Surprise!’
Jehenna’s heart skipped a beat as a metal hook buried itself into the folds of her travelling cloak and yanked her back from the terrible drop. Once she had regained her footing, she spun around to face her attacker.
‘Simeon!’ she screamed when she found herself looking at the broad, weathered face of her younger brother. ‘Of all the stupid pranks…’
‘So you know this man, do you?’ asked Sela with a confused tone in her voice. The Tamuan had removed one of her quills and held it inches above Simeon Kallady’s neck.
Simeon’s claws went to Jehenna’s waist and pulled her closer. She clasped her hands around his thick neck and he spun her round. She giggled with delight. The proud Acoran consul had disappeared and in her place stood a young, affectionate woman whose face had shed any trace of the sternness it had shown before.
‘Simeon, you’ve grown fatter!’ she teased as her hand rubbed her brother’s belly.
‘Girl, I should have you keelhauled for disrespecting the office of captain.’
‘Is the ship ready?’ Jehenna asked.
‘She is. A whisper-catcher brought me a message yesterday morning. What’s all this about Jen?’
‘I’ll explain over lunch.’
Simeon’s eyes lit up. ‘You’re eating at The Glass Ball?’
She looked down at his paunch and smirked. ‘Maybe you should have the salad.’
A table was created for the group and they were treated to the finest dining experience any of them had ever known. Their table by the window afforded them an unparalleled view of the gorgeous tapestry of the Arion Ocean. Jehenna and her bother took seats by the window and swung their chairs around so they could look out upon the ocean as they ate an entree of strips of barga drizzled with honeygrape syrup.
Lilith sat quietly next to Jehenna. Her eyes were on the great fish tank in the centre of the restaurant where a myriad of sea creatures swam, scuttled and floated among gently swaying waveweeds. Beside her sat Bormanus as aloof as always, preferring to gaze at the colourful denizens of the restaurant than speak to his companions. Beside him sat Sela Noye who was intrigued by the intricate fresco that covered the entire ceiling of the circular dining room. It was beautifully lit by ornate chandeliers crafted by some of Camulos’ most talented artisans. The candlelight flickered across the detailed mural accentuating the colours and shapes of the artwork.
Tawhawki sat on the lucullan carpet that covered the entire floor of the restaurant. His vast body made things difficult for the koopoos who scurried from table to table armed with plates of exotic food and carafes of sweet smelling wine. He leaned on his elbows and followed Sela’s gaze at the roof of the restaurant. ‘Ah, you are admiring the work of the great Caquikki artist Giottoki.’
‘I don’t get it,’ Sela said bluntly. ‘Is it a story?’
‘Yes. I am familiar with this piece although this is the first time I have ever seen it in person. It’s called Exodus.’
Rama who was denied the sight of the fresco they were discussing asked Tawhawki to describe it. The Caquikki’s face shone with exuberance at the invitation to provide a description of the piece. He reached into his waistcoat pocket and brought out his spectacles which he carefully wiped before placing upon the bridge of his nose. ‘The fresco tells the story of the exodus of our Arnakki brethren from the island of Caquix many thousands of years ago.’
‘What!’ Sela exclaimed. ‘Brethren? The Arnakki and the Caquikki are nothing alike!’
‘Yes,’ replied Tawhawki patiently. ‘We are very different, but our myths tell us that this was not always the case. This painting depicts the years when our two races separated. As you can see in this section, there was a time when a large number of children were born to the Caquix with genetic abnormalities.’ He pointed to a part of the fresco that depicted a female Caquikki holding up a naked child. Whilst the child had six legs it lacked the characteristic Caquikki tail. Another showed a newly born infant without hooves. Another displayed a young child standing on two legs whilst its parents looked on in horror. ‘As you can see here, the numbers of deformities grew until the dark days of the Cleansing.’ At this point he pointed at a gruesome picture of Caquikki drowning children.
‘That’s appalling!’ Sela said, her voice filled with the disgust her masked face could not display. ‘You should be ashamed.’
Tawhawki smiled and said, ‘I’m afraid it was a little before my time.’
‘It is still horrible.’
‘It’s not a period we are proud of but it is a rich part of our folklore.’ He continued to point at series of pictures that illustrated his commentary. ‘As the years wore on, it became clear that a new species had emerged, and they resembled other bipedal races which were becoming prolific on the face of the Myr. The Caquikki called this new species the Equinakki, which translated to those without hooves. It was decided that the Equinakki would be sent to lands far away and left to their own devices. They journeyed far north to a frozen land at the far end of the world. They called the land Arnaksak which simply meant new land.
‘As time passed the Caquikki eventually forgot their original horror over the emergence of the Equinakki. Indeed, after many centuries, the Caquix who gave birth to Equinakki were considered to be blessed, and there was no hostility, or shame attached to the sending of children to their northern home. This last panel depicts the sad day when the Coh-Equinakki was born.’
‘Coh-Equinnaki?’ asked Sela.
‘The Last of the Hoofless Children.’
‘It sounds like an incredible piece,’ Rama said with a note of sadness. ‘I wish I could look upon it.’
‘It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,’ Sela said to herself.
While Tawhawki was telling the story of the Arnakki exodus, Jehenna and her brother were enmeshed in a conversation of their own. They were totally absorbed in one another. The two siblings couldn’t have been more unalike. Simeon’s swarthy face was a map of every place he had ever visited. It was weathered, sunburnt and lined. His head was devoid of hair, his teeth were crooked and his face unshaven. Despite all this, it was a comforting face to look upon. His eyes were welcoming and his chafed lips were poised and ready to smile.
Simeon nodded as Jehenna unfolded the details of the mission to him. He nodded solemnly when she told him of the loss of Kali. He gently touched her cheek with one of his hooked hands as pride swelled up in him when she told him of her battle with Kleesto.
‘This beast I have heard of before,’ he said when she had finished her story. Some months ago we pulled a Moraen from the seas off Grisandole. She had narrowly survived an encounter with the beast you have slain.’
‘Lara Brand.’
‘Yes. That was her name. She wouldn't tell us exactly what she was doing on Grisandole, but she did say she was trying to find a way to stop the Ghul.’
Jehenna nodded. ‘The witch attended the Assembly of Nations with another of her kind. They have suffered much in Morae.’
Simeon skilfully hooked his metal claw around a glass of wine and brought it to his lips. He closed his eyes for a second and let the wine’s bouquet wash over him. ‘It seems many people are suffering. I have heard tales of dreadful things abroad, not to mention the countless Acora we have lost outside Lucien.’
