Page 23 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

She hadn’t been able to say goodbye to those she loved, just like she hadn’t been able to say goodbye to her parents. She was so far from her kingdom and the person she’d once been that the invisible threads binding her to her home felt stretched thin enough to snap. And Alaric had agreed to help her without mention of his youngest son, which meant she no longer had any strategic reason to rescue Tal—a fact that shouldn’t have mattered to her and yet somehow did.

The darkness within shivered as one grief became tangled in the next, until all that remained was empty, all-consuming loss. Thick tendrils of mist drifted across the deck, brushing against Charis and moving on without breaking form, as though she had no substance. As though she was nothing but a memory.

Her eyes burned, and she blinked rapidly to keep tears from falling.

The mainmast flapped, timbers grinding as someone adjusted the sails, and then the ship began gently curving to the right.

They were leaving the harbor. At any moment, the Rakuuna might spot them and come swarming on board. Or maybe they would simply tear the ship to pieces, fish Charis out of the water, and take her back to Calera.

At least she had a plan in place to ensure the poison in Embre would be purchased and an armada would descend upon the Rakuuna in Calera’s port. And Alaric could still be convinced to help since the treaty between their kingdoms stated that an heir of Calera would marry an heir of Montevallo. Charis needn’t be alive for that to happen.

Holland would be furious to suddenly become both king and betrothed to Tal’s older sister.

From a distance, muffled by the shroud of fog, the sound of bones rattling against cobblestones drifted through the air.

The breath froze in Charis’s lungs.

She knew that sound. The first time she’d heard it, she’d been aboard this same ship, hunting for the enemy who was sinking Caleran vessels, blissfully ignorant of the calamity that was coming for her people. It was the strange language of the Rakuuna. The noise they made after the piercing wail that seemed to start their conversations.

Charis gripped the railing until her palms ached.

Where were they?

In their ship, anchored outside the harbor? Or in the water, hunting for Charis and her people?

Another rattle, like a gust of wind disturbing dry twigs.

The fog made it hard to tell what direction the sound was coming from, much less how far away it was.

Charis drew in an unsteady breath. If the fog was distorting the sound of the Rakuuna, then it should be doing the same for the tiny bit of noise her ship made as it sliced through the swells. As long as the wind held, they would be far away from Solvang by the time the midday sun burned through the mist.

The Rakuuna had no way of knowing which ship was Charis’s, or even if she’d still been in Solvang, so it was unlikely they’d be immediately concerned about the ship that had set sail in the middle of the night. Who knew how long it would take them to realize they needed to keep searching the sea for her?

The faint echo of a high-pitched wail slithered through the fog, and someone behind Charis swore softly. She stiffened, her heart suddenly pounding as the person said, “Maybe we ought to load the cannons, just in case.”

Equal parts fury and hope flooded her as she turned on her heel to find Holland standing there, clearly exhilarated by the prospect of risking his life. Reuben stood beside him, defiant.

Keeping her voice barely above a whisper, she said, “I explicitly ordered you to keep Holland in Solvang.” She glared at Reuben, but the shadow of loneliness within her shrank a little as Holland grinned.

“No, you explicitly ordered him to guard me. And here he is”—Holland flung out a hand toward the older man— “guarding me.”

“I told you to stay behind.” She pinned Holland with her glare, for all the good that ever did.

“And I decided not to.”

The ship swayed as it plowed through a patch of rough swells, and Charis braced herself while Reuben looked ill. Holland, however, looked even more excited than he had when he’d heard the Rakuuna.

“I was trying to keep you safe.” The words drew blood from the most tender area of her heart. How was she supposed to shoulder the responsibility for the life of another person she loved? Especially when she was their enemy’s primary target?

“I don’t care much for being safe.” Holland shrugged and then looked at her properly. His smile faded. “I’m staying at your side for as long as it takes to see this through. Nalani and I both agreed I was the best person to help you on the journey while she helps from Solvang. You might as well just accept my presence because you can’t get rid of me.”

“But you could die.”

His eyes lit up as he whispered, “Yes, but life isn’t worth much if you aren’t risking everything for what you believe in. Just think of this as the best adventure I’ve ever had.”

“Holland.” Her whisper carried the words she couldn’t bring herself to say. That she was furious he’d put himself in danger for her. That she was grateful to have a friend close by as she sailed into the unknown. That she’d never forgive herself if anything happened to him because of her.

He brushed a hand against her shoulder in a rare show of affection and said, “You’re welcome. Now, are we staying out here all night listening for monsters, or are we trying to get some sleep so we can help relieve Orayn and Finn when the fog burns off?”

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