Chapter 23

After he got clear of this predicament.

Clenching every muscle he possibly could, Io pushed against the wall and floor in various places, doing his best to climb into a sitting position. Ellis stood by watching, once or twice muttering a word of encouragement. There were no sounds coming from up top, which did concern him, but he gave it little thought as he managed to gain the position he sought. A smile broke out on his face at his accomplishment. Thankfully, his quicker than human healing properties left him free of the peskiness of lingering head pain, meaning the room was steady, aside from the gentle rocking of the boat.

“Now comes the hard part,” he muttered, partially to Ellis, but mostly to himself. “Standing.”