The Count frowned slightly but took a deep breath. “Normally, we would require some sort of communication infrastructure, signal bouncing, and even satellites. Basically, nothing that means anything to either of you. But,” he said, letting one corner of his mouth actually raise a minute bit in what for him was a sloppy grin, “with your odd skills, Aiden, we may not need all of that. Even with the Professor unable to advise you, you are in a unique position. Go slowly, but I believe you can do it.”
“What do you mean, Sir?” Aiden asked as he concentrated, trying to understand what was being asked.
“I think I will have to show you, though you’ve seen it before. Do you recall our first meeting? Where the Duke asked us to come in when we weren’t in the room?”
Aiden nodded, thinking back. He’d not really thought much of it at the time, but it had seemed odd. Just eclipsed by the arrival of someone he’d thought was a Mourning Lord.
“I will show you so you can experience it and see how it works. I can show you other examples, as well. You have to have a clear picture in your head, yes? Very well, follow me, Aiden.” He stood, but faced the Duchess before they left. “Your Grace, I believe young Aiden will be able to take some missives with him on his return journey? The one from your sister, especially, will be of interest to him. We’ll go the back way, but I’ll bring young Aiden back to my listening room. You can meet us there with anything you would like to send back. It might not do to have anyone see him in the castle.”
Ahnarad nodded, then waited for them to retreat to a hidden door and a small room behind the thrones before she too left. The next hour passed quickly, with Count Viridian showing him not only examples of how communications worked via some of the systems in the lower halls of the castle but some pictures of what the Count called portable models in those self-same systems. It was both interesting and exciting. He couldn’t even imagine people talking over long distances as they were suggesting, but he knew it would be important. If nothing else than to forestall treachery as almost happened tonight. If the Duchess had thought Valeran was truly dead, what would have happened?
It was almost four in the morning by the time he returned to the small room with Count Viridian. Duchess Ahnarad was waiting and had a medium-sized leather satchel containing various letters and pieces of paper. She quickly handed it to him before grabbing his shoulder.
“Very well, Aiden. You have already served us so well. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t prevented a mad search for my husband. It might very well have distracted us all from something else. Now, we’ll better be able to keep an eye open. Can you return here in two night’s time? I need to know if Valeran can make it to Riften on time or if he thinks I should send his heir, Erasmus, instead. It’s a trap if we do, but I don’t know if it’s for our eldest son Erasmus, or for the Duchy.”
Aiden nodded, looking earnestly up at the regal woman. “Before I go, do you know if my mother is doing well? And Jessop? I don’t want them to worry overly but I’m not sure what to do.”
Ahnarad nodded but her face was lost in thought for a moment. After a few moments, she raised her eyes back to Aiden and he didn’t like how they looked. “Dame Tenadine is doing well as is Jessop. She was just in town last week and I had a chance to visit with her and update her in regards to your situation.” The Duchess paused and frowned slightly. “She was not overly thrilled. Especially with Count Viridian.”
Aiden looked over at the Count, noting his face did not change except for a subtle twitch of his eyebrow. It must have been much like the immovable object and irresistible force in the room when Count Viridian had told Dame Tenadine what had happened on the docks before they left. Dame Tenadine Wilthorn was, to put it lightly, a formidable woman who was well used to getting her way and did not suffer fools lightly. She was also very protective of her family.
“Still,” Ahnarad continued carefully, “I suspect we will not let her know you visited, at least not right now. We did promise to keep her informed of your situation, but this may worry her needlessly. Are…you okay with us not mentioning your visit with her?”
Aiden thought for a long moment. He didn’t really want to hide things from his new mother but agreed she probably couldn’t do anything to help and she was not young. He did feel protective of her. “Okay, I will respect your decision on this, Your Grace.”
“Good. I will tell her if it becomes necessary,” Ahnarad said. “I don’t wish to keep too much from her. So, will you be able to return in two nights?”
Aiden nodded. “Yes.” He would do his best. He just hoped he could get back to the ship and didn’t end up somewhere in the middle of the water. “If I can, I will return in two nights, Your Grace.”
Chapter 16
Aiden started the process of going back to the ship with a distinct nervousness. He wasn’t sure if he could actually do it. Still, as long as Glowby seemed calm he felt safe enough to try and currently his friend was bobbing about the room with what Aiden had come to know as a calm glow. Still, he needed to find a floating spot in the middle of the ocean. The words what could possibly go wrong floated through his head so he made sure to picture his bunk on the ship with an intense attention to detail. Besides, he thought wryly, if something went wrong, chances were he’d not know as he’d be a burning chunk of char.
Fortunately, not a few minutes later, he felt the strange film pass over him that told him he’d made the transition to the Anderealm. He opened his eyes slowly, wondering if he’d still be in the throne room and have to make some other mysterious effort, but instead he found himself standing next to his bunk on the ship.
