A Barrel of Vintner - Chapter 1

Since I'm not doing the Kickstarter campaign for The Books of Apep series until March, here's a little taste of the next Justice novel, the unedited first chapter of A Barrel of Vintner!

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I stood on the bow of the Duke of Orrin’s flagship, the Mars Tranquilus. The mountains of Issura and the narrow entrance to the Bay of Standora could be made out in the distance. King Keanu of O’ahu had loaned us three of his best wind talents, including his own Senior Captain Iakepa. They managed to shave six days off the month-long sea voyage home from the island nation.

Despite the sun’s warmth on this cloudless day, ice coated my heart. The news of Queen Teodora’s death had been a bitter reminder of my own goddess’s role after we managed to save Emperor Po of Jing from internal dissension, demon attacks, and the efforts of his late mother’s husband to destroy him.

Balance in all things had become an ill jest in my life.

Bootsteps came from behind me. My warden Long Feather gripped the railing as I did in our headlong rush to reach the capital.

“Staring at the land will not make the ship sail faster, m’lady.”

I didn’t look at him. “I’m very much aware I’m not a wind talent, Warden.”

“Nor can you turn back time,” he replied evenly. “It was no secret the queen was ill before the Winter Solstice. Long before Emperor Chengwu’s assassination.”

We’d been ordered to escort Bao Quan Po, the former Jing ambassador, home three weeks after Balance’s long night. After his brother the former Jing emperor, the empress, and their two sons were slaughtered in a demon attack on the imperial palace, Po was the sole remaining member of the immediate Bao line.

At least until his wife, the Empress Shi Hua, safely delivered her babe.

“And now, we are a week away from the Summer Solstice, Warden,” I snapped. “What’s your point?”

He leaned his elbows on the rail. Sea spray coated his hair and uniform as it covered mine. “My point is Queen Chiara and Prince Consort White Eagle trust you, m’lady. Maybe you should give them a little bit of trust in return. Surely, their distance speaker would have told you if more was going on in Issura.”

Long Feather’s observation only added to my irritation. Lord Ayatulutul’s reticence at giving me and High Brother Luc any additional information on the days we were scheduled to speak annoyed me. He merely said our new queen needed us home as soon as possible, but he never included our new queen or her husband in any of these contacts.

I hadn’t been able to speak with Justices Yanaba or Elizabeth since we arrived at the imperial palace in Jing. I hadn’t realized how much I’d depended on Empress Shi Hua’s own distance speaking abilities.

Of course, that was before she became empress of Jing. When she was Sister Shi Hua of Light and Ambassador Quan’s bodyguard. That seemed like yesterday and forever ago at the same time.

“Chief Justice Anthea?”

I turned to find Captain Titus’s second officer Little Squirrel approaching me.

She bowed. “High Brother Luc says the queen’s distance speaker has notified him that a royal escort will be waiting for you at the pier when we dock. Perhaps you would like to refresh yourself before your audience with Her Majesty.”

Her statement wasn’t a question.

I snorted. “You and I both know you can speak plainer than that, Second Officer.”

The smaller woman shot me an impish grin. “Very well then. We are making a high-speed approach to the bay’s entrance. The dock master is clearing traffic for us. And Captain Titus wants you off the deck of the Mars Tranquilus because he already doesn’t like risking his own people in these maneuvers, much less the queen’s ambassadors. High Brother Luc and his warden have already retreated to your cabin, and Warden Jonata said if you don’t come down of your own accord, she will assist me in dragging you to your cabin as well.”

Beside me, Long Feather failed to stifle his own bark of laughter.

“You are fortunate I don’t wish to waste my time charging all of you with insubordination,” I snapped before I stomped down the port-side steps of the forecastle.

When I reached the main deck, I strode over to Captain Titus who was bellowing orders. He paused at my approach.

“A simple request is sufficient, Captain,” I spat. “Threats are unnecessary.”

He glared at me over his bushy beard that displayed his Old Continent heritage. “Apparently, they are since you’re not in your cabin yet, Lady Justice.”

I muttered a Jing slur that questioned his mother’s choice of bed partners before I whirled on my boot heel and headed for our quarters. His first and second officers had given up their private cabin for Luc, our wardens, and me. However, my temper had become rather short after our abbreviated visit to O’ahu.

Worse, I hadn’t had a chance to taste more of the Sea Peoples’ famed underground-roasted pig at the Duke of Mau’i’s feast.

When I entered the cabin, Luc, his warden Yar, and my second warden Jonata sat at the table. All three wore smirks.

“None of this is funny,” I snapped.

“No,” Luc said. “It’s predictable. I warned Titus you like being on deck whenever you sail to Standora.”

“There’s no reason—” I started.

