Arrival

  Liessen didn’t smile then, not even to see her own daughter, but her expression softened a great deal, and she lent forward to embrace Satine. They went inside and closed the door behind them. Taking a chair opposite Liessen, Satine peered closely at her mother. Liessen slouched in her chair and her face was slack with exhaustion. Her brown eyes were dull and lifeless, her hair limp. Her body, once toned and muscled, sagged. Yet Liessen was still a very beautiful woman.

  Staring at her mother, Satine felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. Liessen was just a scared old woman who didn’t know what to do.

  “Are you all right, sweetheart? What has happened?”

  “I’m fine, Mother, I just came to see how you are.”

  Liessen shrugged.

  Leaning forward and staring her mother in the eyes, Satine said fiercely, “I’m not going to let this go on any longer, Mother. Tell me about my child.”

  Liessen blinked, then slumped down in her chair and shut her eyes. “Why?” she whispered.

  “Because I want to find him,” Satine replied. “I am ashamed at how long it has taken me to ask.”

  “It’s not safe here for him. You know that. Leostrial would have had him outcast as a baby if he’d known of his existence.”

  “I will decide where my son will and won’t be safe,” Satine snapped. “If he is with me I will never let him come to harm. I should have realised this long ago.”

  Her mother lifted a hand to her head then dropped it to her side. She said flatly, “He is in the village of Marat. When you get there, ask for Sulla.”

  Satine nodded in thanks and stood to leave. She cast a last look at her mother, wishing she could have asked for help from the older woman, but also knowing that Liessen would be incapable of giving it.

  Satine bid her mother goodbye, walked slowly back through the halls until she made her way to the dining hall where she sat down numbly. Now that the thought was in her mind, and the decision was made, she felt terribly frightened. What if the child hated her for leaving him? What if he thought she didn’t love him?

  Her seat was on the left hand side of Leostrial’s. It was where she’d sat when her father had been alive. She stared at the wall and slowly ate the food a servant placed in front of her.

  Suddenly, her skin prickled, and she turned, knowing straight away who had entered the hall. It took him only moments to cross the room, his cloak sweeping, and slam his fist down on the table.

  “How could you possibly think me so stupid?” he raged. “After all this, you still think to deceive me?”

  A shudder ran through her at the thought that he could somehow read her mind. “No, I wasn’t deceiving you, my lord. It was all for my own reasons. He would have been sent away even if you had not come.”

  “Why did you not tell me?” Leostrial asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

  “I didn’t tell anyone. A bastard child would have embarrassed the kingdom. And I was—ashamed. I didn’t want you to be ashamed of me too.”

  Leostrial stared at her for a long time. His knuckles were white where they rested on the table. “You belittle both of us with such fears,” he said icily. “I could never be ashamed of you. See me in my room this evening.”

  ***

  Finally Jane looked up at Fern.

  “How could you behave so carelessly?”

  “Believe me, I was not—” Fern started, but was interrupted by Faraia.

  “There should not be any blame to lay.”

  “Well, good,” Fern laughed, then winced, remembering the wound at his side.

  Blaise knelt in front of his prince, his head bowed. “It is truly heartening to have you back with us, highness.”

  “Get up, you fool,” Fern grinned, ruffling his hair fondly and the Elf smiled as he stepped back.

  Fern then looked back at Jane next to him on the bed and said, “Why didn’t you leave straight away?”

  Her eyebrows arched. “You were an idiot for going in there!” she said indignantly.

  “If you had left sooner, I could have ridden out sooner, and avoided this great wound which, by the way, is causing me considerable discomfort.”

  She shook her head and he smiled, squeezing her hand.

  “Where are the others?” Fern asked eagerly. Jane bit her lip.

  “Fern ... the others left. They had to return with the book,” Jane said softly.

  “Of course. They couldn’t risk the safety of the rest of the world just to save me,” Fern said seriously.

  “You’re not upset?”

