“Willing to rethink that transportation now?” Wisdom asked in a menacing tone while attempting a spell to keep the ship righted. “Because if that thing hits, we’re all dead!”
“Get the ship moving, and we’ll be fine!” Easton said. “King Red Shells are not as fast, even in water! They just sink to the bottom!”
“That’s where we are now!” Wisdom held tight to the side while they felt the ship grind against sandbar with each pounding wave. He could see bubbles popping along the surface, closing distance to the ship.
It was coming.
Wisdom concentrated on building up his magic. Between Josephine’s updates on the King’s whereabouts, Easton ordered the men to start lowering lifeboats.
“Keep yer magic charm!” Easton waved aside the prince’s offer to use the necklace. “A sailor’s place is the sea! And we’ll use it even if it ends us! Josephine! Yer grandfather’d have my head if ye don’t hurry up!”
The young man had just swung over the edge to the rope ladder when the King’s massive claw shot up next to the ship.
“As’yna!” Wisdom cursed, unprepared at the sudden move.
He thrust his magic toward the oncoming claw, knocking it back to give the men more time to jump into the boats.
“Cut the lines!” Easton ordered. “Prince!”
Wisdom readied himself for another blow. I won’t be able to stop it! As the claw came down once again, he readied all his remaining energy.
A flash of silver and black darted from the surface. Almost too quick to follow, it passed just beneath the joint.
Wisdom waited. Easton waited. On the rope ladder, Josephine remained transfixed on the stilled claw.
Then it collapsed. Like a sliced column, the severed claw toppled into the water. Spray doused the already dripping men while turbulence below sent the ship grinding against sandy bottom.
“Josephine, get down from there!” Easton cried when a second, smaller claw smacked against some of the riggings. Its pincher tangled on the rope ladder. When it pulled back, the rope snapped.
“Jose!” Wisdom dove for his thrown friend, shifting in mid-air. The speedy change pained his body as blood united both hawk and wolf forms.
Still, he was too late. With the netting wrapped around the claw, it receded beneath the white caps, taking the young man with it.
Wisdom let out a cry of frustration and dove at the slightest movement.
The claw came back up empty. No Josephine. No netting.
Wisdom ripped into it. Strength molded with angered magic, dislodging half the claw. It was a careless act, for the enraged crab flung him back toward the ship. Wisdom felt himself shift the moment he slammed through the ship’s railing. Wood clattered around him like the tears he wanted to shed for his friend.
“Wisdom!”
“Jose?” The prince blinked several times. He had barely registered his own whereabouts when the young man was by his side helping him up. Though dripping wet, his friend appeared unharmed. “How..?”
“That’s what I was thinking! How, right? But you’ll never guess who pulled me out!”
“Who?”
Josephine pointed to the ship’s bow.
Still slightly dazed, Wisdom cocked his head to reason with his vision. A solitary figure stood overlooking the thrashing King. With both claws disabled, it backed away from the vessel while the figure lifted an outstretched hand. It was not until the ship began to gently rock that he realized it was being lifted.
“Tide’s coming back!” Josephine grinned. “Finally!”
“Not on its own.” Wisdom never turned his gaze from the figure. “It’s being controlled.”
Lean in form, the figure stood with back turned. A topnotch of long black hair draped down the back of his turquoise garments, drawing attention to the hilt of a katana sheathed at his side. Following the flow of what seemed to be an open-front robe, Wisdom noticed a few loose tendrils quiver around the ears – and the tips were pointed.
“Wait, that’s....”
A quick glance over his shoulder revealed a sleek, oriental appearance. Dark eyebrows narrowed upon noticing Wisdom’s unblinking stare.
Then he dove.
“You should have seen him in the water!” Josephine chattered on about the encounter. “You couldn’t even follow him, he was so fast! What do they call it? He had these fins, like some type of fish. Is he your kind?”
“Close enough.” Wisdom caught his breath. “That was a Water Healer.”
