Queen of Serpents and Shadows (Blood and Salt Book 4)

Chapter 1

Ara

The water shimmeredlike jewels in the early morning light. Bright fractals sparkling and blinking with the push and pull of the waves. The ship cut through, oblivious to the light dancing on the previously dark water. It made my insides twist, the warning impossible to mask.

We were sailing for Drakous, but the weight of expectation around Nyx’s promises pulled me down. We couldn’t abandon Drakous after the dragons had come to our aid, but Nyx was after humans. We were in an impossible position.

I looked back, squinting toward the place Athos had been. I couldn’t see it anymore, but I knew it was there, a city barely clinging to life. Half of our soldiers were making their way through the passes of the Darkspire Mountains, destined for Drakous and a battle that might be over before we even arrived.

The others were tasked with defending our city, but we all knew what that meant. It was the only reason I’d even agreed to leave. We all knew there was nothing we could do to defend ourselves if Nyx decided to come for Athos. If we stayed behind, there’d just be more bodies when she was finished. In Drakous, against the fae, there was a chance we could win.

Something tickled my insides, wriggling and twisting, calling my attention to the water. I could feel again. A connection to the depths that I thought was lost forever. Somehow, I’d tapped into my magic again and though it felt like an echo, it was still there, that familiar sensation I’d lost. I shoved the feeling away, hoping to tamp it down enough that I wouldn’t alert the gods.

Something shimmered just below the surface and, for a moment, I caught sight of a sea serpent peering above the waves. My heart stopped as I made eye contact with the creature, a sense of understanding passing between us before it returned to the depths.

My magic might be returning, and it might put a target on my back, but with allies like the monsters of the sea, it would be worth it. I could actually make a difference in this war. Though I might not see the end, I could help save everyone I loved. The thought made me smile. It was the first time in a long time I felt empowered.

“You look pleased,” Laera said as she joined me. She leaned against the railing, her own gaze dropping to the water below. The boat bumped against a large wave and sea spray misted our faces. I wiped my eyes, reveling in the feel of the grittiness of salt against my face. For a brief moment, I recalled my father’s favorite saying, the reminder that humans lived by the code of blood and salt. The smile faded. He wasn’t even human. And neither was I.

“I forgot how much I hate water,” Laera sneered. She used her tunic to dry her face. “This is why I prefer to stay in palaces and send my spies to do the digging for me.”

“Did you find something?” I asked, turning to her. Our departure had been rapid, but I knew she was tasked with trying to get any information she could before we charged into the fray.

“Nothing yet. I’m still shut out. I don’t know what bargains my father made, but he’s got someone I’m not familiar with on his side. It’s like he’s closed off my power. I didn’t even know he was aware of that part of my magic.” She squeezed the railing so hard her knuckles turned white.

“I know what it’s like to be cut off from your magic. I’m sorry,” I offered.

“I’m not cut off from all of it.” She released her grip. “I just can’t get into the heads of any of my usual charges. I’m starting to think they might all be dead. But that would mean my father killed his entire council.”

“He probably did,” Ryvin added as he joined us. He gave me a small smile and a nod before returning his attention to his sister. “I want you to try Selena.”

Laera’s brows shot upward. “The woman who ran away as soon as things in the tunnel got difficult?”

Ryvin nodded. “Yes. We know she wanted nothing to do with our father, but she’ll do anything to save her own skin. Plus, if word gets out about her daughter…”

“Our sister?” Laera sneered. “Every time I think of it, I want him dead even more.”

“We’ll watch his head roll before we see the Underworld,” Ryvin vowed.

“I don’t see how Selena helps us. Even if I feel oddly obligated to her offspring. She’s probably hiding in some forgotten building in Athos waiting for the chaos to settle so she can scurry out and claim her riches in the fallout. Which, honestly, she deserves after what our father did to her. You do realize what she can claim if we’re all dead?”

“Just try it, will you?” he pressed.

Laera crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine.”

“Thank you,” Ryvin said.

Laera’s upper lip curled in disgust. “Gross. Don’t start being nice to me now. I don’t think I can handle that.”

