Empire of Storms
Page 67
Silence fell again. Aelin said to Rolfe, “Thank you for your hospitality.”
And then turned away. She made it a step before he demanded, “That’s it?”
She looked over her shoulder, Rowan approaching her side. Aelin let a bit of that flame rise to the surface. “Yes. If you will not give me an armada, if you will not unite what is left of the Mycenians and return to Terrasen, then I’ll find someone else who will.”
“There is no one else.”
Again, her eyes went to the map on his table. “You once said I would pay for my arrogance. And I did. Many times. But Sam and I took on your entire city and fleet and destroyed it. All for two hundred lives you deemed less than human. So perhaps I’ve been underestimating myself. Perhaps I do not need you after all.”
She turned again, and Rolfe sneered, “Did Sam die still pining after you, or did you finally stop treating him like filth?”
There was a choking sound, and a slam and rattle of glasses. She looked slowly to find Rowan with his hand around Rolfe’s neck, the captain pressed onto the map, the figures scattered everywhere, Rowan’s snarling teeth close to ripping off Rolfe’s ear.
Fenrys smirked a bit. “I told you to choose your words carefully, Rolfe.”
Aedion seemed to be doing his best to ignore his father as he said to the captain, “Nice to meet you.” Then he strolled toward where Aelin, Dorian, and Lysandra waited by the door.
Rowan leaned in, murmuring something in Rolfe’s ear that made him blanch, then shoved him a bit harder into the table before stalking for Aelin.
Rolfe set his hands on the table, pushing up to bark some surely stupid words at them, but went rigid. As if some pulse thrashed through his body.
He turned his hands over, fitting the edges of his palms together.
His eyes lifted—but not to her. To the windows.
To the bells that had begun ringing in the twin watchtowers flanking the mouth of the bay.
The frantic pealing set the streets beyond them halting, silencing.
Each bleat’s meaning was clear enough.
Rolfe’s face went pale.
Aelin watched as black—darker than the ink that had been etched there—spread across his fingers, to his palms. Black such as only the Valg could bring.
Oh, there was no doubt now that the map worked.
She said to her companions, “We leave. Now.”
Rolfe was already storming toward her—toward the door. He said nothing as he flung it open, striding onto the quay, where his first mate and quartermaster were already sprinting for him.
Aelin shut the door behind Rolfe and surveyed her friends. And the cadre.
It was Fenrys who spoke first, rising to his feet and watching through the window as Rolfe and his men rushed about. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
Dorian said quietly, “If that force reaches this town, these people—”
“It won’t,” Aelin said, meeting Rowan’s stare. Pine-green eyes held her own.
Show them why you’re my blood-sworn, she silently told him.
A hint of a wicked smile. Rowan turned to them. “Let’s go.”
“Go,” Fenrys blurted, pointing to the window. “Where?”
“There’s a boat,” Aedion said, “anchored on the other side of the island.” He inclined his head toward Lysandra. “You’d think they’d notice a skiff being tugged out to sea by a shark last night, but—”
The door banged open, and Rolfe’s towering figure filled it. “You.”
Aelin put a hand on her chest. “Me?”
“You sent that magic out there; you summoned them.”
She barked a laugh, pushing off the table. “If I ever learn such a useful talent, I’d use it for summoning my allies, I think. Or the Mycenians, since you seem so adamant they don’t exist.” She glanced over his shoulder—the sky was still clear. “Good luck,” she said, stepping around him.
Dorian blurted, “What?”
Aelin looked the King of Adarlan over. “This isn’t our battle. And I won’t sacrifice my kingdom’s fate over a skirmish with the Valg. If you have any sense, you won’t, either.” Rolfe’s face contorted with wrath—even as fear, deep and true, shone in his eyes. She took a step toward the chaotic streets but paused, turning to the Pirate Lord. “I suppose the cadre will be coming with me, too. Since they’re now my allies.”
Silently, Fenrys and Gavriel approached, and she could have sighed with relief that they did so without question, that Gavriel was willing to do whatever it took to stay near his son.
Rolfe hissed, “You think withholding your assistance will sway me into helping you?” But far beyond the bay, between the distant, humped islands, a cloud of darkness gathered.
