Lina smiled, and her eyes were filled with compassion. “So, no matter who you choose to be your Master, you must promise me, Aleksi—promise that no matter how alone, afraid, or abandoned you feel, you will never forsake the wisdom of your heart. Promise that you will never forsake yourself.”
“Yes, Master Lina. I promise.”
And with that, she sent him to bed. Master Lina DeLuth.
Where are you now, Master Lina? Aleksi thought as he held his glowing Rune-covered hand up to the moonlight. I wish both you and Rudra had never left. But no matter where you are, I will find you. Lina, we will meet again.
As Aleksi gazed at the moons and drifted off into sleep, he could feel the eyes of the young woman from his notebook watching him. Drifting into dreams of her shining gaze, Aleksi felt his heart gain a tiny measure of peace.
CHAPTER XVI
Aleksi woke with a start. His night had been filled with dreams of the young woman, and as he climbed from his hammock, his heart ached from her absence. Even despite the invisible barrier that separated them in the dream world, he could nearly touch her skin. In those moments, he felt permeated by the very essence of her, but when he woke, she was wrenched from him and all that was left was emptiness in his chest.
Each dream of the young woman was different, but she always seemed to be trying to tell him something important. Whatever her message was, however, it was lost to him, for he could not hear her words or understand her meaning. So instead, Aleksi just reveled in her beauty, enjoying the fleeting moments before she disappeared again.
Yawning, Aleksi stretched his arms over his head. Whoever she is, she is not here. His eyes wandered to his coat pocket and the pendant inside. And I must not get distracted from my mission—or Luka’s threats.
After getting dressed and sliding his blade in his belt, Aleksi made his way down the narrow passage. As he came to the wide stepladder that led to the deck above, Aleksi could already smell the fresh sea air.
Despite the early hour, the crew was hard at work. As both Zeniths’ light intensified, Aleksi watched the seamen work on the deck and climb about the vast latticework of rigging and sail above. Although it seemed that only a third of the crew was on duty, they nearly covered the whole ship, moving constantly. Without saying a word, men hauled lines and raised sails as if locked in a unity of thought and action.
As Aleksi walked forward across the main deck, he saw that several men were coiling long stretches of line on the port side of the ship. In addition, on the starboard side, two other sailors were scrubbing the deck’s planks. Upon seeing him, both men gave Aleksi dark looks. Aleksi sighed. He had wanted to practice his sword work in the morning light but needed to find a clear space to do so.
Aleksi soon realized that the ship’s remaining spaces would not take kindly to swinging blades. Each mast had its own fife rail used to belay the ship’s halyard lines firmly to its base, and Aleksi knew that one stray swing of his sword would cripple the sails. In addition, if he moved too close to the gunwale, he would hit the shrouds that ran up the sides of the ship. The only place that looked somewhat suitable was the stern deck. This deck, however, was directly above the navigation room and captain’s quarters, and Aleksi did not want to go there without permission. Aleksi abhorred missing morning blade training, and he had already skipped several days due to his traveling.
Sighing, the youth decided to continue walking forward and explore the foredeck at the ship’s bow to see if he could find any space at the ship’s tip. Aleksi knew that if he was unable to find an adequate training area, this voyage was going to be torturous. Feeling anger swell in his gut, Aleksi turned around sharply and nearly bumped into Kefta.
“Whoa, there!” Kefta exclaimed, taking a step back. “Good morning to you, too!”
“Oh, I’m very sorry.”
“Not a problem. It takes a few weeks to truly get your sea legs. You probably won’t stop wobbling about until we make it to Vai’kel.”
Aleksi frowned.
“What are you doing up so early?” Kefta continued. “Most guests usually try to sleep away as much of the day as they can. You’re not trying to learn the crew’s duties, are you?”
“Actually, I was hoping to perform my morning training. The ship, however, seems very busy.”
“Well,” Kefta chuckled, “open space is not a thing we have in ample supply here on the Diamond. We train in shifts on the main deck so as to not interfere with work. Also”—Kefta looked at the sword on Aleksi’s hip—“we use training blades so we don’t cut anything important.”
