* * *
As they gathered at the clearing near the shallow cliffs with the bonfire burning low, Earron jumped to his feet and pointed just down from them to the opposite side of the white sand beach on his far right. “Over there—one of them is swimming to shore!”
Kyhawn stood up next to Earron and Coita. “I see him. We need to get down there before he escapes.”
Alil held her hand up at Earron and Coita. “You two stay put. It might get pretty nasty down there.” She gave Earron a severe stare, “That especially includes you…Earron.”
Earron crossed his arms and sat back down on the hillside, Coita beside him. He frowned as they watched Alil go down to the water with Kyhawn, Zeal, and Shanel following her. Within seconds they had descended the rocky hillside and quickly climbed down the steep rocky seven foot drop-off onto the rocky beach.
Sword in hand, Kyhawn ran to the water’s edge and approached the dark figure cautiously. Heart pounding, he dropped his hood, then glanced over his shoulder at Zeal and Shanel who were right behind him.
“Spread out along the shore,” Alil directed. She glanced over her shoulder at other members of the crew who stood on top the drop-off ready to assist them if needed. Alil aimed her pistol at the figure. “Whoever you are, stop there!”
The dark red-headed figure attempted to wade away from them into the shallow water, crying out, “You don’t understand what’s going on here! The chest belongs to us, not the Adrolf government.”
“It’s a lady,” Kyhawn said as he lowered his sword.
Alil stood at the water’s edge, her pistol still aimed. “Lady Faliena, I’m warning you—don’t take another step.”
Kyhawn moved closer. “If you’re innocent, then give yourself over to us, and make amends—”
“Don’t go any further!” Alil ordered Kyhawn. She was still pointing her pistol at Faliena, but it was obvious she didn’t want to pull the trigger. “For the last time—I’m warning you.” She reached for her dagger as she moved in, Kyhawn not far behind.
Faliena waded nearer to the shore, reached for her own pistol, and aimed it directly at Alil.
“Look out, Alil!” Shanel shouted.
Alil felt death upon her and pulled the trigger.
Faliena staggered a few feet, looked around at everyone, then down at her wound. A split second later she fell face in the water.
Kyhawn went over to her with his sword in hand. He wasn’t sure if she was dead. He hesitated before getting any closer.
“Is she dead?” Shanel drew near, twirling her dagger.
“I can’t tell.” Kyhawn pointed his sword at Faliena. He turned to Alil and Zeal to make sure they had their pistols ready before he got any closer.
“She could still be alive.” Zeal waved his pistol in the air in readiness. “Be careful, Kyhawn.”
Faliena pressed her feet firmly in the wet rocky sand. Within a blink of an eye, she sprang erect, turned to Kyhawn, and pulled the trigger.
The sounds of three pistol shots filled the air around them.
Kyhawn dropped to his knees.
The end of Alil’s barrel smoked. With mixed emotions she lowered her pistol in silence and rushed to Kyhawn followed by Zeal and Shanel.
Faliena lay on her back in water only inches deep. Moments later it began to sprinkle. The rain splashed off her pale silverish-purple face as she stared into the heavens.
Kyhawn slowly turned to them with a look of relief. “Her pistol didn’t fire.”
Zeal reloaded his pistol and gazed out into the creature-infested waters.
Alil slipped her pistol in its holster and gave Kyhawn a refreshing smile. “For a moment, I thought you’d been shot.”
Kyhawn got to his feet, then went over and crouched a few feet from Faliena’s body. When he felt she was dead, he insisted on finding out if she was wearing a necklace with an gray abstract bird, but she wasn’t. He slowly looked at Alil, then further to his left at Zeal. Behind Zeal, off to his far left, something was drifting ashore. Excited, he stood, stared at the object, and whispered, “Over there. The chest, I mean it looks like it might be the chest!”
“Kyhawn, I don’t see what you’re talking about,” Alil said.
Kyhawn turned toward Faliena’s lifeless body to avoid suspicion. “It’s just beneath that overhang near the foot of the cliffs. We shouldn’t let the others on the clearing know we can recover it.” He paused. “Alil, if you and Shanel take care of her, I’ll take care of the chest.” He wished he hadn’t lost the pistol Washburrn had given him. He looked at Zeal and twitched his head to one side indicating he wanted Zeal to follow him.
Alil thought for a moment. “You two be careful. It could be one of her mates.”
“It’s the chest.” Kyhawn smiled slightly, feeling calmer. He knew at that moment the peg-lock chest was indeed a part of his dreams—and there it was at the foot of the shallow cliffs. As they went over to it, he picked up seaweed to hide it until they had a chance to rebury it later. For now he just knelt before it and felt satisfied.
Zeal dropped some more seaweed over the chest. He scratched his nose and twisted his lips, looking undecided. “Be okay for now,” he finally said as they went to join the others.
But Alil seemed doubtful. She turned to Zeal. “You and Shanel get some help. I want this entire area searched from the rocky beach east of where the Sealander went down to over there beyond.”
Tuenale, whose long gray hair and whiskers revealed him to be the oldest crew-Zac, along with the help of young crew Zac Tobben, carried the body to the seven-foot drop-off, where they had originally climbed down from. Werdna and Treb were there to help as they handed the body up to them.
Alil slung her hood back. “Kyhawn, what do you think she meant by all that rubbish she was saying?”
Kyhawn held his hands out as they neared the drop-off. He glanced around, then looked at Alil. “All I can tell you is that I didn’t believe one word. For all we know, they were just pirates going after jewels.”
“Most likely. Though Washburrn said there were only old books and documents in the chest.”
