The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (43 page)

He gazed at Aiva, sympathetic. Reaching out, he wrapped her in a gentle embrace, rubbing her back in attempts to soothe her. “Do not fret, Aiva,” he whispered. “I can attempt to speak with him. There is no guarantee he will open up to me, but as his future brother, perhaps I could get him to tell me something.”

Warmth flooded her eyes, grateful for Kaemin’s support, sinking against his chest. Everything was getting out of control. People were dying around them and still the familiar assuming rumors flew like wildfire, much like they did at court. Was there no escaping it? Would she ever be free of the watchful eyes that constantly awaited her to make a mistake only to poke at it until it became something swollen and out of control? “Thank you,” she said quietly, the words nothing more than a breath to Kaemin’s ear. “I don’t know what I would have done without you on this journey. I am forever in your debt.”

“I haven’t done anything,” he grinned, giving one last hard squeeze before pulling away, his hands remaining lightly against Aiva’s arms. “We are friends. Soon enough family. I’m convinced you would do the same for me. You owe me nothing but to smile. I don’t see you do that nearly enough these days.”

She couldn’t help laughing through the tears threatening to fall. It was funny to think of how far they had come in only a few short weeks since the night of her parents’ celebration. In that time they had somehow become adults. Not only in age, but in life. Everything was so trivial back then. To think what had been so crucial at the time was laughable now in the face of so much danger and hardship. It had brought them closer together. “I’m looking forward to the day I can call you brother, Kaemin,” she smiled, standing on her tiptoes to place a friendly kiss upon his cheek. “Calie is the luckiest woman in Tanispa.”

“Kaemin.” Callum’s voice rang loudly in Aiva’s ears, startling her and Kaemin with the closeness. He had approached silently, the sand having muffled the sound of his feet.

Turning to look at him, Kaemin let his hands fall away from Aiva’s arms, nodding to Callum sharply in acknowledgement of his presence. “Captain?”

Aiva gazed at Callum longingly. She wanted so badly to lead him away. To tell him everything she wanted to say. But something in his eyes told her now wasn’t the time. He looked tired. Drawn. A hint of sadness could still be seen in their dim umber glow, fighting to avoid Aiva’s curious stare. “Ashoec and Kehprit are going to scout ahead along the coast, in case Edric has brought the ship to port further east to avoid coming too close to Vaeduec territory,” he stated, quiet yet stern. “I recommend you both find a place to sleep for the night. If Edric is located, we will be on our way early.”

“Of course, Sir,” Kaemin gave a half-smile, looking to Aiva apologetically. “Rest well, Princess. It will do you some good.”

She tried to return his smile, the expression no longer feeling appropriate, uncomfortable for the muscles in her lips. Her legs moved her forward a step, halted by the sudden realization that Callum was still standing there, eyes locked on her, filled with anguish unlike anything she’d seen before. Her heart wrenched at the sight. Whatever was in his mind, he was miserable. Agonized. His mouth opened, lingering for a moment before he finally brought himself to turn away.

“Callum,” she called out, stepping toward him, unsure of what she would say if he gave her the chance. It came as no surprise that he chose not to pause, ignoring her, his pace quickened to find his way back among the men on the beach.

Head bowed, she felt the weight return, heavy upon her shoulders, bearing down on her. Unforgiving. No matter what she did, it was as if the entire world was against her. Every time things started to go her way, everything shifted drastically, leaving her cold and alone, her heart growing heavier. Tired. How did anyone cope with such a feeling? If love was supposed to be so wonderful, why did it do nothing but hurt? It was as if the Syet had fired an arrow directly into her heart, letting the toxic substance on the tip slowly eat away until eventually there would be nothing left.

You need to sleep
. It sounded pleasant to consider. Rest. Yes. That was what she needed. If she just closed her eyes for a little while… shaking her head, she slowly made her way toward the others, dragging her feet through the sand with every step. Sleep would change nothing. Too many times she had comforted herself at the thought of waking to find everything perfect again, though she knew it was false hope. Her eyes would close and upon opening in the morning, everything would still be the same mess it was now. She could only hope that after a night of rest Callum might find himself more amenable to accepting her request for a much-needed conversation. Tomorrow she would tell him everything. Once her thoughts had been spoken, it would be in the hands of the gods to determine their fate.

Sleep evaded Aiva. Lying on her back she let her gaze settle on the stars, admiring their beauty in the open sky. Every wave that crashed upon the shore was a constant reminder of where they were… and where her brother was supposed to be. What was keeping him? The Mialan waterway was one of the safest passages south from Tanispa. Edric should have arrived long before them.

Her stomach churned at the horrible thoughts that floated through her head. Pirates. It was the only thing that made sense. If a rescue attempt was expected, they might have sent another ship along the coastlines to intercept. Edric was a skilled fighter, but he knew little of naval tactics. In the event of an attack, he would be at a disadvantage. Callum should have been on the ships. He and General Cadell were familiar with battling at sea. Edric would have been far more suited to traverse the desert.

But the desert was no less dangerous. Had he been there, it might have been Edric being fired upon by the Syet. It could have been him where Lorand lay spread across the sand, paralyzed from the poison that laced the arrow which penetrated his skin. And what of her father? He was to travel the Nahpoa Sea with General Cadell. Both were seasoned soldiers, familiar with the Namiren troops that might pose a threat on their way to Luquarr, but there was no way to guarantee safe passage south. Her entire family was in jeopardy. And she was trapped in the desert, unable to help them. Unaware of their fate. Watching the other men slowly die around her.

Everyone seemed to find sleep far more successfully than her. Covered in their blankets, Aiva could see them along the beach. There were so few left. They would be worthless in a fight against the pirates. Even when faced with Ireni at the ravine, there was doubt of their ability to fend off the enemy, and their numbers were greater then.

