by David Rice
“I don’t feel the boat, or the ocean. I don’t feel—” Then he sat back, horror growing on his face. “What did you do, Kirsten?”
She paused and shivered, exchanging guilty glances with Olaf and Grumm. She also sensed the fading of a warmth from the earth. From a fading of the weave. The Fahde, the shield, and the pendant cushioned her sense of loss but she recognized with some horror that their energies would not last forever. “Nothing,” she exclaimed. “Why?”
Grumm flashed a questioning look as subtly as a dwarf could manage.
Cinn glanced at Grumm and scowled. “Tell me what happened.”
“Well, not exactly nothing but nothing I’m going to talk about,” Kirsten replied sternly. “What is it that you’re feeling?”
Cinn shook his head. “The weave,” his voice shook, “the weave is—gone.”
Grumm’s jaw tightened and he looked at his feet. Olaf groaned and sunk against the side of the boat. Kirsten looked skyward and brushed roughly against emerging tears.
“What did you do?” Cinn demanded.
Grumm looked at Kirsten. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came.
“It was me,” Olaf blurted, his cheeks burning. “I made them push on.”
Kirsten sat forward, her eyes red, and shook her head. “No, Olaf. It wasn’t you.”
“Something you did—ended the weave?” Cinn hissed.
Kirsten sputtered words around storming emotions. “I didn’t want it to happen.” She was about to say It wasn’t my fault but she stopped. That had been one of her Papa’s sayings, and she had always hated it.
“It was the mother,” Grumm announced sternly. “She started it all. And it was the One who finished it, not us.”
“The One finished what?” Cinn paused. “The One is gone? The One made the weave go away? Did that—to itself?” Cinn’s voice trembled. “Why?”
“To weaken the drakes, maybe,” Kirsten whispered. “So that we’d have a chance.”
Olaf and Grumm nodded their heads slowly as the realization of how the world had shifted forever solidified in their souls.
Cinn hid his face in his hands for several moments. Then he pierced Kirsten with a stare.
“You’re going to confront the drakes?”
Kirsten shrugged. “No choice.”
Olaf groaned and Grumm mumbled a curse in dwarvish.
Wide-eyed, Cinn shook his head slowly then tossed a woolen blanket towards his cousin.
“You’ll need your rest, then. And a plan.”
Kirsten tucked herself under the wool. “Rest first. Plan later.” Thoughts of her mother and Papa’s final moments kept sleep at bay for a dreadfully long time.
***
“Ahoy!” woke them all while their boat was drifting in the soft currents of first light.
Kirsten looked up to see Captain Engram staring down upon them all from over the rail of The Evalyn.
“We followed you for awhile and then we followed these great strange fish, as big as this boat!” The Captain’s voice was charged with glee. “And those fish led us to a school that I was happy to sample. It’s gonna sell well in Graniteside if we can get there soon enough.”
“I have to go farther than Graniteside,” Kirsten said.
“Sorry, Lass,” Engram responded. “This crew has had enough. And now that Lornen is done, I need to check on some friends.”
“Can you take us with you,” Kirsten asked.
Engram shrugged. “If ye like. Rope ladder over the starboard side, he ordered.
Cinn pulled himself up and begn to check his sails. “I’m going back to the Salt Isles, Kirsten. I’m going to ask the Loremaster if he wants to follow our kin west.”
Kirsten wrinkled her nose. “You’re leaving?”
Cinn pointed at The Evalyn. “And what are you doing? I was hoping you’d come with me to find our people and join in their journey.”
“There’s still the drakes, and the dragon,” Kirsten shrugged. “I have to take care of that as best I can. No one else can.”
Cinn nodded solemnly. “Will you tell me what you did?”
Kirsten took a deep breath. “I found my mother and she tried to trap my Papa so they could keep the One asleep. So they could be together that way forever.”
Cinn paled. “What did you do.”
“Papa told me the One wanted to wake.” Kirten looked away. “I did what I had to.”
“The One’s awake now, I think,” Olaf chipped in.
Cinn’s mouth dropped. “The weave. That’s why it weakened so much?”
Kirsten looked down.
“How did you wake the One. How is that even possible?”
“The energy going through him. It was torture. I couldn’t let him suffer.”
“What do you mean?”
“I killed them, alright?” Kirsten shrieked. “I killed my parents. I ran them both through. That’s the only mercy this world allows.”
Cinn shrank back and shot a horrified look at Grumm and Olaf.
Grumm sighed. “Then everything collapsed.”
“Like Kirsten said, the One wanted to wake up,” Olaf added. “I felt that. I know we all did.”
Cinn sat back, stunned. He looked back at Kirsten who held herself, coiled and quivering. He took a deep breath and paused before responding. “It’s not your fault, Kirsten.
It’s what the one wanted all along and we can’t do anything about that.”
“Doesn’t help me any. Doesn’t help my Papa,” she groaned.
