I walked with Kull through the swaying hallways. He kept the half-empty Dr. Pepper tucked protectively under his arm as we made our way above deck.
“You know,” I said, trying to act casual, “in Earth Kingdom, I could’ve bought hundreds of those for what you paid.”
He shrugged, not seeming impressed. “Yet I would pay twice what I did for its healing properties.”
“Healing properties?”
“Yes. Haven’t you noticed that my seasickness is not nearly as bad as everyone else’s?”
“A lucky coincidence.”
“Is it?”
“You’ve got unnaturally good luck. I don’t know if you realize it or not.”
“I’ve also got unnaturally good looks. I don’t know if you realize that or not.”
Good grief. “Humble, aren’t we?”
He smiled. “Yes. And I am also honest. It’s the perfect combination of characteristics in a partner, don’t you think?”
“You are not humble. I was being sarcastic.”
Heidel entered the hall. Her hair was damp and stuck to her forehead, and she carried a wicked-looking mace with hooked barbs.
“Brother,” she said. “Come above deck. Quickly. We need your sword.”
“Why?”
“You’ll see. Olive, you should come as well.”
She led us down the hallway to the stairwell. I ascended the stairs behind Kull and his sister, holding tight to the handrails as the ship lurched. Seawater sloshed through the opening, causing me to gasp as the icy water touched my skin.
As we climbed onto the deck, I took in my surroundings, awed by a giant wave of turquoise water as it towered over us and then crashed with violence, only to be replaced by more waves.
The sky had cleared, making the sunlight reflect off the slick ship’s masts. A swift breeze whipped the sails, making them billow and flap with quick, jerky motions, and the air tasted of salt; I tasted its brine on my tongue. The ocean’s roar accompanied the crew’s shouts as they scrambled around the deck, some of them tying down lines, others holding to ropes leading up to the masts that seemed to spiral overhead.
I braced as another towering wave hit the ship. Cold water crashed over the deck, making the crew clamber to find anything to hold on to. I caught Kull’s hand, and we held tight until the wave passed.
As the ship righted itself, something caught my eye. A giant red-and-orange-banded serpent dove through the waves just off the ship’s bow. The creature’s scales glinted in the sun, and the ropy loops maneuvered through the sea with a graceful ease.
“It’s some sort of sea beast!” Heidel yelled over the roar. “It’s not attacked us yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t. Be ready.”
I held my breath as another wave hit the boat. Sea spray stung my eyes.
The captain appeared from the wheelhouse. Pointing up at the sails, he yelled something at his men, though I couldn’t make out his words. After flailing his arms, he turned to us.
“Red-banded water dragon,” he said with a smile as he approached us. “Handsome creature, isn’t it? This beauty here is a good sign. We’re nearing land.”
“Is it dangerous?” Heidel asked.
“Not at all. I’ve heard tales of the black serpents—they’ll rip a ship apart in a matter of minutes—but these red serpents here are quite tame. ”
“Are you sure?” Heidel’s fist tightened around the cudgel.
“I’m certain. She’ll do us no harm as long as we don’t attack her. Relax, darling. You’re liable to hurt someone with a weapon like that.”
The captain ambled away.
“He’s in an unusually good mood,” Kull said.
“Did he call me darling?” Heidel said through clenched teeth.
“You don’t like the nickname?” Kull asked.
“How dare he! I am not a fragile female to be doted upon. I am a warrior! I should ram this cudgel through his skull.”
“You might want to rethink your decision,” Kull said. “Most crews don’t take their captain’s murder lightly. Unless they’d wish to mutiny—then, their captain’s death might be rather convenient.”
“Hold your tongue, Brother. I am not in a jesting mood.”
The serpent made a spectacular dive, splashing through the ocean and leaving rainbow droplets of water in its wake. Above us, a crewman perched on the crow’s nest pointed north.
“Land ho!” he shouted.
My heart leapt. I was so ready to get off this boat I didn’t care where we dropped anchor. We could have made landfall on Azkaban Island for all I cared.
