Page 40 of Beacon

“I was not seeking permission but issuing an order. I must see that pool, and if you know how to access it, then youwillbe the one to take me. I will not ask again.”

It wasn’t a simple matter of taking her there—it was the difficulty of the journey. The cavern could only be accessed beneath the ocean, something I doubted the princess would be able to easily do. I looked helplessly around the room for a means to communicate my reservations and was relieved to discover a small desk tucked away in the corner. Searching the drawers allowed me to procure some ink and parchment.

The princess had followed me and frowned at the writing instruments. “Are you literate?”

She sounded apprehensive, clearly wondering the potential repercussions of her assumption I was illiterate and whether or not she was mistaken in my inability to share her secrets.

For the time being I wasn’t. I shook my head and began to draw a rather sloppy picture as a rough means of communication. First I drew a rectangle with lines extending in an arch around the top to represent light—the lighthouse—and placed it atop a large circle—the island it resided on. I drew a horizontal line of squiggles to resemble waves—the ocean—beneath which I drew a small circle—the cavern whose entrance was hidden deep within the water.

I repeatedly tapped this small circle until the princess understood. Her eyes widened. “Don’t tell me…the pool isbeneaththe water?”

I nodded. For a long moment she could only stare before she laughed, a hollow sound devoid of humor. “Of course it is. The legend alluded to the pool being difficult to access. If it had been too easy, I would doubt it truly possesses the powers the legend claims it does.”

I’d assumed that now that she knew the difficulty of the venture, she’d lose interest…but instead her eyes only glistened with determination.

“I don’t care how difficult the journey is, I need to access that pool.”

My panic rose. No matter how many gestures or poorly drawn pictures I attempted to try to dissuade her in forcing me to share such a vulnerable part of myself, the princess remained undeterred…which was how I found myself leading her to the lighthouse just off the royal beach.

She had only spared a few minutes for us to change into much simpler gowns that were more appropriate for swimming. I wasn’t sure what explanation she’d offer for her wet clothes when our adventure concluded, considering she didn’t seem the type to take a spontaneous ocean dip. I could only hope my forced cooperation wouldn’t lead me into trouble should anyone learn that I’d been the one to take her to the sea.

The walk to the lighthouse took a quarter of an hour. We found it empty as I’d expected, considering my uncle seemed to prefer residing in the lighthouse close to the village. My heart gave a twinge at being back home for the first time in nearly a week, and I regretted that my purpose for returning prevented me from lingering.

Our footsteps echoed as we climbed the twisting staircase to the top of the lighthouse where its beacon awaited us. I had the princess wait outside the room as I withdrew the key I constantly kept tucked around my neck and slid it into the keyhole of the chest containing the magical crystals. The click of the lock echoed in the silence and the crystals clinked together after I lifted the lid and searched for the one I needed.

After a moment’s rummaging I found the crystal that would transport us to the secret island and its hidden cavern. Magic hummed after I lit the beacon, and the lilac flame burst to life, filling the room with a glistening glow. Princess Lavena gasped as the lighthouse seemed to move around us. She groped the walls to keep herself upright until the lighthouse stilled. She hurried to the window to peer out—the royal palace was no longer in sight; the scenery having been replaced with the vast ocean that surrounded the island.

“Incredible,” she murmured, but her awe quickly faded into an almost wild desperation as she spun around to face me. “Can this lighthouse transport one toanylocation?” The moment I shook my head her expression hardened back to the one I’d become accustomed to. “I don’t believe you. If it can transport us to one place, surely it can transport one anywhere…”

I bit my lip, unsure how to explain. After a moment’s consideration I tapped the side of the lighthouse, but before I could offer any further gesture, her brows furrowed.

“I don’t understand why an explanation to refute my assumption is necessary. I don’t see how transporting the lighthouse anywhere isn’t possible when we just did that very thing…”

I shook my head and tapped the side of the lighthouse again, this time while holding up four fingers. She frowned.

“Four? Four…what? Four lighthouses? Are there more than one?”

I nodded and held up my four fingers, one by one, to emphasize the point.

“Are there…onlyfour?”

I nodded and, like I had with Owen, tapped the lighthouse again before pushing my hands towards the floor—trying to indicate the lighthouse itself stayed—before pointing to us and walking to the other side of the room, hoping she’d decipher my meaning. It took repeating myself three times before she finally understood.

“The lighthouse doesn’t move…only we do? Does that mean that the lighthouse we’re in now is only a vessel, and if there isn’t one…we can’t be taken there at all?” Her shoulders slumped at my confirming nod. “Which means it won’t be able to transport me to…”

Her words faded, leaving her looking thoroughly disheartened, but the emotion was soon replaced with the determination that had initially led her here.

“I will have to hope that the enchanted pool will give me the information I seek. Take me there now.”

Though I still didn’t understand her reason for wanting to visit the pool, I reluctantly obeyed. She followed me as we descended the steps and stepped outside to the rocky beach shrouded in salty mist. Octavius briefly peeked his head up out of the water but hastily ducked out of sight when he saw the princess. If only I could spend time with him instead.

I led Princess Lavena to the shore and waded a few steps into the water, pausing only to glance behind me to see whether she’d followed. She cautiously did, keeping her skirt lifted despite her clothes about to become entirely soaked before our excursion ended. Her breath hitched at the cold waves lapping her calves, but her determination didn’t waver.

She met my skeptical gaze. “Take me to the pool.”

Despite her firm order, I continued to hesitate. I made a motion with my arms to indicate swimming before giving her an inquisitive look. She snorted.

“Don’t be daft, I know how to swim. Now take me to the pool; I won’t ask again.”

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