by Cait Marie
“This island is essentially one big market for travelers. The people who live here own the booths and shops,” Brienne said as she and Ada walked down the road. “The majority of the native islanders live in the marshes beyond town. That’s likely where we’ll need to go.”
A small group of musicians played a quick tune in an open square. People grabbed onto strangers’ hands to pull them into a dance. An older woman held out a hand to the princess and Brienne, neither of whom declined. They twirled around to the music with their arms linked. When the song ended, they apologized for needing to leave, then stepped back to the street the crew had wandered down. Phillip smiled as they joined him and took Brienne’s arm. Ada caught Loxley watching her but didn’t let her own grin drop.
Booths with relics of the old gods and magic sat dispersed along the road. Detmarya had long ago rid themselves of the old ways, so it took Ada by surprise to see it so out in the open and accepted. She had heard stories, especially of her own ancestor, but seeing it made her heart race. It had always fascinated her, but it had been outlawed since the great war. Even talking about it in Detmarya led to harsh punishments.
A man called out, waving around beaded necklaces. Lining one side of his small, open tent hung what looked like shrunken human heads. Ada gulped down air and moved closer, not noticing the others continuing down the street without her. A table sat in the front, covered in more beaded jewelry. The man began speaking to her in a foreign tongue. As she shook her head, trying to communicate that she didn’t understand, the symbol on a shiny medallion caught her eye.
She stepped closer and brushed a thumb across the dark metal. Two entwined flowers peeked up at her. A hand closed around her wrist, and she jumped in surprise before another hand on her back stilled her.
“Come on, Princess,” Loxley said in her ear. “These aren’t for you.”
He said something to the man in his language. Ada stared at Lee, but he didn’t say more. He laced their fingers together and led her back through the crowd. They caught up to their group on the far edge of the town, and Phillip visibly sighed in relief at the sight of her approaching. Loxley let go of her hand and walked to Brienne, who spoke to him in hushed tones while pointing down the road.
They led the crew down a dark alley into a very rundown neighborhood. Ada stuck close to Phillip, and he wrapped an arm around her back. The buildings stood close together, their windows shaded or boarded up. A rotten smell of trash lingered in the air.
At the end, they reached a small dock with several rowboats. Loxley talked to the owner before walking to Ada.
“How much?” She reached for her coin bag without needing to be asked.
Loxley’s mouth tugged up on the side. “One gold coin for them all will be more than enough.”
She handed it over, and they all moved to get in the boats as he paid. They passed low-hanging branches through the narrow, calm water. A thin film of moss floated along the surface. As the sun sank below the horizon, lanterns were lit in the front of each boat. Ada looked around the swampy marshes in wonder. She’d never been anywhere like it. The willow branches gently stirring the water gave the area a haunting sort of beauty.
Before long, a small village appeared. Ada barely stifled a gasp as huts, large and small, came into view. They sat stilted above the swampy ground and scattered through the trees. Wooden walkways split to the different huts, creating a labyrinth.
Their boats stopped near a platform half under water. The group made their way onto the wooden planks, and as Ada started to walk by, Loxley slipped his hand around hers. He pulled her along to lead the group down the uneven path that looked as if it hadn’t been used in decades.
“Stay by me.” Loxley kept a firm grip on Ada’s hand as they slowly made their way across the unsteady wood.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” she asked, looking around. People had gathered on various porches around small hearths. A hush went over them as they watched the intruders.
“Yes,” he said. “Rumors say these isles are ruled by a witch who has lived a thousand years. She has practiced the old magic, keeping this place safe from outsiders for centuries. It is said that no one of ill will can make it to the docks. We were told long ago to seek her out if we ever got the cards. In the market, Brienne was told this is where we would find what we were looking for. The fact that we’ve made it this far either means our intentions have been deemed harmless or she does not exist.”
A board snapped somewhere behind them. They heard cursing, but Ren assured them everything was fine. The wood groaned beneath their feet with each step. Ada glanced at the murky water surrounding them and suppressed a shudder. The platform continued, even as they approached an area of solid land. It snaked alongside the moss-covered dirt.
Loxley’s foot broke through a plank. “Shit!”
Ada tugged him toward her in a heartbeat, and she held on as he shook out his ankle. When he noticed her trying to hide a grin, he stopped. “It’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny,” Brienne said, patting him on the back of the shoulder as the group continued past them.
“Stop laughing,” he told Ada with a glint of humor in his eyes.
“It wasn’t me for once.” When he rolled his eyes, she added, “Maybe you shouldn’t talk about an all-powerful witch not existing if she has control over the isles.”
“Come on.” He shook his head and pulled her along to follow the group. She let out another laugh as he wrapped an arm around her back and pinched her side.
“You know, after all this,” Ada motioned to the isles, “you’re going to have to be more careful. You won’t be immortal anymore.”
They walked in silence toward the largest of the huts near the center of the land. She wanted to know how he felt—if he was looking forward to the curse being lifted. She wanted to ask about living for so long as an immortal. There had been sorrow in his eyes when he talked about it on the ship, but how would his life change with his mortality? Would he carry on with piracy?
