Exiled (15 page)

“Nobody gets in,” Kilani said to the men. Both nodded. Kilani turned as Roger closed the door, and the men took up positions on either side.

James laid Luno on the cot and took a step back. Kilani quickly stepped forward and kneeled beside him. James could see the emotions she’d been holding back begin to come through her typically unreadable face. Her eyes welled up with tears and a few made their way down her smooth, tanned skin toward her full red lips. She sniffled as she whispered into his ear.

She turned to James. Luno was very good at getting himself into trouble. Kilani knew this and held no blame in her expression as she asked what happened. James briefly told her about the cave. She looked at the wooden box still stuck in Luno’s grasp. She pulled at the box, but it held fast. She stood quickly, closed her eyes, and said, “
Voriko
.”

The box shook slightly as if trying to come free then was motionless once more. James then stood over Luno, extended his hand and repeated the word, “
Voriko
.” The sliver lock moved upward where it paused for a moment before falling limp. As it fell, a loud click sounded from inside the lock.

James and Kilani glanced at each other, and he stooped and pulled at the lock. It slid off effortlessly.

“Should I open it?” James asked.

Without a word, Kilani reached down and lifted the wooden lid. A small black key lay on a bed of purple satin. Kilani lifted the key before James could give warning. Luno’s hands immediately went limp, spilling the wooden box onto the floor. Luno sat bolt upright with a scream. He looked around for a moment then fell back to the cot unconscious.

Kilani quickly set the key on the table and bent over Luno. As she tended to him, James’s attention was drawn to the key. It was such a small insignificant thing, yet he couldn’t help but move closer to it. He felt a connection to it. His need for it increased with every step until he reached for it. The moment the cool black steel touched his skin, an image of the black castle flashed through his mind. The desire to reach the castle came flooding back as he held the key tightly in his hand.

Beside him on the cot, Luno began rubbing his eyes. With Kilani’s help, he slowly sat up. The moment Luno regained focus, he began looking around franticly.

“Where is it?” he demanded. Before James could respond, Luno’s eyes found the box lying on the floor, its lid open. The purple satin fanned out like sand from a broken hourglass.

“The key! Where is the key?” Luno asked.

James didn’t want to share the key with anyone. He squeezed it tighter in his hand, hoping Kilani would forget he’d ever picked it up.

“James,” said Kilani, “where is the key?”

Reluctantly, James opened his hand, revealing the black key.

“Thank goodness,” said Luno relaxing his shoulders. He stood and stretched as if waking from a long sleep. James had to fight the urge to snap his hand shut as Luno moved closer to inspect the key.

“Of course,” he said, excitedly. “How could I have been so foolish?”

After a moment of introspection, Luno looked up.

“It is believed that the box contained the key to the black castle. The key to our escape.”

“How did you learn of it and why haven’t you mentioned this to me before?” Kilani asked.

“Akil discovered it. He told me where I would find it. He said if I went looking for it before it was ready to be found, it would not be found at all.”

“How did you know the time was right?” James asked. “I didn’t until the guardian.”

“You saw a guardian?” Kilani asked excitedly.

“We did,” Luno said.

“I knew it,” Kilani whispered.

“I don’t understand. How did the guardian tell you it was time to seek this box?” James asked.

“Sometimes I can’t help but marvel at how dim-witted you can be, my boy. What did the guardian tell you?”

“It said I have been granted what has been denied all others.”

“Exactly. You can travel over water safely. This means you have the power to return to our world. The moment the guardian confirmed what we already suspected, I knew it was time to search for the key.”

Now that we have the key, our voyage may begin. We will need it before the end.”

Stuart and Margaret, mounted on their respective geldings, appeared in a flash of light. Margaret’s expression was one of absolute terror. She clung to Noch’s neck, her eyes tightly shut. Stuart, on the other hand, looked completely at ease and pleased with himself. He lowered his arm, which had been wrapped tightly around his wife’s waist, as he surveyed his surroundings.

They had arrived in a clearing surrounded by dense forest. A tiger, previously enjoying its fresh kill, looked up in surprise at the sudden and inexplicable arrival of the uninvited guests. It quickly lifted the carcass and ran off into the vegetation.

“Right, then,” Stuart said, expecting his wife to release the white knuckled grip she had on her horse and open her eyes. When it became apparent she was not intending on releasing Noch anytime in the near future, he spoke.

