Chapter 48
In the morning, before the sun has even risen, the ship is filled with the smells of breakfast.
Beka has made fried eggs with shrimp and mushrooms, and Conred has squeezed fresh oranges to drink.
The ship crew eats inside while our group takes to the deck to eat our meals. The sun is just rising at this point, the air crisper than the previous day.
After eating, Thane and Rynthea find a corner to train with their weapons.
From my seat on the bench, mist sprays on my face and collects on the lenses of my specs.
I’ve unbraided my hair to let the wind blow through my unruly tresses.
I run my fingers through it and feel a few kinks.
I cannot wait to use one of Analla’s hair masks, give it a thorough wash, and then braid it.
This journey has not been kind to my hair, but I’ve kept it pretty clean.
I stand from the bench and walk to one of the ship’s posts. I lean my arm against it, steadying myself, as I soak in as much of the sea as I can.
To my left, I spot Algar rise from the bench as well with Zephra on his shoulder and make his way toward me. “You know something, Zaira,” he says, eyes on the ocean, too. “I’m going to miss being around you when this is all over.”
I smile at his statement. “You know, I’ll miss you, too, Algar.”
He gives me a lopsided grin.
“Will you miss Thane?” I ask.
He looks from the sea to Thane, who has his back to us as he performs tricks with a dagger. When he rapidly throws the dagger into a post with a spark of gold, Algar sighs and turns away again.
“That’s a good question.” He pauses, reaching up to give Zephra a piece of shrimp from breakfast. “I’ll always care about him, you know?
We grew up together and were like brothers for a while.
But it’s hard for me to connect to this new version of him.
” He shrugs his free shoulder, lowering his gaze. “I’m not sure I’ll miss this Thane.”
“I honestly don’t think he can help who he is now—and I’m not saying that to defend him.
” Or because he blew my mind with two incredible orgasms last night…
or because he opened up to me about his brother.
“I just don’t think he knows how to be anyone or anything else.
He was trained to become a weapon at such a young age by The Divine.
” And I can’t begin to imagine what he was trained to do if he spent time with The Shadow Guild.
“No. I suppose he can’t.” Algar sighs.
“Anyway, I hope you don’t go back to being a conman again,” I tease.
“Oh, but that’s all I know, sleeping princess.” He gives me a wink.
“That’s not true. You know a lot about water dragons. Why don’t you become a sea biologist? Fulfill your dad’s dream?”
“I’m considering it.” He pushes one of his plaits out of his face. “It takes a while for sea biologists to get their feet off the ground when they first start. You need a ship. Tools. Resources. A crew—which you have to pay. There’s a lot to it.”
“But you seem to be very good at turning nothing into something,” I offer. “Plus, once you have all that treasure from The Shallows, you’ll be able to buy your own boat and pay people. You could even open your own research laboratory.”
“Maybe.” He pauses, throat bobbing as he looks at his feet. “Sometimes I think about myself—about how I’ve spent my life so far—and I know he’d be disappointed in me. He and my mother.” He hands Zephra another piece of shrimp. “I feel so lost without them.”
“Oh, Algar.” I reel him in for a hug. He chuckles over my shoulder as Zephra pounces on top of his head. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re more than welcome to visit me in Meriva. You’ll always have a friend to call on there.”
If we live through this.
I pull away, holding on to his upper arms to look him in the eyes.
“You’d really want to keep being friends with a person like me?” His voice is full of surprise.
“Of course. We’ve all done bad things, Algar. That doesn’t make us bad people.”
He gives me a wider smile, his teeth catching a wisp of sunlight. “A kind heart like yours is a rarity these days.”
I smile wide, but it’s just then that I notice the ship has stopped moving.
“Drop the anchors!”
I press a hand to my chest as Captain Solyen’s voice booms in the air. “Oh my gods. He has got to stop doing that,” I grumble.
Thane and Rynthea approach with their rucksacks strapped to their backs.
“This is it,” Rynthea announces, looking between me and Algar, her expression serious. “Last chance to back out.”
“Never,” Algar replies firmly.
“This is it,” I repeat in a whisper, my heart rate increasing as I pick up my rucksack from the deck floor and strap it over my shoulder.