Instead, she whispered, “Loxley, is this what you want?”
His soft tone mirrored her own. “By the time I left the island, my mother had already passed. My sister was an old woman by that point, barely clinging to life. I wasn’t able to see my family live out their lives. Before the curse, I didn’t have much. But I always had them. At least then, I could dream about a future and a family of my own. I could move past the heartbreak of losing Mariella and Henri and live my life.”
The center hut was far larger than the others. Wider and deeper into the trees, it sat at the top of a hill. Ada looked around the corner before reaching the steps. Several smaller buildings connected to it with enclosed walkways, all leading down the slope. Like the other huts, people sat beneath an awning out front. They watched as the group climbed the stairs. A woman pulled a small boy over and whispered something to him. He ran inside as she sat back. While Brienne spoke to the woman, Loxley tightened his hold on Ada’s hand. She could feel the tension and nerves among her friends. She wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
“The curse took that from me,” Loxley continued, whispering against the side of her head. “I couldn’t start over when I escaped the island because I couldn’t bear the thought of watching someone I love grow old without me. None of us could.”
He turned and lifted her face to meet his.
“Yes,” Loxley said, barely audible even for her. His breath trailed across her cheek. “I want this.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Their decision about being friends ran through her mind, but it had been before she knew who he truly was and that they’d break the curse. Before his confession and the words she was sure held a double meaning.
The little boy ran back out and sat beside the woman who’d spoken to him. He said something to her, too soft for others to hear. The woman nodded, stood, and looked over the crew.
“She has been expecting you,” she said in a thick acc
ent. Without another word, she walked into the hut, indicating for them to follow.
They walked into the dimly lit interior and made their way down a narrow, inclined walkway. Ada’s breath sounded loud to her ears, and she gripped Loxley’s hand tighter as they descended into darkness. She wondered what lay at the bottom. Her foot caught on a lip in the floor, but Loxley turned and caught her around the waist before she could hit the ground. He didn’t release her when she regained her footing.
“All right, Princess?” Loxley whispered.
She leaned into him with a quiet laugh.
He started them walking again, careful not to fall too far behind the group. “Some things will never change.”
“Yeah, I end up getting hurt everywhere we go when I’m with you.”
“Aren’t princesses supposed to graceful?” he teased.
She pushed at him, but his arm stayed around her as they followed after the crew down a long, dark tunnel. Their footsteps shuffled along the wooden floor. Ada heard the soft rippling sound of water somewhere nearby, and a chill in the air made her shiver.
“You just can’t help falling for me,” Loxley whispered.
She could practically hear the wink she knew would have been aimed at her had there been light. “You wish.”
They rounded a corner into a brightly lit room. After she blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust, she let out a gasp.
Unlike anything she would have expected after the rundown village and dark halls before, the huge room was open and warm. Fuzzy rugs covered the hard floor, with colorful pillows littered about in all different sizes. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, as did some free-swinging seats with curved backs made of twisted bamboo. A few chaises and cushioned benches lined the walls beneath dozens of tapestries. At the center of the room was a fire pit built into the floor. Ada looked up in wonder at the vent in the ceiling.
Loxley squeezed her hand. She hadn’t realized everyone already moved to stand around the fire. Loxley reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek that she also hadn’t noticed.
“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.
He leaned down and pecked her cheek quickly, then led her to the group as she blushed. They stood together and waited. Ada didn’t know what for until a door in the far wall opened and a woman joined them. Expecting someone older, the young face with white-blond hair surprised her. The woman met Ada’s gaze and held it for a moment before speaking.
“The Nihryst aren’t the only ones who have been able to keep their youth.” The swirling language found in Ada’s book covered the woman’s dark skin. It mirrored the similar markings on Loxley. The witch looked to him. “I am Nayani, and I know you are here seeking to end the immortal life forced onto you unwillingly.”
“Yes,” he replied. “We were told you were the one to find should we come across the cards.”
“You found the cards?” Her eyes widened.
Loxley pulled the book from the bag hanging over his shoulder. He removed the cards and passed them over, then gently placed the book in Ada’s arms. She held it to her chest, grateful for its familiarity in such a different place.
“The prophecy claims that the key to unlocking the curse lies with the cards,” Loxley said as Nayani looked through each one.
“I know the prophecy,” Nayani replied. “Follow me.”
She did not wait to see if they’d obey, but they did.
“Prophecy?” Ada whispered as they were led to an attached room with tables covered in bowls and jars of different elements. At the sight of a jar filled with parts of a rodent, she snapped her head away, and Loxley laughed under his breath. He tucked her in closer to his side and made his way to the front of the group.
“Later,” he said.
Nayani turned to face them once more. “These symbols are old. Very old.”
“Can you break the curse?” Ada asked before she could stop herself. Loxley took her hand in his and gave her a short smile.
“You are not of the crew.” It wasn’t a question. Nayani’s gaze turned to Phillip, then to Loxley. “You brought outsiders?”
His hand tightened on Ada’s. “They are with us.”