‘These are terrible times, Simeon.’
Suddenly his expression changed. His dry lips parted as a wide grin spread across his weatherworn face. ‘All the more reason to celebrate the time we have together!’ He took a large swig of his drink and placed the glass back on the table. ‘Those Nessans know how to make a nice drop, don’t they!’
Despite the air of light-heartedness that surrounded her brother, and the generally felicitous atmosphere of the restaurant, Jehenna clung to the sombre line of discussion concerning the evils that had spread across the world.
‘Simeon, I am concerned that I may be placing you in danger by entreating your help like this. I am desperate. I didn't know where else to turn.’
He frowned momentarily, then quickly assumed a carefree aspect. ‘What could possibly harm me?’ He held up his claws and snarled as if he were a terrifying beast. Jehenna gave a small laugh but remained uneasy about the situation.
He nudged her with one of his claws. ‘Jen, you worry too much.’
She shook her head and pointed out the window at the glittering expanse of ocean beneath them. ‘There’s a creature out there. The Ryugin. It’s already destroyed many ships. Killed hundreds of Myrrans. It’ll be waiting for us.’
Simeon quickly dismissed her concerns. ‘But it’s never been up against a ship like The Fortitude. Wait until you see her, Jen. She’ll take your breath away.’ His proud, defiant eyes allayed her fears somewhat, suggesting that there was nothing that could harm him, or anyone else, whilst aboard his great ship.
Jehenna cast a glance at the Morgai Lilith Cortese. Her beautiful, young face was grim. It did not seem she shared Simeon’s confidence.
The Fortitude was without a doubt the finest vessel in the Acoran fleet. She was a clipper, only two months old. She was testimony to the Acora’s obsession with maritime speed – long and lean with a prow as sharp as a sword. Above the deck a great cumulus of sails billowed in the northerly breeze. The Acoran national flag fluttered 150 feet above the deck at the top of the mainmast. The masts were made of the finest Lucien timber, treated and aged until they were as strong as steel. Acoran clippers usually ran under full sail, even in a gale, and the masts had to withstand the tremendous power harnessed by the twenty-one sheets. The foremast and mizzenmast carried five tiers of sails each. The canvas sails were imported all the way from Gorias in Tuatha and were as strong as any material known to the Myr. Some of the ships were reputed to reach forty knots in ideal conditions, covering over 200 leagues in a day.
The Fortitude was also extremely sturdy despite the elegance of her design. She had a long, gracefully tapered hull, the stern of which was considerably wider and fuller than any ship that had preceded her. The design was ridiculed when it was first drawn up as it defied all current thinking concerning the shape of a ship’s hull. At first the chief shipwright of the Griflet yards refused to build her, stating that the ship’s bow would cut into the water too deeply, and that the decks would be awash when it hit the first wave. The bow design he had used for every ship he had ever built allowed a ship to rise and fall on the undulations of the ocean. The Queen demanded that the shipwright build the clipper with its sharp hull unchanged and when The Fortitude returned from a trial voyage to Corra three days ahead of schedule, he became the toast of Acoran. Five more ships were commissioned by the Acoran government, and they were the pride of the nation.
Although The Fortitude had remained in Griflet since its maiden journey to Corra, the local populace still gathered in huge crowds at the water’s edge to look upon her, awestruck by the magnificence of her design and craftsmanship of her construction. There wasn’t a sailor in Acoran who didn’t hope to obtain tenure on The Fortitude. It came as no surprise that command of the ship was given to Captain Simeon Kallady, the most well-respected seaman in all Acoran.
Simeon stood at the top of the gangway, barking orders to a sailor above the royals to unfurl the stunsails. Beams were extended from the spars above the mainsail, topsails and topgallants. From these retractable yards on either side of The Fortitude great shrouds were unfurled and set by burly seamen manning the sheets. The ship looked like a great, white gillygull stretching its wings before taking flight.
'Captain Kallady?’
Simeon cocked his head to one side and swivelled around. Standing before him on the floating pier that connected the shoreline of Griflet to his ship, Jehenna and her squad looked up at The Fortitude in wonder.
Jehenna raised her hand to her temple in a light-hearted salute. ‘Permission to come aboard.’
Simeon’s eyes shone with delight. ‘Permission granted, Consul Canna.’
The squad clambered up the gangway and stood on the main deck with their jaws agape.
Sela felt dizzy as she looked up. The intricate network of shrouds, sheets and spars above resembled a shatterbug’s web. Crewmen swung from beam to beam with seemingly reckless indifference to the heights. Cloud upon cloud of canvas hung from the yardarms, billowing in the wind, impatiently waiting for the chance to fly high above the open sea.
With Jehenna and her company aboard, it was not long before the anchors were drawn up and the hawsers were lying in coils beside the ship’s gunnels. A symphony of voices sounded all over the ship as Simeon Kallady gave the call to set sail. A well-rehearsed flurry of activity followed as the vast crew of The Fortitude set about their duties with the diligence and precision for which Acoran sailors were famed.
The Fortitude’s sleek, shatterstone-crested hull effortlessly sliced through the swells. She refused to rise and fall on the rolling seas, arrogantly carving her way, the occasional burst of spray under her bowsprit only sign of resistance offered by the darkening Arion seas.
The first of the evening’s stars peered out through the navy blue dome overhead. Shatterbugs in the binnacle lights aboard the ship were all aglow and the decks were splashed in a warm, orange light.
‘I love it out here,’ Jehenna said when she was joined by her brother on the spar deck. Wedged in the hook where his right hand once was, a cup of hot javo sent an intoxicating smell into the air. Jehenna breathed deeply and sighed. There were worse places to be. She had been watching the wake of the ship, hoping to see the sea snorses of Arion that sometimes playfully darted around vessels that crossed into their pastures of blue.
‘I have something for you, Jen,’ Simeon said merrily. ‘A present.’
‘Why does that make me nervous? Ah, yes, I remember your last present for me. A pet praga fish wasn’t it?’
‘That’s right!’ replied Simeon beaming proudly.
‘And you thought that my bath would be a good place to keep it, didn’t you! Of course, you forgot to tell me it was in there which led to a rather unpleasant surprise.’
Simeon continued to beam proudly. Without batting an eyelid, he asked, ‘And how is the bite? Did it heal?’
Jehenna scowled. ‘I have a scar on my buttocks.’
‘Oh well,’ Simeon said flippantly. ‘I’m sure Pylos won't mind.’
