by Cait Marie
He reached a hand backward without looking. “Are you all right?” he asked as Ada’s fingers grasped his.
“Yes,” she said, moving to his side. She’d collected her own sword once more.
Releasing her, he wiped the back of his sleeve across his sweaty, blood-splattered face and turned to see who had come to their aid.
Chapter 25
Shane
When the first cannonball hit, Shane’s heart stopped. In the faint starlight peeking through the partially cloudy sky, he saw the water spray. He heard the whispered curses as his men tried to stay quiet and not give away their locations.
Then, one made contact. The small boat shattered to pieces, and Shane looked away from the broken bodies. He couldn’t tell which boat had been hit. The calm waters were so at odds with what they were sailing into.
By some miracle, they made it to the sandy shore without another direct hit. But it didn’t deter the Rayernans. They began firing at the beach, and pandemonium ensued. Dozens of soldiers appeared from the nearby trees, swords out and ready. Shane’s boots hit the sand and his own blade was drawn without hesitation.
Clouds high above shifted, making way for beams of moonlight to cascade upon the bloody scene. No one bothered staying quiet anymore. Steel clashed against steel among the shouts and commands. Shane didn’t have time to search for Phillip. He charged at the soldiers. They outnumbered those on this beach for now and quickly gained the advantage.
The bright night sky meant that they were also visible though, and the cannons began again. It seemed they didn’t mind if their own were hit. So long as the Detmaryans were stopped from progressing.
“Where in the stars is your sister?” Phillip’s voice called out as he made his way to Shane’s side.
Shane let out a breath of momentary relief. He twisted as a soldier sliced down through the air at his head. Instantly, Phillip was there, his own dagger thrusting up into the man’s exposed flank. For over a decade, Shane and Phillip had trained together. They knew each other’s moves—their strengths and weaknesses—and it showed in the way they worked together to overcome the small troop left to guard the shore.
“If they don’t take out those cannons, none of this will matter,” Phillip said, pushing Shane east. He whistled and motioned for the others to follow suit. An outcropping of tall boulders sat a distance away, and that would be their best cover for now.
Shane’s back slammed against the solid rock wall as a cannonball spliced through the ground mere feet away.
“Are you all right?” Phillip looked him over, placing a hand on the side of his neck.
“I’m fine.” Shane nodded as his ears continued to ring. More of their men surrounded them, all ducking behind the stones for shelter. Shane wondered if they were large enough, strong enough to withstand a cannon. From this distance, he hoped so.
As a loud boom echoed across the open space, shaking the boulders upon impact, he got his answer. Small bits of stone rained down, but they remained safe for the time being. There was no telling how many hits the outcropping could take before collapsing though.
They needed Adalina and the Nihryst to take the cannons out. He worried about his sister and new friends. Only knowing she was immortal kept that fear at bay.
“They should have been here by now,” he told Phillip.
They stood shoulder to shoulder, backs against the natural wall. With swords still out, they were all ready for another attack, but the soldiers’ stances relaxed as they caught their breath and attempted to treat wounds. Once the beach was secure, the rest of their men would join them and set up camp. Until then, they didn’t have the supplies to treat injuries. Tourniquets and bandages were made from ripped shirts, but it was all they could do.
Another cannonball hit, shaking the stones. Shane closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He willed the panic to ease—to remain stoic in front of his men.
Fingers laced through his at his side. He opened his eyes and met Phillip’s gaze. Inclining his head, Shane silently thanked him for his strength. The strength he’d shown since they were children. As he carried away a screaming, five-year-old princess when their mother had died. As he stayed by their side, even through the former king’s sporadic temperament. As his own father was killed and he was left to care for his mother and sister. As he conquered his fear to marry the man he loved. Phillip remained solid—the one consistent, unbending force in Shane and Adalina’s life.
As they continued to stare at each other, Shane squeezed Phillip’s hand. Phillip nodded in understanding. No matter what happened, they were in this together.
I love you, Phillip mouthed, nearly crumbling Shane’s heart. He mirrored the words, recognizing how significant it was that Phillip was standing with him, holding his hand—albeit in the dark—surrounded by their soldiers.
As the world continued to rumble, he prayed to the stars they made it through the night. That Adalina and the Nihryst would come through in a ridiculous grand rescue he was sure only his sister and Lee were capable of.
Chapter 26
Adalina
The grin that spread across Ada’s face felt unnatural in this place, but she couldn’t help it. Lowering her bow, Gwyn strode toward them as her group of rebels assisted their crew in picking off the last few enemy soldiers.
“Sorry we’re late,” she said with a wink.
“How are you here?” Ada sheathed her blade and gave the woman a one-armed hug when she stopped before them. “And thank you.”
Gwyn patted her on the back. “Your brother asked us to help, but we were hesitant…” She scratched the back of her neck before looking at Lee. “The attack on Ferda gave my people a reason to fight. I was also reminded that these are my people as well—that I’m their… princess.”
“But how did you know to come here to Senfyr instead of the eastern shore with the rest of the troops?” Ada asked, leaning against Lee’s shoulder in exhaustion. He wrapped a supportive, soothing arm around her waist.
