Chapter 4
Chapter Four
BELLAMY, FOUR WEEKS LATER
I t had been four weeks since I’d seen land. I was not made for the sea. I wasn’t made to spend my days in a dark, dank cargo hold full of barrels, dust, mold, and feathers. So many feathers. I looked at the seven swans surrounding me, all of them with drooping necks, looking as miserable as I felt.
A wave rammed against the ship. I curled into myself and wrapped my arms around my legs, my stomach heaving with the motion. I’d already vomited more times than I could count on this journey. The sea and I did not agree with each other, and I was more than ready to depart this vessel and get my feet on solid ground.
I’d thought a lot about the upcoming obstacles I’d have to face, which would be far greater than any the sea could provide, but even so, I could not wait to get off this blasted thing.
A scream split the air from somewhere above. My head snapped up right as the door burst open, feet pounding on the stairs. A few of the crew members emerged from the shadows.
“We’re readying the cannons,” one of them said, tugging at the blue bandana on his head. “Hope you’re happy.”
I’d received snide comments like this over the last four weeks. Any hope I’d had that I could win over the crew had been sorely miscalculated after encountering rough storms, spoiled food, and a run-in with a giant sea squid. No amount of visiting their dreams at night, weaving stories of adventure and heroics could make the crew forget all the trouble I’d brought with me. I’d been able to make them subservient to Matthew, to go along with his plan—but not to like it. So I’d given up trying to win them over and focused on visiting Matthew’s dreams, on keeping his resolve steady as he brought me closer to my destination.
The swans ruffled their feathers, wings flapping as they waddled with a nervous energy. I ran up the narrow stairs and opened the hatch door.
Crew members lined the railings, a few at the top of the tall masts. Mary steered the ship while Matthew shouted orders.
“Swords at the ready!”
I rushed over to Matthew, then stopped before I reached him, shading my eyes against the blazing sun and realizing what I was seeing.
Land. Tall palm trees swayed in the breeze, thick foliage and jungle lining the black-sand beaches, stark and green. We’d arrived.
“Ready yourselves for a fight!” Matthew yelled.
My gaze trailed to the sea, where another larger ship with three tall masts and a crew of at least thirty barreled toward us.
My mouth dropped open. At the helm stood Driscoll and that woman.
Driscoll pointed. “We found her! That’s the ship!”
I glared at him from afar. Evening was upon us, the sun melting into the horizon, but it wasn’t enough. The stars weren’t out, and without the stars, I couldn’t use my magic to put Driscoll and his entire crew to sleep. If we fought them, we’d lose. We were outnumbered three to one. I glanced behind me again at the island. So close now. I just needed to get to shore, and this would all be over. Matthew’s crew wouldn’t be at risk any longer. Wouldn’t have to fight my battles for me.
I weighed my options as the enemy ship drew closer, the sapphire blue ocean frothing in its wake.
“Ready the cannons!” Matthew screamed over the sound of rushing waves and billowing sails.
If they fired at us, if one of their cannons hit our ship, they could hurt one of the swans. One of my brothers. Mind made up, I lifted the skirt of my red dress and raced toward Arno. He stood at the railing, sword pointed, at the ready.
I tapped him on the shoulder and held out my hands to signal stop. Stop this.
He glanced around at the small crew, everyone now in position and ready. “I don’t think we have much choice. A pirate ship. They’re out for our goods.”
No they weren’t. I needed to make him understand. I pointed at the ship, then at myself.
His eyes widened. “They’re here for you?”
I nodded and gestured to the island in the distance, then pointed to a rowboat propped up against the banister.
He didn’t look sure, but I gripped fistfuls of his tunic and gave him a hard shake, widening my eyes at him.
“Okay,” he said. “You want to take the boat?”
I nodded eagerly.
Arno eyed me, then let out a heavy sigh. “Get your birds ready. I’ll lower the boat on the other side of the ship. You’re going to have to work fast to escape.”
I threw my arms around him and squeezed him tight.
