The Darkness at the Edge of Noon: a Thalassia novel Page 18
Logan thanked his lucky stars that none of the survivors had been aboard to see the sorry wreckage of Kolding. Everything had been burned. Smoke curled in thin and thick fingers from every structure: every house, every dock, and every boat. Flames still flickered fitfully from the windows of the fortified keep. Logan noted that the drawbridge was down. Even the battle hardened Marines turned away when they saw the pieces of bodies scattered across the beaches and fields. The crows and ravens were just starting to arrive.
Logan turned to the big First Mate. “Set course for Falun, Mister Barr.” He felt sick and it took all his concentration not to join Chief Beinir at the railing, losing his lunch.
Tanden looked back with stricken eyes. “Aye, sir.” He tore his eyes away from the shore and turned them back to the sea.
Padraig touched his sleeve to get his attention. “The beasts floated down river on log rafts. You can see them piled up at the shore. They climbed the walls with ropes.” He pointed to a thin line dangling from a soot-stained wall. “And probably let the drawbridge down to admit their waiting forces.” Logan turned a worried glance toward Chief Beinir. “I don’t think the creatures could throw a rope up a two hundred foot wall. Not yet anyway. Your city should be safe.”
Chief Beinir remained silent, but the lump of ice in his stomach grew larger.
Six hundred leagues. Eighteen hundred miles. It was going to be a long trip to Falun no matter how he looked at it. They had been at sea months now, and the very memory of Medin was getting fuzzy and distant.
Maeve touched his arm. “Dark thoughts, Logan?”
He sighed. “It has been a long trip, Maeve. I’m starting to forget what my own adopted children look like.” He let out an ironic laugh. “Rhiannon probably doesn’t even remember me.”
“I suspect that she remembers you better than you might believe, Logan MacKennit.”
“How would you know, Maeve?” Logan gave her a curious look.
“I’ve seen the looks she threw your way, even if you didn’t.”
He chuckled. “Sort of like the looks you’re giving me right now?”
Maeve blinked. “I wouldn’t know, Logan.” Her voice was aloof, but her face was turning red.
He smiled and touched her arm. “Never mind.”
It had been five weeks since the grizzly beach at Kolding. Both Marines and crew seemed determined to forget those pieces of bodies, bodiless heads, faces twisted in final agony. A silent gloom had descended on the ship. Two more weeks to Falun, if the weather held.
Beinir had shed some of his furs, because of the warm days, and he looked almost human. He pointed at a broken stretch of land on the far shore. “The river Slidr.” He laughed bitterly. “Named after a river in Hel. Fitting don’t you think?”
Logan stood shoulder to shoulder with the big Chief, looking out across the deep blue water. “I suppose, after all that’s happened.”
“Rumor has it that there be sea monsters about.” He let out a deep belly shaking laugh. “Sea monsters.”
Beinir was still laughing when Jade spoke.
“Deck there!” The voice of the lookout called down. “Starboard bow ahoy. Something in the water moving toward us... fast!”
Logan made a quick hand motion. Bel and Tiana nodded before they ran for their crossbows. He shaded his eyes. There! A cable distant and closing fast. A white froth in the water.
“Tack away, Mister Barr. See if we can out run it.”
“Aye. Changing tack.” Barr called back, a doubtful note in his voice.
“Deck there!” The lookout called again. “Two more sea monsters approaching, from the stern! Four mebby five cables away!”
Logan swore. “All right, Mister Barr. Belay that tack. Turn right down the first beast’s throat. They want to fight, we’ll fight.”
“Aye, sir!” The big First Mate pulled at the tiller and the slim warboat came about.
The ripples in the blue water were only a half a cable away now, about three hundred feet, and closing fast. “Brace for impact!” Logan bellowed. In the bow he saw Bel raise her crossbow, take careful aim and fire. She made a dive for the deck afterward, weapon cradled to her chest.
