Tanith & Shaw (The Fealty of Firstborns Series Book 1)

by H. V. Rosemarie

  Ward crossed his arms, sighing slightly. “I say left. Since the Sight is so evasive, it’s probably as far away from the civilization as it can get.”

  “That leaves Ardeen to break the tie,” Tanith concluded, turning around, but there was only empty beach to be seen. “Ardeen?”

  Ward frowned, checking behind the paddleboats. “She was just here,” he muttered as they all spread out. “Ardeen!”

  “Dee!”

  “Where are you?”

  After a moment, Tanith shook her head. “Maybe she went to relieve herself.”

  “Without telling us?” Ekko asked, running his spotted hand through the white tuft in his otherwise dark hair. “No. I think one of those barbarians slipped past us. They must have taken her when we weren’t looking.”

  “Then they wouldn’t have gotten far,” Tanith finished. “Maybe they left a trail. Split up. Look for any signs of struggle,” she ordered, jogging towards the brush.

  “No! We can’t separate ourselves,” Shaw argued, but they’d already begun to spread out, Ward to the far right, Tanith straight ahead, and Ekko to the left. He growled in frustration before following.

  “Go that way,” Tanith ordered, pointing in the other direction. “We’ll cover more ground.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone out here. That would be fucking stupid.”

  “Not as dumb as throwing someone overboard,” she challenged. “That’s an extra pair of hands gone.”

  She surveyed the ground, looking for footprints or scuff marks. Anything.

  “How long are you going to hold that against me?” Shaw wondered, no small amount of irritation in his tone.

  “For the rest of your life, and the next one after, just in case you let us all think you’re dead again,” she snapped. She was only twelve when he’d disappeared, but she remembered him. The way he’d look out for Kent and make sure they hadn’t gotten into too much trouble. The way he pissed off his tutors and had to get a new one almost every week. It was a miracle the enemy hadn’t killed him, because one hour with the eldest Shaw brother, and Tanith was already feeling stabby.

  “I suppose I deserved that.”

  “You deserve much worse.”

  She felt his fingers on her wrist before she was twisted around, her back pressed against the jagged bark of a tree trunk and Shaw’s furious face glaring down at her. “Don’t think for one moment that I haven’t experienced punishment enough for all of my sins in this life. Even the ones I haven’t committed yet.”

  “You’re a liar and a narcissist. How do you think the people around you feel? Every moment in your presence is a cruel joke,” she seethed, but it wasn’t entirely out of anger. Part of her was afraid of what he’d become—what he’d do the next time his temper got the best of him.

  His brown eyes widened in shock for a moment as though he hadn’t been aware that she had such venom in her before smirking in that irritating way of his. “Sweetheart, I’m a hell of a lot worse than a liar and a narcissist. You just watched me beat a man to death. I guess that makes me a killer, not to mention the other shit I’ve found myself involved in. Torturer. Thief. Add those to the list.”

  “Thief?” she swallowed, unsure why she could only muster the strength to ask about the lesser sin.

  Shaw stepped back, giving her a foot of space between them to breathe and relax. “Your baked apple rose was delicious,” he admitted. “But you were heavy on the spice. Seeing you now, I shouldn’t have been surprised.”

  Hot rage crept up her neck, her ears burning. Not only had he knocked into her so rudely days before, but he’d been the one to steal her food. Not a starving child. Not a hungry family. Him, the pompous prince who had plenty, but still went out of his way to take something that wasn’t his.

  “That was you?”

  He shrugged. “What can I say? I have an appetite.”

  She shook her head in disbelief, her fists clenched at her sides. She had to get away from him, but he would never let her ditch. Not unless she gave him a taste of his own medicine.

  Without thinking, Tanith shoved him, hard.

  “Hey!” he grunted as he stumbled back. They were on a slope, and it was just bumpy enough for the back of his heel to catch a root and send him tumbling down, back toward the beach.

