In her heart, relief fought with annoyance, but she tried to show neither. ‘How did it happen? They left no weapon behind in his cell, did they?’
‘Oh no, we cleaned the whole place out. No, he ran himself head first into the wall,’ the sailor said, and his voice shook. ‘He nearly cracked open his skull.’
Maud heard Jurgis gasp, and she agreed; it was a brutal way to commit suicide. ‘Show me,’ she said, and hurried after the guard to the cells.
The naked prisoner lay on the ground, amid the dust and the yellowed bones of earlier occupants. His eyes were closed, his face covered in blood from a gaping wound in his head, and he breathed raggedly, dribbling pink foam from the corners of his mouth.
Maud kneeled beside him. ‘Can you speak?’
‘Kill me.’
She had to put her ear almost on top of his mouth to hear him. She clenched her teeth. ‘I will, after you’ve told me a few things.’
‘No.’
‘Look,’ Maud said, and she hardened her voice. ‘You can tell me voluntarily, or things will get nasty. Your choice.’
The man’s voice was a dying echo. ‘Do your worst; Aera’s beckoning me.’
‘I’ll make her wait,’ Maud said. ‘Our warlock can keep you alive for as long as necessary.’
Horror flitted over the bloody face. ‘Goddess aid me, no!’
Maud steeled herself to go on, feeling nauseous at this interrogation. ‘Where are you from?’
The man clamped his mouth shut.
‘Unwaar,’ Jurgis said, standing where the wounded officer couldn’t see him. It was a gamble, but it worked, for the man’s eyes flew open.
‘Unwaar; that land of honorless brigands.’ Maud’s voice dripped with contempt. ‘Brigands like you.’
‘Not ... true. We are soldiers! We serve the singers!’ The officer paused for a moment, gathering strength. ‘Just wait till the ship comes. She’ll blow you apart!’
‘You mean the Magonaut? We already captured her. Her sailors begged for mercy before we killed them, just as that fool mage did. Useless little bugger betrayed you all.’
‘Singer Saul? You lie!’ The man’s voice was louder now. ‘He wouldn’t, he ....’ A terrible spasm tore through his body. His eyes rolled wildly and then turned up as his body went limp.
Maud stared at the prisoner. ‘Damn, he’s dead.’
‘He didn’t say much, but more than he planned,’ Jurgis said. ‘Saul. That’s the little shit with his forbidden magic. It’s not an Unwaari name.’
‘No?’
‘The name sounds Vanhaari, so it stands to reason he is one.’
Maud rose and dusted her hands on her thighs. ‘Let’s get back into the sun,’ she said, feeling shaken. ‘I didn’t like pressing that guy.’
On the upper terrace, several guards were watching the Magonaut, and the Daisee alongside of her.
‘The tide is at its highest, Lioness,’ a Daisee sailor said. ‘If she can manage it by herself, it should be now.’
‘What are they doing?’
‘They’re transferring their shot to the Daisee, making the big ship lighter.’
It was a strange sight, the Magonaut, with all sails set, motionless in the water. There was a crowd of people collecting on her quarterdeck.
‘What are they doing now? Dancing?’ Jurgis watched the ship in amazement.
‘Jumping, sir. I think they are trying to break the grip of the sand on the ship’s keel,’ the sailor said.
The Magonaut shivered once, twice, and then slid backward off the sandbank. Immediately, little figures raced the masts to take in the sails. The men and women on the terraces cheered and clapped their hands in admiration as the big vessel turned and slipped into the Daisee’s berth at the jetty. Flags flew up the ship’s main mast.
‘To Daisee, take station astern of us,’ the sailor translated. ‘To Commander, Blue entering service.’
‘Blue?’ Maud said.
‘Begging your pardon, Lioness, yes. The Magonaut doesn’t have her number yet, so the signaler can’t name her.’
Maud smiled at the Jentakan. ‘Ah, the mysteries of the merchant marine.’
That evening after a hurried meal, Maud and Jurgis, Yarwan and Basil gathered in the commandant’s office in the fort. Like most rooms, the place was furnished, as if the enemy had planned a long stay in these waters.
‘Well,’ Maud said, planting her elbows on the tabletop. ‘We have a second ship and we have the fort. There are losses, too. Of my one hundred and sixty people, eleven died, including Kaltir.’
