Celeste inhaled deeply as she stepped out of the cottage and into the salty breeze from the sea. Without a backwards glance, she bounded down the worn dirt path that wound from her home to the village and the harbor.
“Morning, Celeste!” old Marta called out from her herb garden as she passed her cozy house. “Off to help the fishermen again?”
Celeste grinned. “Someone has to make sure they don’t tangle all their lines.”
“Good luck to you! And come home safe!”
The village was bustling with morning activity. The fishermen’s wives were busy mending nets and hanging laundry, while their children ran down the winding streets and played in the village green. The sight brought a smile to Celeste’s eyes.
“Good morning, Celeste.”
“Good morning to you, ladies!” she exchanged cheerful greetings. But she didn’t stop until she had reached the harbor.
“Ho there, young sea mage!” Graybeard Tom bellowed as she neared the docks. “Come to work your magic on today’s catch?”
“If you’ll have me,” Celeste answered. “Though I daresay my fishing spells might put the rest of you to shame.”
Tom let out a hearty laugh. “Aye, and perhaps old Joanna’s pigs’ll sprout wings and soar over the village green! Best get out there and prove it, lass.”
Celeste laughed with him though she quickened her pace as she noticed most of the fishing boats had already gone out to sea. She all but ran across the dock, the weathered planks creaking beneath her feet as she reached her own small sailing boat. It was tied out at the very end, past the handful of larger and sturdier fishing vessels that hadn’t gone out yet.
She ran her hands along the hull of her little skiff, feeling the familiar thrill as her magic responded to the sea. For a brief moment, Celeste allowed herself to imagine that she was following in the footsteps of her sister—a future where she was a famous sea mage in her own right, not merely the half-sibling of the greatest sorceress in the world. Yes, the village was home, but it was also something of a cage. There was so much more waiting for her out there, beyond the safety of this isolated cove.
“One day,” she murmured softly. “I’ll be right there with you, Seraphine.”
The salt-laden breeze tossed her hair pleasantly as she sailed her little skiff into the bay. She squinted and shielded her eyes as she scanned the nearby waters, watching the scattered fishing boats bobbing in the gentle waves. Extending her awareness, she captured a small portion of the wind and channeled it into her sails with her magic. The breeze filled her canvas sail with a satisfying snap.
“Morning, Celeste!” Henrik called from where he was working his nets. “You come to help out with the catch?”
“You know it,” she called back, already sensing the subtle currents beneath his boat. With her magic, she could feel the fish moving in silver schools just beyond the reach of his nets.
She flicked her wrist, sending a pulse of magic through the water. The school of fish turned, moving toward Henrik’s waiting lines. From his vantage point in the boat, all it looked like was a slight shimmering in the water below. But when he moved to pull in his nets, his eyes widened.
“Well, I’ll be,” Henrik muttered, grunting as he worked to haul in the heavy catch. “Your magic’s getting stronger, girl. Very strong.”
“Thanks,” she grinned, pleased with her handiwork. She turned her little boat to starboard and sailed off to offer similar assistance to the rest of the boats scattered across the bay.
But this time, as she reached out with her magic again, something felt… off. The wind in her sails felt charged with an unseen energy, the waters somehow darker. A chill ran down her spine as a vague sense of danger tingled at the edges of her consciousness.
“What in the world?” she muttered, scanning the wide horizon. The sea looked calm and peaceful, the sky clear, but deep in her gut, something felt wrong.
“Hey, Celeste!” Henrik called. “You alright there, lass?”
She opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat as a wave of dread washed over her. She knew with an absolute certainty that something unseen was approaching them—fast. But what could it be?
Pirates.
Her eyes widened as the answer came to her utterly without warning. She stood up quickly, holding onto the rigging of her sailboat for balance.
“Pirates!” she shouted. “Back to the village! Everyone! Now!”
The nearby fishermen stared at her in confusion, as if she’d just told them that their boats were made of cheese.
“Pirates? Where?”
“The sky’s as clear as crystal!”
“What are you on about, girl?”
Celeste’s eyes darted frantically across the empty horizon, straining for any confirmation of what she felt. She couldn’t see the threat, but she could definitely feel a malevolent presence growing ever closer.