CHAPTER 5
If there was ever a moment where Mr. Phine showed his grandson any affection, returning to the docks was it. Everyone was all smiles up until the moment Mr. Phine came to his senses, released his grandson from a bear-hug, then slapped him upside the head.
“What were you thinking? Going out there like that!” He pointed to the sailor who had lost his foot being carried out on a stretcher. “Come back like that and I’d have yer head!”
Onlookers made room for the groaning man as he was gently laid on the boardwalk.
“That’s when you call me,” Wisdom answered for his grandson. One of the men removed the wrapping, leaving a bloody stump where his foot had been severed. The prince then knelt beside the man and extended a hand over the wound. Quick to answer, surrounding greenery soon browned as their life-force waned. The giving energy gathered where Wisdom’s palm touched, and soon a warm glow surrounded the missing ligament.
Those closest watched in astonishment while the light extended from under his hand. When it finally faded, the sailor was asked to sit up. With renewed strength, the sailor stared at his new foot.
“How you do you feel?” Wisdom watched the man wiggle his toes in disbelief.
“Like I ain’t lost nothing’ at all!” The man continued to stare until Mr. Phine cleared his throat.
“Y’all know what a foot looks like,” he said gruffly. “On with ya now! There’s work still needing to get done.”
With the ship’s primary damage mainly claw marks up one side, a few busted railings and loose rigging, Wisdom soon headed back to the Eastern Clan. He checked briefly with the merchants in town before finding himself alone on a dirt path that cut through the woods. After everything that had just taken place, the prince relished the solitary sound of wind rustling overhanging branches across the road.
Josephine will have the ship together in no time. He took a deep breath, taking in the familiar smells of pine and oak. Occasionally, he would get a whiff of salty air blown in from sea, reminding him of the strange Healer called in to help. An actual Water Healer! Wait ‘til Shy hears of this!
A hint of liquor tingled his nose. He paused, testing the air to pinpoint its whereabouts.
With the breeze at his back, he twitched an ear to confirm movement from behind. That’s when he turned toward a shadowed figure stepping from the trees. Instantly, his eye was drawn to the gold-striped dagger already between the man’s fingers.
Ears flattened in annoyance.
“Are you lost, Nathaniel?” Wisdom kept his tone deep with authority. “Sapphire’s the other way. I suggest you go there.”
“Lossst?” Nathaniel slurred. He took a step, stumbled, then regained his composure. “Wha’da...wha’ya sssthink?”
Used to the precise skill of a trained killer, the prince was stunned. As the assassin clumsily tried to flip the dagger, it slipped from his grasp and clanked next to his boot. In his current state, Nathaniel did not notice that his fingers were instead flipping an invisible weapon. It was not until he attempted to make a pass to the next hand that he realized the dagger was missing.
“Ma-magic you-ssher!” He nearly fell over when reaching down to retrieve it. “Did-gee enjoy yer lil’ adven-chure at ssschea?”
Wisdom shook his head. “Now I understand why. You certainly couldn’t make it without some type of delay holding me back.” While he spoke, he continually checked his surroundings for illusion, drawing energy from the sword contained within his necklace. At ea
ch attempt, his eyes flashed to collect readings, though nothing stood out a present.
Past encounters with the assassin had meant Jenario was not far behind. Yet with Osha’s border protection spell in place, Jenario would not be able to cross as long as he carried the dark horn.
“Last chance,” Wisdom threatened. “Turn back.”
Nathaniel snorted. “Mockkkeen me?” Holding the dagger out, he gestured for the prince to advance. “Trrry mm-ma…mm-me.” His speech seemed to slow even more while attempting to put actions to his words. At each effort to make a motion, the dagger slipped from his grasp. This in itself infuriated the assassin to the point where he began blaming the prince for his failures.
The prince flexed his fingers. Magic boiled through his veins, ready at his bidding. Here stood the very man who was responsible for his lost childhood – a drunkard. Hands clenched at the memory of his mother, and her last words flooded his mind.
