The next morning, I was more than happy to get rid of the fancy dress I’d borrowed from Lady Morgana. Gwyn loaned me a gown from the queen mother’s chest. Green with gold decorations around the collar and sleeves, it was like the outfits some of the female guests had worn yesterday, except the open V-shaped sleeves were not long. The bodice fit perfectly, so I could move and breathe easily. The best part was I didn’t need a corset.
Gwyn already had a fire going and was heating bath water when I stopped at their room.
“This is for you,” she said. “I’ve already poured some in the tub.”
“You didn’t have to, Gwyn,” I said.
“I don’t mind. You can bathe while I get us breakfast,” she said.
Breakfast was oatmeal, but it was too sweet. Afterward, I ground some charcoal from the sack Lord Conyngham’s man had brought and made more of the mixture for Storm’s mother. We did better feeding her. I left the room while Gwyn gave the queen mother a sponge bath and came face-to-face with Conyngham’s men again.
Like yesterday, they scrambled to their feet, removed their hats, and bowed. I wished they’d stop doing that.
Unlike Lord Conyngham with his fancy frock coat and embroidered vest, they wore black—pants, vests, and coats. Their shirts were eggshell and didn’t come with a fancily tied cravat. Instead, they tied scarves. They also wore boots instead of stockings and shoes. The longhaired one with hoops earrings and two braids on either side of his face looked around my age, while the sandy-haired one with a beard appeared older.
“Thanks for watching over us,” I told them.
They exchange glances.
“Anything for Storm’s lass and the queen mother,” the older guy said.
Storm’s lass. My throat closed. I’d missed that name. If Tully had his way, I’d be his pincushion by the end of the week. I was sure he wasn’t a gentle lover. What had I told Jo weeks ago? That I’d lose my virginity to someone I was crazy about. I was about to lose it to a psycho prince. Just thinking about Tully made me sick.
“Are you okay, lass?” the older guy asked.
I nodded. “Have you eaten breakfast?”
“Gwyn brought us enough food, thank you for asking. I’m Nereus,” he added. “And the strapping whiskers is Banan. We’ll be here if you need us for anything.”
Whiskers? He must be a Selkie.
“Don’t you need to rest, change shifts, or something?” I asked.
Nereus chuckled. “We are good, lass. We are used to keeping all sorts of hours and sleeping in all sorts of places. I’ve seen Banan sleep standing in the forecastle.” He chuckled, while Banan’s face turned pink. “Yet he spots sails before other lookouts. He sleeps with one eye open or Lord Conyngham would not have chosen him to guard you and the queen mother.”
I smiled. “You have to teach me that trick, Banan. You know, sleeping with one eye open, so I could see my enemies coming. My name is Lexi.”
They both bowed again.
Shaking my head, I left them and rejoined Gwyn, who was tucking Storm’s mother in bed. She gathered the beddings and dirty clothes and left to take the laundry downstairs. I pulled a chair beside the bed, made sure I could see the door, and started talking.
“I’m not sure what to call you, ma’am. Gwyn calls you ‘my lady,’ but everyone else uses ‘the queen mother.’ To me, you are Storm’s mother.” I glanced toward the door again to make sure I was alone and added, “I don’t know what you heard yesterday when the oracle was here, but Storm is not dead. He is alive, and he will come for us. Not just me. You, too. I don’t think he knows you are alive or that you are being kept in this horrible tower. He will want to rescue you, too.”
I watched her face for signs that she’d heard me. Was her color improving, or was that my imagination?
“I don’t know the last time you saw Storm, but he is an amazing man. He created a home for his people on Vaarda and runs it with the help of wonderful men and women. The island is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming.”
I chuckled at my words, remembering my reaction after I’d arrived in Vaarda and my attempts to escape. Now, all I wanted was to go back.
“Storm may have Harvested me and taken me to Vaarda against my will, but I got to know him and his people and grew to love them. They work so well together and support each other.”
Except the man who’d betrayed them. I still planned to find out the identity of the little pipsqueak.
“All the unmarried swordsmen and shieldmaidens live in the Great Hall. That’s the castle. The castle workers, made up of the islanders who don’t sail, take care of them. They cook, do their laundry, and clean their rooms, and when they are home, they eat together in the front hall. I’ve heard people say the island doesn’t have toilets or privies, and the islanders live in filth. Those are all lies. They are clean and free and happy.”
