by John Marco
"You overwhelm me," said Kasrin, his voice breaking. "I never meant to hurt you, or disgrace you in any way. But what I did, I did from misguided conscience."
"Now you admit you were wrong."
"Yes," said Kasrin. "I was wrong. I know that now." With his last ounce of pride, he added, "I want to join you again."
The smile on Nicabar's face lit the chamber. "I was right about you. I knew you'd come back. You couldn't stay away from the sea and the action, because you're too much like me. It's in your blood. You see the truth, don't you, Kasrin?"
"I don't understand, sir."
"About Liss. I knew exile in that village would give you time to see the truth. That's why you're here. You knew I was rendezvousing with the others, didn't you? How?"
"I'm still a captain," said Kasrin evasively. "I have ways of finding things out. When I learned you were planning an attack on Liss, I knew I had to join you." He feigned his most sincere expression. "I have something for you, Admiral." He patted his leather case. "I think you'll be pleased."
"Yes, what is that?"
"First, tell me something. How are your plans for Liss going? Have you agreed on a strategy?"
"No," said Nicabar. "Those cowards are as bad as you were. They're afraid." Then he grinned sardonically. "But you were never really a coward, were you, Kasrin? Not really, not in your heart. That's why you've come back to me."
"So you have no plans for Liss?"
"Not yet, but I will. With you on my side now, I'm sure we can defeat them." He reached out and placed a cold hand on Kasrin's shoulder. "You've made me happy, Kasrin. I'm glad you returned."
"You honor me," Kasrin lied. Though part of him still idolized Nicabar, he could see the madness in his every move. "We will take Liss, this time, sir. And to prove myself to you, I've brought something special."
"Well, open it up. Let's have a look."
Kasrin undid the ties of the case and carefully opened it. Inside was the usual collection of captain's things--a few charts, some compass headings on scribbled notes, but beneath it all was the paper that Jelena had drawn up for him--the map of the Serpent's Strand. Kasrin could see Nicabar frown inquisitively as he pulled the map from the case. He rose from the pew with the map in his hands and walked over to the altar, telling Nicabar to follow him, then moved some of the candles aside and spread out the map.
"What is it?"
"Your dream, sir," said Kasrin. "Your secret passage."
Admiral Nicabar reached out for the map, brushing his fingertips over the inked headings and landmarks. The map showed the Hundred Isles of Liss in a way neither seamen had seen before--in great detail, with all its many tributaries revealed. Nicabar caught his breath, unable to speak. He glanced up at Kasrin, his face ashen.
"How . . .?"
"You're pleased," said Kasrin. "I can tell you are."
"Where did you get this?" asked Nicabar. "How did you find it?"
"It was drawn for me, by a captured Lissen. Look here." Kasrin traced his finger over the map, showing the particular waterway Jelena had revealed to him. According to the queen, it truly was one of Liss' great secrets. "This waterway is called the Serpent's Strand. It's very narrow, but it's deep. Deep enough for the Fearless, even. It leads south, straight to one of Liss' main islands, called Karalon."
"Dear God." Nicabar caressed the parchment lovingly. "It's beautiful. It's . . ."
"It's all true," said Kasrin, smiling proudly. "Do you like it?"
"I can hardly believe what I'm seeing," said the admiral. "You got this from a Lissen, you say? How?"
"I knew you wanted a way into Liss. So when we set sail for Casarhoon we went looking for a Lissen schooner. It wasn't long before we encountered one, not far from the coast of Crote." He became grim. "I put the crew overboard one by one. When that didn't work I took a knife to one of the mates. He cooperated once I cut his fingers off."
"You did that?"
Kasrin shrugged. "Left hand only. He still needed his right hand to draw."
Nicabar laughed, pleased at the news. "Oh, you've done well, Kasrin! I'm proud of you."
"Are you?" asked Kasrin. "I want you to be. I've changed, sir, I swear it. I thought if I could prove it to you . . ."
"You have, Captain, a thousandfold!" The admiral put an arm around Kasrin. It was like being squeezed by a cobra. "This is wonderful news. Now I can take this map to those other cowards and show them what we can do!"
"The others? Oh, no, sir. I don't think that would be wise."
"What? Why not?"
