Unraveled

  Trip touched her arm. We’ll find a way to get it off the bottom.

  In time to catch that steamer with Major Kaika?

  Let me think of some ideas. I can locate it. I just can’t be the one to go down and get it.

  Any idea how deep the harbor is out where those barges are? Rysha asked.

  Yes. Trip had checked while they’d been resting—and healing—on the beach. About two hundred feet.

  Rysha groaned next to him, and he didn’t blame her.

  I think the deepest I’ve gone is twenty or thirty feet, she replied. In the lake back home. I don’t suppose you’ve learned how to shape-shift into a dolphin yet?

  Even if I had, I wouldn’t be able to touch the sword. Unless I grabbed it with iron tongs. Trip remembered doing exactly that in the tunnel to Agarrenon Shivar’s lair.

  You want to shape-shift into a dolphin with hands to hold tongs? Maybe Sardelle will give you extra credit on your homework if you manage to do that.

  I think I’d have an easier time building you a diving suit. Or a submarine.

  Building a submarine? In a day? Trip, that can’t possibly be easier than turning into a two-handed dolphin.

  I should think one hand would suffice.

  Whatever gets me that sword back, Trip. Rysha smiled, but her smile had a bleakness to it, like she didn’t truly believe they could retrieve it.

  She was wrong about that.

  13

  “He’s more inert than his brother was,” Kaika observed when Rysha woke up early the next morning. She nodded across the chamber to where Horis was snoring.

  He’d been painstakingly methodical in taking his rubbing of the plaque the night before, insisting on making several copies. He’d yawned the whole way through it, and he’d fallen asleep before finishing. He now lay on his back, papers sprawled all about him.

  “Maybe he’s meditating,” Rysha said, pulling herself into a sitting position against the wagon that held the stasis chambers. “Loudly.”

  She’d dug out her spare set of spectacles as soon as she’d gotten back the night before, so she could see their guest well enough. His presence in the city had startled her the night before, perhaps because they’d seen so few other Iskandians here, and she still found it surprising.

  “While resting his hand on that dragon’s toe?” Kaika asked.

  “It’s not any worse than kissing a ball.”

  “I don’t think Leftie’s meditating when he does that.”

  “Hoping to get meditative with a woman, maybe.” Rysha smiled, finding she actually missed Leftie, Duck, and Blazer.

  She wondered if they had flown back to a peaceful Iskandia or if they’d found dragons attacking the country. Had King Angulus been relieved by the extra chapaharii swords they’d brought home? Or had he been disappointed that they hadn’t brought Trip’s sire?

  “I don’t think meditating is what Leftie does with women,” Kaika said, then lowered her voice. “Maybe we should wake Trip up and roll his siblings out the door. There’s too much interest in this place, and we still have another…” She pulled out a dented pocket watch that had survived their numerous battles. “Just under twenty-four hours before boarding time.”

  “Too much interest? There’s just him.” Rysha pointed at Horis’s back.

  “That’s too much. I’d kick him out, but then he might tell people he’s seen us. I’m more inclined to lock him in.”

  “Ma’am. I know him and his family. My sister dated him—or tried to date him. I’m not sure he ever agreed. Either way, we can’t lock him in a three-thousand-year-old shrine. Does that door even have a lock?”

  “We could shove a boulder in front of it.”

  “He’s from Iskandia. The nobility.” Realizing Kaika probably didn’t care one way or another about the nobility, Rysha added, “He said he’d take me to see Moe.”

  “How is Moe going to help us with any of our many problems?” Kaika frowned at Rysha’s empty sword scabbard, perhaps finding Dorfindral’s loss more of a problem than the missing baby or Dreyak’s mysterious death.

  “I don’t know, but he helped us before. If he’s been here for a while, he may have some good ideas about where to find things in the city.”

  Rysha yawned. After staying out so late and nearly getting herself killed, she was tempted to go back to sleep and hope the world would leave them alone for the rest of the day.

  No such luck, Jaxi spoke into her mind.

  Rysha twitched, startled by the contact. Maybe Jaxi was speaking to her because Trip was still sleeping. He had taken the first watch, then collapsed in exhaustion, his head crooked up on his pack. It did not look comfortable. His belt and soulblades lay next to him.

