The Sword of Light: Book One of the Veredor Chronicles (8 page)

‘
Hey, come on. A friend of mine is here,’ said Red
cheerfully.

They followed
him between the crates and made their way to the back of the ship
where there was a slightly cleared area. Seated on a small wooden
chair was a very overweight middle-aged man, with greasy hair, dark
circles under his eyes, and a big grin on his face. He was
surrounded by a group of five gangly men, all with swords at their
belts. Stella cautiously glanced at Eben.

‘
Stella, Cassiel, and Eben, I would like you to meet Falsig,’
said Red, indicating toward the overweight man.

‘
Pleased to meet you,’ said Falsig in a throaty voice, a
greasy smile crossing his face.

‘
Years ago we worked together on a ship called the Gale
Blazer,’ said Red, who seemed happy to have met up with his old
friend.

‘
Those were the days,’ said Falsig, grinning across at
Red.

‘
Remember when those crazy villagers thought we had stolen a
pig. We had to swim five hundred yards out to our anchored ship!’
said Red, laughing as he spoke.

‘
Sure do, Red. ’ said Falsig, who was also laughing. ‘So why
are you heading out to Zyran?’

‘
Business,’ replied Cassiel coolly.

‘
What kind of business are you in, Cassiel?’ asked Falsig,
paying close attention.

‘
Trading rare goods,’ said Cassiel quickly. ‘What about you,
Falsig; why are you going to Zyran?’ asked Cassiel, turning the
topic away from their mission.

‘
I work for the Zyranian Order,’ said Falsig casually. ‘I
bring the wizards some of the finest spices and delicacies in
Veredor. Whilst I’m not travelling I help govern the kitchen in the
Citadel of Zyran. I also help a little to manage the Citadel’s
guardsmen.’

‘
Do you think you can get us into the Citadel?’ asked Red
carelessly. Cassiel’s jaw dropped as Red revealed a part of their
plan, and he stared harshly at Red, obviously not wanting him to
say another word. Red’s realised he had made a gaff and his eyes
shifted from side to side.

‘
Why do you want to get into the Citadel?’ asked Falsig
inquisitively.

Red looked to
Cassiel and Eben nervously, not sure what to say. Falsig could see
that they were uncomfortable about the subject and looked up to
Cassiel, assuming he was the leader.

‘
Why don’t we have a private talk a little later this
evening,’ suggested Falsig. Cassiel agreed.

**

The Sea of
Zyran was considered by most seafaring folk to be one of the finest
stretches of water in all of Veredor. It was often said that the
life of a fisherman was that of a blissful dream; however, in
recent times few boats journeyed between the coasts of Ortaria and
Zyran. It was widely told that a foul curse blew with the wind and
scourged all the ships that dared to sail the stretch of sea. Many
of the once numerous seafarers had sailed away in search of safer
waters in the south.

After the ship
had set out from Ancora they had been assigned a small cabin toward
the front. The sound of the waves and the ocean seemed strangely
familiar to Eben, even though he had never been on a boat before.
The four of them sat on the floor of their tiny cabin.

‘
I shouldn’t have said anything, I know,’ said Red
remorsefully.

‘
Our plan is already hanging in the balance. If we start
giving everyone we meet an idea of what we’re planning we are sure
to be killed by the Zyranians before we even reach the front gate
of the Citadel,’ said Cassiel angrily.

‘
I won’t say another word,’ said Red.

‘
It was stupid. You may have placed us all in danger and
jeopardised our plan,’ said Cassiel.

‘
Falsig was a good friend once. We should be able to trust
him,’ said Red, trying to reassure them, but clearly doubting his
own words.

‘
What about the five others standing around him?’ asked
Cassiel sharply.

‘
I’m sorry. What can I do about it now? I can’t take back what
I’ve said.’

‘
Don’t worry about it Red,’ said Eben calmly. ‘We’ll work it
out. After all they don’t know anything except that we want to get
inside the Citadel.’

‘
But that’s enough to arise suspicion,’ said
Cassiel.

There was a
tapping on the cabin door. Eben stood up and reached over to open
it. Falsig stood in the doorway with a big smoking pipe in his
mouth and a sly grin on his lips.