“I meant what I said, Rolfe. I can do fine without you, armada or no. Mycenians or no. And this island has now become dangerous for my cause.” She inclined her head toward the sea. “I’ll offer a prayer to Mala for you.” She patted the hilt of Goldryn. “A bit of advice, from one professional criminal to the other: cut off their heads. It’s the only way to kill them. Unless you burn them alive, but I bet most would jump ship and swim to shore before your flaming arrows can do much damage.”
“And what of your idealism—what of that child who stole two hundred slaves from me? You’d leave the people of this island to perish?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “I told you, Rolfe, that Endovier taught me some things.”
Rolfe swore. “Do you think Sam would stand for this?”
“Sam is dead,” she said, “because men like you and Arobynn have power. But Arobynn’s reign is now over.” She smiled at the darkening horizon. “Seems like yours might end rather soon as well.”
“You bitch—”
Rowan snarled, taking all of a step before Rolfe flinched away.
Rushing footsteps sounded, then Rolfe’s quartermaster filled the doorway. He panted as he rested a hand on the threshold, the other gripping the sea dragon-shaped pommel of his sword. “We are knee-deep in shit.”
Aelin paused. Rolfe’s face tightened. “How bad?” the captain asked.
He wiped the sweat from his brow. “Eight warships teeming with soldiers—at least a hundred on each, more on the lower levels I couldn’t see. They’re flanked by two sea-wyverns. All moving so fast that it’s like storm winds carry them.”
Aelin cut a glance at Rowan. “How quickly can we get to that boat?”
Rolfe was gazing at the few ships in his harbor, his face deathly pale. At Ship-Breaker out in the bay, the chain currently beneath the calm surface. Fenrys, seeing the captain’s stare, observed, “Those sea-wyverns will snap that chain. Get your people off this island. Use every skiff and sloop you have and get them out.”
Rolfe slowly turned to Aelin, his sea-green eyes simmering with hate. And resignation. “Is this an attempt to call my bluff?”
Aelin toyed with the end of her braid. “No. It’s convenient timing, but no.”
Rolfe surveyed them all—the power that could level this island if they chose. His voice was hoarse as he at last spoke. “I want to be admiral. I want this entire archipelago. I want Ilium. And when this war is over, I want Lord in front of my name, as it was before my ancestors’ names long ago. What of my payment?”
And then turned away. She made it a step before he demanded, “That’s it?”
She looked over her shoulder, Rowan approaching her side. Aelin let a bit of that flame rise to the surface. “Yes. If you will not give me an armada, if you will not unite what is left of the Mycenians and return to Terrasen, then I’ll find someone else who will.”
“There is no one else.”
Again, her eyes went to the map on his table. “You once said I would pay for my arrogance. And I did. Many times. But Sam and I took on your entire city and fleet and destroyed it. All for two hundred lives you deemed less than human. So perhaps I’ve been underestimating myself. Perhaps I do not need you after all.”
She turned again, and Rolfe sneered, “Did Sam die still pining after you, or did you finally stop treating him like filth?”
There was a choking sound, and a slam and rattle of glasses. She looked slowly to find Rowan with his hand around Rolfe’s neck, the captain pressed onto the map, the figures scattered everywhere, Rowan’s snarling teeth close to ripping off Rolfe’s ear.
Fenrys smirked a bit. “I told you to choose your words carefully, Rolfe.”
Aedion seemed to be doing his best to ignore his father as he said to the captain, “Nice to meet you.” Then he strolled toward where Aelin, Dorian, and Lysandra waited by the door.
Rowan leaned in, murmuring something in Rolfe’s ear that made him blanch, then shoved him a bit harder into the table before stalking for Aelin.
Rolfe set his hands on the table, pushing up to bark some surely stupid words at them, but went rigid. As if some pulse thrashed through his body.
He turned his hands over, fitting the edges of his palms together.
His eyes lifted—but not to her. To the windows.
To the bells that had begun ringing in the twin watchtowers flanking the mouth of the bay.
The frantic pealing set the streets beyond them halting, silencing.
Each bleat’s meaning was clear enough.
Rolfe’s face went pale.
Aelin watched as black—darker than the ink that had been etched there—spread across his fingers, to his palms. Black such as only the Valg could bring.
Oh, there was no doubt now that the map worked.
She said to her companions, “We leave. Now.”
Rolfe was already storming toward her—toward the door. He said nothing as he flung it open, striding onto the quay, where his first mate and quartermaster were already sprinting for him.
