The Last Quarrel (The Complete Edition) (15 page)

Eamon raised his eyebrows. “Do you want to defend the honor of your friends?”

“Eamon!” Cavan snapped. “That is enough. These men are our allies.”

Eamon hesitated for but a moment before bowing to them all. “My apologies. I spoke out of turn,” he said slowly. “I was merely making the point that we have here the land’s best wizard and the priest most beloved of Aroaril. They might have powers greater than those to be found in a small village. And yet you were right to come to your friends’ defense. I would have done the same.”

“Good.” Cavan applauded. “I hope you can understand Eamon. He means well but his life is forfeit if anything happens to me and, until we prove otherwise, this is a ship that was attacked by selkies and still might be the gateway to the pits of Zorva.”

“I understand,” Fallon said calmly.

“Good, good,” Cavan said again. “We are under attack from two different directions. We need to work together to save our country.”

“Of course, highness,” the sergeant said.

“Good. Perhaps we should go and see if either Kynan or Finbar has made any progress?”

“Let us go first then, highness,” Fallon insisted.

“What are you doing, sucking up to the prince like that? His man’s a giant turd and no mistake,” Gallagher hissed in his ear.

“He’s the man who has the power to save our village. Of course I’m going to keep him happy. And since when do you care what people say about Sister Rosaleen?”

“I can like the woman, and respect what she is doing to help us, without liking Aroaril,” Gallagher replied, although Fallon could see a flush along his neck, where the sun and wind had not burned his skin quite so dark. “She has stood with us every night, without a trace of fear. Which is more than we can say for some of those who joined us.”

Perfect. Just what we need
, Fallon thought.
For years Gallagher refused to marry another woman and now he is falling for a bloody priestess!

They walked carefully to the entrance to the hold. Lanterns had been set around the edge, as well as lowered into the darkness beneath, but it still made Fallon shudder a little.

They could hear Kynan sloshing around below them, muttering loudly. “This is not good. Not good at all. Highness, I need Finbar down here!” he shouted up.

The wizard has hastily summoned from the stern cabin.

“I need this water out,” Kynan called up.

“I don’t need to be in there to do that,” Finbar replied casually. He closed his eyes and then the ship groaned and shivered. Everyone staggered a little as the deck shifted and the hull screamed in protest, followed by a gurgling noise.

Fallon rushed to the side to see the smashed hull timbers were now smooth again at the waterline both forward where the boat had crunched into the shore and to one side where it had scraped past the rock-hook headland. A steady stream of water was pouring through a gap much higher up.

“It will be dry in a few heartbeats,” Finbar said without strain, although all could see the sweat on his face and the fact he was now breathing heavily, as though he had run a long way.

“Perfect!” Kynan called from below. “Highness, you need to come down here to see this!”

Eamon insisted on going down the ladder first, followed by several guards, before Cavan could step on one of the rungs. Fallon brought up the rear, jumping down into the dry hold. The broken timbers looked strange where the wizard’s magic had forced them back into place, and there was a clear tide mark where the water had been slopping around in the hull, the timbers stained dark. Kynan and Finbar, however, were pointing towards a darker patch again on the wood, right by the waterline, just underneath where the broken timbers had been fixed.

“What is it?” Cavan asked, waving forward guards holding lanterns to try and throw some light on the area.

A pair of rats ran squeaking for their lives but the men ignored them, instead staring at what the Archbishop was pointing at.

“It is a clear mark of dark magic, highness,” Kynan said darkly. “I would say something forced its way in here at this point and then they drove the ship into the land to make it look as though nothing had happened.”

“I agree completely.” Finbar nodded. “It has to be selkies: there is no other possibility. They attacked the Duke’s ship and then tried to cover it up. No doubt the last of them slipped over the side as the ship came in to hit the land.”

The temperature in the damp hold, already chilly, seemed to drop even further, and several of the guards cast looks over their shoulder, one shuffling closer to the ladder.

