I looked at Jesye confused, and then turned to see where the Denon was pointing. “No way, you can’t be serious.”
The Denon had plans of chaining me up onto the mast, and the very idea sent terror right through me. I wouldn’t survive up there, especially if we were hit by a storm.
Jesye leaned in to me and whispered, “You are reborn, so they think you are immortal.”
“Oh Gods, I’m going to die.”
“I’ll try to figure out a way to help you, or convince them that it’s unnecessary. I will do my best. But in the meantime, you need to go up there or they will become suspicious of you.”
I gulped and moved to walk up the ramp onto the ship. I followed the Denon who was leading me to the mast. There were crew members there that bowed to me as I approached. I thought I might faint as they hoisted me up the mast and started wrapping chains around me. They secured the chains and actually put a lock on it. I was starting to have a really bad feeling about being on this ship. Thankfully, they weren’t pulling me up by the sails. I would still be on deck, but attached to the mast. It was a bizarre way to treat a Queen, so I hoped someone would explain it to me.
Jesye walked by me, and I gave him a panicked look. He approached me. “They are just making sure that you are protected. Where they can see you at all times.”
“This is ludicrous and dangerous. This can’t possibly be what the Queen would want.”
“To be honest, they are more likely doing it because they are not completely convinced that you are the Queen, and they want to make sure that you’re not a danger to them.”
“Oh, wonderful. So, basically, I’m a prisoner again. And how do I convince them that I’m the Queen when I’m not even sure that I am?” I hissed at him.
“I will speak to them. I’m not exactly excited to be on this journey again.”
“What?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful to you for saving my life. But if it wasn’t for you, I would have run off with the other Hirpy’s. You have to remember what I’m going home to. The same Denon’s that tried to auction me off because I was too sensitive.”
My mouth dropped open. While I was so focused on trying to set him free, I had forgotten that just like me, he didn’t have a home to go back to. I suddenly felt terrible.
“No! No, Flipp. Don’t regret what you did. I’ve never had anyone stand up for me the way that you did. I just don’t know what will happen to me when I return.”
“The Denon will protect you because of my orders. He thinks you are part of my army.”
He smirked. “Some army, most of them ran away.”
I laughed. “I don’t even know his name.”
Jesye looked behind him as the Denon was preparing the ship to leave, ordering the crew to raise the anchor. “I’m sure he will come make proper introductions when the time is right.”
The ship started to pull away, and Jesye left me to see if there was anything he could do to help on the ship. The Hirpy needed some rest and a good meal, but instead he was wandering around trying to be helpful.
I took a deep breath, feeling like I bought freedom, only to lose it again, literally a moment later. I had no idea how I was going to get myself out of the mess that I was in. I was more than a little scared because stating that you were the Demons long lost Queen, that they had been waiting years to be reborn, you better be damned sure that you were the Queen.
Jesye was still convinced that I was Lilith reborn, but I didn’t feel it at all.
I turned then, looking out at the island as we pulled away. It became further and further away, as the ship drifted out to sea. I was looking into the sea then and my brow furrowed. I squinted my eyes because I wasn’t sure of what I was actually seeing. I worried that I was hallucinating, or thinking too much into a situation because I so badly wanted it to be true. But I was certain that as we were leaving the island of Wayde, I saw a green and blue Serpent cutting through the waters towards me. I gasped.