Redemption (Book 6) (17 page)

“Yes, well,” said Maklavir, smoothing out the front of his shirt, “I doubt it will be as bad as all that. They seem like a decent enough bunch, really.”

Kara glanced over at the pirate ship. “I’m sorry. I’ve made a mess of everything. I should never have tried to—”

“Stuff and nonsense,” Maklavir said. “You have nothing to apologize for.” He shot a glance at the merchant captain, who was slouching against the far railing. “Perhaps if the rest of this crew had shown as much backbone as you had, things might have turned out a bit differently.”

“Maklavir,” Kara started again. She brushed some stray strands of red hair out of her eyes. “I—I didn’t
know
.”

“Yes,” said Maklavir as he looked down at the deck. “Well, I really was going to tell you. I just—it never seemed like a good moment, you know. And then—” He glanced over at Joseph, who was still unconscious by the railing. “And then there’s Joseph. He’s a good man, you know. I didn’t want to—”

“I see,” said Kara softly. “That’s what the two of you were fighting about then, wasn’t it?”

Maklavir gave an awkward smile. “Yes, well that was just silly of both of us. We were both acting like children.”

Kara glanced over towards the pirate ship. “I can’t let you do this, Maklavir. If you go with those pirates, there’s no telling what could happen to you.”

“Especially,” said Maklavir in a low voice, “when these lot discover that the King of Valmingaard would probably enjoy seeing me dead, and certainly won’t pay any ransom for me.”

Kara took a quick look to make sure they weren’t being overheard. “We’ll come back for you,” she whispered. “Get you off this ship. Just keep—”

“My dear Kara,” said Maklavir with a resigned smile, “how would you even
find
this pirate ship, much less rescue me from it?”

“We could try to escape right now,” Kara said, grabbing his arm. “Come on, Maklavir, we—”

“Now you’re not making any sense,” said Maklavir sternly. “Joseph is still unconscious. Even if we could get him into a boat without being seen, we’d never escape that pirate ship on the high seas. And we certainly can’t
swim
away.”

“There has to be something we can do,” said Kara with an edge of desperation to her voice.

“There is,” said Maklavir quietly. “And I’m doing it.” He put both his hands on Kara’s shoulders. “Get to Redemption, Kara. Find Kendril and make sure he doesn’t get himself killed, eh? Just like that oracle of yours.”

“Oh,
Maklavir
,” Kara said. She looked up into his eyes. “I wish you would have
told
me—”

“Yes,” said Maklavir with a feeble smile. “Well, I suppose I’ve always been a bit of a coward.”

“You’re a lot of things, Maklavir,” said Kara. “But you’ve never been a coward.”

Maklavir opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything.

“Maklavir!” Sadira waved her hat from the deck of the pirate ship. “It’s time. Say goodbye to your girl and let’s go.”

“Goodbye, Kara,” Maklavir whispered. “Sorry about everything. I—don’t know when I’ll see you again.
If
I’ll see you again.”

Kara bent in suddenly and kissed Maklavir on the cheek. “Stay safe,” she whispered. “And stay alive. I
will
see you again. That’s a promise.”

“Maklavir!” Sadira tapped her foot impatiently on the deck.

For a moment Maklavir looked as if he was going to say something. Then he squeezed Kara’s shoulders hard, and turned for the boarding plank.

Kara stood silently, the wind whipping her short red hair as she watched Maklavir go.

The moment Maklavir’s feet touched the deck of the pirate ship, the boarding planks were grabbed and drawn in. With a series of shouts and barked orders the pirates disengaged their ship from the larger merchant ship, and pushed off.

Maklavir stood with folded arms, watching as Kara’s form began to grow smaller and smaller.

Sadira stepped up beside him. The feather on her tricorn hat bounced jauntily in the wind. “You’ll get over her,” she said. “Trust me, Maklavir, the sea is big. There are other fish.”

“Really?” Maklavir murmured. He could just make out Kara’s green cloak fluttering in the wind.

Sadira pushed Maklavir’s cap down over his eyes.

“Hey!” Maklavir said angrily. He pushed his cap back up and glared at the pirate queen.

“Sometimes,” Sadira said with a sly smile, “it is just a matter of knowing where to look.” She turned and sauntered back up the deck.

Maklavir watched her retreating figure for several seconds. For a pirate, she certainly was very—

He shook his head, and glanced back at the shrinking merchant ship.

He couldn’t make out Kara’s figure any more.

