Shadow Cross (The Shadow Accords Book 5)

by D. K. Holmberg

  Lindy’s face had a faraway expression as she stared into the setting sun. She pulled on her shadow connection, using it a moment before releasing it, a hint of a frown on her face.

  “I’m sure Andin thinks of you, too,” Carth said.

  Lindy had left her brother, one of the few remaining shadow born, and traveled with her. The Reshian had gladly taken him in, but Lindy had wanted something else. Something more. With her shadow blessing and willingness to assist Carth, she was an asset, one Carth needed were she to succeed.

  Lindy shook her head. “Andin understands that I can’t remain with him. Ih-lash is no more. The shadow blessed have scattered. The Reshian… they have essentially been destroyed.”

  “They will rebuild.”

  “They will, but that’s not for me. That way can be for Andin and the others. This is my way.”

  She felt much the same as Lindy. Where was home when home had been destroyed? What was there for them when nothing remained?

  More than that, both women possessed a desire to make things better. Working together, they could prevent others from suffering as they had.

  The sounds of Dara’s retching below deck could be heard as they tied up.

  “You should go,” Carth suggested to Guya. “You know the city.”

  “The city isn’t going to be excited to see me,” he said. “Travel three streets north. Take a right along Oswalt Street, you’ll see a shop front with a yellow painted door. That’s where you want to go. They will have supplies and healers as well.”

  “It might be more effective for someone who knows the city to go find the healers.”

  Guya shook his head. “They won’t help me. But you go. Tell them the symptoms and they will provide you with whatever you need to help her. I’ll stay with her. And I’ll keep her safe.” He pulled a bottle of elixir from his pocket and shook it. “Besides, you gave me enough to last her the rest of the night.”

  Carth considered pressing him to come, but Guya seemed to have made up his mind.

  Guya lowered the ramp leading to the docks, letting Carth and Lindy disembark. When on the docks and heading towards Asador, Lindy glanced back at the ship.

  People crowded around them as they headed into the city. It had a familiar sense to it, no different than the streets of Nyaesh, especially near the docks, where it was busier as the river flowed in and traders stopped on their way out to the sea.

  Clothing was less colorful than in Nyaesh. Most wore brown or black, though some had darker blue, but she saw none of the brightly colored cloth often found within Nyaesh. Men were generally clean-shaven, though she saw a few with thick beards, some shaped and pointed, and others with well-manicured mustaches. Women favored longer hair. Often it flowed beyond their shoulders down to the middle of the back, sometimes braided, often woven with flowers or beads. She saw nearly as many hair colors as she saw colors of fabric. There were shades of brown, lighter shades of black, a few blondes, and once—surprisingly—she saw a woman with flaming red hair. Even in the north, hair that color was uncommon.

  They moved through the throng of people. Asador appeared different than Nyaesh, but not so different that Carth couldn’t recognize the traders from the way they carted their goods from the ship, even at this late hour. She recognized those who were likely smugglers as well. They had dark eyes and moved towards the shadows. She noticed some pickpockets as well. Mostly older boys and a few girls who tried sneaking through the crowd, hands slipping into pockets or handbags carried by the women, before scurrying off to disappear into darkened sections of the city. Seeing that made her smile.

  “What is it?” Lindy asked.

  Carth nodded at the nearest pickpocket. It was a younger girl, one with a tangle of hair and a dirty dress. As Carth watched, the girl dipped her hand into one of the merchants’ pockets and pulled away with a quick strike. She scurried away down the street.

  “That was me when I was about her age.”

  Lindy laughed. “You were a thief?”

  “We didn’t view ourselves as thieves, but that was what we were. We called it collecting scraps. When you live near the docks and near the traders, you do what you must to get by.”

  “How did you get taken in by the A’ras?”

  “That is a different story. I was brought into the A’ras because I demonstrated an ability they thought they would be able to use. It didn’t matter that I was from outside the city. At the time, I didn’t realize they battled the Reshian, or that the Reshian could control the shadows, much like I could. All I knew was that I had some power. I wanted to learn how to use it.”

  “Looks like that merchant there realized he was collected from.”

  Carth noted the merchant and how his hand reached into his pocket, coming away empty. His gaze swept around the street, but the girl had long been gone. Carth chuckled. “You learn to collect and run. If you don’t, that’s when you get caught.”

  Lindy could only shake her head. “Going with the shadows, I suspect you were skilled at collecting scraps.”

  Carth nodded. “None were as quick as me.” That had been a benefit for her, but also a challenge, because she was forced to be different. She’d hated the fact that she was different than the others. It had separated them, creating an artificial barrier between them. All she had wanted at that time was to fit in. All she had wanted was to be a part of something else. That had been taken from her the moment she’d attempted to use her shadow abilities.

  They continued down the street, and Carth found her gaze sweeping towards those collecting scraps. She noted several others, all with a similar dirty appearance. Her heart went out to them, and she wished there was something she could do.

