Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
FINLEY
For the first few hours Finley watched Ai hadn’t seemed to move at all.
If it weren’t for the faint rose color in Ai’s cheeks, Finley might have thought she was dead.
But then, as time went on, the tiny rise and fall of her chest could be detected.
It would only be noticeable to someone paying attention, and Finley hadn’t lost focus all night.
She sat at Ai’s side and held her hand, not feeling a bit tired or sleepy.
It was an odd feeling after all this time of constantly struggling through fatigue.
Her body and mind were alert and any fuzziness around her eyes had vanished.
She didn’t even realize she’d been living in a constant haze. Not that it mattered now anyway.
She should have felt amazing and invigorated. But there was nothing, as though she were a hollow tree.
What was the point if Ai now had her curse?
The room Aytigin allowed them to use was beautiful, at the top of a tower in Luana’s Castle. A bright full moon shone outside of the window and there were plush blankets and glimmering artwork of stars all around. Not that Ai would be able to appreciate it.
Finley shifted slightly in her spot and tucked her feet under her, careful to not let go of her grip on Ai’s hand.
The door to the tower opened and closed, but Finley didn’t bother to see who it was.
She didn’t need to for the air suddenly had a slight chill to it and the artwork glimmered even more than usual.
Eira approached and stood at the foot of the bed like a guardian angel from the night sky.
“You’ve been here for hours,” she said, her voice soft but a slight edge to it.
“I admire your dedication, but sitting at her side won’t wake her up.
If Amelia did intend for this to happen, by giving up you’re playing into her hands. Don’t let her break you.”
Finley didn’t move but let her eyes dart over to Eira. She gave the princess a cool look, up and down then back at Ai. Eira wanted to use Finley too, and who knew how that would detract from waking Ai?
Apparently, her silence didn’t send a strong enough message because Eira kept talking.
“We’re going to draw Amelia and her army here.
Cadeyrn and I have announced we’ll be getting married in a few days’ time, here in Luana’s Castle.
It’ll be the perfect time to set a trap for Amelia.
If we’ve interpreted the tale of The Cursed Queens correctly, we’ll need you. ”
Ai’s position didn’t change, and her breathing was still barely visible.
Could she hear everything they were saying?
Sometimes Finley had drifted in and out of sleep herself and knew what was happening even if she couldn’t open her eyes.
Maybe Ai was dreaming. Finley hoped they were good dreams far away from the broken world Ai slept through.
Finley finally replied. “I want Amelia to get what’s coming to her.”
That must have been enough of an answer, because Eira gave a single nod of her head then seemed to float out of the room.
Then Rafe slid in. They hadn’t given Finley much time alone.
It was like everyone had come to an agreement to rotate who joined her in Ai’s room like they were worried she would do something if left to her own devices unsupervised.
Even Alvis and Aytigin had come in periodically.
She at least gave Rafe more than a single glance. She gave a sigh too. “Are you going to come lecture me? To tell me you told me so?”
“I did tell you we didn’t know what the Chalice would do.
But that’s not why I’m here.” Rafe sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Ai for a few moments.
“I am wondering why you decided to do it, though, after all that talk about not wanting to lie or do things on your own anymore. Or was that all talk?”
“And what? If you had been there things would have turned out differently?” Finley shot back.
Rafe shook his head. “Probably not. But I did think you might have treaded more carefully now.”
Finley squeezed Ai’s hand tighter and shifted in her seat. “If the way to break your bond with Stula stood before you, even if you knew there was a chance it wouldn’t work, would you have let anything stop you?”
His jaw stiffened. “No. I wouldn’t have.”
“But there’s still something I need to do on my own.”
They waited until dawn and packed the few things they needed as quickly as possible.
Eira and the others would be furious. But frankly, Finley didn’t care.
There were other things to be worried about.
She only hoped they would watch after Ai while she was gone.
Thinking about Ai was a shock to her system as they approached the rocky beach off the Paravian Mountains shore where they’d taken refuge after escaping Amelia and Dusan.