Yarwan looked up, his face unreadable. ‘Kaltir is dead?’
‘He must have had an accident. We found his body on the rocks at the foot of the fort.’
‘One of the men heard him cursing your name when the Magonaut surrendered. He sounded desperate.’ Jurgis gave the captain a flat stare. ‘Don’t grieve for hi; all the time he had been praying for your death.’
‘I grieve for the boy I knew,’ Yarwan said in a soft voice. ‘Him and Wantir both. We were such good friends then.’ He straightened. ‘Whatever happened to him, we’ll take Kaltir home as one of the brave. That’s the least we can do for his family.’
‘How is the ship’s readiness?’ Maud said.
‘The Magonaut has a stout hull. I’ll have the shipyard check her over, but I don’t expect any great problems. Her engine was cold; they were probably testing the repairs to the masts. I’m no engineer, so I’ll sail the girl home.’ Yarwan slapped the table. ‘I have the Magonaut’s order book; that fool captain forgot to destroy it when he ran aground. Perhaps it will tell us why they were attacking our villages.’ He skimmed the last pages and then he swallowed. ‘Ah, yes.’
‘What is it, love?’ Basil said.
For some reason, Yarwan’s face grew red. ‘You know the masks of Aera? The ones that started the Unwaari war?’
Basil frowned. ‘Of course.’
‘The Magonaut was seeking them. Apparently, they had heard a Chorwaynie vessel found the masks.’
‘Is that so?’ Maud looked thoughtful. ‘I wouldn’t want to be in that captain’s boots. They’re a mighty dangerous booty.’
Yarwan leafed through the order book and only nodded.
‘So that’s why that pesky little nameless mage was on board,’ Basil said. ‘They needed someone to recognize those idiot masks.’
‘Pesky perhaps, but not nameless,’ Jurgis said. ‘We gathered that much from the fort’s commanding officer. He is called Saul.’
‘A Vanhaari singer?’ Basil leaned forward and studied his brother. ‘Would that sorcerer guy be another second son? The bastard’s sold out then.’
Jurgis shrugged. ‘Has he? Look at me; they gave me away like a ... a puppy. Not even to a Vanhaari family, but to a Garthan, in lousy old Brisa. If it weren’t for you, brother, what loyalty would I have to my father’s side? I, who will be made a lackwit if the Council finds out I exist?’
Basil leaned back in his chair. ‘I see. Yes, I hadn’t looked at it that way. Not a traitor then, this Saul; but you won’t deny he is an enemy.’
‘Of course he is. Our enemy. Right now, there isn’t anyone but us I’m feeling loyal to.’
Basil looked troubled at this, but he gripped Jurgis’ arm. ‘I understand.’
‘Tomorrow morning we’ll sail for Maiwar.’ Yarwan put the order book away. ‘No need to keep the people away from their work longer than necessary.’
Maud nodded. ‘I agree.’
Just after sunup they left the bay. Maud had found five volunteers to stay behind as temporary garrison and now she stood on the Magonaut’s quarterdeck, so much larger than the Daisee’s. Unobtrusively, she studied Yarwan’s face, but if he had any trepidation about commanding the unfamiliar steam sloop, he didn’t show it, and his orders were as sure as ever. Still, with insufficient hands and those unfamiliar with large vessels, it all went slower and with more confusion than she’d become accustomed to. It was in the early afternoon the
y entered Maiwar Bay, all of five miles up the coast.
‘The netting is gone,’ Yarwan said, looking puzzled. ‘When I left the last time, they closed it after me.’
‘There are strange ships inside,’ Maud said, staring at the village. ‘Will you run out the guns?’
Yarwan made a strange sound in his throat. ‘I will,’ he said, with an unholy smile of joy on his face. ‘I’ll run them all out. Then I’ll fire a salute. That’s the Mermion, Wallanck’s old tub, and the smaller ship is the Willowdrake.’
He shouted a command, and minutes later, the loud voice of a 32-pounder charge sounded over the water. Yarwan nodded with satisfaction as he saw little figures running around the Overcaptain’s ship to answer his salute. He looked at Maud with a straight face, but his eyes were filled with glee. ‘I caught him with his pants down.’ Then he turned to the helmsman. ‘Berth at the top of the jetty.’
A short while later, they went down the boardwalk toward the central hall. On the verandah the headwoman waited, with both counselors, and, standing to one side, Overcaptain Wallanck and Naching.
