Sea of Souls (Song of Echoes Book 3) by Sea of Souls

Author:Sea of Souls
Language: eng
Format: epub

27. ISLAND OF TROUBLED SOULS

‘As we approached the East Watchtower, the Karajan was as flat as the marshes of Lumreek.’ The flames flickered in Bardon’s yellow eyes. ‘I had never set eyes on the Archon’s sea defenses, but the sailors informed me we would see the giant waves long before we’d be upon it.’ Elodi clutched his hand. It remained cold despite spending the evening wrapped in blankets and huddled beside the fire. The innkeeper of the single hostelry in Frescove was reluctant at first to grant them entry. But Elodi had assured him Lord Broon was simply exhausted and malnourished, and not a carrier of the plague. But it had taken three gold coins to finally convince the man.

Bardon kept his eyes on the fire. ‘Reassured, I assumed the Archon had calmed the seas to allow us passage.’ His head dropped. ‘But as we drew level with the tower, a terrible churning of the waters began. From what you tell me of Uluriel’s possession, it’s now obvious it was our enemy who controlled the seas. They must have waited until our fleet sailed into the trap… and then stir the currents.’ His voice broke. ‘The sea reared up in places and sank in others. Many ships were sucked into whirlpools.’ He shivered, pulling the blanket closer to his chest. ‘It’s a terrible sight to see a large ship swallowed into a maelstrom so deep you can almost see the ocean floor. The doomed crew tried in vain to stay afloat, briefly sailing on its steep sides, but many fell from the decks into the darkness below.’ His jaw clenched. ‘We lost so many… so many good souls. Ships drawn close to the edges disappeared without trace with all hands lost. Those of us avoiding those perilous pits, by sheer luck I may add, were lashed by gigantic walls of water. The waves stacked so high they shut out the sky, growing ever taller until they toppled over, crashing onto decks, smashing galleons to matchsticks in seconds.’ Bardon shook as he relived the carnage. ‘I’m afraid General Kragan’s ship was among the first to be lost.’

Elodi chilled at the memory of the storm on the Elyssen Sea. ‘How did you survive?’

‘We fortunate few who kept our masts and had some sails to speak of, were blown farther east. The more experienced skippers managed with great skill to navigate the waves and steer a course clear of those terrifying whirlpools. But we couldn’t escape the clutches of the undercurrents. It was if hands beneath the waters dragged us towards the rocky headlands and cliffs of Mundrake’s Isle.’ Elodi’s grip softened. Plague Isle . Had she made a terrible mistake? Bardon continued. ‘Of the dozen or so ships that escaped the violent waters, I saw four come to grief on the rocks. The sea is so cruel. They’d survived the worst only to be tossed overboard in sight of shore. They were at the mercy of the waves which mercilessly dashed them against the rocks or dragged them to the bottom.

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