Lesya stopped chewing to eyeball the waifish siren. “You're a government operative working for a mob?”
Rivka shrugged. “Yeah. Pays the bills.”
“So who are you getting the salt for? The government or the bad guys?”
“The bad guys. We have this disease. It’s awful, really. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. This sickness just wastes us away. The mob boss has contracted it. I'm to retrieve enough salt to protect the mob.”
“And what about the rest of your clan?”
“I guess I get whatever I can for them, too. There are so many of us.”
“Isn't it dangerous for you to be on land? Not getting water or salt?”
“I’ve felt fine.” She turned her gaze back to sea, where the waves ebbed and flowed with silent mystery. “To be honest, I don't know how I'll ever feel safe in the water again after that.”
It had been years since Lesya stepped foot in Nordvik Bay, but other than looking older and more worn down, the port town hadn't changed since her last visit.
The old docks sagged over the ocean like a misshapen dress, lined up and down with all manner of ships, from fishing boats to giant merchant schooners. The sentinel of buildings on the waterfront had the drab, pastel coloring of paint that had sat through too many salty summers, and the people who frequented the businesses along the dock had the same weathered faces of hard living.
“This is… busy,” Rivka observed, ducking as a shirtless sailor in bare feet passed with a load of bags over his shoulder.
“Yeah, it's bigger than the village where I live. Easier to get lost here. Best stick close.”
“But this isn't where the salt mines are?”
Lesya scanned the store fronts, looking for the ticket master. “No. You'll have to take a boat to another city. There will be a salt merchant available to give you passage.”
“By myself?” Rivka squeaked.
Lesya rolled her eyes and shoved open the door to the ticket sales. “I'm not going with you, siren. This is your mission. Not mine. I'm here for supplies to fix my house. Then I'm going home.”
Rivka nodded. “Right. Of course. It was so kind of you to bring me this far.”
The ticket sales office was barely bigger than Lesya’s bedroom, dominated by a high-top desk and a locked cabinet. Lesya crossed the scarred wooden floor, thinking if those wooden planks could talk, the stories they would tell.
A white-haired old man sneered at them from behind the desk, one beady eye covered by a black eye patch. “What do you want?”
“Passage to the salt mines. For one.” Lesya opened her pack and extracted two crisp money notes. She slid them across the desk, meeting the sailor’s eye. “On a reputable boat.”
The man scoffed but snatched the money off the desk. “All our ships are reputable.”
“Yeah, sure, old man. No pirates. My friend has already killed a man this week. She's not interested in upping her body count.”
The sailor leaned forward, his one good eye raking over Rivka. “Killed a man, did you? You're no bigger than my thigh.”
Lesya slammed a hand on the desk, causing the man to jump. “Passage, old man. Don't let her innocent looks deceive you. She's not human.”
They finished their transaction in silence. Lesya pocketed her coin change, while the sailor watched Rivka warily. He’d likely noticed her scales by the way he stared. Lesya handed the ticket to the siren and saluted the man as they left the building.
“You bought my ticket.” Rivka grinned.
Lesya grabbed her arm and steered her to the docks. “Remember how you're not supposed to mention how I saved your life? Let's add that ticket to the bill. ‘Kay?” She pointed to a massive schooner with brilliant white sails. “That's your ride. Slip 13. Good luck.”
Rivka threw her arms around Lesya's neck. “Thank you for everything.”
Lesya grunted and gently extracted her torso from the siren. “Yeah, yeah. Don't get killed.”
Rivka waved, then nervously clutching her ticket and borrowed satchel of supplies, she stepped onto the gangplank.
Lesya gave one last look to the girl, then headed away from the docks.
She found a uniformed officer stationed on a street corner near the end of the docs and smiled at him. “Excuse me, officer. Could you point me in the direction of the hardware store?”
“‘Course, miss. Take this main road here three blocks and cut down Devil's Alley. Can't miss it.”
