There were more houses along the banks of the river the next morning. Gone were the flat, empty plains they had been winding through and in their place was a marshy delta. The river had begun
to split, forking down like city streets underneath homes built on stilts overhead. In place of horse or carriage, people traversed on boats or suspended bridgeways that dripped morning dew as they drifted beneath. The citizenry oblivious to the pirates in their presence.
This must be the easternmost edge of Ofok, Eira realized. They would reach the coast before the day was up. The thought was so heavy she was impressed Adela could still carry her from one vessel to the other with ease. Her heart twisted as her friends were left behind.
She’d put her faith in Cullen to try and convince them to leave. But… what he’d told her…
There was no way they would go.
“You’re distracted today.” Adela folded her hands on the top of her cane as she sat in her usual chair opposite Eira. “Speak.”
“My friends won’t leave me.” There wasn’t any point in denying it. It’d be apparent soon enough.
Adela was as still as a statue. As unreadable as a book written in the ancient tongue of the elfin. Finally, she said, “Loyalty is a stronger force than even magic, is much harder to master, and wielding it requires far more responsibility.”
Eira sank back into her chair. She should be working on getting her magic back. On doing everything she could to reclaim her power before it
was too late…but she also knew, without all doubt, that she was out of time. There wasn’t any way her magic would return in the next couple hours.
“I wish they would listen.”
“Yes, well, loyalty can transform those you love into the most ardent, yet obstinate creatures.”
Eira readily nodded in agreement. “What will you do to them if they refuse?”
“The same rules will continue to govern them—if they do as they’re told and make themselves useful, I can find a place for them on my vessels.” A thin, crescent smile arced across her lips. “I think motivating them should be easy enough. Seeing as I have you in my palm and you’re the one they’re standing by.”
Eira’s stomach clenched. She was the leverage Adela held over her friends. Both Eira’s friends and her magic were the leverage Adela had over her. The pirate queen, unsurprisingly, was positioned as the one with absolute control.
“I have one more question.”
Adela motioned with an open palm in a gesture that read as, continue.
“Are you genuinely trying to restore my magic? Or are you stringing me along?”
Her hand settled back on her cane. “What use are you to me as a Commons? There would be no motivation for me to keep you here without your magic. If I simply needed deckhands, I could find much better than you. And, if I were to set you free, it would be more advantageous for me to do so with you lacking magic, as then you could not use my name to your advantage. I would not be keeping you here, Eira, if not for restoring your powers.” Adela’s eyes shone. “I want to see you listen to these echoes for myself. And then, I want you to teach me mastery of them.”
Eira nodded weakly, Lavette’s objections about Adela’s nature heavy in her mind. But what else could she do? Right now, Adela was her best chance. And…oddly enough…they might be safer with the pirate queen than anywhere else. At least, for now, she knew that the Pillars couldn’t get to them. If there was one thing Eira knew Adela wouldn’t abide, it would be an attack on her ship and crew. She wouldn’t allow herself to be made to look weak—a trait Eira found herself admiring.
“Then we should continue.” Eira leaned forward, extended her hands, and braced herself for more hours of a chill that grabbed her very soul by
the throat.
 |
Eira stood on deck with Crow as the ship finally drifted to a stop alongside one of the many parallel docks that ran along the marshy banks of the center river of Ofok. It resembled the docks of Warich, but taken to the extreme. Like the houses that came before it, most of the small city was suspended on pylons driven deep into the wet earth. Some of the boats looked as though they’d been tied in one particular spot for years, the ropes dripping stalactites of algae as craftsmen and restaurants ran businesses on their docks. The stilted houses she’d seen as they approached Ofok were now dense, honeycombed together so tightly that one balcony became another’s entry.
“Her Frostiness made it clear what she expected of you while we’re roped up, correct?” Crow said curtly, looking out from underneath her hood.
Eira had also donned her cloak, per the pirate’s instructions. She hadn’t objected since her face was recognizable enough following the tournament and showing it was a risk not worth taking.
“Don’t disembark. Don’t go to the other ship. Stay in place and mostly out of sight,” Eira tiredly repeated Adela’s order. The attempts to restore her magic had exhausted Eira to her core.
“Good. The three of us are going to resupply.” As Crow spoke, Puck and Zaila were shrugging on heavy coats, even in the heat of summer. Eira heard metal clanks and suspected there were daggers and other weapons stitched inside. “You stay in place and defend the boat if anything happens.” “With what?” Eira held out her empty palms. “I still don’t have my
magic.”
“Still?” Crow seemed flabbergasted. “Just what have you been doing in there all these hours? Playing carcivi?”
“Maybe. Jealous I’m getting so much quality time with Her Iciness?” Eira arched her brows and Crow huffed. She’d long since picked up on how deeply Crow’s loyalty and admiration ran for her leader. Eira dropped her expression, tone becoming serious once more. “I had a dagger among my things—gold hilt, a notch down the fuller. At least give me that?”
Crow must have been expecting the demand. Or she had already been told to give Eira the weapon, because it was waiting in the large pack she’d slung over her shoulder. Eira expected more hesitation before she handed it over. But Crow wasted no time.
“Here. But don’t you dare get any ideas.” Crow took a half step closer as she passed it to Eira, voice dropping to a whisper, side-eying the few people going about their business on the docks. “Adela might know better than to show her face, but if you cross her, don’t think she won’t freeze this whole city to the bone in an instant just to get to you.”