Yarwan bowed his head to Ayancham. ‘I come to report our success, Grandmother.’
‘Is that her?’ the old headwoman said, waving at the moored ship. ‘For a moment I thought... Is the danger gone?’
‘It is, Grandmother. We have captured both the ship and Fort Jamril. We lost eleven kin in the battle, but their offer was not in vain.’
‘Eleven ....’ There was a tremor in the old face. ‘They are in Kallianura’s hand now. We shall sing their offer; they won’t be forgotten. Thank you, grandson, and all of you who aided him. Maiwar is more than grateful.’ She turned. ‘Let us go inside.’
‘So you got the headwoman’s message after all, sir?’ Maud said, turning to Wallanck.
The Overcaptain nodded. ‘Her messenger’s boat lost its mast in a squall. The man arrived in Harbor, surviving on his guts alone, having rowed all the way.’ The look he gave her was incredulous. ‘You took that 16 gun 32-pounder steam sloop and the fort with only untrained inlanders and that piddling little cutter?’
‘Why not?’ Jurgis said. ‘That’s what we set out for.’
Maud gave him an angry shove. ‘Let me do the reporting! Capturing the fort wasn’t overly difficult, sir. There weren’t more than fifty Unwaari soldiers and they didn’t expect us.’
‘Unwaari?’ Wallanck gave her a hard stare. ‘Are you sure they weren’t local pirates?’
‘The enemy commander admitted as much before he died.’
‘That’s troubling. Look, I can’t order you, Lioness, but I would appreciate a full report in writing, both of your expedition and the Daisee’s operations.’
Maud nodded. ‘Of course, sir.’
Wallanck turned to Yarwan. ‘You, sir, ramming your salutes down my First Officer’s gullet. I’ll have his hide for being late in answering. You know you’re not qualified to command a steam sloop?’
Yarwan froze. ‘I know, sir,’ he said stiffly. ‘I must work hard to get my captain’s license.’
The Overcaptain studied his face for a moment and then he grinned. ‘You must indeed. I’ll have temporary papers made out for you. They’re valid for one year. After that, you’ll have to pass the next examination.’
Maud saw the surprise in Yarwan’s face, as if he’d expected the Overcaptain to object to his new command.
‘Thank you, sir,’ he said, with a slight bow. ‘I will not disappoint you.’
Wallanck gave him a quizzical glance. ‘I suppose you won’t.’ He cleared his throat. ‘You can repay my helpfulness. You will need new officers. Two mates and a midshipman at least. Old Hamui can skipper the Daisee for you: a cutter isn’t really an officer’s command. You must have an engineer and a qualified technician to assist him. I will arrange for these people. That will rid me of some outstanding favors and make a few important people well-disposed towards you.’
Yarwan’s face had grown longer and longer, and Wallanck laughed.
‘Don’t worry, boy; I’ll not saddle you with some boring old leftovers. My daughter would skin me if I tried a trick like that.’
Yarwan relaxed. ‘In that case I thank you, sir.’
‘That’s well then. They will await your return with pounding hearts. So don’t tarry any longer that you have to.’
‘I must engage the hands I came for,’ Yarwan said. ‘Then there are the funerals for the fallen and the victory celebrations. I can’t miss these. I’ll be back in Towne by the end of the week, sir.’
‘Right.’ Wallanck turned to the door. ‘My daughter is full of plans for her shiny new merchant empire and it’s thanks to Basil that she’s not up and running already. He rules her with an iron hand, that one.’
‘My Basil, sir?’ Yarwan said.
The Overcaptain grew red-faced. ‘Your ....’ He breathed in loudly. ‘Yes. It seems your sort have their uses.’ Then he roared with laughter and slapped Yarwan on the shoulder. ‘The look on your face!’
Yarwan managed a smile, and saluted as the Overcaptain stepped inside the central hall, still chuckling at his own humor.
Maud slapped Yarwan’s shoulder. ‘Let’s go in; you are the Hero of Maiwar and they want to see you.’
Yarwan gave her a hard look. ‘And you.’
Maud shook her head. ‘I did what I am trained for. Your action against a ship many times bigger than your cutter was something else entirely. Yours is the honor today.’
