CITY OF THE GODS: FORGOTTEN (44 page)

Aavi Travels To Dioscrias

The Property Room
(Arthur Hughes, 1879).

“Perfect. Now, we’re going to the west docks and I’ll get us passage on a boat going to the Olympian realm. I could get us magic passage from the Council, which would be quicker, but that would mean I’d have to tell them about you, and where we are going, and who knows who would find out. Since Set was involved in your capture, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to let anyone with ties to the Egyptian gods know what we are up to. So we’ll take the slower, but less noticeable way. Then I’ll take you to see this beast we caught, all right?” He gave her the sort of look a teacher might give a young student. Though he framed it as a question, he didn’t really have any intention of changing this plan.

“All right. What’s the Olympian realm like?” She was starting to feel excited at the prospect of traveling, especially if it meant being further away from Set. Now that she knew what they were doing and that D’Molay would stay with her on the entire journey, Aavi was able to smile for the first time in what seemed like days. The stories of the Greeks that D’Molay told her as they rode distracted her from her fear of being caught again.

Occasionally, D’Molay would open the curtain nearest him and peek out.

“Do think someone is following?” Aavi asked.

“A few days ago I didn’t think so and it almost cost me my life. There’s more going on here than I can fathom at the moment, so I’m not going to take any chances. Even getting passage on a ship is a bit risky. You never know who might be working for Set, or even the slavers,” D’Molay replied

“Can’t we take a boat with Mazu?
 
We can trust her, can’t we?”
 

“Mazu?
 
Oh, she’s -” D’Molay paused in mid sentence. Where was Mazu? Last time he’d talked to her, she was going to look for Aavi in the Mayan Realm, but he hadn’t heard from her since she’d left. If Mazu hadn’t found anything she surely would have come back to tell him that. It seemed very unlikely that she would have just given up and gone back to her duties at the lake without checking to see if he had found Aavi.
 

“Mazu went looking for you, but I don’t know where she is now. We’ll have to look her up when we get back. She may have had other godly duties to attend to,” D’Molay hopefully lied, trying to put a better face on a situation that suddenly had him quite worried.

Aavi immediately noticed D’Molay’s glow become quite dark. “Your colors just shifted, from light blue to dark blue. What’s the matter?” She placed her hand gently on his arm.

“I guess there’s no fooling you with that power you have. I’m worried about Mazu.
 
She should have returned to the City by now, or at least contacted me. It may be nothing, or she may have run into the trouble in the Mayan Realm.” He rubbed his chin as he considered their options.
 
“Should we go back and check the north dock to see if she returned, or go on to the west dock and book passage to the Olympian Realm?”

Aavi continued to watch D’Molay’s glow swirling around him, shifting between light and dark blue, with occasional flashes of purple appearing around the edges. She gripped his arm tighter, wondering what he was thinking about. Finally his glow settled down into a steady light blue again, with only flecks of darker blue appearing.

“We have to go back,” he said. He poked his head out the carriage window.

“Driver, change of plans. Take us to the north docks,” he bellowed to the coachman.

“It’ll cost ye extra,” the man called back as he slowed the carriage.

“That’s fine, just do it. We need the fishermen’s dock, number 16.” D’Molay pulled himself back in the carriage as the coachman took a turn to the left down a major avenue. He slumped back into the seat, an embarrassed grimace on his face. “I can’t believe I forgot about Mazu. I was so engrossed in finding you and getting us away from the City that I didn’t realize how long it had been since I last spoke to her. Well, I’m glad you remembered Mazu at least.”

 
“Do you think she’s all right?”

“Mazu is a goddess and can take care of herself without any help from mere mortals the like of us. But still, I’d like to know for sure she is safe. She’s done the same for both of us at one time or another. Mazu was quite worried about you and traveled with me for a day or two helping to gather clues as to your whereabouts. I never would have found you without her help.”
 
As he spoke, he looked off into the distance, remembering their time on the lake.

They rode in silence for a moment or two. “What will we do if she isn’t there?” Aavi asked.

“I’ll leave a note at the boathouse asking her to contact me. I don’t think it’s wise to say where we are going or why, but she’ll be able to find us in her own way. Then I’ll take you to see this creature as we planned. The beast is all we have at the moment that might help you remember anything.
 

“What if seeing it doesn’t help?” she asked.

“Then I guess you’ll be coming with me as we go looking for Mazu. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we know who and what you are,” he said.

Aavi beamed a smile. “Good. I like that plan. And even if I do get my memories back, I want to help you find Mazu.”

A while later the carriage drove up to the same dock where he had left Aavi just a few days ago. D’Molay paid the coachman and gave him a bit extra to wait a few minutes while they looked for Mazu. He didn’t have to ask Aavi to stay close; she stuck right by him as they walked along the dock. “Let me do the talking,” he told her.

“Oh yes, please. I wouldn’t know what to say,” she responded sheepishly.

They walked to the edge of the dock where several Asian fishermen were seated in a boat repairing their nets.
 
They ranged in age from young boys to elderly men, all wearing sandals and dressed in simple clothing. The strong smell of dead fish and the sweat of men mingled with the damp odor of the lake water.
 
