Westhaven by Rowan Erlking (best sci fi novels of all time TXT) 📕

“He’s the governor?” Olev drooped his shoulders. “So I didn’t hear wrong. What am I to do?”

Key was ready to mourn with him, the task doubly daunting than just freeing a simple slave.

“You’re going to bring that wizard of Sundri to Calcumum anyway, right?” Lowman cut in with a smug grin, watching Key squirm, with enjoyment. “So, tunnel in and steal the kid.”

Olev looked up in hope.

“We can’t let the governor find out about the tunnels we’re going to make,” Key snapped at Lowman with his usual irritation towards that particular man. “And stealing one slave in particular would draw attention to Olev here, and possibly lead to the ruin of his people. Especially if he was the slave of a governor.”

“But my son!” Olev burst into tears again.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to do it!” Key retorted, feeling his rage grow. “But now I really have to talk with Sadena.”

He stomped off. They watched him go, even out of the cave because Sadena had gone with Callen down the mountainside to do something. When they thought he was out of earshot, Edman said, “Don’t worry. He’ll do it. He’s already thinking about how to fix the problem. Key’s like that.”

Key had been mulling over the problem over and over again wondering how in the world he had gotten himself stuck in such a predicament. He had already promised to get the tunnels made in Calcumum City. That was no big deal. But he had not intended to go to the city with them. He was going to head north to Wimanus to scout out the area so they could clear up the problem with watching soldiers there. Then he had planned to go down the river to Riken Lake to meet up with the insurgents there. They had established a large group of lake men and women who were helping them move supplies through the river system from the eastern area to the Herra Hills. But a rescue in Calcumum was entirely out of the way. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make himself say no.

“Ah, Key! The man I wanted to see,” Sadena said, turning from Callen who sat on the somewhat disused stone hearth. Key had automatically walked to his old forge without realizing it. Luckily they were waiting for him there. “I want Callen to go with you to…. What is wrong?”

Looking back up the mountainside, Key winced then rubbed the center of his forehead. “I’m sorry. I just fielded a request from a man who wants me to rescue his son.”

“Where from?” Sadena asked, not fazed by it at all. “An occasional rescue is ok. It makes the blue-eyes think we aren’t up to anything big. In fact, I plan to have a raid held on the train between Wingsley and Wede Mountains just to mislead them. It will be fun.”

Key made a face at her. Only a wizard talked about mayhem and raids as fun. Her risk at getting killed was less.

“So, who and where?” She gave a smile.

Sighing quite loudly, Key replied, “The newly purchased slave of Governor Shillig, in Calcumum.”

Sadena froze.

“I’d say no,” Callen replied, just staring at him.

Key pressed his forehead harder. “The man who sold this boy was the one who sold me to the general.”

Callen lifted up his eyebrows, drawing in a long breath. “I see. But—”

“No buts,” Key said. Then he looked at Callen. “I have a request. Send someone to Wendora to stop Captain Lugan from selling people’s children.”

Sadena looked to Callen. Callen glanced back at her, nodded then said, “Luis is down south. We can send a telegram.”

Key blinked. “A telegram?”

Callen’s face split into a smile. “That’s right, Key. We wanted to tell you about that also. It is a secret. There are too many others in our group right now that would abuse the power before it is ready, but we figured you ought to know. We captured a telegraph post and replaced the workers there. We have another, and we are now setting up our own lines.”

“We’ve formed a communication division while you were away in Yarrding,” Sadena said with a smirk. “I hope you don’t mind.”

But Key felt like laughing. He had talked about tapping into the Sky Child’s telegraph lines for the past three years, always assuming his words had fallen on deaf ears. Obviously he had been wrong.

“What now?” Key asked, getting closer. “Is Luis at the telegraph post.”

Smiling broader because they could tell he was pleased, Sadena said, “He’s very close by in Ladis City right now. If you want, we can plan an ambush for that blue-eye captain. But what do you plan to do about that slave? You know stealing from a governor is very dangerous.”

“Stealing….” Key murmured and then chuckled as he seemed to stare off into space, imagining. “That’s it. We’ll make it a robbery.”

Callen peered at him. “Make it a what?”

Nodding to himself, Key smiled. “That’s right. Make it a robbery and have it look like one of those slimy collaborators had a hand in it. That way the Sky Children will blame them and we’ll kill two demons with one blow.”

“That sounds like a tactic Kleston would use.” Tiler walked up the mountainside. Weston was following him carrying a sealed letter. Both stopped in front of Key. “Where are we going now?”

Key chuckled. Despite all the places they had roamed and the trouble they had gotten into, Tiler never once left his side since Herra. Berd had ended up working in the Semple forest for a good while before joining back with Rainold and Polan near Kalsworth. The trio had then gone on to Westerlund to work with recruits there while he, Tiler and Loid mostly traveled the land in between swordmaking. Weston had become a courier for the camps. It was only chance that he was there at that moment.

Smirking at him, Key said, “East. We have to find that wizard, Lanona Loe, from Sundri. Then we go to Calcumum.”

“So…” Tiler looked over at Callen and then Sadena, “Does that mean beardy here is coming with us? He’s the expert on the east.”

