《Sineater》 Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 1 It was a nice day. The morning breeze held the promise of excitement as we neared the Golden City. We¡¯d been out on a month-long voyage, delivering and collecting goods and now we were back and ready to off load our cargo to our employer and get paid. Then we could enjoy some well-earned relaxation. ¡°Sectum!¡± Storbek, the brown Minotaur first mate, barked my name. ¡°Go tell that lazy brother of yours that we need help securing the cargo before we reach port.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Being the captain¡¯s sons, even if we were both adopted, didn''t exclude us from work on the ship. I was nineteen years old and hadn¡¯t been able to hide behind the veil of being a child for a while. I climbed up the rigging to the crows nest. It was important that we had all the cargo lined up properly. It was a certainty that we were going to get inspected. If we didn¡¯t have things out where the Golden Guard could inspect it, then they¡¯d throw it on the floor to do so. I didn¡¯t want to be the one who had to clean up that mess once they were gone. ¡°Vin!¡± I slapped the eighteen-year-old Camadt on the upper right shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve got to help arrange the cargo!¡± Most beings wouldn¡¯t have gotten this close to a Camadt, let alone smacked one. The four-armed, feline-faced, six-and-a-half foot magical voids were one of the most renowned boogeymen of the universe. Or so I¡¯d been told. I¡¯d never been off-world because Tefira was a prison planet. Plenty of people came, but no one ever left. I¡¯d been born here and I doubted that I¡¯d ever be able to leave. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Leave me alone!¡± My adopted brother lazily swatted at me. ¡°I was at the wheel all night. That exempts me from chores.¡± ¡°Storbek¡¯s orders.¡± I looked over at the dock. The golden armored Elves were lined up on the dock with a pair of hounds. They were going to do a thorough inspection. ¡°They¡¯ve got hounds!¡± I called down to my crewmates. I tapped my brother again. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to need you to do that scary thing.¡± My brother mumbled something, but I wasn¡¯t paying attention because I was climbing down to the deck. ¡°By the ore!¡± Garm Irongut swore as he looked through a spyglass at the dock. The Dwarven captain of the ship and my adoptive father put the instrument away as he turned to me. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± I looked at the door heading below deck, anticipating the order. ¡°Stay up here.¡± Garm nodded at Wizz, our Goblin navigator, who was currently at the wheel. ¡°Bring us in nice and steady Wizz.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Sectum! Where is that fool brother of yours?¡± ¡°Waiting to make a dramatic entrance.¡± I shook my head. Vin knew exactly what he was doing and loved scaring government workers any chance he got. ¡°Bah, Galaden is here. We should probably warn him off from his usual antics.¡± My father looked up at the crows nest. ¡°Nah, we¡¯ve not had some fun in a while.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why Lord Galaden Aryx had a grudge against my father. I knew the bad blood went back to before I was born, while my father had been a part of the royal guard. Other than that, I had no idea why the pompously dressed Elf had it out for my father. ¡°Here they come!¡± The high pitched voice of our navigator announced the boarding party. We hadn¡¯t even docked yet, and the guards were already jumping on board, their armor enchanted with something to extend how far they could jump. One of them kept running across the deck and rammed into me, knocking me over the railing and into the ice-cold water below. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 2 ***Fourteen Years Ago*** The icy water surrendered me. ¡°Steady now!¡± A rough voice was the first thing I heard. I shivered as scaly hands laid me down on the deck. Gentle hands that felt like sandpaper touched the wound on my stomach. ¡°Barren mines! They¡¯re shooting kids now!¡± The rough voice was also soothing for some reason. ¡°Get something hot for him to drink!¡± The Dwarf scowled at someone. ¡°We¡¯re not giving him that. He¡¯s a human child! That stuff is why you¡¯re balder than a naked mole. What do you think it¡¯ll do to him?¡± A hot cup was placed in my hands by a green Ogre. The giant, pig-faced man smiled at me, but that didn¡¯t make him any less scary. ¡°Just sip on it.¡± The Dwarf helped me sit up. ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± My mind started to wander back. ¡°Mommy came and got me, there was a big boom, and¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t remember anything else. ¡°Where¡¯s mommy? Where¡¯s Sa-sa?¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s the only survivor?¡± A Minotaur walked in front of me to talk to the dwarf. I¡¯d never seen so many monsters. I¡¯d only seen them in the picture book my mommy read to me. I looked around. I was on a ship and it was dark out. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. A blue and green scaled snake-man slithered over with a large fur blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders. I¡¯d never seen a snake that was as tall as the ogre. And his mouth was so wide, it looked like he could swallow me in one bite. I did what any five-year-old would do in that situation. I started crying. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay.¡± The Dwarf moved so he could sit next to me and tucked the blanket around me better. ¡°Are you going to take me home?¡± I looked over at the kind man. The Dwarf looked at the Minotaur, then at the ogre. ¡°Your mommy asked me to keep you here for a little bit.¡± He ran his rough fingers through my wet hair and threw something off the side of the ship. ¡°We¡¯re going to go on an adventure! You¡¯re going to learn how to be a sailor and see all kinds of fun things.¡± ¡°And then you¡¯re bringing me back to see mommy?¡± There was silence as the men all stared at each other. No one answered my question. ¡°You¡¯re not bringing me back???¡± New tears started running down my face. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± The Dwarf pulled me closer. ¡°I hope so, kid. I hope so.¡± He looked at someone. ¡°We need to make a bed for the boy. And drop anchor. We¡¯ll take the longboat in.¡± The Minotaur picked me up. ¡°How about we go see your new bed?¡± I was too scared to speak. I didn¡¯t want to go into the ship. I wanted my mommy. I didn¡¯t understand what was happening. The Minotaur put me down in a hammock and took the mostly empty cup away from me, then tucked me in. The tears hadn¡¯t stopped and I couldn¡¯t speak. For some reason I was so tired. Maybe it was because I¡¯d been playing. It was so dark outside. Maybe it was time to sleep. The hammock was rocking slowly and the Minotaur was humming. It didn¡¯t take long for sleep to claim me. *** Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 3 Nostalgia washed over me as the sea surrendered me again. ¡°You trying to drink the whole port?¡± Garm stomped over to me as the Thizzer dropped me back on the deck. I coughed saltwater out of my lungs as I knelt over in front of the old Dwarf. ¡°Get the boy something warm!¡± The old Dwarf pulled off his warm fur jacket and threw it around my shoulders. I¡¯d never understood why the thick skinned Dwarf always wore the heavy thing. It had been made from the fur of one of the native beasts on the planet. The captain would tell stories about how he slew the creature, but I¡¯d never heard the same story twice. I wasn¡¯t sure what the real story was, but I knew it was special to him. A warm drink was shoved into my hands. Most ships would have had a mage on board that would have been able to dry me out, but our ship had a Camadt on board. Mages feared being around the magical voids, something that Vin wasn¡¯t afraid to use to his advantage. My brother stretched up to his full height to tower over the Elves. The guards backed up. Clashing with the Camadt would be disastrous for the enchantments on their armor. While it wouldn¡¯t be enough to destroy the magic completely, it would drain it of its power, making it useless until it was recharged. ¡°Call off your cat.¡± Captain Galaden walked onto the ship. ¡°Unless you want us to do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± Vin flexed his upper arms as he pounded his lower right fist into his lower left palm. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°How long will your cat be able to swim once we sink this ship?¡± Galaden wasn¡¯t giving Vin any acknowledgement, instead only looking at our father. ¡°Calm yourself, boy.¡± Garm got up and put his weathered hand on the Camadt¡¯s lower arm. ¡°No sense in getting worked up over a little bath.¡± ¡°It wasn''t a little bath.¡± Vin looked over at me. ¡°Sectum could¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°Any sailor that can¡¯t handle a little dip isn¡¯t really a sailor.¡± Garm started laughing. ¡°Imagine what would¡¯ve happened if our boy here hadn¡¯t stopped their pointy from sliding over the side.¡± The rest of the sailors laughed and started making jokes about the elves not being able to swim. I could see the golden guard tensing up, but Vin lowered arms as the large feline looked over at me. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine once I dry off.¡± I glanced over at the Ogre cook that was hovering behind me. ¡°Phlek, thanks for the drink.¡± ¡°Your man is fine.¡± Galaden nodded at two of the guards, then turned to Garm. ¡°I trust there won¡¯t be any interference?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think you¡¯re going to find.¡± Garm dusted off his hands. ¡°There has been a surge of fairy dust in Golden City.¡± Galaden glared at my adoptive father. ¡°Of all the ships we have coming in, a traitor like you rises to the top of my suspects list.¡± I felt wrong calling it Golden City even though it was almost all that I¡¯d ever known it called. After the king was assassinated fourteen years ago, the regent Arkun had declared a restructuring of Hepool into the Golden City. It had been named that because the Elves of the city were governed by the Golden Senate. Supposedly it was to promote stability since the entire royal family except for Princess Alessa, who was barely four at the time, had been wiped out. Garm started laughing. ¡°Do I look like a Gargoyle?!?¡± He shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have any Fairies here, or any of their dust.¡± ¡°We both know what you are.¡± Galaden nodded at two of the guards. ¡°Get the dogs.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 4 Two red hounds jumped onboard. They had short hair and were large enough that I could ride one of them. Not that I would try, they had glowing black eyes and teeth that were sharp enough they could slice into Garm¡¯s thick skin and with jaws strong enough to crush iron, they were terrifying enough without taking into account that they could breathe fire. I¡¯d heard some sailors marvel that the elves were using hellhounds like mere dogs, but on this planet, the unwanted of the universe were banished. The naturalized citizens considered such things to be normal, though that didn¡¯t mean we didn¡¯t know how dangerous such things were. ¡°You¡¯re using those things?¡± Garm shook his head. ¡°Have things really degraded this far under your command?¡± ¡°I have brought order to the city guards after the mess you left them in!¡± Frustration filled Galaden¡¯ voice. I sipped on the tea as the hounds howled and ran below deck. ¡°It seems that your treachery is about to be uncovered!¡± Galaden motioned at the guards. ¡°Bring me the contraband.¡± ¡°You keep your hands off of my wyvern steaks!¡± Phlek took off after the hounds. ¡°Those are for Ogna!¡± I chuckled as I watched the green pig-faced biped run into the cabin. ¡°You¡¯ve found our contraband alright!¡± Garm¡¯s belly jiggled as he laughed. ¡°The Elves don¡¯t like those holy meals.¡± His laugh seemed to put us all at ease. While I knew that Phlek would have a fit if the hounds ate the ingredients for his holy meal that were set aside for the upcoming Ogre holiday, I also knew that the contraband that we were carrying was stored under the containers those sacred ingredients were in. We didn¡¯t deal in things as destructive as fairy dust, but there were items that the Elves deemed illegal that the other races considered everyday items. Garm was one of the smugglers that brought such items into the city. I tried not to seem worried and the nervous shiver I wasn¡¯t able to suppress was masked by my dip in the icy waters. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Garm didn¡¯t seem the least bit concerned, so I focused on my tea. ¡°Find anything yet?¡± Garm sat down next to me and shook his head. ¡°Damn fool is still sore about the investigation.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°It¡¯s been nearly twenty years Galaden! Give it a rest already!¡± The golden Elf strutted out of the cabin with blood up to his shoulders on both arms. I could tell that he was trying to look dignified, but that was hard to do with all the blood covering him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it''s twenty or two-hundred.¡± The haughty captain glared at the rest of the crew with his golden eyes. ¡°I will find the proof. It¡¯s out there and we both know it.¡± The guard captain swirled his right arm in the air, throwing blood spatter everywhere. ¡°This place is clean¡­¡± He looked at his hands, then at the doorway of the cabin where the Ogre cook was glaring at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I was glad when the screaming hounds were led off of the ship. Everyone seemed relieved as well. Now that we¡¯d been cleared, Most of us could go ashore and enjoy some of the comforts that only the land could provide. ¡°Did he mess up your meat?¡± Garm looked sympathetic as he turned to our cook. ¡°Only polluted them with his hands as he scraped around in the barrel.¡± The Ogre sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve got to find a better method of moving things. I¡¯m getting tired of tasting Elf on my meals.¡± The rest of the crew joined in the nervous laughter. In a place where sticking with your race was an unwritten law, there wasn''t one of us who shared a race with another. This boat was the last stop for all of us and if we lost the ship, there wasn¡¯t anywhere else we could go. ¡°Galaden has been doing this for twenty years and it wouldn¡¯t matter if we were carrying a hold full of puppies. He¡¯d still want to check through your steaks.¡± Garm laughed. ¡°He thinks the blood makes him look like an Alpha!¡± Even Phlek started laughing at that quip. Once the laughing died down. Storbek clapped his hands. ¡°Back to work you lazy dogs! We¡¯ve got a lot to unload and not one of you is going to feel dirt under you until we''ve got the wagons loaded!¡± The captain clapped me on the back and took away his coat. ¡°Get changed and get back out here.¡± The Dwarf nodded at Vin. ¡°We¡¯ve got a delivery to make.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 5 The port market was as lively as always. A high wall partitioned the city from the docks with only one gate that could be used to enter the city from this side. Some said it was to protect the city from attacks coming from the water. Others said it was another way for the Elves to exert some control. But what it did was create a space outside the city that was almost unregulated by the Elves. If you were cleared to land, then you were given the freedom to set up shop wherever you wanted along the docks, provided you paid the usage fee of course. It was past noon, so a lot of the initial hustle was gone but that didn¡¯t mean the shopkeepers were any less determined to make a sale. ¡°Ice Squid! Hauled from the ¡®cap yesterday! Best in the whole city!¡± The black-furred Cat Sith purred as we walked by. ¡°Elk furs! From the Ilethy ranch!¡± The Centaur was holding up the furs to show off their quality. ¡°Magic stones!¡± The yellow eyed Yaga actually walked into the street to run her finger over my cheek. ¡°I think that a special young man such as yourself could gain a lot from what I sell.¡± Vin cleared his throat and looked down at the beautiful woman. She took a step back and almost tripped over a basket. Camadt weren¡¯t known for their pleasant demeanor. Considering that Vin and I were a single step behind and on either side of Garm, we kind of looked like his bodyguards. Though it was pretty easy to miss Vin with the crates he was carrying that hid his face. I looked down at the single wooden box in my hands. Vin could lift many times what I could without starting to sweat. Even Garm, almost two feet shorter than me, could carry more than I could lift. Compared to most races, Humans were fairly weak. ¡°Madam Rosa!¡± Garm put the crate he was carrying down so that he could take the woman¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯re just old friends.¡± He smiled broadly. ¡°You just keep getting more lovely every time I see you!¡± ¡°Garm Irongut! I didn¡¯t know you were in port, so this must be Sectum?!¡± The green woman looked me over. ¡°You can¡¯t be Sectum, you¡¯re far too handsome and grown up.¡± I could feel my cheeks starting to burn as she batted her lashes at me. I knew that the woman in front of me was at least a hundred, but if you ignored her skin color and eyes, she could easily pass as a late twenties Human woman. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Not for long.¡± Garm nodded at the crates he was carrying. ¡°Got to get these things to Talia, then I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll send me off after something else.¡± ¡°You should work for me some time.¡± Madam Rosa batted her eyes. ¡°It can be so dangerous for a woman to be traveling alone on these roads.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a master level mage.¡± Garm started laughing. ¡°The only thing that would scare you is a Cam!¡± Madam Rosa looked over at Vin nervously. There were only two classifications of mage higher than master. Elder and Vita. Neither of the strongest two classes were kept on the planet, I was told it was because the anti-projection field that kept mages from portaling to a different planet couldn¡¯t hold someone that powerful. That meant that Madam Rosa was among the strongest of mages on the planet. She was easily worth a small army by herself, but even she was scared of a lone Camadt. Vin seemed perfectly content to ignore the conversation and tapped his foot impatient as our father talked. ¡°You might be sticking around longer than you think.¡± The Yaga nodded her head towards the city. ¡°Regent Arkun announced that he and the princess are going to be wed the end of next week. Lots of important people coming in.¡± She sighed. ¡°The docks are even being shut down for a few days.¡± The Yaga looked me over and I felt like the shark-toothed smile she gave me had a secret meaning behind it. ¡°You might be right¡­¡± Garm began stroking his beard. ¡°Might be best to get out of town for a moon or two.¡± He looked around. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to get caught up in any state business.¡± She giggled and pushed his shoulder. ¡°I haven¡¯t cared about state business since Gravis died. Don¡¯t know why I¡¯d start again.¡± King Gravis had reigned almost a hundred years ago. I¡¯d heard Garm talk about it a little, but there was a sadness in his voice as he recalled the memories of over a hundred years before. I hadn¡¯t realized that Madam Rosa was that old. ¡°You never know when the young ones will reignite that passion.¡± Garm looked over at Vin and myself. ¡°Maybe you should get some of your own.¡± ¡°Garm Irongut, are you offering?¡± She giggled as she sat down. ¡°I like my women thicker and hairier.¡± The brown-haired Dwarf started laughing, then his face got serious. ¡°But for a friend¡­¡± He winked. ¡°I can make an exception.¡± ¡°Maybe someday then.¡± Madam Rosa laughed, but the discomfort was easy to hear in her voice. ¡°But I¡¯ve kept you fine men too long and I have wares I need to sell.¡± She nodded at us. ¡°Until we meet again.¡± ¡°May your iron always be sharp.¡± Garm picked up his crates and started back down the road. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 6 The lone wooden shop was our destination. Because of the nature of the docks, very few vendors were able to keep a shop running all the time. Instead, they would just set up a booth, then take it down once their wares were sold or they needed to move on to the next place. If a shop was going to stay year-round, then it would be safer to buy a license and set up in town where more people would have access to buy your wares. The scaled woman behind the counter of the curiosities shop had her bare feet propped up on the counter while she was leaning back in a wooden chair. She was dressed in tan shorts and a top that covered less than it left exposed. Her slitted yellow eyes locked on to us as soon as we walked in. She adjusted the bandana on her head as she rose to her feet. ¡°Blanch! Get out here and cover the front!¡± Talia smiled broadly as she spread her hands and approached us. ¡°Garm! My favorite pirate!¡± ¡°Not a pirate yet.¡± My father set down his load so he could give the brown and green scaled woman a hug. ¡°Not as long as you keep me honest.¡± He winked at her as he pulled back. ¡°I do what I can.¡± She turned her attention to me and Vin. ¡°Your boys can set those down in the back, they know the place.¡± She turned back to Garm. ¡°You can bring yours with me. We have a lot to talk about.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± The Dwarf picked his crate up. ¡°Madam Rosa told me about the wedding.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The Gorgon paused, then turned back to us. ¡°Best not to talk about such things here.¡± She looked around. ¡°BLANCH! GET OUT HERE!¡± A four-foot tall brown-furred rabbit biped in oil stained brown coveralls cautiously bounced out of the back. The Lepan bowed her head, dropping her long ears as she knelt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry missus. I wasn¡¯t finished¡­¡± ¡°You can work back there later.¡± Talia cut her off. ¡°We have a new shipment and I need you to watch the front.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Blanch kept her head bowed. ¡°That¡¯s a good bun-bun.¡± Talia petted the Lepan on the head. ¡°Watch over everything while I¡¯m out.¡± The rabbit-girl smiled and I saw the row of sharp shark teeth. I¡¯d seen one of her kind fight once. Between the powerful kicks and their sharp teeth, the giant octopus had been shredded in minutes. Talia walked into the back of her shop, which was much larger than the front. There were open crates everywhere, with items scattered about. To anyone else, they would think that the shop was a mess, but I knew that the Gorgon knew exactly where everything was. Wherever something was placed was for a reason and I was smart enough not to try to organize things again. Vin and I set down our crates in the empty space near the back where we always did, then waited for Talia to finish opening the secret hatch in the wall. A slab of stone from the city wall peeled back, revealing stairs that led underground. It was the common meeting place for Talia¡¯s clients. At least the ones she trusted. It was also where she kept all the illegal stuff. Garm went down first, then Vin and I followed. The Camadt had to hunch over to get in. The hole was intended for smaller beings that were under six feet tall. Part of that may have been to make things more difficult if the Elves ever discovered this place. Or it may have been as simple as that was what they had to work with. Either way, it was a place that the Elves didn¡¯t know about, so it was somewhere that we could talk in private. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 7 The room was well lit. The light from the small flames was being amplified by the mirror behind them to cast most light into the room. There were crates, meticulously stacked on one end of the room, while three comfortable leather chairs awaited us, with a large one behind a red wood desk. ¡°Heard you had another run-in with Galaden.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just chasing an old itch where there¡¯s nothing to scratch.¡± Garm laughed as he sat down. ¡°He¡¯ll get tired eventually.¡± Talia sat down in her chair and pulled off her bandana. This was the part of the meeting that I always hated. When she¡¯d been younger, Talia had been accosted by some Elves and she¡¯d petrified them. While petrification could be undone and the Elves had been healed, one of them was the son of a senator. Despite defending herself, she was deemed out of line for using her petrification and as a penalty her snake hair had been shaved. Most of the hair was snake tails, but there were always a head or more depending on how strong the Gorgon was. The tails could grow back, except when the wounds were cauterized. That was what I was looking at. White circles all over the back of her head where the wounds had been burnt to ensure that her snakes never grew back and her petrification could never be used again. It was a reminder of the cruelty that could be handed out, even if it had been the Agate Senate that had given the ruling. ¡°Even a fox can destroy a room if it¡¯s determined enough.¡± The Gorgon sighed. ¡°Given the times, you¡¯d be best not to take him lightly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this since before your mother was an egg.¡± Garm chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯ll take it as a warning.¡± The short man began stroking his beard. ¡°Something tells me that you¡¯ve got a plan to make this unrest boil.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t have the princess wed the Regent.¡± Talia tapped her fingers on the desk. ¡°You might be retired, but the need to protect the crown never diminishes captain.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°The only thing I¡¯m a captain of is my ship.¡± Garm held up his hand. ¡°And you¡¯re not one of my crew, so you don¡¯t need to call me that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll always be my captain.¡± The Gorgon gave us a toothy smile. ¡°Even if you work for me now.¡± ¡°Speaking of work¡­¡± Garm motioned at the desk. ¡°I assume you¡¯ve a plan to stop the wedding?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be a wedding without a bride.¡± Talia nodded at me. ¡°I can get Alessa out of the city, but I need you to get her somewhere safe.¡± That took a fast turn. I¡¯d been expecting something like sabotage or blackmail. Not kidnapping the princess. ¡°Not a lot of places that won¡¯t turn a princess back over to a senate.¡± Garm stroked his beard. ¡°Where do you have in mind?¡± ¡°The Wraith Emperor has made a haven for Sineaters and isn¡¯t very friendly towards the senates. I believe she¡¯ll be safe there until we can find a more permanent solution.¡± ¡°The Wraith Empire¡­¡± Garm stroked his beard. ¡°That¡¯s a far ways off. I¡¯ll need something to justify such a trip.¡± ¡°Ogna is a week away and I have a shipment of wyvern meat that the Ogres need for their celebration.¡± Talia flexed her fingers. ¡°The Ogres are on the same island as the Wraiths and you¡¯d need to stop at the empire for supplies anyway.¡± She smiled. ¡°A very reasonable trip.¡± ¡°Sounds like you have all of this worked out already.¡± Garm stretched. ¡°How soon do you need us to be ready?¡± Talia wrote some information down on a piece of paper. ¡°The women will be at this safehouse at sundown. Send your men to Mulius Avrus. He¡¯s a human butcher who should have enough of the meat to justify a trip.¡± She looked over at Vin. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to keep an ice mage on board to make sure the meat stays frozen.¡± The black-furred man shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with mages. They¡¯re the ones who have a problem with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending a mage with you as well. She''s the princess¡¯ companion, so try not to make her uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep my distance.¡± Vin yawned. ¡°That just means more naps in the crows nest.¡± Garm kicked my brother¡¯s foot with his boot. ¡°You can sleep on your own time. They¡¯ll be staying below deck, so that won¡¯t interfere with your duties.¡± I smiled as the four armed man began to frown. ¡°If we¡¯re to leave at sundown.¡± Garm stood up. ¡°We best be on our way.¡± ¡°Good luck old friend.¡± Talia leaned back in her chair. It almost looked like there was concern on her face. ¡°Luck is for those without skill.¡± The Dwarf flexed. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 8 The crew were in the city. The Eel¡¯s Arm was the closest tavern to the port gate. There was a Golden Tavern just a little ways away, but that one was city run and had guards at the door and inside to ensure things ran smoothly. While the Eel¡¯s Arm had burned down twice in my lifetime that I could remember. The tavern was crowded when we walked in, but people made space for us. Having a Camadt by you would do that sort of thing. People made way for them, or people tried to fight them. There was something about being able to say that you¡¯d taken down a Camadt that was a badge of honor or something. I couldn¡¯t figure out why that was. Despite his bulk, Vin had never beat me whenever we wrestled. ¡°You fuzzy turd¡­¡± A drunk Dragonborn snorted fire as he stumbled up to throw a very weak punch. ¡°I¡¯d¡¯ve beat you if I¡¯d been in the war.¡± I shook my head. The Camadt War had been over a thousand years ago. Only the long lived races or the strongest of mages could remember that time when the Camadt had tried to conquer the universe, but it was such a defining moment in our history that it was still talked about. And considering the Camadt colony was on an island in the middle of the ocean, not many people ever came across the four armed beings. Given Vin didn''t look very muscular, many people saw him as an easy target. They were very wrong. The Dragonborn swung his fist and Vin caught it. He twisted the reptilian man around and wrapped him in a hug. In a few seconds the drunk was unconscious. The rest of the bar had started to quiet as they were expecting a drawn out fight. Now that it was over, most had gone back to what they''d been doing before they noticed the belligerent drunk. Stolen story; please report. Another Dragonborn got up, but Storbek beat him to Vin. ¡°Friend! I''m sure if you''d like a contest of strength, we could arrange one over here.¡± The Minotaur motioned towards an empty table. He raised his voice as he did a small turn. ¡°Who wants to bet against the Camadt in arm wrestling!¡± Vin sighed and started walking towards the table. We¡¯d learned a long time ago that this was the safest way to not end an evening bruised and bloody. Garm touched the Minotaurs arm to stop him from walking away. ¡°Make it quick and get back to the ship. We¡¯ve got a load that needs to go out tonight.¡± My father kept his voice so low that I could barely hear him. ¡°The men aren''t going to like that.¡± Storbek started looking around the tavern, putting his eyes on all the crew members. ¡°We¡¯re taking a load of wyvern meat to the Ogre forests for Ogna. Got to be there before the celebration.¡± Garm bounced his eyebrows letting the first-mate know that there was more to that than he was saying. ¡°Wrap this up quick. I¡¯ve got another call to make.¡± My father motioned for me to follow him and walked out of the tavern. Vin already had his shirt off and was seated at a table. They¡¯d be here for a little while until the patrons got bored of losing. Or they¡¯d get a kick out of it and try to keep him there all night. I smiled at the thought. Vin loved to show off and this was the environment where he thrived. I waved to my brother and walked out into the cool night air. It was winter and while we were closer to the equator than the north pole, it still got cold enough here for it to freeze occasionally. ¡°Where to next?¡± I looked around. The workday was over and now the nightlife was starting to come out. The port side of town was where the night life lived, so for a while, the deeper we went into the city, the busier it would be. Garm looked around, then motioned for me to follow. His silence told me to do the same. I could feel my hands sweating as I thought about meeting the princess for the first time. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 9 We took the long way. I had a feeling that Garm was trying to see if anyone was tailing us, but after a few blocks of going in almost circles, I was beginning to wonder if I even needed to follow my father or if I should wait for him to feel safe enough to go where we needed to go. We finally walked up to a house and he knocked on the door. A Goblin opened the door. ¡°A Dwarf and a Human at my door?¡± The little pointy eared man smoothed out his clothes. ¡°What could this be about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m to deliver wyvern steaks to the Ogre Forest for Ogna.¡± Garm gave a little bow to the shorter being. ¡°I was told you had some garnishes for me to bring along.¡± The Goblin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Come in! Come in!¡± He threw the door open and stepped onto the walkway to look around. ¡°Can¡¯t have you standing in the cold.¡± He pushed me forward while I walked into the house after Garm. The home had modest furnishings and the couch looked like it had been made for someone Human sized, while the chairs were for the Goblin himself. ¡°Split the earth and show me mithril!¡± Garm hurried over to one of the two women that were seated on the couch. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up.¡± The blonde woman looked surprised and flinched a little as he took her hand. I saw the brunette tense beside her, but didn¡¯t try to stop him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry lass. You¡¯ve not seen me in fifteen years, but I used to come by and see your parents whenever I was in town.¡± Garm patted the back of the princess¡¯ hand before releasing it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been able to be there for you, but I¡¯m here now.¡± He stood up and pounded his heart to his chest. ¡°I was captain of the royal guard once and I¡¯ll never stop protecting the crown.¡± He bowed before her. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Thank you sir..?¡± The princess glanced at me before focusing on my father. ¡°Garm Irongut.¡± The Dwarf stood up. ¡°That¡¯s good and all, but you need to leave.¡± The Goblin began shooing me across the room towards the door in the back. ¡°Patrols are looking and it won¡¯t be long until they start searching houses.¡± ¡°It seems simple introductions will have to wait. You already know that I am Princess Alessa Malus and this is my companion, Starna Shellock.¡± The princess¡¯ green eyes focused on me. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Sectum Irongut.¡± The princess looked confused. I nodded at Garm. ¡°Adopted.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The princess smiled. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you were spared the life of so many orphans¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, then she shook her head. ¡°We should leave.¡± She pulled the hood of her jacket up to partially hide her face. Starna wrapped hers in a cowl. Both women were wearing very baggy clothes that hid their figures well. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me.¡± Garm headed for the door. Starna moved to go behind me and I stepped forward to cut her off. ¡°I bring up the rear.¡± The tanned woman¡¯s blue eyes bored into me. ¡°You¡¯re our guests.¡± I nodded at my father. ¡°The two of you will stay between us.¡± ¡°Do you have any training in fighting or..?¡± ¡°Starna, that¡¯s enough.¡± Princess Alessa cut her off. ¡°We need to get out of the city, so please. Let these men do their job.¡± I heard a growl come out of the other woman¡¯s throat, but she fell into place behind the princess. Living on a cargo ship meant that we had seen our share of pirates. If it came to it, I knew how to use the sword at my hip and wasn¡¯t afraid to spill blood again if that was needed. I thought about telling that and more to the uppity woman, but Garm was out of the house and the princess was right behind him. Arguing with her would only slow us down. ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind.¡± Starna snapped before hurrying out the door. I was the one who growled this time. Not being able to get away from her for the next few weeks was going to test my patience further than Vin ever had. And I had thought only a brother could irritate someone like that. At least the princess seemed nice. I smiled at the thought of traveling with the princess as I followed after them. Maybe things wouldn¡¯t be that bad. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 10 It was worse than bad. The Golden Guard was out in force, raising the alarm and looking for the princess. People were coming out of their houses to see what the ruckus was about, which gave us a little cover to cut through. We stopped at an intersection and Garm was looking north and east.The port was to the east, but there were also a lot of guards clustered around the gate. They were thoroughly checking each person who was trying to leave. ¡°What do we do now?¡± I nodded towards the gate. ¡°There¡¯s no way we get through that with them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a way.¡± Garm started walking north, further away from the center of town where the castle stood. The old castle, the one that the princess¡¯ father had ruled from had been destroyed in the failed human coup fourteen years ago when the rebels blew up the tower and it had collapsed on the royal family. Only the princess had been pulled from the rubble alive. Rather than rebuild the tower, a new tower had been erected, one that was golden in color to represent the Golden Senate¡¯s dedication to the city and its rightful ruler. ¡°You should be worrying less about where we¡¯re going and worry more about where we came from.¡± Starna nodded at two guards that were looking our way. ¡°I think we¡¯ve developed a following.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry up and lose them!¡± I shooed the two women after Garm. I glanced to my right as we rounded a corner and saw that the guards were still heading our way. They couldn¡¯t know that the two women with us were the ones they were looking for because they weren¡¯t blowing on their whistles to alert all the other guards. They probably just saw two women together and wanted to check them out. I groaned as I realized what we were going to have to do. ¡°Dad!¡± I hurried around Starna and the princess. ¡°What?¡± The Dwarf touched the ax on his hip. ¡°Guards are going after pairs of women to check them.¡± I looked at the pair behind us. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to split up.¡± ¡°No.¡± The brunette stepped in front of the princess. ¡°I am NOT leaving her side.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°If you don¡¯t we¡¯re going to be caught.¡± I looked at my father. ¡°You know I¡¯m right.¡± Garm was stroking his beard. ¡°The boy has a point.¡± He looked at the disagreeable woman. ¡°You two double back and make sure we didn¡¯t pick up any curious eyes.¡± He held up his hand as Starna started to protest. ¡°I¡¯m in charge young lady and you¡¯re sworn to do what¡¯s best for the princess. This is what¡¯s best.¡± Starna looked at princess Alessa for support, but the princess nodded her head. ¡°If sir Garm thinks this is the best way, then we should do it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan for getting out?¡± I glanced over my shoulder. ¡°Gladstone¡¯s Jewelry.¡± My father nodded to the northeast part of the wall. ¡°Make it there and you¡¯ll be set. If you get there before I do, tell Gladstone who you are and that you need out of the city. If he fusses, remind him who your father is.¡± ¡°Gladstone¡¯s Jewelry, gotcha.¡± I motioned for Starna to follow me as I started back down the alley. I heard her light footsteps behind me and her grumbling under her breath. I made one more alley turn and almost ran right into the two guards that had been interested in us. ¡°Whoa!¡± One of the white eyed Elves reached for his sword while his partner held up a hand. Starna came around the corner and stopped behind me. I tried to put a stupid look on my face and grabbed the woman around the waist. ¡°If yer lookin¡¯ fer a gewd time, ¡®iss ones mine.¡± I faked a stumble as I leaned closer to her. ¡°You¡¯re a dead man.¡± The tanned woman whispered in my ear. ¡°Where is your companions?¡± The guard with his hand on his sword eyed me. ¡°Finden a quiet place¡­¡± I held up a finger to my lips. ¡°Shhh!¡± I started laughing as I pulled away from Starna. ¡°We¡¯ll need to verify your identification.¡± The other guard held out his hand. ¡°Cards please.¡± He nodded at my companion. ¡°And take that off your head.¡± What he wanted were our cards that identified who we were. Everyone on the planet was supposed to have one and keep it on them at all times. I could easily fish mine out of my pocket, but I wasn¡¯t sure if Starna had a fake one or not. I started patting myself down and continued to slur. ¡°I know ¡®iss here sumhare.¡± I turned my back to them so I could look at Starna. ¡°Do you have it?¡± The subtle nod was all I needed to know that she didn¡¯t have a fake one. ¡°I got et!¡± I took a step forward as I spun around, bypassing the guard with his hand out and getting closer to the one with his hand on his sword. ¡°It¡¯s right here!¡± I was able to draw my sword before the other guard. One horizontal slice was all it took to take him out. I spun around to see that Starna was sitting on top of the other one, a dagger in her shoulder and one in his throat. I shook my head. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t going well.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 11 We moved the bodies further down the alley. There were some bloodstains on the road, but there was nothing we could do about that. Hopefully the chilly air meant there¡¯d be rain soon and that would take care of the trail. I knew that leaving the bodies here would mean they¡¯d be scavenged soon. This part of town wasn¡¯t friendly towards law and while I doubted anyone saw the altercation, I was almost certain they wouldn¡¯t snitch on us. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I finished wiping off my sword and stood up. Starna winced as she started walking. ¡°Your shoulder going to be okay?¡± I took a step towards her so I could look at the wound. It was deep, but mostly superficial. The thing that had me the most concerned was that she was bleeding blue. I knew there were a lot of races with blue blood, so while she might look Human, she was definitely half at best. She sealed it closed with a thin bandage of ice, but that was only a temporary fix. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I can bandage it once we get back to the ship.¡± There was a nagging in my mind to fix her up in the alley, but we really needed to get away from the bodies. She eyed me. ¡°I can wait until the ship¡¯s doctor can do it properly.¡± I chuckled as I started walking. ¡°I am the ship¡¯s doctor.¡± ¡°You..?¡± She jogged so she could catch up to me. ¡°But you¡¯re so young.¡± ¡°Nineteen, and I get the skepticism.¡± I grinned. ¡°I promise I can fix you up as good as you were before.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything, but I could tell by the look on her face that she didn¡¯t believe me. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. We didn¡¯t run into any more issues on our way to the jewelry store. Once we got there though, the shop was closed. I banged on the door. ¡°It makes sense this place would be closed this late at night, but¡­¡± I motioned for her to follow me. ¡°Let¡¯s try the back.¡± The backdoor opened before I could knock. There was a dark skinned Dwarf on the other side of the door. He glared at the two of us. ¡°Garm said you¡¯d be along. Git in here and stop makin¡¯ so much noise!¡± He ushered us into the back room where he had tools laid out for cutting gems. Wires for making rings and chains were scattered on various benches with other tools that I didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Since Garm told you we¡¯d be coming, does that mean he¡¯s already on the other side?¡± I tried to keep my voice down since I didn¡¯t know who else might be listening. ¡°Bah!¡± It was the only answer I got and I had a feeling it was all I was going to get. He led us to a table in the back corner and pulled up a trapdoor in the floor. ¡°Go and get out of here.¡± The Dwarf glared at the two of us. ¡°And tell that man that we¡¯re even now.¡± I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s up to him, not me.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure where the ladder went, but all I could do was trust him. I slid down the ladder and Starna followed after me. Before she made it to the ground, he closed the door, cutting off our light. A soft glow appeared in Starna¡¯s good hand. I nodded at the light. ¡°Thanks.¡± She shrugged and looked around. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Under the city wall is all I can tell.¡± I looked around the small room, but there was no door that I could see. ¡°Sectum¡­¡± I turned to look at her and her face had taken on an almost purple color. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I just wanted to say I was wrong to judge you earlier. You handled yourself well against the guards.¡± Her face turned away. ¡°I live on a cargo ship, not my first time to get my blade wet.¡± I looked her over. ¡°What about you? You looked like that wasn¡¯t your first kill either.¡± The color in her face drained back to normal as she looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m the princess¡¯ companion. Assassins and kidnappers aren¡¯t uncommon.¡± The wall behind me slid back and I recognized the room before the familiar scaled woman stepped into the opening. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 12 We were out on the open sea. We¡¯d made it back to the ship without an issue. The crew had been ready to cast off the moment that we¡¯d gotten on board. Despite my urging, Starna had refused to let me fix her shoulder, relying instead on her frozen bandage. After two days, I¡¯d yet to see the cranky mage or the princess. The general mood of the crew wasn¡¯t as sour as I thought it¡¯d be, given that their shore leave had been non-existent. There hadn¡¯t been much time for complaining though. Garm had been pushing the sails as much as he could to get as far away from the Golden City as fast as he could. It was almost like he knew that we were going to have ships chasing us. I climbed up to the crows nest where Vin was napping again. He was using the pretext of needing to stay away from the mage as an excuse to have himself permanently on watch duty, though I wasn¡¯t sure how good of a job he was going to be doing if he was always asleep. ¡°Hey!¡± I punched the Camadt in the upper shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be watching the sea, not your eyelids!¡± My brother opened one eye. ¡°I can do both.¡± I scanned the sea. There wasn¡¯t anything that I could see, but that didn¡¯t mean that there wasn¡¯t anything out there. Pirates would use invisibility spells to cloak their ships all the time Though that only cloaked the ship, not the disturbance the ship made in the water. It made it harder to spot them, but not impossible. ¡°You know dad will have you scrubbing the deck by yourself if he catches you napping up here. He¡¯s serious about getting the princess to safety.¡± ¡°You mean Alessa?¡± The giant feline grinned. ¡°She¡¯s not a princess anymore, so you can drop the title, you know.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°She¡¯s still a princess even if her kingdom has been taken.¡± I folded my arms on the edge of the giant basket he was laying in. ¡°She can always come back with an army and reclaim her throne.¡± ¡°I could take an army to any city and claim the throne.¡± Vin chuckled. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to start calling me Prince Vin?¡± ¡°You wish.¡± I sighed. ¡°I just can¡¯t get myself to think of her as a regular person, you know. She¡¯s royalty, not some common orphan like you or me.¡± ¡°Who are you calling common?¡± Vin covered his eyes with his upper left arm. ¡°I¡¯m a lord of the sea!¡± ¡°Right. And I¡¯m a prince.¡± ¡°You could be a king.¡± He lifted his arm to look at me. ¡°You¡¯re a one man army. You could walk into most cities and the people would simply kneel because of what you are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the whole reason the kingdom outlawed people like me.¡± I turned to look out at the sunrise. ¡°After the king died, too many Sineaters tried to claim the throne or other cities. You remember what that was like.¡± ¡°So do better.¡± Vin yawned and stretched, then a smile broke his lips. ¡°I think you¡¯d make a great king and there just so happens to be a princess on board¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I punched him in the chest. ¡°I don¡¯t think about her like that.¡± ¡°Right. You just fawn over ¡®the princess¡¯ because your parents were part of the royal guard.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± I puffed out my chest. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to¡­¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Vin stood up and started squinting at the water to the south. ¡°There!¡± I turned to look at where he was pointing, but the Camadt¡¯s vision was much better than mine. I grabbed the spyglass off the floor of the crow¡¯s nest and peered through it. Where my brother was pointing, there was a very clear parting of water. ¡°Storbek!¡± I pointed in the direction we were heading. ¡°Pirates!¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 13 The ship exploded into action. Zist, the Thizzer, looked like a giant man-sized serpent with arms. The green and blue scaled reptilian was actually native to the planet, but had been exiled by his people. Unlike the rest of the crew, he didn¡¯t have feet and I¡¯d seen his mouth open so wide that he would have been able to swallow Garm if he¡¯d really tried. Forst, the WereCrocodile, had been one of the few humans on the planet before he¡¯d been bitten and turned into the giant reptilian. His former Alpha hadn¡¯t been part of the Guild, who magically bound almost all Weres to the organization, and had barely escaped with his life after the Guild Weres destroyed his pack. The scaly brown man had found a home on our ship and we¡¯d never been worried that he¡¯d try to turn one of us. Minx, the three foot tall blue reptilian, had been a fanatic of a Leviathan from another world. After the Leviathan had been killed, the surviving Kobolds had been dumped on the planet instead of being executed to stop them from just finding another giant serpent to serve. Without a master, most had simply killed themselves, but Minx had found a new purpose aboard the ship and now served Garm with the same fanatical devotion that he had given to his former master. All three jumped into the water. The reptilians would be able to provide interference if the pirates had any aquatic races. They would also be able to cripple the pirate ships if they didn¡¯t. Frosu the Frigazi, a Dwarf-sized penguin looking sailor, began weaving his arms, slowly encasing the hull of the ship in ice. While most ships had a mage on board to create a barrier, Vin would have grounded out that magic, so instead we had to rely on our demihuman¡¯s racial abilities over magic. Hyer, the white feathered Griffon, spread his wings and took to the air to scan for aerial threats. His claws were out and between those and his beak, he didn¡¯t need a sword. His mastery over air also allowed us to travel faster, by fueling the wind behind our sails even when there wasn¡¯t a breeze. Uziah, the yellow Cyclops, began charging electricity in the white horn on the top of his bald head. We had a few ballista, cannons were something that only the rich had. Explosives were a rarity, especially when there were mages who could replicate the same thing. Those same mages made sure that most explosives stayed out of the hands of the common people, leaving us to rely on string projectiles. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Vin and I took off to where the harpoons were stored. We could do some damage with the projectiles, but the initial blast of electricity from a Cyclops would do a lot more damage. ¡°Get those ballista ready!¡± Storbek grabbed the spyglass from me to look at where the ship was coming from. ¡°There¡¯s not just one, there are two of them!¡± The Minotaur turned to the Goblin behind the wheel. ¡°Get us to land! Head west and see if we can¡¯t make it to Crylus! Their towers should be able to cover us!¡± I felt the ship turning as Vin and I each grabbed one of the ballista. There were platforms for them to rest in and if the crew needed to fire them, then between Hyer, Uziah, Phlek, Forst and even Garm, one of them could pick up the ballista and put it in the stand. But for more precise shooting, none of them held a candle to the strength, vision, and heat resistance of Vin. The Camadt picked one of the ballista and aimed it like it was a crossbow. Vin loaded a harpoon the size of a spear into it and walked over to where Uziah was standing and waited. As soon as the ruts in the water were close enough, both of them would start shooting. I began loading another ballista. Once Uziah unleashed his blast, he wouldn¡¯t be able to discharge another one that big for almost half an hour. He would have to use ballista, which meant he needed them loaded and more ammunition close. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Starna followed Garm onto the deck with the princess right behind her. ¡°Pirates.¡± Storbek handed the spyglass to my father, who looked at where the invisible ships were splitting the water. ¡°My lady, I think it would be best if you went back below¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m already running.¡± Princess Alessa pulled a slender sword out of its sheath on her hip. ¡°I will not hide too. I am not a helpless dame.¡± The Minotaur glanced at our captain, who shrugged and looked over at me. ¡°Sectum! You¡¯re with the princess. Keep her safe.¡± I nodded and walked over to where Starna was starting to cast a spell. I could tell she was having difficulty by the sweat on her face. ¡°Incoming!¡± Hyer dropped onto the deck and threw out both hands. Air swirled around the ship, picking up a mist from the sea and coating the six flying beings that were just above the ship. The water shorted out their invisibility, revealing six orange, hairless humanoids with black leathery wings flying around us. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 14 The fliers attacked. With their invisibility gone, their options were to attack or retreat and they were focused on their prize. All six of them went straight for the princess. Vin and Uziah were both readying attacks that were large enough to damage ships. They could obliterate one of the Sively, but that would be a waste of a large attack. Especially when we were more than capable of handling that few. My sword was out and I stepped out of the way of the one on my side to dodge his curved blade while slicing off his left wing. He hit the deck and rolled until the princess¡¯ sword stabbed through his back and pinned him to the deck. As much as I wanted to be amazed by the princess, I couldn¡¯t take the time to appreciate her ability to adjust to a follow up. Frosu blasted icicles at the fliers, driving them to the deck. Garm had his ax out and was swinging at one of them, while Starna was busy fighting another. Hyer had one of them by the neck and there was another one missing a head at Storbek¡¯s feet. That left only one for me to focus on. I ran past the princess and blocked his sword, then took a step back as Wizz jumped off the top deck and kicked the Sively in front of me in the back of the head. He stumbled, allowing me to slip past his guard and stab him through the heart. There was a crack of thunder and I looked at the front of the ship, seeing one of the two ships come into view. Vin fired his ballista, splintering against the barrier shielding the enemy ship. The Camadt reached for another harpoon and began loading it for a second shot. The other Sively were all dead as I turned my attention back to the fight on our ship. I lowered my sword. ¡°Anyone hurt?¡± ¡°Keep yer head on the fight!¡± Garm slapped my shoulder as he ran to the front of the ship. Both of the ships were getting close and the whole ship shook as rocks the size of my fist began to rain on us. They had either an elementalist or a mage, but either way, they weren¡¯t very strong, which would be irritating, but not deadly.. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°We lost our rudder!¡± Frosu had both hands on the deck. ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up..!¡± A larger rock hit the mast halfway up, raining splinters on us. Starna had her hands up, creating a barrier to shield. Vin dropped the weapon he was holding and jumped over us, grabbing the falling mast and dropping it on the deck. ¡°You octopus tentacles!¡± The Camadt ran past us, destroying the barrier and letting the wood fragments fall on us. ¡°Stay away from me you void!¡± Starna clenched her fists as she screamed at my brother. ¡°I¡¯m using magic here!¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± The Camadt started picking up speed and threw himself into the air. ¡°HYER!¡± The Griffon blasted my brother with wind, throwing him further to land in the water over halfway towards the unveiled ship. There was a line of bubbles streaming towards the ship, then Vin shot out of the water with Forst right behind him. It sounded like glass shattering as my brother broke through the barrier and landed on their deck. I could hear the screams and smirked. They weren¡¯t prepared for a Camadt. ¡°Hyer!¡± Garm looked over at the Griffon. ¡°Cover him!¡± The birdman took to the air and shot over to the ship. I saw blood in the water and knew that the other two were fighting something. ¡°Brace for impact!¡± Storbeck moved past me and grabbed the princess under his arm as he grabbed the railing in front of the wheel. I grabbed Starna¡¯s arm as I wrapped my other arm around the destroyed mast. The whole ship shuddered as the other pirate ship hit ours. With the front of their ship over our deck, we weren¡¯t going anywhere and it gave them the ability to jump down onto our ship. I let Starna go and began climbing the mast. There were plenty of dangling ropes, so I used the closest one to swing over the head of the attacking pirates onto their deck. If I could capture their captain, then I could end this. There was a problem with that plan. While our ship kept only a dozen crew, pirate ships the size of this one usually housed over thirty. They had to have a base somewhere close, because it wasn¡¯t viable to live on a ship that crowded for very long. I let the thought of possible backup fuel my determination as I yelled and charged. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 15 A Human wasn¡¯t worth most of their attention. I was happy to educate them before they died. This ship looked like it was all Elf, which was good. I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about racial abilities like a Gorgon¡¯s petrification, a Dragon¡¯s breath, or a Siren¡¯s song. Elves were also easier to fight because their eyes let you know what power they had. White were powerless. Red, silver, blue, and brown were the four elements of fire, air, water, and earth. Gold had magic. So did black, but those had demon magic, and were usually killed on sight, so they were rarely seen. This ship looked like it was almost all powerless Elves. I danced out of the way of a sword and grabbed the arm of the Elf behind me that was trying to get on our ship. I pulled the Elf into the path of the other Elf¡¯s sword, then pulled out my own sword, slashing the first Elf¡¯s throat. The other pirates stopped trying to get over the front of the ship and started to form a ring around me. I started counting, got to ten and decided a lot was the answer. I pointed my sword at them. ¡°Anyone who drops their weapon, gets on their knees, and puts their hands behind their heads won¡¯t be killed.¡± Every one of them started laughing. I had expected that would be the response, but it was still worth it to give them the option. I shrugged. ¡°Suit yourselves, but the offer won¡¯t expire.¡± I took a step back. ¡°Who wants to die first?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be dy¡­¡± The first Elf to charge on my left found the blade of my sword in his throat before he could finish. I shook my head. I wrestled with a Camadt. Compared to my brother, these opponents were moving almost in slow motion. I took his sword out of his hand and used it to block a slash from behind, then pivoted on my left foot so I could block an attack on my right. I kept turning and took off that Elf¡¯s hand with the sword in my left, dropped down on my right knees to go under another slash, stabbed him in the chest with my right blade, then kicked out with my right foot, to knock the body into his friends. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I flipped back onto my feet and took an arrow in my right arm. I dropped the sword in my left hand so I could snap off the shaft, then I glared at the Elf that was holding the offending bow as I pulled the part still attached to the tip out. Swords I could deal with, but a bow was a different story. I started running at the Elf as he notched another arrow. I was able to block a couple slashes, but I got stabbed in my left thigh and was cut twice on my back as I ran through the crowd. The archer wasn¡¯t expecting me to keep coming, so he didn¡¯t start backing up until I was through. The arrow he fired was wildly off and easy to dodge. For me at least. I heard a scream behind me and knew he¡¯d hit one of his shipmates. I chased him up to the wheel, where I was able to grab his left shoulder and spin him enough that I could punch him in the face with my swordhand. As he staggered, I pinned him against the wheel where everyone could see us and pushed with my ability. The wounds on my back, leg, thigh, and arm all began to heal as the same wounds appeared on the pirate. Once I¡¯d transferred my wounds to him, I stabbed him in the chest, then let him fall to my side. The other pirates looked up at me, stunned at what they¡¯d just seen. Two of them dropped their swords and hit their knees, putting their hands behind their head. One of the ones on the stairs to my left found his voice and pointed at me. ¡°SINEATER!¡± The rest of the crew snapped out of their paralysis and screamed, charging at the upper deck. I sighed. I¡¯d hoped for more than two to drop out when I did that. Plus that wasn¡¯t sineating, that was singiving, but I could do both and singiving was the harder of the two. I grabbed the charging Elf¡¯s wrist, stabbed him in the chest and took his sword. I turned and threw it into the one in front that had come up the stairs to my right, then turned back to stab the next one on my left. I pulled my sword back as he hit his knees and put his hands behind his head. I hoped more of them would surrender, but the Elf behind him stabbed him in the back. ¡°TRAITOR!¡± The Elf screamed as he pulled out his blade. ¡°He was out of the fight!¡± I picked up the dead Elf¡¯s sword, parried with my left then stabbed the treacherous Elf with the dead Elf¡¯s blade. ¡°We don¡¯t kill non-combatants!¡± I let the sword stay in the dishonorable Elf and kicked his sword away. Using it just felt wrong. ¡°WHERE IS THE SINEATER!?¡± The pirates all began to back away from the upper deck and started pointing at me. The two Elves that had surrendered stood up, but the blue Elf in almost new pants and shirt shot an icicle through both of their chests. ¡°We. Don¡¯t. Surrender!¡± The captain turned to glare at me with his golden eyes. I sighed. Mages just made everything more complicated. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 16 There were four left. Not counting the captain. Only four more sailors out of the¡­ I hadn¡¯t been counting. Vin was going to be bragging about how many pirates he killed and if I didn¡¯t know my number, he¡¯d taunt me about how I hadn¡¯t killed any. At the moment most of the dead bodies on the ship were because of me, so that would make it a little easier to count afterwards. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me kill you.¡± I started walking down the stairs to the main dack. It was partly a question. I was kind of hoping that he¡¯d surrender and the whole thing would be over. Plus it was going to be hard to get information out of a deadman. ¡°I¡¯ve killed your kind before.¡± The blue Elf pointed his sword at me. Four discarded swords rose up and each pointed their tip at me. ¡°The crown pays well for your kind.¡± He licked his lips. Because the royal family had all been Sineaters and the royal guard had all been Sineaters, the Golden Senate had decreed that all other Sineaters were to be arrested to keep them from trying to make a claim to the throne and usurp the young princess¡¯ rightful place. And just because you weren¡¯t in the Golden Kingdom didn¡¯t mean you were safe. Bounty hunters, pirates, or just a commoner who saw an opportunity would all be happy to drag a Sineater into the Golden Kingdom and turn them over to the regent for ¡®safe-keeping¡¯. Most people assumed that they were killed, but over a hundred years ago, before the current royal bloodline, the Elves of the Golden Senate had used Sineaters to take ailments away from them, as well as giving them vitality to live longer at the expense of the Sineater¡¯s life Because of how long Elves lived, there were still plenty of Elves that could remember those days, so I doubted they¡¯d kill a Sineater. I shook my head. ¡°Telepathy and ice? You dual specialized?¡± ¡°Be grateful you got to see my magic before you¡­¡± I threw a pair of darts at him, silencing his bragging. His eyes got wide as the swords fell to the ground. The remaining four pirates hit their knees before I could finish my first step. I took off his swordhand and kicked him onto his back, then took a cord out of my pocket and wrapped it around his neck. ¡°Disorienting, isn¡¯t it?¡± I grinned as I picked up the darts and poked the tip with my fingers. ¡°If you¡¯d done your research, then you¡¯d have known that my brother is a Camadt.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my smile as he started shaking. I tapped the tip. ¡°He has to trim his nails, so I keep them and make little trinkets like this.¡± I patted his neck. ¡°I also use his hair when he shaves. Mages hate this stuff¡­¡± I poked my finger. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know why.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°You¡­¡± He was trying to back up, but I sat on his knees. ¡°I need answers and you need¡­¡± I looked at the stump on his right arm. ¡°A doctor.¡± I turned back to him. ¡°I just so happen to be one, so how about this? You tell me who sent you and what they sent you after and I¡¯ll patch you up.¡± ¡°Feed the fish!¡± The Elf tried to spit at me, but it just dripped out of his mouth and down his cheek. ¡°Wrong choice.¡± I put the darts away and hoisted him to his feet. ¡°Maybe a few minutes with my brother will loosen your tongue.¡± He tried to take off the cord, but couldn¡¯t pull it off with his off hand. Since that failed, he ripped his shirt to get away from me and flipped himself over the edge of the boat. I ran over and looked over the railing to see a pool of blue blood rising to the top of the water. Minx¡¯s reptilian head popped out of the middle of the pool and held up the black cord. ¡°This yours?¡± I nodded at the small blue creature. ¡°Give it back to me once we¡¯re done.¡± He waved and went back underwater. Storbek vaulted onto the deck. ¡°Sectum! The princess is hurt!¡± I pointed at the four on the deck as I ran towards him. ¡°Prisoners. Captain killed himself.¡± I vault over the railing and landed on our deck. Starna had the princess¡¯ head in her lap. Garm was kneeling next to her, while the others were busy clearing the deck of the dead bodies. I felt my power start to tingle in my hand as I walked towards her. It looked like she had been stabbed in the chest. It was on her right side, so not life threatening once we treated her. I didn¡¯t bother trying to calculate how long I¡¯d have that wound. As soon as I touched her, she¡¯d be fine and I¡¯d be the one who¡¯d have to recuperate. A rough hand gently grabbed my arm. ¡°Sectum.¡± My father shook his head. ¡°Why not?¡± I pulled against his grip. I could use my ability to weaken him and break free, but I¡¯d have to switch my focus from healing to taking, which took only a few seconds, but that was more time than I wanted to spend on it. ¡°It¡¯s the scar.¡± I froze and swallowed. Whenever a Sineater took a wound, the original wound rapidly healed on the other person. Our own self healing was fast, so we could recover from most wounds and our healing was always accelerated after we used our abilities, so there was very little that a Sineater couldn¡¯t take and recover from. The scar was one of those things. If it was healed rapidly, it left behind so much scar tissue inside both the victim and the Sineater¡¯s body that even if they did survive, they would be a shadow of their former self with what they would be physically capable of doing. If left to heal naturally, there wasn¡¯t much damage done and there were antidotes that could cleanse it, but those were expensive and required a mage to make. I slowly backed up and punched the broken mast. ¡°I should have been here.¡± I couldn¡¯t face her, so I started walking towards the other side of the ship. ¡°I should have been there.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 17 ***FLASHBACK 11 years ago*** The smell of smoke was thick. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± My eight-year-old mind was having trouble processing the smoke, screams, and panic that seemed to be coming from everywhere all at once. ¡°Looks like some of the residential houses are on fire.¡± Garm glanced over the roofs of the market towards where the smoke was beginning to rise. ¡°Why are they worried about fire?¡± Eight-year-old Vin looked up at our father, then around at the mass of civilians who were trying to hurry away from that direction. ¡°Not everyone is as fire resistant as we are.¡± Garm put one of his hands on each of our shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re going to make us go help, aren¡¯t you?¡± The disappointment in Vin¡¯s voice was too unmistakable to miss. Our day was supposed to entail getting us real swords for our birthdays. Being the proud Dwarf that he was, our father didn¡¯t want to settle for getting us just some common swords from the market, but to have them specially made by actual Dwarf craftsmen. There weren¡¯t many places along the coast that had Dwarf forges outside of the capital cities, but we were still too young to go into cities that large, having to stay with the ship instead. ¡°Are there going to be hurt people?¡± I looked up at the burly Dwarf that was guiding us towards the chaos. ¡°I would bet on it.¡± Garm let go of Vin so he could put a hand on each of my shoulders as he knelt in front of me. ¡°Remember what I said. You only heal someone if I tell you to. Don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Ask you for permission, because we don¡¯t want people to ask what I can do.¡± I nodded and held up my thumb. ¡°I know.¡± The Dwarf eyed me and I had a feeling that he didn¡¯t fully trust me, but he left it at that. I made a mental note that I was going to prove that I was grown up enough to use my power responsibly. My hand was still sore from where Phlek had spilled hot oil on himself and I¡¯d taken the burn without thinking about it. We¡¯d been on the ship, so the lecture hadn¡¯t been too long, but it had come with a biology lesson on how fast an Ogre could recover from a burn versus myself. Despite wanting to help the grumpy cook, he had more layers of skin, which meant that the wound wasn¡¯t as bad on him as it was on me. Despite my accelerated healing when I took a wound, the Ogre still would have healed before now. As soon as we turned the corner to get into the residential area, I could see just how bad the smoke was and the feelings of pain were overwhelming my young brain. ¡°Vin!¡± Garm let go of my shoulder. ¡°Help me move that rubble!¡± I looked over at where our father was running. The collapsed houses were smoking, but it didn¡¯t look like they were still on fire. My little brother was strong despite being smaller than me. While I tried to catch my breath as it felt like I was being strangled, they were digging people out. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°TEAR!¡± A winged Elf ran past me and started digging at the rubble. ¡°AH!!!¡± The Fae fell away from the rubble. ¡°IRON?!¡± ¡°You built your house with iron?¡± Garm looked at the man. ¡°Never!¡± The thin man was holding his swelling hand next to his chest. ¡°There¡¯s not a splinter of iron on the block!¡± My father started sniffing the air. ¡°There¡¯s iron all over! Who did your survey?¡± ¡°The Hammers!¡± The Fae tried to grab something else. ¡°Vin! Get him out of here!¡± My father grabbed the Fae and shoved him towards my brother. ¡°And keep him away from your brother!¡± The Camadt grabbed the older man and wrapped all four of his arms around the crying man. ¡°Let me go! I have to find TEAR!¡± My father lifted a slab, then looked over at us. ¡°VIN! HOLD HIM! SEC! DON¡¯T YOU DARE!¡± I was already moving towards my father. It was like I could feel the pain that was in front of him. Garm threw the slab of stone to the side so he could grab me. He wasn¡¯t fast enough to keep me from seeing the Fae child with an iron rod through their chest. I reached the kid who was younger than me. ¡°AHHH!!!¡± I felt the burning in my chest the moment I touched her as my powers tried to take the wound, except there was still an iron rod that was poisoning her. I was violently yanked away from her. ¡°What did I say?!¡± My father pulled me away from the dying child. ¡°I CAN SA..!¡± A rough hand clamped over my mouth. ¡°There are people watching!¡± Garm whispered in my ear and turned me so that I could see that guards had shown up. The golden armored Elves began to pick away the rubble so everyone could see the dying child. My arms weren¡¯t strong enough to fight back as my father backed up to where my brother was and tapped him on the shoulder. My younger brother let the crying Fae go. ¡°TEAR!¡± The crying man crawled towards the guards. ¡°Someone get a healer!¡± The guards held him back as my father shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s not a healer that good in the city.¡± A dark-skinned man with a tattered jacket, torn pants, and a scar over his right eye walked out of the crowd and grabbed the iron rod and pulled it out of the child. ¡°Stop!¡± One of the guards moved to stop him. The stranger pulled off his jacket, revealing scars covering his upper body. A burn was forming on his chest and the appearance of the mark froze the guards in place. I watched in awe as the burn and hole slowly closed on the child¡¯s chest and the same mark began to grow on the scarred man¡¯s chest. He collapsed next to the child, who was scooped up by his father. ¡°He saved him!¡± I pointed at the other Sineater. ¡°Did you see that dad? He saved him!¡± ¡°He did.¡± Garm started backing us away from the celebrating father. The guards were putting shackles on the incapacitated stranger. ¡°But how many would he have saved in the future that are going to die now?¡± ¡°But you could save him!¡± I looked down at Vin. Even at eight, he was still strong enough to take down an adult guard. My father could do more than that and there was the crew too. My father picked me up, which didn¡¯t get me far off the ground. ¡°We save who we can, but sometimes that means having to stand by and do nothing so you can help the next person.¡± The Dwarf sighed. ¡°We can¡¯t save him today. If we tried, at best we¡¯d be thrown in a hole, then who would save people the next time they needed our help?¡± I felt tears streaming out of my eyes as I felt so helpless. It was wrong that the stranger was being arrested for saving the child¡¯s life. It was wrong that we weren¡¯t strong enough to rescue him. It was all so wrong. I promised myself that I¡¯d get stronger so I could help next time. That I¡¯d be strong enough to stop the wrong. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 18 The ships were a mess. ¡°We gots one that¡¯ll sail.¡± Wizz shook his head as he walked around the deck. I was more interested in how the princess was doing, but at the moment, not sinking was our main concern. ¡°Come on boy!¡± Garm smacked my shoulder as he walked past me. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get this ship free before she sinks us both!¡± I could see that the ship that had rammed us was slowly getting lower. While my abilities could heal most living beings, I was nothing but Human. Frosu was at the railing using his ability to create ice in between the two ships. ¡°There¡¯s too many holes for me to patch both of them!¡± ¡°Minx!¡± I looked over the side of the ship. The bright blue-scaled Kobold peeked his head above the water. ¡°Is it over?¡± I pointed at the other ship. ¡°Go tell my brother that we need him to tow the other ship away from us. It¡¯s sinking and trying to take us with it!¡± The reptilian¡¯s eyes got wide before he ducked under the water. I saw a trail of bubbles streak towards the other ship. I had no doubt that between my brother, Forst, and Hyer the other ship didn¡¯t stand a chance. I jumped onto the other ship and began grabbing as much rope as I could get my hands on. The ropes that they would have used to tie the ship to the dock were plenty and I threw an end to my father. We didn¡¯t need words to know what we were doing and as soon as we had the three ropes all tied to the three different places on the ship. I grabbed the other ends and looked over at my father. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I¡¯ve got this, get back to the ship!¡± I took off towards the back of the enemy ship. The ship my brother was on was coming around behind us Forst and Zist were both waiting in the water for me to throw them the ropes. Once the ropes were in the water I started running back to the Bane I heard a crunching noise as soon as I hit the deck. My brother was already pulling the other ship off of us. Phlek and Uziah were throwing dead pirates into the water, while Frosu was straining to keep the other ship from ripping too many holes in our side. Once we took on too much water, our ship would sink, regardless if we fixed the holes. I went into the cabin to check on the princess. Princess Alessa was laying in my father¡¯s bed, with a blanket over her. Starna was wiping the other woman¡¯s forehead and trying to get her comfortable under a blanket. My father turned from his conversation with Storbek when I entered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I thought that if I could get the captain then¡­¡± My father held up his hand. ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡± He nodded at the women. ¡°We don¡¯t think they knew about you. The poison was probably to try to get her to use her power and cripple her if they failed. A weakened queen wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat if she tried to retake her throne.¡± ¡°What are we going to do?¡± I looked at my father. ¡°They¡¯ve got to have a base around here somewhere. We¡¯re going to go there and see if they¡¯ve got what we need.¡± Garm nodded at the Minotaur. ¡°If they don¡¯t, then we¡¯ll send Storbek with a few of you over to Crylus in the good ship to look for an antidote.¡± He walked over and put his arm on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I had been tasked with a simple job and I¡¯d thought I was doing it, but in the end, the princess got hurt. ¡°Now get out there and help clean off the deck. I want a clean ship before we reach their hideout.¡± I nodded and glanced over at the princess one more time. ¡°Sorry.¡± I walked back out on the deck. I¡¯d find a way to make this right even if I couldn¡¯t use my powers. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 19 It was a small village. Lecia wasn¡¯t even on our map. Judging by what I could see from the deck, there couldn¡¯t be more than thirty buildings. According to the few pirates that were smart enough to surrender, there were less than a hundred people there. There were only around a dozen pirates in the village, with the rest being workers that they¡¯d brought in to run things while they were out on voyages. They only had the two ships, one now that the other had sank. A few people came out to meet us as we docked, there were a few with weapons, but as soon as my brother jumped onto the dock, they quickly surrendered. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡± Starna tapped me on the arm as she walked past me. I turned from where I had been leaning on the railing. ¡°What?¡± The mage jumped down onto the dock. ¡°Your captain said I had to take an escort and you¡¯re going to stand out the least.¡± I vaulted over the edge and landed next to her. ¡°What are we looking for?¡± ¡°I am looking for ingredients to make a cure for the princess.¡± Her blue eyes narrowed as she scowled. ¡°You¡¯re looking for trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble. Gotcha.¡± I rested my hand on the hilt of my sword. ¡°I can do that.¡± The brunette shook her head and started walking towards the village. She led me to the large building that was closest to the docks. Wizz and Phleck were going through the rows of crates, boxes, and baskets. I could tell by scanning over the room that was so large that the Bane could fit inside that most of it was junk. These pirates might have had two ships, but they hadn¡¯t been stockpiling a lot of wealth. Starna was trying to find their herbs and potion ingredients, which left me to poke around in the torn equipment, ruined grain, and waterlogged papers. I wasn¡¯t sure why I had been assigned to guard Starna if Wizz and Phlek were here too, but it gave me something to do while Garm tried to find things to fix the ship. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I heard the tanned woman sigh. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here that I can use.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a store in town?¡± I fell in step behind her as she headed for the exit. She stopped long enough to turn around and glare at me before she continued heading towards the ship. I didn¡¯t need words for what that look meant. We were in a pirate base. Anything that was of value would be in the warehouse. Instead of going back to the ship, she turned and walked towards the forest that was just outside of town. I could hear chopping sounds coming from the woods and had a feeling I knew what was going on. Vin and Garm were working on converting wood that our aquatic team had collected into parts that we could use on our ship. ¡°You find what you need?¡± My father wiped his brow with the back of his hand. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in there I can use.¡± Starna gestured at the scavenged parts. ¡°How long is it going to take to get those on your ship?¡± The Dwarf looked at the small pile of wood, then out at the sea. The longboats were missing, being taken to hold the wood that my crewmates were stripping off of the sunken ship. ¡°It¡¯ll be a few days at least before we can start patching her up. Maybe a week before we can sail again.¡± Garm looked over at the trees. ¡°Green wood¡¯s not the best to use for a mast, but if they can¡¯t get the one off the other ship, we¡¯ll have to make do until we can get it properly replaced.¡± ¡°Alessa can¡¯t wait a week before we start moving again.¡± Starna pointed at the Wind¡¯s Shadow, the ship we had confiscated. ¡°You said you¡¯d send me to Crylus if the ingredients weren¡¯t here. I need to leave as soon as I can.¡± My father took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Storbek to get ready. You¡¯ll be on your way within the hour.¡± The young mage¡¯s face lit up for a second. ¡°Thank you.¡± She gave him a little bow, then turned and headed back to the port. ¡°What are you doing, lad?¡± My father slapped me between the shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re her shadow when she¡¯s not on the ship. Go!¡± I hurried after my charge. I¡¯d assumed since she was going back to the ship, she¡¯d be fine on her own, but I needed to take her protection more seriously. I wasn¡¯t going to let something happen to her like it had to the Princess. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 20 Crylus was lively. For a port town that wasn¡¯t a capital it was a pretty large city. It was actually larger than some of the other country¡¯s capitals, which it kind of needed to be. It was on the peninsula that jutted out towards the equator where the Nevnua island continent was. While the rhinoceros faced bipeds were friendly enough to sometimes trade, it was one of two places that was firmly outside of Elf control. Since only natives were allowed to stay on the continent, it made trading there very lucrative, especially since the Nevnua dealt primarily with divinations. Since this was the closest city to the continent, it became a hub for ships to stop at before they headed for the Nevnua, or a place for the ships to rest after they had come from there. Because of that, there was always a large variety of beings and opportunities here. Starna had barely said a word as she got off the ship and headed into town. I¡¯d hoped to have a little more backup in case someone recognized her, but we had only taken Hyer and Wizz with us. While the four of us were enough to sail the ship along the coast, even sending one more person with me would mean potentially leaving the ship unguarded as Storbek dealt with the port authority. I stayed within arms reach of her as she headed through the streets like she knew where she was going. I¡¯d been to Crylus many times, but I¡¯d never needed to go to an apothecary, so I had no idea where to start looking for one. ¡°Do you know where you are going?¡± I almost ran into her as she came to a stop at an intersection and looked around. ¡°There.¡± The tanned woman pointed across the street. I grabbed her arm before she was able to step onto the street and pulled her back. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Why not?¡± She turned around to face me, pulling her arm out of my grasp. ¡°That.¡± I pointed at the symbol in the window that looked like a t resting diagonally inside a circle. ¡°They¡¯re Vampires.¡± The mage paused for a second and closed her eyes as she thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I grabbed onto her arm again. ¡°They turn mages if they think they can get away with making them a thrall before the authorities can stop them.¡± I pulled her away from the street. ¡°You¡¯re not going in there.¡± She tried to pull her arm away, but I wasn¡¯t going to let her just walk into danger when I was supposed to keep her safe, so this time, I didn¡¯t let her pull away. ¡°Sectum¡­¡± The brunette glared at me and lowered her voice. ¡°I¡¯m a Veneficus, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I let her go. A Veneficus was what the Elves called someone who had water elementalist abilities along with magic. Usually a person who had powers would have a single elemental ability or magic, not more than one. The thing about elementalists was that they were immune to being turned into a vampire, which meant that if the Vampires inside did bite her, they would have to kill her to keep her from reporting them to the city guard. ¡°Oh.¡± I let go of her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± She rubbed her arm where I¡¯d held on to her. ¡°I¡¯ve done this before, so I know what I¡¯m doing. You just do your job and make sure that I don¡¯t get stabbed by a rare poison and everything will be fine.¡± I nodded and followed her across the street. It was hard to see inside the shop due to the tinting of the windows to keep the harmful sunlight out. While a little sunlight wouldn¡¯t be instantly fatal to a Vampire, it would weaken them and they¡¯d start burning very fast. That sunburn would get even worse and if they didn¡¯t seek shelter at that point, then they could end up with some scars that their self healing couldn¡¯t fix. The bell on the door jingled as we walked in. I hoped they had what we were looking for. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 21 It smelled like a graveyard. Like one that had lots of fresh flowers. There was a musty death smell hiding under the fresh fragrances of dried flowers hanging all over the shop, while there were other places where all the plants were still in soil. Behind the counter across from the door, there were rows of glass jars with more powders and dried ingredients than I could identify. ¡°Ah, a young mage and her¡­¡± The woman behind the counter sniffed the air. She leaned forward and licked her lips, letting her tongue glide over her canines. ¡°We don¡¯t get many of your kind around here anymore.¡± Vampires were unsettling to me. I hated how they looked at everyone in the room like they were a dish they wanted to sample. It was like walking into a room with a big mosquito that you were unable to slap. You knew that the bug was going to eventually try to bite you, but you weren¡¯t able to do anything about it until it did. I folded my arms in front of me and tried to ignore the pale skinned parasite. She had been an Elf before she was turned or her ancestors had. I knew that some turned Vampires were able to reproduce and those that could spawned a stronger form of the parasitic race. Her red eyes were locked on to me as she smiled and tapped her long red nails against her pale cheek. She had long black hair hiding most of her pointed ears. Her clothes were baggy for what I would have expected from a Vampire, with lots of pockets sewn all over and long sleeves. Almost like she was trying to protect her very resilient body. ¡°I have a list of items that I need.¡± Starna marched over to the counter and held out the piece of paper. ¡°Someone has the scar.¡± The Vampire purred as she looked around the room. ¡°I have everything here except¡­¡± She began tapping in the air at different places in the shop, like she was counting out the ingredients. ¡°Blood root powder.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take what you have.