“Trust me!” she shouted. “They’re cloaked somehow, but they’re coming. We have to go back!”
The fishermen looked from her to their nets, many of them grumbling under their breath. A few of them shook their heads and started to turn away from her.
“Please!” she shouted, pleading with them with her eyes. “How many times have I called the fish and filled up your nets? How many times have I brought you an empty catch. Please, listen to me! We don’t have time to argue!”
To her relief, some of the fishermen began to reel in their nets, preparing to come back. They started to argue with the others, their voices carrying across the water.
Celeste didn’t wait to join their discussion. She tacked her little sailboat, racing toward the next group of fishing boats. As she drew on her magic to fill her little sail with wind, her thoughts began to race. How could she convince them all in time? What if the pirates attacked before everyone made it to safety?
Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the amulet beneath her shirt. For a very brief moment, she considered using it to call her sister. Seraphine would know what to do. If anyone could convince the fishermen to come home, it was her.
No, Celeste thought, gritting her teeth. They’re already starting to listen to me. I can do this myself.
“Pirates!” she called, racing her little boat around the opposite end of the bay. “You all need to head back from the shore. Now!”
Here, too, the fishermen looked up at her in confusion and annoyance.
“What’s that, girl?”
“We’ve only started bringing in the catch!”
“I know, but there’s a pirate ship coming,” she shouted urgently. “It’s veiled, so you can’t see it, but I can sense it with my magic. It’s closing in fast!”
Like a sheepdog barking at a herd of unruly sheep, she circled the fishing boats, urging them all to come in. It took a while, but her tone finally struck a chord. One by one, the fishermen pulled up their nets and headed back to shore.
“Thank you!” Celeste called with relief. She might not be as great at magic as her sister Seraphine, but she would do whatever it took—even face the ridicule of the whole village—to keep her home safe.
Circling behind them, she called upon her power and called a mighty wind to speed the fishermen on their way. Seraphine probably could have done better, but every little bit helped to speed their retreat. The sense of impending danger never went away—indeed, it grew stronger by the minute—but she allowed herself a small sigh of relief as the last of the stragglers finally dropped sail and began to head back to the bay.
Off to port, a slight shimmer in the air caught her eye, like heat rising from sun-baked stones. Before Celeste could react, the shimmer warped, and suddenly—impossibly—a massive sailing ship materialized mere yards away from her, its sails blotting out the sun.
“No!” Celeste gasped, yanking the tiller hard. She barely avoided a collision that would have surely capsized her. From behind, she heard the yells and shouts of the pirates as they moved into pursuit.
Calling up every ounce of strength she had left, she summoned the wind—but it was too late. An iron grappling hook caught her ship by the stern, and two burly pirates swung onto her tiny sailing ship, their heavy boots making the whole vessel shudder.
Celeste stumbled backward, her hand flying to her amulet. At that moment, one of the pirates threw a golden chain around her neck, almost like a lariat.
The effect was immediate and devastating. Her connection to the magical world died instantly, her awareness cutting off as if someone had slammed a door. The wind died down, and her sails went limp. More importantly, her efforts to summon her sister were totally cut off. The gold burned against her skin, not with heat, but with a wrongness that made her stomach lurch.
“That’s better,” said the pirate, grabbing her arms before she could slip the golden chain off of her neck. “Can’t have our little prize calling up any squalls to trouble us, can we?”
“No!” she screamed, lashing out with her fists and feet. “Let me go!”
The pirates ignored her struggles and frantic cries as they easily subdued her. When she tried to bite the hand binding her wrists, they simply laughed.
“Feisty one, ain’t she?”
Celeste glared defiantly at them both, even as they bound her feet and hauled her to her feet.
“You’re going to regret this. The people of my village—”
“Are too far away to help you now, little mage,” the other pirate sneered. He gestured to the shoreline, where the last of the fishing boats had just pulled into the harbor. Though men with spears and torches line the shore, none of them attempted to sally out and rescue her.
As they dragged her up onto the pirate ship, Celeste’s bravado began to crumble. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back furiously. Even though she was now their prisoner, she wouldn’t give these scum the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
