Freezing rain pattered along the cobblestone square, a slick sheet of ice forming where it fell. The small fountain at the centre of the square had icicles forming on its marble nymphs. Meleng and Sinitïa huddled under a tarp in front of one of the businesses surrounding the square. The scent of fish hung in the air.

Sinitïa shivered. “Isn’t he cold?”

Jorvan was taking careful steps over the ice in the square. He was the only person in sight not under shelter.

Meleng shook his head. “This isn’t cold for an Isyar.”

Sinitïa frowned. “But how does that work? It’s freezing out here. How can it not be for him? It either is or it isn’t. Right?”

“Not exactly,” Meleng said. How could he explain this? “You see—”

“I wanted to paint,” Sinitïa interrupted. “Stupid weather.”

She had brought her easel and some canvas to paint the seaside, but it had soon started raining, and they’d had to rush back onto the Lustrous Rose. Then the rain had stopped, and they’d decided to explore the town, only for the rain to start again. They should have just stayed on the ship.

But Captain Gen had been insistent they see the city.

“You’ll love it! Such a picturesque town. It has the amenities of a large city, but the feel of a small town. You can wander the streets without worry of large crowds. The people are friendly and will welcome you with open arms. The view along the seaside is beautiful. I’d show you around myself—indeed, I know I promised to—but unfortunately, there’s just too much work to be done. You understand, I’m sure.”

They hadn’t seen much of those friendly people. Not that people had been unfriendly or anything. There just hadn’t been many, and those that there were had mostly ignored them. Even Jorvan wasn’t getting the usual amount of attention he got elsewhere.

“What’s he doing?” Sinitïa was peering, eyes squinted, at Jorvan.

Jorvan had sat at the side of the fountain and was dangling his arm in the water.

“Haven’t you ever done that at a fountain?” Meleng said.

“Yes, but it’s...I know. He likes the cold.”

They stood there a little longer, staring at the rain coming down.

“I wish I could dangle my arm in a fountain right now,” Sinitïa said a few minutes later. Jorvan hadn’t changed his activity.

Past Jorvan, two soldiers wearing tabards bearing the fish sigil of Aristan entered the square. Meleng would have thought nothing of it, except behind them walked two more soldiers, these ones bearing the Bear of Arnor. Arnorin army. Something was up.

One of the Aristen soldiers pointed towards Jorvan and they picked up their pace a little, though the ice still kept them slow.

“You! Isyar! Stay where you are!”

Jorvan looked up. He said something, but it wasn’t loud enough for the sound to carry.

“Just stay there. We need to ask you some questions.”

“What’s going on?” Sinitïa asked.

Meleng shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

The soldiers stumbled over the ice to the fountain and Jorvan. They were no longer yelling, so Meleng couldn’t hear anything that was said. The two Aristen soldiers gestured several times, and pointed about in different directions. Jorvan shook his head several times.

Meleng nudged Sinitïa. “I think we should go inside. He turned to the door of the business they were in front of.

“But what about Jorvan?”

“He’ll be fine.” Meleng opened the door and fish smell sharpened. Taking Sinitïa’s hand, he ushered her through the door, then closed it behind them.

Sinitïa scrunched her nose. “This place stinks.”

“Looking for something in particular? Or just looking to keep out of the rain?” The voice came from the muscular man walking over to them.

The room they were in was lit only by the fire burning in the fireplace at the far side. Its feeble light only barely reached the door. The stench of fermented fish was nearly overpowering.

“Just shelter, thanks,” Meleng said.

The man pondered a moment, then shrugged. “The boss won’t like it, but then, the boss ain’t here, so why not? Go warm yourselves by the fire.”

“Thank you.” Meleng took Sinitïa’s hand again, and they walked over to the fire.

“What is this place?” Sinitïa asked.

Meleng looked back towards the door. “Fishery.”

“Why did we come in here? Was it those soldiers?”

He nodded.

Sinitïa clutched his arm. “Do you think they’ve found me?”

Meleng shook his head. “No, they have no reason to look for you here. Captain Gen says hardly anyone ever comes to Beldrum. They probably just wanted to see an Isyar.” He wasn’t convincing himself with this. He doubted it would convince Sinitïa either.

The front door opened and one of the Aristen soldiers entered the shop.

The shop worker approached the soldier. “May I help you?”

The soldier was gazing about the darkened room. “Did two people come in here? A young woman and a young…” His gaze fell on Meleng and Sinitïa.

“They came in here just a minute ago,” the fisherman said. “Is there a problem?”

