After I indicated the spot where I found the charm, I went back to the wax figure to study the person we were hunting. He stood a hair over six-feet tall, which was large for the sixteenth century, and had a long pointed grey beard that lay on his chest. He had a dusky complexion and his dark-brown, almost black, eyes bore into me as I stared at him. His lips were curled in a cruel sneer and he had a flat-black four-cornered hat on his head and a sword on his belt.
I’m going to cast the resonance spell now, Hillaes told me mentally, then I’d like you to bring out the charm you have stowed away so we can triangulate the force lines in case I get anything.
What do you think will happen? I asked as I stood beside her and looked at the spot where I’d removed the charm from the original ship.
Nothing you can see, Hillaes answered, but I should feel a magical pull which will guide me in the direction we need to go. Hillaes muttered under her breath while holding her closed fist towards the beam above the bunk. When she finished her incantation, there was a loud thrumming and it felt as if the ship were hit with a blast of wind and alarms began blaring all over the ship.
“Oops,” Hillaes commented, “it seems Afonso added some type of alarm spell in case anyone used magic on board. Quickly, hand me the charm before we’re discovered.”
I opened the pocket dimension and grabbed the item she asked for. I never thought about it before but there must be some magic involved in how things are catalogued in the pocket dimension because I only had to think about what I wanted, and it was always there. This just showed another aspect of Alister’s power and his mastery over dimensional gates.
The alarms shifted tone when I removed the charm and Hillaes and I looked at each other in concern. She grabbed the glowing charm out of my hand and the brightly glowing light changed from silver to blue. She handed it back to me and I stuffed it back in the pocket dimension as I heard pounding feet coming towards the cabin. The door flew open and two guards brandishing weapons rushed inside.
We’re invisible if we don’t move, Hillaes’ voice sounded in my head, which was fortunate because the alarm was blaring so loudly that if she said anything verbally, I probably wouldn’t hear her.
I partially shifted in anticipation of the alarm turning off so I could capture the minds of the guards. The guard on the right, the larger of the two, reached up and clicked the button on his radio two times while he continued to scan the room while holding his pistol in his right hand. After waiting three seconds, he clicked the button four more times and the alarm shut off. I sang softly and the guards were frozen in place long enough for us to slip out of the room without them noticing us.
There was an announcement through the speakers connected to the alarms but since it sounded like it was in Mandarin, I didn’t understand what it said.
A moment later the announcement was repeated, but this time in English.
Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for this interruption but there has been an unforeseen incident onboard the Flor do Mar. Please remain calm, you are in no danger and will be released when the matter has been thoroughly investigated.
Hillaes and I made our way out the doors leading to the deck, which the guards had left open in their rush to enter the captain’s cabin. She cast a confusion spell while I softly sang a song of peace and calm. The result was people didn’t notice us slipping back into the crowd and those around us weren’t as upset as they had been moments before.
Another announcement in Mandarin came from the speakers around the ship and a group of people started making their way toward the stairs leading down from the side of the ship.
Ladies and gentlemen, we again apologize for this interruption, but we ask you to disembark from the ship and move to the cafeteria. We will serve food and drinks until we are assured everything is in order. Please follow the instructions of staff members.
We had already moved to the middle of the ship, so I had a good view of the two guards when they came back on deck. The shorter one shook his head as he spoke into the microphone clipped onto his shoulder. Jason placed his hand on my lower back as we made our way to the side of the ship; the people in the crowd were shuffling slowly towards the exit due to the number of people trying to leave at the same time. The tingle at the base of my neck was back and I knew we were in danger. As I looked around to see where it was coming from, I saw a flicker of movement as part of the yardarm broke and started to fall. It was still attached to the mast by ropes and would hit a woman with a child strapped to her chest if I didn’t move quickly.
With a mental shout to my companions, I raced towards the woman so I could push her out of the way of the deadly object weighing hundreds of pounds. Jason shouted my name, but I knew if I didn’t get to the young mother in time, both she and her baby would be killed. Being careful not to use too much of my shifter strength and speed, I managed to reach them before the yardarm. Unfortunately, that left me directly in the path of the swinging hunk of wood and it hit me on my right arm and side.
It felt like I had been hit by that car from earlier in the day as my arm shattered and I was lifted off the deck by the momentum of the swinging yardarm. Before I could cry out in pain, I felt myself flying towards the side of the ship facing the river. Even though my arm had taken the brunt of the impact, I knew some of my ribs were broken and the pain was excruciating. As my body was flying across the width of the ship, I wondered whether I had enough height to fly over the side or would I hit the railing.
My body hit the railing, breaking my left hip into fragments, and then flipped over the top. My head slammed into the side of the ship and that final blow pushed me over the edge towards unconsciousness. The last thing I saw, before passing out, was water filling my vision as I fell towards the river below the ship.
Chapter 4
July 30
Fatorda
Goa, India
“Sir, we have a report from Malacca,” the servant spoke from the doorway and waited until he was invited into the room.
