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Behind her, Kast spoke up into the silence. Where to now, Flint? he asked.
I see no port, no dock.
The city s piers are over yonder, Flint answered, waving toward the opposite
side of the city. But we aren t going to the main port. Too many eyes, too
many questions.
Kast lifted his oar from the water. Then where? Flint pointed toward one of
the sheer cliff walls to the left of the city. Guide us over there, Kast.
Sy-wen kept her arms wrapped around her belly as the boat slid toward the
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towering wall of rock. She listened to the little paddled splashes as the
skiff was propelled.
Head toward that fall of rock just ahead! Flint s words drew Sy-wen s eyes.
His arm pointed to where a section of the cliff wall had cracked and tumbled
into the sea. We need to get to the far side of the rubble and out of sight
of the main city.
Kast grunted his acknowledgment and adjusted his paddling to round the boat
toward the rockfall. He used the paddle as a rudder to turn them into a tiny
bay formed by the boulders and cliff walls.
Sy-wen glanced behind them. With the view blocked, she no longer saw the
towers of the terraced city.
She twisted around. Even the sunken section of the city was out of the direct
view of the tiny bay. It was as if the city had vanished in a blink. Now
what? Kast asked gruffly.
Sy-wen studied the cliff face. Were they to dock here and climb the jagged,
damp rock?
This is the entrance to the Grotto, Flint explained. He raised a hand to his
lips and made a sharp, warbling whistle.
James Siemens ^ .j ^ _
Not more magick, Kast grumbled sourly. He gripped his paddle on his lap with
white knuckles.
Sy-wen shrank down, not knowing what to expect. She prepared for another jump
in location like at the
Arch. Still, what actually occurred startled her.
A section of the cliff face suddenly shimmered and parted into huge folds,
revealing the mouth of a sea tunnel behind it. She cringed back from the
miracle. Then she spotted the two robed men on either side of the entrance
with long hooked poles in their arms. She blinked a few times as the men used
the poles to draw wider the entrance to the tunnel. It took her a few moments
to recognize what was happening.
Kast put into words her own surprised realization. It s not magick, just a
camouflaged leather drape.
Sealskin actually, Flint corrected. It takes the dyes better when painted
to match the rock of the cliff, and weathers well, too.
Kast swore under his breath as he turned the prow of the boat to point at the
opening.
Not everything requires magick, Flint continued. It is a precious commodity
and not to be wasted when a simple trick works better.
Wh-where does it lead? Sy-wen asked as the boat swung toward the tunnel.
Flint squeezed her hand reassuringly. It is only a little ways. Flint s
words proved to be somewhat false.
The sea tunnel led deep into the island, twisting this way and that. It took a
moment of coaxing to encourage Conch to follow. But Sy-wen s touch and soft
words finally convinced the weakening dragon.
She saw the shocked look, mixed with awe, on the faces of the silent entrance
guards as they glided into the tunnel.
As they traveled, Sy-wen studied the walls, which were aglow with occasional
torches. To either side of the channel was a stone walkway used by the
entrance guards. Behind the boat, Sy-wen could see
Conch s nose occasionally surface. The passage was too narrow for the dragon
to swim beside them.
Even this bit of separation made her edgy. She kept glancing back to her
friend to ensure he still followed.
Finally, after a time that seemed like forever, the tunnel em]
into a fair-size subterranean lake. The crystal-calm waters were wide enough
to accommodate even one of the larger fishing boats that hunted the sea.
There is a dock directly ahead, Flint said, pointing.
Sy-wen sat up straighten The far side of the lake ended at a small rock beach.
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She spotted a wooden jetty protruding like a tongue at them.
Kast guided the boat toward it. Where are we? Flint had his ear cocked as if
listening to something other than the tattooed man s question. He held up a
hand for silence, then turned to them, his face much more dour. We must
hurry. Time runs short. The summons is already well under way.
What are you talking about? Kast asked. The dragon awakens, Flint said, a
trace of fear in his voice.
Sy-wen stared behind her at Conch. What did he mean? Of course the seadragon
was awake.
Paddle toward the pier, Flint insisted.
A group of white-robed men appeared from a nearby tunnel and rushed down the
wooden dock. Their clopping steps echoed across the still water. Even from
across the lake, Sy-wen could see that their arms were burdened with red,
steaming pots.
The healers, Flint said with a nod toward the gathered men. He dug his
paddle deep into the water to encourage the skiff to a faster speed. They ve
been waiting since dawn.
Kast also lent his strong arms and back to propel the boat toward the dock.
Within a few anxious moments, hands were reaching out for flung mooring lines,
and the skiff was secured to the pier s end.
A relieved sigh flowed from Sy-wen s chest. They had made it! She allowed
herself to be hoisted from the boat, keeping the single woolen blanket wrapped
over her bare chest.
Flint spoke at her side, his voice hurried. We have no time to lose. You must
get your bondmate to beach himself up on the shore here so the healers can
work on him.
Sy-wen nodded. Throwing the blanket from her shoulders, she dove cleanly into
the shallow water.
Ignoring the frigid snap of the sunless pool, she swam to where Conch rolled
listlessly beside the skiff.
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