Ryvin looked like he was holding back a laugh. He shrugged, then moved closer to me, taking the place against the railing on my other side.

“I’ll be in the captain’s quarters. Trying to break into the mind of someone who is useless to us,” Laera announced dramatically.

Vanth joined us, his brow furrowing as he watched Laera walk away in a huff.

“What was that about?” Vanth asked.

“She’s never been one for taking orders,” Ryvin said.

“You actually gave her an order?” Vanth asked skeptically.

“I requested nicely,” Ryvin clarified.

“I’m sure she’d rather be ordered,” Vanth mumbled.

“Do you really think she might find something from her?” I asked.

Ryvin shrugged. “I find it hard to believe that the queen cut off all communication with her best friend. She was playing the long game to get her court back. I’m guessing that’s the biggest reason Selena chose Athos.”

The ship rocked gently, and I returned my attention to the water. There was so much building, so much that had been hidden. Ryvin set his hand on mine. “We’re going to defeat him. It’s the only option. I refuse to let him win. And I will not lose you.”

We hadn’t had time to address the change in our relationship, and I wasn’t sure how to move forward with him. If I was being honest with myself, the day he’d offered to give me all of his magic had thawed something in me. He’d demonstrated that taking my magic wasn’t about power. It was an attempt to keep me safe, no matter how misguided it was.

“Why do the gods fear my magic when yours is so deadly?” I asked.

“Because I can’t use my shadows against a god. You can do what you did to that vampire to any of them.”

I returned my attention to the water. “But now you have that power, yet they allow you to live.”

“I don’t think they’ll allow me to live long, Asteri,” he confessed.

Fear flared and I spun to face him. “What do you mean? You said taking my magic would prevent them from killing me.”

“It does. Without magic, you’re not a threat. But what I did was never about keeping myself alive.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s always been about protecting you.”

“The assassins after you…” The group that had attacked us had survived when they shouldn’t have. They weren’t typical bounty hunters. “They weren’t sent by your father, were they?”

“Don’t worry about it.” He offered a small smile.

“Don’t shut me out. You promised no secrets.” I pressed my palm against his chest. “Don’t you dare.”

He grabbed my wrist, lifting my hand from his chest, then lowered his face, pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

“Don’t try to distract me.” I tugged my hand away. “Who were they?”

He sighed, then lowered my wrist, weaving his fingers between mine. He held my hand like he was afraid I’d float away if he let go.

“You’re right. They weren’t sent by my father. They were sent by the gods. Before you say anything—” he held his other hand out and I closed my open mouth, then glared at him. “It means they have upheld their end of the bargain and no longer see you as a threat.”

“I am not okay with you taking my place for this. Especially after what I did in Athos. They’re going to know I tapped into my magic.” As my anger rose, shadows swirled around us, twisting and spinning into a cyclone of darkness.

“You need to take a breath.” Ryvin looked nervously at the dark tendrils.

I closed my eyes and tried to slow my racing pulse. I was not going to watch him sacrifice himself for me. There had been far too much of that in our kingdoms’ histories. When I opened my eyes, Ryvin had taken a step back, but he was still clinging to my hand. The shadows had dissipated.

“I’m sorry. I’ll work on my emotions. But you have to promise me something. Right now.”

He lifted an eyebrow in silent question.

“If we survive this war, we figure out how to get rid of my magic for good. I don’t want to live the rest of our lives running from the gods.”

He moved closer. “I was gifted more magic than most, and now I think I know why. It’s enough for both of us. It’s enough to help us survive. We’ll both use mine and figure out a way to destroy yours.”

I stood on my toes and kissed him. His arms moved around my waist, pulling me closer. I nuzzled into the embrace, burying my face into his warm chest. If only I could stay here like this. If only I could ignore reality and live in a place where we could just exist and enjoy each other’s company.

But that wasn’t our path. He kissed the top of my head and I breathed him in, allowing myself one more moment of safety before I stepped away from his embrace. The expression on his face hardened, taking on a seriousness that told me he was steeling himself the same way. Neither of us asked for this, but we would do all we could.