“I understand,” Alain said. He felt a strong reluctance to follow Alli’s advice, but he knew it was wise. Wisdom this day seemed to involve telling someone else something that they did not want to hear. “Mari! This way!”
Without waiting for her to argue, Alain once more began moving back with the rear guard.
Mari caught up, glaring at him, but stayed at Alain’s side.
Despite the way parts of the rear guard kept halting to cover other members as they retreated, Alain found he had trouble keeping up as the Mechanics hurried down the long way they had marched through just the night before. It only slowly occurred to him how long he had been up, moving, and often fighting and casting spells. Little wonder three fire spells had exhausted him.
Fortunately, this time the journey was downhill toward the harbor, not uphill into the city, and fear lent wings to everyone heading for the boats they hoped were still waiting at the docks.
With all the commons in the city in hiding, no one had come out to light the streetlamps. The streets grew increasingly dark as the sun set, the buildings to either side dim shapes.
Alain paused in a darker patch of shadow, looking back down a long straight stretch of a wide street. Mari leaned against the wall of the building, breathing heavily, her pistol ready in one hand as she used the other to pull out the far-talker Professor S’san had given her. “Ditch the far-talkers!” she said into it. “Don’t forget that the Guild can track their locations. Get rid of them now if you haven’t already.”
Mari dropped the device onto the pavement, raised one boot, and slammed it down repeatedly on the far-talker. “That felt good.”
Several shots resounded from the far end of the street. Alain saw the shapes of Mechanics running toward him and Mari. It was obviously time to force Mari to fall back as well, but Alain paused, remembering an abandoned draft wagon they had passed at the head of the street. He could still barely make it out.
More shots as more Mechanics appeared, these firing at the rear guard. Alain measured his strength, then built heat above his hand. A moment later he placed that heat on the dimly visible form of the wagon.
The wooden wagon erupted into flames which sharply revealed the shapes of the attacking Mechanics. The rear guard fired at the clear targets, causing three to drop while the others scattered for shelter.
Calu stumbled up to them, his wounded arm dripping blood that formed tiny, dark pools on the street. “Move!”
“You, too!” Alli ordered as she joined them. She shoved Calu towards Mari and Alain. “All three of you, get to the boats!”
“Where’s Bev?” Mari demanded.
“With the other section! Get out of here, Mari! And take my idiot husband with you so the healers can patch him up!”
Alain grabbed Calu’s uninjured arm and pulled him along. Mari, muttering something angry under her breath, followed just behind, covering their back trail with her pistol.
They staggered out onto the open area along the dockfront. Alain saw three boats in the water, two of the large ones from the Pride and the largest boat from the Gray Lady. Sailors were at the oars, and Mechanics in each boat were gazing anxiously toward the sounds of battle.
“Alli…” Calu fought being handed down into a boat, but he was weak from loss of blood.
Alain turned to Mari, who was standing on the edge of the dock and staring into the city. The sound of rifle fire was coming closer, and Alain heard one bullet strike the surface of the dock not far from them. “We must go,” he told Mari.
“Not yet!” Mari cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled as loudly as she could. “Everyone in the rear guard! Fall back to the boats now! We are leaving!”
Dark shapes appeared, racing over the short remaining distance, some of them lurching with fatigue or injury.
“Get in the boat, Mari!” Alli shouted as she appeared. She turned, fired again, then came running their way.
Alain saw Bev reaching one of the other boats and helping in some of the others before kneeling and firing at other Mechanics who were darting from the buildings. He reached out, took Mari’s arm, and pulled her toward the boat as Alli came charging up.
They all got into the boat at about the same moment, Alain dropping in, pulling Mari with him, and Alli diving off the dock to land on the oar handlers as bullets tore by overhead.
“That’s all of them! Shove off!” Mechanic Deni ordered from her post at the stern of their boat.
Deni tossed off the line holding the stern to the dock, then used a pole to help push off as the sailors got their oars in the water and began pulling with the vigor of those hearing bullets headed their way.
