Back in his cabin, Andrew found that he couldn’t sleep. Despite the long day, worrying about Tirnan, then having a climax that made him feel five pounds lighter from lost bodily fluid, Andrew dozed fitfully. At last he gave up trying and made his way topside.
The gray light told him sunrise was approaching. Seagulls cried noisily overhead in the quiet pre-dawn skies. The other ships nearby seemed to be deserted.
Andrew scanned the deck and saw mostly the night crew. The day crew had succumbed to exhaustion, like him, and had returned to their bunks. The merpeople had returned to the safety of the island to catch some sleep and await a signal from the Diamond, a special flag to be raised to the top of the mainmast, announcing her readiness for immediate departure. Tirnan had suggested wit
