Master of Myth (The Antigone's Wrath Series Book 1) (27 page)

The door opened and Mortimer Cross entered. Her smile instantly faded, replaced by a scowl. She couldn’t see them well, but at least three other men waited outside.

“Hello again,
Captain
Sterling.” His continued use of that sarcastic tone made her want to rip out his throat. “I trust you’re feeling more cooperative now?”

She remained silent, not giving him the pleasure of a response.

“I thought you might like to know we won’t be arriving at our destination for several days.” He turned his nose up at the repugnant spill on the floor next to her, but she saw the smug grin hidden under his greasy mustache. “I was going to have tea sent down to you, but it appears you haven’t the stomach for it at the moment. Might I inquire if there’s anything else you need?”

Rachel looked up at him, pure innocence on her face. “Why, my dear Mr. Mustache, how could I want for anything in such lavish accommodations?”

He snarled and reached for her. Instead of striking her with his fist, however, he ripped at the chain hanging around her neck. She couldn’t hide her horror. Why hadn’t she given the ring to Iris for safe keeping? Had she been able to stand, she’d have kicked herself for sheer stupidity.

“You have your trinket.” She glared. “Release me.”

Mortimer laughed. “My good
captain
, surely you don’t think this is all I require of you?”

Rachel blinked at him, the pain in her head making it impossible to mask her confusion.

He didn’t elaborate. Instead, he left without another word. Another man entered as Brother Cross left. This one was a short, skinny gentleman who seemed more bored with the situation than anything else.

Without so much as an introduction, he stuck something wet and cold to the back of her head. The sudden sensation caused her to jump, but he pressed down on her right shoulder firmly to keep her in place. He muttered something under his breath that sounded like a chant and her pain receded. Magic. He had to be using Aether Manipulation as Iris had done with Danton. The nausea faded and soon the pounding headache was gone as well. Despite this, her skin still crawled. It was in her blood to hate magic, even if it healed her wounds.

The “doctor” finished his work and left, looking disgusted at having been made to touch her. While she was glad for the absence of pain, dizziness, and nausea, the taint of aether remained with her, and Rachel wondered if she would ever feel normal again.

Silas paced. While he was never fond of traveling over land, and liked less traveling through the air and by ship, all paled in comparison to the discomfort his current method of transport brought him. He never considered himself claustrophobic, but the knowledge of where he was gave him small fits of madness.

He didn’t know exactly what happened to Rachel, but she was on board. From what he overheard, he worked out that two prisoners, most likely Iris and Danton, broke free, but the captain was recaptured. As they brought him down the mountain, he caught a glimpse of a woman’s figure being carried towards the dock. He wished he’d paid more attention to that now, but, at the time, something unexpected pushed everything else away.

The lights from the
Antigone’s Wrath
reflected off the top of a massive black shape low in the water. The wooden dock ran between, dividing the two. While it had a fearsome reputation, the
Antigone’s Wrath
had a pleasant glow to it. It was impressive and intimidating, but welcoming. The thing lurking in the darkness was indisputably hostile. Silas couldn’t see its entirety, but it reminded him of the sketches of crocodiles contained in one of his antique books. Black steel armored its hide. Two darkened, bulbous windows donned the front, staring out over the water like monstrous eyes. When he saw the legs, at first he thought he was hallucinating. A pair of appendages stretched backwards towards the shore, paddling listlessly. From the dock, he saw two more of these, only smaller versions, at the front. The machine seemed almost alive, nearly breathing, and he reasoned that Aether Manipulation was involved in its construction. As he walked, he continued to muse about the possibilities, but skidded to a halt when he saw the gangway running from the dock, horizontally across to the portal.

“A submarine vehicle?” He turned to his captors. “Are you mad? I won’t step foot in there.”
 

Their rebuttal came in the form of a gun barrel aimed directly at his face. Weighing his options, Silas decided it might be better to live a bit longer and risk drowning miles under the water, than to take his chances with a bullet.

