Lovers' Veil

Outside, everything was chaos. A mixture of beings ran and flew in every direction, screaming and cursing. The word "Ve'reor" echoed in once voice after another.

"A boat," Leofrick said. "You told me we're going out to the islands. We need a boat."

"This way," she said and led him through the pandemonium in the direction of the wharf.

When they reached the quayside, crowds were everywhere, as everyone tried to hop a boat out of Saltlea at the same time, terrified of the Ve'reor that was coming. They shoved and pushed their way through the throngs. Finally, Leofrick drew his sword and the masses drew back in loathing from the iron they could sense, allowing them passage through the crowds.

Rhyannon leapt into the first boat she saw that was large enough to carry them both. At her urging, he tossed the pair of supply packs in after her and sliced the mooring lines easily with his sword. When he jumped in after her, the boat nearly flipped, almost dumping them into the water. Steadying the small boat, he grabbed up a pair of oars that were too small for his size and rowed them into deeper water.

As he rowed, she grabbed the lines and hoisted a small sail. The sailcloth luffed before snapping firm. Leofrick stopped rowing and helped her secure the lines.

Finished, she took a better look at him, seeing how pale he had grown. "Relax, my love," she soothed. "For all their ferocity, one thing Ve'reors can't do well is swim."

"It's not that," he said, voice quavering a bit.

She frowned, stroking his chest through the fabric of his fresh, white tunic.

I'd gotten so used to him being nude that it feels odd to touch him and feel cloth.

"What's wrong?" she coaxed when he made no reply.

"Merfolk," he said softly. "We barely survived them the last time. I...don't want to see another, not ever. Yet here we are in a tiny boat, heading right out into open water."

"The Seafeather Islands aren't too far out," she said, keeping her tone comforting. "And we're not in the water as we were before."

"They could still capsize this little boat with ease, I'm sure," he worried. "Maybe we should have taken a larger boat."

Shaking her head, she said, "There wasn't time to be choosy. We had to take the first thing we found. I'm shocked that my father and his hunting party didn't catch us while we slept. Those false trails we put down might well have saved our lives. And look at it this way. Now, my father and Leurre will have to find passage for themselves to the islands. That won't be easy, I don't think; it looked as if everyone in Saltlea was trying to flee the city by boat at the same time. Also, the merfolk will be something more for them to worry about when they come out after us. All things considered, we seem to be in good shape at the moment."

"I don't see how you can be so relaxed about the merfolk while we're in this little boat," he said.

"Because I have you," she said and kissed him lightly. "I have you and you have your iron sword. You can use that sword to protect us from the merfolk if they're stupid enough to attack us. I'm sure word of that sword has circulated through their ranks since we encountered them before."

He held her gently, pressing her against him, and kissed her tenderly. "I'd die before I let them, or anything else, harm you," he whispered.

"And I'd die before letting anything hurt you, my love," she said in reply, kissing him back.

He eased her to one side and she looked carefully at his face. Most of his color had returned and he seemed steadier.

Standing, careful not to rock the boat, he drew his sword from its scabbard. Holding it loosely in an expert grip he stared into the water as if daring the merfolk to come for them.

Chapter 27

Prince Leofrick Wykeham stood at the sail, holding tightly to the lines. He concentrated on his task and the direction of the wind partially out of necessity and partly as a way to block his discomfort.

Before, in the rush across the plains to reach Saltlea, the time spent nude in the hot sun, with so little shelter, he had acquired a sunburn. However, the absence of clothing had made it seem very mild. Now, with clothing rubbing and chaffing the injured flesh, the burn was making itself know, causing him to squirm in discomfort almost nonstop.

To make matters worse, the merfolk had found them only a short way out from the wharf. Ever since, they had paced the little boat, circling in much the same manner as the white sharks he also knew to be lurking in the same waters.

They haven't approached the boat yet. Either they can sense the iron in my sword, or else Rhyannon is right and news of it has spread among them.

