by Cait Marie
She met his green eyes with a smile.
“I haven’t agreed yet.” He laughed pulling her close and rubbing her arms for warmth. “Tell me the story.”
So, she did. She started with the story of the Nihryst, explaining how her mother used to tell it to her. She told him what she overheard—her father’s plans for the massacre at the ball and the war that would follow. Pulling out the book, she showed him the symbols and images, explaining the clues she thought she’d figured out. Then, she lifted the cards.
Her fingers gently caressed Loxley’s card as she finished with something she’d never told anyone. “On the day my mother died, she had been reading me the story. I didn’t know it was the last time I’d ever hear her voice. We laid in my bed side by side, looking at the cards.” Tears dripped from Ada’s eyes. Her words barely more than a shaky whisper. “Just before she drifted off, I made a vow to find them one day. Find them and set them free.”
Lee didn’t say anything as he held his hand out. She gave him the card, and he nodded while looking at it, as if finally understanding. “You want them to help save your kingdom.”
“Yes.” She stood, needing to move around. “I know you said the island is deserted, but I have been waiting my whole life for this. They might be the only ones who can get past my father’s protection—his soldiers. I don’t know what else to do to stop him. I have to see for myself before I just give up.”
“I’d expect nothing less.”
She smiled, hoping she’d convinced him. The ship rocked over a wave, causing her to bump into the table. She winced as the corner hit the wound from Theo’s sword.
“What’s wrong?” Lee asked, setting the card aside and walking to her. “Were you hurt?”
“It’s nothing,” she argued. “I just haven’t had time to dress them.”
“Them? As in multiple wounds?” He shuffled around the room gathering supplies, cursing her stubbornness as he went. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. He came to stand in front of her and carefully lifted her to sit on the edge of the table. “It’s not funny. If they get infected, it’s your own damned fault.”
“I’m sure the saltwater helped prevent that.”
“Ada.” He stopped and looked at her seriously. His eyes moved to the lip she was still biting. She released it, her face heating up. His serious facade cracked with a smile. “That had to burn.”
“Oh, you have no idea.” She finally laughed. “That was the least of my worries though.” At his confused look, she explained her fear of the ocean and how she had been scared of the blood attracting sharks.
Lee chewed on his lips. When she smacked his arm, asking what he was holding back, he told her, “There are no sharks in these waters, love. Not that close to the island at least.”
She gaped at him and sputtered out, “But… but I...”
He placed a hand on her cheek. “You’re terrified of the ocean? How did you manage to commandeer a pirate ship when you’re scared of the ocean?”
Shrugging, she said, “It had to be done.”
“Wait.” He grew quiet. “Scared of the ocean and you thought we were surrounded by sharks? But you still jumped... Why?”
She waited for the blush to return, and it didn’t fail. Swallowing past the tightness in her throat, she said, “Because I trust you.”
A soft smile spread as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. He kissed her forehead, hesitating a moment longer than necessary. “Let’s check out these injuries, shall we?”
Ada nodded and pointed to her leg. The skirt she wore had a long slit up the side, making it easy to move out of the way. Lee sucked in a breath as he saw the scratches all up and down her calf and thigh. The worst of it was up higher than she realized, and she had to remind herself to breathe as he touched her.
“This is from the attic?”
She nodded, afraid of how shaky her voice would sound.
“I need to make sure there aren’t any splinters left inside,” he said.
“All right.”
With tweezers and slow motions, he began pulling out tiny slivers of wood. He tossed them into a bowl sitting beside her. “There’s more to that story you know.”
“What?” she asked through clenched teeth. Her fingernails dug into the edge of the table as he cleaned her leg.
“The Nihryst.” He reached for a new bowl and started to grind some herbs together. “Your book is missing part of the story. It didn’t tell why they were caught. How the king’s guards knew where they’d be.”
She knew part of the story was missing. Pages had been torn out of the beginning of her book, but she had never heard more or seen anything in different copies. “Tell me?”
Lee used some of the water kept in a basin for his mixture. He set it beside her, then grabbed a clear glass bottle. She cursed as he poured the burning alcohol on the open cuts. His free hand squeezed hers, and he apologized. The poultice soothed the majority of the pain. He began wrapping her leg as he told her the story.
“It was Queen Mariella.” He held up a hand when Ada opened her mouth. “Yes, your however many greats grandmother. She and Loxley grew up together. They were the best of friends.”
“What?” She couldn’t hold in her reaction.
Lee shook his head with a soft laugh. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”
She nodded and stayed quiet. He finished wrapping her leg and stood to look her over. Reluctantly, she pulled her shirt up on the right side to show him the slice.
“I killed him,” she whispered. She couldn’t look at Lee. Instead, she focused on a spot of the floor between them. “I killed another person.”
Lee put the supplies beside her. He wiped his hands on his pants before embracing her. “He was going to do much worse to you,” he said against her hair.
She knew he was right, but she still couldn’t get rid of the awful feeling. It felt like her hands were still covered in the man’s blood. As if knowing what she thought, Lee leaned back and held both of her hands. He brought each to his mouth, never breaking eye contact. “If you hadn’t killed him, I would have.”
