Chapter Six
Baelan
“Covendane, just when I thought you were beginning to follow the rules!” Captain Perth’s voice was harsh and angry. “What were you doing out of the barracks?”
“Nothing,” Baelan lied. He looked over the captain’s shoulder just as Rillie’s thin frame disappeared into the woods behind them.
“You’re lying,” the captain said. He shook his head. “It’s just as well. We’re leaving tomorrow – shipping out first thing.”
Baelan blinked. “What? No,” he said quickly. “I have to—“
“You have to do what, Covendane? Meet the woman you certainly weren’t just with?” Captain Perth narrowed his eyes and glared down at Baelan. “You can’t lie to me, Covendane,” he added.
Baelan sighed. “Nothing,” he lied again. “I am tired. I should be getting back to bed.”
Baelan followed Captain Perth into the barracks. The men slumbered noisily – snoring, coughing, passing gas in their sleep – and the room smelled disgusting. Baelan wrinkled his nose as the captain stood by his bunk and watched him remove his shoes and crawl beneath the sheets.
Baelan barely slept that night. All he could think of was Rillie – what would she think of him, now that he’d made a promise to her that he couldn’t keep? And furthermore, why had the queen banned her from singing?
What was Queen Zornaya so paranoid about?
By the time the sky was streaked with the first pinks and oranges of dawn, Baelan was exhausted but alert. He wolfed down his bowl of porridge and chewed a bit of unpleasant salt pork.
Captain Perth smirked at him. “You’re feeling awfully energetic this morning,” he said. “Why not go out and make sure the moorings are set?”
Baelan nodded.
“We will be gone for a month,” Captain Perth replied. “This will be a training exercise, and I’ll be paying attention to your performance, Covendane. You need to impress me.”
The threat didn’t fail to register with Baelan. He saluted the captain, then dashed outside. Maybe if Rillie emerged from the woods, he could somehow find her and communicate? He could at least tell her that he had to leave soon, that he was sorry for getting her hopes up.
But it was more than just a feeling of responsibility. Baelan wanted to see Rillie again. He couldn’t stop thinking of her long pale hair, her pretty, elfin features…and most importantly, the way her hand had felt against his. Baelan had never been infatuated to this degree before – at the most, he’d thought of the women he’d bedded for a day or two, nothing more. But Rillie was gaining a special, important place in his mind – and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why.
The docks were deserted. Baelan climbed the mast of each ship, checked the flags and ropes, and scouted for Rillie’s slight figure along the shore. But as the sun rose high into the sky, he never saw her.
By the gods, what a fool I am, Baelan thought miserable. I can’t believe this luck. More than ever, he regretted signing up for naval service. He wished that he’d pushed his way into the queen’s quarters the night before and told her that he wasn’t a fit sailor. It wasn’t exactly a lie – compared to the other men, Baelan felt barely adequate. And Captain Perth certainly seemed to think Baelan was destined to fail.
I should just give up, Baelan thought sourly. Any hope that he had of seeing Rillie again began to fade when the other men walked out onto the decks, yawning and stretching. When Captain Perth emerged and gave the order for the ships to leave, Baelan felt like throwing himself overboard and swimming to shore.
Perhaps it was his depression, or perhaps it was his regret, but Baelan did a wonderful job sailing that day. The weather, fortunately, was perfect. Baelan found himself growing more and more familiar with each process, and pulling on the ropes didn’t seem nearly as arduous a task as it had seemed when Baelan had first stepped aboard.
“You’re doing well,” Captain Perth said, narrowing his eyes.
Baelan grinned. “Aye,” he said. “Perhaps I’m not as much of a failure as you think.”
The captain didn’t reply. Baelan worked so hard during the day that Rillie had almost faded from his mind by the time the skies began to darken. It was a beautiful sight, watching the sun disappear into the surf. The pretty skies reminded Baelan of Rillie’s beauty, and he leaned against the rail and sighed.
“What’s on your mind?”
Baelan turned around and saw Loreth, standing there with a pipe propped against his lip. The sour smell of tobacco filled Baelan’s nose and seemed to carry with it a poignant significance of the evening itself.
“Oh,” Baelan said. “Nothing.” He didn’t feel ready to discuss Rillie – especially not since her voice had also attracted Loreth and Gaz.
Loreth snickered. “Aye,” he said. “That is what so many men think. Nothing.”
Baelan didn’t quite know how to answer that.
“We are away for a month,” Baelan said, again thinking of Rillie. He closed his eyes and imagined her on the Zhekan shore, crying as she ran around looking for him. The image made him snort – Rillie wasn’t the crying type…perhaps she would be angry? Red in the face and full of passion?
“You’ve definitely got something on your mind,” Loreth said slyly. “Or perhaps, someone.”
Baelan didn’t respond. “A month is a long time,” he said.
Loreth snickered. He blew a cloud of blue tobacco smoke into the air. “It isn’t that long,” he said. “Whoever she is, I am sure she will wait. Tell me, is she another royal cousin like you? Pampered and spoiled and ready to rule your life?”
Baelan snorted. “No,” he said. “She is…different.”
“I bet she is,” Loreth said drily. “I’m sure she’ll think fondly of you during your absence. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you.”
Baelan rolled his eyes. “I do not require advice from you,” he said, tossing his head.
Loreth shrugged and snickered again before walking away.
The ship sailed into a damp fog, heavy and thick, that felt like wet wool against Baelan’s skin. He was given the first watch, and his clothing was soaked through to the bone after only a few seconds at the ship’s railing. From inside the hold, Baelan could hear the laughter and cheers from the other men as they supped and drank and sang. He felt a pang of homesickness – if only he could be back in his own chamber, with Rillie, snug and safe under the coverlets and furs.
Baelan stayed on the deck of the ship, casting a watchful eye into the fog until Captain Perth showed up and clapped a hand down on Baelan’s shoulder.
“You did a good job today,” the captain said in a gruff voice. “Go and rest.”
Baelan didn’t need to be told twice. He nodded, saluted the captain, then went down to his bunk. It was empty – most of the men were still upstairs, carousing and laughter, but Baelan was exhausted. He closed his eyes and felt himself drifting off.
The ship bunk was hard and unforgiving – the complete opposite of his feather bed back in the royal compound – and Baelan tossed and turned groaning as his shoulders and hips ached. Just when he felt himself going into a thin sleep, he heard a voice.
A soft female voice, singing quietly.
Baelan’s eyes flew open and he sat up in his bunk, glancing around. “Rillie?” He asked the empty room, feeling quite stupid when there was no response.
“Rillie?” Baelan asked again. “Is that you?”
For a moment, the singing stop and Baelan felt his head thud in his chest. No, he thought. A feeling of desperation welled inside his chest and for a moment, he feared he would cry. Thinking that Rillie was there had filled him with a desperate hope – he wasn’t ready to accept that he was alone in his bunk.
That was when he heard the singing again. It filled his ears with beautiful tones, as soft and warm as honey. Baelan began to feel drugged. He climbed out of his bunk and pulled on his boots, walking hypnotically towards the sound.
I’ve got to find her, Baelan thought as he slipped out of the room and walked down the narrow corridor that led to the captain’s lodgings. She’s got to be here somewhere!
The singing grew louder as Baelan moved away from the bunks. His heart was pounding against the walls of his chest and his palms were sweaty.
“Rillie?” Baelan asked, pushing open the door to the storage rooms. “Are you in here?”