"Stay here!" Jamison ordered. Rory started to object. "Just stay where we can find you if we need to!"
That made enough sense that Rory sat down and decided he could stay there, at least for a while. They were not in port yet. There was no fighting on the deck, and it seemed they were sliding past the sound of battle.
Good.
Zorian showed up and nodded when he saw Rory sitting at the table. He looked exhausted and determined as he settled in the other chair.
"What are we doing here?" he asked.
"Don't ask me. I was unconscious most of the time."
That won a loud, barking laugh from Zorian followed by a look of relief. Rory tried not to feel burdened by that look. He had helped the others. He did have skills even Zorian -- who was not discussing his magic -- didn't appear to have.
"What was the battle?" Rory asked. He had to prepare to start moving soon.
"Andora said something about a ritual before the one group could be allowed into the city. I hope we aren't expected to do the same."
"I'll make the other side sleep."
"I might hold you to that one. Damned mess we are in."
"I have no idea what problems we face, except for Pyrida. He's the one I'll focus on."
Zorian gave a nod of agreement, but still said nothing more about his own magic. Apparently, he belonged to one of the secret sects. Rory could name a dozen or more, but this was not the time to demand answers. He saw Zorian look his way with both worry and curiosity.
"You can tell me what you think I need to know," Rory said with a wave of his hand, though he wished it hadn't trembled. "The rest is your life, not mine."
Zorian gave a gracious bow of his head. Rory left him alone, but hoped that they could soon work out some plans. From the sounds outside, they were coming close to docking. Rory had barely glanced out the porthole and had no idea what they might be facing here, either in what the town looked like or in the people.
He knew he wasn't ready to face any of it.
Andora, Jamison, and Keltrina came to get them. Rory had gathered as much energy as he could by then and must have looked reasonably alive. Everyone looked relieved. Rory only felt worse, but he let them herd him up from the lower decks and into the sunlight.
Rory thought it might have blinded him at first. He'd had no idea how dark it had been so dark within the ship. He blinked away the tears and squinted --
Stepped into shadow and the world came back into focus.
Rory had never seen anything like it. Towers of colored stone rose catching the sunlight and casting shadows across hundreds of red-roofed buildings. He blinked thinking it would all disappear becausee this could not be real.
"This is Sci?" he finally dared to ask.
"I guess that means you've never been here before," Orian said as he took Rory by the arm and led him off of the ship. The crew and the soldiers were all remaining behind and none of them looked any less startled than him.
Andorra gave a little laugh. "I fell over my own feet the first time I came to the city," she said. "Twice. No one ever warns you for that reason. We all go through it and want to see the same reaction in others."
Rory nodded as if this made all sorts of sense to him, but in truth his mind was just wandering all over the place now. Even the war seemed far away. Maybe that was good.
A carriage arrived to take them ... wherever they were headed. Andora still came with them. The two generals and Prince rode in a different vehicle and led the way. They might have been visiting dignitaries rather than a disparate group of refugees.
Rory watched the city. People -- women, men, children -- watched them pass with open curiosity. Guards, all women, came to attention. Despite the battle they had so lately left, this seemed like a place where war would never touch.
It was not what he had expected of Schiwen. The road to extend my twists and turns to a huge building he had not seen from the port. This was clearly a citadel with cyclopean walls topped with well-armed guards every three yards. This, Rory realized, was why the rest of the city could seem so much at peace. The area within these walls was more than enough to take in the people below.
Rory felt duly impressed and intimidated.
A moat circled the mass, and wide enough that the Springer might have sailed it if they'd dragged her up here. The bridge they lowered had been made of metal and clanged into place like a bell of doom.
Rory didn't want to be the enemy of these people, which was probably exactly the reaction they wanted. He watched the walls they passed through, counted the arrow ports, made note of the trap walls with narrow, easily defended turns, and decided simply not to annoy anyone here.
They came suddenly out into a wide bailey filled with small buildings, many of them with working blacksmiths out front. Newly made swords hung everywhere. A couple had intricate shields as well. This, finally, looked like a place preparing for war.
It didn't make him feel any better.
The carriages came to a stop at a portal, faced by a staircase, that led to a higher level. We all climbed out and joined Prince Palkin, General Junal, and General Unanik.
"We walk from here," Andora told us. She looked at me. "If you need a sedan --"
"I can walk."
"Good. Not many outsiders get past this area." She looked worried this time. "Take care."
Not what he wanted to hear.
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