Plenty didn’t dream. It wasn’t in his nature. He accepted the world as it was; in that way, he was like most ageless beings; their worldview stagnating as the eons pass by.
A literal, practical nature was one of the many similarities Plenty and Hinata shared, which could explain why they were both so devoted to Morgan and Gwen.
Plenty had never imagined a world free of Adam, not until he met Morgan and Gwen. They were the dreamers, with ideas to change the world, and the will to make their dreams reality. They planted a seed in him, whispering delicious ideas of freedom and vengeance, and his world was forever changed. Or perhaps the world stayed the same; he simply noticed the cage he’d been living in, a cage of cowardice and shame, of failure, loss, and tragedy.
Morgan and Gwen introduced to Plenty the thrill of a free life–not free from fear, but above it. He would sooner die than live in that cage again. So while he had no dreams of his own, Plenty lived in service to their dream of a world without Adam. And with their dream in his mind, Plenty could live with courage.
But he was still too drained and anxiety-ridden to sleep soundly. He woke exhausted. Rubbing his eyes and looking around, he noticed Gwen and Hinata were on opposite sides, reading books and avoiding eye contact. The mood felt tense. Plenty took a swig of water and considered his next words carefully. Then he decided whatever the tension, it was between sisters–not his business–so he left it alone and pondered the time of day. Plenty wasn’t one to complain, but he privately hated their windowless cabin.
“How long was I out?” he asked while signing.
“Not long. It’s afternoon,” Hinata answered first.
Plenty stretched widely, but exhaustion clung to him like damp rags. Days of sleep wouldn’t restore him. He wasn’t just tired; he was drained. Heavy mist and healing water weren’t costly spells, but he had been casting one or the other almost nonstop for days. Plenty needed to replenish himself in moonlight, but that might be difficult under present circumstances.
Plenty stood, holding the hammock while his sleepy legs found footing. “I’ll go speak to the captain. Hopefully, he’ll point us in a direction.”
Then he left the sisters to their cabin of suffocating, quiet animosity, and stepped out into the daylight and fresh open air. The deck had returned to relative normalcy, though the crew appeared run-ragged and sluggish. Captain Jerome was at the wheel, practically leaning on it for support.
Plenty climbed the stairs and greeted the captain, “Ahoy.”
A broad smile reached Jerome’s eyes. “Brother! How’s Hinata?”
Plenty felt full to bursting when Jerome called him ‘brother.’ He wanted to trust Jerome, but lives were at stake. He had to be careful.
“She’s wecovering. How’s Danielle?”
“Still resting, but she’s alive, and I have you to thank. I’m in your debt.”
Plenty waved dismissively. “I was glad to help. But I do have a favor to ask.”
“Name it.”
Plenty looked around to ensure no one else could overhear. They were alone atop the quarter deck, and the wind was blowing loud, crashing against the waves. He spoke softly, “I’ve never been to Garden before. Where I’m from, familiars are… uncommon. Frankly, I think they’re creepy. Do you know somewhere in Garden City where familiars aren’t permitted?”
Jerome squinted at Plenty like he was looking through him. Then he said, “Hm. I can’t say much about Higher Garden. I’ve only been summoned once, when I was assigned this route. The puffin familiar came with the job. In Lower Garden, familiars are ubiquitous. But I know a place. They call it Strangers, fittingly, if a bit on the nose. I’ll give you the address.
“But also, a warning. I mean this as a friend: you’re not fooling anyone. Paying for your fare in black pearls was ostentatious. Your wife walks around with an artifact of unique cultural significance on her back. Your daughter was seen behaving very oddly during the pirate attack. Somehow you knew about the pirates long before anyone else. And most notably, a fucking kraken appeared like a savior from the deep to sink the pirate ship. Now generally, I’m not one to question providence, but coincidences are stacking, and not everyone in the crew shares my agreeable disposition. You catch my meaning?”
Plenty could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He felt cornered, but he tried to act cool. “No, I don’t think I understand. Speak plainly, please.”
Captain Jerome laughed. “You first. Tell me the truth about one damn thing, starting with the kraken.”