I stopped occasionally to sip water, but I kept the monologue going.
“The council running the island is made up of captains and quartermasters. Not just men but women, too. Storm treats all his people the same. They have female captains, quartermasters, bos’ns, island security guards, and instructors. In a way, he is way ahead of Hy’Brasil in the way he and his brothers treat women. Delia who runs the Great Hall is like a mother hen, always taking care of everyone, worrying about all of them. She wants all the captains mated in the next several years.” I chuckled. “Storm thought that was funny. He said his captains will only claim their true mates, but my bet is on Delia. Nothing stops her. On the other hand, I don’t know if the captains are ready to settle down. They love to sail.”
Sounds came from the doorway, and I looked up, expecting to see Tully, but it was the two guards. My gaze volleyed between their faces. How much had they heard?
“How’s she doing?” Nereus asked.
“Her color looks good, and her breathing is normal,” I said, but I was more concerned with what they’d heard. “I don’t know when she’ll regain consciousness.”
The two men entered the room and stopped at the foot of the bed. They studied her, concern in their eyes. Nereus glanced at me.
“And talking helps how?” he asked.
“They say people can hear while unconscious. Hearing about their loved ones makes them want to get better faster.” Man, I hoped they hadn’t heard me. I was supposed to be talking about Tully. Yeah, like I had anything nice to say about him.
“What happens when the islanders are tired of sailing and want to mate?” Nereus asked, and my stomach sank.
“How often do they Harvest Tuh’rens?” Banan chimed in.
Damn. Were they going to tattle on me? I crossed my arms and stared right back at them. I wasn’t telling them jack.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.
“We heard everything you told the queen mother,” Nereus said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes, I told her how great Prince Tully is to his people. A hero who’s done wonderful things.” I waited for them to laugh or say something scathing. When they looked at each other in silent communication, my stomach started to churn.
Nereus removed a salve from his coat pocket and scooped some before passing the container to Banan. They both glanced over their shoulders as though to make sure we were alone before lifting one of their sleeves.
Not sure what they were doing, I watched them warily.
They rubbed the salve on their upper arms and kept at it. I hoped this was not some weird ritual. I’d had enough of that in Vaarda. They stopped and removed their hands. My jaw dropped.
They had the same skull and bones tattoo Storm and the captains had on their chests. Hope stirred where fear had crawled.
“Who are you people?” I whispered.
“Followers of the rogue prince and his captains,” Nereus said, and Banan nodded. “That means our loyalty is not just to him but to those devoted to him.”
I hadn’t expected that, but I wasn’t ready to celebrate yet. They worked for Prince Tully’s bestie, the man I couldn’t afford to trust.
“Won’t you get in trouble if you’re caught with those?” I asked.
Nereus flashed a cocky smile. “Only if they see them. We used a special ink. We also have our bridles. Want to see?”
Before I could say no, he pulled up his shirt from his breeches and rubbed the same salve on his back. His bridle was coiled along his lower back.
Nereus tucked his shirt back into his pants. “If we knew where the island was, we would have sought sanctuary years ago. Now, we just smuggle people out of Hy’Brasil to islands in the south, hoping they make it to Vaarda. Even if they don’t, the southern rogue islands are better than here. Please, lass. Tell us more.”
“Is it true he is gone?” Banan asked, and Nereus groaned. He smacked the back of the younger man’s head before pointing at Storm’s mother. Pink tinted Banan’s cheeks.
I indicated the door, and they followed me outside, where the red-faced Banan apologized repeatedly until I told him it was okay.
“Yes, lad. Stop. Too much of something is never good,” Nereus said. Then he smiled at me, his expression expectant.
I was still not ready to trust them with the truth.
“Yes, Storm is gone,” I lied, and Banan’s face fell.
They both bowed their heads and murmured something, but all I caught was Manandán mac Lir.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“We asked Manandán mac Lir, god of the sea and the guardian of the Underworld to safely ferry his soul home to his island. But his spirit lives on in us and all his supporters.” Nereus gripped Banan’s shoulder. “One day we’ll find the island, join the other captains, and be free.”
Once again, I didn’t like the way they stared at me.