Thick greenish tentacles rose out of the water just as the Lainie Mairi struck. A grinding crash shook the vessel, and Marines and sailors alike were tossed about. A tentacle as thick as his leg snatched a seaman from the railing, dragging the wild eyed, screaming man below the dark blue waves. More waving tentacles appeared, coming over the side. Marines and seamen hacked with swords and axes, and soon the deck was slippery with the blue blood of the beast. The deck shuddered, as a massive gray body tried to crawl over the shattered port rail. Two yellow eyes the size of dinner plates started at Logan, black pupils unblinking.
“Shoot the eyes!” He called out into the general bedlam, hoping someone would hear. “Shoot for the eyes!” In the din he never heard the replies, but the two eyes winked out like snuffed candles, oozing a blue ichor. The monster thrashed in its death agonies, throwing men and pieces of the ship around with equal abandon. Logan heard a scream, and turned in time to see Chief Beinir lifted bodily into the air, and then slammed to the deck. Cracking bones and boards came to his ears over the noise of fighting. The third time the tentacles slammed the body to the deck, Chief Beinir stopped moving. He watched, wide eyed and queasy, as the sinking, blinded monster took the body of the Chieftain of Gjøvik with it into the cold depths. Logan slashed once more at the tentacle that had been holding him, severing it to flop helplessly on the deck, dribbling blue blood. He glanced astern, and saw the two other beasts a scant two cables away.
“Barr!” The First Mate was still at the tiller, trying to stop the bleeding from a long slash down one cheek. “Head for land, with all the sail she can carry!”
Tanden gave him a long look. “There be reefs toward land, sir.”
“Better a chance of drowning, than the certainty of being eaten by them.” Logan glanced astern, and the First Mate followed his gaze. “Those are deep water creatures.”
“Aye.” Barr muttered, turning back to Logan. “Yev gort a point there.” He pushed the tiller over, and began to bellow orders to what remained of the crew while Logan counted heads. All his Marines were still there. He let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He kept counting. Four of the seamen were gone, along with Chief Beinir. The boat heeled over slightly, as she gained speed.
“Logan!”
He turned at the sound of his name and saw Grady pointing. It looked like a wide gust of wind passing across the water, heading toward the speeding boat, except that it wasn’t the wind. Logan frowned and leaned over the railing, staring. A small body leaped out of the water, then another. A foot and a half long at most, they were smaller copies of the monster they had slain; they had sailed into a spawning ground! Now that they were closer he could see that the beasts were leaping, tentacles outstretched, blood red beak in the center snapping angrily.
“Get ready!” All the sailors and Marines were staring out at the frothing mass fast approaching. “Mister Barr. Lash off the tiller, if you please. You’ll need your hands to fight off these things.”
“Aye, sir.” The big man grinned, pulling loose his massive cutlass. He looked at the weapon briefly, then discarded it in favor of a smaller sword someone had dropped. Looking up at Logan, he just shrugged.
Suddenly the wave was upon them, and Logan was fighting for his life, swinging at the small flying shapes. On the bow he could see Maeve standing over crouched Bel and Tiana, casually swatting the flying monsters out of the air with her staff while the scouts knocked down the tentacled things with uncommon accuracy.
As suddenly as it began it was over. The rippling wave, not as thick as it had been, swept on past the beleaguered boat and out to sea. He spied two full grown monsters a bare cable length away off their stern and closing fast. Ahea
d of them, about a cable away, he could see the roiling waves hitting the reef. Reef, ship and monsters would collide at roughly the same time, he guessed. Who would survive was up to the gods now.
“Take all your gear, everything that can float and make rafts out of it. The ship will probably break up when we hit the reef, and we will have to swim to shore.” He had to shout to make himself heard over the crashing sea that slid alongside the racing hull of the boat.
“But I cain’t swim, Capin.” A seaman shouted back.
“Then find something to hold on to. Someone will tow you to shore.” He had to give them some hope. Any hope. “Now get busy. If those monsters catch us before we reach the reef we’ll have to fight them off until we do. They won’t come over the reef. It will tear them to shreds.”
