Their journey through the forest resumed at first light of the following morning. Already behind schedule, Aisling made the group pick up their pace, traversing the last swathe of land to get to the coast before the tide turned against them.
The forest thinned, the trees growing further and further apart until they finally crossed out into the open air. The uneven ground gave way to sandier soil, the grass growing patchy, and the trees and shrubs becoming twisted and bent, many of them stunted in comparison to the ones they’d left behind.
As the wind blew toward them, Evelyn breathed deeply, inhaling an unfamiliar scent full of salt and tang. Following the fae through the shrubbery, she almost stumbled as she caught her first glimpse of the ocean beyond.
She’d never seen anything like it in her life—the photos of the oceans in her own world, captured nothing of the vastness that now lay before her. The breathtaking expanse of water stretched out to meet the horizon, and she didn’t know where it ended. Maybe it went on forever.
For a moment, Evelyn felt small, almost insignificant compared to the enormity of the world before her. It was as if she stood on the precipice of something important, daring, and dangerous…and far greater than the moment she’d stood on the bridge above the artificial river under the dome. She couldn’t help but wonder what mysteries and creatures lurked beneath the waves, hidden from sight.
Realising she’d been left behind, Evelyn hurried down to the cove after the others. Crumbling cliffs surrounded them, their jagged edges softened by the passage of time. Rocks were scattered along the shoreline, their surfaces worn smooth by the constant ebb and flow of the tide. As they left the patchy grass and stepped onto the beach, the almost-white sand squeaked beneath their feet. Evelyn made her way awkwardly behind the group, each step making her sink slightly into the sand, the going slow.
“All right,” Aisling said, breaking Evelyn’s concentration. “I just need to signal the crew.” She pointed to a sheltered part of the bay where a tall ship was anchored, its sails furled and tied securely with ropes. The hull was painted a rich red and adorned with intricate gold patterns, making it glimmer in the threads of sunlight streaming into the cove.
With a subtle flick of her wrist, Aisling sent a spark of magic into the air. In response, a small rowboat was launched from the ship and made its way toward the shore.
“You look sick,” Finn said, standing beside Evelyn.
“Just nervous,” she admitted. “I’ve never been in a boat before.”
“It’s been some time since I’ve been in one, too,” was his reply.
Before she could ask him more, the boat made landfall. It was manned by several rough and hardy men who lifted the oars from the water and jumped out onto the damp sand. Evelyn hesitated, not knowing what to expect once she was out on the ocean.
“Come on,” Aisling urged, climbing into the rowboat with ease.
Taking a deep breath, Evelyn followed suit, her feet sinking into the cold water as she stepped aboard, Finn following close behind. Lorcan helped Naimh in, and the girl sat beside Evelyn.
“Are you scared?” she asked, taking Evelyn’s hand.
“Only a little. I’ve never been in a boat before, much less a ship.”
The sailors heaved the boat back into the water, using the momentum of the waves to do most of the work.
Evelyn couldn’t help but feel uneasy as the boat left the shore, the sensation of floating making her reach out for something to stabilise herself. But even as she grabbed the edge of the boat, it kept rocking, the sensation making her stomach roll in time with the lapping water.
“Doing well for your first time at sea,” Aisling commented with a grin, amused by Evelyn’s reaction.
Lorcan’s eyebrows rose as he glanced over at Evelyn. “You’ve never seen the ocean before?”
Evelyn shook her head, unable to find her voice as she concentrated on her centre of gravity. Lorcan seemed content not to press the matter further, his expression revealing only mild curiosity.
The bow of the boat slapped down onto the water as it coasted over the waves, and Evelyn licked the salt off her lips as the spray coated them.
“Just like floating down a river, eh?” Finn asked with a smirk.
Lorcan frowned, his gaze moving to Evelyn, who tried to hide her flushed cheeks with little success. “What is he talking about?”
“Give it a rest, Shr’lei,” Finn retorted. “No one needs saving with your shiny star.”
“It’s fine,” Evelyn told Lorcan. “He’s just being very…Unseelie.”
“He’s very mean,” Naimh said, glaring at Finn.
“I think he’s just pushing people away because he doesn’t want them to know he cares,” Evelyn stated, jutting out her chin.
Aisling let out a loud snort, the crew manning the oars chuckling amongst themselves.
“Maybe you should try your luck with your new friends,” Finn muttered. “I certainly won’t stop you.”
The barb hit close to home, stinging Evelyn in the heart. She couldn’t and he knew it. Finn was mean, but he hadn’t betrayed her to Lorcan or Aisling. What did that say about him, then? For now, it was a mystery she didn’t want to dwell on too much.
As they rowed the rest of the way out to the ship, she felt a surge of determination filling her chest. With each stroke of the oars, she grew more confident that she could silence Finn’s sarcasm, at least for a few days.
Once aboard the ship, Aisling gathered the group around her, her blue eyes shining with excitement. “Welcome aboard the De Leiore Deithah’an,” she proclaimed. “The Veiled Voyager. It should take us two days to sail to the Isle of Ghosts, if the weather remains in our favour. If not, I can manipulate it,” she said, flexing her fingers as a gentle breeze swirled around them.
Evelyn stared in wonder as the wind seemed to circle around the Seelie and catch the enormous sails as the crew unfurled them. The heavy canvas flapped into place with a whoosh, revealing the detailed insignia painted onto the fabric—a large silver shield topped with a faceted diamond bordered with serpent-like creatures, and a blazing gold eight-pointed star in the centre.
