by PT Hylton
He drew his sword and dropped a rope ladder over the side. He was done waiting on the ship; it was time to fight.
****
Dustin stopped calling the wind. It was difficult, like tearing himself out of a dream.
Stormcalling wasn’t usually like that. Normally it was a conversation with the elements, one where he was always in control. He could break away and halt the conversation at any time.
But this wasn’t normal stormcalling. Viktor’s hand was touching his shoulder, and their powers had combined. This storm magic felt less like a conversation and more like being carried by a powerful wave. One of his own making, but it carried him nonetheless.
He forced his eyes open and lifted the end of his staff off the stone road. The world seemed to tilt, and he staggered backwards.
Viktor grabbed his shoulders, steadying him. “I have you, my friend. That magic was powerful. It practically knocked me on my—what’s the word?—ass.”
Dustin let out a laugh. “Damn, Viktor, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you curse.”
Viktor grinned. “I suppose there is a first time for everything. And by everything, I specifically mean cursing.”
“Go!” Syd yelled. “Charge those Stone Shaper bastards!”
The group had gathered behind Dustin, and now they surged forward. Tall Grass Raider and stormship sailors charged together, all focused on taking down the enemy.
Syd led the charge, one sword in each hand. When she reached the stone wall she planted one foot on top of it and vaulted over, swinging a sword as she landed. Her blade struck the nearest Stone Shaper in the neck, and he fell with a grunt.
Dustin trotted forward, hanging back behind the other warriors. It wasn’t that he was afraid. Part of him was jealous of the others. He wanted to be in there mixing it up alongside them, but he was smart enough to know his real value was his storm magic. He needed to hang back and use it where it was needed.
To his surprise, it didn’t appear to be needed at all.
His initial blast of wind had taken out about half of the three dozen Stone Shapers. Another ten had fallen to The Foggy Day’s archers. The remaining seven were no match for the combined might of Syd’s crew and her brother’s ekkja.
Fannar leapt over the wall and dropped to his knees, slicing the closest Stone Shaper’s hamstring with his seax even as stone blades narrowly missed his body. When his target fell, Fannar drove the seax into his neck.
Olaf let out a loud combination of whoops and curses as he threw himself over the wall at his target. The woman saw him approach and shaped her stone chest plate into a series of spiky protrusions. Olaf just managed to dodge one of the spikes, and he quickly took her down with his sword.
A few Stone Shapers who’d succumbed to Dustin’s initial blast of wind were trying to climb back onto the docks, but the Tall Grass Raiders made short work of them.
Sigmund almost fell to a Stone Shaper who transformed his chest plate, shifting the stone into an axe which he swung at the Barskall’s head. A ball of fire hit the Stone Shaper in his now-unprotected chest, and he fell to the ground, screaming as he burned.
Benjamin surveyed his handiwork for only a moment before he called to Syd. “Captain! I suggest we get aboard your ship and get the hell out of here.”
Syd wiped the blood from her blade and smiled. “I concur with that assessment.” Then she turned to the others and shouted, “Ekkja! Sailors! Climb the ladders!”
Everyone quickly obeyed, scurrying up the rope ladders hanging from The Foggy Day.
Dustin scanned the area behind the stone wall. The Stone Shapers were all down.
No, that wasn’t right, he realized. They were all down but one.
The surviving Stone Shaper was a squat man with a mustache. He reached out a hand and touched the stone wall.
Dustin started sprinting toward him even though he knew he’d never make it in time. If he could just get within ten feet of the man, he could use the amphorald Benjamin had embedded in his staff to blast him.
Even that was a longshot, he knew, but still he ran.
The stone wall transformed at the man’s touch, shifting like water under a ship’s hull. It formed into a giant spike, and Dustin realized with horror that the man wasn’t going for one of his attackers. He was going for The Foggy Day herself.
He was trying to destroy the ship, and he had plenty of stone to drive through her hull.
Dustin cried out, but he couldn’t seem to find any words—not that they would have helped. The stone spike grew from the stone wall, shooting toward the hull of the ship with uncanny speed.
