Aila hurried over. Next to Kelsey, Frostback was sprawling across the clearing, panting, her eyes half-closed.
‘Kelsey,’ said Aila; ‘do you have any of the salve left? Kelsey, listen to me.’
The Holdfast woman opened her eyes. ‘My ribs,’ she gasped.
‘The salve, Kelsey; where is it?’
Kelsey patted a pocket, and Aila thrust her hand in and retrieved the small vial. Barely a quarter was left.
‘Open your mouth,’ she said.
Kelsey did so, and Aila poured in a thimbleful. Kelsey choked and writhed on the grass for a moment, then her eyes opened wide, and she sat bolt upright.
‘Pyre’s arse,’ she cried. ‘I feel amazing.’
Aila glanced at the remainder of the salve, then handed it to Kelsey. ‘You give it to her.’
Kelsey nodded, took the salve, and ran to Frostback.
‘Second time today,’ she said, pouring the last of the contents into the dragon’s mouth. Frostback shuddered, then her wounds began to fade. Kelsey threw the empty vial into the river and sat back down on the grass.
‘That was close,’ she said.
‘Too close,’ said Aila. ‘We’re not invincible, despite what you said before. They can still use powers on us.’
‘Perhaps we were a little hasty in our evaluation of the situation,’ said the dragon. ‘That lesson has now been learnt, and it takes nothing away from what Kelsey did for me before.’
‘You saved us this time,’ said Aila. ‘I thought we were going to be roasted alive.’
The dragon glanced at Aila in expectation.
The demigod sighed. ‘Thank you, Frostback.’
‘I was honoured to repay some of the debt I owe you. Now, I feel that Kelsey and I are on a more equal footing.’ She tilted her head. ‘Equal footing with an insect; whatever would my father say if he heard me utter such words?’
‘Maybe we should find out,’ said Kelsey.
The dragon turned to her.
‘It’s just a thought,’ Kelsey went on. ‘Maybe we could go to the Catacombs. My aunt might be there; you could dangle her over a pool of lava again.’
‘I don’t know,’ said Frostback. ‘It is unlikely that I would be welcomed if I returned, and the Ascendant might be tracking us.’
‘Are you still willing to listen to my advice?’ said Aila.
‘I am, demigod.’
‘If Sable is there, then she could reach out to Corthie with her powers, and she might be willing to help us.’
‘It may be unwise to trust her,’ said Frostback.
‘What option do we have?’ said Aila. ‘If that Ascendant is chasing us, then we need help. And maybe, you know, you might be able to repair your relationship with your father.’
Frostback glanced away. ‘No, I cannot. He disowned me, and sent me into exile. I would be ashamed to beg him to take me back.’
‘But is that what you want?’ said Kelsey. ‘Do you want him to be your father again?’
The dragon closed her eyes. ‘Yes. I miss my family. My elder sister is also in the Catacombs, and I even miss the three little ones – my half-brothers and half-sister, despite the fact that they have replaced me in my father’s affections.’ She remained silent for a moment, then opened her eyes again. ‘I shall think about it. For now, the salve has made me hungry, and I must hunt again.’
‘Alright,’ said Kelsey. ‘See if you can find another wild boar.’
‘I shall. We all need to eat, especially our mother-to-be.’ She glanced at the demigod.
Aila rolled her eyes. ‘Thank you, Frostback.’
Chapter 19
Cabin Fever
C ape Armour, Western Khatanax – 29th Luddinch 5252
Corthie sat down, sweat pouring from his forehead. For two hours he had been training, using exercises he had learned at Gadena’s camp to improve his strength and fitness, as well as to pass the time until the others returned. The cabin was small, and he had been unable to carry out several of the exercises due to lack of space, but he had managed to train each day of the voyage from Capston, and he was in better shape than he had been since Yoneath.
He peered out of the grubby porthole window, the thick glass coated in salt and grime. Outside, the large harbour of Cape Armour was busy with ships, from huge grain carriers to tiny fishing boats, and he wished he could take a walk along the waterfront. They had arrived in the port the previous day, but Corthie had remained onboard, keeping out of sight. It was frustrating, but the others had insisted, and at least the enforced solitude had given him an opportunity to train more.
