Chapter 33
Sylvan
T he old me would have said I lost everything I’ve risked so much for—my position, my Dark Companion, even any chance for a meaningful future. But as we leave the mossy walls of the werewolf castle, I can’t stop laughing at the stupid prank my man pulled on me when he hid behind a door and gave me a scare. As much as I miss some aspects of my old life, I am not the same man anymore, and Hawk is the reason. He is why I smile so much my cheeks hurt, why I always feel warm, and why the future, difficult and unknown as it might be, does not feel bleak anymore.
Despite spending a whole night at a ruined castle that’s rumored to be cursed, I wake up in high spirits. It might have something to do with the fact that I got to sleep on the best of beds—Hawk’s fur. We settled in a relatively clean and dry room on the first floor, but while the building was overcome by icy, damp air, I felt warm and safe when tucked against my man’s side. We even found an unopened bottle of wine. I refused to drink it due to my new vow of sobriety, but Hawk got to enjoy it while we explored the abandoned structure.
The dungeon where werewolves used to keep their brethren during fits of rage remains locked behind a huge round door. I was curious what hides beyond it, but when Hawk started kissing my ears, my desire for him won out, and we retreated to the room we picked for the night.
In the morning, we stumbled upon raspberry bushes, which supplied us with breakfast. The last stretch of our walk toward the cove where I hope to board a boat that will take us past the straits and out of the lands ruled by my cousin Kyran, Hawk decided to walk in his human form. It’s for the better, since an oversized wolf radiating golden light is difficult to miss, and the last thing I want is for the Nocturne Court to find out about his existence. If Kyran discovered the Sunwolf was on the loose, he’d hunt us down like he had Heartbreak, and I refuse to let anything happen to my husband.
I meant every word I told him during our wedding vows, and if protecting him means foregoing any rights I might have as a royal, then so be it. He is and always will be more precious to me than titles, finery, and comforts.
Despite it being a chilly day, and the wind blowing at us constantly, he’s not only offered me his coat, for additional warmth, but even took off his thin shirt, and has been walking bare-chested for the past two hours.
I do remember reading that werewolves tend to have a much higher body temperature than elves (or humans), so maybe his new body acts in a similar way? Not to mention that my sister Vinia, who had the rare power of Sunlight, tended to run hot too. This issue will require more research. Hopefully, once we settle, I will have access to a library of some kind, or at least to decent book vendors.
That is something to worry about in the future though, as now our priority is to leave the Nocturne Coast and head for the shores of Ravanzia. And since we can’t risk boarding a legitimate vessel, we’re making our way down a path known solely to those who might need alternative routes of travel. Just like with the grimsmith, I do have to begrudgingly admit my mother has equipped me with knowledge of people and places that might come in handy if I ever needed to flee the Nocturne Court. Or return to it for that matter, though my familiarity with secret passages allowing to enter the castle unnoticed will never again be of use.
It’s a clear day, and while the moon only presents us with the larger half of its face, it emits enough light to make the waves ahead glint like quicksilver. The lines of the rocky slopes on either side of our way into the cove look sharp enough to cut into flesh, and the caverns around it might make perfect hiding spots for bandits, but I fear nothing as long as Hawk is holding my hand, so we joke around and tell each other stories. His are less bloody, though I do appreciate the one which features women cutting off chunks of their feet in order to fit a crystal shoe and marry a prince.
That’s the kind of message I can get behind.
Mid-laughter, Hawk stops to take a deep breath and leans against a seaweed-covered rock. “Gimme a sec, babe,” he says, and then proceeds to take his shoes off so his feet touch the cool sand.
“While I appreciate that werewolves might need to be more in tune with nature, please make sure you don’t step on a crab,” I say.
“Well, if it cuts off my feet, I will be shorter, and kissing you will be easier.” Hawk gives me a faint smile, which… has me a little worried.
“Are you all right, my dear?” I ask, as we walk out onto a rocky beach. At this time of day, the waves have receded, which makes reaching our destination much easier. I even spot the large white skeleton of a leviathan emerging from the dense sand not far away. A reassuring sign that we’re in the right place.
