Northern Storm ac-2

by Juliet E. McKenna

  ‘When I didn’t know what it would entail.’ The mage-woman turned on him with a forced smile of vicious satisfaction. ‘At least you’ve been neutered, too.’

  The two wizards stood, motionless, studying each other. Both were drawn, the skin tight on their bones, flesh beneath melted away. Their eyes betrayed the fearful, incomprehensible hunger gnawing at them from within.

  Kheda looked on with a shiver of unease and felt Risala slip her hand into his. He held it tight. ‘What do you think?’ Dev challenged Velindre. ‘Shouldn’t we take this curious nostrum back to Hadrumal? Shall we offer its relief to all those snotty newcomers who weep and wail and wish they’d never been cursed with magebirth? The first thing they do is beg someone to take their affinity away.’ Velindre slapped Dev’s face, taking them all unawares. ‘Don’t you dare make light of this.’ The magewoman’s voice was husky with emotion. She turned on Kheda, face accusing. ‘Why have you poisoned him? If you think you can force us to do your bidding like this—’

  ‘He didn’t force me,’ Dev inten-upted sourly. Do you honestly think he could? It’s been the only way to stop the dragon searching me out and biting off my head.’ He laughed without humour and crossed to the table, bending to recover his cup and bottle. ‘I got a better deal out of it than you. It’s not quite white brandy, but a glass of oblivion from his lordship’s medicinal still dulls the pain better than some tedious history treatise. Though your father would approve of your choice—no problem can’t be solved by the application of intellect, isn’t that it?’

  ‘He wouldn’t be surprised at your solution.’ Velindre’s attempt at contempt didn’t quite come off. Kheda broke into the ensuing uncomfortable silence, choosing his words carefully in the awkward barbarian tongue. ‘As soon as we’re rid of the dragon, we’ll send you back with every recompense it’s in my power to give. Have you brought us the lore we need?’

  ‘Let’s sit down.’ Risala bent to fish under the table for a stool and Kheda let her hand go with reluctance. ‘I found Azazir.’ Velindre addressed herself to Dev as they both sat on the far side of the table. ‘He had a lot to tell me about dragons and I’ve learned how to summon one, like Otrick used to do.’ Her Tonnalin speech soon became too rapid and strange for Kheda to follow.

  ‘Sounds fascinating,’ Dev inten-upted, but how do we find the wild mage behind this? We’ve seen no sign of the bastard!’

  ‘I imagine he’ll show himself soon enough if I summon a dragon to fight his creation,’ said Velindre with distaste. ‘It’ll take both of us to put an end to this,’ she went on reluctantly. ‘Summoning the dragon will have drained this savage of most of his magic. That’s doubtless why he’s been hiding. But that’s only the case for as long as the dragon lives. Of course, I’ll be as drained as him if I create a dragon to fight his. You’ll have to subdue the wild wizard, Dev, while he’s vulnerable, before either dragon is dead. Once the creature dies, the element that makes it is freed. The mage’s full strength will be restored.’

  ‘Subdue him?’ queried Kheda sharply. ‘We want this savage wizard dead.’

  Velindre slid a sideways glance to Dev. ‘If we did capture him, we might learn a lot from him.’

  ‘All I want is this evil gone from my domain.’ Kheda felt Risala take his hand once again under the cover of the table and held it tight. ‘And I’m not interested in replacing one evil with another. How will it benefit Chazen to simply summon one dragon to kill the first? How will you stop this new beast from terrorising my people?’

  ‘Just how much control would you have over the creature?’ asked Dev thoughtfully.

  ‘You like the idea of a dragon at your beck and call, do you?’ Velindre was unwillingly amused. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you. These dragons aren’t real.’

  ‘It was real enough to sink a heavy trireme and kill most of the men aboard,’ objected Kheda, exasperated.

  ‘And to sink my Amigal,’ agreed Dev in a rare moment of accord.

  Velindre paused before continuing. ‘The creature has physical substance woven from the element that supports it but it cannot live for more than a few days.’

  No, that’s not right.’ Kheda shook his head. ‘This beast has been prowling these islands for five full cycles of the Greater Moon by now.’ Sick disappointment threatened to rise and choke him. After all this, after all this risk and the danger of exposure for us all, I’ve got a wizard who doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

  ‘It may look like the same dragon, but it isn’t.’ Velindre addressed herself to Dev again. ‘This mage will just be summoning one when he needs it.’

