An Aimless War - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

"We haven't gone anywhere."
"What do you mean?" Acen asked.
I hesitated before answering him. "I snuck up onto the deck today, and we're still in East Draulin. What's the point in keeping us here? Shouldn't Kalvahi want to get Tannix to Deorun as soon as possible?" I was lying on my stomach, tracing lines into the wood with Acen's cloak pin. "Right? That's what you would do, right? If you were Kalvahi, I mean. Take Tannix to the king."
Acen seemed deep in thought. "We don't know that he hasn't. Tannix might not be on the ship."
The idea hit me like a physical blow. I hadn't even considered that Kalvahi might have taken Tannix away. "What? But... why wouldn't he take us? He told Tannix that he wanted to keep me because if he had more of us, Tannix would be more likely to cooperate."
"He still has us."
I groaned and dropped my head to bury my face in my arms. "Acen. Now I need to go see if Tannix is still here. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sneak around this ship?" It had been a few days. I'd gotten over the fact that we were floating in the water. It was the least of my worries.
"For you?" Acen asked. "Not very difficult, it seems."
"Difficult enough."
"I don't know how Tannix found you, but I'm beginning to think every personal guard needs to include a thief," Acen said lightly. "I don't know how we would be managing without you here, honestly. Have I told you how glad I am that you're here?"
I smiled to myself. "Yes. Every time I bring you food. The other knights tell me, too." I raised my head again to look at him. "It's nice to feel appreciated. I mean, sure, I'm locked in a disgusting prison ship, but at least I'm useful."
"You're more than useful, you..." Acen let his words trail off as there was a scuffle at the end of the room.
A pair of guards walked in, just like they did every few hours. Acen thought it was because they were trying to make sure we were all still alive. Sometimes, they brought stale or moldy bread and tossed it into the shelves. The other prisoners fought over it, but Acen told me not to touch it and I had passed the order to the other knights and Joen. We didn't want to get sick from moldy bread.
I slipped my wrists back into my chains so that when the guards walked past I would look just as trapped as the other prisoners. The guards cast quick glances around, but mostly ignored everyone in our room and stepped into the next one. That was odd. Usually they at least pretended to look over the shelves.
Acen finished his thought once they were gone. "You're keeping us alive."
"Well, I—"
Yelling erupted from the next room. Shouting wasn't uncommon, I was really good at ignoring it. Then it occurred to me who was yelling, and what he was yelling about.
"Put him down! You damned Deorans, I'll kill you! With my bare hands! Ender! Korender! End—" A loud thump cut him off, followed by a groan. Being hit didn't keep Kor quiet for long. "Ender!"
One of the Deorans started shouting back in his own language. He was probably telling Kor to be quiet, but neither of them could understand the other. Kor wouldn't have listened even if he could understand.
The guard was still yelling over his shoulder as the pair stepped back into our room, awkwardly carrying Ender between them. He was completely limp, his feet dragging on the floor. Kor kept shouting.
I slipped out of my chains the moment the guards maneuvered Ender out of the room. I climbed out of the shelf in a rush.
"Wait," Acen said. "Go tell Kor to shut up before they send someone to beat him senseless."
I wanted to run after Ender, but I knew to obey Acen. I rushed into the next room, abandoning caution in my haste. "Kor! Kor," I nearly jumped up the shelves to lean in and look at him, face to face. "Kor, stop it. Acen says you have to be quiet."
My appearance seemed to shock him into silence. "Go after him," he finally said, his voice hoarse.
"I'm going." I hopped back down to the floor and bolted from the room, running to the staircase without stopping. There were only so many places to go from there. I took a guess and started climbing.
I caught up quickly. When I reached the now familiar deck that held the kitchen, I saw the guards pulling Ender down the narrow hall. I squeezed myself into the small gap between the staircase and the wall and watched them. When they dragged him out of sight, I went after them.
My exploration over the past handful of days meant that I sort of knew my way around the ship, but the room I stopped outside of was new. I crouched and risked a quick look around the corner. The guards were hoisting Ender onto a table. They were talking to someone I couldn't see.
Then a fourth voice chimed in, and I ducked back around the corner. It was Kalvahi. He exchanged a few words with the third man, and then his voice changed.
"Why don't you join us, boy?"
