Chapter 85

“Gone,” replied Topaz.

“Way gone!” shouted VaVa.

Aflo nodded. “Her remains, what’s left of them, will finally be buried next to your friends, Creature. Just where they belong.”

“Better late than never.” I pointed to the salt canister in her hand. “And that?”

“Seems the goddess had a few crates of it on the boat she arrived on,” she replied. “When it exploded, the contents went flying.” She aimed her pudgy finger to the front of the cabin, a large stack of charred but otherwise whole canisters sitting at the ready.

I laughed. “We only need one or two, you know.”

Topaz shrugged at my remark. “Better safe than sorry.”

“Good idea,” I allowed. “There’s been too much sorry and not nearly enough safe as of late.” I was now staring at Dara, a pit in my stomach at the lifeless sight of her, her eyes open, gazing into the nothingness, her body tightly bound to the seat. “Open your mouth, sweetie,” I told her. “All of you, open wide.”