Monstrum by Kat Ross

Author:Kat Ross
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-9990481-5-3
Publisher: Kat Ross

Darius leapt to the pier before the Chione’s mooring rope was even secured. He scanned the crowded port, searching for Selk ships. Nazafareen’s boots thumped down beside him a moment later.

To her great relief, the port lay on the sunlit side. Her power had returned the moment the sun peeked over the western horizon—along with the bond and Darius’s infirmity. He kept his withered hand hidden in the sleeve and Nazafareen avoided looking at it, not because it repelled her, it didn’t in the least, but because it made her feel guilty.

“Do you see the Asperta?” she asked.

“Not yet. We should split up and search.”

Tjanjin was easily five times larger than the Selk port. It had six main jetties, countless smaller ones, and besides the Marakai ships, there were fishing vessels and pilot boats and swift passenger ferries with water wheels that appeared to be powered by spell dust.

“Come with me,” Megaera growled, seizing Herodotus by the sleeve and hauling him off down the jetty. “We’ll take the east side,” she called over her shoulder.

“Poor Herodotus,” Nazafareen murmured. “She bullies him terribly.”

“Only because he lets her,” Darius observed. “Let’s go.”

They dove into the controlled chaos of the port with Captain Mafuone. Voices jabbered in a dozen different dialects. Sewage and sawdust mingled with rotting fish and smoky joss sticks. Nyx vessels nudged shoulders with Sheut and Khepresh. It looked haphazard, but Mafuone seemed to know where to go and led them straight to the farthest pier.

“Over there,” she said, pointing into the forest of masts at an older vessel with the volatile gray cat flying from its masts, her tail lashing in the wind.

The ship was still being unloaded. It must have just arrived. But there was no sign of the red-haired man, or a girl either.

“Captain Kasaika,” Mafuone called out when they reached the Asperta.

The captain glanced up from a piece of parchment where she was ticking off items of cargo. She was short and buxom, with a closely shaved head. Unlike Mafuone, she wore no jewelry, but every visible inch of skin bore colorful tattoos, fantastic scenes of storm clouds and shipwrecks, frothing smashers and flocks of birds flying for cover. The scenes were so painstakingly lifelike, Nazafareen could almost hear rolls of thunder in the distance.

“Mafuone.” Kasaika looked surprised. “I didn’t know you were behind us.”

“A last-minute decision,” Mafuone replied. “You carried a passenger. Where is he?”

“Gone ashore an hour or so ago,” Kasaika replied, returning to the parchment. “Why?”

“I’ll explain in a moment.” Mafuone shot a quelling look at Nazafareen. “But we’re also looking for a girl.”

“By Anu’s whiskers, what’s she done now?” Kasaika demanded in exasperation.

“Nothing,” Nazafareen said quickly. “But we have to find her. Did she go somewhere with the man named Nicodemus?”

Kasaika looked her up and down. “Whoever you are, I’ll not hand Meb over—”

“We don’t wish to harm her,” Mafuone interrupted. “The opposite. She’s in grave danger.”

“I gave Meb leave to go ashore,” Kasaika said after a pause. “She usually visits the aquarium.

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