Thorakis as a proxy when they were clearly powerful enough to control the people themselves, but then he realized how much easier it must have been to simply dominate the man to whom most people owed their lives. It was brilliant when he thought about it, and that frightened him even more. Ferals were clever and powerful, and there were feral eggs on this ship.

  Worry washed over Sinjin, some of it was his own, but most of it was radiated by those around him. As the statues looked down on them, none seemed immune to the effects. Halmsa was perhaps also responsible; he paced the deck, forcing everyone else to clear out of his way when he reached them. Always he carried the dragon eggs, but no more did he hold out the eggs to those around him, no more did he show the movements of the eggs. This alone gave Sinjin cause for worry and perhaps even for relief. Part of his problem was that he wasn't certain what he wanted to happen, which made it even more difficult to make decisions. Part of him hoped the eggs would never hatch, so he would not have to decide whether the dragons lived or died. It also didn't escape him that he might not be able to kill even a single one if that was the decision he made. How could he ever convince the Arghast that the dragons were evil, and how could he be certain they would be? Another part of him dared for an instant to hope that these dragons would be more like Kyrien. It was a silly hope, and he banished it to the place where all childish things go--not gone but put aside for the reality of adulthood.

  When Halmsa passed by where Sinjin stood, Durin came in his wake, moving easily through the crowd.

  "Nice trick," Sinjin said.

  "I wouldn't stand in that guy's way either," Durin said then looked up. "Vestra's beard! That's just creepy."

  It wouldn't be long before the statues would be left behind, but it would not be soon enough for Sinjin. Being in their shadow gave him the crawls, which did nothing to improve his optimism. This did, at least, indicate that they were on the last leg of their journey.

  In a rare moment, Halmsa stopped pacing and faced Benjin. "I owe apology."

  Benjin did not look as if any apology were required, though there was considerable strain on his face; sailing with this many aboard his ship was plainly stressful.

  "I did not believe you when you said place of dragons was too far for small boats, but you were right. We would be dead. We owe you debt."

  "It is our honor to bear the Dragon clan to your new home," Benjin said, and Fasha stood behind him, nodding in agreement.

  "We won't forget," Halmsa said. It was a simple statement, but there was such weight behind it that Sinjin had no doubt that the Dragon clan would truly never forget, provided they survived.

  Sinjin was an optimist by nature, but when he thought about all the things his mother had worked so hard to provide within Dragonhold, he wondered how the Arghast would manage to survive in what could only be called an unforgiving land. People may have once lived on the Firstland, but that had been thousands of years ago, and the wisdom of the ancients had perished with them. Who knew what dangers they would face?

  "You worry too much," Durin said; as he did, though, Pelivor and Gwen took them higher and faster now that they were clear of the Keys of Terhilian. Both gripped the railing, and everyone on board did what they could to secure themselves in the fierce wind. Once the speed and altitude leveled off, it was mostly the wind with which they had to contend. Durin looked a little green, and he paled even further. "Good luck," he said and walked swiftly away.

  From the opposite direction came Kendra, and the crowd separated before her just as it did before Halmsa, though perhaps for different reasons. The look on the girl's face made it clear she was ready for a fight.

  Doing his best to look unconcerned, Sinjin waited. There had been times in his life when he would have yielded to Kendra to avoid confrontation with her, but those days were past. He respected her, and in some ways he owed her, but he would not bow before her; at least that was what he was thinking when she approached.

  With her arms crossed over her chest and fire in her eyes, Kendra stopped. She'd been avoiding Sinjin since they left the Godfist. Now, though, she seemed unlikely to grant him the same privilege. She said nothing; she just looked at him with an expression difficult to describe. Somehow she conveyed the sense that she was utterly shocked and deeply hurt by something he'd done. Sadly, he'd seen that look before.

  It didn't take long for Sinjin to figure out what it was she was so angry about. "I'm not sorry." Pain and hurt seemed to shift toward smoldering fury. "The extra load is too much for Gwen and Pelivor to handle unaided. I did the only thing I could to change that; I loaned Koe to Gwen and the Staff of Life to Pelivor until this voyage is over."

  Kendra did not seem to hear him. "You give to everyone," she said quietly. "Why is it that you never have anything for me?" The last was said with a catch in her voice, which clearly enraged her further.

  Stunned, Sinjin stood gaping like an idiot, and Kendra looked as if she would storm away. That, he knew, would be the worst thing he could let happen. He had to keep her there for a moment longer, and in that instant, he let go of his fears. He'd lost his home and most of his family, and it felt for a moment as if he had very little left to lose. Kendra started to turn away from him, but he reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder, turning her back to face him. She seemed surprised by his forcefulness and looked a little confused. The moment would not last, Sinjin knew. Stepping closer, he continued to pull her toward him, and she looked as if she might protest.

  Then he kissed her.

  It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. She was soft and warm, and for a moment, she kissed him back. Then, though, she pulled away. No one on deck spoke, and all eyes were on them, including Gwen's; somehow the crowd had parted just enough to allow her an unobstructed view. Kendra looked around and the shock on her face turned back to fury. Sinjin had just been contemplating trying for another kiss when her right uppercut caught him in the chin. Hitting the deck hard, Sinjin would forever associate pain in his head and jaw with the taste of Kendra's kiss on his lips.