Eira had no doubt that the pirate queen would, and could. “I know. She has my magic hostage. I’m not going to do anything that would risk her helping me.”
“Good.” Crow released the blade and stepped toward Puck and Zaila.
As the three of them exchanged quiet conversation, Eira unsheathed the blade, inspecting its edge. It was still wicked sharp. Being armed was a relief. Even if she could do little with it compared to her magic…it was something. She turned the blade over once and then sheathed it, tucking it into her belt and allowing it to slice through the helplessness she’d been suffering.
When she looked back across the deck, the other pirates were gone. Their silhouettes faded into the people passing through the docks. Well, it seemed like they trusted her.
Biting back a sigh, Eira walked to the opposite side of the vessel, away from the docks. Adela’s other boat, with her friends, had moored up on the other side of the river. She leaned on the railing. Ducot was talking with Pine and Fen. Noelle was there, too. The competitors from Qwint crossed over. Alyss and Cullen wrapped up a conversation, and the former joined the group.
Cullen lingered behind, at the back of the boat. His eyes swept across the river and met hers. Even though it was impossible to make out his features, she could see the slight sag to his shoulders as he straightened slightly. Eira bit her lip to keep herself from calling out. She clasped her hands together, gripping them so tightly they shook.
If she called out to him now, he would stay. If she showed him even the slightest bit of need. He would stay for her.
The choice was his to make and she had to give him space to make it. She couldn’t influence him. If she did, she’d forever regret it. She’d forever
doubt his intentions.
So she waited, savoring what might be their last few minutes together, even though they were a river apart. The wind picked up, carrying on it the scent of rain. He stepped backward, and then away from the railing. He joined the rest of them.
Every, steady, even, step of his was a pound of her heart. Slow but relentless. It stuck in her throat. Eira tried to swallow it down, but couldn’t. Nausea overtook her. She swallowed again.
Go, she wanted to shout.
Stay, her heart cried.
The pirates, Ducot, Alyss, Noelle, Lavette, Varren, and…finally… Cullen left the boat. They jumped the short distance to the dock and walked out of Eira’s field of vision.
She waited, seconds ticking by. Half of her hoped that they would be back on board within minutes. Eventually, long after her fingers had cramped, she released her tension with a heavy sigh and hung her head between her shoulders.
They were gone.
Her friends had left. Eira wiped her face, half-surprised to find her cheeks dry. Nothing had ever hurt so much and yet felt so good at the same time. She pushed away from the railing and went to the bow of the boat, sitting. She imagined herself a figurehead, wooden and unfeeling. Trapped, but also free to travel the world.
Alone.
Was Adela in her room, still sitting at her chair, staring out the window? Eira imagined them as mirrors of each other. She closed her eyes and listened to the water lapping against the hull of the boat. Sounds of the docks faded away. Eira inhaled slowly, imagining Adela doing the same.
The pirate queen’s magic was there. Adela was too powerful not to be constantly emitting power, especially if she was holding an entire island in her thrall. Eira’s brow furrowed with focus.
Feel it, she commanded herself. Find the magic, like yours, and feel it.
If she could restore her magic now, then she could leave, too. Make a run for it while her friends were still nearby. Her fingers twitched. A drop of water.
Heart pounding once more, Eira scowled with focus. She could almost feel it there, like a current underneath a thick layer of ice. Her power
churned, hunting for a way out. More water coated her palms.
Yes, yes! She was close. A little bit more and—
A distant rumble jolted her. Eira tilted her head back. Dark gray clouds were rolling in, blanketing an ominous orange sky. Fat drops plopped down on her forehead.
She hadn’t been summoning her magic. It’d been raining.
Eira sighed and brought her knees to her chest, resting her forehead on them. Maybe it was hopeless. She would be better served learning how to live as a Commons than trying to fight to get her magic back.
Rain turned into a downpour. She allowed it to drench her, making no effort to retreat into the hold. It was cool and fresh, washing away the exhaustion of the past few days.
She couldn’t hear the footsteps over the pounding of the rain. It wasn’t until she could feel the vibration of the deck that Eira realized anyone was there. All her focus returned to the here and now. She slowly reached for her blade. Crow, Puck, or Zaila wouldn’t sneak up on her. Unless they were playing a joke? It did seem like something they might do…but probably not under these circumstances.
Drawing the blade, she feigned inspecting it. It gave away that she was armed. But it was worth giving away the element of that surprise— something a would-be attacker would’ve probably assumed anyway. Drawing the weapon had the added benefit of making sure she wasn’t about to stab one of Adela’s men as she caught a glimpse in the mirror of the blade.
The man was cloaked. Face cast in shadow but definitely not one of the pirates. He half knelt, creeping. Eira returned her blade to her lap and inhaled slowly. Did he notice she’d caught a glimpse of him?
Was it a Pillar?
She imagined her friends dead. The pirates slain. The Pillars were still hunting her and they’d caught up. It hadn’t been exactly difficult to follow them along the river, given the steady and very slow pace they’d had.
The man was right behind her. Eira pushed backward. He was ready. A hand clamped over her mouth, the other around her wrist wielding the dagger. Eira struggled, trying to twist free. Thanks to the slickness of the rain, she almost had escaped his grasp when a familiar voice whispered in her ear, “I found you.”
She inhaled sharply. Her heart stopped.
