The Burning Land: The Talmont Trilogy Book 1 by David Hair

Author:David Hair [Hair, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 2024-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

11

Lady Juanita

Ferasto

Ferasto is a bandit kingdom peopled with Foylish, Solabi and Nepari migrants. Hemmed in by mountains and a giant lake, Regio Lago, it was an impoverished backwater for centuries, until they realised that it was ideal for poppy-growing. It is now one of the empire’s largest suppliers of opium, and has a strong army. Even the Vestal Order must sing low in Ferasto, where shards are forbidden.

Inchalus Sekum, Mutazi scribe, 1469

Baluarte, Regio Lago

Summer 1472

The ferries to Ferasto left from Canas, on the Solabi side of the Serena River’s headwaters. From sunrise, sailors began pushing out barges and rowing boats, most going directly to Huestra on the other side of the lake, taking those with a valid travel warrant. But Jadyn’s group had to join those going to Baluarte to obtain such a warrant.

By dawn they were queuing with hundreds of merchants, gypsies and refugees. There’d been further vyr attacks nearby – at Riokastella, Romara wasn’t surprised to learn – forcing yet more people to abandon their lives and seek a haven in Ferasto. Most would be turned away; she could almost taste the desperation in the air.

Hoping they were still ahead of whatever arrest notices had been posted for them, they approached the ticket booth for Baluarte. But the Ferasti ticket-sellers were interested only in their money. From there it was on to the docks, where they queued yet again, this time for the Baluarte barges. Those were drawn from the shore to the island-fortress and back by hundreds of indentured labourers, men of all races chained together and visibly suffering. It made their blood boil, but there was nothing they could do.

When Akka created the world, Romara thought, He got a lot wrong.

She had a more pressing concern than wrongs she couldn’t right: the nagging feeling that she herself was the greatest danger to the group. The vyr-thing she would become was a lurking presence inside her now, pacing the interior of her skull, hissing and snarling as it sought release. For now, she could hold it in check, but if trouble broke out, she wasn’t so sure.

What happens if I lose control, here in this town?

Hours in the queue crawled by, fretting while the inadequate ferries battled with the unusually high number of refugees, until they were able to board a barge large enough for their horses. They gathered in the stern, watching the Canas dock recede and the island fortress grow closer. Their mood was pensive, even tense.

Jadyn asked Aura to explain again how she intended to gain the warrant.

‘Is no problem,’ Aura insisted. ‘Have obtain warrant afore. Am known, have money. Is easy.’

‘Who are you, here?’ Obanji asked.

‘Am grand lady: Juanita Casameria della Markez. Everyone know family.’

‘Then how will you pass yourself off as her?’ Elindhu enquired, scratching her big nose.

‘Juanita be recluse. Widowed, live in country. Aura use name before, no trouble.’

They all looked dubious.

Soren blurted, ‘There must be a better way, surely?’

‘What you want?’ Aura snorted. ‘King of Ferasto come and row you himself?’

They all threw in comments – unfavourable ones – until Jadyn held up a hand.

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