Fallon hesitated for a few moments but could not restrain himself. “I thought the church taught there are no selkies? And why did the crew not fight back?” he asked sceptically.

“There are things the church leaves unsaid, because the people are not ready to hear it,” Kynan said haughtily. “As for the crew, obviously the selkies cleared away any evidence of a fight before sending the ship in to shore.”

“But if they can break through the hull, why not just sink it and remove
all
evidence?” Fallon said, glancing towards Cavan.

“Who knows why selkies do anything?” Finbar shrugged.

“But we searched this ship completely, using ordinary and magical means. Why did we not find anything?” Fallon persisted.

“Well, you do not have our skills, obviously,” Kynan said dismissively.

“This makes no sense!” Fallon protested to Cavan.

“You go too far, young man!” Kynan thundered in what was almost certainly his best pulpit voice. “To offer disrespect to me is to offer disrespect to Aroaril. One more word out of you and I shall have you dismissed from the Duke’s service, and whipped to boot!”

Fallon ground his teeth together. He had no doubt the old bastard would do that, and the Duchess’ earlier warmth towards him would count for nothing against the word of Aroaril’s Archbishop.

“But he has a point, Archbishop,” Cavan said into the silence. “Why would selkies –?”

“I am sorry, your highness,” Kynan interrupted smoothly. “But this is my area of expertise. Selkies are creatures of dark magic, fashioned out of a god’s anger. You cannot expect them to behave like men. They have their own plans.”

“So what are you going to tell my father?” Cavan asked.

“We shall tell King Aidan the truth. That Gaelland has stirred up the selkies and they are using their evil powers to steal away his people.”

“So how do we fight them?”

Kynan cleared his throat. “Well, obviously the only way to stop the selkies is to appease them. Gold and silver are the traditional means.”

Fallon had to clench his teeth together to stop the words getting out. It sounded very much like the people were going to be asked to pay more taxes to appease non-existent selkies! If one of the first victims had not been King Aidan’s cousin, it would seem as though that was the plan all along.

“So, more taxes then?” Cavan asked, his voice strained.

“I cannot say what the King’s decision will be. He may choose to pay the selkie tribute from his own storerooms,” Finbar suggested.

Fallon would have been more inclined to believe that if it had been sung by a line of dancing selkies.

“Let us get out of this dark and filthy place, so I can address the people,” Kynan suggested.

Fallon hung back and let the wizard and Archbishop make their way out onto the deck, before stepping in to the other side of the ladder as the Prince prepared to follow them up.

“Highness, you know this is wrong. You are the only one who can stop this,” he said urgently.

Cavan glanced at him and their eyes met. “I know. We need to talk,” he said softly. “But there are too many ears here.”

Fallon had to let him go up the ladder, followed by Eamon, who gave him a glare. He turned away and back to where Brendan, Gallagher and Devlin were poking at the area of repaired timber.

“This was caused by the rocks. Nothing else. There’s no bloody selkies. This is just the church’s way of screwing us out of more money,” Gallagher said angrily.

“It’s ridiculous. I have left things floating in my chamber pot that had more sense than that Archbishop,” Devlin added.

“Hurry up! The Archbishop wants to speak!” Eamon shouted down into the hold, and they reluctantly headed over to the ladder.

By the time they had got up onto the deck, they found the Archbishop standing at the very tip of the bow, waving the villagers in closer.

“My people,” Kynan began, his voice booming out across the people. “I have bad news for you. It is as we feared – you have angered the selkies and they have risen out of the depths to take their revenge!”

Fallon clenched his jaw together as he heard the cries of fear coming from the people. Quite apart from everything else, he knew Kerrin would be having nightmares for the next moon.

“Do not run. Do not hide. But you must listen to me if you want to be safe.”

