Scarred Man (23 page)

‘Onaven?' The voice outside her closed door was deferential.

‘What is it?' Myrrhini asked, still regretting her choice of name. She should have chosen Waarde; at least that name would remind her of why she had to endure this journey.

‘Would you like to join the Guide for a meal?'

‘Guide?'

‘Iskopra.'

‘Very well.' She rose and looked around for Tatya, but the rodent shapeshifter had scurried away soon after they had set sail from Usterust.

The Agent at the door gave her a short bow and led her along the narrow passage to the stairs that led to the deck. Once on deck, Myrrhini took a deep breath, taking in the many strange smells of a ship — the tar and caulk of the hull, the salt, the sweat of the men, and the fishy smell that impregnated everything — but over it all was the intoxicating smell of the open sea.

‘So you are the less dangerous and less pretty of the guests of my queen,' a different voice said
behind her. ‘I don't actually believe either of those descriptions.'

Myrrhini spun around to see a man with sun-bleached hair, leathery skin, bare feet and clothes predominantly made of canvas. His gaze was clear and open, his smile engaging.

‘You would be Onaven, then,' he said.

Myrrhini nodded. ‘And you are?'

‘Name's Iskopra, I'm the Guide on board the
Queen's Quest
.'

‘Guide?'

Iskopra scowled. ‘Not done any sailing at all?'

Myrrhini shook her head.

‘Ah, I see.' Iskopra turned to stare at the sea. It stretched all the way to the horizon, a flat disc of silvery blue beneath a darker blue sky dotted with high fluffy white clouds. A breeze ruffled Myrrhini's dress and made her hair swirl about her face. ‘The Guide knows his way on the seas. He can direct a ship's path across even Umut's frowning face to get her safely home.'

‘How?'

Iskopra made an expansive gesture with his arm as if to encompass the entire sky. ‘The stars, the sun, the moons,' he said. ‘They all tell their own stories and give directions. By reading their messages, I can find my way.'

‘How?' Myrrhini repeated.

‘That, Lady Onaven, is my secret. If I told everyone, I would be out of a job, now, wouldn't I?'

Myrrhini presumed he was trying to be funny but she found his ingenuous act more annoying than funny.

‘So you are not going to tell me how you make your way across this wilderness of water?' she said.

‘No, I am not.'

‘Then we have little to talk about, except for me to tell you that it is vital that I am taken to the Blindfolded Queen with as much haste as possible.' With that she turned and walked away from him to stand in the prow of the ship and stare out at the sea. She heard footsteps follow her, but ignored them, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. Every day it took to get to the Blindfolded Queen was a day wasted. Somehow, this queen knew something about what was going on, and together they might be able to make sense of it. If what Myrrhini had seen in her vision was accurate, they would need every day available.

‘Onaven?' Iskopra said. ‘It appears you are a serious-minded woman with no time for nonsense.'

‘What do you want?' she replied.

‘Do you have time for a meal?'

‘Yes. Have it brought to my cabin.'

Iskopra chuckled. ‘You forget yourself, Lady Onaven. On this ship, I give the orders, not you.'

Myrrhini whirled around and stared at the Guide. ‘It is you who forgets, Iskopra. I am the guest of your queen. I am not some street slag for you to order around. If I want my food in my cabin, that is what you will do.'

Iskopra took a step back, surprised, but apparently not discommoded or upset. He gave a mocking bow. ‘Lady Onaven, I hope for your sake that you are the companion of the Scarred Man she is looking for, because if you are not, you will no
longer be her guest. And then how will you get home?'

‘You are threatening me, Iskopra.'

‘I am warning you. Be careful, Lady Onaven.'

Myrrhini snorted and stalked past him, returning to her cabin and closing the door firmly behind her. She sat on her tiny bunk and hoped someone would bring her some food.

Up on deck, Iskopra watched her leave with a peculiar expression on his face. He turned to Huitzilin and shook his head. ‘I am curious about yours, Achulti,' he muttered. ‘But either way, I don't think either of them will be the one. I think I have met her, and I doubt even a whole xuauhtli of the Queen's best would get her away from the Scarred Man.'

‘Perhaps you should meet my Midacean witch, then, Guide. She is an interesting woman.'

‘Beautiful, too, by all accounts.'

‘So is a spurre, but you don't want to get close to one.'