“Asha,” Mari gasped, staring around frantically. “Did we get Asha to a ship, or are she and Dav still at a hospital?”
Alain pointed toward the shape of the Pride, which was growing in size as the boat approached it. “I can sense Asha on that ship. Mechanic Dav is surely with her.”
“Thank— Oww!”
Alain spun to look, alarmed, and saw Mechanic Alli hit Mari again. “Stop risking yourself like that!” Alli stretched far enough to hit Mechanic Calu as well. “You, too! I cannot be the only adult in this crowd!”
“I’m glad that you’re safe, too,” Calu said in a worn-out voice.
“Thank the stars that Alain listens to sense!” Alli sagged back, still holding her weapon, gazing at the flash of rifle shots from the dock. “You did an amazing job commanding the rear guard through most of the retreat, Calu. I love you. When we get nice and safe, I think I’m going to cry a little. I’m kind of stressed.”
“Me, too,” Mari said. “I’m going to slug you back once we get on the ship.”
They came alongside the Pride, sailors helping everyone up the ladder. Alain saw the boats being hooked up and hoisted out of the water, while other sailors brought up the anchor and unfurled sails that looked ghostly in the light of the rising moon.
“They’ll be looking for other boats in order to follow us and attack again,” Mechanic Deni commented to Alain as she passed. “Those killers, I mean. But the commons took every boat but ours and tied them up out on the water. We’ll be clear of this mess before you know it, Sir Mage.”
The Gray Lady led the way out of the harbor, out between other vessels that sat silent as she and the Pride wove their way toward open water.
Alain leaned on the railing as they passed the breakwater. The swells came stronger as the ships entered the open sea, the Pride rolling and twisting as she put on more sail and gained speed.
“Go west until we’re out of sight of land,” Mari told Captain Banda. “Then turn south.”
“South?”
“Yes, south. We’ll hold a conference tomorrow, or is it today now? In the morning.” Mari came over to Alain. “We made it. Do you think anyone will pay attention to me any more after that near disaster?”
“You may be surprised,” Alain said.
* * * *
Mari woke to the rolling motion of the Pride and a sense of relief mingled with dread at the conference that had to be held.
She got out of the bunk carefully, somehow untangling herself from Alain without waking him despite the tight quarters.
Asha was in the other bunk, looking beat-up but otherwise all right. Mechanic Dav slept on the deck beside her bunk, still keeping guard.
Mari went out on deck, squinting against the light of the sun and a brisk wind that carried salt spray with it. The day looked beautiful, all four ships sailing together with the sun nearly overhead—
Four ships?
Mari shaded her eyes, staring. Each of the four ships flew the square banner of the new day from its highest mast. The Pride she was on, the Gray Lady was bounding along to starboard, and one of the other two must be the ship that Edinton had provided.
Captain Banda came up next to her, smiling. “A fine sight, isn’t it? Nothing beats a tall ship with the wind in her sails and a fair sea.”
“Where did we get four sh
“That large one there to port is the Worthy Son, which was pirated out of the Edinton port itself in a daring raid and is now loaded with many rare and valuable Mechanic tools.” Banda pointed astern. “And that ship with all the boats is the Dolphin, a Confederation transport used for landing soldiers. Lost at sea, I was informed, fate unknown. It’s possible it was also captured by pirates.”
“Are there soldiers aboard it?” Mari asked, aghast.
“Aye. I’m not certain how many.”
“The Confederation isn’t supposed to be getting directly involved in anything yet! Captain, we need to hold a conference. I’ll give you a list of everyone who has to be there. They’re probably scattered on all four ships.”
Banda nodded. “No problem, Lady Master Mechanic. We’ll all bring in sail so we’re just drifting, and use boats to ferry anyone needed to the Pride.”
