WindLegends Saga 9: WindRetriever (11 page)

"I hope you had an uneventful trip, Your Grace," one of the men, a tall, reed-thin gentleman with flaming red hair called out as he bowed eloquently to Sajin.

"As good as can be expected this time of year," Sajin remarked. He recognized the man as being the Harbor Master. "Did the Ravenwind get out before the bad weather hit?"

The Harbor Master, Nikita Chernov by name, bobbed his head. "They sailed two days ago, Your Grace."

"Hopefully with every man aboard," Balizar muttered to Azalon.

"We'll be in port until tomorrow night," Sajin told the man. He flicked his gaze over the silent man who had accompanied Chernov on board, but wasn't particularly curious to find out who the man was. "We encountered a rather vicious squall just below Gandhar Cove and have a few minor repairs to make before sailing on to St. Steffensburg."

"Take all the time you need, Your Grace," Chernov assured him. "Our ship chandlers are at your disposal should you need them." He craned his neck. "Is Her Grace with you?"

"The Tzarevna is with us," Sajin answered. "Is there a reason you asked?" He saw the two Outer Kingdom men exchange a look.

Chernov cleared his throat, then lowered his voice. "An old woman came to my office this morning and told us you would be docking today. To be honest with you, I didn't pay much attention to her. She's a bit ...." He circled his ear with his right index finger. "Well, addled, I guess you'd say. I was going to send her on her way, but then she mentioned the Tzarevna would be on board."

"Did she want something?" Sajin asked.

"Who, Your Grace?" Chernov inquired.

The Kensetti ground his teeth. "The old woman?"

"Oh," Chernov laughed, blushing. "She wanted us to give Her Grace a message." He delved into his waistcoat pocket and produced a folded sheet of parchment. "At first I was just going to take the note and humor her, but she was so insistent ...." He shrugged, handing over the note to Sajin. "It might be important. I don't know."

"Sonya's a witch," the man with Chernov finally piped up. "You don't mess around with her."

Chernov groaned. "Felix, please!" The Harbor Master looked at Sajin with embarrassment.

"There are those who believe in such foolishness, but I am certainly not one of them."

"You should be," the one called Felix grumbled.

Sajin's lips twitched. "I'll see Her Grace gets this." He tucked the note into the waistband of his trousers. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Your Grace," Chernov answered. He looked about at the hustle and bustle on board the Tempest. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to send word."

"Thank you," Sajin replied. "If you gentlemen will excuse me, then?"

"Oh, yes, of course!" Chernov said. He bowed once more and then scooted Felix with him Charlotte Boyett-Compo WINDRETRIEVER 49

from the ship.

Balizar, who had been listening to the exchange, hurried after the two men. "Hey, wait a minute!" he called out, drawing the men's attention. When he reached them, he asked if they knew of any passengers that might have stayed behind when the Serenian ship The Ravenwind hoisted anchor for that foreign shore.

Chernov shook his head. "One gentleman attempted to stay behind but his comrades would not permit it. As I recall, they literally dragged him back on board."

Balizar frowned. "What was his name, do you know?"

The Harbor Master thought a moment. "I don't believe I heard them speak his name, but if you know the men, you would certainly know if whom I speak." He grimaced slightly. "He was Necroman."

"Taborn," Balizar chuckled. "Shalu Taborn."

"He gave them a time of it," Felix told Arbra. "Bellowing at the top of his lungs the whole time they was manhandling him up the gangplank. Cursing them, too!"

"That's sound about right," Balizar answered. "But they did get his black ass on board?"

"Yes," Chernov agreed. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I know someone who will want to know," Balizar quipped. He touched his forefinger to his temple. "My thanks, gentlemen." He turned and loped back up the gangplank.

Catherine tensed as the light rap came at her door. She was almost of the mind not to answer it, but took in a deep breath and flung the door open. She was relieved to see Sajin standing in the passageway.

"It's just me," he laughed, seeing the relief spreading across her face. "The troll isn't awake, yet."

