‘I might hate Ompar—even now—but I did nothing to kill him. I am still here,’ Lex said.
‘I am not guilty,’ Anja noted. ‘But I would still leave.’
I laughed. ‘You will.’ The ships were very close to the fabulous city of Trad, the many tiered city full of lights, and I remembered Cosia telling me how people of the city ate dinner with their families after sundown on the roofs. Refugees were filling the decks, the pain of losses and terror evident on their faces, their futures uncertain. Magical lights filled the docks as we came closer, and men and elves were standing there, waiting. ‘I want you to get off the ship here.’
‘Who?’ Anja asked.
‘Lex,’ I said. ‘Ulrich, Cherry. You, of course. I’ll take it from here. Find service with the elves.’
‘I’d be happy to go,’ Anja said bitterly. ‘And they should come with me indeed. Will they allow it, even?’ she wondered, looking at Trad with curiosity.
‘They will.’
‘Are you totally out of your damned mind?’ Lex asked me. ‘Hello!’
‘You will go, and you will not come back to me,’ I said. ‘I cannot trust you. Find a hovel or a palace, Lex, I don’t care. Find service. And if I see you again, make sure to avoid me. Ompar’s death will not let me rest easily. Ulrich, you wish to join your cousin and your lover?’
He hesitated. Anja pulled at him. ‘Ulrich? I know we have been … sad these past weeks. But this is our place to start again.’
‘She hurt you,’ Ulrich said sadly. ‘She suspects you of murder and lies. But she is troubled. She needs our help still.’
‘She failed us in Gray Downs! She and her sister!’ Anja shouted. I noticed Asfalon moving to the deck, and then he was looking up at us. How different from Ompar. A high lord, distant, cold.
Ulrich tried to grab Anja. ‘She didn’t trust us in the Gray Downs! You know it! All because of Ron and what happened the day we arrived. And in the end she defied this creature that wanted the rest of us dead. Alexei and Dmitri died while she tried to save them. I hurt her. Badly. And I owe her. I care for you. But I owe her.’
‘You owe her? You care for me?’ Anja asked him. ‘I—’
‘She tried to tell you she is sorry!’ Ulrich yelled so hard all the heads on the deck turned in our direction. ‘She did. She tried to save you like she did the rest of us. She accepted the fact she might die, and she did what she could.’
‘She should have helped us earlier!’ Anja said weakly.
‘And you,’ Ulrich said, turning to his cousin. ‘Lex? She never made you a promise. She loved. And you hated him. How could she trust you? At least one of us is a traitor. She is fighting to save her life and has to look over her shoulder. She is trying to do even more for Aldheim. And she is doomed to die. She needs help. She cannot do it alone.’
Dana stepped to my side. ‘If she wants to be rid of you lot, you should leave her. We will see it through.’
Anja spat at her feet. ‘Nobody has more reason to be under suspicion than you, Dana. Ulrich was right. You are the only one who truly wanted to work with Euryale. And you have made us miserable these past weeks.’
My sister fumed. ‘You are no smarter than your brothers were. Yes, I wanted Shannon to save us both, but she did it her own way. I was just trying to survive. But you hate her with a passion. You are like an evil old wife tormenting a beautiful young relative. Your spite for her cannot be changed; instead, it slithers out of your mouth to bite at us all, all the time. She does not trust you. So go!’
The ship moored, and we stood in silence. The soldiers began pushing the people from the ship, and I watched them go. Then I looked at Anja. ‘I don’t know what happens, but I cannot have people around me I don’t trust. It might break my heart if it was not already broken like a twig. But you will leave now. Try to be happy elsewhere. And if I find you betrayed me, you will die one day by my hand. I’ll drag you to the sea by your hair, drown you, and then feed your eyeballs to the birds. I will.’
She stared at me, angry at first, then tired, and she rubbed her face. ‘I’m not an actor or a liar,’ she whispered as she saw the elves waiting, and perhaps she was scared when it was actually time to get her wish. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. ‘You will see it in the end. The ones who dislike you honestly might be more honest than the ones closest to you. We shall go. We disliked you, Lex for Ompar’s love, I for my brothers. We never covered it up. Our honor is intact, and we do not lie.’
