* * * *
Something had awakened Jhond. It was early, though not yet sunrise, and Jhond was confused. He looked around the small cabin. There was no sign of Amired, who must still be on deck. When he glanced over to where Ninian was sleeping, it was to find Ninian shoving the hair from his face as he sat up.
"What is it?" Ninian said.
"Don't know." Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Enter."
A sailor peered around the door and said, "The captain asks that you come up on deck, sirs."
"What's going on?" Jhond asked, as he got up. Neither he nor Ninian had bothered to undress before going to sleep.
"Not for me to say"--the sailor looked over his shoulder, as if to make sure no one else was there--"but it's to do with the young lady." He backed out quickly.
Jhond was up like a shot, Ninian close on his heels. When they reached the deck, it was to see the
Horologue
tied up to the groyne...and Amired had one of the sailors shoved up against the mainmast. It was Warkist.
"Amired!" Jhond shouted.
Immediately, the captain grabbed hold of Warkist by the collar and dragged him toward them.
As he neared, Amired said, "Remelin has gone! This idiot allowed her to go ashore."
"What?" Jhond glared at Warkist, who pulled away from his captain's grasp and attempted to stand up straight under the anger of the three men surrounding him.
"Don't you look at me like that," Warkist barked, but his expression betrayed his uncertainty. "No one said anything about keeping the girl on board. He"--he jerked his head at his captain--"was below talking with Aldous when she came on deck and marched straight for the gangway. I called to see if she wanted any help, but she never even answered me." He frowned as he added, "She just gave me this odd look and then she was gone."
"So you just let her leave? Without even knowing where she was going?" Ninian asked, his expression full of anger as he approached Warkist, only halting when Jhond spoke.
"We know where she's going," Jhond interjected, filled with self-recrimination as he recognized he had made a major mistake in not asking Amired to give orders that Remelin shouldn't be allowed to leave the ship. He'd thought he had everything under control, but now he could admit he'd been reluctant to confide in Ninian that he had come to suspect there was still some connection between the entity and Remelin. He hadn't been certain and thought Ninian would probably just think it was his imagination due to his "infatuation" with Remelin. Now he wondered if perhaps the entity was still managing to influence his thinking. Well, now to correct his error. "How long ago was this?"
"I called you as soon as I found out," Amired said, "but he didn't report it until I came back on deck." He glanced at Warkist. "Fifteen minutes later."
Warkist pulled free of Amired's grip. "Don't blame me when not one of you said anything about her being a prisoner!"
"Get out of my sight," Amired snapped, and Warkist hurried away, still grumbling about not being kept informed.
"Trouble is he's right," Ninian said.
"I'm sorry," Amired said, looking suitably chastened. "I thought she was safe in her cabin, and I needed to check supplies with Aldous."
"Can't blame you," Ninian said. "She still appeared to be upset, and I thought rest would help her deal with the situation. I guess she had plans of her own."
"If anyone's to blame, it's me," Jhond said. "I was so sure I had things under control that I didn't even suggest you inform your crew of the danger to Remelin so they could help watch over her. I kept it all among the three of us. Too damned sure of myself."
"No time for wallowing in self-pity," Ninian said sharply. "We need to take action. As you said, Jhond, we know where she is going. Do we follow or get there ahead of her?"
"We take a more direct route and get ahead of her." Jhond turned to Amired. "How would you feel about giving us some support?"
Amired's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'd like nothing better. I've been feeling somewhat left out, stuck here onboard ship while you two have been off adventuring. What do you need?"
Jhond seemed not to notice the excitement and humor in Amired's response and calmly said, "If you could follow her by the more conventional method, just in case we need someone to take care of Remelin while we face the entity."
"No problem at all." Amired grinned.
"You do remember the danger that you got dragged into the last time you helped Jhond?" Ninian asked.
"Oh yes, what excitement."
Ninian laughed. "You'll never learn."
"Listen who's talking," Amired said. "Never seen any sign you'll let him go anywhere alone."
