by Cait Marie
That explained the shouting and commotion. Ada wrapped her arms around her middle, guilt eating away at her insides. She wanted to apologize—wanted to make it better.
Brienne shifted beside Ada, pulling her feet under her. “We’ll figure it out in time.”
“We will.” Loxley finally met Ada’s eyes. “We have the cards now. You did it.”
His words were reassuring, but something about his tone and the pointed look felt off. Almost as if he just wanted the conversation to be over. The spark of hope she’d had earlier faded as realization struck. When they woke, they would head to Detmarya to deliver Ada and Phillip. And the Nihryst—Loxley—would move on without her.
She thought about it as she later curled up on a large cushion near the fire and pulled a few pillows close while the group continued to talk. The warm and cozy room mixed with the hum of their voices were soothing. The remaining lanterns dimmed, and the chatter of the crew died down.
The cushion dipped behind her, and Ada rolled over to see Loxley staring up at the ceiling with both hands beneath his head. She rolled back over to face the fire.
“I’m surprised Phillip isn’t over here,” he whispered after a few minutes of silence. With most of the crew falling asleep, all that could be heard was the crackling fire.
Her pulse quickened as she wondered if she was wrong. She thought about his reaction the morning they’d left Cyfrin and Phillip’s comment. Turning over, she propped her head up with one hand mere inches away from him. “Is that what this is about?”
Finally turning his face toward her, he said, “I saw you. He told you he loved you while holding you on the broken cot.”
“Phillip—”
“When only hours before you suggested…”
Oh. She hadn’t thought about how that part of the whole ordeal looked. She didn’t bother hiding her grin. “You’re jealous.”
He turned away, refusing to respond. She laughed a little and slid closer. With a gentle hand, she tilted his head back to her. “Yes, Phillip said he loved me. Not that it’s any of your business, but he arrived just a couple minutes before you. I told him about helping with the curse, and he was agreeing to come along. The cot snapped when he woke me up. I’m fine, by the way.”
Loxley moved a hand to cover the one still on his cheek. “I’ve seen you two together.”
“I told you, we’re friends.” Her smiled dropped. “He’s my best friend. I’ve known him my entire life. He was there when I was born and when my mother died. He and my brother were the ones who found us. She was telling me a bedtime story. Your story.”
She closed her eyes and inhaled. It had been fourteen years, but it still hurt. Slowly, Loxley pulled her forward, and she lay against him as his arms wound around her.
“She fell asleep… I couldn’t get her to wake up. I remember screaming and shaking her. My brother and Phillip ran in and tried to get me out of the bed, but I wouldn’t leave. Shane went to get help, taking care of things like always, and Phillip walked over, picked me up, and carried me to Shane’s room. I was crying and hitting him, trying to get away, but he didn’t let go. He held me for hours, telling me everything would be all right.”
Loxley ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face. His fingers lingered on the side of her neck.
“He was only nine,” she continued. “We were close before that, but it was like from then on he was always there. When I was hurt or upset, he was there. My brother practically raised me, so whenever I was mad at him, I’d turn to Phillip. He’d listen to my ramblings about the Nihryst, and he didn’t tease me about it being a fairy tale.” She felt Loxley’s low laugh beneath where she lay against his shoulder. “He was there to pick up the pieces… every time.”
With a sigh, an arm tightened around her shoulders and lips pressed to her hair.
“Besides,” she tried to lighten the mood, “I am not really his type. I think he’s in love with someone else. He’s just too stubborn to admit it.”
Loxley laughed again. “Must be something in the water.”
She fought to keep her breathing steady, but she was sure he could feel her pounding heart. The fire continued to crackle behind her, and she focused on the dancing shadows it threw against the walls.
After a moment, she said, “The ball is next week, but all the festivities have already started. For weeks, the people set up markets in the streets and celebrate the end of the harvest season. Though, I guess you already know that…”
Her thoughts drifted briefly to a faraway prince. It felt like a different lifetime that she’d planned to spend her life with him.
