The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (102 page)

Panic flooded Aiva’s thoughts again. She was stuck. Ireni couldn’t be allowed to fight Callum alone. While she didn’t doubt Callum’s skill at combat, she knew their chance at victory was greater with her there to help him. Ireni was more than a match for him.

Desperate to break free she tried to push the wooden frame away. It was on wheels. She had to be able to move it, even if just enough to get herself out from behind it. Under normal circumstances it wouldn’t have been a challenge. The pain in her body interfered with her senses, muscles trembling from the strain on her injured shoulders. All she needed was an inch. No more than two. Anything to slip away.

Concentrate
. If she could just forget about the pain for a second. She gritted her teeth, pushing forward with all of her might. A scrape along the floor caused her heart to jump, the desire to keep going becoming more fervent. The sound of swords clashing told her that Callum and Ireni were already locked in battle once again. Fire was spreading, the crackle louder than before, thick smoke invading her nostrils with every breath she took. With a final burst of strength she managed to release her feet from where they were pinned. There was no time to worry about securing the ballista. She had to get to Callum. He needed her help.

“It didn’t have to be this way,” Ireni shouted over the roaring flames, bearing down on Callum’s sword to force him closer to the burning planks. “We could have been happy together. But you were too foolish to see that.”

“You never loved me, Ireni. It was all a game,” Callum grunted. Ireni laughed, taking another swing.

“It was a game at first. I wasn’t expecting you to actually catch my interest. Would you believe that I intended to spare you when my men came to take control of the ship? I thought you might be persuaded to come with me back to Luquarr.”

“You were mistaken. I told you even then that my heart was elsewhere – ”

“I thought I could change your mind. You and I could have ruled Luquarr together. Instead you had to go and marry your scrawny little princess.”

Angered by the insult Aiva came up behind Ireni, fingers wrapped through her blonde hair, pulling her backward. For the first time, Ireni’s face contorted in a look of surprise at being caught off guard, quickly recovering to aim her fist toward Aiva’s right shoulder. She knew Aiva’s injuries too well. She would exploit them at every opportunity unless Aiva could find a way to prevent Ireni from touching her. “I may be a scrawny little princess, but you have still failed to kill me.”

“I haven’t killed you, no. However, I did rather enjoy the look on your friend’s face in Palinon when I ran him through.”

The anger inside Aiva boiled into uncontrolled rage to hear Ireni speak of Kaemin. She refused to let go of Ireni’s hair, crying out from every blow which connected with her injured shoulder under Ireni’s fist.

“Aiva, don’t let her get to you,” Callum shouted. In her distraction she’d forgotten about him, her eyes lifted from Ireni to see his face coming toward her. Another strike to her shoulder caused her to stumble back, losing her hold. Frustration welled up to accompany the rage, screaming out as she tried to reach for Ireni again, finding her too fast, the tips of her fingers brushing along Ireni’s shirt, unable to grab on.

“Did I find a sensitive topic, Princess?” Ireni laughed, turning to face Aiva, sword held out, threatening her. “Your friend wasn’t much of a challenge to kill. My blade found its mark without difficulty. I felt his insides punctured, the sound of his flesh tearing… I’ll do the same to you. And then I think I’ll kidnap your husband and make him my slave. You can die knowing that I’ve taken everything you care about.”

Ignoring the pain Aiva pressed forward, sword raised. Focused on her target she narrowed her eyes, intent, determined to find an opening which would grant victory over this vile woman. With newfound vigor she delivered each strike with deadly precision. Ireni’s laughter ceased, brow furrowed in concentration, forced to pay close attention to what Aiva might do next. Gathering what was left of her strength Aiva lunged forward, crying out wildly as the tip of her blade drove through Ireni’s chest, thrust with such power that it sent them both staggering. In that same instant Aiva watched in stunned silence as Ireni’s head tumbled from her shoulders to the floor with a dull thud, revealing Callum’s unflinching eyes from behind.

