The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (49 page)

“Do you deny that Gadiel was in your room behind closed doors?”

“I do not deny it…”

“Then tell me, Aiva. What could the two of you have need to do out of view of anyone else? Lorand said he heard you say something about needing to tell me something. I suppose I have been dreading what that might be. These games are driving me mad. I can’t keep playing along.”

“You’re the only one playing games this time, Callum. If you want me to tell you what transpired between Gadiel and me, then I will, but you cannot expect I’ll just forget the insult you cause by believing me so unchaste.”

Slowly Callum removed his feet from the table, the expression on his face softening. A glimmer of guilt crossed his features. “I’m listening,” he replied quietly, leaning his elbows on the desk, chin rested upon his hands.

Her heart felt as if it skipped a beat. The moment had come at last. Now she could explain all the mistakes she had made. The foolishness of her actions. To admit her love for him that she had carried since that day he left her in the gardener’s shed with nothing but the lingering sensation of his lips against hers. She felt ready to explode from the emotions flooding her heart. Where could she begin?
There is so much to be said and so little time…

Footsteps sounded from outside the door, distracting her line of thought at the realization that they were no longer alone. Turning to the noise, her shoulders bowed in frustration to find Edric standing there, an uncharacteristic look of fear upon his face. “I hate to intrude, but you’re needed on the deck, Callum.”

Heaving a sigh, Callum appeared almost as put-off by the interruption as Aiva. “Is there any chance it can wait, Edric? Just a few minutes?”

“Varik says it’s imperative you come immediately.”

Concern creased Callum’s brow as he rose to his feet. With an apologetic nod he slipped around the desk to join Edric at the door, pausing before following him outside. “We will discuss this later. Feel free to stay here a while to get warm.” His face contorted strangely for a moment to see Aiva standing there, misery evident in her eyes as she watched him walking away. “I’m sorry, Aiva. I have to go.”

At the click of the door closing she stared at the glossed finish of the wood, cursing silently all the things that continued to get in her way. How was she ever going to set things right with Callum if the gods constantly threw everything between them? It was as if they didn’t want her to tell him how she felt. But she had come too far already. She refused to let them stop her. As soon as whatever business was completed that had been deemed so important as to interrupt a private meeting, she would follow him back to this room. Edric knew the weight of what she needed to speak with Callum on. It was hard to believe he would have been convinced to come there at all.

A sudden surge of doubt slowly crept over her. Edric wouldn’t have come if it hadn’t been of great importance. It wasn’t like him to behave in such a way. Fear gripped at her insides, forcing her to move forward out of curiosity, reaching for the door handle, blanket still clutched tightly around her dampened dress. Hurriedly, she found her way out onto the deck and up the stairs to where Callum stood beside Edric and Varik, their faces drawn with worry.

“When did Gadiel notice it?” Callum inquired, accepting the spyglass from Varik’s outstretched hand. “It couldn’t have been there while we were near the ports.”

“I sent the Prince to find you the instant he informed me. From here I was able to catch sight of the outline under the water. It is keeping its distance for now, but that means nothing.” The frown on Varik’s face was filled with concern, his knuckles white where they gripped the rail. “I’ve never personally been faced with anything quite like this before. To be honest, I wasn’t convinced the stories of its existence were true.”

Moving the scope away, Callum handed it back to Varik with a sharp nod. “I witnessed one once, though it wasn’t anywhere near the vessel I was aboard.”

“What do we know about it?” Edric questioned, peering over the edge into the water. “Should we find our way to a port until it passes? Continuing deeper out to the sea seems like suicide if it decides to attack.”

Shaking with the uncertainty of what was going on, Aiva stepped forward, positioning herself between Callum and Edric. She couldn’t stand by and not involve herself. If whatever they were discussing posed a threat to the ship, she felt it was her business to know. “What is it?” she asked nervously. “Is there something in the water?”

“Unfortunately so,” Callum furrowed his brow, motioning toward a large shadow under the surface. It was a good distance away. At a glance it appeared nothing more than an outline caused by the sun’s strange position behind the clouds, or a large rock somewhere below. The only indication that it was anything more was that it kept speed with the ship, lingering, trailing them. As if watching in wait of an opportunity to strike. “That is a sailor’s biggest fear on the Vai’ld Sea. The divastru. Capable of tearing whole ships to pieces along with anything and anyone on board. They’re fast, which makes outrunning them near impossible. And once they are on your tail, an attack is unavoidable.”

