The Equen Queen

by Alyssa Brugman

  Her Loraskian squeaked at a nearby soldier and a team of them began to dismantle the piles of marines, laying the Quentarans in a line so that Tab could see their faces.

  Tab walked up the line, examining their features. In the third row she found Verris.

  ‘Here!’ She squatted down.

  The soldier injected Verris with the antidote, and shortly afterwards he was coming around. As soon as he opened his eyes and took in the moth-like soldiers, his hand reached awkwardly for his scabbard, but he had been disarmed.

  Tab explained the situation to him. When she described the tunnel and the secret chamber, she could see that the pirate lord was not surprised.

  ‘It's your treasure!’ Tab gasped.

  ‘Why did you tell them about it, Tab?’ he moaned.

  ‘Because I don't know of any other big piles of jewels lying around. Do you?’ she snapped.

  ‘Of course I do!’ he barked. ‘In the Archon's treasury! That's why it's called a treasury!’

  ‘Do you know how to get in?’

  Verris slumped. ‘No. I have been trying for some time now.’

  Tab folded her arms.

  Verris held his head in his hands. ‘It is my life's work. It's taken me years to gather it all together, and you expect me to just give it to these bugs?’ He looked up, frowning. ‘Well, they can fight me for it. I'll die before I hand it over.’

  ‘Look at all these people!’ Tab shouted. She pointed to the mounds of Quentarans. ‘Maybe we will all die! You can keep your stupid treasure! But if we're all dead, who are you going to buy things from?’

  She stared at Verris, and then she remembered how she felt when she first discovered the treasure, how the possessiveness overwhelmed her. Tab tried to imagine what it must be like to have shed blood and lost friends to gather all that treasure together, and to have dreamt for years and years about how you were going to spend it.

  ‘Can you think of another way?’ she asked him.

  Verris sighed. He stood up on unsteady feet. ‘Come on, then. Let's get this over with,’ he grumbled.

  Soon they were outside the tunnel's entrance. Verris frowned at Tab. ‘Turn your back!’ he instructed.

  ‘Why?’ Tab asked. She was curious as to how he was going to unlock the wall – whether it was by magic, or some mechanical device.

  ‘Why?’ he repeated. ‘Because if you were not’ prenticed as a magician, Tab Vidler, you'd be ‘prenticed as a thief. That's why! And make your way up the ranks twice as sharply, I'd imagine.’ He did a winding motion with his fingers. ‘Round you go!’

  Tab sighed and turned her back, arms folded. She listened intently, but heard nothing until Verris said, ‘All right. It's done.’ When she faced the mast again the tunnel mouth was plain to see.

  Verris took a torch from the first wall sconce and lit it from one in the street, then he led the group down the passageway, lighting more along the way. Tab followed him and behind her marched a crew of Loraskians, each holding an empty casket.

  About halfway along Verris stopped. He pointed his torch towards the hole in the dungeon wall. He ran his hand around the puncture. ‘Where is the dragon now?’

  ‘When the Loraskians attacked, it went across the Barrenlands and over the Drop-off. It was after the equen. There was a boy …’

  Chak's voice came through the hollow. ‘Help us! We've been captured!’ Other sky-traders called out too, banging on the bars of their cells. ‘We're starving in here!’

  ‘And the sky-traders’ city is gone too,’ Tab told him.

  Verris rubbed his chin. ‘You're going to have to patch this up later.’

  ‘Me?!’ Tab protested. ‘It was the hatchling!’

  Verris blinked. ‘If you can find the hatchling and get it to patch up this hole that will also be satisfactory.’

  The Loraskian stepped closer to Tab. >>>The cold stars. We have more …

  >>>Yes, yes. We're going

  They continued down the corridor leaving the pleading voices of the sky-traders behind.

  Soon they reached the secret chamber. Verris unlocked the door and they entered. Verris moved around the room lighting the wall sconces.