  “Upset? If they hadn’t left, we’d all be dead. Now we just have to think of a way to get off this island.”

  “There is a ship that brings Amazonians for their training,” said Faraia. “I think it passes through Uns Lapodis, but it only comes once a season, and the last came only seven days ago.”

  Blaise nodded grimly. “So we have a few cycles of the moon to wait.”

  “That’s too late!” Jane exclaimed, standing up. “It might all be over by then!”

  No one said anything.

  She sank back down onto the bed next to Fern.

  It took her a moment to realise that both he and Blaise were staring at her.

  “What?”

  Neither of them answered.

  “What is it?”

  Fern shrugged. “It would be easier to accept our fate if you weren’t stuck here with us.”

  “Oh, that’s nice,” she exclaimed. “I feel really welcome!”

  “Jane,” he said. “If there is anyone with a bigger part in this war than you, I would like to meet them.”

  She stared at him uncomfortably. “My friends are there. They’re Bright Ones too, you know.”

  Suddenly a noise came from outside, like a foghorn. Jane, Blaise, and Faraia raced outside onto the beach. There was a ship sailing steadily towards them. Jane leapt into the air and whooped with delight “It’s our ship come back!” She raced back to Fern and burst into the room. “They’re back!”

  He tried to climb out of bed.

  “No, don’t!” Jane warned. “I’ll get Harry and Luca to come in and help get you onto the ship.” Jane glowed. “I have to go back outside,” she said breathlessly. “Sorry,” she called over her shoulder as she ran out.

  Her footsteps died after a moment though and she came to an abrupt halt on the sand. Was it right that she was slightly disappointed? For a few moments there she’d had no responsibilities, no expectations. She’d ceased to be a Bright One.

  “Don’t look so worried,” Blaise said gently from behind, startling her. “It will be all right, Jane.”

  She nodded. Then she smiled and allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Fern was alive. Her friends had come back for her. She wouldn’t have to spend any more time on this revolting island. It was a good morning.

  ***

  Harry rubbed his eyes. He stared out the small window of his room in the ship and realised that they were moving.

  He raced back up onto the deck and looked around in dismay. The crew were all busying themselves to sail!

  “What’s going on?” he yelled, but no one paid him any attention. Luca appeared on the deck next to him.

  “Why are we moving?” he asked in his resoundingly deep voice.

  “Don’t ask me!” Harry replied. “The other’s aren’t here yet!”

  Luca approached the captain at the helm and Harry followed.

  “Why are we moving?” Luca repeated the question and the grey-haired captain looked at him blankly.

  “The queen has ordered that we sail for Amalia.”

  “What? Why?” Harry said. “We haven’t got all of our passengers yet! We can’t just leave Jane there!”

  “We can because we must,” Fey said from behind them and they whirled around to face her.

  “Fey,” Luca said. “You’re being too hasty. We can wait another day.”

  She shook her head slowly. “You have no idea, do you? I shouldn’t be surprised, really
. It is always man’s failing to be weak. We must get the book back, or we risk the fate of the world. What if it takes a week to unlock the secrets inside? Or to work out how to open it, for that matter! Have you noticed that we cannot actually get it open?”

  Harry opened his mouth, but nothing came out. This wasn’t right! It was awful, but he could think of no way to argue.

  Thank God Luca was here. “Having Fern with us is worth losing a day, surely.”

  “Don’t be foolish!” Fey exclaimed. “He is dead! You do not truly believe what the girl was rambling about? Her crazed, grieving mind is what caused such ridiculous hope to formulate, and it will be of no help in this war. It may be best if Jane stays here a little longer after all.”

  They stared at Fey. Harry couldn’t believe his ears.

  “She’s not crazy,” he said faintly.

  “You’re leaving her here on purpose?” Luca asked.

  Harry had never seen him look so angry.

  Fey sighed and shook her head. “I am merely concerned for the outcome of the war. If there is anything I can do to better our chances, then I will happily do it.”

