Page 33 of The Ocean's Heart
“I opened a vortex.”
“Wait—you could have brought us straight here at any time?”
“Not at any time. The distance and…” I pause to catch my breath because the feat has drained me. I need the sea, but not yet. Not until Thalia is safe. “Come. Quickly.”
Roughly hewn stone steps lead down to the dock, built so long ago that it’s barely visible beneath algae. I take her hand here to prevent her from slipping, but she’s steady on her feet, and it’s I that stumble, my lungs tight. She grabs hold of me and braces her frame to steady me. She’s surprisingly robust for a human.
“Vaarin?” She studies me with sharp concern, and I shake my head.
“I’m fine. Hurry.” I help her onto the ladder and climb up behind her onto the ship.
“We’re going to sail this thing?” She shakes her head. “We need a crew.”
“I know, which is why we’re not taking the main ship.” I hurry starboard, where a smaller boat is bound to the main ship. Large enough to house six, there are cabins below and a decent sail and navigation system. “Get in.”
She obliges, climbing down a second ladder and landing on deck. She looks back up at me. “Vaarin, come on.”
I smile down at her. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“What?”
I undo the knots holding the boat to the ship. “Steer north and you’ll be in safe waters by nightfall. You’ll see land by dawn.”
“Wait!” She reaches for the rope ladder just as the final knot comes undone.
The boat drops to the ocean, taking her with it.
“Vaarin! What are you doing? Come on!” She looks out to sea then back toward the cavern.
“I can’t leave. Not until they’re all dead.”
“Then fight them undersea. You’re stronger there.”
“And so are they. It would take too long for me to recharge. At least on land I have a chance.”
Her eyes widen. “A chance? A fucking chance? Against how many? No!” She makes to climb the side of the boat, her eyes on the rope ladder still dangling down the side of the ship.
I haul it up out of reach. “Goodbye, Thalia.” I use the last of my power to call to the current beneath the waves and push the boat out of the cove and into the wide sea.
“NO!” Thalia cries as the current carries her away. “Vaarin, no!”
And then she’s gone.
I allow my legs to give way and collapse on deck, depleted. Drained. The Obsidian Pearl will be here soon, and I’ll have to fight them without my elemental power.
But this ship comes equipped with tools I can use to my advantage.
I don’t have long, and so I get to work.
ChapterEighteen
THALIA
My heart beat like an erratic drum as the boat shot out to sea, taking me with it. The cove and island grew farther and farther away. Vaarin was going to take on the Obsidian Pearl alone, and that wouldn’t be such a terrible thing—he was the king of the Northern Sea after all, but he was depleted. Drained of power from opening the vortex.
What if he didn’t survive?
He thoughtIwas the hope of his people.
