Guardians of Evil

by C. R. Daems

  “No way,” she yelped. “I like that I can change them when I get tired of them.”

  “You have two arms, two legs, a back, and a face. Plenty of room for new ones,” Emmund said with a grin. “They make you look almost grown up.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him until he raised an eyebrow. “Sechael will be leaving in two days,” she said. “Apparently, Breeze Point will be the last city in their plan. But I don’t know what the rest of their plan is.” She took a quick look at her tatts.

  He is joking, isn’t he?

  “I think we should leave tomorrow so we can be in Gorlack before Sechael,” Emmund said. She couldn’t help the smile. She and Zeph were being included in the decision instead of being ordered when to go.

  “We’ll be ready.” Liada looked at Zeph who nodded agreement.

  Chapter 12

  Gorlack: Hawks Point

  The sky was dark gray with an edge of gold on the horizon when the coach pulled up in front of the Inn. Liada and Zeph had their few clothes already packed. They tied their bags on the back and climbed into the coach. Emmund got up with the driver. The carriage turned onto the Low-ring Road, which ended at the far end of the harbor. The dock they stopped next to had only one boat, a long, sleek sailboat. They boarded and the crew started untying the lines and unfurling the sails. Liada counted eight sailors on deck.

  She’d never been on a boat before and watched their every move. Each seemed to know his part, and the boat slipped away from the shore. Soon the sails were billowing in the wind and the boat flying across the water. At first, Liada thought the boat was going to capsize as it tilted with the force of the wind. She laughed with excitement at the speed of the boat and feel of the salty spray of the water. It had a wonderful salty smell. As she watched in fascination, the Sporish coastline shrank to a dark line in the distance. Liada and Zeph found benches in the back while the sailors went about their tasks. All of the crew had arms covered with tatts, so they had to be from Gorlack.

  Emmund had disappeared with the man she thought was the captain, which left Zeph and her alone. Zeph looked a little green, but she felt fine. In fact, she felt wonderful—her hair flying in the wind, the smell of the sea, and the First Ones riding on her shoulders.

  “What is Gorlack like today, Aliy?” Tali asked. “I haven’t been there in centuries.”

  “Gorlack is much like it was centuries ago except there are more humans. Most of the people live on the coast as the land up country is mountainous. Hawks Point is a thriving city. A century ago, Hawks Point had only one port and few people. Today it has three ports and the humans have increased a hundred-fold. Fishing and transporting goods between the three empires is its main source of income.”

  “What about the priests?” Liada said.

  “The priests in Gorlack have been subdued for years. If what happened in Breeze Point happened in Hawks Point the people would probably have packed up all the priests and sent them off in a boat. Only a few believe the Roganista priests are the protectors of the people. Most people believe the priests are no longer needed and should be stripped of their remaining power. People don’t want them using the First Ones as an excuse to harass them. They have police to enforce the laws. Today the priests have little influence and must have some evidence to justify any actions they take.”

  After she and Zeph finished asking questions, she went to the bow of the boat. The spume splashing in her face and the wind tossing her hair felt wonderful. All too soon, the Gorlack coast came into view. She would have been happy for it to go on for days.

  “I’m interested in the tatts, Aliy,” Liada said as they watched the shoreline grow. Traveling through the empires was fun. She just wished it were a pleasure trip instead of a life and death race.

  “Just ask them,” Aliy said. “Gorlacks love talking about their tatts. They will gladly explain each one to you—but not all tatts have meaning. Some are just for show. Over the past twenty years more and more people are getting tatts for decoration.”

  Liada spent the next few hours wandering around the boat asking the sailors, who weren’t busy, about his or her tatts. Aliy was right. Many of the tatts had no meaning. The person just liked the look of it. The other half did have meaning. Some designated a clan or heritage, service in a group like a sailing group, and still others represented names, personality traits, and occupations. By the time they were approaching Hawks Point, Liada could pick out some of the tatts that had meaning and some which didn’t. Her friends could probably identify them all.

