Haven moved with a steady grace. The battering wind and huge waves did not touch her. The great bolts of lightning veered their paths to strike harmless into the ocean.
Cousin stood at the bow one hand on the wing of the figure head. Ollie stood at her side. They followed the pull to Frick, to the others. Their target had stopped moving long ago. When Cousin reached out with her perception she saw the ship docked at an island. There were towns and settlements peopled with wielders.
“We’re getting closer,” Ollie said.
Cousin nodded. “I can feel them. I feel a whole island of wielders, too.”
Ollie smiled. “Pay back time.”
“No. The more I think about the fetter Protector put on Gabb, the more I wonder how much choice those people have.”
Ollie frowned. “How can we tell the difference?”
“I’m not sure most people can.”
Ollie stared straight ahead. His thoughts moving over his face.
Cousin patted his shoulder, and went to the helm.
Gabb, with Raymond and Nickel on watch, guided Haven by Ollie’s directions. Cousin stood beside Gabb looking at her feet.
“Well, spit it out,” Gabb said. “Not like you don’t know the answer.”
“I know the facts. I want your point of view. The fetter. What was it like?”
“Slavery. No free will. No choice. All force. Even from the distance I could feel the Protector’s will: bring you to him. If you hadn’t broke it? Just, thanks for that.”
Cousin didn’t raise her head. “Do you think his death would have freed you?”
Gabb chewed his lip while he thought. The storm boiled around them, and Haven sailed on. “No,” he said. “The fetter would still be there, just waiting for someone strong enough to take it up.”
Cousin nodded. “Thanks.”
“Dead would have been better,” Gabb said to Cousin’s back as she walked away.
Cousin went to the galley. Jak sat with his head in his hands. Cousin rubbed his arm. Jak looked up with wet eyes. “I need you,” Cousin said. “I need meat.”
Jak jumped up and ran to fill Cousin’s request.
Kraken found Cousin in the galley. Jak was setting another plate of food in front of her.
“Hungry is a good thing,” Kraken said. “Think I’ll take a plate too, Jak.”
Jak brought the food and a tankard of ale.
“See if anyone else wants something,” Kraken said.
“Aye, Captain.” Jak bobbed his head and left he galley with a platter in hand.
“I need to face Protector alone,” Cousin said. “I know you want to be there with me.” She met Kraken’s hard stare. “I have a plan.”
“I don’t like it,” Kraken said. “I know you can handle him, and the whole island. You don’t have to do it alone.”
“You talked to Ollie?”
Kraken nodded and tore off a big piece of meat. He chewed and motioned for Cousin to go on.
“I want to free them. The ones who are fettered. It may not matter. I’d like to give them a choice anyway.”
Kraken swallowed. “How?”
“A version of the slime spell. Modified to incapacitate, not kill. Like a kind of status. I think I can create a way everyone can cast it.”
“So, you keep Protector focused on you, while we retrieve ours. What about the fetters.”
“I can rip them from him. Hopefully, it will damage him. And I will need you to send Ghost to me when you find him.”
Kraken leaned back in his chair. “Ghost?”
“I’ll need him to bring me back to my body. Maybe.”
“Why Ghost? I’ve seen the Ether. I should come for you.”
Cousin held up her hand. “Ghost is a natural Shadow Glider. Protector will expect me to fight physically. That’s how he taught me to fight. And there is a large part of me that wants to rip him apart with my own hands. I think it would be a mistake. Ripping out the fetters will do more damage, and free the people on the other end.” Cousin took a deep breath. “It may take awhile for me to return.”
Kraken stared at his plate. “As you wish. What about the crew?”
Cousin smiled. “You can heal them.”
“I’ve never . . .”
“You can heal them. And there isn’t a wielder on the island you can’t take.”
Kraken frowned. “Prepare the spells. Haven just changed her pace.”
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