Diego was unusually quiet and watchful as the two seamen rowed the small boat to the dock, his dark eyes following the progress of a squad of grim faced soldiers marching by, liveried in orange and black. One of the soldiers kicked a street urchin out of the way, bouncing the small child off of a dirty wall. The child lay in the street for a moment as the squad passed, and then stood, limping down a dim side-street rubbing a bruised leg. He looked up to see the muscles in Jineva’s jaw tighten. She had seen it too. Diego clambered up on the wooden dock, and bent to help Jineva, then knelt and whispered quick instructions to the seaman.
“What was that all about?” The young woman watched the boat leave with more than a little apprehension.
Diego put his head next to hers and whispered. “Something isn’t right here. Your family had green with silver livery, and your father and mother never condoned cruelty.” His eyes looked up, sweeping across the wide bay. “About half of your father’s military ships lie at anchor, and none fly your house flag. Most of the trading ships seem to be out also. I told the seamen that unless they heard from us by daybreak, they were to up-anchor and return to Isla Lemuy.”
A chill ran up Jineva’s back, and she took a deep breath. “Time to finish what we came to do, Uncle.” Turning, she looked out at the bay one last time. A small green head popped out of the water a few yards from the dock, and gave her a quick wink before it disappeared. Jineva blinked in surprise, but Diego just gave her a nod, saying he’d seen it too. She straightened her back. “You don’t have to do this, Uncle. This is my road now.”
He gave her a sad smile. “I don’t think so, poco de amor. My place is by your side.”
“Thank you, Diego.” Hand in hand they walked up the long dusty road to the castle.
“Halt, who goes there?” A massive guard dressed in black lacquered ceramic armor was standing in front of the main gate, something her father had never done. A second guard stood close by, visor down, hand on the pommel of his long ceramic bladed sword.
Jineva squared her shoulders. “I am Jineva Barillo, and this my uncle,” she smiled briefly, “and protector, Diego Giani. My father’s ship was attacked and we alone survived. I am returning home.”
The second guard made a motion with his hand, and three more armored men walked out of the shadows. “Well, well, well.” The first guard raised his visor to reveal dark emotionless eyes. “The prodigal daughter has returned.” His gauntleted hand took her arm.
Gasping in pain, she tried to pull away. “Diego!” When she looked she saw that her uncle was being held by two men, while a third had a sword point to his back.
“The king will be very glad to see the two of you. He has been worried.” Slamming his visor shut he dragged her toward the castle while the others did the same with Diego, and his laughter chilled Jineva’s soul.
The guards threw Jineva and Diego down on the hard stone floor at the foot of the massive crystal throne. “Barillo’s whelp an er pet gorilla.” The guard had taken off his helmet, revealing his vicious grin. He tossed Jineva’s moon medallion and golden chain to the man on the throne while he smirked at the girl sprawled at his feet.
Pushing back the crown that had slipped down over one eye, the king blinked. Wine in a jeweled crystal goblet slopped over onto his sleeve, but he didn’t seem to notice and his royal tunic was spotted with food.
“Uncle Carlos?” Jineva tried to get up, but the guard put his foot on her face and pushed her back down. “Why? My family has always treated yours with respect, and you know that I’m the rightful heir to the throne.” She had to say it.
“Carlos and Amanda Salvana are king and queen now, little girl. Your presence ties off the last loose end. We found and burned the other bodies. The Barillo reign is over. Your father was a fool, and never saw his doom coming from his own loving brother-in-law. I was very careful about that.” He raised the goblet and drained it in a long pull. “It took me months to arrange the famous argument between your father and Sofia Vergara, his sister and only real supporter. With the Vergaras safely out of the way, the kingdom was mine for the taking.” He turned bleary eyes on the guard. “Take these two to the dungeon. Do what you think is appropriate with him, but make it a slow death. She’s said to be tricky.” The king’s smile was terrible. “Break both of her arms, and then let her watch her friend die.” He looked up at the ceiling. “Starvation is said to be very painful. We’ll let her starve to death.” He refilled his glass and raised it to the girl and man sprawled before him. “Have a long and pleasant life, Princess.” He drank again, and began to laugh, waving his hand to his guards to take the prisoners away.
The guards were very efficient, obviously the result of long practice. When they reached the damp cell they pulled Jineva’s arms through the bars and bent both of them until they broke. Jineva passed out from the pain, but they revived her with a pail of water thrown in her face. When they were done with her, two guards held Diego’s arms while a third ran his sword through the struggling man, two inches below the navel. The bloody tip came out of Diego’s back and the guard took grim satisfaction in twisting the sword as he removed it. When the guards finally let Diego go he collapsed to the filth-covered floor with a low groan, blood pooling around his body like a dark shadow.
“What do we do with the bodies?” Another guard laughed.
“We throws them in the arbor. The pikefish an the sealkies l’ do our work fer us.” The cell door slammed.
