Kieran slapped a hand against the table.“One hour!”
Everyone stopped.Kieran could barely contain his breathing, which wasn’t a good look for someone with limited time to decide.He continued: “Give me an hour to think about it.That way, we’ll still have a few hours to find the Stave, and I might be able to come up with a plan so we’re not just winging it.Okay?”
The others all looked at each other, as if too stunned to speak after Kieran’s outburst.Finally, Delilah began to nod.
“I still think—” Briar started.
Kieran stood, cutting her off.“I,” he said, avoiding their gazes, “will be on the top deck figuring this out.We’ll meet back here in an hour.”
With that, Kieran turned for the door, exiting the control room before his panic consumed him.
Up on the top deck, Kieran did his best to quiet his racing heart.
I was not made for leadership,he thought as he counted to ten, trying to steady himself.Seaweed sat on his shoulders, nuzzling his throat.What I would give to still be rich enough to hire people to solve my problems for me.
He rested his chin on his arms as he gazed out at the woods.He really didn’t have any ideas; he’d just wanted to get out of the control room before he panicked.Listening to people argue always made him anxious.Briar had inherited only a fraction of their father’s short temper, but—and he’d never say it out loud—she reminded Kieran of him when she dug her heels in, as she had before.It wasn’t her fault, by any means—she certainly wasn’t anything like William Pelumbra in the areas where it mattered—but the reminder had been enough to make Kieran feel like the air was getting sucked out of his lungs.
I’ll figure something out,he thought.I have to.Just need to calm down first.
Kieran took a deep, cleansing breath.As nice as it was to have Seaweed to comfort him, part of him longed to have someone wrap their arms around him and tell him it was going to be okay.For a moment, he thought of the way Ash used to tuck Kieran’s curls behind his ear and trace the shape of his jawbone with his finger.
He’d be so disappointed,Kieran thought with a sigh,knowing I can’t even come up with a simple plan.
Just then, a flicker of movement in the trees caught Kieran’seye.Seaweed too stiffened and let out a low growl.At the edge of the meadow, someone stepped out into the open.
Kieran straightened as he realized he was looking at a child with a head of short blond curls and pale-pinkish skin.While he couldn’t see the child’s face, his size made Kieran guess he was only seven or eight years old.
The child glanced around, arms wrapped around himself.His shoulders were trembling, and Kieran got the sense it wasn’t from cold.Poor kid looks terrified.Plus, if what Delilah said about how isolated this place is true, he must be really lost.
“Hey!”Kieran cried, waving his hand in the air to get the child’s attention.“Up here!Are you all right?”
The child looked his way for a second, then yelped, turned on his heel, and sprinted into the woods.
“Wait—no!Come back!I can help you!”Kieran glanced frantically side to side, looking for some way to follow him.He couldn’t let a child run deeper into these woods if he was already lost—that could be a death sentence.He quickly spotted a coiled length of rope that had been tied to the ship’s rigging.
Oh, this is deeply stupid,Kieran thought.I’m going to regret this.Still, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he didn’t at least try to help.
Kieran grabbed the rope and tossed it overboard, then tugged on it to make sure it was tied solidly to the rigging.When nothing budged, he nodded.
“We’re going down,” Kieran warned Seaweed.“Hold on.”Hands tight on the rope, he hoisted himself over the edge of the ship, then slid down.
Aside from a bit of rope burn on his palms, Kieran landed unharmed on the silvery grass.Seaweed leapt off his shoulders, landing beside him.He could just barely see the reflection of the little boy in the trees up ahead, running away from him.Kieran took off as quickly as he could, hopping to avoid a few rocks and a fallen tree.He and Seaweed dove into the trees, Kieran shouting for the boy to slow down.
The boy either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore him.Kieran chased after him, leaving the meadow behind.He caught sight of the blond curls up ahead, then took a sharp turn to follow them.A few steps later, he saw them again to his left.
No,he realized, staring at the tree.That’s a reflection.Gotta make sure I’m chasing the real thing in here.
Kieran kept going, breath turning ragged and muscles aching from exertion.The cut on his neck throbbed.He rubbed the bandage with a wince, catching sight of his own reflection in the trees.He looked a bit disheveled and sweaty but passable.Certainly not scary enough that this child should still be running away from him.
Just then, he heard a branch snap.
Kieran’s head whipped around.Up ahead, the child had halted in a small clearing.Kieran’s hand dropped from his neck, and he jogged to close the distance.
Finally,he thought.The boy had his back to him, staring ahead into the woods.Kieran caught sight of his reflection in the trees, then paused.There were two of him.
“What in the world—?”he started to say.
At the sound of his voice, the child jumped.He didn’t run this time, though.Trembling, he turned around, meeting Kieran’seyes.Instantly, Kieran froze.This wasn’t just any child lost in the woods.Not with those mismatched blue and brown eyes, the pointed chin, round cheeks and long, straight nose.And while it was clear that the child was at least ten years younger, Kieran knew exactly who he was looking at.
