Chapter Twenty-Five
Despite its proximity and size, the coastal city of Weisha couldn't have been more different from Sunsho.
The docks were always a flurry of activity, even at this late hour of the night.
The odor of the ocean permeated the air, clinging to the docks, where the number of ships kept the shoreline more stagnant than the often empty Sunsho wharf, and other city aromas added to the low-tide stench.
The body odor of a mass of people crammed into one area tended to percolate.
I wrinkled my nose and glanced at Vasren.
He stared steadily at the wharf as we came alongside it, searching—ever searching.
Probably part of his knight training. Also part of being mated.
Vas shouldn't have been there. I had tried to talk him out of joining us, but he adamantly refused to be left behind.
He said he'd either be on the ship beside me or fly down to Weisha alone.
I slid him another look. We were doing well.
Being honest with each other. Loving. And that was why I didn't want him there.
Vas said he supported what I did, but that was in theory.
How would he react when he was faced with my illegal activities?
He was a loyal Dragon at heart. Law-abiding, honorable—
“Boss!” Navin hissed at my elbow. “Something's going on over there.”
I followed the angle of his nod to the shore, where a large group of men—including all the more aggressive races of Rushao—stood in a semicircle before a much smaller group of Hulfrin sailors trying to unload crates from their ship.
The larger group had the other crowded against the gangplank as if they were trying to force them back onto their ship.
I narrowed my stare and strode down the deck as my ship docked, trying to get a better view.
“Here, boss.” Navin handed me a small spyglass.
I snapped it open and held it up to one eye. What came into focus made me bare my teeth.
“I believe that's called extortion,” Vasren drawled.
I lowered my spyglass and looked at him. “Yes. I—”
Again, Navin interrupted me. “Boss! Look!”
I jerked the spyglass back up. One of the extortionists had kicked over a crate, breaking the wood and spilling the contents. They were full of what appeared to be large spools of thread. But this was no normal thread. It glowed pale blue.
“Son of a bitch,” I whispered. “What the fuck is that?”
“I've never seen anything like that.” Vasren, who didn't need a spyglass to see across the distance, cocked his head.
“Glowing thread? It must be enchanted, but why?” Ruspo asked.
“Most enchantments wouldn't leave the item glowing,” I mused. “Unless that was the point of the magic. But why would you want glowing fabric?”
“Cause it's pretty,” Baelxa said.
His brothers made sounds of annoyance.
“No, he's right.” I lowered the spyglass.
“I am?” Baelxa's eyebrows lifted.
“Yes, that would be the only reason to make glowing clothing. Because it's pretty.”
Baelxa grinned at his brothers.
I went on, “Which makes me think that is not what that thread is for. For one, I've never heard of glowing fabric. And for two, those Hulfrin look too anxious for their cargo to merely be pretty thread. Look at how they're repacking that crate. They're showing too much care over thread.”
“And it's quite a coincidence that a ship arrives carrying glowing thread right after we hear about glowing bone marrow.” Vasren scowled and looked over at me. “Do you think they're connected? Could marrow be made into thread?
“I don't know of any process that could take what is basically a paste and make it into something solid like thread, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.” I lifted the spyglass again.
“I've never had my shipments held up in such a manner, and those extortionists seem too pleased by what they've found to make this a normal situation.
I don't think those men are a dock gang. I think they were sent to find that specific shipment.”
“Yes, those Hulfrin seem to be familiar with the other men,” Cesha said. “I think we're witnessing a targeted theft.”
“I agree. We'll let this play out.” I lowered the spyglass. “Sion, tell Captain Tev he can proceed with his usual docking routine, but to keep the ship ready for departure.”
“Yes, sir.” Sion ran off.
“What now?” Vas asked.
“Now, we watch.” I once more lifted the spyglass to my eye and observed all I could. “Cesha, get me a spool of that thread and find out what they're saying.”
“Yes, boss.” She stepped back and vanished.
As we watched, the ship's deck filled with Hulfrin sailors armed with crossbows. They took up positions along the bulwark as a man strode through their center and down the gangplank. He pointed at the extortionists and spoke. Both groups tensed.
