by Elly Blake
“Even a Fireblood princess craves warmth sometimes,” Kai taunted with a slow grin.
Arcus’s nostrils flared. “Did you need something?”
“We’ll land soon.” Kai gestured to shore with a lift of his chin. “Just checking our plans haven’t changed.”
“Same as before,” I said. “We take the book to Brother Thistle. He finds and translates directions to the Gate of Light. We go there and make sure it stays closed so no Minax can escape. Simple.”
“Yes, that’s all very simple,” he said with an eye roll. “I hope you’re right about that book.”
“I am,” I said with more confidence than I felt.
The Fireblood masters accompanying us had been translating The Creation of the Thrones from ancient Sudesian, but they’d found no mention of the Gate’s location. However, they’d told us there were some passages in ancient Ventian—a dead language purported to be the root of both Tempesian and Sudesian, but which none of us could translate. I was sure Brother Thistle could.
“We must be realistic,” Kai said. “The book may not contain clear directions, in which case a search will be necessary.” He cleared his throat. “And at the risk of starting another argument, we must talk about how to secure ships to help us in our search. You’ve made it clear you need the Frost Court’s approval to deploy your navy.”
Arcus’s eyes held a warning. “That’s what our laws require, yes.”
“And for them to agree, the Frost Court must be convinced of the danger. Therefore, we need to show them proof the Minax exists.”
“You will not use Ruby to give them proof,” Arcus said with narrowed eyes.
“I don’t need your permission,” I added quietly.
He turned to me, his tone somewhere between commanding and begging me to see reason. “Either you could lose control of the creature and it could find another host, leaving it free to wreak carnage like the frost Minax did. Or you could lose control and hurt someone. Either way, the risk is too great.”
My jaw tightened. “I notice both of those scenarios involve me losing control.”
Kai straightened, an intense look in his golden-brown eyes. “If she allowed it to partially possess a few key members of your court, just so they could see how powerful—”
“No,” Arcus said, instant and emphatic, blocking the argument the way he’d block an attack.
“I’ve been able to control it throughout the voyage,” I reminded him with growing irritation.
“Or it has chosen to remain dormant to lull you into a false sense of security.”
That possibility had occurred to me, too, but he didn’t need to know that. “Your faith in me is flattering.”
“It’s not lack of faith in you. It’s simple caution. Do you deny that I could be right?”
Kai’s jaw moved as if his teeth were grinding together. “Listen, you stubborn…” He pressed his lips together. “They need to see this to believe it.”
Arcus dropped his arms from around me and used his extra inches of height to loom over Kai. “No.”
Kai stood his ground, heat flowing from him in waves. “Then how do you plan to convince your court?”
“I am their king. I don’t need to convince them.”
I sighed, pushing between them. “You know it’s not that simple. Your connection with me has made people distrustful. And your recent alliance with Firebloods won’t win you favor with some.”
Arcus took a breath and spoke with firm conviction. “You are the crown princess of Sudesia, heir to the fire throne. And the prince here is now the queen’s official emissary. Those things carry weight. They’ll know I’ve built trust with our enemy.”
Kai snorted angrily, and Arcus said, “I’m not calling you an enemy. I’m stating how the court sees it. Now that we have a signed treaty with the Fire Queen, that will gain my court’s full attention.”
“Weren’t you nearly assassinated by your own court? Twice?”
“Kai!” I shook my head at him. It wasn’t fair to bring up the most traumatic episode of Arcus’s life. The first assassination attempt had burned him and left him with scars.
“I thought we were stating unpleasant truths,” Kai countered without remorse.
“You won’t speak of that,” I said, low and fierce.
Arcus took my hands and squeezed them. “It’s all right, Ruby.” He addressed his next comment to Kai. “I’m convinced the Blue Legion was behind both attacks. They will have to be discovered and routed.”
“I’m relieved to hear you concede that, at least,” Kai replied. He looked up to where sailors were adjusting the sails for our arrival. “I have things to do.” He strode off toward the quarterdeck.