He scratched his head. “You’re one of the strangest women I’ve ever met, and it’s clear you have secrets, but for some reason, I’m rooting for you and those damn birds, for whoever you’re trying to rescue on this island.”
His words made my eyes go teary, but I quickly swiped at the tears before they could fall. The ship was barreling closer, and soon I’d be out of time. If they captured me, it would be over. I ran belowdecks, snapping my fingers to get the swans’ attention. They all stood, beady black eyes on me.
The men manning the cannons paid us no mind, all of them listening for Matthew’s orders from above.
I turned and began walking up the stairs, the rustling of feathers and the light tap of the swans’ feet on the wooden boards as they followed me. I lifted the hatch, peeking out to see everyone busy, distracted.
Perfect.
I crept out of the hatch while shouts rang out in the air. The other ship slowed, its sails closing as it neared ever closer.
The crew murmured about a pirate lord, the fear on our ship palpable. I hadn’t heard of this pirate lord, but he must’ve been a formidable figure to have the crew cowering and shaking as they held out their swords and prepared for a fight.
I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt, and hopefully once Driscoll realized I was no longer on this ship, he’d call off the attack—or convince this pirate lord to.
I turned to my swans, crouching as they crowded me. “Fly. Toward the island. Land and find me. Do not go into the jungle without me.”
They eyed me, expressions blank as always, but I knew they understood. One by one the swans took flight, forming a V as they soared toward the island.
I wasted no time, running toward the side of the ship, where Arno had a small rowboat waiting. I stopped in front of him. “Thank you.”
He nodded, hesitating. “You know, you could’ve asked for our help. You could’ve been honest instead of trying to use your magic to trick us.”
My mouth dropped open. He knew? The crew knew I’d been using magic to visit their dreams? To manipulate them.
He tilted his head. “We would’ve helped you. If you just took the time to get to know us instead of hiding, pushing everyone away.”
I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. He didn’t understand. I had to push people away. I couldn’t trust anyone. Couldn’t let anyone in. Not after everything I’d been through. Not after all the betrayal, the lies.
I watched the swans as they flew through the sky. Not when their lives were at stake.
I squeezed his shoulder and nodded, then hopped over the side of the ship and dropped into the boat. Arno lowered me all the way, then cut the line and set the boat free.
“She’s escaping,” I heard Driscoll shout.
It was a calm day at sea, and I rowed with all my might toward the black-sand shores in the distance. I gritted my teeth and pushed the oars through the sparkling cerulean waters. Sweat rolled down my back, my dress sticking to my skin. I looked behind me. Matthew’s ship grew more distant as I rowed harder, faster. This pirate lord’s ship had already closed their sails, slowed their ascent, and were now blocked by our ship. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
I turned, my smile fading as a large crocodile leapt from the sea, mouth hinging open as it flopped back into the water. I’d forgotten this side of the island was infested with the creatures. My father had told me stories about this place when I was little, and I’d laughed as he and my brothers imitated the crocodile, hinging their mouths open to pretend to bite me.
Tall reeds popped out of the water as it turned marshy the closer I rowed toward the island. My rowboat rocked, the creature now underneath it. I realized it was trying to flip my boat. I didn’t come all this way, get this far, just to be eaten by a crocodile. I shaded my eyes and looked toward the sky, the swans still soaring, diving down toward the sandy beach. At least my brothers were safe. But they wouldn’t be for long if I didn’t live. Their survival depended on mine. I gripped the oars tighter, rowing faster as my rowboat rocked again.
Green heads popped up from the marsh, their scales glinting under the sun. If only it would sink faster. I could put them all to sleep. But there were still no stars visible in the pink sky.
Another crocodile blasted from the water, its mouth chomping at me, teeth snatching onto the sleeve of my red dress and ripping it. I thunked it on the head with my oar, and it sank back into the water.
My heart hammered in my chest, muscles sore and trembling from all the exertion.
