Page 76 of Scorched Earth (Dark Shores #4)
KILLIAN
Killian couldn’t recall the last time he’d really slept. For months upon months, he’d spent his nights at least partially alert, always ready to act if attack came. But on the Maarin ship, with Lydia in his arms, Killian finally allowed himself to relax.
They spent their days with Agrippa and Malahi, often with the captain and other members of the crew joining in for games of cards and dice, the food fresh caught from the sea and the wine the best vintages from across all of Reath. And their nights…
Nights were for him and Lydia to explore each other in ways that they’d been so long denied, the noise of the waves mercifully drowning them out, though if the entire ship had heard, he wouldn’t have cared.
Lydia was his. His. And though they sailed toward war and worse, it would be at each other’s side, because he wouldn’t allow anything to come between them again.
Not rushing hadn’t been the only piece of Agrippa’s advice he’d taken, for his friend’s admonition of “For the love of all Six of the gods, do not get her pregnant” motivated Lydia, in the company of Malahi, to consult with the Maarin women about preventive measures.
They’d both returned with herbs that were brewed into a tea that they were to drink daily.
“Smells like feet and tastes worse,” Killian had told her when he’d tried a sip of the tea.
To which Lydia had only shrugged and said, “Be thankful I’m the one who has to drink it.
” Then she’d removed her spectacles and given him a dark smile that made him want to drag her back into bed.
“And I think it will be well worth it, don’t you? ”
He most definitely did , though as they rounded the peninsula that formed the southernmost point of Mudamora, it was not lost on him that this respite from the world was rapidly coming to an end.
Serlania appeared in the dawn light, and Killian rested his elbows on the rail, watching the city his family all but owned grow in the distance. Agrippa joined him, a cup of some dark bitter drink they apparently drank in the East clasped in his scarred hands.
“Where is Baird? I haven’t seen him all morning.”
Agrippa laughed. “He’s below fretting about his appearance and the state of his clothes. Apparently there is a chance he might cross paths with his estranged wife, and he’s hoping to regain her favor. I understand you know the lucky lady.”
“Bercola.” Killian sighed. “We had a falling out, but in hindsight, I might have been as much in the wrong as she was. I hope she’s in Serlania so that I can make my own amends. Do you know what he did to piss her off?”
“Apparently he was quite the ladies’ man in Eoten Isle,” Agrippa said.
“Sowed oats in the wrong field and she washed her hands of him. It’s the reason he abandoned his duties maintaining the doldrums, so it isn’t just her who is angry at him, it’s his entire people.
Honestly, new clothes are probably the least of his concerns, but he told me I wasn’t being helpful and kicked me out of his berth. ”
“Have Malahi test the waters. Bercola is fond of her, so Malahi might be able to forestall her putting a sword through his stomach. As far as forgiveness goes, that’s Baird’s battle to fight.”
Agrippa shrugged. “Serves him right for stepping out, if you ask me.”
It was a struggle not to smirk, because Killian remembered just how many of the tavern girls had seemed intimately acquainted with Agrippa in Deadground. But the smile kept rising despite his best efforts, so he changed the subject. “You been to Serlania before?”
“Briefly,” Agrippa answered. “The Gamdeshians were after me for debts considered unpaid, and the fight pit masters have a lot of friends in Serlania.”
“True. My sister-in-law is the Sultan’s niece, but she loves the fights. I’ve been to a few with her.”
“Box seats, I’m sure.” Agrippa laughed. “Sometimes I forget that you’re highborn. You looking forward to going back to being a lord?”
“No.” Killian opened his mouth to elaborate, then his eyes snagged on the golden band encircling Agrippa’s ring finger that had most certainly not been there the day before.
Noting his scrutiny, Agrippa took a sip of his drink. “Oh, by the way, Malahi and I got hitched last night. Sorry for the lack of invitation, but she was of the opinion that you’d be against it. She’s telling Lydia right now.”
Killian turned and found both women standing on the quarterdeck. Lydia was staring wide eyed at Malahi, whose chin was raised in defiance. “Agrippa, she’s the Queen of Mudamora. You can’t just… marry the queen !”
