Page 19 of Death’s Kiss (The Order of the Tide Raiders #1)

W hat comes out of that cage across the bay is no mere water spirit of legend.

It’s a hurricane incarnate.

A natural disaster given shape.

A nightmare presiding as a maelstrom.

A kelpie.

My insides feel like they just might fall out while watching in mute horror as a swirling vortex of terror rips out and into the waters. I can’t even get my feet to move. I’m just standing there stock-still with my weapon arm raised like a fucking moron.

The miniature typhoon bolts out across the other side of the bay, tearing up great swells of water in its wake. While watching it, I finally registered the reasoning behind Grand Regent Beldham's unexpectedly kind words. I’m going to die today. That was my eulogy.

Swallowing tightly, I squint through the misting rain to better study the shifting storm. The unruly winds and spray of saltwater give way to glimpses of a colt-shaped spirit within.

What am I supposed to do again? Kill it?

No— the announcer said taming. I remember now.

They want us to break the kelpie’s in, which means I need to get this thing to heel. How in the fuck am I supposed to do that when it doesn’t seem to note let alone care about my presence?

The more I observe it, the more I notice that the kelpie avoids just about anything that isn’t water. It doesn’t come close to the shore and steers clear of the extended pier on which I stand.

I quickly deduce that it must not be able to survive too long outside a water source.

There’s an idiotic plan forming in my mind, and it’s almost certain to get me killed. Running my tongue back and forth against the inside of my lower lip, I consider just exactly what I’m about to do. Unfortunately, I don’t see another option.

After a few more motionless moments, I heave a sigh and step over the groyne’s safety out onto the danger-filled bay. The water beneath my approaching footfall solidifies into a step of ice.

It sounds as though there’s a collective gasp from the crowd behind me in response to the use of my elemental affinity, although I don’t dare turn to confirm. Willing the ice to form into a patch big enough for me to comfortably stand on, I pause and reevaluate.

The kelpie is running up and down the sea-wall’s edge, begging to be let loose. The waters surrounding my small haven shake from the efforts of the creature, but not enough to destroy my rapidly firming ice. He still doesn’t appear to notice me, so I think I’m safe for the moment.

I wade out a little further out into the bay, solid ice meeting my every step. Once I make it to the halfway point where a red buoy bobs in the center of the choppy waters, I push out my power gently. A ten foot-wide frozen circle forms around me.

I’ve no more than placed my palm along the frost-covered red buoy when the winds shift.

My eyes dart over to the kelpie to find it’s finally stopped its pacing. The vortex of violent air and brutal sea turns my way. Squinting through the drizzle, I glimpse what looks like a lifted stallion’s head sniffing the breeze. The world is somewhat calm for one single merciful second.

Then the winds shift again.

I observe, with no small amount of fear, as the wild tempest rears up. It allows me another peek at the savage spirit beneath as it swings its ferocious head angrily. Eyes like a living maelstrom lock onto me from afar, and my blood turns cold.

One heartbeat later, and the monsoon comes barreling my way at top speed.

From this rapidly reducing distance, I can fully appreciate the way its thunderous near-corporal hooves pound against the water with breathtaking power. A breath catches in my throat at the sight of it. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my life.

It’s terrifying.

It's beautiful .

If this creature is what kills me, then I think it might be a worthwhile death.

Forcing myself to remember the plan, I dig my heels further into the ice at my feet.

I steady my weight on bent knees as the living hurricane aims itself for me.

One hand grips my borrowed weapon while the other comes out to improve my odds of balancing.

White strands of hair sever from my braid and slice through my vision.

Adrenaline sharpens my focus. The blood rushing in my ears is the only sound I register.

“Come on, ” I mutter impatiently.

As if the chaotic spirit can hear my whispered urging, it increases in speed and charges straight for my icy respite. I’m bracing myself, preparing my body while mentally trying to time the jump, but the kelpie kicks it up one more knot at the very last possible second.

I’ve miscalculated, is my one and only thought before being hit with a wall of solid wind.

No—not hit —sucker punched.

My entire body is sucker punched by a wall of solid fucking wind.

The attack is almost too swift for me to make sense of.

