Page 27 of A Promise so Bold and Broken (Compelling Fates Saga #2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

E ven being a warship, the vessel lurched violently when the wooden brow connected the ships, and Lessia was grateful for Merrick’s strong hand folding around her own, keeping her steady.

And she was even more grateful for it when the first person climbed onto the brow and the wind brought the smell of shifter with it—that ever-changing scent of winter and summer and spring and fall and birth and death.

Her senses sharpened, the walls she’d practiced around her mind slamming up, and she could tell from the thickening tension layering across the group that Merrick’s and the rest’s did as well.

Lessia wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to that smell.

It was as if you’d bottled unpredictability, and she reminded herself not to trust a word that came out of their mouths.

At least not without verifying it first.

Merrick pulled her closer when more people followed the woman in the front, and she glanced up at him, offering him a quick smile before she fixed her eyes on the small group that had now reached their side of the brow.

The woman standing in the bow had one of those faces where it was difficult to tell whether she was young or old—free of lines but with soulful eyes that seemed to be full of stories.

Inky-black hair, nearly violet in its richness, framed her face, and she wore simple clothing—scarred leathers and boots that, like Lessia’s, had a few holes from use.

Behind her stood a mixture of shifters, one human, and… a half-Fae male with ivory hair and skin so fair it was almost translucent.

A half-Fae male Lessia recognized.

“Bowen?” she asked when the group halted before them.

His pale eyes widened as they locked with hers, and Bowen took a step toward her. “Lessia?”

Raine and Kerym inched closer, tightly gripping their weapons, judging from the metal clangs reaching Lessia’s ears.

Merrick also shuffled to the side, almost imperceptibly putting himself a step ahead of her.

The group ahead responded immediately: hands subtly moving toward weapons, bodies tensing, weights shifting, and eyes darting everywhere they could reach.

“It’s been a while.” Lessia forced a smile, trying to break the unspoken warning that filled the air around the two groups.

“Merrick.” She squeezed his hand. “This is Bowen. We met briefly when we both lived in Vastala.”

Merrick nodded, but his eyes did not once leave the group before them.

“It has.” Bowen gave her a smile back. “Are you joining us? Is that why you waited for our ship?”

“We want to talk.” Lessia made sure her smile remained.

It proved easy when Merrick breathed, “Good.”

“The time for talk is over.” The violet-haired woman nudged Bowen back into the group. “You’re traveling with one of us. He must have informed you already.”

Lessia stared at Ardow for a moment, happy to find he didn’t seem inclined to run over and switch sides before she tugged on Merrick’s hand and walked toward the woman who must be some kind of spokesperson for this group of rebels.

Reaching out the hand not holding on to Merrick’s, she drew a shallow breath, her thoughts fighting over how to approach this.

But as she met the shifter’s guarded eyes, she decided there was only one way.

“I’m Elessia Rantzier, and… I have information that should make you reconsider your plans. Urgent information that you need to share with your leaders.”

She’d been prepared for the gasps from the group before her, but it was her sister’s shocked inhale that stirred something within her.

Stealing a look at her, Lessia’s smile came easier when Frelina grinned back, bobbing her head for Lessia to continue.

“Elessia Rantzier…”

The woman only stared at Lessia’s hand, so with a sigh, Lessia dropped it.

“I thought you went by Lessia Gyldenberg now.”

Lessia’s eyes narrowed, but she worked to keep the rest of her face expressionless.

She wasn’t sure whether this woman was trying to unsettle her or if she actually knew who Lessia truly was.

“I didn’t claim the Rantzier name until recently, when someone told me that just because I carry a name, it doesn’t mean I carry the darkness that comes with another with the same one.” As Merrick’s thumb stroked the back of her hand, Lessia observed the woman, trying to see through the mask of indifference that painted her features.

“A name is powerful, Elessia. As you must have known, denying your own for so long.” Her eyes traveled over Lessia’s face. “And how do I know you don’t carry the darkness of your family?”

Lessia waved her hand toward the group. “Surely you all, out of anyone, must understand? What with the actions your leaders took back in the war times?”

“Ah, that was all so very unfortunate, wasn’t it?” The woman didn’t appear to think it was unfortunate at all, as a slight smile drew at her lips as she peeked behind Lessia. “I assume that’s your sister clinging to the mind-bender? You have the Rantzier hair. I heard the Death Whisperer traveled with you already. Oh! And that’s one of the Siphon Twins, isn’t it? I thought you and your brother were inseparable… I guess love can truly break us all.”

