“Taga said we are a few days from Carmel,” Sezee reminded him. “What should we do then? Find another ship or stop to build an aircart?”
Tyen had thought about this many, many times since their sea journey had begun. “If I am to build an aircart I’ll need the right materials. The further we are from cities and larger towns the harder it will be to find them.”
“What do you need that we won’t find in a small town or village?”
“Propellers.”
“They’re made of wood, aren’t they? Small towns have carpenters.”
He looked at her, and smiled at her determined frown. “I doubt they are asked to make aircart propellers very often.”
“Can you instruct them?”
“Yes, but that is not the issue.”
She pursed her lips. “You’re worried such an occurrence would be unusual enough to attract the Academy’s attention?”
“Yes.”
“Can you make the propellers yourself using magic?”
“Perhaps, if I had quality materials. Buying those might attract notice as well.”
“Can we buy something made of the right wood and adapt it?” Her eyes narrowed as he smiled. “You’ve thought about all this already, haven’t you?”
“Of course. I’m surprised you hadn’t thought of it sooner.”
She gave him a coy, sidelong look. “Who said I hadn’t?”
He chuckled. “I have noticed it is not your habit to store questions away, unasked.”
“Oh, I store.” She gave him a lofty look. “I’m quite capable of storing, if there is an advantage to be had from it.”
“So what advantage did you see in this case?”
“It would have made you chafe to be ashore even more. Though I may as well have asked anyway. You’ve been quite unbearably irritable these last few weeks.” She shaded her eyes as one of the ship’s lamps suddenly brightened.
He crossed his arms. “I have not—!”
“Tyen,” she interrupted, squinting at something behind him.
Belatedly it occurred to him that no ship’s lamp could produce light as brilliant as the one that now bathed them. His heart lurched. Turning, he flinched at the brilliance of a white flame floating beyond the ship’s deck, so fierce that it obscured whatever lay beyond it. Whatever hovers beyond it, he corrected as a voice boomed out.
“CAPTAIN TAGA. YOUR PASSENGER, TYEN IRONSMELTER, IS A FUGITIVE WANTED BY THE ACADEMY.” The voice was distorted in a way that suggested the speaker was using an amplifier cone. “YOU ARE TO PROCEED TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.”
The buzz of aircart propellers followed. The sound penetrated Tyen’s gut, turning it to liquid. He took a deep breath and willed his racing heart to slow. So someone has found me. But they haven’t taken me prisoner yet.
“But…? Where did he come from?” Sezee protested.
“He must have stopped the propellers upwind of us and let the breeze push him to us.” Tyen extended his senses and immediately detected the Soot surrounding the aircart. There was no trail. The driver hadn’t taken any magic, either, in case Tyen noticed it.
Footsteps drew near and they turned to see Veroo approaching.
“He’s a clever one,” she said. “Sneaking up on us like that.”
Tyen nodded. “Clever, but if I was in his position I’d have tried to rob the area around us of magic before drawing attention, so we couldn’t attack him. I suspect that’s as much reach as he has.” Which made the stranger seem far less threatening. Unless … he shaded his eyes and managed to catch a glimpse of the aircart. “I think he’s alone, too.” He smiled as he realised the situation wasn’t as bad as it first appeared.
Sezee moved a little closer. “What are you thinking?”
“That I could disable the aircart. Force him to return to shore.”
A man cleared his throat behind them. “I’m afraid we would have to follow.”
They turned to face Captain Taga.
“But—” Sezee began.
“I want no trouble with the Academy,” the captain said, looking at Tyen. Then his voice and expression softened. “I am sorry. They would confiscate the ship and ban me from trading in the Leratian Empire.”
“You’re going to give in just like that? You treacherous b—” Sezee began.
“Sezee,” Tyen interrupted, giving her a look that, to his surprise, actually silenced her. “Would you have him lose his livelihood?”
She scowled. “Are you going to let him sail to shore?”
