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  Fire On the Sand

  BlookDark Book Four

  Cindy A Matthews

  Adrian J. Matthews

  Copyright © 2018 by Cindy A Matthews & Adrian J. Matthews

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Dedication and Acknowledgment

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  About the Author

  The BloodDark Series

  Dedication and Acknowledgment

  Fire on the Sands is dedicated to two good people.

  To mon amie Janet,

  for having a heart as big as the world.

  And to my young friend, the real-life Jake Dyer,

  whose (fictional) exploits appear in this book.

  * * *

  Authors’ note: This story takes place about thirty years before the events of the first three books in the series.

  Chapter 1

  "Show us yer boots!" the parrot said.

  Adena hid a smile as her guest looked down his long nose at the speaker, a large brass and leather parrot perched on a lamp bracket. It glared back at him with a saucy gleam in its crystal eyes and did a little dance, steel claws clacking on the brass mounting.

  "What is this thing?" her guest asked.

  "Don't mind him, Erasmus," Adena said. "It's an automaton I picked up. It works on the Jaquard principle and has a range of amusing tricks." She waved the merchant to a seat. "Please, sit, and tell me what we can do for you."

  Erasmus cast one last doubting glance at the construct and sat, carefully tugging the drape of his robes for comfort. The jewel fixed to the front of his crimson fez cast scintillating rainbows around the private parlor as he moved. He cleared his throat. "You come highly recommended, Captain, as one prepared to undertake more than the usual risks for a client."

  "For the right price, of course." Adena tore her gaze away from the jewel. "That depends upon what or who needs carrying, and where, when, and how fast the customer requires the job done."

  "Of course." Erasmus's expression looked bland but his dark eyes gleamed. "I wish to hire you and your airship to undertake a speculative voyage to the City of Night." Adena tried not to wince, but Erasmus noticed her reaction and raised an eyebrow. "If it's too much for you, I can go elsewhere..."

  He made to rise but Adena held up her hand. "I'm sure you know why I showed a moment's hesitation, Erasmus. No one goes to that place lightly. That's not to say I'm unwilling to go. I will – for the right price."

  He sat back. "What would you consider the right price?"

  "Five thousand, half up front."

  "Ridiculous! I offer fifteen-hundred, with ten percent down."

  "I wouldn't get my crew out of bed for that." Adena gestured to her steward who lurked nearby. "Light the hookah, Conner. We may be here a while." While the steward fussed with the device she turned back to Erasmus. "Four thousand, twenty-five percent down."

  "Pah!" Erasmus waved a hand. "Unacceptable. I might go as high as two thousand with twenty, but I have my costs as well."

  "My heart bleeds. Three thousand, with twenty down. No less."

  His eyes glittered, and he rubbed his jaw, his fingertips making a rasping sound over the black bristles of his short beard. Conner offered him a pipe which Erasmus took with a gracious nod. Adena accepted her own pipe with the amber mouthpiece. Together she and her guest drew upon the hookah, taking a few moments out to consider the deal. The tobacco glowed in the bowl, the water bubbled. Aromatic smoke scented the lounge. Adena eyed Erasmus's jewel with avarice. The parrot watched them both.

  Erasmus took the pipe from his mouth. "Agreed. Three thousand, with twenty down it is." He reached across to shake hands with her. "You drive a hard bargain, Captain."

  "Perhaps not hard enough if we're to go to the City of Night. What or who do you wish us to take there?"

  "It's a few tons of cargo, specialized parts on the whole, for which the denizens of that place will pay a high price for." He waved a hand in negligent fashion. "The entire load should be well within your craft's carrying capacity."

  "Will you be accompanying us?"

  He shook his head. "I regret I'm beyond the age where adventures have any appeal. I shall send my nephew Zared as supercargo. Because of the sensitive nature of my speculation and to protect those I am in contact with, Zared will have the customer's address in a sealed envelope. He will hand it to you one day's journey out from here."

  "That's acceptable. When will your cargo be ready?"

  "It's in my warehouse at this moment. Zared awaits my authorization, and he will bring it right away."

  "Good." Adena cast a glance out the parlor's broad sweep of windows. The Captain's Comfort Inn overlooked the airship landing field, a broad plain on the outskirts of Penumbra City. From where she sat Adena could see a windsock fixed to a tall mast above the dock office; the red fabric flowed smoothly. "The wind's set fair for the Dark Side. Send your authorization and have everything aboard within the hour, and we'll be able to lift today."

  "Excellent. Thank you Captain."

  Erasmus rose, and they shook hands again before Adena showed him through the inn to the main door. Her purser moved up silently to stand beside her, and together they watched Erasmus descend the steps to the street where one of his liveried servants waited. Erasmus bent his head and muttered something to the young woman and handed her a slip of parchment. She touched her forehead in salute and ran off into the depths of the warehouse district.

  Adena gave the purser his instructions. Her first officer leaned against the wall of the inn, soaking up the sun. Seeing her business had concluded, he peeled himself from the wall, walked over and sketched a salute.

  She returned it. "We have a commission, Jake. We're bound for the City of Night, but a handsome payment awaits."

