by Ashley Nixon
Barren cringed as he spoke—he still didn’t believe his father capable of such a motive.
“You sound unconvinced,” observed Cove.
“If you were informed that your father’s decision led to your mother’s death, you’d probably be skeptical, too.”
“Wait,” Leaf interrupted. “Tetherion had information about your mother?”
“Apparently he’s had it for quite some time.” Barren ran his hand over his face. “He said my mother was a Lyric. She tried to destroy the bloodstone, and died.”
“Well, things make a little more sense now,” said Leaf.
“How so?”
“There are few things I know about the Lyrics—one was that they were supposed to remain pure, and their relationships with mortals would have surely been forbidden. Your mother would not have been allowed the privilege of a family, so you would not have known her.”
That didn’t make Barren feel any better. “Was that a rule of your father’s?”
Leaf stiffened. “The Lyrics knew the rules that bound their magic, and they betrayed those rules.”
“What more do you know of the Lyrics?”
Leaf shook his head. “Not much. I know they were exiled, and in Aurum, it is forbidden to speak of them. Their memory is more of a…disgrace.”
Barren set his teeth. He might not remember his mother, but hearing those words used to describe her made him angry. She was a disgrace because she’d met his father. She was a disgrace because her children were half-Elf. Maybe the hardest part of all of this was trying to accept the selfishness of his father, and the selflessness of his mother.
“Whatever happened in the past does not matter now,” said Barren, his voice steady. “We’re dealing with the present, and we must keep William from finding the bloodstone.” Barren’s eyes turned to Alex. “I was informed you would take us to Conn?”
Alex nodded, taking a drink of his coffee and wiping his mouth. “Tomorrow,” he said as he cleared his throat. “We must be on the move quickly. We don’t know ‘ow much information William ‘as. He could be leagues ahead of us, even now.”
“Would it not be easier to go straight to Lord Alder? I am sure he remembers the Lyrics and their choices well. Perhaps he knows where the stone is hidden.”
“The only thing Lord Alder despises more than a mortal is a half-Elf,” said Leaf. “That would be a bad idea.”
“Not if you were asking for it,” Barren countered.
“We will stick with searching for members of Jess’s crew,” said Alex. “If we can get to them first, then we may save their lives. It isn’t likely any of your father’s crew will willingly help William.”
“You will need help,” said Cove.
Barren’s eyes shifted to the Ambassador. “I cannot ask it of you,” said the pirate. “We don’t know what we’re getting into. I could not allow you to face the same uncertainty, not when you have an obligation to your position as Ambassador.”
“I am not giving you a choice,” said Cove. His eyes were serious but his smile warm.
“We’ll need yer ‘elp, Albatross. Thank ya,” said Alex. He gave Barren a hard look. “I suggest we all prepare today, ya won’t have time tonight—folks wanna have a dance. We’ll leave at daybreak tomorrow.”
Barren was the first to excuse himself from the table, feeling full and suddenly sick at the smell of food. He walked out onto the McCloud’s porch in the late morning. It was a pleasant day—the sun was out, and a light breeze stirred the air. In the distance he could hear the pounding of a hammer upon an anvil, children laughing, playing…things he had not heard in a very long time. It was normal, and unfortunately made him feel very uncomfortable. He felt guilty almost—here he could have a home. Mary and Alex had been his mother and father after Jess died, but land—even land that served as a pirate haven—just didn’t feel right.
Barren could feel eyes on him, even as he leaned against the porch rail. People stared at him from the windows of their shops, shot glances from the street as they passed. Everyone knew who he was—the infamous Barren Reed, greatest enemy of William Reed. Barren had heard some wild stories about himself—things he had never done, like destroy the dreaded Kraken of Nymph Isle and fight giant Octopuses’ in the Octent. It was as if he had been sculpted into this legendary hero, but he felt like a fraud. He had done nothing but wait for his opportunity to kill, never once seeking to do anything great. He was far from a hero, far from a legend. Now, as he stood in the middle of Silver Crest, he was ashamed.
The screen door opened and closed behind him. He didn’t turn to see who it was—he had a feeling he already knew.
“You seem a little troubled.”
Larkin appeared beside Barren, mimicking the way he stood, leaning against the rail. He watched her, but she didn’t look at him. She seemed so relaxed here—a strange contrast to how she’d been last night in the Pub.
“Will you walk with me?” He decided not to acknowledge how he was feeling, and didn’t look at her, either. Maybe he was afraid she’d say no, but it wasn’t as if Barren planned on letting her get out of it. He needed her to learn an important skill if she was to stay with them at sea.
“Sure.”
Larkin followed Barren from the porch and down the road. Now that it was daylight, Silver Crest was bathed in its true color. It was a little worn, a little old, but not terrifying. When most people thought about Silver Crest, they often thought of it as a barbaric place with no rules or order, but it was exactly the opposite. People raised families here, and called it home. It was the one place all pirates of the Orient could come and not be judged as heathens.
They walked among men and women moving about in their daily routines, carrying water, working on small, overgrown gardens, and cleaning. Some were mending sails, others fashioning the hull of ships with bent pieces of wood. Some sat beneath thatched roofs in rocking chairs, others sharpened swords, but no matter their tasks, they still nodded and waved as the two passed.
