Chapter 3 #4
I cling to one of the flat rocks and push Myah to follow, ensuring I get her on solid ground first. Her strong legs find a shallow patch as she begins to push herself onto the pebbly bank.
Myah immediately drops her head, taking a moment to rest, while I crawl up the rocks beside her, breathless.
I lie on my back with my hand still clenched to the lead rope, and my heart feels like it’s seconds from exploding.
Silas shifts next to us on the rocky shore, but I don’t move. My chest rises and falls rapidly, and my lungs burn like a blazing fire.
“Are you okay?” He scoops me into his arms.
“I’m…fine.” I cough, the taste of salt still in my mouth.
“You did it.” He kisses me. “You fucking did it.”
I relax in his arms. “I couldn’t let you lose them both.”
He smiles, presses my body harder against his chest, and glances at the horse. Water pours off her body, but she lifts her head, as if telling him she’s okay, too.
Exhaustion weighs heavily on me. “How are we going to get Myah on the ship?” I nudge him toward the horse.
“I think we can shift her safely with a few of us. I have a few men standing by in case we need them.” He scans our surroundings. “Top commanders from Andorwood.”
My eyes shoot up to meet his, and I cough. “Andorwood?”
My chest caves in as I still try to regain my breath.
“Yes,” he responds. “Whose ship do you think this is? I told you people aren’t very welcoming in Andorwood.” He hugs me tighter, refusing to let me go. “Someone surveying the storm spotted us coming toward the cliffs and sent a ship out. Lucky for us, my army just saved our lives.”
Silas isn’t wearing his old clothes. He leans over me, dressed in black armor darker than the night around us, showing off his perfectly muscled physique. The armor has ornate snakes on the chest. The Prince of Darkness is back in his familiar setting.
“The others are on this ship and the one in the distance—we got everyone off safely.”
He whistles into the night air, and a moment later, a few men shift to the rocky bank within seconds. Myah snorts at their abrupt arrival.
Three men stand before us, and their stature takes me aback.
They are massive and quite an intimidating group, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.
I find myself immediately wanting to know more about each of the men before me after reminding myself that I fought against men just as large in the trials.
Silas watches me, waiting for my reaction as he sets me down onto the bank from his arms.
“Briar, these are my top commanders in Andorwood. This is Larkin, who oversees our ocean fleet.”
Curiosity hits me from his name, and I narrow my gaze as I study his chiseled face—light colored hair, dark eyes, lean, and very tall. Larkin doesn’t meet my gaze, but instead keeps an eye on the raging ocean. Silas quickly moves on to the next man standing near Larkin.
“Hux Ackerley, who oversees all land operations.”
I glance at the Shadow Wielder. His large, bright blue eyes shine in the night, and a twinge of nerves twists in my stomach. I square my shoulders, not showing an ounce of weakness in their presence.
Silas continues, “And this is Warrick Pierce. He oversees Larkin and Hux and is my right-hand man.”
Warrick dips his head in respect.
Silas continues, “You can formally meet them later, and I promise they will each be a huge pain in your ass at some point.”
Warrick’s dark eyes find mine, and a kindness sits behind them that eases my growing anxiety almost instantly.
“Nice to meet you, Briar,” Warrick says. “We’ve all been impatiently waiting to meet you.”
They all bow in my direction in unison, and I cut my gaze toward Larkin once more, who yet again won’t meet my stare.
“They are going to get Myah on the ship safely,” Silas says, sternly. “Aren’t you?”
The men nod at Silas, keeping their gaze focused on the task at hand.
I cough again. “It’s nice to meet you all.” I glance behind me. “I’m sorry about your ship.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time Silas sank one of my ships,” Larkin mumbles under his breath.
Hux nudges his shoulder, and Silas shoots them both a warning look.
Warrick steps forward. He is the largest of the three, standing as tall as Silas and nearly as broad—though a few years older. His hair is as white as snow, and his eyes are almost as black as the churning sea surrounding us—a Lumor Wielder.
“Sir,” his strong voice echoes above the waves, “where is Xena?”
Silas’s expression turns harsh, giving Warrick the hint not to continue the conversation. “We will discuss that later.”
Silas turns toward me, still dripping wet and freezing.
“You.” Silas points at me, his gaze stern, and his tone holds a command that makes my skin crawl. “You are coming with me. We are going to get you dry, and there is someone else I’d like you to meet.”
