It was not long after the Elf Queen had wiped out the western elves, approximately a year before the attack on Umrig’s Pass led to the declaration of war between the elves and the human-dwarf alliance.
The Captain had arrived with her ship and had brought refugees to Sorlin, as she had many times before.
But this was the first time she was carrying one of the refugees in her arms.
Danthres had been walking with Elsthar Javian and his mother Sharrastha, who had been Danthres’s mother in all but blood as well. They were debating over what to have for dinner that night when Tharri saw the Rising Jewel.
Sharrastha had gone to alert the council that the Pirate Queen had arrived, while Danthres had gone with Tharri to meet the dinghy from the Rising Jewel at the port.
The Captain had been younger then, her large dark eyes and lustrous black hair even more striking. Her sailing master was piloting the boat, and there were several people who obviously were halfbreeds.
The boy in the Captain’s arms was the only infant.
After they secured the dinghy, Sharrastha returned with several other people from Sorlin to help guide the refugees in.
Tharri and Danthres went to the Captain. “It’s been quite a while. We were wondering if you’d ever see you again.”
The Captain smiled brightly. Later in life, many of the stories Danthres would hear about the Pirate Queen were that she never smiled, and perhaps she didn’t when she was on the open seas, but in Sorlin she was always relaxed.
“We’ve been busy—we spent the better part of the last ten months in hiding from the Elf Queen’s navy. She got it in her head that we were aiding the western elves.”
“Were you?” Danthres asked.
The smile broadened. “Of course we were, Thressa.” Then the smile fell. “For all the good it did. We were forced into hiding and only just now came out. But our first trip was to elf country, and as you can see, our labors were fruitful. Most of these people were condemned to death.” She held out the boy. “And then there’s little Rodolfo here. The purity squads haven’t gotten to him yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”
Tharri took the infant in his arms, for which Danthres was grateful, as she hated dealing with infants.
For her part, she looked into the dinghy. “Didn’t Kerestha come with you?” The elf had been the sailing master on the Rising Jewel’s sister ship, the Heart of Silver, but he often came with her to visit Sorlin. Besides which, Danthres was fairly certain that the Captain and Kerestha were having a secret relationship, and she’d been looking forward to teasing both of them about it.
But then she saw the sad look on the Captain’s face, and realized she should perhaps have not brought it up.
“I’m afraid Kerestha was a victim of the Elf Queen’s attempt at vengeance against us. We lost him along with Hiram, Marta, and Gibranig at Thanthrak’s Peak.”
“I’m sorry,” Tharri said. “Come, let’s get Rodolfo settled with the others.”
The Captain’s smile returned. “I doubt he’ll comprehend the usual arrival talk about not being disruptive, though you’re welcome to try.”
Tharri chuckled. “At the very least, I should wait for him to wake up.”
~*~
By the time Danthres finished telling Torin the story, they had reached the castle. The story itself had been interrupted numerous times by having to wade through the crowds on Meerka Way through Goblin and Dragon Precincts, especially at the intersection with Boulder Pass. Danthres had commented at one point that they were going to need to make New Barlin bigger.
As they entered the squadroom—empty save for Sergeant Jonas, as the other four detectives were still out on their cases—Danthres finished her story. “Sorlin didn’t really have set family units. Everyone took care of everyone else. I lived with Javian’s parents, but pretty much all the adults took care of all the children. But we never had that many infants—most of the children of Sorlin were refugees, but they usually came older.”
“Didn’t any of the people there have children of their own?”
Danthres shrugged out of her cloak and hung it on the pegboard. “It went in waves. We’d have no pregnancies for years, and then several at once. Rodolfo arrived during one of the fallow periods, so everyone wanted their turn taking care of him.” She smiled wryly. “It was kind of disgusting and rather adorable at the same time.”
As he sat at his desk, Torin regarded her with what Danthres knew to be a quizzical expression. “I believe that’s the first time I’ve heard you use the word adorable in a sentence without sneering.”
“To be fair, Rodolfo was a very sweet baby.”
