The Shadows of God - J. Gregory Keyes [79]
“I would not have it otherwise.”
“An incredible story,” d'Artaguiette remarked about two hours later.
Tug nodded, his eyes red from the amount of brandy he had consumed. “I should o’ stuck t’ the sea. Damn Red Shoes, anyway.”
“What do you think happened to him?” Franklin asked.
Tug hesitated. “He talked once er twice about them spirits he deals with. Said if he got in a fight with one, it might eat ‘im up from inside if it won. I figure that's what happened.” To Franklin's surprise, a small tear appeared in the tough sailor's eye. “He was a damn good fellah, Red Shoes. No man ever had a better friend, for all he was an In'yun. But that fellah I saw in Flint Shouting's village—he weren't Red Shoes. He were somethin’ else, an’ somethin’ awful.” He looked down at his feet. “I broke my promise,” he murmured.
“What promise?”
“Promised ‘im I'd kill ‘im if he came to this. But I was afraid, an’ he seemed to think it important that we bring this tsar fellah here.”
“And the tsar? You think he's square?”
Tug nodded. “Yes. He reminds me o’ Blackbeard—a little mean-crazy, if you know what I'm sayin'. But he did his part and listened to us when we knew better'n him.”
“What does he want?”
Tug grunted. “Revenge. He keeps talkin’ about all the heads he wants to see rollin'.”
“You trust him, Tug?”
The big man swallowed another huge gulp of brandy. “I don't trust nobody anymore. I never did trust kings. But this man hain't playactin', if that's what you mean. Old Tug's not too smart, but he's smart enough to know that kings don't go wandering through the deserts and gettin’ shot at by their own men just for the sake of intriguing.”
“I agree. My question is when exactly—I mean, do you think he set out with this army and was then betrayed, or do you believe his story that he knew nothing about it?”
Tug fiddled with his cup. “Don't know,” he said. “But his ship was way out ahead of the army. They sent a fast party to find him and bring him back. That army moves slow.”
“Where do you reckon it to be now?”
“A week or two behind us, dependin’ how hard a time they had crossin’ the river. They have them airships, but way too many to load everybody up on.”
“We've heard someone is fighting them.”
“I don't know anythin’ about that. If they are, I pity ‘em.”
“Thanks, Tug.” Franklin looked over at d'Artaguiette, who seemed to have followed most of the exchange. “Does he have to go back to his cell?”
“Not if you give me your word he'll be watched.”
“You have it.”
“You oughter let Flint Shouting go, too. He's a good sort. Got us through alive, got us here, even after Red Shoes killed all his people.”
“Give me a little longer to think about that,” d'Artaguiette replied. He nodded at Tug. “The boy outside will find you quarters near Mr. Franklin and some new clothes.”
“Thanks.”
They watched a servant lead the big man off.
“What do you think?” d'Artaguiette asked.
“I think the tsar would make a good partner, if this story is true. He would know a lot about this army, and how we might stop it.”
“We could get that by torture.”
“Maybe. But—”
“The problem, you see, is that the Russians are the ones who took our homeland. Whether or not Tsar Peter is responsible for our current troubles, he was certainly responsible for that. The sentiment is to execute him.”
“Execute a king? Wouldn't that set a bad example?”
“Have a care, Mr. Franklin. Remember where you are.”
“My apologies.”
“Another thing. You had the Russian woman detained. Putting aside the fact that you have no authority to do that without my lord's say-so, I am suspicious because this happened so near the time her tsar arrives. Can you enlighten me in this matter?”
Franklin looked the minister in the eye. “I was going to come to you—there hasn't been time. Madam Karevna is an old acquaintance of mine. She attempted to drug and abduct me. That this happened as the tsar was being arrested might be a coincidence, or it might be that she got wind of his capture and decided to act before he said something to ruin her