“Oh, lucky Briar.” Warrick huffs a laugh and smiles. “You get to meet perhaps the biggest pain in all our asses.”
Silas chuckles. “You would know.”
The other men remain silent, and I watch them all closely, studying their interactions.
They are disciplined, but I can tell they are friends on and off the battlefield, having gone through many challenges together.
I narrow my gaze, examining each of them, and wonder what it’s been like to be here with Silas all this time.
Silas nods in the men’s direction, a silent order on the next steps from here, and grabs my hand.
We move through the air like mist before landing in a small, dim cabin on the other ship.
Tiny candles line the wooden walls, and the bed in the far corner is covered with onyx silk sheets.
There is a desk in the middle of the room covered with papers and maps.
It’s cozy and much nicer than the ship we just spent weeks on.
“I hope you know letting you do that on your own nearly killed me, but people’s lives were saved because we acted so quickly. You came with orders tonight in a crisis. You had a plan.” Silas steps back to look me in the eyes. “You acted like a queen tonight, Briar.”
My expression tightens. “I did what had to be done. I knew I could save her while you protected the others.”
He reaches for me again, placing his hand behind my neck and pulling me close. “You are going to make an incredible ruler, Briar.” His lips find mine, gentle and soft, and I return the kiss. As he pulls away, a shiver runs through my body. “Let’s get you dry and changed.”
My arms feel like stone as I lift them over my head. Silas removes my shirt, the soaking wet material sticking to my body. I drop my arms, too exhausted to help. He then moves to my pants, slowly pulling them down. They hit the floor with a wet thud, and a pool of water quickly dampens the rug.
Before standing, he plants soft kisses along my hips, traveling up slowly before towering over me once more.
My core tingles from his touch, but exhaustion overrides my senses.
I lean into his warm chest, standing bare before him.
He wraps a blanket around my shivering body before lifting me in his arms and carrying me to a nearby chair.
The soft, warm fabric feels like floating on a warm summer cloud.
He steps away, grabs a stunning black gown from a small dresser next to the bed, and extends his hand toward me. His hungry gaze lingers on my bare body, and he peels his eyes away, stopping himself.
“I was seconds away from diving into that water to find you,” he says.
“I’m okay,” I assure him.
“We are exhausted and nearing Andorwood. Don’t worry about the ship. Like Larkin said, it wasn’t the first time I wrecked, and I honestly believe it won’t be the last.”
“How many ships have you destroyed?”
He pauses, obviously in thought. “Three, I think. But one wasn’t my fault, I swear.”
“Gods,” I mumble. “Reckless?”
“Younger me was a fun time.”
“Fun,” I mockingly say back. “I’m sure other words were used to describe you.”
Silas smiles. “You’d be correct.”
The water still trails down my body, and a shiver runs up my spine.
“Get dressed,” he says. “Someone is anxious to meet you.”
I stand once more, placing the delicate fabric over my head. The dress hugs my curves and pools on the floor like fresh rain. A slight shimmer dances across the fabric, mimicking a galaxy of stars.
“Breathtaking,” Silas whispers. “And perfect for Andorwood. We tend to gravitate toward dramatic clothing here. And from what I’ve seen you wear in Daramveer, you’ll fit right in.”
I smooth the dress around my hips when a knock on the door startles me, snapping my head in his direction. Nerves tingle in my stomach, and I quickly run my fingers through my messy, still-wet hair.
“Silas,” I whisper. “You never said who wanted to meet me?”
A devilish grin spreads across his face as he strides toward the heavy cabin door. He peeks out, then waves for someone to enter. The dim lighting makes it difficult to distinguish who is approaching from the hallway. Silas closes the door as the woman comes into view.
She looks familiar, sharing the same facial structures as Silas, though there’s no scar above her left eye. Her pitch-black hair cascades past her shoulders, and she stands about my height. From her perfectly plump face, I can tell she is a bit younger, but not by much.
She wears the same black armor as Silas and the men I met earlier, and curiosity swarms me. She walks toward me with purpose and confidence, but I remain rooted in place, devoid of emotion.
Silas steps behind her, allowing the woman to stand before me. She places both hands behind her back and angles her head, studying me intently, as if she has waited for this moment for a very long time.
Silas smiles. “Briar, I would like you to meet someone.”
The woman smiles ear to ear with the exact same sarcastic smirk that he has, and that’s when I know.
“Briar, this is Fenmore Nastronde—top Commander of the Andorwood army, and my younger sister.”