“Control?” His face muscles twitched. “I love her.”
“Do you honestly expect us to believe this is all Morgan’s doing?”
Cadrin shrugged. “Believe what you want. It is the truth.”
“Morgan is a Skilla,” Shareis said. “I saw it with my own eyes. But Skillas are unable to charm anyone from Asaria. Olivia was unable to bring you under her thrall.”
“It’s the verdic acid,” Cadrin said. “A liquid made from a substance in the ground. It dampens magical power, both in the subject and upon the subject.”
“Fascinating,” Farius said. “Does our continent have this substance?”
“Some,” Cadrin replied. “But here it is rare.”
Farius rubbed his beard as if deep in thought.
“But you’re no Asarian,” Niv said. “You’re from Lahara.”
“I have been receiving injections.”
“How did you escape Lahara after Vorea’s attack?” she asked
Cadrin looked at his bound hands. “That’s a long story I’d rather not tell.”
Lilly unsheathed her dagger. “Answering our questions is not optional.”
Niv motioned for Lilly to join her in private. The two walked to the front end of the hall.
“This isn’t a torture session,” she said.
“For now, my gestures have been a threat.”
“I don’t want him hurt.”
“With respect, High Priestess, this man is responsible for the deaths of hundreds, possibly thousands of people. He’s burned the Jeweled Woods and has malicious designs on this entire continent. We cannot coddle him.”
Most humans would take offense at a Proctor’s directness, but being married to one helped her understand their communication style. She knew not to take it personally.
“He will pay for his crimes. But, for now, let’s make sure we don’t do anything more than threaten violence.”
Lilly nodded. “My intentions exactly.” She started to walk away, then turned back to her. “However, if he poses an imminent threat to my daughter or daughter-in-law, I will end him.”
She smiled in admiration of Lilly’s fierce loyalty toward her family. Despite what many thought, and what Proctors usually wanted others to think, they did indeed take sides—especially when loved ones were involved.
She sat on the bench in front of Cadrin and propped her chin on her fists. “It’s in your best interest to be more talkative.”
“You can call off your pet Proctors,” Cadrin said.
“Have you tried telling a Proctor what to do?” she asked.
Cadrin motioned to Lilly. “This one told me you are married to the other one. That should give you some sway.”
“Says a man who’s fallen in love with two Skilla—only to be charmed by both,” she said.
Cadrin’s face grew red. “Narelle never charmed me. At least not that I know.” He looked to her. “Sure… I know my wife was unfaithful. Did you think I was oblivious to her ways? She slept with everyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if she slept with some of you.”
“We’re not talking about Narelle,” Niv said. “Though, I think it’s clear you are more susceptible to a Skilla’s charm than most.” Cadrin started to object, but she continued. “I need to know everything. How did you escape Lahara? How did you end up on the other continent? And by the stars, how did you end up commanding their fleet?”
“I’ve told you what you need to know,” Cadrin said. “Morgan is the real threat. Leave me alone.”
Farius took a step toward Cadrin. “A powerful sorceress, two Proctors, and a very disappointed Druid are hanging on your every word. If you wish to salvage anything of our friendship…"
Cadrin rolled his eyes. “A fine rescue mission you mounted for your old friend, Farius.”
“I surveyed Lahara from the skies and found no survivors, save Aiden.”
“You brought your wife’s war with Vorea to my doorstep and threw your hands in the air when she turned my city to dust.”
Farius pointed to Cadrin. “You suggested we ask the Den’tari for help.”
“I had hoped Vorea would make her quarrel with them and not us. Lahara wished to remain neutral.”
She scoffed. “You are delusional, Cadrin. Your city flew Vorea’s banner and a Selandis military commander ran your city. You were a puppet government.”
“Drox served as an adviser,” Cadrin said.
Lilly stood and paced behind Cadrin.
“We negotiated a tenuous peace with Vorea—”
“She stalled until she could raise an army,” Farius said. “You are bending history to suit your own narrative.”
“Puppet or not, my city still stood.”
“Vorea posed a threat to us all,” she said.
“Is that what Mae told you?” Cadrin asked.
“You’re still not answering the question,” Shareis said.
Cadrin looked at all of them. “Fine.” He raised his hands. “At least untie me.” After no one responded, he added, “How am I a threat to a sorceress, two Proctors, and an incredibly poor Druid friend?”
Lilly jerked his arms upright and cut the rope in one swift move.
He pulled his hands away from her. “You could have injured me.”
“I will injure you if you don’t cooperate,” Lilly said.
He flexed his wrists. “Much better.”
Niv tapped her fingers across the back of the bench. “We’re waiting.”
Cadrin motioned to Farius. “Sit down, friend. This will take a while.”
Farius remained standing.
“As you wish. My last normal memory…” He chuckled. “If you can call it that, was at a funeral for a friend of mine who had recently deceased. Just after it ended, vile magic affected the graves. The dead rose and charged us. One of them hit me, and then everything went dark.”
“I woke up later with my face in the snow. I was injured, but somehow spared the fate of so many of my citizens. I looked for Narelle, but she was nowhere to be found. Navigating the city proved difficult as the dead still roamed the streets in mindless hordes.”
