Chapter 27
Arina
Going from the glittering beauty and calm of the sea god's realm to the ship on the dark, raging sea has me wishing half-heartedly to go back and forget this part of the world exists at all.
“Turns out the sssea god wasss merciful after all, eh girly?” A voice hisses at me from a neighboring ship as we board. Trisay.
My mouth grows dry as I turn to face her, and I find the ocean surrounding us is filled with ships. Trisay's vessel is closest and stands out like a shadow among the glittering, pristine boats of the Clestrayan armada.
Raiden wraps a comforting hand around my upper arm. “Ignore her. She will not dare to harm us,” he says in my ear. Then, loud enough for the words to reach the trolls, he yells, “Not if she wishes to keep that revolting head of hers!”
I dig my claws into the skin of his arm, silently begging him not to provoke her already.
“Besides,” a thunderous voice says from behind us, “She is the least of your worries.”
A silver-haired male with a black-streaked beard and dark eyes stands with his arms crossed, showing off his huge, sun-kissed biceps.
“Father.” Lavinia bows her head, and Raiden shocks me by releasing me and dropping to his knees.
“Your Majesty,” Raiden murmurs.
It's the most respect I've seen the male show another, and it scares the shit out of me.
King Gideon eyes me before speaking. “The two of you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Raiden rises to his feet at the same moment Lavinia speaks. “Father, this is Arina Chiron. She is a healer from Lukasia, and she is also Raiden's mate.” The last part comes out a soft whisper.
I stare intently at the male, holding my breath, and waiting for his response.
The lines at the edges of his eyes crease, and he laughs, deep and booming in the misty ocean air.
When he moves, I flinch, but Raiden holds fast when Gideon wraps him in a bone-crushing hug.
“Your mate! Dear boy, why didn't you mention that in your letter?” He holds Raiden at arm's length, taking him in.
“You didn't think we'd let you out of it, did you?
Mates? True mates? That trumps any arrangement.
Come, let's go below and you three can catch me up on things.” I make a note to ask Raiden whether mating bonds are a very common occurrence or not.
Based off King Gideon’s reaction, my money is on no.
When the mountain of a man takes the lead, we follow obediently. Raiden's eyes catch mine, and I raise my eyebrows in a silent question. He lifts his shoulders in response, splaying his hands wide before him.
It strikes me then that maybe Lavinia's parents and Hydreos would let her out of the deal she's made if she found her mate. The thought has me buzzing, excited to fill my friend in and get her thoughts.
But it will have to wait, because we have a war to strategize.
Once we're settled at a small table below deck, Raiden and Lavinia take turns explaining things to Gideon.
“It's risky to lower the wards, and we will be putting this realm in danger,” Gideon says after Raiden has explained his plans in full.
“It will only be for a short time, and after Invidia is trapped, the Smog should dissipate …” Raiden trails off.
“If you would let me finish, I was going to say, ‘So this plan had better work.’" He points an aged finger at Raiden. “Or it'll be you who answers to Queen Kyrrah, boy.”
Raiden
ARINA'S HEAD RESTS on my chest, her breath slow and even, as if she’s one with the waves.
Holding her makes me feel the nearest to whole I've ever been, and I want to stay wrapped up in her and this feeling until my final breath.
I've never wished for a longer lifespan, but there isn't much I wouldn't give to spend more days next to her. And for the first time, I am petrified of the possibility that I could lose her or that we might not have as long as I need to properly demonstrate just how much she means to me.
Fate has somehow decided I am worthy of finding my mate, and what's even more unimaginable is the way Gideon so easily released me from my obligation to his kingdom. I will not take our time together for granted.
There's a knock at the door that has me squeezing her gently and leaving a soft kiss to her head as I roll out of bed to answer.
“What is it?” I ask the Clestrayan soldier through the cracked door, though I know what he's going to say. I've been dreading the moment.
“We've reached the wards, sir.”
I nod once. “Let them know we'll be there shortly," I tell him, and shut the door, turning back to find Arina wrapped in the sheet and sitting at the edge of the bed, soft morning rays dance in her hair, weaving tendrils of gold atop her head.
I commit the image to my memory. She is perfection made real, and I get to be her godsblessed mate.
"What is it?" she asks, sleep still heavy in her eyes.
"We're here." I sit next to her and wrap my arms around her.
She takes a deep breath in through her nose, and I wonder which of the horrors we're about to face are swimming through her mind.
“Right. Let's get this over with,” she says, wiggling from my grasp.
In strained silence, we rush around the cabin until we're both dressed and standing before the door.
“Ready?” I ask before reaching out to open the door.
“I do not pretend to think I will ever be ready for what our future holds,” she says, a sad smile on her porcelain face. “But I'm ready to face it with you.”
We walk hand in hand to the deck, where we find King Gideon and Lavinia, staring out at the place where the Smog meets King Gideon's wards.
Arina is rigid at my side, no doubt building up that impenetrable armor that kept her alive all those years within the curse.
King Gideon pulls out a small dagger and locks eyes with me. “You are certain you can do this?”
“There is only one way for us to know for sure, but we have the majority of the gods on our side. I do not see how we can lose.” For a moment, I fear it's all been a lie, and he is about to go back on his word. He has to drop the wards.
The king concedes with a slight nod. He cuts his hand and holds it out over the waves. When he squeezes his fist, thick drops of dark crimson blood hit the water, swirling until they vanish below, and I expect something more to happen.
Then, as if freed from its prison, the Smog creeps forward, swallowing us whole. Ship by ship.