Kasrin said it just like he'd practiced. "Well, you see the Serpent's Strand is very narrow." He showed this to Nicabar on the map. "It's a long way through the strand to Karalon. There's a lot of opportunity to be spotted before reaching the island and taking it. And there's no room to turn around. We can get in, but we can't get out if something goes wrong, not before reaching the island so we can loop around it. It will be like a bottleneck if we go with too many ships. We'd be trapped in there."
"But no one would be expecting us," said Nicabar. "With more ships we can protect ourselves."
"I'm sorry, Admiral, but I don't agree," said Kasrin. He had expected Nicabar's argument and was prepared for it. "The Fearless is too big to keep a secret, and if they do start firing on us from these hills . . ." he showed Nicabar the tall canyons lining the strand, ". . . we won't be able to fire back. Not without risking damage to our own ships."
Nicabar stroked his chin. "Goddamn, this is a tight one you've brought me, Kasrin. What are you suggesting?"
"I saw maybe a dozen ships at anchor here, am I right?"
"Yes. That's all of them, I'm sorry to say."
"Well, look, then." Kasrin referred to the map again. "The Serpent's Strand is part of an estuary. That's how we'll be getting in. We'll have to ride the high tide, which will let us drift south. Now with only the Fearless and the Sovereign, we can make it to Karalon. We can take the island by ourselves."
"What for? What's on Karalon?"
"Ah, that's the best part," said Kasrin with a devil's grin. "A training base. Not just for sailors, mind you, but for ground troops. The same type of troops they used to take Crote. If we can take the island, we can wipe them out."
"What makes you think we can take the island? If it's a training base, then surely they have guns protecting it."
"No, no guns. No cannons, no defenses of any kind, because they don't expect an attack. And with all those green troops as our hostages, right under the nose of our flame cannons . . . well, just think about it."
Nicabar did. It was a cruel plan, and because it involved the deaths of thousand of Lissens, he was drawn to it. Knowing he had the admiral in his palm, Kasrin decided to close his fist.
"It can work," he urged. "If we just take in two ships, we can make that island our own, hold it hostage and bring Liss to its knees. Then Black City and the other ships can come in on the next tide. They'll be stationed offshore, waiting." Kasrin paused as though this was the most important thing in the world to him. "What do you say, Admiral? Will you do it? Will you let me come with you?"
Nicabar's eyes became shrewd slivers. "This means a lot to you, eh?"
"Yes," said Kasrin. "It does."
"Why?"
Kasrin told him what he wanted to hear. "Because I was wrong. And because I'm a Captain of the Black Fleet. I don't like people saying I'm a coward, Admiral. I'm not a coward. Now I want to prove it. Not only to you but to all those others who are jeering at me, even as we speak. That's why I came back. That's why I got this map for you. Please don't turn me away."
A great, warm smile split Nicabar's face. He put his arms around Kasrin, embracing him.
"Good work, my friend," he said. "I'm proud of you." Kasrin stood there in Nicabar's embrace, unable to return the affection or even taste the slightest sweetness of victory. Now he would lure his old hero to his death. And though it was richly deserved, Kasrin had never felt more like a traitor.
&nb
sp; TWENTY
On Casadah, the highest Drol holy day, Lucel-Lor became a vastly different place. No one warred on this day of peace, especially not Praxtin-Tar. Casadah was the great celebration of Spring, a time to honor Lorris and Pris. Food and drinks were liberally dispensed, and the cunning-men--the Drol priests--walked from town to town proclaiming the goodness of the gods and the bounty of heaven. Children wove ceremonial wreaths and women wore dresses of the brightest fabric to mirror the world coming into bloom, and every territory of Lucel-Lor, no matter the beliefs of its warlord, enjoyed the celebration.
For Richius Vantran, who was neither Drol nor Triin, the holy day was a time for relaxing. This was his third Casadah since coming to Lucel-Lor, and each one was better than its predecessor. Though today he was under siege from the forces of Praxtin-Tar, Richius was determined to enjoy the day and not spoil it for Shani. His daughter was two years old now, old enough to start understanding things about her background and culture. She was growing up quickly, just like the other children trapped in Falindar. Despite the warriors waiting outside, Richius wanted desperately for her to have a normal life.
