Retribution

The Floorboard

With their manager now deceased, and business still in full flow, there was no reason for high levels of etiquette to be maintained by the staff of Naval Exports. As a result, the offices had been transformed into a gambling den and drinking hole. Raucous laughter echoed along the river, lost amidst the wilder sounds of the city — a marked difference from the Sorghatan Prefecture’s relative silence and conservative ways. I should have realized that we could be in for a long wait.

Other than that, the night was calm. The water gently sloshed along the riverbanks, the boats occasionally banging against the makeshift decking. People drifted out of their homes or workhouses and headed towards the taverns. A priest was conducting some ceremony in a shallow part of the river, kneeling with his hands upraised — one of which contained a burning torch. We watched, entranced, as children swam precise circles around him, breaking up the reflection of the light in the water.

‘Spirits save us, how long do we have to wait?’ Leana asked as we strolled on another small circuit of the docks.

‘As long as it takes,’ I replied. ‘We could burst in there now if you like and take our chances?’

‘If it gets the job done quicker, then yes, I would prefer to do so.’

‘No fighting. Not if we can help it. I’m not in any shape for combat and I would prefer it if we didn’t cause a scene and draw attention to ourselves. We must maintain a high level of discretion.’

‘You are almost recovered by now. Anyway, I could start a fire somewhere as distraction?’

‘And have the whole docks go up in flames?’ I replied.

Leana’s glorious indifference returned. ‘If it would speed matters up.’

In the ensuing pause in conversation, Nambu half-opened and closed her mouth several times, burning to ask something. She finally said to Leana, ‘Why do you talk about the spirits saving you? Do you mean spirits as in ghosts? Surely they’re not real?’

No such thing as ghosts, I would have once said. Only, not all that long ago in Detrata I had seen one for myself. The incident was not quite enough to wholly convince me of their existence, but I no longer dismissed the notion of ghosts as I had done. The image still lingered, an uncomfortable echo in my mind.

‘It is a phrase,’ Leana replied. ‘That is all.’

‘What does it mean?’

‘That the spirits are all around us, in everything. The dead are closer to the living than we think, so I do not consider there to be much of a distinction between the two.’

‘Does everything have a spirit?’ Nambu asked. ‘I’d like to know more.’

‘Of course,’ Leana said, giving a brief laugh. ‘From the rivers to the sky. There is a spirit to be found in everything. It merely needs to be tapped, like sap from a tree. We can ask for their blessings or their help from time to time. They are ever-watchful of our actions. We have a spirit god, called Gudan, who is. . an amalgamation of spirits. A focus for our thoughts. Our priests — though they are not really priests in the same way — channel the spirits to give advice or instruction.’

‘An Atrewen custom,’ I added. ‘Leana thinks me insane for not believing the same as she does. It does somewhat explain her indifference to killing people.’

Leana shrugged. ‘I think you are insane for entirely different reasons but, yes, the line between the living and the dead is barely even there.’

‘What do you believe, Lucan?’ Nambu turned her attention to me.

‘I worship Polla,’ I replied. ‘The goddess of knowledge and wisdom.’

‘She was a real lady once, wasn’t she?’

‘You’ve been taught well.’

‘Wasn’t she killed for her beliefs?’

‘Not quite for her beliefs, no. But she was killed by men because it was deemed — among other things — improper for a woman to enquire about the universe.’

I could see the annoyance, almost anger, in Nambu’s expression. ‘That isn’t right.’

‘It wasn’t,’ I agreed. ‘Fortunately we live in better times. There is nothing stopping women making their own way in society now. You need look no further than your own mother as an example.’

For a moment the young princess paused. ‘I never thought about it like that.’

‘In a forward-looking culture we tend to forget the comforts of the present compared with the struggles of the past.’

‘And if there are people who try to stop any such an ascent,’ Leana said, patting her sword, ‘then there are women like me to give them a gentle reminder.’

