Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
After the Storm
Someone was singing a tune, familiar and calming but she couldn’t place it. She was swaddled in blankets so soft she didn’t want to wake up and when she stretched, her bed rocked back and forth. Was she back home? In her swinging bed?
Slowly, she opened her eyes. She was in a hammock in the captain’s quarters. Soft light poured through the large windows. Had they dropped anchor after the storm? How bad was the damage? How many men did they lose?
To her right, in a chair, was the captain.
His head hung low, his hands threaded through his shiny, clean hair.
His clothes looked strange—his shirt wasn’t the rough cotton he had worn on the ship but much finer spun, his pants were a dark suede, and his boots looked new.
He had changed and he didn’t look like the sea-weathered, grumpy captain anymore. He looked regal.
“You’re awake,” he said, lifting his head and meeting her gaze. His eyes were sunken, his jaw was covered in thicker scruff, and he looked as if he hadn’t slept, either. “Here, drink first.”
The captain held a cup to her lips and stared down at her, worry lines creasing his forehead.
She had never been so thirsty and gulped down what was in the cup within seconds.
The water coated her dry throat and empty stomach with a refreshing coolness.
He took the cup and walked over to a table with tiny bottles, picking one up that had a pink tinge.
“How long was I…?” She croaked.
“Three days,” the captain replied. “We’re in port but I didn’t want to move you.”
Cariad lifted her head to see if she could see the human city of Salonen but her neck was very, very sore. So she laid back down, turned to face the captain, and groaned. Everywhere hurt.
“Try not to move just yet,” he said, rushing back to her. “Your body took quite a beating in the storm.”
She swallowed. “I remember. How bad was it? Did we lose anyone?”
“Thankfully, no. But your magic made sure of that,” he said as he sat down next to her.
Her magic? She thought back to before she passed out but she couldn’t remember much of anything except trying to hold on and then his warmth around her as the world faded away.
He held up a small tincture with the scrawled writing on the bottle in Birdy’s familiar hand.
“I’m on strict orders from Thorne to give you a few drops as soon as you had some water. ”
She frowned. He’d used Thorne’s real name.
“Open up and then I’ll answer your questions.
” He sidled up to her, his hip resting against hers in the hammock.
His grey eyes grew wide when she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue.
She held his gaze as he squeezed a few drops on her tongue.
She closed her mouth and swallowed slowly, her cheeks heating as she watched his throat bob tightly.
He cleared his throat and placed the dropped back in the bottle.
She had never been cared for like this by another. It was a strangely intimate gesture and she could feel herself warming to it. Her body swathed in his blankets, sleeping in his hammock, being tended to by the captain who never even told her his name.
“I’ve known who you and Thorne are since the beginning,” he started, pulling his chair closer to the hammock.
He draped his arm casually on top of her legs and she sighed as the extra weight settled her aching body.
“It is my job to make sure I know exactly who is on my ship and why. Thorne has been indispensable for our efforts the moment they stepped foot on deck. So when you tried to sneak aboard, and their bird caught you and they didn’t sound an alarm of any kind, I knew that you two had some kind of history. ”
Cariad opened her mouth to add to his story but he held up his hand, stopping her. “I know why you’re here, I know what you’re trying to do.”
He does? She stared at him, curious to see what he would say when he pulled a letter from his pocket.
“Your sister married the Black King under the false pretense of uniting the two territories together—earth and fire. But then the day before their wedding you mysteriously disappear and no one knows where you’ve gone.
No one can enter earth fae territory anymore, either.
My scouts wrote to tell me that the only part of earth fae territory that is available to outsiders is the dock and the Black King wasted no time in claiming that as his rightful Only for a stowaway to show up on the only humanitarian vessel in fae territory.
Bright red hair, moss-green eyes, pointed ears hidden under a kerchief, a haughty attitude, seasickness unlikes the which I have ever seen. ”
Cariad blushed and snuggled under the blankets. She inhaled a shaky breath and his scent wrapped around her—musk and salt and sun-tanned leather. Her head swam, her stomach flipped. She closed her eyes.
