“I never said that it was,” Sabina responded tightly.
“Hadrack?”
I turned, having to suppress a chuckle as Jebido strode toward me. He was dressed in Cardian clothing, with a bright red cape around his shoulders and highly-polished, pointed boots on his feet.
Jebido glowered at me as he saw my lips twitch in amusement. “Malo wants to see you,” he said. I opened my mouth to comment on his clothing just as Jebido held up a hand. “Not one word, Hadrack, or I swear by The Mother, you will regret it.”
“I was just going to say that I would be right there,” I said innocently.
Jebido studied my face suspiciously, then he turned away, his pointed boots beating against the deck with every step.
“I know you and Jebido have a long history,” Sabina said disapprovingly, “but he should show you more respect.”
I looked at her in surprise. “Who says that he doesn’t?”
“It’s just not right,” Sabina said, not answering me. “People are laughing at you behind your back. If you are to be a lord, you must act the part.”
I frowned. “Who is laughing?”
“Everyone.”
I shook my head and chuckled. “No one is laughing at me, Sabina, but even if they were, what of it? Jebido is like a father to me, and I have his respect where it counts.” I pointed to my head and then my heart. “Here and here.”
I found Malo, Jebido, and Rorian in deep conversation on the sterncastle.
“Rorian says we are to dock at the northern gate,” Malo said as I joined them. “Then we have to wait until an official comes to inspect us.”
I frowned. “What’s the purpose of that?” I asked Rorian.
The scholar shrugged as he headed for the ladder. “Just being cautious, I imagine.”
“What do we do with the Cardians?” Jebido asked as Rorian reached the lower deck and strode toward the forecastle where his wife waited for him. “Those bastards could ruin everything if they open their mouths.”
“We don’t need them anymore,” Malo grunted. “I say we slit their throats and toss them overboard.”
I glanced down to the lower deck, where the two Cardians shackled together were working on their hands and knees, scrubbing the decking. The thick oak planking was already as clean as it would ever be, but the task kept them out of trouble. Malo was right, of course, the Cardians were a liability. But killing them outright, though the wiser choice, seemed wrong to me.
I glanced at Rorian, where he now stood on the forecastle with his wife. She was making strange motions with her hands, which was her way of communicating, Rorian had told me. The scholar laughed when she finished, then he responded with the same hand movements. Rorian was not the person I had expected, and I’d felt my hatred of him slowly fading as the trip progressed. I tore my eyes away from the couple, angry at myself. Rorian was to blame for Baine’s death. I needed to remember that.
“What do you say, Hadrack?” Malo asked, cutting into my thoughts.
I could see the House Agent examining me, his face already clouding in anticipation of an argument. I felt a coldness come over me as I thought about Baine. Sometimes leadership meant making hard choices. I pointed to the shackled Cardians. “Toss those two overboard. If they can work together to make it to shore, then they have earned the right to live.” I headed for the ladder. “I’ll talk to the other one.”
Niko was leaning against the gunwale dozing in the sunlight with his arms crossed when I reached the stern. The young outlaw heard me approaching and he pushed himself to his feet guiltily.
“My lord,” Niko said, looking as though he expected an angry reprimand.
I stopped in front of Yanak with my legs spread and drew Wolf’s Head as the Cardian’s face blanched. I gestured over my shoulder. “In another minute or two, your countrymen are going for a swim.” Yanak’s throat started to quiver with fear. “I’ve decided that since you have done such a fine job of piloting us here, that I’ll let you live.” I pursed my lips as I studied him. “You do want to live, don’t you?” Yanak’s head bobbed up and down repeatedly, and his hands began to shake on the rudder. “Then you will guide us safely into Calban, where a man will board the ship. You won’t speak to him. You won’t even look at him. Is that clear?”
“Very clear, lord,” he said, lowering his eyes.
