by Lorna Reid
At least the ship seemed to appeal to her sense of adventure. She and Danny had been helping around the ship, tidying stores and feeding the Chams. According to Poppy, Danny spent a lot of his time prowling the decks, staring out into the darkness, his mind on his mother, whose picture was never out of his possession.
Poppy had also gravitated toward the crew room, chatting to anyone who was off duty, asking questions about Aquattrox or the port, and occasionally settling down with a book or old newspaper.
She seemed to know most of what went on, Russell considered. Poppy could already rattle off who had fought with whom over the years and why, the nastiest injuries, accidents, and scrapes with the law (both for individual crew and the ship itself), and knew nearly everyone’s favourite Aquattrox team, and they’d only been on board a few days.
Poppy had gleaned more about the last war than he had thus far, and was swiftly gaining a sure footing in the politics and troubles between the various Lands.
Russell felt a touch of jealousy that such openness and ease with people came so easily for her. He would love to do what Poppy did, but at least it meant that he didn’t have to, as he found out everything he did and didn’t want to know from her.
He shifted to get comfortable, rubbing his hands, which had been re-bandaged. Patches and Mineska were busy teaching Poppy and Danny a card game while the Captain talked to an engrossed Katrina over a large map that was spread out on a low table in front of the fire.
The Captain was never still for long, always at the helm or on deck somewhere, or otherwise studying maps and papers, lost in thought. He was always up before Russell and worked long into the night.
Occasionally he would take a break and fall asleep in a chair in the crew room with his shirt or jacket draped over the back, and the seriousness that often troubled his young face would melt away.
He reminded Russell of his father, somehow. Not just the physical traits – the black hair, green eyes, and strong jaw – but the commanding presence, the dedication, and the fierce aura that hid something softer, the rare times you got to see past it.
In fact, Russell noticed, the whole crew were more serious now, more alert. The water was rougher and the air chillier, despite the warm magic cocooning the ship. He hoped the Shriex were the worst of it all.
*
It was getting late when Russell snapped his book shut and rubbed his eyes. It had taken longer to finish than he had thought, and now, with a not-very-brief history of the Lands bouncing around his skull, looking for a place to settle, he was suddenly at a loss for something to do.
Poppy was lounging in the opposite corner, her own book forgotten on her lap as she chatted to Crank (real name: Tye Winchell). Russell picked up Katrina’s book, left there since she’d abandoned it to go and look at some sight out in the Pass, and frowned over a tea stain that was already marking the cover. As he turned it over, he had to grab at several pieces of paper that slipped out. They were covered in notes in her small, crooked writing about exercises for developing mirror magic.
Russell shoved the pages back, feeling guilty at having read them, and put the book back where Katrina had left it, albeit not hanging carelessly over the edge of the table.
He lingered in front of a bookcase, trying to decide whether to go with a book called 1001 Magical Accidents (‘now with new diagrams’), or an in-depth history of the Mage Wars, when the door was flung open.
Katrina burst into the room, cheeks flushed and eyes shining. ‘You should come and see this,’ she breathed. ‘We’re taking a shortcut to Clementine through the Green Caves.’ Russell took a last, long look back at the books and the roaring fire and sighed before following her out, wincing as the healing cuts on his chest pulled.
The ship was bathed in a dull green light and, rather than darkness, he could see the water. Far above, long stalactites stabbed their glowing fingers at them, and he imagined them hurtling down, pinning them to the seabed.
‘It’s a type of fungus,’ said Katrina when he joined her and Danny on the port side. Poppy, having overheard, had hurried to join them.
‘It’s what gives this series of caves their name,’ said Mineska, after seeing them studying the rock in awe. ‘The cavern roofs are lower here than many of the areas, but we’re fine.’ She smiled. ‘The water is nasty rough, though, especially near the falls.’
‘It looks beautiful.’ Poppy leaned on the rail; Russell wished she wouldn’t.
‘Don’t be taken in. There are hidden reefs and a few nasty surprises. Even the regulars that come to harvest the Greenscab fungus have to watch themselves.’
