The Five Elements (24 page)

"H
IS NAME IS KROSUS."

Ensel Rhe eyed Ursool wordlessly, then he asked, "Whose name?"

"The one who follows you. He is a houndmaster. With him come his dogs."

"
Now
you know something." Little under an hour had passed since their last exchange. While Ensel Rhe felt the tug of sleep, he shook it off now. "What has changed?"

"The moon, the stars, the proximity of him and his dogs. Together they form an alignment, an ethereal bit of knowledge escapes, and I, attuned to it, read of it what I can."

Ensel Rhe looked over a shoulder at the door, as if he expected the houndmaster to come smashing through it. "His proximity. How close?"

"Not that close. No need for you to wake Aaron and go rushing out. Besides, you are safer now, here in my home, than you will be once you leave. This demon cannot find you here."

"Demon?"

"Yes. Hellspawn, some would call him. Underland dweller, to others. My kind call them blood fiends, evil—"

"If he is demon, then I will need the tools to banish him."

Ursool snorted. "Not this one. He has been set to a task. For him, there is no banishment. Not until this chore of his has been completed."

Ensel Rhe sighed. "Need I ask the purpose of his summoning?"

Ursool leveled her gaze at the curtain separating Aaron from the room. "I think you know that already."

"Yes. We heard a horn. Aaron claimed it rendered him unable to move."

Ursool nodded. "He was Marked. When the demon is summoned, his prey must be named."

"But why? Why would anyone want this boy dead? Why go to so much trouble?"

Ursool had no answer to that.

"What else can you tell me of this hunter, then? What are his weaknesses? If I cannot banish him, then what?"

"He has come to our world. In order to do so, he must become flesh and blood. Look to your sword. You both speak the same language in that, at least."

Ensel Rhe scoffed. "Perhaps, but I am no demon." Then, after some reflection, his voice softened. "Though there are some who think otherwise."

"The folk of Norwynne?"

"Yes. I know what they say of me, even if they never did so directly."

"What of your traveling companion? Has he expressed any such misgivings?"

"No, though I've seen him eyeing my satchel on more than one occasion. I know what thoughts go through his head."

"What, then, have you done to dispel such musings? Have you made an effort to explain the satchel's purpose?"

"No. What am I to tell him?" Before Ursool could reply, he added, "It's better he never knows. There's no reason for him to know. Now, let us speak of something else."

Ensel Rhe rose to put another log on the fire. When he'd once again settled himself, Ursool said, "There is no greater force in this world than the quest for revenge."

The eslar flashed a look of annoyance. "I asked that we—"

"I do not speak of your son. I speak of Krosus. Hunter is only one of his guises. Also, he is Lord of Vengeance. He may have been summoned for the former, but he will do his duty as the latter… if the opportunity presents itself."

Ensel Rhe, placated, sat back at the explanation. After some rumination, he said, "It is a frightening thought. A demon, driven the same as I am. Such a fiend would never stop."

Ursool said nothing right away. When she did, it was only to say, "No, such a fiend never would."

I
GNORING THE FIRST SOUNDS OF thunder, Shanna made her way straight for the quarterdeck's railing where she thought at first to grab hold of the spider web of ropes, lean out over the edge, and hang on for dear life. She didn't, though, for as soon as she was close enough to see over the side her head swam and she nearly fell flat on her back. Only a quick grab at the ropes saved her.

"Pretty far up, huh?"

It was Tom, who looked as if he was about his duties but who stopped, if only for a moment.

"Yes, we are," Shanna said. "I thought the top of Graggly's Tower was high, but this…" She leaned out over the railing once more, looking at the ground below. Long, sloping hills were covered so densely with trees it looked like a bobbing sea of green. She leaned further out, trying to drink it all in. "This is amazing!" The words had barely escaped her lips when her grip on the ropes slipped. Only Tom's assistance saved her.

"Whoa! Careful!" he said, hauling her back. "We're with the wind now, so should mostly be a smooth ride. But you still need to watch yourself."

Shanna steadied herself with two hands on the railing.

