Page 66 of A Song of Shadow and Starlight

"That sounds like ayouproblem." Nyx smacks her feet. "Atlas wants us to be ready to go the second we dock."

Just hearing his name sparks my interest. I want to ask where Atlas is this early, since he's having Nyx wake us up, but I hold my tongue. The last thing I need after the compromising position they caught us in last night is to look way too eager to know his whereabouts.

"What's the plan?" I ask instead.

"The plan?" Nyx cocks his head to the side.

"You know, the plan. The plan to get off this cruiser without running into Vesper?"

"Oh, right! That plan," he bobs his head. "I believe Atlas and Onji are finalizing those arrangements now."

At the mention of the busty troll's name, my mood sours. I know I don't have any right to react this way. I'm sure she's perfectly nice and if she is as trustworthy as Atlas claims, I should be grateful she's helping us, but I still can't shake the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that maybe there's something more between her and Atlas than a passing acquaintance.

I frown. Why should I care who Atlas spends his time with? He's free to do as he pleases, so long as he doesn't try to kiss me again.

Great. Now, I'm thinking of his lips on mine, and I hate myself even more. It's far too early to experience all these emotions on an empty stomach.

"Do we have time for breakfast?" I ask when my stomach rumbles.

Nyx wiggles his eyebrows playfully as he hops to his feet. "Wealwayshave time for breakfast."

Once I braid my hair and change into the green shirt, black trousers, and leather traveling boots from Zuri's shop, Nyx, Finn, Eris and I make our way to the wrap around deck on the highest level where the covered dining area is and have our fill of eggs, bread, cheese, fruit, yogurt, and sausage. As I stuff my mouth, I nearly choke when The Quarters comes into view.

At the end of the Nepita River, the Bavan trading city is already buzzing. Very similar in architecture and feel to the capitol, the humble sized city of Kongar is the hub for business with the other kingdoms of Dalerin. It is the first of four cities situated at different spots of the same lake and no matter which harbor you're docked in, you can see the other ports.

Barthune, the Dwarven hub, lies to the east with mountains as its backdrop. Stone buildings, dark cedar A-frame rooftops, and the clanging of metal and overwhelming scent of barley and wheat used to make ale, drifts our way.

The Frost Elf port, Lothlear, is across the lake, north of the Dwarven port. Snow and ice cover the glass buildings and dust the surrounding area. I can't help but wonder if Alarik made it safely to the jungle shoreline or if one of the crocodiles got to him. Either way, I don't feel bad about his fate. He boarded this cruiser with the intent to capture me and turn me over to Vesper for a coin purse. Accepting my bounty immediately made him my enemy and when it comes down to who will survive, I'll always choose myself.

The last of the four ports is the Tronovian one: Fenrys. Even from my seat on the cruiser, I catch a glimpse of the tall, colorful buildings with sloped roofs. If the Tronovian capital is half as beautiful as this trading town, I will be breathless the second I set foot on enemy soil.

"We're almost there," Finn says softly, drawing my undivided attention.

"Almost where?" I ask.

"Home." He smiles. "We're almost home."

I nod in understanding, although the sting of not returning to my own home has numbed me to the word. But despite being homesick, there's an excitement brewing inside me to fulfill that girlish dream of mine to see the capital city of Tronovia. No Midorian has stepped foot in that city for centuries. Maybe with my visit, I can change relations between our kingdoms for good.

Visit.

How had I gone from prisoner to visitor so quickly? Perhaps it's my own delusional thoughts – my way of coping with the reality that I am about to walk into the castle of my enemies not knowing what type of deals I'll have to make to bargain for my freedom.

"We should head down to our rooms." Nyx's voice cuts through my thoughts. "We need to keep out of sight now that we're sailing into the harbor."

I take one last long sip of my freshly squeezed orange juice, wipe my lips with my linen napkin, and follow my companions downstairs. As we reach our floor and turn the corner to walk down the corridor to our adjoining suites, I spot Atlas and Onji standing way too close to each other. He whispers something in her ear, and she giggles, setting my entire body on fire. I feel the rage shoot through me.

Curse this jealousy. I am a future queen. I refuse to let these unwanted feelings for a man derail me.

"Shaye?" Nyx bumps me with his shoulder, though the contact doesn't sway me from staring at Atlas and his troll friend.

"What?" I grit my teeth in response.

"Your jealousy is showing."

I know he's trying to make light of the situation, but I have to control my reaction to smack him. I roll my shoulders back, hold my head a little higher, and continue marching down the hallway, determined not to let Atlas see how his close proximity to another female affects me.

As we near the couple, Atlas finally looks up at us. When our eyes meet, I expect to see some kind of guilt or apology in his gaze, but I get neither. All I see is that same pompous brute draped across the helm of the boat when we first met. There's a cockiness, a smugness, in his features and body posture that has me pondering if that's the real Atlas, or a character he likes to play to shield his true nature.

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