He held his arms out wide and waved them forward. Slowly the crowd eased closer in response to his bidding. “I am sad to say that you are the ones who have brought this on yourselves!” Kynan called, his voice rich and smooth, sounding like a reluctant parent chastising a favorite son. “The selkies are Aroaril’s punishment on the greedy! You have been protected and cradled by your Duke and your King and you have spurned them! You have hidden riches from them, refused to pay the taxes they need to keep you safe. Is it any wonder the selkies have now turned on you?”

Fallon kept his face frozen, suspecting one or more of the guards might be watching for his reaction. Inside, however, he was shouting. Much was becoming clear now. They were under attack but it was not from selkies.

“The selkies must be appeased. The wisdom of our forefathers tells us that silver and gold are the only things that will satisfy them. The King will use what stores he has, of course, but if you want to be safe, it is time to take out the money you have hidden away from your noble rulers. When the King’s men come, give them what you have. Only then can you be assured the selkies will leave you alone,” Kynan declared.

A murmur ran through the crowd but died out as Kynan glared around at them.

“God loves a generous giver!” he roared out at them. “You have broken your promise to the Crown. You have cheated and stolen what should have been the King’s share of Aroaril’s bounty and you have robbed Aroaril himself of what should have been his! A tithe of one part in ten to Aroaril, then half of the remainder to the crown. That is what you should have been paying all these years. Instead, you have been hoarding your gold. And you know what Aroaril has to say. The love of gold is the root of all evil. As soon as you began worshipping money more than God, you opened your hearts to evil. And that called to the selkies. You must pay and you must open your hearts to Aroaril only, and beg forgiveness if you want to live and see your children grow!” Kynan paused in his hectoring of the crowd and glared at them instead.

“Save us from Zorva!” someone cried from the crowd and it was swiftly taken up by others.

“Protect the children!”

“Save us from the selkies!”

“And I shall save you and protect you! But words are not enough. You must show by your actions that you are sorry for what you have done, and that you repent your foolishness. I expect to see your hoarded treasures being dug up and handed over to the King’s men. Then the selkies will be satisfied and when they leave we shall all know that the wickedness in the heart of this county has been driven out.”

Fallon reached out without even looking and grabbed Gallagher’s arm.

“Say nothing. Do nothing,” he hissed out of the side of his mouth.

Gallagher tore his arm free but stepped back, his eyes on the deck.

Fallon’s mind was racing. He knew, perhaps better than anyone, how much this village paid in tax. It had slipped dramatically a few years earlier, when a storm had wrecked half the boats in the village and the fever that had carried off Gallagher’s sons had spread through the farms. But it had not increased much since then. It was certainly no more than it had been ten years back – and the village was half again as big, with another eight fishing boats working the seas each day. Of course that didn’t mean the people were dripping in gold and jewels; in fact he doubted there were more than one or two pieces of gold in this entire village. They had enough to eat and to keep them warm and to repair boats damaged by the sea, but little else. Yet the King wanted more, that was clear. And he was going to use anything at hand to get it out of his people. If they were to be safe from these mysterious attackers, it was going to cost them almost everything. And even then there was no guarantee they would be protected. He did not trust the likes of Finbar and Kynan to stop the attacks. He glanced across at the Prince, trying to see what his reaction was. He had thought Cavan might be the answer, but had the Prince merely been sent out here to find only what the King wanted him to find – an excuse to squeeze the people for everything they had?

But, when Fallon stared at Cavan, it was to see the prince ashen-faced, his mouth hanging open.
What is he thinking? And what is going on here?
he wondered.

Cavan breathed deeply, wanting to run to the rail of the ship and vomit over the side. If it wasn’t bad enough that Swane had unleashed evil upon the countryside as well as the city, his father looked set to take advantage of it in a most despicable way.

It was almost like the extortionate membership fees the Guilds demanded from shopkeepers. Any who refused to pay were soon robbed and harassed and, if they kept refusing to pay, burned out. There was a rumor that just about every thief in the city was in the employ of the big Guilds, and they were only allowed to steal from those who refused to pay Guild fees.

