Chapter 48
Adozen footsteps pound in the distance, followed by shouts. Smoke thickens the wide hallway, and I take off toward the direction of the painting.
My crew follows close behind, and the air ripples—distorting around me. Shadows gather at my feet, wrap around my ankles, and blanket me in darkness. I glance over my shoulder, where Astrid gives me a tight smile as she conceals our entire group.
I dip my chin and carry on down the corridor, past the bends in the hallway. The painting looms at the end, and although its eyes are missing, it’s as if it watches my every move. Slowing to a stop, I wait for the other to catch up and dig my fingers under the lip of the frame.
“It will be dark once we’re in there. Leigh, can you—”
“Of course, captain.”
The painting swings open, and Leigh gives me a bright smile, standing over her twin’s shoulder. I lift my leg and step into the hidden corridor, pressing myself into the narrow space as my crew files in. My chest expands, and as I meet the gaze of each woman, the power inside me swells.
It’s been a decade since we’ve all been together like this, but it’s as if no time has come between us.
Thea steps in last, and I reach through the opening, pulling the painting shut. The light from the corridor disappears, but a a small glow flares to life in Astrid’s upturned palm—enough to light our path.
“We’re going to a cove in the northern edge of Ignata. There will be a ship waiting there.”
“How do you know?” Elayne signs.
“Kressa. And before anyone questions her motives, she’s also the one who freed me from being a prisoner of Callum’s and showed me this escape path. I have no reason not to trust her.”
They shift on their feet, but Celia gives me a curt nod. “We trust you.”
A vise wraps around my heart and squeezes. But there’s no time to waste. With every passing moment, Golan could send more guards to surround Ignata.
“I promised I would get you out,” I whisper. “And what captain am I if I don’t keep my word?”
“A captain and queen we will follow the rest of our days,” Inez says.
I study her face—the one that has seen more days behind bars than the open sea. She knows more horrors than any young woman should. And I have the privilege of leading her.
“I’m no queen, and certainly no captain, without you all.”
I’ve dreamt of this moment for over a decade. And as they stare at me—mist in their eyes—it far exceeds what I had imagined.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turn on my heel and take off toward the hatch. Leigh’s power lights the way, and my crew follows on silent feet.
A damp cold nips at my exposed skin as we weave under the streets of Ignata. I search for Kressa’s presence across the bond, but she’s either too far away, or she’s closed me out of her mind. The space behind my sternum clenches, but I brush away the uneasiness as the path starts its ascent.
The hatch comes into view, and I slow, giving the others a chance to catch up. I brace myself against the side wall and lift it a sliver. Peering through the gap, I scan the deserted alleyway. Either Golan hasn’t sent guards this way, or Kressa has managed to spread word to Julian about our escape.
I press my weight into the hatch and ease it open.
A breeze ripples through the dense trees on the other side of the alley, and a smile pulls at my lips.
Once we’re in the cover of the forest, we’re safe until we reach the ship.
I tilt my head to the sky, tracing the constellations that point north.
The stars won’t be visible once we’re in the trees, but as long as we head in that direction, we’ll find the cove.
Bracing my hands on the opening, I heave myself out. I crouch on my knees and drop a hand into the opening, reaching for Collin. She grabs hold and climbs out, while Thea works on transporting the others into the alleyway.
Celia leads them into the cover of the trees, and I hold my hand out to Katrina. She grabs tight—gauze still wrapped around the empty space where her finger used to be—and climbs out.
She squeezes my shoulder, then follows the others into the shadows. I watch, waiting until each of them are safely shrouded by a thick layer of trees. I stand and close the hatch, letting it fall into place. The metal taps against the stone, echoing softly against the backs of the buildings.
Straightening, I take a final look at the sky. The next time I see it, I’ll be aboard a ship heading to Delterran.
An arm wraps around my throat, and the tip of a blade pierces my skin.
“Don’t make a single sound,” a voice hisses into my ear.
I open my mouth, but the blade presses farther into my skin, and the guard slams a pair of metal cuffs around my wrists.
The tree limbs wave ahead, but my crew doesn’t appear. My heart clenches. They have no idea what’s happening—no idea that I’m powerless.
Unless there are others in the trees, capturing them.
Hot blood drips down my neck, and my eyes widen as the guard drags me away from the alley and into the street.
“So, the Sea Queen wields fire, does she?” he says, his voice low.
My throat closes up, and I thrash my legs, but it’s no use. He jerks me around the side of a building.
“Briar?” a voice calls from the distance.
Thea.
I stiffen, and my heart skips a beat. The guard tightens his hold on my throat, cutting off the oxygen to my lungs. I can’t scream or call for help. I take in tiny sips of air through my nose, but it’s not enough. My head grows light, black clouding my vision, and—
A screech fills the air.
The guard stiffens, and a pair of jet black wings crest over the rooftop ahead.
Isolde’s falcon.
It snaps its beak as it soars toward us, shifting its talons forward.
The blade drops from my throat. I lurch forward as the creature digs its talons into the guard’s face, dragging the serrated edges across his throat.
The guard screams, and the bird beats its wings against the air, driving its beak into the man until thick streams of blood pour from his eyes and throat.
Within seconds, he goes silent and crumples to the ground.
His chest stops moving.
The falcon lands beside him and digs its beak into the guard’s belt line, pulling out a keyring. It tosses it at the ground by my feet, then studies me with knowing, yellow eyes.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
Footsteps come from around the corner, and the falcon bursts into the air, flying away. Thea appears, and she skids to a stop, eyeing the fallen guard.
