Ascension (Blight Book 1) Read online

  "You don’t buy that, though?"

  "If anyone could do it, then it would be Leo, but I have learned that body language is impossible to alter completely. A trace of the original style always remains."

  "I see." The doctor looked around the table. "So either Leo is alive, or there is an imposter pretending to be him. What we believe depends on how much merit we place in the way he holds a pen."

  "I’ve known him longer than anyone." Oak scowled. "I say that Doc and I go see him and make our own opinions."

  "I agree," Mouse said.

  "Absolutely." Stick nodded.

  "Don’t worry." The doctor reached into his breast pocket, withdrew a pen, and held it up for the rest to see. "If he’s perfect to us in every other way, we will replicate your test and see what we think."

  Mouse laughed and Stick smiled.

  57

  Leo sat in the crow’s nest, eyes closed as he huddled beneath a heavy woollen blanket which offered protection from the cold of night. Months on board the ship had allowed him to earn his sea legs but the lilting motion was more pronounced high above the deck.

  He felt warmth on his face and opened his eyes. Far off over the flat horizon of the ocean, a rounded sliver of sun crept into the morning sky. Leo rubbed his eyes with the blanket and yawned, stretching as much as the tight quarters would allow. Then, he sat up, blew into his hands to warm them, and began his morning ritual.

  Early in the voyage, Leo’s far sight had been identified and put to work. Now he spent every third morning above the ship, waking an hour before dawn and climbing into the crow’s nest so he could scan the ocean for both land and sign of other ships.

  He spent the next few minutes surveying the ocean on all sides of the ship. When he turned to face the stern, he jumped to his feet and swore.

  "Damn it." He swung one foot over the lip of the nest, grabbing the rope and climbing down as fast as he could. Five feet from the deck, he let go of the rope and dropped the rest of the way, bending his knees to absorb the shock of the fall as his bare feet hit the deck.

  Leo glanced at the ship’s wheel. Christoph stood at his customary morning place beside the helmsman, writing in his ledgers while the two went over the night’s course together. He looked up when Leo approached.

  "Morning, Leo. That was a quick look from the nest."

  Leo ran a hand through his hair and nodded at the captain. "We’ve got company."

  Christoph frowned. "From which direction?"

  "Aft. They are full sails up and heading directly for us."

  "Were you able to see any colours?"

  "Aye." Leo’s expression was grim. "White wings on a black background."

  "Pirates."

  "Looks like."

  Christoph frowned and barked to the helmsman. "Veer starboard twenty degrees over the next two minutes."

  "Aye, Cap’n. Veer starboard twenty degrees over the next two minutes." The man slowly turned the wheel with one hand and reached for a small hour glass beside him, turning it upside down so that sand began to flow into its empty bottom.

  "Man all stations!" Christoph bellowed, his booming voice echoing over the deck. "Full sails in under five minutes or I throw the two slowest of ya overboard."

  Less than two minutes later, men began streaming from below decks, half dressed as they ran to their stations and began untying canvas-wrapped sails and pulling ropes to raise them on the second, third, and fourth masts.

  Christoph watched the activity and nodded at Leo. "Good job, Leo. Once our sails are raised and we have a full mouth of wind, we will outpace these evil bastards."

  "I don’t think so, Captain." Leo looked behind him. The barest outline of the pursuing ship could be seen on the horizon.

  "Of course we will. There is no vessel faster on the waters than our Karvals."

  "It’s a Karval also, and smaller than this one."

  Christoph swore and slapped the rail. "Once sails are raised, prepare cannons! Helm, add twenty more degrees starboard."

  "Captain?" The helmsman appeared confused.

  "The pirating bastards stole one of our ships," Christoph yelled. "We’re gonna meet them and take the damned thing back."

  ***

  The noon sun blazed overhead as the two Karval class ships came within striking distance. Leo stood on the raised foredeck with Christoph. His job was to run orders and help defend wherever the enemy boarded, should it come to that. The cannon port lids were raised and the heavy cannons rolled into place for firing.

