Whenever I looked at the boat, I felt the same pang of sadness—arrived at the same painful conclusion. Had I known Kaylin was sick, I would have searched the entire realm for a cure. But she hadn’t told me until it was much too late. She had chosen to live away from the island for a full year without visiting, leaving me behind to tend to its care, any duty towardher position and toward me eclipsed by her duty to her daughter, whom she loved deeply. Her illness was sudden, and then she was gone.
Ultimately, she’d pulled me out of the orphanage only to leave me alone.
Maybe it would always be that way. Luckily, I could take care of myself.
I wiped away the tears pooling at the corners of my eyes.Find a cure?I couldn’t even figure out how to light the lampposts. A few tears fell before I was able to get my sniffling under control. I focused on the boat in front of me, distracting myself from the helpless thought that perhaps there wasn’t much I could have done for Kaylin anyway, even if she’d been more upfront about her illness.
For its size, the boat was covered in an impressive number of spiderwebs. A single gossamer thread stretched all the way down its slightly curved prow, billowing gently in the wind. I brushed the cobwebs away as quickly as possible, recoiling when a particularly sticky web clung to my hand, making my skin crawl. I vowed to take better care of the boat in the future.
Placing my hand against the wood, I felt it acknowledge me. There was a connection between me and the vessel. An invisible tether pulling at the corners of my mind. The feeling flared stronger when I touched the milky-white stone inlaid into its side, crafted into an intricate pattern depicting the cycles of the moon.Curious.A pleased smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
I unfastened the boat from the dock and stepped inside. The vessel could only fit two people at most. A few planks of wood within its interior provided someplace to sit down. A pair of long oars lay underneath the seats. I grabbed one and began to row toward the easternmost river inlet and the Kingdom of Adrasea.
A small flutter of trepidation twisted my stomach as the island faded into the distance.
I made good progress across the lake. Soon, I reached the mouth of the river. A steady trickle of sweat dripped from my brow and my arms ached from the exertion of rowing. The moment I passed the lake’s borders, a powerful wave of nausea crashed over me. Temporarily disoriented from the loss of its protective magic, I clutched my stomach, taking several deep breaths until the hollow feeling subsided. Already fatigued, it took me a moment to regain my bearings.
When I resumed rowing, I kept my eyes fixed on my surroundings, unable to look away. Nothing could have prepared me for the natural splendor all around me; it took my breath away. Both sides of the river gorge were forested.
I was used to the short, flat path to Dewwick Village—taking the southern river inlet to the Kingdom of Solaris. That path was routine to me, familiarity dulling my awe. The sights around me now, however, were all brand-new, and that sense of awe, that appreciation for the realm’s beauty, came roaring back all at once. Everything was a rich hue of green. Even the tree trunks covered in sprawling ivy and moss were more green than brown. Along the water’s edge, wildflowers bloomed in a spectacular array of colors.
It was beautiful to behold.
I jolted, my heart skipping a beat, as a loud whooshing noise erupted behind me.
Whirling around, I observed a raven land on my boat, rapidly flapping its wings as it descended.
We regarded each other for a moment. It was large for a raven. Noticing its intelligent gaze, my mind conjured an image from the last book I read—a thin red tome which resided in the study, grouped with other books relevant to Adrasean history and culture. An annotation of the many animals capable ofserving as a witch’s familiar, augmenting her magic or providing companionship.
I narrowed my eyes at the bird. “You’re not a witch’s familiar, are you? Sent to spy on me?”
The raven solemnly shook its head. I raised an eyebrow. It wasdefinitelysomeone’s familiar, if it could understand human speech. I decided not to press the issue—if it did belong to a powerful witch, I’d rather not risk offending them. “Alright, then. I suppose somebody should bear witness to my untimely demise, should I die today. It might as well be you.” I turned back around and continued to row.You know you’re lonely when you start talking to birds.