“I don’t know the island’s location, if that’s what you want to know. When I was Harvested, I didn’t regain consciousness until we were on the island. Captain Ren also knocked me out until we were on his ship.”
They didn’t bother to hide their disappointment.
“No one has ever visited the island and remembered its location,” Nereus murmured. “A few who claim to have reached the port can’t remember how they got there. They tell bizarre tales of compasses spinning out of control and making it impossible to pinpoint their exact location. The island appearing out of thin air and disappearing again.”
Magic. I wasn’t sure whether it was the island protecting itself, or Storm doing it, but that was pure Vaardian magic.
“Don’t forget the Mermaids,” Banan added and blushed when I looked at him.
Nereus chuckled. “Oh, yes. Ships who trade with Storm’s people claim they send word to the island through Mermaids with pure heart, except it’s impossible to find one among the mean, coldhearted maidens of the Undine. They always want something.”
He sounded so much like Ryun, I grinned. Then I remembered my kidnapping. “Doesn’t Captain Ren remember where the island is?”
Nereus sighed. “He’s still being questioned by his superiors, but we heard he doesn’t know. His crew had anchored the second ship by one of the inhabitable islands and waited for his signal, but they never got one. Ren claims a fog descended and hugged the ocean the moment he entered the water with you. When it cleared, the island had disappeared. The two of you were adrift when the mercenary dragons heard his distress calls.”
“Distress calls?”
“Sound travels far in the water, and dragon ears are sharper than Kelpies and Selkies,” Banan chimed in. “Some even say they are better than Mermaids, which explains why the Undine Court lures them to their world. They probably use them for protection.”
“Or their pleasure halls,” Nereus said while Banan turned red. “They never want mates, just a harem of males of any species for their pleasure halls.”
No wonder Ryun had turned them down. “And Captain Ren?”
“He is the only one who survived the invasion, so they don’t know whether he’s telling the truth or not,” Nereus said.
Something in his voice sent off a warning in my head.
“Are they torturing him?”
The two guards exchanged glances, but I already knew. Karma was a bitch, wasn’t it? When did I become such a cold, unfeeling bitch? A man was being tortured. On the other hand, after what Captain Ren and his men had done to Storm, he was getting exactly what he deserved. At least he was alive. Bruised and battered, but alive. Storm might not be because of him.
What happened to the annoying young man I’d punched on his Adam’s apple? He’d been alive and yapping away before I lost consciousness in the tunnel. If my recollections were right, they’d been discussing the traitor who’d helped them.
“So no one else but Captain Ren survived the attack on Vaarda?”
“Yes. The second ship never joined him, and none of the thirty from his first ship made it out alive.”
Seventy? That was a lot. How many homes and ships had they destroyed? How many had they killed? The islanders must be living in the Great Hall while rebuilding.
My chest tightened. I wanted to go back. I just couldn’t see how unless Storm came for me. But now I understood why Captain Ren had talked about the Royal Army waiting for Storm’s people to attack Hy’Brasil. He’d known they couldn’t mount an attack on an island they couldn’t locate. Part of me welcomed the news, but a part of me despaired of ever getting out of Hy’Brasil.
“Tell us more about life on the island, lass,” Nereus said. “What do they do other than sail and trade?”
“And what happens when they want to mate? How often is the Harvest?” Banan asked again.
It was obvious Banan wanted to be mated, yet he didn’t look older than I was. Since I planned to convince them to help me off this pile of rock, I decided to play nice.
“Come back inside so I can keep an eye on the queen mother while we talk.”
I led the way back to her room and checked her temperature by pressing the back of my head on her forehead. She was cool to the touch. I swept dark hair away from her face. Her skin was so thin I could see veins on her temple. I adjusted the covers, tucking them under her chin, then took her hand in mine and sat. When I looked up, the men had settled on the floor by the door and watched me with peculiar expressions.
“What?” I asked with a little attitude.
“You are a prisoner here, but you thanked us earlier for guarding you and showed concern for our welfare, yet we are your guards,” Nereus said. “We could be here to make sure you don’t escape. And you show kindness to our queen mother, whom you barely know. You are a very selfless person, lass.”
