Amnesia: The Book of Maladies

by D. K. Holmberg

  “You have an augmentation,” Alec said.

  “No. Feel the cloth.”

  Alec ran his fingers along the cloth that shrouded the prince. It was smooth, but it was firm. Almost metallic.

  “Armor?”

  “The finest I can buy. Who needs augmentations when a simple suit of armor can be just as effective?”

  “What if the eels attacked your face?”

  “I can see that coming,” the prince said.

  Alec shook his head. “I still can’t believe you did that. That wasn’t the most sensible plan.”

  “The next time you can jump in.”

  “No thanks.” He glanced down at the water. “Did you find any eels? Is this the right place?”

  The prince motioned to the trees. “There is a swarm of eels over near those trees. They are swimming in an out of the root system, disappearing.” He turned back to Alec. “Yes. I think this is the right place.”

  The prince lifted his long barge pole and pushed them toward the trees. When they reached them, the prince grabbed a branch and started to break it off.

  “We might need to get a section of the root also.”

  The prince frowned at him. “Why?”

  “If the eels are swimming around the roots, we would want to make sure we’re getting something that has most potency.”

  “Won’t that kill the tree?”

  “Not necessarily. In many plants, if you take only a section of the root, it will stimulate increased growth. It might even be that taking a section of the root would help these trees—and the eels.”

  The prince shrugged. “You’re only saying that so that I have to jump back down into the water.”

  “You said you had armor.”

  The prince glared at him. He said nothing more as he jumped off the edge of the barge and into the water. He was gone only a few moments before he threw himself back onto the barge. He had a long hunk of slimy root that had a strange, glistening coating to it.

  Something writhed near him.

  “Prince? The man ignored him. “Jalen?”

  With that, the prince turned to him. Alec nodded to his leg where an eel was chomping down on his calf, his tail attempting to flick up and penetrate the prince in the belly.

  “That’s interesting,” the prince said. He unsheathed his knife and stabbed it through the eel. It took a moment, but the eel stopped moving. “How much of this do you think we need to be successful?”

  Alec looked at the long hunk of root. “I don’t know. If this works, it might be enough for a single batch, but we would need more to make a decent quantity of easar paper.”

  He couldn’t believe he was actually thinking the recipe might be effective. If it was, did that mean they no longer would have a limited supply? Could he have finally discovered the key to making it so they weren’t reliant on finding supplies from outside of the city?

  Essentially, stealing from the Thelns.

  “If it works, then at least we know where to come to harvest more.”

  They turned and started back toward the city. Alec took a seat on the barge, staring at the slick surface of the tree root, wondering whether this really was what the Thelns had used for their easar paper. How would they ever have thought to use this?

  Unless they knew something more about the connection between Kavers and Scribes. Which they had to. Everything he had learned made it seem likely that the Thelns knew much more about what it meant to be a Scribe. That was the reason Scribes who went into Theln lands rarely returned. They were tempted, and that temptation kept them there, preventing them from returning to their home and the university.

  “What is it, physicker?” the prince asked, taking a seat next to Alec. They drifted, and Alec smiled, thinking that there was something almost peaceful about drifting through the swamp. As surprising as it was, he felt a connection to the prince, and thought that maybe, under different circumstances, they could have been friends. That, despite the fact the prince was who he was and Alec was the son of an apothecary.

  “I’m just thinking about the easar paper. I’m thinking about how difficult it has been to make, and I’m thinking about—”

  Alec frowned. In the distance, he swore he saw movement.

  The prince leapt to his feet and peered out into the night.

  Alec stood and took a position next to the prince, looking into the darkness, though his eyesight wasn’t in any way enhanced. With only the moonlight, he could barely make out whether anything—or anyone—was out there. If there was someone, it meant were likely a Kaver. That was the most likely explanation, though what Kaver? And what would they want?

  “We need to hurry now,” the prince said.

  He began to push off with the pole, moving as quickly as he could, sending them streaking through the swamp. Alec couldn’t tell whether he was augmented, or whether it was simple determination that propelled them as quickly as they went.

  He stared behind them, watching the swamp, searching for signs of movement.

  When it came again, it startled him.

  It was a flicker of activity. It had to be a Kaver. Nothing else would move like that. Nothing else would flip and soar into the sky and land with little more than a quiet splash.

  “It’s a Kaver,” Alec said.

  “I’m aware of that,” the prince told him.

  “Is there anything you can do?”

  The prince glanced over at him briefly. “I’m not so much of a… proficient… Kaver. Let’s say that I prefer more practical approaches.”

  “Such as the armor?”

  The prince nodded. “I’ve never taken my position quite as seriously as some. Perhaps that was a mistake, but it is what it is.”

  He made a motion, and the two soldiers stood and took positions at the back of the barge.

  Alec couldn’t help but wonder what use they would be if a Kaver appeared on the deck of the barge? He had seen Kavers fight, had seen the way they could spin and move and use their staffs to deadly effect. If there was a Kaver coming after them—or even more than one—there might not be anything that these two soldiers would be able to do to counter, especially if the Kaver was augmented.

