“Isn’t there some place less congested where we could make port?” Gideon asked.
“Calvera is the only port for the whole island,” Levi said. “But I don’t think we should have a great deal of trouble remaining anonymous in such a large place. After all, I’ve removed the Trinity’s name plates and there’s so much traffic here. I have a good feeling.”
“Now, I feel much better,” Gideon said sarcastically.
“No better than I do, I’m sure, for having two deadly priests onboard to protect me.” They both grinned at one another and Levi went back to work guiding the ship into port.
The Calvera Harbor was a very busy place and seemed to stretch in both directions as far as one could see on this side of the island. Ships, too many to number accurately, of all sizes, entered or departed full of the spices and fruits the island nation had always been famous for.
“What’s the name of the king here in Macedon?” Ethan asked.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the island, lad. Last I heard, the king had been imprisoned along with his family. Mordred’s army has occupied the island for more than ten years. If something’s happened to change that, I’ve not heard it.”
“We’ll have to be very discreet. Even though a royal emissary was sent from Macedon, we can’t assume it was really from their king,” Gideon said.
“Then where are we going to take the scroll chest?” Ethan asked.
“To be honest, I’m really not sure,” Gideon said. “That’s why you and I will be going ashore in disguise to start with. Once we identify who’s actually in power here, we can decide if there is anyone on the island who can take charge of the chest to disseminate its teachings.”
“And if we can’t?”
“Then we go home and take the scrolls with us.”
The crew of the Trinity worked with the dockhands to moor the ship once they had found a place of entry. Levi went ashore first to arrange payment of docking fees and find out anything he could about who was in charge of the port and the island. Ethan and Gideon waited before actually setting off on the island themselves. When Bonifast returned an hour later and met with the priests in his cabin, he wore a curious smile on his face.
“Well, what did you find out, Levi?” Gideon asked.
“Good news, lads. A king has been reinstated on the island. It seems the son of the former king, who is dead now, began a revolt nearly a year ago. He managed to drive out the army of Mordred stationed here. I couldn’t learn anymore than that without acting suspicious.”
Ethan eyed Gideon curiously. “What do you think?”
“I’m not sure. Have you spotted any demon activity in the port?”
“When we were on deck earlier, I didn’t see any at all. It’s eerie how quiet it is-from a spiritual standpoint anyway,” Ethan said.
Gideon rubbed his chin. “Just the same, I think we should conduct our own reconnaissance further inland and see if the story holds true everywhere.”
“Well, I told the dock master that we were here to purchase spices, so I’ll get the crew working on that to throw them off our scent, just in case,” Levi said.
Ethan and Gideon cloaked themselves in brown hooded robes and girded their swords underneath. There would be nothing so suspicious about carrying weapons out in the open, but any measure of inconspicuous they could maintain would be worth it in the long run.
When Gideon and Ethan disembarked from the Trinity, they made their way through the crowded docks and onto shore with little difficulty. But when they started walking down the main thoroughfare into Calvera, a wall of soldiers immediately appeared ahead of them. The crowds dispersed. Another compliment of soldiers surrounded them from the rear, cutting them off from the ship.
The two priests of Shaddai stopped dead in their tracks as pedestrians cleared the way around them. “Hold, Ethan,” Gideon warned as the boy groped under his cloak for the hilt of his sword. “Notice the uniforms?”
“Gray and blue, not red and black.”
“These don’t appear to be Mordred’s soldiers. They’re wearing the colors of the former king, Gavin of Macedon.”
A royal coach parted the wall of soldiers, rolling up to Gideon and Ethan as they stood waiting in the deserted street. It was trimmed in silver and precious stones Ethan was not familiar with. The gray horses wore blue-feathered plumes standing tall on the crown of their bridles. The carriage came around in a semicircle so the door faced the priests of Shaddai.
Ethan wondered why they hadn’t been attacked. Still, he remained at the ready just in case. He hadn’t spotted any demonic activity yet and it made him nervous. In almost every town or city, where they had traveled, there had been some measure of spiritual activity, even if it had nothing to do with hunting the Deliverer. It’s like a forest without the sound of animals, Ethan thought.
The driver wore tight breeches which stopped short just below the knee. White hose continued down his leg terminating with polished, black shoes and silver buckles. He wore a powdered, white wig with a blue ribbon tied in the pony-bob and a decorative blue and gray vest with silver buttons. The man lighted down from the carriage, only slightly regarding the rather ordinary young men standing before him. He opened the carriage door and bowed as he held it open for the gentleman seated within.
The man inside the carriage peered out into the street, first, then stepped forward daintily as though he was concerned about how much road dust might get on his clothes. He was very tall and thin with spectacles sitting upon the bridge of his long nose. He wore regal attire in the same royal color scheme. He also wore a powdered white wig and Ethan supposed it must be the fashion-at least for the royal house.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” he said. “My name is Mr. Hollingsworth. I am the royal advisor to His Majesty, King Nichols of Macedon. I’ve been sent by the king to escort you back to the royal palace with the Word of Shaddai we sent for.”
“How did you know who we were?” Gideon asked suspiciously.
Mr. Hollingsworth gave a pompous snicker to Gideon’s question. “My dear young man, it was a simple matter for our dock master to identify your ship once he spoke with your captain. People just don’t inquire about the things he wanted to know. Of course, we’ve also been expecting you. Our royal emissary only arrived back in Calvera two days ago, so we hoped you would not be far behind.”
Gideon and Ethan still looked suspicious of the man and his soldiers. “Now then, gentlemen, if you don’t mind, the king is waiting for you.” Mr. Hollingsworth motioned to the open door of the carriage, expecting them to enter.
“I think, Mr. Hollingsworth, that my apprentice and I would like to follow after your carriage, if you don’t mind,” Gideon said politely. “You see, it’s been a long voyage and we were just looking forward to stretching our legs a bit on the streets of your fair city.”
Mr. Hollingsworth arched the corner of his mouth in such a way as to make it clear he felt walking among the pedestrians was beneath him. “I assure you gentlemen, I am no threat to you. But if that is what you wish, then so be it.”
Mr. Hollingsworth turned and stepped back inside his blue, velvet lined carriage. The driver closed the door, then climbed back up to his seat and took the reins in hand, snapping them once to get the horses moving again. The carriage pulled around and started back down the main street the way it had come by. Gideon and Ethan fell in line, walking behind it. The soldiers broke ranks and took up the rear.
People stood upon sidewalks on either side of the street, watching the procession pass on its way toward the royal palace. There were no cheers, only murmuring as they watched the priests of Shaddai in their drab clothing following the royal carriage.
Ethan heard one voice among the silence held by the other pedestrians. “Alms for the poor,” a man called. “Alms for a blind man who believes in the Almighty.”