The bonfire crackled against the darkening sky, its flames licking upward, sending spirals of orange sparks into the growing dusk. The air hung heavy with the scent of salt and smoke, of grilled meat and charred vegetables, of the coconut sweetness drifting from the nearby palms. The waves rolled in with a lazy rhythm, their soft hiss a steady counterpoint to the music drifting across the sand.
Vesta sat cross-legged near the fire, Mikasi cradled in her arms. Her rainbow hair reflected the colorful hues in the firelight, shimmering with each note she played. The guitar hummed with a warmth that resonated in the souls of everyone gathered, a melody that was both ancient and new.
Eliane had finally surrendered to exhaustion. Her silver hair fanned across Jannali's lap, she mumbled something inaudible. Her breathing had slowed to the deep rhythm of sleep.
Sanza lay in a heap nearby, his red hair a chaotic mess, his practice sword clutched against his chest like a teddy bear. Jelly had oozed into a gelatinous puddle beside him, his translucent blue body rising and falling with each sleepy breath. Ember was curled into a tight ball, her neon-pink space buns drooping, her mismatched eyes finally closed.
The guardians had departed for their night patrols, their footsteps fading into the darkness beyond the firelight's reach. Master Gaius Vesper had taken the first watch, his kiseru pipe trailing smoke as he walked the perimeter. Jax Boone had followed, his scarred face set in its usual serious lines. Aurélie had vanished into the shadows without a word, her silver hair catching the firelight for just a moment before she disappeared.
The Heart Pirates and the Consortium members who remained settled into a comfortable quiet, the kind that comes after a long day and a good meal.
Jannali sat eyes locked on her wrist, fingers trailing over the rings causing the occasional jingle, her golden hoop earrings glinting in the firelight. She stared down at the Choros-Anemos wrapped around her wrist—the nested silver rings, each inscribed with symbols she couldn't quite understand, each one humming with a frequency she could feel in her teeth.
Charlie cleared his throat, his pith helmet askew, his glasses sparkling. "Is this the item you were talking about?"
Jannali sighed, her accent thick with exhaustion. "Yeah, mate. Dunno how this root-up works."
Charlie nodded, his expression shifting into that familiar academic intensity. "May I?"
Emily leaned over, her dark brown eyes bright with curiosity, her notebook clutched against her chest. Jannali extended her wrist, and Charlie's fingers moved over the rings with the delicacy of a man handling ancient parchment.
The rings clinked softly.
"Fascinating," Charlie breathed.
Emily nodded, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Look at the lettering."
Charlie's eyes narrowed. "Good observation."
Jannali rolled her eyes. "It's a load of codswallop."
Emily's lips pressed together, her brow furrowing. "Maybe. But…"
Charlie's eyes went wide. "It's a code."
Emily jolted upright. "That's what I was thinking!"
Charlie nodded, his excitement barely contained. "Of course."
Jannali's jaw flexed. "Carn, what's the bloody code then, mate?"
Charlie stroked his chin, his fingers tracing the symbols etched into the silver. The firelight danced across his features, casting shadows that made him look older, more serious.
Jannali jumped when Eliane's head flopped onto her lap. The young Lunarian mumbled something unintelligible, her shoulders twitching.
Jannali looked up and saw Ember, Jelly, and Sanza laying in a tangled heap of limbs and gelatinous ooze. She snapped, her voice carrying that familiar exasperation. "Go to bed already, ya galah!"
The rings jostled.
Charlie's eyes went wide. He looked at Emily. "Did you…"
Emily nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "I did."
Jannali's head snapped around. "What's doing?"
Charlie looked up, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and dawning realization. "I think…"
The rings jostled again.
Charlie's gaze shifted to Vesta, who was still happily strumming Mikasi, her eyes closed, her rainbow hair swaying with the melody. He looked at Emily.
"Music," he said.
Emily nodded. "A specific cord."
Jannali cursed under her breath, her eyes following their gaze to Vesta. "Bloody hell."
Charlie stood, his movements careful, deliberate. "Vesta."
Vesta jolted, her fingers pausing on the strings. Everyone looked at Charlie.
