He closed swiftly. Cal hadn’t witnessed one of the Sunken moving through the water with any urgency yet. He’d only seen them up close on land, where they moved awkwardly. In the water it was a different story. Garem advanced with terrifying speed. His lantern hooked to his belt, his arms at his sides, legs moving in smooth waves propelling him forward, his dark eyes on Cal, murder in them.
Cal pulled the knife from his mouth, letting the lantern he held fall out of his arms. He was dimly aware of Nalani swimming away towards the harbor as green light from below washed over him, the lantern falling from the shirt he’d used to conceal it. His breath was half gone. Garem was fresh. If the fight lasted more than a half minute, Cal would start to suffocate. Every advantage went to Garem. This was his realm. Maybe Cal could at least buy time for Nalani to escape, to carry his message to Aaron and Jon. He doubted it. Garem would catch her. Or the threshers would.
Garem gave a playful wave of his knife at Cal, then closed the distance between them. For a moment the two circled, then, as if by mutual agreement, both began fighting for position using their free hand. Cal grabbed at Garem’s shoulder, seizing hold of the Sunken’s garments and ignoring the scraping pain he got from the sharp coral as their arms collided. Garem’s hand lacked for purchase on Cal’s bare chest, but it pushed them square. Both attacked with tight jabs, pushing through the rough water. Cal managed to pull his hips back and avoid Garem’s thrust, but the knife moved towards him steadily. Cal’s knife caught on Garem’s shoulder, the coral working like armor. A lesson learned too late. Cal did a quick back pivot in the water, somersaulting away. Garem was caught off guard by the practiced move, but quickly closed what little distance Cal had created.
Now Cal’s lungs were truly burning. Clouds of red blood circled his arm, freshly opened scrapes from the exchange. He tried to guess where Garem would thrust next, the two circling slowly, each making small feints with their blades. Abruptly, Garem turned and looked upwards, sensing something’s approach. He was too late and couldn’t get his hands up before Nalani swooped in, a flash of smooth skin, her dress in her hands held out in front of her. It wrapped over Garem’s face, blinding him. He thrust at her but she avoided the swing. Cal kicked hard to get in front of the Sunken. Just as Garem ripped the dress off his head, Cal drove his knife into his neck, filling the water with dark blood.
Garem thrashed for a moment or two, then fell still. Cal stared at him, numb from a lack of oxygen, and only snapped into motion once Nalani grabbed his arm and pulled him upwards. Cal began kicking and they broke the surface of an air pocket moments later. Cal sucked in air desperately. He had only taken two breaths, however, when he dove back down.
Below them, Garem was starting to sink. And the Sunken held a note on him, one Odell had intended for an unknown contact at the surface. Cal wanted it. Also they might need the lantern still hanging on the body’s belt. He was a few feet away when Garem’s body suddenly jerked as though pulled by a rope. For a moment it was coming towards Cal, then turned and started moving deeper, the thresher that had seized it visible to Cal. It was long and sleek, a grey so dark it was nearly black. Cal felt a cold fear in his chest. If he had been afraid before at being in the territory of the Sunken, yielding every advantage to them, it was compounded a hundred times by the thresher. He was truly in their world.
Garem’s lantern showed his passage into the depths, moving swiftly away from Cal, the note lost. The lantern illuminated several threshers who tracked the body, waiting for the initial attacker to slow so they could feast on whatever limbs they could reach. The lantern Cal had dropped early in the fight was far below, dimly outlining hundreds of circling threshers. The blood would draw them up. Or the light. Whatever drove them deeper during the full moon was no match for the smell of fresh blood. They were swarming. Cal and Nalani needed to get out of the water or share Garem’s fate. Cal hastened back to her.
When he surfaced, Cal said quickly, “The threshers are coming.” They wasted no time in discussion, both taking a deep breath then turning towards the Plate’s edge and swimming as hard as they could.