“I thought pirates had to answer the call of the Orient,” said Larkin, looking about. “If that’s so, why does this place exist?”
Barren laughed. “Think of it as a meeting place. Alex told me that his men happened upon the island. They took it as a sign the Orient wanted them to use it, and so they did. When nobles in Maris and surrounding islands started to see pirates as a nuisance, this became the only place they could go.”
“You speak as if pirates have never been a nuisance.”
“Pirates love the sea, Larkin, and they believe freedom is a right we’re born with. That is only a nuisance to a government who wishes to control its people.”
“You know, not all law and order is terrible.”
“No,” he agreed. “But it should never be up to a few to decide the fate of many.”
She had nothing to say to that.
They walked slowly and in silence for a long time after that, neither sure of what to say to the other. The ports came into view—masts, chains and ropes hindered the horizon. In the night, the scene had been quite breathtaking, but in the daylight, the ships crowding the shore looked frightening, as if the whole of Silver Crest was being overrun. Barren took Larkin farther down shore, to a narrow strip of sand where there were no ships, only the rush of the sea coming toward them. A peace settled between them. It was strange how easily the sea could bring such comfort.
Without looking at each other, they both began to speak. “I’m sorry—”
There was a pause and they gazed at each other.
Barren chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll go first,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I am sorry for what has happened to you and what will happen beyond this point. I had no inkling of my brother’s intentions, and no idea he would use your disappearance to his advantage.”
“Well, it definitely did not produce the results you wanted, though I can say I am grateful for that,” she smiled a little, pausing as the sounds of the sea filled the air. “And I
owe you an apology. All my life I have only been told one side of your story, and to have yours…well, it doesn’t make accepting the murders any easier, but it helps.”
He smiled ruefully, shaking his head. “You don’t have to apologize for your morals. What I have done is not good, and despite Cove’s attempted excuse, I have killed for only one purpose—to avenge my father’s death.”
In his voice, there was a tremor of regret, but his face remained emotionless and blank.
“Why are you so focused on that task?” she asked. “For five years it has been your one goal...and now you are wavering from it.”
Barren stared down at his hands, running his fingers along the calluses marring them. “I feel as though I am betraying him. I feel like my revenge should have been fast and sweet. Instead, it is burdensome and bitter.”
“Then why do you continue like this?”
He looked at her, his eyes burning with longing; he wished she understood. “I am waiting to feel...right again. You have never lost anyone dear to you, Larkin. You don’t know what it’s like...and I watched him die. I still have nightmares about that day. If ever I succeed in my wish to kill William, you still would not know my pain.”
She pulled at her curled strands guiltily. Barren’s eyes flickered to the chain around her neck—her engagement ring.
“You’ve seemed convinced of my detachment since you met me,” she said.
Barren nodded. “It’s because you weren’t wearing your ring. If you loved him, wouldn’t you wear it?”
“I don’t understand why it bothers you.”
“Because you don’t even have affection for him,” said Barren with a shrug. “And you are going to marry him. Why? So you can betray your marriage and love another?”
Larkin frowned. “My father said he didn’t care who I loved, he cared who I married. I never really considered the situation—I just assumed I would love one day—married to William or not.”
Barren kept his eyes on the sand, hearing her speak. If there was one thing he disagreed with, it was not honoring the institution of marriage. When he looked up, he saw Larkin smirking at him.
“What?” Barren asked, his brows came together.
“Nothing...” she said. Barren gave her a guarded look, and was about to say something when Leaf appeared.
“I hear Larkin will be with us for a little longer,” said the Elf. “I think it would be a good time for you to learn how to swim...you know, just in case the Orient decides to test your skills again.”
“No,” Larkin said immediately, and her eyes blazed.
Barren chuckled. “We’re not going to throw you into the middle of the ocean and let you drown. You can take baby steps—shallow water first?”
She shook her head and crossed her arms defiantly.
“Oh, I see,” said Barren and he moved his body to face her, drawing his sword. “Then we’ll fight for it—I if I win, you have to learn. If I don’t...then you can drown the next time you manage to get thrown into the Orient.”
“I don’t have a weapon,” she said.
“Then I win,” said Barren, he sheathed his sword. “You should always be prepared if you are going to be around us. We are everyone’s targets.”
Barren headed for the ocean. Larkin narrowed her eyes. “But I have nothing to swim in.”
Barren turned, but didn’t look at Larkin. He was looking at Leaf. The Elf shrugged. “Just jump in. It’s only water. It will dry.”
Teaching Larkin how to swim was very hard for Barren. It was as if she expected the Orient to rise up and consume her, despite how calm the water was. Getting her to wade into the water was a task in itself. When she finally joined him, he taught her how to float, as that would probably be her best option if she ever ventured too far from the ship. That was the easy part....getting her into the deeper, colder parts of the ocean where she couldn’t touch the sea bottom was the difficult part.
“You’re never going to learn if you don’t get out here,” complained Barren. He smacked his forehead in annoyance.
