Into the Icebound: Accidental Sorcerers, #4

Chapter 1

West and North

Stand aside, if you please, Bailar the Blue told the men blocking the entrance to the docks. We are on Conclave business. The two men neither moved nor spoke. What do you want with us? The tide is going out, and we are expected on board our ship.

The girl comes with us, said one, lifting a crossbow. The other drew a dagger.

Apprentices, said Bailar, in a commanding tone he rarely used with Mik and Sura. Behind me. Now. They stepped back, but flanked him instead. He looked at the man with the crossbow. You are out of uniform, but I recognize you. A guard at the Alliance embassy, no? And thus, I can safely assume that you are acting on Lord Darin’s orders?

The two men were taken aback, but scowled. She is needed at home, the man with the dagger insisted.

My daughter goes where she will, Bailar replied. She is a daughter of the Matriarchy, and has chosen to refuse betrothal to Lord Darin. By the laws of our nation, neither of you—nor Lord Darin—have the right to say different.

Then you leave us no choice, the other man said, and loosed his crossbow.

Father! Sura screamed as Bailar staggered and fell. Before the assailants could press their advantage, however, Sura and Mik glared at the men and pointed. Their anger channeled Fire magic, and both men burst into flame. Bellowing curses, they batted at their clothes, then jumped into the muddy waters of the canal. Mik stepped onto the docks and watched them, calling fists of water to batter and confuse them while a panicked Sura knelt with her father.

Calm, Sura. I am not injured, said Bailar. I raised a fender. Help me up, then let us board. The crew should prevent further incidents.

Mik! Hurry! Sura shouted, helping her father regain his feet. She picked up his staff, and they started down the dock.

Get the mentor on board, Mik said calmly, I’ll cover. He did not take his eyes off the men, now cringing in the waist-deep water along the edge of the canal. Backing up a few steps, he continued to pummel them with water.

Throw away your weapons! Mik commanded. They complied, flinging crossbow and dagger away. The dagger sank, but Mik Lifted the floating crossbow to him. You tried to kill my mentor, he growled, and they paled. But he believes in mercy, and I will respect that, as you could not harm him. You may tell Lord Darin that he should know better than to try snatching Lady Sura, alone or accompanied. Now do not move until I am out of sight. He turned and followed Bailar and Sura, keeping one eye on the motionless men.

You left them alive and uninjured, I hope, said Bailar, as Sura helped him up the wide gangplank and aboard the caravel, Wisdom of Camac.

I did, mentor, said Mik. They are now unarmed, though. He looked at the crossbow. It had a curious mark gouged in it, a crow’s foot. Perhaps it was for good luck. He tossed the crossbow into the canal.

Good, said Sura. She turned to a nearby sailor. Please inform the shipmaster that nobody else should board, unless you know they belong. We were accosted on the docks.

The sailor, a Northerner, looked Sura over. I take orders only from the shipmaster and the mates. But if you take it up with one of them, I’ll see to the gangplank until then.

We will, said Bailar. Mik, will you be kind enough to watch as well? If anyone who does not belong tries to board, use your discretion.

Gladly. Mik crossed his arms and watched the people walking up and down the docks. Nobody approached; if their assailants were watching, they stayed out of sight.

Soon, shouts of Cast off! rang across the caravel. Sailors pulled up the gangplank, loosed hawsers, and strained at poles to push them away from the dock. The river’s current caught the ship, the wind caught the single raised foresail, and they were away.

Mik was watching the docks dwindle when he felt Sura’s hand on his shoulder. Father says to come to the wheel. Shipmaster Vergal wants to confer with his sorcerers. She took his hand, and led him across the busy deck.

These are the apprentices, then? Vergal asked Bailar. He was an older man, with grey hair and beard cropped short, but stout and confident. He looked at Sura. Ya ‘prentice-master tells me yer a Lady of one of the Great Houses. That don’t mean much on my ship, ya understand?

Sura gave the man a grim smile. Good.

The shipmaster looked surprised, and Bailar laughed. I believe, Shipmaster, that my daughter finds her title to be more burden than benefit. But she and Mik are both strong Talents, and have sailed before.

Do any of ya know how to sail plain? Without magic?

I do, sir, said Mik. I had occasion to sail on a fastboat last autumn, and I learned what they could teach me in two weeks.

Vergal nodded. Ah, good. That can help. Ya won’t be expected to join the crew or nothin’, unless it’s a need. But it’s something to keep in my pocket, as it were. He looked across the ship, watching it glide down the channel to the sea, past the salt-makers and fisher-folk scattered across the delta. Looks like we won’t be needin’ magical help here in the channel, he said, pulling a cord three times. My daughter will lead ya to yer quarters. Yer things are already stowed away.

