Page 20 of Black Sea

10

I explored the island far and wide, ordering myself to focus on finding food. I tore the hem of my tunic to make a small bag for berries, mushrooms, wild herbs, and a coconut. Various bird species communicated amidst the dense foliage, flitting nervously from branch to branch whenever I stepped on leaves or twigs.

Only after I crossed to the other side of the island did I find the game.

Three black galliform birds, with a red spot on their neck, gray heads, and yellow beaks matching their long, sturdy legs, were pecking among the plants near the beach.

Gingerly, I placed my loot on the ground and took a moment to steady my breath, my predatory gaze fixed on one of the three birds.

Then, I lunged forward as fast as an arrow.

The other two birds flew away, squawking loudly as I caught the third one and broke its neck before it could make a sound.

* * *

When I came back to the part of the island where we had shipwrecked, it was late afternoon. The waves had carried our tree onto the beach. I watched its wreckage as I walked on the warm sand, thinking about the past days spent astride the tree trunk. The sun, a vivid orange that looked almost liquid, had half disappeared behind the horizon, casting the world in a warm, melancholy glow.

Amlach had set up a kind of base camp, with a short trunk to sit on in front of the already lit fire and two comfortable-looking beds on either side, made from large emerald-green leaves with whitish veins.

Amlach was sitting on the trunk, finishing assembling a skewer to hang over the flames, when I stopped a few steps from him.

“Your meat,” I said, placing the bird on the ground before heading to the small river mouth to rinse the berries and herbs.

“You don’t need to keep your distance, Elf,” he stopped me, then gave me a flirty look. “I won’t touch you.”

I fought with all my might to stop the shiver that rolled down my spine and furrowed my brow. “I would kill you in a split second if you tried.”

A smirk flickered on his lips. “Are you sure?”

Too long my eyes lingered on his.

Too long I allowed his gaze to hold me.

Heart in my throat, I hurried to the freshwater, feeling like I was wrapped in flames.

“Thanks for the chicken,” Amlach shouted at me insolently.

I resisted the urge to throw the cock at the sharks and spent a few minutes cleaning what I had collected in the forest. When I came back, Amlach had already started to pluck the bird. I placed my bag on the tree trunk and went to gather more firewood.

The twilight settled with its cooling wave, and I relished the gentle warmth of the fire on my face.

We ate the still-sizzling meat quietly. Amlach had diced herbs to sprinkle on it and soaked it in berry juice. It was delicious—and yes, definitely better than raw fish. However, I refused to give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

However, from the way he peered at me between bites with his irritating smirk, I suspected he already knew.

He finished eating first and went to drink and wash the grease off his hands and mouth.

“I thought about it,” he said as he sat on the other end of the tree trunk. He used a branch to stoke the flames. “I think it’s better to stay here until your big brother arrives.”

I paused my chewing for a moment, then resumed and swallowed. “He would never think I’m here,” I replied gloomily. “He would be searching for me in the sea,” I lied.

Amlach didn’t need to know that no ship would come to help us and that we had to rely solely on ourselves.

“That’s nonsense,” he said, astonished. “Why would he?”

I gnawed on the chicken bone in my hand until it was clean and then tossed it into the flames. I could have stayed silent, but instead, I said, “Because I can swim for days without getting tired.”

Amlach took a moment to process my words. When he understood their implied meaning, he took a deep breath. “That’s why you wanted to leave. Not to meet your brother halfway, but to go straight back to the Lands of the East.”