The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil

by Melissa Collins

  Doing as she was told, Aiva groaned painfully at the effort it took to pull the sleeves of her torn doublet away from her arms. Gadiel was already behind her, guiding the dryer fabric of his uniform over her shoulders, stepping in front to help fasten the buttons, a sharp motion of his head directing Jaron toward the rail. “Jump,” he stated flatly. “I’ll meet you down there.”

  Aiva’s heart leapt in her chest to hear someone pounding on the door behind them. “Go!” she shouted to Gadiel, pushing him closer to the rail. Ireni wouldn’t be stopped for long by a simple door. It was wood. Easily broken with enough force.

  Gadiel clasped her hand in his, helping her onto the rail. The jump looked worse from their perch than she expected. Gadiel didn’t give her a chance to second-guess their decision. Taking in a deep breath he leapt off the side of the ship, pulling her down into the frozen water beside him, his grasp on her hand tightening at the feeling of the water closing in around them. Instinctively she screamed, mouth filling with the salty liquid, choking. When they resurfaced she was thrown into a fit of coughing, disoriented by the lack of air and the cold tingle along her skin. She was reminded of that night in the Vai’ld Sea when she’d jumped in after Callum. The temperature sent her into a momentary shock. “Swim, Aiva!” Gadiel’s voice cut through her bewildered thoughts. “I have to let you go. Come on!”

  From the water she could see the number of lifeboats already in the water, the pirates rowing swiftly in the direction of Luquarr. They were fleeing? Was it possible their ship had sustained enough damage that escape was necessary?

  There wasn’t time to think about it. Drawn into reality once again she began to flop pathetically in the water in attempts to swim after Gadiel and Jaron. Her progress was slow. Overhead she could hear the splintering of wood from the door which had been the only thing between them and Ireni. She needed to get away. Focus! Blinking her eyes she forced herself onward, the salt from her tears mingled with that of the sea water. Everything hurt worse than she feared. The lacerations on her back were like tiny razorblades being dragged along her skin, her shoulders feeling as if daggers stabbed through the joints, repeatedly and unmerciful. Somehow she managed to make headway along the side of the ship in the path where Gadiel moved. She couldn’t let herself fall behind. It wouldn’t be much further. Just a little more…

  In the distance she could see the massive outline of the Tanispan ship as she rounded the corner of the stern. She needed to think positively. It had been a longer swim from their ship to the shores of Tunir. If she had done it once, she could do it again. Keep going. You can do it!

  Gadiel was getting further ahead. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take. It was too far. Between the pain and the cold she wanted to give up. But that wasn’t an option. She would let herself drown from fatigue before she willingly allowed herself to stop trying. One more stroke. Then another. She could do it.

  A scream came reflexively from her lips at the feeling of a strange weight coming over her. It took her mind a brief moment to register what it was, flailing about in the water in attempts to get the unknown object off her. A net. Damn! She was moving too slow. It closed around her, preventing her from getting away. Struggling against the heavy rope she felt her body slammed against the side of the ship, Ireni’s laughter ringing through the air with every heave which brought Aiva closer to the deck. “I’ve never fished for a princess before,” she smirked. “The most profitable fish I ever caught.”

  Discouragement flooded Aiva’s mind. How could she possibly take on the pirates by herself? Gadiel was too far away. He couldn’t leave Jaron to drown just to come back for her. She needed to keep calm. If she kept her head clear, an opportunity for escape might present itself. So far the gods had been good to her. She needed them to give one more miracle. One more answer to her silent prayers for help.

  She gave up her constant struggle against the net to try and clear her panicked thoughts. Think. There had to be something she could do. The bracer. The dagger inside it would be sharp enough to cut the ropes. Excitedly she started to reach for it, feeling her body pulled over the rail of the ship, the net tossed hard onto the wooden floor at Ireni’s feet. There was still hope. Ireni didn’t know about the blade. She would be watching for the cutlass which was strapped around Aiva’s waist. Crouched on her knees Aiva curled into a ball, praying silently that her acting skills would be good enough to distract Ireni from the task she performed from her hunched position. Slowly she drew the dagger from the hidden sheath, her motions precise, carefully pressing the sharpened blade along the net underneath her. She only needed an opening large enough for her to fit through. It wouldn’t take much. Just a few well-placed cuts.