Hawk looks at the stars with a grimace. “I just feel so damn hot all the time. And it’s like when a fever won’t let you think.”
I touch his forehead, suddenly worried, and he is, in fact, burning up. “Oh, my love, let’s cool you down before we go any farther. I’m sorry we cannot rest just yet. The boat trip will take several days, so maybe you will recover en route .”
I pull him along the beach and to the skeleton of the elongated sea beast. Strands of seaweed hang from its bones, and maybe their touch might provide the respite Hawk needs.
The wet sand, usually weighed down by tonnes of water, is easy to walk on, and soon enough, Hawk is assessing the leviathan’s sharp teeth while I lay the cool seaweed on his back, creating a weave that should help with his plight. I spot more of the cooling strands past the skull, between the skeleton’s ribs, so I grab Hawk’s hand and lead him in that direction.
One moment, we’re headed for the seaweed, the other, Hawk tugs me back with a growl that sends a shudder down my spine.
“Watch it!” he snarls.
I turn to see my man hunched forward and holding onto his forehead while blood spills from between his fingers. It doesn’t take a lot of brain power to conclude he must have hit himself on a bony ridge, and I step closer, trying to soothe him with my touch.
The noise he utters then comes from deep in his chest. It’s low and animalistic, and when he opens his black eyes, they are angry voids. I take a step back, suddenly aware how tight the spaces between the ribs are. My stomach drops and my instincts scream in warning, as if I’m a fox that let a hungry wolf corner it between tall rocks.
But also… I’m confused. He’s never been this snappy. Is it the illness that makes him short-tempered?
“I’m sorry,” I say and stroke his arm. “I’ll just get the seaweed myself. Wait here.”
I hate the fact that not hearing his footsteps follow me is a relief. Anyone’s allowed to be in a bad mood sometimes, and Hawk’s been through a lot in the past week, but there was something strange about the emptiness in his eyes. I shake off the unreasonable anxiety, but by the time I’m back, his eyes, while black, reflect the silver moonlight. It seems I’ve been spooked by a trick of the light.
He stands still as I place the leaves on his chest and abdomen, and only speaks once I’m almost done.
“Are you angry?” Hawk asks.
I hesitate, unsure what emotion has curled in my chest. “No. I'm just a pain in the ass when ill. All that matters is that you will soon be able to rest. Come.” I give him a kiss, and I have to admit that even his lips are hotter than usual.
“But I snapped. I don’t snap at my partners,” Hawk tells me and brings my hands to his boiling forehead. “Did I scare you? You looked scared.”
I swallow, but he deserves the truth. “A little. You are a man of substantial size.” I smile at him to sweeten my words. “Which will be a boon for us when we meet Captain Lepearl. I have heard she is fearsome, so I feel better knowing I have you at my side when we face her.”
Hawk nods, but he leans down and clasps his arms around me before lifting me up. His blazing face slides under my shirt in the process. “It won’t happen again, baby.”
I stroke his hair to comfort him, even though the fact that he has a sense of guilt over his actions is welcome. “I’m just sorry you are poorly.”
We end up walking along the beach with our hands entwined, and he does seem to have cooled down. The seaweed even has a fresh scent, similar to mint. Mingled with the smell of the ocean, it reminds me of nights back at the Nocturne Court, when I would escape my siblings to a roof above our bedrooms and read by the moonlight, with only tea as my companion. Now, I have Hawk.
We approach a rock with the letters ML carved into it, which tells me we are almost at the cove where the captain is either currently moored or where we will have to await her return.
“I will handle everything,” I tell Hawk. “But if securing passage with her proves impossible, we will travel down the coast. Captains communicate with each other, so it is better if we do not cause problems. I’d rather not be blacklisted.”
“Right,” Hawk says, squeezing my hand as we walk ever faster. “You think me being a human might be a problem? Maybe I should cover my head?”
I sigh and stroke him with my thumb. “I’m afraid you’re memorable either way.”
