76. Making Plans
Chapter seventy-six
Making Plans
T he Valdrych limped toward the deserted Solist Port on the southeastern shore of Torrelin. Already the air felt cooler as the weak morning sun fought its way through a haze of sea mist. Solveig watched on from the porthole in the captain’s quarters, where she had stayed since the prince left her there the previous evening. As the ship meandered up to the rotting dock, deckhands jumped from the Valdrych on unsteady feet as they made to moor the ship. Solveig gathered the rest of her belongings quickly before leaving the room for good.
Commander Bleeker was first down the gangplank, followed by the prince and a few of his men. Solveig lingered back, watching as those ahead of her stumbled across the uneven boards. She moved with a steady pace, as though she studied all the wrong moves those before her had made and somehow found the safest path across.
“State ye business or be on ye way,” a grim voice called from up ahead.
Commander Bleeker spoke first. “The storm damaged our ship. We seek a place to rest whilst we shore her up to continue our journey.”
“Who’s we?” The man frowned, reaching for the weapon at his side, fingers flexing slightly.
“Solveig Aila Maleen, Princess of Torrelin,” Solveig said. The crew cleared a path for her to step through as though she were the dark queen Emmerich had proclaimed to make her. She didn’t even glance at him as she passed, though she could feel his heated gaze upon her every second that ticked by. “I was travelling with my companions on the king’s orders. We’ll be out of your hair within a day, though the ship may require longer mooring should they be unable to fix her today.” She removed one glove, extending her hand toward the man in greeting. “I intend to continue on foot to Rialtus Keep.”
The man stared at the princess’s outstretched hand, his skin paling as she smirked, watching the nervous bob of his throat. Before his eyes rose, taking in her deadly form, dressed in all black, her multitude of weapons glittering in the silvery morning light.
“Your Highness,” he stammered, “the pleasure is ours. Must be cautious, ye understand, what with our borders being close to unfriendly territory?” He cut a glance across the princess’s companions, and she followed his gaze to where they had stalled on the prince.
“Of course, your diligence to our country’s safety is to be praised.” She smiled, a wicked gleam in her eyes as she replaced the glove on her unshaken hand.
“Taverns open, hot food served all day, ask for Mrs Tiansey, tell her Aboch sent ye. She might have a few rooms available t’any wishing to stay. Most of our establishments closed a long time ago, little traffic these days. It is only with the kindness of your family that we can continue our lives here.” The man smiled now as if he was gazing upon the patron of some charitable god, and not the embodiment of death. “Without their yearly donations and generous tax cuts, we would’ve had to move on with the others a long time ago.”
A grimace played its way across Solveig’s face, for she knew it was not kindness that pushed the king to keep these people here. He needed eyes on the Strait, eyes on Elithiend. Without Solist as an outpost for the travelling King’s Guard, the next closest was Rialtus Keep at the base of the mountains. Much too far away to spot an invasion in time. As long as Elithiend remained a threat, it benefited the king to keep these people here by any means, otherwise he would have flattened the place long ago.
Solveig took up a table in a far corner of Mrs Tiansey’s Tavern. Borrowing a pencil and paper from the kindly lady behind the bar, she wrote a message to be sent to Rialtus ahead of her arrival. Once the messenger was on his way, with a pocketful of silver for his services, Solveig sat back and waited. Watching the ageing townsfolk as they huddled together around rickety tables clutching steaming mugs of broth to fight back the chill. All talk was of the mysterious ship that had arrived that morning, a ship that bore no markers of belonging to the Torrelinian Guard. It was the most excitement the port had seen since Estrellyn fell. Solveig consumed copious amounts of bland, overcooked food alongside hot bitter coffee and watered-down orange juice. But it filled a hole in her aching stomach and that was all she cared about.
Midday crept its way through the curtained windows as Mrs Tiansey placed yet another plate of food in front of the princess. Topping off her coffee, she asked.
“Will ye be spendin’ the night, ma’am?” Just as the door swung open with an almighty clatter, and the prince entered, his hair in a windswept disarray, the commander at his side.
