‘Ah,’ Katrabeth said. She walked over to the desk, and ran her fingers over the thick almanac. ‘How do you find your location with an orocompass?’
‘You just need to load in the star positions, and it gives you the precise coordinate.’
‘And if you have the star positions for your destination? You just load them in as well?’
‘Well, yes. Obviously.’
‘I see. And once you’ve correctly loaded the star positions of that location, the coordinate which the orocompass gives you can be checked in –’ Katrabeth waved her hand casually over the desk – ‘an almanac such as this one?’
‘That’s right,’ Penelopi said. ‘What did they come here to look for?’
‘Why don’t we find out?’ Katrabeth said with a sweet smile. ‘Oh Nursy,’ she called.
Penelopi flinched as an ancient woman in a black dress limped into the study. The way the light fell on the gauzy fabric prevented her seeing anything but the simplest profile.
‘Nursy is the best seer in the Third Realm,’ Katrabeth explained to Penelopi. ‘That makes her quite valuable. It’s the reason I just can’t bring myself to let her go.’
‘The Angelhawk is hidden from me now,’ Nursy said in a thin voice.
‘Why is that?’ Katrabeth asked with a hint of cold anger in her voice. Penelopi instinctively took a step back.
‘Since she realized who I am, the Blossom Princess has cast a powerful wardveil around it.’
Katrabeth’s lips turned up in a humourless smile. ‘No matter. My dear cousin looked something up in this book. Would you sight what it was for me, Nursy, there’s a dear.’
Penelopi watched in fascination as the old woman began to stroke the book with fingers that were gnarled and knobbly from arthritis. ‘Not your cousin, sweet thing,’ Nursy said. The veiled head was jerked in Penelopi’s direction. ‘One of her kind used it last.’
‘Rebecca,’ Penelopi snarled in barely controlled fury.
‘Cousins,’ Katrabeth said brightly. ‘Can’t live with them. Not allowed to execute them in public.’
Nursy opened the almanac, leafing slowly through the thick pages with their charts and extensive tables. ‘Here,’ she said eventually, her pointed yellow nail resting on a line. ‘This is the last thing they looked at.’
Katrabeth examined the line Nursy had sighted. ‘And what exactly is Wynate?’ she asked.
Penelopi couldn’t prevent the moan of profound dread escaping from her lips.
BETRAYED
Taggie left Captain Rebecca in her cabin. A fair breeze was blowing across the upper deck as she walked round to the ladder. The Angelhawk was making good time in the wind current they’d caught; already Banmula had vanished into the infinite blue. She could see several crew dangling on ropes halfway down the lower hull, clustered round one of the damaged tail sail mechanisms. Jualius and Patrina were hovering even further aft, hammering another sail tail’s jammed tip.
Lantic was waiting for her outside the wardroom hatchway. ‘What did she say?’
‘She’s plotting a course to Wynate for us.’
‘Uh-huh. I wonder how she’ll break that to the crew?’
‘The captain will deal with them,’ Taggie replied, with more confidence than she felt. Right now all she could think about was Dad. ‘Are you OK?’
‘I’m fine. I was coming to find you. Jemima is inconsolable.’
Taggie sighed and squared her shoulders. Time to be the perfect big sister again, she told herself. ‘Where is she?’
Jemima was sitting at one end of the wardroom table sobbing uncontrollably, her face all red and blotchy. Sophie was on one side, stroking her between her shoulder blades. Felix had both her hands in his forepaws. None of the reassurances they crooned made the slightest difference.
‘Hey there,’ Taggie said gently as she slid on to the bench beside her distressed sister. ‘Dad is going to be fine.’
‘It’s all my fault!’ Jemima wailed.
It was all Taggie could do not to laugh. ‘I think that’s an exaggeration, Jem. We knew the Grand Lord or the War Emperor would find us eventually.’ Though some part of her mind was puzzled by how the Dory Maria had found them so fast.
‘You don’t understand,’ Jemima said. ‘I betrayed you.’ She looked round at her friends. ‘I betrayed all of you. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, really truly I am. I thought I was helping. She said I would be.’
‘Jem?’ Taggie said cautiously. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I let her see through the wardveil. She sighted us here.’