I’m just weak, she thought. When she opened her eyes, their gazes locked. She mumbled something into the blankets.
“What was that, Your Highness?” He smirked.
“You knew the whole time.”
He nodded.
“And I still don’t even know your name. It feels a little one-sided,” she said pointedly.
He nodded. And offered nothing. It was frustrating. He was frustrating.
“Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You don’t have to tell me your name. I just wanted to thank you for… taking care of me. And for letting me on your ship.”
“Edward.” His hand played with the fraying knots of the hammock, plucking at the wiry strands. “My name is Edward and I am—,”
“The heir to the Salonen Throne.” She glared at him. He was the heir this entire time? No wonder he was in such a damn hurry to get home. No wonder he looked regal. No wonder.
“Well, technically now I am King.” A flush crept up his neck and to his cheeks.
Cariad reached for his hand and gave him a squeeze. “I’m terribly sorry. Did the ship make it in time?”
She let the words hang in the air between them, unsure if Edward had actually made it home before his father had passed.
He nodded, his eyes far away. “Yes, thanks to you.” His eyes snapped to hers and he grabbed her hand in both of his. “Your magic is incredible, Cariad.”
“Forgive me, I don’t know what you mean. I don’t remember anything beyond you coming up behind me and harnessing yourself to me.”
“You opened a portal into the harbor.”
Cariad’s jaw dropped. She had never done that before. She didn’t even know it was possible. She was speechless. There was a knock on the door and Thorne stepped through. Edward didn’t let go of her hand when Thorne saw them sitting so close.
“You saved countless lives by doing so but it completely wiped out your magic,” Thorne said. “I can see the tinctures are working but Cariad, dear, I don’t know if you’re ever going to be as powerful as you once were.”
“But I was never… I had no idea.” She looked at her hands, wrapped in Edward’s larger ones, and frowned.
“The land here is different than up north in fae,” Thorne continued.
They set down the basket in their hands and busied themselves at the table, straightening the tinctures, setting out a place for two to eat.
“You exerted so much magic that it may be years before you’re able to be back to what you once were familiar with.
If at all. Now, I’ve brought you some food because I assume you’re starving after sleeping for three straight days. ”
Cariad smiled and shifted in the hammock, groaning again as her stomach muscles ached with the exertion.
Edward wrapped his arms around her quickly and lifted her out with ease, setting her down gently on her feet.
She wobbled a little but he held fast and led her to a chair.
The food Thorne brought was warm, the bread still steaming.
There were slices of ham covered in a honeyed glaze that made her mouth water, and roasted vegetables of all kinds, and a small plate of some kind of pastry covered in a white dust.
“I’ll leave you to it, then. But first, delivery tax,” Thorne said. They popped one of the pastries in their mouth and winked. White dust covered their mouth and fingers and they smiled as they sashayed out of the room.
Edward heaped Cariad’s plate full of everything and sat back, watching as she dove in.
“Please join me,” she said, her fork hovering in front of her lips. “I feel unsettled eating while you watch me.”
“I want to make sure you have enough, first,” he said. He leaned back and crossed his arms but his eyes flickered to the ham.
“This will be enough.” She looked at the table covered in food. There was no way she was going to eat all of this. “Please, eat.”
Edward nodded once and helped himself to a small plate. He nibbled while she shoveled, her appetite apparently bottomless. They finished in silence and finally, slowly, she started to feel better. Her muscles didn’t ache anymore and she felt less groggy.
“Would you like to see the kingdom?” Edward asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
She laughed, she couldn’t help herself.
Edward frowned and looked around the room, which only made her laugh harder.
“I’ve never seen you eat like this before. So dapper. So well-mannered. You wiped your mouth with a napkin!” She snorted and erupted into more peals of laughter, clutching her sides.
“It’s being back home,” he said, shifting in his seat. “I feel like I have two parts of me —the sailor and the royal.”
Cariad stopped laughing. She thought back to the stone circles and her research.
Then to her life as the earth fae heir. And the different masks she’d had to wear.
