A Jewel Bright Sea

by Claire O'Dell

  Anna’s memory shifted abruptly. Suddenly she stood on the sands of that lonely inlet. A patchwork of images flooded her mind. The brilliant sands. Terns and gulls wheeling overhead. The dark green shadows of the forest beyond. And more than images, the strange spicy scent that she had come to associate with Eddalyon. The texture of the sands imprinted upon her knees and hands as she knelt to trace that otherworldly signature. Thea’s voice, rough and low, as she ordered Daria to let her go.

  Remember the void. Remember Anderswar.

  Another twitch, and she knelt upon the edge of that magical void between worlds and lives. Once again that eerie chorus rose up around her. Once more the ordinary world lay before her, and she could make out those twelve footprints that marked a man running in terror from one world to the next.

  Soft and slow, my child. Soft and slow. Find the moment and the balance. Look. Look and remember.

  It was as though time hung motionless. Anna pinned her attention upon the footprints. She traced their direction, and as she recalled what she had missed before, she sighted a blurred figure as it plunged from the void, as though a finger had drawn Sarrész’s path in her mind.

  Soft and slow, slow and soft, Thea said, but Anna didn’t need the reminder. She hung there, in the eternal balance of magic, entirely focused on the image before her.

  Three irregular squiggles against an indigo sea. Two of them little more than an interruption to the rolling waves. The third a sturdy barrier, but even that was a tiny blip in the vastness of the southern ocean.

  Anna bit down on her lips and willed herself to remember more. She drew back from those three small islands, drew back until her vision encompassed them and the next collection of sand and reef, back farther still until she had fixed in her mind the distances between Idonia and Vyros, between these islands and what she now called Sarrész’s islands.

  Now, she said. Now I remember. Thea, bring me back, please.

  Thea must have heard, because time gave an unnatural shudder. For a moment, Anna felt herself suspended between two moments, two worlds. The magical void where she crouched, facing outward to the ordinary world. And the ordinary world itself, where she sat upon the stone floor of Koszenmarc’s chambers.

  But then, the past and its magic vanished, and she collapsed into the world. A pair of arms surrounded her, warm and strong and steady. For a moment, she thought herself back in the temple on Idonia.

  She drew a long breath. Heard an answering one from Thea, felt the quick rise and fall of Koszenmarc’s chest against her back.

  “I saw...” Her throat was clogged. She coughed and tried again. “I saw…everything. I saw where Sarrész fell.”

  She pulled away from Koszenmarc and tried to stand, but her legs folded. Koszenmarc caught her before she fell.

  “You are doing much better,” Thea said. “But that was still a chancy bit of magic. You should rest a bit. Have a cup of tea.”

  “No.” Her lips still didn’t work properly, and she had to grip Koszenmarc’s arm to keep from falling. She coughed and tried again. “I need. To show what I saw. Before I forget.”

  “As you wish.” Koszenmarc slung her arm over his neck, then circled his arm around her waist. Anna was grateful for the support, but by the time they reached his desk, she was able to stand by herself.

  “Bring me the map,” she ordered in a rasping voice.

  Koszenmarc fetched the map from the table and spread it over the desk. Anna stared at it, her vision still blurred from magic. The map was a man-made thing, the ocean depths and current rendered in neat ink lines, showing a world properly ordered and predictable, when the gods themselves knew that worlds and lives and the universe had no order except the pull from life to life again.

  She drew a picture in her mind of those islands, a cluster of reefs and sand bars making a great circle around them. She drew back from that image to the wider one that showed a vast expanse of open seas. Farther back and she saw the familiar shape of Vyros and those smaller islands that surrounded it.

  Now she transferred her attention to the map. East, she thought. East and somewhat south, but as she traced her finger along the direction she remembered, she came to the edge of the chart.

  “Your map doesn’t show the islands I saw.”

  “How much does it show? Can you make a better chart?”

  She was afraid to promise too much. “I’m no mapmaker. I can’t promise to be exact.”

