Eryanth struggled to maintain his own cool demeanour.
Firan shrugged. “I suppose it is stunning the first time you see it,” he commented as his eyes darkened to the colour of a stormy sea, ready to devour all in its path with its fury. “But every object of beauty has secrets. And secrets have a way of destroying their owners,” he snarled cryptically, his eyes narrowing on the huge main building. His face was stone cold. Magic pulsed from him, pushing outward in invisible waves.
Only Eryanth seemed to feel that power, and he shuddered. Here was the ancient, powerful lord of legend; this was the being who could rip someone apart with his magic and feel nothing.
Firan snarled once more before that pulsating power ceased. “Come, you must go and make a pact with the lying bastard who is the High Wizard,” he stated to both Diamond and Eryanth. “This momentous time in history is yours—make it count,” he advised before walking his horse calmly after Talib and Rayan.
Eryanth frowned, suddenly not liking the sound of that. Firan implied he wouldn’t be with them. A sense of foreboding fell upon him. Reassurance pushed through his weak bond with Diamond, though her eyes were fixed upon his father’s form.
“Come, all will be well,” she encouraged.
“Will it?” Eryanth growled.
Diamond smiled calmly. “Yes, it will. Because we will make sure it is,” she said, shrugging her shoulders as if it were as simple as that.
Eryanth huffed but did not disagree. He had to believe she was right. He would not lose his father, he would not lose his soulmate again and he would not allow Erebos and Griana to ruin the world he had come to care about so much.
Chapter 4
Jack stretched his stiff and aching muscles. Sleep continued to elude him. The cabin he shared with Prince Fetu was painfully small, and the prince snored like a pig. Jack often gave up and went up on deck to either sleep or watch the sunrise.
Warmth from the early morning sun already bathed his naked torso. He loved this time of day; it was so peaceful. Yawning, he stretched again.
These past weeks at sea had not been easy; food and water were scarce. They had all lost weight, and the training required by General Arades Gillon was punishing. Yesterday’s training session had been relentless. The general had drilled them over and over. Even Syhira, the Hourian assassin and princess, had been cursing.
Jack chuckled. Her cursing was even more colourful than Zane’s, which took some doing.
The gold-winged fae in question came up from the hatch that led below decks. His groan of pain as he stretched his wings made Jack laugh.
“Getting too old for it?” he quipped.
“With all due respect, your highness,” retorted Zane, then stuck his middle finger up.
Jack only laughed louder, not in the least bit offended. “Where’s Tom?” he asked.
Zane looked around the decks. It was still quiet as very few people were awake yet, only the night guards who vigilantly watched the skies and the shores of the river they currently sailed.
The screech of an eagle echoed through the air. Master Dervin.
Jack raised his hand in greeting to his old teacher and cartographer. Master Dervin, a shape shifter, was to fly alone and investigate the river banks for signs of military patrols, pirate ships and villages. This area of the Najet River was notorious for piracy.
“Tom has more sense than to wake up with the sunrise,” Zane grumbled, rubbing his eyes and cracking his neck.
Jack huffed a laugh and leaned his arms on the ships railings. The smooth wood was already warmed by the sun. “Yeah, you never did have any sense—except where he was concerned.”
“Yep,” agreed Zane as Arades heaved his bulk out of the hold.
Clearly not a morning person, Arades scowled at Zane, bowed his head to Jack then barked, “If you’re both up, then start training. War will find us soon enough, and you need to be ready. I am going to check in with all the other ships and commanders this morning. Prince Fetu is to accompany me. Highness, I think it best you accompany me too. Prince Fetu is young and completely out of his depth with commanding his people.” His brown eyes pierced Jack’s. “You know what it is like to be in that position. Let’s help him lead them, command his men and make appropriate decisions.”
“Of course, general,” Jack replied with a nod.
At Jack’s response the general bowed his head then stomped off to stretch his body.
Jack and Zane silently watched the general complete his routine before he armoured his wings and launched skyward.
