Compass of the Nymphs (14 page)

Zara cocked an eyebrow. “Can you put a spell
on me and erase my memory yet?”

She laughed, “No…not even close.”

He breathed a fake sigh of relief. The two
sat in silence in the crow’s nest for a while, taking in the beauty
of the water all around them. The seawater was breathtaking, and
the gentle breeze that carried them along made the sun high in the
sky tolerable.

In the same instance of taking in the beauty
of the sea around them, you also had to take in the eeriness of it
all. For as far as any of the travelers could see there
was…nothing. No land or other boats dotted the horizon. Only
occasionally would a flock of birds fly overhead to remind them
they were not the last life on earth. The isolation was both
liberating and terrifying.

Taisiya pondered what they would do if
something were to go wrong. If the ship sank and there was no way
to stop it, they all surely would die at sea. What if they got lost
and simply floated on too long without reaching land, using up all
their food and water and dying torturous deaths?

Zara could tell that Taisiya was starting to
think too much about the future, and he was about to say something
when Lahara called up to them from outside the door of the
captain’s quarters. She told Zara that she needed Taisiya back on
deck to continue her lessons.

Zara gave Taisiya a half smile and motioned
for her to go on her way. She despised how Zara and Lahara acted
like they knew so much more, but as she begrudgingly followed
orders and made her way down the mast, she realized that they in
fact did know a lot more than she even dared to imagine.

She met Lahara and they continued learning
about the history of nymphs. The day passed by rather quickly, and
by the end of it, Taisiya was beginning to quickly evade some trial
attacks Lahara had thrown at her. Taisiya concentrated as hard as
she could on a simple ability that involved turning water in a
glass so cold that it would freeze.

When Taisiya had failed for the third time,
Lahara comforted her by suggesting that perhaps seawater didn’t
work quite the same as freshwater. Irritated, Taisiya quit for the
night and tried to enjoy dinner with Zara and Lahara. Throughout
the whole meal, she could only focus on the lessons Lahara had been
teaching her.

The nymph had made it clear that even humans
could master some of the simpler lessons. After all, so many good
nymphs had fled the island that most people had a trace, if not
more, of nymph’s blood in their lineage. Why couldn’t Taisiya, who
could break into an evil nymph’s castle practically undetected, not
master the more simple lessons?

She tried her best to get a decent amount of
sleep but still found her self tossing and turning as her mind
raced with thoughts of dark nymphs that were coming closer and
closer as the ship sailed through the night. The sun came up far
too soon for her liking, and with very little sleep, she trudged
out to begin her second day with Lahara.

She found the nymph in good spirits. Lahara
was up bright and early at the wheel assessing the rest of their
journey and consulting her various collection of maps and the Nymph
Compass. As a disheveled and groggy Taisiya came in to sight,
Lahara beamed, giving her a joyous wave.

“Good news!” The nymph beckoned Taisiya to
come more quickly. Taisiya kept at her snail’s pace but eventually
made it over to the wheel, yawning and rubbing her eyes all the
while.

“What is it?” she asked sourly.

Lahara gave her a puzzled look. “Well, the
wind picked up quite nicely during the night. We should be arriving
at Ethnymphai in the early hours after midnight. I hope you got a
good bit of rest! I’m confident that it will be the last night
we’ll have to sleep in this terribly uncomfortable ship.”

When Taisiya didn’t immediately reply with
delight, Lahara gave her a second lookover. “I’m guessing you
didn’t sleep well?”

Taisiya found her blood boiling, wishing she
could have been left alone to stew in her misery rather than be
surrounded by good news and a speedy journey.

Hostility took over as she could feel her
face turning red with rage.

“No, I did not sleep well!” she huffed, “and
why should I?! I am not a nymph, nor am I prepared to go fighting a
whole island of them!”

Zara was just waking up, and he popped his
head out of his room. “Taisiya?” he asked worriedly.

In the middle of her tirade, Taisiya turned
around on the spot, her hair whipping around in midair wildly with
her. “What?!” she screamed.

There was no audible reply from Zara, but his
jaw dropped and his eyes widened in terror. Behind her, Taisiya
could hear Lahara shriek in fear as well. Puzzled, Taisiya turned
around. The mast that held up the crow’s nest had caught fire.

“What in the world?” Taisiya asked as Zara
raced over to protect her. Neither one needed to worry for very
long, as Lahara flicked her hand and soon seawater was racing up
from the sides of the ship and extinguishing the flame.

Once the fire was out and Lahara had
inspected the mast for any notable damage, she turned around to
face Taisiya. Expecting to see a look of anger on the nymph’s face,
Taisiya was surprised that Lahara was grinning madly. “You did it!”
She exclaimed, running over and giving the girl a huge hug.

“I did what exactly?” Taisiya asked.

“You channeled all your powers just now! Your
hotheadedness literally set the mast on fire as you whipped around.
Oh, this is just wonderful!” Lahara pulled back from the embrace
and gave Taisiya another toothy grin.

Taisiya still didn’t understand, so Lahara
continued. “Nymph Power doesn’t come from saying a spell over and
over; it comes from within. Your emotion is what brought out the
power. Because you felt it and desired it, it came true. You just
need to be this this passionate when we arrive and are greeted by
tons of dark nymphs.”

Lahara took Taisiya by the arm, and they went
off to try again with some more simple studies. Zara took his
position at the crow’s nest but found himself peeping over and
looking down at what was going on below. Now that Taisiya was
beginning to grasp the innate power that nymph abilities required,
it was more entertaining watching her set things on fire, summon
the wind and lightning and other various things than watching the
vast sea.