¡± Starna took out a coin and placed it on the counter. ¡°Would you have a lab that I could rent or know where one is in this town?¡± ¡°My lab has everything you need¡­¡± The Vampire motioned towards a door to our left. ¡°But the rest of this won¡¯t be enough to cure whoever¡¯s been poisoned without the blood root.¡± She tapped the counter as she stood up. ¡°There¡¯s so little call for it, no one carries it, but¡­¡± She started taking down jars of ingredients. ¡°You should be able to find some at the Ranger¡¯s Station, they keep those types of rarely used ingredients on hand incase of an outbreak.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just rent the lab there.¡± My brunette companion smiled with more cheer than I¡¯d seen her use the whole time I¡¯d been with her. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°A pity.¡± The Vampire finished laying out the small amounts of the various ingredients so that Starna could approve of them before she bagged and bottled them up. There were five small pouches the size of teabags and three vials that went into a small paper bag. ¡°I would have enjoyed watching something made outside of the boring concoctions.¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t pressed for time, then maybe you could have talked me into coming back.¡± Starna took the bag and put it under her arm. ¡°Have a blessed day.¡± She gave another small bow before turning to leave. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to make a donation?¡± The Vampire purred as her eyes locked on to me. I just shook my head. Considering the high that a Sineater¡¯s blood was supposed to give a vampire, a donation was her way of asking if I was open to sell her some of my blood. Even if we weren¡¯t in a hurry, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to indulge her. There were just too many things that could go wrong when dealing with a vampire. ¡°Pera Glynot.¡± The vampire flicked me a coin. ¡°Does that change your mind?¡± I caught the coin and looked at the object. It wasn¡¯t a coin that was useful most places because it was a blood coin. Vampires would use their own blood to create different objects, usually weapons or armor. The strongest of them would make coins that would mark the holder as someone who exclusively sold them blood. In this case, a matriarch had just offered me her coin. There were few vampires who would dare try to harm me with such an item in my pocket. But it would also act as a locator, allowing this Vampire to know approximately where I was. Starna¡¯s eyes widened as she saw what I was holding. I closed my eyes for a moment, then walked up to the counter. ¡°Why would a matriarch be working in a shop?¡± I placed the coin on the counter. ¡°We have to have our hobbies¡­¡± The Vampire put her finger on the coin and it turned into a puddle of blood, then hardened back into a coin. It was her way of proving that it was her coin. ¡°How much..?¡± A syringe the size of my finger was on the counter before I could finish the question. As much as I didn¡¯t want to deal with a Vampire, it was too good of a deal and she knew it. I saw the victory in her eyes as I took the syringe and stuck it into my arm and filled it with blood. I placed the full container in her hand and reached for the coin. She caught my hand. ¡°Not yet.¡± She pushed out a single drop of blood onto the coin and the blue disk drank it up. She let go of my hand and held up her prize. ¡°Now it¡¯s ready.¡± I picked up the coin. In a way it was worth a lot less and more at the same time. It was more or less bound to me, so I couldn¡¯t give the protection she had offered to someone else, but I had a feeling that even if I¡¯d left the coin on the counter and walked out of the shop, it would find its way into my pocket. ¡°Come back when you can.¡± Matriarch Pera waved at me as I walked out of the shop. Starna just stared at me once we were in the street. ¡°What?¡± I patted my pocket where I¡¯d put the coin. ¡°Are you going to tell me..?¡± ¡°You¡¯re something¡­¡± Starna shook her head. ¡°Come on. We still have to get what we need from the Ranger¡¯s station.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 22 I heard it before I saw it. Given that Tefira was a prison planet there were a lot of rough beings that were trapped here. The natives of the planet had left behind numerous ruins when they had retreated into their small pockets to hide from the invading prisoners. The ruins that hadn¡¯t been claimed by the elves or other races had become nests for the monsters that had roamed the untamed areas. Ranger¡¯s Stations were a place where hunters could go to find where the latest outbreak of monsters were. If an outbreak got too large, then the army would get sent to deal with it, but usually, it was hunters that kept the monster population under control. That meant that a Ranger¡¯s Station was where the roughest characters gathered. Naturally it was also where the best alcohol was as well. ¡°Stay close to me.¡± I put my arm on Starna¡¯s shoulder as we walked up to the door of the loud building. There was singing as well as what sounded like fighting coming from inside. ¡°I¡¯ve been in one of these before.¡± The tanned Elf didn¡¯t shake off my hand. Even if we were both capable of handling ourselves, it made us look stronger if it was clear that the two of us were together. She pushed open the door and the first thing that hit me was the smell. It was dirty, bloody, and¡­ lots of other smells I didn¡¯t want to name. The fight that we¡¯d heard was between a group of Ogres to our right. I didn¡¯t know what they were fighting over, but there were three of them throwing punches and the rest of the crowd seemed content to ignore them. Across the room and to our left was a bar where a pair of Dwarves were singing at the top of their lungs and offkey. A Draconic male was with them. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a Dragonborn or an actual Dragon in Human form, but it was just as drunk. The rest of the room was populated with various races and I didn¡¯t want to let my eyes linger for too long. That was the easiest way to issue an unspoken challenge and we didn¡¯t have time to fight. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The counter directly across from us had an Elf attendant behind it in a suit. Compared to the Human attendant at the counter on the right of the wall, the Elf looked like they handled Ranger business, while the Human had a board next to them with a lot of wanted posters. I directed Starna to the Elf. The green skinned man gave us a bored smile as we approached. ¡°Welcome to the Ranger¡¯s Station. I am Rien Furstworn. How can I help you?¡± His dry, monotone greeting was painful to listen to. ¡°I was told that you kept blood root on hand and that you had a lab that I could rent?¡± Starna fished a coin out of her pocket and put it on the counter. ¡°Blood root is in the vault.¡± He got up and trudged through the door behind him. I watched him disappear without a word. I glanced over at Starna who just shrugged. The fight behind us had stopped, which had me a little on edge. It was difficult to hear what was going on behind us with the singing to our left. I turned around so that I could lean on the counter and see the rest of the patrons while I talked to my partner. There was a leonin at the table closest to us that was staring us down. Kimor were native to the planet, though they were almost extinct after the Great War. The next logical being with a massive red mane would be a WereLion. Given the thick leather jacket that it was wearing, it looked like it had enough bulk that it might be an Alpha, though I didn¡¯t see any other feline races in the room and the leonin was eating alone. The way he was staring at Starna was unsettling and I wanted to get her out of here as fast as I could. ¡°Here¡¯s the blood root.¡± I turned around to look at our bored elf attendant. ¡°The lab is outside. Go around the west of the building and there are labs set up for private use.¡± He put a key on the counter. ¡°You are in room three.¡± He took out a book and flipped to a page with a lot of names. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I started to speak, but a deep voice behind me answered. ¡°Starna Shellock.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 23 It was more of a threat than a statement. I turned around to look at the leonin while Rien wrote down the name like nothing was happening. ¡°I think you should¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hundred gold bounty out for Princess Alessa Malus. You¡¯re the princess¡¯ companion, so you or¡­¡± He looked at me. ¡°This one knows where she is.¡± The mention of the bounty got the attention of every person in the room. Even the bored Elf behind the counter¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person. ¡° I turned back to the attendant. ¡°Sectum Irongut and this is my¡­¡± I looked over at Starna and tried to think of what title she¡¯d find the least insulting. ¡°Companion, Whiny soon-to-be Irongut.¡± I picked up the key from the counter and guided Starna around the large male. ¡°Let¡¯s go before anyone else starts fantasizing that you¡¯re someone else.¡± For a moment I thought the leonin was going to try to stop us, but no one made a move to bar our path. I would have counted that a win, except the silence made our walk outside feel like we were heading to our execution. ¡°Can you make that thing on the ship?¡± I nodded at the package in her hand. ¡°We don¡¯t have the instruments I need to¡­¡± I pressed the key into her hand as I saw the leonin start following us. ¡°Get it done as fast as you can.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I looked around the street as she took off around the corner. This wasn¡¯t the best place for a fight, but at least the town guard might show up. I doubted anyone inside the Ranger¡¯s Station would lift a finger to help and honestly, they¡¯d probably join in on subduing us with that amount of bounty. I smiled as wide as I could when the leonin walked out of the building. His bulk was imposing, but Vin was bigger, so I wasn¡¯t too concerned about winning the fight that was about to happen. My main concern was that it was the middle of the day and there were plenty of witnesses. I had to make sure it was blatantly obvious that I was being attacked or I¡¯d also have the entire town guard to contend with. ¡°Look, our party is full. I get that you¡¯re smitten with me, but take the no and move on.¡± I raised my voice so that the people walking on the other side of the street would be able to hear. I also added a little bit of panic into my voice. A little bit of fear would draw a larger crowd. The leonin took out a pair of restraints. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me where you took the princess¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even going to try to pretend that you aren¡¯t attacking me?¡± I shrugged. ¡°How about this then? If I was the one who broke into the castle and abducted the princess and was able to get her past all of those guards and walls and people, what makes you think that you can take me alone?¡± The leonin started laughing and began shrugging off his jacket. I recognized that laugh because it was the same laugh that Vin used whenever someone had badly underestimated what he was capable of. I knew that this leonin wasn¡¯t a Camadt, living with one had practically attuned me to knowing when one of the dangerous beings was close. I started backing up and that momentum was what allowed me to dodge the leonin¡¯s tail from piercing my side. ¡°Seriously?¡± I touched my sword but knew that a case could still be made that he had just been teasing me and I attacked him. I opened my hands so I¡¯d be able to touch him if he got close while I watched the scorpion tail retract and his red, leathery wings unfurl as the jacket hit the ground. I would have preferred a Camadt at this point as that would have only been a beating. What was standing in front of me was a Manticore. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 24 It took moments for a crowd to gather across the street. Manticore weren¡¯t common in this part of the world. The main colony was in the mountains on the western side of the continent. The six to seven foot tall winged leonins were banned from most Elf cities due to their violent nature that had eclipsed even the Camadt. While the four armed felines had gradually accepted that peace was in their best interest and begun working toward establishing a country that could interact peaceably with the other nations, the Manticore had leaned into their bloodlust, using the high density of deviants to justify killing sprees. It wasn¡¯t that the Manticore went on random massacres, but one could be certain that if there was a large scale offensive somewhere, the Manticore would be on the front lines. The main thing that had me concerned was the poison from their tail. I could transfer it back to them, but that was only if I could do it fast enough. It was a neurotoxin, and one that was strong enough to slow down a Dragon or a Camadt, so I didn¡¯t like my chances at being able to purge it before it knocked me out. It was a big planet, but I had a feeling that I knew who was standing in front of me, if only by reputation. There was only one Manticore in this region that was on the Elves payroll. And as brazenly as he was attacking, he had to have some backing to not be concerned about the locals. ¡°Karse Dragonsbane?¡± I held up both hands as I started to back away to give myself more room to react. When he didn¡¯t answer, I pressed him. ¡°You already know my name, seems rude for me not to know yours.¡± ¡°What difference does it make what my name is once you¡¯re in chains?¡± The Manticore lunged at me. He was fast and his wings gave him even more speed, but not enough to slip past my guard. I held back as I deflected a swipe, then a jab, followed by a tail strike. I didn¡¯t want to use my ability to weaken him. So far, I¡¯d been able to mostly hide who and what I was, but my opponent wasn¡¯t some backwater nobody or a simple guard that anyone could have taken out. If I used my power in a measurable way, I had an entire crowd of witnesses and that was if I was able to finish him off before we fled. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The good news was that he was only using combos. While the added threat of his wings to allow him to twist in the air to strike me did provide a challenge, it was a simple case of targeting his next attack. Vin could swing his arms in different directions and at different tempos, which had conditioned me to be able to adjust to a much more complicated form of brawling. ¡°Whiny!?¡± I deflected his tail as I backed up. ¡°How¡¯s it coming?¡± ¡°IF YOU THINK THIS IS SO EASY THEN WHY DON¡¯T YOU COME IN HERE AND I¡¯LL¡­.!¡± ¡°Fight the Manticore?¡± I cut her off as I dropped under a swipe and kicked his left knee, then grabbed his tail. The appendage was a lot stronger than I expected and he yanked it out of my grasp. ¡°A WHAT..?!?¡± Starna stuck her head out of the room she was working in. ¡°More brewing, less gawking!¡± I saw the Manticore take a breath and knew what I was in for and I was too close to get out of the way. Flames rolled over an ice barrier between me and my opponent. As I tried to roll away from him. I got to my feet and took another couple steps back. The manticore was adjusting to my counters and learning that it was going to have to attack me two different ways at the same time if it was going to make any headway. ¡°Thanks!¡± I waved at her. ¡°Now get that thing done so we can get out of here!¡± ¡°If I brew this thing wrong, then I¡¯ll burn her face off instead¡­¡± ¡°JUST DO IT!¡± I pulled out my sword. Hopefully, I had fought him off long enough for the crowd to decide that I was in fact being attacked. ¡°Get it to where you can finish it on the ship and let¡¯s go!¡± I swiped at the tail with my sword. The blade bounced off like the tail was wrapped in Dragon scale. The Manticore started laughing. ¡°You can¡¯t win. Tell me where the princess is and I¡¯ll let you go once I have her.¡± ¡°A very generous offer.¡± I lowered my blade as I saw guards in golden armor running up the road towards us. ¡°But this fight is over.¡± The Manticore looked behind him at the approaching Elves and laughed. ¡°Yes it is.¡± The guards flanked the Manticore. The one in the lead looked at the larger being. ¡°What do you need us to do Sir Karse?¡± I tightened the grip on my sword as I realized that if he was on the Elves payroll, of course the guards would take orders from him. But I smirked at knowing that I¡¯d guessed who he was correctly. Karse pointed at me. ¡°Arrest him.¡± He nodded at the door to the lab behind me on my left. ¡°There¡¯s another one in there.¡± I raised my blade. This wasn¡¯t good. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 25 We¡¯d run out of time. ¡°WHINY, GET YOUR STUFF, WE HAVE TO GO NOW!¡± I headed off the lead Elf, parried a sword, then dodged away from a whip. They were all powerless, which was a small blessing, but there were a dozen of them. The only reason why they hadn¡¯t overwhelmed me was because the alley was only wide enough for four people. So far, I¡¯d kept them back, but the moment the Manticore decided to help, I¡¯d have the larger threat at my back and that would be a situation that I wouldn¡¯t get out of even with my powers. What I needed was something big. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small flask of Dwarven rum. The stuff was concentrated alcohol that most Elves couldn¡¯t stomach a shot of. My father was going to give me an earful for using it like this, but it was what I had. The building to my right had been charred a little by the Manticore¡¯s fire breath, so I pulled out the stopper and threw the glass flask at the side of the building and began backpedaling as fast as I could. The eruption of flames was enough to push the Elves back. There wasn¡¯t much wood on the stone building, so it was mainly just noise, but I hoped it was enough. I took a few more steps back and was in front of the lab that Starna was in, I looked inside and saw her measuring a fluid. ¡°WHINY, I AM ABOUT TO HAVE THE WHOLE ARMY OUT HERE!¡± The blue-eyed Elf paused and glared at me. ¡°If you call me Whiny one more¡­¡± ¡°YOU CAN KILL ME AFTER THEY DO, SO STOP WHINING AND PACK IT UP!¡± I took a few steps forward to force the guards to back up as I reached into my pocket. I didn¡¯t have another flask, but the guards didn¡¯t know that and they didn¡¯t want to get burnt in an inferno. ¡°Hurry up and arrest them!¡± The Manticore growled as he lifted off the ground. He turned his attention to me. ¡°You¡¯re in a dead end alley, just surrender already.¡± I swallowed and gripped my sword with both hands as I prepared to be dive bombed. Karse got blasted out of the alley. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You picked a fight with a Manticore?¡± Hyer dropped behind me. I glanced over my shoulder at the Griffon. ¡°He picked a fight with me.¡± I nodded at the lab. ¡°Whiny is in there trying to get the antidote finished¡­¡± The Griffon released a blast of air that drove the guards back. The Manticore roared and started running our way, apparently already learning that he didn¡¯t want to be in an air battle with the Griffon. I moved in between the two demihumans and parried the Manticore¡¯s blade, then sidestepped a tail attack. Hyer blasted the air through the spot I¡¯d been standing to knock our winged opponent back a few feet. The guards were trying to get out of the alley while a group in the back were stringing bows. They must have decided that simply arresting us wasn¡¯t an option anymore. The Manticore must have noticed their change in tactics because he took a deep breath and released a gout of flames. Hyer countered it with a stream of air, but that only made the flames grow higher where the two elements collided and did nothing to shield me from the heat. ¡°I¡¯m good..!¡± Starna walked out of the lab. Her hands started moving and a stream of ice joined the air, cooling the heat and pushing the flames back. The Manticore jumped out of the way as he ran out of breath, letting the storm of frozen air blast over the guards behind him. Hyer grabbed us both by our collars and took off over the building. He kept low to make it harder for the archers to shoot at us. The guards weren¡¯t reckless enough to fire blindly, because if they missed, there was a chance they would hit a civilian. Once we were at a place where he could put us down he set us on the ground and the three of us ran the rest of the way to the ship. The Manticore was behind us, smart enough to chase us on the ground, which gave us enough time to get to the ship before he made it to the dock. ¡°WE¡¯VE GOT TO GO!¡± I untied the one rope that Storbek had left holding us to the dock, then ran up the gangway behind the other two. The Minotaur had been around enough to know the signal for bad trouble and had gotten ready to leave. ¡°Hang on!¡± Hyer pointed at the sails that Wizz dropped and the ship started moving. I could hear Karse screaming something and had a feeling he was trying to get the turrets to shoot at us, but it would take a few moments for the guards to verify that he had the authority to give that serious of an order. I looked over at Starna. ¡°Did you get it?¡± She nodded and patted her bag as she held on to the mast with her other hand. ¡°I can finish on the way back.¡± Our mission was a partial success, though I had a feeling the navy wouldn¡¯t be far behind us. We needed to get the princess healed and back into the ocean as soon as possible. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 26 Hyer looked beat. The Griffon hadn¡¯t stopped using his air abilities to propel the ship for the entire trip. I knew it was hard on him, but he wanted to get us back as soon as possible, because the navy had their own air users that could propel their ships. Those ships were no doubt out looking for us right now and he wanted to get us back before we got caught. Starna had gone below deck to secure what she¡¯d done so far and I¡¯d barely seen her the entire way back. She still looked a little upset at me, probably over my joke. I took a small bit of pleasure in knowing that her complaining about it would only prove my point. The pirate town looked pretty much the same, the only difference being that the Mage''s Bane had a repaired mast and no hole in the side. ¡°Back so soon?¡± Vin walked on board with my father as soon as we docked. His eyes got wide when he saw Hyer. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good birdie.¡± ¡°The regent has sent Karse Dragonsbane after us.¡± Storbek patted the Griffon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We had to leave fast.¡± ¡°The navy¡¯s not too far behind, no doubt.¡± Garm looked around. ¡°Islands should give us some cover, but we should be on our way as soon as we can.¡± He nodded at my brother. ¡°Get the rest of the crew ready to cast off.¡± Vin nodded and jumped off the deck onto the dock and headed to the other ship. ¡°Where¡¯s the lass?¡± My father looked at me. ¡°Below deck. She had to brew it herself.¡± Garm nodded and headed for the stairs to take him to her. I fell in step behind him and once we made it down the stairs, I was surprised at what I saw. It looked like she had stolen part of the lab from the Ranger¡¯s Station. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± I looked at how she had secured a lot of the equipment with ice to hold it in place. Considering she was also using heat, that seemed like it wasn¡¯t a great system, but she had to secure things somehow. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Once Alessa takes back the throne, she can reimburse you .¡± Starna turned to my father. ¡°Captain Garm, how is she doing?¡± The Dwarf seemed unfazed at the prospect of owing the Rangers however much the instruments that she¡¯d stolen were worth. ¡°Not much better than when you left.¡± He nodded at the red vial. ¡°How long until it¡¯s ready?¡± ¡°I can give her the first dose now, but I¡¯ll need to keep refining it.¡± Starna grabbed the vial and headed for the stairs. ¡°We need to talk.¡± My father moved to cut her off. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Starna looked over at me. I shrugged. I had no idea what he was talking about. ¡°I¡¯ve been talking with the boys and we were on the fence, but now it seems like we don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± He looked over at me. ¡°As soon as we can make landfall, Sectum will have to take you over land.¡± ¡°CAPTAIN GARM!¡± I could feel the air getting colder around me as Starna fixed an icy glare on my father. ¡°WE HAD AN ARRANGEMENT!¡± ¡°The arrangement was to keep the princess safe.¡± My father didn¡¯t seem the least bit concerned about the potential magic attack. ¡°Every ship in the Lithe Sea is going to be looking for us. There¡¯s no way I can safely get the princess to the Wraiths¡­¡± He gestured at me. ¡°But Sectum can get you to the Iron Forge. The Dwarves might be Elven allies, but they won¡¯t just hand the princess over. That¡¯ll give us time to come up with a more permanent solution.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Besides, if they¡¯re looking for her at sea, then no one will be expecting you to be heading for the mountains.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think that the princess can actually travel¡­¡± ¡°I talked with the princess.¡± My father cut her off. ¡°She agreed that this was an option and now I think it¡¯s the only one we have.¡± He nodded at the instruments. ¡°Pack up what you need. We¡¯re casting off as soon as all the boys are back.¡± Starna was speechless as my father turned and went up the stairs first. As soon as he was gone the brunette mage turned to me. ¡°Did you know about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been with you the whole time.¡± I held up my hands. ¡°It¡¯s news to me too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Starna shook her head. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ve got to pack this up.¡± ¡°Do you need any help?¡± I watched her start to take some of the instruments apart. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± The tanned woman wouldn¡¯t look at me. ¡°You should get whatever you need.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I started to go up the stairs, but stopped on the first step. ¡°Starna?¡± She ignored me, furiously packing up her stolen equipment. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± She paused for a moment, but resumed her task without saying anything. I hoped I hadn¡¯t lied to her as I finished climbing the steps. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 27 It was dark out. There was a moon, but it was a cloudy evening, so there was almost no light. It provided a good bit of cover as I got into the longboat first so I could help the princess get in. Starna was right behind her and holding her hand. The princess was still fairly weak, but Zist had seen a naval ship in the islands, so we knew we couldn¡¯t afford to wait any longer. The Thizzer was going to push the boat to shore, then bring it back to the ship. There would be no way for us to get back to sea once we were dropped off, so we¡¯d have no choice but to get as far from the shore as possible. None of us spoke as Vin slowly lowered our boat into the water. I knew my brother wanted to go with us, but a Camadt in this part of the world was very recognizable. A Human couple with their Elf attendant would draw a lot less attention than if one of the other demihumans brought our group to a foursome. The air was cool as it was late in the year. We were going to need to get better clothes as soon as we got to the first safe town. The Dwarf mountains were always cold until we got underground near the forges. Then things would get warmer, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen for a while. I wondered if Starna was going to have any trouble with the cold since she was an ice mage. It was something I was going to have to remember to ask her later as well. We reached land too fast and the snakeman slithered out of the water and looked at me. ¡°Keep her safe.¡± He hissed as his hooded head nodded at the princess. He held out his hand. ¡°Safe travels.¡± I took his hand. ¡°And warm waters.¡± His mouth parted in a toothy smile, then he grabbed the boat and headed back into the water. Starna was supporting the princess as we watched the boat slowly disappear. We couldn¡¯t see the Mage''s Bane from the shore and it wasn¡¯t long until the smaller boat vanished. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I looked around the beach. There were plenty of dangerous creatures in the wilds that we needed to be cautious of, so traveling at night, especially a cloudy one, wasn''t the best idea. We¡¯d need to find somewhere to make camp. I would have preferred a cave, but it was going to be a few days before we made it to rocky terrain. And that was if the princess was able to walk normally. I had a feeling that I was going to have to carry her before long. I nodded at a grove of trees to the south. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find somewhere in there that we can set up camp.¡± The women started walking slowly and I offered my arm to the princess. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d like to walk on my own for a little bit.¡± I couldn¡¯t see her face, but it sounded like she smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± I pointed at the trees. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far around this we can go at the tree line.¡± It felt like we walked for hours, but based on how dark it still was, I knew that only about an hour had passed. There was a light up ahead and it looked like someone had made a camp just inside the treeline. I ushered the two women into the treeline as I tried to think about what to do next. I doubted that many travelers would be hostile, but there was always a chance that it was someone living outside the cities. Most criminals that were exiled here chose to fund their mandatory tax by resorting to robbery. ¡°I¡¯m going to go check it out.¡± I motioned at the fire and hoped that they could see me. ¡°Stay here until I figure out if it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Until what is safe?¡± The voice was deeper and had a rattle to it. Most alarming was that it didn¡¯t belong to either of my companions. A soft light appeared above us, illuminating the area around us. It wasn¡¯t so bright that it hurt my eyes, but it did give off enough light that I could see who our newcomer was. The man was wearing leather pants and a worn shirt. There was a knife on his belt as well as a cylinder that I recognized as a retracted mage staff. He was covered in bone-like skin and there were two glowing yellow lights where his eyes should have been. A Grim had found us. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 28 ***FLASHBACK 13 years ago*** The ship stank. It was all my six-year-old mind could think about. This large boat that the crew had taken smelled like death, blood, and a privy. The Dwarf had told me to help him find creatures on board that were still alive. The rest of the crew was busy cleaning out the dead bodies of the bad men on the deck. I had heard someone say that these were traffics, or at least that¡¯s what I thought I¡¯d heard. There was a beautiful blue and green feathered bird that was as big as I was in one of the cages. I poked the sleeping bird with a stick I¡¯d found, but it didn¡¯t budge. I poked it a little harder, but it still didn¡¯t wake up. That wasn¡¯t what the Dwarf was looking for. I pulled the blanket off the cage next to it. As soon as the blanket came off, the puppy inside hit the bars and began growling. I could see its ribs and it was breathing hard. It had some owies on its side too. It laid down on its side and started whimpering. ¡°You''re out of water.¡± I could see that the two bowls tied to the edge of the cage were both empty. ¡°You¡¯re probably hungry too.¡± I needed to tell the Dwarf that I¡¯d found an alive one, but he was upstairs and I could help this puppy first. ¡°Where is your food..?¡± I looked around the cramped storage room. There were a lot more boxes with blankets on them. People didn¡¯t keep dog food in a wooden box. They kept it in a bucket. I didn¡¯t see any food, but I did see a five gallon bucket of water in the corner. I ran over to the bucket and tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy. I wrapped my arms around the top of the bucket and started dragging it pull by pull towards the puppy¡¯s pen. I¡¯d spilled water all over me by the time I got to the pen. I tried to tip the bucket over enough to fill the water bowl, but the heavy container slipped out of my hands and splashed water all over the floor. Everything was wet, but I puffed out my chest. The water dish was full. The puppy limped over to the water dish and began lapping up the water. ¡°Is that what you wanted?¡± I reached out my hand to pet it, but stopped when the puppy started growling. It didn¡¯t want to be touched. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll be safe now.¡± I looked around, but I still didn¡¯t see any food. ¡°I¡¯ll be back when I find you something to eat.¡± I started walking fast through the cages towards the stairs. The Dwarf kept telling me not to run, because that¡¯s how you went for a swim. I didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d end up in the water inside the boat, but I didn¡¯t want to lose dessert again, so I made sure that I was only walking fast. I took a turn, but the stairs weren¡¯t where I remembered them being. Instead, there was a little boy my size with black fur that was chained to a wall. There was a collar around his neck, and a band around each of his four arms and two legs. The boy had a face that looked like a cats and growled at me as I got close. His clothes were torn and one of his eyes was almost swollen shut. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Let me GO!¡± the boy growled as he pulled against the chains. ¡°Why are you chained up?¡± My heart was hurting as I looked at him. ¡°The bad men said they were going to make me into a belt.¡± He pulled against the chains.¡±I don¡¯t want to be a belt!¡± I looked around, but I didn¡¯t see any keys. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get my Dwarf. He¡¯ll know what to do.¡± I touched the other boy¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me!¡± He started crying. I started to stay, but I knew that if I stayed, I couldn¡¯t get the boy free. I had to find Mister Garm. He¡¯d know what to do. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I smiled. ¡°They killed all the bad guys. You¡¯re okay.¡± The other boy had tears running down his face. I needed to hurry. I took off running. Dessert didn¡¯t matter right now. I had to find the Dwarf. ¡°MISTER GARM! MISTER GARM!¡± I was trying to remember which way among all the cages was the way out. ¡°What is it?¡± The jovial Dwarf looked over at me as I turned a corner and ran into the bull-man. ¡°Sorry.¡± I looked up at the big man, who just snorted. I took a step back and looked at the dwarf. ¡°I found a boy! He¡¯s my age and got black fur and four arms and looks like a cat!¡± I pointed the way I¡¯d come from. ¡°He¡¯s chained up and needs our help!¡± ¡°Camadt¡­¡± Mister Storbek pushed me aside as he headed off in the direction I was pointing. I had to run to keep up with them as they hurried to where the boy was chained up. ¡°Get your welp out of here.¡± The bull-man took out his sword. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to see this.¡± It got hard to breathe. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± The Dwarf grabbed me by the shoulder and stopped me from moving. I strained against the firm grip, but I couldn¡¯t break it. I looked up at the dwarf. ¡°You can¡¯t let him hurt him!¡± ¡°Nobody is getting hurt.¡± Mister Garm took out his ax and stepped in front of the bull-man. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Mister Storbek pointed his sword at the other boy. ¡°Those things are all killers! I was at Fort Chie. I saw what they did firsthand. They didn¡¯t care if someone was a civilian or not, they killed everyone they came across. If you don¡¯t get rid of him now, he could kill hundreds or thousands when he grows up.¡± He gave the dwarf a nasty look. ¡°Do you want that on you?¡± ¡°Nothing is born evil.¡± Mister Garm chopped off one of the chains from the wall. ¡°I reckon with the right teaching, he¡¯d make a fine man someday.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Mister Storbek put away his sword. ¡°Never attack something just because you think it might be bad.¡± The Dwarf finished cutting off the chains and wrapped the boy in a hug. ¡°There are a lot of good things around here once you look past the reputations.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy. There¡¯s no way that thing is ever a good person.¡± The bull-man started stomping away. ¡°I¡¯ll take that bet.¡± Mister Garm pulled the boy back so he could look him over. ¡°I¡¯ll turn this lad into a respectable person.¡± The bull-man didn¡¯t say anything as he walked away. ¡°That settles it.¡± Mister Garm laughed as he motioned for me to get closer. ¡°Sectum, come over here and meet your new brother!¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 29 Grim were dangerous. Especially if this one was a reaper. The elite Grim had a bone appendage on their arms that could rotate a piece of their exoskeleton out to have a pair of arm blades. Those Grim were taught specifically to be headhunters and were very efficient at it. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if the regent hadn¡¯t contracted a reaper to hunt us down, but this mage had plenty of time to attack us and hadn¡¯t done so yet. It led me to believe that I at least needed to try to talk to the dangerous being for a little while first. ¡°In these parts, it¡¯s best to assume nothing is safe until you¡¯ve checked it.¡± Normally I would have rested my hand on my sword, but I didn¡¯t want to do anything to provoke the mage. ¡°Very true.¡± The light got a little brighter, but slowly, so that it didn¡¯t hurt our eyes. The grim gave us a slightly exaggerated bow. ¡°My name is Krav Morstum, emissary of the Mebope Queen Banrion Quanda.¡± He nodded to the north. ¡°I¡¯ve been sent as a representative for Princess Malus¡¯ wedding.¡± His boney mouth broke into a creepy smile. ¡°I fought beside her great-grandfather in the Great War and I¡¯ve been to every one of the kingdom¡¯s weddings.¡± A worried look crossed his face. ¡°I thought I might be late, but there are still a few days before the wedding starts.¡± He looked between us. ¡°But I¡¯ve been rambling, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Sectum Irongut and his new bride Lesa.¡± Starna cut me off. I noticed that she was keeping her side turned to the Grim, like she didn¡¯t want to look at him. ¡°I am their attendant Starna Lock.¡± She nodded to the west. ¡°We¡¯re going back to his home in Iron Forge.¡± The Grim looked us over for a moment, looking very confused. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Adopted.¡± I shrugged. ¡°But now the mountain is my home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re heading back on foot?¡± The quizzical look told me that he didn¡¯t buy our story. ¡°My patron decided to celebrate a little too much during the wedding.¡± Starna turned so the Grim couldn¡¯t see the smile on her face. ¡°As punishment, his father is making him walk to Bollilundr to learn to restrain himself.¡± She nodded at Alessa. ¡°My lady insisted on joining him, so I am here as her guard.¡± ¡°Madam Lesa, if it isn¡¯t rude of me to say, but you don¡¯t look well.¡± Krav motioned at the camp. ¡°Would you like to warm yourself by the fire? I also have some boar meat that I could cook.¡± He looked between us. ¡°As well as a few healing potions that I wouldn¡¯t mind using before they expire, if they might help.¡± I really didn¡¯t want to stick around the emissary any more than we needed to. But the princess answered before I could say anything. ¡°That would be lovely, though we have nothing to repay your good will.¡± Just saying the words seemed to take a lot out of her. ¡°Your company is all that I need.¡± The Grim shrugged. ¡°While I don¡¯t mind the solitude, I¡¯ve gotten used to having traveling companions. You would be doing me a favor by joining me.¡± ¡°Then we would be delighted to join you.¡± ¡®Lesa¡¯ gave a small bow. ¡°No need for such formalities, none of us here are royalty.¡± Krav turned and waved for us to follow him. I fell back so that I could talk to Starna. ¡°What are your thoughts about him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be safe.¡± Starna began looking through her pack until she found a mask and put it on around her nose and mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I was walking almost sideways so I could look at her and keep an eye on the princess. ¡°It¡¯s a Mebope thing that unmarried women who are devoted to their patron do.¡± Her blue eyes bored into me. ¡°I¡¯m keeping up the charade, now go do your part.¡± There was something else there, but I wasn¡¯t going to get any answers out of her tonight. I hurried over to the princess and helped her into a chair by the fire while Krav got out a second tent. Our host was definitely prepared. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 30 I barely slept. The princess had fallen asleep just a few feet away and while we wanted to keep the illusion intact there was no way that Starna was letting me get that close to the princess at night. She placed herself in between us, though I¡¯m not sure she slept much either. Krav had placed an anti-intruder spell around the camp. Anything that tried to enter would get shocked and he¡¯d be alerted. He also had a detection ring further out and more defensive spells at the center of camp. To be honest, we were probably safer in our tent than we could have been if we¡¯d camped in a bank vault. As soon as I heard him moving around, I got up. He was putting skewered fish over the fire. ¡°Bluefin or whitefin?¡± The Grim was digging around in a bag that should have barely held a canteen. ¡°You have a dimensional pocket?¡± My heart was thumping in my ears. From what I could remember, that was something only master level mages could do, and not all of them could. ¡°It saves my back.¡± The Grim laughed, which was hollow and jovial at the same time. He held up a silver fish with a yellow stripe down the center. ¡°I¡¯ve got a yellowfin too, but most people think they¡¯re sour.¡± The way he was acting like he was doing nothing put me on edge. The fact that he was acting like he was going about his everyday routine was what was weirding me out. Also knowing that if he chose to fight, there would be nothing that any of us could do to stop him didn¡¯t help. I found myself missing my brother, though I doubted we¡¯d have received such a warm welcome. ¡°Blue is fine.¡± I sat down next to the fire. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°How about your wife?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Lesa. Your wife.¡± He motioned at the tent. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I tried to think, but I hadn¡¯t really seen the princess that much to know what she might prefer. ¡°She and I will both take white.¡± Starna came out of the tent The Grim threaded sticks through the fish and put them over the fire. ¡°Sectum, I know that you¡¯re supposed to be roughing it out here, but I¡¯d feel a lot better if I went with your group to Bollilundr.¡± He held up a hand as I started to protest. ¡°I won¡¯t be much further from Hepool than I am right now and I can afford a day to travel with new friends.¡± ¡°We¡¯d be delighted to have your company.¡± Starna accepted his offer as she sat down next to the fire. She was still wearing the mask and had her hair down over her ears, hiding them completely. ¡°Excellent!¡± The Grim nodded at the tent. ¡°As soon as the lady is up, I can start breaking down camp. We should be able to leave as soon as you finish eating.¡± I still wasn¡¯t completely at ease with having the Grim around, or how quickly Starna was to trust him while it seemed like she was hiding who she was from him. But I didn¡¯t want to try to get out of agreeing for him to come with us. Our host was slowly turning the fish over the fire and added another stick to the pyre. ¡°They¡¯re almost done.¡± ¡°Something smells good.¡± The princess stretched as she got out of the tent. ¡°Whitefin.¡± Starna gestured at the fish. ¡°Reaper Krav has agreed to accompany us to Bollilundr, isn¡¯t that great?¡± ¡°Are you sure that it won¡¯t set you back?¡± The princess looked a little worried. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want you to miss the royal wedding on our behalf.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a few days away.¡± The Grim gave a very boney smile that was a lot more creepy than it was supposed to be. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to rent a mount, which will be fine.¡± He took the bluefin off the fire and offered it to me. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I took the meal and watched Starna do the same. The tanned Elf tore off pieces and put them under the mask to eat. This whole encounter was confusing, but it was working out. I was just going to have to stay alert. Nothing went well for long. