“My father’s sins aren’t mine.” The prince clenched his jaw and met Brenn’s gaze. “And I ensure you I will put a stop to this disgusting practice when I am king.”
“Oh, so you plan to take the throne after all?” Brenn scoffed. “I thought you were just the executioner.”
“Stop it, Brenn. He is not what you’ve heard.” Caramyn interjected, irritated with the both of them. “We are safe with him.”
Asterious bit his cheek before speaking. “Well,Brenn, thank you for whatever part you played in her safety, but as you can see, I no longer think she’s in need of your assistance.”
Brenn chuckled dryly, looking out at the two small boats docked in the harbor.
“I’d say that since you don’t know which ship to get on, you’re very much in need of assistance.”
“He’s right,” Caramyn said. “We need his help. And we can’t waste any more time.” She turned from Asterious and leaned in towards Brenn. “Do you know of a captain named Veylan? Is he here?”
“I’ve heard the name. He’s a quiet one. I’ll see if he’s here. You can come, but lay low. Keep your faces covered until I give the clear.”
There was no chance for response before Brenn strode off towards the harbor. Caramyn followed without question, urging the prince to do the same. They moved in silence, swift and low, trailing Brenn as he took them close to the sailboat on the left, a slightly smaller vessel than the other, with a narrow hull that looked like it could slice through even the roughest waters with ease.
“Wait here.” He left them standing at the edge of the dock while he leapt aboard and knocked on the door of the captain’s quarters.
Caramyn strained to listen over the evening tide lapping the pier.
“Captain Veylan, you in there?” Brenn’s voice rang with another rap of his knuckles against the door.
A door creaked open, followed by coughing and a few grunts. “Who are you and what the hell are you doing here this time of night?”
“It’s actually morning now, sir.” There was a long pause before he spoke again. “Can you grant passage inland to Magoth?”
“You’d better be paying me enough to buy a new ship to go that far. I don’t leave the fjords.” Veylan grumbled.
Asterious stepped forward to Caramyn’s surprise, joining Brenn on the ship. She followed in attempt to stop him, but was too late before he put himself between Brenn and the captain. “I’ll pay you whatever you want upon arrival. I’m an Evylerean noble.”
The man crossed his arms, revealing a rum bottle in one hand. “My answer is no.”
The man turned away, slamming the door, but Asterious stopped it with the tip of his boot. “A woman named Zera said you could help us,” he said, holding the man’s gaze.
Veylan slowly looked up, inching the door open again just a bit further. “Zera? I figured she’d be long dead by now.” He shook his head with a weary groan. “I should’ve known she wouldn’t go to the grave without cashing in a favor.”
“So you’ll help us?” Caramyn spoke this time, feeling more confident at the mention of Zera’s name.
“If it’s for Zera, I’d damn better do it.” Veylan brushed a hand over his weathered face, smoothing back his head of sloppy greying hair. “Get on board. We’ll leave in an hour or two. Just let me go back to sleep till then, damn it.”
He muttered and disappeared back into the darkness of his quarters, leaving the three of them standing on the foredeck. Caramyn and Asterious glanced at Brenn, then at each other.
“Well, that could have gone worse, I suppose.” Asterious shrugged, turning to slap a hand on Brenn’s shoulder. “Thank you for leading us to Veylan, but I think we can take it from here.”
“Oh, I’m coming with you. My home is inland as well, as unfortunate as that may be.” Brenn feigned a grin, yanking his shoulder out from Asterious’ clasp. “Besides, Veylan will need another experienced seaman whether he admits it or not. A trip through the inlet and upriver is not ideal for a lone sailor. So if you want to avoid the possibility of getting swept out to sea with a drunk captain, I’m coming along.”
Asterious rolled his eyes. Caramyn nodded and looked out at the sea beyond the mountain’s edge, where the sun just peeked over the black glassy surface stretching into forever. She looked forward to the voyage, where she wouldn’t be trapped beneath the damp deck, but instead free to feel the sea’s breeze.
Then she felt the exhaustion hit all at once as she failed to stifle a yawn.
“We’ve been traveling all night. We should get some sleep.” Asterious dropped the words like an anchor as he made his way across the deck to the hatch leading down belowdecks. “We’re safest out of sight.”
Caramyn followed, but Brenn stayed back. “Suit yourselves. I’m staying up here.”
As Caramyn carefully climbed down the wooden ladder behind Asterious, she felt a strangeness in the wind just as the last bit of breeze tickled her skin before she dipped below the ship. Nocthar circled above and landed on an unfurled topsail.
“You’re sure we can trust him?” The prince pushed past some old barrels and nets, working his way through the crampedconfines of the ship. They passed a small galley, a storage space, and finally a small room for sailors’ barracks. Or rather, a single sailor’s barrack.