‘What do they use it for?’ said Russell, trying not to notice Danny standing on the lower rail, pretending to fall.
‘A light source, dye, medicine,’ said Mineska.
‘I was going to ask about light,’ he said. ‘How do people manage to live in towns down here? There’s no real light, and what about food?’
Mineska smiled. ‘They manage. People can be resourceful when they need to be. They eat livestock, fish, rodents, and some mammals. There are plants native to the Pass and a few crops are farmed from imported seeds. There are more than a few delicacies down here, too, that overlanders pay good money for.’
Russell debated with himself as to whether or not he really wanted to know what ‘delicacies’ were down here.
‘Light comes from magic or other natural sources like Redcaps, Flarewort or that …’ Mineska pointed to the glow of a distant cavern wall. ‘Most of the towns here are not much different to overland ones, except it’s always dark and the lookouts are more numerous and far twitchier.’ Russell was going to ask why, but decided that his dreams were currently bad enough.
They watched in fascination as the Riana crossed the sea cavern and sailed alongside the rocky wall, keeping a careful distance. Mineska leaned out and used a long telescopic boathook to scrape some Greenscab from a small jutting outcrop of rock. She pulled it in to show them, and Katrina brushed her fingertips over it.
‘It’s sticky,’ she said, pinching her glowing fingers together.
‘You’d better hope it comes off,’ said Russell. Danny touched Katrina’s hand and transferred some of the residue onto his own fingers, which he waggled in Poppy’s face.
‘Just try not to get it over your clothes, or you’ll be glowing like a beacon – that’s not a good thing down here,’ said Mineska.
‘Is that why no one wears much white?’ said Poppy, batting Danny’s hand away from her face. Mineska nodded.
‘Should we be this close to the wall?’ Russell said, feeling nervous as the water heaved and grew angrier.
‘It’s only briefly. This way we avoid fighting the cross-current too much, and we won’t miss the gap to the fall cavern.’
A dark opening in the cavern wall came into view ahead of them; spray popped and spat into the air as the two bodies of water clashed. ‘Don’t worry,’ Mineska said. ‘Dar’s at the helm. You’re in good hands.’ Russell felt slightly more assured, but backed away and took a seat on one of the barrels outside the storeroom while the ship manoeuvred and eventually slid through the gap.
‘Bayard got us stuck on the rocks near the falls a few years ago,’ said Mineska, perching on a box beside him. ‘We were there a week before we got ourselves repaired and freed. Some Year’s End that was.’ She laughed, making room for Patches, who had joined them.
‘Dar didn’t let Bayard near the helm for a year after that fiasco,’ said Patches, plucking a roast potato from the bowl he was carrying and then offering the remainder around. Russell helped himself, struggling slightly because of the bandages, but glad of the faint warmth in his fingers.
‘Even at our speed, it’ll take most of the day to reach the falls. This cavern’s bigger than most of the Green Caves, but they’re all tiny compared to the rest of the Pass,’ said Patches. ‘You may as well head in. I’ll give you all a shout when we’re closer.’
‘You’ll get below, too, if you kn
ow what’s good for you,’ said Jake, who was passing. ‘Stamp’s on the warpath over some missing food.’ He eyed the bowl in Patches’ hand and walked off with a grin, coiling a rope around his shoulder. Patches winked at them and offered the bowl round again.
True to his word, he called them up after dinner. Russell had enjoyed the meal a great deal, partly because someone had drawn a glowing moustache and beard on Tab when he had fallen asleep in the crew room. The man had sat through dinner completely oblivious and growing increasingly annoyed at the laughter.
The chill on deck bit into Russell’s neck and he looked up in astonishment when he felt water patter onto his head. ‘How can it be raining?’ he said.
‘You get rain and storms in the Pass – it’s a place all of its own, remember, weather too. This isn’t rain, though, it’s the Emerald Falls,’ said Patches.