‘Who?’
Jemima gulped down some air, and in a miserable voice told them about the old woman she’d met in the dream, how she claimed to be Mum’s old nurse, and how there was a cure for Felix on its way.
‘I saw her in Tarimbi,’ Sophie said. ‘She was in the wharf as we left.’
‘You sighted her, most like,’ Lantic said.
Jemima started crying again.
‘Please stop, Jem,’ Felix said. He stroked her cheek with a forepaw.
‘I can’t,’ Jemima said, gulping down air between shudders. ‘There is no cure for you. The Grand Lord’s brethren know where we are. Dad’s a prisoner. Everything is ruined, and it’s all my fault.’
‘Jemima, look at me,’ Felix said with quiet insistence. ‘You have ruined nothing. Everybody in every Realm is looking for us, every spy, every mage, every seer. It was only ever a question of which one was first. I’m sorry the old woman tricked you. But there is absolutely no dishonour in being deceived by evil. She exploited your good nature, that’s all. That’s all evil ever does. And because you’re so good natured, they could really take advantage in a despicable way. But I’m proud of you for being that person. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for trying to help me.’
‘Really?’ Jemima asked in a tiny voice.
‘Of course. But you’re not to worry about my curse again, OK?’
‘All right. If you’re sure.’
‘I am.’
Taggie wanted to say she couldn’t believe Jem had been so stupid, that anyone could see the woman in black was obviously lying and trying to manipulate her. But despite all she’d seen and done over the last year, Jemima was only twelve. And my sister. ‘It’s over now,’ she said. ‘And we know where Mirlyn’s Gate is. There’s nothing they can do about that, no matter how treacherous that horrible woman is.’ She was pretty certain the old woman must have been acting either for Queen Judith or Katrabeth, but didn’t say it. Jem was miserable enough at being fooled already.
‘We destroyed the orocompass,’ Lantic said. ‘So they don’t know where we’re going. They’re back to square one with nothing to show for it.’
Thank you, Taggie mouthed to him over Jemima’s head. Lantic blushed slightly, but looked happy enough.
‘And we know they’re out there now,’ Sophie added. ‘They’ve completely lost the element of surprise. How do you think the Grand Lord is going to take the news that we escaped them? I almost wish we could be there to see the old woman explain it to him.’
Jemima attempted a smile.
Mr Marcus came over from the galley hatchway. He rocked slightly as his four stumpy feet walked over the planks.
‘You drink this now, and cheer up,’ he told Jemima and put a tall glass of lemonade on the table in front of her. ‘No more crying, please. You’re too young to be crying like this. You’re breaking my heart.’
‘Thank you.’ Jemima took a sip. ‘Oh, how do you get it so cold? It’s lovely.’
‘You think you’re the only ones who can work magic?’ The Jannermol chuckled.
‘Heartbreakers!’ Sophie tasted the name. ‘That’s us.’
‘Could be,’ Taggie admitted.
‘I like it,’ Jemima said, looking up with red-rimmed eyes.
‘I suppose it’s a start,’ Felix muttered.
‘I can live with it,’ Lantic said.
Jemima finished her drink,
and wiped her eyes one last time. They all went outside on to the deck, and leaned on the rail, looking out across the endless blue sky with its smattering of small isles in the distance.
‘How many isles are there in this Realm?’ Lantic asked.
‘Millions probably,’ Sophie said. ‘But most of them are small and uninhabited, only birds use them. In the part of Air we know, the Highlord’s domain covers about two thousand inhabited isles.’
‘Finding who else is out there would be a real voyage,’ Taggie said, and tipped her head back, content to let the wind blow her chestnut hair about. ‘I wonder if I could persuade Dad to let us go and do that?’
‘We could sing in every port-park tavern in the realm,’ Sophie said wistfully.
‘Aye, you sing too, do you?’ Captain Rebecca said, slipping down the ladder from the upper deck.
‘We’re the Heartbreakers,’ Jemima told her proudly.
‘Really, my little warrior maid? So what do you sing?’
‘I haven’t finalized the group’s musical direction yet,’ Felix said.
