“We can’t just stop,” Niridia says. “We’ve no idea what’s out there.”
“Would you rather sail around aimlessly until we run out of food?” Kearan asks her. “Or worse. Until the king reaches us?”
“We could replace the mainmast with the mizzen, attach the mainsail to it, and—”
“It’s a good idea, Niridia,” I interrupt, “but we’ll never outrun my father that way. It would speed us up some, but not enough. We’ve no choice but to stop.”
It’s in Niridia’s nature to be cautious. She always suggests the safest and most practical course of action, but she never fails to follow orders when I say otherwise. She’s the reasonableness to my recklessness. And I always need to consider reasonable options, even if I don’t always end up taking them.
“Get us here, Kearan,” I say. “And let’s pray to the stars we can find a suitable trunk ashore.”
“Aye, Captain.” He leaves us, and I say a silent prayer of thanks that the rudder at least isn’t damaged. Then we’d really be in trouble.
*
I crawl into my room long after nightfall. After two days without sleep, I’m practically sagging from exhaustion.
“Get out,” Riden demands.
Oh, no he doesn’t. I saved him. I worked out saving the ship and the rest of the crew. I’ve worked too hard and too long. I will sleep in my own bed tonight.
I offer him a vulgar gesture in response before stepping over him to reach my bed. “You didn’t see it,” I say, realizing it’s pitch black, “but I just suggested you go—”
“I think I can guess,” he says. I hear a shuffling noise, and I realize he’s trying to push himself off the floor to leave, just like he did before.
“You’re not leaving this room, Riden. Try it, and I’ll have Mandsy tie you down.”
He growls at me. It’s the last thing I hear before falling asleep.
Chapter 11
Clever, Alosa. Sending the land king after the keep. Oh, yes, I’ve heard word. My men are fine. The land king fled with his tail tucked between his legs. We’ll have to relocate now, thanks to you.
Your list of crimes is growing. I don’t know if there’s enough skin on your bones for the lashing that’s coming your way.
The last yano bird returned rather quickly. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were catching up.
MY FATHER’S LATEST NOTE sends a shiver down my back.
Land could not have come any sooner.
I reach for my telescope and peer toward the line of green on the horizon. Tall trees stand sentinel over the island. They slope with the rolling hills. Gray clouds hang over the island, and an instant later, the ship passes into a light drizzle.
It is not unlike Lemisa, the closest island to the keep, save the weather is a bit warmer. At last, a bit of luck. Cone-bearing trees are the best to make masts out of, and this island is covered with them. Those closest to the shore are relatively small, but if we traverse inland, where there’s sure to be a freshwater source, we’ll find taller trees.
“Ladies and gents, we’re almost there!” I call out to the crew. Hearty shouts go up in response.
“Begging your pardon, Captain,” Enwen says, inching closer to me, “but are we sure going ashore is the best idea? The island could be haunted.”
“Sirens roam these waters, Enwen, and you’re worried about ghosts?” I ask.
“Ghosts, ghouls, banshees, wraiths—”
“Don’t exist,” Kearan cuts in from where he steers at the helm.
“Do so.”
“Have you ever seen one?”
“No, but there are stories.”
“Stories parents tell their children to make them behave,” Kearan says. “Nothing more. They’re not real.”
“You said sirens weren’t real once. And now look at our captain!” Enwen looks to me. “Meaning no offense, Captain. You’re all right.”
“Thanks, Enwen.”
“You happened to be right one time,” Kearan says. “That does not make the rest of your superstitions real.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because—” Kearan cuts himself off. “How am I having this conversation? Enwen, go blather to someone who wants to listen.”
“You like listening to me.”
“I really don’t.”
“Stop it,” I say to the two of them. “We’re going ashore. End of discussion. Niridia! Get everyone on the deck.”
Though I don’t have eyes on her, she answers from below. “Aye, Captain.”
In a matter of seconds, everyone is amassed together, the crew eager for change after two days of our slow pace.
Wallov has Roslyn on his shoulders so she can see me from the deck. Lotiya and Deshel have Riden cornered at the edge of the ship, where he’s sitting atop a barrel.
He slept for a full day after his accident. Once he could stand on his own, he left my room, left my sight. He won’t even look at me now as I give out orders.
“We’ve no clue what we’re going to find on this island,” I say, “so everyone needs to be on their guard. What we do know, though, is in the past, my father’s men met a group of sirens in the water off this island. Very soon I will order the men to have their ears covered until we’re far enough inland that it shouldn’t be a problem. Is that understood?”
I pointedly look at each man on the ship. They in turn nod their heads. Except for Enwen, who seems to have covered his ears before I reached the end of my sentence.
“Though sirens are the only creatures we know exist for sure, we need to understand that there could be many other sorts of magical beings out there. Don’t be afraid, only cautious. We’re in uncharted waters, but remember, my ancestors reached the siren island just fine, and they couldn’t have had half of our talents.”
The girls laugh lightly.
“We’re here to find us a new mast. I want to be on and off the island as quickly as possible. We stick together. I’ll pair the men up with women while their ears need covering. Someone will always be on watch. Radita will take the lead.” She’ll know the perfect tree for our new mast. “As soon as we have this ship sailing again at full speed, it’s on to the Isla de Canta and treasure beyond our wildest dreams!”
“Rah!”
And then I will take everything from my father. It is the greatest punishment I can think of for him, but it doesn’t nearly equate to keeping a girl from her mother.
“Allemos,” I shout. “Get over here.”
I worry he’ll defy me in front of the whole crew and I’ll have to punish him again, but to my relief, he obeys. He can be furious with me all he wishes, but I am still his captain.
I pull him off to the side so we can have a private conversation.
“You can stay on the ship to guard it while we’re gone or you can come help us find a new mast. Those are your choices at this point. Regret it though you might, you’re stuck being a member of this crew. It’s impossible for you to leave, and I won’t have you being an idle passenger the rest of the way.”
His face is unreadable. “You’re giving me a choice?”
I don’t break eye contact. “I think you’re an idiot. You’re alive because of me, yet you’re determined to hate me for it.”