All the colour in Jehenna’s face dropped out of her face, then returned seconds later as her embarrassment became greater than her shock. She quickly turned her head around to see whether anyone had heard the comment but was met with the sight of a lot of sailors quickly going about their business, looking anywhere else but at her. She turned back to her brother, her fists clenched tighter than her teeth.
‘What?’ he said, feigning ignorance. ‘What?’ Suddenly his face took on a look of shock, as he pretended to realise his mistake. ‘Oh dear! I said Pylos, didn’t I? I’m an idiot. I meant Maeldune!’
Jehenna stepped forward and punched her brother in the face.
He fell down upon the deck and shook his head to clear it of the tiny flashes of light that dominated his vision. A number of sailors stopped pretending to work and looked over at their captain, sprawled on the deck. They weren’t sure what he was going to do. They had never seen anyone strike him before. To their surprise, he looked up at his sister standing over him and smiled. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, and it sounded genuine. ‘That was a bit mean!’
‘It was an idiotic comment, Simeon,’ she pouted.
‘I really do have a present for you, if that helps,’ he said as he felt the warm caress of a bleeding nose upon his chafed lips.
‘It might, depending on what it is,’ she said giving a little ground to him.
Simeon’s face shifted a little to reflect his chagrin. ‘Here,’ he said as he walked across the deck to a small storage closet and pulled out a long, golden glaive with a pink bow around its handle. ‘You should like it. You can kill people with it.’
‘I can think of someone now,’ she said suggestively as she took the fine weapon. ‘Without taking off the bow, she spun it round a few times in her hand, getting a feel for its weight and balance. She then held it up high, like a prized trophy. He could tell she liked it.
At that moment Lilith Cortese walked up onto the deck and stopped in her tracks when she saw Jehenna holding up the glaive. The Morgai recognised the weapon at once. It was the one that would take her life.
Jehenna rested the glaive on the gunnel and turned to face her brother. ‘You’ve never liked Maeldune, have you Simeon?’
Before he answered, Simeon took a sip of his javo. He had always been honest with his sister. It was not a time to change that. ‘He’s arrogant and ambitious Jen.’
Jehenna saw Sela standing over by the ship’s binnacle, scolding a sailor who had accidentally swung his mop into her face. What had she called her back in Lucien? An arrogant, pointy-eared shrew? ‘You know some people would say the same thing about me, Simeon.’
‘You’re headstrong, Jen; not arrogant. There’s a difference.’
It was a nice thing to say. Jehenna smiled. A set of perfect teeth broke through lips that usually remained closed in a slight pout. It was the sort of smile that made people forget their chain of thought. When Jehenna was happy, she was radiant.
Simeon had long recognised his sister’s exceptional beauty. It had made him protective of her and dismissive of all suitors including Maeldune Canna. Simeon often wondered whether she was happy with Maeldune. He assumed she wasn’t. He couldn’t imagine anyone being happy married to him. He decided to change the subject. ‘What can you tell me about your mission?’
She opened her mouth to speak then closed it. Uncertainty flickered in her eyes. ‘Simeon, it supposed to be a covert operation. We’ve been sworn to secrecy.’
Simeon looked back across the deck nodding. Sela was still reprimanding the sailor with the mop. Bormanus and Tawhawki stood by the jigger-mast deep in conversation. Rama was curled up in a hammock on the quarterdeck; his snoring could be heard over the snapping of the sails. Lilith sat on a stool by the capstan combing her hair, occasionally stopping to sip from a goblet she nursed on her knees.
‘Well, Jen, I think I can guess the nature of the mission.’ He waved a hook in the direction of his sister’s companions. ‘Looking at them my guess is the Assembly of Nations has chosen groups to represent numerous peoples. My guess is there are two maybe three other squads so that all nations have representation. You are responding to the attacks on Sulis, Marshmead and Sarras, to name but a few. There are probably many more attacks I don’t know about. It is clear you are not seeking to hunt down the monsters known as the Cabal; Kleesto’s attack clearly took you by surprise. So my guess is you are seeking a way into the realm that spawned this evil. I imagine I am taking you to Cephalonia to do exactly that.’
Jehenna was impressed. Simeon had always been canny but his ability to describe their mission in such accurate detail highlighted what a fine brain he had.
‘As always, you see things clearly Simeon,’ she admitted. ‘There’s no point keeping secrets from you. Yes, we do seek a way into the Endless, but not by force. We do not want to draw attention to ourselves. We were hoping to enter the Lucien breach but now that is not an option.’
‘If you’re not going to fight… you’re an assassination squad!’ Simeon said loudly as his mind connected the pieces.
‘The attacks have been orchestrated by one man – Caliban Grayson. We hope to take him down.’
‘With this team? You expect to sneak past the Ghul hordes, find their leader and kill him? With this team?’ He was on the verge of laughing.
Jehenna crossed her arms defensively. ‘That’s right.’
‘You’re even braver than I thought!’ he joked. ‘Jehenna, what did you do to deserve such a squad?’
Jehenna followed his gaze to where Sela was trying to gain possession of the mop at the heart of her little dispute. The seaman held the mop above his head and Sela snatched hopelessly at it but it was well out of her reach.
Over by the capstan, Lilith Cortese continued to preen herself. On the quarterdeck, Rama’s snoring was beginning to annoy several sailors. Over by the jigger-mast, Tawhawki had lost his footing and skidded across the deck, squashing two seamen along with Bormanus against the portside gunnel.
‘I must be atoning for past sins,’ said Jehenna miserably.
Simeon laughed loudly, but his mirth only served to hide his concerns about his sister’s chances of surviving the mission. ‘Jen, wouldn’t you be better off sending some Kompiran assassins? Or the Cessair Guard? He put a hook up to his head and scratched. ‘You know, you’re not all going to make it.’
‘I’ll be amazed if any of us come home alive,’ Jehenna said bluntly.
‘Are you able to tell me who leads the other squads? Bannick? Pylos? Stoops?’
The evening breeze blew Jehenna’s dark tresses across her face. When she pulled her hair back off her face, Simeon could see her sister’s expression had changed. She was disturbed. ‘Simeon, Bannick’s dead. He was killed the night before we set off.’
Simeon had met Bannick Landen on a journey from Scoriath to Arnaksak. Like so many others, he liked Bannick, admired him. He remembered the atmosphere of invulnerability that seemed to hang in the air around the Arnakki hero. In his presence, it was impossible to feel afeared of anything. And now he was dead.
‘Bannick? How? Why?’
‘I think Caliban wanted to send us a message. It would seem Caliban has someone in his employ in Cessair. Someone who knew our moves before we made them.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘We were attacked in the Way. An ambush. Only a handful of people knew of our route under the mountains.’
