Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

T he King of the Sea Raiders couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, the darkness closed in, threatening to drag him into the same nightmare that had haunted him since Karalyn had been kidnapped. The curse, his despair, and the fear of losing Karalyn weighed heavily on his mind, gnawing at his resolve. But he couldn't afford to give in to it. He couldn't afford to rest. Not when Karalyn was out there, somewhere, waiting for him to find her.

The Guardians of the Air were already patrolling the skies, ensuring that no one else could enter Fae Falls undetected and that no other attacks or kidnappings could occur. Harald trusted them to keep the realm safe, but his mind was focused elsewhere—on the one possibility that made the most sense.

He paced the corridors within the fairy castle, his thoughts racing as he tried to piece together what little information he had. There had been no sign that the sylphs, wyverns, or manticores were involved in her disappearance.

Harald's mind turned to the other possibilities. The mermaids and sirens? No, that didn't make sense. The logistics alone would have been nearly impossible. The Falls of Ethereia were too treacherous for even the most skilled of aquatic beings to navigate undetected. And the elves… While their magic was formidable, he doubted they had the capability of ascending to Fae Falls.

That left the shapeshifters.

The more Harald thought about it, the more certain he became. The shapeshifters had already crossed their path once, pretending to be sirens, and before that, a shapeshifted sylph had been sent to assassinate Karalyn. If anyone could have infiltrated Fae Falls and taken Karalyn without leaving a trace, it was them.

He stopped pacing and clenched his fists, determination hardening in his chest. He wouldn't let despair paralyze him, not when Karalyn needed him.

Their kingdom, Theriana, was a place of mystery and danger, either nestled in treacherous mountains or spread across vast, deceptive plains. He and Karalyn had sought to go there, but the elves had hindered them. Why?

Harald made his way to the war room, his steps quick and purposeful. When he entered, he was surprised to find the King of the Fairies, Giles, fluttering over a large map that covered the central table. The king's face was etched with deep lines of worry, his usually calm demeanor strained by the gravity of the situation.

"Your Majesty," Harald greeted, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.

King Giles looked up, his eyes heavy with concern. "Harald, I didn't expect to see you here. You should be resting."

"There's no time for rest," Harald replied, shaking his head. "Not when Karalyn is out there, somewhere, waiting for us to find her. I've been thinking, Your Majesty… Skyemoor wasn't the answer. I believe the shapeshifters are responsible. Theriana is the most likely place they would have taken her."

King Giles's expression darkened. "I have to admit that my thoughts have turned to them more than most," he said quietly, his voice laced with tension. "If they have taken Karalyn, they will not give her up easily."

Harald nodded, stepping closer to the map. "The shapeshifters could have easily infiltrated Fae Falls. If they've taken her to Theriana, then that's where we need to go."

King Giles sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his weary face. "Theriana is a dangerous place, Harald."

"I understand," Harald said, his voice firm, "but I can't stand by and do nothing. Karalyn is my wife, my queen. I have to find her, no matter the danger."

The king studied him for a long moment. "I won't stop you, Harald. I know better than to try. But you must be careful. The shapeshifters are not like other foes. They will use every trick, every deception to mislead you. Trust no one, and be prepared for anything."

"I will," Harald promised, his resolve hardening. "We'll need to move fast. The longer Karalyn is in their hands, the more danger she's in."

King Giles nodded, his expression serious. "You have my full support, Harald."

"Thank you," Harald said, relief mingling with the ever-present tension in his chest.

King Giles placed a hand on Harald's shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "We will find her, Harald. You have my word as both a king and a father."

Harald met the king's gaze, gratitude and determination reflected in his own. "We'll bring her back, Your Majesty. No matter what it takes."

The king nodded, and they turned their attention back to the map. Together, they began to plan the expedition to Theriana, marking potential routes and discussing the dangers they might face. Harald's mind was focused, his fear for Karalyn driving him to push past the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him.

As they worked, Harald couldn't help but think of the curse, the darkness that had begun to close in on him. He could feel its presence, lurking at the edges of his mind, feeding on his despair. But he pushed it down, burying it beneath the need to find Karalyn, to save her from whatever horrors she might be facing.

The path to Theriana would be perilous, but Harald was ready. He would face whatever dangers awaited him because the alternative—losing Karalyn and giving in to the curse—was unthinkable.

With the king's support and the fairies' guidance, Harald felt a renewed sense of purpose. The fight wasn't over. It was only just beginning.

And this time, he would stop at nothing to bring Karalyn back, no matter the cost.

Harald moved quickly, desperate to assemble an army to storm Theriana and find Karalyn. Time was against him, and every moment she was missing weighed heavily on his heart. He couldn't afford to wait any longer.

