Niri blinked, sitting back in surprise. “No, not at all. Why?”
“Your eyes have flecks of lavender in them.”
Niri opened her eyes wide. The sound of a crash resonated from the cabin. Niri and Lavinia jumped, Ty looked at the deck again.
“Ty . . . I couldn’t let it suffer, not to die like that. I’m not a Priestess.”
They looked into each other’s eyes a moment. Ty’s darkened, a fleeting pain passing over his eyes like the harbinger of regret.
“I know,” he said as he stood up, his palm brushing Niri’s cheek. “I realize that now.”
Ty walked down into the darkness to join Ria.
Niri stayed sitting on the deck a moment. There was a deeper hollow ache in her greater than the irritation of Ty’s snub. Lavinia stood and offered her hand. She helped Niri find her feet, the world feeling unsteady to her.
“I’m sorry,” Niri whispered into the faint light of early evening.
Lavinia hesitated then leaned forward and gave Niri a hug. “I’m sorry too.”
It took them another minute to compose themselves and find seats for their night’s sail. The power to propel the boat through the sea came easier to Niri without the drain caused by binding the Curse. For a space of time, everything was quiet. No lights or noise came from the cabin. Stars filled the sky, demarcating the black sea by their absence.
Lavinia twitched the jib line in her hand. “My first memory is of Ty,” she said without warning to Niri. Lavinia wasn’t looking at Niri nor the boat. Her gaze was away, past the sea to the strange rocky coast.
“What was he doing?”
Lavinia smiled faintly. “I was crying because I couldn’t get this little paper boat I had made to sail. He fixed it for me.” Lavinia glanced down at the deck.
“So, he started fixing boats from a young age?”
“Yes, I’ve given him plenty of experience.” Lavinia laughed and Niri found a smile on her lips as well.
“You are very close to your brother.” Niri said quietly into the wind.
“I thought I was.” Lavinia closed her fist which pulled on the jib line. The sail tightened, straining the mast. It creaked in the empty air. Lavinia let the line go and tied it off, glancing at Niri. “You are really the one sailing the boat anyway. The sail is more for show if anyone sees us.”
Niri lifted an eyebrow in agreement.
Lavinia sighed. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell me about what happened on his apprenticeship sooner! Did he think I wouldn’t understand?”
“I don’t think that is it. I think as much as he wanted to protect you, he also didn’t want to disappoint you.”
Lavinia was silent. “I’m not a child anymore. I was . . . before all this started. I thought it was some grand adventure that would be over in a few days and then life would be just the same. It isn’t ever really going to be the same again, is it?”
With Niri controlling the sea, not even waves lapped the hull. The night was quiet but for the occasional rustle of the useless sail.
“No, probably not.”
Lavinia nodded with a curt motion. She exhaled a snort. “Of course, life wasn’t really how I thought it was anyway. I just didn’t know it then.” Lavinia sat up a little straighter. After a moment, she turned to Niri.
“You know, I found a sword on the boat?”
Niri glanced at Lavinia. “No, when?”
“After Sardinia, on the way to Tiero. It was in my cabin in this compartment under a bench. I hadn’t looked there before. I was going to tell Ty, but then . . . after what happened in Sardinia.”
Niri’s brow wrinkled as she tried to sort out what Lavinia meant. “You thought he would sell it?”
Lavinia laughed softly. “No, well yes, I thought we probably should. But when Causis took Ria, I saw Ty hold the knife to his neck and I had nothing. Nothing at all I could do to protect Ria. And I found this sword that we hadn’t known was there right after. It is so beautiful with carvings on the blade and it fits my hand just right. It just feels right. I didn’t want to tell Ty because I knew he’d want to sell it and I . . . I didn’t want to.”
“But it is funny, now it isn’t about wanting to protect Ria. I just want to be able to use it. I never thought about sword fighting before. Only about my apprenticeship, about sailing, marrying some boy and my children being friends with Ria’s. She and Ty . . . .” Lavinia bit her lip and glanced quickly at Niri. “Well, it seems so silly now. Something a child wishes for without understanding that it could never possibly work. But I do think I should learn to protect myself if we’re going to be crossing oceans and fighting off magical beasts.”