‘Surely not one of the Assembly?’
‘Perhaps.’
‘One of your own squad members?’
‘To be honest Simeon, I don’t trust any of them.’ She paused and looked around the decks at the eclectic group she was charged to lead. ‘And yet they fought so bravely against Kleesto.’
‘You’ve been compromised Jehenna. And if they could kill Bannick so easily…’
They both fell silent, caught up in separate thoughts. Their voices were replaced by the rhythmic pounding of the waves upon The Fortitude’s steep hull and the occasional slurping sound as Simeon finished off his cup of javo. He placed the mug on the deck under his wooden legs and pulled out a sugarapple from a deep pocket inside his navy blue overcoat. ‘You want a bite?’' he said waving the apple in front of his sister.
She smiled appreciatively and plucked the fruit from the end of his claw.
The coast of Acoran fell away as The Fortitude glided across the starlit waters of the Arion Ocean. It was a balmy night and many sailors who were off duty had gathered on the ship's many decks to enjoy the evening. Some sang lewd shanties, some played hard-fought games of sabat and Siege while others were content to smoke a pipe as they exchanged stories of all the women they had conquered.
A number of them had made bets on their destination but not a single sailor had placed any money on Cephalonia being at the end of the voyage. When Jehenna had told Simeon that she had to get to Cephalonia as quickly as possible, he did not question it, nor did he question her request to keep the destination a secret for as long as possible. Most sailors had put their hard-earned gold on the research facility of Amasis as being their likely heading. Although the rest of the world was generally unaware of the existence of the facility, it was common knowledge among the Acora. So too was the fact that the Captain’s mother was head of the science station. The presence of his sister on the voyage only made this destination the firm favourite among the ship's gamblers (of which there were many).
Irrespective of where they were going, most of the sailors were simply content to be at sea on the magnificent ship.
Jehenna crunched down on the sugarapple but did not hand it back to her brother. The sea air made her hungry. She took another bite and waited for his reaction, but his mind was on other things. ‘What is it?’ she asked.
‘I was just thinking about Bannick. He was one of a kind.’
‘He sure was,’ she replied. ‘However, I don't think Maeldune liked him very much.’
‘Gah!’ Simeon grunted. ‘Maeldune doesn't like anyone.’
Jehenna dropped her head slightly. Simeon noted this and quickly added, ‘Yourself excepted, of course.’
Jehenna rolled her eyes at this painfully obvious attempt to please her.
Simeon decided to refrain from any more comments about his sister’s husband and moved on to a new topic. ‘You haven’t told me who is leading the other squads.’
‘One team is led by Lokasenna, a Sessymirian. They’re heading for the Nilfheim breach.’
Simeon started shaking his head. ‘Lokasenna Hagen – the one-handed foreman of Strom Mir? Jen, I’ve heard of her. She’s insane. Six months ago the captain of The Perseverence had an argument with her concerning a late payment on a boatload of Cold. He ended up losing an eye!’
‘Yes, she’s a perfect representative for Sessymir. She leads Sumi Kimura, Will Stoops, Sir Edgar Worseley, the Moraen you fished out of the sea near Grisandole and a Mabbit from the Briar Patch.’
‘A Mabbit?’
‘Yes. A survivor of the Ghul attack on Camulos.’
‘Apart from the Mabbit, it’s quite a strong group. And the other teams?’
‘One other team.’
‘Who leads it?’
She didn’t say anything but leaned forward leaning on the gunnel.
‘Who leads the other team Jen?’ he asked again, her silence amplifying her curiosity.
‘Maeldune.’
‘What!’ Simeon exclaimed in an eruption of shock and perverse delight. ‘He’ll get them all killed! And where, can I ask, is Pylos Castalia?’
‘He’s on Maeldune's squad. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t strangle my husband before the journey’s end.’
‘Well, we can only hope,’ Simeon muttered to himself, unable to resist making one more comment regarding Maeldune.
Jehenna cast her eyes down at the water below. Her long fingers fidgeted with one another as they rested on the gunnel. A shatterbug landed on one of her knuckles, illuminating the look of sobriety that had spread across her face.
‘Hello little critter,’ she said softly. ‘You’re a long way from home. What are you doing so far out to sea?’
‘I could ask the same of you Jen,’ Simeon said enigmatically, ‘and I don’t mean the mission.’
It took her a while to take his meaning. Simeon could be quite obtuse when he wanted to be. ‘You are right Simeon,’ she sighed disconsolately. ‘Maeldune is arrogant and he is ambitious. I was young enough, stupid enough, to see these as admirable traits. I was blinded by his confidence.’
‘If you weren’t of noble stock, you could walk away from this union.’
‘Walk away, Simeon? Where would I go?’
‘I’m sure a certain General from Sulis…’
Surprisingly, she did not shy away from the comment. ‘I know. I’ve seen the way he looks at me. But I cannot give Pylos any indication of my feelings. I will not sully our royal name.’
‘Then you have feelings for him.’
‘I cannot deny it. At least, not to you.’ She proffered a weak smile, almost as an apology. ‘Pylos Castalia is a most estimable man.’
‘He does have a scar,’ Simeon said mischievously.
‘It is the most honourable of physical imperfections. I imagine he received it in the heat of battle.’
Simeon had heard the tale of how Pylos had earned his scar – in a play fight with Bannick – but he realised Jehenna didn’t need to hear the story at that time.
She looked up at him with big, brown eyes that were tinged with panic. ‘You won’t tell anyone, will you Simeon?’
‘I will carry your secret to the grave,’ he said, pretending to be serious. He then gave her a kiss on the forehead and moved off to join his officers in a game of Siege.
Mornings on the Arion Ocean were usually spectacular affairs, a glittering pageant of colour and movement. However, when Tawhawki clip-clopped his way onto the deck, he was met with something entirely different. A thick shroud of mist lay over the ship and the waters surrounding it. The sails were silent even though the night crew had trimmed them to eke what they could out of the fading wind. The faint breeze had no more strength in it than the breath of a baby. The ship’s boatswain Franklin Baffin marched over the decks dispensing orders at every mast, but there was little he could do to change the situation.
The mood on the deck had changed with the weather. The reveries of the night before had ended and a quiet seriousness had enveloped the vessel.
Tawhawki found Bormanus upon the forecastle. He stood beside the bowsprit looking out into the mist with a curious smile upon his face.
‘You seem quite content for such a dismal morning,’
‘I love mornings like this,’ Bormanus replied, pushing back his white bangs so he could see his Caquikki companion. ‘The seas around Cephalonia are like this every morning. By midday the sun burns away the mists and everything in the world is new again. A foggy morning – it’s a small price to pay for a bright day.’
