Sky Pirates

by Liesel Schwarz

He stared at her in horror, his mouth agape.

  Keep still, she said into his mind. You are quite safe as long as you hold on to me.

  He nodded, looking more than a little distressed. Even here, the sound of shotgun fire could still be heard as well as the ghostly shrieks of the poltergeists.

  Slowly Elle counted the moments, holding on as long as she dared. Dashwood looked like he was about to expire from lack of breath. She could tell him that it was perfectly safe to breathe in here, but his bright red face and the bulging veins on the side of his neck gave her a small measure of satisfaction. Good, let him think he is drowning for a little while longer. It would serve him right for everything he’d done to her.

  When she reached ten, she moved them gently back toward the point where they had entered the barrier. She could see the small rent glimmering in the distance. When they reached it, she shoved Dashwood out, and without ceremony they spilled back onto the sawdust and plank floor of Crazy Jerry’s bar. Or at least what was left of it.

  Dashwood wheezed and coughed violently where he lay, gasping for breath.

  Elle stood up. She dusted herself off as she glanced about. The bar was deserted. The floor was covered in smashed glass and what looked suspiciously like spilled and spattered blood.

  “What in the name of all that is holy was that?” Dashwood said from the floor. He wheezed and resumed his coughing fit.

  “That, I believe, was me saving your life, Captain,” Elle said. “And you’re welcome.” She held her hand out to help him up, but he refused and stood up by himself.

  “Where is everyone? What time is it?” he said.

  Outside, it looked like it had grown dark.

  “I have no idea.” Elle shrugged. “Time and space work differently inside the barrier.”

  Dashwood stopped patting himself down, looking for injuries, and eyed her sharply. “Are you trying to tell me that that was the barrier? The magical one that’s supposed to keep out all the Shadow creatures?”

  “The very same,” Elle said quietly.

  “And how in the blazes did you manage to do that?”

  Elle gave him what she hoped was a mysterious smile. “Now that would be telling, would it not?”

  “Tell me!” he shouted.

  Elle shook her head. “A lady does not give up all her secrets, nor should she.”

  Dashwood ran his hand through his blond fringe and turned away from her in exasperation. Then his surroundings seemed to register with him. He shook his head at the lamentable state of the saloon came into focus. “Things don’t look like they went very well in here after we left,” he said.

  “Shh!” Elle grabbed his arm. “Look,” she said in a low voice as she pointed at the roof. Up among the rafters a cluster of poltergeists hung, swaying silently like sleeping bats. A few of them were groaning and moving, obviously disturbed by the noise Elle and Dashwood had made.

  Dashwood nodded. “Better not wake them further,” he mouthed.

  Slowly they started creeping across the floor to the doors. Every step made the plank floor creak. Every creak made the poltergeists stir a little. Elle did not dare breathe until they reached the door and were well into the street.

  “Well, the deal’s gone south, so I suppose we had better get back to the ship. I, for one, don’t want to take my chances on running into Jerry right now,” Dashwood said beside her.

  “I think you might be right,” Elle said. “Say, where did you say you got that whiskey?”

  “Oh, I have a friend in Edinburgh. At the medical college,” Dashwood shrugged. “He gave me an excellent price on that shipment. Even guaranteed that it would be problem free. Said it had been triple strained.”

  Elle shuddered as she thought about soupy human bits suspended in whiskey, but decided to bury the thought firmly and deeply inside her mind. “Well, neither one of us knows how to rid a place of ghosts, so I suppose your work here is done, Captain,” Elle said. There really wasn’t much more she could say in those circumstances.

  “Come along then, Mrs. Marsh,” Dashwood said.

  Elle said nothing, but followed him nonetheless. There was nothing more she could do.

  It was raining in Paris. The cold drizzle sifted down over the gray rooftops and spires of the city with a relentlessness that spoke of the harsh inevitability of winter.