Cavan was sure Swane was still the one behind it all, but he hated his father for seeking to turn people’s misfortune to his advantage. And, once again, he had sent Cavan as the acceptable face of the Crown, to present this unpalatable decision to the people. He could see he would be forced to go along with it, just as he had been forced to help burn that innocent woman as a witch. Only when the people had been robbed of everything they owned, forced to hand it to the church or the Crown, would King Aidan stir himself to protect them from whatever it was that Swane had called up with his evil.

He was sure it had to be part of Swane’s plans. He disliked Kynan and Finbar but he trusted their abilities and they had found traces of magic on board the Duke’s ship. That linked it back to Swane. Except … He rubbed at his temples, trying to get his thoughts in order. If Swane was in league with Zorva, how had he passed the Archbishop’s test? Was he so strong that he could fool Kynan, or was the Archbishop unable to even detect a Zorva-worshipper right in front of him?

These questions and others danced around his head: Who was doing this? Who was able to steal people from boats and houses at night, leaving no trace? And how did they connect to Swane?

Could the Archbishop even be a part of this, in league with Swane? Kynan was now walking among the weeping crowd, blessing people and calling down Aroaril’s forgiveness on them for their wickedness, telling them they needed to cleanse their hearts of that lust for gold and replace it with the giving spirit of Aroaril. Cavan bit the inside of his mouth to stop himself from shouting at the old fraud.

Down in the crowd a young woman dressed as a Sister of Aroaril stepped in front of Kynan.

“Your grace, I know what you say about the love of gold being the heart of evil. But I can tell you there is no gold in this village. These are good people, who love and worship Aroaril each and every moon. There is no evil here: I would have felt it as I prayed with them. They need your help now. If they are to hand over everything they own, how can they survive long enough for the King’s help to arrive?” she asked respectfully.

Cavan felt the crowd straining to hear what the Archbishop’s reply would be.

“On your knees, girl!” Kynan thundered. “The wool has been pulled over your eyes by these sheep farmers! They are not harmless lambs but wolves! It is simple. If one closes his heart and his treasure chests to the Crown and the church, he is the evil one we are searching for! Someone who has sunk to blood worship of the Dark God will be unable to give up the treasures that led him down that black path in the first place. You, girl, failed to detect the evil festering in this village and I shall be telling your Bishop to watch you closely. Any refusal to obey an order from the church will see you cast out. I have always doubted that women were right for the holy vows; I questioned my predecessor’s decision to allow you in. And now I see I was right to judge!”

Rosaleen fell to her knees, her face ashen at the tirade, but Kynan moved on, ignoring her prayers.

“Down, all of you! Beg forgiveness!” he trumpeted.

The crowd dropped to their knees, none wanting to be the last one standing.

“Holy father, look down on these people and forgive them for what they have done. They have strayed, oh great one, but we shall bring them back onto the right path. Once they have shown they regret their foolishness and wicked disobedience, let them back into the light and protect them from the dark,” Kynan prayed aloud, his arms flung wide.

“Hear us, holy father,” the villagers answered as one, in the traditional reply to a priest’s prayer.

Cavan glanced across at Fallon, wondering what the village sergeant was thinking of all this.

“There are dozens of people missing, maybe dead, and the church is using it to make a profit! I think I’d take my chances with the selkies preying on us. At least they don’t try and screw their own kind for gold,” Gallagher hissed.

“Keep it down,” Fallon urged softly. “The priest is everything you hate about the church but the Duchess and the Prince are cut from different cloth. Don’t give up hope just yet.”

“Here he comes – keep it down,” Brendan rumbled.

They turned to see Kynan climbing back on board the ship, his face alight.

“We have done a good day’s work here, highness,” he said enthusiastically. “Word shall spread quickly now. The people will turn away from Zorva and began obeying the Crown, as they should.”

“I think we are finished here. We should return to Berry now and report to the king,” Finbar agreed.