‘Direction!’ The captain snorted. ‘You’re not plotting a ship’s course, Weldowen. You sing from the heart, whatever the moment needs. Every time. I know, because I have a fantastic voice. I’ve sung in half the taverns in the isles. The lads beg me for more every time I get up there on the piano.’
‘You sing?’ Sophie asked in surprise.
Lantic gave her an uncertain look. ‘On the piano?’
‘Aye, Prince, I stand on the piano. Where else in a tavern? I might let you join in with me next time we hit a port park. The Captain’s Heartbreakers. Yes, that’s definitely got a ring to it. You’ll be my backing vocalists.’ She held up a scroll. ‘Right then, I have plotted our course. I’ll instruct the helm.’
Jemima blinked as the captain walked round the curving hull. ‘I don’t want to be her backing group,’ she complained.
‘What sort of songs does she sing, do you think?’ Lantic asked.
Felix tilted his head to give Lantic a long glance. ‘I doubt they’ve ever been sung in your palace, Prince.’
Clouds were scudding along with the Angelhawk now, tenuous white streaks, tens of miles long carried by the same vast current of air that was pushing them steadily sunwards. The Angelhawk was tacking several degrees eastward and northward which occasionally pushed them through the vapour. The encounters would leave the hull and decks soaked in water. It was more like fog than rainclouds. Thankfully there’d been no hail yet.
The ship began to change course, the prow slipping several degrees lightwards. Taggie sighed. It meant they were heading even further from Dad.
‘He’ll be all right,’ Sophie said, reading Taggie’s mood. ‘Remember when we rescued him from the palace dungeon? That was much worse.’
‘I suppose.’
‘Earl Maril’bo was tackling the Ethanu most effectively when we launched,’ Felix said from his perch on the net above them. ‘At worst the Prince Dino will be sitting in court with a good lawyer, getting bored while the local magistrate tries to work out what to do with him.’
‘Do you think so?’ Jemima asked eagerly.
‘You just have to use the runes,’ Sophie said.
‘I have. They don’t say much. Just that he’s still on Banmula.’
‘But he’s alive,’ Felix said reassuringly. ‘That’s the point.’
Taggie gave her sister a curious look. ‘What about Earl Maril’bo?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t sight him at all.’
‘Nobody can sight elves if they don’t want to be sighted,’ Sophie said.
‘You know what?’ Lantic said. ‘I bet Prince Dino is far more worried about you and Jemima than you are about him.’
Taggie grinned without much humour. ‘You’re probably right.’
‘And we know where Mirlyn’s Gate is,’ Sophie said, her long strands of red hair stirring vivaciously. ‘The first people in over a thousand years of searching! Us! You’re going to stop the war, Taggie!’
‘Well,’ Taggie said, trying to sound modest, but actually feeling very satisfied about that. ‘Yes. I hope so.’
‘What do paxia look like?’ Jemima asked just as Captain Rebecca made her way back from the helm.
‘Aye, you’ll not be worrying about them now are you, little warrior?’ the captain exclaimed, clasping a small brass telescope in one hand.
‘You’re the one that keeps saying how awful they are!’ Jemima said crossly.
‘That’s because I don’t want you to lower your guard. Like goblyns with wings, they are. Half of their head is a mouth, with a ring of fangs that can slice clean through a hull plank. They live like sloths, sleeping for months at a time. But when they waken – ah! That’s the danger. Their ravenous hunger drives them mad, so that they’ll fall on anything living without mercy. Even themselves, so I’ve heard survivors say late at night in the taverns when they tell their fearsome tales.’
‘Urrgh!’ Jemima pulled a face. ‘They’re cannibals?’
‘Good for us, though,’ Captain Rebecca said. ‘Maybe they’ve all eaten each other.’
Taggie nearly started to tell the captain to stop scaring Jemima. But actually anything that made Jemima more cautious was probably a good idea.
‘Anyway . . .’ The captain’s hand came down hard on Lantic’s shoulder, making him wince. ‘I’ve found something of interest for you all. Take your young minds off the terrible perils ahead, hey?’
She handed the telescope to Taggie, and pointed aft. ‘There.’
