This week’s update is a bit different. I’m posting chapters 5 & 6, because 1) they’re short and 2) they’re so closely related that it just makes more sense to do them both at the same time.
A Dread Tide Rising is a pulp-flavored, epic fantasy novel set in the world of Thalrassa. It follows the Talon, a group of mercenaries, thieves, and smugglers, as they come face-to-face with an ancient enemy intent on the destruction of the Rakkian Empire.
Catch up on all the chapters here. You can learn more about the members of the Talon here and explore Thalrassa-related lore here. The map of Thalrassa can be found here.
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Chapter 5
People choked the common room. Mac and Gorm forced their way through the press of bodies, the smells of stale beer and staler sweat intermingling with the woodsmoke from the fireplace. A dash of pipe smoke added a touch of spice to the miasma.
“You’d think it was asking too much for some of these folks to bathe before coming out in public,” Mac groused.
Gorm grunted in agreement but said nothing. There was little point; the stench was self-evident.
Mac waded through the assembled merchants, travelers, and townsfolk toward the bar. He signaled the proprietor. “We’ll eat in our rooms,” he told the man, glancing around at the crowd to get his point across.
“Of course you will,” the inn-keeper agreed, a sour twist to his lips. “I’ll have a boy bring it up, but it’ll cost you extra.”
“Of course it will,” Mac replied, mirroring the inn-keeper's expression, but sliding another crown across the scarred bar top. The proprietor snatched it with alacrity, and the coin vanished.
After navigating the crowd to the stairs, Mac and Gorm tramped up to their room. Pushing open the rather flimsy wooden door, they found the rest of the Talon waiting. Kye and Wynn sat together on one bed, laughing quietly together. Hax sprawled in a chair, ankles crossed, and feet propped on a windowsill. His sister sat nearby honing one of her hatchets. All eyes turned to them as the pair entered.
“Did you learn anything?” Wynn asked, eyes bright with curiosity.
Mac collapsed onto the bed. “A little, yes. We also managed to lay a false trail should anyone hope to follow us from here.”
“Oh, good,” Wynn said.
Mac looked at Hax. “We all set up with your friend?”
Hax nodded. “We meet him tonight after the bell for market closing at a place nearby.”
“Good, we need to get on the road. Miles to go and all that.” Things were falling into place. The violence on the way to town and the sneaking suspicion that someone out there was actively trying to destroy the Talon made him antsy. With Kye in a better position, he would feel more comfortable getting back to Sparrowhawk and underway to Rom. He missed the disappointment that flashed across Kye’s face and the sudden frown on Wynn’s.
Time passed, and their food arrived, carried up by a boy not much out of nappies and a girl that could only have been his sister, so close was the resemblance. They set down plates heaped with mutton, steaming bowls of stew, loaves of fresh bread, and rounds of a lovely cheese, and then disappeared without saying a word. The Talon fell to with a will. None of them had eaten much beyond trail rations and what could be hunted or foraged to supplement them, and Kye had not enjoyed even that cold comfort but for the short time she had been traveling with them.
As they ate, the soft sounds of conversation filled the room. Hax joked with Gorm, while Pax glared daggers at anyone who came closer to her food than arm’s length. Wynn sat near enough to Gorm to touch him but talked to Kye, who smiled wanly at the other girl’s jests. Now and then, her eyes darted toward Mac, who was oblivious to the attention.
Mac ate slowly, lost in thought as he chewed. He replayed the conversation with Feeney again in his mind, turning it like a stone in his fingers.
Eventually, the bell signaling the close of the market rang, and the meal drew to an end. It was time to go. Hax led the way down the stairs, followed by Kye, Gorm, and Mac. Pax and Wynn would remain in their rooms. Ostensibly, they had remained to keep watch over the Talon’s meager belongings and a small fortune in gems carefully hidden away, but Mac understood the real reason. Wynn was not one for goodbyes, and despite her short tenure with their crew, she had formed a bond with Kye. Hell, he had come to like her enough himself. It would be a sad parting, but ultimately best for the girl, especially if she found some honest work and got herself off her current path.