  "We will run across their port side first," Christoph told him. "Then turn hard and give them a blast from the starboard side on a second pass. Our guns are bigger and we have more. If luck is on our side we kill their masts and leave them sitting ducks in the water."

  When the ships came close enough to engage, the sea became engulfed in black smoke and deafening roars as cannons spewed hot iron balls from both decks. Leo’s hearing became dull from the sound. His eyes burned from the acrid smoke.

  The first pass was brief, but time seemed to slow as wood splintered all around and men were struck by the black balls hurtling through the air.

  "Turn hard!" The captain screamed as their last cannon passed the enemy. The ship tilted sharply as the helmsman obeyed.

  Leo’s gaze swept the deck. There was soot, broken timber, and blood everywhere. He glanced up. Their masts were still standing. The middle sail had two large holes from cannon balls and the smaller back sail was shredded. Despite this, the ship was still moving fast as they turned to pass the enemy on the other side.

  Leo looked at the other ship and saw that it had not fared as well. The large middle mast had toppled over and the tip dragged in the ocean. It sat unmoving in the water. Christoph’s men cheered.

  "This pass will finish them, boys," Christoph yelled. "All fighting men below deck. When we turn again, be ready. I will make the call to board them or not."

  The sailors holding swords and boarding hooks scrambled toward the stairs and disappeared. Below decks, Leo could hear the cannoneers shouting as they loaded their weapons and made ready to fire.

  Moments before they came up beside the ship, Leo saw a single robed man appear and walk to the front of the pirate ship. From this close, Leo could see his hair was long and white, sticking up wildly in all directions. He raised both hands and his mouth began to move.

  The hair on the back of Leo’s neck and arms raised and his skin tingled. "Something’s not right," he shouted at Christoph, but it was too late for them to turn away.

  Beneath the pirate ship, the waters of the ocean began to darken. It churned as if boiling and shadowy swirls crept up to cover the hull of the vessel. The old man clapped his hands together and the darkness flew into the sky, gathering into a large ball and exploding, sending a volley of bright white lightning streaking toward Leo’s ship.

  Without thinking, Leo threw out his arms and turned his face away from the blast.

  Multiple forks of lightning enveloped the ship, causing wood to splinter below decks and explosions to sound. The lightning also struck the masts, destroying them and igniting the canvas sails. Flaming canvas drifted towards the deck, burning everything it touched.

  Men screamed as they died. The large Karval drifted past the smaller without firing a shot.

  Leo looked up and saw Christoph staring at him with wide eyes.

  "How did you do that?" the captain asked, oblivious of the carnage around him.

  "Do what?"

  Christoph pointed at the ground. A circle of blackness surrounded them on the deck. Inside the circle, the wood was clean and untouched. "You raised some sort of shield as the lightning struck."

  "I did?"

  "You didn’t see it?"

  Leo shook his head. "I was looking away so shards of timber would not blind me."

  "You did something powerful, Leo. Magic."

  "I don’t know how I did."

  "Well, you saved our lives."

  Leo sniffed a
nd covered his nose with the back of his sleeve to block the stench of burning flesh. "I didn’t save enough of us. We are defeated."

  "So are they." Christoph nodded at the other ship and Leo looked.

  Neither vessel moved. Instead, each floated away from the other.

  "Come with me." Christoph slapped the helmsman on the shoulder and looked at Leo. "We are now in a new race with the enemy. Whoever can become mobile first will have the best chance of defeating the other."

  Leo nodded. "Then we should get to it."

  58

  The race for mobility was not what Leo expected it to be.

  Snails would race to a finish line faster. Sweat dripped into his eyes. He blinked to clear his vision, both hands holding the heavy replacement mast above his head. He was one of two dozen men slowly raising the mast into place while, all around them, the sounds of hammers and saws could be heard below deck.

  After the battle, Christoph had watched the enemy ship float away and decided not to give chase.