  She didn’t wait to see him get up before darting in the other direction, careful of where she stepped so he wouldn’t be able to follow. She ran and ran, not stopping until her legs burned and she was lost in the wilderness, regretting her decision.

  There was no way to know where the attackers had come from, or if others waited for her in the civilization that must have been at least another mile off. All she knew was that she wouldn’t be the one to find Ardeen. Despite their decision to stay together and brave the island as a group, Tanith came to terms with the unfortunate truth: that they were separated in an unknown territory, and she would have to brave the night alone.

  CHAPTER 6

  It didn’t take long to reach the outskirts of the city, only thirty minutes, and that was because she’d moved slowly, careful not to make much noise.

  She sat high in a tree, squatting low on a thick branch that gave her a good view of the life below. It was an illusion indeed because no city could have been so perfect.

  Each home was a palace in its own right, even the ones that lined the streets and shared a wall. They were colorful and bright, decorated finely and well-kept, nothing like the cities in Ellesmere or the other five kingdoms. Even their best parts were flawed at one point or another, broken gutters, rotting wood, chipped pots, banged-up shutters, and worse things could be seen in the lesser parts.

  Not on the island, though.

  There wasn’t a flower out of place or any potholes in the road, and despite how impossibly flawless everything seemed, she started to consider that maybe it was real. The people were all dressed like royalty, every single one of them tall and beautiful. Most of them had golden skin, a few of them pale as though made of porcelain, or dark as though crafted from the night itself. Their ears were sharp on the ends, pointed, and Tanith could have sworn she saw fangs in the mouth of a laughing lady.

  An illusion, then.

  They looked an awful lot like the group who attacked them on the beach, but they didn’t carry themselves the same way, nor did they dress in a similar manner, or paint their bodies with strange marks. She couldn’t even see any visible weapons beyond one man with a sword stepping out of his carriage.

  His hair was a light silver shade, shoulder-length, and a dark silver crown encrusted with black gems rested on his head. His skin was tan, and he wore a white shirt, not unsimilar to Tanith’s that he tucked into finely made black trousers. It was an oddly casual fit compared to the others on the streets who stopped tending to their small gardens and gossiping to bow.

  He was handsome no doubt, and suddenly, she was sure that none of it was real. The attackers on the beach were very much alive, but this must have been one of their games—tricking people into thinking they were civilized and that they could be trusted. It was a trap, meant to lure her in so they could fool her into forgetting her mission, but she remembered why she came. She wouldn’t let herself forget for a single moment, no matter how entrancing those gray eyes were…

  Tanith gasped, nearly losing her footing when she realized he was looking right at her. She hugged the trunk, leaves rustling as she tried to hide. Nearly cursing herself, she knew she had to move. He couldn’t have really seen her. Not well, anyway. She was far enough away that if she dropped in that moment, she’d probably be able to slip away. Maybe, but there was no time for hesitation, so with a deep breath, Tanith swung her leg over the thick branch and let go.

  She felt the rush of the wind beneath her, barely remembering to keep her knees bent before hitting the ground and rolling twice. She was on her feet in an instant, sprinting away with a single glance over her shoulder. No one was following. The man wasn’t even looking anymore, and she hoped it wou
ld stay that way as she disappeared further into brush.

  The city was a bad idea, and she needed a plan. That much was clear as she made her escape, finding a comfortable distance where she could still see the sparkling buildings from afar but wasn’t close enough to be caught lurking. Separating from the group might have been a stupid idea, but there was no going back now.

  The volcano was her original plan, the perfect place to store something equally as dangerous, so that was where she turned her sights. It was probably ten or so miles off, and she wasn’t looking forward to the trek, but she started forward anyway. It was past noon and she hadn’t eaten, her rations left behind on the beach, but she supposed she could hunt.

  There was a wild rabbit she came across after an hour, one that she risked a fire to cook and devoured shamelessly, leaving only a handful of scraps for later. Her canteen was running dangerously low when evening rolled around and by then, she’d made it to the base of the volcano. It was a steep climb up, and one slip of the foot would send her tumbling down again, but despite the time crunch, Tanith found herself turning around.

