“Yeah, we had to do a lotta explaining while you were unconscious,” Sarina said.
“Everyone gets pissed when they learn I exist.” Corra shrugged unapologetically. “One more mouth to feed on limited resources.”
“You’ll have to spill what you did to the Kraken later to Brialla. And us,” Sarina said. Corra nodded her agreement. “I thought you were done for,” she continued. “Out there in the miasma on little more than a few planks of wrecked wood.”
“Instructor Tyrell disobeyed Brialla’s direct order to put you in the brig,” Corra added. “Jumped onto the wreckage with you and tied it to the hull, then pulled you both back in. Henrik helped him get you back onto the main deck.”
“The brig was damaged in the fight anyway,” Sarina added. “Dunno why she thought it would be a good idea to put you in there. It couldn’t even hold Yeshar.”
What? Yeshar was loose?
Before I could muster the strength to ask, Sarina continued. “The sails were damaged too. So was most of the Arc. Now it’s got more creaks and groans than me going up a flight of stairs. Barely seaworthy.”
“We were adrift for almost three weeks before we washed up here.”
Three weeks? It only felt like I’d been asleep for a few hours.
“We dunno where the hell ‘here’ is,” Corra said. “We’re three weeks away from Raevar, and even tracking the wind’s direction we went through four more bad storms before we reached this place, so we’re officially lost.”
“Thank the Devourer we found land, at least.” Sarina picked up a bundle of sticks and began snapping them again. “We almost ran out of food out there, despite rationing.”
“We made shore a couple hours ago. Brialla divided everyone up to different tasks like finding food and building shelter.”
“Instructor Tyrell refused to leave you behind alone when everyone else disembarked. Carried you onto land himself. Brialla told us to watch you and make firewood for tonight.”
“Wonder how long she expects us to stay here,” Corra mused.
“Pasha,” I rasped, overcome with a coughing fit that hurt all the way to my marrow.
Sarina stared off into the distance, lips thinning. “She didn’t make it.”
“We lost Wyatt, too,” Corra said, chin dipping. “Lura, Ollie, and Gretta.”
Tears wouldn’t come. I choked on air, grief clamping me. Would they still be here if I’d acted sooner?
Pasha’s betrothed didn’t even know she was dead. Her little brother didn’t either. And they wouldn’t, until we found a way to get back to Mesmoria.
Craning my neck despite the pain it caused, I noticed the vegetation here was wild, overlapping and growing between itself as if it had never been maintained. Something squawkedabove me, and a flash of movement registered before it took to the air. My eyes widened.
What the hell?
“Oh yeah, those,” Corra said, following my gaze. “We dunno what they are, but they’re all over this island. Louder than a plague of lanternflies, too.”
Sarina wiped at her eyes, watching the creature rise into the sky. “They come in some wild colors, too.”
A rustling noise caught my attention from within the brush nearby. Zevrial appeared from the edge of a copse of trees, carrying more heavy branches under one arm and a bag toward us. His gaze roved over me, steps quickening.
“How is she?”
Hearing his smooth voice again was an immediate balm. With arduous effort, I lifted my hand toward him.
He threw the branches and bag down as he jogged toward us, enfolding my hand in between both of his. His fingers were steadfast. I curled my own against his.
His fear had saved me back from being lost to the Sun’s song. From accidentally killing us both with my short-sighted act of self-sacrifice. I was sure it was his fear that had blunted the endless euphoria.
Tiny hairs prickled on my arms. That had been too close.
And too wonderful.
