Dragon Choir (30 page)

“
They’re moved on to inlanders for profit. I’ve witnessed the
inlanders take them myself,” said Minni. “Calimska must collect the
shine from them.”

“
We don’t have slaves. It’s illegal to keep a
life.”

Delik tapped
his finger on the table. “What rot! Calimska still has slaves. If I
had the shine I could march to the trading post and buy one right
now!”

Elrin wrestled
to find the right words, at pains to defend the City of Gold. “It’s
legal to buy slaves from outside the city walls, like at the
trading post, but once bought, they are free. They usually work for
their buyer to earn a living and are free to leave as they wish;
it’s really a market for cheap labourers. I’ve heard stories where
men with cruel intentions have abused the laws, but it’s more
common for wealthy houses to buy slaves just to free them. They
dress them up and parade them around. It improves their standing in
society. Shows we are above all that.”

Minni crossed
her arms. “So, either guild authorities are breaking their own laws
and selling Jandan slaves for a profit or they are buying them from
Jando and giving them away to inland traders.”

Delik wished
he had better information about what happened after Calimska
received the slaves. Minni had her eyes in the city, but spies were
expensive in the golden nest and rarely worth the shine. It was a
tough job knowing what to ask if you didn’t know what you were
looking for. “Calimska is involved nonetheless. It doesn’t change
anything.”

“
Doesn’t change what?” Elrin’s face was an annoying cross of
curiosity and expectation.

“
The slave trade in Jando is only half the problem. We’ve
tried to stop the convoys sending slaves to Calimska with raids,
but they were too well guarded and we suffered heavy losses. For
our plan to succeed we have to stem the flow of black powder. It is
the only way to weaken the Jandans for the long term. It is their
power. It brings them more slaves, and buys them more powder. To
free the people we have to stop the powder.”

“
I want to help you. I know my way around.”

“
I thank you lad. We could use your help, but that dead letter
will be a problem. We’ll have to dig a way around it and get you
home.”

Elrin got out
of his seat and wrapped his arms around Delik in an awkward, but
brief, back-slapping hug. The young man grinned like a boy flying a
kite.

“
Bloody shiner’s and your customs! A hand shake’s fine enough
for most.” Delik cleared his throat. “Alright then, that’s enough
of the nonsense. We’ve got a spot of work to do here
first.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

A Letter

Elrin stacked
a slice of cheese and a pickle. “What of Amber and Hurn? Shouldn’t
they know about this? They could help too.”

“
Not yet,” said Delik. “Keep this to yourself for now. They’ve
both just found a moment of freedom. I’ll not burden that child
with any more than I have to and I’m not sure Hurn would understand
the greater plan.”

“
Hurn’s no fool,” said Elrin, adamant the ogre was smarter
than he appeared. “And Amber is the Key to working the Dragon
Choir. You have to let her know what you want it for. It’s the
right thing to do.”

Delik crossed
his arms, scalding Minni with a disapproving glare.

“
Don’t give me that look!” Minni wasn’t to be left wearing
Delik’s objection alone. “I thought Elrin could help me interpret
the prophecy from a different angle. He thinks Amber is the
key.”

Delik huffed,
reframing his glare on the young man. “Is that right?”

Elrin
squirmed, but didn’t back down from his hypothesis. “Who else could
it be? She fits the prophecy perfectly. We have to tell her
sometime.”

“
This prophecy business is Minni’s charge. She will make that
decision.”

A deep rumble
of Hurn laughing rolled down the pier, interrupting the
conversation.

Delik pointed
his finger at Elrin. “Not a word.”

Elrin chuckled
and nodded. “Fine, I’ll keep quiet, but you’re being far too
cautious. She’d help us more if she knew.”

“
Caution has kept me alive so far.” Delik collected the empty
plates and stacked them on a side bench. “Only a fool trusts a
smile alone.”

The cottage
lurched, sliding the plates towards the edge. Delik caught them
before they fell to the floor while outside, Amber’s giggles
bubbled though the air, propelled in a fit of hysterics. Hurn’s
indelicate footfalls hurried to the centre of the deck, levelling
the cottage again, but drawing loud protest from each timber that
bore his weight.

