Instead of anger Gelarus showed amusement at the joke. He didn’t reply but spoke to them all. “You have given me hope when I thought it was gone. Now I have work to do. Leave me.”
“But we want to know if her feelings are real,” Devon protested.
“Feelings usually are what you believe them to be.” He turned back to whatever he was doing. They would get no other answer from him now.
Reluctantly they left the wizard to his work.
“That was not very helpful was it?” commented Alys as they started down the stairs.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Katelyn said. Gelarus did say a few things of interest. One was reconfirmation of Coran’s importance. “He didn’t deny the possibility at least.”
“That is true,” the brown haired young woman confirmed.
“Do you ladies have anything to do right now?” Devon asked. “I thought of something that might take our minds off things for a while.”
“I am not busy until this evening,” Katelyn reported and Alys shook her head as well.
“Good. Then I think the lady Alys should have her first lesson today.”
“Lesson?” Alys looked at him, confused.
Katelyn knew what he meant. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. I think I have something that might fit you.”
Alys’ eyes went wide as she realized what they were talking about. “I cannot. I do not know how.”
“That is why we are going to teach you,” she assured her friend. “With enough practice, you will be a competent swordsman in no time.”
“Swordswoman,” Devon corrected her.
Coran went over the sketches Terk had provided that were spread out on the table in the trader’s back room. One showed the harbor area, and marks on the paper told where the guards were usually posted. The same notations were on the other paper of the administrators building. What he saw was better than he could have hoped for. Only a few men stayed on board the ships overnight and the guards watched for trouble from the city itself, not from the water side. The only person watching the harbor was the mage on the cliff top. That would be the tricky part. That and slipping into the administrator’s office to get the information he needed.
“Are you sure your men are up to it?” he asked Terk. The four of them were sitting around the table as he explained his plans to them.
“Yes. I made sure to pick the right men. It should take them about two, maybe three hours to get to most of the ships.”
“All right, have them start about an hour before midnight. Miko,” Coran turned his head to the heavy set man, “you can take care of the wizard?”
Miko looked doubtful as he answered, “If we catch him by surprise. If not, then.....” he shrugged his shoulders. If he didn’t get the mage quickly there was little doubt what would happen to him and anyone with him.
“Make your move an hour after midnight. An hour later we will meet at the boat.” He looked at all of them. “Remember. If I am not there don’t wait for me.”
“It will not work,” Shirri said. “I do not mean your plan. That is good. It’s making them think the attack came from the Northmen. These Sha’elt are pigs, but not that stupid. They will know that someone from Lornth had to have helped.” The others nodded in agreement.
“We expect as much,” Terk informed him.
Coran didn’t want them to get hurt, and if Elthzidor thought that the town had given help in destroying the fleet, then a lot of people were going to get hurt. “Leave that to me. As long as no one is caught on board the ships it might still work. It is at least worth a try to avoid repercussions.”
“What are you going to do?” Shirri went on. Her temper was on the rise again. It seemed to be a trait among some Karands.
Coran sighed. She would push and shout until he told her, and he couldn’t think of a suitable way to put her off. “I am going to let them see who helped.”
That she understood was obvious from the way she hissed at him. “You fool. You are going to let someone see you? You will get yourself killed!”
“You shouldn’t do it,” Miko agreed. “It is too risky, and if I have to leave you behind your father will kill me.” He tried to smile at what he meant for a joke, but the situation wasn’t funny.
“They are right,” Terk added. “I know the risks, and my men understand as well. All have chosen to help.”
“I do what I have to,” Coran told them roughly. He stared at the two men in turns. “Tomorrow night.” They acknowledged the decision with a nod. He sat back in the chair. It was all settled. Tomorrow night they would finally be out of Lornth, with everything he came for, he hoped. Whatever happened, it would be better than spending any more of his days in that cellar. The place was hot and stifling. He didn’t even know what day it was anymore. Being stuck down there he had lost track.
They stood from the table for a final night in the pit, as he affectionately called the cellar. One more night followed by one more day. He could hardly wait. As they headed for the pit he heard Shirri calling him a fool under her breath.
Haltherin gestured with his hand vaguely and the door before him opened without any one touching it. The guards to either side of the door kept their eyes staring straight ahead. He often found that people chose to ignore what they feared, unable to face it.
The room he entered contained a dark, cherry desk that sat before two glass paned doors that led to a balcony. Dark red curtains concealed half of the view outside. Bookcases were built into one of the side walls and were filled with books. The floor was covered by a carpet of green and red.
“Maji Haltherin.” The administrator of Lornth looked up from the map laid out on his desk. Z’Arize carried the extra pounds of a man who did not have to work very hard for a living. His dark hair was touched with only a little gray.
“Z’Arize.” Haltherin greeted the man with his usual superior attitude. It was only natural for one who had been raised among the highborn of Kuray, one of the principle cities in Makkura. The feeling was made easier by the fact that these Karands were so backward. He almost felt pity for them, or would have if he was capable of such a feeling. “I have finished my inspection of the fleet.”