“Actually, you can.” Agrippa took another sip of his drink.
“Captain Vane officiated, and Fara and Baird witnessed, which is why he’s so morose about matters of nuptials.
Malahi and I did the rest, so it’s done and can’t be undone.
Anyone who tries to claim otherwise will find said claims pouring out of a hole in his guts. ”
There was a hint of a threat in Agrippa’s tone that made Killian tense. “You barely know each other.”
“If you weren’t so caught up in your own love affair, you’d know that’s not the case.
” Agrippa tossed the dregs of his drink overboard, hazel eyes frosty as he said, “She’s got reasons, if you care to hear her out, but for my part, I love her.
Malahi had my heart the moment she spit in Rufina’s face.
Where she goes, I go. What she fights for, I’ll fight for.
Given that I’ve had your back while you pined over a girl who wanted to suck the life out of you, I hope you’ll do the same for me because I’m well aware that I’ve painted a target on it. ”
That was an understatement. Malahi might well rule, but the High Lords, most especially his brother, would take significant issue with their queen making such an important decision without them, most especially given that she hadn’t chosen one of them.
Which Killian strongly suspected was the primary motivation behind the midnight nuptials.
A thought swiftly confirmed by Malahi as she approached, pulling Lydia bodily by the arm.
“Killian, whatever opinions you are voicing, keep them to yourself. I’m not allowing Hacken to try to force me into a marriage that I don’t want in order to secure his vote.
” She lifted her chin, staring him down.
“This protects Lydia and you from his manipulations as much as it protects me, and…” Her voice faltered as she looked to Agrippa.
“And I have spent my whole life doing what others wanted. Just this once I want to do something for myself.”
Killian could think of a dozen reasons why the decision was a bad one, but it was difficult to argue with that statement.
And it wasn’t that he thought the choice was wrong, only that he knew the High Lords would hate that she’d made any choice at all.
Still, Malahi was more a politician than he’d ever be, so she didn’t need him to explain the potential consequences of her actions.
“Then I suppose the only thing to say is, congratulations.”
“Congratulations.” Lydia kissed both of Malahi’s cheeks. “I wish you both a long life filled with happiness.”
Vane approached. “The Serlania harbor is overcrowded with refugees from the north,” he said. “It will be a day or more before we can secure a berth.”
“We can’t wait.” The words slipped out of Killian, voiced by instinct rather than thought. “Row us to the beach outside Serlania.”
Vane shrugged, then shouted the order.
While the anchor was lowered, Killian and Lydia went to retrieve their meager belongings, as did their friends, and when they returned to the deck, a longboat was waiting for them.
“We’ll make port as soon as we are able,” Vane said to them. “I’ll gather the supplies that we need to be ready to take you to Revat.”
“Thank you,” Killian said. “We won’t linger. I…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I think we might be running out of time.”
Vane’s brow furrowed. “Then we will make all haste.”
Baird chose that moment to come on deck. “I’m of a mind to stay on the Kairense ,” he said. “You’ll need swift winds when you sail to Revat.”
Agrippa started flapping his arms and squawking like a chicken, but Killian gave him a shove. “We’ll see you soon, then.”
Killian, Lydia, Agrippa, and Malahi climbed into the longboat, and two of the Maarin crew members rowed them to shore.
Yet as they approached the white sand beach, Killian spotted a blue carriage with a team of white horses stopped on the road up the slope, his horse, Seahawk, tethered to the back of the carriage.
A man sat on the beach, boots off and bright blue trousers pushed up to his knees, the position quite at odds with the man’s flamboyant attire. Killian smiled.
“Do you know him?” Lydia asked, shading her eyes. “Wait… Is that…?”
“Seldrid.” Killian lifted his hand right as the other man did. “The brother I actually like.”
Jumping out of the boat as it hit the sand, Killian strode up the beach to where the middle son of House Calorian now stood. “How did you know we were coming?”
His brother held out his arms. “Hacken manipulates things. You kill things. But I, little brother, I know things.” Then Seldrid wrapped his arms around Killian, half lifting him off the ground in a hug.