The Tzarevna's forehead crinkled. "He's still asleep?"

Sajin nodded. "Rupine said to let him sleep as long as he wanted. Maybe he can sleep that damned headache off." He held up one finger then dug into his waistband to produce the note Chernov had given him. "Some old lady sent this to you by the Harbor Master." He held out the folded parchment.

Catherine took the note and unfolded it. Squinting at the scrawl of writing slashed across the page, she read the note, then slowly lowered it to stare blindly at Sajin.

"Trouble?" he asked, wondering at the paleness of her face.

"It could be," she answered and turned her back. She walked to her bunk and sat down.

After glancing once more at the note, she looked up at Sajin. "We have to leave the ship here, Sajin."

"Oh, no!" he began, not wishing to go over this with her again. He was about to remind her of their last discussion about disembarking at Odess, but she stopped him.

"The woman I wanted Conar to see in St. Steffensburg knew we were coming and she's come here to Odess to meet us," Catherine explained. "She's taken a keep just outside town and wants me to bring him there."

"How convenient," Sajin mumbled. He held out his hand. "Let me see the note, Cat."

Catherine's eyes flared angrily. "You don't believe me?"

Sajin didn't answer. His hand was still out.

"You can't read it," she protested. "It's written in the language of the Daughterhood."

"Even more convenient," he quipped, lowering his hand. Folding his arms over his chest, he stared at her. "I may have been born at night, Catherine, but it wasn't last night."

"Meaning what?" she shot back.

Charlotte Boyett-Compo WINDRETRIEVER 50

"Meaning I'm not falling for it. You're not leaving this ship to go wandering about in Odess. Those are Conar's orders and I will abide by them." He smiled. "Just as you will, milady."

"But she's here!" Catherine argued. "She came all the way here to meet the ship!"

"I don't care," Sajin replied. "You aren't going ashore, Catherine."

The Tzarevna stood up, her face a chiseled study in absolute fury. She crumpled the note in her fist then shook it at Sajin. "I will not be dictated to, nomad!"

Sajin cocked his head to one side. "You and the Outlander make some pair," he joked. "He doesn't like to be dictated to, either."

Catherine would have yelled at the Kensetti, but the door to her cabin opened and both turned to see Rupine standing in the doorway. His face was as white as snow.

"What is it?" Sajin hissed, walking to the man.

"I can't wake him, Your Grace!" Rupine replied. "I can't wake Khamsin!"

Charlotte Boyett-Compo WINDRETRIEVER 51

Azalon glanced at the dark walls of the keep and felt uneasy. The entire structure had been painted jet black: the chains on the drawbridge, the saw-teeth of the portcullis, even the glass panes in the windows. Surrounding the keep was a forty foot wide moat filled with slithering, venomous reptiles and the ugliest crocodiles he'd ever seen. There was no vile smell emanating from the moat, but the thrashing and the snapping and spitting within those steep stone walls made Azalon gag.

"It wouldn't do to fall in that, would it?" Yuri remarked as he and Balizar crossed the drawbridge. Both men were staying as close to the center of the planking as possible, keeping their mounts in tight check.

"I wouldn't like to, no," Balizar replied, keeping an eye on the largest amphibian in the moat.

Sajin eyed the moat just as warily as he followed behind the men. He noticed that Catherine didn't seem to be worried about her progress across the drawbridge. Her eyes were on the cart where her husband lay. The strain of the last two hours was stamped clearly on her face.

Despite both Rupine's and Catherine's trying, neither had been able to wake Conar. There was a bright red splotch of blood on the pillow beneath his right ear when they had turned him to his back.

"I was afraid of this," Rupine had breathed. "He's hemorrhaged again."

"Conar!" Catherine had pleaded, gently shaking her husband. "Wake up!" When the Serenian did not move, she had turned her terrified eyes to Sajin.

Sajin had sent for the cart and within ten minutes, the small procession was on their way out of Odess and into the foothills of the Uralaps where the old woman had told Catherine the Woman Healer could be found. They had ridden for what seemed like hours before coming to the trail that led up to the keep. As soon as they were within hailing distance, the drawbridge had began to lower.

