“Except they’re not real,” Marshen said flatly.
My next words came out through clenched teeth. “Will you shut up with your scepticism?”
“You mean realism.”
I gave him a sharp look and huffed. “Then let me think of another solution…Oh! I know one—how about you goventureall the way north and get on with your mission?” The way I saidventureincluded the concealed wordsshiftandswim away.
“I can’t go on my own.” And so he’d said.
“Then sailing by boat to the Unnar Caves it is,” I declared, giving Marshen a hostile smile.
“They stopped willing to sail a long time ago,” Marshen mumbled.
“You’re right,” Blake added, “but not me. I’ll join—”
“No,” Alma snapped.
“None of you have to sail,” I assured Alma. “Marshen and I will go. You said some returned. That must mean you still have boats, right?”
“Yes, but they’re probably in a poor state.”
“Take us to them. Tomorrow morning. And bring both of your craftsmen.”
Marshen shook his head, his jaw tense.
“It’s a two-day ride on horseback. They’re in South Bay,” Alma said.
“Then tonight, we shall pack everything—food, clothes, water, weapons. There’s no time to waste. Wait…you have horses here?”
“We do.” My heart ached. I missed my sweet desert mare.
“Could you take me to the craftsmen now, please? I’d like to speak to them.”
“The food was delicious, Alma. If you’ll excuse me.” Marshen nodded his head once and left the table.
Stubborn asshole.
I returned to our room hours later.
Marshen was propped on his bed, honing the dagger Blake gave him earlier, using a piece of slate.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I hissed.
Marshen kept sweeping his dagger. “You’re putting yourself in danger.” He scoffed. “Sailing along the Brim to find something that’s likely not even there. You’re being irrational.”
“Oh, fuck you! These people have been isolated here for over ten years. They lost every shred of hope, and as soon as I bring them some, you dismiss it right in front of their faces!”
Marshen leapt off the bed and strode towards me. “Well it’s surely better than feeding them false hope. What if we don’t find the caves? There’s no way you’ll make it alive all the way to the Florentine Port. I’m only trying to keep you safe, you know.”
“No, that’s not what you’re doing,” I snapped, pointing a finger at him. “You’re hiding something. Because why would you accuse me of feeding them false hope when the first words you breathed to them were a promise that they were no longer forgotten?”
“You’re right. That was reckless of me. I shouldn’t have said those words.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “And why the hell not? And why are you keeping your animal form a secret?”
Marshen pursed his lips at the question and forced a blink. “Because…because I don’t want to let them down, all right.”
“Let them down? You could just shift and swim all the way to the north! Isn’t that why you were sent here in the first place? Why don’t you, then, huh?” For once, he went silent. I snorted in disappointment. “Coward.”
