Shattered Souls (Guardians of the Maiden Book 3)

Von stood on the frozen shores behind the Corvis Tavern. He shielded his eyes against the sunrise coming up over the horizon as he watched the raiders use pickaxes to break the ice free from around Tarn’s ship. The grand 200-ton vessel was made of the highest quality wood painted black. The ship’s name, SOMNIO, was painted in elegant gold letters on the side of the ship. It had three masts and white unmarked sails. Gun ports in a count of ten on both sides were in a straight line above the hull. The noses of cannons peeked out of each one. More raiders were climbing the shrouds to undo the tangled rope. Others are scrubbing ice off the deck.

It truly was a marvelous ship and the one thing Tarn didn’t steal.

Tarn stood on the quarterdeck, overlooking the horizon of the sea. Chunks of ice drifted lazily around with the tide, sea birds resting on them between their dives for fish. Further out, cerulean blue icebergs jutted from the water like frozen sentinels shielding the harbor, the floating mountains proud and tall. They were ordered to leave Azure before the Saxe Sea froze.

Von turned to the sound of raiders rolling barrels of provisions and gun powder along the dock. Yavi left the back doors to the tavern with Geon carrying her luggage and Von’s. He watched her follow behind the Raiders onto the ship’s deck and headed for his officer quarters.

A tingle of excitement stirred in Von’s chest at the sight of his wife. Now that he had time to process that he would soon have a son, he anticipated the day he would hold him in his arms.

And now that they were headed out to sea, their escape was imminent.

“Commander,” Lieutenant Olsson approached him. “The men have finished stocking the cargo hold. As soon as the ice has been cleared, we’re ready to set sail.”

“Good,” Von nodded and walked with him to the dock. “Have you been able to gather any more information about that man?”

“No, Commander. Sai-chuen keeps to himself. The men avoid him. He has already broken a few fingers of the ones that have challenged him.”

Von located Sai-chuen where he sat casually in the crows-nest. He avoided any labor and for the most part kept out of sight.

“Continue to keep an eye on him,” Von told Olsson, “Oversee the rest of the preparations. Come find me when it’s time to break water.”

The Lieutenant nodded and walked away, barking orders at the Raiders. Von joined Tarn on the quarterdeck and followed him into the Captain’s quarters.

“How long?” Tarn asked as entered the large elegant room.

The back wall consisted of viewing windows out to sea. His desk was set in front of them, covered in scrolls and maps and books, rested on a large red and gold rug with a dark leather chair.

“Not long now,” Von told him, looking out the round window to watch the activity on the deck.

Tarn took a seat at his desk. He lifted a divider and began taking measurements on his charts of the sea channel from Indigo Bay to Dwarf Shoe.

That was there Sai-chuen said the Druid would be.

“The trip will only take a week if the winds hold,” Tarn said. “Dwarf Shoe is a free state, bounties are forbidden to be collected there, so no one will be hunting for me. Regardless, discretion as always.”

The door to the officers’ quarters opened and Von saw Yavi walk over to the ship’s railing to look out to sea. The wind blew her hair behind her. He smiled as he watched her discreetly rest a hand on her stomach.

Sai-chuen climbed down the crows-nest and landed next to her. She recoiled at his unexpected presence. He closed in on her, saying something Von couldn’t read. Yavi became visibly uncomfortable, taking a step back.

She had told Von he was often watching her, smiling his creepy perceptive smile. He had threatened Sai-chuen already to leave her alone, but the man clearly wanted to die.

Von clenched his teeth as Yavi backed further away from Sai-chuen. He closed in, pinning her against the ship’s rail. She became outraged at something he said and she attempted to strike him. He snatched her hand, leaning in closer. Yavi’s anger switched to fear.

Von snatched the door handle.

“Von,” Tarn called, stopping him in place.

Yavi elbowed her way past him and ran away to their quarters. Only then, did Von turn around to face Tarn.

“What occupies your thoughts that you don’t hear me?” he said, watching him narrowly. “Has your wound caught infection and affected your head?”