  “It’s more than we had before. Make a copy of what you saw, as best as you can. I’ll have writing materials sent to your quarters.” Then, after an infinitesimal pause, he said, “Burn any copies you discard. And tell no one.”

  He didn’t mention Maté by name, but he didn’t need to. Even a trusted friend might be suspect, and keeping this secret from Maté would only prove his innocence.

  “I understand,” she said. “You can trust me.”

  “I know. I have.”

  His gaze swung up and caught hers. All the bleakness, all the weariness had vanished, and she thought she saw a much younger Lord Koszenmarc, before his days as a pirate, before his days in Duenne’s Court.

  Koszenmarc seemed just as unnerved as she was. Then he gave himself a shake. “Prepare for a long voyage. Bring herbs and spells and books, whatever you need. We sail within two days.”

  CHAPTER 13

  By the time Anna descended from Koszenmarc’s airy chambers to her own small grotto near the sea, she found the mood of the company entirely changed. Koszenmarc had passed the word for all his officers, senior and junior. He had not given a reason, but he hadn’t needed to. Those on watch outside his sanctuary, the same ones who had regarded her coldly the day before, now smiled at her with satisfaction. Daria, hurrying up the ladder, gave her a cheeky wink.

  It was the relief of action—any action—that lightened the crew’s mood. She felt it herself. But if they didn’t find Sarrész…

  She tried not to think about that as she hurried back to her quarters. A pot of freshly brewed tea awaited her there, along with the promised writing kit and a generous supply of paper. There was even an overturned crate to serve as her desk. Anna settled herself on the ground and took up a pen.

  What if I fail? What if I forget?

  She closed her eyes and drew a steadying breath. Found the balance point. And now the memories Thea had revived flooded back into her brain. No, she would never forget. She drew a sheet of paper to the center of her makeshift desk, dipped her pen in the ink and tapped away the excess. She had just drawn the first few tentative lines when someone spoke her name.

  “Anna.”

  Anna jumped, overturning her desk. Her teacup bounced over the stones, splattering tea over the walls and floor. Damn, damn, damn.

  Maté stood in the doorway, grinning at her confusion. Of course. Who else would call her by her true name? If she’d had a moment to think, she would have realized it right away.

  “You.” She gathered up the teacup and pens. “I should smack you for scaring me like that. Oh, yes, except someone already has.”

  He dismissed her comment with a wave of his hand. “I’ve heard the news. You found Lord Sarrész.”

  She hesitated, not certain how much she was allowed to say. “Not exactly. I…remembered what I saw before.”

  He’d noticed that small pause before she spoke. “And you cannot say more. Captain’s orders, no doubt. Does he know about the jewel?”

  Anna pressed a hand against her forehead. One crisis at a time, she told herself. But Maté was right. Once Koszenmarc discovered that Sarrész’s stolen goods were in fact not just a jewel, but the same one the goddess Lir had given to humankind, all his promises would vanish.

  “No, I’ve not told him,” she said. “I’ll tell him once I must. If I must.”

  “Lies make everything harder,” he said quietly.

  He spo
ke as though he’d spent the past few hours considering all the lies she and he had told these past few weeks. And because they were such old friends, she asked, “What about Eleni? Have you told her anything?”

  He shook his head. “No, those secrets aren’t mine alone, as you very well know. But, Anna…” His voice caught momentarily. “Anna, I cannot lie to her today, and ask for her trust tomorrow.”

  And Eleni Farakos did not offer trust lightly.

  “I wish our blessed Emperor had never set eyes upon that jewel,” Anna said in a low voice. “I wish that miserable Sarrész had never stolen it, and I most especially wish our Lord Brun had never decided to meddle in Duenne’s thrice-damned Court.”

  Maté laughed softly. “Oh no, that wouldn’t do at all. Without our thief and the jewel, you’d still be in Duenne without any hope of buying back your bond. Don’t worry about me, Anna. Draw your chart, and I’ll figure out what happens after we hunt down Lord Sarrész.”

