The Queen Underneath by Stacey Filak

Author:Stacey Filak
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Page Street Publishing Co.
Published: 2018-04-03T00:00:00+00:00

On the evening of their second day in Brighthold, Tollan and Wince were sitting in the sweltering attic of the manor house, their gazes fixed on the newly discovered view of Dockside. They had exhausted their desire for cards and dice games and had fallen into a watchful stupor.

A handful of people scuttled along the shore, their movements as fleeting and mysterious as that of an anthill. There was no telling whether the people there were friend or enemy, the distance was too great, but Tollan was infatuated with them as they went about their business.

Suddenly, beside him, Wince gasped. “Look,” he said, pointing away from the shore and into the depths of the Hadriak.

Tollan’s gaze followed where he indicated and his heart began to pound. There were ships coming, a whole fleet of ships. As he watched Tollan counted at least ten. Then, across the horizon, he saw the crimson sails of his mother’s ship. “Oh, Aegos,” he said, his mouth dry. “The pirates have come home.”

As he raced down the attic’s ladder and through the rooms of the manor’s top floor, Tollan pondered the arrival of the pirate fleet, and more personally important, his mother. Just days before, he had wished fervently for her return, but now all he felt was a nervous panic.

Without stopping to think, Tollan burst into the library, trembling with pent up energy.

“Ships!” he hissed, flailing his arm to point in the general vicinity of Dockside. “Ten, at least!” His hand struck a tall vase, which tumbled off its pedestal, hit the floor and shattered with enough noise to wake the dead.

“Oh, prick,” Elam moaned, turning back to the library window. He looked out the window with a pained expression before a hint of relief crossed his face. He held his hand up before the window and snapped his fingers twice in the same odd way he’d done to Gemma at the hospit.

Tollan cleared his throat, drawing Elam’s attention back to the library. “I’m sorry,” he said, bending to pick up a piece of the shattered vase. “Did someone see you?” His voice trembled slightly.

Elam moved toward where he knelt. “Devery was out there,” he said, bending to help Tollan pick up the pieces. “For good or ill, we’re not alone any longer.” His hand brushed Tollan’s, and their eyes met for a long moment as each of them leaned over the shards. “You were saying, about the ships?” Elam leaned closer, a soft, reckless smile on his lips. Tollan, eyes wide and heart pounding unevenly, leaned in, too. Tollan took a shaky breath. Their lips met. A thrill of excitement raced through Tollan as his lips parted slightly at the probe of Elam’s tongue.

“What are we going to do about those prickling boats?” Wince blurted, bursting into the room.

Tollan bent to examine the piece of vase in his hands, while Elam scooted quickly away. Neither one made eye contact with Wince, who stood in the doorway, mouth open and eyes wide.

“What in the Void happened to that vase?” Wince stammered.

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