Sara responded to the steward first, “The second floor of Margo House, room six. I’ll be there for ten days.”
Brice claimed room seven and Prin chose to share room six with Sara. She had never heard of the Margo House and doubted one existed, but that didn’t matter. Marcus gave a rooming house and the location of his business but warned he expected to depart on day two or three. The stewards added that information on the form beside his name and explained they would provide it to the authorities upon arrival so the passengers could depart as usual.
After the stewards finished collecting information from other passengers, Marcus poured wine into their mugs as he leaned forward with a sly smile. “How would they know if the addresses are correct? Wouldn’t a murderer lie about where he would be?”
Sara calmly said, “Probably anyone who was involved will lie, but I believe the Captain is looking out for his ship’s reputation. You mentioned it before. If the passengers are detained, they may be reluctant to sail on this ship again, and rumors fly instead of sail across ocean.”
Marcus interlaced his chubby fingers over his ample stomach and said, “So the Captain is appearing to cooperate with the local authorities while doing what is best for his ship?”
“You already knew that,” Sara accused him with a soft laugh. “It might even be at your suggestion. You are a far more intelligent man than some think.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The ship slowed and eased into the bay of the port city of Indore as crewmen furled the sails. Passengers carrying their luggage began appearing on deck when crewmen threw lines to small boats that would tow the ship to the correct pier. They stood in a mass on the deck, filling the starboard side, luggage in hand, and waited impatiently for the crewmen to finish the docking. Finally, the crewmen secured the mooring lines, set the gangway set into place, and backed out of the way of the anxious hoard. Passengers pushed and shoved each other as they fled the ship as fast as if believing it in danger of sinking at the pier.
Many of the workers on the dock and sailors on the ship paused in their duties to watch the passengers rush across the gangway. Upon reaching the pier, they raced for the nearest carriages for hire as if the surface was hot enough to burn their feet. None wished to remain on a ship where so many had mysteriously died, and the Indorian constables were sure to confine stragglers for an unknown length of time.
Prin caught sight of Marcus at the forefront of the crowd, and despite his bulk, he leaped into a carriage and ordered the driver to depart before sitting. Sara and Brice walked at her side, all moving quickly to hide within the crowd. But Prin’s focused her attention on the familiar city. She instantly located the church steeple near where they owned a small apartment above the warehouse a friend used as his workshop in their absence. She looked forward to seeing Eldemire, the carpenter who rebuilt their living space, again.
As they started to approach one of the carriages, a man stepped in front of Prin, forcing her to stop. He wore the abused garb of a warrior, stood taller than most, and the sunlight glinted off the bare sword he carried in a simple iron ring on his belt. She greeted the stoic man as an old friend with a warm hug. “I should have guessed you’d be here to meet me. The Order of the Iron Ring has stood with us since we left. How did you recognize me?”
A small grin formed as he returned Prin’s hug. “Welcome back, my old friend. I remember our first encounter well.”
“It’s good to be back. The city looks the same.”
“Looks can be deceiving, as are yours. This city has spent years of turmoil caused by those searching for an elusive young princess, and the search has intensified in the past weeks. Fortunately, you are much older than the girl they seek, but you can never tell what might happen these days. Will you and Sara be with us long?”
Sara said, “I thought my appearance fooled you. I hope it does better with others.”
He said, “Come, let’s get away from public attention. I should let you believe I have mystical powers to discern your identities, but Brice and I speak each time his ship is in Indore, so I knew approximately when to expect you and generally how you’d appear. He asked me to watch out for you as if I would do anything else.”
Brice wore a satisfied smirk as if he’d managed to put one over on them. But being watched and protected by the Order of the Iron Ring gave a measure of security that little else did. After they had walked up the waterfront near the smaller bazaar, he herded them down a side street to a small park where children played.
He said, “You cannot spend even a single night here.”
“That much scrutiny?” Sara asked.
He nodded. “I recognized at least five hunters in the bazaar, and the three of you had already drawn the attention of one before we ducked in here. You must leave. Today.”
Sara turned to Prin. “He has always been our friend.”
Prin felt stunned and empty at the same time. She heard her own voice sounding dull and weary as she turned to speak to her friends, “We have already decided Sara will go back to the ship today and sail tomorrow. Brice and I will find a way to leave the city. Will you watch out for her?”
“Your old friend Eldemire, the carpenter you call El, has a construction job outside the city at a farmhouse on the Coast Road. His wagon is almost ready to travel that way, and it is nearby. Is it possible a sorceress provided a spell that might allow you to amuse yourself by not being seen while you ride a wagon?”
“It is possible,” Prin said. “What would we do without you and your Order?”
“Perhaps we will expand our services and where we offer them in the future. One of several kingdoms inland have been mentioned where we may be welcome, and I’ve volunteered to travel to one called Wren in the coming days. You might watch for me.”
Prin wondered at the odd comment, but excitement and planning were foremost in her mind. She needed to get away. Even asking the Order for help violated part of their precepts, but the Order offered help without price or obligation.
None of the Order spoke directly for or against politicians, or took sides in those actions, preferring to operate as a charity, that chose who and when to offer their help. His suggestions and insightful answers made it clear he knew she was Hannah, just as he had when he’d come to their apartment years earlier with the warning of the mages searching the entire city for her.
However, she had not ever admitted her identity, and he had not accused her, so he would never have to lie if questioned. His suspicions were just that. She said, “El is going to take us?”
“He insisted. To my knowledge, it is the first carpentry job he has accepted outside the city so it must pay well and he’s in a hurry to travel. He’s waiting inside a carriage house near here.” The man of the Order turned and led the way without looking over his shoulder to see if anyone followed, but the three of them were at his heels.
They slipped along a few dank alleys and merged into the normal street traffic before entering a wide double door where a wagon waited. Sawn boards piled on either side of the bed formed an open space. A few cross pieces nailed between them hold everything in place. Prin noticed the unusual arrangement but her attention was for Eldemire who was checking the harness on a small brown horse.
Beside him sat a dog. Prin recognized it immediately. It was her dog, the one she’d purchased as few days before fleeing the city. It watched her, and she would have liked it to race to her, tail wagging, to welcome her, but it sat and watched. It was El’s dog now. But she had selected a fine animal. It kept itself positioned between El and the strangers, never growling, but Prin suspected it would if she made any threatening moves.