Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
brANDON
“ Y ou need help with that?” Bianca asks me for the third time.
I’m about to tell her no for the third time when I catch the smirk on her lips. Instead, I give her an annoyed glare that I drop the second she looks away. She’s trying to get under my skin. Little does she know, she doesn’t have to try. Her presence has become easier and easier to tolerate. Like mold, she has grown on me.
She’s facing the island—now only about an hour away—paddling. The wind is wild this late in the day. A look at the murky sky full of overcast clouds and the chaotic sea is a sure signal that a storm is approaching. The salt in the breeze makes my nose itch. Yet, when the wind blows high, Bianca’s hair flies back behind her, giving me a beautiful sight to behold. I’m thankful for small favors. With her eyes closed and face tilted up to the skies, I can’t help but ask myself if this really was the dirty thief caught in the library weeks ago.
Bianca’s confidence lies in those strong, determined eyes, but there’s something about her body language. The tilt of her chin, the righteousness of her straight back. Even in that jail cell, I saw much more than a bloody, bruised woman with wary eyes.
“If you don’t need help, why are you breathing so heavily?”
I stop paddling and look at my hands. The wooden paddle is looking more and more like a potential weapon.
“You want to hit me with that paddle, don’t you?” A knowing smirk graces her face.
“Has anyone told you what a wretch you are to be around?”
Bianca says nothing, and instead, she lifts her nose and turns around in a sniff.
“Absolute nightmare.” She might not have heard the humor in my voice, but it was there with the slight smirk on my lips.
“Brandon.”
The way she says my name is hesitant, making me look up instantly.
“Fifth.”
I follow her eyes glued to something moving on the water in front of the boat. Several things, actually. “Well, now we’ve learned a new limitation about your power.”
The water splashes as the movements underwater become more erratic.
“It doesn’t work on water?” She asks urgently.
I shake my head. “No, it does. Or else the guards would have seen us from the shoreline.” I gesture behind us.
“Then?” She finally turns back to me.
The urgency in her eyes demands me to take action—to do something.
“Your glamor doesn’t work on dead beings.” I grab one of the wooden paddles and hand it to her.
Yes, I should’ve mentioned these are not regular water imps. The mystical creatures aren’t easy to control. They’re as unpredictable and disorganized as any creature can be. That’s why the ones guarding the island are the immortal skeleton counterparts to regular water imps. I turn and bat away the first imp that tries to climb onto the boat. The smacking noise of the wood hitting the bony creature is loud.
“Ew!” Bianca screams just before she smacks another creature behind me.
We keep at it for a bit before I realize there’s no way we will make it to the island like this. We still have a mile left. It looks like it’s time for Plan B. I throw my wooden paddle at the creature and move to Bianca’s side. She asks what I am doing when I place both hands on her waist. I use the wind to lift both of us up.
“Don’t turn your gift off. If the guards see us, they will shut us down from the sky.”
Her grip around my neck tightens as she nods. Her legs go around my waist when a strong wind moves us sideways. I could tell her that, once this high up, we are not likely to drop. Instead, I just hold her up.
“Let’s get going.”
I look down at the imps. It’s not long until they realize the trespassers have moved to the sky. In a creepy yet impressive coordination, they begin to climb one on top of another, trying to reach for us.
“Brandon!” Bianca says in my ear when they grace her boot.
I chuckle at the pitch in her voice. I use air, gravity, and tension to move our bodies toward the sand. Thankfully, the imps don’t climb after us, but a few take guard from their spot on the water.
Movement from the shoreline gets my attention. There are what looks like hundreds of guards moving around with flashlights. The water is shaking enough that the imps must have gathered people’s attention. They point the flashlights at the water, where imps move around angrily. If anything, this irregular behavior must have triggered some type of alert.
“Dammit.” I throw my bag on the ground. “I hope you brought overnight items.”
“No.” Bianca eyes my bag, then the shoreline. Now completely visible from here by all the additional lights moving around. “What does this mean?”
“The imps have made enough of a fuss that now the guards are focusing patrol on the waters.”
There’s no way we can make it back without alerting everyone. It looks like we’re better off if we spend the night here. Perhaps tomorrow morning, the guards will go back to their regular posts.
“They know we’re here?”
“No one is going to come and check. They probably think someone tried to enter their shoreline.” I look back at the island. “There are far more dangerous things here for any unwanted visitor.”
Bianca doesn’t ask any more questions as we move further into the island’s heart. We walk through open pathways. The noises of wildlife are the only things we hear for several minutes. Once we reach a solid granite wall, we stop and look around.
“Are we climbing?” Bianca looks up at the height of the mountain.
“Yes. But down.” I gesture to an opening.
The hole is pitch black, but from the smell of salty water and dampness, I know it’s the right place.
“You’ve been here.” Her statement is a realization she made.
I nod in confirmation. I tell her the island story as we climb into the black hole in the darkness. Isla Tierra is much more than a sacred land for the royal families to hide high priced items. Isla Tierra is the home of The Red Book. The one and only book in existence that holds all the secrets to the creation of magic. Many years ago, the Oscuro family placed the book here, among other highly valued items. The imps surrounding the island guard the waters. A different creature lives on the island to guard the items left here.
Over the centuries, other royal families have asked to bring their own special items here. The only way they can ever retrieve an item is if a chosen ruler accompanies them. My grandfather has been the chosen guide for royal families for the past couple of years. I have accompanied him on many of those trips here. That is how I know about the Orc that protects the island.