Lavinia looked over at Niri. “Even if they leave in Drufforth, I’m not going back. I don’t think it would be the same if I went home. Leaving to go to my apprenticeship seems . . . unnecessary now. If you don’t mind, I’ll stay with you. I can help sail it once The Grey Dawn is fixed and we can go to Karakastad to see what we find there.”
Niri smiled at the young woman. “Well, we may be in Drufforth for awhile. Maybe you can find a way to learn to use a sword.”
“I think I would like that.”
CHAPTER 15
THE KITH
The sword was an awkward weight in Lavinia’s hand. Sweat from the humidity and the run made her palm damp. She had to hold the sword tight.
Ferns whipped Lavinia’s legs as she raced through the forest of massive trees, strange creatures yelling at her from the canopy. Startled birds and winged lizards scattered before her. Gasping for breath, Lavinia realized she could no longer taste the salt in the air. The sea was far behind her but from the sounds of it, Ty was catching up. Lavinia burst forward again, running deeper into the forest.
The forests had risen along the shoreline on the sixth day of the journey north. Lavinia had seen the trees in the light of moon, thinking at first that the land had become hilly. Then one of the last outlets on the delta of the river Turcot had opened along the shore, the sound of the rushing water audible in the silent night. It was then Lavinia had realized the rolling mounds were the beginnings of the Forest of Falin. Those trees had been tall and stately, larger than anything Lavinia had seen in her life. They were nothing compared to the behemoths that rose from the land around Drufforth.
Lavinia had stayed on deck when Ty came up that the morning. She had known they were close. She had watched the forest grow larger, the trees rising to over five hundred feet. Mist had clung to the leaves in the mid-morning sun. Flashes of colored birds or animals had darted among the green. Finally, the shore had pulled back in the swoop of a harbor and the strangest town Lavinia could have imagined came into view. “Is that is?” Ria’s voice had been thin.
“I don’t know. What else could it be?”
Niri must have been expecting to arrive today as well. She had come on deck within moments of the conversation. Niri had turned and let out a slow breath at the sight of Drufforth.
Massive roots had flowed out from shore forming living wharfs. Runners plunging into the sea had formed support pilings. Along the shoreline, knots of trees had been bent and grown together creating the supports and trusses of houses. Above everything, the enormous trees had risen to lofty heights.
“Drop the sail. I’ll take us in.” Niri had said to Lavinia.
They had meant Skree and his wife Gaylin as they tied the Grey Dawn to the largest ‘wharf.’ Only three other boats had been in the harbor. Innocently, Lavinia had thought Gaylin and Skree were Kith.
“Nah, we aren’t the Kith. We are just like you,” Skree’s eyes had been mostly on Ty’s dark eyed face. The faint scar on Skree’s cheek had been barely visible beneath his laugh lines. But he had rubbed the white marks over his knuckles like they still bothered him. “We found some peace and decided to stay.”
Gaylin had smiled fondly at her husband. Her hair had been more gray than russet. “You’ll know the Kith when you see them, dear.”
“We’ll go ahead and move yah
off the boat and into the inn. Get ready for work on her.” Skree had already led them to a table at the inn. The trees that made the structure were so old that they had almost grown together. Narrow windows had filled the gaps, letting in more light than Lavinia would have guessed.
“You think it will be that simple?” Niri had asked.
“You being a Water Elemental and all?” Niri had blushed but not denied Skree’s comment. “I don’t see any harm in yah. They’ll see the truth of the matter and make their decision. We’ll send a runner tomarah to let them know yor’ here.”
After so many days of sailing in quiet tension with the group as divided as the night and day, Lavinia had wanted to believe it was going to be that easy. They would stay in this quiet place made of living trees along the sea. Then Ty had found Lavinia pulling the sword out of its hiding place.
“Where did you get that?” Ty’s voice had been angry.
“On the boat, after Sardinia.”
