31. Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
Dynalya
U nlike its name, Argent Cove was a dreary place, or it may have been the dark storm clouds overhead. It banished the late morning sun, casting the town in shadow. The crowded stone buildings looked dim, damp, and unwelcoming. The only color was the crop of trees on the rise above the beach. Dyna stood with Tarn by the wheel as he steered them into the wharf. His hair was stark white within the backdrop of gray skies Olsson barked orders as the sails were lowered and the anchor splashed into the dark sea.
Dyna didn’t like the feel in the air She rubbed the chill from her skin. It felt ominous but that may have only been her nerves. If the others didn’t show up soon, she would have to find a way to enact her plan herself.
At Tarn’s command, a gangway was lowered to the deck. A small group of raiders gathered which including Olsson and Sai-chuen.
Tarn took her arm when she moved to join. “Stay with the ship.”
Dyna frowned. “Why?”
“We won’t be staying long.”
“Do you think I will run away again?” She sighed dramatically at his silence and rolled her eyes. “I came to you , remember? I want to be here.”
Tarn tucked the loose red lock of hair fluttering across her face behind her ear, making her skill at the unexpected touch. It left a tingling current on her skin as his fingers trailed down her jaw. “Then wait for me.”
For a moment the focus of his gaze held her captive. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one above using seduction to get what they wanted. But he didn’t fool her. She had already learned her lesson when it came to him. Tarn was always planning.
Well, so was she.
Glaring, Dyna moved away. “Hurry back then. Looks like it might rain.” But Tarn didn’t leave yet. His pale blue eyes studied her a moment longer. “What?”
He arched his scarred eyebrow. “I am waiting for you to tell me how to call on the Druid. I have long suspected you know him, Dyna.”
Her stomach clenched. “How would I know him?”
Tarn leaned down so they were eye to eye. “Don’t play coy with me.” He trailed a finger down her arm where her geas of an oak tree used to be, making goosebumps break out on her skin. “You have dealt with him before.”
By his cool tone, she was treading on thin ice.
Dyna crossed her arms and smirked playfully. “Oh, fine. I admit I know him.”
Tarn straightened and tucked his hands in his coat pockets. “Continue.”
“To call on him, you must place a circle of stones in the forest with an offering inside. Whatever you think may strike his fancy. It is merely payment for his appearance. But Leoake will only come if he is interested in bargaining, Tarn. I must warn you. Whatever deal you make, it will carry a heavy cost and not for him.”
“I have no intention of making a deal.” Tarn turned away for the stairs. “Don’t leave the ship.”
Dyna leaned on the railing as she watched him cross the deck. She didn’t bother telling him that the Druid was a seer. Whatever Tarn had planned, she doubted Leoake would show up, but that didn’t matter. Because Dyn’s intention was to get him off the ship.
Tarn glanced at Lumina as he stopped by the hatch and the she-elf bowed her head. Then her soft brown eyes locked on Dyna. Ah, left behind to watch her. How grand.
He climbed down the gangway with his men, and they went on their way.
Lumina chanted something in Elvish and a swarm of pink magic flared outward, falling over the ship like a rippling dome. Dyna stiffened at the static of magic against her skin. The ship became invisible as the rest of the world outside of it became dull in color.
They were in a veil.
Her breathing sharpened as she was reminded of her time in captivity. Closing her eyes, Dyna took several deep breaths until her hands stopped shaking. A passing thought reminded Dyna she already knew how to remove the veil if need. She shouldn’t have put it past Tarn to place precautions.
Dyna held Lumina’s gaze as they measured each other silently. A Magi Master. That’s what she had to be to cast such a spell on her own, and elves had no limit to how much Essence they could conjure. Nevertheless, Dyna saw her for what she was.
A replacement for the mages that used to serve Tarn.
Dyna smiled to appear friendly, even if she had almost killed her. “If you don’t mind my asking, are you from Greenwood or Red Highland?”
Lumina hesitated before saying in her sweet voice, “I am from here. My parents defected several years before I was born.”
She conveniently left out from which kingdom, but Dyna could guess from the color of her features, Lumina was a red elf.
“I see.” Dyna climbed down the steps. “And how did you come to serve Tarn? Or do you owe him a life-debt?”
Lumina sifted on her feet. “No … I – I work for pay, or well, I work to …” She looked away, clutching her arm to herself.
“To keep him from hurting your family?” Dyna guessed.
“They are Magi Masters who teach in Dwarf Shoe. He wanted my father to serve him, but they are old and near the end of their lifespan. Therefore, I volunteered.”
Interesting. Dyna canted her head, wondering how old Lumina truly was. Likely older than she looked to have casted such spells. “What kind of magic do you specialize in?”
“I know healing and combat magic. Tarn said if I serve him loyally on this voyage, he will return me to my home by the end of the year.” Lumina smiled at her weakly. “I am not mistreated, and Sai keeps watch over me. My only position here is to provide magic when its needed.”
But Dyna couldn’t help but question why. Tarn didn’t like weakness and Lumina was soft. It had to be something more about her magic that enticed him. Something worth to hire her instead of a mage.
“Like with the recruitment?” Dyna asked.
“Oh, no. I cast cloaking spells and tend to the wounded. Sai oversees recruitments. I was only asked to step in to test your magic.” Lumina frowned at her thoughtfully. “But you have none. I was told you are a great healer who would be able to assist me with my current patient, yet I don’t see how.”
Dyna smiled at her tightly so she wouldn’t grimace at the blatant statement of her lack of power. “What patient?”