I heard a commotion behind me as Malo, Jebido, and Tyris forced the Cardians over the gunwale. The two men begged and sobbed, the chains attached to their shackles rattling as they pleaded, but their words fell on deaf ears. Malo finally lost patience and he used his sword to prod at one of them, causing him to lose his balance. The man fell with a cry, echoed by his companion as he was dragged down into the sea as well. The Cardians bobbed up and down on the swell as they swept past us, their cries for mercy quickly fading as Sea-Dragon rapidly left them behind.
I glanced once more at Yanak. “Remember,” I warned. “Not a word, or your fate will be ten times worse than theirs.”
The thin Cardian, for all his faults, was a superb pilot, and he brought us into Calban with a skillful touch that I could only envy. I studied the dock as we slid into our berth, noticing that it had been expanded since the last time I had been there. I thought of the day we had rescued Shana from her husband’s cruel execution. It all seemed so long ago now. We had almost made our escape from this very spot, only to be thwarted at the last moment by Cardians. It seemed whenever there was evil afoot, Cardians could always be relied upon to be knee-deep in it somehow.
Tyris and Niko threw lines ashore to several sun-bronzed men dressed in thin tunics, wool trousers, and wearing flimsy, reed-woven sandals on their feet. Within moments, both our stern and bow were lashed tightly to thick iron rings embedded into the piers along the dock. I glanced up the incline to the castle, awed as always by Calban’s sheer size and grandeur. The northern gate that I remembered so well was hidden from my view by an outcrop of rock. A procession of soldiers had just appeared around that rock, and they marched toward us, dressed in matching blue surcoats with Lady Shana’s white dove emblem on the front.
A short man with a neatly trimmed white beard and balding pate walked in front of the soldiers holding a long walking stick. I felt a smile of recognition break out on my face. It was Kylan, the accomplished Steward of Calban. I hadn’t expected the steward to be the one to meet us. Had I known it would be him, I wouldn’t have seen the need to have the Cardians thrown overboard. Kylan’s face was etched in seriousness as he drew closer, and he regarded our ship and its raven banner with obvious distaste. I was certain I could detect a note of anger in his movements as he halted on the faded planking of the dock less than ten feet from our hull. I’d taken the precaution to don a hooded cloak, afraid some of the residents in Calban would recognize me. I stood on the sterncastle and waited as Tyris, dressed in Cardian finery, leaned against the gunwale below me.
“A pleasant day to you, good sir,” Tyris said to the steward with a nod.
I silently cursed the archer. You are supposed to be a Cardian, you fool, I thought with a snort. You’re being too polite.
Kylan frowned suspiciously as he squinted up at Tyris. “You are too late,” the steward said. “The Pilgrimage has already begun. Lady Shana requests that you leave her lands immediately. You may try again in a year, The Mother and Father willing.”
Tyris glanced up at me uncertainly.
“Has The Walk begun already, then?” I rumbled from beneath my hood.
Kylan shielded his eyes and craned his neck upward to see me. “It has,” he confirmed.
I put a hand to my ear. “Yet, the drums do not roll, old man,” I said, “nor do the trumpets blare.” I lowered my hand. “Either you are mistaken, willfully stupid, or simply just don’t like Cardians, eh?”
I could see Kylan coloring as he glared up at me. “The Walk begins momentarily. There is no time to inspect your ship before it starts.”
“Then delay The Walk while you inspect us,
” I said dismissively. I needed to get Kylan aboard without any of the soldiers accompanying him suspecting that anything was amiss. I motioned to Niko and Jebido, who began to maneuver a gangplank into position.
“I cannot,” Kylan said. “I do not have that power. Return in a year. That is the best that I can offer you.”
“What of your Lady, then?” I asked, amused by the look of pure loathing on Kylan’s face as he glared at me. “Can she not delay it?”
Kylan looked uncertain for a moment, then he sniffed and stood straighter, composing himself. “She can,” he affirmed, “but as her steward, the discretion to ask her for that delay falls upon me.” He turned to leave. “I see no reason to ask, so you must go.”
“What would it take to make the lamb understand my need?” I asked softly. Kylan hesitated, looking back at me uncertainly. “Perhaps if you were to tell her it was a wolf who asked?” I carefully lifted my hood, giving Kylan a partial view of my face. The short steward’s eyes widened in surprise. “Please,” I said, gesturing to the gangplank. “Send a runner to the Lady and ask for a delay, then come aboard. I have much I want to discuss with you.”
