The Lost Prince (22 page)

T
he next morning, Dean found himself as far from the sea as he could possibly get. He had hiked up Zenhala’s highest mountain alongside much of the island’s nobility, followed closely by every man, woman, and child in the kingdom. That’s what it felt like. Dean looked back on the legion of people who had followed him up the trail. By that point, every soul on the island had heard tales of his fearless bout with the snapdragon. The crowd from his first trial had grown, checked only by the mountain’s steep terrain. Dean’s second trial was about to begin.

The trial judge led the way, helped along by a tall walking stick and Captain Verrick’s right arm. Dean was right behind them
with Ronan and Rook at his side and Jin Ralian at his back. After a long trek up the mountain, the trial judge halted the group’s climb on the banks of a fast, narrow stream. The old man took a moment to catch his breath, and the crowd waited patiently for him to recover. Dean hopped up on a rocky crag to take in the view from Mount Skytop. At this elevation, he meant to keep a sharp lookout for the orchard. Ronan and Rook did the same, but no one spotted any golden trees. Dean’s mind drifted downstream toward the watchtower.

As the venerable old trial judge huffed and wheezed, the three boys moved away from the rest of the people who had scaled the mountain to see Dean off. “There it is,” Dean whispered to Ronan and Rook, pointing at the tower in the distance.

When Dean had returned from dinner the night before, they had chided him for not coming back with information on the orchard as he’d promised. It was only after Dean told them what he’d learned about the island’s storm cycle that Ronan and Rook agreed the evening had not been wasted.

“As soon as the trial begins, you two make your move on the watchtower. You’ll need to get yourselves in position to slip away beforehand, so pick a spot now.”

“Done,” Ronan said, all business. As Dean continued to distract the local populace, their job would be to find out when the storm was expected to break next, just in case. It was an insurance policy of sorts. They couldn’t afford to go back to One-Eyed Jack
empty-handed. If they were forced to bring him something other than treasure, the Golden Isle’s bearings and the dates of its next shipment would be the next best thing.

One hoped.

“The regent said the Watchers had just finished their work, but if the tower’s not empty, you’ll have to think on your feet. Just don’t ask too many questions in there.”

“How many is too many?” Ronan asked.

“One is too many.”

“One?” Rook asked. “What are we s’posed to do, then?”

“Make observations,” Dean said. “Let them talk. Your best bet is to go in marveling at the work the Watchers do. It doesn’t matter what you say as long as you flatter them. One of the first things I learned in this business is people love talking about themselves. Give them a chance to boast and they never shut up.”

“What are you all looking at?” Jin Ralian called out, approaching the trio.

Dean, Rook, and Ronan spun around to face him. “Nothing!” they all said at once.

Their sudden, simultaneous turn froze Jin in his tracks. “Forgive me, Your Grace,” he said, aware of his intrusion and possibly a little suspicious. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but it’s time for us to brave the rapids.”

“Your Grace?” Dean repeated, surprised to hear the words
come out of Jin’s mouth. “Your father said it was too soon to address me like that. I figured you would share his opinion.”

“I did,” Jin replied. “But that was before the snapdragon.” He motioned to the river. “Shall we?”

“Aye.” Dean jumped down from the rocks. “That’s what we’re here for.”

He walked with Jin to the water’s edge, with Rook and Ronan in tow. “Can I offer you a word of advice?” Jin asked him.

“Advice? Please do.” Dean was surprised. After his experience with Junter, he wasn’t expecting much help from Jin.

“I imagine that after riding the snapdragon yesterday, the idea of going out on this river doesn’t faze you one bit. Is that fair to say?”

Dean scrunched up his face. “I wouldn’t say I’m completely unfazed, but … yes, I’ve been led to believe the worst is behind me.”

Jin shook his head. “Underestimating today’s trial would be a mistake. The river is wild, the falls are treacherous, and there are predators everywhere. You’ll want to stay close to me out there.”

Dean nodded. “Fair enough. I hope you’ll make it easier than your brother did.”

“The regent told my father you had only good things to say about Junter’s service.”

“I was being polite.”

Jin grimaced. “No need for that. Junter’s performance yesterday was an embarrassment. He disappointed my father and brought shame to my family. Rest assured, I will not fail as he did.”

