A Woman's World by Lynne Hill-Clark

Author:Lynne Hill-Clark
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Future Classics Publishing

Chapter 34

Baya unrolled a large scroll on the bow of the boat. It was a chart of the night sky. “With my knowledge of the stars, I will be able to guide us. This scroll here,” Baya held up another parchment. “Describes vast lands to the East. Of course, they don’t say how far East.”

“So, we sail East.” Vicaroy rubbed the back of his neck and shifted uncomfortably.

“You okay?”

“Yep. Hey, will you teach me how to read the stars?”

Baya frowned. He was a terrible liar — something was clearly wrong. “Sure. There’ll be plenty of time while we sail for me to show you.”

“I need to know now.”

Baya narrowed her eyes. “Why? We have more pressing things to think about and I imagine it will be quite boring for days on end at sea.”

“Please — teach me now.”

Baya shook her head. “Okay.” There was still much to do to prepare for their journey and time was running out. Yet it was not worth fighting over, so she began a brief summary.

“You see this star here.” She pointed at the map. “It’s called the immotile star. Unlike most of the other stars, this one is special. It remains in the same place throughout the night. It always hangs in the Eastern sky surrounded by the constellation of Ameris.”

She outlined the shapely figure of a woman in the stars on the map. “It’s the holiest of constellations. That’s why it’s thought to bring good luck to girls who are born when Ameris stands upright in the night’s sky.”

Vicaroy nodded. He had heard people say things like, “Ameris stands tonight, so we have luck on our side.” He had not fully understood what that meant until now. “And we follow this star Eastward?”

Baya smiled. He was a fast learner. “That’s right. And the largest sun will guide us by day.”

Vicaroy studied the map intently. “Perhaps I — I mean we should leave when Ameris’s constellation is upright.”

“You’re not usually so superstitious.” Baya studied the map. “Although, we could use all the luck we can get. Ameris is lying flat now. She will have to rotate two-hundred and seventy degrees before she stands again.”

Baya rotated her fingers along the map indicating the path of Ameris’s constellation. She closed her eyes and did some quick mental calculations. “The constellation won’t stand upright again for over one-hundred days.”

Vicaroy frowned. “We don’t have that long. Someone will find me and the boat will be destroyed. I will be imprisoned for life if Shema finds my weapons. I’m not even supposed to be near the city, remember, let alone making a real boat to leave the island.”

“Right.” Baya’s stomach clenched at the thought of Vicaroy being caught. “We have to leave as soon as possible.”

“One week. We must have the boat ready and stocked with supplies within one week,” he said.

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