Page 57 of Virelai's Hoard
A deep, frustrated sigh rose in Riley’s chest. She locked it there. Thanks to Sable’s lessons, she already knewthatmuch. It must be some kind of powerful artifact, yes, but what kind of powerful? What was it good for? What kind of price would it fetch? Thenamedidn’t tell her any of that.
“Do you still have that book?”
Riley shook her head, but that too was in vain. Eryx wasn’t looking at her. “No.” When her crumbling patience got her nowhere, she pressed. “So? Whatisit?”
Eryx caressed the sketch reverently, their voice hushed as they said, “No one knows for sure. Some say it’s the ocean’s first heartbeat, forged in the chaos of creation. A fragment of the sea’s fury, a prison, a key.” Their eyes flicked back and forth,as if they were flipping memories. “There are many stories, and many claims. Most search for the Heart because they say it’s able to rewrite the fabric of reality, reshape the world to the bearer’s will.”
Riley’s eyes widened. Were they talking about… wish granting?
“The only thing all the legends agree on,” Eryx continued, “is that this…” They handed her back the sketch with a visible show of self-restraint. “Is something old. Something dangerous. An artifact this powerful can only bring ruin.”
Their voice sounded older, a vibration to it that triggered a full-body shiver. Riley blamed it on the sudden gust of wind flapping the sails above them. Her heart raced as she folded the sketch once more, hid it back inside her boot.
What did Calla want with this?
What would Riley wish for if she could get her hands on it?
She stepped away, not bothering to call Patch back to her. The rat would find her later, and Eryx seemed to need the comfort. Plus, Riley needed some quiet to think. Her mind swirled with possibilities.
But today nothing went according to plan.
“Riley! Eryx! Here you are, I’ve been searching for you all over!” Kittredge popped out from behind some crates, loud and excited. She pouted, all acted exaggeration. “I’mbored. I wish I could’ve gone on the island too. Getting off this ship to explore and hunt for clues sounded so exciting, but,” she gestured to her ankle, “I’m still healing and didn’t want to slow them down.”
Riley raised her eyebrows.Excitingwas one word for it. “Weren’t you freaked about your nightmare earlier?”
Kit laughed and nodded, sliding a hand through her blonde hair. “So? Heights are scary and dangerous too, but climbing the rigging is still one of my favorite things to do.” She pouted again. “And I can’t do that either for a few days still. Haddockcategorically forbade it, and Nyxen and Gadrielle have been watching me likehawks.” She wrinkled her nose, then gave both of them a mischievous look. “I just wanna do something fun. Other than juggling. So…” she trailed off, pulling into view a tankard of rum she’d had hidden at her back. Her lips split into an easy grin. “How about we play some dice in the storage hold?”
Riley perked up at that. She didn’t even need to think about it. Without Nyxen and Sable around, pocketing some extra coin would be child’s play. “I’m in,” she said, trying not to looktooeager.
They both looked at Eryx.
They shifted on their feet, uneasy. “Someoneshould stay on deck. What if something happens?”
Kittredge rolled her eyes and wrapped an arm around Eryx’s shoulders, pulling them along. “Comeon, I promise youallthis mist and water will still be here by the time we’re back.”
With a little more goading from both Riley and Kit, Eryx started walking by themselves, a small smile on their lips. “Alright, alright,” they said. “I guess a small break can’t hurt.”
***
The more they played, the emptier the tankard got, and more coin clinked in Riley’s pockets. Eryx didn’t seem to care about losing, but Kittredge only got more determined to win the more she lost.
“I can’t believe this.” Kit threw her hands in the air at the latest roll of the dice. She narrowed her eyes at Riley. “How are you this lucky?” It would’ve sounded suspicious, but the quirk to Kittredge’s mouth kept Riley relaxed.
It wasn’tluck, exactly, but she was obviously not going totellthem that. So she just shrugged, grinning as she held her palm up for her winnings.
“Where were you at the last party?” Kittredge asked as she pressed the coin into her glove. Riley had half a mind to test out how many beatings it would take until Kittredge started reading between the lines–or gave up on playing. “Sable looked for you.”
Riley blinked and sat back, startled. “What do you mean?”
Kittredge tilted her head, lips spreading in a knowing smile as she folded her arms to her chest and leaned back in her chair. “It’s a big ship, Riley, but not that big. Weknow.”
“You know what?”
Eryx shrugged a little guiltily at what must’ve been a growing look of horror on Riley’s face. “Sable didn’t say, and tried to hide it, but she’d been antsy the whole night, very not pleased, as if she were waiting for someone. You were the only one missing, so…” They shrugged again.
“Well, you and the captain,” Kittredge corrected, her eyes unblinking as she looked at Riley. Studying her. “But we all know the captain never comes for these, so Sable had no reason to expecther.”
Riley swallowed, her mouth dry. The next dice they rolled, Eryx was the one who won.
