Page 93 of Beneath the Haunting Sea
The storm, the sea—it thrilled her. She had never felt more alive. For an instant she was thrown back into her vision of Endain; she became the sea, and the sea became her.
Lightning flashed and thunder growled and the ship tilted, but didn’t capsize. Talia shut hereyes, the rain washing cold over her. Wen grabbed her hand, their fingers tangling tight together.
Melody shimmered suddenly around them, rich and strong and beautiful, and she opened her eyes to see Wen singing. She didn’t understand the language, but she recognized the Words of the gods, spooling from his lips and wrapping around them—Words of power and protection that glinted in the dark.She blinked at him through the rain, startled but somehow not surprised. He must have studied the book he’d found more than he let on.
The storm began to diminish and the wind slowly dropped. In another hour the rain stopped altogether and moonlight broke through the clouds—they’d survived.
Talia let out a breath, working with Wen to untie themselves from the mast. She let the sail loose, herheart thrilling as it caught the wind. She dug her compass out of her pocket and took a reading; the storm had blown them a little too far west, but that was easily corrected. She put her hand to the tiller and nudged the ship north again, on into the open sea.
On into the unknown.
Chapter Forty-One
THE SUN ROSE SOFT OVER THE SEA, gold light refracting off the water, wind swelling in the patchwork sail. Talia stood at the stern of the ship, hand steady on the tiller, while Wen slept up near the bow, the waterproof cloak draped over him. The sea seemed content, now that she was on her way. It sang to her, offreedomandpowerandpeace.
Wen stirred and opened his eyes, stretchingand blinking up at her. She left the rudder and knelt down in the boat, handing him a small packet wrapped in oilcloth.
“Breakfast,” she said. “I hope you like salted beef. There’s water, too, but we’ll have to use it sparingly.” She hadn’t brought enough food for both of them, but they could always try fishing when the dried meat ran out. Water was the real problem—she should have rigged somethingup to collect the rain last night. Next time.
Wen took the packet without a word, unwrapping the beef and tearing off a piece. He chewed slowly.
Talia untangled her hair with her fingers and rebraided it, tying off the end with a bit of twine.
“So … what’s your plan then?” Wen asked her.
She glanced over at him. The rising sun shone scarlet on his skin. His hair was matted on one side wherehe’d slept on it, and stubble showed dark along his jaw. “The plan was for you to go to University and forget about me.”
He scratched his chin, his eyes not leaving hers. “You lied to me.”
She didn’t apologize. “It was the only way I could say goodbye and still slip away without you knowing. Though it didn’t exactly work. I left you a letter.”
“I found it.” He leaned back against the mast,watching her. “You said you were leaving, you said you were sorry. That was all.”
She took a breath. “I’m going to the Hall of the Dead, to save my mother and free the dead, to defeat Rahn, if I can. I thought it would sound insane. Even to you.” She glanced out over the waves, more certain of her purpose than ever. The sea seemed to hum with anticipation.
Wen just studied her, waiting, thepacket of dried meat forgotten in his hands.
“I’m a descendant of Endain—of Aigir and Rahn herself. Journeying to the Hall of the Dead, destroying Rahn—it’s what I was meant to do.”
She told him about her mother’s story and the handwritten account she’d found in the library, about the vision she’d seen of Endain and the sailor, about the boat the gods had left her in the hidden cove. But shedidn’t tell him about the Ruen-Dahr or the guardians who were supposed to watch for Rahn’s return. She didn’t want him to know that’s what he was. Wen listened thoughtfully.
The sun rose a little higher in the sky. The ship creaked, and the waves slapped quietly against it.
“And you really think you can find it? The Hall of the Dead is just a story.”
“No, it’s not. I saw it in the last mirror.And I don’t know if I can find it, but I have to try.”
He frowned. “What did you see, exactly?”
“I saw myself crossing the sea. Finding the white Tree, standing in Rahn’s Hall. Speaking with my mother.”
“What about the second time you went to the mirror room? What did you see then?”
She shook her head and lied: “Nothing.”
His lips pressed together in a grim line. “Why won’t you tell me?”
“Because there’s more at stake than you know, because—” She grimaced, and cut herself off. “Do you think I’m mad?”
