The Darkness at the Edge of Noon: a Thalassia novel

by Patrick McClafferty

  Kellic glanced about the deck again. The Marines looked angry, and his sailors looked frightened. He frowned. “Ave it yer way, then. What do we do with that?” He nodded to the pirate ship, still lashed to the side of the Seabird. “An them?” He nodded to the cluster of twelve or so fit pirates. “I say we sink the lot and good riddance.”

  Logan shook his head at the man’s callous attitude. “How far to Sverd I Fjell, Mister Kellic?”

  The man blinked at the sudden change in tack. “Two weeks, give or take. Why?”

  “Well, both ships need repairs and we can probably find wood there.” He looked up into the captain’s angry eyes. “And it’s the same way we’re going.”

  Kellic opened and closed his mouth two or three times, trying to voice a legitimate complaint. He couldn’t do it. “Fine. Who sails the pirate scow?”

  “Why, I will, Mister Kerric, now that I can navigate.” Logan watched the man’s eyes light in a cruel glee. “But since I can’t stay awake forever to follow you, I’ll also take your first mate to relieve me, and two or three experienced hands along with the remaining pirates and four of my Marines. Five of my Marines will stay aboard the Seabird to make sure she gets where she’s supposed to go. If my men and women don’t wake up to see my red and white sails following close by, they will throw you overboard, and they will keep throwing sailors overboard until somebody remembers where they left us. Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

  The captain of the Seabird looked into Logan’s icy stare and saw his own death written there. He swallowed. “Aye. You’re clear. Transfer yer men and belongings to the pirate scow an we’ll be on are way.” He turned away without another word.

  Chapter 11

  The pirate ship was named the Lainie Mairi, and the pirate crew, after they found out that Logan had saved them all from certain death, were more than happy to sail under his orders. Logan, on the other hand, was less than happy when the other ship pulled away with half his Marines still aboard. Although not exactly well manned, the Lainie Mairi wasn’t too bad either. Several of the less wounded pirates pitched in to help, and soon the deck was cleaned of blood and gore, sails were set and the sleek raider was easily following the Seabird.

  It was a cold night at the front of the boat, just a slim shade above frigid, and the stars were standing naked beyond the railing. He winked back at them. They were his old friends; the only ones he had left. The ocean slid by with a sibilant hiss, phosphorescent feathers spreading out into the water and slowly fading. The air smelled clean and sharp. He heard light footsteps come up behind him.

  “You should be in bed.” It was Maeve.

  He chuckled dryly. “What bed? That wormy blanket, hard deck and soggy pack that I sleep on sometimes? Is that what you’re talking about?”

  He heard a soft laugh. “I suppose it is.” They stood together for a while, looking out over the sparkling waves catching the glittering light of Thalassia’s wide rings. Elysium was just setting, Medin was waxing gibbous, and Hades just rising in its retrograde orbit. Lethe had long since dropped her soft gray light below the distant horizon. “Do you miss her?”

  The question caught him by surprise. “Miss who?”

  “The one you’re mooning over, obviously.”

  How it could be obvious in almost pitch dark he didn’t know, but the ways of women were mysterious. “That would probably be Rhiannon, and yes I miss her.” He turned to the woman who was nothing more than a shadow at his side. “Why did you sail on this boat? I thought that you were sticking close to Bel and Tiana.”

  Maeve was quiet for a few moments. “Bel and Tiana can take care of themselves, now. I think that Bel has designs on Padraig, but who can say at this stage of the game. Tiana was a bit disappointed that Grady chose to sail with you. You run an interesting squad. Not at all what I thought of as army life.”

  “I suppose not.” Logan chuckled. “It’s more like those little passion plays that you see in the theater.”

  “Ugh. I hate those things.”

  “I used to go once in a while with my wife, while she was still alive. She liked them. I didn’t.”

  Maeve was quiet for a long time, and they stood listening to the sound of the hull skimming lightly over the easy seas. “It’s a cold night, Logan.” The man looked at her, a kind of bemusement creeping over him. “Come with me.” Her breath was a low purr. “I will keep you warm, dear one.” She reached out and took his hand. “Come,” she said in a soft voice. “Come with me. I will care for you.” Logan resisted for a moment, and then his bemusement won out, and he allowed himself to be led to the small rough shelter. He shed his clothes as he crawled under the moth eaten blankets, an involuntary shiver running up his bare spine.