"Could you play the cords one at a time, please?"
Vesta shrugged, her brow furrowing. "Sure, I guess. But that isn't a song, so it may not…"
Charlie shook his head. "I don't believe a song is necessary."
Marya sat with Law, Bepo, Atlas, Galit, and Uni near the edge of the firelight. She looked up, her golden eyes narrowing. "What are you…"
Emily jumped to her feet. "Just trust him! He is about to—" She realized everyone was looking at her. Her face flushed crimson. "Oh. Uh. Sorry. I didn't mean to, um…" She sat down heavily, her voice dropping to a mumble. "Well, I'm going to sit down now."
Charlie cleared his throat, his composure returning. "I believe the operation of the relic has a connection with certain cords of music."
Master Gaius Vesper, who had returned from his patrol, rested his forearms on his knees. His kiseru pipe trailed smoke, and his silver hair shifting in the firelight. "That sounds interesting."
Vesta shrugged. "Whatever." She announced, "A," and played the cord.
The rings jostled.
Jannali jumped to her feet. "Bloody hell!" She looked up. "Keep at it."
Vesta nodded. "B." The rings didn't respond. "C." Nothing. "E." Nothing. "D." The rings jostled again.
They continued that way—each cord played, each silence noted—until they reached "F." The rings jostled again.
Charlie began to pace, his boots leaving tracks in the sand. "OK. So they reacted when we played A, D, and F."
Jannali asked, "What's the catch?"
Charlie held his chin, pacing. The firelight cast long shadows across his face.
Vesta interrupted, her voice thoughtful. "Maybe they have to be played in a certain order."
Charlie pounded a hand into his fist. "That's it!"
Vesta blinked. "It is?"
Charlie nodded, his excitement building. "Of course! Play those cords."
Vesta shrugged. "Okay."
She struck the cords—A, D, F—and the rings began to vibrate. Jannali cursed. "Bloody hell!"
Then the rings went still.
Jannali looked up. "What's the story?"
Law replied, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe the cords have to be played by the user."
Charlie perked up. "Of course!" He looked at Jannali. "You are the one who has to play the cords."
Jannali blinked. "But I don't know…"
Vesta perked up. "Can you whistle?"
Jannali replied, "Nah, yeah, of course I can."
Vesta nodded. "Great. So just whistle like this. Follow my pitch," Vesta said, whistling a clean D, leaping to the fifth at A, and sliding down to the minor third.
Jannali nodded, mimicking Vesta. The rings began to vibrate. Then they spun off her wrist and levitated over her open palm.
Everyone jumped to their feet, eyes wide and tense for whatever may come. The Choros-Anemos flared blinding silver. The bands expanded, snapping off her wrist and hovering in dead space inches above her upturned palm. Jannali's head snapped back. Her headscarf slipped free onto the sand as the seam across her forehead parted, revealing the third eye—unblinking, dilated, and radiant with cold light
She started to become entranced, her body going still, her eyes unfocusing.
"What is it you seek?" Her voice no longer carried her rough cadence; it sounded layered, echoing as if spoken underwater.
Law and Marya exchanged a look. But it was Charlie who answered, clearing his throat.
"Mask of the Forgotten Oracle. And the Celestial Compass."
Jannali turned her attention to the horizon. Two ribbons of light emanated from the rings, tracing a path from the ground. Two images of islands materialized in her palm.
Charlie cleared his throat. "We will have to put this information in the ship's AI…"
Jannali collapsed.
Galit rushed forward, catching her before she hit the sand.
Charlie announced, "I wasn't able to see."
Galit looked at him, his long neck coiling with concern. "This appears to take a toll."
Law walked over, his expression unreadable. "She is fine. She lacks the stamina."
Galit nodded. "We will have to make sure to be careful, then. Not to ask for too much."
Marya added, "Charlie is right, though. If we time it right, we can put it into the AI and find where we need to go.
Galit picked up Jannali, cradling her against his chest. "I will take her back to the ship. She can sleep in the Med Bay tonight."
Marya nodded. "We will…"
Her head snapped around.