Chapter 12

 

 

“Did she agree to it?” Jack pushed his plate away and looked at William with a curious gaze.

William shoveled fried potatoes into his mouth and nodded. “She’s not thrilled, but she went along with it.” Oz sat silently at the end of the table, his nose buried in a book, his mouth moving silently as he read and his untouched meal growing cold in front of him. Clyde lay beside them in the corner, gently snoring as the nearby patrons craned their necks to catch their first glimpse of a dragon. William ignored them all and carried on. “Melissa would rather spend the next few months contriving elaborate plans that I have no say in—and I’d be happy to let her—but something tells me waiting is a bad idea.”

“You don’t need to convince me,” said Jack. “I’ll be there whenever you decide it’s happening.”

“What about Rachel?” asked William as he reached for another piece of chicken. “I know you can’t tell me where she is, but can you reach her? How soon could she get here?”

Jack refused to meet his gaze, staring instead at his plate. “I could get word to her. Can’t say how soon she can get here though.”

William decided not to press Jack for more information, knowing he wouldn’t budge. He turned instead to his other concern. “What about Maya and Charlie? I’d love for them to be here, but it’ll take the mail a week or two to reach them, and a month for them to travel upriver.”

Jack didn’t answer. Instead, he waved to Dan Deacon, who was chatting with customers at a table across the room. Dan sauntered over with a big smile on his face.

“What can I get for you, boys? Another beer?”

“Will needs another chicken,” said Jack as he nodded at William’s empty plate. “But we need advice first. If we wanted to send an urgent message to somebody in Faywater Port, how would we go about it?”

Dan scratched his chin and slowly nodded. “If you’re not too worried about privacy, I might have something for you. Otherwise, the Royal Mail is still your best bet.”

William and Jack exchanged glances. “The Royal Mail still takes two or three weeks by boat, right?” asked Jack.

“Downstream, yes,” said Dan. “Over a month coming back. But it’s locked in a chest the whole time, and barring a major theft, you can count on it getting there unopened. Safer and cheaper than delivery by carriage, but nowhere near as fast.”

William shook his head. “I can’t wait three weeks. We’re trying to get my friends here in time for my wedding, and they’d still have three hundred miles to travel once they get my message.”

“Why a rushed wedding, Lord William, if you don’t mind my asking? I know you well enough to know it’s not the usual reason.”

William looked around to check for eavesdroppers. Aside from the gawkers staring at Clyde, no one paid them any attention. “Something odd is happening in Marshland, Dan. I tried to visit Earl Bradford today and was told he’s away. I didn’t recognize the clerk, and he told me the regular clerks were all absent. I got the same answer at the barracks: Sir Hendrick is away on extended patrol, and I’m not allowed inside to visit the people I know. And worse, the Library was locked, and Cairns gone, with a guard inside to tell people to get lost. All the town officials I know are gone.”

Dan snorted. “You aren’t the first person to tell me that. What does it say about a town’s administration that they can all disappear and hardly anything changes? But people come and go every day, chasing new opportunities you and your friends opened up with the dragon trade. Perhaps the rest all decided to take vacations at the same time.”

“No, it feels more sinister than that,” said William. “The people I spoke to seem to be hiding something. But I have no proof, so what can I do? Anyway, I’m not sure what to expect next, so I want to get Melissa out of town, and the best way is to have the wedding as soon as we can.”

Dan put a comforting hand on William’s shoulder and nodded. “I’m not sure I share your worry, but that’s as noble a reason as I’ve ever heard for rushing a wedding. Once your friends in Faywater Port get your message, they can ride the stagecoach to Marshland and hire a carriage for the rest of the trip. Not the most comfortable way to travel, but they’ll be here in six days.”

“Six days?” said William. “That’s impossible!”

Jack laughed at him. “Will, the roads have been paved from here to Faywater for nearly two years, and they’re patrolled daily. The stagecoach is faster and safer than ever. Why are you always the last to know?”

“Okay, fine. I’m a little behind the times,” said William as he tried to hide his embarrassment. “But that doesn’t solve the problem. How do I get a message to them fast enough to make traveling by stagecoach worthwhile?”

