The Witch Awakening (Book One of the Landers Saga)

by Karen Nilsen

  "Now, what's all this blather about finding Safire? When did she come out of her fit?"

  "The other night, she came out of it. She didn't remember the last two months, just bits and pieces. Yesterday morning, she and I and Whitten had a discussion, and she got so upset she ran. I let her go--I thought she needed time alone to think about things, like she did on those long walks she used to take. But she always returned from her walks. She never returned last night."

  "Could she be lost in the forest?"

  "I don't think so. Even upset, she would have sense enough not to wander in strange woods. Besides, we searched today, and everyone who saw her says they saw her on the road, heading towards Calcors."

  "What could she want there?"

  "I don't know."

  "She had money with her," Talia remarked. "A good-sized purse--I heard the jingle of coin. And some sort of leather bundle under her arm."

  "Money? Where did she get money?"

  Dagmar bit her lip. "I don't know where it came from."

  "You're lying, my lady. What, did she steal it?"

  Her eyes blazed. "No, Safire's not a thief. And I don't appreciate you insinuating that she is, sir."

  "What else am I to think when you lie to me?"

  She took a deep breath. "True enough. All right, then. Safire likes to sketch--she's actually quite good. She used to go to the market with her drawings. She may have made the coin that way."

  "You mean, she sold the drawings?" Talia demanded. "She was engaged in common trade--a gentleman's daughter?"

  "The little hussy," Selwyn said, but I detected a hint of admiration in his tone. Money impressed Selwyn, whoever had it, wherever it came from. He was the one who kept asking Peregrine to join the card games down at the tavern, long after Merius had made his reservations known by punching Peregrine in the jaw.

  "It wasn't right, her selling those sketches," Dagmar said, "but at least she wasn't selling herself. Don't call her a hussy."

  "It's not your fault, dear," Talia said through her upturned nose. "Certainly, we wouldn't impugn you for your sister's behavior--you're a good girl."

  "So speaks the pillar of virtue. Too bad it's made of salt," I muttered.

  "What was that, Mordric?" Talia turned her magpie eyes in my direction.

  "I was just asking if any attempt had been made to find the girl in Calcors."

  "Whitten and Baldwin and I looked some on the docks this afternoon, but not a sign of her," Selwyn said.

  "First of all, if she has any sense, she won't be on the docks. Did you look around the market at all?"

  "We didn't have time, sir."

  I bit into a yam, thinking. "If she is in Calcors," I said to myself. "All right," I said aloud. "After dinner, I'll look for her."

  "But sir, we didn't expect you to--"

  "What did you expect? You didn't find her," I snapped. Damn fools, damn girl, damn Merius for getting himself entangled with her in the first place. I continued to eat, not tasting anything. A report had come to the council a few weeks ago--Merius's band had split off from the rest and gone deeper into the Marennese mountains overlooking the Zarina River, a hard, dangerous country full of tight spots and daily opportunities for ambush, far beyond the reach of Herrod's messengers. I stabbed at the last of the pork. Herrod and I had gone into those mountains some twenty-eight years ago after a bunch of renegade miners had taken the old king's cousin hostage; we had been the only two of our party to emerge alive several months later. Herrod should have known better than to send any of the men so far inland. Merius was well-trained, a good fighter in all respects despite his inexperience, but I didn't know about the other men. At least Gerard was one. He and Merius would watch each others' backs; they had since they were boys, practicing with sticks. I pushed away my plate, not wanting any more food but still feeling a gnawing emptiness in my gut.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  After dinner, I ordered the coach readied for our trip to Calcors. I was sick of the sight of my saddle, and if we did find the girl, I certainly didn't want her riding pillion with me. I chose Selwyn and Ebner the horse master to help me search. Selwyn was thorough at least and would follow my orders to the letter. Ebner was our most trustworthy servant and had a great deal of common sense. With the three of us searching the inns around the square, I doubted it would take us long to find her. Bothersome little witch.

