The Bone Mask Trilogy: (An Epic Fantasy Boxed Set), page 57
“All dead,” Emilio said. “Killed by strange men with amber veins. I stole the clothing of one and have been avoiding them ever since, trying to regain your trail. It seemed to double back to this strange place.” He rubbed his temples a moment. “I’m surprised I caught up, even though we left just days after you were discovered missing.”
“Time moves differently in the Grove,” Nia said.
“How many men did Seto send after us?” Notch asked.
“A dozen. Each a good man.”
“I’m sorry,” Sofia said.
“It was our duty,” Emilio said. He accepted a flask of water from Notch and drank.
“How did Seto take it?” Notch asked.
“He was furious. I have never heard such language from a king.”
Good. He wasn’t too angry then; he was still able to speak. And curse. “He’ll have to get over it.”
“I admit, I don’t know how I am to proceed from here,” Emilio said.
“I can help.” Sofia grinned. “As Lord Protector of Anaskar, I’m ordering you to accompany me as my own protector to help rescue my father. There.”
Notch squashed down a stab of jealousy. Wasn’t he her protector? He scratched at his beard. Stupid. It wasn’t a contest. She could have more than one protector. And another sword would be welcome. Emilio was part of the Honour Guard; he would be valuable.
The man offered a nod. “It’s hard to argue with that, My Lady, but I believe the King still outranks you.”
“Then take me back,” Sofia said with a shrug. “Only, do so after we find my father. Seto doesn’t have to know how long it took you to find me, does he?”
He laughed, his deep voice echoing around the clearing. “Very well. I concede defeat.”
Nia looked to Sofia. “Then he’s coming with us?”
“Yes.”
“Are you up to the journey, Warrior?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “You don’t know where.”
“I’ve no doubts about my capability.”
Notch stepped closer. “Where are the Sap Groves, exactly, Nia?”
“South east, deeper into Wiraced. The Summer Groves surround the First Tree. It will take only two more days to reach it, but entering the Groves will be difficult. The Sap-Born monitor its borders closely. Freeing Sofia’s father will be more difficult still.”
“So how do we enter?”
“I know several ways. As to exactly where your father is kept, I do not know.”
“I’ll use Argeon to find him. I can spirit-walk, like in the Shrine,” Sofia said. Notch noticed a slight tremble in her voice. The Greatmask was unpredictable, but it was probably their best chance.
It wasn’t like he could do much to help.
“That will be of much assistance,” Nia said.
Emilio processed the information quickly. “Why was your father taken?”
Nia shrugged. “I can only guess that the Sap-Born want him as hostage.”
“Efran claimed he’d discovered a secret to defeat the power of the Greatmasks,” Notch said.
“That’s the last thing he needs. More power,” Nia said. “We should keep moving. The Sap-Born won’t have given up searching.”
Sofia helped Emilio up and the two started after Nia, who headed down the path toward Avaon. Notch followed with a slight frown.
Rear Guard it was, then.
Chapter 30
Despite his show of confidence for Yaev, Kanis did have questions. Vinezi had sold him on attacking Anaskar with acor – on the condition that the big man could deliver on his promise of a city on its knees. It was possible. Probable, even. Walls could not stand against the magical powder.
Kanis would pick over the rich city and Vinezi would get his own revenge, it didn’t matter what that entailed exactly, so long as there was enough gold and silk to go around.
And yet...
A little less than a week from the target and a niggling doubt lurked. Kanis had been sure before they left. Without the acor on board, he wouldn’t have even lifted anchor let alone made deals with several pirates, not to mention swindling the new Conclave. But Atilus remained obstinate the entire trip, until falling sick – temporarily. Svek had lived up to his own claims, and so now was time for another chat with Vinezi’s friend.
He paused before the door to Atilus’ cabin. A voice from within; the man was frustrated. Had he cried out for someone to ‘answer him’? The words had been indistinct. After a time, Atilus fell silent.
