cawing mockingly at him. He wished that he could fly so that he could follow them.
He shaded his hand with his eyes and glanced off into the distance. Huge shapes moved beneath the clear water, perhaps whales, perhaps some of the legendary monsters that were said to haunt this part of the sea. So far none of them had paid any attention to the ship, for which he was grateful.
Some leagues away he thought he could see islands. Sometimes. Sometimes they were there. Sometimes not. A faint shimmering covered the waves, as far as he could see. It resembled a heat haze but it was not. To his eyes it looked tinged with magic, more than that he could not say.
Far below him, Teclis waved. Tyrion leapt out into space, grabbed a dangling rope and slid down it with dizzying speed, laughing aloud until his feet hit the deck. He sprang forward exuberantly, performed a handspring and landed upright beside his brother.
‘What were you looking for?’ Teclis asked. He lounged on a wicker deckchair, looking even sicker than usual. Despite all the good Lady Malene’s potions had done him, the voyage did not agree with him. He still suffered from seasickness worse than any dwarf.
‘I don’t know,’ Tyrion replied. ‘But whatever it is I think I will have trouble finding it. There is some enchantment on these waters, stronger than the glamour that covers the Annulii.’
Teclis laughed at him. ‘Perceptive as ever, brother. You are looking on the effects of one of the most potent and far-reaching spells ever cast. Bel-Hathor and his mages wove magic here to hide Ulthuan from the humans. Believe me, any confusion you are feeling would be increased a thousand-fold if you were one of them. When they enter the weave of this spell they get lost and turned around by a labyrinth of spells and eventually, if they do not starve, or run aground, they find themselves back out on the open ocean.’
‘I believe you.’
‘Good. You ought to.’ He made a face and for a moment looked as if he was going to be sick again. Somehow he controlled the impulse. ‘By all the gods, I hate this.’
‘You are not enjoying this voyage?’ They had been at sea two days now, and Tyrion was growing concerned about his twin’s health. His seasickness had not improved over the long days of their sailing. The smell of stale vomit hung constantly over their cabin. They spent a good deal of time on deck, as they were doing now.
‘Let us say I cannot wait to begin my magical studies so that I can learn a charm against seasickness,’ Teclis responded.
‘I am astounded by your towering ambition. It is nice to know I have a brother who aims so high in life. Seven thousand years of elf magic to learn from and the biggest thing driving you to master this ancient and terrible lore is your desire to avoid seasickness.’
‘If you had been as sick for as long as I have you would understand why I feel that way. Lady Malene’s potions had only just helped me get over my last illness.’
Tyrion immediately felt guilty about his joking manner. He had never endured a moment’s illness in his life. Seasickness did not affect him in the slightest nor had he expected it to.
For Teclis things were different. Perhaps they always would be. He himself had spent most of the voyage learning the ways of the sea from sailors who looked at him as if he were a young god when they were not giving him superstitious looks. Teclis had spent his daytime sleeping on deck, trying to keep from vomiting and being looked down on by everyone who passed him, save the few among Korhien’s riders who also suffered from the same malady.
‘You always wanted to go on a ship,’ he said eventually.
‘I still do,’ Teclis responded. ‘But only once I have achieved immunity to this vile plague. In the few brief instants I have not been heaving what I have eaten over the sides I have greatly enjoyed this voyage.’
‘Do you think we will see pirates?’
‘I was just starting to feel better. Why did you have to say that?’
‘Because I have heard stories that these are dangerous waters, full of Norse raiders and human pirates and dark elf sea marauders despite all the spells that are supposed to keep them out. We might meet some that have gotten lost.’
‘This might seem like an adventure to you, Tyrion,