The boat creaked as they pushed off from the island, the crew members that had been left behind waving them off. In the end, it had come down to drawing straws, with too many wanting to stay, and promises of extra payments had made been to try and entice any to stay. Those left had already been drawing up plans for inns and other entertainments, as well as how quickly they could get more stock in. Well, if it was on a trade-route, then it would probably be in a good place to get more business.

Stathis shook her head, trying to shake off the buzzing blur off the alcohol. Whatever that stuff had been, it was damn strong, and the queen hadn’t been shy about topping the goblet off! In the end, Semari had drunken most of it, explaining why she was now an unconscious lump in Stathis’ arms. She let Semari go, pouring her body onto a coil of rope, where she immediately curled up, like she was flowing into the space, looking happy in her stupor.

That done, she went to the rear deck. Hakara was still within her circles of magic, all of them brightly glowing. She had to lean against the railing to support herself, the blue and open sky above her making her reel slightly. ‘Hey, I bought you some food. Good stuff.’ She held up the bowl, waiting until a magical force supported it and let it go, so it was carried through the magical circles. Hakara devoured it, clearly desperate for anything other than ship’s biscuits.

‘Anything happen? Or anything you can tell me about this place? Ancient elven stuff, apparently.’

With the food in her belly, Hakara seemed a little more coherent. ‘That would explain some of the power I sensed. Similar to Ashfall Keep, but rather…’ She faltered. ‘Wetter.’

‘Yeah, it’s probably got ancient magical stuff going on. I found someone that might be able to help as well.’ She half-turned and managed to resist being startled when Kivata was right there, a silent and wan shadow. She’d barely spoken when Stathis had introduced herself, only shuddering slightly, and then following her around like a silent and creepy servant. ‘This is Janaxia’s sister. She probably knows more actual wizard-stuff, so she might be able to help you out.’

Hakara came to the edge of the magical circles and Stathis stepped out of the way, gently grasping Kivata by the shoulders when she tried to move out of sight. ‘What is the inverse angle of Normad’s theorem?’

Kivata gasped and tensed in Stathis’ grip, before giving a faltering but very long answer, something highly technical sounding that Stathis knew she wouldn’t understand even when sober. Hakara nodded, seeming satisfied before asking something else. With every question, Kivata tensed, clearly fearful.

Hakara shook her head at a response, whatever technical-sounding babble Kivata had said apparently incorrect. Kivata flinched as though she had been strong, a sob wracking her body. Hakara looked at Stathis who shrugged. ‘I’m guessing her family didn’t treat mistakes kindly. Anyway, she has some magical knowledge and skill – can you use her? Janaxia’s dragged her along, so she’s probably not going to try and murder us in our sleep or anything.’

Kivata fell to her knees, thudding into the deck. ‘Yes. Please, let me serve! I will be of use to you. Please forgive my mistakes.’ It looked like she was about to crawl forward, only stopped by the shimmering glyph-wards.

Stathis tried to sound as reassuring as possible, soothingly stroking her back. ‘Don’t worry, Hakara just wants some help. Hakara, can you teach her or something? Or get her to take over sometimes, so you can actually sleep?’

‘It will take time to attune her to the construct I’ve made, but her help would be appreciated. Kivata, could you start by inscribing the Pendlemoor attenuation around yourself? As precisely as possible.’

Another shudder ran through Kivata, but she stayed down and started to chalk something onto the deck, runic squiggles starting to glow with a faint white glow.

‘Your Ath needs to be sharper – the accent should be a line, not a curve.’

‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’ Kivata moved to hastily fix whatever mistake she had made, looking at Hakara with a desperate need for approval, Hakara looking confused. ‘Just keep an eye on her, and make sure she doesn’t summon any demons or ghosts or anything. And use her to get some rest, if you can.’

Kivata shuddered again. ‘I’ll obey! I’ll do whatever you say!’

Hakara looked at Stathis again. ‘Yeah, I’ve no idea what was done to her. So be kind to her, I guess? She’s clearly been through a lot.’

She was almost abasing herself, now deeply focused on whatever runes she was drawing, deeply intent on getting them precisely right, glancing up at Hakara sometimes for guidance, flinching whenever Hakara wasn’t smiling.

