Spiral Horn, Spiral Tusk

By Leigh Kimmel

A unicorn's horn for the king, a medal for the admiral -- but what for the lass who makes it possible?

Rissa possesses the dolphin-singer gift, which saved her life when the thief-taker found her. If she can guide the fleet to the white whale with the spiral tusk, she might win back her freedom.

But first she must return to land -- and the sea has become angry at her betrayal...

A short story of the Ixilon universe

Originally published in Beyond the Last Star: Stories from the Next Beginning, edited by Sherwood Smith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Starship Cat Press
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223300281

Book preview

Rissa leaned against Association's rail and watched the dolphins sport in the ship's bow wave. Within her mind came the icky tug of the magic that bound her here. She could not shut it out as she did the constant din of sailors going about their duties. It reminded her of the day she'd ignored one too many things and the thief-taker caught her.

I only stole the shirt because my own was disintegrating and the dolphins couldn't give me one. She preferred the cheery simplicity of delphine company to the complexity of human society. Her talent for hearing dolphin-song had been her only solace since the morning eight years past when her mother's death left her alone in the world.

A hard grip on her shoulder drew her out of the timeless song of the sea-folk. She turned to face the man who was both her rescuer and captor. Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shayell had bought her free of prison and the hangman's noose. His broad body towered over her own starveling frame.

Sir Cloudesley? Rissa's voice quavered. Your wish?

You know what I want. The admiral gestured over the rail. On his index finger an emerald ring flashed in the sunlight. That stone held the spell that bound Rissa to him. Our king desires a unicorn's horn. Somewhere out there the horned whale swims, and your magic can find it.

He stroked her face, gentle for so powerful a man. Rissa thought of those first days out of Mandarkeel, when she'd fought him. As punishment he'd put her in irons, then fed her from his own hand.

A smile curled his fleshy face, recalling the seaman father of Rissa's earliest memories. I can reward you well.

Thank you, Sir Cloudesley. Rissa schooled her voice to stay quiet, her expression to remain humble. Dared she hope his reward might be her freedom?

Sir Cloudesley nodded, a curt movement that made his heavy jowls tremble. The ship's cat sidled past his legs and meowed. With an exhalation of annoyance, he tossed a scrap of dried meat to the beast. The cat pounced upon the morsel, letting the admiral cross the deck.

Relieved to no longer be under her master's stern eye, Rissa turned her attention back to the dolphin-song that had been her refuge, her comfort in the hopeless life of an orphan on the streets of Mandarkeel. She had