Darian's words quivered in the air, alive with meaning. As they echoed in Theo's ears, the pain gripping his chest began to fade.
That was right. Zenith might not be here now, but that didn't mean he was gone forever. This meeting with Gryseld was the first step to getting him back.
More confident now, Theo took a step toward Darian. But before he reached her, Gryseld tossed her head back and burst out laughing.
The sound boomed like a thunderclap, startling Jin so much he jumped into Ryllis' arms. And Gryseld just would not stop. Theo watched helplessly as she doubled over, arms wrapped around her stomach, unleashing a cacophony that soon sounded less like laughter than snorts and honks.
Some of her crew moved closer to her, looking concerned, but she waved them off. A few last wheezes, then she straightened and wiped a tear from her eye.
"Oh, princeling," she said, still chortling. "Dreaming big as ever, eh?"
"If you think it's impossible, feel free to leave," Darian said. "Though I think it'd be a shame. You're not the sort to back off from a challenge, are you?"
Gryseld met her gaze evenly. "Only if there's treasure at the end."
"Hm, well...." Darian made a great show of rubbing her chin. "If you want treasure...the seraphim owns quite a fascinating craft. It's unlike anything I've seen either on Tielos or Earth. Wouldn't you like to take a look at its inner workings?"
What? Theo felt as if he'd gotten clobbered in the head, and judging by Sam's equally wide-open mouth, he wasn't alone.
But Gryseld was unmoved. "Those words paint a pretty picture, princeling. But words aren't treasure I can hold in my hand, now are they?"
Darian opened her mouth, only for a derisive snort to cut her off. All heads whipped toward Mirage, who was lounging against the railing with his arms crossed.
"Do you have something to say?" Darian snapped.
"Oh, nothing much...," Mirage said with an airy wave of his hand. "But aren't you wasting your time? Just look at this money-grubbing pirate. What kind of help can she possibly provide us?"
"You!" Guntar screeched, puffing out his feathers, while even Sam shook her fists. None of their reactions compared to Gryseld, who squelched across the deck faster than Theo thought possible. When she reached Mirage, she seized his coat and bent him down so his face was at her eye level.
While he sputtered and writhed, Gryseld threw Darian a savage grin. "Now who might this insolent stripling be? Never thought I'd see the day you welcomed a demon into your crew."
Darian cleared her throat. "He's a defector from the Infernal Legion. Please do try to ignore him, he doesn't know what he's talking about."
"Hey!" Mirage protested.
"You've got some fine guts to you, stripling." Gryseld addressed Mirage next. "All the same, I can't let that insult of yours stand. I'm not in this business for anything so trite as money. No, I live to pursue the greatest treasure of all. Call it a shining star on the horizon, or a lost paradise known only from legends. For me, it's a beauty that is unrivaled by all."
Mirage sneered, twisting in her grip. "What would you know of beauty?"
Victor leaned toward him, holding out his hands, but Gryseld only laughed again. "Oh? And what passes for beauty to an insolent whelp like you?"
Mirage took a deep breath, looking for all the world like he was actually going to answer. But Darian seemed to have regained her senses, because she marched up to the two of them and grabbed Gryseld by the shoulder. "This is fascinating and all, but we can debate philosophy later. My offer, Captain. Will you accept?"
"Oh, yes, yes." As carelessly as if she was dropping a sack of trash, Gryseld let go of Mirage. He stumbled back, cursing indignantly. Victor quickly grabbed his arm to steady him.
Dusting off her hands, Gryseld faced Darian again. "As for your offer, prince...how about I provide a counter-offer?"
Darian breathed in sharply, and without realizing it, Theo stepped closer to them. The blood was pounding in his head. Who did Gryseld think she was, treating this like some kind of game?
When Darian spoke, her voice was flat but deadly. "A counter-offer, you say."
"Indeed." Gryseld looked so smug Theo wanted to deck her in the middle of her puke-green face. "I bring you information of my own. News that's trickled in from the north these past few days...whispers of battles fought in the snowy wastes, droves of demons fleeing south."
"What?" Darian tensed.
"Droves, you say?" said a hushed Guntar. "Could it be the Infernal Legion?"
"Ah," Mirage piped up. "General Serac rules the far north."
"So...what does this mean?" Darian's jaw worked as if she was trying to swallow something unpleasant. "Is this general preparing for an invasion?"
"I can only share what I've heard, princeling," Gryseld said, shrugging. "Just the same as your offer, it's nothing more substantial than words. But I'd be honored if you considered it at least."
"This seems ominous, my liege," Guntar said to Darian.
"Doesn't it sound like they've already fought a battle?" Amaro called from the wheel. "And lost, if they're fleeing."
Their voices volleyed back and forth, blending into an indistinguishable drone. None of it meant anything to Theo. In his mind, he saw Zenith walking away from him, over and over again.
Unable to take it anymore, he yelled, "Forget it, okay? This doesn't matter! We need to get Zenith back!"
Just like that, silence fell. All Theo could hear was his ragged breathing, the furious pounding of his heart. Everyone was staring at him, but he didn't regret his outburst an ounce.
"Oh?" Gryseld tilted her head as if noticing him for the first time. "Who might you be?"
"I'm Theo, Zenith's wizard." Clenching his hands into fists, Theo glared back at her.
"A wizard?" Gryseld looked delighted. "Princeling, just what have you been up to?"
Theo didn't give a damn about any of this. He marched closer to Gryseld, trembling in fury. "Mirage is right. If you're not going to help, you might as well get lost."
"Theo!" Darian cried. But before she could say anything more, a loud cough drifted across the deck.
Theo turned toward the source of the noise – Ryan. The other wizard looked a little put out to find himself at the center of everyone's attention, but he drew himself pompously upright and cleared his throat again.
"Um. So. Sir Zenith left because he didn't think we were doing a good enough job fighting the Infernal Legion, right? Well, that's part of the reason, anyway. Now think about what she just told us." He flapped his hands in Gryseld's direction. "Battles and shit. Demons running away. Like they lost. You see what I'm getting at?"
He waved his hands some more, as if that'd help him get across his point better. Theo stared at him, mystified – until the realization hit him like a punch to the stomach.
"You think...it was Zenith?"
"I mean, I mean, I mean," Ryan said, furiously flapping, "that's kind of what that guy, that seraphim said, right? That he'd fight the Infernal Legion properly or whatever. So yeah."
"Hm...." Mirage folded his arms. "You may be on to something. As far as I know, this crew is the only organized resistance to the Infernal Legion in all of Tielos – and we obviously haven't gone anywhere near the north. In such a short span of time, who else could not only make it there, but defeat a Grand General? Especially if he has seraphic aid?"
"Yeah, yeah!" Ryan snapped his fingers. "That's what I'm talking about!"
On the other hand, Darian looked troubled. "I don't know. This is still based on a lot of conjecture."
"I only brought the news," Gryseld said, satisfied as a cat curled up on a rug. "Make of it what you will."
For his part, Theo's chest felt so tight he could barely breathe. His mind whirled as it put together the pieces. It was a long shot, but at the same time, it wasn't like they had any real leads to Zenith's location. This at least gave them something to follow.
What was the alternative, wander around Tielos for months? Theo clenched his teeth. No. If he had the chance to meet Zenith again, however slight, he needed to take it.
"Darian," he said, looking her in the eye. "We should go for it."
Darian breathed in deeply, then relaxed her shoulders with a sigh. To Theo's surprise, a faint smile flickered across her face. "If you say so. I'll trust you, Theo."
"Excellent!" Gryseld boomed, clapping her hands. "So we're agreed. Let the treasure hunt commence!"