“I’d better go and rouse the lazy-assed prince then,” grumbled Zane. “I wonder who will have the joy of carrying him about this morning,” he mused, looking at the nearest of the hundred or so ships that had followed them to this point. “These are all his people; he needs to step up and lead them, just as you did to yours.”
Jack frowned, not pointing out that he had lost his own kingdom and most of his people. At least Fetu had his people, if not his kingdom. “They are Syhira’s and Lyana’s people too,” he pointed out. “Maybe they should accompany us as well.”
Zane barked a laugh. “Ha! Good luck getting Syhira to give a damn about ruling those Hourians. She’s already said, and I quote, ‘There’s no gods damned way I’m ruling anyone. Give me a weapon and I’m happy, but put me in front of a politician and I’ll just use it on them.”
Jack grinned. “Well, at least she’s honest,” he replied with a shrug. “Fine. I’ll take Lyana.”
Zane waggled his eyebrows. “I’m sure you will, highness.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “By the goddess, Zane, don’t you ever stop? I’ve been teaching her the common language, and she’s helping me with my Hourian, nothing else. Besides, you’re one to talk. You and Tom haven’t mated yet, have you? Don’t you think you need to finish what you two started before he gets bored of waiting and goes off with another red-blooded fae?” he teased, knowing his words would wind up Zane’s possessive fae instincts.
Zane’s snarl made Jack laugh loudly. “Gotcha,” he sang, not taking any offence at all. Fae were notoriously possessive over their chosen mate. It was always so easy to wind them up.
“Sorry, highness,” Zane mumbled contritely.
“It’s fine, Zane, but why have you waited so long?”
Zane looked momentarily embarrassed, which was so unusual Jack stilled and waited for his warrior’s reply.
“Because there is no privacy on this ship. And I want our bonding to be special and, well, ours. Not something shared by every person nearby. We are both willing to wait until we can have that privacy and time.”
Jack smiled. “I understand.”
Zane nodded and turned away.
Jack added, “I will do my best to find you both of those things.”
Zane spun back towards his prince and bowed low. A gesture of thanks.
Jack turned to face the water and inhaled the fresh dawn air. Although the breeze was balmy, it still cooled his hot skin. He pushed back his brown curls and tucked them behind his ears then grinned to himself. No shirt, no shoes, long hair and a sword on his hip. He was more a pirate now than a Prince of Rhodainia.
His eyes searched the green of the jungle that flanked the shores. The armada would not risk stopping on the banks of Gar Anon. Lake Najet was at the pinnacle of this river and belonged to Queen Ilya Kilar but Jack also knew Queen Ilya protected her borders well. He was not expecting to just waltz into her kingdom unchallenged.
He sighed, hoping his decision to come here instead of sailing to the Southern Hotlands was the right one. He had discussed his options for finding Diamond with his most senior men, including her father, General Gillon. After some thought and peering over maps with the captain, they had decided that the wisest move was petitioning Queen Ilya for help before heading into the High Wizard’s territory.
Jack looked down at his leggings. They were truly filthy and sweat-stained. He sniffed the air and grimaced. A foul odour assaulted his nos
e. If he were to spend time being mentor to Fetu, and perhaps even Lyana, he needed to set a better example. He eyed the murky waters below. Time for a bath. Hoping there was nothing in there that would swallow him whole, he climbed the rails, braced himself and dived.
Jack grinned as Karl lowered an exhausted-looking Lyana to the deck. It had been a long day. She sighed with relief and stepped away from the tall fae warrior.
“Thank you for carrying me everywhere today, Karl. I hope I wasn’t too much of a burden for you,” she said, smiling up at him.
Karl snorted slightly, making it obvious she was no burden at all by eyeing her small frame. “Not at all, my lady,” he said, leaning in conspiratorially. “I have had to carry men, like his highness over there, for days, even weeks at a time. I hardly knew you were there.” He bowed graciously. “If you’ll excuse me, highness, the general wanted me to train the young prince. It seems his sister is likely to break his neck if she is paired with him again. He can be a little sh—”
Jack raised his brows, looking directly at Lyana.
