Travel was slow, like a bug trying to swim to the other edge of a swimming pool. Alice and Icarus took turns rowing and resting. The best part of the day was when they got to sleep. After a day of rowing, rest was welcome. It didn't matter which way they drifted because they didn't have a specific direction to go in anyway.
When Icarus rested, he'd kick back and watch the clouds go by. It really amazed Alice that he was still so fascinated by the sky after almost dying in flight. Icarus was a strange boy. He didn't talk much unless spoken to. He seemed to just enjoy thinking.
Sparky didn't seem to mind much either. He liked looking over the edge of the boat and barking at the fish.
As for Alice, she had her eyes closed as much as she could. She was so tired of the sea! It was all she had seen for a couple days. She became seasick often. She liked rowing because it took her mind off of the nastiness brewing in her stomach. Icarus warned her not to throw up in the water because it would anger Poseidon. They really didn't need travel to become slower or to die at sea. Oh, how Alice's feet longed to feel solid land underneath them.
After the first day, the food supply dwindled. There really wasn't that much food to begin with. They were forced to eat even less. They found themselves starving until they discovered an island.
Alice was rowing with her eyes shut (again). She could feel the waves splashing against the side of the boat. They gently rocked the boat, but it was enough to make her feel sick.
Icarus sat up. Alice cracked her eyes open just enough to see him. He was looking right back at her. She opened her eyes all the way, and the afternoon sun slightly blinded her. She blinked several times and her eyes adjusted.
"How's the rowing going?" Icarus asked. He had come up with the rhyme after the first day at sea. He thought it was clever, but Alice just didn't care.
"Fine," Alice sighed. "You know. As well as it could go."
Icarus laughed.
His boyish grin had diminished more and more as they had been gone. Alice didn't know if it was the endless sea getting to him, or if he was actually aging. He looked a year older every day.
"What's that?" Icarus asked. He pointed to a non sea-colored spot in the distance.
Alice turned her head to see what he was pointing at. She squinted and said, "I think . . . I think that's land!" She instantly perked up. Her feelings of seasickness disappeared and she started rowing towards the island in the distance.
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Hermes walked into the cave. The dead air didn't help his nerves. The only sound was that of his winged sandals with every step.
Aphrodite told him that he'd find the Moirae here. Every god feared them. They controlled life and destiny, and was going to have to come face to face with them.
The cave became colder as he walked. Goosebumps formed all over his body and the hair on the back of his neck stood up.
Soon, he found them. There was only the light of a single candle in the entire room, so he could only faintly see them. He was glad because he really didn't want to. Three women stood like statues at the back of the cavern. Their pale faces were like sculpted marble. Their eyes were like black coals, and they stared blankly at him. Hermes tried not to look at them. Everything about the Moirae was cold.
He mustered up as much courage as he could and said, "Hello. I am Hermes. I have come to ask you about the life of Giselle Stone. I was going to carry her soul to the Underworld, but her body was not where it was supposed to be. I can't find her."
He paused. Not one of the Moirae had moved a muscle, but he knew they were listening.
"I heard from Hades a while ago. He said she wasn't dead yet. I need you to tell me why she isn't. Or if not, please tell me where she is."
"If you are destined to find her, you will," one spoke up. Her voice was like ice. It was smooth, and yet sharp. "We can not tell you what you aren't supposed to know."
A thought popped into his head. Aphrodite is not going to be happy about this.
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The little rowboat glided along the waves. Icarus hopped out of the boat and pulled it the rest of the way to the shore. Alice eagerly stepped onto the sand. Sparky was right behind her. She sprawled out on the warm and wet beach. Sparky licked her face, and she laughed.
Icarus sat down beside her. He stared out at the sea. He wasn't as happy as Alice was that they'd reached land. If anything, he was disappointed. But the island was nice. Flowers and trees flourished beyond the sand. It smelled like a fresh rain when a gust of wind blew through the trees. Everything about the island reminded them of spring.
"This isn't it," he sighed.
"It's better than being out at sea," Alice commented. She sat up.
"Maybe," Icarus said, "but we don't know what's on this island. For all we know, there could be a monster here waiting to devour us."
Alice shuddered at the thought.
"But it looks like there are coconuts."
Alice looked at the trees that were behind them. Icarus was right. They needed more food, so coconuts would be very helpful.
"I can't climb. Can you?" Alice asked.
"No," Icarus answered with a frown.
Sparky ran to a tree. Or rather ran into it. With his head of metal, he shook the tree enough to make the coconuts fall down. He did the same thing to a couple other trees until they had plenty to take with them.
"That's not an ordinary dog . . . is it?"
