A Promised Prophecy

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"You can hear us if we whisper, huh?" James questioned the whale, who only moved in a way that I would describe as a nod. He grabbed a piece of paper that was laying on the table and pulled out a pen. He started writing on the paper, "I want to find out more."

I raised an eyebrow at him, surprised that he'd so easily accept an invitation from a potential enemy we know nothing about. At the same time, we already have an enemy within Silverleaf—was now the right time to leave? I didn't have to make these types of decisions because I wasn't the head of the coven. If he chose to go, I couldn't let him go alone, potentially killed, by an enemy we knew nothing about in the depths of the ocean. At the same time, was I safe leaving the vault or was this some ploy to get me in Eris's trap? While James had to worry about his people, I had to worry about myself.

As if he could read the hesitation on my face, he started writing more, "I have heard of it. He's telling the truth."

I grabbed the pen from his hand, not sure who to trust or what the right answer was, and wrote him my own note, "Why lie?"

"I wanted to see what he knew."

I understood the logic but I was still apprehensive. Then he spoke aloud, without concern that the whale could hear him, "You can stay behind and let Est and Castillo know where I am when they get back."

"You will join me?" The whale asked. He made a shrieking sound, and I assumed it meant he was happy with the answer James gave.

I watched James pack up the potions we had just created into his pouch, conflicted on letting him go by himself. I looked in my own pouch and saw the glowing light of the travel stone, even without the Crystals, if I could get close enough to them with the travel stone, I could be back to the Vault in no time if something did go wrong. If it was a trap, he'd be safer with someone else to help him. If it wasn't a trap, it'd probably still be helpful to have back up, even if just to help remember everything that was said.

"He's not going alone," I finally spoke up. Then I watched to see if the whale changed in any way. Not like I could somehow understand a whale's emotion, but I was looking for any sign that he'd be angry at the thought of someone else coming. But he didn't respond positively or negatively in either direction.

"Thanks." James nodded at me as he grabbed a few more potions from the shelves leaning up against the Vault's wall.

"You should send Est and Callisto a text," I offered. "Let them know where we are going."

"I'd rather not risk Cybill seeing any communications via text. Can you write them a note?" He answered without turning back to me as he looked through the shelves for a particular potion.

I grabbed the piece of paper and pen and flipped it over, leaving a message for Est and Callisto, "Traveling to Coralis in search of help. Will be back soon. Text James when you see this."

"Done." I finished writing out the note and threw the pen on the ground. James grabbed a potion and held it tightly in his hand with a small shake, indicating he'd found the one he wanted.

"We're ready." James turned to the whale.

"Step closure, tiny humans," the whale answered. "I'll take you to Coralis."