Given Evariste’s ability to transport them, Angelique had ridden on very few boats since her apprenticeship—and most of them had been since he’d gonemissing.
Almost reluctantly, she lowered herself into the gently rocking boat and took a seat on another wooden bench across from CaptainNeely’s.
Neely crossed her legs at the knees and braced her hands on her bench. “What you’re thinking of is dangerous. No one really knows what’s going on past Zancara’sborders.”
“Even smugglers likeyou?”
Neely shook her head. “I’ve never met those I conduct business with, and they don’t volunteer any information—just goods.” She said, not even bothering to deny hercareer.
Angelique frowned. “How is thatpossible?”
“I didn’t stumble into this business—or this relationship. I was born into it,” Neely said. “My father was at this post before I was, and my grandmother before him. We have a system that’s been in place for decades. It’s the same way for all those who manage to smuggle Zancarian goods.” Neely brandished a finger. “But I can tell you that it’sdangerous.”
That’s hardly surprising.How else could they have maintained such strict isolation unless they had something backing up theirpolicies?
Neely scratched her nose. “Since it has closed borders, the Veneno Conclave hasn’t had any say about citizens with magic born in Zancara. I don’t know precisely what role they fill, but I do know they are there and watching. As a result, no smuggler I know of uses active magic to retrieve or deliver their goods. You can use a spell or two woven into your boat or clothes, but anything more and…well… There have been rumors of one or two folk planning to attempt it to secure bigger loads, but they’re never heard fromagain.”
“I suspected as much,” Angelique said. “In the past, the Conclave has tried dispatching mages to test the wall. They never were able to breach it. Whatever goes on behind those walls, Zancara has powerful mages under governmentcontrol.”
Or perhaps it’s the opposite, and magic users control the government? If Zancara is used as the homebase for dark mages, it’s possible they’ve taken over thegovernment.
“But do you understand what that means?” Neely gripped the edge of her bench and leaned forward until Angelique could see the faint dusting of sun-freckles on her nose that were almost covered by the woman’s tan skin. “You have to be careful with whatever magic you use because whenever you use it, you’ll give yourselfaway.”
The smuggler had apoint.
Though Angelique was cautious with using her war magic, she was less cautious with other kinds—particularly the illusions she used to color her eyes and hair.I’ll have to cut them off for the duration of my travels—hopefully I won’t look too out of place. I’ll need to limit myself to spells that are only necessary—like the tracking spell forEvariste.
“Heading into Zancara ismadness,” Neely continued. “You can get in, but getting out is awfullyunlikely.”
“I have no other choice.” Angelique gripped the railing of the skiff until a splinter pricked her palm. “Weneedto get Evariste back. I’ve risked my neck more times than I care to remember just trying to help countriessurvive.”
She realized too late she had spoken more than Neely would likely know; not everyone was aware of the struggles of neighboringcountries.
But understanding lit Neely’s eyes as she leaned back. “The elves…there’s something to theirdisappearance?”
“Most likely.” Angelique squared her shoulders and forced her chinup.
Neely pressed her lips together as she gazed from Angelique to Wrecked Lyfe’s tattered sail. “If you get your Evariste back, will you be able to help theelves?”
“Definitely,” Angelique said without pause. “Evariste is an elf-friend. He can enter Alabaster Forest as hewishes.”
Neely sighed and rubbed her temple. “I can’t take you to Zancara soil, but I can drop you off near the shoreline—past all the nasty traps and gifts they set up to keep entrepreneuring folkout.”
Angelique exhaled in relief. “Thankyou—”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Neely warned her. “Once you’re in Zancara, you’re on your own. I’ll watch for you at my drop spot, but if you never show, I won’t risk coming after you. And I’m not doing this for free,either!”
“I understand,” Angelique said. “When do weleave?”
Neely grumbled about crazy mages under her breath, then stood easily despite the shifting of the boat. “My next drop is scheduled in five days. You best make peace with your life before then because chances are you won’t be comingback.”
* * *
Angelique never thoughtshe had any particular expectations of what to expect for a smuggling run…but she did know that this was certainly not what she had mentally preparedfor.
“We have two types of mead for your selection today, a black mead with Torrens’ famous black currants, and a Loire sack mead—which is more of a dessert drink.” Farraige—Neely’s younger sister and only crewmate of the small skiff—held out two bottles of mead, her expression pleasant even as the skiff whipped around in a tight turn and she was nearly tossed off herbench.
“Um,” Angelique eloquentlysaid.
