by Tamara Moss
All of them were headless.
Lintang stopped.
‘What is it?’ Captain Shafira said.
‘What’s wrong with the sculptures?’
‘Vierzans hate the Gods, didn’t you know?’
‘What?’ Bayani said. ‘Why?’
‘They think the Gods sent mythies to wipe humans out,’ Captain Shafira said. ‘Now they refuse to pray or build temples or leave offerings. The governors even hired hunters specifically to kill mythies.’ She placed a hand on Lintang’s good shoulder. ‘If this bothers you, you’re not going to like what’s inside.’
‘Why not?’
‘You’ll see soon enough.’ She turned to Bayani. ‘Are you ready to go in? Do you know what you need to say?’
Bayani drew a deep breath and nodded.
Lintang stiffened. She thought all she wanted was a little more time, but no, it wasn’t enough. She didn’t want to say goodbye to Captain Shafira, not ever.
‘Safe travels, Lintang,’ Captain Shafira said.
Lintang wanted to throw herself at the captain’s feet and beg her not to leave.
‘I –’ she said, desperately trying to think of something, anything, to make Captain Shafira stay longer.
Before she could finish, two grey-uniformed vigil approached. ‘Identification, please.’
Captain Shafira dug into her pouch to retrieve an identity tag. One of the vigil snatched the pouch and tipped its contents into his palm. ‘Well, well,’ he said, sifting through the numerous tags.
‘This is it,’ said the other vigil, pointing at one of the black tags.
Lintang tightened her grip on her sack. With only clothes inside, it wouldn’t make much of a difference if she clobbered a vigil in the face, but maybe it would surprise them enough to let Captain Shafira escape.
She didn’t get a chance to attack, though. A man stalked over, his sky-blue coat whipping around his boots. With his dark, feathery curls and hooked nose, he looked like a hawk. He wasn’t Vierzan. In fact, he almost looked like he was from –
‘Good hour,’ he said. ‘I’m Governor Karnezis.’ He eyed the numerous identity tags. ‘We have a problem.’
‘So it seems,’ said Captain Shafira. She didn’t sound worried.
The vigil passed him the black tag. He examined it with a frown.
‘Did you know,’ he said, ‘that this is the long-lost tag of Ambassador Farah of Jalakta? The murdered Ambassador Farah of Jalakta?’
Six more vigil came out of Parliament House. Lintang edged closer to Captain Shafira and Bayani, still clinging to her sack.
Governor Karnezis turned the tag in his long fingers. ‘It was stolen by none other than the pirate queen.’
‘Goodness.’ There was amusement in Captain Shafira’s voice. ‘Lucky I found it.’
The vigil drew their swords. One pointed his blade at Captain Shafira’s neck. ‘Lower your hood.’
‘Plan C, it is,’ Captain Shafira said, so quietly Lintang barely heard.
She moved slowly, slipping her hood down and revealing her braids. The jewels in her hair shone in the merry lights.
Governor Karnezis smiled in satisfaction as one of the vigil snatched Captain Shafira’s sword from its sheath. ‘Shafira of Allay, you’re under arrest.’
‘Again,’ Captain Shafira added helpfully.
Lintang jerked forward. ‘No!’
Governor Karnezis glanced at her. His smugness became curiosity. ‘Why exactly, pirate queen, are you travelling with children?’
‘I needed to get past the sea guardian’s territory, so I took them.’
‘They’re Islanders?’ Governor Karnezis spun Lintang to check the back of her neck. ‘Interesting.’ He turned Lintang around, but didn’t let go of her arm. At least it wasn’t the one with the injury. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Lintang from –’ Lintang said, then stopped short, remembering what Dee and Farah-the-clam-shell had said about not giving people too much information. ‘Er … the Twin Islands.’
‘The kids could be working for her,’ a vigil said.
Captain Shafira eyed the sparkling orange jewels on Governor Karnezis’s rings, pin and the chain around his neck. ‘You have a lot more sunstones than the last time we met, Karnezis.’ She lifted an eyebrow. ‘Been to Allay recently?’
