The Band of Shadows (The Djinn Kingdom Book 3)

by LJ Andrews

  Briggs appeared distressed; he stood and paced in front of the bench.

  “What,” Nova asked. “What do you know about Lurlina?”

  “I keep my distance from her is the truth. But she be up to somethin’, I know it. Tellin’ ye to come to the temple. I’m afraid there be somethin’ bigger comin’. Lass, don’t listen to her until we know more.”

  “How do we find out about her? Who would know about deep Djinn legends? Most people I’ve met take them to be fables.”

  “Aye, and we should keep it that way. But I know one person who was a heavy collector of temple artifacts. Some might call it an obsession.”

  “Where is he?” Nova asked, shooting to her feet.

  “Well he be dead,” Briggs said, but his lips pulled into a half-smile. “But I think there be someone who might be willing to help us.”

  “Who?”

  “Miss Raine. The collector was King Insel.”

  ***

  A new dawn rose, bringing the first hint of summer humidity throughout Silva. Nova took a deep breath before she slid the wooden door open. She wanted them to be alone without interruption, and after a boisterous night with Geni and her friends, now was the perfect time. Captain Tucker had asked Dirk to find alternate lodging after the incident, and Lydia had protested most of the evening with whispered insults about Nova to Rachelle. Though Geni hadn’t joined in, neither had she stopped the two girls. But as the sun rose above the distant horizon, the party of houseguests had left for town to visit with Dirk, and Nova had welcomed the calm.

  Raine was perched on one of the soft, velvet wing-back chairs in the open study, flipping through an old romance novel. She looked so young and innocent, in the pastel dress with her curled hair flowing over her shoulders, as she bit the nail of her thumb.

  “Raine,” Nova said, breaking her infatuation with the story.

  “Oh, I didn’t see you there.” Raine chuckled. “Captain Tucker said this was his wife’s favorite, and I can see why. What’s wrong? You seem distressed.”

  Nova smiled kindly. “I have something I need to ask you, and I really have no right to do so, but I think you could help me find my parents.”

  Raine sat up straight, slamming the book. The youth in her face aged to a serious woman before Nova’s eyes.

  “What do you need?”

  “I need to learn everything I can about getting back to the temple. I understand Insel was very interested in Djinn legends.”

  Raine’s eyes darkened. “‘Interested’ isn’t the right word. He was obsessed with finding the supposed treasure and Mount Dia. He boasted whenever he needed me to submit that one day his power would stretch further than Launi, but he never explained what he meant. To be truthful, he was more interested in the mountain, not necessarily the Djinn Temple. The way he spoke, it was as if the temple was an obstacle to the greater prize.”

  “Raine, would you…” Nova paused, uncertain how to ask so much of the former queen. “Would you be willing to get us back inside the palace.”

  “You want me to go back to that place?” Raine said flatly.

  “You’re right,” Nova said, holding up her hands. “It’s too much. I know it was terrible for you.”

  “I didn’t refuse,” she said with determination. “I’ll do it. Insel doesn’t have power over me anymore. When I leave that palace, it will finally be on my own accord.”

  Nova smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Will you tell Atlas and Kale, or shall I?”

  “Atlas will probably join us, but Kale has a life here. It would be unfair to ask him to leave it again.”

  Raine nodded, but her eyes were knowing as if she saw something else on Nova’s face. “Then we should find Atlas.”

  The back of the house was shaded by a large flowering tree bursting with blue blossoms. A small creek babbled happily through the lawn and the slope gave a clear view of the open skies and outline of the royal island of Koning, the shortest distance from Silva’s coast.

  Atlas leaned back in a wooden chair, with his hand wrapped around a glass of water. Kale and Captain Tucker were nearby, both stewing over maps of the vast kingdom and the outer borders. Nova bit her lip, not wanting to share their plans with the Tuckers, but before Nova could stop her, Raine marched into the yard and plopped into a matching chair next to Atlas.

  “Ah, hello, ladies,” Captain Tucker said. “Nova, how are you faring? I know death can be trying, but I’ve wanted to tell you, Taylor seemed at peace.”

