Chapter 86. Rogue Camp

Maya’s POV

We had docked between two piers, one along a steep mountainside, the other a little further out. They looked old, but they were built of massive logs and didn’t budge once, even when the ships anchored between them. The bridges themselves were built on top of logs or pillars sticking at least two or three meters above sea level. After walking down the wooden construction that seemed to go on forever, we finally reached a sand-covered beach.

Confused, I had searched for this village Arcane and Tew had told me about, but I saw nothing. No buildings, nothing—but I heard voices. Apparently, they had decided that creating a village right by the water was a bad idea, and while we walked over the beach and to the forest edge, I understood why. The water looked peaceful now, with the beach covered in fine sand, small rocks, and colorful seashells for several meters up from the water. But when I passed the tree line, the discoloration on the tree trunk