by Joe Jackson
Kari shook her head; he was always so hard to argue with. “All right, well, let’s make it a challenge, then,” she said with a smirk, and he grinned back at her. “If you can get us a ship to take us to Flora or at least around to Sarchelete, you can come.”
“Four adults and two children?” he confirmed. “That should be easy.”
“This would come up when I’m pregnant,” Danilynn grumbled, and Eli patted her thigh. “Otherwise, I would go with you. Might give me the opportunity to visit home.”
“Maybe next time,” Kari said. “As it stands, you two have a home to move into and an adoption to process, no?”
All eyes turned to Eli and Danilynn. Kari hoped she hadn’t spoiled a surprise or secret. Thankfully, her friends both beamed under the attention.
“You are adopting a child from the orphanage?” Kyrie asked, her breath catching for a moment. “That is so wonderful of you.”
Kari made a conscious effort not to look, but she could see that the conversation was having some sort of effect on Seanada. She recalled Marracir’s words, and hoped that they would turn out to be true: that Seanada would be enticed to open up and relax around Kari and her family when she saw their bonds of love. Kari suspected it was possible that should the half-syrinthian spend enough time in her household, she might eventually become like family, just as Eli, Danilynn, Eryn, Damansha, and even Se’sasha and Liria had or were starting to.
“Sidney, the little half-corlyps boy you have at your old house,” Eli elaborated.
“You will no doubt set him a fine example,” Kyrie said, obviously fighting tears. It was no mystery that as the high priestess of Kaelariel, she saw all of the orphans under her care as her children to some extent.
As dinner progressed, Kari began to explain everything that had happened in Mas’tolinor that she was comfortable sharing. She talked a bit about the Wraith, and Seanada’s service to him and the Ashen Fangs. She left out the fact that they were rebels and not assassins; that was something she was going to have to give a lot of thought to before she went against the Wraith’s wishes and revealed it. She even touched briefly on Seanada’s family and background, taking visual cues from the half-syrinthian with regard to how much to say.
Sonja arrived at the end of the meal, and welcomed Kari back with a long, tight hug. She took Seanada in with a great deal of interest, but sat down without asking for an explanation. She declined the offer of food from her mother, but beamed when Kari asked where she’d been. “I was confirmed,” she answered.
“Confirmed?” Kari echoed, confused.
“As an archmage,” Sonja said, barely able to restrain her excitement. “I’ve been with the High Council while you’ve been gone, having my strengths and weaknesses tested. Karinda says I still need to work on my necromancy a bit, but she was more than impressed with my grasp of illusions and abjurations.” She looked at Aeligos expectantly. “Necromancy for fighting those who raise the dead, not joining them.”
“I figured,” he said, no change in his pleasant expression.
“Karinda Bakhor?” Kari prodded, and her sister-in-law nodded. “Gods, it’s been ages since I’ve seen her. How is she doing? She’s a member of the Council, then?”
“She’s the head of it,” Sonja confirmed. “And you’ll never guess who else is on the Council!” She paused only until she realized no one was going to play. “Triela!”
“Oh, I hope you passed along our well-wishes,” Kari said, to which Sonja nodded. “Are they going to make you a member of the Council now?”
Sonja snorted. “Good heavens, no,” she chuckled. “Eliza is one of the weaker members of the Council, and still far, far more practiced and powerful than I am. No, it’d be some time before they extended that kind of offer, but being confirmed as an archmage means they may ask me to run errands and countermeasures for them from time to time. And, you know, now you have a direct contact with the Council without having to go and bother Master Maelstrom. I already took the liberty of asking them about the summoning of those beshathan ambushers that attacked Eli, Danilynn, and the others. They’ll be looking into it soon.”
“Oh, that’s good,” Kari said. “I always feel bad sending for Eliza every time I need someone to take me to Mehr’Durillia.”
“Well, you’ll still need her for that,” Sonja returned sheepishly. “I’m confident taking us around our own world, but going to another one is something I want to put significant study into with some of the other members before I try it myself.” Kari and the others all smiled encouragingly. “So, who’s this?”
Kari introduced Seanada and gave Sonja the brief version of what the assassin would be doing. Aeligos declined to stay for an after-dinner drink, throwing on his cloak to make his way to the docks to arrange their passage to Terrassia. Kari was fairly certain that meant they would be leaving in the next couple of days. She sat and enjoyed an after-dinner spirit with her friends and family, and Seanada sampled the liquor, though her reaction was comical. In what Kari thought was an interesting gesture, she looked to Se’sasha as the priestess drank some of the smooth alcohol.
“A little different than what you are accustomed to back home, hmm?” the syrinthian priestess asked.
Seanada answered with a short nod, and finished the drink in short order, though she declined a second helping. Once everyone was done and relaxed, they moved back to the sitting area by the fire, chatting lazily while they waited for Aeligos to return. Kari took her children up to put them to bed, and by the time she came back downstairs, Aeligos was home. Kari rushed to the couch and sat down, eager to hear what he had to say.