The rowboat slowly tipped up, and I fell toward the rear of it, back slamming into the wood. I scrambled to grab my satchel and stuffed it between my legs. The front of the rowboat lifted higher into the air, a crocodile nudging it with its nose. I flattened my body to the bottom, reaching up to grab an oar. I jabbed it straight into the creature’s eye, and it hissed and fell back into the water, my boat landing down with a plop.
With no time to waste, I clenched the oars tight and continued to row through the marsh, reeds bending backward as I pushed over them. The shore was closer now, but more crocodiles were emerging, their black eyes trained on me. A string of them blocked my path forward, their long scaled bodies in a line.
Fuck. I glanced up again, but still no stars twinkled in the sky. In the distance, the ships sat still in the water, and I wondered if everyone was watching me, watching my inevitable demise. No, I wouldn’t think like that. I would get out of this.
I was a survivor. A fighter.
The four crocodiles turned their bodies, now facing me, their mouths all opening at once. I stood, unsteady as the boat wavered. I grabbed both oars and braced my feet, ready to fight with the only weapons I had on me.
My boat floated steadily closer to the creatures, and I looked behind me to realize it wasn’t floating. It was being pushed by a crocodile. I inhaled a shaky breath and clutched the oars tighter with my sweaty palms.
A whistle pierced the air right as seven white swans dove down over the crocs. I startled, and the oars slipped from my hands, landing with a thwack on the bottom of the boat.
I almost cried out but bit back the sound, my hand coming to my mouth as I watched the crocodiles in horror. They snapped their sharp teeth at my swans.
No, no, no.
“Please, stop,” I signed frantically. “Get to shore. Fly away.”
The swans didn’t even look my way. Their long necks arched, wings spanning wide as they pecked at the creatures. Jorah ripped an eye from one of the crocodiles, blood spraying in all directions. The crocodiles retreated underwater, and I jolted, remembering my goal: get to shore. I grabbed the oars and clenched my teeth together as sweat dripped down the sides of my face.
I pushed through the murky marsh and rowed as fast as my muscles would allow and maneuvered around the battle taking place. Crocodiles snapped their mighty jaws as the swans hissed and pecked, their white feathers getting ripped from their bodies, cascading into the air. My rowboat slowed, and I peeked over to see the sandy bottom of the marsh. It was too shallow for the boat to go any farther. I snatched my satchel and hopped out of the boat, splashing through the water and collapsing onto the black sand. Thick jungle spread out before me. I looked back, waving my hands to get the swans’ attention. It was over now. They didn’t need to defend me any longer. They flew upward into the air. One, two, three swans soaring toward me.
Then four, five, six.
My pulse spiked.
Seven—right as Soloman shot upward, a crocodile burst from the water and clamped its jaw onto Soloman’s right wing.
A scream erupted inside me, one that I couldn’t let out. I came to my knees, shaking, reaching out toward Soloman, though there was nothing I could do. Not from here.
I looked up again, the faintest whisper of stars emerging in the sky. It was enough. Fire raged in my blood, and I reached out a hand, commanding my magic to work. One of the stars brightened, its yellow glow casting over the crocodile, whose body went slack, mouth opening and releasing Soloman. My brother dropped into the water, and I rushed out toward him. Other crocodiles emerged, but I slashed my hand through the air, putting them all to sleep. Their bodies lay motionless in the ocean as it bloomed red with Soloman’s blood. I waded through the marsh, reaching Soloman’s still body and drawing him into my arms, then making my way back toward the shore.
I lay him down in the sand, all the swans whistling and crowding around him. Blood covered his soft feathers, his wing broken in half, bent at an awkward angle.
“ It’s going to be okay,” I signed, tears silently spilling down my cheeks.
“Stop, Bellamy!” a voice shouted.
I looked up to see Driscoll and that fucking woman rowing toward me, a nice, safe passage for them now that I’d put all the crocodiles to sleep. But I didn’t even care that they were here. If Soloman died, then none of this mattered anyway. I couldn’t lose him. It wasn’t an option.
I swallowed the thick knot in my throat, glancing back down at Soloman, drawing him into my lap as Driscoll and the woman approached the shore. We’d officially arrived at the shadow court, but this mission might have already failed.