  He left her to her task. After staring at the ink-splattered sheet in front of her, Anna crumpled the sheet of paper and set it aside. She took a fresh one and dipped her pen in ink. Find the balance point, she told herself. Everything else would follow from there.

  * * * *

  Two hours later, she burned all her discarded attempts and tucked the final copies into her sash before she climbed back up the rope ladder to Koszenmarc’s chambers. This time, there was no delay before the guard announced her, and she walked in with more confidence than she felt.

  “The map you require.” She laid out five sheets of paper on his desk.

  Koszenmarc’s mouth quirked in a smile as he surveyed her work. “Very nice. And quick, considering all this.” He indicated the several different versions of her chart. “Why did you make so many drawings?”

  “Because I wanted to show the islands in as much detail as I could recall, but I also wanted to show the larger picture, with the known islands for a reference point. You did say these were off any known charts.” Then, as he continued to examine her work closely, she added, “They are not as exact as I would like.”

  “And you love to be precise,” he murmured. “No, these are very good. We can circle Idonia and complete our water along the way, not to mention taking advantage of the current. From there…”

  He had clearly forgotten about her, about anything outside the problem of Sarrész and where to find him. Anna was fairly certain she could withdraw and he wouldn’t notice. But she had one important favor to ask of him, now, while he was so pleased with her work.

  She cleared her throat. Koszenmarc glanced up.

  “I have a request,” she said. “I know your ship is not a council of equals, but I wondered if you would consider including Maté as part of this mission. I understand why you kept us apart, but I believe he would prove useful in case we need to—”

  He held up a hand. “You don’t need to convince me. I agree. Besides”—his mouth quirked in a smile—“you aren’t the first to make this request.”

  Oh. Eleni, of course. Well, then.

  She ducked her head to hide her embarrassment. “Thank you.”

  He regarded her with a faint frown. “You’re welcome. I had not expected— Well, never mind what I expected. Please tell Thea I need to speak with her. We’ve a great deal to accomplish before we set off.”

  He bent over the maps again, already tracing out their route, and hardly seemed to notice when Anna exited the room.

  CHAPTER 14

  Two days of hard work for the entire company followed, from senior officers down to the youngest of the ships’ boys and girls. Anna had thought all three ships well stocked and in prime condition, but she soon realized how wrong she was. Greenstuff gathered from the nearest islands, sails and sheets and spars inspected, the Konstanze’s hold emptied and restocked with fresh supplies. A fresh coat of paint, of different colors and a different pattern. Every blade inspected and scoured clean.

  What held true for the ships and for their weapons, also held true for Thea and Anna’s supply of medicine. They were awake from dawn until midnight, sorting through their powders and herbs and infusions, throwing out any that had entirely lost their potency, enhancing any that had promise. Thea kept a strict log of their decisions, so they knew what to replenish later, and sent Joszua off in the Daemon to collect various herbs from nearby islands that might do as a substitute.

  Meanwhile, Koszenmarc spent hours in conference with his officers to determine who would accompany the ship and who would stay behind.

  A few sweet hours of sleep broken by the dawn bells, and to work once more.

  The morning of their departure was even more exhausting and chaotic, if that were possible. Anna and Thea working quickly, snatching up this or that forgotten item, while Daria shouted for everyone to board the ship, now, now, now. Anna shoved one last roll of bandages in her satchel and immediately jerked back her hand, dripping blood. A surgical blade had found its way into her bag. She stopped only long enough to bind the wound with a rag. There was time enough aboard ship to tend to it, she told Thea.

  Aboard the ship at last. The crew hauled up the boats and tied them. Eleni rapped out orders. Men and women swarmed up the masts and rigging. Another series of commands and sails rose up from their lines to billow out, turning the pyramid of ropes into one of bright white cloth. A faint humming filled the air. They were in motion, the island shrinking on the horizon.

  CHAPTER 15

  Anna leaned against the railing, face lifted to the breeze. Over the past two weeks, the steady rise and fall of the Konstanze had become as familiar to her as the pattern of their days. The change from watch to watch, the daily sessions with Thea to practice their magic, the kind and quantity of each meal that marked the passage through the week. It was as though they had dropped away from the true world and now skimmed over an endless blue disc.

