Redemption (Book 6) (41 page)

The shot was a hard one for the most skilled marksman to make. A tiny target, dangling and dancing as the creature moved, nearly twenty feet off the ground.

Kara pulled back the string and fired. She didn’t bother to aim. There wasn’t time. She simply felt the shot.

And prayed.

Harnathu’s fist began to come down. He roared.

The arrow slammed into the center of the Soulbinder. The red crystal shattered into pieces. The shaft buried itself deep into the Seteru’s metal skin.

Harnathu froze, his arm still half descended. “No,” he said in a strangled voice. “It’s not possible.”

Kara limped backwards. She instinctively reached for another arrow. Her hand met nothing but empty quiver.

“No,” Harnathu wailed.

Kara blinked, wiping the mud and blood out of her eyes.

Harnathu was changing.

Steam billowed from his form, as if someone had dumped an ocean of water on him. His body was turning slowly black and rigid. The lines and waves of heat were vanishing.

Kara tripped back onto the boardwalk behind her. She felt her back hit the wall of the building. She stared at the Seteru in front of her, mesmerized.

Harnathu’s eyes went cold and dark. His metal, iron body was frozen in place. It tottered for a moment, then pitched forward and slammed into the mud of the street. Then it lay still.

Kara continued to stare in disbelief.

No more heat. No more life. It looked like a metal statue, dead and lifeless, toppled over in the middle of the town.

Kara limped down the boardwalk. She was exhausted. Her right leg stabbed with pain at each step. A dozen bruises and cuts over her face and body seemed to suddenly sting and hurt all at once.

Halfway down the boardwalk her leg gave out and she crumpled to the wooden boards. Despite her best effort, she couldn’t pull herself up again.

That was when she heard the war cries.

She twisted her head to the right, behind her to the street.

Three Jombards, their faces twisted in anger and weapons in their hands, came right at her.

There was nothing she could do. Her dagger was gone, and there were no arrows for her bow. It was ironic. After all that, she was going to die here, like this.

Kara pushed herself up on trembling arms, but collapsed back down again.

The first Jombard reached the boardwalk. He gave a satisfied smile and lifted his war axe to smash in Kara’s skull.

Kara watched him with bleary eyes. She had saved Kendril. Just like her dream. That was all that—

A throwing dagger hurtled from the right. It caught the first Jombard in the throat.

The barbarian went down, twitching and gushing blood.

The other two Jombards turned, surprised.

Joseph vaulted over the railing of the boardwalk and attacked. His rapier gleamed bright as he swung it at the two Jombards.

Kara struggled to keep her eyes open. She felt a fog descending on her body. Suddenly the boardwalk felt strangely comfortable.

Seconds later two strong hands grabbed her and lifted her up. Kara found herself looking up into Joseph’s bearded face.

“Kara?” He ran a hand down her face. “Are you all right? You’re bleeding.”

She managed to smile. “I’m fine, Joseph. It’s mostly my leg.” She gave a heavy blink. Joseph’s arms seemed incredibly strong wrapped around her. “Kendril? Did you—?”

Joseph nodded. “He’s safe. We got him down to the ship. The town’s not safe, though. We have to go now.” He glanced back at the lifeless husk of Harnathu in the middle of the street. “I can’t believe what you did. We’ll have to start calling you Kara
Demonbane
now.”

Kara gave a weak smile. “Just Kara is...is...”

Her world turned into a hazy purplish haze, then faded to black.

Kara woke to the gentle rocking of a ship and the sound of water swishing past the hull. She lay still for several minutes, her body protesting at the return to consciousness.

Her whole body hurt. But she could feel a proper bandage around her leg, as well as smaller ones on her arm and head. The sweet smell of Joseph’s healing herbs filled the air.

Joseph had seen to her wounds. Kara knew from long experience that they were as good as healed already.

“Are you awake?” It was Joseph’s voice, right next to her and in a whisper.

“Yes.” Kara opened her eyes, and saw that she was lying in the hold of a large ship. Joseph sat beside her. “Are—” She licked her lips, her mouth strangely dry. “Are we at sea?”

Joseph nodded. “Cleared the harbor about an hour ago.” He looked up at the inside of the ship. “It’s a grain ship, though most of the grain is back at the bottom of Dancing Harbor now. They dumped it to make room for more passengers.”

