Bride of Ashes (Kingdom of Shadow and Ruin #1)

3. Reyla

3

REYLA

I sputtered. “I’ll never marry you,” I bellowed, startling the crew working efficiently nearby. Not a single one turned our way to watch the show, however, telling me whoever ran this ship was in complete control.

When the nyxin squirmed, I placed him on the deck beside me.

“You’ll marry the king ,” the man rasped. “I refer to your proxy marriage, Wildfire, which you will complete with me. I suggest you hold back your flames at least until the wedding night.”

“I told you my name isn’t wildfire.”

His smirk deepened.

“Why do you insist on calling me that?”

“Your hair.” He tugged on a long strand that had come out of the careful arrangement I’d made back at the manor house .

“Yeah, red. Fire.” I turned his sarcasm back at him. “How original.”

“And because you’re unrestrained.”

“Only in certain company.”

His bark of a laugh rang out, low and deep. The sound tickled across my skin, and I didn’t like it one bit. “I imagine you’re right.”

“Always,” I said primly. Truly, this man flung my emotions in too many directions, like I’d exploded and shards of me were spearing themselves all the way to the stars.

“I already suspected you were conceited. Thanks for the confirmation.”

“Is that so?” I lifted my chin and fingered the hilt of my blade strapped to my side. I was good with my sword, but I was lethal with knives.

“I suspect you’re a pretty little high lady who’s used to being pampered.”

“You don’t know me at all.” Because he’d stepped closer, I backed toward the railing until I hit it. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t pull the blade, gouge it into his belly, and be done with this conversation for the night.

He finally stopped, the front of his tunic rubbing across mine, his sneer raining down at me. “You may have had some training with that poker you call a sword, but I suspect you’re fluff on the inside where it truly matters. You wouldn’t have a clue how to handle more than a teasing attack from one of your high lord dandies.”

I was so tempted to prove he was wrong, but I hadn’t completely lost my wits. “You’re right,” I said in a high-pitched, bubbly voice. “You named me true.”

Something flickered in his dark eyes. Disappointment? No, I was reading him wrong. Satisfaction that he was proven right.

Ha. Just you wait.

I pushed the tip of my—so far—unlit finger against his chest. “Back off, asshole.”

“That mouth of yours should be doing something other than swearing.”

“It will be, but not for you.” Two could play this game. “You’re the proxy?”

“Did you expect anyone else?”

“I guess not.”

“Dress in a lovely gown for the wedding if you wish. Or not.” His gaze raked down my body. “It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever you do, do not wear anything like this,” his fingertip flicked the sleeve of my leather tunic, “in my presence again.”

Pivoting, he strode toward the wooden, cabin-like structure spiking down between the two center masts.

“You don’t have any say in my clothing,” I snarled after him.

With a twitch of his spine, he opened the door and stepped inside, closing it firmly behind him.

“Elemental aegis means he can take anything around us and turn it into something new,” the sailor, Brax, said in a cheery voice from a short distance away.

“Like what?”

“Oh, you know. Sand can be turned to glass. Water, a wave.” He gestured to the sea, and his eyes strayed to the nyxin quivering on the decking beside me. “Is that thing really your pet? ”

“He is now.”

“Make sure he’s not diseased. That he’s not carrying fleas. Keep him off your bed at night and watch him. Those things are wily. Unpredictable. I can’t imagine why anyone would keep one as a pet.”

“I’m keeping him because he’s like me.”

Brax shook his head. “If you say so.”

“What’s that other guy’s name?”

He scratched the back of his neck and wiggled his spine. “Lord Lorant.”

“Lore?” If he was going to use a nickname with me, I’d do the same with him if only to irk him.

“I wouldn’t be calling him that, my lady,” Brax said. “Though I suppose it’s up to you.”

“Why not?”

“No one plays with that man, and I mean no one. Take him seriously, and you’ll hold onto your head. I’ve heard of the Beast.” His hands shook. “Can’t imagine a tiny little lady being a sister to one such as he.”

It wasn’t in my interest to spoil my brother’s image.

“But if you’re wise,” Brax said. “You’ll avoid Lord Lorant for our journey and beyond. In Evergorne, they call him the Viper.”

“Why?”

He scooted closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. “He’s not only the king’s bodyguard but some say he’s also an assassin.”

