Chapter 9
It was early morning, and smog filled the dank room as the group rubbed their tired eyes. Soren handed Jai back his jacket in silent thanks, and then the four of them trudged downstairs to force down what was sure to be an unappetizing breakfast. They needed to get on the road as soon as possible if they were going to make it to Edras Mora in a timely manner.
“So, we camp out in Braexmirth’s northern border and take your boat back over to Patrivah tomorrow?” Baz asked.
“That’s the plan,” Jai replied. “Should take about two days’ time to reach the docks.”
“Let’s get going then,” Enara concluded as she took a swig of water to choke down the rest of her stale bread.
They all stood, leaving their coin on the table for the barmaid.
“Enjoy yuh travels!” she called after them as they trudged out onto the road.
The cobblestones were uneven, and Soren tripped over a protruding piece of rock. Luckily, Jai’s quick reflexes stopped her from full-on faceplanting.
“Thanks … again,” she said, blushing with embarrassment. She noticed idly that he smelled of beechwood and tobacco leaves—warm and smoky.
“Happy to help.” He gave her a wicked grin before quickening his pace to catch up with Enara and Baz.
“So, how’s the king-to-be feeling this morning?” Baz asked, giving the tracker a side smirk.
“Oh, you know, might try to take over a country or something. Depends on my mood,” he joked back.
“You two, honestly.” Enara rolled her eyes. “You do realize how serious this is, right?”
Baz pinched her sides, causing a garbled yelp to escape her lips before she swatted him away.
“C’mon,” he said, “you know we’re only kidding. Humor is how we cope. Right, man?”
“He’s not wrong,” Jai said with a wry smile.
Enara craned her head back, noticing Soren had been uncharacteristically quiet. She let the boys continue on so she could check in with her friend.
“Hey, lady. You doing okay?”
Soren, who had been lost in thought, looked up at her friend and nodded. “Yeah, sorry, long night.”
“You wanna talk about it?” Enara asked.
“Not really.”
Enara sighed. She knew it was best not to push. Soren would tell her when she was ready. So, she linked her arm with her friend’s, and they walked on silently, watching the guys chat animatedly.
Soren was happy Enara did not force her to recount her nightmare.
Before they reached the town’s edge, she stopped in front of a rundown apothecary. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Enara nodded then yelled ahead to the guys to wait for them. They tilted their heads in question, and she shrugged in response.
Soren popped out a couple of minutes later, a cloth baggy of vials clinking beneath her fingers.
“Whatcha got there?” Enara asked, eyeing the cotton sack.
“Dreamless sleep tonic,” was Soren’s reply.
* * *
Jai breatheda sigh of relief when his rough hands grazed the top of the wooden box. Before now, he had yet to be over a day’s journey from them, and he prayed to the Maker that the documents had remained undamaged.
He brushed off the granules of sand that had stuck to the outside edges of the wood before lifting the clasp. The lid popped open to reveal that the rolls of parchment and Adaryn’s photograph had come out unscathed.
He tucked the worn picture into the inside pocket of his surcoat, wanting to keep her close to his heart, and then shoved the box into the leather ruck he had acquired.
Soren cleared her throat to announce her presence. “Ready to go, Your Highness?” she questioned with a flourished bow.
Jai rolled his eyes. “You really don’t need to call me that.”
She shrugged. “Better get used to it if you’re planning on claiming that crown of yours.” She picked at her nails. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “Best to get the crossing over with. I recommend sitting at the back with me. Our friend has still yet to discover his sea legs.”
Soren chuckled. “Oddly enough, he was the best swimmer in our final year.”
“Really?” Jai asked skeptically.
“Yep, he just doesn’t do well in open water. He does okay in shallow ponds and such, so long as he can see the bottom.”
“Hmm … I can’t say I blame him, given what happened to his parents.”
“So, he told you, then?” Soren asked, surprised Baz had shared his childhood trauma with the tracker.
“Yeah, the three of us went through a lot to find you,” Jai admitted, tugging up his collar as a brisk wind lifted the hairs on the back of his neck.
“I don’t think I ever fully thanked you for all that you did”—Soren hesitated—“for putting yourself at risk for my friends and me.”
