Dragonvein

by Brian D. Anderson

  He walked up to the other men and took a seat. Twenty minutes passed before he rose and walked away, only to return again ten minutes later.

  “We should have just bribed the guards at the gate,” complained Jonas.

  “If it were that easy, I think Kat would have said so,” remarked Ethan. “And it’s a good thing she said something about travel papers. I bet we would have been caught for sure without them.”

  “That did take me by surprise,” he admitted. “And it’s something we must certainly attend to before we leave Miltino.”

  For two more hours they waited. Ethan was becoming increasingly concerned. By now, the men had lit a small fire and were passing around several more bottles. Soon the sound of their coarse drunken laughter echoed off the walls. The sentry continued to make regular stops that Ethan timed carefully - a result of his Airborne training.

  He was just about to suggest that they move to a better vantage point so they could see what was beyond the row of wagons when Kat reappeared.

  One of the men stood up and grabbed her by the arm. Ethan tensed. He tried to hear what they were saying, but was too far away to make out anything other than gruff tones and harsh laughter.

  The man threw Kat to the ground. Ethan felt Jonas’ hand grip his arm tightly.

  “Fool girl,” Jonas hissed.

  The man drew a dagger from his belt and loomed over her. At that moment, a blond woman in a short skirt and loose blouse that exposed much of her ample bosom sauntered out from between the wagons. Kat’s attacker turned to gaze at the new arrival.

  The woman, seemingly unconcerned by the dagger, draped her arms around the man’s neck and began whispering in his ear. A moment later three more women appeared, all of them carrying a bottle in each hand. Taking seats around the fire, the trio quickly began engaging the rest of the men in lively chatter. After only a brief hesitation, the man with the dagger put away his weapon and joined his companions.

  “Now that’s what I call a distraction,” said Ethan.

  Jonas relaxed his grip. “Indeed.”

  Kat moved away from the others and sat just beyond the glow of the fire. After approximately half an hour the women got to their feet, and, with a series of suggestive gestures, led the men away into the night. When the last one had gone, Kat waved Ethan and Jonas over.

  Remembering Kat’s warning, Ethan kept a sharp eye out for the sentry. But just as they reached her, he heard the soft sound of a woman’s laughter coming from somewhere in the darkness. This was followed by the sound of leather and steel falling to the ground.

  “The sentry will be occupied for a while yet,” said Kat, grinning. “Marian will see to that.”

  “So you know those women?” asked Jonas with clear disapproval.

  “We need to go,” she said, ignoring the question. She led them between the wagons. Just on the other side of these was an archway with an open iron gate. Kat crept up to this and peered through. “Come on,” she whispered when satisfied that all was clear.

  After passing through the arch, they found themselves in a dank, narrow alleyway. Lining both sides were dilapidated mud brick buildings with thin slits for windows. Ethan felt his nerves on edge; he was always uncomfortable in confined spaces.

  “Who were those men?” he asked.

  “Some of them were off-duty guards,” she replied. “The rest were daiva dealers.”

  “Daiva?” said Jonas.

  Kat glanced back to frown at him. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what daiva is. Where are you from? The Dragon Wastes?”

  Jonas scowled. “That’s none of your concern.”

  “Daiva is a plant extract,” she explained. “It’s stronger than wine and makes you feel…well…to tell you the truth I’ve never tried it so I don’t know for sure. But it makes people act like they’re drunk.”

  “Drugs,” said Ethan. “They sell drugs.” Though he had no personal experience with such things, he was well aware of their existence. Drugs such as heroin and cocaine were everywhere in New York.

  Jonas cocked his head. “Drugs? You mean people use it instead of wine?”

  Kat nodded. “But it’s not really like wine. It makes people crazy after a while. And the more they use it, the more they want it. Before too long they’ll do anything to keep getting it.”

  Jonas shook his head. “Ghastly.”

  Crossing the end of the alley was a dimly lit street. The stench of urine and mildew told them that this was not exactly a well-to-do part of the city.