“We’d just like to ask them a few questions.” The soldier’s hand shifted to the hilt of his sword.

Sinitïa whimpered. “They are here for me.”

Meleng gently squeezed her hand. “It’ll be okay. Stay here.” He let go and approached the soldier.

A crash followed by a yell came from outside. The soldier drew his sword and ran outside, only to cry out right after.

The fisherman hurried to the still-open door, then turned away from it again. “Shit! Some Isyar’s gone mad or something!” He slammed the door shut. “You two better take some cover.”

Meleng hurried to the door. “It’s okay. He’s not mad; he’s just...just helping, I think.” He opened the door and looked out.

Right beside him, the soldier who had entered the shop was struggling to free his feet from a chunk of ice that encased them. A similar block of ice encased his sword. In the square, the other three soldiers were in similar situations.

Jorvan stood in the square in front of the shop. “Meleng, we should go. There will be more soon.”

Meleng nodded and called back to Sinitïa, who hurried over to him.

“Thanks for letting us use your fire,” she said as she passed the fisherman.

“Over here!” one of the trapped soldiers yelled.

Another pair of soldiers had entered the square. They drew their swords and moved in Jorvan’s direction.

Jorvan spread his wings. “Go! I will clear your path.”

Meleng shook his head. “No! Your wing! It’s not fully healed.”

“Go!” Jorvan’s wings began to flap and he rose in to the air. As he did so, ice rose from the ground, compressing together into a large sheet.

Meleng grabbed Sinitïa’s hand. “Come on!” He hoped Jorvan didn’t ruin his ability to fly.

He and Sinitïa ran while Jorvan’s ice sheet moved to form a wall between them and the soldiers. The rain and ice moved out of their way and added to the protective wall. They ran through the streets, past the few startled people out in the weather. Sinitïa fell a little behind, but Meleng kept his grasp on her hand, so he knew she was always just behind him. He didn’t take his eyes off what was ahead.

Thankfully, Beldrum wasn’t a big place. It was a quick and easy trip back to the docks and the Lustrous Rose. However, as the docks came into view, Meleng slowed to a stop.

Sinitïa stopped just ahead of him. “Why are we stopping?”

Meleng looked up at Jorvan, who swooped in a circle as he turned back towards Meleng and Sinitïa. His arms made broad sweeps and waves as he controlled the water and ice. “Jorvan! Lead them off a different way! We can’t let them find the ship!”

He had no idea if Jorvan heard him—and he certainly hoped no soldiers did—but a moment later, Jorvan circled around again and flew off to the north, taking the wall of ice with him.

As the rain started to fall on him and Sinitïa again, Meleng squeezed her hand. “Come on. This way.” He led her away from the docks and back into town. “Just walk and try not to draw attention.”

Sinitïa nodded and looped her arm around his, huddling in closer to him as they stumbled along the icy street.

They kept a slow pace, treading carefully. Meleng took occasional glances to see if any soldiers were nearby, but otherwise kept his gaze ahead. He didn’t want anyone to think he looked nervous.

Sinitïa, on the other hand, looked around constantly. “Where are we going?”

“Back to the ship, but the long way. We can’t let them see us go there.”

The cold rain was starting to penetrate his heavy cloak, soaking the rest of his clothes. Sinitïa shivered against him. No doubt, she was getting soaked through as well. Her cloak was lighter and not really designed for this weather. Unfortunately, while she had tried to pack appropriately, her inexperience with travelling outside the Palace meant her choices had not been the best ones. Her cloak’s hood barely covered her head and it didn’t cover her face. Her hair hung in clumps at the side of her face, water dripping off them, as well as down her face. They probably should have bought some warmer clothes for her while they were here. She’d need them in Isyaria. There wasn’t much chance they’d get to do any shopping now.

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After some time, they turned onto another street that would take them towards the docks. A pair of soldiers walked a little farther down, and Meleng pulled Sinitïa back. Thankfully, the soldiers were walking in the same direction as Meleng and Sinitïa, and weren’t looking back.

Meleng waited about a minute and then peered around the corner again. The soldiers were farther ahead and turning to the left. He gave it another moment, then nudged Sinitïa. “Let’s go.”

Time seemed to move slower and slower the farther they went, each block seeming to take longer and longer. But eventually, they emerged at the docks.

The docks of Beldrum were nothing like the docks of Arnor City or Porthaven. There was just a single long quay with only a couple of piers jutting from it. The Lustrous Rose was clearly visible from where Meleng and Sinitïa were at the south end, but it was still some ways down nearer the north end.

