Chapter 24
We soon reached the wharf where the two sailors joined us. Torvus grinned and patted his pocket. “Get ready for some lugging, men.”
They looked both happy and glum as we passed through and over to the behemoth that was Varga. Even among the burly men, he was easy to spot. He turned at the sound of our shoes on the boards and looked us over. “Well?”
Torvus drew the paper out of his pocket and held it out to Varga. “Is this proof enough?”
Varga studied the design on the parchment, a simple flower with a halo of thorns around its petals. He nodded after a moment. “That’ll do. I already have the supplies ready.”
“That’s very generous of you,” Torvus mused as he tucked the paper back into his pocket.
Varga grinned. “Not at all. I knew the old girl would forgive you. She couldn’t be mad at anyone forever, not even a scoundrel like you.” He jerked his chin at Torvus’ two sailors. “I’ll give everything to them, what they can hold in that dingy. It’ll take a couple of trips.”
“They won’t need to take it too far,” Torvus replied as he turned his head toward our right and the dry docks. “I need to dock the Tempest in one of those docks. The hull needs to be checked. I think it may have a few weak boards. The ocean has been tough on them.”
Varga scoffed. “I’d wager you’ve been treating her as rough as you treat your drink.”
“How long would it take you to make the repairs?”
Varga folded his arms over his chest and shrugged. “I don’t give out that information until I’ve seen the damage.”
Torvus grinned and patted his shoulder. “That means a few hours. Thanks for the help.” He took my hand and led me away. “Come on, Rose. Let me show you the shoreline. Ramaro, you stay with the men and help out.”
“How can I help out?”
“Use your crooked tail to open the boxes on the ship!” Torvus called to him.
“You stupid human!” Ramaro snapped at our retreating figures.
Varga’s loud voice joined his. “And I’m not promising anything to a scoundrel!”
“Can he really have the work done in a few hours?” I wondered as we hurried along the wharf.
Torvus slowed our pace to a stroll. “Fidel had to pull quite the feat to get away from the admiral, but if anyone can fix it in that time, it would be Varga.”
“You’re pretty famous, aren’t you?” I asked my companion as we reached the edge of the wharf and walked down a set of stairs.
“My reputation is known among the ports.”
“Is that why the Admiralty was chasing us yesterday?”
Some of his good humor failed him as he looked ahead of us.
“No. I was surprised to learn it was the old hunter himself who had trailed us. He’s the ruler of Cynnes, but he usually sticks to the waters around the capital, or as close as he can get.
The admiral of Cathair controls the waters around that island. ”
“That sounds like a rivalry,” I mused.
“There’s never been a battle on the boats. The admirals prefer the quieter methods of poisoning.”
“Is this admiral the poisoner type?”
“Did you get a look at him?”
I thought back to that stiff figure on the deck, and a shudder ran through me. “No. I think he’d do it to someone’s face.”
“Then you’re a good judge of character. Admiral Jaeger is colder than the most northern waters of the Sea of Verist.”
“Has he ever chased you before?”
“A few times, but usually after I’ve done something to catch their attention.”
“And you haven’t done anything to catch their attention?” I asked him.
“There was something.”
There was something in his voice that caught my attention, and I looked up to find him staring down at me. “What?”
“I picked up a rather rare find recently,” he pointed out as he looked me over. “I doubt very many people come from another world into this one.”
Some of the color drained from my face. “You. . .do you mean the admiral was chasing us because of me?”
“You’re the only thing that’s happened recently, and he was out in the eastern waters. It’s a rare sight to see him there.”
“But how would he even know about me?” I countered as I stopped and turned to face my companion. “I’ve only been here a few days.”
“That’s long enough for Encina to put out word that something precious was stolen from him,” Torvus guessed as he folded his arms over his chest. “He could be using the Admiralty as his dogs to get you into their custody. For a price, of course.” He cupped his chin in his hand and furrowed his brow.
“That would cost quite a bit, even for a mercenary like Encina. He must have quite a wealthy backer who paid him to kidnap you.”
My eyes widened, and I snapped my fingers. “Paid handsomely!”
Torvus lifted an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
I grasped his upper arms and looked him in the eye. “When I was on Encina’s ship, he told me he’d been paid a lot to transport me somewhere. He didn’t say where.”
He lifted his chin. “I see. Someone wants you very badly.”
I dropped my arms to my sides and furrowed my brow. “But why? Why would anyone go to all this trouble just for me?”
“That’s what we’ll have to find out,” he mused as he looked up and down the beach. A few murmured words left him. “He might be home. . .”
“Who might be home?”
“An old friend of mine,” he revealed as he grabbed my hand and led me down the beach. “We’ll go see if he’s in.”
“I hope he’s a better old friend than Barreto.”
“And nicer to look at.”
“And the smell?”
“That I can’t guarantee.”
We hurried down the sandy beach. A steep slope of tough, moss-covered stone and sand rose on our left, with the waters on our right.
We had gone a mile when Torvus turned us onto a rocky path that led up into a forest of short trees.
The aspen-like trees stood only ten feet high and were gnarled from the many winds that blew off the ocean.
Beach grass sprouted up from their roots, and stumpy bushes popped up here and there.
The trail led us far enough from the beach that I couldn’t see the ocean, but I could hear the crashing of the waves. The scent of foliage battled with the odor of sea salt, creating a sickening mix of salty wood. We wound our way through the mess and arrived at a clearing a half mile inland.
A small shack stood in the middle of the meadow.
Tall beach grass covered the ground except for the path that we followed.
The shack was surrounded by small metal bird cages, but there was something odd about every one of them: they didn’t have any doors.
A thick stone chimney puffed out white smoke, and the windows showed someone moving inside.
“Your old friend lives here?” I guessed as I was led up to the door.
“It’s a family home.”
We stopped at the door, and I studied the cages. “Did he go into a family business?”
“Yes. The Carter family has been flying the birds for generations.”
“What kind of birds?”
He grinned as he rapped on the door. “The kind that can slip through any crack.”
Footsteps approached the door, and the entrance was soon opened by a man of about forty.
He had an impressive mustache on his face, one that stretched from chin to chin.
The rest of his blond hair was slicked back, and his brown eyes had a keenness that reminded me of a bird.
He wore a simple blouse, shirt, pants, and heavy boots.
His fingers were stained black by something.
The man’s eyes widened at the sight of Torvus. “Marc! What in all the seas are you doing here?”
Torvus grinned. “Just come to check up on you, Marty.”
Marty scoffed. “I doubt that. You want something.” His attention fell on me, and his eyebrows shot up. “Who do we have here? She doesn’t look like the type you usually run around with.”
“What’s that type?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “Usually those with bigger busts and fewer brains, but there’s a sharp look in your eyes.”
Torvus gave his old friend a look of warning. “You’re not helping me, Marty.”
Marty’s smile stretched his face as he stepped aside, and he swept his arm toward the interior. “Then let me make it up to you by inviting you inside and offering my help. That is why you’re here, isn’t it?”
“I like to make the most of my time by visiting old friends when I need their help,” Torvus countered as he guided me inside. “But I’ll take you up on that offer of an apology.”
“Of course,” Marty mused as he shut the door behind us.