I threw him a hate-filled glare. “Knock yourself out, Lord Kelp. It’s not like you did the gentlemanly thing earlier and stopped His Royal Pervert from assaulting me. Bet you had a good laugh afterward.”
A weird expression crossed his face.
“So yeah, go ahead and tattle.” I walked around him and could feel his eyes on me as I walked back to the queen mother’s room.
I wasn’t being fair to him since he was trying to be helpful, but right now, I hated this palace and the people of this island. Gwyn and Storm’s mother were the exceptions. Sighing, I glanced back at Lord Conyngham. I needed to start making friends and finding allies in this place.
“Thank you for sending your men with firewood and beddings. Thank them for me, too. They didn’t have to start the fire or make my bed, so I appreciate it.”
“I’m a Selkie,” he said, confirming he’d understood the insult when I’d called him Lord Kelp.” Turning, he walked away.
Hours later, Gwyn left to get our dinner and came back with beef stew and bread for us. No nasty sauce. I missed Grainne’s. It had started to grow on me.
On the tray were also two bowls of broth. The one with the oracle’s herbs looked like a suspension. I planned to throw it out. Gwyn gave me a small sack.
“From Lord Conyngham’s man,” she explained. “Two of them are on the stairs, guarding the tower,” she said. “They replaced the Royal Guards. Most palace guards fear the oracle, but Lord Conyngham’s men are a different breed. They live by a code. They’re not scared of her and will not let her intimidate them.”
If only that code included helping damsels in distress. I didn’t need to be saved. I only needed a little leg up so I could escape this island. Thoughts of escaping disappeared as I pressed my knees together. I couldn’t hold it anymore. I needed to pee again.
“Do all the washrooms have chamber pots like the one up here?” I asked.
“No, lass. The ones downstairs have water closets so you can pull a chain and wash away everything when you are done. Did you need to use one?”
I nodded, so relieved I wanted to cry. Using the chamber pot was so not my thing.
“There’s one for the staff at the bottom of the stairs. When you leave the hallway leading to this tower and enter the main palace, turn right into the south hallway leading to the back courtyard. It’s the first door on the right. If you pull the chain and the tank is empty, pump the water and fill the water holder. You’ll see the pump in the corner of the room.”
I took the oracle’s soup with me. Planning to wash it down the toilet.
Lord Conyngham’s men were missing, though there were coats in one of the niches in the common room and voices drifted down from the hidden stairs. Some guards.
I made it to the bottom of the stairs and found the toilet.
Not bad. There was even a sink for washing hands. Everything was modern and pure luxury, except the tower. It didn’t seem fair. Was the oracle’s tower outdated, too? Somehow, I didn’t think so.
I rinsed the bowl before heading back upstairs.
Two men were lounging by the fire and talking in low voices when I reached the common room. They jumped to their feet and bowed.
With the fire behind them, I couldn’t see their faces, but the irony of their behavior didn’t escape me. I was a prisoner and they were my guards, yet they were bowing to me.
“Goodnight,” I said, and they mumbled responses.
My room was toasty, the fire down to embers. Interestingly, I slept without worrying about the oracle murdering me in my sleep or Tully sneaking into my cell.
CHAPTER 5
The next morning, I was more than happy to get rid of the fancy dress I’d borrowed from Lady Morgana. Gwyn loaned me a gown from the queen mother’s chest. Green with gold decorations around the collar and sleeves, it was like the outfits some of the female guests had worn yesterday, except the open V-shaped sleeves were not long. The bodice fit perfectly, so I could move and breathe easily. The best part was I didn’t need a corset.
Gwyn already had a fire going and was heating bath water when I stopped at their room.
“This is for you,” she said. “I’ve already poured some in the tub.”
“You didn’t have to, Gwyn,” I said.
“I don’t mind. You can bathe while I get us breakfast,” she said.