“Yes.” He nodded to the captain. “You will have to sail directly to the coast then have your men row us to a suitable landing place.”
The captain nodded.
“Suitable doesn’t have to be populated. An isolated bay would do.”
A spark of understanding entered the other man’s gaze.
“Plenty of those this far south,” he said. He began barking instructions to the crew. Tyen hunched his shoulders and sat down on a nearby barrel.
“Do you mind fetching my satchel?” he asked Sezee. “I fear if I disappear below our discoverer will grow anxious and do something foolish.”
Sezee stared at him in disbelief. Veroo placed a hand on her arm.
“He knows what he’s doing,” the older woman said.
With a huff, Sezee turned away and stalked across the deck, Veroo following. As Tyen waited for them to return, he watched the crew working. The aircart circled the ship, then followed at a safe distance as it headed towards shore. Tyen ignored it, not wanting to be so dazzled by the bright light that he would be blinded when they reached land. He wondered who the driver was. It might have been his imagination, but the shouted words had had the trace of an accent. Perhaps Wendlandish. Had the aircart driver followed them all the way down the coast? Was it the one that had circled the ship the day then retreated after they’d left Darsh?
Sezee and Veroo emerged carrying their bags and his satchel. He smiled as they plonked them down next to the boat the crew were preparing to lower into the water when neared the shore.
“Not staying on board?” he asked.
“No,” Sezee replied. “We’re coming with you?”
“All the way back to the Academy?” He raised his eyebrows. “I thought you wanted to go to the Far South?”
“Well, we can’t get there without an aircart, can we? So we may as well head home.”
Tyen looked at Veroo. The older woman smiled faintly and said nothing. He shrugged, picked up his satchel and considered his possessions. The women had bought him clothes more appropriate for a porter, including a second set they kept in their bags for him to change into when the first was being washed. He had no idea what had happened to the clothes he’d stolen.
He slung the satchel strap over his shoulder and tucked Vella and his wallet inside. At his order, Beetle shifted position to place itself between the new items and the satchel’s opening. He’d filled some time on the ship modifying it to obey the command to guard an object. It would adopt a threatening posture, buzz loudly and give anything that came near it a nip with new pincers.
For the rest of the way to shore they remained silent, watching the captain, crew and, once it came into sight, the approaching lights of the coast. A lighthouse beacon shone to the north, reminding all how dangerous approaching the coast could be at night. To the aircart driver’s credit, he began to fly ahead of the ship, his light illuminating the water ahead, but from the way the captain was scowling and shading his eyes, Tyen suspected the light’s dazzling brightness was as much a hindrance as a help.
At last Taga called a halt. The anchor was dropped, sails were turned out of the wind and the ship’s rowing boat was lowered into the water, the women’s bags securely strapped within. A rope ladder was tossed over the side of the ship where there was a gap in the railing.
“Again, I apologise,” Taga said to Tyen. He turned to Sezee and Veroo. “Are you sure you don’t want to continue with us, at least to the next port where you may di
sembark more easily?”
“I am sure,” Sezee replied, though with a hint of doubt in her voice as she peered over the railing.
“We are sure,” Veroo repeated firmly. “Thank you, Captain Taga. I hope the Academy believes you when you say you had no idea who Aren Coble really was.”
Three men climbed down the rope ladder, scaling it effortlessly. Perhaps reassured by their agility, Sezee approached with sudden determination. She turned her back to the sea, took hold of the railing and extended a foot to the first rung, having to kick away her skirt when it got in the way. Worried that, being so encumbered by her clothes, she would slip, Tyen drew a little magic to catch her if she fell. But she reached the end of the ladder safely and the sailors below helped her into the rocking boat.
Veroo insisted on descending next, first hitching her skirts up to her knees and tying them. Tyen wasn’t sure what the proper manners were in this situation – did the man go first or last when alighting from a ship by rope ladder? When Veroo was safely aboard the rowing boat, Tyen stepped up to the ladder. A hand grasped his arm and he looked up to see Taga frowning at him.
