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"Go back!" he roared at her

Lia obeyed, fighting against the slick flooring tothe door, she staggered to the captain’s bed and thrust herself on it Each pitch of the waves terrified her The stored her that it was because of her somehow The shutters rattled and thunder continued to explode overhead Lia squeezed her eyes shut and treed for days Lia was sick, exhausted, and frightened by the ferocity In all the gales that struck Muirwood, she had a sturdy roof overhead and though there were leaks, they were not the kind that threatened her life The creorked furiously bailing water,spars, their actions continually co of the Holk To there only when exhaustion overwhel back to the helain, his face wretched with fatigue and despair "She cannot endure ," he said, conflicted Then he stared at her "My crew say the storm is because of you"

Lia looked incredulous "They think that I brought the storm?"

"Aye, and many seek to throw you overboard to prove it will cease It is unlucky to sail omenfolk Others say you are cursed A crewry I have never suffered a storreat as this one Not in all s around the edge Her stoeneral queasiness "I did not bring this storainst the door, as if holding it closed to protect her "Are you aware of sailors dom of Ilkarra in Sheol?"

Lia shook her head, though a shiver ran through her at the word She understood the language through her Gift of xenoglossia Ilkarra was the representation of the underworld, the land of the dead

The ship pitched again, nearly throwing Lia off the bed She clutched at the rails and held on Torier "We will break apart I have lost three men to Sheol already Maybe ill all perish" His eyes narrohen he looked at her "Your journeya storht no storhts What seek ye in Dochte Abbey?"

"I aht, I warn theht"

"Then Sheol mayhap does not wish to be warned," he replied

"Who is Sheol?" Lia asked "You have mentioned that name The sailors curse by it"

"Aye, they do Sheol is the Queen of the Sea Queen of the Unborn The sea is the gateway to her domain, to Ilkarra When every man dies, their bodies are returned to the earth, but their souls sink down into Ilkarra Sheol is e call her The Queen of Storms The Queen of the Unborn The Whore of all the earth The al Did you know that, lass?"

The name sent a shiver up Lia’s spine She stared at him in shock and surprise "How do you know that name?"

"Sometimes a maston is careless with his whispers Sometimes they speak in their sleep or when they are teht and a young wretched sneaks in and overhears the al is the mother of hetaera Is that what you seek in Dochte Abbey?" His eyes squinted at her, his face jutting forward intensely "Do you seek to join them?"

"I am no hetaera," Lia answered distastefully "They are my enemy"

He nodded "Soo, that she was one That she had power over storal made flesh But she was a maston I promise you that She was a maston and she could calm a storm" He sed heavily "I cannot speak what I cannot say Can you…save us, child? Can you banish these winds? Youthat can save us now"

Lia stared at him "Me?"

"I have done all that I can My ship will break up She is already beginning to In ht I could bring you safely there But I see now that I cannot The crew thinks you are causing the storm Except Malcol sounded on the door Tomas whirled and opened it and the black-haired crew