Ten Crescent Moons (Moonquest) (42 page)

"Give
them cover!" Kalos shouted to another group of knights. "Light your
arrows, and return the fire they have given us!"

Kalos gripped
the sailing mast with one hand, watching intently as the crew scrambled to obey
the orders. The volley of arrows was returned, slowing the onslaught of the
rebel ships as the crews aboard were diverted to fight their own flames.

But the
attacking ships greatly outnumbered those of the Crescent Houses, and many kept
advancing rapidly.

Kalos leaped
down from the upper deck to survey the unpacking of the launcher, which was now
freed from its crate. At the same time, Adalginza moved to his side.

Part of her
wanted to help in the defense of the ship. Yet, her own brother might be part
of this advancing armada.

"Go
below deck," Kalos ordered.

"I will
not. I am as capable with a bow as any on board."

Adalginza
reached down and grabbed a bow dropped by one of the Crescent knights, who had just
fallen with a flaming arrow stuck in his chest.

While Kalos
checked on the lifeless body, Adalginza pulled out the arrow that was still  on
fire.

She placed
the arrow, drew back the bow, and then fired in a perfectly calculated arc. The
arrow landed squarely on the deck of the nearest of the attacking ships.

The accompanying
burst of flames caused the savages on board to scramble as they worked to
extinguish the blaze.

Because they
were so near the shore, the tribal fleet was confined to a deep, narrow channel
that meant they could not spread out.

With the
lead ship ablaze, the remainder of the armada fell back to avoid igniting their
own vessels. For the moment, at least, the Crescent House ships were given a
reprieve.

"Well
done," Kalos said grudgingly. "Your talents are many. A skill learned
from the savages?"

"Yes,"
Adalginza said, lowering the bow and looking him squarely in the face.

She would
lie to him no longer.

"You
have many talents."

"I have
even more that you are unaware of."

Kalos snapped
a few more orders at the knights preparing the launcher. Then he regarded her
again, his eyes narrowing.

"I
never would have believed it possible that Faradera could be taken. It is by
far the strongest of our islands."

"Benfaaro's
power is everywhere," she said quietly. "His ships are even now in
secret harbors, waiting off many of the coasts of the Prime Continent."

Kalos gave
her a grave, assessing look.

"Whose
side do you take? I no longer speak of your grandmother and her cause for the
rights of the savages. I speak of me, your husband. And of Benfaaro. Are you
allied with him? Is he your lover? Answer now. And let me no longer be
tormented with doubt."

Adalginza
took a breath, not even sure herself what she was about to say in answer. Then
a volley of about a dozen flaming arrows simultaneously struck their decks.

The rebel
ships were on the move again.

They both scurried
in opposite directions, grabbing for buckets and containers. They kneeled under
the ship's railings, reaching far down to scoop up the ocean water. As they
hurled the water onto the flames, the fire hissed back defiantly.

Adalginza then
became aware of Lady Swiala, running back and forth on the decks. She had
brought pans and bowls from the kitchen. These were distributed among the crew,
to help with the scooping of water.

Polyper
could be seen nearby as he used a heavy blanket from his bed to beat back smaller
blazes.

Adalginza guessed
that Lady Sagawea, ill with both child and the motion of the sea, was forced to
remain below the decks.

 Kalos moved
back to the launcher and shouted at the knights to hurry in their efforts to secure
it to the deck with heavy ropes and chains.

Finally, two
knights lifted a huge, heavy globule from a nearby crate. With its rubbery
composition, it wiggled and changed shape in their grasp like an errant bubble.

"At
your peril and ours, do not puncture or drop that," Kalos warned.

Adalginza
ceased her efforts at battling the fires, and regarded the weapon with deepening
dread. She felt the growing tension among the men as they slowly and carefully stuffed
the globule into the nozzle of the launcher.

"Ready?"
Kalos called out to the crew.

He lifted his
Crescent sword as a signal, and slashed it downward.

A torch of fire
was touched to the launcher, which responded with an explosion so deafening that
it caused all on board to cover their ears.

The undulating
globule rose high in the sky. And, once airborne, it burst open to release
hundreds of acid-filled balls. They rained down on the decks of seven of the
leading ships of the rebel armada.

Then shrieks
of agony and terror could be heard, as the splattered crew of the nearest ship
began jumping overboard to cool their pain. But Adalginza knew from the
demonstration at the Prime Congress that it was too late for them.

The lead
ship that took the brunt of the onslaught began to dissolve in a bizarre display
of sizzling, popping, and tendrils of chemical smoke.

Soon the
vessel lurched, and began to sink. It flipped to its side like an animal with
an arrow in its ribs. And that's when the Crescent knights on board the
captain's ship gave a rousing cheer.

In only
moments, the Crescent knight archers finished off the survivors still thrashing
in the waters. Adalginza, however, simply stood with her bow lowered.

These were
her people dying so horribly in that ocean.

Soon the
launchers on the other Crescent ships began firing, and globules were hurled
through the air by the dozens. By that time, however, the rebel ships had
dropped back out of range to safety.

Most of the
launchers missed their targets, as the deadly acid balls fell harmlessly into
the ocean. They bubbled and boiled, churning the water's surface, before they finally
became neutralized.

The rebels
answered with volleys of fiery arrows that could travel at greater distances
than the heavy globules. Three of the Crescent House ships burst into flames.
As they sank, loud hissing noises like meat being grilled over coals
accompanied their demise.

Shouts for
help could be heard from surviving crew members thrashing in the water. Landing
boats were immediately released from nearby ships to come to their rescue.