Shit. Plenty only had a second to mull his options. To confirm or deny? Shit! Fine. “What do you know about selkies?”
Behind thick spectacles, Jerome’s eyes blinked in shock. He whispered, “Not much. I wasn’t even sure if they were real until just now. Are you telling me you and your family are selkies?”
“No. They’re human. But I’m selkie.”
Captain Jerome whistled, impressed. “So that kraken, you summoned it?”
“Yes,” Plenty lied. Gwen and Raf had summoned a deep sea giant to dispatch the pirate ship, but Plenty was already taking a risk. He was expendable. Gwen was not. If this disclosure had consequences, Plenty would bear them.
“I’m telling you this because I need your help. I need to bathe in the moonlit waters. And when I do, I need you to slow the ship and send your crew below. Please, no one else can know.”
Jerome looked uncertain. “What about your two companions, then? If they’re not selkies, what are they, and what are they to you?”
“The girl isn’t mine, but she’s like a daughter to me. The same way Hinata isn’t my wife, but I love her all the same.”
Jerome softly nodded, seeming to accept the answer. “Okay. I suppose the more important question is, why is a wartime enemy of mankind travelling to Garden City?”
“I’m not an enemy of mankind!” Plenty whispered. “Adam just decided one day to kill every fae creature on the planet. I wasn’t involved. I never even met the guy. And the war is over. Adam won. There are only a few ocean-dwelling fae left alive, and we all honor the Land and Water treaty.”
“Except here you are, on a ship destined to violate that treaty. If Adam found out about you, he’d have cause to start the war all over again.”
“I’m in human form now. I’ll stay a human while I’m on land and in Garden City.”
“I doubt Adam would see it that way. The moment you set foot on land, you risk starting an unstoppable war you cannot hope to win. And by sheltering you, I’ve become complicit. Why would you take such a dangerous and foolish risk?”
Plenty’s heart was pounding in his chest. This conversation was veering off the rails. He closed his eyes for a second and took a breath. He hated lying. He had to tell the captain something, but Plenty couldn’t tell him the full truth. Perhaps a partial truth?
“The little one was born with access to magic. That’s why we’re going to Garden City: she needs to learn from the very best. I love her. I would risk anything for her. I would even live as a human for her.”
Jerome appeared surprised and a little unconvinced. “So this is all to give your adopted daughter a better life?”
Plenty nodded. “Yes.”
Jerome was silent. He looked ahead, over the wheel and the bow sprit, and beyond the horizon. Plenty was a patient man so he calmly waited for the captain’s mind to settle.
“I’ll help you,” Jerome said, finally. “Because of what you did for my wife, I’ll help you. And I’ll keep your secret. But I can’t say the same for each member of the crew. Some of them are already suspicious. Those whispers won’t get quieter after I lock the crew below deck while you take a private bath in the ocean.”
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“I understand. If there were any other way… but for this to work, I need the skies to be clear. We may end up waiting several nights.”
Jerome cleared his throat. “Well, if the weather is sub-optimal, I suggest you take a bath anyway, since we’re only a few days from arrival.”
“Oh! That’s wonderful news. Thank you. I’ll go tell my family.”
Plenty hurried down stairs to the cabin. Whew, their cabin smelled bad, like a mix of sour vomit and sweating despair. He hadn’t noticed it before amid all the drama, but coming in from the outside, the stink of death hit him hard enough to gag. But he swallowed and shut the door behind him.
“We really need to air this cabin out,” he said while signing. “But first, I have important news.”
‘You told the captain you were a selkie,’ Gwen signed.
Plenty’s mouth dropped. “How did you know that?”
‘Raf overheard and he told me,’ she answered.
Plenty chewed on that revelation for a moment. ‘The symbiote can overhear whispered conversations from far away?’
Gwen nodded.
‘The sea monster that sank the pirate ship, Raf summoned it?’
Gwen nodded again. ‘Raf also has a plan for Hinata’s and my blood dilemma.’
