Page 77 of His Noble Ruin

He was quiet for a moment, watching the ocean below him. “None of this is what I’m used to,” he finally said. “That’s what I love most about it.”

I stayed quiet. When we got to Tramore, he’d realize none of this was as good as it seemed—me, most of all. I sat on the lower deck, resting my back against the door to my cabin. My eyes grew heavy. I tried to fight it, but the peaceful sounds of the sea lulled me out of consciousness.

* * *

I awoketo the wind whipping at the sails, water slicing past the bow and rudder, and the occasional seagull’s call. I sat up abruptly, realizing I’d left Graham alone on navigation duty. He sat where I’d last seen him, manning the sail while studying the book and compass.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“Eh.” I rubbed my kinked neck. “Are we going the right way?”

“I think so. I’ve kept us heading due west.”

The sun was directly in front of the bow, and so low in the sky that it seemed to rest on the surface of the ocean.

“Is that an island?” asked Graham.

I squinted into the glare of the setting sun until my eyes watered and the light forced them shut. Behind my eyelids, red and black blotches crowded each other out. When I opened them, the spots faded away. All except one.

I blinked again, but the dark mound on the horizon remained. “That’s Argal.”

Graham dropped his book and dashed to the bow. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he let out an uncharacteristic laugh of triumph. “It’s real. It’s actually real.”

I laughed. “What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Seeing it for myself is an entirely different experience than reading about it. It’s still hard to believe there’s more to this world than the city.”

We looked out at the horizon together, our eyes on the island.

“Looks like you kept us right on course. Good work, Graham.”

He flashed a wide smile that contained more confidence than I’d ever seen in him. I had felt the same way when my father let me sail for the first time. I hadn’t expected it to be so addicting, not only sailing itself, but the exhilaration of freedom and power. I wondered if the feeling would change him.

I hoped it wouldn’t.

The boat carried us past Argal from a distance. Graham’s eyes stayed glued to the island until it was out of sight. Then he looked back at me with exhaustion.

“Time for you to sleep,” I said.

He nodded wearily before handing me the compass and heading toward a cabin.

“What is this for?” He pointed to a padlock on the door’s latch.

I swallowed. Cael had planned on locking Graham up while he sailed. I couldn’t think of a lie fast enough, so for once I told the truth. “It’s for you. To keep you out of the way.”

He laughed heartily before climbing into his cabin for the night.

I stared out at the grandeur of the shimmering ocean and put my hand on the tiller. I’d have to lock away my feelings to get through the next nine days.

* * *

Graham studiedthe maps and guides in my book the next day as we sailed under the gray sky. The ocean churned and the clouds darkened, worrying me.

I picked up the Academy book, the wind ruffling the pages. There was plenty I hadn’t read yet, even considering that the book was left unfinished. “Well, since you basically know how to navigate this thing, I’m sure you won’t mind if I get lost in a book,” I said.

“What if I accidentally take us back to Cambria?” he asked.

“Then we’ll get more pears.”

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