  She nodded. “Thank you, sir. It’s very hard to admit he’s no longer with us, but I agree. He was ready.”

  Kale watched her over the edge of a large map but didn’t say anything. Nova suddenly felt self-conscious in the blue dress Jenna had instructed Miss Hagen to lay out on her bed that morning. She’d convinced Jenna and Raine to allow her hair to fall naturally instead of being pinned and tied on top of her head, but the way Kale watched her made her cheeks flush.

  “Atlas, would you mind coming with us for a moment?” Raine asked.

  Atlas sat up, his interest piqued. “What’s going on?”

  “Why would you think something was going on?” Raine said in a teasing voice.

  “I have a sense about these things.”

  “You aren’t doing anything without telling me,” Kale interjected, not watching Raine but staring at Nova with ferocity.

  “Kale, it’s nothing,” Nova insisted.

  “Now I know it’s something,” Atlas said, leaning back with his hands behind his head. It was the first time Nova noticed he’d wrapped a leather wrist band over the tattoo of the Star’s Vengeance. The thought of the Atlas she’d first met returning warmed a bit of the sadness from her heart.

  “Nova, you aren’t the best at being discreet. I can see it in your face—something is up,” he continued.

  “My advice, ladies,” Captain Tucker said, never lifting his eyes as he read a parchment, “would be to just tell these nosy men at the same time, because both will hound you or the other until they know the truth.”

  Raine chuckled, but stopped when she saw Nova’s anxiety. “Come now, Nova. They both would find out anyway,” she said.

  Nova huffed. “Fine. Atlas, we wanted to tell you we will be leaving after Taylor’s funeral. Briggs believes he knows a place where we can find information on Dia and the temple. He is worried there is more at play than my mother let on. Raine is going to come, too. She’s agreed to help. All we were going to ask was if you would like to come.”

  “You already know my answer,” Atlas said.

  “Well, you should think hard,” Nova said firmly. “This is your chance to leave this life behind. Be certain you want to step back into it. Smythe is still out there.”

  “Some things you can’t leave behind,” Atlas said sadly. Captain Tucker clicked his tongue and shook his head in disagreement, but didn’t say anything. “But I am curious about where you two think you’re going to get this information.”

  “You mustn’t say anything, any of you,” Raine said. “If anyone found out then we could be in danger. We are returning to the palace, to Insel’s private library. He was obsessed with Dia and the temple. If there is any information we need, we’ll find it there.”

  “Excuse me?” Captain Tucker said. “Raine, do you think it wise to return to the palace so soon? There are still those loyal to the king.”

  “I owe my life to these three,” she said. “I am willing to help in any way I can.”

  “You are very brave,” Atlas said, in subtle awe. “Not many would go back to a place they’d been kept prisoner every day.”

  “And you don’t want my help?” Kale said, lifting an eyebrow.

  “Son,” Tucker said in a low voice.

  “It’s not that,” Nova said.

  “Then what is it?”

  Nova swallowed hard, and looked away, feeling her chest tighten.

  “Tell me, Nova. Why don’t you want me to go?”

  “Kale, you have
a life here,” she cried, feeling a dark frustration peel over her skin. “You have your family, a woman to marry. This is my fight. Don’t risk losing everything you have when you only just got it back.”

  Kale stood while brushing off his pants. His jaw tightened, and Nova sensed his irritation. “So, you just wanted to leave without giving me a chance to decide for myself?”

  “She’s just trying to make sure you don’t regret anything,” Raine said.

  “You’d be wise to stay,” Atlas agreed.

  “Of course, you’d say that,” Kale snipped. “Getting me out of the way and Nova to yourself has been your goal for months.”

  Nova stiffened, though she didn’t notice Raine’s face fall at Kale’s outburst.

  “Enough, Kale,” his father said. “Maybe you should go inside and calm down, and think logically before you say something you truly regret.”

  Kale tossed the map onto a small table before storming inside, pushing passed Jenna, who’d come through the back gate bouncing Theo on her hip.

  “What’s troubling Kale?” she asked.

