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Webmistress's Drawing of a Sculpture.  Artist Unknown.
   
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Chapter  V

 
     
 

 
     
  They sped through the water so fast, Derry had to close his eyes so that he wouldn't get dizzy. And then, just as suddenly, they broke the surface and stopped. It took a moment for Derry to adjust to the abrupt change and he didn't open his eyes until his head stopped spinning. He heard Syrene start her odd, discordant song. He shook his head once to clear it and opened his eyes. The brightness of the sun blinded him momentarily after the murkiness of being below the surface. He squinted against the brightness and started. The ship Syrene had found was Rhafallia- Morgan's ship! Derry turned to the sea nymph, intending to ask or beg or whatever it took to make her stop trying to lead these men- men he knew, some he counted as friends- to a watery grave. Just as he was about to say something, he realized she had already stopped. She was watching the ship, a very annoyed look on her face.

"What is it?" Derry asked. Syrene shook her head, causing her long hair to whip against Derry's face and tangle itself around his neck. He managed to extricate himself without drowning and asked again.

"Why did you stop? I mean, I was going to ask you to, anyway. That is my lord Morgan's ship- I know those men, and I wouldn't want." He trailed off as Syrene spun around to face him.

"I can't do anything, anyway! They can't even hear me!" She was clearly upset. Derry looked at the ship, puzzled.

"But they aren't that far away," he said. "Surely, your voice can carry that far?" Syrene sighed.

"It can carry much farther, normally. But that ship is protected. By magic." Derry smiled as the impact of her words sank in.

"Because Morgan is Deryni," he said. Syrene shrugged.

"I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that it is magic and I can't penetrate it. So I guess I won't be staying here." She turned again and started to swim toward the mouth of the bay.

"Hey!" Derry called. Syrene stopped and faced him again. "What about me?"

 
     
 

 
 

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