“There.” She stepped back to admire her handiwork. “You should be able to pass as a student at the Academy,” she said, referring to the university inFjordland.
Calrain grinned at that. “Excellent. Perhaps I can sneak into the library afterall.”
The three of them parted ways, Tariel using her magic to disguise herself and Riann as young noblemen. While Calrain went out to buy fresh supplies, Tariel and Riann went to the harbor to see if there were any ships from the Empire they could use toescape.
“Oh,” she sighed as she took in a lungful of salty sea air. The ocean looked even more beautiful up close, the deep, dark blue water beckoning her to the edge of the docks. Riann had to grab her arm before she crouched down to touchit.
“Unless you can swim, I wouldn’t advise doing that,” hewarned.
Tariel’s cheeks colored. She had never learned how to swim, as there was no lake or pond big enough for her to practice in. “Do you know how?” sheasked.
“Of course,” Riann said. “I learned as a boy, before my father sent me to Castle Tyrook to train as aknight.”
Tariel gave him a cheeky grin. “Then you can rescue me if I fallin.”
She bent down and skimmed the water with the tips of her fingers. It was icy to the touch, and her fingers came away with a thin string of green, slimy material. “What is this?” she asked,frowning.
“Kelp,” a man said, approaching them. He was dressed in a long blue coat and matching hat, and looked to be in his thirties. “Can I help you young men?” he asked, looking at them a bit suspiciously. Tariel suddenly realized how close she and Riann were, and she straightened hastily, putting some distance between them. Liaisons between persons of the same sex were illegal in Fjordland, and could result in having them both thrown in jail for the night if anyone suspected them ofbuggery.
“We’re wondering if any of these ships are taking passengers,” Riann said casually. “I have long wished to travel south to find my uncle, Alaris. He went off on some expedition several years ago, and we haven’t seen himsince.”
The harbor master shook his head. “Adventurers,” he muttered. “Never understood why anyone would want to leave this fine country just to get embroiled with heathens and their sinfulways.”
“Oh, I agree,” Riann said sagely. “That is why I wish to go and retrieve him. If he is still in good health, it may not be too late to save hissoul.”
The harbor master nodded. “You are a good nephew, then,” he said, looking out at the ships floating by the docks. “Unfortunately, the only ship we have here from the Empire is that one,” he said, pointing toward a baghlah. It was a large ship, the planks crafted of dark wood, with three bold red sails currently furled on the trio of masts. “It belongs to some rich Maroyan noble, Yarim Itolas, but it has been anchored here for several monthsnow.”
“Several months?” Tariel exclaimed. “Why would any Maroyan wish to stay here this long?” She couldn’t imagine wanting to do so herself. Hopefully once she left Fjordland’s shores, she would never return hereagain.
The harbor master shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he said. “I have no idea when he plans to leave, but if he is going to, he must do it soon. In the next couple of weeks, the eastern passage will become impassable—the first icebergs have already beensighted.
“So soon?” Tariel asked with dismay. “But we are still in the middle ofsummer.”
The harbor master scowled. “The winters have been coming sooner and sooner every year,” he said. “I am glad Sir Jerrold is still hunting so ferociously. Maybe this time, when he catches this witch, Roisen will finally relent, and get rid of these long winters and terribleplagues.”
“If the passage does ice over,” Riann interrupted before the conversation went south, “how long will it be before it opens upagain?”
“A good five months. Though with our luck, probablylonger.”
They thanked the harbor master for his time, then left, walking back up the harbor. “I had no idea that the eastern passage was closed off for nearly half the year,” Riannmurmured.
“Neither did I,” Tariel said, shaking her head. “It was foolish for us to come here. We should have headed straight forCarliss.”
“Don’t blame yourself,” Riann said gently, reading her feelings. “None of us knew. This was my idea as well,remember?”
They had nearly made it off the docks when two guards dressed in blue and white livery stopped them. “You there,” the one on the left said to Riann in a clipped voice. “We hear that you are seeking passage to the MaroyanEmpire.”
“Yes,” Riann said, lifting his chin. Tariel followed suit, burying the chill of fear that raced through her at the suspicious glint in the guards’ eyes. “What ofit?”
“Perhaps you’d like to come with us and explain your interest to our captain?” the second guard suggested. “It is not often that our countrymen look to journey south, away from Roisen’sprotection.”
“How dare you treat me this way?” Riann thundered, drawing himself up with self-righteous outrage. “Don’t you know who my family is? I can have your pay docked for threateningme!”
Tariel held her tongue as she let Riann take over the situation, throwing an impressive tantrum in true nobleman fashion. She supposed he was technically a nobleman himself, as the son of a baron, though he rarely acted like it. Eventually, the guardsrelented.
“All right, all right, Sir,” one of the guards said, holding up his hands. “We did not mean to cause offense. Of course you may go, though we will need to follow up with our superiors. Might we have youraddress?”
“Certainly,” Riann said stiffly. He gave them a false one from one of the villas a few blocks from their own. “I will be telling my father about this,” he said, brushing pastthem.