The world around them seemed to stand still in that moment. Aiva’s hand slid away from the handle of the cutlass. Without her grip on the blade to hold Ireni’s body up, it sank to the ground, blood seeping from the wounds to soak into the deck. Overhead the late afternoon sky was beginning to darken into night, lit now by the conflagration which consumed most of the ship.

Aiva and Callum stood there, staring at one another from over Ireni’s mangled corpse. The surprise of the victory made Aiva doubt whether it was real. Had she been struck and knocked unconscious? Was this all a dream?

A voice called to them from somewhere. Edric. Drawn from her reverie she peered through the dancing flames in search of where the sound had come from. It was too dangerous for him to be there. The ship was sinking.
You need to get moving…
“Callum,” she whispered, offering him her hand. They weren’t in the clear yet. Debris from the masts fell to the ground around them. Sparks scattered along the floor a few inches from Aiva’s feet, forcing her to take a step back.

Callum stepped through the sparks to take Aiva’s hand, guiding her in the direction of Edric’s voice, weaving in and out of the flames. There was a distinct limp to his step. She wanted to ask what was wrong though now was hardly the time. If they didn’t move fast, they would go down with the ship.

Creaks and groans filled the air around them where the ship strained under the damage caused by the fire. Water was already beginning to fill the ship. It leaned hard to port, making balance difficult to maintain while they ran toward Edric. He was standing at the front, near the bowsprit, beckoning them to move faster. By the time they reached him, Aiva could feel her feet starting to slide out from under her at the sharp angle. In an effort to stay afoot Callum gripped the rail, tightening his hold on Aiva, shouting for Edric to take her other hand. The words didn’t quite reach her conscious mind. It was all so surreal. Ireni was dead. They had succeeded. Despite the number of reasons for her to rejoice, she still felt the familiar fear that clutched her heart at the thought of what she would return to their ship to find. Was Cadell dead? Had Ireni defeated him? And what of her own father? She’d lost track of so many people throughout the battle. It haunted her to consider all the horrible possibilities which might await her.

Dazed, she let Edric and Callum pull her over the rail. In the water below was a lifeboat, several soldiers already seated inside. Her heart fluttered to see Gadiel there, waving for her to jump. She couldn’t think coherently enough to ponder the repercussions of the fall. Lost in her thoughts she followed his urgent calls, surprised to discover the distance to be less than she anticipated. The ship was already being claimed by the sea. They would have to row quickly to place enough distance between them and the sinking vessel to avoid being dragged down with it.

Instinctively she reached for one of the oars. Gadiel slapped her hand away, waving her toward the center of the boat where Edric was already helping Callum to sit. “Stay with the Captain, Princess,” Gadiel stated, an apologetic ring to his tone at the realization of what he had done. “Take a seat so you don’t fall. We have to move fast.”

Callum’s arms opened to her invitingly, a pained smile on his face. “Aiva, please,” he said softly. “Will you sit by your brother and me?”

“I suppose I could,” she replied, distracted. The discomfort in her joints was starting to return. It hurt to move, the simple motion of sitting on the seat causing her face to contort in an agonized grimace, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. Seeing the expression on her face Callum pulled her to him, flinching to hear her cry out in pain at the pressure of his embrace.

“Careful, Captain,” Gadiel glanced over his shoulder. “She’s in worse shape than she looks.”

“I’m fine,” Aiva argued, forcing herself to lean into Callum’s chest. She wanted him to hold her. The pain seemed a minor price to pay for the comfort of his arms. He was hesitant at first, afraid to touch her. After a few moments he reluctantly lowered his hands to rest lightly around her, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

“I thought I lost you,” he whispered.

Closing her eyes Aiva shook her head. She couldn’t bear the sadness in his voice. “You thought wrong,” she replied, rubbing his arm lightly with her hand. “I’m merely curious how you discovered where I was.”