  “Captain, there is a boat approaching from the enemy ship,” a male voice announced from somewhere. Aiva smiled to herself. She knew they would come for her. Callum would never leave her behind. Her only concern now was surviving long enough for him and the others to get there.

  Overhead she could hear the crackle of flames. The masts had been set alight, wood burning, the stench filling Aiva’s nostrils with every breath. It explained the reason for the pirates’ hasty retreat. The shots fired upon the ship which had distracted Ireni from her torture session had been well-aimed. Ireni was a fool to not escape with the others. It would only be a matter of time before the fire spread and sank them all. She was short-handed for a fight now. Her extra men were already on their way back to Luquarr. Numbers were in the favor of the Vor’shai troops. Aiva could only hope that Callum had brought enough men with him to finish the battle once and for all.

  “I should have known their Captain would be stupid enough to come back for her,” Ireni scoffed, stepping up to the rail to stare out into the water. Aiva couldn’t see what was there though the expression on Ireni’s face was all she needed to know that the boat wasn’t far off. “I don’t have time for this. Emmett, string her from the foremast so they can watch her burn.”

  Aiva smirked as she made the final cut along the rope, replacing the blade into the bracer. She would have the element of surprise when they tried to hoist the net. Head turned to the side, she watched the burly man from her earlier fight make his way to the rigging ropes. His footsteps were heavy along the deck as he returned to stand in front of Aiva, securing the rope around the net, waving for one of the other men to begin pulling it into the air.

  This was it. Hand at the hilt of her cutlass she prepared herself for the reveal of her plan. As the net lifted she rose to her feet, positioned over the hole she’d created. The expression on Emmett’s face brought her an odd pleasure. Confusion mixed with disbelief to see her standing in front of him, no longer confined by the heavy ropes. She didn’t give him a chance to regain his senses, drawing forth her cutlass to thrust it forward, the sound of flesh tearing the only thing Aiva heard as the blade pierced though his abdomen, twisting it to guarantee he wouldn’t survive the blow. The others on the ship stood in shocked silence before realizing what happened, springing into motion at Ireni’s commands.

  “Kill her, you fools! What are you waiting for?”

  At the approach of the pirates Aiva began to doubt whether she had thought her plan all the way through. Although she was free, she was now surrounded. In her condition she didn’t stand a chance against a ship full of pirates. She wasn’t convinced the odds would be in her favor even if she was in perfect health.

  She’d come too far to give up now. In all the stories of heroes she heard while growing up, they fought, regardless of the odds, dying with honor. If she didn’t survive, at least she would bring greater respect to the family name by showing courage.

  The pirates were coming in fast, their blades seeming to strike from every direction. She tried to focus on their approach, parrying them, her footwork directed away from the group to keep from finding herself in the middle of them all. Defending from the center would be impossible. If she could force them to come at her from the front, it would increase her chances at deflect
ing their strikes. Her cutlass found its mark on two of the pirates before she felt something wrap around her wrist with a snap. She stared down at the leather strip which held firm, a hard jerk sending her to the ground, dragged along the floor until she was staring at the polished black leather of Ireni’s boots. Ireni loomed over her, a playful smile on her face while retracting the end of the whip held in her hand. “This is so much more effective in battle than the cat o’ nine, don’t you think?” she smirked.

  “Let her go, Ireni. If you’re fortunate enough, we might be convinced to take you as a prisoner instead of killing you.”

  Callum’s voice was like a gift from the gods to Aiva’s stricken heart. He had come for her. Overcome with joy she let her eyes glance toward the sound, relieved to see him standing on the rail, sword drawn, followed onto the deck by several soldiers, prepared for battle.

  “You know I don’t do well with captivity, Callum. The only way you’ll get me is if you kill me, and you aren’t good enough. We’ve always known that.”

