19. Kellan

Chapter nineteen

Kellan

Before we even arrived at the city’s makeshift, shitty gates, I realized I knew exactly where we were—Tortunele—known as the armpit of the Vayr Sea.

Tortunele made the slums look as if it were a luxury wing in Castle Isla itself. Its occupants were as filthy as the rats in the streets that feasted off the leftover scraps. This land, forsaken by the king two generations ago, became a breeding ground for lawlessness, resulting in the port being overrun by pirates and ex-soldiers who had lost their morals—thieving after gold and females in the dead of night.

I would know—my father was one of them. I hadn’t returned to this city since I was a boy aboard his ship.

The city emerged on the horizon as a jumble of dilapidated buildings, their timeworn frames weathered and peeling. Tattered banners and flags marked by pirates swayed in the breeze.

Once we reached the entrance, I led my crew and marched through the port city’s wide-open gate—its doors hanging narrowly off broken latches .

Out of the corner of my eye, large figures armed to the teeth with weapons moved to approach us.

Here, the guards resembled mercenaries and were often bought and paid for by the highest bidder—justice administered with a blade rather than a gavel.

I pivoted to William on my right. “Not a single fucking word out of anyone but me.”

He gave a curt nod in response.

“Aye,” one of the brutes called to me as they stopped mere feet away.

“Aye,” I grumbled back. It wouldn’t be difficult for us to blend in here. We were already filthy, and what remained of our armor was in tatters. The crew would blend in seamlessly so long as inhabitants didn’t discover we were employed by the crown.

“What is your purpose here?” the male demanded as he took a step closer to me, his rotting breath hot on my face.

“Just passing through with the possibility of looking for indulgence,” I answered.

The other male’s eyes narrowed in on me and then scaled down my body, and I almost reached for my sword on instinct.

He then peered around over my shoulder and spoke. “Where did you come from?”

“Doraeli,” I answered immediately. “Our ship was wrecked, you see. So what remains of my crew lingers behind me. We seek temporary refuge and pleasure, and then we will be on our way. ”

He eyed the other male, and my gaze moved with his. “How long have you been walking on land? Are you the captain?”

“Aye,” I answered. “And a week we have traveled. A week we haven’t come across a single place of harbor and shelter. I have lost more sailors since we washed ashore.”

“And what name do you possess, Captain? ”

“They call me Ravenne,” I answered, giving them my father’s surname in place of Adler since it was associated with the crown.

Their eyes widened.

“You’re Ravenne’s boy? I haven’t heard that name in over a century,” he admitted. “Rumor claimed you met the same fate as the rest of the crew and were sent to the gallows.”

“Aye. Now, what say you here…are we welcome, or shall you throw us out adrift once more?” My patience was wearing thin, but my eyes remained on the mercenaries instead of wandering over to my new second-in-command as he stood next to me in silence.

“Tortunele is just the place for you, it seems,” the first brute cut in. “You may pass through or stay, but you will mind your business if you know what’s good for you here.” He gave a wicked, silver-tooth filled grin. “We don’t take kindly to washed up, previously assumed dead strangers.”

His threat lingered in the air, and I gave him a curt nod as I moved past him, gesturing for my crew to follow.

William blew out a breath next to me.

“Don’t even fucking breathe here, William. Just keep your mouth shut until I say so,” I demanded as we marched forward .

In the narrow alleys between the decaying buildings, dirty fucks with matted beards and scarred faces wandered. Drunken laughter and the clanking of mugs echoed from the countless taverns that lined the streets. Filth and wreckage covered the alleyways, while the nauseating aroma of spoiled fish, stagnant beer, and piss lingered in the air.

We passed by gambling dens and shadowy brothels as females with painted lips and hollow eyes beckoned us from beneath the shadows of their doorways.

My lips curled in a snarl as we continued to move past the filth that occupied Tortunele.

Once at the docks, my eyes focused on the bay the city sat upon. Vessels of every size clogged the harbor, ranging from dilapidated fishing boats to sizable, clearly stolen ships, their mast tops swaying like gallows in the wind.

“You truly believe that we will be able to navigate a ship out of this bay unseen…” William began.

I turned to him and raised a brow, and as my gaze wandered behind him, I realized that the remaining members accompanying us were already meandering their way into the surrounding brothels and taverns.

“Captain,” he said, pulling me from my daze. “How do you plan to commandeer a ship in a town such as this? We’re in no state to take on this many… pirates .”

I grabbed him by the collar of his frayed shirt. “Listen to me. You do not question me. You speak when spoken to. And you do not give advice. Ever.” His eyes widened slightly. “Have I made myself clear? ”

Once he answered with a stiff nod, I released his shirt, and he stumbled back, almost losing his footing on the dock and falling into the water.

My gaze landed on a ship that floated mid-harbor—its timber bore the scars of past battles at sea, and its masts wore withered sails, but she would have to do.

“Do exactly as I say, and we will be out of here by dawn,” I stated, and he continued observing me while I gazed upon the sea’s rolling waves.

I glanced down at him and watched as the corners of his mouth twisted in a menacing grin. “Aye, Captain.”