“I eventually made it to the docks and hid in the hold of a ship. I figured others would do the same and we’d coordinate a response. After a grueling night of nursing my injuries, I crawled up on deck and found I was alone. The undead undoubtedly still controlled the city, so I saw little use in leading a one-manned effort to retake Lahara.”
“The ship was well stocked, so I decided to set sail in hopes of finding help. I knew I couldn’t run the ship by myself in my injured state, so I spent some time recuperating below deck. It may have been a week, perhaps more. I don’t know. I lost track of time. Eventually, I fancied myself a capable sailor enough to leave port.”
Cadrin shook his head. “Of course, looking back on it now, I was sadly mistaken. I realized how many men it took to properly run a ship of that size, and even if I had been fully healed it would be nearly impossible. Fortunately, before I could test my delusion, a ship appeared in the harbor. It had no sails and billowed black smoke from its chimneys.”
“I didn’t know what to make of it, but I decided I should try to hail the ship. I used signal flags to catch their attention, and soon enough, they sent a runabout. They invited me aboard their ship, and they explained who they were and what they wanted.”
“What did they want?” she asked.
“They were looking to make formal contact with Lahara,” Cadrin replied. “They said negotiations had failed with Selandis, and—”
“What negotiations?” Niv asked. “They never talked to me.”
“They didn’t interact with the Ael’Shanar. They considered the Varesh Assembly the true leaders of Selandis.”
“They failed to inform me.”
“The Varesh was sworn to secrecy. If it makes you feel any better, High Priestess, the Varesh is even more useless than the Ael’Shanar. They couldn’t reach an agreement. Anyway, once they found out I was the mayor of L
ahara, we entered negotiations. They expressed sympathy for our predicament and vowed to help rebuild the city. They respected me as an accomplished sailor, and, unsure about my position in their ranks, I did nothing to disavow their misunderstanding.”
“You lied,” Farius said.
“I bent the truth. For the good of my people.”
“Your people were dead, Cadrin,” she said.
“Yes… I know. But… I had hoped my city could one day be restored to its former glory. I still believe that.”
“How did you rise from hapless fantasy sailor to admiral?” Niv asked.
“They never questioned my skills, and, with careful observation, I realized their weakness. You see, they don’t believe in magic—or anything spiritual. They see belief in the supernatural is a weakness. They adhere strictly to the principles of observation and discovery. Their hierarchy is rigid and a bit naïve, so some well-placed… How shall I put it?”
“Manipulation?” Shareis asked.
“Sure, that works. They were easily molded, especially once I figured out their primary objective, and I suppose you could say addiction—coal.”
“Coal?” Farius asked.
“It’s denser and more efficient than wood,” Cadrin replied. “It provides far more energy for their technology, and that technology gives them many conveniences. They have become so accustomed to them that they are afraid of doing without. They have overmined their land and are running out. Selandis is much larger and has up to ten times more coal.”
“That explains a lot,” Farius said. “But aren’t they spending a tremendous amount of resources trying to take Selandis?”
“Yes, but they think it’s worth it,” Cadrin replied.
She frowned. “Where would they get that idea?”
Cadrin proudly smiled. “I gave it to them. Oh, don’t get me wrong—they knew about your continent and its wealth of resources before they found me, but I encouraged them to come here.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because I like their philosophy,” Cadrin replied. “They abhor superstition and magic. And, to put it quite honestly, magic has ruined my life and the lives of my people.”
Farius shook his head. “No, Cadrin, magic has done nothing to you. You are using it as an excuse for your poor decisions.”
Cadrin’s jaw flinched. “I did everything I could to help my people. I didn’t summon those ghouls from the grave. I didn’t direct them to kill everyone in Lahara.”
“You could have stopped Drox and his men from taking the city,” Farius said. “You could have led the resistance instead of placating Vorea. If you had showed strength—”
Cadrin leaped into Farius’s face. Shareis and Lilly drew their blades. “Don’t spew your self-righteous Druid nonsense on me. You could have stepped in and prevented Kytis from becoming a monster, but instead you placated him and shipped your daughter off to the other side of this continent.”
“We protected Niv’leana from Vorea,” Farius insisted.
“And I did what I had to do for Lahara. Judge me if you wish, old friend, but first, make sure your own house is in order.”
“You are half the man my father is!” Niv yelled.
Cadrin laughed. “Maybe. But, you see, dear, you and I are not that much different. We both love our people. I’m just willing to go a little further than you are to protect them. I’m willing to bend the rules. You cling to the ideology of your misguided father and self-absorbed mother.”
“You have no more people, Cadrin,” she said.
He stepped away from Farius and looked out a window. “The Asarians are my people now.”
“I have to stop them,” she said.
“You can try. And, I know you think you’ve done well capturing me, but it matters little. If Morgan is willing to charm me, what makes you think she’ll hesitate in killing me? You are all dead, and you don’t even know it.”
