Rise of a Merchant Prince (45 page)

Men were tense; the other specter that haunted their imaginations was who this mysterious third player might be. No fallen were seen who were not Pantathians or Saaur. The only human remains were those belonging to pitiful prisoners, dragged under the mountain to feed the Pantathian young. Whoever or whatever was warring on the Pantathians seemed intent on the same mission as Calis and his men: three breeding crèches had been found with infant Pantathians littering the rooms, all torn to pieces.

The more evidence he observed, the more Erik was convinced they weren't looking for anything remotely like another invading force. Several bodies appeared to have been torn asunder, literally ripped
limb from limb. Some of the young Pantathians looked as if they had been bitten in two. Erik couldn't put aside images of some monstrous creature from an ancient fable, materialized here by a magician to destroy his enemies.

But when he had wondered aloud on this, Miranda's only answer was “Where are the Pantathian magicians, then?”

Erik had heard some of Miranda's speculations as they marched: the entire population of Pantathian serpent priests was out in the field serving the Emerald Queen. Even when she said it, Miranda didn't sound convinced.

A scout returned and said, “Nothing ahead, but there are some odd echoes, Sergeant.”

Erik nodded and asked, “What do you mean by odd?”

“Nothing I can put a name to, but there's something ahead, perhaps at a great distance, but it's making enough noise we should be able to get very close without being heard.”

Calis was told and said, “We're close to being ready to drop.”

Miranda wiped her forehead. “The heat down here is as bad as in the Green Reaches of Kesh.”

Erik couldn't argue. The men were wearing the lightest clothing possible under their armor, and it had taken a lot of attention to keep them from throwing away the heavy fur cloaks, which were now rolled and stowed in the heavy backpacks they lugged. Erik took time to remind each man that once they were back out of the mountains, winter would be upon them and it would be as cold as it was now hot.

Calis ordered a break and rest, and Erik assigned men to keep watch, while others grabbed what sleep they could. As he reviewed every detail he could remember, de Loungville motioned for him to come to a distant part of the cavern.

“Some stench?” he offered.

Erik nodded. “Sometimes the sulfur makes my eyes burn.”

“What do you think?”

Erik looked confused. “About what?”

“About all this?” Bobby waved his hand around.

Erik shrugged. “I'm not paid to think.”

Bobby grinned. “Right.” Then the grin vanished. “Now, what do you
really
think?”

Erik shrugged. “I don't know. Sometimes it seems to me we've got no chance of ever seeing daylight again, but the rest of the time I just keep moving, one foot ahead of the other, go where I'm told, keep the men alive, and don't dwell on tomorrow.”

De Loungville nodded. “Understood. But here's the hard part. That one-foot-at-a-time attitude is fine for the soldiers in the trenches, but you've got responsibilities.”

“I know.”

“No, I don't think you do,” said de Loungville. He looked around to make sure no one else was listening. “Miranda has the means to get herself and one other out of here in a hurry. Special means.”

Erik nodded. He had long ago accommodated to the idea of Miranda's being a sorceress in some fashion, so this didn't surprise him.

“If anything happens to me, your job is to get the Captain out with Miranda, understand?”

“Maybe I don't.”

“He's special,” said de Loungville. “The Kingdom needs him more than a couple of sorry sods like me and you. If you have to, hit him over the head and toss his limp body at Miranda, but don't let her leave without him.”

Erik tried not to laugh. The only member of this company stronger than Erik was the Captain, and from what Erik had seen over the last few years, Calis was significantly stronger than Erik. Erik had a pretty good notion that if he hit Calis over the head, it probably wouldn't slow him a beat.

“I'll see what I can do,” he said noncommittally.

They moved out two hours later and Erik kept what de Loungville said in mind. He discounted the admonition because he didn't want to imagine a situation where de Loungville wasn't around to tell him what to do, and he didn't think he could tell the Captain to do anything.

They moved along a long, narrow tunnel that seemed to slope gently downward. The heat continued unabated, but didn't seem to get worse.

