Chapter 28

But part of Lynna was still uncomfortable, and none of that related to Mary. She wasn't feeling the thoughts and feelings running through Mary. She hadn't realized just how connected she had been to people until that had been taken away from her. She could feel the ability to do it just out of reach. It felt like an itch in her mind she knew she wasn't supposed to scratch.

A few times now she had accidentally tried to scratch that mental itch. The first time had hurt, the second time not so much. The third had been even a little less. It was still like stubbing her toe when she forgot to be dilligently not using it, but she could see that it was getting better. She thought that the better she was about not reaching for it the faster she'd heal and be back to normal.

"You look distracted," Mary said after a lull.

"Oh, it's nothing. There's just so much going on."

She was saved from further explanations by one of Mary's girls dropping in with clothes.

"Really, Mary, for all the time you pester me about taking better care of things..."

"Trisse--"

"I'm kidding, Mary," Trisse said with a smirk and a shake of her head.

"Thank you, Trisse. Is everything alright back at the inn?"

"Syred is spending extra time there. There haven't been any...any more...problems. A few of the sailors have said that means we're past the worst of it, but I don't think so. That Agmar fellow said somewhere along that today was supposed to be the worst. I just hate feeling like I'm waiting for the axe to fall. I'm so tired... Everyone is," she said. A yawn either punctuated it or cut off whatever else she was going to say.

"You didn't come here alone, did you?" Mary asked.

"Oh, no!" Trisse replied. "Nobody is traveling alone right now, especially with Bentz on the prowl!"

"What?!" Mary looked horrified. Lynna had to struggle not to reach to see what she was thinking.

"I thought you knew..." Trisse put a hand over her mouth.

"Marcus killed Bentz. I saw it."

Trisse shook her head. "He got back up. After you were gone. Two of the sailors tried to stop him. They're both dead. I heard his eyes weren't red or anything, but his skin was a bluish gray. Nobody can explain how he's still walking about."

"It's helping him," Mary answered, her face as white as the sheets around her. "The evil is helping him stay alive because it's convinced him he wants us dead. We haven't reached the peak of its power yet either. Gods help us." She put her head in her hands.

"We're being extra careful at the inn, and Syred's set people into small little patrol groups to keep a lookout for him. We're supposed to run away if we see Bentz and let Syred deal with him instead. Alexis said she saw him sharpening his sword so he can cut off Bentz's head. She seems pretty sure that he can't keep going if he doesn't have a head anymore."

"I'm sure that Syred can handle Bentz," Mary said, raising her head again. "Just make sure none of you let him get too close to you. He's always been strongly against our presence in this town and all of that has been amplified by the evil. I don't think he'd hesitate to kill any of you girls." She paused a moment, before changing the subject. "How's Genla holding up?"

"Alright, I guess," Trisse replied. "She's keeping herself, and us, really busy mostly. Somehow she's managed to set townsfolk and sailors to work cleaning the inn! With the amount of people we've got sweeping and washing things we may not have to clean again for years! I think people are relieved to just be doing something instead of sitting around waiting for something terrible to happen to them next. I think it's helping her to not think about what happened to Marcus, too. She was really a wreck for a bit there. I've never seen her like that."

Mary nodded.

"Please tell Genla that I'll come back when I can, but that I may be laid up here for a while. I'm physically fine, but I've lost a lot of blood and my energy is just gone. It's going to be a bit before I'm able to walk back home."

"Yes Mary," Trisse nodded. "Anything else?"

"No, I think you're all doing a wonderful job. As long as everyone stays calm over there and keeps their head on straight, I'm sure you'll all be just fine."

Mary smiled at the girl fondly, and Lynna felt a pang of jealousy. She's thinks of them more as daughters, doesn't she? I'd never really thought about it before.

The two exchanged farewells, and Lynna was suprised when the young woman included her as well, before heading out of the room. Mary started unbuttoning buttons on her ruined dress, with a sigh.

"I seem to feel a little better once I'm in clean clothes again, so help me with this, won't you?"