“Good man,” Dean said. He studied Jin, trying to get a read on him. He was more talkative than his brother and said all the right things, but what he left unsaid rattled Dean. He wouldn’t fail in
what
? Jin seemed concerned with defending his family’s honor, but Dean couldn’t be sure about his intentions. At this point, everyone was suspect.

The boys joined Verrick and the trial judge on the riverbank. Dean looked around. “I see the regent is missing again.”

Verrick spoke up. “He and Lady Kray are waiting at the palace, where the Bad Falls end.”

“Is that what ya call ’em?” Rook pointed downstream at a small drop before the river bend. “Don’t seem all that bad to me.”

The trial judge smiled. “This is just the start of the course. Three mighty waterfalls stand between the peak of Mount Skytop and the palace. Each one is larger than the one before it, and each stretch of river is rougher than the last. You will see,” he told Dean. “No true lord of Zenhala harbors any fear of the ocean. If you mean to rule this island, you must show us you can hold together in the harshest of storms. Therefore, you will be tested under the worst conditions we have available: the raging rapids of the Bad Falls. Young Jin will be your guide. You will face this challenge together. You must be bold, you must be capable, and
above all, you must be quick.” He held up a small hourglass filled with fine golden sand. “The regent holds an identical hourglass at the foot of the mountain. If you fail to reach the palace before the last grain falls, you fail the trial. If that happens, you will not be king no matter what color your blood proves to be.”

The judge’s aides dragged two kayaks into the water and held them tight, lest the current carry them off. Jin waded out toward the boats.

Dean looked downstream, wondering if the golden orchard was somewhere down the river. He followed after Jin and climbed into the boat. “What say you, Ronan? Not too late to join the party.”

Ronan laughed. “I like the view up here just fine, thank you.” He reached into his satchel and took out Dean’s kiteboard and mini sail, which he had folded up neatly and tied with a string. “Just in case.”

Dean took the board and sail and stowed them inside his kayak. He got in and took up a double-sided paddle. “I’ll see you at the bottom.”

Ronan shook his hand. “Good luck.”

Dean shoved off, and the judge blew the ceremonial conch horn, marking the start of the trial. As Ronan and Rook disappeared into the crowd, he turned his attention to the river. The Zenhalan test of seamanship was under way.

CHAPTER
21

D
ean had never rowed a kayak before, but he had seen natives use them to row out and meet ships off the coast of tropical islands. The technique was easy enough to pick up, and he had Jin’s example to follow. He wasn’t worried. People cheered from land as the river carried Dean and Jin over the small waterfall that Ronan had made light of earlier. Unafraid, Dean went first, taking a big stroke with his paddle as he approached the lip of the falls. The drop was only few feet, but it felt like more when he landed. His last push with the paddle had propelled him out over the falls, and the boat hit the water flat, magnifying its impact. A lightning bolt of pain struck Dean’s spine, and the force of
landing nearly broke his paddle across his body. “Ouch,” he said as the current shot him forward.

Jin let out a whoop as he splashed down behind Dean, his landing smooth and graceful. He quickly caught up with Dean, laughing all the way. “All right, there?” he asked.

Dean twisted around, working a kink out of his back. “I’ll be fine.”

“Of course you will. You did well! You’re a natural.”

“Thank you.” Dean leaned into his shoulder to wipe water from his face without taking a hand off his paddle. He didn’t feel like a natural. If anything, he felt he’d underestimated the river, but before he had a chance to say so, Jin was paddling ahead and out of sight.

“Paddle!” Jin shouted. “This is the gentle part of the river. We need to move if you want to beat the clock and pass this trial.”

Dean nodded and dug deep, paddling hard to keep pace with Jin. The river bounced him around, but he kept himself upright, getting the hang of it as he went. It wasn’t all that hard. The trick was to take alternating strokes, paddling on either side of the kayak to keep going straight ahead. Starboard, port, starboard, port, starboard, port. Dean established a rhythm, doubling up a stroke here and there to steer clear of rocks or duck under a low-hanging tree branch. People all along the river called out raucous huzzahs as he rowed past them. Their excitement was infectious.
Dean had to admit, it was a fun ride even if it was a little rough. He caught up to Jin as the river picked up speed. The water was choppy, but he had sailed in worse.
This isn’t so bad. I can do this
, thought Dean. Just then, the roar of rushing water filled his ears.