I crouched behind the Reprisal's bulwark. “Everyone down.”
Seconds after Vas and my team crouched with me, arrows flew through the air.
Many of the extortionists went down, but the rest ran forward with roars.
I lifted my head enough to get the spyglass above the bulwark railing and watched the battle.
Although I couldn't see Cesha, I saw a spool rise from the broken crate and then disappear.
“Sir?” It was the Reprisal's captain.
“Change of plans, Captain,” I shouted over the roar of a battle. “Have the crew stay aboard until the fight is over. And take cover.”
“Yes, sir.” He turned and waved at the sailors who'd been bringing crates up from the hold. “Take cover, all of you!” He hurried behind one of the crates the crew had been bringing up from the hold.
I didn't think we were in danger, but we were close enough that a stray arrow might have reached us, so I remained in a crouch.
The battle didn't last long. Although the extortionists appeared to be physically stronger than the sailors, Hulfrin weren't easy prey, and these men had faced combat at sea. A land battle was nothing to them.
As soon as it became clear that the Hulfrin would win, the other group disbanded and fled in all directions.
Instead of giving chase, the sailors looked to their captain for his command.
The Hulfrin man shook his head. Wise of him.
Better to take the win than follow your enemy into an unknown situation.
The Captain glared after the fleeing criminals, then pointed up and twirled his finger, bringing his crew off the ship to clean up the mess of the overturned crates and load them onto a waiting cart.
As I watched a group load the cart while the rest kept loaded crossbows aimed at the city, Cesha returned.
“Boss.” She handed me the spool.
The other two Raltven hissed at it and drew back.
“Is that confirmation?” I asked them as I stood.
Cesha answered, “There's definitely Raltven magic in this thread. Whether it came from marrow or not, I don't know for sure.”
“What did they say?” I motioned us away from the bulwark and out of view of the other ship.
Meanwhile, the Reprisal's crew came out of hiding. I nodded at the Captain, and he motioned at the sailors. They went back to unloading the crates of spices from the latest trip to Latur.
“I didn't catch it all.” Cesha stepped back into the shadows but didn't vanish. “Something about the Spider.”
“A spider?”
“No, the Spider. I think it's an alias. The Captain said something about getting the shipment to the Spider as quickly as possible and fetching the compensation.”
“Their compensation,” I murmured. “Interesting word for a payment. Cesha, follow the shipment. I want to know who this Spider is.”
Cesha ran off.
I turned to face the other two Raltven. “Sudar, do you think you can get on that ship and get me the manifest?”
“Do I think I can sneak onto a fucking ship? Don't insult me.” Sudar headed for the gangplank.
“Navin.” I returned his spyglass. “Get me the witness who mentioned the bones.”
“Yes, boss.” Navin left the ship, disappearing as the other two Raltven had done.
“The rest of you keep watch. Make sure Sudar gets back safely. If you see any signs of trouble, go over there and get him out of it. I don't care what it takes. We take care of each other first. The job always comes second.”
“Yes, boss,” the remainder of the team said.
“I'll be in my cabin.” I headed below.
“That's it?” Vas asked as he followed me. “You're not even leaving the ship?”
I looked over at him in surprise. “We've only just arrived. What would you have me do?”
“You should . . .” He frowned. “I guess this is all you can do for now.”
“A lot of my work involves waiting. This is not about rushing in without all the information. I want the whole operation—whatever it is—dismantled. To do that, I have to watch, wait, and plan as I go. As far as we know, this thread could be enchanted with Raltven magic by legal means.”
“Or this whole thing is a trap,” Vasren said. “As I said earlier, it's quite a coincidence that we happened upon this shipment just after hearing about glowing marrow.”
“That's always a possibility, but I doubt it.
If this were a trap, it would mean either one of my crew is a traitor—which I don't believe—or one of the people they spoke to was a plant, which would be counterproductive.
Why draw my attention to it at all? If they wanted to catch me, there are better ways.
Men died in that fight. No, I don't think this is a trap.” I held up the glowing thread and stared at it.
The fibers were smoother than any I'd seen before. “I think it's far worse than that.”