The Water Howlers - Book II ✔

Chapter 16 - Ori

The day before they were set to arrive in Ella, the Eslean capital, Ori and the others had their final lesson with Scholar Trebond and it was as if everyone paid extra close attention to what the wise old man had to say. It was their last chance to soak up any useful knowledge that could help them during their stay in Eslea. Despite joining them for their stay, Scholar Trebond said they wouldn't be given time for any more lessons and he stated that he had other obligations as well and had plans to meet Eslean scholars before their return journey.

"I have faith in the Gods that you will all do well and make Aethorin proud," he said as their lesson ended. Ori sat next to Emmie, who had been hovering at the edge of her seat throughout the lesson, clearly not wanting to miss a single word. Her right leg was bouncing up and down and without thinking, Ori reached over and placed his hand on her knee. The bouncing stopped and Emmie looked at the hand and then at Ori. He gave her knee a reassuring squeeze, conveying in a silent message that everything would be fine. She smiled softly and Ori felt his heartbeat quicken.

When Scholar Trebond declared he had nothing left to teach them, he bowed his head and then left the cabin.

"Oh Gods, can we really do this?" Ki asked as soon as the door shut behind the Scholar and Ori felt her nervousness.

"Relax, Ki. The King wouldn't have sent us here if he didn't think we were up for the job," Thatch replied, before he shrugged and added, "unless he hoped that we would make complete asses of ourselves and get killed or something."

Ori let out a chuckle, but it died quickly once he realized that Ki and Emmie looked more alarmed than amused. "You're not seriously thinking he would do something like that, are you?" Ori said, his body tensing up at the possibility.

Thatch threw up his hands. "He had a child with his half-sister so who knows what he is capable of."

"That's just a whisper at court," Ori replied, trying not to linger on the disturbing thought, but Thatch shook his head.

"It's more than that and everyone knows it. Lady Raewyn is his daughter and it was only because people started talking louder about it and the presumed engagement with her and the prince that he went and decided to have Prince Rylan marry some foreign princess instead. Can't have people think he's trying to inbreed the royal family. Not that they probably aren't already."

"That is just so twisted," Emmie grimaced.

"I agree," Ki agreed, having been oddly quiet up until then. Ori searched her face for any indication that she was hurt over this, but her face remained blank. He knew she shared something with the prince, but it appeared to be no more. Her face used to light up whenever he was around, but after the ordeals up North, actually before that, she had seemed more distant and closed off.

"I for one am just excited to finally be getting off this crappy ship," Thatch said, changing the subject once he realized how somber it got.

"But you've been taking your tonic, right?" Ki asked him. Ori had noticed that he didn't have that green pallor to his face anymore and he'd stopped retching every five minutes, much to Ori and everyone else's pleasure.

"Yeah, it works wonders, haven't puked for days, but I still can't wait to have solid ground under my feet again."

"Speak for yourself," Ori said with a smile. He loved it out on the open seas. Had the Chamber of Revelation not chosen him as a Four, he would undoubtedly have spent his life at sea, fishing. However, this was his life now. Maybe when the next generation of chosen Howlers took over, he would get on a boat. If he lived that long. At least he was able to see Eslea. Who knew, maybe he'd also get a chance to experience one of the cruel winters in Breidal or travel on a camel across the desert in Ospyria.

The final evening before the ship would dock everyone was having a feast in Captain Fawke's cabin. They shared several bottles of wine throughout the three-course meal and Ori's head felt lighter than it had in a long time. He hadn't really dabbled in spirits before arriving at the capital and he compared the feeling to floating on the surface of the water, bobbing slightly from side to side. Captain Fawke was once again sharing stories of the strangest things that had happened to him on his many voyages. During dessert, which consisted of several kinds of small sweet cakes with dollops of cream on top, Captain Fawke got into a heated debate with the royal advisor, Sir Gregory Ember, about whether or not he had in fact seen a mermaid.

"I swear by the Water Gods that she was as real as you and I and I know I saw the tail!" He caught Ori's eye from across the table and nodded vigorously to get him to agree. "Acotar Bay in northern Ospyira is notorious for mermaid sightings, am I not correct?" Not wanting to get in the middle of this, Ori shrugged, turning his attention to finishing the delicious caramel cake in front of him. Grabbing the porcelain decanter in front of him, he poured extra cream on top the cake. To his right, Emmie and Ki were chatting to Scholar Trebond, but by the sound of it, they were discussing books and scrolls and Ori's wine-induced brain could handle no such thing.

Taking a big spoonful of cake and cream, he almost moaned from the sweetness. Chewing happily, he looked up and saw Sir Harrod Fellan, the other royal advisor the king had sent with them, watching him from across the table. The two advisors had kept to themselves for most of the trip, appearing only at meals and occasionally on deck, but Ori couldn't recall actually speaking to any of them. As he wondered what their purpose would be, Sir Harrod Fellan raised his wineglass and nodded in a silent toast, which Ori reciprocated simply out of manners.

The night wore on and Ori struggled to keep awake, so when Emmie and Ki announced that they would retire for the night in order to get enough rest for the day to come, he was quick to follow. He looked to see if Thatch was coming also, but his seat was vacant. When had he left? A quick look of the cabin showed no sign of the Fire Howler. He was probably in bed already.

The three of them bid goodnight to the remaining party and walked out into the corridor.

"I haven't had that much wine since... ever, I think," Ori said, grateful that the sea was calm otherwise he might have felt entirely different.

"I think I had a glass or two too many," Ki said, followed by a hiccup to prove her point.

"I'm glad we don't get to Eslea until midday so we can sleep in," Emmie added, covering a yawn with her hand.

They made their way to the other side of the narrow corridor to their cabins. Ori opened the door to his and Thatch's cabin, but his friend's bed was empty.

"Did you see where Thatch went?" He asked, opening the door wider. Emmie shrugged and Ki frowned.

"He might have gone up on deck. I'll look for him." She disappeared around the corner to the stairs, leaving him and Emmie alone.

"So, did you have a nice time?" He asked Emmie, hoping the amount of wine fogging his brain wouldn't make him say something he wouldn't normally say.

"Food was great," Emmie replied, smiling politely. Suddenly, Ori felt awkward and unsure what to say next.

"So uhm..."

"We best get to bed," Emmie said and opened her own door. "Alone, I mean. Separately. Different rooms and all." A nervous laugh escaped her lips as her face flushed bright red and Ori felt warmth spread throughout his body. He grinned at her, but she looked at the floor.

"I don't know why I said that," she whispered, unable to look him in the eyes and his smile grew.

"Goodnight Emmie." Finally, she looked up at him. A smile spread across her lips and in that moment, Ori wanted nothing more than to walk over, grab her face between his hands and kiss her.

"Goodnight, Ori."