25 – Respect
Ward could feel the spell fading as he closed in behind the man who was trying to reload his crossbow. The burly, leather-clad fellow had the bolt set and was pulling the lever to cock the string when Ward drove his broad-bladed sword through his kidney. The man screamed in surprise and agony, and Ward kicked him away as he swung his sword up and then down, cleaving the crown of the other crossbowman, splitting his bald head like an unripe melon.
The third antagonist whirled at the noise, and when he saw Ward advancing with menace in his eyes and a bloody sword with balefully glowing red runes, he dropped his knife and yanked an alchemical pistol from his belt. He’d just lifted it when Ward’s sword found the soft spot beneath his sternum and punched through his woolen shirt and thin flesh, sinking deep, severing organs and arteries until the tip ground against his spine.
The man, probably only in his late teens or early twenties, opened his mouth in a horrified “O” and pulled the trigger of his pistol, sending a shot skittering off the bricks of a nearby building. Black smoke stung Ward’s eyes, and for the second time, he kicked a dying man off his sword blade. As he crumpled, Ward scanned the dark street, staring into the alleys with angry eyes. Nobody else approached, and only the distant screech of a cat broke the still night air.
When his gaze dropped to Lisa, he saw Haley already leaning over her. He looked toward the first two men he’d shot with Blazewitch. One was close, lying still, his clothes smoldering, but the other was further up the road, crawling and dragging one leg that still sizzled and smoked. He whimpered and cried, and Ward knew he had a piece of magnesium burning in the meat of his thigh. He turned to look at the three men he’d hacked down. All were motionless, even the first guy he’d stabbed—a massive pool of blood pooled around him.
“They’re dead,” Grace confirmed while Ward picked up his malfunctioning gun and slung it over his shoulder.
“Yeah,” he grunted, then walked close to Lisa and Haley. “She going to be all right?”
Haley nodded. “Yes, but we need to dig the slug out before we treat the wound.”
“Later. Let’s get out of this area.” He reached out a hand to Lisa. “Can you walk?” Her face was pale, her eyes big as she took his hand and nodded. With a whimper, she let him pull her to her feet, then, gripping his arm tightly, walked beside him as Ward led the way toward the distant street lamp. “No cops in this part of town?”
“Cops?” Haley gave him a sidelong look.
“Guard patrols,” Grace clarified for him.
“The—” Lisa gasped and leaned harder on Ward’s arm. “The first ambushers—they wore uniforms.”
“Oh shit,” Ward groaned. “Come here.” He turned Lisa to face him and then squatted, grabbing her around the butt with his arm and hoisting her onto his shoulder. “We need to get the fuck out of here.” Ward didn’t know much about the city watch in Westview, but he knew how cops operated. If another patrol happened upon the men they’d killed and maimed, regardless of who started it, the city watch would be out for blood.
Lisa groaned in pain, and Ward realized it probably wasn’t great to have her hanging over his backpack when she had a bullet in her chest. Nevertheless, they had to hurry, and she was moving too slowly on her own. “Hang on, Lisa,” Grace said, jogging beside Ward. “When we get clear, we’ll get you patched up.”
“I-I’ll be f-fine.”
“Ward!” Haley called, having run ahead to the corner. “Keep going! There’s a watchman on a horse near the market square. I don’t see any coaches anyway.”
“Right,” Ward grunted. He was irritated that they’d been ambushed, irritated that they felt they had to flee justice, and irritated by the damn heavy, dead weight of Blazewitch banging against his thigh as they ran. How many times had he shot it? Five or six? “Damn shoddy piece of pretty-looking shit.”
“The gun?”
Ward nodded at Grace, responding as he exhaled, “Yeah.”
“Maybe something got bent when you were fighting the spiders.”
“Maybe. I just wish I had my damn S&W.”
“You did well with my father’s sword,” Haley said, panting as she caught up to him. “The watchman didn’t come this way. He’s mounted but talking to a pair of ladies.”