  * * *

  When Allette saw fear in Thundegar's eyes, her own courage fled. Rastas moved alongside her, the hair on his spine standing on end; he pressed up against her leg as if to ask her to protect him. This frightened her almost as much as anything else. Waves of primal fear rained from the skies, along with the compulsion to give up. It was as if the ferals radiated hopelessness, and Allette prayed they would go away. Had she been on a ship, she would have cast an offering to the sea, despite the fact that she'd never believed in such things. As her father had once said, "What harm could it do?"

  With his words echoing in her mind, reminding her that he was gone, Allette willed the tears away and pulled several strands of hair from her head and tossed them into the clear waters on the stream where they had stopped. Thundegar filled his water flask and motioned for her to do the same. It seemed like an exercise in futility since they would probably not live long enough to drink it, but she did her best to shake off the melancholy. Some of the feelings were her own and were more than warranted, but part of her knew it was the influence of the dragons that clouded her thoughts with fear.

  Moving, taking action, even filling her water flask made her feel the smallest bit better. She would not let the dragons subjugate her will; she would not surrender. Her father had taught her to fight, and that was exactly what she would do. Thundegar, too, seemed to be gathering his strength and will.

  "We'll never make it across with the ferals as acti
ve as they are, and it would appear they've an army coming ashore as well," Thundegar said in a low voice, barely audible over the bubbling stream.

  Allette nodded, not trusting her tongue to speak.

  "If we wait for nightfall, we might be able to backtrack without being seen. With any luck, we can walk most of the way back. The grasses will continue to thicken, and though it will take a great deal longer than it took us to get here, I think we'll be able to make it back to the Cloud Forest."

  Though the frustration of having to turn back gnawed at her, Allette knew this might be their only hope of survival. No matter what, she did not want to fall into the hands of anyone who'd willingly fight for the ferals. Truly, these must be black-hearted men. No matter how many times she reminded herself of that fact, though, Allette could not help but think about the fact that they could have just stayed in the Cloud Forest. This entire trip, all their struggles and trials, had been for naught; it had been a huge waste of effort, which might now be the end of them.

  A low growl from Rastas pulled Allette from her inner torment, and she went cold, her body responding so strongly to the danger that her skin itched. Thundegar reached out a hand to soothe the cat, clearly not wanting anyone or anything to know they were there. Allette moved a step backward into the shadows and tried to make herself as small as possible. Rastas, now silent but still clearly agitated, followed her in the shadows and hid beside her, proving his wisdom. Branches moved nearby, and flashes of movement could be seen through the trees. Thundegar seemed torn between the desire to run and the desire to hide. After a quick glance at Allette and Rastas, he found a shadowy spot alongside a gnarled tree. Bushes grew nearby, and Thundegar brushed up against one, despite his efforts to keep quiet.

  The sounds of movement stopped, and Allette held her breath. Whatever lurked amid the trees now knew they were there. Almost instinctively, Allette ran her hand over Rastas's coat, trying to soothe him and hoping he wouldn't give away their position. An instant later, Allette froze. From between a pair of trees, not a handful of paces away, two dark forms emerged from the forest. At first they looked completely black, but as Allette studied them, her body trembling with fear, she saw a spotted pattern of dark orange and black. Liquid green eyes scanned the area, and whiskers twitched with uncertainty. Even these mighty felines seemed unnerved by the presence of the ferals. At almost any other place in the world, these would be alpha predators with no natural enemies save man, but here they were in as much danger as anyone else foolish enough to get caught in feral territory.

  Every instinct told Allette that she should run, and it was all she could do to refrain. Reason disagreed with her instincts, and this time she sided with reason. Her father had often said that instincts should rarely be ignored, but Allette was certain she'd be unable to outrun these massive cats. Rastas pressed against her, no less assured; even though these cats might be distant relatives of his, it was clear that he expected no quarter. Given some of the cat fights Allette had witnessed, Rastas was perhaps in greater danger than Allette and Thundegar. Reaching down, Allette once again smoothed the cat's coat. She wasn't certain how much better it made the cat feel, but it made her feel a great deal better.

  Stepping to the edge of the stream, the cats drank one at a time, leaving the other to keep watch. In this place, even a drink of water could bring a quick death. Ripples appeared in the deeper, darker water downstream, and both cats moved away from the stream. Not wanting to know what was causing those ripples, Allette trembled. When one of the cats looked directly at the shadows where they hid, Allette held her breath once again. The muscle-bound cat remained intent and met Allette's eyes, leaving no doubt that it had seen her. Rastas growled, despite her soothing, and now both cats were looking directly at her. Visions of a slow death drove away what remained of Allette's courage, and she prepared to run, her instincts quickly overpowering reason. Before she could move, though, the waters exploded with activity. A reptilian creature with massive jaws moved through the water faster than Allette would have thought possible, and it lunged at the big cats. One cat sprang into the air, showing agility that belied its size; the other crouched low and swatted at the reptilian eyes.

