Port Stone: Dangers of the Swamp (Port Stone Fantasy Book 1) Read online

  Port Stone:

  Dangers of the Swamp

  By Sheri Velarde

  ©2019

  Port Stone: Dangers of the Swamp © 2019 Sheri Velarde

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  Editor: Leona Bushman

  Cover Artist: Lillian Asterois

  Stoker Publishing

  Port Stone: Dangers of the Swamp

  Prologue

  Tianna woke up in the middle of the forest alone, no memory of where she was or even really who she was. Her own name remained with her, but nothing else in her memory. Who had brought her here? Why was she all alone? Her stomach growled, and she knew finding food would have to be her top priority. She started to walk, hoping to find someone to help her, to tell her where she was.

  As darkness started to fall, her fear began to escalate. That first night, she found an enclave in some rocks and hunkered down. She tried to sleep, but every hoot of an owl sounded like someone calling out to her. Each breath of wind could have been people sneaking up on her. She wished for her mother, strange considering that she couldn’t even recall having a mother, though surely, she must have.

  With little rest, Tianna spent the next day searching for food and others. How long she wandered lost in the forest, she didn’t know. The days blurred together, and she survived only on the berries she could find and water from small streams. She could feel herself weakening and began to wonder if she would die in these woods.

  What seemed like several days later, she saw a campfire in the distance and hurried towards it, not caring who she found there as long as they were adults and could help her. She stumbled into the clearing, startling the few people gathered there. To Tianna’s delight, one happened to be an elf, like herself. She quickly explained her situation, even the part of not remembering her name or her past, though she still had some sense of self.

  When she finished, the elf came over to her and placed a comforting arm around her. “Calm yourself, child. Sit and warm your body, take the food and water you need. You are safe now.”

  “What has happened to me? To my family? I must have had family right? Who is going to take care of me now?” Tianna could not keep the tremble out of her voice.

  “I cannot say what has happened to you, only that fate has brought you to us. I will take care of you now. All I ask for is loyalty in return.”

  “Of course,” Tianna readily agreed, grateful to no longer be alone in the world.

  “Good,” the elf said. “I am Shea, and welcome to my Order.”

  Chapter One

  Summons to Port Stone

  A knock at the door drew Tianna out of her books with a sigh. Who would be bothering her in the middle of the day? Who would be bothering her period? She often went months without a single visitor, and that suited her just fine. Ever since she had gotten back from the war, people and elves alike avoided spending too much time with her.

  Perhaps they could sense what she had done, that she had killed and had liked it. It didn’t matter. She had a quiet life now, and she hoped to keep it that way. By the time she had marked her book and made it to the door, no one was there. “Why disturb me then?” she muttered to herself, already turning around to slam the door when a small voice called to her.

  “There’s a note.”

  Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw what one of her garden squirrels spoke of, a small envelope tucked under a rock near her door. “Thank you. Did you see who left it?”

  “An elf, she kept her hood up. She seemed to be in quite the hurry. She put the paper under the rock before she even knocked, then sprinted away,” the squirrel said before disappearing back in her tree.

  Perplexed, Tianna shut the door and read at the note in her hand. It bore the seal of her long time, and one of her very few friends, Shea. Shea also happened to be one of the Elders in her Druid Order, which brought a slight chill down Tianna’s spine. Why would Shea leave a note and run off? That was so out of character for her friend. Something had to be wrong. Wasting no more time, she tore open the letter.

  Dear Tianna,

  I need your help. You are one of the few people I can trust to undertake this task with little questions asked. Make your way to the Horse Trough Tavern in the city of Port Stone. There you will meet another friend of mine, Phinelope. She will tell you more of the mission there. Please help her to the best of your ability, for she has undertaken a lot. Be at the meeting place by 10 o’clock at night in two days’ time. I have no one else to ask. Do this for me and for our friendship. Our Order will be very grateful as well.

  Shea

  Tianna stood there in shock for several seconds. Shea wanted her to go to Port Stone? She had never been to the city. She rarely left the comfort of her woods, the war being the one exception. She belonged here, at her home, with her books and her research. But she knew Shea would not ask this of her lightly. Even though she was a sage in the Order, the recorder and researcher of her people, she had many other skills, skills which were evidently needed by her Order and her friend. Deciding she had no time to waste, she raced through the house gathering what she might need for her trip and for a stay in the city. She decided to think of this as a learning experience and adventure. Besides, she could never refuse Shea for she owed her so much.

  Locking up her home and leaving her various creatures to take care of things while she was gone, Tianna started on the road in less than two hours. She made her way to the river and took a ferry to the edge of the Listhein Sea. There, she booked passage on a ship heading towards Port Stone at dawn. Taking a room for the night in a small inn in the town of Riverport, she spent the time trying to learn all she could about the city to which she traveled.

