SHADOW

The Count's Hidden Face

The trip to the Aru Empire would take them five to seven days, depending on the weather, the captain told them.

"The life of a person at sea is a gamble. Today you are on board; tomorrow you might be food for sharks and mermaids," the old man chuckled, then continued to play on his flute.

"Very encouraging," replied Sonya, and continued to munch on the dried apple she had been offered by one of the younger sailors.

"Considering the state of this boat, I believe him," replied Sha, wondering if she would ever recover her beautiful books—and how her life in the Aru Empire would be.

"The Count is a dark horse. I wonder what he is planning. Why did he take us with him—especially you? I don't think he did it out of kindness," whispered Sonya.

"I have a bad feeling about this as well," answered Sha, sighing.

It was late in the evening when they went to their cabin. To their dismay, the Count was already sleeping on the double bed. Sha and Sonya looked at each other.

"And now what?" sighed Sonya. "Where do I sleep now?"

"I will sleep near him. You take the single bed, all right?" whispered Sha, and began to move quietly toward the left side of the bed.

"No, you won't sleep here," mumbled the Count. "You sleep on the single bed. The maid can sleep on the floor—or with the sailor she flirted with all day. I don't care. If she continues to be a loose tongue, I will leave her at the next port."

He turned his back on them and pulled the blanket over his head.

Sha wanted to protest, but Sonya grabbed her sleeve. In the candlelight, Sha could not tell whether the poor maid had tears in her eyes, or if it was just the moonlight from the small round cabin windows reflecting in them.

"We will sleep together on the single bed. We are small."

"All right, come," replied Sha, tugging gently at Sonya's sleeve.

It was a tight fit, but they managed. A few times during the night, Sha fell forward onto Sonya, but by morning she had grown used to Sonya's restless sleep and finally fell asleep herself. The bed was small, the coverlet thin, but they warmed each other like sisters.