I froze. My eyes flickered to the staircase, but I knew there was no point in hiding. Thinking of Ender, I steeled my nerves and stepped into the room. The door closed behind me and a glance over my shoulder revealed another guard.
Kalvahi lounged next to a table, one arm draped comfortably across the back of his chair. He grinned at me. "Did you really think you could sneak around my ship without me noticing? Come. Sit." He lazily gestured at the chair across the small table.
I didn't move, and instead nodded in Ender's direction. The other man was leaning over him, using scissors to cut away his tunic. "What are you doing with him?"
"Lord West Draulin told me that if I let his men die, he'd kill me," Prince Kalvahi replied with a chuckle. "And then he regretted it and told me that if I had his injured knight looked after, he'd tell me what I want to know. So here we are. My personal physician is one of the best in Deorun, the knight is in good hands. Sit down."
I couldn't put it off any longer, so I warily sat down across from him, watching Ender the whole time.
The physician gingerly sliced off pieces of Ender's tunic and set them aside. When he got closer to the wound, he used a damp cloth to wet the pieces and make them easier to peel away. He was talking as he worked, and Kalvahi translated.
"It is a large wound, but when the knight's tunic dried it helped his blood scab over the wound. He says the tunic helped it keep relatively clean. He will clean the rest, stitch it closed, and put on salve to help it heal. Now turn around. Look at me."
I didn't want to, but watching Ender wasn't helping us, and maybe humoring Kalvahi would. I tore my gaze from Ender and turned around, just as one of the guards placed a bowl of stew in front of me.
"Eat," Kalvahi said.
Poisoning me seemed pointless, and I was hungry. I dipped the spoon into the stew and scooped up a few chunks of meat and vegetables. Kalvahi watched me eat the whole bowl, and I watched him. He wasn't even doing anything, and still he had an effortless air of command. It was almost admirable.
As soon as I was done eating, the bowl and spoon were taken from me. Kalvahi looked me over for a moment longer.
"Tell me your name."
I held his gaze to hide my racing thoughts. "Baisan," I finally said, my voice steady. I almost always used his name when I needed an alias. Then, because Kalvahi seemed somewhat open to a discussion, I said, "Tannix is still on the ship." A statement, like I knew that it was true and not like I was scared that it wasn't.
Kalvahi nodded. "I find it extremely fascinating that you use that name."
"He's my lord, yes, but he's also a friend. The knights and I all use his personal name."
"There is something about you," Kalvahi said. "Something more than just being a simple servant."
"That's all I am."
"Don't lie to me, boy. I've never seen a servant pick locks or sneak around a ship the way you have. You followed me through the city without any of my men noticing, you snuck onto my ship almost without detection, and then, multiple times, you got into my galley and stole food for your knights. I think you're a spy."
I almost laughed at the absurdity of his guess. "No, I'm not."
He narrowed his eyes. "Then explain yourself."
I could have told him anything. It wasn't the first time I'd been interrogated. It wasn't even the scariest time I'd been interrogated. I could have made up anything, and he would have believed me. Instead, I told him the truth. Some of it.
"I'm a thief. I happen to be Tannix's servant, but I'm still a thief."
"A thief?" Kalvahi rested his forearms on the table and clasped his hands together. "You're very skilled. Have you considered being employed for your talents?"
Suddenly, the path onto his good side opened up in front of me. I knew exactly what I needed to say. "I am employed for my talents. Unless you're offering more money?"
Kalvahi smiled. "You have more in common with me than with Lord West Draulin and his knights. I understand that Zians are used to Teltans, but imagine what your kingdom would be like back under its proper rulers. The Teltans are invaders. They took your people's land. They forced you to live in poverty. My king only wants the best for this land. We're cousins, Deorans and Zians. Imagine Old Zianna rising again. What loyalty do you owe the Teltans?"
A few years ago I would have agreed with every word. But that was before Tannix. Now I knew better, and I could see through Kalvahi's honeyed words. I just had to make sure he wouldn't see through mine.
I leaned forward, mimicking the way he was leaning on the table. "I don't owe the Telts anything. But Lord West Draulin saved my life. I owe him my loyalty."
"Do you?" Kalvahi asked. "Maybe he saved your life, but then he put you in danger again. Lord West Draulin doesn't deserve the land he has, which is precisely why we'll be taking it from him. Baisan, I'm offering you a simple choice. Would you rather be the valued employee of a rich prince, or the servant of a landless lord?"