“When did you learn of his parentage?”
Danthres smirked. “Did you get a good look at him? He has the same eyes and jawline as the Captain. It was obvious.”
“Perhaps when the Pirate Queen was alive.”
Conceding the point, Danthres said, “Well, it was obvious to me, at least. Tharri and Lil never saw it, but I was always the more observant.”
“A quality one hopes for in a detective,” Torin said wryly.
“Plus, her story about being in hiding for ten months never made much sense. She was always on the bad side of governments and leaders and tyrants, so going away for so long was wildly out of character.”
“Unless she was hiding a pregnancy,” Torin said, pointing a finger.
“Exactly. A pirate fleet is no place for an infant, plus I’m certain that Kerestha was the father—Rodolfo has his ears and cheekbones. Rodolfo was probably a regular reminder of the lover she’d lost.”
“But the question is, did he eventually learn the truth?”
“While I was at Sorlin? No. But I left almost two decades ago, and he’s spent the last few years serving with the Captain.”
“Which is a concern.” Torin rubbed his chin, and Danthres had to look away.
When Danthres and Torin had first met, the latter was in the process of growing his thick beard. She had been trying to remember those days, when his cheeks looked like a ravaged forest, by way of dealing with the thin goatee that was all that covered his chin now, but it was a difficult task.
Torin continued. “I’m assuming that, since you didn’t inform me of Rodolfo’s parentage until we disembarked, that he gave no indication of being aware of the true identify of his mother?”
“No. He did mention an incident when the Captain, while very drunk, revealed her real name.”
Eyes widening, Torin said, “Impressive. There are bards all over Flingaria who would pay their weight in gold pieces for that particular bit of information.”
Danthres scowled. “All the more reason to keep it to myself, then.”
Chuckling, Torin said, “Fair enough. However, the question remains, did he know? If he did, did he resent being abandoned by his mother like that?”
“His tone seemed affectionate,” Danthres said, “but you’re right. His entire situation screams motivation to kill someone. We need to look into that, and question him here, away from the rest of the crew.”
“Agreed. We should send for him—”
“Tomorrow,” said a voice from behind Danthres.
She turned to see Captain Dru exiting his office. Staring at his cheeks, which were covered with bits of blond hair, she asked, “Did you neglect to shave this morning?”
Dru grinned. “Nah, I figured I’d try a beard. I figure somebody oughtta have one, since Torin ain’t got one no more.”
“I seem to recall,” Torin said, “that your wife objected to beards.”
“She objected to me havin’ a beard. But that was before she saw Torin lookin’ like that last week.”
Danthres laughed, while Torin frowned. Dru’s wife Zan had made a rare visit to the squadroom to surprise the captain on his birthday a week earlier to escort him to an eatery for a special night. It was Zan’s first time seeing Torin since he’d shaved, and Zan hadn’t actually recognized him at first, which got a laugh out of
everyone.
“So after thinkin’ about it for a week,” Dru said, “Zan told me this mornin’ that she’s fine with me growin’ one.”
“As long as your marriage will survive,” Torin said.
“Anyhow, shift’s almost over, so you two’re goin’ home. Ain’t nothin’ in the budget for overtime, so talk to whoever you gotta talk to inna mornin’.”
“There’s still almost half an hour left in the shift,” Danthres said defensively.
“And you’re spendin’ that time fillin’ me in.”
Danthres sighed. Torin provided the details of the case thus far.
In the midst of this, Dru had gone into the pantry to get a mug of tea, and was now leaning on Dannee’s desk—which used to be his when he was a lieutenant—and said, “I ain’t even sure we should be takin’ this case. This ain’t our jurisdiction, an’ I’m pretty sure the Pirate Queen’s an enemy of the Lord an’ Lady.”
“Perhaps,” Danthres said, “but they did ask for our help. And someone who would murder so prominent a personage should not be allowed to run around free.”
“Yeah.” Dru sighed. “Fine, but I don’t like it. Try to keep a low profile, at least?”