Mari gave Banda her list, then went back to the cabin. She found a tray of food and drink on the table and barely managed to avoid wolfing it all down. Alain woke up as she was eating and joined in, managing a smile which was almost perfectly done. From someone who had once been forced to forget how to smile, it was very nice to see.
They left the cabin quietly to avoid disturbing either Asha or Dav. The ships had all furled their sails. Now they rocked in the swells without moving forward, four stationary objects in a vast expanse of water. Mari could see boats already headed for the Pride.
Banda had offered his cabin for the meeting, since it doubled as a dining room for the Mechanics aboard and thus boasted a decent-sized table and multiple chairs and benches. When Mari finally entered she saw one seat left empty at the head of the table—the place Captain Banda usually sat—and another empty seat beside it. Everyone else was either seated or standing around the edges of the cabin.
Feeling awkward, Mari walked to the head of the table, steeling herself for the criticism she felt certain would soon be hurled at her. Would these Mechanics, Mages, and commons continue to listen to her after the mess which Edinton had turned into?
She reached her seat and paused while seeking words.
Master Mechanic Lukas began softly pounding the table with the palm of one hand. The others picked up the applause, some smiling at Mari and others just giving her looks of approval.
She wondered if her mouth had fallen open in astonishment.
“Well done, Master Mechanic,” Lukas said as the applause ended. “I wouldn’t have believed it possible.
“There—” Mari began. “There were mistakes—”
“No plan goes perfectly,” Mechanic Ken said. “But every time something went amiss, you knew what to do. How did you get Edinton to give up a ship so easily?”
“And that Mage who warned us,” Professor S’san said. “You sized her up, knew how to use her, and gave the right orders.”
“Those were Alli’s, and Calu’s, and Alain’s ideas!”
“You obviously listened to them,” Mechanic Kasi remarked. “And gave the right people the right jobs. What now, Master Mechanic?”
“Um…” Thrown off by not having to defend or excuse her actions in Edinton, Mari took a moment to gather her thoughts. “You are?” she asked a man in uniform.
“Major Sima,” he replied, standing up and saluting. “On long-term leave from the Confederation military to deal with family issues.”
Captain Banda smiled. “Exactly how many members of the Confederation military on long-term leave for family issues are aboard the Dolphin?”
“One hundred and three, counting my officers and me,” Sima replied.
“You’re not here representing the Confederation?” Mari asked.
“No. Anything I happen to do while on leave is strictly unofficial, unsanctioned, and unapproved.” Sima paused. “We had little time to find volunteers with long-term family issues, or there would have been more of us, daughter.”
“All right,” Mari said, managing not to flinch this time at the use of the title. “Two things. First, we’ll need to have my Mages check your soldiers to ensure none are spies for the Great Guilds. Or the empire.”
Sima nodded. “I understand. Since I do not want to attempt to lie to a Mage, I will confess freely that my superiors have asked me to keep them informed about your actions, daughter.”
“You’ll need to keep that information vague for the time being,” Mari warned. “Anything the Confederation learns might reach the Great Guilds, and we are going to need time before the Great Guilds muster an effort against us.”
“I understand, daughter.”
“Which brings up the second thing. I am…really…uncomfortable with being addressed as…her. I would prefer just Lady Master Mechanic.”
“But there are other Lady Master Mechanics,” Mechanic Kasi pointed out.
“Perhaps just Lady?” Major Sima said. “Or Lady Mari? Stories from the Northern Ramparts say you used that title there.”
“Lady Mari will be fine,” Mari said. “How many Mechanics do we have now with everyone who joined us at Edinton?”
Senior Mechanic Gina answered. “One hundred fifty-six. Mechanics and Apprentices. None of the Senior Mechanics at Edinton were sympathetic, but we picked up ten more Master Mechanics among the hundred fifty-six.”
“You’re kidding.” Mari took a deep breath.
“Mage Dav told me that an additional twelve Mages joined us as well,” Alain said. “Three are Mages who can create Rocs.”
