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Esmyra

W alking along the uneven, cobbled streets of Lephyrin’s kingdom, Esmyra Blackwood seamlessly merged into the bustling madness of its capital city.

Adorned in a billowing blouse and breeches, Esmyra hid her weapons and stolen wealth beneath a floor-length, hooded cloak, tucking her midnight hair in its confines.

She had removed her favorite jewelry, leaving it aboard her ship, The Night Wraith , that waited miles offshore while her crew ravaged Lephyrin unseen.

The kingdom was nestled on the coast, surrounded by jagged mountains that stretched endlessly. Lephyrin’s skyline was dominated by the spires of its castle as the midday sun filtered through maroon banners strung across the market’s buildings, bearing the sigil of House Rowe.

It was rare they ever made port, but months at sea would drive anyone to near madness—even the crew that sailed under the command of the fearsome pirate king, Captain Cyrus Blackwood.

The pirate lord turned self-proclaimed king had sailed Rymelle’s seas for nearly one thousand years, putting fear as great as the gods into those who sailed those same waves—thanks to his daughter, Esmyra.

A woman burdened by the weight of what she considered a curse, bound to the sea and its depths .

Lephyrin’s air was filled with the clang of a blacksmith’s hammer, the cheerful bartering of civilians, and the laughter of children chasing each other between the madness.

Merchants bellowed their wares from sun-bleached stalls, their hands waving toward gleaming fruits, bolts of dyed silk, and sparkling trinkets.

Esmyra’s hood was drawn just low enough to shadow her otherworldly eyes. She smiled faintly to herself as she walked, fingers trailing lazily over wooden stalls and overloaded carts. The crowd parted and shifted naturally, as if the world itself made room for her as she passed by.

Her first lift was a ripe plum, plucked from the edge of an old farmer’s cart while his attention was stolen by a beggar woman demanding a lower price. Esmyra took a slow bite of the fruit as she turned from them, savoring its taste.

She made her way past a few more carts, and her attention was snagged on a stall of shimmering jewels. Her hand brushed over delicate charms until, between heartbeats, a dainty gold bracelet vanished up her sleeve.

Coins always came easier, their pouches hanging too loose on merchants’ belts.

She bumped into men throughout the market, swiping the small sacks from their sides as she moved to steady them.

All they saw was a beautiful woman as they looked down at her, too distracted to notice her stealing from their pockets.

By the time she reached the market’s far edge, her cloak was heavy with stolen goods. She took one last bite of the plum before tossing the pit into the dirt.

No one would know what had been lost until the sun began to set. By then, she’d be long gone.

While strolling back through the streets, Esmyra’s eyes caught on a small boy sitting on the ground in a narrow alleyway. She tried to ignore him, but his hollow cheeks and sunken eyes betrayed the hunger gnawing at his stomach.

“Ugh,” she grunted to herself as she quickened her steps, making her way to him. “Where are your parents, boy?” Her voice was as soothing as the breeze rolling off the harbor .

The boy trembled, the scent of his fear stuffing itself in Esmyra’s nostrils. The torn, weathered cloth he wore as clothing fell from his bony shoulders as he lifted his lifeless stare to hers. “They were executed by the king’s order. Three moons ago.”

Esmyra’s eyes narrowed on him. “Are you lying to me?”

The boy shook his head, never breaking eye contact as he admitted, “I’m sure my time with the noose will be soon.”

Esmyra’s lips parted. She never gave a damn about anyone who wasn’t aboard her own ship, but occasionally, she would come across a child that tugged at her immortal heartstrings.

The starving, orphaned children who wandered the streets of Rymelle’s kingdoms would’ve once been her fate if it weren’t for Cyrus Blackwood.

She let out a sigh. “I’ll make sure you don’t starve tonight.”

A surge of fury flooded her veins toward those who wore the crown in Lephyrin’s looming castle.

They would never know hunger. They would never know the struggles of those who lived in the shadow of their wealth.

Meanwhile, mere children were wondering if today would be their last, dying of either violence or starvation in their city’s streets.

Esmyra swiftly funneled back into the crowd like a wraith and snatched a loaf of bread from a nearby vendor’s cart. Before the merchant could protest, she was gone, the freshly baked baguette tucked securely under her arm.

She waded through the opposite way of the masses and halted in front of the child, offering the bread to him. He looked up at her, wide-eyed and nervous.

“It’s for you.” She placed the bread in his lap.

“But it’s stolen,” he countered. “They’ll take my hand for this.”

“Not if I take theirs first,” she whispered with a wink. “You let me worry about them. Now, get out of sight and eat before you collapse.”

“Why are you doing this?” he asked.

She blinked. “Someone helped me once, so this is me giving it back.” The gold bracelet she had swiped slid down her arm and fell into her palm. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she glanced at it and tossed it into his lap alongside the bread. “Take that while you’re at it. Spend it wisely.”

The boy took a hesitant bite of the baguette. “Thank you, miss.”

She gave a stiff nod before lifting a finger and pointing down the nearest alleyway. “Thank me by living. Now, go.”

Esmyra was relieved when the child listened and turned from her, disappearing into the shadows.

The theft, however, hadn’t gone unnoticed.

The corners of her lips tilted as she turned to face three guards rushing through the crowd. Their armor glinted in the midday sun as they gave chase, screaming at her to halt.

Esmyra pointed to her chest and glanced from side to side, as if they could mean anyone else. “Surely, you can’t mean me.” Her voice feigned innocence, and when their steps didn’t falter, she grinned at them defiantly. “Well, let’s have a little fun then, shall we?”

