Beyond

Day 8

After three days of relentless pounding, the storm finally let up. The sun broke through the clouds, and Haiv could see the sky again. Some folks said the sky was really just Auru's eyes staring down at them all, and that's why it's blue. Though how anyone knew what color Auru's eyes were, Haiv didn't know. And besides, the sky looked nothing like eyes. But Haiv had to admit that after the looming darkness of the last three days, it did seem as though Auru had finally noticed them and stepped in to help.

Haiv lounged in a sodden furled sail, partially neglecting his duty of wringing out blankets, and partially just enjoying the feeling of being warm for the first time in what felt like an eternity. The sun blazed down on his face, drying his hair. A gentle breeze knocked against the sail he had nested in, and Haiv stretched his hands behind his head with a sigh.

He'd missed the sun.

There were still clouds, but they were fluffy and white. Not threatening at all. One resembled a keg of gunpowder. Another, a lantern. A third looked like a large babi, with a large furry head and fangs. It's long tail curled off to the side as it sat staring at him. The babi blinked, then opened its mouth in a wide grin.

Haiv stared, transfixed. The cloud babi shifted. It's snout elongated, it's body and tail thickened, and it's fur turned to scales. The creature snarled at him, then peeled itself out of the sky, changing from white to charcoal gray. It unfurled huge wings and dived toward Haiv, snarling menacingly.

Haiv shouted, hands flying to protect his face, braced for impact.

It didn't come, as he knew it wouldn't. Just another hallucination.

Or, he thought, studying his hands and their hidden magic with curiosity, maybe Auru is trying to tell me something. I am his servant after all.

"First group, tighten them winches," Eamer's bellowing voice drifted up to Haiv. It sounded so blessedly quiet from so far away. "Second group, let loose the mainsails. We've a favorable wind, lads. If we play our cards right, we'll reach the Cardozian Islands in two days."

Haiv listened with a smile on his face as everyone else got to work. He had chosen his hiding place carefully. He was as high as a sailor could go without being in the crow's nest. No one unfurling the mainsails would notice him. He was free to take a long sleep in the warmth of the unobstructed sun.

"Haivan!" Eamer shouted, a little louder than before.

Haiv froze, then shrank down in his sail. He was pretty sure Eamer hadn't seen him. But apparently his absence had been noticed. Haiv would wait until the attention had moved off him before climbing down and blending in like he'd been working the entire time.

"Souls, where is that boy?" Eamer cursed. "Haivan git over here or we'll feed ya to the Aerpies!"

As confident as he was in his stealth skills, The Adamantes was a small ship, and Haiv had no doubt that he would be found eventually. Plus, Eamer didn't give idle threats, and aerpies had five rows of sharp teeth that Haiv didn't want anywhere near him.

So Haiv poked his head above the rim of the sail and peered down. No one else seemed to notice Eamer's frustration at Haiv's lack of appearance. They were all too busy working. Everyone except Hairless Mits who stood beside Eamer looking uncomfortable. He kept mopping his shiny scalp with a rag. Haiv swallowed nervously. Maybe this wasn't about not reporting for work.

"Last chance, kid," Eamer called, a dangerous edge to his voice.

With new trepidation, Haiv hauled himself onto the boom and scuttled to the shrouds. Eamer saw him and marched over with Mits lumbering behind. And Haiv's toes touched the damp wooden deck, Eamer seized him by the collar.