“You may enter, Joki,” rasped the man seated behind the desk.
Joki walked to the desk and bowed before continuing his report. “Two days ago, the alarms aboard the Flor do Mar replica were set off by persons unknown—”
“I know this already, Joki. If you don’t have anything recent, you’re wasting my time,” he interrupted in irritation.
“Yes, sir. The guards concluded their investigations and none of the tourists showed any evidence that they had any items from the ship or had done anything to set off the alarms.”
“What about that woman who was thrown overboard when she was struck by the yardarm?”
“Her body wasn’t recovered and according to the accounts by eyewitnesses there isn’t any way she could have survived that accident. The body was crushed before it fell overboard,” Joki answered.
The man steepled his fingers and rested his chin in his hands as he leaned forward in thought. “Something tripped the alarms I had in place aboard that ship. It is unfortunate that the spells interfere with electronic surveillance so we don’t have any video footage of what happened,” he spoke to himself and didn’t expect his servant to answer. “You are quite certain there wasn’t anyone in the captain’s cabin?”
“The guards are quite adamant that the cabin was empty when they entered the room, and no one entered after they did.”
“Someone set off the alarms as well as the yardarm trap. You tell me that the woman who was killed—” he looked at Joki expectantly.
“Her name was Lynn Merrow,” Joki replied and opened a folder to pull out a copy of an enlarged passport photo and handed it to his employer.
“This Lynn Merrow—wasn’t the target of the trap but rather pushed the intended woman out of the way?”
“Correct,” Joki answered, “the woman who Miss Merrow pushed out of the way is called Maryam Nor and she is a resident of Malacca City. She claimed she was visiting the museum with her brother who lives in the country and wanted t
o see the ship.”
“I assume you extended an invitation for this woman and her brother to join us here?” the man asked, raising one eyebrow in question.
“Yes sir, they arrived last night. We were very careful there were no witnesses to their abduction,” Joki answered.
“Very well,” the man answered as he stood and came around his desk. “I will question these two before deciding which one I will use now to replenish my life-force.”
“The woman has a child,” Joki added.
“Does she now?” the man previously known as Afonso de Albuquerque smiled evilly at his servant. “Then it looks like the brother will sacrifice his life for me and I’ll save Miss Nor for later. After all, it would be a terrible thing to separate a mother and child,” he chuckled darkly as he led the way out the door.
Ow, I groaned and tried opening my eyes, but my lids felt like anchors were tied to them. I could hear whale songs in the distance, so I knew I was underwater and I was in my mermaid form. My body ached all over and I began to panic when I couldn’t move my arms or tail.
You’re safe, we’re with you, Jason’s voice sounded in my mind and I felt his hand touch my face.
What happened? Why can’t I move? I sent, still trying to open my eyes.
We almost lost you, Brian’s voice sounded in my mind. You can’t move because I’ve got you wrapped in my tentacles; we were afraid you would hurt yourself before you’re finished healing.
Oh, is that all? I mentally mumbled. Then I think I’ll close my eyes—
The next time I tried to open my eyes they popped right open, and I felt better. I was curled in a ball and lying on a bed of sea grass. I took a deep breath through my gills, the oxygen-rich water instantly giving me the energy I needed to uncurl my body and stretch. My stomach growled loudly, and I heard Jason’s voice in my head.
Of course, you’d wake up before I could get back with your breakfast, he teased but as he swam into view, I could see the worry on his face.
How bad was it?
Bad—Jason began, then took a deep breath before he held out a bright-orange fish the size of a medium-sized dog he’d impaled on the claws of his right hand.
I grabbed the fish and opened my mouth wide enough to fit half of it inside then chomped down and chewed twice before swallowing it. The other half of the fish quickly followed and I was suddenly embarrassed by how I must look to Jason.
Sorry, I mumbled, I’m hungry.
Jason waved in front of my face to push aside the fish particles floating there, then kissed me gently. Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re okay. He sighed again, you were brave to push that woman out of the way but when you were hit by that section of the yardarm before I could do anything, my heart stopped. You flew through the air, hit the railing on the other side of the ship then slammed your head against the side. The only thing that saved your life was you fell into the river and must have shifted automatically.
Before I could respond to Jason, I was wrapped in tentacles and wrenched violently backwards.
Don’t you ever worry me like that again, Brian sent as he held me up in front of one of his enormous yellow eyes. The black rectangular pupil of his eye was narrowed in anger and worry. His skin pulsated through shades of blood-red and black further indicating his agitation.
I’m sorry, I sent as I bent forward and kissed his head, I wasn’t thinking about you when I was injured.
Really? Then what were you thinking? he thundered in my mind.
Mostly, “ow” and “that’s going to leave a mark” and “I don’t want to die” and finally “I really wanted to get married,” I sent sarcastically. Listen, you big softie, we both know I’ll do the same thing again if I must. I couldn’t let that woman and her baby get killed when I could do something about it.
I know, Brian answered as he released me and settled on the ocean floor in a protective circle nearly sixty feet across.