“So, that’s four counting Mage Alera? Mage Dav says all the new Mages are all right?”
“He does. I have told him the new Mages must not mistreat anyone and must not deliberately insult Mechanics. I will also speak to them of this,” Alain said.
“Where are you taking all of these people?” Professor S’san asked. “What is your plan from here on?”
Mari gestured to Captain Banda, who unrolled a chart. “Tiae,” she said. “The Broken Kingdom. We’re going there, where no one will expect us to go, where we can find commons to train, and where we can begin fixing the problems of this world at the place where they have done the most damage.”
She had expected the first reaction to be an outburst of protests and objections, but instead Mechanic Kasi laughed. “I kept telling the Senior Mechanics that we should send a strong force into Tiae and rebuild things! It would be like melting down scrap metal and reforging it! But all they could think to do was try to seal off the break.”
“Where in Tiae?” Lukas asked. “If what I know is even remotely accurate, there are warlords and bandit gangs everywhere. How could we keep them off our backs?”
The captain of the Gray Lady cleared his throat. “If I may, honored Mechanics and honored Mage, I do have some information regarding Tiae.”
Captain Banda raised a disapproving eyebrow at him. “I was informed that you had spent much of our time in Edinton prowling the waterfront taverns.”
“Aye, that I did. How better to learn what could be learned?” The captain stood up and gestured to the chart. “I posed as a member of the fellowship, you see, one who had become too well known in the north and was seeking safer waters to ply the old trade until things cooled off in the waters I normally sailed.”
“You posed as a pirate?” Banda asked. “That must have been difficult,” he added sarcastically.
The captain of the Gray Lady smiled in response. “There were those I spoke to who had been south of Confederation waters in the last several years. Not many. Few ships go to Tiae now. There are the pirates along the coast, and the embargo.”
“Embargo?” Professor S’san asked.
“Aye, Lady. The Confederation, the Alliance, the Free Cities, and even the Empire have all banned the shipment of arms and armor to what used to be Tiae. To control the violence, you see. It was demanded by the Great Guilds.”
“I guess that’s something most Mechanics were never told. How has that embargo worked?” asked Calu. His arm was bandaged, but he looked weak and had a seat at the table instead of standing.
“How has it worked? Not at all.”
“Pirates along the coast?” Banda asked. “How bad is that?”
“Not as bad as formerly,” the captain replied. “Too little prey, you see. But I was warned that any ship sailing off the coast of Tiae, especially off the cities, will attract pirates coming out in small boats, usually at night. The cities are shadows of what they once were, great empty monuments of the past with few people left, but some still find homes in them.”
“What happened to the people?” Professor S’san asked in a low voice.
“Most went into the countryside,” Major Sima said. “They scratch out survival on tiny farms. It was their only hope once food stopped coming into the cities as the roads became unusable due to bandits, warlords, and deterioration.”
“Not many refugees in the Confederation itself?”
“Some. Not many made it across before the Great Guilds ordered the Confederation to seal the borders. I was told that the Confederation was still debating what to do when the decision was taken from our hands. I will confess that is a source of guilt among many of us.”
“Like trying to block the spread of a plague,” Captain Banda remarked.
“We’re going to fix things,” Mari said. “Not just try to seal off what we don’t know how to fix. We can avoid the pirates just by sailing out of sight of land. Right?”
Banda shook his head. “Not if you want to know where you are. The Mechanics Guild has limited the navigational equipment available to us. I have no idea why. But sailing out of sight of land, unless a ship is following clear sailing directions in well-known waters like the Sea of Bakre, is a good way to become lost at sea. Out here I know I can sail east and find the coast, but where on the coast? That I can’t say.”
Mari grimaced and shook her head. “The Guild probably limited navigational methods to prevent anyone getting to the Western Continent. There’s no telling what might be there. It might be something the Guild doesn’t want anyone to know about.”
Everyone except Alain stared at her. “The Western Continent is real?” Banda asked.
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