“Does the Valmareri have you?”
“Had me. I assume that was a Valmareri. She’s returning to help. Is everyone okay?”
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Where—”
I don’t hear the remainder of his thought before a voice clears far too close to me.
Internally, I freak out, jump to my feet, and fight.
My body does none of that as the chill sinks deeper into my bones. The best I’ve got is rolling my head back to the other side.
My gaze locks onto tender, worried eyes and a man who’s crouched about five or so feet away from me.
“This is not at all how I expected our introduction to go. I didn’t think the Ravarie would attack with the Valmareri trailing your ship. The Ravarie is attracted to power and the amount on your vessel must have been too much to ignore.”
“W-who are you?” I stutter.
His gaze grows wide. “Oh right, right. I’m so sorry. I’m forgetting myself here. I’m Doren, God of Discovery. Please let me help.”
He doesn’t give me the opportunity to agree or not as his arms slide under my head and legs and he lifts me from the stone.
I don’t have the strength to wrap my arms around him for support or even lessen some of my dead weight.
Air much warmer than what was just slithering over my skin hits me as soon as he walks through a threshold. My eyes nearly fall out of my head as we enter a room filled to the brim with…things.
Gold, jewels, books, pieces of ships, a couch…
He sets me down gently on the single piece of furniture, then rushes from the room. I continue to stare around in utter confusion and exhaustion.
“I apologize that this is all I have. I really wasn’t prepared for this to be how you found me,” he says as he drapes a small cloth over my shoulders. It definitely doesn’t help, but his frantic behavior and seemingly genuine worry are appreciated.
“Thank you, but I really didn’t find you if you recall.”
My teeth chatter together, and my entire body twitches involuntarily. His face crumbles as he scans this crowded room for something more.
“Right, well, you were going to find me. You were following my map to my island, which is also my home, and this would’ve gone a lot differently. Starza warned me the second the Ravarie attacked and she sensed you hit the water. I asked her to bring you here, which was my closest hideaway.”
“Hideaway? Look, I’m not trying to be rude and I’m grateful…Starza got me out of the water from that beast, but I’m really struggling to follow what you’re saying right now.”
“Right, okay, let me start from the beginning.” He lowers himself to the ground and crosses his legs. I tilt my head as he releases a deep, nervous breath and shakes himself out.
What is happening right now?
“Again, my name is Doren, and I’m the God of Discovery.”
“That part I understand.”
“Oh good.” He smiles, and my brows draw together. “My domain gives me many abilities. So many, it’s difficult to explain all of them, but what it’s most notorious for, though, is finding things. Objects, people, places, all things lost.”
My tremors momentarily cease as what he said is starting to make sense. “The map we were following, which is in the book, is about you. You’re Captain Tresor.”
He claps his hands together and his smile grows. “Yes, I am. Well, sort of. After years of reading material brought back from the nonmagical realm, it was easy enough to adapt my story. I don’t have a crew or sail the sea, though. Nor a fierce female out searching for me. I mean, you were technically searching for me, but that’s not our love story foretold. No offense or anything.”
I can’t help but snort, although the action almost makes me throw up again. “None taken.”
