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Chapter 8

Tahlia

B ack at the temporary base they’d created on the island, Marius handed Tahlia three arrows. “Only fire them when you know you can hit him. We won’t get more.”

He looked tired, and she longed to fold him into her arms even though he was far too big for any of that.

Lija stood behind Tahlia, her warmth a comfort. Marius bowed his head briefly to the Seabreak and she echoed the gesture.

“So we are bypassing talks and heading right to killing the stranger,” Fara said, her tone was odd.

“You’re usually the first one in line for bloodshed when dangerous villains are involved,” Tahlia said, keeping her voice low and studying the arrows.

The others seemed to sense they needed a minute and they drifted over to where the dragons had convened near a grass-topped dune.

Fara looked first at the ground and then at her hands. She began to wring them and shake her head.

“If you chew your lip any harder, you won’t need the food I nabbed from Queen’s Coral.”

Fara froze, then swung around. “What food?”

Tahlia drew a small green fruit from her pocket and tossed it to Fara. She gobbled it down in the same way Tahlia had eaten her share on the ride back.

“Now, tell me what’s going on with you, Fara.”

“I just… I feel like there is more to this story than what we know.”

“Of course, there is. We don’t know how he managed to cross into our realm and we have no clue why he wants to run the Eelsmen. Though I assume it’s for gold, spoils, and females.”

“What if it’s not?”

“What if he’s a kindhearted gentlemale with some secret charity mission?”

Fara hit Tahlia on the arm. “Stop. I’m serious.”

“So am I,” Tahlia said, looking into Fara’s eyes. “The pirates are horrible to the people up here. You know that better than I do.”

She nodded.

“So why the hesitant mood about offing the dangerous magical creature who wants to lead them in their dark work?” Tahlia didn’t want to scare Fara by mentioning the thread that had connected the Unseelie to her, but maybe she needed to know.

“No, you’re right,” Fara said. “You and Marius are right. I’m being a civilian over here, fretting about loss of life in battle. I just don’t have your nerve.”

Tahlia snorted and slapped Fara’s shoulder. “Now, that is the biggest heap of bull shite I’ve ever heard. You have more guts than all of us together.”

Her purple cheeks darkened in a blush. “Thanks, Tahl, but this is different. It feels more… I don’t know. It feels more real, I guess?”

“How about we get Justus to take you back to Dragon Tail Peak? You don’t need to be here. It’s too much.”

“No, I want to help. There will be injuries.”

“You don’t have the training to deal with death and battle.”

“I don’t care. I want to stay.”

Tahlia took her hand and squeezed it. “You’re certain? Because I will make someone take you back. No questions asked. I’m sleeping with the commander, remember? I get favors.”

Fara laughed sadly. “I’ll save your favoritism for the dining hall and those crystal cakes.”

Tahlia pulled her into a hug. She smelled like the herbs she was always fiddling with these days. “All right. It’s a deal. But you let me know if you change your mind.”

“I will.” Fara hugged Tahlia back tightly, then as they broke apart, Fara eyed the bloodiron arrows.

“These will end him quickly. It shouldn’t be much of a fight if we manage to distract him.”

Fara swallowed and nodded. “I’m going to check my stores of tallow and thyme. Don’t forget to tie your hair back. If it’s doing all of that,” she said, waving fingers at Tahlia’s mess of hair, “you are doomed and me along with you.”

“Of course.” Smiling, Tahlia watched her go to her bags and rummage through them busily. There was something off here, but she couldn’t pin it down.

She studied the weight of the arrows in her hand. They were heavier than regular arrows and would require being closer to the target than she was used to. Exhaling and trying to breathe through her understandable fear, she joined the other knights.

While Marius doled out a spear and a few more arrows to the others, Tahlia cut a length of leather from Lija’s saddle, rolled it, and tied it with the thong that had been holding back her hair. Tahlia tied the makeshift quiver onto Lija’s saddle and tucked the arrows into place where she could reach them easily.

Marius was suddenly standing beside her, his hand poised on her forearm. His fingers were hot and his eyes were hotter.

“Are you certain you and Lija can handle going under the sea like this? We can come up with a different plan if either of you are concerned.”

He need not worry about us. Or Maiwenn, Lija said inside Tahlia’s mind.

Tahlia put her hand over his and a sensation like sparks danced down her arm from the point of contact—he always had this effect on her.

“We’ve got this. Maiwenn and Donan do, too. Lija is confident.”

“All right,” he said, drawing even closer and rubbing his thumb over her knuckle. He lifted her hand and kissed it. His gaze snagged hers, and she was pinned by his stormy eyes. “If anything happens to you…”

“I’m a knight, remember. I’ve survived so far.”

The side of his mouth lifted and her lips longed to press a kiss there. “You’re right. I must stop coddling you, Lady of the Skies.”

“Lady of the Seas, now, hmm?” She grinned up at him.

He smiled in full then. “Yes, I suppose we will need to expand my nickname repertoire.”

“It’ll annoy Fara even more.”

Chuckling, he kissed her hand once more. He nodded then and left her to speak to Claudia and Ewan.

That Unseelie pirate has no chance against us, rider, Lija said.

You’re damn right about that, my friend.