  Kat gestured for them to stay back while she checked the way ahead. But just as she reached the corner, a hand shot from around the wall and grabbed her by the wrist. Ethan and Jonas sprang forward, but the hand jerked her from the alley and out of sight.

  Ethan was first into the street. Just a few feet away was a stocky man with a sleeveless vest, worn trousers, and muddy boots. He was holding on tight to Kat while she jerked and twisted in a vain effort to free herself.

  “Let her go,” ordered Ethan.

  The man flashed a crooked smile. “So this is why you wanted us away from the gate.” His voice was high-pitched and raspy. “The girls were a good idea. Too bad for you that my tastes are…different.”

  “I said let her go,” he repeated, this time more forcefully.

  The man met Ethan’s gaze and winked. “That’s more like it. A pity he didn’t send you along with the girls too.” He laughed viciously. “A bit beat up though. But don’t worry, lad. Ole’ Hank will tend your bruises for you. Once I’ve tended to your friends, that is.”

  “If it’s gold you want, I have some,” said Jonas.

  Hank’s smile broadened. “Oh, I have no doubt about that. So many of Jared’s girls wouldn’t have come cheap.” Reaching behind him with his free hand, he pulled out a long knife. “And I’ll be having it all.” He pointed the knife at Jonas’ belt. “That includes that sword of yours.”

  Ethan assessed the situation. Jonas and Kat would be useless in a fight. Worse still, he was not very good with a knife, whereas Hank almost certainly was.

  He drew out his dagger regardless. “We’ll give you some gold, and then you’ll let us go our own way.”

  “Or what, whelp?” Throwing Kat to the ground, Hank deftly tossed his knife from hand to hand. “You’ll stick me?”

  “No,” said Jonas. “Let’s just give him what he wants.”

  “Listen to your friend,” Hank said. “And you might live to see the morning.”

  Ethan knew that things would be a whole lot more difficult if they were penniless. God knows what they would need to do simply to feed themselves. No - he had to stand his ground.

  Hank shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Bad choice, boy.”

  Ethan crouched ready, holding his dagger loosely.

  The sound of Jonas’ sword being unsheathed cut through the air. “I hope you’re better with a knife than you were with your fists,” he said.

  Hank lunged right, but Ethan managed to avoid the blade with surprising ease. A moment later he realized why. His attacker was not trying to cut him…yet. Hank smashed his fist into Jonas’ jaw, sending him sprawling. Now the odds were even.

  Ethan stepped back and slashed at Hank’s chest. But the man merely shuffled away and then brought a knee swiftly up into his abdomen. With a heavy grunt Ethan doubled over, unable to breathe.

  He tried to retreat, but steely fingers gripped his wrist and twisted hard. The pain was excruciating and the dagger dropped from his hand.

  “Pathetic,” Hank chided.

  Ethan looked up to see Hank’s rotten teeth bared in a vicious grin, his knife hand poised to strike. He braced himself for the killer blow that would surely follow. But it did not come. Hank’s eyes suddenly shot wide and the knife slipped from his grasp. A tiny trickle of blood crept from the corner of his mouth an instant before he pitched forward, very nearly landing on top of Ethan.

  Kat was standing immediately behind where Hank had been. Her eyes burned
as she watched him crash face first onto the hard slates, a small dagger protruding from the back of his neck.

  Ethan was stunned.

  “Good work,” said Jonas, who by now had struggled to his feet and was brushing himself off.

  “We need to get off the streets,” Kat told them sharply, her eyes still fixed on the body. “As soon as word gets out they’ll come looking for us…well…they’ll come looking for me, anyway.” Her eyes shot to Ethan. “This pays my debt, I think.”

  Before Ethan could respond, she hurried away. He and Jonas were forced to run to keep up with her as they raced along the deserted cobbled streets lined mostly with warehouses and abandoned single story dwellings. The stench had lessened somewhat, but the filth of decay and poverty was still scattered everywhere.

  They crossed nearly three blocks before encountering anyone, and this was only a drunk leaning against a wall, mumbling incoherently. Most of the streetlamps were either broken or missing – for which Ethan was grateful. He had no desire to be seen.

