Fortune, or the Goddess, smiled on them and for three days they had fair winds and Farson didn’t sail them too far off course at night. Keandar had proven useful once he had gotten over an almost natural aversion to sailing; it seemed deep water and boats were not something his people found appealing. Still, once he had learned the basic mechanics of sailing the small craft, he seemed to enjoy it.

The food was gone and the water almost gone when the sharp-eyed dwarf said, “I see land!”

Sandreena motioned for Farson to take over the tiller, moved to stand behind the dwarf, putting one hand on the mast, and peered ahead. A few minutes later she saw a smudge on the horizon and said, “If we didn’t sail right past it and we’re looking at the coast of the Kingdom, that will be Sorcerer’s Island.” She glanced behind her and saw a darkening sky. “Just in time, it seems. I think we’re going to be getting foul weather soon.”

No one spoke as the smudge in the distance resolved itself into a dark spot, which in turn became a distant island. When the sky above began to darken, they could see cliffs and a castle on the eastern edge. “There’s a beach to the west of that point,” Sandreena said, and Farson nodded.

Sandreena said, “Beach landings can be tricky, so plan on getting wet.” She had had them strip off their armor as soon as they had cleared Durban harbor, so she wasn’t worried about either of her companions drowning a hundred yards off shore, then she thought to ask, “Keandar, do you swim?”

“Not a stroke,” he said. “Never had much need to learn.”

“I’ll try to keep from swamping the boat.”

“That would be appreciated, Sandreena,” said the dwarf calmly.

She took the tiller from Farson and said, “When I tell you, move to the back of the boat.”

She deftly moved the small boat so it pointed straight at the little beach, and when she felt the swell rising beneath the hull she shouted to Farson, “Take down the sail.”

He did as ordered and Sandreena saw the canvas fall loosely just as a comber broke behind the boat, and suddenly they were hurling toward the beach. “Back!” she shouted, and they moved a few feet to the rear, tilting the bow up so it wouldn’t plant in the sand. “Get ready to jump and pull us in.” She waited. “Jump!”

The dwarf and Knight-Adamant were over the side into thigh-high water for Farson and chest high for Keandar, but four powerful arms hauled the boat safely into the sand. Sandreena let out a long sigh of relief. She had trusted in the Goddess to bring them safely here, but she had never been completely free of doubts. “Get your armor,” she instructed as she picked up her gear.