Sky of Wind by Emily Deady

Chapter 18

“Don’t wake me up tonight,” Sol whispered to Meena as he latched the door closed behind him.

“Who is going to be doing most of the work once we reach Falqri?” Meena asked.

“What do you mean?” Sol responded.

“Who is going to be skipping sleep, sneaking around the city at night and constantly watching our backs to keep us safe?” Meena knew Sol could not see the hands she had on her hips, but she hoped the hissing in her whisper properly conveyed how seriously she wanted to be taken.

“I assume you are speaking of me?” he responded.

Meena kept her mouth closed, for once choosing to let her facial expression convey what she wanted to say.

Then she remembered Sol couldn’t see her face.

“Obviously.” The snide comment had less of an impact after the awkward pause, though. “Sol, you are the central piece of this mission. Please sleep on the bed. All night. And then neither of us will lose sleep.”

“I don’t think I’m going to sleep much either way.”

“Because you will be constantly alert against an attack?” Meena said. “I see the way you look at every space we enter, how you are always aware of who else is in the room. Let me guard the door tonight. We won’t have much time for sleeping in Falqri.”

“You are a rather heavy sleeper,” Sol said slowly. “Thank you for offering the bed, but I don’t think even a storm could wake you.”

“I’m already lying down.” Meena dropped quickly to the ground in front of the door as she spoke. “Did you know I can sleep anywhere?”

“I’ve noticed.” Sol must have sat back on the thin pallet as Meena heard it creak.

She smiled. Winning felt good. “Do you think all married couples argue about their sleeping arrangements?”

“I’m sleeping,” Sol replied.

“It probably helps prove we have a real marriage if any of the sailors can hear us through the walls,” Meena said.

“If they were listening, you just gave it away.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“Goodnight, Meena,” Sol whispered.

Meena could feel the end of the conversation in his voice, but she settled comfortably against the hard floor. “Goodnight, Sol.”

Meena fell asleep quickly. Spending the day wandering the deck of the ship in the warmth of the sun was both exhilarating and exhausting. She’d enjoyed watching the green forests and rolling hills of the Iseldis coastline as they sailed south toward their destination. But her eyes begged for a rest.

She slept soundly, until she found herself in the middle of a dream about the ship sinking. In the dream, she stood on the deck, watching someone climb the roped rigging as a storm raged around them. Lightning struck. The ship pitched. And the person in the rigging lost their grip and fell through the air toward her.

Meena woke up screaming. The body had hit her. Something was on top of her.

Sol leaped off her. “Meena, it’s me. I fell off the bed, did I hurt you?”

Meena stopped screaming, drawing in huge gulps of air as she sat up. Her body was overheated with sweat. “I don’t feel any pain.”

A thunderous clap sounded above them, and the ship rolled again, tossing Sol against her. This time he was prepared, and caught himself with his hands on the wall before his body slammed into hers.

“We’re in the middle of a storm.”

“So it wasn’t a dream,” Meena murmured. She looked up at the low roof of the small cabin, expecting to see rain leaking through it, or lightning burning it off. But all she could see was darkness, and the outline of Sol’s head close to hers.

“I’m going to see if I can help,” Sol said, standing despite the ship’s motion. He reached down to help her to her feet as well.

She leaned against him as she frantically reached for the wall to stabilize herself.

Rain pelted their faces as Sol opened the door.

“Stay here,” Sol yelled over the noise as he slipped outside.

Meena stepped out after him, holding both sides of the door frame to keep herself standing. Rolling around the tiny cabin by herself did not sound appealing.

The ship pitched again and Meena found herself tipping forward. Her arms strained against the door frame as she attempted to keep herself from falling face forward. Water sloshed over the rail in front of her as the ship righted itself, pitching in the other direction.

Meena swung back inside the room and fumbled for the door.

On second thought, rolling around inside the tiny cabin sounded far preferable to rolling over the side of the ship into the raging sea.

Jumping onto the bed, she curled herself in the blanket and wound her arm through a tall post which was attached to the wall. Huddled into a ball, the makeshift handle and walled corner of the tiny room kept her fairly stable against the constant motion of the ship.

