Page 87 of Fearless

“That was pretend, darling.”

CHAPTER 31Paedyn

I’ve been staring at a speck in the distance for hours.

Only now, it’s grown into a city that stretches before us.

A maze of docks splatters the horizon, sitting within the bright blue water. Dozens of boats bob beside them, some larger like the mangled one we’re arriving on, though most are small and sturdy. Squinting, I can just make out the large fishing nets that hang from their sides.

I breathe in the sea’s scent, willing the ship to move faster. With the storm having subsided, Gusts now litter the deck, pushing wind into the large sails. I tap a foot impatiently, my eyes skipping over the crew. They avoid my gaze, focusing instead on their duties and the difficult task of ensuring the crumbling ship makes it to land.

With the torn sails, missing railings, and splintered boards across the deck, it’s a miracle we aren’t sitting at the bottom of the Shallows. And that is just the damage I can see.

“Raise the flag!”

The captain’s bellow has a sailor pulling at the rigging, obeying the command. I watch as a white flag rises into the sky, halting besideIlya’s swirling crest that has now been thoroughly tattered.

My wandering gaze falls back to the deck before landing on that familiar figure stepping out onto it. Kai lifts a hand to shade his eyes from the sudden brightness, and I can’t help but take the moment to stare unabashedly at him. His clothes ripple in the wind, pressing to the strong body beneath. Black hair splashes over his brow like the unruly waves beneath us. And those gray eyes—

They are suddenly on me.

He smiles in a way that suggests he knows exactly how much I was admiring him. Even after striding toward me, the smug look never leaves his face. “Enjoying the view, Gray?”

“Of Izram?” I shoot back with a smile of my own. “Why, yes, I am, Azer.”

He leans his forearms against the splintered railing, grinning enough to have those dimples on display. I look away before he can catch me staring yet again. “Why did we raise a white flag?” I ask quietly.

“Izram hasn’t seen a ship with our crest on it in nearly a decade.” He nods to a large watchtower that looms over the bay. “We don’t want them thinking we have ill intentions. Just like in Dor and Tando, they won’t be too happy with Elites showing up.”

I lean against the railing beside him, our arms brushing. “Then it’s a good thing a benevolent Ordinary will be greeting them.”

“Yes, with a crew of Elites,” he muses. “And the Enforcer.”

“And a crate of coveted roses,” I add, sounding hopeful. “Now, I vaguely remember reading about Izram’s queen, Zailah, as a child. But I’m not sure what I should expect.”

“It’s been said,” Kai recalls, “that she is ruthless. Some say she killed her husband for the throne, others believe he died of natural causes.” He lifts a shoulder in a lazy shrug. “Either way, she’s helped Izram thrive. They rely on the sea and its fish to survive, and from the momentZailah sat on that throne, their harvest has been nothing but plentiful.”

“Hmm.” I spin the ring on my thumb distractedly. “And it’s been several years since she became queen, yes?”

Kai’s eyes meet mine. “Nearly a decade ago.”

I tuck that bit of interesting information away and turn my attention toward the dock we are heading for. A throng of guards stand atop the weathered wood, dressed in royal blue and holding spears. The sharp tips glint in the sun, forcing me to look away from the odd sight.

It’s strange, seeing such obvious weapons on a guard. Most Imperials don’t even bother carrying a sword when they can rely fully on an ability. But the people of Izram don’t possess powers. They depend on their own might, their own will. And I admire that far more than unearned strength.

The shining points of the guards’ spears seem to sharpen as the ship drifts closer. They stand stiffly along the wooden planks, lining the creaking dock with solemn expressions and a tightening grip on their weapons.

They are afraid of us.

I lurch forward into the railing when the ship groans. We slide against the dock, drawing a long screech from the hull. When we finally come to a stop within the port, my wide eyes manage to make their way to Kai’s. He wears a familiar expression, one that creeps onto the corners of his features.

It’s a slight smugness that touches his lips, I realize. A brightening of his eyes and relaxing of the body beneath.

He enjoys being feared.

I suppose I would too if even an inkling of his power dwelled beneath my skin. But I am something less than fear and power and Elite. For that reason, I step cautiously behind the Enforcer as he strides across the deck.

A teetering wooden ramp sprawls between the ship and dock beneath. Sparkling water sways beneath us, lapping at the hull and reaching for the bridge we step out onto. Without hesitation, Kai strides down the creaking wood to greet the gaggle of guards.

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