Late on the second day, Lorit could feel a gradual progression of power returning. He felt his energy level increase, even while he toiled. He knew they were nearing port. The water, off the bow of the ship, turned from a deep dark blue to an off-green, as he heard the cry of gulls overhead.
Just after witnessing these things, Poroth ordered him back to the brig. “Get yer lazy bones back to the brig,” he said. “Captain don’t want any trouble from you while we’re in port.”
Lorit quietly followed him to the brig and entered his cell without making a fuss. He sat on the bunk, feeling the power grow within him as they neared the shore.
He felt for the lock mechanism that held the bars shut. He twisted it with his mind, and the lock sprang open. He felt for the bar that locked the door to the brig. He felt it and prepared to open it, but held off. He would wait for the moment they’d agreed upon before he acted. He’d waited for the past days; he could wait a little longer.
The sound of the gulls grew louder and the waves beneath the ship stronger as they approached the shore. Lorit could hear the shouts of the deck hands as they dressed the sails in preparation for porting.
As the ship crawled to a stop alongside the pier, Lorit felt the change in the motion of the ship as the deck hands tied her up. The side-to-side rocking turned to a steady up and down motion as the waves rippled beneath her.
He reached out to Chihon and talked with her silently. “Where are you?” he asked.
“They put me back in my cabin and locked the hatch just before we made port,” she said.
“The same with me,” Lorit replied. “I’m back in the brig.” He laughed. “Lot of good that will do. I have the cell door open. I’m ready to take on the brig door. You want to meet me up in the Captain’s Quarters?”
“With great pleasure,” she said.
Lorit opened the brig door and stepped into the passageway. He headed aft, where the Captain’s Quarters were located. Before he’d made it halfway there, Poroth appeared, blocking the passageway. He held a belaying pin in one hand, slapping it into the other.
“You didn’t get enough of me, did you?” he asked. He stepped forward, drawing back to strike at Lorit.
Lorit held his hand out toward Poroth. “Retrahere me et factum,” he spoke softly.
The man was stunned but kept advancing. His magic was still not operating at full force. Lorit panicked. “Retrahere me et factum,” he shouted this time.
The man suddenly stiffened and crumpled to the deck. Behind him stood Chihon with a bloodied belaying pin in her hand. She looked at Poroth lying there and said, “You have to watch out for the belaying pins. They’re everywhere.”
“Thanks for that,” Lorit said. He hadn’t seen her coming and was expecting to get another beating at the hands of the sailor.
“Don’t mention it,” she said and turned toward the Captain’s cabin.
They reached the Captain’s Quarters and pulled the hatch open. Chihon stepped to one side of the hatch as Lorit entered. The Captain’s Quarters were spacious compared to the rest of the ship. There was plenty of room for them both to confront the Captain.
Captain Bukelach rose from his seat. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. “You don’t barge in on the Captain.” He looked off to one side, where a sailor stood with a cudgel, and nodded toward Lorit. “Get them out of here.”
Chihon reached out and said, “Ubi es tu remanebis donec liberi.” The sailor’s movements slowed, but he didn’t stop. They could hear him struggling against invisible bonds as he moved toward them, cudgel swinging slowly through the air.
His movements were slow enough to allow Chihon to step around him and club him with the belaying pin she still held. He crumpled to the deck and lay there quietly.
Lorit looked around the room. The Captain had a collection of knickknacks spread around his quarters. Most of the items were seafaring in nature, plated or cast from gold or silver. He smiled to himself as he sat down at the Captain’s table.
“Sit,” he said to the Captain.
“Where’s the First Mate?” Lorit asked.
“He’s due here shortly,” the Captain said. “He always comes up to review the books before we allow the tax inspectors aboard.”
“Shall we have some tea while we wait for him?” Lorit asked. “You do have tea, don’t you?”
“No tea,” the Captain said, “brandy.”
“Just a little,” Lorit said, indicating a chalice on the end of the table.