Iskopra laughed, an incongruously cheerful sound. He clapped Huitzilin on the shoulder. ‘I travelled with Keshik himself, Achulti. I doubt even a witch is likely to scare me any more than that.'

‘I have heard of that fraud, Iskopra. He's nothing.'

Iskopra continued laughing. ‘You may have heard of him, but I have seen him fight. He is no fraud, believe me. Now, go and get this nameless witch; I am curious.' As Huitzilin turned to leave, Iskopra spoke again. ‘And you may as well feed the Lady Onaven at some stage. Can't have her starving, now, can we?'

Iskopra made his way back to the wheel to check their heading. The night was fair and the wind was clean. They were making good time and should reach the mouth of the Great River of Kings soon enough. He breathed in the sea air deeply. The mighty Silvered Sea was nice enough, but the Umut was his home, and he hankered to return. He felt safe here on the water, far from the chaos the war to the west was bringing. Having seen the insane mob that was bringing destruction, he knew they lacked the discipline to master the waters.
No
, he reasoned,
they would stay land bound. No force like that could possibly mount a navy. But they have to be stopped; we cannot yield the land to them. While I would be happy enough to live out my life under sail, not many others share my feelings.

‘Iskopra.' Huitzilin interrupted his musings.

Iskopra turned and stared at the beautiful red-haired woman standing in front of him in chains.

‘Maida?' he gasped. ‘Is it really you?'

Maida returned the stare. ‘You! I knew you were more than just a rootless Seagull.'

‘And I was equally sure you were more than you appeared.' He gave Huitzilin a hard stare. ‘Unchain her immediately, get her cleaned up, see to those wounds on her wrists, and find her a cabin.'

‘There aren't any spare, Iskopra.'

‘Then give her yours, you idiot!'

Huitzilin allowed the shock to show on his face, as did Maida. When he did not move to obey, Iskopra strode forward and grabbed the front of his tunic.

‘Do it now, or I will have you thrown overboard!'

The two men stood eye to eye, motionless for a moment, until Huitzilin broke eye contact by looking down.

‘As you wish, Guide,' he muttered.

‘As I wish, indeed, Achulti. This is my ship and on it, my word is law. I don't care what authority you own on land, on the
Queen's Quest
, it is always as
I
wish.'

Achulti Huitzilin stepped back and hurried away to do as he was bid. Iskopra turned to face Maida.

‘How did this happen?' he asked, indicating her manacles and dishevelled appearance. ‘When I left you, you were heading for Leserlang.'

‘And when you left us, you went straight to these —' she waved her chained hands so as to encompass the ship and all aboard her, ‘to betray us.'

Iskopra shrugged, but without apology. ‘What can I say? I work for the Blindfolded Queen. I was sent out with a mission — you. I found you, and did my job. And,' he added, ‘I did get you out of Vogel.' He turned and roared, ‘Where are the keys to these chains?'

Another Agent hurried forward and handed Iskopra a large key.

‘Thank you, Itxtli,' he said. ‘I don't imagine you would ever chain such beauty.'

‘If she tore one of my men apart like she did Patecoatl, I probably would.'

‘She is no Midacean witch, I can assure you of that,' Iskopra said, staring into Maida's green eyes. ‘For one thing, her colouring is all wrong.' He
gestured at her hair and skin. ‘If anything, she's Tusemon. Aren't you?'

Maida didn't answer, simply holding her wrists up for Iskopra to unlock the manacles. When he did so, she allowed them to fall heavily to the deck, before pointing down at her ankles. Iskopra tossed the key to her. She caught it and crouched to unlock her ankles. When she was done, she grabbed both sets of chains and, before either man could react, she hurled them over the railings to splash into the sea.

‘Now we can talk,' she said.

‘Are you a witch?' Itxtli asked.

‘Do you want to risk finding out?' she retorted.

‘Not really.'

Maida raised her eyebrows mischievously. ‘That answers that question, then. Anything else?'

Iskopra laughed again. ‘Come on, Maida, let's find you that cabin and see if we can get you fixed up a little.'

He held her elbow lightly and guided her down below deck. Huitzilin was just coming out of a door as they approached. He glared at Maida and gestured back into the cabin.

‘This one,' he said.

Iskopra gave a curt nod of acknowledgement before ushering Maida inside. She brushed past the Guide and went in.