As far as anyone knew, Von was still recovering from the cut Sai-chuen gave him. But Yavi made him take out the vial of Cassiel’s divine blood he’d stolen from the port market, and one drop was all it took to heal him.

“No, pardon me.” Von forced himself to turn away from the door and came to stand by him. “I was thinking about why Sai-chuen was allowed to join your regiment? We cannot trust him.”

“I don’t trust anyone.”

“Not even me?”

Tarn fixed his pale eyes on Von. “I trust you to do as I command and not to question my judgment.”

But he did question it. Something wasn’t right about Sai-chuen. Something about the man nagged in the back of Von’s mind. He was on constant high alert.

There came a knock at the door, and Lieutenant Olsson popped his head in. “We are set to sail, Master.”

Tarn fluidly rose and headed outside with Von.

“To your stations,” Lieutenant Olsson barked, and the Raiders scurried to their posts. They soon had the anchor chain up and the ship groaned as the bow began to fall off to port and move away from the dock.

When Tarn and Von arrived on the quarterdeck, the helmsman stepped back and excused himself. Tarn took the wheel, guiding the ship out to sea. The men pulled on the ropes to the yards and the foremasts swung around. The sails inflated with the current of the wind and the ship gained headway.

Once it picked up speed, Von called for the courses to be set. At last, they were sailing.

The icy wind carried them along as they picked up speed. Tarn held up a compass in one hand while he guided the wheel to their heading, his pale eyes set on the horizon. The Raiders began to light the lanterns around the ship as the sun set.

Sai-chuen climbed the steps to the quarterdeck to join them.

“Location,” Tarn said.

“The Druid is headed for Kelpway,” Sai-chuen said. “It’s a small town on the coast of Dwarf Shoe.”

Von’s stern gaze followed him. He tried to read Sai-chuen’s black eyes as anxiety churned in his chest. What had he said to Yavi?

Sai-chuen’s dark eyes met his, and a clear knowingness was in them. He didn’t attempt to hide his goading.

He knows.

Von’s thoughts raced with a hundred solutions all screaming at him at the same time. Most were drowned out by one ultimate decision.

Kill him. Do it now.

The man looked away at something Olsson said. Von reached in his coat for a knife, but Sai-chuen’s quick eyes caught the movement. A challenging smile tugged at the ends of his mouth.

“Von,” Tarn called sharply.

Von whipped around. “Yes?”

His cool eyes narrowed. “Where is your mind at? I told you to retrieve the sextant. I left it on my desk.”

“Right away.” Von reluctantly walked away from Sai-chuen. He felt the man’s eyes on him as he headed to the captain’s quarters. His nerves pulsed with unease.

He needed to get Yavi out of here.

Von entered the quarters and went to the desk. On the piles of maps rested the sexton next to the divider. Von absentmindedly picked it up. The movement caused a soft clink. He moved a scroll to search for the cause and the glass vial of Witch’s Brew appeared as if it was a gift from the Heavens. Tarn never left it off his person.

It was a miracle if Von ever knew one.

He glanced around first then drew out from his pocket a small pewter vial. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears as he unstopped it and curled his nose at the bitter scent of Dreamshade oil. Who’d known he would learn a thing or two about herbology from the Maiden.

Von had to wait for his hand to stop shaking before he poured in two drops then put the vial of Witch’s Brew back where it was found. God of Urn. This was it. The next time Tarn used the potion, he would fall sleep and they would make their escape.

Von was in such a rush to leave, he nearly tripped over a small chest by the legs of the dining table. It was stamped with the sigil of Xián Jīng, gilded with decorative corners and a golden clasp. The artifact they had stolen from the Emperor.

It had been many years since Von last saw it that he almost forgot what it looked like. He never get to see what was inside of it. Maybe it was curiosity, but he hesitated. He wanted to know what Tarn nearly died to get.

Von swallowed, then reached out and propped the chest open. He blinked at the contents, bewildered. It was merely an old copper tea pot carved with some elaborate design of a bird and feathers. He frowned and lifted the lid.

A pale gray powder rested inside.

Were those ashes?

