6. The Boundary
That had been a mistake.
My cheeks burned. Fear flared through me, almost enough to counter my rage. But I didn't drop my gaze. Not even for a moment.
His face barely moved in response to the slap. He cut his eyes to mine, then pressed me against the wall, hand still against my throat but not too hard.
I couldn't breathe.
Couldn't move.
His gaze held mine, his face like marble.
Something flashed in his eyes. Something I couldn't read.
Then he released me, stepped back, and strode away, his expression still unreadable.
I sagged against the wall, my hand flying to the base of my throat as I drew in a shuddering breath.
The wind howled, and the ship rocked.
Salt's bane, that man's scent and his body so close to mine warred with my anger at his words and his refusal to help.
It didn't matter though.
I steadied myself against the wall, straightened, and then hurried back to the study.
Mama was still sobbing, shaking so badly she couldn't even stand. Captain Hosvir remained at her side. He'd moved them both to a bench fastened to the wall in between the shelves, and he just held her, his gaze focused wholly on her.
It was hard to see Mama looking so broken. Harder still knowing I had nothing to offer for comfort. Not even my presence really.
I crossed over and knelt beside her. "I couldn't fix it. I'm sorry."
Mama gripped my hand and continued to sob as if she had been shattered.
"Don't blame yourself," Hosvir said, giving me a surprisingly soft look for his fearsome appearance. That gentleness was often present when he dealt with Mama. His brow remained furrowed, the wrinkles deep along his forehead and crinkling around his eyes. "The King of the North Sea is colder than these waters. He uses the blood of his enforcers and servants to bolster his magic and controls their very lives. They've given him everything, yet he thinks nothing of them. There was no chance he'd give mercy for those he thinks of even less. He's a cruel and vengeful ruler. It was a long shot."
"What's so important about this island that we can risk certain death? Those grounded staircases and portals are—" I stopped short when I saw the bowl of stew I'd brought Mama on the floor. Based on the amount, Mama had eaten next to nothing.
I bit back a frustrated sigh and moved to clean it up.
"Your ma found some records and lore 'bout them staircases into the air. Some are fixed, and some are open. Ancient magic. Not fae or anything we know from here. Maybe not even entirely of this world. But they contain secrets and may grant wishes." He shrugged. "She's been figuring out how to use them more reliably. This is the closest one. The next closest is a couple miles beyond the boundary and at the bottom of the shallows."
It still didn't make much sense to me. Everyone knew how dangerous unknown magic and staircase portals were. But over the years, Mama's willingness to explore dangerous options had intensified.
I stayed with Mama a bit longer before helping her to her cabin with Hosvir's help, ensuring she had everything she needed.
Then I went to my own bed and listened to her cry herself to sleep. Usually I dreamed of the fights and arguments, an endless cycle of accomplishing nothing but hurt feelings and wounded hearts.
This night though, once I fell asleep, I dreamed of Corvin: his bright-green eyes, his hands, his intensity, and his words. I replayed the moment I slapped him over and over again in my mind.
Next morning, I rose, expecting to find that we were headed back toward the Salt Channel and abandoning the island because of the boundary issue. Instead, I found that almost everyone was preparing to leave. Apparently they were going to risk the boundary line shifting. Mama had to see the island and test her theory.
I stayed aboard the ship. Going onto the island when it was that close to a shifting boundary line was foolish. I had as much hope of the island actually holding the secret to finding Erryn as I did of my words making a difference.
Mama stood next to one of the smaller boats that was being prepared for the journey over.
"I don't understand this." I crossed over, holding my tattered shawl close as the wind tugged at it. "Even if takes a couple months more to reach the Oracle of the Glass Mountains, at least we'll make it. There's nothing on that island that's worth risking death!"
"There are staircases that lead into the air. They are dangerous most of the time, but sometimes they can be strengthened and lead to specific portals that may go to magical places. The one on this island probably won't work as well, but it will contain more knowledge that we may be able to use," Mama said."We may even be able to strengthen it and use it to learn more. It may give us the key to finding your sister."