“It’s a merchant crest,” Finn explained, as if he was trying to make up for his earlier behaviour. “It’s all illegal, of course, but smugglers always sail under false flags to avoid detection.”
As the crew began bustling about the deck and pulling anchor, Evelyn stood aside, watching them work. Sailors shouted commands and scrambled up rigging, their movements practised and precise. The ship creaked and groaned as it began to move, and the beach shrank as they picked up speed, riding the waves out into the open ocean.
“Feeling sick yet?” Finn asked, his silver eyes gleaming with mischief.
Evelyn shook her head, a grin spreading across her face as the wind caught her hair. “No, thanks to those tablets you gave me.”
“Good. You’ll need your strength,” he replied, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary before turning away.
As the ship cut through the water, Evelyn held onto the railing, basking in the salty air, feeling the sun touch her flushed cheeks. Sailing was nothing like she’d expected…it was better.
“See? Not so bad,” Aisling teased, her fiery hair dancing in the wind.
“I can see why you like it, but I keep wondering what’s underneath all of this water.”
“Well…” The Seelie chuckled and shook her head. “There are many creatures, but you’ve seen that what lingers in the deep forests is not a story. But if there’s any living thing out there that shares the same nature as the Ash Xashri, I’ve yet to meet it.” Aisling stepped away, leaving Evelyn and Finn with a parting word. “The worst we will have to deal with out here is a squall, and I’ve got that covered.”
“Or the authorities,” Finn murmured.
* * *
As the Veiled Voyager sailed toward the Isle of Ghosts, Evelyn spent most of her first day onboard getting to know the crew of hardy sailors who were a mixture of Shri’danann and De’ashlide fae. She peppered them with questions, their curiosity at her appearance breaking the code of silence they seemed to have between themselves and outsiders. Her growing confidence surprised her—only a few days had passed since she’d jumped and already the desperate, melancholy woman who lived under the dome seemed like a faint memory.
Lorcan kept to himself, watching Naimh closely as she chattered away with Aisling and irritated Finn with her questions. It was clear that the Shr’lei held secrets for both himself and the girl, but for the moment, Evelyn chose to trust them.
Finn, however, wasn’t as easily convinced.
“Give it time,” he said to Evelyn, leaning against the railing beside her as they watched the sun set on their first day at sea. “We’re stuck on this ship together for a while; we’ll work out their story, eventually.”
Evelyn nodded, her gaze drifting over to where Niamh sat on a barrel, humming a lilting tune. The young Seelie girl had quickly struck up a friendship with Evelyn, latching onto her with surprising force. Yet, the girl’s relationship with Lorcan wasn’t clear cut. There was no sense of danger or malice, but rather an air of savage protectiveness surrounding the warrior.
“And what about our story?” Evelyn wondered. “Lorcan is rather interested in finding out what it is, too.”
“Our stories are rather separate,” Finn commented.
“Are they?” She turned to face him, her expression hardening. “How’s that?”
“Maybe you should talk with your shadow,” the fae drawled. “You’ll have more success with your fishing.”
“Finn—”
“We’re travelling together because of circumstance,” he interrupted. “If all goes to plan, then it won’t be long before we part forever, Evelyn Carter.”
“So there’s no point in becoming friends. Is that what you’re saying?”
Finn’s eyes became sad, and she wanted to reach out to him, but knew better than to try. He would just push her away as he usually did, covering any semblance of his heart with veiled sarcasm.
Evelyn sighed and waited a moment, hoping that he might soften at least a little, but when he remained hard and stoic, she turned away.
Venturing across the deck to where Naimh was sitting, she sat beside the girl and smiled.
“Are you enjoying the journey?”
Naimh nodded. “It’s exciting.”
“Tell me about your home and family,” Evelyn asked as they watched the sun dip lower in the sky. “Where in Lor’Iyslar do you come from?”
Niamh’s eyes clouded with unease, and she hesitated before speaking. “I… I can’t talk about them,” she finally said, her voice wavering.
Evelyn didn’t press further, sensing the girl’s discomfort. Instead, she placed a hand on Niamh’s shoulder, offering her a warm smile. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”
“W-what about your parents?” the girl asked. “Are they still in your dark home?”
Evelyn felt herself closing up just as Naimh had, not knowing how to explain how things were under the dome. Born in a laboratory, designed to not be a drain on the dwindling resources of the dying planet, her society only adding to the population when it wouldn’t cause issues for survival of the whole. It was a cold and clinical way to maintain a species. Her mother and father were real human beings, but they weren’t her parents.
“They’re gone,” she admitted. “I never knew them.”
“I’m sorry,” Naimh whispered. “Mine are…” She let the thought trail off, her unspoken words dissipating in the wind.
Evelyn’s gaze found Lorcan standing watch on the other side of the ship, his eyes locked on Niamh. There was more to their story than they were letting on, and she hoped that, in time, the truth would reveal itself…but perhaps not. Once they reached the Isle, everyone would go their separate ways. What did it matter then?
“I’m going to head below and get some sleep,” Evelyn told Naimh. “We’ve had an exciting few days and I’m extra tired.”
The girl looked over at Lorcan and nodded. “Good night.”
As Evelyn ventured toward the door leading to the stairs, she glanced over her shoulder, watching as Naimh wrapped her arms round Lorcan’s middle. He stroked her golden hair in a brotherly way, murmuring something far too low for Evelyn to hear over the sounds of the Veiled Voyager slicing thorough the water.
With a frown, she headed below. Tomorrow was another day, after all.