by AJ Eversley
Who was that girl?
Chapter 10
“We’ll be makin’ landfall soon, Miss. Cap’n asked me to come tell ya’,” said Pete, awkwardly standing in the hall.
“Thanks. I’ll be up shortly,” I responded. He spun away and left.
“Finally, we’re getting off this stupid boat,” Max said. “Although I’ll miss our cozy little room, just a bit.” Max gave me a wink. I gave him an exaggerated groan, ignoring him as best I could.
It would be nice to get off this boat, but I was anxious about finding out what I was getting myself into.
I stretched my body out as Chevy mimicked beside me. It was barely sunrise, and yet I could already feel the cresting sun outside the little porthole window in my room. My body was exhausted, and hungry if I cared to admit, but I wasted no time thinking about that.
Slept had eluded me since the ship’s collision, but then again I hadn’t slept much before that. For the last few days, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Sam told us—about the Alatonion. I tried to pick Captain Lankey’s brain about it, but he wasn’t much help. He knew less than I did and the ships creator wasn’t on board. So I’d have to wait on Adam to figure it out. Lankey was still confident his friend would help me break the control Coleman had over me, but if Adam could figure out how to get the microchip out without killing me, that’d solve all our problem a lot faster.
With a groan, I lumbered out of bed, tossing a shirt over my head and stretching my legs out in front of me. Chevy nuzzled up beside me, waiting for his new accessory. Max had made him a studded collar with a dog tag attached to the leather strap and the name “Chevy” etched on it. He wore it proudly.
I pulled my hair into a braid as I twisted toward Max. “You coming?”
“Only if you ask me nicely,” he teased, and I shot him a glare.
“Never mind, don’t come.”
He chuckled softly as I slammed the door behind me.
Up in the control room, Lankey sat waiting in his usual chair. “Ah, just in time.” He smiled. “We should be seein’ ‘er any moment now. Cum’on.” He waved us up the stairs and onto the deck. Chevy bounded happily ahead of me as we made our way to the front of the ship. The silvery metal glistened in the blistering sunlight. A bead of sweat was already forming on my neck.
“You’ll be gettin’ used to the heat in a few days. There’s a nice breeze into the bay, but the sun be ferocious.” Lankey waved his hat over his face. I leaned over the railing, feeling a light mist from the waves hitting the front of the ship as we sailed faster. “You see that speck of gray coming out of the water there in the distance?”
I squinted in the direction Lankey pointed. There was a small gray mass still quite far away but growing larger as we approach. “That there be the United Isles.” Lankey puffed out his chest with pride.
“Doesn’t look like much.” Max startled both of us, making Chevy wag his tail in excitement.
“Decided to grace us with your presence, have you?”
“I can’t let my fans down. Don’t want these people to think we’re all angry Carbons now, do we?” Max leaned against the railing beside me, not too close but close enough that I smelled the forest’s scent waft off him, mixing with the crisp ocean. He kept an air of indifference, but he couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face as he looked over the ocean.
My hand absently rubbed Chevy’s head as I watched the United Isles grow closer. The sun beat down causing the island to look like it was waving in the water, an identical reflection of the same island upside down in the waves. The wind picked up as we sailed faster, and I breathed in the warm salt air. The sun tingled against my skin, building up an energy inside of me eager to escape.
“There she be.” Captain Lankey pulled me out of my thoughts. Directly in front of us was an enormous crescent moon-shaped island jutting out of the ocean. Gray rock mixed with brilliant green trees and exotic shrubs surrounded the exterior of the island. The waves crashed hard against the rocks covered in pink and orange coral reef.
We rounded the edge of the island as we pulled into the U-shaped bay. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the sun bearing down on us, and the sheer beauty of it all caused my mouth to gape open in surprise and awe. On the inside of the crescent moon-shaped island was a beautiful displacement of color that filled the bay. House after house lined the island’s interior. White and blue, yellow and orange; I had never seen such a sight. The houses molded into each other as if the island rock had created each one out of itself. Stone stairs scaled the cliff to each house in a maze that was dizzying.
At the waters edge was white, sparkling sand leading out to the crystal clear, teal waters we sailed through. As I leaned over the edge of the railing, colorful fish swam out of the ship’s way through the near translucent waters.
All throughout the bay, people lounged on boats, fishing off the edges. A large dock stretched out to the middle of the bay. People walked through the streets with their attention on the large ship approaching. Children chased each other through the sand, splashing and giggling as they ran. It brought a little hitch to my heart as I watched them play. So free, so happy.
A sparkle of light caught my eye as I glanced up to the top of the island. There all on its own was an enormous castle, sparkling in white like the sandy beach we approached. The walls blended into the stone cliff as if they were one and the same and three spiraling pillars stood on each side of the large castle entrance.
Lankey caught my amazement. “Beautiful, ain’t she?”
“Amazing.” Color like I’d never seen before. Nothing like the cold, dark city of Cytos I used to call home.
Lankey pointed to where I was already looking. “That be where the princess lives.”
“Princess?”
“Aye, princess. She be our leader here, our protector. She’s the one who brought this island together. All these people workin’ as one are because of her.”
