She has already done so much to help me and Ulric. Asking her to put her life on the line for us feels wrong. Yet, asking her to sit by as my people are murdered isn’t something I can do either.
“All right. I accept your help. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she says.
Ulric claps his hands together with a smile. “We have a plan. So how long do we have to prepare?”
“Two days,” I say.
“Well fuck, that’s cutting it close.”
I pat him on the shoulder and flash him a truly cheerful smile. “Go rest and let your back heal. Our small army needs every person at their best. We’re going home.”
Nine
KYRON
My fingernails dig into the ship’s wood railing as I bend over the side and empty the contents of my stomach. I spent the first day of our voyage in my quarters, trying to avoid the inevitable by sleeping. My efforts served me well until tonight when the winds picked up and waves grew. I shuffled my way to the deck. Thankfully, most aboard the ship aren’t awake to witness my moment of disgrace.
I heave until my ribs hurt and there’s nothing left in my stomach. With a groan, I stand upright and drag the sleeve of my tunic over my mouth. My sweat-soaked hair whips around my face as I look up at the clusters of bright galaxies. “Is this your way of punishing me for cursing you every day for your asinine laws? Can you blame me? Can you fucking blame me?” I scream into the ether.
“Do you really expect the Statera to answer?”
I spin around to find a young woman standing behind me. If I didn’t recognize her as one of the ship’s cooks, her tunic and breeches covered in a red sauce would have given her away.Garlic and lemon permeate from her as she steps beside me and rests her elbows on the railing. She clasps her pale fingers together, looking out at the sea with wide eyes surrounded by long lashes. None of it bothers her—the wet air, the swaying motion, the uncertainty if we are headed in the right direction. I’d sever a finger for an ounce of her composure right now, but I settle for conversation to take my mind off what lies ahead.
“I don’t expect much from the Statera anymore, so I definitely don’t expect it to answer,” I say.
She casts me a glance from the corner of her eye, and her full lips pull into a smile. “Good, because you’re more likely to get an answer from the spirits on this ship.”
A humorless chuckle escapes me and carries away on the wind. “I’m sure that those before me have nothing to say. If my grandfather had his way, he wouldn’t have let both my mother and uncle live to separate his kingdom. I’ve done away with traditions and divided my people. I’ve turned the kingdom as they knew it upside down, and they are all rolling in their graves.”
She falls silent and wraps her hand around her thick braid, twirling the loose ends around her fingers. Her eyes lock onto something that’s not there, and she cocks her head as if she is listening to someone talk. She sets me on edge, and I back away from the railing, ready to sprint back to my quarters.
“Micah isn’t disappointed in you,” she says without feeling. Her voice is monotone and sets my nerves on edge.
“Pardon me?”
She looks up at me, and her pretty face changes. The soft curve of her chin is still present, but her jaw appears more defined and her eyes hooded. Features that are not her own fade in and out like a ghostly mask. I blink several times, but the image doesn’t go away. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear I’m looking at?—
“I am proud of you, nephew,” she says, her tone deeper and the precise way she accentuates each syllable, different from the way she spoke a minute ago.
I jump back and hold my hands in front of me to keep a distance between us.
“Micah?” I whisper, like I might scare him away, and he nods. “Impossible.”
But it’s not impossible. I’ve heard the Esspress ship crew partaking in their morning and evening rituals. They open themselves up to the spirits, giving them access to their minds and bodies. Normally, they shout out messages from the beyond as one of their own transcribes them for records. The practice is odd and alarming, but it’s no different from my people using their gifts to defend our land or complete everyday tasks. The Statera calls all people who it has given powers to use them for the good of their kingdom. Esspress and Pliris may have different traditions, but we agree it’s a disservice to hold back what the creator has blessed us with.
“How can you not be disappointed in me?” I ask. “I couldn’t stop the Allaji from taking Raelle, a good portion of the kingdom is on the verge of riots, and I spent the first weeks of my reign in a drunken stupor. I’m a complete disaster. If it weren’t for Borin and Abrum, the entire kingdom would be up in flames.”
Micah’s laughter leaves the lips of the girl, and she smiles with a wide grin... Micah’s grin. “You think I kept Lucent afloat on my own? Ruling is not only about leading; it is about knowing when to delegate and admitting that you cannot handle it all on your own. The best skill a leader can have is the ability to listen to their people and then utilizing those around you to tend to their needs.”
“I don’t think any amount of listening is going to salvage my relationship with the people when I throw them into a new war.”
“You are making hard decisions, and those will never bode well with everyone. Welcome to ruling a kingdom, Kyron.”
I chuckle at his easygoing attitude. It’s a far cry from the man who bore the heavy weight of a crown. He was a kind and just ruler; one who was loved by his people. As much as I value Borin and Abrum’s guidance, I need to know what he would do in my place. “And if you were to advise me on my decision to save Raelle, what would you say?”
“I believe my darling Borin sleeps soundly on this ship. He supports your quest, does he not?”
