The Four Realms - Book One - Truth

Episode 14 - The Cove

We travelled silently for the following hour. The cold water chilled to the core.

My heart lurched at every sound, and yet we travelled without incident. Everen was still being helped by Lian and Kryal, and with each step, I felt more guilt for what I had done to him.

My thoughts were turning darker when suddenly we stepped from the forest into a field full of corn. I breathed in deeply, grateful for the warm air and sunlight. This place reminded me of home.

"We're not safe yet." Amia warned.

My eyes were pricked with tears; exhaustion was getting the better of me.

From the field, Amia took us along the edge of cliffs, the ocean battering against the curved earth beneath us. It seemed almost impossible that the land still stood. Boulders far beneath us glinted in the morning sun like teeth rising from the turbulent waters, as if a beast were rising to the surface with its open mouth breaking the surface.

It was as I studied the torrid scene that I noticed something that looked like a ship on the horizon.

"There she is." Lian announced in a tone that I could have sworn was something similar to pride mixed with a little relief.

We came to a stop at the top of a jagged, overgrown path dipping violently below us. My heart instantly sank.

"We're going down there?" I could hear the dread in my own voice.

Kryal turned to me and smiled. I recognised his attempt at calming my nerves, but the drop was terrifying.

"Afraid of heights, Esatain?" Amia asked the question with an undercurrent of derision.

"No. I just value my life!"

Amia was riffling through Everen's pockets. She pulled out a circular piece of crystal. I had never seen something so beautiful. The edges were encased in an ornately carved band of silver about an inch in width. The crystal itself was the size of Amia's palm. She held it out in front of her, catching the sunlight, and tilted it in the direction of the ship.

I saw a light bouncing back at us in response from the ship.

"Come on. I'll go first." Amia forged ahead. My stomach was already churning with nerves at the sheerness of the downward journey in front of us. Kryal and Lian continued helping Everen, but from time to time, Kryal would stop at tricky points to make sure I was okay.

"Thank you, Kryal." He was being kind, and I didn't want that to go unnoticed.

I supposed there would perhaps be some irony to this if, after all I had been through, I plummeted to my death because of a wrongly placed foot. I had to keep moving forward, even if that meant moving forward with people I knew little about.

I took just a second to look back behind me to say goodbye to my old life, my sister, father, and mother. This group of strangers was the only chance I had now. My fears were silenced, and I took the first step towards my uncertain future.

***

We arrived at the base of the cliff in a small cove, which must have been at least an hour after we had begun our descent down the winding path.

With the imminent danger now gone, I allowed myself to study Kryal properly and was a little taken aback by his olive skin and firm forearms, dusted with dark hair.

Each member of the group seemed to have made the journey with ease, with barely a bead of sweat. Not once did they trip or stumble, unlike my own unladylike decent, spent on my behind for the majority. I had built up quite a sweat, and I looked out at the cool ocean longingly.