“I don’t like this.”
“I saved you once, I can save you again. Trust me,” he said.
“At this rate, he’ll push your head under and drown you himself. Barren isn’t patient,” said the Elf. He was sitting on the deck, his feet dangling in the water, amused.
“That’s exactly why I don’t want to go out there,” said Larkin. She crossed her arms over her chest.
Barren glared at the Elf. “You’re not helping.” He turned his attention to the girl again, “Please…” She shook her head. Barren sighed and dove under water, appeared behind her, and pushed her into the deep.
“No!” she turned on him, grabbed his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Barren Reed, I will kill you!”
“You’ll never learn to swim like this.” His hands were planted firmly on her shoulders.
“Take me back!” she demanded.
Barren rolled his eyes and began moving back. Larkin released her grip on Barren, but just as she did, he pushed her further into the water. She reached out for him, but missed. Her head went under and she forced herself above the surface, spewing water and flailing her arms. Barren blocked the splashes attacking his face.
“Bastard!”
Barren laughed. “Kick your feet and move your arms!”
She wasn’t listening. “Help me!”
“Not until you listen. What did I say to do?” He heard the Elf chuckle at his teacher-like tone.
Barren moved back even more to show he wasn’t going to help her. With more determination than he’d ever seen on her face, Larkin dove into the water, and began splashing like a maniac, but she moved her arms and kicked her feet like Barren had told her. It took her a while, but she was finally within Barren’s reach. He caught her arm and forced her to stop.
“You’re okay,” he said, but he couldn’t help but laugh. “You can touch the floor now.”
Larkin stopped finally and stood. The water was above her waist when she ceased kicking. Without much warning, Larkin splashed him with water. “You! I will never forgive you for this!”
Barren hurried away from her as she pushed more water toward him. “You swam!” he called. “My lessons were a success!”
“Bastard!”
Leaf was laughing in the background. “You’ll never win with her, Barren. If you had failed, you would have gotten a better reaction.”
Barren charged at Larkin as she continued to pelt him with water, he grabbed her wrists and as he pushed his body into hers, she glared at him fiercely.
“You swam, so stop calling me names,” he said. He let go of her and walked out of the water. Larkin followed, behind, ringing out the fabric of her dress, and her hair.
“It’s a good thing I was here to witness this fiasco,” said Leaf, raising a brow. “Or others might find you both a little suspicious.”
“Maybe you should take a swim,” suggested Larkin. “Then it won’t be so suspicious.”
The Elf’s gaze was suddenly dull. “I am in the water enough for both of you...I think I’ll stay dry this time.”
As the three made their way back to the McCloud house, they noticed poles had been driven into the ground and a black line ran the length of them, following the edges of the road. The blacksmith was down the road, driving the last of the poles into the dirt. A woman with a black scarf tied around her head was walking the length, hanging lanterns from the line with hooks. She smiled at the trio.
“Must get ready for the dance tonight,” she said. “It’s gonna be a fun one.”
Leaf continued inside. Barren paused at the door, holding it open for Larkin. Perhaps he felt like they were getting along better, or maybe as an apology for his do-it-or-die swimming lessons, but something made him say, “You owe me a dance…you refused last time, remember?”
“Yes, I remember. I chose to fight you,” she said, as water dripped from her body onto the porch. “Which was more fun, I migh
t add.”
“You wouldn’t find favor here if you fought me,” said Barren.
“Then I’ll dance with you…but only because I still owe you for saving my life.”
She smiled and moved past him, hurrying upstairs to change before Mary saw her soaked gown.
Barren sat behind Alex’s desk, a map of the Orient spread before him. It was a treasured possession of the old pirate’s—the ocean was colored in various shades of blue, the islands bore colors of green and gold, and the mountains were a range of browns and purples. Alex stood at the window, a pipe poised in his hand, and every now and then he would place it to his mouth, suck in a breath, and smoke would fill the air. He was watching the commotion below as the pirates prepared for the dance.
The lanterns the blacksmith and his wife had put up earlier were all lit, casting a silver glow on the ground. Tables and chairs were pulled from the Bloodshed and set up around the ring of lights. People were already gathering outside—women, men, and children alike were all dressed in their cleanest and best clothing.
“Have you been to Conn recently?” asked Barren.
“No,” the old man shook his head and leaned heavily on his cane, moving to the front of his desk. “But what’re ya so worried about? I know who I am lookin’ for.”
“I’m not worried about you,” said Barren. “I’m just wondering what precautions I need to take. Are the people of Conn going to hate me just like those of Maris do?”
“Yer father considered settlin’ there after yer mother died,” said Alex with a shrug. “But considerin’ yer crimes against Maris and yer recent decision to kidnap Larkin, it’s better ta assume they’ll be lookin’ for you. Small islands like Conn need the bounty on yer head.”
Barren pursed his lips. He felt strange sitting in this chair, so far from the future he imagined when he kidnapped Larkin.
“I know it’ll be ‘ard fur ya, but we have ta do this. It’s either this or William gets the crown.”
“I know,” Barren said quietly. “I’m more afraid of what I’m going to find out along the way. I thought I knew my father.”