A wave crashed over the ship. I grabbed onto a handrail and held tight as the cold water stole my breath and soaked my already-damp clothes. The bright turquoise wave sloshed over the deck until it rolled away and was sucked back into the ocean. As the water leveled out, I spotted the large island.
Lush green cliffs rose high over the ocean, and beyond the mountains soared a volcano that stood twice the height of the peaks. Ash erupted from its vent, making the sky above it look a hazy shade of grayish-orange. The wind brought us its sulfurous scent.
Keeping my bag under my arm, I felt the smooth glass through the canvas, and Uli’s words played through my head.
Over the sea of a thousand faces, let the silver light show the way. The bloom will only flourish under the stars of the mirror-white sand. Only there will it be safe. Only then can our world be saved.
We still had a long journey ahead of us. To get to Verutith, we’d have to man the longboats around this large island and through the treacherous ocean. Judging by the size of those waves, I felt certain we’d never make it alive.
Was it possible to find another way?
The ship continued toward shore. The sound of crashing waves filled the air, accompanied by the crewmen’s shouts. After an hour of navigating the rocky cliffs, we dropped anchor in a horseshoe-shaped cove.
The captain ordered his men to prepare to make landfall, so they threw tarps off the long boats that had been stored alongside the deck railings. When we were ordered to grab our necessary items and file inside one by one, King Herrick shoved through the crowd with Kull and Heidel following him. The three Wults wore their swords and breastplates, and they certainly looked intimidating with the sunlight glinting off the polished metal.
“Once we reach the island, we will not have much time to waste,” King Herrick said to Kull and Heidel. “We must prepare to take the longboats to the smaller island. Gather our men. We shall leave immediately.”
Captain Tobin pushed forward and faced the captain. “I am afraid that will not be possible. Unfortunately, the very boats you purchased were destroyed in the fire.”
King Herrick narrowed his eyes. “Is that so?”
“Yes, it is quite unfortunate. As it is, we’ve only eight boats left, and we will need all of them for our own passage through the island’s waterways. It will be impossible for you to travel anywhere but this island. However,” he said, standing tall, “you should thank me for keeping you alive in these treacherous waters. I have sailed the Rheic Sea many times, and never have I seen such abhorrent weather.”
The king balled his fists. “Thank you?”
I faced the captain as I realized what he’d done. His fairy skull necklace shone with an ashen gray luster in the sunlight.
“Captain Tobin,” I said, “did you burn those boats?”
“What? Of course I didn’t! Why would you say such a thing?”
“Yes,” said King Herrick, “you feign innocence, but we see through your lies. You burned your own boats to prevent us from traveling the isles. Why?”
“That is a preposterous statement. I would never burn my own boats!”
Kull spoke up. “Yet you were determined to keep us away from the smaller islands. It seems logical to think that by burning the boats, you have prevented us from doing so.”
Firro wandered through the crowd, keeping his eyes on the captain. His burn scars looked odd in
the sunlight, although I couldn’t decide why.
“Why have you brought us here?” the king demanded. “Why are you so determined to keep us away from the smaller islands?”
“Enough!” the captain said. “You claim that I have burned my own boats, yet you have no proof of this. Either you follow me to the larger island, or you stay on the ship, but I will not waste another moment arguing with you.”
He tromped toward the longboats with Firro in tow, and I finally determined why the crewman’s scars looked odd.
“Captain, wait!” I called.
He turned, facing me. Firro also turned toward me, and I focused on his scars. The top layer of his skin had sloughed off, leaving ridges and bumps behind, shiny and pink in the sunlight, which was why I probably hadn’t noticed the altered state of his scar tissue before. I realized what I’d been overlooking.
“Your crewman has fresh burns on his skin,” I said. “How did he get them?”
Firro shrank behind the captain.
“Burns?” Captain Tobin asked.
“Yes. Judging by their appearance, it looks as if they were made only a day or two ago, the time the fire would have been set.”