  Somewhere deep in the shadows of an alleyway, something stirred. A great black hound lifted his two heads off his paws, where they had been resting, and sniffed the air.

  The hound did not mind the rain, for he was not affected by cold or wet or even hunger. Those were the concerns of creatures with warm blood in their veins. He was a creature of pure Shadow—the offspring of the unholy coupling of creatures of the Shadow.

  Slowly he blinked and stared into the distance with his yellow eyes. Something—a shift in the aether—had stirred him to wakefulness, from where he had been waiting in the shadows.

  He did not mind it. He was patient; he had all the time in the world.

  Around him, the shadows had grown thicker and the alleyway more ominous. The lesser Shadow creatures of Paris had long since retreated from the area with an air of reverence. Those who dwelled in the Light could not see him, but avoided the place, for his presence was known to make a person’s hair stand on end without them ever knowing why. He was the undefined creepiness that bore no name.

  The scent of the woman he was tracking lay imprinted in his memory. She smelled of freesias and engine oil. And of Shadow. He knew it very well, for he had been playing the smell over and over in his mind while he waited.

  He lifted his noses up to sniff the damp air. There it was again. The scent carried faintly across the aether along the barrier—a ribbon of scent as distinctive as sunlight.

  Slowly the hound rose from his place of rest. His terrible shaggy form grew large and detached itself from the shadows that had concealed it. Somewhere off in the distance, a dog howled. More joined in until the cold night filled with the hunting cry of the pack.

  The hound threw back his heads and howled in answer. It was a terrible blood-curdling sound that could silence all others of his kind, for he was the pack leader. The alpha. Then he let out a low growl of satisfaction. This is how it always started: He just had to wait for his prey to make the first mistake. That first tiny, seemingly insignificant error that invariably led to the end. He had the trail now. She was far away, this quarry, but he could run tirelessly for a very long time. The hound started running through the alleyways of Paris. He moved like a shadow, just out of sight, but every now and then an unsuspecting passerby would stop and look about, unsure as to why they felt the need to do so. Then they would shiver as the cold evil whispered by, and they would walk on a little faster than they had before. As he ran, the hound allowed his tongues to loll out the corners of his two mouths. Yes, he had the trail. The hunt had begun.

  CHAPTER 13

  The Inanna left San Francisco and made her way to the open air without much delay that very evening.

  “No need to hang about looking for more trouble, now is there?” Heller said to Elle with a wink as they piloted the ship into the safety of international airspace.

  “Oh, I agree. I think we have caused more than enough trouble for one day,” Elle said as she watched the city slide by below. “What about the captain?”

  Dashwood had stomped off to his quarters the moment they were on board without so much as a thank-you when they parted.

  “Oh, I’d wager he’s in a bit of a sulk about his shipment. It’s ruined his night good and proper,” Heller said. “Me and the boys had to leave it behind on the wagon when the trouble kicked off. I suspect his nose will be out of joint about the money. Thought he had a sure thing going there, our captain did.” Heller shook his head. “Suppose me and the lads will have to wait till next time before we get our wages.”

  “But surely he should be here, commanding?” Elle glanced over at the empty chair.

  “Nah, we got it in h
and. Captain gave strict orders that he was not to be disturbed unless the ship was on fire.”

  Elle sank into her own pilot’s chair. Here, safely on board the Inanna, she suddenly felt very tired. She stared at her wrist where Dashwood had removed the cuff.

  She hated the Shadow realm. Every time she allowed the energy of the Shadow to flow through her, something went catastrophically wrong. People died. And every time she channeled this power, a small bit of her own life force disappeared along with it. She had been warned to be careful about channeling energy, but until now she had paid these warnings little heed. The fact that she was starting to feel the effects of the barrier every time she made the crossing worried her. She did not know much about her kind, but she did know that it was this very sapping of life force by the Shadow that was the reason why most Oracles died young. Many did not make it past the age she was now.

