A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (11 page)

Chapter Nine

Caldan watched Captain Charlotte as she sat on her armchair across the desk in front of him. The sun had set outside, and a welcome breeze began to blow. Her elbows rested on her knees as she intently examined the problem laid out on a Dominion board on top of her desk.

For the whole day the seas remained calm, and Caldan had spent his time on deck moving around as the shadows did to keep cool. He had avoided watching too much of the sword practice the crew participated in, then in the early afternoon a cabin boy approached him stating the captain required his presence, and he’d been in her cabin for the last few hours.

“
It’s a trap, isn’t it?
”
she asked, eying Caldan.

He shrugged.
“
You have to consider that, of course.
”

Initially, he wondered why she had summoned him then realized that, like the crewmen, she was bored with the lack of breeze and needed a diversion to while away the time. It wasn’t long before she unlocked a chest and carefully removed an exquisite Dominion set. It was made from eight different types of wood, both the three boards and pieces. Caldan recognized rosewood, maple, oak, walnut and one lacewood piece. Four other types he didn’t know.

“
What are the woods used in your set?
”
he asked.

“
Don’t try to distract me,
”
she said.
“
I know what you’re up to.
”

“
I wasn’t…
”

“
Of course you were. Everyone tries something to give them an edge.
”

“
I don’t need an edge.
”

Charlotte gave him a penetrating stare.
“
Is that because I’m no competition?
”

“
Yes. I mean no. It’s been enjoyable playing with you.
”

She returned to the board, muttering under her breath. In the last few hours they had managed two games of an abridged version playable on her set. She had lost both soundly, and in this third game she wasn’t going to fare any better.

After another few minutes examining the board, she sat back, scratched her cheek and poured out another measure of rum for her and Caldan. They had both consumed enough to be pleasantly warm, even with the cool evening breeze coming in the open windows.

“
I’m usually quite good at this, you know,
”
she said.

“
You are good. It’s just you don’t see the patterns before it’s too late.
”

Charlotte frowned and crossed her arms.
“
I’ve won a fair few ducats on games, so I think I see the patterns fine. I won this set in a contest.
”
She cradled one of the pieces and ran her fingers along the grain of the wood.
“
Maybe I’m having an off day.
”

Caldan nodded.
“
Could be,
”
he said with a shrug.

“
The crew have a couple of their own sets in their common area. I don’t like them playing for coins, but men will be men. As long as it doesn’t get out of hand.
”
She leaned forward and, with quick economical movements, shifted two of her pieces.
“
There, see what you make of that!
”
she said with enthusiasm.

Caldan studied the changes for a few moments then let a smile show.
She’d lost the game and hadn’t realized it yet.

“
Amused?
”
asked Charlotte, taking another sip of rum.

Caldan shook his head.
“
No. Interested, not amused. You know, it wasn’t a trap.
”

With a start, Charlotte coughed rum back into her cup. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve, looked at Caldan for a moment then smirked.

“
Ha ha! You almost had me there. Of course it’s a trap.
”

Caldan used his turn to move two of his pieces. He placed each with precision, just so on the board. He sat back on his chair and gazed out the window at the stars appearing in the night sky.

Charlotte peered at the board intently. A few minutes passed without a word being spoken by either of them.

“
Well,
”
she said, shoulders slumping.
“
That’s… interesting. You must have set that up close to the start of the game.
”

“
It’s an old strategy we were taught. Apparently, it was first used around four hundred years ago.
”

“
It’s not old if you’ve never seen it.
”

“
I guess that’s true. But anyone can read books on Dominion and study strategies for themselves. That one is from
Essays on Dominion
, and it’s also detailed in the
Morals of Dominion
.
”

Charlotte stared at him, astonished.
“
Have you read those books?
”

“
Yes, all the students did. Why? What’s wrong?
”

“
I’ve
heard
of them. They’re both extremely rare. The only copies thought to have survived are said to be owned by the emperor himself and the Sorcerers’ Guild. To have seen them, let alone read them…
”
She trailed off, shaking her head.

“
The monks have a large library, and their scribes copy many books for the students to study. I would offer to show you one day, but… I fear that’s not possible now.
”

“
Maybe I’ll visit the monastery the next time I’m in port.
”
She turned her attention back to the board and breathed out a heavy breath, the corners of her mouth turned down in disappointment.
“
I was sure I had it worked out.
”
Her face lit up and she smiled.
“
I know just the people to use it on!
”
she said and laughed, her unabashed enjoyment of losing to a new strategy causing Caldan to join in.