Hax led the companions out the inn’s door and into the darkness. The street was crowded as merchants and last-minute shoppers made their way from the market. The companions slipped into the stream of people, moving north. A couple of streets up, they turned west, leaving the residential area of town and moving into a commercial district. Finally, they came to a nondescript building at the end of an equally nondescript street. It stood only a single story but was long and wide, and looked to be a warehouse of some sort. They stopped in front of a large, closed door.
Hax knocked three times, paused, then knocked twice more, and the door swung open. Inside, a shadowy figure scrutinized Hax and then gestured for them to enter. Mac and his companions stepped through and found themselves in a dimly lit space. From the way the echoes died away, most of the warehouse’s interior was open.
The man who had opened the door gestured for them to wait and disappeared into the gloom. Mac listened as his footsteps faded into the distance.
A few minutes later, they heard several sets of footsteps returning. Three people appeared. One was the original guard. Another was obviously muscle - a burly man with scars, carrying a heavy, spiked club. The third man looked like he might have once been hired muscle himself, but had climbed higher up the ladder. His broad frame still showed traces of his muscular youth, but a layer of fat now overlayed his muscle. A legacy of good times, Mac supposed.
“Hax, this the girl you were on about?” the ex-tough turned crime boss asked, looking Kye up and down with an appraising eye and ignoring the others. Mac’s hackles rose, but he held his peace.
“It is,” Hax agreed.
Murphy stepped closer to Kye, eyes gleaming. “You’re a likely looking one.” He caught Mac’s glare and coughed. “You’d make an excellent spotter. Light enough for second-story work, too, I’d wager.”
Kye shook her head. “No,” she said, then seemed to think better of it. “No, thank you,” she amended. “I’d like out altogether. Honest work for me.”
Murphy laughed. “Know your manners, do you? That’s good. Respect is one of the coins of my realm, little girl.” He glanced up at Hax. “I can get her on with Jornil’s caravan. They’re headed back down the Cel on a barge. Should be a few days afloat with the water as it is, then they’ll strike overland for Melleton. Jornil winters there before sailing south come spring. Should be right hospitable for her.” He gave what Mac guessed was supposed to be a winning smile, showing gapped, yellowed teeth.
“You sure you want to do this, Kye?” Mac asked. “This isn’t the only game in town. We can find another way.”
“Only game in town?” Murphy bristled. “You want done what you want done, I’m the only game for miles beyond.”
Mac ignored him, still waiting for Kye’s answer. The girl was silent for a moment, then said, “I’ll go with him.” An emotion Mac could not identify flashed across her face for a moment before vanishing. “It’s time to let you get on your way, and it’s time for me to make a fresh start.” She took a deep, steadying breath. “A new life.”
Mac was not sold on the idea, but it was not his place to argue with the girl. If she thought Murphy was the best option to get her started on that new life, then he had no call to stop her. If what the man said was true, then he could get her into an honest line of work. Still, there was something about the rogue that rubbed Mac the wrong way. He could not quite put his finger on it, and it irked him.
“Are we agreed then?” Murphy asked.
Hax shrugged and looked at Kye. “Not my call,” he said.
Kye nodded. “Yes, we’re agreed. I’ll go with you and then downriver with Jornil.”
“Excellent!” Murphy crowed, looking significantly at Hax.
The big man missed the look for a moment, then grunted in realization. “Fine, we’ll call us even,” he grumbled unhappily.
Mac gripped Kye’s shoulder. “If you ever find yourself in need, get word to us and we’ll come running.”
Kye nodded, trying on a brave smile.
Gorm knelt in front of her, and she leaped into the big man’s arms. He patted her head and then disentangled herself from him. “Time for us to be going, little one,” the giant warrior rumbled. Kye nodded, unshed tears standing in her eyes.
“Time for us, too,” Murphy said, snapping his fingers at Kye. “Time’s a-wasting, and I ain’t making no money standing here yapping. Let’s get you set up and off to Jornil’s camp. You’ll like it.” He shuttled her off, still gabbling on, leaving Mac, Hax, and Gorm standing with the guard who had granted them access. They turned and retraced their steps back to the inn.