I came here not only to retrieve an item I left behind years ago, but also to ask the Orc if anyone has attempted to enter the island in the past few months. I don't believe anyone could have stolen any of the items on this island, like the ones in the vaults. They are more particular than the enchanted and cursed items. But I can’t be obtuse, since I’m still in the dark about the motives.
I snuck in instead of arranging a trip here because I wanted to know how difficult it would be to sneak in, if at all possible. Sending someone else to accompany Bianca risked the Orc not telling them what we needed to know.
“Wow,” I hear behind me.
We made it. Bianca is looking over my shoulder at the view—and what a beautiful view. I’ve never been here in the moonlight, which is far more beautiful than I could have predicted.
A hole in the cave’s ceiling allows enough light to illuminate the three golden-blue pools below. Light steam rises from each of the pools like mist. This is the only warning that might alert people to stay out of its waters. From this angle, the water looks deep and clear. In reality, it’s beyond the boiling point. Blue light radiates from the bottom of its pools. My grandfather once told me he predicted these pools had an opening that led to the open water outside. I guess he was right, after all.
Surrounding the pools are mountains of stored treasure. Gold coins from the Duelo family cover one side of the cave. Books and artifacts from other royal families lay in piles on each available surface. Alone in the middle of the cave, a red book lies atop a granite stand. I wait to see if Bianca recognizes the highly important historical artifact, but she doesn’t. Most likely overwhelmed by everything she is looking at, I don’t offer an explanation.
Movement off to the side of the cave has us freezing in place. Long, spiky hair atop a seven-foot-tall frame approaches us slowly. Joe is a fan of chains and piercings. I sigh when the glimpse of the piercings reflects the moonlight, and the banging of the chains bounces off the walls. I haven’t seen him in a while, which makes me hesitate. What if he doesn’t remember me? Worse, what if he does not care? Fighting an Orc is something I would never wish upon anyone. Joe is entrusted to protect this cave. He doesn’t just have his physical advantages, but he possesses the ability to use magic.
My name and title should be enough to help us stay on this island safely. I tell myself that repeatedly as the large figure turns and watches us from a distance. I break a sweat under his sight. Bianca’s hand closes on mine, reminding me I don’t have just myself to protect.
“Do we run?” She whispers. “I think we should run!”
The panic in her words grows as Joe takes another step in our direction. His pace is lazy, which can be a good thing or a very bad one.
“Where’s the cape you plan to take?”
“We don’t have to run. ”
“You think we can take him?” The arch of her brows is already calling me a liar.
“We aren’t stealing the cape.” I use her hold on my hand to pull her back to my side. She is about to jump into action but is at a loss. Attacking Joe is not the plan. We aren’t doing anything wrong.
She finally stops and watches Joe get closer. “It looks hungry,” she says, murmuring in fear.
Joe huffs at that. “I don’t eat meat.” His eyes narrow on Bianca. “You speak like a thief.” The statement carries like a question directed at me. “Should I worry she will steal?”
He knows who I am. My body relaxes at the realization, and I let out a sigh.
“She will control her urges,” I state, ignoring Bianca’s indictment. “I have come to retrieve something I left here on my first visit.” I gesture to the item in question a few feet away.
I was told at a young age what my future role would be. That summer was my first visit to this island. It was also the summer my childhood ended, at least in my eyes. Despite my mother’s best efforts, I never felt like a kid again. I knew, even then, the weight of the responsibilities I would grow to inherit. The heaviness of them is something I have never forgotten. I barely remember a time when I didn’t feel them.
“Your silly cape,” the Orc says.
I chuckle at the comment. This cape might look like a silly kids’ cape, but in truth, it’s so much more. I pick up the fabric and run my fingers through it. One birthday, I asked my mother for my own wing of the castle because I was done sharing my space. I wanted the opportunity to not be bothered by my brothers, the staff, or any of the people who came in and out. My mother’s answer to my request was this cape. The cape offered me the opportunity to disappear. When activated, it offers invisibility. After the announcement of my title, I no longer felt I could disappear, even for a few hours. Even as a child, I felt I had so much to learn that taking a break wasn’t acceptable.
Now that I am about to be crowned, it’s time to get the cape back. Now that I no longer have my mother, this gift feels even more precious. Perhaps my mother knew what she was doing when she gave me this cape. She knew how much I would need the peace and silence this cape could offer. Her gifts were always so thoughtful.
The orc moves closer to us. “Is that all?”
“Not exactly.” I step forward, feeling more confident. “I need to ask if anyone has tried coming to the island in the past few months.”
“Same as always. Boats come as far as the imps will allow on the southern border. They just look.”
“Just look,” I repeat.
“Just look.” He enunciates each word.
“Do you think they are trying to steal something from here?” Bianca looks around like the items will give her an answer.
“No one will dare!” the orc announces. “I would never allow it!”
“Of course not, Joe. I believe you.” I pat the Orc’s enormous arm. My hand looks so small in his muscle arm.
“His name really is Joe?” Bianca whispers.
I fight the urge to laugh at the question.
“What else would my name be?” Joe huffs, not finding it funny. His tone tells Bianca her question is beyond absurd. She doesn’t respond; instead, she raises her hands and steps back.
“Is that all?”
He can’t wait to get us out of his hair, but I have a bigger request.
“Do you have an extra room for guests, Joe?”