“Good. By the way, I wasn’t knocking the sword; it’s great. I love how the runes light up when I draw it in combat—really adds to the intimidation factor. How the hell does it know I’m fighting for real?”
Haley shook her head. “I’ve no idea, Ward. It never did that when my father took it off the mantel to tell stories.”
They rounded another corner, and Ward could see the market lights ahead. They were on the far end, though, and he didn’t see any members of the city watch standing around. “Haley, run ahead and find us a ride. I’ll stay here in this alley with Lisa.”
“I will!” Her feet hardly made a sound as she sprinted ahead. Ward hoisted Lisa down and propped her against the brick wall of a nearby building. Then, he dug around in his backpack for a healing tonic and some salve.
“The slug first,” Grace reminded him.
“Right.” Ward reached for his big bowie-style knife but paused, eyeing the more slender dagger at Lisa’s waist. She was acting dazed, her head lolling to the side as she repeatedly tried to hold it up straight. Ward freed her knife, inspecting the narrow point and clean, razor-sharp edge. “Do I need to worry about infection? Will the healing tonic and salve take care of it?”
“It will be fine,” Lisa replied, her words slightly slurred.
“Stuff your sleeve into your mouth and bite down. Can’t have you screaming and drawing attention.” He held the knife ready at the bloody, puckered flesh of her wound and waited until she did as he’d told her. Before he started digging, though, he said, “Sorry about this, Lisa. I’ll try to be quick.” With that, he probed the wound, trying to slip the slender blade into the opening without cutting more flesh. At first, he did fine, and she hardly reacted, but as he got deeper, she began to moan, and tears slid from her clenched eyes.
Ward pressed harder, and then he felt the unmistakable clink of metal. It seemed to him the bullet was lodged in muscle against the backside of her collar bone. “Not in your lung or anything. You’ll be fine.” With a few less-than-gentle prying motions of the dagger, he worked the bullet out. Halfway through, Lisa seemed to lose consciousness, and he had to press her against the brick wall to keep her from sliding down as he worked.
When the round ball of lead came free with a sucking, slurping sound and fell to the cobbles with a click, Ward immediately pulled the cork from a tonic with his teeth and poured it into the oozing hole. Lisa’s eyes fluttered open, and he held the little bottle to her lips. “Drink it.”
“I think Haley’s coming,” Grace said, and Ward realized he heard the clatter of wheels on cobbles and the chug-hiss of a small steam engine. He moved to the corner of the building and looked around it to see a small, brass-and-lacquered-wood vehicle coming their way. It had big, spoked wheels, and the passenger car was suspended on a spring-mounted platform that wobbled and bounced as the vehicle hit each bump on the uneven roadway.
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Ward snatched Lisa’s hand and tugged her to the corner just as the vehicle came to a halt with a long, protracted hiss. The round door flew open, and Haley leaned out, “Come on!”
Ten minutes later, they were bouncing through the city, far away from the spire and the scene of the ambush. Ward had Blazewitch in his lap, puzzling over the innards beneath the brass cover. There were more gears and spokes in there than he had imagined, and he couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out what they all did. “This thing is ridiculously over-engineered. It’s like the insides of a damn watch!”
“Considering the size of the payload it fires,” Grace observed, “I’m not surprised it failed.”
“Goddamn irritating. A thousand glories down the drain.”
“Not necessarily.” Lisa winced as she leaned forward, pressing her hand to the bandage Haley had put on her wound. “Take it to a tinker, have them fix whatever is jammed, then trade it at an alchemical arms shop. You’ll get some value out of it.”
Ward nodded, contemplating the gun. He liked it. It had certainly done its job a couple of times, but he wouldn’t carry a weapon that he couldn’t rely on. It was bulky, too, and, as the others had pointed out, not exactly great to use in a confined space. He was genuinely beginning to like the sword, but Ward wanted a decent gun. He was just too damn used to having one. “If I can’t find something good here, I’ll try on Springsea.”
