Footsteps clunked above their heads. Soraya instantly began to tremble so hard it vibrated the wood beneath them. “Someone is here,” she whispered.
Cali pressed her hand. “Don’t move.”
As quietly as she could, she slinked down from the bed, wincing as the wood creaked beneath her. It rocked her, and she did her best to remain quiet as she lifted the bench’s seat to retrieve the pistol she’d found stashed within. Carefully, with the gun in her teeth, she climbed the ladder into the sunlight.
Bae stood on the deck of her boat, one hand on his hip. He carried himself with a distinct, disreputable air. A few days’ worth of growth clung to his jaw alongside his usual goatee, and several large scrapes lined his muscled forearm, meeting the bottom of a tattoo sneaking out from beneath his shirt. His dark hair was tied back, but tendrils still escaped.
A torrent swirled through Cali. There was so much she wanted to say to him. To apologize for leaving him behind with the finfolk and his one chance at surviving them. To break for his arms, to repeat the kiss they’d shared in the belly of the Lady’s Bane.
But a storm was in his eyes as well, and it was anything but inviting.
He didn’t ask what she was doing there in Gull Bay. He didn’t remark on the cold way she’d left him to die. There wasn’t any repeat of the affection his gaze held a few days before, when he’d handed her the cure. When he’d told her he wished they had more time.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, unable to bear the stab of that tempestuous glare.
“I have a message.”
Her heart thrummed at the sound of his voice.
“From whom?”
“My father. He knows you’re here. And he appreciates that you’ve apparently convinced Soraya to relinquish her kingdom freely. But he extends an invitation.”
He appreciated that Soraya has relinquished? That was it, after all that had happened outside the boundary? Soraya had nearly killed Captain Kelsey as well. She’d set his ship on fire!
Suspicion rose in Cali’s throat. “What kind of invitation?”
Just three steps. That was all it took for Bae’s boots to cross the deck. He reached into his vest. Removed an envelope. “This is for Soraya.”
He’d come here to deliver a message…to her cousin?
He was so cold toward her. So distant. But it was no surprise. He’d helped her. He’d admitted he cared for her. Never mind all she’d sacrificed by kissing him. Never mind all she’d given up by returning here.
It hadn’t been to him, solely, but she couldn’t deny the hope that had planted a seed in her heart at the thought of seeing him again.
She hadn’t planned for what had happened. But it was her fault he’d been on that ship. He’d boarded it to help her escape.
Her intentions had been for the good of everyone, not only Bae. It was the princess in her, she supposed, to attend to the lives of many. When it came down to it, she couldn’t choose both him and Soraya.
“Nothing for me?” she teased, praying their old easiness would return. He would smile that tantalizing smile, lean in or pull her close, whisper secrets in her ear.
He’d rescued her. And she’d repaid his kindness for helping her obtain the plants and the cure she needed by ordering Soraya to attack his father’s ship. And then the two of them had made a break for it while leaving him to the mercy of the finfolk.
She’d nearly killed him.
No wonder he didn’t seem to want anything to do with her.
“You’re not invited,” he said coldly.
The words held all the stab of a blade. Without saying anything else, he swung from the boat’s side and onto the dock, leaving her behind without a backward glance.
Cali watched him saunter away until he disappeared from view. And then she rushed down into the cabin and thrust the envelope into Soraya’s hands.
“What does it say?” Cali pleaded. She wasn’t invited? Invited to what?
Soraya perused the letter, her mouth hanging open. After a few frozen minutes, she passed the stiff paper to Cali.
Princess Soraya,
We are pleased to announce a change in the rulership of Lunae Lumen. After King Emir’s sudden death and the acquiescence of his daughter, Soraya Keilani Cressida, Baelor Henrik Kelsey has obtained ownership of the kingdom and is ready to become its king.
A kingdom should be governed by both a king and his queen. Therefore, you are cordially invited to participate in a tournament held in Prince Bae’s honor.
Should you accept, you will be swept into a series of contests for Prince Bae’s hand in marriage. In honor of the goddess Undine, the winner of this tournament will be granted a seat at his side, to be his wife and rule Lunae Lumen.
Your presence at the beginning of the tournament will signify your acceptance. Please arrive at the Lunae Lumenian palace on the morning of July the seventh. Arrangements will be made for your participation from there.
The best wishes of your acceptance and future happiness,
Captain Edward Kelsey
July the seventh. One week away.
“They haven’t wasted any time,” Cali said. “And how nice of them to imply your agreement in all of this.” It was clearly a generic letter written by someone else, someone who didn’t realize this Soraya was the same one referenced to in the introduction.
