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Niridia, Kearan, Sorinda, Enwen, and I huddle around the padded table in the sometimes infirmary / sometimes meeting room, where all three map pieces are splayed out in front of us. Kearan’s hair is still dripping water from the bucket Sorinda threw in his face to rouse him. I put a hand to his chest to push him back a step from our only copy of a centuries’ old map.
“Where are we dropping off the brothers?” I ask Kearan. He’s seen more of Maneria than anyone else I’ve ever met, despite his young age. He was a hand for hire, went wherever there was a job that needed done. In the three months since he’s joined the crew, he’s proven to be extremely knowledgeable in navigation—when we can get him sober enough.
Kearan points to a spot on the map, a mere dot of an island. “This is a supply post. The land king stocks it up with food and supplies for his excavating ships. That way they don’t have to travel all the way to the Seventeen Isles to restock. We can drop them off there. They can catch a ride on a ship returning to the Isles after depositing its goods.”
Losing Riden is a good thing,I tell myself. We don’t need the extra mouth to feed. And my father will be so busy coming after me, he’ll forget all about the Allemos brothers. There is no reason to put him in danger. Besides, Riden is confusing and infuriating, and he can’t be trusted. The ship will be better off without him.
But what about you?asks a little voice in my head.
I ignore it.
“Good,” I say. “The supply post won’t take us out of the way of our journey.” I feared we’d have to stop by the Seventeen Isles before heading for the Isla de Canta. “Niridia, how much food and water do we have on the ship?” I ask.
“Enough for five months at sea.”
I examine the map, take a compass to it to measure the distance. “Depending on the wind, we could reach the island in two months’ time.”
“And what of the king?” Kearan asks. “How long will it take his ships to cross the same distance?”
“With the wind, our ship is faster. He’d reach the island just over two weeks after us, probably.”
“Only two weeks?” Enwen interrupts. “That means he’s just beyond the horizon right now!”
I nod, and there is a beat of silence as everyone digests my father’s proximity—and what will happen if we should lose our lead.
“And without the wind?” Kearan asks.
“Most of the ships in the fleet are equipped with sweep oars. In no wind, he can travel as long as he has men on board with strength to row, while we’re locked in place.”
“Stars help us if we lose the wind,” Enwen says.
“No one is being forced on this journey,” I remind him. “You’re free to leave with the brothers.”
Kearan ignores Enwen’s outbursts, keeping his eyes on the map. He points to a few different land masses between here andthe Isla de Canta. “These aren’t charted on any map I’ve seen. To think there are more islands in Maneria yet to be discovered!”
We stare at him.
“What?” he asks.
“You’re getting excited over something you can’t drink,” Sorinda says.
“I have interests,” he says defensively. “I’m a person.”
She shrugs indifferently.
I point to the first large island between here and the Isla de Canta, one with a distinct lagoon. “This must be where my father first met my mother.” It’s at the very edge of his map, right before where it connects to the Allemos map. I don’t know why I bother saying anything. There is no reason why she’d be there now. She’ll have gone to the Isla de Canta with the rest of her kind. And there’s no reason why I should want to see her.
She clearly doesn’t want to see me.
***
The start of the trip is a bit aggravating with the extra cargo. Draxen is very, well, unlikable. He glares my way whenever he thinks I’m not looking. He spat on the deck once when he saw me, and I kicked him onto his back to wipe the spot up with his shirt. He hasn’t tried it again since.
Draxen had such high expectations for himself. Kidnap the pirate king’s daughter, obtain the pirate king’s map, sail for the island himself. Getting outsmarted by me never occurred to him. He blames me for the loss of his crew and ship.
I hardly see how he thinks himself deserving of such spoils. On top of being a terrible person, he was also a terrible captain.
It’s strange watching Draxen and Riden interact. They talk constantly, laughing at what the other has to say. Riden coddles him, trying to force food and blankets on him while Draxen shoos him off. I could almost mistake Draxen for a human being when he’s interacting with his brother. But I know the truth. He’s a vile man who uses everyone around him to get what he wants, no matter the costs.