“I hope it met with your approval?” Z’Arize said as he rose from his chair nervously.
“It is lucky for you that it does. The Ra Majin will be arriving here within the next few days, maybe as early as tomorrow,” stated Haltherin. He smiled pleasantly when Z’Arize swallowed hard. “I would suggest having the supplies for the army loaded as quickly as possible. If the Ra Majin wishes to sail immediately upon his arrival, you should be ready to comply.”
“Of course, I will give the orders tonight.”
“That is good to hear. Anticipating the wishes of those above us is an important responsibility.” Haltherin stated the philosophy he himself tried to live by. The problem with it was that he never got the recognition he deserved. He should be one of the Majin instead of that whore, Selisk. “Now tell me, have there been any problems during my absence?”
“Nothing really. We had a little disturbance a short while ago. One of those Anagassi entered the city and was confronted by two Makkurans.” Z’Arize informed him as beads of sweat appeared on his face. “They were killed.”
“The Anagassi?”
“Ah, no….the Makkurans.” At Haltherin’s displeased expression, Z’Arize talked quickly. “We had the city searched thoroughly, but he was nowhere to be found.”
“Dead soldiers? My soldiers? That cannot be tolerated. Someone must be punished. The people must realize the consequences of such insolence.”
“But we have been unable to find the one responsible,” Z’Arize protested, but not too strongly.
“Then pick out twenty people at random and have them executed,” Haltherin said, turning back towards the door to leave.
“I will see to it first thing in the morning.”
Haltherin stopped short of the door and spoke over his shoulder. “Inform me of when.
I wouldn’t want to miss it.”
Chapter 21
A Night in Lornth
Thin, filmy clouds moved sedately across the night sky, diffusing the light from the fat crescent moon. The men slipped over the ship’s railing, their bare feet making no sound as they touched the deck. They crouched by the rail, listening and watching for any sign of the crew. Satisfied, they made a gesture to those waiting in the boat below and quickly hauled up small, iron bound casks. Taking a hatchet from where it hung on his belt, one of Terk’s Karands swung once. In the silence of night, the crack of the wood splitting sounded like the clash of thunder. One of the men kept watch as the second broke open several more of the casks. No one came on deck to discover them and there was no sound of alarm from the docks several ships away. With the casks prepared they picked them up and began spreading the contents across the deck. With the ships lashed together they had no problem moving from deck to deck. Of the eight ships they distributed the liquid across five of them. Not daring to get any closer to the docks where they might be seen by the guards they knew to be there, they returned to the long boat where two more men began rowing to their next assigned group of ships. They would repeat the procedure five more times before returning to the abandoned dock that was too dilapidated to be used any longer. They had to manhandle the boats out of the water and back into the deserted warehouse where they had found them. Without a word they separated and made their way carefully home. In all, five more boats would be returned this night.
It was just like Terk had described. The trees and bushes concealed their approach. They moved forward very carefully to avoid any unnecessary noise. If they were heard before they were in place it would be over. The land cleared ahead into a dirt and grass covered bluff. He could see four robed men lounging about the stones of a ruined foundation. Terk had said that there used to be a watch tower here at one time. The one they came for was leaning with his back against one of the taller stones, he watched out over the edge of the bluff to the harbor below. His hood was pulled down and his pale, bald head glowed in the soft moonlight.
Miko gestured to the dozen men carrying short bows who were arranged on either side of him. They responded by raising the bows and taking careful aim on their assigned targets. He raised his hand slowly; sweat broke out on his forehead as he took a deep breath and held it. This was why he became a trader in the first place. He was capable of defending himself when he had to, and he wasn’t squeamish, but the anticipation of violence was too nerve racking for him. What had he gotten himself into? He brought his arm down and called silently to She’al for luck.
The arrows flew out of the night to thump into the back of the bald man. He was able to spin around awkwardly and send balls of fire before him wildly. One struck his own guard, the fire burning through his chest. Another struck the leaves above Miko’s head turning them into instant ashes which drifted towards the ground.
One of the Makkuran guards flopped onto his back as an arrow slammed into his neck. The wizard was on his knees now, his face caught up in the rictus of pain. More balls of fire struck the ground just short of the archers. The wizard finally fell as another volley of arrows downed the remaining two guards.
They swept out of the cover of the foliage to check the victims. All were found dead. Miko ordered the bodies to be dumped over the edge of the cliff along with any arrows that missed or broke off. He surveyed the cliff top, but it was difficult to see anything in the darkness. Whether anything was found didn’t really matter as long as it didn’t connect the shooters to anyone in the town. That was Coran’s idea of course. The boy was good, Miko had to admit. Coran had a natural instinct to lead, even more so than his father. He didn’t seem like it when they first met back in Arencia, but here in Lornth, when something had to be done, he took over as naturally as any general.
They left the scene on the bluff to return to their homes. All except Miko, who headed for the harbor and the waiting boat that would hopefully carry them to safety.