She reached for his hand and squeezed. “I know exactly what you mean. Our bloodline is expected to continue with us and because of that we have certain expectations that do not align with who we are in here.” She tapped her chest. She rambled on, “I have all these interests and desires outside of my royal duties. Things I want to do. Things I felt called to do. Honestly, I was relieved when I didn’t have a mate. ”
“The elusive fated mate of the fae,” Edward said. He picked up his fork and fiddled with it, glancing at her briefly.
“Yes, I have been lucky. I’ve never felt the call.”
“Never?” Edward sat forward stiffly.
Cariad smiled. “No, Edward. I’ve never felt pulled to spend eternity with another fae.”
“That’s good. I mean, good to know.” Edward’s neck turned a deep red and he cleared his throat.
“Is it?” She asked coyly.
He’s cute when he’s flustered, she thought. Her toes curled in delight.
“Ahem, it, uh, could be useful.”
“Useful? For whom?” She leaned forward, fully aware that the collar of her shirt was loose. His eyes flicked down then back up to her face and his cheeks were now red.
“I, uh, just meant,” he stumbled.
“Surely, King Salonen isn’t flustered in front of some fae?”
It was his turn to lean forward. He brushed a stray piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her pointed ear. His finger traced her point, sending pleasurable shivers up her spine.
“You’re not some fae, Cariad.” His voice was hoarse.
“No?” She breathed, leaning into his hand as he cupped her face.
“No,” he whispered, his lips now close to hers. His thumb brushed her lower lip, rough and gentle at the same time. “You’re so much more.”
And then he kissed her. It was tender and tentative as if he was afraid that she would reject him.
But when she wound her hands in his hair and pulled him closer, he deepened it and pulled her onto his lap.
His tongue swiped at her mouth, parting her lips to taste her, and she moaned.
His hands were on her hips, on her waist, on her back, in her hair.
He wrapped his fingers in her hair and tugged her head backward and she sighed as he kissed down her throat, across her collarbone, and up to her ear.
Her body was on fire, alight with desire that thrummed through every part of her.
She wanted him in ways she had never wanted anyone else.
When they finally pulled apart, they were panting heavily. She cupped his face and peppered him with small kisses, unable to stop herself from showering him with affection. His hands couldn’t stop roaming and he stared at her like she was a prize he couldn’t believe he had won.
“Well,” she said, when she finally came down.
“Well,” he echoed. “I’ve never been with a fae before. Can humans be their mates?”
Cariad stared at Edward, memorizing the way his face looked at her right now. “You know, Edward, I don’t know. I have never heard of it happening before.”
“I feel some kind of pull to you, Cariad. From the moment I laid eyes on you, curled up on the floor over there.” He gestured with his chin to the corner where she had fallen asleep on her first night aboard.
“Almost like fate?” She ventured, thinking back to the words her sister had told her.
That she had to be here in order to change the future.
She looked at Edward, curious if the reason she was so pulled to him was because of her own desire or because of some greater magic at work. Either way, she honestly didn’t care.
“Yes,” he smiled softly, his hands never leaving her body. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer. He kissed the hollow of her throat. “Almost like fate. Almost like it was meant to be.”
“Is that why you were so grumpy?”
He barked out a laugh, nipping at the base of her throat. Lightning zinged up in her belly, up her spine, and to her ears.
Whoa. That was new.
“I guess you could say that, yes. Meeting you has changed quite a lot of the plans my father had for me.” He grew quiet and Cariad snuggled into the curve of his neck.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He rubbed his hands up and down her spine. “All is well, it was his time and now he is no longer in pain and the Black King will have a much harder time trying to take over the human lands. Especially if…”
“If?” She whispered against his tanned skin.
“Well, if we unite.” He paused. “Officially.”
“As fae and human? An alliance heretofore unheard of.” She mused, staring at the shape of his jaw. “I only ask that my name be scrubbed from your records.”
“Do you agree, then? Would you become my Queen?” He pulled her from the cozy nook where she snuggled and took her face in his hands.
She smiled at him, relief and happiness filling every part of her. “Yes. Yes, I would like that very much.”
The End