Fallon glanced across to the prince, hoping he would intervene.

“My lords, if you want to make the comforts of Lunster castle by nightfall, then you need to get moving now,” Dina said, breaking the silence.

“Excellent idea. I do not intend to spend another night without a comfortable bed. I trust there will be some good food waiting for us at Lunster?” Kynan asked.

“Of course, your grace. Only the finest for the head of the church. The Bishop of Lunster would also be pleased to see you, no doubt –”

“The Bishop of Lunster is an idiot who has let himself be made a laughing stock by a mob of stupid peasants,” Kynan interrupted.

“Highness, although the people have been inspired by the Archbishop’s speech, I think they would also appreciate some kind words from you,” Dina suggested. “It will not take long and you will be able to catch up to everyone else on the road.”

Fallon looked at her and caught the subtle wink she made and breathed a little easier. He looked over at Cavan, whose face showed confusion for a moment, before comprehension.

“An excellent idea, Dina. It is probably the last time a member of the royal family will be here and I would be delighted if you could join me also.”

“It would be an honor, highness. I shall send Sergeant Gannon on ahead to warn of everyone’s arrival this evening.”

“Good. Now let us get out of this stinking place. I am surprised the selkies even bothered,” Kynan grumbled.

Fallon was tempted to reply but caught sight of a rider tearing through the village as though a horde of these imaginary selkies was at his heels.

“What in Aroaril’s name is going on?” he said aloud.

All followed his gaze to see a young man of no more than twenty summers racing towards the crowd. The people, many of whom were still on their knees, leaped to their feet and then aside as he raced down to the shoreline.

“My lord Prince, help us please!” he shouted at the top of his voice.

“What is it?” Cavan asked, pushing close to the side of the boat.

“It’s Killarney. They must have been attacked overnight while I was out hunting. I returned this morning to find the village deserted, as if some magical wind had swept them all away. I was going to look for my family when I saw movement in the huts. Whoever did it is still there!”

Fallon pushed forward. “Highness, Killarney is a fishing hamlet maybe five miles up the coast. A dozen families; no more. We should take the ship and sail around to it,” he said urgently.

“Sail? Why would we not ride there?” Cavan asked.

“The boy there rode in from the land side and never saw anything until he got to the village. That means they have to be taking the people away by sea. If they had been dragging away fifty or sixty people by land, he would have seen them.”

“Sail into the middle of the selkies? Are you mad?” the guard officer muttered, although he was heard by all.

“We have the Archbishop of Aroaril and the King’s Wizard,” Fallon said confidently and all turned to face them.

“But we need to get to Lunster. If we don’t leave, we shall not be there by nightfall,” Kynan protested.

“This is far more important,” Cavan said fiercely.

Kynan stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Highness, I have not been granted Aroaril’s powers in many a moon. I would be no use to you. Besides, this ship is hardly seaworthy.”

“You would make the men braver,” Fallon said pitilessly, remembering how Kynan had preached to his friends and family. “And we have the King’s Wizard as well. After all, he fixed the ship and he can do so again, if needed.”

“I need to rest,” Finbar said hastily. “I can only perform so much magic in the one day.”

“Time is slipping. We have to leave now if we are going to catch them,” Fallon said.

Cavan nodded his agreement. “Right. We should leave now. Archbishop, Finbar, you can wait in the stern cabin, in case we need you.”

“Highness, is this wise? Sailing in to attack selkies? I am charged with your safety,” the guard officer said worriedly.

“You’ll have to do the best you can, that’s all I can ask,” Cavan said confidently. “Now, who can sail?”

“We can. Gallagher, get me a score of men who can handle the ship,” Fallon ordered. “Then I want four boats with oars to tow us around the headland until we can raise sails.”

“Everyone ashore who doesn’t want to go with me,” Cavan said, then laid a hand on Kynan’s shoulder as the Archbishop took a step towards the side rail in the sudden rush of activity.