Coran waited in the shadows between the two stone buildings as two armed guards passed by in the street. Terk had warned him that a curfew was in affect for the populace, so that anyone he encountered would be hostile. The dark brown robe was pulled close around him like a shield in the darkness. He thought Miko should be doing his part about now and the men in the harbor should almost be done. He worried that one of them would be spotted or heard. If any alarm was given then the whole plan would fail and there would be no second chance, for any of them. As soon as the sketches and information had been given to him by Terk he knew what he had to do. It was like it was all laid out before him clearly, and clicked together in his mind. Like seeing all the pieces on a game board, he just knew what to do.
The guards made no effort to peer into the shadows or stop and listen for footsteps. They obviously didn’t take their jobs very seriously. All the better for him.
He crossed the poorly lighted street and entered the shadows on the other side. There were few lamps along the quiet streets, allowing plenty of places for someone to hide. After a time, he found himself outside the back wall of the small garden that was in the rear of the administration building.
Looking both ways down the alley to make sure it was clear, he jumped up and caught the top of the wall with his fingers. Pulling himself up, he swung his legs onto the top of the wall. He laid there and listened for the guard he knew was supposed to be patrolling the garden. It was a few minutes before he heard the light footsteps moving in the grass. The sound moved away and he lowered himself into the garden, avoiding some thick leafy bushes that would have given him away with the noise. He waited a moment longer to reacquire the sound. The guard came closer to where he crouched down and Coran wondered why he didn’t hear the beating of his heart since it was so loud to himself. When the man passed, he rose up silently behind him, and placing a hand to his mouth he drew his dagger across the Karand’s throat. It was not exactly the kind of killing he could easily accept. It felt too much like murder, but he had to do what was necessary to save more lives later. He pulled the corpse back and laid it down in the bushes into which he had almost fallen.
He crept closer to the back of the three-story, brick building. The top two floors had narrow balconies overhanging the garden. Spreading limbs from a large tree he couldn’t identify in the dark reached to within a few feet of the second story, stone railing of the balcony. Reaching up he grabbed one of the thicker limbs and pulled himself up. He moved from branch to branch, eventually getting where he needed to be. The distance from the tree to the balcony appeared farther than it had from the ground over ten feet below him. Taking a deep breath, he leaped in the air and managed to grab the stone by his arms. He scrambled over the railing to the floor of the balcony.
He took a moment to catch his breath after getting to his feet. Looking to one side of the doors leading inside he spotted the stones Terk found out about from someone he knew who worked here. The stone bricks had been placed poorly and several stuck out from the rest by an inch or less. He looked up to the next level wishing he had brought a rope. Placing his feet on the irregular stones he found a hand hold, then climbed up until he was opposite the top floor. His fingers hurt from scraping against the stone. He reached out and grabbed the stone that served as a railing and managed to jump over.
Before him were two glass paned doors. He didn’t see any lights emanating from beyond the dark curtains hanging inside the doors. He tried the handle, but the doors were locked. He wrapped a hand in the brown cloak he wore and knocked out one of the pains. Glass shattered onto the carpet. Reaching through he found the clasp that held the doors and unlocked them. He stepped through the curtains into the administrator’s office.
To his right was an ornately carved, cherry desk. A chair to match was behind it. Bookcases lined the opposite wall and the door leading to the rest of the building was directly ahead. He had to move quickly. The desk held a scattering of papers on top of a large map that depicted
most of Daes Shael, from Lornth in the south to T’Loth and Sha’Tor in the north. It included the central plain area and the desert of Shio Aman. He found a lamp on the table’s corner and fumbled with his flint to get it started.
He rifled through the papers lying next to the map, finding some that listed supplies that were being loaded onto the ships. There were also reports on the number of local recruits brought into the army from cities in the area. He checked that against some notations on the map and found that the numbers had been assigned to the relevant spots. The map contained everything he needed. There was a list of the number of troops at Sha’tor as well as the estimate for the next month. Coran grinned at his good luck and pulled the map out from under the papers. He rolled it up and stuffed it into his shirt.
He reached for the lamp when the latch to the door clicked. He had no time to make it back onto the balcony. Coran crossed the room quickly, reaching the door at the same time the man entered. Coran made sure his face was clear to see, to go with his plan. The man had mostly gray hair and was heavyset. His dark eyes went wide and his mouth opened to yell.
“Halth...” The cry was cut off as Coran brought the pommel of his dagger down on the Karand’s head. The man’s eyes rolled upward as he collapsed to the red and green carpeted floor.
Coran pushed the door shut as he tucked the dagger away in his belt, then checked to make sure the man was still alive. He did want at least one witness. Satisfied the man wouldn’t die he started to leave by the way he had come in.
The door opened again and Coran spun around to see who had come in. The man was tall, with very dark hair and a thin beard. His shoulders were broad and his chest deep. It must have been the man Z’Arize was trying to call for. Coran brought his sword up and froze. He suddenly couldn’t move a muscle. Seeing the arrogant smirk on the man’s face he knew he had to be responsible. He had to be one of those Maji Gelarus told him about.
Fire And Ice (Book 1) Page 30