“You are most welcome.”
“I didn’t say thank you yet.” Soren scowled, hating feeling like she owed him something.
“Then thank me later,” he said before planting a chaste kiss on her cheek and brushing past her toward the docks.
Soren stared after him, open-mouthed, and touched her hand to her face where she could still feel the warmth of his lips. Then she shook it off and followed his sandy footsteps to the dock, where Enara was mentally preparing Baz for the crossing. She gave Jai the side-eye as they set sail and thought, I’ll deal with you later.
* * *
Enara rubbedcircles across Baz’s muscular back as he heaved the last of his breakfast over the side rail of Jai’s boat.
“Hey now, watch the paint,” Jai warned.
“Hey, leave him alone,” Enara rebuked and turned back to Baztien, who had turned and slunk to the floor of the vessel.
“Sorry, man,” Baz said, wiping his mouth then taking a sip of water from the canteen Soren had handed him.
“I was just bugging you, brother.” Jai patted his shoulder before jumping onto the dock to tie off the ship.
Soren handed him the ropes from the bow and joined him in making sure everything was secure. She had to admit he was a half-decent sea captain.
He helped Baz and Enara offboard, and then the group headed for the seaside shack to get out of the midday sun. Jai, like Soren, rarely burned, but Enara’s fair skin had reddened during their crossing.
“It’s so warm here,” Soren observed, tilting her head back to watch the clouds wisp across the clear blue sky.
Jai watched her, appreciating the way her hair flowed down her back to rest on the base of her spine. The soft skin of her neck peeked through the strands and, for a moment, he itched to brush it aside. However, he pushed the thought to the back of his mind. She was beautiful—there was no use in not admitting that to himself—but she was not Adaryn, no matter how much she reminded him of his lost love.
He had not so much as touched another woman since they had parted ways. A few had tried, but he would always find a reason to avoid garnering an invitation to their beds.
As they entered the shack, the four of them shook the sand from their boots and took a seat on the wooden floor. The color had returned to Baz’s olive face now that he was no longer at sea.
Enara looked at the trap door, fear creeping into her bones at what had almost happened to them in the tunnels. “Are we traveling to Edras Mora through the underground?” she asked.
“I thought we would stay topside this time around,” Jai replied, pulling some hardened cheese and baked crisps from his pack and passing them around.
Soren’s stomach grumbled as she took them gratefully. It might not have been the type of food she’d had back at the manner, but something was better than nothing.
“So, what’s the plan when we get there?” she asked. “It’s not like you can just waltz in waving those papers of yours.”
“I know a guy,” Jai replied, his voice muffled by the food.
“Uh-huh.” Soren gave him an incredulous look.
“The stable hand has been my best friend since childhood,” Jai explained, swallowing. “Everett will help us, no questions asked.”
Soren considered this and conceded. She couldn’t fault him, as her faith in her friends was also unwavering.
“We will rest here for a moment longer then head to Driedon. We can stop there to break again before heading to Amerus, then take the tunnels from there into Edras Mora.”
The trio muffled their agreeance, and the four of them settled in for a short power nap. They had a long night ahead of them.
* * *
Gainingentrance to the castle grounds was easier than they had expected, especially considering it was well past twilight. The group had donned servant robes to cover their training gear, leaving their packs and larger weapons in a hollowed-out tree just beyond the edge of the estate. They had debated if Jai should just go alone, but arriving as a group made them less suspicious, oddly enough.
The first set of guards barely gave them a second glance as they shuffled through the gate. They bowed their heads low and scooted past onto the property. Palm trees and cacti decorated the area in patches of soft white sand, a few of them sprouting bright pink flowers. Cobbled paths made of white stone splayed out before them, heading in this direction and that, and all the spaces in-between were filled with well-groomed bushes and low-cut grass.
Jai directed them toward the stables, explaining in a hushed tone that Everett’s living quarters were located above the horse stalls.
They walked with purpose, not so fast as to look rushed, but not as though they were up to some kind of mischief. The few guards patrolling the grounds paid them no mind, most likely under the assumption they were a group of servants returning from some much-needed downtime.