“And this thing is following us?”

“It most certainly is.” Turning to face Edric, Callum set his gaze over Aiva’s head, avoiding her terrified stare. “As for your question, Edric – if we turn back to port, it will intercept us. Our only option is to continue onward and hope it becomes distracted. As that is unlikely, I recommend we have the men prepare the weapons. Commander Varik, keep your eye on it. Tell me if it changes course or speed. From the crow’s nest Gadiel should have a good visual on it until nightfall, but the darkness will make it more difficult. I’ll help the men prepare the ballistae and have the archers at the ready.”

“Could we not strike at it while it is far enough away to not cause damage?” Edric rested his hand nervously on Aiva’s shoulder. She could sense his rising concern mingled with her own at the fear of what was happening.

“If we strike now, it will only expedite its attack.” Shifting his gaze to Aiva, Callum took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. “I’m sorry, Aiva. From the looks of things, we won’t have a chance to continue our conversation tonight. If the gods smile upon us, we may still have tomorrow.”

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Chapter Sixteen

Aiva sat, rigid and still, eyes locked on the water through the windows of the helmsman’s quarters. She had refused to leave the deck, not wanting to be far if anything changed regarding the approach of the divastru. At times she would find it in her to stand and make her way to Varik’s side at the helm, staring silently into the distance for several moments before shutting herself back inside the room.

It was less spacious than that of the Captain’s cabin just below, though far more luxurious than any of the rooms in the barracks. Aside from some of Varik’s belongings scattered about, it was otherwise clean and well kept. He only saw the room when he retired to sleep, which seemed a rarity given his importance aboard the ship. Before arriving in Palinon he was the soul commander of the vessel.

Anxious to be moving again Aiva stepped away from the window, her steps deliberate as she pushed through the door onto the helm, taking her place at Varik’s side once again. The sky overhead darkened with the coming night, making the outline of the creature harder to distinguish amongst the waves. A second spyglass had been placed near Varik’s feet for when Callum or Edric came to check on the position of the beast. Sweeping it into her hands, Aiva held it to her eye, peering into the depths of the sea. It was difficult to tell any details from where it lingered under the surface. The head appeared large while the body gave an almost serpentine pattern, extending far into the distance. Whatever it was, the size was impressive. Frightening for anyone to behold when faced with the realization that it was known to be certain death to its prey. And their ship remained in its sights.

“Why does it do nothing but follow us?” she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. If this thing was going to kill them, she wanted to understand how it worked. The way it thought.

Varik held the spyglass firmly in his hand while he spoke. “Callum says it is a predatory beast. It is hunting us at the moment. He has heard of some ships being stalked for days before it finally attacked while others fell victim in only a few hours. We should consider ourselves lucky for every minute it waits.”

“I guess I cannot consider us lucky, knowing it is there at all,” she sighed, lowering the lens away from her eye. “There has to be some way to outrun it. To maneuver out of its path.”

“We aren’t just dealing with a tiny fish here, Princess. This thing is considered by many to be the king of the sea. If it chose to take us down, the body alone could wrap around this ship several times over. The vessel is made of wood and steel. We are no match for a creature at home in these waters.”

“And I suppose in all the tales of the divastru, there is no secret revealed in how they are destroyed? If someone is telling stories about them, it seems there had to have been survivors of an attack.”

“You would think,” Varik chuckled apprehensively. “I’m only aware of the stories that end in ships being obliterated. The Captain mentioned having seen one before. Perhaps you could question him as to what it was doing at the time. Maybe he saw a heroic escape that would bring you the comfort you seek. If that’s the case, feel free to pass the tale on to me.”

Through her fuzzy thoughts Aiva let her eyes shift toward the aft, watching the shapes of Callum and Edric standing along the point, alert. Prepared for any sudden attacks. Absently Aiva’s legs began to move her forward. Slow and hesitant, finding her way to the men, afraid to say or do anything which might alarm them. They seemed unaware of her approach. Callum held his bow to the side, armed with a full quiver of arrows at his back. She found it hard to imagine such trivial projectiles doing much good against a creature like the divastru. There was little else they could do. The ballistae were ready for launch. Archers prepared ammunition with the elements necessary to set the beast aflame, however, such a tactic would only prove helpful if the creature exited the water for an extended span of time. She felt useless for anything other than offering a prayer to the gods that the thing would simply lose interest and swim away.