“Best of luck,” the captain said. He nodded towards the aircart. “And don’t be too hard on the driver. He thinks he’s doing the right thing. There’s quite a reward on offer for you.”
The women had not mentioned that. Tyen smiled. “Thanks for not cashing in on that reward.”
The captain let go and stepped back. “Not worth my reputation.”
Tyen found the first rung and began to climb down. It wasn’t as easy as it looked and he felt even more admiration for Sezee and Veroo for managing it without complaint or mishap. Getting into the rowing boat was even more challenging, as the swell was greater than it had appeared from above. All too soon he was hauling on an oar, perspiration breaking out all over at the unexpected exercise. Sezee and Veroo gripped the sides of the boat and their seats, eyes wide as the boat bucked and dived. From time to time a wave hit the side, spraying them all with salty water. The women’s luggage did not look particularly watertight, he noted.
Above them, the aircart hummed, lighting their way.
After an even wetter and rougher ride through some breakers, the bottom of the boat vibrated as it scraped on a hard surface. Tyen turned to look behind him. They’d reached a small, pebbled beach. The sailors sprung from the boat and hauled it as far out of the water as they could as the waves swept in. When the vessel stilled, Tyen rose to help Sezee disembark and steadied her when she stumbled on the slippery, smooth stones. She yelped as a wave rushed in and wet them to their knees. The water was bracingly cold.
Veroo’s skirt was still tied up. As Tyen helped her, the sailors lifted the luggage and carried it beyond the reach of the waves. Veroo hurried over the slippery pebbles, outrunning an incoming wave to avoid a wetting.
The sailors then began pushing the boat back into the water. Tyen drew a little magic and moved it for them. They ran after it and dived inside, then began to battle the incoming waves. Taking even more magic, he shoved the vessel even further away, wanting the crew gone before the aircart landed and he had to face the driver.
The aircart remained in the air, however. When the sailors were safely beyond the breakers, Tyen shaded his eyes against the light, trying to see the driver. The sound of the propellers changed and the light began to rise.
Either he’s having second thoughts or he’s leaving us here for someone else to collect, Tyen thought. Either way, he should have left earlier.
“Go,” he told Sezee and Veroo. “Shield yourselves with magic or get behind some rocks.”
“Wha—?” Sezee began, but Veroo muttered something and dragged her away.
Stretching out, Tyen robbed the air around the cart of magic. Some of it he used to still the air around himself to form a shield. Some he used to take hold of the vehicle’s chassis and begin moving it downward.
The light blinked out. Tyen braced himself for an attack, but instead felt the natural buoyancy of the cart increase. The driver was using magic to move it upward. Fool, he thought. If we fight over the cart we’ll tear it apart. The vehicle was close enough to the ground that the driver might survive a fall, so long as the cart didn’t crush him. Then it would be better if he fell before the cart did, Tyen thought. He sent a ball of stilled air at the driver and watched in surprise as the man tumbled off the chassis and landed on the beach. The man hadn’t even been shielding himself.
The propellers stopped spinning, and in the quiet that followed, the sound of the driver’s cursing was audible. Two figures emerged from the darkness and hurried towards him. Tyen opened his mouth to call out a warning to them, then closed it again. Veroo should still be shielding them both. He could feel the cart growing less buoyant as the air in the capsule cooled. He turned his attention to it, guiding it down until it hovered several paces from the driver, next to the luggage. Sezee hurried over to him, leaving Veroo crouching by the man’s side.
“He’s alive,” she said. “Veroo thinks he has a broken arm, and he’ll have some impressive bruises. There are lights moving up on the ridge behind us, so whoever’s up there will find him soon enough. So … do we get on the aircart now?”
Tyen laughed at her eagerness. Relief washed away his fear that the driver was badly injured, though he could not help feeling guilty about what he’d done, and was about to do. “Yes, and quickly.”