Lisa nodded, her face still a bit wan from her two brushes with death. “You’re likely to find something better there. Springsea is closer to Ferris, which is where all the best smiths can be found.”
“That’s another world?”
“Yes. Ferris is commonly considered the fourth of the Vainglory worlds.” She leaned back, sighing. Their compartment was separate from the driver’s, but she still lowered her voice as she said, “First thing in the morning, I’ll speak to my cousin to ensure we’re in the clear. Regarding the dead watchmen, I mean. After that, I’ll want to take some time to drink the mana potion from the spire and make some inquiries about the next auction for ship tickets. Will it be all right if we meet in the evening? I’ll come to your hotel.”
Ward glanced at Haley, and she nodded. “We should do the same. We can drink our potions and then do some shopping.”
“And you should do your Gopah,” Ward added.
“Of course.” She narrowed her eyes, aiming a slight scowl his way.
“Look, I’m not trying to be a pest, but I was thinking—you should be at your best before you drink those potions.” He didn’t want to elaborate about her corruption and how he thought she should ensure it was subdued before drinking refinements, not in front of Lisa, but he could see Haley got the idea as her eyes widened.
“You’re right.”
The coach clattered to a stop, and Lisa moved toward the door, wincing again as she adjusted her pack. “I’ll see you in the evening, then.”
“Night, Lisa,” Ward held out a hand, and she took it, squeezing it gently in fingers that felt too cold. “You sure you’re all right?”
“Yes. The tonics weren’t as effective because I’ve had too much in a short time, but it did the job well enough. I’m no longer bleeding. A bit of rest and a hot bath will do me wonders.” She turned to Haley and Grace. “Good night, ladies.”
As they replied in kind, the coachman opened the door, and Lisa slipped out. They were parked in front of a grand house with a wraparound porch and gas lamps burning cheerily by the front door. The coachman shut the door, halting further observation, and then, a few seconds later, the vehicle began to rumble and bounce as he drove them to their hotel. “I like her,” Haley offered.
“Yeah, she’s all right. I’m glad we cleared things up between us all.”
Haley nudged his knee with her boot. “You think she’s pretty.”
“Oh, come on. Did Grace put you up to that?” Her answering smile and glance at Grace were all the answer he needed. “Don’t give me a hard time, all right? I’m exhausted, and I think it’s going to be a long day.”
“A long, fun day!” Grace replied, rubbing her hands together like a comic book villain. “You two are going to be going through some changes!”
Ward shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m a little nervous about the bloodline one. Do you think it might be better to sell—”
“Don’t even think it!” Grace howled. “Ward, like anything good in life, there might be risks, but the payoff could be enormous! There are some powerful bloodlines out there!”
Ward held up his hand. “Easy, easy. It was just a thought. I figure, when we get back, Haley and I should use our refinement potions, and then, depending on how we feel, we ought to go into town and sell some gems and maybe see about a better hemograph. I have a feeling there’ll be more options in this city than in Tarnish.”
“But what about—”
“I’m hoping,” Ward interrupted, “that if we get a better reading, I’ll know more about my possible bloodlines, and that’ll give me something to research at the city’s archives.” Lisa had mentioned the library earlier, and Ward was eager to see if he could find the answers to some of his more pressing questions about magic, hemographs, bloodlines, anima, and all the other esoteric topics that common folk didn’t seem to know jack or shit about.
“And then?” Grace folded her arms, resigned irritation twisting her lips into a half frown.
“And then, if things look promising, I’ll drink that bloodline potion.”
“Sounds smart to me,” Haley quipped. “Don’t you agree, Grace?”
Grace sighed and flopped down on the bench seat she shared with Ward, resting her head on his thigh. “Fine, I suppose it’s wise to know what we’re dealing with.”
Ward smiled at her surrender and looked out the window, watching the dark streets slip by. Some of the streets they passed had steep downward slopes, and he could see fog clinging to the damp cobbles as he peered down their lengths. He realized the city reminded him a little bit of Seattle. The port and the steep hills had obvious parallels, but the weather was similar, too.