Karl coughed and blushed a little. “Sorry, my lady,” he mumbled, realising too late he was talking about her siblings. “Err…trying at times,” he finished lamely.
Lyana inclined her head, her face straight, though Jack didn’t miss the sparkle in her eyes. “I understand, Karl. Fetu has always been a little...err...challenging,” she acknowledged. “And Syhira is definitely not the safest person for him to annoy,” she conceded.
Karl smiled, clearly relieved he hadn’t offended Lyana.
Jack had a feeling the fae warrior was a little sweet on her. As were most people, it seemed. She had to be one the nicest, most patient and objective people Jack had ever met. He wished he had her calm outlook instead of a temper that flared inside him when it was least helpful. He shrugged internally. He was getting better at managing it with Arades’ help. Lyana diffused arguments between her siblings and smoothed over the ruffled feathers of the fae when their baser instincts and more aggressive natures reared up. She was inspiring.
Lyana waited as Karl marched across the deck to where Arades drilled Jack’s guards.
Jack chuckled.
“I hope they all realise I would happily throw my brother overboard most days,” she commented dryly. Her smile lit her pretty face as she stopped in front of Jack and peered up at him. With the flush of heat across her cheeks and the healthy glow from a day out in the skies, she looked beautiful.
Jack’s gut tightened as his attention snagged on her small pink lips. He found himself staring at her—all of her. His fingers twitched. He wanted to grab her shoulders, hold her still and kiss her. Surprised by that sudden yearning, he scowled and stepped back. He had enjoyed the time he spent with Lyana these last weeks, but he hadn’t allowed himself to consider their interactions and easy conversations as anything romantic. He didn’t have time to pursue such things; besides, she was heir to another kingdom along with her two siblings, which meant she had much to learn about ruling her people—as did he. Neither of them needed more distractions.
Still scowling, he spun on the ball of his foot, intending to join the others for some sparring until gentle fingers reached out and brushed his hand. He froze, swallowing hard and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Jack? Is everything alright?” she asked in heavily accented common words, her voice tentative.
Jack’s brows dipped. They had enjoyed an easy-going friendship so far but now he couldn’t stop thinking about what it would be like to kiss her. No. She was too young. “Yes, fine,” he replied, trying his best to smile but only managing a tight-lipped grimace.
The smooth skin between her brows furrowed. She cocked her head, causing her shoulder-length blonde hair to glisten like silk in the evening sunlight. It looked so soft Jack wanted to run his fingers through it. He squeezed his fingers tightly into fists, then winced as his fingernails dug into his palms. He was staring again. What the hell is wrong with me? he chided himself. Gods, I need to get laid, he thought. Then groaned at the direction of his thoughts. Mentally slapping himself, he stood tall and took a deep breath.
“Are you sure?” Lyana asked, clearly not convinced.
“Yes,” he replied a little more softly, determined not to allow his feelings to ruin their friendship. “I’m fine. Today was hard on us all.” He made himself smile properly. “I’m not sure Fetu’s idea of relegating all the women aboard these ships to feed and care for the men went down all that well.”
Lyana giggled. “No. It didn’t. My father certainly brainwashed him with his own ideals of what a woman should be and do. Poor Fetu; he has learned a lot from you and General Gillon but he still has much to learn.”
Jack chuckled. “Well, his red face told me he at least realised his suggestion was a mistake.”
Lyana seemed to relax a bit when she realised he wasn’t angry.
Jack kicked himself for his reaction. He would stay relaxed and just see where his feelings for her went. Besides, he thought, catching Karl glancing at Lyana, there is nothing to say she likes me that way anyway.
Lyana was a quiet and gentle soul but she was not under confident, just observant. He supposed always feeling threatened by her father would make any girl wary of the people around her. He huffed. In the past it wouldn’t even have crossed his mind she wouldn’t want him, but that arrogant side of him had no place in this world anymore, nor did it have any right being near someone as genuine as Lyana.
“Yes, perhaps he is beginning to realise my father was not always right.”
