Chapter 50 Kiera
Kiera
Grief clung to me like the shackles at my ankles. Cold, hard, unyielding.
In the blur of my fear for Maz, I hadn’t heard Nikella’s last words. I caught her last glance, though. The warm, kind one I felt I didn’t deserve.
I’d never thanked her for what she’d done for me—the stories she told me or the training she’d given me. I’d never told her how much her courage inspired me.
I hoped she knew. I hoped she was watching us sail back to Yargoth. I hoped she was proud of the mark she left behind on our lives.
During the three-day journey back to Yargoth territory, I rarely moved away from Maz. I watched his chest rise and fall, praying for the next one. I felt for his pulse so many times, I eventually just left my fingers on his neck.
Aiden searched the Wolf ship for any medical supplies and gently removed the arrow from Maz’s chest. He staunched the blood flow until it stopped, then packed it with a poultice and bandages.
He also shoved Ruru’s arm back in its socket and fashioned him a sling until it healed.
His movements were swift and practiced. But his eyes were haunted. His mind far away under the crushed cliffs of Calimber.
I said nothing, mired in my own memories, which turned into nightmares.
Yarina and Sigrid sat with me and told Maz stories or sang songs. A tall Dag woman named Bruna never left Sigrid’s side.
Ruru often wandered through the ship, looking for Daire, but always came back with a defeated look on his face.
The other prisoners seemed to be in various stages of shock, grief, and joy. Some had lost companions or loved ones in the escape or during their imprisonment. Others embraced each other, happy to be free at last. Most looked forward to landing and finding their families once again.
And Jek. The proud warrior had crumbled when he climbed up to the deck only to discover that Nikella was gone.
He’d fallen to his knees, clutching her spear, and shouted his grief to the waves and to the sky. When Aiden told him what Nikella had said—that she loved Jek, he’d hung his head and wept.
I’d cried again just witnessing his soul-wrenching loss.
Yarina told me a great many Dag warriors had shown up to help destroy Calimber. Jek had led them into battle and kept their losses low.
That victory felt hollow now.
We arrived on the shores of Dagriel, broken-hearted once more. Mynastra’s Wings followed close behind, a little worse for wear after the capture of the Wolf ship. Skelly practically threw himself into the first rowboat to head back to his beloved ship.
The Yargoths greeted us with horses and longboats. But no Wicked. No Ozlow.
Strangely enough, I spotted Helene and Isabel in the crowd, next to Frieda.
They both looked calmer than the last time I saw them, fleeing through the woods.
Helene wore a fur jacket, and Isabel’s red curls were flying loose in the wind.
Pax—the ever-faithful wolf-dog—sat next to her, tongue lolling.
I helped ease Maz onto a makeshift stretcher we lowered over the side of the ship. The Yargoths below caught him and gently carried him to a waiting longboat.
The rest of the injured followed.
Aiden caught my arm before I could clamber down the ladder. “I need to speak with you when we get back to camp.”
His eyes were hard and determined. My stomach sank. Was something wrong? Holy Four, I didn’t think I could handle any more bad news.
I nodded, my throat tight. He released me, and I hurried down to the beach. My broken chains rattled over the pebbles. Yarina assured me we’d destroy them when we reached camp.
Isabel barreled into me, flinging her arms around my waist. “You’re alive! Oh, I hoped you were! Mother said you saved our lives at Caddik’s manor and that we should pray for you.”
My seemingly endless tears rose again. I hugged her tightly, smelling snow and smoke in her hair. “Thank you, little one. I’m so glad you and your mother are safe as well.”
She pulled away, beaming. “We quite like it here. Ruru was right—there are so many animals, and my job is to take care of all the horses and dogs and chickens. Pax helps. I even have a pet rabbit! He likes carrots. Do you want to see him when we get back?”
I gave a watery chuckle. There was something blissfully sweet about listening to a happy child. “Yes, but I need to help my friends first.”
“Of course,” Isabel said, nodding solemnly. “Mother says we are to help first, then play later.”
I looked over Isabel’s head to where Helene was watching us, a tentative smile on her face. The dark circles under her eyes were gone.
“Caddik?” she asked.
I shook my head.
Sorrow creased her eyes. “May the gods find his soul. Anything you need us to do, just ask.”
I bit my lip. “The Rellmiran prisoners need food and water and possibly someone to ask about their families.”