At the moment, he wondered if perhaps the choice of a quick death might not have been a wiser one. He cringed and shuddered any time the ship groaned or creaked. According to his watch, barely more than five days passed, but it might have been a month as agonizingly slow as it went by. The first twenty-four hours were a bumpy ride through the lakes and rivers winding through Nepal and Bangladesh, but once they reached the Bay of Bengal, the ride got eerily smooth. The quick look he managed out the windows of the helm on his one trip there told him little about their direction or location. This did nothing to soothe his stretched-thin nerves.

After the rocky first day, Brother Cross introduced Silas to his workshop. Silas was to build the machine for them as they traveled. They refused to tell him where they were going, but ten days was his time frame. The more he worked, the more terrifying the thing became. More than a few minutes with it sent spikes of fear up his spine that made his teeth chatter uncontrollably. What was worse, his machinist brain built the monstrosity in his dreams. Finally, he had a clear idea of what it did and why the Brotherhood wanted it so badly. What he didn’t know was how he was going to alter the plans subtly enough to not raise suspicion while, at the same time, rendering it useless. Every piece was so exacting that if one aspect were changed, the next piece wouldn’t fit. The constant scrutiny of guards didn’t make his job any easier.

He distracted himself with thoughts of his friends. At last glance, the
Antigone’s Wrath
seemed to be in one piece. There was a chance the crew survived. If Iris and Danton had a breath left between them, they would go after Rachel. That spark of hope remained, however unlikely it might be.

And what of Eddie? A pang of guilt gutted him. The boy was an overzealous innocent who had no business being involved in any of this. Hopefully he was still alive. If he had any sense at all, he’d stay at the monastery, but there were two problems with this. First, how would he get back to England? Second, that would be even more difficult if Silas didn’t return. It wasn’t something he considered before, but there was the distinct possibility that once his job was done, death was all that waited for him. The Brotherhood could promise him safety all they liked, but he didn’t believe for a second there was much worth in those words. Eddie would be safe enough at the monastery. He could send word to his father and get home eventually. Knowing Eddie, however, the boy would tag along with the
Antigone’s Wrath
crew, thus putting himself right back into danger.

He grimaced. That scenario was far more likely than anything else.

Then there was Rachel. She was aboard, yes, but in what condition? If she escaped once, they probably chained her up somewhere. Under lock and key himself, there wasn’t much he could do. His tools could be used as weapons, but if he managed to get free, where would he go? Being on a submarine left little in the way of escape routes.

This brought him full circle. Faced with futility, he went back to work on the abomination before him.

“I’m not certain this is such a great idea, Princess.” Danton squinted at the harbor skeptically. “How can you be sure your father will help?”

Jiao rolled her eyes. “As I’ve told you several times over the last few days, I know the same way I knew he would let me leave with you in the first place. Stop asking. Repetitive questions are unbecoming.”

They watched from the railing, grim-faced, as the
Antigone’s Wrath
pulled back into Singapore. Iris managed to save Danton’s life, but Jiao thought his recovery might have been nearly as painful as the initial wounds. Using Aether Manipulation to speed his body’s healing process was faster, but harder to tolerate. Most of his severe injuries were gone after three days, and this was miraculous in itself. Jiao resisted the urge to ask him if he was really up to the plan they formulated. At this point, she was annoyingly fond of the master-at-arms. In the days since she’d come aboard, she’d caught glimpses of her own calculation and world view in the older man. If she could consider any among the crew a kindred spirit, it was Danton DuSalle

In a stroke of good fortune, the Brotherhood left the
Antigone’s Wrath
unscathed. A handful of crewman died in the initial fight, but when it was apparent they were outnumbered and outgunned, they surrendered. When the enemy withdrew, but the captain did not return, there was chaos. By the time Jiao came back aboard with Danton and Iris, knives had been drawn and the men were snarling at each other like wild animals. With the arrival of the first mate, order was restored, but it was uneasy. Jiao had the feeling a crew change would happen soon, but not before the rescue was launched. They needed practiced hands for their plan to work.