“Margaret, my dear. All is well. We are here.”

Slowly, reluctantly, she lifted her head and opened her eyes. She let out a breath, which she had apparently been holding since their departure.

“Where?” she asked.

“India. Northern India to be precise.”

Margaret looked around, searching for clues to their location. To her dismay, she could have been in any clearing in any jungle in the world. She didn’t want to believe they had traveled by magic. She had no choice but to accept that they had, a moment ago, been just outside the cottage of Tabitha Ogilvy.

“How do you know we’ve gone where we were supposed to?” she asked.

“I’ve been here before,” Stuart replied.

“You’ve spoken with the seer? Why didn’t you mention this?”

“No. I’ve traveled here previously. One cannot transport to a place they haven’t physically been –unless of course they’re traveling with someone else as you are. It’s one of the eight unbreakable laws of sorcery,” replied Stuart pensively.

Margaret nodded, remembering everything her husband had told her before they left. In the brief conversation, he had told her that the seer, who’s name nobody knew, had summoned her.
Someone summoned me?
she thought. Margaret asked what happened if someone ignores this so-called seer’s summons. Both Stuart and Tabitha looked aghast. “That is not an option,” Stuart said sternly.

“Shall we? Stuart asked, turning Archos toward the edge of the clearing.

Margaret nodded, hesitantly turned Noch, and followed. They continued through the jungle for several hours. Margaret couldn’t discern any trail and wondered how her husband knew where they were going.

Finally, the dense jungle thinned and a heavily trodden trail appeared beneath them. As the miles passed, the trail became wider and eventually was wide enough to fit a carriage. After a few more miles, the vegetation lining the road receded. They crossed over a rickety wooden bridge. Beneath twisted a muddy stream, its banks so overgrown with plant life not a spec of dirt could be seen. Margaret watched as a jonquil leaf floated under the bridge with the current. When she lifted her head, she spotted the first sign of human habitation since their arrival. Two small shacks stood sentinel on either side of the road ahead. The mud walls and exposed wooden supports reminded her of houses she’d seen on her last trip to France. These buildings were much smaller and had contrasting colors with their dark mud and light wood.

As they passed the buildings, Margaret couldn’t see any windows, chimneys, or doors. Beyond the buildings the road split. In the crotch stood a row of small houses. Each branch of the road was also lined with houses. All made of mud and wood. The roofs were flat. The doorways were covered with fabric.

“Where is everyone?” whispered Margaret.

“At the river, I imagine,” Stuart replied.

“All of them?”

“I suppose so. Although it does seem a bit odd,” Stuart replied.

They continued past the houses, taking the left fork to the opposite end of the village. There were still no signs of life. Not even an animal stirred in the afternoon sun. The road banked away from the habitations and began to descend toward the jungle. Margaret looked back over her shoulder at the abandoned village before her view was obstructed by the hill. She shuddered and couldn’t avoid the thought that something wasn’t right.

They continued along the road, which abruptly changed back into a trail as they passed through the tree line into the jungle. Margaret noticed her husband’s pace quicken. She tapped Noch with her heels so as not to fall behind.

Before she could see it, she heard the musical sound of water rolling over small rocks on a riverbed. The trees became less dense and Margaret was able to see the river. It was very wide, but shallow. Not a person was visible and again she shuddered. Stuart stopped when he reached the side of the river. Margaret pulled Noch alongside him.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Do you hear any birds?” he asked.

She fell silent. The only sound came from the river. Neither bird nor other animal made a sound. She’d cursed the noises that had filled her ears for the past several hours and now she longed for anything but silence.

“Nothing,” she whispered.

Stuart scanned the area for signs of life, a nervous expression on his face.

“James, what’s happening here?”

“I wish I knew,” he said.

After a moment he took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the reins, and gently tapped Archos with his heels. The horse slowly stepped into the water and moved across the shallow river. Margaret reluctantly followed. When they reached the midpoint, Stuart paused, his gaze fixed upstream.

“What is that?” he asked.

Margaret squinted trying to make out the object that was floating toward them. At first she thought it was a branch, but as it drew nearer she realized it was a body—the body of a child.

