Page 55 of Found at Sea
Nothing I didn’t already suspect, but I nodded and thanked him before he left. Feeling restless, I got out of bed and walked to the small window in the room. It faced the island, and I was taken aback by the beauty of it.
I’d thought other towns we’d passed through had been nice, but they were nothing compared to that place.
The blue water was clearer than I’d ever seen. The grass and trees were a vibrant green, and the tropical plants and flowers sprouting from the ground held no equal. The village was different too, less brick and more straw-like structures. The natives lived simpler lives there, but they all appeared happy—from what I could see anyway.
“You should be in bed,” a too familiar voice said from behind me.
I flipped around to see Kellan in the doorway, holding a bowl.
“What’s that?” I asked, nodding to the dish. Until then, I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.
“Sit down and you might find out,” he responded.
Rolling my eyes, I went back over and plopped on the bed. He handed me the bowl, and my mouth watered at seeing the assortment of fruits inside: slices of apples, grapes, bananas, and some I didn’t know.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked after popping a grape into my mouth. “For days, I’ve shown nothing but contempt toward you. And why did you ask the woman in black about the shell? Did she say where it was?”
Kellan pressed his mouth into a line as he regarded me. “Which question do you wish for me to answer first, boy?”
“All of them.” I shrugged and ate another grape.
“The shell is real,” he answered, but he didn’t exactly look happy about it. “The answer she gave was unclear. Not as if I expected anything else.”
“What did she say?”
His eyes flashed to me, and I saw humor in their multi-colored depths. “You really do ask many questions.” He looked down at his hands. “She said, ‘You must travel to the place where all is lost. And those who seek it must pay the cost.’ But I know not what it means.”
As I ate, I thought on his words.
If there was a myth about the sea, more times than not, I’d heard of it.The place where all is lost. Only one story came to mind.
“Maybe she’s referring toRan’s road,” I suggested before eating a slice of a banana. Kellan still looked confused, so I added, “Ran is a sea goddess. Legends say that she carries a large net and uses it to capture men who become lost at sea. Sometimes even uses it to drag ships down to the depths herself. She takes whatever trinkets the men carry—gold and jewels—before drowning them. If they’re offering is great, though, she will sometimes spare them.”
Kellan was quiet a moment. “Why would she have the shell?”
“Perhaps a sailor found the shell by mistake,” I said after considering his question. “And when Ran went to drown him, he offered it to her to save himself.Ran’s roadis sometimes referred to as theroad of the lostbecause once ships venture into her territory, most are never seen again.”
“Interesting,” he said, rubbing at his chest. The mark over his heart caught my eye as his opened shirt shifted to the side with the movement.
“Why is it so important to find the shell?” I asked. “Sure, it’s said that it has the power to control the tides, but no one other than Triton can wield it. Why potentially risk your life to recover it?”
“Finish eating,” Kellan said, motioning to the still-full bowl of fruit.
I was confused by his protectiveness over me. And his obvious dismissal of my question. Then I remembered he’d never answered my question from earlier, either, about why he’d wanted me with him. He was a master of diversion. Just like Alek.
It made me wonder if that’s where Alek had learned it.
“Not until you answer me,” I said, setting the bowl down.
“Eat or I will force it down your throat,” he responded.
“Then I’ll bite your fingers,” I shot back, crossing my arms.
“Fletcher…” He gave me a hardened stare.
“Kellan.” I gave it right back to him.
It seemed his defenses broke a bit upon hearing his name. A softer expression crossed his face, and when he spoke again, his tone lacked the harshness from before.
