Page 7
Chapter Seven
VAARIN
T he deck rocks beneath my boots as I study the storm pushing in on us from the east. Another gathers in the west. This one is a natural storm, but the one to the east is moving too fast to be normal.
“They’re coming for her again,” Petyre, my ship’s captain, says. “I don’t understand. Surely they thought she was dead. Isn’t that why they left her there?”
“The Obsidian Pearl has spies in the air. They must have seen us retrieve her.” The Obsidian Pearl will do anything to stop my people from thriving. If we thrive, then the guard against their efforts grows. If we thrive, we may be in a position to assist the other sea kingdoms. Any niece or nephew of mine will carry the gift of fertility, and a marriage between sea realms would spread the good fortune we have stumbled upon. It will unite us.
This woman, this princess is the key to saving us all, one that was hidden from us for too long. If I’d known about the Faircaster royals and their boon, I would have approached them sooner.
Now that I have her, I won’t allow her to be taken.
The wind howls across the deck as if in agreement.
“What will we do, sire?” Petyre runs a hand down his face and the rainwater that soaks him dries beneath his touch. “If we fight, then our precious cargo may be injured, and we cannot take her into the depths with us where we are strongest.”
“No, we can do neither of those things. So we will hide her on land, beneath a natural storm.”
“The Cursed Isle, of course.” His eyes light up. “Genius.”
“You’ll take to the sea. The ship will find its own way home. The princess and I will head west in the rowboat into the natural storm where their eyes cannot see us.”
He nodded. “May the waves be kind.”
“May the depths embrace you.”
“You can’t be up here, Princess!” one of my crew calls out.
I turn to find the princess striding toward me. She’s knotted her dark hair on her head, but the wind tugs at her locks, and tendrils tear free to peck at her cheeks. I can’t help but marvel at her statuesque beauty highlighted even more by the men’s clothing that I provided.
Her face lacks the soft beauty I would expect of a lady of fine breeding. Instead, she has been favored with strong, sharp features that remind me of the ocean warriors of old. Ones that I have only ever seen in pictorial depictions. On her feet now, matched against my men, she is taller than I recall. Or maybe it is just how she holds herself, with a commanding presence, and yes, my men step aside to let her pass, recognizing that command.
A flutter unfurls low in my belly, and irritation flares in its wake, forcing a frown to my face because this is wholly inappropriate.
She comes to stand before me, lifting her face to mine, like a flower to the sun solara, and what am I thinking? Focus, Vaarin.
“King Vaarin, I need to tell you about the men who attacked my ship. I do not believe them to be simple raiders.”
“You do not?”
“No. The blue coral route is under the four sea realms’ protection, is it not?”
“It is,” I confirm.
“I understand that there are those that might break the rules and risk the wrath of the tides, but there was a robed man with the marauders. One who, I believe, was able to command the storm.”
My suspicions are correct, then. “You were attacked by the Obsidian Pearl. They are sea folk who worship the abyss and the creatures who they, misguidedly, believe reside within. The Obsidian Pearl will do anything to prevent my kingdom regaining its fertility. Less of us mean more power to their efforts, which have been growing the past century. They came for you, and I believe they thought you dead. But they know better now.” I point to the skies. “The rapidly approaching storm is coming for you again.”
I expect her to pale, but instead she clenches her jaw, eyes flashing with a defiance that speaks to my soul.
“Let them come,” she practically growls, her hand going to the hilt of the sword at her waist.
I arch a brow. “You would fight?”
She blinks and drops her gaze. “If I must.”
“I was told the princess wielded a paintbrush, not a sword.”
She smiles thinly. “I can do both. I trained a little with the guard. I’m no swordsmith, but I can defend myself if needs be.”
“As you did on the ship. Prudent of your father to permit your training.”
Something passes across her face, an emotion I cannot define, but there is an edge of defiance to it that gives me pause. There are depths to this female, ones which are not for me to explore. And why does that knowledge leave me hollow?
“Sire, if you are to leave then it must be now.” Petyre reminds me.
“Yes, come, Princess.” I gently grip her elbow and guide her toward the stern.
“Where are we going?”
“To the rowboat and under cover of the natural storm that rages to the west. It will shield us from the Obsidian Pearl’s airborne spies. I will explain more once we disembark on the Cursed Isle.”
“Cursed? Why do I get the impression it is not a friendly place?”
The fact that she can employ a little humor at such a dire time once again speaks to my soul, for isn’t it what a good commander is able to do? Lift morale in dire circumstances.
“I will allow no harm to come to you.” It is a promise that I do not give lightly.
“Nor I to you,” she says.
It is not the response I expect, and when I look down at her, there is fire in her eyes.
For the first time in forever, I’m intrigued.