Elaina J. Davidson's Blog, page 83
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Chapter 1: Echo - Autumn of the Dragon
CHAPTER 1
TEMPEST, DO THY WORST
Becareful of what you wish for.
~ Truth ~
SEA SPRAY smacked him spitefully in theface, causing him to splutter. An instant later, curse words rolled off histongue, his usual response to anything that irked him sideways. By the godsgreat and insignificant, this weather truly tried a man’s resolve, didn’t it?Ha, the fates were testing him. Had he not insisted on adventuring as theancients did? Well, best put his coin where his mouth had led him, and thatmeant, damn it, coping with what the elements had in store for thismisadventure.
Ancientmariner, my arse,Echayn Valla fumed, and inadvertently swallowed another mouthful of icy ocean. Bloodyidiot, what were you thinking?
Hehad thought to prove his mettle. Right, and as in the past, it had led himdirectly into the maw of serious trouble. Lifting his waterlogged head to thesails flapping like fishtails on a beach, he grimaced. Either they’d land up inthe drink or the air currents would hurtle them into the heavens. No steeringavailable now. Best to hang on. He was not giving in. No sorcery on thistrip, he’d promised himself that. Not that one could do anything in this kindof weather; always a storm leeched away power.
Clutchingthe rail, Echayn watched the heaving ocean threaten to overturn his suddenlytoo puny ship. The Sea Sprite, pretty as she was, fast and sturdy, hadbeen built with tropical waters in mind. Sparing a glance for the five sailorshunkering near the hatch, he grimaced once more. Old hands, they were, andmortally afraid. He should hark to that, shouldn’t he? He smirked next. It wasalso true that they were superstitious, and this tempest had the look ofportent, didn’t it? Thus, they hunkered instead of acting as sailors should,believing some supernatural force had assumed control. No need to trim sailsand what not, then. A mindset he couldn’t fathom.
“Bringthe mainsail down!” he hollered, not caring if that was the correct way to sayit. He wasn’t the seaman. “MOVE!” Other than rolling their eyes at each other,they didn’t budge. Fine. By the gods, then. Laughing, he threw his hands up.“Let the fates decide!”
Famouslast words.
COUGHING and hawking, Echayn rolled ontohis stomach. He was still on the Sprite’s deck. Well, there was that, atleast. Hadn’t landed up in the drink when a spar broke free overhead andknocked him into the black of oblivion. Rising to all-fours, he gazed blearilyaround. Of the sailors there was no sign. Now what did that mean? Had they goneoverboard? Where …?
Hepaused there in his thoughts, and in his movements. Silence. There was onlysilence. No sound of crashing waves. Not even a whisper of the gale that hadnearly drowned him in sea spray. Not a creak or a flap of wood and sail. Andthe ship was motionless.
Onhis feet in a blur of concerted action, he levelled his sword at the surrounds.“Who did this?” he croaked. “Where are you?”
For,indeed, this silence was unnatural. Sorcery was absolutely in play. The kindable to override a storm, by the gods.
Noanswer came forth. Turning in every direction, he realised whoever or whateverhad achieved this state had absconded … or watched from a distance, choosingnot to reveal. Frowning, Echayn shoved his blade home and strode to the hatchthat led below deck. Intending to check the bowels of the vessel, he wasbrought up short instead. In the narrow passage he discovered the five sailors,all unconscious, all unharmed.
Well.It seemed whatever being did this, needed them alive.
Why?
Threewere Valleur – golden-haired and eyed – two sailors were Senlu – red-hairedwith blue eyes both – the latter having never sailed beyond the rocky bays eastof Grinwallin’s mountains. Of course, that stretch of sea was for madmen, givenits propensity for violent weather. The Valleur, on the other hand, sailed thecurrents around the Grenle Archipelago where life on the ocean was calm andwarm for the most part. The odd tropical storm, of course, but nothing like tothe one that had smacked into them here. Old hands, yes, but not thatexperienced regarding Luvanor’s great watery expanses when one broke it down tobrass nails and rope knots.
Whileevery man, woman and child of Valleur and Senlu extraction on Luvanor wascapable of deploying magic, there was degree of talent. He, Echayn, chose seamenwho were little versed. He wished to reach his destination by wits and sheergrit, not the ease sorcery delivered. He wished for proper challenge … and hereit was.
Snorting,aware what he had asked for had been given, and should not a man be so carefulof what he wished for, he shook the men. Soon enough, they sat in various posesstaring at him. Probably thought he used magic. Ha.
“Notme,” he grunted. “Did anyone see anything?”