"Captain," Aldous called, and they turned to find the mate hurrying toward them. "Just pulling Warkist over the coals, and he let slip that the girl was carrying a small box with her."
"Why the hell didn't--" Amired began.
"Hellas!" Jhond declared.
No, no, she couldn't have!
He dashed for the steps to below decks, hearing Ninian in pursuit.
He threw open the door to their cabin and there on the floor was the fully restored chest just as they had left it. He darted over to it, threw back the lid and there was a gaping empty spot in the center. Pain shot through Jhond's chest.
How could she do that?
Betray him like that? Taking the crystals to the entity in the cellar when there was a possibility that the being trapped inside could use the cracked one to kill him.
"It's gone," Ninian declared, the shock clear in his voice. "She's no longer under its control. She must've acted on her own. Why would she do that?"
"I'm not convinced she'd do this of her own will," Jhond said.
Ninian frowned. "But how can it exercise control over her now?"
For a moment, Jhond didn't know what to say, then he admitted, "I had a sense something was wrong, but I couldn't pin it down. I didn't... I wasn't even certain I was correct. I--"
He'd come to believe he could trust her.
Could perhaps--
He stopped that thought cold.
"Is it possible she's helping it without outside coercion?" Ninian asked quietly.
Jhond stared at Ninian. That couldn't be true.
Could it?
"I don't think so." He paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before continuing, "I don't want to believe that, but I know I must consider the possibility. There's only one course left to me. Stop the entity, destroy it, and, if necessary, anyone who's helping the evil thing."
Ninian grabbed his arm, and Jhond glanced at him. The determination in his friend's gaze told Jhond that Ninian knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling. Jhond took a breath and instantly transported both of them to the nunnery.
By the time Amired reached his cabin, he was just in time to register Jhond and Ninian's disappearance from view.
Aldous peered into the cabin over his shoulder. "They've already gone then?"
"Yes. I assume they confirmed Remelin was indeed carrying that particular box, and whatever it contained was very important to them." He turned to face his first mate. "They were already planning to return to the nunnery and perform a vital task, and I assume that box was part of it."
"Can't claim to understand half of what they get up to, but I trust they know what they're doing, which can only mean if she stole it, they got trouble."
"Indeed. They'd already asked me to follow them to the nunnery, so I think the sooner I get started the better. From what I understand, the nunnery is through the village and up on the side of that mountain."
"You want any company?" Aldous asked.
Amired thought very carefully about the offer and his first reaction was to say no. After all, Jhond hadn't asked for anyone other than him to follow them. However, on second thought, having someone to watch his back seemed like a very sensible idea. He didn't know the area at all...or what might lurk in the shadows.
"Yes, I'll take one man with me. An extra pair of eyes might prove useful." He gave Aldous a hard stare. "Keep a close watch on the crew. I imagine a few of them might want to go ashore and see what the village offers. But there will be no shore leave."
"Aye, Captain. You want the ship ready to sail? Just in case?" Aldous raised an eyebrow.
"Just in case," Amired agreed.
"And who do you have in mind to accompany you?" Aldous asked.
By the glint in his eye, Amired thought his rather smart first mate might have an inkling as to who that might be.
Smiling at Aldous, Amired turned and led the way back on deck. Once there, he called out, "Warkist!"
Behind his back Amired heard Aldous choke off a laugh.
The sailor came ambling over, already grumbling. "What now? There was nothing else I could've done, Captain."
"Maybe not, but there's something you can do now," Amired said.
Warkist glanced warily from his captain to the first mate and was clearly not impressed by what he saw, but he didn't say anything, merely waited for orders. Amired thought that was perhaps the most sensible thing he had done all voyage.
"Grab your coat. You're coming ashore with me," Amired said.
"Ashore?" Warkist's confusion was obvious.
"You're going to begin restoring yourself in my eyes by accompanying me as I journey to the nunnery."
Warkist's eyes widened, and his face paled. He licked his lips. "But that place is dangerous. Even Jhond doesn't like it up there."