  “Wishing on a drowned star?” Koszenmarc said.

  Anna jumped and bit back a laugh. “You surprised me.”

  “Good. Terrible thing for a pirate, to be predictable.”

  “I would never accuse you of that,” she murmured.

  His mouth twisted into a wry grin. “And I can always trust you to be honest.”

  She could not think how to reply to that. They had talked very little over the past two weeks, and only about their mission. From time to time, he asked if she’d caught any glimpse or hint of that strange magical signature. From time to time, she asked about their progress. Koszenmarc had brought up the possibility of taking bearings with magic, just as a captain might take bearings from the stars and sun. But nothing more about Anna’s past, nor anything beyond the moment they overtook Sarrész.

  Today, he lingered by the rail, his eyes narrowed against the glare from the ocean swells. “I don’t like the look of that weather,” he said, indicating the blurred horizon to the south. Mist, or clouds, Anna couldn’t tell which. It was as though a thumb had smeared the sky and sea together. The wind had kicked up in the past few moments, and she thought she could smell rain. She said so.

  He nodded. “The glass tells me we’ll have a storm before nightfall.” Then, “Do you know, you’ve not been seasick once since we set sail.”

  She sent a sideways glance in his direction. “So kind of you to notice.”

  “Oh, I pay attention to all my people.”

  His tone was amused, which irritated her, but he was right. She had not needed to summon the magic current even once to ease her stomach. Thea had mentioned a possible connection between that and her newfound skills with the balance point. Anna was not entirely convinced, however.

  “Most likely, I’ve finally become accustomed to the sea,” she said.

  “Most likely,” he agreed. “Do you— That is, would you care to stay in the islands after this? Pleasant weather. Far away from the Empire. Mind, you don’t need to hire with a pirate co
mpany. Any number of merchant ships would gladly hire you as a surgeon, or a navigator. Or, if you didn’t mind the pirates, you could join my company. Thea would be happy for your assistance.”

  It was the closest he had come to asking her plans for after. After they tracked down Sarrész. After he discovered the truth about the stolen goods. She stirred uneasily. “No. Thank you, but no. I’m happier in the north. By the way, when should I try to take those magical bearings?”

  Koszenmarc shot a quick glance in her direction, but he replied in a neutral voice. “Tomorrow will do. We’re close to the edge of my charts—all the charts except yours. Do you see those tall rocks over to the north?”

  Anna squinted against the sun. Far ahead, she could just make out a cluster of bare rocks rising up from the sea, surrounded by a dance of mist and breaking waves. “I see them. What are they?”

  “The Imperial mapmakers named them Desolation. I’ve heard a number of other names the islanders use, none of them fit to repeat. But they mark the edge of the Empire, and the edge of the known islands. Aldo Sarrész’s islands lie a day or two north and east of them, depending on the wind and weather. We’ll record the hour we pass Desolation, then—”

  “Sails!” cried the lookout. “Sails two points to the south!”

  Koszenmarc whipped out his glass and swore. Three pale red dots had emerged from the bank of clouds to the west. Oh gods. Those were Druss’s ships, sails taut against the wind. They were following us.

  Following and gaining fast.

  Eleni Farakos appeared on deck, shouting orders. The entire watch scrambled aloft, and in moments more sails rose up their lines. The ship jerked forward, then leaned hard to starboard just as a cloud of light and smoke exploded from the largest of Druss’s ships. Within a moment, the cold clean scent of magic rolled over the Konstanze.

  Before the significance of that magic could register, a volley of liquid fire arced toward the Konstanze, a bright burst of white-hot flames that sucked all moisture from the air. Anna caught the scent of a bought spell, sharp and green but missing the intensity of magic summoned in the instant. The fire missed the Konstanze by a hundred yards. A second volley followed a moment later, much closer. “Tack to larboard,” Koszenmarc shouted. “Faster, faster, you miserable slugs! Stand by to raise the shields!”