Ada sighed. “A few weeks ago, I was excited and planning for a ball. I was supposed to be dancing and getting engaged to a prince, and now I’m here…”
“Surrounded by pirates,” Loxley finished.
She hadn’t meant to mention the engagement. Ever. Her arms went around his middle, holding onto him and burying her face against his soft shirt. Smiling, she repeated, “Surrounded by pirates.”
A memory made her laugh, and Loxley pulled her up to face him. “What, love?”
“The day I first ran into you, I had just left a dress fitting. I had the most gorgeous purple gown picked out. My father was so angry. I was supposed to have a dress made in our family colors, but, well, you’ve met me. My brother argued with him, telling my father that it could be a birthday gift. My father stopped arguing really quick. He forgot it was the week before. Not that I cared.”
She knew she was babbling, but staring into his sea green eyes, she couldn’t stop. His lips finally did the trick as he covered her mouth with his. Her hand moved up to rest on his chest while his went to the back of her head. It didn’t last as long as she’d have liked, but she also couldn’t really do what she wanted in a room full of sleeping people.
“So, this prince?” Loxley asked when they stopped.
She slapped his shoulder. Grabbing her by the sides, he rolled them over and hovered above her. His hand slid just beneath the hem of her shirt along her side while he nuzzled her neck. The feeling of his hand on her bare skin set her ablaze. She gripped his shirt to pull him closer, but he kissed the corner of her mouth and leaned away.
“You were engaged?”
She caught the past tense form of the question and smiled. “No, I was going to be proposed to at the ball or shortly after.”
“You’re awfully confident about that. Aren’t proposals usually a surprise?”
“I’m a princess, I have my ways.” She shrugged.
“Ada.” His hand stilled, holding her side. “You didn’t say you were supposed to be proposed to, you said you were supposed to be getting engaged. You were going to say yes?”
It wasn’t really a question. There wasn’t any point in lying, so she nodded. “Prince Michel is my friend. For over a decade I’ve spent my summers in Rayerna with his family, and for a few weeks every winter he stays in Detmarya. We’re… close.”
Loxley sighed. “Ada, that was only a few weeks ago.”
“I haven’t seen him in months,” she argued. “And a lot can happen in a couple weeks.”
He rolled to his back, leaving her cold where they no longer touched. “Yes, but it’s not long enough to just forget those feelings.”
She knew he was right, and she hated it.
“We should get some sleep,” he said.
As she rolled over to face the fire again, Ada told herself the stinging in her eyes was just from the flames. She whispered, “Please don’t shut me out again.”
The cushion shifted as Loxley moved up behind her. A soothing hand went across her waist. “I’m not.”
His warm breath on her neck as she said, “I can’t keep going back and forth like this.”
“I know,” he whispered, his lips brushing just below her ear. “I’m not. But we need to figure this out when we’re not fighting for our lives and breaking curses.”
She sighed. Once again, he was right. How lon
g would it take for them to get to that point? He was still an immortal pirate, and she was still the princess of a kingdom on the brink of war. Not wanting to think about it, she pressed back against him.
He held her tighter and chuckled. “Goodnight, Blodau.”
Ada’s breath caught, and Loxley pulled on her shoulder to turn her toward him. She tried to hold back the tears as she rolled over. With the fire behind her, she knew he couldn’t see her well.
“What?” he whispered. “What is it?”
“You called me blodau,” she said after finally taking a deep breath.
“I… It’s a term of endearment. It means flower.”
“No, I know.” She placed a hand on his chest. His steady heartbeat beneath her fingertips made her smile. “My mother used to call me that. She would always tell me I was her little blodau.”
She saw the corner of his mouth lift before he kissed her and held her close. As his arms went back around her, she laid against him and drifted to sleep.