The innkeeper tapped his nose with a grin. “Leave it to me, my good lord. The less I say now, the better, but be prepared to come out with me after breakfast tomorrow.”

“That’s rather cryptic,” said Jack. “What sort of shenanigans are you leading us into?”

The innkeeper bellowed with laughter. “Only the best sort, I promise you. I have to mix with the crowd now, but I’ll send Lucy over with fresh beers for you, and a chicken for the hungry lord.”

William went to sleep with mixed feelings. Knowing there might be a way to get Maya and Charlie to Marshland in time for a quick wedding gave him relief, but the missing officials—especially Cairns—still troubled him. Dan’s unexplained promise to help get a message delivered added a touch of mystery, and without a book to distract his busy mind, sleep came late.

It took three tries for Oz to rouse him in the morning, and a bleary-eyed William dragged himself into the common room for breakfast, leaving Oz to pack their bags.

Dan was waiting for them by the fireplace, coaxing the embers from the night before with fresh wood. “I took the liberty of preparing something for Clyde,” said Dan as he greeted them. “We have plenty of root vegetables left from the winter, but I didn’t know if he’d prefer raw or roasted, so I brought both.” Clyde tore through the raw ones immediately, but hesitated at the cooked ones. After a tentative taste, those disappeared quickly as well.

Breakfast for the humans followed soon after, and with full bellies the party left on foot. “I haven’t known this fellow long,” explained Dan as they left the outer edges of Marshland Crossing and entered the surrounding farmland. “He’s a little odd, but I trust him. He’s sent a few messages for me without any problems, but I’ll let you decide for yourself.”

They turned down a path that led to what looked like a freehold farm. Dan waved at a tall, lanky man working near a small barn and called out to him. “Bird! I have a customer for you.”

“Wish you told me first,” said Bird, revealing a crooked set of teeth. “I coulda saved you a trip. I’m almost out of—what on Esper is that?” He pointed a long, bony finger at Clyde.

Dan flashed his good-natured grin. “That, Bird, is a dragon. And this is Lord William Whitehall, your new customer—if you haven’t actually run out of…you know what.”

Bird looked startled at the mention of William’s name, but recovered quickly. His frown melted into a comfortable smile, and he shook William’s hand with enthusiasm. “Lord William…my lucky day! It’s not every day a lord saunters into my yard, but the most famous one of all—what can I do for you, sir?”

William cleared his throat and began tentatively. “Dan says you can get a message to friends of mine in Faywater Port, but he hasn’t told me how, exactly.”

“Why, it’s in the name sir. Bird, they call me. Even my own mother can’t remember my real name, and it’s not just because of the nose, either.” He tapped his long, pointed nose and laughed. “Dan was doing me a kindness, because I asked him to not tell common folk what I do. Rich folks like you is a different story, though.”

William eyed him carefully. “How rich do I need to be, Bird? And what exactly am I buying from you?”

Bird hesitated. “Before we go in, can I ask what your dragon eats? I shouldn’t risk my business if he’s hungry.”

“Clyde is a vegetarian,” said William.

The man relaxed and nodded. “Excellent. Follow me, and I’ll show you. We can talk about price after you see what you’re getting.” They followed him to the barn, and he lifted the bar from the door and opened it wide enough for them to slip in.

Once his eyes adjusted, William let out his breath. “King’s feathers…”

“Pigeons!” said Jack. “I didn’t know we had a pigeon keeper in Marshland.”

“These aren’t just any pigeons,” said Bird, his pride evident. “These beauties have been bred for generations to be the best homing pigeons on Esper, covering the distance from here to Faywater Bay in under seven hours.”

“Seven hours!” said William. “That seems impossible.”

“Bird sends letters to my distant guests for me,” said Dan. “They all confirm they got the letters on the same day, or the day after.”

“How do the pigeons know where your customers are?” asked Jack.

“They don’t,” said Bird. “When I release a pigeon here, it flies home to my partner in Faywater Port. My partner then posts the letter in the local mail—envelope, stamp, and all—or if the customer pays the extra price, he hand delivers it to the addressee himself the same day.”

