For a moment, we all sat in silence, sifting through Kost’s words. Unease brewed in my gut. Wecouldrisk venturing to Allamere, Land of the Mages, but they’d deserted Lendria after the First War and showed no interest in returning. Aside from the handful of rogues here and there—like Eryx, the mage we’d met about removing Cruor’s Oath from my wrist—they didn’t give a damn about our country. Or who ruled it. Rhyne, on the other hand, was once a treasured ally. Maybe enough decades had passed for them to at least entertain the notion of reestablishing that relationship once again.
“Well,” I finally said, carefully measuring my words, “if I were a member of Rhyne’s royal family and learned of my existence—not just my existence, but my goal to retake the throne—I wouldn’t be happy.” I folded my arms across my chest. “No warning. Just a sudden reemergence of the person they thought they’d killed. Not only would they feel robbed of justice, but now they’d feel like fools for being tricked all these years. They’d attack Lendria on principle.
“But if we go to Rhyne, if we have a discussion with them and make an alliance, we have a better chance of keeping the peace, both now and in the future.” As hard as it was for me to admit, I knew this was the right move. With so many threats in our own country, I hadn’t even thought about what being crowned king would mean to the rest of the realm. To Rhyne. A tendril of guilt threaded through my stomach, but I steadied it with a long breath. Personal history aside, this was the best path forward. For the sake of my people.
Leena nodded her agreement and then paused, fingers halting along her jaw. “How do we know they won’t attack us when we arrive?”
“I’ll head for Rhyne now while you visit the last ruin,” Kost said. “They don’t know who I am, so they’ll have no reason to harm me. It’ll give us a chance to understand what kind of environment we’ll be walking into.”
“Prior to our war with Rhyne, we had an amicable relationship with their country. Both of our economies benefited from trade, but that has since ceased. Varek never made attempts to reestablish that relationship. Maybe if we do…” Frowning, I slipped my hands into the pockets of my trousers. “We’ll try. Kost, dig up whatever information you can on their trade routes and how a relationship with Lendria would benefit them. They’ll need something out of this alliance.”
“And a reason not to execute you on the spot,” Calem said.
“Right.”
Kost nodded, a slight approving smile on his lips. “Rhyne’s capital city, Veles, is a bit foreign to me. But I have heard of a tavern called the Polished Goblet. I’ll meet you there.”
“Travel safely.” Leena stood and approached him, and even though her hands moved right through his wispy frame, she hugged him. Shadows licked her skin, but Kost didn’t move. After one achingly deep breath, he dropped his face to her shoulder and closed his eyes. Let his hands hover over her back where they would’ve met had he been solid.
“Thank you,” he whispered. And then he was gone. Back to Hireath. Back to problems he couldn’t fix and a world without us or Gaige. A fist gripped my heart tight, and I moved to Leena’s side. As many problems as we’d face in Rhyne, one thing was for certain: I was desperately eager to get there so I could see Kost again and embrace him myself.
Fifteen
Leena
TheSea Marewas a sight to behold. Rich, dark wood made up the ship’s body, accented by inlays the color of seafoam. Waves of the same shade were carved into the bow, and horses exploded from the crests and raced toward the front of the ship. A single mare, larger than the rest and with her mane flowing behind her, was the prow. Her giant hooves reared up in anticipation, and water crashed behind her. She was ready to take on the high seas, and we were fortunate enough to board her.
The ship’s captain, Harlow “The Marauder” Saber, was even more impressive—and terrifying. Her mischievous grin was borderline devilish, and there was an unspoken, heated emotion clear in her gaze as she stared at Calem. She’d allowed us to board her vessel, in part because she knew him, but also because we’d offered up all the bits we had on us. She’d escorted us to a secluded room, accessible only through the captain’s quarters. Beds occupied most of the space, save one small, ramshackle desk. Stacks of parchment, quills, and ink covered its surface. A single window was open to the sea, and the light of the morning sun reflecting across the ocean was near blinding.
Harlow stood before us, arms folded across her chest. Her black corkscrew hair was held back by a gold bandanna, and she wore a long-sleeved magenta blouse that complemented her smooth brown skin. Dark trousers were tucked into leather boots, and she crossed one ankle over the other.
“Calem, Calem. I always wondered if you’d come crawling back.” She jutted her chin toward the rest of us. “I just didn’t expect you to bring company.”
“Hey, Harlow.” Calem’s normally flirtatious grin was somewhat reserved. He finger-combed his hair, tying it up in a loose bun. “Look, about last time—”
Faster than I could blink, Harlow unsheathed a cutlass at her waist and poised it just before his neck. “If you ever try to cut me out of a bounty again, I’ll kill you. Don’t think that just because we had a romp in the sheets, I’d act any differently.”
Beside me, Noc stiffened. He didn’t make a move to intervene, though, only tossed his brother an irritated glance. Oz rolled his eyes.
Calem raised his hands in a show of submission. “Trust me, I know. But you got your share. Not to mention the bits we’ve just given you.”
She let her sword fall, a broad smile on display. “Just reminding you. Out on another job? We could team up again.” Her voice went syrupy at the end, and she gave him an eyebrow waggle that had me stifling a laugh.
Calem shot me a glare, then dropped his hands. “Not this time. We just need a ride to Kings Isle.”
“My ship’s charted for Ortega Key. Paying customers, and all.” She made a loose gesture to the door behind her and the deck beyond. Her crew was currently boarding passengers—rich travelers out for a leisurely cruise along the coast of Lendria—who expected to spend the next few days sipping ales and enjoying the sights. All manner of sea life migrated closer to the coast during chilly weather, eager to find food in the tepid, shallow waters.
“Tell them you’re extending the trip. Sailing around Kings and Queens Isles before docking in Ortega Key. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”
“That’s a drain on my resources, love.” She picked at her cuticles, somehow eyeing us and her nails at the same time. “I didn’t charge my passengers nearly enough for that.”
“I’m surprised to see you entertaining nobles. Is there no more money in raiding ships on the high seas?” Calem asked.
She lifted a shoulder. “Stealing from the rich is equally as lucrative during this time. Marauding is a summer gig.”
“It baffles me that the capital lets you go unchecked,” Noc said, voice level. No doubt wondering if he’d have to deal with the Marauder once he retook the throne.
“You’d be surprised what the king has me steal for him.” Her grin turned wicked. “Of course, those terms might have to be renegotiated, Prince Aleksander.”