  “What about the prophecy?”

  Fey shook her head. “I’ve never believed in the prophecy. Foolish are those who don’t take their futures into their own hands.”

  “But it’s just one day!” Harry yelled. “You agreed to give her that long!”

  Suddenly, Harry felt a new kind of strength come to him. He straightened to his full height and clenched his fists at his side. His voice, when it came, was colder and more determined than Luca had ever heard it.

  “Think twice before you abandon one of the Bright Ones, Fey, and turn around to face the leaders of the rest of the world—they all rely on her presence for this war. And don’t think for one second that you won’t be blamed, because I’ll tell them everything.”

  “Me too,” Luca agreed firmly.

  “And I,” Ria added from behind them.

  Harry held Fey’s gaze until she slowly turned away.

  “I will leave it to you to explain why we are late,” she snapped and nodded at the captain who began to turn the ship around. Harry grinned.

  “Way to go, man,” Luca slapped Harry on the back. “I knew you had it in you.”

  ***

  Jane and Blaise watched the ship moor. As it slowly drew nearer, Jane could make out people boarding the long boat and rowing to shore. As soon as Harry, Luca and Ria climbed out onto the beach, Jane was on top of them, hugging and kissing their faces. When Luca surfaced, he looked at Jane carefully and said, “Sorry, Jane. We didn’t mean to leave without you.”

  “It’s okay—we found him! He’s alive!”

  Their faces lit up.

  “Where is he?” Ria asked, and Jane led them inside to Fern.

  “We thought we’d lost you there for a moment,” Harry said and walked over to give Fern an awkward pat on the shoulder.

  The prince looked up at him and smiled.

  “You’ll have to try harder next time.”

  Luca stepped forward and said, “We’re really sorry, man. We shouldn’t have left you like that. It was Harry that got us back here.”

  Jane looked at Harry with raised eyebrows and he blushed red.

  “I’m touched by your concern,” Fern replied, “But you shouldn’t have come back. We might not make it in time and Satine will be stuck with that vermin forever.”

  “Well, as to that, the captain said that if we have the winds on our side, and if we all pitch in, then we will make it,” Ria said, who had not let go of Fern’s hand since entering the room. “But we have to leave now. Are you all right to travel?” she asked.

  “Not really,” Jane replied for him, “but we’ll have to anyway. Help me move him onto the ship.”

  “I can walk!”

  “Forget it, Fern. We did not stay to rescue you so that you can tear your stitches and die anyway,” Jane said. Then she turned to the door to thank Faraia for the hospitality and headed to the ship.

  Blaise carried Fern up the rope ladder, and they managed to put together a pulley system to lift the rowboat with Nuitdor in it up onto the deck.

  Once aboard, all the others came to greet them and apologise for leaving. Jane saw Fey standing at the back of the group and went to her. “I’m sorry I hit you, Fey,” she said carefully. “And thank you for coming back.” Fey just gave a slight nod and then turned away.

  They put Fern to rest in a room below deck and then prepared themselves for some heavy work. It would be a long trip back.

  Blaise sat next to Jane in the gallows and rowed. He said nothing for a time, and Jane was content just to row in his company. After a while though, he cleared his throat.

  “Jane, you’ve dealt with all of this very well. The prince wouldn’t be here without you, and no matter what else happens, or doesn’t happen, Paragor already owes you a great debt.”

  Jane stopped for a moment, then turned to look at him. With a smile she kissed him on the cheek and they both went back to rowing in silence.

  Chapter 28

  “You cannot enter the tournament yourself!” Columba said to Accolon over breakfast. “I don’t think we should be having the tournament at all,” Elixia said.

  Accolon and Columba ignored her and continued.

  “I enter every year, Mother.”

  “Yes, but you have not been the king every year. And kings do not enter tournaments,” Columba countered. “They never have.”

