“Beauty’s Bend is in a dangerous spot,” Jayme whispered, slowing her feet. The rest of the crew ascended the stairs, leaving them to themselves.
“Why?”
“Imagine the Main Continent here.” Jayme held up her right hand. “And the Crescent continent is here.” Holding up her left hand and making a C shape with it, she angled it slightly to the left of her right.
“Yes, I know the layout without the hand symbols.” Vi looked at her friend dumbly.
“Well, they help me so please indulge me.” Jayme rolled her eyes. “The barrier islands arc around the Crescent Continent.”
“Is Beauty’s Bend here?” Vi asked, pointing at the center of the arc between the two continents.
“No… Beauty’s Bend is up here.” She pointed to the top of the arc. “It’s the curve around the barrier islands.”
“Up by Blue Lagoon? Or Teeter Island?”
“I guess, if that’s what their names are.” Jayme shrugged. “I’ve only heard it called Beauty’s Bend. But sailors have their own codes and ways. Many times they don’t want the names they call things to be on maps. Especially if they’re dealing in more… illicit goods.”
“Then how doyouknow it?” Vi was forced to ask.
“That’s part of why I was out talking to people.” Jayme gave her a friendly nudge, starting for the stairs. “You collect all the book knowledge, and I collect the information on the streets.”
“Well, thank you for that, because my book knowledge is doing little for us right now.” Vi caught up in a few wide steps. “Why do you think we’re going all the way up to Beauty’s Bend? That’s beyond the end of the Main Continent, isn’t it?”
Mare emerged from the cabin right as they were rounding the landing. “Because there are storms and worse between the barrier islands,” Mare said, answering even if she hadn’t been asked. “At the top of Beauty’s Bend is the Blue Lagoon, perfect for trading.”
“So itisBlue Lagoon.” Vi glanced at Jayme with a smug smile.
“Whatever it is we’re delivering must be important,” Mare mused aloud as they started up the stairs.
“Why’s that?” Jayme asked.
“Because Beauty’s Bend is one of the few places we dare to drop anchor, rather than trading on planks or tossing between vessels or on rowboats. It’s a hike to get to and we’re sitting ducks if anyone should catch us. Whatever it is better be worth it.”
Vi held her tongue, barely stopping herself from reassuring Mare that it was, indeed, worth it to find their Emperor.
“Aren’t you worried about pirates?” Jayme asked.
“The pirates have to catch us first.” Mare grinned. “And they haven’t yet.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Vi had wantedto make herself useful aboard the ship. Her body wanted to spill her guts over the deck railing.
Vi: zero. Body: one.
She spent the majority of the first two days trying to find her sea legs—they were determined to be elusive, and the consequences were an upset stomach unlike any Vi had ever endured. In turn, her suffering made her an object of ridicule to the majority of the crew, who seemed to think it was hilarious she was so affected by the rolling tides. Kora and Mare had kicked her out of their room, leaving Vi to curl up in a corner of the main deck to sleep.
Originally, Jayme had gone out to keep her company, but Vi sent her back below. She was a mess, and there was no reason for them both to suffer just because she couldn’t seem to manage the swaying of the boat. At least from time to time, Vi got to watch Jayme being helpful to the rest of the crew in her stead.
She watched the world drift by. The sails billowed with the wind, adjusting as the ship made its heading northward.
The Main Continent was little more than a distant blur on the horizon, but Vi watched as it transformed from the rocky flat Waste to shrub trees, and then the towering jungle giants that were the northern forests. She’d gone south, and west, to go north again, to ultimately go west. If she were drawing her own course to Meru on a map, it would be the most inefficient zigzag.
But making it was all that mattered.
A biscuit appeared in Vi’s field of vision.
“Hadn’t seen you turn over in a while,” Jayme said, chewing through her own ration. “Thought you may want to give this a go again.”
