I reached out as I toppled over the side of the boat. Before I crashed to the bottom, hands grabbed me and pulled me up and in, guiding me to what felt like a seat. I sat back on a flat piece of wood, while the boat rocked.
“What’s going on?” the captain cried.
“Sorry. I’m clumsy.” I tried to laugh it off.
“How is anyone that clumsy?” He sounded more confused than upset.
Heat blossomed through my cheeks.
Nikon chuckled, though there was no real mirth in it. “That’s my sister for you.”
There was nothing but the sound of water—until Tewy jumped on my lap and chatted animatedly. Whatever was going on in his little mind, he sure had a lot of feelings about it. I turned my face toward him as I ran my fingers through his fur to comfort him. Well, more like comfort myself.
“If you’re finished,” Zoe said, her voice distant, “I’d like to join my brother and friends.”
“You said you’re traveling to Kenti?” the female warrior asked.
“We are.”
“What for?”
Zoe replied, “We’re hoping to find work there where we can be with family.”
It was a plausible answer, though a more honest one would be to get away from the raids. No one would dare say that in front of a warrior.
Realizing my jaw was clenched so hard it hurt, I forced myself to relax it and the rest of my body, trying to pretend there was nothing wrong or worrisome. I probably failed, but if I appeared any less tense it would be for the better.
“Fine,” the warrior finally said. “Get on with you, but if you see anyone suspicious, report it.”
“We will,” Zoe said.
I wanted to snort at the thought of that ever happening, but kept it to myself.
Zoe’s light steps came closer, until she was sloshing through the water. The boat swayed as she got in, but it was a more graceful entry than I’d made. Zoe sat next to me. I turned my head toward them and got a whiff of the light scent of flowers that was all hers despite everything we’d been through.
She leaned closer, her arm brushing mine, and whispered, “Are you all right?”
“Humiliated, but otherwise fine.”
Putting an arm around me, she said, “We’ll be out of here soon.”
But it wouldn’t be soon enough. That would have been yesterday, before the raid happened. It felt like ages ago.
The captain barked out orders, and true to Zoe’s word, the boat was soon loose and rocking harder. We had to be moving too, and by the sound of something dipping in the water, splashing out, and dipping in again, it was a fair assumption that several sets of people were rowing.
I sat rigid, fingers wound in Tewy’s fur. He sat on my lap, sleeping perhaps with how still he remained. Or maybe he simply enjoyed watching the water go by. More unlikely, he sensed my worry and was trying to comfort me. One never knew with my little rascal of a monkey. At least he hadn’t flung any poop lately.
Zoe hummed a tune I didn’t recognize, the splashing of the oars mixing rhythmically with her music. I didn’t relax until Nikon traded places with her, placed my cane back in my hands, and whispered, “We’re safe now.”
I rolled my shoulders back and forth, and rubbed the back of my neck. It didn’t feel like we were safe, but if Nikon said we were, I’d do my best to believe him. It wasn’t like I could do anything of use on this boat if we weren’t. I’d proven that by tripping into it.
“It will take a couple of days to reach Kenti,” Nikon continued. “We’ll fish in the meantime. The boat isn’t big. We’re in the very back, with Zoe and Kaius sitting before us. After them, there’s a small area where a few men are rowing. The captain is in the front, alone.”
“It must be hard work, going upstream. Will they row for two days straight, or can they alternate?”
“We’ll stop at night and sleep on the riverbank. That means we don’t have too long a journey left today.”
After being away from the river for so long, I was getting nothing but the water. “What about the sphinx? She has a riddle for me to solve, or next time she finds me, she’ll kill me.”
“I don’t think they like water.” He didn’t sound certain. “We’ll be fine. Kaius, Zoe, and I will take turns keeping watch. And we’ll figure out the riddle. We just need more time”
I’d offer to help keep watch, but if something or someone was sneaky, I’d be no good. I could think on the riddle more, though I wasn’t certain what good it’d do, since I hadn’t been able to come up with the answer previously. The riddle was: I have a life, but none of my own. I bleed when torn. When I wake, I never die until the very last one. You take me away, and I’m left with none.
It was a problem without an answer yet, but one I’d have to deal with later. I lowered my voice, though we’d been speaking quietly. “Do we look different?”
“Yes.”
“How long will the new appearances last?” It didn’t make a difference to me for the long term, but it might affect my friends.
“I’m not sure. Let’s hope it doesn’t change while we’re on the boat, as it would raise questions we don’t want asked.”