At the edge, there was one last lip of coral hanging on the underside of the Plate. Cal and Nalani dove under it and then burst out into fading daylight. The sky was a vivid orange. The air, untrapped and clean, filled Cal’s lungs. He turned to look behind and up, hoping they were near one of the busier parts of the harbor. They could call for a rope or find a ladder to get on top of the Plate. No such luck. The Plate above them was piled high with garbage and debris. No access. No way out of the water. Moments later, Cal saw the first thresher fin break the surface. Others followed forming a loose circle around the frantic pair.
Cal and Nalani put their backs to each other. Her skin was smooth against his, nearly naked with her dress in the depths with Garem. He could feel her long legs churning under the water.
“Thanks for coming back for me,” he said. “I didn’t want to die under that thing.”
“Don’t mention it,” she said, voice tight with fear.
“Do you want the knife?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
Cal watched the circling fins. “They’ll come one by one. At first. If we can bloody their snout, they’ll slow. But there are too many. It’s just a matter of time.”
“I’ve been saying that to myself since last night. We’re still alive.”
Cal stifled his reply as the first thresher swung off its stalking pattern and came straight for them. He ducked under the water and held the knife in front of him. The thresher snapped at his hand. Cal tracked it with his blade and managed to score a small cut on its thick skin. It swam past unbothered. Cal surfaced to catch his breath, then immediately sank back into his defensive position. The next to attack came from the other direction, on Nalani’s side, necessitating him to quickly get past her. The knife caught the thresher, turning it, but already he could see another approaching. His arm was burning from exhaustion, hand trembling as he held the blade in front of his chest. He surfaced to the sound of screaming.
Nalani was looking up, expelling all the breath left in her lungs, as a black shape descended on them, blotting out the sky. Cal grabbed her shoulder and pulled her under just as a set of massive talons crashed into the water, extended wide to clasp their prey. The talons closed over a thresher, jerking it out of the water. Seconds later a shower of blood and intestines hit the water as the thresher was torn in two.
Cal pulled Nalani back to the surface. “Tyrne!” he shouted to the dragon. “Get us out of here!” He felt a thresher just below him and jerked his leg up. Its jaws clashed, narrowly missing Cal’s foot.
The dragon landed on the water next to them, flinging out wings and claws to drive the threshers momentarily back. Cal pushed Nalani onto the dragon’s back, grabbing at the wet riding ropes. He climbed on behind her. Tyrne gave a roar and thrashed wildly, nearly dislodging them. A thresher had a hold of his wing.
“Stay here,” Cal said to Nalani, then put his feet up on the dragon’s back and leapt towards the thresher. His knife was extended and he drove it straight into the shark’s eye. It bucked, releasing the wing, pulling the knife out of Cal’s hand, and swam off to die.
Seconds later, Cal was back atop the dragon. “Let’s go, Tyrne.” He turned to look back at the thresher he’d stabbed, visible momentarily with the knife hilt protruding from its eye. “Keep it, fucker.” He turned to Nalani. “I think I’ll make that one into a mark.”
Tyrne’s wings pounded the harbor’s surface as he began to slowly climb, water streaming off everything. A thresher leapt out of the waves to snap at a wing but fell short. Then they were out, Tyrne putting air between them and the dark waters of the harbor.
Cal could feel the arrogance radiating off of his dragon, its annoyance that other beasts thought to challenge it. He laughed long and hard, the sky above him, Nalani’s body pressed into his back. He’d been tested, but the underside of the Plate couldn’t ho
ld him. He was back in the skies.
“Buy me a drink?” he asked Nalani as the dragon banked sharply and settled into a slow glide, angling towards the rising early evening lights of Surdoore. There were storm clouds in the distance, but otherwise the coming night looked mercifully, beautifully open.
Chapter 21. Finding the Moon
Heavy rain lashed across the balcony, never quite reaching Queen Cassandra Olmont, who stood staring at the moon, visible beyond the dark clouds. “A dragon flies my harbor,” she said as Sleepy Jon approached, quiet as always for a man of his size.
“Should you be out here alone?” he asked, looking around. There was just enough room for the two, hemmed in by curtains from all sides but the front. The stones were wet from the rain which had been falling since the sun set.
