Chapter 17
“I hate this plan,” Marina said, looking entirely like a pirate as she leaned against the main mast with crossed arms and a frown stamped across her brow. I was having a great deal of trouble deciding if I liked her better in flowing gowns or in tight leather. The leather was currently winning.
We had landed in Nordhavn less than an hour ago, the fog so dense it was like soup as we docked in the early hours.
The port was quiet, the hour still too early for many fishermen or traders to be out, and the fog would give us enough cover to hide our arrival for at least a few hours.
“Your complaint is d, Urchin,” I drawled, trying to see the map of Nordhavn we had spread out on the deck. Zephyr and I were crouched over it, but the fog made it nearly impossible to see. “Do you think you could lift some of this murk?”
Since sharing my theory with her, we’d practiced incorporating wind into our drills. Her control was already strong and rapidly progressing as if realizing she had the power was enough to awaken it within her. She'd successfully blocked every one of my attacks the day before with shields of wind, and I’d caught her practicing manipulating the air in our non-training hours, whipping up small gusts of wind and little patches of fog all over the ship.
Marina waved a hand, and the fog parted in a perfect circle around us.
“Show-off.” She grinned in triumph, and I felt my heart swell with pride. She was a fast learner, willingly accepting feedback and pushing herself until she perfected each move and piece of magic.
Skies, I loved her so much. Especially in leather trousers.
“Stop undressing your mate with your eyes and focus,” Zephyr snapped, drawing my attention back to the map as I tried to shake the image of Marina’s perfect backside from my mind. “Skies, I miss Astraios. You two need constant chaperoning.”
Marina laughed and moved to crouch next to me, the scent of the sea enveloping me as she settled her body next to mine. It took a great deal of willpower to keep my eyes on the map and hands to myself.
“We’ve narrowed it down to this tavern,” Zephyr said, scowling at us both and pointing to a section of the map in a part of the town we’d been scouting for the last two nights. Both Zephyr and I had gone into town to ask pointed questions, and a little gold in the right pocket did a lot to loosen tongues. “A male siren going by the name Ilya Stormcrow does business here every week on this specific night. It’s your best chance of finding him.”
“And why does this person want to kill me, exactly?” Marina asked, looking at me with a raised brow. “Just for revenge?”
“Not kill you,” I replied darkly, feeling a surge of protectiveness for her that made it difficult not to lock her in our bedroom where she would be safe. “Take you. And I don’t care about his motives. He can’t hurt you if he’s dead.”
Marina reached for my hand and squeezed it gently.
“I’ll give you a moment,” Zephyr said, standing and cracking her back with a groan. “Five minutes, Cas.”
I nodded at my first mate as she turned and began barking orders at the crew.
“Urchin,” I murmured, covering her hands—which were anxiously fussing with the buckle of my pauldrons—with my own. “It will all be fine.”
“If you don’t get yourself killed,” she grumbled, checking that the sea dragon scale was still firmly in place on my shoulder. I had no idea when I would need it, but I didn’t doubt that I would. “I hate this plan.”
“I know,” I repeated, cupping her face and holding her gaze. I could feel her fury at being left on the ship with Zephyr as I went ashore, but I’d rather risk her wrath than risk the Stormcrow getting his hands on her. “And I won’t.”
“Are you a seer now too?” she snapped, anxiety making her short-tempered. “You can see the future?”
“I can,” I replied confidently, pulling her close and murmuring into her ear. “In the very near future, you and I are naked as I make you scream my name.”
She poked me in the ribs, but she couldn’t hide the flash of desire that my suggestion sent sweeping through her.
“Prickly urchin,” I teased, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll be back by noon.”
“Insufferable seagull,” she sighed. “You’d better be, or I’ll be coming after you.”
I didn’t doubt it, based on the fierceness in her voice. I had a strong feeling Marina could bring down the wrath of both sea and sky on our enemies if something happened to me. I couldn’t say it didn’t thrill me a little.
Zephyr coughed to alert us of her presence, and we broke apart. “It’s time, Cas.”
“Noon,” I reminded Marina as I kissed her cheek. “Then name-screaming.”
Her gaze darkened as I stepped away from her. “I’ll hold you to it.”
Nordhavn was quiet as I flew over the still-sleeping streets, watching carefully for the landmarks Zephyr had pointed out on the map.
The tavern Zephyr had pinpointed was, unsurprisingly, in the seediest part of town. It had been her who discovered this place, and the back entrance that led to the room Ilya rented for his ‘business.’ He’d likely be gone by sunrise, so I didn’t have a lot of time to act.