Despite holding a meager distance, the merfolk stayed with the boat, wailing a low dirge that somehow managed to sound both mournful and hopeful at the same time. The constant, unceasing lament grated on his nerves. He thought of turning control of the lines back over to Rhyannon, freeing himself to patrol the edges of the boat with his sword again in the hopes of driving the merfolk back at bit if nothing else. He glanced at her and saw her sleeping soundly in spite of the merfolk's song. Not wanting to wake her without better cause, knowing she was as drained and exhausted as he himself, he gritted his teeth against the dual annoyances and gripped the lines tighter.

He had no idea how far they had traveled, how far out the Seafeather Islands were, or if they were even going in the proper direction. Though the basic geography was the same on both sides of the Veil, he had rarely ever had reason to be so far north of home and even less to be out on the water. He trusted Rhyannon to know where they were going, yet he didn't feel any safer now than he had on the mainland.

"Holding up okay, my love?" Rhyannon asked, her voice groggy.

Mildly surprised by her words, he said, "I'm managing. I didn't know you were awake."

"I wasn't," she said muzzily, standing slowly and stretching carefully, "until a few moments ago." She shot a dark look at the merfolk. "They never shut up, do they?"

"No," he said, not entirely happy with a topic of conversation that forced his thoughts back to one of the very things he had been working so hard to ignore.

"Want me to take over on the sails?" she asked, easing closer.

"Eat first."

Nodding, she sat again, closer to him now, and opened one of their supply packs, fishing out some fresh fruit. As she ate, she stood and offered to share with him. He smiled and thanked her, savoring the morsels of food she brought to his lips. Between bites, he asked if anyone lived on the Seafeather Islands, telling her that, on his side of the Veil, there were a few small settlements on them.

"Here in Faerie," she said, "only the urisks live on them." She laughed at his expression and went on, saying, "Urisks are faeries."

"Living here in Faerie?" he asked, grinning playfully. "I never would have imagined it."

Returning his grin, she said, "They're about four-feet-tall and have webbed feet. Their faces look a lot like the faces of ducks, but they have coarse hair mixed with their feathers. Their skin is very wrinkled."

He made an expression of distaste at her description.

She nodded, offering him another bite of fruit. "Most everyone finds them too ugly to look upon easily. The urisks know how repulsive others find them. Long ago they chose to sequester themselves away from everyone else and went to the islands to live."

"What about their temperament?"

"Urisks are the kindest, most gentle beings you're likely to find anywhere, on either side of the Veil," she told him. "They're peaceful beings who will go out of their way to help anyone in need of anything. They're why I wanted to go to the islands to hide. They'll help us to avoid my father and Leurre and offer us shelter and food during our stay."

"I hope so."

When he saw her eyes widen with alarm he turned to look. Several of the merfolk were sliding closer to their boat.

"They're getting too close for comfort," she said, reaching for the lines. "Let me take over so you can drive them back again."

He relinquished the sail lines and kissed her briefly. "I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," she replied, returning the kiss.

Drawing his sword, he began to prowl the edge of the boat, making a blatant display of the weapon in his hand. He knew the merfolk would be able to sense the naked iron.

Several of them set up a high-pitched keening sound almost instantly. Some dove beneath the water, fluked tails causing splashes as they smacked the surface of the water. Others simply drifted back from the boat, staring at him with dark, sunken eyes from behind tangles of algae-greened hair.

"How much longer?" he asked Rhyannon.

"We're still on course. We should reach the islands in a few hours."

He turned back to face her, saying, "I hope so. I don't like being out here on such a tiny boat."

"Nor do I, beloved. But we didn't have time to shop for something more suitable."

He stared at the water off the bow. The flat, unbroken gray-green water stretched to the horizon. He sighed. Turning, he looked the other way, half expecting to see another vessel in pursuit. But the way back was as desolate as the way forward.

Rhyannon screamed at the same instant Leofrick heard the splash. Before the dual sounds could even fully register in his mind, he felt the icy cold, clammy grip on his leg. Looking down, he discovered a pale webbed hand with clawed fingers clamped just above his ankle. The grip was painful, crushing. As he tried to dislodge the hand and look for its owner at the same time, the merman yanked, pulling him off balance.

He fell, striking the deck awkwardly, his head hitting the planking hard enough to daze him. The merman hauled, pulling him closer to the side. When his sword arm was within its reach, it shoved itself higher and grasped him above the elbow, trying to wrench his arm, trying to make him drop the sword.