Chapter 10

Captain Beckett stormed up the steps of the blockhouse. His boots were covered with mud, his buff coat splattered with rain and dirt. He pushed inside, looking around wildly.

Wilkes shrank back away from the giant, red-faced man.

“Where’s the General?” Beckett thundered.

Wilkes pointed down the hall. “In-in his office, sir. But I don’t think—”

Beckett tramped down the hall and straight into Kendril’s office.

Kendril stood by his desk, looking out the small window onto the rain-drenched parade ground.

“Sir!” Beckett saluted sharply. “With respect, sir, I request permission to return to Hangman’s Hill. The defenses have barely been started. If the Jombards hit again—”

Kendril turned from the window. “It’s out of my hands, Captain. The Lord Mayor has disbanded the militia. He’s given us until the end of the day.”

Beckett’s face turned even redder than before. “Why that blustering, snake-faced buffoon! What does he think he’s
doing
?” Beckett pounded a powerful fist down onto the desk, causing the pens and papers to jump. “The dragoons are spread too thin.”

Kendril turned his face back to the window. “I know.”

“When the Jombards come back, they’ll sweep over the Wall and head straight for Redemption. There’ll be nothing to stop them.”

Kendril took a slow breath. “I know.”

Beckett straightened. He glanced back at the doorway of the office.

Wilkes was just peeking his head around the corner. His eyes grew wide as Beckett spotted him.

“Don’t you have something useful to be doing, you little pipsqueak?” Beckett roared.

Wilkes nodded. “Sir, yes sir!” His face vanished.

Beckett turned back to Kendril. He lowered his voice to barely over a whisper. “You’re going to do this, sir? Follow the Lord Mayor’s order to disband?”

Kendril kept staring out the window. “I don’t have a choice.”

Beckett took a breath. He glanced back towards the doorway. “Begging your pardon, sir,” he said in a voice so quiet that the rain hammering against the windows almost drowned it out, “but I think maybe you do.”

Kendril turned slowly. He crossed his arms, but said nothing.

Beckett crossed over to the doorway of the study. He glanced out into the hallway, then shut the door softly. “Give me the word, General,” he said, “and I can have five hundred men at arms and ready to march. At least a hundred mounted.”

Kendril’s face was like stone. “March
where
, Captain?”

Beckett looked at Kendril for a long moment. “To Redemption, sir.” He cleared his throat. “Look, the men are with you. You’ve led them well, and they respect you. But the Lord Mayor, well frankly sir, the man is a viper.”

Kendril looked down at the surface of his desk. His face was troubled and lined with thought.

“I don’t know why Blackstone’s disbanding the militia,” Beckett continued, “and frankly sir, I don’t much care. You and I both know that if that happens it will be the end of Redemption.” He took a step back. “You’re the man to lead us through this, sir, if you don’t mind me saying so. Not Lord Blackstone.”

Kendril lifted his eyes to meet Beckett. “So you’re saying I should march into Redemption at the head of an army? Take over city hall by force?”

“I’m not seeing as how Blackstone’s given you much choice in the matter, sir.” Beckett pushed his wide-brimmed hat further back on his head. “The men would be with you, sir. Nine out of ten of them, anyways.”

Kendril smiled bitterly. For a moment he seemed lost in thought.

“We go along with those orders, sir,” Beckett said into the silence, “and we may as well just hand Redemption over to the Jombards now.”

Kendril lifted his head. His face was calm and stern. “I will take the matter under advisement, Captain. In the meantime, I want you to help Colonel Root in preparing the men for demobilization. Colonel Yearling is going to take control of Stockade this evening.” He nodded towards the door. “Dismissed.”

For a moment Beckett just stared at Kendril. Then he straightened, and gave a sharp salute. “Yes, sir.”

Kendril watched as the captain made his way out of the study. Once Beckett was gone, he turned his face back to the window.

Wilkes poked his head around the corner of the door again. “Get you some coffee, sir?”

Kendril sighed. “Yes.” He looked at the streaming rain on the window panes. “It’s going to be a long evening.” He glanced down at his desk and frowned. “What’s this?” he asked, half to himself. He snatched up a folded brown parchment from the top of a pile of letters.

Wilkes looked up at the paper. “Oh, it’s a dispatch fresh from the Wall,” he said. “From Colonel Yearling, sir.”

Kendril nodded absently. He had already opened the dispatch, and was skimming through it.

