Elizabeth punched my arm with her fist.
“What was that for?”
“Why didn’t you split the fire-arrow into three parts and burn them all?”
“Because I'm too stupid to think of that. Why didn’t you suggest it?”
She laughed, either at my witty reply or at the stunned expression on Bran’s face. Neither of us knew if it was even possible to split the fire into three parts—for me, it sounded complicated to try and direct all three balls of fire at the same time. However, Bran didn’t understand our humor.
We passed the Black Swan and paused only long enough for me to sprint inside and snatch Will’s new sword from our room. Bran drove us down to the docks, however, along the way, he called out to a young man walking the street and had him climb inside and sit beside me. The boats were in sight, and Bran quickly asked him to drive the carriage back to the stable and tell the owner he’d be gone for a while.
As quickly as that, we stopped beside a set of docks where many larger boats and small ships were moored. The king’s messenger, a man stunned by what he’d witnessed since climbing into the carriage, climbed out first and motioned for us to follow him He went to the largest ship and spoke with the officer at the top of the ramp, who sent another messenger scrambling.
Bran, Elizabeth, and I waited on the pier, weapons in hand. A silver-haired man appeared, spoke to them briefly then the messenger the king sent spun and raced back to us. A second young man was at his heels, but instead of coming our way, he ran down the pier to a small, sleek sailboat with two masts.
“This way,” our messenger called, indicating the smaller boat.
By the time we reached it, the captain of the vessel was waiting for us. Sailors were already scrambling as if the ship had caught fire and they had only moments to put it out.
The ship was small, by military standards, perhaps twice the length of the fishing boat we’d arrived on. It was narrower and the bow came to a sharp point. The twin masts were much taller so it would hold more sail. A small deckhouse held steering for bad weather, and a narrow ladder took us below the main deck to another. There we found two doors to cabins behind a tiny eating area, and rows of hooks for hammocks—two high, although the ceiling was not tall enough for me to stand fully upright.
While clean, the lingering scent of previous passengers and crew hung like the scent of old boots on a hot day. It penetrated the wooden ceiling, floor, and walls. Not that it was terribly unpleasant, but it was a mixture of a hundred people, their expelled breath, their unwashed and washed bodies, their feet after removing their shoes, and the onions they’d eaten. Maybe it was not onions, but under the heavier scents, it smelled like it.
We stored our meager belongings, listened to the captain insist Elizabeth occupy his stateroom, which she refused, and the slight motion of the deck we stood on changed. The captain excused himself and climbed the ladder to the main deck. Elizabeth insisted we stay below until invited above deck.
Long ago, I’d learned to nap when the opportunity arose. I went to the sleeping room with the hammocks. Both ends of each were on the same hooks so there was more free space. I strung one, tested the feel of it, and climbed in. The gentle motion of the ship, eased by the hammock trying to always remain centered, soon had me sleeping.
Later, as I awoke and struggled to remember where we were, Anna came into my mind, *Finally. I thought you’d sleep all day.*
*You can tell when I’m asleep?*
*Sure. Instead of barging into your thoughts, I just poke at you a little. Like an itch. If you scratch, you’re awake.*
*You’ll have to teach that to me. Listen, we are sailing your way. Is there a name, so we know where to go?*
*Probably, but I don’t know it. We’re calling it the ‘Twos’, if that makes sense.*
*It doesn’t.*
*That’s because you don’t know our code.* She mentally giggled. *Look at a map. There is a large bay to the south of us, north of that is a smaller one. You get to it by passing between two small islands. There are two rivers at the mouth of the little bay that almost come together but not quite. And there are two tall mountains. We are at the base of the one where the river on your right takes you. Just follow the river, it is not far.*
*Two of everything. The twos. Got it.*
She told me all was fine, but to bring food. They were almost out. I climbed from the hammock in search of the captain. He was standing outside the wheelhouse talking with Elizabeth. She noticed me and asked if I slept well.
“I know where we’re going. Anna gave me directions.” I didn’t bother to explain to the captain, not that he would have believed me. He would think she’d told me before sailing, whoever Anna was. I asked him, “Do you have a chart of the sea on the west side of Dead Isle?”
He reached inside the wheelhouse and selected an oiled leather tube. He spread it on a slanted table just inside the door. I saw the large bay, and right above it a smaller one. There were two tiny islands, two rivers, and three mountains, but probably only two of them could be seen from the water.
I stabbed my finger at it. “There.”
“Nothing is there,” he answered.
“Two rivers, two islands, two mountains. My sister is at the base of that one,” I shifted my finger slightly.
Elizabeth said, “Take us there.”
He didn’t seem pleased, but as was becoming more normal for Elizabeth when she spoke, he didn’t argue. Instead, he rolled the chart and slipped it back into the tube, then gave a few instructions to the helmsman. The ship made a slight turn to the north.
Although the wind was light, both sails were full, and the narrow boat slipped through the water faster than the fishing boat had gone on its best day. The hull tended to lean to one side, making walking awkward, but it had little pitching fore and aft.
I’d only seen six crewmen, besides the captain, and one other officer. The ship wouldn’t carry many troops or cargo, so I assumed it was designed for carrying a few people or messages quickly across the seas.
Our meals consisted of hard bread or crackers, dried meat and fruits, and all the water we wished. Nothing else. But that was enough to satisfy me.
Bran found me on the main deck and stood at my side. He said, “Never been on a ship.”
“It gets boring.”
“How?” he asked eagerly. “We slept in our beds last night, tonight we’ll sleep in the hammocks tonight, and tomorrow—who knows?”
He had an excellent point. That was the allure of sailing the sea. But the excitement soon wore off when traveling on a ship. Working on one might be different. I said, “Do you know we’re going to meet my sister and a young girl? Then, we are going to sail north to the capital of Kondor, Dagger, and start a war?”
He laughed.
I didn’t.
He broke off his laughter and looked at Elizabeth, who had turned her head to observe us. She gave him a brief nod and he turned back to me. “Didn’t you just say this gets boring?”
It was my turn to laugh, and Elizabeth joined in. She told him, “We have a lot to discuss, and can probably better do it at the stern where we’re out the way. Also, we appreciate your help in Malawi, but you’re free to return with the ship—or any other.”