The Golden Chalice

✰✦✰ Chapter 19 ✰✦✰

✰✦✰ Chapter 19 ✰✦✰
" Scheming "

BACK ON THE ship, I immediately rushed upstairs to my room and changed into clothes that weren't a constant reminder of what I'd done with Darius. The fact that I'd dabbled with the devilish flames that were him. I couldn't stand being in Agora's costume anymore and I was more than glad to get out of it and into my white sundress for the night.

Jacks and Sarinne had finally returned and, as we already knew, found nothing, but were now getting dressed too, detesting one another, again, as we all knew they would do. Presumably they'd had another fiery fight on Oblecus Isle.

"So," I said, walking all the way back to the common area on the ship. Once inside, my bones warmed from the fireplace in the corner as I went to sit by Sarinne on the back of the leather settees. Everyone else had gathered too, like we were some dysfunctional family having a meeting. "Know anything yet?"

Jacks, who was leaning against the table with everyone surrounding him, held the piece of parchment in his hand and waved it in clear annoyance. "I don't know why you decided to give me this when I don't know the bloody language. The most I can translate are a few words."

Sarinne offered him a bright—very sarcastic—smile. "There you go! Oh, I knew you could use your big, smart head and figure it out."

Whilst Luna and I chuckled quietly, Jacks ignored her and Darius asked, "What language is it even?"

"Ancient Olympian," replied Jacks. "My father taught it to me when I was younger. I wanted to be a Professor, so it made sense that I knew it. Even though no one knows it anymore and there's hardly anyone alive who can understand it."

"Right," said Miles, "'cause all of us get up one day and decide to learn an ancient language that no one speaks any longer."

"Be glad he does," I said, unsure of why I was sticking up for Jacks. He was weird. Weirdly friendly. "Otherwise we'd be entirely lost."

Miles rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like suck-up whilst Jacks spared me a long glance before returning to the paper.

"I should be able to make the whole thing out by. . ." He released a breath. "Maybe three days?"

"Three days?"

"I haven't touched a book in this language since I was twelve," Jacks justified. "It'll take me a while."

"Alright," Darius rubbed his chin. "Well, whilst you do that, where do we go?"

"Yes, I don't really fancy staying on an isle where they could drive me insane to the point of suicide," Sarinne agreed.

Miles rubbed his chin absentmindedly. "We can't anyway."

"Well, what's the nearest isle?" Luna inquired.

Jacks reached down to a drawer, opened it and drew out a map, by the looks of it. He ground his jaw and waved the map at us. "Toritrus Isle."

My eyebrows flew up and my eyes widened in horror. "No."

Sarinne offered me a sympathetic look. "Don't worry about it, Scar, we'll only have to dock our ship there for three days."

"What are you so worried about?" Darius asked, grimacing. "Haven't you now fought dragons?"

"It's a dragon, singular, Darius. Get it right, you knob."

He raised his hands in surrender. "If anything, it was a compliment. Besides, what's she so scared of?"

"I'm not scared of anything," I quickly said. Too quickly. "I just don't fancy being on a rocking ship whilst it constantly thunders and rains."

"We'll be fine," assured Luna, shifting closer to me.

A warmth washed over me and I was certain it had come from her. "I know."

"Seriously?" glowered Miles. "You get seasick?"

Before I could defend myself, Darius jumped in, "But we've been on a ship for days."

"I'm sorry, but it's different when waves keep crashing against it," I said.

Miles arched a brow. "So you are scared?"

Luna shot them all looks. "Don't give her a tough time about it, okay?"

"Whatever," Miles sighed. "Let's just get going."

I wondered if I was the only one who'd noticed Jacks's curious stares.