Storm Chaser (Storms of Blackwood Book 3)

by Elle Middaugh

  Before anyone could argue further, Dan let out a huge puff of air and sucked in a deep breath. Panting, he said, "We're here."

  I peered up ahead and saw an island, filled with the vibrancy of a bustling seaside town. It must've been Tikaree, and the town had to have been Mahana. The island as a whole was a lot smaller than I was expecting. From end to end, it was probably less than half a mile, and I could see the other islands sprawled out on each side of it. It was beautiful though—pure white sands and crystal-clear waters.

  Before we landed, Ash took my face in his hands and kissed me. "I love you, Sweets. Time for me to disappear again."

  I latched onto his shirt with clenched fists. "Stay with me this time. Please."

  He grinned and kissed me again. "I'm gonna wrap around you like a snake."

  Then his magic surged, and his body swirled into golden dust before curling around me and taking the form of... a literal fucking snake. It was long and white with yellow spots and beady black eyes. Its lower half wrapped around my waist, while its upper half coiled down my right arm.

  "Like a snake?" I hissed indignantly. "You are a snake. I hate those little fuckers."

  He flicked his forked tongue in my general direction, and I squealed, trying to hop away, but the bastard was wrapped around me, so he went where I went.

  "I'm probably going to enjoy killing you this time," I muttered, leaning my head as far away from his as I could.

  He stuck his tongue out again, and this time, I was fairly certain he was being bratty.

  We moored the boat at an empty dock, then jumped onto the shore. My legs were wobbly from our time on the sea, but I was grateful to be back on solid ground—even if said ground was actually sand and, therefore, not all that solid. Still, it was the fact of the matter.

  As we strolled through town, it became apparent rather quickly that Rubians were a stoic group of islanders. I didn't get the vibe that anyone was angry, and yet no one really smiled or paid us any mind. They lived a comfortable and peaceful life by the coast, even though no one seemed all that relaxed. They were too busy bustling about, doing this or that, to really even enjoy the sound of the surf. They were clearly overachievers with an incredible work ethic.

  No wonder the Storm King wanted them as allies.

  Dan pointed to our left. "That's Javi's."

  The building in question was unique and beautiful. Made of sandstone and stucco—or possibly even adobe—it was a two-story structure with outdoor seating all along the wraparound, open-arch porch. It had a definite desert ambiance that somehow seemed perfectly suited for its island location. Not too many people filtered in and out though, so I had to assume desert cuisine was more of a delicacy than a staple here.

  We wandered inside, glancing around in search of the princes. I had no idea what they looked like. I was just sort of looking for two guys sitting together in a corner or something, but there were only a couple of tables occupied inside, and none of which were taken by twins.

  "Let's check the porch," Dan suggested, leading us back outside.

  The wings of the porch were each empty, but in the back, where the ocean rolled and crashed in full view, there was a single table that was occupied by three people. Two of which were men: tall and broad-shouldered with short, dark hair. And the other was female: short and delicate with long black hair. Her skin was olive, while theirs was more peach, and she looked familiar. Very familiar.

  "Camilla?" I asked curiously as we approached.

  She glanced up at us and smiled brightly. "Storms! So nice to see you all again!"

  "What in the name of the gods are you doing here?" Ben asked, kissing each of her cheeks as we gathered round the table. His unusual greeting sounded more teasing than condemning, which I was certain had been his intention. No need to piss them off before we'd even sat down.

  She grinned and gestured to the twins. "I'm officially courting Blane and Zane."

  "Both?" I asked with a grin.

  She eyed my snake warily but still leaned in so we could kiss each other's cheeks. "I figured I needed a reverse harem of my own," she told me with a wink.

  The twins stood and began shaking hands with everyone. "I know there's a royal protocol for all this shit," one of the twins said, "but I don't really give a fuck."

  I laughed and shook his hand instead of curtsying. "Sounds good to me."

  "Please, sit," the other twin suggested, and we all took our seats. "We already ate since we didn't know when you'd arrive, but please, feel free to look at the menu."

