I’d timed my wording perfectly. Timing and subtlety are ever the calling of a gentleman, after all.
The hitch of breath in my companions’ lungs was a balm to my soul. And how could they not stand in awe?
“Behold friends, the Wyndark Sea!”
Below us opened the coastal valley that held fair Gilsby, and beyond the endless tumult of the untamed sea. The sun cast its undying fury upon the waves. And as we stopped to breathe in the first breath of salt air, the bottom edge of the sun dipped below the horizon, a spark of fire burning away the clouds that had gathered to watch its descent.
“Oh my! The ocean…” was all Hana could manage.
Renewed by the common miracle, our party had soon recovered enough to jog the rest of the way to town.
The twin spires of the church twinkled gold in the fading light, and the call of seabirds seemed, like always, to welcome me home. I’d come here decades ago to make a place for myself. At first, I’d fought Corbrae’s determination to place me in the West. Too far from the capital, from the flint and bang of action.
My master had denied my protests, insisting, “He who stands in the West must stand alone. And he who stands alone must be strong. Your watch will be peaceful, Alysand, until the day comes when you will be asked to sacrifice all you have left.” His will was iron, and I’d gone with a heavy heart. Yet when I had first arrived, a storm was raging in the bay, and I could still recall its wrath. It was a black tempest hovering just out beyond the safety of town, and though I was afraid, the beauty of it was too potent to ignore.
I fell into a walk again, leading my friends into town. “We look a mess, and I am sure all will notice, but we must also look strong. Wear a smile on your faces and wave at those who stop to look at you.” I hoped my words would bolster my friends against the unintentional scrutiny of the small folk.
Sure enough, the first group of children scattered like a school of mackerel after seeing us. Then the dubious faces of adults followed, peering from windows and alleys alike.
I avoided the center of town, heading for the docks. Hana and Madi both waved and tried to smile naturally at the clusters of kids that darted in and out of sight. A few stood boldly and waved back. No doubt, the sight of Pachi and Tejón was causing most of the excitement. Horses, mules, and even oxen were common enough, but the enfield and the stone bear were exotic, even to my eyes.
“Alysand!” a reedy voice called from an alley to my left. “I knew you’d be back. They said you were gone forever, though I didn’t believe them. But you did take long, too long.”
I looked over to see a gaunt and pale face smiling at me. I squinted, attempting to discern who this boy was. Then it became obvious as he came closer. “Shadrick! You’re as tall as a willow tree and twice as thin. How are you, boy?”
“I’m better than you lot by the look of your clothes,” he replied, pointing unabashedly down at my dusted and bloody coat.
I tousled his hair and then reached in my pocket for a few silvers. “Come closer, I’ve got something for you.” I pressed the coins in his hand and whispered a few requests in his ear, sending the youth bounding away at full speed.
When I caught the question in Hana’s eye, I simply winked at her. Good surprises were uncommon. No need to waste one.
Passing through Gilsby churned a complex well of emotions within me. Something was off, though. It was not only the fatigue of battle and our forced march. The people had a haunted look to them. None of the adults smiled at me even though I recognized quite a few. The children, though caught in the tumble of their games, seemed thin and wary. Whatever had happened in my absence had taken from these people. It would be my first priority to find the source.
The docks were the same as always, yet few boats were moored there. Surely, many were still out trawling the bay for fish, but I couldn’t shake the suspicion that Gilsby had fallen somewhat.
We came at last to a brick home at the end of the docks, its driftwood roof as twisted and lovely as ever. I stopped before it and extended my hand, a hopeless grin on my face. “Welcome to my home, friends.”
The front door was only large enough for us humans, but I told everyone to wait outside. I removed the iron key from my satchel and opened the front door. When I stepped inside, though, my heart sank. My small home had been ransacked. Drawers hung open, and my goods were spilled across the floor. Someone had been searching, and by the angry look of their efforts, they hadn’t found what they were looking for.
I sighed, pushing the defeat away. This could all be put aright. I went down the hall, past my bedroom that was likewise thrown about. Then I opened the door that led to the small barn. Only a few bales of hay had been in here, and it was mostly untouched, though the lamp that had hung in its center was tossed to the ground. I picked it up, grateful that the oil hadn’t spilled. I lit the lamp and hung it up then opened the barn doors.
“This way. There is room for all of us,” I gestured, and was pleased to see that though the creatures we traveled with were large, they were easily accommodated.
Madi was the first to admire my humble home. “Pretty