  The crew had turned their attention to extinguishing fires and plugging leaks while the ship’s young doctor had tended to the injured and assembled a crew to gather the dead and bury them at sea. The enemy ship had faded from sight on the first day and was soon forgotten as all hands set to work repairing their vessel.

  Leo could not believe how efficient these men were at scavenging wood and reapplying it wherever possible to rebuild the ship. Spare masts had been stored below decks and Christoph said that they would scan any passing islands for suitable trees which could be harvested to replenish stores.

  Leo grunted and stepped back as the mast was raised fully. The carpenters took over, some holding the pole in place while others began attaching it.

  Christoph appeared and tapped him on the shoulder with a canteen of fresh water.

  "Thanks." Leo wiped his forehead and drank.

  "We will be underway within the hour."

  "Course full ahead?"

  "Absolutely. There is an outpost seven days west. We can limp there and resupply." Christoph waited until Leo returned the canteen and then took a sip of water before looking around and nodding. "We will be good as new and still on track."

  They went to the helm and watched as the mast was fixed in place and canvas sails attached. When everything was ready, Christoph gave the order to drop the sails, nodding as wind filled them and they began moving forward.

  "Well done, men. We spend the next day on skeleton crew and rest for those not on duty." Heads nodded. "Extra rations of rum for everyone at lunch and dinner as well."

  The crew cheered.

  Men began to disappear below decks, but Leo remained beside Christoph.

  "Figure out how you did magic yet?" the captain asked.

  "No. I seriously don’t think it was me."

  "It was. Your body glowed light blue and a sphere sprang out of you."

  "Hmm."

  "See? You’ve learned something new on this trip after all."

  Leo laughed. "I learned a lot even before that."

  "Yes, you have. Shall we go below and grab a bite to eat?"

  Leo nodded and led the way.

  ***

  Leo opened his eyes, fully awake despite being weary when he’d lain down in his bunk earlier. He sat up and looked around. The hammocks near him were filled with snoring sailors. He listened but all he heard were sailors sleeping and the creaking of the ship.

  He lay back down.

  A hand clamped over his mouth, pinning him in place.

  "Do not make a sound," a voice whispered in his ear, "or everyone on this ship will die. Nod if you will co-operate."

  Leo nodded and the hand lifted from his mouth. He began to turn his head but something prevented him from looking at the speaker.

  "Close your eyes. Count to ten," the voice instructed him. "Then get up and come to the starboard deck. Wake no one. If alarm is raised, everyone will be killed and it will be on your conscience. Nod if you will do as I have just said."

  Leo nodded once.

  "Good." The voice was further away as it spoke. "Begin your count."

  ***

  Leo crept onto the deck and moved to the starboard side as he had been told. His eyes widened. Less than twenty feet away, the pirate ship sailed, silent as a wraith. The main mast was still missing yet it matched the larger vessel’s speed perfectly. The old man stood on the deck of the pirate ship, his arms extended to either side and a half smile on his face as he stared at Leo.

  "Quickly." A heavy rope was placed on Leo’s shoulder and he grabbed it. "Swing over to the other ship."

  "Why?"

  "To save lives. The old one wants only you."

  I recognize that voice. Leo turned and chuckled. "What are you doing out here sailing about on a pirate ship?"

  Ricin smiled, the bright white of his teeth contrasting with his brown skin in the darkness. "I will tell you when we are away from here. The old one wanted to kill everyone, but I convinced him that you would come alone and do so quietly. Hurry. We are running out of time."

  Leo gripped the rope and swung towards the pirate ship. Ricin followed him on a second rope. Both men landed on the deck and the ship slowed. The larger Karval raced ahead and disappeared into the darkness.

  59

  "There’s a customer asking for you at the back booth, Syntha."

  Synth glanced up from the cash box and leaned over so she could see the booth. "Okay thanks, hun." She closed the drawer and wiped her hands on a towel before pouring two cups of xai. She walked past the other tables and sat down across from the booth’s occupant.

