Tides of the Dark Crystal by J. M. Lee

Author:J. M. Lee [Lee, J. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2018-12-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Sailing on the river of sand was rougher than on the ocean.

The skiff itself was an oval body kept upright by two floats on either side, each balanced by several webbed fins roughly the size of a Gelfling’s wings. The rigid parts of the ship were all bone, light and hollow, with leather and woven fabric attached with hardened sinews. Black sand snakes raced alongside the skiff as it cut atop the sand river, all of them carried by the current and propelled by a strong wind that howled along the bottom of the ravine.

Still, Amri preferred the skiff to the ships on the sea. Though the sands were ever changing, they were still of the earth. Still rock and dirt and crystal, and he could just make out their whispers. Like a million voices, speaking all at once, resonating against the deep tones of the red cliffs.

Periss handled the ship alone, leaving the rest of them to sit, holding on to the rope loops knotted into the deck.

“At this speed, we’ll cross the Claw Mountains and reach the desert within two days’ time,” Onica said. “At least our guide wasn’t lying about the integrity of his craft.”

“Then it’s worth it,” Naia said, hand on her belt where her dagger used to sit.

Kylan hadn’t been able to give up his part of the payment as easily. From Naia’s dreamfasts, Amri had seen her let go of her brother’s dagger once before. But Kylan had created the bone firca from his bare hands, and performed perhaps the single most rebellious act against the Skeksis with it. But Periss didn’t know that, and Amri hoped he never would. It would make getting the instrument back all the more difficult.

Periss tied the sails off as they entered a long, straight stretch of the ravine. The immense cliffs cast a shadow that flooded the gorge with blue, highlighting the wedge of gold light at the far end where the river would eventually empty into the desert. Periss swaggered back to the deck where his passengers sat, easily keeping his balance without holding on to the many rope loops that flopped about the ship’s architecture. He dropped down, cross-legged, on the open end of their circle.

“You’ve made a good investment, so let’s make merry.” He gestured to his shaved head, covered in tattoos. “Since I’ll be your guide and protector as we make way into a dangerous landscape, I should know your names, eh? So I can shout them before you make any stupid decisions that will get us all killed.”

“We already met. I’m Naia.”

“Drenchen, yes. I’ve got waterskins belowdecks for you; you’ll need them and I’ll sell them to you at a good rate. You’re the leader of this little crew?”

The question had never been asked. Amri had always assumed Naia was their leader, though Onica and Tavra were both older. Not to mention that Tavra was the daughter of the All-Maudra. Despite her station, though, she was also a spider now, and it was Naia who had seen the Crystal and led the charge on every other account.

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