  He kissed her roughly, and felt her firm breasts and nipples hardened by her excitement. She murmured something into his ear, in a strange fluid language, and he kissed her again. Someone else’s kisses, a small wondering voice whispered in the deep recesses of his mind, tasted like strawberries too. He chose to ignore the voice, as Maeve returned his passion with a fire of her own that left him breathless, as her heels dug into his back. Sometime before dawn he slipped out of the rude bed, bent and kissed the still sleeping woman, stroking her hair gently. In the darkness he missed her smile.

  The next day Maeve met Logan’s curious look with a little smile and a faint blush, but nothing more before she turned back to her duties. Logan watched her retreating back, and grudgingly admitted that it was probably for the best; but still... something about the woman drew him.

  The leagues flowed by as did the days. Day by day. Week by week. The sea remained a sullen green—the color of an avocado, and the clouds a leaden gray. The crew worked together well now. At first it had be trying, and tempers had flared at the slightest provocation. Now sailors and Marines stood the sweeps side by side, chatting amicably. Maybe it was friendship, but Logan doubted it. More than likely it was because they knew that they all were all wealthy men.

  A week into their voyage Logan had tripped on a low, tarp covered box lashed to the deck in the very center of the ship. He had thought at first that it was supplies and spares. He discovered otherwise when he pulled back the tarp.

  “What the hells is this?” Logan asked angrily, rubbing his stubbed toe. Under the tarp sat six heavy wooden crates filled with brownish red bars.

  “S’ bloody iron.” Barr said in a rough rumbling voice. “Yer get yer fire ot enough, ye can make steel. More precious than gold it be.” Tanden Barr had been the First Mate of the Seabird before Logan drafted him aboard the Lainie Mairi. He reminded Logan of a bear. Standing two hands taller than Logan, and outweighing him by five or six stone, Tanden wore a sleeveless leather vest, and was bald as a billiard. With a tanned and weathered face that sported a heavy bone ring in one ear, the man carried the biggest cutlass Logan had ever seen. It was a great sweeping curve of metal that could cut through flesh or bone with equal facility. When Logan asked him about it, Barr replied simply that he had bought the thing for the price of his own ship.

  “If the pirates had a cargo like this aboard, why attack us? They were all rich men.”

  “Greed.” He winked a dark brown eye at Logan. “Theys always wants more.”

  Tanden Barr was an enigma of a man. After weeks at sea Logan still didn’t know a thing about him, other than that he had been first mate on the Seabird prior to the current captain. He had jumped ship quickly enough when Logan offered him the position of First Mate on the Lainie Mairi. Two other sailors had also volunteered.

  “Land ho. Fine on the starboard bow.”

  Logan swung to look. Sure enough, a ribbon of dark land was showing just on the edge of the horizon. Sverd I Fjell they called it, or Swords in Mountain. Apt name, Logan thought, considering the metallic ore on the island. It was the only place in the world where metal could be found and mined. It would be good to put his feet on dry land again. He turned to the First Mate.

  “Why didn’t Kellic signal us? H
e must have sighted land well before we did.”

  “Not like im.” The big man growled, in a voice like sandpaper. “Eee don’t do nuttin fer anyone cept hisself.”

  “Why did you ship with him if he’s so sour?” Logan asked.

  Tanden shrugged his massive shoulders. “It’s a job.”

  “Then why did you come to work for me?”

  The first mate grinned, showing yellowed teeth. “It’s a better job.”

  “I give up!” Logan threw his hands up in the air and walked off. “Talking to you is like talking to a tree.”

  Barr’s shoulders were shaking in silent laughter. “Nah. Trees talk more.”

  The bowl shaped anchorage, fully two miles wide, was a snug and safe harbor for the two warboats. The Lainie Mairi and the Seabird pulled up to opposite sides of a rickety old pier, long since unused and forgotten. Logan glanced down in amazement at the crystal clear water the boats sat in. On the bottom he could see large bug-like creatures crawling, their huge clawed pincers waving over their splotchy green shelled backs. Tall pine trees surrounded the harbor, and their scent lent a resinous crispness to the tangy salt air. Logan waved Grady over so that they could talk privately.