Then, suddenly, it stopped growing. The spike quivered in the air, neither growing nor shrinking. It just hung there, the impossible weapon mere inches from The Foggy Day’s boards.
Dustin scanned the length of the wall, trying to understand what was happening. Then he saw it. There was another man touching the stone wall, and Dustin immediately recognized him.
“Gideon!”
Gideon answered through clenched teeth. “Somebody kick his ass. I can’t hold him off forever.”
Dustin dashed toward the enemy Stone Shaper. When he got within ten feet of him, he lowered his staff and fired.
The Stone Shaper was knocked back. Fannar sprinted to him and finished the job.
“Let’s get it in gear!” Syd called. “Up the ladder, people.”
Dustin trotted over to her. Gideon was already approaching.
“I’ve been doing some thinking,” Gideon began.
Syd held up a hand. “Can we review your dramatic change of heart later? We need to get out of here before reinforcements show up.”
Gideon nodded. “I’m coming with you, by the way.”
“What, you don’t think your brother is going to be a fan of your new lifestyle?” Dustin asked with a smile.
Syd gestured toward the nearest rope ladder. “You’re welcome to join us as long as you get up there in the next thirty seconds.”
Once the Tall Grass Raiders and the stormship sailors were all up the ladder, it was Dustin’s turn. He found Benjamin waiting at the top for him.
“How was your trip?” the blacksmith asked.
“Pretty uneventful. We joined a group of rebels, launched a failed raid on a Stone Shaper city, and saved your ass. Nothing out of the ordinary. How were things here?”
Benjamin shrugged. “About the same. We fought off a few assassination attempts, killed a bunch of Stone Shapers, and got saved by you.” He paused a moment. “I can’t help but notice my daughter’s not with you.”
“She went with Syd’s brother to find a secret city of Stone Shapers and convince them to help us defeat Magnus.”
Benjamin nodded nonchalantly. “Got it.”
Syd pulled herself over the rail.
Benjamin helped her to her feet. “Captain, the ship is yours.” A grin broke out on his face. “Damn, it felt good to say that.”
Syd wasted no time barking orders at the crew. In less than five minutes, they were ready for departure. “Dustin, if you don’t mind?”
The Storm Caller hefted his staff and trotted to the prow. With a contented sigh, Dustin took his place and called the wind. It filled the sails and the ship cut through the water, quickly picking up speed.
Reinforcement Stone Shapers arrived on the dock, but it was too late for them to do much other than watch the stormship sail away.
The Foggy Day was almost out of the harbor when a splash came from the water on the starboard side of the ship.
“What the hell was that?” Syd called to no one in particular.
Benjamin suddenly went pale. He dashed to the main deck and disappeared through a hatch.
He reappeared a moment later, a look of horror on his face. “It’s Dahlia. She’s gone.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
“I don’t understand,” Elliot said. “What are you doing here?”
Ragnar was leading them through a tunnel he said led to an exit only ten mil
es outside Ammaas. If they travelled straight through—and Ragnar wasn’t lying—they’d reach the city and The Foggy Day a few hours later.
Abbey wasn’t so sure. Trusting Syd’s brother was one thing. He’d proven himself to be a person who cared about bringing justice to the people who’d been mistreated in Gren for so long. Trusting a Barskall warlord was something else altogether.
“I already told you,” Ragnar said. “This is my punishment. I’m to live out the rest of my life in Horg. I’ve been here quite some time, and I’ve learned my way around.”
“No, I understand that. Where I’m having trouble with is the fact that you know the way out. Why don’t you just leave? We could have used you out there in the fight against Magnus.” There was anger in Elliot’s voice as he spoke to his former leader.
Ragnar marched silently through the tunnel, torch held high, for so long that Abbey thought he wasn’t going to answer. Finally he did.
“I can’t leave, Elliot. It’s a matter of honor.”
