The sea rapidly grew rougher as they neared the oncoming storm. Everything that could be secured was, and the ship was slowed considerably. The wind soon picked up, howling around them before bringing in lashing rain. The waves soon beat over the side of the Gryphon, and water from both wave and rain found its way into every crack and crevice of the ship. The storm was so loud that every word between the crew needed to be shouted, and from very little distance away. Moving about the ship was nearly impossible, but the crew was put to work manning the bilge pumps in an effort to reduce what water the ship was taking on.

Each member of the crew, some of whom had been sailing for years and Ardlac included, spent some time sick from the motions of the tossing ship. Li was thankful not to be the only one so dreadfully ill. Most could only man the pumps until the sickness came over them again, and another member of the crew stepped in to replace them. Though they attempted to maintain cleanliness, going onto the deck was impossible and making it to the head between decks was almost always equally so. The buckets used ended up overturned with the rolling of the ship and floating in the ankle-deep water in the hull, and eventually all pretext of cleanliness was lost. Li did not like considering what was in the water around his feet, swept in from all corners of the ship and mixed with each ill crew member's additions.

Again, Li heard incessant prayers to Quelin, god of the sea. He wondered how devoted any of the crew were to the god when they weren't afraid for their lives. He had noticed no altars and had been told of no group prayers since arriving, though he'd noted a large image of the god over the stairs leading to the deck from the common area. He was depicted as a man with the lower body of a fish and hair and beard of sea snakes. In one hand he bore a sword, and in the other a flute. Li had been told Quelin was believed to fight for the lives of those whose time to die had not come yet, and to guide those whose time had come so that their drowning was peaceful.

By his third hour assisting with the pumps for quarter hour intervals, Li was beginning to wonder if he, too, should begin praying to the god of the sea. If one more voice added to the chorus below the drone of the storm would spare them and their ship, he would do it. As it was he was growing tired and found himself slipping often on the slick floor. He gripped the pump handle with all his strength as the ship was tossed by wave after wave. It was all he had to balance himself.

As he was giving his place up to another member of the crew to work, the ship was hit by a particularly large wave, which nearly pressing it to its side. Before he could prevent it, Li was tossed against the side of the ship, hitting his head against a beam there. He fell into the water swirling about their feet, his face down in the muck deep enough to drown him. Had he been conscious he would have thought to listen for Quelin's flute.

When he woke the sea was calmer, but not as calm as any of them would have liked. He could still hear rain lashing against the Gryphon, but the howling wind had quieted somewhat. His head ached terribly and he reached up to touch it. There was a bandage wrapped around his head, covering the aching spot on his forehead. It took another few moments to recognize he was in his cabin, though laying on the floor.

"Oh good, you woke up."

It hurt to turn his head, but Li glimpsed Ardlac looking down at him from the bunk, though laying with his legs hanging off the end.

"You fared better in your first storm than your first fight," Ardlac told him, though Li wasn't sure what he meant by it.

"Why am I on the floor?" he asked.

"Until we can both bathe, I'm attempting to keep the bunk clean. The bilge water tends to be utterly disgusting, and you fell in it. Your wound has been cleaned, though."

It was the most Ardlac had said to him since his first day on the Gryphon. "What is it with you not letting me die?"

Ardlac sighed. "I suppose a thanks was too much to expect."

They were quiet for some time, and Li realized he wasn't truly being very kind. Even if he didn't care for Ardlac very much, he didn't need to be overly rude. However, he wasn't certain he felt well enough to apologize. After some time, he realized the ship didn't feel as if it was moving, even if it was being rolled by the waves and wind.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Anchored in the Vestal Cove," Ardlac explained. "The storm mostly blew us here, but it's a safe place used by the fleet during storms. There are two companion ships with us riding out the storm here. Once it passes, we will do what repairs were can before leaving the cove."

Li had never seen another ship from the Mahlonian fleet while on the Gryphon. "How often do companion ships meet?"

"It depends on what's happening," Ardlac replied. He sounded tired, but not as if he was bothered by Li's questions in any way. "When we use the same sheltered coves, we meet whenever the weather is poor. At times we meet in port, though not often considering the number of ports visited by the fleet. At times we assist each other in attacks against Dyrai and its ships. These two would be good allies against the ship we outran, as both have Asirim on board, last I knew."

Li considered asking Ardlac more about his magic, or lack thereof, but his head ached too much for more conversation and he supposed it would be rude of him to press a subject he knew would be difficult for Ardlac. He didn't want to ruin Ardlac's unusually obliging mood. Was this the sort of person Aricka insisted Ardlac was? Willing to talk and be friendly?

"Thank you," Li finally said. He meant for more than simply answers to his questions, but he hoped Ardlac would know it.

"You're welcome," Ardlac replied. "Rest so you can meet our companion ships in the coming hours."

Li was content to do just that.