"It sounds like nonsense to me," I said, sharper than I intended. I hugged myself tight. "This is ridiculous. I can't believe the captain's letting you do this!"
Mama shook her head, clicking her tongue. The sharpness had returned to her gaze, her manner more steely rather than weepy. "Saving your sister is not nonsense."
A low growl of frustration rose in me before I bit it back. There was no reasoning with her. This was pointless.
I tilted my head back. Heavy clouds rolled across the eastern sky. The sea rocked the ship, making my stomach sour. Pointless or not, I had to try. "Please. Don't go, Mama. Something bad is going to happen. We'll find Erryn, but this isn't the way."
"We're two miles out from the boundary line," Captain Hosvir said, his tone gruff and his features drawn into a scowl. "And we didn't come all this way for nothing."
Was he only doing this for Mama or was there something else? No one else was raising concerns. Already three of the longboats had been outfitted and prepared to head out.
"We'll stock up on supplies. Replenish the water stores. Forage what we can. Ophelia can do her tasks." Captain Hosvir gave a firm nod as if that settled everything. Then he returned his attention to Mama.
I bit the inside of my lip. We weren't that low on water or food. We could turn around and sail for another ten days and reach another port.
But I wasn't the one giving orders.
I might as well not even talk.
Almost three quarters of the crew and all of the hunting otters went to the island.
Captain Hosvir invited me again. But I refused and just watched until Mama got into the longboat and reached the shore. Mama refused to look at me. Not even to wave. Maybe she was lost in thought, or maybe she genuinely didn't see. But really…no—Mama was mad at me again.
We were probably going to have another big fight when she got back.
Especially when she realized—again—that this wasn't the solution to finding Erryn.
Disappointment and hopelessness brought out the worst in both of us.
I wandered through the ship. When I reached the study, I found Mama's book. She must have forgotten it. It looked like it had fallen out of her bag.
This she would miss.
I picked it up and flipped through it. It was all about the ancient magics and staircases in the air and other strange phenomenon. She'd probably come back for it.
Picking the book up, I returned to the stern of the ship, gazing out at the island shrouded in fog and mist. As I waited, I read.
The words didn't stick in my mind. I had to read and reread. My focus kept returning to the water and the island. The island, from this distance, looked ordinary. A sandy beach with grey stones and a coniferous forest farther back. The fog did not dissolve as the watery-yellow sun rose higher in the sky.
A storm was coming.
That pressure in my stomach and up through my chest coiled and expanded.
I wanted to throw up.
Hurry back, Mama.
I tugged at my hair as I glanced around.
Numerous white stone pillars and jagged spires jutted up from the sea like bones. These were narrower than the ones I'd used to get back to the ship, and they rose much higher above the waves. Some even looked to have pocket caves and indentations large enough for a person to stand on. If ever people had lived in this place before the wars, people had likely fished in those places.
Now the strange rocks reminded me of death. The clouds darkened, taking over more than half the sky. The rumbling of thunder intensified.
Movement at the beach caught my eye.
Relief poured through me. Yes! They were getting in the longboats.I spotted Mama in her green shawl.
They were on their way back.
I watched as they made their preparations, everyone moving swiftly and with purpose.
A strange scent reached me, bitter and acrid, like lightning and venom.
Something moved in the water, coming up from the bottom and floating into sight.
I halted.
No.
Not one something.
Strange shapes moved in the water. Large and pale, somewhere between lavender and pink. They wriggled and spasmed.
Jellyfish?
The sentry in the crow's nest shouted. "Boundary line's moving! Boundary line's moving!"
My gaze snapped up. The three longboats in the water still had a ways to go. Jellyfish were swarming around them as well. A great column of them. The boundary was made of jellyfish?
The wind howled as it strengthened, and the sea roughened.
I tucked the book into my dress pocket and prepared to help.
Something scraped against the side of the ship.
I spun as the rain spattered against my face, cold and sharp as needles.
Thunder cracked and lightning flashed, highlighting the figure that now stood on the tentacled carving at the end of the stern.
Corvin!