"Not the most hospitable of places, is it?" Rupine asked Azalon. He looked nervously about him as they entered the outer bailey.

"Why the hell have they got it painted black?" Azalon asked, amazed at the solid ebon walls and blacked-out windows. Even inside the bailey, there were no shiny surfaces showing on wood or metal. Everything had been dulled with black paint.

"Creepy," Balizar remarked. "Damned creepy."

Sajin glanced up at the sheer walls, frowning at the color, himself. He felt distinctively uncomfortable, actually a bit worried, but one look at Catherine told him she had expected to find things no different. That was, he thought with a pang of regret, if she noticed anything save Conar McGregor's pale, pale face.

"Milady?" Yuri whispered as he reached out to touch Catherine's arm. He pointed at an old woman who was standing at the top of a long, winding staircase.

Catherine followed his direction and nodded. "Sonja," she answered and dismounted before any of the men could help her. She walked to the cart. "You men will have to make a litter and carry him upstairs."

Sajin glanced up the steep steps and frowned. "Way up there?" he asked.

Catherine ignored the question. She looked at Balizar. "Unless you think you can carry him Charlotte Boyett-Compo WINDRETRIEVER 52

by yourself."

The warrior's left eyebrow crooked. "I can try, milady. He don't weigh all that much." He motioned to Yuri to get in the cart and hand Conar down to him.

Sajin would not have thought it possible for Arbra to carry Conar up the serpentine steps as easily as the older man did, but he wasn't surprised to find Balizar winded by the time they reached the top.

"Through here," the old woman indicated as she held open a door.

"Give him to me," Yuri demanded as he winced at Arbra's panting breath. "We don't want you down in the back, old man."

"Old man, my ass!" Balizar growled, but he gave his burden over to the other man.

Sajin took Catherine's arm as they followed the trio with Azalon and Rupine bringing up the rear.

The inside of the keep was so dark that not even the torches lining the walls could dispel much of the gloom. Walking down the long hallway was like threading one's way through an underground tunnel. Had not those making the trek known they were well above ground, the illusion would have been hard to expel.

"Who is this woman?" Sajin asked as he and Catherine made a sharp turn in the hallway and climbed a score of narrow steps.

"Sonja is her helper," Catherine answered. "I don't know the Daughter's name, but I am told she is a very powerful sorceress. I've heard tales of her at home, but I've never had reason to seek her out before now."

"In here," the old woman spoke, holding open an almost unseen door in the black expanse of the wall at the top of the stairs. "Lay him down and undress him."

"Down to his breechclout?" Yuri asked.

"Down to the flesh," the old woman answered.

Yuri shifted Conar's weight in his arms and then slowly lowered him to the examining table in the center of the dark room. The table felt ice-cold under his arms and he glanced around at the old woman. "Didn't you have a pad to put on here?"

"He feels nothing," she answered.

"Even so …," Yuri began, but Catherine cut him off.

"She knows what it best, Andreanova. Don't question her." Catherine smiled at the old woman. "Is there anything I can do, Sonja?"

"She wants you to remain here," the old woman said, but her gaze went to the others. "The Shadow-warrior may stay until the Outlander is unclothed but then he, like the others, must leave.

Rooms have been prepared for them and there is food when they are ready to eat."

"Now, wait a minute!" Sajin barked. "I'm not leaving her or Conar here alone."

"Sajin, please!" Catherine demanded, her nerves already frayed close to the snapping point.

She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him toward the door. "Go with Sonja. I am as safe inside this keep as I am in my own home."

Despite his arguing, Sajin was forced to leave. Having the door shut in his face did nothing to lighten his mood and he stalked back down the stairs with the others, fuming with every step.

He glared at Yuri when the Outer Kingdom warrior finally joined them.

"What's going on up there?" the Kensetti snarled.

Yuri shrugged. "As soon as I finished undressing him the old woman made me leave. I heard her lock the door behind me."