Page 380 of Kingdoms of Night

Pushing the image of the black fingermarks on Dame’s dress to the back of her mind, she took a deeper breath and settled in to listen.

Nico looked left and right, the lightning reflecting in his big eyes. “I’d wish for a dog.”

This was a new one. “What made you think of that?”

“Do you remember when we were in Khem, at the trader’s dock?”

How could she forget? The Brunes had stopped there for supplies shortly after leaving Wylfenden, their home kingdom. Two down-on-their-luck thieves had attempted to steal everything from belowdecks while the Brunes were at the market. Since the criminals had simply been hungry and hardly more than boys, Isa and Nico had put up enough of a fight to put them off their mission, sending them away with a serving of flatbread.

“Of course. I don’t remember any dogs though.”

“There was a spotted one on shore. I saw him through the porthole before the thieves attacked,” he said. She’d never stop being amazed by his ability to shove away the bad and enjoy the good in their awful life. “A lady with a big…” He snickered.

“Nico. Behave.”

“Shoulder pack. I was going to say shoulder pack.”

Isa poked him playfully. “Sure you were.”

“The dog had a ball she threw for him. He fetched it as they walked past the docks.”

“A dog, then. Second wish?”

The ship lurched forward and Isa just barely caught Nico as he was thrown from his bed. A great crack sounded and a scream pierced the thunder’s drumming. They hadn’t had a storm like this during their indenture. Though many said this run of the ocean was highly dangerous, so far they’d been lucky. Well, lucky in weather, not lucky in anything else.

Isa tucked him back in and handed him the rope she kept tied to the brass ring on the wall. “Stay here.”

“No. Isa!”

His voice faded under the storm’s riotous noise and the shouting on the upper deck. Isa grabbed her hem and ran up the stairs. Lightning exploded across the night sky. Seigneur Brune was shouting orders to the crew while Dame Brune held tight to the side of the ship. Waves crested high and crashed over the deck, soaking Isa’s flimsy shoes.

“Witch.” Dame thrust herself forward, grabbing Isa’s arms with pinching fingers. The soaked feather from her fancy headdress fell over one side of her slim, pale face. They nearly fell to the deck as another wave rocked the ship. “This is all your fault. You’re cursed, and that boy too. Ursane told me about his mark.” Dame whirled around to shout at her husband. “We must throw her over. It’s her foul magic that’s causing this.” She extended her arm, showing the black finger marks.

Isa pulled away. “Or it could be that your husband chose to sail the most dangerous stretch of water in the known world in search of treasure he doesn’t need and it’s finally catching up to him.”

Dame grabbed her again and lashed nails across her face. Hot blood streamed down Isa’s chin and throat. Rain beat down and washed it into her dress, its chill numbing the pain of her beatings.

Nico hobbled out of the stairwell. “Leave her alone!”

“Nico, go back down.” Isa wanted to pry Dame’s hand from her arm, but Dame might do worse if Isa kept antagonizing her. Instead, she looked at Nico pleadingly.

Thunder rocked the very boards of the ship and everyone lost their footing—sailors and nobles alike. Lightning washed the tied-down sails and the mast in blinding white. The roll of the deck tore Dame from Isa.

“Get below!” Seigneur waved at Dame and Ursane, who was grasping desperately to a lashed barrel.

Dame’s head twisted and her gaze locked on Nico, who was frowning and wiping his eyes. The ship listed and he fell against the stairwell archway. Blood ran down his ear. Dame crawled to him as the ship groaned. Seigneur shouted orders that sounded more like pleas for help. The sailors worked to pull down the sails, shouting and oblivious to the drama unfolding.

Dame gripped Nico’s arm and hoisted him to his feet.

Isa saw red.

She ran, slipping on the wet decking and banging her knee hard. Gritting her teeth, she struggled to her feet.

“Get your hands off him.”

Ursane launched herself at Isa and grabbed the back of her dress. Ursane shoved Isa down, then produced a dagger. Ursane put the dagger to Isa’s throat. The steel bit at the skin below her jaw.

Dame’s grin was disgusting. She dragged Nico a step closer. “You’re both cursed. I’m not about to die for a couple of lazy, lackwit servants.” She pulled Nico to the side of the ship. The storm growled and the sky split with two quick bursts of lightning.

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