Esmyra took off in a sprint through the labyrinthine alleys, dodging carts and leaping over crates, laughing at their attempt to capture her.

They had no idea who or what she was. A brave, knowing man would halt his efforts—a wiser man would run .

When a narrow gap appeared between two towering warehouses, barely wide enough to squeeze through, she dashed between them, her cloak catching and tearing on the withered bricks.

Esmyra willed her skin to shift, blending in with the bricks at her back as an octopus would within coral—all that would’ve been seen were her clothes, clinging to a phantom form.

Once they ran past her shadowy alcove, shouting their slurs and curses for a thief, she emerged on the opposite side, where the streets were much quieter.

Breathing heavily, she leaned against the cold stone wall, a triumphant smile playing across her lips as she caught the whisperings of courtly gossip.

She snickered as she ducked behind an abandoned street cart and listened as a few women walked past, camouflaging herself once more.

Any information she and her crew gathered while making port was vital—it was their only lifeline to the latest happenings in the realm since they were typically adrift at sea for weeks at a time.

Everything she knew was The Night Wraith , crewed by men and creatures of every kingdom as they served their cursed captain.

“Has your husband sent a letter home yet?” one of them asked the other as they strolled by wearing gowns made of expensive silks and lace.

“The last I heard was they planned to make port in Anchorage Cove,” the other answered.

Esmyra’s brows furrowed as she listened.

The woman cleared her throat before continuing. “It makes me nervous. He mentioned King Rowe is trying to learn more about Maerinys, but to send our husbands to the most dangerous island of Rymelle is unsettling. Even if the Phoenix is leading the mission.”

Lephyrin’s Phoenix is going to be in Anchorage Cove? Esmyra’s eyes flared.

“Maerinys? Isn’t that forbidden?” the other asked, stopping in her tracks.

It was. Everyone in Rymelle knew that to so much as mention the sunken kingdom, Maerinys, resulted in punishment from their king—the realm’s law stated it was demanded by the remaining gods. It was as if they wanted to erase the fourth kingdom of Rymelle from history.

People rarely questioned it aloud, and when they did, it often resulted in the loss of their tongue.

The crew of The Night Wraith had sailed the majority of Rymelle’s seas, but still, there was so much uncovered about Maerinys. The unknown of it all only piqued her curiosity all the more.

Esmyra allowed her skin to shift back into its normal hue and stood from behind the cart. “It is,” she announced, startling them. “Forbidden.”

The two women exchanged horrified glances, caught in the act of speaking of their king’s treason against the gods.

One of them narrowed her eyes. “Hasn’t anyone told you it’s rude to listen in on private conversations?” she spat .

Esmyra smirked as she moved around the cart, clasping her hands behind her back as she stepped up to the woman. She gestured to their surroundings. “Doesn’t appear to be in private to me.”

The woman’s jaw locked, eyes roaming over Esmyra in disgust. “You will back away from me, or I’ll scream for the guards.”

Esmyra leaned in closer, and the woman arched her back in response. A second later, the world shimmered, and a slight tightening tugged at Esmyra’s eyes as they shifted—her once round pupils morphed into slits, dilating as the woman’s stare remained locked on hers.

“You will tell me all you know of King Rowe and his plans.” Esmyra compelled the woman with only a glance of her eyes, her demand wrapping around her victim’s mind like ribbons before she sank her talons in.

The irresistible command had the woman’s back straightening, and Esmyra grinned as goosebumps lined her collarbones.

“My husband spoke of King Rowe hunting for gold and riches beyond comprehension left behind in Maerinys.”

Venom-fused talons slipped from Esmyra’s fingertips with ease while she inspected them as if bored. “Interesting. Considering it’s all likely tarnished from being lost in the sea, anyway.” She met the woman’s frozen gaze again. “Imagine risking the wrath of the gods for something so unknown?”

“Yes. The concern of the sailors is the wrath of gods,” she admitted.

Esmyra sucked on her tooth before saying, “And these sailors are in Anchorage Cove? How long will they be there?”

The other woman gasped out in horror, and Esmyra raised a talon at her in warning as her gaze held steady on the one she compelled.

The woman blinked. “The last I heard, they were headed there. They are not to return until they find evidence of Maerinys. So, for only the gods know how long.”

“Aye, that’s very interesting,” Esmyra admitted, straightening her blouse and cloak.

Millions of people had perished and drowned with their homes, but King Rowe was a tyrant, and all he cared about was the possibility of uncovering troves of gold and treasures.

“You will never speak of this interaction.” She glanced at the other woman, who wasn’t compelled, and she nodded rapidly in agreement. “ Say it ,” she demanded.

“I will never speak of this interaction,” she echoed, her eyes glazed over.

Esmyra smirked. “Such a good girl.” She crossed her arms and gestured to the crowd beyond with her chin. “Now, get out of my sight.”

The woman blinked and turned from her, doing as she was told, and the other followed after her with hurried footsteps.

Esmyra’s gaze trailed them until they disappeared into the masses once more, their nervous whispers fading with them.

Why would the king risk the wrath of the gods? Surely gold couldn’t be the only answer. Her mind spun with everything they had revealed, and with a quick glance in each direction, she weaved through the jostling crowd in search of her crew.

Making port in Lephyrin would be much shorter-lived than she originally planned.

However, now that she held the knowledge of the king sending his Phoenix out to sea— her sea—in search of forbidden, unfathomable treasures, she knew she had to get back to The Night Wraith to inform her captain of what King Rowe was up to.

And how they would beat them to it.