“The Bay of Standora is nothing like Orrin’s harbor. The captain will be making a sharp starboard turn when we clear the bay entrance.” Jonata lifted her chin. “With the nasty currents of the bay, the rocks on the southside entrance, and our current speed, the crew cannot afford to make mistakes. You, as the queen’s ambassador, are a major distraction for them.” Her skin grew more orange with each word, and her wave of fury slammed against my mental shields.

“Very well then.” I sat on the bench beside her. Long Feather took the seat next to me. “What’s your recommendation, Warden?”

“We wait patiently, m’lady,” Jonata said primly. “As the Mars Tranquilus completes her maneuvers, enough of our velocity will be shed the crew can then dock safely. After that, you can run to the palace for all I care, and when you trip over a cobblestone and land flat on your face, I will laugh my ass off.”

I blinked. “If I didn’t know better, I would say you’re Chief Warden Little Bear wearing a glamour.”

The three men broke out in loud laughter while Jonata narrowed her eyes.

“My orders from the chief warden were to get you back to Issura alive,” she snapped. “He did not specify where in Issura. Nor did he say uninjured. If you feel the need to replace me, tell me now, and I’ll report to the Wardens Academy for reassignment as soon as we disembark.”

I blinked again. Jonata had blossomed into a wonderful warden in the nearly year and a half since she had been assigned to the Temple of Balance in Orrin. My Temple. And here I was, taking out my own fears and anger on someone who had stayed by my side constantly for the last six months. All the gold in the world couldn’t buy that kind of loyalty.

I sucked in a deep breath and released it.

“I apologize for my words and actions, Warden Jonata. I have no excuse for mistreating you.” I drew another breath. “I don’t want you to leave my service, but I understand if my actions make you feel you need to ask for a reassignment.”

She relaxed at my words. “I don’t wish to leave, m’lady, and I understand I’m one of the lowest ranked Balance wardens in Orrin. However, after everything we’ve been through, I thought I’d earned your respect.”

“You have. But I’ve lost so many of your fellow wardens, I fear losing you and Long Feather as well. You’ve b-become dear t-to me,” I choked out.

To my surprise, they both hugged me.

“We feel their loss, too, m’lady,” Long Feather whispered.

Jonata sniffed. “I didn’t know Aglaia, but Tyra and Mylon didn’t regret for one instant their service to you or the Temple. And you’re are not responsible for any of their deaths. No one could have predicted those events.”

“Our predecessors became complacent after a century without demon attacks,” Yar said. “It’s our duty to rectify that complacency. All of ours, clergy and wardens alike.”

“You speak wise words, my friend.” Luc clasped Yar’s shoulder.

My wardens released me, and we all pretended not to be emotional.

Long Feather rose. “Jonata switch places with me.”

She nodded, and they quickly switched seats. I didn’t have to ask. The upcoming turn of the ship meant we’d be slung towards the starboard side. Since both Long Feather and I were larger than the diminutive Jonata, we could possibly injure her severely.

The shouted orders of the deck couldn’t drown the calls of the gulls. But when Titus’s bellow signaled the next maneuver, even my stomach heaved as the Mars Tranquilus nearly laid on its side to make the turn toward the Standora docks.

The tingle of magic flowed over my skin as the wind talents guided the ship to its assigned berth at a more sedate pace. My fellow passengers and I stood to wipe the salt from our skins and change clothes. I’d kept one of the uniforms Jing’s Reverend Mother Xiang of Balance had gifted me in reserve for disembarking. A month at sea and minimal use of our fresh water supplies left too much of my own body odor for even me to tolerate.

Little Squirrel knocked on our cabin door and poke her head inside. “It’s clear to come out, Chief Justice, High Brother.”

The crew were lowering the ramp as we exited the cabin. Even my odd eyesight could pick out the queen’s guard and the prince consort without the dock workers giving them a wide berth.

Yar hovered over Luc as he made his way down the gangplank with his specially designed steel crutches. I followed with my own wardens right behind me.

Prince White Eagle stood in front of the queen’s guard with a wide smile. “Welcome home, Ambassadors.”

To our surprise, he hugged both Luc and me. The prince was a giant of a man like Yar. Easily a couple of palms taller than Luc and me.

We’re heading straight to the palace. Our queen needs to speak with you at once.

Concern rankled me. Not the prince’s use of silent speech. He was former Temple like Empress Shi Hua. But the worry and fear at his mental touch. Something was terribly wrong.

“The queen wishes to honor you for the excellent job you did in Jing,” the prince continued out loud.

“We are here to serve,” I murmured as both Luc and I bowed to him. Our wardens followed suit. Their tension permeated my own.

Before we could say our farewells to Captain Titus and the crew of the Mars Tranquilus, the queen’s guard surrounded us, and we were forced to follow the prince to the waiting carriages.

I glanced at Luc. His frown said volumes.

Say nothing, my love, he whispered in my mind. There are too many ears here.

So, he noticed the two Thief spies as well. Scanning the crowd, I realized too many people took notice of our arrival.

And for once, they weren’t consumed by the usual gossip about my blood red eyes.