Governor Karnezis’s grip tightened around Lintang’s arm. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’ To the vigil, he said, ‘Take them away.’
‘Wait!’ Lintang said, tugging against him. ‘We have to tell you something. The mythies are human – look in that sack!’
The muscle in Captain Shafira’s jaw twitched. Uh-oh. Had she said the wrong thing again?
A vigil snatched the sack from Bayani.
‘What’s inside?’ Governor Karnezis said.
‘I think it’s a toad, Governor.’ The vigil reached in. ‘And a piece of bark – oh!’ He ripped his hand out as if he’d been bitten. The lidao launched at his face. ‘A mythie! Kill it!’
‘No!’ Lintang said, but the vigil swung their swords as the lidao bounded from step to step. ‘Stop, wait, it’s a person, just give it some Curall!’
No one listened to her. Captain Shafira sighed as the vigil around her stabbed and scrambled in a chaotic mess. It was almost as if they were frightened of the thing. But that was ridiculous – the lidao was harmless. The villagers of Desa dealt with mythies like it every day.
One of the vigil squealed as the lidao hopped onto his shoe. ‘It touched me, it touched me! What powers does it have? Am I cursed?’
Captain Shafira massaged the bridge of her nose. Bayani stood beside her, watching the entire thing as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
‘Don’t be a child,’ Governor Karnezis said, pulling the tail of his coat out of the way as the lidao leaped towards him. ‘Just kill the thing!’
The lidao hopped through a gap between legs and started into the market square. It took a heartbeat or two for the crowd to see it, but one person let out a scream and soon others followed. People fled as if they were being chased by dragons.
‘You four, after it!’ Governor Karnezis said. ‘You two, seize the pirate queen!’
Captain Shafira turned to Lintang as two vigil grabbed her arms. ‘You sure know how to create chaos. Can I at least trust you not to tell him where my necklace is?’
‘Your necklace?’ Governor Karnezis spun to Captain Shafira, a hungry look on his hawkish face. ‘You don’t have it on you?’ His gaze roamed her neck. ‘No. Interesting.’ His attention fell to Lintang. ‘But you know where it is?’
What in Patiki’s name was Captain Shafira thinking? Why had she mentioned the necklace at all?
Lintang looked at her, lost for words, but Captain Shafira quirked an eyebrow and Lintang realised her captain had done it on purpose. Whatever was about to happen, it was part of some unknown plan.
‘Take the pirate queen and the boy to the holding,’ Governor Karnezis said to the remaining four vigil. He sneered at Captain Shafira. ‘Are you going to come quietly, or do we risk these children’s lives with a fight?’
‘Oh, I’ll come quietly. I think your vigil have had enough excitement for today.’
Governor Karnezis curled his lip. ‘Put her in the dragon cage.’
Her eyes sparkled. ‘The dragon cage? How scared should I be? As scared as your people over a category one mythie?’
The vigil shoved her down the steps and marched her and Bayani through the frantic crowds.
‘Make me proud, Lintang,’ she said over her shoulder.
Lintang stared after her, panic gripping her throat. What did that mean? What was she supposed to do?
The lidao had disappeared in the madness. The vigil chasing it had spread out to search.
Governor Karnezis turned to Lintang, still gripping her arm. ‘So, young lady. It sounds as though you and I need to talk.’
The Governor
Lintang sat on a long couch, not made of wicker and rattan like
the ones in Desa, but of soft, squashy material. Her sack of belongings lay beside her, looking dirty and out of place. She was in what Governor Karnezis had called the ‘foyer’ of Parliament House. She bounced her heels, trying desperately to study the portraits around the room rather than let her gaze drift upwards.
Mythies, dead and stuffed, floated above her on thin, clear ropes. They were all perfectly preserved, as real as the ones still out there.
A small green dragon slithered at the top. A kraken, its tentacles held aloft, swam in the air beneath it. There were several Caletromian mermaids, their faces twisted into the grotesque expressions Lintang had seen before they’d almost drowned her. A human-sized fey, its wings like a flutterbee, stretched out its clawed hands to throttle imaginary prey. There were other creatures too, ones Lintang had never seen before. They all swayed in the cold breeze like a gruesome collection of wind chimes.