"Of course," Lynna replied, reaching in and unfastening the next button. The got the dress and corset off and wiped blood off the remaining areas that hadn't been accessible before Lynna helped Mary into the fresh clothing. Once they were done, Mary sat back with a sigh.

"I suppose we can let the men back in now," she said. "Perhaps they can bring us more tea."

"I'll let them know," Lynna said, jumping to her feet. She gathered up the washclothes, pitcher, and basin onto the tray and went to the door. Stott was sitting on the floor in the hallway, leaning back against the wall across from the door and picking at something on his pants with his fingernail. He startled when he realized the door was open and Lynna was standing there. He quickly got to his feet.

"Hi! Um...can I take that?" He put his hands out for the tray.

"Sure. Where's my father and Agmar?" she asked, hoping that her father wasn't giving Agmar any more grief about what had happened to her.

"There's something happening at the docks, so they both went there with some other people," he replied, taking the tray from her hands. "Somebody said that the ships are being hit by lightning and some are on fire. Agmar said I should stay here with you and Mary."

The sore spot in her mind burned at her when she accidentally reached out to try to ask Agmar what was going on. She grunted in frustration.

"Here, let me drop this in the kitchen," Stott suggested. Mary stepped to the door, asking, "What did you say?"

"Lightning is hitting ships at the docks. There are apparently some fires started, but Agmar has it all in hand."

Mary looked as frustrated and helpless as Lynna felt. Mary was silent at that, and Stott turned and headed off to the kitchen. "Want to go sit somewhere?" Lynna suggested.

"Sure, I don't think I could stand staying cooped up in one room right now."

"The dining hall? At least there whenever news comes in we'll hear it."

"Good enough," Mary agreed. Mary went first and Lynna followed. The dining room was almost full but not quite. There was no dancing, and there was no seating available at tables. Extra, mismatched chairs had been lined up along the walls. It reminded Lynna of how chairs were set up for the dance at the schoolhouse a couple of winters ago.

A pair of burly men sitting along one wall stood up and offered chairs to Mary. "Do I look that bad?"

"You're Lady Mary, right?" one of them asked.

"Yep, that's me, although you don't have to be formal about it."

"Well, we've both heard you've been through a lot. An' there's little all else we can seem ta do to be helpful around here. Iffen the best we can do is offer a chair to a lady, 'en that's somefin we can do."

"Fair enough... Thank you."

Lynna thanked the one that offered her his chair. He looked vaguely familiar, but she did not recognize him.

"We was stayin' at that tavern that burnt," he explained. "I got bit by that little monster thing. Right on the cheek. Swore tha’ damt thing was gonna bit my nose off. You healed it right up, though," he said, pointing to his undamaged but still worn and weathered cheek. "Thank ye, by the by."

"Oh, you're welcome. It might not be a lot, but at least I can help out a little. Or rather I could at the time..."

"Hey, ye needn't be so humble about it. Don' be embarrassed, lass. We've both here been to cities where magicks aint all superstitious stuff to be fearin'."

"Really?" she asked, finally sitting in the offered chair. Mary had already sat in hers. The two men went ahead and sat on the floor, trying to situate themselves out of traffic.

Stott arrived with a fresh tray of teacups, and handed one each to Lynna and Mary before taking a spot on the floor at Lynna's feet.

"Aye, Miss," the other one replied. "Our ship's been ta four con'n'ents. We seen plenty o' magicks an' other exotical things. An' Steph here's the best fer tellin' it iffen ye want ta hear about it."

Lynna bobbed her head at them, a part of her feeling as if she was committing some small crime by wanting to hear about it, and another part of her desperately yearning to hear of the lands where magic wasn't a terrible thing.

"Well then," Steph said, after clearing his throat. "It seems ta me that there be four differ'nt kinds o' wizards in them there parts. There be the fightin' wizards, like yer Agmar seems ta mostly be. There be the healin' wizards, like ye seemed inclined towards yerself there miss." He gave Lynna a nod. "There be the scholarly types, although ye don't see them so much as they've got their noses in old dusty scrolls an' books all the time. An' lastly, ye got the entertainin' wizards. They sometimes have got themselves some learnin' of the other magics, but they're more intrest'd in makin' magic look good. It's all flashes an' lights fer them. From what I unnerstan' them other wizards don't look too fondly on them flashy ones, but then they're just given a show instead o' savin' the world and all."

