The Eighth Sea

Chapter 22

Levi

Having another sense was undoubtedly disorienting to Levi. After spending three years shrouded in darkness, stumbling his way through life, seeing nothing but his ghosts, the explosion of colour he saw as Scylla died was incredible. And nothing could compare to just how exciting it was to finally be able to see his crew. For so long, he had been trying to imagine faces for each of them, but now he could see them with his own two eyes. Francis especially was a real treat to look at.

"Wait, we made a terrible mistake!" Pierre suddenly interrupted Levi's thoughts with his anguished scream.

"What's wrong?" Francis looked genuinely concerned.

"Now that Scylla's magic is undone—" He trailed off for a moment as if needing a second to compose himself. "Levi can't talk to my darling Charlotte anymore!"

Francis just stared at Pierre for a second before turning back around and ignoring Pierre's whimpers.

"Levi," Pierre said, pulling Levi aside. "Do you have any other methods of ghost communication? Something not tied to Scylla?"

"Sorry, no."

Pierre's anguished expression only intensified. "You wouldn't happen to know anyone else who can help me talk to Charlie-poo?"

Levi thought for a moment, still overwhelmed by the vibrant colours of Scylla's lair, before he remembered his days as a scribe, scared of his cursed visions. "There may have been someone."

"Who? Tell me where I can find them!"

Levi frowned, trying to recall the details. "I never got his name, but there was a boy back in Queen Aria's palace. He brought me tea after a particularly bad vision, and he mentioned that he could hear spirits."

"And you never thought to ask his name?"

Levi shrugged.

Pierre rushed up to the front of the group, stalling their progress and earning a disgusted look from Cleo. "Everyone! I have an announcement! Our next stop will be Queen Aria's palace! We have a new recruit awaiting us there!"

"You aren't the captain," Francis deadpanned.

All eyes turned to Wren, who had been in some kind of daze ever since he had killed Scylla. Levi felt a pang of guilt that he had been too preoccupied with his own newfound sight to even consider talking to Wren and trying to console him a bit. It must have been scarring for him, having to fight Scylla while she took on Hector's form. Levi never truly understood the depths of their relationship—both Wren and Hector were fairly private individuals—but he could tell that Hector was Wren's world.

Francis coughed lightly, getting Wren's attention. "So, Wren, where to next?"

Wren shrugged. "Jolly Rancher," he offered unhelpfully.

"Cleo, can you show us the way?" Levi asked.

The sphinx tipped her head graciously. "Of course."

She led the group out of Scylla's labyrinth, which was crumbling with the weight of the water above. The witch's magic was the only thing giving it life, and once they had started rowing away on a rowboat taken from Scylla's labyrinth — the same one Levi and Hector had taken after the rest of the group ate the magic fish — Levi watched as the maze collapsed under the purple waters.

"Wait, what about Wallis?" Patrica suddenly asked. "He and Francis were supposed to get married! True love's hand-holding!"

"I'd rather be celibate," Francis muttered, rolling their eyes. It seemed they were over Wallis (thankfully; Levi had found Wallis to be rather creepy, and he hadn't been looking forward to sailing with him).