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 31 The sun was just starting to go down. We¡¯d walked the entire time with the princess and Krav talking about the places that he¡¯d been. It seemed like the Grim had been almost everywhere on the planet at some point. I wasn¡¯t sure what the life expectancy of a Grim was, but he had to be a few hundred years old at least. Mages did live longer than regular beings, I wasn¡¯t quite sure how much longer, but this one had definitely taken advantage of it. ¡°Lesa, it has been an honor.¡± The Grim gave the princess a formal bow. ¡°Starna, Sectum, I hope we see each other again sometime.¡± Krav waved at us and headed down the road without going into town. I had been waiting for an ambush that never came and it seemed even less likely now that he was walking away. ¡°Sectum.¡± Starna snapped her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get us some supplies before the stores close.¡± She nodded at the princess, ¡°Lesa will go to the tavern and rent us two rooms and get dinner. You need to see about getting us mounts.¡± ¡°Mounts, gotcha.¡± I looked around for the sign that said Stable.¡±Where are we staying?¡± ¡°The Drunk Crow is a Human tavern.¡± Starna pointed towards the northern end of town. ¡°We¡¯ll probably draw less attention there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I turned to the princess. ¡°Should we really be leaving¡­¡± I was trying to force myself to say her name and not call her ¡®the princess¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The princess smiled, though she still looked weak. ¡°Okay.¡± I started towards the stables at a jog. The faster I could get the mounts reserved, the faster I could get back to protecting the princess. The building smelled like hay, rotten meat, and a privy. A compost pile right outside the open back door seemed to be the culprit. I walked inside the open barn doors and looked at the stalls, but there weren¡¯t horses in them like I¡¯d expected. They were drakes. The large reptilians were bigger than a large horse. They were also a lot more dangerous and could fight off a pack of wolves with someone on their backs and never have their rider be in danger. Though if they weren¡¯t fed properly, they might snack on that same rider instead. ¡°You need a ride?¡± A dirty red-haired Dwarf walked into the barn. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Tomorrow.¡± I swallowed and nodded at the setting sun. ¡°We¡¯re going to spend the night here and leave in the morning.¡± ¡°How many?¡± The Dwarf put a handful of something in their mouth and it sounded like they were chewing on rocks. ¡°Myself and two women.¡± I looked at the beasts. ¡°How many do you think I need?¡± ¡°Depends on where you¡¯re going.¡± They walked over to one of the stables and fished some meat out of a crate in front of the pen and threw it to the drake inside. ¡°Iron Forge.¡± ¡°Dwarf territory?¡± They stopped and looked at me. ¡°Why you going there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Sectum Irongut.¡± I felt some pride saying my full name. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°You Garm¡¯s kid?¡± I nodded. ¡°He wanted me on land for a bit.¡± The stablemaster didn¡¯t look like they believed me. ¡°Going rate for a drake is a gold.¡± They jerked their thumb behind themselves. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a pair for a one and a half.¡± I¡¯d expected to need to haggle, but it seemed that they were cutting the price by a lot. Of course I was having to take their word that the prices they quoted were correct, but there was something about the way they¡¯d referenced my father that made me believe them. When I didn¡¯t answer right away, the stablemaster felt the need to elaborate. ¡°Your pa got me out of a jam a while back. Seems like a good way to repay the favor.¡± I fished in my pocket for money. I had three gold coins that my father had given me and it seemed like a worthy investment. I fished two of them out. ¡°I¡¯ll take them.¡± They took the coins and walked into the room on the side of the barn, then came out with five larger silver coins. Each one was worth ten regular silver coins, but they were a lot easier to carry that way. ¡°They¡¯ll be ready to go at sunrise.¡± The Dwarf handed me my change. ¡°Thanks.¡± I started to leave, but realized that I hadn¡¯t gotten their name. ¡°Who do I tell my dad helped me out?¡± ¡°Velt Soberthinker.¡± The female Dwarf chomped on another handful of the hard things she¡¯d been chewing. ¡°It was a pleasure meeting you Velt.¡± I waved at her as I hurried towards the tavern. It didn¡¯t take me long to find. Starna had already beaten me to it and the two women were sitting at a table. I ignored the small crowd and walked over to sit across from the two women. ¡°Did you get them?¡± Starna was looking around and motioned at the innkeeper. ¡°I reserved a pair of drakes.¡± I saw the surprise on the princess¡¯ face. ¡°They didn¡¯t have horses.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Starna turned back around in her seat as the balding man brought three bowls of soup over. I took a bite of the soup. It was spicy, but warm and had a good amount of vegetables and meat in it compared to the watered down version that we usually got on the ship. Phlek had a problem with making the soup too thick at the start of the voyage, then having to ration near the end. Though it often felt like near the end took up over half of the voyage. ¡°Yeah, it¡­¡± A wave of exhaustion washed over me. The princess yawned, which started a chain with me and Starna. ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t realize how tired I was.¡± I started to eat faster, but the more I ate the more tired I felt. I looked down at the bowl then over at my companions who had both fallen asleep on the table. I tried to piece together what had happened, but my mind felt like mud. I yawned again as I tried to think and that was all it took to drag me into slumber. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 32 I wasn¡¯t in the right place. The room around me was a stone room, but it was filled with toys and a small bed. There was noise outside, but I couldn¡¯t see anything when I tried to look out the windows, just a void of darkness. The strangest thing about the room was that there was a dark-haired child that was about five years old playing with the toys in the middle of the room. The door opened and a brown haired woman hurried in carrying a blonde girl that looked like she was four. The girl was wearing a flannel nightdress, while the woman was wearing a suit of leather armor. She had a sword on her hip and her hair was pulled back. The boy dashed into the bed as the woman walked in. ¡°I wasn¡¯t playing!¡± The boy tried to hide under the covers. I chuckled. It was obvious that he had been playing if he was going to assert he hadn¡¯t been before being questioned. I was about to talk to the woman when I realized that she was frozen. But the woman behind her wasn¡¯t. The princess walked into the room. She looked as bewildered as I felt. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I motioned around at the frozen people. ¡°I remember feeling sleepy and then this¡­¡± ¡°This is my memory.¡± The princess moved in front of the woman, then started looking around. ¡°But I¡¯ve never remembered it like this before¡­¡± She looked at me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Before I could answer, the woman unfroze. ¡°Sectum! We need to go! Take mommy¡¯s hand.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. My heart started beating faster as the boy slid out of the bed. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going for a boat ride.¡± The woman held out her hand and winced as an explosion shook the room. She rushed over and grabbed the boy''s hand and put it on her scabbard, then drew her sword. ¡°Don¡¯t let go, Sectum.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± The little girl whimpered. ¡°Where¡¯s mommy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay Sa-sa.¡± The woman bounced the girl up so she could hold her better. ¡°Uncle Dario is going to get your mommy and daddy and we¡¯re going to meet them at the boat.¡± I swallowed as the memory started coming back to me. The princess and I followed my mother through the castle. I tried to block the first Elf that barred her path, but he went right through me. This was something that the two of us got to watch, not participate in. My heart started beating faster as I remembered the end result. My mother cut down three more Elves on her way out. As soon as we were out of the castle, we started running to the north, pausing only long enough for my mother to look at the wreckage of what had once been the main castle tower. Now it was called the old castle and was blocked off from use until excavation was complete. Though after fourteen years, I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d move more than a handful of rocks. Regent Arkun seemed more concerned with erecting a new castle than fixing the old one. The cover of darkness cast strange shadows on the walls because of the fires that were scattered all over the yard. My mother did her best to keep us hidden as she guided us to the royal harbor. ¡°Stop! Eden! Stop!¡± My mother bit her lip as she looked out at the empty harbor, save for a single longboat. She put the younger princess down and knelt down so she could put her forehead to the forehead of five-year-old me. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± My younger self had started crying. My mother ran her fingers through younger me¡¯s hair. ¡°Sectum, you need to be a big boy right now.¡± I could see her trembling as she spoke. ¡°I need you to protect Sa-sa. You keep your cousin safe.¡± She took a dagger off her belt and handed it to the younger me. She wiped her eyes as she stood up. ¡°You¡¯re a Malus, we don¡¯t cry. We protect each other.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 33 I didn¡¯t want the scene to keep going. ¡°A noble speech.¡± The golden Elf raised his sword and pointed it at my mother. ¡°The King and Queen are dead, as is your husband.¡± Regent Arkun spread his arms like he was offering her a hug. ¡°Put down your sword and join me as my queen. We can rule this¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never rule as long as I¡¯m alive.¡± My mother growled as she attacked. I was amazed by her swordsmanship and grace. And her ruthlessness. She wasn¡¯t trying to disarm or incapacitate the Elves. She was slaughtering them. It was also almost impossible for them to wound her. Any attack that got through her guard and cut her was transferred to the next Elf in her path. After nearly a dozen Elves lay dead on the docks, it was just Regent Arkun left. My mother looked like a momma bear as she advanced on him. The Regent was smart enough to know when he was bested and turned tail and ran. My mother sheathed her sword and hurried over to pick up the younger princess. ¡°Sectum, I need you to help me untie this boat.¡± The younger me bent down and started undoing the knot. My mother hit her knees. ¡°No!¡± I couldn¡¯t hold the word back. I tried to grab her, but my arms went through her. The princess put her hand on my shoulder as my mother fell on her side, an arrow through her back. ¡°MOMMY!¡± Younger me ran over to my mom. Tears were streaming down my face as I looked around for the culprit. ¡°YOU IDIOT!¡± Regent Arkun slapped an elf holding a bow. ¡°I SAID SHOOT HER NOT KILL HER!¡± Younger me was holding the dagger with both hands as the pair approached. ¡°Stay away from my MOMMY!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Useless child.¡± The regent backhanded the younger me, knocking me down. ¡°Tie him up until I ¡­ WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU USELESS..!¡± I watched the Regent pull the princess out of my mother¡¯s arms. The star-tipped arrow sticking out of my mother¡¯s heart had pierced the Princess in the stomach and now she was bleeding out. ¡°Get that boy over here!¡± Regent Arkun snapped his fingers as he pointed at the younger me. ¡°You can¡¯t expect someone so young¡­¡± The other Elf had the younger me¡¯s arm, but wasn¡¯t moving me. ¡°It¡¯ll kill him!¡± ¡°I need one of them alive to take the throne.¡± Regent Arkun glared at me. ¡°That one is useless. Now get him over here and save my throne!¡± The other Elf pulled the younger me over and pushed me in front of my cousin. ¡°Heal her.¡± The traitorous Elf grabbed the younger me¡¯s shoulder and shoved my face into my cousin when I didn¡¯t move fast enough. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡± Tears were freely flowing down both versions of my faces. ¡°Just put your hands on her like this.¡± Regent Arkun clamped my hands over the wound. ¡°And think about how you want her to feel better.¡± Younger me screamed as the wound began to transfer. As I relived it, the shock and the pain had overwhelmed me. It had been like someone had poured hot oil directly into my stomach. I watched the younger me fall over, barely breathing. The regent checked the wound and all that was left was a six tipped white scar. ¡°I¡¯ll say it¡¯s a birthmark¡­¡± The regent began talking to himself. ¡°What do you want me to do with the bodies?¡± The other Elf looked down to find the dagger the younger me had dropped in his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll put you all in the bay.¡± The Regent began humming to himself as he pushed the Elf who¡¯d killed my mother into the cold water. ¡°In you go.¡± The traitor kicked my younger body into the water. ¡°The sharks are going to eat good tonight.¡± I was stunned as I watched him kick my mother in after me. I had nothing but rage to fill the void that this loss had caused. I¡¯d wondered where I¡¯d actually come from, but Garm had always said he¡¯d tell me when I was old enough and he was drunk enough. Now I knew why. ¡°You¡¯re him.¡± The princess cupped her hands on my face. ¡°You¡¯re Prince Sectum.¡± My response was cut off as the entire scene vanished into darkness and Alessa was yanked away. ¡°SECTUM!!!¡± Her scream seemed to echo around the void. ¡°ALESSA!!!¡± I didn¡¯t know what to do or where to go. While I was trying to figure out what to do, a wave of cold water hit me. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 34 The water was real. Both of my hands were tied up in opposite directions, so that I was strung up inside a small stall, probably in the back of the Drunk Crow since the innkeeper was standing in front of me holding an empty bucket. ¡°What did you do with her?!?¡± I pulled against the ropes. Starna was unconscious in the corner with a mage collar on. The collars suppressed magic, rendering a mage powerless as long as they were wearing it. Her hands were also bound behind her, so she wouldn''t be able to take off the collar herself. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± The dirty balding man knelt down next to Starna and stroked her face. ¡°This beauty is right here.¡± He laughed. ¡°I like this look on her. The outfit isn¡¯t right, but I can¡¯t wait to have some fun¡­¡± He stood up as someone walked in the room. It was Karse. The Manticore walked over to me and punched me in the gut without a word. ¡°Hey!¡± The innkeeper marched over to the manticore, who was almost a foot taller than the short man. ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten my reward for him yet!¡± The Manticore punched through the man¡¯s chest, then pulled out his heart. The balding man looked stunned as he fell over. I shook my head. That was one less person to track down later. ¡°Can¡¯t let anyone know that the princess ran away can we?¡± Karse got in my face and punched me in the gut again. ¡°I¡¯m taking her back to Golden City myself. Don¡¯t worry, I have a special transport waiting for you.¡± He dragged a claw down my chin. ¡°Can¡¯t kill Sineaters when they¡¯d be so useful as a housepet.¡± He laughed when I tried to bite his finger. ¡°The Elves are going to love breaking you.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Two guards in golden armor walked into the barn. Karse nodded at them. ¡°They¡¯re all yours.¡± He dipped his head to me, then was gone. ¡°We really have to use the poles with this one?¡± Elf #1 offered a pole with a crook on the end to Elf #2. ¡°The Manticore said he can kill us with a touch.¡± Elf #2 took the pole. ¡°I¡¯m not chancing it.¡± I couldn¡¯t kill them just by touching them. I could weaken them, but that was only in relation to how tired I was. ¡°We can do this the easy way.¡± There was a gleam in Elf #2¡¯s white eyes. ¡°Or the fun way.¡± I couldn¡¯t feel my legs and my arms felt like rubber, not to mention my head was trying to spin. On a good day, I could have broken myself out. Today was not a good day. They led me outside where there was a boxed-in wagon with bars over the windows. I was shoved inside, then had each arm tied to a different wall, so that all I could really do was sit in my seat. Once they were sure I was secure, they went to get Starna and threw her in with me. ¡°Enjoy the ride!¡± Elf #1 laughed as he started the carriage moving. It took about an hour for Starna to wake up. ¡°Wha..?¡± The brunette sat up and immediately ¡°Soup was poisoned. We were captured. Alessa is already on her way back to Golden City.¡± I summarized the events she¡¯d missed. ¡°When? What? Huh?¡± Starna was clearly not awake yet. ¡°We¡­¡± I looked through the bars in the front of the wagon, past the drake that was pulling it. There was a lone figure standing in the middle of the road. ¡°Get out of the road!¡± Elf #2 picked up his sword. ¡°Or I¡¯ll¡­¡± He died. I didn¡¯t see what happened. The Elf was fine one moment, dead the next. Elf #1 fell off the wagon, also dead. The door to the wagon opened up and Krav stood on the other side. ¡°Someone need a rescue?¡± His smile still weirded me out, but I was happy to have it. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 35 Krav had the keys to our bonds. Starna took a deep breath as soon as he took off her collar, like it had been choking her so she couldn¡¯t breathe easily. Embarrassment crossed over her face as soon as she realized the Grim was looking at her and she tried to cover her face. ¡°I recognized you the moment we met little Shellock, but continuing this farce will waste both time and focus.¡± The Grim cut the ropes securing my hands, then handed me the knife so I could finish freeing myself. ¡°He recognized you?¡± I looked between the two of them. ¡°Is that why you were so quick to trust him?¡± I turned to the Grim when Starna didn¡¯t answer. ¡°How do you know her?¡± ¡°Her secret to tell.¡± Krav backed out of the wagon. ¡°I assume the two of you in here means the princess has been captured and is on her way back to Hepool?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± I started to look away in shame, then realized what he said. ¡°Wait, you knew Alessa was the princess?¡± ¡°I knew who all three of you were the moment I saw your little group.¡± The bone-skinned man held out his hand to help Starna out of the wagon. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± The Grim looked at both of us as soon as I got out of the wagon. ¡°We have to stop the Regent from marrying my cousin.¡± I opened the storage container at the back of the wagon. ¡°He killed our parents, I can¡¯t let him trap her any longer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only one man, and you plan on storming an entire city?¡± Krav shook his head. ¡°How do you plan on even getting in?¡± ¡°Can you..?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Wait! What do you mean cousin?¡± Starna interrupted me. I pulled my sword out of the box and slung it over my shoulder. It would be easier to run with it that way. My pack was also in the storage box, though the food and coins were gone. ¡°Alessa and I are cousins.¡± I moved around the wagon and started going through the dead Elves pockets. There were almost five gold coins worth of money between the two. When I looked up at the other two, Starna was still speechless, but the Grim didn¡¯t look surprised at all. Not that his boney face could show much emotion. ¡°You knew.¡± I paused. ¡°How?¡± ¡°That you were Prince Sectum Malus?¡± The Grim shrugged. ¡°You look like the spitting image of your grandfather.¡± I realized that if he had fought in the Great War with my great-grandfather, then he would have also fought with my father. ¡°Garm told you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Krav smiled. ¡°He did. But that was how I knew you were alive, not that you were walking down the road to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still trying to understand.¡± Starna looked between the two of us. ¡°Prince Sectum died in the uprising.¡± Krav looked at her then at me. ¡°I assure you, he is the Prince, though I am curious. Last I heard, Irons wasn¡¯t going to tell you who you were.¡± He gestured up the road. ¡°Was it when he dropped you off with the princess?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Alessa and I¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how to explain it. ¡°We had a shared memory.¡± I picked up my shirt and touched the six pointed star scar. ¡°Arkun made me take this wound from her the night he killed our parents. He pushed me in the harbor because he thought I was dead.¡± I looked over at Starna. ¡°Garm found me and pulled me out of the water, but I never remembered everything until last night.¡± The elf just stared at the scar I was touching. ¡°Her Highness has a scar just like that¡­¡± I nodded and turned to the Grim. ¡°What was your plan? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Talia got word to Banrion about what was happening and she sent me to observe.¡± The Grim looked between the two of us. ¡°I can help you where I can, but I can¡¯t start a war between the Mebope and the Elves.¡± He turned to me. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Alessa being my cousin didn¡¯t change what I would have done even if I was still a nobody to her. ¡°I¡¯m going to stop that wedding.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 36 The city was on lockdown. Regent Arkun must have been very worried about Alessa escaping again, because every ship, wagon, and cart were being thoroughly inspected before they were allowed to enter or exit the city. Krav stopped the wagon under a tree as soon as we could see the city. ¡°You might have trouble getting in.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I looked at Starna, the two of us looked like regular travelers. Krav pointed at the group of wagons that was gathering outside the city. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re only letting diplomatic groups in.¡± He looked sad. ¡°My invitation is only for me.¡± Starna started to say something, but I cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I know how we can get in.¡± I got off the wagon. ¡°How?¡± Starna motioned at the naval ships that were in the harbor behind the city. ¡°They¡¯ve blocked off the only gate and there¡¯s no way we could find a ship¡­¡± ¡°Can you swim?¡± I cut off her rambling. She looked insulted. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that they¡¯re going to have people watching the water?¡± I motioned towards the west where the main dock was. ¡°Not on that side. There¡¯s a grate under the barrier to let water flow easier. It¡¯s pretty easy to take off, then we can get onto the dock. From there we can get into the city, then find our way into the castle.¡± ¡°There are going to be diplomats from a lot of different countries there.¡± Krav sounded a little nervous. ¡°Some of them will jump to defend the Regent if you come in swinging.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be as diplomatic about it as I can.¡± I looked over at Starna. ¡°It¡¯ll be the two of us against a room full of guards and enemies¡­¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come with me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± The Elf came over and began rooting through the storage box until she found a short sword and her staff. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let that traitor take the kingdom away from Alessa...¡± She looked at me. ¡°And from you.¡± She gave me a small bow. ¡°My Prince.¡± I felt very uncomfortable. ¡°Let¡¯s just stick with Sectum.¡± I touched her shoulder to help her straighten up. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready to be a prince just yet.¡± Krav jumped off the wagon and started untying the drake. ¡°I¡¯ll see both of you inside.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I watched him ride off towards the gate. ¡°Do you think we can do it?¡± Starna¡¯s voice wavered. ¡°He took my father, my mother, and now he¡¯s trying to take my cousin.¡± Rage began to boil inside of me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let him take anything else.¡± I could feel my power buzzing at my fingertips. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that a Sineater can kill someone from just a touch.¡± I clenched my fist. ¡°I¡¯d like to see if that¡¯s true.¡± The Elf nodded and swallowed. ¡°Where do we start?¡± I took off to the west. We needed to get under water first, but we also needed to be far enough away that the guards didn¡¯t see us enter the water. ¡°Do you have a spell that will help us breathe underwater?¡± I looked over at the mage. She nodded. ¡°It won¡¯t last long on you. The water will eat away at the spell and I won¡¯t be able to recast it until we get dry.¡± ¡°A few minutes is all I¡¯ll need.¡± I stepped into the water. It was cold. Not ice cold, but I didn¡¯t need to be in it too long. ¡°Okay.¡± I felt magic wash over me as the spell took effect. The water also didn¡¯t seem as cold, which was a small blessing. I dove into the water and started swimming. It also felt like I was able to move easier through the water as I swam towards the wall. Just as I predicted, there weren¡¯t any guards on this side of the wall, probably because they felt like the wall was sufficient to keep people out. I¡¯d never actually used the grate to smuggle things into the city, but Zist had used it a few times. I felt confident that if the Thizzer could use it, then so could I. There were a couple of grates under the wall and I didn¡¯t have enough air to check them all. After the third one that wouldn¡¯t budge, the spell ran out. I still had a lungful of air, but that was only going to last for a few minutes. Starna was on the other end of the wall checking the grates on the northern side, but it didn¡¯t look like she had found anything so far. I started to think about how the grate would need to pass an inspection. It couldn¡¯t just pop out. There needed to be something to release it. One of the grates I had already tugged on had scratches on it. I swam back over to it and got out my dagger. The screw heads on the grate were slots instead of smooth, with the heads being on the inside. I used the blade of my dagger to start turning the screws. I was able to get two of them off before my lungs began burning. I was going to have to get air or I¡¯d be swallowing water. I hoped no one would see me as I kicked off the floor, but I didn¡¯t make it far before I was yanked back down. Before I could try to convey to Starna that I was out of air, she pressed her lips against mine and breathed air into my mouth. My lungs greedily suck in everything that she would give me while I tried not to think about our lips being together. Starna pulled back and gave me a thumbs up and I nodded. She¡¯d given me more than enough air to finish and I had the grate off in a couple minutes. We swam through the grate, then angled for the docks. I poked my head slightly above water once we got to the west end of the dock. It was mostly shielded from the lighthouses where the navy ships were. My heart was beating fast as I prepared to get out of the water. It was time to rescue my cousin. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 37 Starna dried us off as soon as we got on the dock. It took a few minutes, but if we were walking around the dock soaking wet, then guards would get suspicious. Thankfully, the booth we were next to was empty, which allowed us some cover. As close as she was to me, we probably looked like a pair of lovers who had snuck off to get some time alone. I pushed that thought progression out of my mind. I needed to focus on getting into the city and rescuing my cousin. As soon as we were dry, the two of us left the booth and started walking down the pier. Starna was trying to walk quietly and moving like she was trying to sneak. ¡°Starna.¡± I shook my head. ¡°You have to belong here. If you walk around like you have somewhere to go and something to do, most people won¡¯t think twice about you being somewhere you aren¡¯t supposed to be.¡± I nodded at her. ¡°But if you try sneaking around people notice and start getting curious.¡± I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her close to me. ¡°Have a good time. We¡¯re here. We¡¯re trying to shop and we¡¯re having a blast.¡± The smile on her face was more nervous grin than smile, but I was going to take it. I guided her into the fray of booths that were still open despite the scarce customers. The customary yelling and advertising was gone though, as it appeared that the booths were open simply because the vendors couldn¡¯t get back into the city. Talia¡¯s shop door was closed. The handle wouldn¡¯t turn and the door wouldn¡¯t budge as I tried to open it. I banged on the door a few times. ¡°Why would she close?¡± Starna looked around. ¡°Everyone else is open.¡± ¡°Maybe she went to the wedding.¡± The thought scared me. My entire plan hinged on this shop being open so I could get into the city. I banged on the door again and tried to gauge how much trouble there would be from the other vendors if I simply kicked it in. The door opened just a crack as I was about to bang again. The brown-furred lepan, Blanch, peeked through the crack. ¡°We¡¯re closed.¡± Her voice shook as she spoke. ¡°Tell Talia that Sectum Irongut is here and needs to talk to her.¡± I stuck my foot in the door so she couldn¡¯t shut it. ¡°It¡¯s about Krav Morstum.¡± The Lepan¡¯s yellow eyes widened when I mentioned the Grim and she vanished from sight. There was still a chain on the door, but it would be a lot easier to kick open now. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The chain vanished and the door swung open, but there was no one in the shop. Starna and I walked inside and the door slammed shut once we were clear of it. ¡°Throwing around names can be dangerous.¡± The Gorgon stepped out of the shadows behind the door. Shadows that shouldn¡¯t have been there with the way the shop was lit. ¡°Then how about this one? Sectum Malus.¡± I guided Starna behind me. ¡°I got the impression from Krav that you are loyal to the crown and want to help. Is that true?¡± ¡°The old rock finally told you.¡± The bald Gorgon pulled off her covering as she walked past me towards the back of her shop. ¡°No.¡± I followed after her. ¡°I remembered on my own.¡± ¡°I told him that spell wasn¡¯t going to last¡­¡± Talia grumbled so softly that I barely heard it. ¡°You knew?¡± I registered what she said. ¡°Wait, what spell?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t want you to say something about who you were, so we suppressed your memories from before the accident.¡± Talia sat down in a chair. ¡°We did it to protect you.¡± She put her head in her hands. ¡°Not that it¡¯ll do any good now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to let the wedding happen.¡± I walked over and squatted in front of her. ¡°I didn¡¯t keep her safe. Twice.¡± My failures made me wince. ¡°But I can¡¯t let that traitor take her. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± The Gorgon looked up at me. ¡°There may be a dozen loyalists left in the city. After fourteen years, nobody wants a civil war. They just want the status quo to continue like they¡¯re used to. It¡¯s just you against all of the golden guards and most of the senate.¡± ¡°How many would stand beside him in front of all of the diplomats if Arkun was exposed?¡± ¡°That was your plan?¡± Starna shook her head and sat down. ¡°What?¡± I looked between the two women. ¡°They couldn¡¯t possibly still support him if they know what he¡¯s done.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know much about politics.¡± Talia sighed. ¡°You have no way to prove that Arkun led the coup or to prove that you are in fact, the prince. It wouldn¡¯t matter if you walked in there with a recording of him drowning puppies. None of those diplomats are going to lift a finger to disrupt the status quo even if they know what he¡¯s doing is evil. Because disrupting the status quo means uncertainty and uncertainty means they could lose their own power or positions.¡± ¡°So we have to keep it in-house.¡± I tried thinking. ¡°The Princess can declare that she¡¯s being forced to marry the Regent and assume the crown herself. She is rightfully in charge, so the guards would have to follow her or it would be treason.¡± I looked for a glimmer of hope. ¡°She¡¯s not speaking out because she doesn¡¯t think it will do any good because no one will care to listen to her.¡± I felt my power buzzing. ¡°We know there will be at least one person there who will listen. All we need is a few more.¡± The Gorgon looked over at Starna, then back at me. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work.¡± She held up a hand to stop my protests. ¡°If you want to throw your lives away¡­¡± She walked over to the entrance of the secret room. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get into the city, but that¡¯s as much as I''m willing to risk.¡± Anger burned inside me as I walked past her. ¡°It¡¯s attitudes like that that have let people like Arkun stay in power.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for her response as I jumped down, bypassing the ladder. I was done listening to excuses of why people were going to let this evil thing happen. I didn¡¯t care if they were too afraid that it wouldn¡¯t matter. I was at least going to be heard. I was at least going to try. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 38 There were guards all around the castle. It was clear just by looking at the security that getting in wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Starna had followed me, though she didn¡¯t seem as enthusiastic about it as she had when we started. It seemed like she had assumed that I had some dramatic way to prove I was the prince, which would negate Alessa¡¯s succession to the throne and make the marriage unnecessary. My original plan had been close to that, but now it also included a caveat to grab Alessa and run if they wouldn¡¯t listen. I¡¯d never been to the castle, which became obvious as I wandered around the outer wall. I¡¯d also never been on this side of town, so I hadn¡¯t realized that there was a wall around the castle. ¡°How did the two of you get out?¡± I looked around the wall, but it looked like there was only one gate. Starna walked over to the wall and little stone handholds grew out of the smooth stone. ¡°I thought you were an ice mage.¡± I grabbed a handhold and started climbing. Once I was at the top of the wall, I slid off into the bushes on the other side. Starna landed next to me. ¡°Just because I mostly use ice magic doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t use other types.¡± I nodded. Magic didn¡¯t mean too much to me because of my time around my brother. He broke anything magical that he touched, which made the idea of owning or using anything magical an empty dream. ¡°Where do we go now?¡± I looked at my guide. Starna pointed at the large building on the eastern side. ¡°The hall is there, so that¡¯s where they¡¯ll be doing the ceremony.¡± She started moving through the bushes. ¡°There¡¯s a workers entrance in the back, we should be able to get in there.¡± There was a single guard at the back. I didn¡¯t give him time to react as I burst out of the bushes. I used my body to pin him against the wall with my hand over his mouth and my other arm on his throat. I slowly weakened him as he fumbled for his sword. He was unconscious before his hand found the handle that was in between us. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I let him fall to the ground. ¡°That was easy.¡± Starna came out and started dragging him into the bushes. ¡°We need to hurry. He¡¯ll probably wake up before someone notices he¡¯s missing.¡± I thought about killing him to give us more time, but we weren¡¯t going to need it. Either this plan worked or it didn¡¯t. His being conscious wouldn¡¯t happen until after the conclusion. The tanned elf opened the door to the kitchen and walked in. the staff that was there didn¡¯t seem surprised by her entering. They did react to me. ¡°Wait!¡± Starna hissed as one of the cooks headed for the door. ¡°This is the prince!¡± The cooks all looked like they didn¡¯t believe her, so I straightened up. ¡°I am Prince Sectum Malus. I¡¯ve been in hiding for my safety for the last fourteen years, but I¡¯m here now to expose the traitor Arkun and see that he is removed from power.¡± They seemed to like the part about removing Arkun from power, but a green Elf walked up to me with a knife. He cut his arm, then held it out. ¡°Prove it.¡± I held out my hand for the knife. After hesitating, he handed it over. I made a similar cut on my other arm, then grabbed him. The shallow cut moved from my arm to his. ¡°Only royalty can use singiving.¡± I smiled at the shock on his face. He hit his knee and bowed his head, as did everyone else. ¡°My King.¡± The Elf slowly looked up at me. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡¯ ¡°First, I¡¯m the Prince. Alessa will be Queen.¡± I didn¡¯t want the throne or anything that went with it. I was here to support my cousin, not steal her throne. ¡°Second, I need to stop the ceremony, so if you could get me there..?¡± He stood up and motioned for me to follow. ¡°There are servant halls that we can use to keep you out of the public eye.¡± He opened a door on the outside wall and motioned for me to follow him. Starna fell in behind me and leaned forward so she could whisper in my ear. ¡°You know that trick isn¡¯t going to work on the diplomats.¡± I sighed. I¡¯d been hoping it would, though I still had another trick that I could use that would potentially work. Two of them actually, though I doubted the second one wanted to be considered an option. The cook stopped in front of a door and motioned to it. ¡°This is the door to the main hall. It opens to the east of the thrones.¡± He seemed very nervous. I put my hand on his shoulder. ¡°You did good. Now go back to the kitchen before someone notices you¡¯re missing. Starna and I had to push into the wall as he fled. While my display might have been enough for him to recognize I was important, he didn¡¯t want to be seen with me while I was launching a sort of coup. I grabbed the handle and looked over at Starna. ¡°You ready?¡± She nodded and I threw open the door. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 39 The entire room looked at me. It was like everyone was frozen in place as they tried to figure out what to do. While I had my sword on my back, I hadn¡¯t drawn it, which was probably the only reason the guards hadn¡¯t attacked me yet. Arkun was the first one to regain his composure. The traitor was wearing a gaudy yellow suit with frills and medals, as well as a bejeweled sword. ¡°Who are you?¡± The regent motioned at the guards between us. ¡°Arrest this man and his¡­¡± His white eyes widened as he recognized Starna. ¡°Arrest them both!¡± ¡°The regent only speaks for the crown until they are of age.¡± I held up my hand. ¡°I am Sectum Gravis Malus. The crown is mine by right.¡± I took a breath to steady my nerves. I rotated my hand to point at Arkun. ¡°That man is a pretender to the throne who is holding my cousin hostage. HE is a traitor who bragged about killing the entire royal family before he killed my mother in front of me!¡± There were a couple gasps, but most of the diplomats looked bored. It was enough to make the guards stop though. I walked in front of the stage. The Speaker of the Golden Senate was standing between them and had a hand firmly on Alessa¡¯s arm. I had a feeling that the reason why she hadn¡¯t tried to run or speak out was because of that grip. ¡°This miscreant has come in here to spoil my beloved¡¯s special day and you hesitate because he spouts lies?¡± The veins were starting to show on Arkun¡¯s forehead and neck. ¡°ARREST HIM NOW!!!¡± I left my sword in its scabbard. Drawing it at this point in time would only provoke the audience. While there were some guards who trained, there had been peace for over a hundred years. The most combat experience the guards got was the occasional pirate that they decided to chase. Anything else was a beast hunt. I¡¯d cut my teeth on the open waters where fighting for my life was a common activity. I wasn¡¯t concerned at all. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You doubt who I am?¡± I stepped towards the stage to bypass the blade of the guard on my left. The two guards had taken out their swords to threaten me, not to use them. I shook my head as I pulled the sword out of his hand and let it drop to the floor. I kicked it away as I twisted and threw the guard at the Speaker and Regent. That also allowed me to pull Alessa away from the Speaker, though I noticed that his nails had left four trails of blood on her arm. I took the scratches without thinking, leaking a little blood down my arm. I put myself between my cousin and the two important Elves. Getting between her and all the Elves was impossible as six more guards ran over to us to complete the circle. ¡°He¡¯s kidnapping the princess again!¡± Arkun screamed while holding his nose. It looked like the speaker¡¯s forehead had collided with it when I threw the guard at them. I couldn¡¯t stop the smirk from parting my lips. ¡°He¡¯s not kidnapping me. He¡¯s PROTECTING me from you!¡± Alessa pointed at the pair of Elves that were still on stage. The unfortunate guard had been pushed onto the floor behind them. My cousin began eyeing the guards. ¡°What my cousin said is right. You don¡¯t take orders from him, you take orders from the crown. STAND DOWN!¡± There was a lot of confusion and murmuring coming from the crowd. While they weren¡¯t going to help me, it seemed that most of them were content to not offer any aid to the regent either. The Elf in a brown suit stepped out of the crowd. His colors marked him as the representative from the Agate Senate and his golden eyes told me he was a mage. Garm kept up with the Agate Senate, since they were earth users and tended to contest with the Dwarves over mining areas. His obsession with them allowed me to know that Lagrev Gratten was the only Agate Senator that was also a mage. ¡°He has obviously brainwashed her while she was kidnapped!¡± Senator Lagrev pointed his hand at me. ¡°We have all heard about how the Princess is madly in love with Sir Arkun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! He¡¯s my cousin! Prince Sect..!¡± Alessa was cut off as the floor under our feet began to give way. Starna slid in between him and us with a barrier, but not before the floor cracked, sending us down into the room below. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 40 I pulled Alessa on top of me as we fell. I¡¯d fallen a lot while on the ship. It was one of those things that happened. There was a much different feeling between landing on wood and landing on stone while holding someone. I didn¡¯t have time to think about the bruised ribs because I could hear what Lagrev was shouting. ¡°HE¡¯S ESCAPING WITH THE PRINCESS AGAIN! HELP ME CONTAIN THIS ACCOMPLICE!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got to go.¡± I looked around as Alessa rolled off of me. The old throne room was partially collapsed with rubble all over the place. It looked like Arkun had just built the new castle over the wreckage of the old one so he didn¡¯t have to clear away the debris. ¡°Where?¡± Alessa helped me stand up. The only light that was in the room was coming from above us and that wasn¡¯t giving us much that we could see. The speaker jumped into the hole with a pair of guards. All three had their swords out and didn¡¯t look like they were going to back down. ¡°So fitting that you die with the rest of your family.¡± The Speaker nodded at the guards. ¡°Kill them.¡± I registered the word them and decided that restraint was over. I caught the wrist of the guard in the lead with my left hand and grabbed his armor with my right as I dumped my wounds into him. The guard cried out as the sudden rush of pain spread over him. As his mind tried to cope with the unexplained injury, I was able to move him into the path of the other guard, which kept him from swinging at me. It didn¡¯t stop him from stabbing, but I dropped my arm over the guard I¡¯d given my wounds to and pinned the blade between his arm and side. I twisted him to knock the other guard off balance when he tried to hold on to his sword, then pushed the first guard into the second, taking his sword with my left hand as the both fell. I had to parry the Speaker¡¯s blade left-handed and took two fast backsteps so I could switch it to my right. ¡°You know how to fight.