Blood Walker by Chris A. Jackson

Author:Chris A. Jackson [Jackson, Chris A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction
Publisher: Chris A. Jackson
Published: 2022-04-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Hyko

From the diary of Kevril Longbright —

When did I become such a trusting soul? I should really know better.

“Quiet here,” Miko said as she swept her spyglass across the harbor of Hyko.

“A bit.” I counted five merchantmen and one small Toki warship, which wasn’t uncommon. There seemed to be few of the usual fishing cogs and independent cargo ships. There was, of course, the typical tangle of barges along the river mouth, for the twin cities used that artery to distribute goods from both the sea and the upland Jungle of Nin into the city. A wide sand bar kept deeper draft vessels from venturing upriver, but barges transferred cargo in vast quantities. At the moment, there weren’t many barges moving. “Maybe we missed some festival day or something.”

“Maybe. Don’t like the look of that warship, though.”

“Well, Scourge doesn’t have a price on her head here, and it’s a small one. They’d be fools to start trouble in a foreign port.”

“Plenty of fools in the world, sir.” Miko lowered her spyglass and gave me a sidelong look. “Plans?”

I considered, but my mind was elsewhere. We’d met with Gull two days before. Tan had arrived with a warship for Patak, and Preel said she was dealing with unwelcome attention from Brilla Balshi, but that Lady Severn was helping her. Worry vied with my scrutiny of the harbor until finally I simply shrugged. “Anchor well to leeward of the warship, close to shore. No pirates to recruit here, so I’ll just take a launch upriver with an escort and set up an audience with the governors.”

“Shore leave, sir?” she asked.

“Not until I get the lay of the land and find out how long the governors are going to make me wait.” I scanned the walls that surrounded the two halves of Hyko on the landward sides, but we were still too far to see much detail. The city was actually two, Hy, and Ko, which had long been abbreviated. They were independently governed but closely allied, separated by the river running between them. Things looked peaceful, at least, and the surrounding farmland placid as ever. “See to anchoring, Miko, and pick a shore party for me. I’ve got to put on some decent clothes.”

“Aye, best to look like a diplomat instead of a pirate, I suppose. The governors enjoy their arrangement with Toki; telling them a war’s brewing won’t be welcome news.”

“They also like their independence from Toki.” I shot her a grin. “But you’re right; it’s best to look less than piratical.” I fingered the scars on my face. “I don’t suppose you’d like to—”

Miko barked a laugh. “Hell, no, sir! I don’t get along with politicians very well.”

“Fair enough.” I left the quarterdeck and yelled for Hemp the moment I stepped inside the sterncastle.

“Sir!” The word had been shouted through a mouthful of something, and his scraggly head poked out from the door to the galley, cheeks bulging.

“How in all Nine Hells and Seven Seas do you stay so thin eating day and night?” I strode down the length of the corridor toward my cabin.

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