'Really. I've never heard of it. But the name… reminded me of something else.'
'Something similar?'
'It just reminded me of an old sailors' legend, but it strikes me that you probably haven't spent much time among sailors.'
'However did you guess?'
'I more sort of hoped.'
'The legend?' she pressed.
'The story goes that somewhere in the far oceans, beyond the Stormwall, a month west of Sarcre and then God know how far south, there's an island made of diamond. They call it the Isle of the Star, because supposedly it was a star that fell to Twilight. They say a man could make himself rich beyond the proverbial dreams of avarice just by picking up a handful of pebbles from the Isle's beach.
'Of course, with such treasures to be had, there had to be an equally great risk.'
He nodded. 'There's the Stormwall, which is utterly impassable, at least to normal ships. Imagine hurricanes that could smash the Great Cathedral of Scholten to rubble if they ever came inland, then imagine ten times worse. They say, the island is home to the sea devils.' His eyes were looking somewhere more distant by now. Gabriella couldn't help but wonder what they were seeing. Treasures or terrors?
'You were on one of those ships bound for the island, weren't you Crowe?'
'Yes, the Brotherhood — well, I didn't know it was them at the time, who had chartered the ship — employed me for the voyage.'
'I was a sword-for-hire looking for work. The ship's Captain, Margrave, was looking for mercenary guards and he hired me for the expedition. Someone was going to pay him handsomely to look for the Isle of the Star. Turns out that 'someone' was a high ranking member of the Brotherhood of the Divine Path, with a couple of really strong Brotherhood magicians on his payroll. None of the rest of us knew that at first. We were just a couple of hired blades and a lot of sailors.'
'What happened on the voyage? I'm assuming you didn't find the Isle?'
'Do I look like I came home with a purse full of diamonds?'
'Yet, you did come home.'
'Alone, yes.'
'What happened?'
'The Stormwall. You might think you've experienced a storm — even a hurricane — but it's nothing, compared to a storm at sea.'
'How many people were on your ship?'
'Seventy four.' He remembered all their faces; he could see them now, and hear their voices. 'Seventy three of them are dead.'
'I'm sorry.'
Gabriella felt drained just hearing the story. So many people in such a confined space. He must have known all of them and been friends with many. One loss was a killing pain to her — how must it feel, magnified seventy- fold? That was typical of the Brotherhood, not caring how many families they destroyed in their quest to promote and justify their apostasy
He smiled faintly. 'Don't look so down, Dez. At least some of them were Brotherhood types. An investor and the two magicians.'
'It's still seventy innocents, as well as those three.'
'Weather is God's doing, isn't it? Drunkards, brawlers and whoremongers every one. I wouldn't mourn their loss.'
'Come on, sinner. We're going.'
'And where are we going?'
'We're going to see my mother.'
'I have to admit, lass, it's a long time since any skirt took me home to meet her mother. But this isn't exactly how I imagined our relationship going.' 'She's an archivist for the Faith, at the Cathedral in Andon. I want to consult some of the records she's got in her library there. She used to tell me a story when I was a child and I need to know the original historical version.'
'What story? What records?'
'The records about Mandrian's Hands and the story about the Glass Mountain. If it exists, and has been recorded by the Faith, there'll be a location, or even a map, in the Archive. There's a much bigger archive at Scholten, but my mother will have a better chance of having the Glass Mountain story. Mandrian's records might not be there, but he fought in Pontaine so a copy should have been kept when the originals went to Scholten.'
Crowe was silent for a long time. 'Why would the Faith have records about Joachim of Mandrian?'
'Because if he fought with the Hands at Freiport, then he fought for
'That I believe. But, why am I coming with you? It seems to me that the opposite direction is looking pretty bloody good right now.'
'If you want to go somewhere, I won't stop you. The Faith is fair, sinner.'
Crowe scowled as if he'd tasted something particularly unpleasant. 'Can't say as I feel particularly redeemed, love.'
She could have said that he had helped her and so she felt she owed the same, but she suspected that he wouldn't appreciate that sentiment. She saw that there was something in his soul that needed healing and it would be fair turnabout for what he had done in Solnos.
'You've been a hired blade, Crowe, right?' He nodded. 'You've been working on the same task as I have, but now it's finished.' He repeated the nod. 'So, it strikes me that you're now a blade for hire.'
'Now, you're not going to suggest you want to hire me? Haven't I mentioned my dislike of the Faith?'
'You've mentioned feeling similarly about both the Faith and the Brotherhood. You did a job for them, you can do a job for us.'
'Since when did the Swords need the likes of me?'
'You're a smuggler and I may need to be smuggled into Freedom. I'll pay you a stipend out of the late Kurt Stoll's funds.'
'Where you're going, it'll cost the lot.'
'What's the price of a soul?' she murmured under her breath.
CHAPTER 14
The journey to Andon had been quite relaxing this time. Various of Pontaine's military factions were patrolling in case of more goblin incursions, but most of the travellers they passed were merchant caravans with mercenary escorts
She and Crowe made their way into the city and up to the walled Faith complex that was dominated by the cathedral. They were greeted at the door by Marta DeZantez.
Marta took a half step back, looking Gabriella up and down. 'My daughter, I didn't expect you back so soon.'
'I'm afraid that this isn't just a social visit mother. I'm here to make use of the archive.'
'Well, you're more than welcome.' Marta let go of her daughter, and looked at Crowe. 'Who…?'
'This is Travis Crowe,' Gabriella said. 'He's working with me.'
'The hired help,' Crowe supplied helpfully. He stuck out a hand. 'Pleased to meet you, missus.' Marta shook his hand with a bemused look, then led the way through a dim archway into a high-ceilinged room filled with the musk of paper.
Two men were examining a thick leather-bound volume in an ante-room when Gabriella and Crowe passed through. Both wore the simple, comfortable robes of scholars, but the muscles on their forearms were thickly