We watch as Conred and another crew member grab a set of ropes to lift a boat from a cargo slot on the side of the ship.
“This is as far as we go,” Solyen announces as he nears us. He takes a pull from a silver pipe. “Row four miles east and you’ll have made it to The Shallows.”
He studies us with his dark, intense eyes. His face seems more worn today. He probably hasn’t had a drink yet. “Are you lot absolutely sure about this?”
I nod. “We’re sure.”
“Then Orvena be with you. Go to that boat there.” He points to the small boat the crew is prepping. “My boys will lower you down.”
Once we’re settled into the rowboat, Solyen approaches again.
“As agreed, I’ll wait here until sunset.
But if you’re not back by the time the sun reaches the horizon, I’ll have no choice but to leave you behind.
” He inclines a bushy eyebrow. “This part of the sea is not one I wish to be in when it gets dark. It’s worse than The Void.
You row your way back, and when you’re close enough, you sound this horn.
” He accepts a copper horn from one of the crew members.
“Once we hear it, we’ll know you’re on the way and will bring you back up when you reach us.
” He hands the horn to Algar, who slips it into his bag.
“Listen, before we take off, do you think you can watch my Zephra?” Algar grabs Zephra and offers her to Solyen.
She clearly doesn’t like the action because she scurries back to his shoulder, glaring at Solyen like he’s the enemy.
“No, Zephra, you’ll be all right. Listen to me.
” He grabs her again and cups her body in his hands, forcing her to look into his eyes.
“I can’t have you on that island with me, all right?
It’s too dangerous for you. I want you to wait here, where it’s safe. ”
She chitters. I swear it’s like she’s arguing with him.
Algar only smiles at her before kissing the top of her head softly and offering her to Solyen. This time, she doesn’t put up a fight. She drops into Solyen’s oversize palm, but not without staring sadly at Algar and making a whimpering noise.
A wave of sadness washes over me for them. I can only imagine what she’s thinking. She probably won’t ever see him again. She probably won’t see any of us again.
“I love you, Zeph,” Algar says in a soothing voice.
She lets out a soft squeak.
“Just feed her fruit and nuts for now, if you have any,” Algar says, blinking quickly to clear the tears in his eyes. “No honey or sweets, or she’ll rip through your ship like it’s made of paper.”
Solyen blinks at Zephra, like he’s trying to figure out how something so small could possibly cause that much damage.
Algar gives the captain a nod, and Solyen yells, “Right! Let ’em down, boys!”
The crew works the cranks, and the boat teeters left. Slowly, we’re lowered down toward the water. Before we get too far, I peer up at Conred, who is clinging to the thick ropes with both hands as he eyes me.
“Good luck,” he mouths.
“Thanks,” I mouth back.
Rynthea grabs one of the oars as soon as the boat hits the water. She hands the other to Thane, who helps her steady the boat. “Let’s start rowing.”
“Unnecessary.” Thane places his glowing hand over the water, and the boat’s hull shifts under the influence of whatever magic he’s using. We coast forward toward what resembles land in the distance, sailing fast enough that a gentle, balmy breeze buffets us.
The ride is eerily quiet. None of us say much. It feels like we’re riding to our doom…yet somehow, I still have hope.
Looking over my shoulder, I spot the Emellie, only now she’s a speck—one that grows smaller and smaller the closer we get to the island.
We still can go back. I can tell Thane to stop, turn the boat around, return us to the ship—that this is a foolish plan.
A part of me longs to do that—the weaker, less confident, risk-averse side of me.
But the stronger half is louder. That half believes I can do this.
She’s alert and ready, willing to risk everything for her sister.
We’re only a short stretch away. The dangers and horror aren’t just in The Shallows. They’re everywhere in Thelanor, and yet we survived.
We made it here.
What makes this island so different?
All I have to do is get one of the stones, save Analla, and return to my life of peace and comfort. It seems simple enough…as long as I force myself to believe anything is possible.
I take off my specs and wipe the sea spray off of the lenses using my tunic. Sitting up straight, I slide them back on and squint at something on the horizon.
It’s small, only a dark disruption poking up from the sea, but I know exactly what it is—The Shallows.