Ellie and Seth wandered the docks, watching sailors carry cratefuls of gleaming fish along the walkways, to be hauled up the hillside on a system of primitive winches that Ellie eyed critically, dreaming up plans for improvement. They came to the end of one jetty, where a huge man sat in a chair. He had a square, weather-beaten head and thick dark limbs, scarred and knotted like bark. He sank down behind a large sheet of paper, as if hoping to make himself invisible.
‘I’m looking for work,’ said Seth.
The man grumbled, then scratched at his eyepatch, studying Seth carefully.
‘Fine,’ he said. ‘Grab a mop. The deck will need cleaning when Viola gets back.’
‘I don’t want to mop,’ said Seth. ‘I want to fish.’
The man rolled his eye and retrieved a pipe from the pocket of his jerkin, which he began stuffing with tobacco. Ellie peered round Seth’s shoulder, annoyed that the man hadn’t even looked at her. ‘You’re from the outer islands?’ he said.
‘Ingarth Island,’ Seth said with confidence.
The man snorted. ‘Islanders always come here thinking jobs will fall on their heads. Just arrived, have you?’ He looked at Ellie for the first time. ‘Seem a little young for newlyweds.’
Seth let out a low laugh that Ellie found insulting.
‘We’re not newlyweds,’ she said, punching Seth’s arm. ‘My name’s Ellie L–’ She winced, thinking of the dark figure on the beach. ‘Ellie Stonewall. And this is Seth. We’re … brother and sister.’
‘Really?’ The man looked from Ellie to Seth in surprise. It was true that it would be hard to find two people who looked less alike – Seth was tall and strong, while Ellie was small and sickly-looking, her hair lank and thin, her body almost vanishing inside her oversized coat. The only sensible explanation would be that Seth was adopted, Ellie decided.
‘She was adopted,’ said Seth, and Ellie scowled at him. ‘Someone left her on our doorstep. My parents were horrified.’
The man chuckled. ‘I can see why,’ he said, and Ellie scowled at him too. ‘It’s mopping or nothing. Ah, here’s your chance.’
A small boat with two sails drifted in alongside the jetty, pulled on a rope by a sailor. Carved on its prow was a disgruntled pig. A crate was lowered from the deck by two more sailors, and the old man peered inside. His eye widened in horror.
‘It’s barely half full!’ he cried.
‘That’s because there are barely any fish, Dad,’ said the last sailor to climb down from the boat. She was about the same age as Ellie, with thick black hair and dark brown skin, and her long arms looked capable of beating even Anna in an arm-wrestle. A tiny grey kitten was perched on her shoulder. Ellie thought it was a stuffed toy pinned to her tunic, until it gave a plaintive miaow. ‘Not today, not yesterday, not for the last month. And it’s more than just the fish – Jessica said her mum’s farm’s struggling, and the price of barley’s so high Molworth thinks he’s gonna have no ale left by autumn.’
‘It’ll all be fine after the Festival of Life,’ said the man, wringing his hands. ‘The Queen will provide. Praise Her.’
‘She’ll provide for Herself,’ the girl snorted. ‘She’s probably stealing all the food for Her and Her rich friends.’
The kitten miaowed loudly, as if in agreement.
‘Stop that blasphemous nonsense right now,’ the man snapped. ‘You’ll get yourself arrested again.’
The girl rolled her eyes. ‘Who’s this?’ she asked, nodding at Seth. She didn’t seem to notice Ellie at all.
‘No idea,’ said the man. ‘I’m trying to convince him to scrub the deck. He’s from the outer islands so I doubt he expects much pay. Also –’ he leaned towards his daughter and whispered – ‘I don’t think he’s too bright.’
‘Let me go out in this boat,’ Seth said firmly. ‘I’ll find where all the fish are. I … I have a special technique,’ he added, when the girl continued to look unimpressed. ‘I’m the best fisherman on my island. I’ll … bet you tonight’s dinner?’
Ellie grabbed him by the wrist.
‘Seth,’ she hissed in his ear. ‘If they see you use your powers, they might get suspicious.’
‘I won’t use them,’ Seth whispered. ‘The fish will come to me. They followed me before – and that whale did too. I didn’t even have to use my powers.’
The old man had already lost interest, and was muttering to himself over the half-empty crate. The girl was eyeing Seth curiously.