“He most likely got them while putting the fire out. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to execute the tedious chore of unloading my boat.”
“No,” I called after him. “Firro didn’t appear on deck until after the fire—right after you arrived on deck—so he couldn’t have gotten burned then.”
Captain Tobin shot his crewman a questioning glance. “Firro, is this true?”
“I… eh…” He looked up at the captain with pleading eyes, as if there were some kind of unspoken communication between the two. “Well, sir… Captain…”
“Firro, did you start the fire?”
“Yes, but…”
“Very well, then. The mystery is solved. Firro, you shall spend the entire voyage home locked in the brig—that will teach you to start fires on my vessel. This is very troubling, indeed. Yes, very troubling. I should never have employed your services to begin with. Now, shall we move along?”
King Herrick blocked the captain’s path. “You are fooling no one, Captain. You are a worse liar than you are a sea captain.”
Captain Tobin’s face burned with rage. “You indignant, foolhardy—how dare you speak to me in such a manner!” He struck the king across the face.
The enraged roar of Wult voices ensued, ending with Captain Tobin pinned to the ground and an angry swarm of Wults surrounding him. I didn’t envy the captain, although what had prompted him to strike the Wult king was a mystery to me. I could think of only one reason why the captain had lost his temper in such a manner, and it didn’t bode well for him.
King Herrick dragged the captain to his feet, and a gaggle of armed Wults followed. The crewmen had also unsheathed their weapons in defense of the captain, but none of them made a move on the Wults.
“Release me!” Captain Tobin yelled as King Herrick shoved him against the railing.
“Not until you reveal the truth. Why did you burn the boats? Why are you keeping us away from the island?”
“I never burned them—”
“You lie! Tell the truth, or else I will feed your gutted entrails to the sea monsters.”
The captain paled, his eyes darting from one Wult to another, when Firro came forward. Sweat beaded the small man’s brow, and I couldn’t mistake the look of absolute fear in his eyes.
“It was I,” he said. “I acted under the captain’s orders. He gave me that potion and instructed me to start the fire. It was not the first time. It is why I carry these scars on my skin—they are a sign of my duty to the captain. He wished to keep you from the smaller islands because that is where he finds his Earth treasures. There is no other reason. Please, release him! He has done you no harm.”
“Firro, be silent,” the captain called.
“I will not. I cannot let you lose your life over such a trivial matter. The smaller island is home to the convergence. We do not know much about it, but it is a portal where the two worlds meet, and it is where we discover our treasures to sell. It has been a great secret for many years. If we were to reveal it, we would no longer have a monopoly on the treasures we find, and we would lose much of our wealth.”
“Firro, you great lout, hush up!” the captain said.
“No,” Firro answered. “I have been silent for years. I will do it no longer.” He looked at King Herrick with pleading eyes. “Please, I speak the truth. We discovered this place many years ago, when I was just a lad. Our ship was lost at sea, and we discovered it by accident. It was the captain’s idea to gather the items and invent the stories of his many great voyages—”
“Firro!” the captain yelled, but the crewman ignored him.
“I speak the truth!” Firro finished.
King Herrick turned to Firro. “And… that is the reason you burned your own boats—to keep us from your treasures?”
Firro nodded.
The wind picked up, carrying with it the brimstone scent from the volcano. A cloud of ash obscured the sun, making chills prickle my skin. Although Firro’s explanation revealed part of the truth, I wasn’t convinced he told the whole story.
“Captain Tobin,” I said, “were you aware of an infiltrator on the ship?”
He raised a bushy eyebrow. “Infiltrator?”
“Yes, a goblin has disguised himself and boarded the boat. I felt his magic while putting out the fire, and he stole my scarf—which had been spellcasted—where I also found goblin magic. Who do you think it could be?” I asked.
“I don’t bloody know who, nor do I care. If I could, I’d burn the whole boat, with every last Wult on it!”
“Bold words,” said King Herrick, “for a man who is most likely the infiltrator.”