Wilkes gave an awkward nod. “Well, sir, if there’s nothing else I’ll get that coffee for you—”

Kendril looked up suddenly. “Forget the coffee,” he snapped. “Get me Colonel Root. Now.”

“How’s the head?” Kara put a hand on Joseph’s arm.

The man pulled away a seawater-soaked rag from his forehead. “Fine. Just fine.”

Kara glanced up at the large purple bruise that covered Joseph’s forehead. “It looks like it hurts.” Her green cloak flapped in the strong ocean wind that swept the deck of the merchant ship.

Joseph squished the cold compress against his head again, wincing as water dripped down his face. “I said it was fine.” He glanced over the railing of the ship towards the empty horizon. “I can’t believe Maklavir did that.”

Kara took her hand away. “I thought it was terribly courageous. He saved my life.”

“Yes,” said Joseph as he rubbed water away from his face. “Well that’s Maklavir for you. Always as dramatic as possible.”

Kara took a step back. “How can you even say that? He’s risking his life for us.”

Joseph took the rag away from his head. “Sorry. I guess—” He gave Kara a sidelong glance. “It’s the head. I don’t mean it. Feels like someone banging on a kettle drum.”

Kara took a glance back up the deck. “Maklavir told me,” she said quietly.

Joseph looked over at her.

Kara looked back at him. “You should have said something, Joseph.”

“It wasn’t my place,” Joseph said. “Besides, things have been...complicated lately. Then suddenly out of the blue Maklavir decides he has feelings for you?” He shook his head, wincing again at the pain. “And through all this there’s been that vision you had, and the race to get to Redemption, and—”

Kara looked out at the ocean. “I haven’t made it easy for either of you, have I?”

“We’ll get him back, Kara,” said Joseph after a moment. “Pirates or not, we’ll find Maklavir again. As soon as we put in at Redemption—”

“As soon as we put in at Redemption,” Kara interrupted, “we need to find
Kendril
.” She looked over at Joseph. “Don’t ask me how I know. I just do. That oracle I had, the visions that keep coming to me every night...they are always about
him
. Not Maklavir.”

Joseph tapped his fingers against the railing of the ship. He pressed the wet cloth further against his head. “Let me see if I can get this straight, Kara. You’re saying that the man who vanquished a demon of the Void needs our help, while the man who can’t figure out which end of a sword to hold
doesn’t
?”

Kara exhaled. “Look...I know this sounds crazy. It always has.” She stared out at the white-capped waves. “But ever since Vorten I’ve known that this is my purpose, my destiny.” She tightened her hands on the wooden railing. “Kendril needs my help or he’s going to die. I just know it. And right now that’s more important than going after Maklavir, or even—”

“
Us
?” Joseph asked quietly.

Kara blinked and looked over at Joseph in surprise.

Joseph put the soaked cloth down on the railing. Water dripped from it down into the sea below. “If there even is an ‘us’,” he said slowly. “We haven’t talked about it at all. Not since before Vorten.”

Kara looked quickly away. “Like you said, things have been complicated. We were running for our lives, and—”

“We’ve got time now,” Joseph said. “And I’ve finally stopped hurling my guts every five minutes.” He turned to face the beautiful young woman. “And with everything that’s happened between me and Maklavir, I think you and I need to talk.”

Kara still didn’t meet his eyes. “It’s these visions, Joseph. They’re all I can think about right now. Getting to Kendril, and saving him from—”

“Let’s start with Kendril,” Joseph said. His voice was quiet, but there was a soft kindness in it. “Do you love him?”

“Of course,” said Kara. She finally looked over at Joseph. “But not in the way you mean. He’s like a brother to me. He always has been.”

Joseph nodded. There was a strange sadness in his eyes. “And what about me, Kara? Am I like a brother too?”

Kara looked at Joseph for a long moment, the wind battering her hair and cloak. She looked away.

Joseph stared out at the ocean. “That wasn’t fair of me.”

“It was perfectly fair of you,” Kara said in a dull monotone. “I remember that kiss, Joseph. The one we had in Vorten, before...before everything that happened.”

Joseph kept his eyes out on the waves. “I’m not good at this, Kara. You know that. But things have been so tense the last few weeks. And not just between you and me, but between me and
Maklavir
—” He put the cloth back up to his head, gingerly touching it to the bruise. “And now we’re going after Kendril, too, and I just need to—” He looked over at Kara. “I need to know. To know where things are between us.”