She touched the comforting lump of Xiang’s hidden pouch. She missed her sword, but darts were better than nothing.
Make me proud, Lintang.
Captain Shafira’s words rang in her ears, but what was the plan? Lintang could hardly attack Parliament House with a few darts. Was the captain expecting her to break them out of prison? Run back to the ship and fetch the other crew members? How was she to know?
The squat table before her had a platter of crumbs from her earlier meal. Dried fruits and juicy dump-lings and food she’d never seen before had disappeared into her nervous stomach as she waited for Governor Karnezis to return.
Important-looking people in colourful coats marched in and out through the foyer, leaving muddy tracks on the white tiles and plush rugs. Two women warmed their hands by a crackling fireplace, and a man who must’ve been some sort of servant offered water in cups made of crystal.
Rain pattered on the arched windows. She watched it grow heavier, thinking, thinking, thinking.
Make me proud, Lintang.
At last Governor Karnezis returned.
Lintang stood. She’d faced a malam rasha, a sea serpent and Nyasamdra herself. She wouldn’t be scared, not of him.
‘My apologies,’ he said. ‘There were some forms I had to fill out. Metalwork, you know how it is.’ He smiled. ‘You can take your coat off. It’s warm enough in here with the fireplaces.’
‘No, thank you.’
An understanding nod. ‘Very well. Come into my office.’
She frowned, suspicious of his kindness, and followed him down a grand corridor with more portraits and bright merry lights. It felt cheery despite the gloom outside. The smoke of the fireplace disappeared, replaced with the faint scent of something familiar.
Burning mollowood. The realisation gave her a sudden pang of homesickness.
They passed a lot of doors, but it was only at the end of the corridor that Governor Karnezis opened one, revealing a hexagonal room with dark wooden panelling and gold columns. Lintang stared around at the couches and bookshelves and giant hourglass before she realised the governor was waving for her to sit at the desk opposite him.
She sank down in a hard-backed chair and ran her fingers along its glossy arms.
He gestured to a collection of teacups and a pot on his desk, all inlaid with gold. ‘Would you like a sai blossom tea? Fresh from Kaneko Brown.’
She shook her head.
‘Shame. It’s lovely.’ He poured one for himself. Fragrant steam wafted between them.
‘So,’ he said, setting the pot down. ‘You’ve been travelling with the pirate queen.’
She stared at the steam, considering her words. She didn’t know what she could and couldn’t say. What would get Captain Shafira into trouble, and what was safe to reveal?
Make me proud, Lintang.
‘She needed us to get past Nyasamdra,’ she said, remembering that Captain Shafira had already mentioned it.
Governor Karnezis touched his cup to his lips. ‘Both of you? Why would she take a boy? There are sirens out there. In fact, there’s a nest of sirens off the coast of Vierz right now – I’ve just hired a hunter for them this morning.’
‘You can’t kill them!’
He set the cup down, surprised at her outburst. ‘Why ever not?’
‘The mythies – they’re human. Sick humans. You just have to give them some Curall –’
‘Ah.’ He picked up his cup again. ‘That was a terrible prank you played with the lidao. Cruel and childish.’
‘It wasn’t –’
‘There are laws against bringing mythies into this city, do you understand? No, don’t explain. I know exactly what you were trying to do. It was a ploy to get Curall. Captain Shafira must need some for herself.’ He sipped his tea. ‘Whether or not you were aware of her ruse is another matter. You are just a child, after all.’
Lintang bristled. A child? She’d probably faced more dangerous things this past season than he’d seen in his entire life.
‘It wasn’t a trick,’ she said. ‘It’s the truth. I saw it. I saw a pixie turn into a human.’
Governor Karnezis nodded, watching her. He didn’t speak again, and she knew he didn’t believe her.
Was this what Captain Shafira meant when she asked Lintang to make her proud? Was it Lintang’s job to convince the governors of the truth? But how could she do that, without the lidao?
Governor Karnezis set his cup down. ‘Perhaps, before we go any further, I should explain who I am.’
