The Five Elements (20 page)

All eyes were on her. She suddenly felt guilty for having accepted the small comforts the savant had bestowed upon her. "I'm well. I—I don't know what they want with me, but I'm trying to go along with whatever it is until I can figure things out. I'll get you all out of here. I promise. I don't know how, but I'll do my best."

Jadjin touched her hand reassuringly while the others only nodded in response. Only the army man, the sergeant, made no reaction other than to stare at her as if she'd done something wrong. It took Shanna a moment to realize he wasn't so much staring at her as at her clothes, her washed face and treated wounds, and, as his eyes roamed past her, the servant woman Mirna who hovered just out of earshot.

"I'm going to get all of you out," Shanna said again, trying to instill some degree of confidence in her tone.

"Get the keys, girl, and come to us in the night," the sergeant grumbled. "It's our only chance of escape. We'll be waiting."

Shanna said nothing, but she nodded. Then she let her hands slip from the bars and, with Mirna, made her way towards the first wagon in the line. Many of the transports were either covered like hers or had heavy, oiled tarps draped over their loads. Dwarves pressed into service as draymen were already busying themselves with the unloading. Shanna slunk past them, thankful she wasn't being made to help.

As she reached the frontmost wagon, the unobstructed vista opened before her. The sight was enough to make Shanna realize she’d no idea where they were. No surprise there. She'd never been out of sight of Norwynne before. Most of the view was obscured by trees, anyway. In fact, spinning around, Shanna saw they'd rolled into a shallow valley. Back the way they'd come, Shanna noticed rectangular stones marking an ancient, forgotten road made visible only because of the grass their passage had laid flat. It continued onward, presumably up and out of the valley, though it appeared this was as far as they meant to take it. Progress from this point would be made in Erlek's airship. Shanna hadn't forgotten about the diri—the dirig—the flying ship. But she'd wanted to visit with the others first to let them know she wasn't going to leave them there, even though when she looked into the sergeant's eyes she knew that was exactly what he thought. Maybe she'd just leave
him
there, but she'd definitely get the rest out.

But not yet. Right now, all of Shanna's attention was suddenly on the airship that was just now appearing over the tops of the trees. Right away, she saw that it was a ship in every sense of the word, with a wooden hull as big as any she'd ever seen in one of Aaron's picture books. As it drew closer Shanna wondered if she shouldn't step away before it landed on top of her. But its descent was so graceful, its movement so slow, that she realized there was no danger. The hull was long and narrow but tapered at the middle section. It hung suspended beneath the largest balloon Shanna had ever seen. Sausage-shaped and bigger than the hull of the airship by many times, it held the ship aloft by a maze of cordage. Its flight made practically no noise at all except for an occasional spout of flame accompanied by a hiss that reminded Shanna of a large steaming kettle. Like a ghost ship, it glided ethereally through the air, devoid of any of the normal activity one would associate with a seafaring vessel. But then Shanna heard the shouts of sailors—no, not sailors, but airmen—coming from onboard. She realized that this thing—this wonder—was real, and that soon she'd be aboard her.

She thought of Aaron. For a moment, she imagined she heard his voice explaining the vessel's design and the principles that allowed it to fly. He'd launch into a discussion of the materials and the construction, how it moved and how it turned, not stopping until she punched him in the arm. Shanna sighed. She missed him. More than anything, she wished he was here with her right now. Lost in her thoughts, Shanna nearly jumped out of her oversized boots when a voice far deeper than Aaron's sounded next to her.

"You wear the clothes of another," the voice said.

It took a moment to shake off her surprise and another to realize who spoke to her. It was the leader of the dwarves. Somehow, she remembered his name. Engus Rul. Though clearly he'd spoken to her, he did not look at her as he made his own appraisal of the flying ship.

"They were… given to me." Shanna held her arms out to look the fine fabric of the sleeves up and down. Her old clothes, torn, ripped, soiled, and stained, had finally had enough. Mirna had disposed of them, including the vest Aaron had given her, which was beyond cleaning and smelled too much like the floodwaters and the floating dead. Her new shirt, which Shanna had at first thought garish but which she had warmed to once she'd seen herself in a small mirror, was dark blue with sleeves dyed maroon. The colors complemented one another and the gleam of the fabric, which felt smooth against her skin, accentuated the dark shimmer of her hair. Dark pantaloons, a studded belt she'd had to punch her own hole in because it was too long otherwise, and a vest the color of rubies completed her new attire.