Breakfast was oatmeal, but it was too sweet. Afterward, I ground some charcoal from the sack Lord Conyngham’s man had brought and made more of the mixture for Storm’s mother. We did better feeding her. I left the room while Gwyn gave the queen mother a sponge bath and came face-to-face with Conyngham’s men again.
Like yesterday, they scrambled to their feet, removed their hats, and bowed. I wished they’d stop doing that.
Unlike Lord Conyngham with his fancy frock coat and embroidered vest, they wore black—pants, vests, and coats. Their shirts were eggshell and didn’t come with a fancily tied cravat. Instead, they tied scarves. They also wore boots instead of stockings and shoes. The longhaired one with hoops earrings and two braids on either side of his face looked around my age, while the sandy-haired one with a beard appeared older.
“Thanks for watching over us,” I told them.
They exchange glances.
“Anything for Storm’s lass and the queen mother,” the older guy said.
Storm’s lass. My throat closed. I’d missed that name. If Tully had his way, I’d be his pincushion by the end of the week. I was sure he wasn’t a gentle lover. What had I told Jo weeks ago? That I’d lose my virginity to someone I was crazy about. I was about to lose it to a psycho prince. Just thinking about Tully made me sick.
“Are you okay, lass?” the older guy asked.
I nodded. “Have you eaten breakfast?”
“Gwyn brought us enough food, thank you for asking. I’m Nereus,” he added. “And the strapping whiskers is Banan. We’ll be here if you need us for anything.”
Whiskers? He must be a Selkie.
“Don’t you need to rest, change shifts, or something?” I asked.
Nereus chuckled. “We are good, lass. We are used to keeping all sorts of hours and sleeping in all sorts of places. I’ve seen Banan sleep standing in the forecastle.” He chuckled, while Banan’s face turned pink. “Yet he spots sails before other lookouts. He sleeps with one eye open or Lord Conyngham would not have chosen him to guard you and the queen mother.”
I smiled. “You have to teach me that trick, Banan. You know, sleeping with one eye open, so I could see my enemies coming. My name is Lexi.”
They both bowed again.
Shaking my head, I left them and rejoined Gwyn, who was tucking Storm’s mother in bed. She gathered the beddings and dirty clothes and left to take the laundry downstairs. I pulled a chair beside the bed, made sure I could see the door, and started talking.
“I’m not sure what to call you, ma’am. Gwyn calls you ‘my lady,’ but everyone else uses ‘the queen mother.’ To me, you are Storm’s mother.” I glanced toward the door again to make sure I was alone and added, “I don’t know what you heard yesterday when the oracle was here, but Storm is not dead. He is alive, and he will come for us. Not just me. You, too. I don’t think he knows you are alive or that you are being kept in this horrible tower. He will want to rescue you, too.”
I watched her face for signs that she’d heard me. Was her color improving, or was that my imagination?
“I don’t know the last time you saw Storm, but he is an amazing man. He created a home for his people on Vaarda and runs it with the help of wonderful men and women. The island is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming.”
I chuckled at my words, remembering my reaction after I’d arrived in Vaarda and my attempts to escape. Now, all I wanted was to go back.
“Storm may have Harvested me and taken me to Vaarda against my will, but I got to know him and his people and grew to love them. They work so well together and support each other.”
Except the m
an who’d betrayed them. I still planned to find out the identity of the little pipsqueak.
“All the unmarried swordsmen and shieldmaidens live in the Great Hall. That’s the castle. The castle workers, made up of the islanders who don’t sail, take care of them. They cook, do their laundry, and clean their rooms, and when they are home, they eat together in the front hall. I’ve heard people say the island doesn’t have toilets or privies, and the islanders live in filth. Those are all lies. They are clean and free and happy.”
I stopped occasionally to sip water, but I kept the monologue going.
“The council running the island is made up of captains and quartermasters. Not just men but women, too. Storm treats all his people the same. They have female captains, quartermasters, bos’ns, island security guards, and instructors. In a way, he is way ahead of Hy’Brasil in the way he and his brothers treat women. Delia who runs the Great Hall is like a mother hen, always taking care of everyone, worrying about all of them. She wants all the captains mated in the next several years.” I chuckled. “Storm thought that was funny. He said his captains will only claim their true mates, but my bet is on Delia. Nothing stops her. On the other hand, I don’t know if the captains are ready to settle down. They love to sail.”