CHAPTER 17 - THE TOWER AWARE
For three long days, the Magonaut had battled storm and heavy rain, riding the waves in a sickening motion. Now the skies were blue and the deck steamed under the sun’s heat. The sea was still rough, but the wind blew solidly from the right direction.
‘We should see the Tower Aware any moment now,’ Yarwan said.
Basil studied his love. The tilt of his fine head, the proud stance of his legs, the square shoulders with the one gold epaulet reflecting the sun ... He took a deep breath. Yarwan had been a rock during the storm. Kept his head cool, and the ship afloat. They weren’t even much off course.
‘Land ho!’ the lookout in the topmast cried. ‘Seven point six. Land is a tower?’
‘That’s right,’ Basil said, tearing his eyes away from the captain. ‘A tower on a rock, that’s all.’
Yarwan stared in the direction the lookout had called, but the tower wasn’t visible from the deck yet. ‘How about anchoring?’
The Spellwarden raised his hands. ‘I’ve never been there before.’
‘Then I must know how deep the water is. Mister Jorlok,’ Yarwan called to the new second mate down on the main deck. ‘Put a leadsman in the bow.’
His precaution proved unnecessary; the tower boasted a stone quay, with room enough for the Magonaut and another vessel.
‘Whose ship is that?’ Jurgis asked.
Basil shrugged. ‘I don’t know. There are several warlocks with their own transport. Mostly councilors,’ he added. ‘Don’t worry, brother; you’ll be safe. With your cute new haircut you look so unlike me.’
Jurgis huffed. ‘The first one who tries anything gets a spear between the ribs.’
‘Won’t work,’ Basil said. ‘Not against a member of the Council. Leave it all to me. I’ll protect you.’
His brother wanted to say something cutting, but then the gleaming tower entrance caught his attention and he took a hissing breath. ‘A golden door?’
‘They built this tower for the ages,’ Basil said. ‘Gold is cheaper in the long run. It doesn’t rust and is not affected by salt spray.’ For him the important thing wasn’t the gold, but the horned figural that seemed to grow from it. Its jeweled eyes looked them over, and Basil knew that they had all been inspected. He put his hand on the figural and sent a trickle of his magic into it. With a soft whoosh, the door swung open and showed them a well-lit hall. It didn’t have the luxury of his home, yet the solid respectability of its tiled floors, the carpeted walls and solid furniture pleased him
. Nothing here betrayed they were in a stone tower surrounded by sea and many miles from land.
‘Welcome,’ a small figure said, stepping from the shadows.
‘You’re the head on the door,’ Jurgis blurted.
Basil suppressed a groan. O gods. Act your age, brother.
The little creature smiled. ‘It looks alike, doesn’t it? Welcome; I am Gutriz, the Towerkeep. Might I know your names?’
Basil stared, noting the other’s slim, purple-robed body, the spiky hair, large violet eyes, and the two sharp horns sprouting from his forehead. He had read about beings like this, but while he had an infallible memory for spells, with people it was less so and he couldn’t remember.
‘I am the Spellwarden,’ he said with a slight bow. ‘The others are my guests.’
Gutriz clapped his hands in an unexpected show of pleasure. ‘Spellwarden! I’m so pleased to finally serve you. Can I help you with anything? You need the lab? The testing room? The dungeons perhaps? Or the torture room? It has stood unused for almost a century.’
Basil couldn’t suppress a smile. The Towerkeep sounded like Jurgis in his enthusiasm, though he must be centuries old at least. ‘No thanks. We come for the library.’
The little being’s face fell. ‘Always those stuffy books,’ he muttered. Then his face brightened. ‘The map room! With all the maps of the world.’
‘The whole world?’ Yarwan said with surprise.
‘As far as we know it,’ Gutriz admitted.
Yarwan looked disappointed. ‘Ah, well. I would like to make some copies.’
The Towerkeep rebounded. ‘Follow me, good people. I’ll show you the library and the map room.’ He bent over confidentially. ‘One of the councilors is here, Spellwarden. Master Volaut seemed in a bad mood when he arrived.’
Basil felt his heart jump. ‘That fool Volaut is here? What’s he searching for?’
‘I do not know, Spellwarden.’ Gutriz looked genuinely sorry as he said that. ‘He’s in the continental section.’
‘Damn, that’s where we must be.’ Blast that guy. Well, I’ll show him he doesn’t scare me. ‘Come on, let’s beard the coyote.’
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