Page 74 of Death’s Kiss (The Order of the Tide Raiders #1)
F ocusing on non worst-case scenarios, I begin making my way into the mouth of the cave.
My hands flit up to my hair absently and I’m pleasantly surprised to find Kleio’s newest gift has worked like a charm. Even with the racing winds and helmsman visor, my hair has been kept neatly away from my face and is still bound tightly in the plait atop my head.
A few silent moments pass before I hit a set of makeshift steps slanting downward. I take them quickly, my feet nimble from years of cliffside galivanting. Sliding out the short sword sheathed at my waist, I meet the bottom of the rocky staircase and am greeted by a wall of stone.
My head swivels ‘round to take in the rest of my surroundings, only to find it’s nothing but a dead-end outcropping. Brows knitting together, I turn back towards the direction I came from.
My prior calm begins ramping up into irritation.
Pursing my lips, I shift again to face the wall once more, tilting my head to one side in deliberation. I have no idea what compels me to do it, I guess you could call it a sixth sense, all the same my free hand presses itself firmly against the sea stone.
A pulsing beat flutters beneath my touch, and I snatch back my hand in shock.
Blinking several times over in disbelief, I go to test the wall again but a brilliant light steals my attention.
Swirling script, like that of the second challenge, etches itself one word at a time into the dead end.
My palms begin sweating in earnest and I rub them quickly on my uniform while my heart starts pounding wildly.
The glowing script has fashioned itself into the outline of a tall archway. The words begin and end at the base of the wall so that the whole thing appears to be a door. Craning my neck uncomfortably to one side, I step closer to inspect the very inconveniently shaped words.
Survival requires endurance. Passage requires salt.
My eyes narrow with confusion and I crane my neck again to re-read the short sentence.
A frown pulls down on my lips in perplexity.
There’s no question or riddle hidden within the archway's script, no matter how many times I read it.
The unanticipated noise of rock groaning against stone draws me several scuffling steps back from inspection.
I watch with widening eyes as the rough mineral barrier within the archway of glowing script begins descending into the ground below. The opening extends inch by inch, revealing a small circular room framed with plain pale walls and one identical archway directly across my own.
As I step through the newly formed fissure, I discover another figure emerging simultaneously from the opposite opening. My grip tightens around the short sword as the figure steps through its aperture. Dark raven braids appear alongside a keen-edged blade glinting in well manicured hands.
Corvina .
My affinity chained down inside begins slamming itself against the drug in my veins with a vengeance. Worry twists my gut and I begin to doubt a few of my earlier, some might say brash , decisions.
Captain Leporem's emerald eyes lock onto mine across the small space.
Understanding appears to hit us at the same moment.
The luminous script was not a riddle this time.
Just a statement from The Vault. A demand.
This first checkpoint requires salt in order to move forward. Or more specifically, blood.
Incredible.
The one captain whose affinity could make all my training null and void just so happens to be the very first opponent I’m met with. Anger burns bright inside my chest at the injustice of it all. I’m tempted to chuck a dagger in my rage but decide better of it.
Cracking my neck on either side, I swiftly move down into the makeshift arena with a burdened huff.
Corvina mirrors my movements, a saccharine smile twisting her features as she comes to take the place across from me.
The southern captain puts on a pretty facade but I catch something like unease shining along the edges of those gemstone eyes.
“How perfect. I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to repay you,” she purrs.
My eyes drop down to that silver capsule covering the finger my frostbite took from Captain Leporem.
The sight of it triggers an odd momentary feeling of guilt to flicker beneath my usual aversion.
I know I shouldn’t feel anything resembling remorse.
What Corvina intended to do that day was infinitely worse than the comparatively minor loss of a digit.
I shove aside that very inconveniently noble part of myself and force my lips into a careless smile and flick the blade around my wrist absently. Captain Leporem tracks each of my movements. “Repay me?" I echo in mock confusion. "I think that shiny new accessory of yours makes us even.”
I smirk, enjoying the annoyance in her gaze at my choice of word. The one the twins use to antagonize Corvina after what she tried to make me do. I figure it’s possible that if I get her worked up enough, she’ll be too distracted to use that dangerous voice of hers.