Of course, such thoughts brought to mind other comparisons—steam and gas versus electricity and oil, for instance. Ward could see why Earth had advanced in that department; mana made electronics act strangely and, eventually, fail. He doubted that many people would fight against that tradeoff. Would he want his smartphone back if it meant he had to give up magic? Hell, he doubted he'd make the trade even if he couldn’t work magic himself but had to rely on alchemical mixtures and magically artificed devices. Who would go to an emergency room to get pumped full of drugs and carved up by a surgeon if they could rub an alchemical mixture on a wound and watch the flesh knit back together?
The coach came to a stop, jarring him from his musings, and Ward hopped out, holding the door for Haley. She flicked a glory that glinted with the sheen of silver to the driver, and the two of them walked through the door, held open by a smartly dressed doorman. “Go ahead up, Haley. I’ll get our stuff from the vault.”
She started for the stairs but paused, turning back. “Shall I go first? In the tub, I mean.”
“Yeah! Go for it. Just get the water nice and hot and soapy first. Trust me.”
Haley pinched her nose and waved her hand in front of it. “Trust me, I remember.”
Ward laughed, waved her off, and walked over to the counter. A young man he hadn’t met stood at the ready. Glancing around, Ward realized he was the only other person in the lobby at that hour, so he gestured to the ample, quiet space. “Everyone still asleep? What’s the time?”
“Good morning, sir. It’s just a quarter past two.” He looked Ward up and down, taking in his attire and the stains, though Ward didn’t think he could possibly tell it was blood, not on his dark woolen clothing. “Is everything all right, sir? If I’m not mistaken, you already have a room, yes?”
“That’s right. I have some things in the hotel vault, however. I’d like to claim them.”
“Oh, of course, sir. I would love to help you with that, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until the manager comes on duty at eight.” His tone was apologetic, and he stood stiffly as though bracing himself for an outburst, but Ward just smiled and nodded.
“Eight, huh? All right then. Be sure to mention to the manager that I’ll be calling. I’ll need my belongings tomorrow.”
“Of course, sir. Might I have your name? I’ve seen you in the lobby, but we haven’t met—”
“It’s Ward. Ward Dyer.” Ward thumped his knuckles against the counter, nodded, and then turned to the stairs. “In the morning, then.” A few minutes later, he walked into the room he and Haley shared to find her standing on the little rug at the foot of the bed, going through her Gopah forms.
“I didn’t want to start the refinement until I did my Gopah.”
Ward nodded. “Oh, right. Um, should I go first, then? How long will you be?”
“I think I should do it for a while. I want to reach my peak charge.”
“Damn,” Ward sighed, “I was kind of hoping to have a little more time to psyche myself up.”
Grace appeared, standing near the bathroom door. “Just get in here and drink your medicine, you big baby.”
“Go ahead, Ward!” Haley nodded. “This will take me nearly an hour if I’m thorough.”
“All right, dammit.” Ward walked over to his bed and began stripping off his gear. When he was down to just his shirt and pants, he walked to the bathroom but paused, giving Haley another look. “Hey, you know I was pretty damn proud of you tonight when those assholes jumped us. You didn’t hesitate, and you took that guy out before he could get another shot off.”
She paused her movements and looked at him, her silvery eyes bright in the room’s lamps. “Really?”
“Yeah. You were great in the spire, too. Shit, you were the only one of us who didn’t have any trouble in the fights, and you were steady as a rock when you were disarming those blade things. I’m damn lucky to have you as a partner.”
Ward saw moisture in her eyes as Haley clamped her mouth shut and nodded. He could tell she wanted to say something but didn’t trust herself not to start crying. He wanted to hug her, to tell her all sorts of platitudes about how her parents would be proud of her or that she’d grown a lot since he met her in the catacombs, but he also wanted to treat her like an equal. So, in the end, he just locked his eyes on hers and gave her a final respectful nod. Then, he went into the bathroom and started the tub—things were about to get messy.