"We have been patient with you, Cracker," declared Garth, "but our patience has run out. We want our goods, and we want them now."
Cracker was nearly trembling with fear, but he refused to show it. He clenched his jaw as he replied.
"Speedy is not here," Cracker said steadily, "but he can be summoned. I am quite impressed that you were able to find this place and sneak into it, but getting out is going to be a different challenge. The whole complex has now been alerted to your presence."
"I don't see anyone trying to barge in," smiled Garth. "Where can we find Speedy?"
One of the captains started to speak, but Cracker glared at him, and the man shut his mouth.
"One of you run and get Speedy and bring him here," ordered Cracker.
One of the captains glanced at the Knights of Alcea and saw no threat to his movements, so he headed out of the chamber. When he impacted against the invisible barrier, the captain tumbled to the ground in pain. The other captains gasped in surprise, but Cracker maintained an emotionless face.
"I didn't give anyone permission to leave," stated Garth. The Knight of Alcea walked across the room and stood before the captain who had been tempted to speak. "I think you had something to offer to the conversation?" he asked.
Garth was positioned between the thief captain and Cracker, so that the leader could not influence the man. The thief's eyes darted around the room seeking the thoughts of his fellow captains, but all he saw was the fear in their eyes.
"Speedy is not in the complex," the captain finally said. "He left yesterday afternoon."
The man closed his mouth, but Garth stood his ground, staring at the thief as if waiting to hear the rest of the story.
The captain trembled visibly, and his eyes darted around. He knew that he was being pressed for more information, but he didn't know what else the warriors wanted.
"He didn't say where he was going," the captain continued. "He laughed about this place being too hot so he was going to take a rest in a hotter place. It made no sense to me, but Speedy's humor was often strange. That is all I know. Honest."
"Let my captains leave," Cracker said softly, but forcefully. "You wanted a private meeting. I will now grant it to you."
Garth was ready to respond with a stinging quip, but he halted as he turned and looked at Cracker. There was fear in the man's eyes, but also desperation. It was not the kind of desperation where a man feels at the end of his rope, but rather a sense of impending humiliation. Garth got the sense that Cracker would rather die than look foolish before his men.
"Your captains will leave this place only upon an oath of death," declared Garth. "They are to go to their sleeping quarters and remain there. They will not notify your troops of our location like you would want them to. Those are my terms. Is your word worth anything, Cracker?"
Cracker nodded without hesitation. "Do exactly as this warrior has requested," ordered Cracker. "Speak of nothing that has transpired in here until I give you leave to. Do you understand?"
The captains nodded quickly, eager to be any place other than the meeting chamber. Garth nodded to Kalina, but his words were meant for Bitsy.
"Make sure that the captains behave," ordered Garth.
Kalina dropped the shield, and Garth nodded to the captains. The captains filed silently out of the meeting chamber. No one noticed the tiny fairy that followed them by flying close to the ceiling. Garth turned towards Cracker and walked closer to him.
"She is a mage?" Cracker asked as he nodded towards Kalina.
"Let's just say that we have no worries about getting out of here," smiled Garth. "Imagine a blazing inferno preceding our path through the tunnels. I suppose the stench of burning flesh would be almost unbearable, but we would reach the surface unmolested."
"I do not know whether to believe you," frowned Cracker.
"The problem is," Garth replied, "you have failed to believe us from the start. All of this unpleasantness could have been avoided, and you wouldn't come out of this looking like a fool. That is what matters most to you, isn't it?"
Cracker tore his gaze away from Kalina and stared into Garth's eyes. He sighed heavily and nodded.
"You are a very perceptive man, Garth Shado," Cracker declared. "I have underestimated you at every turn, and I probably deserve the humiliation that comes with it, but I refuse to accept it. I would rather die."
"That can be arranged," Garth said threateningly. He paused for several seconds before continuing in a more diplomatic tone. "Your death buys us nothing, Cracker. The simple fact is, we want our belongings back. That means we need to find Speedy. Who is he, and where can we find him?"