Margaret let out a gasp. Stuart simply stared, mouth agape as the current carried it closer. Both of them fixed on the small body as it floated past. It was face down in the water, minimally clothed, and white, as if it had been in the water for some time. Margaret looked up at Stuart, who continued to stare at the body. In her periphery, she caught sight of something else coming downstream. Slowly, she turned her head.

Her voice was stolen by fear. Dozens of bodies were floating toward them. After several muted shrieks Margaret found her voice. Stuart turned quickly away from the child’s body still ambling lazily downstream. A scream, rarely heard from a man’s throat, echoed that of his wife’s. Without hesitation Stuart brought Archos to a full gallop until he was out of the water. Margaret and Noch were just behind. They both stopped, catching their breath. Margaret lifted her head, which had been buried in Noch’s mane, and looked toward the river. The bodies were gone.

She looked downstream thinking perhaps they had already passed but saw nothing save the clear water rolling over shallow stones. She looked upstream. Nothing.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

“I have the feeling we are unwelcome here,” replied Stuart, having regained his composure.

“I thought you’ve been here before.”

“I have. Someone doesn’t want me to take you to see him.” “I thought you said he’s just an old man?”

“He is a seer, the greatest living seer, and he has asked for you,” Stuart replied with incredulity at her disrespect.

“In all his known existence he has asked to see two people. The first is by many people’s standards the greatest sorcerer to ever live.”

Margaret let out a mocking laugh at the word “sorcerer.”

“Despite all that you’ve seen, the fact that we’ve traveled across the world in an instant, things you couldn’t possibly explain, you continue to treat this with the pomposity of someone who thinks they know better than to believe their own eyes. You must be humble before him.”

“James, I’m sorry. Truly. I believe I’m compensating for my fear, for my uncertainty. I don’t know how to act in response to all that you’ve told me so I act the way I’ve been conditioned to act. With contempt. I apologize and promise to make more of an effort to show my respect.”

Content with her response, Stuart heeled Archos and began up the trail that wound around the side of a rather steep hillside.

“Stay close, my love,” Stuart said. “I am sure other obstacles will lie in our path before we reach our destination.”

My love. How long had it been since he’s said that?
Margaret wondered.

Rain was falling. Since Luno’s arrival, he could recall this weather anomaly on two other occasions. Both lasted less than a minute. Such was not the case today. The deluge began just before dawn and showed no signs of letting up. Everyone in Harbor Town was drawn out into the storm. So it was James, Kilani and Luno found themselves, along with all the residents of Harbor Town, standing on the pier letting the rain soak them through and through. Some people simply stood with their mouths open, enjoying the ability to drink fresh water falling from the sky. Others danced like children. Some stood completely naked, letting the rain soak their skin, showing no modesty whatsoever. Luno simply shook his head. “Of all the bloody days,” he said.

“It is a sign from the island,” Kilani said, wringing the water out of her hair.

“Perhaps we should wait until the rain stops before we depart,” James suggested as he looked around, convinced some of the residents had lost their minds.

“We will delay no longer. Besides, I am quite certain it would rain on whichever day we decided to go,” Luno said.

“I don’t understand. The island has given us the power to travel across the water, why would she try to prevent us from leaving?” James asked.

“Like any woman, some things we just won’t understand,” Luno said, smiling at Kilani. Her expression made it clear she was not amused.

“The ship is already packed. There is nothing left for us to do but depart. I shall see you on deck.”

Having been outside already, the residents of Harbor Town gathered at the end of the pier when they noticed activity on the ship. James and Kilani now stood on deck, along with their two recruited crewmembers, Roger and William, waiting for Luno. The crowd grew silent. James knew Luno had arrived. He made his way on top of the scaffold used during the ship’s assembly and looked down at the crowd.

“Today marks a momentous occasion. We journey, for the first time to lands yet explored in hopes of bringing back news of a means to our escape.” This was received with cheers and applause. “It appears as if our lady has arranged a special sendoff,” Luno said, extending his arms and lifting his face to the falling rain. The applause was less enthusiastic.

“Your journey is cursed,” a voice in the crowd shouted. “You wont make it out of the harbor alive.”

“Naysayers and believers alike long for a means of departure. Today, we intend to begin the quest that will bring us all absolution. In my absence I am appointing Charlotte interim governor.”