“Not according to La’mamm,” Kyhawn whispered.
Alil shook her head in bafflement. “Whatever’s in that chest, I can’t wait to get that thing off our hands.” She began to climb the drop-off.
When she reached the top, the rugged-looking one-eyed passenger Tailk reached out for her hand. He smiled as she thanked him. “The pleasure’s all mine,” he said. “It’s nice to see you looking well, considering.”
When Kyhawn started his own climb, he saw Washburrn standing at the top. “Good to see you’re alive,” the older Zac said. “Well, don’t just lean against the rocks—give me your hand.”
Kyhawn reached for his hand, and a moment later greeted Washburrn with a Zacterronian handshake. Washburrn pulled him close and embraced him. “I didn’t believe it when I first heard. I still can’t believe the La’mamm I know could … be so cunning.”
“That’s one of his friends there,” Kyhawn said, breathing heavily as he pointed toward the body Werdna and Treb were carrying up the hillside.
Washburrn nodded. “I saw her.” He leaned close and whispered, “But the chest—where’s the chest?”
“After the wreck, it washed ashore.” Kyhawn smiled as he told him the good news. “Zeal and I buried it under some seaweed at the foot of the shallow cliffs, down over there on the dry side.”
Washburrn raised an eyebrow. “We’ll need to rebury it before tomorrow’s sun.”
“Kyhawn!” Earron shouted as Coita and he approached. “You had us frightened.”
“I’m fine. But thanks, you guys, for your help. Why don’t you go on to camp with the others? I’ll be there in the morning.”
“But …” Earron gave him a disappointed look, glanced at Washburrn’s stern stare, and then turned to Coita. “Come on,” he said as he nudged Coita’s arm and headed for camp.
“In
the morning,” Kyhawn repeated. He turned to see Washburrn hugging Alil.
“By golly,” she said, “we were starting to worry about you.”
Washburrn dropped his arms to his side. “Kyhawn and I are going to rebury the chest. Please make sure you keep a close watch throughout the night. You never know—one of them might have made it to shore alive.”
“The watch is already being taking care of.” Alil looked at him compassionately, her hands on his shoulders. “Tomorrow you and I are going to have a long private talk.” She gave him a slight smile. “Is that a promise?”
“It’s a promise. Tomorrow.”
Shortly afterwards Kyhawn and Washburrn descended from the drop-off to find they were alone. As the waves melted into the sand, Washburrn ran his fingers through his thinning hair. “There’s more to the chest than a bunch of old books and documents.”
“What do you mean?” But the look Kyhawn gave Washburrn showed he already knew.
Washburrn slowly turned his head from side to side. His brown eyes glistened in the moonlight. But suddenly he seemed to change the subject. “La’mamm was a decent Zac.”
Kyhawn placed his hand on Washburrn’s shoulder.
Washburrn nudged Kyhawn’s hand away, glassy-eyed. “Well, I think we’ve taken on more then just a babysitting job here.”
Kyhawn gave him an odd look. “A babysitting job?”
“What did this La’mamm look like?” Washburrn asked.
“Look like?” Kyhawn paused for the moment, then described the Zac’s gray hair, thin features, manner of speaking, and selfish attitude.
Washburrn turned his head from side to side sadly. “It sounds like him physically, but the La’mamm I know is anything but selfish. In fact, he’s quite the opposite.”
Silence echoed through the space between them as Kyhawn stood at the water’s edge where the ocean and the sand came together, changing slightly with each and every wave. And like life itself, Kyhawn too felt he was changing. He kicked a severed tentacle that had washed ashore.
As they neared the chest, he gave a small cry: “What’s that?”
“Not sure.” Washburrn pulled a small leather pouch loose from another severed tentacle and tossed it at him.
Kyhawn opened the soaking wet pouch. “This is what Emaya gave Earron and Coita. There’s a crystal inside.”
“Dylc told me something about magic crystals. I do hope he recovers from that nasty blow on the back of his head,” he sighed, slowly adding. “Let me hold that, if you don’t mind.”
Kyhawn tossed him the pouch. “Earron told me what happened to Dylc.” He lowered his head for a moment. “The crystals did save everyone’s life aboard the Mothcuh last night. Emaya gave Earron and Coita three crystals. Apparently they only used one of them tonight.”
Washburrn tucked the pouch in his vest pocket. “Odd … I wonder why they didn’t use this last one?” He paused. “Well, all the better for us—might help us get off this island.” He added quickly, “I can’t want to hand this chest over to the Adrolf government. It’s been nothing but bad luck.”
Kyhawn dropped to his knees before the chest. “Here it is,” he said as he removed the seaweed. “I thought this belonged to these two professors, La’mamm, and what’s-his-name.”
“Technically the chest, the ancient artifacts, and the old books and documents do belong to La’mamm and Lumpskin. They work for the Adrolf government. It gets complicated, but it’s not for us to worry about any more than necessary.” Washburrn crouched and gently placed his hand on the lid.
“I know about the old books and documents, but how do you know it also contains ancient artifacts?”
“When you asked the question, you sounded as if you already knew there was something more than papers in there,” Washburrn noted.
“It’s just something that Lord Mytoolwan said, and as well La’mamm, or whoever he was. Anyway, they bragged about jewels being in here.” Kyhawn placed his hands on one end of the chest getting ready to pick it up. “And they didn’t seem to think there were any books or documents in here at all.”
Washburrn shook his head. Had Captain Joenf deceived them? “It’s not for us to bother with. Our only job is to make sure the chest arrives safely in Adrolf.”