by Cindy Dees
Even at their leisurely pace, it took a little less than half as long to go back to Dupree as it had taken to get there. Amazing how roads and no need for stealth sped a journey along. Will had almost forgotten what it was like to openly walk in a wagon rut without diving for cover at every approaching stranger.
They reached Dupree on the fourth day of their march a bit before midday. Krugar ordered his men to tighten the prisoners’ rope bindings and lash them together to hinder any shenanigans. Will cursed under his breath. The soldier was too thorough for his own good.
They passed without challenge through the main city gate—a huge, ornate affair with massive portcullises and thick wooden doors to bar the way.
As they entered the city, Will looked around in shock. Broken barrels and ruined wagons littered the streets. Storefronts were shuttered over even though it was nearly midday, and sullen-looking locals hurried on their way, throwing dirty looks at Krugar’s uniformed men. The city looked worse than it had the morning after the last riots.
“What is he up to, now?” Krugar muttered from close behind Will.
A young soldier, a boy really, ran up to them about halfway across the city toward the governor’s residence. “Captain Krugar, sir. Tidings. A Black Ship has been sighted entering the harbor.”
Will jolted. A Black Ship? As in a magically enhanced, Imperial Navy juggernaut vessel designed to weather the dangers of the Abyssmal Sea? He’d heard talk of the ships around the fire of a winter eve. But never had he expected to come close to one. If only there was a way to see it—
Krugar snapped, “To the harbor, men!”
The formation turned right at the next intersection and headed downhill. The seaweed tang of salt water became strong in Will’s nose. Excitement leaped in his chest. The crowds grew thicker as they neared the port, and Krugar’s men had to shout and elbow people aside to make way for their formation.
Will was shocked when the troops did not stop at the end of the pier but marched right down the broad wooden dock to the very end. From here he had an unobstructed view of the mighty ship. It was indeed inky black all over. Its black sails were furled, neatly wrapped in rope, and yet it proceeded smartly toward them.
Sha’Li muttered, “Water elementals propel them, it is said.”
“Silence,” Krugar ordered absently, his attention entirely on the vessel as he peered through a long metal tube with a curved glass at each end.
Will jolted as a familiar voice spoke from behind him. Selea. “Who comes?”
Will’s head swiveled, and he was not surprised to see Guildmaster Aurelius beside the nulvari. But Will was surprised—and elated—to see Landsgrave Hyland with the two elves.
Will would have cried out to Hyland, told him of Kendrick’s capture, but Krugar had explicitly ordered the prisoners to be silent. And talk among the man’s troops was that disobedience was met with swift death. And besides, Hyland moved over to Raina’s side as Will watched, and the two had a quick, murmured conversation that put a deeply worried look on the landsgrave’s face. Eben fell to his knees when he spied the landsgrave until a soldier hauled him roughly to his feet.
Krugar frowned. “I see Captain Kodo at the wheel. The colors of an Imperial noble also fly on the mainmast. An avarian symbol, I think.”
“Syreena Wingblade, perhaps?” Selea commented. “She is quite the celebrity at court. She rose from slave through the ranks to achieve noble officer’s rank.”
Will noted that Krugar flinched slightly at the reference to noble officers. Had he run amok of one in Koth and been exiled down here? It would explain why he seemed such a fish out of water in the colonies.
The ship’s progress was painfully slow as it spent the next quarter hour creeping forward at a snail’s pace toward the pier. Time enough for Raina to sidle over to Will and murmur, “Be at ease. Hyland promises to get you all freed. And then he and his men will take us back to find Kendrick.”
“Thanks be,” Will muttered back.
“After that, you and I can move on to our other pressing project. Hyland thinks he can help somewhat with that.”
Excellent. Will was without ideas as to how to find Bloodroot’s original tree, other than it must stand somewhere in the Forest of Thorns, one of hundreds or thousands of Bloodthorn trees growing in that sprawling region.
