Alchemy's Child (The Mindbender's Rise Book 5)

by D J Salisbury

  He crossed his arms. “Why else shouldn’t she come along? Besides a foolish superstition.”

  Tsai growled louder than a serdil.

  He was pushing his luck. Tsai’d do something worse than put salt in his tea if he kept his chatter up. Too bad he’d caught Lorel on her first try, after Tsai’d already done it twice.

  Might as well put out the real reason. “She’s too old, kid. She’ll slow us down.”

  Tsai looked surprised, but nodded.

  The kid threw up his hands. “She’s not so old. And I’m sure she can cook. That’ll spare you two a share of the camping chores.”

  Hey, they’d both been helping! Most of the time. Well, part of the time. The kid wouldn’t never let her cook, not since he healed up from escaping the dragon. Maybe she oughta do a better job at collecting firewood.

  But Bess was too old to help with the heavy stuff, no matter what the kid thought. Couldn’t hunt, neither.

  “We’ll have to take care of her, kid. And watch her all the time so them slavers don’t haul her off.”

  He looked uncertain for a second, but shook his head. “That’s true of all of us. For all we know, slavers are looking for warriors.”

  Tsai got real pale.

  Lorel’s stomach flopped over. Slavers in Dureme-Lor did nab warriors. And sold them to the Paduans, who slaughtered them to feed their wooden dragon.

  Not a problem in Nashidra, though. Slavers there could only sell fighters to–

  To the Nashidran army. Everybody heard stories about warriors getting snatched and showing up later in the army, acting all confused like their wits got addled. Not a situation she wanted to find herself in.

  The kid was nodding harder than a swaybacked nag dragging a heavy load. “We’ll all be in danger in Shi. We’ll need to protect each others’ backs.”

  Tsai kicked a stack of wood boxes. The boxes never moved, but Tsai limped back to the wagon. “Bog swallow it. It’s wrong for us to travel with a twin, much less protect one.” She paused and looked up hopefully. “Unless we kill the other one before we leave.”

  “No!” the kid shouted. “We’re not committing murder, not for any reason.”

  Poor kid was fraying at the seams. Tsai oughta know better by now. Lorel winked at the girl to tell her they’d figure a way out.

  Tsai frowned, but relaxed a little.

  Kyri stuck its head under the door. “The ocean’s song is imperative to the quest. The fire’s heart must not impair it or its doppelganger.”

  Stupid snake was sticking its snout in again. Lorel scowled at the kid. “What’s a dapple-what’s-it?”

  He tilted his head like he didn’t understand the question. “A twin.”

  “Why couldn’t it just say so?”

  The kid looked more puzzled. “It did.”

  Tsai snickered.

  Maybe the kid was clowning to cheer them up. But nobody was getting happy until the Bess question was settled. “She can’t come with us.”

  Tsai nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.

  The kid sighed. “Honestly, she didn’t look like she wanted to.” He glanced at the slithering toad and shrugged. “It’s two against two. I say if she decides to come, we let her.”

  “Three against two, kid. Baby don’t want her neither.”

  He laughed. “Three against three. Izzy wants her as much as your little monster dislikes her.”

  “Hey, don’t go calling Baby Bear names!”

  “Sorry.” He didn’t none look sorry. “The seahorn chose her, bahtdor bait. What if she’s the only person it will play for?”

  Tsai groaned and stomped away.

  Weaver’s chamberpot, he had a point. Magical weapons always had a mind of their own in hero’s tales.

  Kyri started to pull its head back into the wagon.

  “Wait! I meant to ask you yesterday.” The kid clambered awkwardly up to the driver’s platform. “Why didn’t my card tricks work?”

  The overgrown wiggler stuck its head back out and glared at him. Somehow, its flat face managed to look pissed. “This one is appalled to comprehend the hatchling has resumed its magician artifices. Nevertheless, the cards this one perceives inside this conveyance were fabricated for fortune telling.” It turned its pink snout up. “The hatching should acquire apposite tools for its mendacities.” It slithered back and slammed the door.

  She’d love to know how it managed to bang it so hard without no hands. She sorta wanted to know what them big words meant, but from the kid’s pouty face they must’ve been pretty insulting.

