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ONE WORN BLANKET WAS not enough to keep her warm, and so Anna shivered on the quarterdeck, huddled in a dark corner by the boom, hoping no one would see her. She had flown out of the admiral’s cabin in a fit of rage. Why? Why wasn’t I more diplomatic? I could have had a warm bed. Now I’m destined to freeze out here on this wet deck.
She paused for a moment and looked around at the piles of line, crates, buoys, and seafaring instruments she didn’t recognize. Such a calm night, not a sound disturbed the silence and not a soul walked the deck. What would be her chances if she tried to escape? What if she simply slid into the water and swam ashore?
It was an option. Who would know she had left? The moon cast no light. Who would, see?
Anna walked to the rail and looked out over the dark water that splashed against the hull. She pictured herself diving into the icy sea, her clothes drenched, struggling to stay afloat. Deep, cold, and bottomless. A sure death. Eyeing the distance to shore, she shivered. She could barely see the beach. She would drown before she got there. Why risk it? Is it worth the sacrifice to warn anyone about these pirates? The way I’ve been treated? Where would I go? Back to Kolada?
She returned to her corner by the boom and curled up under the blanket again. No one cared what happened to her, whether she was abducted or died trying to escape. Certainly not the one person she wished would care for her. Barin. A king who she had once loved. Anna sighed as remorse swept through her. If only he did care. Once, long ago, he had cared.
Before Father ruined everything.
Before I destroyed our relationship.
How did I get so confused?
When her father ordered her to do something, she had always jumped at his command without thinking. One misjudgment led to another. He had so cleverly devised his plans of insurrection that once she was entangled in them, she couldn’t escape. Barin’s army won and she had helped him, but it was too late for Anna. Even killing her father did not bring redemption. In the end, here she was—trapped on a ship with the same kind of magic. She could taste the taint again. Was it a memory? Or ....
The same pull that had once drawn her into the Neverworld tugged on her now. It was an evil force, one that fed on her depression. It beckoned her to darkness and promised to be her companion when she had no others. She blinked herself into the present and looked around, cautious of the energy that was monitoring her.
“Ah, Lady Anna,” a voice spoke in the shadows. Anna saw the shape of a woman against the moonlight. “Fancy we should meet again.”
“Airmed,” Anna said, equally low.
“The baron’s daughter, aide to the king. His lover perhaps? Are you not? Does the king of Prasa Potama know you’re on this ship fraternizing with wizards from the Neverworld? Again?”
Anna swallowed as the woman stepped into the moonlight. Airmed stood in front of her with all the charm and beauty of a queen, and all the mystique and vice of the sorceress who had once worked for her father.
Airmed’s voice droned on as fear crept through Anna’s bones.
“I shall enjoy our voyage together, Anna. I’m anxious to learn more about what you’ve been doing all these years. How have you been faring after the death of your father? There’s so much to talk about.”
“I don’t care to talk with you,” Anna said, avoiding the woman’s brilliant green eyes that glowed like cats’ eyes in the shadows.
“Oh, that’s understandable. However, you will talk to me. You will tell me everything.”
“Like what?”
“Little secrets.”
“I have no secrets anymore,” Anna said. Airmed moved closer.
“You do, though. Secrets about your lover.”
Anna shot her a glare. “What lover?”
“Barin.”
“I have nothing to tell you.”
“You’re mistaken, Anna. But I’ll let you rest for now. This might be the only night you will get to. I’ve a mind to tell the admiral about your past. He and his sailors would be amused.”
“Why don’t you leave me alone, Airmed. I have no hostilities toward you.”
The woman smiled. “Oh, you will,” she said and pointed at her. Only a trail of magic sprung from her finger, but it was enough to burn her cheek. Anna lurched from the pain and held her hand over the wound.
She glanced over the guard rail. The water looked rather inviting after all.
“Sleep well tonight, Lady Anna.” As mysteriously as Airmed had come, she vanished, replaced by another figure walking toward her. Hawk.
What does he want?
“I brought you more blankets,” he said as he knelt next to her and unfolded one. Brushing against her, he started.
“You’re so cold,” he said. When he saw the wound, he frowned and gently touched her cheek. “What did that witch do?”
She looked away, still shaking from her contact with Airmed. “It’s nothing.”
Hawk closed his eyes with his hand on the wound and whispered an incantation. The pain left.
“You healed it?”
“If I can keep her from hurting you I will. That wasn’t part of the plan. It’s not why we brought you here, but no one can trust that witch.”
“Why did you bring me here?”
Hawk unfolded a blanket, ignoring her question.
“It’s not right, you sleeping on this wet deck. Why don’t you take the captain’s cabin? It’s not too late.”
“No,” she said.
He sighed heavily. She avoided his eyes. Hawk wrapped one of the fleeces around her shoulders and set the other at her feet.
“What did she say to you?”
“Nothing important. She wanted to talk,” Anna said.
“About what?” he asked
Could she trust him? She knew enough about sorcerers to know they were deceiving even when they seemed to be kind. She regarded him as he leaned close to her. His eyes were dark, like many of the wizards, but he had a gentleness to him, and because of that, his presence gave her chills.
“She wants to know my secrets?”