  A small girl sat in the booth, her back straight and face calm. Her skin was white and blemish-free and her hair was red and curly with hints of gold. She looked no older than ten, but had not changed in appearance since Syntha had met her twenty years ago.

  "Hi, Kiana." Syntha pushed a cup of xai towards the girl. "How you been?"

  Kiana’s mouth turned up into a smile and she tilted her head forward. "Thank you, Syntha. I’ve been just fine. How about you?"

  Syntha shrugged. "I’d be worse if not for you." She reached under her shirt and pulled out a thin silver chain with a tear-shaped pendant attached. It was crystal clear along the edges and it became bluer as the eye moved towards the gem’s centre. It seemed to pulse faintly. Syntha looked at it and smiled.

  "I’m glad that I could bring you some peace in this difficult time." Kiana reached out and let the pendant rest in the palm of her small hand. She closed her eyes for a moment and then smiled as she opened them. "He is still on the ocean."

  "It felt hot last night."

  "It uses your energy to maintain a connection to him. Every once in a while it will be warmer than normal."

  "It heated up so much that it woke me. I thought it was going to burn my skin."

  Kiana frowned and then shook her head. "He was close to strong magic, most likely."

  "On the ocean?"

  "There are many strong deposits of earth energy throughout the oceans." The girl shrugged. "It is common to pass over them and the gem is sensitive to that type of energy. No need to worry."

  "Sometimes I think it would be better not to have this." Syntha tucked the necklace beneath her shirt and placed both hands around her cup. "At night I wake up in a panic, afraid that the gem has turned red. That he is dead."

  Kiana reached across the table and took Syntha’s hand. "My dear friend, I gave you the necklace to make you feel good that he is still alive. If it causes distress, then you should take it off and put it in a dresser drawer. Better yet, return it to me. Assume that he lives and I can inform you should that change."

  "No. Most of the time I am grateful for it. I feel close to him, even though he is away from me for now."

  "You worry that he will not return."

  Syntha bit her lip and nodded. "How can he? The king thinks Leo killed his father. There is no way he will ever be able to come back and live here."

 
Kiana sipped her xai and smiled. "The world turns constantly, child."

  Syntha smiled. It was strange to have someone who appeared to be a small girl call her "child".

  "As it turns, so too does it change. Nothing that is assured today can be the same tomorrow."

  "Have you seen him returning?"

  "No. But that does not mean it will not come to pass. My two little eyes can only see so much."

  "I am so thankful for you in my life."

  Kiana grinned. "As I am for you in mine."

  "If he comes back, will you meet him?"

  The tiny girl blinked and raised one eyebrow. "Perhaps."

  60

  Mouse, Stick, and the doctor sat in a coffeehouse located in the silk district, a block away from Leo’s house, waiting. Eventually, Oak entered and joined them at their table.

  "Well?" Mouse asked.

  Oak shook his head. "I’m not commenting until Doc goes and meets with him."

  The doctor nodded and stood. "I’ll be back soon."

  "Good luck," Stick said without taking his gaze from the pretty serving girl who was smiling at him from across the room as she moved from table to table.

  The doctor exited the coffeehouse and crossed the street, walking at a leisurely pace until he reached the front door. He knocked once and waited. A moment later, the door opened and a male servant led him into a seating area.

  Before he could sit down, Leo entered the room.

  "Doc, I’m so glad to see you." He smiled as he approached. The doctor stood and stared, his eyes moving up and down to examine every detail.

  Leo laughed and embraced the older man, holding him for a long moment before finally letting go.

  "You’re looking at me strange, Doc. What’s the matter?"

  "Is it really you?"

  "It is." Leo gestured to the chairs and waited for the doctor to sit before moving to the other.

  "This is hard to believe. We heard that you were dead."

  "I know." Leo nodded and patted the old man’s leg. "I had no choice but to flee without telling any of you. If any of you had known and been questioned by the Council of Law. . . ."