by T B Phillips
The girl reached out and found the Falconer’s mind. They only touched for a brief second, but it was enough for Marita to know that she had been deceived. Her voice changed in that moment and she once again felt anger rise within. “Your sister thinks you’re dead, and your brother would like to know that it’s been you trying to hurt the Dreamers.”
The Falconer frowned at the words, then her eyes grew wide with realization. She tried to back away from Marita as the girl wrestled away the winds pinning the squad to the wall. With a heave, they suddenly changed direction and hit the specter in the chest with full force. She flew backward in the air, slamming against a building hard enough to shake dust from the masonry. As she lay motionless on the ground, a bound Marita gave her a smile and an upward pointed thumb.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Eusari remained silent the entire voyage to The Cove. The battle had ended quicker than she expected, given the improved weaponry and use of emotants. Braen had been right about their military application and she was losing the fight to keep the children out of combat. He’s been right about a lot of things, she pondered, am I wrong to chastise him for the elections? Peter Longshanks approached her on the starboard rail.
He gestured toward the fleet of broken vessels in tow behind her fleet. “Sippen said that we may have to scuttle one of the frigates if we take any longer. It’s taking on more water than we feared.” Eusari nodded. She had worried about a few of them but having the engineer on board helped, even if he appeared deeply troubled. His eagerness to join her on the return voyage had surprised even her, as he rarely left Braen alone to fight and usually preferred to stay at his side.
Her voice was coarse from lack of use when she answered, clearing her throat as she started to speak, “Tell him to wait until we know for sure. We captured twenty-seven ships, and, although one may seem expendable, we’ll need many more when we go up against the Eston and Norton fleets.” She turned away from the water and faced her friend. His eyes met hers with the kindness of a father waiting to speak with a troubled child. “Just spit it out, Peter. I know what you’ve been waiting to ask.”
“When are you planning on forgiving him, Eusari?”
“I already have, I think.”
“You think?”
“I’m not used to this. I never expected to trust anyone again, and I’m still learning how.”
“He loves you. We all know it and so do you. You can’t expect a man to keep every promise. What’s important is that he keep the big ones.”
“Which are?”
“How well he takes care of your heart and your body.” Her wise friend leaned with both forearms on the rail and stared out. “I was married once. Did I ever tell you that?”
“No.” She waited questioningly for the story. “What happened?”
“I was a lot younger then. Please know that, especially when I describe how I treated Racinda.”
With her interest peaked, she nodded agreement, not wanting to interrupt.
“I was a mate aboard a transport barge in Eskera at the time. I spent a lot of time upriver in towns like Logan and Weston. Unfortunately, the captain committed to a contract out of Norton to help move the capital to the new city of Eston. That kept us quite busy as merchants flocked to lease the prime spots atop the Span.”
“I remember that time. It was right after I was… after I was sold into service on board She Wolf. The first time I sailed under the bridges, I marveled at the engineering. They seemed to brush the sky above me.”
“Aye, dearie. Many a citizen was caught up in the excitement of the city. Not only was it impressive, but it would finally stop the northern aggressors from reaching the inland cities and farmlands.”
“How long were you stationed there?”
“A year, but a day was too long, if you ask me. We made hundreds of trips across the lake before we were informed that we would extend for another year. I wrote to my wife, asking her to move to the new city, but she didn’t want to leave her family in Eskera. We fought through written words if you’d believe that.”
“Racinda stayed behind.”
“Yes. Gave me an ultimatum to come back then or never. But I was under contract, see? I couldn’t break it without them branding me as an outlaw. I was locked in for another year.”
“We argued for quite a few months via letters, and I finally grew so resentful that I let a lass turn my head in Eston. She was a beauty and willing to share my bed when we were in port.”
“Peter, you cheated on your wife?” She never expected such an admission from her friend. Oddly, she wasn’t angry with him and appreciated his candor.“Aye. I loved Racinda very much, but I was lonely and hurt.” Eusari could see tears of contrition forming in his eyes as he spoke. “One day, she surprised me by stepping off a boat with a wee one at her side. I’d never known that she had born a child, but I suddenly understood why she wouldn’t leave her parents. He had been sickly, and she hadn’t told me about him out of fear he wouldn’t survive infancy.”
“She came to you after he was well enough to travel?”
“She did. She had finally decided to give the new city a chance.” Peter turned his face away, letting the wind dry his eyes. “She knocked on the door and met my lover at my apartment while I was working the docks.”
“Peter…”
“I broke her heart. I came home about an hour later and met both women sitting at my kitchen table with the wee lad playing on the floor beside them.”
“What did they do?”
“They both kicked me out and I moved onto the barge until after she and the lad could book passage back south. I wrote to her every day for two years, but she never answered, and I assume she never forgave me.”
“I wouldn’t have either. I’m sorry, but I understand her stubbornness.”
“Aye. That’s why I’m telling you. Captain Braston failed to keep a promise, but he never broke your heart. I hope that when he returns to The Cove in a few days that you’ve made up your mind on the matter.”
“Why is it that you always seem to know the right words to say to me, Peter Longshanks?”