He turned his head, showing the back of his neck. A shiny scale glinted in the merry lights.
Lintang stared at it. ‘You’re an Islander?’ She had wondered about his birthplace when they’d first met, but would never have believed it possible.
‘Yes,’ he said, turning back. ‘I’m like you.’
‘How did you become a governor?’
‘Long ago I was chosen to guide a Vierzan ship past Nyasamdra’s waters. I was wearing green that day – a poor oversight. The ship was capsized. I was the only survivor. Afterwards, I came here to join the parliament and be part of the fight against mythies.’
‘You were the Islander wearing green? I heard you died too.’
Governor Karnezis laughed. ‘We Islanders aren’t so easily drowned. The Gods made sure of that.’
Lintang narrowed her eyes. ‘Vierzans hate the Gods.’
Governor Karnezis stood, opening a hidden door in the panelling behind him. Inside was a scattering of fresh burbleberries, a jug of water and smouldering mollowood, its smoke curling in the small space.
‘You forget,’ he said, ‘I’m not Vierzan.’
Lintang stared at the offerings. The sight and smell made her heart lurch in her throat.
‘You know what I miss most about the Twin Islands?’ he said, shutting the door again. It blended seamlessly into the wall. ‘The heat. You could never imagine missing it, could you? But it’s so cold here. I miss the sun. The beach. The afternoon storms. You know that smell of the forest before rain?’ He inhaled, as if he could smell it right now, and released the breath in a rush. ‘That’s what I miss.’
Lintang missed it too. ‘Why don’t you go back, then?’
He returned to his seat. ‘Because I can do so much good here. Much more than I could ever do on the Twin Islands. It’s a sacrifice, to stay away, but it’s for a worthwhile cause. I want to make this world strong. United. I want people to be safe.’ He leaned forward, suddenly intent. ‘Which is why I have to stop the pirate queen.’
‘You don’t have to stop her,’ Lintang said. ‘She’s innocent.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘I’ve talked to her; I’ve travelled with her. She’s a good person. She’s –’ A Goddess. Lintang bit the words down. He’d think she was silly if she said that.
Governor Karnezis watched her carefully. ‘She stole the crown of Allay, do you know that? That necklace is worth more than you’ll ever comprehend.’
‘She needed proof that her Zulttania is dead.’
‘That’s her story. But is the Zult
tania actually dead, Lintang? Are you absolutely, positively sure?’
Lintang set her jaw. ‘If the captain says so, then it’s true.’
‘Here’s another question,’ Governor Karnezis said, clasping his hands on his desk. ‘Does it matter?’
Lintang stared at him blankly.
‘The Zulttania is the reason Allay’s borders are closed,’ he said. ‘The Zulttania stopped Allay from joining the United Regions. We could almost be an entire world united – peace and treaties and migration from continent to island to continent again – if not for a single, stubborn ruler and a troublesome pirate.’ He took a cloth from his desk drawer and wiped the leaves from his teacup. ‘I’ve been speaking with the Zulttania’s counsel. They’ve agreed to allow trading with the United Regions on a small island in the Biabi Sea. This is a step forward, don’t you see? And the pirate queen is trying to stop it.’
‘The Zulttania’s counsel framed her!’
‘We don’t know that. All we have is the word of a thief, and a murderer.’
‘What do you mean, a murderer?’
Governor Karnezis lifted an eyebrow. ‘So she hasn’t told you everything.’ He got to his feet. ‘Let’s go for a walk. I have my own story to tell.’
Reward
The rooftop smelled of wet stone. In the market square below, the chaos from the lidao had died down. Hopefully the poor mythie had escaped. People bustled beneath the merry lights as the gloomy day grew darker. Was it evening already?
Lintang stared at the endless forest of buildings. Clouds drifted above. They were so close she felt she could reach up and scrape her fingertips across them.
Governor Karnezis leaned on the wall to breathe in the city air. ‘Have you heard of Ambassador Farah of Jalakta?’
‘You mean the name from the identity tag you found on Captain Shafira?’
Governor Karnezis nodded. ‘She and her entire family were tortured and killed by the pirate queen.’
