Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 Galvin, Aaron (classic fiction txt) 📖

When Marisa released him, Girard fell away, blinking as one waking from a trance. “Right then,” he said finally, collecting himself off the deck and catching his breath. “No time to waste, eh?” he asked, already heading down the gangplank for the dock. “I-I’ll head into town for supplies and to call Mr. Zymon about having someone to look after his plane. Then, we’ll be off.”

The Selkie captain continued on past Chidi and Bryant too, almost as if he did not see them standing upon the dock. Chidi watched Girard go at a near running pace to reach his van, jumping inside and firing up the engine, then screeching away toward the small, coastal town in the distance.

Chidi exchanged an odd look with Bryant before he strode forward.

“Bourgeois,” he called out. “What was that just now? What’d you show him?”

“His heart’s desire, David,” said Marisa. “And how he might achieve it.” Her gaze snapped to Chidi. “Come aboard, my friends. Chidi and I have much work to do before we reach our destination . . . and the task set before us will require the extent of both our talents.”

Chidi started forward, but was stopped by Bryant extending his arm to keep her from boarding.

“This destination,” Bryant warily eyed Marisa. “Where is it? What’s this task you’re on about needing Chidi’s help with?”

“Why, the destination is the Salt capital, New Pearlaya, of course,” she replied. “And we must reach it before the Other and his minions do. As for the task, come aboard and I shall tell you more. No doubt we should all prefer drier positions and warmth for the lengthier conversation to be had.”

Drier? Chidi thought, scouring the overcast sky, but not feeling any hint of rain.

Whatever his own thoughts on the matter, Bryant held his ground and kept Chidi with him. “Seems to me then that Girard had the right of it from the start,” he said to Marisa. “If time’s a factor, it’d be awfully faster to fly to wherever this capital is.”

“Not with the storms we’re likely to encounter.” Marisa smiled in tandem with the thunder that followed. The sound rippled across the gloomy sky. The thunderclap was followed by several more booms to signal its arrival.

Startled by the reverberating echoes, Chidi swallowed the lump in her throat as the rain began to fall upon them. In seconds, she was drenched by the torrential downpour that the storm unleashed. Brushing Bryant’s arm aside, Chidi threw on her Silkie hood and hastened up the gangplank to follow both Marisa and Allambee inside the captain’s quarters.

The rain outside pinged against the ceiling and window glass as another wave of thunder and lightning announced their continued presence outside.

Chidi shivered as Allambee huddled next to her. Both cringed at another booming and echoed reply from the storm.

As for Marisa, the mystic Silkie stood at the captain’s wheel, her back turned toward Chidi, her gaze cast out the window upon the Salt and its white-crested, thrashing waves beyond.

Bryant stumbled in behind Chidi, cursing as he reached for the door to close it behind him and shutter them inside. Muttering, Bryant shook off the wet that drenched his own suit and hood. “Anyone can look up at a cloudy sky and call the rain coming in . . .”

Marisa turned back. Cocked an eyebrow. “You doubt me still, then?”

Chidi looked between them, she having already given in to her former doubting of Marisa’s claims. In Bryant’s face, she estimated he would hold out a while longer, if only for the stubborn streak within him.

Leering at Marisa, Bryant ignored her question in favor of jerking his thumb toward the storm outside. “You sure you wanna us all to go out in this mess, Bourgeois? Rough seas and all?”

“It is not what I want,” said Marisa quietly. “It is what is required of us. Each of us here.” She said, nodding toward them each in turn.

“Well, I think we’d all be better served to wait out the storm,” said Bryant.

“Some storms last longer than others, my friend,” said Marisa.

Chidi swallowed the lump in her throat. “What about this one?” she asked. “This storm?”

Marisa smiled. “We will see the end to this smaller one, at least, before Girard returns and we set out.” Her smile faded as she looked out to the rough sea. “It is the storm brewing beneath the Salt that concerns me now.”

“All the more reason to take Zymon’s plane and fly to New Pearlaya,” said Bryant. “Them monsters that took down the Knoll? I’m guessing they could capsize this boat even easier than that. Not even them kraken things can reach a plane in the sky though.”

“We can’t fly to New Pearlaya,” said Chidi meekly. “The city is underwater. Tucked away in a cavern.”

Bryant snorted. “Well, then we can’t really take this boat there either, can we? Least the plane would get us closer to whatever land is near enough for us to swim the rest of the way. Get us there faster too, no doubt.”

“We’re taking the boat,” Marisa affirmed. “For our party is not yet complete.”

“Party?” Bryant asked.

Marisa nodded. “Another companion awaits us further asea,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes narrowing in such a way as to make Chidi wonder after what invisible sights only Marisa Bourgeois could see. “Aye,” Marisa continued. “Another companion . . . and one of the five pieces of two . . . both lingering and lost beneath the Salt.”

“Come again?” Bryant asked. “The five pieces of what?”

“The five pieces of two,” said Marisa. “Ancient gifts, long forgotten and hidden away.”

Chidi shivered at the words. “What do you mean?” she asked Marisa. “What are these . . . pieces? What do they do?”

Marisa went on, her brow furrowing as she looked on Chidi. “An answer not easily given or explained, for even I have long held my own doubts about the legendary, Ancient gifts left behind for us to puzzle over. In truth, I