  We rode in silence for some time in the coach until Selwyn cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir?"

  "Yes?"

  "Why are we searching tonight? Whitten and I thought it would be easier to spot her in the daytime."

  "That's where you're wrong. She's likely staying in a inn, right?"

  "I suppose."

  "Then if she's there at all, she'd be there at night, wouldn't she?"

  "Well, yes."

  "And there are only so many inns in Calcors, just a handful around the square itself. All we have to do is ask the innkeepers if she's at their inn. A young noblewoman with hair that color all alone--she's not likely to blend in with the other guests, now is she?"

  "Not her, no sir." Several moments passed before he again interrupted the silence. "But sir, what if she's not in Calcors?"

  I shrugged. "We should at least have a look--it's the most likely place she'd be."

  "Oh."

  We left the coach at one of the stables near the square. I tossed a silver to the boy on duty as we walked out to the street. "We'll only be a few hours, if that," I told him.

  "That's fine, sir. There'll be someone here, whenever you're ready."

  When we reached the well in the middle of the square, I stopped. I took a long drink of water from the common bucket--it was brackish. They never should have dug a well this near to the sea.

  "Now," I said, spitting out the last of the water. "We'll split up. Selwyn, take that far side of the square, the one closest to the town wall. Ebner, you take the foreigners' market and Aislers Corner. I'll search the area closest to the docks where all the alley inns are. When we're finished, we'll meet back here."

  They both nodded, and we went off in our separate directions. The so-called alley inns had their main entrances on side streets rather than on the square itself, so my search took me through several patches where there were no lanterns. I found myself stepping in all manners of refuse, bumping into shadowy figures on missions of their own, and in general swearing under my breath. My boot heel caught between two cobbles at one point, and I had a devil of a time getting it loose. I should have sent Selwyn this way.

  The first inn I stopped at was the Red Door, a fairly respectable establishment with good dark ale. I remembered it from years ago--drinking a mug of that ale was as filling as a meal almost, it was so rich. While I waited for the inn-keeper, I ordered a tankard of the stuff and drained it before the barmaid's wide-eyed gaze. It washed away the brackish taste from the well water and left my legs with a wonderfully solid heaviness. For once, something good had stayed the same. When the inn-keeper came out, wiping his plump hands on a towel, I set down the tankard and paid the maid. The keeper's pale moon face looked familiar, and I realized he was the son of the man who used to run this inn when I frequented it.

  "Good ale," I told him. "It's the same brew your father used to make."

  "Yes, sir--we've kept the same casks and everything. Now, Sally said you were looking for someone?"

  "Yes. A small, red-headed girl, about eighteen." I cut a swath with my hand through the smoky air to show him how tall she was. "Rather pretty. A noblewoman, all alone. Have you seen her?"

  He thought for a moment. "Bright copper hair, all in ringlets halfway down her back?"

  "Yes."

  "She's not staying here, but she was in our common room last night. Sally pointed her out to me--some sailors were giving her a time of it, and I made them leave. We don't put up with such here."

  "You said she's not staying here--do you know what time she might have left last night?"

  "Around seven. She wa
s a nice girl, thanked me for getting rid of the sailors. She drew a right fine picture of my nephew--he's the one over there." He pointed at a tall, bony youth of about sixteen summers who was filling pitchers from a barrel and handing them to the barmaid. "Never seen a woman draw like that. She would have stayed, I think, but we were full last night. You say she's noble?"

  I nodded but didn't volunteer any more information. He had told me enough. I thanked him for the ale again and headed out the door. I went through four other inns and boarding houses over the course of the next hour, following what I thought Safire‘s probable path would have been. No one had seen anymore of her since the Red Door, and I was about to give up on this side of the square before I noticed yet another swinging sign and lantern down an unfamiliar alley.

