Page 70 of Death’s Kiss (The Order of the Tide Raiders #1)
S triding down the ocean-bound docks, we’re met with a roar of applause that puts every other one of the earlier trials to absolute shame.
The noisy crowd rattles the driftwood beneath my feet and reverberates around my skull. My demeanor remains remote. My face a mask of unyielding ice. But my insides feel as though I’m about to ride an unbroken kelpie.
As Beldham instructed, we aim for the docks holding eight speeders. One for each captain and their crew. Raider Bedi, having been granted captaincy in the wake of Reed Namak’s death, has since stepped up to represent the East.
I begrudgingly locate our speeder resting at the end of the dock site labeled 'FIVE', knowing we'll have to walk past the first four docks in order to get there. I struggle to keep from grumbling out my internal frustration and motion for the rest of my crew to follow in my lead.
I still cannot believe I went from second place to fifth . If my affinity wasn’t shoved so far down inside, I’m certain there’d be hoarfrost in my wake.
We near the dock labeled ‘ONE’ and the crowd begins to shift in tone .
I’m well aware of why and there’s no stopping it.
The orb lights shine down on my crew and their tythe-tokens, illuminating the rite for all to see or rather glare at.
Gritting my teeth, I pretend not to hear it.
I pretend not to notice the very real discord being murmured along with my name over the towering assembly of raiders high above us.
Approaching the first mooring of the spaced-out docks does not help my temper.
The majority of the all-male southern crew is busy making inspections but each of them slowly drops what they’re doing to stare as we pass.
It’s not only the crowd of raiders above us who have begun to notice the tythe.
I can feel their eyes glued to us, studying each colorless strand of shimmering white in open shock.
The only person non-phased by such a sight would, of course, be Olsson fucking Agni.
“Oh, Boreas ?” He whistles, pausing me mid-stride.
Taking a deep breath full of eternal suffering, I throw Kleio a look for her and the others to wait up ahead. She follows my unspoken orders and I stiffly turn my attention to the slim wharf-side.
I find Captain Agni’s cocky form jumping down from the side of their speeder with predatory fluidity.
His swaggering figure looks lethal as all hell dressed head to toe in crimson threaded black.
Locking my jaw against annoyance, I tilt my chin to meet his gaze as he steps before me.
The hilts of his twin blades cast him against the night sky into the outline of a daunting omen.
Agni chuckles, no doubt sensing my growing impatience. He holds up one ring-adorned finger in clear reminder before tapping it idly against his lower lip.
“Do be sure to come find me in there, Boreas. I would hate for you to break your od, especially now that it’s been ever so beautifully tied to your crew,” Agni drawls, angling his head of black windswept hair in the direction of The Pillars as his eyes flicker towards my crew waiting ahead .
My mouth purses tightly and he lowers himself slightly downwards, making my body stiffen on instinct. His voice turns to a deep ashen whisper. “ Both your options are still on the table for my repayment, by the way.”
I turn a newly murderous glare on him.
Agni smirks at my obvious irritation with an arrogant shrug.
“Just letting you know, in case you were in the mood for something a little more daring . Though, now that we’re on the topic, I suppose being all the way down in fifth place—” He ‘tsks’ with a frown in mock disappointment.
“That just might make it far too difficult for you to catch up to me in time to get this last little debt of yours cleared.”
Blinking slowly, I focus very very hard on not removing a knife from my waist and plunging it into his thigh. His amusement towards my internal scuffle is clear in the twitch of his lips. His obvious enjoyment makes it even more difficult to hold back the assault I'm itching to commit.
“I have to warn you, Boreas, I won’t be able to slow us down just to wait up for you. However, being the gentleman that I am , I'll make sure you have a second chance to keep your captaincy title. For both you and your lovely crew's sake.”
His tone is so demeaning that it turns my hands into restlessly balled fists.
Agni’s eyes rove my homicidal face, shining with smug implication.
“After I win The Vault, you can come help me celebrate properly for a night. I’ll even go against my no-clothing rule and let you keep that pretty little hairpiece on.” His eyes flit to the new golden cuff currently holding my hair up before shooting me a wink. “Then we’ll call it square.”
“In your fucking dreams,” I hiss up at him, my lips twisting in disgust.
“Every night,” Agni deadpans.