“I suppose I gave my consent when I didn’t return to my palace.”
Cali’s eyes locked with Soraya’s. It had been necessary to avoid the palace—they’d both agreed when they’d returned. In that look, she knew she didn’t have to say the rest of her thoughts aloud. Even if they’d went to the palace itself, Captain Kelsey would have forced her compliance somehow.
“Why would they invite me after what happened? I ignored his wishes; I nearly killed him and his men. Why would the Kelseys want anything more to do with me?”
Cali admitted the same worry crossed her mind. She remembered the menacing threats the captain had uttered while trying to garner Soraya’s cooperation. Whatever it was up to, it couldn’t be good.
She stared at the name on the letter. Soraya. Why would Bae deliver the invitation by hand if he didn’t want Cali to participate?
The truth seared harsher than a sunburn. He had delivered a message for her. It wasn’t one he could physically hand over, but it was implied all the same, and how well he’d done it.
He’d come to tell her she wasn’t invited.
He’d come to tell her he didn’t want her.
On his father’s ship, he’d admitted to her about the tournament. It’d been one reason she’d wanted to kiss him, to have just a small piece of him before he gave his heart away to someone else. If only she’d known just how painful that memory would be now.
“They’ve already bargained away my position,” Soraya said, sinking onto the bed. “You were wrong, Caliana. There is no hope anymore. The other princesses will arrive. One of them will win my place, and I’ll be cast off forever.”
Was that what this was? Some sort of backstabbing attempt, to smear Soraya’s name for all the harm she’d caused? Cali couldn’t believe they really intended Soraya to be a contender for Bae’s hand.
Then again, wasn’t this their opportunity? If Soraya was going to continue learning magic, she needed to do it in her kingdom where she had access to books and the help she might need. If she was going to rule Lunae Lumen again and help Cali when Zara’s need arose, this was their only chance.
Cali knelt before her and took her hands, pushing aside her own hurt. It didn’t matter that she’d lost everything. Darren, her kingdom, Bae’s heart. She had to be strong. For Soraya.
“There is still hope. You’re going to do this tournament, Soraya. And if I have anything to do with it, you’re going to win.”
And then she’d make Bae rue the day he and his father had ever set foot in Lunae Lumen.
Read the exciting next installment in The Curse of the Pirate series, Tournament of Power!
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Acknowledgments
Writing a book may be a solitary process in and of itself, but I can never finish anything without the help of many incredibly talented, amazing people.
This book would not have happened without Rebecca Hamilton. Rebecca is a flat-out genius. She offers many courses on writing and marketing. She also offers a one-on-one mentorship program, and I was ecstatic when she not only had an opening, but when she selected me. We worked together at every point in this novel, from series plot development, to book titles, to chapter by chapter critique. She was there to answer questions, to give feedback, to offer suggestions when I was stumped and wasn’t sure what should happen next. She changed the way I write—for the better. Thank you, Rebecca, for all your help and generosity!
Thanks go to Charity West, for all she taught me as an editor of previous works. Even though she wasn’t my editor for this particular project, Charity’s methods and instruction came into play to help me tighten the plot and create the theme and character arcs for Cali and Bae. Kudos, Charity! Thanks for all you’ve taught me!
Huge thanks go to Cynthia Shepp, my editor. Cynthia has a great eye and was able to help me tweak and tighten the manuscript from start to finish. It’s a pleasure working with you!
Gigantic thanks to Rebecca Frank for nailing the cover. Everything she does glows, and she is a mastermind at design. I just drop my jaw in amazement at everything she does, but she really blew me away with the covers for this series. Thank you!
Thanks to my brother, Chad Hurd, for impeccable skill in drawing the map for this world. Chad has always been a brilliant artist and his work on creating Zara, Lunae Lumen, as well as the boundary, was incomparable.
Always, always, always, gratitude goes to my family. To my amazing husband for believing in me and being so supportive. To my awesome kids. To my mom, for free therapy and putting up with me talking about books and covers and other such things non-stop. I wouldn’t be where I am without you!
And gratitude to my Heavenly Father, for more blessings than I can count.
Finally, to you, my amazingly good-looking and awesome readers. As always, thanks for sharing a love of books with me, and for reading.
About the Author
Cortney Pearson is the USA Today bestselling author of the Stolen Tears series. She writes fantasy worlds of all kinds, from wizards, to ghosts, to pirates. Her books are rife with intrigue and adventure, romance, and a dash of secrets. She is the mom of four cuties, loves classical music, chocolate, slow-burn kissing scenes, and sparkles. Not necessarily in that order.
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