Marina had suggested an all out attack on the place, taking out Ilya’s operation and drowning him and his cronies on dry land.
Ruthless little Urchin.
But I knew stealth was my best chance to kill Ilya without anyone intervening.
There were two males standing guard outside the back door, and I thanked my lucky stars that they weren’t sirens. One was a dwarf with bushy red hair and a warhammer strapped to his back. The other was a demon, if his horns were any indication. Both appeared to be drinking, which would make my job easier.
I sang a single low note, a lullaby, willing them to sleep.
Both guards looked up to where I was perched, and one made a valiant effort of rising before both succumbed to my song. They slumped over their drinks, asleep for what I hoped was long enough to kill my enemy.
I dropped soundlessly to the ground, drew my sword, and blew in the door with a gust of wind. It crashed open, revealing a siren male with gray wings, one bent at an unnatural angle.
He was sitting at a small round table looking totally at ease, as if he’d expected my visit.
“Fledgling,” the Stormcrow grinned, his dagger before him on the table. His voice was the same aged, gravelly one I remembered so well from my childhood, although his face was older. “This is a pleasant surprise. When I heard that siren song, I hadn’t dared to imagine I’d be graced with royal company.”
I grimaced at my error. “Hello, Ilya. Not dead, I see. How very disappointing. I was really hoping it was someone else using your name.”
The Stormcrow laughed, gesturing to the empty seat across from him. “Sit. Have a drink with me.”
“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t kill you upon finding you here.”
“Bold of you to assume you could,” he retorted, filling the ale from a jug and taking a deep draw. “Turns out I’m difficult to kill.”
“How did you survive?” I asked, still gripping my sword I nodded to his mangled wing. “You didn’t fly out of the sea.”
The Stormcrow grinned again, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “Luck, mostly. And divine intervention. A merchant ship picked me up on my second day adrift. I said sit.” He gestured again to the open chair. “Or shall I shout for my other guards to join us? Surely you didn’t think I neglected the interior door.”
I sat, unwilling to risk that he was bluffing. “Lucky bastard, indeed. So you’ve been skulking in the shadows all this time?”
“Building an empire,” He took another long drink from his ale. “Since you stole my kingdom.”
“It wasn’t ever yours.”
“No, it was your father’s,” he agreed. “Or have you forgotten, fledgling?”
My jaw clenched so hard I thought my teeth might crack. “Tell me why you came for my mate.”
“Your mate, you say.” He swirled his ale, looking thoughtful. “And you didn't even invite me to the handfasting.”
“I don’t have time for your games,” I snapped, standing and pointing the blade at his throat before he could shout. “Goodbye, Ilya.”
He laughed. “Always too smart for your own good, Cas. I always liked that about you. But I can't tell you who hired me if I’m dead.”
“Hired you?” I stilled. If someone had hired him, there were only a few options. None of them were good. “Fine. Tell me, and I’ll consider not killing you.”
“I’m no idiot, boy,” the Stormcrow said, wagging his finger playfully at me. “I certainly won’t tell you when there’s every chance you’ll slit my throat after. I want payment upfront and a meeting on my terms.”
“Skies, you always were such a snake,” I snarled, trying to decide how much his information was really worth.
“And proud of it.” He grinned and drained his glass. “Decide now, or I’ll be calling my friends in.”
“What’s your price?”
“Your pretty mate,” he said, grinning in a way that had probably won him a lot of his contracts. “I want to meet her. You can leave a message here and choose the time and place, but it has to be public. Let me meet her, and I’ll tell you who paid me to kidnap her.”
“Or I can kill you and figure it out for myself.”
“You could try.” He shrugged. “But choose quickly. I’m growing tired of this conversation.”
“Why now?” I asked, still confused about one part of this. “Why take this job now when you’ve been in hiding for fifteen years? Why resurface at all?”
“Money’s good,” he replied. “And I need something to retire on.”
“You knew I’d come for you,” I pushed. “Why now?”
“My reasons are my own,” he replied. “Boys!”
His command startled me, and I stepped back as three burly males entered the room through the interior door. Another dwarf and two sirens, all armed to the teeth and glowering.
“Two of our friends fell asleep on the job,” the Stormcrow said, not turning to look at his thugs. “Slit their throats for their incompetence, then escort His Majesty out. In pieces, if necessary.”
“This isn’t over, Ilya,” I growled as the two sirens advanced, the dwarf remaining back to guard his boss.
“I certainly hope not, Cas,” he drawled, leaning back in his chair and resting his boots on the table. “I expect your answer by this evening.”
It took every ounce of my willpower to walk out of the room without attempting to slit Ilya’s throat.