On deck, exhaustion was still getting the
better of Taisiya. She worried that her sheer tiredness and short
temper that accompanied it were the only reasons she was finally
able to breeze through the simpler lessons. As Taisiya’s patience
wore thinner and thinner, Lahara eventually let her stop practicing
to go get some rest.

Taisiya drifted off to sleep, and Lahara
began to gather up the potions and food from the captain’s cabin.
The nymph knew that once they arrived at Ethnymphai, there would be
little time to gather their belongings before nymphs were swarming
to find out what they were doing on their land.

The day passed by somewhat uneventfully;
Taisiya slept soundly while Lahara and Zara spent their time
getting better acquainted. The nymph admitted to Zara that her
first impression of him was not a favorable one, but she went on to
explain that most nymphs are wary of men by nature. Zara felt no
ill will and went on to tell Lahara that his first impression of
her was none too good either. He joked that men were wary of nymphs
by nature as well.

The two built up a rapport and with it, a
friendship. As the sunlight faded, Zara was the first to come to
the conclusion that they had been talking for hours. He thanked
Lahara for her company and after she had assured him she would take
his post, went off to get some rest for himself.

CHAPTER NINE –

THE SEA NYMPH’S TRIAL

With her two companions sleeping, Lahara took
some time to appreciate the beautiful horizon. As the stars were
beginning to twinkle in the night sky, their reflection bounded to
and fro off the water along the side of the ship. The travellers
were sailing at a steadfast pace, and as the picturesque likeness
of the sky in the water entranced Lahara, she was soon startled to
alertness as a ripple in the water further from the ship’s edges
led her to believe there was more in the water than she had
thought.

She waited anxiously, and sure enough the
wave appeared again a few moments later. Lahara locked her gaze
trying to focus on what was beneath the water. She gasped as the
reflection of the stars blurred and two piercing blue eyes came
into focus. Up from the depths of the water rose a young girl with
fair hair and pale, ivory skin.

Draped around her neck was a necklace of fine
pearls. An exquisitely crafted top decorated in all sorts of
beautiful gems from under the water covered her. As the girl locked
eyes with Lahara, she pursed her lips and took the initiative to
speak first. “Who are
you
?” she spoke simply.

Lahara cleared her throat and spoke with
authority. “I am Lahara, Nymph of Earth. I come back to my
motherland with two mortals who have accompanied me on my journey
here. They have proven their undeniable allegiance to me, and as a
token of their loyalty I granted them permission to journey on to
our island with me. They seek help that only our sisters can
provide. Who are you?”

The girl in the water cocked an eyebrow and
pondered what Lahara had to say before speaking. “Are these
travellers male?”

“One, yes.” Lahara replied.

The nymph in the water floated back in
disgust. “As a protector of the shores of our home, you cannot
expect me to allow you to bring a
man
onto our land. You
know how that ends, don’t you?”

“I assure you,” Lahara said calmly, “his
heart already knows of true love; he does not come here to find a
companion in one of our sisters.”

The other nymph narrowed her eyes. “Why are
they here then?”

Lahara sighed and hoped she got her message
across clearly. Her fellow nymphs could be very tricky to persuade,
especially after the schism. “Long, long ago, after the terrible
division of our sisters, when those who sought not to use their
blessings against humans left the island, with them left a Nymph of
Darkness who sought power that even our sisters could not provide
her.”

The water nymph now seemed to be taking
Lahara more seriously. “You speak of Adrasteia, Nymph of Darkness?”
When Lahara nodded, the nymph continued. “The most powerful of our
sisters have foretold many horrible deeds that will occur because
of her. Greed and lust will never satiate her, and they believe she
will one day come back to destroy our land.”

“I have brought two warriors who I believe
will be strong enough to stop her before that happens,” Lahara
said.

The water nymph’s eyes lit up in excitement.
“Tell me,” she beckoned, “the profession of your two
companions.”

Lahara bit her lip in thought. “The male was
once Adrasteia’s advisor, and after being disillusioned and
noticing her evil ways, he is now seeking to put an end to her. The
girl has no profession…she is an adventurer at heart, and I know
that if you see her, you will see lightness emanating from her. Her
passion and drive to stop Adrasteia are pure.”

A huge grin appeared on the water nymph’s
face.

She squealed in delight, “The sisters said
that the beginning of the demise of Adrasteia would be when her own
followers turned against her. May I meet your companions?”

“As you can see,” Lahara gestured to the
night sky above, “it is late. They are sleeping. You also have not
told me who you are…forgive me for being leery.”

“My name is Eione the Sea Nymph. The other
sea nymphs and I protect the waters and beaches of Ethnymphai…we
have seen your ship coming towards the island for some time now. I
was sent to cause a distraction and send you off course, but I am
glad I got close enough to get a better look at you first.”

Now that the two nymphs had connected, Eione
seemed much less abrasive and entirely giddy. She dove under the
water, popping back up a good distance away. “Follow me!” she
shouted to Lahara.

Lahara gave Eione a thumbs-up and darted off
to helm the ship in her direction. Eione guided Lahara safely into
a cove. The deep water got shallower and eventually the ship
reached land.

The cove itself seemed to be the passageway
to the main island of Ethnymphai, but it was just as grand as any
city center. A beautiful waterfall cascaded down at the entrance of
the cove (getting the ship and Lahara a bit drenched as they
entered.) All sorts of aquatic plants and wildlife were growing
inside the cove, and there were plenty of smooth rocks on which the
sea nymphs could rest. As the travellers docked, the cove was
mostly empty, save for Eione and one other sea nymph that was
resting on a rock, brushing her hair and watching the ship
carefully.