  He sighed and turned back to her and Tsai. “You two better hope Bess decides to travel with us. The quest may be ruined without her.”

  Not likely. As far as she’d seen, magic had no trouble improvising. The kid did it all the time, and he managed pretty good. Stuff didn’t always happen the way he’d planned, but stuff always happened.

  She gestured to Tsai to go on up the ladder. They’d meet the silly old lady out in the shipyard and talk her out of ever wanting to leave Kara again.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Even at noon, it was too dark inside the Wind Song’s crate-filled hold for people who didn’t use darksight. Viper took a lantern from the stash near the ladder, lit it from the common lamp, and led the way between the stacks of cargo to his wagon.

  He started to climb up on the driver’ bench, but hesitated and turned back to Bess and Jessie.

  The gray-haired twins watched him solemnly.

  “About Kyri, you do understand…”

  Bess grinned and set her satchel on the wooden floor. “You explained about the Dreshin Viper.”

  “We promise not to be shocked, dearie.” Jessie set Bess’s canvas bag next to the satchel.

  “I am getting desperate to touch the seahorn again, though.” Bess tilted her head. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about taking on an old lady?”

  Viper hastily hefted both bags up to the driver’s platform. “Not that! Only, if you scream, the crew will come running, and we haven’t told them about Kyri.”

  “We’re rather too old to bother with screaming at snakes, dearie,” Jessie said dryly.

  “Or at frogs and spiders.” Bess hitched up her woolen pantaloons and climbed up onto the driver’s platform.

  “I still don’t like those trousers.” Jessie frowned at Bess’s rear end. “And black is not your color.”

  Bess reached down and helped her sister up. “Black travels well, and skirts don’t. See how much trouble it is to get up here?”

  Viper heaved the luggage inside the wagon and hung the lantern on the highest hook he could reach. “I’m glad they’re not both coming,” he whispered to Kyri.

  The serpent laid flat on the top bunk and appeared to be trying to make itself smaller.

  “Hello, sweetheart.” Bess ducked inside the wagon and clambered down to the floor. “My goodness, you’re enormous.”

  Jessie followed her twin more slowly. “Good day, dearie.”

  Kyri lifted its head an inch and watched the twins settle themselves on Tsai’dona’s trunk. “This one extends salutations.”

  “Oh, it talks!” Bess clapped her hands in delight.

  “You didn’t tell us it can talk,” Jessie scolded. “Is it miss or master Kyri?”

  The serpent blinked at them. “This one is the Kyridon.”

  The twins stared at the Dreshin Viper, then at each other.

  What had they expected? Perhaps that it would predict the future for them. He had said it was an oracle. Of sorts. And it was. It just never told him anything he wanted to know.

  Their silent communication was getting worrisome. But Bess shrugged and turned to him. “I truly want to get my hands on the seahorn again.”

  Praise the Thunderer. That he could handle. He moved to the wall near his bed and lifted the green horn off its hooks.

  Wave-shaped scales glittered in the lamplight. He was still proud of this creation, even if it did make him nervous. Lore
l had carved it as a coiled, stylized snake with a gaping mouth. Magic had given it shark’s teeth.

  He handed the seahorn to Bess.

  “Oh, my! It’s incredible!” Bess caressed the carved surface. “It looks like glass with the ocean trapped in it.”

  Jessie snorted. “It looks like a sea snake.”

  Bess elbowed her twin. “Of course it does. The seahorn is a variation of an ancient instrument called the Serpent. It’s only fitting it looks like a sea snake. How fragile is it?”

  “Not fragile at all.” He leaned against the bunk and grinned. “It’s made of Hreshith bone.”

  “Ice giant’s breath!” Jessie looked at the horn with huge eyes. “That thing is worth more than the entire island!”

  Bess held up the seahorn and studied under the little lamp. “I thought Hreshith bone looked like – well, bone. This looks more like thick glass.”

  Viper shrugged and spread his hands. “I’m a low level sorcerer, and Kyri is pure magic. Between the three of us, we invoked a magic to create weapons to fight the evil we talked about.”

  The twins glanced at each other. “We three?”

  “Lorel and Kyri and myself.”