After informing the crew of my plan to commandeer one of the grandest ships this piece of shit harbor had to offer, everything was set in motion.

The night was draped in darkness as my crew moved through the looming buildings’ shadows. We neared the dock where the ship lay anchored, and the air became infused with the briny aroma of the sea breeze.

The vessel, barely visible in the dark, radiated an irresistible allure, beckoning me to get the fuck out of this place and back to Isla as if the sea itself were calling to me.

As we stealthily approached, I caught sight of more mercenaries and loitering washed-up sailors patrolling the deck—their lanterns flickering light over the wooden planks. The mercenaries at the docks were adorned with weapons at their hips and poking from their boots .

I carefully raised my arm and signaled the crew behind me to spread out, ensuring they remained hidden. Our true target was out at sea, but first, we had to reach the largest fishing boat moored at the far end of the dock.

As the four males pivoted on the dock, I knew now was our chance to make our move. All we needed was to gain the element of surprise. I let out a soft whistle, and two of my soldiers approached from one side. Another three then moved to cut off any escape routes. Silence was our best ally and stealth our greatest weapon.

As the mercenaries reached the end of the dock, my men were at their backs on silent feet in only a moment—any sound their boots made was covered by the noise of the rolling waves. The moment the hired guards moved to pivot, they found the cool touch of blades at their throats.

A second later, their bodies dropped into the water with a splash—a splash that was too fucking loud to go unnoticed in a town full of fae.

Right when I thought we would be clear of any eye-catching chaos, doors creaked open behind us. Males funneled out of taverns left and right with weapons in hand, and a commotion was already underway before I had the chance to blink. My eyes bulged.

No. No. No. Fuck!

“Move. Now!” I commanded as softly as possible to those who remained behind me.

We rushed to the dock, shoving each other violently out of the way to jump into one of the small fishing boats.

It was every male for himself—if they were too slow, that was on them, not me .

“Row, you fools!” I snapped as roars of disapproval echoed from the opposite end of the dock where we had just been.

“Thieves!” The word sounded out in numerous screams, over and over.

I ripped the oar out of one of my sailor’s hands after witnessing his pathetic attempt to help us escape.

“You’re fucking useless! ” I snapped as I shoved him off the boat, sending his body into the black abyss beneath us.

We rowed vigorously as angry, screaming, drunken sailors followed suit in their own pinnaces and came after us in the cove.

Once we finally reached the ship, we ascended its side using rope ladders. My fingers deftly gripped the gunwales as I heaved myself over the edge of the deck. What should have been executed with precision came undone almost instantly.

I pushed myself to my feet and quickly inspected the deck of the ship and was surprised no one appeared to be on board.

“Stupid fucks,” I muttered with a grin as I shook my head.

I made my way to the stairs that led to the upper deck to man the wheel when I shouted, “To your posts, now! The ship is ours, gents!”

Fuck, that felt good to say. I never wanted to travel across the continent by land again.

I reached for the wheel, feeling the pricks of the splintered wood beneath my calloused hands, and grinned. “Hello, beautiful,” I whispered .

Out of nowhere, a shadow appeared from the far corner, startling me as I caught a glimpse of it.

I reached for my sword instantaneously and swiftly moved to block the blow of my assailant's blade. The clouds moved across the sky, and the moon cast its light upon the brute that greeted us when we initially arrived in Tortunele.

Our blades pressed together in a struggle for power, each of us forcing all of our strength into its hold. “I knew you were going to be trouble. The second you said Ravenne, it was clear you couldn’t be trusted. And it didn’t even take a day.”

As he prepared to strike once more, I reacted quickly by entwining my leg around his, using the force to throw him down onto the wooden deck—a trick I had seen Elianna use too many times to count. Maybe the broad knew what she was doing after all.

“Any last words, you ugly prick?” I taunted him between my teeth as I held the tip of my sword to his chest.

He let out a cackle of triumph as if he wasn’t staring at the end of his life at the edge of my blade. “You’re just like your father.”

My smile faltered, and my jaw locked as a tense silence filled the air. A moment later, with a swift, silent strike, I drove my sword through his gut and ripped it clean across. He gurgled on his own blood as his body went limp beneath my stare.

My gaze moved to the ships that were rowing after us in the harbor to see that they were already nearly a half mile behind. I turned to the ship's wheel to see William manning it in my place.

I approached him silently. The only sound was the echo of my boots as it made contact with the deck.

“Apologies, Captain,” he began. “We were running out of time.”

I scratched at my beard as I peered back at the cove we sailed from for a final time. “Don’t you ever fucking disobey me again,” I barked. “Now get rid of the body.”

He gave me a curt nod and heaved the body up and over the rail.

A thundering splash filled the sea air a few moments later, and my eyes followed him as he stalked down the steps to tend to his post on the ship. William was mouthy, but he was useful.

With the tide on our side, we set sail under the cover of darkness, leaving the cove behind us as we embarked on our journey back to Isla. The sound of waves, as they crashed against the hull, felt as if the sea were welcoming me home.