  If Columba didn’t want Accolon in the tournament, thought Elixia, it must mean that he should be.

  “If we are to have the tournament at all then I think he should go in it,” Elixia said, and they both turned to her.

  “Why the change of heart?” Accolon asked.

  “It would be a good thing for the people to see that their king can fight. You can fight can’t you?”

  “Of course,” Columba snorted. “He has won the competition for the past four years.”

  “Good. The people will be proud to fight under a king who can beat them all.”

  “Don’t you think he knows all this, you stupid girl?” Columba hissed.

  Elixia smiled sweetly at Columba and said, “Oh, of course he knows this. I was just making sure you do.”

  Accolon fought to keep the smile from his lips. Before Columba had a chance to say anything, Elixia turned to Accolon and said, “What say you, my lord? Shall you continue to enter the tournament and lighten your people’s hearts?” Rule by letting others think they rule. Her mother had told her that a long time ago.

  Accolon raised his eyebrows at them both and said, “Though I do enjoy watching you two squabble over me, I will put a stop to this bickering. I am going in the tournament.” He held up a hand to stop his mother from protesting.

  “Do as you will. Listen to your silly bride.” With that Columba stood up and walked out of the dining hall.

  Elixia coloured a little, then steadied herself.

  She turned back to her husband. He was looking at her closely. Then he said in a voice low enough not to be heard by the bustle of servants and court attendees around them, “Elixia, do not think me so much of a fool. I know you tried to control me. Do not fall to my mother’s level and start using tricks to get what you want.” He said it gently, but it didn’t stop Elixia’s flush.

  “Of course, my lord,” she replied. “But I would ask something of you in return.”

  “Yes?”

  “I am your queen now, Accolon. Let me help you. Do not make me fight for the crown that is rightly mine.”

  He stared at her for a moment and she held his gaze.

  Finally he gave a tilt of his head. “You’re right. Forgive me.”

  She shrugged. “We are both at fault. I think we would do better to trust each other.”

  His frown softened. “A deal, then.”

  ***

  Ria heaved the oar out of the water and pushed it back in again. They had been rowing for several
days.

  Lost in thought, Ria had barely spoken these past few days. She had come full circle, thinking over everything that had happened, and the conclusion she managed to come to was that she shouldn’t be here. What place had she on a warrior’s crusade to retrieve an instrument of war? What part could she possibly play in a game amongst kings, Strangers and tyrants?

  Fern had asked her to come because she had a little skill with a sword. She knew he had just wanted an excuse to include her. Knew he was worried about her, and wanted to give her a place.

  Ria’s hand slipped and she momentarily lost control of her oar. Swearing, she bent to pick it up and get back in time with the others.

  “You right?” Luca grunted from next to her.

  “Fine,” she snapped back, and then regretted it as he shrugged and turned away from her. “Sorry, Luca.”

  “You can let me help you, you know,” he said, still irritated.

  They rode in silence across the waves. After a time, Ria heard something strange. It was Luca who actually heard it first. She could tell something was wrong by the way he cocked an ear and held up his hand for silence. Suddenly his face slackened.

  Voices drifted from over the waves. Slow and haunting—a calling song, which pulled at her. Unlike Luca though, she knew from where the music was coming.

  Sirens.

  The beautiful sea nymphs called sailors to their doom. Luca dropped his oars and blindly made his way to the deck. Most of the other men had blocked their ears with their fingers at the first sound of the Siren song, but some had not been so quick—sailors clambered to the deck from everywhere. The ship slowed and began to veer off course.

  Ria ran up the gangway and out to the deck. Men leaned over the railings, trying to make out the mermaid-like creatures sitting far away on the rocks. Ria stared in horror as some jumped overboard. Luca clambered onto the railing, about to do the same.

  Jane and Fey and her two warriors ran up to the deck. Along with Ria, they were the only women on board. The three Amazonians tried desperately to restrain the men, but there were too many, and they were strong.