Page 32 of Wrath Of Suns And Shadows (The Osparia #2)

I didn’t have time to think about it as Kade rushed to the railing.

He placed his hands on my hips and lifted me over.

He lowered me slowly, holding me by my wrists, before he dropped me into the water below.

I used my bending to make the splash as silent as possible.

A moment later, Kade followed me over the edge.

A part of me wanted to cage him under the water with my bending and end him while I had the chance, but as of now, he was my only chance of survival.

He took a breath as he came to the surface of the water with a wag of his head.

His dripping hair hung over his brow as he gave me a devilish look.

“Getting ideas, are we, Bunny?” he asked as he began swimming to the ship right next to Valla’s.

A rope slid down the smooth metal of the ship.

When I looked up, Evereht stood there, waiting for us on the other side of the railing.

The ship slowly moved as black smoke rose from its stacks.

This was more planned than I had thought it had been.

Now I knew Kade wanted to be sure he brought me back to his father to bask in all the glory of capturing the mighty Peacebringer.

Disgusting.

How had this been the better option out of the two? I guessed living was a suitable answer. But regardless of that, it was still uncertain for how long. Ember would want to put an end to me eventually. I was sure once he got whatever he was searching for, I’d be the next name on his death list.

I grabbed the rope and began hauling myself up.

My wrists still ached along with the rest of my body, but now wasn’t the time to show weakness.

Especially not around the Princes of Ember.

I ground my teeth through the pain and climbed the rope, but I definitely didn’t move as fast as I would have liked to.

Kade didn’t rush me as he climbed behind me.

Once I finally made it to the top, Evereht grabbed my hand and hauled me up the rest of the way, and I slid down the half wall and plopped on my bottom with a loud breath.

My body was exhausted, and although I wanted to not show any weakness, I couldn’t trick myself into not feeling safer on Kade’s ship.

Regardless of him being the enemy, I knew I’d fare better over here than with Valla, and knowing that fact took me out of fight mode.

Suddenly, exhaustion washed over me, and I allowed my head to loll back and rest on the wall I was slouched on.

“You look even more like shit than the last time I saw you,” Evereht said as a greeting and I gave him an annoyed glace before Kade came over the railing, glancing back to Valla’s ship that I was sure grew more distant with each passing moment.

“Lovely to see you again, Rhet,” I said, and he tipped his chin in agreement.

“How long do you think we have before she realizes I’m gone?” I asked, my voice sounding weaker than I wanted it too.

“I’d say less than half an hour, tops. That is, if no lingering soldiers decide to go down to the prison and see that you’re not in your cage,” Kade responded as he crouched on the ground in front of me.

He placed irons on my wrists, and I yanked my hands away from him with a hiss as my body tried to pull back farther into the wall to get away from the pain—the drain of power.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I growled, and he grabbed my forearms and pulled me to my feet.

“We have to put on a show, Bunny, but I promise, as soon as it’s over, I’ll take those off,” he murmured to me as he grabbed my shoulders and shoved me forward.

We moved toward the open deck on the front side of the ship, where Kade’s quarters and the fighting ring were.

Soldiers gathered, already waiting. Had they known about the setup too?

“Gentlemen, the Peacebringer is ours once again!” Kade shouted, loud enough for all to hear.

“Valla allowed her to escape, and if I hadn’t intervened, she would have been lost again.

But now we can deliver her and claim our reward of glory.

” His men cheered and shouted as they pounded on their chests like war drums.

“She will reside in my quarters, where I can keep a close eye on her. After what happened the last time she remained in the prison, I will not allow such negligence again. She is to remain unharmed.” He glanced around at a few soldiers, and I could tell they were the ones Kade trusted the least. “In every way.” He added at the end of his statement before he shoved me forward, toward his chambers.

Rhet followed behind us and closed the door.

Kade quickly grabbed for the chains and took them off me, having no regard for his skin as the iron burned him, too. He tossed them to the side and looked at my wrists.

“As long as you stay in this room, I will not put irons on you the entire trip back to Ember.”

“And if I want to leave this room?” I questioned.

“You won’t,” Kade replied, more of a command than anything. “You will stay in here until we get back to Ember.”

“What happens then?” I asked, and Kade went silent, his eyes contemplative.

“I’ll figure that out whenever we get there,” he finally said as he turned away from me and began walking to his bathroom. I peered around his room. Nothing had really changed, other than there was a mutilated portrait hanging on the wall that I didn’t remember being there before.

“Oh, we’re a loving family, I swear,” Rhet joked as he went to grab the picture and put it away in the closet.

“How do you plan to prevent Valla from capturing me again? I mean, she possesses more warships. She had a small fleet when she attacked me. I’m sure one of those is undamaged. She could be heading this way right now.”

“Doubtful.”

“How so?”

“Because Kade damaged every ship before he busted you out of there. She’ll be stuck for at least a day, maybe two if we’re lucky, and Kade’s already told the men we are not stopping.

We are sailing straight home. We should get there long before Valla does,” Rhet answered, and I fumbled over my thoughts.

“Damn, you must really care for your father’s approval, going through such lengths to deliver me to him.”

“Oh, you do not know the lengths I would go through for you, Bunny,” Kade quipped, and I rolled my eyes.

“Evereht, you’re dismissed. Please take your post outside for the night, brother,” Kade commanded, and Rhet obeyed with a nod of his head.

“Happy to have you back,” he said, directed at me as he walked toward the door.

“I’m sure,” I spat, adding a bite to my tone, which only made him chuckle as he closed the door behind him.

“I ran you a bath,” Kade offered as he walked over to his desk and sat down, busying himself with the maps sprawled over his desk.

“Thank you,” I murmured and walked to the bathroom.

“Feel free to ask for any assistance if you need it.” I didn’t respond to his cheeky proposal. I knew I could manage bathing, even in the condition I was in. I slammed the door behind me and heard his chuckle from the other side.

Steam billowed from the tub full of soapy water.

Citrus and lavender wafted around the room, and the relaxing scent made my shoulders sag.

Seated on the edge of the tub, I ran my hand through the hot water.

I undid the small braids I kept in my hair and removed Ace’s feathers and gently cleaned them in the water before I sat them on the counter to dry.

I stood and peeled my disgusting clothes from my body.

Upon seeing myself in the mirror, I winced.

Most of my cuts and scratches had healed, but the effects of being in irons had worn on me. Exhaustion weighed heavily on my body.

I stepped into the tub with a sigh as I dipped my head under the water, fully submerging myself as I raked my hands through my matted hair.

The water quickly went murky from all the blood and grime.

I washed as best I could before draining the water and refilling the tub.

Then I scrubbed myself down once more to be sure there was no reminiscence of that place on my skin.

Once everything was clean, I let my head loll back on the edge of the tub and rested my eyes.

I knew it was a bad idea to let myself sleep here, but I was so incredibly tired that a heartbeat later, I let sleep claim me.