Chapter 13 Kerym
Kerym
He’d never admit it, but the speed they were going?
Bile tickled the back of Kerym’s throat as he stared at the water swirling around the ship like a glittering barrel spinning too fast even for his sharp eyes to follow.
The only thing he could make out every now and then was Ydren, a sweep of purple breaking through the blue whenever she turned her head to ensure she was still beside the ship.
Lessia had argued with Merrick for a good few minutes before they left, unwilling to let Ydren travel alone, but when everyone had sided with Merrick, including the water wielder, who couldn’t ensure Lessia wouldn’t be swept away with the strong currents, she’d finally backed down.
Kerym guessed she was happy for it now, because both she and Merrick looked about as good as he felt, a hint of green touching their cheeks as they stood in the bow.
The water wielder standing to their left directed the waves, and Kalia, the half-Fae empath—who apparently wanted to try to talk to any half-Fae left in Vastala—and the old half-witch stood on their other side.
Merrick had refused to let him out of his sight until he’d learned everything the man knew.
The Death Whisperer apparently believed that the man might have some witchy tricks up his sleeve.
Shaking his head, Kerym searched the deck for the other witches, the ones he didn’t like being too far away from, and when he caught Pellie’s gaze and she immediately got up to make her way over, her sister remaining seated by the wall, a flicker of warmth awoke in his chest.
“I know you approve of her,” Kerym mumbled to himself, somehow certain Thissian could hear him. “But I do wish you’d be there when we get married. I… I can’t imagine doing it without you.”
“What are you whispering about?” Pellie tilted her head so her copper braid fell over her shoulder, and Kerym couldn’t help but pick it up, admiring how the water was reflected in the shiny strands.
“I’m just planning our wedding,” Kerym responded as he lifted his eyes to hers.
Pellie’s mouth fell open, and he grinned as he playfully dragged his thumb over her bottom lip until she shivered.
“You’re so beautiful when you’re surprised,” Kerym continued. When she stepped closer, the warmth within him expanded until it replaced the sorrow he’d felt a moment ago, thinking about Thissian. “Makes me want to amaze you all the time.”
Pellie pursed her lips, but her green eyes betrayed her, happiness and excitement darkening them until the color reminded him of leaves at the end of summer, rich and fulfilled and beautiful where they hung off warm branches.
Lacing his fingers with hers, he tugged on her hand until she stood between his legs, her other hand landing on his chest.
“It’s not easy to surprise me, you know.
” Pellie’s eyes wandered over his face in a way that made him wonder if she wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her.
“While our magic doesn’t work here, we have…
very good intuition, I guess you can call it.
I usually know what someone is thinking or feeling before they do. ”
Kerym nodded for her to continue, moving his hand to play with her hair again as he listened to her beautiful voice. While he was interested in how their magic and gifts worked, the way her voice sounded was just so soothing—like a healing ointment prepared for only his soul.
“It makes it difficult for people to lie to us,” Pellie said, her eyes falling to where his fingers first touched her collarbone, then moved to caress the delicate skin on her throat.
“It’s… it’s why I am drawn to you, I think.
You’re not like most others. You just… let yourself feel—completely unashamed—so I don’t have time to read you. ”
“Can I kiss you?” The question came out lower than he’d intended, but he was happy for it, since it didn’t appear as if anyone other than Pellie heard him this time.
Pellie laughed, and the thrilling sound of it made a low chuckle rumble in his own chest. “Like that… Do you always say everything that pops into your mind that second?”
Kerym pretended to think about it, moving both his hands to her cheeks, holding in a groan when she pressed herself against him in a way that awoke everything in his body, especially his cock, which she…
fuck, she was rubbing herself against it, moving deliberately until his growing hardness settled between her clothed legs.
“I do,” Kerym rasped. “But I have also wanted to kiss you ever since you rescued me from that cellar. I have a thing for—”
Pellie’s hand dragged down his stomach until it clenched, and he didn’t ask again as he leaned down and captured her lips with his.
He didn’t care that the others must hear the low moan escaping him, because damn, this little witch was skilled with her mouth.
Pellie opened for him immediately, and her tongue played with his before she nipped at his lip, making him spin them both around so she was pressed against the railing while he angled her head to kiss her deeper, moving her body so he could feel every inch lining up with his own.
She was so fucking soft, and she tasted… he couldn’t even explain it as he devoured her lips, groaning when she perfectly matched his movements.
Her arms came around him, and while there wasn’t a lick of shyness within him, when one of her hands slipped beneath his tunic and she scraped her nails over his skin, he pulled back.
A laugh fell from his lips when she actually pouted.
Pressing another kiss to her red mouth, he mumbled, “I’d fuck you right here if that’s what you want, but somehow I don’t think you’d want your sister or any of the others as witnesses.”
Her scent—that sweet, fucking intoxicating arousal—built around them, and Kerym’s eyes widened. “Is… that what you want?”
Fuck, he was down. It would be nice to show Merrick what it was like watching him drool all over Lessia all day, every day.