  I stared at the words on the parchment, but I had no fucking clue what any of the dishes actually consisted of. I shot a clueless glance at Ben who grinned.

  "Don't worry, Sailor. I'll order for all of us."

  Rob tossed his menu into the center of the table. "Thank the gods."

  By the time our food arrived, all eight of the princes were ready to talk business.

  Thankfully, my snake had unraveled himself from my body and curled up in my lap, allowing me to eat in some semblance of peace. But even still, each time he poked his scaly head above the table, it gave me the fucking creeps.

  "So," Cal began with a charming smile, as he carefully took a sweet ball of pinni off our plate. "What can we do to just... make this war go away?"

  One of the twin's laughed and draped his arm around Camilla's dainty shoulders while she preened like a peacock. "There is no 'making this go away,' Storms. Our father is set in his ways. He, like his father before him, has hated Sohsol since the dead first arrived. Any opportunity to wipe them out is a good one in his book."

  Rob shook his head. "They're not just mindless zombies aimlessly roaming the frozen tundra. They're civilized and intelligent beings. I've busted my ass this past decade to create as much order down there as I could, and I think I've done a pretty damn good job."

  The other twin nodded and, not to be outdone or excluded by his brother, slipped his hand around Camilla's waist. "You have done a superb job, and I commend you. It cannot be easy to create order out of chaos. But our father doesn't see it that way, and there is no changing his mind."

  "Then why bother to meet with us?" Dan asked, his gaze slightly mocking.

  The first brother smiled. "Because one day our parents will be dead and gone. And though we cannot stop the present, we do hope to establish a good rapport for the future."

  My brows furrowed. "You want Blackwood as allies when you take the throne?"

  The second prince's dark eyes twinkled. "Would you not like us as allies as well?"

  Touché. He certainly had a point. Hydratica was a powerful nation, perhaps the only one strong enough to give Blackwood a run for its money. It would be wise to have them as allies.

  "Plus, our lovely princess speaks highly of you all," the first twin added.

  "And as long as she's with us," the second twin said, gazing at her adoringly, "she gets what she wants."

  Camilla laughed breathily. "If my father even thinks about splitting us up, I'll tell him to go fuck himself."

  They each grinned and kissed her cheeks.

  Gods, this situation was fascinating. It was one thing to be in a polyamorous relationship myself, but it was something else entirely to watch it play out for someone else in front of my eyes. I found myself becoming personally invested in their romance, like I was reading a smutty novel and pulling for the ménage in the next chapter.

  Cal sighed and did his best to keep the conversation on track. "We'll consider the potential for a future alliance."

  "Consider it seriously, Storms," the first twin said. "It would be reckless and stupid to refuse."

  "Why not just take the throne now?" I asked. "Then our alliance could begin right away and Sohsol wouldn't have to be wiped out."

  "Take the throne?" the second twin asked in astonishment.

  "Blane, peace," the first twin—who must've been Zane—said.

  Finally, I had names for the pair of Hydratican princes—though, honestly, I st
ill couldn't tell them apart. Even their voices sounded the same.

  "Our father might be bullheaded," Zane continued, "but we love and respect him and would never seek to overthrow him. We will ascend to the throne when it is our due time and not a moment before."

  Rob's normally plush lips were thin, and his brows were low. I had to wonder what he was strangling himself to hold back. No doubt, there were countless insults and threats seconds away from spewing from his mouth.

  I decided to take a huge risk; I decided to open up and tell them the truth.

  "Well, we do not love and respect our ruler," I said. "And we do seek to overthrow him as soon as humanly possible. When we do, can we count on Hydratica's support?"

  Blane and Zane's eyes went wide, while Camilla smiled and nodded her approval.

  "I hope you succeed," Blane said honestly. "The world would be a better place for it."

  Zane nodded. "And, yes, when the time comes, Hydratica will have your back... as long as you're willing to make our alliance official."

  I wasn't sensing anything sneaky or deceitful in their emotions. I turned to Cal, wondering if he'd sensed any lies, but he silently shook his head.

  So, they were telling the truth. They'd back us when we attempted to overthrow King Zacharias. That was huge. Possibly even a game changer.

