Page 67 of The Flame and the Forsaken

Hamish’s eyes were full of unspilled tears. He could only shake his head.

“Well, I reckon they’ve been there, what, three weeks? Erran was trained for this. Mariel has lived off the land half her life. If they say they’ve gone inland, they have, and I expect they’ll have found themselves a water source and a place to hunt, gather food. Shelter.”

Hamish brought his knuckles to each eye and nodded.

“It also means they’ve had enough time to ready their shelter against predators. They’ll have traps set, or other deterrents. Let’s be on our toes.”

Their trek inland was the easiest part of the entire voyage because someone had marked arrows on the trees. They followed them, finding first the river and the well and then, close by, a cabin.

A blanket hung on a makeshift line. There was a low fire burning in a rather large firepit. A spear, its tip coated in dried blood, was propped against the side of the structure. Beside it were a couple of crude traps meant for some kind of sea fishing, seaweed and other detritus tangled inside.

Destin brought both hands to his mouth.

“Do we knock?” Hamish whispered.

Samuel considered their options. A knock might be so unexpected as to be misconstrued for an animal that had wandered too close. Walking in without knocking might get the first one who entered speared or stabbed. “Let’s call out to them. They’ll hear our voices and know we’re no predator. If they don’t open the door, then we quietly and carefully enter. And step carefully, lads. Look for tripwire... branches that don’t belong.”

Hamish didn’t wait for accord. He cupped his hands and shouted, “Oy, Erran! Mariel!”

Destin was next. “Mariel! Erran! It’s Des!”

They waited a minute, then tried once more before deciding to cautiously enter the premises. Samuel was not prone to overanalyzing, but though the fire was fresh, he harbored a terrible fear they would walk in to find them both dead.

They’re probably out foraging or hunting.Samuel went first, since it had been his idea, assessing the path for safety before inching slowly up the stairs. He glanced back at the other men before reaching for the handle, only to find there wasn’t one. The door was cracked and had no visible latch.

Samuel gently pressed on the door, stepping in to find a surprisingly serviceable living area, and?—

“Oh. Oh dear,” he murmured, unsurewhatto do about the sight of Mariel’s bare, sweaty back contorting as she rode Erran into next season. Erran’s hands guided her hips, the two of them moaning and panting.

Well now we know why they couldn’t hear us.

Samuel flung his arms out in a hapless attempt to keep Hamish and Destin from intruding, but intrusion had been their goal from the beginning, and the only conceivable way to keep the situation from getting worse was to announce themselves as swiftly as possible. “Erran! It’s Samuel and Hamish and Destin!”

Mariel ceased her movements. They both froze. She slowly turned and then screamed, rolling off Erran, her hands crossed over her chest to cover herself.

“We’ll... We’ll just give you both... a moment...” Samuel stammered.

“Have we died and this is the afterlife? Nothing else explains what we just saw... right?” Destin whispered, as Samuel ushered them back down the stairs, wondering the same thing himself.

Samuel waitedfor Erran to stop pacing and sit on the log. Hamish and Destin were still inside with Mariel, and he hoped they’d stay in there for a spell, so he could have the conversation he needed to have with his friend.

“You must have quite the story to tell.” He couldn’t resist marveling at all Erran and Mariel had already assembled, the life they’d built in so few weeks. “One I’m interested to hear once we’re safely aboard theBella Yanna.”

Erran massaged his temples, his attention pulled to the forest. “I can’t believe... Samuel, I’m sorry. I’m having a hard time believing you’re actually here. How did you find us?”

“I have a story to tell as well. Come, sit. We have more than enough work ahead of us.”

Erran’s abrupt laugh was dry and disaffected as he scratched down the beard growing along his jaw and lower cheeks. He picked the log across from Samuel, perching on the edge like he might flee at any moment. “This hardly feels real.”

“Which part?”

“The part where you find us. The part where you show up right as...” He didn’t finish.

Samuel had been calculating and tabulating the potential facts in front of him from the moment they’d reached shore, but the result had shifted considerably when they’d stumbled on the encampment. What he’d witnessed did not seem possible, but nor did very much about the situation. The only way to confirm was to ask. “Erran, may I make an observation? You can either affirm my thoughts or disavow them, or decline to answer at all.”

Erran was bent over his knees, his hair a disheveled mess. “A Samuel observation. These are always interesting.” His voice blended with the wind, and Samuel had to strain to hear him.

Samuel saved his smile, for Erran wouldn’t see it anyway. “Setting aside the scene we walked in on for a moment, I cannot help but notice you seem... disappointed that we’ve come for you. Or at least not overly enthused.”

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