A guard pushed the door open and I stepped out ontae the landing pad. It was night, all around the castle were the wide lawns, and lush gardens, dark and mysterious in the moonlight, with wee lights twinkling along the walking paths. In the distance were roads with headlights moving along them, and overhead there was a sprinkling of stars, but in the distance, in the direction of the city, a sky filled with air traffic: helicopters, planes, and drones.
I strode out intae the middle of the pad and pulled the vessel from my bag and looked down on it, blinking. What was wrong?
It felt odd, as if it werna working.
I twisted the ends, checked the numbers, even recited them out loud as I used tae do —what could have caused this?Naething worked.
I had done this before tae Magnus, grounded him. I had the device for it, but this had never been done tae me.
This was outrageous.
I was very very unsettled by this happening. I stamped my foot. I had been looking forward tae a visit with Pablo and I had been also thinking about visiting Flora and Cully. They were going tae introduce me tae Liz and Jock Whitney at the races…
Who had done this tae me?
I stalked back intae the castle and rushed down the passage tae the elevators. The Household Manager met me in a hurry. “I thought you left, Your Highness!”
“I wasna able tae, I hae had tae change my plans.” I pressed my hand tae the pad for the elevator tae take me down tae the vault.
He said, “Would you still like me to tell Hilda that you will want no breakfast?”
“Of course not, tell her that there must be a grand breakfast, and if I am not here for it, then I am not here for it — tis what it is.” The doors slid open. I stepped in.
He said, “So if the King arrives — have you been called away?”
I rolled my eyes as the doors slid closed.
I rode the elevator down tae our underground vault. The outer room was filled with ancient and expensive weapons and other artifacts, behind it was a room where some of my most expensive art was stored — the pieces with complicated provenance, that were impossible tae explain how I came tae possess them. I passed through another sliding door that I accessed once again with my handprint.
This was the interior vault for the vessels and other devices. I overlooked the boxes that I knew held vessels — I had taken a recent inventory, and had nae patience right now. If I was stranded I wanted tae go tae bed and not think about it. If I found out that our vault had been robbed I would not be able to sleep.
I opened the chest that held a Trailblazer — right where it was supposed tae be. In another chest there was a Bridge where it was supposed tae be as well.
Then I went tae the far wall where there hung a painting by Turner, titledA Ship Against the Mewstone, at the Entrance to Plymouth Sound. It had been Donnan’s favorite and was a fine example of Turner’s work, hanging in a prominent place on Donnan’s gallery wall and I had admired it, until one day Donnan had corrected me with his fists, blackening my eye, and causing me a great deal of pain and fear. I had clamped my eyes closed tae keep from crying, yet Donnan had demanded, “Open yer eyes and apologize tae yer King!”
I had opened my eyes tae see over Donnan’s shoulder: this painting. It was majestic, a lone ship on rough seas, overcoming the storm tae get tae a farther shore, the shore of the New World. I had focused on this painting as I had said, ‘Aye, sire, my apologies, sire, I winna do it again.’
Now I hated this painting, even as I knew that brewing hatred had inspired me tae keep going, and as soon as I found myself the mother of a king, as soon as Donnan was dead, I pulled that painting off the gallery wall and moved it down here. Twas verra valuable and reminded me of my strength but I only wanted tae see it when I was in the vault, counting my spoils. Because I had won.
I pushed the painting aside and found behind it a small hidden safe. I opened the door with my handprint, and removed an antique jeweled box. I unclasped the latch and opened the lid to find it empty. It ought to have contained what Donnan had called the Darner. It changed the course of the vessels and could draw someone tae ye, or repel them away.
The Darner was also able tae strand someone.
I used tae hae at least one Darner,how many did I hae last week?I shook my head. Perhaps two — I couldna remember. I pulled my newest book from my pocket, and flipped through the pages looking for my last inventory.
I went back about two weeks, and found one —had it been that long?
I had never allowed that much time tae lapse afore.
Was it on account of my complacency or despondence? I had been out of sorts. I knew it. But would I have let ennui hinder me from taking an inventory?
I drew my finger down the page looking for the correct number of Darners, but the last time I had taken an inventory I hadna counted them, I had to go back tae one of the first pages of the book tae find a full inventory.
Then, I had one.
Now I had none.
I swore tae myself I would keep better track and flipped through tae the first clean page and wrote a quick, partial inventory:
