‘And a name for this boat.’ Kheda followed and hauled himself up, clambering awkwardly over the rail encumbered by his armour. ‘We’ll call her the Reteul.”
‘It’s my boat and I’ll thank you to remember that. I’ll think about a good name.’ Dev had already shed his hauberk and was lifting a long oar over the rail. ‘This’ll be a cursed sight easier once I have my magic back,’ he muttered dandy in Tormalin.
Velindre was lifting a trap door set midway between the stern and the mast. ‘What’s down here?’
‘A single hold.’ Kheda ducked to shuck his own chain mail. ‘With everything we need for a voyage of some distance,’ he added, straightening up.
‘We’ve been ready for days. What kept you?’ Dev grunted as he shoved at the shore. ‘Come on, lend a hand.’
Kheda picked up a second long sweep and went to help him.
‘What kept us?’ Risala moved to the mast and began efficiently adjusting ropes and sailcloth. ‘Apart from the rainy season winds coming up from the south at full force?’
‘I shall need to spend a little time seeing just how the winds and weather work in these latitudes.’ Velindre sat on the deck, feet tucked up, perfectly composed.
‘I’ve had enough of living as half the man I should be.’ The Reteul was afloat now and Dev dug his oar viciously into the shallow water, barbarian words harsh. ‘As soon as we’re clear of this anchorage, you two can manage the boat between you. I’m going to sleep until I can wake up a wizard again.’
Kheda matched the mage stroke for stroke as they rowed the Reteul out into open water. Risala raised the triangular sail and deftly caught the slight night wind. The boat moved through the darkness as stealthily as its namesake as the two wizards disappeared into the hold.
‘How rapidly the rain has cleared,’ Risala remarked, looking up at the star-strewn sky. ‘How long do you suppose that can last, at this season?’
‘I don’t know.’ Kheda surveyed the dim and dangerous waters ahead. ‘If any cloud hides that moon, we’ll be blind.’
Is this how it will end? All my deceits and these wizards along with them drowned in the all-concealing sea?
‘I’ll keep watch from the prow.’ Risala walked briskly forward to be hidden by the mast and sail.
Kheda set a course for the open western horizon. As the obedient boat skimmed lightly over the sea, he realised that Velindre and Dev were talking down in their hammocks, their voices just audible through the open hatch to the hold. He strained to understand the Tormalin tongue they were using.
‘So what do you make of life as a eunuch?’ the bald wizard enquired with amusement.
‘It’s not without interest,’ replied Velindre dryly. ‘There’s a strange freedom to having everyone assume you’re one thing while you’re really something quite different.’
‘Why else do you think I spend so much time in these islands?’ chuckled Dev.
No, that’s not what I mean.’ Velindre fell silent for a moment. ‘I’m thinking more about being freed from expectations. Everyone’s always expecting something in Hadrumal, something more, even if they don’t know what it is. You’re always searching for it. Hereabouts? Everything’s set out for you, depending on where you were born. Everyone knows what’s expected of them. Few people seem to see any need to move out of their allotted sphere.’
‘You call that freedom?’ scoffed Dev. ‘That potion of theirs has dulled your wits as well as your affinity. And there are plenty of people in these islands out to escape their lot with smuggled liquor, dream smokes or a willing girl. I’ve made a good living selling all three. Fancy coming into business with me when we’re done here?’
‘Go pleasure yourself with your sword hilt,’ Velindre replied without heat. You might know more about these islands if you didn’t spend all your time in the bilges. I’ve read a handful of their philosophers debating the precise nature of freedom on my way here. Archipelagans don’t think like us but they certainly think. This is a far more curious place than I ever imagined’
‘You’re not here to be curious; you’re here to help me kill this dragon and whatever cocky bastard of a wild wizard’s raising it.’ There was a cruel hunger in Dev’s voice. ‘Can you do this? Can we? Truly?’
‘I believe so.’ Velindre sounded definite.
‘Better show me the trick of it,’ Dev observed casually. ‘Just in case.’
‘Hardly,’ the magewoman retorted. ‘I don’t trust you with that kind of magic’
‘What if you need me to save your skin?’ challenged Dev.
‘I’ll just have to make sure I don’t,’ Velindre countered.
There was another silence, this time so long Kheda thought both barbarians had fallen asleep.
‘I’ll show you the trick of it when I take the knowledge back to Hadrumal, along with word of all that’s happened down here,’ said Velindre at last. ‘I’ll want to call a witness before the Council. You’re hardly ideal but you’ll do.’
‘Flattery will get you everywhere,’ muttered Dev.
Velindre’s reply was inaudible and after that there was nothing more to be heard.
Once they were past the coastal reefs of Esabir, Risala moved to satisfy herself that the sail was rigged to best advantage. Then she came aft to sit on the stern thwart with Kheda, the tiller between them. They sat in silence as they sailed through the moonlight.
‘What’s Dev been like, stripped of his magic?’ she asked some little while later.
‘Oddly diminished,’ Kheda said after a moment’s thought. ‘As unpleasant as ever, when he puts his mind to it. He’s just not been putting his mind to it as much. What about the woman, Velindre?’
‘More desperate than diminished.’ Risala shivered and not merely from the cool breeze. ‘I wouldn’t have wanted to be sailing with her without a crew of loyal Chazen to cow her. Still, she threw herself into her studies, by way of distraction. She can certainly pass for a scholar now.’
‘The only thing that distracted Dev was alcohol,’ Kheda admitted, shamefaced.
‘I saw,’ said Risala with some alarm. ‘That could hardly reflect well on you.’
No one else knows.’ Kheda shook his head. No one saw him drunk. What else could I do?’
Risala had no answer to that. They sat in silence as Kheda steered the little boat well clear of a dark islet rimmed with pale, noisy surf.
‘The mood in Chazen is strange,’ Risala commented. ‘On a knife edge.’
‘There have been positive omens.’ Kheda looked at her. Not many, I’ll grant you, but such as have been seen, all have counselled patience and trust in a beneficial outcome.’
‘Word seems to be circulating.’ She nodded thoughtfully. ‘The people are telling each other to trust in them.’
‘In the omens?’ Kheda asked quizzically. Not in me?’
‘I haven’t heard open doubts expressed.’ Risala shrugged, a shadow in the dim moonlight. ‘It’s been a perilous season.’
Kheda concentrated on steering a straight course. ‘What are people making of the way this dragon seems to have taken to some lair rather than burning or plundering any more islands?’
Risala shrugged again. No one seems to know what to make of anything to do with the dragon.’
‘Do you trust me?’ Kheda stared straight ahead, hand light on the tiller. ‘Do you believe I’m doing what I honestly think best for Chazen?’
‘Yes,’ Risala replied without hesitation. Kheda waited, sensing there was more to come. ‘People believe you’re doing your best by Chazen and by Itrac’ Risala’s voice was studiedly neutral. ‘There are wagers circulating around most anchorages as to when she’ll quicken with child.’
‘I wish I thought I was doing the right thing by her,’ Kheda admitted without reserve. ‘I can’t help thinking of Sain Daish when I look at Itrac. They’re much of an age. I keep wondering what Sain thinks of me now. That was a marriage of convenient alliance like this one and I thought keeping her in luxury and pleasuring her in bed was all that was required of me.’ He trusted that the veil of night was hiding his expression. ‘That was certainly all Rekha ever expected. But Sain was shy and nervous and I barely had a chance to get to know her before all this confusion threw us apart. Her life could have been very different if her brother hadn’t married her off to me.’ He caught his breath and concentrated on steering the boat as an unseen current tugged at the tiller.