In the fervor
of battle, none aboard the captain's lead ship had noticed until too late a
side effect of the launcher's powerful force.

The vessel had
been shoved in the opposite direction, directly toward a jutting rock near the
tip of the island. When they finally noticed, the knights scrambled furiously
to adjust the rigging of the sail and change direction.

But all
aboard knew it was too late when a loud crunch announced their fate.

The craft
was impaled upon the rock. And, in the distance, about a dozen more rebel ships
from the far side of the island could be seen bearing down on them.

"We're
coming for you, captain!" a voice shouted from a small rescue craft
floating in the water nearby.

"No!"
Kalos shouted. "There is no time for rescue! We must preserve those
launchers. Go to Isner's ship, and instruct the commander to take charge. He is
to retreat immediately. He must lead the fleet directly to the frontier. Once
you have unloaded the weapons, you must travel to Sola Re where you will have
reinforcements."

"But
captain. We can win this once the rebel fleet is closer."

Kalos looked
at the advancing armada, seemingly assessing their strengths.

"We
cannot risk the loss of more of these weapons. They are far too valuable. And
we need them in the frontier."

"Sir,
you should at least allow us to take you with us."

"I will
not abandon my crew. I will stay with my ship. Go now!"

As the
rowboat moved away, Kalos then instructed about six of his men to heave their
own launcher and crate of weapons overboard.

Adalginza
stood by his side while they watched huge bubbles boil to the surface, evidence
that the globules had been breached and neutralized.

"At
least they will not capture that weapon and extract what we know," Kalos said
despondently.

The rain of
fiery arrows had stopped, as though those aboard the savage ships knew now that
they had sure prey. Six of the vessels now surrounded them in a semi-circle.

A few other rebel
ships gave half-hearted chase as the Crescent House ships drifted back out to
sea. But the fleet had enough of a head start that the savages must have known they
could never catch up.

Captain Kalos
moved back to the upper deck and stood, his Crescent sword sheathed, while he
surveyed the damage.

Bodies of five
Crescent knights slain by arrows were strewn across the deck. Polyper had gone
below to bring Sagawea to the upper deck, in case the ship continued to sink.

Adalginza moved
over to her grandmother, where they stood together arm-in-arm.

All passengers
and crew all now looked up at Kalos. Awaiting a miracle.

Kalos observed
the approaching rebel ships, now tightening their circle. And then he gazed back
down again.

"We
have no chance," he announced finally. "Benfaaro's savages are known
for unimaginable cruelty. Any prisoners they take rarely stay alive for long.
And those who do, beg for death."

Looking
anguished, Kalos then gripped the hilt of his sword.

 "I am
responsible for what has happened to us here today. And, if you wish, I will
use my own blade to take your lives cleanly before the savages board us. Those
who want it to end this way, step forward now. But you must hurry."

Without
hesitation, a few of the Crescent knights began to move toward their leader.

Polyper
braced Sagawea, who was clutching her stomach protectively. Then the two of
them headed toward the steps spiraling up to the captain. Tears rolled down
Sagawea's face.

Finally
Adalginza could stand it no longer. She shoved her way in front of those in
motion and walked halfway up the steps.

"No!"
she shouted. "Do not end it this way! I give you my word, we will not be
harmed."

Everyone,
except Kalos, wore astonished expressions as Adalginza dashed the rest of the
way up the stairs to the upper deck.

Her husband moved
a few steps away from her, regarding her as though she had somehow become hideously
diseased.

Adalginza
gave him a look of abject apology, and then turned back to those below.

"Surrender
now, in the name of Benfaaro! I will demand mercy! For all of you!"

"What
are you talking about?" Sagawea asked. "Benfaaro has never shown
mercy to those of the Crescent houses. You cannot save us. No one can save us."

Sagawea stalwartly
started to push her way forward again. But Adalginza stopped her with one hand
held palm forward.

"All of
you will be spared." She paused, averting her eyes from the captain's
face. "Benfaaro is my brother. I am Of The Blood. And his followers must
obey me."

"The
truth at last," Kalos whispered behind her. "But I wish I had been
struck deaf before my ears heard it. So
you
are the third person Of The
Blood."

The silence
that followed was like a pause that extended for far too long in the melodramas
performed by traveling troupes of actors. Everyone stared, disbelieving.

"Impossible,"
Polyper finally said. "You have indigo eyes."

"You
are the image of me when I was younger!" Swiala protested.

"I am also
your granddaughter," Adalginza said, looking down at Swiala sorrowfully. "The
daughter of your son. And the daughter of Benfaaro's mother."

"How
could this be?" Kalos asked. "Medosa recorded your birth. He was with
Lady Donzala when a baby with indigo eyes was born to Lady Donzala. I read
Medosa's writings myself in the Dome of Archives."

"The
baby was my half-sister, who was murdered. I was given to Lady Donzala as a
replacement. I was conceived and born for only one purpose. To serve as Benfaaro's
spy."

"Kill
her!" one of the Crescent knights shouted.

The cry was
taken up, as if in the frustration of defeat they all wanted a last chance to
draw enemy blood before their own was splashed across the decks of the doomed
ship.

Indecipherable
shouting became intermingled with arguing from those who had actually heard her
promise.

But
Adalginza now heard only the words of the one who stood with her on the upper
deck. She could not bring herself to look at him.

"All
those times I trusted you. All those times in the frontier, when I told you of
the plans for the arrival of the caravans. You betrayed me not because of
madness. But from deliberate treachery. And from loyalty to Benfaaro, who is
your brother."