As Dane came awake, he became aware of the boat's movement under him, which had become more pronounced. The engines were thrumming at a deeper pitch.
"We're moving," he said, yawning as he sat up. "Is Dane on watch?"
"Yes." Lucy sat on the edge of the berth. She looked tired but energized. "I woke him up when the heavy weather moved in, but we figured we could let you sleep for a while. He says we're getting close to the island now, so I thought it was a good time to come down and wake you. Was that the right thing to do?"
"It's absolutely the right thing. You're a great night watch helmsman and I'd sail with you anytime."
He had slept in most of his clothes, so all he had to do was shove his feet into his boots and grab a jacket before coming up top.
They were skipping across the waves, cutting through the chop, with Dane in the pilot's seat. Lucy was right that the weather had worsened. Rain spit against the windows, and it was hard to tell where the ruffled gray ocean met the low clouds.
"I hope we're close," Eren said. He felt Lucy move against him and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Because we're pretty damn far from land to have to run through a storm."
"We are, actually," Dane said. "Not far now."
Eren made coffee and handed cups around. Lucy sat on the bench against the wall, yawning and wrapped in a too-large coat. The recent warm weather seemed little more than a memory.
"Seasick?" Eren asked her. She shook her head.
"No, feeling fine. Just tired."
"Hopefully the caffeine'll help. Get some food in you."
Lucy accepted a sandwich. Eren gave her a light kiss on the soft skin beside her eyes, then went to spread out the charts and plot their location.
"Where'd you say it was?" he asked Dane.
"Directly ahead of us. It might be in sight soon."
Eren stabbed a finger at the blank space on the map. "There's nothing here."
"The map says not," Dane said. "But we're close. In fact, I think we're here."
He slowed the boat.
Lucy jumped off her seat and came forward to look as the island loomed out of the mist ahead.
LUCY
Lucy'sfirst view of Griffin Island was forbidding and even frightening. Dark clouds hung low overhead. Through a haze of mist and rain, she could see little more than a gray line that resolved slowly, as they approached, into a rugged cliff with waves pounding its feet.
The boat motored slowly along the cliff, not approaching closely. Lucy didn't need to ask why. She could see waves breaking on rocks between them and the cliff, and didn't have to know a lot about the sea to guess how dangerous it would be to approach without any way to find a safe channel.
"You didn't mention it was a fortress," Eren muttered. Dane was still piloting the boat, and Eren stood swaying with the waves, one hand on the back of the pilot's seat and the other gripping Lucy's cold fingers with his warm, strong ones.
"This is the part I can't help you with," Dane admitted. "I know about the island. I don't know how to get in. I think the griffin town is in the interior."
"There's atown?" Lucy asked.
"Sure," Dane said. "From what my friend said, the griffins have everything they need here. Sometimes they trade with the mainland to get anything they can't make themselves."
Lucy's mind circled around the thought, refusing to settle. A whole town of griffins. Maybe even a city. Why had her uncle and father left? Why hadn't they ever told her?
But she knew the answer to that. Her father probably would have, if he'd been able to. It was only because she had been a small girl when he died that she had never learned the truth.
As for Uncle Rodric, he would have wanted to keep the magic all for himself. He would never have shared anything with her except to control her. The more secrets he kept, the more power he had.
"There," Eren said abruptly, pointing. "You can see the water's calmer there. It looks like it's safe. Take us in."