Page 49 of Ruthless Scoundrel
But I also sense rhythmic pulsing—perhaps machines. The vibrations are coming off the cliff face beside us. Perhaps I was wrong about it being a smuggling port. It may be a mining operation. Either way, there are ships that will be able to take us to Illya.
The waves crash against the cliffs with the violence of the afternoon wind. Even with it being gentler on this end, the sea is treacherous for our tiny raft made of shipwreck.
“Get down and hold on,” I tell Reina as I abandon my paddle and jump into the water.
She lies flat on the wood and digs her fingers into the sides of it, anchoring herself. I transform my lower half and use my powerful selkie tail to push us closer to the port. The water rocks us roughly, but Reina remains silent through the turbulence.
Finally, we crest the outer edge of the cove. The port is larger than I expected, with two full-sized merchant vessels anchoredin the shallows and several rowboats going to and from their sides.
A city carved directly into the cliffs lifts up and back from the port, where a smaller village of wood is constructed. There must be at least four hundred Men living here. Suddenly, I’m not so confident I could kill everyone on the island.
I regain my legs and pull myself onto the raft. The paddle does fuck all to steer us in the water, so I use it to push off the sharp rocks and angle us into the port.
“Ho there!” someone yells in Wolish from the first sailing ship we’re approaching.
Reina shouts at them. “Help me!”
I whirl around and grab her. “Remember my promise, princess. I will kill them, and that blood will be onyourhands.”
The muscles in her jaw tense. “No, it’ll be on yours.”
“Help,” she screams again, waving her other arm frantically.
This isn’t catastrophic. Those aboard the vessel won’t think she needs saving fromme, but rather the sea. Until, of course, we get within chatting range.
The Men on the ship are scrambling around, yelling about men overboard and calling for ropes. I have to get her under control somehow…and I know just how to do it.
Her desperation will be her own damning downfall.
Chapter fourteen
Reina
“Help, please! He’s taken me!” I shout again, hoping the people above can hear me. They’re Wolish merchants, I can tell by the red and white flags they’re running. Wolfsheim and Fynren are allies now, and there’s nowaythey wouldn’t return me to the kingdom. I just pray they speak Common Fynish well enough to understand me.
Cold metal slaps down on my wrist and I yelp as Jasper snatches my other wrist. He chains me with the copper manacles and gives me a grin.
“What are you doing!” I yell, pulling on my arms.
He holds me impeccably still, his strength far greater than my own. “I also told you that you’d only remain unshackled when we were alone. If you want your freedom, princess, you’ll have to kill me for it.”
Rage spills through me and I thrash. “I am Reina Hilden, fourth princess of Fynren! He’s captured me! Help!”
“Just hold on!” I hear someone yell behind us in Fynish as a boat splashes into the water.
Rescue is coming. I just need the key.
I dive forward, shoving my hands into Jasper’s pants in search of the key. He yelps in surprise as I dig around, finding nothing but his anatomy.
“You think I’d keep it in the same place twice?” he whispers against my hair, his voice sinister.
Fine. Fuck him.
I grab onto his penis and let my magic flow to my hand. I can’t release the heat, but I can make my hand hot enough to burn him. The temperature ratchets quickly and Jasper hisses in pain.
We lock eyes as he goes completely still, his face furrowed in frustration and fury.
“Give me the key or you will lose something precious,” I say, the venom dripping from my voice. I never knew I could sound like this.
