Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
FINLEY
Finley stared out at the peculiar scene before her and couldn’t get herself to move from the spot.
It was like watching a shark eat its prey.
Disgusting and strange and left a sick pit in your stomach, but still unable to look away.
First of all, no one ever welcomed a pirate ship with open arms unless they were delivering valuable goods.
Usually, people ran and hid in fear of The Mystic crew taking over their village.
Second of all, the people believed Amelia.
They actually believed her that she was there to help them and unite them after Princess Eira allegedly abandoned them.
That this baby, Xaneth Finley had learned, was the next heir to the Cresin throne.
“Are people truly this gullible?” Finley asked to no one in particular, though the only ones to hear her question were Rafe and Ai.
Ai’s eyes were wide and a small frown tugged down on her lips, as confused at the scene as Finley. Rafe was impossible to read as ever. Not a smile or a frown, only a blank stare out into the crowd as Amelia walked through and allowed people to fawn over the baby.
“People want hope in a time of confusion,” Rafe answered. “One of the best ways to bring them together is to put them against someone else and promise you’re the answer.”
Before recent months, Finley didn’t care for politics and stayed as far from them as possible. She still didn’t like them and only got herself involved because it would help her get the cure for the curse. This thought made her stomach twist in a strange knot she didn’t like.
“Well, they’re idiots and deserve what’s coming to them if they are so willing to believe her,” Finley announced, pulling herself together. She straightened her jacket then shook out her long blond hair. “Let’s get this ingredient and leave them to whatever it is they want.”
She moved to head toward the gangplank then realized she was the only one walking.
Ai stood on the deck and looked back and forth between Finley and what lay beyond on land. “I don’t like this. We can’t let her manipulate them.”
Finley grasped the hilt of the Shadow Slayer sword at her hip; its magic was warm beneath her palm.
Already she was beginning to feel the exhaustion take over and didn’t want to delay getting to their work before she fell asleep.
“We don’t get involved. We never have and I don’t plan on starting now. ”
Ai must have felt the magic of the Shadow Slayers too and touched the knife tucked into her jacket pocket. Neither of them ever had much use for a bow and arrow so they were locked away deep below the ship. “But we are involved. We brought her.”
“And the moment we’ve gotten our use out of Amelia we’ll abandon her as planned.”
The two of them still didn’t move to follow her though and Finley let out a heavy sigh. “Rafe, do you agree?”
Not that his opinion really mattered. But he was there with them, and they were stuck together in all this, whether they liked it or not. Which Finley still couldn’t decide if she did or didn’t. If only he would give a clear answer on occasion maybe she could make up her mind.
“I don’t think I have the privilege of having an opinion,” was his only answer.
“Must you always be so cryptic?” Finley snapped.
“Must you always be so cold?”
His words hit her like a blast. She was focused, determined, or strong willed.
But never had someone described her as “cold,” and Finley didn’t like it.
What did he know anyway? She was helping him, after all, with his damned connection to Stula.
At least when it wouldn’t detract from her own goals.
“You didn’t seem to think that in my office,” Finley said. “I’m still going down and getting that ingredient. If you wish to ponder ways to save the world here and waste time, be my guest.”
As anticipated, Ai’s soft footsteps followed Finley’s in her wake.
“I know you want to focus on your goal of getting the cure, and you know I’m here for you each step of the way.
The last ten years of our lives have been dedicated to it,” Ai said once she caught up at the edge of the village Hardly anyone was in sight.
People who normally would be wandering about were all distracted by Amelia and Xaneth’s appearance.
The buzz of their excitement hovered behind Ai leaving the two of them plenty of room and time to complete their task and talk.
“But it wouldn’t hurt for you to see beyond it from time to time and recognize that other people have lives too. ”
Finley shook her head unable to accept Ai’s words. “And I let people lead them as they please as long as they don’t get in my way.”
“And you don’t think we owe anything to humanity?”
Finley stopped and spun on her heel to face Ai. “We’ve stolen, killed, flirted, and fought our way through all the seas and kingdoms, and now you decide you care about humanity? What have they ever done for us? It’s better for everyone to mind their own business and stay out of these things.”