The pressure of the situation was becoming evident in Callum’s expression, though he hid it well from the others. She admired the strength he exhibited, his words positive to encourage the men that they would succeed and find their way to Luquarr, though she knew he had his own doubts. As their leader, he couldn’t let anyone know his true feelings. They relied on him for support. A rock to lean on. And he played the role well. She no longer questioned the reasons why Callum was granted the position of Captain. He deserved it more than anyone.

Closing her eyes she tried to will herself to sleep. Her body ached from the trip, exhausted from the stress and exertion of travel. She listened to the waves, their gentle crash against the shore failing to provide the peace Aiva desired to lull herself into unconsciousness.

An odd splash sounded in the distance. Aiva allowed her eyes to open, straining her ears to determine what caused the noise. A fish? It seemed too close to shore. Too large. Arms lowered to her sides, she flattened her palms against the sand, reaching with her internal energy in search of any sign of life beyond the sleeping men. Her efforts were hindered by the lack of anything from which to draw the information she desired. A flicker of something played at the edges of her senses. Something was there. She just couldn’t identify what. The sensation could have been created by anything within the sea.

Her heart pounded, crashing against the inside of her chest. Sitting up, she cried out instinctively at the sight of several shadowy figures surrounding her, their shape outlined by the light from the moon. They appeared human, their limbs not matching those of the Feh Noq or Syet. They closed on her quickly before she could get to her feet, locking her in their grasp. Two of the figures secured her arms behind her back, pinning her tightly between their bodies to prevent her from getting away. “Let me go!” she shouted, throwing her weight forward in attempts to break free. They held firm, tightening their grip, making it more difficult for her to gain the momentum required to continue her struggle.

“I don’t think so, Princess,” a female voice drawled from somewhere in the darkness. Soft. Velvety. Filled with pleasure at seeing Aiva restrained. “Hold her still,” the woman commanded. “I want to get a good look at this one.”

Through the shadows cast around the area in the moonlight, Aiva watched a tall, slender form take shape before her, a pair of dimly glowing brown eyes peering at her from the darkness. With every step, the features became more apparent, coming into focus. The woman’s hair hung low, blonde strands picked up by the sea breeze to flutter about her face. Her pants appeared cut of leather or some strange animal skin, clinging tightly to her long legs. She let her hand rest on the hilt of a sword hanging from the belt wrapped around her petite hips. The shirt she wore was thin. White. Covered in dirt; dampened from the spray of water.

Footsteps signaled the approach of more people. Behind the woman, Aiva watched in horror as the other men were brought forward, held securely by their enemy. “One of them got away,” a gruff voice announced irritably. “He headed east. Do you want us to begin a track?”

“Their Commander is the only one I care about,” the woman replied, a hint of disdain evident in her tone as she looked over the men. “Is he the one who fled?”

“You know better than to think I would run, Ireni.” Callum’s voice was harrowed, though the mere sound of it helped to ease some part of Aiva’s frantic mind. He was alive. As long as he was safe, he would think of a way to get them out of this.

What are you thinking?
She couldn’t expect Callum to do everything. They were all in the same predicament. Without access to their weapons, there was little to be done against the enemy. If she could think of some way to distract them. The slightest loss of focus could be used to their advantage, but it was impossible to think. Ireni was there. The woman responsible for placing her entire family in danger over some pathetic attempt at revenge.

Ireni smiled coyly. “I missed you, Callum. Do you have any idea how hard you are to track down?”

Ireni’s men brought Callum forward, positioning him beside Aiva. He was putting up a valiant effort to get away, finding his attempts futile against the four men that fought to keep him captive. One of the men drew a dagger from a sheath at his wrist, pressing it against the side of Callum’s neck. “Stop moving or I’ll slit your throat.”

Callum’s struggling eased, staring menacingly ahead at Ireni. “The King and Queen know who you are. Even if you kill us, they will hunt you. The Feh Noq are already aware of the lies you presented to pass through their lands. You’ll find further attempts at traversing the desert less accommodating.”

“I’m not afraid of your King.”

“You should be,” Aiva snapped, renewing her efforts to get away. “My father will cut your head from your shoulders for what you’ve done.”

A bell-like laugh echoed through the area. “Is this really her, Callum?” Ireni asked, stepping closer to Aiva. “I expected something different. There’s nothing to this one.” Roughly, Ireni grabbed Aiva’s chin, twisting her head from side to side. “She’s not even that pretty. A bit scrawny. What did you ever see in her?”

“Keep your hands off her,” Callum stated, eerily calm. “I’m the one you have business with. Let the others go.”

“My darling, you’re mistaken. You see, I have business with the girl,” Ireni prodded painfully at Aiva’s chest. “She’s the one we wanted. Acquiring the other was an embarrassing mistake that we’ll be sure to rectify.”

Callum drew in a breath, grimacing as the dagger pressed tighter against his throat. “You don’t have to take her. We can discuss your terms if you just tell me what you want.”

“What I want?” Ireni rolled her eyes. Casually she made her way over to Callum, moving uncomfortably close. Aiva felt an unbelievable desire to push her away from him, but she was held firm, her wrists aching from where the men’s fingers pressed against the skin. Her heart raced at her inability to get to Callum. A sting of some emotion tugged at the edges of her mind. Jealousy? Yes. She was jealous of this woman who now leaned in to Callum’s ear, whispering something inaudible. Callum smirked, a hint of disgust in his eyes at what Ireni said.

“Well, you won’t be getting that.”

“No?” Wrapping her hand around the back of Callum’s neck, Aiva watched, envious, as Ireni pressed her lips against his, the gesture filled with more passion than Aiva cared to see. She tried to avert her gaze, unable to bring herself to look away, frozen in silence to see another woman with Callum. Her husband.