[Open ocean — Day 26 — 9:14 AM]
Maya found the discrepancy first.
She had been looking at the updated current map — the one she had bought at the Port of Sands — for twenty minutes, and the numbers didn't add up. The boat's current position according to Kira did not correspond to any marked current route.
"Max."
"What?"
"There's something to the southeast that isn't on the map."
Max came over. He looked at the map. He looked at the southeastern horizon.
And something in his expression changed.
Not surprise. Something closer to recognition.
"Black Coral," he said quietly.
---
The island appeared half an hour later.
Small — less than three kilometers from end to end. Dense vegetation all the way to the shoreline, a dark green in color. White sand visible even from the boat. And above all — the silence.
"It's not on any commercial map," said Max. "As far as I know, it's not on any map."
"How do you know it?" asked Kira.
Max took a second.