  “Grady, I want you and one other, probably Megan, to sleep in the Lainie Mairi tonight and every night.”

  “You expecting trouble from the Zzzkntti?” The big man looked about nervously.

  “Worse.” Logan’s voice was flat and hard.

  Grady frowned for just a second before nodding his understanding. “Men.” He patted his sword hilt lovingly. “We’ll take care of it, Logan. Don’t you worry none.”

  Logan almost felt sorry for anyone attacking the Lainie Mairi. Almost.

  “What was that all about?” Padraig asked genially, as he sauntered over—thumbs hooked in his sword belt.

  “Just taking a few precautions. That’s all.”

  The tall man’s eyes narrowed. “Ahhh. So it’s like that. Is there anything I should do?”

  “Make sure that the squad has ALL their equipment out of the Seabird before nightfall. Keep the squad close together tonight. Grady and Megan will be spending the night on the Lainie Mairi.”

  “Shall I set up a watch for the night?”

  Logan almost said no. “That may be a good idea. Have Bel and Tiana stand watch-on-watch. They know how to do it unobtrusively.”

  “You’re good at this sneaking around stuff.” Hansen said with a smile.

  “I’ve been dealing with the goddesses too long not to pick up some of their bad habits.”

  “I thought there was a reason.” He turned away. “Pleasant dreams, Captain.”

  Small creatures buzzed in the night, and the sensation of hard unmoving ground actually felt uncomfortable. Logan rolled over and cursed softly. He was definitely getting too old for this nonsense. A burning log on the fire popped, sending up a shower of sparks into the dark night sky, and he let the warmth sink through the threadbare blanket and into his bones. His last waking sight was of Padraig sitting with his back to a tree smoking a long stemmed pipe, a curl of dark smoke twisting up past his head. Padraic’s eyes seemed to glow red in the flickering firelight.

  “Hsssst!” A soft voice whispered into Logan’s right ear. He twitched and a hand held him down. “Don’t get up yet. The crew of the Seabird is starting to move around.”

  Logan caught sight of the face near his in the glowing coals of the fire. “Megan? I thought I left you on the Lainie Mairi with Grady.”

  “Ahhh...” She sounded embarrassed. “Tiana wanted to switch with me.”

  “Oh, dammit! Logan whispered. “I hope those two aren’t messing around when the crew of the Seabird get there.”

  “They won’t be. I stopped by the ship to make sure that they were, ahh, awake.” She let out a wicked little laugh. “It’s a good thing I did, too.”

  “We’ll talk later.” Logan growled.

  The flicker from the dying coal went out, and the small camp was overwhelmed by the night. Logan blinked. He’d forgotten that he, and the rest of the original squad could see quite well in the dark. He could tell that it was dark, but still he could make out the shapes of the bodies surrounding the dying fire. As he started to get to his feet a hand took him by the arm.

  “You never told me that your bloody K’Dreex would make me see in the dark.” Padraig sounded a little flustered and his whispered voice was tight.

  “Sorry.” Logan laughed quietly. “I thought your K’Dreex would tell you.”

  “I think she’s more loyal to you than she is to me.” Hansen growled. “She’s laughing right now. LAUGHING! Can you believe it?” The tall man took a deep breath. “What other tricks does she have up her sleeve?”

  “Padraig, I think that this is a wildly inappropriate time to discuss K’Dreex failings.”

  The tall man growled and turned back into the shadows.

  Clashing swords from the Lainie Maire shattered the stillness of the night. Logan threw off the blanket that was still draped about his shoulders, pulling out his sword in one motion. Two dim figures on the boat were holding off a score on the dock when the squad arrived. After that it was just a matter of mopping up. The Seabird had slipped her moorings during the fighting, and stood well out into the moonlit harbor. Logan could hear Kellic screaming angry commands at what remained of his crew. Bel touched his shoulder.