The shifter pierced Lessia with her dark brown gaze as she straightened again. “I am the leader of the rebels. My name is Meyah, and I know more than you think I do, princess of Vastala.”

Her stomach flipped, but she fought to hide it.

They’d stumbled across the rebel leader ?

Moving her eyes to Merrick’s, Lessia found his brows drawn down, thoughts working across his face as distrust brightened his dark eyes.

It all seemed very convenient, didn’t it?

As Lessia turned back toward the rebels, she forced a laugh when she realized Meyah was staring at her. “I am no princess. Like you, I want Havlands to be a better place, but if you don’t listen to me, there will be no Havlands—at least not how we know it—left, including any of your rebels. There is another threat coming. One that is much worse than the fight you’re planning for.”

Some of the people behind Meyah began mumbling, the whispers brushing Lessia’s ear, but she made herself hold the rebel leader’s gaze.

“But you’re not like me.” Meyah’s lips lifted into a cold smile. “It’s as easy to see as the bonds tying this broken group together. You won’t do what’s necessary to win—to drive actual change. I know all about you, Elessia Rantzier. Or is it Lessia Gyldenberg? You ran for regent in Ellow and, according to my sources, even managed to get the infamous Loche to take a liking to you… which I guess isn’t too hard, as someone who can control minds.”

Something sinister glinted in Meyah’s eyes. “But you weren’t strong enough to use it to your advantage—to your people’s advantage! Instead, you ran. Like a coward.”

Merrick snarled softly beside her, and Lessia struggled not to bare her teeth at the shifter herself.

With a glance at Lessia, Merrick took a step forward.

“Careful how you talk to her, shifter.” Ice dripped from every word leaving Merrick’s mouth. “She might not want to hurt any of you, but I certainly have no such qualms. I’ve killed your kind before, and I’ll do it again if I must.”

Meyah’s eyes flared for less than a second, but it was enough for Lessia to understand Merrick’s words had landed precisely as he’d intended.

“Me and my brothers”—Merrick gestured toward Raine and Kerym—“lived through the last war. Fought in it. Your people were slaughtered. How many of you remain now? A couple of hundred spread out across Havlands? There will be none—none!—left if you do not listen to her.”

Meyah turned around to hush some of the louder people behind her, and Lessia decided this was the best moment they’d get.

“There is another race of Fae traveling here on their warships. There are thousands upon thousands of them, and they’re as desperate as you are. Perhaps even more. And Rioner has struck a deal with them.” Lessia moved her eyes from Meyah’s to meet with those of a few of the others behind her as she continued. “If they help Rioner keep Vastala safe from rebels, he will help them take Ellow once it’s weakened from the rebels’ attack. There will be no human or shifter left in Havlands after that.”

The whispers grew louder and more worried until Meyah screamed, “Silence!”

As she took a step to get into Lessia’s space, her eyes narrowed. “Why should I believe you?”

“Why would I lie?” Lessia slitted her eyes right back. “I have nothing to win by deceiving you.”

“Why would you lie, indeed.” Meyah sucked her teeth when her gaze snagged somewhere over Lessia’s right shoulder. “Ardow, it’s been too long. Come greet me.”

There was a wrinkle between Ardow’s brows as he stepped up to Lessia’s side.

“Oh! Forgive me. You’ve never seen me in this form.” Meyah smiled sweetly, although no warmth touched her eyes, and within a second, the air filled with rushing wind.

The scent of shifter wrapped around them, masking the salty tang of the sea and the leathery aroma of clothing and sweat that had filled Lessia’s nose over the past days.

Before Lessia’s wide eyes, Meyah’s image blurred, almost mirroring how Merrick’s magic sent ripples through the air—like oil spilling on water with the soft colors of the rainbow tangling with each other.

When the magic drifted away with the breeze, another woman stood in the raven-haired’s stead.

This one was younger—perhaps in her early twenties—with curly blond hair, amber eyes eerily similar to Lessia’s and Frelina’s, and a much shorter stature.

Lessia would almost have to bend her neck if she wanted to meet the girl’s eyes.

When the shifter opened her arms, Ardow stormed into them, his muscular body nearly swallowing the girl whole.

“I didn’t realize it was you! I’ve missed you so much! I thought of you every day,” he whispered, and Lessia couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose at the admiration and awe seeping into his voice.

What had this woman told him for him to act as if she were a deity?

Finding Venko’s eyes, she noted the same confusion rounding his blues, and she shook her head when Raine and Kerym stared at her with raised brows.

