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It’s what he excels at.
My suspicions about his brutal games are confirmed just a few days later. He’s grown closer, but not by much.
Radita has brought me no new ideas for how we can make the ship lighter. It’s the cannons or nothing at all.
I can count the days we have left before we’re completely out of water on my fingers. The fleet is right there.
Half the crew is staring over the railing behind us, watching the fleet draw closer. And closer.
“Land ho!”
A few cheers float up on the air, but they’re only half-hearted; the stamina of my crew is at an all-time low.
But we have a bigger problem.
We cannot stop with the king on our heels. If we do, he’ll catch us for sure. It could take us hours trekking on the new island before we find water. Then more time still to haul it back to the ship.
Time is the very thing we don’t have right now.
Kearan and I take turns looking through the telescope and examining the Allemos map. In the end, our findings are in agreement. It’s the large island from the map. We’re so close to the Isla de Canta. It’s just past this island we’re approaching now. And through the telescope we can make out a junglelike terrain. So green. So full of water.
My stomach drops at our salvation right ahead of us, our doom right behind us. We cannot have one without the other.
Those who were staring behind us at the fleet now turn their gazes toward the bow. Toward their hope.
“How many should go ashore, Captain?” Niridia asks.
So many hands go up into the air.
“You need me,” Athella says.
“I will not be left behind,” Deshel says defiantly.
“Please take me this time.” That comes from little Roslyn.
So many hopeful faces, so many bodies desperate to go ashore and find water first.
“None,” I croak.
So many eyes widen. So many thirsty mouths swallow. So many of them stare at me as though I’ve suddenly sprouted a tail.
“None?” Niridia asks. “Captain, I was speaking of the island. The very green island that’s sure to have water.”
“I know. I didn’t misunderstand. We cannot stop.”
“We’re dying!” Deshel insists.
I point emphatically at the fleet behind us. “If we stop, they catch us. We’re dead.”
“If we don’t stop, we die of thirst!”
Sorinda appears on the deck, where everyone can actually see her. “I’m with the captain. We should keep going.”
Mandsy speaks up. “I’ve had too many bodies resting in the shade of the infirmary from heat exhaustion. Captain, wehaveto stop. We won’t make it otherwise.”
“Alosa—” Niridia starts.
“No, don’tAlosame. I said we’re not stopping.”
