Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 26

 The sun burned hot over their heads as the crew of The Manta slaved over the rigging. The wind was temperamental, forcing the crew to constantly adapt to its whims. The Captain stood at the prow, her fiery braids too heavy to be moved by the wind. She watched the silver fins weaving through the water below, sparkling in the sun as they cut through the vibrant water. She thought she knew where the creatures were leading them; she hoped the crew didn't catch on, or there would surely be mutiny.

Despite the heat, a cloud of fog began to appear in the distance. Kaius called from the nest, and the creatures headed straight for it. Her sweaty skin became chilled. She could feel the crew eyeing her, waiting for her verdict.

"Captain!" Barnabas said, breathing hard. He had run to her side from his post. "We're heading for -- "

"Koios Strait. I know," she said. She kept her arms crossed to hide her shaking hands. Barnabas stayed by her side, but she gave him no response, keeping her eyes trained on the rocks emerging from the fog ahead.

When they reached the mouth of the strait, she called on the men to stop and throw the anchor down. The creatures wailed, flipping in the water like impatient children. Cliffs of jagged rock towered over them, casting the ship in shadow. Fingers of fog reached for the ship, and a cold breeze from the strait dragged across her cheeks, sending shivers down her spine.

"Captain," a man called. Finally, she turned to face her crew, who had gathered behind her. She could see the fear dripping from their faces, and she hoped she was hiding her panic better than they were.

"I won't force anyone to go in the strait," she said. The pressure in the air seemed to drop as the men breathed sighs of relief. "I will go in there myself."

"Captain, no!" Barnabas said over the gasps and murmurs of the crew. "You can't -- "

"I can, and I will. I will take a rowboat in and follow the creatures to wherever they wish to take us. I believe there is great treasure waiting for us; but I will not force you to risk your lives based on what may very well be a foolish belief. Anyone who wishes to join me may. I ask that you wait three days. There are enough provisions to allow this. After that, you can assume me dead, and move on." The crew stared at her silently, their eyes wide. "Barnabas, my first mate, will be in command while I am gone, and will remain in command should I fail to return."

"I can't let you go in there alone," Barnabas said. The Captain felt tears prick her eyes. She had never had friends she had cared for so much, or friends who had cared so much for her.

"I need you here, Barnabas," she said around the lump in her throat. "To keep the peace among these mongrels." The crew laughed, though it died down quickly. "Prepare a dinghy."

"I will go with you," Jeremiah said. The crew looked at him, and he shrugged. "She's the best captain we've ever had. I'd follow her anywhere."

"I'll go," Whoredog said gruffly, stepping forward. He looked side to side, daring anyone to challenge him. The Captain stared, breathless. She hadn't expected anyone to willingly go with her, except perhaps Barnabas.

"Anyone else?" she called. Some men looked down uncomfortably, while others shuffled their feet. None spoke. "Very well. Pack provisions for three, then."

 A rowboat was strung up and supplies for three days were packed under the benches. The Captain sat across from Whoredog and Jeremiah, avoiding their gazes. The rowboat lurched down towards the water and her stomach dropped with it. She looked down into the bright blue of the water and saw the creatures circling below them. For the first time in a long time, she questioned her judgement.

The rowboat dropped into the water with a splash, and she steadied herself as it rocked for a moment before reaching a balance with the waves. A creature surfaced on the side of the rowboat, its strange lips pulled into a semblance of a smile. Jeremiah and Whoredog blanched, but the Captain was already familiar with their unnerving eyes and thick, shining skin.

"It will just be us three. Take us where you wish," the Captain said. The creature sank below the water, and the boat's occupants heard strange keening and clicks. There was a thunk as several creatures grabbed on to the hull and the keel and propelled the boat forward. The humans gasped in fear, looking down at the water rushing past them.

"What are these things?" Whoredog asked. His ruddy face was pale, and his eyes were so wide the Captain noticed for the first time that one of them was glass.

"I don't know," the Captain said.

"We had legends about creatures like this in the fishing village where I grew up," Jeremiah said. "We called them Kelpies. They were said to like treasure, and they would drag ships down and take the shiny things to their caves, where they kept their hoards under the waves. They also liked to eat children," Jeremiah said, shuddering. "I always thought they were just stories meant to keep children from swimming too far from shore. I never thought they were real. And honestly, I pictured them a little differently."

"We don't know that these are Kelpies," the Captain said.

"I hope they are. I want them to take us to their treasure," Whoredog said.

"What I can't figure out is, why are they so fond of you?" Jeremiah asked.

"I truly have no idea," the Captain answered. "Of all of the men that sank beneath the waves, I was the only one they spared as far as I know."

"I wonder if it's because you are a woman," Jeremiah said, scratching his white beard. "Some legends say Kelpies are women who were thrown off of the cliffs for adultery and drowned in the sea."

"The one that came up did look like it had tits," Whoredog said, nodding thoughtfully.

The Captain rolled her eyes. "Who knows." She looked up nervously. By now the creatures had dragged them well into the strait, and salt-streaked cliffs towered on either side of them. Occasionally, they would guide the boat around some rock or sandbar that appeared in the fog. The air had a strange smell to it, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. 

The lack of light made it hard to tell how much time had passed, but after a while the fog began to thin and the water between the cliffs widened. Whoredog shook Jeremiah awake, interrupting his gentle snoring. 

"Is that . . . " Jeremiah began, slack-jawed.

"An island," the Captain breathed. A sliver of land became visible, and as they drew closer they saw hills and mountains rising to the sky. The water below became a more vibrant blue as it grew shallower, and tall, white buildings marching along the hills emerged. A bell clanged in the distance. The creatures guided them around the island until they reached a cove. They pushed their boat against a jetty and held it fast. The three humans looked at each other. "I suppose...we disembark?" the Captain said. The two men nodded reluctantly, and they stepped onto the smooth stone and tied their boat to a nearby rock. Two figures appeared at the end of the jetty and began walking towards them.

"What do we do?" Whoredog said, gaping at the approaching strangers.

"We'll wait for them to come to us. I want to be close to an escape if we need it," the Captain murmured. Sweat trickled down her neck, but she tucked some flyaway hairs behind her ears and stood tall, her shoulders back. Whoredog and Jeremiah followed her example, though she could tell they were quaking in their boots. She didn't blame them.

As the strangers drew closer, the Captain studied them. They appeared to be human, a man and a woman, but they were both very tall. Their hair was an icy blonde, the man's falling halfway down his back. The woman's was jaggedly shorn to her chin, as if she had cut it herself. Their clothes were finely made, but they looked old, out of style, like costumes imitating another time. They reached the travelers and stopped, politely ignoring their awe.

"Greetings," the woman said. "I am Princess Lorelai, and this is King Sidka. Welcome to Acrieles."