Status: Completed. Hopefully I can get around to writing the second book.
The Quest
Chapter Twenty Eight - One and a Half Years Later - Tom
Tom stood at the prow of Destru’s ship, the wind whipping through his curly black hair causing it to blow in his face. He had let his hair grow out and it was now to his chin. The girls at the ports thought it was a good look for him because they were always ogling over him. Constantly trying to touch his toned arms and chest. He breathed in a lungful of air as the ship’s bow broke through the waves underneath it. He closed his eyes as he let the sun caress his now sun-kissed skin. It was amazing what a little over a year could do to a person. Tom readjusted his shirt as the wind blew at it. He had opted to wear what Destrus crew wore, which were baggy clothes. He wondered why he hadn’t opted to wear this type of clothes before. They were incredibly comfortable.
Destru had taken Tom under his wing, allowing him to work on his ship while he looked for Tess. Tom didn’t have to partake in any of the piracy, although he helped occasionally. Destru had helped him through his months of depression after Tess had disappeared. He didn’t shift back into his human form for almost a week. Destru allowed him to remain undisturbed as he processed everything. Destru finally suggested that they look for the Hero’s Dias.
Tom frowned at the thought. He had lost count on the amount of towns they had searched to find a bit of information. Perhaps Tess had been right in saying the government had taken steps to hide it. His heart panged at the thought of Tess. He did not know where to look for her. Destru agreed he thought the sirens were behind her kidnapping. The problem was, nobody knew where they lived. His grip tightened on the rope he was holding at the thought of the siren that had killed his family. If they had hurt Tess, he would kill them all.
“Tom!” a crew mate called, making Tom turn his attention back to the boat. It was Little Rune calling to him. “We’ll be docking by the end of the day! Cap’n wants to see you!”
Tom nodded his head, then jumped down to the dock. He headed to Destru’s cabin to see what he wanted. “You wanted to see me?” Tom asked as he saw Destru sitting behind his table.
“Wilkie! I wanted a word with you,” Destru sprang to his feet and closed the doors behind Tom, quickly pouring both of them a drink.
Tom took the drink, downing it almost instantly. He had never been a big drinker before joining Destru, now he had a glass almost every day. “What about?”
“We’re getting absolutely nowhere by looking willy nilly for the Dias. So I’ve come up with a plan, but I need to know you’ll go with it.” Destru gave his signature toothy grin.
“I will do anything to find Tess. You know that Destru,” Tom answered, staring the older wolf in the eyes.
“How about kidnapping?”
Tom spluttered as he tried to find the right words. “What do you mean by ‘kidnapping’? Who?”
“There's whispers that the government was afraid that someone would try to use the power from the Dias against them. So they hid it.” Destru began.
Tom shook his head. “You must’ve been talking with Tess.” A pained look crossed Tom’s face as he thought about what she might go through.
“Have you heard from her recently?” Destru asked, putting a comforting hand on Tom’s shoulder.
Tom sighed, turning away. “She stopped howling a few months ago.”
“I hear you howling at night.”
“I know she’s not a wolf, so she can’t hear me. But I’m hoping she’s figured out a way to hear me. So she knows I’m still thinking and looking for her.” Tears splashed down Tom’s face as he tried not to think about Tess giving up hope on him.
“I’m sure deep in her heart she still knows you’re looking for her. Perhaps it’s not safe for her to howl,” Destru offered a comforting look.
Tom nodded his head, not trusting himself to say anything. Silence fell over the pair as they were lost in their thoughts. “Who are we taking?” Tom finally asked, his eyes hardening.
“There’s an important government official stopping by the town we’re docking in. There’s a possibility he might know where to look for the Dias.”
Tom nodded. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Good Lad,” Destru clapped Tom on the back. “I’ll let you know when we’re ready.” Shouting was heard on the deck. Destru looked out his cabin windows, then nodded towards Tom. “We’re docking. Go out and help them.”
“Yes Cap’n,” Tom saluted, then walked onto the deck.
Destru had taken Tom under his wing, allowing him to work on his ship while he looked for Tess. Tom didn’t have to partake in any of the piracy, although he helped occasionally. Destru had helped him through his months of depression after Tess had disappeared. He didn’t shift back into his human form for almost a week. Destru allowed him to remain undisturbed as he processed everything. Destru finally suggested that they look for the Hero’s Dias.
Tom frowned at the thought. He had lost count on the amount of towns they had searched to find a bit of information. Perhaps Tess had been right in saying the government had taken steps to hide it. His heart panged at the thought of Tess. He did not know where to look for her. Destru agreed he thought the sirens were behind her kidnapping. The problem was, nobody knew where they lived. His grip tightened on the rope he was holding at the thought of the siren that had killed his family. If they had hurt Tess, he would kill them all.
“Tom!” a crew mate called, making Tom turn his attention back to the boat. It was Little Rune calling to him. “We’ll be docking by the end of the day! Cap’n wants to see you!”
Tom nodded his head, then jumped down to the dock. He headed to Destru’s cabin to see what he wanted. “You wanted to see me?” Tom asked as he saw Destru sitting behind his table.
“Wilkie! I wanted a word with you,” Destru sprang to his feet and closed the doors behind Tom, quickly pouring both of them a drink.
Tom took the drink, downing it almost instantly. He had never been a big drinker before joining Destru, now he had a glass almost every day. “What about?”
“We’re getting absolutely nowhere by looking willy nilly for the Dias. So I’ve come up with a plan, but I need to know you’ll go with it.” Destru gave his signature toothy grin.
“I will do anything to find Tess. You know that Destru,” Tom answered, staring the older wolf in the eyes.
“How about kidnapping?”
Tom spluttered as he tried to find the right words. “What do you mean by ‘kidnapping’? Who?”
“There's whispers that the government was afraid that someone would try to use the power from the Dias against them. So they hid it.” Destru began.
Tom shook his head. “You must’ve been talking with Tess.” A pained look crossed Tom’s face as he thought about what she might go through.
“Have you heard from her recently?” Destru asked, putting a comforting hand on Tom’s shoulder.
Tom sighed, turning away. “She stopped howling a few months ago.”
“I hear you howling at night.”
“I know she’s not a wolf, so she can’t hear me. But I’m hoping she’s figured out a way to hear me. So she knows I’m still thinking and looking for her.” Tears splashed down Tom’s face as he tried not to think about Tess giving up hope on him.
“I’m sure deep in her heart she still knows you’re looking for her. Perhaps it’s not safe for her to howl,” Destru offered a comforting look.
Tom nodded his head, not trusting himself to say anything. Silence fell over the pair as they were lost in their thoughts. “Who are we taking?” Tom finally asked, his eyes hardening.
“There’s an important government official stopping by the town we’re docking in. There’s a possibility he might know where to look for the Dias.”
Tom nodded. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Good Lad,” Destru clapped Tom on the back. “I’ll let you know when we’re ready.” Shouting was heard on the deck. Destru looked out his cabin windows, then nodded towards Tom. “We’re docking. Go out and help them.”
“Yes Cap’n,” Tom saluted, then walked onto the deck.