I had to find a way to get to Verutith, assuming there was a way.
By the time evening arrived, we’d managed to construct several shelters made from the ship’s canvas tarps and ropes. It was a humble situation and certainly wouldn’t protect us from whatever was out there, but it was better than nothing.
The sun set. Shades of coral and lavender streaked across the sky, and the heat cooled as day turned to night. Several bonfires had been lit, and their flames reflected off the sparkling grains of sand.
I sat beside the bonfire on a log near my father. Some of the crewmen had managed to find their fishing gear and a few other supplies washed up on the beach. They’d pulled in a net-full of fish, which now sat in fat lumps that sizzled over the flames. The fire warmed my outstretched hands, and my stomach growled as the scent of cooked meat filled the air. When it was ready, I pulled off two pieces. I arranged them on metal plates, then handed one to my father and kept the other for myself.
The king and some of his men had gathered around the fire. They talked in hushed tones, but I still caught most of the conversation.
“Should we send out more search teams?”
“In the dark? It would be suicide.”
“But we can’t just leave them out there.”
“And risk our own necks? It isn’t worth it. We’ll start our journey first thing in the morning.”
“It may be too late.”
The conversation stalled. I nibbled the fish, though my appetite had disappeared. Where was Kull? He had to be on the island. He couldn’t have drowned—it wasn’t possible. His luck was too good for that. If anything, I should have been the one to drown, not him.
Please, Kull. Please be alive!
Overhead, something caught my eye. A black shape blocked out the stars for a moment. I recognized the long neck, tail, and outstretched wings. A dragon. It sailed toward the mountains and disappeared.
The warriors held tight to their weapons, but the dragon never returned.
Dragons were some of the most clairvoyant creatures on the planet. If anyone could help me find my missing companions and tell me where to put the bloom, it would be them. I knew I would be taking a risk by visiting them, but I’d dealt with dragons a time or two before. Plus, my stepfather’s name carried clout—even out here. The dragons would be extremely foolish to harm me.
I chewed a mouthful of fish, watching as the flames consumed the wood, listening to the twigs crack and split in half. Without Kull, an emptiness settled inside me. Where was he?
Glancing at my father, an idea struck me that I hadn’t considered before.
Father had been following who he thought was Mom through the forest, and Kull had also had hallucinations on the ship. What if Kull was out in that forest now—following the apparition of his grandfather?
I turned to the mountains.
The moonlight glowed over the peaks, casting bluish light on the steam rising from the volcanic vents. Keeping my gaze on the mountains, I gathered my pack. The Wults wouldn’t travel during the night, which worked to my advantage. Whatever was out there couldn’t be killed with swords or spears. I had half my magic, which was a better defense than any manmade weapon.
I checked through my pack to make sure I had everything. My mirror, the orb, my knit scarves. I grabbed a knife, a canteen, and some dried fruit, then placed them with the other items. Rolf approached as I stood. His eyebrows rose.
“Are you going somewhere?”
I didn’t want to tell him. What if he tried to stop me? “I’m just going to check on something. I’ll be back soon.”
“You’re going to find Kull, aren’t you?”
I sighed. I’d never been good at lying. “Yes.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, I’m going alone.”
“Are you serious? Don’t you know what’s out there?”
“Rolf, I’ll be fine. I still have half my magic to protect me. But I won’t be able to protect us both. Besides, I need you to look after my father.”
“I’d rather come with you.”
“I know, but I need you here. My father needs help, and I don’t trust just anyone to look after him. Will you do this for me? Please?”
He stuck his hands in his pockets as he considered his choices. “You know Kull will kill me once he finds out I let you go alone.”
“Kull will be pleased that you looked after my father like I asked you to do.”
He sniffed. “You sound like my mother.”
I slung my pack over my shoulder. “I’ll be back before sunrise.”
He grunted. I turned away before he could come up with more reasons to follow me. The last thing I needed was another person to look after. I appreciated his concern and usually I would have welcomed his help, but not this time.
This was an island of magic. His sword would be of no help to me. Plus, I couldn’t let him risk his life. I’d been raised by dragons and understood more about them than most. If anyone were to confront them, it should be me.
The sand shifted beneath my boots as I made my way down the beach. With the moonlight reflecting off the water, I didn’t have trouble seeing where to go, but soon that wouldn’t be the case. I would need some way to see as I moved through the jungle. The enchanted rocks had worked pretty well in the underground tunnels; could I use the same thing here? I scanned the beach but didn’t find any rocks. Could I use something else?
Waves crashed along the shore. The water seemed to dance under the moonlight, gliding forward and retreating with musical rhythm. Grains of sand sparkled under the moonlight, giving me an idea.
I scooped up a handful of dry sand. Could I manipulate it the same way I had the pebbles? I gathered my magic. By now, using Earth magic had become easier, though