  Not least because it would be so much more powerful than him, if he’s the novice we think he is.’ Dev shrugged, looking over to Kheda. ‘Which might explain why it hasn’t been seen lately. Perhaps he’s overreached himself and is laying up somewhere to recover.’

  Kheda glanced at Risala. ‘Does this make any sense to you?’

  ‘I know nothing of magic’ She tilted her head, noncommittal. ‘I don’t want to know. Up till now, I’d have trusted her confidence, though, and Dev’s anogance.’

  ‘When have I ever let you down?’ The bald wizard grinned.

  ‘There’s always a first time,’ Kheda retorted. ‘Trust me to help you with this or set me on a ship heading north again.’ Velindre began leafing through the papers in front of her. Where was the dragon last seen? That might give some clue as to what the wizard summoning it wants.’

  Kheda reached over and gathered up star charts and a miscellany of courier-dove messages from all across the domain. ‘You won’t find anything relevant there.’

  ‘Would you have such a thing as a map?’ She looked up at him. ‘I know you don’t trust your mariners with them but surely a warlord must know the extent of his domain?’

  ‘I don’t think you’ve learned as much of our ways as you think you have,’ said Kheda politely. ‘A map can only ever be a frozen representation of a single moment. A warlord would be a fool to rely on such a thing. We learn to recognise every reach of our waters with our own eyes, so we can see any changes and consider their meaning at once.’

  ‘Charts aren’t a lot of use around here anyway.’ Dev pulled a blank sheet of paper towards him and reached for a pen. Not given the way the sandbanks and mud channels shift once the big storms of the rainy season hit. Now, this is roughly where the dragon’s been seen the last few times.’ He sketched with brisk accuracy. ‘And these are islands where caches of gems have been left to keep it quiet—’

  ‘What?’ Velindre stared at him, mouth open.

  ‘The dragon—well, presumably this wizard you say is controlling it—he certainly wants gems,’ explained Kheda. ‘That much we do know’

  ‘Whose idea was this idiocy?’ Velindre looked from Dev to Kheda, her eyes wide, struggling for words. ‘Have you any idea what you’ve done?’

  No,’ retorted Dev, waspishly. ‘Why don’t you tell us, if you’re so wise?’

  ‘A summoned dragon seeks gems to extend its life, so it doesn’t fade in the way I said it would.’ Velindre paused, rubbing a hand over her mouth. ‘I can’t imagine that any mage would be foolish enough to allow that to happen.’

  ‘Don’t expect any reason from these wild men,’ Kheda said bitterly. ‘We’ve seen none. They simply plunder and destroy.’

  ‘Are you saying we’ll never be rid of it?’ demanded Risala, alarmed. ‘What happens if this dragon has already got enough gems?’

  ‘It’s certainly amassed a fair hoard by now,’ Kheda said slowly. ‘Let’s not give it time to add whatever final jewel makes all the difference. How soon can you summon this dragon of your own?’ Not before I recover my own magic,’ snapped Velindre.

  Kheda looked at Velindre. ‘When did you last dose her? With how much?’

  ‘The day before yesterday,’ Risala replied promptly. ‘With just a couple of pinches.’

  Kheda nodded. Your strength should return by dawn, both of you.’

  �
��You were expecting them to arrive today.’ Dev repeated his earlier accusation.

  ‘You said that foul herb or whatever it was poisoned every cup of water I drank.’ Velindre glared at Risala with equal outrage. ‘You said it would take days for my affinity to recover!’

  ‘I lied.’ Risala sounded unconcerned but her hand tensed in Kheda’s. ‘I told you I’d do whatever it took to bring you here to rid Chazen of this evil.’

  ‘You fell for that?’ Dev taunted Velindre. ‘I’ve taken as much insult and deceit as I’m prepared to tolerate from you barbarians.’ The magewoman rose to her feet, directing the full force of her fulminatory anger across the table at Kheda. ‘As soon as my magic returns, you won’t see me for dust. You can deal with this dragon as best as you are able.’

  ‘That’s a steaming heap of horseshit, Velle, and you know it.’ Dev caught her sleeve and dragged her down to her stool. ‘You wouldn’t have come all this way, doped or not, if you didn’t intend to see it through. How else are you going to make fools of every mage who doubted your fitness to be Cloud Mistress?’ He thrust the map in front of her. ‘We won’t have time to waste once my magic returns because that bastard will send his creature out to find me again. The one thing those savages can do is tell when anyone’s using magic. So drop this masquerade. Where do we go and what do we do?’