‘How do you know this will change?’
‘Everything changes Tawhawki. Sooner or later change will come.’
When Sela came out onto the deck, she found Bormanus and Tawhawki huddled over a game of Siege. Between them the seven-tier circular board was turned around and around as Bormanus sought out his next move.
Tawhawki looked up at the Tamuan standing beside them. Although her mask hid her expression, he could tell she was perplexed by the game before her. ‘You don’t play Siege in Tamu?’ he asked.
‘No,’ she said a little defensively. ‘It looks like a ridiculous waste of time. What’s the point of it all?’
Ordinarily Tawhawki would have ended the conversation there, but he was bored waiting for Bormanus to make his move and so took the opportunity to fill in the time by explaining the game to Sela. ‘It’s about strategy Consul. It’s about making your opponent think you are doing one thing when you are actually doing something else.’
‘So it’s really a game of deceit,’ she huffed.
‘That’s one way of putting it.’
‘So if you excel at Siege, you are not one who should be trusted.’
Tawhawki laughed. ‘I’ve never thought of it in that way.’
‘And the winner of this match is the less trustworthy of the pair of you.’
She was trying hard to engender discord, but Tawhawki was more amused by her argument than offended. ‘Perhaps it would be best if I explained to you what is going on here.’ He took his spectacles out of his waistcoat pocket, polished them and placed them on his thin nose. ‘Bormanus is trying to take my citadel. I occupy the five highest levels of the board. Naturally, my king sits on the highest level which is called the Keep. Surrounding him are the cardinals and keep guards. The next level contains archers and artillery. The fourth level contains pikemen and dragoons. On the fifth lowest level I have my infantry.’
‘But that’s not fair!’ she exclaimed. She turned to Bormanus and pointed indignantly at all his pieces on the lowest circles of the board. ‘You have more men than Tawhawki.’
Bormanus scowled, annoyed that his concentration had been broken. ‘But he has the height advantage. His pieces have greater range than mine.’
‘Well… how do you win?’ Sela asked trying to sound disinterested as she knelt down beside the board.
‘Bormanus must get a piece to the Keep, where my king currently stands. He must do so in fifty moves.’
Bormanus made his move, lifting a small carved representation of a knight on a snorse up one tier of the board. As he did so, he placed a small white stone in a rack beside the board.
‘A risky strategy!’ scoffed Tawhawki as he swivelled the board around to study the impact Bormanus’ move had upon the game.
‘You don’t win by avoiding risks, Tawhawki.’
‘I don’t understand this at all,’ groaned Sela in frustration as she tried to make sense of the complex arrangement on the board.
Tawhawki pointed at where Bormanus had placed his knight. ‘This piece has fallen within range of my bowmen. Now a roll of the appropriate dice will determine the piece’s fate. When combatants come within range of one another, a dice is rolled by the player whose turn it is.’
He handed her an oddly shaped dice that had been sitting on the rack where the white stones were placed. It was made of bone and was beautifully crafted. The dice was a dodecahedron. On each of its twelve sides an image was carved. An image of the sun was displayed on four sides, another four had the image of the moon and the remaining four, a star.
Without understanding the rules, but wanting to play a part in the game, Sela asked, ‘Can I roll it for you?’
‘If you can promise me you’ll roll a sun,’ Tawhawki said with a smirk.
‘I’ll do my best.’ She rolled the dice. It hopped across the smooth planks of the forecastle, finally coming to rest with a sun facing upward.
‘Ha!’ Sela shouted in exaltation. ‘You’re dead Bormanus.’
He stared back at her coldly. ‘A momentary setback, my thorny friend. You’ll find I’m not so easy to kill.’
Franklin Baffin was joined by his captain at the helm. ‘Bosun, I’ve brought you a cuppa.’
‘Thank-you Captain,’ Baffin said appreciatively. It had been a long night and the steaming cup of javo was just what he needed to lift his spirits. He carefully unhooked the mug from the Captain’s claw and smiled. He was one of the few men on board who received such special treatment.
‘Report,’ said Simeon brusquely as he peered out into the mist.
‘Wind dropped just after midnight Cap’n. Then this mist came in and has hung around us like a noose.’
‘Hmmm, just dropped did it?’ Simeon mused. ‘This is most unusual.’
‘Sir?’
‘Bosun, I’ve made this run across the Arion Ocean countless times and I have never seen a mist like this. Nor have I ever been becalmed.’ He looked up at the limp sails above him. ‘Here we are with shroud upon shroud hanging from our masts and not a breath of wind to stir them.’
A gentle step was heard behind the pair at the wheel. They turned around to find Jehenna and Lilith making their way across the bridge. They could almost be mistaken for twins. Although Lilith was significantly paler than Jehenna, she possessed the same aura of aloofness. To the sailors on board, both women had the striking beauty that deemed them unobtainable, except in the dreams and lascivious imaginings of wishful men.
‘Having a problem Simeon?’ Jehenna asked.
‘We’ve stopped. The wind has dropped.’
Jehenna’s face hardened. ‘Where are we?’
Baffin stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Jehenna. ‘Miss, we were making good speed until late last night. I put us due north of the Isle of Antaeus.’
‘That puts us dead centre of the Arion Ocean,’ Simeon said. ‘We’re a long way from land.’
Jehenna turned to her brother. ‘Is this sort of thing normal?’
He shook his head. ‘It is most abnormal, Jen.’
Suddenly Lilith pointed out across the deck into the mist-covered waters on the starboard side of the ship. ‘Look!’ she exclaimed before breaking into a sprint across the bridge. She jumped down the narrow stairs to the quarterdeck and ran across to the starboard gunnel, her purple and gold robes flowing out behind her like a flag. She leaned over the rail and peered into the mist. ‘I don’t believe it!’
Jehenna wasted no time in joining her. Simeon took a little longer, his wooden legs hammering the deck as he rushed over to see what had so shocked his Morgai passenger.
‘Nep’gii!’ Lilith exclaimed with delight as she pointed out to sea.
About fifty yards abreast of the ship, a troop of young nep’gii were jumping across the waves in a playful balletic performance. The rarely seen creatures tumbled and danced upon the water as if it were a stage. As they pirouetted and spun, their shaggy manes swung around their long heads and necks. Although they were also known as sea snorses, the nep’gii were not actually related to their land-bound counterparts. Their eyes did not sit on stalks, but rather were hidden under a long, tan mane that ran from the nep’gii’s head all the way down its back. Instead of broad feet and thick legs, the sea snorse had a long, prehensile tail that it curled up under its belly when not using it to thrust itself through the waters.