  Ahead, the lights of the city were increasing. Kat halted just before they reached the next corner.

  “We can stay at a friend’s house tonight,” she said. “But you need to find somewhere else in the morning.”

  “If you can just take me to an inn…” Jonas began.

  “It’s too late for that,” she cut in. “The guards will be checking all the inns and taverns for any word on Hank’s killer, and they’re sure to be especially interested in newly arrived strangers. Tomorrow will be different. Then you can say that you’ve only just got here.”

  “How far is it to your friend’s place?” asked Ethan.

  “Not far,” she told him.

  They continued on around the corner with Kat just a few steps ahead. The buildings here were in far better repair. Lights in the windows and the sounds of people talking and laughing within gave this area a far better atmosphere. Men dressed in tidy pants and pressed shirts, some of them escorting women in decent looking dresses and with well-kept hair, told Ethan that this was a working class area – not altogether unlike the one in which he grew up. The scent of urine was almost nonexistent, and every lamp was lit and glowing cheerfully. As the wagons and carriages passed by, he was reminded of old pictures he’d seen of New York, taken when his father was a child in the days before the streets had become clogged by cars.

  They passed several taverns along the way. Music from flutists and singers carried on the air, helping to ease a little of Ethan’s anxiety. But this respite was short-lived. A patrol of armed soldiers marched past them in quick step, their weapons and armor clanking and jingling as they moved along. They were heading in the direction that he and the others had just come from.

  Kat was even more aware of the danger. She took hold of Ethan’s hand. “We need to move quickly.”

  They made their way down several more blocks until reaching an area that consisted mostly of modest wooden houses and a few shops. She stopped just across from a two story dwelling on their left. The front was illuminated by a lantern hanging above the door, and a flight of steps on the side of the house led down to a basement.

  Kat watched for more than a minute before leading them rapidly across the street and down the steps. As fast and quietly as she could manage, she pushed open the door. The room beyond was pitch dark. For a brief spell Ethan felt Jonas’ hand grabbing at his sleeve for support, but in no time at all Kat had lit a small lantern and closed the curtains across the only window.

  The interior was spacious enough for them to be comfortable, though a sofa and two cots were the only furnishings. Several cabinets and crates lined the opposite walls, along with two large barrels. Ethan supposed this place was used mostly for storage.

  “We can sleep here,” Kat told them. She was already making herself comfortable on the sofa. “I don’t have any food though.”

  “We’re fine,” said Ethan. “Aren’t we, Jonas?”

  Jonas surveyed his surroundings and frowned. “It will do, I suppose.”

  Kat huffed, then rolled over.

  “Whose house is this?” Ethan asked her, taking a seat on one of the cots.

  She reached behind her to dim the lantern. “What difference does it make?”

  Jonas laid down on the other cot. “Get some sleep,” he told Ethan. “Save your questions for the morning.”

  Ethan sighed and reluctantly complied. However, just a few minutes later the sound of footfalls descending the steps had them all on their feet. It was at that moment Ethan realized he had left his dagger in the street beside Hank’s body. He gave a soft growl of frustration. How could he have been so careless and stupid?

  The door opened to reveal an elderly woman. She was dressed in nightclothes, and her silver hair was wrapped loosely beneath a cotton cap. In one hand she held a lamp, and in the other a small knife.

  “Get out of here!” she ordered. “Or I’ll call the guards.”

  “It’s me,” Kat called over.

  The old woman strained her eyes into the gloom further back. “Kat? What in blazes are you doing here? If Jared catches you…”

  “He already knows I’m back in Miltino,” she said.

  The new arrival’s eyes returned to Ethan and Jonas. “So who are these two?”

  Kat introduced them; they both bowed respectfully.

  “Well, if you’re Kat’s friends then you’re welcome to stay the night,” she said. “I’m Mildred. If you need anything, just ask.” She turned back to the young girl. “But why did you come down here? You could have knocked.”