Twice they took breaks and scouts were sent ahead. Both times they returned to report the distant sounds they couldn't identify.

Two hours later, Erik could hear the sounds they mentioned. Rumblings, the thunder faintly heard, with high-pitched keening, echoed from a great distance, or at least that's how it seemed to Erik.

They reached a gallery and again found the signs of battle. But unlike the ones found earlier in the day or on the previous day, these were relatively fresh. “This struggle took place yesterday,” observed Calis. He pointed to places where deep pools of blood were still congealing. A soldier called Calis over to a
breeding pool, and Erik followed.

“Gods!” said Erik looking at the carnage. It was the biggest hatching pool found so far. Eggs were smashed and yolk and albumen floated in the water. The stench of rotten eggs was nearly overpowering, then Erik noticed something. “Where are the bodies of the young?”

A single arm lay floating in a bubbling pool of pinkish water, and around the verge splatters of blood were evident. At last Calis said, “Something feasted here.”

The image of something ripping open the eggs and devouring the Pantathian young was one Erik didn't wish to dwell on, so he turned around and left. “We should keep moving,” said Calis at last.

Erik formed up the men and moved them out.

The ceremony was as brief as the one that had been conducted for Helmut. Roo stood with Karli beside him. The children were home with Mary.

Helen and her two children stood silently while the priest of Lims-Kragma intoned the benediction for the dead and lit the pyre. The girl played absently with her doll while the boy looked on with his face set in an expression of confusion.

When the ceremony was over, Karli said, “It is over?”

Roo patted her hand. “Yes. The widow is a woman of remarkable strength but no bitterness. She also cares most for her children.”

Karli looked at the children. “Poor babies.” She went over to Helen and said, “I find no pleasure in this; if I can help, don't be ashamed to ask.”

Helen nodded. Her face was drawn and pale, but
whatever tears she might have had remaining were held in check for later that night, when she was again alone.

Karli returned to Roo's side. “Are we going home?”

Roo shook his head. “As much as I would like to, I have business I must oversee.” He glanced at the distant afternoon sun. “I must discharge a debt before sundown. After that . . . I don't know.”

Karli nodded. “I must return to the children.”

Roo kissed her dutifully upon the cheek. “I'll be home when I can.”

As Karli departed, Roo crossed to Helen. He studied the widow and thought what a fine and brave woman she was. Nothing like the beauty that Sylvia was, but nevertheless a woman who drew him.

She turned to find him staring at her, and he lowered his eyes. “I just wanted to repeat what I said today. Whatever you need, it is yours.”

Calmly she said, “Thank you.”

Without knowing why, he said, “You never have to thank me.” Then he impulsively took her hand in his and held it briefly, saying, “Never.”

Without waiting for her to say anything, he turned and left.

He rode without clear thought from the temple to Barret's. Fatigue and emotions new to him made him unable to focus his mind. He thought of the struggle and the death, then he saw the face of Helen Jacoby. The children, he would think, and then he would think of his own children.

His driver had to alert him to the fact he was outside of Barret's, and he wearily made his way to his usual place of business. His three partners were waiting
for him and he sat heavily, signaling to the waiter for a large cup of coffee.

Masterson said, “How did it go?”

“I got the gold,” answered Roo. He had intentionally not let his partners know about the recovery until now. His conversation with Duke James stuck in his mind, and he knew he needed to talk to his three partners while they were still frantic from worry.

“Praise be!” called Hume, while Crowley just sighed deeply.

Masterson said, “Where's the gold?”

“On its way to pay off the note.”

“Good, good,” said Crowley.

Roo paused a moment, then said, “I want you to buy me out.”

Masterson said, “What?”

Roo said, “This is all going ton fast. We're very vulnerable, and I find I spend most of my time on the Bitter Sea Company and not enough time on Avery and Son's business.”

Crowley said, “Why should we buy you out?”

“Because I've earned the right to quit,” said Roo. For emphasis he slammed his hand upon the table. “I'm the one who fought a duel this morning to save our collective backsides. I don't mind saving my own, but I didn't see any of you gentlemen down there in the dark with a sword in your hand, fighting for your lives!”

