It was unfortunate that they’d been shipwrecked somewhere along the western coast, since, according to their new friend, the only way home was situated on the other side of the island. Then again, Dr Jordan mused, how big could the island be? Surely no more than thirty or forty miles across; such a journey could be completed in a matter of days. Although…

If the distance was so small, Varian would have been able to easily manage it by himself, he wouldn’t have felt the need to find people to travel with. The man was a pacifist, not a coward, and had abilities the rest of them lacked, yet he’d still been reluctant to set out alone.

Thinking back, Paul remembered the first view he’d had of the island’s interior, from the top of the cliff above the beach, and the mountain he and Scott had seen from a distance, wreathed in clouds. Alright, so the island was a lot bigger than he would have expected, and they’d seen wild animals, even a leopard, so travelling alone probably wouldn’t be wise for anyone. There could be other dangers too, like the privateers they’d already had trouble with.

But they were a party of six now, and with Varian to help them, reaching the eastern coast shouldn’t be beyond their combined abilities. It was just a matter of walking until they got there. Paul knew that was a massive oversimplification, they had no idea what the terrain would be like, and they might have to detour around the mountain, which would add to their journey, but as long as they stuck together, they’d be alright. There was both strength and safety in numbers.

The main problem would be food; they had limited supplies, but perhaps they’d find help along the way.


The End