Deepwoods (Book 1)

by Honor Raconteur

  “And if we can’t find it out easily?” Markl asked quietly.

  Siobhan met his eyes. “Two days. We’ve got two days. I don’t think that we can afford more time than that. The rest of the world needs to know about this bridge and quickly, otherwise it’s only going to become more dangerous.”

  “You…is your head there just to add to your height?”

  “You chapo! Do you find breathing bothersome? Eh?!”

  Siobhan let her head fall back and she groaned aloud. She was on top of the forecastle but could clearly hear both Wolf and Tran arguing below. Of course, both men could be thunderously loud when they were of a mind to be. From the sounds of it, they were about ten seconds from letting fists fly. She asked the sky, “Wasn’t someone supposed to remind me that putting Wolf and Tran in a small area, for any length of time, is a bad idea?”

  Sylvie answered the rhetorical question with a lackadaisical tone. “But they’ve been behaving recently.”

  “They’ve been behaving because they were both keeping an eye on Rune,” Siobhan grumbled. “But now they’ve decided he’s semi-trustworthy, so they’re free to pick fights with each other again.”

  “Ahhh, is that why it’s been so peaceful the last few days,” Sylvie smirked.

  Markl looked between both women with a confused quirk of the brow. “I’ve been wondering about this for a while. If they really are that bad, why have both of them in the guild?”

  “Oh, they’re fine when it’s serious or there’s danger of some sort,” Denney assured him, her fingers absently carding through Pyper’s fur. Both dogs were bracketed on either side of her. “When the guild’s safety is in question, they’re perfectly in sync. It’s just at moments like this, when there’s no enemy for them to focus on, that there’s trouble between them.”

  Siobhan, resigned to what needed to happen next, pushed herself to her feet. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, I need to knock some heads together.”

  “Need a lift?” Fei asked mock-seriously. “I’m not sure if you’re tall enough to reach their heads.”

  “Ha ha.” She wrinkled her nose at him when he grinned impishly. “They’re slouching at the moment to avoid hitting the ceiling, so I’ll manage. But you know, a true friend would offer to intervene for me.”

  “No, that would make it worse,” Fei disagreed. “If a man goes down, he’ll just get pulled into the fight. But if you go, they’ll break off. They’d never hurt you.”

  “I can’t fault your logic,” she agreed ruefully. With a shrug and a wave, she went down the short steps to the deck below and ducked into the tiny room that her giant enforcers were supposedly making plans in.

  Tran and Wolf were practically nose to nose, hurtling insults at each other, which looked particularly ridiculous since they were hunched over to avoid the ceiling. When she darkened the doorway, they stopped mid-sentence and looked in her direction for all the world like two boys that had dragged mud all over the floor.

  Clearing her throat meaningfully, she asked them with a cold smile, “Boys. Are we fighting?”

  “Ah, no, Shi-maee,” Tran assured her quickly.

  “Really?”

  “Not one bit,” Wolf substantiated this, carefully hiding his iron hand behind his back.

  She eyed that subtle movement and wondered just what had he been planning to do…no, she shouldn’t ask. She probably wouldn’t want to know. “That’s good, because if memory serves, you still haven’t worked off the fines for the last fight you two had. And we’d rather not wreck Master Jarnsmor’s ship that he leant us, all things considered. Right?”

  They nodded warily.

  She beamed at them sunnily. “Excellent. Now, just to avoid any possible conflict, Tran, why don’t you come up with me. When Wolf is done down here, you two can switch places.”

  Neither man could argue that they were grown adults and could govern themselves. Not after the spectacular fights they’d had in the past and the buildings that they’d destroyed. Tran meekly followed her upstairs and sat next to her as she regained her former seat on the deck.

  Siobhan noticed with interest that in the few minutes she’d been gone, Sylvie had shifted positions. She had turned and was now leaning her back against Markl’s arm, for all the world treating him like a piece of furniture to prop herself up with. Even more interesting was that Markl didn’t seem to mind this one bit. In fact, he had a soft expression in his eyes as he looked at the woman so comfortably reclining against him.