Corvina doesn't respond immediately and we begin circling each other in the few meters of space available. Our silent dance doesn't last long. With a flash of her blade in the air near my neck, Corvina's simper transforms into a sneer.
I take advantage of her close proximity when dodging her attack just before connecting my fist with her unsuspecting jaw. Corvina staggers back a step, her emerald eyes turning harder than stone, and swallows what I can only assume is a mouthful of blood.
She lets out a short scoff and we resume circling each other. I watch her warily, preparing to do whatever I must to cut off her affinity should she attempt to use it. No matter how irksome Corvina has been since arriving in the north, I truly do not relish the thought of having to slit her throat.
But I’ll do whatever I must.
“You think I care about my fucking finger ?” The laughter that escapes the beautiful captain is so strange that it almost makes me want to take a step back. I hesitate and she moves.
Corvina's blade goes for my exposed flank and I pivot but she’s learned from my very recent example. Her fist slams into my ribs so hard it might as well be the fucking blade. Gasping out for breath, I barely even register her next words.
“My finger is the least of what you’ve cost me. You don’t have the faintest idea of what you’ve actually done—do you? What your very existence has caused?” Corvina's gaze blazes a bright, frightening jade.
My still-recovering body is slightly hunched in pain as her knife comes for my throat. It’s clear to me now that she isn’t going to stop at just spilling my blood. Corvina wants my life as payment too.
“Of course you don’t!” She spits in my face just before I block the incoming attack with my forearm.
Satisfaction tilts my lips in response to the ringing sound of her dislodged blade hitting the floor. Not wanting to risk any sort of sly movement from the silver-tongued captain, I tackle Corvina to the ground in the next instant. Tragically, I lose my own fighting weapon in the process.
“By my existence, I assume you mean the drowned god's blessing? Something I didn’t get a fucking choice in?” I snarl down in question to her struggling form now pinned beneath me.
While forcefully restraining the near-seething captain, I realize with surprise that Corvina looks as disheveled as I’ve ever seen. Like she’s on the verge of some serious unraveling. I try to recount the last time I really took notice of her. Nothing honestly comes to mind since Luminalia.
“Is that why you put ehkinos on those evening stars? To end my existence?” I demand through clenched teeth.
Captain Leporem chokes out a shaky laugh of disbelief.
The sound takes effort to escape her throat currently being squeezed between my hands while my knee’s pin down her arms. Those emerald eyes meet mine and I discover in them a kind of misery that I didn't believe could exist in someone as beautiful as Corvina.
The sight of her anguish feels like a different, very unexpected, kind of blow.
“For the last time I didn’t know about the godsdamned ehkinos, you stupid fucking bitch !” She hurls back up at me. “You might not believe it, squid, but I do have a few shreds of honor left. No matter what your bastard-born ass or anyone else believes.”
Narrowing my attention upon her hate-filled gaze, I come to the troubling realization that Captain Leporem is definitely telling me the truth. She really, truly, did not intend to poison me that day. Paralyze me for sure, but not murder.
Not that day, at least.
Her next words come out with a hysterical quality. “Because of you, all of it—all of it—just for nothing.” The hold I have on her throat idiotically loosens in my complete and utter confusion.
“ What ?” I ask incredulously.
Corvina's mouth twists angrily before she garners a bit of strength and hurls a massive wad of spit up onto my cheek. More of my hold slips. She takes advantage to free a hand before ripping one of my knives from its perch along the belt at my waist.
I’m forced to roll off the southern captain before she gets the chance to slam that stolen blade into my ribcage. I then scramble back to scoop up my own fallen weapon before wiping off her spit on my cheek with a low sound of disgust.
Corvina, having relocated her previously disarmed knife, stands across from me with both weapons raised. “Everything— everything I’ve done and it—it doesn’t matter. He’s still—he'll always—and I—I can’t—I can’t. Gods he’s going to kill me!” She makes a choking sort of sound that has me going still.
Now would be the perfect time to attack. But for some reason I can’t bring myself to take advantage of her crumbling state. Something about the girl seems to be deeply coming undone.
“Who or what are you going on about, Leporem?” My inquiring voice rings out inside the chamber.