“He has an idea where Jennesta is, and it’s not far. We have to change course.”
“An idea?”
“More than that. A… sense.”
He slowly shook his head. “I don’t know…”
“I thought you wanted to find your mate more than anything.”
“I do. But I don’t know if I want a wild-goose chase based on a hunch.”
“Trust me, Stryke, this is more likely to be right than wrong. Besides, what other option do you have?”
“You said that about us going to Serapheim,” Jup reminded him. “And you said we needed him to help fight Jennesta.”
“Ideally, he’d be there. But she’s nearer than he is, and we need to seize this opportunity before she’s on the move again. What do you say, Stryke?”
“I thought we needed Serapheim’s magic to stand a chance against her.”
“We’ll have to make do with mine, and your band’s undoubted martial skills.”
He thought about it. “All right. But this better not be a waste of time. I’ll get Pepperdyne to alter course.”
“I was just on my way up to take a turn at the wheel,” Jup said. “I’ll tell him.”
“All right, go ahead.”
“ What am I telling Pepperdyne? About the new course, I mean.”
Stryke looked to the shape-changer. “Go with him, Dynahla. I’ll brief the band.”
Jup and the shape-changer made their way to the bridge in silence. As usual, Coilla was there alongside Pepperdyne. They were told of the change of direction and why it came about.
“Where exactly are we going?” Pepperdyne asked as he took out the well-thumbed chart.
“We need a southward bearing,” Dynahla explained, tracing a line with his finger. “In this direction.”
“There’s nothing there. Just like the last time we looked at this map, before setting our present course. You have a thing about invisible islands?”
“I don’t think anybody’s ever fully mapped out this world. There’s a lot more to it than this chart shows. Believe me, our objective lies there.”
Pepperdyne shrugged. “If that’s what Stryke wants.” He began spinning the wheel.
“I’m supposed to have a turn at steering, remember,” the dwarf said. He glanced at Coilla. “And yes, I can reach it.”
“I wasn’t going to say a thing!” she protested. “You’re confusing me with Haskeer.”
Jup smiled. “Yeah, I guess he’s the one who’d offer me a box to stand on, the irritating bastard.”
“I don’t think this is a good time for your lesson,” Pepperdyne said, “given the change of course. Sorry.”
“It’s all right. The prospect of a fight appeals to me more than playing sailors, to be honest.”
“I need to leave you,” Dynahla stated, as though their permission was needed. Nobody blinked, so he added, “See you soon.”
They nodded and the shape-changer left.
“What do you think, Jode?” Coilla asked in a low tone. “Is he on the level?”
“Dynahla? I don’t know.”
“This new course seems rum,” Jup said.
“And again we’re heading for somewhere the map says doesn’t exist. Though I can’t see what he’d get out of lying. We’d find out soon enough if there really isn’t anything there.”
“Might do to keep an eye on him though,” Coilla suggested.
“I’m already doing that,” Jup told her.
“Good idea,” Pepperdyne said. “There’s always a chance that-”
Coilla shushed him, finger to lips. She flicked her head to indicate the stairs. Someone with a heavy tread was coming up them.
Haskeer clambered into view. When he saw Jup his features lit up with something it took them a moment to recognise. It was a smile.
“Jup!” he boomed. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“If it’s a scrap you’re after,” Jup said, instinctively balling his fists, “forget it. I’m not in the mood.”
“ A scrap? You wound me, old friend. Why would I want to hurt you?”
“Old friend?” Coilla mouthed.
“You couldn’t hurt me if I was a nail and you had a hammer,” Jup assured him. “What’s the game, Haskeer?”
“Is it a game to want the best for a friend?”
“You appear in an unusually good mood,” Pepperdyne commented dryly.
“And why not?” Haskeer boomed. “I’m surrounded by good companions, not least our human comrades.” He lifted a hand. Pepperdyne tensed. But instead of the expected blow he was rocked by a hearty slap to his shoulder that made him stagger.
“I thought you hated humans,” Coilla said.
“How’d you get that idea? Aren’t we all brothers in arms under the skin, ready to lay down our lives for each other?”
“You been drinking sea water?” Jup asked.
“Ever the joker, aren’t you, old pal? My Jup. My little Juppy Wuppy.”
“That does it,” the dwarf decided. “He’s gone insane.”
“If I’m insane,” Haskeer intoned gravely, “it’s with the passion of the fondness I feel for you.” He broke into a broad grin and lurched forward, arms outstretched. “Come on, gimme a hug!”
“Keep him off me!”
Haskeer stopped and began to chuckle.
“Just a minute,” Coilla said. “There’s something fishy about all this.”
Haskeer nodded. “Caught me.”
A change came over his features. They softened, shifted and reformed themselves. An instant later, Dynahla stood before them.
“Sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t resist that.”
As their astonishment wore off, the others laughed.
“That was… impressive,” Pepperdyne admitted.
“You’re telling me,” Coilla agreed. “I could have sworn it was him. Except for the bullshit, that is.”
“How do you do it, Dynahla?” Jup wanted to know.
“How do you do farsight?”
“I was born with it. Like all my race.”
“But it improves with practice?”
“Well, yes.”
“Most beings are born with at least the potential for magic. True, it’s stronger in some races than others. It’s much more latent in orcs, for example, but it’s there. The trick is to develop it.”
“That takes willpower, right?”
“The dominance of the will is the least important factor.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Imagination is much more important.”
“Is it?”
“What’s your favourite food, Jup?”
“Huh?”
“Let’s say… venison. You’re fond of it?”
“Yeah. Who isn’t?”
“Do you feel hungry?”
“Now that you mention it-”
“I reckon we all are,” Coilla said. “We’ve had no chance to eat.”
Dynahla smiled. “Good. So picture a haunch of venison, turning on a spit, running with juices. See it in your mind. Smell that delicious aroma.”
“You’re making my mouth water,” Jup confessed.
“Sink your teeth into the succulent flesh. Think of how good it tastes.”
“Hmmm.”
“Now let’s suppose that you can’t allow yourself to eat the venison. It’s very important that you don’t. Let’s say your life depends on not eating it. You must use your will to resist wanting to eat that meat.”
“Easier said than done when I’m this hungry.”
“Use the power of your will. Really concentrate. Refuse it. Close your eyes if it helps.”
He did, and they all watched in silence for a moment.
“How did you do?” Dynahla asked.
“Well…”
“Not too good?”
“You put a pretty tempting image into my head. It’s hard not to want it.”
“All right. Picture that hunk of meat again.”
Once more, Jup closed his eyes.
“Look at how delicious it is,” Dynahla went on. “It’s golden brown. Succulent. Smell that delicious tang of cooking meat. But hang on! What’s this? Look closely. The venison’s lying in a latrine. It’s covered in filth, and swarming with maggots and beetles.”
“Yuck!” Jup made a face. Coilla and Pepperdyne didn’t look too cheerful either.
“How easy did you find it to resist that time?” Dynahla said.
“No problem.” He looked a little queasy. “I don’t feel quite so hungry now. But what does it prove?”
“That sorcery is only partially about exercising the will. Much more important is imagining the improbable with enough intensity that you make it real. The imagination is stronger than the will. When you understand that, you’re some way towards understanding magic.”