“We have passage on a ship the morning after tomorrow. It’s headed north to one of the southern islands of Masceria, then it’s headed west to Flora. They didn’t mention Salkorum, and I wasn’t going to bring it up with them in case they don’t already know about it. So Grakin and the kids can stay in Flora, unless we do make an unscheduled stop on Salkorum.”
“Has anyone heard from Gil since I left?” Kari asked.
“Oh, we haven’t seen her, but a letter did arrive while you were gone,” Kyrie said. She went to the china cabinet and pulled a rolled, sealed letter from a tray and brought it over to Kari.
Kari broke the seal, unrolled the scroll, and began to read:
Kari,
On the trail of who I think took the records you’re looking for. Scent was definitely rir. Spent some time sniffing out as much of Gnarr as I could, but turned up nothing. Sorry, but it’s been far too long for my nose alone to solve this mystery.
I do have other methods, though. The people I work for have other means of finding out information, so I’m using my contacts to see what we can dig up. Also sorting through what the underside of Gnarr might know, and trying to get access to government records. Sorry I have nothing solid for you to go on yet, but I think that’ll change soon.
My advice is to go through Jason Bosimar’s journals again, and talk with your friends who worked for him. It’s too early to say for certain, but I think this may have been an inside job.
--Gil
Kari looked up, and everyone was watching her. She handed the letter to Danilynn but said nothing. The priestess read through it quickly before she turned a confused gaze back to Kari and handed the letter to Eli. Predictably, he had the same reaction.
“An inside job? Really?” Eli asked.
“What are you talking about?” Erik queried.
“I assigned Gil, our new werewolf ally, to look into a theft,” Kari started. “Back when Eli and Danilynn and their friends were working for the Order, someone broke into Turik Jalar’s tomb and stole his armor and greataxe. Eli and his friends recovered them, but I recently became aware of records that were entombed with Jalar that were also stolen and never recovered. So Gil and her friends have been looking into it for me. She says it’s too early to say for sure, but she thinks the whole thing may have been an inside job.”
“Meaning what?” Ty asked.
“We’ll find out when we get those records, but there’s obviously something important in them,” Kari bluffed, hoping no one would ask her what it was really all about. “But this whole mess is an embarrassment for the Order, which is why, once again, we have people outside the Order working on resolving the problem. So, Erik – please don’t mention this on campus, or to anyone, really. Same goes for the rest of you. The truth will come out in due time.”
They passed the evening hours listening to what Kari was willing to share about her experiences in Mas’tolinor. She didn’t tell them about Koursturaux nearly strangling her or how she had technically committed a capital crime. She regaled them with the tales of their hunt together, of witnessing the demon king’s power in the weaving of the hut, and some details about the ball and Koursturaux’ piano playing. It was clear that her visit to Mas’tolinor did not go as any of them expected, either.
Eventually, Kari retired to bed with Grakin. Though they couldn’t mate, they romanced as they could, and fell asleep nestled together. As nervous as Kari was about what might come in her hunt, she was looking forward to spending time with Grakin and the children where work and business wouldn’t bother them for a week and more at a time. It might be their last real opportunity to do so, and Kari was prepared to cherish every minute of it, her feelings about sea-based travel aside.
Kari spent the following day packing and preparing for the journey, and speaking with the Council about the implications of what she had learned from Koursturaux. Seanada was like Kari’s shadow, following her all about the city, much to the annoyance of the Duke, it seemed. The city watch asked that Kari keep her ‘syrinthian guests’ off the streets, and despite the fact that the Duke had authority over her as a citizen, Kari pulled rank as a demonhunter and told them, politely, to mind their own business.
She and Grakin received quite a sendoff from their family and friends. There was a grand barbeque dinner, one of the last they’d be able to have outside before it grew too cold. Kari realized that was another benefit of this trip: she was taking Grakin somewhere warm and sunny, and she would escape the winter months by traveling to the northern half of the world again. Kyrie, Danilynn, and Se’sasha blessed Kari on her hunt, and after spending another semi-passionate night with Grakin, Kari managed to sleep easily.
The following day found them boarding a large trade ship bound for the continents of Masceria and then Terrassia. Kari and Grakin were afforded a large cabin with enough space for them and the children, and Seanada was given a smaller one nearby. With the accommodations taken care of and an important task before her, Kari settled in for the trip.
Chapter IX – Fear and the Red Mask
The journey to Terrassia was quite pleasant. The southern city on Masceria, called Port Jeremiah, was a tropical resort, and Kari and Grakin got to spend most of a day on the beach with their children. Masceria was rumored to be more technologically advanced like the Strekan Province of Askies, but if that was true, Kari saw no evidence of it during their stay. She and Grakin enjoyed warm sands, warm water, and cold tropical drinks while their children played near the water’s edge. It was like their first time together on the beaches of Salkorum, and even without either saying it, Kari felt it was a fitting bookend on their life together.
The journey was faster than Kari remembered, favorable winds carrying their ship along a northern trade route. They didn’t stop at Salkorum like Kari had hoped, which left her to wonder: did the crew know Kari was a demonhunter, and suspect she might report the existence of the seterra-rir to her superiors? Or did they not even know of the existence of the seterra-rir and their islands at all? It seemed unlikely that veteran sailors wouldn’t know about a chain of islands and the people inhabiting them. While she was disappointed to miss out on a visit, she was also proud of the crew’s protective nature with regard to the seterra-rir.