  “I had some trouble,” she explained. “I didn’t want to get you involved.”

  Mildred scowled and shot an accusing glance at Ethan and Jonas. “Did it have anything to do with Jared?”

  “No,” she answered. “It’s nothing to do with him. I swear. And he doesn’t know I’m staying here tonight.”

  Mildred sneered. “I’m not worried about him, my dear. He’s all talk. If he comes here he’ll wish he hadn’t. All the same, you shouldn’t have come back. You know what could happen.”

  Kat reassured her with a fragile smile. “I’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

  There was a long pause. Ethan could see the concern on the old woman’s face.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked.

  “No thanks,” Kat replied. “We’re fine.”

  Mildred sighed. “If you say so. I’ll bring you something in the morning then.” She gave Kat a fond embrace. “But I want you to get out of Miltino as soon as you can.”

  “I promise,” she said.

  Ethan and Jonas thanked the woman once again before she left.

  Ethan considered asking Kat why Mildred had said she shouldn’t have returned, but the girl was already laying on the sofa with her back turned.

  Sleep came slowly to him, but it eventually arrived. And when it did, the stress of the day ensured a dreamless slumber.

  *

  Jonas woke to the sound of stifled sobs. The lamp was still shining, albeit very dimly, and he could see that Ethan was still fast asleep. He could also make out the frail form of Kat laying on the sofa, her body quivering as she tried to suppress her cries. He rose as quietly as he could and crept across the room. Nevertheless, Kat heard him coming and her sobs instantly ceased. Jonas sat on the edge of the sofa and stared down at her.

  “Go away,” she demanded.

  “Why are you crying?” he asked. The harsh tone he had used with her up until now was gone, replaced with one of kindness and compassion.

  She turned her head. “What do you care?”

  “Who says that I do? I’m just curious.”

  Kat stared at him for a long moment, trying to look defiant and strong. It was a losing battle. Eventually her tears began to flow again.

  “I’ve…I’ve never killed anyone before,” she whispered.

  This struck Jonas. He had not considered how she would feel about causing the death of Hank. Her attitude and resou
rcefulness made it easy to forget that she was only a child.

  “You didn’t have a choice.”

  “I know.” She wiped her eyes. “But I can’t get the picture of it out of my head.”

  Jonas brushed her hair from her face. “I really do understand. I’ve had to kill before as well.”

  “You?” she said doubtfully. “How?”

  Jonas laughed softly. “I may not be very good with a blade, but that isn’t the only way to kill someone, my dear.”

  She looked at him thoughtfully. “So how did you get over it?”

  He tilted his head and shrugged. “I didn’t. Not really. After it happened, it was on my mind constantly. But as time passed it gradually got easier until eventually I learned to live with what I’d done.”

  Kat frowned. “So you’re saying there’s nothing I can do for now? How is that supposed to help?”

  “It’s not,” he replied flatly. “I’m not going to lie to you and say that it will all be better in the morning. You’re too grown up for that, I think. But know that the pain will subside in time. You’ll learn to cope with the fact that we often have to do things we hate in order to survive.” He paused. “But that’s a lesson you’ve already learned, isn’t it?”

  Kat nodded. Her tears had ceased.

  “Now tell me one more thing and I’ll let you get to sleep.” He locked eyes with her. “Who is Jared?”

  “No one,” she replied, but her lie was obvious as she turned her head away.

  “You can tell me,” he assured her. “I won’t say anything to Ethan if you don’t want me to.”

  After a moment her eyes shifted to Ethan’s sleeping silhouette, then back to Jonas. “He runs a brothel. I used to work for him.”

  His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. “Doing what?”

  “I’m a thief remember? I used to steal things and give him part of what I took.”

  Jonas relaxed somewhat. “And what did you get in return for this?”

  “Protection,” she replied. “The guards and the daiva dealers left me alone.”

  “Why did you run? What changed?”

  Kat’s lips quivered. “I – I became a woman.”

  It took Jonas a moment to understand what she was getting at. “You mean, you bled?”