Born of Darkness (William King) - William King Page 0,3

made to support him but he shrugged her off. He tried never to show any sign of weakness.

“We did it,” she said. “We brought her in out of the storm.”

She was smiling. The second eyelid had withdrawn leaving her eyes looking almost mortal. The iris was green as jade.

“We did, didn’t we?” Kormak said.

Zamara clapped him on the back. The blow almost overbalanced Kormak. “By the Holy Sun’s Light, I thought we were all dead when that last wave swept the helmsman away. I expected to be eaten by eels in the Sea Queen’s dungeon this night.”

“Well, we’re spared that a fate.”

Zamara bellowed a command. The helmsman moved the ship a couple of points. Their course no longer lay in the direction of the group of massive galleons.

“What are they?” Kormak asked.

“Treasure Fleet,” Zamara said. “Luckier than us. Must have made landfall before the storm could catch them. We daren’t get too close while they are showing those warning lights. They would sink us, on the off-chance of us being pirates.”

“It would not do to be sunk now that we’ve survived the storm.”

“Most assuredly it would not. Now, Sir Kormak. Go below. Take my cabin. Rest. You deserve it.”

Kormak allowed himself to be led down to the cabin.

***

Kormak woke up in a warm bed with a warm body beside him. He turned over and looked down at Rhiana. The sheet did little to hide the smooth curves of her body. He made sure his sword was within easy reach, unhooked the elder sign from its pommel and draped it in place around his neck.

She was looking up at him when he turned back. She gave him a sour smile. “Do I frighten you so much?”

“Hardly at all,” he said. Sunbeams leaked in through the curtains. It seemed like day had broken while he slept. He checked his surroundings. The door was barred. It did not look like anybody could come barging in on them.

“I do not worship your Holy Sun, but I am not your enemy,” she said. She seemed quite serious. He laughed.

“It’s not you. I have worn this amulet so long I feel naked without it.”

She pulled the sheet away. “That would seem to be the point,” she said.

He reached out for her and drew her into his arms.

***

A loud banging on the door woke them.

“I think our captain wants his cabin back,” said Rhiana.

“A pity,” Kormak said.

“Sir Kormak, Lady Rhiana, you must get up now! We have been summoned to the Palace and the King-Emperor of Siderea does not like to be kept waiting.”

“What do you think, Sir Kormak,” Rhiana asked. “Shall we keep the King-Emperor waiting?”

“He’s not my King-Emperor.”

“Nor mine.”

“If you do not open the door, I will have my men break it down,” Zamara said. He sounded desperate enough to carry out the threat. He was a Siderean nobleman and King Aemon was his liege lord.

Kormak sighed. “I suppose we had best get dressed.”

***

Kormak’s muscles ached. He could not remember when he had last felt this weary, but the sight of the harbour cheered him. The daylight was golden.

Steep hills surrounded the bay on three sides. Row upon row of white-painted blue-shuttered houses rose to their crests. Atop a flat mountain in the city centre the Palace Imperial loomed. In the daylight, its walls gleamed white and blue. Thousands of panes of glass caught the Holy Sun’s light and reflected them back like mirrors.

Scores of ocean-going ships lay anchored in the harbour. Hundreds of smaller boats moved between them, shifting crews and goods and officials. In the distance lay the huge galleons of the trans-oceanic treasure fleet. Tribute from Terra Nova, a thousand leagues away across the World Ocean, filled them.

Kormak clambered down the side-netting into the ship’s boat. Rhiana joined did the same and then Frater Jonas, who had finally emerged from his cabin below decks. The small priest showed no signs of being any the worse for last night’s horrors. He looked like he had slept through them. His face had its usual olive colour. His beard and hair were neatly clipped. His yellow robes looked immaculate. His elder sign glittered gold in the sun’s light.

“Sir Kormak, I heard what you and Captain Rhiana did and now I am doubly grateful to you,” he said.

“Think nothing of it,” Kormak said. “We would have gone down with the ship if we hadn’t.”

“Nonetheless, not many men could have done what you did. Not many ladies either.” The words were ambiguous. Jonas had been an inquisitor