The Hunter's Pursuit

18. Leaving Clues

Time passed by, the moon looming higher with each minute spent. Jacob and Caspian were still reminiscing their adventures aboard the Leviathan as children, though the wager had already been won. Jacob now had ten silver coins in his pocket.

Caspian had very begrudgingly parted with them, more out of shame from his defeat than actual annoyance at losing. He seemed to have recovered his good spirits now, as he shared yet another mischievous act he'd committed as a boy.

Jacob was only partially listening to his cousin now. His attention was divided by Viviane, who appeared genuinely curious in what Caspian was saying. She'd listened intently every time he'd finished one of Caspian's stories for him. Jacob had even caught her laughing a few times. The sight was...odd.

He was so used to seeing her scowl and hearing that bitter note of anger in her voice that the appearance of her smile and the sound of her laughter had caught him completely off guard. It had surprised him enough that his heart fluttered, much to his chagrin. He'd done his best to avoid looking at Viviane since then, not wanting a repeat of his reaction.

And more importantly, he didn't want Viviane to notice. That would undoubtedly make her even more angry, which was the last thing Jacob wanted. Frankly, this wasn't what he wanted either.

He didn't want to be reminded of the few good memories he had with her. He didn't want to be reminded of the reasons why he'd once cared for her. He most certainly did not want his heart skipping a beat at the glimpse of her smile. They'd gone down that path before, and it had landed them where they were now.

"So you lived aboard the Leviathan until you were eight?" Jesp asked, breaking through the churning thoughts in Jacob's head.

"Aye. That was when my father took a new job and moved Mother and I to Selcouth," Jacob confirmed.

"How did you kill your first sea monster at ten years old if you were living in Selcouth?" Murmurs spread through the group and the crewmen began to nod, as though they'd been wondering the same thing.

"Cas isn't the only one capable of mischief," Jacob chuckled. The crew was silent as he recounted the tale of his first monster hunt and his victory against the beast. He could tell by the looks on their faces that they didn't quite believe him.

All but Viviane. When Jacob next looked at her, she was watching him with a new sort of interest. One that said she believed him, but she knew there had to be more. More to his story, and more to him.

Jacob reflected the look back at her as he continued talking, letting her know that he thought the same about her. After a moment, she lowered her foamy sea green eyes. When he finally finished speaking, all was silent for several minutes.

Then, Westley spoke. "I've got a question. The sinking of the Silver Oriole. What really happened?  I've heard so many different stories and accounts, but never one told by you, the sole survivor of that wreck."

"Every story you've heard bears a bit of truth," Jacob said, fighting to keep a cold edge from seeping into his voice. If he acted like he was hiding something, the crew would pry even further.

"Was the ship really sunk by this same beast?" Coralyn called.

"Were there really no other survivors?" Asked Theodore.

"How did you manage to survive?" Jesp queried.

The rest of the crew were echoing the questions, their voices growing louder as a ringing filled Jacob's head. Questions began to swirl together, becoming unintelligible. Jacob's heartbeat quickened and a warning hammered through his veins. He pushed himself to his feet abruptly. The crew fell silent, but the ringing in his ears didn't fade.