The chamber inside was illuminated and warmed by small Sunlamps. There weren't any chairs other than the captain's, which sat behind a large desk. Captain Garen took a seat in this chair and looked up at them, his gaze guarded but curious.
"Why do you need to enter the Sardek Empire?" he asked.
Talin bit his lower lip. "Isn't it enough that I'm paying you well? I would prefer it if you did not know our business." He held up a hand to stop Garen's response. "It isn't that I don't trust you. We've worked together often enough that I know the kind of man you are. It is more the nature of our mission. It requires secrecy. If our enemies were to capture you and force you to talk, it would ruin any chances we have of stopping what they're planning."
Captain Garen leaned back in his chair, considering, his expression thoughtful. "I understand your need for secrecy, but you're asking me to take on a risk. If they know I'm transporting three Fireweavers, they will not take kindly to that."
"I understand," Talin said. "But they don't need to know."
"Of course not. But if they find out . . ."
"They won't find out," Talin said. "We'll be careful."
"You know that they test everyone who sets foot on their soil."
"We'll find a way around that," Talin said.
"And what is this brilliant plan of yours? As far as I know, you've never even been to the Sardek Empire. You know very little about them." Garen leaned on his desk, his expression grave. "I understand these people, and I know what they do to smugglers."
"I've heard the stories," Talin said.
Rella watched this exchange, trying to determine what kind of man Garen was. The captain was closed off, though, reminding her a bit of Karik in that regard. She understood why someone might approach life that way. After all, she didn't open up to many people. It was hard to place trust in anyone, and Talin was asking a lot of the captain.
In his place, Rella would refuse.
"Then you understand why I might be hesitant to help you," Garen said.
Talin nodded, his expression unreadable. "I understand."
"But I can't forget that you once saved my life. I owe you a debt for that." He sighed deeply, leaning harder on his wooden desk. "I'll probably regret this, but I'll help you."
"Thank you," Talin said.
"Thank me when we all make it through this safely."
With that settled, the captain led them out of his cabin and belowdecks, where he'd set aside a few small rooms for their use. Rella and Kae would share one room, while Talin would have the other to himself.
Soon the ship left port, and Rella wished it hadn't. In less than an hour, she was horribly seasick. She spent most of her time leaning over a bucket and vomiting every bit of food she put in her. She'd heard of seasickness, but she'd never thought it would feel this bad.
Apart from that, their journey was uneventful. Rella didn't like going on deck because it made her seasickness even worse. It didn't help that she could see nothing but water in all directions, broken only by the occasional iceberg. Seeing this vast expanse of nothing made her feel small and insignificant. They were at the mercy of the sea.
Rella, Talin, and Kae spent most of their time staying out of the way. Once, Rella offered to help, but the captain told her it would be better if she didn't get involved. The sailors aboard his ship were men and women with years and years of experience. There was nothing she could do that they couldn't. This led to her feeling bored and useless.
After perhaps a week on the sea, her seasickness became less severe. She stood on deck one afternoon, beneath the dim light of the sun, staring at the vast expanse of water ahead of them. She tried not to think about how far they were from land.
Kae stood beside her, gazing into the distance.
"You look very intensely focused," Rella said.
Kae flinched. "Oh, I just thought I saw something out there."
"Out where?" Rella asked.
Kae pointed off to her right, and Rella stared in that direction. At first, she saw nothing, but then the water churned in that spot. Whatever was moving beneath the water was huge. But there were no such things as sea monsters. Perhaps it was a whale or some other form of large marine life. Nothing to worry about.
Rella and Kae continued staring at the spot, and the churning became more pronounced. It was heading toward the ship at alarming speed.
Kae called over one of the sailors, a young woman who stared in the direction Kae was pointing. "I have no idea what this is," the sailor said. "We should tell the captain."
The woman left and returned shortly with Captain Garen and Talin. They all stared at the approaching disturbance. Thus far, nothing had poked its head above the water, but Rella was still terrified it might be a sea monster of some kind.
"Do sea monsters exist?" she asked, shivering.
"Of course not," Garen said. His expression faltered as he watched the large creature growing closer to the ship. "Or at least I've never heard a credible tale."
Whatever the creature was, it had to be a quarter the size of the ship. It slammed against the ship with surprising force. The energy of the impact sent Rella toppling forward. She tried to grab the railing, but it slipped between her fingers.
She would have fallen if not for Talin's intervention. He grabbed her hand moments before it would have been too far to reach, and now he hung halfway over the railing, a couple of sailors holding onto his legs so he wouldn't fall right with her.
She screamed as she felt her grip slipping from his. When she tried to reach her other hand up, she lacked the energy to grasp his. Both of them were slipping farther and farther over the railing. She glanced down at the frigid water, her stomach churning.
The monster rammed the ship again. This time, the force of the impact was too much. Talin tumbled over the railing, still clinging to Rella. Both of them fell toward the water. Thankfully, Rella still had enough of her wits to cast Red before hitting the water. Even so, when the water washed over her, it felt as if she were being stabbed from every direction.