“Ardow,” Lessia urged when her friend stepped back from the shifter, still hovering closer to the other group than she preferred. “Tell her.”

He shot her a nod before clasping one of Meyah’s small hands with his own. “I believe she speaks the truth. There is another threat, so perhaps… perhaps we need to listen to her.” Ardow swallowed loudly. “Perhaps we need to speak to Loche again… see if he’ll accept our demands if we stand together against the threat against our lands?”

“Ardow.” Meyah placed the hand he wasn’t holding on his cheek. “You know as well as I do, that is not how it’ll turn out. The humans will sacrifice us—use us—to die for them! And should any of us survive, they’ll go back to what they’ve been doing for the past century: ignore the ones that don’t fit in, shun the shifters and drive them off their islands… harass the half-Fae.” Meyah shook her head. “No. We will not fight beside the very people who forced us to live in hiding. If Ellow is wiped out… then so be it.”

“How can you say that?” Lessia released Merrick’s hand to get into the rebel leader’s face, ignoring the sharp hisses of warning coming from the people behind Meyah. “Many of the rebels come from Ellow! It’s their home!”

“Their home is with their family.” Meyah picked at her nails. “We are their family. We’ll rebuild Korina, let those Fae take over the rest of Havlands, and stay out of their way. Perhaps we’ll get lucky and have the races of Fae turn on each other. It’s happened before, I’ve heard.”

No.

Lessia couldn’t believe this woman.

She’d sacrifice a whole land—all the people in it—for what?

Revenge?

“What about the families still left there?” she snarled. “What about your family, Ardow?” She spun around, pointing to Venko. “What about his family?”

Ardow’s face whitened. “I—”

“We’ll get them out. We have enough ships.” Meyah smirked. “Since you’ve offered us this kind warning, we can begin already now. Probably for the better, anyway. Fewer loyal people who might get caught in the crossfire from our attacks.”

She turned to the group behind her. “What say you? Shall we weaken the human defense so that they can get a taste of what it’s like to almost be wiped out?”

The shifters behind her cheered, and Lessia’s nostrils flared when even Bowen let out something akin to a howl.

She couldn’t believe it.

They’d fought for their lives on the streets of Vastala together.

Had cursed the Fae together.

Had cursed them for being so cruel and leaving people—children!—to die just because they were different.

And now he supported the same thing?

“Please!” Lessia pleaded. “If you’re truly fighting for a better world—do it with us. Let’s speak to Loche. I know I can convince him to work together with us! I can convince him to meet whatever demands you have!”

The sly grin twisting Meyah’s features chilled Lessia to her bones. “That’s not what I heard… I heard he spit on you as you crawled on the castle floor, begging him to love you. If he wouldn’t even forgive you —someone he claimed to care for—he would throw all of us into his dungeons as soon as we stepped over the castle threshold.”

Mocking laughter and hums of agreement rose behind Meyah, but the buzzing that had begun within Lessia’s mind quickly drowned the sounds.

She nearly vibrated from restrained anger, and when her magic stirred within her, she didn’t leash it.

No, she let it completely free, her eyes filling with warmth, its glow reflecting in Meyah’s gaze as Lessia gripped her arm.

Enough trying to be nice.

If everyone else was going to fight dirty…

Then so would she.

The corners of her mouth tilted upward as she opened it to tell Meyah that she followed Lessia’s orders now.

Then everything went black.

Lessia’s heart banged against her rib cage as she blinked.

Then blinked again.

But it was useless.

Someone slipped up behind her, and as familiar arms wrapped around her, pressing her against his body, a whimper escaped Frelina, with low snarls from Raine and Kerym following.

“I can kill every man and woman here in seconds,” Merrick snarled so loudly that his chest rumbled against her back. “And so can Raine and Kerym. The only reason we haven’t yet is because Lessia found it in her heart to spare you.”

“I know you can,” Meyah responded with a little laugh. “But you won’t.”

“Why not?” Lessia hissed, trying to push at the panic clawing at her as the darkness pressed in further. “You won’t work with us, so I don’t have any more need for you.”

“Bowen,” Meyah ordered. “Give them their sight back.”

Lessia lifted her hand to shield her eyes when the bright wintery light ambushed them.

Squinting, she found Ardow standing in the same spot before Meyah, his hands rubbing his eyes.

As she tried turning, Merrick dropped his arms, and she didn’t know why, but a sense of unease crept up her neck as she met Kerym’s eyes, then moved to Raine’s, finding them wide and filled with…

Fear.

There was fear in Raine’s eyes.

