The Warriors of Valishna (Cartharia Book 1)

by Spencer Reaves McCoy

  Eldrin felt the smile form on his face as his hand tightened around his flask, "Let's go get Mattie," he suggested, "She'll want to see this."

  "Sure," Sean said, leading the way.

  Matilyn looked up from the small table she was sharing with Janice when Sean and Eldrin barged into the back room quarters. As with most ships, there was a small but private cabin. They were currently using it as a headquarters' for officer meetings, and for sorting through the Lamonte mail they'd found. Most of the letters were personal, but they kept checking for important information.

  "What's happened?" Matilyn asked, coming to her feet. Her mind jumped to the worst conclusions as she looked between the two men, "Is it Lamonte?"

  "No," Eldrin said, "Well, sort of. Nothing like that, though. Mattie, we saw land."

  Janice shook her head, "No, that can't be. Our scouts would have seen it earlier. We're off course. I was just talking to Matilyn about that. Sorry, to Lieutenant Malevus about that. We need to figure out a new route so we can get to Lamonte. We have no idea where we're at."

  "We saw land," Eldrin argued, frowning at her, "I don't care what you saw. Sean and I saw it."

  "If there had been land, I would have seen it," Janice said.

  "Well, you didn't," Eldrin said.

  Sean shook his head, "We saw land, Janice," he said, drawing her attention to him. "I saw it. We were up deck talking and Sheldon spotted it. We must have been looking in the wrong direction earlier."

  Janice hesitated and then nodded, leading the way up to the top deck. Matilyn was surprised how easy it was for Sean to always say the right thing to diffuse an argument before it even got started. It wasn't the first one he'd stopped Janice and Eldrin from having.

  Eldrin slid an arm around her shoulders and she smiled at him. He met the expression with a grin of his own. It lightened her heart to see; too often, she'd been worried about Eldrin. He'd been spending more and more time by himself and despite his constant joking, he never seemed happy

  Sean had promised to speak to him about it, though she'd been skeptical that it would do any good. She kept imagining his face, right after she'd shot Sasha. There had been something in that had seemed to break.

  "Are you excited for land?" Eldrin asked, interrupting her thoughts, "Think, Mattie. We could have a full nights' rest without the rocking. Well, without the rocking of the sea anyway." He winked.

  Matilyn rolled her eyes and then scanned the area he was gesturing at. At first, she saw nothing, but once she'd squinted her eyes a little, she could just barely make out the distant shoreline he was talking about. "They're right," she called over to Janice, "I see it too."

  "I know," Janice said, "It's right there. I don't know how we missed it earlier. I'd say we're about three hours away if we turn course slightly to the left."

  "That far?" Eldrin asked, "Are you sure?"

  "I'm sure," Janice said, "We don't move that fast."

  "Well, we're not slow," Eldrin said.

  They both looked at Matilyn. She sighed at the pair. She had no idea how long it would actually take to arrive but they were both waiting for her input. "We'll set sail in that direction and then anchor when we're closer. Let's plan on three hours. If we get there faster, we get there faster. We can't dock tonight anyway."

  "What?" Eldrin said, "Why not? We're right here, Mattie."

  "It's nearly dark," Matilyn said, "The sun has already set. It's only going to get darker. We don't want to try and dock at night. We might hit rocks, damage the ship. We need to be able to see."

  "We can send out the life-ship boat on the bottom level of the deck," Eldrin said, "a few of us with torches could light the way for everyone else."

  Matilyn shook her head, "We don't want to send anyone over alone during the night, Eldrin. We don't know the conditions over there. No, we need to get closer and then stop for the night, keeping sentries posted. Tomorrow morning, we finish the trek when there's daylight and we can see where we're at with docking and what we'll be facing on the shoreline."

  Eldrin shook his head, "I can't spend another night on this ship, Mattie."

  There was a desperation and frustration in his voice that Matilyn hadn't heard before. She wanted to agree with him and give the orders to get the ship docked for the night. She didn't want to have to disagree.

  She looked over at Sean and Janice, who were both listening but not commenting.