She almost took in a breath, shocked at the cold and pain, but she kept her mouth closed as she plunged beneath the water, still clinging to Talin. At last, her momentum stopped. She cast as much Red as she could, but it seemed to have little effect.
Talin tugged at her arms, indicating they should swim toward the surface. Lost in her panic, she didn't know how to respond at first, but then her instincts came back to her, and she kicked her way toward the surface. The water remained shockingly cold, and now her lungs burned, demanding air. The surface seemed a distant memory.
She kicked with everything she had, but the surface didn't seem to grow any closer. She was going to die down here, in the embrace of the frigid water.
No. She couldn't let the happen. The surface was closer. It had to be.
At last, she emerged in the dim sunlight and took in a great breath. The cold air in her lungs was the most wonderful feeling she'd ever experienced. She sucked in breath after breath, relishing briefly in the fact that she was still alive.
"We need to stay close to the ship," Talin said, floating beside her.
"I-I'm so cold." She glanced around. "Where d-do you think the monster went?"
"I don't know, but I don't see it right here."
Screaming and shouting came from aboard the ship, but it stood too tall in the water for Rella and Talin to see what was happening. They floated in the water, waiting for a rescue that might never come. If that monster destroyed the ship . . .
No. Rella couldn't think about that.
She and Talin huddled close together. Their body heat combined with their shared Red Firecasting made the water almost bearable. Still, Rella would freeze to death if they didn't pull her out of the water soon. She looked into Talin's eyes, surprised to see no fear there.
"H-how can you stay so calm?" she asked.
"Will panicking improve our situation?"
"I-I suppose not." She couldn't stop her teeth from c
hattering.
The waves became choppier, and Rella struggled to stay afloat amidst the sudden onslaught. When she glanced to her right, she saw the source of the disturbance. The monster was back, and it was swimming directly toward them.
"We need to do something!" she shouted, losing herself to panic.
Talin maintained his calm mask. "I don't see what we can do. The water will put out any fire we weave. Weaving lightning would be dangerous because it could pass through the water and harm us. There's too much water for me to manipulate, and no rock at all."
The monster swam closer, sending more and more waves at them.
"Pain!" Rella said. "Maybe that will deter it."
Talin's expression twitched unpleasantly. "I can try it."
He and Rella both faced the monster and cast Orange at the same time, directing their weaves toward the beast that was about to kill them. It remained mostly beneath the water, so they could not make out much apart from the fact that it had gray leathery skin.
Rella had no idea if their weaves were succeeding. The monster continued toward them as if pain had no effect on it. Perhaps this beast was too large for their magic to have any effect. Rella focused on her weave, using all the energy she could summon.
The monster kept coming.
Chapter 13: Questions and Plans
Rella was ready to face her death when she heard a shout from above.
"Grab the rope!"
She glanced around in panic, and it took her a few moments to find the rope the sailors had thrown down for them. There was a loop at the bottom of the rope. Rella and Talin both fit inside this loop, and then Talin tied it tighter around them.
"We're ready!" he shouted to the sailors. Then, to Rella, he said, "Hold tight to me."
She shivered. "As if I ever had any other intention."
The sailors lifted them up, but the process was slow and terrifying, coming in fits and starts. The monster was still swimming toward them. At their height, they weren't high enough to avoid its massive jaws. If it wanted to eat them, it would have no difficulty. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't pull her gaze away from the massive creature.
It sat below them, gazing up as if curious. Then its head darted upward. Rella screamed. It opened its mouth wide, lifting it toward them with alarming speed. A foul stench came from the beast's mouth, and Rella gagged. Its jaws were so close, ready to snap shut at any second.
"Faster!" someone shouted from above. "Faster!"
The rope gave a mighty tug, jerking them upward. The beats snapped its jaws closed right where they'd been only moments earlier, so close Rella could feel the wind generated by its movements. It lunged at them again, but they were out of its reach.
Rella couldn't relax, though. The monster was still there. It could still attack the ship. At its size, if it rammed the ship too many times, it could splinter the wood and sink the ship.
And then they would all be monster food.
She clung to Talin as the sailors lifted them higher and higher. At last, they reached the railing and scrambled over it and onto the deck. Panting for breath, Rella lay on the deck. She didn't want to think about the monster, didn't want to think about how cold she was. She was shivering so much she was sure she would die.
"Get some towels to dry them off!" Garen shouted. "And some blankets!"
The next few minutes passed in a haze. Rella could think of nothing but how cold she felt, could see nothing but the monster's jaws snapping so close to them. She had no idea how she was still alive, or if she'd remain that way. But soon she was wrapped in blankets. As warmth returned to her, her thoughts became clearer, and her panic subsided.
Kae stood at the side of the captain's cabin, watching them with concern.
Rella was still shivering. "Is the monster gone?"
"After we pulled you up, it went away," Kae said.
"I-I guess we should be thankful for that," Rella said.
Kae leaned wearily against the wooden wall. "We should be thankful that you two are alive. I've never felt so terrified in my life. Even Halarik's return wasn't as bad as what I just witnessed. Back then, I could at least do something. Today, I felt powerless."