¡± The Elf raised his blade. ¡°But I was killing barbarians before¡­¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. I attacked. I knew that he was a few hundred years old, but that didn¡¯t mean he was a good fighter. And I really didn¡¯t want to listen to a ¡®before you were born¡¯ lecture from him. The Elf was honestly decent, but he was used to fighting against people who didn¡¯t want to get serious injuries themselves. I didn¡¯t care if I got stabbed in the gut as long as I could touch him, because I could just give him the wound. I let him slice my arm with a stab so I could punch him in the nose. I also caught his swordhand with my left, tucked my elbow to pin it against my side and yanked his sword out of his hand as he covered his face with his other hand. The guards were back up, but only one had a sword. The other took out a dagger, but was holding his chest. He looked genuinely confused about how I had bruised his ribs. I held up my arm to show them the cut on the back of it. ¡°Which one of you wants this wound?¡± The first guard dropped his dagger and tried to back up, but stumbled over the rubble and fell over. The second guard just eyed his fallen comrade and tried to evaluate the person in front of him that was holding two swords. ¡°What are you waiting for?!¡± The Speaker pointed at me while still holding his nose. ¡°KILL HIM!¡± I felt a tingle and dropped both blades so I could grab Alessa and yank her away from the hole above us. Spikes shot out of the ground, but not fast enough that I couldn¡¯t avoid them as I moved us away from the light. Stairs appeared as the stone shifted to construct a way for Lagrev to strut down to us. ¡°You¡¯ve got talent boy¡­¡± The earth mage looked over at the Speaker. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Just hurry up and kill him!¡± The Elf¡¯s bloody face seemed to have gotten worse. Probably from all the yelling he¡¯d been doing. Lagrev shook his head. ¡°Do you know where the worst place to be when fighting an earth mage is?¡± Behind me was the rubble that had fallen into the throne room when the old tower had collapsed. He¡¯d guided me exactly where he¡¯d wanted us. I pushed Alessa down and covered her as best I could with my body as the wall behind us exploded. Rocks ran over me, leaving me with more cuts, scrapes, bruises, and cracked bones than I¡¯d ever gotten at once. As much as I wanted to lick my wounds, if we stayed crouched on the floor, the next spell would be a spike through our chests. I tried to ignore the screaming nerves as I pulled Alessa to her feet. And got ready to move. ¡°You¡¯re still not dead?¡± The Agate diplomat laughed. ¡°No I¡¯m not.¡± The weak voice hadn¡¯t come from myself or my cousin. Behind us a thin man with a scraggly beard and wild, long hair stumbled out of the wreckage. ¡°Kneel before your King.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 41 Lagrev started laughing as the man limped towards him. ¡°It¡¯s not funny. Kill them!¡± The Speaker grabbed Lagrev¡¯s shirt. The diplomat pulled his arm away and wove both arms, chanted something under his breath, then threw his arms towards the man. Spikes rose up from the ground and came down from the ceiling like a giant mouth that was closing on us. I tried to figure out how to get out of it, but while I was thinking, the man just touched one of the teeth and the whole thing broke down into dirt. ¡°Haven¡¯t done that in a long time.¡± The man¡¯s voice was raspy, like his throat was way too dry. ¡°Wha..?¡± Lagrev tried to speak but a rock the size of my head hit him in the back. He rolled across the floor and stopped in front of the wild man. The man knelt down and put his hand over the Elf¡¯s mouth. In a matter of seconds, Lagrev was nothing but a husk and the wild man looked a lot healthier. ¡°Did you just..?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what he¡¯d just done. The wild man stripped a piece of cloth off of Lagrev¡¯s body and used it to tie up his hair. Then he took a dagger and cut off the hair. It was just under his ears, but it was a lot less wild. ¡°That¡¯s so much better!¡± The man turned to look at Alessa and me. ¡°Gravis? Is that you?¡± ¡°No father.¡± Alessa had tears running down her eyes. ¡°This is his son, Sectum.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Lessy?¡± I flinched as he ran over and wrapped her up in a hug. ¡°You¡¯re so big!¡± ¡°How are you alive?¡± I was trying to figure out just what had happened. ¡°Arkun said he killed you.¡± ¡°He tried.¡± King Keller Malus looked at the rubble. ¡°He dropped a whole tower on top of me, but that couldn¡¯t kill me.¡± He had a huge smile under all that blonde facial hair. ¡°I¡¯ve been eating bugs and rats while I tried to dig my way out of there.¡± He hugged my cousin again. ¡°I¡¯d hoped you were still alive.¡± Alessa looked like she was too stunned to say anything and I was having trouble formulating words myself. The Speaker, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have a problem. ¡°It¡¯s impossible! I saw you die!¡± The golden Elf tried to start climbing the stairs. ¡°No you don¡¯t.¡± My uncle¡¯s voice got hard and he let go of Alessa to dash across the ruins and grab the Speaker by the ankle and drag him back down the stairs. I could hear fighting going on upstairs, but I had no clue what was happening. The Speaker was able to let out a single scream, then in a few moments he was also a husk. ¡±So. Much. Better!¡± The King dusted off his hands as he turned to the two guards. ¡°My King.¡± The uninjured guard knelt in front of my uncle and bowed his head. The wounded one was scrambling to get up when my uncle put his hand on the other guard¡¯s shoulder and pushed the dead guard over. I found my words as he started humming as he walked towards the injured guard. ¡°Why did you kill him?¡± I ran over and was able to get in between the two. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, you got hurt protecting my Lessy.¡± My entire body went rigid as he put his hand on my shoulder and grabbed the guard with his other hand. The Elf had enough time to gasp as all the wounds on my body vanished. ¡°Are you hurt baby?¡± My uncle looked at Alessa. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Her voice squeaked as she spoke. ¡°Okay baby.¡± The king started towards the stairs. ¡°You should stay down here until I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Done?¡± I had a bad feeling I wasn¡¯t going to like the answer to the question I was about to ask. ¡°Done with what?¡± ¡°Exterminating the Elves.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 42 I didn¡¯t like the answer. ¡°You¡¯re going to exterminate the Elves?¡± I hurried to climb up the stairs beside him. ¡°There are a lot of diplomats here!¡± My mind went to Starna. ¡°And half Elves that have been helping us!¡± ¡°I thought Arkun was my best friend after your father and look at what he did.¡± My uncle paused as he looked around the room. The crew of the Mage''s Bane were in the hall fighting off mostly guards with a few of the diplomats sprinkled in. I saw both Krav and Talia mixed in with them, as well as Blanch, who looked like she was particularly enjoying herself. Starna was on the floor near the western wall and my desire to dissuade my uncle from a rampage was trumped by the need to check on her. I ran over to the half Elf and looked her over. She was still alive, but had a nasty hole in her side and her hair smelled like burnt rubber. She¡¯d been ganged up on by multiple mages and left here to bleed out. I cradled her in my lap and started to take her wounds, when the abbreviated screams of the elves in the room being drained by the king. Someone was going to have to stop him and I couldn¡¯t do that if I was this wounded. ¡°Sect!¡± Vin ran over to me. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°No.¡± I looked around. ¡°How are you guys here?¡± ¡°Dad figured that you must have got caught when the navy ships quit chasing us and headed back here. So we turned around and followed them back.¡± He nodded at the gorgon, who knelt in front of my uncle as he killed the elves she had been fighting. ¡°Talia told us what you were doing and we all hurried here to help you as fast as we could.¡± Confusion and awe were all over his face as he turned back to me. ¡°Who¡¯s the scary dude?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Alessa¡¯s dad, the King.¡± I touched Starna¡¯s brown hair. I wanted to get her to safety, but I needed to know something first. ¡°Did you know that I¡¯m her cousin? Prince Sectum Malus?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Seriously?¡± Vin started laughing. ¡°I knew you were different, but not that different.¡± I had a feeling that the rest of the crew knew. I could remember a lot of them being there the night I¡¯d been fished out of the bay. There was a part of me that felt betrayed, but I could see why they did it. All it would take was one slip of the tongue by a little kid and the entire Golden Guard would have hunted us down to kill me. ¡°Look.¡± I gently picked up the half Elf in front of me. ¡°I need you to get her back to the ship. She¡­¡± ¡°We left the ship on the other side of the bay.¡± Vin cut me off. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I tried to think of somewhere else that would be safe. ¡°Take her to the secret room at Talia¡¯s place. Bandage her up as best you can.¡± I nodded at where the king was finishing off the last of the elves in the room. ¡°Get out of here before he sees her.¡± My brother looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but he took Starna from me and shouldered his way through the locked door on the western wall. I didn¡¯t know how he was going to get out, but I felt sorry for whoever tried to stop him. I got up and walked over to where everyone except Krav was kneeling in front of my uncle. ¡°My king.¡± Garm was in front of everyone. ¡°I¡¯m so glad that you¡¯re okay. What about..?¡± ¡°Gravis and Oline are dead.¡± The king grit his teeth. ¡°I watched Arkun kill them both, then chased him through the tower. He brought it down on top of me before I could kill him.¡± He looked over the people kneeling in front of him. ¡°Who knows where the slime is?¡± Venom laced his question. ¡°He ran to the Senate building when Garm and his men showed up.¡± Krav reported as he leaned against a stone pillar on the eastern wall. ¡°Thank you Krav, you¡¯ve always been a good friend of the family.¡± The King¡¯s attitude softened. ¡°Things are about to get bloody, so it¡¯s probably best that you weren¡¯t here so Banrion can have deniability.¡± The Grim looked over at me then pushed off the wall. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re alive, Keller.¡± I watched him walk out the open front doors. ¡°Captain Garm Irongut!¡± My uncle turned his attention back to the people in the room. ¡°You are reinstated as captain of the royal guard.¡± He scanned the rest of the group. ¡°Your men are drafted as members of the royal guard and your first task is a very important one¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Herd all the Elves in the city to the senate.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 43 I caught up to my uncle as he walked out of the front door of the hall. ¡°Uncle Keller!¡± I wanted to stay out of arm¡¯s length. I wasn¡¯t certain that he wouldn¡¯t use that desiccating ability on me if he thought I was being annoying. ¡°What?¡± The King turned back to look at me. I swallowed. ¡°Are you really going to kill all the Elves in your city without giving them a chance to leave? Even the kids?¡± The King paused for a moment, then nodded and turned to my father, who was standing right behind me. ¡°New orders. We¡¯re going to cleanse the blight that is the senators, then issue a proclamation that at the end of the week Hepool will be an Elf free city. Any Elves in the city after then will be executed on the spot.¡± He made a twirl in the air with his finger. ¡°Take your men and make sure no one escapes the senate building.¡± He pulled me close to him. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯d never kill kids without giving them a chance first. That¡¯s why I need you next to me, Gravis. With the two of us together, nothing will be able to challenge us again!¡± He let me go, then started whistling as he walked towards the gate. I watched helplessly as he drained the two guards that were standing at attention, then kept going. ¡°Someone has to stop him.¡± I turned around and looked at Alessa. ¡°Aye.¡± My father shook his head. ¡°But the Elves dropped a whole tower on his head and that didn¡¯t stop him.¡± He turned to me. ¡°Talia told me you figured out who you are¡­¡± He started wringing his hands together. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it wasn¡¯t me that told ya. I was waiting until you were eighteen and then¡­¡± His shoulders sagged. ¡°It never felt like the right time.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I honestly felt betrayed, but it hadn¡¯t been out of malice that he¡¯d kept it from me. He¡¯d been trying to protect me and knowing who I was wouldn¡¯t have been able to change much of how things had unfolded. I looked at the gate where the two dead guards were lying. ¡°How do we stop him?¡± ¡°During the Great War we used to say the only way to stop a Sineater is with another Sineater.¡± My father couldn¡¯t look at me. ¡°But it¡¯d be better for me to kill you myself then to send you after that monster.¡± I didn¡¯t like where this conversation was headed. ¡°You aren¡¯t going after him. At least I have a chance to stop him. It might be a fish¡¯s chance on a ride through a kraken¡¯s gut, but it¡¯s still a chance.¡± ¡°Could you do it?¡± There were tears dripping down Alessa¡¯s face. ¡°Could you kill my¡­¡± She sniffed. ¡°My¡­¡± The tears were falling freely. She¡¯d been four when the coup had happened. The only memory I had of my mother was the one we¡¯d shared. I knew my memories had been tampered with, but somehow I doubted that there were many left after all this time. She¡¯d probably had a vision of what her father had been like. There were pictures of him hanging on walls of the castle, so there was no way that she couldn¡¯t have crafted a version of her father that was wildly different from the wild man that had just walked out of the castle. ¡°I¡¯ll stop him.¡± I wrapped her up in a hug and felt the tears on my neck. ¡°There¡¯s got to be good in him still. He¡¯s just been isolated for so long. We¡¯ll bring him back.¡± I could see the look on my father¡¯s face and knew he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°We¡¯ll come with you and try to get them out of harm¡¯s way.¡± My father motioned for everyone to start moving. ¡°Wait.¡± I let go of my cousin and took a deep breath. ¡°Wait a little bit. If you show up and start evacuating people, he might attack you. Let me distract him, then you can evacuate the Elves.¡± ¡°May your veins be nothing but mithril.¡± Garm saluted me. I ran out of the courtyard. ¡°And may it jump in your bucket.¡± I finished the Dwarven blessing under my breath. I was going to need all the help I could get. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 44 I followed the bodies. The king hadn¡¯t taken the straightest path to the senate. Probably because he was going off course to chase down any errant Elves that he found. I started running. He hadn¡¯t left that long before me, so I should have been able to catch up to him before he got to the Golden Senate. I didn¡¯t. The front door to the large golden building that hung over the bay was broken open. It looked like someone had blasted it with a couple large rocks that were nowhere around. I had a feeling that somehow my uncle still had some of the magic from the spell that Lagrev had tried to use on him. A shudder escaped my control as the list of how outclassed I was just got longer. I ran up the stairs towards the main floor. It surprised me that the Elves would have stairs in a building that they routinely used without a way to scale them. It was something I¡¯d have to ask my cousin about. Or maybe there was an enchantment, but my uncle had absorbed the magic. A scream ended that line of thinking and I ran faster. The senate floor was twelve boxes with a large podium in the center. There were seats below and between the boxes that I assumed were for the general public to sit and view what was going on. The entire northern wall was nothing but glass, or was supposed to be glass. Someone or something had broken it, so now we were over forty feet in the air with a drop off that went straight into the bay. My uncle was in between the center box and the northern wall. He looked over his shoulder when I walked into the room and smiled. ¡°Gravis! You¡¯ve got to try this! It¡¯s like a game!¡± I shook my head as I walked over to him. ¡°Here¡¯s the rules.¡± The king jumped from back and forth on his feet. ¡°I pick one of them and they can run or jump.¡± He started moving his finger around and pointed at Arkun. ¡°How about you play with him? As a present for him killing Eden. Just don¡¯t kill him all the way. I want to heal him again so we can play more.¡± ¡°Again?¡± I stepped in between my uncle and the elves. ¡°Yeah.¡± He gestured at the dozen corpses on the floor. ¡°I take him to the brink of death, then pull him back.¡± He smiled wide enough that I could see impossibly white teeth. His ability to heal himself was on a completely different level. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± I folded my arms in front of me to stare him down. ¡°I¡¯m Sectum, not Gravis. And this isn¡¯t the way to handle him. I¡¯m not going to let you kill anyone else.¡± The King looked confused. ¡°You¡¯re not..? But you¡­¡± His nostrils flared as his mind caught up to what I¡¯d said. ¡°You think you can tell me what to do? I¡¯M YOUR KING!!!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re my uncle and you need help.¡± I took a nervous breath. I didn¡¯t think I could beat him head on, so I was trying to reason with him like I¡¯d done earlier. ¡°Arkun will suffer a lot more once we expose what he did here. We can make sure that he never hurts anyone again.¡± The rage was replaced by confusion. ¡°You want to kill him now?¡± He thought for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°NO!¡± I touched the handle of the sword on my back as I moved to stay between the two. There was a part of me that felt wrong for protecting the person who killed my mother. I knew he hadn¡¯t pulled the bow, but he¡¯d given the order and he¡¯d killed the archer to keep what happened a secret. There was a part of me that wanted to step out of the way and stop him after Arkun was dead, but that wouldn¡¯t be justice, it would be an execution. And while I¡¯d killed more than my share of people, that had always been in a fight. I couldn¡¯t condone this. ¡°Gravis¡­¡± My uncle bent down and picked up one of the discarded swords. ¡°Dad would always tell us not to touch a sword unless you plan to kill someone with it.¡± He was swinging before I pulled my sword out. I¡¯d reached for it on instinct and that had been the wrong thing to do. I wasn¡¯t fast enough to dodge the whole thing, but I did manage to let only the tip slash across my chest as I drew my sword. I started to wonder just how good my uncle was with a blade, especially after fourteen years. I deflected the next strike and was able to follow it up with a cut on his arm. I congratulated myself and started to feel like it was winnable. I could incapacitate him if I could wear him down. I went on the offensive and had plenty of opportunities to score cuts on him. It was obvious that I was a better swordsman, but he wasn¡¯t slowing down. With as many times as he¡¯d been cut, he should have been slowing down. My arms were starting to burn and breathing was getting harder as we fought. I needed a chance to catch my breath, but he didn¡¯t seem tired at all. Now I was completely on the defensive. It was taking everything that I had to parry, dodge, and deflect his attacks. It felt like I¡¯d been running at top speed for a half hour without a break. I wasn¡¯t going to last much longer. I decided that I was going to have to maim him. We couldn¡¯t grow back limbs, so if I cut off his hand, then the fight would be over. I locked his blade, then twisted so I¡¯d be under his guard, but my sword stopped as I went for his wrist. I¡¯d forgotten the cardinal rule when fighting a Sineater. My uncle had the blade of my sword gripped tightly in his left hand. His blood was running down my blade and his arm. I started to yank, but my hands weren¡¯t holding my sword anymore. I started falling as my uncle stepped back and pulled his sword out of my chest. He said something that I couldn¡¯t hear. The world started feeling a lot smaller as an icy blanket wrapped around me. Then there was nothing. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 45 Alessa watched him fall. ¡°NO!¡± The princess ran over to her cousin and turned him over. The slot in his chest had stopped oozing blood. She could tell just by touching him that he was gone. She looked up at the monster that claimed he was her father. ¡°WHAT DID YOU DO?!?¡± ¡°He drew a sword.¡± The monster looked at the bloody blade in his hand, then over at the Elves that were still in the room. A wicked smile parted his scraggly beard. She¡¯d spent too much time helping the Elves that had been hiding in the boxes to get out. Captain Garm and his crew were busy getting them out of the building. Talia had been right behind her as she¡¯d come onto the main floor. It was a strange assortment of people, but they were risking the wrath of the monster to save Elves, which made them all saints in her opinion. The hairless Gorgon knelt down beside her and offered her a rag for her face. There was concern on the other woman as she stroked the dead man¡¯s face. Alessa wiped her eyes, but that didn¡¯t stop the tears. She¡¯d just found her cousin the day before. Then she¡¯d thought she¡¯d found her father. But now she was alone again. She wasn¡¯t even sure if Starna had made it. She hadn¡¯t seen her one friend when she¡¯d climbed out of the hole. She jumped as an Elf screamed. The monster was stabbing Arkun, healing him, chasing him down and repeating the process. ¡°How are we going to stop him now?¡± She swallowed as she thought about her powers. She¡¯d never been allowed to use them, since ¡®scars were deformities that weren¡¯t becoming of someone of her station¡¯. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could even heal anyone let alone stop herself from being drained like the monster was doing. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°We should get you out of here.¡± The Gorgon whispered in her ear. ¡°He might not let you leave later. We should get you as far away from him as we can.¡± Alessa resisted as the other woman tried to get her to stand. That monster was terrorizing her people. She wasn¡¯t going to run and leave them to his sick pleasure while she was safe. That wasn¡¯t what Sectum had done. Tears started falling in earnest again. Alessa closed her eyes as she tried to think about what she could do. Everything she knew about a Sineater¡¯s powers was theoretical. But she had read everything about Sineaters that she¡¯d been allowed to have and other things that she hadn¡¯t been given. A Sineater¡¯s power didn''t stop with just taking and giving wounds. A Sineater could actually heal others with their very lifeforce.That was how the monster had recovered as fast as it had. It was what it was doing to its victims by draining that lifeforce. There was one other thing that a Sineater could do. Something that was considered forbidden because of the price involved. A Sineater could bring someone back who¡¯d recently died. The price was only their life. There had been Sineaters in the past who had tried to use other people to fuel the exchange. She knew one of her ancestors had been doing this before the Great War. Though there wasn¡¯t much available about that. She looked down at her cousin, then back at the monster. She knew that as much life as that thing had gobbled up, a simple stab through the chest wouldn¡¯t kill it. It would have to be stabbed after it had been drained of all of that excess life. She¡¯d seen the thing absorb magic, so she doubted that even the Grim would be able to deal with the monster. They needed Sectum, not her. Alessa put her hands on the wound and started focusing on her power. She could feel a small spark. Like she was striking two rocks together. The spark needed to be fed because when she stopped, it went out. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Talia looked down at her. ¡°We need to go!¡± The tears were still falling as she looked up at the Gorgon. ¡°Tell Sectum¡­¡± Her breath caught as she started feeding the spark. ¡°Tell Sectum that he¡¯s going to make a great king.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 46 Someone was on top of me. I looked down to see Alessa slumped over me. ¡°SECTUM?!¡± Talia pulled back my cousin as she looked at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her??¡± I leaned forward and touched her arm. Alessa was as cold as ice. My heart started beating faster as I touched her with my power. There was nothing there to heal. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Talia gently laid my cousin down. ¡°I was trying to get her to leave and she looked at me and said ¡®tell Sectum that he¡¯s going to make a great king¡¯.¡± My heart crawled into my throat as what she¡¯d done started hitting me. I couldn¡¯t bring her back after what she¡¯d done. Tears began to flow. ¡°Why?¡± I clenched her cold hands in mine. ¡°I was supposed to save you. Not the other way around.¡± Arkun screaming drew my attention away from my dead cousin. She¡¯d given her life because I¡¯d been trying to wear him down. Except he was too full of energy. He could run around the building for an hour and still have more energy than me. I couldn¡¯t save him. For some reason that realization didn¡¯t shock me as much as I thought it would. I had been trying to save him mostly for Alessa so she wouldn¡¯t have to lose a parent so soon after finding him. And that had gotten her killed. I picked up my sword and marched over to the King. He didn¡¯t bother turning around as I plunged my sword through his chest. He coughed as he turned around. ¡°You???¡± He grabbed the sword behind him and began pulling it out. ¡°I already killed you.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it His eyes trailed over where Alessa was lying, the red cross bleeding through her yellow dress. ¡°Baby?¡± The King threw the swords down and ran over to her and picked her up. I could tell that he was trying to push his power into her, but nothing was happening. The only way that she was coming back was if he used the sacrificial part of his powers and I wasn¡¯t sure if he was even sane enough to make that choice. ¡°Who did this?!?¡± The king looked around for a culprit and fixated on Talia. ¡°You did this!¡± He dropped Alessa like she was a rag doll and charged for the Gorgon woman. ¡°HEY!¡± I grabbed my sword and threw it at him. It hit him sideways and bounced off, but it got his attention. ¡°SHE DIDN''T HURT ALESSA! SHE WAS TRYING TO SAVE HER!¡± The King sneered at Talia, but turned towards me. ¡°DID YOU HURT MY BABY?!?¡± I grabbed the sword he¡¯d used as the unarmed man charged me. ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt her either!¡± I pointed the sword at him. ¡°You did.¡± He almost stumbled as he stopped. Confusion was all over his face. ¡°Me?¡± It was like he was counting on his fingers to walk through his memory. ¡°You killed me.¡± I got a little closer to him. ¡°Alessa died to bring me back so I can stop you.¡± His beared face contorted as he tried to register what had happened. His eyes lit up as he finally understood. ¡°YOU KILLED HER!¡± Okay, he didn¡¯t understand. I was close enough that I was able to stab him, then dance away before he could grab me. The second wound to the heart wasn''t enough to bring him down either. I started looking for another sword as he pulled that one out. There were dead Golden Guards all over the place, so there were plenty of weapons to choose from. ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill you again!¡± He raised the sword and charged. I picked up another sword and was easily able to dodge the wild swing. This time I cut off his right hand before I danced behind him and stabbed him in the chest again. Despite being so full of life, it was like the rage was making him pause and think about the next thing he wanted to do. The King walked over to his hand, picked it up and put it back where it was supposed to be. It only took a moment before the cut was gone and he was wiggling his fingers again. ¡°Come. On!¡± I started looking for another weapon. This was going to take a while. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 47 He wasn¡¯t slowing down. But I wasn¡¯t going all out either. Despite pulling the weapons out of him, he wasn¡¯t holding on to them, preferring to try to hit me with his bare hands. So far, he hadn¡¯t managed to touch me, but there had been a few close calls. The good news was that all of the Elves had been evacuated. Now the rest of the crew was standing near the entrance, watching our weird bullfight. If they joined in, I could wear him down faster, but there would also be less room to dodge. While I might be able to resist him, they definitely couldn¡¯t, which would negate all the work I¡¯d been doing. ¡°Why won¡¯t you show me your neck???¡± Despite his reckless charges, he wasn¡¯t giving me a chance to cut off his head. So far, nothing else I¡¯d tried so far had worked. The enraged man stopped charging and blinked a few times, then straightened up. Something changed in his eyes and they didn¡¯t look quite as wild. The next time he charged, he sidestepped as I stabbed, slicing a deep cut on the bottom of his arm. My miss wasn¡¯t the only bad thing this time. He also grabbed me. The energy that hit me when he wrapped his arms around me was like being dunked in the ocean, but I could feel him trying to give me the cut I¡¯d just made. I started pushing back against that wound, trying to push it back to him. He fought me for a moment, then let go and added some scratches to my leg. I started to give those back and he started pushing a stab in the shoulder. I looked around at what he was physically touching and while he had me on the floor, he was grabbing dead elves and trying to give me their wounds. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. That gave me an idea. I started squirming towards Alessa while we played hot potato with wounds. The moment that I was able to grab her hand I started pulling. She was like a sponge for his sea of power and I was sweeping it into her. I couldn¡¯t give her back the life she¡¯d given me, but maybe I could give her another one. ¡°NO!!!¡± The king tried to get up as soon as he realized what I was doing. ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡± I grabbed his right arm with my left. I had Alessa with my right hand and was trying to channel his power into her while he was fighting me both physically and with his power. I was only able to hang on to him with one arm and he was strong. My fingers started slipping, then the king slammed into me as four arms wrapped us in a bear hug. ¡°I¡¯ve got you!¡± Vin squeezed the two of us together. ¡°NO!¡± My mind switched to grabbing the king¡¯s power, keeping the wounds off me, and keeping the king from draining Vin dry. ¡°He¡¯s going to drain you!¡± I felt another presence being added to the mix as Garm joined the huddle. The King was frantically trying to grab something as I focused on slapping his focus away from wherever he put it. Instead of focusing on one thing, he just tried to absorb everything. Vin was starting to stagger as he was feeling the drain. A sixth mind entered the mix as Storbek joined, giving Vin some more energy and adding another presence. Then Talia was there. Phlek, Wizz, and Zist joined at the same time, then Uziah, Hyer, Frosu, Forst, and Minx. It was like the king was completely boxed in. There were too many linked together for him to grab a single person and everything he¡¯d stolen was being fed into Alessa. ¡°NOOO!!!¡± The King tried muscling his way out, but he was overwhelmed in every way. ¡°I¡¯M YOUR KING!!!¡± I felt a spark start burning as the last of his power flowed into his daughter, then he was gone. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 48 I couldn¡¯t let go. I could feel a warmth slowly beginning to spread through her, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to drop her hand. I did, however, need to breathe. The words felt almost like sandpaper to my dry throat. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s gone.¡± People slowly began to back away from the hug until all that was left was Vin. The thing that most people would have considered monstrous was the thing that had expressed self-sacrifice to help me do something when he had no way of knowing what I had attempted. ¡°Vin¡­¡± After the tug-of-war that I¡¯d just played, my whole body hurt. As reassuring as the hug was, I really wanted to get the dead king off of me. ¡°Boys¡­¡± My father¡¯s gruff voice called both of our attention to the doors of the chamber. Arkun was standing behind a dozen of the Golden Guard, each one holding a crossbow that was pointed at us. That was enough for Vin to let go of me so that he could muscle his way to the front of the group. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!¡± The Regent sneered as he focused on my brother. ¡°Each one of these are loaded with Diamond heads and magically enchanted to fire with the same force as a tower ballista. You won¡¯t survive.¡± The heads were clear, but I had my doubts that he was telling the truth. It would take a master level earth Elementalist over a year to fashion one of those heads. To have twelve as well as twelve crossbows that were reinforced with magic that strongly? Those things would be considered national treasures and that many would be impossible to stop everyone from knowing they existed. But one of them could be the real thing, which my brother was smart enough to discern himself. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What do you want, Arkun?¡± My father had his hands up and was shifting to shield myself and Alessa. ¡°It¡¯s KING to you!¡± The traitor puffed out his chest. ¡°Where is that madman?!¡± I was almost too exhausted to smirk. Arkun had really come back here with crossbows to get revenge instead of fleeing. It was baffling just how conceited and power-hungry that Elf was. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Talia started to slowly move out of the way so that the Elves could see the fallen man. It was the first time that I actually looked at him. The chest wounds that I¡¯d sustained were showing through the ragged and torn clothes he was wearing. Or it could have been the numerous wounds that I¡¯d inflicted while fighting him. I couldn¡¯t be certain. I could feel that Alessa was starting to wake up, though I had a feeling that things were about to get very dangerous for everyone on this side of the crossbows. ¡°Move. All of you.¡± Arkun motioned for the others to move out of the way, then he tapped one of the guards on the shoulder. ¡°You, make sure he¡¯s dead.¡± As tired as I was, I wasn¡¯t going to leave my cousin on the floor as the terrified guard slowly walked towards us. I picked her up in my arms and stumbled a little as I tried to back up. Forst grabbed my shoulder to steady me and I nodded my thanks to the WereCrocodile. ¡°What..?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I moved behind the mountain of reptile. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± Her face was full of confusion. ¡°But¡­ How?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I helped her stand. ¡°I got the idea while fighting¡­¡± I looked around Forst to where Arkun had the King¡¯s body by the neck. ¡°Not so big now!¡± The Regent was dragging the King over to the window, then picked him up. ¡°Too bad you¡¯re not going to feel this, but let¡¯s see how well you fly!¡± He dropped the King into the water below. ¡°Like a rock!¡± The Regent¡¯s deep laugh sounded vicious as he turned to look at us. ¡°Now the rest of you must die.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 49 The Guards raised their crossbows. ¡°STOP!¡± Alessa stepped out from behind Forst to glare at the guards. Her clothes were marred by blood to the point that the yellow dress looked mostly orange. ¡°You don¡¯t take orders from him!¡± ¡°My Queen!¡± Arkun held out his hands and moved towards her like he was going to give her a hug. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± My cousin picked up a discarded sword and held it to his throat. ¡°Arkun Everess, you are guilty of conspiring against the crown.¡± She looked over at the guards who had partially lowered their weapons and were looking back and forth between the pair. Alessa focused on the traitor. ¡°The penalty for this is death and there is plenty of evidence to sentence you now.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Arkun looked over at the guards. ¡°Shoot HER!¡± ¡°They don¡¯t answer to you.¡± The air started crackling around my cousin. ¡°They will once you¡¯re dead, now SHOOT HER!¡± Arkun began jabbing his finger at her. ¡°HOLD!¡± The guards partially turned to look at the newcomer. I didn¡¯t have to look. I knew that voice. It was Galaden. The pompous Elf had on none of his finery. His usually polished armor was dirty and speckled with blood. There were even a few tears on his sleeves that looked like he had ripped them off himself. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The captain of the guards took out his sword as he walked towards Alessa. Forst growled as Vin moved in between them. The WereCrocodile moved behind her. ¡°WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!¡± Arkun grabbed a sword off the floor. Galaden stopped in front of my brother, took a deep breath, knelt down, and held up his sword across both hands. ¡°My Queen.¡± Alessa put her hand on Vin to guide him out of the way. She reached out and touched the handle of the sword as the Regent charged. Vin was to her left, which was the wrong side to protect her. Forst started to move, but Alessa was faster and with a quick flick of her wrist, she disarmed Arkun, then followed up the motion by stabbing him in the chest. My cousin pulled out the blade and Arkun staggered backwards. ¡°No¡­¡± The Regent fell on his hands and knees, then rolled out of the window into the bay. Alessa wiped the blue blood on the sleeve of her dress. The entire thing was beyond ruined. She straightened herself as she walked back over to Galaden, who was still kneeling. My cousin flipped the blade over and held it out handle first towards him. As her gaze swept the room, the others of the Golden Guard hit their knees as well. My father dropped to a knee, which triggered the entire crew to do so as well. I couldn¡¯t help the smile as I realized that I was the last one to bow. As I started to kneel, Alessa moved over and caught my arm with her free hand. ¡°Sectum¡­¡± She shook her head as she pulled me back to my feet. ¡°You never have to kneel in front of me.¡± I was trying to figure out what to say when she wrapped me in a hug. ¡°Thank you.¡± She lowered her voice so that only the two of us could hear. I hugged her back. ¡°I love you Sa-sa.¡± She smiled as she pulled back so I could see the tears flowing out of her blue eyes. ¡°I love you too.¡± She hugged me again. ¡°But you¡¯re the only one who gets to call me that.¡± I chuckled as we stayed like that for probably too long. But I didn¡¯t care. We¡¯d won. Sineater - The Princess - Chapter 50 Hepool was a mess. The King had carved a path of destruction through the city and most of the senators were dead, not to mention a significant number of diplomats. I looked out the castle window at the repairs that were being done. The entire senate building was partitioned off as the workers toiled away to remove the memory of what had happened a few days ago. ¡°Feeling okay?¡± Alessa was standing in the doorway of my room. That itself felt weird. My old room had been destroyed when the old castle collapsed. I wasn¡¯t sure who this new room had belonged to, but it was where my cousin had designated that I could always stay and keep my things. ¡°Just thinking about things.¡± I turned from the window. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± ¡°Different.¡± She flexed her hand and a little spark arced off her fingers. ¡°Something got added when you brought me back. Starna says I have magical aptitude now. That¡¯s something I¡¯ll have to look into once everything calms down.¡± She wasn¡¯t the only one who had something left behind by her father. There was an extra energy in me that I couldn¡¯t place. If I had to gamble, I¡¯d guess it was also magic. Probably something that the king had picked up while he had been sucking the life out of Elves. With all the chaos that had been going on, I hadn¡¯t bothered anyone to check it out. ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± I sat down on the only chair in the room. The room didn¡¯t have much furnishings in it, just a desk, chair, and bed. That was more than the hammock I had on the ship, so that was fine with me. I motioned towards the bed for my cousin to sit down. ¡°Starna is recovering well.¡± The Queen walked over and sat on my bed. She smirked. ¡°She¡¯s asked about you.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I¡¯ll go see her soon.¡± It felt awkward every time I thought about seeing her. There was a part of me that wanted to go heal her, while another part was telling me that I needed to finish healing before I took any more wounds. ¡°Hopefully sooner.¡± The smile vanished as my cousin became more serious. ¡°I need you to do something.¡± ¡°Me?¡± I looked around. ¡°Why can¡¯t you send dad?¡± ¡°Commander Garm is busy helping Captain Galaden restructure the Golden Guard.¡± She shook her head. ¡°And I have my hands full with vetting the new candidates for the senate.¡± My blonde cousin leaned forward. ¡°It has to be you.¡± ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t think I was capable of whatever task she had. It was that I had a feeling she was going to want me to use my title as Prince to do it. The title still sounded strange to me and the magnitude of what it carried was more responsibility than I¡¯d ever had in my entire life combined. ¡°The Dwarves at Gabundin have been sending requests to investigate an artifact that they found on one of their digs.¡± Alessa was in full diplomatic mode. ¡°They wanted a Sineater to examine it, but since I was the only official Sineater, Arkun kept ignoring their requests.¡± ¡°How is the search going?¡± I remembered the Sineater who had let himself be captured to save the Fae girl. ¡°Have you found any of the Sineaters?¡± ¡°I have inspector Talia looking into that.¡± She shook her head. ¡°So far, she hasn¡¯t found anything.¡± That was sad. I¡¯d hoped that there would be an easy way to track them all down. ¡°When do you want me to leave?¡± Alessa had a mischievous grin. ¡°Vin said that Starna was good to travel, so you can leave as soon as you get the drakes ready. If you¡¯re okay with them going with you.¡± The two of them would be good to take. Starna would be a great help inspecting anything magical and Vin could break it if we needed to.. ¡°Is this my position?¡± I smirked. ¡°The fixer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best fit for your skills.¡± Alessa got up and headed for the door. ¡°Garm agreed that you were ready.¡± There was a nervous shake in her voice. ¡°Hey, Sa-sa?¡± She stopped at the doorway and turned to look at me. I gave her a thumbs up. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a great Queen.¡± Sineater - The Princess - Epilogue Saltwater burned in the wound. Arkun was in a cabin somewhere lying on a table. The hard wooden surface was not befitting someone of his station. The High Elf tried to sit up, but there were chains on his wrists and ankles that were holding him down. The lighting in the room was a single candle. It smelled of seawater and mold and was very damp. The stone walls looked like they might be growing moss as well, but that could easily have been shadows. ¡°H...!¡± His throat was so dry despite all the water that was on him. He couldn¡¯t get any words out. Part of the stone wall pulled back to reveal a dark sky. The sound of rain filled the room, which was odd because he hadn¡¯t heard any rain before the wall opened. A hooded figure walked into the room and closed the wall. ¡°Good! You¡¯re awake!¡± Arkun strained against the chains and struggled to speak, but no words would come out. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t try to talk¡­¡± The hooded figure was running gloved hands over his wounds. ¡°I can¡¯t have you screaming yourself hoarse while I study you.¡± Fear gripped his heart as Arkun was hit with the memory of Keller Malus taking him to the edge of death, then healing him. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I see you understand.¡± The voice was so neutral that he couldn¡¯t tell if it belonged to a man or a woman or what race they might be. The hooded figure was too tall to be a Dwarf or any of the Borrowers, but too thin to be something like a Minotaur or a Griffon. Still there were dozens of things it could be. ¡°It¡¯s rare to be able to study someone who has been modified so much.¡± The hooded figure patted his face. ¡°You¡¯ve already helped me progress my experiments more in the last few days than I¡¯ve been able to do in the last decade!