“Interesting that you are so concerned with my safety. It seems to be higher on your priority list than it is mine.” She looked at him, eyes dark. “The dragon?”
“It is Mast’s, looking for him.”
“Mast has disappeared? And you believe a dragon flying the harbor is the best chance of finding him?”
“We’re pretty sure the Sunken hold Cal. If he’s able to escape, he’ll try for the harbor. So Aaron negotiated the dragon’s release.”
“That is also interesting. I had heard that Aaron Lorne visited with CA. When he negotiated the release of a dragon, I assumed it was to come here and fulfill my request to evacuate my daughter. Instead it flies aimlessly over the harbor all day.”
“It is down now. Hasn’t been sighted since sunset.”
“Meaning Mast has been found? I have heard rumors of his behavior. Despite the Steward’s best efforts to paper over the offense, it is widely known that he permanently damaged the Duke of Avlor in an unprovoked attack. Likely while drunk at a court function. Perhaps he has been found at the bottom of a bottle?”
“Unlikely. But we don’t know. The dragon being down could mean that he was found. Or it could be that he’s dead and somehow Tyrne knows.”
“And what is the status of my evacuation request? Or should I say command? Where is Aaron Lorne?”
“I came alone.”
“I can see that. It doesn’t answer my question.”
“Madame Jane is dead.”
“I know that. I knew that the moment it happened. I believe she knew it before it happened. That was why she was so excited to see your visitors. She has longed for death for many years. Living above the Plate is not pleasant for true mystics.”
“Why did she stay?”
“Because I made her.” She turned to look at Jon. “You are slippery, Jon Harpish, but you fool no one on this balcony. My daughter’s safety seems to keep falling off your priority list for this conversation. What can you tell me of consequence?”
“Your daughter’s safety is still at the top of my list. I just don’t believe you’re serious about leaving the Palace. Or sending her away. I think you’re just fishing for reasons to reprimand me again because that’s how you think it best to keep me motivated. You’re attacking my pride.”
“You heard me demand of your man secure transport for my daughter.” The Queen’s mouth was a grim line.
“I hear you say a lot of things. But I pay attention to what people do, not what they say. You could have evacuated her a hundred times, a hundred different ways. You haven’t. You rarely leave the Palace, and I don’t think you plan to vacate before the full moon. You’re planning on seeing it through from here.” He met her dark expression and shrugged. “And that’s fine with me. Makes my job easier. No way you’re content sitting in my tavern and Jenner’s here to keep you safe.” He looked out over the city. “As for what I can tell you of consequence, I’ve got plenty. The Sunken are real. They took your daughter three years ago. Jenner wasn’t asleep at his post. There was an inside man.”
“You learned of this the night Jane died? Why wasn’t I told sooner?”
“We were searching for the inside man. We didn’t want to alert anyone at the Palace until necessary.”
“And why do you tell me now?”
“We found out who it was last night. We followed him all day but we didn’t learn anything. Time is short. He’s in the building. Tonight we confront him.”
“His name?”
“Brooks Borland.”
Her lips curled up, revealing tightly clenched teeth. She smoothed her face before responding. “He is of the Queen’s Guard. I will handle the questioning.”
“With all due respect—”
“That is not a request, Jon. You work for me. You will leave him to me.”
“May I observe?”
“No, you may not. I suspect you have other things to keep you occupied, what with looking after your old drinking buddies.” She gave him a long stare. Finally, as Jon turned to leave, she asked, “Does my daughter live?”
“A Sunken spy says she does. We haven’t verified it yet.”
“And the designs on her sister? The new footprints?”
“Not sure yet. Do you have a new deadline for Lorne, for getting Ami out of Surdoore?”
“I will decide that after I see what I can learn from Brooks. Be where I can find you.”
Jon started to leave, then turned back. “Lorimer is off his leash. I interrupted him trying to feed Lorne’s leg to a thresher.”
“Lorne seemed to be walking fine today as he worked to undermine CA instead of looking for my daughter. Don’t bother me with such issues. Find my daughter. Now leave.”
