Of Truth and Beasts

“You should pick out a room,” she said.

“I will, but with winter coming, we should begin the inland trek as soon as possible. How long do we stay here?”

This time, Wynn was the one who hesitated.

“A night or two, at most,” she began, “but we’re not traveling inland just yet. Tomorrow, I’ll book us passage on another ship. We’re bound for Drist, a free port to the south.”

“Another sea voyage? Is this other port a better place from which to embark?”

“The farther south we travel by sea, the shorter our journey to a’Ghràihlôn’na.”

“Can we afford this?” he asked.

She should’ve told him all this sooner, but waiting meant less chance of an argument.

“I’ll have to spend a fair bit of our funding,” she admitted, “which means at some point, we’ll need to fend for ourselves. But don’t fight me on this. It’s the only way. The council wants us to take moons to reach the Lhoin’na, and the same or more coming back.”

“I will not fight you,” he said. “Why do you think I would?”

Wynn didn’t answer, but for some reason, his expression had changed. He seemed almost relieved. Did he look forward to more sea travel?

“Have you told Ore-Locks?” he asked.

“He can wait until it’s already settled. I’ll go out in the morning and see what I can arrange.”

“Take him with you. I would come myself, but—”

“Ore-Locks? No ... Shade is protection enough, and Chathburh is a perfectly safe—”

“There is no such thing as a safe port, in any city,” Chane cut in. “They are favored by the baser factions of all societies. You are less likely to be bothered with Ore-Locks along ... instead of just an animal.”

Shade growled at him.

“At least to a stranger’s eyes,” he added, for he knew how aware Shade was.

Wynn tightened her mouth—only because he was right. For better or worse, Ore-Locks had to at least be treated as part of their group. Then she blinked as something appeared to shift near the ceiling.

It had seemed as if some breeze had found its way through the old ceiling boards, puffing out a bit of dust. But when she peered upward above Chane’s head, she saw nothing.

Chane looked up, as well. “What?”

Wynn squinted and shook her head. She just needed sleep after the strain, and she had a slight headache from struggling with Shade’s lessons.

Outside in a cutway beside the fishmonger’s shop, Sau’ilahk heard the soft swish of air as his servitor returned. He could conjure small constructs of the Elements to serve his needs, and this one of Air captured sounds within its presence. He waited as the round mass of warped air drifted near.

Repeat, Sau’ilahk ordered.

Like a warp upon a desert horizon, it began to reverberate with the sound of voices. Only one recorded utterance was important to him.

... Tomorrow, I’ll book us passage on another ship. We’re bound for Drist....

... the farther south we can travel by sea, the shorter our journey to a’Ghràihlôn’na ...

This filled Sau’ilahk with renewed hope. Wynn was headed to the Lhoin’na sages in their capital city, “Blessed of the Woods.” Had she uncovered something of worth in the ancient texts that he could no longer reach? She traveled with her council’s approval, though likely they just wished to be rid of her for as long as possible.

Yet Wynn Hygeorht would again veer off any course planned for her.

Useful as this might be, for now all that Sau’ilahk could do was track whatever ship she took. Another sea voyage would again limit him from drawing near, but following her would be less troublesome. He could freely forage for himself, knowing where to easily pick up her trail.

Banish!

The servitor vanished, and mundane air popped as it rushed in to fill the space.

The energy to create it had cost Sau’ilahk. He drifted down the alley, slight hunger gnawing at him as he searched for sustenance in the night of a sleeping city.

Chapter 5

Two nights later, Chane stood with the others on a small schooner’s deck, watching the lights of Chathburh. Though they had boarded, the captain would not set sail until dawn.

Wynn had been eager to leave the annex. On the morning after delivering her message, the sages of Chathburh had begun to politely avoid her.

Chane did not need to guess why.

Likely the message that Wynn had delivered contained some warning from the council concerning her. Though she would never admit it, the changed attitude of the Chathburh sages bothered her. Chane sympathized in his own way, as he himself would always be an outsider where the guild was concerned.

Only Ore-Locks seemed unhappy about further sea travel. However, out of the corner of his eye Chane noticed more than once that the dwarf was watching him carefully. He pretended not to notice.

“Quarters are cramped, but the price was less than I expected,” Wynn said, and she glanced at Ore-Locks without her usual slight frown. “Especially after you haggled with the captain.”