29
The Searing Sunstone
“I don’t understand.” I tore off Thalassa’s Veil, my hands shaking from the effort of the vision as I handed it back to Alastair.
My heart thudded painfully against my chest. This last attempt to find a safe route between the precious stones of The Veil had been just as unsuccessful as the previous one. The map shimmered for a second, then faded into nothing. “The path we’ve been following just… disappears. It vanishes as soon as it reaches Dallene.”
The crew shifted around me, their faces masked with confusion and unease. Eyes that had grown to trust my guidance, and The Veil’s, now searched mine for answers I didn’t have.
Ceol stepped forward, squinting against the sun. “So, it’s gone? No map? Just like that? ”
I sighed, rubbing my temples. “It’s there, but the line we’ve been following fades the moment it touches the borders of Dallene.”
“Can’t you just… talk to Thalassa?” Efren piped up, leaning against the mast with his arms crossed.
“It’s been three days since she last spoke to me,” I said, frustration tinging my voice. “I don’t think this is about the map. Maybe it’s something we need from Dallene. Doesn’t The Harbor ask for something valuable in exchange for stepping onto the island?”
“Aye,” Duke muttered, picking at his nails. “Always demands a treasure. Something of worth.”
I nodded. “Exactly. And Dallene is full of gold, maybe whatever we need is there.”
Alastair’s face suddenly went pale. His hands clenched The Veil as he said, “I know what can be awaiting us there. If the legends and tomes are true—and after everything we’ve seen, we know they are—we might need something far more dangerous than gold. And that’s King Alaric Dawnveil’s medallion.”
A heavy silence settled on the deck.
“The Searing Sunstone?” I breathed, memories of half-whispered tales flashing through my mind. “But isn’t it impossible to touch?”
Alastair cleared his throat. “According to the forbidden tomes—some lost and other burned—Ralios crafted the medallion for Thalassa alone, as a gift for reflecting the stars in the sea and bringing light to the night. He threw it into the Sea of Gold, knowing only she could touch it. But it was more than a simple artifact. Ralios intended it to be a key, one that could unlock passage into The Heartbreak Harbor without having to sacrifice something precious.”
I frowned, trying to piece it together. “But Ralios made it for his own amusement too, didn’t he? To see sailors get carried away by it and start praying in his churches. That’s what the books say.”
“We don't know with certainty why the Gods suddenly started creating objects with their enchantments,” Alastair said. “But indeed, it has always been believed that they created them for their own amusement, which is the case of The Searing Sunstone. Pirates across the Nine Seas went mad, hunting for it, hoping to bypass The Harbor’s curse. And that is too why King Alaric created The Gold Games. Once a year he let ships sail in his sea, breaking the law with the excuse of finding the medallion, disguising it as an entertainment for the court and the other sovereigns. And then one year he found it. Or rather some poor sailor did, he burned alive the second his fingers brushed it. The King’s kept the medallion ever since.”
“But how?” Jonah asked, his brows furrowed. “Wouldn’t it burn him alive too?”
Alastair shook his head. “The King had a golden armor forged, crafted by the finest blacksmiths in Dallene. Armor that could not melt under the heat of the sun itself. He wears it always, keeping the Searing Sunstone on him at all times. That medallion… it can’t touch his skin, but it remains by his side, a symbol of his power and cruelty. ”
I swallowed hard. “How do we get it then? If it burns anyone who touches it, and he wears it on his armor… it sounds impossible.”
Alastair’s eyes gleamed with something close to resignation, or maybe hope. “Only water can calm the fire, Pink Arrow.”
My heart stilled as his words sank in.
“Only a daughter of the sea could touch it. And it seems, that your Goddess wants you to have it. That might be the reason why the map vanishes there, because it’s warning us that we can’t proceed without it.”
Raaq stepped forward, his voice breaking the silence that had settled over the crew. “So we sail to Dallene. To steal from a King.” He smiled. “My favorite kind of afternoon.”
The crew exchanged excited glances, the prospect of danger surely filling them with an energy I didn’t quite understand. But I have lived aboard this ship with them long enough to know that they were going to enjoy this far too much.
“Your Goddess forgot to mention that our captain here,” Efren said pointing at Calico, “is a wanted pirate.” He crossed his arms as if this were common knowledge. “And by wanted , I mean every sovereign wants to see him hanging by the neck, including King Alaric.”
That earned a few smirks from the crew, and with a playful tone and a raised eyebrow, Efren kept saying. “And how, oh captain, my captain, do you expect to sneak into a palace where your face is plastered on every wanted poster from the port to the throne room? Never mind stealing a medallion that burns anything it touches. I’m dying to hear one of those nonsense plans of yours.”
“Alastair, the day, if you would be so kind?” the captain suddenly asked.
“According to my calculations, two days until July, my captain,” Alastair interjected.
“There you have it.” Calico smirked. “Dress in your best, family.”
The reaction was immediate, everyone groaned or exchanged looks like they were already dreading it. Jonah shook his head and muttered, “I’m not made to wear a mask, you know what happened last time.”
Laughter erupted around the deck.
“Oh c’mon, it’s going to be fun,” Efren teased, throwing a wink at him. “I bet you clean up nicely, Goldie Tusk.”
Still confused, I glanced from face to face. “I’m sorry, what mask?”
Every head turned to me, wide-eyed as if I had just asked whether the sea was made of water.
Ela, leaning on the rail, shook her head in mock pity. “What have they taught you in that palace of yours? Poor Pink Arrow doesn’t know what fun is.”
I crossed my arms, but before I could defend myself, Calico leaned in closer, his voice warm with amusement. “The Solar Ball, love. An annual ball,” he explained, “that King Alaric uses as an excuse to invite all kinds of strangers into his castle. The man just likes to flirt with danger. ”
“Danger?” I echoed.
“Fun, rather.” Calico’s eyes gleamed. “Opening the doors of your home to people who’ve been living in your streets, people who hate your guts because of your miserable reign, people who much probably want you dead… Exciting, don’t you think?”
I opened my mouth to reply, but Calico cut me off with a smirk. “The one rule is, everyone wears a mask. If you wear a mask, you can enter, no questions asked. Doesn’t matter if you’re a beggar, a thief, or a wanted pirate.”
I bit my lip, glancing around the crew. They were smiling, their excitement palpable.
“We’re very out of the way, though, nearing the Zenith Sea. We would have to turn to port now if we want to hide The Rebecca and make it to the ball in time.”
Calico stretched his arms wide, eyes bright with reckless energy. “What are we waiting for then?” he asked, his grin almost daring the winds. “Hoist the colours. The pirates are going to a royal ball.”