  ‘We should go somewhere as isolated as possible.’ Velindre was icy calm but her skin wasn’t so sun-bronzed that Kheda didn’t see a furious blush rising from the round collar of her tunic. ‘So we don’t all get skinned and nailed to a gate for our trouble. Then Dev can indulge himself playing with his fires until the dragon turns up.’

  ‘You’ve no idea how good that sounds.’ The bald mage grinned at the prospect. ‘So while I’m playing teaser mare in the stud yard, what will you be doing to make sure that other mage gets properly served?’

  ‘Watching the skies.’ Velindre looked thoughtfully at the black night beyond the window. ‘It’s no bad thing we’ve arrived in the rainy season. I should be able to use the elemental forces of any developing storm. That and the currents of the upper air.’ She surprised Kheda with a sardonic smile. ‘These latitudes are peculiarly well suited to this kind of working. Perhaps that’s an omen in our favour.’

  ‘Hardly,’ he said, stung by such mockery.

  Not if that’s what brought these wild mages here in the first place,’ Dev began thoughtfully. Did Azazir say—’

  ‘Tomorrow, Dev. I’ve had a long day.’ Velindre rose to her feet, face stony. ‘Can I expect a bed or shall I find some corner to curl up in like a dog?’

  ‘This would all go more smoothly if we avoided the insults,’ retorted Risala.

  Her interjection gave Kheda time to bite back the wrathful rebuke rising to his own lips. ‘I can offer you a hammock with soft, fresh quilts,’ he said politely. Will that suffice?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Velindre looked at him and then at Dev.

  ‘We’ve a boat ready and waiting, my girl.’ Dev stood up, adjusting his sword belt. ‘And as soon as we’ve dealt with this mage and his beast, I’ll be sailing north. You’re welcome to a ride, if you can think of something to trade for your passage.’ He winked lewdly at her.

  ‘I think you’ll find I can make shift to get myself back to Hadrumal,’ Velindre assured the bald mage, wiping the smile off his face.

  ‘Let’s just hope the dragon doesn’t smash this boat to kindling like the Amigal,’ Risala said soberly. Kheda squeezed her hand. ‘Let’s not tempt the future with such notions.’

  ‘It’s the middle of the night.’ Velindre looked at him, perplexed. ‘Won’t we attract unwelcome attention? What are we going to say if people ask questions?’

  ‘They won’t. I am the warlord, after all,’ Kheda said simply. ‘People may wonder but they won’t ask questions. We’d face far more curiosity if we wait till morning,’ he added wryly, ‘also because I’m the warlord. You’ve no idea how difficult it can be to do anything unobserved around here.’

  ‘We’ll get clear of this place and anchor up somewhere quiet tonight,’ Dev agreed, ‘otherwise we’ll have twenty boats sniffing along our wake, wondering where we’re going.’

  ‘Whereas if they wake up to find us gone-’ Risala nodded ‘—they’ll have no choice but to accept that their warlord knows what he’s doing.’

  ‘As long as he comes back with news that the dragon is dead,’ Kheda said incautiously. ‘And proof,’ he added, looking at Velindre.

  ‘That may not be as simple as you might think.’ She frowned.

  ‘We can discuss that on the way.’ Dev urged them all towards the door. ‘Come on, Velle. Don’t you want to command some magic again?’

  ‘We had better go out armoured, Dev, otherwise half the guard will insist on coming along to defend me. Go and get our hauberks.’ Kheda pulled a sheet of paper towards him and flipped open an inkwell.

  The wizard groaned. ‘When we get back to Hadrumal, Velle, I’m never going to wear so much as a gold chain around my neck.’ He disappeared down the stairs.

  ‘If I’m not to get any rest before we go on, I take it I can at least use the privy?’ Velindre enquired icily. ‘At the bottom of the tower,’ Kheda said shortly.

  ‘Do you suppose she’ll forgive me?’ asked Risala a little shakily as she watched the magewoman depart. ‘Or will we be repaid for all this with some revenge once her power returns?’

  That’s an unwelcome thought. Though wouldn’t we deserve such a fate, for bringing magic into the domain? Will it truly make any difference that our motives have always been pure? Or am Ito see Chazen saved from this beast only to have my own duplicity revealed for all to see? Is that how the ledger will be balanced?

