The Curse of Blackbane - Chapter 24

Shopping and Memories

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Chapter 24

The rest of their journey into Charleville went without a problem. The sun came out and warmed them as the two men rode. Their spirits lifted as they drew closer to the city. Marshall mentioned the need for clothing. Leiras looked over his ripped and torn clothing as he nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I’ll need something to replace my robe.”

“As long as you don’t wear something that gets the authorities’ attention again. They might hang us,” Marshall grumbled. “You need to remember we can’t stick out too much.”

The monk grinned briefly.

“I’ll see what I can do. Now, to the problem of Maximilien Gabriel. From what we’ve heard, the heart of the saint is inside a container of gold and silver. Since it’s delicate, we must insist on seeing the item first. Also, we cannot let the Frenchman know our true purpose for retrieving the relic.”

“Aye, if it’s valuable, then we can expect he’ll have guards as well. Plus, a nobleman trying to gain favor from a king was unlikely to sell us the artifact that we seek. It leaves us only one option,” Marshall replied. The man scowled as he thought about it.

“In the past, I would kill the Frenchman and just take it,” he continued. “A fast ship will get a man and his crew out of trouble. However, I don’t like the idea of becoming a wanted murderer of a French aristocrat inside France. The authorities know our names from our escape back in Le Havre. We’re not under the protection of a king. Somehow, we must persuade him of the fortune he’ll make by selling it.”

The pirate wondered if it was just another part of his devious curse.

“Something else bothers you,” Leiras puffed away on his pipe.

“We don’t really know what these visions mean. How am I supposed to stop this curse when I must break the commandments to do it?” Marshall tried to explain. “It’s bad enough that I have demons after me. Stealing a reliquary with no plan carries little appeal without knowing my destination.”

The angel remained silent as he smoked.

“It’s a dilemma,” Leiras finally agreed. “Perhaps when we get the Heart of Saint Julia, she’ll guide us. There’s a reason we say that God works in mysterious ways.”

The angel chuckled as he pulled his pipe from his lips.

“Perhaps Maximilien Gabriel de Béthune is a demon.”

The captain glanced over.

“That’s not helping.”

~~~

When the men finally arrived at the massive fortifications guarding the city, they followed the bridge across the. Inside the island city that split the river, they found streets filled with activity. As they wound their way into the main square, Leiras insisted upon finding a tailor.

“I’m going to purchase two robes with a coat. These breeches bind you.” He saw the frown on Marshall’s face.

“We must look like men of property. After our last encounter, we’re lucky to have the letter of introduction that Aldert sent with us,” the angel reminded him as he nodded to the nearby shop.