He didn’t understand. This woman was Storm’s mother. That was enough for me to treat her with utmost respect and show her every courtesy. From the way Storm had avoided talking about her back in Vaarda, there were some unfinished issues between them. And even if there weren’t any, I’d still take care of her as though she were my own mother because of him.
“Don’t make me into something I’m not, Nereus. On these islands, a girl has to do whatever it takes to survive.” Especially when the man who’d sworn to make me happy, sail the seas, and rock my world at ports could be dead. My throat closed, and I had to clear it before continuing. “I take care of her so Tully will leave me alone. Nothing selfless about that. And soon, I’ll find a way to escape this place. So, if your job is to stop me, you’d better be prepared to eat my dust.”
I expected them to chuckle, but they stared back with sober expressions.
“How does taking the queen mother with you fit into that picture you just painted?” Nereus asked.
How did he know? His boss, of course.
“Lord Conyngham should learn to keep his mouth shut.”
They laughed while I glared at them. I didn’t understand what was funny. What else had Lord Bigmouth told them? I wouldn’t put it past him to have told them Tully planned to turn me and make me his plaything. No wonder they kept bowing to me.
Face warm, I debated whether to kick them out of the queen mother’s room. Nereus stopped laughing when he saw my expression.
“I’m sorry, lass, but you have to know Lord Conyngham to fully understand how funny your comment was. He never says much, which is why he’s the prince’s confidant.”
Nereus frowned.
“When he asked for volunteers to watch over Storm’s lass and the queen mother, he didn’t explain why. We are here for you and for her. We knew her health had deteriorated, but we had no idea her accommodations in the tower were this dismal. The oracle’s rooms are nothing like this.” He waved a hand to indicate the room. “The west and south towers are part of the original castle, but she modernized hers and ignored this one. How could they allow that?”
They who? The mad king and Tully? The flash of anger in Nereus’s eyes seemed genuine. Anyone who’d find the tower room subpar was fine with me.
“Thank you for clarifying that.” I wasn’t hoping for a miracle, but I had to ask. “Does that mean you can help us escape?”
“No, lass.”
Damn. “Stop us when we leave?”
“I’d have to see your dust first.”
“Ha-ha, funny. That’s not a very helpful response, Nereus.”
“Sorry, lass, but the less I know about your plans the better. The oracle can get inside people’s heads, read their thoughts, manipulate them or worse. I don’t want her knowing everything I’ve done or plan to do.”
Was that a veiled hint that he would help me? I hoped so.
“So what do you want to know about Vaarda?”
“Everything,” they said in unison, eager expressions on their faces.
Some things like the entrance to the island and the security I did not dare share, but the rest, I embellished and created a paradise.
“Life on Vaarda is idyllic. The island is lush and beautiful. They work together, help and support each other. Sailors help with the ships. Those who don’t sail guard the island or choose a trade. The market is always busy with people trading goods. If you don’t have anything to trade, there’s work to do around the island, farms to tend, goods to make, and the young ones to teach. The unmarried stay in the Great Hall whether they sail or guard the island, but when they find a mate, the islanders build them a home so they can move out and start a family or just be alone. Elders make sure the widows and widowers, pregnant mothers and their children, and those whose mates are at sea are well taken care of. One elder goes on rounds every day. Sometimes twice a day to visit the grieving and the pregnant mothers.”
I studied the queen mother’s face. Her color was normal, and she still did not appear to be in distress.
“Do you know a female pirate with red hair?” Nereus asked.
“Oh, yes,” Banan cut in. “Red. I’d love to meet her.”
“Every port we’ve visited, they talked about Red.”
“Short red hair?” I asked.
“We’ve never seen her. We know her by reputation and that she sails with Storm.”
I grinned. “Nerissa. She is amazing. Moves like a dancer when she fights. The first time I saw her, I was in awe. She captains a ship now.”
“Women can be captains?” Gwyn asked.
I hadn’t realized she’d returned.
“They can be anything they want, Gwyn. They can sail the seas as shieldmaidens, become officers in each ship, and get their own ship.”
Gwyn sighed, longing on her face. I was sure it mirrored mine.
“I was hoping to join the shieldmaidens, but now…” My voice trailed off. “Anyway, the people are very happy.”
“And shifting?” Banan asked.
“They can shift whenever they like. They practice shifting every day.”