A shudder rippled through me. “I’m not afraid of snakes. ”

“You need to watch out for this one. You won’t feel his bite until it’s struck true.”

Around us, other sailors tugged on ropes, yanking up enormous sails that fluttered in the light wind coming off the sea that didn’t do much to drive us out of the harbor.

Brax fidgeted. I should let him go, but I only had a few more questions.

“Other than maybe an assassin, what’s his role in the kingdom, or does he remain on the ship?” I asked.

“Oh, you’ll see him about at the castle. As I said, he’s the king’s bodyguard.”

“It’s hard to guard someone who’s not present.”

“While I agree, you don’t want to ask him if he’s handling anything else.” He shuffled his feet and tugged on his shoulder-length blond hair. “I need to be working. Gotta help release the windrams or we’ll never get underway.”

This was my first time on a ship, and I had no idea what anything was called or how a ship traveled.

“What’s a windram?” I asked.

The nyxin had stopped trembling, and his ears cocked back and forth as he took in everything with as much curiosity as me. Was I foolish to claim him? Nah, I couldn’t do anything else. Like me, he needed a friend.

“Watch, and you’ll see.” With that, Brax spun away and raced to the back of the ship, joining other men using magic to lift big hatches across the entire back. As the hatches clattered on the deck, the men reeled backward, their arms lifting.

Round, bulbous creatures as blue as the ocean and the size of a large couch oozed up from the holes, plopping onto the decking. Water coursed off their bodies, following the slope of the deck to carry it back to the sea. Clawed feet popped out of the bottom of their bellies, and they lurched up onto them. I didn’t spy arms, and I wasn’t sure they had faces except for two dark blue specks on the top and a long seam nearly splitting them in half below.

“Windrams?” I whispered.

The nyxin flashed a look up at me before focusing his gaze on the creatures.

The windrams lumbered to the rail and sprung up onto it, shifting around to face this way. Their claws grappled with the wood, clutching hard enough to bring out creaks.

We’d reached the edge of the harbor. Once the sails caught wind, we’d coast past Tempest’s court located on the Isle of Lydel, then stretch forward into open sea. I’d heard it could take almost a week to reach the shore of the continent beyond, though no one I’d met had traveled that far.

Fae couldn’t flit there. Something about our magic being different from that of those living in the land I’d only recently learned existed. This could create a problem. While I was far from proficient with my magic—outside my dubious flaming lightning—I’d be vulnerable if I couldn’t draw up power and learn to use it in other ways. I doubted Lore would be watching out for me, not if he had duties he must carry out for King Merrick.

I’d figure this out. I had to figure it out. There was no way I was going to rely solely on the blades strapped to my sides and finger lightning. Not against wicked fae who could wield equally wicked power .

Another fish flopped onto the deck. It scrambled across the wood, its jaws snapping as it chased after a sailor. With a cackle, the lean fae man leaped over the fish, landing squarely behind it. He hefted it by its tail and swung it toward the closest windram, who snatched it from the air and gobbled it down in one bite.

The other fish must’ve caught on to the realization that they were about to become fodder, because no others joined the first on the deck.

Still chuckling, the sailor got back to work.

The windrams’ seams split wide, opening to gaping maws, and they sucked in air, their bodies expanding to nearly twice their size. Their sides plunged inward. Air whooshed out, generating enough to knock me back a few steps and make the nyxin whimper.

Grinning, I spun, watching as the sails scooped up the blast and used it. The ship picked up speed, skimming along the water, turning right to loop around Lydel and reach the open sea.

The door in the cabin opened, and I girded myself for Lore. I’d mock his sneer. Tell him he had no power over me.

Or ignore him.

Instead, a man wearing a dark red tunic with a silver braid along the shoulders and, unbelievably enough, ruffles at the ends of his sleeves and collar strode past working sailors and over to me. He tugged on the hem of his tunic before dipping his head down in a deep bow, making his thick, shoulder-length light brown hair flop across his ruddy face.

“My lady?” he said. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lord Briscalar. Allow me to also state that it’s truly a delight to meet you. I was sent by the king himself to attend to your needs.”

“I see.” Why not a woman? There was no way I was going to ask Lord Briscalar to do much more than fetch food or draw me a bath.

He peered around me. “Where’s your entourage?”

“I don’t need one.”