Seanada wasn’t what Kari would consider a brooding creature, but she certainly gave everyone else aboard the ship the impression she was. That silent, impassive stare was enough to give even the most hardened sailors the shivers, and few of them dared to speak with her, much less ask her to move. She did her best to stay out from underfoot, so far as Kari could tell, only requesting that she be given an open space on the deck to practice her martial routines when it would be least inconvenient to the crew. Kari half-expected some of the brawnier sailors to ask if they could brawl with the half-syrinthian, but not one of them mustered the gumption.
Kari watched Seanada practice her routines a few times. While she wasn’t surprised that the half-syrinthian was as skilled as her sister, the similarities between their style and Kari’s own was curious. Kari was certain that Turillia and Seanada had both trained under the same master, possibly the Wraith himself. She recalled Seanada mentioning that “he” gave them purpose, and the Wraith seemed the most likely person she was talking about. It gave Kari much to consider when it came to the Wraith and her own master, Suler Tumureldi. Had they possibly had a common link as well? Or were the similar styles simply the result of two men passionate about their craft?
Aeligos brought along several Jason Bosimar’s journals, and spent much of the trip finding tucked away spots on the deck to read. He explained to Kari that his current search was for anything related to the plundering of Turik Jalar’s tomb. He found numerous references to the event, including reports of Eli and his friends’ involvement and results. Apparently, they had mentioned Emma being involved to some degree, but not directly. It seemed she helped them in some minor way, but what she sought to gain from it was a mystery. The secrecy around all of it was clearly frustrating to Aeligos, and Kari understood completely, quite miffed at it herself.
Mystery was what the entirety of Jason Bosimar’s tenure looked like at this point.
Flora’s south-facing, sheltered harbor came into view after the leisurely journey, and Kari was disappointed that the time she got to spend with her family was coming to an end. While she needed a break from the antics of her children, she cherished every moment with her family all together. Work had kept her so busy, and even while on administrative leave, it was never far from her mind, to say nothing of the running of her estate. And as much as she tried not to dwell on it, there was no denying or missing it: Grakin was fading fast, and Kari wasn’t sure how much longer they had together.
The thought of her mate dying did little to ease her tensions as the ship began to dock in Flora’s port. Kari couldn’t help but remember their journey to Tsalbrin, when she’d suffered a terrible waking nightmare born of the memories of her abuse as a young girl. This city still had a haunting effect on her, the place of her birth and where her father’s torments inflicted upon her had spread out over years. Even looking at the graves of her parents had done little to give her any sort of closure. And now, here she was again.
“I don’t plan to stay here for more than just tonight,” Kari said, and the concern was easy to see in Grakin and Aeligos’ eyes. Seanada stood by, aloof and intent on something unseen as usual. “I think maybe we can just go to the same inn we stayed at when we went to Tsalbrin. The Ranger’s Respite, I think it was? We can get a big room for Grakin and Seanada to use to keep watch over the children, since I don’t know how long we’ll be here. I doubt this is going to be as simple as walking to Fort Sabbath and killing Annabelle.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Aeligos said. “Though there is something I’d like to show you while there’s still sunlight, if you’re up to some walking.”
Kari looked at Grakin, who smiled. “I will get Little Gray fed and keep Uldriana busy while you two go look at what Aeligos has to show you. Seanada, what would you like to do?”
&
nbsp; “I would prefer to stay by Lady Vanador’s side, but I will remain with you at the inn, and hopefully partake of a bath and launder my things,” she answered without looking at them.
Kari could well understand those sentiments. Though she and Grakin had shared a large cabin, they weren’t afforded a bathtub or some of the other amenities they’d received on their voyage to Tsalbrin. Kari felt dirty, but a part of her realized it was those haunted memories fighting their way free again as she approached the city of her birth and torment. She wanted to wash away the feeling of a couple of weeks’ journey, but just as grating was the feeling of the memories that clung to her.
The ship docked and soon they were able to disembark. Seanada kept her cowl up, so Kari compensated by keeping her dog tags out over her breastplate. It was unlikely anyone would question Seanada’s identity or intentions when she was traveling with a demonhunter. They passed from the docks district and onto one of the main roads, walking toward the heart of Flora. The city was so named for its botanical gardens and the trees that lined the streets, and Kari all at once appreciated and hated the beauty of the city. It seemed unfair, in a sense, that a city so draped in darkness and pain to her mind should be so beautiful to her eyes.
They reached the Ranger’s Respite, and upon entering, they found that it was still run by the same man, Clinton Darby. After a short exchange, the human remembered Kari, Aeligos, and Grakin from their previous stay, even though it had been about four years earlier. Kari supposed that their group had left an impression – or maybe it was the impression she’d left after her waking nightmare. If that was the case, Clint was too kind to say so. He set the group up in two rooms as requested, and set his serving girls to work getting food and baths ready.