“How many reach their destination?” asked William. “I assume they don’t all survive.”

“It’s true, my lord. I do suffer some losses. Hawks or other birds will prey on pigeons if they can catch them. Injury, storms, or even old age…although I do retire them young. All told, nine out of ten get home the same day. The tenth one arrives the following day about two times out of three. My losses are small—but, I must warn you out of fairness: the sender assumes the risk. If your message is important as well as urgent, I suggest sending two birds.”

William reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He poured the contents on a nearby table, revealing a small pile of gold pellets. “How many messages will this pay for?”

Jack’s eyes grew wide. “Where on Esper did you get that, Will?”

“Never mind, Jack. How many messages can I send with this, Bird?”

Bird scooped the pellets into his hand, hefting them to estimate the weight. “Assuming this is real—and it feels real enough to me—this would get you ten birds. Five if you want the messages hand delivered.”

“Why so expensive?” asked Jack. “That must be a tenth of a crown’s worth of gold there.”

“I can only use a pigeon once,” explained Bird. “And it can only carry one message. After that, someone needs to transport it back here, which isn’t cheap.”

“That’s a lot of gold, Will,” said Jack in a whisper. “Are you sure you want to send the message that badly?”

“I’ll buy all five,” said William. “With hand delivery. How do we do this?”

Bird grinned with glee as he handed William some papers. “Write your messages on these. One message per page. Leave the other side blank for my instructions to my partner.”

“Why so many messages, Will?” asked Jack.

“Two for Maya and Charlie,” said William as he began to write. “Two for Duke Vincent telling him about what’s been happening. One for the General at the Faywater Guard.” William finished his writing and handed the papers to Bird, who scrawled the recipients’ names and delivery instructions. He folded and inserted each paper in a small tube, sealed the tubes, and attached them each to a pigeon before setting them free. The pigeons shot from the barn, startling Clyde, who watched them with interest. William stepped out of the barn and watched the birds circle high above them before heading west.

Bird followed him and handed him a receipt. “Your messages should arrive this afternoon. I’ve noted in each message that there are five in total, so my partner will wait a reasonable amount of time for all five to arrive before leaving to deliver them. It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Lord William. I hope to do business with you again soon.”

William shook his outstretched hand, cringing a little at the ragged and dirty fingernails. “I will if I need it.”

“You have some strange friends, Dan, but I appreciate you bringing me here,” said William as they left Bird’s farm. “I’m not sure what I would have done otherwise. It would have meant choosing between delaying the wedding and not inviting my friends.”

Dan beamed at him. “My pleasure, Lord William.”

“Will, you’ve been holding out on me,” said Jack. “Did you find gold on your land?”

“No,” said William. “I’ve had it lying around for a while. I brought it home from Rebel Falls.”

Jack persisted. “Nice try, Will. Those weren’t nuggets or flakes. Remember, I was there during the gold rush too. I know what panned gold looks like.”

William stopped in front of Jack, his face blank. He spoke slowly and deliberately. “Maybe you’re mistaken.”

Jack stared back in surprise and paused a moment, an eyebrow raised in confusion. “I guess I am, then.”

Dan stared at them both, brows furrowed, as William turned and carried on down the road. “Will you be staying with us for much longer, Lord William?” asked Dan, filling the awkward silence.

“No, I need to talk with Melissa, then return home to prepare for the wedding. I’ll send Oz upstairs to collect my things, and then we’ll get our horses and go.”

Jack remained sullen until they returned to the common room, where Oz was waiting for them. After Dan excused himself and Oz went to the rooms, Jack seized the opportunity to question William. “What was that all about?” he asked, looking around the room to make sure no one would hear. “That’s not panned gold, and you know I know it, so what’s the deal?”

“Of course it’s not panned gold,” said William. “But as much as I like Dan, I don’t want him or anyone else knowing where it came from.”

“So where did it come from?”

“It came from Clyde.”

“Will, if you want to keep it a secret from me, just say so. Don’t insult me by lying or joking, or—”

William leaned over the table and spoke in a hushed voice. “Jack, listen for a moment. Everything about the dragons is weird, and Clyde is weirder than all the rest. Remember when he ate most of my garden?”