  Tab moved to the nearest chest and opened the lid. Just as she had imagined the jewels and coins glinted in the light, only they were not nearly as fascinating as she might have imagined. Perhaps it was because she now knew that the riches weren't hers to spend as she wished. Or maybe it was because last time she was in the secret chamber with the dragon. She had been feeling the way the baby dragon felt about the hoard.

  She supposed that was the downside of her gift, and one she would have to learn to control – recognising the emotions that were truly hers against those she was receiving from her hosts. Otherwise she might get lost altogether!

  The Loraskians set to work finding jewels the right size and shape to fit into their caskets. Verris was pleased to see them discarding some of the bigger ones, and ignoring the moons and royals altogether.

  As they had been with the bodies, the Loraskians were methodical about their task but, with all the sorting and rearranging, it still took several hours for them to fill all of their caskets.

  They marched up the corridor again in single file. This time the Loraskians led and Verris and Tab followed. The soldiers stooped as they passed through the archway. They turned and followed their ant-like path towards the battlements.

  Tab's Loraskian stayed behind, walking with Tab and Verris to the Square. Tab translated for Verris.

  ‘He says that the effect of the screech will wear off in time. Everyone will have a headache, but they will be all right.’ They walked between the mounds of people.

  ‘Gruesome, isn't it?’ Verris remarked.

  ‘And if I'd woken to find my jewels gone I would have known who to ask first,’ he replied.

  ‘What would I have done? Grabbed the treasure and run to the back of the city? It's afloat! There's nowhere for me to go.’

  The Loraskian shuffled on his feet. He was keen to return to his city. The other soldiers were forming into units, preparing to march to the battlements.

  >>>Wait!>>We do not wish to keep these people as slaves. Is it in your power to return them to their sky-city?

  The Loraskian gave her his mental shrug. >>>We have the cold stars. We are not concerned any longer with the small, greasy, lying ones

  Tab stifled a smile at the description and then sent to the Loraskian: >>>They have more spaces on their sky-city than sky-traders

  The Loraskian paused for a moment, and then he returned to her >>>I understand

  Taking the jailer's keys, Tab led the Loraskian past the Archon's Palace and down the steps to the dungeons. One by one she opened the cells. When the sky-traders saw Tab flanked by Loraskian soldiers they were very subdued.

  Verris and Tab watched the last of the soldiers march along the alley and around the corner, returning to their city.

  Tab collapsed on the lawn. ‘I could sleep for a week!’

  ‘You can sleep later,’ Verris said. ‘First we have to find you a trowel.’

  ‘You are joking, aren't you?’ Tab asked, stretching out like a starfish.

  Verris was not.

  Chaperone

  Being the first paralysed, the City Watch and marines were the first to awake, and once Verris had explained their predicament to everyone, they began to disassemble the still-frozen piles of people, laying the bodies across the lawn. Others fetched buckets of water and ladles so that the freshly woken could drink and splash their faces.

  Commander Storm started a bonfire in the square so that the Quentarans could burn their clothing if they chose to. Most did – even though their clothes were salvageable. It was more a ritual to rid themselves of what had happened than a necessity.

  Many Quentarans stood around the bonfire watching the flames, sharing their stories of the Loraskian attack, and speculating as to what had happened after the mounds had been made. Very few had been paralysed with thei
r eyes open and fewer still on an angle that allowed them to see what was happening.

  Rumours spread quickly about Tab's involvement and many cast suspicious glances Tab's way, but she ignored them. She had promised to keep Verris's chamber a secret, and without that detail there was not much of a story to tell.

  Instead she waited near the frozen bodies of her two friends, stretching her sore muscles and scraping the lime from under her fingernails. In the end Verris had helped her patch the wall in the dungeon, but it was still hard work!

  When Philmon and Amelia finally came around Tab treated them to a feast with one of the coins she had stolen from Verris's treasure. They laid out a picnic in the street outside the Navigators’ Guild, and set an extra place in honour of their friend, Torby.

  Once they had eaten all the pies and thickleberry tarts they possibly could, they leaned back against the wall of the building opposite, where they had the best view of Torby's window.

  ‘I'll sleep well tonight,’ Philmon said, rubbing his tummy.