Charlotte was one of the dozen people traipsing bare-bottomed across the pier. By the looks of her, James wasn’t sure she was the greatest choice to lead in Luno’s absence. She had an expression of surprise when Luno shouted her name, and James believed Luno had not mentioned this appointment to the appointee before this very moment. The entire crowd turned to look at Charlotte, whose bare, dripping wet body began to shiver the moment all eyes turned upon her.

“Follow the rules we all have agreed upon and you shall thrive in my absence. Now, without further delay, we must be off. I bid all of you a fond farewell.”

Luno climbed down the ladder and boarded the ship.

“Now then,” he smiled. Let us be off.”

The crew went to work quickly. Kilani and James hoisted the sail as Luno took up position behind the wheel. Roger and William untied the bow and stern line. The sail flapped uselessly in the rain.

“
Poikelo
,” James said, extending his open hands. Immediately, the sail billowed and the ship lurched forward. Luno tightened his grip on the wheel while Kilani kept watch on the port side to make sure the ship didn’t scrape the pylons as they passed the end of the pier. Waves blowing in from the north battered the front of the ship. The crew could not hear the cheers from the spectators on top of the pier nor see their arms waving. Luno turned the ship to its heading, which was barely visible in the storm. He kept the bow oriented with the eastern tip of North Harbor. Once he spotted the jagged outcropping of rocks over Kilani’s shoulder, he held that course and gave James a nod. James repeated the incantation, extending his hands toward the sail. The ship responded by gaining speed. As the speed increased it began skipping over the waves. Each time the bow dug into another wave the ship would shudder. William and Roger exchanged concerned looks and moved aft to have a discussion with Luno.

“I don’t reckon zee vill stand zis for very long, Capitan,” William, said.

“Don’t worry, boys. She’ll fare just fine,” Luno said, yelling over the roar of wind and rain. He nodded to James again, and again James asked for more power in the sails. The ship sped up. The impacts of the waves increased until they sounded like a rapidly beating heart, jolting the ship with each beat. As the speed increased further the ride smoothed and the ship felt as if it were traveling over much calmer waters.

Luno relaxed his grip on the wheel and let a satisfied smile cross his face. He checked his bearing, making sure they were still heading in the proper direction. Suddenly, a stiflingly hot gust of air struck the ship, pushing the rain away and leaving them in the sticky humidity one would normally find in the jungle. Breathing became a forced effort. James and Kilani exchanged concerned glances.

It didn’t take long to sail clear of the hot air and all were grateful to be able to breathe normally once more. Luno smiled knowingly and asked William to take the wheel. He made his way to the bow where James and Kilani were securing the rigging.

“We are on our way,” he said excitedly.

“It appears as though the island isn’t fond of our little voyage,” James said.

“My friend, if the island didn’t want us to leave Harbor Town, this ship would be at the bottom of the sea. Always remember that she is in control here and we miscreants have nothing to say about it.”

“What do you presume all that weather was about?” James asked.

“I do not pretend to know her mind and speculation usually leads down the wrong path. Let us look onward. Now, my dear,” Luno said, looking at Kilani. “How long do you estimate our arrival at the first of the three widows?”

“At our current speed, I’d say less than twenty minutes.”

“Excellent, we will drop anchor on the western side of the island and row to shore. All three widows are approachable from the west, which will make our trip briefer than if we had to circumnavigate each bloody island looking for a place to land.”

Luno had done his homework. During his tenure on the island he’d explored most every crack and crevasse The Never had to offer—that is, with the exception of the six perimeter islands. It had taken him decades to map everything. He had lost several people who’d volunteered to accompany him and been injured more times than he cared to remember. From the cliffs on the northern cape, Luno could see that each of the three widow’s western sides had white sandy shores. A perpetual mist hung over their centers, preventing anyone from seeing far past the coasts.

“What is the plan if we cannot find running water on the island?” James asked, recalling that one could not drink standing water in The Never without dying a terrible death.

“You worry too much, my friend. We drank just before we left and have more than enough time to find water,” Luno replied.

“And if we don’t?” James asked.

“Depending on how long the exploration takes, we can either move on to the second widow or make our way back to Harbor Town.”

“I have a suggestion,” Kilani said.

“By all means,” Luno said.

“Finding running water should be paramount. We move swiftly to that end. If, by midday, we do not find any, James and I make our way to the second widow to search there. We meet back at our landing point before sundown and either return to Harbor Town or to the water source. If we do discover running water, we set up our camp there.”

