The Scarlet Star Trilogy
Page 140
‘We should,’ he replied.
‘Lurker never liked the idea of being reduced to dust,’ said Lilain. ‘He wanted to feed the ground that gave him purpose, he always said.’ The sailors lifted Lurker’s table and escorted him below.
‘The Kingdom’ll be richer for him, ma’am,’ Lincoln said as he moved closer.
She curtseyed to him before following the body. Gunderton bowed low to Merion and then followed suit. Rhin and Merion stayed on deck, watching the sky with the Red King.
‘What of you, gentlemen? What will you do now? Follow in your father’s footsteps, Tonmerion?’
Merion took a moment to think. He had spent most of the day pondering it, and was still forming an answer. ‘Not yet, sir. Not yet.’
Lincoln nodded as if he understand the depth beneath Merion’s short words. ‘Then you must tell me when you do, for a man like myself could be in need of a leech like you. The war against the lampreys still rages.’
Merion bowed low, almost touching his head to the deck. ‘I will indeed.’
‘And you, Master Fae?’
‘Where he goes, I go, now that I’m free,’ said Rhin, before hastily adding, ‘Your Majesty.’
Lincoln smiled at that, and with a bow of his own, he left them be.
For a time they watched the murmurations of starlings knit abstracts in the sky above the glowing city, folding in on themselves, then reaching out in shapes a god would find hard to follow, all without pause or plan, like the driftwood of the river.
It took Rhin some time to summon up any words.
‘What of it, then? What’s your plan, Merion?’
Merion adjusted his coat. The western sky had given him his answer, and he did not dare to question it. No regrets.
‘My father once said to me that he’d worked all his life to sit at the Queen’s table, only to find out the food was poisoned. He had a plan to change that. What stopped him wasn’t failure, it was a faerie with a gun. Who could have planned for that? I’m done with grand ideas and plots. Life never stays still long enough to let them grow. Plans begin to die as soon as they’re born. I tried to fight that and look what happened. Lurker died.’
‘You can’t blame—’
‘I don’t. I just know that Lurker had no plan and that suited him fine. I should learn his lesson if I can’t avenge him.’
Rhin shuffled. ‘So, what are you going to do? Stay here, eat that poisoned food?’
‘No. I’m leaving that to Calidae Serped.’ Merion looked down, to the leather hat dangling in his loose grip and raised an eyebrow. With great ceremony, he lifted it up and placed it on his head, tugging at the brim to fix it over his knotted hair.
‘We’re going to America.’
Epilogue
1st September, 1867
Coltswolde Humbersnide was utterly lost in his papers. Two weeks of cases in the Missipine and it seemed that the entire world had lost all notion of sense. His eyes darted from one headline to the next, his mouth opening wider with every one, fingers smudged with ink from leaping back and forth through the sheets. The roar of the port around him was a dull murmur in the void of his concentration.
Lord Dizali denounced as traitor to the Empire! Clovenhall sold for war effort!
Lord Darbish heads up reform alongside silent benefactor!
Pardoned Queen Victorious officially abdicates! New parliament founded!
Coltswolde dabbed a handkerchief to his brow despite the bite of the wind. September could be cold in Boston; the summer was being chased away by autumn.
The low drone of a trans-ocean steamer sidling up to Union Wharf briefly awoke him from his wonderment, and he glanced up at the ships jostling like rats in a barrel. There was a storm gathering on the eastern horizon, painting the Iron Ocean darker than usual. Coltswolde shivered and went back to his papers and head-shaking.
Lord Hark – absent hero!
Lincoln’s mission of aid comes to a close!
‘You had a sign with my name on it last time,’ said a voice. Coltswolde’s head snapped up. In front of him stood a young man with a salt-sprayed leather hat and a dark Empire coat. The handle of a gun peeked from behind its hem. There was slight slant to his posture and his luggage seemed to be stowed under his eyes. Yet there was a glint to his gaze that seemed the stubborn kind. A bald man with a ginormous beard and a willow of a woman with flowing yellow hair stood behind him.
The lawyer’s mouth flapped for a moment as his brain went to work. ‘L… Lord Hark! The absent hero himself.’
‘Mr Humbersnide. I said, last time you had a sign. With my name on it.’
Coltswolde crumpled his newspaper shut and hurriedly rose to bow. ‘I, er, Mr Witchazel was not too forthcoming on the details in his wiregram. I wasn’t sure who I was meeting…’
Tonmerion Hark smiled. ‘It’s fine,’ he replied. ‘I’m here on private business.’
‘Not a holiday,’ Coltswolde snapped his fingers, a memory surfacing.