The Captain stood and fetched the brandy flask from a side table. He approached Lorit, limping along as he did. He leaned on Lorit’s chair to pour the brandy. As he finished the pour, he set down the flask and grabbed for his dagger.
Lorit held up his hand. The Captain slowed to a crawl and Lorit dodged his swing. He looked the old man over with a smile. “You would have to be very fast to catch me off guard, Captain. I’ve been saving my power for you. I have a few spells that will suit you well.”
The First Mate entered the Captain’s Quarters. He looked at Chihon, then over at Lorit. He reached for his saber and rushed Lorit. Once again, Lorit held out his hand, hoping he had enough power to stop the advance. The First Mate froze in place.
“Now that we’re all here,” Lorit said, “we can get down to negotiations.”
He looked at the sailor lying on the floor. He was just starting to move. “If I let you free, will you leave quietly?” he asked. “I can do much worse than slow your pace if you cause any trouble.”
The sailor nodded his head in agreement and fled the cabin.
“Now the two of you,” Lorit said. He reached over, withdrew their weapons, and laid them on the table. He looked first at the Captain, then the First Mate. “You two ready to talk nicely?”
He waved his hand. The Captain and First Mate fell to the deck under the momentum that had been frozen with them. They both picked themselves up off the deck. The Captain took his seat quietly. Lorit motioned the First Mate to the other seat.
“Darves, you strike me as a fair sort,” he said. “I think the Captain here has been a bad influence on you. I’m willing to give you a second chance.”
Darves sat quietly, saying nothing. He just looked at Lorit.
“Captain, you’re another story,” Lorit said. He picked up the brandy chalice and took a sip. “This is very good brandy, Captain.”
“This is my ship, and I’m the law aboard her,” the Captain said with a growl.
“See. That’s what I mean,” Lorit said, looking at the First Mate. “He seems to be difficult to convince.
“I understand that you intended to sell Chihon to the slave factor in Nebrook,” Lorit said, looking first at Chihon, then at the Captain.
The Captain just growled at him without saying a word.
“I could kill you, you know?” Lorit said. “The only problem I have with that is that killing you will not prolong your suffering. I want you to suffer for a long time.”
“Kill me then and be done with it,” the Captain growled again.
“That would be too merciful. Patience, I’ll get to you in a bit.”
Lorit turned to Darves and looked him over carefully. “If the Captain’s no longer able to perform his duties, you will take over as Captain. Do I understand correctly?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s the law of the sea,” Darves said. His hands rested in his lap, but he couldn’t conceal their shaking.
“And if you were Captain, what type of Captain would you be?” Lorit asked, taking another sip from the chalice.
“I would be a fair Captain,” Darves said. “I’ve always tried to be a fair man.”
Lorit leaned in and carefully looked into the First Mate’s eyes. “I believe you would,” he said. “I believe you would at that.
“There will, of course, be a penalty for your misdeeds,” Lorit told the Captain. “We shall be taking a portion of your golds from this trip.” The Captain started to get out of his chair, but stopped as Lor
it raised his hand.
“You will not miss them,” he said laughing. “No, you will not miss your golds.”
Lorit motioned to Chihon. She came over and stood next to him, reaching down to hold his hand. “Do you want to do this?” he asked her.
“More than anything,” she said.
Lorit grasped her hand. He reached his senses out to search for something to power this spell. He wanted something that would bind the spell to the Captain for the rest of his life. He found what he was looking for several blocks from the dock. There was an iron works where they fabricated tools from molten iron. There was a vat of molten metal just ready for the pour. He seized the heat of it and pulled the power into him, sharing it with Chihon.
Chihon reached her free hand to touch the Captain’s head. “Die vos timeatis shal aurum,” she said, quietly invoking the first spell.
The Captain looked frantically around the room, his eyes darting from one golden object to another as the spell took hold. He shrieked in terror and shriveled into himself, hugging his body with his arms.
He started to whimper.
She remained focused on him as she uttered the second spell. “Ex die illo timoris aqua,” she said.