The sound of the moving tapestry alerted Shane to Gwyn’s arrival, and he quickly pulled at the end of his sleeve. With his heart pounding, he turned to see her face lit by the moonlight streaming in through the window. The plan had come together in their day apart. Michel waited for them, ready in his room to leave through the tunnels. Shane would go as far as the kitchens, then the other two would sneak out in the dark where Marley would wait to help get Michel to the docks. A merchant’s vessel waited there—Gwyn’s people had secured the prince a place on the ship. Michel would remain hidden onboard until they set sail in the morning and traveled with the crew back to Rayerna.
Gwyn stood on her toes and kissed Shane’s cheek. Taking in his appearance, she asked, “Are you all right?”
He took a deep breath and nodded. They went through the details one last time before heading through the hidden door to the dark, quiet tunnel. A cool breeze seeped through the stone walls, but Shane knew it wasn’t the cause of his bone-deep chill. As if sensing his unease, Gwyn slipped her hand into his and squeezed. He gave her a grateful nod as they approached Michel’s room.
Shane tapped on the door, and Michel immediately opened it. He had a single bag over one shoulder with just the essentials to travel home. They didn’t say anything, but he shut the door. Together, they crept through the tunnels. The stairs creaked under their feet as they moved down to the ground floor, and they slowed their pace to hide the sounds as much as possible. Shane wiped his free hand across his perspiring forehead.
At the bottom of the stairs, they stopped before the door that opened to the kitchen. Shane laid a hand on Michel’s shoulder, silently wishing him luck. He then pulled Gwyn close.
“Be careful,” he whispered against her ear. “Get him to the docks, then get back to the church.”
He squeezed her once before standing back. They slowly pushed through the door and out to the kitchen. Shane moved quietly to shut the door behind them but paused, leaving it cracked to watch. The kitchen was quiet, with only a faint flickering light making the pots and pans glint in the darkness.
Just before Gwyn reached for the door, it burst open. Shane sucked in a breath as Marley came in. He knew something was wrong before he even saw the man with a blade to her back. The kitchen flared to life as light flooded the room and a dozen guards rushed in to surround them.
Shane watched in horror as the guard moved his dagger to Marley’s throat. Without a word of warning, he sliced her open and tossed her to the floor. Gwyn’s screams echoed around the room—loud enough Shane was sure half the castle heard. She sobbed as she pulled her sword out, cursing them all.
Shane looked down at his own sword hanging from his side, but he couldn’t take on that many men at once. If he was going to help them, he needed to wait and not be seen. His father’s Captain of the Guard, Markus, stepped forward and yanked Gwyn back by the hair. Shane could see the fury in her eyes as she gave in and dropped her weapon.
“Well, what do we have here?” Markus looked to Michel. “Going somewhere, Prince?”
Michel held his hands up in surrender. While one guard took the bag from his shoulder, another grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back. Both he and Gwyn were chained, and Markus gave the order to bring them down to the dungeon. Gwyn would be tried for treason, but Shane didn’t know what would happen with Michel. This may have just given the king the excuse he needed to start a war.
As they retreated, Markus waited back and looked around the room. Shane covered his mouth and held his breath, knowing the man was looking for the way they’d entered the kitchen. Shutting the door would bring attention to his spot. He had to pray the crack was small enough not to be noticed. Markus began walking away but stopped just as he turned out the lights. He stood only feet from Shane’s hiding place. He looked to the hidden door, and Shane slowly slid one hand to the pommel at his side.
Markus took a step closer, and a guard appeared, reaching out to grab the captain’s attention. He relayed a message and motioned to be followed. Markus looked back once at the door, then turned and walked out, yelling to have him clean up the body. The man briefly glanced at Marley before leaving—Shane assumed to get help.
Shane counted the ticks of a nearby clock. He waited a full minute to shut the door, then moved as fast as he dared back up the steps. The tunnel flew by in a blur as he staggered back to his room. He needed to be there if anyone showed up. He had no doubt his father suspected him now. Someone informed him of their plan.