Merion smiled again, putting him at ease. ‘Not a holiday. Three thousand, two hundred miles by sea is a long way to travel for a holiday.’
Coltswolde’s head bobbed eagerly. ‘Yes, my Lord. Now, I’m afraid Mr Witchazel has left out some other details, such as your accommodation, or destination.’
‘And for good reason,’ said the boy. This was certainly a different Hark to the one who had arrived at the end of April. For a moment, the lawyer doubted himself.
‘We’re making our own way,’ said the woman.
Coltswolde nodded, hands clasped, as he looked from one person to the next. An awkward moment passed, filled with the clanging and booming of the harbour. ‘To where, might I ask?’
‘Wyoming.’
The lawyer’s knuckles turned white. ‘But there’s a war on.’
‘Precisely,’ growled the bearded man.
‘A figure such as yourself should have stayed in London, even despite…’ He trailed off.
Merion stepped forward, placing a calm hand on the Coltswolde’s quivering arm.
‘There’s nowhere I would rather be, Mr Humbersnide,’ he said, tilting his hat with a spare finger. ‘Nowhere in the world.’
Ars Magica
Bloodrushing, or haemomancy, is the consumption and exploitation of blood. There lies a power in the blood of most animals, accessible by those with the ability to rush, or ‘stomach’ it.
The History:
Bloodrushing is not a new art, nor has it always been called ‘rushing’. It has been called many names over the centuries. The Scythians, as they were called by the Greeks, first practised the art a thousand years before the First Empire. It was originally a warrior’s sport, consuming the blood of the first enemy killed in battle. The Mongols would consume the blood of their horses. The indigenous peoples of Brasilia, the new-worlders, spilt and drank the blood of their enemies to appease their gods. Bloodletters of the First Empire collected and examined the blood of the sick.
When the Age of Enlightenment dawned, the practise of rushing shifted from that of pagans and warriors to that of scientists, pioneers, and the influential. With influence came coin, and with coin, expansion. As the corners of the world were uncovered, one by one, the opportunity for exotic bloods only increased its popularity. Rushers began to travel the spice runs and trade routes to Indus and Africanus. Bloodletters flourished in every port and city across Europe and Asia. Books were written and rules wrought. In short, bloodrushing saw its first and only golden age.
But all ages must tarnish, and with new passion cam the thirst for power, for apparent immortality. The rushing of human blood began to increase, splitting rushers into warring factions. Unavoidably, the Church became involved, citing sorcery, demonism, and black magic. Rushers were dubbed as heretics, and many were burned at the stake. Bloodrushing was chased into the shadows, leaving only myth and folklore behind. Vampires and pagans, they were dubbed. It became a secretive art, its practitioners a dying breed, and the knowledge was passed do
wn only through families and dusty books.
The Practice:
Rushers usually drink the blood, ingesting it through the stomach wall. In the past, however, some were known to inject blood directly into veins or arteries. This can only be described as foolhardy as the blood is somewhat filtered, or concentrated, by the stomach acids and digestive juices.
Bloodletters:
Practitioners of the ancient art of bloodletting. Originally healers and surgeons, a modern letter focuses solely on collecting, extracting, and purifying blood of all different types. Also known as butchers, or draugrs in some parts of Europe.
Rushers:
Those who can drink blood and tolerate its effects. Not all humans can withstand the strain of bloodrushing, but those who can are usually able to tolerate between one and three shades. Also known as haemomancers.
Leeches:
A rare form of rusher who can tolerate multiple shades from different veins. Only a few have ever been recorded, as many are forced into secrecy for their own safety. Being a leech is highly coveted indeed.
Lampreys:
The term for those who focus solely on rushing human blood, a practice that was shunned by early rushers from the first Empire, yet adopted later by the powerful as a way of cheating death. Also known as parasite, or vampire.
The six veins of rushing, as ordered on the Scarlet Star:
Shades:
Listed below are some of the primary shades within each vein. While not all rushers will experience both the positive and negative effects, they are listed below for reference.
—Birds—
Known as ‘Hollowbone’ or ‘Pinion’
Magpie—Goldnose
Bestows the ability to sniff out precious metals. Increased use can result in short-term memory loss and greed.
Seagull/Cormorant/Puffin
Gives the rusher a heightened passion for fish.
Vulture—Mortscent
Rushers are able to sniff out corpses or those near death. Can cause nosebleeds in minor cases, and/or cannibalistic tendencies with continued use.
Eagle—The Hunter’s Gaze, or Goldeyes
Enhances the sight of the rusher. Can cause cataracts or complete blindness in later life.
Cardinal—Beacon
Flushes skin to a near-fluorescent red colour.
Overuse can result in permanency.