My small vessel glided onward, assisted by the occasional stroke of my oar. I continued on for quite a while, taking in the sights from the water, trying my best to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. The entire time, the raven sat perched on the back of the boat.
Feeling more than a little smug that I hadn’t needed to check the map, I guided the boat in the correct direction when the river forked, just as I remembered it would, based on the topography. Eventually, I came across a small patch of shore along the riverbed and pulled off onto land. A dizzying mix of excitement and anticipation swirled through me.
Nimbly, I jumped out of the boat. Taking a quick moment to reflect, I laid my palm flat against the ground. I successfully reached the Kingdom of Adrasea. That was something. With some effort, I managed to push and drag the boat until it was somewhat hidden in the brush.
I searched the immediate area for any foliage that might help further obscure it from view. There was a risk that somebody might stumble across its location and choose to steal it, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter. If I wanted to explore, I was going to have to hide it and hope for the best. Using mydagger, I hacked at some of the taller grasses growing nearby, draping a few over the top of the boat for good measure. A large leafy frond dropped from the sky onto the pile. I looked up at the raven carrying another frond in its beak. For whatever reason, it was helping me.
I walked farther inland on high alert. The raven followed me overhead. I was strangely grateful for the company. After hiking a short distance, I crested a small hill, finding myself in a lovely meadow covered in an assortment of wildflowers. Delighted, I continued to stroll, mentally cataloging all the plants and flowers I could identify. Some were new; some I recognized from my garden back home. Nothing appeared overtly magical.
The meadow was quiet and peaceful—no signs of people. Sighing contentedly, I lay back amongst the flowers, watching the clouds drift overhead, pointing out the more interesting shapes to the raven. As the cloud cover thinned, I turned my attention to the wildflowers growing all around me, plucking a few to make myself a flower crown, something I hadn’t done since I was a young child growing up at the orphanage. Perhaps my childlike wonder at being somewhere new was inspiring me to enjoy such simple delights like I’d done when I was young, with no worry about what the rest of the day might bring.
Adding the final flower, I plopped the makeshift crown onto my head—its white daisies a sharp contrast to the midnight strands of my own hair currently tucked into a long braid. The raven sat patiently by my side. I took a single daisy and twisted it into a smaller version. “Would you like your own?”
The raven shook its head vehemently. I laughed. “Ahh, I see. So, you’re aboyraven. You don’t want to match?” The raven’s eyes twinkled, and he stuck out his leg. Smiling, I tied the flower crown around his thin ankle. “Thank you for humoring me.”
I picked up another flower, still chatting with the raven. “Are you familiar with the prophetic power of daisies? It’s anold, feminine magic,” I joked, plucking a petal. “He loves me.” I plucked another petal. “He loves me not.” I continued until only a single petal remained. “Would you look at that? He loves me.”
I tossed the final petal, taken by surprise when the wind suddenly picked up, causing my words to echo strangely in the air and the petal itself to dance rather than fall, whirling in an elegant pattern until the wind died down, depositing it gently back onto the ground. “Too bad there is absolutely no one, past or present, that could apply to,” I confided in the raven. I used to dream of finding someone to share my life with, but I had little interest in a casual affair. Little interest in something that may or may not last.
I stood back up, eager to continue my exploration. Leaving the meadow behind, I walked into the small forest at its base. The raven flapped its wings overhead. Then flapped them again like it was trying to get my attention. I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back! I’m just going to explore for a bit!”
Walking deeper into the woods, I kept my gaze fixed on the ground, searching for any valuable plants or herbs growing in the underbrush. No risk, no reward. I would be angry at myself later if I didn’t at least try to explore a little bit.
A light drizzle started—raindrops beading up, tiny and delicate, all across my clothing. Deeper still I trekked, the trees rapidly beginning to thin out, until I took a step forward and found myself trapped in thick, deep mud. Straining, I wrenched my foot free of its greedy pull and took a more thorough look around.
