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All the flying and preoccupation cleared his mood, but it dropped again when he spotted the shadow of a figure standing on the upper floors, peering through a window. That he recognized Sapphire’s form easily irked him, so he spun and flew away, not ready to deal with her. The sun rose, indicating how long he had been out and how Sapphire shared the lack of sleep—a connection neither wanted, he was sure. Inside his cave, he walked back and forth, restless, before he went to his workstation again and continued his necklace work. The heat coming from the melted gold and mounds of coal had sweat dripping down his back.
“I should be greeting my bride and getting to know her. I should be in my castle, preparing for my ritual instead of…this.”
He glared at no one in particular, but the image in his head was Sapphire. He frowned when his shoulder itched and he glimpsed a scale falling off…then, more cracking and peeling off his skin. It served as a reminder that he didn’t have the time to find another bride no matter how much he disliked this one’s sister. It served as a warning that he needed to get to Emerald’s good graces so she would mate with him in a heartbeat—and finally give him the power to drive Sapphire away.
But first, slumber.
Klaus closed his eyes, willing his mind and worries to rest. When he opened them hours later, it wasn’t because of the sunset but the second clink that vibrated in his ears. More intruders.
And instinct told him that this time, he wouldn’t be finding the same helpless humans.
Chapter 3
Armed with all the potions she could fit in her pockets, Sapphire made a mental note that she needed to concoct more as she subtly hurried out of the castle. Emerald had gone through the day wondering where Klaus was, still evading her questions. When he failed to show up for dinner, Emerald prepared for a long, luxurious bath. That bath would keep her preoccupied, leaving Sapphire free to investigate—and she was determined to investigate, particularly when the odd thrum ran through her skin again.
It felt like a vibration humming in the lands, but also humming in her senses. She wondered why she could detect the alarm when Emerald was none the wiser, but put aside the query and trailed after the hum. The thicker it felt, the faster she went, excitement spiking when she knew she was close. Nothing stirred the air, Klaus’s form absent. She was pretty sure he didn’t kill the first lost batch, but distrust had a long way to go, and she was determined to get to this second batch before he did.
When she heard rustling and a commotion, she peered through some bushes. She spotted two figures arguing and some more laughing. She snuck out and cleared her throat. One by one, heads turned her way and all forms of sound stopped. She spoke and held up her hands before they could kneel and beg for their lives.
“Hey, there. You must be lost.”
There were four men, all wearing clothes sewn together from different fabrics. Some were tattered and had holes while others were speckled with bits of gold and crystals. Braided hair beaded with more crystals and worn-out backpacks completed the look. The odd combination baffled her, but a part of her already suspected what she was facing.
They looked at each other, then looked at her. The oddness kicked up a notch when the one with the fancier clothes met her gaze.
“We are,” he said, voice soft and just with a hint of pleading. “You might be able to help us. We are looking for our comrades. We got into…an unfortunate incident together and were separated during our escape.”
She waited for the same haunted look to encompass their features, but it didn’t come. Sapphire maintained her open expression, not giving away the fact that she knew these people were in no way comrades to the ones who came here earlier. But maybe there was a way to solve this peacefully and inform her pirate friends later about these people.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t see anyone come into the island other than you. We would have known. Maybe they went elsewhere.”
She emphasizedweand waited for them to back off. But the fancy-clothed man shook his head, waving aside her comment.
“If you don’t mind, we would like to check for ourselves.”
“I do mind since we’re preparing for guests,” was her prompt response. “And this is private territory, anyway, so I suggest you all leave before the owner comes and finds you. He doesn’t like outsiders at all.”
She tried to make it threatening without revealing who they were up against. The fancy-clothed man grimaced, ready to argue, before changing tactics and offering her a smile. It was charming and nonchalant. So was his shrug.
“This was supposed to go easily.”
“It can still be easy and peaceful if you cooperate.”
“But—”
“You need to leave, sir,” she bit out, tone firmer. “It’s for the best and I’m not warning you again.”
“Very well.” The man held up his hands. “We can leave.”
“Yes—”
“Or we can just do this.”
Her hand went to her pocket, reaching for a vial. Her other hand went up to wave a flash of magic in the air and send them scurrying away. But none of the four moved and her flash was met with another flash—bigger, brighter, and so much more powerful than hers was. It encompassed her in a ball, tightening until her arms were stuck at her sides. One of the poorly dressed individuals meandered forward; palms open. The cloak fell off and revealed familiar marks hidden earlier.
Sapphire froze. There were only a small group of magic users with those marks, all of whom defected from Broom’s Isle because they didn’t like following the island’s rules: mainly the upholding of peace and order in a population filled with chaotic energies. Her gaze narrowed.
“I didn’t know defectors stooped this low and worked with pirates who do nothing but pillage lands.”