"Don't worry. It took all of us a while to get used to it. But it's the future of travel. Cap'n says so! Here!" Tom reached into his shirt and pulled out a small pouch. From it, he took out a small block of something green. "Take this. With a storm coming, you'll likely need it sooner 'fore later. Just a smidgen. Put it between your lip and your gums. It'll last about half a day. Helps with the wobbles."

Shanna took it with a nod, sniffed at it, then put the cube in her pocket.

"Now," Tom said, "I better get back to it 'fore one of the mates sees me dawdling."

Shanna watched him jump down to the waist deck and disappear amongst the other airmen there.

Thunder boomed again, this time shaking the deck of the
Griffin
and sending a rolling vibration deep into the hull. The noise hastened the men into action as they prepared for the coming storm by tightening ropes and stowing anything that wasn't bolted down. Shanna remained on the quarterdeck, which was empty but for herself and the occasional mate busy at some task. She did her best to stay out of the way while she immersed herself in the thrill of it all. Never in her life would she have guessed that she'd partake in such a voyage. It was the stuff of dreams and wishes. She could only imagine how much someone might pay for such a privilege. A king's ransom, Shanna figured.

She was suddenly reminded of the prisoners. It was likely they did not share her present excitement. She knew they'd been brought onboard. Probably locked up somewhere below. She'd have to find out where and visit them, to let them know she was still working on a way to free them. Tom would know where they were being held. She resigned herself to ask about them the next time she ran into him.

Shanna spotted the dwarven chief at the bow of the ship. If not for the presence of two of his dwarves standing beside him, Shanna might have approached. She was just thinking she might do so anyway when the winds changed. The
Griffin's
bow heaved, cresting like a ship passing over a wave. The airship hung suspended like that as the winds assailed her, then she dropped and leveled off. Shanna, who'd just managed to grab hold of the deck's railing, was wondering if another assault was forthcoming when another gust answered her question. Again, the airship rose and fell. The moment it leveled off, Shanna took out the herbal cube given to her by Tom, broke off a smidge, and placed it in her mouth as instructed. She'd just shoved the remainder in her pocket when another gust hit the airship. Thunder cracked nearby, shaking the hull so that Shanna felt the vibrations course through her hands and feet and into the rest of her body.

It occurred to her that perhaps she should go below when Erlek, his sitheri guard in tow, emerged from the companionway. He took in the situation with a glance, then mounted the short flight of stairs separating the quarterdeck from the captain's perch. One snakeman remained at the foot of the stairs while the other followed Erlek up. The captain, whom Shanna had not seen up to this point, greeted the pair at the top. From the expression on his face it was immediately clear the man was not pleased to see Erlek. The captain was a tall, lean man, dressed in a heavy frock, with hair the color of walnut, chiseled features, and a stare that, though not directed at Shanna, still caused an uneasiness in her gut. Shanna thought nothing of eavesdropping, and so she took clumsy, unbalanced steps towards them while fighting down a growing unsettling in her stomach. The remedy was not working fast enough. The sitheri who guarded the stairs fixed its serpentine eyes on her, forcing Shanna to fight off a chill as she looked into their inhuman depths. But the snakeman, having no care for what she was about, turned its gaze from her and paid her no more attention. Shanna swallowed, taking the last few steps needed to hear the exchange going on above. She let her gaze sweep the length of the ship, pretending to have some interest in goings-on about there. Erlek and the captain were already deep into an argument.

"I am telling you we need to run out the landing stays and set down!" the captain said, shouting so that his words rose above the shriek of the wind. "She's holding her own for now, but these winds are growing stronger! Soon—"

Thunder cracked, drowning out the rest of his sentence.

"No!" Erlek said, once the thunder had rumbled away. "Get too close to the trees and you risk tearing the balloon! We cannot afford the repair time! We will stay the course! We will not land!"

"I'll not risk my ship—"

"You forget yourself, captain! Without me, there would be no ship! Now, stay your course! Take the
Griffin
above the clouds if you must, but get me to Cauldron Mountain!"