Please fill me in on what happened after I fell in the water, I asked as I darted after a few of the large orange fish Jason had given me, and easily speared two of them on the tips of my claws. I caught a third with my mouth and made quick work of that one before swimming back where Jason and Brian were waiting. I offered one of the fish to Jason and ate the other. Near-death experiences always make me hungry.
Immediately after you fell overboard, security guards wielding guns stormed the ship and separated us into two groups. Jason rushed to the side of the ship after you fell and the guards dragged him over to our group, after one of them hit him in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle, Brian explained.
I’m fine, Jason assured me after I turned to face him, in fact it didn’t really hurt that much to begin with; I just had to keep up the appearance so they wouldn’t know I'm not human.
Anyway, Brian stirred, once we explained what had happened to you and Jason was your fiancé, they allowed us to move to the railing to see if we could see your body, which we couldn’t.
We were unable to sense your presence, and you didn’t respond to our mental shouts, Jason said with pain in his voice as he relived the memories.
Brian continued, I was getting ready to jump over the side, no matter what anyone said, but a man appeared next to me and placed his hand on my arm and spoke to me. He radiated power and I was frozen in place along with everyone else on the ship.
“Peace, Protector,” he said, “all is well. Cyndi is safe and already healing although you won’t be able to find her for two days.”
“Who are you?”
“You tell me,” he smiled then winked one of his golden eyes and disappeared.
Who do you think it was? I asked.
An’Ceann, Brian answered with conviction.
But An’Ceann always appears as a lion, Jason argued.
I shook my head, An’Ceann usually appears as a lion but he can be anything he wants to be, especially on Earth. Besides, the ‘you tell me’ kind of gives it away. He does like his little jokes.
After that, time moved forward again, and I felt more at peace than I had in a long time. When I mentally explained what happened the rest of the members of our party relaxed.
Except me, Jason interrupted, if it really was An’Ceann why did he appear to Brian and not me? I wanted to believe you were okay, but I was too terrified that I’d lost you.
My heart broke and I swam into Jason’s arms and lay my head on his chest. We spent a few minutes mentally assuring one another that we were both safe and healthy. I reluctantly pulled away, but we stayed side-by-side with our arms around each other.
Perhaps An’Ceann appeared to me because he knew you weren’t in a place where you’d receive words of comfort from him? Brian suggested kindly.
Jason nodded his agreement and Brian continued his story.
Shortly after An’Ceann disappeared the police came aboard and took our statements. Even though Emergency Services arrived quickly, it was clear they didn’t have a lot of hope in finding your body. The river currents in that area are very strong since the outlet to the ocean is so near. The police treated us with respect, but their demeanor also made it clear we shouldn’t have much hope we would find you alive. Based on the eyewitness accounts of the accident with the yardarm, they were convinced you were probably dead before you ever hit the water.
Well, that sucks, I added and squeezed Jason harder.
There’s not much to tell after that except the woman you saved, Maryam Nor, and her brother came over to where we were standing with the police to thank us for your sacrifice and to let us know she was sorry for our loss. We were released shortly after that but were told to stay at our hotel in case the police wanted to interview us again, Brian finished.
Once we were back at the hotel, we called Josef using the secure tablets and gave him a full report. He asked us to keep investigating so Hillaes, Yolanda and Carlos took the jet to Tasmania when we received permission to leave the country, while Brian and I came to get you.
B
ut how did you know where to find me?
When we woke up this morning, Brian and I both knew where to come. When we got here you were curled up in the grass on the ocean floor. We were only here for five minutes before you opened your eyes the first time.
That was enough time for you to cocoon me in your tentacles, I sent to Brian.
Sue me, Brian grumped, even though I believed An’Ceann when he told me you would be okay, I reacted when I saw what looked like your lifeless body.
After untangling myself from Jason’s embrace, I swam over to Brian’s head and gave him as much of a hug as I could. It’s kind of hard to get my arms wrapped around any part of his huge body.
Well, as you can see, I’m fine so I suppose we should get on with our mission. Where are we supposed to go now?
August 3
Indian Ocean
250 Nautical Miles Southeast of Tasmania
The deck of the Salvage Marie pitched in the swell of the stormy sea and I stood with my arms out and a smile on my face. While I loved the feel of the ship under my feet, the spray of the ocean on my face and the wind blowing through my hair, my companion on deck did not. In fact, she was losing what little breakfast she had in her stomach over the side of the ship we were on.
“This sucks,” Hillaes complained as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth to get rid of the evidence that she had been sick.
“Don’t you mean, this blows, as in blowing chunks?” I teased and Hillaes gave me a look darker than the clouds above. “Sorry,” I laughed, “I’m at home on the ocean, none of this bothers me. Let me see if I can help.”
I walked over to the miserable woman and placed my cold hand on the back of her neck and softly sang to her. I could tell my singing was working by the way her face regained some of the color it had lost, and she took a shuddering breath.
Scales of Justice Page 7