Elrin ran to
the door just as Hurn pounded out a knock that almost shook it off
its hinges. A gentle knock from the ogre would wake the dead. He
opened the still quivering door and was greeted by a pair of
contagious grins.

“
Well, look at you two!” Elrin crossed his arms with mock
disappointment. “Did Kobb send you off already? Causing a ruckus
were you Amber?”

Amber giggled
then shook her head, nudging Hurn to say something.

Hurn obliged
her. “Kobb says finished lifts for today. Says, go.”

“
That was quick,” said Minni.

“
No whips, no chains. Hurn Ga Kogh move fast.” Hurn sized up
the doorway and frowned. He stooped and twisted his body sideways,
half crawling to get through.

Amber was
taken by another giggling fit.

Delik hustled
over and stood in front of the ogre, their eyes level, preventing
him from crawling inside. “Easy lad! You’ll get yourself stuck in
here. Wait outside, would you.”

Amber stopped
her giggles and helped Hurn to back out.

Elrin smoothed
over Delik’s abrasive direction. “Why don’t we all sit out on the
deck? We don’t want you getting stuck outside with two fearsome
warriors all by yourselves.”

While the rest
of them sat down amongst the planters on the deck, Delik set to
work. He made a quick circuit picking ripe tomatoes, curly kale and
fresh green beans from the little garden. Lastly, he plucked a
handful of herbs then busied himself about the kitchen, chopping
and boiling and frying.

The air soon
filled with delicious aromas of warm spices, frying garlic and
onions. Delik knew his way around a kitchen. He called for Elrin to
help hand out plates full of steaming vegetables. Spiced potatoes
occupied one side and a fry up of kale, tomato and beans, the
other. Elrin’s stomach groaned even though he had not long had a
snack.

Delik handed
two overloaded plates to Hurn. “I hope this is better than what the
Jandans served.”

Hurn sniffed
it before he ate. His face lit up.

“
That’s it lad, tuck in.”

Elrin took a
plate each for Tikis and Fjhor who still sat on the pier. They both
refused the food until Delik intervened and insisted, bringing a
wineskin to share amongst them.

Tikis skewered
the spiced potatoes on his claws and dropped them into his mouth,
slavering the morsels down. “If brood mother found Tikis eats
cooked foods, she would bite this head off.”

Delik took a
swig of the wine and passed the skin around. “So what have you two
been nattering about?”

Tikis drank
then offered it to Fjhor, bypassing Elrin. “Nattering?”

“
Talking,” said Fjhor, taking two great draws from the
skin.

Tikis blinked
twice, clicking a strange chuckle before he went back to his
meal.

Elrin watched
the tattoos on Fjhor’s face rhythmically pulse, as if they had a
quiet breath or heartbeat. “You must have some stories to tell,
Fjhor? Where did you get those tattoos?”

Fjhor handed
the wineskin back to Delik and ate his meal without acknowledging
the question. His attention was dispersed, though he had no trouble
concentrating on eating. His plate was empty before the wine made
it back around for a second swig. He took another long draw before
his attention jolted into focus.

The tattoos
swirled over his tanned body. “You are all requested to attend a
welcoming feast this eve. You are free to explore Kobbton until
then. An escort will wait for you here.” Fjhor passed the wine to
Delik and marched away without a farewell.

Delik shook
the wineskin, and replaced the cork. “Strange fellow.”

“
Don’t think I frightened him off asking about those tattoos,
do you?”

Tikis
chuckled. “That one doesn’t taste of fear, tastes of spirit
world.”

“
He smells like wine now.” Delik tossed the empty wineskin to
Tikis. “Did you make friends?”

“
Spoke of blades and the sea. That one is Storm
Islander.”

“
Anything on Kobb?”

Tikis
hesitated to answer, flicking his eyes over Elrin. “Wash these
dishes now, shiner,” he said, pushing his empty plate aside.
“Generals talk now.”