Cracker nodded with understanding. "His real name is Morro," the thief leader said. "He is an elf with an amazing gift of speed. That is where his nickname came from. I am not sure where he originally came from, but he ran away from one of the Federation indoctrination centers that all elven children are sent to. When he arrived here, he had references from every major city in the Federation. That alone makes him unique in my eyes."
"Why is that?" asked Garth.
"Thieves are numerous," explained Cracker. "Olansk is a small city, and I have hundreds of men and boys under my command. For someone of Morro's talent to make captain here is easily understandable. He is not only an excellent thief, but he knows how to handle the other men to get what he wants. The point is, unless you are a captain in an organization, you don't get a reference from the head of a gang. That means that Morro not only made it to the upper echelons here, but in every major city of the Federation."
"Why would he move around so much?" asked Natia. "Why not stay in one city and become the head boss?"
"An excellent question," replied Cracker. "Morro made it clear to me upon his arrival that he had no intention of vying for my position, and I believe him. He is good enough to vie for the top spot in a larger city. During the months he has been here, his record has been impeccable. That is, until you came along. What is so special about the things he took from you?"
"The carvings are valuable," answered Garth. "They were made by DeCardia in Zinbar, and we hope to make a great deal of money from their sale. The staff also has sentimental value to one of my people. We are not willing to accept the loss of it."
"You had me fooled," chuckled Cracker. "Speedy and I went through the pack several times trying to determine its value, but I have never heard of DeCardia before. They were fine figurines, but such things do not have much of a market here in Olansk."
"We were taking them on to Giza," replied Garth. "Where is Speedy now?"
"I can only guess at that," mused Cracker. "I didn't know he had left until now."
"Then take a guess," urged Tedi.
"Speedy would often take time off from thieving to explore the desert," answered Cracker. "He claimed at one time to have found the lost city of Aranak, but no one believes him. My point is, he is at home in the Sands of Eternity. He apparently gauged your skills much better than I did if he saw the need to leave yesterday. If he knew that you would be tracking him, I think he would head for the desert. It is only two day's ride from here, and Morro is one of the few of my men who owns a horse. I would warn you of the danger of entering that wasteland, but I have a feeling that would not dissuade you."
"No, it wouldn't," agreed Garth. "Our real problem at this point is believing you. How do I know that Speedy isn't really here and this is a trick to get rid of us?"
"There is no way that I can prove that," Cracker answered, "but as I said before, you are perceptive. I have spoken openly and honestly with you, as I never have with an outsider before. I respect your skills, and I have no doubt that you would return here if Speedy showed up again. I would just as soon not have that happen."
"Fair enough," Garth said after a moment's pause. "Now all we need is a way out of here that doesn't demand the deaths of all of your men."
"Is she really a mage?" asked Cracker. "I have never heard of a female mage, and besides, all ma
ges are priests to Balmak."
"That does present another problem," frowned Garth. "We do not particularly want people to know our skills. So what are we to do with you?"
"My lips are sealed," vowed the head thief. "Just show me a small bit of fire and I will escort you out of here personally. No one would dare attack you if I ordered them to stand down."
"Do you mean like him?" Natia interjected as she pointed to the dead captain on the floor.
"I had not asked anyone to stand down," Cracker smiled thinly. "One thing you must understand about my organization. My word is law down here. Besides, if I escort you out of here, I retain my standing among my men. I will have gotten rid of you and not given up your goods in return. In fact, my standing will be elevated in their eyes."
"You are fearless," chuckled Garth. "I will give you that. Torch him, Kalina."
Kalina's arm rose and pointed towards Cracker. The thief's eyes grew large, and his mouth opened as he shook his head pleadingly. Kalina smiled and flames soared from her fingertips. Cracker closed his eyes and ducked. When the flames did not strike him, he opened his eyes and looked around in wonder. Beside him the wall of the cave was scorched black and smoke was rising from the stones.