“
You’re different to what I expected,
”
Charlotte said after a short companionable silence, where the only noise was the creak of the ship’s timbers as it swayed to and fro in the strengthening breeze.

“
What did you expect?
”
He didn’t like the idea of other people thinking him a criminal.
Which was probably what they’d been expecting,
he realized.

“
I wasn’t told much, other than someone had been exiled from the monastery for an unspecified reason. It was natural to assume someone who has been exiled is fairly… unsavory.
”

Caldan nodded in agreement.
“
Mine was more of an economical and political decision, which hurts, to be honest. I injured a son from a wealthy family who could have withdrawn their children from the monastery, even made life hard for the masters by influencing other families to withdraw students or funding. In the end, there may not have been an easier solution for them.
”

“
What are you going to do when we make port in Anasoma?
”

Caldan stared into his cup.
“
I don’t know. I have some ducats, but not many. I thought perhaps to find work as a tutor to a wealthy family or a scholar with one of the guilds. I’m not really sure.
”

“
How much do you have?
”

“
A small purse,
”
he replied carefully.

She raised her eyebrows at him and waved a hand around.
“
I own this ship. A small purse wouldn’t interest me, even if I were a thief.
”

Caldan felt blood rush to his face.
“
Sorry, I… I’m a bit out of my depth here.
”

Charlotte grunted and sat back, crossing her legs.
“
But you said you injured the son of a wealthy family. I wouldn’t have thought that other families in the city would welcome you if they knew about the circumstances of your exile.
”

Caldan brought his cup to his mouth and smelt the dark rum. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like drinking anymore.
“
I hadn’t thought that far ahead,
”
he admitted.
“
I guess I’ll have to think more about my options.
”

“
There are places in Anasoma, and the rest of the empire, where you can win ducats playing Dominion, either from prizes or wagering on matches. Competitions sponsored by nobles and wealthy families, as well as the Autumn Festival games, which are coming up soon. Forget about the other competitions there, the archery, horsemanship, swordsmanship. If you entered the Dominion competition…
”
She let her voice trail off then continued.
“
Someone with your skill could not only win some coins but might come to the attention of one of the noble families or the guilds. People hold a lot of value in a good player, as you know. Could be an opportunity, if you can take it. Don’t underestimate yourself. It’s been a long time since I was soundly beaten three games to none.
”
She grinned ruefully.
“
A very long time.
”

“
They offer prize money to the winners?
”

“
Not just the winners, for places as well. If someone performs exceptionally, nobles or wealthy merchants may hand out ducats as a reward. I heard a hundred years ago a man called Kelhak thoroughly trounced all comers in the Dominion contest. He won the first prize and literally had bulging purses thrown at him from the crowd.
”

“
Kelhak? Are you sure?
”

“
Yes, that’s what I was told his name was. Why?
”

“
Kelhak used to be a student at the monastery, like me, except from a wealthy family. He was exiled as well, though for reasons the monks never talk about. He was a gifted Dominion player, and some of his games are studied by the students today.
”

“
That’s something I didn’t know.
”

“
What happened to him after the festival?
”

“
No idea. He disappeared. Some say he was taken in by a noble family; others say he left with a caravan heading north. Can’t say I have heard anything of him since that time. Must have found a nice girl and settled down.
”
She chortled.
“
Anyway, one more drink before I head topside to check on the crew.
”
She reached for the rum bottle but in her inebriated state knocked it off the edge of the desk. She made an awkward grab and missed. Caldan lunged for the bottle, catching and twisting it upright before it had fallen a handspan below the top of the desk.

“
I thought it was gone, for sure,
”
exclaimed Charlotte.
“
I could see myself picking up broken glass and my cabin smelling of rum for a week. Thank you.
”

“
Don’t mention it,
”
replied Caldan.

“
Quick reflexes you have there. I wouldn’t have thought someone could move so fast.
”

“
Just lucky, I guess.
”

“
No, I’ve seen people move fast, master bladesmen and the like, and you moved quicker than any I’ve seen.
”
She waved her cup for him to refill.

“
I doubt it. My swordplay is average. Any of the masters and top students at the monastery could best me.
”

She looked unconvinced.
“
You should enter the sword contest as well. No point being modest when you could earn some coins and a reputation.
”

Caldan shook his head.
“
There are plenty of better swordsmen than me. I don’t doubt they will be vying for coins and a ‘reputation’, as you say, at this festival.
”