Groggy, Leofrick stared into the dead, emotionless eyes of his attacker. The merman's mouth opened to reveal three rows of backward-angled needle teeth. The teeth in each row were shorter than the teeth in the row before them. The creature was crying out over and over, a low grating moan that was echoed by dozens of others in the water as they looked on.

As Leofrick's mind began to clear, he struggled against the merman as it tried to haul him into the water with it. Rhyannon, still screaming, released the sail lines and dropped to the deck, grabbing his free hand, pulling against the merman's strength. Already, lacking control, the boat was easing into a lazy turn, helped by the tug-of-war over Leofrick.

"Grab the lines!" he shouted to her. "Steer the boat!"

"I won't let you go!" she screamed back.

"You have to! I can't use my sword without hurting you! Let go!"

He had the soles of his new boots braced against the side, fighting to keep the merman from jerking him from the boat. He knew that if he went into the water he wasn't likely to come out alive. Other merfolk were swimming forward to help the first.

Screaming in frustration and despair, Rhyannon let go and leapt to her feet, grabbing the lines and tacking, bringing the boat back on course.

The instant she released him, Leofrick slammed fully against the side, the impact nearly knocking the wind from his lungs. Struggling to brace himself, gritting his teeth with effort, he struggled to remain in the boat and maintain his grip on his sword.

Switching the weapon to his other hand, he raised it and tried to strike. The bad angle robbed the blow of any power. Yet the touch of the blade with enough.

The merman's low moan turned to a shrill scream as it released him and dove beneath the surface. Other merfolk backed off quickly as Leofrick stood and swung the sword in a powerful arc.

The blade hacked into the shoulder of one merman. Thick, dark blood oozed from the wound, staining the already dark water. Screaming, the injured creature dove, splashing the water violently with its fluked tail.

Panting, Leofrick braced himself as he shouted at the merfolk, showing them the sword, demanding they stay away.

"Are you alright?" Rhyannon asked, easing as close to him as she could without releasing the lines again.

"No," he said, moving to her, lightly putting his free arm around her waist, carefully keeping the sword away from her with his other. "I'm not alright. And I won't be until this is finished! I'm sick and tired of being chased and hounded, never being safe, not even being able to stop for a breath without fear of being tracked down and imprisoned or, more than likely, killed! We're not safe on land. We're not safe on the water. We can't stay on your side of the Veil and we can't return to mine. I'm sick of this!"

"We'll be safe once we reach the Seafeather Islands," she soothed, voice soft, calming. "For a while, anyway; long enough to plan our next move." He saw her expression change to one of badly concealed worry and hurt as she said, "I hope," in a softer tone.

"You've told me how the Ve'reor can track," he said tersely. "It'll find us. It might not be able to swim out to us, but it'll still lead your father and Leurre right to us given time. It can track by the feel of your magick."

"The trail will fade, given time," she said. "All we need to do is to stay far enough ahead, confuse them, and give the magick trail time to fade."

"But they won't stop even then," he said. "It won't stop."

She shook her head sadly. "No," she agreed. "We'll have to keep running and hiding. But at least the Ve'reor won't be right on our heels."

He took a calming breath, watching her. His outburst had upset her, hurt her. That knowledge sent a pang of guilt through his heart. "So where do we go after the Seafeather Islands," he asked in a quieter tone.

"Further away," she said.

He stared in shock for long seconds before saying, "The next land after the islands we're heading to is called Panarnis on my side of the Veil. That's a long way off."

"Yes," she whispered, nodding. "In Faerie that land is known as Snowheath. You're right; it's a long way from here. And it's very cold all year around. But we could hide there. When they realize where we've gone and come for us the weather there will help us. The snow will make it harder for the Ve'reor to track us. And the bitter cold will effect the Attorcroppe; they like it warm and might not be able to function in Snowheath at all."

As long as we're together...

"As long as we're together, my love," he whispered to her and kissed her softly. "I've told you that before and I stand by it now. Long as we're together, that's all that matters to me."

She looked up, locking her gaze with his own, eyes shining with tears. "I thought maybe you were..."