  “Should I drop him where he stands?” She had a loaded crossbow in her hands and a coldly professional look on her face.

  “No.” Logan paused. “On second thought. Put one through the back of his left knee. It’ll give him something to remember us by.”

  She raised the crossbow to her shoulder and took careful aim. Two heavy chunks echoed across the water and in the distance Logan watched both of Kellic’s legs fold up. The shrieks of the injured man echoed hollowly off the tall looming trees. Dim moonlit sails on the Seabird came up, caught the stiff wind and soon the boat was disappearing out into the dark sea.

  “Tiana!” Logan’s own voice was tight with anger. “I didn’t give you permission to fire at Kellic.”

  The small woman stood in front of him, crossbow stock on her hip and a defiant look on her finely chiseled face. “They hurt Grady, sir. I was just gettin even.”

  “Aileen.” Logan shouted into the sea of clustered faces. “How is Grady?”

  The medic pushed through the crowd, a frown on her face. “He’s mean and obnoxious, why?”

  He sighed. “Is he hurt?”

  “He got a small cut on his right leg. Four stitches and he will be right as rain.”

  “You sound upset.” Logan was frowning.

  “I am upset. Your men and women killed ten sailors. Two more were slightly wounded. The rest escaped on the Seabird. Did they have to be so—efficient?” Her voice was trembling.

  “I’m afraid they did, Aileen. If they should get in the habit of holding back, it might cost them their lives one day. Would you like to go back? Back to Medin?”

  She shook her head sadly. “No, you’re right. The squad has to fight like trained soldiers. It was just such a waste though. Such a waste, and for what? They wanted to steal our worm eaten ship? Big deal.”

  “There was a bit more to it than that. A king’s ransom worth of iron is strapped to the deck of that boat. Kellic and his crew were after the iron.”

  “Oh, like that makes a big bloody difference.” The medic replied angrily.

  Surprisingly, it was Maeve who stepped forward to take the distraught medic by the arm and lead her into the shadows. Logan stared at the retreating backs, and silently reassessed his newest recruit.

  The next day the sun was warmer, but the situation was still as complex as ever. He had the three seamen who’d joined the Lainie Mairi when she had been captured, fourteen more or less able bodied ex-pirates, ten Marines and two wounded seamen from the Seabird whom he couldn’t trust worth a damn. He knew what he should do, but he just couldn’t convince himself to cold-bloodedly m
urder two men. He stared up into the morning sky, and realized that he was looking at the faint crescent shape of Medin, just rising into the pale blue sky. He wished that he were back in his quarters with the kids and... THAT WAS IT! He straightened his shoulders, grinning.

  “I hate it when you smile like that, Logan.” Bel mumbled crossly. “It always means someone’s in trouble.”

  “I just figured out what to do with our two prisoners.” A glint came to Bel’s eyes as she picked up her crossbow. “No, I don’t mean kill them.”

  “Maroon them here?” The glint was back. “That’s almost as good.”

  “No. Sorry. I’m going to send them home. They can explain to their fellow sailors how their ship was taken by a bunch of lubbers. I expect that they’ll be fairly miserable for the rest of their lives, or at least until Kellic gets back.” Bel’s shoulders were beginning to shake with mirth as he put his hand to his medallion.

  “Rhiannon? I have a favor to ask of you.”

  “If it’s within my power, dear one.” Her voice was soft, almost intimate—and he’d almost forgotten how much he missed her.

  “I would like you to take two slime ball sailors back to their point of origin, if you please.”

  “Do it yourself.”

  “What?” Logan was confused.

  “You figured out how to open doors into shadow. You have the two requirements: you know where you are and you know where you want to go. Grab them by the scruff of the neck, open a door in some nice dark shadow and drag them through. If you’re really feeling mean you could use the Shadow at the Edge of Noon, if you’d like.”

  “Ahh, I don’t think so. Leaving them on the dock for their former Captain to find should be sufficient.”

  “He’ll kill them, you know.”

  “Only if he can catch them. If they can find the pirate camp and join with them they might stand a chance.”

  “A snowball’s chance in hell.” Her voice was flat.

  It was Logan’s turn to laugh, and then he turned serious. “Are the kids all right?”