"What can you tell me of..." It took Lynna a minute to come up with the name she'd heard Agmar mention earlier, "of Pirshenia?"

"Well, lass, Pirshenia be a more inland city, so's I've not been there myself. I have been ta Rayehden though, and I don't suppose the port cities are much diffr'nt than Pirshenia, exceptin' the docks. I ain't never seen the Hall o' Glimmer meself, if that's what yer after, but I done heard tell about it from a few."

"Both, if you would please. What are the people like in Rayehden? And I would like to hear about the Hall of Glimmer too!" Lynna told him.

"Aye then. The Hall o' Glimmer, I hear tell, was made entirely by magic. Oh, it be constructed o' more than that, in fact some say it be made entirely o' that black stone... hema-somethin' or other... an' that it abosorbs the magic in the air around it. But the real thing is, the durn thing floats. Ye gotta take a long stairway ta get up to it. From below, it looks like one big black round ball just hangin' there in the sky. The Hall o' Glimmer is where the toughest an' smartest of all the wizards go when they need ta hold council. I heard what Agmar said earlier about callin' that place home. That be no small thing, I tell ye, as only the best of them wizards have perm'n'nt rooms there. The place is open to all of 'em fer research an' stuff, but not just anybody gits ta spend the night if yer gettin' me drift."

By now, Steph had half the room's attention. People were scooting closer to be able to hear better, and Lynna noticed that Steph's voice seemed to project a little bit more as he continued talking. She could tell he was quite comfortable telling stories to crowds, and was enjoying the sudden audience.

"Now, Dorvenin is one o' the big port cities on Rayehden. It be a place where ye can find 'most anything, whether ye be lookin' or not. Ye can find exotics good from all o'er the globe, an' people from all sorts o' strange cultures. There be different kinds o' clothes, from fancy gowns so expensive ladies have girls walkin' behind 'em to keep the hems from draggin' on the ground to folks who cover themselves head to foot in robes so's that only there eyes can ye see.

"Ye can find knights in armor on their big 'orses an'all, ye can find wizards an sorceresses an' dirty ol' witches. An' if yer big an' stupid like me ye can even find true love. But ye can also lose everythin' there, so I wouldn't be advisin' ye ever go there."

"Aye," Steph's friend said, "Dorvenin's both the best an' the worst o' ports."

Of course, Lynna knew she didn't have to travel to find love, and she looked over at Stott and smiled. He was oblivious to it, looking at Steph with a skeptical look.

"Thar's also a school for magicks in Dorvenin, an' that's somefin to see. Is called the White School, an' it's all made o' the whitest stone ye've ever seen. In the morn'n sun it looks like it's carvt o' snow. Thar's eight towers there, an' every on a diff'ren' number o' sides. Thar's a low one wit' t'ree, one wit' four that's got lots o' balconies, one wit five...ye get's the idea, I s'pose."

Lynna nodded, not wanting to distract him. He leaned forward, raising an eyebrow conspiratorially. His eyebrows looked too long and bushy for his face.

"But they say--an' the wizards always deny it--but they say that the real stuff is all underground. They say thar's an entire city down there, whar buildin's hang down like icicles. They say thar be drag'ns flyin' around down thar, wingin' around between those hangin' buildin's, and that that's whar the first magicks done come from.

"Now wizards always deny it, an' Agmar will, too. Maybe 'tis true, an' maybe 'tis not. I could'na say. If 'tis true, then ever'one who knows is sworn ta secr'cy."

"I'd say that's an awfully tall tale, sir," Stott spoke up, frowning.

