Books, rope, a compass? Who needed all that crap, anyway? You get on a ship, you pay your fare–
Weaver’s chamberpot. She’d planned to talk Faye into paying their fare. She didn’t have three sovereigns saved up, much less ten for the two of them.
Samiwhatis stopped his chatter. “What’s wrong?”
“We wanted to take a ship, but we’re gonna have to walk. I ain’t saved up enough money.”
The kid raised his head and wiped tears off his face. Weaver’s cold toes, he was taking Faye’s desertion awful hard. “I have money.”
“It’s five sovereigns each, kid.”
“I–” He swallowed hard. “I took some of Trevor’s money. Stole it.”
Samiwhatis shook his head. “That isn’t stealing. Trevor wanted you to have it. He’d never have left you in such a precarious position.”
The kid’s gaze wandered to the baseboard. He watched the wall as if he could see a humongous cockroach, but there was nothing there.
“You sick, kid? Seeing spots?” That might mean he’d caught Veriz fever. No ship would take them on if he got fevered.
“Not spots, exactly.” He turned to Samiwhatis. “I see auras now. Not all the time, but enough to get confused. You have a hungry mouse behind your wall.”
The noodle brain saw mice? Through a wall? Loom-warping magic stuff. Did he really have to announce it?
“I’ll set out a bread crust for it.” Samiwhatis frowned at the kid, all worried-like. “Uncontrolled aura detection is usually caused by overdosing on mandrake root tea. I can’t imagine how eating the root has affected you. They should become less distracting eventually.”
Less distracting? Did that mean the kid was gonna be a worse fruitcake than usual? She was gonna have to babysit him like a toddler playing in a third-floor window. Or worse, like a three-legged kitten chasing a gyrfalcon.
It’d be worth it to go traveling. But how was she gonna tell him why she was riding him like a green-broke foal? “Nobody gonna believe we’re brother and sister. Or married, either.”
He looked at her like she’d fallen off the Shuttle. “You promised ages ago that you’d come along as my bodyguard.”
Oh, yeah, she had. Back on the day he’d carved her swords outta monster bones. That meant she owed him. And that meant he wasn’t gonna pay her. Not that he needed to, of course. Her swords put her in his debt forever, even if she couldn’t use them right. But pocket money would be nice.
“I don’t know how I’ll pay you.”
Was he reading her mind now?
“We need to find a way to earn money. The coins I stole from Trevor–” He glanced at Samiwhatis. “Borrowed from Trevor. Anyway, they won’t last long.”
“We’ll think of something, kid.” Neither of them were good at nothing useful. Not much call for a half-trained sorcerer’s apprentice and a musical-instrument-maker’s daughter who hated making musical instruments.
“If nothing else, Viper can earn money as a scribe.” Samiwhatis stood up. “How long will you need to collect your gear?”
“An hour?” Less, if Mom was out of the house. She could talk her way around her dad and brothers just by mentioning Faye. Unless somebody told them Faye was mad at her.
“Good enough. Viper, why don’t you rest for a while? I’m going to the shipyard to arrange passage for you. And we need to think of a way to get him past the City Guard.”
“Both of us.” She shrugged when they stared at her. “I kinda made a mess of things.”
The kid glared at her. “How?”
“I killed Kraken.”
The kid’s jaw dropped. Samiwhatis’s eyes got big.
“It was an accident, honest. But I’m pretty sure they’re looking for me by now.” Knew it for sure, really. One of the gang ratted her out. Nobody else in that neighborhood would’ve said a word.
The kid stood up slow, like his bones hurt. Big sloppy tears formed in his eyes. He took three steps toward her.
She looked away. She deserved whatever awful things he said, but she was still stinging from Faye’s fury. Facing the kid’s anger was more than she could handle right now.
He threw his arms around her shoulders and hugged her so hard her joints popped. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I– I– Thank you.”
Lorel froze, but forced herself to relax, and patted his back. She still didn’t know everything Kraken had done to him. Had a feeling she never wanted to know.
The kid stepped back and wiped his face. “I’m so drippy today.” He sniffled and raised his chin. “I can protect you from the Guard.”
