Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
By the time the suns crest the horizon, the storm has run its course.
The dark clouds overhead brighten, and we finally decide to pull ourselves from the spring and head back to the ship.
Clothed and looking less disheveled than when we came, we make our way back through the tunnels, knowing there’s a chance now that it is light that we will run into an early riser.
But Weston veers off, leading us in a different direction, and I glance back over my shoulder, questioning my memory. “Wasn’t that the turn?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“Then where are we going?” Torches light before us as we weave through, getting to a stretch where the ground ramps up before us.
“We’re going to go give the Voyagers a choice.”
Warmth blooms in my chest knowing Weston’s worries are now at peace. After the morning we had, the talk about choice, the memories of Edmond and his lessons, and whatever influence from the calming water, I’m happy knowing the difficult decision is no longer weighing on Weston’s shoulders.
The tunnel opens near the entrance to camp, and it feels strange being back here again, after the finality of the last time I left.
Even though it was only days ago that I walked this same trail, my hand in Dane’s as he led me away from the safe house where I planned to meet Sig, I never expected to be back so soon and so willingly.
“After you,” Weston says, gesturing to the dense jungle we traipse through to get to the portal.
“Do you know the way?” I take the lead, and he follows closely behind.
“Yes, but I’ve never been inside. Jorn showed me one night, but we didn’t risk going through the portal. I don’t know if the island would have allowed us.”
“I never thought about that before. Dane always perpetuated the fear of the Castaways sneaking into camp, and none of us ever considered the island closing the portal to you.” I glance back just as he shrugs.
“It might have; it might not have. Maybe it knew if we were found we’d be attacked. That would negate all the work it did to keep us concealed. Who knows? I guess we never will.”
Pushing aside the vines covering the portal, I gesture him forward. He grabs my hand as he steps through, and the overwhelming feeling of magic surrounds us until we are on the other side.
It didn’t stop us.
The clearing is empty, and the sound of water dripping from the leaves of the soaked trees is the only noise in the entire space. Weston’s expression is neutral as he looks around, taking everything in.
“So this is camp.” His eyes trail over the wooden pathways, following them around the entire circle. The torches are dim in the early morning hours, and I assume, because of the storm, everyone is tucked away safely in the cabin.
“This is camp,” I say, and take it in again myself.
It still doesn’t feel like home. Bitterness coats my tongue as I think about all the lies I was told here, and the way I was convinced to see everything through Dane’s eyes.
“I like my ship better,” he grumbles, and I let out a laugh.
“I do too,” I say, turning and walking backward toward the ladder. “Come on, this way.”
I reach up and pull the ladder down from where it is hidden and climb, my loose and relaxed muscles straining with the sudden exertion.
The ladder pulls taut as Weston ascends behind me, making it easier to push my tired body up onto the platform.
He’s on it just behind me, again looking around and getting his bearings, so I quickly point out the main features.
“The bunks are on either side. The tavern where we ate is back there. The armory is over there. It’s all pretty simple. We didn’t spend a lot of time here except in the evenings because we were all out searching.”
“So where is everyone then?” he asks, looking around.
“In the cabin. It’s just because of the storm.
This way.” I grab his hand and walk along the boards until I get to the door Taril led me to during the last storm.
I don’t want to barge in. While everything went well yesterday and the island seems to trust that the Voyagers won’t harm us, I don’t want to make any mistakes.
I still want to tread cautiously, even if it is optimistic.
I raise my fist to knock on the door, but I don’t, instead spinning around quickly to face Weston.
He raises one eyebrow. “Change your mind?”
“No, but…” My voice trails off. I don’t know what came over me, or why I feel the deep need to do this, but I can’t push it away, and if I don’t follow through, I feel like I will regret it.
“I want to be the one to tell them. When the island deemed me unworthy, I promised myself I would bring everyone back at camp to the waters, so at least they had a chance to be. I know they can’t bring it home, but I still want to be the one to tell them.
To help them find it. I feel like it is the least I can do, especially with how things turned out with Dane. ”
“If that’s what you want, Lennox. You can tell them.”