Aleksi followed Kefta’s eye to his own sword and noticed his left hand was clutching the blade’s upper sheath. He removed it.
“As per my new duties, however,” Kefta continued, “I will be teaching a training session today before the midday meal. I would be happy to have you join in for my lessons. You fought well in Mindra’s Haven and I wouldn’t be against having you train alongside us.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I prefer to train alone.”
“Oh, come now,” Kefta said with a wry smile. “My brother used to push the men hard, and I won’t be any different, but that doesn’t mean you should be intimidated. I’m sure our training is nothing you can’t handle.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about that.”
Kefta’s smile faded. “We’re not up to your standards, then?”
“No need to take it personally,” Aleksi replied, once again scanning the ship for a place to practice. “As I said, I train alone.”
“Well, suit yourself, Green Eyes. Still, I don’t think you will find any free space on the ship right now. There isn’t a good place to be swinging a sword around while the men work.”
Aleksi looked aft and gestured up above the captain’s cabin. “How about the stern deck? I have yet to see anyone go up there.”
“For good reason,” Kefta replied curtly. “Because of the swinging boom, it’s very dangerous. Especially for people who don’t know the ways of the sea. Or her manners.”
“I’m sure I’ll manage just fine.”
“Well, you’re going to have to get the captain’s permission to go up there . . .” Kefta’s smile slowly returned. “Sadly, he is in the navigation room with the sailing master going over maps and won’t want to be bothered. But if you’re truly set on training this morning, I suppose you can practice on the foredeck. That’s up at the bow near the chaser cannon.” Kefta pointed to the front of the ship. “Just don’t cut anything. But for someone with your supposed ability, I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”
Aleksi nodded and walked away. Coming to the foredeck, the youth passed under the foremast’s shrouds and found some open space surrounding the chaser cannon. The fore chaser, unlike the cannons below that fired from gun ports, was mounted on special sliding trucks. This allowed the cannon to be slewed across the deck on heavy metal rails that were embedded into the deck’s planks. These rails, however, rose nearly three centimeters above the wood, which meant that maneuvering around them as he practiced his forms would be incredibly difficult.
As Aleksi looked closer at the cannon, he saw that it could not fire dead ahead from its centerline position. If it did, it would hit the bowsprit lines strung above the deck. The bowsprit’s thick spar extended forward from the vessel’s prow and provided an anchor point for the forestay sails, allowing the foremast to be stepped farther forward on the hull. This gave the Diamond much more sail coverage but also crowded the foredeck. Looking up, Aleksi realized that with the lines above and the metal rails at his feet, he hardly had any space to actually swing his long sword, let alone walk about without stumbling.
Kefta knew I wouldn’t have enough room up here, Aleksi thought darkly as he continued looking at the lines above his head. He is trying to set me up . . .
“Be sure not to cut a line!” Aleksi heard Kefta yell from the main deck. “The last person who did had his sword taken away by the captain. If you don’t think you’re skilled enough
to move around them, though, you can still train with us instead!”
Turning, Aleksi saw that Kefta wore a wicked grin on his face. It was the same smile Aleksi had seen back in Mindra’s Haven when the young man had cursed Fa’ell in the arena tent. “Not to worry,” Aleksi yelled back. “This will work perfectly! Thank you for your hospitality, Quartermaster!”
“You must truly be talented!” Kefta exclaimed. “I look forward to seeing the skill with which your blade leaves its sheath. I just hope it does not leave your side! Good luck!”
Aleksi turned and knelt down, bringing his left hand to his blade’s upper scabbard. Just watch, Aleksi thought darkly as he placed his right hand on the blade’s hilt.
With those final thoughts, Aleksi’s mind became as still as a mountain pond on a spring morning and as vast as the virgin blue sky. There was no thought, just the sway of the ship and the roll of the waves. All the youth heard was the wind in the sails and the creaking of the masts. He felt nothing but the spray on his hair and the Zeniths’ rays on his face. Aleksi’s mind was empty.