  "We can't tonight," she said, turning back to her friend. Her voice lowered to a whisper, "I'm sorry, Eldrin. If it was my decision, we'd stop. But we have a lot of other people to think about and I have to do what's right for everyone."

  Eldrin stared at her for a moment and then turned away, pacing to the other side of the deck. She could see his hands tightening on the railing as he stared off into the distance. Matilyn stared at his back, unsure what to do or say.

  Just as she started to take a step towards him, she heard her name. She turned to see one of other scouts approaching her. "What is it Kevin?"

  "We saw land," Kevin said, looking between her, Sean, and Janice. "Oh, you already saw it." He looked disappointed, his shoulders slumping.

  "What?" Matilyn asked, "No. We're just up here enjoying the sunset. What are you talking about?"

  Sean smiled at Janice, shaking his head a little as she opened her mouth. She looked at him, and then shut it, nodding.

  "Well," Kevin said his chest proudly again, "We saw land, Lieutenant. It looks about an hour and a half away. Maybe two. Let me show you."

  Matilyn followed Kevin to the edge of the ship and once again peered over at the shore line, "We're close," she agreed, "Thanks for showing me, Kevin. It's good to know we're on track.. I want you to go below ship and tell the men on the oars that we're going to stop for the night in about an hour."

  "We are?" Kevin asked, confused. For the second time, Matilyn explained her reasoning behind wanting to wait for morning to dock. Kevin didn't argue as Eldrin had, instead saluting her and running down below deck to give the orders.

  Janice approached, "Why'd you lie?"

  "Because we don't need the recognition," Matilyn said, "and he might. Let him believe that he and the other scouts saw the land. It won't hurt anything. It doesn't matter."

  Janice nodded, "So we'll go first thing in the morning."

  "Yeah," Matilyn said, "at first light, we'll head over. It shouldn't take long. If your estimate is right, maybe less than an hour and a half."

  Janice nodded, "You should go sleep, lieutenant."

  Matilyn looked over at Eldrin.

  "Leave him alone for the night," Janice suggested, putting a hand on her shoulder sympathetically, "He'll be alright in the morning, Matilyn."

  Matilyn nodded but didn't quite feel right about going down to sleep while Eldrin was still alone on top of the ship. Sean looked over at her, "I'll stay with him," he said.

  "You don't have to do that," Matilyn said.

  "I care about Sheldon too," Sean countered.

  Matilyn hesitated another moment, staring at her friend's back. Then she followed Janice beneath the ship. She had to explain to everyone below their plans and then answer a dozen questions before she was able to escape to her hammock. She knew she should be grateful not to have to sleep on the ground but the rocking of the ship often kept her awake. She'd lie in bed, imagining Sasha's eyes and Janice's voice, screaming out that they'd left her.

  Matilyn knew the image would come to her again that night, but it hadn't yet. Instead, she couldn't stop worrying about Eldrin. She didn't have a reason to call him out on it, but she knew he'd started drinking, even though it was frowned upon in the Guard.

  She knew he didn't like being part of the Guard, the fighting, any of it, but she didn't know what to do about it. She needed him.

  Her sleep was a jumbled mess that night. She would think about Sasha and then her face would blur and become Eldrin's and she'd have to sit up and breathe in deeply. Just as the sky started brightening at dawn, she felt wo
rse than she had when she'd lied down.

  "Are you alright?" Janice asked, as she approached the top deck, "You look a bit tired."

  "I didn't sleep well," Matilyn admitted, "But I'll be fine. Have we started the oars? We need to take off immediately."

  Eldrin approached, "We did," he said. To her relief, his tone had returned to it's normal, cheerful cadence, "I told them to get going, just a few minutes ago. You were still asleep, lazy bones."

  Matilyn looked up at the sky, "Damn," she said, "I wanted to be here when we took off."

  "Well," Janice said, "I wanted to wake you. But someone wouldn't let me."

  She shot a glare at Eldrin but he only winked in return.

  Matilyn sighed over at Eldrin, "You didn't let her wake me? Why not?"

  Eldrin pulled her away, "You haven't been sleeping well. There was no reason for you to be up for this. I'm a Captain. I can give orders."

