The Dragons of Dorcastle by Jack Campbell
“You do not seem stranger to me than any other member of your Guild.”
Alain waited as Mechanic Mari went into another of her muffled laughter episodes. When she recovered enough to talk again, Mari tried to bend a stern look at him. “We have to do something about the way you talk. Get some feeling back into it.”
“Around Mages, I cannot speak differently than I have been trained. That I cannot agree to try. But it would be interesting to see if I could speak in a manner which displayed some emotions when around others, if I could manipulate the illusion in that way. I am willing to attempt that, if that is your wish.”
“If that’s what I wish?” She stared out the window. “I want you to do things, and then you want to do them, but you’re also strong enough that you’re setting limits and obviously not just bending to whatever breeze I blow your way. Are you for real?”
“Nothing is—”
“I know. You don’t have to say it anymore. What were we talking about?”
“What you wish?” Alain ventured. “And something about me that I did not understand.”
“No,” Mari said. “That has to do with the stuff we do not need to discuss. Before that.”
“People believe you are crazy?”
“Before that, too.”
He thought. “Your ideas. Listening to them.”
“Right.” Mari was once more looking at the street outside. “The Mechanics who will listen to me say I need to convince the Senior Mechanics. But the Senior Mechanics all say they’re too busy to talk with me. I’ve managed to corner a few of them long enough to outline my idea, but they’ve listened with these blasted indulgent expressions and then given me a metaphorical pat on the head and essentially told me to go off, play like a good little girl, and leave them alone. Or I get a verbal slap across the face and am essentially told to shut up and leave them alone. I was supposedly sent to Dorcastle in a rush to fulfill some contract, but there's no work for me here. I need to do something, though.”
Alain watched the rain, too, for a little while. “My Guild elders will not listen to me. Yours will not listen to you. Neither of us can tell our elders that we have learned something important from a member of the other Guild. What are we going to do? Is there a way we can act on this idea of yours?”
Her eyes lit up. “We? You’ll help me?”
“Why do you think you have to ask? Friends help. You have said help should always be given, even if someone is not a friend, but we are friends.” He did not mention the other reason why she would need protection, but Alain did not see any need to do so since Mari had said she knew all about it, and the elder had cautioned against speaking of it.
“Yeah. You listened to that, too.” Mari stopped speaking and just gazed at him for a long moment. “I was just remembering the desert waste, when even saying ‘we’ sounded weird. That was you, and yet you’re different now.”
“I am,” Alain agreed. “You are not quite the Mechanic I met then, either.”
“Really? What’s different?”
He paused to think. “Then, your worry was turned toward me and the bandits. Now, your worries face elsewhere.”
Mari bit her lower lip as she looked at him, then finally nodded. “You’re right. But I think if we can solve this dragon thing, maybe things will start getting back to what they’re supposed to be.” Her voice carried more worry than conviction when she said that, though. “Assume that what we’ve seen and heard about isn’t related to dragons at all. Is there any other, uh, what do you call them?”
“Spell creature?”
“Yes. Any other spell creature that could be doing it?”
Alain pondered the question. “Do you mean one which inflicts major destruction, demands ransom, acts on its own, and cannot be found or dealt with by the resources of the Mage Guild within this city?”
She nodded. “Exactly.”
“No.”
“Can you think of any Mage explanation for what’s going on?”
He thought again. “Dark Mages? No. My Guild suspects them, but as a wise elder reminded me that the spells of Dark Mages can be detected just like those of Guild Mages. Their dragons do not and cannot differ. If any kind of Mage were involved, my Guild would have already solved the problem.”
Mari laughed briefly, the sound carrying no humor. “You’d think that would make them wonder after a while if they were barking up the wrong tree.” Her mouth twisted once more, this time in thought, and Alain thought she had never looked more fascinating. “If we assume it really isn’t dragons, that means we have to figure out what else could be doing this. Or who else.” She shook her head in frustration. “There are too many secrets, and I keep getting the feeling that some of those secrets are really dangerous.”
“There are many dangers,” Alain agreed, certain that she was speaking of the storm visions that threatened. “But, at this moment, I see no specific danger aimed at you.”
“Well, neither do I. At this moment,” Mari replied, looking around.
“No, I mean my foresight.”
“Your— ? Oh, yeah.” She looked very uncertain. “I have a lot of trouble accepting that. Other things you can do, I can see counterparts to in Mechanic work. But seeing the future? That’s real?”
“Nothing is—”
“Don’t say that. I mean, it actually warns of danger?”
“Sometimes,” Alain explained. “It is unreliable. A wise member of my Guild does not depend upon it. My Guild elders discourage any use of it, but it comes and goes by its own rules and not by being summoned as other spells are. Other elders have told me that it can be very important.” He looked at her. “Visions of what may come can be very important. You know this.”
“I…what?” Mari shook her head. “Do you mean like estimates? Forecasts?”
“What is a forecast?”
“For weather, mostly,” Mari said. “To predict when a storm is coming. That’s what you are talking about?”