‘Lex,’ I said, ignoring her. ‘You might or might not have had something to do with his death. But you already failed him once. He would have died at Scorpion’s Bridge as well. To many, it would seem you just finished the job. You stopped being my friend at some point and wanted more than I could give. I don’t trust you any longer.’
‘And I am to leave,’ he stated incredulously, his eyes taking in Trad. ‘Over there? Just like that? Can you force us?’
‘They don’t want you on the ship any more than I do,’ I hissed. ‘You know it. And they can.’
‘Go, cousin,’ Ulrich said softly. ‘Look after Anja. She is dangerous to herself. I’ll do the same to Shannon.’
He took a deep breath and shook his shoulders. He gave me a long look. ‘I hated him for taking you away. But I did not kill him. That is ridiculous. And I am sorry I changed from friend to something you find loathsome. I see that you hate me now. But I cannot help what I felt. Anja is right.’
‘Should you not go also?’ Dana asked Ulrich.
‘No,’ he said.
‘You go as well,’ I said softly. ‘I don’t know which one of you did it to Ompar.’
‘Shannon—’
I raised my hand. ‘You brought me back, Ulrich. You killed me once and brought me back, but I don’t know why. You said it was because of compassion, but a male maa’dark killed Ompar, helped kill him at least. So you go. And I thank you more than most for your help.’
He stiffened. ‘And Cherry and Dana?’
Dana snorted. ‘Cherry has proved her mettle many times over. I am her sister. You are dangerous.’
I raised my hand. ‘You will do me a favor, Ulrich.’
He mulled it over. ‘What?’
‘Keep Dana safe in Trad until you part ways,’ I said.
Dana sputtered, and Ulrich sighed and nodded slowly. ‘Fine. It goes against every fiber in my body, but yes.’
I hesitated, sighed and looked away. ‘All of you. Leave.’
‘What?’ Dana asked softly. ‘You want me to—’
‘Yes,’ I whispered. ‘Go, sister. You have been terrible company, like a hedgehog under an armpit. You have been a sullen beast, a sarcastic bitch, and nasty to everyone. You are partly to blame for Lex’s pain and Anja’s rage. You go. I’d avoid them if I were you.’
She looked shocked. Cherry came to pull at her, but she ripped her hand free. Cherry smiled at me and bowed her head. She understood. She did.
Lex snorted, clambered off and pushed Anja to the plank. Asfalon watched them go with an emotionless face, and soon they disappeared into the crowd. I felt hollow, but I could not help feeling relieved as well. ‘Dana?’
‘Yes?’ she said, her eyes round.
‘Go,’ I said, and Cherry finally tore her down the stairs. I watched them go. They joined the last refugees disembarking the ship, and then I was alone with the elves. I gazed after the Tears, and saw them push through the crowds. Dana turned to look at me, her face hurt and incredulous. I was beyond her help, but she was probably shocked that I had left her behind, not the other way around. An elf pushed at them, and they disappeared.
Asfalon nodded behind me, and I saw Shinna stand there. She smiled at me with sad eyes. ‘It is hard to lose your family. I’ve lost some.’
‘They were broken,’ I said softly. ‘Untrustworthy. Quarrelsome.’
She smiled. ‘And—’
I nodded. ‘And now they are safe. No matter which ones are guilty of murder and betrayal, if any, they would no
t be safe in Himingborg. That is where the danger lurks.’
She smiled and bowed. ‘Bravely done. I will help you as best I can.’
‘Thank you,’ I said as the ship detangled from the port.
Asfalon gave the orders, and his small navy pulled out. I looked at the harbor dully. I had lost Ompar, and I had wanted to lose the others. I wanted to be alone. And they were as safe now as they could be. Unless they were hurt, and I would not be able to heal them. I cursed myself and slapped my helmet in frustration. I should not think about them; it was done. There were huge elven ships moored in the harbor, and some had the Bardagoon star painted on the prow. The prince nodded his head that way. ‘Our navy is preparing for war. It’s going to come, no matter what happens in the Feast. Danar and Marxam cannot back off totally now. It’s too late for that. Even if their plans have been likely thwarted.’
‘If I restore the gods, they will be sorry for any trouble they make,’ I whispered, and he heard. He smiled and clapped a hand on my shoulder.