Sounds came from the doorway, and I looked up, expecting to see Tully, but it was the two guards. My gaze volleyed between their faces. How much had they heard?
“How’s she doing?” Nereus asked.
“Her color looks good, and her breathing is normal,” I said, but I was more concerned with what they’d heard. “I don’t know when she’ll regain consciousness.”
The two men entered the room and stopped at the foot of the bed. They studied her, concern in their eyes. Nereus glanced at me.
“And talking helps how?” he asked.
“They say people can hear while unconscious. Hearing about their loved ones makes them want to get better faster.” Man, I hoped they hadn’t heard me. I was supposed to be talking about Tully. Yeah, like I had anything nice to say about him.
“What happens when the islanders are tired of sailing and want to mate?” Nereus asked, and my stomach sank.
“How often do they Harvest Tuh’rens?” Banan chimed in.
Damn. Were they going to tattle on me? I crossed my arms and stared right back at them. I wasn’t telling them jack.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.
“We heard everything you told the queen mother,” Nereus said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes, I told her how great Prince Tully is to his people. A hero who’s done wonderful things.” I waited for them to laugh or say something scathing. When they looked at each other in silent communication, my stomach started to churn.
Nereus removed a salve from his coat pocket and scooped some before passing the container to Banan. They both glanced over their shoulders as though to make sure we were alone before lifting one of their sleeves.
Not sure what they were doing, I watched them warily.
They rubbed the salve on their upper arms and kept at it. I hoped this was not some weird ritual. I’d had enough of that in Vaarda. They stopped and removed their hands. My jaw dropped.
They had the same skull and bones tattoo Storm and the captains had on their chests. Hope stirred where fear had crawled.
“Who are you people?” I whispered.
“Followers of the rogue prince and his captains,” Nereus said, and Banan nodded. “That means our loyalty is not just to him but to those devoted to him.”
I hadn’t expected that, but I wasn’t ready to celebrate yet. They worked for Prince Tully’s bestie, the man I couldn’t afford to trust.
“Won’t you get in trouble if you’re caught with those?” I asked.
Nereus flashed a cocky smile. “Only if they see them. We used a special ink. We also have our bridles. Want to see?”
Before I could say no, he pulled up his shirt from his breeches and rubbed the same salve on his back. His bridle was coiled along his lower back.
Nereus tucked his shirt back into his pants. “If we knew where the island was, we would have sought sanctuary years ago. Now, we just smuggle people out of Hy’Brasil to islands in the south, hoping they make it to Vaarda. Even if they don’t, the southern rogue islands are better than here. Please, lass. Tell us more.”
“Is it true he is gone?” Banan asked, and Nereus groaned. He smacked the back of the younger man’s head before pointing at Storm’s mother. Pink tinted Banan’s cheeks.
I indicated the door, and they followed me outside, where the red-faced Banan apologized repeatedly until I told him it was okay.
“Yes, lad. Stop. Too much of something is never good,” Nereus said. Then he smiled at me, his expression expectant.
I was still not ready to trust them with the truth.
“Yes, Storm is gone,” I lied, and Banan’s face fell.
They both bowed their heads and murmured something, but all I caught was Manandán mac Lir.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“We asked Manandán mac Lir, god of the sea and the guardian of the Underworld to safely ferry his soul home to his island. But his spirit lives on in us and all his supporters.” Nereus gripped Banan’s shoulder. “One day we’ll find the island, join the other captains, and be free.”
Once again, I didn’t like the way they stared at me.
“I don’t know the island’s location, if that’s what you want to know. When I was Harvested, I didn’t regain consciousness until we were on the island. Captain Ren also knocked me out until we were on his ship.”
They didn’t bother to hide their disappointment.