“One day you will discover what you are, and where you came from.”
“You murdered my family,” Wisdom’s tone lowered to a menacing whisper. “Bagged me up like some animal, forced me from my home – ruined everything in relations with that mage you live with! Even yourself, Nathaniel! Look at you. You’re finished.”
He moved before Nathaniel could react. A quick twist, and the man’s arm dangled uselessly at his side. Another turn, and he called the staff from his necklace to deflect an upward thrust from the dagger.
“I’ll make you suffer!” Wisdom danced effortlessly around his opponent. Coming in low, he swept the staff under Nathaniel’s feet. There came a loud snap as it struck the ankle. In an instant, the assassin was wallowing in agony on his back. “That was for my mother!”
Wisdom stepped back, a precaution that allowed the assassin to make his final comeback. Although his sluggish body was slow on the draw, when the dagger was released, it was a dead-on aim. At such a toss, the point of the dagger would have buried itself in the prince’s heart. Yet Wisdom’s magic would have no such victory. Instead, it threw up a barrier. Just as his hand lifted to deflect the throw, the dagger zipped back to its owner.
Nathaniel made a gurgling sound, feebly grasping at his throat where the dagger had embedded.
“For everything you did to me.” The prince turned away from the writhing body.
It was hard to resist his natural instinct to heal. Nathaniel had served Jenario as long as the prince could remember. All the memories he kept hidden away, those of his family and friends, came welling up in silent tears.
He turned to the body only when he could no longer hear struggling breaths. Jenario’s right-hand man finally lay pale and cold to the touch. Blood coated the ground around the place of puncture. At a tug, the dagger came loose.
“I can finally say I’ve avenged my mother’s death.” He held up the dripping dagger. Its gold stripe down the center could still clearly be seen beneath thin layers of blood. “Even though that’s not what I set out to do.”
After wiping the blade in the grass, he transported both staff and dagger to the necklace, then stared down at the body. Nathaniel had curled himself into a fetal position. One arm lay strewn over the dirt, the other at his chest. This drew Wisdom’s eye to a glint of gold just beneath the shirt collar.
What type of jewelry does an assassin wear? With no one traveling either direction, Wisdom felt comfortable enough to kneel beside the body and draw back some of the fabric.
The chain was nothing fancy. A similar look to the one Ashpin wore intensified his curiosity to extract the remaining length. What he discovered was not only a matching piece, but a sudden fear.
“Is this..?” He thought back to Lord Gracie’s response about Ashpin’s father.
“I’m afraid the Agecroft name is carried only with you now.”
“This can’t be....”
The chain was long enough to slip over the assassin’s head. As he slowly stood, he studied the charm. Over and over, the words of Lord Gracie swam through his thoughts.
There’s no telling how many lives Nathaniel claimed over the years. He could have easily slain Ashpin’s father and kept the necklace as a trophy. He couldn’t actually be – does Lord Gracie know?
He tucked the necklace in a pouch, then lifted a hand over Nathaniel’s body. Nature immediately responded to his request, trembling around the fallen human. As earth caved in, the body began to sink until it could no longer be seen. When he clenched his fist, the hole closed.
He relaxed his hand, The only remnants of the assassin were the necklace and dagger.
If Nathaniel is related….
He returned to the clan at a brisk pace, pausing briefly at the gated entrance. On either side of the gate was an engraved W, signature of the prince’s residence within the Eastern Clan. Just past the entrance, the front yard was alive with servants moving about. The smell of fresh linens being washed imbued the air, and he waved to the ones that noticed his arrival.
“Everything well this morning?” Glory met him just outside the door holding an envelope.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” Wisdom forced a crooked grin.
“Oh?” Glory’s radiant expression eased the building tension of his recent discovery. She came close, her intoxicating scent sending waves of excitement through him.
Not now! He begged his own body to reason to the situation at hand, then looked down when she slipped the envelope between his fingers.
