Elysium

Chapter 21: Dragonborn

That night, I kept waking up. I thought I heard sneaking footsteps, or suspicious splashes from the river. I saw restless nightmares about grey snakes coming out of the holes of large jars, about pirates climbing over the gunwale, knives in their teeth, led by Rasputin – or was it Red Lefuet? – and about three statues, standing on pedestal, coming alive on their own, spreading their leathery wings and turning into dragons with roaring mouths.

As I woke up, I saw Mary, half buried under the wrinkled sheets, staring at me with opened eyes. I saw simultaneous fear and longing in her eyes, but when I asked her what it was, she answered everything was fine. I wondered whether I had spoken or shouted asleep. I suggested Mary to sleep in peace. There would be no more bad things happening. We had a rotating watch on the decks.

At the third or fourth time when I woke up, startled, I finally saw Mary seemed to be in peaceful sleep. She didn't stare at me. I felt as if I had heard something again. Of course it could be just the change of watch by the guards on deck, or a water animal splashing in the river. In any case, I had got enough of bad sleep and nightmares, and I no longer felt tired. I let my breathing calm down.

I carefully stood up from the bed. The ship was alive, it creaked and groaned and slightly swayed all the time. My standing up from the bed did not add anything to that. Yet as I was about to seize the cabin door's handle, I heard a breath and looked back at the moonlit room. Mary's eyes were open again, and looking at me, not understanding.

"Don't go, Mikael", she said.

"I'll just have a look", I said. "Checking that everything's okay. I'll check on Dovakin. I'll be right back, Darling."

But Mary had already sat up and was pulling a skirt on.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "You should sleep." Mary was putting on shoes.

"I'm coming with you", she blurted. "Where are Max and Roland?" she asked.

"In the next cabin." I nodded at the other door. "Let them sleep if they're asleep."

"Is Brynhilde there with them?" asked Mary.

"I've got no idea", I said. "But I'm sure they can defend themselves."

We walked the dark corridor to the doorway leading to the deck. There, a figure sitting in the shadow instantly moved and pointed a crossbow on us for a moment, then lowered it when he saw who we were.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" asked Killie, who was wrapped in his cloak.

"We'll check on Dovakin", I said. "Where is he?"

Killie looked at us doubtfully. Then a sound somewhere on the river or in the opposite boat caught his attention and he stared attentively at that direction. He was nervous. That was not a good sign. On the other hand, it was good he was alert.

The sound turned out to be a nocturnal bird, sweeping by our ship, releasing a melancholic buzzing cry, like a joyless carnival whistle, and disappearing in darkness.

"Alright", Killie murmured then. "Go to Mr Belinski's cabin. Pass the restaurant, and upstairs. Dovakin's there."

*   *   *

On our way, we had to explain twice to the crew of the riverboat that we were on our way to see Belinski and his guest. They recognized us as the guests of the inn, but they still perceived our nightly excursion rather suspiciously. We had to show we didn't carry any weapons but my sword, which they quite understandingly approved. I guess it wasn't customary in Elysium to walk around at night unarmed.

In the owner's cabin we found four men awake and one asleep. Dovakin was asleep, breathing heavily but most obviously alive. His arrowed knee, and the entire leg, were plaster-casted and bound. That meant they had operated him – moreover, they'd done so here, on board.