Natural Ordermage

XCIII

On eightday morning, Rahl made sure that he was at the duty desk especially early. Even so, he’d only been standing there a few moments before Myala came in at a brisk walk.

“You’re here. Good. Have you looked at the duty logs?”

“Yes. The Jeranyi ship-it’s the Wavecrest-is still tied at pier two. The captain had said we should expect another one, but it hasn’t arrived yet. There wasn’t any trouble last night, and we have three offenders and one mage-clerk student waiting for upriver transport to Luba and Diancyr…”

“That’s enough.” Myala walked to the desk, ignoring Hewart, who was due to be relieved, and picked up the duty log. After scanning it a moment, she set it down. “Let’s go.”

Rahl followed her out of the building.

Without looking at him, Myala asked, “Do you know why they sent you here? Only a handful of the mage-guards here are order types. You’re usually sent to the city station or Cigoerne or small towns.”

“Taryl and Jyrolt were the ones who decided. They didn’t tell me.”

Myala’s steps slowed for just a moment. “Taryl recommended you?”

“Yes.”

“That’s not good. When he recommends, he’s usually trying to head off trouble, and it’s never small trouble.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Especially since what Rahl had overheard confirmed what Myala was saying.

She headed for the main pier guard station where Hegyr had just finished relieving Niasl.

“It’s all quiet, Myala. Only five or six vendors out there. No wagons. Niasl had to run off a pair of trollops earlier.” Hegyr stood beside the pedestal that held the mage-guard chair. The umbrella was still folded.

Myala snorted. “You won’t find any teamsters out on eightday, but trollops will try for their coins wherever and whenever they can find a willing sailor. It should stay quiet for a while, but if I see anything urgent, I’ll send Rahl back. Otherwise, we’ll check in after we patrol all the piers.” With that, the compact mage-guard turned, taking quick and precise steps toward the base of pier one.

Rahl had to take three hurried steps to catch up with Myala, who, he was discovering, moved everywhere as if she were constantly in a rush.

Pier one was somewhat more than half-filled, with three ships-two schooners and a small coastal side-wheeler-on the north side, and an ancient Suthyan brig at the last set of bollards on the south. A vendor with a grill was already soliciting the crew.

“The best fowl in Swartheld…hot and juicy…”

Rahl had to admit that the grilled fowl did smell good, but Myala barely looked at the vendor or at the small boy who sat on a box beside the grill.

As Rahl accompanied Myala toward the base of pier two, she asked, “What do you know about the Jeranyi ship?”

“It’s big and iron-hulled, and it’s been here for an eightday now, and they haven’t loaded or unloaded cargo in the last few days. There’s an aura of chaos around it.” Rahl paused, realizing something else. “Also, all the mage-guards have been talking about what a problem the Jeranyi crews are, but we haven’t had any problems reported.”

“Hmmmm…” That was all Myala said.

Before they reached the Jeranyi vessel, they passed a Brystan long-hauler, with side-wheels and the modified rigging that seemed to be common among Nordlan ships. The brightwork shone, and the crew was holystoning the deck.

Beyond the Brystan ship was an empty berth, and then the Jeranyi vessel. As he and Myala neared it, Rahl could see a pair of guards, attired more like ruffians than seamen, standing guard on the quarterdeck just beyond the top of the gangway leading up from the pier.

“Look at the guards,” Myala said. “What do you see?”

Rahl looked again, with both sight and senses. The guards were armed with sabres that seemed similar, if not identical. Both were clean-shaven…“Oh…”

“What? Don’t just say, ‘Oh,’” said Myala tartly.

“They’re dressed like ruffians, but everything else says they’re more like guards or marines or soldiers.”

“At least you can think, even if it takes some prompting.”

Rahl could feel that hidden anger rising, and he wanted to use his truncheon on the waspish and condescending mage-guard, but he pushed the feeling away, finally managing to say, “I’ve only been a full mage-guard for two eightdays, Myala, and I’m certain I have much to learn.”

Rahl could sense that she was taken aback at his words although she said nothing for several steps. Then she paused and continued to look at the ship.

So did Rahl, although he tried to use his order-senses as much as his eyes. The diffuse whiteness of chaos did not seem either stronger or weaker than when he had observed the ship before, and that suggested that it was either a part of the ship-or of cargo that had not been off-loaded.

“You’re using order-sensing. What does it tell you?”

“There’s something chaotic there, but I can’t tell if it’s the ship or cargo. It’s not the crew, though.”

“Could be explosives or powder. Sometimes they sense like chaos. That’s what Hewart says.”

“If they’re really pirates, they’d have cannon…” Rahl studied the hull more closely. “It looks like the shinier sections below the railing-they’re smaller.”

“Those are concealed cannon ports. You’re probably sensing the powder in the magazines.”

That was likely, but Rahl had his doubts that was all he sensed.

“I don’t like it that they’ve been here an eightday. Ships don’t make coins tied up for long periods in port, even pirate vessels. They could be waiting for a ship to leave, one with a profitable cargo, maybe the Brystan.”

Rahl could tell that she wasn’t convinced by her own words.

Abruptly, she turned. “Nothing will happen this early. We might as well finish the first tour, and then we’ll leave a watch report with the duty desk.”

Again, Rahl had to hurry for several steps to catch up with her. After even such a short time, Myala was wearing on him. He wondered how her consort stood it, but maybe he needed the time when she was on duty to recover from her presence.