Consciousness filtered back to her. It wasn’t like the last times she had been rendered unconscious with Lightspinning, where she woke with a start. This time, her body clung to the restorative sleep the magic
had brought on with all its might.
Sounds came first.
There was the soft creaking of wood. The whisper of water against the hull of the ship as it cut through the river. Heavy thuds overhead and muffled discussions. Others shifted nearby. Some close whispering that Eira couldn’t make out.
Then came touch.
The floor underneath her was cold and hard. Damp. Saliva had pooled around her cheek—she must’ve been snoring.
Forcing herself to crack open her eyes, Eira blinked into the dimness of a cargo hold. Light stood in narrow columns in the center of the space, streaming through holes poked in a grate of the deck above.
Eira pushed off the wooden floor, rubbing her eyes. She felt as if she hadn’t been knocked out merely by magic, but by potions and a hard hit to the head as well. It wasn’t far-fetched to think Adela would ensure through multiple ways that she was good and unconscious and would stay that way for some time.
A clanking around her wrist distracted her. Eira looked down, blinking at the flat, iron shackle held in place by a small padlock. A design had been pressed into its surface. But it was difficult to make out the glyphs in the low light. She held up her wrist, squinting.
“Oh good, she’s awake,” Noelle’s voice cut through her focus. The oddity around her wrist was no longer even remotely important.
“Noelle,” Eira breathed, turning. “Alyss!” She lunged forward. Both her friends were right next to her and Eira’s arms flung around both their shoulders, pulling them in tightly. As quickly as she grasped them, she pushed them away, assessing them both from head to toe. It was impossible to stand, the cargo hold was too small, but they seemed as if they were well and in one piece. “You’re both alive.”
“Judging from your reaction, you have a better idea than we do as to what in the Mother’s name happened.” Noelle’s tone was a bit curt, but any annoyance she felt at their circumstances seemed to be lost to a similar relief Eira was feeling.
“I…yes.” Eira explored the small hold with her eyes. Cullen was to the right of Noelle—he still had yet to rouse. Eira shifted to sit closer to him, running her hand down his cheek to rest lightly on his neck. His breathing and heartbeat were steady and strong. The wounds on his body looked equally mended. Thank the Mother… No matter what they were, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him just yet. And she certainly didn’t want him to die for her.
Varren and Lavette were stirring on the other side of Alyss and Noelle. They were still filthy from the Pillars’ attack on the coliseum. But, true to Adela’s word, all of Eira’s friends were still in one piece.
“Tell me as far as you remember.” That’d give Eira a starting place to fill them in.
“It’s not much,” Noelle said. “We had just made it on the boat. You went to Ducot…then it all went dark.”
“I think I heard a noise behind me?” Alyss pursed her lips, clearly frustrated with herself that the memories weren’t clearer. “I can’t—” She made a noise of disgust. “—I can’t remember anything after that. I assume we got on the wrong boat and the owner attacked us?”
“Not quite…” Eira rubbed the back of her neck, trying to figure out what to tell them, and how. They’d find out everything eventually anyway.
“That doesn’t explain these, either.” Noelle lifted her wrist. Locked around it was the same odd shackle Eira had.
“I have one too.” Alyss held out her fist as well.
Was it some kind of pirate branding? Eira kept the thought to herself for the time being. She had to unravel their situation calmly to avoid panic.
“Where’s Ducot?” Noelle asked. After Eira’s conversation with Ducot, and all she’d seen at the tournament, she was very aware of where Noelle’s worries for the morphi man stemmed from.
“He’s…fine.” Eira hesitated.
“Why isn’t he here? What happened?” Noelle grabbed her hand.
Eira had no hesitation about telling them the truth, but she wasn’t sure where to start. Just when she thought she’d landed on a good collection of words, Lavette and Varren sat up.
“My head is throbbing.” Varren rubbed his temples. “I think I have a lump.”
“You hit the deck hard,” Lavette said grimly. “You saw what happened?” Alyss asked.
Lavette shook her head. “I only caught a glimpse of movement, Lightspinning perhaps…” She looked down at her own wrist. Sure enough, the many stacked bracelets of runes that those from Qwint used to summon their magic were gone. In their place was an iron shackle identical to Eira’s and Noelle’s. Lavette’s tone turned bitter. “Well, this is simply marvelous.”
