Page 41

Draevyn

E smyra’s lethal voice resonated with a promise that she may have saved Draevyn’s life, only to be the one to end it herself.

“What have I done?! How about saving your gods-damn life!” Draevyn bellowed back at her, still trying to catch his breath as his body trembled from the freezing water soaking his clothes.

He stared in disbelief at the woman hovering over him, the water beading off her soft, glowing skin.

Why was it glowing?

How was it glowing?

“How about a thank you for saving your life!” he shouted as he sat up next to her, staring.

Esmyra’s lips curled back, revealing her canines. “Saving me? If I remember the past few moments correctly, and I’m pretty sure I do, considering I was the only one conscious, I’m the one who saved your ass!”

Draevyn watched as her tail split, shifting into two sleek legs.

His cheeks burned hot as he noticed she was now entirely bare.

Watching her shift felt too intimate to be a witness to, even in the darkness.

He averted his gaze, but his eyes drifted along her arms, brows furrowing at the markings that no longer appeared as burns.

“Neat trick. ”

“Glad you think so,” she hissed as she struggled to shove herself into her soaked pants.

Draevyn let out a huff after a few moments of tense silence. “What happened?”

Esmyra pushed herself to her feet before walking to the water’s edge, glaring up at the rock wall that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

Was that where they’d fallen from? He barely remembered anything after he dove to save her life.

“In your once again moronic heroics, you doomed us both.” Her voice was sharp, irritation filling every word as she rubbed her temples.

He looked around, noticing the others weren’t alongside them. “Did they survive?”

“They better have, for your sake.”

Draevyn stood and took a step up to her. “Interesting enough, the one person bound in cuffs, whose life is constantly threatened, was the only one who thought to save you.”

Her spine straightened, and Draevyn’s lips lifted in a subtle curve, knowing his words cut where he wanted them to. “Perhaps they’re not as loyal to their captain as you believe.”

Esmyra whirled. “You know nothing of them.”

“Oh, I believe I know enough just by what I’ve witnessed in mere days. Pirates are known to be lethally selfish. Your crew is no exception.”

She lifted a finger, her talon sliding out until it reached the skin of his neck. “ Acting captain. Let’s not forget where their true one lies rotting and who’s the cause of him being placed there.”

“That would be himself, Esmyra. For his crimes against the entire gods-damn realm. And you should be there with him, perhaps even more so.”

“Don’t you think I know that?!” she bellowed, her voice bouncing off the walls of the caves. Tiny pebbles chipped off the surrounding stone and fell into the pool at their feet. She took a step up to him, bringing her voice to a mere whisper. “I would trade places with him if I could. ”

“Foolish. You would only be put to death.” His eyes narrowed on her, barely able to see in the cavern’s darkness.

Why did she care so much about the realm’s most feared criminal?

“It’s better than him being tortured with every breath he breathes.”

His jaw tightened at their continued dance. What did she mean by that?

“At first, I believed you to have an intimate relationship with your first mate. Yet, you speak of your captain as a lover,” he said. “Interesting he would place a woman in charge in his absence.”

A mixture of shock and something resembling disgust cloaked her features, evident by the way her jaw dropped and her brows furrowed. “That is vile! Is it so confusing to you for a woman to be placed in power?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Not necessarily. It’s the way you speak of him, is all.”

“My relationship with my captain is not your concern. However, I will put an end to your mortifying thoughts regarding the love being anything more than familial.”

Draevyn lifted a brow. “Familial?”

Esmyra turned from him, as if in dismissal. Cupping her hands, she lifted her chin and shouted, “Jak! Ren! Riven, can you hear me?!” She took a step closer to the wall. “Hello!” The word echoed.

“It appears they’re not coming for you,” Draevyn stated. “They likely think we’re dead.”

“Likely just you, mortal ,” she spat before storming past him in the opposite direction.

Fucking Irah. This woman was something else.