The young man
was relieved to be offered an escape. Tikis made him uneasy, always
eyeing him over, assessing him. The drakkin radiated certain
violent death. Those teeth and claws, that dominating muscular
frame—he was made for battle. In the drakkin’s presence, Elrin felt
better conditioned for a library, knowing words were a flimsy
defence in raw combat. He couldn’t shake the image of Tikis eating
the brains of that officer. It was a challenge just to look the
drakkin in the eye, sitting so close. Elrin sensed Tikis’s
mistrust, for what; he didn’t know. It was unwarranted, yet guilt
brewed inside him for no other reason than an uncertainty of his
innocence. Perhaps the young man had broken a drakkin greeting
custom or needed to prove himself through some tribal ritual.

Delik took the
plate away from Elrin and stacked it on his own. “Elrin is one of
us now, Tikis. We can trust him.”

The drakkin
blinked at Delik and then at Elrin, saying nothing for a moment.
Elrin sensed a turbulent mix of acceptance and scrutiny.

“
Time in the hand beside the Lock does not make this one the
Key.”

Tikis might be
a lethal warrior, but his grasp of the prophecy was loose at best.
Elrin found himself correcting the drakkin, his enthusiasm for
accuracy overcoming his fear of death by tooth and claw. “This one
is not the Key. I think you’ll find it is that one.” Elrin tipped
his head in the direction of Amber sitting with Hurn and Minni,
juggling spheres of water.

Tikis curled
up his lips, revealing sharp and numerous teeth. Elrin tensed,
cursing himself for being a know all, preparing for a blow that
would crush his skull. Instead, Tikis slapped Delik’s arm, sounding
his aspirant choked laughter.

Delik chuckled
along with Tikis, so Elrin thought it best to accompany them. His
awkward laughter aside, the young Calimskan found himself a little
less scared of Tikis. He was making progress up the food chain.

As quick as
mirth arrived for Tikis, it vanished, leaving his scaled features
impassive once more. He darted his tongue about, tasting the air in
all directions. “When do we start?”

“
Not yet. We’ll attend Kobb’s welcome feast first. We need to
find out what he is planning for certain. I don’t want any
surprises.”

“
What does knowing Kobb’s plans matter? Whatever that one
wants makes a quiet escape harder. These ones should go
now.”

“
Go where?” asked Delik. “We can’t all swim like a bloody
drakkin. We need my father for a start. He knows the way. I think
Kobb expects us to escape; maybe he wants us to. Why do you think
he gave us free rein until tonight?”

“
That one is a slow bird. That one thinks there is no escape.
Might think these ones are better at sea bottom, out of that one’s
way.”

Delik shook
his head. “No, he could have done that long ago. He needs us, like
we need him ... We wait.”

Tikis rose to
his feet, hulking over Delik and Elrin. “Tikis does not wait. These
ones should not wait. These ones should walk this place. Scout and
hunt for information.”

“
That is a fine plan, but no escape. Meet back here before
dusk. We’ll share what we have found.”

“
Done.” Tikis dove off the pier with a quiet splash,
disappearing in the shadows under Kobbton.

Delik and
Elrin told the others about Kobb’s feast. Delik paired them off to
scout around Kobbton, Delik with Elrin, Amber with Hurn, and Minni
alone with the shadows.

After a few
moments walking through the sprawling town, Elrin noticed they were
being followed. It wasn’t Fjhor or any of his men, nor was it one
of Kobb’s crew in motley colours. This man was dressed simply, like
a fisherman, tanned skin and bare foot, trousers cut at the knees.
He remained at a distance as they meandered across the decks and
bridges, but when Delik and Elrin arrived at the busy market area,
he closed in. Elrin instinctively reached for his dagger; it was
there, safe and unseen. Delik pulled Elrin’s arm, urging him into a
brisk walk, bumping their way through the crowd.

Their pursuer
increased his pace, gaining on them thanks to the locals thinning
in the wake of Delik and Elrin barging through.

Elrin spotted
something in the man’s hand. “I think he has a knife.”

“
Right then, get yourself out of this market. Double back and
I’ll meet you at the guesthouse. Go as fast as you can.” Delik
melted into the crowd, dodging behind carts and produce
stalls.