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

The child whimpered, pulling closer to Key, shuddering as he did.

It was a long while before they reached the lit tunnels, hearing nothing but the echo of footfalls and breathing. When they emerged into the Market Street tunnel they heard some cheers as well as laughter and weeping of the freed. Among them, Key noticed several gray skinned and wrinkled people in rags among them. Their rags clearly had been fancy clothing at one point, but today they looked like shredded cobwebs. They all had long matted hair and their blistered and blue feet were bare. These hurried along from the prison tunnel as fast as their aged feet could carry them. Tears ran down every one of their cheeks, accompanying smiles on their anxious faces. The servants from the palace looked better off. They were, if anything, healthier, though their expressions remained more cautious and watching. They were not quite ready to celebrate.

Lanona stumbled out from the dark among the freed prisoners. She was laughing with Callen who was ushering the tail end of the group down the tunnel.

Key stared at the pair of them, then sighed.

Seeing him, Lanona blinked then immediately averted her eyes. She ducked behind Callen as if she expected Key to slap her.

“I see you used her anyway,” Key said giving Callen a mildly dirty look. The child he was holding clung to him as if he were a parasitic demon rather than a human boy.

“And I see you found the boy,” Callen replied with a smile, nodding. “Then what is there to worry about? We were both successful, and they can’t follow us from the prison now. Our wizard has sealed it off.”

Narrowing his eyes into a glare, since it was clear Callen had lied to him, Key said, “Is Lanona going to seal off these tunnels also?”

“If you don’t mind.” Callen nodded with a pleased grin at Lanona. She had stepped out from behind the warrior, glowering peevishly at Key.

Turning from him, Key shook his head and silently walked away. He went through the celebrating refugees, comforting one he had come for, but he did not respond to Callen. Callen glanced to Lanona who still waited for Key to say something to her.

But Key didn’t see the point in answering. He was not their leader. They didn’t have to listen to him. He was just a punk kid from the lakes that was only on an errand, and he had completed it. And regardless of the all the danger they had put their most useful wizard through, she had come out unharmed. His task in Calcumum was over. Nothing else mattered.

So Key went on. There was nothing else left to do.

*

It was the ultimate insult. Theft in the largest port city of Westhaven under the nose of the best trained military of the world and on the day of the coronation of the new Sky Lord in the very palace of the governor, and those humans left no trace of how they got in. How they got out was obvious. The palace guard had seen the group of five robbers driving away in the governor’s automobile. The thieves had abandoned it on the skirts of the city, taking whatever jewels and gold they had stolen with them. And though the city skirts were searched thoroughly, not one of the stolen goods was recovered.

But that was just the tip of it.

All the human servants of the palace were gone, including the new footman the governor had recently purchased in the south. How the thieves snuck out in the middle of Emergence festival was also an impossible thing, though the Sky Child servants admitted that they suspected some of the women slaves might have been witches.

But that was nothing to the complete surprise about the prison. Empty.

So frustrated, the governor had personally invited General Winstrong to Calcumum to solve the mystery and deal with the insurgents.

“So, Governor Shillig,” Gailert Winstrong said, trying to hide his mirth at the once pompous city leader while he strolled with the governor from the gatehouse into the inner garden, his footman stumping behind him. “Have you turned over stones? Looked for passages into the palace? How about moved pots or shifted paintings covering holes in the wall or floor?”

“We have checked everywhere,” Governor Shillig said with bite, glaring at the ground as if it had also offended him. “We scoured the servants’ quarters and all the halls where we are missing things. Nothing. Not a sign, though we found that the slaves had left their shoes behind.”

“Left their shoes?” Gailert chuckled at the thought. “So, they walked barefoot to keep from being heard. That is a start. What about mysterious foreign products found inside the palace?”

Sighing, the governor nodded. “We did find two black hats and a black mask.”

Gailert drew in a breath, nodding. “Yes, I thought this smelled like a double job. Outsiders had to have helped your staff escape. They would have had to sneak past all the filled streets unseen—an impossibility unless they went underground. Have you looked in the cellar? Searched for a passageway there?”

Governor Shillig nodded. “Of course. But nothing was found. No loose stones, dirt or anything.”

“That means they had a magician with them,” Gailert said with a nod. “A magician would be able to make holes in rock with a spell, or so I’m told. Though wizards are also said to be able to do that. If you want to find the tunnel, have someone remove all the stones to this floor. I am sure a tunnel came in through there.”

The governor walked in silence, trudging with his hands behind his back. “How pathetic we are. To think that we didn’t see this coming.”

“Why would you?” Gailert asked, glancing at him with pleasure at seeing him so humbled. “This robbery was unprecedented. In fact, I believe they had a specific objective. Is there anything particularly valuable that they stole?”

Shaking his head, the governor sighed. “Not really. A little gold and silver. My automobile.”

“What about the prisoners? Was there anyone particularly important among the group?” Gailert asked.