"Aye, lad!" Steph replied, looking at Stott and narrowing his eyes, "Ye might think so ta hear it, but then most of the tallest tales be startin' from somethin' true. Methinks there be somethin' under that city that the wizards got what they ain't tellin' us about." He waggled a finger at Stott. "An' if ye be quest'n'n the idea o' drag'ns, I be here ta tell ya that there be drag'ns out there. I've seen two meself, I tell ya, one up real close even! An ye don't want ta be unfriendly to the like o' them! One breath o' fire took out three ships! She set them all ablaze while her mate was busy dealin' wit' the other ships! We was all comin' an' goin' right at a harbor so there were plenty ships burnin' that day!" He swooped his hand dramatically to represent the movements of the dragon.

"She were comin' down fer our ship next. Not the Mornin's Maid, mind ye, another ship I were on a few year back. She swooped down outta the sky and made a dive towards us like a buzzard comin' down on a fresh kill, with death in 'er eyes! But then she turned at the last minute, all graceful-like, which were suprisin' considerin' how big them critters are, an' then she just looked down on us, one of 'er eyes closed an' the other big purple pupil just starin' at us while she hung in midair, them great wing o' hers flappin' away somethin' fierce so that we was just havin' ta hold onta the ropes so's we didn't fly off the ship from the wind!"

"Now her mate, he were not far off, fixin' to take down another of the ships I were with, an' she just turns an' calls out ta him with this great roar. It were so loud I thought it could've burst me ears iffen I'd been any closer! Then the mate calls back ta her an she turns an whips her tail across the side o' the ship, gouging a long tear in our starboard. Then she an' the mate take off flyin'. We was the only boat what didn't burn that day. I dunno why it was she left us fer the fish, but we weren't too far from some islands, see, so's most of us off that ship made it to the land, along wit' a few what had jumped the burnin' ships."

"So don't be tryin' ta tell me that drag'ns aren't real, young man. That drag'n be near as big as the ship I were on at the time, an' it weren't no tug."

"You were a pirate," Mary said suddenly. She sounded very certain of herself. "I've heard that story before. It supposedly happened just outside what some call Pirate's Cove, at a point when the Rayehden Naval Fleet was barricading it. I heard the two dragons took out both sides."

"Aye, Lady Mary. All ships but one burned that day. There were a few small boats left at the docks that they didn't do anythin' to, but both the Fleet an' the general piratin' community took heavy casualties that day. I vowed that day never ta pirate again, thankin' the goddess fer sparin' me life!"

"I thought ye left piracy because that girl got -- oof!"

Steph turned and puched his friend in the stomach with a big grin on his face. "Shut up, Mick. Ye don't know what yer talkin' about."

"Right..." Mick muttered, rubbing his stomach and frowning at Steph.

"What are the other continents like?" Lynna asked.

"Well, lass, ye might's well be askin' what the world's like then, eh?" He laughed a quiet roar that only served to draw the crowd closer. The movement reminded her they were there, and her eyes drifted over the assembled faces. It was especially locals that had gathered close, although there were some out-of-towners as well. It occurred to Lynna that for all the people who had come here from another town, or city, or from some far away place, there were also plenty like her, who had either been very little when they came here, or had born here, and simply didn't know any other place.

"The world's a big place," Steph said, echoing the same thought she had. "An' 'tis full o' strange and wond'rous things. 'Tis too much to tell. Thar be jungles where 'tis like the hott'st days o' summer all year roun', an' it rain's ever'day. Thar be birds there o' every col'r ye can think in that perty head o' yers. An' thar be buggers there, bigguns like ye've never seen. Flyin' ones and creep-crawlies. An' most of 'em bite 'r sting, an' thar's just no escapin' 'em."

"It's true, too," someone in the crowd stayed. Our ship docked at one of the ports at the edge. Hellish place that was..."

"Then thar's the Sea o' Sand," Steph continued, "which be a vast desert. An' it be rightly named, aye, an' they say ye can get lost easy there like on the ocean. Ye can look around in ev'ry direction and see the same thing--nothin' but sand. Thar be no shade anywhere, an' ye hafta travel by night 'r the sun'll cook ye. An ever'one there wears white robes that cover 'em all up safe.