Go back to the embassy, Lotar the White told the drenched guards. You have a Healer on staff here, no? They nodded. I will join you shortly. They limped away on burned legs, and Lotar wandered the pier. A simple Finding spell located the marked crossbow, floating near one of the slips. He broadened his vision enough to see which slip, then walked to it and Lifted the crossbow out of the water. A handful of silver coins, maybe a few gold octagons, would loosen the harbormaster’s tongue as to which ship was docked here, and its destination. And then, Lord Darin may do with the information what he will.

Still, it was unseemly that Darin would continue to pursue this second-year apprentice as wife, especially after she abdicated her Seat. There was now no strategic purpose to be gained from marrying her. My part is nearly done, he thought. Then, I will be shut of this matter. And perhaps I will take my time returning to Dacia.

The shipmaster’s daughter was a girl named Lini, ten years old. She gave both Mik and Sura a friendly smile, and led the three of them to their cabin. Are you sorcerers? she asked the apprentices.

Apprentices, Sura replied. In our second year. My father is also our mentor.

Crew says there was some trouble on the docks, and you two swatted them. Is it so? Lini gave them an uncertain look.

That is something I was meaning to ask, said Bailar. Which of you set those men afire?

I did, mentor, said Mik. They threatened Sura, and tried to kill you. I have no regret. Lini gasped with delight, but Mik kept his eyes on his mentor.

I did, said Sura. I claim the right to defend my honor, and my father.

Bailar gave them a lopsided smirk. Your actions were warranted, in this case. And Mik, you did well, disarming them and keeping them off-balance until we were able to make good our departure.

Thank you, mentor.

Lord Darin, Sura growled. It seems he will not leave off. Perhaps I should just petition the reeve and marry Mik now, so he has no claim at all.

Mik, you may stop smiling, said Bailar. Lini giggled, then saluted and left. Sura declared her choice of a mate, in the hearing of her surviving parent and other witnesses. By Matriarchy law, that is sufficient to void any other betrothals or claims, especially any that she did not agree to. Of course, if Lord Darin were to succeed in spiriting her to Dacia, the Queen holds little sway there.

But we’re underway, now, said Mik. The Dacians can’t know what ship we’re on, or where we’re going, can they?

If they were to secure the service of an Oracle, they could, said Bailar. But that would be an extreme measure, and their purpose may not fulfill the needs of Necessity. He raised his hands. The tide comes in, the tide goes out. Let us devote ourselves to the task before us.

• • •

As long as there is wind, a caravel is swift. They reached Port Joy early on the third day, and put in to exchange cargo and mail. The next morning, they hoisted anchor and continued their journey.

The Wisdom of Camac rarely carried passengers of Lini’s age, or older not-children like Mik and Sura, so Lini spent as much time with them as she could. She knew every corner of her father’s ship, and Shipmaster Vergal allowed her to stay close to Mik and Sura. Bailar did not object, as the girl made an excellent chaperone and she was keenly interested in sorcery. She had an eye for weather, an ability not lost on her father. This one may find herself apprenticed someday as well, Bailar thought.

One afternoon, Lini showed Mik and Sura around the ship. I want to show you something, she said, leading them to a hidden nook just off the cargo hold. This is my place. But you can use it, if you want a little privacy. She giggled.

Sura looked at the rough walls. Did you paint all this? she asked, indicating the scenes of distant shores and mythical sea creatures.

Lini nodded. You like it? I found some little pots of paint among some unclaimed cargo last year, and Father let me have them. I used them to paint in here.

It’s amazing, said Mik. I couldn’t do half as well. He looked at the tiny room. Lini had installed a hook in the ceiling to hang a lantern, and a cushion on the floor. It was close quarters, but that was good for what he and Sura would use it for… Thank you, Lini. For showing this to us, and letting us use it. He gave Sura a sly look.

Father will scry if we’re away too long, Sura warned him. But it’s beautiful.

One night, the men were above, playing music to amuse themselves. Bailar sat and watched as they danced over a rope, laid out in what seemed a random muddle, while Lini took Mik and Sura aft. You want to hear some stories? she asked them.

Indeed, said Sura. You tell us one, then Mik can tell one of his, perhaps.

Mine is scary, she said. It’s about the Goblins. The Northmen tell lots of stories about Goblins, from the Age of Heroes.

Mik and Sura looked at each other. The Goblin Wars were little more than an aside in the history they had learned in school. Goblins were gone from Termag now, leaving behind little more than some great underground fastnesses (as the Northmen called them), and a few words of their language. That sounds interesting, Mik admitted.

Good. Let’s sit, and I’ll tell it.

I wouldn’t expect you to know stories like that, said Sura.

Lini shrugged. The seamen don’t always know I’m around. She giggled. I know when they don’t see me, because they talk about what they do when they have shore leave. She dragged three coils of rope across the deck, arranging them in a triangle. Although Lini was stronger than she looked, Sura insisted on helping her—after one day as a Lady of House Chelor, Sura had had her fill of watching other people do things for her. They placed two coils