And he was right. His directions were easy to follow. She couldn't miss Devil's Alley and the quaint little shop waiting for her at the end.
But she did miss the dark shadow that followed her into the alley. She never saw the blow coming. One sharp knock on the head, and Lesya knew only darkness.
7
Rivka
She was going to miss Lesya. Who knew the mage would have weaseled her way into Rivka’s heart in such a short time? There was something about her that spoke to the caregiver inside Rivka. She wanted to help Lesya be happier. Between saving her life and purchasing her ticket, Lesya had proved she wasn’t a bad person.
Wait. She wasn’t supposed to mention that. Should she not think about it either?
Rivka shook those thoughts away as she waved to Lesya from the gangplank. Maybe she’d find her way back to the mage’s cottage one day for a visit.
“Lovely day, isn’t it?” one of the crew greeted Rivka as she stepped on board. The older man had a head full of dark hair and a well-trimmed beard. He reminded Rivka of someone’s cheerful grandfather. He extended his hand and nodded toward her bag. “I’ll take that for you, miss.”
“Oh! Thank you. And yes, it is a lovely day.” Rivka shrugged off the bag to hand to the man, taking in the vessel that would sail her to her next destination. She’d never seen a ship before. The large wooden posts rising from the boat’s deck amazed her. Large pieces of cloth were tied around other, smaller posts, and she couldn’t fathom why all that was needed.
“You ever been out to sea…on a ship before?” He glanced pointedly at her face, and she knew he had noticed her scales by the way he asked his question.
“No, never.” No telling what kind of fool she looked like, staring up at the sky with her mouth wide open. Maybe I should pull my hood up to cover my scales?
He patted her on the shoulder with a kindly smile. “Then you’re in for a real treat. Let me show you to your quarters.”
Maybe the sailor didn’t mind that she was a siren. His tune seemed to have changed for the better after the oddly phrased inquiry about her traveling history.
“This is so exciting!” She bustled behind the man, following him as he disappeared down a set of stairs. Below, the ship’s only source of light were lanterns hung up every few feet down the main hallway. Rivka’s night vision couldn’t keep up with the change in lighting. She fumbled behind him until he stopped abruptly in front of a worn door.
Rivka nearly ran into the man.
“Here we are!” He grabbed a set of skeleton keys from his waistband and started flipping through them. “Just gotta find the right key. Ah, here we go.”
Rivka stepped forward as he turned the key in the lock, hoping to catch a glimpse of her accommodations. The candle on the wall cast enough light to see how battered the walls of the hallway and the door were, but surely her room would be better kept. The door creaked open on rusty hinges.
“Do you know how long this journey will take?” Rivka asked. Her gaze swept to the slit in the door, but only darkness greeted her.
The man ushered her into the room. “Shouldn’t take but a few days, miss.”
“Oh, goo—” The scrape of metal rang through the air, then a hard shove sent her sprawling to the floor of her room. “Oof!”
The door slammed behind her, and she found herself alone in the dim interior, lit only by a single porthole window.
“Wait!” Rikva jumped to her feet and ran to the door. She tried the handle. Locked. She pounded on the door to the s
ame rhythm as her heart, panic overtaking her. “Please, there’s been a mistake!”
Her whole body began to shake. She felt around her belt for her knife, but it was gone. He’d stolen her knife before shoving her in here. Her bag, as well.
Lesya had purchased her ticket. Specifically manhandled the ticket master into a “reputable ship.” This ship should have been safe, should have been a means for her to save her people. Yet, here she stood, wondering who would save her.
She sank to the floor, her hip bumping into a crate, and winced. Her night vision revealed that the room was filled with objects - boxes, barrels, bags, cloth sacks. Some kind of storeroom, maybe?
There could be something here to help me break out, she thought, jumping back to her feet. She yanked the lid off the closest trunk, but before she could dig into the enclosed items, she heard footsteps.