Taggie put the tube to her eye, and followed the captain’s directions. Under magnification the darkward sky appeared as a lush deep purple where stars twinkled. One of them glowed like an ember. But it was blurred, as if there was some kind of smear on the lens. She lowered the telescope and peered at that section of sky. Her eyes could just make out a tiny ruby-red glimmer.
‘What is it?’
‘The comet.’ Captain Rebecca smiled.
Suddenly everyone wanted to use the telescope.
‘Looks like it was an omen after all,’ Lantic said after he’d had his turn. ‘It can’t be coincidence that it appeared when we found the location of the Gate. The Heavens are smiling on our quest.’
‘Do you know where it’s going?’ Felix asked the captain.
‘Only in general terms,’ she told him. ‘Comets don’t hold steady. As bits of them fall off and they jet out gases they dart about like crazed fish. But it is coming down in this direction, that’s for sure.’
‘How many ships will come after it?’ Taggie asked.
‘As many as can afford to; aye, and plenty of those that can’t, too. Captains will risk much for a hot nugget of athrodene.’ She gave Jemima a pointed look. ‘So you’ll be seeing at least a hundred ships chasing after it, nerving themselves up to dash through the tail.’
‘Rock ho!’ came the cry from the upper deck watch.
Captain Rebecca snatched the telescope from Sophie who was using it to track the comet. She looked up, and gasped in dismay.
They didn’t need a telescope to see the large dark boulder drifting gently along. It was emerging from a cloud swirl not two hundred metres ahead of the prow.
‘Southwards!’ Captain Rebecca bellowed at the help.
Favian, who was at the wheel, spun it hard. The Angelhawk didn’t seem to respond at all.
‘More!’ the captain said, flying fast along the deck.
But Favian had turned the wheel as far as it would go. ‘The tail sails are still jammed,’ he said desperately.
Taggie peered over the rail. The crew working on the damaged tail sails were shouting wildly at each other, trying to shift the stubborn mechanisms.
‘Can you break it?’ Jemima yelped.
Taggie gave the rock a desperate glance. It was almost as big as the Angelhawk. And only a hundred metres away now. The ship was starting to turn, but oh so slowly.
She flung her arm out. ‘Droiak!’
>
The dazzling bolt of magical lightning struck the rock. It juddered. Several smaller chunks came whirling out of the impact point.
‘Droiak!’
This time a larger splinter fell free, along with several globs of lava.
Fifty metres away. And the Angelhawk’s prow was still turning sluggishly. A sliver of clear sky was growing between the ship and the rock.
‘To me,’ Taggie called to her friends, and spun her strongest shield as they huddled close.
The rock descended on the Angelhawk like a fist from the Heavens. Taggie tensed, ready for the terrible strike. But then the Angelhawk was somehow slipping past the craggy rock, almost close enough to reach out and touch. Taggie could make out individual patches of spongy moss mottling its surface. She gasped in shock. We’re going to make it!
A vicious splintering sound filled the air. As the rock slid past the hull, it caught one of the Angelhawk’s masts. The tough wood snapped as if it were nothing more than a matchstick.
The Angelhawk gave an almighty judder as if in pain. And the rock was aft, starting to dwindle away. The broken mast tumbled off into the blue vastness of the sky, its sails flapping loosely.
‘Another mast gone!’ Captain Rebecca yelled furiously. She shook her fist darkwards. ‘You vile angels, why do you hate me so?’
‘Everyone all right?’ Taggie asked. Her friends nodded and murmured they were OK. Together they looked out miserably at the shattered stump of the mast.
A NEW ALLY
Visibility was no more than a few metres in the cool clammy mist which surrounded the Angelhawk. Mr Marcus, the ship’s cook, was moving steadily through his battered galley, recovering pans and crockery from the piles that had been strewn across the floor during the collision. Jualius had climbed down a rope to supervise repairs to the tail sails. Captain Rebecca sent seven crew out over the masts to re-rig their remaining sails in a fashion to restore their balance. Even so, the Angelhawk was flying at a pronounced angle.
Once they got under way, Captain Rebecca asked Taggie and Lord Colgath into her topdeck cabin. ‘We’ll have to dock at an isle,’ she told them. ‘We need a new mast, and to make proper repairs to the tail sails.’
A Voyage Through Air Page 14
