33. Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
Dynalya
D yna’s boots thudded on the steps back to deck and she kept running past everyone staring at her. Dyna burst into Tarn’s cabin and snatched her satchel off the bed.
Shoving her hand inside, she shouted, “Mirror!”
The weight of the cool scalloped plate landed in her palm and Dyna yanked it out, placing it on the floor. Most of the water she dumped inside splashed out of it. She tossed in some salt and quickly stirred, thinking of Yavi. Dyna stared at the rippling rings, waiting, hoping, praying.
Nothing.
“No.” Dyna stirred again, picturing Von’s wife in her mind. When there was no change, her vision stung but no tears fell. She searched for Geon next. No image appeared. Maybe there were no reflective surfaces around them, or it was because they didn’t have magic. But one of them did. Her hands shook as she added more salt. “Show me Dalton…”
The only reflection on the surface was her own.
That day in Hallows Nest, when she asked Von about Dalton he had not looked at her. I’m afraid I won’t be able to pass on your message, lass. The lad is no longer with us…”
Nausea and disbelief tangled through her stomach. No matter how much Dyna stirred, the salt settled down at the bottom as the water fell still. She felt the shock but no pain. No tears came even though they should have. She had taken away her ability to feel the pain, grief now muted behind a wall of magic.
The door to the captain’s quarters creaked open. Dyna hung her head, her fists clenching on the wet floor.
“The water mirror will not show you what you seek.”
Did the others make it out?
No.
Elon told her the truth. She simply hadn’t been listening.
Standing, Dyna dumped the water in the chamber pot and calmly returned the mirror back to her satchel. Her voice was measured, unattached. “What have you done?”
“What needed to be done,” Tarn said.
She made herself look at him, feeling something dark brew inside of her. “You killed them.”
It was not a question. It was a statement her mind needed to hear to allow herself to accept it.
“Yavi was with child.” Dyna searched for a reaction, but Tarn’s expression didn’t change. It wasn’t news to him. “That didn’t matter, did it? She convinced Von to escape with her and you couldn’t stand it.”
He tucked his hands in his pockets. “I do not suffer traitors in my midst. You know that.”
Witch’s Brew dampened emotion, but it didn’t remove morals. He knew right from wrong. He merely didn’t care.
She may not be able to love or mourn, but there was one emotion that did surface because it was the strongest one of all. The mood rune burned red with her rage. It pulsed on the walls like a heartbeat, bathing over them.
“Are you a traitor as well?” Tarn watched her intently with his icy eyes. “You didn’t come to join me.”
Dyna smiled as she drew her blades. “I came to kill you.”
She flung her blade.
It sailed through the air—but not for Tarn. His eyes widened as it hurled for the Crystal Core. Her knife shattered the ruby, shards raining down. She sprinted forward tackled him. They crashed through the doorway and hit the railing. The momentum sent them toppling over and they hit the deck with Dyna landing on top of Tarn. She whipped out a second blade to his throat.
His raiders quickly had them surrounded. Even if they cut her down, she didn’t care. He had to pay for what he had done.
A smirk played on Tarn’s mouth as if he enjoyed this. Enjoyed how truly violent and maddened she was now.
His low voice filled the mere inches of space between their faces. “Look at what became of your sweet, innocent heart. I think I quite like this version of you better.” Hissing, Dyna pressed the knife harder against his pulse and his smile grew. “Careful, Maiden. Your monster is showing.”
“You think I won’t kill you?” she snarled through her teeth.
“It’s not a matter if you will, but if you can.” Tarn didn’t look worried, as if this was merely a game to him. “Do you regret saving my life?”
“Yes, I do. I won’t make that same mistake again.” Dyna moved for the killing blow. Thick ice plated over his neck like armor, and it took over her hand, fusing them together. She jerked to free herself, but he had her trapped.
“I may be a monster, but I draw the line at killing children,” Tarn said as he sat up. “I wanted Von submissive . I cared not that she escaped. I assumed she would die on her own at sea, but I failed to predict what Sai-chuen would do.”
Dyna’s eyes widened. “What did he do?” she asked, her heart racing. “Show me.”
Tarn’s jaw clenched and an emotion crossed his face. It was only a flicker. There and gone in a blink, but she saw it.
Guilt.
He had that same look on his face when she first contacted him through the water mirror … three months ago.
“Show me!” Dyna shrieked. Yanking out black feather from her pocket with her free hand, she slapped it over his forehead beneath her palm. Green light flared out and daylight vanished.
The dream walking spell yanked her away. It moved her through Tarn’s memories with speed, fueled by the maximum force of her power. Dyna knew she found the correct memory when the bitter winter air slammed into her.
She stood on the ship’s deck in the night, watching Von beg at Tarn’s feet to spare Yavi. Dyna’s eyes welled when he embraced his wife, telling her how much he loved her before throwing Yavi onto the rowboat. He fought with everything he had so she could escape, but he was outnumbered. The Raiders quickly subdued him.
“You could have ended her life quickly, Von,” Tarn told him. “Remember that.”