Rella pulled the blankets tighter. "I can understand that feeling."
"I still don't know why the monster left," Kae said.
"Talin and I used an Orange casting against it," Rella said. "Perhaps it didn't like the pain." Rella's thoughts returned to the torture she'd endured at Talin's hands. If the monster had felt even a fraction of that pain . . .
"Regardless, the crew is on edge," Kae said.
No matter how tightly Rella wrapped herself in the blankets, she could not get warm. "I can't blame them. They probably think we're bad luck. What are the chances that a monster like this would show up for the first time when we're on the ship? It's strange, don't you think?"
"More than strange," Talin said. "But I might have an explanation."
"I think we'd all like to hear that," Captain Garen said. He'd been standing off to the side, and Rella had forgotten he was there. Talin must have forgotten as well because his expression faltered when he heard the captain's voice.
"It's not much of an explanation," Talin said. "There is nothing to it, most likely."
The captain folded his arms across his chest. "I'd still like to hear it."
"Firelord Atarin tried to free Halarik from his imprisonment," Talin said. "We stopped it, but there was a brief time when Halarik reemerged. In essence, you could say the prison was broken, if only temporarily."
"I see," Garen said, his expression unreadable.
"Those of us who've studied our history know that Halarik was sent to the Realm of Shade," Talin continued. "That place is also home to monsters. This is my theory. In that brief period when the prison was open, Halarik wasn't the only thing to break free."
Garen nodded. "Then you're saying there might be more monsters like that?"
"I don't know," Talin said, "but it's possible."
Garen shook his head slowly. "If I didn't know you better, Talin, I'd think you were joking. But you have no sense of humor. You believe you're telling the truth. I don't know if I can accept that explanation, but I'll give it a chance." He chuckled darkly. "After all, I've been a sailor for more than twenty years, and this is the first time I've ever seen anything like that."
"Then you don't blame us?" Rella asked.
"Why would I blame you? I'm not a man prone to superstition. Your presence on this ship had nothing to do with that monster appearing. It was pure chance."
Rella wished she could feel so confident in that fact, but maybe she was being irrational. She'd been through a lot lately, and it was easy to think the world was conspiring against her, but the world didn't work like that. There was no such thing as fate, and with Aralea dead and Halarik imprisoned, there were no gods to guide their lives.
"I think you two could use something warm to drink," Garen said.
* * * * *
Karik stood at the bow of the ship, spotting land the first moment it was visible. His spirits brightened at the sight. He'd spent too long aboard this ship, and though Meran had been good company, Karik hadn't spent much time talking with anybody else. It was still difficult to think through what Vanara had revealed to him.
Was Aralea still alive, and if so, why was she in the Realm of Shade with Halarik? Had she sent herself there when she'd imprisoned him, or was it something else entirely?
Vanara didn't hold any more answers, and Karik wished she hadn't told him anything at all. Now his mind was spinning with all the possibilities. What if Aralea and Halarik were not enemies? What if the Church of Aralea had perpetuated that myth to divide the people? What if everything Karik knew about the war between the gods was wrong?
Well, he'd get no answers by staring at the sea.
He made his way to the cabin where Atarin was conversing with Vanara. When he entered the cabin, though, Soren was already there. Karik didn't like t
he former bandit and didn't understand why Atarin trusted him.
"I know these people," Soren said. "Kae will stop at nothing to get her sister back." His expression twisted into a cruel grimace. "I don't know why you didn't just kill her."
"We are not monsters," Atarin said, his mouth twisting with distaste. Good. He didn't like Soren either. Sure, the man was useful, but they could do better in an ally. A lot better.
Soren leaned his head back, chuckling softly. "That didn't seem to stop you when it came to torturing that young woman."
"That was necessary," Atarin said sharply.
Soren narrowed his eyes. "And why is it necessary to leave Andra alive. As long as she's alive, Kae will follow us, and so will the people with her. Our enemies. Either kill her or let her go. Or do you want them to follow us?" At Atarin's icy gaze, Soren softened his tone. "I just don't understand why you think we need to keep her as a prisoner."
Atarin's gaze became even colder. "I have my reasons."
"Then explain them to us," Soren said, looking as if he wanted to punch Atarin in the face. Karik was shocked that Atarin was putting up with such disrespect. Atarin had never been the most formal of leaders, but there were limits to what he allowed.
"I don't have to explain anything to you," Atarin said.
Soren opened his mouth as if to argue, but then he shook his head. "I am sorry if I have offended you, Firelord. I am merely curious as to why we're following our current course of action. If you could give me just a little bit of information, it would help."
Atarin's gaze was as cold as ever. "Soren, leave this place before you make me do something I'll regret. I appreciate what you've done for the cause." He narrowed his eyes. "Though I have to admit that your decision to bring Rella to me made our lives more difficult."
Soren turned suddenly pale. "You know I couldn't have predicted that."
Atarin held up a hand to silence him. "Don't worry. I understand that you had the best of intentions. Even I can't predict every possible outcome."
"Of course, Firelord," Soren said. "I will take my leave now." He shuffled out of the room, leaving Karik alone with Atarin.
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