swept across the deck, but a glance confirmed that it was Cynthia on her way over. The wake of her underwater passage rippled the glassy surface in a wide V. On a less placid ocean, the wake would have been undetectable, but in this mirror-smooth sea, the ripples of a surfacing fish could be seen from half a mile away.
“Everyone relax! It’s just my better half comin’ over fer a little chat.” As Feldrin limped over to the port-side boarding hatch, Mouse arrived like a streak of silvery lightning. He landed on Feldrin’s broad shoulder without even a chirp of greeting, his tiny face scrinched with worry. The sprite’s demeanor told Feldrin that Cynthia was not doing well; stress and exhaustion had been mounting on her, and she was close to collapse. The water at the side of the ship roiled, then a column rose up and deposited Cynthia on the deck, safe and dry. Feldrin winced at the dark circles under her eyes and the pallor of her usually tanned face.
“What did the mer have to say?” he asked as he took her small hand in his own. She took a deep breath before answering.
“The undine have found a trace of the scent. We’re heading in the right direction, though the currents in this area are confused. The trail is muddled.”
“Well, they have the scent; that’s good news,” he said with more confidence than he felt. “We’ll find ‘em, lass.” He shrugged his shoulder, and was pleased that Mouse took the hint and flew to Cynthia’s, where he chittered hopeful nonsense in her ear. Cynthia smiled weakly at their efforts to cheer her.
“I know.” Her voice wavered with exhaustion and nerves. “We have to find them!”
She reached up and gave Feldrin a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned toward the rail. “I’ve got to get back and get us moving again,” she said. Feldrin saw her knuckles whiten on the polished wood with the simple effort of holding herself upright. He stepped to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“When was the last time you slept, lass, or ate a proper meal? I’ve seen you, you know,” he said, gesturing to the slack sails, “makin’ our wind for hours at a time while the firebug plays with his flames. You should let Edan do a stint on the winds, and get some rest while you can. You’ll need yer strength later.”
“I know, Feldrin, but every time I close my eyes, I see our son. Even though I don’t know what he looks like, I see him! I can’t sleep and food tastes like nothing. Gods, you know we never even decided on his name ? I feel like something’s been ripped out of me. I just want to—” Tears brimmed in her eyes, and he felt her tremble.
“Let me help you, Cyn,” he pleaded, holding her tight. Dear Gods of Light , he prayed silently, I’ve lost my son, please don’t let me lose her as well . “At least let me try.”
“I don’t know what you can do for me, Feldrin.” Her eyes darted around the deck as if she looked for a route to escape, but then she sagged in his arms.
“Signal Peggy’s Dream , if you please, Horace; Mistress Flaxal Brelak will be spending the evening with her husband, and Master Edan is to conjure the winds in her absence. And pass the word to Cook; dinner fer two in my cabin, and make it somethin’ special. Mouse,” he said to the sprite, who was clinging to Cynthia’s shoulder and planting kisses on her cheek, “I’m sorry, but you’ve got to keep an eye on Flicker while Cyn’s over here. Nobody else can watch her and keep her out of trouble while Edan is busy.”
Mouse frowned, then saluted and darted off even as Horace called out orders to the signal man.
“Come on, love,” he said gently. He turned them toward the cuddy cabin and the companionway to the lower deck. “The world won’t end if you take a decent meal and a bit of rest.”
By the time the couple worked their way to Feldrin’s cabin, one sailor was clearing away the charts and navigation tools, while another set out two delicately
“Everyone relax! It’s just my better half comin’ over fer a little chat.” As Feldrin limped over to the port-side boarding hatch, Mouse arrived like a streak of silvery lightning. He landed on Feldrin’s broad shoulder without even a chirp of greeting, his tiny face scrinched with worry. The sprite’s demeanor told Feldrin that Cynthia was not doing well; stress and exhaustion had been mounting on her, and she was close to collapse. The water at the side of the ship roiled, then a column rose up and deposited Cynthia on the deck, safe and dry. Feldrin winced at the dark circles under her eyes and the pallor of her usually tanned face.
“What did the mer have to say?” he asked as he took her small hand in his own. She took a deep breath before answering.
“The undine have found a trace of the scent. We’re heading in the right direction, though the currents in this area are confused. The trail is muddled.”
“Well, they have the scent; that’s good news,” he said with more confidence than he felt. “We’ll find ‘em, lass.” He shrugged his shoulder, and was pleased that Mouse took the hint and flew to Cynthia’s, where he chittered hopeful nonsense in her ear. Cynthia smiled weakly at their efforts to cheer her.
“I know.” Her voice wavered with exhaustion and nerves. “We have to find them!”
She reached up and gave Feldrin a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned toward the rail. “I’ve got to get back and get us moving again,” she said. Feldrin saw her knuckles whiten on the polished wood with the simple effort of holding herself upright. He stepped to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“When was the last time you slept, lass, or ate a proper meal? I’ve seen you, you know,” he said, gesturing to the slack sails, “makin’ our wind for hours at a time while the firebug plays with his flames. You should let Edan do a stint on the winds, and get some rest while you can. You’ll need yer strength later.”
“I know, Feldrin, but every time I close my eyes, I see our son. Even though I don’t know what he looks like, I see him! I can’t sleep and food tastes like nothing. Gods, you know we never even decided on his name ? I feel like something’s been ripped out of me. I just want to—” Tears brimmed in her eyes, and he felt her tremble.
“Let me help you, Cyn,” he pleaded, holding her tight. Dear Gods of Light , he prayed silently, I’ve lost my son, please don’t let me lose her as well . “At least let me try.”
“I don’t know what you can do for me, Feldrin.” Her eyes darted around the deck as if she looked for a route to escape, but then she sagged in his arms.
“Signal Peggy’s Dream , if you please, Horace; Mistress Flaxal Brelak will be spending the evening with her husband, and Master Edan is to conjure the winds in her absence. And pass the word to Cook; dinner fer two in my cabin, and make it somethin’ special. Mouse,” he said to the sprite, who was clinging to Cynthia’s shoulder and planting kisses on her cheek, “I’m sorry, but you’ve got to keep an eye on Flicker while Cyn’s over here. Nobody else can watch her and keep her out of trouble while Edan is busy.”
Mouse frowned, then saluted and darted off even as Horace called out orders to the signal man.
“Come on, love,” he said gently. He turned them toward the cuddy cabin and the companionway to the lower deck. “The world won’t end if you take a decent meal and a bit of rest.”
By the time the couple worked their way to Feldrin’s cabin, one sailor was clearing away the charts and navigation tools, while another set out two delicately
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