We went below deck to the small passage and all the way to the bow. When I opened the door, Flier curled his nose at the water seeping down the wall, the rotten smells, and the hammocks that were worse than his tattered clothing. Wordlessly, he gathered my clothing bag under his arm and backed down the passage with the aid of his crutch.
“Still want to sleep here and give me my privacy?” I drawled.
He said with a grin, “For trying to force me into this hole, you will have no privacy for the entire voyage.”
We laughed. I stuffed my spare clothing into a bag, and we left the lower part of the hull for the cleanliness of the cabins above. My magic powers had failed when the dragon was freed, but they had gradually returned. Now and then, to be sure, I moved a wisp of hair, formed a drop of water on a hard surface, or levitated a small object. I had to assure myself it had remained. As long as the dragon stayed fairly close, my magic worked.
One of the more important aspects of my small-magic is the ability to restrict the wings of insects from moving. That might not sound important until a swarm of mosquitoes flies around my head. One after the other, they fell victim to me. Their tiny bodies often littered my sleeping spaces.
As we entered the new cabin, Flier seemed hesitant. I gave him a sour look. “What is it?”
“You’ve given me so much, asking for more does not seem right.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m filthy, and I stink. There is water here for washing. Would you mind if I use it to clean myself and my clothing?”
I’d noticed. Both things. And didn’t look forward to sleeping within nose-scent of him. I pulled a spare shirt and my only spare pants from my travel-bag and tossed them on the bed. “Only if you put these on.”
He smirked and reached for a panel on the wall that hadn’t caught my attention. It swung open and revealed a thick bar of yellow soap, along with a comb and several other small items a traveler might enjoy. Now that he mentioned bathing, my body hadn’t seen water and soap for more than ten days, but a little longer wouldn’t hurt. I wouldn’t wish to restrain him and have him change his mind.
I explained how he could reach the salon and went there to wait while promising myself to wash when he was finished. To my surprise, several acquaintances nodded or said hello. Shipboard life breeds familiarity. It is a microcosm of society where the rules are quickly learned, and everyone knows everyone. My eyes avoided the gaming table and the awkward remembrances of the player who had fallen overboard. The questions about the missing passenger were sure to be raised as soon as I took a seat, comments would be made, and perhaps accusations—said or unsaid.
The couple from Kondor, Damme, and Hannah motioned a greeting, and I joined them at their table.
Damme said, “We apologize for failing to teach you as much of our language as intended. On the voyage from Dire, Hannah was ill from the ship’s movement and needed attention.”
“No problem.” My eyes darted around the salon, finding no new passengers. That was no surprise from what the crew said. They seldom made a stop at Trager anymore. “The girls are learning our language so fast, they almost speak it as well as me.”
Damme smiled. “Children are like that. Still, we wish to help and would like to spend some time with them. We might find who they are related to, or some clue that will allow you to deliver them to their family. I understand you also had a few language lessons from Ella and Emerald.”
The idea had occurred to me to learn more ourselves, but Kendra felt that it would be easier once we were ashore in Dagger. However, Vin was our next port of call and Vin was at the northern tip of Kondor. The girls might even be from there. “After our evening meal? Would that suit you?”
They agreed, and Will entered long enough to catch my eye. He wanted to talk. Outside, on the deck. After making my excuses, I went out on the deck and found him sitting in the shadows cast by the upper decks. It may have been intentional or not, but raised my awareness. Danger lurked aboard the ship.
Settling into a position near him but standing at the rail so any observers would believe us, strangers who happened to be near each other in the restricted space of the ship’s deck, I waited. We didn’t want to flaunt our relationship. The night was warm, far warmer than at Crestfallen that sat several days sail to the north at the foothills of a great chain of un-crossable mountains. There, the summer days could be warm, but at night a cloak of some sort was required. Near Trager, the nights were warm enough to forego blankets while sleeping, an oddity I found uncomfortable.
“The princess sends me. She asks if you intend to attack the city Vin, also.” His voice was low, steady, and he tried to keep even a hint of humor from it.
“Tell the princess that I was simply practicing my skills, so I can better protect her. And remind her that even a princess needs to be turned over a knee now and then.”
He snorted a laugh. “Three things strike me about you, Damon. My first impression was that you were simply a personal servant, not a warrior. Your scabbard led me to believe you wore a substandard blade and therefore held little skill. I steeled myself, forgive the pun, to do your fighting, but you slashed and felled more of the attackers in Trager than me. Hell, your sister took down two to my one with those fancy spinning knives of hers.”
“I take it that those are all compliments.”
“More. You appear a pretty-boy, a plaything for the royalty. Instead, you fight well, gamble better, and serve your princess without question. She wishes to be notified when you know or suspect a mage is near.” He handed me a thin blue scarf. “We may not have the opportunity to speak again privately, so place that in your pouch and wear it around your neck if there are mages—or if you suspect them. She is very fearful of mages, it seems.”
“Concerned, not fearful,” I told him coldly as I stored the thin material in my purse. He accepted my rebuff without comment. “Sorry, I’m still on edge,” I said.
“Why did you bring the cripple with you? That is also her question, not mine because I know the reasons.”
That was a good question, one hard to put words to. “He is more than he seems. Flier may be of future service to us. All of us.”
“In what ways? She is going to ask.”
Will’s questions felt relentless. I leaned on the rail and wondered how many other passengers over the years had done the same while thinking deeply. The stars were brighter than those in any sky in Dire, they cast white reflections off the water. The moon hadn’t risen, so the night was full of warm breezes, twinkling lights, and the soft murmur of water rushing past the hull, interrupted by other passengers outside talking in low tones as if respectful of the nightly silence.
I said, “As a guide possibly, and a source of ready information about Kondor, and advice. He is from Vin, lived in Trager, and while he has not mentioned it yet, I believe from a wealthy, influential family.”
“If he has not mentioned it, how would you derive such a conclusion?”
I finally turned to face Will. “Several reasons. One is that he uses phrases like ‘derive such a conclusion’, which is hardly street talk, wouldn’t you say?” In the dimness of the shadows where Will sat, I couldn’t see his complexion redden, but his posture stiffened. My barb hadn’t missed its mark. I continued, “He is intelligent and educated. While the first has nothing to do with social position, the second does. Only those with money, and a lot of it, formally educate their children. He claims he was a simple messenger in the Vin King’s Army, but I suspect he was an officer carrying important papers. That is why he was thrown into the dungeon by the King of Trager.”