“Yes,” Alain said, now absolutely certain that Mari knew of the prophecy and her role in it.
“I don’t know enough,” Mari said. Her mouth set in a stubborn and defiant expression. “But with your help, I’ll learn what I need to know.” Mari stood up suddenly, tossing a coin on the table as she did so. “That should cover the meal, as long as you don’t mind me paying.”
“You pay?”
She gave him another look. “I’d heard that Mages— Alain, when you’re with me, we pay for things. All right?”
“All right.”
“Right now I need more data to solve this problem. Come on. We need to look at as many places as we can where these supposed dragons have torn things up.”
Alain got up more slowly. “In the rain? And the dark? Those will not hinder your work?”
Mari gave him a startled look, then glanced out the window again. “Oh. Yeah. Maybe we ought to wait until morning. Are you free?”
“Unfortunately, yes, since my Guild elders believe I am not yet suited for anything but studying.”
Mari gave him a sympathetic look, then unexpectedly reached out and gave his wrist a squeeze. Instead of letting go after that, Mari kept her hand on his wrist, and Alain realized after a moment that both of them were looking at where her hand rested.
She pulled it back slowly, her expression worried. “Alain…no. This isn’t working the way I thought it would. Are you sure you want to do this together?”
He could not tell from her tone of voice or her expression what answer she wanted, so he simply replied with what he felt. “Yes.”
Mari took a long time to answer. “Me, too. All right, then. Tomorrow we’ll set about proving your and my ‘elders’ wrong.”
They paused in the doorway, looking out at the rain. “I don’t suppose,” Mari asked, “that there’s some, uh, spell that keeps someone dry in the rain?”
The question surprised him. But then, how could she know? “No. A Mage has to concentrate on the piece of the world illus
“And I thought advanced calculus was hard. So you couldn’t stop a storm?”
It was not surprising that Mari would ask for reassurance on that count. “I said it would be difficult,” Alain said. “Not impossible. It must be possible.”
She gave him an appraising look. “Difficult isn’t the same as impossible. That’s true. Mages are supposed to be able to call up storms like this, though.”
“That is not so. I have never known a Mage to create a storm such as this. And I do not know of any Mage who has tried to stop rain or snow. Why would a Mage do so?” Alain added. “We are not supposed to worry about rain, or cold, or other hardship. It is all illusion.”
“I would have made a lousy Mage. See you tomorrow. Where do you want to meet?”
“I can find you wherever you are.”
“You can?” He could see her thinking. “That thread thing? It’s still there?”
“Yes. And no.”
She was looking down at herself, her face troubled. “Am I doing that?”
“The thread? I do not know. It is and it is not, and it remains.”
“Sort of an imaginary number. No, an irrational number. That’s more appropriate, I guess.” Mari seemed to be talking to herself, not to him. “Is it not affected by distance? I mean, is it always the same no matter how far apart we are?”
Alain shook his head. “When enough distance separates us, it grows weaker. I suspect that if we were far enough apart it would grow so weak I could no longer sense it.”
Mari gazed at him. “But it would still be there?”
“I believe so,” Alain said slowly. “I do not know if too much distance would break the thread. It is possible. Can something that does not exist be able to break? It is an interesting question.”
“More like the sort of question that drives an engineer crazy.” Mari looked troubled, then shook her head and gave him a quick glance, her eyes locking on his for a moment. “Well…good night. Be careful.” The worry in her voice was now not about herself, but clearly directed at him. With a wave she dashed out into the storm, pulling her Mechanics jacket out and donning it as she ran. Alain watched until she disappeared from sight, but the thread remained, invisibly revealing the way to her.
Chapter Fourteen
Mari had spent a good part of the night tossing and turning, trying to decide whether she should get on the next train out of the city.
What are you doing, girl?
You need to stop seeing that guy, for his sake and for yours. He’s a Mage. Remember? If any other Mechanic knew that I’d been seeing him, I’d be dead. Not literally dead, I think, but something close. If other Mechanics knew how I keep feeling about him…what’s worse than death? There’s got to be something. I’m sure the Senior Mechanics have figured something out, and they’ll do it to me if they find out about Alain.
What does he see in me? Why do I like him so much? It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense. That doesn’t seem to bother Alain. Nothing seems to bother him because he never shows any feelings. But I’m used to equations that balance and things that work in predictable ways. Not threads that aren't there even though they are. He said if I went far enough from him the thread would get too weak and he wouldn't able to find me again. Maybe. Wouldn't I be doing him a favor if I did that?
He wanted to talk about it last night. About him and me and the future. How awkward would that have been? Even I could see how tense he was when he brought it up. At least he listened when I told him it wasn’t the right time. I mean, it’s not easy to tell what Alain is thinking, but he must have wanted to talk about us getting serious. Why did he mention me to some elder? I’m sure he didn’t say I was a Mechanic, but still…
What will happen to Alain if his other elders learn that he’s been seeing me? That’s even more scary. Those elders torture their apprentices, or acolytes I guess Alain calls them. What would they do to a Mage who is… how does he feel about me? He talked about love once, but he has no idea what it is. How can I talk to him about his feelings, how can I explain that… stars above, I do care about him. No. Don’t even think it. I do not want to see him hurt because of me. I don’t want to see anyone hurt because of me, but especially not him.