The darkness was back in his eyes. He wasn’t holding anything back anymore, she realized. Ada knew that look—that seriousness about killing someone—should frighten her, but she felt comforted. She knew she was safe with him.
After a moment, he asked, “All right?” When she nodded, the corner of his mouth lifted. “Now, let’s get this shirt off.”
Ada narrowed her eyes at him.
He held up his hands, the image of innocence. “For medical purposes only, I promise.”
They stared at each other, daring the other to say something. Unwilling to show that she was nervous, she clenched her jaw and raised her shirt over her head. As she did so, the material snagged on her hair pins, releasing her semi-dry curls. She sat in nothing but her tight chest wrap. It did just as much as a corset, without all the rib breaking.
“Who’s the one blushing now?” she teased the captain as she tossed the shirt aside.
“Cruel. That’s what you are, you know.” He stood impossibly close. “Stubborn,” he leaned in to whisper in her ear, “and cruel.”
She grinned, winning this round. His hands were gentle as they cleaned the wound before sterilizing a needle. When she let out a ragged breath, he looked up.
“This is going to hurt,” Lee told her.
“I know,” she whispered, not wanting him to hear the fear in her voice.
He brought a hand up to her cheek again, and with the other he brushed her hair back, grazing her neck. “Just keep breathing.”
She nodded and closed her eyes before the needle pierced her skin. A gasp left her lips as her eyes instantly watered. She bit her lip.
“Breathe, Princess.”
Taking a shallow breath, she opened her eyes to glare at him. “Don’t call me that. Distract me. Tell me the story.”
“All right, so, Loxley and Mariella were childhood friends. She was the daughte
r of one of the nobles and naturally became friends with Henri, who was still the prince at the time. Loxley’s mother worked in Mariella’s home. The three of them grew very close and were near inseparable.”
A whimper escaped Ada’s lips as he pulled the thread taut. He paused to let her catch her breath before continuing.
“Loxley and Mariella fell in love though. The prince had always been jealous of the things he couldn’t have, even as a child with everything. He declared that he loved her, and she was to be his future queen. He did love her in a way. Despite everything, he always showed affection toward her. Some say he only ever loved the two of them, so when he found out about Loxley and Mariella, he was heartbroken. He took desperate measures, but she became his loving wife.”
Ada took shallow breaths as Lee finished the stitches. He tied the threads, then threw the excess and needle into the small bowl with the tweezers and bits of wood. She watched as he cleaned her torso with shaking fingers, then wrapped a bandage around her middle multiple times.
“These clothes have blood on them,” Lee said, stepping away. He returned with what appeared to be one of his own sweaters. She pulled it on, loving the immediate warmth. He handed her a pair of leggings she’d thought lost. “I found them shoved under the table when I was looking for somewhere to put your book.”
She chuckled. Lee cleaned up and continued the story as she changed. “Loxley fell in with another group of friends—thieves. They stole food and money, anything they could, but it wasn’t for them. The king wasn’t just selfish with Mariella, he was selfish with the kingdom and its goods. People were starving, so Loxley joined the group and stole from the rich to help those suffering.”
Ada went and sat back on the edge of the table. “Just like the story.”
Lee stood beside her, nodding as he leaned against the sturdy wood. “One night, Mariella caught him stealing from her family’s home while she was visiting, but instead of turning him in, she began helping. They met in secret. She’d bring him food and supplies from the castle, and eventually they remembered why they’d loved each other so much growing up.”
“They had an affair?”
Lee shook his head. “No. He loved her more than anything, but they’d grown apart. It wasn’t the same. She wasn’t the same. The king’s cruelness had bled into their life, and she’d hidden her true feelings for so long. Her normal happiness had been stripped, replaced by darkness. When she finally told Loxley of how much Henri had changed, he offered to run away with her. He saw the deep despair in her eyes and was worried for her—terrified she might hurt herself. She agreed but then was frightened. The king had heard rumors of them and had her followed. Instead of meeting him, she didn’t show up. A dozen guards waited in the basement of the church where they always met.”
“He was ambushed. Why would she do that?” The tremble in Ada’s voice gave away her anger.
Lee moved to stand between her knees with a hand braced on either side of her hips. “I don’t know. Maybe she thought he’d get away and never come back.”
Ada shook her head. Angry tears filled her eyes as she sat speechless, trying to come up with something to say. She opened her mouth, then shut it. The ship creaked around them—a sound she had grown to love. Along with the soft rocking from the waves, it soothed her.
“I’ll take you to Cyfrin,” Lee said, his quiet voice breaking the silence.
She looked at him with wide eyes. “What? Really?”
“Really.” He brushed away her tears and held her face with both hands. “We have to make another stop first, then I will take you to the island. But I can’t promise you will find what you’re looking for.”
She nodded and leaned forward. Their lips met briefly before the door opened. They sprang apart. A fake, too-enthusiastic gasp came from behind Ada. She didn’t need to turn to know who interrupted them. Instead, she groaned and rested her brow against Lee’s shoulder. He laughed against her.