I moved next to Arcus, watching his stiff back and white-knuckled grip on the rail. Frost spread, melting as it touched my hand, a sign that he was losing control of his emotions. He huffed out a breath. “Every instinct is telling me to send you off somewhere safe and to fix all this myself.”
“Even if you could ‘fix this’ without me—which you can’t—I won’t be pushed aside. Kai and I are your allies. Our opinions deserve your full consideration.”
He turned to me, his brows lowered. “I listen to you. I take everything you say seriously.”
“And Kai? Do you listen to him?”
His expression closed off. “Not if I can help it.”
“That’s a problem. At least trust that Kai is on our side and behave accordingly. I’m tired of watching you trying to goad each other into fisticuffs.”
His mouth twitched up on one side. “Is it that obvious?”
“It’s obviously unnecessary, and I don’t want either of you to get hurt. Not him, whom I love like a brother, and—”
Arcus made a disgruntled noise. “I saw you kiss him, remember? Not like a brother.”
“Fine. Like a good friend who won’t ever be more because I’m already madly… attached… to someone else.”
The word love wouldn’t come to my lips. It felt like tempting the gods to express that emotion, as if Tempus himself would swoop in and snatch Arcus away from me for daring to voice it.
“So you love him,” Arcus said in a low voice, “and are attached to me.”
“That’s not what I meant. Don’t read into things. I’ve made it clear how I feel. Kai sees it. The entire ship sees it. Why don’t you?”
His mouth twisted, his eyes the color of a winter sea. “I never thought I’d be the jealous sort, and yet I often have the urge to throw him overboard.”
“He flirts with everyone, not just me.”
After a thoughtful pause, he conceded, “I suppose that is true. I will try not to smash his pretty mouth in when he directs his charm at you.”
“No smashing or you’ll answer to me.”
His mouth quirked up at one corner. “In that case, I am all compliance.”
“Just the way I like you.”
He huffed a laugh and pulled me into a tight embrace. “No doubt.”
I relaxed in his arms, lifting my face to the breeze. Land filled the skyline, the seagulls screaming like tortured spirits as we neared shore. From now on, time would move faster, and our race to defeat Eurus had to be the first and only concern.
It felt as if an hourglass had been turned over, the sands beginning to fall.
THREE
DOREENA SIDLED UP NEXT TO ME ON the foredeck, her skirts swaying with the movement of the ship. She wore a thick cloak, but she kept her arms wrapped around herself. I smiled in greeting and subtly sent out a pulse of heat to warm her. For as long as I’d known her, she’d shown no signs of a gift of frost or fire, so the cold must have felt piercing to her thin frame.
Somehow, she always reminded me of a woodland creature. Her big, serious brown eyes, along with her nut-brown hair, small nose, and pointed chin gave her the aspect of a nervous fawn.
Her assessing gaze took in my gown. “You look very fine, my lady. I mean, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Doreena, but I’v
e told you not to use my title,” I chided. “I’m Ruby to you.”
The princess identity still didn’t quite fit, like wearing a pair of fancy slippers that pinched. Most of the time I tried not to think about it, but I knew it would shortly become a necessary mask. My title would give me credibility with any Frostblood nobles we might encounter on our way to the castle. I hoped my newfound identity as Sudesian royalty would force them to take our efforts to mend ties between the kingdoms more seriously.
I smoothed the velvet bodice of my dress. In preparation for our arrival, I had changed from my sailor’s togs into a raspberry gown with full sleeves and a vermilion belt, the same shade as the ribbons threaded through the bodice and hem. Pearl earrings matched a pearl necklace with a ruby pendant. It was part of the wardrobe given to me by Queen Nalani when we’d departed Sudesia.
As we leaned on the rail, Doreena’s eyes kept flicking to the quarterdeck, where the Fireblood prince stood at the helm, deftly guiding the ship into the harbor. I’d been careful to pretend I didn’t notice that she’d spent most of the past few weeks staring at him. From clues in his expression—an extra-bright gleam of amusement in his eyes and a slight twitch of his lips—I had the sense he was aware of her regard and enjoyed it, even though he treated her with polite neutrality. She was smitten, and I couldn’t really blame her. In his finery, he was a splendid thing to behold.