Lumina led her to her cabin which was a makeshift apothecary and healer’s bay. The distinct smell smelled of several herbs filled ticked Dyna’s nose. She studied the organized glass jars on the wall, spotting the dark purple leaves used for Witch’s Brew.
Then she noticed a patient laying in one of the beds.
“Len…” Dyna murmured as she drew closer. The Versai native looked to be asleep, her black hair splayed on the pillow around her face. But there were no other injuries. The once vicious spy looked thin and frail, the X scar on her cheek more pronounced on her pallid complexion. “What happened to her?”
Lumina went to her desk to stir the elixir burbling in a small pot hovering above a candle. The white shards on her wrist tinkled lightly with her movements. “She is the only survivor from a mission dispatched to Beryl coast in the early winter. But they were ambushed, and her entire team was slain.”
Dyna’s breath caught. “Including Novo?”
“Everyone.” Lumina sighed as she looked at Len. “Her head was struck during the confrontation. She has not woken since. I have tried everything.”
Dyna sank into the chair beside the bed, her mind reeling. Her heart saddened for Len. To lose Novo that way, and Bouvier was gone, too. She said everyone . That must have been how Elon left—by faking his own death.
“If they died, who brought Len back?” Dyna asked.
“Sai did,” Lumina answered brightly. “He saved her and brought her to Tarn. It was how he joined.”
That was … suspicious . Tarn was very distrustful, and it was unlike him to welcome a stranger who allegedly helped his adopted daughter. Losing all his spies must have forced him to make an exception to fill the role. But Dyna had an unpleasant feeling whenever she looked at the quiet man.
“What did Commander Von think of Sai?”
Lumina’s brow furrowed. “Who is Von? Do you mean Commander Olsson?”
Ah. Well, that answered some of her questions. Lumina must have joined after he defected.
“Von used to command the Raiders. There was a skirmish before I left, and some were lost.” Dyna rubbed her temples, making her voice crack. “My injuries from the battle have made me forget who fell that day. The faces I expected to see here haven’t come to greet me yet and I fear that…”
Lumina’s expression softened with sympathy. “Oh, well…” She lowered her voice as she glanced at the doors round window. “They may be in the brig. I heard there were prisoners there.”
Dyna smiled and it was genuine. “You’re probably right.” She motioned to the pot. “You’re brewing an elixir for her nourishment, right? Add mugwort to stimulate her brain. That should encourage her to wake.”
“Oh! I had not thought of that.” Lumina turned away to sort through the glass bottles on the shelves.
Dyna leaned down and whispered in Len’s ear. “I know why you won’t wake, but I hold too much respect for you to let you waste away like this. Get up , Len. And make the one who took Novo from you pay.” She got to her feet. “Well, I will leave you to it then.”
“Oh, all right.” Lumina nodded.
Exiting the cabin, no one paid attention to Dyna as she wandered the deck. She passed the galley, hearing the raiders inside sing some bawdy song as they made a mess in the kitchen. No wonder the food was awful.
Dyna made sure no one was watching before descending the steep steps into the lower deck. It was dark, the gray light from above hardly illuminating the barrels of cargo. Something thunked as if dropped or someone bumped into it. Dyna held still, listening. There were no other sounds but the creak of the ship as it swayed on the waves. She went quickly, checking over her shoulder constantly until she reached the door to the brig. The rank air hit her first, making her stomach heave.
Every cell was empty except for one in the back.
A bulky form was slumped against the wall in the shadows, the tip of a horn catching the limited light coming from the single window.
“Sorren.” Dyna ran to him. The Minotaur blinked at her blearily and his cracked lips twitched. His fur was matted, and he looked starved. “That cruel—” She bit back her curse. “Sorren, can you hear me?”
Reaching in her cloak, she pulled out the set of cell keys. One of a couple things she had nicked from Tarn’s cabin. She inserted each key into the lock until one clicked. The gate creaked loudly opened and she rushed inside.
“Here, have a drink.” She held a waterskin to his mouth. Sorren guzzled down the water and coughed wretchedly. “Slowly now.”
He breathed heavily, his head lolling. “Dyna?” he called, his rough voice weak.
“Yes, it’s me. I need you to stand. Tarn has left the ship. Now is the perfect time to run.”
“I can’t…” he rasped. “There is no running.”
Sorren’s hooves jerked and his witch bangles clinked, reminding her that they were trapped in more ways than one. And she didn’t have keys for those.
“The Crystal Core,” Dyna said. “If I break it, you can run. You’re getting out of here, Sorren.”
He scoffed faintly, almost smiling. “I must be near death to hallucinate of freedom.”
“You’re not dreaming.” Dyna took his face. “I am real.”
His dark eyes blinked at her until they cleared, and he took several gasping breathes. “Dyna?” His voice cracked. “You’re really here.”
“I am.”
Tears spilled from his eyes and down his fur. “Why did you come?” He softly cried. “Why? Why did you come now?”
“What do you mean?” Dyna smiled in confusion. “I came to set you free. To set all of you free.” She looked around but found only empty cells. “Where are the others?”
Sorren laughed wetly and it switched to a broken sob. The sound heaved through his body, making his shake. “They’re dead,” he croaked. “Dalton … Geon … Yavi … Von. They are all dead!” Sorren pushed her shoulder roughly, throwing her to the ground. “You are too late to save us!”
Dyna shook her head, refusing to believe it. “What?”
“You left us!”
Dyna’s chest tightened. She did leave.
When it she had a chance to run she had taken it without looking back.
Sorren slumped against the wall, sobbing. “They’re dead. All dead…”
A fist squeezed the air from her lungs and Dyna felt like she couldn’t breathe. Jumping to her feet, she stumbled backwards for the cell door. She ran out of the brig.