“And where are you going?” he growled, rolling his eyes with a sigh.

She half turned, her midnight hair dancing around her in the teal light as she moved. “I’m looking for a way out or a way further. We’ve come this far. If you would prefer to be eaten by the grindylows or whatever other beasts lurk in that water, then be my guest.”

The grindylows proved there was some form of life down here. After thinking it had been entirely abandoned and forgotten, creatures were lurking in the shadows and lakes. They’d been carelessly strutting around, and here he was…powerless in the cuffs.

The further Esmyra stepped away from him, the more oppressive the darkness became, thicker than any night. He found it suffocating—disorientating, even. He gazed into the darkness, and he could’ve sworn the darkness gazed right back.

Perhaps he should’ve let her die, be crushed by the stone, and he could’ve fought his way out. Then he remembered the three males tormenting him in a show of their power, and he realized that so long as he was bound in velsinyte, he was utterly fucked.

Draevyn stormed across the space toward her, praying to Irah that he didn’t fall into some unseen crevice or walk off another cliff as she halted before a wall. He followed her gaze to the stone that bore the same carvings of the cave above, identical to her arms.

“This is pointless,” Draevyn grumbled. “We're wasting time. We should be trying to?—”

“Or, you can shut your mouth and let me think, Draevyn Rowe,” Esmyra snipped, her fingers brushing against the cold, damp stone. Her breath caught the moment the pads of her fingertips made contact.

A shiver ravaged Esmyra’s body while her feather-like touch followed the patterns, making his pulse quicken as he watched.

“I think it’s clear these markings are deliberate and possibly ancient. Symbols of power. Perhaps even that of the gods,” he guessed.

“Aye,” she answered, the word barely audible.

“And I would love to know why they match the markings seared into your flesh,” he said, suspicion lacing his voice as he took a step closer.

Esmyra didn’t answer. In fact, she ignored him completely. It was as if he weren’t even standing beside her. She was locked in a near trance, just as she had been before they fell down into this separate cavern.

Without a word, she pressed her palm against the largest of the runes, and Draevyn watched in awe as a strange warmth pulsed, exuding from her, mimicking his flames. The markings along the entire wall lit up—a vibrant crimson light spreading across the wall like veins of molten metal.

Esmyra’s eyes were glowing, just as they always had when she put her power to use, but this time, it was brighter, nearly blinding, as her hand remained on the wall of stone.

Draevyn took a hesitant step back, lifting his bound arms to block the light as the markings continued to reveal themselves all around them. They glowed brighter, illuminating the entire cavern while his jaw hung open in disbelief.

What in all gods is this?

He slowly turned, circling around as his neck craned to follow the runes. When the lit markings met in the middle, and all were alight, the crimson light flickered and surged, bursting brightly. He shielded his eyes from the glare, and when it lessened, he slowly cracked them open once more.

His heart leapt in his throat.

The wall’s runes were no longer the color of flame but matched the ones she bore atop her flesh—the entire cavern now bathed in a soothing, teal light.

The silent space echoed with a deep groan as the stone shifted, a crack violently splintering through it where she placed her hand. The runes hummed with life as an ancient doorway revealed itself to them—to her —summoned by her touch.

It was impossible. He had never seen anything like it in all his years. Never read of such things in texts or heard stories of it as a child. It was unfathomable magic and it was just conjured by his enemy before his very eyes.

Only, she looked as mortified as he felt.

“How did you—” Draevyn cut himself off as he took a step up to her. She was trembling, her hand still held in the air as if it was still touching the stone that had shifted away. “Esmyra?” he whispered.

She gasped and took a step back—like she’d just been placed back into her body, taking everything in from the last several minutes. He caught her as she stumbled into him, and when his hand brushed against her markings, he hissed. Heat, sharp and quick, scorched his skin.

Wildfire , he thought once more.

“Esmyra, can you hear me?”