“I would love to.” Her chin quivered, but then she lifted it. “Is Calimber truly destroyed?”
I thought of the monstrous waves and explosions and lightning storm. “Every bit. No mine will ever exist there again.”
A few tears dripped over Helene’s smile. “That’s good. Very good. Garyth would be . . . He’d be so pleased.”
“I wish he’d gotten to see it,” I said softly.
Helene stroked her daughter’s curls. “He didn’t want it only for himself.”
I offered a small smile, then moved out of the way as more warriors and prisoners disembarked.
Soon the beach was full. The injured went in the first longboats while the rest of us waited our turn. Aiden went with the injured to lend his healing skills.
Exhausted to my bones, I watched the light fade from the sky, huddled under a thick blanket Frieda had given me. The old woman’s eyes were sad. She’d likely received a list of the dead. One that included Nikella’s name.
Wrapped in his own blanket, Ruru sank down beside me. “I’ve looked everywhere. I’ve asked everyone,” he said glumly. “He’s not injured. No one recognizes his name or me.”
I squeezed his uninjured shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ruru. But perhaps Daire was never at the mine. Perhaps they sent him elsewhere.”
“Like the prison tower in Aquinon? He would’ve been executed by now, and I always checked. I never saw him at the logging camp. I don’t know where else he’d be.” Ruru dropped his chin to his bent knees.
Dead. But, gods, the last thing I wanted to do right now was steal the last bit of hope Ruru had of finding his brother.
“You said Shadow-Wolves took him, right?”
Ruru nodded.
I pointed at Mynastra’s Wings, where the crew had started unloading the prisoners they’d taken from the Wolf ship. “We should ask the sailors from the Wolf ship if they remember Daire from any of their voyages. Then we’d know if he left the city by boat.”
Ruru perked up. “Brilliant idea, Kiera.” He immediately threw off his blanket and splashed into the freezing water to help pull the rowboats to shore with his one good arm.
I smiled and helped people out of the boats.
Ruru asked each of them if they’d ever seen a young man who looked like him named Daire. They all shook their heads.
But then the next boat came, and he assisted an old man to the beach, asking the same questions.
“Eh?” the man shouted, cupping his ear. “Oh yes, handsome lad, but he’s dead, isn’t he? Got killed in the battle.”
Ruru paled. I felt the blow to my chest like a drum. Hollow and loud.
“Gods damn it, I’m sorry, Ruru,” I whispered, embracing him.
He trembled in my arms and gave me a fierce, one-armed hug. “I . . . I can’t believe I found him. And he’s gone. I thought . . . I thought I would know if my brother was dead. But I guess not.”
My heart ached. I used to think the same. That if something happened to Everett or Delysia, I would know. But I’d been sulkily eating a grand dinner when Mother died. I had no idea she was gone until Renwell came back and announced it.
Ruru pulled away, wiping his eyes. “Thanks for helping, Kiera.” He turned back to the old man, who wore the thin garb of a prisoner and was sitting on a large stone nearby, catching his breath.
“I’m sorry to bother you again,” Ruru said. “But you seem like you knew Daire, and I really want to know more about my brother.”
“Daire?” The old man looked confused. “I thought you were asking about Tarel. But yeah, sure, I know Daire. He’s right there, isn’t he?”
He pointed a gnarled finger at Mynastra’s Wings to where a young man with brown hair and brown skin climbed the rigging. I couldn’t see his face in the murky light, but Ruru let out a strangled cry.
He ran into the water. “Daire! DAIRE!”
The young man glanced over. “Ruru?” He dove off the rigging and sliced through the water.
I grinned, tears falling like rain to my bare feet.
Daire swam to his brother while Ruru kept waving and shouting. They met in a splashy hug, jumping and yelling with joy.
And just like that, my heart healed a bit.
Ruru dragged his brother toward me, wearing the biggest grin I’d ever seen. Daire wore a matching one. He looked to be a few years older than Ruru, scars and weather aging his face. His long hair swept his broad shoulders. A brown patch of skin marred his throat.
“Kiera, this is Daire,” Ruru said proudly, shoving his brother toward me. “Daire, this is one of my greatest friends, Kiera. She’s saved my life a few times now.”
Daire’s eyebrows lifted, but he threw his arms around me. “Then it’s the highest honor to meet you, Kiera.”
“The honor is all mine,” I said, “to be his friend.”