Raina eased away, no doubt so Krugar would not spot them whispering, and Will was left to ponder how much longer he had to live before Bloodroot’s poison took him. This detour to Dupree had cost him precious time that Rosana had paid dearly for and which he could ill afford to waste.
The Black Ship finally drew up alongside the pier and a bevy of sailors leaped ashore in unison, casting the mooring lines and knotting them with precision worthy of an acrobatic circus. The sailors lined up, standing smartly at attention as the gangplank was brought forth and extended toward the pier.
A furor behind Will made him glance away from the spectacle and over his shoulder. He swore under his breath. Anton was coming. His banner bobbed drunkenly through the crowd, and a phalanx of the Haelan legion shouted and cuffed aside locals. Someone fell off the dock and there was a commotion as the unfortunate fellow was fished out of the water. But Anton never slowed. He merely barged forward until he drew up beside Krugar. Will started at the smell of strong spirits and something sickly sweet clinging to the governor. Perfume to cover the other odors, mayhap.
“Ahh, Krugar. Everything cleaned up?” Anton demanded. He looked wrung out. As if he’d not slept in a long time.
“Your orders have been executed, sir.”
“Good thing you’re back. Cursed peasants in this city need a lesson. Unruly whoresons one and all.”
As if on cue, a brawl of some kind broke out a ways down the dock. It grew until several dozen people were involved. With a low curse, Krugar dispatched a number of his men to go break it up.
Anton noticed the line of bound prisoners and demanded, “Who have you brought me, Krugar?”
“My men caught them skulking around in the forest just after you left.”
Anton turned to them and examined them more closely. When he got to Will, he commented, “You’re the lad with Dragon’s Roar…,” his voice trailed off.
“What is it, my lord?” Krugar asked.
“I know him.” Anton strode over to peer directly into Will’s face.
Horror flooded through Will. This could not be happening! If Anton killed him or worse, he would not finish his father’s quest. The people and land would not be freed. All would be lost.
“You have the look of your father about you,” Anton accused. His voice rose in growing outrage. He spit, “You’re De’Vir’s spawn. I will have you cut down where you stand—”
Just then the gangplank thudded to the pier, distracting Anton from his threats. Will sagged in his ropes. He had to get away from here before the governor followed through on his threat. But how? Will was well and truly caught in the Empire’s net. He pulled frantically at his bindings, but to no avail.
A tall, imposing man in a crisp naval-style uniform strode down the wooden bridge. He was followed closely by a smaller figure, also in an Imperial officer’s uniform. The second figure was a woman, and furthermore, her entire head was covered in soft, white feathers. Will stared. An avarian!
He’d never seen one before. The mix of human and bird was actually quite attractive. As the woman neared, he saw her neck was graceful, her eyes bright and dark. Her gaze darted about with bird-like interest, taking in the fight down the pier, which seemed to be spreading rather than winding down.
“What is going on, Governor?” the tall naval officer demanded.
Anton bowed slightly. “Greetings and welcome to Dupree, Captain Kodo. That is nothing. Merely a bit of unrest among the locals. I shall crush it before the day is out and order shall be restored.”
“Why is order lost in the first place?” Kodo demanded coldly. “Are the rumors at court true, then?”
“I’m sure I
have no idea what you’re talking about,” Anton blustered.
Kodo looked around the pier, spying Hyland and the two elves, and nodded in their direction. “Guildmaster Aurelius. Master Selea, Landsgrave Hyland.”
They all bowed courteously, and Aurelius spoke for them all, saying, “At your service, my lord.”
“Report on the condition of the city,” Kodo ordered him tersely.
Aurelius replied, “The riots of the past two days seem to have abated for today, at least. Forced conscriptions into the Haelan legion have commenced, along with collection of the new taxes to finance expansion of the governor’s armed forces.”
“What’s this?” Kodo demanded. “The Emperor has not authorized an increase in your legion beyond the prescribed levels.”
Anton held out his hands. “Captain, I can explain. The Boki are acting up again. I have reason to believe the cursed greenskins are about to invade Dupree. I merely look to the defense of the Empire’s holdings.”
