Thugard was certain they had arrived at the place where Aeronwyn was to be found. The cliffs they faced were as Moiril had described. Thugard looked at the unbroken sheer rock faces that rose from the ocean for hundreds of feet. High up he could see trees lining the cliff tops. Ordering the ship well away from the rock faces Thugard began to circle the island, slowly. It was time to see if the mages could do anything more to locate Aeronwyn.
They met on deck in the cool of the morning air. Standing with his back to the rail, Thugard looked patiently at the three young mages facing him. They shuffled their feet then looked at each other. Cadeyrn shrugged.
"I don't know what to say, Thugard. We know she is here. Somewhere." Cadeyrn grimaced. "That is all I know at least."
"We didn't exactly get a map and a set of directions," Jerrill said.
Thugard waited. He was watching Moiril who had become very silent. She wasn't looking at him but at the rock face behind him. Thugard, curious, turned and tried to see what she was looking at. All he saw was the sheer rock face. Turning back, he tilted his head to one side and peered at Moiril. Furrowing his brow, he began to tap his foot impatiently but still said nothing.
Moiril noticed his antics an smiled. "Sorry, Thugard. It's just that..." she trailed off and walked up to the rail.
"What?" Cadeyrn and Jerrill spoke at once.
"It's just that I think we are meant to be sailing into those rocks. Over there," Moiril pointed. "I know, it sounds stupid but I think there is a way into a safe harbour just past that rock face."
"Is this the same as when Aeronwyn contacted you? Is she telling you this?" Thugard asked.
"No. That's what makes it weird. I feel like I know this to be true but I can't tell you why. I just know that if we go into that rock face we will find safe harbour." Moiril chewed on her lower lip as she concentrated. "Right there...see that large overhanging rock? We have to aim right for it!"
Thugard looked at her and where she was pointing. "You want me to sail my ship into a rock face? Moiril?" The young mage looked at him uncertainly. Thugard looked back at her. Since he had met Aeronwyn a lot of strange things had become ordinary but could he trust Moiril's instinct? He sighed.
"Captain, I know it is a huge leap but I trust my wife. She is the only one of us that seems to have any sense of where Aeronwyn is and if she says sail there, I support her." Cadeyrn said as Moiril looked at him gratefully.
Thugard snorted. "That's not very reassuring Cadeyrn. What husband doesn't love his wife? Still, she has been our compass until now..." Thugard called up to the steersman. "All right, take us in for a look, Armir. But slowly now. Barik, get someone on the bow with a line. Keep an eye on our depth and for god's sake watch for rocks!"
Now the decision was made the ship became a bustle of activity. Barik, Thugard's first mate, ordered two men to drop lines, one on each side, and told them to call out the depth every minute. Then he ordered men aloft to reduce sail to minimum. Cha'rai ran to the front where her eyes might do the most good. Slowly the ship made for the overhang.
The bowmen called out steadily, one after another. "No bottom." "No bottom yet." "Bottom, twenty fathoms." "Bottom, eighteen fathoms" "Bottom, twelve fathoms"