There were more people here. Despite the rain, sailors still had their jobs to do—perhaps even more so. Crewmembers on many of the ships were already working to de-ice the decks and masts, even as more ice formed afterwards. It must have been gruelling work. It also brought to mind another issue. The Lustrous Rose would need de-icing too, and that could take awhile. And the longer it sat in the harbour, the more chance the soldiers might find them. Maybe Jorvan could help there.

But would Captain Gen be willing to leave early again? They’d only just got here. He wouldn’t be able to complete his trade. Could they offer more money to leave faster? How much would it cost to cover Gen’s losses and had Sinitïa brought enough? She’d already spent a large amount as it was.

Up ahead, two soldiers pushed their way through the crowd, occasionally stopping someone to get a closer look before letting that person move on.

Sinitïa tensed against Meleng’s shoulder.

Turning around might draw attention, so they had to keep going forward—but that was just as likely to draw attention. He needed a way to make Sinitïa less noticeable. Her clothes were too rich. Even soaked with rain, they stood out from what everyone else was wearing.

Meleng fiddled with the clasp of his cloak with his free hand, but it was too awkward to undo one-handed. He pulled his other arm free of Sinitïa’s hold. “Just give me a second.” With both hands free, he undid the clasp and removed the cloak. He draped one end of it over her, put his arm around her under the cloak and huddled as close to her as possible. With his other hand, he pulled the cloak as far over himself as he could manage.

It wasn’t very effective at covering them both, and Meleng’s left side soon drenched straight through. However, it was enough to hide Sinitïa’s finer clothes from casual inspection—he hoped. With luck, they would look like two ordinary people trying to share one cloak to stay dry in the rain.

Sinitïa put an arm around him as well and clutched him tightly as they got closer to the approaching guards. Meleng guided them well to the side.

Just a little farther.

The two soldiers were too busy checking people right beside them, and paid no heed to the huddled couple farther to the side. If they even saw them at all.

“I think we’re okay for the moment,” Meleng said.

Sinitïa giggled. “This is kind of fun.”

Fun was not the word Meleng would have chosen.

“I wish it wasn’t so cold and wet, though.” She hugged him closer.

The Lustrous Rose was just ahead now.

And so were a couple more soldiers only a few feet past the gangplank. They weren’t moving like the last pair had been. Instead they were surveying the people going past them. And one was looking directly at the gangplank.

“What do we do?” Sinitïa asked.

Meleng grimaced. What could they do? They needed a distraction of some sort. But what?

He let go of Sinitïa and wrapped the cloak around her. “Keep going. Straight to the gangplank and onto the ship. Don’t look at the guards. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Sinitïa did up the clasp and nodded. She continued forward as he moved off to the side.

I’ll take care of everything else. That was a bold claim, and he wasn’t sure he could live up to it.

As the rain poured down his face, and both under and through his jerkin and shirt, he looked around for anything on the quay he might use, while still trying to look like he was walking casually. He bent over and scooped up a couple of nearby stones. They were a good size, but not too big. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He traced an equation over the surface of one with his finger, then the other. Then he tossed both in different directions along the quay, and turned towards the Lustrous Rose.

Gods, he hoped no one had seen him do that, especially the soldiers.

Luck was with him, as they didn’t turned their attention towards him.

A moment later, the first stone blew apart with a flash and a shower of dusty debris. The debris showered the leg of a nearby sailor carrying a crate. He stumbled and dropped the crate. Both soldiers looked in that direction.

Then the second stone burst, causing people in the area to gasp and scurry aside. The soldiers hurried over—just as Sinitïa reached the gangplank and started up it.

Meleng rushed over to join her, risking the slippery ice. He needed to make it on board before the soldiers turned their attention back to the passersby instead of the scattered remains of the stones.

Miana Ting, the ship’s first mate was standing with Sinitïa. Although Ting’s black hair was drenched through as were their surprisingly light clothes, they didn’t seem to notice the weather. Instead, they just directed Sinitïa towards the ladder below deck. Meleng followed.

Sinitïa hugged him as soon as they were out of the rain. “We did it!”

“For now,” Meleng said. “They could still come looking for us.”

“Go to your cabin and wait there,” Ting said. “We will let you know when it’s safe.”

Meleng separated himself from Sinitïa. “You know what’s happening?”

“The Isyar filled us in,” Ting said. “He’s waiting for you in your cabin.”

“Thank you,” Meleng said.

Sinitïa undid the clasp of his cloak. “You should have this back. It’s weird wearing two cloaks.” She removed the cloak and handed it to him, a trail of water dripping from it. “Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek.

