An hour later, Yun was sitting on the beach, watching the battered ship sway. The Blood Maiden had barely made it through the barrier. Half the hull was shattered, the masts had snapped, and the deck was listing at an angle that confirmed one thing: no way out. This island was the endgame.
Yun had managed to scavenge some shoes and a few articles of clothing from the fallen Blood Maiden crew, including a red head wrap that he used to staunch a bleeding gash on his forehead. The storm barrier still thundered in the distance, harmonizing with the death throes of the titanic sea monster.
Then…
Silence.
There it is, my cue to run.
But there was one problem, or rather, five of them. The other people with him: Smoky, Scruffy, and his last remaining captors, Miri, Mortin, and Haska, the idiot who slapped him. The rest were choking on water somewhere.
After disposing of the last Plagued prisoners and then dragging the ship to shore, everyone's energy was spent. Miri stood at the waterline with a wandering expression. Her gaze was fixed on the storm barrier, her fingers continuously tapping the pommel of her blade.
Mortin and Haska were next to her, discussing something. The beach was eighty-three meters in width, with a dense forest sprouting just beyond that, so the two were most likely arguing over the best course of action.
Scruffy paced about while Smoky sat with his legs crossed and eyes closed, muttering. Might have been prayer, but it was hard to tell.
Every so often, his gaze would drift toward Yun, lingering just long enough to be noticed before returning to whatever meditation he was performing.
What a weirdo.
Mortin broke away from Haska and stalked toward Smoky and Scruffy with her hand hovering over her blade's hilt.
"On your feet," she said to the prisoners.
Scruffy stopped pacing. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. We're securing you before Captain returns."
"Madness," Scruffy's voice rose. "We just helped drag your damn ship onto shore!"
"You're prisoners. You've been prisoners. That hasn't changed."
Smoky opened his eyes slowly, that same grandfatherly smile creasing his face. "My friend, perhaps we could discuss this reasonably—"
"There's nothing to discuss." Mortin pulled a length of rope from her belt. Her gaze shifted to Yun. "That includes you."
Yun didn't move; he just met her glare with his own practised blank stare, one that was meant to reveal absolutely nothing.
Haska approached from behind, hand on his own blade. "Don't make this difficult, mutt."
There's that word again. Do I radiate mutt aura or something?
Miri's voice cut across the beach before Yun could respond. "Mortin, stand down."
The tall woman turned, surprise flickering across her scarred face. "Lady Miri?"
"I said stand down." Miri took deliberate steps toward them. "Put the rope away."
"With respect, your brother left standing orders."
"My brother isn't here. I am." Miri stopped a few paces away, and Yun caught that same tension in her jaw he'd seen on the ship.
"We have bigger concerns than binding prisoners right now."
Mortin stepped forward, emboldened. "Bigger than securing our lure? We need the boy conscious and visible so the Itheon appears. Can't have him running off now, can we?"
"He's had an hour to run," Miri said flatly. "But he's still here."
Smoky rose slowly, brushing sand from his clothes with careful, precise movements. When he spoke, his voice carried that same reasonable, almost gentle tone. "The young lady raises a fair point. We find ourselves in unusual circumstances."
Mortin's hand tightened on her blade. Just before she spoke, Haska leaned in. "Why is the fish bait talking? And… wait. Aren't you the crazy old fool that volunteered to be captured at the port city? How did you even resist the Plague?"
Curious eyes silently fell on Smoky, awaiting an explanation.
Hell, I want to know too.
Smoky smiled, tilting his head slightly.
"Strange, isn't it? How providence works. Almost as if the Court has its own plans."
He pointed at Yun.
"Take the boy, for instance. He threw the tusk overboard, saving your crew from being overwhelmed. Then guided you through a barrier that by all rights should have killed everyone aboard. And as you said yourself, he's just a 'lure', as we are just 'prisoners'."
"The Court," Haska spat. "So, you're one of those. Still clinging to the Aeons even after they abandoned us to the Plague."
"I merely observe patterns, young man. Divine or otherwise." Smoky's gaze drifted to Yun again, lingering a second longer than Yun was comfortable with. "The boy has proven valuable. Twice now. Perhaps there's wisdom in recognizing that value rather than squandering it."
How to dodge questions 101.
Yun shifted slightly, adjusting his grip on the cutlass. Smoky's words sounded reasonable, supportive even. But something underneath them felt wrong, like hearing a familiar song played in a minor key.
"Value?" Mortin's voice had an edge now. "Meaning what exactly?"
"I simply mean that cooperation serves everyone's interests. We all want to leave this island alive. Surely there's common ground to be found."
"Common ground requires trust, and I don't trust any of you. Especially the brat."
"Then trust this," Miri said, her authority reasserting itself. "We need to move inland. Find water, establish a defensible position. We do that as a group, or we die separately. Personal feelings don't matter."
"The captain said the Temple—"
"Brother will find us easier if we're alive and organized. And as for the Falling Sky Temple, Brother kept his records of it in his quarters. Hopefully they survived the voyage. If not, we'll just have to go in blind. We possess a map of the island, do we not?"
Miri moved on from the conversation just as swiftly as she had shut it down.
"Haska, stay here and be on the lookout. Mortin, take the prisoners into the treeline and scout for a suitable campsite. I'll salvage the Maiden for our records on the Falling Sky Temple. Move."
Mortin and Haska exchanged a long look. Some silent conversation passed between them before Mortin finally nodded, her jaw tight. "Understood, Lady Miri."
Mortin turned to leave, not before giving Yun a contemptuous look.
"Weren't you listening? You're with me."
Yun remained motionless. "I think I'll stay and help Lady Miri."
"Who the hell…!"
"Very well," Miri said. "Leave him be, Mortin."
Just like that, they moved off toward the forest, Mortin's stiff back broadcasting her displeasure. Haska muttered something under his breath and stalked further along the beach. Smoky lingered a moment, that damn smile plastered on his face.
"A wise choice," he said to no one in particular. His eyes found Yun one more time. "Very wise indeed."
Then he followed Scruffy and Mortin, leaving Yun and Miri alone on the beach.