‘That will be a fabulous day, my lady. Now, let us go and see Shinna’s father. He is the great maa’dark and will keep you safe,’ he said. ‘Then you will meet my father as soon as he arrives in Himingborg. He will, very shortly.’
‘Do so,’ I said, and he bowed slightly. ‘I will stay here.’
‘You have been here for days,’ he said. ‘I—’
‘Bring me a blanket and food,’ I told him. ‘And let me be. I won’t get sick, will I?’
He left with a bow.
I sat there for days. I ate at night when no one was around and left the place only to relieve myself. I was neither cold nor warm, only terribly lonely. I saw the plains of House Vautan stretch to the east, the beautiful coves and fine cities that dotted the rich coast, but I found little joy from the spirals of pearls and facades of blue and white. Ships sailed past us, but I did not acknowledge their happy crews, nor did I celebrate a catch of glittering golden-scaled fish by a young elf who tried to make me happy during the voyage with smiles and offers of a song. Though I did accept an extra blanket from him, and it made him happy enough. I slept miserably, feeling rotten to my core and saw Ompar’s face looking back at me in my troubled dreams. I saw my friends lost and hungry, and I woke incessantly, always covered with cold sweat.
That last night, the ship stopped to take in a passenger from another ship, but we soon went on our way again and then, that morning we arrived.
It was a golden and hopeful morning, and I sat up as Asfalon came to me. He kneeled next to me as I pushed up to my fours and finally to my knees, groaning. ‘Happy? Suffered enough, Hand? Feeling rotten and useless now?’
‘Yes, but no, I have not suffered enough, Lord,’ I said and stretched my neck.
‘City of the Straits,’ Asfalon said. ‘Himingborg. The Seven Spires on the north side of the straits is where Shinna’s father holds peace over this land.’
It was a truly spectacular sight. The land around the straits’ entrance was part of one gigantic city. The city spread to the left and the right side of the waters. Huge, tall walls surrounded it and even ran across the water, where massive sea gates gleamed in the light of Mar. Hundreds of multicolored spires rose high up into the air in the city, and there were huge flags whipping in the brisk sea breeze on top of each. It was a beautiful city, the dull red sea walls thick and deadly, and I could see why such a city could hold the Freyr’s Tooth safe. That holy continent grew higher and higher to the north from Himingborg, great cliffs stretched far to the horizon, and it appeared only this place allowed easy access to the Bardagoon heartlands. ‘The mightiest city in Aldheim,’ Asfalon noted.
‘Shinna will rule it one day,’ I said. ‘Did I understand that is correct?’
He smiled. ‘The thing is, human, that elves live for thousands of years. Yes, eventually our lives end of old age, but say you have a child when you are but twenty years old. That one, if you are a noble, is going to be your eldest one. No? And then you go on living forever. Shinna will not rule anything as long as Talien does. And he is a very spry elf of nearly three thousand years. My father is two thousand. I and Shinna both will have to wait for an age before we will truly rule. And we might die in war or of disease. Or a storm.’
‘At least you have time to learn all you wish to learn,’ I said.
He snorted. ‘Indeed.’
I was wondering at the enormous city and the many ships passing to and from the huge sea gates. ‘But surely you have your own duties? You sail around with a navy and rescue hapless humans, no?’
He chuckled. ‘We serve as asked. And we don’t get bored, no. We all study the ingredients of the Glory all our lives,’ he said. ‘The scholars and the masters drive us to excel, our lords wish to see us better soldiers, more devious diplomats and yes, we have our fiefs to rule and occasionally we take on higher callings, but in our world, there is little room left for second and third sons and daughters. The heads of the houses deal with everything, and they rarely die. When Freyr ruled from Freyr’s Seat—the house you might know as Whispering Shadows—our lives were much more humble then. The houses were not small nations but families in service of the land. Cerunnos Timmerion changed that, didn’t he? Really tried to change everything he could. A real meddler.’
‘This is what Danar Coinar is trying to achieve,’ I said. ‘Kingship.’
‘Kingship? Really?’ he said with a smile. ‘He is a far cry from Cerunnos, though. Nothing like the ancient one. No, Cerunnos nearly pulled off a great change, but he caused the sundering of the gates, and that will forever make him a vile thing amongst elves.’
‘The gods and their squabbles had a part to play,’ I said tiredly.
