Page 185 of The Queens and the Kings
She wanted to be home.
He couldn’t fathom a better place. The reassuring pulse of the waves sang in Henrik’s ears, a reminder that he was never far from home when he stood at the sea.
Einar squinted through the brilliant sun. “Are you willing to help Pedr?”
“Of course.”
Einar nodded, as if he’d expected as much, but appeared relieved all the same. They’d set themselves free. Time to do something with it.
Besides, he had questions for Britt.
Answers to seek.
Freedom to taste.
“I’ll settle Selma at my old house in the Quarters,” Henrik said. “Old Man and Timmer and Arvid and Ingemar promised to keep an eye on her. Then Britt and I will be ready to go.”
Einar clapped him on the shoulder. “Here’s to another adventure on the high seas, brother. At least we’re in it together.”
Epilogue
PEDR
Einar leaned against the railing,arms sprawled, gaze locked on something beyond sight. The liquid sunset dribbled into the reassuring blackness of evening. Henrik and Britt had finalized their farewells. They started to row out to the ship minutes before. It wouldn’t take long, so Pedr had to close his business with Einar in twenty minutes.
Almost impossible.
Pedr cleared his throat and said, “This isn’t going to be easy.”
Einar turned, blinking. “What?”
“What we’re going to do and what we’re going to face. Eventually, the four of us will head to the Westlands. You may have won against His Glory, but we have uglier foes to contend with.”
The former soldat shrugged. “Nothing that’s worth it is easy.” Pedr couldn’t help a grudging respect for his inability to create concern in Einar, who neededsomesense of life or death.
“The Siren Queens are the most evil beings I’ve ever known, and their siren song is nothing to underestimate. Not to mention the added complication of the Arcanist of Souls. He might be, for all we know, worse than them.”
Just sayingthe title sent a shiver through him.
Onskar.
How Pedrloathedhim.
Pedr stretched his arms over his head, pushing a wave of arcane into the sea. A gentle surface current would force Henrik to row harder than usual, slowing them and buying him time.
“Why does the Arcanist of Souls frighten you?” Einar asked.
“Because I’m not a fool,” he barked.
Einar shrugged.
“What should we expect with the Wyvern Kings?”
“No idea. I’ve only interacted with them as wyverns,” Pedr continued, his profound irritation multiplying. “They could be just as difficult as the Siren Queens. We may have unleashed an equally horrible enemy.”
On humans and Arcanists alike,he silently added.
Einar thought that over.