‘What sort of dinner?’ she said.
‘Viola, stop talking to that sea-sponge,’ said her father. ‘Take the boat out again and fill the rest of this crate!’
The girl yawned, stretching out her arm so her kitten could crawl along it. ‘All right. But I’m taking the sea-sponge with me.’
‘What?’
‘Either he’s telling the truth, in which case we get a better catch, or he’s crazy and I’ll get a free dinner out of it. My name’s Viola, by the way,’ she added to Seth, with a slow, easy smile. ‘This is my dad, Janssen.’
Seth shook Viola’s hand. ‘Seth,’ he said.
‘My name’s Ellie,’ said Ellie, though nobody seemed to hear her.
Viola swaggered off towards the boat, beckoning for Seth to follow. Seth looked back at Ellie. ‘You coming?’
‘Oh,’ said Ellie. ‘I …’ She looked at Viola and the other sailors, and again pictured being tangled in a net, unable to stop them from questioning her. Finding out who she really was. ‘I think I should stay here.’
Seth frowned. ‘Why?’
‘I … It’s very hot. I’ll get burned in seconds. Here, I have something you could use.’
She rummaged around in her pockets and, after pulling out a handful of pencils and a vial of sheep’s blood, she found two hole-spotted gloves.
‘Thanks,’ said Seth. ‘But they don’t go with my outfit.’
‘They’re to cover the blue marks on your skin, sea-sponge,’ she whispered. ‘Just in case you get in trouble and do have to use your powers. Actually …’ She looked at Seth’s bare arms. ‘Maybe you should take this too.’
Nervously, she clutched the lapels of her coat.
‘Ellie, really, you don’t have to do that,’ Seth said, looking slightly alarmed.
‘Better than you getting put on a bonfire again,’ she said, and with a deep breath she removed her coat and handed it to Seth. She wrapped her arms round herself, immediately conscious of the breeze on her neck, and of eyes, eyes everywhere.
Seth pulled it on. Despite being much too large on Ellie, the coat was nearly too small for him, though it covered his arms well enough.
‘Come on, mate, tide’s turning,’ Viola called. Seth strode off towards the boat, and Ellie felt a sudden emptiness, like she herself was somehow lacking, without all the parts necessary for a human being.
Maybe it was because she’d given him her coat.
The Abomination
Ellie watched Viola’s boat sail away, absently tapping her cane against the edge of the jetty.
‘Are you in pain, girl?’ came Janssen’s gruff voice. ‘What happened to your leg?’
The boat had fast become a speck on the horizon.
‘I tripped,’ said Ellie. She turned to look at the Ark perched proudly upon the tip of the island, an eagle in its roost. Green tufts burst from its curved grey belly, like stuffing from a child’s toy. At first, Ellie thought it was moss, then realized they were gardens, growing on massive balconies. ‘Is that where the Queen lives?’
‘Of course,’ said Janssen. ‘Are you simple, girl?’
‘I’m an outer islander, remember? Have you ever seen Her?’
Janssen snorted. ‘I’ve seen Her, but not up close – why would they let me anywhere near Her? I’m not worthy to breathe the same air. Assuming She even needs air.’
He snatched up his paper, clearly considering the conversation at an end. Ellie scanned the headline:
LOREN SAVES SAILOR FROM DROWNING – MAN DELIGHTE
D TO MEET HIS HERO
Ellie gazed back at the Ark thoughtfully. What special inventions did they use to make the gardens grow? What other miraculous devices were hidden inside? She pictured the Queen: a tall, luminous being, gifting food and medicine to her people. She saw herself by the Queen’s side, not half starved and hobbling on a cane, but wearing a gleaming new coat lined with hundreds of pockets …
A snore from Janssen snapped Ellie out of her daydream. She glanced down at her watery reflection, remembering the dark shadow she’d seen beneath the waves, and that figure on the beach. Feeling suddenly exposed, she hurried back along the jetty towards dry land, passing houses with chipped orange shutters swaying lazily in the breeze. Elderly men and women sat on benches, gossiping and sipping tea. Further on, she found three children playing in a doorway. One girl – the tallest of the group – pointed to the boy.
‘You’ve been found guilty of treason by me, the Queen. Your punishment is that you get your head cut off. Gemma, pass me the head.’