  What’s wrong? Rysha asked, glancing at Kaika to see if she had also received Jaxi’s communication.

  No, just you. You’re Trip’s snoffle buddy now, so that makes me more likely to speak to you.

  That’s how you determine who’s worthy of your words?

  That and how grouchy people are when I contact them. Listen, you might not have much time. I’ve been periodically reaching out to make sure nobody is sneaking up on us, and I noticed all the squatters have moved.

  All the people in the chamber we originally came through?

  Yes. I’m debating if I should wake the snoozing dragonling.

  Probably.

  “Major?” Rysha said, pushing herself to her feet. “I think you’re right. Let’s pack up and find another spot. Maybe we can get aboard the steamer early. I saw it in dock last night.”

  Rysha hoped the steamer’s captain hadn’t seen her. He might not want to take on passengers who had challenged two of the most powerful people in the city. And their magical guard animals.

  “Fine with me.” Kaika frowned at the snoring Horis, maybe wondering if they could sneak out without him waking up.

  There are two people that just came into that open area, Jaxi thought. They’re wearing some of those white cultist outfits. I’m waking Trip.

  Rysha wondered how soulblades woke people up. She imagined Jaxi zapping him in the butt with a magical shock.

  I gently nudge his mind into a state of alertness, Jaxi informed her. But if you ever want his butt zapped, I may be willing to accommodate.

  Uh, that’s all right.

  Trip rolled to a sitting position, his dark hair mussy, and grabbed the swords.

  “We have trouble coming,” he said, glancing at Kaika and Rysha. He seemed surprised to see them standing up already.

  “I heard.” Rysha grabbed her pack and slung it to her shoulders.

  “You know about the men lurking suspiciously out there?”

  “Jaxi told me.” Rysha kept her voice low, doubting they should openly talk about magic in front of their visitor, who could wake up at any moment. Even though she knew him, that didn’t mean he would be comfortable hearing about such matters. Few Iskandians were.

  “Jaxi’s talking to you?” Kaika tugged on her own pack and snapped her sword and pistol belt around her waist. “Why didn’t she talk to me?”

  “You don’t snoffle with Trip.”

  “I don’t know what that is, but if it’s like being his soul snozzle, I’m not interested.”

  “My what?” Trip asked.

  “Soul snozzle,” Kaika said. “It’s what Jaxi calls General Zirkander.”

  “I don’t need to hear things like that about my commanding officer.” Trip faced the exit, his eyes taking on a distracted quality.

  “So, we shouldn’t talk about the rumors that say he’s a thorough and inspired lover, either?” Kaika winked at Rysha.

  “They’re only rumors, ma’am?” Rysha asked. “You’ve slept with dragons but not generals?”

  “Oh, I’ve slept with generals. Colonels. Majors. Sergeants. Sergeant Majors. The delightfulness of variety is what makes life worth living. But I didn’t meet Zirkander until after he was Sardelle’s soul snozzle. Alas, he’s monogamous these days from what I hear.??
?

  Trip gave them a pained expression, grabbed the handle of his wagon, and headed for the secret door. “We can’t go out the back way with my cargo—up the ladder—so we’ll have to risk going past the people in the large chamber. I’ll do my best to camouflage us.”

  “We should warn—” Rysha pointed at Horis only to find him sitting up and stacking papers.

  “Please forgive me,” he said. “I was exhausted. But I believe I’ve taken rubbings sufficient enough to please even the most demanding professor. Or treasure hunter.”

  “Wonderful,” Kaika said.

  “I truly enjoyed visiting this shrine, I must say. Do you know it holds a piece of the long-dead dragon’s essence? I wouldn’t have minded knowing her. She was reputed to be friendly to humans and all dragons, even lowly bronze dragons.” Horis’s lips twitched wryly. “A rarity among dragon kind.”

  “Uh huh,” Kaika said. “We’re clearing out. Apparently, there’s trouble afoot.”

  “You better come with us,” Rysha said, not wanting Horis to be trapped in here by some trouble in the tunnels. “What time are you meeting Moe at the waterfront?”

