Viper and Steel by Megan O'Russell

Author:Megan O'Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ink Worlds Press

28

KAI

“Of all the sodden spirits to show up in my office”―Lord Nevon kept his grip on his knife―“I never thought Kai Saso would be the one to haunt me.”

“I never thought I’d have to crawl across rooftops in the pouring rain to reach the docks, but this is where the gods have dropped us.” Kai stepped closer to Lord Nevon’s desk.

“You’re a ghost.” Lord Nevon raised his knife.

“I’m not.” Kai reached for him. Blood dripped from his fingertips. “I promise I’m not.” He wiped the blood on his coat. “I slipped on a roof in the rain and ripped my fingers open. I tore my feet up, too, so there are bloody footprints going up your stairs, but I had to leave my boots behind. They were too slick in all the wet.”

“You’re alive.” Lord Nevon’s hand shook as he set down his knife. “You’re actually alive.”

“Yes, sir. I snuck in to see you because I’d like to keep it that way.”

Lord Nevon sank into his chair. “Your ship wasn’t lost. After all that searching―”

“Our ship was lost, sir.” Kai dared to step right up in front of the desk. “She went down in the southern storms. Most of our crew never made it out. Eleven of us reached the shores of Pamerane, Captain Devlin included.”

“Devlin is alive?” A flash of something dark flickered through Lord Nevon’s eyes. “Where is he?”

“I’ve no idea, sir. Last I saw him, he was about to get on a Pameranian ship sailing for Ilara. Drew and I made our way here by land. If the captain hasn’t made it back yet, I’m afraid I have to believe he and the other men are dead.”

Lord Nevon buried his face in his hands.

“It was Sorcerer Roo who forced us into the southern storms. She took control of the ship and refused to listen to reason. The blood of every sailor lost is on her hands. The captain sent letters ahead of him from Pamerane, telling you and the King what Sorcerer Roo had done.”

“I never received any such letter.”

“I didn’t think you would.” Grief and anger pressed against Kai’s lungs. “Roo told us the Lady Sorcerer wants to take control of the Sailors Guild, of all the Guilds. With the sorcerers grabbing for power, I knew there wasn’t a chance of the captain’s letter making it to you or the King without the sorcerers interfering. I knew they’d never let the survivors back into Ilara to tell the truth of what happened on our ship. That’s why Drew and I left the rest of the crew.

“We dared to cross through the southern mountains so that if the captain didn’t reach Ilara, the truth wouldn’t die with him. And now I’m here and you know the truth and the city has fallen further than I ever thought it could and I don’t know what else to say.”

“Sit.” The captain pointed to the chair in front of his desk.

“But―”

“A ruined chair is the least of our worries. Sit, Sailor Saso.

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