“They have me.” Varren was hunched over, staring at his wrist. His rusty hair fell into his face, hiding the majority of his expression. But Eira could still see his mouth twisting in horror. He drew his hands to his chest, one holding the iron shackle wrapped around the other, and began to rock slightly. “They have me. They found me. They’re taking me back. They—”
“Varren—Varren, look at me.” Lavette dipped her head and tilted up her face, forcing him to meet her eyes. “What do you see?”
“You. Wood. A ship that’s going to take me back—”
“What do you hear?” Lavette interrupted him right as his breathing quickened.
“You. The creaking of the ship that’s—”
“What do you smell?” she interrupted faster this time.
Varren’s chest continued to heave, but his words became slower. “Damp. Rotting wood. Old burlap…sweat, just like the mine—”
Lavette nodded and held out her hand before he could run away on a tangent again. “What do you feel?”
Varren took her outstretched fingers. His breathing was now under control. Words even. “The wood under me. My damp clothes clinging to me. You…holding my hand.” His eyes slowly drifted to her face. Eira could
see the inhale he calmed on, emotions back under control. As if he could breathe in the very sight of her.
“Yes. You are here. With me. You’re not back in Carsovia. You’re not with them and you’ll never be with them again.”
He pressed his eyes closed and nodded, a little too quickly. “Sorry, it’s… I was doing so well…”
“It’s all right, you have nothing to apologize for. You’ve had a lot of reminders this past day.” Lavette released him with a sad smile.
“Carsovia?” Alyss asked delicately.
Lavette didn’t answer; instead she remained focused on Varren. They all hung in silence as he shifted, clearly gathering the nerve. If he’d been Eira’s friend, she would’ve stepped in and relieved him from the pressure of having to explain whatever it was that was clearly causing him such immense discomfort.
But Lavette apparently had other ideas of what he needed. And, since she knew him far better, Eira refrained from doing anything or passing judgment.
Varren finally found his voice. “I was born in Carsovia. Life there was…difficult.”
“I see.” Alyss gave a small nod.
Lavette finally stepped in. “These shackles are made in Carsovia at the pleasure of the empress. They’re imprinted with runes—not unlike our bracelets—except these markings block all magic.”
Noelle scoffed. “We’ll see about that.” She held out her fist and squinted. Sparks crackled, snuffing almost instantly. There was not even the barest hint of smoke in the air. “No, I’m not letting some stupid bracelet…” she growled, trying again.
“It’s pointless,” Lavette said plainly as she crawled over toward Cullen. “The shapes on them are a runic art. It’s not easy to get rid of them or work around them. As long as they’re in contact with our flesh, magic isn’t an option.”
Eira heard the words, but also couldn’t take her eyes off how Lavette knelt by Cullen, holding his face with both her hands, leaning over him. She stroked his cheeks tenderly, almost lovingly. The action seemed in contrast with what Cullen had said of their relationship. With what Lavette had said in the warehouse: I have no interest in fighting with you over him… Frankly, I have little interest in marrying at all.
Had feeling begun to blossom in the undercurrents of their relationship? Or was this simply Lavette’s nature? She had always seemed like she was even-tempered and, as the leader of the delegation from Qwint, naturally inclined toward looking out for those around her.
“He looks all right, too,” Lavette whispered, releasing him and moving away. “Glad we all seem unharmed.”
As if sensing the attention was on him, Cullen’s eyes cracked open. “What…where are we?” His voice was a rough croak. “Where’s Eira?”
“I’m here,” Eira said softly. Cullen lifted his hand and she shifted toward him once more, cradling it in both of hers.
“Are you all right?” His gaze never wavered from her, as if her presence was all the comfort he needed. He was the one who had been skewered at sword point, but her heart felt like it was now bleeding.
“I’m fine; we all are.” Relief crashed down upon her like a wave, threatening to crumble the walls she’d built around her emotions. If not for her ironclad resolve, tears might have welled in her eyes. She’d been scared
—terrified that he was going to be snatched away by Death without her ever having a chance to speak with him again.
No matter what their future held, it couldn’t end there. She wasn’t ready for it to. Not when there was still so much between them unresolved and clearly left unsaid.
“Thank the Mother.” He relaxed with a soft sigh. Eira resisted the urge to pull him into her arms. To ask him to lay bare the innermost designs of his heart. They needed to sort this out, once and for all. However, now wasn’t the time. She didn’t move for him again.
