25
Kora
This couldn’t be happening. Galen was supposed to be safe, away from the enemy of the Talmon Empire. But Kora had been so wrong. Zephyr smiled, his white teeth as blinding as the chamber they all stood in. He was toying with her. Raiden growled to her left, and Aryn raised his longbow to her right.
Chaos ensued as mercenaries hidden among the two crowds emerged, raising weapons at the three of them on the carpet. Aerion paled, his hands whipping up in a plea to Zephyr as his watery eyes pinned on Aryn.
“I won’t let them hurt you,” Aryn whispered, gold leaking into his irises. They swirled as he quickly surveyed the room. His face aged, becoming mature, his tattoo darkening along with his fingertips.
Almighty Thanos, what was he?
“Neither will I.” Raiden raised a hand in front of Kora, as though that single barrier of flesh would protect her from the world. She ignored the spark flying from her stomach as his hand hovered an inch away.
“Father, please,” Aerion begged as guards approached them. “She’s a member of our court. You must honour the rules.” Aerion’s stare flickered to Kora and she gasped.
“Parley!”
The room froze, and Raiden glanced at Kora with a raised brow.
“Parley!” she repeated.
Fury consumed Hector’s face, whilst Cassidy laughed sharply beside him, her lasso loose at her side.
Leto hung in the corner, blandly observing the interaction as one of his crew signed for him.
Mara was absent from his shoulder, and his gaze quickly shifted to Kora with interest, the iridescent glow of them boring into her as she scanned the pirates she’d spent a decade hunting.
“Parley,” she repeated.
“Aye, we fucking know what parley means,” Hector spat.
“Then you know you must honour the code,” Kora replied, and Cassidy’s blue eyes narrowed, her hand tightening around the lasso.
One of Aerion’s books had been a scripture on the history of pirates.
How they’d fled their homeland in Peril Cove and documented their centuries-long journey to Galen, establishing their new code.
A code to ensure their survival. To ensure respect between the lords and their crew.
It went against everything Kora had been taught about them.
But she knew she could wield their code to her advantage—including one they’d honoured the most. The right to parley.
To give Kora a chance to discuss her terms of survival with Zephyr.
Zephyr huffed, his knuckles cracking as he clenched the edges of the throne’s armrest. “What are your terms?”
“Erick is not to be killed. We’ll recover here in Galen before returning to Talmon.”
Raiden hissed beside Kora, his hand hovering so near to her he could grab her within a millisecond. Kora inched closer to Aryn, who looked at her quizzically.
“Pray tell, why would you want to return to Talmon?” Zephyr leaned forward.
“Aye, the bitch’s a traitor!” Hector hollered.
“Silence!” Zephyr raised a hand, and barely-visible steam rose from the floor, separating the pirates from Kora.
“I intend to stop the war, Your Majesty.”
She’d thought about it recently. The quickest way to exterminate the threat would be to surprise him on his own turf.
Barron had made it clear they were abandoning the Citadel, meaning he no longer had a fortress to hide behind.
From her knowledge, there was nothing between Shannara, the Emerald Forest, and the Ironwharf Outpost. All she needed to do was sneak onto the western side of the island and infiltrate his base.
Multiple chuckles rolled through the chamber, and Kora’s cheeks heated at their response. Zephyr’s mouth twitched, amusement returning to his eyes.
“One person cannot stop this war, otherwise we would’ve a long time ago.”
“I have inside knowledge of the empire, of Barron and his plans. He’s abandoned the Citadel.
He spoke of a weapon he possessed that could tip the scales in his favour.
A weapon to destroy pirates, witches, and Marshans.
I . . . I think he meant me. He’s desperate for me to join his side, to fight with him.
I think he plans to use my power to win. ”
Kora wasn’t sure how much longer her legs could support her. The steam separating the pirates snaked throughout the chamber, growing until it also created a wall to Kora’s right.
“This is merely speculation,” Zephyr retaliated. “You cannot guarantee he’s disadvantaged without you.”