In the northernmost corner of the grounds sat a large stable. Enara guessed it was big enough to house at least two dozen horses, if not more. She was in awe, as the farms in Vreburn could only house two horse stalls, maybe four if the owner was well off. The wood was white-washed with navy accents, and it had a dark brown roof. It looked as though it had just been erected, as there was not a single fleck of paint to peel.
“You all stay here. I’m going to run up and get him,” Jai said before disappearing through the side door that they had not yet noticed until now.
The trio stood shivering. The evenings in Edras Mora were not cold per se, but the wind held the chill of the autumn tide after the sun went down.
“You guys are sure we can trust him?” Soren asked, nodding toward the closed door.
“I swear it on my parents, Sor,” Baz said sternly. “I know it’s hard for you, but I promise we can.” His tone softened as he reassured his friend.
“He’s one of the good ones, Sor,” Enara confirmed, giving Soren’s hand a quick squeeze just as Jai walked back out with the shaggy-haired stable hand. He had dusty blond hair and kind brown eyes, with a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks.
“Hey, I’m Everett,” he said in a warm voice.
“Nice to meet you, man.” Baz extended his hand.
“Soren,” Soren said with an awkward wave. “And this is Enara.” She gestured to her friend.
“Nice to meet you,” Enara said in a hesitant tone.
Baz stepped back and laced his fingers in hers. She welcomed his warmth, knowing the gesture was meant to inform the newcomer of their relationship and not intended to stake a claim on her.
Everett’s eyes twinkled with humor as he gazed down at their hands. He let out a soft chuckle before saying, “You don’t have to worry about me, my friend. I’d rather have you in my bed than your beautiful partner.” He gave Baz a playful smile, and Baz let out a laugh in response.
“Sounds like you’ve got some competition.” Baz wiggled his eyebrows at Enara.
She nudged him playfully before looking to Everett. “Hey, you can have him.”
“Or I would invite the both of you, if you were feeling so inclined.” Everett winked.
Soren and Jai watched the interaction, enjoying the look on Baz’s face.
“All right, all right,” Jai said, trying to return to the task at hand. “Now that we’re all more acquainted, can we get a move on?”
“Always in a rush,” Everett replied, putting his arm around Jai’s shoulders. “Come; I’ll bring you in through the servants’ quarters. One of the family rooms was recently vacated when the king found out their daughters stole one of Princess Adaryn’s crowns.”
“Those poor girls probably didn’t know any better. I feel sorry for them,” Enara said, shaking her head.
“Don’t be,” Everett said. “Princess Adaryn gifted it to the girls in secret. Unfortunately, her father found out and fired their parents, but Princess Adaryn insured they had a sack of gold before their departure. I am told they bought a sizable farm in Stelonbriar.”
Jai’s heart warmed at this. Same old Adaryn, always putting others before herself.
Everett led them down a short flight of stairs to a wooden door at the base of the castle. The hinges whined as he pushed it open, and then he led them down the narrow torch-lit corridor.
“I apologize in advance that it won’t be a particularly comfortable sleep. The servants never rest—there is always something that needs done or doing.”
“Anything will be better than that shack in Murkwall,” Soren said.
“Agreed,” Enara replied.
“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Baz said, shrugging.
“You don’t count, Baz,” Soren retorted. “You could sleep through an army of kestrels marching right past your tent.”
He laughed. “Okay, you got me there.”
Everett tilted his head. “What’s a kestrel?”
The trio went quiet.
“I’ll explain everything later, my friend,” Jai said, coming to their rescue.
The childhood companions shared a look, and then Everett replied, “All right, I’ll leave you be … for now. We will talk more tomorrow.” He stopped in front of one of the many doors that lined the dim hallway. “You can stay here. If anyone asks, you are here to provide extra hands for the wedding.”
“You didn’t say anything about a wedding,” Soren said, looking to Jai.
“What wedding?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Everett gave him a pitying look. “I assumed that was why you were here,” he said, sucking in a breath.
“What wedding?” Jai asked again, his eyes boring into the stable hand’s.
His friend replied in his soft tenor, as though trying to calm a caged animal, “Princess Adaryn is set to wed the Duke of Stelonbriar, by the week’s end.”