The war room was a flurry of activity as Harald coordinated with King Giles and the fairy commanders. Maps were spread across the table, and orders were issued swiftly. The fairies who had fought beside him before, along with fresh reinforcements, were ready to fly into battle.

But it wasn't just the fairies who would be going to war. Harald had sent word down below to call upon his most trusted sea raiders to join him. These men and women had fought by his side in countless battles, and he knew they would follow him into the depths of Theriana without hesitation.

Now down in his kingdom, the urgency of their mission forced Harald to make a decision. There was no time to ask the mermaids or sirens for permission to cross their waters. He knew it was a risk, but Karalyn's life was at stake. He couldn't afford any delays. They would sail across the Sea of Enchancia, with the fairies flying above the sails.

The Stormbreaker was a powerful longship, its sails emblazoned with the symbol of the sea raiders. As it cut through the waves, the sea raiders manned their stations with grim determination, their eyes fixed on the horizon. Above, the fairies soared as they ventured into potentially hostile waters.

Harald stood at the prow of the ship, his gaze hard as he scanned the sea ahead. The wind whipped through his hair, and the salt spray stung his face, but he barely noticed.

What if they were sailing into a trap?

As the Stormbreaker neared the heart of the Sea of Enchancia, Harald's thoughts began to shift. Theriana was their destination, but the sea itself held its own dangers. The isle of Tridor lay immediately beneath Fae Falls, and the waters of the Enchancia were home to both mermaids and sirens—creatures with their own agendas, their own secrets.

What if the shapeshifters weren't the only ones involved? What if the mermaids or sirens had a hand in Karalyn's kidnapping? The thought gnawed at him, casting a shadow of doubt over his plans. The mermaids and sirens were intimidating and impressive, and their motivations were often inscrutable. Could they have taken Karalyn, either out of malice or for reasons he couldn't yet understand?

Before he could fully explore the thought, the lookout in the crow's nest shouted a warning. Harald snapped back to the present. The sea ahead was churning, the calm waters of a moment ago now roiling with unnatural fury. The fairies above began to circle, their magic flaring as they prepared for an attack.

And then he saw them—dark shapes moving beneath the waves, circling the Stormbreaker like predators. The sea raiders quickly drew their weapons, their eyes scanning the water with practiced vigilance.

"Prepare for battle!" Harald roared, his voice carrying over the crash of the waves.

The sea raiders sprang into action, the deck of the Stormbreaker becoming a hive of activity as they readied themselves for whatever was about to emerge from the depths.

The water around the ship began to bubble and froth, and then, with a surge of motion, the enemy revealed themselves. They were sleek, powerful, and terrifyingly beautiful—sirens, their scales gleaming in the sunlight, their eyes cold and calculating. Unlike last time, these sirens appeared to be genuine, true sirens and not imposters.

That did not stop Harald, though. He jumped over the side of the ship. The moment his staff touched the water, he slammed waves against the sirens, forcing them back away from his ship.

The sirens, though, did not bother to sing or speak at all. Instead, they attacked with ferocity. Soon enough, their voices rose in a haunting, hypnotic song that sought to ensnare the minds of the sea raiders and the fairies.

"Hold your ground!" Harald commanded, having no choice but to return to his longship, his short sword gleaming as he drew it. The Stormbreaker rocked beneath him as the sirens swarmed the ship in a chaotic melee.

The fairies above used any plants from the sea as weapons, targeting the sirens with deadly precision… at least those fairies not enthralled by the sirens' songs. A few of them had turned against their brethren until sea foam or the like was shoved into their ears to blot out the lyrical voices.

Harald fought with all the fury of a man possessed, his short sword cutting through the sirens with relentless efficiency. Even as he fought, his mind was racing. This attack was too well-coordinated, too calculated. The sirens attacking them, was it merely because they were sailing in their waves? Or were they trying to keep him from reaching Theriana, trying to stop him from finding Karalyn? Did they know she had been taken?

The battle raged on, the Stormbreaker caught in the midst of the storm, but Harald refused to be deterred. He couldn't let these creatures slow him down. He had to reach Theriana. He had to find Karalyn.

The sirens fought with a tenacity that surprised even Harald, but they couldn't withstand the combined might of the sea raiders and the fairies. One by one, they fell, dead, which might only make matters that much worse for the sea raiders in the future.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the last of the sirens was struck down, and the sea grew calm once more. The deck of the Stormbreaker was slick with seawater and the remnants of the battle, but the ship held steady.

Harald stood at the center of it all, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His short sword was stained with blood.

The sea raiders and fairies began to regroup, tending to the wounded and securing the ship for the next leg of their journey. They had to sail faster. More sirens might come, and what if the next batch were shapeshifters?

He would not be stopped. Not unless he was killed.