¡± The hooded figure turned away and the room lit up, to reveal a much larger room than Arkun had believed he was in. There were shelves to his right lined with jars that contained various parts of monsters as well as sentient beings. The Regent pulled against his restraints, but he was too weak to budge them and there was barely any slack at all for him to move. The wounds on his chest stung as his movements allowed the saltwater to work its way deeper into his body. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move around so much.¡± The hooded figure put something over his face so he couldn¡¯t see what was happening. ¡°You broke open this wound again. I¡¯ll have to seal it up. I can¡¯t have you dying before I learn all of your secrets.¡± Arkun smelled burned flesh before he felt the pain. Whatever this miscreant was using was so hot that the pain didn¡¯t have time to radiate through his entire body before the nerves were burnt away. It was crude and painful and each time he was touched he dreamed about what he was going to do to his tormentor as well as that ungrateful child. He¡¯d raised her to be the perfect Queen and she¡¯d betrayed him and taken everything from him. The Regent clenched his jaw to weather the pain. He was determined to survive this. And once he did, he was going to go back and take his throne. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 1 The city felt different. Maybe it was because the sign over the front gate that had read The Golden City for the last fourteen years had been removed and replaced by Hepool. The Elves had renamed the city to match their senate after the coup that had taken the lives of my parents and almost killed my five-year-old self. Maybe it was because I knew what my connection to the city was. I was a prince after all, knowledge that had been suppressed by my adoptive father, the dwarf Garm Irongut. It had been done to protect me as the world believed me to be dead, which allowed for him to teach me in secret and prepare me for when I¡¯d return to free my city. The different feel to the city could also be from the path of destruction that my uncle, the former king who¡¯d spent the last fourteen years trapped under the debris of the destroyed castle, had carved on his path to the senate where he had killed most of the senators and some of the foreign delegates before I had managed to stop him. It could also owe its new feel to my cousin, Princess Alessa, now reigning as Queen Alessa Malus. Though it was probably a combination of everything as well as factors that I probably wasn¡¯t even aware of. From my place at the front gate of the city, I looked up to gauge how high the sun had risen. I had my first mission as part of my cousin¡¯s inner circle and I was ready to start, but it didn¡¯t appear that my travel companions held the same excitement that I did. We had agreed to set out first thing in the morning, which I took to be as soon as the sun was up, though now that I thought about it, I should have known that my adoptive brother would take that to mean after he woke up. Knowing my brother, that could be well after lunch. No one would assume that the two of us were friends, let alone adoptive brothers. I was a human with black hair and green eyes. I was tanned from spending most of my time in the sun and just over six feet tall. Vin Irongut was a Camadt, a race of magically immune, four armed, over six foot tall, black furred catfolk. The Camadt were a very prideful race, one that had considered themselves to be the strongest, smartest, and most superior race in the universe. Which was why anyone would instantly question why someone as weak as a human could be considered their friend. The truth was that I wasn¡¯t just a regular human. I was a Sineater and that wasn¡¯t the extent of my ability either. I was also a Singiver. A Sineater had the ability to absorb wounds and injuries from another being and take them on as if they were their own. A singiver could do the opposite, giving wounds or injuries to another being. While the Camadt passively negated magic around them, they weren¡¯t able to stop a Sineater¡¯s ability to transfer wounds. As far as I knew, sineaters were the first race that was able to stand over the Camadt in terms of fighting ability and the shock of not being at the pinnacle had driven them into hiding. Since it was almost impossible to tell a Sineater apart from the rest of humanity, the Camadt had withdrawn to the Nevnua island and rarely ventured out to the main continent, even though there were very few Sineaters left on the planet. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The other races actually seemed to prefer that the threat of Sineaters kept the Camadt away from the main continent, so the rumor of a secret army of Sineaters waiting in the wings if there was ever a war was something that was widely spread. Though according to my cousin, the opposite was actually true. We were the only two that she was aware of and if the Camadt came at us in earnest, we wouldn¡¯t do much against an entire army. Which led me to the nature of my mission. Alessa needed allies and the dwarves were her first choice. They needed someone to look at a weird door they¡¯d found and between Vin¡¯s magic negating ability and my sineating, we should be able to handle just about anything. Speaking of magic, that led me to the last member of our party, Starna Shellock. I waved at the tanned elf woman walking towards me. Starna had been Alessa''s companion and was a fairly capable mage despite her young age. Her knowledge over magic and Alessa¡¯s trust was most of why she was coming with us. The fight with my uncle had left me with a budding magic talent, which was something that Starna was supposed to nurture. Though I had a feeling that it had more to do with her knowledge of diplomacy than anything else. I might be a prince by birth, but I had lived on a ship as a smuggler for most of my life. My method of diplomacy usually involved a sword, which was probably why the two nineteen-year-old men had a babysitter. My cousin didn¡¯t need us to accidentally start a war. ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡± The brunette glanced around. ¡°Probably sleeping in.¡± I kicked a bit of gravel. ¡°Lazy kitten¡­¡± ¡°I guess we have to leave him.¡± The elf¡¯s blue eyes sparkled a bit. ¡°Oh well. Where¡¯s our wagon?¡± ¡°Vin was supposed to bring it.¡± I smirked as disappointment crossed her face. ¡°Come on, you knew we couldn¡¯t leave him. What if the barrier is strong enough magic that you can¡¯t break it?¡± Starna crossed her arms in front of her. ¡°Are you doubting my ability?¡± ¡°You¡¯re proficient rank.¡± It wasn¡¯t an insult. There were very few her age that would be right under the power level of a master. Given her lifespan, she would probably be able to reach Elder strength, which would earn her a trip off of the prison planet. The anti-projection field that kept us here suppressed anything from below elder level power. Since it was a prison planet, anyone that strong was removed to ensure that there wasn¡¯t a prison break. ¡°There¡¯s plenty that you can¡¯t handle yet.¡± She opened her mouth, but her retort was cut off by yelling behind me at the gate. ¡°TRAITOR!¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 2 I knew it was elves without turning around. Worse, I knew what the elves looked like. Brown skin, yellow hair, and white eyes. That was a pure earth elf, better known as an Ager. It amazed me that with twelve subspecies, the elves had managed to start purifying, as they called it, the bloodlines. After the Camadt War, over a thousand years ago, the Congress had decided that the only way for the elves to survive was for each of the subspecies of elves to start mixing to become a singular race. While that might have had a great effect out there in the universe, on Tefira, the Elves had tried to separate themselves back into their ¡®pure¡¯ forms. A simple rule that only pureblood elves could serve on their respective senates and anyone with political ambitions got on board. In my opinion all that had done was make a lot of pompous and useless families, but no one asked my opinion. The reason why I knew who the elves were was because a few weeks ago when Starna and I had stopped the wedding of Alessa to Regent Arkun, the Ager representative had decided to back the regent and been killed. The Agate Senate was the most vocal about reparations and the only ones who had demanded that Starna be handed over to be tried for treason. Which didn¡¯t make any sense because by her looks, she was a mix of High Elf and Sylph, without any trace that she had any Ager blood in her. I slowly turned around and saw the three Ager glaring at us. While the two in the back had white eyes, the one in front had golden ones. I couldn¡¯t stop the smile from splitting my face. They¡¯d sent a mage. With elves, the color of one''s eyes proclaimed what powers one had. Silver, red, blue, and brown were for the elementalist abilities of air, fire, water, and earth. White eyes were powerless, while gold eyes were for magic. There were also black eyes, which denoted demonic magic, but those practitioners were usually killed on sight. Starna did have gold rings in the middle of her eyes, but with them being almost completely blue, her ability to manipulate water should be much stronger than her capacity for magic. Which is the first thing that made a mage being here funny. As a Veneficus, someone with both water elementalist ability and magic, Starna would be able to easily counter another mage since water had a wonderful ability to disrupt magic. If the Agate Senate had done their research, then they wouldn¡¯t have sent a mage to try to intimidate us. And if Starna wasn¡¯t up to the task of putting this mage in his place, we had Vin. And that was after I finished with them. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I touched the hilt of the sword on my hip as I pushed off the wall. The mage took his staff off his belt and extended it. ¡°By the authority of the Agate Senate, Starna Shellock you are under arrest!¡± I touched her arm to guide her behind me. ¡°I asked you a question and you ignored me.¡± I clicked my tongue. ¡°That¡¯s very rude.¡± ¡°Out of the way, human.¡± The elf sneered as the staff pointed at me. ¡°This is ELF business.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I started walking towards him. I could feel the buzz of magic in front of me, but I could tell that he hadn¡¯t started building up any for a spell. I might not be able to cast anything at the moment, but being able to feel it was a nice advantage. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that the Agate City had occupied Hepool.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Last warning.¡± The golden eyed elf nodded at his companions, who drew their weapons. The guards at the gate were watching the scene play out. I shook my head as the captain shot me a questioning look. I didn¡¯t remember his name, but he¡¯d been at the senate when I¡¯d killed my uncle, so he knew what I was capable of and even better, he knew how much authority I had. ¡°You¡¯re openly threatening a civilian in front of city guards.¡± I nodded at the captain. ¡°And they aren¡¯t doing anything. What does that tell you?¡± ¡°That they recognize who is in charge.¡± The elf sneered. He wasn¡¯t wrong about that. He was just wrong about who was actually in charge. ¡°Now¡­¡± I felt the magic start to build inside the elf, but before I could move, I felt a void behind me on the rooftops and moving my way fast. I dropped my hand from my sword. As much as I would enjoy putting the elf in his place, this would be more entertaining. ¡°... die.¡± The elf was smiling as I spoke the last word. Confidence was all over his face as he took my backing down as surrender. I wasn¡¯t surrendering. I just didn¡¯t want to get in my brother¡¯s way. The magic hardened into a spike of dirt, which shot across the distance between the two of us. It was so slow and weak that I wondered why the Agate Senate would think that someone who was weaker than the mage who¡¯d died would be able to intimidate us. My brother landed on top of the spike, crushing it to dust. In two steps, he was in front of the mage. He pulled the staff out of the elf¡¯s hands, then grabbed the poor mage with both of his lower arms. The two other elves were foolish enough to pull their swords and charge. Vin snapped the staff in half and smacked them both on top of the head with each part. They dropped to the ground, allowing him to turn his full attention to the mage. He opened his mouth and slowly began to move the elf¡¯s face towards his teeth. There was a rumor that a Camadt¡¯s bite was lethal to a mage. That after a single bite, a mage would no longer be able to use magic. I guessed it was possible, but I¡¯d seen Vin bite a couple mages when we were younger, well Talia and Rosa mainly, but both of them could still use magic and hadn¡¯t died. ¡°Vin¡­¡± I touched my brother on the shoulder. ¡°I think he¡¯s done.¡± My brother glared at me, but dropped the elf without biting him. Not that the elf would have felt it, he¡¯d passed out the moment Vin had opened his mouth. ¡°You were going to have fun without me.¡± Vin looked down at the three unconscious elves. I shook my head as I motioned for the captain to come over. ¡°If you¡¯d been here on time, then you wouldn¡¯t have missed anything.¡± ¡°I came here first thing in the morning!¡± Vin yawned as if to emphasize that he was still tired. ¡°I haven¡¯t even eaten breakfast and you won¡¯t even let me take a small nibble out of one of them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even like elf.¡± I realized that admission carried the implication that Vin had eaten elf in the past. Which was sort of true. While he hadn¡¯t sat down and dined on them, we had been attacked by a lot of pirates and Vin¡¯s teeth were great weapons. He¡¯d bitten chunks out of most of the races on the planet at one time or another. ¡°I like elves!¡± Vin looked around like he was trying to find an example. His eyes landed on Starna, then moved to me as he shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any, but I know they exist!¡± I chuckled as I heard Starna growl behind me. She may not have realized it yet, but that was Vin¡¯s way of accepting her. Before she had a chance to retaliate, I turned my attention to the captain. The faster we got this out of the way, the faster we could leave. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 3 Captain Hayne Viregarst. I remembered his name before he reached us. Captain Viregarst was older, over a hundred at least, which was middle aged for a powerless elf. His age meant that he had something that a lot of the other guards didn¡¯t. He¡¯d been around for the great war a hundred years ago. Any guards from around that time period had served with my father, or more accurately, had probably served under him. Which gave us a little bit of notoriety even if we weren¡¯t a prince and a Camadt. ¡°Little Ironguts¡­¡± The captain shook his head. ¡°Are you trying to start a war?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them!¡± Vin looked down at the elves at his feet, then squatted so that he could check for pulses. ¡°Nope, not dead!¡± ¡°To be fair, I did try diplomacy.¡± I spread my hands. ¡°And they attacked me. I would have been within my rights to kill all three of them.¡± ¡°I can kill them?¡± Vin smiled as he looked up at me. ¡°No you can¡¯t kill them you overgrown cat!¡± Starna hurried over to us. ¡°Do you want to cause an international incident?¡± She huffed and looked around the street. ¡°Where is the wagon?¡± Vin sighed as he stood up. ¡°Sectum was about to start a fight, so¡­¡± ¡°So you forgot it?¡± The elf put her hands on her hips. ¡°Seriously, how did you even know that Sectum was in trouble?¡± The Camadt tapped the side of his face. ¡°I have good eyes and a nose for trouble.¡± He lightly punched me in the shoulder. ¡°Besides, if Sectum is breathing, he¡¯s not far from trouble, I remember this one time in Porthy¡­.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m breathing?¡± I glared at my brother who was laughing at his own joke. ¡°Who was the one that got us in trouble at Laleah during that arm wrestling competition? Who was it that scattered spice all over the dock in Inamac? Or what about that time at Fort Wrete?¡± I smirked as I finally saw shame replace the earlier pride. ¡°I still don¡¯t think we¡¯re allowed back there.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Captain Viregast looked over at Starna. ¡°You¡¯re the only one that they¡¯re sending to watch these two?¡± He mumbled something under his breath. ¡°... I¡¯m going to need more men.¡± ¡°Trust me captain, it wasn¡¯t my first choice of assignment.¡± Starna pointed at the two of us. ¡°Both of you. Stay here and don¡¯t cause any trouble! I¡¯m going to go get the wagon.¡± ¡°Bring back breakfast!¡± Vin cupped his hands as she walked away. My brother looked at me. ¡°Do you think she heard me?¡± As loud as he was, half the city probably heard him. I saw the gesture she made without looking at us. ¡°Yeah, she heard you, but I doubt you¡¯re getting anything.¡± ¡°Seriously¡­¡± The captain shooed us away from the unconscious elves so other guards could collect them. ¡°Both of you need to stop treating this like it¡¯s a game. You¡¯re representatives of the kingdom now. What you say and do reflects on all of us and one wrong insult could start a war where thousands of people that you¡¯ve never met that depend on you for protection end up dying.¡± ¡°Trust me, we know.¡± The responsibility wasn¡¯t lost on me. That was partly why we were messing around at the moment. A few weeks ago the only thing we¡¯d really had to worry about was if our ship would be able to escape the harbor if we messed up. After a few years, things would calm down and we could go back, except maybe to Fort Wrete. I doubted the Nymph Queen would forget about Vin and they lived almost as long as Elves. Vin grinned down the street and I saw Starna riding in the back of a wagon with a Dwarf driver. She shouldn¡¯t have had time to reach the stables, let alone have the wagon get ready. ¡°You were bringing the wagon.¡± I looked at my brother. ¡°I thought you said you forgot it.¡± ¡°She never let me finish.¡± Vin smirked as he looked at the captain. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to drag a civilian into a fight. I didn¡¯t know it wouldn¡¯t even be a warmup¡­¡± The captain sighed. ¡°You still attacked diplomats from another city¡­¡± Vin extended his claws and began inspecting them, giving the elf a good view of weapons that he could have used. ¡°Pretty sure two of them were hit with the other one¡¯s staff.¡± He retracted his claws. ¡°And the loud one wet himself before I got to hit him.¡± ¡°I doubt that¡¯s how they¡¯re going to see it.¡± The captain stepped out of the way so the wagon could pull in between us. Vin and I got into the back of the wagon. As we sat down, I turned towards the captain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we know what¡¯s at stake.¡± The captain didn¡¯t say anything as we headed out, but judging from the glare on his face as he watched us leave, I doubted very much that he believed us. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 4 The ride to Bollilundr was uneventful. There was a part of me that wasn¡¯t looking forward to coming back. It¡¯d been only a few weeks since I¡¯d been here with Starna and Alessa. During our last visit we¡¯d been drugged and we¡¯d lost Alessa to bounty hunters. It wasn¡¯t one of my prouder moments, but it was the only town on this side of the mountains with a road going to Iron Forge, plus we¡¯d have to switch mounts. The road wasn¡¯t wide enough for our wagon, so we¡¯d have to get drakes to ride. Iron Forge primarily shipped all of its goods out through the Hepool River to the north. The river ran past Hepool and would have provided a direct route to our destination, except it wasn¡¯t really that great to travel upriver. It was possible, but the land route was faster, especially for a group as small as ours. Honestly, the fastest route would have been to fly, but Vin couldn¡¯t be around flight magic and there weren¡¯t a lot of things big enough to fly with him that were docile enough to be allowed around a city. Since the Dwarves had been asking for months for assistance, Alessa hadn¡¯t wanted them to have to wait any longer than necessary. Plus, I think there was a part of Vin that was really excited about riding reptiles as large as horses. ¡°Thanks Arul Bifur!¡± I waved at our Driver once we got off the wagon. He still had deliveries to make, so we weren¡¯t going to take any more of his time than we had to. As soon as he was down the street, I turned to my traveling companions. ¡°Now what?¡± It was late in the afternoon, so the smart thing to do would be to stay here for the night, but I could see the hesitation on Starna¡¯s face. Our last visit here seemed to have left her with just as much discomfort for the town as it did for me. There was also the small problem of the mountain trail only being wide enough for a drake. If we left, we¡¯d have to keep going until we reached the city. ¡°How well will you be able to keep up a light with Vin around?¡± I turned to our mage. Starna glanced at our Camadt companion. ¡°As long as you stay between us and he doesn¡¯t try to put it out, we should be fine. My magic creates a light source, so the illumination itself isn¡¯t magical even though the light source will be.¡± ¡°Alright, then why don¡¯t we see if they have any drakes that we can rent right now, then we can head out?¡± I shifted the weight of the bag on my back. I had the bare minimum inside, so it wasn¡¯t heavy, just a change of clothes, a blanket, and some dwarf coins. I also had the smallest pack of the three of us. Vin simply wore larger clothes due to his frame, so the same items for him would be bulkier. I also had a feeling that he hadn¡¯t packed the bare minimum either. My brother had a habit of collecting trophies wherever we went, so he no doubt had something he was going to store them in. I knew Starna had a few magical items simply by the way she refused to let Vin anywhere near her pack. We wouldn¡¯t have to carry our bags by ourselves for long, once we got our mounts, we could attach them to the harnesses. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°I was looking forward to a real bed tonight¡­¡± Vin tried to make a distraught look. On a kitten, it would have been endearing. On a two-hundred-fifty-pound adult killing machine, it was laughable. ¡°You know how selective I am about where I sleep.¡± ¡°You mean, can you fit?¡± Starna snickered. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve seen him sleep on the rail of the ship. So it¡¯s more like ¡®will he fall off?¡¯.¡± I bumped into my brother. ¡°And didn¡¯t you sleep almost the whole way here?¡± ¡°I have to be rested.¡± His slitted-eyes glared at the smirking Elf. ¡°You never know when you¡¯ll be forced to stay up all night on the back of a big lizard¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± I patted him. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot more for you to do at the forge than there is here.¡± ¡°Well, there was one place I wanted to visit while we were here.¡± The grin on my brother¡¯s face told me that he had a plan that would get us in trouble if allowed to be enacted. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about a tavern that is very hospitable¡­¡± ¡°Nope!¡± I moved around my brother to stop him from going in the direction of the Drunk Crow. The owner had been the one to drug us the last time we were here. While I had no doubt that Vin would be able to leave a lasting impression on the locals about betrayal, the Elves had already killed the human who betrayed us to keep him from letting anyone know that the princess had been running away instead of being kidnapped. In my opinion, that was more than enough trauma for whoever was running the place. ¡°That is not a place we¡¯re adding to our list of destinations.¡± ¡°Come on Seck¡­¡± Vin grinned. ¡°You know I¡¯ll be back before you can get us rides.¡± ¡°And with half the town guard behind you.¡± Starna touched my arm to move me away from him. ¡°But if he wants to go, let him.¡± I turned to question her, but she continued before I had a chance to speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t they have a Pygmy Drake?¡± The tanned Elf smirked. ¡°Or was that a donkey?¡± ¡°If anyone is riding on a pygmy, it¡¯s you!¡± Vin tried to move around me, but I cut him off. ¡°She¡¯s our mage.¡± I reminded my brother. ¡°And you¡­¡± I turned to Starna. ¡°Don¡¯t antagonize him.¡± ¡°I was just saying¡­¡± Starna shrugged. ¡°If he¡¯s not there to pick out his mount, then he¡¯ll have to take whatever we choose for him.¡± I shook my head and walked away from the two of them. While she was right, I would have preferred my brother to have come with us instead of causing trouble because he was trying to be responsible, not because he was afraid that we¡¯d stick him with something that was more stubborn than he was and probably bit more too. I left the pair arguing as I walked towards the stables. I had a feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be long before they caught up to me. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 5 The red headed Dwarf was braiding her hair in front of the stables. ¡°Velt!¡± I waved at the shorter person as I approached. ¡°Sorry for just disappearing on you last time.¡± The Dwarf tied off the braid that she was working on so she could look at me. ¡°Trouble caught up to you.¡± Her grin split her face. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°How did you..?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t take a Sphinx to be able to tell that you were runnin¡¯ from something.¡± The short woman held out her hand. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s a small town.¡± I shook the offered hand. ¡°Still, I¡¯m sorry for reserving the Drakes, then disappearing on you like that.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t the first and you won¡¯t be the last!¡± The jovial Dwarf chuckled. ¡°Actually still have the pair if you want them.¡± ¡°You hung on to them?¡± I felt a little bad if she had. I knew she said that my father had helped her out once, but I didn¡¯t want her to hurt her business waiting for me to show up.¡± ¡°Not like you¡¯re thinking.¡± Velt shrugged and started walking inside. She gestured at the empty stalls. ¡°Humans in these parts only want horses. Most of the travelers from the forge have their own, so these are kept as extras to trade off.¡± She nodded at the stalls with the drakes. ¡°I¡¯ve got three more besides those that haven¡¯t been touched since you were¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. ¡°By the ore!¡± I didn¡¯t have to turn around to know that my brother had just walked in. Around the coastal towns it wasn¡¯t as big of a shock to see a Camadt walking around. They mainly kept to their island, but they still had merchants and traders who interacted with the ports on the mainland. But anything inland was a rarity. My brother took advantage of that novelty and thrived on the attention, whether it was reverence or fear. In this case it looked like a little of both. ¡°I heard Irongut had took in a stray, but I thought that was just people telling kraken stories.¡± Velt shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d shake your hand, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to mages keeping their distance.¡± Vin glared at Starna. ¡°Most mages¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to follow me.¡± Starna folded her arms. The rest of whatever she was going to say to my brother vanished as she turned to Velt. ¡°A mage?¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Velt Soberthinker, at your service.¡± The Dwarf spread her arms as she bowed. ¡°THE Soberthinker?¡± My mage companion was starting to gush. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of my ancestor.¡± Velt straightened and shrugged. ¡°No one from my family has been that strong since we were exiled.¡± ¡°What am I missing?¡± I looked between the two. ¡°I know there aren¡¯t many Dwarf mages, but what¡¯s so special about this person you¡¯re both talking about?¡± ¡°Derf Soberthinker. Hero of the Camadt War. Was the only Dwarf Elder to survive the draining, but vanished during the Triftion Wars.¡± Starna was close to hyperventilating. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly.¡± Velt shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m still in my sixties, but I know my family has been here for over five hundred years. The whys tend to be close to the same though. Too much power to keep around, but enough that those afraid of it don¡¯t want to completely get rid of it.¡± ¡°But you are a mage?¡± Now that I was looking, I could sense some magic emanating off of the Dwarf, though they were doing a good job of keeping it suppressed. ¡°If by mage, you mean that I can use some magic, then yes.¡± Velt shrugged. ¡°But getting any training in this place is nearly impossible.¡± She turned to Starna. ¡°Ammabus only takes Elves.¡± ¡°You went to the Ammabus school?¡± I looked at her. ¡°I thought you were with Alessa since she was little.¡± Starna blushed. ¡°It isn¡¯t like that. My mother paid Ammabus to teach me magic to help me guard Alessa better. I never went to the tower.¡± I hadn¡¯t realized just how much pull her mother had. Ammabus Tower was just a little to the north of Hepool, but the mage who presided over the school was rumored to be almost Elder level. For someone that strong to come and give personal lessons to her, Ambassador Shellock had to have a lot more pull than just a regular ambassador. ¡°A princess guarding the princess.¡± Vin teased. ¡°I never said..!¡± Starna bit off her response. ¡°It was only a couple lessons a year. Nothing that major.¡± ¡°As you say.¡± Velt chuckled. ¡°But enough about magic and parents. I¡¯m guessing you need Drakes for three?¡± I nodded and fished out three gold coins. Velt only took one of them. ¡°How soon are you wanting to leave?¡¯ ¡°As soon as we can.¡± I glanced over my shoulder. There were people in front of the building across the street gathering to watch us. The sooner we left, the less awkward I¡¯d feel. Besides, the barn was the only place I wasn¡¯t feeling vulnerable, but it smelled like the galley after Phlek gutted fish. It wasn¡¯t a place I was looking to spend the night. The Dwarf picked up a harness and nodded at another one. ¡°You can get on your way faster if you lend a hand.¡± Vin beat me to the other saddles and took two of them off the rails they were on. I stepped back to give him room to work. It seemed like he was just as eager as the rest of us to be out of the town. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 6 We were out of the city within the hour. We still had a few hours of daylight, but not much. Given that we had rested during our ride to the city, we had enough energy to ride through the night. Plus, it helped that the Drakes seemed to know where we were going. I hadn¡¯t been around drakes much, considering the large reptiles were suited for land travel and I¡¯d spent most of my life on a boat, there hadn¡¯t been much of a chance to be around them. Wyverns on the other hand, I¡¯d seen a lot of, though those flying two-legged reptiles were usually attacking our ship. Supposedly the Wyrm Queen bred and sold tamed ones, but her fortress was on the other side of the mountains. Dragons tended to not interact much with the rest of us, preferring to use the half-breeds known as Dragonborn as their liaison to the other cities or for visitors. I wasn¡¯t sure how many dragons were on the planet, but there couldn¡¯t be more than a handful. Still, their ability to tame and breed the different species of wyvern had helped to provide a little more safety on a planet that had plenty of monsters that would try to eat whatever they could catch. My drake was larger than a horse and covered in dark green scales. I was pretty sure it was a she, though considering that I wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about drakes, I couldn¡¯t be sure. What I did know was that it was gentle, compared to the one my brother was riding. Vin¡¯s mount had already bit him once and the blue scaled drake had also tried to buck him off twice. It probably didn¡¯t help that my brother¡¯s two lower arms were holding onto the reptile¡¯s neck while his upper arms had the reins gripped tight. Starna¡¯s mount, on the other hand, seemed driven. It was a dark red and very happy to take the lead up the narrow trail, chasing after the soft ball of light in the sky that our mage companion was using to light our way. There was a shriek behind me and I turned around to see my brother standing over his mount, holding it against the ground by the throat. ¡°Bit me again and I¡¯m eating lizard steaks for dinner.¡± My brother hissed as he tried to win a staring contest with the drake. ¡°Hold up.¡± I called after Starna as I got down. It was just dark enough that it was starting to get difficult to see. There wasn¡¯t much of a moon out, so if she got too far ahead, then we¡¯d be left in the dark. More specifically, I¡¯d be left in the dark. I was pretty sure the drakes could see in low light, while I knew my brother could. So while we wouldn¡¯t be stranded, I still would rather keep my light source. That was probably the first spell I needed her to teach me. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You know, if you¡¯d be nicer to it, it¡¯d probably be nicer to you.¡± ¡°If I eat it, it¡¯ll be nice too¡­¡± Vin growled as he stared harder. I could feel the frustration rolling off of him. It was violent enough that my mount was trying to move away from the scene. On the narrow path we were on, It was going to be difficult for it to turn around without possibly slipping off the side of the cliff. I began rubbing its neck and pulled some of that fear out of it. My heart sped up as the fear of my brother became so thick in the air that I could taste it. I closed my eyes and focused as my arms started to tremble. I had thought I¡¯d just taken enough of the fear to take the edge off, but this much was almost overwhelming and I knew my brother wasn¡¯t going to hurt me. I wanted to tell him to stop, that he was scaring the other mounts, but right now they were locked in a battle for dominance and if I interrupted that, it would only force it to happen again later. I pulled a little more of the anxiety off of my drake and did my best to dissipate it. While I didn¡¯t have any fear of my brother, taking the raw feelings from the reptile under me was clueing me into exactly how afraid of him they were. It didn¡¯t take long before the drake submitted to Vin. Knowing my brother, it had never really been a contest, but that was something that the drake had to learn on its own. Once the reptile lowered its head, my brother let it go and climbed back on top of it. ¡°Are you done with your stupid dominance competition?¡± Starna scoffed as her mount started moving again. ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep doing that, then you should just walk¡­¡± Her eye twinkled. ¡°Or you could always carry it.¡± ¡°It knows who the boss is now.¡± Vin flexed with all four arms. ¡°And who is that?¡± Stana didn¡¯t bother looking at us. ¡°Me.¡± Confidence filled the single word that Vin puffed out his chest ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that.¡± Starna half turned in her saddle to look back at us. ¡°I was wanting to go sightseeing while we were here, but didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d have the time since I¡¯d be meeting with the leaders, but¡­¡± She grinned. ¡°Since you want to be the boss, I guess you¡¯ll be handling that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Vin turned to me. ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°Sounded like it to me.¡± I smirked. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°You too?!?¡± My brother¡¯s voice was starting to strain as panic crept in. ¡°Both of you know that if you try to make me do something that important we¡¯ll be at war with half the continent before the meeting is over!¡± ¡°She¡¯s just teasing you.¡± As much as I enjoyed seeing my brother flustered, it was slowing us down and I wasn¡¯t very comfortable with the sheer drop that was to our right. I¡¯d fallen while at sea, but there had been water to land in out there. Here, there was nothing but piles of uneven rocks waiting below. My brother sank into his seat, but the only complaining he did was mumbling under his breath. I didn¡¯t bother hiding my grin. I had a feeling that this was going to be a fun trip. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 7 We made it to the gate before sunrise. I¡¯d heard stories about how travelers who wandered the roads in the mountains were attacked by monsters or bandits, but we hadn¡¯t seen any of those so far. I knew that the Kharm kept a hunting ground in the small desert to the south, but the land shark-like nomads rarely came into the mountains. Their ability to travel through the ground was limited to loose dirt, which was mainly sand, though some of them were strong enough to ¡®swim¡¯ through regular ground. Despite not being able to breathe underwater, they were also quite good swimmers, though they stayed away from most water on principle. The gate to Iron Forge was a massive metal construct. There weren¡¯t a lot of travelers from this side of the city, with most either flying in or entering from the river on the northern side. The huge bars of the gate sandwiched the massive metal doors closed. I could imagine that it would be a pain to open, as the outer gate would have to be lifted first, then the doors opened outward, then the inner bars finally lifted. The three of us stared at the closed gate from our mounts. There was a decent area that had been cleared, which I assumed had been made for travelers to stop when coming to the dwarven city. I swallowed when I noticed that the two large rocks above each side of the gate could be released to roll over us. I knew that things could get violent the further from the large coastal cities you were, but I never imagined that the dwarven capital would need to have such defenses in place. ¡°What do we do now?¡± I looked over at Starna. The beautiful Elf looked like she was deep in thought. ¡°There¡¯s an eye next to the gate.¡± She opened her eyes and pointed at a place where the stone was jutting out a little more. ¡°We should be able to get them to let us in there.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯ve been here before?¡± Vin sounded as uncomfortable as I felt. Starna scowled. ¡°Once I was made Alessa¡¯s companion, we rarely left the castle, let alone the city. But just because I¡¯ve not been here, doesn''t mean that I don¡¯t know the protocols.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to knock on the wall and announce myself as Prince Sectum Malus?¡± I started to get off my mount. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Starna pulled a paper out of the pocket of her jacket. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± She nodded at Vin. ¡°Get the mounts ready to enter the city.¡± I grabbed the reins of her drake as she marched over to the eye. Vin hopped off his mount and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯d think she thought she was the one in charge¡­¡± ¡°In a way she is.¡± I ran my hand over her drake¡¯s neck. ¡°The only thing I know about diplomacy is how to haggle and how to kill them before they kill us.¡± I looked at my brother. ¡°I don¡¯t really see either of those things happening.¡± ¡°You never know¡­¡± My brother flexed his lower arms. ¡°Punching someone might speed things up.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to investigate a weird door that the Dwarves can¡¯t break.¡± I shook my head. ¡°But you¡¯ll probably get to punch it at some point.¡± The Camadt flashed me a toothy grin. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± ¡°I thought you were here to make using magic more difficult.¡± Starna scowled as she approached us. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I could tell by the way her features had clouded that she was upset, though I doubted it had anything to do with us. ¡°They don¡¯t believe that we have a tamed Camadt, so they aren¡¯t going to let us directly into the city. Once they find a suitable guide, they¡¯ll take us to the mines where we can go to reach the door.¡± Our Elf grumbled as she took the reins of her mount from me. ¡°Tamed?!?¡± Vin clenched his fists. ¡°I¡¯m not some dog that does tricks!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re a sweet little kitty.¡± I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°Don¡¯t call me kitty.¡± My brother glared at me. ¡°I¡¯m not some circus animal.¡± I laughed and waved at him. ¡°Let them think whatever they want. We¡¯ll show them what you can do once we get to this door. Then they¡¯ll realize what a sweet kitty you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you..!¡± The sound of the eye opening cut off my brother¡¯s threat. It was a recurring theme that we¡¯d had since we were kids. While he acted like he was upset, he actually enjoyed the reference, though I was one of the few people he¡¯d let get away with calling him that. The Dwarf that exited the wall was riding on the back of an Ibex. The short man was covered in so much red hair that I couldn¡¯t see his face. He was also wearing shiny black armor that covered most of his body, leaving just his fingers and face exposed. The ax on his back looked worn, but well maintained, signifying that we were dealing with someone who wasn¡¯t a stranger to fighting. ¡°Yer Sectum?¡± The dwarf rode over to me. I nodded. ¡°This is Vin and Starna.¡± I gestured at my companions. ¡°Who are you?¡± Once the Dwarf was within arm¡¯s reach, he stuck out his hand. ¡°Gaelun Irongut. Hello cousin.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 8 I¡¯d never met my extended family. My adoptive father had stayed away from going inland, and while I knew that he had a younger brother, that wasn¡¯t something that my father liked to talk about. I¡¯d tried to talk to my father about my mission a few times in the last week, but he¡¯d always found some reason to change the subject or be somewhere else. There was a story there, but it was one that I knew for certain that my father didn¡¯t want to visit. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me.¡± I glanced at my other two companions as I took the older man¡¯s hand, neither of which had managed to recover from the announcement. At least I was just as in the dark as they seemed to be, though that didn¡¯t feel like a good thing. ¡°You seem to know more about me than I do about you.¡± ¡°Figures the fish lovin¡¯¡­¡± Gaelun shook his head. ¡°Bah, nevermind! We¡¯ve got a job ta do and we best get started.¡± The gruff Dwarf kicked his mount and took off down the path the way we¡¯d come. ¡°Sooner you swimmers can git back to yer ship the happier I reckon you¡¯ll be.¡± I pulled my drake closer to Starna¡¯s mount as the three of us followed after him. ¡°Did you know this was who we were meeting?¡± The brunette shook her head. ¡°I talked to Fetter Hundo at the gate. We were supposed to meet the dig boss, but that was Shamon Corechaser.¡± She looked at our fast moving guide. ¡°Maybe they sent Gaelun because they wanted to try to endear us to them? Have us see this as a family endeavor?¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± I nodded back at Vin. ¡°Probably has more to do with them deciding that they don¡¯t want a Camadt in their city and hoping that we won¡¯t take it out on our relative.¡± I sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Garm had any family here. Not any this close anyway.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just have to see.¡± Starna pulled ahead to catch up with our guide, though his mount started speeding up. Somehow I doubted the large goat wanted to be anywhere near our large reptiles. ¡°Why are we going back down the mountain?¡± Vin yawned after he tried to accentuate his complaint. ¡°There¡¯s nothing down here but rocks! If we were going back down the mountain, why couldn¡¯t you have met us there instead of making us ride all the way up here on these smelly, OW!¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! I chuckled as his mount had enough of his whining and nipped at my brother¡¯s leg. The loose pants my brother was wearing would have easily been torn if the drake had really wanted to tear into him, as evidenced by the hole in his pants from their scuffle earlier. I was actually a little impressed that my brother was wearing a shirt and pants. With Camadt hide being as tough as dragon scales, but with short fur, most found clothes to be too hot for most occasions. While we were on the ship, he usually only wore a pair of shorts and nothing else. Our guide either didn¡¯t hear my brother¡¯s complaining, which I doubted, or was choosing to ignore him. I wondered what bad blood there had to be between Garm and his family for us to receive this cold of a reception. It was something that I was going to have to ask my father about once we got back to the capital. We didn¡¯t have to ride for long before Gaelun stopped in front of a large round stone in the shape of a wheel that was easily ten feet in diameter. The cold Dwarf began rolling it to the side to reveal a cave. And a pair of Dwarves. The bearded guards were ready for a fight and already had their axes in their hands. Judging by the thick metal armor that both of them were wearing,this was probably the Dwarf equivalent of a town guard. ¡°Simmer down boys, these are the bookheads after that door.