The Sanguine Scroll, page 4
Even though they’d been in the City of Coins for almost two months—months during which they’d accomplished almost nothing—Eddred still insisted on sleeping on the ship. Uther didn’t know why and he didn’t especially care. He could sleep there as well as anywhere else.
Despite how different the city was from Straken, or maybe because of how different it was, Uther found he quite liked his temporary home. The women were beautiful and the people generally friendly even as they tried to gain every advantage during negotiations. He wouldn’t mind calling this place home.
Only the knowledge that his father still rotted in a mine back in Straken, assuming the old king still lived, held him back. Otto Shenk had to pay for that. How he was going to make the miserable bastard suffer was another matter. Wizards were simply beyond his skills.
“Good of you to join us.” Adam, Eddred’s wizard bodyguard, stood at the ship’s rail, his white robe plastered to his back.
“Did I miss anything interesting?”
“We found a potential mercenary company. They’re currently out of the city, but their captain has expressed interest in our mission when they return. Eddred has paid a retainer to ensure they don’t take another job.”
“He paid them before I could evaluate? That wasn’t the deal.”
Adam shrugged. “You were otherwise occupied. We haven’t had so many people leaping at our offer that His Majesty wanted to risk letting this group get away.”
Uther winced at the subtle critique. He couldn’t deny a certain lack of interest lately. The whole mission, running Valtan’s errands, all of it seemed pointless. The passage of weeks without results did little to improve his feelings. That needed to change. On his own, Eddred was liable to lead them all to failure.
“Do you remember the company’s name? I’ll do a little digging tonight.”
“They’re called The Black Sword and their captain’s name is Kane. All northerners from the sounds of it.”
“A band of mercenaries from our neck of the woods? Shouldn’t be hard to find out about them. We tend to stand out in this part of the world.”
“Best of luck.” Adam pushed away from the rail and walked out of sight.
The wizard’s disdain annoyed Uther, but he couldn’t deny some of it was well deserved. He resolved to focus on his job and to that end turned away from the ship and headed back to the city. When in doubt, a tavern was often the best place to find information. Though in this city, it would probably cost more than a mug of ale.
The shadows were long when Uther reached his chosen watering hole. A sign featuring a mug dangling from a sword’s quillon hung over the door.
He’d noticed it in passing a few times as he made his way to his favorite whorehouse. The men he’d seen hanging around outside looked rough and ready for a fight. Maybe not mercenaries, but the sort of people that would know where to find them.
The thugs glared at Uther as he pushed through the bead door and into the common room. There was a fair crowd considering the early hour. A dozen men of the same sort as those outside sat in groups of three or four around the room. The only women were the servers and they’d all seen better days. Of course, he might just be biased given the company he’d been keeping lately.
Behind the bar, a tall, tan man with a thick beard and broad chest stood keeping watch on the patrons. He looked more like a bouncer than a barkeep. In fact, if Uther didn’t know better, he would have sworn the man was of Straken ancestry.
Smiling, he ambled up to the bar and slapped down a silver coin. “Mead if you have it.”
The bartender took the coin and put it on a scale. “You want change or credit?”
“I want information.”
“You’d best have gold to go with your silver, foreigner.”
“If you have the information I need, rest assured, I can pay. Speaking of foreigners, you don’t look local yourself.” Uther held out his hand. “Uther of Straken.”
“You have a good eye.” The bartender shook but didn’t offer his name. “My grandfather moved here from Straken.”
“Interesting. Our people seldom travel far from home. Do you know why he left?”
“That the information you want to buy?”
“Hardly. I was just trying to make conversation. What I want is any information you have about The Black Sword mercenary company. Where I can find their headquarters would be a good start.”
“That all? One ounce of gold will cover it.”
Uther placed a gold coin on the bar but slapped his hand over it when the bartender tried to take it. “After I hear what I’m buying.”
The big man shrugged. “Kane set up shop here about ten years ago. Hired down-on-their-luck foreigners. He got a reputation as a man that did the job without asking too many questions.”
“Mercenaries have a reputation for keeping their mouths shut. What makes Kane so special?”
“He’ll take any job, no matter how dangerous. Especially since he never goes into the field. He just arranges the men. If they don’t all come back, more gold for him.”
“That’s pretty cold-blooded. What do the men working for him think?” Uther asked.
“There are always more desperate men. The locals don’t like hiring foreigners. They don’t trust them. That means Kane is the only game in town.”
The more Uther heard the less he liked it. “Where can I find their base?”
“A warehouse down by the docks. It’s in the northwest district. Pretty rough and run down. There’s a big sword of blackened iron hanging over the entrance. Can’t miss it.”
“Thanks.” Uther lifted his hand off the coin and the bartender took it.
“A pleasure to be of service, my prince.” The bartender grinned at Uther’s reaction. “What, did you think no one knew who you were? The whole city’s talking about you and Eddred of Markane and your crazy quest. You came a long way just to die in the desert.”
“I have no intention of dying in the desert.” Uther turned and stalked out.