The dwarf said nothing else, though he did not move away. Shanna seized the opportunity.

"Where did all of your dwarves go?"

"Home."

Shanna turned her head in his direction. He was thick as an ox, with calloused, scared hands that looked as if they could crush her with one squeeze. "Why?"

"Because that is where all honest dwarves should be. Home, with their wives and children, doing honest work. Those I gave leave were such dwarves who no longer need involve themselves in this… deviltry."

Shanna returned her gaze to the airship, pretending as if she scrutinized it in more detail when she was really trying to sort through what the dwarf had just said. Finally, she asked, "Why didn't you leave with them?"

This time, the dwarf shifted his gaze from the airship to look at her. They were very nearly the same height—Shanna was taller only by a hand—and she need only turn her head to meet his stare. The dwarf, about to reply, fell silent instead at the sudden appearance of Erlek Abn Nee.

Following just behind the savant were his sitheri guards. They walked in single file, a litter carried between them by poles resting at each of their shoulders. Though what they carried was hidden beneath a thick wrapping, Shanna had no doubt it was the savant's relic. The small procession made its way directly for the airship, which, still twenty paces from the ground, looked to have descended as far as it was going to. Shanna watched as ropes were lowered from the sides, followed by mates who scurried down with practiced ease. Each airman carried a spike over one shoulder that they pounded into the ground before securing the ropes to them. Then, a more intricate series of ropes was thrown from the dirigible. Grounded crewmen grabbed hold and stretched the length of it, fastening its end to more spikes. As the construct took shape, Shanna saw that it was a sort of rope staircase, with planks set for the steps and even a rope handrail. Erlek led his guard and the Element directly for it. The moment it was fully in place, he started up without delay. He and his procession disappeared onto the ship's deck moments later. The savant hadn't spared a glance for anyone, not even Shanna.

Seeing that Engus Rul's gaze had returned to the airship and the business going on there, Shanna wondered if their conversation was concluded when, without looking at her, the dwarf said just loud enough so that only she could hear, "You could probably run. Turn around, head for the trees. My dwarves are otherwise occupied and I'd not pursue."

Shanna's thoughts ground to a halt. Surely she'd heard the dwarf wrong. It took her a moment, but no, she'd heard him quite well. Which only meant the dwarf was playing with her, mocking her. Shanna studied his face, trying to read his true intent, but there was nothing there but stoicism and seriousness. Shanna swept her gaze around, paying particular attention to the dwarves, who were no doubt in on this trick. Engus Rul wanted her to run, so his dwarves could knock her down, tie her up again, and throw her into the cell where they obviously thought she belonged. She'd seen the looks they threw her. Yet, they were all going about their own business, not a one of them even glancing her way. In that moment, she wondered if Engus Rul's offer was sincere. She looked over a shoulder at the trees and hills. Engus Rul's offer was tempting, but it would mean running away, leaving the others behind, and—worst of all—never knowing more about the Element.

"No," she said. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until the others are freed." It was the only reason he need hear.

Engus Rul took one look at the defiance in her face and laughed in amusement. "Not until the others are freed, eh? Now just how do you think you're going to accomplish that?"

Shanna didn't know, but she wasn't going to back down now. "You'll find out when you wake up and we're all gone."

It was not the answer Engus Rul had been expecting, for his smile died and his brow narrowed. But then the smile returned and he was laughing again. "I like you, girl!"

Shanna felt the ends of her own lips turning into a smile. She suppressed it, though, and said with mild sternness, "My name isn't 'girl'. It's Shanna Bonnerman."

The dwarf extended a single, massive hand. "Engus Rul."

Shanna stared at that gigantic paw for a moment, then she took hold of it. She succeeded in grasping only three of his thick fingers.

"Good luck to you, Shanna, with your… escape." Engus Rul chuckled one last time, then he walked off to join the others of his kind.