But as he bent down to kiss her again, she laughed. “No, you’re right. I… I just have always wanted to do it outside…”
Kerym couldn’t stop himself from pressing his lips to her neck. “We’ll make that happen. Vastala is beautiful this time of year. It’s not too warm, and if we can sneak away from the capital, I can show you some of my favorite places.”
“Are you done? We’re soon there, and we should be ready,” Merrick grumbled.
Kerym took his time looking up from all of Pellie’s soft skin, but when Merrick muttered again, he finally gave her a peck and straightened, although he didn’t bother too much adjusting his trousers, especially as she continued to press herself against his side when he slung an arm over her shoulder.
Kerym prepared to throw Merrick a comment as they reached the group at the same time Soria joined them, but to his surprise, Merrick actually grinned at him, slapping him on the back, before he turned to the water wielder. “How long?”
As the male responded “a few minutes,” Kerym’s frown deepened.
Merrick hadn’t just smiled… his question, albeit short, had been filled with happiness.
“He’s happy for you,” Pellie breathed into his ear. “After feeling what he feels for Lessia… he wants everyone to experience it.”
It became difficult to swallow, especially as Merrick looked up, clearly having heard the question, and nodded as he pulled Lessia to his own side from where she’d leaned over the railing to wave to Ydren.
“I’m glad you’re not wasting any time,” he mumbled when Lessia smiled up at him. “I wish I hadn’t.”
Kerym wanted to say that Merrick hadn’t either. He’d just waited until she was ready. Until he was free to love her like Lessia deserved.
But the half-witch half-Fae spoke before he could. “He’s right, you know. My people are strong, and from what I saw back there… we’ll have Havlands significantly outnumbered. Better declare your love now.”
The growl in Kerym’s chest was accompanied by the one in Merrick’s, and his silver-haired friend nearly lunged for the man before Lessia placed a hand on his arm.
If Kerym wasn’t so used to it by now, he would have been fascinated by how quickly Merrick settled down.
If this had happened when they were growing up…
“You better watch yourself,” Kerym warned as the male continued to stare at the two of them, holding some type of silent battle of the eyes. “Merrick likes to rip people’s hearts out. Literally.”
The man’s eyes moved to Kerym’s, and for a second he seemed as bored as he had been the entire trip, but then his brown eyes narrowed and he used a hand to sweep some of his white-peppered hair out of his face as he leaned forward.
“Do I know you?” he asked.
“No,” Kerym spat. “I’ve never seen you in my centuries alive.”
But the man only leaned in farther, surveying every inch of his face until Kerym nearly asked Merrick to go right ahead. The Fae warrior threw a look at Pellie, who was observing the man, then to her sister, who watched him equally intently, his unease mounting.
“You think you know him?” Pellie asked, making the man’s gaze fly to hers.
“Yes, guardian.” His voice took a more awe-filled tone. “He looks very much like someone I heard of once…”
“Someone important to your people?” Soria added. “Who was he?”
“She,” the man mumbled, his eyes snapping back to Kerym. “She was a queen from another realm. One who fell in love with our king and moved to Jordeina—our realm—to lead our people. She was very loved until…”
The air flickered with sorrow for a moment, and Kerym shut down his magic when it pressed for the strong emotions, always wanting to get closer to any heightened senses.
He carried enough of his own sadness.
“What happened to her?” Lessia asked, something passing between her and the witch sisters as they waited for the man to respond.
Something that made Merrick step closer to her, keeping himself between Lessia and the man.
Something that made Kalia, who’d stood almost frozen, quietly observing, also shuffle to get behind Lessia.
“The Oakgards—our royals—angered the gods somehow. No one really remembers what they did, but… they were cursed.” The man’s lips twitched as he watched Merrick step closer yet to Lessia.
Even though Kerym could feel the ship slowing, it felt as if the world began moving faster when the half-witch spoke again.
“Our people killed them. Or… everyone in the Oakgards family but one who still eludes us. That’s why we’re here.
They were cursed to kill our lands unless we got rid of them, and their daughter—the princess—still hasn’t been found. We didn’t have a choice but to flee.”
The man shot another look at Kerym, his gray brows pulling.
“From what I’ve seen in paintings, the queen looked so much like you—the hair and the eyes—but I also heard that everyone found her strange when she first arrived.
Apparently, she was completely fine with wearing every emotion on her sleeve.
Was a bit wild until the king tamed her.
” His eyes drew to Pellie again. “No wonder you want to be with him, he’s delicious.
But… you should remember. I am what comes of witches and Fae’s union.
My mother, who is a witch, will by far outlive me, and I don’t think her heart has ever recovered from knowing that. ”
Pellie’s hand dropped from Kerym’s back as if she’d burned herself, and Kerym nearly went for the man himself as she fucking stepped away.
But just as he started to follow her, the ship sailed into stark sunlight, and it wasn’t the man’s words that had Kerym throw himself at Pellie, catching her sister on the way and pulling them down onto the deck, himself on top.
It was the arrows raining through the air.