Sezee helped him lift the luggage onto the chassis and tie it down. A bag was already strapped on near the front. Tyen removed it and inspected the contents – some small packets of food, the man’s papers, and clothing. He pocketed the food and put the bag on the ground.
“Veroo!” Sezee shouted. “Come on!”
He turned to see that Veroo was leading the driver up the beach. The man was limping, but not badly. He was a few years older than Tyen and definitely Wendlandish. Veroo reached a rock and helped him sit down. She stepped away and hurried to the cart.
“I don’t think he’ll be any trouble now. He’s terrified of you.” She looked amused. “All set?”
Tyen nodded. “Get on board.”
They ducked under the rope railing and stepped up onto the chassis. He let go of the aircart, allowing it to rise again. The women gripped the capsule support struts uneasily as the cart began to rise.
“Sit down,” he advised as he moved to the front. He climbed into the driver’s seat then glanced back to check that they were in place. They were sitting either side of the capsule’s front support strut, legs straddling the canoe-shaped chassis. “And hang on.” Sending a trickle of magic to the capsule, he heated air and sent them rapidly upward. Below, the driver watched, pale face tilted. Tyen felt a pang of sympathy.
Losing an aircart is bad enough, but losing it through such misjudgement has got to sting. The driver ought to have demanded the ship take them to the nearest port. Or at least have brought another sorcerer with him. He’d probably been acting on his own in the hopes of getting the reward, and not considered what he’d do if Tyen proved to be a stronger sorcerer.
What would I have done if he hadn’t been so foolish and weak? Would I have been willing to kill him? He wasn’t sure. As far as he knew, the Academy’s reward was for his capture, not death. If the worse he faced was a lifetime in prison, was he justified in ending someone’s life to avoid that? A life in captivity was a wasted life, but it wasn’t death.
He sighed. He’d been lucky this time. The last stroke of luck he’d enjoyed had been followed by a setback. I’m not safe yet, he reminded himself. Setting the propellers whirring, he turned the aircart towards the sea.
“Tyen.”
He turned to see that Veroo had shuffled along the chassis to get closer to him and be heard over the propeller noise.
“Yes?”
“You’re not making the sea crossing now are you?”
“No, just getting some distance between us and the driver. We need to head further south, where the eastern and southern contine
nts are closest.”
“How long until we do?”
“A few days.”
“And how long will the crossing take?
“Three days, if the weather is good and the wind in our favour.”
Veroo frowned. “Then we’re going to have to stop somewhere for food and warmer clothes for you.”
Tyen’s heart sank. “Yes. We will have to be careful. Land at night to sleep and buy food in small villages.”
“And you’ll have to teach me how to fly so we can take turns.”
He shook his head. “Women don’t fly.”
“They don’t learn sorcery either,” she retorted. “Do you think I’m too weak and emotional for it?”
He laughed. “No, not at all. But the sight of a woman driving an aircart will be talked about from here to Belton.”
“You can teach me after we start crossing, then. You can’t fly for three days straight.”
She was right. He could stay awake for three days, but by the time he reached land again he’d be exhausted. Not a good state to be in, if he had to make a difficult landing. Yet teaching her to drive when they were far from shore would be dangerous, too. A big enough mistake could force them to land in the water, far from help.
But it was a small danger compared to what they’d face if they were caught up in bad weather. He only needed to teach her how to drive in a straight line. Launching, landing and manoeuvring were trickier, as they involved timing and avoiding obstacles, but unnecessary in the middle of sea crossing.
“You’d better get comfortable, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep and slip off.” He turned back to see them both regarding him with fearful expressions. “I’ll keep low so you don’t get too cold. Otherwise … I’m afraid it’s going to be a long night.”
CHAPTER 18
Veroo has picked up flying so quickly, Tyen told Vella. The Academy was foolish for turning her away.
Hoarding magical knowledge is a common form of defence.
But her country is part of the Empire, not an enemy.
Thief's Magic Page 33
