“I wish I could help out on this quest of yours, but I have to return to my family. My mother was on her deathbed when I was taken; there’s this girl—well, I’ve done some thinking, and I need to fix a lot of things. I would love to be a part of this adventure, but I need to return to Reagn.” He looked genuinely sorry but sincere.
Terrin felt dread settle in his stomach. He was hoping Yestin would side with him, and he wasn’t sure how many of them would help.
“I have nothing to go back to, and I want to do something with my life,” a soft voice spoke up. “Besides, I’ve always dreamed of going on a quest.”
It took Terrin a moment to realize it was Tristen who had spoken. He smiled brightly and shook the boy’s hand. “I’m honored to have you along.”
“No zombies?” Ahren asked Blade hopefully. Everyone laughed.
“No zombies,” Blade assured him.
“I wanna go!” he exclaimed with an enthusiastic leap.
“This trip’ll be dangerous, won’t it?” Jon asked pointedly. Terrin nodded cautiously. “Yer gonna need a doctor then,” he replied with a smile.
“I go where tha doctor does!” Plague chimed in with a sneeze.
Snore grunted and used Plague as a pillow.
I guess that means he’s going, Terrin assumed. Everyone turned to Rowan, who had been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time.
“One question, Terrin. How attractive would you say the princess is on a scale of one to ten?” he asked.
“Eleven,” Terrin responded immediately. He flushed when he realized he shouldn’t have been so hasty.
Rowan grinned widely. “Count me in.”
Terrin turned to the twins, Monkey, and Pronn. They exchanged looks, and then Pronn spoke for them all.
“Sorry, Terrin. I’m sure we all love ah good adventure, but we was born tah sail. Bein’ on land that long gives me tha shakes real bad, and someone hasta look afta tha ship while tha cap’in is away.”
Terrin nodded and turned back to the leviathan as she relayed her last command. She ordered Blade to hand his bracelet over to Terrin. Blade looked at the ringlet of silver hesitantly and then looked at Ahren. Blade watched him for a few moments before his face hardened, and he handed it to Terrin.
He must still feel guilty, Terrin noted as he slipped it on and clasped it beside his own. The two bracelets clinked together on his wrist.
“What now?” he asked the leviathan. The glare of the setting sun reflected off the waves and Vixquilla's scales.
“I am going to take you to Lur Alava tonight.” Terrin could tell by the pirates' startled expressions that she had spoken to everyone. Blade spoke up tentatively.
“Ma'am, how's that possible? Tha Land of Snow is at least two days away, and tha winds aren’t in our favor.”
Instead of answering, she vanished below the ship's rail. The crew ran to the ship's side and looked over into the sea where the Emuiri was moments before. Suddenly, a jolt rocked the ship, and they all lurched forward. Everyone braced themselves against the rail except Ahren, who came close to tumbling into the ocean. Blade grabbed his arm and jerked him away from the edge like a protective parent. The ship increased speed until they were going three times faster than they would on the strongest breeze.
“Go to sleep little ones. I will wake you when you are needed," Vixquilla told them in a strained voice.
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Everyone hesitated for a moment except Snore, who picked his way toward the hatch with a wide yawn. The others followed him while massaging various sore muscles from the day's work. Terrin lingered behind.
“Yestin, do you happen to know where any spare mats are around here? All I have in my room are hammocks.”
Yestin looked at him skeptically. “I don't think they have any mats, but I do know where a few blankets are.”
He vanished below deck and returned with a pile a few minutes later. He handed Terrin two of them and, to Terrin's surprise, laid out one for himself. Yestin flopped down on his back and stretched his arms behind his head.
“You don't have to sleep up here too. I just wanted to be the first to see the mainland," Terrin confided as he reclined.
“So do I," Yestin replied softly as he stared up at the distant stars. “I can't wait to reach home.”
Terrin studied him for a moment. Yestin’s chocolate brown hair was short and stuck up in tufts, and Terrin stifled a smile as he recalled his reflection after Elurra gave him a haircut. For the first time, he realized he was going to see her again, and a mix of apprehension and excitement filled his stomach.