If the orb in the treasure room was right, The Mystic was hiding somewhere in the northern Cedyra Sea.
The expanse between Cresin and The Dravian Islands.
Standing here next to the sea she might as well have been in a different world than up top in the mountains.
The warm breeze and salt water invigorated Finley.
This was all for Ai, Finley had to remind herself.
Sitting around the castle wasn’t going to help her.
Finley crouched to the ground and placed her hand on the water’s surface.
It rippled and glowed with her magic, and far into its depths was the faint hum of her connection with The Mystic.
It was weaker than it should have been, thanks to Dusan, but would be enough.
Part of her was in awe she could sense the ship at all.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to join you?” Rafe asked.
Finley shook her head. “You go get King Brennan like Eira wants. I can handle Amelia.”
“I know you can, but it doesn’t feel right leaving you. If you must leave without me, I feel better you having these.” Rafe flourished his hand and with a glimmer the Shadow Slayers appeared at his side.
Finley’s mouth parted open in a small gasp. “But Aytigin confiscated them.”
Rafe shrugged. “I stole them once before, I figured I could do it again. Although Malle did help me this time.”
It was tempting to have him join her back on the ship just because he knew she could do it on her own and wanted to be with her. Oddly enough she wasn’t tired of him yet. But this was for the best. She needed to do this alone.
Finley stood and grasped his shirt, pulling him down to her, then kissed him hard.
He pressed himself closer and tangled his fingers in her hair.
It made her heart race, and she pulled all the strength and motivation she could from him.
When they broke apart he pressed his forehead against hers and they stood together on the shore for a moment.
It was when the splash and roar of the waves of The Mystic cresting over the surface of the sea that Finley took in a deep breath to prepare herself. Amelia may have put herself in charge but The Mystic knew who its real captain was.
“I’ll see you on the other side,” Finley said and pulled away from Rafe. He handed her the enchanted weapons and she strapped them to her body. Her hands were steady as though their magic gave her strength. Without a glance back she ran into the surf and dove in.
Immersed in water Finley felt her strength returning.
With the weight of the Shadow Slayers, it should have dragged her under, but she and water were old friends, and she summoned what little of her power remained to push her through toward the ship.
As if they knew she was one of them, even the fish and creatures swimming around her seemed to help move her along.
When she thought she might sink deeper something pushed her back up.
Then, as she came up for air under the surface came a large shadow looming toward her.
It was The Mystic sailing beneath the water.
Finley had only a handful of times seen it sailing under the water from the outside, long before she became captain.
She remembered the first time she’d seen it underwater and how the sight thrilled and terrified her.
It was an ominous creature creeping toward her.
Taking in one more deep breath she plunged under and with the last bit of magic she could muster she placed her hand on the orb surrounding the ship which protected the vessel and its inhabitants from drowning and kept the air inside.
The orb wobbled and absorbed Finley, and she let herself fall.
She’d chosen a spot near the crow’s nest and collided onto it with a harsh thud.
One of her younger sailors was there and jumped at the sound of her crash.
Finley’s back ached from the fall, but she hopped to her feet and placed a finger to her lips, signaling for him to remain quiet.
His eyes grew wide and mouth dropped open, but he obeyed.
His reaction warmed Finley to know that someone was still loyal.
She could only hope the others would be the same.
Grabbing onto ropes and ladders, Finley hauled herself out of the crow’s nest and swung herself to and from masts and posts and more ropes to maneuver herself back down to the deck.
So long ago she’d snuck onto this ship to start her new life.
Now she was back and sneaking on again to preserve that life.
She knew each creak and groan of the ship, the masts that would hold her weight better, and the thicker sails to hide her from people who might spy.
Over ten years of living on The Mystic and regardless of whose magic it obeyed at the moment, still gave her more of an advantage than Amelia and Dusan would ever have.
And now that she had her energy back, she almost didn’t miss her magic.
Almost.