Once he was outside, he took a deep breath of the slightly cooler night air. Now that he knew a little about Kane, he wanted to talk to the man as soon as possible. If only so he could tell Eddred to find someone else.
The walk across the city took Uther most of half an hour. For the past ten minutes, the neighborhood had grown steadily worse. The sour stench of vomit and piss nearly overwhelmed the pungent scent of the sea. It seemed even the richest cities had their slums.
He hadn’t seen any guards in a while, but that didn’t overly concern him. Uther had his sword and knew how to use it. He might be a little rusty, it was true, but if there was a thug skilled enough to take him down, then he deserved to bleed out in a ditch.
So far all he’d gotten for his trouble was the occasional sullen glare thrown from darkened alleys. The predators must have recognized the threat he represented. They wanted easy marks, not a fight.
At last, he reached the warehouse the bartender described. The black iron sword wasn’t a sword at all. Rather someone had welded two pieces of pig iron into the general shape of a sword and hung it on the wall. It seemed Captain Kane cut corners wherever possible. Given what little he knew, Uther expected no better.
The warehouse itself appeared to be in good shape. At least it didn’t appear in danger of falling down at the first sign of wind. The wood was blackened by a thick coat of tar. That no doubt served to protect it from the salt breeze blowing in from the harbor. Of course, should a fireball hit it, the place would go up like a torch.
A pair of double doors twice as tall as Uther served as the main entrance. Off to one side, a smaller door allowed for people to come and go without having to drag the big ones open. He walked over and knocked.
Someone must have been on duty as only seconds passed before a small slot in the door slid open. A pair of narrow, bloodshot eyes glared out. “What do you want?”
“I’d like to speak with Captain Kane. He met with my business partner this morning and I need to go over the details of the job.”
The doorman muttered something under his breath then asked, “Name?”
“I’m Uther. The man he met with is Eddred. He already received a down payment so a little conversation shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Oh, yeah, the lunatics heading out into the desert. Man, I’m glad I only work the door.” The slot slammed shut and the door opened. “Come on. The captain’s in back in his office.”
Uther followed the pudgy doorman towards the rear of the warehouse. Racks of swords, bows, and armor lined one side of the warehouse while rows of bunk beds lined the other. It looked like The Black Sword had fully converted the warehouse into a proper barracks. He couldn't deny being impressed. Given what he’d been told by the bartender, Uther had expected the mercenaries’ base to be a complete mess. At the very least, they appeared well equipped and competent.
The pair stopped in front of a closed door. The doorman knocked and when it opened, a grizzly looking bearded fellow glared out. “Can I help you?”
His voice sounded completely at odds with his appearance. He reminded Uther of some of Father’s courtiers. “I’m Eddred’s partner. I hoped to discuss some of the details of the mission with you.”
Kane brightened. “So you’ve decided to give us the job? Splendid! Come in, come in.”
The mercenary captain waved off his door guard and ushered Uther into his office. The space measured maybe ten yards square. A fine table carved with knights and dragons dominated the room. The massive table wouldn’t have looked out of place in the home of a noble. Comfortable leather chairs and a cabinet filled with books and ledgers completed the decorations.
Kane guided Uther into a chair in the corner then sat across from him. “I gathered from what His Majesty said that you would still be exploring your options. Why did you decide to go with us?”
“I never said we did.” At Kane’s scowl Uther continued. “I was busy when Uther interviewed you and I wanted to discuss a few details that came to my attention. Specifically, your rather poor reputation regarding your men’s survival.”
“Whatever negative things you may have heard, I promise you it wasn’t from any of my previous clients. We have always done exactly what we promised. As to the survival of my men, mercenary work is dangerous. Naturally not everyone makes it through every battle.”
“And you avoiding the field? I can’t imagine that gets you much loyalty.”
Kane scrubbed a hand across his face.
“Look. All this.” He waved at himself. “It’s a part. Clients expect a mercenary captain to have a certain appearance. I’m just giving them what they want. I’ve never swung a sword in battle. Hell, I’ve rarely swung one in practice. I’m a businessman and this is a costume. I assure you, my unit commanders are far better at war than I am. And my clients are all better off without me in the field.”
Uther certainly believed that last sentence. As for the rest of it, he couldn’t deny that it made sense. While he considered Kane a lowlife and opportunist, he also felt confident that he’d deliver what he promised.
He stood and held out his hand. “Thank you, Captain. Your setup might be unorthodox, but I feel much better about our potential business. Assuming that no one else shows up in the meantime, I’m going to recommend Eddred accept your offer.”
Kane gave his hand an enthusiastic pump. “Thank you. I’m pleased to have earned your trust. Rest assured, you won’t regret hiring The Black Sword.”
Uther seriously hoped not. If anything went wrong with Valtan’s magic, those mercenaries would be the only thing between him and heaven only knew how many ghouls.
Chapter 5
Gareth could easily learn to hate the ocean. He stood in the front of their transport and let the salty spray hit him in the face. This was what passed for entertainment on board. He would have promised to devote himself to charitable works if it would have summoned a whore, some good brandy, and a trio of card players. Unfortunately, he didn’t know which of the archangels to pray to for that miracle.
