Born of Water

Born of Water Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

THE RUN NORTH

The deck canted under Niri's feet. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. For one moment, she thought of giving up. Instead, she turned her face into the evening breeze, hoping it would revive her.

The sun hovered over the western hills of the grassy and rocky shore of this isolated stretch of coast as if it were the only inhabitant of the barren landscape. Settlements had appeared along the shore the night before, dimly seen in the blue light of the greater moon. Nothing large enough to have been called a town, only a few stone houses with sod roofs and moss stuck between the boulders to protect the occupants from the wind. There were few lights in the villages and no wharves. What boats Niri and Lavinia saw were narrow and long with deep drafts, resting above the tide on the rough pebble beaches. The smell of peat smoke drifted from the land.

Now it was early evening again and that was the only reason Niri was on deck at the same time as Ria and Ty. It had been a long four days since they had lashed the heavy boom to the deck, put away the broken rigging lines, and raised the jib to head north. Lavinia was heartsick, but would not admit it. The knowledge of what her brother had gone through, along with his intent to abandon her in Drufforth, left her eyes dark and hollow.

Ria ignored Niri's appearance on deck. For the last few days, Ria would not look in Niri's direction, as if she did not exist. Ty's reaction was little better. After four days of it, Niri was tired of such a petty game, especially to be blamed as the cause. Really, she was tired of everything.

Sailing with only the jib, the boat hardly moved unless she pushed the tide. Between the continual binding of the Curse, its occasional struggles, keeping out the water seeping from the crushed timbers of the hull, and pushing the boat, Niri's power was in constant use. There was never truly a moment to rest.

Adding to that was the growing dislike for hard bread, old cheese, and dry meats. Ria's childishness was a small bother amid the rest, but Ty's icy distance elicited an ache whenever she thought of it. His kindness had comforted her twice now.

Lavinia sat on deck already, her arms resting on the rail and legs dangling toward the sea. She watched the shore as its shadow stretched toward the boat. Lavinia saw Niri and stood. It was time for them to take over the boat while Ria and Ty disappeared below.

Niri stepped forward, but it felt like her foot sank through the deck. The world tilted, rocking under her feet so that she fell to her knees.

"Niri!"

Lavinia's tone was panicked. But Niri couldn't see her. Instead she saw a world of azure blue. Arms supported her and she leaned into them, resting against a solid chest. Ty held her. Contradictory sensations of the boat and Ty's arms competed against flowing blue and liquid coolness. Then she understood.

"It's the Curse. It wants free," Niri whispered.

"It's fighting you?" Ty asked with concern.

"Yes... no, it's not struggling. It's sort of talking to me."

The hazy image in Niri's mind cleared. She looked into the golden eyes of the Curse. Niri wanted to fight it, to get away from however it had brought part of her to it. But she found herself struggling with Ty. He held her tighter.

The Curse's power reached out to her. Niri reeled as images and emotions flooded her mind.

The Curse was tired and hungry. The need for food filled her body. Her lungs burned. Breathing water was weakening the beast. Magical or not, it was a living creature that was born to breathe air and to eat. It needed to stretch its wings and muscles. Every inch of it was cramped and bound by heavy water. The need to move blocked all else in Niri's mind for a moment.