Page 90 of Of Glass and of Gold

“Hey, have you heard of the prince’s contest for a queen? Kind of pompous, if you ask me,” Ro stated, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from bursting with laughter.

“Oh, I’m the handsome prince, flock to me, fair maidens, and throw yourselves at my expensively clad feet.” She deepened her voice in a mocking fashion, and laughter sputtered out of me.

I couldn’t help but glance at Nicholas, and swore that was amusement sparkling in his eyes and not just the moon’s reflection off the water.

“You think he’s handsome?” I prompted Ro.

An elbow poked my side, but the opportunity was too good.

“Sure, if you’re into that perfect Sun God type,” she mused. “I’ve only ever seen him in passing, really. My sister works in the castle, and got me a job as part of the serving staff once. I was only there for about a week, never planned on staying, just needed a few items to barter or sell, courtesy of the unknowing prince.”

“Items such as?” Oh, this was delightful. I liked her.

“Cutlery, mostly. One night, I impressively snuck out a crystal vase. That helped pay for this new bow.” She tapped on the weapon at her back. “Very generous of the prince, don’t you think?” Her sly smile was highlighted by the silver glow pouring over the bank.

“Very generous, indeed.” I glanced at Nicholas, and his eyes fluttered as he shook his head. I could see the smile lines creasing his eyes. While I’d been forced to question everything I thought I knew about the man, I held no doubts he’d care little about some petty theft. He proved me right when he found humor in the situation. The only anger I’d ever seen come from him was when he’d also felt powerless to help.

“I thought so,” she quipped, focusing her attention on the aggravated river. She tensed. “There.” She withdrew an arrow in one swift movement, docking it against her bow, keeping it aimed low as she scaled the bushes along the river, using them as coverage. She moved with a warrior’s stealth.

My heart slammed into my ribs at the sight. Against the torrent, the waves parted, flattened by the invisible vessel sailing upon it. A gust of wind barreled by, and the ship essentially stalled in the water, unable to fight against the manufactured breeze. Ravinder took a perch near a cliff face up the river, using the height to his advantage to guide his channeled wind.

Voices echoed off the invisible ship, confusion about the change in wind patterns. From the darkness of the forest’s edge, a speck of light soared high into the air. The tip of an arrow lit aflame. It hit its mark, and the fire continued burning where it embedded in the ship’s side.

I made to stand, but Chol placed a steady hand on my shoulder. “If it spreads, Ravinder will put it out.”

I knew that, had listened to the plan of attack over dinner. But knowing Melody was aboard a ship that had fire arrows raining from the sky made me want to run to her. The arrow was only meant to serve as a distraction.

A dozen other fire tipped arrows launched into the sky, marking the ship’s size when they hit their target. Shouts rose into the night and the invisibility magic dropped. About two dozen of us rushed from our hidden places along the bank, some carrying small row boats. I jumped into the nearest one, Chol stepping into the rushing water to help another man push us out. They hopped in, soaked up to their waists already. Two people picked up the oars, and I watched as the hungry river attempted to swallow each of their attempts. Yet, we moved toward the ship despite the raging current. My hood ruffled from the breeze, and I realized Ravinder was guiding our vessels. Without it, there’d be no way to manage across the strong current.

One man in our boat tossed a grappling hook that snagged on the ship’s ladder. He yanked, dislodging the ladder from its position so it barreled downward, allowing us access to the bottom rung.

Other rowboats had already beaten us there, our team scaling halfway up another ladder about fifteen feet away. Commotion rang out from the front deck of the ship as our people started disappearing onto the deck, but we couldn’t see what was happening.

“Go, Nora,” Nicholas said from behind me.

One hand and foot at a time, I climbed. Screams carried over the roar of the rapids, and I looked over to the next ladder just in time to see one of our own blasted off. Then their ladder retreated with no one pulling it up.

That’s when I realized we weren’t the only ones using magic in this fight.

I didn’t stop to consider the risks. The man ahead of me thumped onto the deck of the ship and leaned over the ledge, extending his hand. We locked hands, and he hauled me over the railing. The ship creaked and groaned, but was vacant here at the back end. We were hidden by the square walls of the cabin situated in the center, two alleys on either side that wrapped to the front. Palming my dagger, I turned back to see Nicholas being drawn up over the edge.

He silently commanded with hand movements that he and I would go left and the other man would go right. He unsheathed his sword and nodded. For some reason, I’d needed to see that confirmation, that we were ready to do this. Together.

Dagger in hand, we worked our way across the length of the ship, steps quieted against the wooden boards. The shouting grew louder as we neared the front.

“Two ships docked on the port side! Someone take them down!” a man commanded.

“On it!” Steps rumbled toward us. The second he came into view, I swiped low, slicing his leg. He cursed and tumbled, and Nicholas pinned him in place.

“Where are the captured?” he demanded, an unforgiving tone of authority that I hadn’t heard him use before. He left his back exposed, so I remained crouched and guarded for anyone else that might venture down this way. We were obscured by shadows, lucky not to draw attention from his comrades on board.

The man cried out, but Nicholas muffled his screams, his gloved hand covering his mouth. The prince leaned forward, speaking hushed words to the man that I couldn’t hear over the activity ahead.

He removed his hand, and the man stammered, “D-down in the belly.”

“Most grateful,” Nicholas crooned with a lack of warmth. Then he hauled up the man who could barely stand on his injured leg. My cut probably severed something required to hold himself upright.

Nicholas swiftly brought him to the edge of the ship, tipping the man back until his feet faced the sky and shoved, sending him barreling to the water below. The man’s screams quickly faded into nothing. “We’ll have to get below deck,” Nicholas said, coming up to flank my left side.

---