After traveling across Colt’s Land in a wagon pulled day and night by enchanted metal horses, he and the sea witch had arrived at a little port city exactly halfway between two of the city-states. It looked like the sort of place where no questions were asked. He’d visited enough taverns with that reputation to recognize the feel. No one would meet your eye and if you looked too long the flash of bared steel would soon move your gaze along.
The moment they arrived, they were taken to the docks where a silver ship equipped with oars operated by mechanical rowers waited. It had no sails and a crew of only five. No one spoke to them when they boarded. The ship launched at once and traveled at rapid speed across the water.
In his many hours alone, he tried cutting through the mithril band that served as Melisandre’s shackle. His black-bladed dagger, usually more than capable of slicing through whatever needed cutting, including steel, couldn’t even scratch the bracelet. That was just one of many disappointments he’d faced since departing.
Now, a month after they set out, the walls of the City of Coins appeared in the distance. And thank goodness for that. One more day with nothing to do and no one to talk to might have driven him crazy. Or maybe crazier. You’d have thought the sea witch might have liked to chat since they were the only ones on board who knew the true purpose of their mission. But you’d have been wrong.
Speaking of his taciturn traveling companion, the green-eyed bitch strode out from belowdecks and looked around at the empty deck. He didn’t know what she expected to find. The crew kept to the control room or looked after the enchanted rowers one level down.
Maybe one last attempt at conversation would be worthwhile. They would be relying on each other in the field.
He ambled down on deck, wearing his best smile. She was wearing a black dress that covered her from neck to ankle. How did she stand it in this miserable heat? He’d never felt anything like it, even in the depths of summer back home. She also had a lovely figure and it seemed a shame not to show it off a little.
Gareth gave a shudder. He really had been on board for too long.
“Looks like we’re almost there,” he said.
She glanced at him, her eyes flared a fraction brighter, and she looked away.
Right.
“Look, we’re going to be out there on our own. Can’t you at least tell me your name? I mean, if I need to shout a warning, ‘Look out, Sea Witch,’ seems a bit clunky.”
At last, she focused on him. He controlled an overwhelming desire to flee only by the narrowest of margins. Maybe he shouldn’t have pestered her.
“You make a lot of noise,” she said. “I thought thieves were supposed to be quiet.”
“Oh, I’m very quiet when I’m working. There isn’t really anyone to sneak up on here. We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Gareth.”
She ignored his proffered hand. “If I tell you my name, will you be quiet?”
“As a mouse.”
“You may call me Ginevera.”
He brightened and fell silent. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
Four hours later, after a brief interview with a nervous harbor patrol captain, the ship tied up at the City of Coins dock. Gareth hardly had patience enough to wait for the crew to finish tying them up before he hurried down the gangplank. Solid ground at last. What a relief.
The sea witch, or rather Ginevera, joined him at a more sedate pace. She looked around, taking everything in and seeming to dismiss it. Being a super-strong wizard probably meant you couldn’t let on how impressive you found a mere city.
Gareth had no such restrictions and he gaped at the walls, the buildings, the people, everything. It was all so different from back home. Everything was made out of tan stone and dark wood. The people dressed in bright clothes as if determined to make up for the lack of color in their buildings. And the heat, heaven help him. Gareth feared he might melt before they reached wherever they were going. At least the smell of the docks was familiar, if muted compared to back home. Rotting fish was clearly a universal feature of port cities the world over.
The ship’s captain, he’d never bothered introducing himself, came down the ramp to join them. He wore a crisp gray tunic and white trousers. Somehow, despite the heat, he looked as fresh as a daisy. Bastard!
“If you’ll follow me,” he said. “I can take you to Ms. Raven’s warehouse.”
Gareth and Ginevera fell in behind him and started down the docks. They passed other tied-up vessels, all traditional sailing ships, drawing looks from bare-chested stevedores, and generally making far too big an impression for Gareth’s liking.
“You’re going to be here when we get back, right?” Gareth asked.
“My orders are to wait four months,” the captain said. “If you haven’t returned by then, I’m to carry word of your failure back to Ms. Raven.”
“I do not fail,” the sea witch said.
Gareth shivered despite the heat, so chilled was her voice.
The Raven Company warehouse sat right on the water to allow for easy loading and unloading. Heavy block and tackle hung from a beam nearly two feet thick jutting over the water. They seemed to have arrived during a lull as there wasn’t a ship in sight. That being the case, why hadn’t they just come directly here?
He shrugged as the captain led them to a side door and knocked. He exchanged a few words with someone inside then turned to Gareth and Ginevera. “The third member of your group has already arrived. Ms. Raven’s agent in the city will be joining you within the hour for a full briefing. If you’ll excuse me.”
The captain hurried back toward his ship as if eager to be done with his passengers. Gareth couldn’t really blame the man. Ginevera wasn’t exactly the sort of passenger he would have preferred to travel with either. Unfortunately they were stuck with each other.