“No,” Solveig said curtly, her eyes remaining on the prince in the doorway, “I’m merely waiting to see if any of my companions will join me.”
The lady followed her gaze to where the new arrivals stood, a knowing smile on her face that Solveig wanted to bat away. “Of course, ma’am, I shall have as many rooms as possible made up should they require them.”
As quickly as she left, Emmerich and Wrenn took her place, each dragging out a seat on the opposite side of the table from Solveig. She watched them with keen eyes over the cracked rim of her cup.
“The ship has significant damage to the hull,” Emmerich began, filling the yawning silence. Solveig didn’t reply as she set down her cup and dug into the fresh meal before her, a plate of mashed potatoes, onion gravy, soggy steamed vegetables, and bone-dry beef.
“Solist has been out of use for too long. They are no longer equipped with the supplies we need to fix her up.”
Still, Solveig went on listening in silence, as Emmerich sighed, leaning back in his chair with arms folded across his chest. “Suddenly you have nothing to say?” he snapped.
“You talk enough for the both of us,” she muttered, biting into a crust of bread, “I’m merely waiting for you to get to the point of why you interrupted my dinner.”
The prince sighed again, rubbing at his eyes. “I’ll be travelling to Rialtus with you.” Solveig only nodded. “Commander Bleeker will remain here to watch over the ship and my men until I can return with supplies for her repair.”
“Mrs Tiansey mentioned she would have some rooms available should you need them.”
“They’ll be living aboard the Valdrych. With orders to depart should they not hear from me within seven days.” Solveig’s eyes flicked up to his with an amused smirk.
“If you’re that concerned about impending death, why wait seven days? There will be no saving you then.”
“I care more about saving them than myself.”
“So selfless, Prince.” She smiled with a shake of her head. “So noble.” Her smile dropped as she speared him with her gaze. “I see we’re past pretending as though you had any interest in me.”
“Who said I was pretending?” His hand fisted on the table, “this is who I am.”
“Shame.”
“What is?”
“I thought you might one day join me in the dark.”
“The dark is yours, Solveig. I have no interest in joining you there.”
“We’ll see.” She shrugged, drinking down the rest of her coffee. She wiped her mouth with a napkin that looked like it may have been white once upon a time, but had been stained and washed one too many times since then. Standing abruptly, she headed for the bar where Mrs Tiansey now stood, pretending to polish glasses that were already gleaming.
“How can I help, ma’am?” she asked cheerily. Solveig only slid a pouch of coins across the table that would more than cover her tab for the morning.
“For your time,” she said simply. “I’ll be journeying to Rialtus with my friend Anders.” She pointed in the general direction of where the prince and commander still sat in their rickety chairs.
“The one with the curls?” Mrs Tiansey asked, that same knowing smile crossing her face again. “His gaze hasn’t left you since he walked in here,” she whispered, eyes shining with delight. Solveig knew as much. She had sensed the heat of his gaze every moment since the door had flung open. Even through their verbal sparring, she wanted to be close to him, touch him, to feel the warmth that caressed her veins with his nearness. But that door was all but closed to them now.
“There’s something about him,” the woman said, her eyes shadowed. “He’s guarding a secret; one he’s worried will push you away from him if you learn it.”
“He’s merely my escort,” Solveig said coolly, tasting the lie on her tongue. “The king would not allow me to tour the kingdom without protection.”
“Whatever he is,” Mrs Tiansey whispered, patting Solveig’s hand where it lay on the sticky countertop. “Keep your wits about you dear, I may be old, but I still have eyes, and that boy is the finest distraction there is.”
Solveig tensed at her words. The secrets and half-truths the prince had kept and told in the weeks they had spent together built up in her mind like a fortress.
“He’s no distraction. You’ve no cause for concern.”
It was another lie, of course, and she thought the woman knew it too. Watching in silence as Solveig turned away, heading back to the deceitful prince, steeling herself to spend yet more time in his company. She wouldn’t allow herself to fall under his spell again. He was as dangerous and secretive as she was. The sooner they made it to Rialtus, the sooner they could go their separate ways.
For good.