Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,6

dotted the local calendar. Katya had been immediately impressed with this softly spoken fisherman who - unlike some of the other locals - was not in the process of drinking himself into a coma or starting a fight.

On that day, as the sun had started to move out of the shadow of Kerberos, the two of them had broken away from the revellers and wandered down to the harbour.

Beyond the breakwaters the fierce sea churned, the foaming white tips of the waves catching the light of the new sun like cascading diamonds. Grinning, Silus helped Katya down into the Ocean Lily and cast off. The roar of the sea quickly swallowed the sounds of the party as Silus began a familiar dance with the boom.

They crested a wave that seemed to climb forever and then Katya was screaming with delight as they hurtled down the swell.

"Hold on!" Silus shouted as the sail swung round and the Ocean Lily leaned hard into the curve of another wave.

Katya marvelled at the way this man fought the sea and didn't once flinch as it fought back. Silus never once lost his footing as he danced around the sail and he even had time to steal a kiss as the rope played through his hands.

The boat lurched again and the crest of a wave burst across the bow, soaking the two of them instantly. But Katya didn't mind and they laughed as they looked at each other through dripping fringes.

"I think that you're probably ready to give it a go now that you're a seasoned sailor." Silus said.

"More like a salted sailor! No, I'm happy to leave it to you, thank you."

"Come on, I'll show you how."

Katya scrambled across the deck to lean against Silus as he taught her the play and pull of the rope. The power of the wind frightened her a little as it sent them hurtling across the sea, but she found herself trusting him absolutely and relaxed as they guided the boat together.

"See? We'll make a fisherwoman of you yet."

"A fisherwoman? Oh thanks, that's very romantic."

Suddenly Katya couldn't feel Silus at her back or his pull on the rope. Then, he stepped in front of her and smiled.

"No hands!"

"Silus!"

"You can do it. Just play the ropes as I've shown you."

The only still point in her world was Silus as he stood with his arms folded, calmly riding the pitching deck. He nodded as she guided them into the wind, the Ocean Lily immediately bolting across the water. In the distance Katya could see the lights of Nürn as they tumbled around the horizon. The sails keened as the wind pushed against them. Katya began to relax, timing her turns so that the boat didn't keel over and capsize, learning when to play the rope out and when to reign it in. Soon she felt that the Ocean Lily had become a part of her.

"Superb!" Silus shouted. "I'll let you bring her in now. Change course for the shore."

Katya swung the boom around and it was immediately slapped back by the wind. She ducked as it narrowly missed her head, the rope whipping through her hands. Silus lost his footing as the deck slanted away beneath him and Katya watched as he fell towards the edge. She launched herself forwards - ducking the boom as it swung back round - and her hands closed on Silus's shirt just as his upper body crested the lip of the boat. Barely a metre from his head the black waters frothed angrily. It seemed that the boat was almost ninety degrees to the horizon now. Katya's arms burned with the effort of keeping Silus from toppling into the sea. She looked down and was astonished to see him laughing.

He grabbed her as the Ocean Lily crashed into a wave. Silus's lips met hers in the freezing water's embrace, and then they were through and Silus was scrambling across the deck to right the boat.

The horizon stabilised and Katya managed to struggle back to Silus's side.

"Did we just almost die?"

"Nah!" Silus said. "You have to be used to the randomness of the sea, that's all."

"How can you get used to randomness?"

"Good point. Okay, how about I show you something a lot more tranquil and just as beautiful?"

"Sail on."

The sun had fully left the shadow of Kerberos now and the day was already promising to be a hot one. They hugged the shoreline for a while before Silus angled them towards the mouth of a