Chapter 22
Phoebe
The Lord of Water’s Ceremonial Ship
The ship lurches forward with a speed that steals my breath, the prow slicing clean through the waves as though the sea itself is carrying us.
Salt spray mists my face, but I know it isn’t the wind at work—it’s Kael.
His magic.
I feel it in every shudder of the hull, in the strange chorus that rises around us.
Shapes flash beneath the water.
A wall of gray fins, sleek shadows racing alongside us—sharks.
Then the mournful call of whales, deep and thunderous, thrums through my bones.
Otters leap and vanish again, a blur of teeth and fur.
Sea tigers ripple like striped lightning under the waves, their massive bodies keeping pace.
All of them are here, protecting me.
Because he asked them to.
Because Kael commanded it.
Tears sting my eyes, hot against the chill of the spray. I clutch the rail and whisper a prayer I don’t even know how to form.
Bring him back to me. Please, whatever powers are listening. Don’t let this be the end.
The air changes.
A shadow sweeps over the deck, blotting out the stars.
I look up, and my mouth falls open.
Dagan.
His wings stretch wide as the ship’s sails, black and glimmering, each beat spraying droplets of night across the sky.
He lands with the weight of a storm, his eyes burning like embers, his hair a wild tangle of shadow.
In all his glory, he is both terrifying and magnificent.
“Where is Kael?” he demands, voice deep enough to shake the boards beneath my feet.
My throat tightens, but I manage to answer. “He went to fight.”
Dagan’s gaze narrows. Then he nods once, sharp and certain, as if he already knew.
“So be it.” He softens—just barely—as his gaze settles on me.
“Be safe, milady.”
My fingers curl tighter around the rail. The words burst out before I can stop them.
“Tell Kael I-I’ll be home waiting for him.”
For the first time, something like respect flickers in his eyes. He bows his head slightly.
“Yes, milady.”
And then, with a sweep of those vast wings, he is gone again, swallowed by the night, carrying my message back into the storm where Kael fights.
Castletide rises out of the water like a dream made solid—its pearl-colored towers catching the moonlight, its walls shimmering faintly with the same pearlescent glow that clings to everything in this realm.
The ship glides into the harbor as if carried by invisible hands, Kael’s magic still propelling us even though he is miles away.
My stomach twists with every wave.
I know he’s out there.
Fighting. Bleeding, maybe.
The bond between us thrums, taut and humming like a wire pulled too tight, and I almost double over with the weight of it.
But no. I can’t fall apart. Not now.
Amber waits just behind me, pale and anxious. When the ship eases against the dock, I straighten, squaring my shoulders.
My hands are shaking, but I clench them into fists.
“If I’m to be the Lady of Castletide,” I say, turning to her, “then show me what I need to do.”
She blinks at me, startled. “My lady?”
“And Amber—” I step closer, my voice firmer now. “I appreciate everything you told me. Truly. But this thing with Kael and me? It’s not some youthful indiscretion.”
She opens her mouth, but I don’t let her interrupt.
“If a woman harmed herself, I am profoundly sorry for her. And I am sure Kael is, too. But that is something he and I will discuss—together. I can’t allow myself to doubt him now.” I lift my chin, feeling my heart hammering but refusing to back down.
“Yes, milady.”
“Right now, I think I’m supposed to keep this place and his people safe while he fights our enemies. Don’t you?”
Amber’s throat bobs as she swallows.
Then she bows, her voice soft but steady.
“Yes, milady.”
“Good.” I breathe in deep, bracing myself as the gangplank drops. “Then help me.”
She nods, determination flickering in her eyes at last.
“Always.”
And with that, I step onto Castletide’s shining dock, the weight of dread still pressing against my chest—but steadied now by resolve.
If Kael is giving everything to protect me, then I’ll give everything to protect his home.
After all, it’s mine now, too.
Castletide is eerily quiet, though the keep itself glows with light.
The seawall hums faintly, the wards shimmering like heat waves against the night sky.
I can feel the weight of eyes on me—fishermen, servants, guards—everyone who remained behind when we sailed away just five days ago.
They’re watching. Waiting.
Amber touches my elbow, guiding me toward the inner gates.
“This way, milady. The people will need to see you.”
My legs feel like lead, but I force them to move.
Inside, the corridors of Castletide pulse with that pearlescent shimmer I’ve grown almost used to, the walls glowing faintly with the sea’s own magic.
The air is damp and cool, threaded with the tang of salt.
It feels alive, as if the keep itself is holding its breath.
We enter the great hall. Families are gathered here—mothers clutching children, elders murmuring prayers, guards sharpening weapons though their eyes keep darting to the doors.
The moment I step inside, silence ripples outward. All those eyes shift to me.
Amber leans in, whispering urgently.
“They need reassurance. If you are the Lady of Castletide, now is the moment to prove it.”
My heart hammers, but I lift my chin. I think of Kael—the way he looks at me, like I’m more than enough.
Like I am his and I belong here.
“Lord Kael is fighting for us,” I say, my voice louder than I expected. The room quiets further, leaning in. “And while he does, we will hold strong. This keep is not just stone and magic—it’s home. And no enemy will take that from us.”
A murmur runs through the crowd.
Some nod, some straighten a little taller.
Children peek out from behind their mothers’ skirts.
I step closer, resting a hand on the carved pearl rail of the dais.
“I may not be from here. I may not fully understand all of Nightfall yet. But I know this—Kael fights with everything he has because he believes in you. And I will do the same.”
Amber clears her throat beside me.
“Lady Phoebe, the lower vaults contain supplies and arms. You could order them readied. It would steady the people.”
I nod.
“Then let’s do it.”
And for the first time since Kael left, I feel something other than confusion and uncertainty.
I feel purpose.