It took a moment or two for Kylan to regain his senses before he snapped a quick command to one of the soldiers and hurried up the gangplank. I climbed down to meet him, drawing the steward beneath the sterncastle away from prying eyes before we embraced.
“Hadrack?” Kylan said, still looking surprised as we drew apart. Malo, Jebido, and the others came to stand around us. The steward’s eyebrows rose. “You are all here,” he said in wonder. He turned back to me. “What is the meaning of this? What is wrong?”
“How long can Lady Shana delay the start of the Pilgrimage?” I asked, ignoring his questions.
Kylan frowned as he thought. “Not long, I imagine. Perhaps an hour, no more than that.”
“It will have to do,” I said, wishing we had more time.
“But what is this about?”
I quickly filled the steward in on what was going on. His mouth dropped open at the news of a second codex and he stared in fascination at Rorian and Thera as I explained their role in the Pilgrimage.
“So, you want to take their place?” Kylan said, motioning to the scholar and his wife. He glanced at Sabina. “Just you and this girl here against the might of the North and the power of the Sons?”
“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds daunting,” I said. “But yes, that’s our plan.”
Kylan shook his head. “I don’t know, Hadrack. If anyone else told me they wanted to try something like this, I would call them insane.”
“Yet, you will help us?” I asked.
Kylan snorted. “Of course I will help you. But we must hurry. The Pilgrims are already on the beach. Lady Shana will delay them at my behest, but I expect she won’t be happy about it.”
“She will be when she sees why you asked,” Jebido said, indicating me with a grin on his face.
“Yes,” Kylan said, sounding distracted. “This Juliax that you spoke of, do you have any idea who he might be?”
“No,” Malo said. “All we know is he will contact Hadrack somewhere along The Walk.”
“Which means he could be anyone,” Kylan said. “He could be a Pilgrim, a retainer, or even one of the hangers-on that follow The Walk. He could even be one of our men for all we know.”
“Which means we have to be doubly careful,” I said. “I can’t let anyone inside Calban recognize me.”
Kylan rubbed his beard as he thought. “Keep the cloak and hood on when we enter the castle. We have several hundred Pilgrims this year, with seven lords, two dukes, and even one minor prince from some island kingdom that I have never heard of, so it won’t be that unusual. Once you enter the Preparing Rooms, however, that will be different.”
“Different how?” I asked.
“Your clothing, armor, and weapons will be taken from you,” Kylan explained. “You will be given a simple tunic to wear and nothing else. Any special status you had going into that room will not exist when you come out.” Kylan grimaced. “At least in theory, at any rate.”
“Does that go for both of us?” I asked, glancing at Sabina.
“Yes,” Kylan said. “I suppose you should be grateful. In the beginning, Pilgrims made the journey to the mountains naked.”
“What about us?” Malo asked. Like the others, the House Agent was dressed in Cardian clothing, although he seemed less uncomfortable in them than my men did.
“All retainers are welcome to accompany the Pilgrims along The Walk, but they must never come near them or speak with them during the day. Only at night once camp has been set.”
“What about the Pilgrims?” I asked. “Can they talk amongst themselves?”
“Certainly,” Kylan said.
Malo and I shared a look. “So, either Juliax is a Pilgrim and will contact us during the day,” I said.
“Or you won’t hear from him until the evening,” Malo finished for me.
Kylan shrugged. “So it would seem.” He frowned as he glanced at Malo. “Some of your faces are known inside Calban as well, so I suggest Hadrack and the girl come inside alone with me. I will send someone to collect the rest of you and take you to the beach after they have reached the Preparing Rooms. That way, none will suspect you are together. Once you are on The Walk itself, it won’t matter.”
“Good,” I agreed. “Can you arrange it so I can see Shana?” I asked. I saw Sabina’s face cloud over at my words.
“I will see what I can do,” Kylan said as he ushered us toward the gangplank. “I can’t promise you anything. We are quickly running out of time, but I will try.”