Aavi wrinkled her nose at all this, but said nothing. She remained hooded and stood a few paces behind D’Molay, trying to remain unnoticed. Some of the younger men glanced her way nonetheless.

“Good day, gentlemen. We’re looking for Mazu. Have any of you seen her in the last few days?” D’Molay said in a nonchalant manner.

An elderly man with a long, thin white mustache and deeply lined face looked up from his work. “She’s not been here in days. You’ll have to take the regular ferry.”
 

“Do you know where she is?”

“Ha! I’m just an old fisherman. You think the goddess Mazu tells me her plans? Maybe someone in the boathouse knows. Go check there.”
 
He distractedly pointed in the direction of the boathouse without even looking up from his net this time.

“All right, thank you,” D’Molay replied. He led Aavi off the dock towards the boathouse. “Maybe she left a note for us,” he suggested when they were out of the fishermen’s earshot. “Let’s go see.”
 

The boathouse was a beautiful bright red pagoda, with a dark wood railing all around the exterior. A small arched bridge led over a pond and into the main entrance. On the other side of the building, facing the great lake was the dock office. A ramp led off from the boathouse to another set of docks for smaller ships to tie up to.

“It’s very peaceful looking,” noted Aavi, taking in the boathouse and its surroundings.
 
There had so much new to see the last time she had been near this building, she had paid it scant attention.

“Yes. It’s certainly not a typical boathouse. Mazu uses it as a place to stay when she is on duty here, so she made it look more to her liking.
   

“I guess gods can do that, huh?” Aavi continued to admire the bright and serene building as they walked around its octagonal sides toward the office.

“Now hood up, head down, close your cloak, and no talking. I don’t want anyone to be able to tell that you are a girl when we go in.” D’Molay put his own hood in place as he instructed Aavi. Realistically, he knew anyone who looked closely would discern that they were a man and a woman traveling together, but they might not be certain and they wouldn’t know their faces, hair color or age, at least at a distance. It was better than nothing.

“Oh - right.”
 
She quickly disguised herself to fit D’Molay’s request.

They rounded a corner of the boathouse and came to the side facing the water. They took in a serene view of the lake as a flock of herons flew over the water and toward some tall trees down shore.
 
The outline of the hills and mountains on the distant side of the lake could faintly be seen. In front of the boathouse was a set of stairs that led down to another set of docks. These matched the boathouse, painted bright red with meticulously well-kept black railings. Half a dozen smaller boats were currently docked. Most were charter or fishing boats from different realms. They were Asian, Hindu, and even a Mayan ship. Above the boathouse door, he saw a sign in several languages that read ‘Dock Office.’ D’Molay opened the door and went in with Aavi following close behind.

The Dock Office was plainer than the outside of the boathouse. It was fairly obvious that Mazu didn’t spend much time here and that it was used more by record keepers and the dock manager. D’Molay took in the bright red counter with various papers scattered on it. Behind it on the wall were numerous dark cubbyholes that held rolled-up maps. There were also some black-colored desks and chairs where official business was conducted. Then he heard the footsteps of someone approaching from a connecting office.
 
A low-pitched voice echoed in the office.

“Yes, what do you need?”
 
From the accent, it was obvious that the common tongue of Panthos wasn’t the man’s first language. D’Molay was surprised to see a shirtless, muscular Mayan with dark shoulder-length hair and a machete tied at the side of his puma skin kilt staring blankly at them. “If you want a docking space, we are full right now.” He leaned on the counter waiting for them to reply.

D’Molay was surprised at the appearance of a Mayan in the boathouse. In the many years he had come and gone here he had almost never even seen a Mayan at this dock, let alone encountered one working in the office.
 
D’Molay immediately judged he was not there for office work, noting the machete at his hip, which seemed to have recent blood stains still on it.

“Actually, the fishermen sent us over. They said someone here might be able to help us.
 
We paid Mazu in advance for her to take us to Peng Lai, and we are ready to leave.”
 
D’Molay made up this excuse on the spot, for Mazu had ferried him there in the past. The request should not seem unusual. “Do you know when Mazu will return? We had planned to leave within the next few days.” He tried to sound as if he was unconcerned, but it took all his acting skill. His instincts were screaming that something was very wrong here.

“Mazu will be gone for a while. Perhaps many days. I suggest you take one of the slower boats to Peng Lai and get Mazu to pay you back when she returns.” The man seemed to relax a little and smiled at the two of them, no doubt thinking he would be rid of them soon.

“I see.” Then with a blindingly fast move, D’Molay threw off his cloak, grabbed the man’s arms and slammed him chest-down on to the top of the counter, taking the Mayan completely by surprise. Aavi gasped in horror and stared in shocked amazement, as she had not expected this from D’Molay either. As he pinned the man’s arms down with the weight of his own body, D’Molay slammed the man’s face into the countertop. He pulled the machete out of its leather scabbard and held it to the Mayan’s throat. “Now, tell me why you’re really here before I decide to save myself a lot of bother and just slit your throat.”