Ai stood with her back straight and chin up.
She was a small woman and reached the shoulders of most people but could still take up a room when she wanted to.
It was one of those moments where Ai wouldn’t stand to be shoved away into the shadows and corners to be quiet.
“You’re forgetting which deity I serve. Diar.
They do more than make people flirt and fall in love and into each other’s beds.
Diar represents care and charity and beauty.
Love of all forms, not just romantic. Sometimes I wonder if I’ve been neglecting those elements for too long. ”
Finley’s shoulders grew slack and eyes heavy with tiredness. This was the first time Ai had ever stated things so plainly about her struggles with balancing her deity and their way of life. She’d always thought Ai was happy.
“Do you not want to travel with The Mystic anymore?”
With me.
It was an unfair question, especially since it was easy to make Ai feel guilty and a tiny part of Finley felt bad for asking it.
A tiny part. She was too tired to have a filter right now and if she was worrying about Ai leaving her and The Mystic she wouldn’t have the energy to get the cure. Focus was needed right now.
Ai’s stance and gaze softened. “Finley, that’s not what I said, and you know it. I’m just saying maybe it’s all right if we reevaluate what we do and what we get involved with from time to time. Just promise you’ll think about it?”
Finley yawned. “Fine, I’ll think about it. Now let’s get going. We only need the herb from here which won’t be difficult to find. I’m sure the stream is blessed. Most of them are.”
It was a pity the herb wouldn’t be near lake water, saving them the need to go into the village at all.
In fact, all the ingredients felt a little too easy other than needing to go on shore for a couple of things.
The thought made Finley uneasy, and another wave of exhaustion washed over her.
She blinked a few times and shook out her arms. Do this one thing, then bed would be calling.
Side by side they traipsed through the nearly empty village to the other side where a small forest area stood and a stream flowed with blooms of purple and silver flowers lining its bank.
With each step Ai seemed to relax a little more and stopped periodically to enjoy the scenery or point out an animal.
She’d enjoyed their time in Eral Forest more than Finley had.
It was fine being there, but she missed the water too much.
It was good to see Ai happy though and a pang of guilt tugged at Finley’s stomach.
When was the last time they did something for Ai?
Ai knelt and picked a few flowers to make a petite bouquet. She had the most contented and peaceful smile.
“When this is all over, how about we visit the Dravian Islands for a bit?”
Ai’s head shot up and an even wider grin spread across her face. “Home? We can go home for a little while?”
Finley let out a long and dramatic sigh as though this was the most terrible thing she’d ever had to do. “For a little while if it’ll make you happy.”
Ai squealed and jumped into the air before giving Finley a hug. “I’m so glad. I think after everything we both need a bit of a break. But first things first.”
Eventually, in a crook of the stream, they discovered an expanse of bright green plants that covered the area almost like grass as though it had taken over in a battle.
Their leaves were coarse and veiny. It was a common enough herb used in teas and various treats.
It was excellent for getting a small burst of energy when necessary.
Finley felt silly for not thinking of it sooner.
She had used it often when she needed a little bit of energy and needed to refill her supply.
They knelt and got to work gathering the herbs, but when Finley went to pull one the roots seemed to pull back as though they were fighting against being ripped out of the ground.
She tugged and tugged but the plant wouldn’t budge.
Then screaming out of the water burst a small green demon and latched itself onto her with its tiny, webbed claws.
Finley yelled out and fell backwards onto the damp grass and tried to push the thing off her. “Gah! Grindylows!”
Ai was attacked next, but Finley was too busy trying to get her own monster to return to the stream where it belonged.
She should have known it wouldn’t be so easy to get the herbs and should have known some sort of creature lived in these waters.
Grindylows were possessive little things with webbed feet and nails that had sharp claws at the ends, short green tails, a halo of green thorns around their heads, and were infamous for dragging their prey into the depths of their waters.
Usually children because they were easy to grab hold of, but if someone was bothering their territory even a giant was fair game.