Kanis entered.
The man sat propped up on pillows, a bowl of broth steaming in his lap. A small bone charm – the same one he’d had when sick, sat beside the bowl. What was its purpose? Had he been talking to it?
“Captain.”
“Dilar will be fine,” Kanis said. He took a stool across from the bed, spreading his legs on the deck to accommodate the roll of the ship. “You are well. Let’s talk about the acor.”
“Yes, thank you,” he said. “As for the acor, not until we are within sight of the city walls.”
“Why?”
He laughed, an animal sound. “Be honest, you only see a use for me up to a point.”
“And you and Vinezi feel the same about us, don’t you?”
“Of course, but we both get something we want. Why jeopardise that?”
“And what do you want?”
“Nothing that would interest a man of your...tastes, rest assured. Silks and jewels will be fine, will they not?”
Kanis raised an eyebrow – but not at the simple barb. “You don’t care for gold?”
“It is enough that we have a common goal.”
“I don’t know if that is true any longer.”
He took a spoonful of broth. “I don’t recall your being privy to our goals as part of the deal Vinezi struck, do you? But your greed got you here under these conditions.” Another spoonful. “Just do your part, dilar.”
“I see.” If only he could Bind the man. Physically overpowering him would be no feat, but something told Kanis that Atilus’ will would not be easy to break. Stubborn bastard. “And how would you like a new part? Perhaps you could swim alongside us for a while?”
“Then say goodbye to the last secret of the acor.”
Kanis folded his arms. “I’ll be happy to see the back of you, Atilus.”
“Of course.” His look expressed the same sentiment. “Have you cared for the acor while I’ve been ill?”
“Yes.”
“It’s dry?”
“Yes.”
“And the catapult components are –”
Kanis stood. “I know my business, Anaskari.”
“Good. Let’s hope it stays that way.”
Kanis shook his head as he left, closing the door quite firmly – or at least, meaning to. Instead, the door flew from its hinges, clattering to the cabin floor. He poked his head back in. “Sorry about that. Hope you don’t need privacy.” He smothered a smile. The whole ship knew the man craved solitude.
“I’ll be fine,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Good. Let’s hope you stay that way.”
His eyes narrowed. “You’ll fix that?”
“Oh, as soon as we can,” Kanis said as he walked away. By the time he was topside again, he was beaming.
Skink appeared by his side at once, rising from a pile of nets. “Dilar.”
“Skink, find Yaev and bring him here,” he said.
The boy ran off.
Kanis crossed the deck, slipping between men and masts on his way to the prow. The tips of the sea-maid masthead, painted bright blue, caught the last of the sun. Had he been bothered, he could have swung out to face the sea-maid and seen a likeness of Flir. Instead, he leant on the rail.
Of all the stupid things he’d done, thinking she’d want to see him was worst of all.
“Why won’t you name her?”
Yaev stood behind him, Skink waiting behind in turn. He sent the boy back to his old cabin and turned to Yaev. “Any ideas?”
He shrugged. “Mishalar.”
“Fitting, I suppose. But no...”
“What did Atilus have to say for himself?”
“Nothing useful. He wants to see the city walls before he reveals the last step.”
“Weasel.”
“A weasel’s rear end at that.” He glanced at the nearest ship, a pirate running green flags from the temperate waters north of Renovar. “Call the Captains to my cabin.”
“We’re a week away yet.”
“Let’s check-in. I miss their beautiful faces and I’m sure they’ve missed mine.”
Yaev groaned, but sent a man to run the flags.
By the time the evening meal was ready, Kanis had a full cabin beneath the lanterns. With Skink serving and Yaev sitting in, there was barely room for the other eleven men to find stools around the table.
Once the sound of crunching and clack of cups eased, Kanis stood. The room hushed. Some of the men watched expectantly, expressions reverent. As dilar, he had advantages when it came to leading men. Almost unfair, really. But not every Captain was a believer, and not every Captain a military man. There were pirates and smugglers and even a merchant he’d met in the Far Islands, years ago now.