“You shouldn’t be out here, Aiva,” Callum stated calmly, the sound of his voice causing Aiva to jump, startled by his acknowledgement of her presence.

“I’m going mad in that room. I needed to see things for myself. Has there been any change?”

“It doesn’t appear there will be a shift in its course. Gadiel has been tracking it from above. In the last few hours he has noted an increase in its speed. The distance has lessened between us and the beast. We anticipate the strike to come at any time. Unfortunate that it would choose to wait until dark. Defense will be more difficult to coordinate.”

“What can I do to help?”

Edric turned around, gazing at Aiva solemnly from his position at the rail. “There really isn’t much we can do,” he frowned. “In the event of an attack, nowhere on the ship will be safe. Callum recommends you and I find our way to the Captain’s cabin and stay out of the way to avoid being tossed from the ship if things get rough.”

“So we are to cage ourselves and wait to drown?”

“I wouldn’t be concerned about drowning,” Callum leaned over the edge slightly, his expression becoming more severe. “If it takes us down, we’ll likely be crushed and dead far before the water can claim us. I’m not sure if that does much to comfort you.” Clenching his fingers around the bow, he lifted it into the air, drawing an arrow from his quiver. “Edric, now would be the time to take your sister and seek shelter.”

Overhead Aiva could hear Gadiel’s voice calling for Callum. He sounded strained, the words catching on the strong wind. “It’s closing in, Captain! Prepare to launch defensive maneuvers!”

“Get Aiva to the cabin, Edric. Now!”

A loud groan erupted through the air, followed by a high-pitch screech that shot through Aiva’s skull. Clutching her ears, she cried out. It was awful! Edric was at her side, hands on her arms, guiding her forward away from the rail to the lower decks. She didn’t want to hide. She wanted to stay there with Callum and help fight, but she didn’t have a weapon. And that noise! How was anyone supposed to think with that god-awful noise?

At the stairs Aiva felt her feet knocked out from under her as the ship lurched. Tumbling down the steps she gasped in pain, slamming onto the surface of the helm with a loud thud. From somewhere nearby she could hear Edric yelling. Shouting her name over the commotion.

“Fire the ballistae!”

She couldn’t see Callum, yet the sound of his voice was eerily controlled. Composed. He was in his comfort zone on the ship. Familiar with the weaponry and surroundings. Unlike in the desert, he was within his element to give orders and organize an attack. The only downfall was the opponent they faced. While he had the basic knowledge taught in training and through books, the divastru wasn’t something which could be confronted with any amount of certainty. Strategies against it were relatively unknown.

The sound of weapons firing could be heard through the air around them. Edric had only just managed to get to Aiva’s side when another impact rocked the ship, harder than before. Tossed to the ground, a loud crash came from Aiva’s left, a bewildered looking Callum landing in a heap not far away. He gave barely a glance in Aiva’s direction before climbing to his feet, checking to make sure his bow was still in his hand before hastening his way back to position.

Lifted to her feet, Edric carried Aiva down the stairs to the main deck, holding her protectively against him as he pushed through the door of the cabin. He stared at the latch for a moment, shaking his head, the expression on his face blank. “Something tells me a lock really doesn’t matter at this point.”

“Edric, we can’t just leave them out there!” she gasped, rushing toward the door. It didn’t feel right. If there was anything she could do…

“What are we going to do other than get in the way, Aiva?” he asked, his arm wrapping easily around her slender waist, preventing her from moving further. “On this ship we take orders from Callum, and he made it clear we are to stay inside this room. Our safety may not be a guarantee, but out there I run a much higher risk of losing you, and I don’t want that on my conscience.”

It was no use fighting him. He was stronger than she was and her muscles were still weak from the malnutrition she’d suffered in the desert. Exasperated, she let out a breath, stepping backward, foot stomping on the floor in frustration. Another hard knock against the ship caused them to falter, objects inside the room tumbling to the ground. Struggling to keep her balance Aiva ran to the windows, desperate to get some visual of what they were facing. She could see nothing. It was as if the beast was invisible. Non-existent aside from the piercing shriek it emitted.

Seemingly out of nowhere something connected with the window in front of her. Glass shattered, wood splintering, coming at her in waves, the force of the impact knocking her off her feet. Water sprayed into the room, what looked to be a massive tail swinging over Aiva’s head from where she lay, balled up on the floor, petrified.