  Was something developing there? Siobhan knew that Sylvie liked Markl just because he was a gentleman and she didn’t need to worry about being around him. When had that developed into…that?

  Beirly, who sat nearby whittling something, caught her eye and gave a meaningful glance at the two. She nodded thoughtfully, making a mental note to keep an eye on the situation. It’d be interesting to see if her suspicions proved true.

  Markl caught Tran’s attention with a wave of the hand and ventured, “I’ve been meaning to ask, when did you join the guild?”

  “Hmmm, I came in about six years ago,” Tran responded, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. “Has it been that long?”

  “Closer to seven,” Sylvie corrected.

  “Guess it would be.” He shrugged, not really concerned either way. “I was working as a caravan guard, going back and forth across Robarge, when I came to Goldschmidt. It had just hit off-season, and I was looking for winter work, when I saw this beauty getting hassled in the street.” He grinned at Sylvie, smile teasing.

  Sylvie pulled a face. “In those days, it happened more often. That was before Wolf put his foot down and said we weren’t allowed to go out alone anymore.”

  “Too many fights broke out because of you, that’s why,” Siobhan drawled.

  “It’s hard being this beautiful,” Sylvie lamented, a hand raised to her forehead like a wilting damsel in distress.

  Laughing, Tran continued the story. “I didn’t know what was going on, but it was four men against her. She was holding her own, but it still made me mad to watch it. So I stepped in and helped a little.”

  “That means he broke two noses, three arms, and a few ribs,” Sylvie translated for Markl, who was listening with wide eyes.

  “When the dust settled, I offered to escort her back to her home.” Tran’s smile went crooked. “I’m not sure if she trusted me at first, but she went with it.”

  “What I didn’t know was that Wolf had gotten worried about me,” Sylvie picked up the thread of the story smoothly. “And he was coming my direction, looking for me. When he saw me with an unknown man, his first reaction was to think I’d gotten into trouble somehow. So he let a punch fly.”

  Tran rubbed at his chin in memory. “Nearly broke my jaw.”

  “They had quite the fight in the middle of the street before I was able to get them to stop and explain the situation.” Sylvie shook her head at the memory. “Then I felt bad, because Tran had gotten into two fights on my account, so I brought him back to the Hall to clean him up and give him a place to stay for the night.”

  “I was thankful for that, as I didn’t know the city at all. Then Shi-maee,” he put a hand on Siobhan’s shoulder in demonstration, “got the story, liked what she heard, and offered me a place in the guild.”

  Markl’s eyebrows rose. “And Wolf?”

  “Raised the roof, he yelled so loud.” There was an evil smile on Tran’s face. “But she wouldn’t hear it. Shi-maee likes people that can fight toe-to-toe with Wolf, which aren’t many, and men that she can trust to protect her own. So to her mind, I was a perfect fit."

  “Ahhh, I see.” Markl ruminated on this for a moment before offering, “Is your initial meeting the reason why you two are always fighting?”

  Beirly snorted. “Nothing like that. It’s just having two roosters in the same hen yard is all.”

  Tran let out a squawk of protest, which set Siobhan and Denney to laughing.

  Markl smiled too, enjoying the banter, b
ut he wouldn’t be deterred from the subject. “Siobhan, is that how you pick your people? By how capable they are at fighting?”

  “Great winds, no! Think about it, did I ask you that question?”

  He paused, opened his mouth, then closed it again thoughtfully.

  “See? Now, I think it’s important that we’re all able to protect ourselves at least, and we all can in one way or another. But the reason why I have Wolf, Tran, and Fei…well, Rune too now…as enforcers is because some of us are not as good at fighting as others. Some of us need more help in that area and they take up the slack.”