“I remember what he did right after, that’s for sure.”

“Exactly. Well, later that night, he left a present for me on my library floor. Not like his other droppings, more like a clay casing. It broke open in my hand, and a little pellet of gold fell out. Not a nugget, not flakes, but a perfect little pellet, just like you saw. He does that every night after working on the canal, some pellets bigger than others, but always the same shape. There must be gold in the stream, because it never happens on the other days.”

Jack’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Your pet dragon poops gold, and you never told me?”

“I didn’t tell anyone, Jack, and for good reason. You remember what happened at Rebel Falls. We couldn’t keep the crowds away, not even with a full contingent of guards. It’s not like I’m getting rich from it—it makes up for the ruined garden, plus maybe a little extra—but people go crazy when they hear about gold. I don’t want a gold rush happening on my own land.”

“Fine, I get that. But Will, you can trust me to keep a secret. Have I told you once where Rachel is?”

“You haven’t even told me if you know where she is.”

“Well, I do.”

“So? Where is she? Can she make it to my wedding a month from now?”

“Stop deflecting. I’ll get a message to her and she’ll be there if she can. But I thought we were friends. This isn’t the same sort of secret.”

“Jack, you’ve told me countless times that Rachel’s secret is for her safety. Well, this is for mine.”

Jack placed his hand over his heart. “You have my solemn promise I won’t say a word to anyone about it, Will. Have I ever done anything to convince you otherwise?”

“The horses are packed, sir,” said Oz as he rushed up, out of breath and his brow dripping with sweat from exertion.

“Thank you, Oz,” said William. “Go back to the horses and watch our things and we’ll be there in a moment.”

Jack watched the butler hurry away. “Does he know?”

William frowned at his friend. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Jack. No, Oz doesn’t know anything about it, and neither does Ruskin or Mrs. Gracey. I was lucky enough Clyde did it when no one else was around, and I’ve trained him—or convinced him, maybe—to keep doing so. You can watch tonight if you’re interested.”

They spoke no more about it and departed soon after. The sun was well up by the time they reached the Reid residence, and the morning chill had mostly dissipated. Melissa waited patiently as Oz attempted his announcement again, this time merely stammering rather than getting the names wrong.

Melissa’s jaw dropped in disbelief when she heard the news. “One month? That’s barely enough time to get a dress ready, let alone arrange everything else.”

William tried to placate her. “I know. But given what’s happening, I don’t think we should wait.”

Melissa turned to Jack. “Are you as worried about this as Will is?”

Jack tilted his head and pondered. “As worried? No. But I’ll admit it’s strange, and Will’s instincts are usually pretty good.”

“That may be the nicest compliment you’ve ever paid me,” said William.

“Not true,” said Jack. “Just yesterday I said you don’t smell as bad as usual.”

Melissa still looked worried. “What about Maya and Charlie? Can they even get here in time?”

“There’s no way to know,” said William with a shrug. “I doubt they’ll send a pigeon back; in fact, I forgot to ask Bird if he has pigeons that go the other way. But the important thing is that we do this soon.”

Melissa stared into the distance for a moment, lost in thought, then turned back to the others. “Jack, Oz…can I be alone with Will for a bit?”

“We’ll wait outside,” said Jack as he stood to leave.

Melissa waited until the door closed. “Will, I know you’re worried about missing town officials and all that, but it seems like you’re moving the wedding date for the wrong reasons. I want this wedding to be about us, not earls, Guard captains, or anyone else. I want you to want this because you love me.”

William held her hands and pulled her close. He leaned forward and kissed her, her anxiety appearing to lessen, though not disappear. “I do love you. And the wedding will be about us, no matter when it is. But we can’t ignore what’s going on. If I’m wrong about it, we’ll know soon enough, and we can all joke about how I worried over nothing, but at least we’ll be joking together. But if I’m right—and I’m pretty sure I am—then something big is going to happen. And when it does, I don’t know how long it will last or who will be affected. I only know I can weather it better with you by my side instead of miles away.”

She leaned back and smiled, reaching up to brush the hair from his eyes. “We’d better get ready fast, then.”