“We’re not really all okay,” Noelle said somewhat curtly. “Where’s Ducot?”
With everyone awake, now was as good a time as any to try and fill them in. Eira took a deep breath.
“None of you remember anything?” she asked, hoping someone did. They all shook their heads and uttered various noes. “The person who’s imprisoned us, whose vessel this is…is Adela Lagmir, the Pirate Queen.”
They all stared. No one moved. No one seemed to even breathe.
“I must have misheard you…” Cullen murmured, slowly sitting. “You said Adela? The same Adela who might be—”
“My mother? Yes,” Eira finished for him with a grave note. She didn’t proffer the knowledge that Adela had already denied being her mother.
There were still mysteries there, still things Adela wasn’t saying. There had to be.
“Better than Carsovia,” Varren murmured. “Though only slightly.” “Why is Adela here?” Lavette asked. “Last I heard, she was sailing far
to the north. West? Regardless, she hadn’t been sighted around Meru—or Solaris—for decades.”
“You keep close tabs on the pirate queen?” Eira asked.
“I am an aspiring representative of the republic, should they choose me,” Lavette said calmly. “It is my duty to prove my worth to my people through identifying threats to them and ensuring their safety. Qwint has mostly avoided Adela’s ire and I would hope to keep it that way.”
“Right.”
“What about Ducot? Did Adela…” Noelle couldn’t finish. “Is he all right?”
“He is.” Eira nodded. “He…”
“Then I will get this off of me and they will know my wrath.” Noelle slipped out of Eira’s hold to fight with the shackle around her wrist. “I will—”
Eira stilled her friend with a hand over Noelle’s. “He’s one of them.”
“What?” She inhaled sharply, going still. Eira could almost feel the numbness overtaking Noelle’s body. She watched as every bit of the woman relaxed with shock.
“He’s a pirate. One of Adela’s.”
“You’re lying.” Noelle forced laughter. “Good joke, Eira, but now isn’t the time.”
“I’m not joking. He’s always been one.”
“It’s time to stop.” Noelle had a warning note to her tone.
Eira’s stomach twisted, almost making her sick. Luckily, it had been a long time since she last ate, long enough that nausea wasn’t a threat. “His parents were pirates.”
“They were killed by Ulvarth,” Noelle countered.
So Ducot had told Noelle as much, too. “Yes, they were, but they were outside the Twilight Forest when it happened because they didn’t risk going back into the city when working for Adela.”
“Eira, stop.”
“Rebec invited him to go back to the Court of Shadows, but he already had Adela’s crew to return to. He went to the court later, on Adela’s orders.”
“I won’t have you sullying his good name.”
“Noelle, I’m only telling the truth,” Eira said softly. Regret slowly gripped onto her with an icy touch that almost felt like her magic returning. This should have been Ducot’s truth to share. But what else could she have told them? It seemed far more cruel to allow Noelle to steep in worry and fear of the unknown surrounding his wellbeing. And, given how hard Noelle was taking things, it was probably for the best that Eira was giving her the brunt of the news; then she would have time to process. Hopefully by the time she saw Ducot next, level heads would prevail. “Listen, Ducot is—”
“You’re lying!” Noelle lunged for her. Eira tipped back, Noelle on top of her, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking. “Stop, stop saying lies about him; I won’t stand for it!”
“Noelle, enough!” Alyss moved for her.
Cullen tried to move as well, but fell back down with a hiss. His body still wasn’t healed enough to be jerked around.
“If Ducot was a pirate, he would’ve told me. He would’ve! He knows…” Noelle stilled, pressing her eyelids shut. She drew a quivering breath. “He knows how much he meant to me. He wouldn’t have lied to me. He knew I…I couldn’t handle another betrayal.”
“He didn’t lie,” Eira said softly. She gave a small motion to Alyss, holding up her hand in a signal to hold off from ripping Noelle away. “He didn’t,” she insisted. “He just didn’t tell the whole truth.”
Noelle opened her eyes—they were now red and shining—and glared down at Eira. “If he kept this from me, it’s as good as a lie and he’s as good as dead.”
The woman eased away, allowing Eira to sit. Noelle stared at nothing, and they all gave her a moment of space and silence to process. The last time Eira had seen Noelle this fiery was when she had been telling off Adam in the Tower. The last man she had held affections for had also betrayed her trust.
