Page 348 of Kingdoms of Night

No, I’m not.

This was bloody embarrassing. Sea-folk weren’t supposed to drown.

I had to end this.

I coughed and sat up. “I’m fine.” I nodded, and wiped my mouth. Water dripped from my hair, and trailed down my face.

“What’s this?” Aruna looked down at the sailor’s body with a twisted mouth. “You brought a dead sailor to our village? Did you kill him?”

“No, Aruna. I did not.” I frowned. “I need to see the Sea Shaman. As soon as possible. Have her meet me at my pod.”

“She left not too long ago. I’ll summon her to return. It should only take a day or two.” Aruna helped me to her feet, her lavender eyes full of concern, as I tried to readjust to the new air pressure.

The two male guards picked up the body from the ground and looked to me for direction.

“What happened, Siddhe?” Aruna’s voice lowered to an almost inaudible whisper.

I could tell she didn’t want Makoa and Noa to hear our conversation. With a gloved hand, she stroked my cheek, moving my dark soaked hair from my face.

I tensed under her touch. It was tender, but I sensed something was off.

I had to tell her the truth.

“I found him,” I said. “I found the immortal pirate.”

CHAPTEREIGHT

MORTAL RIVALS

Captain Elian Westin

This stop in Calbrock Bay was beginning to shape up into something utterly worth my precious time.

A simple stop for provisions had brought me one hearty young soul that would grant me a few more years as a thirty-something year old man, and a delightful surprise I could never have predicted.

I stood before my wall of maps. I’d had been collecting them for centuries. I’d started during my time in the Wizard’s of Myrity training, and hadn’t been able to pass up one since. I’d learned to draw them up myself, and had quite the collection now.

There were maps of the dragon-born realm, the human realm, and all of the realms in between. I had yet to fully map out and explore elf territory, but it was on my list of tasks to accomplish with the decade.

I pulled one of the maps off the wall, and held it taut in my hands. It was delicate. I’d given more than I’d wanted to in exchange for it. The witch I’d bargained with knew how to strike a bargain. It was incomplete. There was a missing element that would show me the way to what my heart truly desired.

Magic was the missing ingredient and immortality was the prize.

Finally, I might have someone who could help me seek out the one thing I’d been searching for since I started my career as a pirate.

A sea-folk maiden…with legs.

I didn’t know what sorcery was used to help her achieve land legs, but it was bloody brilliant. I’d much like to meet who was responsible. I’d pay good money for the spell, or force it out of them.

I raked a hand through my hair and chuckled. How I simply stumbled upon her the other night was a miracle I couldn’t afford to ignore.

Lucky indeed.

I’d smelled her from a mile away. She was like a beautiful golden flower in a pile of rubbish. Unmistakable. The kiss we’d shared had been beyond my imagination, and I’d nearly lost myself within it.

It was like touching the sun. Once one touched true power, there was no turning back.

I just hoped no one else would discover her secret.

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