"Well," grinned Garth, "maybe not entirely fearless, but then again, only a fool lives without fear."
"I only requested a small sampling," Cracker sighed in relief.
"That was a small sampling," replied Garth. "Cracker, I cannot stress the need for secrecy here. If word gets out about Kalina's skills, I will know where it came from."
"You have my vow," promised the thief. "There is much that I do not know about you and your group, but I do know that you are not merchants. Whoever you are, I do not wish to be among your enemies. I will need to gather my captains and send them before me. I do not want to take the chance of one of my men trying to make a name for himself."
Garth nodded his approval, and Cracker led the way to the private quarters of the captains. He explained that he was going to lead his friends to the exit and wanted them to ensure that the men understood that they were guests. The captains showed expressions of surprise, but they scurried away to implement their leader's orders. Unseen by anyone, two fairies followed in the darkness to make sure that there was no betrayal. When they reached the exit from the cave, Cracker smiled and nodded his head slightly in respect. Garth saw scores of eyes peering out and decided to leave the thief with his dignity. He smiled warmly and nodded in return for the audience of thieves. As the Knights of Alcea walked through the streets of Olansk, Natia moved alongside Garth, and Smokey came out of the trees and tagged along.
"You were cordial with the thief," she noted. "Perhaps there is more gypsy in you than you care to admit."
"He may be a thief," replied Garth, "but he spoke openly and honestly with us. I am sure of that. From what I have seen of the Federation so far, being a thief is probably a necessity for many people, and I expect it to get worse as we get deeper into the original lands of the Federation."
"What are we to do with Morro?" asked Tedi. "He already has a day's head start on us, and it is only two day's ride to the desert. Even if we ride through the night, we can't catch him before he enters the Sands of Eternity. I have heard that it is larger than the Great Sordoan Desert back home."
"You heard that from me," chuckled Kalina. "And it is. I think the solution is one that requires an eagle's eye. You can bring my horse along."
"Why not just slay him and bring our goods back?" asked Natia. "It would save us a trip."
"No," Garth said authoritatively. "We will not harm him unless we are forced to."
Kalina raised an eyebrow questioningly, but Garth purposely ignored her. The Knights of Alcea returned to the Aranak Dunes and got their horses out of the stables. Kalina stayed with the group as they left the city in case Captain Takir had spies watching. Garth did not want to leave the impression that one of his group had stayed behind. They followed the Aranak Road east out of the city, and as soon as they were out of sight of everyone, Garth led the group into the forest. Kalina dismounted and walked behind a tree. As she cast the spell of transformation, her body shimmered and slowly faded. In her place stood an impressive eagle with piercing eyes.
The eagle leaped into the air and climbed over the forest canopy. The eagle powered upward until it found an updraft and then let the wind carry it high over Kyber Woods. At first it followed the road, its keen eyes scrutinizing the sparse traffic below, but when the Aranak Road turned north, the eagle continued eastward over the forest. It was difficult to see through the forest canopy from such a height, but the eagle was unconcerned. The bird could easily glide a day's ride in less than two hours and could half that time if it was in a hurry.
The forest canopy gave way to farmland about a day's ride out of Olansk. The edge of the forest was the perfect place to make camp for someone on a two-day journey, but the thief would have already started out from camp as the morning sun was already glistening over the distant sands of the desert. The eagle dived lower, its speed increasing dramatically as its eyes scanned the narrow trails that weaved through the farms. Farmers moved about in their fields below, and small wagons creaked along the dirt trails heading for Olansk, but there were no single riders heading eastward. The eagle thought about turning back to search the edge of the forest more carefully when the edge of the desert appeared. Its keen eyes detected almost-obscured tracks heading straight into the desert, and the eagle climbed higher once again.