“This just arrived for you.” She swept her long, wavy hair back over a shoulder. Her scent grew stronger. “Said to have it ready as soon as I saw you.”
“Who’s it from?” Wisdom swallowed nervously, trying to keep control of his body’s desires. He flipped the letter over to inspect the seal – Luxor. “I’d…better see to this, then. Thank you.”
About to head inside, she stopped him with a hand to his chest. At this, temptation was too much. The taste of her lips to his was too great a chance to pass. Their tongues swirled together in a dance from one mouth to the other until, temporarily satisfied, they slowly pulled apart.
On second thought, I needed that. Wisdom relished the moment, putting aside his stressful day to focus on a thing of beauty at his side. When an ear perked at the sound of faint giggling, he turned to their audience of several servants with a look of disapproval. That sent them scurrying back to their current duties.
“I love when you do that.” Glory’s gentle touch to the tuft of fuzz on the tip of his pointed ear sent another shiver of excitement. “Any other plans for the day, or shall we...spend the rest of the evening to ourselves?”
Wisdom pulled her close, taking in the sweet fragrance of her hair. He lightly kissed the top of her head.
“As much as I want you in my arms, I need to see what Lord Gracie sent first.” He held up the letter.
Glory pulled away with a playful grin. “Nothing you can’t handle, right?”
With smirk, he nodded.
“Good. ‘Cause I’ll be waiting.”
Alluring as always. Wisdom forced himself to turn away. He nearly bounded up the stairs to his room, though he kept his composure as long as others were around. His desires were ablaze to be with his chosen mate. At the same time, his nerves were on the brink of shattering. A letter from Lord Gracie was too coincidental. He almost guessed at its contents while unfolding the parchment to read its bold writing on a fairly vacant page.
Nathaniel Woodston WAS Nathan Agecroft.
His hand shook, paper crackling softly until he crumpled it and tossed it in the fireplace.
“He knew.” Although the weather was fair outside, he felt cold. He lit the paper on fire that had come to rest on top of some already placed logs. It withered away until only Lord Gracie’s words remained, black ink curling within ashes.
Wisdom jabbed it with a poker, destroying what was left of its legibility.
“I can’t tell Ashpin this. Not now.” His eye trailed over to the mirror in his bedroom. Hoping to gain feedback, he waited
to see if his reflection responded in any way. When none came, he sat back and sighed. “First the thing at sea, now this?”
Digging into his pouch, he removed the necklace. He studied the small charm and stepped out onto the balcony for more light. Is it really the same?
Wisdom’s eyebrows narrowed, and his gaze shifted to the garden out back. Stepping around to the side so no one would notice him as much from the front yard, he clenched the necklace in his fist. “I should not have to answer for Jenario’s mistakes. I should not be responsible for this!”
The prince suddenly pitched the necklace far over the treetops, letting a burst of magic carry it from the immediate area.
If Ashpin finds it, at least it won’t have come from me.
*****
Opal eyes shone from within nearby shadows. Drawn to the glint of gold chain dangling on a low branch, the raven hopped down for a closer inspection.
What a shame it would be if the boy discovered the charm in his current state of mind, the voice in his head suggested. That feeling of betrayal.
At this, Jangus pecked at the chain until it came loose. With the prize secured in his beak, he flew off in the direction of the clan.
*****
Ashpin was sure he had heard the prince come down the hall. Any others staying on the same floor would have left earlier for market, and the servants were busy with chores. He glanced out the window to see several harpies scurry by. It was not unusual for a flash of white to pass his window, as they preferred the quick access of flight to get where they needed.
It was a different feel than what he was accustomed to. This was not the secluded hut in the woods he lived in with his mother several months ago. People came and went at all hours. Even at night he could still hear the rustle of feathers settling if a harpy happened to be outside. In some ways it was comforting. He was never far from anyone, and the prince’s room was just down the hall from his own.
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