Page 34 of War Of Fire and Fortune
Rhet
The wind clawed at my cloak as I trudged through the last stretch of jagged terrain, Iron Isle Harbor finally cresting into view. My heart hammered against my ribs, every beat a drum of dread resonating through me.
“Almost there,” Valla said, her voice slicing through the salt-heavy air as she glanced over at me with a smug smirk. She was so sure of herself. I knew what she was thinking. She was certain she was going to find Ace on Kade’s ship and label us as traitors. All I could do was hope that Kade had gotten my message and would show because if he didn’t, this whole plan was about to go to shit.
I hoped that damned letter had been enough to sway him. The doubt gnawed at me.
"Rhet," Valla called, her voice closer now. "Keep up."
I quickened my pace, knowing my thoughts had slowed me down. The markets swelled before us, a cacophony of shouts and clanks, of sellers hawking their wares and the clash of steel from somewhere within the maze. And beyond it all, our ship awaited, the dark metal glinting in the rising sun.
We pressed on, weaving through the crowd, the tang of fish and sweat assailing my senses. My gaze swept over the mass of the deck, hoping to sense Kade, searching for any hint of his shadows, but I couldn’t see anything.
We reached the docks, the ship now towering above us, its hull groaning with the gentle sway of the water. Kade had to be there. If he wasn't, I’d pretty much be at the hands of Valla’s wrath, which I’d done my best to avoid most of my life.
"Come on," Valla urged, her impatience showing. With a final deep breath, I steeled myself for what lay ahead, and together, we climbed aboard. I could feel her eyes drilling into every soldier that was Kade’s, every crevice of the vessel, as if she could somehow will Ace from his hiding place with her gaze alone.
"Search it," she commanded, and like hounds released by their master, her soldiers scattered, eager to please their princess. The chaos that ensued was merciless. They overturned crates, rifled through bunks, their hands leaving disorder wherever they went.
I followed Valla as we made for the main quarters—Kade’s.
The door met her boot and burst open, the sound a violent thud. And there he was—Kade. He sat nonchalantly at his desk, quill in hand, and cast an indifferent glance toward the intrusion.
"Can I help you, Valla?" His voice cut through the tension.
She prowled forward, a predator in her own right, but uncertainty flickered in her eyes. She combed through the room—closet doors flung open, linens tossed aside. With each emptyspace, her frustration grew. She huffed as she stormed back toward the doorway.
Her search yielded nothing but the scraps of her own desperation. I had to place a hand over my face to hide the small grin tugging at my lips, but I schooled my features quickly.
"Nothing at all, brother. Just wanted to ensure you weren't keeping any stowaways on your ship," she spat out, the words dripping with venom. Just then, two soldiers emerged from behind her. With a single shake of their heads, they delivered the verdict Valla dreaded—the prisoner was not here.
"Very well," she hissed.
"Well, now that you’ve made a mess of my ship, if you’d be so kind as to leave, we'd like to get a move on," Kade said as he leaned forward in his chair, his fingers steepled, eyes locked onto our sister’s face.
"Before I go, where do you plan to start your search?" she asked, her voice a controlled calm that belied the rage I was sure was coiling beneath her skin.
"Woodhaven," Kade replied curtly. "That was the last place she was spotted, so it would make sense to start there."
"Hmm . . ." She narrowed her eyes at him, the corners of her lips twitching with a cruel sort of mirth. "I'll let Father know. With you being so close to our next target, I'm sure he'll have special plans for you."
"I'll be waiting," he said, his voice laced with icy resolve that chilled the very marrow of my bones. “Now, leave.”
With a snarl, Valla turned, her soldiers falling into step behind her like the little, obedient hounds of war that they were. They marched out of the room, their footsteps echoing as they receded.
The door closed, and I finally released a breath. “Fuck,” I said, running my hands through my hair. “You couldn’t have let meknow in some way that you were coming? I thought I was going to die the whole trip here.” Kade chuckled.
“I know I said I wouldn’t be going back and forth, brother, but I wouldn’t throw you to the wolves like that. I’ll do what needs to be done to uphold appearances, but all the heavy lifting is on your shoulders now.” He pulled out a bottle of amber liquid and poured us both a drink. We clinked our glasses and took them back in one go.
“Understood,” I replied and poured myself another to take the rest of the edge off from the trip here. We waited until Valla and her men were gone before Kade slipped into his Hollow to go back to the rebellion.
Chapter Twenty-One
Emelyn
Exhaustion clawed at my limbs, a relentless beast that sought to drag me down into its depths. For days now, if I wasn’t practicing my bending, I was healing Ace until I was spent. At least I was persistent.
All of his bleeding had stopped. I’d watched as the angry, red burns had transitioned to tender scabs then scars. Broken bones and wounds had knitted under my touch. Luana fell asleep in the chair next to his bed. I told her to get some rest because she was going to fall over if she didn’t. Before she went to bed, she helped me wrap his chest and back to support the small stumps starting to appear. Hopefully, his wings would grow back completely and he wouldn’t have any issues flying again. Despite how well the healing sessions had been going, though, Ace was still asleep.