“I didn’t exactly,” Gwyn said as she glanced to their united people. “But I thought it might be a good idea to come in from a different angle. With the port still open to merchants, I thought we could make it here, secure the capitol, and then make our way east.”
“Brilliant.” Lee’s voice came out hoarse and gruff, no doubt from yelling so much.
“Come on,” Ada said, reluctantly stepping out of his hold. “Let’s get into the castle before the cannons start up again.”
Gwyn walked with them toward the blasted wall, motioning for her crew to do a sweep of the grounds. “I sent another group to take out the cannons.”
“So did we,” Lee said.
“Then, they should be able to get the job done quicker together.” She shrugged and secured her bow over her neck and shoulder before drawing out a sword.
Ada followed suit, this time opting for a pair of daggers. Lee nudged her in the shoulder, nodding in approval. Regardless of her training, one strong hit had knocked the longer blade from her hands. It was better to stick with what she was more comfortable with, and her skills with daggers far outweighed any other weapon. They gave her a sense of agility she couldn’t find with heavier blades.
The sky darkened, and her stomach twisted. Phillip and her brother would be heading to shore soon. Another cannonball hitting the southern corner of the grounds let her know that Shane and Phillip would be under fire on the open sea if the other half of the Nihryst and the rebels didn’t reach those hills soon.
Ada raced ahead, storming the castle surrounded by her crew—her friends. The quiet grounds and entryway gave way to the fear growing inside her. They moved through the servants’ entrance to the halls beyond, but Ada knew it was pointless. There was no one here, not even staff lingered in these familiar corridors.
They continued to check though, with Ada leading Lee and Gwyn to the cellar where Queen Célest once told her the royal family would go if under siege. Ada heaved open the large stone door with
Lee’s help as Gwyn held a torch high enough to light their way. The room beyond was just as empty as the halls.
Letting out a frustrated breath, Ada ran a hand over the top of her head and down her braid. The rest of the crew was checking the other floors, but she knew they wouldn’t find anything. Michel was long gone, just as he had been when the Nihryst rescued her from the dungeon the previous month. She wondered if he’d even returned.
Not bothering to hide her anger, she stomped out of the room and up the stairs, not stopping until she reached the floor where she’d stayed all those summers growing up. She grabbed a candle from a wall sconce, slammed Michel’s bedroom door open, and lit a lantern on the small table just inside. Blowing the candle out, she tossed it aside, not caring that the wax would get everywhere.
Lee moved in, checking behind the dressing screen in the corner while Gwyn looked in the connected bathing chamber. As if they thought an ambush might be waiting for them. Ada began tearing through drawers instead. She ripped apart his armoire, tossing clothes on the floor. Nothing was there, so she ran down the hall to her old room. She repeated the process, growing more and more frustrated.
Tears began to roll down her cheeks, but she didn’t stop. She sat the lantern down and hauled open the chest at the end of the bed. With a shaky breath, she sat back on her heels. Someone whispered, and then footsteps neared. Lee knelt beside her.
“It has to be here.” She turned toward him.
Gwyn had left them alone it seemed. Shifting closer, Lee tucked a stray lock of hair back from Ada’s brow. His thumb brushed away a tear. “What, love?”
“The blade,” she said. “It has to be here. He had the flower—”
She gasped, cutting off her own words. Standing with her light, she made her way to the sitting room at the end of the hall. She moved the painting aside and stepped into the small chamber where she’d found the Heulwen.
Like the other rooms, it was empty. A quiet sob slipped out. She hadn’t known what to expect. It wasn’t as if Michel would just leave the blade for her on the pedestal. She turned to leave and stilled. Something pale white caught her eye in the moonlight streaming down from the high windows.
Slowly, she walked around the marble stand. A sealed piece of parchment lay on the floor. She reached for it and collapsed to her knees at the sight of her name scrawled on the other side. Setting the lantern down, she inspected the seal once more. It was that of Rayerna—the one that belonged to the royal family.
With shaking fingers, she broke it open and read the letter from Michel. It must have fallen from the pedestal now at her back. She read through his words three times, trying to process them. In the distance, she heard cannons firing again, but the castle remained untouched. She was also aware of the man standing in the doorway—the way she always sensed his presence even when he didn’t make a sound.
Ada looked over, knowing he’d come to her the second she asked. When she nodded, he did just that. He sat beside her, wrapping her into his arms. He didn’t even know what the letter said, but it didn’t matter. Regardless, Lee was there for her always. Just as he had been since those first days together on his ship. When he’d insisted she read about sailing and anything else instead of working on deck with the others because he’d realized her hand was injured. When he’d returned for her on Tugora. Despite acting as if he didn’t care about her, he’d been there.
“It doesn’t say anything about the dagger,” she told him. “I don’t think he knows about it.”
The letter was just a lot of Michel talking about the future they could have had. What. Their life might have been if they would have married like they talked about. He told her he loved her and hated that it came to this—that she should have loved him enough to stand at his side. Crumbling the parchment up, she stuck it into the lantern, letting it burn to ash.