“Perhaps,” Jack agreed, looking over at where the others were drilling; not because he wanted to join them but because he was suddenly awkward looking into Lyana’s astute eyes. He feared she would see straight through him and laugh in his face at his feelings.
“Erm, I’ll let you go,” she said with a reluctant smile.
Jack nodded, running a hand through his hair. Gods, why do I feel so awkward all of a sudden? He didn’t really want to leave. “Yes, I should go and train...”
“Yes, you should.” Then she flushed. “I mean, not that you should but maybe you want to. You don’t need to. It’s not like you’re not fit or anything. You look really fit, it’s just, I meant...oh gods...” she mumbled as her face flushed and she lowered her head. “That came out totally wrong.”
Jack chuckled. Suddenly, he felt far less awkward. A mischievous grin stretched his lips. “So you think I’m fit, do you?” he questioned, maintaining a false air of innocence as he raised his brows in question.
Lyana raised her red face and took him totally by surprise. “Yes,” she answered, looking him directly in the eye and holding his gaze.
Jack was stunned. The grin dropped from his face only to be replaced moments later by a beaming smile that he couldn’t seem to contain. “Well in that case, training can wait. Care for a turn around the deck for your language lesson today, my lady?” he asked with an elegant bow.
Lyana’s cheeks remained flushed, which didn’t go unnoticed by the others on deck as she took his arm and they sauntered past, trying to look relaxed.
Zane nudged Karl, who scowled and promptly punched him back. Tom laughed as Zane swore and Syhira grinned, throwing a wink at them.
“Look after my sister, prince, or I will be returning to my assassin’s ways,” she warned good-naturedly, though with a glint of steel in her eye.
“Syhira!” Lyana scolded. “We are taking a walk and his highness is doing my lessons, that’s all.”
Jack looked sideways at Syhira and waggled his eyebrows before he realised Arades and Fetu were both now watching. Jack held Fetu’s gaze, wondering how the prince would feel about Jack’s light-hearted gesture.
Syhira snorted a laugh at the same time Arades grinned.
Fetu remained silent for a moment, and Jack could almost hear the cogs in his mind turning, then the young heir to the Hourian throne smiled, almost timidly.
Jack couldn’t decide if the boy’s appr
oval pleased him or angered him. It would certainly be less of an insult to Fetu if he didn’t have to share the Hourian throne with a female relative. But maybe the prince was actually pleased there may be something blossoming between him and Lyana.
Whoa! Jack pulled back his thoughts. It was true he’d spent weeks on this ship with Lyana but this change between them was utterly new—for both of them. He needed to take this slowly. A relationship probably wasn’t the best idea. The future was too unstable.
They walked to the stern of the ship and climbed the stairs to the next deck. This was where they normally sat for their lessons. The gentle roll of the ship was comforting as the captain sailed with the evening winds. A bead of sweat trickled down Jack’s chest, followed by another down the groove of his spine. Gods, it was hotter than a guardian’s breath tonight; even the wind was scorching.
Jack desperately wanted to strip down to his leggings again, but it somehow seemed inappropriate. Jack laughed at himself. It hadn’t been up until now.
They both leaned their forearms against the rails and stared out at the river and setting sun.
Jack didn’t want the silence to become uncomfortable; he also wanted to see her pretty flush again. “So,” he said, turning his head and fixing her with a stare. “What is your definition of fit?” he smirked.
Lyana huffed a laugh and groaned. “You’re really not going to let me forget those words, are you?”
“Nope. So come on. Is it this handsome face, my great body…”
“Oh goddess, you are so vain!” she exclaimed incredulously. “Actually, I didn’t mean any of that. I didn’t mean you are fit, you know as in man fit. I just meant that you seem to have stamina...” she denied, half laughing, half groaning at her words.
Jack raised his brows suggestively, smirking. “So it’s my stamina you like now, is it?”
“Oh good goddess above! Stop with the flirting, Prince Oden!” she laughed, clearly amused and a little embarrassed by his teasing.
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