In the center of Falindar's great hall, where the walls sparkled silver and bronze and the ceiling soared high as the sky, Richius sat cross-legged, bouncing Shani in his lap. Next to him sat Dyana, beautiful in emerald, her eyes soft as she listened to Lucyler's speech. A crowd had gathered in the hall, a mix of warriors and women and the farmers who had come to the citadel for sanctuary. Children sat with their parents, hushed at the sound of Lucyler's voice. It was already noon but the fun of Casadah didn't really begin until the ceremonial blessing. Lucyler, hardly religious at all, glowed merrily as he addressed the gathering. For the first time in weeks, he seemed genuinely happy. Richius leaned over to Dyana and gave her a kiss.
"Look at him," he told his wife. "He looks great, doesn't he?"
Dyana took his hand. She was happy, too, not just because it was Casadah, but because of the peace Praxtin-Tar had promised for the day. "He is wonderful," she agreed. "The children love him."
That much was obvious. The children of Falindar had taken to Lucyler like a father, even more than they had to Tharn himself. Lucyler was their hero, their savior.
Presently, Lucyler was telling them the story of Lorris and Pris. It was a tale recited every Casadah, in every town and village of Lucel-Lor, and it spoke of the deities and how they had once been mortal before their tragic ends. Lucyler looked like an actor on the dais.
" . . . but the evil Pradu had deceived Lorris," thundered Lucyler. "He wasn't Vikryn at all!"
Richius loved the tale, and so hung on every word just like one of the children, eager for the gruesome ending where Pris died in the city of Toor, and Lorris, overcome with grief, tossed himself from the towers of Kes. That part always elicited cries from the crowd, and this time, with Lucyler's grand delivery, the reaction was deafening. All around the hall children squealed in delighted horror. Lucyler hung his head in sorrow for the dead siblings, then brightened and told them how Lorris and Pris had been taken into heaven by Vikryn, their patron, and how they were given immortality. They were gods now, Lucyler explained, and they were very real.
"Tharn showed us that," said Lucyler to the crowd. "He proved to us that the gods exist. I believed nothing before meeting Tharn, but now I know that there is something more than all of this." He swept his arm across the chamber.
Richius smiled. Perhaps Lucyler had taken their talk to heart. He did seem better--much better, really--and the way he held the crowd in thrall made Richius proud. They had been through a lot together, had fought and watched comrades die, and it had forged a strange bond between them. Now they were under siege, and Lucyler had become a leader.
"What are you thinking about, Richius?" asked Dyana. "You are staring at Lucyler like one of these children."
Richius chuckled. "Am I? I'm just happy, I suppose."
"Me too," said Dyana. Then her face darkened. "But tomorrow is another day. It is hard to forget, even for the little ones. I--"
"Shhh," urged Richius, putting a finger to her lips. "Not today." He cocked his chin at Shani, still in his lap. "Look at her. Look how happy she is."
Dyana nodded. "Yes." She reached out and took her daughter's hand. "You like this story, Shani? You like hearing about Lorris and Pris?"
"Like Pris best," said Shani predictably. "Father speak, too?"
"No, not me," said Richius, laughing. "This is a Triin day, Shani. I'm not Triin."
"Naren," said Shani, crinkling her nose. Richius didn't know what to make of the expression.
"You should speak, Richius," urged Dyana.
"No, thanks." Richius put his hands under Shani's arms and lifted her up to face him. "You don't want to hear me talk, do you, Shani?"
"Talk of Nar!" chirped the girl. "Aramoor!"
Now it was Dyana that frowned. "No, but you could talk about being here, Richius. The people admire you like they do Lucyler. You make them feel safe." Playfully she poked his ribs. "Yes?"
Richius almost blushed. "That's very nice," he said, "but I still don't want to get up and talk."
"Oh, you should, Kalak," said a voice. It was Lifki, one of the workers who was seated behind them. Lifki was a silversmith who had been employed at the citadel since the time of the Daegog. His family sat with him, a wife and three teenagers, all of whom nodded. "You should listen to Dyana, Kalak; she is right. All these people admire you." Lifki nudged the man next to him. "I am right, yes, Lang?"