  “Nothing to worry about,” Tucker said. “What is it, my dear?”

  “I came to find you all. Supper is ready.”

  “Thank you. We will be in shortly.”

  “Oh, and Geni and her friends have returned from town with several purchases. Lydia and Rachelle have requested a larger bedroom for their items,” Jenna scoffed. “I told them we’d think about opening up the old stable. I would suppose they will be fine with their quarters now.”

  Captain Tucker chuckled and followed Jenna through the gate and into the house.

  “You’re sure this is what you want?” Atlas asked when he stepped next to Nova. “You could start over, too.”

  “How can I start over when my parents are lost out there because of me? I need to end this once and for all.”

  He nodded. “I suppose I would do the same. At least, I hope I would. Well, ladies, shall we go inside?”

  Raine smiled, taking his arm, while Nova shuffled behind, kicking at the gravel and breathing deeply to keep the frustrated power from surfacing. Another night in front of Geni, Lydia, and Rachelle was enough to make the Djinn inside writhe, and Nova admitted part of her wanted it to surface.

  Chapter 4

  Return to the Skies

  The ladies giggled amongst one another when they came into the dining room. Geni tilted Kale’s face toward her and kissed his lips before sitting down. Nova swallowed hard and ripped another warm roll from the center of the table, wishing she could stuff the bread down Geni’s throat.

  “You should have come into town with us, darling,” Geni said. “We had such fun.”

  “Yes, but poor Dirk, he seems rather melancholy since being asked to leave, though for no fault of his own,” Lydia said while narrowing her dark eyes at Nova.

  “Yes, I would imagine a simpleton such as him would find it difficult to entertain himself without company,” Nova spat.

  “How dare you,” Lydia said. “You should be lucky he hasn’t alerted the navy of your whereabouts, being a pirate and all.”

  “That’s plenty of such talk at my table,” Captain Tucker interjected, giving Nova a warning eye.

  Her lips curled as icy water splashed into her mouth. The heat pulsing in her fingers seemed to warp the glass in her hand, but she held her tongue.

  “Father, I took the liberty of arranging the funeral for dear Taylor. The clergy will be here at mid-morning. I insisted he be put to rest in our family cemetery. I hope you don’t object,” Jenna said.

  “Of course not. He was a good man who helped Kale immensely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “Thank you, Jenna,” Nova said, tears brimming along her eyes. Jenna nodded and sipped her tea.

  “I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead,” Rachelle said, brightly.

  “Then don’t,” Briggs snarled as Nova gripped the table, trying to steady the storm brewing inside.

  “It’s just that this family is one of such honor, would it do to have a career pirate buried on your land? People may talk.”

  “I agree with Rachelle,” Lydia said.

  “It’s a good thing what my father does isn’t of your concern then,” Kale said, darkly.

  “Kale, there’s no need for that. I’m sure your father understands what they are saying,” Geni said pointing at her boorish friends. “Connections with pirates does not suit and can bring dangerous attention. I’m grateful you found a pirate who didn’t kill you, but the old man was still a pirate. A thief. And he probably murdered many people over his career.”

  Nova shot to her feet, clutching the edge of the table. The heavy wood shrouded by the silk tablecloth trembled. China clinked against the silver forks and spoons as the heavy force rattled the chairs, table, and frames hanging on the walls.

  Rachelle and Lydia clutched one another, but Geni gaped at Nova, who kept her eyes locked on her. “Don’t speak of Taylor with such disrespect. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nova hissed.

  “Nova,” Kale warned.

  “Let her be,” Atlas snapped. “No one should speak of Gold-tooth without the highest respect.”

  Kale ignored Atlas, who sat back, enjoying Nova’s show of power as the table slowly calmed to a faint rattle. Nova took a deep breath, feeling comforting fingers wrap around her shoulders.

  “Come on, lass,” Briggs said. “Come walk with me.”