“Good point.” I yawned. Hadn’t gotten any sleep for far too long. Nikon’s body heat radiated into my side, though he wasn’t touching me. He had to be close for me to feel it that intensely. It was a warm evening, but cooler than it could have been. The river’s doing, perhaps.
We’d escaped with our lives, plus Zoe and Kaius had been healed. Magic had worked for me, as it once had with the fighting sticks from my cane. I always looked toward the bad, but hadn’t found it, like when I’d thought Nikon was a robber. Well, other than Antonia, but some good came from that too. I knew she was alive and didn’t worry about her being dead or seriously injured anymore. I’d also found out my parents might be alive.
Perhaps it was time to stop doubting so much and start hoping.
It was a nice thought, one which I’d try to aspire to, but it would be hard. The thoughts continued to trickle through me as we continued on our journey. Some chatter floated around me, but after all we’d been through and the fact that we were surrounded by listening ears, I wasn’t inclined to say much. The others didn’t seem in the mood to talk either.
As evening further cooled into night, my stomach growled.
“I’m hungry too,” Nikon said next to me. “Looks like they’re headed toward the sandbank. We’ll get some fish soon.”
Then I would have to do a better job of hiding my blindness from those transporting us. In the spirit of following my new mantra, I thought it might go well. That was the best I could manage on looking at the positive side of things.
A few moments later, the boat gave a jolt and the dipping of the oars stopped. I took Nikon’s arm, and carefully stood when he did. He helped me from the boat, managing to get out directly after me.
The water that brushed against me was warm, halfway up my shins. We walked through it, until I no longer felt it. Tewy sounded off from somewhere ahead, most likely getting acquainted with the area.
Nikon whispered in my ear, “There are a lot of trees here. Lots of bushes too. Tewy’s climbing up a tree, but he keeps looking back at us. The crew is setting up on the section of beach to the other side of the boat, but Kaius and Zoe are staying on this side. We’ll get some food going soon.”
Tewy could probably manage food for himself if there was vegetation nearby, but was he lonely? Did he miss his monkey friends back at the waterfall? “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Lots, but I’m afraid that might give you away to our crewmen over there.”
He had a point, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. Feeling like a lump of uselessness was not on the agenda. Unfortunately, if I didn’t want to be turned in to the first warrior we came across, I’d remain idle.
“Cassandra.” Zoe’s voice was close and to my left, the opposite side from Nikon. “I’m going to use a bush. Would you like to join me?”
“Most certainly.” I hadn’t wanted to ask Nikon, but I definitely did. I let go of him and said, “I’ll be back in a little bit.”
“I’ll be fishing.”
I carefully walked toward Zoe’s voice until I found her. After I had her arm, we continued up what felt like the sandbank Nikon had mentioned.
Zoe said, “We’re going into the trees now. In another moment, you’ll be able to use your cane without the crewmen seeing.”
“Are they paying attention to us?” I asked.
“A little, but more getting ready for the night.”
Good reason to act like I could see for now.
I continued on until Zoe said, “They shouldn’t be able to see us.”
I stretched out my cane, and shuffled it back and forth in front of me as I walked. After we found a secluded place and took care of business, we went on the hunt for sticks we could use for the fire.
As I bent down to feel the ground, something hard popped into my shoulder. “Ow.”
“What?” Zoe’s footsteps rushed toward me.
“Something hi—”
Tewy hooted and hollered from his perch, somewhere to my right, far more mirthful than he had a right to be.
“Tewy, you’ve got to stop playing pranks.” I rubbed my shoulder. It didn’t hurt bad. It had more surprised me than anything else.
“Are you all right?” Zoe asked.
“Yes. Nothing to worry about, unless I end up wringing that monkey’s little neck.”
The monkey laughter stopped abruptly.
“That’s right,” I said, turning toward him. “I’ve about had it with you.”
There was a tug on my finger by a small hand.
I sighed and stretched my arm out so Tewy could climb up it. He wrapped his tail around my neck and sat on my shoulder.
“Come on,” Zoe said. “I’ve got the wood. Let’s head back to camp.”
I took a step forward, using my cane to guide me, when something hard jabbed against my back. Was Tewy goofing again? But he was on my shoulder, playing with my hair.
Zoe’s slim hand grabbed my wrist.
“That’s right,” the captain said. “Don’t move.”
It dawned on me then that the jabby thing was a sword, and it was digging into my dress with the threat of more.