Captain Tobin spat at the king’s feet. “I knew I never should have taken your kind on my boat. Wult scum—nothing but murderers who think they’re above all others. You’ll pay for what you’ve done today. Mark my words!”
“Then,” I said, “do you admit to being the infiltrator?”
“Why in the name of Faythander would I infiltrate my own ship?”
“Please,” a crewman spoke up. I recognized the young kid as the shaggy-haired fellow I’d seen in the wheelhouse with the captain. “My father is not the infiltrator. He means no harm to anyone. Please, let him go.”
Father? This complicated things a bit.
As I stared at the captain, I couldn’t decide whether he was a goblin in disguise or a man looking to make a quick buck. Either way, I couldn’t trust him. But if he wasn’t the goblin, then who was?
The ship lurched, then tilted to its side. Without thinking, I grabbed whatever I could find to keep from slipping, holding tight to a coil of rope surrounding a bulkhead. The flaxen cord burned my fingers as the ship pitched and the sound of splitting wood filled the air. Several crewmen fell off the deck and into the violent sea.
I realized they would never survive in those frigid waters.
Panic overrode my thoughts as I watched a wall of water tower over us. A sea serpent appeared in the waves, its loopy coils, black with golden bands, surrounded what remained of the ship.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
I gasped as the frigid water stung my face and splashed over the Sea Ghost’s deck. Still clinging to the rope, I knew it was only a matter of minutes before I would be thrust into the sea. The boat heaved as the serpent tightened its coils. Its head rose above the water, causing my panic to increase.
The giant serpent’s head was diamond-shaped, with pits under its slitted, yellow eyes. It opened its mouth to reveal fangs dripping with saliva. Each drop sizzled as it hit the deck.
I clung to the rope until my fingers burned, but the deck continued to tilt at a steeper angle and I lost my grip. My own screams filled my ears as I slid off the deck and into the water. Thousands of icy needles punched through my skin and into my nerve endings, stealing my breath.
>
Muffled voices reverberated through the sea, and a dense blanket of dark turquoise filled my vision.
My thoughts weren’t right. I couldn’t think—couldn’t concentrate. My mind refused to control my body. I flailed, panicking again as I choked on the salty seawater burning my nasal passages.
Something inside finally seemed to click, and I focused.
Get to the surface!
I coordinated the movements of my arms and legs, slowly and painfully making my way toward the small, distorted ball of sunlight overhead. Finally, after what felt like hours, I broke the surface, gulping in oxygen, coughing and choking until tears mingled with the saltwater in my eyes.
A strong arm grabbed mine and hauled me into a boat. Shivering, I lay on the vessel’s floorboards, thanking the Almighty I was alive.
Sounds of whooshing waves finally broke through the fog in my brain, and with numb fingers, I grabbed the edges of the swaying boat and sat up, trying to get my bearings.
We were floating in the midst of a war zone. The serpent had surrounded what was left of the ship, dragging it under the surface until it disappeared. Huge hunks of broken wood floated in the churning waters surrounding us. I spotted several other longboats trying their best to stay afloat in the agitated waters, too. Turning, I found a seat on a wooden bench near the back and crawled onto it.
Rolf and Brodnik were the only people I recognized in the boat with me. Where were Kull and Heidel? Where were my father and Ket and the princess? My knuckles turned white as I held to the bench seat. Somehow, I’d managed to keep my pack with me. It was soaked through, and I was sure everything inside was a mess, but it was a miracle that it hadn’t fallen off.
A crewman grabbed a pair of oars and rowed toward shore. We scraped past jagged volcanic rocks peeking from the water’s surface. Other boats rowed alongside ours, but still I saw no sign of Kull or the others. Where were they?
The ocean surged, flecking sea foam into our boat. Sea mist tingled on my cheeks and exposed hands. I glanced below the boat and found I could see straight to the bottom of the seafloor. It would have been beautiful had my mind been calm, but in my panicked state, all I could do was watch for the serpent to return and finish us off.
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