Jon gave a small, unnoticed bow, pushed the curtains aside, and left the balcony, stuffing his hat back on his head as soon as he was out of the Queen’s presence.
The Queen stared at the moon for a long time. It was so bright and round those who knew no better would have called it full. Not her. The full moon was due tomorrow night. She knew it well.
“Are your ears burning, my darling?” she called out.
Lorimer emerged from behind the curtain at the far end of the balcony. His face was grim. “Don’t mock me, Cassie.”
“No, I suppose not. You heard all that though? Good. Your feelings aren’t too hurt, I hope, to go squeeze Brooks until his teeth fall out. Find out if what Jon said is true. If it is, I will be down eventually to look into the eyes of the man who betrayed my family before he dies.” She looked back at Lorimer. “If I asked you why you tortured Aaron Lorne, would you answer me truthfully?”
“No.”
“Then I won’t bother. Go. Tell the guards to send Jenner to speak with me.”
“What do you want with Watchful?”
“Have I not given you enough business to occupy you just now? Go detain Brooks and learn everything.”
She went back to looking at the moon. Particularly the small swell that would fill the tiniest of increments tomorrow night, somehow authorizing her enemies to strike. Providing them with access to that which she valued the most. Did the light swell before her eyes? Did it threaten to march forward to round out the moon? Such a small sliver of light, to bear such significance for her, so far below the skies.
In less than a minute Jenner stood behind her. He gave a quiet cough. The Queen turned to him. “Jenner, we have reason to believe Brooks was involved in my daughter’s kidnapping.”
Jenner nodded and said quietly, “The muskrat man.”
The Queen looked at him curiously. “If you knew this, why didn’t you bring it to me sooner? You are still my servant? Not theirs?”
“Until my death.” There was a pause. “The foreigners’ reasoning was solid. And there was little time.”
“Lorimer will be leading the questioning. I would like you to ensure the rest of the Queen’s Guard understands he has my authority.” The Queen could see Jenner’s dislike for that statement.
“Begging your pardon, but what makes you trust that animal?” Jenner dropped his eyes as the Queen turned back to face him.
“It is simple,” she said. “He is in love with me. He would do anything fo
r me. Including being the animal I need. Especially that.” She fidgeted with her hands a moment, an uncharacteristic gesture. “But what of you? Now I learn you were not asleep at your post the night of the kidnapping. I learned of the great lengths to which you went to bring Aaron Lorne and Cal Mast here on my behalf. To what do I owe your unwavering service?”
“I am Queen’s Guard.”
“So was Brooks.”
Jenner spoke haltingly. “I failed you. Asleep or no, I failed you. I seek redemption.”
“Redemption for what end? To satisfy your pride? If it is only your pride which ties you to me, I am not fully comforted. Pride is not absolute. It can be manipulated, as our friend Jon Harpish accuses me of, and it can be chipped away. A sliver of doubt must remain, just like the sliver of that moon remains. I have always found pride to be fickle, malleable. It is no anchor in a storm. It can be broken.” There was no emotion, no sympathy in her voice.
He stood beside her, looking her in the eyes. As she glanced at him, the Queen realized, with something like a start, that he had never met her eyes before. Or at least not since the beating which had permanently altered his face. Which she had done nothing to prevent, whether or not she’d been capable of seeing it coming given her distressed state. She’d also done nothing to identify and punish the offenders. A part of her had wished she’d been there, piling pain on a convenient person to blame.
She could see the near full moon reflected in Jenner’s stray eye, a round disc of white. Not wanting to stare anymore, she turned to look out over the city.
“Eyes can be broken,” Jenner said. “Pride is not so simple.”
“What of the foreigners? Are they truly helping me?”
“I don’t know how you could argue they are not. They found Brooks. They have exposed the Sunken as a true threat.”
“But can I trust them? No, that is not the right question. Why do you trust them? It is written on your face. And obvious from your actions. Why?”
Alliance of the Sunken (Spies of Dragon and Chalk Book 3) Page 15