¡± Gaelun jerked his thumb in our direction. ¡°Gotta git them through public access.¡± It didn¡¯t look like either of them were paying attention to our guide, instead they were focused completely on my brother. It wasn¡¯t an uncommon sight. Most of the planet barely tolerated a Camadt, with a decent portion being openly hostile. I watched the guards hold their weapons tighter as we walked past them. While I would have expected this type of response if we had shown up unexpectedly, it felt like the guards weren¡¯t expecting to see a Camadt. This mission was beginning to feel a lot less official the further into it we got and we were barely started. There was a large stable to our right that had been carved out of the side of the tunnel. There were about a dozen mounts in the stalls, mostly Ibex, but there were a few drakes, a large wolf and a hog. While Starna and Vin were taking care of our mounts I looked over at the nervous guards. ¡°There are Dwarves that don¡¯t ride goats?¡± I motioned at the other mounts. ¡°Nah.¡± The larger of the two guards spit on the wall of the tunnel. ¡°A couple o¡¯ Rangers came through here yesterday.¡± He looked in Vin¡¯s direction. ¡°Probably huntin¡¯ big monsters down below.¡± His voice got lower as he chuckled. ¡°Maybe they can get rid of the cat.¡± I thought about correcting him, but the Dwarves hadn¡¯t been very hospitable so far and getting into a fight would reflect poorly on Alessa. I forced a smile and waved at him. ¡°Thanks for the info!¡± The words felt tainted as I said them. I met up with Gaelun and the others and we started down the tunnel. This trip was getting less exciting by the minute. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 9 The fifth light shattered. Gaelun swore something inaudible as he pulled a torch out of his bag and lit it. ¡°I told ye to stay away from the lights!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to break them!¡± Vin growled, then stepped towards the wall and swiped his hand over the glowing circle. There was a pop as the magic vanished. My brother turned back to our guide. ¡°If I wanted to knock them out I¡¯d just do that, but by the ore, if you hadn¡¯t made these tunnels so sandy small, then maybe I¡¯d be able to stay far enough away from them!¡± I shook my head. At least Vin was bringing up the rear, so he wasn¡¯t breaking lights that illuminated where we were going. Starna was following behind our guide and lending her magic to supplement the light in the tunnel. Dwarves could see in very low light, so their lights weren¡¯t strong. Vin¡¯s eyesight was at least as good as a Dwarf¡¯s, but Starna and myself needed a brighter light to show us where we were going. ¡°Yer lucky da queen is picking up da coin on this or I¡¯d send ya back where ya came from!¡± Gaelun pointed at the light beside him. ¡°But they still take time ta fix, so stop breakin¡¯ um!¡± ¡°What is your problem?¡± I glared at the Dwarf. ¡°You¡¯ve been bordering on hostile since we met. We¡¯ve only known each other for a few hours, so it can¡¯t be something we¡¯ve done. Is it our dad?¡± ¡°That Pyrite shamed da whole mountain when he took ¡®is boys ta fight in da Great War. Then he stayed because he was ¡®needed there more¡¯!¡± Gaelun¡¯s voice rose. ¡°After they threw him away, does he come home? No! He goes out in the water like some guppie. Dwarves weren¡¯t made for the sea! We were made for the earth!¡± Before I could speak he pushed past Starna to stomp in front of me. It was a little comical that the four foot tall man was trying to be intimidating when I had over two feet on him and he was having to look up at me. ¡°Da worst insult wasn¡¯t taking in some human boy. We do that all da time. But we don¡¯t give them our name. And we DON¡¯T take in those abominations!¡± He pointed at Vin without breaking eye contact with me. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°I¡¯ve just about had it with your attitude!¡± I leaned over the shorter man. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about us, but you¡¯re judging my brother just because of what he is?¡± ¡°That thing ain¡¯t yer brother!¡± Gaelun¡¯s voice echoed off the walls. ¡°I¡¯ve got more in common with me goat than ya do with the child eater!¡± ¡°Wha..?¡± I looked over at Vin. ¡°Since when have you been eating kids?¡± I¡¯d expected my brother to look as insulted as I was, but instead all I saw on his face was shame. ¡°He¡¯s talking about the Great War.¡± Vin¡¯s voice cracked as he spoke. ¡°The Camadt wouldn¡¯t help fight against the demons, but after the battle was over they came over and¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°Took care of a lot of the bodies in Crylus.¡± He looked at Gaelun. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about. You were there weren¡¯t you?¡± The shorter man balled his fists as he looked at my brother. ¡°I was in charge of gettin¡¯ supplies ta Garm. Whole thing blew up while I was there. After it was over, I was helping get the boys fixed up when those black ships showed up. Said they had shown up ¡®too late¡¯.¡± Gaelun mocked the words he put inside air quotes. ¡°If Malus hadn¡¯t been there, they might¡¯ve tried ta take da city, but after a few tussles, they started cleanin¡¯ up. Did a good job on the buildings, but they never brought back a single survivor, no bodies, nothin¡¯.¡± He glared at Vin. ¡°If me king hadn¡¯t ordered me to, I¡¯d never work with one o¡¯ his kind again!¡± I looked over at my brother, who shook his head. I knew that the Camadt had an appetite for sentient beings. Fae in particular, but I¡¯d never seen Vin get anywhere close to eating someone. Sure, he bit plenty of people, but that was more to lean into the fear that people had for the Camadt, not because he wanted to taste them. ¡°Look, the Great War was over a hundred years ago. Neither of us were even born back then. My birth parents weren¡¯t even born back then. So while I know the war was awful beyond anything I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s not fair to us for you to judge us based on what others have done. We¡¯re here as friends and allies and we haven¡¯t done any¡­¡± I winced as another light winked out of existence. ¡°We haven¡¯t done much that could be considered hostile. So why don¡¯t you give us a chance? I promise, my brother has never eaten another person.¡± ¡°Da Camadt don¡¯t consider anyone else ta be people¡­¡± Gaelun eyed me, then turned to Vin. ¡°Ya git one chance.¡± The three of us watched him stomp up the tunnel in silence. It didn¡¯t seem like he had really warmed up to us, but maybe he wouldn¡¯t be quite so hostile. ¡°We better keep up.¡± I nodded after the Dwarf. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to¡­¡± Part of the wall caved in. Starna screamed as Vin grabbed her to get her out of the way of the falling rocks. ¡°VIN!¡± I held out my hand as the floor broke out from under us. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 10 My brother pulled me into his hug as we fell. It was only a fifty or so foot drop. Far enough that the shock of hitting the ground was disorienting. It also didn¡¯t help that Vin rolled on top of us as rocks rained down around and on top of us. ¡°You¡­¡± Vin growled as a rock the size of a barrel hit him on the back. His hide was strong enough to take the beating, but that had to hurt and probably cracked some ribs. But if it had hit me or Starna, it would have simply crushed us. ¡°...Okay?¡± Starna was whimpering and I had a feeling that being pushed up against a magical void was very uncomfortable, since her magic would be draining away. I had only recently unlocked some magic and experienced the cold tingle that ran over my skin as Vin passively canceled out whatever small reserves I had built up. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I moved all of my limbs and flexed the muscles all over my body to check for injuries. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Wurm.¡± Vin pushed himself up, using his four arms to redirect the rocks that fell off of him. ¡°We can¡¯t be that far down.¡± I looked around the large cavernous room that we were in. ¡°Wurms that big never come close to the surface.¡± ¡°This one did.¡± Vin growled. ¡°But it¡¯s giving us something to hit¡­¡± His voice trailed off as a fireball lit up the cavern and struck the side of the wurm as it launched itself at us from the ceiling. The twenty foot long eyeless snakelike monster had its toothy maw wide open as it fell. It was at least five feet in diameter and seemed intent on swallowing us whole. At least until the magic had hit it. The fireball knocked it far enough away from us that it only sprayed us with gravel as it landed and rolled past us. ¡°There¡¯s people down there!¡± I tried to find the owner of the voice, but the light was gone as soon as the fireball died. ¡°Starna!¡± I pushed Vin away from her. She wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic as long as he was touching her. ¡°We need light!¡± Light appeared in the palm of her hand, which let us see, but it also outlined a very clear target that was very close to the Wurm. The monster rose up inside the room as it prepared to strike at its new target. I pulled out my sword and crossed in front of her to put myself between them. Vin roared and threw himself at the monster, wrapping his arms as far around it as he could, trying to keep it from moving. ¡°SKREE!¡± A giant eagle shot from behind us and struck the head of the wurm as another fireball hit it from the side. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± A lizard-man with studded leather armor holding a scimitar and tall black shield ran in front of me. ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourselves killed!¡± He let out a roar that echoed around the whole room, then lifted his shield to block the falling wall of flesh that hit him. I helped Starna move further away from the fight. Once she was situated, I was going to go back and help. I doubted that Vin would let it move far and the Treca seemed to be able to handle himself for the moment. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± A soft voice pierced the shadows behind us. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. A silver scaled female in leather armor held out her hand and a ball of fire formed in it. She launched it at the monster before looking at us. ¡°Do you need healing?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re good.¡± I shook my head and blinked. The woman in front of me looked to be a Silver, except that race was supposed to be extinct. Silver was actually the slang name for the race because they hadn¡¯t been seen out in the universe since the Camadt War. From what I¡¯d heard, they were hated by everyone because they stole elemental power and made it their own, making almost all of them very powerful. They would eventually burn through whatever power they stole, but they were still something to be respected. ¡°Then get back in there. Gildire said there was a Camadt around here too. We¡¯re going to need all the swords we can get.¡± ¡°The Camadt is on our side.¡± I smirked at the look of disbelief that the Silver gave me. ¡°He¡¯s my broth¡­ adopted brother.¡± I corrected myself so I wouldn¡¯t have to explain in more depth. ¡°You have my word that he won¡¯t attack you if you don¡¯t attack him.¡± The reptilian woman eyed me for a moment before calling into the shadows. ¡°The cam is on our side! Don¡¯t hit it!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I looked at Starna. ¡°You good?¡± ¡°Go.¡± Starna pushed my hand away as I tried to brush some of the dirt off of her face. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I nodded at her, then gripped my sword and ran at the monster. There were six things fighting the Wurm now. A six-legged panther that was a little smaller than the drakes we¡¯d ridden on was slashing at our foe and a three foot tall red Imp with a flashy sword who was darting in and out, cutting larger gashes in the side of the monster than I would have expected a sword that small could inflict. The Wurm twisted, then spun in place, knocking everyone else back, but failing to dislodge my brother. Vin had been ripping into the Wurm with his teeth and claws and had inflicted a decent amount of damage to it, but the concentration of life that I could feel from it was coming from multiple places. My brother might be able to tear the monster in half, but there were so many hearts inside that thing that it would just grow back into two monsters once it had time to heal. We needed to make sure that we broke them all so we could stop the monster here. Metal blades flew through the air into the monster¡¯s side, burying themselves completely. Ice lances and earth spikes followed, letting me know that there was at least one other mage back with Starna and the Silver. ¡°Vin!¡± I pointed at a stalagmite a few feet away from me. ¡°We need to pin it!¡± I saw my brother roll his eyes even with the lighting as poor as it was, but he pushed and slid the Wurm across the rubble. He let out a deafening roar as he lifted the giant monster over his head, then slammed it onto the spike. The monster started thrashing as it tried to free itself, which more or less allowed us to not have to worry about it directly striking us. I leapt onto its back and buried my sword into it to keep myself from being thrown off. The motion began to wiggle my sword, making the hole larger. I shoved my free hand inside it and began stealing its life force. I wasn¡¯t as good at it as my uncle had been, but I really just needed to weaken this thing, not kill it. The thrashing slowed, but it was still enough to loosen my sword to where it was pulled loose. I let go of the handle and leaned in, burying my arm into the monster up to my shoulder. I could feel my arm burning, but the life that I was stealing from it was more than enough to heal my injuries. A small splotch appeared on the side of the Wurm, but it was going to take a lot of damage to my arm before there was a significant enough wound on the Wurm to hurt it. My companions didn¡¯t let my effort go to waste and had cut or blasted holes in the side of the monster, tearing out or breaking its hearts. It took almost thirty minutes, but the Wurm finally stopped moving. I unhooked my arm and slid off of the monster to look at the rest of the group. ¡°I think we need to find a river to wash off all of this blood.¡± The Eagle and Wampus had vanished, so there were at least two mages in the group. The Imp and Treca were as covered in the green liquid as Vin and I were, while Starna, the Silver, and what looked like a yellow Cat Sith stood off to the side. The three of them were only partially covered in dirt. The Silver waved her hands and a wave of water crashed over us, washing off a lot of the grime and blood. ¡°Seriously?!?¡± Vin flicked his arms. I started laughing. It was just too funny to see my brother looking like a drowned cat. It wasn¡¯t long before Starna joined in, then the others joined as well. ¡°Glad I could amuse you.¡± Vin looked at the Silver. ¡°Could you make a fire now so I can dry off?¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 11 The whole cave smelled like mud. The Treca had started cutting into the monster, carving pieces out of it, while Vin dried himself off in front of the fire. The Silver was keeping an eye on him while she placed skewers of the meat over the fire, which was what was filling the large room with the earthy smell. The Cat Sith was eyeing the browning meat and licking its lips, while the Imp had vanished a while ago. I wasn¡¯t sure where he¡¯d gone, but the small winged being was easy to miss. I walked over to where my brother was warming himself. ¡°You going to be okay?¡± ¡°We got wetter than this every day when we were at sea.¡± Vin rubbed his hands together. ¡°I¡¯m just enjoying the heat.¡± He wrinkled his nose. ¡°I could do without the smell.¡± Starna chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you scarf down that bowl of slop Phlek calls a stew. This smells sweet compared to that.¡± I looked across the fire at our mage. Like the Cat Sith, she was keeping her distance from Vin, though I could tell that our tanned Elf was keeping much closer to us than the other mages. I stuck out my hand. ¡°I¡¯m Sectum Irongut. This is Starna Shellock and Vin Irongut.¡± I nodded at my companions, then glanced over the other group. ¡°Did you see a Dwarf? He¡¯s supposed to be our guide.¡± ¡°Sengo went to check on him.¡± The Cat Sith purred as he motioned at the hole in the ceiling. ¡°Gildire Saereth, though all my admirers call me G.¡± He struck a heroic pose. ¡°No they don¡¯t.¡± The Silver shook her head as she turned the skewers over so the meat could cook on the other side. ¡°I¡¯m Mina Curim.¡± She nodded at the Treca that was hacking away at the dead Wurm. ¡°He¡¯s Arathar Hauce and our little friend is Sengo Flado.¡± ¡°I assume you¡¯re Rangers?¡± There wasn¡¯t much else a collection of assorted beings like that could be. The Imp and Cat Sith could fit into the usual mercenary type of their races, but Treca were almost always snipers and rarely worked with others outside of their own race. As for the Silver, it was already impressive enough that she existed, though I had a feeling that her being a mage had something to do with her survival. ¡°We are.¡± Mina nodded at the Wurm. ¡°We heard about some ancient ruins in these tunnels and thought we¡¯d check them out. Didn¡¯t think that there would be a Wurm so far from the Wyvern Queen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s on the other side of the Cela Downs and the Tumunzah Range.¡± I looked over at the long monster we¡¯d slain. ¡°Are you saying that this thing came from there?¡± ¡°How else do you think she feeds the Wyverns?¡± Arathar dropped an armful of meat on a flat rock that hadn¡¯t been by the fire a few moments ago. ¡°You need to have something that grows fast for all those sharp teeth.¡± ¡°But that''s over a thousand miles away! How did something like this get all the way over here?¡± I suppressed a shiver as I thought about the things that would eat what we¡¯d just fought. ¡°The Wyvern Queen doesn¡¯t just breed Wyverns. She also raises the drakes that are used to travel the mountains as well as the wyvern-class monsters that the senates use to protect their cities, like Porthy has a Frost Worm and Laleah has a Lindworm.¡± MIna shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before one of them gets loose and wipes out the city they were bred to protect.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I knew there were rumors of such things, but I¡¯d never seen anything indicate that it was anything more than rumors. ¡°What about the Golden Senate?¡± ¡°Their guardian beast died during the coup about twenty years ago.¡± MIna shrugged. ¡°Probably for the best considering how often that place has changed hands recently.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I suppressed the urge to point out that it was just the rightful owners of the city taking it back, but that didn¡¯t counter her point. Hepool had changed hands a lot recently. ¡°But why is their food here?¡± Cela was the closest city with a senate and I didn¡¯t want to think about what type of monster the Agate Senate might have at their disposal. ¡°She can¡¯t breed everything in her stronghold.¡± Arathar twirled his knife in his hand as he turned back toward the carcass. ¡°There¡¯s probably a hatchery somewhere around here with a few dragonborn who are pretending that they didn¡¯t lose this thing.¡± I watched the Treca¡¯s scales shift color to blend in with the Wurm¡¯s hide before turning back to the normal shade of blue-green. Their camouflage ability is what made them such good snipers, which left me to wonder why he¡¯d basically become a tank. ¡°I knew ya¡¯d be trouble!¡± Gaelun fumed as he was flown down from the tunnel above by the Imp. The small winged man was straining to carry the Dwarf and I had a feeling there was no way that he¡¯d be able to fly any of us out of here. Which meant we would have to do some exploring to find a way back to our route. ¡°We¡¯re fine! Thanks for asking!¡± I cupped my hands to yell at the flying Dwarf. ¡°Yeah?!? What about me? Did ya think ta see if I were okay?¡± Gaelun stormed over to me as soon as his feet touched the ground. ¡°You were on the other side when the Wurm hit Vin. The only thing that you were at risk of was hurting a rock that might have hit your head.¡± I sighed and looked around. ¡°Which way did you all come from?¡± ¡°Entrance is that way.¡± Gildire pointed behind us. ¡°There¡¯s a tunnel that snakes around and goes back up a level unless this thing collapsed the tunnels.¡± He motioned to his right. ¡°Should be an Exindo city down a few levels that way and¡­¡± He pointed in front of him just to his left. ¡°The Dwarves are mining over there.¡± ¡°Do you have a map..?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to see their cockatrice scratch!¡± Gaelun cut me off. ¡°I know these tunnels better than I know me own ax! I can git us back ta where we was goin¡¯!¡± ¡°And where was that?¡± The golden Cat Sith bounced his eyebrows at Starna. ¡°Because I would love to take you with us.¡± Our Elf scooted over and grabbed my arm. I guided her behind me, which put her closer to Vin, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind for once. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Mina looked us over. ¡°A Camadt, a Sineater, and a Veneficus. That¡¯s enough power to take on some armies.¡± I realized that this was probably the group of Rangers that the guards had mentioned. As strong as they were, the chance to explore some ruins that the Dwarves couldn¡¯t get into would probably be exactly the type of excitement they were looking for. I had a feeling that the less we told them about our destination, the better. ¡°It¡¯s da King¡¯s business and if ye want ta stay guests, then ye¡¯ll keep yer noses where they belong!¡± Gaelun wagged his finger at the Silver before turning to us. ¡°If yer done playin¡¯ hero, we got places ta be.¡± He started walking in the direction that Gildire had said the Dwarves were. ¡°Thanks for the assist.¡± I stood up with Starna still on my right arm so I motioned with my left. ¡°You can claim all the monster for yourselves.¡± Mina didn¡¯t look like she wanted to let us go, but she nodded graciously. ¡°It was a pleasure fighting with you. If you ever want to join us, feel free to leave word at a Ranger¡¯s station.¡± ¡°Yes! Drinks are on me!¡± Gildire purred and gave us a sweeping bow. ¡°Will do.¡± I guided my friends after our guide. I had a feeling that we¡¯d be seeing the Rangers again. I just hoped that they wouldn¡¯t be on the other side when we did. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 12 Gaelun was in a bad mood. He¡¯d been sour since we¡¯d met, but the fight with the large Wurm had clouded his mood even more. Thankfully, Vin was smart enough not to see the grumbling Dwarf as an easy target for goading and kept quiet while we walked. This did mean that we walked in near silence for about an hour before I heard the sounds of metal striking rock and the low hum of deep voices singing. It was another thirty minutes before we saw anyone, and that was more guards. ¡°CAMADT!¡± The pair of Dwarves in front of the closed door pulled out their axes and set their feet. The singing and mining noises vanished as the Dwarves behind the thick doors answered the alert. I glanced over at Gaelun to see that the Dwarf was watching the entire thing unfold with what looked like glee. ¡°Gaelun?¡± I motioned at the guards. ¡°Are you going to tell them to stand down?¡± Our guide glared at me like I had just destroyed the fun he had been planning. ¡°Gotta keep da boys on dare toes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already had to make one detour, I¡¯d rather not make another.¡± I rolled my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to get some food before we see what we¡¯re up against.¡± While I hadn¡¯t been wanting to try the Wurm meat, a small snack wouldn¡¯t have been that bad. We had a few rations, but most of our supplies were back with our Drakes. Since Starna could find water, we didn¡¯t have to worry about carrying something to drink. We hadn¡¯t brought much food, since we¡¯d planned on buying that if our destination was too far from where we¡¯d assumed we¡¯d be staying inside the Dwarf city. Which meant basically all we had with us were our weapons and some money. ¡°Ya don¡¯t want ta see how yer monster does against a real challenge?¡± Gaelun half turned to me. There was a part of me that wanted to take him up on that. I had no doubt that the Dwarves would be more of a challenge than the monster had been, but I¡¯d seen Vin tear apart a ship full of pirates with his bare hands. I had a feeling that our guide hadn¡¯t seen Vin basically pinning the room sized monster in place or else he wouldn¡¯t be interested in turning him loose on his comrades. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± I shook my head. ¡°This isn''t the only thing that the queen has for us to do. The only reason why you were our priority was because she felt like the Elves had been snubbing you, but if you don¡¯t want our help, then we can go back home.¡± ¡°Bah! Yer no fun.¡± Gaelun held up his hands and started walking over to the guards. ¡°Starna.¡± I nodded towards the Dwarves. ¡°Please go and make sure that he doesn¡¯t try to make things worse. I¡¯ll stay over here with Vin.¡± Starna nodded, then took off after our guide. The guards looked a little less eager to attack us, but they were still eyeing my brother while they talked to Gaelun and Starna. ¡°What do you think about it?¡± I sat down on the ground. We were over a hundred feet away and while the tunnels did carry sound, trying to listen in was only letting me hear the occasional word. ¡°Something feels off.¡± Vin sat down across from me. ¡°That fight back there didn¡¯t feel like an accident.¡± I glanced down the tunnel the way we¡¯d come, then back at my brother. ¡°Which part? That odd group of rangers, or the wurm that a mining group would have never let get so large near their city?¡± ¡°The rangers were probably coincidence.¡± Vin scratched his chin with his upper left hand. ¡°If they were assassins, they would have attacked us while we were fighting, not tried to help us¡­¡± I thought about pointing out that they did more than try to help us, but I knew that my brother would only point out that the two of us would have been able to kill the thing by ourselves. ¡°The wurm went almost straight for us though. There would have been more collapsed tunnels or random holes if it had been in the area for long at all.¡± Vin sighed. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a random encounter.¡± ¡°You think he led us that way to try to get us killed?¡± I had a hard time believing that. Garm had always emphasized the importance of how all of us on the ship were a family and family looked out for one another. I couldn¡¯t imagine that one of his blood kin would have a different philosophy. Vin shrugged. ¡°Maybe they just wanted to see what we were capable of, but I know that I¡¯m going to be sleeping with one eye open for a while.¡± I wanted to disagree with him, but even if it had just been a dwarven hazing, it had still been very dangerous. I had been excited to see the Dwarf town at first, but now, I was just hoping that we could get our mission over with fast. At least whatever mission came next wouldn¡¯t be as disappointing as this one was quickly becoming. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 13 The Dwarves didn¡¯t put down their weapons. It almost felt like we were prisoners being marched through an army as we walked through the mine. I¡¯d hoped that there would be laughter and drinking, but the longer we were in the mountain, the less likely that seemed. The whole camp, if you could call it that, was a large central room with tunnel offshoots that had carts full of ore being brought to the gaping hole in the middle of the room. I realized that was a bad way to describe it when I saw the thick ropes and wooden platform. One of the Dwarves parked a cart full of ore onto the platform and started tugging on the rope, hauling the load down to one of the lower floors. It seemed like that was the way that the Dwarves were getting from one level to another. I had a feeling that the elevators went down to wherever the forge was that would smelt the ore into usable metals that the Dwarves would either craft or sell to other nations. I had a feeling that it also went all the way to the surface, which would provide the Dwarves with an easy way to access any floor that they created. I saw a couple Dwarves that were using their Earth Elemental abilities to reinforce the walls with dirt and rocks that had been excavated by other miners. They were strong enough that they were able to fuse the rocks together, which meant they were likely in the master range of power. It explained how the tunnels were so neatly crafted, despite the mining that was tearing through the mountain. Gaelun and our escorts stopped at the elevator and waited while one of the platforms rose up from a level below us. The platforms themselves were quite simple. Each one was a ten foot square with sides that came about two feet up and a swinging door that let the four-foot tall bearded men on and off the elevator. Basically, it looked like a big square box. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have just come down here from the city?¡± I pointed up. ¡°We ain¡¯t letten a calamity loose in da Forge!¡± One of our escorts glared at Vin. ¡°Dat abomination shouldn¡¯t even be here!¡± I folded my arms. ¡°Look, you were the ones who asked for our help, but all you¡¯ve been is rude since we got here. If you don¡¯t want our help, then we can go and you can deal with whatever this is on your own.¡± The Dwarf exchanged a look with Gaelun, then grumbled under his breath as he got onto the elevator with another Dwarf and they descended down without us. ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re going home?¡± I pointed at the gate that we¡¯d walked through. ¡°D¡¯air warnin¡¯ da others yer comin¡¯.¡± Gaelun sighed like I should have known that. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Then while we¡¯re waiting¡­¡± I glanced around at the dozen or so Dwarves that hadn¡¯t resumed mining. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what we can expect and why you need us.¡± Gaelun looked a little embarrassed and took too long to answer for an older Dwarf¡¯s liking because it was a white haired, dark skinned dwarf that answered. ¡°Damned Squid is the problem!¡± Despite being old, his voice was still deep and strong. The elder¡¯s beard was almost touching his knees and his hair was halfway down his back. If it hadn¡¯t been braided, he would have looked like a walking hairball. ¡°A squid?¡± I turned to the pillar of white hair. ¡°We¡¯re almost a day from the ocean.¡± ¡°Not that kind!¡± The mound of hair shook from side to side. ¡°It¡¯s the ore forsaken demons and their spawn!¡± During my time on the sea, I¡¯d seen lots of stuff that sailors had called demons that were just big fish or creatures with magic and a taste for two-legged meals. We had Imps, which was what most people called demons, but those were beings that had been born here and they had integrated into our societies. Even if it was an actual demonic being, I doubted that it was something that had originated from the other side. Seeing something like that was something that few people ever experienced. Supposedly there had been a mage during the great war with a hellbeast Guardian, but that was the closest that I¡¯d ever heard of something that was an actual demon in this area. ¡°Demons?¡± Vin perked up. ¡°Is there a rift?¡± Sometimes the barrier between our side and the plane where the demons lived tore a little, allowing smaller creatures from the darkness to spill out to our side. These rifts attracted the group called the Remnant of the Fae, who were the self appointed closers of the tears. After how the Camadt had treated the Fae during the Camadt War over a thousand years ago, the Remnant had a very negative view of any Camadt, so if there was a rift, the Remnant would be here soon. ¡°You think we¡¯d be mining if there was?¡± The old Dwarf fumed as he stormed over to my brother. ¡°Took a dozen of our best axes to bring him down. That¡¯s why the gates¡¯re closed. Can¡¯t have that hokey club of fish worshippers trying to sneak in again!¡± ¡°You mean the Cult of Kinwell?¡± I was starting to put together the slang of what they were talking about. I¡¯d thought growing up around Garm would have indoctrinated myself with the Dwarf way of speaking, but my father was a lot more homogenized than I had thought. ¡°Dem¡¯s da one!¡± One of the other Dwarves piped up. ¡°Dey bin try¡¯un ta git in da rock!¡± Gaelun cast the helpful guard a dirty look, silencing any further helpful information. ¡°So you¡¯ve found something down there that you can¡¯t get into that the Cult of Kinwell is trying to get?¡± I shook my head when the older Dwarf nodded. That was just great. Now we had hostile Dwarves, hungry wyvern food, angry remnants, and fanatical cultists to worry about. I was smart enough to know not to wonder if things could get worse. Things could always get worse. I just hoped we¡¯d be able to break open whatever seal everyone was so interested in and get out of the mountain. I was already thinking about where a good place for our next mission would be. Hopefully somewhere bright or open like a forest or the ocean. The elevator came back up and I motioned for my companions to get on after Gaelun. It was time to check out the door. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 14 The level we stopped at was huge. Most of the tunnels had been between seven and eight feet tall. That was more than enough room for the Dwarves to swing their pickaxes and for most of the regular beings to walk comfortably. This level was closer to fifty feet high and easily fifteen hundred feet wide, though I suspected that it was larger than that, because as soon as we¡¯d started to fall into the floor, I¡¯d recognized the honeycombed buildings that the Dwarves had dug a hole through. They had burrowed into an Exindo hive. The Exindo were one of the native sentient races of our prison planet. They were insectoids that looked like an ant that walked upright. There were some that had wings, and others who had stingers, but they all had an exoskeleton and mandibles with multi-faceted eyes. The Exindo were a hard working race that built massive structures underground, and almost never left their hive. They also rarely abandoned a nest, which meant that something had wiped this particular hive out, otherwise, I¡¯d have seen insectoids walking around before we reached the floor of that level. The two guards that had gone down before us were waiting at the landing along with a few more guards. None of them looked happy to see us, though considering that it was almost impossible to see a Dwarf¡¯s facial expressions behind all of their facial hair, all I had to go off of was their eyes and the ominous silence that clung to them. ¡°You want us to look at some Exindo ruins?¡± I glanced around. ¡°How long has this been abandoned?¡± ¡°They were wiped out during the Great War.¡± The white-haired Dwarf shook his head. ¡°We assume a monster wave took them out while we had the mines sealed up. By the time we¡¯d opened them back up, they were all gone.¡± There were enough faded claw marks and broken buildings that I could believe that, but it could easily have been a group of raiders who had a few monster pets that they let run wild. There were also plenty of sentient races that could make marks like that while fighting. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me.¡± I stuck my hand out to the white-haired Dwarf. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch your name.¡± ¡°Tharkun Gladstone the third.¡± The mountain of hair gave me a bow instead of shaking my hand. ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard of Gladstone Jewellers? My kin run most of the gem trade on the eastern coast.¡± Saying they ran all the gems was a bit of a stretch. There were Gladstone shops in most of the towns I¡¯d been in, but they weren¡¯t the only ones and usually not even the biggest. While many people admired Dwarf craftsmanship, they preferred to deal with hosts that didn¡¯t bring an ax to price negotiations. But I wasn¡¯t going to correct the first friendly Dwarf that we¡¯d met in this mountain. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the shop a few times.¡± I motioned around. ¡°This is where all the gems come from?¡± ¡°Sure does!¡± Tharkun puffed out his chest. ¡°I make sure only the best specimens leave our walls. The rest get broke down.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re the boss.¡± I saw the dark look that Gaelun gave me, which was all the answer that I needed. Gaelun was our guide, but Tharkun was the one that we needed to be dealing with. ¡°I run the crews.¡± The old Dwarf had to move braids out of the way so he could motion with his hand. ¡°The rock is this direction.¡± The other Dwarves fell behind us, while Tharkun led us down the glowstone lit streets. The soft blue light gave the trip through the empty town the added feeling of it being haunted. Glowstones were nice because they didn¡¯t require much magic to operate and raw ones would constantly give off a faint glow, but I found myself missing the clearer light that Starna had been providing. I assumed the Dwarves would be insulted if I asked my Elf companion to increase our illumination, though if there was something that they were wanting us to inspect, I didn¡¯t see how we were going to be able to do it without extra light. But that was a problem for later. Right now, I just had to keep my eyes on our short guide and try not to trip over the debris that sparsely littered the ground. Hopefully we wouldn¡¯t have to travel too far. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 15 We wound our way through the buildings until we reached the largest of them all. Tharkun pushed the membrane sheet that served as a door out of the way so that we could enter the large room. Starna had to use her light to illuminate the room, as the luminance from the glowstones wasn¡¯t able to get through the membrane. Tharkun was also the only Dwarf who came inside with us, the others just stood by the door. It wasn¡¯t hard to spot the door that the Dwarves wanted us to look at. There was only one thing in the large, empty room that could qualify as a door and it was on the floor. The entire structure was the color of dried mud, while this five foot square was pure white, like it had been made out of flawless marble. Black and gold etchings around the outside of the door and the door frame circled around it, in what looked like a language, but not one that I recognized. I knew enough of the main races¡¯ languages: Elf, Dwarf, Ogre, Goblin, and a little Mebope, but there were over a hundred different languages and that didn¡¯t include the various dialects. If I had to take a guess though, I would bet that it was written in Exindo. ¡°What was this room?¡± I looked around at the bare walls. It was the largest building we¡¯d walked past, though it was only about fifty feet wide, so not the biggest building that I¡¯d expect to find. ¡°Based on what we found in here, we assume it was a temple to their god, though we can¡¯t be sure.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The Exindo don¡¯t like talking to us, so we haven¡¯t been able to get their help, which is why we were hoping a Sineater might be able to glean something.¡± He glanced over at Vin. ¡°Bringing a Camadt was probably a good idea too in case¡­¡± His voice trailed off as my brother flexed. ¡°There are any complications.¡± ¡°So you want us to help you graverob whatever is in there.¡± I raised an eyebrow. I had no idea what the Exindo rites and rituals might be, but breaking into a sealed room under one of their temples felt like a very bad idea. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°We want you to help us keep it out of the cult''s hands.¡± Tharkun shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m not even old enough to remember the Demon War, but I¡¯ve heard the old ones talk about it. Trust me, if the cult wants it, we can¡¯t let it fall into Kinwell¡¯s clutches.¡± ¡°Have you tried digging around it?¡± I knelt down next to the edge of the door and ran my fingers over the laced writing. There was a little buzz under my fingers that felt familiar, but I couldn¡¯t remember ever feeling anything like that from enchantments. ¡°The whole thing is covered in that white rock.¡± The old Dwarf stomped his foot on a black X about five feet from the corner. ¡°We marked the edges here.¡± I tapped on the door and it felt like solid rock. I¡¯d learned the basics of how to siphon magic recently, but there didn¡¯t feel like any that I could grab even though I could feel a small magical aura. ¡°Vin, see if you can do anything.¡± I scooted back as my brother lifted both of his right fists and slammed them down on the square. The bang that echoed around the room sounded like an explosion, even though not a single crack was visible on the floor. ¡°That actually hurt.¡± Vin rubbed his fists as he looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s not magically shielded. I can keep hammering at it, but honestly, if the Dwarves couldn¡¯t crack it, then I doubt I will do any better.¡± I turned to Tharkun. ¡°Have you tried to use a magical scan on it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first thing we tried, but something keeps blocking our scans whenever the magic touches it. We thought that maybe since you were a Sineater that you could break whatever Camadt-like mechanism was inside it.¡± What he said clicked with the mystery that I¡¯d been trying to solve. The reason why it had felt strange was because I had been expecting it to be a magical enchantment. While I had a feeling that might still be the case, it was so much more than that. The reason why it felt off was because the stone was alive. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 16 I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with that information. I knelt down next to the seam and ran my hand over it and felt with my powers. I could feel what was almost like a pulse, but it was so faint, like it was really far away. From what I could tell just by feeling it, there were layers of magic and stone wrapped around a small lifeforce that was at the center of the very large box. I wasn¡¯t sure what was being protected by such an elaborate container, but considering the complexity as well as the cult¡¯s interest in it, whatever it was had to be very important. I looked up and realized that everyone was waiting for me to explain my epiphany. While I wanted to share what little I¡¯d learned with Vin and Starna, I wasn¡¯t sure how trustworthy the Dwarf was. Vin had at least planted the possibility that Gaelun had been working against us somehow in my head and I really didn¡¯t want to share anything with the Dwarves until I knew exactly where we stood with them. ¡°Have you tried digging it up?¡± I brushed myself as I stood up, but there was barely any dust on me. ¡°Walls start falling in on themselves faster than we can reinforce them.¡± Tharkun shook his head. ¡°Never seen anything like it. Almost like there is a Vita Elemental inside that thing.¡± Honestly, that wouldn¡¯t surprise me. It would explain why there was nothing for Vin to cancel out, why he wasn¡¯t able to even scratch it, and why the Dwarves weren¡¯t able to dig it up. What it didn¡¯t explain was why magical scans wouldn¡¯t work on it. Unless it wasn¡¯t just a Vita rank Elemental inside. There could be a mage too. My mind instantly thought of a prison, but there was no reason that something that powerful would stay locked up involuntarily. Instead of a prison, it would make more sense if it was more like a safe room. Maybe something that was made to hide some of the Exindo from whatever had come for them during the Great War. With that much power, whatever was inside could live for hundreds, if not over a thousand years, which made it plausible that whatever was in there wouldn¡¯t have died of old age. That didn¡¯t explain how it hadn¡¯t run out of air or food, unless it was a sentient, magical Elemental. That thought began to frighten me. I wasn¡¯t sure why it was hiding, but if my line of reasoning was correct, then if the cult was able to control what was below my feet, there would be nothing in the world that would be able to stop them. ¡°I need to talk to Alessa.¡± I looked at Starna, then realized that Tharkun was still waiting for an answer. ¡°I have an idea about how to get it open, but it¡¯s¡­¡± I tried to think of an excuse on the fly. ¡°Secret Sineater stuff.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. One of Tharkun¡¯s bushy eyebrows raised. I could tell by his pose that he wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to contact her from inside the mountain.¡± Tharkun was nice enough not to point out my partial lie. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go back to the forge.¡± He looked at Vin. ¡°But the Cam can¡¯t go topside¡­¡± He paused while looking for the most diplomatic way to phrase that they didn¡¯t want a Camadt in their city. ¡°He¡¯ll cause too much of a ruckus.