The Royal Sea Sprite listed and lurched in the ever-
increasing waves. It was hard to hear the captain’s voice:
“Ahoy, men, change course!” over the roar of the wind.
“Andronikos!” Queen Zenais grabbed the king’s arm
to steady herself.
Thunder cracked overhead and seconds later a flash of
lightning streaked across the dark sky. An enormous wave
rolled the ship on its side, pitching everyone on board the
wooden ship dangerously close to the churning water. King
Andronikos stumbled and nearly dropped his infant daughter
Princess Aricia. When the boat righted itself, the king grabbed
Queen Zenais’s arm and did his best to steady her as well as
himself.
7
“We must take refuge below deck,” King Andronikos
shouted to his queen, but it was difficult to hear his voice
above the raging storm.
Cautiously, the royal family walked below deck to the
royal cabin.
“I’m frightened, Andronikos. I have never seen such a
storm. Perhaps we made a mistake. Maybe we should not have
fled Eryx,” said Queen Zenais as she sat down on the swaying
bed. Once she had steadied herself, King Andronikos placed
their baby safely in her mother’s arms.
“My queen, you know we had no choice. Judoc would
have made sure that we suffered an imminent death. He would
never have allowed the royal family of Eryx to live. Escape
was our only true option. I only pray that my father is safely
hidden away somewhere in the kingdom of Eryx and that we
arrive safely on the shores of the kingdom of Goth by
morning.”
The royal ship lurched once more, causing the wooden
boards to creak and moan as they strained to stay intact. The
queen clenched her hands until her knuckles turned white.
8
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