Why would…

The boat creaked, startling Von out of his thoughts. He lingered too long. Quickly shutting the chest, he hurried back to the helm. Tarn was the only one at the wheel.

“The sexton,” Von held it out to him.

Tarn fixed his gaze on him. He slowly took the sexton, not once looking away. It unnerved Von. Paranoia made him start to sweat.

He bowed so he could look away from those piercing eyes. “Shall I take my leave and see to your evening meal?”

After another breath of quiet, Tarn said, “Go.”

Von tried not to run down the steps. He speedily walked across the deck to his officer’s quarters. He found Yavi there, crying into her hands. She looked up at Von, and her face fell with distress.

“Sai-chuen knows,” she sobbed.

It confirmed what Von already knew. He shut the door behind him, locked it and rushed to her side. “What happened?”

“Why am I so daft?” Yavi asked him through her tears. “He provoked me and I tried to strike him. I acted out of my station and he accused me of being a privileged servant. I’m sure he knows!”

Von exhaled sharply. “What else did he say?”

She laid a shaking hand on her belly.

“Yavi?”

“Nothing. He said nothing more.”

Von started pacing and wringing his hands. Sai-chuen must have put it together, and he would be seeking for any opportunity to climb the ranks. “I’m not risking another day. We’re leaving tonight. Tarn will sleep, I made sure of that.”

Yavi hugged herself and bit her lip as she watched him.

“We’re going to take one of the rowboats,” he said lightly, like it would be easy. “The coast isn’t far. We can make it back to Indigo Bay and disappear.” His wife nodded tearfully and her throat bobbed. “Wait here. I’m going to see Sorren about our provisions.” He wrapped his arms around her and hid his shaking hands behind her back. But Yavi was already trembling with the fear Von fought to contain within himself. “I won’t let anything happen to you or Verik,” he vowed. “We will be free. Of him, of this place, of our past. Everything. We will start a new life with no more secrets or darkness. That is my promise to you.”

Yavi’s face crumbled. He kissed her temple and turned to go.

“Von.” Yavi took his hand. “I…”

“What is it, love?”

She looked away to the floor. “There is something I must tell you. About the Scroll of the Unending…I should have known that man’s evil ran further than I ever thought possible. But then I saw the scroll.” She covered her mouth. “I didn’t want to tell you because I feared what you would say, that you would change your mind about leaving.”

He took her shoulders. “Why would I? It’s you and me now and our son. Nothing will change that.”

“Whatever your choice, I cannot hold on to this any longer because I know it will eat away at me. I have to tell you the truth.”

Dread accumulated in his chest. “Know what?”

Yavi sat on the bed and dropped her head in her hands. “I…didn’t tell you everything Sai-chuen said. He doesn’t care about us. I don’t even think he cares about becoming a Raider. He knew what he was bringing to Tarn.”

Von crouched in front of her and lifted her chin. “I don’t understand. What did he say, Yavi?”

She closed her eyes. “‘I’m curious, sweet linguist,’” she whispered. “‘If your eyes are as sharp as your tongue, then answer me this. If your Master knows where the Tree of the Unending lies, why search for the missing piece of this mysterious scroll? You and I both know it doesn’t contain its location, but secrets of never endings and renewed beginnings.’” Her lip wobbled and her lashes lifted, looking at him with pained and frightened eyes. “‘Rotten little secrets…like how to perform a resurrection from the ashes of the Ice Phoenix.’”

All the air left Von’s lungs as he slumped back on his heels.

He spoke not a word when the cabin started spinning. Not while his mind reeled with every piece of his past. He kept seeing flashes of his sister’s smile, her laughter, and her bloody body torn apart at Tarn’s feet. He saw every person they had killed to get to this point.

He saw the teapot.

Then he remembered the Relic Hunter’s last plea. You must destroy it…

All the pieces came together like a sick puzzle. Its vile picture was a revelation that made his stomach heave. Now, years later, Von finally knew what was inside the chest, and what Tarn planned to do with it.

Bile rushed up his throat.

Von ran out of the room to the side of the ship and vomited.