The Path of the Storm (27 page)

The names of these nations were strange to Miro, but he gathered that the people of Veldria, Gokan and Narea lived in constant fear of the barbarians in the north.

He thought about his quest to find the antidote to whatever terrible poison had struck Tomas. It was doubtful that Volkan would have the information he needed.

"You've mentioned a guild. Who are they?"

"The Alchemists' Guild ostensibly makes its home in Gokan, but they rule themselves, and keep their secrets close. Their chapter is in Wengwai, and they alone know the secret of the black powder, an invention none can now do without. My two hundred warships are all armed with cannon, and need the black powder, as do my five hundred musketeers. Over time, I plan to move all of my swordsmen over to muskets. When you see them in battle, you'll understand why."

Miro wondered if he could look to the Alchemists' Guild in Wengwai for the answers he needed.

"We have a library here," the Emir said, and Miro turned his head. "In a week or two I might give you access. There is much you need to learn."

"Emir, I have one question" Miro said, looking directly at the older man's penetrating eyes.

"What is it?"

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Why, because you seem a capable man, Miro Torresante, and I am always looking for capable men. You tell me you were a leader among your people, and Deniz praised you to me, telling me you easily defeated a number of his best men. I never turn a good man away, and there may be a place for you here."

"I… I'm honoured, Emir, but I need to return to my people."

Emir Volkan shook his head sadly. "No, Miro. There is no way I will let you return to your people. By your own admission they do not know our lands exist, and we wish to keep it that way. It is your choice whether you think there is a place for you here."

The Emir's last words were final. "But you can never return."

24

T
HE NEXT
day, Miro pestered the guards until they gave him a few moments with Amber. They met in a courtyard beside a fountain while the soldiers stood a short distance away, watching them carefully. The sound of the burbling water allowed Miro to speak freely.

He told Amber about his conversation with Emir Volkan, admonishing her not to mention lore to anyone.

"What about Tomas?" Amber said. "Did you ask him about the poison?"

"I can't ask him about it." Miro sighed. "The only thing keeping us alive is the fact he thinks I might enter his service. If Volkan realises we'll do anything it takes to return, he'll have us killed."

"How do you know that?"

"Amber," Miro said in exasperation, "I know."

"What can we do then?"

"I need to find this library, where there may be mention of the poison. Whether I find the information or not, we need to leave this place. If I'm unsuccessful, these alchemists in the north will know. I'm sure of it. When we have the cure we can steal a ship and head back home."

Amber started to cry. "I just want to go home."

"I know," Miro said. "I'm sorry I brought you here."

"Do you think Tomas is still alive?"

"Yes," said Miro with a certainty he didn't feel. "I'm sure he is."

The soldiers came forward. Their time was up.

~

T
HAT
night, when two of the guards brought Miro his evening meal, Miro took action.

He stood behind the panelled door as it opened. He pictured the Emir's soldiers scanning the empty room, wondering where he was. He saw a uniformed soldier come forward.

Miro shoved the door with all his strength, bringing it crashing into the two men on the other side. While they were off-balance, he came around and pulled first one man, then the other, forward, sending them both stumbling into the room. He quickly closed the door and then squared off to face the angry guards.

Rather than giving them time to draw their swords, he cannoned into them, once more sending them sprawling. Miro elbowed a man in the stomach and heard the breath come out of him with a whoosh. He punched the second man in the face, smashing his nose and sending blood pouring down his face.

They were all in a tangle on the floor, but Miro was the first to stand. One of his opponents was comatose but the other was just angry, wiping the blood from his face and climbing to his feet.

Miro drew the sword from the prone man's scabbard while the soldier with the bloody nose took out his own sword. They faced each other, each taking the other's measure.

"I don't want to kill you," Miro said.

"I'd like to see you try," the guard said.