The questions kept coming until lunchtime. We fed Storm’s mother more charcoal suspension, but I was beginning to worry. What if she didn’t wake up? The light at the end of the tunnel was dimming and becoming replaced by Tully.
I wanted to ask Gwyn what happened to Tuh’rens when we changed, but part of me didn’t really want to know. I hoped to be gone before that happened. How? I didn’t know. I only knew I had to find a way.
After lunch, I waited for Gwyn to go downstairs to return the utensils and for the men to leave. Then I moved closer to the queen mother’s bed. I took her hand and gently patted it.
“I know you can hear me, Queen Mother. Prince Tullius plans to make me his mate by the end of the week after forcing me to turn. If he does, Storm is not going to let him live. I don’t want his death on my conscience, and you don’t want your sons killing each other. Please, wake up so you and I can leave. Oh, I almost forgot to add. Storm’s never forgotten about you all these years. He still has your porcelain candelabra.”
Gwyn gasped, and I glanced over my shoulder. She was fighting tears. Man, she was light-footed.
“You know about the candelabra?” I asked.
She nodded.
“I was told that it belonged to his mother. He keeps it in his chambers.”
“It was a gift from King Orath himself,” Gwyn whispered.
“Which one is King Orath?”
“Storm and Prince Tully’s father. He gave it to her when she claimed him as a mate. She didn’t know he was a prince at the time. He never used the royal carriage or dressed like a prince. He’d dress like a merchant and traveled with one companion, so we thought he was a merchant who’d taken a shining to her. Every time he’d stop by our village, he’d bring her something. At first it was every few months. She was only seventeen at the time. Then his visits became more frequent, and each time, he’d bring her something special. Jewelry, shoes, fine fabrics. Her favorites were the porcelain figurines, but the candelabra was her mating gift.”
“They mated the old way?”
Gwyn glanced at the door before saying, “Oh, yes. He knew she was his true mate the first moment he laid his eyes on her, and courted her until she was ready to claim him. Then he gave her his bridle.” Her eyes grew shiny. “It was a beautiful ceremony.”
She wiped a stray tear.
“The king forced her to give up the bridle.”
Like father, like son, except for the part where Storm had kidnapped me. As for King Tullius, he deserved to suffer for the rest of his life.
“He continued with his travels, but he built her a beautiful house. After the twins were born, he spent more time with her and the boys. Then one day, he left for one of his trips and never returned.”
Gwyn shook her head and went quiet.
“What happened?”
“His father, King Tullius, had sent him to Thule on business. While there, he learned he’d been betrothed to the Princess of Thule. A princess renowned for her exceptional beauty, and her father’s only child. Prince Orath had never even met her until that trip, but their parents had signed a contract of marriage when they were babies.” Once again, Gwyn glanced toward the door. This time, sounds reached me. “Take a break, lass. Stretch your legs in the battlement and enjoy the view of the city. If there’s a change, I’ll send for you.”
I didn’t want to leave. “I want to hear the rest of the story.”
“You will later.”
I had kinks on my shoulders and back, and needed to stretch, but I had to know one last thing. “But he came back to be with Storm’s mother, right?”
“He tried. Now go.”
Tried? That wasn’t good enough. Storm had better more than try.
“Okay but just for a few minutes,” I said, getting up. “Promise to call me if there’s any change in her color or breathing, or if she moves.”
She nodded.
“And I want to hear more of their story.”
She chuckled. “You will. Shoo. Go.”
Nereus and Banan were on the steps by the gate when I left the room. They got to their feet.
“Gwyn suggested I stretch my legs in the battlement. I’m not sure where that is.”
“I’ll show you.” Nereus slapped Banan on the back. “Call me if we have unexpected visitors, lad.”
“Why can’t I show her the battlement?” Fen asked.
“Because you’ve fallen under her spell, and you need to snap out of it. She’s spoken for.”
God, I hoped he didn’t mean by Tully. Banan flushed and shot me a sheepish glance.
“Don’t tell him any stories without me, muh’Lexi,” Banan begged, and tears rushed to my eyes.
Muh’Lexi. Storm had called me that. I wanted to tell Banan not to use it, but I didn’t think I could speak without giving myself away. I followed Nereus to the hidden stairs.