‘At last, I have seen them!’ Lilith said. Her eyes were aflame in wonderment. ‘The nep’gii of Arion! I have long desired to look upon them. I thought I would run out of time before I got the chance.’
‘Run out of time?’ Jehenna said, perplexed by the statement.
A soft footstep behind them distracted them momentarily from the sight of the sea snorses frolicking in the ethereal mists surrounding the ship. It was Bormanus. He looked past the trio and smiled when he saw the marine fauna that had captured their attention. ‘Ah, nep’gii,’ he said with the familiarity of someone who had seen the creatures before. ‘I believe they are a sign of good luck. Am I correct Captain?’
Simeon nodded. ‘Apparently, although we don’t seem to be having too much of it at the moment.’
‘Have you seen the peg’ii, the sky steeds of Cephalonia?’ Bormanus asked Lilith who had returned her gazed to the nep’gii who continued to put on a show for her.
Without taking her eyes from the waters before her, Lilith answered. ‘No, but I have long thought of it. When I was a little girl, I would draw pictures of the peg’ii. Whilst other girls were busy dreaming one day of marrying a prince and living in a golden castle, I just hoped one day I would lie in the fields of wild orchida on Cephalonia and watch the peg’ii play.’
‘Perhaps you will have your chance soon.’
Simeon grumbled. ‘That’s if we ever get to Cephalonia.’
Jehenna turned to her brother and clutched at his arm. ‘Simeon, tell me that we’re not stranded here. You grand ship doesn’t seem so grand just sitting here, dead in the water.’
He gave her one of those mischievous smiles she had seen him wear for much of his life. ‘Sister, this boat’s got a few surprises left in her.’ He swivelled around and marched back to the bridge, giving orders as he went. ‘All hands on deck! Take up the sails! Prepare to fire up the engines!’
Jehenna caught up with Simeon on the bridge. ‘You have engines?’
‘Yes. The biggest, most powerful Cold engines you’ve ever seen. The bunkering will take some time. I suggest you have breakfast in the officer’s mess. We’ll be underway by mid-morning.’
Jehenna hugged her brother. ‘Thank-you Simeon. For everything.’
He was true to his word. Within hours, The Fortitude was speeding across the waves under its own power. The mist continued to envelop the boat, so they could not travel at full speed for fear of hitting the reefs that dotted the Arion Ocean like weeds in a poorly maintained garden.
Although it was mid-morning, Lilith could feel sleep crawl over her. It was not a comforting feeling. Her dreams had increasingly brought her horrific details of things to come. Her foresight was exhausting her. The terrible images found their way into her slumber and she rarely woke feeling refreshed and energized. She just felt old. The sound of the pounding waves faded and once again Lilith Cortese found herself in that place beyond time, where truths were revealed.
Jehenna Canna knelt on the deck with her brother in her arms. He had so much blood covering him, he was unrecognisable until she wiped his face with her hand.
Eyes dulled by pain looked up helplessly. ‘I’m sorry Jen, but I don’t think I’ll be able to take you all the way to Cephalonia.’ His body convulsed as his vital organs gave up and then he was still.
Lilith sat upright on her bunk. It was a familiar dream but no easier to bear because she had experienced it before. She was panting and her brow was draped in perspiration.
She made her way over to the small dresser in her cabin and looked at the old woman in the mirror before her. Her rugose face contrasted starkly to the stunning beauty Lilith cloaked herself in when in the presence of others. It was getting harder to maintain the guise of youth. Here in the presence of nobody, she could ignore her vanity and wear the face the centuries had given her.
‘This is your fault, Lilith,’ said the old woman in the mirror. ‘You should have guided him properly.’
‘I tried,’ she replied weakly.
‘You did not try hard enough. Or think enough. Remiel Grayson should have killed his brother.’
‘He is a noble man, like his father. There was no hope that he would kill Caliban.’
‘You should have killed him yourself!’ sneered the old woman in the mirror, ‘when you had the chance. Look what you have unleashed upon the world as a consequence of your folly.’
‘I… I…” But Lilith had no answer. The old woman in the mirror was right. This was her fault.
‘You know Simeon Kallady will die shortly.’
‘Yes.’
‘Have you told him? Have you told his sister?’
‘I have learnt that there is a danger in divulging too much.’
‘So you will just let him die.’
‘Yes. I will let Kallady die!’ she shouted. ‘And Baffin. And Tawhawki. I’ll let them all die because I must. I don’t have a choice!’
Ignorant of the tears that streamed down her craggy face and onto her golden robes, Lilith stood and rushed out the cabin, desperate to get away from the old woman in the mirror who made her feel so bad. So caught up in the moment was she that she failed to notice the figure of Rama standing in the shadows with a most puzzled look upon his face.
There were two explosions.
The first occurred in the boiler room of The Fortitude. The great engine had exploded, taking with it the entire aft section of the ship and at least fifty members of the crew.
The dread cry went out shortly afterwards. ‘We’re taking on water Captain!’
‘Drop the bulkheads!’ came the reply which was quickly followed by a deep, grinding groan as oakaen bulkheads were lowered into place and secured with iron battens. This quick response to the first explosion had kept the ship afloat and saved many lives in the process.
The second explosion was even more shocking than the first. Without any warning, the waters at bow of the ship erupted and the Cabal beast known as the Ryugin shot out of the waters and heaved itself onto The Fortitude’s deck. Timbers, sheets and shrouds were ripped apart as the beast’s teeth raked across the deck in an indiscriminate slaughter. The carnage that followed the fury of teeth and claws was staggering. Flesh and bone mingled with the ship’s debris floating in the surrounding ocean. The attack of the Ryugin was the most brutal, violent act Jehenna Canna had ever seen. Her heart leapt into her mouth as she searched for some sign of her brother.
He stood on the bridge, barking orders that were echoed by his bosun, Franklin Baffin. In all the bloody chaos that entailed, Simeon Kallady was a symbol of order and control. Despite the splintering timbers and the ear-piercing screams of dying men, Simeon stood calmly at the helm trying to carve a way out of the horror that had befallen them. Despite his hooked hands and peg-legs, he resembled a statue of an explorer in an age long since past, his eyes staring down the danger before him.
Jehenna could see no sign of her companions. It was likely they were below deck. As she watched the vast teeth of the Ryugin crash down on the crew of The Fortitude, she hoped that her companions would stay where they were. They could do nothing to repel the beast that had leapt up out of the misty sea.
