Chapter 22. A Local Guide
The Small Kingdoms of Wefrivain survive by being too distant and too unimportant for the Great Islands to want them. Their rulers know this and keep a careful distance from greater island politics. Even the Priestess often takes only a passing interest in the Small Kingdoms, allowing their own local deities to control events, meddling as much or as little as they wish.
—Gwain, The Truth About Wyverns
Gerard thought for a moment that he and Alsair would die before they even started looking for the buoys. The wind punched them back and forth like an unseen fist. Gerard had been riding Alsair without a saddle harness for years, but in this weather they should have had one. Alsair flipped once in spite of his best efforts, but he managed to right himself before Gerard lost his grip. Below them, the waves heaved like migrating mountains, lit by strobe lightning.
Gerard caught sight of the ship Alsair had mentioned—a boat about half the size of the Fang, its hull almost upside down now. It was caught on the reef, only visible in the troughs of the waves. It was definitely a fresh wreck. Gerard doubted any of it would be there by morning.
The way the hull was appearing and disappearing gave Gerard an idea. He leaned close to Alsair’s ear and bellowed, “Get lower! Follow along in the troughs.”
Gerard had not been seasick in years, but their unsteady dive brought the bile into his mouth. Almost, Alsair hit the water. He gained just enough height to escape the crest of the wave; then they were flying low along the trough. Gerard strained his eyes down the line of it. There!
He saw the yellow-painted shape in a flash of lightning just before a wave swallowed it. “I saw it!” he shouted and Alsair nodded. The wave passed, and Gerard spotted it again. This time, he saw the other one further on. Gerard looked back towards the Fang. They weren’t too far off course. There was still time to get it right.
Alsair screamed in his eagle’s voice—a sound that cut through the storm and nearly deafened Gerard. Silveo, please know what that means.
He must have, because the next instant, the ship began to turn. Gerard could see the sailors trimming the sail, angling towards the place where Alsair was circling over the waves. He watched as the ship came on, her tattered sail straining. Below, in the waves, Gerard thought he saw something flash beside the buoy—an iridescent streak that glimmered and was gone.
I’ll be watching you, Gerard.
He shut his eyes and hung onto Alsair, shivering in the cold rain.
The Guild of the Cowry Catchers, Book 1: Embers Page 27