“His army has grown,” Skylar added, her stare disbelieving. “Our reports confirm he’s acquired Aldara in full. The streets are rife with violence, citizens forced to accept him as their new king.”
The water beast within raged. Aldara had been taken. The districts overrun with those sickening guards, their unnatural stench staining their good hearts. Had the Blackstones assisted? Jacinth’s cold nature and power-hungry drive surely would’ve opened the door to Barron and his army.
“Barron has the First Prince of Azaria held captive,” Kora continued. “King Staghart will attack soon to find his son. I think we can somehow work together and defeat Barron.”
Her desperation to save Theron, Ivar, and Samuel kept her standing beneath Zephyr’s unwavering gaze. Zephyr blinked, before laughing.
“Why would we help the son of a tyrant? The Stagharts seek to eliminate all magic. They would sooner slit our throats than work with us.”
“The prince is a mage,” Raiden announced, and Kora gripped Aryn’s wrist to stop from tripping over her open mouth. “I recognised power within him at the battle at Mossfell. He’s one of us.”
For once, Zephyr didn’t hush his son. The dynamic was confusing. Why was Raiden excluded from his family? He clearly had a bond with his siblings, but that’d now vanished in the presence of their father. And the empty throne . . . where was their mother?
“Impossible,” Zephyr whispered. “There are no mages in their ancestry, and the gods have faded. They can no longer gift a human with magic.”
What magic did Theron possess? He hadn’t displayed any during their convoy in the desert. Despite being enviably adept with weapons.
“I sensed it,” Raiden confirmed. “The state Barron has him in, any normal human would be dead already. He’s a full-blooded mage.”
“All the more reason to rescue him,” Kora added quickly.
“We save Theron and convince King Staghart to work with us to defeat a bigger evil. They’ll see we’re not the enemy they think we are.
I promise you, I will not stop until I see my dagger through Barron’s heart.
Until his head rolls at my feet. I want this war to end.
I want the innocents to be saved—human and mage. I want peace.”
Zephyr pondered for several moments, his fingers entwined as he leant forward, elbows resting on his knees.
His stare weighed down on the room, travelling over every individual member, before landing on Kora.
Her mouth dried as he continued to stare, hot steam increasing in the chamber, until beads of sweat trickled down the back of her neck.
“I will offer you safety and residency here in Galen, if you in turn kill Bastion Barron and end this conflict.”
“Can I command a ship and crew? Barron won’t just show up here with his head handed to us.”
Zephyr exhaled through his nose, his dark stare sparkling. “Very demanding of you. Are you not the infamous Kora Cadell? The empire’s weapon? The reaper of innocents?” She flinched. “You’re the only water-wielder to exist for centuries. You could command the ocean to simply take you there.”
Kora seethed. Zephyr had no idea of her limitations over her power.
Just how powerful had she been before? She jolted at his words.
She was the only water elemental . . . for centuries.
What power had Davy Jones possessed, if he had any at all?
Zephyr smiled at her silence, as if he could see what turmoil crested within her.
“Think of it as a contract,” Zephyr said. “If you do not meet my terms, then you and Erick Cadell will be sentenced.”
“No,” Raiden barked.
“Deal,” Kora spoke at the same time. Raiden reeled, spinning to face her.
“Don’t do this. My father’s deals are twisted. He always wins in his favour.”
“Ending Barron is in everyone’s favour,” Kora murmured, as the steam thankfully dissipated. Raiden reached for her but Kora recoiled, backing into Aryn’s chest. She couldn’t risk him touching her, not whilst she carefully curated her new inner barriers of protection.
“She can do this,” Aryn encouraged, a hand settling on Kora’s shoulder in comfort.
“I can’t watch you leave a second time.” Raiden gritted the words, his form tense.
“Then don’t watch,” Kora hissed, resolve to keep Erick alive, to save Theron, Ivar, and Samuel spearing through her.
Zephyr clapped his hands once, the remnants of steam sucking into them. “I’m not a patient man. You have until the first full moon after Hallow’s Day, Kora Cadell.”