A smile crept to my face at the thought.
“That be where ya be stayin’,” Lankey said.
“Oh, this is gonna be good.” Max smirked as he turned to watch my reaction.
“Wait, what? This friend of yours who can help me is a…princess?” The smile on my face faltered as I turned to Lankey, my palms beginning to sweat.
“Don’t worry. She’s the nicest princess you’ll ever meet.” Lankey smiled.
“Right, because I’ve met a lot of princesses.” My fingers drummed against the railing.
Max couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he watched the panic roll through me.
“Don’t say one word,” I warned him, and he lifted his hands in defeat.
“We be dockin’ soon. Best be grabbin’ yer things so we can get movin’ quickly.”
As we prepared to leave the confines of this ship, I couldn’t help wondering what I’d gotten myself into. But despite the panic and thrill that rolled through me in bouts of confusion, I could feel the a drive building inside of me that had been muted for a long time. I wouldn’t allow my circumstances to dictate my life anymore. I made a silent promise to myself never to go down that road again, never to let myself become weak and pathetic.
I was stronger than even I realized, and I would not let Coleman win.
Chapter 11
A wave of heat hit me the minute I stepped off the ship and onto the long dock. It was a humid heat with a slight breeze coming off the bay that didn’t do much. I was already finding it hard to breathe.
“Man, it’s hot,” Max exclaimed behind me. “This place we’re staying at better have a lot of fans or something.” He immediately stripped off his shirt, revealing his bare, golden-tanned chest.
“Seriously, you can’t just keep your shirt on for one second?”
“If you don’t want to see it, don’t look,” Max whispered in my ear, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.
I gave him a vulgar gesture with a questionable finger. He laughed. Up ahead, Chevy bounced with exci
tement, sprinting around in the water to try to catch the fish as they swam by. The kids nearby giggled as they watched him sneeze and snort up water. Chevy attempted to dive under but was unsuccessful in catching anything. Nevertheless, he enjoyed every minute of it.
The bright pastel colors of the buildings were never-ending, and how they flawlessly intertwined with each other to fill the whole canvas in front of me left me speechless. At the end of the dock, Lankey greeted a small, skinny man standing before a carriage being loaded with our things.
“Hello there, Miss. It’s an honor to meet you.” The man bowed his head. “Let me help you in.” He offered his long, skinny hand as I cautiously stepped into the carriage. I scooted over for Lankey and Max, the latter who made a point of sitting a little too close, his still bare skin was warm against mine. Chevy came bounding over, covered in water and sand.
“Would the pup like to sit up front with me?” the carriage driver suggested.
Chevy jumped up to the front of the carriage where he could enjoy the view and the wind in his face with his tongue sticking out the whole way.
The cart moved with a jolt. I peered out the small window, wondering what was pushing us since there was nothing in front of the carriage.
“It’s solar powered,” Lankey explained. “We need small carts with large wheels to navigate the winding streets here, but we have a few things we can utilize from a more modern era.”
The buildings were all made of stone, built right into islands all the way to the top. The only distinction between each house was the color tinted into the stone. The road spiraled its way up the island, seemingly never-ending. The citizens we passed all gave us a friendly wave and a good morning. Their skin tones were dark bronze and chocolate brown. I was the awkward white sheep in comparison to their beautiful dark complexions.
Our carriage continued up the steep, winding road until I thought we could surely touch the clouds. Below us, the teal blue waters of the bay glistened in the sunlight waved in the shadow of the large ship we arrived on. I’d never seen anything so beautiful. Max had almost fallen asleep, missing everything as he rested his head back and closed his eyes.
We came to a halt in front of the sparkling white castle at the top of the island, surrounded by three spiraling pillars on both side of the entrance. Up close I was able to see they were a mixture of the white sand from the bay, sea shells and rocks that sparkled like little diamonds. The air was cooler and smelled of orchids and daffodils. Lankey led us out of the carriage and up the stairs to a large stone gate. It creaked and groaned as it opened on its own. We stepped through the entrance and into a large open courtyard. Flower beds lined either side of the walkway, and colorful bushes surrounded the spaces in between.
We walked through another archway into what looked like a large foyer.
“Wait here,” Lankey commanded.
We stopped as he walked to the smaller chamber at the end, the door cracked open just enough for him to squeeze through. Chevy rolled around on the grass in the courtyard, enjoying himself while not worrying one bit about watching my back. Max stood beside me as we marveled at the stonework all around us. It was as if the castle was carved from a single stone, spotted with pearl white shells and rocks. No glass covered the windows; they were open to the outside with a crisp, warm breeze pouring in.
My attention returned to the foyer as I heard Lankey’s footsteps return. Another set of soft footsteps echoed behind his, but I couldn’t see who’s they were yet. Lankey rounded the corner and stepped aside to reveal a young girl, no older than sixteen at most. Her petite figure was friendly and welcoming. Her long, golden hair sparkled like the white stone in the castle, and her brilliant gold eyes were like looking into the sunlight. Blinding and beautiful all at once. A tall, dark skinned man flanked her side—her personal guard I assumed, based on the long katana sheathed at his side and the stern look of warning aimed our way.