The Captain screamed and fainted dead away.
Lorit released Chihon’s hand and stood.
“What did you do to him?” Darves asked.
Lorit shouldered his pack, ignoring the question, and walked over to the Captain’s strong box. He passed his hand over it, and it popped open freely. Inside were stacks of golds neatly placed inside the box. Lorit reached in and helped himself to several stacks of them. He placed them in his pack. He reached in again, this time offering some to Chihon, who placed them in her pack.
He looked over at the Captain, then at Darves. He saluted the First Mate and said, “Captain, the ship is yours.”
Darves voice quavered as he spoke, “Will he recover?”
“Not for a long time, if ever,” Chihon said.
“I’d get someone to carry him off the ship and onto land before he wakes up. He won’t do well on the ship in the future. Also, make sure he has no gold on his person when you do,” he said with a smile.
Darves relaxed slightly at his words. “You are a vindictive one,” he said.
“It’s better than he deserves,” Lorit said. “You just keep your word about being a good Captain, or I’ll have to come back for you.”
“I swear I’ll be an honest Captain,” Darves said.
“I trust you will, then,” Lorit said as they turned and walked out of the Captain’s Quarters.
Lorit secured them a room in the Humble Plumb Inn. With the Captain’s extra golds he could have afforded much better accommodations, but he felt that the type of patronage he was looking for would more likely frequent such an establishment. He was not disappointed.
The serving girl approached their table. “Something to drink?”
“Watered ale,” Lorit answered, “and information.” He held up a silver.
“Make that two,” Chihon said, taking the silver from Lorit’s hand. “Pay is based on the quality of the information you bring us.”
“Certainly,” the girl said. “What type of information would you be seeking?”
“We need transportation to Veldwaite across the Plains of Grass,” Lorit said. “I want to purchase a team and a wagon to carry us there.”
The serving girl laughed. “You don’t take a wagon across the Plains. You need a sled and a pair of lizards,” she explained. “Fortunately for you, I have an uncle who owns a livery down the way. His name is Kinem. He’s an honest man and can outfit you properly at a reasonable price,” she added with a wink.
“We look forward to meeting him,” Lorit said.
“I’ll send a boy to fetch him. He should be able to make time to meet with you tonight,” she said, departing to get their drinks. She called over her shoulder, “My name is Hois. Just call for me if you need anything else.”
“Lizards?” Lorit asked. “Did you know they used lizards to cross the Plains?” Lorit thought he was well educated for a farm boy, but he’d never heard of the lizards. Everyone knew the Plains were covered in sharp grass, but he thought it was an exaggeration.
“I knew that the travel across the Plains was unconventional, but I never heard why,” Chihon answered him. “Now we know.”
The serving girl returned with their ale. “Something to eat?” she inquired.
Chihon looked up at her and asked, “What’s the fare tonight?”
“We have an excellent carved roast,” Hois said, licking her lips. “The proprietor came across a particularly lean cut of meat. He’s had it roasting all day. It’s better than most of the usual fare. We also have roast fowl and fresh fish.”
“How much for the meat and does it come with bread?” Lorit asked. He was hungry from the treatment on the ship. He was eager to make a meal of something other than dry bread and fish.
“Three silvers for the two of you, and a fresh loaf of dark bread. Butter comes with it, and gravy,” she added hastily.
“We’ll take that,” Lorit said. He took three silvers and laid them on the table in front of him to show he could pay. He covered them with his hand to indicate that she would get the coins when the food arrived.
“Be just a moment,” Hois said, turning and heading for the kitchen.
A man dressed in black leather seated himself across from Lorit. He extended his hand. “Honynt is the name. I couldn’t help but overhear that you were in the market for a pair of lizards and a sled. I know Kinem,” he said, shaking his head. “A nice man, to be sure, but he just can’t get the quality of livestock I trade in.