  The boat docked at the East Harbor. A carriage was waiting that took them to Sail Street and a large Inn appropriately named The Yellow Sail. Liada was delighted to learn there were two markets, East and West, and the Inn was located at the corner of the West Market.

  “Liada, I’ve gotten you a position at the Inn as an assistant cook. It’s a very large Inn, and there are two other assistants. They do a large variety of meals, which you should find interesting.” Emmund paused and faced Zeph. “Zeph, I’ve gotten you a job as a blacksmiths assistant a few blocks from here. The city uses a lot of horses, particularly the police. You both have rooms at the Inn.”

  Before going to meet her new employer, Liada spent an hour with Tali helping her remove the fake tatts. She found the kitchen was at least twice the size of any other she had worked in. The chef, Herad, was a small, sturdy-built man whose arms and face were loaded with tatts. Her first reaction was panic. His bristling mustache and heavy eyebrows looked fearsome, but he gave her a friendly smile.

  “Master Herad, I’m Jatia. I’ve been told you have a position for me.”

  “Yes. You’ll spend the next couple of days following me around. I’ll ask questions, have you prepare things on your own, and determine where you are best suited to help. I understand you have worked at several Inns before.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve worked in Ostono and Sporish.”

  “Good. Rest today. You start tomorrow.”

  For a few minutes she watched from the door as he worked, trying to make out his tatts. She could understand some of them and Aliy explained the rest. In a way, it was the story of his life. He’d been in the Gorlack police, came from an up-country tribe, had four children, his name and those of his children, his position as a master chef, and many that were just decorations.

  Back in her room, she found Emmund waiting for her.

  “Don’t you ever wait to be let in, or knock, or let someone know when you are coming?” Liada asked.

  I’m actually getting use to it, she mused.

  Emmund raised his eyebrows at the thought. “I’d be a poor spy if I did. Let’s go. You have an appointment.” Emmund opened the door and motioned her to go ahead of him. She shrugged. As they walked, he explained that the streets running north and south were named after colors and those running east and west had names. It took only a short time to walk from Yellow to Blue Street at the next crossroads. Emmund motioned for her to enter a small shop ahead of him. In the corner, a small thin man sat tapping on a stick over a man’s bare back.

  “This is a tatt shop?” Liada shouted in surprise. “No, I don’t want or need a tatt.”

  “It is necessary if you want to talk to the Gorlack…group. You must have a tatt, and it must be registered. They won’t talk to you otherwise.”

  “Why won’t they talk to me?”

  “The location is secret, and only agents are permitted there.”

  “I’m an agent. You said so on your oath. Doesn’t your oath mean anything?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

  “Yes, it does. But you must have a registered tatt before the council will speak to you. I’ll represent you if you wish. But do you think I can present your issues as well as you could?”

  “What will my mother and father say?” Liada was feeling desperate. She didn’t want a tatt, but she didn’t think Emmund could represent the First Ones. How would he convince them she knew the First Ones much less represented them?


  Blast the man, she swore, he’s right.

  Emmund just smiled knowingly and strode over to speak to the man doing the tatts.

  “Liada, if you are willing to help the Firebirds and Seadragons, we will bond ourselves to you of our free will as Tali has done,” Aliy said in her other ear, the soft-thin feathers gently brushing her neck.

  Liada almost broke into tears. The First Ones wanted her to help them. She loved them. But she had never expected to take on such a heavy responsibility. What if she failed them?

  “This is something Emmund should be doing,” she said in desperation. “Emmund would be better than me. I’m still barely grown.”

  At that moment, she felt very young. As her mind raced, she heard the sing-song music she recognized as First Ones talking.

  “We trust only you,” Tali said. “The other humans have interests which may conflict with ours. They’ve never helped us.”

  “Pick a tatt,” Emmund said.

  “Which one?” she asked. How was she supposed to know?