"Changing my mind?"

She nodded.

"Never. Nothing could make me do that, Rhyannon."

"This little boat will never get us to Snowheath, though," she said softly. "We'll need something larger."

"The urisks you told me about, could they help us with that? Could they supply us with a new boat?"

"Yes. We'll ask them when we get there."

"So onto Snowheath by way of the Seafeather Islands, then," he said.

As he spoke, he let his gaze roam the ranks of the merfolk that were massing in the water once more. Even as he watched, more surfaced and several drifted closer to the boat.

There's no question of me leaving you, my beloved. The only question left is how long we'll have together before we're caught or killed...

Chapter 28

Princess Rhyannon Ensorcelledlight stood to one side of Leofrick, avoiding the sword hanging at his waist on his opposite side, as he wrestled with the lines of the sails. He had taken over steering the boat not long before to give her a rest. She watched the stars, bright in the night sky above, and used their positions to navigate. From time to time she cast a brief glance at the horizon, hoping to catch sight of signal fires that she knew would be burning along the coast of each of the islands. After a while she retook the lines, freeing Leofrick to patrol the edges of the boat, watching for the merfolk and keep them at bay with his sword. Since the close call earlier that day they had been very careful not to let any of them get near the boat again.

While she gripped the lines, she was tense with worry, always keeping watch on Leofrick. She was terrified of one of the merfolk surfacing to grab him again. She cautioned him to stay as far from the edges as possible.

Glancing at the horizon, she saw a series of tiny, faint flickering lights. Her heart soared.

"Leofrick! I think I see one of the islands!"

"Good," he answered, tension and weariness mixing in his voice.

She knew the constant level of watchfulness was wearing on him. It effected her, too, but was worse for him as he was the only one of them able to wield his iron sword and keep the merfolk at bay.

"We ought to reach dry land within the hour," she told him, relief heavy in her voice.

She adjusted the sails, aiming the bow directly at what seemed to be the largest island. As they grew nearer she was able to pick out more detail and shifted their course slightly, making for the port itself.

When they drew into a berth a little more than half an hour later both of them sighed in heartfelt relief.

From the darkness behind them came sounds of the merfolk wailing in rage, voicing their lament over the escape of their intended victims. The hateful keening sent shivers along Rhyannon's spine in spite of the warmth of the air.

Leofrick stood on the wooden planking of the dock and set to work securing the mooring lines as she tossed them to him. Finished, he glanced around, commenting to her on the quiet and lack of activity.

"The urisks know we're here," she assured him. "They'll be waiting to see what our intentions are. They'll be even more cautious than usual when they realize you're carrying an iron weapon." As she spoke, she handed him both supply packs and disembarked. "Stand near the boat and don't make any sudden moves. Give them time to see for themselves that we don't mean them any harm and let them come to us."

They chose a spot near the boat, yet well back from the edge of the dock, unwilling to risk another attack by the merfolk. She tried to block out the angry keening they made. She knew they very close by the splashing sounds they made as they surfaced and dove just off the docks, hidden in the darkness.

Just waiting for one of us to get too close to the edge.

Not wanting to speak for fear of frightening the timid urisks or further exciting the merfolk, they sat quietly. She opened the supply packs, withdrawing food and water. They ate and drank, waiting for the urisks to appear, keeping close to each other. Leofrick was careful to keep his sword well away from her as she watched the tree line on the far side of the docks, seeking some sign of movement by the faeries she knew would be hidden there, staring back.

Finished eating, they repacked what was left and tied the packs closed. Still, there was no sign of the urisks. Leofrick, moving slowly, took her hand gently in his own, lacing their fingers together.

"What are they waiting so long for?" he asked.

"Give them time," she said, keeping her voice low.

They sat in silence, holding hands, for a while longer. The entire time the merfolk wailed their hateful dirge. Finally, near dawn, slight movement in the tree line grabbed her attention. She focused on it, not saying anything to Leofrick about it just yet, waiting until the urisk stepped into the light of one of the signal fires, letting him discover the faerie for himself.

She knew he had seen it when she felt him tense. She nodded her head at the urisk, whispering to Leofrick to remain still.