  Markl’s head cocked slightly in question. “Then what are you looking for, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  “Hmm, a few things. A good working attitude for the most part. The skills and talents needed to make a guild work. You’ll notice, most of us have wildly different abilities from the others, but it’s all those talents combined that give us strength.” She hadn’t really thought about it or tried to frame it into words before and discovered that she had to really struggle to find the right way to explain. “But it’s more than just that. It’s…selflessness, I guess. Kindness.”

  Fei nodded in support of this. “The value of a man resides in what he gives, not in what he is capable of receiving.”

  She gave him a frustrated look. “How is it that I can struggle to say something and every single time, you say it better than I can?”

  Being a wise man, he didn’t try to respond, just shrugged and looked innocent.

  “Kindness…huh.” Rune stirred from his perch on the railing and looked at every person with new eyes. “That’s why?”

  Everyone turned to look at him, wondering what he meant by that.

  “What do you think, Rune?” Markl asked him gently. “Seeing this guild work together, despite how different they are, what do you think of them?”

  “Didn’t know what ta think.” Rune caught Siobhan’s eyes, his own expression pensive but also somehow lost. “Never saw the like of this before. Ya watch out for each other, and work together, and talk without words. It didn’t make sense ta me. Still doesn’t. But ya say it’s kindness?” The way he put a twist on the word made it clear that he didn’t understand at all.

  Siobhan felt it strongly in that moment. She had a chance of reaching Rune’s heart and changing him for the better, if only she handled this right. Praying she had the words, she got to her feet and crossed to him. He watched her carefully, like a wounded animal ready to take flight the second he sensed danger. Just as carefully, she reached out and picked up one of his hands, holding it in a loose grip. “Rune. True strength is kindness. Because only the truly strong can show it. Cruelty is a sign of weakness.”

  He swallowed hard, eyes searching hers. “B-but….”

  “Think about it,” she urged him softly. “You’ve seen Fei in action. You’ve sparred with him. Do you see him as being weak?”

  Rune instantly shook his head, almost emphatically.

  “But you know, he’s one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. He’s also one of the wisest. I’ve never heard him raise his voice at anyone unless they were trying to hurt one of his own. Whenever I need wise council, he’s one of the men I turn to. There’s not a trace of cruelty to be found in him. Forsaking kindness wouldn’t make him stronger.”

  A war of emotions struggled across Rune’s face. “Ta do the job, ya leave the heart behind.”

  He said it like he’d heard it a thousand times, repeated it a thousand more. Siobhan’s denial was instinctive. “No. Anything that requires sacrificing your heart isn’t worth it. It’s evil work that destroys you. Rune, who taught you such a lie?”

  “I…don’t remember.” He looked away from her for a moment as if searching his memory.

  Had he been raised on this insanity since infancy? Oh for the love of…she took in a deep breath and exhaled it.

  “The top of my old guild are strong,” he whispered.

  “But not stronger than the ones you’ve met in this guild, or in Iron Dragain,” she challenged. “Your old guild even sent dozens of assassins after you and not one of them managed to kill you! Rune, you’ve been fed this line about not showing kindness, not feeling anything, but you can see with your own eyes it’s not true. It’s not true,” she repeated emphatically.

  “He knows,” Fei assured her from behind, voice gentle.

  Siobhan half-turned, looking at Fei askance.

  “He knows, Siobhan-ajie,” he repeated patiently, eyes crinkled in a silent smile. “Flowers do not bloom in dead trees.”

  Puffing out a breath, she rubbed at a temple. “You’re too deep, Fei. Translate that.”

  “He never fully believed that he must sacrifice his heart. He kept it safe, hidden. He must have, or he would not have been able to respond to the kindness shown him.” Fei shifted to look Rune straight in the eye. “Right?”

  Rune looked away, a little uneasily. “…Yer right.”

  Ducking her head, she tried to catch his eyes again. “Rune?”

  “It’s why…I was sent out alone.” He kept his eyes on the decking, unable to look up at her. “I was sent out ta burn a man’s house. I didn’t.”

  Finally she was getting the story of how he’d ended up where he did. “Why not?” she asked, tone coaxing.

  “His wife was pregnant.”