He froze, looking around carefully just to make sure it was the right bunk room, but everything was as he remembered. Unless there was another cabin somewhere with a puke bucket next to one of the beds, he was likely in the right place. He cursed silently when he noted there was also a merrily burning lantern lit on the small fold-down desk. He was bone tired after all of the excitement of the past few days, and then what had just happened back at Terek, it was almost five in the morning, but the lantern meant he would likely not be allowed to just crawl into his bunk and go to sleep. Sigh.
He situated himself on his bed after making sure it didn’t look like someone was sitting on it before closing his eyes and beginning the slow transition back to the real world. When he felt himself slide back through he was unsurprised to hear a collection of gasps and curses along with thumping and even the faint rasp of a sword being drawn.
“Hold it! It’s me!” Aiden yelled, flashing his eyes open and looking around in alarm. He hadn’t even thought about how startling it might be for him to just reappear but put it down to being so exhausted. Gavin, Chari, and Asharak were collectively recoiling from him in startlement, but Markam had leaped up with his sword drawn, interposing himself between Aiden and Gavin.
Markam wavered there for a few moments, his sick eyes just staring until Aiden began to wonder if Markam could even recognize him.
“Markam,” Gavin whispered finally, breaking the tense moment and causing Markam to blink before turning his head slightly. He didn’t take his fevered gaze off of Aiden though, still staring at him with a dead look in his eyes. “Markam, it’s okay. It’s Aiden, he’s not a threat. Put your sword away and go back to your bunk.”
The young guard nodded woodenly, then just sheathed his sword and turned, collapsing once again onto his bunk heavily. Aiden noted the worried glances his friends gave to Markam and it also made Aiden worried. He hadn’t seen a lot of intelligence in Markam’s eyes and it had scared him terribly. It was clear Markam was even worse off than he’d been earlier, but now he had a super-sharp blade.
Once Markam had settled, Gavin was the first over to his bunk followed closely by Chari and Ashrak.
“By the Gods, Aiden!” Gavin whispered with concern etched in his voice. “What happened? Where were you? We thought the Scratchers had somehow gotten onto the ship and taken you.”
�
��Were you in the Anderealm, Aiden?” Chari asked, putting two and two together.
Aiden opened his mouth to answer but paused. They knew about the Anderealm and knew he’d visited it, but this was the first time he’d ever been in a place his presence would be missed. Each time before, he had been alone or somewhere no one would notice. He hadn’t even thought about how alarming it may be until he’d seen his friends faces, but it was obvious to him now it might be a concern.
Aiden nodded toward Chari. “Yes, I was there. Remember how I appeared in the wheelhouse, Gavin?” When the young man nodded, Aiden continued, “but I hadn’t planned on it tonight, I just went. Kind of like when it had happened earlier when the Professor had said my subconscious knew something needed to happen.” Aiden shrugged but knew that last part was really a lie. Glowby was the one taking him to these places but he wasn’t going to tell anyone about him yet. He had to be careful.
“So where did you go, this time, Aiden?” Ashrak asked.
“Well, apparently I needed to be in Terek tonight,” Aiden said. “I appeared in the throne room of all places.”
“The throne room?” Gavin gasped. “How did you get there? Did you figure out a different way to travel?”
“I think so.” Aiden nodded. “Honestly, it seems if I can picture the place, I can just appear there. That’s also how I got back. I just pictured my bunk and here I am.”
“What about the time we visited Duke Feldar in his study?” Ashrak asked. “We were flying then and had to go down the chimney which was quite exciting. I still have nightmares about falling down a dark hole toward a fire, you know. It was fine afterward, but I really just about swallowed my own tongue before that.”
Aiden was about to answer but realized he didn’t really know. Ashrak had a point. They had flown in and not only that, but they hadn’t had bodies. He found himself staring at Ashrak for a moment as he mulled it over in his head. Not only didn’t they have bodies, but that fact about seeing and hearing people once again intruded. Every other time he’d been in the Anderealm, there had been no life. He really needed to figure out that odd time.
“You know, I don’t really know? And that time we didn’t have bodies and we could hear everyone just fine. Every other time I’ve been in the Anderealm, I couldn’t see or hear anyone. It seems nothing alive shows up. I even watched as the Duchess picked up a glass of water and it disappeared until she put it back down.”
“Do you think it has to do with having a body, Aiden?” Chari asked slowly, obviously deep in thought. “That would be good to know. Right now, with our first experiment on the ship, you appeared in the wheelhouse but had to do it on the table because you didn’t know if anyone was there. But if you can do it the other way, I bet you can see and hear, but not move there with your body? Maybe we can play with it more?”
Aiden nodded, wishing for the thousandth time the Professor was awake. It would be handy to pick his brain now they didn’t have to worry about what he might think. He glanced at Glowby speculatively while he thought about it but quickly looked away when he noticed Chari narrow her eyes at him.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Aiden said, instead. “But I really need to sleep. I can barely think straight.”
Gavin gave him a sad look but shook his head. “Not right away. Father will want to know what happened to you at least, and if you’ve been to Terek he will really be curious. We need to go to him and let him know you are okay. He’s worried too, Aiden.”