Ruru smiled at me over Daire’s shoulder. “Now, come on, come on, tell me everything!”
Daire laughed. “Still as impatient as ever, little brother.” He plucked at Ruru’s sling. “Seems like you have a few tales of your own to share.”
“More than a few,” Ruru said, his eyes gleaming.
We sat on the beach and traded stories under the rising moon.
Daire had been in the mine for a few years until last year, when the Wolves had lost some of their sailors in a storm. The mine let them have replacements, and Daire volunteered, saying he was an excellent sailor.
Ruru laughed. “You’ve never sailed in your life!”
Daire grinned. “They didn’t know that, and I learned quick.” He sobered. “You had to on that ship. The Wolves weren’t very forgiving.”
He told us about the fight between Skelly and the Wolves, and how he’d helped defeat the Wolves and switch the warriors with the prisoners. He’d offered to go back to free the mine, but Skelly had told him to help sail Mynastra’s Wings instead.
Daire shrugged. “Turns out I’m pretty good at sailing. And I love it. When those gods-damned Wolves aren’t whipping us every day.” He nudged Ruru. “Now tell me how you got caught up in this.”
Ruru hadn’t even reached the part where he met me by the time the longboats returned. Daire happily joined us for the trip inland.
My heart warmed at the familiar sight of the Yargoth camp. I immediately checked on Maz, who seemed to breathe more easily in his bed, but was still shockingly pale.
The fear of losing him wasn’t likely to leave me until he opened his eyes.
I kissed his cold, sweaty brow and whispered that I’d be back. I nodded to Yarina, Sigrid, and Bruna, who had already set up their beds around Maz in his lodge. Aiden and Ruru would have to find somewhere else to sleep.
I trudged through the camp, nodding to people I recognized. I found Aiden by the fire, pressing a molten iron to Ruru’s remaining cuff. A pile of twisted, melted shackles lay in a heap next to them.
Steam rose from the metal. Ruru’s face tensed as he breathed hard through his teeth. Brow creased, Aiden removed the iron, and Daire wrenched open the remaining shackle.
The brothers grinned with relief. Daire shook Aiden’s hand and helped Ruru toward a table full of food.
Aiden’s gaze met mine, and his face softened. He gestured for me to take a seat.
I did, extending my feet toward him as he reheated the iron. “This already feels too familiar,” I said, my throat suddenly feeling parched.
“It will never happen again if I can help it,” he said quietly.
His tone, his manner . . . He was acting strangely. Did he regret the mine? Or was he second-guessing our future plan? Henry would hear of Calimber’s destruction and start gathering his forces. We’d promised to meet him in Aquinon.
Aiden carefully pressed the iron to one of my shackles. The heat soaked through the metal and into my skin.
More to distract myself than anything, I asked, “What did you want to talk about? Now that we’re back at camp.”
He stayed focused on his task. “It can wait until you’re free and fed. Perhaps after some sleep as well. It’s not a conversation I want to rush.”
I swallowed hard. Gods, it must be bad.
Suddenly, I remembered I used to share a lodge with Nikella. The weight of her death slammed into my stomach yet again.
“I don’t want to sleep in my old bed,” I whispered.
“Helene and Isabel took that lodge anyway,” he said. Then he snapped the shackle off my ankle. He looked up at me, his eyes tide pools of sadness and yearning. “You can sleep in my lodge, if you wish.”
My heart tapped faster. “I’m pretty sure Maz’s sisters and Bruna have taken over that one.”
“I found another,” he said, thrusting the iron back into the fire without breaking our gaze. “It only has one bed, though.”
I swallowed and almost choked on my dry throat. Gods damn it, I needed some water. My whole body felt like the metal rod he held—submerged in embers.
“Only to sleep,” he added gently, then turned his focus to my other shackle. “I sleep better with you next to me.”
My soul brightened. “I do, too.”
His smile felt like a victory, since I hadn’t seen it in days. He broke off my other shackle.
I didn’t stand immediately. Instead, I kneeled down and gently took the iron out of his hands. Then I hugged him as tightly as I could, pouring every unspoken thought, word, and emotion into the embrace.
He let out a deep sigh and crushed me to him.
My sore body needed many things—a bath, food, sleep. But my heart was in far worse pain. And it yearned for Aiden most of all.
He pulled back and rested his forehead against mine. “I was going to wait, but I can’t. I have to tell you now.”