Everything is upside down. I can’t trust any of my fellow Mechanics here since Talis was sent back to Dorcastle. And that just leaves me Alain to trust. If only some of the Mechanics here were people I had apprenticed with. Like Alli. It’s been years. Why did she stop writing to me? Is Alli still my friend? I know what she would tell me about Alain. “Run away, Mari! Run as fast as you can! You promised me that you’d only get with the right guy!” But Alli, he feels so right.
Focus, Mari. There’s only one way out of this with my fellow Mechanics. If I can solve this dragon problem, I’ll prove my competence and my loyalty, and then the Mechanics here will listen to me. There have got to be plenty of decent Mechanics here, decent people like Talis. Maybe they’ll explain things once they trust me. Even the Senior Mechanics will have to listen to me if I help the Guild with this. And the only person who will help me solve the dragon thing is Alain. I’ll get my fellow Mechanics to trust me by working with a Mage.
That sounds crazy even to me.
What are you doing, girl?
You need to stop seeing that guy, for his sake and for yours…
Now Mari sat near the base of one of the walls of Dorcastle, the rising sun shining down through the ragged remnants of morning mist. She knew she looked haggard from lack of sleep, and her breakfast formed a hard lump in her gut. Her Mechanics jacket and her pistol were hidden in her bag. She had decided that investigating this openly would only produce orders from the Senior Mechanics to butt out, so she would do the thing undercover, just one more common to whom no Mechanic would pay any attention.
Alain said he could find her. This would help prove whether or not that was true. Her common sense, which seemed to have almost deserted her, kept telling Mari that it would be far better if the Mage never showed up. Better for her, and certainly better for him.
But when he did appear, she couldn’t help smiling happily at seeing him. The Mage was also dressed as a common, and also carrying a bag which doubtless contained his Mage robes. “Good morning,” she said, feeling better.
He nodded back, one corner of his mouth twitching.
Had that been an answering smile? “I guess the thread didn’t break,” Mari added.
“No. It is a remarkable thing,” Alain agreed tonelessly, then he paused and tried to put more emphasis in his voice. “No, it did not break.”
“Great.” Mari held up a piece of paper. “I’ve got a list of places we need to look at. It’ll be a walk to get to the right parts of the city, but at least it’ll be downhill.” Mari pointed ahead, where the city of Dorcastle sloped down to the water in successive terraces of streets and defensive walls. “All of the places are located around the harbor.”
They walked through the crowded streets, having to deal with the unusual problem of commons who did not make way for either a Mechanic or a Mage. But no one cleared a pathway for two more commons. Wagons and carriages rattled by, the horses or mules pulling them one more type of obstacle to progress, and street merchants called out offers to them with an aggressiveness that Mari wasn’t accustomed to. She ignored them, since she wasn’t certain how a common would respond and didn’t want to give herself away as a Mechanic. For the same reason, Mari didn’t talk at all with Alain for fear his emotionless voice would give him away as a Mage. But as they passed commons she started noticing some of the commons giving her and Alain knowing or sympathetic looks. What was that about?
Mari stole a glance at Alain’s totally impassive face as he walked next to her. She knew she looked worn out and probably worried and— Stars above. The commons think Alain and
Planning that out at least kept her distracted until they reached the harbor.
Mari consulted her map, then led Alain along the waterfront to a section of piers screened by warehouses from the main harbor. They paused, looking at a large section of wooden pier which had been torn and buckled. Harbor workers and sailors passed the wreckage with curious or worried glances. Standing near the wreckage was a middle aged common wearing an old but serviceable chain-mail shirt that strained around a belly which reflected too many meals enjoyed too well. A small dagger and a wooden club hung from the guard’s belt, both as dilapidated as the mail shirt. Mari walked up to the guard with her most winning smile, trying to pretend that the guard was another Mechanic so she wouldn’t start ordering him around. “Is it all right if we look at this?”
The guard waved them toward the wreckage. “Look all you want. I’m just here to make sure no lackwit with his head in the clouds walks into the holes in the pier. Not much to see, though. There’s no dragons around. If there was, I wouldn’t be!” The common chuckled at his own joke.
Mari smiled obligingly and nodded in thanks. She and Alain went closer to the wrecked area. “Something definitely used a lot of strength here.”
The Mage bent down, gazing at the torn wood. “As we saw at the beach. Something has pulled these timbers out and broken them.” He pointed to the indentations of what seemed to be huge claws.
“Wouldn’t something capable of doing this be really large?” Mari asked. “Do you think someone saw it?”
“No one saw it,” the guard remarked. He had come to stand near them.