Laurent grinned as he shot two balls of flame high up into the sky, and they arched neatly before crashing onto the ship furthest down the dock. Fire exploded upon impact with the deck. The irony was not lost toLenna. The lumber Leon made all his coveted profits on was the perfect kindling for the flames that enveloped the entire hull and mast within seconds. A tingle of thrill slithered up her spine at the crackling sounds of the fire raging and roaring.
Panicked shouts rang out from the harbor. Leon whirled around, his face mottled in anger, running towards the burning ship. Laurent had a delighted look on his face as he launched more balls of fire towards the next ship.
And the next.
And the next.
Within minutes, the four ships belonging solely to Leon were engulfed in flames, their cargo reduced to cinders. The profits gone. Esmeray wrapped Lenna in a hug. “Let’s see if he decides to sign the papers now,” the Queen laughed as a giant black crow hopped onto the narrow wooden railing in front of them.
The crow was double the size of the ones Lenna used to see in Doortan, its dark eyes fixated on Esmeray. The crow’s blue-black wings shimmered in the sun, and a band of white feathers formed a crescent moon atop its head. Esmeray handed the crow an envelope simply addressed in bold black letters, “Leon.” The beastie took it gently in its sharp beak, before Esmeray directed the bird on who to deliver the letter to. With a nod of its feathered head, which completely bewildered Lenna, the crow hopped along the railing before flying towards the harbor, expertly weaving between the pillars of smoke curling off Leon’s burning boats.
“First fire chickens and dragons, now giant crows.” Lenna muttered to herself, “What’s next?”
Esmeray laughed, her fae hearing impeccable. “I’m buying you a fire chick when you find a house to move into.”
Lenna wasn’t opposed.
The group silently observed the crow as it landed on a wooden chest in front of a purple-faced, screaming Leon. Leon startled at the larger-than-normal bird before gingerly reaching out to take the envelope from its beak. He tore it open, reading a letter Lenna knew she had not written, before bellowing at someone to bring him a quill and ink. He scribbled furiously before throwing papers back towards the crow, who screeched with indignation before collecting each piece of parchment in its beak and launching off the chest, soaring back towards their ship.
Lenna knew the exact moment Leon saw her. His face blanched, taking in the two winged beings, the massive crest flapping in the sea breeze–and Lenna. Fear wracked his features as he stumbled backwards, narrowly avoiding tripping over stacked crates behind him. Lenna burst out laughing as he turned tail and bolted down the dock, disappearing into the shadows of the town beyond.
“Okay,” Lenna giggled, “Whowrote the letter and whatexactlydid it say?”
Esmeray beamed. “I did. I told him if he didn’t sign those divorce papers, burning ships would be the least of his worries. And…well… I maybe threatened his life?”
“I added to it,” Keerian chimed up, ultimately very pleased with Esmeray and his contribution. “I told him that alcohol is very flammable and one little spark and that nice Estate of his would go the way of his boats.”
Lenna shook her head in amazement, her smile widening. “You two are very violent.”
Keerian squeezed his mate affectionately, their wings tucked in between each other. “We just love you, that’s all.”
The crow landed with a triumphant air about it, bobbing its beak–and the signed divorce papers.
It was done.
Lenna was freed from the marriage that dimmed her very soul. Throwing her arms around Esmeray, she laid a smacking kiss to the Queen’s cheek before turning to hug Keerian with the same ferocity.
The mighty ship turned, guided by fae magic, sailing swiftly away from the Slate Kingdom and back to Irridessen. As soon as Doortan faded into the horizon, Lenna slipped the wedding band off her finger, tossing it into the depths of the churning water below. As it sunk down into the dark waves, Esmeray waned them from the ship. In a quick flash of gold, Lenna found herself standing in front of a very colorful bakery in the heart of Florra. Esmeray winked before waning away with her mate and Laurent.
The afternoon sun warmed her face as she stepped lightly towards the bakery’s door. Without a doubt, Lenna knew she was home.
Epilogue
Gullsscreamedoverheadasthe body washed up onto the black sand beach. Lashed haphazardly to a broken barrel with a length of twine, sodden and still, none of the sea birds dared to get closer until they were convinced this was not a new threat to them. One gull, bolder and bigger than the rest, with a smattering of bright cobalt feathers down its back, was the first curious enough to investigate.
With a brave hop, the beastie landed atop the barrel, its gnarled feet perched against the metal rim of the wood, peering at the prone figure. A quick jab of its beak into sunburnt flesh, and a low moan emitted from the body. Squawking in fear, the gull launched itself back into the sky, its sea-blue feathers glinting in the harsh sun’s rays.
The sounds of the fleeing birds and the soft lapping of waves was punctuated with a groan of pain that turned into a panicked rasp.
Coughing up sea water, her hands scrambling for purchase against the soft sand, Orla opened her eyes.
Her voice was gone, leaving only a raw roughness behind, as she retched up another belly full of salt water. Orla’s mind bellowed at her, terror like she’d never known before sinking in, as she tried to stand. The waterlogged barrel yanked her back down, its sharp edges leaving a smattering of splinters against her palms as she pitched forward.
Dazed, Orla felt her muscles go limp, exhaustion tugging at her very bones. She inhaled the fresh air of the beach, her lungs wheezing as another flash of nausea gripped her.
With jerky movements, her fingers trembling, Orla finally managed to untie the twine that wrapped around her torso and leg, freeing her from the barrel. She fell to her hands and knees, gasping, until her stomach calmed. As another gull shrieked, Orla raised her head enough to survey her surroundings, squinting against the bright sun.
Black sand greeted her, stretching miles into the distance, broken up only by bits of debris that littered the coastline. White capped waves tugged and pushed more broken boards and destroyed barrels toward the land. Odd, fluttering strips of cloth floated on the surface of the bright blue water.
