Cousin finished healing Stephen and Raymond, and ordered them to stay in bed and rest until sunrise. She had food brought, and left them to their rest.
She wondered deep into the ship. Cousin could feel a foreign presence, though she was sure it wasn’t a person or spell. No corner was left unexplored, until only the bilge was left.
The hatch to the bilge swung down on silent hinges. She lowered herself through and changed her eyes. The dark faded away. Cousin could feel the ocean all around the ship. Walking the length of the keel, she saw nothing. The bilge was dry and empty as it should be.
When Cousin reached the stern the presence seemed to be louder. She lay face down on the keel. At once she felt the full ship stronger than ever before. The keel, like a spine, was the central foundation of Haven, and she felt herself relax into it.
Cousin sent her mind out into the ocean around the ship. Trailing from a silken tether was a talisman. She didn’t try to remove it. A familiar energy left a faint trail in the water behind.
Cousin looked farther out into the ocean until she found what she wanted. A great ocean predator swam in slow migration on the depths. A subtle touch on its mind directed the fish’s attention to the talisman. It rose to investigate a possible meal. The fish bumped the talisman a couple of times. A gentle nudge and the predator snapped ferocious jaws on the silken tether. The talisman was swallowed and the silk fell away from the ship.
Cousin came back to herself feeling the solid keel beneath her. She didn’t want to get up. Haven was safe for the time being. All injuries had been healed. She would worry about what she had learned later.
Cousin reached out for Gabb’s mind. When he responded, she told him where she was. Then she slept.
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