The Scourge of Muirwood (Legends of Muirwood #3)

“Claredon Abbey,” Kieran said. “Near the docks of Pent Tower, as luck would have it. There are ships there ready to sail to Dahomey.” He parted the Apse Veil for her to let her pass first.

She crossed the curtain which did not glow as it did in Muirwood. Looking back, she saw seven Leerings carved into stone pillars. It was the same seven themes she had seen before, but the workmanship was different. A bearded man. One of a lion, another of a sheep. Another of a snake, which made her pause as she thought of the Leering she had seen in her mind during the vision. She also noticed one with a blazing sun and another of a twisting vine, with flowers and leaves. The last, a bull with horns. The worksmanship was different but still beautiful. The seven aspects of Idumea, another world that existed far away – a world where the city-gardens of the Idumeans beckoned all mastons.

They left the Abbey and Lia stopped short at the whirl and commotion of Comoros. The Abbey was small, unlike Muirwood, and it was on the eastern outskirts of the infamous city. The gates were barred but the porter opened for them without question, since only mastons could travel the Apse Veils. The porter was an older man with silver hair, crooked teeth, and a pleasant smile.

“Any travelers from Dahomey recently?” Lia asked him on a whim, pausing to touch his arm.

His smile wrinkled into a pursed grimace. “Not in a long while, girl. The Dochte Mandar do not allow it.”

“Who?” Kieran asked.

“The Dochte Mandar. Be wary of them, mastons.” Lia did not understand the word, but nodded and was about to move on, but the porter grabbed her sleeve. “The person you seek is at Lambeth Manor.”

Lia startled and stared at him in confusion.

He bunched up his mouth into a frown and nodded. “I have lived here a good many years. I was abandoned as a wretched and chose to stay to fulfill my vow. I was shown great kindness by a noble prince once. A noble prince who came down that road yonder, paused on his horse and paid me a gold sovereign. He said a girl would come through Claredon with hair like yours. That was a long time ago. I had forgotten it until just now. Something made me remember. The Medium, no doubt. There you have it. My message is delivered. Now I can spend the gold crown.”

Lia felt the tiniest throb. She took the old porter’s hand and squeezed it. He opened the gate and let them pass into the wild throngs filling the street beyond.

“What was that?” Kieran said, his brows knitting together. “Who do you seek?”

“We must go to Lambeth first,” Lia said.

“Whatever for?”

Someone bumped into Lia from behind, nearly knocking her over. The street was teeming with travelers and carts. The gutters were choked with manure and mud. Kieran grabbed her arm and pulled her with him, walking southward. “You must walk quickly in this city. Do not gawk so. Who is at the Lambeth?”

“A person I came here to find,” Lia answered.

He gave her a sharp look of incredulity. “Do you have any idea how many people live here? There are three dozen Abbeys alone, I think, just serving Comoros. You think you can find a single person?”

“Yes, I can,” Lia said. “I have the orb.”

“Think, girl. If you pull it out, you will have every thief in Comoros with knowledge of it before the midday bells toll. Keep your hand around it. There are cutpurses everywhere.”

“You said you have been here,” she asked, growing annoyed at his tone.

“I have,” he answered. “I hate it. Do you see that fortress? We are not even inside the city gates right now. Pent Tower is the castle keep and the royal manor that protects the king’s family and guards the king’s enemies. Are you seeking Dieyre? He is an enemy to us.”

Lia shook her head violently. “He is the last man I want to see.”

“All the better, for his reputation is known in Pry-Ree. Whom do you seek?”

“Someone he abducted. I made a promise, Kieran. The orb said I would find her here. And the porter said where.”

He grabbed her arm and steered her against the wall before a cart crashed into them. The jolt of it stunned her. A swarm of flies buzzed about her face and she shuddered. She was used to the moors and wilderness, not this hive of movement. She felt the Myriad Ones thronging them, but taking no notice.

He was tall and looked down at her with fury. “We must catch a boat to Dahomey today,” he said, his teeth gritting with frustration.

“I am not stopping you,” she replied evenly, looking into his eyes with determination.

“Martin said you must come.”

“I do not obey orders from Martin,” she said. “Or from you. I obey the Aldermaston of Muirwood.”

He shook his head, obviously biting his tongue. “Muirwood is a bit far. You used me to cross here. You said nothing of this other person when we left.”

“And you have told me all of your secrets?” Lia replied. “Are we going to stand here bickering in the street for much longer? The day is wasting.”