Something brushed against his leg.

“Jeanne!” Sinitïa bent down to greet the dog, who shook herself, spraying water all about. Sinitïa giggled. She reached out and adjusted the red bow tie around Jeanne’s neck so that it sat on top of the dog’s head again. “You have to be more careful when you go out on deck.”

Since coming aboard, Sinitïa had made it her task to bathe and groom Jeanne, often adorning the dog with bows and ribbons of various colours. Captain Gen did not seem impressed by her actions, but he tolerated them, and in all honesty, as far as Meleng was concerned, the dog looked a lot better now (even soaking wet) than when they had come aboard two days ago. The hours Sinitïa had spent brushing the dog had paid off.

“Come on,” Meleng said. “Let’s go dry off.” There was already a large puddle at their feet.

Sinitïa put her arms around Jeanne, heaved, and picked her up. She hugged the dog against her chest and started towards the cabin. Jeanne just stared about without an apparent concern in the world.

Jorvan was seated on the corner stool when they arrived at their cabin. It was a cramped space with bunks for four, but with standing room for only two if those two squeezed up a bit—a difficult task with Jorvan’s bulk. With three of them, at least one person had to be sitting or lying on a bunk.

Sinitïa leapt onto her bunk, falling onto her back with Jeanne on top of her. She began to ruffle the dog’s hair.

Jorvan stood up. “I am glad you made it. I was worried. I did my best to lead them away from you, but I did not fool them long.”

“That’s fine,” Meleng said. “It was good enough for us to get away. I’m glad you’re okay too.” He hugged Jorvan, being careful to avoid the injured wing.

“I was never in much danger,” Jorvan said.

“No one’s erased my picture, have they?” Sinitïa said, pushing Jeanne to the side, and sitting up.

“No,” Jorvan said.

On the short space of bulkhead between the sets of bunks was a chalk drawing of Jeanne. Sinitïa had been paranoid since drawing it that someone was going to erase it. On the trip to Scovese, her chalk drawings had frequently disappeared—Meleng suspected Annai had been behind that.

“Good.” Sinitïa picked up Jeanne again and pointed the dog towards the drawing. “See? That’s you!” Then she put Jeanne down again. “Okay, I’m going to change now. You two, shoo!”

Meleng and Jorvan both nodded and headed into the passageway.

It had only been two days, and sharing a cabin with Sinitïa was already proving awkward. She was very particular about her modesty, which made changing difficult. Though it was also kind of a relief. Meleng had spent months travelling with Ninifins who apparently had no sense of modesty whatsoever, so he was glad of a little modesty again. But the shuffling in and out of the cabin could get awkward at times.

“How’s your wing?” Meleng asked.

Both of Jorvan’s wings twitched. “It is fine.”

“You’re sure? That was more flying than you’ve done since the injury, and in a storm…”

“It is fine. How do you think they knew we were here?”

Meleng wanted to press the subject of Jorvan’s wing more. He was quite certain it wasn’t as “fine” as Jorvan claimed. Jorvan had a tendency to downplay injuries and difficulties. However, Meleng had to admit there were more pressing concerns at the moment, so he just shrugged.

“Zandrue!” Sinitïa called from inside the cabin. “She…” The remaining words were muffled by the door between them. That was another awkward part of their cabin arrangement. Sinitïa always wanted to talk with him through the doors while they were taking turns changing.

“Please say that again,” Jorvan called back.

“Zandrue!” Sinitïa repeated at double the volume. “She probably told them. I told you she offered Annai all Felitïa’s secrets. She’s betrayed you, too!”

“But Zandrue didn’t know we were coming here,” Meleng said. “We didn’t—”

“What?”

Meleng sighed and repeated louder, “I said, Zandrue didn’t know we were coming here because we didn’t know either. Beldrum might not be the most popular destination, but it’s a possible destination that’s easy to get to from Arnor City. They might have just been checking it to be thorough. We just got unlucky.”

“I don’t trust Zandrue anymore!”

“I think Meleng is right, Sinitïa,” Jorvan said. “I did not trust Zandrue in the past, but I have learned her intentions are good even if her methods are not the best.”

“Fine!”

They were silent for a short while after that.

“We’re going to have to convince Captain Gen to leave early,” Meleng said eventually, “but with the bad weather…”

“I can help with that,” Jorvan said.

“What?” Sinitïa called.

Meleng repeated what they’d said for her. “I’ll talk to Captain Gen as soon as I can.”

Now it was just a matter of waiting.