My lips turn up at the corners as he catches my chin between his fingers, tilting upward and leaning in closer.
“But don’t talk like you’re responsible for any of them not finding the entrance, or for what Dane did.
I’m sure if they all knew the truth, they would understand.
” He presses a soft kiss to my lips and pulls away with a nod to the door. “Now knock.”
I shoot him a playful glare, then spin back around, pounding my fist on the door three times, then wait.
There’s no sound from behind the door, and it feels like minutes pass in silence.
I start to fidget, impatiently waiting as if there are hot coals on my bare feet.
They’re probably confused and not expecting us since everyone at camp is behind this door already, but I’m anxious.
I want to tell them, so we can all move on from it.
“Mara, it’s me. Open up,” I call out, and a few more long seconds pass before the door swings open. Mara stands in the doorway, her gaze flicking between Weston and me.
“Hi,” she says cautiously. “What’s going on?”
“We just wanted to talk to everyone. We have some things to explain.”
“Are you finally going to give me answers?” She folds her arms over her chest, and I’m brought back to the first time we met. It seems like no time has passed, even though it has, and she’s gone from hating me to befriending me too many times in that span.
“Some at least,” I answer.
She pulls the door open, gesturing inside. Weston and I step through the threshold only to be met with a room full of blank but curious stares.
“Hey everyone,” I say with a wave.
“Hi Lennox!” Gauge calls and raises his arm high from where he sits in the back of the room. Movement catches my eye as Roley runs up to me, giving me a quick hug before running back and sitting on his sleeping mat.
I breathe a sigh of relief. The sentiment from the beach doesn’t seem to have died overnight, and no one looks like they’re ready to stand and pick a fight.
Mara shuts the door and steps past us, plopping down on her cushion before calling out, “So what do you need to tell us?”
Everyone stares at me expectantly, waiting for whatever is so important that it brought the first Castaways to camp. I don’t know how Weston does it. He’s stood in this position so many times and delivered tough news or made commands, and that’s only since I’ve been around.
How would I have done it as queen?
I glance over at him, and he gives me a nod of encouragement, despite the stern Captain’s expression firmly in place.
Turning back to the group, I take a breath and let the words tumble out.
“First, I wanted to say thank you to all of you, you know, for not throwing us in the cage the moment we stepped through the door.”
“There’s a cage?” Weston mutters, and I clear my throat, ignoring him.
“I guess that’s a step up from my last first time in camp.” Weston grumbles behind me, and a few snickers erupt around the room. I smile, already feeling looser; more in charge.
“I know Dane disappearing was a shock to us all. To be honest, I’m still processing and dealing with the betrayal, and I might be for a while.
You all have been here longer than I have, except you, Lilly, so I can imagine you feel like I do.
Dane told me he didn’t know how to replenish the dust, and that’s why I tried so hard to come up with an answer.
I didn’t want the choice of returning home taken from any of us. That didn’t turn out the way I hoped.”
I look down at my feet, trying to find the strength to say the next part and not feel like I betrayed my friends by keeping it from them.
Even though it was the right decision because of what Dane was after, I still feel a thread of guilt knowing I hid from them exactly what I vowed I would help them find.
“Dane kept us all controlled, in fear, focused on finding what he wanted. We didn’t have a choice in how he treated us and how it eventually took everything away.
It is hard to come to terms with, and because of that, we…
” I glance over at Weston, and he looks up at the group, his eyes falling on each of their attentive faces.
“We decided to give you back the choice. Dane told all of us that the Castaways hunted the Voyagers, but that isn’t exactly true.
He was right about one thing. Each of us was taken against his or her will, at first at least, but it was for a good reason.
You only become one of the crew after you find the healing waters. ”
Mara gasps. Her hands fly over her mouth as she stares at me in disbelief, and several other cries of surprise ring throughout the room.
“You found them? You all did?” Mara asks, her head swiveling between Weston and me.
“We did,” he grumbles, then looks back at me to keep explaining.