Shane kicked off his shoes by his bed and collapsed onto it. Exhaustion hit him, but he knew he needed to figure out a way to get them from the dungeon. His chest tightened at the thought of what Markus might do to them. When Shane had found out he was one of the men searching for Ada, he’d been more terrified than ever before. There were rumors of the man’s dark, twisted ways. The torture devices flashed in his mind, and he cringed. He cursed into his pillow, punching it in anger.
A thought struck him, and he bolted out of bed. Phillip. He’d gone with Markus and his crew. If they were back, where was his best friend?
A knock halted his thoughts. He rushed to the door and pulled it open. But it wasn’t Phillip. In the hallway stood his father stood and the doctor. Shane quickly worked to slow his heart and look groggy.
Though it was still the very early hours of the morning, the king was fully dressed. “Shane, you look awful.”
“Well, I was asleep…”
“So it appears,” the king said. Shane just stared while he waited for him to continue. “We’ve had a bit of an incident, and I wanted to make sure you were safe in your room.”
“What happened?” Shane asked.
“Prince Michel was found sneaking known rebels into the castle,” he said, watching for a reaction from his son. “They have been apprehended, but I wanted to be sure no one had come up here after you.”
Shane shook his head, feigning surprise. “No, no one’s been here. What makes you think they’re rebels?”
The king gave a wicked smirk. “There are those out there who wish to dethrone me. They have been working at it for years. I have been keeping an eye on things, but they weren’t doing anything too alarming—nothing beyond scheming and planning. Not until recently.”
Shane clenched his fists to hide his shaking hands. “What changed?”
“I’m sure your sister’s disappearance had something to do with it. Perhaps they thought we’d be more vulnerable during this time and decided to take advantage of it. That will be over soon though.” The king turned and sauntered away.
Shane shook his head, trying to understand. He rushed into the hall after him. “Wait, what do you mean?”
Slowly, the king turned around. “Adalina was spotted in Tugora last week ago. I have a feeling she’ll be back in time for the ball.”
The world tilted beneath Shane’s feet. He reached out a hand to steady himself against the wall. “You found her?”
“Yes.” Before walking away, King Em
yr added, “Don’t worry, your friends will be in good company down in the dungeon.”
He didn’t bother denying it. Instead, he asked, “Who is down there?”
“You will find out soon enough.”
Shane couldn’t breathe. His best friend’s blue eyes flashed in his mind. He knew this was a possibility all along, but he’d dared to hope it wouldn’t come to pass. The king barked out an order to the doctor Shane forgot about.
The man led Shane back to his room. He left him in bed, setting a tonic on the bedside table, claiming it would help him get a restful sleep. Shane didn’t move to see the man leave. He didn’t bother getting back up to lock the door. It didn’t matter now who came in to see him. There would be no more sneaking out or pretending to be sick. The king knew everything—he had everyone who mattered most to Shane. He had spies working against both children. He had known about the rebels planning against him.
Shane held his head as it throbbed. With barely a week left before the ball, he needed to figure out a way to get his friends out of the dungeons, find a cure for the Kald, and stop his father from starting a war with the kingdoms across the sea. Adalina was on her way home. Thrilled to hear she was still alive, he couldn’t wait to see her. But he needed her to stay far away. He hoped she’d found someone to help. The thought of what his father might do upon her return made his stomach roil. He rolled over, gripping the sheets as a wave of nausea hit him.
Warm arms wrapped around her torso. “What is it?” Loxley whispered as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
Ada stood at the wheel of the ship. They’d left at dawn the previous day and had been sailing nonstop since, needing to make it to Detmarya before the ball. Despite being out in the open, she felt the walls caving in around her. Regardless of their talk in the isles, she knew their time together was coming to an end and they’d have to say goodbye soon. She had gone through her plan with Phillip that morning, who still didn’t understand why the Nihryst wouldn’t help. She couldn’t ask them to save the kingdom who cursed them though. She wouldn’t ask more of them. If everything went according to plan, they would arrive in time for Ada and Phillip to get to their soldiers and the forces Michel surely brought and stop the massacre.
