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Chapter Four

THALIA

“I ’m not leaving you,” Bryony cried.

I ignored her, forcing my tunic over her head.

“Thalia, please.” She pulled away from me. “Stop! I am not leaving you!”

I slapped her hard enough to rock her head back.

She grabbed her cheek, staring at me with bright eyes. “You hit me.” Her words were a trembling whisper.

“And the sea looters will do so much more if they get their hands on you.” Fat tears slipped down her cheeks, and I almost softened. Almost. “They will violate you. They will have their fun, and they will keep you alive long enough to collect a ransom. But you will not survive it unscathed, do you understand?”

“Mistress, listen to her,” Lissa pleaded with Bryony. “We must go.”

Emotions played across my sister’s face, anger and fear, but I knew her well enough to understand that neither was aimed at me. “Thalia, if you stay, then it could be you that they violate.”

I allowed my lips to curve in a wicked smile. “Oh, they can try. But they’ll have to answer to my sword first.”

My words seemed to calm her. She swallowed hard and lifted her chin. “Lissa, pull the blue gown from the trunk. It has the lightest material; it will tear easily when Thalia wishes to dispense of the skirts and fight.” She took a step toward me, her eyes burning with inner fire. “You will fight, Thalia. You will survive this, and you will find your way to Merida. Swear it.”

I spoke past the lump in my throat. “I swear it. I’ll kill them all, and I will join you.”

Her mouth attempted to tremble, but she held it stiff. “Good. Then let’s do this.”

We dressed quickly—Bryony in my clothes and I in hers.

“Your hair.” Bryony reached for the knot I’d wrangled my riotous waves into. “It will not do. A princess would not wear it thus.”

Lissa moved toward me with pins and a determined look that struck fear in my heart because there was nothing that I hated more than having my hair done. But I held still while she worked on me, quickly and efficiently, setting my locks half up and leaving the rest to fall about my shoulders.

“This way it won’t be a hindrance in battle,” Lissa explained, “but will still fool them into believing you are the princess.”

She quickly worked on my face next, applying lotion and other things that I had no use for.

When it was done, I didn’t recognize myself. Gone was the gruff warrior to be replaced by a lady of refinement. I lifted a hand to my cheek, rouged now, and then my lips stained with berry juice.

“Your hands…” Lissa examined them, calloused from wielding a weapon, nails cut short and a little dirty.

I pulled them free. “There is no time for a manicure. We must leave.”

There was a knock on the door, then Berand’s voice boomed, “It’s time, Majesty.”

Bryony did break then, tears flowing freely as she hugged me hard enough to stanch my breath. “I love you; please don’t die.”

I kissed her temple, breathing her in. “I won’t. I swear it.”

She peered up at me and attempted a smile. “Don’t you wish we were at Prince Adom’s wedding now?”

The shifter prince of Solmane was due to marry a fairy princess. It was the event of the year, and all had been invited. If not for our dire predicament, there was no doubt that Father would have ordered us to attend. I’d heard there was even a tournament in play, one that promised riches to the victors.

Yes, if our situation was different, it would have been good to attend.

Another knock sounded on the door.

I opened it and ushered Bryony toward a waiting Berand.

“Wait!” She rushed to her bedside table and grabbed something which she hurriedly passed to me. “Put it on. Then there will be no doubt.”

I turned over the broach. Not just any broach but the royal emblem for Faircaster.

Father had commission two of these, one for each of his daughters, but the queen had taken mine, claiming that only a blood heir should wear it.

I pinned it to my chest, another lump forming in my throat because how ironic that I get to wear it now, when faced with death.

“Thalia…” Bryony’s voice trembled.

“Go.” I steered her out of the room before I could do something stupid like cry.

She looked back once, her eyes swimming in tears, and then she was gone.

I took a moment to breathe, to steady my racing heart and steel my spine, then grabbed Bryony’s fancy furs and my sword.

It was time to kill some lawless men.

* * *

Rain lashed at my face and wind tore at my hair as I stood on deck while the intruders boarded. My guard had taken positions out of view, ready to attack, while others surrounded me, their decoy princess.

Bryony was gone, the rowboat already hidden in the mist.

She was safe, and that was all that mattered. What happened here, now, was of no consequence.

The men were large and bearded, their long hair pulled back in braids and knots. They carried swords and axes, and they boarded us as if they owned us.

I stood with my head held high, like a queen-to-be, my grip tight on the sword hidden in the folds of my skirt.

The men surrounded us but didn’t attack. They didn’t speak.

What were they waiting for? “We have nothing of value!” Tomas yelled over the raging storm. “Please leave us.”

One of the men grinned, showcasing gold-capped teeth, and stepped aside to reveal a smaller man draped in robes. His skin was so pale it was almost translucent, his eyes so dark they were coals pressed into his face. He spoke, and the wind ceased its howling, dropping to a whisper to underline his words.

“You will come with usss,” he wheezed. “Fight us not, or you will die.”

Of course they wanted the princess. News of the betrothal must have gotten out. They thought they could hold her for ransom and fleece both the Northern Sea Kingdom and mine.

By earth and blood, they’d learn differently soon enough. “Leave now with your lives or stay and surrender your souls.”

One of the marauders laughed, and his companions joined him.

Anger simmered through my veins as I lifted my chin, the signal for my hidden men to emerge and surround the intruders.

My guard rose behind the marauders like dark shadows.

I smiled, cold and calm. “Your souls it is, then.” I drew my sword, reveling in the look of surprise on the wheezy bastard’s face. “Attack!”

I rushed him, sword mid-swing, but he vanished, and my cry of shock was buried beneath the screaming of the wind. Around me, swords clashed as my men fought the brigands. Our numbers matched theirs with the deck crew factored in, but they outnumbered the guard, leaving us short on skill, and it showed as the invaders cut down my men.

I clashed with the golden-toothed invader, pushing him back with quick, hard strikes and relishing the shock in his eyes. But the rain dragged at my skirts, slowing my step, causing me to falter. Earth and blood, I needed to tear them off, but the assault on me was too focused. There was no time to divest.

Chaos reigned, dancing around me, and I was peripherally aware of the fall of my people, but I kept fighting. Gold Teeth was relentless and fast, almost as fast as me.

Almost.

My blade found a home in his gut. I yanked it free, and he looked down at the wound as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. His bellow shattered my eardrums a moment before he ran at me.

The move was unexpected, considering his injury, and I froze for a fraction of a second. It was enough to prevent me from evading, and he grabbed hold of me, taking me to the deck with him. Fire sliced into my side a moment before my head smashed against wood and darkness claimed me.