  “Oh, I’m not late am I?” Horis pulled out an expensive-looking gold pocket watch. “Ah, no. I still have three hours. Very good.”

  “Those two men in white are running away now, toward the exit tunnel. We may want to hurry.” Trip depressed the indiscernible button in the wall that opened the door, then dragged the wagon through. “I can create a barrier around myself, Rysha, and Silverdale, but Major Kaika…”

  “I know,” Kaika said. “Eryndral and I are on our own. But why do you think we’ll need a barrier? What were those people doing out there?”

  “I just have a hunch there’ll be trouble.”

  There will be, Jaxi said, the words for all of them. They left little boxes. I’m not the demolitions expert that Kaika is, but I believe they are explosives.

  “Explosives?” Kaika asked as the group moved into the tunnel. “If you show me one, and if there’s a countdown, I might be able to stop it. But it’s probably better just to get out of here before they go off.”

  “Explosives?” Horis asked in alarm. “Near the sanctuary? There could be damage!”

  “Damage?” Kaika asked. “It could be obliterated.”

  “After standing protected by magic for thousands of years? That’s obscene.”

  Rysha tended to agree. She hoped the sanctuary’s magic would protect it. Why were people setting explosives under the city? In the hope of killing Trip and getting to the stasis chambers without having to deal with him? What if a rockfall buried the devices? Or damaged them irreparably? Bhodian wanted the stasis chambers for himself; he wouldn’t reward anyone for destroying them.

  They made it out of the maze of tunnels and into the larger area. A few spread blankets remained along with piles of trash, but the space was eerily quiet in comparison to how it had been the day before. Had the men setting the explosives warned the families to leave? Or had the people simply sensed trouble and fled?

  “I don’t see the explosives,” Kaika said, looking around as the group followed Trip at a jog.

  He was pulling the wagon instead of floating it magically behind him, and it bumped and clanked on the uneven rock. Maybe he needed all his power to keep a protective barrier up and look for enemies.

  “The people who left them are waiting for us at the canal exit,” Trip said.

  “You sure they’re waiting for us?” Kaika peered left and right as they walked, eyeing the rock piles. “Maybe they’re just admiring the view of the water.”

  “They’re aiming rifles and pistols back into the tunnel,” Trip said. “Exactly where we’re going to come out. Assuming we escape before the explosives go off.”

  “I feel particularly unloved in this city,” Kaika said.

  As they neared the ramp that led out of the large chamber, an explosion roared from one of the rock piles behind them. White light flared in the air, blinding in its intensity.

  Trip whirled, raising a hand as Kaika crouched down in a ball, her arms protecting her head. The storm of rocks that flew through the air struck an invisible shield before reaching her. Trip might not have been able to include her in a bubble barrier, but he must have created a wall between their group and the explosion.

  Unfortunately, another bomb went off farther up the ramp. And then another, one that had been placed against a stone pillar. It crumbled, and one of the huge arches spanning the ceiling came down. Rysha stepped closer to Trip and the wagon, wishing she could do something to help. In addition to the roar of the explosions, rocks crashed down all around them, the noise cacophonous.

  “Look out!” Horis yelled and sprang toward Kaika. She was still hunkered in a ball.

  He dove into her, pulling her several feet to the side as she yelled in alarm. An instant later, a massive stone block that weighed tons fell free from the ceiling and slammed into the ground where she’d been.

  Rysha stared. How had he known?

  Trip cursed. “I’m adjusting my barrier to protect us from above too. Everyone get close.”

  So much dust clouded the air that Rysha couldn’t see more than five feet. Someone bumped into her. Horis pulling Kaika along with him.

  “I’m fine,” Kaika barked. “Don’t manhandle me. Unless a bed is involved and I ask for it. I—” She broke off in a fit of coughing.

  Rysha didn’t hear the booms of any more explosives going off, but there had been at least four, and they’d started a chain reaction of damage. Huge slabs of rock continued to crash down as the ancient arches gave way. Light slashed in from somewhere above, but it was so hazy that Rysha couldn’t see much. Long seconds passed as the chamber quaked and more and more collapsed. She couldn’t believe how many slabs tumbled down from the ceiling. How far underground had they been?

