The small, overweight man has a full beard and hair that reaches the center of his back.
“Oi! What bring ya ‘round ‘ere?” he asks with a heavy accent weaving around his every word.
I stand tall, but not intimidatingly so. “I’m looking to acquire a boat.”
“Got yerself a crew?” the man questions skeptically while eyeing Briar. “She looks a bit ill, there. Might not want to be takin’ her out to sea.”
I glance at Briar but ignore the comment. “We don’t need a large vessel. There's another man with us. He’s quite skilled at sailing and so am I. We’ll take whatever you have.”
The man scratches at his beard for a moment. “Falcon Mgiru. I’m the port overseer. ‘Ol Meizer over there be the harbormaster. I’d suggest gettin’ yerselves someone who knows how to navigate these waters or a few extra hands, but do whatever ya like.”
We follow Mr. Mgiru out to the docks where several boats bob on the waters. Just the sight of it turns Briar’s face a bit green. She tugs on her cloak and squares her shoulder, pride not allowing her to show weakness for too long. I feel pride and...something else as I watch her. My thoughts are interrupted by the port overseer.
“What ya got to trade for the boat?” he inquires. “Can’t let ya have one without somethin’ in exchange.”
Briar digs around in her bag, but she didn’t pack anything of value and neither did Willem or me.
“We have three horses. I didn’t see many when we rode into town,” I reply. “Having them on hand will make it easier to trade with Phaendar.”
Willem joins us at the docks as we wait for Mr. Mgiru’s decision. In the end he relents and we throw in a few gold coins for his discretion. No need to tip off whoever sent the assassins after me. Willem gets on board the small vessel first. Briar follows, with me bringing up the rear. I’m there to catch her about the waist as she nearly falls into the water. Her legs are weak from riding the horses, and she is exhausted from the constant ride. She thanks me quietly and hurries to find her footing. I lead her to the cabin at the bottom of the boat to rest while Willem and I prepare for our voyage at sea.
As I join Willem topside he gives me a double take as he wraps up one of the long thick ropes. “You’ve got that look again. The one that says you’re thinking too hard about things.”
I shake my head, picking up another. “I can’t help it. Something seems off.”
The rope rubs my hands raw by the time we leave the docks. Briar emerges from the cabin in time to watch the sunset. She looks like a goddess out here on the sea. Black hair streams behind her as the wind blows. Her eyes scan the crystal clear waters of the Ahildr Sea. I hear a soft gasp as her eyes widen with pure, uninhibited wonder.
My feet carry me to her as they always do. “Careful, we might attract some unwanted attention.”
“It’s beautiful.” Her gaze is riveted to the clusters of brightly colored fish beneath us. We can see right through to the bottom where the vibrant coral across the ocean floor sways with the circulating tides. The boat rocks violently as the waves crash into the side. Briar grips the railing until her knuckles turn white. I pry her fingers off and hold them in my hands.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know,” she whispers. “I trust you.”
The words mean more than she knows. We look down at the water just in time to see an enormous squid swim right under us. Willem heads into the cabin to rest while Briar and I watch the creatures of the sea together. She points out turtles and fish of all shapes and sizes. When a whale approaches, I grip Briar’s hips and lift her out far enough to touch it. She laughs happily, hand brushing along the smooth texture of the whale’s back. I set Briar back onto her feet as the moon replaces the sun. The stars are much brighter at sea.
“They’re mirrored.” A small twisted smile pulls at her lips.
“What?”
“The constellations,” she answers. “Back home, they face the other direction.”
A loud roar erupts from somewhere in the water before I can reply. Briar clings to me. She stares out at the sea with so much fear in her heart that it nearly brings me to my knees. In the distance I see a creature only rumored to be the guardian of Archech.
“The Leviathan!” Willem shouts, throwing open the door as he spreads his wings.
Storm clouds form overhead and I force Briar into the cabin. If anything happens to her, then both of us will be useless when we arrive on the island. Elluine warned me this would happen. I shove the regret aside along with Briar’s emotions that assault my concentration. If Willem and I are to survive this fight, it will take all I have in me. I call forth the shadows. They wrythe and churn all around me, needing the fight and the violence as much as I do.
A bloodlust courses through my veins. This is the side of me that I hide from Briar. Her sweet, loving disposition is too light for the darkness I carry. For her, I believe I can change for the better, but not now. Not when our lives depend on my cruel thirst for the Leviathan’s head. Willem leaps into the sky as lightning streaks across the indigo sky. He swoops down, but narrowly misses the quick slash of claws. The Reaper angers the Leviathan and I question whether Willem is brilliant or absolutely mad.
The creature lifts up out of the water, towering over everything in sight