“That isn’t yours to keep.”
“It isn’t yours either,” Lavinia had snapped back hotly. She had clutched the sword to her chest. Ty had looked at her in surprise.
“What do you think you are going to do with it? You can’t use it sailing. When we get home you’ll have your apprenticeship.”
“Why?” Lavinia had clipped his words short. “Do you think there is anything new I can learn about sailing? And apprentice when? When this is done? I’m not leaving with you and Ria, if you go. I’m staying to finish this with Niri. You aren’t my father, Ty.”
“You don’t know what you are saying, Vin. You aren’t going to learn to sword fight, for goodness sakes. Why would you?”
“Because I want to.”
“Don’t be such a child.”
Lavinia’s anger had coiled inside of her like a snake. “I turned seventeen two days ago, Ty. I’m not a child. I would have left for my blasted apprenticeship in just over three months. Deal with it Ty, I am an adult.”
Ty’s face had blanked, his gaze far off for a second. Then he had lunged at Lavinia.
“No, you will listen.”
Lavinia had jumped back, whirling and sprinting for the door. She had been closer to the cabin stairs than Ty. She had made the wharf before he was even on deck. With Ty in pursuit, Lavinia had run headlong past the inn and straight into the forest.
Her lungs ached so that she thought they would split. Stopping again, Lavinia listened for the sound of her brother, holding her breath for a second. She could not even hear the sound of breaking waves. The forest rustled leaves high overhead, an animal grated a call, but there was nothing else. Lavinia sucked in breaths, the sweat on her cool in the slight breeze. Her pants were damp from the ferns whipping her legs and stuck to her as she bent over slightly, breathing in the smell of earth and broken ferns.
It was the slightest noise behind her, the rustle of fabric rather than leaves, that sent Lavinia spinning around. She pulled the sword from its leather sheath as she turned, holding it before her ready to fight. There was nothing.
She waited, narrowing her eyes. She had no doubt someone else was nearby. Then he became clear to her.
A man, who looked about her age, stood in front of the wide tree trunk twenty feet from her. His skin was patterned and striped like bark. His hair, a russet brown, blended into the forest around them along with the brown and greens of his clothes. She blinked, finding his green eyes staring back into hers.
Lavinia let the sword point waiver. He moved like the wind, smacking the sword with a long stick she had not even noticed he was holding. The sword reverberated in her hand, jarring her so that she dropped it. She glared at him angrily, lunging for the sword. He flicked it out of her reach with the staff. It disappeared into a clump of ferns. His green eyes laughed at her.
The sound of something crashing through the forest rose behind her. Lavinia gasped, whirling quickly back. She couldn’t see her brother, but he had to be close to make that much noise. She bit her upper lip as she looked around the clearing for somewhere to hide.
Lavinia’s gaze found the Kith. His face was concerned now, brows drawn and mouth tight. With a look she pleaded for his help, not knowing if he spoke trade or not.
“Come.” His voice was a low alto, soft and warm.
He held out a hand. Lavinia stepped forward, reaching toward him as he moved toward her. Their hands joined and he pulled her closer, spinning both of them together as if in a dance. The world spun around her, then a quick flash of wood grain, and then sunlight and leaves. Lavinia stood in the Kith’s arms on a high branch above the clearing.
She leaned into him as she looked down. He chuckled deep in his chest. Inexplicably, Lavinia smiled as well.
Below her, Ty crashed into the clearing. His hair was tangled and his eyes were dark. He didn’t look angry like she thought he would. He looked lost, as if everything were spinning out of control. His eyes scanned the forest for her. He never glanced down to see the fallen sword nearly at his feet or up to see his sister. Ty stumbled out of the clearing, tripping on a fern that grabbed his calf.
Lavinia sighed. “He’ll never find his way back out.”
“You know him?”
“He’s my brother.”
“Oh, that does explain things.”
Lavinia smiled up into his green eyes. “You have a sister?”
The Kith smiled back. “Yes, a younger one as a matter of fact.” He paused, his eyes curious. “I”m Darag.”