Boots walked with purpose down the hall outside her door. Were they coming back for her? Maybe they’d realized they’d locked up the wrong person. And it was all a misunderstanding.
Rivka pounded her fist against the door again. “I’m in here!
The door swung inward, and Rivka sighed with relief. She smiled sweetly at the grandfatherly man who’d escorted her down here in the first place. “Oh, thank goodness you came back.”
“Glad you missed me, miss. I brought you a friend.” He winked at her, then stepped back into the shadows of the hall.
Two large men crowded the doorway, carrying a body into the room. A bag over the person’s head concealed their identity. The men tossed their load into the room. The body groaned and rolled onto its back. At least the person was alive.
“Have a nice day, miss.” The man grinned, but this time he looked less like a granddad and more like a nefarious kidnapper. The door slammed once again.
Rivka hurried to the newcomer and yanked the bag off her head.
“Lesya?” Rivka gasped. She reached for the ropes binding the mage’s hands and loosened the knots. Once she had her untied, Rivka’s hands fluttered nervously over her friend as she checked for injuries. A gentle shake proved fruitless. Lesya was out cold, the blooming bruise on her temple making Rivka wince.
“Oh, Lesya, what trouble did you get yourself into?” Hell, what trouble did she get herself into? She was trapped just as much as Lesya.
The ship lurched into motion, sending Rivka sprawling over Lesya. She fumbled to roll off her friend and back to a sitting position. “Sorry, Lesya.”
But there was no reply from the mage.
Rivka realized the lurch had only heralded a gentle swaying that hadn’t stopped. She jumped up and ran for the porthole window. The glass was thick and distorted her view of the outside, but it was obvious, even so.
The ship was moving.
Rivka gasped and returned to the door, banging her fist against the surface. She’d fallen over because they were launching. Going out to sea, as she had learned in school She needed... No, they needed to get off this floating jail cell. She hadn’t even tried to steal any salt, yet here she stood, trying to escape a prison.
Against her better judgement, she held her breath and tried the door knob again, but it didn’t budge. She knew the men wouldn’t have left it unlocked, even if they were sailing away from the dock.
She was their prisoner.
Rivka continued her screams and cries, her banging and kicking, in the vain hope someone would come to check on her. Maybe there were reputable people on this boat. Someone who would hear her cries and come save them.
But the ship only picked up speed, and her screams for help went unanswered. Finally, exhausted from assaulting the door, she slumped onto one of the crates. The lid slid halfway open with the motion, and she almost fell in.
“Holy crap!” Rivka leaned forward, then stood, avoiding the fall. “Shit. I meant shit.” She looked over at Lesya, but the mage’s still form remained motionless. Correcting herself had made her feel better, at least. Lesya would wake up soon, and they’d have a good laugh about it while they figured out an escape plan.
What were all these things? She turned in a full circle, finding nothing but stacks and stacks of crates. Each lid came off easily. The contents looked like they’d been pulled out and roughly shoved back in, tossed, as if someone was searching for something.
Rivka also found trucks, bags, barrels, and bolts of fabric scattered among the crates. An idea struck her. What if there were weapons in one of these crates?
Frantically, she started pulling lids off and rummaging through each crate. Nothing could be used as a weapon unless she wanted to beat them to death with clothes or trinkets.
Back in a corner, hidden behind a wall of crates, Rivka found an elegant purple chest. Exhausted, she slumped against the wall and unlatched it. Within, she discovered baby dolls, small dresses, and children’s toys.
Those things in particular felt out of place on a ship used to lock people away.
Beneath a small stuffed bear, she found a stack of letters. The bundle was held together by a thin string of twine. Rivka tugged the end of the string. The bow came undone, and the pile slid at an odd angle in her lap.
What were all of these things doing in the hold of a ship? She picked up the teddy bear again. It had been well-loved. Places on its fur had worn away, and its shiny black eyes had been scratched and dulled with time. This had been some child’s treasure.
