Page 78 of Light and Shadow
She nods against my biceps. “We can carry the children and injured a half mile or so. Do you think we’ll be able to rest once we reach land?”
“I can’t say, but I’m not counting on it. We’ll still be in the shadow of the volcano, Harper.” There’s more to say about that. Venora found a way to the west. My heart pounds in my ears at the ramifications of what we saw in the fire.
“She’s strong again. I felt her in the fire. I felt her in that kron.” Inside, Harper shakes as if a shiver went up her spine.
Holding her tighter, I kiss her temple. “I know. I felt her too. She’s stronger than before. To break through and control a fire demon is the darkest kind of magic. She has somehow grown more dangerous since she attacked you. Maybe we should have risked a portal after we got you back. I fear I’m not a very good leader.” Even whispered in the dark, it feels like the truth. Doubting myself is not how I’ve lived my life. I’m the eldest son of Elspeth and Brion Riordan. My abilities should be sharper. My mission was clear, yet I deviated and put Harper at great risk.
She pushes me back to the deck and stares into my eyes for a long second. Her jaw ticks as if she’s straining against scolding me. Leaning close, she whispers, “If you had left these elves in Venora’s clutches, you would not be the man I love. Besides, what if you or I had died in the next portal? You told me it was too soon when we first left Tobhtá. Even when it was safe, we could not leave them. Personally, I would just as soon never go through one again.”
My emotions are rocketing in every direction. Her strength is both adorable and arousing. She loves me for the man I am, not the leader I strive to be. Her vision of me makes me want to rethink everything I know. I press my lips to the shell of her ear. “Thank you.”
We lie awake for the hour we have to rest. Her thoughts mingle with mine, and it’s a kind of symphony of give and take. I love the way she thinks and worries and pushes those worries aside to focus on the task at hand.
All we have to do is survive long enough to get these people to safety. After that, we’ll figure out how to survive the next step, whatever that might be.
My father would have a plan for the entire journey. He would anticipate battles and risk additional lives to beat his opponent.
I wonder how my mother would handle this journey. I suppose when I tell her my choices, she’ll explain where I didn’t meet her expectations. Every step we take seems to bring more danger. We’ve lost five lives, and I must carry the burden of those losses. My entire life has been in preparation for this, and I pray I measure up to the task.
Nainsi stirs and listens to Bert for a moment.
Before she steps toward us, Harper and I sit up.
“We’re getting close,” Nainsi says, with the first pink daylight on her face. “Help me wake everyone?”
Fancor and Jax are up and stretching before we have a chance to nudge them.
“We should have tried harder to sleep.” Harper raises her arms above her head and makes a squeaking noise and she shifts from foot to foot.
On a gruff laugh, Fancor says, “Sleep never came to anyone from trying, lass. We rested, and that’s better than nothing.”
The western continent looms before us, white sand with a smattering of ash from the eruption and rolling hills beyond the dunes. The clouds of the previous night have given way to a clear sky that hints at a warm, dry day. The scent of flowers reaches me and for a second, I wish I’d taken the time to learn the name behind the fresh smell.
One by one, we wake everyone above and the children below, and all assemble on deck. We gather as much from the hold as we have, which amounts to a day’s worth of meat and some edible leaves. We’re short on water, but that’s a problem for later.
I stand at the top of the stairs on the upper deck. “Everyone grab something solid, and hold on to each other. We are going to hit bottom, and the ship may tip and break apart.”
Many of the elves look back with fear, but on the faces of most, I see only resignation. They’ve been through so much that death is not a threat. At least, if they die here, Venora will not have them or their souls.
Beran and Bert stay at the helm, while I join the others. Wrapping my arms around Harper, I hold the central mast.
“Brace yourselves,” Bert shouts.
The sound of the keel striking land is like nothing I’ve ever heard before. The ship screams in protest. If I could, I would hold my ears to protect them from the cacophony of cracks and breaks. The wood roars as it gives way, and a shrill scream fills the air as we crash over the sand bar. We jerk to the left, then forward. Wood snapping and cracking follows. The deck buckles like water but doesn’t break.
When we come to a stop, the ship lists to the starboard side, and elves tumble across the deck. Their screams replace those of the broken ship.
Harper reaches out and grabs Cara’s hand before she can fall past. She hauls her up to us where Cara grabs hold of the mast and braces her feet.
Dorian rolls across the deck to the rail. From below us, he yells. “I’m fine. Hold on.”
Still the ship creaks and moves until it settles.
Bert’s voice breaks the momentary silence. “Beran will see how stable the shelf beneath us is. Hold on another moment.”
The splash of Beran hitting the water and sloshing across forms a knot in my gut. It feels as if everyone is holding their breath.
“It’s safe. We’re lengths of the boat beyond the deep drop.” Beran’s voice is strong and calm.