“A brilliant idea,” Luno said, smiling as he walked back toward the wheel.

James looked at Kilani, who gave him a wry smile and continued securing the supplies that had been strewn about in the storm. Once complete, he made his way toward the stern to make sure the dinghy was still tethered to the rear of the boat. Despite everything they had set out to do on this voyage, his mind couldn’t help but return to that which had infested it as long as he could remember. The prophecy. Here he was, in a place far away from his home and once again he was the one everyone was depending upon. He thought it ironic that the moment he’d arrived at this place—once he’d regained his lucidity, that is—that he had felt a weight lifted from his consciousness.

The moment Luno told him he believed James was the one who could return them to their world, it came rushing back, sitting squarely upon his shoulders. He hadn’t realized what a burden it was until it had returned with the force of a massive boulder. Never free to live his own life, James had always been expected to serve others. Despite his outward appearance of strength and acceptance of this destiny, James struggled with this responsibility every day. What if he didn’t live up to the expectations? What if he couldn’t? It is never easy to live under the shadow of greatness. Especially when you’re expected to fulfill the expectations everyone has laid out for you since you were a child.

And yet, in this place he had found reprieve. Not once, but twice. First upon his arrival and second through the touch of a woman. Despite their age difference, James and Kilani had grown close. Her relationship with Luno was complicated at best. Every time James asked her about it she deflected the question and steered the conversation in another direction. Nobody in Harbor Town shared residence, which James found particularly odd since there were equal numbers of men and women dwelling there. He couldn’t get a clear answer to that question either. Kilani spent a considerable amount of time with Luno. Virtually every moment she was not with James she spent with Luno. Every morning when they’d meet to explore or study, Kilani would come walking out of Luno’s house. Every night she would retire to her own.

Luno had sent James and Kilani to confirm his map details in grid 14, which was on the western coast. Kilani and James talked constantly during their trek. Kilani always spoke about the plants. He quickly learned she was the resident horticulturist. When they would go on mapping expeditions, Kilani was always on the lookout for undiscovered plants. She invariably returned with bundles of plants and leaves with which she would conduct experiments.

She was the one who discovered the fire trees of the west. When the fire tree’s leaves touch, they immediately burst into flames. The sap of these trees is also highly flammable. This discovery was the catalyst for the construction of nearly all of the modern amenities at Harbor Town. Most of all, Kilani was hell-bent on finding a local plant that would enable her to make transporting powder.

As they reached the lichen-choked boulders that lined the small cove (aptly named Lichen Cove) on their map-plotting mission, James and Kilani sat and looked out over the sea.

“Do you truly believe we will ever leave this place?” she asked.

“Do you?” James replied.

Tears began streaming down Kilani’s cheeks. It was the first time James had ever seen her show any emotion other than excitement. She looked out over the water and let the tears come. James looked at her. Her blue-green eyes, glassy with tears, appeared to have left this world. Minutes passed. Kilani continued to stare out to sea. Finally she spoke.

“When you first arrived and Luno believed that you were the one who would get us off this island, I was excited. We all were. But a year has passed and we are no closer to finding a way out. I want to believe in you, James. But here,” she placed her hand over her heart, “deep inside lies doubt. Luno inspires hope, that’s what he does. I think he truly believes you will do what he thinks you’ve been brought here to do. That gives me hope. I suppose I’ve always had trouble blindly following. Blindly believing.”

“My entire life has been filled with the expectations of others. And all my life, I have held onto doubt. Perhaps I am not the person Luno believes me to be. But I will promise you this, Kilani,” James took her hand from her heart and placed it over his. “I will try with every ounce of blood that pumps through my heart to live up to those expectations.”

“Why burden yourself with that?”

“Because without hope, there is nothing. And I will not live in a world where there is no hope.”

Kilani broke her gaze for the first time and looked where James had placed her hand. It still rested on his chest with both his hands covering it. Their eyes met and locked, tears still streamed down her cheeks. Kilani reached her other hand and cupped the back of James’s neck. He felt a flash of heat rush down his spine. It surged back up and spread across his shoulders and down to his fingers. The tension that strung across his shoulder blades like piano wire melted away.

“I want to believe. Make me believe. Tell me you’ll take me away from this place. Be who you are supposed to be.” Kilani said these things not because she wanted a response from him but because she wanted to motivate him to press on, to keep trying.