  "But like we said," Blane added solemnly, "not until our father has lived a long and robust life. We will not murder someone we love in the name of politics. That is not our way."

  I nodded. I liked these guys. They seemed true and just, loyal and reliable. And also, I trusted Camilla's judgement. If she was enamored with them, then they must've been good men.

  Ben smiled. After seeing how well my open honesty had been received, he apparently decided it'd be best to divulge a few more details to the twins.

  "We're searching for the Eye of the Sea," he said nonchalantly. "Any idea where it might be located?"

  Again, the twins' eyes went wide. "Why in the world would you be looking for that?"

  "The Storm King wants it," Ben explained. "We're trying to make sure he doesn't get it."

  Zane nodded and pinched at his bottom lip with his free hand. "We have no idea where the Eye is, unfortunately. But I can tell you this: our father has been searching for it as well—for years. It's the true reason we've been building up our armadas. Father has ships with nets and divers out probing for the Eye at all times."

  So, they hadn't been building ships in preparation for war all this time? They'd simply been looking for the Eye, and we'd read the situation all wrong? I mean, all those ships were no doubt coming in handy now that war was imminent, but it was nice to know that wasn't their intention.

  "What does your father want with the Eye?" Criss asked, speaking up for the first time. "What does it do? What's its significance?"

  Blane lowered his eyelids and his voice and leaned forward. "The Eye of the Sea is the only object we know of that is powerful enough to rip tears into the fabric of our world. Our father wants it to create a portal to the underworld, to put the dead back where they belong, and get rid of them once and for all."

  "That's bullshit!" Rob growled, unable to control his temper any longer.

  But the twins seemed prepared for his reaction.

  "Is it?" Zane asked calmly. "Do the dead not actually belong there? Would they not be happier existing in their final resting place?"

  Rob looked reluctant to answer, so Dan answered for him. "Even if they did belong there, and if they would be happier there, it should still be their choice to go or not. They shouldn't be forced to leave."

  Rob nodded his agreement.

  Blane sighed. "Then let us hope that neither of our parents finds the Eye."

  Shit. Now we really needed to find it first. Not only to keep it from the Storm King, but to keep it from the Hydratican king, as well—whatever his name was. Damn, I should have paid more attention in Professor Samson's class.

  "What does the Eye even look like?" I asked. "Is it an actual eye?"

  Blane chuckled and shook his head. "It's rumored to be one of the eight eyes of the four-headed hydra that lives at the bottom of the sea. But no one knows for sure, and certainly, no one has ever seen the hydra. Our father has scoured the ancient records though, and he believes it to be a pearl instead. So basically, it's a needle in a fucking haystack. Our currency consists solely of pearls, and the ocean is full of them. How he hopes to find one with magical powers is beyond us, and probably why he has failed thus far."

  Ugh. Neither of those options sounded ideal.

  Zane took Camilla's hand and brought it to his lips before turning back to us. "One more thing before we go. Since you have been honest with us, we will be honest with you: our father is planning on attacking Wessea as soon as possible. Once he has control of the Ebony Chateau, he'll blaze a southeast trail all the way down to Sohsol and the Onyx Fortress. There, he'll either open the portal to the underworld—assuming he's found the Eye—or he'll slaughter as many of the dead as he can."

  "Use this information how you will," Blane added, as they rose from their chairs and prepared to leave. "But I'd recommend evacuating your cities in order to avoid excessive bloodshed."

  "Don't take it personally when we counterattack," Dan warned darkly.

  But Zane merely smiled and bowed his head. "Don't take it personally when you lose."

  Chapter 24

  Thwack!

  Rob stabbed a blade right through the center of Ash's snake-like head, sinking it deeply into the wooden deck below.

  "I can't believe this whole trip was for nothing," he grumbled as he heaved the knife back out and wiped the blood on his pants. After our meeting with the princes, we were once again speeding across the ocean on our way back to Blackwood.

  Ash's magic swirled to life a moment later, and soon he was back in human form, sitting right beside me on a bench.

