Ashes by Paul J Bennett

Author:Paul J Bennett [Bennett, Paul J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paul J Bennett

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Repairing the ship had proven easier than expected, but getting it off the riverbed was something else. They had to lighten the load, and that meant unloading a portion of its cargo. After hours of labour, the boat finally floated free, and they hauled it to mid-river using the anchor, a process called kedging, which involved using the boat's skiff to take the heavy weight across the river, then dropping it. Pulling on the anchor rope would then move the boat towards the anchor, which was caught on the underlying riverbed.

Athgar breathed a sigh of relief as the Marianne floated free, but then there was more back-breaking labour as the cargo was loaded back up. This was made all the more difficult by the fact that they could only load it in small quantities at a time thanks to the limited capacity of the boat's skiff.

It took two days before they were underway again, two days of constant surveillance of the sky, lest the rygaurs return. Natalia had pleaded with him to begin her lessons, but he insisted on helping the crew complete repairs. It was with some relief that he finally sat down on deck exhausted, his muscles sore from his efforts.

Natalia, who had been standing guard the entire time was less so, a fact that was made all the more evident by her line of questioning.

"Shall we begin?" she asked.

He looked up at her with a defeated look to his face. "You can't possibly mean right now?" he said.

"Why not?" she said. "The ship's underway and your labour is done, is it not?"

"It is," he replied, "but I'm aching all over. All I want to do is lie down and sleep for several days."

"Which makes it the best time to start," she said. "You'll have no distractions." She was smiling at him, a fact that didn't escape his notice.

He finally caved in. "Very well," he said, "come and sit before me, cross-legged."

She sat, spreading her dress carefully as she did so. "Now what?"

"Close your eyes and look deep within you," Athgar commanded.

"How do I do that?" Natalia asked. "Is it some type of meditation?"

"In a sense, yes, but it's more than that. You have to find your inner spark. I suppose, in your case, it would be an inner pool? To be frank, I'm not quite sure what you'll be looking for."

"What is this spark of yours like?" she asked.

"I see it as a small flame. The first time I tried this, it took me some time to see it. You have to stare into the darkness."

"The darkness? Is that your evil side?"

"No, I mean the black you see when your eyes are closed. Try to imagine the flame within you. Eventually, it should flare to life. You're already capable of casting, so I imagine it will appear quickly."

She closed her eyes, concentrating. It felt as though she was staring into the abyss, an endless pool of night. She didn't see anything but suddenly felt as though she had been bathed in water, luxuriating in its embrace.

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