  ‘Look!’ Amelia gasped.

  Framed in the window was Torby. The three friends laughed and waved. Philmon pointed to the extra place setting, and Tab held out her mug of honey ale in a salute.

  Torby smiled and waved back. He looked over his shoulder, back into the room, and then the curtain dropped.

  ‘He looked better than last time,’ Tab told the others. ‘Happier. Stronger.’

  Amelia said, ‘He looked terribly pale to me.’

  ‘Maybe we could get him down to see those equens in the livery?’ Philmon suggested.

  ‘They don't work. They're just drones,’ Tab said. Then she explained to them all that the equen queen had shown her in the vision – how the females were the only ones with the power.

  ‘We have to get him down there,’ Philmon replied.

  ‘We should take the drones home too,’ Amelia added. ‘They would be happier with their own kind. If they're of no use to us, surely the council will agree?’

  *

  There was a line of people outside the throne room waiting to address the council. It was mostly shopkeepers appealing to the council to be reimbursed for goods damaged, or removed during the two journeys through the vortex and the attack, but they were swiftly sent on their way – mostly complaining, but not too loudly, as Vrod followed them all the way to the outer door.

  Fontagu joined the queue not far behind the three youngsters.

  ‘What's he doing here?’ Amelia grumbled. She did not share Tab's peculiar affection for the trickster.

  Then all of a sudden the thrumming of the great propellers vibrated beneath them. Tab's heart beat faster. She needed to get down to the world below right now! She wanted to see that Tattoo was all right.

  She shifted from foot to foot, trying to count how many people were in the line before them. The thrumming intensified. The flames on the torches in the wall sconces all shifted at once. Quentaris was on the move. Tab wondered about the baby dragon too. How long would it last without food? She knew it wasn't possible, but somehow she wanted them both to be all right.

  Eventually they were at the front of the queue and the three were called into the throne room to be heard.

  Tab cleared her throat. ‘We want to return the equens to the world below.’

  ‘There is no need for that,’ the Archon declared. ‘Our scouting party has recently returned. The world below is not as promising as we thought. Besides, no one can accompany you. Even as we speak the guilds make ready to leave.’

  ‘Respectfully, sir,’ Tab began. ‘It wouldn't take very long. One scout and one vessel is all we would need … and our friend Torby. We don't even need the scout really – just the vessel.’

  Stelka narrowed her eyes. ‘Why would you take Torby?’

  ‘It's said that the equens who live on the world below have healing powers,’ Amelia said.

  Stelka sighed. ‘Some people will believe anything.’

  ‘If there is hope to speed up Torby's recovery, isn't it worth trying?’ Amelia countered. The Chief Navigator fixed her with a glare and Amelia's glance dropped to the floor. ‘There's no harm in trying,’ she mumbled.

  ‘This is a waste of our time,’ Florian said, inspecting his fingernails. ‘Next!’

  ‘I'll take them,’ offered Fontagu from the doorway. ‘If a scout vessel can be spared.’

  Everyone looked over the three friends’ shoulders to where he stood.

  ‘You?’ snorted Verris. ‘Out of the goodness of your heart?’

  ‘I don't suppose one more look around would be too much trouble, since we're not likely to come back,’ Drass said, suddenly sitting forward. ‘I could join them also – to make sure that they're back promptly.’

  Tab could have laughed. Of course, Drass was interested now. He knew Fontagu wouldn't offer to escort them unless there were gold royals in the venture.

  Florian took his feet off the council table. ‘You're needed here, Drass, to prepare for the journey, and finish the hearing. But I could probably fit it in to my schedule.’

  ‘Surely nannying a few children and ponies is a task too low for the Archon's own nephew?’ Drass retorted. ‘And who will chaperone the chaperone?’

  ‘I'll take Vrod,’ Verris said, standing.

  Both Florian and Drass began to protest.

  ‘Want to fight me for it?’ Verris asked, half drawing his sword from his scabbard. Florian closed his mouth. ‘Didn't think so.’

  Drass stood, drawing his sword.

