Page 38 of Daughter of the Dark Sea
As she stretched, she took in the mighty, sky-reaching fortress.
The heart of Aldara.
Her home.
Beyond the docks, a grey, stone wall loomed on the pale sand, stretching the length of the bay. Battlements lined the top, with patrolling soldiers armed to the teeth dotted across in gleaming Talmon silver armour. Behind it, nestled the port town of Stormkeep, filled with taverns, inns, stores, and brothels. Anything a sailor could need after a long time out at sea.
Kora strolled down the dock, her head tipping back as she soaked in the elevated fortress protecting the town on the other side. Made of thick, near-indestructible ivory stone, it wasthree timesthe size of the town, and rose higher than the watch towers at Narrowfen Pass.
Green and black banners, emblazoned with the elongated, four-pointed star insignia, hung from various windows, wafting in the high breeze. Pernicious turrets lined the corners, with archers and harpoons peeking through the slits.
“No! Let go of me!”
A small group of pit guards hauled a writhing, chained figure down the walkway plank onto the dock. Jack Flint whipped his head up, his damp, filthy hair flicking behind him, and horror leaked into his face at the sight of Stormkeep Fortress. He erratically kicked his spindly legs out, the iron chains flying up in the air as he resisted the guards.
“What’s all this?” Kora stopped them by the sandy bay.
“He’s resisting, Captain.”
She frowned at the pirate. “You seemed so ready to die yesterday.”
“Death is not what awaits him,” a guard replied, his voice gravelly.
“Ah, yes. He’ll be sent to trial in the courts of the fortress—”
“No, Captain,” the guard interrupted, his grip tightening on Jack’s shaking body. “He’s going straight to Deadwater Prison.” Jack thrashed at the mention of the prison, and Kora froze in shock.
“With no trial?”
The guard shook his head.
“On whose authority was this decided?” Kora snapped.
“That’ll be mine.” A strong voice drifted from the arched, iron-doored entrance of the fortress wall. Flanked by several silver-armoured soldiers branded with the golden insignia, strode a broad, athletically built male.
He wore dark, tarnished silver armour, with a flowing, dark-forest-green cape clipped to his shoulders. A mighty sword, with a fully golden hilt and pommel, entwined with malachite stone, was sheathed at his side.
Grey strands flecked the sides of his short, wavy, chestnut brown hair—when did he start going grey? Dark stubble lined his strong jaw, and his tanned skin wrinkled as he smiled warmly at only her, displaying a gleaming set of white teeth. Years of training succumbed her to bow in his presence, and thepit guards straightened, hoisting Jack up abruptly. His chains clinked together in the sudden stunned silence that had fallen over the group.
“Commodore.” They all respectfully saluted him, eyes widening in surprise that the esteemed commodore of the empire’s armada was present.
Jack warily gazed at him as he attempted tugging at his shackles, trying to loosen their dooming hold. The commodore halted before Kora, and she peeped through lowered lashes, meeting his warm, brown eyes as he raised a brow curiously.
“Erick,” she spoke smoothly. She could be informal, to an extent, with her adoptive father.
As she straightened, he held out his silver-braced arm, and she clutched it at his elbow as they shook firmly, just as he’d taught her.
“Captain Cadell.” He squeezed her arm gently, and his stare conducted an assessing rake over her.
She knew withthat lookhe was probing for clues as to her whereabouts when they hadn’t returned from their mission scouting Scarlet Bay. A small drop of shame pooled in her depths for causing him worry, for abandoning the mission that’d been granted to her.
“What’s happening with my prisoner?” she enquired as they released each other.
“The Aldara Council have already agreed his crimes are too great.” Erick cast a loathed glare at Jack. “Nor do they have time—or resources right now—to waste with pirate scum. He’ll be incarcerated to Deadwater Prison, without trial.”
Erick produced a small, branded letter from the folds of his armour, and Kora whipped it from his grasp, her eyes absorbing the familiar handwriting on the envelope. Brown stained the edges, and the wax seal had been removed, leaving a red splodge on the closure.
“Blake sent you a hawk,” she gritted the words.