"True, but that doesn't mean he won't follow Remelin there when she's in need."
"It's her own doing," Warkist grumbled.
"You know better than that," Amired snapped. Amired hardened his gaze as he stared directly into the sailor's face until Warkist dropped his eyes. "Isn't that why you're so afraid to accompany me?"
"Not afraid, Captain," Warkist mumbled. "It's got nothing to do with me. I just don't see why we got to risk our lives for her; she's not done anything to deserve it."
"You don't know the first thing about what she deserves or otherwise, but I'm doing this because Jhond asked me, and I--and you--owe Jhond everything. Even you can't deny that!"
Warkist raised his head and met the captain's gaze steadily. "No, and neither can I deny that we've had nothing but trouble since the day you took the coin to hire out the
Horologue
to them two."
"Lords, you are not only stupid, you're blind! Without the rise of the Eynan, we'd all be slaves to the whim of an evil mage!" Amired took a deep breath to calm himself. "Anyhow, I have no need to debate this with you. I'm captain and you are crew, and you
will
obey me. Now get your coat."
Clearly unhappy, Warkist nevertheless obeyed the command and made his way toward the stairs leading below deck.
"And grab some arms," Aldous added sharply.
The words caused Warkist to hesitate at the top of the stairs, glancing back over his shoulder. His jaw tightened, but he kept his mouth shut as he continued down the stairs letting his stomping steps speak for him.
Amired met Aldous' gaze and had to fight to stop from laughing out loud.
"Let's just hope that amusement is all the arms are needed for," Aldous said, stopping Amired's laughter cold. Amired had forgotten for a moment they were heading into very dangerous territory.
"I wish I could believe that would be all, but I very much doubt it."
"Yes," Aldous said, with a sigh. "To get to the nunnery from here, you'll have to travel up a steep path and then through the rough scrub at the foot of the mountain."
"Never been that comfortable climbing a mountain," Amired murmured. "I remember the last time all too clearly." He thought back to the climb up to the tower on the Isle of Truth. "Much happier on the water."
* * * *
Jhond materialized in the entrance to the nunnery, which surprised Ninian as he'd expected to appear in the cellar.
"Why here?" he asked, bemused.
"Better to catch her before she gets to the cellar," Jhond replied. "We might also be able to discover if Remelin has any free will or if she really is still under the entity's control. Either way, if I take the box before Remelin gets any closer to the damned thing's control, we can derail its plan."
"Will proximity matter if she is under its control? We already know it can somehow control her far out at sea."
"Maybe not, but that's no reason not to try." Using his powers Jhond checked the nunnery and the surrounding area to confirm they were alone. Ninian paced a few feet down the road, keeping a careful lookout for Remelin. Jhond joined him, and almost at once he saw her. "There, look!"
Ninian followed Jhond's pointing finger, and, sure enough, Remelin was hurrying up the road toward them, the small wooden box visible in her hand. She suddenly came to a halt, and Ninian surmised she had seen them, but when he noted the vague expression on her face, he thought perhaps it was the entity that had brought her to a stop.
"See her expression?" Ninian asked Jhond, who didn't respond.
Ninian wasn't sure what kind of contact the entity used with Remelin, whether it was verbal or the direct mental variety. Or even some other kind of which Ninian had no knowledge. At that point, it didn't matter, though Ninian was annoyed he hadn't questioned her about it before.
Remelin stood stockstill a short distance from them. Jhond started to draw a sigil in the air, and Ninian knew he intended to bring her to him before presumably transporting the three of them back to the ship.
Before Jhond could complete the spell, Remelin vanished before their eyes.
Jhond gasped and then swore in frustration. Ninian was shocked at the strength of this being, which was still able to wield such power while trapped inside Jhond's shield. Jhond grabbed his arm and right away they were standing in the cellar, where, as expected, they found Remelin. She was standing with her back to them facing the section of the damaged wall that had once trapped the entity, chunks of debris scattered around her feet. She still held the small box containing the crystals.