“I can’t imagine what she’d do with them.” Hawk laughed quietly.
“Why are you here?” Anna asked.
“To give you a blanket, to help you stay warm.”
“I mean on this trip?”
His eyes lit up when he smiled, and he had dimples. “I can’t tell you why we’re here. That would be an infringement of my contract.”
“Contract? You’re for hire? You seem like such a...,” she laughed at the embarrassment she caused herself, “...like such a nice man, and I don’t exactly know what your mission here is, but it can’t be honorable, or it wouldn’t be so secretive.”
“In our world, what we’re doing on this voyage is for the betterment of our people. We’re only secretive so that we don’t initiate fear in the people who live here. We don’t mean to harm anyone. We simply have a need and seek to fulfill it.”
“At our cost?”
“It is life.” He looked away. She regarded the three vials on his belt that glistened in the moonlight. Poison? A spell or charm? Were they meant for her? There was nothing in his features that would suggest he was evil though, not like the wizards she had worked alongside in the Neverworld. And he did heal her, or was that a trick?
“Why would you associate with people like Airmed?” Anna asked.
“She believes in her cause,” he said.
“You weren’t part of the uprising that happened here a few years ago, were you?” she asked.
“I was there.”
“I didn’t see you.”
“No, I tried not to make myself known. Much.”
“Why?”
“I knew what your father was doing, what Airmed was doing, what all the wizards were doing. My heart wasn’t in it.”
“Why did you stay? Why are you here, now?”
When they locked eyes, Anna felt an attraction to him. He must have felt it too, for he sat next to her again, leaned back, and gazed at the stars.
“You must be intuitive,” he said. “You have a Seer’s sense that can perceive what’s inside of me. Are you here to test me?”
“Not at all,” she said. “If I had a Seer’s sense, it would be because I lived under my father’s spell. He had me under his thumb from the time I was a baby. I think I’ve been restored, though. I care not to practice any sort of beguilement ever again.”
“Then please don’t tell anyone about our conversation or that I healed you.”
“I won’t,” she said, curious as to what Hawk would be telling her. Would he be in trouble if she said something?
“I am my brother’s twin. Born of the same space and time, yet he is the elder and chooses the path we take.”
“You’re one person?”
“In essence. We cannot be separated. I follow his will. We’re held together by the magic of our birth. I couldn’t leave him even if I wanted to. Fengard is not a kind person, yet I’m committed to follow him, to support him, to assist him, even to encourage him in his ventures.”
“Oh,” Anna said softly. “That’s worse than being under a spell!” She wanted to reach out and offer comfort. Careful, Anna, a foolish notion. She folded her hands on her lap. “I’m sorry.”
“It is life,” he said again. “It is the way of things. You do what you must.” He looked at her and broke into a smile, but there remained a sadness in his eyes.
“It is hard to go against your heart,” she said, remembering the many times her father had compelled her to do things she didn’t want to do.
“Only when I think about it. I find ways to overcome my...softness. And the admiral understands. He gives me jobs that are not as wicked as what the other sorcerers must do. Like taking care of you, for instance.”
“Well, I appreciate that he didn’t appoint Airmed to take care of me although she seems to have taken that responsibility without his approval.” She shuddered at the thought.
“Airmed does what she wants.”
“And everyone here just lets her?” Anna asked.
“You might say everyone here is Airmed’s prisoner. I included.”
Anna dropped the subject. “I suppose I can’t ask you why I’m here.”
“You can ask. I cannot tell you.”
Anna studied his eyes and when he caught her staring, she looked away.
“I tire. Thank you for healing me but if you don’t mind, I need my sleep. You gave me much to think about. Goodnight.” She put the other blanket over herself, curled up with her back toward him and held her breath, hoping he would walk away.
He might have thought she would give him more time. The setting would be perfect for two people to get to know each other better. The stars, the sea, the gentle slapping of waves against the boat, the aloneness.
Anna had become wiser during these last few years of hardship while paying the price for the burdens she had caused others. There would be no romantic interlude for her tonight, nor for many nights after. She was a prisoner, and she set her mind to accept that. This young man would have to work out his own redemption should he chose to break away from the spell of his birthright.
He walked away silently.
Someone mentioned Hawk’s name and Anna held her breath to listen. The voice was his brother’s. Sheltered in the shadows, she watched them from where she lay.
“Airmed wants us to meet in the gear deck.”
“What for?” Hawk asked, quickly glancing her way. She was certain he couldn’t see her from where he stood.
“She has a plan.”
“A plan? For what.”
“Are you alone out here?” Fengard asked and looked around. Anna leaned back into the shadows.
“Yes. Why? What’s Airmed’s plan?”
“To speed things up. We can’t let an opportunity pass us by. We’re in the man’s kingdom.”
Hawk threw his hands up in the air.
“If her scheme works, no one will be able to pin his murder on us. She wants it to look like Geraldo did it. We’ll return as knights if it works out.”
“If is a big word,” Hawk said.
“Let’s just go hear her out. But I warn you. Don’t cross her. I intend to stay on her good side. As you shall also. Come on.” He slapped Hawk on the shoulder and the two of them hurried off the deck.