Using the same tactic on the humans as they had used on numerous whales in the past, the sea creatures attacked from both sides, driving their prey forward as they wrapped their tentacles more tightly about it. The reef, and the fact that they were attacking a human vessel and not a whale was their undoing. The boat shuddered and lurched as the monsters hit and began to wrap their long, sucker ridden tentacles around the hull. The humans, however, were ready. Seamen and Marines sprang up, chopping great rents in the thick rubbery flesh, while the crossbows on the stern sought out the eyes, with unerring accuracy.
Logan, and probably no other human on the vessel, had ever heard a monster scream before this. Both of the monsters came out of the water as their bodies shredded on the razor sharp reef, and howled in earsplitting agony. Bleeding tentacles were jerked roughly off the deck scattering their attackers and then, before the Marines or crew had a chance to breathe, the boat hit.
Logan heard the keel groan, then break as sea and reef conspired to sink the frail, battered ship. The mast quivered and snapped, taking down a tangle of rigging and spars onto the deck with the foaming water surging across it.
“Push the rafts off and then jump!” Logan shouted, rapidly counting heads again. “Go! Go!”
“Logan!” The voice was weak but familiar, and it was in pain. He spun to see Ryanne Keegan, pinned under a fallen spar. Her leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, her face white with pain and shock. “Help me!”
He reached the woman’s side in three quick steps, and began to check her injuries. “I don’t recall authorizing this, Corporal. You’re not authorized for these sort of injuries until you’ve reached sergeant.”
She laughed weakly, then gasped as Logan shifted the weight of the spar off her broken leg. “Sorry, sir. I’ll do better next time.” He pulled her across the deck and she groaned.
“You had better see to it, Corporal.” He slid her into the water as the warboat slowly broke up beneath the frothing waves, paddling slowly toward a bit of floating hatch cover. “If you don’t I’ll bust you down to private, and then you’ll only be authorized to get slivers.” He could feel her chuckle.
“Oh, Logan, it hurts...” She began to cry, and he pulled the hatch cover slowly toward the distant shore.
Chapter 14
Logan sat on the warm beach and wiggled his toes in the pristine white sand. Ryanne’s sleeping head was in his lap, and he was unconsciously stroking her fine hair. The sky was a deep cerulean blue, and the warm breeze, unusual for this time of year, smelled of sweet flowers and dark rich earth. A dull headache sat at the back of his neck, as if to remind him of the frailty of human life. Like he needed a reminder. He looked at the people sitting on the beach beside him. They were a baker’s dozen now. Thirteen survivors. Ten battered Marines, one First Mate and two very lucky seamen. One had been the same fellow who admitted he couldn’t swim. He’d followed Logan’s advice, and he was alive. The rest hadn’t been so fortunate.
“What now, Logan?” Aileen Cronin looked up from splinting Ryanne’s leg.
He looked down at the girl’s face in his lap. “We know where we are, at least.”
“Oh?”
“A hundred leagues from Falun, along the southern coast between Falun and Koldir.”
“A long way to walk.” Her face was grim.
“That’s a very true thing, my friend. We are also without weapons, supplies or money.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Tanden Barr’s voice was gravelly from the long swim in the salt water, as he tossed a thick leather bag next to Logan. “I saved the gold Beinir paid you for the iron.”
Logan laughed. “Very smart, except that you can’t eat gold, and from what I’ve seen there aren’t many four star lodges close by.” Logan picked up the sack and shook it, listening to the soft metallic clinking within. “Divide it up, Mister Barr.” The big man’s eyes widened. “When you’ve done that I think that it’s time for us to go home. A bit of leave would do us all some good.”
The former First Mate was looking at him as if he were crazy, and then his gaze swept the smiling faces of the Marines. He frowned. “Yer either crazy, or yer know something that I don’t.”
“Divide up the money, Mister Barr.” Logan said with a chuckle. “I want a hug from my children, a hot meal, and a long bath—not necessarily in that order.”
Barr was shaking his head, but he was counting out the money. “Two coins left over.” He handed them to Logan. “Yer the captain. Yers is the bigger share.”