  “I wouldn’t underestimate me, if I were you. We beat you once. Half your men have run to shore. I brought my soldiers and another unit has already been dispatched to aid us. You’re outnumbered and captain a sinking vessel. Surrender would be an intelligent decision.”

  Taking advantage of Ireni’s distraction Aiva climbed to her feet, tightening her grasp on the hilt of her blade. Arm winding back she drove the pommel hard into the side of Ireni’s head, causing her to stumble forward. She was surprised to see Ireni maintain her footing, eyes narrowed, their brown glow flashing angrily as she turned to face Aiva. “You little whore,” she hissed. In a crack of leather she brought the whip across Aiva’s midsection, slicing through the fabric of Gadiel’s doublet, the thick material preventing the tip from breaking skin.

  Callum was on Ireni instantly, his sword brandished high, meeting Ireni’s blade with skillful accuracy and speed. Between strikes Ireni deployed the whip, cutting across the flesh of Callum’s thigh, dropping him to the floor in a grunt of pain. Regaining her senses Aiva rushed in, deterring Ireni long enough to allow Callum to find his feet.

  They needed to take out the whip. It hindered their ability to keep within melee range, constantly pressed back by the strikes of the durable leather. Aiva came in with a flurry of blows, thrusting and slicing, easily parried by Ireni. Waiting for her to retract her hand to utilize the whip, Callum used his timing to their advantage, his sword cutting through the leather with a well-aimed strike. As a team Aiva was impressed at how easily they had managed to complete a task which would have been otherwise difficult. Ireni was pushed to the max of her ability trying to take them both at once. Individually they were no challenge. Together they kept her on her toes, causing her to leave openings, almost amateur in nature.

  Relieved of her whip, Ireni scrambled across the deck to one of her fallen mates, prying their cutlass from their hand to provide herself a second weapon. Wielding a blade in each hand she continued to fight against Callum and Aiva, her skill with the dual blades adding to Aiva’s begrudging respect for the woman before them. Her technique was incredible. It made Aiva wish they could have known her under different terms. She might have been a good teacher in the art of combat.

  Aiva’s right shoulder burned. Her movements were sluggish. Less accurate. Ireni took note of her hindrance, the strikes toward Aiva thrown with more power and increased frequency, forcing her to work harder. She cried out from the discomfort, unwilling to give up.

  Ducking down, Ireni spun, sweeping her right leg in an arc, knocking Callum and Aiva onto their backs. She moved with impressive speed, hands fastening the end of a rigging rope around Callum’s ankle. A single blow to another rope sent Callum soaring into the air by his foot. He grunted in surprise, desperately attempting to stop the motion, unable to prevent himself from being hoisted far overhead amongst the crackling flames which engulfed the sails. Aiva found herself racked with pain from the impact of the fall on the wounds at her back. By the time she regained composure Ireni was already upon her.

  They traded strikes from where Aiva lay on her back. She needed to get to her feet. Her options were limited from the ground. Ireni had enough advantages without providing her any more. Waiting until the opportune moment, Aiva saw Ireni lower both blades down to the floor in attempts to strike where Aiva lay. Quickly she rolled to the side, clambering to her hands and knees. Every motion was excruciating. The pain was getting worse.

  From where he dangled above the battle Callum ignored the height between him and the ground. Pure strength helped to lift his upper body enough to swipe his sword along the rope, sending him falling to the ground with a hard thud. The impact sent his weapon clattering from his hands, the smile on Ireni’s face widening to see a new weakness in her opponents. “You two really are pathetic,” she laughed, rushing to Callum’s side to kick him square in the stomach. “Do you honestly think you can defeat me?”

  “I’m sure as hell going to try,” Callum grimaced, catching her foot mid-motion in her attempt to strike him again. He gave a harsh twist on her leg, her body crashing to the floor, a soft yelp barely audible above the sound of burning wood descending upon them from the masts above. Aiva screamed, running forward to try and help Callum to his feet, stopped by the intense heat of a heavy plank which landed at her feet.

  “Callum!” she cried out, hurrying around the flames to find him. To her relief she saw Callum lying a few inches from where the fallen wood set fire to the surface of the main deck. Quickening her pace she moved to his side, helping him to his feet, retrieving his lost sword just in time to see Ireni coming toward them.

