*
Seteal woke with a start, her rest having been haunted by the nightmares she’d come to expect. She stood and looked about the room. El-i-miir yawned tiredly and stood up beside her. Far-a-mael, Briel, and Captain Waxnah were involved in a three-way altercation of sorts. The crewmen seemed rather unsure of what to do with themselves and avoided involvement by huddling at the other side of the galley where Fes was brewing tea.
‘We can’t stay in here forever,’ Far-a-mael snapped irritably. ‘We must send out the most expendable crewman.’
‘None of my men are expendable,’ Captain Waxnah snarled. ‘That may well be how you do things, but not while you’re on my boat.’
‘The captain be right,’ Briel interjected. ‘We’ve nah run aground yet. Perhaps we be safer to stay here until we be sure.’
‘Quiet, you fool,’ Far-a-mael barked. ‘I don’t need to hear the opinion of one who consorts with demons.’
‘How dare ye speak such blasphemies,’ Briel grumbled. ‘We nah do nothin’ but question whether its story be true.’
‘In any case,’ Far-a-mael shook his head disgustedly, ‘we only need to be run aground once and we’ll be done for. The oven was put out over an hour ago and we haven’t yet suffered for it. Clearly we’ve drifted through the heart. We have to go back up.’
‘Maybe you should send out one of your people, Gil’rei,’ Waxnah grumbled. ‘Are any of them “expendable,” as you put it?’
‘El-i-miir,’ Far-a-mael announced stonily, without turning to look at her. ‘Be a dear and--’ He was cut off when the only female crewmember stepped forward to interrupt.
‘I’ll do it,’ she said bravely. Seteal had noticed her when she’d arrived, but from the distance had thought she was a boy, a mistake easily made given her clothing, lack of makeup, and short-cut blonde hair. ‘Send me.’
‘There’s another way,’ Seteal murmured, half-hoping that she wouldn’t be heard. Butterflies swam about in her stomach as the men levelled her beneath their penetrating stares.
‘If you have an idea, girl, then spit it out,’ Far-a-mael said impatiently.
‘I have to show you. Whatever appears to happen, try not to worry.’ She abandoned her body, leaving it to topple to the ground like the dead weight that it was.
‘Seteal!’ El-i-miir cried out and crouched beside the body. She turned to address Far-a-mael. ‘Her aura’s gone again.’
‘I’m not completely blind, my dear.’ Far-a-mael rolled his eyes. ‘Well? Wake her up.’
‘Seteal.’ El-i-miir took the shoulders and shook her. ‘Wake up.’
Ignoring El-i-miir’s pleas, Seteal spun away from her tainted body and surged through the door. Physical barriers were meaningless. She moved through the ceiling and onto the deck. Her first impression was that all was well, but then she noticed long tendrils of frozen air reaching up from the water, waving about like whips. Once again, Seteal was not actually seeing her surroundings. She didn’t have eyes. Somehow she simply knew the frozen tendrils existed through whatever Elglair power resided within her.
One of the tendrils slid through the air, making contact with the boat, freezing it solid. Sheets of ice slithered along the timber, but fell away as the tendril whipped back into the air. Seteal moved her consciousness back below deck where she found El-i-miir hovering worriedly over her still form. Having the distinct feeling that it’d worked once before, Seteal decided to try something. She focused her attention on reaching out along the cord that bound her to the body and made her mouth move. ‘I thought I told you not to worry.’
‘Oh, thank Maker,’ El-i-miir cried, still supporting Seteal’s limp body. ‘You’re all right. Seteal? Seteal!’ She shook the body when it spoke no further.
‘I’m not in there. Find me in the Ways.’
‘What nonsense.’ Far-a-mael crossed his arms. ‘Get up and stop playing the fool.’
‘No, I think . . . ’ El-i-miir trailed off, allowing Seteal’s head to fall back and hit the wall. Seteal frowned inwardly. She’d feel that later. El-i-miir turned slowly, hands outstretched as though she’d be able to find a tangible link. ‘You’re . . . somewhere else.’ She turned on her heels, peering through empty air. ‘I can’t pinpoint you, but I know you’re close.’
‘What are you stupid girls playing at?’ Far-a-mael glowered, but his expression soon changed and he tilted his head. ‘I’ve never felt such a thing. It’s impossible. What is this?’
Satisfied that she’d convinced the others to trust in her abilities, Seteal retired to her body although revolted by its all too familiar confinement.
‘Well.’ She rubbed the back of her head and rose to her feet. ‘I believe we’ve drifted out of the innermost parts of Cold Wood, but that’s not to say we’re no longer in any danger. Patches of frozen air are moving about all over the place, but if we work together I should be able to guide you safely,’ she directed at the captain. Her heart rate increased when she noticed the female crewmember staring at her with an expression of awe.
Far-a-mael clapped his hands together, appearing far more elated than the situation demanded. ‘This is brilliant.’
CHAPTER TWENTY
A WAY OUT
The Inner Circle: The Knowing Page 44