Aleksi’s sword then left its sheath. In a flash of light, the Zeniths’ rays reflected off the elegantly curved steel. An instant later there came a swift swoosh as the sharp blade deftly cut the air. He cut again and again as the heavy blade flowed about him in a delicate dance of power and control. Aleksi spun with both grace and speed and his blade did not stop for a single instant. His eyes were unfocused, but he saw everything and he swung his sword around the sails and lines with both skill and confidence. Unhesitating, he felt both power and passion rise up from his heart. Aleksi loved his art—he loved his blade. When they danced, they danced as one.
After what felt both like an eternity and a mere instant, Aleksi allowed his body to stop moving. His breath came heavy in his lungs and he was covered in a sheen of sweat. Sheathing his sword, Aleksi looked back at the main deck and saw that nearly everyone was staring at him. Not just Kefta and the deckhands, but Nara, Fa’ell, the officers, Domadred, and Brayden, too. They were all gazing at him in a mixture of awe, surprise, and fear.
Aleksi then saw Luka. The nobleman was standing away from the others, and instead of awe he wore a different look on his face. The same look a cat makes when it has cornered a baby mouse.
A beautiful young woman stood atop an impossibly high mountain bluff overlooking the endless shimmering ocean far below. The Rune of High Arkai Aruna shone out upon her forehead with a powerful light. She was wearing a sheer white dress, and the sky overhead was a fathomless blue alight with the Western Zenith. Strangely, there was no curving horizon about her, only ocean, and sky, and forever.
She was in the Dreamscape—the land of dreams—and the scene around her was hazy and surreal, made of flowing sensations of thought and emotion. At the young woman’s feet, there were innumerable kaleidoscopic flowers. Their blossoms shone in every color imaginable, and their hues changed as the wind blew across their petals. In a sudden gust, the breeze blew back her long blond hair and caused the strange flowers at her feet to change color in unison.
The young woman didn’t seem to notice the wind. She was looking out across the sea toward a three-masted ship many kilometers away. Despite the great distance, she could see the ship clearly. Her attention was focused on a black-haired youth upon its deck. He had sweat on his brow and a sword sheathed at his hip. More importantly, however, the young woman could feel the soft glow of a dormant Runic power shining from under his bandaged arm.
He still does not know how important he is, the young woman thought, as she continued to gaze across the shimmering waves. Nor does he know the danger he faces—the danger we all face if he does not act soon. Very soon . . .
The young woman let out a sad sigh and looked down at her feet. I must keep trying, for all our sakes. Please, Arkai, grant me forgiveness.
The day went on slowly after Aleksi’s training session. And while the crew went back to their duties as if they had seen nothing, everyone looked at the youth slightly differently from that moment onward. After Aleksi cleaned himself up and found some breakfast in the galley, he walked the ship trying to find something to do.
In the light of day, his cabin felt stuffy and oppressive, so he wandered the gently swaying deck under the warm light. Aleksi had tried going below to explore the gun deck and its long rows of cannons and hammocks, but after seeing the looks on the crew’s faces, he quickly realized guests were not welcomed in their personal space. This relegated him to the decks above, and while he did yearn to climb in the rigging, it was not a thing he was going to do unbidden.
The youth soon found that there was very little for a passenger to do on a sea ship at voyage. And so, after getting his sketchbook from his cabin, Aleksi sat down against the gunwale near the quarterdeck and began drawing the young woman. In his mind’s eye, her face came to him in flowing flashes, and although he tried drawing her over and over again, his mind could not grasp her full image.
Who is this young woman? Is she even real? Aleksi knew he already had so much to do. Finding Master Rudra and following his letter’s cryptic clues in Vai’kel would be hard enough. He would not have time for idle fancy. This Rune, the pendant, his father, and Terra’s Bane—he finally was on the path to find the truth of his past and could not afford any distractions.
But those eyes and her sweet smile . . . Aleksi felt a pang of emotion in his chest, a longing for something he had never known.