Shanna watched him for a moment, the way he blended in with his dwarves. Laughing, joking, acting friendly now but she knew what he really was: a savage killer. She must never, ever forget it. He spoke of deviltry as if he was apart from it, but he was as involved as anyone, more so because he led this rabble. She'd have to watch him closely. As closely as she intended to watch the savant. They were both dangerous.

"Please, mi—" Mirna again. "Please, Shanna, we must board the airship. We mustn't keep Master Nee waiting."

Shanna let out a deep breath. "No, we mustn't do that."

With Mirna following close behind, Shanna followed in the savant's footsteps, reaching the base of the rope staircase where a growing number of airmen were regaining their land-legs while casting wary gazes at the dozen or so dwarven raiders who, for now, kept their distance. The airship's complement was mostly male, though Shanna was surprised to spot several women amongst those who had disembarked. They were all dressed in loose sailor's shirts and baggy pantaloons, the latter much like her own but of far lesser quality. Several carried long knives at their belts. A few others, clubs. Some cast glances her way, but none offered her so much as a nod in greeting. As Shanna started up the first of the rope stair steps, one started shouting out orders, organizing the others into foraging groups. Shanna paid no heed to what was said next as she soon found herself swaying to and fro on the unstable staircase. It was an unsettling experience, but she kept herself moving, refusing to look down or to seem like a frightened girl in front of the dwarves, the crewmen, or anyone else. Once, when her foot misstepped slightly, she did look down with immediate regret. It had not seemed so high up from the ground. She only paused a moment, to take a deep breath while tightening her grip on the swaying rope handrails, then she lifted a foot to the next step. When she reached the top, she immediately eased herself onto the ship's deck, never so thankful for something solid beneath her feet. Mirna, who'd ascended whisper quiet just behind her, gained the deck a moment after she did.

The deck's planking felt strong and sturdy, and the whole of it was immaculately clean: scrubbed, scoured, and sanded until it looked like fresh timber newly laid. She stood on only one deck of many. There was another forward and at least two more aft. But this one—called the waist deck, she later learned—was the largest and, at least presently, claimed the most activity. A select few—air-sergeants, Shanna imagined them—oversaw gangs who busied themselves stacking rope, hauling crates, and running fore and aft for reasons Shanna couldn't guess at. Her eyes followed their back-and-forth movement for a few moments before she looked up to the spider web of ropes crisscrossing from ship to balloon in so many ways Shanna felt dizzy just trying to trace the line of a few of them. The balloon itself was even larger close up than when she'd spied it from the ground, the whole of it a drab cream color and pulled so taut over an interior frame just visible through the thin fabric that Shanna thought for sure it might tear at any moment. The airship had no masts. There were no sails, so none were needed.

Wondering then just how the airship moved, Shanna, with Mirna still at her side, was distracted by the approach of a boy only a handful of years younger than she was. He had short blonde hair, wore the white breeches and blue shirt of a crewman, and would not have seemed out of the ordinary at all were it not for his complete lack of shoes or socks. The boy came to attention before them in an example of perfect military display. He bowed his head to both of them—Shanna first—then introduced himself.

"Welcome aboard the
Griffin
, m'ams. Name's Tom. I'm to see you to Master Nee's cabin." Tom looked directly at Shanna. His expression was cordial. "Don't worry, ma'am, you've got a cabin of your own. It's bein' made ready now. I'd show you to it straightaway, but Master Nee gave orders to see you 'fore you settled in. Please, if you'll follow me."

The moment Shanna took her first few steps to follow she was immediately reminded that she no longer stood on solid ground. It was as if she floated, each step going higher than she intended and taking longer to touch back down on the deck. She realized it was because the ship rose and fell with subtle effect, though it was unsettling enough that Shanna had to stop to still a rising sense of dizziness.

Tom, noticing, flashed a smile from over one shoulder. "Might take a day or two to get your air legs."

Mirna seemed no better off, and so Tom kept a slow pace for their benefit, leading them aft along the gunwale and up a short set of steps to the quarterdeck. Just in time, too, for the waist deck was soon inundated with even more activity in the form of dwarves and airmen bringing up crates from the wagons below.