He walked away for the stairs, but his head whipped around to Sai-chuen when he snatched an oil lantern hanging form the mast.
“Stop!” he commanded but the man didn’t obey.
Sai-chuen threw the oil lantern. Von cry tore through the sky, throwing out a hand to stop it. Dyna covered her mouth in horror as it sailed through the dark night and shattered at Yavi’s feet.
Dyna screamed.
The smoke ripped her away. She crashed onto the deck so hard, the world shook, and her ears rung. Commotion stirred around her as raiders fled. The floor thudded dully against her ear with their running steps. A rumble shook the ship again. A violent hot wind smacked into her. Dyna fought to make her eyes focus.
The sails were in flames.
Fire raged all around the ship. Raiders either fought to put it out or they jumped into the sea. She choked on the smoke as she tried to stand. Her ears were still ringing, and her vision spun. A hand grabbed her arm and hauled her up. She stumbled against Tarn’s chest as he pulled her from the spreading flames.
“What happened?”
“Something blew in the cargo hold,” Tarn said as they made their way through the thick smoke. “The ship is going down.”
“What do you mean?” She needed his ship!
The floor dipped on the port side with a groan. They were sinking. Olsson barked at the men to abandon ship. Sai carried Lumina on his shoulder as he headed for the gangway. Damn that man!
Gritting her teeth, Dyna reached for a knife with every intention of digging it into his back. But a rippling explosion threw against the steps. She winced at the pain shooting up her back. Sitting up, she choked on the smoke, and it made her eyes water.
“We need to go.” Tarn scrambled up from where he had fallen and hauled her up with him. “Hold on to me.”
“Wait, what about Len!” She turned to the healer’s bay.
“Olssen got her out.”
“But Sorren?—”
Explosions rocked through the ship, and it tossed them down again. Bodies were flung through the air and screams cried out. Fire consumed all around them. Oh gods. Dyna stumbled to keep up, coughing as her vision watered. She needed to get to land.
A knife came spiraling out of the smoke.
Tarn ducked and it missed him by inches. More came. He shoved her down out of the way and snatched a fallen blade.
A bearded man strode forward out of the flames. Both Dyna and Tarn froze at the sight of him. He was dressed in a dark red coat that flared around him with the rippling wind and smoke. Several glinting knives were strapped to the bandoliers on his chest. He looked very different, but she recognized him all the same.
Von.
His hard face was carved liked stone, his eyes burning with rage. Von drew out two more knives. “You are going to burn on this damn ship, even if it means I go with you!”
Von sprinted for him. The clash of steel rang out as Tarn’s blade deflected every attack with swift agility.
“I knew you survived,” Tarn said as they circled each other. “You returned because we both know your place has always belonged with me.”
“I came for your head,” Von snarled. His knives cut through the air, inches from taking Tarn’s neck.
But he was too fast, too skilled. Tarn dodged Von’s next attack and delivered a kick that threw him into a stack of barrels.
“I didn’t order her to be burned alive, Von.” Tarn stalked toward him. “I didn’t need to. She never would have made it on her own.”
Von rolled to his feet. “Nothing you say matters. She still died because of you.”
“Was it really because of me? Or is it because you once again disobeyed the holy law?”
The question stumped Von. He froze among the roaring flames and the knives shook in his hands.
Dyna ran up and grabbed his arm. “Don’t listen to him.”
Von flinched back, staring at her with wide eyes. “Dyna?”
“Tell her, Von.” Tarn sneered. “How did Dalton die?”
Pain and anguish crossed Von’s features. She held her breath, but his answer was blown by another detonation. A hot wave threw them all back. Her back slammed hard against the mast. The ship let out a horrid groan and the wooden planks cracked in half.
Dyna wheezed for the air knocked out of her. Her ears rang again. She almost thought she heard a distant voice shouting her name.
She pushed up on her hands and knees with a cry. Her shoulder was dislocated. Bracing, she slammed herself against the shoulder and bit back as scream as she put it back in place. She stumbled to her feet, searching for Von.
“Dyna,” Tarn groaned as he sat up where he was slumped against a cabin wall. A large splinter of wood had pierced his leg. He slipped on a pool of his blood when he tried to stand. “Help me.”
But she didn’t move.
His pale eyes looked up at her, his jaw clenching at the heartless look on her face. “You’re a healer. Leaving me to die goes against your oath and everything you stand for.”
It did.
Dyna quickly went to him. Klyde answering smirk faded when she clutched his head with another feather in her hands. “My healer’s oath does not apply to you.”
With a violent snatch of her magic, she tore the memory of Mount Ida’s location from him.
Tarn’s chest heaved, furious. But as she walked away from him, he laughed. “What did I tell you? Isn’t she glorious?”
Dyna paused by the railing and looked back at the man who had plagued her life. She hated that it wasn’t her who defeated him. It gave her a sick satisfaction to leave him to burn, and she hated that a part of her condemned her for it.
“Jump!” Von sprinted toward her. “The ship is going to blow!”
He tackled her over the railing. An explosion ripped through the air, hurdling them into the sea.