Baffin leapt down from the bridge to tell the men on the main deck to arm the harpoons. The Fortitude was well-armed. Although the Ryugin had destroyed much of the front third of the boat in its savage attack, it had not touched either one of the two harpoons that lay on the main deck. Baffin ran across midships, but before he could get a single word out, the Ryugin twisted its enormous body around and slapped its thick crimson tail down upon him.
The beast then slipped off the deck and vanished into the foggy white sea.
Simeon Kallady held his valiant boatswain in his arms. ‘Cap’n,’ Baffin spluttered, his mouth a pond of blood. ‘How’s the ship?’
Simeon looked around his once-proud boat. Four of its five masts had been shattered, the sails were all in shreds and the decks were an undulating mess of broken timbers. They had lost all ability to steer and all around men were dying. Simeon brushed Baffin’s hair out of the man’s face and smiled comfortingly. ‘The ship’s fine Bosun. We’re in excellent shape.’
Baffin’s back arched as a bolt of pain shot up his spine. ‘So we’re going to make it Cap’n?’
Simeon blinked away tears as he witnessed the last moments of his loyal officer’s life. ‘Of course we’re going to make it.’ His voice faltered as he said, ‘You’ll be home in time for tea, Franklin.’
Baffin’s eyes sparkled for a brief moment – perhaps it was his name being spoken by his Captain for the first time – and then went dull.
‘I’m sorry Simeon.’ Jehenna placed a hand upon her brother’s shoulder. ‘He was a good man.’
‘We’ve been compromised, Jen. The engine couldn’t have blown up by itself. Someone made this all happen. Someone in your squad.’ They had been betrayed and in a man to whom loyalty and honour was everything, Simeon felt the perfidy like a blade though his heart. ‘Get them on deck.’
Jehenna was stunned. ‘What?’
‘Get them on deck! It’s the only way I can protect you. That thing won’t attack you whilst you stand alongside whoever has turned against us.’
She did as she was told. It made sense. Sela, Tawhawki, Bormanus, Rama and Lilith were made to stand upon the poop deck whilst some sailors gathered the ropes that would bind them all together.
‘What are you doing Captain?’ asked Tawhawki, suspicious of what was about to take place.
Simeon strode before them, holding his clawed hand up to indicate he expected only silence from them. ‘Look around you. The ship is barely afloat. I have lost at least 150 good men this morning. Many more are dying as I speak, bleeding from wounds that would sicken you to see. One of you has done this. One of you has betrayed his companions and all the Myr by this disgraceful act. I do not know who, but I would wager good money that giving up your own life was not part of whatever deal you made with Caliban.’
‘How dare you!’ shouted Sela but she said no more when Simeon approached her with eyes that would melt snow.
‘Do not speak, Tamuan! This is my ship,’ he growled. ‘I just watched my bosun die. I won’t do the same for my sister.’ He turned to the sailors he had ordered to prepare the ropes. ‘Bind them to the mizzenmast. Bind them hard. None must escape.’ He then stepped towards Jehenna and said, ‘I’m sorry Jen, but I must ask you to join them.’
‘I will stand with them, but I will not be tied.’
He wanted to argue the point but knew it would be pointless. It would be enough that she agreed to stay with them.
Fear sprung up in Bormanus’ deep grey eyes when he realised that they were going to be tied to the mast. ‘Madman!’ he screamed, his voice as shrill as any woman’s. ‘You’ll get us all killed!’
‘Everyone’s got to die sir,’ Simeon replied. ‘But very few men get to choose when.’
‘You maniac!’ Bormanus hissed. ‘I don’t choose now!’
His outrage meant nothing to Simeon. Jehenna’s companions were tied to the mast, albeit with considerable resistance from Tawhawki and Bormanus. Sela said nothing in protest. She had realised that if Simeon Kallady was right, there was no safer place on the ship.
‘Seaman Hawkins,’ Simeon said to one of the sailors standing nearby. ‘I want you to head into the main hold and fetch me some Blue Cold. A few blocks should do.’
It was an unusual request. Blue Cold was a highly dangerous form of Cold, mainly used as an explosive. Ship captains sometimes carried a block or two to scuttle a ship instead of allowing their vessel to fall into the hands of pirates.
Simeon indulged the seaman with an explanation. ‘I’m going to blow a hole in that beast’s head so wide you’ll see the sun shine through it.’
It was a strange sight to see. The decks of The Fortitude were deadly still as everyone stood at his post waiting for the return of the Ryugin. In the centre of the poop deck, Sela, Tawhawki, Rama, Bormanus and Lilith were lashed to the ship’s thick mizzenmast whilst Jehenna stood close by, her arms outstretched, her crossbows cocked and ready to fire.
On either side of the poop deck, blocks of Blue Cold had been lashed to the gunnels. Like his sister, Simeon had a pair of crossbows mounted on his forearms. His left arm was trained on the block of Cold fixed to the port gunnel; his right arm was aimed at the starboard block. He was ready for the Ryugin whichever side it decided to attack next.
The fog that had mantled the ship was no longer thick and impenetrable. Overhead glimpses of blue sky could be seen through the gauzy white sheet. Holes developed. Rents appeared as if the Ryugin had also torn at the mist.
Bound so tightly to the mizzenmast that he could not move his arms, Tawhawki sneered: ‘I won’t allow myself to die in such an ignoble fashion.’ He pulled at the ropes but only managed to prick himself on one of Sela’s spines.
He stifled his pain as an idea formed in his head. He twisted his hand around so he could grab one of her quills. Sela was so caught up in the approach of the Ryugin, she was oblivious to his touch. Then he yanked down as hard as his bonds would allow him and pulled a quill out of Sela’s back.
She screamed in agony, but the Caquikki did not care. He had the quill. He quickly ran it up and down the ropes at his wrists. It was sharp and severed the rope in no time.
Suddenly, a deafening noise filled the air. The entire ship moved on its axis and in a cloud of splintered timbers, the Ryugin burst through the main deck. It took everyone by surprise. Simeon was thrown across the poop deck. A shard from one of the timbers spun through the air and smashed into Jehenna’s face. She fell back from the impact and her vision was blinded from the blood that sprayed out the long gash the wood had carved in her face.
In the centre of the ship the Ryugin bellowed triumphantly. Its frilled neck flared out like a flower in full bloom. It was bedraggled with ropes and harpoons from earlier encounters with obstinate Kompirans and defiant Helyans, most of whom were now dead. One of its eyes was a cloudy white colour, the result of the sai Sumi Kimura had driven into it on the tragic day the beast attacked The Princess Orani. It fixed its other eye, a gleaming red orb full of malice, upon the tiny Myrrans scrambling across the deck below and chose its victim.
