The Black Rose Read Free Page A

due to arrive at Albion tomorrow.”
    Jack dropped to the level of the table, smiled at Ruth, and got a look at the maps. The one on top, which Sardâr had been examining, showed a city with a river weaving through its center.
    â€œSo where is this place?” Bál asked, leaning closer. “What
is
Albion?”
    â€œIt seems to be a city-state, which governs the surrounding lands,” Sardâr said. “It is in a stage of rapid development—Jack, roughly in line with your nineteenth-century Europe—so there’s an increasing urban population.”
    â€œDo we have any idea where the Shard is?” Ruth asked.
    â€œNot at the moment. We don’t know if it’s even in the city, though that would seem the most likely place. We’ll need to get there and make some inquiries to find out.”
    â€œAnd the Cult?”
    â€œThey will be on the same trail. We’ve got to keep on our guard. As we saw through the black mirror, the Emperor has dispatched Archbishop Nimue to discover the Shard, and she is probably significantly closer than we are.”
    â€œSo what do we need in the way of disguises? And weapons? And alchemy?” Jack looked around. The only world other than Earth he had visited had been Thorin Salr. As the local population of dwarves had seen only elves and goblins, he and Ruth had been disguised as elves with
The Golden Turtle’s
technology. Those disguises had been reverted as soon as they’d returned to the ship, and he was still getting used to his human body. He wasn’t too keen on transforming again anytime soon. “How are we going to stop drawing attention to ourselves?”
    â€œFrom what we know, the local population is human—so, Jack, you’re fine.”
    Jack breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.
    â€œBál, you and I are going to need some alchemical disguising.”
    The dwarf grimaced. Not alone amongst his fellows, he had reacted with a strong distaste to alchemy when the Apollonians and then the Cult had brought it to his home world. Though his experience with the First Shard had changed that somewhat, he was still none too keen on the idea.
    â€œWhat about me?” Ruth put in. “I mean, I look human, but from what I know about the history of Jack’s world, I’m not going to fit in very well with this skin color.”
    â€œWe’ll sort something out,” Sardâr replied. “You may be surprised at the tolerance.” The elf stood and went over to inquire with one of the operators about the journey.
    â€œSo you’re coming with us, then?” Jack addressed Ruth.
    â€œThat’s the plan. The ship will keep a low profile under the river whilst we search. We might need to get out quickly at any time.”
    Sardâr returned to them. “Alchemy, in Albion, is rare, possibly unknown. But if we don’t want to draw the attention of the authorities, then we’ll need it: we won’t be carrying weapons.”
    â€œNo weapons!” Bál looked outraged. His axe, his companion throughout the siege on his home world, had barely left his side on the journey.
    â€œNone. We may pick some up whilst we’re there, but in any case, you’ve got the First Shard to learn how to use now.” Sardâr raised his eyebrows, looking at the chain around Bál’s neck on which a Shard of the Risa Star hung. Jack instinctively reached around his own neck for the familiar thread on which another Shard, the Seventh, was looped.
    The dwarf managed to grumble himself into silence.
    â€œIf that’s all,” Sardâr concluded, “then I think we should get back to work. I’m sure Quentin has some duties for us all to perform.”
    Ruth’s quivering first mate stood at the command deck door, evidently looking for some potential recruits for a job.
    Being royalty on his home world, Bál hadn’t been impressed with having to pitch in with menial