A shorter girl handed over a misshapen cloth sack with a face stitched on it. Grinning, the accused boy pulled his shirt up to cover his face, and the taller girl balanced the sack on his head. She raised a large, heavy stick, then smacked the head back off again. The boy giggled.
‘But this isn’t right,’ said the short girl. ‘The Queen is kind.’
‘Not always,’ said the tall girl. ‘She once had someone’s head cut off for stealing a goat.’
The short girl shook her head. ‘Not the Queen. Never.’
Ellie cleared her throat. ‘Um, sorry, can I ask something?’
The children turned as one, saw Ellie, and took a step backwards.
‘Are you a ghost?’ said the tall girl.
‘Are you very unwell?’ said the short one.
‘No.’ Ellie bristled. ‘I just wondered … what does the Queen look like?’
‘She’s the most beautiful Queen or King that ever lived,’ said the short girl, ‘and the gentlest. She’d never cut anyone’s head off.’
‘She would too!’ the tall girl cried. ‘Thieves and murderers, and anyone who comes from the Island of the –’ She frowned, her lips struggling to frame the next word. ‘The Abom– Abom–’
‘The Abobdiman?’ the short girl tried. ‘The Abdomen?’
‘The Abomination,’ said the boy, his voice still muffled by his shirt.
‘Exactly,’ said the tall girl. ‘The Abom– the Abom– Well, you know.’ She leaned in close to Ellie, and whispered. ‘The Enemy.’
Ellie staggered, clutching a hand to her stomach.
‘Are you okay?’ said the short girl, putting an arm round Ellie’s waist.
‘I’m fine,’ Ellie lied. A shard of ice had pierced her chest. For a few moments she couldn’t breathe.
‘Don’t be afraid, miss,’ the tall girl told her. ‘People do keep trying to come here from the Enemy’s City. Because they have such a bad life there and because their god is evil. But the Queen executes them all. And the Abdominal One itself can never come here.’ She straightened proudly. ‘The Queen keeps us safe.’
‘Wait,’ said Ellie. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Ohh, you must be an outer islander.’ The girl gave her a condescending smile. ‘The Enemy is afraid of the Queen, miss. You see, the god inside Her is the God of life and creation. It doesn’t even have a proper name, because it’s so important. The Enemy is the god of death and destruction – of course it fears Her.’
The girl’s words settled in Ellie’s mind, her fear swept away by an urgent excitement. The god inside her …
The Queen wasn’t a god. She was a Vessel.
Ellie gripped her cane and pushed off against the paving stones, racing back towards the docks.
‘Sir!’ she cried, skidding to a halt at the end of the jetty. ‘Um, Janssen!’
The huge man woke with a yelp. ‘Mother!’ he cried. He noticed Ellie. ‘Who are you?’
‘How do you know that the Queen is a Vessel?’
Janssen looked at Ellie like she was a loaf of mouldy bread. ‘You outer islanders are such heathens. I know because it’s true. I know because there are fish in the sea and wheat in the fields. I know because, when I was a boy, I saw the miracle of Her power at the Festival of Life.’
‘The Festival of Life?’
‘Queen’s mercy, are you thick, child? Once in a generation, the Queen appears to the people, to heal the sick and make the fields and gardens bloom. My own mother, bless her soul, she had a wasting sickness, and the Queen took her hand in Hers –’ Janssen halted, tears leaking out from under his eyepatch. ‘Mum lived ten more years. Ten! Thanks to the Queen, she lived to see me become a man. Praise Her! And do you know, whenever She uses Her power like that, it drains a little part of Her forever? She gave a bit of Herself, just for my old mum. And She’s going to do it again for all of us, six weeks from now at the Festival of Life. Then there’ll be fish in the sea again, and crops in the fields.’
He collapsed into his chair. ‘Praise Her,’ he whispered, then squawked in fright as a crate slammed on to the jetty. Ellie jumped too. She hadn’t even noticed the boat return.
Viola and Seth hopped from the deck, beaming like two burglars who’d pulled off a spectacular crime. Viola’s kitten mewled triumphantly.
‘Dad, have you been crying?’ said Viola. ‘Was it about those puppies again?’
Janssen leaned over the open crate. ‘QUEEN’S MERCY!’
Ellie stood on tiptoe to see inside. It was full to the brim with glistening white-bellied fish.
‘Miraculous!’ Janssen cried.
