Chapter 37
Keira
It was getting colder by the minute. And I kept my eyes peeled for the distant white water I could barely make out.
They say that there were different kinds of monsters that lurked beneath the shores of the Northern Isles; the various fanged and clawed nightmares that wandered free in the waters of the Maythem Ocean. They were known to be a kind of natural defense system, long put in place by one of the earliest rulers of the Northern Isles. No one dared question them for many reasons. This being one of them.
Personally, I had known how difficult breaching this particular part of the continent would be, for I had spent most of my days here, in the seclusion of the woods that covered most of the land. It was where I first came when I had my freedom.
But these were the thoughts I did not share with my fellow traveler, who, quite possibly, was lost in his own thoughts. Thoughts that I knew were of his brother and his home, the kingdom he had left behind and all for what? To understand my motives? He would be waiting a long time.
“There.”
I watched as Rorcan pointed toward where the navy of the Alhara Ocean ended and clashed with a stark contrast of white, watched as we broke the surface by the magic cast on the small boat and chills rose on my flesh as the cold broke free.
Immediately snow fell and it was so thick and blurry that when I turned around, forgotten were the blossoming roses and buttery warmth of the Southern Isles.
We were now back where I had started. The Northern Isles.
“Stunngard?” Rorcan questioned.
I only nodded. “You’ve been before, I’m sure.”
He only nodded as well, too mesmerized by the view before us. It never got old.
In awed silence we both watched as the capital kingdom of the Northern Isles came into view through the thickly falling snow. Magnificent and distinct even through the blurry weather, with walls standing tall and intimidating; Stunngard.
The kingdom stretched out onto a menacing mountain cut open by the North Wind, all blindingly white with ice cutting its way through the roads and houses. The Castle of Stunngard perched on the very top but unlike Riveria Castle, it could not be built on the peak for its peak arched just above the magnificent glass castle, too lean and too sharp to be tamed.
Wordlessly, we were swept past tall, frosted rocks peppering the shoreline. A heavy wind, thick with fresh snow dusted Rorcan’s hair and his golden skin somehow paled in the sudden absence of sunlight.
I held my hands together as Rorcan asked, “Won’t their defenses pick up on us?”
I nodded to our oarsman. “That’s what he’s here for.”
Rorcan turned his gaze back to Charon, who still stood at the forefront, quietly leading us ahead.
“You didn’t think I chose him simply because he was unsanctioned, did you?”
Rorcan looked at me at that. He knew we couldn’t have gotten any other boat or ship without alerting the Guard. The only way anyone could pass in and out of an island nation with no identity was if the carrier was unsanctioned, undocumented.
But he would never know the price I had to pay for that. He would never know anything of how difficult all this was. Such was his luck.
“He can get us in undetected,” I said, keeping my gaze on the appearing array of heavily-guarded docks. “We would sail right through and they won’t even suspect.”
“How-”
“Silence!” Charon hissed.
I raised a hand to Rorcan, immediately quieting him. I didn’t mean to, but I held my breath. His eyes widened a fraction but then so did mine when we both caught sight of how close the Guard was.
Dozens of boats belonging to the Northern Royal Navy peppered the near-white waters around us, all the men on those boats trained to shoot down intruders without a second thought.
Rorcan gave me a bewildered look. I answered him by actively placing my palm against his mouth, my eyes conveying what I couldn’t say. Stand down.
He seemed to understand because I could feel him holding his breath as well and as Charon quietly navigated us through the many boats, I felt his body start to relax. His lips were near freezing, I noticed.
One by one we passed each boat and the large white wall that was the Guard and into the kingdom of Stunngard we sailed in stealth.
I let my hand wander from his mouth to the end of his neck and left it there.
There was a moment, just one, where the wind fell quiet or maybe it was in my head but through ruffled dark waves of hair my eyes caught on a pair of perfectly jaded green ones, and there it was. Those eyes.
Ryzen.
Maybe I moved too fast, I don’t know. I sat back down on the other side of the boat as we swayed to a halt at a dock placed at the far side end of the beach.
I got out without a word and didn’t check to see if he followed.
“Thank you,” I said, surprising myself.
Charon’s face, dark and invisible, tilted towards where I stood on the dock above him.
“No need for false gratitude, bloodthirsty one. Simply be prepared when my master calls in his bargain.”
I took in a cold breath.
“Your master would do well to show some restraint.”
Charon started to slip away into shadow when his slithery voice spoke, “As would you.”
The boat was swallowed by inconsistent white waters and all traces of the conveyer of souls was gone.
When I turned around, I found a pair of icy green eyes waiting. Narrowed and skeptical.
To be continued…