  The city gradually came into view. It happened slowly—far too slowly—and the prince continued to push, moving with a rapid, almost frantic, energy.

  Alec turned his attention to the rear of the boat, looking back. The movement he saw that told him there had to be at least two Kavers. It was a flicker of shadows, and little more than that. There came a soft splash when they landed, their staffs parting the water so smoothly that they made little sound. Was that what Sam was to become? Was that what she already was? Could she flip and fly across the swamp with the same grace?

  And then someone appeared on the deck.

  It was an older man, and he had graying hair and a solid build. His canal staff stood three feet taller than his height, and he spun it around, sending a spray of water off of it.

  The soldiers converged on him, swords unsheathed and slicing at the Kaver.

  They were pushed back, the Kaver too fast with his staff and movements.

  Still, the soldiers maintained their focus, seemingly not intimidated by the much longer reach of the canal staff.

  The prince continued his focus, sending them through the water, not distracted by the battle taking place at the rear of the barge. For that, Alec was thankful. If he changed his focus, he would delay them. All Alec wanted was to get back onto land, and then…

  Then he would make a run for Sam.

  He would take the piece of tree root with him, and he would see if he could make easar paper with it, even if it wasn’t completely effective.

  Another Kaver landed on the deck. This one came close to the prince.

  He swung his barge pole out of the water and at the Kaver.

  The pole was too long, and he didn’t have the same augmentations as the Kaver, so the Kaver was able to spin her staff quickly, knocking the prince down.
>
  She struck his arm, and Alec feared it broke a bone, having seen the way the staffs could injure people, but with his armor, the prince seemed unharmed.

  He swept the barge pole beneath the Kaver, forcing her to jump.

  As she did, Alec moved into position where she would land, and shoved, sending her flying out into the swamp. Her canal staff went flying, and she landed in a splash.

  The prince stared into the distance, an angry look on his face, before lifting up the barge pole and quickly using it to push them forward again. “Thanks.”

  The sound of fighting behind them caught Alec’s attention. He turned to see the two soldiers attempting to push the Kaver back, but he was quick. How many augmentations did he have? Or did he even need augmentations? Could he be like Sam and Marin, able to control them without needing a Scribe to help?

  One of the soldiers fell into the swamp.

  Alec tried to reach for him, but the barge moved way too quickly. He thrashed in the water and then went under.

  Alec squeezed his eyes closed briefly. He didn’t want to think about what fate the man might face. He didn’t want to think about the way the eels would attack, piercing his flesh, the poison taking hold. When it did, he would drown, especially if there was no one there to pull him back up and provide an antivenom.

  Now there was only one soldier facing off against the Kaver.

  It was an uneven fight.

  The soldier attempted to push him back, but the Kaver was skilled and used his staff to his advantage, keeping the sword from reaching him. He played with the soldier, tapping his staff every so often on the barge, flipping from place to place as he did, kicking the soldier, and then flipping again, kicking him once more. It sent the soldier staggering from side to side.

  Alec glanced forward and saw they were near the city. The prince had pushed them as quickly as he could, and land was in sight. It was one of the outer sections, and not near enough to the palace for safety, but at least it was land where they could run, and possibly find other soldiers.

  And then what?

  If the Kavers were fighting the prince, that meant there was some sort of discord within the palace.

  Alec turned his attention back to the Kaver. He tried to push him the same way he had pushed the woman, but the Kaver flipped the staff toward him, forcing Alec to jump back to avoid getting hit.

  With another flicker, the Kaver’s staff struck the soldier, sending him flying out into the water.

  The Kaver flipped, soaring over Alec to land near the prince.

  The prince brought his barge pole around, but as before, the pole was too long, and he was too slow with it. It wasn’t an even match, not against an augmented Kaver and a shorter canal staff that was easier to manipulate.

  Still, the prince managed better than Alec would have expected. He got a strike in, and then another, and then still another. With each one, the Kaver gritted his teeth and continued to spin.

  The barge drifted. Land appeared, and they crashed into it.

  The prince staggered. The Kaver managed to correct himself before the prince, and he swung his staff, connecting with the side of the prince’s skull.

  Alec grabbed the piece of slippery swamp wood, stuffing it into his pocket. On a whim, he grabbed the eel before jumping off the barge and raced into the city.

  He glanced back and saw the Kaver with the prince slung over his shoulder, but the Kaver didn’t pursue.

  Because he didn’t have to.

  Movement appeared out the corner of his eye, and Alec turned, seeing another Kaver.

  It was the same woman from before.

  26

  Escape from the Kaver

  The Kaver. She was soaked and covered in filth, and a rivulet of blood streamed from the side of her face, but she moved with the same fluidity she had before, likely augmented.

  How had she survived?