  Running forward Ireni grabbed onto one of the rigging ropes, launching herself into the air, the heel of her boot landing a heavy hit to Callum’s head. He stumbled sideways, disoriented from the blow. Aiva barely had a chance to register what happened before she found herself under attack by Ireni’s sword again. Only one. She’d lost the other when she fell. If they could keep her at a disadvantage, they would have a chance to overpower her. Ireni pushed Aiva back toward the edge of the deck, the grand shape of a ballista towering beside them. It was secured in place by several thick pieces of rope to prevent it from rolling due to the sway of the ship. With a hard push Ireni slammed Aiva against the rail in front of the machine, sweeping her blade across the ropes to unfasten it, the weight barreling forward to pin Aiva against the side of the ship.

  Panic flooded Aiva’s thoughts again. She was stuck. Ireni couldn’t be allowed to fight Callum alone. While she didn’t doubt Callum’s skill at combat, she knew their chance at victory was greater with her there to help him. Ireni was more than a match for him.

  Desperate to break free she tried to push the wooden frame away. It was on wheels. She had to be able to move it, even if just enough to get herself out from behind it. Under normal circumstances it wouldn’t have been a challenge. The pain in her body interfered with her senses, muscles trembling from the strain on her injured shoulders. All she needed was an inch. No more than two. Anything to slip away.

  Concentrate. If she could just forget about the pain for a second. She gritted her teeth, pushing forward with all of her might. A scrape along the floor caused her heart to jump, the desire to keep going becoming more fervent. The sound of swords clashing told her that Callum and Ireni were already locked in battle once again. Fire was spreading, the crackle louder than before, thick smoke invading her nostrils with every breath she took. With a final burst of strength she managed to release her feet from where they were pinned. There was no time to worry about securing the ballista. She had to get to Callum. He needed her help.

  “It didn’t have to be this way,” Ireni shouted over the roaring flames, bearing down on Callum’s sword to force him closer to the burning planks. “We could have been happy together. But you were too foolish to see that.”

  “You never loved me, Ireni. It was all a game,” Callum grunted. Ireni laughed, taking another swing.


  “It was a game at first. I wasn’t expecting you to actually catch my interest. Would you believe that I intended to spare you when my men came to take control of the ship? I thought you might be persuaded to come with me back to Luquarr.”

  “You were mistaken. I told you even then that my heart was elsewhere – ”

  “I thought I could change your mind. You and I could have ruled Luquarr together. Instead you had to go and marry your scrawny little princess.”

  Angered by the insult Aiva came up behind Ireni, fingers wrapped through her blonde hair, pulling her backward. For the first time, Ireni’s face contorted in a look of surprise at being caught off guard, quickly recovering to aim her fist toward Aiva’s right shoulder. She knew Aiva’s injuries too well. She would exploit them at every opportunity unless Aiva could find a way to prevent Ireni from touching her. “I may be a scrawny little princess, but you have still failed to kill me.”

  “I haven’t killed you, no. However, I did rather enjoy the look on your friend’s face in Palinon when I ran him through.”

  The anger inside Aiva boiled into uncontrolled rage to hear Ireni speak of Kaemin. She refused to let go of Ireni’s hair, crying out from every blow which connected with her injured shoulder under Ireni’s fist.

  “Aiva, don’t let her get to you,” Callum shouted. In her distraction she’d forgotten about him, her eyes lifted from Ireni to see his face coming toward her. Another strike to her shoulder caused her to stumble back, losing her hold. Frustration welled up to accompany the rage, screaming out as she tried to reach for Ireni again, finding her too fast, the tips of her fingers brushing along Ireni’s shirt, unable to grab on.

  “Did I find a sensitive topic, Princess?” Ireni laughed, turning to face Aiva, sword held out, threatening her. “Your friend wasn’t much of a challenge to kill. My blade found its mark without difficulty. I felt his insides punctured, the sound of his flesh tearing… I’ll do the same to you. And then I think I’ll kidnap your husband and make him my slave. You can die knowing that I’ve taken everything you care about.”