Plenty bit his words. Of course the symbiote has ideas. Untrustworthy ideas. But what could he do? The thing was fully enmeshed in Gwen’s thoughts now. He couldn’t sever the symbiote and he couldn’t physically restrain Gwen. All he could do is hope and believe in Gwen.
Swallowing his mistrust, Plenty spoke to the symbiote directly. “Listen closely to the captain for the next couple days. If he tells anyone, let me know.”
A moment passed and Gwen signed, ‘Raf says the captain hasn’t spoken to anyone yet. He’s still alone at the wheel.’
‘Okay,’ Plenty sighed. ‘Okay, that’s good.’ He slumped onto a stool at the corner table. Then he looked up and continued, ‘Well, let’s hear this plan.’
Gwen smirked and picked up a wooden folding mancala game set. She had finished reading the Garden history book and traded the book in for a board game. Putting the game on the table, Gwen signed, ‘Play with me. If you win, I’ll tell you the idea. If I win, you go along with it no questions asked.’
Plenty gave Gwen a rueful smile. He was never very good at denying her anything. “Sounds dangerous. You’re on.”
‘What about me?’ Hinata asked.
‘You play winner,’ Gwen answered. ‘Same terms.’
Plenty lost.
Hinata won, so the sisters huddled together so Plenty wouldn’t see them sign. He wondered if they had worked through their animosity, or if it had momentarily been set aside in favor of more important things, such as pranking Plenty.
Hinata and Gwen both agreed it would be more fun to surprise Plenty rather than tell him the plan, so he stormed into his hammock and took an angry nap.
Hinata woke him with a soft kiss on the cheek.
When his eyes opened, the unexpected sight of her disturbed him. Hinata was more beautiful than ever, but there was something unsettling and different about her now. Her brown-green eyes shined in the dim light. Her pure, generous smile had a strange predatory edge that never existed before. The loves of his life were changing, and he was powerless to hold back the tides.
Hinata backed away, his reaction wounding her.
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “You just startled me.”
Hinata’s lips pressed shut and she nodded a few times too many. “It’s time,” she said finally. She handed him a bag with his sealskin folded inside. “Skies are mostly clear. Gwen is already on deck. The captain says he’s ready when you are, so let’s get a move on.”
Plenty took the bag. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what, so when Hinata turned and left the cabin, a mix of relief and disappointment in himself flooded his thoughts. She was struggling. He had a duty to comfort her, and he failed. He had to do better. He stood up and followed her up the stairs.
Stars and a crescent moon decorated the night sky. Sparse clouds broke the view, but constellations, clusters, and galaxies filled the space between the clouds.
Most of the crew was already asleep. Only a few deckhands were still at work, but when Plenty stepped on deck, Captain Jerome sent them below. No one seemed to mind or question the time-off, which was a small relief.
Hinata and Gwen were on deck. Still refusing to tell Plenty the plan, they smiled mischievously as he retrieved his sealskin from his bag. He wrapped himself in it and then jumped into the ocean.
He felt the familiar magic as his skin wrapped around his body and everything inside of him melted and reformed. It felt like sinking into a long, relaxing bath. It felt like home, like death and immortality, forever enmeshed in the moment long ago when his two souls became one soul.
In his selkie body, Plenty was powerful and free. He kicked with his entire spine and broke the surface of the water, breathing deeply the clean night air. Then he leaned onto his back and floated like a sponge, soaking up the ocean.
The moon was thin, so he would soak for several hours before his mana was fully replenished. Meanwhile, the Floating Library continued to drift, so Plenty had to frequently roll over and swim back to the ship. It was at one of these moments that Plenty realized what the ‘surprise’ was Gwen and Hinata had saved for him.
Drifting just below the ship was the ‘kraken’ Captain Jerome had mentioned earlier. Plenty almost choked on salt water when he first noticed it. It was too big for him to see fully, but he saw an eye watching him, and that eye was almost as big as the Floating Library. Its tentacles were larger than the largest tree on Safo. And it just drifted there, practically motionless.
But not entirely motionless. Plenty was so awestruck by the ocean giant, he didn’t notice the shark until it was too late.