Soaring to great heights, the bird watched the Sands of Eternity stretch out before it. Massive sand dunes rippled the land like unmoving waves of the sea, and the shadows cast by the morning sun made the ground a patchwork of black and gold. The eagle could no longer see the tracks in the sand, but after a while it detected a lone rider cresting a dune. The rider was dressed completely in white, and the horse was white as well. In the glaring sunlight, the rider was hard to detect, but he was almost invisible in the shadows. The eagle glided lower, but not so low as to draw attention to itself. As the bird caught up to the rider, it resorted to flying in lazy circles with the sun behind it in case the rider looked up.
The horse seemed to move at an agonizingly slow pace for the bird, but the eagle was patient. It circled for over an hour and then suddenly the rider disappeared. The eagle had been watching the rider cross the dunes and drop into the troughs, only to emerge on the next dune. The last trough, however, had managed to swallow the rider. Curious, the eagle broke out of its circling and headed for the trough where the rider disappeared. At first glance the trough was no different than the others, and the bird flew yet lower, its keen eyes following the already disappearing tracks. As the eagle glided into the trough, a small opening appeared in the side of the dune, it's black maw much darker than the shadow caused by the sun. The tracks disappeared into the cave. The eagle swooped past the cave entrance and landed a good distance away in the shadows of the trough. Its form shimmered for a moment and a beautiful woman appeared in its place.
Kalina cautiously backtracked towards the cave opening, her ears perked for any sounds of the elf or his horse, but all she could hear was the wind whipping across the sand, erasing the tracks of the horse. She realized then that Morro had found the perfect hideout. Not even a bloodhound would have been able to track him in the shifting sands, and the thief had ridden all night to be sure that no one caught up to him. Safe in his cave, the Knights of Alcea could have searched the desert for days without ever coming near him. Only Kalina's magic had foiled his plan.
Kalina reached the opening and stood silently for several long moments. She heard nothing and decided to enter. Casting both a magical and physical shield, she silently stepped into the darkness and let her eyes adjust to the blackness. The adjustment took several minutes after being in the blinding glare of the desert, but she sensed no one around her. When she was finally able to see in the dimness, she saw a long sloping gully heading deep into the ground, as if someone had
poked a hole in the bottom of a wide barrel of sand. Kalina frowned. She could easily illuminate a ring or another object to give off light, but that would draw attention to her presence. Yet without light of some kind, she would not be able to see where she was going as it would get darker the farther away from the opening she got.
Finally opting for stealth over safety, Kalina headed down the incline. She moved slowly when possible, but the path was steep, and the sand often flowed along with her. Eventually she came to a hard flat surface, and she sensed movement in front of her. Kalina froze. Something moved in front of her, and she saw an opening in the ground with dim light emanating from it. The light barely showed outside the hole, but she saw the form of a horse before her. There was no sign of the rider. Noise came out of the hole, and Kalina moved sideways to take herself away from the horse. Unexpectedly, a head popped out of the hole and a bucket was raised up and set by the lip, water sloshing over the rim of the bucket. The horse immediately bent its head to drink, and the man's head disappeared back into the hole.
Kalina remained still for a long time, waiting for the head to reappear, but it did not show again. Emboldened by the lack of sounds from below, Kalina dropped to her knees and crept forward to the edge of the hole. She gazed into the hole and saw a mound of sand stretching up towards her, but what really shocked her was the sight of walls and a doorway where the light was coming from. She slipped over the edge and quietly dropped to the sand mound below.
Inside the room, the light was still dim, but it was bright enough to make out her surroundings. And it was a room. She could see the walls and two doorways, and the hole was in the ceiling. Intrigued, she slowly slid down the dark side of the mound and peered around at the two doorways. Both of the doorways were open, but the light came from only one, and Kalina could hear the sounds of movement through it. She moved cautiously through the dark doorway. Because of the angle of the two doorways, the room that Kalina entered received little benefit from the light in the other room. She had planned to hide by closing the door, but the sand flowed across the doorsill.
Final Voyage of the Remora Page 45