He thrust at Miro's chest, but Miro moved to the side. Conscious of the sound of clashing steel, Miro chose to duck the next slashing blow. Miro came inside the soldier's guard and rammed the hilt of his sword into the man's chin.

The soldier cried out and fell down, dropping his sword. He slumped on the floor, breathing heavily.

Miro kicked the fallen sword out of the way, and then squatted next to the soldier.

"Where is the library?" Miro asked.

The soldier wheezed and coughed. Miro put the point of his sword under the man's chin. The guard's eyes went wide with fear as he struggled to regain his breath.

"I'll ask you again, where is the library?" Miro repeated.

"Down the path of red stone, past the statue of the sea god," the soldier gasped.

Miro took no pleasure in the man's pain, but he knew the Emir would kill Amber if he discovered she was an enchantress, and he would never allow them to return to Altura.

Miro hit the soldier's temple and he rolled back, unconscious.

Miro examined both men. He knew it would be some time before either woke.

He looked down at himself. He still wore the fine white clothing he'd been wearing when presented to the Emir. Fortunately, the clothing was free of blood.

Miro opened the door and walked out, sword in hand.

The palace was a scene of tranquillity. Miro saw some soldiers in the distance, but they were walking the other way.

Miro was desperate to free Amber, but he knew he needed to go to the library first. If he was caught, Amber would be innocent and only Miro would be punished. He could have ignored the library, but he knew that if he missed this chance and they made it home, Amber would never forgive him. Nor would Miro forgive himself.

He remembered where he'd seen the statue of the sea god, a tall man of marble holding a trident. Keeping to the shadows, Miro fought to control his laboured breathing and weaved from one column to the next. He had to cross a spacious courtyard, but fortunately heard no sound of alarm. Finding the red stone of the path, he began to walk down it, thankful for the silence of his soft shoes.

Miro froze as he heard voices ahead. He looked left and right, finally jumping into some shrubbery beside the path. He burrowed into the bushes, cursing his white garments; they would stand out to even the most cursory glance.

Fortunately, the three soldiers who approached were deep in conversation and paying little attention to the path.

"It is dire news, we must tell the Emir immediately," a man with golden epaulettes on his shoulders said.

"I still cannot believe it," second a second man.

"Our sources are reliable."

"Who will tell him? It should be you, General."

"We will tell him together. No one could have seen this coming."

Their voices softened to a murmur as they departed the area where Miro lay in hiding. He wondered what they were discussing, but he had greater concerns.

Miro emerged from the bushes and continued down the path, finally coming to a temple-like structure. The grand columns and peaked roof were a brilliant shade of light blue, while at the top of the wide stairs Miro saw a set of double doors.

He crept up the doors and pushed at them, breathing a sigh of relief when they fell open.

Miro entered the library, immediately awed by the tall shelves, reaching high to the ceiling and stretching back to the end of the cavernous interior. Where to begin? He walked along the shelves, seeing the books were categorised alphabetically by subject, and within that by author. Miro passed the letters until he came to the letter he was looking for. A moment later, he found his subject.

"Poisons," Miro muttered.

He scanned the books, running his fingers down the bindings until he came to a volume that sounded promising.

"Poisons of the Alchemists' Guild," Miro read the title aloud.

He took down the volume and began to read.

~

M
IRO
tried to hurry, but there was so much material to go through. Fortunately the Alchemists' Guild was secretive about its arts, and the author spent more time on historical uses and symptoms than ingredients and formulae. He read about poisonous liquids and powdered glass, mushrooms that caused visions and poison used on clothing.

Finally, Miro came to a section describing a poison that could be combined with black powder to devastating effect. The author only knew of the one poison, but it was the one Miro was looking for.

Arsenic can be combined with black powder, making an already deadly substance even more so. Symptoms are spots on the fingernails, vomiting, paralysis and eventual death. I have heard it said there is a cure, but if there is, only the alchemists know what it is.

Miro put the book down and looked once more at the shelf.

A voice behind him made him rigid with shock.