  ‘Dev’s been assuring me she’ll see this through, so she can go back and settle some scores among their kind.’ Kheda hesitated over his writing before setting his pen down and folding the letter in three. ‘Let’s hope that’s more important than balancing her ledger with you. Besides, she’ll know that all you did was at my behest. If she wishes to take any revenge, let her take it on me.’ He took up a stick of wax and, removing the glass of the lamp, melted the end, catching the drop on the folded letter.

  No, we’re in this together.’ Risala’s voice was muffled as she bent to pick up her bag and Velindre’s. ‘We always have been. You wouldn’t have found Dev without me.’

  No, I wouldn’t have.’ Kheda pressed the seal of his ring into the pliant wax. ‘But you would never have been caught up in magic without me.’ He looked at her. ‘Can you forgive me?’

  ‘I’d rather risk magic to be with you than be without you.’ Risala smiled slowly in the golden lamplight. ‘If we can rid Chazen of this dragon and all this magic—’ The sound of voices rising from the bottom of the stairs interrupted Kheda.

  He hurried down the spiral, Risala at his heels. To his relief, Tasu’s door was firmly closed. The two of them picked their way quietly down the few further steps to the silent vestibule where a small lamp burned dimly in a tiled alcove. Velindre was waiting there, arms folded, face unreadable. ‘Kheda?’ A soft voice spoke in the dark shadows of the colonnade.

  ‘Itrac?’ Kheda went through the arch out into the black and silent garden. The rain that had persisted for most of the afternoon and evening had finally stopped. He took a deep breath of the cool, reviving air, redolent with the richness of the damp earth.

  Velindre and Risala retreated into the vestibule of the observatory tower as unobtrusively as they could. ‘Jevin was waiting to see when you came to bed.’ Itrac stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Kheda’s face. ‘He said Dev was collecting your armour and swords. You’re going somewhere, now, tonight?’ Unseen herbs rustled in a stray breath of wind and a few drops of water pattered on the invisible leaves of the wax-flower trees. All was quiet. There were no lights stirring in the steward’s quarters on the far side of the garden. ‘Risala has brought lore from the north, as I hoped.’ Kheda looked at Itrac. Her wide, da
rk eyes were free of cosmetics, her neck and wrists bare of gold or silver. All she wore was a white silk chamber robe, loosely tied. The fabric was so fine that he could see her warm brown nakedness beneath. He crushed the letter he had just written for her in his hand. ‘We may be able to rid Chazen of this dragon and the last of the wild men. We must go now, tonight. The moons—’

  ‘I don’t want to know,’ Itrac interrupted sharply. ‘I don’t need to know, my husband,’ she amended, less shrill. ‘Is there anything you need from me before you go? More jewels arrived from Daish today—’ Kheda saw that Itrac also had a letter held tight in one ringless hand.

  Is that Janne’s writing? What questions has she been asking, as she tries to find out what I am up to? What subtle poison flows along with her ink for you to breathe in without realising? Will any of that matter, once this is resolved one way or the other?

  He turned to Velindre. ‘Do we need gems?’

  Velindre shut her mouth resolutely on further explanation.

  Kheda turned back to Itrac. We’re done with pacifying the dragon. We will be rid of it, my wife, if it’s the last thing I do for Chazen.’

  ‘Don’t risk such a wager with the future.’ She stepped forward, reaching out to him. ‘Just make an end of this nightmare and come back safe to me.’

  ‘I’ll do my very best,’ he assured her fervently as he took her hands. ‘There is something you can do for me. This is a time for stealth, not force of arms. I must leave as discreetly as possible.’

  ‘What ship are you taking?’ Her eyes searched his face, confused. ‘What do I tell the household?’

  ‘Don’t say anything until you have to. Let everyone think I’m still here for as long as you can. Then pretend appropriate surprise that anyone needs to ask and say I’ve taken that new skiff I had built on a search for important plants that the wild men destroyed.’ Kheda nodded towards the unseen physic garden. ‘The rains will bring the usual ailments, after all. And say I’ll be searching out some unusual things at the behest of that zamorin scholar who’s presently under my protection.’ He jerked his head backwards towards Velindre and Risala. ‘The zamorin is from the north. You remember it was northern lore helped us against the savage wizards last year? Trust me, Itrac’