Knight Eternal (A Novel of Epic Fantasy) (Harbinger of Doom Volume 3) (17 page)

“
Who
commands
The Talon
?” said Claradon.

“
Captain Kleig is her
master, but he’s a lap dog of House Alder, which, I assume is why
they’ve been following. They want your head, Eotrus, for what you
did to the Chancellor.”

Claradon paled and looked
as if he had just been slapped across the face.

“
How many men does she
carry?” said Theta.

“
Her crew is half again
larger than mine. I expect the Alders have loaded her up with their
house guard, maybe even some Myrdonians. Probably one or more of
the Alders will be leading them. I’ve no interest or plan to take
her on, so don’t go getting any ideas.” Slaayde turned toward Tanch
who was about to speak. “Harringgold’s coin does me no good if I’m
dead.” Slaayde put a hand to his whited hair. “This trip has
already cost me more than his gold is worth.”

***

Dozens of seamen and
longshoremen loaded cargo off a ship docked across the wide pier
from where
The Falcon
had just tied off.
The
Falcon
’s crew secured the gangway and
Slaayde immediately disembarked with his bodyguards to converse
with Borman, the Harbormaster, a burly man of weathered face and
bushy brow. They joked and traded quips for a time, as old friends.
Ob and Tanch joined them on the pier.

“
What mischief brings you
here this time?” said Borman.

“
The usual mischief,” said
Slaayde.

Borman smiled and looked as if he didn’t
expect any more of a response than that, and he got none.

“
Harbormaster,” said Ob. “
The White
Rose
, out of Lomion, came down ahead of
us. Where is she berthed?”

Borman looked down at Ob, furrowed his brow,
and turned back to Slaayde. “His kind aren’t welcome in Tragoss any
longer.”

Ob’s face darkened. He
made to move toward Borman, but Par Tanch grabbed him by the collar
and pushed him to the side. The stone at the apex of Tanch’s staff
glowed blue as he thumped the shaft on the pier’s deck. “My servant
asked after
The White
Rose
.”

Borman’s eyes widened at the staff’s glow,
and he looked nervously about as if to see if any were looking. “I
haven’t seen her, your wizardship, sir,” he said quickly.

“
I owe
her boatswain a gold crown from a game of Spottle gone bad, and
promised I would settle up with him here in Tragoss. Have you heard
no word of
The Rose
?”

“
I couldn’t say. I
couldn’t say. Many ships come and go through here. If they brook no
trouble, I pay them little heed.” He glanced over his shoulder
again. “The Thothians tolerate no magic, your wizardship, no magic
at all. Keep your staff dark hereabouts or you will find yourself
in the deep stuff. They will be here in a moment.”

Borman’s deeply lined face
took on a serious expression and he then spoke loudly and boldly.
“The port fee is four silver stars per day, up from three last
year. As is custom, you pay now for today and for tomorrow, or just
for today if you plan to leave before sunset. And cause no trouble
in Tragoss Mor, or the swift arm of justice will smite
you.”

He winked at Slaayde, turned, and walked
swiftly away, leaving his aide to collect the fees. He halted after
a few paces to bow to four strange men that approached.

Four Thothian monks,
shirtless, bald of pate, beardless, but heavily mustached as was
their custom, walked up to the group, ignoring Borman as they
passed. Each wore baggy pantaloons adorned only with a wide sword
belt.

“
Welcome
to Tragoss Mor, gentlemen,” said one of the monks. “I am Finch,
Prior of almighty Thoth, may he watch over us always. How
fares
The Black Falcon
?”

“
She fares well,” said
Slaayde.

“
You are her
captain?”

“
Dylan Slaayde, at your
service.”

“
Good, very good,” said
the monk with a smile. “What is your business in Tragoss
Mor?”

“
To purchase some fine
wares and supplies for my ship.”

“
Good, very good,” said
Prior Finch, the same smile etched on his face. “You will find many
treasures in Tragoss and we welcome your business.” The smile then
dropped from his face. “I trust you’re aware that the slave markets
are long since closed.” He paused, waiting for a
response.

