The Shattered Path

Chapter 33 - The Lesson in Magic

"Cities always look better from the harbor, me thinks," came the gruff voice behind her. "It's like being drunk and seeing a pretty lady across the tavern."

Alara turned from the railing to face the captain, squinting at the lantern hung behind him. "Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I must admit that I've not done that. Do you recommend it?"

Captain Kedamon grinned, proving he had more teeth than most sailors she had met. "Aye."

He was well past his prime, tired eyes marked by many wrinkles in the corners. Deep lines creased his cheeks. He had never been handsome and the years of standing on the deck of a ship in all types of weather had toughened his skin. His nose was wide and slightly crooked. She assumed it had been broken more than once. Stubble covered his chin and his gray hair had been cropped short. He stood six feet tall when he was not hunched forward with his belly hanging over his belt. What he lacked in looks, he compensated for in personality. He looked like an old pirate to Alara, but he was the kindest man she had ever met. No one was without fault, her father had told her enough times, so she overlooked his love for coin. For the short time she had known him, he had always worn a plain white shirt with long sleeves and blue pants, tucked into his soft leather boots. A sword hung at his side, though she had never seen him draw it or even touch the hilt.

Captain Kedamon moved to stand at the railing next to Alara. "Peaceful. Just lanterns and hearth fires. It looks like stars on the ground." He shifted his weight to the rail and sighed. "Once you be in the city, you see the vermin. You keep a hand on your coin purse and an eye on everyone else. Out here you enjoy the salty air and go wherever you choose." He smiled at her. "Assuming that your crew doesn't set their mind to steal your ship."

Alara returned the smile, just to be polite. She had no love for the sea. He could have it all to himself if he liked. The sea never stopped moving and neither did you as long as you were on it.

"They not be coming back until morning, if you worry about your father and the Draechai." He tilted his head toward the city. "I be certain they are fine. Me first mate would have come to give word if something happened."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Alara answered, staring at the city. "I'm just bored. It's such a big city and I've never been here before. I wish I could see it." Truthfully, she didn't want to the see the city, but she had even less desire to see his ship. Seeing the city would have been the only other option.

"If you've seen one, you've see them all." The captain sighed. "The Dark be the Dark, me old pappy used to say."

"I suppose," Alara halfheartedly agreed. She wanted to avoid a conversation about why cities were no good. It was the sea that was boring, just endless water churning around. It was frightening when no land was in sight, too. She hated it.

"Don't be thinking of stealing a longboat and rowing your way into the city, either. I gave me word to your father that I wouldn't let you go ashore." His hand floated to the coin purse on his belt. "I have a mate posted in the other longboat anyhow. He has a keen eye. No sneaking by that fellow."

Alara had seen the mate guarding the other longboat. She could hear him faintly snoring where she stood. The fact that he was sleeping in the boat was the only thing that had kept her from taking it. He had smelled of rum and she had debated whether she could have taken the boat to the docks with him in it.

For a moment, they both stared at the city.

"Don't mean to be hard on you, girl," the captain softened. "Your father told me that you would try to slip away, and me word is me word." He patted his coin purse absentmindedly.