Lang hadn't been listening, but when Lifki explained it to him the Triin warrior agreed. "Yes," he declared. He clapped his hands together, urging Richius up. "Speak to us, Kalak. Let us all see you."
"No, I can't--"
"Richius?" called Lucyler. From up on his dais the Master of Falindar had seen the commotion building in the front row of his audience. Now he stared down at Richius with laughing eyes, suddenly making him the center of attention. "You have something to say?"
Flushed with embarrassment, Richius said, "No. I'm sorry, Lucyler. Just go on."
But they were all looking at him now, and Lucyler wasn't about to let him off so easily. Dyana was laughing with a hand over her mouth, while Lifki and Lang kept clapping, urging Richius to his feet.
"Go on, Richius," prompted Dyana. "It is Casadah! Go up and say something."
"Say what? What do you want me to tell them?"
"Tell them how happy you are today."
"Oh, that's silly . . ."
Lucyler stepped to the edge of the dais, grinning down at them mischievously. "The great Kalak should address us," he said. He raised his hands to the crowd. "Yes?"
A happy chorus rose up. Richius felt blood rush to his face. He gave Dyana a dirty look.
"Thanks a lot," he whispered. Dyana wouldn't stop laughing.
"You will be fine," she told him. "Now go; speak to us."
Handing Shani to Dyana, Richius got to his feet before the crowd. He turned to face them and saw a sea of people, far more numerous than they had seemed from his place on the floor. They waved and cheered when they saw him, and for the first time Richius felt the adoration Dyana had told him about. It was powerful, and when he heard the word Kalak run through the crowd he did not cringe. Once that name had been a hated insult, but no longer. Now he was Kalak. The Jackal.
"Hello, my friends," he said awkwardly. Old men and young women tossed him encouraging smiles, and children cooed excitedly. "Uh, happy Casadah to all of you. I want to thank you. I--"
"Come up here, Richius!" urged Lucyler. His Triin friend stretched down a hand, offering to pull him onto the dais. The dais was just a handful of planks hammered together for the occasion, but it had been covered with bright cloth and looked impressive. So impressive that it intimidated Richius.
"I'm fine right here," he told Lucyler in a low grumble.
"Nonsense." Lucyler jumped down off the dais, taking Richius by the shoulders and pushing him toward the makeshift stage. Goaded
on by a hundred voices, Richius climbed onto the dais and looked out over the gathering. His mouth dried up.
"Yes, well," he began woodenly. He spoke in Triin, which made his delivery all the worse. "I really do not know what to say."
"Kalak!" cried a boy happily from across the hall. Richius laughed at his echoing cry, feeling like an actor on stage in the Black City. He glanced down and saw Dyana looking up at him proudly. In her lap sat Shani, her eyes full of wonder as she saw her father on the dais. Suddenly Richius knew what to say.
"I am very lucky to be here with all of you," he told the crowd. "I am luckier still that you have accepted me. When I first came here, I hated it. I was trapped, and I felt like I had lost my home. You all know about Aramoor, and what happened there. I lost a lot. I thought I had lost everything, really. But you have all made me feel at home here in Falindar. You are all my family now."
"Kafife," shouted Dyana. "Remember, Richius?"
Richius remembered perfectly. It was the Triin word for family, and she had taught it to him. He smiled at her warmly. Then he straightened, saying, "Some of you think I still miss Aramoor, and you are right. But some of you also think I plan on leaving here someday, and that you are wrong about. This is my home now. This is where my family is, and all my friends." He laughed. "So do not keep asking me when I am going to leave, all right? I am not going anywhere."
The crowd loved this, some rising to their feet. With one voice they shouted their adoration for Kalak, the Jackal of Nar. Richius watched the crowd, giddy with their affection, and when he gazed down at Dyana he saw that she was staring at him in astonishment, her lips slightly parted as if shocked by what she'd heard. Richius looked at her inquisitively, but she merely shook her head.
"Uhm, I do not know what else to say," he told the gathering. "Except one more thing. We are all afraid of Praxtin-Tar and his army. I too am afraid. But we are strong here in Falindar, and Praxtin-Tar is weak. He might not look it, but he is. Right now he is out in the cold, alone with no one to help him. And we are in here." He clasped his hands together firmly. "Together."