  This inn was smaller and darker than the Red Door, the sort of place that looked like it might be concealing a few rats in the shadowy corners. A sallow girl of fifteen or so with grubby hands answered my knock. "Full up," she said before I even had the chance to say anything. "Sir," she added sullenly, eyeing my cloak with its silver fastenings.

  "I'm not interested in a room."

  "What d’you want then?"

  "I'm looking for a girl a few years older than you. Small, redheaded . . ."

  "What's it worth, if she's here?"

  "I'm the head minister of this province. If you don't answer my questions and do it in a polite manner, I can have you arrested. So I think it's worth quite a bit more to you than me, my dear."

  She drew up, her eyes narrowing as if she was considering slamming the door in my face. Then her gaze moved over the silver fastenings of my cloak again, and she paused. "Well," she said finally. "Putting it that way . . . like to come in, sir?"

  "Not unless the girl's here."

  "She's not now. Ten minutes ago she was."

  "Damn it," I said softly. "Do you know where she went?"

  "Left with a man." She hesitated then, as if she'd said too much.

  "A man? Can you describe him?" Despite my earlier comment, I held up a copper. Shiny coin never hurt when one was dealing with rat mongers.

  A sailor pushed past her then, staggering over the threshold and into the street. "Have a good night, my sweet-sweet," he cackled as he stumbled into the gutter.

  The girl, thinking I had been distracted by the drunkard, tried to snatch the coin, but I held it away from her. "No, my dear. The description first. I might turn it silver, if you make your description especially detailed. A name, perhaps?"

  She bit her lip, her voice so low when she finally spoke that I had to strain to hear her. "Peregrine--that's what the men call him."

  "What men?"

  Her eyes darted towards the dim interior and then back to me. "Can't say--they meet here sometimes. Well, this Peregrine came here looking for them, but they wasn't here, you see. Came in anyway to talk to my father. That's when he seen that girl. She didn't seem none too pleased to see him, but that didn't bother him none. Grabbed her arm, then, he did, and took her. Had a fine sword and dagger strapped to his belt. I think I seen the dagger blade. I told Father, but we're real busy, and he didn't . . ."

  "I understand." Her father was likely one of Peregrine's underworld comrades and wouldn't care if the man hauled twenty girls at knife point out of his common room. "Thank you. You've been most helpful." I handed her the promised silver.

  She grabbed the coin and hid it in her apron pocket. "My father . . . he's not in trouble, is he?"

  "Is there a reason he should be?"

  "No, course not."

  "That's what I thought. Good evening." I turned then and swiftly left the alley, going towards the left when I reached the square. This way would lead me down to the docks. I debated briefly finding Selwyn and Ebner to go with me, but by then, the trail would likely be a half-hour colder.

  The main thoroughfare down to the docks was better lit than the alleys and more heavily traveled. I pulled my cloak hood over my head--no sense in being seen and recognized when I didn't have to be. I paused at the street that led to the Bara house. Would Peregrine have taken her there, with his mother and sisters and all the servants in attendance? His warehouse on the wharf seemed a far likelier possibility--it was abandoned this time of night except for a couple of watchmen who were their master's toadies and wouldn't dare question him. Of course, I was thinking of what a cunning man would do in his situation, not necessarily what he would do. He was an arrogant blackguard, and he wanted that girl for more than a tumble. He had staked ten thousand silvers on her, offered her marriage more than once.

  Peregrine had acted disappointed when that ten thousand silvers had been paid off in accordance with my orders to settle Avernal's estate and debts. He had asked after Safire several times during the exchange and offered a generous amount to pay her apothecary. Most peculiar. I wagered he would take her to his house, claiming to his mother and anyone else who might ask that he had found her wandering dazed and lost in the square.