  She rubbed her eyes and studied her instruments. They were lit up in pale blue against the night sky in the windglass. Too many people had died because of her. Too much destruction had been sown. It was time for her to take responsibility for her actions. No more running and hiding in the Shadow when things became tricky. No, it was time for her to face things on her own without the help of magic.

  Her dark thoughts made her feel even more weary. It was warm on the bridge and the gentle hum of the ship’s engines were always comforting. Despite her best efforts to stay alert, Elle felt her eyelids droop lower and lower as she drifted off …

  … the world shifted and changed around her. Dark trees sprang up, their branches clawing up at the sky.

  No, Elle thought as she fought against the forces that pulled her along, but something had grabbed hold of her and it was dragging her deeper into the Shadow realm. She scrabbled and grabbed at passing branches and roots, but they turned to nothing under her fingertips. Faster and faster she moved until everything around her turned to a dark blur, and then, quite abruptly, there was silence.

  “Where am I? Who’s there?” she said, more than a little annoyed.

  “Easy now, little Oracle, you are among friends,” Old Jack said.

  She heard the sound of magpies squawking as Jack’s dark forest took shape around her.

  “Jack! I should have known,” she said.

  An old man appeared by her side. Carefully he opened his cloak and set a burning lantern on the ground between them. “A good evening to you, my Queen. It is lovely to see you, as always,” he said with a reverent bow. “Please forgive the rather undignified journey here, but the iron bones of your new ship form an almost impenetrable barrier.”

  “Yes, they do,” she said. “How did you get past the hexes and the iron?”

  Jack smiled. “Oh, I have my ways. Don’t ever doubt that old Jack will get something done when he puts his mind to it. But you are not fully away from there. I have only managed to pull part of your spirit here. The rest of you is still napping when you should be keeping watch.”

  “What gives you the right to drag me out of my time and space like that?” Elle said.

  “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Jack said.

  “I’m sorry, but your problems are not very high on my list of matters to solve at the moment, Jack. As you might have gathered, I have a few pressing problems of my own to contend with at the moment.”

  Jack’s gave her a knowing smile. “Now, is that a way to speak to an old friend and someone you owe a great debt to?”

  Elle closed her mouth. Jack was right. She did owe him a number of favors, that were sealed within a sacred pact. She had been dreading seeing him again.

  “Very well, Jack. What do you want?” she said.

  Jack sat down on a tree root and groaned. “Ah, my back. I am not as sprightly as I used to be.” He motioned to the place beside him. “Do sit down, my dear.”

  “I’d rather stand, if it’s all the same to you.”

  “Suit yourself,” he said. “I must say, I had such a lovely holiday in the Light realm. Thank you for asking.” He stretched, lifting his bony arms over his head. “A little time away from it all really did me a world of good. It’s very hard work running an enchanted forest, you know. Always keeping an eye on everything. And the administration! You wouldn’t think it, but you will not believe the amount of paperwork that needs to be done,” he said as he made himself comfortable on the log.

  “As I said, what do you want, Jack? The Inanna could be crashing into the side of a mountain at any moment, for all we know. I have neither the time nor the inclination to become involved in the games of fairies.”

  “I have eyes on your post. My magpies will warn us if there is danger in the realm of Light.”

  “That does not bring me much comfort,” she said. “If I recall, your magpies can be rather unpredictable and mean. They would be the last ones I’d trust with navigating a large ship.”

  Jack rested his chin on his hands. “We have much to discuss, you and I, but I will get straight to the point if you wish.”

  “Please do,” she said.

  “Well, I called you here mostly to warn you about touching the barrier. And entering the Shadow realm.” His expression grew sharp. “Don’t do it. Under any circumstances.”

  “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” she said, gesturing at the forest around them.

  “We are safe here for the moment, because I have made it so. And also, no one dares enter my realm here among the trees without my say-so. For now.” Jack grew serious. “Please, my dear, if you value your life, stay away from here. Do not go into the barrier like you did today. It is too dangerous. I implore you.”