  As the name indicated, Port Stone was a port city, the trade center for anything and everything in the region. It also had a healthy reputation for crime and corruption. She also found out that she was meant to meet Phinelope in the heart of the slums. Why would a friend of Shea’s be there? The Druids weren’t rich, but most lived comfortably enough, certainly she knew none who lived in a place as described by the sailors she spoke to.

  The voyage itself to Port Stone turned out to be quite pleasurable to someone who rarely traveled. Tianna loved the smell of the salt water and the gentle rocking of the ship. She arrived on the appointed night just in time, a bit in awe at the hustle of the city. She had been in towns of hundreds of people, but to be in a city of thousands? This was almost more than her senses could handle.

  Tianna found it all somewhat unsettling to a peaceful wood elf such as herself. The stench of the city itself got to her, a mixture of waste and just unclean humans, made her wrinkle her nose as she made her way away from the docks and into the city proper. She really hoped her stay here would be short.

  As she walked past more people, she sensed that elves were not frequent visitors to Port Stone and that she was considered an outsider of interest from the stares she received. With sleight of hand, she pulled up her hood to cover her distinct ears and her long, dark braid in hopes of passing through the throngs of people unnoticed.

  As she ascertained where the “Swamp”, the name for the slums in Port Stone, was exactly, she found her wa
y suddenly blocked by what appeared to be police and some sort of royal guard. A grand procession came down the street, and the amount of luxury displayed made Tianna’s head spin. If one had so much gold, why would they tempt others with it? She just did not understand humans and their need to make themselves targets. Give her the simple life any day of the week compared to this spectacle in front of her.

  Once the street reopened, Tianna looked around, seeing that she had arrived too late to check out any of the shops. She had heard tell of large bookstores and libraries in cities and had hoped to visit some. Deciding it must be later than she thought, she then made haste towards the meeting place she had been told to find. A few questions of a passersby, who seemed to still stare at her as if mesmerized, and she found the Horse Trough easy enough.

  A quick perusal of the pub showed that Phinelope had not yet arrived. In fact, no women were in the place other than the serving girl. As expected, everyone stared despite her hood being up. The serving wench came over and reluctantly took her order, walking away before Tianna had a chance to ask about Phinelope. The wench returned with her drink, dumped it on the table, grabbed the coin, and said nothing. Tianna felt that elves really were not received well here in Port Stone, though she had no idea why. In towns and villages, her kind were always treated with respect. Why were things so different here in this city? Deciding that it didn’t matter, she let her hood down, her dark green eyes flashing at those who stared even more openly at her.

  Before she could ponder for too long, the door opened and another female came in. A tall, redheaded and striking human woman looked around, her blue eyes squinting to see in the dimness. She, too, stood out being all in armor and carrying a large Warhammer. Tianna immediately felt a kinship to this newcomer. She spotted Tianna and headed towards her. “Phinelope?” she asked.

  “No, my name is Tianna, I had hoped that you were Phinelope, though I had assumed she, too, to be an elf. I am here to meet her as well. Please, sit, we can wait together.” Glad to have company that didn’t seem to stare at her with distrust just because of her race.

  Nodding, the human sat, extending her hand, “My name is Kara, the priest to whom I owe my life sent me here to meet an elf named Phinelope and to help her in whatever mission she had.”

  “An Elder of my Order gave me very similar commands but not many details. How very strange.”

  “Indeed. This must be something important if the Druids and the Clerics are both involved. Who exactly is this Phinelope?” Kara asked as she signaled for an ale to the passing server.

  “She is a friend of my Elder and friend Shea. That is all that I know,” Tianna said, thinking hard and keeping her eyes trained on the door. Time ticked by, and she and Kara made small talk, each nursing a drink. Ten o’clock came and passed, yet still no sign of the mysterious Phinelope. “It does not look like she is going to show. She is over an hour past the meeting time. I wonder if something has happened.”

  “I think you are right. We should ask around and see if anyone knows anything.”

  Tianna nodded. “Perhaps you should ask around. I don’t think that elves are very welcome here.”

  Kara agreed and made her way to the bar. The barkeep came over, and it appeared Kara may have slipped him some coin before his lips loosened. While Kara spoke with the barman, Tianna could not help but notice the men in black coats with some sort of red symbol on them who sat at the bar. They appeared to be listening in on Kara’s conversation, and even though she could not figure out why, she felt an unease about those men. She needed Kara to get away from them and out of this tavern. She always trusted her intuition, and right now, it said to get out of there with her newfound friend.

  As soon as Kara turned and headed back towards to the table, Tianna stood and motioned her towards the door. When they were outside, Tianna breathed easier, which was saying something, because the Swamp had not been named so for the fresh air there. Piss and sweat was more like it. Even the walls had moss and mold growing on them. It seemed as many of the building might only be held together by such things. “Those men in black were paying a little too close attention to you and your conversation. I thought it best we get out of there.”