One moment I’m waiting for the right instant to jump in the hopes of landing on something resembling its back, and the next I’m spluttering up saltwater, fighting to keep myself conscious.

At least I’m cognizant enough to send a silent prayer to the drowned gods that I haven't just been paralyzed.

I can only imagine the reactions from those watching. The panic from Kleio and the rest of my crew is likely staggering, but I don’t have time to dwell. Not with the kelpie now circling me.

The literal eyes of a storm have narrowed onto my struggling form.

Treading water I use the breathing techniques we’re taught in order to ignore the type of pain currently flaring through every inch of my body.

My focus never leaves the wild creature bounding around my position with its slitted gaze pinned on me.

I keep my head above the bay and study its movements.

To my surprise, the kelpie begins to morph.

The lawless storm begins taking shape. Storm clouds and saltwater combine into an almost completely corporal form, and I’m left gaping over the heaving tides at the massive silver colt.

“Of fucking course,” I mutter as a memory drags itself before me.

I recall quite clearly the amusement brimming in Agni’s amber eyes in the tarped off captain's quarters. The way his mouth twitched like he just might laugh whenever he looked at me.

He knew.

I don’t know how it’s even possible that he knew, but I’m suddenly certain of it .

The savage otherworldly creature continues parading around where I fight to tread water, a much harder task with a veritable whirlpool nearby. When it shoved me off my icy ledge, it made sure to do so far enough away that I’d have to make it past him in order to get back to safety.

There’s an unmistakable shine of intelligence glinting in those eyes as it passes by.

“So you’re a clever one, are you?” I call out over the swelling waves, barely avoiding a mouthful of bay water in the process.

The silver kelpie swings the length of its sparkling head back and forth while making a strange noise that I can only describe as a whinny of derision.

I have an uncanny feeling that the creature can somehow understand me.

Albeit, I honestly have no idea how intelligent kelpie’s actually are.

They’re so rare we only went over them for a week at most in level-two.

I’ve begun measuring the distance each time the kelpie makes a loop around me. The racing pulse of my heartbeat acts as a timer. In order for this to work, I have to clock it just right.

Now .

My hand shoots up and out of the water, aiming for the beast, and a sheet of ice instantly crystallizes right in front of his watery hoofs. The kelpie stumbles and slides onto the now rapidly generating ice with an angry shriek that cracks the sky. I don’t waste a single second.

I swim for my patch of safety like my life depends on it because I’m certain it does.

For once in my entire godsdamned, or rather gods-blessed, existence with the North Order, I am beyond grateful for Preceptor Darood and his insane water combat training class.

I swim as fast as I can, my arms and legs moving against the weight of my waterlogged clothes while barely giving myself time to breathe.

Ignoring the protest of my muscles and the pain that still stings sharply along my body is an ability earned only from his courses .

My hand smacks onto the icy ledge, and I hurl myself up before barrel rolling onto the tiny glacier just as the kelpie comes back for more.

The sterling colt tries his earlier move, running straight at me at top speed in an effort to knock me off the patch of frozen water again.

But I’m a quick learner. I wait until he’s only meters away and drop down flat on my stomach.

The kelpie storms over the air above my head, missing me entirely.

He makes an angry sound somewhere between a snarl and neigh before whipping off to the sea wall in a rage-fueled burst of speed.

I pop back up on my feet, water pouring from my soaking person while clocking his movements.

For a minute, I think the creature’s trying to barter for its freedom along the blockade, keeping him locked in with me, but then I grasp his true intention.

Looking around at the choppy waters, I try formulating some sort of strategy as the kelpie uses the sea wall like a springboard and rebounds this way at heart-stopping speeds.

Miraculously, I find I’ve managed to keep hold of my weapon thus far. Not that it's done me any good, but still. The hilt in my hand makes me feel just a tiny bit better about the newest suicidal scheme I’m now banking on.

I have to break it, which means I have to get on it first.

Shaking out the nerves from my legs and arms, I take what just might be my last breath before beginning to sprint across the water straight for the kelpie, advancing me head-on.

A narrow tread of ice appears under my swiftly moving feet.

The storm spirit is so bewildered by my rapidly approaching form it actually slows its strides. It’s exactly what I’m hoping for.