  “How do you know about that?” Elle said.

  “I have been keeping my eye on you. I can feel it when you enter this world. And so can others.”

  “Others?” Elle was suddenly worried.

  “I don’t want to alarm you, but since your recent and rather tragic loss … “Jack paused and cleared his throat. “… there are those who plan to take you. So many grand plans for the Oracle. You know what I am talking about, don’t you?”

  Elle’s mouth suddenly went dry, for she knew exactly what Jack was talking about. So the Council of Warlocks had stepped into action. And they were supposed to be the good guys.

  Jack leaned in and looked at her intently. “You must find yourself a protector, Oracle. He is the only one who can keep you safe from them.”

  Elle felt her heart constrict. “Jack, I have tried. I have done nothing other than search for him these past months, but he will not be found.”

  “He will be found, my dear, but he knows also that as matters stand, the two of you absolutely cannot be together.”

  “What do you mean?” she said.

  Jack pointed at her with a gnarled finger. “You are a vessel. You are filled with the energy that holds the universe together. He is a complete void. A wraith. A shadow of his former self.” Jack made a pouring motion from one hand to the next. “Things always go from full to empty and from empty to full, and so it will be with the two of you. Just one touch from him would drain you until you are nothing more than a husk. Death would be instant.” Jack looked her in the eyes. “And that is why he chose to walk away from you. He made the sacrifice so you might live.”

  Elle felt a tight knot of grief rise in her chest. “What am I to do, Jack? I feel so lost and alone.”

  “Find a new protector.”

  “How am I supposed to do that when—”

  “I know he wants you to be happy. He told me so himself. Go and live a full life. You have his blessing.”

  “His blessing?”

  Jack nodded. “Yes, he has set you free, little one. Move on. Find a protector who dwells in the realm of Light and stay away from the Shadow. That is all that can be done about the matter.”

  “You have seen him?” Elle felt her vision blur and she fought to bring her breathing under control.

  “I have.” Jack stopped talking and looked up into the darknes
s, nostrils flared. His head was cocked to one side as if he were listening for something.

  Elle felt a cold shiver creep over her.

  Jack’s gaze snapped back to her. “It is coming. We do not have time to talk further. You must go now, before he catches your scent.” Jack gripped her hand firmly “Go safely, little Oracle. Stay in your iron-bound ship where he cannot smell you out. That is all I can say.” Then he disappeared as swiftly as he had appeared.

  “Jack?” she whispered, but she was met only by silence.

  Somewhere in the distance, she caught the sound of forest twigs crunching underfoot. Elle swiveled round. “Who’s there?”

  She strained to see through the darkness, which was all around her. Somewhere in the distance, she saw a faint movement.

  Then, in the flicker of one of the thin moonbeams that shone through the trees, her eyes caught the outline of a tall man in a ragged carriage cloak. He turned to her, and for a moment she caught the sight of his pale face pale in the moonlight.

  “Hugh!” she called out. “Wait. Please!”

  But the moonbeam flickered and disappeared behind a tree, and he was gone with it.

  “Go home, little Oracle. Go home and stay away from the Shadow,” the trees whispered around her. “It is coming for you. You must run!”

  The darkness suddenly felt claustrophobic. She looked this way and that, unsure as to what she needed to do, but all around her was darkness.

  A cold mist curled around the trees and swirled along the ground. Elle peered at the blank grayness that surrounded her.

  “Hugh, is that you?” she whispered, but she was met with nothing but ominous silence.

  Another twig snapped, a leaf rustled and the cold shiver she felt earlier intensified, making the hair at the back of her neck stand on end.

  Something was out there.

  For a moment she spotted the soundless shape of something moving though the mist. Something big and shaggy that walked on four legs.

  From just beyond the mist, she heard a low growl. The sound made every cell in her body react. It was the sound a predator made when it knows its prey is helpless and the hunt would end successfully and soon.