“I brought them the cards,” Ada said confused.
“Is that so?” Nayani asked, looking between the two of them. “And you know who she is? The truth of her past?”
“I know who she is.”
Ada noticed the clenched jaw that came with his short response. Trying to relieve the tension, she said, “They know I’m the princess. It’s not a secret.”
Nayani narrowed her eyes at Loxley, “No, that’s not a secret.”
“Can you help us?” Brienne cut in.
When Nayani looked away, Loxley exhaled, his shoulders visibly relaxed. Ada brushed a thumb over his knuckles, trying to get his attention, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“Yes,” Nayani replied. “I can help with the curse.” A collective sigh went around the room. “But the two among you who do not belong cannot be part of this.”
She nodded to a woman who’d appeared behind them—the same woman from outside—then pointed to Ada and Phillip. The woman held out her arm to herd them from the room.
Loxley grabbed Ada’s hand again. “I said they’re with us.”
The witch walked to him and trailed a pointed nail through a lock of Ada’s long red hair. Ada didn’t dare move or speak.
“There are things we must speak of—things I must do—that you would not want them present for. You know the prophecy,” she said, looking to Loxley. “Your princess will be safe. I promise.”
Ada took a deep breath and let go of Loxley’s hand. When his eyes locked on hers, she reached up to kiss his cheek. “I’ll be fine. We’ll wait outside.”
He opened his mouth but stopped as she shook her head. This was something the crew needed to do together, without her. The other woman held out an arm again to usher her and Phillip back out to the colorful room.
“It might take a while,” the woman, May, explained.
As Ada and Phillip sat on a couple cushions near the fire, the little boy from outside brought in a jug and held it out.
May nodded when Ada hesitated. “Water for our guests.”
Ada went to grab it, but Phillip took the bottle with a thanks. She stared while he took a drink. He waited a few seconds before handing it to her with a subtle nod. Always protecting her from potential threats.
They sat around the fire for hours, and people eventually drifted in to sit with them. They ate together and listened to the islanders tell stories, eventually slipping back into their native tongue. Their consistent voices, thick with a foreign language, began to ease Ada to sleep. She leaned against Phillip, trying to relax as they waited, knowing there was nothing she could do until the witch finished with the Nihryst.
Just when her eyes began to drift closed, a loud commotion followed by a yell within the other room startled Ada, and she stood abruptly. She took a step, but May was in front of her, blocking her path.
“You must wait,” she said.
“That was Loxley’s voice.” Ada felt a soothing hand on her arm and looked down to see Phillip holding her back.
“It’s going to be all right.” Phillip stood.
Something crashed on the other side of the door, but Phillip gripped her tighter. Her heart pounded as another muffled shout reached them. She shook her head, trying to pull away. “Something happened. What if something went wrong? What if—”
Phillip folded her into his chest, running a hand down her back. Against the top of her head, he said, “They have to do this. You know that.”
Frantic and anxious, Ada nodded. She pulled away and started to pace, trying to shut out the faint voices and occasional thump in the other room. Satisfied Ada wasn’t going to barge in, May sat back down. Phillip remained standing as he watched Ada, knowing her nervous habits. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it all up on top of her head. The pacing continued as she held it up and c
hewed on her bottom lip. Time seemed to slow while they waited.
“Adalina,” a gentle voice said from behind her.
She whirled around. Light spilled out around them from the open door. With most of the lanterns dimmed or blown out while they’d waited, the brightness from inside the room, she could only see his silhouette. “Loxley?”
He stepped forward, close enough for her to see his face. She reached out a hand to touch him but hesitated. The rest of the crew filed out into the cavernous space. Ada saw the islanders offering food before leaving them alone. Loxley took another step forward so that her palm rested on his cheek. He covered her hand with his own and closed the distance between them.
“It’s me,” he whispered.
Ada looked into his familiar green eyes and let out a breath. She quickly stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck as he lifted her up against him, her feet leaving the ground briefly.
“It worked?” she asked when he lowered her. She looked at the others. “She broke the curse? I heard the yelling… You’re all right?
“We’re fine.”
Nayani stepped out to join them. Loxley cut a glance toward her, and she gave a curt nod. Her eyes found Ada’s, and a chill went down her spine. The witch’s gaze seemed to pierce directly into her soul.
“It didn’t work,” Loxley said, drawing her attention back to him.
The room went silent. Ada looked around the crew. “What do you mean it didn’t work?”
“You may stay here for the night and continue with your journey in the morning,” Nayani said before they could answer. She handed Loxley the cards back, then disappeared through the door once more. May and a couple other islanders brought more water and some blankets before leaving them alone.
Ada squeezed Brienne’s hand as she sat beside her. “I don’t understand.”
“Why couldn’t she do it?” Phillip asked, sitting on Ada’s other side.
Loxley sat across the fire from them. He took a cup of water Ren offered and avoided looking at Ada as he said, “The curse was placed by a witch who practiced the same magic, but it’s old and complicated. It’s more complex than just saying an incantation like when it was set.”