“Thank you, Mister Barr.” He winked at Aileen and picked up the first coin. “An offering to the Goddess Selene.” He tossed the coin in the air, where it spun, catching the sunlight and vanished. Tanden gaped. He took the second coin. “An offering to the Goddess Rhiannon.” He tossed the coin in the air, where it spun catching the sunlight. The coin reached the top of its arch, and began to fall when a hand reached out and snagged it from the air. He didn’t have to look. “Hello, Rhiannon.” He stood, picking up the sleeping girl in his arms.
“Do you want me to...?”
“No, thanks, Nan. I’ll do this myself.” He smiled at the sleeping face. “I look on Ryanne as my own little sister; impulsive, headstrong, often in trouble, but I love her anyway.”
The goddess gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re a good man, Logan MacKennit.”
“Yeah.” He added wryly. “I’m so good I got half my people killed—again.”
Rhiannon put her arm through his. “I think that you actually saved half your people, Logan, and all of our Marines.”
The air flickered and they were home. People crowded round; friends, family, lovers. Someone gently took Ryanne from his arms.
“Wait...” He reached out, and placed his palm on the girl’s bare shoulder.
Jade chuckled.
“Daddy!” A pair of shouts cut across the general babble and Logan was bowled over onto the thick carpet by two flying bodies. “Daddy, daddy, daddy!”
“Hullo, kids.” He found that his voice was inexplicably thick. The crowd of bodies pulled back, giving them room for privacy, then began to disperse in knots or small family groups. Logan saw a richly dressed Tam Kirby greet the three stunned sailors and lead them off, probably to the tavern. “How have you been?”
“Oh, we’ve been great.” Silvie lowered her voice conspiratorially. “You had better know that Selene tries to be strict with us, but she spoils us terribly.”
“And the school?” He asked, struggling to his feet.
“We love the school. Nobody ever took the time to teach us before. Caera tried to teach us a little in her off time, back in Ballinasloe.
All it did was to make us want more.”
Logan was shocked. “Why didn’t they teach you?” There was outrage in his voice.
“We were orphans. Nobody wants orphans.” There were tears in her eyes and she gave his hand a crushing grip. “Except you, Logan.”
He swallowed a growl as they entered the doorway to their sumptuous apartment. He stopped still and blinked in surprise. There had been a change. A BIG change.
One whole wall of the apartment was clear glass, set up high and looking out over a small meadow followed by a thickly wooded forest. Through the trees Logan could see the glitter of water from the small lake. Ardent clouds floated serenely in the azure sky.
“How?” His mind was stunned speechless. The children were grinning broadly.
“Mommy Selene told us not to tell you. She wanted it to be a surprise.” Kenzie blurted out. “Do you like it?”
Logan sat down on the carpeted floor, staring. In the distance, just emerging from the shadows of the trees he made out the figures of Tiana and Grady, walking hand in hand. “I love it.” He said numbly.
“We had to leave the apartment for a day while things changed.” Silvie announced proudly. “Someday there’s going to be a door to let us go down to the woods right over there.” She pointed to the left side of the massive window. “We need your permission first.” She looked up hopefully.
“Not before you learn how to swim.” He replied firmly.
The little girl’s face fell. “Mommy Selene said you’d say that. Kenzie and I are scheduled to start swimming lessons next week. One of the new soldiers from Stirling swims like a fish. She’s going to be teaching all the kids.”
Staring out of the window, Logan nodded absentmindedly. The scene reminded him of something...
The R&R lasted for three days. At the end of the vacation Logan called the squad together. “It’s time to pick up where we left off. I’d like to say that we’ve left the worst behind us, but I can’t. We still have to get to Falun and warn them. Then we have to find a way to stop the Zzzkntti.” Someone groaned and Logan ignored it. “As I said, I can’t guarantee your safety, so that’s why I’m asking for volunteers for this jaunt.” He touched Ryanne on the shoulder. “You won’t be going, Ryanne. Your leg won’t be fit for marching for another three weeks. I just checked.” The young woman glowered at Logan, but he gave her a sad smile. “I don’t want to have to drag your broken body off another sinking ship, young lady. My heart couldn’t take it.” His gaze swung down the long conference table. “Caera. Your arm isn’t strong enough to swing a sword yet.”