  He seemed so sincere that Matilyn couldn't help but smile.

  "Come on," Eldrin said, snagging her hand and yanking her towards the front of the ship, "Let's see what there is to see."

  As the ship sailed closer to the Lamonte shores, the expansive forest came into view, directly behind the sandy shoreline.

  "This isn't where we planned on docking," Matilyn said. She pulled out the map they'd been given in Teirford. It was wrinkled and worn from constant viewing, "Look, there's no forest on the map. We're supposed to dock here."

  Eldrin glanced where she was pointing and then shrugged, "Whatever. We knew we were off trail. Now we know how far off. It's not a big deal. I'm sure we can get back on track fairly easily, Mattie. Stop worrying. We just need a landmark."

  Matilyn sighed, frowning still. Eldrin reached over and plucked the map from her hands. He deftly folded it and smirked, "We're about to dock," he told her, "No more frowns."

  "Alright," Matilyn said, holding up her hands defensively. She couldn't help but smile at his attitude. He handed her back the map and moved to talk to the other soldiers coming up on top of the deck. His attitude was infectious; soon everyone was smiling and laughing.

  Her worries from the night before disappeared in the bright sun of the day and the eagerness of the troops to get off the cramped ship. The sentries keeping an eye on the shore saw nothing to indicate life there, and once they'd sent out the lifeboat, it returned with an hour to report an empty shoreline.

  Docking went easier than expected. Matilyn had been worried they'd run into issues coming up to shore because of their lack of experience. They managed with nothing more than a slight bump when they hit a patch of rocks though. The other ships docked around them, some smoother, and some with a bit more difficulty. Nobody seemed to have much trouble though.

  "We made it," she said, looking over the faces of her men and wondering if they felt the same. Matilyn glanced at Eldrin, returned his grin, and then stepped over to the ramp. With a deep breathe, she led the way off the ship.

  As she stepped onto the firm ground of Lamonte shore, an arrow shot through the air and hit her right below her collar bone.

  Matilyn sank to the ground.

  SEVENTEEN

  Anger Hath a Privilege

  CATHERINE TRIED TO CLEAR HER MIND. NO matter how hard she tried though, images continued to swim around in her head. She let out a groan of frustration.

  She clasped her hands in front of her and continued to close her eyes. She counted back from ten, but still couldn't focus. Her thoughts felt arbitrary; Garrett, her father, the war, what she ate for breakfast...

  Annoyed, she opened her eyes. "It didn't work," she told the girl sitting across from her. "Are you even sure it's possible?"

  "I'm telling you," the girl, Lissa, said, "I saw it. My father healed someone. They priests are all learning manipulation. It comes from Arinford, you know."

  "I know that," Catherine said, "I've known about manipulation for years, of course. But I thought only the Priests in Arinford could learn it. They say it takes years and years of practice."

  Lissa shrugged, "I don't know how they're doing it," she admitted, "But they are. They're learning it in mere weeks. Some of them can even call on their Chakran within days. I wish I could."

  "I'm going to learn how," Catherine said. "I must be doing it wrong. I must be concentrating wrong. There has to be a way to call on my--Chakran, right?"

  Lissa nodded.

  "How does your father do it?" Catherine demanded.

  "I don't know," Lissa said, "I've never tried to learn from him. He can heal though. I saw it myself."

  Catherine bounced to her feet, "I'm going to ask him," she told Lissa, "Is he in the Chapel?"

  Lissa nodded.

  "Good," Catherine said, "Wait here for me."

  Before Lissa could argue, Catherine had hurried off down the hall. One of the chefs from the kitchen passed her, giving her a wide berth. Catherine smirked a little. She was well known in the halls. Nobody liked to bother the princess.

  By the time she'd reached the Chapel, she was out of breath. She took a moment to calm down. She smoothed out her dress, patted down her braid, and then stepped inside. The main room of the Chapel was large and inviting with dozens of seats and a large stage up front.

  Catherine ignored this, heading for one of the backrooms. Before she'd reached it, a man stepped out.

  "Father Greene," she greeted, "I was hoping to find you here."