‘So can I leave her with you? Just watch out, she’s easy to ignore, so can be a bit creepy when she suddenly appears.’

The glow of the runes brightened, merging with the overall thrum of the magical circles. When Hakara smiled down at her, she immediately brightened, working with greater speed.

‘The help would be appreciated. She seems to know the basics, I’ll have to find out how good she is.’

The magical auras merged, and Kivata was able to step, or rather crawl, inside the barrier. A wind started up, pushing against the sails as the now-reduced crew moved about, making them move appropriately. Stathis left them to it, heading below-decks, heading towards Janaxia’s cabin. The darkness throbbed and pulsed, an almost physical thing visible around the doorframe. When she knocked against it, the wood was chilly to the touch.

‘Janaxia? You in there?’ She knocked again – if Janaxia wasn’t inside, she’d either been grabbed by the elves, or somehow vanished into darkness. She leaned against the door, feeling a force resist her, pushing back.

‘I would prefer to remain undisturbed.’ Janaxia’s voice was slow and heavy, and still very much unfriendly. ‘Unless there is something that requires my attention?’

‘Uh, no. Nothing you need to worry about. Just let me know if you feel strange or anything. Oh, and your sister’s helping Hakara. She seems like she’s been through a lot, keeps jumping like she’s terrified.’ There was a vague mental susurration of grumbling.

It seems rather much for you to have usurped command of my own blood. Even Janaxia’s mental voice sounded aggrieved and bitter.

‘Well, you didn’t even tell me she was on board! Thought the ship was haunted by some ghost-girl or something until Semari filled me in. We hit something that slowed us down, but we should be on our way ago soon.’ She listened, waiting for a response – was that another female voice, lighter pitched? Or had Janaxia started mumbling to herself? She’d been in self-inflicted isolation for a while, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if she’d gone a bit funny in the head.

Hmmm. Well, it appears you have resolved the matter satisfactorily without my help.

‘Well, I didn’t want to interrupt your… whatever you’re doing.’ Stathis pushed on the door again, feeling some force inside resist her – Janaxia wasn’t strong enough to do so by herself, so it must be the result of some spell she was casting. She pushed harder, making the door rattle, still without any give.

She focused her will and warm sunlight started to pour from her hands. The darkness retreated, wooden planks appearing beneath the doorframe. Then the shadows surged forward, snapping at her hands with biting, snarling cold, making her flinch backwards in shock.

‘I am meditating upon my magic. And my future.’ Janaxia snarled this last word, broadcasting it mentally well. And would prefer solitude such that I may do so un-interrupted.

Stathis stepped away from the door – the aura of darkness was now even larger, the entire passageway darker than it had been, even the sunlight penetrating through a porthole looking as though the sun had gone behind a cloud. She looked into her own cabin, next door – tendrils of shadow had wormed through the cracks and gaps in the planks – and sighed. Time to sleep on deck and hope it didn’t rain!

‘What in the hells is that?’ Pajaran drew her mace, the weapon smacking against a wooden wall and knocking a chunk out.

‘It’s Janaxia doing… whatever she’s doing. Still kinda pissed off.’ She spoke quietly, hoping that Janaxia was too busy sulking to listen. ‘I’ve no idea what the hell’s up with her, but I’d rather she not scare the piss out of the crew. Mind giving me a hand? I think I can at least try and keep her power from being so bloody obvious!’

Pajaran carefully prodded at a tendril of the darkness with her mace – it retreated or vanished, before slowly creeping back into view. ‘Is she turning into a demon queen or something? Carissa seemed pretty clear that she’s bad news – are you sure you’re doing the right thing?’

‘I don’t think Janaxia needs to die, at least! She’s weird, but not evil. At least not in the direct sense, even if her spirit feels evil and demonic. And, uh, she reacts badly to holy ground and sacred water. Got any holy water on you?’

‘Yeah, I’ve started carrying some. Seems sensible, y’know? Just in case she does something.’ She produced a vial of water and handed it over to Stathis, who started to flick droplets of it around. As it fell, it sparked into light, the droplets glowing like liquid sunlight, the effect painfully bright to look at. It started to flow and collect, forming into squiggles and shapes. Where it touched the darkness, the shadows melted away.