  Fortunately, Trip’s protective barrier deflected the rocks that fell from right above them. He’d even found a way to protect Kaika.

  As the rocks finally stopped falling and the dust settled, Rysha realized two things. The ramp leading back to the canal was buried in rubble and what had once been an underground chamber was now an open pit with sunlight streaming in from above.

  She squinted up, half-blinded from the brightness, but the picture gradually came into focus, buildings ringing the pit and a few people standing at the edge, gaping down into it. Now, she understood why the ceiling had seemed to have a ridiculous amount of material to drop. It hadn’t just been the ground above them, but all the buildings built atop that ground. They were now broken into millions of pieces, bricks, stone, tiles, and even furnishings piled high in the pit.

  “Whoever set those explosives,” Kaika said, her words punctuated with coughs, “did not know what they were doing.”

  Rysha shook her head slowly, shocked by the devastation. “Why would Bhodian have approved this? Why would anyone? Destroying a city block just to get to us? To capture the stasis chambers?”

  “Stasis chambers?” Horis looked at the wagon, the half-barrel-shaped devices stacked atop it appearing undisturbed under their protective blanket.

  Rysha didn’t reply, realizing she shouldn’t have roused his curiosity about them in the first place.

  Trip lowered his hands—lowering the barrier, as well? “He may not have approved it. Maybe people seeking the bounty got overzealous.”

  “Or maybe someone wanted to destroy them, not collect them,” Kaika said.

  Trip arched his eyebrows. “Destroy? To what end?”

  “How would I know?” Kaika asked. “But I’m sure not everybody in the city works for this Bhodian. That was an insane amount of power. You don’t set off explosives like that if you want to capture someone.”

  “Even if that someone is a mage?” Rysha asked. “They may have anticipated Trip being able to protect us.”

  Kaika’s expression was skeptical. “Maybe, but Jaxi said men in those white cultist outfits set these bombs, didn’t she
? The Brotherhood people have been after us since we got to town.”

  “Technically, they were after Trip when we first landed on that beach,” Rysha said.

  “Perhaps we should move elsewhere to discuss this,” Trip said quietly, nodding up toward the people gaping down from above. He also scrutinized Horis.

  Rysha nodded. Horis looked more puzzled and confused than suspicious, and he had saved Kaika from being crushed, so Rysha was inclined to think well of him, but they shouldn’t be speaking of their mission in front of him.

  “Yes,” Kaika said. “Let’s go see if we can board the steamer early. If we can’t, I’ll sit our load down on the docks and shoot anyone who comes near.”

  Rysha snorted but did not disagree. They could join Horis when he met Moe, and being at the harbor would put her close to Dorfindral. She and Trip could work on a way to retrieve the sword.

  Except that Trip was going to a lunch meeting, one that was probably a trap.

  She grimaced. She’d almost forgotten about that.

  “While we’re there, we can drop hooks into the water to see if we can retrieve something valuable.” Kaika gave Rysha a pointed look, clearly contemplating the same thing.

  “You seek to retrieve something that’s underwater?” Horis asked. “I put together an archaeological expedition once where we pulled up ancient treasures from the depths of Skarborah Bay. We pulled up a lot of ancient junk, too, but as you know, even middens can contain interesting insights about the past.” He winked at Rysha. “I would be glad to assist you if you seek something out in the harbor here. We developed some techniques that you might find useful.”

  “I will help you with the retrieval,” Trip said coolly, frowning at Horis instead of looking at Rysha.

  “You’re both welcome to help,” Rysha said. “Trip, we could start right away if you skip your lunch trap.”

  “Trap?” Kaika said. “Did someone forget to mention this?”

  “We’ll fill you in, ma’am. On the way to the docks, I guess.” Trip turned his frown onto his cargo wagon.

  Rysha had no trouble reading that expression, that he didn’t like the idea of having the stasis chambers out in the open, even if there was a blanket covering what they were. By now, half the city probably had a description of his wagon and knew how much of a reward was being offered for it. And more than half the city seemed to know about the chapaharii swords.