Her jaw dropped. Who was he kidding? The kid couldn’t protect a lit match from a soft breeze.
“Watch.” He stood there and stared at her like she was a book he really wanted that he couldn’t afford to buy. He stared. And stared.
Samiwhatis choked down a laugh. “A beautifully done illusion. But rather too eye catching.”
What was eye catching? She looked down at herself.
A narrow leather skirt covered her trousers from hip to ankle. A red homespun-cotton blouse covered her shirt. Bright yellow hair hung loose over her shoulders, going clear to her knees. “A Setoyan girl?” Shuttle and Loom. She’d honestly thought there were no girl Setoyans. The way the traders talked, them barbarians hatched out of seagull eggs cooked in monster poop.
She had to stop believing everything the traders told her, no matter how good the story was.
The kid sighed and flipped his fingers. Her clothes went back to their usual gray wool.
Samiwhatis patted him on the shoulder. “It would be hard to hold an illusion that long, anyway.
The kid looked rebellious, but didn’t say anything. She had to admit, he’d held a huge illusion for a long time when they got revenge on the gang, but she’d promised not to talk about it. Didn’t want to talk about it. Fraying magic stuff.
“We’ll think of a way to protect you.” Samiwhatis looked right at her. “Both of you. You risked a lot to get him here.”
The kid nodded. He looked at her funny, like he was sorta surprised, but mostly not. Sorta respectful.
Her face burned. She couldn’t remember the last time anybody looked at her like that.
“Can you get home safely?”
“Yeah, I only live a few blocks from here.” She knew all the shortcuts, abandoned buildings, and gang safe houses, too.
“I’ll arrange passage for you now.” The old man took a jacket from the pegs by the door and shrugged into it. “Go home, collect the gear we discussed. Explain the situation to your family and say your farewells. Meet us here at dawn.”
Like she could explain any of this mess to her parents. They’d never believe she’d killed the son of the captain of the City Guard. Her dad would have an apoplexy if she even mentioned it. Her brothers would laugh themselves silly.
Mom would sit down and cry.
No, she’d leave them a note. One with not too many details. Just saying she’d be back someday. And that she loved them.
Chapter 12.
The air stank of dead fish and cold brine. The weak, red dawn reminded him of dirty dishwater instead of the new beginning he’d wished for.
Viper and Lorel trudged into the quiet shipyard, led by two silent sorcerers, Samiderf in black wool, Marise in eye-popping crimson silk. No one could miss seeing her. With any luck, she’d said, her dress would be all they’d notice.
How had Samiderf talked Marise into helping them? But he had to admit, he didn’t care enough to ask. Now was not the time for second thoughts, but he held several in his tightened throat. He hadn’t realized he’d come to love Zedista even more than he’d loved the Setoyan plains.
The miserably happy look on Lorel’s face scared him. She’d left a note to her parents earlier that morning, a note reprinted in his neat handwriting because her scrawl had been undecipherable. The guilt in her eyes probably came from the fact that she hadn’t dared to face them, and she hated the thought of fearing
to do anything. He couldn’t blame her for saying so little, though. Between his flight and Kraken’s death, there was nothing he wanted committed to writing.
She’d killed Kraken. His gyrfalcon had the guts to take on the monster. And the strength to win. He owed her, and owed her big. Kraken’s death might not end his nightmares, but anything that slowed the vulture dreams gave him hope he’d feel normal inside someday.
The mandolin’s case slid down his arm. He pushed it and his knapsack’s strap higher on his shoulder while he peered across the shipyard. Which of the ships docked there would take them on? The prospect of going across the ocean inside one of those naked ships was worse than daunting. It was terrifying. Lorel had no right to look ecstatic.
He ratcheted up the illusion that made her silver eyes look dark brown, and his tawny skin and hair appear Nashidran pale. Lorel’s overwhelmed expression made them far too obvious. Supposedly, Marise was doing something to hide them, but he couldn’t figure out what.
