“I think we should visit the humans on the Levast Isles.”
ChapterForty-One
We’d taken one of the mid-sized ships we still needed to return to Kyrish, sailing slightly farther east than the rest of the navy.
After the Battle of No Rain—Matea had called it that enough for it to stick—it had taken what felt like ages to get all the prisoners out of the encampment. We welcomed the Southerners and Islanders that had been imprisoned with open arms, though the Northerners were a different story. I knew howfaeof the North were loyal to a fault, their ego often getting in the way of rational thoughts. So as each Northerner crossed through the torn-down wall, they were given two options: remain there outsideNeokelland find their ownway, orcome with us and help take down the regime that placed them there—for the small price of a vow to theThorntierline.
SoTeagan, Byn, and I all stood just outside the wall, Northerners approaching one by one to kneel and vow their loyalty to aThorntier.
And we left behind not a single Northerner.
After crossing throughGlaytredForest with the entire army, navy, and encampment offae, we loaded everybody up onto any ships we could. It turned out to be more crowded thananticipated,but it worked, and we only needed to make it toKyrish, where the navy would remain temporarily.
Well,theyonly needed to make it to Kyrish.
Ezra, Matea, Laurence, Rayven, Byn, and I all loaded up onto the mid-sized ship and set sail for theLevastIsles. Teaganhad neededto get back to Margo,andshe couldcall the shotsinmine andByn’sabsence. Caelia and Callum decided to stay with their navy the same way Quinn had decided to stay with her army—despite the longingI could seein her eyes when she watched her husband walk onto the ship with the rest of us.
Now we were sailing closer to the human lands than any fae had in centuries.
As theLevastIsles came intoclearerview, I wondered why nobody had tried harder to contact the humans before now. Surely,despite the fact thatthey weren’tfae, they could still help turn the tides of this war. But as two ships came into view speeding toward us—the wind on their side—I wondered ifmaybe thosebefore us had been wise to leave the humans be.
“Do you think they’re friendly?” Laurence said, our smallportionof theValwainall standing at the nose of our ship, watching the two vessels approaching.
“There’s a reason the humans have closed off their borders for so long, and I don’t think the reason is friendliness,” Rayven answered with a sigh.
“Regardless,we’reonly here to talk with them. If they refuse to help us,we’llfigure something else out,” Byn said,attemptingto reassure us all. Though I felt anythingbutreassured—and I knew my husband was on edge, too, despite the brave expressionhe’ddonned.
The two other ships approached quickly, and once they were near enough, I flinched as they shot arrows into our ship’s foremast, a rope attached to each arrow. Then, as swiftly as the ships arrived, the humans did. They used some sort of leatherand cloth straps to hold firmly onto as they zipped from their ships and onto ours using the ropesthey’dput in place. With our three ships connected by the ropes, it seemed easy enough for them to board.
“What are youfaedoing this close to our Isles?”the first one who landed hissed, a long dagger already in his hand. “You know well that yourkindisn’t welcome here.”
“We’recoming here in peace. Wedon’twish you any harm or wish to drag your people into anything.” Byn held up his hands in a mock surrender as a dozen more humans from each shiparrived—menand women alike.
The first man’s gaze flickered to Byn’s golden circlet before meeting his eyes again.
“Then why come here at all?”
“Because of me,” I said as I stepped up to my husband’s side. “I come seeking knowledge, and I’ve heard this is the place to find it.”
When the man’s eyes shifted to me, a faint flash of recognition crossed his features, although Iwasn’tentirely sure why. Iknew for a factthatI’dnever met him—or any other human—before in my lifetime.
“Please,” Byn added when the mandidn’tanswer. “Take us to whoever is incharge, ifyou must. We can plead ourcaseif necessary, but we came all this way. Please give us just one chance.”
“Oh,you’llbe meeting the queenalright. And youwillplead your case.” The man brought his hand to his mouth and whistled a series of six loud notes. A few moments later, the other two ships had lined up on either side of us and laid planks down between the edges of each vessel.
As the other two dozen humans used the planks to return to their respective ships,they hung their heads in disappointment whentheyrealized theywouldn’tget to fightanybody, the first man stayed put on our deck.
“So, what’s your name?” Laurence asked the man.
“Dexter. But youwon’tbe here long enough to need to use it,” Dexterstated. “Tell your ship’s captain to keep up.We’retaking you to Queen Calistaright now.”
***
As wewalked toward the middle of the largest Isle, I realized hidden tunnelsweren’tsomething that only the Northutilized.
Whenwe’dfinally set foot on the main Isle, Dexter pointed out a small tunnel in the rock-face of the beach. Having no choice but to follow him, we stepped into the dimly lit tunnel and began the trek that Dexter claimed lead to the stone fortress, which Queen Calistaresidedin and ruled from.
After multiple forks in the tunnel and following Dexter blindly for what felt like days, we finally got to the other end.
