“Dye,” she said with a grin. “I can even make it look green for awhile.”
“Green will do.” Laughing, he threw up his hands. “You know what? I’m probably going to end up regretting this, but I’m in. I’m not only going to give you the information you need, but I’ll come with you, too. Gotta make sure you get inside the army’s camp. Let’s go kill a king.”
5
Reyna
They set off at dawn the next day. Purple-pink clouds scuttled across the eastern horizon, bathing the land in an otherworldly glow. She met the wood fae warriors on the steps outside the tavern where she’d spent the night tossing and turning on a bed of wheat. The Ruin’s voice had been loud, insistent, every time she’d slipped off to sleep. She’d blocked out its words, but she could stillfeelit deep inside of her.
It was getting excited.
Duff and two others stood waiting for her on the weathered stoop when she stepped out with her newly-dyed emerald hair. They all wore plain boiled armor and tossed Reyna an extra set, waiting for her to pull the snug, firm leather over her head.
“This is Fiona and Naal. They’ve volunteered to help,” Duff said, motioning to the red-haired female and the emerald-eyed male. “Then, we have a few others who have offered to crew the ship.”
Reyna arched a brow. “Ship? I thought we were going to trek across the Mistmoor Mountains.”
“Too dangerous,” Naal said, rubbing the green stubble on his chin. “And it would take us a month at best.”
“It’s far faster to sail,” Duff added with an almost imperceptible shiver. “I won’t pretend it doesn’t spook me, sitting on a wooden platform in the middle of all that saltwater, but it’s the best way to get us to Craobhan in time for it to make a difference.”
“You know I could just fly there,” Reyna said with a frown. “You don’t have to risk your lives like this. I can do this alone.”
“Not happening, princess,” Fiona said. “No one will question a merchant ship docking in Craobhan, but theywillquestion a girl falling out of the sky.”
Swallowing down a lump in her throat, she glanced at each of the wood fae in turn. “And there’s that many of you willing to come along on this godforsaken quest?”
Naal clapped his hand on her shoulder, heavy and strong. “You’ve seen this place. We’re all so thankful that Lorcan invited us to live here, but we’re struggling to get by. The neighboring villages won’t trade with us, not knowing what we are. We’ve sent word to Tairngire, but our letters have gone ignored. If we kill the wood king, we can go home. We’ll get our lives back.”
Reyna swallowed as the weight of the quest settled on her shoulders like a dragon. If she did not do this, Lorcan would be lost. Findius would be lost. And the fae of Comharra would be lost. They were risking their own necks in order to give her a chance to slay their king. She could not fail them.
“Let’s go get your lives back then,” Reyna said with a nod.
They trekked through the village, down the winding path, and to the sea where a small, single-mast vessel sat waiting for them. Wood fae scuttled across the deck like ice crabs, tying ropes and rigging the emerald sail. Two raised platforms sat on either end like miniature wooden towers, and a crow’s nest squatted at the top of the mast. The cog was one of the old merchant ships that had once been used to transport goods between the realms. It had been a long time since she’d seen one like this.
“That’s your ship?” Reyna asked as they stepped onto the wooden planks of the fishing dock. “I didn’t think these sailed much these days.”
“We stole it from a merchant. Well, smuggler.” Duff grinned. “Tempted him away with some Wood Whiskey. It was like taking candy from a babe.”
Reyna couldn’t help but laugh, even as dread continued to rush through her like a storm. “Wood Whiskey is worth a small fortune.”
“Exactly,” he replied. “So, the smuggler got the booze, and we got the ship so we could sail to safety.”
“And now you’re sailing straight back into the viper’s nest.” It was a sobering thought.
They climbed on board, and the ship set sail, aiming the bow southwest. According to Duff, they would sail around the northern tip of the Wood Court before heading due south, passing the river city of Annwyn before reaching Craobhan where they’d smuggle themselves into the army. It would take a week. A very long seven days that stretched out before Reyna like a godforsaken desert. But it was the best option they had.
As the sun set on the first day of their journey, Reyna stood on the stern, watching the shore fade into a golden smudge on the horizon. Wingallock perched on her shoulder, cooing softly. Her whole heart felt ripped in two.
She clutched the letter in her hands, picturing Lorcan’s face in her mind’s eye. Strong, angular jaw. Dark as night eyes and wavy hair that was made of the shadows themselves. Mist curled around his muscular form as the hardness of the past year chiseled his shoulders into stone. But even amongst the darkness, there was light. There was always light in Lorcan’s eyes. They shone like the stars in the sky.
“Wingallock, I need you to do something for me.” She choked out the words. It was the only way to get them out of her throat and into the salty air. “I need you to take this letter to Lorcan.”
Wingallock cawed, a harsh and angry sound she’d never heard from him before. The sound cracked her soul, a sharp stab right in the gut. She tightened her grip on the letter, trying her best to hold on to her words, scared she would not be able to go through with this.
“I’m sorry, Wingallock. You have to go. Lorcan needs you.” She closed her eyes. “Just please. Hurry. And fly high. Hide amongst the clouds.”
He flared his wings and snatched the letter from her hand. Wind swirled around her as he rose into the air. A mournful song slipped from his throat, a sound that Reyna would never forget no matter how long she lived.
