Sarabande: River of Falcons Book 4

26. Captain's Orders

A neat sailing vessel was just coming into a wind-blown anchorage. The wind was strong and the air chilly. The sails slapped angrily as the boat headed into the wind and slowed to a stop. A half-dozen crew members sprang up the masts to secure the sails, while several more rushed forward to free the windlass and allow the anchor to run out. Soon the sails were neatly furled and the boat was hanging on a taught anchor chain.

"Will it hold?" the weather-worn captain asked the tall young man in the regal cape who was standing on the wheel-deck beside him.

The man narrowed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, as if listening to something in the distance. "The anchor is set deeply in firm sand. The boat will be secure tonight."

"But the wind's rising and it smells like a gale's headed our way. Besides, I don't like this anchorage, it's too exposed to the seas."

"The ship will be fine," the young man replied. "As for the gale, I summoned it myself, since I did not want to be overtaken by the ships that were following us."

"Following us? But I saw no one." The captain looked concerned.

"They took care to stay just over the horizon. I've been watching them in my scrying glass. \ If the wind comes up as strongly as I mean it to, they'll be forced to heave to and wait out the storm at sea. This river delta is too dangerous to enter in a gale, what with all the sandbars that guard its entrance."

"It is a difficult port to make in a storm," the captain agreed. "But tell me, Mordax, how is it possible that we are being followed? I thought our mission was a secret to all but our Lord Panathera and his senior mage. When they briefed us, they told us that we were to pick up our cargo in secret and leave immediately, so that no news of our trip could reach our enemies until we were safely back home."

"Yes, but we have been followed at a distance ever since we left port. A spy must have informed another Lord of our plans. But their mage is not as powerful as I am, so you need not fear this flotilla of ships."

"A flotilla's out there? Good Spirits protect us! Is it Lord Leopardus's force? They have a dozen new three-masted schooners and it would be just like him to try to interfere with Lord Panathera's plans."

"What have you heard?" Mordax asked.

"I hear that Leopardus is jealous that Lord Panathera was given authority over the New Lands by the Empiress. But surely an attack at sea would be too bold. What would the Empress say?"

"What indeed?" Mordax frowned. "But we are across an ocean from her court now."

Captain Lagynhorn scowled. "Then we had best make haste. Can you complete your mission now? I'll have a small-boat lowered for you with a crew to row you in. As soon as the package is delivered to the Governor's Mansion, we shall leave." He paused to glance ashore, where a broad stone building loomed over the little seaside town. "I want to be gone before sunrise in case this flotilla of yours arrives tomorrow morning. We can go elsewhere to reprovision before crossing the sea. For the moment, can you please keep the seas from getting too high? I don't want my men to grow seasick while we await your return."

Mordax chuckled. "The precious package we carry gives me all the power I need to set the wave height at any level you require."

"What! Is it a...?"

"Yes, Captain," Mordax replied. "It is a new runestone. I should know, I made it under the supervision of Stridigus, our lord's senior mage. It took us three moons to complete the spells and bring it to life. I believe the Governor plans to use it to command the weather and control this very port in which we now anchor."

"But aren't runestones very rare and precious? I'm surprised that Lord Panathera would have such a thing made, only to give it away."

"He believes the Governor is loyal to him. What do you think, Captain?"

"I think that loyalty is even rarer than runestones, and that Governor Pythorus might have political aspirations of his own. But we are not involved in matters of state, we are just employed for our skills. Perhaps you had best be on your waty with this magical object?" The Captain frowned and glanced out to sea as if expecting an enemy fleet of boats appear at any moment.

"I will deliver the rune-stone as soon as darkness falls, but not until then. There will be fewer rumors if it is too dark for others to see what I'm doing. Then I will take my dinner at my favorite tavern, and return to the ship by midnight."

"But shouldn't we leave at once?"

"You won't leave until the tide turns," Mordax pointed out. "Especially with a strong on-shore wind. By my reckoning, that won't be 'til midnight. Expect me then. Now, I have some important matters to attend to in my cabin, so if you'll excuse me? Please have the boat ready for me at sundown precisely."

Mordax strode forward, slipped through the hatchway and made his way to his private cabin. Drawing a leather thong from under his tunic, he retrieved the gold key hanging on it and used it to open a massive trunk that filled most of the small cabin. (Only a mage would have considered it possible even to get such a trunk in and out through the narrow cabin door.) Inside the trunk sat a large disk-shaped stone with arcane symbols carved deeply into its surface. Mordax eyed it with professional admiration. None but the most senior of mages ever attempted to carve runestones, since it was very dangerous to summon the raw powers of nature that they contained, and any small error in the carving could throw a stone out of balance and instantly kill the creator.

"It was well worth while to learn how to make this," Mordax said to himself. "And it was useful to have the time to practice on it during the journey. I understand the tricks of using it better than most; certainly better than that fool governor. He will find it a dangerous tool to use. I'm not sure which will get the better of the other." He grinned to himself, then he hinged the lid closed, locked the trunk, and slipped the key inside his tunic.

"Now, about that pressing business I need to attend to before I go ashore," he said. Then he stretched out on his bunk, settled himself comfortably, and closed his eyes. The business he had in mind was a nap. He had stayed up much of the previous night working spells to interfere with the ships that were following them, along with counter-spells to interfere with the spells their mage was weaving, and he wanted to rest before going ashore.