Just as Aleksi was about to clamp down his heart, the young woman’s eyes flashed in his mind. They were pleading, asking, beckoning. He could not deny her. Not knowing what else to do, Aleksi allowed himself to soften and he breathed her in. The young woman’s melody was soft and sweet—inviting and warm. He felt her call, felt her summoning him. He answered.
Almost of their own accord, Aleksi’s hands reopened his sketchbook and he began to draw. This time, however, he felt as if he were in a trance. He didn’t need to look down at the page; instead, he sensed it with his heart. His emotions and the silent longing in his chest guided his fingers. As his charcoal pencil raced across the page, he felt the touch of her skin and the sweet smell of her hair. The gentle curve of her smile and the warmth of her breath. The power of her eyes and the youthful passion of her heart. In that moment, her essence was laid bare and he swam in its warmth and beauty.
Aleksi’s arm cramped but he did not stop. It was as if the young woman were next to him, urging him onward. He felt the flame grow in his chest and he channeled his emotion into the page. Everything fell away from him: the waves below, the Zenith above—everything. There was only the longing in his heart and her silent call, only the magic of her eyes and the beauty of her gaze. There was only her.
And then, suddenly, Aleksi stopped and looked down at the page in near disbelief. The picture of her was complete. He truly saw her face for the first time. The image was elegantly shaded—she was only slightly older than he, possessing high cheekbones and profoundly smooth skin. Her face was framed by long blond hair spilling over a supple shoulder. The young woman had full, delicate lips that were playfully pert, and she wore a faint smile that was sensual and secretive. It stirred a deep desire within him.
Aleksi then saw her eyes and his breath caught in his chest. Striking and enigmatic, her gaze possessed wisdom beyond her youthful years. As Aleksi looked down, her innate splendor shone out through the page, conveying an expression that was both regal and mysteriously powerful. With the full image of her now solid in his mind, Aleksi felt her call him again. The sensation of her was now truly intense. It was no longer a whisper, but a plea of the heart. Aleksi felt her pull at him. She was drawing him into the Dreamscape. Lulled by the sway of the ship below him and the warm rays above, Aleksi allowed himself to fall asleep into her essence.
Swimming in a half-asleep, half-awake state, Aleksi could feel his body sitting on the hard deck with his back leaning against the gunwale—but he could also feel her silent undertones pulling his mind into a dream. As A
leksi slipped deeper into slumber, he felt a difference in her summons. Instead of meeting him in his dreams like before, she now was trying to draw him into hers: into the Dreamscape itself.
Just as Aleksi was about to fully submerge into sleep, a sharp voice abruptly broke him from the trance.
“Captain, I must speak with you!”
Even half-conscious, Aleksi knew the voice. It belonged to Luka Norte.
Rubbing at his refocusing eyes, Aleksi heard Domadred say something too soft to carry beyond the quarterdeck. Judging by the look on the captain’s face, however, his response to the nobleman was not favorable.
“My message,” Luka continued insistently, “is of prime importance. I have been waiting long enough and only wish for a moment of your time.”
Again, Domadred said something Aleksi could not hear. The captain’s face, however, was growing angrier. Aleksi focused his mind, trying to listen. He still felt the young woman’s silent whispers in his chest, however, and it took a good deal of effort to bring himself back to the waking world.
“Do not misunderstand,” Luka said, holding a finger up. “I bear a proclamation of peace and terms of treaty!”
“And do not misunderstand me!” Domadred shouted, his voice now loud enough to carry across the entire ship. “You will not have your audience until I deem you worthy of my time.” Everyone on deck froze and all eyes flashed to the quarterdeck as Domadred continued. “If you have a problem with that, Luka Norte, you are free to wait for me in the brig! Or, if you prefer, you can swim to Vai’kel! Have I made myself clear?”
“Perfectly,” Luka said, storming down the steps from the quarterdeck. Despite his groggy state, Aleksi gripped the hilt of his sword tightly as Luka stalked down the stairs.
Rune of the Apprentice (The Rune Chronicles) Page 24
