Chapter 1

The barge left at dawn, its lanterns extinguished before it reached open
water. No one on the dock spoke. The captain did not look back.

Chapter 2

By noon the bay had narrowed to a channel. Reeds grew on both sides,
taller than the mast. The crew kept their voices low.

Chapter 3

The channel opened without warning onto a second bay, wider than the
first and entirely ringed with white stone.