  They followed the direction Guya had given them as they traveled. Carth noted a few other taverns, all that seemed lively, bustling with activity, and a part of her longed to enter, but that wasn’t the reason they were here. They had come for Dara, to find a way to help her. Information could come later.

  Lindy tapped her on the arm and pointed.

  Carth followed the direction of her gesture and saw the yellow painted door.

  That was the place of healing Guya had known about.

  They weaved their way through the street, avoiding the crowd as they made their way towards the healer. Carth glanced in the window before entering, noting rows of powders and jars of oils, even a few dried leaves set on shelves.

  All of it reminded her of her mother. There was so much she wished she could have done differently, wishing that she had taken the time to learn from her mother. Not only learning what her mother had known of her Lashasn connection—if anything—but of the knowledge of herbs she possessed. That had been the one thing she had asked of Carth, for her to study the herbs and leaves and oils, all so that she could follow in her mother’s footsteps. Carth had never really wanted to, and now she never could. She had her books, but there hadn’t been time to work through them.

  “Do you think this is the right place?” Lindy asked.

  Carth nodded. “This is the right kind of place. Even if we can’t find a healer, we’ll find the supplies I need so I can help her.”

  As Carth opened the door and started inside, the smells of the shop assaulted her. Spices and incense burned, a mixture of aromas that was almost sickly. It seemed to cover up another smell, one that Carth couldn’t quite place, but that had a familiarity to it.

  She scanned the shelves, noting how similar this herbalist was to others she had visited. Were all herbalists similar in the way they arranged their shops? If her mother had once opened a shop, would it have appeared the same?

  She looked along the row of shelves, noting herbs, powdered leaves, cut sections of roots, and a few berries that were dried or fresh, before making her way to the row of various oils. All of them were familiar, but she recognized very few. It had been too long since she’d spent any time with anyone able to teach her about them.

  “What are you looking for?”

 
; Carth turned and smiled at the older woman sitting at the counter. She had hazel eyes with deep wrinkles along the sides. Gnarled fingers gripped the counter. Her hair was a deep brown with streaks of gray through it, and braided so that it ran down her back. She wore a necklace with what appeared to be a vial threaded through it.

  “We’re looking for a healer. My friend is very sick.”

  The shop owner drummed her fingers on the counter. “What symptoms does she have?” When Carth didn’t answer fast enough, the old woman stopped drumming her fingers on the counter and placed her palms flat down. “I can’t well enough leave my shop and go with you, so you’ll have to tell me her symptoms.”

  Carth glanced to Lindy. Was this the right place? They had come up the street as Guya had suggested, and they had made their way here as he had suggested they do, but this woman seemed less than helpful. This was not the kind of behavior she expected from a healer.

  “Nausea. She has been vomiting for the last three days. Even with an elixir of delaroot, she continues to vomit while sleeping.”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Where would you have acquired such an elixir?”

  Carth flushed. “I made it.”

  The woman tapped a bent finger to her chin, scratching slowly. “You’re not from Asador?”

  “Not from Asador. We came in on a ship from the north—”

  “What ship?”

  Carth frowned. What did it matter what ship they came in on?

  If she shared with this woman, would she be more inclined to help them?

  Guya had told them about this place, which meant that he likely knew her. If she knew that they come with him, Carth hoped she might be more inclined to help.

  “We came on a ship called the Goth Spald. It’s captained by a man named—”

  “I know the ship.” The woman turned and disappeared behind a curtain. She left Carth and Lindy alone in the room.

  Lindy made her way towards the partition, glancing back at Carth. “That was strange, wasn’t it? It seems like that was strange to me.”

  Carth nodded. “That was strange. I thought sharing that we came with Guya would help, but I’m not so sure.”

  “I don’t know what Guya was into before he came to the north, do you?” Lindy asked.

  That was one of the many mysteries about Guya. He had been a faithful friend, and he had proven himself competent, but he kept to himself. “No more than I know about you before you came to the ship.”

  Lindy chuckled. “I think we’ve seen that I’m not so mysterious.”

  Carth began looking at the various items on shelves. She noted powders that reminded her of lurthon, talisroot, and bursong, before glancing at the leaves. She noted bradsen, baria leaves, the large rolled leaves of the selia plant, even the thorned cutting from a robust weed. Those were the only ones that Carth recognized. The many others she found in the herbalist shop were unfamiliar.

  She was reaching for one glass jar with a strange black powder when the woman popped back through the curtain. The woman paused, noting Carth bending towards the jar.

  Carth stood abruptly, turning to face the woman. “I was just…”

  “You were just about to take brethachol beans. They’re crushed, and not as potent that way, but still dangerous. I thought you had some knowledge when you came here, but only a fool would put her nose into a bowl of brethachol beans.”

  Carth hadn’t heard of brethachol beans, but she had some familiarity with different things that were dangerous when inhaled. She didn’t want to risk it, so she stood and carefully set the jar back down, leaving it unopened.

  “Can you help us?” Carth asked woman.

  She shook her head. “You have already tried the delaroot elixir. There’s nothing more that can be done.”

