Gina's POV
The seven days were over very quickly and soon the ship set sail again. It had been such a relief to step foot on solid ground and I only appreciated it fully when I returned to the ship. I was not as dizzy as when I had first boarded the ship but I was certainly lightheaded for the next couple of days. However, I soon got used to it.
It was time to put some of the plans Edvin had explained to me into action. Edvin had told me that it was very possible that my children's kidnapped could be on the ship but all the while I had had to stay out so they would not suspect a thing at all. He had warned me too that even if I should discover my children aboard I was not to approach them. Instead, I had to wait for the ship to get to The Underworld where he would send help to me.
I started my search at night among the containers that were on the main deck of the ship. I had to be extra cautious because of the guards stationed at intervals around the ship. I went quietly around the containers, sniffing as I went for a whiff of my children. Even if they were doused with some spell to overshadow their scent, I would still be able to sniff them out as I was their mother.
I continued until I heard muffled noises. The sound was coming from a distance. I followed the sound but when I got nearer to the source, I wished I had not. I saw Captain Thoma and my cousin Emily… I hid myself at once so I would not be discovered.
“Does your father not think he's lived long enough?” grunted Captain Thoma.
“You are not the only one waiting for him to expire. The entire clan is, his policies are becoming intolerable and there is little I can do to keep the people from rebelling,” returned Emily.
“And plans to kill him are not in motion?” Plans to kill my uncle? What the hell was happening in the Dark Moon clan? Was Emily planning to overthrow my uncle?
“If only Regina had been patient, the line of succession would have been clear,” moaned Emily.
“Did you not mention she was on the ship? Why do you think she's here?” my heart stopped. Emily had known it was me that day. Why had she pretended otherwise then?
“I got intelligence that the twins are missing. It is why we must hurry to The Underworld before my uncle does something stupid with them,” returned Emily. I am even more confused now. Has Uncle Napoleon kidnapped my children? What did he want with them?
“Are you sure we should keep this from Dagen?” Dagen? Emily knew who their father was. What did I know about Emily?
“Grandmother says it's for the best. We should not let Dagen know about this until he realizes she's the one that can break the curse.” What curse? What was Emily talking about?
“Your grandmother also encouraged her to run away.”
“We did not envision that Napoleon would find the twins. We must find them before the night of the fiery moon.”
“We should part ways now, Sandra will have a fit if she wakes up to see you gone,” said Captain Thoma.
It was also my cue to leave if I did not want to get caught.
Night after night passed by and I continued my search for my twins but I did not find them. If they were not on this ship then where on earth were they?
Emily had mentioned The Night of The Fiery Moon; why was that so important? And when would that be?
Unfortunately, for the rest of the trip, I did not see Emily again.
*****#*****
As we neared The Underworld, the numbers on the ship kept dwindling because at every point the ship stopped people left and fewer joined the ship.
It was eerily quiet on the ship now. It felt like I was the only passenger on board.
There was no gathering for breakfast or dinner, Instead, my food was served at my door and I had no idea who dropped it there. My guess was those who had a reason to visit The Underworld wanted their identities to remain hidden. I could understand that since I also wanted to remain hidden from anyone visiting The Underworld. So, except for bathroom breaks, I did not step out of my cabin.
Yet, somehow I knew when we had entered the waters of The Underworld.
In the morning, the air was a lot colder, chilly even like one was breathing in ice. By midday, however, it was like one was languishing in the very depths of hell. It was so hot that nothing you did would cool you off; sometimes it was tempting to throw yourself in the ocean which was what I attempted to do.
Before my hand could reach into the waters, I felt a strong hand hold me back.
“The Underworld is not for the weak-minded. The test is endurance and stamina. If you cannot endure the extremities of the cold and hot, what you seek, you will never find.”
I looked up to see Captain Thoma. It had been so long since I spotted another person on this ship. I was not certain how to react; was I supposed to continue my pretence as Cecille Banks even though he knew my true identity?
“I just thought the water would cool me off,” I said.
“The water will burn you alive; trust me. You do not want it on your body,” he gave me a smile.
“I… well, thanks.”
“Return to your cabin. You do not want whoever else is still on this ship seeing you,” he said and I nodded.
“Hey!” He stopped me and I turned to look at him with a quizzical look.
“Good luck! Whatever it is you seek in The Underworld.”