> Dear Bishop Graham,
>
> It is with great trepidation that I inform you that a person of interest may pass through Port Savig in the coming days or weeks. I ask for your cooperation in apprehending this individual and assist in their safe transfer to Ark.
>
> May the Spirit bless your path,
> Inquisitor Deroch
†
> Dear Inquisitor Deroch,
>
> This ‘individual’ you allude to is no other than the recently canonized Witchdoctor. I’m afraid you have really stepped out of bounds this time Deroch. I will not raise a finger unless the Archbishop or Oracle sanctions this...
>
> May the Spirit guide your path,
> Bishop Graham
***
Jelly Fingers breathed heavily while catching his breath, and crouched ever so slightly as he traversed the claustrophobic corridors of the massive barge. Exill and Envy were led to a small room with two stacked bunks on each side of the wall. Three passengers turned to look at the newcomers with mild curiosity.
“Looks like the one below is empty mister Healer sir, you can stow your belongings over there. We’ll grab a new bunk for you when a spot opens up… like when one of ‘em dies.” Jelly Fingers gestured vaguely to the other passengers.
Exill froze, not knowing if the statement was a poor attempt at a joke or if the passage to Port Savig was truly that dangerous.
“Not to worry sir.” Jelly Fingers laughed nervously, noticing the concern on Exill’s face. “We haven’t lost a passenger in over a year. We just ask you stay below deck during nighttime and report to a crewman if you start hearin’ or seein’ strange things is all.”
“What kind of strange things?” Exill asked apprehensively.
“You know, strange voices and all, or strange objects and people.” Jelly Fingers explained, failing to explain how it was obvious what a strange phenomenon was. “Well, I better hurry off then!” the lanky crewman moved away when the number of people shouting above deck rose in volume.
The worried and confused looks on the other passengers indicated they were none the wiser on what to be wary of, so Exill and Envy stowed away their belongings and sat on the edge of their bunk. It was a glorified shelf affixed to the wall and was a tad bit wider than his shoulders. The bedding was thin and worn, prompting him to stack his own bedroll on top like the other passengers had done.
“I didn’t expect it to be this narrow...” He abashedly whispered to Envy.
She shrugged, kicking off her boots and occupying more than half of the bunk as she lay down with her back to him.
‘I’m not going to fit in there…’ the sinking realisation hit him as he played Tetris in his mind, even going so far to consider Envy laying on top of him.
He had grown a lot in the past year and stood just over six feet (1.8m), taller than the average man whom the bunk had been designed for. At 5’9” (1.75m), Envy was considered exceptionally tall among women, and even she had to bend her legs slightly to fit on the bed.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
‘I guess we will have to sleep in shifts.’
There was a drifting sensation when the barge floated away from its berth, the river currents taking control of the large vessel’s inertia. The volume above deck rose to a crescendo as sailors spotted cargo that hadn’t been properly secured, eventually settling down as the barge picked up speed.
“Healer sir? Captain wants to speak with you sir.” Jelly Fingers abruptly poked his head into the room, his linen shirt soaked in sweat.
“What’s this about?” Exill asked while following the lanky man through the dimly lit corridors.
“Ah, been an accident, Slim lost part of his finger when cargo cut loose.”
Exill blinked as his eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight outside and saw the Captain standing beside a young man who looked pale while cradling his bloodied hand.
“Healer, could you please take a look at Slim’s hand?” The Captain was clearly annoyed by what it would cost to fix his crewmember up.
Unfortunately for the Captain, Exill was not in a generous mood, having forked over 160 Denars for a single bunk that he couldn’t share. In spite of this, he carefully peeled off the soaked bandage around the injured finger.
There were fresh burn marks on the callused palm, where the rope had rapidly slipped before wrapping itself around the finger, shearing it off. Exill channelled healing magic while pinching the wound shut. After cleaning and bandaging the burns, he walked over to the Captain who was at the helm, a steady hand on the wheel.
“Slim will be fine. I can regrow the lost finger over the duration of our trip” Exill reported.
“How much will it cost?” The Captain asked tensely, knowing he had offended the Healer.
Still, he was known as a fair Captain among his crew. He paid them an average wage but paid out of his pocket for unexpected expenses, like this injury that could have been prevented if he hadn’t set off in such a hurry.
“120 Denars.” It was a fair price for a finger.
“Done.” The Captain let go of the wheel for a moment to hand the Healer his payment.
Slightly mollified by the money he had managed to claw back, Exill walked to the front of the barge, carefully avoiding the busy crew members to admire the view. However there was a slight dip in front of the bow, and he encountered a number of sailors squatting while they did their business.
‘I guess this is the toilet.’ He stepped back in embarrassment from the head of the ship. It answered the question of where people relieved themselves.
When dusk began to descend, it painted the placid river red, and he returned to his quarters to change shifts with Envy. She was still fast asleep and occupying the whole bunk, so he gently nudged her awake. Grimacing and slightly annoyed, the Vampire slowly sat up and made way for him.
‘Finally!’ Exill breathed a sigh of relief and reclined comfortably on the warm spot Envy had taken up earlier.
However his comfort didn’t last long when she pushed him further into the corner with both hands. Then, she slung both an arm and a leg over his body, clinging tightly, half mounting even, and rested her head against his chest. Exill found himself unwittingly holding her so she wouldn’t fall off while the barge swayed gently in the currents.
“I’ll get up in a bit.” She whispered drowsily.
She quickly fell asleep to the rising sound of his heartbeat, anchored in his embrace. Meanwhile, Exill was incredibly uncomfortable, having to hold on tight in case she fell over the edge. Yet he drew a small measure of comfort from the soft warmth pressing against his body, and the faint scent of her sweat where her hair tickled his chin and nose.
‘I can put up with this for five days.’ He thought, drifting off to sleep.
***
Two days passed uneventfully, and both Exill and Envy were on deck while the massive barge drifted alongside the quay. Sailors loudly swore as they heaved at the ropes, pulling the vessel to shore.
Lybec was a bustling town of commerce much like Holmsburn. It served as a central hub for the western bank of the might river Torin, servicing the villages and farmlands around the area.
“We’ll be leaving in five hours!” The Captain shouted his warning to the passengers who were disembarking to stretch their legs.
Exill was eager to tour the town and eat something that wasn’t hard biscuits. Envy accompanied him. She wasn’t interested in the food but wanted to tour the market, having heard the wool industry was especially developed in the area.
They melded into the busy crowd on the docks.