Eventually, as the night drew on, our final route approaching Naval Exports revealed that those who had been laughing and drinking had now left. Some were still making their way in separate directions — one to a boat, where he might possibly sleep on deck, and the others further inland. We waited until their footsteps became inaudible before we moved alongside the shutters to the offices.

Leana levered one of the shutters open with her sword and peered through, while I checked behind us in case we were being followed. A moment later and Leana whispered for me to follow her around the side of the building.

‘Dek is asleep on one of the chairs,’ she breathed.

‘We could wake him if we’re not careful.’

‘I saw a jug of wine in there — I could smash it over his head, if you like.’

‘Which would achieve what exactly?’

‘Well, he would not wake up.’

There was a strange logic to much of what Leana suggested, but I saw no reason to harm an innocent man who had given us precious information, and who might be willing to do so in future.

‘Nambu, you will stay out here and keep guard. Speak through the side shutter if anyone approaches the building. Leana and I will go inside and lever up the floorboard. I may need a candle for better vision.’

‘There were two still burning inside when I looked. Dek had passed out. He was probably too drunk to remember to blow them out.’

‘That’s good. Right, let’s get to it — the sooner we get this over with the sooner we can all rest.’

‘Excuse me,’ Nambu said. ‘But should I not hold a weapon of some sort?’

Without hesitation, Leana reached into her boot and pulled out a small sheathed knife. ‘Here, take this. I have another. The blade is only a handspan long, but it will cause some damage. Are you sure you are OK to use it?’

Frowning, she replied, ‘Of course I am,’ and, despite the fact that she clutched it firmly, I suspected otherwise.

‘Remember, speak quietly when someone approaches,’ I said.

She nodded and Leana and I turned our attention to the building. Leana led the way — she was the first to grab the frame, pull herself up and place a boot on the window ledge. Once she had got herself inside, she held out her hand.

I grabbed the wiry musculature of her wrist and with my other hand I took hold of the window frame. After some inelegant manoeuvring I managed to join her quietly inside the building.

The place reeked of spilt wine and pipe smoke. Half-a-dozen candles still burned in their holders, a fire hazard given that Dek was sound asleep and papers lay strewn everywhere. The man was not exactly snoring, but happily wheezing away. I proceeded through the murky light with agile steps.

Leana held up her hands as if to say, Where did you see the loose board?

With a tilt of my head I indicated the desk and together we walked cautiously towards it. Making small movements, I shuffled from left to right, testing the floor but not wanting to apply too much pressure. Leana repeated my actions nearby, and only then did I realize how ridiculous we would have looked should anyone have seen us.

The purpose to our madness revealed itself when an audible thud sounded under my left boot. Pausing, I motioned for Leana to bring the candles on the desk closer. I pulled a knife from my boot and proceeded to lever the loose floorboard upright, being careful not to make the slightest sound.

As the board came up, I wondered if we were wasting our time or if we would find anything of value. It was common enough to keep things hidden from public view in offices such as this — when a document needed to be kept from falling into the wrong hands, or needed hiding. I prayed to Polla that we would have luck.

On the other side of the room, Dek gave a significant enough utterance for my heart to skip a beat.

As Leana moved the candle closer, a small pang of relief hit me as I saw the warm yellow glow of paper. I reached down and pulled out the thin bundle, before resting it beside the loose board. No sooner had Leana lowered the board back down without making a sound, when we heard a stifled yelp from outside.

Wide-eyed, Leana whispered: ‘Nambu.’

I clutched the documents firmly and followed Leana as she sprinted towards the window. She leapt out of it with a level of athleticism that astounded me and, while I perched a buttock on the frame trying to angle my legs out of the narrow gap, I saw that Dek was waking — though obviously groggy — behind us.

‘What’s going on?’ he groaned, but I had already dropped down from the window and onto the ground by the time he would have been anywhere near approaching an alert state.

Neither Nambu nor Leana was anywhere to be seen.

Footsteps could be heard thumping at a rapid pace along the boards of the docks. I tucked the documents safely under my arm — still having no idea what they were, or if they were even useful to the case — and set off after them.