Hume said, “Well, I mean, had we known . . .”

Crowley said, “I don't think I'm persuaded we owe you any sort of quick exit, Mr. Avery.”

Masterson had been quiet, then he said, “So you think this partnership should be dissolved?”

Roo said, “Or at least reorganized.”

Masterson smiled slightly. “How?”

“Let me buy controlling interest,” said Roo, “if you won't buy me out. Either way, I don't care, but if I'm going to be putting my life on the line, it will be for my own interests.”

Masterson said, “You're a fast one, Roo Avery. I think you'll do fine with or without us. If you're avid for a break, I'll sell to you.”

Hume said, “This is all too much for me. I'm confused.” Crowley said, “Bah! This is just a trick to get me to step down as Presiding Officer of the Bitter Sea Company.”

“Sell me half your interests, gentlemen,” said Roo, “and I'll make you rich. But I won't put myself again in the position where I'm risking my life and my family's future to protect
your
gold.”

Masterson laughed. “That's right, Avery. I'll tell you what: I'll sell you just enough, if the others will, to give you control, but I won't give you it all. It may have been your knack for a deal and your bloody damn luck that won us this wealth, but it was a lot of our gold at risk.”

Hume said, “I'll do the same. I spend too much time here on Bitter Sea Company business and not enough on my other concerns.”

Crowley said, “Well, I won't do it. Buy me out or sell to me, one or the other.”

Roo looked at Crowley and said, “What price?”

“To buy or to sell?”

The other three men laughed, and after a moment, Crowley did as well. “Very well,” said Crowley. “I'll set you a price.” He picked up a quill and scribbled a total on it, then pushed it across to Roo.

Roo picked up the parchment, saw the figure was
ridiculously high, and shook his head. He picked up the quill, drew a line through the total, wrote another one, and passed the parchment back to Brandon Crowley.

Crowley looked at the total. “That's robbery!”

“Then I'll take the first number as your offer to buy me out?” said Roo.

Masterson laughed. “He's got you, Brandon.”

Crowley said, “I'll take the difference between the two.”

Which was as Roo knew he would, so Roo said, “Done!” To Hume and Masterson he said, “You gentlemen bear witness.”

They quickly agreed on the transfer of ownership, and before he knew it, Masterson was breaking out his special brandy again. After the events of the last two days, Roo was emotionally and physically drained. The single brandy got him close to as drunk as he could remember being.

He struggled down to find Duncan waiting for him at the door. “Luis says to tell you the gold got to where it needed to go, and all is well.” He smiled.

Roo smiled in return. “You're a good friend as well as my cousin, Duncan.” He gave his cousin a very unexpected hug. “I neglect to tell you that.”

Duncan laughed. “Been drinking?”

Roo nodded. “Yes. And you are now talking to the owner of the Bitter Sea Trading and Holding Company.” He signaled for his carriage. “I believe that makes me one of the richest men in Krondor, Duncan.”

Laughing, Duncan said, “Well, if you say so.”

The carriage rolled up and Duncan opened the door, then helped to get Roo inside. “Where to, sir?”
asked the driver.

Roo leaned out the still-open door and said, “Duncan, I need a favor. I was to dine this night with Sylvia Estherbrook and I simply am ton exhausted. Would you be a friend and carry my regrets to her?”

Duncan grinned. “I think I can manage it.”

“You're a good friend, Duncan. Have I told you that?”

“Yes,” said Duncan with a laugh. He closed the door and said, “Get home with you!”

The carriage rolled away and Duncan went to where his horse was tethered. He mounted and started to ride out toward the Estherbrook estate. After a block, he turned his horse and headed back toward the small house he now shared with a prostitute he had met at the docks after Luis had left.

He found the woman sleeping through the day and unceremoniously yanked the covers from her. She snorted and awoke, saying, “What?”

He stared at her nude body a moment, then reached down and pulled her dress off the floor. “Get your things and get out!” he commanded as he threw it at her.