  “The overgrown sword maiden did magic?” Jessie started to giggle.

  Bess elbowed her in the ribs.

  “The anchor possesses innate magic.” Kyri reared up into its normal sitting position. “Both swordlings encourage obfuscation.”

  The serpent had its nerve, accusing other people of confusing any issue.

  Jessie frowned. “What sort of innate magic?”

  “Pure stubbornness?” He shrugged and settled onto the chair-chest. “She manages to do the most amazing things.”

  “You said you created several weapons?” Bess caressed the seahorn, gently stroking the carved waves and finger holes.

  “Yes, four.” He gestured at Bess and the seahorn. “You are the second wielder of the magic weapons we’ve found. Tsai’dona was the first. I still don’t know how Lorel found either of you.”

  “The sword maiden found us?” Jessie shook her head slowly. “How amazing. You’re certain to have an entertaining trip, Bess.”

  “I was getting rather bored.” Bess grinned. “I’m not built to be a shopkeeper. I’ve always enjoyed traveling.”

  Jessie patted her twin’s hand. “I’ll miss you, as always. Do remember to come home and tell me about your adventures.” She ducked out of the wagon. Soon they heard her clatter up the ladder.

  “That was a quick farewell.” Not even Lorel said goodbye so briefly, if she bothered at all.

  “I used to travel a lot.” Bess shrugged. “She’s used to me leaving.”

  Lorel squirmed under the door. “How come Bess was crying, kid? You tell her she couldn’t come?” She froze halfway inside and stared at the older woman. “Oh, that was Jessie, I guess.”

  Bess grinned. “Now we know why my sister hates goodbyes.”

  “I can’t believe we missed you.” Lorel put both hands to her head. “She’s coming, huh?”

  As if there was ever any doubt. “What do you mean, you missed her?”

  “Where’s she gonna sleep?” His turybird gestured at the bunks. “Ain’t it gonna get crowded in here?”

  Too true. He and Kyri slept on the top bunk, Lorel and her monster snored on the bottom bed, and Tsai’dona slept on the chest in front of the door.

  “This one shall repose on the floor.” Kyri poked its head over the mattress as if it planned to slide off immediately.

  “Not to worry, pets.” Bess stood and shooed the serpent back up to the bunk. “I usually sleep rough. I’ll camp under the wagon.”

  They couldn’t make an old lady sleep outside! “No, I’ll sleep under the wagon.”

  Lorel sighed. “We been through this before, kid. Tsai and me’ll stand guard at night. It’ll be good practice for Baby.”

  Bess looked horrified. “A child can’t stay out overnight! The poor thing will catch a flux.”

  Blast. How was he going to explain why they had a serdil cub? He still didn’t understand how he’d gotten stuck with the beast.

  His turybird sighed again. “I better take you to the cabin and introduce you to Baby. You met Izzy yet?”

  “Izzy? What a cute name.” Bess shook her head. “Not yet.”

  Something moved under his pile of blankets. The prairie-dog toy popped up and bounced forward. Its stitched-on paws waggled cheerfully.

  Bess choked on a scream. “What is that thing?”

  Lorel grinned, crossed to his bunk, and patted the stuffed animal’s head. “The kid’s magic does weird stuff sometimes.”

  Hey, he’d meant for the spell to work, back when Izzy was still his padded boot. He simply hadn’t expected it to be so independent. Or for a serdil pack to tear his boot into shreds. Or for Tsai’dona to sew it into something else.

  He shook his head. “There were extenuating circumstances.”

  “Little words, kid.”

  Kyri coughed, a sound that almost sounded like a laugh.

  What was that about?

  “Never mind. My magic usually behaves.”

  “Like the time you turned your clothes all white?” Lorel leaned back and grinned. “Or the day you tried to save the house in the flood, and the front end ripped off? Or when you pulled Izzy out of the hat? You should’ve seen your face!”

  Heat rushed into his cheeks. Had she been keeping track of his every mistake? It wasn’t fair. Especially when she was shouting them out in public.

  Was she trying to scare the seahorn’s new owner off?

  But Bess clapped her hands as if she were watching a puppet show. “You do lead exciting lives. I can see I’ll enjoy traveling with you.”

