When All is Lost

22.

A rock emerges from the darkness as the man pulls the oars inside the boat and lets us float in towards a natural cave. The sprites inside chitter in excitement to see him and I feel a longing for my own sprites that's raw and powerful.

The man reaches into the water and pulls out a chain which he uses to pull us in close to the rocks. He jumps ashore and ties the boat up as Nate and I untangle ourselves, grabbing our soaked clothes and following the man ashore. I shove my feet into my wet boots and step into the cave.

"Where are we?"

"Middle of the channel, you call it Dead Man's Rock."

Nate takes a shaky breath, his muscles like mine are still shivering uncontrollably. It's exhausting to be this cold.

"We need to get inside." He says and the man nods.

He leads us towards the rock face, disappearing behind it like magic. Following him, I see a staircase carved into the rock hidden by the shadows clinging around it. Clever.

We climb the stairs in silence, my legs are numb now, I can barely feel them at all unless I smack my toes into a rock, which I do, frequently. As we step out of the cliff onto a desolate rock the wind feels warm against them. That can't be good.

The man is disappearing ahead of us and I find I can barely keep my eyes open. The wind pushes at me, prodding and poking, keeping me upright and moving towards a light. A door opens and I fall inside. Where's Nate? I think as I slip unconscious.

The darkness is nice and my worries slide away from me as I give in to it.

My next sensation is a weight pressing down on me. I'm trapped under something but I can't bring myself to care. I slip back into the darkness where it's peaceful.

Then I taste something. A hand is on the back of my head, lifting me up enough to swallow. It tastes meaty and salty. I can hear voices around me, but when I try to open my eyes they're sore and the light is painful. The soup tastes good so I listen a while, eating what I can.

"She's dying, if you say her sprites are outside, then let them in." Nate's voice is raised in urgency.

"I can't." The darker voice of the man sounds tired but firm. "As I've explained, I can't control a tribe that isn't connected to me."

"Then drop the shields," Nate sounds exhausted, his voice cracking as he shouts at the stranger.

"I can't, the shields aren't just things we can throw up or tear down easily."

I want to stop them shouting but I can't. Exhausted I slip back to the darkness where I don't have to worry about anything.

Swallowing hurts. My eyes feel heavy and sore. The weight is a blanket, I'm warm. My hair is stuck to the back of my neck and there's a roaring fire in the room with me. I blink my eyes open as I shift in my bed, someone is holding my hand. I try to focus and see a mass of tawny brown curls leaning over me, I can't see very well.

"Charlie?" His relief washes through me, making me feel more than I have for hours, days? "Please call Inkspot to you, I don't know what you have, but I think, that is the Fae here, they think he'll help you."

I swallow again, it hurts.

A hand brings up a small bowl of warm honeyed water and I sip at it.

"I can't bring him in girl." The man says, he's looming like a shadow monster at the bottom of my bed. "This rock is protected, he needs to be pulled inside by someone already here."

"Please, Charlie, try. I don't know what else to do." Nate sounds so desperate.

I take a breath, everything hurts.