  ‘I say!’ the Archon spluttered. ‘Have you lost all sense of etiquette? There will be no fighting in this chamber.’

  Drass narrowed his eyes at Verris, and then sheathed his weapon.

  Fontagu hovered in the doorway rubbing his hands together and making a pathetic low bleating noise to attract attention.

  ‘Yes, you can come too, Fontagu,’ Verris said. ‘It's probably best for the city if you stay within my sight.’

  ‘… And Torby?’ Tab asked.

  Verris and Stelka exchanged a glance. The Chief Navigator sighed again. ‘I suppose it can't do any harm.’

  Amelia and Philmon went with Verris to gather the two equens from the ostler, while Vrod escorted Tab to the Navigators’ Guild to collect Torby. Tab was almost skipping. She felt as though she hadn't talked to Torby for ages!

  Vrod waited outside while Tab entered the room in which Torby had been convalescing. It was a comfortable space with a warm fire. She was pleased to see that there was a table and chairs for drawing and toys on the floor. Tab knew that Stelka would have chosen a magician with strong skills to help Torby contain his gifts, but she was happy to see that the scholar who attended him had a kind face and a soothing voice.

  He was pale, but Torby didn't seem unhappy, or afraid.

  ‘Have you seen ponies before?’ she asked him.

  ‘Only in the street,’ he whispered back, pointing to the window.

  ‘Would you like to see one up close?’ the nurse asked him, smoothing his hair away from his face.

  Torby nodded shyly and held out his hand to Tab.

  The nurse followed them along the corridor and when they got to the front door she placed her hands on Torby's shoulders. ‘Do you remember everything we have practised?’

  Torby nodded again.

  Tab could see the strain on the nurse's face. ‘He will be fine,’ she said, but she seemed to be trying to convince herself more than Tab.

  Verris had already loaded the equens on the scout vessel when they reached the harbour. They seemed to be much more nervous about their proximity to Vrod than about being in the confined space. Tab could feel from them that it was the smell of meat fat that oozed through his pores. It made their muscles twitch and their eyes wide. She did what she could to send calming thoughts, but she was nervous herself about what she might find on the world below.

  Amelia and Philmon didn't seem worried at all. They were quizzing Torby about what he was learning from the magicians, an
d Tab was pleased to hear Torby answering. They were slow, halting answers, but it was progress.

  When they first boarded Torby rubbed the scars on his hands fretfully with his thumbs, but the more questions his friends asked the more relaxed he became. He sat close to the equens, and one of the drones reached out to gently nuzzle his hand.

  The boy grinned with delight. ‘Tickly whiskers,’ he said.

  Tab caught Fontagu watching the boy with an indulgent smile.

  She sat next to him and dug him in the ribs with her elbow. ‘If you go near him I will set Vrod onto you,’ she whispered from the corner of her mouth.

  Vrod's ears waggled. ‘Simesian actors make good stew,’ he mused, smacking his lips. When Fontagu shuddered, the troll grinned at Tab. Tab smiled back, but inside she shuddered too.

  Verris steered the small craft down below the cloud layer and then began searching for the gouging trail left on the surface by the mighty anchor on their last visit.

  Tab leaned her chin on her elbows. As they passed over a vast desert there was not much to see except undulating dunes. Tab squinted ahead. Beyond the dunes was the shimmering savannah, similar to the place Tattoo had shown her in her vision. She watched as the distant objects on the surface changed from faint blotches of colour to recognisable shapes.

  She spied a dark lump half-buried in the sand.

  ‘What's that?’ she asked Verris.

  He shrugged and handed her the spyglass. She placed it to her eye and swung it this way and that, trying to find the shape again.

  When she found it she wound the focusing ring, and when she had it trained on the dark-coloured mound, she gasped and dropped the spyglass. It clattered as it rolled across the floor. The two equens started at the sound. Tab sat down quickly and tears sprung into her eyes.

  ‘What is it, Tab?’ Philmon asked.

  ‘It's …’ She tried to speak through the lump in her throat. ‘It's Melprin.’