“Maybe I should stay behind then. You’d get on the boat, and we’d meet in Ravanzia. I’d travel in the Sunwolf form, through forests, hunt on the way. Just tell me the direction, and I’ll figure it out.”
I frown at him, shocked at such a suggestion. “Hawk. No. We either go together, or find another way to reach our destination.”
He licks his lips, staring at the waves crashing onto the shore. “I don’t want them to turn you away. You are in danger.”
“And as my Dark Companion, you are too, even if they don’t know you’re also the Sunwolf. We are in this together, just as we promised in our vows.” I show off the ring I’ve ended up wearing on my thumb. “We do not leave each other behind.”
He swallows, and his nostrils flare as he exhales. Moments later, his arms are around me, his lips at the top of my head, breathing me in. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I melt into him, wishing we didn’t have to continue this perilous journey. The seaweed on his skin has already dried so much it crunches when we hug. I just hope the cool breeze of the ocean will help once we’re on the boat.
Not far from the rock with the initials, the wide mouth of a cave opens in the cliff towering over the beach. With my heartbeat in my throat, I lead us inside.
The resident doesn’t attempt to hide her presence, as I can see swamplight torches from the entrance. I suppose not many people would end up here by accident, so I pull Hawk along, walking deeper into the hideout. The air smells of salt and adora smoke, which the captain must often use for it to be so pervasive, but those musings evaporate from my mind when we turn the corner and see the back of the cave.
Furniture worthy of a royal family is set up on top of carpets, along with colorful textiles and items that are as expensive as they appear. Beyond them, in the green glow of the torches I spot a small ship as white as bone. No, actually, it is made of bone, and I find myself stilling at the sight of the pier next to it, and the three people lounging there over a game of cards.
Two men are stretched on fancy chaise-lounges, one of which is suspiciously reminiscent of the piece of furniture that apparently sank on the way to the Nocturne Court before Lord Kyran’s ascension to the throne. But neither of them look like the type of gentlemen who can afford such fine pieces.
Both of them are wearing leather pants that don’t even reach their ankles. In the moonlight, their pale bodies seem almost as white as the bone vessel behind them, while their long black hair falls in messy streaks down their backs. I see enough resemblance to assume they’re brothers.
But while they are a mystery to me, I’m sure the woman sitting on a barrel next to them must be Captain Margaux Lepearl, as her mane of curly blonde hair beneath a hat fashioned out of the skull of a Skyshark is a distinct feature my mother told me about. As we get closer, I realize she’s dressed just like her companions, and wears nothing beyond a pair of leather pants, leaving her breasts bare.
As soon as the crunch of rocks under our feet alert the group, three pairs of eyes turn our way and Lepearl grabs a shirt to cover herself.
I raise my hands when one of the men grabs a crossbow. “Greetings, Captain Lepearl!” I say to signify I know what I’m doing, even though confidence drizzles out of me the moment a bolt is aimed at my heart.
She frowns, and her feline features grow even more angular as she raises her chin. “Who’s disturbing my peace? I do not know you.”
Behind me, I sense the faintest vibration, as if Hawk is growling deep in his throat, but he remains still, as I asked.
The other man drops his cards with a frustrated sigh. “Can you not come back once we’re done playing strip poker? I was winning.”
Judging by his state of undress, I’m not sure if by winning he actually means losing.
The captain jumps off the barrel and puts on a flamboyant jacket embroidered with a pattern of spider crabs in black and red. As I step on the pier, I’m secretly glad to see she’s no taller than me. Well, maybe if it wasn’t for her hat.
“I am sorry to disturb you, but I come with an urgent matter. My name is Prince Sylvan Goldweed, and I have been told you used to work for my mother.”
Lepearl squints at me. Her eyes are like two rubies surrounded by kohl dust. “ With , not ‘for’. So what can a banished prince want from me? You do know there’s a bounty on your head, right?” she asks, but does glance at Hawk next. If news of Hawk and what we’ve done at The Burning Corpse has traveled, people might assume we’re more dangerous than we are.
I clear my throat. “Passage to Ravanzia. As I said, urgently. My mother will pay.” I’m bluffing, but my family name is the only bargaining chip I have left, unless the bag of fresh raspberries attached to my belt counts.