Crawling toward her, Edric reached out, stretching his arm through the dim light of the room. “Aiva, take my hand!” he shouted, ducking his head as the tail passed over again, narrowly missing him. “We can’t stay here. We need to get below deck. Somewhere with less glass.”

“If it breaches the ship, we will drown.” Aiva rolled onto her stomach, extending her arm toward Edric, feeling his fingertips brush hers. Pulling herself forward, she worked for a better grip, grateful to feel his hand tighten around hers, dragging her along the floor with him to create more space between her and what was left of the windows. Helping her to stand, Edric opened the door, frozen in place at what he saw outside. Instinctively he stepped backward, hugging Aiva against him as if in fear she would disappear.

To the starboard side loomed a creature of immense size, sharpened teeth glistening in the fading sunlight overhead. The head alone looked larger than half the ship, its blackened eyes abyssal in their size and depth. Widened. Focused on its target. With the body of a serpent, it remained mostly submerged under water, making the actual length of the creature impossible to determine. Tentacles writhed from around the body in rows, thrashing wildly at the ship. In a swift motion it reared its head, drawing back to slam the side of its neck against the exterior of the vessel, sending Aiva and Edric to the ground once again.

She needed to get out of there. They would be trapped inside that room if she didn’t do something. Anything to help the men struggling futilely against this creature. Pulling herself along by her elbows she crawled to the door, ignoring Edric’s shouts to stop. If the ship was going to go down, she was going to go down fighting. Not hidden away like some coward. Just because she was heir to a crown didn’t mean she had to be coddled. Many kings and queens had fought beside their men in battle. She wouldn’t be any different.

Once through the door she found the deck in utter chaos. Arrows fired from every direction, landing in their target without purchase. The creature showed no pain. No sign of tiring.

Bodies lay about the floor. Nameless faces, members of Varik’s crew that she never had time to know. Right now she couldn’t think of the death that surrounded her. Each body accounted for an available weapon she could take. Searching through the remains, she tugged a longbow free from one of the limp hands. She’d never fired one before. Now was as good a time as any to learn. It couldn’t be that difficult. The soldiers always made it look so easy. She just needed arrows. From her knees she continued to root around the bodies, collecting ammunition from the abandoned quivers. If she kept low, the jarring of the ship would be less of a concern. It couldn’t knock her off her feet if she was already on the ground.

Fumbling over the string, she scooted to the far rail, pressing herself against it for cover. How had the others done this? Positioning an arrow over the grip she could feel her frustration grow. It couldn’t be much different from a basic sling. Put the arrow on the string, pull, and release. Yet for some reason the bow wouldn’t do what she wanted. Slipping and sliding from the spray of the water dampening the weapon. When she managed to get an acceptable load, she tilted it to one side to aid in holding the arrow steady. The string was tight. Harder to draw than she expected. By pure adrenaline she extended her arm back, feeling her muscles ache at the release. She cursed silently to see the arrow bounce harmlessly off the thick skin of the beast. This was a waste of time! They needed to do something that would actually affect it. To at least slow or weaken it.

Her screams tore through the air at the sight of the monster bearing down on top of her, the giant head lowering quickly to slam against the deck. A pair of strong hands grabbed her, dragging her out of the way just in time. Callum. He was alive! Taking advantage of the opportunity presented in the creature being so close, he retrieved an arrow from his quiver, loading it with practiced ease to fire a shot directly into its blackened eye. Angered by the strike it swung its massive head from side to side, colliding with Callum, his body tossed like a discarded puppet to the other side of the ship.

“Callum!” Aiva’s voice cracked, climbing to her feet in desperation. He was already standing, reloading his weapon to release another arrow at the monstrous head. From across the deck she could see Gadiel running toward them, his own bow loaded, firing a shot before coming to kneel at Callum’s side.

“I don’t know how much more the ship can take,” he breathed. “There are holes throughout the hull. Even if we get away now, we won’t make it to Luquarr.”

“Then we need to give up the ship,” Callum took a knee, drawing the string of his bow back, carefully aiming at the thrashing creature. “Have the crew start lowering the lifeboats. Make sure the Prince and the Princess are the first aboard. Grab food if you can. It will be a long journey if we have to row the whole way.”

“It will be aware of our location in the water. If we take to the lifeboats, it will only come after us again, and we have no means of defending from there.”