Her eyes flew to the side where Frelina had been standing.

She wasn’t there.

Lessia spun the other way.

She wasn’t beside Venko, who held onto the railing as he stared daggers at the rebel leader.

No.

This was not happening.

“Where is she?” Lessia screamed.

“Somewhere you won’t reach her. And if any of you”—Meyah shot a glare behind Lessia, her eyes probably trailing over her friends—“try to use magic, I can promise you’ll never see her again.”

A huge grin spread across Meyah’s face when Merrick’s whispers, which had danced through the air, faded until only breathing and the squalls of the sea against the vessel could be heard.

A soulless, freezing smile that, despite what had just happened, made Lessia’s magic burst to the surface.

Bowen took her sight once more.

Lessia didn’t care, and storming up to where she could smell the shifter, she grasped for her.

But only air met her furious hands.

“You coward!” she cried. “You fucking coward!”

“Lessia.” Raine’s voice drifted toward her as Merrick’s strong hand pulled her to him. “One of the half-Fae was a voider.”

“I don’t know what the fuck that is, Raine!” She struggled against Merrick’s grip, desperate to claw Meyah’s damn eyes out. “Where is she!”

“Listen to me,” Merrick hissed into her ear. “A voider is someone who can move between places in seconds. As in between Vastala and Ellow in seconds. They took Frelina.”

“That’s not the only problem,” Raine said.

Lessia didn’t like his tone.

Not one damned bit.

“Bowen,” Meyah almost sang. “Give her her sight back. I believe her bodyguard will keep her from doing something stupid. He seems to have understood already.”

Lessia lunged as soon as she could see again.

But Merrick was too strong.

Holding her against his chest, he hissed, “You need to calm down.”

She panted as she glared at Meyah, who only looked back at her with a mildly bored expression.

Ardow shook his head as he stared at the leader, and he started to back away, trying to get to Venko, when Meyah’s fingers dug into his arm, stopping him.

Tilting her head, she smiled at him. “Ardow, you know we must make some hard decisions during war. You’ve executed some of them… Remember dear Craven?”

“Th-that’s different,” Ardow stuttered. “Frelina is innocent! She doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

“No one is innocent.” Meyah tsked. “Especially not someone with the Rantzier name.”

She shot Lessia a look that had her growl, her canines rasping against her bottom lip, wanting nothing more than to rip out the shifter’s throat.

“Lessia,” Merrick warned, and she nearly bit him again before she got ahold of herself.

She wanted to scream.

Hurt someone.

Kill someone.

She’d just gotten Frelina back!

“You should be proud, Ardow,” Meyah cooed. “You’re the one who made this possible.”

Ardow blinked at her before spinning back toward Lessia. “I promise, I have no idea what she’s talking about.”

She didn’t know why… but she believed him.

“Spit it out, Meyah,” Lessia got out through clamped teeth.

“She’s been tracking us,” Merrick said when Meyah took too long.

Meyah winked at him. “Good, Death Whisperer.”

It was Merrick’s turn to snarl—a snarl so vicious it made Lessia’s bones shake.

“Do not test me, shifter,” he hissed. “One more word, and I’ll rip your fucking head off.”

That was not the right thing to say.

Snarls erupted behind Meyah, and Lessia’s heart skipped a beat when several of the men behind her shifted into different terrifying creatures: three wolves with fangs as long as Lessia’s arms; two birds that resembled eagles but were as large as the wolves, with jagged beaks that looked as if they could snap a person in half.

But they weren’t the worst ones.

No, the massive ebony snake coiling up the mast beside them was.

Even Merrick stiffened behind her as he noticed it.

The serpent was identical to the one Rioner kept as a companion.

The one he modeled the mark of the blood oath on.

The one he liked to feed his enemies to.

Raine and Kerym stalked forward to join Merrick, and while the latter dragged her back so that she stood between Kerym and Merrick, Venko slipped behind them, his breathing heavy as he peeked over her shoulder.

Ardow cast her a desperate look where he stood frozen, Meyah’s hand still wrapped around his arm, and mouthed, “I’m so sorry.”

“Stand down.” Meyah raised a hand, and while the wolves still paced back and forth behind her, the snake continuing to lap the air with its cruel tongue, they didn’t charge.

Kerym let out a cool laugh that shuddered through her. “Why? This was beginning to look like fun.”

“Shut up,” Lessia and Merrick snarled at the same time.

Raine leaned forward so he could roll his eyes at Kerym. “I told you—they’re equally boring.”

