I ran as fast as I could, knocking into people and tripping over things. But I never fell down. I kept running. I had no experience on a ship, the thing was like a labyrinth. I kept heading up though, I knew that much at least. My body slammed into a door, causing someone to make an ‘oomph’ sound on the other side. My eyes grew wide, I was about to apologize, but then I saw his eyes.

Ruben was on his butt, rubbing his forehead. His eyes were glaring daggers into my soul. No. I took a step back, fear intoxicating every fiber of my being.

“Never go back.”

I realized what she meant, I was running. Running away from my problems, as I had been all my life since Callum. But now was not the time to run away, it was time to face them head on.

Determination set itself in my bones and I charged forward. Ramming into the door. Ruben was knocked out of the way and I ran to the side of the ship. The railing was the only thing keeping me from the water. Ruben approached slowly, his hands out in front of him. Like he talking someone off the edge.

“Hey now. Where are you going?”

I snickered, knowing there was no way I could answer. He’d had my voice removed and he expected me to talk? Talk about a man with high expectations. I pointed to the water.

He shook his head, “Those chains are going to take you right down to the bottom. You jump and you die.”

I made a face at him.

He laughed, “At least you aren’t dead if you stay with us. Tell you what, I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of. Just come away fromt he side.”

I looked him dead in the eye and jumped over board. Never go back.

Bubbles swam out of me. My throat a passageway for the air to escape. I forgot to hold my breath. I dropped, the water enveloped me quickly. What do I do?

Lily passed by me, “You need to get those chains off.”

I focused my energy on the chains. I could feel the heat begin to sink in and the water bubbled around the iron. I kept at it even when it stung my skin and brought tears to my eyes. Not like the tears could fall anyway. Finally one of the brackets came off.

“Hurry!”

Can’t die here, I thought. I repeated that to myself as I took the rest off. I have a destiny to fulfil. I can’t die here.

Lily chuckled as I swam to the surface, “You’re right. You can’t die yet. That’s why swim fast little one. Swim hard. The surface is right there.”

I could feel myself slowing down. No lungs in my air. No that wasn’t right. No air in my lungs. I swam as hard as I could. Willing my arms to work and my feet to kick. But there was a haziness that was swallowing me. The light on the water’s surface twinkled and for a moment, I forgot to move. I smiled, the bliss of being underwater was not one I was aware of. I felt myself slow to a stand still.

“What are you doing?” Lily was practically shrieking. She tried pushing on me, but her effort had no effect.

A mass swam in front of my eyes, green like a lush meadow was all I could see. Suddenly air filled my lungs. Like a breath of old air. I gulped it down readily, finding renewed strength in my limbs. I swam, breaking the surface.

I huffed and puffed, filling my lungs with the fresh air. I chugged the air in and sighed in relief. The water broke next to me, Ruben popped out. He gave me a smirk, “I don’t know how you got those chains off, but I swear to the gods, you are the most reckless person I know.”

Giving him a grin, I swam for land, leaving him behind in a storm of kicked up mist. I turned back once to see him staring at me from aboard his ship. I knew that technically he saved my life, but he wouldn’t have had to if he hadn’t taken me, so I put us at even. I made a silly face at the distant ship.

I reached the beach and tried to wring the water from my clothing. I looked for Lily, she fluttered around me. “You can use the light to dry yourself off, just amplify the heat and it’ll dry faster.”

Ah, good idea. I did as she suggested. Now what’s the first step to the goal?

“Well, first we need money, then the fun will really start.”

How do we get money? I asked. Surely if obtaining money was that easy I would have paid off my debts long before this situation ever happened.

“Lucky for you, I happen to have clairvoyance.”