“Unlikely,” Torin said, “with half the dockrats in Mermaid Precinct trying to get a look at the Rising Jewel.”
“Okay, that explains why I got a message from Mannit wantin’ more people.” Dru sighed. “Hadn’t gotten to it yet ’cause’a the damn paperwork. Wish I’d realized how much there was, I wouldn’t’a taken the promotion.”
“Look, Dru,” Danthres said, “I really don’t want to wait until morning. They’re all trapped on a boat with a murderer. It’s going to be hell for them.”
“So what? They’re pirates, Danthres, an’ I ain’t gonna try to convince Sir Rommett t’authorize overtime to make them comfy. It can wait until mornin’.”
Danthres blew out a long breath. “I still think—”
She was interrupted by the time chimes ringing the top of the hour and also the end of the shift. “Think tomorrow,” Dru said. “For now, go home, or do whatever you want until then.”
Dru went back into his office. Danthres stared dolefully at her partner. “Thank you ever so much for your support.”
Torin shook his head. “You have my support when I agree with what you’re saying or when I don’t care about you’re saying. You don’t have it when I disagree. I’m with Dru, I see no reason to work extra hours to accommodate the comfort of pirates, all of whom are also suspects. And normally, neither would you.”
Danthres opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again. She snarled. “Dammit.”
“You know I’m right,” Torin said.
She smiled. “That’s why I said, ‘Dammit.’ I should know better than to let my emotions get in the way of the case.”
“We could hand it off to someone else who has less personal connection.”
Danthres shook her head. “No. I doubt Dru would go for it, and neither would Lisson—especially not after all the trouble he had convincing Chamblin that I should investigate. Besides, my personal connection is why I want this closed, and you know we’ll do it better than the Shranlaseth or those two shitbrains.”
“Thanks a lot, Danthres,” came a familiar voice from the entryway.
Danthres turned to see the two shitbrains in question, Manfred and Kellan, entering, looking very piqued. “You two look like you’re having a rough time of it. Streak coming to an end?”
“We’re gonna close this,” Manfred said.
At the same time, Kellan said, “We’re never gonna close this.”
“See?” Torin said with a chuckle. “Partners don’t always support each other.”
Manfred pointed accusingly at Kellan. “The streak is real, dammit.”
“Streaks end,” Kellan said. “And ours is gonna die here.”
“That’s a shitty attitude, Arn.”
“It’s a realistic one.” Kellan shook his head. “Hundreds of people on the docks every day, and nobody saw anything. Pretty sure about twelve of the people we talked to did see something, but it was someone they know or someone they work with or someone they need work from or whatever.” He shrugged. “It’s the docks.”
Torin asked, “Was Boneen able to cast a peel-back?”
“We didn’t even ask,” Manfred said. “Between you guys and the thing at the Seagull, we figured we were the bottom of the priority list for him.”
“Besides, Sir Louff’s yacht is right in the middle of the docks. No way we’d be able to clear away everyone so he could cast it.”
Manfred shuddered. “’Specially the yacht itself. Sir Louff always got a full crew on board. They switch shifts, an’ I tried to get ’im to let us have the thing between shifts, but he wouldn’t do it.”
“Doesn’t he understand what the peel-back does?” Torin asked.
“Yeah, but he don’t like magick.”
Danthres blinked. “Amazing. I agree with a noble about something.” Getting up from her desk, she moved to the pegboard. “C’mon, Torin, I’ll buy you a drink at the Chain.”
“I’ll have to decline,” Torin said, a rare response to the notion of a post-shift drink at the Old Ball and Chain. “Jak and I are having dinner at the Dog and Duck.”
“Again? You two should just get a room there.”
Torin shrugged as he also rose from his chair. “Seavi, that new cook that Olaf hired, is superb.”
“He’s from Barlin, yes?”
Nodding, Torin retrieved his cloak. “And quite a find. The only reason Jak and I are able to get seated is because Olaf is still grateful to us after the Brightblade case.”