  “It doesn’t matter. Pick whatever you like. Your Owl tatt was interesting.”

  Liada looked at the picture of an owl design on the wall. It didn’t look like a replicate of a real Owl, but rather a series of black lines that created a strange approximation of its face, body and wings. The outline of the face was rounded with two circles for eyes, the wings were five lines that went from thick at the body to points, and the body was another circle with tail feathers similar to the wings. Clearly an owl and yet not an owl. She wished there had been a young owl. She snorted. A very young owl, for a young woman’s wisdom.

  “Maybe I’ll grow into it.” She sat in the chair the man pointed to and put her arm on the table.

  “The Owl,” Emmund said. The tattooist clamped her arm with leather straps and picked up a long stick with what looked like teeth at its end. He dipped the teeth end into black ink, placed it over her arm, and began tapping it with another short stick. She tried to pull away with the first few rapid taps as the teeth bit into the skin. It hurt.

  After she got over the shock, she became interested in the process and the developing picture. He would tap several times then wipe away the excess ink, look at the result and continue. The process took almost an hour. She didn’t want a tatt, but she had to admit it was pretty. Now she could see why Emmund knew her imitation was a fake and why Aliy had said it wouldn’t fool anyone from Gorlack.

  The pierces in her skin were bleeding a little and her arm burned. But the design had turned out wonderfully.

  “Thank you, it is beautiful,” she said. The detail was perfect. The little man said nothing, just nodded as if it was his due. Liada guessed he was a Master and expected no less.

  “Well, I’ve done it,” she said, mostly for the benefit of the First Ones—her part of the bargain. She wouldn’t have done it for any other reason.

  “Don’t worry, I can remove it when you want,” Tali said.

  “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

  “It wouldn’t have been the same if you knew I could remove it. Believing it was permanent made the commitment real.”

  “You’re right. It wouldn’t have been the same. The tatt is a reminder of my determination.”

  “What are you talking about, Liada,” Emmund said from across the room where he’d been paying the tattooist.

  “Just admiring my tatt,” she said as Emmund approached. Now that it was over, she was anxious to talk to Gorlack Security. “When do I get to see…them.”

  “I will register you and your tatt today. I’ll see if I can arrange a meeting for tomorrow.” Emmund left her to find her own way back to the Inn. Being so close to the markets, she was tempted to wander over there. But her arm still hurt and her eyes burned with fatigue. She wasn’t up to dealing with trouble. Back at the Inn, she found Zeph in his room.

  “Well, how did it go?” Liada asked as she sat in the only chair.

  “The stables are huge. They must work on five to ten horses and bridles every day, and their work is great. I’m going to enjoy working there. I start tomorrow.”

  “I’m looking forward to starting tomorrow. The kitchen here is the largest I’ve ever seen. If we were here to apprentice, I would be happy, but it’s not likely we’ll be here for long.”

  “I thought you got rid of that…that tatt’s real,” Zeph said as he jumped up and rushed over to examine it. “It’s real. It’s permanent.”

  “It’s real. It’s a condition of being able to meet with Gorlack Security.”

  “I can’t even imagine what your parents will say.” He shook his head. “And I don’t think I want to.”

  They ate a leisurely dinner before returning to Liada’s room. While they were talking, Kaim returned.

  “Sechael is staying with Lafaw, who is a member of the House of Elders. Much the same happened today. People showed up, paid him gold, and they made a list. After they left, Sechael mentioned the disaster in Breeze Point and the changed plans. The new order of attack is to be Osshaft in Sporish; Kentoll and Stonecross in Ostono; Llunris and Hawks Point in Gorlack; and finally Breeze Point.”

  “Thank you, Kaim. I believe we will get to meet Gorlack Security tomorrow.”

  * * * *

  Liada reported to the kitchen early and found the fires going and the staff preparing for the day. Men and women scurried about, chopping various foods, stirring steaming pots, and kneading dough. The kitchen already smelled of strange spices she couldn’t identify. Master Herad showed up only a few minutes later. He unrolled a sheet of paper and started reading out the morning’s menu and each person’s assignment.