“You do realize that you don’t have to leave?” Marise asked. “Samiderf and I can protect you from Frujeur. We can hide you from the orphanage if we must. You have a lot to learn before you’ll be a sorcerer.”
“I know. But I need to leave. Trevor meant so much– I never told him–” Viper closed his eyes and gasped for air. “Besides,” he said in a calmer tone. “I promised Lorel we’d go. You don’t know what she’s like when somebody breaks their word to her. I wouldn’t dare.” After killing Kraken, Lorel needed out of Zedista worse than he did. They’d only lock him up. They’d hang her.
Lorel snorted and looked a little more like a normal person instead of a fugitive from the law. Her face glowed mahogany in the reddening light. He shifted the illusion to make her skin a deeper brown. She still looked like a Kerovi, but one with some Veriz ancestry.
Samiderf laughed. “Leave the boy alone. These two will manage just fine.”
“But they’re only babies.” Marise set a hand on each of their shoulders, stretching as high as she could to reach Lorel’s. “We can’t set them off to drift in the ocean alone.”
Her fingers were icy, even through his wool jacket. Viper shivered.
“They won’t be drifting.” Samiderf turned to glare at her. “Please keep your voice down. The barkeep at the Trader’s Inn can hear you at your current volume.”
“Don’t change the subject.” Marise tossed her head, but spoke somewhat more quietly. “I agree that these children should leave the city, but I still don’t see why they can’t sail north with me.”
“I told you, woman. North is the first place they’ll look.”
“Nonsense.” She released Lorel and pointed east. “They’ll look to Setoya.”
Lorel stepped out of reach.
Samiderf’s eyebrows flew up. “You may be right. However, our youngsters have their hearts set on Sedra-Kei.”
“Now, that is your fault.” Marise withdrew her cold hand, to Viper’s great relief, and shoved her fists against her hips. “You’ve been filling their empty heads with nonsense about Dureme-Lor. You didn’t even give me a chance to tell them about Nashidra.”
Marise whirled to face them, her brilliant red sleeves flaring like battle flags and glowing like the fiery sunrise. “You would enjoy Na. The city makes this little town look like a mud-hut village. Always bustling, always beautiful, and so alive. You’ll like Dra; it’s big and sprawling and so cosmopolitan. And most exotic of all is Shi. Now that’s a rare city for you–”
“Marise.” Samiderf shook a finger at her. “Are you sure you want these innocents to go that far north?”
“Nothing about those rumors has been proven.” Marise planted her hands back on her hips. “I’ve gone to Shi twice since they started, and I’ve seen nothing out of place.”
“Master Trevor saw something awful in Shi. Just before he died.” Viper’s voice failed him when both sorcerers turned their full attention on him.
“What was Trevor doing?” Samiderf leaned forward a little. “Scrying?”
Viper nodded and hung his head. Scrying with a spell from his new grimoire. The old man’s death was all his fault.
“Northward?” Marise whispered.
“Yes, toward Shi–” He caught his breath and tried to steady his voice. “Looking for the killer. He said Shi, and he said Mindbender. And then it killed him.”
“A Mindbender?” Marise flung her arms around Viper’s trembling shoulders and glared at Samiderf.
He returned her gaze and shook his head. “I didn’t know the details.”
Marise sighed and held him closer. “I think these babies may be safer in Dureme-Lor.”
“I ain’t going nowhere for to be safe.” Lorel crossed her arms and leaned against the railing.
Marise looked over Viper’s head. “Think twice, little girl. Whoever killed Trevor might have seen this boy in the scrying glass. If so, going north will be a death sentence on him. Had you thought of that?”
Lorel’s eyes widened. She shook her head. “We’ll go west. And I’ll protect him.”
“Who’s going to protect me from her?” Viper grumbled.
Marise’s laugh sparkled in the cool ocean air. She held him at arm’s length, watched his eyes, and nodded approvingly as she released him. “He’ll manage,” she told Samiderf.
“Of course he will.” Samiderf grinned and made shooing motions. “Let’s go find your ship.”
Since there were no City Guards in sight, Viper allowed his illusions to fade away. Tricking guards was one thing, and necessary, but confusing the sailors might cause trouble later. He didn’t plan to admit he knew any magic.