He swigged from a jug of water, and wiped the sweat from his face. The others were probably out enjoying themselves, visiting taverns and shops, and getting some fresh air, while he was stuck below deck in a cramped cabin. He knew it was a sensible precaution, but his boredom levels were rising, and if there had been alcohol in the room, he knew he would have succumbed to temptation.
The sun was low on the left of where he could see out of the window, which made it, in his estimation, late-afternoon. His stomach rumbled, and he longed for one of his travelling companions to return. Even Naxor would do, though preferably it would be Van with a huge basket of food and a bottle of raki. His thoughts veered to Aila, and he felt the sense of helpless frustration rise within him as he went over possible scenarios. Amalia might have taken her back to the City of Pella, or she could be imprisoned somewhere along the Forted Shore. He refused to contemplate the possibility that she might be dead, even though he knew Amalia loathed her. Kelsey was needed by the former God-Queen; she would probably be fine, but Aila had nothing to offer Amalia. And what about the baby? He knew that Aila might have decided to end the pregnancy; if her situation was hopeless, then she might have had no choice, but he desperately hoped that wasn’t the case.
The cabin door opened, and Silva walked in carrying a woven shopping bag.
‘Good afternoon, Corthie,’ she said.
He sighed in relief. ‘Thank Pyre someone else is here. I hate being shut up in this cabin.’
‘I know,’ she said, sitting. ‘We all have our burdens to bear.’
Corthie raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
‘I enquired about the shipping timetables while I was in the harbour,’ Silva said, laying her bag on a little table next to her. ‘The ship we are on is due to return to Capston in two days, but there’s a merchant vessel leaving Cape Armour early tomorrow. I’ve reserved cabins on it for us and paid a deposit. It departs a few hours before dawn to catch the tide.’
‘Is it going to the Forted Shore?’
‘Yes, but it stops at Alea Tanton on the way. Her Majesty is due to contact me this evening; what should I tell her, Corthie? Have you decided?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t see how I could abandon Aila.’
‘Would Aila wish to see her world destroyed by Ascendants? Would she thank you if you rescued her, but allowed her world to burn?’
‘She’s pregnant, Silva.’
‘Yes, I know. I also know that she is a demigod, like myself. I once made the mistake of carrying a mortal’s child, so I believe I am in a better position than you to judge her state of mind.’
‘Do you regret it?’
‘Yes, hence the reason I used the word “mistake.” But also no. It’s complicated. Distant descendents of that union still live in the Southern Cape, but so many generations have passed that I no longer look upon them as family. The child brought me great joy, but would I do it again? No. The pain it brought outweighed the joy.’
Corthie shrugged. ‘Everyone bar Aila and I thinks our relationship is a mistake.’
‘Then perhaps you should heed what everyone is saying.’
‘But I love her; I can’t just ignore that. I have to find her.’
‘Put yourself in her position and ask yourself what she would wish you to do, were she to know the choices that lie before you. You can still look for her, after you have helped the Queen. You know
, when I first met you, Corthie, I took you for a boorish oaf, all muscle and no brain. I was wrong, but you are still very young.’
‘I’m nearly twenty.’
‘Exactly. A child. Of course, you are more than that, much more. Queen Belinda holds you in the highest regard; of all the companions she left behind when I took her to Shawe Myre, you were the only one whose parting caused her sadness. Her Majesty loves you dearly; she told me you were like a brother to her. I implore you, go to her aid as she has requested. If you wish me to get on my knees and beg, then I will do so.’
Corthie shook his head. ‘You don’t have to do that.’
‘Then you’ll go to Alea Tanton?’
‘I’ll think about it.’
Silva gave him an exasperated glance. ‘You’ve been thinking about it for days.’
‘And I intend to think about it some more.’
‘What are you afraid of?’
Corthie glanced away. ‘Dying.’