  Slowly, Nova pried her fingers away from the table, a wave of sick washing over her as the rampage inside seemed like a furious storm. Jenna watched her in surprise and, to Nova’s shame, a bit of fear. Atlas smirked while shoving another bite of custard in his mouth. Raine sat tense, but her scowls were directed at Lydia. Kale’s eyes followed Nova. She glanced at him before Briggs led her away. In the depths of their dark color, Nova saw empathy, understanding, and something more, but immediately she talked herself out of such thoughts.

  “What happened?” Geni cried when Nova stepped into the hall. “Her eyes were like fire; did you see that, Kale?”

  Briggs led her down the hall toward her bedroom before she heard any more talk. Nova clenched her jaw and pushed her way into her bedroom, praying for sleep to come. The sooner she said her good-byes to her beloved Taylor, the sooner she could leave Silva and escape the constant reminder that her choices had made her less desirable than other young women, women suitable for a family like the Tuckers.

  Gray clouds covered the yard with a blanket of mourning suitable for such a day. Briggs had been the one to arrange a beautiful black-wood casket for Taylor. The clergyman spoke of freedom from pain and adventure in death. Nova smiled as she knelt next to the shiny box and gently placed a yellow flower with a pink center on top. Her heart swelled with sadness, but after learning of the grief Taylor had carried for so long, she rejoiced in the idea he might be with his wife and child again.

  Miss Hagen had stacks of small sandwiches, cups of fruit, and sweet cakes spread over white-clothed tables. Geni and her friends had used the luncheon as an excuse to stay behind. They wanted to help Miss Hagen, Geni had said, but the three women hadn’t lifted a finger for the housekeeper. Nova knew better. The idea of attending a pirate’s memorial was the equivalent of swallowing ash in their minds.

  “I’d like to propose a toast to Gold-Tooth Taylor,” Kale said, holding his glass high above. Nova followed suit, holding the glass even higher when Geni pursed her lips in annoyance. “To Taylor, an honest man. A good man.”

  Taylor’s name rumbled up and down the table, except from Geni and Lydia. It was clear they drank only to drink.

  “I have an announcement as well,” Geni said, after a long moment of silence. Everyone at the table turned with interest in her direction. “Yesterday, while we were in town, I garnered some information about Kale’s command post. My father assured me he could be promoted to lieutenant commander due to his bravery when he was kidnapped. We will be leaving to Rand Island next week
. It’s all arranged, and I thought we might have the wedding there. I hear the forests are simply beautiful.”

  The table was silent, except for Kale nervously tapping his fingers along the edge. Finally, Captain Tucker cleared his throat and leaned toward Geni. “My dear, who else spoke to you about this apart from the captain? You understand your father is not Kale’s captain?”

  “Of course, but he assured me it wouldn’t be any problem reinstating him. I don’t understand,” Geni said looking at Kale. “When you were taken, you were only a junior officer. This is a wonderful promotion. Aren’t you thrilled?”

  Kale’s jaw clenched tight. “Geni, I enjoyed my time in the military. I was meaning to speak with you this evening.”

  “What about?” she asked, her voice growing shriller.

  “Maybe we should speak privately.”

  “Kale Tucker, say what you must,” Geni demanded.

  Kale placed his glass on the table and cleared his throat. “I can’t go back to the navy, Geni. I’ve been discharged.”

  The table filled with tense silence, so heavy it seemed solid enough to reach out and touch. Geni’s mouth opened and her eyes filled with tears. “Why…why would you do that? And without telling me?”

  Kale shook his head. “I understand it meant a great deal to you. Shortly after we came here, I met with my father and Admiral Drew. After briefing me on events from the Star’s Vengeance, the three of us determined it would be best if I discharged from the navy.”

  Geni’s shoulders heaved up and down as she gathered her composure. “You mean, being forced to be a pirate. They don’t want anything in the navy being associated with piracy. Did you explain that it wasn’t your fault? That you didn’t do anything dishonorable?”

  “Geni,” Kale said, glancing between Nova and Atlas. “Even though I view myself as an honorable man, I was involved in many things that would dishonor the navy. A raid on Mollem for example, I chose to participate in instead of dying. There’s more, but that alone qualifies a discharge.”

  “I’ll speak with my father,” she said briskly. “They can’t do this. You will be an admiral someday.”