A frown flitted across his face before he smoothed it. “Very well. Your bags, then? I’ll be delighted to take care of your belongings.”

“I handle my belongings.” The last thing I needed was a stranger pawing through my stuff.

“I see.” Disapproval warred with distress on his face before he tightened it once more. “Will you permit me to carry your bags for you then?”

“I can take care of those, too.”

“You will be queen.” His lips pressed tightly together. “Queens do not carry their own luggage.”

“This one does.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Please, my lady. This is my job.”

I didn’t need to win all the battles, now did I? “Very well.”

His sigh leaked from his lungs. After lifting my only pack with pinched fingers, he held it out and gave it a pert nod. When he released it, it hovered at his side.

More magic I wanted to learn. “How did you do that? What’s the spell?”

His brow twisted inward. “Spell?”

“Yes, you must’ve cast a spell to keep my bag in the air. Could you share it with me?” I lifted the still placid nyxin, who watched everything with his pointy ears flickering back and forth and his nose twitching, and tossed the lord a bright smile. “My magic is . . .”

How could I politely state this? From the moment I was born, my life had been in danger. I’d grown up an orphan in a border fortress where it was common for us to ride dragons into battle in the defense of local villagers. Each day could be my last. Leaving the fortress for faerie after Kinart was killed, I’d been tossed into an even more tenuous situation with a king determined to drain whatever power I had and leave nothing behind but a mindless shell. I hadn’t known I could summon magic until a few months ago.

Lord Briscalar’s bushy eyebrows lifted. “Your magic is . . .”

“Tricky.”

“Tricky?”

“Yes. I can cast spells, naturally.” I tried to gush, but I was a dragon rider and trainer, not a true lady despite my parentage saying otherwise. I hadn’t been raised to step into the role of queen.

Keep your weaknesses buried—wise words from my brother. Ensure each move and statement you make is calculated to maintain control of not only yourself but everyone around you.

My brother had survived a living nightmare and come out of it stronger. I couldn’t do anything less.

“I’m curious about how you perform magic,” I said. “I’ve heard it works differently in Evergorne.”

“I see.” His gaze skittered across my face I kept neutral .

“How did you make my bag float in the air?”

“In the usual way. I told it what I needed, and it complied.”

“You didn’t whisper a spell in your mind?” This was the only way those I knew performed magic.

“Why would anyone need to do something like that?”

“Oh, yes, you’re right.” I’d have to snoop further into this but with more discretion. “Naturally.”

His frown remained, but he gave me a pert nod. “If you’ll follow me, my lady, I’ll take you to your suite where you can refresh yourself and get ready.”

A suite on a boat? While I didn’t know much about ships, I did know that space was tight. I’d assumed I’d sleep inside a room barely big enough for a single bed.

At least until I married the king, when I guessed I’d sleep with him.

I struggled not to sigh. I’d agreed to be his willing bride, and my assumption was that my willingness would extend to the bedroom. But if the Evergorne king thought I was going to do more than lay there while he humped away above me, he’d be in for a surprise. I wouldn’t refuse him, but there was no way I was going to enjoy it.

The windrams continued to puff and blow air at the sails, and the ship skimmed along, taking us closer to my future. Gusts swirled around me, making my hair mesh across my face and the nyxin’s fur ruffle. My leather tunic repelled most of his wetness, but it would be nice to remove my leathers and dress in something simpler. A tunic and pants? That might fit in on a ship .

“Why can’t I wait to marry the king when he arrives?” I asked. “Why does it have to be now?” And with Lore?

“King Merrick was quite specific. You’ll marry his proxy the moment we’re clear of the harbor. The captain can only marry you once we’re at sea. On shore or in the harbor, an elder would be needed for such a task.”

It still didn’t make sense, but it wasn’t worth arguing about.

“Any other questions, my lady?” he asked.

I dismissed the thought and followed him to the same door Lore had disappeared through. Would I run into him inside? I girded myself. I’d behaved like a fool, challenging him, almost flirting with him. He wasn’t the king, and falling for the king’s bodyguard might result in me losing my head. Or being locked in a tower. Whatever fae kings did if their “willing” brides strayed.

I couldn’t believe I felt anything for a man I’d only just met. I didn’t like him, but I couldn’t seem to ignore him either. He’d disrupted me in a way no one else ever had.

Kinart had held my heart in his loving hands, and I didn’t need anyone else.