Kara moved one of her arms. It felt stiff and sore. “Where’s Kendril?”

“Safe and onboard,” Joseph said. “Along with that miserable donkey of his. He was still unconscious the last time I checked on him.” He caught Kara’s anxious look. “Don’t worry about him, Kara. I used enough healing herbs to heal his injury swiftly, and also prevent infection. He’ll be fine.”

Kara reached her hand over and found Joseph’s hand. “Thank you,” she said with a cough. “For coming back for me.”

Joseph smirked. “It’s me, Kara. I would have come back for you even if it meant cutting through the whole Jombard army.”

Kara closed her eyes and smiled. “Then you’re an idiot, Joseph.”

The man smiled. “Guilty as charged.” His face grew more somber. “Redemption was burning when we last saw it. It’s sad, really. I doubt that Jothland will be colonized again for years. Maybe never. The barbarians have pushed us out for good.”

Kara squeezed his hand. “At least we’re safe,” she murmured.

Joseph nodded. “With Harnathu gone, I doubt it will be long before those different tribes are back to battling each other.”

“Fangs in the east,” Kara said suddenly. She opened her eyes.

Joseph raised an eyebrow. “Pardon?”

“Fangs in the east.” She looked up at him. “In the oracle.”

Joseph whistled softly. “Harnathu.” He looked down sharply at Kara. “Do you think—?”

Kara gave a short nod. “I do. The shadow in the south. The fire in the west.” She took a deep breath. “Somehow I think the worst is still ahead of us.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Joseph squeezed her hand. “But for today, we’re together again. All of us.”

“Except for Maklavir,” Kara said in a small voice.

Joseph didn’t answer. He looked away. “Get some sleep,” he said softly.

He got up and moved down the center of the hold.

“Wind’s gone bad,” Beckett said. He stood on the deck, staring towards the north. Wind tugged at his clothes and twirled the tail of his coonskin cap.

Joseph walked over across the pitching deck, his stomach starting to feel its old queasiness once again. “What does that mean?”

Beckett nodded towards the line of black clouds that were growing in the north. “Take a look yourself. Storm’s a brewing.”

Joseph frowned as he pulled his hat down against the wind. “That can’t be good.”

“No,” Beckett said. “It can’t. We’re not out of it yet, I’m afraid. Best tell your friends to prepare for a spot of rough seas.”

Joseph felt his stomach lurch at the thought. “Wonderful.” He turned to go.

“The General,” Beckett said quickly. He glanced north as lightning flashed in the clouds. “How is he doing?”

Joseph gave a sad smile. “Fine. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Kendril, it’s that he has a hearty constitution.” He pulled up the collar of his greatcoat against a sudden drizzle of rain. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s up on his feet in a few days.”

Beckett nodded and gave a relieved smile. “Good to hear, sir. After all that’s happened—” He gave an awkward shrug. “Well, let’s just say it would be a shame if we lost him now.”

Kendril opened his eyes.

He felt pain, but he was expecting that. He also had the cotton-headed feel of a slight fever. From what little he could piece together about what had happened to him recently, that didn’t surprise him either.

At least he wasn’t dead, and Bronwyn was nowhere in sight.

The floor underneath him seemed to be tilting violently, reeling and rolling with jarring crashes that shook everything. Wind was howling, sounding like all the demons of the Void crying out at once.

A ship
. He was on a ship.

Kendril closed his eyes again, biting back the pain that pulsed from his chest wound. Some hero he had turned out to be. He was no savior of Redemption. And now he was running away like a coward. A dog with his tail between his legs.

The ship jolted violently. The sound of water raging over the deck echoed through the hold. Whatever was going on outside, it must truly be a nightmare of a storm.

Somehow, it seemed appropriate.

“You were my friend.”

Kendril opened his eyes. He rolled over with a groan and peered into the darkness.

It was Atherton. The man stood leaning against the nearby bulkhead, staring down at Kendril in disgust.

Kendril swallowed. “You’re...dead,” he managed.

“You were my friend, and you betrayed me,” Atherton said again. “You killed the woman I loved.”

Kendril pushed himself up to a sitting position, gritting his teeth against the sharp pain. “She was...my wife,” he gasped.