  Jake Dyer wiped a long lock of red hair from his eyes and looked pained. "It would have to be handsome if we're going there. What do you need me to do?"

  "Erasmus's nephew will bring the cargo aboard. He'll come along as supercargo. We have a fair wind today, so if you hurry matters along we could lift within the hour."

  He shook his head. "It's a good thing you kept the crew on ten minutes' lift notice. Oh, well, I'll sound the signal and hope they all haven't dispersed across town."

  "Make it so. I'll be in my quarters for a few minutes."

  * * *

  Once aboard the Oculus Nightingale, Adena headed aft, resisting the urge to rub her hands until she gained the privacy of her quarters, a tiny stateroom that occupied the rear of the gondola. Conner had departed about other duties. With a clicking of brass the parrot glided to his perch and eyed her as she closed the door and leaned against it. He clacked his beak. "You're looking mightily pleased with yourself."

  Adena chuckled. "So I should, Mr. Phibuli. I beat that bastard Erasmus soundly in the bargaining."

  He sighed, the sound like a set of small leaky bellows. "Whether we get paid at all depends on if we return from this godforsaken trip or not."

  "Oh, cheer up! We've done it before with never a scrape to talk of." She reached
over and chucked the parrot under the chin. "You'll be able to buy some polish for your plumage with your share."

  "Perhaps." Mr. Phibuli jerked his head away from her finger with an audible sniff. "I saw you looking at Erasmus's chelengk."

  Adena looked blank. "I'm sure I didn't look at anything below his waist..."

  Phibuli gave her a baleful glare. "His jewel, dear girl, the jewel in his fez." He sniffed again, muttered something like pearls before swine. "I estimate the value of the thing to be worth half as much again as this vessel."

  "I knew what you meant. That much, huh?" Phibuli nodded with a rapid clicking of gears. She gave a soft whistle of surprise. "Well, I've not known you to be wrong when it comes to a valuation."

  "Oh yes. It's one of my range of amusing tricks." In spite of the fixed nature of its features, the parrot appeared to scowl.

  Adena snorted. "Oh, come on, Mr. Phibuli! If you'd learn to behave yourself around strangers..." She rubbed a thumb across her eyebrow. "Well, not everyone needs to know what you are. For now, I'm going to make sure all's ready to lift once Tom tells me Erasmus's cargo is aboard."

  "Good luck, Adena." He shook his head. "I have the oddest feeling about this. May the gods favor us all."

  She looked at him askance. "Amen."

  * * *

  Not long after their conversation Adena received confirmation from her agent that the advance payment had been made. She waited by the hatch as three half-naked stevedores heaved the trolleys bearing the cargo up the gangplank to the cargo hatch. Perspiration stood out all over their shaved bodies as they toiled. She glanced at the purser, who stood close by watching the loading with a critical eye as he checked the manifest fixed to his clipboard. "Why the hell don't they use the winch, Tom?"

  He grunted. "Master Erasmus decided the cargo requires personal handling for some reason."

  The merchant stood talking to his nephew at the foot of the gangplank. Adena grimaced. "It's his prerogative, I guess." She eyed the nephew. "Damn, but that kid looks like a shorter version of his uncle, even down to the robes."

  Tom grunted. "He's trying to imitate Erasmus, I think."

  "Could be. How much is coming aboard?"

  "Ten crates, none over two hundred pounds' weight."

  "That's a good load for a spec cargo."

  Tom glanced at her and cleared his throat. "It must be valuable."

  She gave him a hard look. "If it is, it's none of our business, Tom. Our job is to carry it from A to B, nothing more."

  He put on a bland expression. "Of course, Cap'n."

  The last trolley came up the gangplank. It bore a long crate made of blond wood, bound like the others by woven Hessian straps. Erasmus's seals dotted the ties, dark blue wax pressed hard against the tough beige fabric. The merchant himself followed at a leisurely pace, his nephew at his heels like a faithful dog. Erasmus gave a courtly bow. "All is aboard, Captain, Mr. Purser. I will sign off on the cargo whenever you're ready." Tom handed him his clipboard and a stylus, and showed him where to sign. Erasmus signed the document with a flourish then turned to Adena. "I will leave my goods and my nephew in your capable hands, Captain."

  Adena smiled at the order of priority he gave them. She shook his hand. "Thanks, Erasmus. We'll take it from here." For form's sake she added, "May I persuade you to take refreshment before we depart?”

  He held up a hand. "Thank you, no. You have your favorable wind to catch, and my wife is waiting for me. Some social function or other, terribly boring." He shrugged. "I will take my leave. Bon voyage."

  With a courteous nod, he turned and strode off down the gangplank.

  Adena turned to the purser. "Everyone aboard, Tom?"

  He nodded. "Aye, Cap'n."

  "Then secure for lift-off, if you please."

  Zared stood clutching a small valise and looking rather lost. Adena took pity on him. "If you'll come with me, sir, I'll show you to your cabin. We'll be lifting soon. You may remain in your cabin, or watch from the crew lounge as we take off, but please try to stay out of the passageway as the crew'll be using it."

