The Promise of the Child

Part 15 (updated daily)

'What does a chief armourer do, exactly?' Lycaste asked.

'Chief armourer fires the harpoon.'

He quickly pulled himself aboard as the waves breached his chest, considering the idea for a moment and finding that he was excited despite himself. He reached over the edge to help Impatiens in and they sat watching the cove glide by, his boat manoeuvring through its own vacuum by the softest pressure of a hand laid upon its stern. The rocks were in shadow, the tall caves set within them drained by the morning low tide. The two friends had explored most of them over the years, walking miles along the coast and naming them like pioneers; Lycaste always deferred and let Impatiens decide, it was his friend's talent. Serious, rather unimaginative sorts of names were picked to begin with: Cape Lycaste, the Cove of Sorrows, Stinger Reef. Their final discovery, the novelty having worn off by then, had consisted of a tiny beach piled inexplicably with sun-bleached animal bones. They had named it Scary Bay and abandoned all further searches, vowing to each other that they would never go out that way again.

'Where are we heading?' Lycaste asked, feeling decidedly unsafe inside the small bowl.

'Anywhere. Over to the next bay. Come on, Lycaste – show me how fast it goes.'

'You know how fast it goes.' He knelt and leaned on the stern, gradually tipping the half-sphere until its rim almost touched the gliding surface of the sea. The waves flew apart at the boat's approach, the warm wind drumming faster in their ears. He heard Impatiens laughing distantly. Lycaste ground the heel of his palm to the right, carving a white tide of repulsed water, and swung them back towards the shore, now far-off.

'Let's have a go.' Impatiens slapped his hand on the stern before Lycaste could answer, rocking the boat away from the shore again and raising another plume of spray. He leaned with all his weight and they raced out into the open sea, Lycaste anxiously watching the beach recede through the strands of his wind-blown hair.

The rich green waves began to slop more forcibly, repulsed from the hull in a roiling, slapping current and broad, foam-crested wings. Impatiens eased the pressure and they slowed, silence flooding back as the water calmed around them. Lycaste looked down into the clear sea; it was very deep now. Schools of dark fish swam far below, broken by shimmering refraction. Anything could glide eerie and unnoticed beneath them. He glanced over at Impatiens, who was also staring rapt into the depths, sparkling reflections playing on his face. A hot breeze tousled his long blond hair across his eyes, breaking the spell, and he sat back, thinking.

'We'll need bait.'

Lycaste wondered for a moment what might attract the creatures they wanted to find. 'I have a crop of bloodfruit from last year.'

'Fermented?'

'Some of it.'

From time to time in the hottest months, his flesh trees ran with sticky red sap. This unsettling phenomenon usually meant they were overripe; the fruit Lycaste was thinking of would be perfect. Their flavour even had a little kick to it. He nudged the edge of the boat deliberately with his toe and it began to move, turning parallel to the far-off beach.

'Has anyone ever been eaten?' he asked after some time, rather hoping Impatiens wouldn't hear his question.

Impatiens laughed, nodding enthusiastically.

He hesitated. 'Who?'

'It was a woman, I think. Her name escapes me – it was a very long time ago, though, Lycaste.'

Lycaste nodded, shading his eyes and peering back to shore, clearly marking the two red shapes as they played in the sand. The hills bore down lushly above them, wobbling in the rising heat. He could make out single browning palms standing lonely on the slopes.

Lycaste thought again of his observer. Someone was up there.

'Have you seen anyone new around lately? In the Province?'

Impatiens turned and stared at him, uncomprehending. 'Someone we don't know, you mean?'

'Yes.'

His friend picked some bright yellow paint from the side of the boat, thinking. 'I went to see Elcholtzia three days ago. He would have mentioned someone – you know what a chatterbox he is. Why do you ask?'

Lycaste bit his lip, feeling slightly foolish. 'I don't know, I thought I might have seen a new person,' he said, hoping the small lie would validate his fears.

'Where?'

'It doesn't matter, it was probably just one of you walking about.' He wanted to change the subject now he'd gone too far, but Impatiens leaned forward, interested. New people didn't turn up very often.

'What did they look like?'

'I don't know. I'm fairly sure it was one of you now, thinking about it,' he said quickly, looking away.

Impatiens sat back, disappointed. He stared down into the depths again as they sailed back to shore and began to trail his hand in the water, as if daring something to come. He gradually sank it lower and lower, entranced by the sea-floor below them. Finally he looked up and lifted his arm out. 'Let's go for a walk later, up into the hills. You can ask Elcholtzia about your stranger.'