The Tall Grass Raider clearly didn’t like that answer. “Honor? Are you kidding me? Was it honorable when Magnus lured you to Ammaas under the pretense of negotiation and then captured you?”
“Of course not.” The Barskall warlord’s voice was harsh. “But it’s not about what they did. It’s about what I did. What I tried to do. I tried to conquer both Barskall and Gren, and many died in the process. My punishment is just.”
“And what about the good you could do if you were out here? You could stop Magnus.”
“Wish I could. But I vowed to stay in Horg, and I intend to keep my promise.”
Abbey chuckled. “How are they going to feel when they learn you helped their prisoners escape?”
“Not great, I imagine. But I never vowed to make you stay in Horg.”
They continued for a long while in silence. Abbey had lost all track of time. It had been night when they’d entered the tunnel with Ragnar, but she had no idea how much time had passed since then. It might have been two hours, or it might have been five.
After what seemed like forever, Elliot spoke. “How about Sika and the council? They promised to go after Magnus and drag him and his followers back to Horg. Will they follow through even though we ran off?”
“I expect they will,” Ragnar said. “It’s not about you. It’s about the people of Gren. The Stone Shapers of Horg are surprisingly honorable. Not like Magnus. Or Dahlia.”
Elliot chuckled. “That’s a name I haven’t heard for many years.”
“And thank the seas for that,” Hekla interjected. “I did my best to forget about that evil bitch.”
Abbey and Clemens exchanged glances.
Elliot turned to Abbey. “Consider yourself lucky you haven’t had to deal with her.”
Ragnar grunted his agreement. “Magnus is bad, but at least he was honest in his nasty intentions. He wanted to rule Gren, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. Dahlia, on the other hand, was willing to switch sides at the shifting of the wind. Whatever served her purpose.”
“The Queen of Storms.” The contempt was thick in Elliot’s voice. “That’s what Magnus and his friends called her. They’d never seen storm magic, so they practically considered her a god.”
Hekla scoffed at that. “Little did they know she would betray them moment it suited her, like she did Ragnar.”
“She’d promised to help me take Barskall,” Ragnar explained. “Apparently Elias offered her something better than I did, because she sold me out.”
Abbey grimaced. That wasn’t the story she’d heard from Dahlia—not that she ever trusted anything that woman said.
“Thank the seas she’s an ocean away,” Ragnar said. “I’m not afraid of much in this world, but I am afraid of her.”
Abbey glanced at Clemens. He quickly shook his head, his eyes wide. He didn’t want Abbey to tell the truth about Dahlia, but she wasn’t about to lie to these people. Not after all they’d done for her.
“She’s not an ocean away. She’s aboard our ship. She’s the one who showed us how to find Ammaas.”
Elliot stopped in his tracks. “You’re kidding. Tell me you’re kidding, Abbey.”
“I’m not. It was the only way to find you.” The look of shock in his eyes made her continue quickly, “But don’t worry. We’re keeping her drugged. There’s no way she can use her powers.”
Ragnar grimaced. “If you think stormcalling is her greatest power, you don’t know her very well.”
Abbey bristled. “I’ve faced her twice. The first time I killed her partner Captain Tor, and the second time I helped destroy her fleet. I think I know her.”
Elliot looked at her wide-eyed, as if he were seeing her for the first time. “You killed Captain Tor?”
Ragnar spoke before Abbey could answer. “It doesn’t matter. As long as you keep Dahlia away from Horg, I don’t care what she does. If the Queen of Storms comes to the city of the true Stone Shapers, I think she’ll find a nasty surprise.” He gestured to where the path angled sharply upward. “This is it.”
“Already?” Clemens asked. “Doesn’t seem like we’ve traveled far enough.”
Ragnar scoffed. “Stone Shapers can cut a direct path through bedrock. Makes for much faster travel.”
After a few minutes of strenuous climbing the opening came into sight; dim sunlight shone through. Abbey realized it must be morning. She hadn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours.
Ragnar stopped and turned to Abbey. “I’ll leave you here. And I hope you don’t mind me saying I hope I never see you again.” He looked at Elliot, then at Hekla. “You two, on the other hand, are welcome anytime.”
