Chapter 3

3

“ I ’m not sure if I should be flattered that you think I’m mighty enough to be Adela. Or perhaps I should be offended on her behalf that you’d think if I were, you’d be able to best me.” Eira tilted her head, looking down at them both literally and in the metaphorical sense.

“Lies won’t save you this time, Pirate Queen.” With determined grimaces, the two soldiers locked their runes into place on their bracelets, ready to levy unknown magic.

This time? Eira noted with a touch of amusement. Just what had Adela been up to in Qwint?

“I am not your enemy. You have a case of mistaken identity.” The calm coolness of her words cut through the blazing tension. She could almost see the men working to consider this. But they only held out their arms straighter. “I will submit peacefully. There is no need for the sinking of any vessels, or any other bloodshed, today.”

The knights didn’t move a bit. Their skepticism was understandable. If they truly thought she was Adela, they had no reason to believe she’d go peacefully.

“That’s just what Adela would say.” The man went to move, and Eira’s magic surged.

Lavette’s voice shouted over all of them. “Enough!” The woman rushed up from belowdecks.

Took your sweet time , Eira barely resisted saying.

“She’s with me.” Lavette held up a strip of green fabric. It looked like something the Qwint competitors had worn at the tournament. That must’ve been what she’d been searching for.

One soldier relaxed. “Lavette D’astre, daughter of Qwint.”

Her reputation preceded her, and it was going to save their lives.

“This woman speaks the truth. She is not the Pirate Queen Adela,” Lavette said firmly.

“But, the ship…”

“She’s a Waterrunner, from the continent of Solaris, and a fellow champion in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. We were attacked by a Carsovian scouting ship a few days ago. There were no other means to repair our vessel on the seas so we improvised with the skills available to us. We would’ve all been dead if not for her abilities.” Lavette’s explanation was even. Not hasty or desperate. But not lagging. She held herself with an air of authority greater than any Eira had seen from her to date. This was a woman in her element. “This woman has been working to bring us home.”

Lavette motioned to the hatch and Varren emerged. The men recognized him as well. Though, since they didn’t immediately attach a name, Eira suspected they only knew him because of the sendoff the champions had.

“I… We…” The leader seemed at a loss. His eyes darted between Eira and Lavette. “We were told, explicitly, to sink the ship.”

“Under the presumption of Adela being on it, I would assume,” Lavette countered. “Escort us in and we will speak to the Hall of Ministers and clear up this whole misunderstanding.”

The soldier frowned, eyes settling back on Eira skeptically.

Eira sighed dramatically. “Fine, if it suits you, take me in chains.”

“What?” Olivin hissed at her side.

“I assume you have some?” Eira arched a brow. Sure enough, the knights glanced back into their boat. “Good. Take me to your ministers in them.”

“You’re sure about this?” Olivin whispered.

“I never said anything about putting the rest of you in chains,” she muttered with a slight smirk.

“I still don’t like the idea of you in shackles,” Olivin murmured under his breath.

Eira ignored his defensive tone and continued addressing the knights. “But you’ll have to let us dock first, and my friend repair the ship. If you remove my connection to my channel now, then our vessel will sink.”

“You want us to let you into the bay with your power?” The knight was aghast at the idea.

“Surely my word means something,” Lavette chimed in again. “She is no risk to you and is being more than fair.”

“Ride aboard the vessel, knife at my throat.” Eira shrugged. “Between that and all the cannons you have lining the wall, you should feel well protected.”

There was a brief discussion. Then, the knight whom they had been negotiating with called up, “Fine.”

“Fen, please lower a ladder for our new friends.”

The pirate glanced at Eira skeptically from the corners of his eyes, but complied as the soldiers maneuvered their boat close enough for the leader to board with the shackles thrown over his shoulder. But, before getting to Eira, he paused at Lavette.

“It is truly a relief to see you.” Raw emotion was heavy in his words. “After the news of?—”

“There will be time for reunions soon.” Lavette rested a gentle hand on his elbow. “First, I want to step foot in the city of my forefathers and ensure my friends’ safety.”

“Yes.” With a nod, the soldier moved to Eira. He was clearly still skeptical that she really wasn’t Adela. Eira knew her appearance wasn’t doing her any favors as his eyes roved over her face several times.

“I won’t hurt you.” She offered him an encouraging smile. But somehow that made him flinch, even more nervous. It was as if murder and piracy hovered in the air around her like frost, and this soldier could sense it.

He bristled, offended by her platitudes. “Keep it moving.”

She did as she was commanded and the ships lurched forward toward the glistening city.