‘
Hello there. Thought I would come by and have a little talk.
Can I come in?’ he asked, stepping inside before they had answered
his question.

There was
scarcely enough room in the cabin to accommodate the massive man.
Somehow he managed to sit cross-legged on the floor. He continued
to smoke his pipe which quickly filled the room with a thick haze.
Eben closed the door and resumed his place which was now beside
Falsig.

‘
Red, you said you and your friends want to get inside the
Citadel of Zyran?’

‘
Maybe,’ said Red, not wanting to give away anything
more.

‘
Maybe means yes with you,’ said Falsig with a hoarse chuckle.
‘Now let me guess. You’re all planning to get inside the Citadel
and rob the treasury, right? It sounds like the most ridiculous
thing in the world to do, and under normal conditions I’d think you
wouldn’t stand a chance, but I gave it some thought, and I know
that Red wouldn’t try such a thing unless he thought the odds were
good. That made me think the three of you,’ he indicated to
everyone except Red, ‘must all be professional thieves. Am I
right?’

They all
looked at each other, not sure what to say for a few moments.

‘
Perhaps we are and perhaps we’re not,’ said Cassiel with an
expressionless face. ‘What’s it to you?’

‘
Well, well, well,’ said Falsig, grinning widely. ‘I’ve been
looking for an opportunity to move out of the kitchen and into my
own palace. If we can strike a deal then I think I can get you into
the Citadel.’

‘
So you want to make some money?’ asked Cassiel
coolly.

‘
I provide the service and you pay me my money, plain and
simple,’ replied Falsig, his grin extending from ear to ear.
Cassiel looked to be deep in thought for a few moments. He was
formulating a new plan in the space of ten seconds.

‘
If you get us inside then we’ll give you a third of
everything we take,’ said Cassiel with a firm tone that completely
convinced Falsig. Red’s mouth fell open at Cassiel’s
words.

‘
We have a deal,’ agreed Falsig.

‘
Good, but no more than a third,’ repeated Cassiel.

‘
I accept your offer,’ said Falsig.

**

They sat in
the cabin after Falsig had left. All their eyes were cast downward.
They all knew that Falsig was a real risk to their plan
succeeding.

‘
He’ll be furious when he discovers that we aren’t thieves and
there is nothing in it for him,’ whispered Eben.

‘
He’ll have to be happy with a third of nothing,’ whispered
Cassiel with a slightly humorous smile that was rare for
him.

‘
It’s not honest,’ whispered Stella.

‘
It’s also not dishonest. None of us said that we were
thieves; he made that assumption himself. We didn’t say we were
stealing anything; he assumed that too. I said that he can have a
third of what we take. He will have to be happy with a third of
nothing. A deal is a deal. We need a way into the Citadel of Zyran,
and we can’t tell anyone our plan. The truth is that if our plan
succeeds Falsig will be rewarded in the end; he just might have to
wait until King Ignis takes back his throne.’

‘
You’re cunning like a Zyranian,’ said Red. ‘I think we should
tell him what we’re really up to and see if he wants to help
us.’

‘
Firstly, I was born on the Island of Zyran; that makes me a
Zyranian by birth. Naturally I am well versed in Zyranian lore and
culture. And secondly, we have to make the best of our situation
and that means never letting Falsig know our real plan,’ said
Cassiel firmly.

Red stared at
Cassiel frostily for a few moments. ‘You’re not the leader of our
group, Cassiel.’ Cassiel took a deep breath and looked away.

‘
We don’t have a leader,’ said Eben. ‘We are in this together
and must try to get along. We have to rely on each other to
succeed. All this arguing is not helping us at all.’

A few moments
went by and no one said a word.

‘
Falsig won’t be happy,’ said Red. ‘I already have enough
people who want me dead. King Ignis better give him the reward
after we free him.’

‘
Our plan is risky to say the least. I’m willing to take any
opportunity that will help us succeed,’ said Cassiel.

**

Eben and Red
stood on the deck at the front of the ship looking out at the sea
as the sunset cast flickering orange light across the gentle waves.
Eben felt he had never seen such beauty as the light reflecting on
the water.

