~By the Lion's Mane: The Call~

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

After six more days of sailing, we finally spotted the gray smudge on the horizon that signaled land. Eustace was extremely glad and was in a much better mood, but I soon realized that he seemed to think that he would find England.

"As soon as we land, I will be taken to the nearest train station so that I may get back home and away from this dreadful boat!" he demanded of Caspian.

I sighed. "Eustace, there are no trains on Felimath. There are no trains anywhere. There are no ocean liners, aeroplanes, trains, automobiles, or electricity! No one here even knows what they are! Do you understand?" I said to him in exasperation.

He huffed and stomped away, muttering under his breath. I knew he didn't believe me.

"Caspian, may we please walk across Felimath and let the boat pick us up on the other side? Then we can be ferried across the channel to Doorn. And I would so like to feel the soft grass under my feet," Lucy pleaded.

Caspian relented, of course. No one could resist Lucy.

When the water got too shallow for the Dawn Treader , we dropped anchor and one of the sailors took us to shore on a rowboat. They promised to sail around and pick us up again on the other side.

Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, Caspian, and I struck out across the long, narrow island of Felimath. The main town and governor's house were on Doorn, the second largest island, while Felimath and the smaller island of Avra were used only for farming and grazing livestock. They were largely uninhabited, except by a few shepherds and their herds.

Lucy skipped on ahead of the others, followed by Caspian. Edmund and I hung back, walking slowly, enjoying the time alone. His hand found mine, and we walked as close together as our pace would allow us. I enjoyed being near him again immensely, feeling his muscular arm brushing against mine, his warm presence next to me after so long.

Eustace lagged behind us, huffing and puffing and complaining, largely ruining the trek for all of us. "Why did we have to come across this bloody island?" he whined. "Why didn't we just sail around to the city?"

I groaned. "We thought it would be nice to stretch our legs and get a change of scenery," I called back. He mumbled something unintelligible.

"No one made you come along anyway," Edmund added.

After walking for a while longer, we saw a little knoll up ahead and decided to take a rest on it before we reached the channel. Lucy and Caspian disappeared up through the trees, followed by Eustace, who increased his pace in his eagerness for a rest. Edmund and I took our time hiking up the mound.

We stepped out into the sunshine, but the grassy hill was empty of the others. Edmund and I froze, and I snapped my head around as I heard the crack of a broken twig behind us.

Six huge men stepped forward, each carrying a weapon. To my right I caught a glimpse of Lucy and Eustace being held, with Caspian struggling against his captor.

"Shit." I swore, cursing myself for not bringing my sword. I tensed, ready to fight.

"Let them go!" I ordered angrily, but not really expecting a result.

Edmund opened his mouth to warn me, but before I could turn to face it, a heavy blow struck me across the back of my head. I gave a sharp cry of surprise and pain and slumped forward, my vision swimming for a moment and nauseating me. But to my relief, he hadn't hit me just right, to knock me clean out.

I only half pretended as I pitched forward onto the grass, landing just so that I was in a position to get my dagger out of my boot without the men noticing.