“Maybe,” said Atherton. “But you didn’t love her, did you? You ignored her, neglected her, treated her like a painting to be hung on the wall of that cursed manor house of yours.” He shook his head. “And you had the temerity to call yourself Lord Ravenbrook again.” Atherton turned and walked away.

“Atherton,” said Kendril, “wait.” He got up to his feet, staggering and almost falling again. “Wait.”

The ship pitched heavily to the side.

Kendril slammed against the bulkhead, grunting in pain at the impact. He saw stars for a moment, but shook them away from his vision.

Atherton was walking down towards the hatchway that led up to the deck.

Kendril started forward, one hand wrapped around his chest. “I’m sorry, Atherton. Please....”

Atherton kept walking. He disappeared around the corner.

Kendril staggered down the hold of the ship. The deck tilted and reeled underneath him as he walked.

Outside rain hammered the deck. A wave sent the ship spinning dizzily to the portside.

Kendril pushed off the hull of the ship where he had been thrown. He grunted with pain at each step, but didn’t stop. “Atherton,” he choked. “
Atherton
.”

It wasn’t real. He knew it couldn’t be. But he also couldn’t stop. Olan had been right. He had damned himself, thrown away his redemption and his penance for a chance at saving Redemption. And even that had been a failure.

Kendril moved up the stairs to the deck hatch. He pushed against the covered hatchway, feeling the weight of the wind and water pounding against it. With a final grunt and push the hatchway came loose. Kendril crawled out onto the deck.

The wind tore the ocean over the surface of the deck in great white swathes. Rain sliced down from broiling clouds. Massive troths of water appeared on either side of the ship.

Kendril fell to his hands and knees on the deck. The pain in his side was intense. He had only been out of the hold for a few seconds, but he was already soaked to the bone.

Atherton stood in the middle of the deck, his hands folded behind his back.

Kendril tried to crawl forward.

The deck tilted crazily.

Kendril slammed flat onto his face, hugging the wet surface of the deck for all he was worth.

More wind and water tore over him. He was so cold and wet he could barely breathe.

Atherton turned and looked at him. He seemed unaffected by the raging storm all around them. “You still have a penance to pay, Kendril,” he called out.

“Atherton,” Kendril sputtered. He raised himself to his knees. “Forgive me, please.”

Atherton smiled. Only suddenly, inexplicably, it wasn’t Atherton anymore.

It was Bronwyn.

She stood in the middle of the deck, a triumphant smirk on her face. “Goodbye, Kendril,” she said.

Kendril was shocked into silence for a moment. He tried to pull himself up,

The ship began to roll crazily.

A roar to Kendril’s right caused him to turn his head.

A towering black wave almost as high as the ship’s mast rolled out of the darkness.

Kendril turned, looking for something to grab hold of.

There was nothing around him.

He snapped his head back to the right.

A wall of frothing white water slammed into him.

Chapter 24

The sea was calm.

Sun shone off the water, glittering and dancing on the smooth surface of the ocean. The breeze which wafted over the deck was gentle and warm, smelling of salt and distant lands.

The three-day storm that had beaten and pummeled the ship, breaking the central mast and sweeping seven people overboard, seemed almost like a distant dream.

Almost
.

Kara leaned against the ship’s railing, feeling the warm sun on her back. She stared blankly out at the slowly tossing sea. The breeze caught her hair and tufted it gently.

“The captain says we’ve been blown far to the south.” Joseph came up beside Kara. He leaned on the railing. “Close to the Spice Lands.” He looked out across the sparkling blue water. “We have to watch for corsairs and slavers here. They like to hug the coastlines.”

Kara didn’t reply.

Joseph scratched his beard. “We’ll find him, Kara.”

“How?” Kara’s voice was bleak, a monotone. “Even if by some miracle he did manage to survive the storm, how could we ever find him in the whole ocean?” She looked down at the railing. “I can’t
believe
—” She cut herself off, choking off the words before they could be spoken.

Joseph put an arm around her shoulders.

“I thought,” Kara said, “that I could save him.”

“You did,” Joseph said softly.

“For what? So that he could be washed overboard?” Kara shook his head. “Why would he even come out on the deck when he was injured, in the middle of a storm? It doesn’t matter. He’s dead. All that, and he’s
dead
.”