  On this hunch, I turned down Bara's street. It took me into the merchant's realm, away from the shoddy dives and cheap boarding houses that marked the beginning of the docks. The smell improved considerably, and all the houses and shops were built of fine stone, not half-rotted wood. More lanterns hung beside the doorways here as well, casting far reaching pools of light. I hurried along, seeing only a few other fellow travelers. Most of the people who lived here would be safe in their beds, bolted in against the night. I wouldn't mind being in my bed right now. My muscles still ached from the day's ride, and this little jaunt was not improving matters. I could throttle that witch the instant I found her. I had half a mind to leave her to her fate. The only thing that stopped me was the thought of Merius coming back and turning knight errant when he learned that Peregrine had her. I had gotten him too far to lose him in a duel over a silly girl.

  Little broke the night silence here save an occasional distant yell from the city watchmen and the cathedral bell tolling the quarter hours. So when I heard raised voices, I slowed and began looking around more closely. An open window, perhaps? No, the sound seemed to be coming from outside on the ground level, though it was hard to tell from where for certain because there was an echo. I glanced down several of the small paved streets and alleys shooting off the street before I found them.

  Peregrine had Safire cornered in an alley. She evidently had attempted to escape, and now he was trying to coax her back. I considered intervening immediately, but it was never wise to act too quickly when swords might get involved. Besides, I wanted to see what he would do. "Now, sweet," he was saying as I silently stopped behind him in the shadows. "Don't you think you're being a bit foolish?"

  "No." Her voice trembled like she'd been crying.

  "Safire," he said softly. "Safire, listen to me. There's a good meal, a bath, a warm bed if you come with me. You don't want to stay out on the streets, do you? I don't like to think of you out here all alone. You're lucky I found you when I did. There are nasty sorts out at night, and . . ."

  "Nasty sorts? What, like you?"

  "You don't want me to come in there after you, do you, sweet?"

  She moved forward and bent down, her red hair catching the light shining from a nearby lantern. When she straightened, she held a large rock, so large that her fingers strained to grip it. Her eyes gleamed like a wild animal's.

  He chuckled. "You can barely lift that, you little fool. What makes you think you can throw it?"

  "I can throw it. Maybe not as well as you, but I can throw it so it'll hurt."

  "You can't hurt me with that."

  "Come closer, and I reckon we'll find out who's right."

  "Stop this foolishness, Safire. I mean it." I noticed his hand flit over his dagger hilt.

  I stepped out of the shadows. "I see you've found our runaway, Peregrine."

  There was a gasp from the alley as Safire struggled to keep hold of her weapon. Peregrine maintained his customary cool, though he had the set poise of a swordsman on
the verge of an unexpected duel as he half turned towards me. For an instant, it seemed that the barely registered thought flickered across his mind to pull his blade and challenge me, though an instant later, it was as gone as if the urge had never existed. He was not a stupid man, but my interruption had obviously more than irritated him.

  "Good evening, Mordric," he said through his teeth.

  "Good evening." I kept my hand surreptitiously near the hilt of my sword. "Where did you find her?"

  "In a dive. She would have been robbed or worse if I hadn't taken her." He wiped the cuff of his sleeve over his mouth, staring at Safire. "I was going to summon you in the morning to fetch her, but for tonight I thought she could stay in one of our spare chambers."

  "Thank you, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience. She's not been right since her father's illness," I said.

  Peregrine eyed me closely, no doubt wondering how much I had heard of his and Safire's exchange. "It's no bother, sir. There was a time I was quite taken with her--it's a shame to see her like this."

  Safire's eyes flared, and she seemed to be struggling to hold her tongue. I motioned to her. "Put down the rock and come here."

  She shot Peregrine a look before she cast the stone aside and dusted her hands on her skirt. As soon as she was close enough, I gripped her arm and steered her behind me, away from Bara. He noticed this, his gaze sharp as he looked me up and down one more time. I kept my expression bland.

  "I trust you'll have a good night, Peregrine. Again, thank you. I'd best be getting her back to the Hall."

  "Yes, I suppose. It does seem a shame . . ." he trailed off.