Page 149 of The Stolen Crown

Erik ignored me and hurried on. “The Summons is too great a risk and gives the mortals too much of an advantage. We would not know where they’d strike, and there is no telling if we could withstand whatever dark spells they would use to draw us in.” The king leaned over a table, studying a weathered map of the borders and distant seas. “If their land was two nights from the Ever’s borders, sailing on the surface, it will be somewhere here.”

Erik circled one finger over a position in the Far Seas.

“Aye.” Nightseer joined in. “Heartwalker said the isle he and the royal lovey found for their refuge was in warmer seas. Eilifur is in the direction of colder waters.”

My father stood close to the Ever King. Raised by a cartographer, Daj had a knack for routes and strategy.

I watched with a touch of awe as my father, the Ever Crew, and Skadi, who was the only one amongst us who had lived in the Far Seas, worked out a route that would keep us near enough to scattered isles should we need to abandon the ship if Eilifur attacked, while also keeping us in swifter currents that could shorten our journey by half a day.

It was decided the king’s ship would not sail below the surface for my mother’s sake. Should the queen try to find us again, we needed to be visible. But the ships from the House of Bones, the House of Blades, and the House of Tides would dive. Hidden, hunting, and hopefully out of sight from Djur and his clan.

Only two ships from the House of Mists kept to either side of the royal vessel.

Each noble house would send five more ships to protect the border of the Ever in our absence. Already, Lady Narza and trusted leaders for Gavyn, Celine, and Avaline stood on their decks and barked orders to the impressive row of ships aligning on the edges of the kingdom.

Merfolk bobbed in the wakes, needle-sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight.

Folk of the Ever would continue to arrive, ready to defend their kingdom yet again, but to have so many already, before we’d even set to sea, stoked the fire of hope in my heart.

Satisfied with the plan, Erik shouted to the crew to hoist the banner and set to the winds.

Gavyn gave a smug salute to the Ever King before the sleek laths of his pale ship faded beneath the frothing waves, Sewell at his side.

Celine and Stormbringer followed with the warrior crew of the Fire Storm.

Last, Lady Avaline and the endless tidecallers from the House of Tides hummed and sang as the currents burst upward in columns of seawater and cocooned her narrow ship. When the water settled again, Avaline and her crew were gone.

From the main deck of his vessel, Tavish Spellbreaker waved to his mate and their littles. We would need his voice to break through Lena’s warding spells around Eilifur.

Livia tied my braids. I did the same for her. Then she went to her king’s side at the helm, stalwart, fierce, and protective. Erik had said little beyond strategy since Tait was taken.

Both men were bleeding, stubborn sods.

It was wholly obvious the Ever King was locked in a desperation to retrieve his cousin. Even if Bloodsinger did not outwardly speak it, his snarls and darkness were proof enough. Tait was much the same. The cousins cared fiercely for each other, and when this was over and I had Tait back—I would not accept anything less—they would embrace and tell each other the damn truth.

“Get us into the wind!” Erik bellowed.

The crew hummed its haunting tune:

A man he’s not, we work we rot.

I clenched my eyes and tightened my grip on the side rail.

No sleep until it’s through.

Tides knocked the hull, jolting the ship forward.

A sailor’s grave is all we crave.

Wind snapped in the crimson sails.

We are the Ever King’s crew.

The Ever Ship sailed into the Far Seas.

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