“It takes a special breed of lizard to make it across the Plains this early in the year. Your regular hauler is too cold-blooded. They spend too much time asleep and not enough hauling.” He illustrated his words with his hand running through the air as if it were a sled skimming along.
“Where is your livery?” Lorit asked him.
“I’m new in town,” Honynt replied. “I’m trying to establish myself here and can offer you a great deal. Something no one else in town can afford to offer. I’ve just made a purchase, and I’m overstocked so I have to unload my excess quickly.” He smiled at Lorit. “Today is your lucky day.”
Lorit could sense that the man was fabricating his story. “You said you were new in town? How long have you been here?” he pressed. “Where did you come from?”
“I’ve only just arrived here, just as you have. I came across from Watock just a few weeks ago, on a cargo ship, just me and my stock.”
“And here you are, overstocked already.” Lorit leaned in toward the man. “I don’t trust you. Please leave us alone so we can eat in peace.”
The serving girl came out of the kitchen with the tray and saw the man across from Lorit. She carefully avoided him and eased the tray onto the edge of the table in front of Chihon. She backed away, watching Lorit and the stranger.
“Don’t be that way, friend,” Honynt said, emphasizing the word “friend.” “We can still do some business.” He opened his leather jacket to expose a long skinning knife. He looked at Lorit. “There’s always some sort of business to be had.”
Lorit slowly reached for his staff. He placed his hand on it and leaned even further into the man. “I asked you nicely to leave us alone,” he repeated. “Please don’t make a scene.”
Honynt quickly stood, reaching for the knife. As he started to move, Lorit shoved his staff between the man’s feet and twisted it. Honynt fell to the floor with a whuff, rolling to avoid landing on his own knife. Before he could get his bearings, Lorit stood over him, staff in hand.
Lorit jabbed at him with his staff, delivering quick successive blows to key areas of the man’s body. Honynt screamed in pain and rolled into a tight ball, trying to protect himself from Lorit’s staff.
“Do you yield?” Lorit shouted as he jabbed repeatedly at the man.
“I yiel
d,” Honynt said.
“Your oath?” Lorit demanded.
“On my mother’s grave,” Honynt said, cringing from the anticipated blow.
“Slide your knife across the floor,” Lorit demanded. “Then get up and leave.”
Honynt retrieved his knife and slid it across the floor. Chihon caught it with her foot and picked it up. He stood with the aid of the table and headed unsteadily toward the door.
“That was quite brave, sir,” Hois said. “You are very quick with the staff.”
“I used to be a kine herder,” Lorit said. “I learned how to deal with wolves when I was still young.”
Lorit took his seat as Hois handed out the food. He slid the silvers across the table to her, and she disappeared into the kitchen once again.
Chihon looked at him with a questioning look. “Your staff?” she asked.
“I don’t want to attract attention,” Lorit said as he helped himself to the roast. It was quite tasty, seasoned with a few seasonings he didn’t recognize, but quite enjoyable. “Try the roast,” he said to Chihon. “It’s very good.”
“But your staff?” she asked again.
“I carried a staff on the farm,” Lorit said. “Gareb taught me a few nice moves with the staff as part of my training.”
Kinem arrived just as they were finishing the meal. He was a large man with short-cropped gray hair and a large mustache of the same color. He wore an apron of scaled leather over a coarse shirt and trousers. His hands were large and calloused from hard work.
Hois introduced him. “My Uncle Kinem,” she said, putting her arm around the large man. “He runs the livery just down the street.” She guided him to the seat across from Lorit where previously Honynt had sat.
He placed his hands on the table in front of him and casually pointed at Lorit’s cup of ale, then looked up at Hois. The girl nodded and scurried off to the kitchen. She quickly returned with a cup of ale for Kinem. He fished in his pocket and tossed her a few coppers.
“I understand you’re looking for a team,” he said. “Headed across the Plains of Grass, are you?” He looked first at Lorit, then Chihon, sizing them up, not as one would size up a mark, but getting the measure of them.
Foundling Wizard Page 24