  It would be dark in a few hours and she’d seen a small cover a quarter-mile off. A hideout and it would have been wise to take advantage of it. She needed the rest more than anything, and there were no stops on the way to the top of the volcano.

  She couldn’t risk it, she decided. Couldn’t risk it until tomorrow. In the morning, she’d start climbing, and if the Sight wasn’t there, she’d pick one more place to look before going back to the boats. Anything beyond that was far too dangerous a gamble, and she had promised Meelah that she’d do everything in her power to make it home.

  With her back to the volcano, she started off.

  It wasn’t hard to find the spot. She’d marked the way with branches and twigs just in case, though it wouldn’t have been hard to miss. It was only an alcove embedded in the rocks, and it might have even been man-made, though not deep enough to lay down inside. Still, it provided shelter and comfort from where she sat in the shade, nearly moaning at how good it felt to rest, despite the hard rock against her back.

  From the angle, she would hear and see anyone before they saw her, and that was if they even bothered to turn around after passing the garden of boulders. First thing when she woke, she’d find water—boil it if she had to, and then she’d continue on. It was a fine plan, and she repeated it in her mind until her eyes began to droop, the sun sinking in tandem with the promise of a better day to follow.

  It wasn’t difficult to drift off into a peaceful sleep, time ceasing to exit in her glorious rest until gunfire sounded to startle her awake. Tanith hit her head against the rocks, muffling her yelp and remaining perfectly still. Guns weren’t a fair fight. She didn’t have one. None of them did because they hadn’t thought they’d need them.

  A long cry sounded through the night, echoing through the trees before another boom rang out, an explosion of color decorating the sky.

  Tanith relaxed, eyes wide as she watched the red and yellow sparks dance in the distance, one after another until they slowly died out. Meelah had kept her promise—had given Tanith something beautiful to remind her of what waited at home.

  It was her turn to keep her word, and as she tucked herself back into a ball, braving the cold night air, she decided that tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

  CHAPTER 7

  Tanith was startled awake by the force of someone knocking into her boot and a heavy sigh. She reached for one of her knives before her eyes had the chance to open, raising the blade up before recognizing the familiar red hair.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked sternly.

  With a pitiful smile, Kent leaned his head back against the rocks. “We made a promise, didn’t we?”

  “How’d you get here?”

  “I swam. It wasn’t that far, but once I ran into the barrier, I did think I was drowning for a moment.” He shook his head at the memory. “Fun times. Where are the others?”

  “I don’t know. We got separated, but the real question is how you found me. The others haven’t, and they’ve been here longer.”

  “But I’ve known you longer. Better than anyone. I figured you’d be on your way to the most obvious place, that being the giant volcano on this side of the island. Dumb luck that I bothered to look over my shoulder and see you tucked in here.”

  She studied the dawn rising over the trees. “You didn’t stop for the night?”

  “Couldn’t afford to.”

  “Why?”

  “I hadn’t found you yet.”

  A silence hovered between them for a moment before Tanith sighed. “You should rest for at least an hour, then. It’s going to be a rough climb, and I don’t need you wimping out on me.”

  Kent hummed. “I won’t be able to sleep. Let’s just go now.” With a grunt, he rose onto unsteady feet, extending his hand.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. I’ll just be sleeping good tonight.”

  He pulled her up and she brushed herself off, body sore as she stretched, lifting her face towards the sun. In those moments, it was serene, and she could almost imagine herself back in Ellesmere, greeting the morning star without a worry on her mind.

  Almost.

  When she opened her eyes again, Kent was looking at her with his lips pursed, gaze sad almost as he extended his canteen. “Here. It’d be smart to find a fresh stream before we start climbing. We might need to round the circumference, but I’m sure there’s one close by.” The flora and fauna would suggest so, at least.

