The Island With No Parallel

Murky Waters (part 1)

“What do you mean?” Kailu asked incredulously, her voice sounding more angry than relieved, Yunara thought.

She was still recovering. Her mind was still cloudy, but she was coming back. Kailu was sitting right beside her, and her hand hadn’t stopped stroking her arm, and it was a welcome gesture. It helped keep her grounded in the moment.

She couldn’t quite register what Valentini had said. Did he just say he wanted to come with them?

“The Ancient Ones already spoke with me, it’s true,” he said.

“Then why did you imprison us?” Manuel demanded from behind Valentini.

Valentini sighed impatiently, as if the answer should have been obvious as he fiddled with some keys he whipped out of his pocket. “Because I couldn’t tell you that in front of my crew. Listen, when the Ancient Ones spoke with me, they gave me a golden powder that they said would let me see. When I used it, I could see the Unseeables, as well as Caorfians that slipped to Earth unawares. The Ancient Ones explained to me that you would come looking for me. I was chosen by Oskan. To be honest, I rejected them at first. I told them I wouldn’t help you. I lost the powder and I tried to forget all about it. But then strange things started happening.

“One day we were sailing on peaceful waters, and suddenly the ship lurched and tipped. We saw what looked like enormous sharks bumping into the ship from below. It was a pack of them. I’d never seen anything like it in my life and thought there was something suspicious about it. So I found the powder and put it on. They weren’t sharks. They were... Dark Ones, I think the Ancient Ones called them. Hideous creatures with eyes like fire and millions of teeth. They bit and gnashed at the ship relentlessly. We had to drop anchors on them and fire at them with our pistols until the water was red with their blood to get them to stop.”

Manuel sent a worried look to Yunara as Valentini described the experience. But it wasn’t like before. She was okay now. Having Kailu and Manuel there kept her steady. She stayed seated on the ground, but sat up a little straighter, and was able to attentively listen to Valentini as he spoke.

He finally found the key he was looking for. One by one he started unlocking the cells of all of Youssef’s crew. “It wasn’t the last attack, either. Those blasted things have been after me. I’ve had to fight off Dark Ones on my own for weeks now. And I’m starting to think one of my own crewmembers might be the summoner. That´s why I had to capture you. I don’t know who it is, and I didn’t want them to be suspicious.”

Manuel didn’t waste anytime with the cell door open to rush to Yunara’s side. She noticed his hand appearing at her shoulder, gently caressing her. She stiffened subconsciously, with no idea that Manuel’s heart sunk. She didn’t move his hand, though. She wasn’t sure how she felt about him right now, nor had time to process it, but his presence was grounding, at least.

Kailu still looked at him with her eyes narrowed. “Then what do you plan to do with us?”

“Still don’t trust me?” Valentini unbuckled his belt and let it clutter to the fall with his pistol and knife in it. He kicked it to Kailu and put his hands up. “I honestly don’t mean you all any harm. I’ll admit, I didn’t care about all of this before. I’m a pirate! What do I care about who rules Spain, or the world, or anything? I live by my own rules. And all I care about is my crew and I. But right now I’m being chased like a dog and don’t have any choice. I have enough problems with the Italian police to have to worry about these... these whatever they are. As far as what I plan to do... I need your help. Since she decided to go out and tell everything in front of my whole crew,” he said, pointing to Yunara, and she could feel Manuel’s anger rise at him beside her. “I think the traitor’s got wind that you’re looking for me. Now, with my brilliant quick thinking and bravado, I believe I’ve bought us a little more time before my traitor feels he needs to act. But not much. We have to work fast.”