Ahead of them, stretching across the end of the cavern, was a cascading wall of glittering green water. The mist of spray that hung in the air dampened Russell’s face and clothes, but for once, he was barely aware of it.
‘It’s just Emmerite in the water,’ shouted Patches as the ship sailed closer, ‘but it’s beautiful.’ And it was. Smooth green sheets covered the vast width of the cavern, pouring from somewhere far above to smash eternally onto the waves and rocks below.
‘Why are we heading for them?’ shouted Russell over the growing roar.
‘Between ’em, lad.’ Patches pointed to where a large rock divided the water into shimmering curtains, revealing an opening among the foam.
‘You’re joking?’ shouted Russell. Katrina’s face split into a grin, but Poppy appeared to be with Russell on this one.
‘Seriously?’ She plucked Patches’ arm.
‘We’ll be fine as long as we stay clear of the teeth.’ He pointed to the sharp spikes of rock that thrust through the angry surface.
‘Currents are wicked here and it’s a battle. I’d better go and help at the helm.’ He raced away to join the Captain.
‘We’ll get a better view from up there, too,’ said Katrina, glancing up at the two men.
‘I don’t think I want a better view.’ Russell eyed the thundering water with increasing alarm.
‘Well I do.’ Katrina ran after Patches, clattering up the stairs to the deck above with Danny hot on her heels. Poppy shared a weary look with Russell and they headed after them.
They joined Katrina and Danny, and clung to the rails while the Captain and Patches wrestled with the helm. The angry water snatched at the shouted orders as the crew scurried around, working with ropes and sails, relaying messages from the battered lookouts.
The falls were directly in front of them now, sucking the ship toward the teeth waiting among the churning water. Russell dragged a damp arm over his wet face, momentarily shielding himself from the spray.
The ship fought the pull as Patches and the Captain forced the wheel round with all their strength, soaked through, their hair plastered to their heads. The roaring reached a crescendo above them and the emerald water thundered down either side.
Despite his fear, Russell felt a buzz that was exhilarating and terrifying all at once. They got a brief look at the underbelly of the splitting water before the Riana skimmed past the rocks and into the dark, jagged opening. He had rarely felt so relieved.
Chapter 20
◊
THE NEXT FEW DAYS before reaching Clementine were more uneventful. A small storm and a close run through a nasty stretch of water called Cutter’s Rift were the only obstacles, which presented barely a problem for the Riana and her crew.
Katrina wandered along the deck after dinner one evening, leaving the others reading and playing cards while she enjoyed the feel of the ship beneath her feet. She had quickly become used to the motion, and felt quite at home. The Captain was leaning on the rail on the starboard side and she joined him, staring into the darkness for a few minutes, wondering if he was wishing she would go away.
‘What brings you here, Katrina Heartly?’ he asked.
She frowned. ‘We need to save Isa and maybe Danny’s mother.’
‘I know that.’ He turned to her. ‘But what brings you here?’
She stared at him, not sure what he meant. ‘We came to find Danny’s mum – that’s what started it all off,’ she ventured. His eyes never wavered from her own and he gave a small smile.
‘What about you though, really?’
Katrina considered the question, cycling through the possible answers until the most truthful one surfaced.
‘To get away. To do something rather than just dream about it; to leave everything behind and run, explore. This is all so new.’ She stopped, feeling embarrassed and wondering if he would think she was being babyish. She had always tended to try and hide her escapist fantasies.
Ever since they had found the Gateway, she had felt spurred on to discover more, with each new thing fuelling her craving. The death of the Oracle and events surrounding it had derailed and shattered the thrill of this new world, but the ship felt like it was mending it all, somehow.
The freedom Katrina felt surged through her veins with every roll of the ship, every new sight and sound and taste, the unknown calling softly on the breeze. It lit something in her and she lay awake at night, letting it battle the nightmares. It was starting to win.
The Captain looked out over the dark water. ‘I know the feeling,’ he said in his soft, deep voice. Katrina loved the roll of his accent and snuck a long look at him until her cheeks flushed.