“I will show you how boring I can be if you don’t shut your mouth,” Lessia hissed. “Now.” She switched her glacial stare to Meyah. “Tell me what the fuck is going on.”

Meyah dragged a hand through her hair, making the curls even wilder than they’d been before. “You didn’t think you just happened to cross paths with us today, did you?”

When Lessia only glared at her, Meyah let out a pitying sound. “Oh, you did! I’m sorry to break it to you, but we’ve had eyes on you since you left Ellow.”

Lessia’s eyes flew to Ardow.

“He didn’t know.” Meyah patted his arm as she released him, and Ardow quickly returned to the group, taking up the spot beside Kerym. “But one of us on this ship has a very special kind of magic that allows us to use whoever we please as a spy… And who better than dear Ardow here.”

“A mind seer,” Merrick muttered. “I should have known.”

“Well, fuck.” Raine grasped within his shirt, making everyone standing ahead tense before they realized he was only bringing a bottle to his lips, his swallows echoing in the thick silence.

Lowering his voice, Merrick leaned in, whispering into Lessia’s ear. “It’s a type of mind-bender, but instead of reading your thoughts, he or she only needs to connect with a mind once, and then they can see through the person’s eyes. Rioner’s family used them as spies, but I thought they went all but extinct in the war when the shifters found out about them.”

“Yes, one of the dear half-Fae on the vessel is a mind seer.” Meyah rolled her neck. “It’s been quite helpful to gather intel. The only thing we’ve struggled with is getting intel from Rioner… See, his guards are quite well versed in protecting their minds against this type of magic.” Meyah shrugged. “We needed someone who wasn’t—someone who would be able to get close to Rioner.”

Lessia’s stomach sank.

She didn’t mean…

“Look at you catching on.” Meyah placed a hand on her chest, her head cocking. “We knew you were special, Elessia, but finding out you are the king’s niece? Amazing! And then your father and sister join the party?”

Meyah clapped her hand over her heart, the slow beat drumming through Lessia.

“We didn’t particularly care who of you we’d send back, but alas, your father isn’t here, and you seem to have learned something from the tedious training these Fae put you through. Your sister, on the other hand? Apparently, it was quite easy to connect to her mind. Our dear voider was a prisoner desperate to get back to his master, so with that very special skill of his own he brought your sister back as the perfect spy in Rioner’s midst.”

The smells and sounds of Rioner’s cellar slammed into her, but it wasn’t panic that roiled in her gut as she took a step toward the rebel leader.

“You…” Lessia shook her head as her vision flickered, her voice dangerously even as she continued. “I’m going to kill you. All of you.”

Merrick’s magic wrapped around her as she spoke, the whispers echoing the rage filling every inch within her.

Meyah only smirked. “No, Lessia. See, I have rebels ready within every single one of your taverns. We couldn’t find those little Faelings of yours, but your loyal staff, on the other hand… Well, my people have orders to execute every single one should any harm come to me or my people.”

Throwing her head back, not bothering to smother the growl shooting up her throat, Lessia cursed to herself as Merrick’s magic drifted away once more, the fury rolling off him fueling her own.

This fucking woman.

“Why? Why risk this?” Lessia looked down again to stare at Meyah, unable to comprehend how this leader—the one who wanted a better life for those not esteemed by society, those like herself and Frelina—could do this. “My sister won’t be able to be a spy for you. They’ll kill her on the spot.”

Tears burned behind Lessia’s eyes, but she couldn’t let them fall.

Especially not with the smirking shifter staring right at her.

Another damned leader trying to find a way to make her submit.

“I don’t think so,” Meyah responded as she began retreating backward, the people behind her falling into step as they kept watchful eyes on the group.

With one jerk of the leader’s head, the animals shifted back into human form, straightening their clothes as they followed her back across the brow.

The rebel leader halted once she’d reached the other side, and as a few people began pulling the brow up, she called out, “The king finding out his own brother produced the creatures he hates the most? And that he’s kept it a secret! Oh! I think he’ll keep her alive just to get to you and Alarin. Your sister doesn’t look like she’ll do well with torture. But”—Meyah threw her a pointed look—“neither do you, and from what I’ve heard, they did quite grisly things to you. We’ll see—but I still think it’ll keep Rioner busier than he expected, and that’s exactly what we want for this next step.”

The brow rose with a loud creaking that had Lessia slam her teeth together, shielding the rebels from view for a moment.

When it landed with a thud on Stellia’s old ship, Meyah raised a hand. “It was nice to meet you, princess of Vastala. I don’t expect to see you again, so… farewell!”