[ROAD NORTH – 3 HOURS AFTER LEAVING CORAL PORT]
Alex stopped in the middle of the road.
He looked around—open fields, a dirt road stretching endlessly toward the northern horizon.
Then he looked at his feet.
Then at the map Sera had given them.
Then back at the horizon.
"Wait," he said aloud.
The team stopped—Raven ahead, Emily and Grim behind.
"What's wrong?" asked Raven.
"I have a question. I probably should have asked it before we left." Alex pointed at the map. "Sanctuary of Dawn. Three weeks' travel. In the Crystal Mountains."
"Yeah, so?"
"The Crystal Mountains..." Alex checked the map again. "...are on an island. Across the ocean. About 200 kilometers off the coast."
Silence.
"So?" Raven repeated, not seeing the problem.
"So?" Alex looked at her incredulously. "HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET THERE? There are no vehicles! No transport! We don't have a boat!"
Longer silence.
Emily and Raven exchanged glances.
Then Emily spoke—her voice carefully neutral.