I shaded my eyes with my hand and returned to my study of the harbor. Tevros was usually a bustling port filled with merchant ships and fishing boats, the wharf swarming with sailors carrying crates and barrels of cargo. Instead, it was eerily empty, only a few unoccupied rowboats bobbing in their berths.
“Something is wrong,” I worried aloud. “It almost looks abandoned.”
Doreena tore her gaze from Kai and turned her head to examine the scene with me. She pointed to flagpoles jutting up from several buildings. “The flags are wrong.”
A white fist holding a shard of ice had replaced the king’s white arrow on a blue background.
She glanced at me. “What can it mean?”
“I don’t know.” I had a suspicion but hoped I was wrong.
We weren’t the only ones to notice something amiss. The Tempesian sailors, who knew the port well, muttered to one another in low tones. The bustle and stamp, exclamations, and raucous singing were over.
After a few minutes, Arcus appeared at the top of the companionway and moved to join us. It took only a second before he went rigid. His voice cracked like thunder. “What in Tempus’s name is that?”
Doreena shrank away, then hustled off. Apparently the king’s wrath was too much for her, even if her fears were rooted in memories of the former king and not this one.
“The flags.” I pointed. “What do they—”
He uttered a curse. “We found messages with that symbol during our investigation of the ballroom attack.” His brow lowered as he glared at the shore. “The Blue Legion dare to proclaim their treason so openly. I’ll have their standards ripped down and the conspirators expunged from my country if it’s the last thing I do.”
“They must have gained followers over the past few months,” I said quietly, “for them to be this brazen.”
He nodded, still radiating tension, but his expression had smoothed, giving him a deceptive air of calm. His rage had turned cold and was therefore at its most dangerous. Despite the fact that it wasn’t directed at me, I shivered.
This must feel personal. Not only did the Blue Legion seek a return to a previous way of life, which included outlawing or killing Firebloods, they were also publicly slapping his face with a declaration of defiance and rebellion.
“If we don’t stop Eurus, none of this will matter,” I added, reminding us both that even if we defeated this threat, there were far greater ones ahead.
Once Kai had maneuvered the ship to a berth in the near-empty harbor, the anchor was dropped and a gangplank lowered. Arcus and I disembarked, along with the Fireblood masters and a contingent of Frostblood sailors. Kai stayed behind to keep the ship ready to sail if necessary.
A short sword hung at my hip, hidden under a long cloak. Arcus wore a similar cloak, the hood drawn up to cast his face in shadow.
A crowd of people clustered on the wharf. They moved slowly forward en masse like a flock of curious gulls. As we neared, the stench of so many bodies together—along with that of dead fish, rot, and waste—was overpowering.
Some of them must have recognized their king. They gasped and whispered, and then bowed at the waist or knelt. Arcus’s head turned slowly as he took in the assembly, doubtless noting the same things I did: They were all thin to the point of gauntness, their clothing in poor condition. Many of them shivered visibly, a sign that they were not Frostbloods, or at least had weakened or insignificant gifts.
They carried packs and satchels and stared at the ship with exhausted, pleading eyes as if it was their last hope.
Arcus called out, “Who is in charge here?”
Hands pointed toward a squat stone building between the main street and the wharf. A Blue Legion standard flapped from its roof. Two soldiers in full armor lounged on either side of the door. Unlike the crowd, they looked sleek and well fed.
The crowd parted as Arcus moved toward the building, waiting patiently when some of them needed help to get up from their kneeling position. A young woman who looked to be in the late stages of pregnancy had remained standing. She lifted her bowed head as I passed, her whole body shaking with cold.
On impulse, I untied my cloak and gave it to her. Her hand closed over the fabric reflexively. At my encouraging nod, she pulled the cloak over her shoulders with an expression of relief.
