Page 110 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

Snarls erupted behind Meyah, and Lessia’s heart skipped a beat when several of the men behind her shifted into different terrifying creatures: three wolves with fangs as long as Lessia’s arms; two birds that resembled eagles but were as large as the wolves, with jagged beaks that looked as if they could snap a person in half.

But they weren’t the worst ones.

No, the massive ebony snake coiling up the mast beside them was.

Even Merrick stiffened behind her as he noticed it.

The serpent was identical to the one Rioner kept as a companion.

The one he modeled the mark of the blood oath on.

The one he liked to feed his enemies to.

Raine and Kerym stalked forward to join Merrick, and while the latter dragged her back so that she stood between Kerym and Merrick, Venko slipped behind them, his breathing heavy as he peeked over her shoulder.

Ardow cast her a desperate look where he stood frozen, Meyah’s hand still wrapped around his arm, and mouthed, “I’m so sorry.”

“Stand down.” Meyah raised a hand, and while the wolves still paced back and forth behind her, the snake continuing to lap the air with its cruel tongue, they didn’t charge.

Kerym let out a cool laugh that shuddered through her. “Why? This was beginning to look like fun.”

“Shut up,” Lessia and Merrick snarled at the same time.

Raine leaned forward so he could roll his eyes at Kerym. “I told you—they’re equally boring.”

“I will show you how boring I can be if you don’t shut your mouth,” Lessia hissed. “Now.” She switched her glacial stare to Meyah. “Tell me what the fuck is going on.”

Meyah dragged a hand through her hair, making the curls even wilder than they’d been before. “You didn’t think you just happened to cross paths with us today, did you?”

When Lessia only glared at her, Meyah let out a pitying sound. “Oh, you did! I’m sorry to break it to you, but we’ve had eyes on you since you left Ellow.”

Lessia’s eyes flew to Ardow.

“He didn’t know.” Meyah patted his arm as she released him, and Ardow quickly returned to the group, taking up the spot beside Kerym. “But one of us on this ship has a very special kind of magic that allows us to use whoever we please as a spy… And who better than dear Ardow here.”

“A mind seer,” Merrick muttered. “I should have known.”

“Well, fuck.” Raine grasped within his shirt, making everyone standing ahead tense before they realized he was only bringing a bottle to his lips, his swallows echoing in the thick silence.

Lowering his voice, Merrick leaned in, whispering into Lessia’s ear. “It’s a type of mind-bender, but instead of reading your thoughts, he or she only needs to connect with a mind once, and then they can see through the person’s eyes. Rioner’s family used them as spies, but I thought they went all but extinct in the war when the shifters found out about them.”

“Yes, one of the dear half-Fae on the vessel is a mind seer.” Meyah rolled her neck. “It’s been quite helpful to gather intel. The only thing we’ve struggled with is getting intel from Rioner… See, his guards are quite well versed in protecting their minds against this type of magic.” Meyah shrugged. “We needed someone who wasn’t—someone who would be able to get close to Rioner.”

Lessia’s stomach sank.

She didn’t mean…

“Look at you catching on.” Meyah placed a hand on her chest, her head cocking. “We knew you were special, Elessia, but finding out you are the king’s niece? Amazing! And then your father and sister join the party?”

Meyah clapped her hand over her heart, the slow beat drumming through Lessia.

“We didn’t particularly care who of you we’d send back, but alas, your father isn’t here, and you seem to have learned something from the tedious training these Fae put you through. Your sister, on the other hand? Apparently, it was quite easy to connect to her mind. Our dear voider was a prisoner desperate to get back to his master, so with that very special skill of his own he brought your sister back as the perfect spy in Rioner’s midst.”

The smells and sounds of Rioner’s cellar slammed into her, but it wasn’t panic that roiled in her gut as she took a step toward the rebel leader.

“You…” Lessia shook her head as her vision flickered, her voice dangerously even as she continued. “I’m going to kill you. All of you.”

Merrick’s magic wrapped around her as she spoke, the whispers echoing the rage filling every inch within her.

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