She was only mildly worried that her father would refuse this request. She knew how to handle him well enough. What concerned her most was what he would ask for in return. Yong Wu demanded severe compensation for his assistance in any matter that did not directly benefit him. After looking at the situation from several angles, she thought she found enough reasons persuade him. At least, she hoped she had. Jiao refused to let her doubts get any foothold. There was no room for them.

Her fingers tapped on the railing impatiently. She knew they couldn’t go any faster, but the seconds felt like they were crawling by. Soon enough, the
Antigone’s Wrath
docked and she was pushing her way down the gangway, Danton in tow. Despite the best efforts of vendor wagons and rickshaw drivers to the contrary, they arrived at her father’s compound quickly. The guards were so surprised to see her that they barely glanced at Danton. Three of the men popped to attention and the fourth scrambled to open the gate. Jiao made it clear with a look that she wouldn’t be stopping to exchange pleasantries. Danton ignored them completely, doing his best to disappear in her wake.

Shouts rang through the courtyard, announcing their presence. It was after the noon meal, and Yong Wu would likely be napping. Instead of waiting for her father in the reception hall, Jiao went directly to his private chambers. He wouldn’t care for that at all, but catching him unprepared was part of her strategy.

The wooden doors flew open with a bang as she made her entrance. “
You tried to have me killed! How could you?
” She railed Chinese accusations at him with practiced fury.

Rage replaced shock as Yong Wu pushed aside the young, scantily clad woman offering him a teacup. “
Jiao! How dare you address me with such disrespect! Explain yourself!
”

Still indignant, she crossed her arms and stared him down. “
Those men you sent, the ones in the black hats, they tried to kill me. Do not pretend ignorance.
”

Yong Wu stood slowly, his face growing redder by the second. “
Did you say men in black hats? They were at the monastery? In MY territory? Without MY permission?
” He was not speaking directly to her now, as he looked towards his bedroom door. A cluster of guards gathered there, and a hunched man wrung his hands worriedly, eyes flitting everywhere except Yong Wu’s penetrating stare. Danton had backed away out of sight.

“
They also slaughtered many monks in the temple, including my most revered teacher, and raided a ship under YOUR protection!
” She stomped her foot for extra emphasis.

Yong Wu’s right eyebrow twitched under the strain of forced composure. “
Dearest daughter, I assure you that these men were not acting on my orders. Regardless, it appears I have some reparations to make.
”

She stomped her foot again. “
You can start your reparations by outfitting the Antigone’s Wrath with extra men and ammunition. They have a means to track these men, and I DEMAND you let them do so!
”

“
DO NOT TELL ME WHAT I MUST DO!
” Yong Wu roared at her. “
These intruders will be duly punished. Where is Captain Sterling?
”

“
She is not here. I brought her master-at-arms in her place.
” She turned, snapped her fingers, and the crowd at the door instantly split. “Monsieur DuSalle, if you would please join us.”

As Danton entered the room, Jiao noted her father’s expression. The traces of violence on Danton’s face and his arm in a sling registered as she hoped. With inward satisfaction, she knew she had won the day.

“Monsieur DuSalle, allow me to express my deepest regrets for the losses your crew has suffered while under my protection. Jiao has informed me that you intend to pursue these attackers.” Yong Wu looked apopleptic.

Danton nodded. “We do, sir.”

“By way of amends, please allow me to replace your fallen and wounded crewmen, as well as offer the service of several ships within my fleet. As penance for invading this controlled area and attacking my own flesh and blood, these Brotherhood men forfeit their lives. I trust these terms are agreeable to you and your captain?” Yong Wu’s look indicated that disagreement was not an option.

Danton clicked his heels and gave a low bow. “They are indeed. We thank you for your assistance in this matter.”

Yong Wu summoned his assistant, the fearful, hunched man. “Overlooking your lack of oversight for the moment, you will see these things are carried out as I have discussed. Send word to the Zhuqing Monastery expressing our sympathies, along with a substantial monetary donation to ease the burden of temple repairs.”

The man bowed and backed out of the room, muttering thanks and acquiescence.

Yong Wu turned his attention back to Danton. “Please give Bao Lu a complete list of your requirements. And have yourself seen by my personal healer. You look as though you could use it.”