I pace nervously in the cabin as the ship slowly leaves the docs. The rocking of the ship matches my pacing, making me feel slightly queasy. It’s hard not to feel anxious as the ship slowly moves across the waves. Once we’re in the open sea, no one should be able to follow us, but it’s hard to tell how much we’ve moved from inside the cabin.

Shi Da had sent a letter with Lu Kun on his return. The Imperial Palace is in turmoil after the arrest of the fourth prince. The Shan Mountain Sect’s attack on us hadn’t been made public yet, but Shi Da said that rumors of the damage were already spreading amongst those in the know.

Sun throws an apple into the air, then catches it, making me turn to him. He leans with his back against the wall and a hand tapping against the only desk in the cabin. He watches me with boredom as I pace. Neither of us wear the robes of a cultivator, instead wearing the common cloth of rich mortals. He has my sword at his waist, due to the fact that mortal women are forbidden from holding weapons. Thankfully, I can keep my flute.

I turn away from him to look at Ai, who sleeps peacefully on the bed, her fox mask hanging on the post beside her. The hints of demonic spirit are rarer now, but occasionally a wisp can be sensed.

The sound of the door opening makes me spin around. Lu Kun calmly walks into our little cabin.

“We’ve left the harbor.” He says calmly.

I let out a breath of relief, collapsing into myself slightly. I bow to the disciple of the Heavenly Truth Sect. “Thank you. This Core Disciple of the Flowing River Sect owes you a favor.”

Lu Kun waves away my thanks. “Think nothing of it. My journey simply takes me along the same path as yours.”

“Don’t you owe me a favor too?” Sun calls, stepping away from the wall.

Lu Kun turns to him with a disapproving frown.

“I’ve saved your life four times.” I reply, moving over to the desk and pulling out a piece of paper.

“Four? I… only count three.” Sun says half-heartedly, the sentence finishing barely above a whisper.

“You miscounted.” I say confidently.

Lu Kun chuckles as Sun looks at his apple dejectedly. I duck my head to hide my smile.

A knocking from the door startles me and I move to grab a veil. I put the veil on to hide my face as I sit down in front of Ai’s sleeping form, blocking her from view.

Lu Kun steps forward to open the door. An older sailor enters the room, nodding his head to us as he does. He rubs his chin, glancing at me from the corner of his eye before speaking to Lu Kun. “Captain Shan was hoping to share an early lunch with you Master Lu.” He glances back at me and the sleeping form of Ai. “The young ladies are free to peruse the deck as they wish and we’ll have the cabin boy bring them food when they’re ready… I’ve been told the view of the Chengshi coast is quite beautiful.“

“I’d be happy to join Captain Shan.” Lu Kun says, glancing over at us.

Sun shrugs at the glance while I stay quiet.

“Follow me Master Lu.” The two leave the cabin, leaving me alone with Sun.

I stand up, startling Sun. “Can you watch Ai?”

With Sun’s nod, I leave the room. I place my hand on the wooden plank of the wall as my legs get used to the gentle rocking of the waves. I close my eyes, breathing in the salt air. It’s strange being away from the sect like this. The only other time I haven’t had a master or Elder watching over me was when I was stuck in the other realm, searching for Qiu Tai.

It wasn’t the same. Now there’s no sense of urgency. It’s just me, my companions and the sea.

I open my eyes, looking out at the world through my veil. A sailor walks past, nodding his head as he moves towards the stairs leading to the deck. I follow behind him slowly, trailing my hands on the wood of the wall.

The smell of the sea hits me as I step up into the sunlight.

Sailors scurry about the deck, doing whatever it is that sailors do to keep the ship moving.

Lu Kun and the older sailor are walking over to a cabin at the head of the ship, the captain’s quarters I imagine.

A sailor walks past me, into the depths of the ship. He bows his head in polite greeting.

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A bird I don’t recognize whistles from the rigging of the ship as I walk towards the railing.

My breath catches as I take in the rolling blue waves of the ocean. The coastline is still visible, with large cliffs jutting out over the ocean, blocking the view of the jungle that populates most of the Chengshi empire. It’s imposing, and when I turn my head to look out at the open ocean, my heart falls into my stomach. I’ve read stories about the spirit beasts and cultivators that call the open water their home. From ships filled with the dead to huge leviathans that could sink ships as easily as breathing. Then there are the pirates, and foreign sects of the seas, happy to kill and plunder. The ocean’s depths are far deeper than I can imagine.