‘Dad,’ said Viola, gripping his shoulder. ‘Look at the boat.’
Janssen turned. He grunted, then let out a shrill, hysterical laugh. Ellie caught Seth’s eye, and he hid a grin behind his hand.
The entire deck was overflowing with fish.
Leila’s Diary
4,754 days aboard the Revival
The Crone has a garden deep inside the Ark. Nobody can tell me how anything grows in there without sunlight, but I guess there’s more important stuff to worry about. They say the Ark-Captain’s losing control, and there’ll be fighting soon. Worse, there are whispers that the Enemy is on the Ark with us.
‘Where’s the boy? I will strangle him,’ I told the Crone.
The room was hot and humid, and smelled like sweat and soil. The Crone was leaning over to inspect some plant, rubbing a person-sized leaf between her fingers.
‘He didn’t kill your whale,’ she said. ‘In fact, you might say he is your whale.’
‘Where is he?’
The Crone sighed, lifting her oil lamp and leading me between rows of bean shoots and berry bushes. ‘Please refrain from violence – we will need him if we’re going to survive this voyage.’
The boy lay sprawled on the floor. He had a sharply drawn face, brown skin and messy black hair. He looked like he’d be useful in a fight, if only he’d wake up.
‘What you keeping him for?’ I asked.
‘You won’t believe me, but this boy is a god.’
‘Impossible. The gods are gone.’
‘I said you wouldn’t believe me.’
‘He’s not my whale, either. Blue Eyes was useful. He brought us fish and seals.’
‘Girl, this boy will bring us all the fish and seals we could ever need. He is the sea.’
‘He’s the sea, he’s my whale, he’s a god. Decide, Crone.’
‘You are a mean-spirited child.’
‘My whale is dead,’ I scowled. ‘We were bonded. We brought food to the Ark. What am I without him?’
‘Perhaps you could help me with my garden instead.’
‘I’m a hunter. I won’t water plants. Why is this boy my whale?’
The Crone smiled and bent over him. ‘Look.’
With a soil-encrusted thumb, she lifted one of his eyelids, revealing an eye the colour of a dark sea. I took a step back.
‘Blue Eyes,’ I whispered.
‘What is the meaning of this?’
‘Your whale was a Vessel, child. A mortal soul twinned with an immortal spirit.’
‘Nonsense. Foolishness. What do you mean?’
‘I know the signs, child. I know them better than any.’
‘How?’
The Crone touched the boy’s cheek tenderly.
‘Because I’m a Vessel too.’
The Vile Oak
Seth’s grin faltered.
His eyes went out of focus. Ellie rushed to stop him falling and he crumpled against her like a sack of potatoes.
‘Seth? Are you okay?’ Ellie struggled to keep him upright.
‘Has he drunk enough water?’ said Janssen, fussing over Seth like he was a prize-fighting walrus. ‘HANDYL!’ he roared along the jetty. ‘WATER!’
‘I’m fine.’ Seth strained to open his eyes. ‘Just tired.’
Janssen nodded vigorously, slapping a jangling purse into Viola’s hand. ‘Get him a room at the Oak.’
Viola waved for Seth and Ellie to follow. ‘It’s okay,’ Seth said, as Ellie helped him along the jetty. ‘I can manage.’
‘What happened?’ she asked, then lowered her voice. ‘Did you have to use your powers?’
‘No … but I saw something.’ He grimaced. ‘I think I was a whale again. And there was a girl …’
‘Did you fall asleep for a minute?’
‘No, I did not fall asleep,’ Seth snapped.
‘Oi!’ Viola shouted from up the street. ‘You coming, or you gonna faint again?’
‘I did not faint!’ Seth said.
‘You outer islanders are all soft,’ said Viola. ‘And there I was thinking I could recruit you for the Revolution.’
Seth and Ellie shared a glance. ‘Um, what’s that?’ said Ellie.
‘When the people rise up and take back control of the island from Her Royal Uselessness,’ said Viola, pointing an accusing finger at the Ark.
‘Who have you recruited so far?’ said Seth, as they clattered up some wooden steps.
‘Just me and Archibald,’ she said, stroking her kitten’s ear. ‘People get pretty angry when I bring it up. But if you ask me we shouldn’t have a god in government. Gods don’t care about us little people.’
Shipwreck Island Page 3