But things were going to change. Tandrin was king and he cared about Native Zians. I believed in him. I believed in Tannix. Kalvahi sounded sincere, but the attack on East Draulin had hurt more Native Zians than Telts. He didn't really care.
I cautiously met his gaze. "I'd rather be a valued employee," I said smoothly. "You're right. The Telts don't deserve our land or our money. But I can't just join the man who's keeping me locked up."
He smirked. "You were hardly locked up."
"You understand what I mean, your highness."
Kalvahi nodded. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, eyeing me thoughtfully. He thought he could win me over. He thought he had won me over. He had no idea how good I was at this.
"You want something," he guessed.
I shifted to mimic him again. "You're offering to hire me. I want money."
"But of course. I pay all my employees."
"Enough to make it worth my while."
"More than enough."
"Then I believe we'll be able to work something out," I said. "I can help you keep the knights in line. They trust me. There's just one more thing."
"And what's that?"
"I want to see Lord West Draulin."
Kalvahi unlocked the door, but held his hand on the handle so that it wouldn't swing open with the swaying of the ship. "I'll be listening," he said. "Don't try to trick me. I have no qualms about beating misbehaving boys." The door creaked as he pushed it open.
I wasn't sure if he expected me to reply, so instead I just nodded and briskly stepped past him. The door slammed shut behind me. The room was lit by a few flickering candles. It was furnished for a noble, with nice furniture, locked chests, and shelves of books and trinkets. I almost had to remind myself that Tannix was being imprisoned.
He was sitting behind a large wooden desk in the middle of the room. His feet were propped up on the desk, crossed at the ankles, and his arms were crossed over his chest. Despite the farmer's clothing we had tried to disguise him in, he looked every bit the noble he was.
Kalvahi's air of effortless control hadn't impressed me. Tannix's did.
His expression didn't change as he looked me over. He seemed equally contemplative and dangerous, even without any visible weapons. There was something very attractive about the dark, furious look in his eyes.
For a moment, words escaped me. I'd planned out an entire speech, and it was gone. I swallowed nervously but I wasn't sure why. "They're fine."
He nodded. "Ender?"
"Prince Kalvahi had a physician look at him, apparently he should recover."
"Is 'apparently' the best you can tell me? That's not very encouraging."
"It is, sir." The honorific title was entirely unintentional, an automatic response to the authority in his voice.
The chair legs scraped loudly against the floor as he shifted, swinging his legs from the desk and getting to his feet. He walked closer, but he stared over my shoulder at the door the entire time. When he was close enough, I stepped forward, but he warded me off with a slight gesture.
"I know—" he cut himself off, and looked pointedly at the door to finish the sentence.
I nodded. "I need to tell you something. I spoke to Prince Kalvahi. He... makes some very good points. About you. About Telts in general. How you stole our land and destroyed Old Zianna. I know I owe you my life, but given the danger I've put myself in for you, can we consider my debt paid?"
"How much money did he offer you?" His voice was so cold it was almost convincing. Kalvahi would certainly be fooled.
"No specific amount, not yet. But more than you'll be able to, once West Draulin is taken from you."
Tannix looked puzzled by that bit of information. He probably thought taking West Draulin was impossible. I just thought it was odd. If Kalvahi really cared about restoring Old Zianna, West Draulin would have to be completely razed. Not just taken.
"So it was always about money?" Tannix asked.
"Isn't everything? He offered me money for my skills. You've just always assumed you had complete access to them. Making me run around, passing along messages. Being Lord West Draulin doesn't mean I'm willing to give you everything!" I let anger seep into my voice, in an attempt to hide what I'd just said.
Tannix smiled. Just a flicker before he got back into character. "I've never needed your help. I've been protecting you!"
"I don't need protection, I need money. I can protect myself just fine."
"And yet here you are, stuck on a ship?"
"Stuck? Do you have any idea how many times I could have run if I hadn't felt the need to feed your men?"
Tannix stepped forward, and kissed me so quickly I barely had time to enjoy it. When he stepped back, he pointed at the door. "Get out," he said harshly. "We're done talking. Your debt's repaid."
I held his gaze, trying to tell him everything I was feeling just by maintaining eye contact. Then he nodded. I stepped back to knock on the door. Kalvahi opened it, and I hesitated just long enough to see Tannix return to his place behind the desk.