“Jin!” he called out. “The falls … How big are they?”

“The first is thirty feet. We can go over that one. The others we’ll avoid if there’s time.”

“If there’s time? How about we make time?”

“That’s the plan. We run a longer course that way, but we’ll make our way down in one piece.”

“I like the sound of that. No way around the first waterfall, then?”

“Afraid not. We have to stay the course.”

Dean scanned the waters up ahead. He didn’t trust Jin, but he needed him to get down the river. The five-foot drop at the start of the course had hit him like a cannonball in the back. A thirty-foot waterfall sounded horrible, and the ones that followed were out of the question. Especially the last one. The two-hundred-footer at the end would turn him into a bag of broken bones.

Dean’s loyal subjects cheered him on. Their cries did little to boost his spirits. The crush of falling water drowned out any noise they made. Dean’s fervent hope was that it drowned nothing else. As the falls approached, he tensed up. Jin urged him on. “You can do this!” he shouted, pulling up alongside Dean. “I’ll go first this time. Watch me! Do as I do.”

“Watch you how? I’ll be right behind you!”

“Then listen! When you reach the falls, steer clear of the rocks on the right. Aim for the center! The drop is more gradual there, carved out by the water. If you go over too steep an edge, you’ll flip your boat on the way down. You don’t want that.” Dean shook his head. No, he didn’t want that. “And don’t paddle off the lip of the falls! You’ll shoot yourself out past the water and land flat again. Last time it hurt. Do it here and you’ll break your back.”

Dean nodded. “Don’t break my back. Got it!”

“Keep your paddle in the water when you go over the side, but don’t row. Keep yourself connected to the current. Once you go off the edge, hold the paddle along the boat like you’re getting reading for a roll, understand?”

Water splashed into Dean’s face. “What’s a roll?”

“And brace yourself! Tuck your head in your arm. For God’s sake, protect your head!” The falls came into view, loud and terrible. “This is it!” Jin shouted. “Ready?”

Dean’s heart shrunk. “No!”

“Here we go! Don’t worry. The river does all the work; you’re just along for the ride!”

And with that, Jin was gone. He raced ahead to get in position at the mouth of the falls. Dean watched as he held his paddle in the water on approach, and then in a wink, he was gone. Alone, Dean turned as white as the water of the rapids. The confidence he had felt at the start of the course deserted him. The falls were
too big. They were coming too fast. He wasn’t ready for this by half, but there was nothing he could do. The relentless current sped up and the waters grew more turbulent. Dean reminded himself that the river’s heavy flow was a blessing. Its cascading torrents of white water would dig out a deep basin below the falls. There would be no rocks waiting to greet him when he landed. All he had to do was to bring the kayak down and keep going. “Nothing to it,” he told himself, trying to sound convincing. “Just go with the flow.”

He came up on the falls with his paddle in the water, just as Jin had said, and kept it there just as Jin had done. Past that point, he had seen none of Jin’s trip over the falls. When Dean reached the edge and saw the drop, it surprised him. The waterfall was not a flume running down a ravine like the last one had been, but an arc of water shooting out into the open air. Dean slid into the liquid onslaught with a scream and fell, as if riding a bridge of water down to the river below. The kayak went vertical, and Dean lost his mind, followed quickly by his paddle. He didn’t drop it. He threw it away and ducked down in his kayak, wrapping his head in his arms as he plummeted through the air. The nose of his kayak pointed straight down, and when it hit the water, Dean was thrown forward, back, and then upside down. Each blow punished his body, sinking him deeper below the water. The deluge forced him under and kept him there as the kayak submerged
completely. It surfaced with its topside down and Dean’s head underwater. He pulled his head out of his tuck position and took in a mouthful of river. He choked on it as the falls pounded down from above. Disoriented, Dean didn’t know what to do next or which way was up. Then he remembered something Jin had said: “Like you’re getting ready for a roll.” The words stuck in his head, a question that had gone unanswered.