Chapter 4
I felt the soft stinging touch of salt on my lips; it was a strange and new sensation for me to hear the sea as the waves gently crashed against the wooden hull of the ship. I kept my eyes closed to the world; there was some part inside me that hoped that when I opened my eyes, everything would be back to normal. That I was safely back in my village with my father looking calmly down at me with his big and powerful eyes again. That this was all a crazy nightmare.
But the nightmare was real.
A slow sarcastic clap forced my eyes open as I looked up in horror. The demon Larousse was sitting cross legged on a nearby stool and shaking his head at me.
“What do you want? I thought I got rid of you.” I asked, yawning and wiping the sleep from my eyes as Adelmar snored softly by my side.
“Oh darling, I am like the 7-11 of demons, I am everywhere just when you need me the most. Okay, I’ll admit I never saw the move coming that you pulled back there, what with the two by four to my skull and the cracking of wood. It was totes bad ass sister but I’m back now to get you on track again. Can we not be such a petulant child and listen to Uncle Larousse now okay?”
“I told you, I am not going with you. As soon as the ship docks, I am getting off and I am heading for home. I don’t care about the bet between War and Death, just leave me alone and I won’t have to strangle you, is that clear?”
“Ooh,” he wringed his claws a few times and looked up innocently. “Just a few tiny problems with that one chief. Your village doesn’t exist anymore, well not for the last thousand years or so and this ship is not going anywhere near your home. In fact, we’re heading in the other direction; to the West to be specific. Oh damn, what’s the little hellion going to do now?” He laughed softly, mocking me.
“Why should I trust a demon like you? This is all a massive lie for all I know. No, I don’t believe you.” I said, sitting up straight, looking him square in his red eyes.
Larousse sighed deeply and cradled his head in his claw. “This must be payback for the Christmas party.” He smiled and picked up a cup before letting it crash to the floor. “Guards! Guards!” He shouted at the top of his voice.
“What are you doing?!” I shouted in horror at him.
“Whatever needs to be done to get your ass up and running. Good luck darling, see you later!” He bowed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Mentally calling him every name I knew, I ran for the door, Adelmar by my heels as the entire ship came alive with a chorus of angry shouting and the stamping of feet on the deck. I had barely made it through the kitchen when I heard the ship’s cook screaming behind me. Seconds later, a butcher’s knife imbedded itself deeply in the wooden beam next to me. Crashing through the door, I blindly ran down the corridors as surprised faces popped out of the cabins.
“Which way? Which way?” My still tired mind tried desperately to figure the way out of the hull. Why didn’t I pay attention last night when I snuck on? Silly girl! I admonished myself in the run. Finally, I saw a ladder in the murky gloom appear before me. It was my only chance of escape, the crew only mere meters behind me. Scampering up, I pushed open the hatch and instantly felt the warm morning sunshine on my face. Standing on deck, my eyes grew wide as I looked on in awe around me. I was on the middle of a massive war ship, the white sails bulging in the wind and an ice blue ocean surrounding it.
“You over there! Stop!” The angry voices sounded up behind me as I ran for the edge of the ship. “There has to be a way of, there just has to be.” But my luck had finally run out. There was no way to get the life boats down in time and I realized immediately we were miles and miles away from land.