“What is this?” Brienne asked in a mocking tone.
Lee helped Ada off the table, keeping one hand on her back as she swayed on her feet. She turned to see her friend holding a hand over her heart. Ada rolled her eyes but stayed next to Lee, causing Brienne to drop the act.
“I knew it.” She pointed at them both with a triumphant smile. “I knew sending the two of you to that island alone was a good idea. You’re welcome.”
“I almost died on that island,” Ada said. “Twice!”
“Three times,” Lee said under the guise of a fake cough. They all laughed before he leaned in and whispered, “I need to talk to her.”
Ada brushed her fingers along his as she turned to leave. At the door, she whirled around to shut it dramatically. His wink sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Outside, she waved to Ren up at the wheel who nodded in acknowledgement. She laughed and walked away. One step at a time. He would warm up to her eventually.
Phillip sat with some of the crew, eating an apple. He tossed one to her as she joined them. She pushed the long sleeves of the sweater up and leaned against the wooden beam beside him. He bumped her shoulder, grinning.
“So,” he whispered, “pirates.”
“Pirates who are taking us to Cyfrin.” She wiggled her eyebrows in excitement.
“But you said...?”
She shrugged. “Turns out our captain knows where the island is—he’s found it before. He claims it’s deserted, but I need to see myself. I convinced him to take me.”
“I’m sure you did,” he teased, earning him a smack on the back of the head.
“Not like that. It’s not like that.”
He raised an eyebrow in disbelief and crossed his arms.
“Fine, it’s kind of like that, but I don’t want to talk about it. It’s too complicated.”
Phillip smiled at her. “Whatever you say.”
Taking a definitive bite of her apple, she nodded. They sat quietly listening to the crew, taking in the atmosphere so unlike that which they were used to. Ada leaned against Phillip. “I know you should be with Shane, but I’m really glad you’re here.”
He put an arm around her. “Me too” With a soft laugh, he added, “Carys is going to be so jealous.”
Ada smiled thinking of his little sister running around, begging to be taught to use a sword. She was as fascinated with adventure stories as Ada had always been.
Eventually, the crew asked Ada to recount what happened on the island, which led to them all telling stories. She laughed, no longer feeling like an outsider as she sat and listened to the tales. Somehow in the last week and a half, these people had become friends. The sun sank in the sky, ale was brought out, and someone produced a fiddle. When Ren and Brienne joined them, telling their own gruesome stories, Ada looked toward the silhouetted figure standing alone at the helm.
More instruments were brought out. Music and laughter filled the air, and people began dancing all around her. Brienne grabbed Phillip’s arm but looked at Ada. She nodded in the direction Ada had been staring.
“Go,” Brienne told her. Ada looked to Phillip, who agreed. Brienne said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your friend here. Go to him.”
Ada stood and inhaled. The music drifted across the breeze, following her up the stairs, but it was quieter there. She stood beside Lee and looked down at the celebration below.
“You don’t dance?” She tried to sound teasing, but it fell short.
With shaking hands, she tucked her hair behind an ear, then turned to face the water behind them. In the moonlight, the sea gently rolled. Resting her arms on the rail, she looked out to the sparkling stars.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight,” she commented. He let out a soft chuckle but remained silent. Ada turned back around and put a hand on his arm. “Lee, what’s wrong?”
He sighed. “I just never thought I’d go back to Cyfrin.”
She smiled and stepped closer. “My entire life has been about finding this island and the Nihryst. I can’t believe it’
s all actually happening.”
“Ada.” His quiet voice barely lifted over the commotion below. “No one is there. It’s just an island.”
“I have to believe differently,” she said. “I know it’s crazy, but I have to see for myself.” She looped an arm through his.
“I know.” His simple reply frustrated her.
She saw him retreating back to his old self and didn’t how to stop it. He pulled away from her, gripping the wheel with both hands. Someone shrieked below, followed by a chorus of laughter. She waited for him to say more, but the hard mask slid firmly back in place.
She threw up her hands with an exasperated sigh. “Are we really back to this?”
“Ada, you’re the princess. What did you expect to happen here?” He turned enough to stare at her.
“I—”
“I’m a pirate,” he cut her off. “This could never work.”
“You didn’t seem bothered earlier.” She thought of their soft kiss in the cabin. When he didn’t respond, she asked, “Why did you agree to bring me?”
A pained look crossed his face as he glanced toward her. She didn’t wait for an answer, afraid of what he might say. She stormed down the stairs, but instead of going back to the others, she went into the captain’s quarters, slammed the door, and laid down in bed with her book.
For days, Shane and Gwyn asked the scientist from the castle about curing the Kald. Viktor refused to talk, and Shane feared he wouldn’t give up any information. Time was getting away from them. If they didn’t stop his father and find a cure, there were going to be hundreds of deaths in the single night. Let alone the damage from a war. The thought made him sick.
Shane used that disgust and dread as he continued to pretend being ill. He played up the symptoms, slowly making it appear like he was not improving. He hoped that when he was unable to leave his rooms, the king would leave him be. Maybe even postpone the celebration.