Kylan’s soldiers formed a ring around Sabina and me, and with the short steward leading us, we marched up the steep incline toward Calban. The northern gates were open and waiting for us, but the castle itself seemed almost deserted. I realized everyone must be waiting on the southern beach by now, preparing to send off the Pilgrims. Kylan led us through the upper bailey and thick barbican down to the middle bailey, where he stopped in front of a squat stone building with two soldiers standing outside the doors.
“We can go no further,” Kylan said. He gestured to the set of heavy doors. “Inside, you will find all that you need. When you are ready, you will exit from the back of the building, where two girls will escort you from the castle.” Kylan looked at me in warning. “Remember, once you step through those second doors, you must not speak. To do so before you enter the cordon of The Walk will mean instant rejection.”
“I understand,” I said as I squeezed Sabina’s hand in reassurance.
A soldier ran toward us and he whispered something into Kylan’s ear. The steward nodded and motioned the man away as he turned to me. “The Lady has delayed The Walk as requested. She is on her way, but will have very little time to talk. You must be quick with your words.”
“Is she going to speak with both of us?” Sabina demanded, a little too forcefully, I thought.
Kylan regarded her in surprise before he glanced at me appraisingly. “No, child. You and Hadrack will be taken to separate rooms. The Lady will meet with Hadrack alone.”
“That’s not fair,” Sabina said, starting to pout. She glared at me. “I thought we were in this together. Why am I being left out?”
“We are in this together,” I said gruffly. “But what is to be said between Shana and me is for us alone.” I indicated the doors as the soldiers to either side opened them. “Let’s get on with this.”
The room inside was empty of furnishings, though surprisingly large and cool, with a wizened old man and old woman waiting for us. The man and woman were the same height and looked almost identical. They both repeatedly bowed, showing dark gums as they grinned toothlessly.
“An honor, Pilgrims,” the man said. “A great honor.”
“An honor,” the woman repeated. “A great honor.”
“You will come this way, yes?” the man said to me, indicating a closed door to his r
ight.
“You will come this way, yes?” the woman said to Sabina, indicating a closed door to her left.
I leaned close to Sabina. “I’ll see you soon,” I whispered. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
Sabina gave me a dark look as the old woman led her away. I turned and followed the old man toward the door on the right. He paused at the entrance, gesturing me inside as he swung the door open.
“Are you Juliax?” I asked softly as I stepped past him through the entrance.
The old man just looked at me blankly as he shut the door firmly behind us. I hadn’t really expected him to be Juliax, but I figured it needed to be asked just the same. The room was about twenty feet long by ten feet deep, with a narrow door on the back wall set to one side of an empty, soot-covered fireplace. A small desk sitting in the center of the room was the only furnishing. A leather-bound ledger lay open on the desk and the old man went to it, perching himself on a stool. He picked up a quill and dipped it in ink.
“Your name, Pilgrim?”
I hesitated, almost saying the wrong name. “Rorian,” I answered. “Rorian of Afrenia.”
The old man grunted in acknowledgment as he wrote in the ledger. When he finished, he pointed the feathered end of the quill at me.
“Please remove your weapons and clothing, Pilgrim. I will log your possessions in this book. Once you return from the Pilgrimage, they will be returned to you.”
I nodded, having been warned by Kylan that this would happen. I removed my sword, which was just a battered old blade that I’d taken from one of the Cardians. I had no intention of leaving Wolf’s Head or my father’s axe behind in this place and had left them in the care of Malo. The old man took a long white tunic, thick belt, and a pair of heavy leather sandals from a drawer. He placed them on the desktop as I disrobed. Once naked, I reached for the tunic, but the old man stopped me. He stood, holding a container filled with white powder as he advanced on me.
“What’s that for?” I asked suspiciously.
“The skin of the gods,” the old man said. “Stand still,” he added, muttering under his breath in a strange sing-song voice as he flicked powder on me with his hand.
The Wolf On The Run (The Wolf of Corwick Castle Book 3) Page 20