Dina stepped over the side, helped by Hagen and Gannon. Hagen gave Fallon a grin and a wave as he disappeared over the side.

“Highness, I must protest. This is not what the King wanted us to do,” Finbar said.

“Well, it’s what we must do,” Cavan said and turned to Fallon. “Get us under way, sergeant.”

Fallon was at the heart of the organized chaos. The anchor had to be dug out, and ropes had to be untied from the fore of the ship and then thrown to the fishing boats that would take them out of the little harbor and into open water. They might have been used to smaller fishing boats but the villagers swarmed up the twin masts and easily unfurled the sails as boats slowly pulled the Duke’s ship away from the shore and out into the sea. Gallagher took the tiller and soon the ship’s sharp bows were crashing through the small waves outside the breakwater.

The ship built up speed and Baltimore slipped astern as they turned east, towards Killarney and whatever waited there.

Cavan stood at the bow and stared out across the waves, hoping to catch a glimpse of a ship heading out to sea, away from the coast. In his mind’s eye he saw himself boarding it and rescuing the Gaelish prisoners, solving the mystery and foiling his father’s plans to make money out of such crimes. He could make nothing out, nor see any activity on the coast, so headed back to the tiller, where Fallon and the tall sailor called Gallagher waited.

“How much further?” he asked eagerly.

“Not long now, highness. That’s Tall Rock there, and Killarney is only a mile further up. We’ll be landing soon enough,” Gallagher said.

“Good. I want you to take the ship right in and beach it, if you can?”

“Of course, highness. The bay there is perfect for it, which is why Killarney was built there.”

“Good, good. Then I’ll lead my guards over the rail and we’ll hunt down whoever is in the village,” Cavan said briskly. “With Finbar and Kynan at my side, nothing can stand against us.”

“Highness, you can’t do that. It is too risky. Let the guards search the village first. We don’t know what might be waiting there,” Eamon said anxiously.

“Well, I’m sure it’s not selkies, no matter what the good Archbishop said,” Cavan said scornfully.

“Even if it is men, they could be like the ones we ran into in Berry, when swords bounced off them and they jumped across roads. Your place is not at the front. What would happen if you were killed? Your brother Swane would take over as Crown Prince and what would happen to the country then?” Eamon pressed.

Cavan saw his point, reluctantly. “All right. Guards officer Quinn can lead the men in to see what we find.”

“That may not be the best idea, either, highness,” Niall said, pointing down the ship.

All followed his gesture to see Quinn, the officer of the guards, leaning over the side of the ship, hurling up his guts.

“He won’t so much lead the advance as lead the shuffle,” Eamon said. “Look at the guards. They are more likely to shit themselves than draw swords and face up to anyone, let alone a selkie. Men won’t follow an officer who’s already pissed himself with fear.”

“Then I’ll need to lead them after all,” Cavan said.

“Let’s get him up here and see,” Eamon said hastily.

But the officer proved barely able to stand on his feet.

“He wouldn’t be able to lead a mob of desperate men to a shag in a brothel,” the bodyguard observed.

“Highness, this is not for you,” Niall appealed. “We can’t trust the wizard and the Archbishop to protect you.”

Cavan cursed softly. He needed his own guards, more than just Eamon with a little help from Niall.
I can ask Father for men but they will report to him first. I need someone who is loyal to me, who can be my eyes and ears.

“I’ll do it, highness,” Fallon said into the sudden silence.

Cavan looked critically at the village sergeant. Fallon seemed confident enough. And he could always step in if the villager failed.

“Do what you think best, Fallon,” he said.

“With pleasure, highness.” Fallon nodded, then waved to Brendan and Devlin. “Follow me.”

Fallon strode down the deck, Brendan looming over his shoulder, Devlin at his side.

“Fallon, what are we doing? I thought we were just here to sail the ship and show the Prince the way into Killarney. Now we’re going to go hunting selkies through the village?” the smith asked softly.