  “Of course, I understand. Besides, I have an address for Phinelope. I say we go check her place out, see if she is there or wait for her and find out why she missed the meeting that had been so important that both our orders sent representatives,” Kara said, checking the buildings around to get her baring before turning right and moving farther into the Swamp. “It seems that Phinelope lives in a really bad section of town.”

  “Worse than this part?” Tianna asked, wrinkling her nose at the dirt and grime all around her.

  “Oh, this is the good part of the Swamp. Well, as good as it gets at least. The poor and the criminals live here, nice and tucked away from the respectable people of Port Stone,” Kara continued, stating that she knew more of the city as her travels brought her there on a frequent basis.

  “Why would an elf live in such conditions? I have never seen one of my kind live in such squalor. The smell and dirtiness offends my senses. I can barely take a breath without being sick. I can’t imagine why she would visit this place, let alone choose to live here.”

  “Maybe it wasn’t her choice? Or she felt that this placed truly needed her, somewhere she could make a difference. The barkeep mentioned that she had started a petition to help clean up the Swamp.”

  “She wants to clean up this place? She is certainly ambitious.” Tianna glanced at the wet and sticky pavement they walked on and thought that it would take decades to even make a dent in the mess around them.

  “And not too popular from the way the barman talked about her. Whether it is because of the petition or because she is an elf, I am not sure. Of course, from the way he talked to me and even the barmaid, he could just not like women at all.”

  “Well, whenever we find her, we can ask,” Tianna said, following and trying to keep track of the twists and turns of the alleys Kara led her down. The Swamp turned out to be a maze of shacks and houses. She could see why Phinelope would want to clean this place up, but that still didn’t explain why she and Kara had been sent here by their respective Orders. Druids rarely bother with the troubles of cities. Their kind stuck to the wilderness to be close with nature. This kind of place would not even have a temple for their kind. It just made no sense why Tianna would be asked to get involved.

  Finally, Kara slowed her pace and pointed to a building ahead. “There it is, at least this is the address he gave me. It’s dark. Doesn’t look like she is home either.”

  Tianna studied the building in front of them. Phinelope’s home was not much to look out, a single wooden building with a thatched straw roof, but it seemed tall enough to have a loft perhaps. She walked up and knocked on the door. Nothing. “Let’s go around back, see if we can see into the windows.” Peeking in a window, they could see meager possessions scattered about. “Does not look like Phinelope is much of a housekeeper,” Kara muttered.

  Tianna shook her head, “No, an elf would not live in such a mess. Something is wrong here. Help me open this window. I’m going in to see what I can find out. I’ll unlock the door to let you in. You’re chainmail is not meant for sneaking in windows.”

  “Nothing about me is meant for sneaking in anywhere,” Kara joked, indicating her height and broad shoulders.

  As soon as she entered the building, the smell of blood flooded Tianna’s nostrils, and she rushed to the door to let Kara in. “I smell blood, something is seriously wrong here.” Tianna then turned her attention towards the loft where the smell seemed to be coming from. She deftly climbed up the ladder, Kara not far behind her, to find what she had most feared.

  A female elf, she could only assume they had found Phinelope, laid face down on her bed with a dagger in her back and blood soaking everything around her. Her hand still loosely gripped a weapon of her own, and a small trail of blood led to the smallish window of t
he loft. “Now we know why she never met us. This wound is only a few hours old. The blood is fresh. But look, a trail of blood. She managed to attack her assailant before being murdered. We might still be able to find the one responsible for this and maybe some answers.”

  “I can’t see the blood trail. Elf eyes truly are better. I will have to follow you,” Kara said, her human eyes squinting in the dark.

  “I’ll slip out this window, continue to follow the trail, meet me around back,” Tianna said, nimbly hopping out the window and searching for the trail. Sure enough, she easily spotted more blood on the ground leading away from the building and farther into the Swamp. Kara jogged up to her. Tianna took off down the alley, following the scent of the blood as much as the sight of it. The farther they ran, the thicker the blood became. “We’re getting closer. Be ready for anything, though I think the assailant won’t be putting up much of a fight. They have already lost a lot of blood. Good for Phinelope.”

  At last, they turned down a smaller and darker alley and found a man slumped down near some trash cans, clutching his stomach and barely moving as he sat in a pool of his own blood. Not wasting a second, Tianna dropped to her knees, pulling the man’s face towards her. “Tell me why you murdered Phinelope, and I will ease your passing.”

  “Piss off,” the man said, moving as if to sit up, but instead slipping down the wall even farther.

  “No, you will answer my questions,” Tianna said, reaching down and shoving her fingering in his stomach wound, twisting her fingers and causing as much pain as she could. He raised his dagger, still covered in Phinelope’s blood, but Kara’s foot came out from behind Tianna, kicking the dagger out of the man’s hand as he made a weak move to attack Tianna. “Nice try. Now how about we stop this nonsense, and you answer my question.”