I thought he was going to say something and he thought so, too, but then he must have seen that it would only make things worse. He kept quiet, turned to examine the steerage.
Devon helped Alake to her feet. She smoothed her gown.
“You all right?” Haplo said gruffly, not looking at her.
“Yes,” she answered shakily.
He nodded.
“So,” I said, “did you drive the dragon-snake or whatever it was off? Can you take control of the ship?”
He looked at me. His eyes are like no one’s eyes I’ve seen before. They run through you like needles.
“No. I didn’t drive the dragon-snake off. And, no, we can’t take over the ship.”
“But the beast’s not here!” I pointed out. “I can feel the difference. We all can. I’m going to try. I know something about steering a boat. . . .”
I didn’t, but I wanted to see what would happen. I put my hands on the wheel. Sure enough, he was there beside me. His hand closed over my arm and his grip was like iron.
“Don’t try it, Grundle.” He wasn’t threatening. He was very quiet, very calm. I felt my stomach twist into a knot. “I don’t think it would be wise. The dragon-snake isn’t gone. It was never really here. But that doesn’t mean they’re not watching, listening to us right now. Their magic is powerful. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
He was implying that he wouldn’t want the dragon-snakes to hurt me. But, looking into those eyes, I wasn’t so sure that was what he truly meant. His grip on my arm tightened. Slowly, I let go of the wheel, and he let go of me.
“And now, I think we should all return to our cabins,” Haplo said.
We didn’t move. Alake and Devon looked stricken, their last hope gone. I could still feel his hand on my arm, see the marks of his fingers.
“You talked to them!” I blurted out. “I heard you! In your language! Or is it their language? I think you’re in league with them!”
“Grundle!” Alake cried. “How could you!”
“It’s all right.” Haplo shrugged, smiled out of one corner of his mouth. “Grundle doesn’t trust me, do you?”
“No,” I said bluntly.
Alake frowned, clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. Devon shook his head at me.
Haplo continued to regard me with that strange half-smile. “If it’s any comfort to you, Grundle, I don’t trust you, either. Elves, dwarves, humans. You’re all friends, you tell me. Your races live together in peace. You expect me to believe that, after what I’ve seen? Or is this all some elaborate hoax, laid by my enemies?”
We were all silent. Alake looked unhappy, Devon uncomfortable. They had wanted so much to believe . . .
I pointed at Haplo’s skin, at the blue markings I’d seen glow with an eerie, radiant light.
“You’re a warlock,” I said, using the human term. “Your magic is powerful. I felt it. We all felt it. Could you turn this ship around, take us back home?”
He was quiet a moment, eyeing me with a cold and narrow gaze. Then he said, “No.”
“Can’t or won’t?” I demanded.
He didn’t answer.
I cast Alake and Devon a glance of bitter triumph. “Come on. We better decide what we can do to help ourselves. Maybe we could swim for it—”
“Grundle, you can’t swim,” Alake said, sighing. She was on the verge of tears. Her shoulders sagged.
“There’s no land near anyway,” argued Devon. “We’d end up exhausted, half-starved. Or worse.”
“Wouldn’t that be better than the dragon-snakes?”
They finally realized what I was saying. They looked at each other, wavering, hesitating.
“Come on,” I repeated.
I was near the door. Alake, drooping, started to come after. Devon had his arm around her. With what sounded like a curse, Haplo shoved roughly past us. Reaching the door, he blocked it with an outstretched arm.
“No one’s going anywhere, except back to his or her room.”
Alake stood tall, faced him with dignity. “Let us pass.” She was trying hard to keep her voice from trembling.
“Stand aside, sir,” said Devon in low tones.