Sensing that Erlek was finished, Shanna cast a sidelong glance at the captain's perch where she saw the savant give the
Griffin's
commander his back. Shanna kept her eyes on the captain, wondering if he might try something. The snakeman who had followed Erlek must have thought the same thing, for it stood there after its master had descended to the quarterdeck, waiting and watching. If the captain had anything planned, he thought better of it, for he only flashed a look of disgust and turned away. Only then did the sitheri follow its master down.

With Erlek rapidly descending the stairs, Shanna realized she stood entirely too close to escape being accused of eavesdropping. A few hurried steps away from the stairs did nothing to change this and, as Erlek approached her directly rather than return belowdeck, Shanna prepared herself for a scolding. None was forthcoming. Erlek did not even spare her a glance. The whole of his attention was on the approaching storm. When he placed his boney fingers upon the railing, too close to Shanna's hands, she eased hers away, crossing her arms across her chest. She hoped the
Griffin
might remain steady, at least for a little while.

"They are trying to stop me," Erlek said, almost too soft for Shanna to hear above the wind. Then it started to rain cold, wet drops that did not pitter-patter at all but came down in a sudden cascade. The balloon protected them from the worst of it, though the gusting wind still sent fat drops at them in sideways fashion. Airmen rushed by, running fore and aft as they continued to see to the airship's needs and stay one step ahead of the storm. Shanna did not envy them. Except to raise his voice enough for Shanna to hear, Erlek went on as if there'd been no change at all. "Trying to stop
us
. Risen from the grave by the invocation of the Element's power, they will do all they can to keep us from our task. But we will not let them stop us. We
will
prevail."

Shanna didn't know whom Erlek was talking about, nor did she particularly care right now. As more rain slapped her in the face, she really only wanted to get out of the weather. But Erlek still had need of an audience.

"If only we already had the Element of Air in our possession," he said, "we could sweep away these winds like a child's plaything." He waved one hand across the sky, as if such movement might demonstrate the desired effect. "Soon, all of the Elements will be ours. Then let them come. Let them try and stop me." Erlek went silent. Then, as if noticing Shanna for the first time, he asked, "Where is Mirna?"

The words had barely escaped Erlek's lips when a voice answered behind them.

"Here."

Startled, Shanna turned to find Mirna there, with head bowed, ready to serve.

Erlek grunted in satisfaction, then he gathered his robes, wet now, and returned belowdeck. His guard followed.

Shanna turned to Mirna. "Where did you go?" she asked, not angry, only curious. She'd not seen the woman since they'd parted company in Erlek's cabin.

"I thought it best to prepare your room for you, mi—Shanna. It awaits you." She bowed, ignoring the rainwater that pelted her gown.

"Let's go, then," Shanna said. "No point in staying out here getting wet."

The moment Shanna and Mirna reached the cabin the storm turned worse. Though they had no window in which to monitor its progress, they felt its ferocity in the way the ship heaved, lifted, and swayed. It was a maddening thing, to sit helpless while the elements decided one's fate, but there was nothing to be done for it.

The cabin was as small as promised. Deeper than it was wide, there was room only for a single hammock that swung with the movement of the ship and a small writing desk and chair. Shanna's belongings—not hers, really, but the things that had been present in the wagon—had been brought onboard and stowed away neatly between a small chest bolted to the floor and a stack of drawers built into one wall. Mirna, who seemed unaffected by the storm's violence, occupied the chair where she worked at mending a shirt. Lit candles cast shadows in time with the movement of her needle as Shanna, mesmerized, watched the rise and fall of the woman's hand. At first Shanna had thought Mirna meant to room with her. She wasn't against the idea at all, though once she'd seen the size of the room she had to admit it'd be a tight squeeze. But Shanna soon learned that Mirna had a small space of her own further belowdeck. Though she began to leave for it now, Shanna asked the woman to keep her company for a time. While Shanna didn't feel like talking, she also did not feel like being alone. Mirna offered no argument.

At one point, heavy boots clambered by outside the door. An airman shouted for all passengers to 'batten down'. Shanna wondered who else the man was addressing other than herself, then she realized the dwarves likely bunked nearby. Despite the storm and the jerking movement of the ship, something about the swaying motion finally lulled Shanna to sleep.