The First Mate bent down and scratched her wolf behind the ears. “For the same reason that Gelert never growls when I approach. Because you know in your heart that I’m not a threat and that I’ll always defend you, My Captain.” The wolf let out a sharp bark of agreement and the man rose up, placing his weight onto his peg leg before ambling off. Eusari stared at his back, wising silently that her father had lived long enough to give similar guidance.
“What do you think, Gelert? Do I forgive the man I love?” The beast growled but then settled down with a whine and a whimper. “Yeah. I agree. It’s probably best if I give him more leeway when it comes to my heart.”
Pirate’s Cove was a welcome sight for all of the crewmen who accompanied She Wolf and the crippled Esterling fleet. They lined up the prisoners who volunteered service to the Pirate’s Guild, rather than drown in the Southern Sea. Each man would be reassigned to a vessel according to their skillset and would assist the coming fight. With so many captured ships, the docks were a spectacle that brought a chuckle from Samani Kernigan.
“Well, Sippen, it appears that you have a lot of work to do.”
“As if I di… didn’t have enough.” The engineer’s broad smile revealed his excitement for more projects to oversee. His team of skilled artisans had also grown in mere months, and they cranked out ships and weapons faster than he had believed possible. “Whuh… where’s Eusari?” It was difficult to spot one person in the multitude on the pier, even one dressed in black leather and followed by a wolf.
“I haven’t seen her since you both arrived.”
“Wuh… we need to fuh… find her fast.”
Samani glanced at the Northern longboat tied off to a smaller pier. The captain of She Wolf rarely missed details and wou
ld have questions. He had hurried down from the keep as soon as they approached and hoped to prepare her. Sippen had turned ashen at the news of the arrival and was filled with more anxiety than usual.
A voice from behind made both men jump. “Why is a Fjorik boat in the harbor?”
“Good gods, Eusari!” Samani grabbed his chest and took a moment to breathe after the scare. “You’re as bad as your wolf! Don’t do that!”
“I’m going to ask one more time.” Her green eyes were tinted with red, a sign of her anger. “There’d better be a good explanation for one of Skander’s ships tied off in our harbor!”
“She arrived yesterday.”
“Who arrived yesterday?”
Sippen answered before Samani could find the words. “Luh… Lady Huh… Hester.”
A look of horror paled Eusari’s face and she turned, emptying her stomach over the side. Both men stared expectantly, waiting for her to finish. “I’m sorry, guys. I’ve been ill these past few mornings.” Samani could see that her face was flushed. “Why is the wife of Skander Braston in The Cove?”
“She suh… said that she’s here to see Bruh… Braen. Wuh… Won’t talk to anyone else.”
Eusari drew one of her blades from inside her leather tunic. “She’ll talk to me.” Neither man dared to stop her as she spun on her heel and made for the palace above. They trailed behind, huffing breathlessly behind her, trying to keep up as she climbed the steep streets. Gelert’s hair bristled along his back, worrying both men as they chased her through the town.
“She’ll kuh… kill her, Suh… Samani!” Sippen’s eyes were wide with worry.
“I damn well know that!” Kernigan kept his own eyes locked on the devil who’d replaced the normally calm Eusari. “I just hope that she doesn’t kill anyone else in her rampage!”
“Shuh… She’s wuh… worrying me.”
“I can hear you both.” She shot a steely glare over her shoulder. “I have more self-control than you give me credit for.” Samani and Sippen exchanged another glance. At the sight of their worry she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of disgust.
The trio arrived at the tall portcullis of the keep at the same time, the men having hurried to catch up. The guards watched with amazement at the drawn blade in the hand of one of their newly elected officials. One of them moved forward to remind her that blades must be sheathed in the palace. A growl from either Gelert or Eusari stopped him in his tracks. “Wise choice,” the other soldier whispered. Samani and Sippen nodded at the men as they jogged past, red faced and panting.
Once inside and out of earshot, Samani pleaded, “Eusari, at least listen to the woman’s story first.” He let out a high-pitched whelp when the leather clad captain whirled around and pointed the blade at his throat.
“And why in the name of Cinder would I do that?” Strands of hair fell into her face and she blew them out of her eyesight without blinking. “This woman helped kill a king and sent Braen into exile. She’s also the reason he can’t completely give his heart over to me!” Kernigan had never been this close to the tip of her blade and the feeling unnerved him as she continued. “As long as that woman lives, I’m Braen’s second choice. I’ll kill her alongside her husband or separately, until all of his ghosts are put away for good!”
“It would be a shame to kill me before thanking me.” A woman’s voice drifted pleasantly from one of the rooms off the hallway. Eusari spun and, with blade still against Samani’s throat, drew another with her free hand and pointed the tip at the woman’s heart. Both Kernigan and Yurik held their breath and prayed to Cinder that she didn’t hurl it at the queen.
“Thank you for what, exactly?” The words left Eusari’s mouth with a snarl. Gelert moved closer to the woman with teeth bared. It was impossible for onlookers to know which wolf poised more danger.