  Carth thought that a strange response, especially coming from a healer. Most healers were interested in helping, regardless of whether they thought they could offer anything. The elixir Carth had already tried was nothing more than a basic one, concocted with the various ingredients they had on board the Goth Spald, but not enough to do anything but alleviate the slightest edge of Dara’s symptoms.

  “Please,” Carth said. “I need to help my friend. I don’t know what she’s suffering from. She’s been vomiting for the last few days, and she seems to be getting weaker.”

  “There are many things that can cause vomiting like you describe. You say you came in on a ship.” Carth nodded, and the woman’s frown deepened slightly. “It’s possible that this is nothing more than seasickness. I have seen that many times in Asador. Your elixir should work to take the edge off that. Some are just not cut out for the open sea.”

  Carth shook her head. Seasickness? They’d been sailing far too long for it to have been seasickness. The idea that it could have been, while not impossible, was incredibly unlikely.

  “It’s not seasickness.” She glanced at Lindy before turning her attention back to the old woman. “Please. All I want is some way to help my friend. If there’s something you have that might be able to help her, I’m willing to pay whatever it takes.” They had gold and silver they had acquired during their travels. Some of it had been rescued from the Reshian ship, and some of it came from the coffers of the A’ras.

  The old woman pursed her lips. “Well, if it’s not seasickness, then it’s possible she is with child. Wouldn’t be the first time a woman on board a ship gets taken by a sailor and—”

  Lindy laughed and Carth shot her a warning glance. “She’s not with child,” Carth said.

  The old woman frowned. “What makes you so certain that she’s not with child?”

  Carth thought about Dara. Was it possible she could have met some man in one of the ports they had visited? Dara was attractive, so it wouldn’t be impossible for her to have done so, but Carth didn’t think it likely. It didn’t fit what she knew of Dara. And on the ship, there was only Guya. He was far too kind to them, and far too accommodating to have pushed himself on Dara.

  “I haven’t seen anyone that sick when carrying a child before,” Carth said.

  The old lady shrugged. “Sometimes the first few months can be the worst. I have seen it many times myself. Know that it will get better in time. Just provide small meals and let her rest as much as possible.”

  Carth shook her head again. She really did not think Dara was pregnant, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that the old woman was not going to help them.

  “Then at least sell me some”—Carth tried thinking of a collection of various leaves and berries that might help, not coming up with anything as easily as she had hoped—“ashen leaves, doxan berries, helfer, and thistle leaves.”

  The old woman’s brow furrowed again and she shrugged. She tottered around the shop, pointing to various jars, but not offering to help.

  Carth grabbed each of the jars when the old woman didn’t help spoon out various amounts of the items she had asked for. When she set them on the counter in front of the woman, she shook her head.

  “Most do not purchase this much.”

  Carth pulled out for gold coins. It would be more than enough for what they purchased. She slammed them onto the counter. “Since you have been so little help, I will purchase all of these. This should be enough to cover the cost of you buying the replacement.”

  She waited for the woman to argue, and Carth would’ve been willing to make a different deal, and would have taken even some of the various herbs she had grabbed, but what was the point in doing that when this woman was so clearly not willing to help?

  The woman seemed to consider for a moment before waving her hand and sending Carth and Lindy out the door. Carth clutched the items they had purchased to her chest, as if they were precious cargo. These could help, but she knew they would do nothing more than ease Dara’s symptoms.

  Dara needed more than what Carth was able to provide. That, as much as anything, upset her.

  Once outside in the cool evening air, Lindy glanced back at the shop
, a surprised expression on her face. “That’s not what I was expecting from a healer.”

  “No. That’s not what I expected either.”

  “It seems that when you mentioned Guya…”

  Carth hadn’t made the connection, but now that Lindy said it, she realized that it was true. The old woman had seemed more agitated after she’d mentioned Guya. Why would that be? Why would the old woman be bothered by Guya, someone who had been nothing but kind and considerate with them?

  Was that why Guya had not wanted to enter the city? If he avoided her, why tell them to come to this healer?

  “Let’s take these back to Dara see if we can at least help her symptoms a little more.”

  Carth began sorting the bundle into the pockets of her long black cloak. She stored them in separate pockets so the glass jars wouldn’t bang together.

  “Do you think what you’ve purchased will work?”

  Carth could only shake her head. She didn’t know, just as she didn’t know what was happening to Dara. And that bothered her.

  3

  By the time Carth returned to the Goth Spald with Lindy, she was frustrated. She held carefully to the vials she’d bought from the healer. There might be something Carth could mix with them, but her other hope was that she could find something in one of her mother’s books that would provide answers. If only she could read it and understand. Working through the Lashasn language had proven difficult for her so far.

  They found the ramp leading to the ship missing.

  Carth glanced to Lindy, a shared question in their eyes. Guya rarely pulled the ramp up when they were off in port. He knew they could come back at any time and needed to have a way on board. Though Carth could use the shadows to jump, the ramp left fewer questions. None of them wanted questions about how Carth could jump on board the ship, or how she could move in ways that others could not.

  “Maybe he went into town?” Lindy said.