Chapter 46
Morgan summoned the first and second officers to the wardroom. She sat at the end of the long wooden table and waited for their arrival. When they entered, she turned her chair to face them as they stood at attention.
“Gentlemen. I appreciate you taking time from your busy schedules to see me. Please, forgive me. I never got your names.”
“Commander Lucas, ma’am, and this is our second officer, Phillip.”
She nodded. “Pleased to meet you both. You may be at ease. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some questions for you.”
“I’ll be glad to help, ma’am,” Lucas said.
“Please give me our current tactical overview.”
“Our forward outpost in Brenloh was destroyed. We have operational superiority over most of the Jeweled Woods but have not received orders to re-establish a command center. Over eighty percent of the woods have been burned.”
“Why have we not taken Ashmar?” she asked.
“We have not received the order. Furthermore, our operation to capture the High Priestess and her followers failed.”
“It would seem to me we’ve been met with more failures than victories. Is that a fair assessment, Lucas?”
Lucas hesitated. “Resistance has been stronger than we anticipated.”
“Is that your way of saying we should have taken Ashmar by now?” Her question met with silence. “Do you have no opinion on the matter?”
“It is not my place to question our plans.”
She nodded. “Fair enough. Another question, then. Is the security of the ship your responsibility?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She stood and approached him. “Now, that is interesting. You see, if you had been doing your job, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Ma’am?”
“Cadrin was captured.”
“Captured?” Lucas turned to Phillip. “Sound general quarters.”
She stopped them. “No, don’t. Not yet. That’s not why I told you.” She walked over to the vent that the High Priestess’s team used. “Did you know these air ducts are large enough for a whole group of intruders to navigate throughout the ship?”
“No, ma’am.”
“It’s true,” she confirmed. “I saw it with my own eyes.”
“We’ll post guards.”
She waved away his suggestion. “No, you won’t. The time to do that was before the intruders kidnapped Cadrin.”
“What would you like me to do?” Lucas asked.
She motioned to the door. “Let’s take a walk.”
She led the officers on deck. She squinted in the bright sunlight. She hated being in the dark for long periods, but situations beyond her control demanded she keep a low profile. She removed her hairpins and allowed her long blond hair to flow past her shoulders.
“Do you like my hair better this way?” she asked.
“Ma’am should wear it in the way that pleases her best,” Lucas answered.
She rolled her eyes. “What a sterile response. What do you think, Phillip?”
“It looks fine. Ma’am.”
She pointed at Phillipe. “Now that’s a better answer. Thank you.”
She looked around the deck. “I think I know the problem. I’ve only seen two guards so far.” She leaned over the railing and pointed to the shore. “Is that our new harbor?”
“I wouldn’t call it a proper harbor, ma’am,” Lucas replied.
“It will do. It seems well staffed. From here I can tell a lot of soldiers are stationed there.”
“Yes, ma’am. While we await orders, I kept only a skeleton crew aboard the ships. The men prefer it, and it saves time for future ground operations.”
“Ah, well, the men prefer it,” she said. “That makes sense. I mean, we wouldn’t want to inconvenience the soldiers.”
“That’s not quite what I—”
“No, you made your point, Lucas. It’s helpful to have them ashore. That way they can waste their time on dry land instead of aboard our nice new, well-stocked ships. I assume you have
them hunting for food.”
“Well, no, I—”
“So, they are ferrying supplies with the boats and taking turns relaxing on the beach?
“That’s one way of looking at it.”
“Right, well, why stop there? We could ship them alcohol, you know. Maybe relocate chef onshore so he could mix them some cocktails.” She approached Lucas. “Does that sound like a good idea?”
“That would be a misuse of our supplies.”
She laughed. “A misuse? I simply want to make the men comfortable. I want to make their lives more convenient while we use our coal reserves to power these mighty ships and give the enemy time to evade us.” She stared deep into his eyes. “Any officer who ordered that would be derelict in their duty, would they not?”
“Yes… Yes ma’am.”
“Of course.” She summoned her powers of persuasion. “But we are talking hyperbole at this point, aren’t we? I think the situation is already well out of hand. And since you are currently the commanding officer of this ship, you would be responsible for that, wouldn’t you?
“Y… Yes.”
She focused so intently her vision blurred at the edges. His eyes widened, and she knew she had him in her thrall.
“How can you atone for this?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“If we were back in Steelcove, we could hold a court martial. But that’s not practical, is it?”
“No, ma’am.”
“I think it best you gave command to a more competent officer.”
“Of course,” he said. He called Phillip to him. “You are in command now, Phillip. I am resigning my commission, effective immediately.”
“Are you sure?” Phillip asked.
She strengthened her gaze.
“Yes,” he answered.
“As you wish,” Phillip said. “Your orders, ma’am?”
“Recall the men from the shore and secure the ship,” she replied. “I don’t want another breech like that ever again. Prepare three attack plans on Ashmar and bring them to me by sundown.”
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
She asked Lucas to walk to the stern of the boat. She gazed frequently into his eyes to ensure her tenuous grip held.
“You’ve taken a good first step,” she said. “But there’s more.”
Maeva Page 16