I wonder if she even misses me.
“I wish I could join you on your quest. I want to go on an adventure more than anything—”
“But you can’t live without her?” Terrin asked, cutting him off.
The other boy propped himself up to look at Terrin with embarrassment etched on his face. “How did you know?” he asked defensively.
Terrin looked up at the dark sky and watched the last traces of sunlight on the horizon melt into deep purples and blues. “The way you spoke earlier…it was a lucky guess. You seem to have lingering regrets.”
It was an open invitation. Yestin sighed deeply and flopped down again. He was silent for a long time, then finally said, “I’ll tell you all about it, but it’s going to get colder, and I’m already cold as it is. Let’s get some more layers on first.”
It didn’t take long to acquire what they needed, and soon they were bundled up under stacks of blankets. Terrin turned expectantly to Yestin, who gave him an examining look.
“Don’t you have a girl somewhere? You have to tell me a story if I tell you mine.”
Terrin gave him a smile and touched his nose. “Nose goes,” he said with a goofy grin.
“What’re you, a six-year-old?”
Terrin smirked at him. “Thirteen actually. You’re still going first.”
Yestin rolled his eyes, but he seemed much more relaxed. “I’ve always dreamed of exploring the world and making my mark. That was the only thing I ever wanted; at least, that’s what I thought. Then I saw her. She was the loveliest girl I’d ever laid eyes on,” Yestin said softly. “I finally developed the courage to speak to her, and after a few months, I told her I was going to ask her to marry me. She’s been waiting for me for far too long, but I took advantage of her patience. The night I was kidnapped, I was heading out to find a job closer to the coast for a bit. I realized afterward how stupid I’d been. She isn’t going to wait for me forever. If I don’t claim her soon, someone else will. She probably thinks I’m dead. I’ll never be able to live with myself if I lose her.” His voice sounded far off and subdued. Terrin stiffened in amazement.
I forgot. I'm supposed to be taking a wife at this age, he thought.
Yestin was quiet for a bit before he sighed and spoke again.
“What’s your story? Do you have a girl? A good-looking fellow like you must have someone. What does she think of your mission?”
Terrin closed his eyes and let the cold wind blow over his face and rustle his uneven hair. “You want a story, Yestin?” he finally said, turning to see Yestin’s rough outline in the moonlight. “Once upon a time, there was a lonely little boy who wanted to see the world, but his father held him back. He thought he was doomed to grow up and become just like his father, who was like his father’s father and so on. Then he met a girl with a mysterious past who changed his life. She filled his dreams with adventure and magic. She helped him grow up and become a man. Then she told him who she really was, and it changed everything. She convinced him to go with her and save the world, to leave everything he knew behind. It was his dream, so he followed her recklessly, not knowing the price he’d have to pay. He lost his father and his home, and with them he lost his innocence. Even after sacrificing so much to protect her, I almost lost my life and left her to face her burdens alone.”
“Terrin, you said ‘I’ not ‘he.’”
Terrin squeezed his eyes closed and sighed heavily. “I did, didn’t I?”
“You’re in love with that princess, aren’t you?” He sounded startled. Terrin didn’t blame him.
“I don’t know. How can you tell if you’re in love or if you care about someone because they’re all you have left? I’m much too young to understand the difference. It doesn’t really matter. I’m a peasant, and she’s royalty. I don’t matter to her. I was just there when she needed a friend,” Terrin muttered.
“Terrin, would you say this princess of yours is a fool?”
Terrin whipped his head toward Yestin in shock. “No! She’s the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
Yestin chuckled. “Then I’m sure she cares about you. No one in their right mind would let someone as loyal as you go without a fight.”
“I would like to believe you.” Yestin laughed.
“This quest keeps getting more enticing. Maybe I’ll come find you after I ask my girl to marry me. If nothing else, I want to see this princess of yours. She sounds like quite a girl.”