< If you want to save your uncle you must listen to me.>
< Die later. You’ve got to crawl over to your uncle. I’ve blocked the pain as much as I can and still keep you conscious. You have to touch him, skin to skin, with your face, with your leg, anything. I will twin myself into him, and we can lend his K’ Dreex some energy to keep him alive.>
Meara growled.
Jineva crawled, if only to stop the incessant nagging in her head. She passed out with her head on Diego’s bare chest, his hand slowly stroking her hair.
Voices came and went, came and went. After a while she found herself in the corner again. The rest of the cell was empty, but for a large bloodstain on the floor. She could see where a body had been dragged out. The room went black as she fainted.
She was more lucid when she woke the next time. The pain in her arms was almost matched by the gnawing emptiness in her stomach.
She sighed.
“Hello, Jineva.” The voice was youthful and pleasantly deep. His hand came up to push the hood back to reveal collar-length brown hair and deep blue eyes. His skin had a tanned weathered look, and his lips twitched up in a sad smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Mateo?” She croaked softly, licking her lips with a dry tongue. It was the adopted son of Jose and Sofia Vergara.
He knelt, putting the top of a wineskin between her lips. “Drink slowly. It’s water.” To Jineva it tasted like ambrosia. She coughed some up, waited and drank some more.
“Can you get me out of here? What about the guards?”
He re-st
oppered the wineskin. “You were always full of questions.” He put his arms under her and lifted gently, carrying her as you would a baby. “I started a fire in the stables on the other side of the castle. Most of the guards and everybody else are trying to put it out.” Jineva gasped in pain and he stopped.
“No, no. Keep going.” She was biting her lip so hard to keep from crying out that she could taste coppery blood. As they walked she saw her former jailers lying bleeding on the floor. “You are the last person in the world I expected to rescue me. I thought your family hated the Barillos.”
He opened a door with a hand, pushed it wider with a booted toe. “You know about the famous argument between your father and his sister, my mother?” Jineva nodded. Your father always regretted saying the things he did, and he tried his best to do well by us. He gave our family a powerful position, and a beautiful estate. Some of the Barillo retainers thought that this was a mistake. My father and mother heard about the plot to murder your family too late to save them, but I felt I had to do what I could. The problem was that I didn’t know if you were in league with your uncle to seize power. Too late I heard of your exploits in the Vale of Tears, and I lost your trail. I figured that if you were heading home you would go through Desafortunado, so I waited there. I was a bit surprised when you showed up in your own boat. I had almost come to the conclusion that you were working with Carlos when you met the priestess of Selene. I let things progress as they would and almost lost you again in the Serrana Banks, and again when a sealkie put a knife in our mast. The crew almost mutinied over that, and I had to go home and get a new company of sailors. I knew where you were going by then, and I caught up with you at Isla de la Luna.” The blue eyes gave her a hard look. “You lead an interesting life, Jineva. I don’t believe everything I saw. I followed you here. I knew that if you were working for King Carlos you would be welcomed with open arms, so I hid, bided my time and watched. I should have spoken to you when I first saw you, and things would have gone better. I’m sorry I couldn’t save Diego Giani. I know that you and he were close.”
She chuckled, wincing at the pain. “Don’t worry about Diego. He’ll be waiting for us.”
Mateo snorted. “What? In heaven?”
Her look was almost serene. “Almost. In Isla Lemuy. By the way, how are we getting away?”
Mateo was starting to puff. “I have a carriage waiting, and a fast boat anchored offshore. We should make it to Isla del Gato in...”
“We’re going to Isla Lemuy.” Her voice was firm.
“Lemuy is all jungle and swamps.” His voice sounded disgusted.
“You will be in for a surprise, then.” He slid her as gently as he could into the small carriage seat. Jineva was trembling with the pain, and she was sure that he could feel it through his hands. “One thing, though.” She managed to get out through gritted teeth. “Hold on to your prejudices, and tell your sailors to hold onto theirs.”
The pot hole was particularly deep as they exited the castle gate to begin the long winding road to the harbor, and the shock of hitting it bounced Jineva off the seat, and back into unconsciousness.
“Jineva, wake up. Please wake up, Jineva. I need your help.” The familiar sway told her that she was on a boat, and she opened her eyes. Mateo was looking down at her. “Thank the gods.” There was relief in his voice. “I need you on deck, we have a—situation.”
“What sort of...” She shook her head, trying to dislodge the cobwebs that grew there. “All right.” With Mateo’s help she struggled to her feet, her crooked arms bandaged loosely across her chest, and up onto deck. The entire crew of eight was huddled by the mainmast, and the rest of the deck was filled with very angry looking Krathaa. A green head swiveled as she stepped on deck, then another. The Krathaa began to hiss, their sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight.
“Jineva!” A voice shouted, and a small form rocketed toward the swaying girl.