‘It will do, for now,' she announced.

‘Until when? Until you escape? Look out that porthole, Maida. That is the Silvered Sea, the greatest expanse of water in the world. You have nowhere to go, and no way of getting there anyway. Why not just relax and enjoy the ride?'

Maida glared at him. ‘Do you know what happened to Keshik when these Agents enslaved me?'

Iskopra shook his head.

‘Nor do I!'

‘Ah. I think I understand.'

‘You have no idea. How dare you presume to know!'

‘Maida, I am truly sorry for what might have happened to Keshik, but please understand that I am constrained by my loyalty to the Blindfolded Queen. I must follow her orders and take you back to her. Keshik is incidental to my task.'

‘Then you are doubly the fool. There was something we never told you: we had a Seeing from a Mertian oracle.'

‘You met the Eye?'

‘Not her, no. We met another who was being held prisoner by a merchant in the north. She had a Seeing. You were sent to find the companion of the Scarred Man, but the Scarred Man himself is important. She said:
The unseeing ruler will ask but the Scarred Man will answer
.'

‘The “unseeing ruler”?'

‘Sounds like a Blindfolded Queen to me.'

Iskopra scratched his stubbled chin. ‘That is interesting,' he said. ‘I told Huitzilin you were the one we were looking for.'

‘She also mentioned the light at the end of the world.'

‘Did she now?'

‘You need to get Keshik, and bring him, too.'

Iskopra shook his head. ‘No, just you. My queen
wants you and I will take you there. The Scarred Man will have to answer for himself.'

Maida launched herself at him, hands hooked into claws to rake at his face, but he was quick and strong. He caught her wrists and pushed her hands back.

‘Don't make me have you chained again.' All traces of the jocular sailor were gone as Iskopra stared at her. ‘I owe my allegiance to her, not you.' He released her wrists and looked at the blood on his hands. ‘I will send someone to look at those wounds.'

Maida spat at him. ‘Send him armed if you want him to survive.'

‘I will.'

He left, closing the door behind him. Maida slumped to her knees, cradling her injured wrists. The pain she'd felt when he grabbed them was unlike anything she had known. The wounds had already gone septic and needed attention. Anything would be welcome at this stage.

A scrabbling sound at the door alerted Maida to Tatya's arrival. She rose and opened her door. The big brown rodent scurried in and rubbed against her legs. Maida stooped and picked her up.

‘Hello, Tatya. You found me again.'

The rodent nibbled her fingers affectionately. Maida stroked her fur and held her close.

‘At least you are my friend.'

The rodent struggled and Maida put her down to allow her to shift form. Tatya blurred and shifted into the beautiful woman with the yellow hair.

‘More than a simple friend, Maida. Would you like me to tear that man who just left? He hurt you.'

‘Not yet.'

Tatya shivered.

‘You should shift. It is still too cold for you here.'

‘Soon we will be far enough south and I will not need clothes in this form.' She blurred into the huge black cat. Maida rubbed her head, eliciting a deep, rumbling purr, while wondering what had happened. She remembered Tatya, but why she should be here, so long after being released from captivity, was a mystery. A mystery she was happy to leave unanswered for now. Tatya was company and protection, and, when she needed it, her escape weapon. Nothing would stand in her way when she and Tatya decided to leave. There was a knock at her door. Tatya's form shimmered and she shifted into the rodent as Maida rose to respond. The door swung open before she reached it.

An Agent stood in the doorway holding a bundle of clothes with a tray balanced on top. He grunted as he gestured with the pile.

‘From the Guide,' he said.

Maida held out her arms and the Agent transferred his burden to her.

‘When you are done, the Ce Atli will see you in his cabin.'

‘Ce Atli?'

‘Healer.' The Agent stepped back and closed the door again.

Dressed, having tossed her ragged clothes out into the sea, fed and feeling better, Maida ventured back out of her cabin in search of the Ce Atli. She padded barefoot along the narrow corridor, swaying unsteadily with the motion of the ship.
Fortunately, she was able to reach either wall easily to keep her balance. Beneath her bare feet, the wooden planks were worn smooth by constant use, but unexpectedly coarse grained. It was almost as if all the care in construction was spent on the hull and upper deck. This struck Maida as meaningful, but she could not work out what it meant. She snorted.