Prince's Fire by Amy Raby Page A

distance? Maybe they should wait here in the water. Even if Celeste’s bodyguard had been killed, Magister Lornis still lived. He’d look for Rayn, and when he couldn’t find him, he’d probably call for a search of the ship. Or would the assassins kill him too? The sailors ought to figure out something was wrong and turn the ship around—if nothing else, the fire he’d lit in the cabin would draw them. But ships the size of the
Goshawk
were ponderous to turn.
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” said Celeste.
    â€œI think we’re too far from shore to swim for it,” said Rayn. “So we tread and hope the ship comes back for us. Float on your back if you get tired. Are you still wearing shoes?”
    â€œNo, I kicked them off.”
    â€œGood.”
    Celeste’s face was taut with fear, but she wasn’t panicking. He appreciated that about her. Still holding his hand, she flung herself onto her back with a splash, floating neatly, her breasts poking out of the water.
    Rayn coughed as a wave splashed over him. “Keep hold of my hand so we stay together.” He closed his eyes, trying to rest.
    He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Celeste nudged him. “I see the ship.”
    He splashed upright, but his heart sank when he saw it wasn’t close. It was sailing southward, so it had indeed turned around, but it was far to the west of them. The sailors didn’t know their exact location.
    â€œHelp!” cried Celeste. “We’re over here!”
    â€œThey can’t hear at this distance,” said Rayn. “Signal.”
    Celeste signaled them with blue magelight. She tried again and again, but the ship did not alter course. Finally it disappeared once more into the darkness. Rayn wondered what it was going to feel like when he finally became exhausted and drowned.
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    Celeste couldn’t rest, not with the never-ending motion of the waves and the need to constantly adjust her position. When one set of muscles began to ache, she shifted to transfer the work to another set, but she couldn’t keep this up indefinitely. If the ship didn’t return soon, her strength would fail.
    At least she wasn’t cold. She had Rayn to thank for that.
    Rayn tapped her palm. “Celeste?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œStraighten up—slowly—and come closer. There’s a shark looking us over.”
    Her muscles burned as she stopped floating and began to tread. “How big a shark?”
    â€œI can only see the fin. Not
too
big, I think. It may just be curious—I’m hoping it’ll leave us alone.”
    A shark was exactly what she wanted. She searched the surrounding waters, hoping it was enormous. There! A medium-sized fin. Probably good enough. Sharks were fishes. Simple minds, easy to control. “Rayn, I’m going to take us to shore. I think it’s safer than waiting for the ship.” She projected her suggestion to the animal:
I want to stop swimming and let these people grab onto me.
    The fin kept moving. She wasn’t sure why.
    She tried something else:
I want to swim very slowly and let these people grab onto me.
    The fin’s movement slowed.
    â€œQuick,” she said to Rayn, “swim to the shark.”
    â€œWhat? Why?”
    â€œI’m a mind mage. I can control it—it won’t hurt us. Grab hold of it, very tight.” She swam to the shark and seized it around fin and body. She’d never touched a shark before. She’d expected sliminess, but the animal’s skin was rough like sandpaper. When she moved her hand in the direction of the shark’s tail, her hand passed smoothly over the bumps, but when she moved her hand in the opposite direction, the bumps caught against her hand.
    â€œYou can’t be serious!” cried the prince.
    â€œI’m quite serious. I’ve got him, and he isn’t hurting me. This