I know what he’s doing—getting in my head with his suggestive taunts, riling me up before the final task. He’s clearly found a new button of mine to press, one he seems to enjoy even more than all the others. I just wish it wasn't so godsdamn effective.
“You won’t have to worry about me catching up—I can promise you that.
” I sneer, my rising temper making the chafing of my restrained power more intense.
“We’ll settle this in there as agreed ,” I snarl, ripping myself away from Agni and his bemused expression before he can waste any more of my time.
Swiftly rejoining my crew, we make way for our speeder. Passing by the next few moorings, we’re met with stunned silence and expressions ranging from disbelief to pure anger from every captain and their crew.
Behind the south order now ranking first, unsurprisingly comes Brisa seated second. Then, more surprisingly, comes Vash in third. To my shock, he doesn’t even lift his head in our direction, nor does Kleio so much as glance the way of their speeder.
My brows furrow as we pass Corvina, who is directly ahead of us in fourth. Captain Leporem’s lip curls when spotting the tythe, disdain crinkles her delicate nose in response to the chosen token and I roll my eyes in annoyance.
The announcer's voice booms so loudly that his words override my own godsdamned thoughts as we finally make it to our dock labeled ‘FIVE’.
I trail after my seven as they head down to our tied-up vessel and begin prepping with inspections.
However, all of my previous anger leftover from interacting with Agni dissipates upon confronting our assigned craft.
My whistle is low and appreciative in regards to the speeder we’ve been given.
It’s fucking nice .
Nicer than any of the ones I’ve stolen by far.
The exterior boasts a sleek matte black finish, and the flooring is an equally dark stained wood.
Rich seats of supple brown leather illuminate the console, while the stern is situated with a u-shaped bench of pure onyx.
My fingers trail along the hull and I begin vibrating with anticipation at getting this thing out on open water, fifth place or not.
Soon, my wandering hand discovers the silver lettering gracing the side of the drool-worthy speeder.
‘Moonlighter 1000’.
My fingers promptly falter in their exploration.
"Oh sweet depths," I curse aloud. The Moonlighters are a brand new line of raider-crafted speeders we only heard rumors about.
How? How are they here ? I can only think they must have been donated by a Tide Lord or—
“—of the very fastest in King Nereus’s fleet!” The announcers' obnoxious voice echoes back into existence.
My chest constricts and my swallow is tight. Or they were donated by the Tide Raider King himself.
Stepping onto the ship, I can smell how new it is. I bet this is the first time it’s ever seen open water. My hands itch to grab the helm, straddle the console, and see just how many knots this thing can do. But I fight that impulse with an inward groan and instead begin helping the others.
By the time we’re done, I’m practically panting in need of getting my hands on that wheel.
“We now ask our captains and crews to begin taking positions. Cast-off will begin in five minutes.”
Catching Kleio’s eye, I nod at her to take up my place.
Then I whip out my leather helmsman gloves from a pocket and begin shoving them onto each hand.
I don’t think anyone has realized the change in positions yet.
Though it’s hard to tell with how tumultuous the massive crowd filling the iron colosseum above us seems.
Adrenaline pulses in my veins and a hint of my prior deviancy pulls at the corner of my mouth. With no time to waste, I tear off my captain's cape, exposing my embroidered affinity markings to those watching, and toss it up to Kleio for safekeeping.
Our risky stunt does not go unnoticed for long.
“I don’t believe what I’m seeing here, Raiders—a strange turn of tides indeed! The first castaway to ever enter the Pillar Trials is making another first. Captain Boreas of the North Order has taken place as helmsman for her team, and in fifth place no less! ”
Straddling the console, I become too preoccupied with the feel of the expertly crafted wooden wheel and sleek leather-bound throttle to notice the uproar of rowdy raiders. My attention removes itself from ogling the craft at my fingertips to grin up to Kleio standing at the bow.
Traditionally, that is the place I should take. The grand honor that only the captain is supposed to hold. Directing from the front, leading the charge, and all that other bullshit.
But Captain or not, I’m undeniably our best helmsman.
My advanced skills at the helm are a product of my notoriously rebellious youth.
In subtle retaliation for my treatment, I spent much of my time stealing speeders and other racing vessels from the wharf for my own personal joyrides.
It turns out that a bit of heathenry compulsion might just end up paying off.
I hope it’s enough to make Skelm’s heart give out.