He agreed. ‘Yes. Odin threw Lok’s daughter to Helheim as the Queen of Rot, Lok killed Baldr, Odin’s son and Baldr went to Helheim, and there they kept him. I would call that a grand squabble. A major damned mess. Like Linnea, my servant who fell with my piss pot on the stairs.’ I giggled, and he laughed and bowed stiffly. ‘It was a horrible mess.’
‘You appear very strict, and yet you can laugh,’ I stated.
‘Yes.’
I hesitated for a moment and then braved a question. ‘Talking about meddling elves. Has your father ever let a Hand of Life enter the Whispering Shadows?’
He looked glum. ‘One does not easily do so,’ he said. ‘Hand is hard to gain, and it will make you very powerful and technically the legitimate Regent of the land if you do, no matter who you are. At least in theory. I find it sad he has not. I think bringing back the gods our most important mission, but then, possessing the relic of the gods, you, the Hand, is the way one stays on top of the pecking order and ultimately alive in this world of ours. Bardagoons have ever held the title of the Regent. When the Hand is missing, he holds it with his allies. When the Hand is found, he stops at nothing to gain her. Most families send the Hand to him as soon as the powers of healing are discovered. Vautan and Safiroon dependents have found Hands before, but they have always sent them to my father and grandfather before it. Some have gone there; one, as you know, sailed to challenge Euryale. Most have stayed and served the Bardagoons until Euryale has killed them. Now we know why she went after them like a bloodhound after a sausage. She was looking for a human Hand. She must be going crazy with rage that you are now here in our grasp.’ Asfalon shrugged and rubbed his face. ‘It will be strange for him, the marriage. Is there going to be one?’ he asked softly, raising his eyebrow.
I nodded. ‘I dropped them to the sea.’
He smiled. ‘Good, very good. There were no more such copies? It would be very uncomfortable if some should surface. Imagine his face as he has his own contract taken to the records and there is this—’
‘I doubt it, I didn’t see them to begin with,’ I said.
He shook his head. ‘A scoundrel he was,’ he whispered and shook his head again and sensed my annoyance. ‘I am sorry. Let us wonder at the fine city.’
‘Your lady Shinna will not join us
?’ I asked.
‘Momentarily,’ he said. ‘She is working on her correspondence.’
I sighed and stared at the massive walls that we were fast approaching. ‘What do we see out there?’
Asfalon grunted happily and fingered his sword, then pointed towards the straits and the glinting gate. ‘That is the Gate of the Sails. Through it, you enter the walled Strait’s Harbor and the fabulous markets will be immediately visible on both sides. The straits continue for a long while and take you to the strange western ocean, but the west side of the city and the straits is gated with the Grinning Snout, another fabulous gate.’
‘You love your gates, eh?’ I grinned.
Asfalon smiled widely. ‘Yes, we do love the gates. It is home inside, and outside, danger and such a massive thing cannot help but inspire one. Look at them! Bronze and steel and how they are carved with symbols of day and night, silver and gold.’
‘You could make all the king’s cannons with one door,’ I agreed.
‘Cannons?’ Asfalon asked, confused.
‘Weapons of our home,’ I said. ‘Tell us more.’
He pointed his finger to the north side of the land. ‘The castle on the hill, the Seven Spires is home to the lord Talin, as I said. Silver Spires or Seven Spires is a grand, magnificent palace and a fort set on the northern wall, and it guards the way to Bardagoon’s lands. It acts as a ... gate, as you probably guessed. Before the palace on the side of the city is the White Court. That again is where an ancient gate was placed. One of the lost ones. A gate to another world.’
‘The gates to the other worlds?’ I asked. ‘There, in Himingborg?’
‘One gate. Yes, that is where the Feast of Fate is held. The whole Court is walled off. There are smaller palaces around the walls, towers, it’s blocked from the commoners. The White Court around the old temple is a large, black and white tiled ground where commoners have no business. Across from the palace, near the harbor, there is the ancient fort. There … you cannot quite see it, but you see the black towers with huge round windows?’
‘Yes,’ I said, clutching the railing in wonderment.
Eye of Hel: Stories of the Nine Worlds (Ten Tears Chronicles - a dark fantasy action adventure Book 2) Page 20