Chapter 6
It was a somber group that gathered in the common room to discuss their plans. Even though the young thief had been with them only a short time, her presence was missed.
“We’ll head north in the morning,” Mac said. “It’ll take some time to reach Rom. We can fence some of the pretties we nicked off Thynne for supplies along the way. You’ll each get your share, too.”
“We could lighten a few pockets around here,” Hax suggested. “Just to pass the time, of course.”
Mac shook his head. “Didn’t I already say no light-fingered antics? We just got Kye squared away. Now we need to make ourselves scarce. There’s questions that need answering.”
“You’re no fun,” Hax groused.
“So, that begs the question, what are we going to do after Rom? Assuming you find your blessed answers,” Pax asked pointedly.
“Yeah, we can’t live off that gain forever. What’s our next move, Mac?” Hax chimed in.
Wynne and Gorm both perked up at that. Mac sighed. It was the perennial question: How to keep the crew paid, supplies laid in, and everything running on an even keel. “Well, I could send word to Molly, see if she’s got any other suggestions.”
“Takes too damn long,” Hax said. “I’d like to avoid cooling my heels all winter while you and Molly trade love notes if we can help it.”
Pax sniggered, and even Wynne cracked a smile at that.
“I’m open to suggestions,” Mac said, then drained his ale.
“I vote we go south. Am’s rich pickings this time of year.”
“Hilé’s my pick,” Pax said.
“What in Azair’s hells would we do there?” her brother wanted to know.
Before Pax could answer, the door to the inn slammed open. Four or five rowdies poured in, most likely toughs for one of the local gangs. They circulated through the tavern, feral dogs on familiar ground, before forcibly clearing a table not far from where the Talon sat.
“Ale and wine, Mulldiver!” one shouted at the barkeep, who winced, but bobbed his head, eager to please.
One tried to grab a passing serving maid, but she easily danced out of his reach and went on about her rounds. Deprived of his sport, he punched one of his companions, who snarled and hit him back. The first one took affront to this and pushed the other. The prompt arrival of their drinks was the only thing that forestalled outright violence.
“They look three sheets to the wind,” Wynne muttered.
“Let ‘em guzzle it down,” Mac countered. “With any luck, they’ll nod off at the table and be insensible till morning.”
Suddenly, the group of toughs erupted in laughter. “I’ll bet you ten silver pieces that girl doesn’t make Rakka alive!” one said loudly, pounding his newly-emptied mug on the table.
“Not odds I’ll take,” another chimed in with a guffaw. “Murph knew what he was doing when he took her off them.”
Mac’s ears perked up. What was this? He strained to hear more of the conversation, but the toughs had turned to other matters.
“Mulldiver!” the one Mac took at the leader yelled again. “We need refills all around if you want to keep on our good side.” A server hurried over to replenish them.
“Did you hear what they said?” Mac hissed to Gorm. Beside the big warrior, Wynne’s eyes were wide with sudden realization.
“That I did. You think there’s a connection?”
“Could be. Could be coincidence.”
“You don’t believe in coincidence.”
Mac shook his head. “That I don’t, but there’s one sure way to find out.” The Talon settled in to wait. As it turned out, they did not have long.
“Seth, this is the worst tavern in the city. Why are we here? Let’s go to the Wing.”
Seth, the one who had called for drinks, replied, “You only want to go there ‘cause Miranda’s girls let you fondle the merchandise on credit!”
“Exactly!”
The table erupted with laughter as the men pushed away from the table, leaving stools and chairs overturned on the floor. “We’ll be by in the morning, Mulldiver, and you’d best have everything ready to settle your account,” Seth warned as the toughs filed out.
“You know what to do?” Mac asked the table in general, eliciting nods all around. “Right, let’s go see if we can get some clarification on a couple of points. Just give me a moment to get set.” Even Hax could find nothing to complain about as they left.
Fog crept down the city’s streets, shadowed silver under a new moon. The toughs sauntered along, boisterous and arrogant. Mac stood on a deserted street corner peering around, back hunched and chin sagging toward his chest.