Falsig
appeared and walked over from the back of the ship. ‘What a lovely
evening,’ he said, a big sly grin covering his face.

The sun was
slowly sinking beneath the waves ahead. It was truly a beautiful
sight. Eben felt a sense of wonder looking out over the sea at the
shining light. Watching the water brought a sense of peace to his
heart.

‘
I’m wondering, Red. What does a thief need a bag of fireworks
for?’ asked Falsig.

‘
Have you been looking in my bag?’ asked Red
tensely.

‘
Just checking on my investment,’ replied Falsig, his grin
instantly fading into a stony expression. ‘Red, I get the feeling
you’re not telling me everything.’

Red looked
away toward the sunset and waited for a few moments before
replying. ‘The full details of our plan will remain a secret,
Falsig’.

Falsig roughly
grabbed Red’s arm. ‘Listen to me. If your cheating me I’ll make
sure you pay,’ he said fiercely.

Eben quickly
turned and immediately raised himself to his full height and
clenched his fists in readiness to defend his friend. Falsig
sneered up at Eben. A moment later Red smiled. He was not afraid of
Falsig at all.

‘
Relax, you’ll get your reward, Falsig,’ said Red as he
removed his arm from Falsig’s grip.

‘
Make sure of it,’ said Falsig as he turned and walked
away.

‘
I don’t like this. I hope I haven’t foiled our plan,’ said
Red, his eyes narrowing as he watched Falsig head toward the back
of the ship.

‘
Maybe we should go back to our original plan of the wine
barrels,’ suggested Eben.

‘
No, it’s too late. He’ll probably go straight to the
Zyranians if we change anything now. He can’t comprehend that we
would be prepared to risk our lives for anything other than
treasure, and he’s determined to get his share.’ Red glanced back
out toward the sun as it descended beneath the waves. The cool
evening was growing dark.

CHAPTER
SIX

It was late in
the afternoon on the second day after leaving Ancora. The ship
crossed a small bay and was approaching the docks. Eben looked out
at the sight of the Citadel of Zyran that towered ominously above
the docks. At least a hundred stone towers rose high into the sky
above and a weblike network of dozens of stone bridges linked the
towers together. A massive grey stone wall, at least a hundred and
fifty feet high, completely surrounded the Citadel. Hundreds of
ravens circled in the gloomy haze above the towers, and dark murky
clouds hung low in the sky.

Cassiel, Red,
and Stella stood with Eben toward the front of the deck; they all
stared out at the Citadel as the ship neared the docks.

‘
It looks frightening,’ said Stella nervously.

‘
The wizards of Zyran are by far the most cunning in all of
Veredor. We must be careful,’ said Cassiel, looking up at the
Citadel uneasily.

The ship
slowly approached and entered under the dark cloud which hovered
not far above the tops of the towers. The gloominess was
oppressive. The area of the docks was about three hundred feet down
from the edge of the wall of the Citadel. A large village made up
of many huts and small houses surrounded the dock area. The sailors
threw ropes and tied the ship to the dock. Captain Orstag began
yelling at his sailors.

Falsig
approached as the ship came up beside the docks. The sailors rushed
about and secured lines and placed a gangplank. Eben and the others
were preparing to disembark. ‘You would be wise to get a room in
the inn over there,’ said Falsig, pointing toward a large inn at
the edge of the village. ‘I’ll meet you at the bar around noon
tomorrow, and we’ll discuss our dealings in more detail.’ He
shuffled down the gangplank and was followed by his five shadowy
companions.

‘
I don’t trust him at all,’ said Stella, grimacing as she
watched Falsig walk away. Eben nodded in agreement.

Cassiel walked
down the plank and across the docks. Eben, Red, and Stella followed
him across the way and up the slight slope toward the inn. The sign
above the door read: ‘The Lost Mermaid,’ and had a faded picture of
a sad mermaid sitting on a beach. It was a large stone building
with an upper floor and a gabled roof. Cassiel pushed the door open
and stepped in. Eben, Stella, and Red followed Cassiel’s lead.