Something about this didn’t feel quite right, but she couldn’t pin down what.
With a sigh of resignation, she began to open the envelopes and read through other people’s mail. She had nothing better to do while she waited for Lesya to wake up.
The first letter professed undying love from a man named Henrick to a woman who remained unnamed. Rivka pored over the letter and then moved onto the next. Some contained merchant notes about a dwindling number of livestock or news from one town being sent to another. The love letter remained the most interesting read in the stack.
Rivka had just moved a letter and envelope to the floor on her growing already read pile, when Lesya groaned from across the room.
The mage lifted a hand to rub at her head, and then hissed when she touched a tender spot. She tried to sit up, but it was apparent the movement gave her a dizzy spell.
Rivka pushed the envelopes from her lap and rushed to Lesya’s side. “Don’t move too much. It looks like you were hit in the head.”
“Yeah, I know that. I asked for directions to the hardware store, and when I turned down an alley, someone hit me over the head.” Lesya waved away Rivka’s concern. “Where the fuck are we?”
“We’re in the belly of a ship.” Rivka scooted away in case Lesya got violent. She’d heard people weren’t themselves when they had a head injury. “And apparently we’re locked in this room.”
“What?” At this news, Lesya did sit up and swayed a bit. She threw a hand out to grip a nearby crate and sat stone still for a moment, as if waiting for the world to stop spinning.
Slinking back over to her pile, she plopped down and began to read again. “I said we’re locked in here. I came on board, and this guy acted all nice, guided me down here, made small talk, then BAM! He grabs my knife and shoves me into this dark room.” She chose another letter from the pile and ripped the seal. “Not too long after that, they threw you in here. I’ve tried the door and screamed for help. I think we’re alone down here.”
“What are you doing?” Lesya squinted in Rivka’s direction. She winked one eye closed and cocked her head.
“I’ve been waiting for you to wake up.” Rivka mimicked the head tilt and wink. “Um. Are you feeling okay?”
“Dizzy.” Lesya pointed to the mess in Rivka’s lap. “What” — she circled her hand in the air — “are you doing?”
“Oh, this?” Rivka held up an unopened envelope, curious about the contents since it had doodles drawn on the outside. “I found a stack of letters. I’ve been reading them to pass the time.”
Lesya sputtered as she tried to st
and. “Rivka. We’re fucked, and you’re reading love letters?”
“Language!” Rivka scolded.
“I don’t have time to worry about my damn language. We’ve been captured by pirates.” Lesya stumbled twice before she managed to get her feet beneath her and tried the door.
Rivka tsked. “I told you I tried that. I’ve heard of pirates, but I’ve never encountered them before.”
“Pirates stalk the seas, looking for ships to rob. If they’ve abducted us, there’s no telling what plans they have.”
Rivka didn’t realize how dire the situation was until Lesya connected the dots for her. Were they going to kill the two of them? Rivka could think of worse things than death.
Lesya rested her head against the door and went quiet.
Rivka decided to take the opportunity to read more. She needed something to get her mind off the scenarios playing out in her head.
Her fingers brushed across a piece of thick parchment paper. It wasn’t in an envelope like the others. The large folded paper was held shut by a beautiful wax seal. There was no use not reading it. If it was on this pirate ship, then it’d never make it to where it was going.
“Hey, Lesya. Come look at this.” Sliding a nail under the paper, she pried it up and broke the seal.
“I don't care. Leave me alone,” Lesya growled from her spot at the door.
“Fine.” The paper crinkled as she opened it. She scanned the small, cursive letters that lined the page.
Dear Sirs or Madams:
This urgent missive arrives from the 13th region of our cursed planet with news that could save us all.
Deep in our region, humans were scavenging for resources when they unearthed a stone the likes of which no one has ever seen. This illuminated treasure we have since named the “Legacy Stone” was proven to have immense healing properties.
Sordid Depths (The Cursed Seas Collection) Page 5