Stathis paused, half-expecting to hear a groan or muttered complaint from Janaxia, but there was nothing, so she continued, emptying out the bottle. The lines of sunlight flowed up around the wall, defying gravity as the liquid rolled upwards. The room was definitely not suitable for sleeping in anymore, between the brightly-glowing lines and the occasional tendrils of darkness that still flowed inside.

‘This is new?’ Pajaran was looking at her strangely. ‘You used to just be able to heal a bit, this seems pretty potent.’

‘I don’t know how much is a result of not technically having a body at the moment, and how much is the result of travelling to that other world. Agon might have been weird, but he was quite powerful. And there was something else there, the Light he spoke of, whatever that actually was. For something he described as a god, it was quite quiet! Normally you can’t shut them up. Don’t suppose you can talk to anyone up there that might offer some help? Without bringing Carissia down on us?’

‘Hah, I wish! I’m nowhere near high enough up the ladder to get special treatment. Should have spent more time praying and less time learning to fight, I guess. Might be able to do something like this with more practice, but not yet.’ She tapped her mace against the glowing lines again – they had set solid, not shifting under the touch. ‘So do you want me to produce a load of holy water?’

‘If you could, please. Better to have it, just in case.’ The ship rocked, sending them both staggering for a moment. Stathis frowned – she could hear a roaring wind, and the ship seemed to be moving faster, at or least shaking and rumbling more. ‘Uh, is it just me, or are we moving really fast? Crap, we’ve not been sucked into something else now, have we?’

They looked at each other before both running up and onto the deck. The boat was racing along, waves scudding past, a strong wind filling the sails. Parth blinked onto the deck suddenly, her clothing ruffling in a wind that seemed to be circling her. In one hand, she was carrying a curved horn, ancient-looking wood surrounded with rune-engraved metal bands.

‘What’s that? Did you steal it from the sea-elves?’

‘Reclaimed.’ She raised it to her lips and blew on it – no sound came out, but the winds strengthened, pushing them along even faster.

‘Would they see it the same way? Most people don’t like it when their ancient treasures get stolen! Even if you have some story about why it’s… yours? Or your peoples? Wait, is that why you were speaking to the captain? Did you know that place would have risen?’

‘Ancient power, better used than abandoned.’

‘Are we going to have them chasing us? I’d rather not have them cutting the bottom of the ship out.’

‘Honour is assuaged.’

‘That’s remarkably unhelpful. If they attack, I’m throwing them at you, and you can sort it out. So it can summon the winds or something? I guess that’s helpful. Is it going to do anything bad? Or will it react weirdly to Janaxia?’

‘Chained by darkness. Speed best, lest the darkness overwhelm.’ She looked at Stathis, meeting her eyes. ‘Light should guide darkness.’

‘I’m bloody trying to! But she won’t come out of her room, and the darkness was keeping the door shut. Even aside from whatever special stuff’s going on with her, I’d be somewhat concerned about anyone holing up in their room for days, but I don’t think I can really just drag her out, and she’s still pissed off with me. Which, yes, I deserve, but I can’t even talk to her to apologise, she just shuts me out completely!’

‘Light to bind, to break, to shatter.’

‘I’m not going to bind her! And don’t snigger Semari, I can see you there!’ Semari pouted before curling up into her coils of rope again. ‘Next time warn me if you’re planning on stealing ancient elven artefacts. When we get somewhere, I’ll try and lure Janaxia out, show her a good time. Not a damn word, Semari! That horn’s not cursed or anything, is it? The last time we crossed over a sea then things went a bit shit, remember?’

‘The darkness beneath. The dwellers will wake.’

‘You’re not reassuring me here, Parth. Are we going to have to fight something from beneath the seas?’ Parth shrugged. ‘Fine. You can go on watch, keep an eye out. And let me know if we’re going to bump into any of your cousins or anything!’

‘Remnants of empire, scattered across the world.’

‘Great. Just let me know if you wake a kraken or something? Or they come after you to get their horn back!’

The ship sailed along, making what seemed to be impressive speed, as Stathis went to find somewhere to bunk down herself for the night.