Aelin shut the door behind Rolfe and surveyed her friends. And the cadre.
It was Fenrys who spoke first, rising to his feet and watching through the window as Rolfe and his men rushed about. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
Dorian said quietly, “If that force reaches this town, these people—”
“It won’t,” Aelin said, meeting Rowan’s stare. Pine-green eyes held her own.
Show them why you’re my blood-sworn, she silently told him.
A hint of a wicked smile. Rowan turned to them. “Let’s go.”
“Go,” Fenrys blurted, pointing to the window. “Where?”
“There’s a boat,” Aedion said, “anchored on the other side of the island.” He inclined his head toward Lysandra. “You’d think they’d notice a skiff being tugged out to sea by a shark last night, but—”
The door banged open, and Rolfe’s towering figure filled it. “You.”
Aelin put a hand on her chest. “Me?”
“You sent that magic out there; you summoned them.”
She barked a laugh, pushing off the table. “If I ever learn such a useful talent, I’d use it for summoning my allies, I think. Or the Mycenians, since you seem so adamant they don’t exist.” She glanced over his shoulder—the sky was still clear. “Good luck,” she said, stepping around him.
Dorian blurted, “What?”
Aelin looked the King of Adarlan over. “This isn’t our battle. And I won’t sacrifice my kingdom’s fate over a skirmish with the Valg. If you have any sense, you won’t, either.” Rolfe’s face contorted with wrath—even as fear, deep and true, shone in his eyes. She took a step toward the chaotic streets but paused, turning to the Pirate Lord. “I suppose the cadre will be coming with me, too. Since they’re now my allies.”
Silently, Fenrys and Gavriel approached, and she could have sighed with relief that they did so without question, that Gavriel was willing to do whatever it took to stay near his son.
Rolfe hissed, “You think withholding your assistance will sway me into helping you?” But far beyond the bay, between the distant, humped islands, a cloud of darkness gathered.
“I meant what I said, Rolfe. I can do fine without you, armada or no. Mycenians or no. And this island has now become dangerous for my cause.” She inclined her head toward the sea. “I’ll offer a prayer to Mala for you.” She patted the hilt of Goldryn. “A bit of advice, from one professional criminal to the other: cut off their heads. It’s the only way to kill them. Unless you burn them alive, but I bet most would jump ship and swim to shore before your flaming arrows can do much damage.”
“And what of your idealism—what of that child who stole two hundred slaves from me? You’d leave the people of this island to perish?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “I told you, Rolfe, that Endovier taught me some things.”
Rolfe swore. “Do you think Sam would stand for this?”
“Sam is dead,” she said, “because men like you and Arobynn have power. But Arobynn’s reign is now over.” She smiled at the darkening horizon. “Seems like yours might end rather soon as well.”
“You bitch—”
Rowan snarled, taking all of a step before Rolfe flinched away.
Rushing footsteps sounded, then Rolfe’s quartermaster filled the doorway. He panted as he rested a hand on the threshold, the other gripping the sea dragon-shaped pommel of his sword. “We are knee-deep in shit.”
Aelin paused. Rolfe’s face tightened. “How bad?” the captain asked.
He wiped the sweat from his brow. “Eight warships teeming with soldiers—at least a hundred on each, more on the lower levels I couldn’t see. They’re flanked by two sea-wyverns. All moving so fast that it’s like storm winds carry them.”
Aelin cut a glance at Rowan. “How quickly can we get to that boat?”
Rolfe was gazing at the few ships in his harbor, his face deathly pale. At Ship-Breaker out in the bay, the chain currently beneath the calm surface. Fenrys, seeing the captain’s stare, observed, “Those sea-wyverns will snap that chain. Get your people off this island. Use every skiff and sloop you have and get them out.”
Rolfe slowly turned to Aelin, his sea-green eyes simmering with hate. And resignation. “Is this an attempt to call my bluff?”
Aelin toyed with the end of her braid. “No. It’s convenient timing, but no.”
Rolfe surveyed them all—the power that could level this island if they chose. His voice was hoarse as he at last spoke. “I want to be admiral. I want this entire archipelago. I want Ilium. And when this war is over, I want Lord in front of my name, as it was before my ancestors’ names long ago. What of my payment?”