  Tanith wrapped her brown fingers around the metal canister and took a large swallow. It was like rain in a desert dried for years, but she didn’t finish it off. Just in case. Handing it back to him, she studied his face in confusion. “Why do you look so down?”

  With his lack of sleep, it was impossible for him to hide the feelings passing over him. For that, she didn’t know whether to be grateful or concerned. Kent shrugged. “It’s just unfair that they don’t ever send volunteers. You’re a princess. Certainly not a soft one, but you weren’t made for this place. The faster we get home, the better.”

  “You don’t think I can handle it?”

  “I don’t think you should have to,” he corrected. “None of us should if we don’t want to.”

  Her skin prickled slightly in offense. “It’s our duty. Princess or not, I’m willing to do my part, and I don’t need a man telling me what I’m built for.”

  Kent shook his head, strawberry blond hair glowing gold in the sun. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

  She sighed and adjusted her gear. She only had what she could strap on, so it wasn’t much, but she offered him what remained of her rabbit. “Take this. You need it more than I do.”

  It was pathetically wrapped in a small cream-colored handkerchief, but it kept the meat safe from the little pests wandering, and Kent was eager to tear into it. “Walk and eat at the same time, then. If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get some fish when we find our water source.”

  He hadn’t taken more than one step forward when an arrow tore through his shoulder from behind, the sickening tear of skin and muscle pulling a yell from his throat. He stumbled forward, dropping his food as Tanith turned around, pulling one of her knives free.

  “We’ve got two right here!”

  Her eyes widened as she saw five men approaching over the rocks. Not the same savage men that greeted them on the beach, but men from the city. Guards, it seemed, as they were dressed in fine silver uniforms detailed with black, collected, and intensely beautiful. Their cheekbones were high, sharp, and their long hair was half-pulled back.

  The man closest to her—the one with the darkest skin didn’t hesitate to approach. He wasn’t the archer, but he held a solid metal spear that he used to deflect Tanith’s soaring blade, sending the glinting steel ricocheting to the side as he marched towards her.

  She turned to pull Kent up by the collar of his shirt. “W
e have to go. Now!”

  He shook his head, pressing the palm of his hand under the arrow stuck in his body. “We can’t outrun them. You go. I’ll hold them off.”

  “I’m not leaving you,” she answered without thinking, stepping in front of him as the others closed in around them.

  She heard a click behind her, jumping at the deafening sound of gunfire as the man closest to her grunted in pain, faltering back a step before growling like an animal and pulling the bullet out of his body. His friend’s eyes glinted in amusement, but Kent’s victim only proved to be angrier.

  “You brought a gun?” she asked lowly.

  His voice was panicked when he answered. “I thought it might come in handy for hunting. Or if we got trapped here and needed to… you know.”

  She scoffed as she pulled another blade free. “Well, I don’t think your bullets bother them much. Aim for the head.”

  They charged forward then, battle cries rolling off their tongues as they met halfway. The man in front of Tanith didn’t even have the chance to reach her before a solid black shadow dropped from the rocks, knocking the guard to the ground and rolling out of the way. Not a shadow, but the human equivalent of one.

  Shaw.

  She never thought she’d be relieved to see him, but as she faced the next man, she realized there was no one she’d rather cover her back after his display on the beach. Ruthless he was, and that quality would save their lives.

  The guard in front of her caught her leg mid-kick, turning it sharply in an attempt to manipulate her direction, but her free hand met the ground, launching her opposite foot in the air for her other boot to make contact with his cheek. They both fell then, Tanith scrambling onto her feet and slicing at his achilles tendon. The fabric of his pants was thick, but no match against her newly sharpened blade as she cut through him the way his fellow had shot her friend.

  “Bitch!” he seethed, giving up on coming after her to tend to his wound.

  She didn’t bother killing him before turning. Shaw had taken out two men, one of them unconscious with his head bashed against a rock and the other thunking against the ground as Shaw released his grip from around his neck. She frowned slightly. “You didn’t kill them.”