“You didn’t think I would notice you not by my side?” Callum gazed down at her, wiping away a stray hair from her face. “My father gave the order to begin firing upon the enemy. I went in search of you but no one knew where you were. When I found your sword lying on the deck… I knew we had to come back for you. I only wish I had been able to protect you better from the start. They should never have been allowed to touch you.” His hand trailed over the shackles which remained clamped around her wrists, the broken chain dangling uselessly where Jaron and Gadiel managed to cut through the links.

“I’m here now. That’s what matters,” she smiled softly. There was no sense dwelling on the possibilities of what could have been. They had won. It was best to simply count their blessings and enjoy a brief respite from the troubles which had plagued them for so long.

They continued on in silence, the only sound that of the oars splashing in the water with every stroke. Callum held her to him, gazing back at the remains of the pirate ship, flames leaping into the air as the water consumed it. Edric sat behind them, his fingers gently running through Aiva’s hair. For the first time in months Aiva felt a sense of complete and utter peace settle over her. There in the tiny lifeboat she had Edric and Callum at her side, the way they’d been so many years ago before Callum left. In his arms she knew things would be better. The worst of the pirate threat had been taken care of. Tanispa would again be free of conflict the way it had been for so long before Siscal called for their aid. And she could go home. The last of their obstacles had been overcome. Soon enough they would find themselves back in Sivaeria. Once they returned, she didn’t want to set foot outside Tanispa again for a very long time.

Upon their return to the ship Aiva watched the soldiers bustling about, repairing damages done by the pirates and treating the wounded. Her eyes scanned the area for the General. Callum had spoken very little since their escape from the sinking pirate vessel which only added to her concern. He was troubled by something. From experience she knew better than to question him about it while the men were within range of hearing what was said. He would hide his true thoughts and feelings until they were within the privacy of a secure room.

Through gritted teeth she tried to smile at the sight of her father coming toward them from the helm. The pressure of Callum’s hand against her back made it difficult to maintain the image of calm she wanted the soldiers to see. They had won. There was no sense in alarming them over her injuries. Like Callum, she desired the men to think of her as a strong fighter. She wanted their respect. Concerns lingered in the back of her mind in regards to what they thought of her, based on her actions while in Tanispa. Kaemin had mentioned the uncertainty held by the people about what kind of queen she would be. It was important that they see her strength. Any weakness would only add to the doubt.

“Aiva! By the gods, I thought we lost you,” Thade exhaled in relief. He paused in front of her, his hands on her arms, looking her over, attentive to every detail. She hoped he wouldn’t notice the distress in her eyes. “You look pale. Come. You should have a seat. Captain, if you would not mind keeping watch over the ship so I can see her off her feet?”

“Of course,” Callum replied, his hand slipping away from Aiva’s back, hesitant, not wanting to let go. Aiva turned to face him, disheartened to think of being separated. He stood there, pale and drawn, fighting to conceal his own pain. There was a noticeable tremble to his hand where it remained held in front of him, his eyes staring down at it in confusion. Slowly he lifted it, twisting his wrist to reveal the palm to Thade. On the skin was the unmistakable sight of blood. “Your Majesty…” he sounded diffident, gazing with concern at Aiva’s dismayed expression.

Immediately Thade began to inspect her for the injury which caused the blood on Callum’s hand. She knew he wouldn’t locate it without the removal of Gadiel’s doublet. It would buy her enough time to insist on getting off the main deck and out of sight from the rest of the soldiers. “Father, it is nothing. Can we please just go elsewhere to sit? I am quite tired.”

“Your back,” Callum started to take a step forward. He didn’t make it far before the weight over his right ankle caused it to buckle, his leg giving out as he collapsed to his knees. Flustered by the fall he tried to regain his composure, jaw clenched, struggling to get to his feet. Edric came to his aid, supporting Callum’s right arm to help him to an upright position. Embarrassment was obvious in his eyes to realize the spectacle he’d made of himself in front of the men. Desperate to ignore the scene he straightened his doublet, setting his gaze on Thade once again. “The blood has soaked through the material of her shirt. Although I see now that, unless she was promoted to commander while aboard the enemy vessel, she no longer wears the same doublet she donned prior to her abduction.”