  "Were you?" Anthony Greene nodded politely to her, "It's always a pleasure to see you, Princess Catherine. How can I be of service? Are you in need of sitting through a confessional?"

  "No," Catherine said, "I was simply wondering if we could speak."

  "Of course," Anthony said, "Come, let's speak in the back where there is privacy."

  Catherine nodded, following him into the back room of the Chapel. There were several doors in that led to confessional booths but they simply sat at the table in the middle of the room.

  "You know," Anthony said, "Every day, you look a little more like your mother."

  Catherine raised her eyes to the picture of her mother and father that hung in the room. Her mother had blonde hair, like her, and the same delicate, almost porcelain like features.

  "Do I remind you of her?" Catherine asked.

  "No," Anthony said after a moment, "You are quite unique, Princess Catherine."

  "Will you tell me how she died?" Catherine asked. "My father always says she got ill, but nobody will ever tell me how. I'm nearing my sixteenth age. I am old enough to know the truth at last."

  Anthony hesitated, "Is that what you came to speak with me about?"

  Catherine shrugged a shoulder, "No," she said, "But my curiosity is aroused. Please, tell me, Father Greene."

  "It is not something any child should have to hear about their parent," Anthony said, "Yet you ask for the truth and as a man of the cloth, I can hardly refuse to give it to you. Your mother died of an illness, yes, but it was not the yellow fever, as so many believe. She died of an illness of the mind."

  "What?" Catherine asked.

  "Her mind grew sicker and sicker," Anthony explained, "She began to hear voices, and see things that did not exist."

  "And this killed her," Catherine said.

  "No," Anthony told her, "Perhaps in a fashion, though. Your mother took her own life."

  Catherine was silent for a long time.

  "I'm sorry to give you such grave information," Anthony said, "I wish that you had not asked this of me."

  "It matters little," Catherine said, "I can barely remember her. Only that she had a beautiful laugh."

  "Your father kept you away from her near the end," Anthony said, "He didn't want you to see her like that. It was a wise decision. No child should ever have to watch their parent go through such madness."

  "You were there," Catherine said, "Were you not?"

  Anthony bowed his head, "I was."

  Catherine drummed her fingers along the table, "Yet, you could not help her."

  "N
o," he said, "There is no known cure for the madness of the mind, Princess."

  "Your daughter, Lissa, tells me that you have learned manipulation," Catherine said.

  "I have," Anthony said.

  Catherine nodded, "And this is why I have come to see you. I wish to learn."

  Anthony observed her silently for a moment. His scrutinizing gaze made Catherine feel uncomfortable. She resisted the urge to rub the goosebumps forming on her arms. Instead, she simply met his gaze with one of her own.

  "You will teach me," she said.

  "No," Anthony said, "I cannot."

  "And why not?" Catherine demanded, "I am the Princess. I wish for you to teach me, so you shall."

  "I cannot," he repeated, "You do not have the right mind for manipulation, Princess Catherine. I fear that you would be unable to call upon your Chakran."

  "Then teach me how to do it," Catherine said, becoming angrier by the second.

  Anthony shook his head, "You do not have the right disposition for it," he said, "I have been ordered by your father to teach those that I believe will excel in the field and I will, but I will not teach you."

  "You don't believe I'd be good at it?" Catherine asked.

  "No," he said, "on the contrary, Princess Catherine, I believe you'd be great."

  Catherine waited impatiently outside her father's office until Eric opened the door to beckon her inside.

  "Catherine, my dear," Sullivan said, rising to his feet, "How good it is to see you."

  Catherine dipped into a curtsey, "And you as well, father. How was your trip? Were you as successful as you hoped?"

  "The trip was good," Sullivan said, "Though the kingdom I wish to ally with needs time to consider. I have faith, though, that they'll align themselves with our goals, Catherine darling."

  "Of course," Catherine said.

  "Now," Sullivan said, "What can I do for you, Catherine? I'm finished with my reports for now. Come sit."

  Catherine went to sit at the desk. She hesitated, her fingers tracing along the edge of the wood, "Father, you lied to me."

  "How is that?" Sullivan asked.