“It’squiet,” Girvin, born and bred to Grinwallin, stated. “Why is it quiet?”
“Thisis why I’m asking.” Rolling his eyes, Echayn stood and retreated to the hatch.“Join me on deck.” He ducked through.
Beyondwhat amounted to a bubble of still atmosphere and ocean, the storm they’dlanded up in continued to rage, showing no sign of letting up. Massive wavesbroke with regularity over their air pocket. A sobering sight. Truth was, hadthey not had their arses saved, this ship would be in the depths.
“Wouldyou have taken us away?” Jaffiel of Kantar, whose name meant ‘loves the water’,the reason he chose a sailor’s life, demanded. “It looked as if you wanted usshipwrecked.”
Thatwas an accusation, and who could blame the man? “I don’t know,” Echaynadmitted. Would he have lifted them ship and all to calm waters? Despite hispromise to eschew sorcery? Would he have had the power to do so in a storm? Whocould tell? Then again, never had he stood aside when another needed saving.“Probably, somehow,” he sighed. “Someone else did this, though. Did you seeanything?”
Allshook heads.
“Well,we wait it out. Once that tempest blows itself into surrender, we go on.Meanwhile, let’s attend to repairs.” He eyed the sorry lot. They were nothappy. “Tell me what to do; I’ll help.”
“Bloodycrazy Vallas,” Jaffiel muttered, and swung away.
Leeringat the others, Echayn spread his hands. Truth, after all. To the last, hisfamily could not be called ‘normal’.
NIGHTFALL brought no change, and thus theygathered in the small space set aside for meals. Darris, a Senlu from the farmsbelow Grinwallin’s plateau, prepared fresh bread, and soup from the remainingvegetables. Good fare, and his proficiency in the kitchen, or in this case, thegalley, was the other reason Echayn had hired him. Pairing the offerings withale, they sat around the table eating and drinking in silence.
“Youmisled us,” Jaffiel eventually said, shoving his emptied bowl to the side. “Yousaid we’d be in no danger, an adventure of a lifetime …”
“Shutit, Jaff,” the brothers Ilan and Kelby growled simultaneously.
Youngstill, with Ilan the oldest, both plied the waters of Grenle, fishing inblissful conditions. Ilan could finger snap for a fire, and Kelby had a nosefor bad weather, which was why Echayn brought him in. The two came as a team,and he was happy to accommodate them. Kelby, in fact, revealed at dawn that astorm headed their way. Given his warning, they had tried to outrun it.
“Yes,quiet,” Girvin put in.
“Why?”Jaffiel demanded. “I must watch my mouth because Echayn Valla hired us? Youknow what happens when you follow a Valla? Chaos!”
Leaningback with his ale, Echayn studied the man. Most of that was bravado. The sailorwas afraid. If memory served, his single magical talent was for knots, mostsuitable in his line of work, but it meant he had not the wherewithal toprotect himself. Not magically, anyway. Echayn suspected the man would be handyin a brawl. Before he could formulate a response, Darris did so for him.
“Pal,you agreed to follow this Valla. We all did. Can’t go crying in your soup aboutit now.” The cook slapped the table. “And don’t go blaming him for the weather.We’re at sea, idiot, and shit goes wrong sometimes.”
“Quitcomplaining,” Kelby said around a mouthful of ale.
Enoughof this. Echayn carefully set his goblet on the worn table. “Truthfully, Ishould be the one taking the lot of you to task. You did nothing. Did Inot hire you to steer this vessel upon oceans calm and stormy? Shit doeshappen. You hid from your duties, considered your fate another’s rather thanmake your own. You are Valleur and Senlu, for all gods’ sakes. You do notcower. What has you this terrified?”
Theystared at him, with the brothers dropping their gazes first. Jaffiel sniffed ashe said, “There’s a reason Senluar was abandoned.”
“Yetyou took my coin.”
Theman had the grace to appear shamed. “Didn’t think we’d get this far.”
Ah,they thought the crazy Valla would either magick them to their destination orturn the ship around when the going got tough. He’d bet his sword that theyhunkered during the storm hoping he’d admit defeat and take them home. Withtheir pockets filled, life would be pretty easy for a time. He’d wager the onewho sold him the Sea Sprite had lined his pockets also; this ship wasill-suited to purpose.
“Mylord …” Ilan began, only to be cut short.
“Out here I’m notbloody ‘my lord’.” Echayn stood. Reaching for his ale, he slurped the dregs inbefore slamming the goblet down. “Call me Echo, hear? That is who I am outhere. Echo.” He marched away before he slapped someone.
COMING SOON!