She hated how much it hurt reading it. She hated that she couldn’t seem to stop crying.
“I love you,” she whispered, looking over to Lee. She needed him to know that though Michel’s betrayal ripped through her soul, it didn’t change her feelings toward him.
Understanding, he said, “I know.”
Another half-sob, half-laugh came out, and she shook her head. She cleared her throat and pushed to her feet. Lee stood and grabbed her hand before she could walk out of the room. He pulled her back around to face him, placing a palm on each of her cheeks.
“You are allowed to be hurt by this,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “This betrayal… I know you loved him. You don’t need to hide that from me.”
If anyone understood her pain, it was him. He’d lived through this sort of betrayal with Mariella and Henri over a century ago. Taking a step closer, she raised up on her toes to kiss him. “Thank you.”
He brushed his lips across hers one more time before wiping away the rest of her tears and grabbing the lantern. At some point in their search, he’d sheathed his sword at his side, leaving a hand free to hold hers.
By the time they reached the ground floor, their crew had searched the majority of the castle. Gwyn directed her people to keep looking while the Nihryst moved on.
“It is important to keep this place secure, so once each room has been cleared, I want you to stay here. Protect the castle and the villagers. Offer them sanctuary here if needed.” She abruptly stopped talking and turned to Lee and Ada, as if remembering he was the rightful king and this should be his home. “If that’s okay.”
“Of course.” Lee smiled and handed off his lantern to one of the men. “Until I return, you are in charge. Make whatever decisions you see fit.”
She tilted her head and then went back to instructing her people.
“All right, everyone else, let’s head east and find out why those cannons are still going off,” Lee said loud enough for his crew to hear. When Brienne stepped away from the shadowed wall, he stiffened. He walked over to her, seemingly unconscious that he was still holding on to Ada. “Brienne, maybe you should stay here?”
“You can’t be serious.” Her brow furrowed.
“I need someone here I trust completely,” he whispered.
“But you just said—”
“She’s the princess, my only heir at this time,” Lee interrupted. “She is in charge, and I trust her.”
Brienne’s eyes widened, mirroring Ada’s own shock. They knew just how hard it was for him to trust. A pang of jealousy hit Ada. It had taken him a lot longer to trust her. But she understood why. She was the descendent of those who’d betrayed and cursed him, whereas Gwyn was his only living family—the only descendant of his sister.
“But you know me,” he continued as if his previous words hadn’t been significant. “You know how I would do things, and I know you can keep this place safe.”
Anger and understanding warred in her eyes.
“Please, Bri…”
Brienne’s face softened at the plea. Ada had never heard anyone call her Bri, and by the woman’s reaction, she knew it meant something to her.
“I need you to be safe,” Lee whispered. “You said you never wanted this life of war. Stay here and protect my people—protect yourself. Please.”
Shoulders sagging, Brienne resigned. “Fine.”
Lee released Ada to pull his second into a quick hug. “Watch over Gwyn.”
Brienne nodded. “Of course.”
A woman walked past them, and Ada reached out a hand to stop her. “Excuse me, sorry what’s your name?”
“Brandi, your Highness.” She inclined her head with a smile.
“Brandi, there should be medical supplies in the infirmary in the north wing for anyone who needs it,” Ada said, pointing toward the nearest hall. She then indicated the gash in Brienne’s forehead. “Can you bring something to help get that cleaned up and wrapped?”
“Of course, Princess.” Brandi headed off without another word, grabbing a couple other rebels along the way to help.
Turning back to Brienne, Ada said, “You shoul
d get off that ankle for a little bit too.”
Brienne rolled her eyes. “Like that’s going to happen.” Around them, their crew said goodbye to Brienne before heading out into the cool night air. She thanked Ada, pulling her into a hug next. “Watch over him.”
Ada chuckled at the echoed words but agreed. “Always.”
Then, they were back out on the streets heading east. The cannons still boomed in the distance, but none hit near them as they made their way toward Shirewood Forest, which meant they were firing at the Detmaryan forces. They were firing at her brother and best friend. That thought had her quickening her pace.
Leaving their torches and lanterns behind was necessary to remain undetected as much as possible, but it made for a difficult trek through the trees. Ada stumbled time and time again over roots, stones, and the stars knew what else. Each time, she internally cursed herself and her lack of grace. Each time, Lee was there to stop her from falling on her face. He moved like he anticipated her tripping, and she was grateful, but she grew irritated.
Beneath that annoyance though, her stomach twisted with the memory of the last time she’d run through this forest. That night, Phillip had been at her side. They’d escaped the castle and made it to the docks before Michel’s men came after them. In the end, she’d been caught, making it possible for Phillip to get away.
And then, she was thrown in that dark, dank cell where she watched the man she once loved kill her friend. Where she found out the truth of the history between their kingdoms and Lee’s lineage. A shudder ran through her.
Lee held out a hand, signaling for them to stop, barely visible from the moonlight. He whispered to wait and then inched forward. Ada heard him curse, followed by a thump to the ground. She raced forward, pulling a dagger out as she moved.
