Dunes of Water (The Sand Traveler Duology Book 2) by Flory Jessica

Author:Flory, Jessica
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Immortal Works
Published: 2024-08-20T00:00:00+00:00

31

LYLAHN

Istare out over the ocean of sand, trying not to vomit.

I haven’t sailed much in my life, and I’m not used to the constant swaying. The Shakers have a hard time controlling the barge. It’s different than To’Morat’s usual ships, and the journey has been rough.

Imwraeth stands next to me. “You ok?” He puts a hand on my back.

“I’m a little sick.”

His hand goes up and down. “I think we’re almost there.”

To the ocean of water. The thought doesn’t improve my nausea.

“What did Kaera say to you?” Imwraeth asks. “When we left. Something your sister always said. I couldn’t quite catch it.”

I swallow and look away. “It was nothing.”

There’s yelling behind me, and I turn to look too fast. My stomach lurches.

Imwraeth shouts and crosses the deck, trying to quell the fight before it comes to blows. Tensions are high for everyone. The threat of death hangs over us all, and hunger is constant. I’ve been eating even less, for fear that I won’t keep it down.

Imwraeth returns to my side and sighs. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

I take his hand. “You’re doing great, Imwraeth.” I lay my head on his shoulder.

I’ve been going to see the retahn every day and checking on Darkest Night. She has enough hay, and the retahn seem to be handling the journey well, thank Atoille.

“The ocean!” someone cries. “The ocean of water!”

I squint into the distance, and I see it—a shining thing on the horizon. The barge gets closer, and I see the waves, taller than plateaus, crash to the shore with the force of a hundred To’Morat warships. Fear grabs me by the throat. We are so tiny compared to those waves.

“Imwraeth…” I breathe. “I don’t…I don’t know if this is a good idea anymore.” My chest feels constricted. The waves. They’re enormous, frothing and raving, glittering like dark quartz in the sunlight. We have chosen to enter the ocean of water by day, hoping that the waves will be less intense than at night, when the moon’s pull is at full strength. I don’t understand it all, and I have to trust that the crew knows what they’re doing.

Imwraeth puts an arm around me. “We don’t have a choice.”

My shoulders tighten.

We’re almost to the shoreline. “Stop the ship!” Imwraeth calls over the spray.

The Shakers halt the barge, and we rock in the sand.

Warriors, sailors, and Shakers turn to look at Imwraeth, their Favored One, making this journey with them.

“Why are we doing this?” he asks.

No one says anything.

“Why are we doing this?” Imwraeth repeats. His voice is loud enough to be heard over the waves, but it’s not forceful. He’s calm.

“For our families,” someone finally says, a woman near the front.

“For our families!” someone echoes the cry.

“For our families!” Soon, the whole ship is chanting the cry, and Imwraeth joins in. I feel myself shouting along with him, tears in my eyes.

Imwraeth holds up his hands and the ship quiets. “Everyone, get below deck like we discussed. Shakers will steer the barge by feel from there.

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