  "Thank you, Captain." Zared responded with a quick bob of his head, gratitude in his muddy brown eyes. His voice sounded higher in pitch than his uncle's. She noticed his attempt at growing a beard didn't seem to have advanced beyond a vague dark stain around his jaw-line.

  Adena turned, entered the gondola and headed for the flight deck. As always, she felt the stirring in her blood as another adventure began. She thought uneasily of Mr. Phibuli's words, uttered before she left her stateroom. What waits for us this time out?

  * * *

  The hissing and clanking of the dock's steam winch faded away as it hoisted the Oculus Nightingale to the top of the hundred feet tall tetrahedral mooring mast. Adena felt the big craft sway ponderously under her feet as the perpetual breeze flowing from Dark Side caught her hull with greater strength as they climbed. Alice, the pilot, kept her eye on the winch dial, ensuring enough mooring cable had been paid out before engaging the Sterling engines. Satisfied they'd cleared any danger, Adena gave the word.

  Alice tugged a lever beside the big wheel and the cable disengaged with a clatter. Oculus Nightingale immediately began to drift downwind, and the engines roared as they pushed to overcome the airship's inertia. With positive buoyancy, she rose and cleared the level of the mooring tower. Adena gaged the increasing altitude by watching the dockside buildings. "Heat her up another minute," she called over her shoulder.

  She heard the trimsman spring to do her bidding. A valve-wheel squeaked. Somewhere overhead the burners in the middle ballonet gulped more fuel and thundered their appreciation. As the temperature in the ballonet rose, so did Oculus Nightingale until Adena's experienced eye showed she had reached a safe altitude. She nodded. "Well enough." The valve-wheel squeaked again and the noise of the burners ceased. With the trickiest phase of lift-off complete she looked out and down through the gondola's windows at the cityscape passing below.

  The Sandhill Docks fell away. Penumbra City spread in all directions, its buildings a bizarre juxtaposition of architectural styles filling the deep valley between the mountains. Steeples, towers, domes and cupolas rose here and there. The majority of houses were of flat-roofed adobe construction. Most windows faced the eternal sun as it hung like a great orange festival lantern low on the horizon. Greenery flourished, the citizens utilizing all available space to grow fruit and vegetables for their tables or to barter with. Shaded alleyways ran between the buildings, each a clean, quiet place for people to live and work. A multitude of public fountains shot upward, water droplets catching the sunlight to fill the air with rainbows. A hint as to the source of the water lay to the east where a broad avenue opened to show a distant view of a mighty cascade tumbling from the mountain heights to feed a huge lake nestled in a high valley. The streets, souks and bazaars thronged with people going about their business and pleasures. Others took their ease on the rooftop patios, some glancing up and waving as the airship passed overhead. An official ten-hour clock existed, but with the sun fixed permanently in the heavens, time in the city was mostly a matter of personal choice and arrangement. Bright awnings and shutters provided the means of shutting out the light when it came time to sleep. Most of those below held the sun in warm regard, for it gave them life, light — and safety. Adena glanced at the sun and sighed inwardly. It'll be some time before we see you again, she thought.

  "Take her up to three thousand." The burners roared again. Alice drew the steering wheel toward her and Oculus Nightingale rose. Adena loved the powerful surge, the apparent increase in gravity that marked a rise in altitude. She watched the altimeter click round until it neared three thousand feet. The airship's shadow stretched ahead, passing over the rooftops of the city then the Maidan, the great open park between the city and the defensive wall that stretched across the neck of the great valley, until it vanished in the deepening twilight.

  As they passed over the Maidan, Adena bent and peered forw
ard and up, looking past the bulbous nose of the airship to where the sky deepened from royal blue to indigo. She saw what she was looking for — a thin layer of sunlit cloud streaming into the dark, like a veil of peach colored chiffon. It marked the interface between the chill air flowing from the Dark Side toward the light, and the hot air flowing in the opposite direction.

  "Coming up now," she announced. "Brace yourselves!"

  Oculus Nightingale pierced the veil and bucked as she fought against two opposing forces tugging on her great form. Adena and the crew swayed and clutched hand-holds as the deck pitched and sank beneath them.

  "It's strong today," Alice said with concern in her voice.

  Adena nodded, listening to the creaks and groans as her ship weathered the turbulence. If any part of the vessel had a weakness, this would be the time it showed — perhaps fatally for all aboard.

  To her pleasure and secret relief, the turbulence faded. Oculus Nightingale accelerated as the hot wind from the Day Side took her in its grip.

  "We're in the flow. Yes, it's strong today, but that's good. It'll provide a nice tailwind for the journey. Hold her steady. Reduce speed, ease off the burners."

  Oculus Nightingale leveled off at a shade over three thousand feet as she passed over the wall. Civilization ended at that point as sharply delineated as any ruler. Adena cast a last glance at Penumbra City as it fell behind then looked ahead. There stretched gravel, outcrops of bare rock then sand, all falling into increasing darkness. Above, the Oculus Nightingale's envelope glowed bright silver for a few minutes longer until the sun fell below the horizon. Then the metallic gleam ceased as sharply as an extinguished lamp. "Steady as she goes. Activate running lights. Alice, you have the bridge."