  Snapping the air with its mighty jaws, the creature tried to grab the cat's legs, but the other cat landed gracefully and attacked from the other side. Convinced this meal wasn't worth the effort or risk, the mighty reptile slid back into the water and disappeared. The fact that so little depth could conceal such a large predator made Allette want to get as far away from the stream as she could. Only moments ago, she and Thundegar had been filling their flasks from that stream, and she doubted the outcome would have been the same if the reptile had attacked them rather than the big cats.

  The cats, too, seemed to have decided this place was too dangerous to stay, but one of them looked back and met Allette's eyes one last time before slipping silently back into the trees. She would have breathed a sigh of relief if not for the massive shadow now circling them.

  * * *

  Seeing the Firstland made a great many things real to Sinjin. His mother had been there twice, and both times she'd nearly been killed. Now he led a group of people completely unprepared to make a new life there. These people had been desert nomads for the gods knew how long, and Sinjin didn't feel all that much more ready than they.

  "The city of Ri is the place where the regent dragons lived," Benjin said. "It's also the only place I've any idea of how to get to. I'd suggest starting there."

  "Will you come?" Sinjin asked.

  Benjin nodded; Fasha glared at him.

  "What of the Dragon's Wing?" Sinjin asked.

  "Fasha can take the Wing and see where there are good fishing grounds. The first thing we'll need is a steady supply of food. She won't be able to sail past the Eternal Guardians, so we'll need a clear supply route. There may be fish in the river as well, so it may be that we don't even need to go to sea."

  Her glare intensifying, Fasha said nothing, but her look made it clear that she saw right through Benjin's words. He wanted to keep her safe, and she knew it; it clearly did not please her. Fasha was no delicate flower.

  "Even that mission will be fraught with peril," Benjin continued. "When Catrin first came here, she was attacked by Gholgi in the wild. If I recall, the creatures nearly sunk the Slippery Eel."

  Fasha rolled her eyes, obviously unconvinced. Clear blue skies harbored only wisps of clouds, and a warm breeze blew. The black beaches looked peaceful and quiet. Even when they reached the towering stone spires that jutted out into the ocean and sheltered a massive bay, within all seemed tranquil. Here had once rested a Zjhon warship, placed there by a mighty wave thought to have originated from a volcanic eruption in the shallows. The distances seemed inconceivable to Sinjin, having just covered the distance from the Godfist to the Firstland, and he knew the shallows to be nearly as far.

  The harbor entrance loomed before them, and Pelivor slowly eased them back toward the placid waters below. Each time he had done so with so many aboard had been a frightening experience, and passengers and crew prepared themselves for the sudden slowing of the ship. Gwen had eased off the thrust, but Pelivor had to maintain enough speed to keep them from simply falling from the sky; it was a fine balance.

  "Brace yourselves!" Pelivor cried, the strain clearly audible in his voice even with his augmented power.

  The Dragon's Wing issued a loud groan when she reentered the water, and the weight of her load shifted forward. The abrupt deceleration and return of the ship's natural motions was sudden and disorienting. Sinjin gripped the rail, waiting for his body and brain to adjust to the ship's movements. The gap in the spires was more than large enough to admit the Dragon's Wing into the harbor. He'd heard the story about how his mother and the Slippery Eel had entered the harbor airborne, and he couldn't imagine it. Just sailing through it was unnerving. In that moment, Sinjin was glad Kenward had stayed behind. This place held a lot of bad memories for him, and Sinjin didn't wa
nt to see any more added to that list.

  Fasha was there, though, and it was clear she was reliving memories of her own. She and Benjin had rescued Kenward and his crew from this very place, not to mention the fact that both of them had nearly died the first time Catrin had sailed to the Firstland. Truly, the air around Sinjin was a riot of emotion. Halmsa looked as if he might burst. The eggs had been still for weeks, and he looked as if his will and hope were spent. His people supported him, and that seemed to give him strength, but the man looked older already; truly this burden weighed on him.

  Sinjin continued to have mixed feelings. Most of the time, he hoped the eggs would not hatch, but he felt guilty for thinking that. That was not what his mother would have wished, it was not what Halmsa and his people wished, but it was what Sinjin wished. The thought shamed him.

  "It won't be much longer," Benjin said to Sinjin. "Once we enter the mouth of the river there, it's not all that far to the Eternal Guardians. Millie is working with Morif to get supplies ready for unloading. We'll just send up prepared food on the first trip. We should be able to get the rest on a second trip, though we'll want to leave a few people behind to keep the wildlife out of our stores."

  The reality of what was happening pressed down on Sinjin's shoulders. The Dragon clan was settling here, and since he had nowhere else to go, he supposed he and those loyal to him were as well. Hard days were ahead, and he somehow knew he was grossly unprepared. Even with all of that, there was a sense of excitement, a new beginning, a chance to make things the way he thought they should be. It was then that he saw a massive black shark thrust itself from the water to grab a barking seal. The rest of the seals, which had previously been nearly invisible, now barked, hollered, and backed away from the water. Sinjin's enthusiasm was dampened by the reminder that this was a deadly place, a place of untamed wilderness; the creatures who ruled here were not human.