“
And good riddance to
them,” said Slaayde.

“
Good,” said the monk.
“Then you also know that no spirits are allowed here—not of grapes,
wheat, honey, or any other. You will find no bars here, nor
brothels. Seek not these things in Tragoss Mor and bring them not
with you and your stay will be pleasant.”

“
We’ll be on our best
behavior,” said Slaayde with a smile.

“
See that you are. Good
day to you.” As Prior Finch began to turn away, one of his fellows
placed a hand on his shoulder.

“
Prior,” he said, pointing
at Ob, “they have an imp.”

Prior Finch’s eyes widened. He stepped up
before Ob. “What have we here, Captain? Surely not a
passenger?”

Before Slaayde could respond, Tanch spoke
up. “The gnome is but a common laborer, bound to the ship’s service
for the rest of his days.”

Prior Finch’s smile returned, and he visibly
relaxed. “Good, very good. We are a civilized people, its kind are
not free to roam our fair city. See that it stays on your ship or
travels only with an escort.”

Ob’s face went beet red. He clenched both
fists tightly and bit his tongue to stay it.

“
Your imp is not properly
trained, Captain.” Prior Finch’s hand darted out and slapped Ob,
hard across the face, knocking his head to the side.

Ob slowly turned his face back toward the
Prior, expressionless, his eyes locked on the monk’s, boring
through him. The monk’s hand went up to strike Ob again.

“
Stop!” said Tanch,
placing his fist against the monk’s chest to stay him. Prior Finch
looked down at Tanch’s hand in disgust and then met him eye to
eye.

“
He’s no use to us if he’s
damaged,” said Tanch.

“
Discipline, not damage,”
said the monk. “Captain, your ship would be the better for it.” He
pushed Tanch’s arm aside and backed away. “Your crew will show the
proper respect to all Thothians and citizens, Captain, or you will
be held accountable.”

“
I’m sure that they’ll
behave,” said Slaayde, with his widest grin. “Good day to
you.”

Ob took a long drink from his rather large
goblet. “I’m gonna kill that one,” said Ob, his face still red from
the monk’s blow and perhaps the ale.

“
A slap is not worth
killing over,” said Tanch, a serious look on his face. “Perhaps, a
bit of torture, though.”

All looked at Tanch in shock. He smiled and
the Captain’s Den briefly filled with laughter. Even Ob chuckled.
The tension gone from the room, the men settled into their
seats.

“
The harbormaster lied,”
said Theta.

“
He’s hiding something,”
said Ob.

“
Do you
think
The Rose
is
here?” said Claradon.

“
Here, and gone most
likely,” said Ob.

“
I agree, but we must
check and find out what we can.”

Theta directed Seran to
take six men and walk the eastern docks to look for
The Rose
. Artol was to
do the same at southern docks. Theta warned both to steer clear of
the monks.

“
It may be that Korrgonn
and dear Sir Jude have disembarked and the ship has moved on
without them,” said Tanch.

“
Unlikely,” said Ob. “If
they were letting off Korrgonn here, they would’ve stayed in port
for at least a couple of days to rest and resupply. With the time
we made, they couldn’t be much more than a day, at most two, ahead
of us.”

“
Slaayde,” said Theta.
“Resupply as fast as you can. Assume a long journey and fill your
hold accordingly.”

Slaayde looked surprised.
“What? We’ve come all the way to the sea. How much farther are we
to go? And who is to pay for this?” said Slaayde.

“
You are,” said
Theta.

“
I’m sure that Duke
Harringgold will reimburse all your expenses,” said Tanch. “And
reward you generously for your service.”

Slaayde didn’t look entirely convinced.

After a few hours, Artol and Seran returned
and the group gathered again in the Captain’s Den. On deck,
Slaayde’s crew hauled aboard and stowed kegs of fresh water, dried
fruit, and all manner of supplies.