  Alec ran into the city, thinking that if he could get ahead of her, he could disappear into a crowd, or maybe into a building, and then he could make his way gradually toward Caster and to Bastan.

  Had he not recently had any eel meat, he wasn’t sure he would have had the necessary energy, but the effects seemed to linger longer than they had the last time. Maybe the key for him was to keep eating eel meat.

  He held the eel tightly in his hands, not wanting to let go of the creature in the event he began to weaken. He could eat more of the meat to regain his strength and maybe get away, though against an augmented Kaver, Alec wasn’t sure if any amount of strength would help.

  He looked around, but nothing about the section was familiar. He didn’t know the sections that abutted the swamp as well as he should. He probably should have taken time to learn them, especially knowing how important the swamp was, but he simply hadn’t.

  He turned down a main street. It was late, and there weren’t many people out. Were there more people, he thought he could hide more easily. Most of those that were out and about staggered, clearly intoxicated.

  He would have to find a place to hide.

  But where could he hide that would be safe? Where would he be able to hide that could provide him any sort of protection? Without knowing anyone in this section, he didn’t know that he could.

  He tried to think the way that Sam would. She would find a place with people, and the only place that would have people at this time of night would be a tavern.

  Alec surged forward and reached a stretch of the city where there was row upon row of taverns.

  Had he not had the same experience with Sam in Caster, he might not have felt nearly as comfortable coming to a place like this. Before, he would have felt incredibly uncomfortable in these sections, mostly because they were so different from his home section.

  He glanced back. The Kaver moved behind him.

  She was slowing, and he doubted it was because of an injury. It was more likely she figured he was caught, with no place to go. And she would be right. He was caught.

  He chose a tavern at random and jumped inside.

  The building smelled stale, mostly a mixture of ale and sweat, though there was an attempt to cover those stenches with something else, either that of baking bread or roasted meat. Neither seemed to be completely effective.

  He moved to the back of the tavern, wanting to use the people inside to mask his presence. There were probably a dozen people, and a few of them glanced up when he entered, staring at him strangely. It took a moment before he realized that he still clutched the canal eel.

  He had no choice but to hold on to it. It was too big to stick in his pocket, but he had to find some way to hide it.

  He made his way past a table and spotted a stack of napkins. He grabbed several and quickly wrapped them around the eel, hoping it would look more like any fish in wrapping.

  The front door opened, and he ducked, taking a quick seat near the back of the tavern. Alec glanced back as the Kaver entered. She scanned the tavern, and he tried to tip his head down, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

  She started through the tavern, looking from table to table. He was frozen in place, not able to move, and afraid of what would happen when she reached him. Would she attack? Or would she try to take him with her?

  Most likely, the latter, especially if Master Helen had decided he needed to be brought in.

  She took a seat across from him, and Alec tensed.

  “You are the Scribe I was sent to bring to her.”

  “I’m not going.”

  “No? What makes you think you can refuse? Do you think you can fight your way past me?”

  Alec looked around the tavern. There would be no help for him here, though that didn’t stop him from casting a glance around the room. The people here were either drunk or caught up in their own business, and it was unlikely that any of them would be interested in helping an outsider. Alec couldn’t even blame them. Why would they help?

  “Why does she want me?”

  She shrugged. “That’s not
any of my concern. I was told to bring you in, so I intend to bring you in.”

  “And the prince?”

  She sniffed. “He made a mistake getting involved in something that he should not have.”

  “What happens when the king finds out?”

  “Do you think the king doesn’t know?”

  After learning about Master Helen and how she was the king’s Scribe, he decided that it was likely the king did know. And if that was the case, then it meant the king had allowed the Kavers to attack his son. But why?

  “I’m not going with you,” he said.

  He gripped the eel, preparing to unwrap the tail. If nothing else, he thought he could stab her with the barbed end, thinking maybe it would secrete some of its venom. That would at least slow the Kaver, maybe even kill her, and he could get away.

  “You’re going to come with me, either way. But you can choose whether you come awake or unconscious. One way will be less painful for you than the other, but it matters not to me.”

  There was commotion near the back of the tavern, and Alec looked up. A silver-haired man entered and looked around. He had sharp eyes, and there was something about him that reminded Alec of Bastan. He wore a gray jacket and pants, the quality much finer than what Alec would have expected to find in this section, and he made his way toward Alec.

  Alec glanced over to the Kaver. Was this man with her?

  If he was, did that mean he was her Scribe?

  If so, she would be more dangerous than he realized. Facing off against a Kaver alone was bad enough, but involving her Scribe…

  Maybe there was nothing he could do. Maybe he truly was going to get dragged back to the palace, either to Master Helen or to the king. Now that he had the swamp wood, he feared what Master Helen might do. How might she use it? Would she simply take it from him and begin to make easar paper on her own?

  The man took a seat next to Alec and the Kaver. He ignored Alec completely, focusing only on the Kaver. “You should not have come here.”

  She shot the man a look. “This is none of your business. I am here on business of the palace.”