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D raevyn stood at the bow of Valor , the water lapping gently against the hull as it remained docked in Lephyrin’s harbor.

The cool sea breeze ruffled his hair, but he barely noticed, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

The weight of all that occurred since they made port and his father’s cruelty bore down on him like an anchor.

He couldn’t stay and watch as they hurt Cyrus, and when Atlas pointed out he could breathe, Draevyn knew then that Esmyra had found a way to break the curse.

He wouldn’t stand by and watch the man be tortured the moment he took his first real breath on land. Now he needed to not only break The Night Wraith’s crew free but also Cyrus himself.

Draevyn imagined becoming the Phoenix everyone feared, and burning his father alive right there within the stone walls of the castle. At this point, he didn’t give a damn if he turned to ash alongside the king.

But Atlas was there.

His hands were tied unless he wanted to burn everyone in the room alongside his father.

Maybe he should have. He could only imagine the torture they were putting Cyrus through as he stood there, desperately trying to think of a plan as his crew wrangled up that of The Night Wraith and dragged them to Lephyrin’s prison deep within the city.

Boots scuffing against the worn planks of the deck caught his attention, and he turned to find Sam walking toward him.

“The last of her crew was just brought to the prisons, but it’s looking like some may need to be moved to the castle if they possess magic.

They have the only cells with velsinyte,” he said, his tone cautious.

When Draevyn didn’t answer, Samwell continued. “Why are you brooding? I know your father can be a prick, but I assumed you’d be at least slightly excited to be home.”

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “The brooding feels justified,” he muttered. “Along with several more violent things.”

His first mate leaned against the railing. “What happened when you got back to the castle?”

Draevyn hesitated, gripping the wood so tightly his knuckles whitened.

“Cyrus Blackwood is Esmyra’s father.” Sam’s eyes flared at his words.

“The man was cursed by the gods long ago, destined to live an eternal life at sea, always made to feel as if he were drowning if he set foot on land. Esmyra dreamed of one day breaking his curse.”

Sam let out a low whistle. “And here I was thinking curses were myths and legends.” When Draevyn didn’t laugh at the poor attempt at a joke, Sam cleared his throat. “Well, what’s wrong? Are you upset she didn’t break it?”

Draevyn’s stare darkened. “That’s the thing, Sam…I think she did break it.”

Shouts rang out from the dock, and then Atlas came into view, walking up the gangplank. “I’m glad I found you,” he said as he stepped up to them, his voice grave. He let out a breath. “We need to talk.”

Draevyn crossed his arms. “If that bastard thinks I’m going in there to add to the man’s godsdamn torture, he’s in for a rude awakening. I want no part in it.”

Atlas’s jaw tightened, looking more uncomfortable than Draevyn had ever seen. “Cyrus Blackwood is dead. Our father killed him. There was no torture involved. ”

Draevyn froze, heart stopping painfully as his eyes flared. “ What ?”

Atlas pressed his lips into a tight line. “There was nothing I could do, Drae. You know how he is.”

Cyrus Blackwood is dead.

Shock hit him first, a cold, suffocating wave that left him standing still while the world seemed to spin around him. It wasn’t something he even considered—not in that moment beneath the castle.

Then came the anger, sharp and burning in his chest. The king—his own father—had done this. Not out of necessity, but for cruelty. Pure, senseless cruelty. There was no trial, no hanging. It was a silent execution hidden in the depths of his castle.

The man who had kept his two sons under his boot using fear and manipulation for so long had struck again—only this time, he took something that wasn’t his to take.

And the realm would declare him a fucking hero for it.

Guilt surged through Draevyn—he hadn’t stopped it, hadn’t been there. He just… left .

How could he face Esmyra now, knowing the one person she cared about was gone from the realm? She never got to enjoy a single day with him in an uncursed life.

Draevyn’s fists clenched, flames licking at his fingertips, but before either of them could say more, a deep rumble echoed across the water. They turned toward the sea as a tremor shook the ship beneath their boots.

The three men warily met each other’s stares.

“What in all gods was that?” Sam muttered, and they all rushed to the edge of the ship.

The waves swelled, their crests frothing and churning as they rolled in with an unnatural force. In the far distance, where the sea met the sky, flashes of what resembled lightning ripped through the sunset.

The sight was unlike anything Draevyn had ever seen or thought was possible. His throat tightened as he watched the ocean churn with an otherworldly power. The ships in the harbor swayed violently as the sea threatened to rip them from their ports.

“We need to move!” Sam shouted. “We need to get off the ship!”

But Draevyn was bolted where he stood, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

What have you done, Wildfire? Dread twisted in his chest.

His throat tightened as his eyes remained locked on the surging storm. “What have I done?” he whispered, only loud enough for himself to hear.

Atlas stepped up to his side, staring in the same direction as he gripped the rail for balance. “May the gods help us all,” he breathed.

“No,” Draevyn said, his voice sharper than a blade. “It’s the gods who are coming.”

To Be Continued…

End of Book One.

A FLAME AMONG THE SEAS,

BOOK TWO OF BEYOND THE TIDES,

IS COMING IN 2026 .