Silva blinked. ‘What? The mighty Corthie Holdfast? The warrior who destroyed the Banner of the Golden Fist and the Banner of the Black Crown? The warrior who slaughtered untold numbers of greenhides? The only mortal warrior brave enough to stand up to the Ascendants? You’re afraid of death?’
‘I did all those things; you’re right. I believed I was indestructible. I’m not.’
‘No one is.’
‘Aye, but you would survive an arrow through your heart; I wouldn’t. If I get killed, then I would be leaving Aila forever, and our child would have no father. I don’t fear death for my sake; I fear it for theirs.’
‘If everyone felt that way, then no one would resist tyranny.’
‘In the last two years, I’ve done more than my fair share of resisting tyranny. When does it end?’
‘When there are no more tyrants.’
‘Never, in other words. I’ll never be free.’
‘You are the greatest mortal warrior who has ever lived; it is a blessing, but also a curse.’
Corthie smiled. ‘All I’m feeling at the moment is the curse, not the blessing.’
The cabin door opened before Silva could reply and Naxor staggered in. He tried to close the door but his hand slipped and he nearly fell over. He started to laugh as Silva got up and pushed the door shut.
‘Oops,’ he giggled.
‘Are you drunk?’ said Silva, taking her seat again.
‘I might be a little tipsy.’
She scowled at him. ‘Use your self-healing.’
‘No, thank you; I’d rather remain drunk.’
‘It is unbecoming for a demigod to be inebriated in public.’
Naxor pulled a face at her then collapsed onto a bed. He rolled, and then propped himself up on a couple of pillows. His hands rummaged around in a pocket, and he pulled a pack of cigarettes out.
‘You’re not supposed to smoke in here,’ said Silva.
‘I don’t care,’ he said, lighting a cigarette. He blew smoke at Silva and Corthie, then started laughing again.
Silva glanced at Corthie.
‘I’m not getting involved,’ he said. ‘I’m in no position to lecture anyone about getting drunk.’
Naxor pointed a finger at him. ‘Those are the truest words I’ve heard you say in quite a while.’ He withdrew a hip flask from another pocket and offered it to Corthie. ‘Go on, have a drink.’
‘Thanks, but not if we have to board another ship before dawn.’
‘Suit yourself,’ Naxor said. ‘You might change your mind once you’ve heard my news. It’s bad; all of it is bad. Belinda has betrayed us.’
‘Impossible,’ snapped Silva.
‘She has finally turned to the Ascendants,’ Naxor said, smoke drifting up around his head. ‘Word has, this very day, reached the authorities in Cape Armour, demigods using their vision to communicate, sending their little messages here and there, and spying. They’ll be looking for us right now; they might even have found us.’
‘What are you talking about?’ said Corthie.
Naxor stared at them, his eyes wide. ‘They know.’
‘Know what?’
‘Everything.’ He shook his head, his demeanour changing from drunken joy to despair. ‘They know that you’re alive, for a start, and that you left Kin Dai on a ship. If that wasn’t bad enough, they know that I’m travelling with you, and that I hold some very precious information inside this head of mine. Oh yes; information that the Ascendants would love to get their hands on; information that would allow them to find the City. It’s so obvious. Somewhere in my memory is the action I perform with my fingers when I operate the Quadrant. That’s all they need. I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me. I thought that only a Quadrant that had been to the City would do, but no; they can get it out of me, and they know it.’
The cabin fell into silence.
Naxor glanced at Silva. ‘They know about you too, of course, but they don’t care. You don’t interest them in the slightest.’
‘This is bad news,’ she said, ‘but what does it have to do with the Queen?’
‘She must have cracked under pressure,’ he said. ‘Belinda’s heart was never with us; she’s one of them; an Ascendant. She must have told them everything.’
‘There’s another obvious answer,’ said Corthie; ‘Vana. What if Vana’s been captured? She wasn’t in Capston.’
Naxor raised an eyebrow. ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Corthie; ‘maybe because you’re so obsessed with the idea that Belinda hates you, that you think she’d betray us?’
