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A SPECK OF golden light skips across the deck, jittering over the backs of working deckhands. It crawls up Edmund's boot, jumping to and fro between the High King and the dwarf beside him. He's sitting on a crate near the hatch, cleaning his prized longsword with the help of the ship's weapons master, Cruickshanks. A pile of swords sits beside them, newly polished and sharpened.
I reposition my dagger on the banister to steady it, angling the blade so its reflection carefully and slowly creeps along. The sliver of light appears again on Edmund's sleeve. With a few fine adjustments, it wobbles over his eyes and prompts him to squint, turning his head away. Grinning, I follow his movement so the light again jumps into his vision. He screws up his eyes and looks around irritably in search of the source.
"Arryn!" Lucy bursts from her cabin doors on the maindeck below, scanning for me.
I lower my dagger, shouting, "Up here!" from my perch on the poop deck.
She spins around at my voice, revealing a massive grin as her eyes dart about, finally landing on me with wild thrill. "Come to the balcony!" She urges. "Quickly! Come on!"
Her excitement is contagious. Before I know it, I'm racing down the steps to the maindeck, tucking the dagger into my belt as I dance past Drinian and Tavros.
Lucy calls for Eustace as well, telling him there are dolphins off the stern. But the scowling brat only looks once at her before returning to scribbling in his ratty diary. Selfishly, I'm relieved that he stays put. His foul attitude spoils enough of our fun most days.
The queen is undeterred by his refusal and ushers me inside, throwing the cabin doors open. Her brown hair bounces with each hurried stride as she crosses the room to the balcony. Gael, standing on her toes to see over the railing, turns at our approach.
"They're still there!" She says.
"Wonderful!"
Lucy and I join her outside, leaning out over the railing to watch the dolphins below. Five of them ride in the wake of the ship, their sleek bodies gliding through the water effortlessly. They weave between one another, spinning and leaping into the air in a silent dance.
I fold my arms over the wooden rail, content to watch the creatures forever.
"It's like they're dancing," Lucy says, voicing my own thoughts.
Gael looks up at her. "Why do you think they do that?"
In answer, the queen shrugs. "It's fun, I suppose. Like riding a wave coming to shore."
One of the dolphins emerges, its fins rising from the water as it arcs upward and dives back under, darting amongst its companions. I smile down at them, recalling the days I've spent riding that same wake.
