Fifteen: Travel to Holamayan

I am in the hidden monastery of Holamayan, shelter of the dissident priests. If there were any doubts in my mind about the favor of Azura this place would dispel them. Through the power of Azura the entrance is completely hidden except for brief periods at dawn and dusk. The remoteness of the island supplemented by that enchantment could allow this base to operate in secret forever. It was an honor to be allowed in, but the real test will be whether I am allowed to leave.

Blatta Hatteria, who provided me with passage to the island, took great pains to keep her secrets. I found her on the docks, preparing her fishing boat to sail with the tide. As Mehra Milo had instructed I asked her for a charter.

"Do you know where you would like to go?" she asked.

"No," I replied, continuing to follow the instructions. "I just want to fish, and I was told the fish keep no secrets from you."

"Very few, sera, very few. Is your name known to the fish? They may have whispered it to me."

"Arvil Bren."

"That's the one. Come aboard, we sail in five minutes."

She hurriedly finished preparations and cast off; too hurriedly it seemed. We had barely cleared the harbor when the sail came down in a heap as a line parted near the top of the mast. Other boats sailed by, the fishermen jeering good naturedly. "We will leave you a fish or two Blatta, the skinny ones!" came through the thin morning mists.

"I'm not worried Gorla, without me leading you to the fish you will likely return with empty nets!" she returned. She seemed in no great hurry to make repairs. "That one, with the red stripe on the sail Arvil Bren, that is the one that would follow us," she said.

"You think you are being followed?"

"Not me. You." She motioned with her eyes while staying bent over her work. I could see two men on the distant deck in animated discussion. "Arkeg will not long tolerate that n'wah making demands."

"What demands do you think he is making?"

"Arkeg is no fool, he continues towards the fishing grounds. He knows that to heave to immediately when our sail came down would reveal the pursuit. The shirtless one is not so wise. I saw him rushing to charter a boat when we set sail so quickly, and now he is clearly worried about losing sight of us. Arkeg will circle with only the tip of his mast on the horizon, and he will watch ours." With a yank the sail sped up the mast, popping loudly as it billowed open. "I've see enough." She laughed at my surprise. "You didn't really think we stopped accidentally did you?"

Arkeg was also taken by surprise and hard pressed to get turned around in time. The tip of his mast was frequently obscured by the waves as we sailed into the rising sun. Ours was no doubt completely lost in the glare. "So we have shed our pursuit. Well done captain," I said.

"Not really. Arkeg can't see us, but he will know where we are simply because he can't. He will sail directly into the sun, just like we are."

"You seem unconcerned."

"We have enough lead that he will not share the winds." I looked out at the surface of the water. In our immediate vicinity the tell-tale rippling revealed the strong wind that sped us along, but not far astern the sea fell glassily calm. "By the time the sun is high enough that he will expect to see us we will be far beyond his vision, Azura will see to that."

It was afternoon when Blatta dropped me at the rough dock. Blatta did not tie up, touching the freeboard gently to the decrepit wood only long enough for me to jump. "I don't know what happens next Arvil Bren. Stay near the dock." The little ship heeled as the wind shifted direction and she sped away.

Her sail had just disappeared on the horizon when a voice at my elbow surprised me. "Holamayan lies at the top of the trail, but the door will only be visible in the twilight." The monk who stood watch had been concealed by a spell of invisibility, and once he had spoken he again winked out of view. I climbed the steep path.

The monks of Holamayan have treated me with a strange deference this evening, and have provided quarters that seem outfitted for a long stay. The robes are serviceable, and though there are no luxuries the sparsely furnished room is comfortable. Most who come here come seeking refuge, they seem to assume that I will be staying.