Hyland snorted from behind the governor, and Kodo was quick to turn on him. “Landsgrave Hyland, have you something to say?”
“If you wish, my lord.”
“What say you of the greenskins? Is the governor correct?”
“Oh, aye, he’s entirely correct. They are furious that the governor invaded their territories and slaughtered as many of them as he could find. I have no doubt they plan revenge for his unprovoked incursion into their lands.”
“It is not like that—” Anton started hotly.
Kodo cut him off with a deadly look that effectively silenced the governor. Will literally felt the chill rolling off the ship’s captain.
“Who are these prisoners of yours, Krugar?” Kodo snapped.
“I’ve lately come from the Forest of Thorns with the wounded troops. I caught these miscreants roaming around in the woods up there. They claim to have lost a friend of theirs, but I do not believe their story.”
Kodo looked over them and zeroed in on Raina. “Does this one impersonate a White Heart member, then? She seems far too young for the colors.”
Krugar answered grimly, “Oh, no. She’s definitely White Heart. I’ve seen her do the healing … and gotten the complaints over it from my men.”
Kodo’s expression momentarily become one of commiseration with Krugar’s gripe over the White Heart’s stubborn neutrality and insistence on healing enemies already felled once on the field of battle.
Hyland, Aurelius, and Selea all spoke up in unison, declaring. “She’s real.”
Kodo nodded in their direction. And then turned his stern gaze on Raina. “Very well. With so many upstanding citizens to vouch for you, I accept your veracity. What is your name?”
“Raina of Tyrel, my Lord Captain.”
“Very well, Raina of Tyrel. Now tell me. Why were you in that forest?”
“We did indeed search for a lost friend.” She paused delicately and then added in a tone of regret, “It is my sad duty to inform you, sir, that we had occasion to witness the governor consorting with the Boki he claimed to attack. From the conversation we overheard, it is clear he has an arrangement with the orcs. It sounded as though he conspires with part of the Boki leadership to engineer an invasion of the outlying holdings of Dupree.”
“Hey now!” Anton shouted. “She lies!”
“Silence!” Kodo hissed. The rage and power in the man’s voice physically drove Will backward, his throat muscles paralyzed. He couldn’t have spoken in that moment if his life depended on it. Everyone within earshot seemed similarly affected.
Kodo turned his attention back to Raina, warning, “Think carefully on what you say, Initiate Raina. Do you have proof?”
She swallowed convulsively and then said, “I have only the evidence of my eyes and ears. Along with my companions, I witnessed the governor receiving sanguine fruits from a Boki thane. To my knowledge, such fruits are mainly used in the creation of death poisons. I cannot condone such poisons, of course. In return, the governor passed what looked like several maps to the thane. Anton verbally identified them as the defense plans for Talyn, both perimeter protections and the defenses of Talyn Keep, itself.”
A gasp went up among those who were close enough to hear the accusation.
“These are serious allegations, White Heart,” Kodo warned.
Raina nodded. “I am fully aware of their seriousness, my lord. But I have reason to believe that if this Boki invasion occurs, many lives will be needlessly lost and much suffering will ensue. The White Heart cannot in good conscience stand by and do nothing.”
Anton tried to speak, no doubt to defend himself, but Kodo was having no part of it and waved the governor sharply to silence.
Will caught the brief, triumphant glances that passed between Aurelius and Hyland behind Selea’s back. The nulvari, for his part, stepped forward and bowed formally. “Well met, Captain Kodo.”
Kodo nodded back and spoke more warmly. “Selea Rouge. It has been a long time. How do you fare?”
“Very well. My thanks for asking.”
An elven woman as black-skinned and white-haired as Selea stepped forward beside the assassin.
Kodo smiled openly at her, his voice thawing considerably. “First Advisor Nightshade. We meet again. How have you been?”
“Well, my lord. And you?”
Will tuned out as the threesome entered into a lengthy series of inquiries among old friends about health and well wishes for one another. He perked up, though, when he heard Selea say lightly, “If I might be so bold, my Lord Captain, you may find certain documents in the first advisor’s possession … informative.”