Callen shook his head as if he was going to go crazy leading that group. Sadena cast Tiler a look for still being too cheeky.

“Yes, Tiler. Callen will be our guide.” Key then stepped aside for Weston, looking to Sadena. “It seems you have a letter.”

With a smile, Sadena took the sealed letter from Weston as their old friend from Herra cast Tiler and Key both glances before he headed up the hill to the cave. He gave them a wave and soon was gone.

“Wow,” Tiler murmured, watching him. “Not even a word.”

“He’s been real busy,” Key said. “I see him all the time coming and going.”

“At least he found something he likes to do.” Tiler snickered. He then turned and glanced at Sadena who read the note with a serious gaze. But then she always looked serious so he shrugged it off. Tiler added, “The guy never liked making weapons or any of the sword fighting. He’s like Rainold. He’d rather look smart.”

“There is nothing wrong with looking smart,” Callen said.

Key snickered, though he recalled that looking smart had actually caused him trouble rather than the reverse.

With a shrug, Tiler replied, “Sure, but only if you are actually smart. Otherwise it just gets annoying.”

Sadena’s expression turned even darker, her eyes going over the words.

“Bad letter?” Tiler asked with that same flippant smirk.

She cast him a killer glare, but then shook it off when Tiler staggered back. His hair actually stood on end from being physically shocked, sparks flickering from them. Both Callen and Key had the same shaken look. A light electrical halo had formed around like a small thunderstorm.

“Sorry. I lost control,” Sadena quickly grabbed onto an invisible something in the air. Immediately the electricity fizzled into nothing.

“Well, don’t do that!” Callen shivered, wiping off his arms. “We can feel the lightening draw to you when you get upset.”

Cringing, Sadena passed the letter to Key. “You should read it.”

Taking the paper, Key peered over the words.

Lady Sadena,

Emergence festival is on the long weekend this year. The cities are extending the celebration due to the coronation of a new Sky Lord. The former one is ill and is expected to die within the month. Because of this, the military patrols have been increased in the towns and cities. Keep watch as they expect a disturbance from the people. It is best to shut down all transportation of goods before then and lock down the camps.

May the four corners bring you luck,

Captain Ellin

Closing the letter Key looked up to Sadena. “Does this change some plans you had?”

“That we have,” Sadena said with a nod. “Halt travel? We need you to find that Sundri wizard soon. Unfortunately the soldiers will be looking intently at faces, and taking off hats.”

Key scratched his head, lifting his own Bekir style hat. “Fine. I’ll shave my head.”

“Daily?” She gave him a look.

“If I have to.” Key nodded, glancing to Tiler for support.

Tiler was smirking, but he nodded.

“Alright then.” Sadena took the letter back. “I’ll inform the others, and you hurry on to find that wizard.”

Callen bowed then turned to go down the mountain. “Yes, Lady Sadena.”

Key bowed also, Tiler doing the same though he was still smirking.

“Way too cheeky,” Sadena murmured going up the mountain.

*

The long awaited coronation ceremony was still a week off. The preparations in Roan, Gibbis, and Marchal cities were already elaborate, but Gailert was no longer the one to look over them. Instead he was a special guest of the new Sky Lord, and he had to appear at Danslik in his best. That meant a long road trip up through the Wede Mountains. He had grown tired of long winding trips. He preferred the long flat stretches between Roan, Stiltson, and Wendora. Unfortunately, he had no option here.

Packing, his boy folded the former general’s clothes as Gailert sighed, resting in his armchair. His woman had gone shopping, collecting the elaborate gown she ordered from the dressmaker along with his newest suit from the tailor. She still enjoyed walking at his side as a jewel, wearing the most opulent attire that money could buy, mostly especially since her duties to him had diminished due to his age. Sometimes Gailert had the keen suspicion that she was merely waiting for when he would die so that she could inherit his reserved savings and house. But it didn’t matter. Her patience while he was still alive entertained him somewhat.

Out on the street, Gailert suddenly heard gunfire. The boy crouched down, looking here and there as if dodging it. But Gailert rose and walked to look out the window. Down below on the street he saw a noticeable face, blonde hair with glowing blue eyes. It was a Cordril as bold as brass and cackling as it sliced through one of Gailert’s maids coming home from shopping.

Pushing back from the windowsill, Gailert grabbed his pistol from the case in his desk then jogged down the stairs—at least as fast as his old legs could carry him. There was no way he was going to let that demon get away with murder. And though his joints ached, his fingers and shoulders sore as well as his back, the general ran through the entryway and jerked open the front door.

The Cordril stood tall on the sidewalk, slaughtering a neighbor who had come to help Gailert’s maids. The neighbor had a fire iron in his hands. But facing a warrior, it made no difference against a Kitai sword. The man fell back, clenching his chest where he had been sliced.

“You will die!” Gailert raised his pistol. He pulled back the hammer, tugging on the trigger.

Turning to look, the Cordril dodged, but it didn’t really matter. The weapon did not fire. From disuse, the hammer jammed and the gun stuck.

“Damn!” Gailert slapped the weapon to loosen the hammer. It misfired just