Eira resisted reaching out to Noelle. Telling her that she understood. That she, too, had been plagued with awful choices in men that always ended badly. She wanted to tell Noelle it wasn’t her fault. And maybe there would be time in the future to say all those things…someday. But now wasn’t that time. So Eira kept silent.
“It’s all right.” Alyss leaned forward, reaching out to Noelle’s shoulder.
Noelle slapped her hand away. “Don’t placate me. You’re always trying to make peace. You ever think that sometimes we shouldn’t sit quietly? That sometimes we should speak up? We should rage, and throw things, and be just as violent as all the people trying to hurt us!”
“I just—”
“I’m tired of you always butting in where someone doesn’t want you,” Noelle snapped.
Eira could no longer stay quiet. “Noelle, I know you’re hurt but you’re not being fair to Alyss.”
“Yes, Eira, take her side. The two of you are always inseparable after all.” Noelle rolled her eyes.
“This isn’t about sides. It’s about you misplacing your anger,” Eira said. “Eira, I’m fine, you don’t have to defend me.” Alyss held up her hands
in a gesture of forfeit.
Noelle rolled her eyes at Alyss. “There she is, backing down again.”
Alyss looked into the shadows of the hold. Eira almost wished Alyss would get mad and rage right back. She had to stand up for herself.
But Alyss said nothing and Noelle continued. “Can’t even defend yourself. Great, we’re screwed when it comes to the pirates, then. Why don’t you try and talk them through not killing us?”
“Noelle, stop.” Eira’s voice was firm, borderline harsh. Lavette and Varren were uncomfortably looking anywhere but the conversation. They clearly knew this squabble wasn’t their place to get involved. Cullen seemed too glassy eyed and exhausted to do anything. “Just because you feel wounded doesn’t give you permission to attack others.”
“You’ve no idea what I feel.”
“Betrayed by a man?” Eira scoffed. “I think I know exactly how that feels.”
That softened Noelle. “It’s not…”
“The same?” Eira could almost hear the two words unsaid and spoke them anyway. “Right, Ducot misleading you a bit about his history really isn’t the same as your first love making a mockery of your affections.”
“I’m sorry,” Noelle said so softly that Eira could barely hear.
Eira should have stopped there, with that, and let it be. Noelle had clearly understood the point. She’d struck a personal note, as Noelle had been there that night when Adam had unleashed his cruelty on Eira.
But Eira didn’t stop. “Or the second lover killing your brother. Or the third stealing into your bed the night before you see him dancing with the woman who he knew he was engaged to.”
“What?” Lavette’s soft gasp was the only thing that could jolt Eira from her tirade. Eira looked over at her and Cullen, a cold horror seeping into her. Even if Lavette suspected…or knew…that matter should have been handled with far more tact. Lavette’s eyes darted between them but landed on Cullen. “Is this true?”
“I… It… Yes.” He lowered his eyes, looking as pathetic as he’d been when he’d come to Eira after the ball. At least he didn’t deny it.
Lavette’s expression was a mix of disgust and horror. Eira hadn’t been expecting it, but the woman turned back to her with almost an apologetic look. Rather than being angry with Eira, she seemed…sympathetic.
“Alyss, I’m sorry,” Noelle blurted loudly. It was painfully obvious she was trying to shift the topic. “Eira was right. I was just…seeing red a moment.”
“Firebearers can be a bit volatile,” Alyss said with a forced laugh.
“I’ve heard that,” Varren jumped in, too, trying to iron the tension from the air. “Fascinating to see it play out.”
It didn’t matter. The rest of them could say or do whatever they wanted. But Noelle still shifted uncomfortably, oscillating from rage and awkwardness. Lavette’s gaze was boring a hole between Cullen’s brows, as though she were trying to extract every last memory from his mind with excruciating precision. Cullen, for his part, wasn’t offering denials, or trying to defend himself.
Eira sighed. Lavette deserved to know, didn’t she? Even if she did, was it Eira’s place to tell her? And even if it was her place…it shouldn’t have come out like that.
“Lavette, I—” Eira didn’t get a chance to finish. The hatch above them opened, revealing Pine. A terrifying smile crept across his lips.
“Good, the lot of you are already awake. Adela is wanting to see you.”