‘She does hate him,’ said Silva, ‘but not that much. If what you suggest is true, Corthie, then her Majesty could be in mortal danger. If it was Lady Vana who, willingly or not, supplied this information to the Ascendants, then Queen Belinda’s position will have been compromised. The Sixth and Seventh Ascendants will know that she has not been truthful with them.’
‘I still think it’s more likely to have been Belinda,’ said Naxor. ‘Either way, this is bad.’
‘Who did you read to find this out?’ said Corthie.
‘Someone on the Count’s inner council. The gods in Alea Tanton want the locals here to notify them if they see us. I assume they’ve sent the same message to every corner of Khatanax.’
‘Then you were right to ask me to stay in the cabin. Bollocks. What are we going to do?’
Naxor shrugged. ‘Hide?’
‘Ignore him, Corthie,’ said Silva. ‘We stick to the plan – we go straight to Alea Tanton. The Queen needs our help more than ever.’
‘Or,’ said Naxor, ‘she’s waiting for us to arrive so she can have us arrested. We’d be sailing into a trap.’
Silva glared at him. ‘I do not believe that is the case.’
‘Maybe so, but it’s quite a risk to take. I supported you in Capston, but now? Count me out.’
Corthie frowned. ‘Silva, when is Belinda due to contact you?’
‘It’s usually around sunset.’
He glanced out of the porthole at the darkening sky. ‘We haven’t long to wait. That’s what we’ll do; we’ll wait and see what Belinda says.’
Naxor shook his head. ‘That’s idiotic. Do you think she’s likely to confess that she’s betrayed us? Don’t you get it? If I’m captured, the Ascendants will have all they need to invade my world. As soon as Belinda makes contact with Silva, they’ll be able to pinpoint our location, and they could be here within seconds.’
‘Her Majesty already knows where we are,’ said Silva. ‘She knew when the ship was due to arrive in Cape Armour.’
Naxor’s eyes widened. ‘Then why are we still here? We need to leave at once…’
He tried to get to his feet, and Corthie punched him on the chin. Naxor’s head jerked back and he slumped down onto the bed, unconscious.
Corthie glanced at Silva. ‘Sorry about that.’
Silva shrugged. ‘He’ll be fine. It’ll be sunset soon, and her Majesty will let us know what she needs
.’
* * *
They lit a small oil lamp when the light in the cabin got too dim to see, and settled down to wait for Belinda. Corthie ate some of the food that Silva had brought back to the ship, then he lay on his bed, his mind going over the endless possibilities. He had guessed that, sooner or later, the Ascendants would discover that he was alive. They would be hunting him, so perhaps it made sense to strike before they could find him. The consequences of them finding Naxor would be worse, but he was sure the demigod would see sense when he sobered up.
He felt someone nudge his shoulder, and his eyes opened.
‘Time to wake up,’ said Van. ‘We need to transfer to the other ship.’
Corthie stretched his arms and sat up. He blinked. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, and his mind was groggy. Van and Sohul were in the cabin, both smelling of raki. They were packing their bags, while trying to remain quiet. Corthie’s eyes went to Naxor’s bed. It was empty. He frowned, then turned to Silva. The demigod was sleeping in the chair where he had last seen her.
‘Where’s Naxor?’ he said.
‘He’s gone outside to get some fresh air,’ said Van.
‘Did he seem sober to you?’
‘Yes. We woke him up, and then he muttered something about needing to clear his head.’
‘Did he tell you anything?’
Van frowned. ‘Such as?’
‘The Ascendants know I’m alive, and they’re looking for me and Naxor. If they find him, they’ll be able to use what he knows to get to the salve world.’
‘What?’ said Sohul, his eyes widening.
‘Go look for him,’ said Van to the lieutenant. ‘We can’t have him wandering about the ship.’
‘Sure,’ said Sohul. He put down his bag and slipped out of the cabin.
Corthie jumped off the bed and knelt by Silva. He shook her arm. The demigod started, her eyes snapping open, and she glanced around.
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