“What happened?” she breathes.
I shake my head and nod toward the keyring. “I fought him off. Now help me get out of these cuffs.”
She scoops up the keys and unlocks the cuffs. They clatter to the ground, and the swell of my power returns as we run back to the forest.
I glance over my shoulder, but there’s no bird in the sky, nor is Isolde astride a battle falcon. Something in my chest swells as I dive into the tree line and the world darkens. Somewhere out there—after everything, Isolde is watching out for me.
“What the hell took so long?” Celia says as we join the others.
“A guard caught me, but I took care of it,” I say.
Thea raises her brow, but I brush off her questioning and turn to the others.
“Let’s go.”
Twigs snap beneath my feet as I weave through the forest, dragging my fingertips over the rough bark. My crew follows behind, and a dampness settles over the air, twisting through the needles of the pine trees. Leigh steps up beside me and unfurls her palm, producing a ball of light.
“Thank you,” I say, slowing my footsteps. I pinch the pendant of Kressa’s necklace between my fingers and scan the area. There’s no footpath to follow, or signs indicating the way to the cove. A lump forms in my throat, and my pulse rockets in my ears. If we’ve gone the wrong way—
There.
I lunge forward and dip under a low lying branch. Etched into the tree trunk is the image of a mountain range with a series of symbols above its peak.
“What is it?” Thea says, joining my side.
“Good luck.” I smile at her and lift the pendant, showing her the matching symbol.
Her eyes widen. “It shows us the way.”
I nod, backing away from the tree and scanning the others. “Now we just have to find the rest.” I glance over my shoulder at Leigh. “Can you make it a little brighter?”
She nods, and the light grows, casting shadows amongst the trees.
I scan the trunks, and my heart leaps as I find another marking. “This way.”
Hope builds in my chest as we find marker after marker, weaving through the forest with Leigh’s power lighting the way. The path trails up, and my muscles burn as we climb the steep incline.
We come to the crest of a low mountain, and my knees nearly give out from under me.
Down below, the base of the hillside curls around a narrow, rocky beach. Waves lap at the shore, and the seawater returns to my veins, drawing fresh air into my lungs. But that isn’t what brings tears to my eyes.
It’s the ship bobbing in the distance, tethered to a dock jutting out from the shore.
A sea breeze combs through my hair as Thea joins my side.
She wraps an arm around me, her voice thick as she says, “You did it, captain.”
I lean into her and shake my head. “No, we did.”
“What’re we waiting for?” Ivy says, the white sails reflecting in her eyes. She beams at the others. “Dibs on the bow.”
I let out a tear-strained laugh as she throws herself down the incline. The others follow—tumbling and racing for the beach. Thea stands at my side, and I rest my head on her shoulder, inhaling a deep breath.
“Think we can find it without the compass?” I whisper.
She hums. “It’s home. We’ll find it.”
The others reach the beach and sprint down the dock, shoving each other out of the way. My heart expands, and I can’t help the tears that billow to the surface. They’ve waited years for this.
“We should get going,” I say, starting the descent. “Before Golan thinks to check here.”
Thea follows close behind as we navigate the hillside. Dense, low lying grasses tangle with the hem of my pants, and my feet sink into the damp earth. As I reach the bottom, rocky sand sneaks into the ankle of my boots.
My footsteps hit the wooden planks of the dock with a thud, and Thea weaves around me as my crew hugs each other on the deck. I should be celebrating up there with them, but a slick wave of nausea crashes over me.
I slow to a stop.
The tether wrapped around my sternum pulls tight, and I lift my hand, pinching Kressa’s necklace between my fingers.
I can’t leave her—can’t let her sacrifice her life in the name of breaking our bond.
A lifetime without Kressa isn’t one worth having.
Thea makes it to the gangplank, and Celia pulls her up onto the ship. They share a kiss, wrapping each other in their arms. A heartbeat later, the others join them—smiling and laughing and crying tears of joy they’ve been waiting a decade to shed.
They don’t need me to get to Delterran. In fact, they might fare better without me and my unstable fire power. Without me, they stand a better chance.
But Kressa? She needs me.
Dropping my hands to my sides, I close the distance to the ship and lift the gangplank, shoving it onto the deck. Thea furrows her brow, but before she can ask what’s going on, I pull my blade from my waist. In one fell swoop, I slide it across the ropes docking the ship, and they snap free.
She runs to the railing and leans over the edge, but I dig into my power and shove the ship away from the dock. The current twists, urging it out farther—too fast for anyone to try and swim back.
“What are you doing?” she screams.
I pocket the blade. “I have something I need to do.”
She digs her fingernails into the wood, as if she’s trying to transport to me. But she’s used all her energy to get everyone out of the cathedral, then the hatch.
She has nothing left.
Tears stream down her cheeks, and she shakes her head. “Don’t do this to me.”
My chest cracks, but I set my face into stone and lift my hands, bending the current to my will. It pulls the ship out of the cove, and the moment it rounds the bend and goes out of sight, I drop my hands and let out a guttural sob.
Thea has been the one person I’ve relied on for years. And I just pushed her away.
I force a deep breath and and wipe the tears from my cheeks. There’s only one way I can make it up to her.
Turning away from the ocean, I stride toward the beach.
And hope the Sopor will be willing to take me to Amoren.