Lepearl sighs and grabs an apple from a golden bowl. She doesn’t bite into it though, almost as if the fruit is a wax prop. “How much is her blood worth to her?” she asks while the two men relax. One of them pulls out a pipe and packs it with dried adora, which explains the herby, sweet scent lingering in the air. The other puts down the crossbow with a deep sigh. Is he upset he doesn’t get to use it?
“Everything,” I say without missing a beat. Another useful thing my mother taught me. Don’t hesitate when lying. “I am her only remaining son.”
When the man behind Lepearl lights his pipe, I get a good look at his blank eyes. They have no pupils, just empty sclera in a watery shade, and it hits me where I’ve seen a gaze like his before. The royal coachman at the Nocturne Court, and every single kelpie in his care have eyes like that . But how can these two stay in elven form? Who enchanted them? And how does Lepearl keep them disciplined when kelpie are known to be rowdy and violent creatures with a knack for cruel games?
The captain taps her pale lips. “Let’s say I agree—”
“No!” One of the kelpie gets up and spreads his arms. “We just got back yesterday!”
I frown. “I am speaking with your captain.”
Lepearl cocks her head at me. “Kick and Bite will be the ones making sure we have a safe journey, so you don’t want to disrespect them, and if they say they’re tired, then we’re not going anywhere until tomorrow.”
Kick and Bite? Seriously? I glare at the glorified horses, but when I take a deep breath to speak again, Hawk steps in front of me.
“Listen, lady. We don’t have the time. His mother will pay, and we will be the best passengers you’ve ever had. Hell, I can row if you want. But we need to leave now .”
She glares at him, buttoning her coat, as if to let him know this is not a game. “My crew said no. You can stay in the cave until tomorrow, but don’t push your luck.”
Hawk steps farther onto the pier, and I follow him, unsure how I should act in order to calm the situation. “You can’t be serious! You’ll get paid extra if we go now.”
“I have enough money,” Lepearl says, her face growing colder. “You’re welcome to swim on your own, though I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Hawk lets out a growl. He takes another step forward and some of the dried seaweed falls off him. “You need to get him on that ship, and to Ravanzia or I will rip you all to shreds ! That’s the deal!”
My stomach plummets, and I want to pull him back, but it’s too late. I have no idea why he’s being like this when we could just wait until tomorrow.
I don’t know whether it’s Kick or Bite, but one of the kelpie steps in front of Lepearl and shifts in front of our eyes. Within seconds, his pale body turns tar-black, only the head remaining bone-white since it’s a skull. The imposing horse beast stomps its hoofs on the creaking pier. This must be Bite after all, because he lunges forward, teeth-first, but Hawk doesn’t fall back.
He punches the kelpie right on its bony muzzle.
“No!” I yell, because this mess is about to get even messier.
Bite collapses to the wooden floor, making the pier creak in warning, but as he falls, so does Hawk. He shrieks in panic, grabs Bite’s neck with his unprotected hand, and his fingers get stuck to the kelpie’s coat. The need for clothing made out of octopus leather meant to prevent situations like this has been drilled into me before my first kelpie-riding lesson. But Hawk is ignorant to what’s going on and drags Bite over the pier in an attempt to get free.
Lepearl stares in mute shock, and leaps to the end of the pier when a flash of light radiates from my man. He starts glowing, as if there were demons attempting to free themselves from under his skin.
“Fuck! Don’t! Hawk! Don’t!” I yell, but take a step back, afraid that in his fury he might take a bite out of my shadow.
To make matters worse, Kick turns into his animal form too, and moments later, the Sunwolf stands on the pier, no longer stuck to Bite.
“Wh-what is that?” Lepearl asks.
Hawk lowers his skull-head with a growl as the kelpie back away. They could easily leap into the water, but I’m guessing they want to stand between the golden beast and their captain.
“No one fight!” I put all my princely authority into my voice. “We can resolve—”
The pier crashes under the combined weight of beasts and elves. With a panicked yelp on my lips, I fall into the dark water.