Suddenly, the water all around Plenty erupted. He twirled underwater, dizzy. Everything happened so suddenly, Plenty didn’t understand what had happened until it was all done.
The shark would have made a meal of Plenty, but the ocean giant grabbed it around the tail fin, lifted it high out of the water, and then slammed it forcefully onto the surface with such speed and savagery that the shark was killed instantly. Then the giant tentacle dropped the dead shark on the deck of the Floating Library and returned to its earlier underwater stillness.
At that, Plenty was sufficiently fed up with surprises. He barked up at Hinata, who threw down a chain. He shook off his sealskin, tossed it over his shoulder, and climbed the chain. Once he’d finished the climb and rolled over the side, collapsing on the deck, he shouted, “What the Hell was that?”
‘Surprise!’ Gwen signed.
Meanwhile, Hinata was using her chain harness and the sail mast to string the shark up by the tail fin. Once it was hanging upside down, she took Gwen’s knife and sliced the shark’s gills. Then she took Plenty’s travel bowl and collected the shark’s blood as it leaked from its still body. They would drink and collect enough blood to finish the voyage with full bellies.
Captain Jerome watched them with a mix of disgust, horror, and fascination.
Gwen pulled Plenty aside as he recovered.
‘We should kill the captain,’ she signed.
Plenty looked at Gwen like he’d never seen her before. ‘Are you crazy? No, we’re not doing that.’
‘He knows too much! Do you really want that loose end hanging over our heads?’ she argued.
‘He is a good man, and he’s been a friend to us.’
‘We paid him. He is not our friend.’
‘I saved his wife. He promised to keep our secret!’
‘Dead men are better at keeping secrets.’
‘Do not kill him! The crew is already suspicious. You want to make them more suspicious?’
‘I’d rather they be suspicious than certain.’
‘And I would rather we not murder our allies!’
Gwen frowned. They were at an impasse.
‘You don’t know he’s an ally.’
‘And you don’t know he’s a threat. If he tells anyone, then kill him, but we’re not killing an innocent man who has helped us.’
Gwen’s jaw flexed. ‘If he tells anyone, it’ll be too late.’
‘This is my call, you understand? I follow your lead most times, but this time you listen to me. Leave him be.’ Plenty stomped his foot.
Gwen answered by stomping away to drink shark blood. Plenty interpreted that as reluctant acceptance.
As he watched the woman who wasn’t his wife drink shark blood with the woman who wasn’t his daughter, doubt crept in the back of Plenty’s mind like a thief crawling in a window, stealing what little peace of mind he had left. He knew Gwen and Hinata. He trusted them. But they were both changing dramatically. Did he really know either of them anymore?
Captain Jerome stepped beside him. “That was some angry-looking hand-waving,” he noted. “You know, when you requested this little skinny dip, you never said anything about a shark or the kraken or the blood-drinking.”
“Oh, uh… yeah, sorry… I guess I figured it would be, uh… a neat surprise. But don’t worry. The kraken won’t hurt you, and the blood-drinking is treatment for a simple vitamin deficiency. It’s a medical condition.”
Jerome raised a skeptical eyebrow. Why did he have to be so damn opaque? “Well, good thing I sent the crew below, because this would be hard to explain,” he waved his hands in the direction of Hinata, Gwen, and the bleeding shark. “But I suppose it’s good meat. Cook will be thrilled.”
Plenty could only nod dumbly.
“Out of curiosity,” Jerome continued. “Will you three need to repeat this… treatment once you’re in Garden City? How do you plan to do that?”
Plenty examined the captain closely. “Why the sudden interest?”
“I’ve always been interested. There’s a world full of interesting things. Right now, three fascinating things are on my ship. I’d like to know more.”
Plenty wondered what to say. He had already trusted Jerome with so much. Too much? Was Gwen right? But what then? If Jerome were to die mysteriously, what would his crew do? What would Danielle do? Or that damn familiar she kept with her?
Plenty could only answer, "I don't know."
What do you think? Is Gwen right, or is Plenty right?
