We approached the shore, and I noted strange trees growing beyond the beach. Their large, heart-shaped leaves were emerald on one side and red underneath. Pink, diamond-shaped fruit hung like Japanese lanterns from the sprawling limbs. Our boat wobbled slightly as we reached the beach and scraped over the sand. A crewman jumped out and pulled us onto shore.
With an overwhelming sense of relief, I climbed free of the boat. Although I was soaking wet and my damp clothes stuck to my skin making my shivering uncontrollable, at least I’d made it out of the ocean.
Hoots and unfamiliar howls came from the jungle. I trudged up the shore, watching as the tree limbs rustled. The sketches of the creatures from the princess’s maps came to mind as I scanned the tree line.
Some of the crewmen set up a makeshift camp near the forest’s edge, slinging tarps over tree limbs. Someone started a fire. The thick white smoke coiled into the air.
I somehow made my way to the fire. The cold, coupled with my exhaustion, made it hard for me to concentrate, but I managed to remove my wet shoes.
Someone handed me a buckskin blanket. I didn’t ask where it came from as I stripped down to my underwear and huddled beneath the soft animal hide. Soon my shivering stopped, and the events of the past few hours played through my mind. The captain… was he the goblin? The sea serpent. The ship sinking. But one thought overrode all others—where was Kull?
Brodnik and Rolf found me by the fire. They asked about my health, but with my brusque answers, I think they understood I wasn’t interested in talking. Brodnik’s red mustache twitched as he scanned the island. His eyes widened with every unfamiliar sound. Rolf seemed calmer than his companion, but I wondered if he were only putting on a brave face.
I rubbed my arms. Despite the heat, goose bumps prickled my skin. Something felt strange about this place. It was a sense of foreboding, and if I thought about it for too long, I was sure my anxiety would overwhelm me. So, I ignored the feeling and instead focused on the bright flames as they consumed the wood in front of me, warming me with their nearness.
The jungle trees rustled behind us.
“What was that?” Rolf asked, his voice hushed.
The tree limbs creaked again. Rolf found a sturdy stick as a shadowy figure moved from the trees, but as the person moved into the sunlight, Rolf dropped the stick and intercepted him—King Herrick.
Blood dripped from the king’s nose. He staggered toward us, and Brodnik and Rolf helped him sit by the fire. His faded blue eyes looked haunted in the flame’s light, and he didn’t speak for several minutes. Finally, he seemed to focus and turned his gaze on his two men.
“Weapons,” he said. “Have you found our weapons?”
Weapons. Of course. Because the first things you needed when landing on a deserted island without shelter, food, or water, were—logically—weapons.
“I’ve not found any of our supplies. However, if we wait, I am sure they will start to wash ashore.”
“Let’s hope we find them soon. What of the others—have you seen my son or daughter?”
“No,” Brodnik answered.
An uneasy silence settled over our makeshift camp. I didn’t want to ponder the enormity of our situation. That not everyone had survived was common sense, but I dared not contemplate that, either.
When the fire had died down to a bed of red-hot coals, King Herrick and his two men walked to the shore in search of weapons.
After my clothes had dried, I dressed and joined them on the beach. A small group of people had gathered. They talked in hushed voices as they stood huddled around something. As I approached, I realized they were standing around a dead creature. It had a humanoid head and shoulders, although it had six long, crablike legs that extended from a crustacean’s body. Alternating shades of blue and red colored its shell, and the head and shoulders were covered in shimmering golden scales. With its flowing emerald hair and softened facial features, I could tell the creature had been female.
“Look there,” Rolf pointed to several dark gashes that ran the length of the creature’s torso. “What do you think caused wounds such as this?”
Brodnik crouched next to the creature. “Sea serpent, perhaps?”
“If that is so,” one of the Wults said, “then this does not bode well for our companions lost at sea.”
“No,” King Herrick said. “We must spread out and search the beach for any survivors—and we must discover our weapons. Regroup here before nightfall. Do not take any chances; the creatures here are unlike any we are familiar with.”
“Yes,” an elf said. A thin man with platinum-blond hair, he stared with apprehension into the dark forest. “I do not like the feeling of this place. There is strange magic here. Those who are lost must be found, or else I fear they will not survive the night.”
Chapter 29
I followed Rolf and Brodnik down the beach. The surf crashed violently alongside us. Offshore, the turquoise waves towered, and I was thankful to be on dry land.
I tried to ignore the panicky feeling that wanted to rise up and take control of my thoughts.
We’ll find the others. They’re okay. Everything’s okay.
But my calming thoughts only reminded me of our situation and served to make matters worse.
We found a spot off the beach filled with a forest of towering flowers. They looked like bellflowers, a species found on Earth—albeit these were much larger. The bell-shaped, lavender petals fluttered gently in the sea breeze. We were hiking through the flower forest when something caught my attention. As I peered into one of the domes, I found a fairy home, complete with a tiny acorn