  Lorel’s face fell, but quickly shifted into her stoic warrior expression.

  The turybird had been trying to get rid of the new weapon holder. Did she think he wouldn’t notice? Praise the Thunderer, it appeared she’d met her match in stubbornness.

  Bess laid the seahorn on the foot of Tsai’dona’s bed and turned toward the door. “Shall we go meet your baby?”

  Lorel scooped up the horn and hung it back on the wall before he could ask her to. When she turned back to them, she had a hyena’s grin on her face. “I can’t wait for you to meet Baby.”

  The sandcrab must have forgotten that Jessie had seen the monster, and had surely told Bess about it.

  This meeting ought to be quite entertaining. He followed them out of the wagon and up the ladder to the passenger cabins. “Their room is a bit crowded.” If one could call a four by six foot box filled with two bunks, two girls, and a serdil cub merely crowded. And that was for first-class lodging. “You can sleep in the lower bunk in my cabin.”

  “Thank you, pet.”

  “Oh, and this is Captain Miquel.” Viper bowed to the man. “I’ll pay her passage as soon as you’re free.”

  Miquel shook his head and frowned at Bess. “She already paid her passage. But she looked distressed at the time.”

  Bess grinned. “You spoke with my sister. She’s an emotional sort.”

  Lorel smirked. “I’m taking her to meet Baby.”

  “Should be interesting.” Miquel joined Viper at the end of the parade.

  “Here we are.” Lorel opened the cabin door.

  The little monster burst out and raced around their legs in a bumbling stagger.

  Bess knelt and stretched out her hands. “What a darling puppy! It looks almost like a cat.”

  Lorel’s lips puckered up as if she’d bitten into a green prairie crabapple.

  Miquel snorted and turned away. “Secure yourselves. Departure starts as soon as I reach the quarterdeck.”

  Bess continued to pet the wiggly cub. “Is your name Midnight, dearie? You’re black and starry as a clear summer night.”

  Lorel groaned and covered her face with one hand. “Her name is Baby Bear.”

  “How sweet. I’ve never seen a live bear.” Bess paused and stra
ightened slowly. “The stuffed one in Na’s city hall was rather frightening.”

  Blast. Now Lorel would accuse her of cowardice and insist on leaving her behind.

  But his Gyrfalcon merely nodded. “They’re scary, but they ain’t too hard to run off.”

  When had she encountered a bear? She’d been holding out again. He’d corner her and squeeze the story out of her tonight. No, after they landed. Tonight he had an appointment with a bucket, unless the Split cured him of seasickness.

  Tsai’dona clattered down the ladder. “I never saw her. She must’ve– bog swallow it!”

  Bess blinked. “Bog what?”

  Viper sighed and tugged on Tsai’dona’s sleeve. “This is my other bodyguard. I’m afraid they’re both a bit unpolished.”

  A grin crept over his face. His own manners were probably even worse. “We all are, after lunars in the wilderness.” Fighting off mountains and serdil and cranky dragons. No wonder people kept looking at him askance.

  Tsai’dona banged her forehead against the wall. “I won’t share–”

  “There’s an empty bunk in my room,” he said hastily. “There’s no room in yours.”

  Maybe he and Tsai’dona should share a room. The poor girl got even sicker than he did. But that would leave Bess at Lorel’s mercy. He didn’t want the old lady to get so fed up with the turybird’s scare tactics that she took the next ship home.

  Shrieking groans filled the corridor. The floor listed, leveled, and tilted the opposite way.

  Tsai’dona moaned and darted into her cabin.

  Bess clapped her hands. “Shall we go topside? I love to watch the ship get lowered over the seawall.”

  Lorel gave her a demonic grin, slung the serdil cub over her shoulder, and clambered up the ladder.

  As soon as Bess’s wool-clad rear end vanished onto the deck, Viper crept inside his own cabin. He eyed his bucket and fought down his queasy stomach.

  Some traveler he was, if a little water unsettled his gut.

  The ship splashed into the ocean and the whole world shuddered.

  His gut was fine. Really. And they hadn’t slammed into the seawall once. This would be an easy trip.

  All he needed was a short nap. With his bucket.