But all respected his strength. And his vision.
Or so they claimed.
“I trust you ate well, Captains.” He glanced at a heavyset man, Hannak. “I know you did, Han.” The table laughed, Hannak included. “Let me get to the point of this gathering. A week out and I want to know how we fare. Your stores of acor, your water, your food, your men, is anything amiss? Anything that could threaten our goal.”
General murmurs of assurance.
Eventually one man spoke up. Tiroph, an older smuggler. His bald head shone in the warm light and he set aside a drink. “No complaints on my ship, as before, Kanis. But one question. Perhaps an idle one, but if the Anaskari fleet is taken care of as per the information we have, what’s to say there isn’t another beast in the harbour? Or that the Anaskari don’t have another at beck and call.”
Again, the table murmured its ascent.
“A fine question. There is a simple answer. The sea beast that ruined the bulk of Anaskar ships was the last of its kind. No more roam the sea.”
“You’re sure?” another captain asked.
“Yes. Vinezi told me.”
Tiroph spread his hands. “But what’s his proof?”
“Nothing he showed me, but I suspect he is like me. Powerful. There was something about him beyond a regular man. That I felt. That at least Mishalar told me.”
“Good enough for me, dilar,” one of the military Captains said.
Another nodded. “No word about another beast in any of these seas since before my grandfather’s time, Tiroph.”
Tiroph rubbed his chin. “I’d like more myself...but all sailing is risk.”
“It is,” Kanis agreed. “If that is all for now, how about I call for some more wine? After all, in a matter of days we will all be disgustingly rich.”
Chapter 31
Flir paced the waterfront, jaw set.
A light rain misted her eyelashes and the thump of hammers echoed along the street. Another one of Seto’s large barricades was being constructed before crowds of shouting people, who were held back by steely lines of Shield, in turn supported by the Vigil. Fire and smoke rose beyond the barricades, staining the morning, as areas choked with dead were put to flame. Grim carts driven by men with heavy faces and hand wrappings had been rolling into such pockets for days, bringing bodies and packing them into homes, shanties and lean-tos, even lain in gaping holes cut into the ground. Some of the drivers were immune, having recovered from the illness. Those few wore no coverings.
“How do you even know everyone got out in time?” a voice shouted.
No-one answered.
“That’s our homes-is, what do we do now, damn you?”
“Bet the palace never thought of that.”
A rumble of assent.
“We’re still dying, you know. This hasn’t changed anything, why can’t the King save us instead of burning the city?”
Another voice shouted its agreement. “Bet he’s not burning the top, is he?”
So far no-one had turned violent while she’d supervised. There was something of defeat in many of the voices, a grief already spent. How many of their loved ones had the illness already taken? From where she stood beneath the shadowy buildings, the sea beast was hidden. Curse it anyway.
Captain Holindo grunted.
“What’s wrong?”
He pointed. “Can we be sure? We’ve mapped the Tier, estimated the illness’ spread, but it might not be enough.”
“That’s what the Storm Singers are for.”
“You think the song will work?”
“It helped Bel, at least, before she disappeared.”
“That’s something.”
Wherever Bel was, Flir hoped the girl was safe at least. There was no evidence that anyone had taken her, it appeared she’d fled the palace herself. Was it shame? People had hidden the red rings that covered their skin in Caldtha. Facing Bel’s family had been...difficult. Alfeo’s face crumbled and their mother simply drifted from the room. Back home had been the same. Confusion, tears, anger. At least Bel’s mother had blamed the Beast.
Unlike Mother.
“Has Luik unveiled his idea yet?” Holindo asked.
Flir shook off the memory. “I’m going to meet him once we’re done here. In fact, I’d say the sergeant has things in hand. Why don’t we go see?”