  “Jatia, you follow me. I want to get a feel for your cooking experience before I give you an assignment.”

  For the rest of the day, she followed Herad as he prepared meals, desserts, and supervised the assistant cook’s work. The day proved interesting. Herald questioned her about the spices she would normally add. He asked what meals she felt most comfortable making and let her season a soup. He seemed to enjoy answering Liada’s questions about the spices he used and why. Herad was everywhere at once. He inspected everything produced before, during, and after it was prepared. His staff had been with him for a long time and anticipated his wants and preferences.

  Liada liked that Herad’s cooking differed from anything she’d studied before. Many of his meals used spices she’d never heard of. She found the taste different and exotic.

  When she opened the door to her room, Emmund was sitting in her chair.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought this was my room,” Liada said when she saw him.

  “The meeting is in a couple of hours. I’ll be back in an hour,” Emmund said as he closed the door behind him. Liada stuck out her tongue at his back, waved goodbye, and stamped her foot.

  I’m like a puppy dog. Come. Fetch. Sit.

  Liada fumed. She had no choice, so she washed, relieved herself, and changed into her best Gorlack style clothes—a thin skirt and sleeveless tunic that would show off any arm tatts. Looking down at herself, she paused, amazed. She wasn’t much older, but she was much changed. She had a new appreciation for cooking. Food preparation and taste, like the way people dressed, varied by region. She understood the history of the empires, the Roganista Priests, and the current conflicts. She’d met the First Ones, and they were her friends. In the process of protecting the First Ones, she’d put her life in danger and learned much about herself: she loved cooking and having real friends like Zeph, who stayed with you through good and bad times; she might not always be right, but she wasn’t afraid to try; and she was still a young woman who wasn’t always sure what to do, who made mistakes, and who loved living. And, the owl tatt would begin a new chapter.

  She was no longer the old Liada.

  Emmund opened the door while she was still reflecting on her life. She followed him to Red Street where he turned north onto Fin Street. There he entered a small brick house with dirty windows and a black door which had seen
better days. The inside wasn’t much better. The walls were old and chipped brick, the fireplace black from soot, and the floor made from a rough wood. Three men sat at a long wooden table near the fireplace where a small fire burned. They wore masks covering their faces and long-sleeved shirts covering any tatts. Two chairs were at a second table facing them. Emmund went to the two chairs and pointed to one. Liada sat while looking around the room. The tables and chairs were rickety and stained.

  “Elders, this is our newest agent. Her name is Liada, and her alias Jatia. She requests permission to talk to the elders of Gorlack Security,” Emmund said. “I’ve already explained the crucial part she has played in gathering the information we’ve collected to date.”

  “Welcome, Liada, Gorlack Security thanks you for your help. According to agent Emmund, you uncovered more than he and his agents could. Even if they could have, it would have required more time than we have,” the man on the left said. Liada remained silent. She felt like a mouse staring at three hungry cats. “What do you want of us?” the man on the right asked.

  “They are playing you. The man on the left will act friendly while the man on the right will act hostile,” Aliy said.

  Liada sniffed. This was serious and they were playing games.

  “I want to know where the Gorlack Security interests lie.” She would get to the point if they wouldn’t.

  “And what business is that of yours? You are an agent of Gorlack and are here to do our bidding.”

  So that’s the way it’s going to be. Our business is none of yours. Go, fetch, sit, Liada thought. Adult games I’m not prepared for.

  “Play their game. We are bonded to you, not them. They can’t succeed without you,” Tali whispered in her ear followed by a melodious laugh. She had wonderful friends who cared for her and had the wisdom she lacked.

  “Yes, I am an agent—a very young agent with no talent except I can cook. I’m not strong, certainly would not know how to kill anyone, and have no training as a spy. But I’m willing to cook for you,” Liada said and couldn’t help smiling.