They said their goodbyes to Ragnar and headed for the surface.
As they stepped through the exit, Abbey’s suspicions were confirmed. The sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon. It was early morning.
“Abbey, look.” Clemens pointed at something just past the exit.
The Stone Shaper guard lay unconscious on the ground.
And just behind him stood Gideon. He grinned at them. “I was wondering when you might show up.”
Abbey started to draw her sword, but then she saw Gideon wasn’t alone. Fannar and Olaf stood on either side of him.
“He’s on our side now,” Olaf explained. “It’s a whole thing.”
Abbey blinked hard. Even the dim morning sunlight hurt her eyes after so long in the caves. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Come, my friends,” Fannar said. “Let’s head back to the ship. We have much to tell you, and not all of it is good.”
****
They stood near the prow of The Foggy Day, the five of them together for the first time.
Syd the Captain. Dustin the Storm Caller. Abbey the First Mate. Benjamin the veteran warrior. Elliot the rebel leader. Whether officially or unofficially, they were the leaders of this crew, and they needed to decide what to do next.
They’d considered including Gideon in the discussion, but Syd hadn’t decided if she trusted him. He’d betrayed them once already, after all. He’d explained himself to Abbey, Elliot, Hekla, and Clemens on the walk back to the ship. He’d told them how he couldn’t force himself to go back to helping his brother after the things he’d seen in that village. Still, the others didn’t fully trust him.
It was mid-morning, and The Foggy Day was anchored two miles offshore a good distance north of Ammaas. They were safe, or as safe as one could be in enemy territory. Syd had picked up the other Tall Grass Raiders north of the city, and they were all aboard the stormship.
The fact that she hadn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours didn’t cross Abbey’s mind. There was too much happening. All these people she cared about were united in one place and for one purpose.
A strange mix of excitement, happiness at the reunion, and utter dread at Dahlia’s escape hung in the air.
“I’m just going to say it,” Syd began. “We did what we came here to do. We rescued Elliot and his friends. Not only th
at, but Tomas and his Stone Shapers are on their way to deal with Magnus. There’s no longer a need for the Tall Grass Raiders. We’re done.”
Dustin scratched his beard, as he often did when he was thinking. “You’re suggesting we go home?”
“I’m not suggesting anything. We’re a team, and I’m not going to pull rank and dictate our course of action. I want to know what all of you think.”
From a certain perspective, Syd’s point of view made sense to Abbey. They’d done the impossible. Again. They’d changed the fate of a nation, and they’d found Syd’s long-lost brother.
“I don’t know,” Elliot replied. “Those villages are still hungry. How do I know they’ll be okay once Tomas and his friends take down Magnus?”
Syd answered immediately, “You don’t, but you can’t babysit them the rest of their lives. You’ve given them a chance. Isn’t that enough?”
Elliot didn’t answer. He just gazed at the open sea. Toward home.
Abbey couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. There was something Syd was conveniently forgetting. “What about Dahlia?”
“What about her?” Syd shrugged. “We leave her stranded a thousand miles from home.”
“That’s not good enough,” Dustin said. “Not for a woman like her. She’ll build a fleet just like she did in Barskall. It will take a while, but a few years from now she’ll show up outside Holdgate with an army of Stone Shapers.”
“Not to mention the effect on Gren,” Elliot interjected. “Having the Queen of Storms on his side would be mighty useful to Magnus when he’s fighting Tomas.”
Dustin nodded. “And if Tomas wins, she’ll just switch sides. It’s what she does.”
Abbey agreed with everything that had been said about Dahlia, but that wasn’t her real reason for wanting to take the woman down. “There’s one more thing. I made a promise. I promised her I’d kill her before I left Gren. I’m a woman of my word, and I intend to follow through.”
Syd gave her a hard look, but it quickly melted into a smile. “Good. There was no way in hell I was leaving Gren while Dahlia was alive, but I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.”