Tawhawki had fallen when the beast had burst through the deck and lay helplessly against the port gunnel. He was trying to pull himself up, but a broken beam lay across his hind legs and would not move. The Ryugin’s head shot forward and its jaws clamped around the Caquikki. It then flicked its head backwards and Tawhawki was flung away like a piece of rotten meat. He disappeared into the mist. Somewhere far from the ship his bloody, broken body slapped against the water, unseen and unheard by his companions on board the ship.
When Jehenna wiped the blood from her eyes, she was horrified by what she saw. Simeon lay crumpled against the port gunnel, his coat ripped to shreds and stained with blood. The Ryugin hovered above him, its jaws wide open in a malicious smile. The beast’s claws prodded at him. He flinched and it roared in delight, pleased that its plaything was still alive. One of the beast’s claws flicked him away and he went sliding across the deck to where its other claw was waiting to catch him to flick him back again.
Suddenly a massive ball of flame shot across the deck hitting the Ryugin square in the face. It howled in agony as the skin beneath its scales bubbled and burnt. Its wild movements sent Lilith Cortese flying into the mizzenmast. She lay crumpled at its base, unable to move, let alone conjure another spell.
Jehenna’s vision was continually being obscured by the gash in her face. It was a deep wound and whenever she moved the pain of it seared across her head. She could see Simeon struggling to his feet at the port gunnel. He was scraping his claws on the gunnel, cutting the ropes that bound the volatile lump of Blue Cold his crew had set there.
‘Simeon!’ Jehenna screamed. ‘Don’t!’
It was futile. The Ryugin had savaged him within an inch of his life and he could hardly stand. Also, Simeon’s metal claws were not designed to hold blocks of Cold. As the Ryugin’s thrashing body rocked the ship, the Cold slipped out of his grasp and fell to the deck.
Incredibly, it didn’t hit the deck. Rama had slid forward on his belly with his hands outstretched. Though he was sightless, his aim was unerring. The Cold fell into his hands which softened the impact, avoiding the explosion that Jehenna foresaw.
‘Rama, throw it at the Ryugin,’ Jehenna bellowed. ‘Do it now!’
He did it so quickly that his movements seemed more like a reflex action than a conscious act. The blue block tumbled through the air toward the open mouth of the beast.
Although it was writhing, apparently unaware of the explosive missile Rama had thrown, the Ryugin twisted its jaws so that its long teeth came down upon the block – but it didn’t bite it. It had caught the block carefully, with a touch so gentle it was incongruous with the beast’s ferocious aspect.
It didn’t matter. A bolt from Jehenna’s crossbow split through the air and pounded into the Blue Cold. The explosion that followed was bloody and satisfying. The Ryugin’s teeth splintered and its jaw split apart as the Cold erupted. The explosion tore through the roof of its mouth and shredded much of the crimson cape surrounding its head. An agonised cry escaped its shredded throat and then it was gone. It slipped out through the hole it had made in the deck and vanished.
Jehenna sprinted across the poop deck to where her brother lay in a huddled mess. ‘Simeon?’ she said nervously as she knelt beside him and took his body into her arms.
His eyes fluttered open and he looked up into his sister’s face. ‘Is it gone?’ he asked, his voice so raspy it was difficult to understand him.
‘Yes,’ she said, her eyes welling up with tears.
‘Is it dead?’
‘I don’t know. I hope so.’
'I’m sorry Jen, but I don’t think I’ll be able to take you all the way to Cephalonia.' A chest rattling groan broke from his body and Jehenna knew at once, her brother was dying. His eyes fell upon the gash in her face. ‘That’s a nasty cut, Jen,’ he croaked. ‘That will leave a scar.’ Something resembling a laugh broke from his battered body. ‘You’ll be a perfect match for–’
The tears sitting on the rim of Jehenna’s eyes spilled down her bloody cheek as she watched her brother’s last smile fade from his face.
The surviving sailors had spent much of the day repairing the massive hole the Ryugin had torn in the hull of the ship. The Fortitude would have sunk had it not been for Lilith Cortese’ quick actions. She had frozen the waters surrounding the hull allowing the sailors to do what they could to make the vessel seaworthy. Despite the fact they had lost their captain, the seamen of The Fortitude worked as if Simeon Kallady was watching their every move. By mid-afternoon, the breach in the ship was patched and although the ship was still a wreck, she had one sail intact and a sound hull – enough to sail away to safer waters.
After resting herself for a brief time, Lilith positioned herself at the aft end of the poop deck and lifted her hands high into the air. Her robes billowed out towards The Fortitude’s bow as a mighty wind came from nowhere and gripped the ship in its firm embrace. The five sails on the mizzenmast filled and the boat sped off across the waves.
The movement of the ship was not welcomed by all. Jehenna marched aft with a look on her face that would stop the sun from rising. ‘Stop it!’ she demanded as she approached Lilith. ‘Tawhawki’s back there. I’m not leaving him behind.’
Lilith kept her arms outstretched and the wind continued to blow. ‘Jehenna, trust me. We cannot save him. I have seen the future and Tawhawki doesn’t appear along the road upon which we travel. He’s gone.’
‘We don’t know that!’
‘Jehenna – listen to me! The Ryugin is not dead. Not yet.’
‘I don’t care. I abandoned Tawhawki once before. I will not do so again.’
‘You have no choice. If you turn around you will kill us all and your brother’s death will count for nothing.’
All was silent except for the flapping of the sails above the poop deck. The remaining crew members stood stock still. Everyone on deck held their breath, waiting for Jehenna’s decision.
‘Hawkins, take the helm,’ Jehenna said to the nearest sailor. She then marched aft and gazed out across the waves looking for some sign of Tawhawki. There was none.
As the ship slipped away into the east, Jehenna stayed astern unwilling to speak to anyone and dwelt upon the shame of her decision to condemn her companion to an inescapable, lonely death.
The sun was shining brightly upon the Arion Ocean. Tawhawki was completely spent. He tried to stay afloat, but three of his legs were now broken. His hind legs had been shattered by the beam that had fallen on him and his collarbone had been broken by the Ryugin’s jaws. Everything hurt. He had never known such pain. The water faded away. The sky above simply stopped existing. Everything was pain.
As his head slipped beneath the water, a wide, indistinct shadow floated across the surface of the waves, pausing over the drowning figure of Tawhawki Fall.