“No one has ever visited the island and remembered its location,” Nereus murmured. “A few who claim to have reached the port can’t remember how they got there. They tell bizarre tales of compasses spinning out of control and making it impossible to pinpoint their exact location. The island appearing out of thin air and disappearing again.”
Magic. I wasn’t sure whether it was the island protecting itself, or Storm doing it, but that was pure Vaardian magic.
“Don’t forget the Mermaids,” Banan added and blushed when I looked at him.
Nereus chuckled. “Oh, yes. Ships who trade with Storm’s people claim they send word to the island through Mermaids with pure heart, except it’s impossible to find one among the mean, coldhearted maidens of the Undine. They always want something.”
He sounded so much like Ryun, I grinned. Then I remembered my kidnapping. “Doesn’t Captain Ren remember where the island is?”
Nereus sighed. “He’s still being questioned by his superiors, but we heard he doesn’t know. His crew had anchored the second ship by one of the inhabitable islands and waited for his signal, but they never got one. Ren claims a fog descended and hugged the ocean the moment he entered the water with you. When it cleared, the island had disappeared. The two of you were adrift when the mercenary dragons heard his distress calls.”
“Distress calls?”
“Sound travels far in the water, and dragon ears are sharper than Kelpies and Selkies,” Banan chimed in. “Some even say they are better than Mermaids, which explains why the Undine Court lures them to their world. They probably use them for protection.”
“Or their pleasure halls,” Nereus said while Banan turned red. “They never want mates, just a harem of males of any species for their pleasure halls.”
No wonder Ryun had turned them down. “And Captain Ren?”
“He is the only one who survived the invasion, so they don’t know whether he’s telling the truth or not,” Nereus said.
Something in his voice sent off a warning in my head.
“Are they torturing him?”
The two guards exchanged glances, but I already knew. Karma was a bitch, wasn’t it? When did I become such a cold, unfeeling bitch? A man was being tortured. On the other hand, after what Captain Ren and his men had done to Storm,
he was getting exactly what he deserved. At least he was alive. Bruised and battered, but alive. Storm might not be because of him.
What happened to the annoying young man I’d punched on his Adam’s apple? He’d been alive and yapping away before I lost consciousness in the tunnel. If my recollections were right, they’d been discussing the traitor who’d helped them.
“So no one else but Captain Ren survived the attack on Vaarda?”
“Yes. The second ship never joined him, and none of the thirty from his first ship made it out alive.”
Seventy? That was a lot. How many homes and ships had they destroyed? How many had they killed? The islanders must be living in the Great Hall while rebuilding.
My chest tightened. I wanted to go back. I just couldn’t see how unless Storm came for me. But now I understood why Captain Ren had talked about the Royal Army waiting for Storm’s people to attack Hy’Brasil. He’d known they couldn’t mount an attack on an island they couldn’t locate. Part of me welcomed the news, but a part of me despaired of ever getting out of Hy’Brasil.
“Tell us more about life on the island, lass,” Nereus said. “What do they do other than sail and trade?”
“And what happens when they want to mate? How often is the Harvest?” Banan asked again.
It was obvious Banan wanted to be mated, yet he didn’t look older than I was. Since I planned to convince them to help me off this pile of rock, I decided to play nice.
“Come back inside so I can keep an eye on the queen mother while we talk.”
I led the way back to her room and checked her temperature by pressing the back of my head on her forehead. She was cool to the touch. I swept dark hair away from her face. Her skin was so thin I could see veins on her temple. I adjusted the covers, tucking them under her chin, then took her hand in mine and sat. When I looked up, the men had settled on the floor by the door and watched me with peculiar expressions.
“What?” I asked with a little attitude.
“You are a prisoner here, but you thanked us earlier for guarding you and showed concern for our welfare, yet we are your guards,” Nereus said. “We could be here to make sure you don’t escape. And you show kindness to our queen mother, whom you barely know. You are a very selfless person, lass.”
Storm Unleashed: Phantom Islanders Part III Page 7