“Gods, but it’s good to see you alive. When my watchers said that Kairense had been spotted with you on it, I was afraid to believe it lest I be delivered disappointment, but here you are. ”
“Here I am.” Killian stepped back. “Though it was a near thing more times than I care to count.”
Seldrid straightened his coat, which had an obscene amount of gold embroidery, his eyes moving past Killian to the others. If he was shocked at Malahi’s changed appearance, he didn’t show it as he bowed low. “My lady. It is my greatest honor to welcome you back to Mudamorian soil.”
“Seldrid.” Malahi stepped forward to kiss both his brother’s cheeks. “It is good to be welcomed by a friendly face. How fare Adra and your children?”
“Both are well, though Adra will be furious that she wasn’t here to greet you properly, for of a surety, this would not pass muster. But she’s at Teradale with the children, assisting my mother.”
Killian’s skin abruptly prickled, his mark warning that trouble was coming, and he frowned at his brother.
“I’m sure I’ll see her soon enough.” Malahi gestured to Lydia. “This is Lydia, Marked of Hegeria and…” Her throat moved as she swallowed. “My husband, Agrippa Egnatius.”
Killian felt his brother’s shock only because of how well he knew him, for Seldrid betrayed nothing on his face as he inclined his head. “It is my honor to make your acquaintance, Agrippa. Correct me if I’m mistaken, but is that not a Cel name?”
Agrippa blinked. “Likewise. And yes, though I’m surprised you know it.”
“I’m in the business of making money,” Seldrid replied, “and though I question Celendor’s methods of achieving the trade it seems to desire, that does not mean I haven’t investigated its business potential.
Any chance you are of relation to the senator of the same name?
Tibe rius Egnatius is quite the rising star, I’ve heard, though it’s all hearsay and gossip at this point. ”
Agrippa’s jaw dropped, his eyes snapping to Killian’s, the question in them quite clearly: How does he know? Killian only shrugged, because Seldrid never disclosed his informants, Bad for business always being the excuse he gave.
“My brother,” Agrippa finally answered. “Though he’d be quite shocked to learn I’m on this side of the world.”
“And rising high within the Mudamorian aristocracy, no less,” Seldrid said with enthusiasm, clapping a hand on Agrippa’s shoulder.
“I hope you won’t mind if I pick your brain?
I would like to know more about what the Empire has to offer, since it is looking less and less like we’ll be easily rid of them. ”
“Of course.” For once, Agrippa seemed lost for words. “Whatever you want to know.”
“Wonderful!” Seldrid gestured to the carriage. “Shall we? It’s something of a journey to Teradale, and it’s always best to get it over with before the heat of the day. We’ll be a bit pressed for space, but Killian can ride his horse while you catch me up on your adventure, Your Grace.”
Killian caught his brother’s arm. “Lydia and I aren’t going to Teradale. We need to travel to Revat to consult with the librarians. We hope they might have information to supplement what we learned in Anukastre about the blight.”
“Whatever you need, write it down and I’ll send it to the Sultan himself,” Seldrid said. “But you need to come to Teradale.”
“What is happening there that is more important than the blight?” Killian asked the question even as his instincts told him Seldrid’s urgency wasn’t misplaced. “Has something changed?”
“Yes.” Seldrid pulled Killian toward the carriage. “Ria Rowenes has a document signed by Serrick before his death declaring Malahi dead and Ria his heir. She claims the title of High Lady Rowenes now.”
Fury washed over Killian, because this was exactly the sort of thing that Ria would do. “Well she only has a few hours to enjoy it, because Malahi is very much alive.”
“Alive or not matters little,” Seldrid said quietly. “He clearly named Ria as his heir. As of this moment, Malahi is not High Lady, and if she is not High Lady—”
“She’s not queen.”
Seldrid gave a tight nod. “But it gets worse.”
“Of course it does,” Killian growled, watching Malahi climb into the carriage. “What has Hacken done?”
“Betrothed himself to Ria, for starters,” Seldrid said. “And with her support, he’s gathered the high lords and ladies at Teradale. You’ve arrived just in time to watch them vote for Hacken as Mudamora’s next king.”