Pavimigar, the captain of the Lady’s Luck, was not as tall as Viper remembered his father, but he was immensely larger. Not that the man was fat, exactly, since most of his bulk seemed to be muscle, but his dimensions were astounding. His hair was so black it gleamed blue in the early morning light, and his face was tanned like oiled leather.
Viper was more than slightly awed.
Lorel stared openmouthed, and whispered, “That is one gorgeous man.”
Of all times for her to start drooling. Viper kicked her shin.
She snorted and stepped out of range, but continued to stare.
The captain glared down his nose at both of them. “Can they work?”
“They’ll work,” Marise said in a no nonsense tone, “but you’ll have to teach them. They’re good children, Pavi.”
“Children not worth the water they’ll drink. Lady, for you I’ll take these brats on, but I can’t pretend I’m happy.”
“What’s wrong with these youngsters?” Samiderf tilted his head and smiled slyly.
Pavimigar glared at the old man. “First, the girl is seven-moons crazy.”
Lorel laughed like a drunken coyote.
The captain’s frown carved deep grooves on his face.
“She’s nervous.” Marise stepped sideways and slapped Lorel’s arm. “Girls get silly when they’re nervous. But I know for a fact she’s a hard worker.”
How would she know that? Had she met Lorel before? Viper didn’t think she had, but Lorel did seem to know everyone in the city.
“That’s some comfort.” Pavimigar turned to glare at him. “What about this one? He’s as tiny as a barnacle, and less useful. What’s in that case? A music box? A minstrel, is he?”
Why did he concentrate on the mandolin, and ignore Lorel’s harp case? Was she less of a minstrel because she was tall? It wasn’t his fault he was so short.
“A little flower, that one. If a stiff breeze hits him, he’ll wither up and blow overboard. Maybe I should give him a hand.”
Lorel stiffened. And stopped drooling.
“You got words for yourself, blossom?”
Lightning strike the lard lizard. Yes, he had words. “I’m called Viper. You’d best keep in mind that the size of a viper is no measure of its venom.”
Pavimigar grinned like he’d won a sovereign betting on treble bones. “I�
�ll be Alignment caught. These land rats might have guts after all. I’ll take them, Lady, but they’ll have to work for their passage. I won’t take gold from you for these two.”
Blast. He’d looked forward to bargaining with the insulting sandcrab. What did Marise have on him that he wouldn’t take her money?
He glanced at Samiderf, who winked at him. Wait, had the old man already paid for their passage?
“We’ll work.” Lorel planted both hands on her hips and spread out her elbows. “Just teach us.”
“You’ll learn.” The captain waved a huge hand at his ship. “First off, absolute obedience to the officers of this ship is required. Do you understand? Say your goodbyes and stow your gear in the fo’c’sle. Move.”
Lorel snatched his pack and mandolin case off his shoulder, dashed up the ramp with all of their gear, and jumped over the railing to the deck of the ship. She grinned down at him. “Get a move on, kid. Else the captain will toss you overboard.”
“He’ll be short a helper if he does.” Viper trotted up the ramp and climbed over the railing. Why didn’t they open the gate? They must use it for cargo. Why not for passengers, too? “Where’s the folk sill?” He paused to wave goodbye to the sorcerers.
“Weaver snip me if I know. Hey, you.” She pointed at a passing sailor. “Where’s the folk sill?”
“The what? You meant the fo’c’sle? Tidedrinker’s cup, more babes to watch. Look, you two, it’s under the forward cabin. You stow your gear in the lockers, and you stay put ’til somebody tells you to move. You hear? Move!”
They hurried in the direction the sailor had pointed.
“I’m already getting tired of the word ‘move’,” Viper grumbled when they were safely out of earshot.
Lorel slapped him on the back and knocked him off balance. “You’re gonna get lots tireder of it.” She chuckled as she hauled him upright. “That’s a favorite word of trainers. Seems like you used it on me when you was teaching me sword work.”
Sorcery's Child (The Mindbender's Rise Book 2) Page 13