“No!” Jineva jerked back, staggering against Mateo, who was having a hard time holding her up. “No, Azzktullua. My arms are broken.” She looked about the deck. “These men are trying to help me escape from the ones who did this.”
The Krathaa girl spoke very quickly in her own language, and Jineva could feel the tension go out of the air. Krathaa knives were sheathed, and the human crewmen looked as if they were about to faint. There was, however, an angry bellow from the front of the boat, and Jineva could see Gluznaak pushing his way through human and Krathaa alike to get to her. She couldn’t understand a thing he was saying.
“My father asks who did this thing to his daughter.” Azzktullua said formally. Mateo almost dropped her in surprise, and that would have been a very bad thing... for him.
“Tell Gluznaak that the ones in the castle did this, the same ones who killed my parents and my brother.” When Azzktullua repeated what she’s said in the Krathaa language, every Krathaa hissed and drew his or her knife.
Gluznaak’s knife was in the air also, his green-skinned face determined. “We will kill them, then. We will...”
“No.” Jineva said, with all of the strength she could muster. “Against men and against creatures the Krathaa have no equal, but against a castle and men in armor you would fail. I would not have my family killed again. We will strike, Chief of the Krathaa, but we will strike when we can win.”
Gluznaak looked somber now, nodding. His brow furrowed as he saw her broken arms for the first time. He barked a sharp order, and three more Krathaa warriors strode over, removing Jineva slowly, but insistently, from Mateo’s hands. Gluznaak’s warm hand touched her cheek. “Your arms must be set, Jineva daughter. Azzktullua broke her own arm when she was younger and I delayed setting it, thinking it would heal by itself. It did not. The healer had to re-break her arm to set it properly, and I watched carefully. I will be gentle, but it will still be very painful.” His large black eyes watched her face. “You can do many strange things, daughter. Can you will yourself to sleep, so you will not feel the pain?”
“I can...Father. Do what you must. I trust you with my life.”
A strange discoloration spread over Gluznaak’s face, and it took a moment for her to realize that he was blushing, or the Krathaa equivalent. “Sleep well, daughter.” Jineva shut her eyes.
Jineva woke three times on the long trip to Isla Lemuy, and just had time to eat a meal and drink a wineskin of water before Meara put her back to sleep. Sixteen days after her escape from the castle she awoke, still terribly weak but clear-headed and free of the tearing pain in her arms. She dressed herself slowly, struggling to her feet.
The companionway was small and narrow, much smaller than the spacious Azzktullua. The ladder up to the deck was equally cramped, and the unused muscles in Jineva’s legs were trembling by the time she reached the top of the few short steps.
The lush jungle of Isla Lemuy was slowly crawling by their starboard side and Jineva smiled, recognizing Mateo at the wheel. His shirt was open to the waist, his unkempt hair blowing in the wind. He looked in his element.
“Good morning.” She was surprised at how weak her voice sounded in her own ears. His tanned face turned.
“What are you doing up? Your arms should be splinted, you...”
“Stop!” She commanded, laughing a little. “I’m a bit weak, but I’m fine. Now, where are we?”
He was trying to give her a mature scowl, but on him it just looked silly. “We’re approaching the northernmost end of Isla Lemuy. I haven’t seen any towns or villages yet.”
She held on to the railing as the boat hit a large swell. “Follow the land around to starboard. We’re almost home.”
A green he
ad popped over the railing, and then the body of Azzktullua flowed onto the deck, toothy mouth grinning widely. “I’m glad to see you up and about, Jineva. I was beginning to get worried, and so was Father. How are your arms?”
“Almost healed, little sister.” Jineva held out her arms and the Krathaa girl dashed forward, giving her a big hug.
“You’ve gotten skinny, Jineva.” There was an accusation in her voice.
“I was sick, little sister. I will eat more, I promise.”
“If you say so. When I broke my arm it was in a splint forever. You heal quickly.”
Jineva touched the small green head, smiling. “I do.”
“I’ve got to go tell Father. He was worried for you. See you later.” Like that, she was over the side and gone. Mateo looked dumbfounded; the rest of the crew just looked away.
“Sometime you have to tell me why you are adopted by the Krathaa.” He struggled with the strange word.
“Someday, Mateo. Someday.”
As the small schooner rounded the northern end of Isla Lemuy, the land fell off to starboard, widening into a large busy bay that funneled into the city of Prosperidad, five miles away. Fishing boats crisscrossed in front of them, and everywhere along the shore there seemed to be construction going on. A lush breeze, redolent of growing things tickled her cheek.
As they followed along the north side of the bay, Jineva noted a large stone estate being constructed on the sharp bank of a hill overlooking the water. Beneath the stone manor a long temporary dock pushed out into the bay, and moored to the dock was the schooner Azzktullua. Someone in the stern was waving to them.
Vale of Tears: A Thalassia novel Page 11