Danthres snorted. The inn had fallen on hard times a year ago, as they’d been closed for renovation over the previous winter, and wound up losing business. But when Gan Brightblade and Olthar lothSirhans—two of the greatest heroes of Flingaria—were murdered by a renegade wizard while staying at the inn, it put the Dog and Duck back on the proverbial map. Because Danthres and Torin had caught that case and eventually closed it, the proprietor, Olaf, considered the pair of them to be perpetual honored customers.
“If you want,” Torin said, “you could join us?”
At first, Danthres was going to say yes, if for no other reason than to tease the pair of them when they got affectionate with each other. Instead, she said, “No, I think I need a night of drunken debauchery with my fellow guards. It’ll distract me from the case.”
“Speaking as a fellow guard,” Kellan said, “I’m very much with you on this plan.”
Emphatically, Manfred said, “Me, too.”
“Enjoy,” Torin said. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”
ELEVEN
Torin saw Jak sitting at a rear table in the packed dining area of the Dog and Duck. He waved to Torin, which caused several locks of his dark hair to flop over his eyes. The sight of that never failed to charm the lieutenant.
As Torin sat down, Jak brushed the hair out of his eyes. “I really should cut my hair.”
“If you do, I’ll grow the beard back.” Torin grinned and then kissed Jak.
Just as they broke the kiss, Prova, one of the barmaids, came by. “Evenin’, gents. What can I get ya?”
“He’ll have a second ale,” Torin said, “and I’ll have one as well. And I believe we’ll share one of Seavi’s casseroles.”
Prova winced. “I’m sorry, gents, but we’re out of paprika, an’ Seavi won’t make the casserole without no paprika in it. He’s kinda fussy that way.”
Jak said, “I wasn’t really in the mood for a casserole in any case. What about the beef stew?”
“One for each’a ya?” she asked.
“No, we’ll share,” Jak said, “like we were gonna the casserole. Seavi makes his portions way too big.”
Snorting, Prova said, “Yeah, Olaf keeps yellin’ at ’im not t’do that, ’cause people keep doin’ what you two do an’ order one for two, but he keeps doin’ it anyho
w. Be back with your ales in a tick.”
Jak turned to face Torin. “How’d you know I’d already had an ale? There’s not even an empty mug on the table.”
“I tasted it on your lips when we kissed.”
“How’d you know I didn’t have the ale elsewhere?”
“Because Seavi also brews his own ale, and the Dog and Duck is the only place that carries it, and it has a very distinctive pumpkin flavor.”
Throwing his head back and laughing, Jak said, “Wiate’s tongue, I love it when you get all brilliant on me.” When his head came back forward, his hair flopped in his face again.
Torin shook his head. “And what, pray tell, is so special about Wiate’s tongue?” Jak always used different parts of Wiate’s body for his interjections relating to the god.
“Well, I’m told that he was quite nimble with it—able to distinguish any taste from any other taste, and just by placing something in his mouth, he could tell you everything about it.”
“No wonder he’s a god, then.” Torin chuckled and leaned toward him, brushing his hair out of his face for him. “I love it when you get all creative on me.”
They kissed again. Torin tasted a bit less of the ale this time.
“So,” Jak said after they stopped kissing, “I hear a rumor that you’re investigating the death of the Pirate Queen.”
“Word travels fast.”
“Yes, well, everyone’s been talking about the Pirate Queen all day since her boat showed up, and whatever investigation you and the half-elf are up to.”
Torin rolled his eyes. “You really can call her by her name.”
“No, I can’t!” Jak rolled his eyes right back exaggeratedly. “Every time I get it wrong, and I’m sick of it.”
“Then refer to her as my partner or as a lieutenant. Why half-elf? Or better yet, just pronounce her name properly.”
“I’ve tried.”
“Try again.”
Jak sighed. “Fine.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “Thrandes. No, Dantiss. Dammit. I’ll try again: Danthes. Argh!” He pounded a fist on the table.
Mermaid Precinct (ARC) Page 8
