When the Ocean Calls

Chapter Nineteen | Journey through the Sky

The large quantities of food that Virgo prepared the next morning couldn't keep up with my appetite. It was like I had a black hole for a stomach. It only took a few minutes for me to devour my breakfast of sautéed dandelion greens, almonds, and kale—lots and lots of kale. Yet, I craved more, even if she gave me another serving of kale.

I nestled my bowl in the sand beside me and looked up at Virgo, seated on the opposite side of our make-shift fire pit. She must have watched me ravage my bowl, quite the contrast to her slow savoring consumption of her own portion.

"Would you like anything else to eat before you go?" she asked. Her voice was as serene as the pastel sunrise.

Though hungry, I didn't want to be an imposition. It might take Virgo a long time to collect the ingredients for breakfast, cook it, and then wait for me to finish before sending me off to the Gemini. Surely she'd want to get back to her work on the island. I opened my mouth to say no.

What are you doing? the dragon screamed. You won't last through the day if you aren't fed properly.

"Yes." The word tumbled out without a second thought.

Virgo reached into her trusty basket. It followed her everywhere and always seemed to carry what she needed. Right now, it provided an oblong fruit, reminiscent of a melon.

Of course she'd be prepared with more food. I didn't know why I thought it'd be challenging for her to satiate my appetite.

The dragon appeared satisfied. See? Everything worked out.

"May I borrow your knife to open this?" Virgo asked.

"Sure." I handed her the gilt-metal. Virgo split the fruit easily, revealing a soft peach-colored interior. Small black spheres filled the center, kind of like boba. I assumed that in reality, they were seeds. "What is it?"

"It's a papaya," Virgo said. She scooped the seeds out with her large wooden spoon. Then she sliced the fruit diagonally and horizontally, so the fruit released from the hard exterior. She handed both halves to me as well as my knife. "You can have the whole fruit. It should fill you up and will give you lots of carbohydrates for your journey."

I'd heard of papaya a few times before, but I'd never tasted it. With the tip of my knife, I stabbed a chunk and popped it into my mouth. Sweet juice gushed onto my tongue from the creamy flesh. It was a delicious, one-of-a-kind flavor, closest to a mixture of cantaloupe and baked pumpkin. Once I got home, I knew I had to buy another one. Lani simply had to try it. If anything came from this adventure, at least I discovered a new fruit.

"Now, while you're eating, let me tell you how to get to the Gemini," Virgo said. "The Gemini like to stick with a few people and places that they know best. There's about three locations that you'll find them: in the stars, in the air, or on a certain Island in the Caribbean."

"In the air?" I said, gulping down a piece of papaya.

"It's complicated," Virgo stated. "Your best chance of finding them is on the Island of Tocona Isla, off the coast of Bermuda."

That caught my attention. I set down the chunk of fruit I was about to eat. "Bermuda? Like, the Island of Bermuda?"

Virgo nodded firmly.

My heart plummeted in my chest. I knew little about Caribbean geography, but I did know that Bermuda was far from the Bahamas. Already, the distance between Lani and me felt infinitely greater.

"Isn't there any other place?" I asked.

"Unfortunately not. The Islanders there have a good rapport with the Gemini. So even if the Gemini aren't there when you arrive, the tribe can summon them for you." Virgo's mouth widened in a motherly smile. It coaxed me to believe that everything would be alright.