  I cocked my head in surprise. At least Rob had saved me the trouble of having to kill the slithery reptile myself. I might have hated snakes, but I hated killing Ash more—even though I knew it was just part of his magic and absolutely necessary for bring him back to us.

  Cal sighed. "It wasn't for nothing. We have more potential allies now, at least."

  Dan glared at him and exhaled loudly. "They're going to obliterate half of fucking Blackwood, Cal. They're definitely not our allies yet, and I wouldn't hold my breath about them being our allies in the future either."

  Ironically enough, he then held his breath and continued propelling the ship.

  I glanced at Cal then turned back toward the guys. "I didn't sense anything off in their emotions. They seemed genuine to me."

  Cal nodded. "And there was no lie in their words. Not one."

  "They were always pretty nice guys," Ash said thoughtfully. "Even when we were young."

  "They actually gave us a lot of useful information," Ben added, seemingly agreeing with Cal, Ash, and me. "If we can evacuate the cities and find the Eye before either of the kings, then we might be able to stop this war before anyone even gets hurt."

  It was so nice to have an inkling of hope to cling to.

  Which was why it sucked so bad when it completely vanished.

  Rob jumped to his feet on the ship's deck and scanned the horizon, breathing heavily.

  "What's wrong?" Criss asked, climbing onto his feet too.

  Rob shook his head. "I don't know. I just feel weird. Like there are a lot of souls nearby."

  Dan exhaled again before sucking in a deep breath. "Nearby? We're damn near back to the Blackwood coast."

  Cal's blue eyes went wide. "You don't suppose King Thane has attacked already..."

  Wow. Thane, Blane, and Zane. Guess that’s going to be easy to remember.

  Dan's features went rigid with fear, and every muscle in his body tensed. He sucked in a huge gulp of air and pushed the ship as fast as he could manage. I had to cling to the railing to keep from blowing away.

  Colors were
the first thing I noticed on the horizon. Deepening shades of gray mixed with oranges and reds. Perhaps a strange sunset, I tried to convince myself at first. But then came the crackling sounds of fire and the terrifying buzzing of a screaming crowd. By the time the scent of smoke reached our noses, we were already in a panic. The closer we got to Dan's kingdom, the clearer the scene became—Ebony Chateau was on fire, and so was the city surrounding it.

  Never slowing down, Dan crashed the ship into the shore, scraping the keel halfway up the beach before jumping overboard and sprinting toward the chaos.

  The rest of us were right behind him. I didn't know what we were thinking or doing, running straight into a blazing city, but I knew we needed to do something. To help somehow.

  The heat of the flames was like a physical force, pushing us back, but we shielded our faces and soldiered on. All around us, shops and buildings were on fire, billowing in putrid smoke. People stumbled through the streets, their skin charcoaled and bleeding, soot covering their tear-streaked faces. Others lay motionless on the ground. Boards creaked and cracked, foundations gave out and crashed to the ground, and Dan dropped to his knees in the middle of it all and sobbed.

  "Alexis, you can control fire," he said, turning to me with the most gut-wrenching expression on his face. "Please, make it stop."

  My freaking heart faltered. Make it stop? I'd never controlled more than a few blasts of flame from my palms. How the hell was I supposed to contain a raging inferno over a mile wide?

  "I..." I was at a loss. "I'll try."

  Then Dan turned to Criss. "You have healing powers? Please. Help my people."

  Criss swallowed hard and nodded. I could tell he had no idea what to do either, but that, like me, he was going to try his damnedest anyway.

  "I'll try to funnel it away," Cal offered. "Clear the smoke so they can breathe."

  He jumped into the air, and his powers took over, allowing him to fly like a bird on the breeze. A moment later, he was swallowed up in the gray.

  Ben put a hand on Dan's shoulder. "Get up, bro. You control the sea. Don't forget your power."

  Dan sniffed one last time and stood. He took a deep breath of smoky air and immediately funneled in a swirling vortex of saltwater. The collision of fire and water made a fierce hissing noise and added a layer of white steam to the graying skyline, but it was a wonderful sight to see.