“Sawyer and Max, I would like to introduce you to Princess Lena.” Captain Lankey bowed as Lena stepped forward to shake our hands.
“But you’re just a girl?” I blurted out.
She chuckled as my hand engulfed her tiny one. “My body is that of a child, but I am much older than that—on the inside.”
I nodded awkwardly. A child was the last thing I expected to help me take down Coleman.
“Anthony here will show you to your rooms, and then we can meet for some lunch once you are all settled,” Lena said as she stepped aside for Anthony to pass by. He didn’t wear the same friendly smile as Princess Lena as he breezed past us with a grunted order to follow.
We were led up the stairs and down an expansive open hallway. Gruffly, he pointed to a short hallway and mumbled with a thick accent that it led to my room. As I stepped passed the threshold, my eyes widened in awe. It had to be the largest room I’d ever seen. The entire space was bigger than my old home in Cytos. There was a seating area with an oversized couch in one corner. The bathroom could fit two of the rooms from my old base. When I sprawled across the bed, I couldn’t even touch from end to end if I tried. An open balcony overlooked the courtyard with the United Isles below, and a warm breeze filled my room with a flowery aroma. With a deep breath and a smile on my face, I surveyed the rest of the room. Chevy bounced onto the huge bed and lounged across it, taking up as much space as he could. The calm energy of this island filled up every part of my soul, and with it, the pain began to dissipate.
~
After unpacking my one bag and making sure to hide a few knives and guns around the room, I headed down to the main foyer and found my way to the dining room. Lena and Lankey were already seated around the table with Anthony standing over Lena’s shoulder. Max joined a moment later. The dining table was filled with the most food I’d ever seen. Fresh fish and crustaceans, colorful fruits, and delicious pastries filled the many platters sprawled across the table. Once I started, I couldn’t stop eating. My stomach swelled to capacity by the time I stopped myself.
I noted Max’s stares as he watched me like a parent making sure their child ate all their vegetables. I did my best to ignore him. For the first time in a while, I felt an energy inside me that hadn’t been present since I left Cytos. It crawled deep beneath my skin and woke up every cell in my body.
Max caught my attention. I furrowed my brow as he subtly inclined his head to the princess who was asking Captain Lankey about his trip.
You trust them? Max silently asked me. I glanced over to them. They seemed nice enough, though I was surprised at how young she looked. Lena carried herself much older than she looked.
My gaze shifted to Anthony whose glare met me before I looked away and fiddled with my glass of wine.
I shrugged my shoulders to Max. I guess, for now.
Max narrowed his eyes at me, his expression unreadable, but when he didn’t say anymore, I took it as his reluctant acceptance to trust my judgment.
“I hope the food was to your liking?” Princess Lena asked politely from the head of the table.
“It was amazing. I’m stuffed.” I rubbed my belly.
She chuckled softly. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Max slouched down in his chair, sloshing his wine around in his glass in a bored manner, but I saw the façade he wore as he surveyed our hosts. Max was a man of many masks, and the bored, petulant child seemed to be one of his favorite. Second only to the excessive flirt.
“So Lena, I mean Princess—” I started.
“Lena is fine.”
“Okay, Lena. Captain Lankey seems to think you can help me, but he’s neglected to give me any details as to how.”
“Yes, Captain Lankey has told me of your situation. I was once like you—controlled…”
“You were a Carbon?” Max interrupted, causing Anthony to glare in his direction.
“Yes.” She nodded. “I still am.”
“But you aren’t controlled by Coleman?” I noticed the princess subtly flinch at his name.
“It has tak
en me a long time to forget that name and the control he had over me, but yes, I have been released.”
“How? Tell me how,” I demanded, leaning eagerly into the table.
“I will, in time. It is not something you can expect to happen overnight. Every Carbon is different, and it takes time to learn.” She talked much older, possessing an air of maturity.
“Time is not something I have much of.” I slumped into the chair.
“We will train you, I promise. But it is up to you how far you want to go.”
“As far as I have to,” I said with determination.
Lena smiled as she took a sip of tea. Lankey did the same to her right. The castle’s dining hall was one of many large rooms. Out the large windows flanking the walls around us, the city buzzed with energy in the midday sun.
“Captain Lankey said you guys have only been here for ten years. How did this all come to be?” I asked.
“This island was created long before the war that destroyed Earth. These lands are almost as old as the sky and the sea. It was abandoned when the Third World War began. Soon after, the whole island went underwater when the bombs moved the mountains and the seas, but somehow it survived. I think the sea protected it until the time was right to bring it back to life. The waters receded and lowered, revealing its beauty. We are ever grateful to the stars for providing us this sanctuary.” Lena dreamily stared off at the city.
“How’d you all get here?” Max asked.
I didn’t even realize he was still listening, but that was exactly what he wanted us to think.
“We cum from all o’er the world,” Lankey answered. “Me and my men searched far ‘n wide for survivors and brought ‘em here, fer protection. Cytos and Kuros were the last of the largely populated areas that we couldn’t reach, until now. We lost many a good man attempting to rescue you, but until we were able to craft that ship, we couldn’t travel unseen.”