“If you saved your Papa from suffering then what you did was brave,” Cinn replied. “We’re all part of the fate of the world. And perhaps the weave isn’t really gone. It’s either collected with the One to be used in some way, or it’s been dispersed. Either way, it’s weak everywhere now, but I can’t believe that it is truly gone.” He pointed at the everpresent powerful gleaming gems of the Fahde and the shield. “They’re still connected to the weave somehow. That gives me hope.”
Kirsten sobbed once and tried to push the sorrow away. Cinn put a hand on her shoulder. “You did the right thing. I still wish you could come along on the journey west and meet your kin.”
Kirsten faced Cinn. “You talk about the Salt Isles like I should know them. They’re not my kin. The Highlands, and Longwood, they’re not my kin either.” She paused to rein in her emotions. “I wish I had what you have had but I don’t. The only kin I have anymore are these two.” She pointed at Olaf and Grumm who blushed.
Cinn’s eyes rounded with regret.
Kirsten shivered and sighed. “You have helped me so much, Cinn. I can never give you enough thanks.”
Cinn nodded and gave Kirsten a quick hug. “I think you can.”
Kirsten pulled away. “How?”
“Without the weave being concentrated, the drakes will be weaker. Kill them, Kirsten. Kill them all.”
Rope ladders descended from the Evalyn.
“I’ll do my best,” she replied softly. Then she turned to climb.
Grumm and Olaf shook Cinn’s hand.
“Sail safely,” Olaf offered.
“Hurry up and grab our supplies, ye’ lug,” Grumm chastised his companion. Then he tossed the flask containing the last of his bitters to Cinn. “Thanks for saving our hides.”
Soon, the three companions were aboard The Evalyn and speeding towards Graniteside.
XII
The rebellious tides made Engram’s approach to Graniteside harbour rather tricky but, as a reluctant local legend, he felt obliged to make the difficult appear effortless. His crew did not disappoint, and The Evalyn weighed anchor near the north shore’s inhospitable rocks.
A small boat flying the colours of the harbourmaster rowed out to greet them.
Engram allowed himself a brief smile as he turned to Kirsten. “You folks should stay out of sight. I’ll be arranging to off load the fish and take some cargo ashore. Once I find out what exactly is going on here, then we can discuss whether I let you off here o
r not.”
“I have friends here,” Kirsten said. “I’ll be fine.”
Engram nodded. “I know you’ll be fine. It’s me I’m worried about. Once I grease some palms, everything should be good.”
“And if it isn’t?”
“Then I take you south as far as King’s Port this side of the mountains, and drop you there.”
Kirsten frowned. She didn’t like being trapped aboard but she had little choice.
The harbourmaster’s boat pulled up alongside and a swarthy red bearded fellow grinned up at them. “Never thought I’d see the day!”
Engram smiled back. “What happened to Eye-Patch?”
“Now that’s a better tale for over rum. But to keep it plain, he took the few who couldn’t sail from Splintjack and tried to cut through the edges of the elf lands that burnt up.”
“And?”
“One fella made it back. Has the worst sorta stories. Said the wood attacked them all. Tore them apart and sucked them into the earth.”
Engram shuddered. “What of Lornen? I see the Chancellor’s flag is flying now.”
“Oh,” the new harbourmaster laughed. “King’s dead. Elves got ‘im in his own bedroom. Our own Duke Koppinger’s in charge until a new ruler can be decided. Town’s been celebrating ever since.”
“And the Order?”
“Pah. The Amaranth lost their blowhard Father Stigand. Got himself poisoned by on of Lornen’s little pets. Now the Amaranth are set to play nice again. Folks are happy that the orders of the Blackthorn an’ the Yarrow have reappeared to keep some balance.”
Engram took a deep breath. “I have some cargo for the Chancellor’s eyes only. Can you send a barge to collect our fish.”
“Ye always find a way, doncha?” the harbourmaster chuckled. “It’s still five percent my cut.”
Engram scowled. “I never expected otherwise.”
The harbourmaster laughed as he tapped his crew on the tops of their heads with his cap. “I’ll secure the dock closest for your cargo.”
Engram agreed and soon had his crew labouring to lift his hidden crates into their ship’s boat.
Kirsten didn’t like being trapped in the harbour but she had little choice. She watched Engram depart, and then climbed to the crow’s nest to enjoy the view. Graniteside’s docks were still littered with the wreckage of explosions, but these fragments of ships were now stripped of all useful items and were beginning to provide the framework for new buildings. She realized that the people of the docks had a strength that eluded the more priviledged. They knew how to take any challenge and any potential resource and turn it into something worthwhile.
For awhile, she dozed off in the sea breeze and sun of the crow’s nest. She first thought the cry that woke her to be nothing more than the final moments of a frightening dream. But the cries from the crew and the cacophony that echoed from onshore made her jump to her feet and scan the sky.
