‘Are we planning to get sloshed on this trip?’
‘I wish,’ Gerard said. ‘There is no wine in that barrel.’
‘What’s in there?’
‘Salt water.’
I was about to ask why we needed a barrel of salt water when I was blinded by a pair of hands covering my eyes from behind. ‘Guess who?’ said the unmistakable voice.
‘Is it a person or a fish?’ I asked.
‘Both.’
I turned to see the ever bubbly Graysea standing behind me. She kissed me on both cheeks and said, ‘Good morning.’
‘Good morning to you too – how nice of you to see me off.’
‘Oh, I’m not seeing you off. I’m going with you.’
‘Graysea, this is a very dangerous mission. I really don’t think you should come.’
‘Think again, son,’ Dad said while arriving around the corner with his mount.
I walked Dad out of earshot. ‘Why is Graysea coming with us?’
‘Because we are going up against a tough customer and I want a healer with us, and I have never seen anything like that Mertain healing power of hers.’
‘Yes, Dad, but she’s …’ I tried to remember what matron had said about Graysea. ‘She’s a sensitive fishy.’
‘I think you underestimate your mermaid, son. Graysea saved your butt out there in the ocean and defied her king. She can handle a three-day hike.’
‘Don’t you want me with you?’ Graysea asked when I got back to her.
‘No, I … I’m just worried about you.’
‘It’ll be fun.’
‘Graysea, we are going into battle.’
She put on her serious face but then smiled that room-lighting smile of hers. ‘Well, it will be fun until we get there.’
I just couldn’t resist the infectious joy of that girl’s smile. ‘You’re right,’ I agreed, ‘welcome along.’
Who knew what we were going into? At least until then I would have some pleasant company along the way. And luckily Essa wasn’t coming so I wouldn’t be caught in the middle of a week-long oestrogen nightmare.
Araf showed up and I grunted at him – I’ve discovered that wordless communication is best with the taciturn Imp. Mom, Nieve and Dahy all dramatically feigned surprise at me being ready before them. I saddled up Acorn (I was tempted to take Cloud but she was Brendan’s horse now) and then helped Gerard hitch up the wagon to his monsta-horses.
Actually it was nice being early and not having everybody scowling at me to hurry. I was mounted up, waking up and starting to feel good about this expedition when my spirits were dashed by the arrival of the last two of the party – Tuan and Essa.
I cantered Acorn over to Dad. ‘I thought you forbade Essa from coming?’ I said in a harsh whisper.
‘Gerard had forbidden her to enter the Oracle’s house on Mount Cas so she and Tuan are performing a different task.’
‘You did this on purpose.’
‘What, son, do you accuse me of doing on purpose?’
‘You know perfectly well what you did. You invited Graysea and Essa on this trip so you could watch me suffer.’
Dad, who had been wearing the slightest of smirks, became gravely serious. ‘Essa is a very important part of Dahy’s plan and as I said before, Graysea is the finest healer I have ever seen. The world does not revolve around you, son. I would never ask anyone to join an undertaking as perilous as this just to annoy you.’ He kicked his horse away but as he did he said, ‘That’s just an added bonus.’
We took the main road out and travelled three abreast. On my left was Graysea and on my right was Essa. No one said a word. I was even afraid to shift in my saddle lest the noise break the agonisingly painful silence. Dad looked around and didn’t even try to stifle his chuckle. This was going to be a long, long trip. I thought, maybe if I’m lucky I’ll die a horrible death on Mount Cas. At least then I’ll be saved from a trip home with these two.
We travelled like that for a day and a half. No one said a word. Anybody who knows me understands that I’m uneasy with uncomfortable silences. This was pure torment. I thought my head was going to explode. On the first night I ate and went straight to bed. I was hoping I could get to sleep quickly so I would have someone in dreamland to talk to, but sleep wouldn’t come. I was sharing a tent with Araf and still wasn’t asleep by the time he came to bed. I was so desperate for conversation I said, ‘Say something.’
‘What would you like me to say?’ he answered, without the puzzlement in his voice that he should have had.
‘I don’t care – anything. You can tell me about crop rotation if you want.’
‘Really?’ he said, with more excitement than I have ever heard from him before.
‘Yes, anything.’
So off he went babbling on about plants and seeds and hoeing and dirt and bugs. He was so wrapped up in his subject I’m sure he didn’t notice me nodding off with a smile on my face. Anything was better than the silence I had been enduring sandwiched between the icy glares of those two women.
I got a reprieve the next day when Essa dropped back to have a planning chat with Tuan.
Graysea startled me when she spoke. ‘Do you still care for her?’
‘Who?’ I said lamely.
‘Conor, I’m stupid but not that stupid.’
‘You’re not stupid,’ I said, ‘you’re the cleverest mermaid I know.’
‘And how many mermaids do you know?’
‘Well, that’s not the point.’
‘No it’s not,’ she said. ‘The point, which you seem to be avoiding, is whether or not you still have feelings for Essa.’
‘Well, that’s complicated.’
‘And you think I am too stupid to understand. Is that it?’
‘No,’ I said looking around hoping that a pack of wolves would attack and get me out of this conversation. ‘Essa and I have a history.’
‘You still haven’t answered the question,’ she said and then mercifully continued so I didn’t have to. ‘I just don’t understand. When you were on the island with me she was engaged to that Turlow fella – right?’
‘Yes.’
‘So she is mad at you for being with me when she was engaged to somebody else. That doesn’t seem fair.’
‘Well, ah …’
‘And she hits you all the time.’
‘Well, I don’t know about all the time …