pilot house and bright red paint on the hull. Colm saw me eying the garish color and said, “Don’t want Poseidon mistaking me for his own and dragging me under.”
I nodded. “The Greek gods get a lot of consideration out here?”
“Not much, no.” He stopped next to the boat and began to untie the lines.
I climbed onto the deck, followed by Lachlan. Colm jumped on after us, then held out his palm to Lachlan. “Payment first.”
Lachlan nodded and pulled a thick wad of notes out of his pocket. He’d clearly come prepared to buy our way onto Wyre, and I was grateful.
Colm took the cash and handed Lachlan a short, blunt flare gun. “You’ve got one shot.”
“Thank you.” Lachlan pocketed the gun.
With the practicalities finished, the boatman fired up the engine and cast off the final line. Within seconds, we were puttering away from the dock and headed out to sea.
I stepped up to the bow of the boat to get a better view and could see a low-lying island in the distance. Lachlan joined me and murmured, “It’s Wyre.”
Halfway across the water, a ferocious current began to pull at the boat. It moved so swiftly that I could see it rippling the water.
From behind me, Colm cursed. “Blasted currents.”
The boat’s engine roared as he tried to push through the water. I gripped the railing tightly, hoping that the little boat could keep up. Through the waves, I spotted something bobbing in the distance. When the water dropped low enough to give a good view, I gasped and pointed. “It’s a person!”
This was way too far from land for a person to be safely swimming.
“Nah,” Colm barked. “No such thing.”
“It is.” I leaned over the bow and squinted, trying to get a better view. When the waves dropped a second time, I spotted a seal. Its gray head bobbed above the waves, and its black eyes stared hard at me.
I rubbed my eyes. “I’d swear I saw a person.”
“Trick of the light,” Lachlan said.
I looked up at him. “It’s not. There’s something funny going on here. I sensed it with the bartender, too.”
He gave me a long look, then nodded. “All right. I’ll stay alert.”
“Good.” I turned back to the waves, searching again for the person.
I never saw them, and a half hour later, Colm’s boat was close enough to shore that I could see dozens of seals on the rocky beach. Damned place was littered with them.
Maybe I had imagined things.
Then I felt the magic that vibrated from the island. A protective charm, for sure. But something else, too. Something familiar and strange.
What the hell was up with this place?
I rubbed my arms. This was all very weird.
“I’ll pull alongside those flat rocks,” Colm shouted from behind. “You jump off.”
I spotted the rocks he was talking about and moved to the midsection of the boat where the railing opened to provide an exit. Lachlan followed.
“When you get on land, go to St. Mary’s church. Old thing, you can’t miss it.”
“Do people live there?” I asked.
“No. But if you go there, it will announce your presence. Best way to avoid trouble.”
“Thank you.”
The boat slowed as it puttered near, waves knocking against the hull.
“Almost there,” Colm said. “Be ready.”
Right before we were close enough to jump, I heard Colm say, “Trust your eyes, lassie.”
I wanted to ask for more detail, but the boat was already skimming alongside the rocks, a foot between us and the island.
“Go!” Colm shouted.
I leapt off, landing with a slight skid on the wet stone.
Lachlan followed, and we hurried onto solid ground. When I turned back, Colm was already moving quickly for deeper water.
“He really doesn’t like it here,” I said.
Lachlan turned toward the quiet, barren island. “I don’t blame him.”
“Really?” It felt a bit strange to me, but also somehow comforting.
“Don’t you feel it? This place doesn’t want visitors.”
“I can feel the protection charm. It’ll keep us from transporting off, just like Colm said. But I don’t feel much more.”
He gave me a considering look.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. I don’t know. Let’s go.”
He turned and began to climb the small, gradually sloping hill above us. I followed, keeping my eyes peeled for the sight of St. Mary’s.
“There’s not much on this island.” As far as I could see, there were two sections of stone ruins, each on a hill about a mile from the other. Some smaller, roofed buildings sat near the shore on the left side of the island.
“Which one is the church?” Lachlan asked.
I studied