As I moved away, she grabbed my sleeve. “Is your ship taking passengers?” she asked, letting go as I turned to face her. The expectant look in her brown eyes made me wish I could give her the answer she wanted.
“I’m afraid not.” Whispers and groans of disappointment rippled outward from where we stood. Some of the onlookers began filing away with an air of dejection. “Are you all waiting to leave?”
She nodded. “There have been no ships for over a week. We have coin saved, but food and board are expensive. The longer we wait, the less we have left to pay for passage.”
“Where are you going?”
She shrugged. “Anywhere.”
An older man piped up. “Anywhere warmer than here!”
A few weak chuckles came from the remaining crowd, along with muttered agreement.
I frowned at Arcus, who had turned back to wait for me. At my look, he approached with long strides. I asked the woman, “Why do you want to leave?”
Her eyes shifted nervously to Arcus before she answered in a whisper. “It’s the Purity Exodus.”
My brow furrowed in confusion, Arcus’s mirroring my own.
“The Winter of Purification,” she said, as if that clarified things. When I shook my head, she added, “Anyone not strong enough to withstand the cold was told to leave the kingdom. By royal decree.”
“Royal decree?” Arcus said harshly. “I think not.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” she said quickly, starting to bow, one hand to her stomach.
I touched her shoulder, pushing out a burst of warmth. “That’s not necessary. We only want to understand what’s going on.”
Her voice was so quiet, Arcus and I both leaned in to hear her. “The winter has been terribly harsh. People who are not Frostbloods can hardly withstand the cold. And there is a scarcity of firewood. We have no choice but to leave if we want to survive.”
“Who calls it the Winter of Purification?” Arcus asked, making an effort to sound less stern, though I sensed his underlying anger.
“You’ll find out more in the office there,” she said, gesturing to the building with the Blue Legion standard. “I don’t want to say the wrong thing.” Her eyes darted from the guards in front of the building to others patrolling the wharf.
“Thank you for the
information,” I said, more convinced than ever that something was dreadfully wrong here.
“Oh,” she said, her hands unfastening the cloak. “You’ll be wanting this back.”
“Keep it,” I said with a smile, then followed Arcus, who had set off again for the building.
The two guards straightened as we approached, their expressions hostile.
“Halt!” shouted the portly, older guard.
“Stand aside,” Arcus said calmly. “Where can I find your superior?”
The answer came in a deadpan voice as if he’d repeated it many times. “This is the office of the Right Honorable Lord Grimcote of Agrifor Province, High Overseer of the Purity Exodus. He takes no visitors without an appointment.” The guard looked us up and down, and his tone relaxed. “You can make an appointment through Secretary Jarobs. Might get in as early as next week.”
“He will make an exception for me,” Arcus said with a hint of irony.
“I doubt it,” the squat guard said, his eyes skimming my figure with frank appreciation. “I can see you’re not from here, but don’t worry,” he said with a reassuring lift of his palm. “Trade with other kingdoms will still be welcome. If you come from Safra, the Coral Isles, or even Sudesia, you’ll be allowed to dock at our ports and deal fairly with our merchants. Fairly, mind you! None of that Sudesian cheating. You wouldn’t want us to close off trade with you again now that it’s just been opened.”
“Indeed, no,” I agreed, swallowing my rage. “I wouldn’t want to be kept away from your lovely shores.” I swept my eyes around, encompassing the slushy, uncleared streets as well as the piles of refuse thrown in corners. When my eyes returned to his, he was still beaming. Irony was lost on this one.
Arcus remained resolutely silent.
The other, taller guard leered at me. “If you’re looking for work, you might want to check at the Painted Lady.” He jerked his chin to the street at his right. “The madam employs girls like yourself, and she’s none too picky where they’re from, either. It’s nice to have some variety now and then, isn’t it?”
He raised his brows and grinned at Arcus, apparently waiting for him to agree. Instead, Arcus drew off his hood. “I fear you’re operating under some misconceptions.” His stony expression must have given the guards pause, though no spark of recognition lit their dull faces.