Nodding slowly, the governor said, “Yes. The former patriarch of their city and all the influential families.”

“And how long have they been in prison?” Gailert asked, watching Shillig as he contemplated the break out.

With a sigh, Governor Shillig replied, “That’s the problem. They’ve been locked up for years. When we removed the patriarch from power, he was a young man. The fact that such an aged man is still alive is surprising. You know, he was a generation older than our former Sky Lord.”

“That is old,” Gailert murmured, thinking hard. “Especially for a human.”

Continuing to the far side of the garden, the governor shook his head. “I really don’t see why they would be broken out unless someone wanted knowledge of the city center. But even then, that information would be outdated by now. Part of me thinks they were broken out to cause confusion.”

Nodding, Gailert had to agree. Though there may have been personal reasons for the breakout and robbery, most of it seemed to be just a haphazard message that the humans were not finished yet.

*

“We’re not finished yet,” Callen said to Key as the Bekir smithy dressed the southern boy in farm clothes, putting a hat on his head. “Where are you going?”

Key looked up, tired that he had to explain himself. All his plans had changed since he was asked to rescue the boy. “I’m going to Yarrding. I promised the boy’s father I’d bring him his son.”

“We can send the boy with someone else.” Callen followed Key to the doorway. Key was already putting on his own hat and straightening his pack of wrapped sticks and swords. Tiler had loaded up his own bag as Loid was resignedly collecting his things.

“No,” Key said, hardly looking at him. He adjusted the weight of his straps, then lifted the waist belt. “I can’t and won’t. I promised the boy I would bring him to his father.”

“And what about the situation in Wimanus? Or those ferrymen you were going to meet?” Callen set his arm across the door to keep Key from passing. “What about the—”

“This is personal, Callen,” Key said, looking him right in the eye. “I have to do this.”

Callen stepped back from him, removing his arm. “The others will think you are abandoning the cause.”

“I’m not abandoning the cause,” Key snapped. “And I don’t care what others think. I’ll go back to Wimanus after I visit the ferrymen. If you want, you can go ahead and visit them before me, though not before Lanona finishes the tunnels. I want you here to watch her back.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard,” Lanona walked into the room from a far door, dusting herself off. “I’ll be fine here on my own. No need to worry about me.”

Rolling his eyes, Key sighed then turned to face her. “I realize you are mad at me, though I don’t know why. But even a wizard needs someone to watch her back. Callen, she is in your charge.”

Callen smirked, but nodded.

Stomping her foot, Lanona chased after him. “Don’t think I’m scared of those big men! I can kill with a touch, you know!”

“Even when you are asleep?” Key asked, raising his eyebrows.

Her face twitched. “They wouldn’t dare.”

He stepped closer. “I wouldn’t put it past them to try.”

“Why are you so worried about me?” Lanona snapped. She reached out to shove him back with one hand, though he involuntarily moved, watching her hand. “You’re scared of me.”

Key froze. “I’m scared of anybody who can kill with a touch.”

She nodded, clenching her teeth. She withdrew her hand. “That’s right, you only see me as a wizard. You think I’m just as bad as any demon. You just like using me.”

Averting his eyes, Key lowered his voice. “I’m not trying to control you or use you.”

“That’s what you say,” she snapped. “But you’re just like the rest of them. Lanona is a wizard. We can get her to make tunnels for us.”

“That was Sadena’s suggestion!” Key snapped, glaring at her as he backed off to the boy he had rescued. He took the child’s hand. “And you know she has no bias for using people. You know she’s also a wizard.”

“I don’t need protecting,” Lanona hissed back once more. “That’s all I was saying. You don’t have to get so touchy!”

“I’m not the one being touchy!” Key stepped to the door, pulling the boy with him. “What is your problem?”

She said nothing, watching him as her face flushed. Taking two steps back, Lanona shook her head then retreated further towards the tunnels. “Just forget it. Go. Leave us. You have your promise to keep. Go keep it.”

Shaking his head with exasperation, Key turned. He led the boy outside. Tiler hiked up his pack onto his back as he rushed to join Key, smothering his facial expressions to keep straight-faced for Key. Loid passed a commiserating nod to Callen and Lanona before going with them.

“Don’t worry. They’ll watch his back,” Callen said to her when they’d gone.

Exhaling, Lanona frowned.

*

“General! Governor! Come quick. There is someone who has come with information that will blow this case wide open.” The lieutenant had jogged into the lounge where both men were sitting and discussing the possible escape routes for the slaves and political prisoners over a map of the city.

Gailert rose, feeling his joints creak, but he nodded to the governor to join him. Any lead was a good one.

The lieutenant led them to the palace front hall where a military captain and a merchant stood. Both were tired and rather harried. The captain had a large bandages over his chest, his skin off-color, though the merchant merely looked worried. The merchant wrun his hands as if nothing could be worse than what had just happened to them. Lifting their eyes when both the general and governor had entered the room, the merchant immediately urged the