Aiden sighed but nodded glumly, getting up off his bunk and grabbing the leather satchel and followed Gavin, Chari, and Ashrak out of the small cabin and up to where the Duke was staying.
The man was still awake himself, sitting at a small table and conversing with Captain Grell. When they walked in, Aiden watched the man’s face go from weariness to concern.
“Aiden? Aiden my boy, where have you been? And how did you get back to the ship?” His eyebrows thundered down as he looked at the Captain. “Did your crew search well enough, Captain? By the gods…wait, were you in the Anderealm place?”
“Yes sir,” Aiden said contritely, “I was. I’’m sorry but I didn’t actually know I would be taking a trip. To tell you the truth, I’m very tired, sir.”
The Duke looked at him closely but nodded. “Yes, I can see that. Gods, I hate not understanding something. It seems just so fantastic from what I can see and It doesn’t even happen to me,“ he said, waving his arms around as he paced back and forth, “I can’t even imagine what it must mean to you. Where did you end up going this time?”
Aiden glanced at his friends before answering. He didn’t honestly know what the reaction would be. He didn’t think there would be anything wrong with it and it would probably be greeted in a good way, but he wasn’t entirely sure. “Uh…actually, I was back in Terek. I met with Count Viridian and the Duchess.”
Valeran froze in place, his eyes wide as he looked over at Aiden. “What? What do you mean you met with them?” He came over and grabbed Aiden’s shoulders and stared intently. “Did I understand you correctly, lad?”
Aiden nodded quickly, shrinking slightly back from the man. Duke Valeran wasn’t a mean man, but his personality was big and being this close and under the laser-like gaze of his crystal-blue eyes made him blink a few times. “Yes, sir. I… I met with them. I even brought a satchel they told me to give to you.”
The Duke took the bag, frowning as he opened it and looked inside. Then he shook his head, staring at Aiden for a moment before going to the table and pouring out the contents. There were all sorts of papers and envelopes that looked like they had been opened.
“Amazing. Truly amazing,” Valeran said, looking up at Captain Grell. “I can’t even fathom it even when it’s sitting here right in front of us. It’s going to be an even longer night for us, Captain. Or morning, as the case may be.”
“Uh, before you dig into those, sir,” Aiden interrupted, getting the attention of both of the men. “I think I should tell you what happened when I arrived. There was a merchant there telling Her Grace you had died in a pirate attack. I think it was someone from the Duchy of Feldar? At least that’s what I think I heard. He even mentioned there were five ships that attacked us but said it was days ago.”
“Damn them to the hells!” Valeran said, his eyebrows once again thundering down, though this time in anger. “Damn them! I assume you told my wife it was false?”
“Yes, sir, I did. She was most thankful, though I think between the two of them they guessed he was lying. Still, they were probably just about to send out search ships.”
“Good, that would have been a mess. I wonder what their game is?” Valeran stroked his dark beard in speculation. “No matter what it is, it’s a wicked thing, no doubt. Did they know about the Ducal Court?”
Aiden nodded as he ran over the scene in his tired mind. “Yes sir, I think so. They were debating about sending Erasmus in your stead.”
“So, they would need to send the Skywitch as well to get him there in time. Perhaps with all of the skimmers.” The Duke gritted his teeth, standing and pacing once again. Aiden noted he liked to stalk about while he thought, but in a small cabin, it was somewhat disconcerting. Finally, he stopped and smacked his fist into his hand. “Dammit. So what is the trap? It’s got to be a trap but I can see several different things. Trying to pass something in the Council I would fight? Kidnap my oldest? Maybe they’re trying to acquire the Skywitch or my other skimmers? By the Seven!” He sighed and glanced at the pile of papers on the small table. “I’ll see what is in here. Maybe it will give me more information. Gods, it’s so odd to get news in the middle of the ocean. I’m almost wetting myself but I’m not sure if it’s in fear or excitement.”
Aiden watched the man sit and begin to pick up the various pieces of news, placing them in different stacks while Captain Grell looked on passively. When his eyes felt like they’d swell shut, he finally spoke, “can…can I go to sleep now? I’m very tired.”
The
Duke looked up in surprise but then nodded, “yes, of course. I’m sorry Aiden, I should have already sent you off to bed. I know you've been working hard.” He looked up with a concerned look on his face. “Sleep as late as you need. I know you’ve been busy but when you do wake, please come find me right away. I need to talk to you more about all of this.” The Duke then waved his hands, shooing them all out before looking back down at the papers in front of him.
Aiden thankfully followed his friends out and they all made their way back to the cabin. He was thankful and expected he’d be able to easily sleep through the groaning of Markam. He was not wrong.
***
The next morning Aiden was awakened by a strange thumping sound and a raucous cheer from up on the deck. In the several days they had been aboard the ship, he’d never heard the like and wondered at it, listening for long moments but it didn’t repeat. He could tell it was daytime from the light coming in through the porthole so rolled out of bed. He still felt tired but knew it wouldn’t do to just try to go back to sleep. That almost never worked and he knew he had things to do today.
The Glimmer Steel Saga, Boxed Set, Books 1 - 4 Page 50