“Lavinia.”
A second noise below caught their attention. Niri walked more carefully into the clearing, parting the feathery blanket of ferns as if it were a green sea. She paused, scanning the forest. With a startled motion, she glanced up straight at Lavinia. Her eyes shifted sideways to the Kith at Lavinia’s side, widening when she saw him.
“Naiad, why are you here?” Darag asked, his tone cool.
“We seek help. Our boat is damaged and we need assistance to fix it.”
“You know her as well?” Lavinia nodded at Darag’s question. “You associate with an interesting sort,” he said to her, his voice rich with laughter.
“You can state your case before the council tonight. I will send someone to show you and your . . . party the way. They will decide if we should help you.”
Niri nodded, her eyes moving to Lavinia. Before she could speak, Darag continued. “Oh no, I saw the other one. I don’t trust him. Lavinia is welcome to come with me now. You can follow later.”
Lavinia smiled at the unexpected invitation. “I’ll be fine Niri. It will give Ty a chance to cool off.”
“Yeah, I’m sure thrashing about in the forest for a few hours to find out you went with someone you just met will make your brother feel much better.”
Niri smiled as she said it, giving Lavinia the impression Niri thought Ty was getting exactly what he deserved.
“Send him back if you see him. I’ll see you tonight, Lavinia.”
Niri turned and disappeared back into the forest. Lavinia turned toward Darag.
“How exactly do we get down?”
She was surprised to notice, now that she looked, that his skin was smooth. The mottling that mimicked bark was only a color pattern and not texture. His green eyes laughed again.
“The same way we came up.”
He still held her loosely, but now he pulled her closer. He stepped towards the tree, twirling them together. Lavinia was ready for it this time and she felt the strange sensation of joining with the tree, flowing along it, through it, and then they were standing again in the clearing.
“Oh.”
“Pick up your sword, you shouldn’t leave it here. Just be careful with the blade.”
Lavinia glanced at him as she leaned over, “Why?”
“I cannot touch the metal.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Niri said you were like dryads. I thought you’d be able to shape mental.”
Darag’s brows lifted in surprise. “Niri is the naiad you are with?
She is right in a way. We are not Elementals like those in the Church.” Darag spat the word much like Ty did. “We are bound to a tree at birth. We live and die by our tree in the forest. And yes, we can shape wood, stone even, and impure metal. But pure metal would poison our trees and so it would poison us.”
Lavinia paused from where she’d walked beside him. “The sword would have poisoned you? Even if I just nicked you?” Her hand trembled as she slid the sword into its sheath.
“Well, maybe not a nick. But it isn’t really worth finding out.”
Lavinia shifted the sword to the side away from Darag as they began to walk through the woods, heading deeper into the forest.”
“We will find Laith Lus and tell him about your troubles. He will send someone to fetch your brother and friend.”
“Friends, there is Ria too.”
“Another one? You brother, a naiad, and what else, I wonder?” Darag said it teasingly, but Lavinia blushed. “Ah, something indeed then. Come, it will be up to Laith Lus what is to be done with all of you”
They walked together through the forest in silence for a few moments. Lavinia’s worry over meeting Laith Lus was overcome by the towering forest around her. The underbrush had grown thicker. Bird calls echoed off the mist and moss held high in the forest canopy. Only flickering light reached the ferns and shrubs scattered between the enormous trunks. Lavinia saw few young trees that she thought she could stretch her arms around and be able to touch her fingers.
“Why was your brother chasing you anyway?” Darag’s eyes were curious and bright.
Lavinia blushed. “We were fighting over the sword. I want to learn to use it and he . . . just wants me to be a sailor.”
Surprise flickered across Darag’s face. “You don’t know? You turned like you did. I thought you knew how to fight.”
The heat across Lavinia’s cheeks intensified. “No, not at all.”
Darag’s eyes considered her. “You should learn then. I think you could be quite good.”
A smile pulled across her lips. “That would be great. I just need to find someone to teach me well enough so that Ty can’t stop me from learning.”
Born of Water Page 13
