Sea of Shadow (Seven Swords Book 3) by Sarah K. L. Wilson

Author:Sarah K. L. Wilson [Wilson, Sarah K. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sparkflight Books
Published: 2022-11-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Back! Back! To the left!” Vargaard coaches me.

Complete chaos has unfolded like a napkin before a feast. Stekkan’s Nakuraki is tearing into Jendaya’s guards like a dog through a nest of ducks and he’s hard on her heels. Mercy screams from just over his head, flying loops over the charge like an enraged hornet.

Stekkan is fighting.

Stekkan is charging into danger. It boggles the mind.

I quickly follow Vargaard’s instructions, until I realize he isn’t taking me deeper into the battle, he’s trying to maneuver me off the ship, and I’m not ready to go yet.

Not without that gem.

I pause and then I step smartly toward my father as my Nakuraki curses loudly in my head.

“One last embrace? Daughter to father?” I ask, speaking loudly to draw my father’s gaze away from the chaos of Jendaya and Stekkan.

“It is unwise to take your eyes off of a fight so close nearby! You could be killed by accident.”

I hope he guards my back well, then.

“Ilsaletta! Please, it cannot be worth it!” Vargaard is pleading.

I say to my father, “Will you not bid me farewell?”

Admiral Redtide finally rips his eyes away from the conflict and they flick to me, but he is still as if trying to think of too many things at once. His fingers flick in a way that might be signals to someone or simply a nervous tick. I see it in his face the moment he realizes this cannot possibly be about daughterly love.

I reach for his palm in a last desperate bid, and his eyes widen as he jerks his hand back.

“Ilsaletta!” he admonishes me. “Is this what you want? The Queen’s treasure? I did not think you to be so grasping. And here I promised your betrothed that you were a well-mannered, quiet slip of a girl.”

“Betrothed,” Vargaard spits. “Let me guess, he’s around here somewhere with a smoke rat.”

“I was once well-mannered and quiet,” I agree, dancing forward, unwilling to let go of his wrist with my free hand. If I have that gem, then I can … well, I don’t know, but if it caused all this then it must also fix it.”

“Anything arising from that artifact can only be evil.”

Vargaard seems distracted and then he grunts and that is enough to call my attention back. I release my father and twist so I can see him. He’s surrounded by sailors, all of them having fledged into true husks now, their freshly rent faces horrific as smoke puffs up from them in unfettered clouds.

Without thinking, I dart forward, sword at the ready.

“Not my men!” my father shouts as my blade bites deep.

Vargaard has thrust a man upon my blade and is reaching for another. I wrench my sword from the first man’s belly only to feel something wrap around my waist and yank me back suddenly. Vargaard loses his grip, sliding with my shadow across the ship deck.

The arms around my belly are my father’s. He is my enemy now.

“Enough of this,” Jendaya yells and I spare her a glance.

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