Kodo turned to the nulvari woman. “What documents are these?”
“I believe the esteemed gentleman speaks of my journals chronicling my tenure as First Advisor. More specifically, he speaks of my records of the governor’s activities since I took office working for him.” She held out several large, leather-bound books that Will thought looked somewhat like his mother’s financial ledger.
“What in these do you believe I need to see?” Kodo asked as he accepted the books.
“Among other things, they include true accountings of revenue and income as opposed to those amounts reported to yourself for tax collection purposes. They also record various imperial trade deals and appropriations the governor has diverted to his personal coffers. Illegally, of course. Oh, and they chronicle evidence I have gathered that implicates the governor in a plot to arrange for the Boki insurrection that nearly destroyed the colony. It was a ploy to kill his enemies and enrich himself.”
Will’s eyes popped open wide. That the governor had been skimming from the Empire was no surprise. But that he would arrange a lethal attack upon his own people was beyond shocking. Even Kodo seemed taken aback.
“Indeed,” the captain said even more coldly than before. He spent a few minutes browsing the pages while everyone around him watched and waited in silence tempered by varying degrees of dread and eager anticipation.
As the minutes ticked by, Kodo’s jaw went tight, and at some point the muscles in it began to ripple as he clenched his teeth. When Ty’s jaw had done that he’d been dangerously near losing his temper and Will had generally vacated the vicinity of his father with alacrity. But today Will was trapped by the ropes binding his wrists behind him.
Kodo slammed the book shut, making everyone within hearing jump. “I have seen enough,” he declared abruptly into the thunderous silence. “Governor Anton Constantine, I place you under arrest for embezzlement, graft, gross corruption, and dereliction of duty, among other charges I shall list later in my official report to the Emperor.”
“What? I’m given no chance to defend myself before you level these outrageous charges? You take the word of a bunch of … of conspirators and criminals … over a governor with many long years of faithful service behind him?”
Kodo turned to Ceridwyn Nightshade. “Do I have your word of honor that everything in these journals is accurate?”
“Absolutely, my lord. My word of honor.”
“Now that I believe, Constantine. You will be held on the Courageous and taken back to His Resplendant Majesty for trial. Until then, you are under arrest, Constantine. Surrender your weapons to me.”
“You have no authority to arrest me! How dare you. I shall take this up with the Eperor himself. You will lose your ship. Your title—”
Kodo took an angry step closer to Anton. “Did you just threaten me and my ship? You go too far now, Anton. As for begging the Emperor, he will never give you your title back after he sees the contents of these journals. And you won’t have your rakasha royalty to bail you out this time. In the meantime, you are under arrest.”
“This is a travesty!” Anton shouted. Will noted he made no move to hand over the golden swords hanging on his belt. “I am governor in these lands. I rule here. Not you, Kodo—”
The naval captain and Imperial Lord continued implacably, “By the authority vested in me directly by His Resplendent Majesty, Maximillian the Third, Emperor of Koth, I hereby remove the title of Governor of Dupree from you.”
Will was so shocked, he could hardly fathom what he was witnessing. It was as if the entire order of everything had shifted. As if the entire world had shifted upon its axis. And somehow—he was not sure exactly how—he was part of whatever had been set in motion.
Forces he did not ken swirled around him, converging upon this point in space and time to a purpose he did not yet see. But one thing he knew. A blow had been struck against the Empire this day. A brick had been knocked loose from the wall of Imperial power.
Satisfaction coursed through him. One brick at a time, he would do his part to bring the Kothite house down.
Kodo glanced around at the crowd before continuing grimly, “First Advisor Nightshade, as you are the logical choice to take over as interim governor I hereby—“
Will started when the nulvari woman interrupted. “Before you finish that statement, Captain, I must refuse the position and title of governor. This colony needs a clean start free of any taint of Anton’s corrupt regime. And while I did not condone his actions, I am nonetheless not the right person for the job. My path leads in other directions.”