“For getting Braen out of Fjorik. If it wasn’t for my warning, he would’ve died on the gallows.”
“Lies.” The knife in Eusari’s left hand flipped in the air and she caught the tip, bending her arm as if to throw.
“I’m afraid not.” Without taking her eyes off the blade, Hester addressed Sippen. “Tell her what happened that day and how you got Braen away.”
Eusari kept one eye on the beautiful northern woman but cocked her head toward the engineer. “Tell me fast so I can kill her slowly.”
“She’s tuh… telling the truth.” Sippen’s eyes were wide with fear and it was difficult for him to speak. “She suh… sent muh… me uh… a note. Suh… said thuh… that Skah… Skander wuh… would kuh… kill him.” Tears formed in the little man’s eyes as he recounted the events. “I stuh… stole Ice Prince and tuh… took him away.”
“Why would you do such a thing if you were scheming with his brother?”
“I never schemed, Dear. I love Braen with all my soul. I got him safely from the kingdom and then did what I had to… endured what I had to for my own survival.” Something changed in the queen’s countenance and her beauty was briefly lost in a private hatred of her own. “I despise Skander more than you can ever imagine.”
Eusari drew her arm back and sent the knife flying end over end. As soon as it stuck in the wooden door, she drew another from her tunic and readied it to throw as well. Hester didn’t flinch when the knife flew at her face, but a trickle of blood from her ear ran down her cheek. “Don’t presume that you understand my hatred for your husband. Speak like we’re friends again and the next blade is in your throat.”
Hester’s spoke with cool calmness. “I’m sure that he’s done nothing to you that he hasn’t done to me.” She touched the blood from her wounded ear. “I see that you like blades and bloodletting as much as Skander.”
The tip of Eusari’s knife wavered briefly in the air but she recovered and reared back to throw. Rage had consumed her, and she prepared to murder the heart’s desire of Braen Braston. Hester turned her back and pulled the strings of her dress with a single motion, letting it fall to the floor in a heap. The only sounds in the hallway were three gasps and the metallic thud of a knife falling to the floor.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Braen waited impatiently beside Robert, worried that they were taking too much time. The prince flew as his bird high overhead, peering at the scene below. They had crept as close as they dared, careful not to make any noise or attract attention. He shifted his weight nervously, anxious to charge in.
“There are three on the rooftops and three more on the ground.” He had been searching the area for traps or surprises, but so far found none. The small group of soldiers escorting Sarai attracted the entire attention of the Falconers. “Wait. Now that’s odd.” He paused for a moment longer than Braen could hold his patience and the bearded man grabbed his axe from his belt. “Marita seems to be speaking with one of them.”
“What about the strange looking ones in animal skins? How many of them do you see?”
“I counted fifteen cats, but I only see five of the humans.”
“Then we need to avoid anything living like roots or branches. We should also watch out for anything that could topple over on us.”
“I agree. Are you ready to deploy the fog?”
“I am. Let me find a water source.” Braen reached out with his senses until he found the sewer pipes several feet below the street. He nodded to Robert who inverted the warm and cool air, ready to trap the water vapor. Within minutes several streets around them were completely obscured from both ground level and bird’s eye view.
“Get ready to do your thing, Braston.” Something in the boy changed as he spoke, gaining more confidence and authority.
“Okay, I found the source beneath the vines.” Braen could feel the roots protruding into the cistern below and hoped that their plan would work. The sewer flowing into the cistern resembled a maze, with branches flowing into a single major artery just a few streets over. The spot beneath his f
riends was one of the larger catacombs but was unfortunately upstream from the bountiful main vein. He divided his mind as he focused on the water, pushing against the source above and holding tight to the flow downstream and willing it not to leave his grasp.
He could no longer feel the roots as strongly as before, but they held enough moisture to attempt Robert’s plan. His body burned as he attempted a third split in his mind, focusing on wicking the water from the roots. At first, the dripping beads of water barely splashed against the dry stone of the sewer, but one by one the droplets fell like rain. Soon a monsoon washed through, adding to the ever-growing lake he held downstream. He nodded to the Esterling King to begin. Focused on the task, he barely heard the screech from above as the giant eagle dove into the fog.
Marita watched with curiosity as the fog materialized in the street. Quickly, she recognized the changes in the air around them and smiled at Braen’s cleverness. This is how we got into The Cove, she remembered. That means he and Robert are nearby. She tugged at the vines holding her to the wall and frowned at their strength. She would have to wait for whatever they had planned.
Careful not to alert the Falconers, she reached out to the king with her mind, Robert, where are you?
I’m close. The response was brief. You and the others will be able to break free soon. Arne will give the signal. Then I want you to keep the six Falconers busy while I find those controlling the cats.
In an excited voice, she spoke to her friends, “When I give the word, I want everyone to break loose and charge the kitties. I’ll take care of the six Falconers.”
Everyone looked confused as they stared down at the pacing jaguars and specters. The two still on their feet were helping up the female. Sarai spoke, “Marita, there are only three. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine, Lady Queen. When Robert comes, we need to act quickly, so that I can find the other monsters.”