I take in a breath, holding it in my body, feeling my qi and spirit circulate through me. Then I let the breath go, releasing my fear of the ocean.

Shia tightens around my stomach slightly, then let’s go. She doesn’t like the ocean, and has been quiet ever since we stepped aboard the ship.

I open the case of my flute and pull the instrument out fondly. My fingers travel down it’s familiar length as I put the instrument to my mouth.

Gently, I start to play. It’s a soft song, one of comfort and one that I learned from my mother many years ago.

The music rolls over the ship, resonating through the open air of the sea. My own tenseness leaves me as as I play the melody,

Shia’s grip on my body lightens as well, the music soothing her as it does me.

Things at the imperial palace feel unfinished, and I’m certain that I will be returning their soon. But for now, I get to feel the soft air of the open sea and play a simple melody.

I finish the song on a high note and place the flute back into its case at my waist. I turn away from the sea to see a surprising amount of the sailors on deck, making themselves look busy. Their spirits feel softer now, more relaxed then when we left.

I hope they appreciated the music.

I walk back below the deck, humming softly under my breath.

****

Our voyage continues for three more days. Each day I would return to the deck to play my flute. Every time I did, more and more sailors would find a way to be there. I even saw the captain listening in. By the third day, they’d given up on pretending to be busy, instead just gathering in any open space to listen.

On the morning of the fourth day, I’m woken by the sounds of yelling and hurried sailors. I sit up, gently pulling my arm out from under Ai’s body.

Sun is already awake, his hand on his sword.

He nods to me, handing me my own sword as I move off of the bed.

“What’s happening?” I ask, gratefully accepting the weapon and tying it to my waist.

“I don’t know, Kun went up to check.” Sun replies, his eyes staying on the door to our room.

We wait quietly, the only sound being the shouting of sailors and Ai tossing in her sleep. It doesn’t take long before the door opens, Kun entering the room with a frown. “A ship is following us. The captain think’s their pirates.” He says, “We’re trying to outrun them, but they’re moving unnaturally fast.”

“What should we do?” I ask, my hand hovering over my sword.

“If they reach us, the captain is likely to surrender. The pirates might have a cultivator, and as far as he knows, we’re simple mortals.” Lu Kun pauses, his gaze going over me and Ai. “The captain told me to hide you and Ai. The ship’s likely to lose nothing more than some cargo.”

I frown. I don’t like the idea of hiding, but there’s no need to risk Ai and myself if we don’t have to.

Large thumping sounds echo through the ship and I stumble as the ship suddenly decreases in speed. Sun catches me before I can fall, helping me keep my balance.

Ai sits up in the bed, bleary eyed. I stand up straight, motioning for the both of them to leave the room.

They nod, leaving me and Ai alone. I turn to the startled girl, moving my finger to my lips in a sign to stay quiet.

She blinks a few times before nodding. I move over to her, picking her up in my arms. I then move to the desk, carefully placing her under it.

She looks at me with worry as I block her by sitting in a meditative pose in front of the desk.

Sounds of fighting reach my ears, but they end far sooner than I expected. Everything goes quiet.

“What do we have here?” My breath catches as the words move through me and the entire ship. A woman in at least core formation, and possibly higher, releases her aura over the ship. Her spirit smells like the sea, with a hidden danger and depth hard to describe. It isn’t malevolent, just dangerous.

“Don’t respond, little one. She’s not speaking to you.” Shia says as I draw breath into my lungs.

I silently thank Shia for her warning as I let the breath go.

“I hear tale of treasure held within your cargo, captain. Treasure worthy of two young cultivators?” My breath catches as I realize that she must be talking about Sun and Lu Kun. “Hmmm. I am Xian Lu! Queen of the Pirates, tell me what it is you guard so carefully, and I will let you go free.”

Silence follows her proclamation, only broken by the sounds of the water against the hull of the ship.

Carefully, I unsheathe my sword and move to my feet. I don’t have confidence against someone in core formation, but I won’t let her take Ai without a fight.