  Unable to stop herself, she put her free arm around his neck and drew him in for a hug. He started in surprise, body tense, but she didn’t let up and whispered against his ear, “Good choice.”

  Rune truly didn’t know how to handle this, and stayed stiff like a hardened plank of wood, obviously uneasy with the embrace. He started again when a hand settled on his back. Siobhan lifted her eyes enough to see that at some point, Wolf had come in. He met Rune’s startled eyes with open approval and repeated Siobhan’s words. “Good choice.”

  The former assassin’s mouth parted as if he wanted to say something only couldn’t find the words.

  “It’s alright,” Wolf assured him, as if understanding the turmoil broiling inside of Rune. “I was saved by her too.”

  Rune really didn’t know how to respond to that. He blew out a breath. “Yer both confusing.”

  For some reason, Wolf found this funny, as he chuckled lowly, like a mountain rumbling. “She is,” he agreed. “But give it time.”

  “He included you in that,” Siobhan corrected him, crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a long look.

  “I’m not confusing,” he denied mildly. “I like to hit things, eat good food, and flirt with pretty women. Nothing complicated in that.”

  “A candle illuminates others and exterminates itself,” Fei observed factually.

  Wolf jerked a thumb at him. “If you want confusing, he’s confusing.”

  Every person there agreed with emphatic nods, which made Fei grin mischievously. Siobhan could swear some days that he said cryptic things just to confuse and irritate people. That expression on his face right now rather proved it.

  From the main deck there came a loud booming voice: “RAISE ALL SAILS! PREPARE TO LAY ANCHOR!”

  “Well, I think that’s our cue.” Siobhan clapped her hands together. “Grab your gear, people. Let’s get ready to disembark.”

  It was a well-known fact throughout the four continents that Coravine was not a particularly wealthy or prosperous place. Knowing that intellectually and seeing it with her own eyes were two very different things. Siobhan’s head turned this way and that as she took in the city, her boots vibrating on the wooden gangplank leading down to a stone dock. The smell of the sea was strong here, stronger than it had been while she was crossing the Dual Channel, and her nose wrinkled in protest. It was more than the salt mixed in with the wind, but other things—decaying fish, refuse molding in piles under the docks, the smell of rot. This place made the Sateren shoreline look like a paradise in comparison.

  Just as disturbing to her was the lack of sounds. It felt almost eerie here, the pla
ce was so empty. She counted perhaps two dozen people working and the rest were suspiciously absent. How strange. It took more people than that to handle the workload here, surely. Unless…unless all possible manpower had been diverted to help build that bridge? She couldn’t see it from here. Rows of warehouses, dry docks, and small restaurants blocked her view.

  “Inn first?” Beirly asked her.

  “Inn first,” she agreed, not wanting to lug around her bags any more than she had to. “After that, I think we can split up and meet back at the inn for dinner. Sylvie, suggestions?”

  “I know a good one.” With a wave of the arm, she gestured for them to follow her as she took the lead.

  Rune fell into step beside Siobhan and asked in a low tone, “She knows the place well?”

  “Born and raised here.” Siobhan cast him a quick glance. “She’s only been in Deepwoods about seven years. Before she went to Robarge, she’d lived her entire life here.” Hence her amazing trade skills. It took that level of ability to survive in this city. Sylvie had learned how to negotiate a rabbit out of its fur when she was only knee-high.

  Rune’s head tilted back as he did some quick math. “She turned guildie same time as Tran?”

  “Thereabouts. If memory serves, Sylvie came in about two months before Tran did.”

  “Lucky,” he observed.

  “Truly.” If not for Sylvie, she’d never have met Tran. Despite the headaches he caused her, Siobhan didn’t for one minute regret bringing him into the guild.

  Sylvie led them confidently away from the docks and into a section of town that made Siobhan’s hand itch for her sword. It reminded her strongly of that section in Quigg that had sheltered the street rats, the only difference being there were more signs of life here with people walking about in the open. If this represented a good section of the town, then she hated to think of what the bad section would look like.