This was decidedly less pleasant than watching the sunny coast of Iseldis drift by.

She closed her eyes. It didn’t make much of a difference since the cabin was dark, anyway.

Her stomach churned as the ship rose and fell, landing back in the water with a breath-defying jolt.

It felt like an eternity before the door swung open, letting in rain and seawater, as well as a very wet Sol.

“It’s bad,” he said, forcing the door shut behind him.

“I can feel that,” Meena responded, her arm already bruising from how hard she clutched the perpendicular post of wood. “How bad? Sinking bad?”

“The storm was unexpected,” Sol replied. “We’ve been traveling close to the shore for speediest passage. That was a mistake. We are now too close.”

“So yes, sinking bad.” Meena’s stomach churned again.

“More like crashing into rocks bad.”

“You really didn’t soften the blow,” Meena muttered.

“I didn’t hear that,” Sol yelled, still bracing himself against the wall.

“Nothing!” she responded. It felt good to yell. Her stomach stopped rolling when she yelled.”So we just wait it out?”

“That’s one option,” Sol replied.

“Can’t we use the sails or something to go in the other direction?” She knew it was probably a foolish suggestion as she knew nothing about ships or sails or navigation in stormy weather, but talking was better than silence. Or listening to thunder and waves.

“I don’t know about sailing, but the wind is pushing us into the shore, so I don’t think that would work.”

“What other option is there?” Meena’s throat felt hoarse. And her stomach started to churn again despite the yelling.

“There is one last resort I’d rather avoid,” Sol responded.

“You can get us out of this with your magic?” Meena didn’t dare yell the secret out loud, so Sol didn’t hear her question.

The ship shuddered, stilling in the waves, but shaking in place. A deep, low groan from below them sounded over the noises of the storm.

Meena screamed.

Sol pushed himself off the wall and sat on the bed next to her, throwing one arm around her shoulders and grasping the handle above her.

“It’s time for that last resort,” Meena yelled. “We just hit something.” She said the words out loud, hoping Sol would refute them and calm her fear.

He said nothing, but Meena could feel his arm and chest relax around her.

She shivered.

He tensed as the ship rocked again, but still said nothing.

She could feel reverberation from his chest as though he was speaking, but she heard nothing.

“Please try the last resort,” she whispered, repeating it in a louder voice to be heard.

“I am!” he responded. “It’s a little difficult right now. Think of something calming!”

Meena closed her eyes. The handle she clung to was firm, but her body rolled against it at the whims of the ship. Water from Sol’s clothing had seeped through her dress, but she could also feel the warmth of his arm around her shoulders.

As the next wave hit, his arm flexed around her, supporting against the motion and helping her remain stable.

She inhaled. Calming thoughts. His arm was calming. This was not the adventure she’d asked for, but it was exciting. They were in this together and she was looking forward to spending the next several days with Sol, even if they were difficult.

His chest vibrated again, and it sounded as though he were humming, or even singing, a song.

Meena breathed deeply, hoping his magic would work.

A slight wind rustled over her ear and she shivered. Not even the air was stable.

The wind picked up, wrapping around her head and bouncing off the wall next to her. She buried her face in her elbow, protecting her eyes from the blowing gale, all calm feelings gone.

Surely the roof had been torn off the cabin and the storm was raining down upon them. It was the only explanation she could think of for the intensity of the wind that still circled her.

“The door!” Sol yelled, pushing away from her.

She clung to the wooden handle, accepting her fate as it came to her. There was no point in leaving the cabin now. The ship was done for.

She heard the door slam open, slapping the cabin wall.

Whipping around her head once more, the wind disappeared.

Meena kept her face covered, waiting for the inevitable water to reach her toes.

The door slammed shut again, and the ship rolled. Meena waited for the ship to bounce back. Sol had left her.

She inhaled a shaky breath.

A very wet arm wrapped around her shoulder again and she started in surprise. “Sol!”

“The storm won’t die immediately, but that should keep us from the rocks below,” he yelled in her ear.

“What did you do?”

“I asked the wind for help.”