Pelican
The rusher is gifted the ability to drink great quantities of saltwater. Causes an incredible thirst once rushing is over.
Turkey
Rusher becomes desperately gluttonous. Often used as a poison.
Roadrunner—Dustkicker
Increased speed and reflexes. Can result in blisters or injury to ankles and knees.
Peacock/Oriole/Bird of Paradise—Colourbuck
Rusher’s skin takes on an iridescent quality. This may result in the shedding of skin after rushing.
Mockingbird—Smartbeak
Bestows the ability to mimic any noise or voice. This shade can cause laryngitis with extended use.
Hummingbird—Windmiller
Gives a rusher the ability to move appendages at great speed. May cause sprains and broken bones in extreme cases. Also causes a near-debilitating thirst for sugar after rushing.
Finch—Twitcher
Allows a rusher to adapt to extreme environments quicker than usual, such as the ability to withstand extreme cold or heat. This shade is highly addictive, hence its nickname. Rushers can develop cravings when not rushing, and start to twitch involuntarily.
Duck
Makes a rusher’s skin impervious to water.
Is reported to cause massive dehydration.
Ostrich—Kickback
Allows the rusher to kick out with powerful speed and force. Weaker rushers may find their knees swiftly dislocated.
Parrot
This shade gifts the rusher with an incredibly strong bite.
Flamingo
Rushers have the ability to withstand strong acid and some poisons, whether ingested or touched. It can cause bright pink skin with overuse.
Penguin—Feathercoat
Rushers are able to withstand desperately cold temperatures, thanks to a thickening of the skin. Unfortunately it can cause weight gain.
Kiwi
Bestows an incredible sense of smell on the rusher.
Woodpecker—Grubsnout
Provides a very strong skull and the ability to move rapidly, particularly when head-butting. Drawbacks include a vicious hunger for tree-dwelling insects.
—Fish—
Known as ‘Gillers’
Carp—Barbel
Rushers gain an extra-sensory ability which enables them to feel the presence of other rushers.
Piranha—Mumblers
Gives a rusher a mouthful of sharp teeth. Side-effects can often include the severance of a tongue, difficulty speaking, and damage to the inside of the mouth.
Electric Eel—Cracklers
Rusher can electrify the skin and manipulate electricity. An untrustworthy shade, it can resurface at random even without rushing.
Trout
Brings a rainbow-like quality to the skin. Can last for weeks.
Salmon
Gives the rusher a dogged sense of determination Skin exudes a fishy odour.
Anchovy
Rushers can withstand increased pressures.
Shark
Bestows upon a rusher an increased awareness and resistance to disease. Can last months, but can also make a rusher short-tempered and violent.
Stingray
Both a blessing and a curse, this shade gives rushers poison barbs along the spine.
Squid—Blackmouth
Gives a rusher the ability to spit ink. Can also cause a loss of bone density.
Octopus
Rushers have the ability to bend bones and warp skin to avoid getting damaged. However, prolonged use can permanently alter the hue of the skin.
Archer fish—Sprat
Rushers can spit water with incredible velocity and force. The drawbacks of this shade include loss of teeth and mouth control.
Lungfish
Provides the ability to withstand the heat of the sun for long periods, and an increased lung capacity.
Jellyfish
Gives a rusher rubber-like skin and muscle, and the ability to squeeze or fit into smaller spaces.
Box jellyfish
Gives the rusher poisonous barbs on the fingertips.
Lobster
Gives a rusher an increased sense of loyalty and armoured skin along the shoulders, neck and back.
Lion-fish
Speckled skin, and sharp barbs protrude from the shoulders. Gives skin a speckled or striped quality for camouflage, and spiked barbs protrude from shoulders.
Swordfish/Tuna
This shade increases a rusher’s speed and reactions.
Cuttlefish
Skin can adapt to its surroundings, altering colour and texture to camouflage the rusher. Overuse can result in loss of muscle control and bony growths on the arms.
Moray Eel—Snapper
This shade sharpens the teeth and gives a strong bite to the rusher.
Mantis shrimp—Hammer
Bestows upon the rusher an incredible punch. Its drawback is strangely colourful skin.
Anglerfish
Rushers are given glowing eyes and increased night-vision.
Stonefish
Skin can adapt to surrounding textures, though this shade can cause barbs to grow on the face and skin to become a dark grey colour.
—Mammals—
Bison/Ox/Buffalo/Mule
Provides increased stamina and an oddly strong herding instinct.
Wolf
Increases a rusher’s ferocity and overall body hair.
Does result in a strange fascination with the moon, and permanence.
Bear—Hulker
Rusher grows in size and gains enhanced strength.