Spiralling down from on high was a drake. It wasn’t the great drake she had seen over Longwood, but this drake had the markings of many wounds, and a staggering gait to its flight.
And, Kirsten realized, it was heading directly for their ship.
“Grumm,” she yelled, “Drake! Get your shield!”
While other sailors were jumping into the harbour, Grumm and Olaf slammed open the cabin door and raced onto the deck. Grumm lifted his shield and its silver caught the sun like a beacon. Its gem raged with blue light.
Olaf looked up to Kirsten. “What now?”
Kirsten drew her sword and the Fahde’s gem blazed. “Fight,” she yelled.
The drake pulled up and blew purple flames towards the sails but they transformed into feathers of smoke and swirled down to be consumed by Grumm’s shield.
The drake pulled up clumsily, banked sharply and came back towards the tops of the sails where Kirsten waited.
Kirsten could see its malevolent eyes, the scorch marks across its hide, ragged holes in its wings, and its claws outstretched, each one the length of her legs. What she didn’t see was a second mouthful of fire, nor did the drake possess the same reckless speed she had witnessed from others of its kind.
The claws raked through rigging, and slashed through the top sail, but avoided the slash of her gleaming sword. Then, to the amazement of all, the drake shrieked pitifully and flew out to sea.
“Get away,” Kirsten yelled after it. “And never come back.”
The crew aboard, and those in the water. Started cheering. The cheers were answered by a crowd growing thick upon the piers.
Kirsten put away her sword, waved once, and climbed down from her perch. The crowd and the crew were still cheering when she shooed her companions back to the cabin and shut the door.
“So much for not being noticed,” Olaf chuckled.
“What’ll we do now? Surely, Besra’s gonna hear of this an’ know it was us.”
Kirsten shrugged. “We stay put until the Captain gets back or I get a bad feeling.”
A knock on the cabin door was followed by the first mate’s shout. “Yer heroes! Food an’ rum. Anything ye want. Just name it!”
Grumm and Olaf perked up. Kirsten took a moment to focus her resolve. “Just bring the basics to the door. I’ll take it from there.”
There was much happy jostling upon the deck and then a heavy thunk of wood on wood. The first mate very politely announced, “Captain’s pleasure, Ma’am. A table’s set for you. Come when you please. We won’t disturb yeh.”
“Thank you,” Kirsten replied uneasily. Then she convinced her companions to let the food and drink sit for awhile. When she did open the door, it was just a crack at first, and then when she tried the drinks, she sampled a sip of each. The crew, some dripping wet, were watching, smiling, nodding their appreciation from a respectful distance. Then Kirsten realized that these sailors had gathered the best of their own rations to give her, and some of it included preserves that were likely from their families ashore.
She blushed and turned to face them all. “Thank you for your kindness,” she said. “I wish I could do more.”
At that moment, Engram appeared, scrambling over the rail from the ship’s boat. He strode right up to Kirsten, took off his hat, and bowed. “You saved my ship,” he said. “How?”
Kirsten shrugged. “We’ve fought drakes before, and that one seemed weaker.”
Engram put his cap back on slowly. “You can do one more thing, if ye don’t mind.”
Kirsten tried not to scowl. “What do you have in mind?”
Engram’s expression tightened. “If you promise to kill the last o’ those creatures, I can sail you wherever you need to go.”
“I have to go to the Topaz Sea,” she replied. “There’s another sparkweaver who needs to be stopped before he summons the remaining drakes.”
Engram south looked towards the docks and the ocean birds. “Past the Hook,” he said quietly.
Kirsten nodded.
“Ah, sometimes promises tie themselves in knots,” he grumbled. “Alright. But we’ll leave at first light. Before then, I have to fill this crew with the best I can find.” He turned towards his first mate and shouted. “I’m makin’ a list. Find every soul you can that’s on it an’ have ‘em aboard tonight. And we’ll need supplies. Plan to be gone for a season.”
“That long?” the first mate responded.
“Always take twice what ye need if ye got the room.”
The first mate nodded. “You staying aboard, Captain?”
Engram nodded. “They think I fought off that drake. I can’t set foot in that city again until I have a good story to explain it.
Kirsten chuckled and retreated to her cabin with enough food for her hungry companions. She thought they’d have to ride across the entire realm and half the desert to locate Eko. Now her journey had been simplified and her emotions about their sudden good fortune was proving to be unexpected and overwhelming.
For the first time since she could remember, Kirsten was feelin
g thankful.
***
The next morning, The Evalyn set out from Graniteside harbour, its hold lined with supplies of every kind, and its Captain bearing a series of new titles which he swore he might never become accustomed: Fleet Captain Engram, Baron of the Graniteside Admiralty, and Saviour of the Realm.
***
It took a fortnight of hard sailing and clever navigation to round the Hook but The Evalyn had done it before, her Captain boasted, so she would do it again. And they did.