Her breathing became erratic as she settled back into herself before promptly shoving out of his hold. He blinked in shock.

“Holy mother of Kaelypso.” It seemed she couldn’t get the words out fast enough.

“Did you say something for that to happen? To the stone?” he asked warily.

“No,” she whispered as she stepped away from it and glanced up, slowly spinning in a circle, eyes wide. “I just… touched it.”

“Same as the arch from above,” he stated.

“Aye.” Her full circle came to a halt, and she faced him once more.

“Let’s stop touching things, huh?” he said, a hint of teasing in his voice, but all it earned him was a scoff.

“How was I supposed to know that would happen?” she growled. Her neck craned up as she took another look. “What do these even mean?”

“I was hoping you would have the answer, considering they mark your body.”

Her gaze whirled to him, lip curling back. “Watch your tongue.”

“It’s the truth! And it’s obvious. I’m surprised your moronic crew didn’t put two and two together when we were up there with them.” He gestured to the ceiling of the cave. “Why are they suddenly glowing? They were red, resembling burns until you pulled me out of the water.”

She averted her gaze to the floor. “They glow teal when in contact with water.”

His eyes flared. “Every time?”

“Every time,” she echoed with a sigh.

Draevyn reached out, brushing his bound hands against her arm, and she swatted at him as she took a step away. “You’re dry,” he stated.

“Well, aren’t you observant? ”

“So, you’re lying to me,” he said, annoyed. He knew his flames would be sparking at his fingertips if his magic wasn’t locked away.

Esmyra took a step up to him and shoved at his chest. “I’m not lying. There’s something strange about this place. Strange and ancient . They glowed the first time I was here alone, as well.”

He thought back to when they were all walking, and the sweat beading down her brow when she refused to remove her coat. “You didn’t want them to see,” he guessed.

“That’s none of your concern.” She crossed her arms and jutted her hip to the side.

Draevyn took a step into her, closing the small space that remained between them. “You know, Esmyra, you keep saying that, but I’m currently trapped in a fucking cave that looks like it will become my tomb. So, I think anything that occurs here is every bit of my gods-damn concern.”

The fire inside him was blazing—there was something about her that constantly brought this out in him. His eyes roamed over her as his breathing settled, but she didn’t back down an inch. Just stared up at him down the bridge of her nose.

Draevyn hated that he found it attractive—he wasn’t even certain attraction was the right word for it. But someone who didn’t see him as a terrifying monster, especially in his anger, was curious, to say the least.

“I don't have time for you,” she huffed, turning on her heel and stalking toward the conjured doorway.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

A sharp cackle left her. “Obviously, our only way out of this hellhole is through this magical, glowing doorway.”

The sass in her tone had him sighing, rubbing his temples before he slowly followed after her. “What makes you so certain that’s our way out?”

“Kaelypso’s tits, Draevyn!” she groaned as her arms flailed out at her sides. She looked over her shoulder at him. “Just trust me for once. ”

Draevyn’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Trust you? You’re the one who dragged us into this cursed pit.”

She let out a chuckle that he thought may have been genuine. “Aye, well, now I’m finding our way out of it. And let’s not forget we have your daddy to thank for it.”

They both stepped up to the newly revealed passageway, and he could’ve sworn he heard her heart pounding. The light from the runes illuminated the tunnel beyond, showing smooth stone floors and walls, far too clean to be natural—a pathway carved by ancient hands.

“This place…” Draevyn’s voice softened. “It certainly leads somewhere, judging by the craftsmanship.”

For the first time since the night on his ship, they shared a look that wasn’t laced with hatred. The surrounding cave hummed with power, the ancient markings glowing brighter, inviting them deeper into the tunnel.

Esmyra nodded. “Then let’s see what’s waiting for us.”

They stepped through the entrance, and he snickered. “Whatever lies ahead can’t be worse than you.”

Draevyn didn’t miss the subtle smirk that tilted her lips.