"An thar be mount'ns...ahhh, thar be mount'ns. Thar be a whole other kind o' beautif'l that ye've never seen 'til you've seen a sunset in the mount'ns. Thar be waterfalls there hunnerds of feet high. The water comes down an' splashes an' there are little rainbows ever'where.

"But me, I'll always be a seadog. Gimme the spreadin' blue, gimme the salty air, gimme the wind in me face an' slappin' at the canvas. We all have the sea in our blood, me friends. 'Cause what'o we do wit' babies but rock 'em. 'Tis the sea and the ship in our blood callin' us. An' it do work fer the wee ones, an' it do work fer me. I nev'r sleep as well on land 'cause it aint movin'." There were several grunts of agreement from the crowd, so many of which were sailors or passengers.

A sudden, shrill scream pierced the air, coming from the direction of the kitchens. People leapt to their feet, although Lynna found herself near the front of the crowd as she nearly vaulted from her chair to the door. She raced down the hallway, pushing past people and then coming up short at the scene in the kitchen.

There were only two people in the kitchen prior to Lynna's arrival. One of them was a serving girl. She looked to be only a couple years younger than Lynna was, and was making a long terrified moaning sound as she stood paralyzed by fear, three kitchen knives dangling in midair with their blades pointed in her direction. The cook was also in the room, but was slumped over on the table, clutching a knife that was impaled into her chest. Lynna could see the handle of a second knife protruding from the back of the cook's shoulder as well, and the woman fell to the floor as Lynna watched.

She moved quickly, grabbing up one of the large iron frypans and running forward. She saw the blades swing towards her, as if noticing her approach as she brought the frypan down, smashing at them with all her might. The serving girl bolted as soon as the knives turned, tearing out of the kitchen with a loud wail.

One of the blades was deflected away, skittering across the floor once it fell. Another dodged out from under the frypan just before she made impact, dancing in the air in front of her. The third slipped forward, and was suddenly embedded in Lynna, off-centered just under the ribcage. She looked down at it, in disbelief, the frypan slipping from her fingers as she reached to hold onto it, unsure if she should pull it out or leave it in. The other knife danced in front of her face, and slashed at her cheeks and nose. She brought one arm up, to protect her eyes and slid down to the floor, pain tearing at her from the inside where she held the knife blade steady. Suddenly the knife pulled itself out of her, slicing her hand open in the process. Lynna screamed and curled up, trying to hide as much of herself from the blades as possible.

Then the frypan rose from the ground where she'd dropped it, and it began to smash at her knees and shoulders and head. Her head rang around her, though she tried to cover it with her arms. She felt bones break in her shoulders and legs before someone's strong arms gathered her up and took her from the room. She could hear people yelling things, but couldn't tell for sure what they were saying. She knew she was screaming. The worst pain was coming from within, however, as she kept trying to reach for the magic to help her. It seemed to be just out of grasp, hiding from her behind a wall of needles that stabbed at her mind every time she tried to pass.

It only grew worse for her when she started hearing other people screaming. She forced herself to focus and look around her. She was in the dining room again, on the floor leaned against the wall. She could not immediately find Stott.

She had never seen such a panic before. One of the knives had followed into the room, and was chasing people. Chairs were flying about, hitting people and knocking them over. There were people alternately pounding and heaving at the door, but it would not open.

Someone screamed and made a diving run through one of the windows. Glass fell about, any sound it made completely overwhelmed by the pandemonium all about. Lynna saw the glass shards get up and fly out the window like angry hornets. The subsequent screams from outside she could hear.

Her hand was wet, and she looked down to see herself wet with blood that just kept oozing out of her. She felt queasy, and she felt sure that could not be a good sign. She looked around again for Stott, but he was missing. She tried to yell out for him, but her side erupted with pain and she fell over.

She blink and looked across the floor. She could not move her head to look anywhere else. Furniture was broken, and there were other people lying on the floor like her. They were slumped all wrong, and too many weren't moving. Where is Stott? Why can't I see him? She expected Agmar to burst in at any moment and make everything better. She threw up and saw blood in the pool it made, although she could not taste anything. Confusion was the last thing she was aware of before she passed out.