Read Online From Whence You Came by Laura Anne Gilman - Free Book Online Page A

groaned like a living thing, twisting underneath them, but the serpent caught the brunt of the blow. Its head reared back and then jutted forward aggressively, as though to attack the air itself.
    Another blast came, this time more tightly focused, missing the ship itself to hit the serpent. It reared back, exposing more of its elongated neck and a hint of greater body underneath, and then dove below the surface again.
    In a heartbeat, it was gone, the waters returning to a normal deep green. And the wind ended as quickly as it began. Rini stared at the water in dismay, then lifted her gaze to the distant ship, and narrowed her eyes in deep suspicion.
    o0o
    There was a protocol that was to be followed when two ships met at sea. In particular, there was a protocol to follow when two ships of unaligned powers met at sea.
    Iaja prided itself on being the Queen of exploration – the Caulians might have sailor-fighters, but they did not go far from known lands. Iajans roamed the sea, and claimed what they found. Varsam, however, was equally proud, a land of fierce sailors and well-built ships, outside the Lands Vin and thus not yoked by Sin Washer’s Commands. Customs were different. Laws were different. A simple misunderstanding could cause ripples and waves down the line.
    Caution, and prudence, were called for.
    Caution and prudence had never met Deshai Harini.
    A meeting was arranged on board the larger Varshami ship, a carefully-chosen party of the captain, Shipsmaster, two crewsmen with knowledge of the Varsham tongue, and Bradhai – not at his own request.
    The moment the Vineart was introduced, she surged forward, her suspicions confirmed.
    â€œYou! You drove the serpent away! Do you know how long we had been searching for it?”
    â€œSearching? Intentionally?” The ladysong ’s Captain was enough taken-aback that he responded to the girl, rather than ignoring her, while Bradhai was utterly at a loss. From the look of the other ship’s Captain, the girl’s outburst was a normal enough occasion, and also that he did not feel confident enough to discipline her.
    â€œIt is my responsibility to keep this ship and its crew safe,” Bradhai said.
    â€œIt wasn’t interested in you! It was – argh!” The girl was well-dressed in a long dark blue skirt and blouse, covered by a leather vest similar to what he had seen traders wear, but longer over her hips. Her skin was dark, her eyes darker, and her hair drawn flat in a braid that started at her crown and ran all the way down her back in a triple plait as thick as a fist. On closer observation, Bradhai decided that she was no girl, but a woman, and one more powerful than might be assumed from her attire and appearance on this ship.
    â€œMay I introduce our patroness, Deshai Harini, the daughter of Deshai Pravin, Master of the… you would call it the Weaver’s Guild of Varsham.”
    â€œFar distance, and wet, for a weaver-girl to come,” the Captain said, speaking not in the common trade-tongue of Ettion, but a dialect of Iajan unlikely to be understood by outsiders. Bradhai winced – even he knew better than to call her a weaver-girl – but Hernán stepped into the breach.
    â€œAs Vineart Bradhai said, the serpents have been a threat to ships within these seas for months on end. We reacted in accordance with our orders. That you have seen no damage from them before this is a blessing of the Silent Gods and your own luck, far more than any disinclination of the beasts.”
    The woman – Deshai Harini – looked as though she might argue, but her own Captain stepped forward again. “Indeed. We treat the beasts with respect, and attempt to stay out of their way. Such aggression as you describe is rare in our waters, but we are far from home. That you have a means to drive them off is… of interest to us.”
    Bradhai felt his lips twitch, and repressed it sternly. The Captain clearly