“Let my friends off the boat.” Eira’s voice was weak and cracking. She looked up at Adela, who still loomed. “When we dock back at Warich, let them go.” The ship was speeding along at a good clip; they’d be back soon. “As you said, your business is with me—not them. They shouldn’t be kept here.”
Adela thrummed her fingers against the railing in thought. She leaned forward. “What makes you think I would ever do the honorable thing?”
“Nothing,” Eira admitted.
“Remember who you’re dealing with before you ask ridiculous questions.” Adela straightened and headed back across the deck, where she began to give instructions to the crew of where to dock and what would be happening. There was a pulse of magic and a bird flew from their boat to another before turning back into human shape.
Eira didn’t move. She continued to kneel on the deck. Her arms fell limp at her sides and she stared listlessly ahead.
She knew she should be listening, trying to overhear some kind of useful information, but her ears just rang. She had to formulate a plan…some kind of direction. She had to at least try toseeher friends and ensure they were in one piece. But Adela’s voice was already in her mind, Eira could already hear what she’d say:What makes you think I’d let you see them?Eira pressed her eyes closed, tears continuing to fall. She buried her face in her palms.
It was her fault. She’d told Deneya to send the knights back to Risen. She’d allowed her uncle to go to the royals rather than her parents. She’d studied from Adela’s books even when everyone had told her the dangers, starting with Alyss at the very beginning of it all.
Every major downfall could be traced back to a decision that she had made.
The vessel coasted to a stop just down the banks of the river from Warich. A dirt road ran along the water into the town. There was more movement behind her, but Eira remained stuck in her stasis.
“Come on, up with you.” Ducot grabbed her bicep, trying to hoist her.
“Don’t touch me.” Eira jerked from his grasp, glaring up at him. Ducot’s expression was hard, closed off. “Don’t pretend like we’re still friendly.”
“Do I need to send someone else with her?” Adela asked from halfway down the deck.
“No, I can get her to comply,” Ducot called back, then knelt. His tone shifted, voice going low. “If you want to make it through this alive, you need to come with me.”
For a brief second, Eira saw the man who had led her to the Court of Shadows. The man she had put her faith in, blindlyfollowing into the night. Then the pirates on deck came back into focus.
“I don’t even know you,” she hissed.
“Well then, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Ducot, the man who’s trying to save you and your friends’ skins.” He grinned, scars pulling at the corner of his mouth. Eira wondered if the story she knew about them was even true. Perhaps he got those scars from some mission Adela had sent him on. Eira trusted nothing when it came to him anymore. “If you want to see tomorrow morning then follow my lead.”
“Is she refusing to release the magic on her lockbox?” Adela asked, folding both hands on top of her cane. “We can force that, if necessary.”
“No, she agreed to release her magic.” Ducot stood. “Didn’t you, Eira?”
Release the magic on her lockbox?What was Adela talking about? Eira pushed off the deck, fighting against everything that was trying to force her back down. She’d passed the brink of exhaustion, mental and physical, yet somehow she continued to move. It was as if her body was trying to spite her with a will to survive that refused to quit. If not for herself, then for her friends. She wouldn’t let them down.
“I’ll do what you need,” Eira agreed tiredly.
“Good.” Adela studied her from head to toe as she approached. “The girl is about to collapse. Someone mend her wounds.”
A pirate stepped forward as a hulking man threw a rope ladder over the side of the boat. The movements barely registered for Eira as she was more focused on the Lightspinner quickly mending her various ailments.Adela was healing her. That meant she wanted her alive, which counted for something…Right?
When the pirate was finished, she stepped away and Adela tapped her cane on the deck, summoning everyone’s attention back to her. “I would like this to be quick and clean.” She narrowed her eyes at the three other pirates who were now present. “You all know the rules while on Meru.”
They all nodded, Ducot included.
Two of the pirates descended. Ducot gave Eira a small push in the center of her back. “You next.”
Eira did as she was told, Adela watching her the entire time. She regarded the pirate queen from the corners of her eyes. When Adela smiled thinly at her, Eira didn’t bother hiding her inspection any longer.
This was the woman Eira had been hunting for. Now, Adela had found her. The pirate queen had obviously left her ship, theStormfrost,behind in deeper waters to come halfway into Meru…for Eira.
That had to mean something. Adela’s decision to go to such lengths to pursue her must be more than merely because of some rumors. There were secrets Adela was keeping about her, she was certain of it.
Eira swung herself over the railing, climbing down the rope ladder. At the bottom, she splashed down into the thick mud and reeds of the riverbank. The water and muck came up to her shoulders and she swam for the shore, where the other two pirates were trudging up.
Ducot landed into the water with a splash not long after. Ripples pushed out from him, his magic physically moving the water as he followed behind. When Eira’s feet hit solid ground, she slowly trudged up to the other pirates. Instinct had her attempting to summon magic to wick the water from her. But none came and she was left to drip, shivering from cold…and from fear.