‘What brings you here? Why do you do all this and risk the Pass?’ she asked, feeling emboldened by his response.
‘It’s a long story.’
‘That’s not fair.’
‘Life isn’t fair,’ he said.
‘That’s what everybody says, so why perpetuate it?’ she countered.
He laughed quietly and fixed his bright green eyes on her. ‘I know. I used to hate it when people said that to me.’ He looked back out over the water. ‘I was born at sea on my parents’ ship, Dragon’s Hoard. My father was captain, my mother was a Psy Mage and a talented cartographer. I was supposed to have been born in Port George, but the ship didn’t make it there in time. I’ve always been impatient.’
He smiled. ‘I love the thrill that each trip promises. The feeling when the ship sails out of port and you look out to the open sea.’ He closed his eyes and savoured the vision. ‘There’s nothing like it; the port fading away and the breeze on your face. It still gives me butterflies. The freedom, the anticipation …’
‘The adventure?’ she said.
‘Yes,’ he grinned and fell silent. She smiled to herself, feeling a thrill run through her, partly at the thought of finding someone who understood, but partly at his openness and his smile.
‘And yet, you’re haunted,’ said the Captain. Katrina looked away under the intense stare. ‘What you witnessed …’ He shook his head and trailed off. By now, most of the crew knew what she had seen, even if details were scant.
‘It’s been a lot to take in,’ Katrina whispered. ‘Just … all the good things were suddenly ripped away. And I know it’s selfish to even feel bad about that, given what’s happened,’ she hurried, in case he was thinking what a brat she was.
‘It isn’t selfish,’ said the Captain. His soft tone reassured her and she hurried on, falling over her own words and scanning the dark waters for inspiration and the right path for her unruly thoughts to follow.
‘I just … For a moment, it was like I had everything. And then it was all pulled open and destroyed. And I feel kind of stupid for ever thinking it was something amazing.’ Katrina blushed and continued. ‘I used to think swords and magic were incredible …’
‘Until you actually saw them used?’
‘Yes,’ she whispered.
‘They are incredible, but they are also lethal. That’s the reality. If you open yourself up to all the good in the world, you have to be prepared to battle the evil that seeks to tai
nt and destroy it.’
Katrina looked at him for a long moment, letting his words sink in, and nodded.
‘Don’t hate yourself for being a dreamer, for thinking better of the world than it deserves,’ said the Captain. Katrina smiled and felt a rush of connection to him.
‘Everyone who has ever wished for a peaceful life is a dreamer, anyway,’ he said with a wry smile, and she laughed. They fell back into silence and watched the waves for a while.
He looked peaceful, even content, she thought. ‘You seem so calm, in spite of the dangers and darkness,’ she said.
‘I love what I do. I’m the captain of my own ship, with the best crew around. We make our own choices and live with them; we follow our own path. It’s what I’ve always known, all I’ve really wanted to know.’
‘Are you afraid of the Pass?’ Katrina stared into the inky water below them.
‘Yes and no. It’s a healthy fear, a respect. I know the place and its waters better than most, but I’m still careful. Too many people, even experienced people, have underestimated the Pass and paid the price.’
‘But you still sail it,’ Katrina said.
‘It’s the thrill and the unknown. It’s what we do and we’re good at it. The Riana’s the fastest ship to run the Pass. Besides, it beats most other ways to make a living.’ She laughed and he carried on. ‘And we help those who need it. We respect the folk who have made their lives outside convention, outside interference and authority, like they respect us and what we do.’
‘Are you really criminals?’ Katrina asked, carefully. She didn’t want to offend him, but he gave a soft laugh.
‘It’s never as black and white as that. Sometimes. It depends on the cargo, its provenance, and where we’re headed. Other times it’s political, or personal. In some places we come and go as normal, no problem, we’re just regular traders. Other places … Well, let’s just say the authorities are less welcoming.’
‘Bounty on you is up to five thousand Obanns in White Port, I hear,’ said Patches, making Katrina jump as he appeared behind them.