“
Gather round you scum,”
said Artol, displaying his characteristic toothy grin, “for our
mission was a success.” The big soldier casually twirled a long
knife in his right hand, a thick cigar smoked in his left. Seran
stood at attention, his armor shining even in the poor light of the
cabin.

“
My pal
here Mr. Spit-and-Polish,” resting his hand on Seran’s shoulder,
“despite his pretty face and wily ways, came up empty on the
eastern docks. You might say that he’s an incompetent fool not
worth the gruel we feed him, but I prefer to think
The White Rose
docked to
the south, so the scum of the east side knew nothing to
tell.”

Seran paled and looked mortified. The others
who knew Artol far better than Seran looked amused.

“
So what did you find?”
said Ob.

“
Three
men I plied with a bit of silver and a bit more persuasion, if you
get my meaning, told the same tale.
The
Rose
sailed at dawn yesterday, stocked for
a long haul, many weeks or more. To where, none of three
knew.”

“
Perhaps more silver would
loosen their tongues?” said Claradon.

Artol smiled a wicked, toothy smile. “Trust
me, they told me all they knew.” The long knife spun between his
fingers.

“
Who were the men you
questioned?” said Theta.

“
A petty merchant and two
common sailors. Each was from parts foreign, and set to sail today
or tomorrow.”

“
The locals?”

“
Had
nothing to say, despite my gentle urgings. I could be more
persuasive, but then things would get messy. That wouldn’t be
neighborly, and probably just a waste of time. Someone off
The Rose
made threats
and spread some coin to keep their passage secret; that much is
clear. Of course, there’s no quicker way to gather attention than
to pay people to say they didn’t see you, which is the only reason
those three even heard of
The
Rose
. It’s doubtful they told anyone where
they were going, so we can bash as many heads as we want and we’ll
get nowhere. That’s how I see it anyway.”

Artol turned to Theta. “Thanks for the
warning about the monks. They’re everywhere and the people are
scared snotless by them. We had to dodge them more than once. I
thought slavers and pirates ran this city, not monks?”

“
They did until a few
years ago,” said Ob. “Then the Thothians took over. They wiped out
the slave trade and the corsairs but what they put in place is even
worse. Look at them wrong and they’ll stone you, I hear. Insult
their religion or whatever and they will kill you dead on the
street, and go after your family too. Hell, that stinking monk hit
me just for being a gnome. What’s that about? Same kind of nuts
like the Shadow Leaguers. Who knows, maybe they’re even in with
them.

“
Had I known all that, I
would have been a bit more subtle,” said Artol, his expression and
tone now serious. He sheathed his knife.

“
Sorry,” said Ob.
“Sometimes I forget not everyone is as up on these things as
me.”

“
Just what we need,” said
Tanch. “Now you’ve drawn attention to us. More crazies will be
after us. I just can’t take this, it’s all too much.” Tanch walked
stiffly over to a couch and laid down, wincing, as if his back
plagued him.

“
Did you
ask if any men from
The Rose
stayed behind here?” said
Theta.

“
They didn’t know,” said
Artol.

Theta turned to Ob. “To what ports and what
direction could they have been headed?”

“
Minoc,” said Ob. “Though
it’s less than a week’s journey northeast along the coast. But if
they wanted to go there, they should’ve taken the Emerald River,
which leads straight there.” Ob walked over to the mariner’s globe,
spun it to the right angle, and pointed to each place he named.
“Boreundin is farther to the north; farther still is Vinland. Along
the coast to the southwest is Piper’s Hold, then comes Thoros-Gar,
and other towns and cities beyond that. South, the lands stretch
endlessly as far as any have gone, far beyond any semblance of
civilization. There are islands too, far to the south off the
coast. Bardin’s Rock, Treeskull, Tekla, Radu-Mal, Tardin-Gar,
Revit, and many, many more.”

“
They could be headed
anywhere,” said Claradon. “We have to find out what direction they
went at least. If not, we’ll never catch them. I will not abandon
my brother to those maniacs.”