“What’s this?” the tough named Seth asked, laughing, as the group caught sight of Mac. “You lost, old man?”
“Lost? No, no,” Mac muttered. “Just misplaced myself. You wouldn’t know how to get to the river from here, would you? Help a fellow out?”
“The river’s just over…” one of the toughs began, but his advice ended in a yelp of pain. “Why’d you do that, Seth?”
Seth ignored his companion. “Well, what’s that worth to you?”
“Worth? I got no coin, but I’ll give ya my thanks and I’d be in yer debt, right enough.”
“No coin and lost in the city?” Seth crowed. “Boys, I think we should lend a hand.” Several of the others chuckled, seeing where their leader’s thoughts led.
“Look here,” another one piped in. “We don’t give directions for free, old man. You gotta pay the toll.”
“Pay up!” another shouted.
“I said I ain’t got no coin,” Mac pleaded.
“Then we’ll just have to take it out of your hide!” Seth snarled, leaping toward Mac. Only the old man was not there. Mac whirled out of Seth’s path, and the tough slammed into the side of a building.
“What…” Seth sputtered, but now it was Mac’s turn. He took two strides, and steel glinted in the night, just below Seth’s chin.
“I think you might be getting ahead of yourself there, Seth,” Mac said.
“You let him go!” one of the others shouted, moving toward Mac.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice said from the surrounding fog. The sound of steel clearing a scabbard rang through the night, bringing the tough to a grinding halt. Hax stepped out of the darkness, sword at the ready. “Best you sit put and let them handle their business.” The tough put up his hands, stepping back toward the center of the street. Other shadows moved in the fog as Pax and Wynne appeared, corralling the thugs.
“Looks like your boys are a little tied up right now,” Mac said to Seth. “Why don’t you and me have a little talk?”
“W-what do you want?” Seth asked.
“Relax. I just need some information. You give it to me straight, and the lot of us go our separate ways, everyone with the right number of body parts. Sound good?”
Seth nodded vigorously.
“Good. Glad you see sense. Now, it’s just a small thing. You’re going to tell us who you were talking about not making it to Rakka. Who’s Murphy going to kill?”
Understanding dawned in Seth’s eyes. “You’re them, aren’t you?”
“Doesn’t matter who we are. Just answer the question.”
Seth shrugged. “Some Faceless brat’s all I know. Got the death mark on her. We get her on the boat, get down the river a few hours, then he slits her throat. Faceless’ll pay whether she’s dead or alive. Less trouble all the way around, Murph said.”
“Well, that changes things more than a little,” Mac growled. “You work for Murphy.” It wasn’t a question.
Seth hesitated, then nodded.
“Good. I think it might be in your best interests to seek alternative employment. I have a feeling Murphy won’t be needing your services after tonight.” Mac shoved Seth back into the street toward his friends.
“Let’s go,” he said, motioning for the Talon to follow.
“Where are we going?” Hax asked.
“To see your little friend.”
“But, why?” Hax protested. “What’s it matter if Murphy takes her to Jornil or kills her? She’s out of our hair, right?”
So fast the motion blurred, Mac had a fistful of Hax’s hair, face so close that the fighter could feel Mac’s breath.
“I’ll say this just once, so pay attention. Kye’s in danger, and it’s our fault. Well, your fault. And we’re not going to leave that child to face death at the hands of Murphy and his friends. We’re all she’s got.”
“She ain’t even part of the Talon!” Hax protested.
Mac’s fist cracked into the side of Hax’s head with a sound that echoed in the night. The fighter staggered backward, shaking his head to clear stars that danced across his vision.
“She’s one of us if I say she’s one of us. Are we clear on this?”
Hax held up a hand to ward off another blow. “Damn well we’re clear,” he muttered.
“Anyone else have questions that need answering right this second?” Mac asked, looking around at the Talon members. No one did.
Writing is thirsty work. Help me stay hydrated!
Ooh! How did Murph know Kye was marked but Mac didn’t? I shudder to think.