"Interesting reading?"

Miro turned around. Emir Volkan stood alone, his head tilted as he watched Miro with curiosity.

Miro's hand went around the hilt of his sword.

"Need I remind you we have your wife in custody?" the Emir said, regarding Miro with his piercing gaze. "Ah, but you're thinking that you can kill me and rescue her before the alarm can be raised."

Emir Volkan waved an arm, and soldiers appeared from around the distant shelves, watching Miro warily. "I visit this library often, but I am afforded little privacy. Drop your weapon."

Miro looked around him, counting more guards than he could take alone. He threw the sword to the floor, suddenly realising that he had doomed both himself and Amber. He'd had to try.

"So, Miro Torresante, tell me, what were you looking for?"

The Emir held out his hand and Miro gave him the closed book. Volkan glanced at the cover before again looking at Miro. "Now is that time I mentioned, when you will have to tell the truth."

Looking again at the soldiers, Miro thought about Amber. There was no longer any point in dissembling.

"You might not want my people crossing over to your lands, yet someone from your lands came to mine. They attacked a meeting of our leaders, with an explosive device I now know to be formulated with this black powder. My son was caught in the blast." Miro could hear the emotion in his own voice. "He lived, but the blast also carried a poison."

The Emir nodded. "The alchemists can do this."

"My son now lingers near death. He needs me, and nothing will stop me from finding an antidote and taking it home."

"I now understand why your wife travels with you," Volkan said. "Tell me though, Miro, how did you plan to get home? Did you think you could steal a ship from me? Without a crew you wouldn't stand a chance, and the only ship the two of you could crew would be too small to make the crossing."

"I had to try."

The Emir was pensive for a moment, and Miro saw his story had touched a nerve. Perhaps the Emir had a son also. Perhaps the Emir also felt frustration at the whims of the alchemists.

"What will I do with you?" Volkan said. "I cannot have you reporting our presence back to your people."

"Tell me, Emir," said Miro. "Why are you so afraid of lore? Can you not see a future where technology and lore can co-exist?"

"Can lore heal? Can it feed? No, lore can only destroy."

"That's not true. We have merchants who use lore to bring goods great distances and build a prosperous economy. We have artificers who use lore to pump pure water up from the ground so that good, clean water is available to all. Our enchanters make heating stones to drive out the fierce cold of winter, and nightlamps to drive out the darkness."

The Emir shook his head. "Your idealistic words give you away. If I were to assist you in your quest, no matter how just, I have no doubt men from your land would follow in your wake. You would think contact would benefit us both, and not understand we simply wish to be left alone. We have a prosperous, civilised nation here. You've left me no choice, Miro."

Emir Volkan's next words filled Miro with dread.

"You'll spend the remainder of your short life as a slave pulling an oar on one of my galleys. You'll be chained to a bench along with five other men, and the sun will burn your skin while your hands crack and bleed. Your wife… I will be generous here, Miro, but she also must never leave. I will give her to one of my men. She is young and attractive, and a foreign woman gifted from the Emir is a great honour. Her new husband will ensure she stays confined in her new home, as it is a husband's duty to keep his wives out of trouble."

Miro tensed, near to breaking point. He looked at the sword on the ground, and prepared to die. He would never see Amber's face again. He would never feel the warmth of Tomas's smile.

There was a commotion, and the library's doors burst open. Miro saw the three men he'd overheard on the path, the soldier with the golden epaulettes in the lead.

"Emir, we have urgent news," he said.

Volkan turned. "What is it?"

"There are reports Narea has fallen."

Shocked, the Emir gave the soldier his full attention. "Did you just say fallen?"

"Yes, Emir Volkan, fallen. Our agents in Gokan sent word. Oltara and Muttara have joined forces. The barbarian horde has moved faster than ever before. They punched through Naiman's Wall in a single day. A week later they were outside the walls of Monapea. It fell three days later."