Meran approached. “Is this your first time on a ship?”
“Yes.” Rell leaned out to look at the water. “The sea is so black.”
“Deep and cold too.” Meran smiled, as if what she said wasn’t incredibly troubling. “If you don’t get seasick, you’ll sleep more soundly than you ever have. The rocking of the boat will lull you to pleasant dreams.”
“And if I get seasick?” Rell asked.
Meran’s smiled turned tight and she patted the side of the ship. “You might want to sleep near the railing.”
“I haven’t been sick myself,” Ravyn said, “but I hear it’s highly unpleasant.”
“Well—” Rell thought for a moment, assessing her stomach. “I feel fine so far.”
“Good,” Siban said. “That’s a very good sign.”
She suspected he was placating her, but let it go. “So what do we do now?”
“Wait.” Ravyn pulled her cloak around her and leaned her head back to drink up the sun. “We should arrive in Alba tomorrow afternoon.”
“Sounds—wonderful.”
And it did. The lack of danger was exactly what Rell wanted. To sleep soundly, rocked by the sea, was a type of tedium she considered a gift. There would come a time, too soon, to be sure, when she’d wish for such boredom. She was certain of it.
Chapter Twenty-five
Their time on the sea was uneventful and as much as she had craved the monotony of the travel, when they finally arrived in Alba, Rell was ready to get off the ship. Perhaps danger was in her blood. Inactivity, though important sometimes, was not something she wished to experience too often.
The din from the crowded dock swelled up above the bow of the boat. Rell leaned over the side and watched the people scurry about. The pier stretched as far as Rell could see. Ships bobbed lazily in the water, their sides scraping and bumping against the dock when a ship eased into a slip, disrupting the water.
“It’s really something, isn’t it?” Ravyn leaned her elbows on the rail and stared down at the people. The brisk afternoon breeze buffeted her black locks and she gathered the thick mass in her hand to hold it in place. “I remember the first time I saw the port. I couldn’t believe there were so many people in one place.”
“It’s daunting being around this many people.” Rell squinted and rubbed her forehead. “I feel as if they’re all trying to crowd inside my head.”
“Keep your mental shields erected. I’m still not very good at letting a little bit of information in at a time.” She smiled. “Don’t tell Rhys. He’s been trying to teach me for quite a while now, and I dare say he’d be disappointed in me.”
An unladylike snort escaped Rell. “I doubt that.”
Jade joined them at the railing. “What are you talking about?”
“We were just watching the crowd.” Ravyn pointed to a legless man near a barrel on the dock. “See that man down there?”
Rell followed her finger and nodded.
“Look at the pile of rags behind him.”
Rell held up her hand and squinted against the afternoon sun and Jade leaned forward against the rail. At first the pile looked like discarded clothing, but with closer scrutiny a pair of ragged boots could be seen peeking from the heap. After a few seconds the boots moved.
“He’s got legs. But how does he appear legless?”
“Ingenuity. The blanket over his lap hides his folded legs.”
Jade shrugged. “A person needs to survive.”
The loud cranking of the gangplank being lowered behind them drew their attention. The three women turned to watch the crew preparing to disembark. From observing the men, Rell could tell that they’d sailed together for enough time to know the routine and work together. That was something she could appreciate now that she was Bringer.
Delphina’s voice could be heard ordering Hayden away from the gangplank. Rell made note of just how much work a young boy could be and squashed any bits of longing for a child that surfaced.
Siban exited the bridge and took the steps two at a time, hopping the last two to land on the deck. He strolled toward them, obviously happy to be home again.
“Once the gangplank is down, we’ll be ready to disembark.” He bent and picked up the small chest at Rell’s feet. “We’ll be walking, so I’ll carry this.”
“Is it far?” Not that it mattered. Walking would be nice after standing around for a day.
“It’s a bit of a trek,” Ravyn said. “Mainly because Alba Haven sits at the top of the hill.”
Rell looked up, but all that could be seen were tall walls of what looked like a fortress. She pointed. “We’re going up there?”
“Yes.” Siban walked toward Rhys and Luc, who waited near the exit. “It’s very beautiful and very safe.”
“Well—” Ravyn’s gaze cut to her. “If you stay within the walls, it’s safe. All of Alba Haven is warded. Outside of the wall is quite another story.”
“I’ll remember that.” Rell stepped closer to Siban.
“Don’t worry, you’re more than a match for any of the vagrants loitering about the gates of Alba Haven,” he said.
Once they were all gathered, Gregory quickly surveyed the group. “Are we ready?”
“I believe so.” Rhys moved to the front of their party. “There was no time to send word ahead to prepare for horses, so we’ll have to walk to Alba Haven. I’m sure we won’t encounter any trouble.”
Besides Faela, Rell had never been in a large city, and even then it had been with her parents when she was very young. Excitement skittered through her as she descended the gangway. People fanned back, allowing their party to pass. She had to admit, they were an impressive group. By some unspoken consent, each of the Bringers were dressed in black and outfitted with their weapons.
Luc and Ravyn each wore a harness that ran from their right shoulders to just below their ribs. In the casing rested an immortal dagger for quick retrieval. Though Rell still wore her sword at her side, Siban had chosen a sheath that sat firmly against his back. By reaching over his head, he was able to grip the hilt and pull the sword free to drive it downward for immediate attack. Once they reached Alba Haven and before they left on their journey, Rell planned on rigging her sheath to sit the same way. Though she’d grown used to the constant tapping of her blade against her leg, she would prefer to have the weapon secure when she pulled it from the sheath.
As they made their way along the dock, the creak of ropes and ships knocking against the pier mingled with the slosh of water and the clatter of carts. The odor of fish, both fresh and rotting, hung in the air along with the smell of oil and wood. There were so many people, all bustling to some place or another.
A woman’s high-pitched laugh rose from somewhere behind her, but Rell didn’t turn. From the docks they followed the flow of the crowd and wound their way past the large gates of the city. People flowed in and out through the opening. Wagons, horse riders, and those walking merged into a giant congested river of people. The constant breeze kicked up swirling vortexes of dirt. Rell lifted her arm to shield her face from the biting sand. When the wind died down, she brushed her hand across her cheeks in an unsuccessful effort to remove the grit. Compared to the open sea, the overcrowding of the city was stifling.
Siban touched her waist. On one shoulder, he balanced the small trunk. His eyes continually scanned the area for what she assumed was trouble.
“The end of days is near!” A dirty man in a robe shook his finger in the air. “The flying scourge will bleed our lands of blood and spirit!”
Rell’s steps slowed to watch the proselytizer.
The man’s watery eyes leveled on the group, narrowing in on the three sisters. “A legion to lead us. Three to triumph.”