He nodded and Flir followed him from the barricade. They’d already checked a dozen barricades, perhaps less than half the total, and only once had the crowd turned ugly so far. Their dissent was quickly managed. Seto listened to her advice, and supplied them well.
Stopping the spread of the illness meant making difficult decisions. Fish remained banned, yet the Vigil still caught fishermen launching boats every night. She couldn’t blame the people; what else could they do? Without fish, their income had been taken away and none could afford to buy other foodstuffs.
Outlying farms were being strained and Seto was eating into the treasury, paying generously for caravans and merchant trains from the West. It was trickling in, but there was a real risk that the invasion – if it proved to be as large as she feared – would eventually cut those lines.
By the breach, men still swarmed over the beast’s headless carcass. Wagon loads of the flesh were being carted from the staging area. A covered train already headed out of the city gates and into the wasteland. Other wagons took the bones to the palace. Staggering, the amount of bone the colossal beast continued to yield.
Luik and Pevin waited in Holindo’s command tent, a pot-bellied man in a black coat beside them. The man’s mouth moved without sound – was he counting? The scent of fish was strong in the tent, though neither man’s clothing bore evidence of contact with the Sea Beast.
“Good, you’re here,” Luik said, rising at once. He seemed a little tense. Was he still worried about the illness? He had to know he was immune by now, working so close to the Beast as he had been. He gestured to the counting man. “Renaso’s been helping me with our big problem and I think we’ve come up with something.”
“Welcome, Renaso,” Holindo said.
“Captain. Lady.” He inclined his head and turned to the table in the centre of the room. On it sat a heavy glass bowl with a dark hunk of what could only be flesh from the Sea Beast. Beside it stood a pair of vials. One had yellow liquid, the other clear. He took the coloured vial. “Luik approached me with a clever idea that I thought, at first, was not viable. But I have changed my mind after some experimentation.”
“I see,” Holindo rasped. “And what did you experiment with?”
“I am a member of a new order, Captain. The Alchemista.” He spread his hands. “How best to explain? We’re interested in the properties of different substances when mixed.”
Acor came to mind. “It sounds dangerous,” Flir said.
Renaso held up his hands, which were covered in burns and cuts. “Indeed.”
“You should use gloves,” she said.
“Oh, we do.” He smiled. “Now, this is vitriol, a corrosive liquid.” He poured it onto the flesh. It sizzled but nothing much happened, except for the production of an ugly smell. “It will burn through, though not fast enough. Now for the second vial.” He stretched an arm over the hunk and tipped, gently. The clear liquid hit and a hiss rose, the black skin and flesh shrivelling right down to the bone.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Luik said. Flir noted he wasn’t standing too close to it. Renaso beamed.
“It is. Does it harm the bone or surrounding materials?” Holindo asked, moving closer. Flir joined him, squinting against the lingering acidic fumes.
“At this strength, yes. But I’m working on a proper ratio. It simply needs to be diluted.”
“What’s the clear stuff?” Flir asked.
“I apologise, My Lady. But that is a secret for me and the Alchemista, I’m afraid. I trust you understand and I’ve not offended you.”
“Not at all.”
“So, it’s going to work, isn’t it?” Luik said.
“I hope so,” Holindo said. “How fast can you produce it?”
Luik answered but Flir beckoned Renaso over. “Renaso. I trust you know how serious this all is. How important to the city’s safety.”
“Of course, Lady Flir.”
“Could we convince you to keep helping us?”
He tilted his head. “Beyond the dissolution of the beast?”
“Yes. I’d like you to investigate something else. Acor.”
Renaso took a deep breath. “I’m not sure how to answer. I don’t want to appear as an undutiful member of the city.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I believe acor is an abomination. That it will spell doom for humanity.”
Flir appraised him. Perhaps he was right – but it was also bearing down on the city ready to be flung over the walls by her people. “The whole city’s in danger. We might need to use it ourselves.”
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