¡± That was completely understandable and I started to wonder just how prejudiced against my brother he was and how much of his response was from concern over what would unfold if a Camadt walked into their city. I knew that one of the ways that many of the city-states kept their hold on their respective territories was by amping up hype over how a rival was dangerous to their safety and way of life. Usually it involved over inflating the reputation of that faction, then making sure to point out any individuals who could support their claim that the entire city was like that. Sadly, the Camadt were easy targets since most of the universe blamed them for sowing chaos during their bid to control the universe. I wasn¡¯t sure how many of the people on the planet had even been alive during the Camadt War, but it could only be a handful. Most Elder rank beings only lived to be a thousand years old and since those tended to vanish quickly, it would only be the very rare cases that would be from back then. Granted, with their arrogance and air of superiority, the Camadt hadn¡¯t done much to help their case here, but they had joined in the Great War against the demon army, even if it had only been for a little bit. In my opinion that should have counted for something, but people needed something to hate and the Camadt were a target that most of the races could poke at. ¡°Can you reach her from here?¡± I looked at Starna, hoping that she¡¯d affirm that we wouldn¡¯t have to leave my brother behind. ¡°I might be able to reach the tower of Ammabus, since they have stronger Mages there, but to reach Alessa¡­¡± The tanned Elf looked at Vin. ¡°He¡¯s causing too much interference to connect with one of the mages there.¡± Tharkun looked pleased with her admission as I turned to my brother. ¡°Are you going to be okay down here by yourself?¡± ¡°That ranger group is probably still cutting up the Wurm¡­¡± Vin grinned. ¡°Mina probably wouldn¡¯t mind some help. Maybe we can even find something else to fight.¡± ¡°Can you make it back to them on your own?¡± I started doing math in my head when he nodded. ¡°You can meet us where we left our mounts in two days.¡± If the meeting was going to take longer than that, I¡¯d at least have an idea of how long it would take by then and could plan our next meeting. ¡°Three.¡± Vin grinned. ¡°It might take that long to find something interesting.¡± I nodded and looked at Tharkun. ¡°Is that acceptable?¡± The old Dwarf thought for a moment. ¡°Hmm. I suppose if he¡¯s with rangers, then he¡¯ll be far enough away from the miners.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to inform the guards to be expecting him.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I headed towards the doorway. ¡°We should get moving.¡± I yawned. It was late and I still had a long conversation with my cousin waiting for me. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 17 The Dwarves barely paid attention to us. With the mining operation happening underground, there was no way to tell what time it was without a magical device. I was always too close to Vin to keep one of those on me, but I was sure the Dwarves had one around the mining somewhere. The lack of the ability to tell whether it was night or day allowed the mining operation to continue round the clock, so I wasn¡¯t surprised to see a new crew descending one of the elevators to swap out with one of the old ones. ¡°We stagger the levels.¡± Tharkun saw my interest and explained. ¡°That way we don¡¯t have a flood of miners hit the city all at once.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± I looked towards the direction my brother had gone. I had no doubt that he¡¯d be fine on his own. My main concern was that he¡¯d have too much fun and lose track of time, then we¡¯d have to go look for him. We were almost to the top of the elevator, though that wasn¡¯t the top of the mountain. The mining elevator didn¡¯t go all the way up to the city. Which was probably a precaution in case they uncovered a monster down below that decided a shaft was the perfect means to escape. Gaelun had seemed a little happier once my brother had run off, though that wasn¡¯t saying much. He was still standing in the corner sulking. I had a feeling that he didn¡¯t enjoy having his role as our guide being taken from him even if he hadn¡¯t enjoyed having the role. The mining hub was bustling with Dwarves moving around. There were piles of metal bars that were being stacked and sorted to one side, while the opposite side had piles of uncut gems that were being cleaned by the craftsmen that were working there. The other two sides had one reserved for miners and workers to leave and the other for them to exit. ¡°Most of our crafting happens in the forge.¡± Tharkun jabbed his thumb downward as we got off the elevator. ¡°What you see here is our fulfillment center where we package the requests of our clients and get the metal ready for shipping.¡± He nodded at the gems. ¡°Keeping the valuables up here ensures that an ambitious craftsman doesn¡¯t decide to add a little flair to one of their creations. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I was momentarily confused as he walked over to the pile of cut gemstones and began rooting around. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Gaelun began, but was silenced by a wave of the older Dwarf¡¯s hand. I thought it was interesting how none of the other Dwarves even bothered to try to stop our new guide as he kept moving such precious gems like he was digging through the dirt. Tharkun looked back at us for a moment and I realized that he was studying Starna. After a moment he resumed his digging, then pulled out a blue and white stone the size of a small egg and tossed it at the mage. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You¡¯re ice?¡± He grinned like he already knew the answer. Starna nodded slowly as she held up the gem. I could feel the chill it was giving off from where I was standing beside her. ¡°This is¡­¡± She offered the gem back to the Dwarf. ¡°Incredible. I¡¯ve never seen one so large.¡± ¡°They usually get loaded down with enchantments to help protect buildings or ships.¡± Tharkun grinned as he held up his hands. ¡°Consider it an apology for having to leave your friend behind.¡± My Elf companion straightened her shoulders and smiled. ¡°I very much appreciate your hospitality.¡± A smile spread out from under the braids of white hair as the Dwarf motioned for us to head towards the exit. We were still underground, but the city was so large that I couldn¡¯t tell just how far it went in any direction. It seemed like the mining headquarters was in the center of the city. Which I could believe given how much mining was a central part of Dwarf culture. ¡°If ya don¡¯ mind.¡± Gaelun rubbed his hands together, then blew into them like he was trying to get warm. ¡°Is been a long day¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get our guests situated, then give a report to the king.¡± Tharkun motioned for us to follow him as he turned his back to my cousin. I watched the younger Dwarf move so fast away from us that he was almost running. ¡°He didn¡¯t even say goodbye.¡± I shook my head. I was going to have to ask Garm about what had happened between him and the rest of his family. ¡°Let him go.¡± Starna grabbed my arm and led me down the street after our new guide. ¡°We don¡¯t want to get lost.¡± There wasn¡¯t much risk of that considering Tharkun was the only white haired Dwarf I could see. There also weren¡¯t many people out with how late it was, but we did need to hurry if we were going to catch up to him. I walked arm-in-arm with Starna down the street after the Dwarf. She felt like her skin was buzzing with excitement and I had a feeling that her present had something to do with her mood. ¡°How relevant was the gift he gave you?¡± ¡°Moonstones can be attuned to cryomancy, hydromancy, or telemancy.¡± Starna pulled the gem out of her pocket and began rolling it slowly in her palm. ¡°This is almost too big to be used as a focus, but I have some ideas about how to turn it into a battery. With this I¡¯ll be able to store a lot of magic that could be used to power a master level spell.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s pretty significant.¡± I watched her put the gem back in her pocket. She nodded. ¡°Like he said, most gems of this size are used to power big enchantments. You could buy an entire ship for what this would cost once it''s attuned and charged.¡± I swallowed. That was a very expensive gift that we¡¯d just been given and Tharkun had treated it like he¡¯d just handed her a piece of fish. My opinion of just how connected the old Dwarf was rose by magnitudes. Speaking of which, Tharkun had stopped in front of a two story stone building. I wasn¡¯t surprised that GLADSTONE was on the sign over the glass windows that covered most of the front of the building. It seemed like he was going to put us up in his own shop. ¡°Welcome to my home!¡± Tharkun threw open the door and motioned for us to go inside. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to your room.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 18 Once we got upstairs I realized that he¡¯d said room. Starna and I exchanged a glance before she was able to compose herself. ¡°Thank you very much for your hospitality.¡± My Elf companion gave him a little bow. ¡°What time would you like for us to meet you in the morning?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Tharkun¡¯s belly jiggled as he laughed. ¡°It¡¯s already morning, but you can ask the receptionist downstairs when you get ready. I¡¯ll probably be in the mines, but I¡¯ll make sure you get an appropriate guide to take you to the palace.¡± He gestured at the large bed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about making too much noise. The room is soundproofed.¡± He slapped me on the back. I winced as Starna¡¯s face turned blue. While I was glad for the privacy of soundproofing, I hadn¡¯t been planning on using it the way he was insinuating. ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± I realized that I needed to end the conversation sooner rather than later and Starna was having trouble getting her cheeks to not be so blue. Different races had different colored blood, which would influence the color they turned when they blushed. The hue was getting deeper and had spread all the way to the points of her ears. In a few moments Starna had gone from tanned to mostly blue, which seemed to only increase Tharkun¡¯s amusement. ¡°We really should say goodnight.¡± I tugged on Starna¡¯s arm as I stepped into the room. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day and we still have to talk to the Queen before we can go to sleep.¡± ¡°Sleep. Ri-i-i-ght.¡± Tharkun laughed again as I pulled the door shut. Starna was still standing stunned by the door, so I left her standing as I surveyed our accommodations. There wasn¡¯t much in the room beside the bed, a desk with a chair and a glowstone lamp. The walls had a few paintings of major Dwarf events that I didn¡¯t know about, but were otherwise plain stone walls. The bed itself was covered in a thick, black fur blanket, with what looked like white silk pillows. I wasn¡¯t sure what type of monster they had gotten the fur from, but I was sure that it was in here as a trophy type of conversation piece. Starna still hadn¡¯t moved as I sat down on the bed and looked at her. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to contact the castle?¡± I knew it was late and we¡¯d probably wake up my cousin, but we were under orders to report in even if it was in the middle of the night if it was important. Considering the Cult of Kinwell was after a powerful living entity below the Dwarf capital, the sooner we knew what to do, the better. ¡°I-uh¡­¡± Starna blinked a few times, then took her collapsed staff off of her belt and extended it to the full six foot length. It was slightly taller than she was and I wasn¡¯t sure what type of wood had been used to make it, but it looked like it belonged in her hands as she began to channel magic through the staff. ¡°There is a listening spell.¡± Her voice was flat almost like it wasn¡¯t her speaking. ¡°I¡¯m turning it off.¡± I felt the pulse of magic. I wondered what Tharkun would say about us turning off his spy device, though something told me that spying on guests was expected. It wasn¡¯t something we¡¯d done on the ship, but Garm ran things a lot differently. There was also the complication of my brother. Magical items didn¡¯t last long around Camadt and my brother wasn¡¯t exactly gentle with things. Being over six foot tall and three-hundred-pounds, one would expect him to be hard on things. When we were younger, he¡¯d tried to find ways to insulate magic items so he could use them, but in the end, it was simply easier to just not rely on magic than to keep replacing things. So really, even if my father had wanted to spy on people, it would have been almost impossible. That may have been why the confirmation that the nice Dwarf patron put us in a soundproof room where he could listen in on us felt so wrong. ¡°You seem to know that magic pretty well.¡± I watched her cast the spell in less than a minute. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it take longer to deactivate a stationary spell?¡± ¡°I got plenty of practice at the palace.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Not like that! It was just some times Lessa and I wanted to talk and didn¡¯t want our babysitters listening in.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± I smirked as her cheeks got bluer. ¡°It¡¯s the truth!¡± She pointed her finger at me. ¡°You should be nicer to me, you know. I could polymorph you into a frog or something.¡± I raised an eyebrow. That was pretty difficult magic, if the sailors I¡¯d been around were to be believed. ¡°I thought you specialized in ice?¡± ¡°I do!¡± She must have seen where I was going. ¡°I mean, I could give you a rash that you couldn¡¯t get rid of¡­¡± She grumbled and looked down at her feet. She¡¯d probably realized that as a Singiver, I could just give whatever condition she threw at me back to her. ¡°I¡¯ll try to control my teasing.¡± I nodded at her staff. ¡°Are you ready to call Alessa?¡± She nodded, though her cheeks were still a deep blue and she was still looking at her feet. ¡°We better start it before Tharkun turns his spy spell back on.¡± I took a step back so she¡¯d have plenty of space. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 19 The beautiful, and still embarrassed, Elf gathered magic. ¡°Connecting now.¡± Starna pointed her staff at the wall and a circle about a foot in diameter splashed onto it. The shimmering light pulsed within the circle as she channeled magic into it. ¡°Hello?¡± My cousin¡¯s voice broke the silence in the room, though I couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Alessa.¡± I smiled as the light focused in and my blonde cousin¡¯s blue eyes filled the circle on the wall. I could see behind her as she moved whatever object Starna had connected to and placed it somewhere so that she could sit while looking directly at us. I could tell that she was in her room and that she was fully dressed and the lights were all on. It didn¡¯t appear that we¡¯d woken her. ¡°Were you sleeping?¡± I scooted over on the bed so that Starna could sit next to me. The Elf went rigid as I patted the place next to me, then turned to face my cousin without moving from where she was standing. ¡°I almost never sleep anymore.¡± Alessa let a little whine creep into her voice. ¡°The kingdom is in shambles and even though the rebuilding is going smoothly, there is so much to do and approve. I¡¯m hoping things calm down once we get my administrators in place and accustomed to their jobs, but until then, sleep will be a luxury.¡± Her face got stern. ¡°But if you¡¯re contacting me at this time of night, the situation must be dire.¡± ¡°Honestly, it could probably wait until morning, but I thought it better to tell you now given that it could escalate quickly.¡± I looked over at Starna who was doing her best not to look at me. Since Starna didn¡¯t seem like she was going to give a report, I started speaking again. ¡°There was an Exindo city below Iron Forge¡­¡± I paused as I realized that the Dwarves had said that the forge was below, which meant that this wouldn¡¯t be Iron Forge, but I didn¡¯t know what to call it. Honestly, it didn¡¯t matter much for my report as I was sure that Alessa would understand what I meant. ¡°The uh, Exindo got wiped out during the Great War or right afterwards, the Dwarves don¡¯t know. But they¡¯ve been searching the city ever since and they found a strange white door in the floor of one of the larger buildings. That was what they wanted us to come look at.¡± I took a deep breath before I added the last part. ¡°And they wanted us to come look at it because the Cult of Kinwell sent a squid to try to get in it.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°A Squid?¡± Alessa¡¯s nose scrunched. ¡°Underground?¡± ¡°I think they are talking about an Illithid.¡± It was the only thing that made sense. At least I hoped that was what they meant. The only other thing that I knew of that had a squid face was a Cthuhlu and I doubted they would be able to take down one of those. The monstrous avatars of Kinwell had powers that no one on the planet could compete with. Supposedly there had been one on the planet during the Great War and that was why the Elders had shown up. While I knew that my Sineater abilities were strong, I doubted that I¡¯d be able to keep myself alive longer than it would take something that powerful to crush me, physically or magically. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s inside?¡± Alessa seemed worried about the mention of the Cult, but she pressed on. ¡°The door isn¡¯t protected by magic, not from the outside anyway. It¡¯s very strong. Vin wasn¡¯t able to even chip it.¡± I looked over at Starna, who was still standing stiff as a statue. ¡°I think there is a powerful elemental inside. Possibly a sentient one with magic.¡± ¡°A sentient Elemental?¡± The queen sounded shocked. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°There is something that is collapsing any attempts that the Dwarves make to dig up the box that it¡¯s in. If it¡¯s that strong, then it has to be stronger than any of the Dwarves.¡± I let that implication sink in. ¡°If the Cult is really after it, then we have to keep it out of their hands.¡± Alessa affirmed. ¡°How much protection do they have on it?¡± I thought back, but there were barely any Dwarves on that floor that I saw. ¡°Almost none.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Either the Dwarves don¡¯t think that it¡¯s much of a threat or they¡¯re trying to keep their people away from another potential fight with something that strong.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to fix that¡­¡± Alessa started shuffling through papers beside whatever she was using as a medium to receive the spell. ¡°I know I have a contact for the Remnant around here somewhere¡­Aha! found it!¡± She read through the paper. ¡°It says that in order to get in touch with the Remnant, I should contact Queen Banrion.¡± She looked at Starna. ¡°Is that okay?¡± Starna was still in a daze over something. I hadn¡¯t thought that the old Dwarf¡¯s comment early would mess with her that much, but apparently it had. I reached over and tapped on Starna¡¯s arm. ¡°Hey. Alessa asked you a question.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The Elf seemed like her mind was a world away. Something was definitely bothering her. ¡°Alessa asked if you were okay with her contacting Queen Banrion.¡± I rephrased the question to try to summarize it. ¡°Sure.¡± The blushing Elf nodded slowly with her answer. Her face was still flush, but not the deep shade of blue it had been earlier. The answer had a little more emphasis, but I doubted she had heard what she¡¯d just agreed to. I turned back to my cousin and shrugged. As soon as we finished the call with Alessa, I was going to have to find a way to snap her out of it. But for now, I was going to focus on the rest of the report. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 20 I was missing something. I knew that Starna¡¯s mother had been an Elf ambassador to the Mebope Queen and that she had connection to Ammabus, but I didn¡¯t know much about her parents other than that. The concerned look that Alessa gave Starna told me that there was a lot more to that story. ¡°Write up everything you know about the door and I¡¯ll send it to the Queen and see if she will pass along what happened to the Remnant.¡± Alessa closed her eyes like she was fighting off sleep before refocusing on the person who hadn¡¯t spoke. ¡°Starna. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Concern filled my cousin¡¯s voice. ¡°Nuh-nuh-nothing.¡± Starna blinked as if she¡¯d been snapped out of a daze. ¡°Just tired.¡± She forced a smile that even a blind person could tell was fake. ¡°O-kay.¡± Alessa turned back to me. ¡°See what the Dwarves know and report back¡­ Where¡¯s Vin?¡± ¡°The Dwarves are really prejudiced towards Camadt.¡± I sighed. ¡°So we left him in the mine.¡± ¡°You left him?!?¡± ¡°He kind of volunteered.¡± I waved at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he wanted an excuse to flirt with a Silver.¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Alessa shook her head, then what I said must have registered. ¡°A Silver?!¡± I shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know what to say other than there''s one who is registered as a ranger.¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± My cousin shook her head. ¡°Just try to wrap this up before he causes an incident that makes things with the Dwarves worse. I¡¯ve got a few things I want to look up in the library, but that will have to wait until later tomorrow. Contact me again tomorrow night.¡± I nodded, which was all the confirmation that she needed. She turned to Starna and winked. ¡°Have fun.¡± The connection died before either of us could respond. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The silence that followed was so tense that I was feeling more awake by the second. It didn¡¯t take a genius to know what my cousin was insinuating, but one look at my travel companion screamed that there was no chance. I¡¯d seen that look on many animals before they bolted, so I wasn¡¯t going to do anything to spook her. I tossed one of the pillows on the floor, then kicked off my shoes. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡± I stood up and motioned at the bed for her. She bit her lip as she slowly moved towards the bed. ¡°Why are you so nervous?¡± I eyed her. It wasn¡¯t like this was the first time we¡¯d been alone together, though we¡¯d never been alone for long. ¡°I-i-it¡¯s nothing.¡± Starna slid under the fur and quickly rolled it all around her almost protectively. That unease from my cousin¡¯s comment earlier was still lingering and I wasn¡¯t going to fall asleep any time soon, so I began trying to solve why the usually confident Elf was acting so frightened. I wasn¡¯t an idiot, I knew there was some chemistry between us. Alessa had made a point of emphasizing how Starna was perfect to join Vin and myself because she was the only mage that my cousin trusted, but I knew that wasn¡¯t the case. We could have made it work with a lesser mage. What I knew about their history started to snap into place, but there was one thing that I needed to verify. ¡°How often did you and my cousin leave the palace?¡± Stanra rolled over and scrunched her brow almost like she was insulted that my question was over that topic.¡±The first time we left without an army of guards was when we snuck out to run with you.¡± ¡°Did you ever go out on your own?¡± Starna glared at me. ¡°I was Alessa¡¯s companion. I was with her every minute of the day and at night, my room was connected to hers. The only time I ever got for myself was when Ammabus taught me magic, and even then we were where I could see her.¡± Her eyes narrowed even more. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just wanting to confirm something.¡± I grinned as the scowl vanished and her face turned a deep blue before she rolled over so I couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Would you turn out the lights?¡± Her voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°I need to sleep.¡± I chuckled as I walked over and waved my hand over the glowstone to dim it to almost nothing. I laid down on the pillow that I¡¯d thrown on the floor and stared up at the ceiling until long after her breathing had leveled out. The first chance we had at some freedom, I¡¯d be sure to take her somewhere nice. My mind kept going over all the possibilities until it finally drifted off. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 21 I¡¯d barely slept. When Starna woke up and turned the light on, it felt like I¡¯d just fallen asleep a few moments before. I rubbed my eyes as she stared down at me. ¡°Get up! We¡¯ve got to get presentable before we meet the king!¡± She dumped the fur blanket on top of me before hurrying out the door. The blanket was still warm, very heavy, and smelled very much like her. I allowed myself a few moments to enjoy the warmth before I tossed it back on the bed and stood up. There was a younger Dwarf standing in the doorway shaking his head as I stretched and yawned. ¡°Master told me to clean you up, but this¡­¡± He wrinkled his nose. ¡°You smell like the backside of an Ogre!¡± I¡¯d grown up with an Ogre for a cook, so I knew what happened when you were downwind from an Ogre. Do that enough and eventually it wasn¡¯t only your smell that would vanish, so would your tastebuds. ¡°Do you have any clothes for me and a place where I could wash off?¡± We had money for expenses like that and I dug in my pocket to pull out some coins. Among the silver and gold was a red coin that I¡¯d gotten from a Vampire matriarch in exchange for a vial of my blood. The coin had a lot of uses, first of which was to serve as a ward against any other Vampire. I was sure that there might be a few strong Vampires that would see the coin as a challenge, but most of them wouldn¡¯t dare incur the matriarch¡¯s wrath by messing with me. The other great function of the coin was that it would compel any Vampires that were part of her coven to help me. Both of which I considered to be worth a lot more than giving her a way to track me.¡± ¡°Y-y-you know the Glynots!¡± The Dwarf trembled as he fixated on the coin. ¡°I guess.¡± I shrugged as I pocketed the coin. I hadn¡¯t talked with her for long, so I wouldn¡¯t say that I knew her, but I was under her protection, at least from her own kind. ¡°Do you know them?¡¯ Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The Dwarf backed up. ¡°Your companion is in the shower. There are clothes laid out in the washroom for you to try on.¡± He bowed, then ran off. I thought about going after him to see why he ignored my question, but Tharkun had been really hospitable and I didn¡¯t want to insult him by interrogating his employees. I leaned against the doorframe as I waited for Starna to finish getting cleaned up so I could take my turn. I used the time to think about what I could do with her once we were back in Hepool. I hadn¡¯t been inside the city itself much, but there were a few places that I knew of that she might like to visit with her newfound freedom. The person who walked out of the bathroom was unlike anything I¡¯d seen from Starna so far. She was wearing a sparkling silver strapless dress that flowed down to her knees. Her hair was down and curled at her shoulders. She had a barrette on each temple to keep her hair out of her face. The design on the silver accessory was a flower that I didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°What?¡± The beautiful Elf turned to look herself over. ¡°Is something wrong with the dress?¡± ¡°No.¡± My chest was tight and I wasn¡¯t quite sure why. As a sailor, I¡¯d been around the world and seen exotic women in every type of clothing that I could imagine. Despite my experiences, I¡¯d never felt a sense of awe like I was feeling while looking at her. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen you in pants, so this is¡­ different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± Starna put her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m used to seeing Starna the fighter, and while I love to have her in my corner, it¡¯s nice to know that I¡¯ve got Starna the beautiful lady there too.¡± Her cheeks turned deep blue and she looked away as she fidgeted with the stray hair behind her right ear. I left her in the hall and slipped into the bathroom. There were a few different sizes and styles of suits for me to pick from, but I went with the simplest design over some of the more flashy ones. I noticed there were also a few dresses that were hanging up in the large closet in the bathroom. My mind started to wander as I began to imagine Starna wearing them. None of them were practical enough to do much physical activities in, but there were plenty of things we could do without moving around. But that was for another day. I shed my clothes and climbed into the shower. First we¡¯d have to get through this audience with the king. Then once we got home I could take Starna somewhere. Until then, I had plenty of time to plan. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 22 The hall was eerily silent. I¡¯d expected the extravagant stonework that decorated nearly every part of the room. Where most of the ¡®important¡¯ places that I¡¯d been had paintings hanging on the wall, the palace had statues. I couldn¡¯t believe the detailed craftsmanship of each one of them. There was something that buzzed on my skin as I approached a statue of an Insikkar. The native race were heavily muscled and stood as tall as an Elf. Their monkey features and villages built in trees had created a lot of jokes at the race¡¯s expense, but I knew that many of those adventurers and rangers who made the jokes rarely went into a forest that was guarded by the Insikkar. Trespassers were never heard of again. You just didn¡¯t mess around with them on their home turf. The thing that interested me the most was that I could feel something that seemed like it was alive inside the statue. It was much different from the feeling that I¡¯d gotten back in the abandoned Exindo city. This one felt more primal, almost like it was only a heartbeat without any emotion. I turned to the Dwarf that had escorted us to the palace. The short bearded man was wearing a suit similar to mine and standing very rigidly by the door on the opposite side of the room from where we had entered. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the statues?¡± I walked over to the next one, which was a Lebak, a large feline monster that could get as big as four hundred pounds. The same buzzing was inside this one as well. ¡°They are Elementals to guard the palace.¡± The Dwarf¡¯s sharp voice cut through the silence like a spell being broken. ¡°Now come with me.¡± He eyed the two of us. ¡°Have you ever been in the presence of royalty?¡± I thought about reminding him that I was a prince, but Starna elbowed me in the ribs before I could say anything. ¡°We have and will conduct ourselves with grace and respect.¡± Starna¡¯s voice had become as smooth as silk since we¡¯d left the jewelry shop. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I felt the pull to follow her and help her with whatever she asked. I could see that our escort was feeling it too as his face softened. I blinked a few times and focused on the mission. I couldn¡¯t have Starna charming me right now, though that would be an interesting talent to explore later. ¡°I will go announce you to the king.¡± The escort slipped the door with more grace than I had ever thought possible from a Dwarf. Once he was gone, that left only the two of us in a room with a lot of statues that were sort of just sleeping. ¡°That thing you did.¡± I gestured at where the escort had been. ¡°With your voice. How¡¯d you do that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a soothing spell, sort of.¡± Starna looked me over. ¡°I inherited it from my dad¡­ You could see it working but it didn¡¯t affect you?¡¯ ¡°Oh, I felt it.¡± I grinned. ¡°But my mind is a little stronger than what it takes to resist what you let out. I wouldn¡¯t mind letting you try to charm me once we get back to Hepool though.¡± Starna blushed again, but before either of us could say anything, the door opened and motioned for us to follow him. The throne room had even larger statues, but these were all monsters. The most impressive one was the four headed hydra that was looming over the back of the throne. Almost as if it was daring anyone to try to get past it to hurt the king. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Starna and I spoke in unison, though while she knelt down on one knee to bow, I only gave a slight bow at the waist. I could see our escort trying to get me to kneel too, but from what I remembered about protocol in these situations, royalty didn¡¯t kneel in front of other royalty unless they were acknowledging that they were in a position of servitude. In most cultures, being older in the line of succession would have made me first in line for the throne. The way our culture worked was that the oldest grandchild of a king was given the role of protector of the throne, while the second oldest was given the crown. Alessa and I were the only grandchildren, and she had even offered to forsake tradition and give me the crown. I hadn¡¯t wanted it though. Taking the title of prince and keeping my freedom was good enough for me, plus I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d make a good king. My cousin was much better suited for that role. The veins in the Dwarf¡¯s neck looked like they were about to pop, so I decided to save him some anxiety. ¡°King Arcus Deepvein, I am Prince Sectum Gravis Malus Irongut of Hepool and it is a pleasure to meet you.¡± I straightened up and looked straight at the old man. It was time for the meeting to start. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 23 Without the accessories, the king looked like any other Dwarf. The king was an older Dwarf, his short hair and long beard were completely gray. He was wearing a purple silk robe with golden accents. His green eyes had a fire in them, though it was clear that they had dimmed from the height of their zeal. His skin was scarred and calloused, declaring that he wasn¡¯t one who sat idly on his throne, but that he got his hands dirty with physical labor and had seen countless battles. ¡°Prince Sectum¡­¡± The king stroked his beard. ¡°I knew King Gravis. He helped me with a cursed arrow once.¡± The king pulled on his collar to show a circular scar in his neck just above his collarbone. ¡°It¡¯s a shame what happened to King Keller, but I¡¯m glad my friend wasn¡¯t around to have to see that.¡± He released his collar. ¡°I hear you were the one who put that madman down?¡± I nodded. ¡°It was a very unfortunate day for our kingdom.¡± I cleared my throat and tugged on Starna¡¯s arm for her to stand up. I was reaching the end of what I knew about conversing with another king. ¡°Your majesty.¡± Starna¡¯s voice was just as smooth as it had been earlier. ¡°While I¡¯m sure that Sectum would love to continue to talk about his family, we do have a more pressing issue to discuss.¡± The king stared at her for a moment, then nodded. ¡°You are correct.¡± The old man leaned forward. ¡°I cannot have the Cult congregating within my city.¡± I thought about pointing out that the cultists were technically congregating in an Exindo city, but kept my mouth shut. This was Starna¡¯s conversation. ¡°I understand, and that¡¯s not something that Queen Alessa wants either. We would like to offer our aid in moving the container away from here to a less¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Dangerous place for civilians.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve tried moving it ourselves.¡± The king waved his hand. ¡°It won¡¯t move.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°You¡¯ve tried the physical ways. I¡¯d like to try to use more magic. I think that if we can disrupt the elemental powers, then it might be possible to move it.¡± She glanced at me, but I just shrugged. I had no experience on the topic of magic at the moment, so I wasn¡¯t going to be able to add anything factual. Starna turned back to the king. ¡°Once it¡¯s moved, there¡¯s a good chance that it won¡¯t try to anchor itself again.¡± ¡°How do you propose we do this?¡± King Arcus settled back into his throne. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Hepool had many mages.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to ask Master Ammabus to help.¡± That drew a lot of whispers from the other Dwarves that were standing around the walls listening in on our conversation. ¡°Master Krav would be willing to help as well.¡± Starna swallowed. ¡°Queen Alessa would also like to try to contact the Remnant and have them guard it until it can be moved.¡± ¡°Do you think that we are so weak that we can¡¯t protect what¡¯s ours?¡± The king¡¯s voice rose as he stood up. ¡°Nothing gets in these tunnels that we don¡¯t know about.!¡± I thought about pointing out that the Cult had already snuck in at least once, but that seemed like it would only start a fight. I glanced around the room as I began to take in the Dwarves around the room. There were a dozen guards armed with axes that were in their hands. One was on either side of the king, while the other five were in front of the about twenty fancy-dressed Dwarves that were on either side of us. If things went downhill, I had my doubts about our ability to get out of the throne room. ¡°No one is questioning the strength of the Dwarves.¡± Starna held up her hand, then motioned at the room. ¡°But why would you want to risk the lives of your people when there is an ally that believes it is their duty to shoulder the burden?¡± The king huffed as he twirled part of his beard around his finger. ¡°Bah. Fine.¡± He sat back down on his throne. ¡°Where are you proposing that it be stored?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to my master, but the Tower should have a place where it could be sealed away.¡± The king chewed on the tip of his thumb while he thought about the proposal. ¡°Come back with the masters and we¡¯ll hammer out the rest of the details. In the meantime, I¡¯ll let my ministers know to expect some Fairies.¡± He waved at us. ¡°You can go.¡± Starna hooked her arm around mine and pulled me towards the exit. It was time to go get Vin and get out of here. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 24 Our escort caught up to us just outside the palace. ¡°Your Highness!¡± The shorter person jogged up to me. ¡°A moment, please!¡± I only partially turned to face him as we stopped. ¡°Yes?¡± None of the guards had impeded our way as we¡¯d walked out. While the city was large, it wasn¡¯t so big that we wouldn¡¯t be able to find our way back to the jewelry store and from there make our way to the mining hub. I hadn¡¯t planned on having any further discourse with the Dwarves until after we¡¯d had a chance to talk to Alessa and I had a feeling that Starna wasn¡¯t going to want to have that discussion along with her old master while in a place that we knew was spying on us. There was the small issue of agreeing to meet Vin at the stables the day after tomorrow. The Dwarven mines were vast and there were tunnels even beyond that. I didn¡¯t want to wander around inside the mountain looking for a hole in my magical senses. ¡°You left so suddenly.¡± The man paused to catch his breath from running. ¡°My master instructed me to offer you accommodations at his manor for the duration of your stay.¡± ¡°I thought he lived above the store.¡± I raised my eyebrows as I waited for clarification. ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s just where he conducts business. Master Gladstone has a manor on the surface to entertain guests.¡± The Dwarf motioned for us to go deeper into the city. ¡°If you¡¯d follow me.¡± ¡°We really need to get our things and¡­¡± ¡°Your clothes and traveling bags have already been sent to the manor.¡± The servant cut me off as a covered buggy drawn by a pair of Ibex stopped in front of us. ¡°After you.¡± We did have the time to burn and we could try to get some of our talks out of the way. Before we met back up with Vin. I had a feeling the magical surveillance was going to be stronger at the main house, but we¡¯d just have to watch what we said. There wasn¡¯t much use in arguing. I couldn¡¯t very well walk into the monster filled tunnels in a suit without my weapons. So at the very least our destination to change back into our regular clothes had been moved. Though I was starting to have an idea about how I might be able to spend some of our extra time. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to the surface.¡± I motioned for Starna to climb inside, then got in after her. The Dwarf climbed up next to the driver after he shut the door. Once we started moving, I lowered my voice to try to talk to Starna in private. ¡°How much of our talks can you do from here?¡± ¡°I can contact Alessa, the tower, and my father from here easily enough.¡± Starna looked uncomfortable. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much security they¡¯re going to have, so I might not need to until we¡¯re out.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± I gestured around the buggy. ¡°So how do you want to spend the rest of the time that we have until we meet up with Vin?¡± ¡°After we¡¯ve basically just been kidnapped?¡± Starna shook her head. ¡°We should have brought an escort.¡± ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not so bad.¡± I grinned. ¡°All I¡¯d need is some flowers and you could consider this to be romantic.¡± ¡°How is being taken to where they are holding our clothes and gear hostage anywhere close to romantic?¡± Starna crossed her arms in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re in a buggy with a prince driving through a city.¡± I could tell she wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡°This was the only way we really ever got to leave the palace.¡± Starna shrugged. ¡°Public appearances to inspire the citizens. Except we never got out because it was too dangerous.¡± She rubbed her throat. ¡°This feels too similar to that for it to feel romantic for me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I chuckled. ¡°So you¡¯d rather be knee-deep in some monster guts than out in a pretty dress.¡± What I¡¯d meant to be a joke felt a lot closer to the truth when she didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Wait, seriously?¡± Starna shrugged. ¡°The freedom to run my own schedule with a target I can focus any frustrations on?¡± She blushed as she looked away and started to fidget with her hair. ¡°Is that bad?¡± ¡°Not bad at all!¡± I held up my hands. ¡°It¡¯s just not like the women I¡¯m usually around!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She moved her hands to her lap and began picking at her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I cut myself off before I started rambling to try to salvage what I was trying to say. ¡°What I mean is that in the last month since I met you, I¡¯ve enjoyed our time together, even with all of the running-for-our-lives that we did. And while there could be less life-or-death situations, I¡¯d like to spend more time with you.¡± I pulled off the tie. ¡°What do you say we get changed and see if there are any jobs at the Ranger¡¯s Station that we could do before we meet up with Vin?¡± That seemed to brighten her mood. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± The buggy stopped and I pushed the door open. ¡°After we get our stuff, we¡¯ll see what type of fun we can have.¡± The Manticore leaning against the front gate promised to change those plans. I groaned as he straightened up. ¡°I said after we got changed!¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 25 Karse Dragonsbane. The Golden Senate had sent him to track us down when Alessa had run away from them and we¡¯d fought to a standstill that had almost resulted in my cousin not getting the medication that she needed to cure her of a poison that she¡¯d been infected with during an earlier fight. He had also been the one to bring Alessa back to the capital after we had been captured. I¡¯d thought we¡¯d seen the last of him, but it seemed like he had unfinished business with us. ¡°Sectum Irongut!¡± Karse shook his mane as he gave an exaggerated bow. ¡°Or should I say Prince Malus?¡± He tried to look into the buggy. ¡°Is your whiny wife in there with you?¡± ¡°Sir, if you would please¡­¡± Our guide jumped off of the buggy, but neither he nor the driver had a weapon. I knew that Dwarves could be tough, but between the sword at his hip, his poisonous tail, and fire breath, all that mattered was that none of us were armed. ¡°My business is with the prince, not you.¡± Smoke wafted out of the corners of his mouth as he interrupted the Dwarf. ¡°What do you want, Karse?¡± I stepped out of the buggy. ¡°There¡¯s no way the Golden Senate could pay even if there was still an open bounty out for my capture.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here about the bounty.¡± The manticore flexed his leathery wings. ¡°It¡¯s personal this time.¡± Starna¡¯s spells wouldn¡¯t be as strong without a focus, but between her magic and my Sineater ability, we wouldn¡¯t be easy to take down. ¡°You left us chained up in a barn the last time we saw each other. How are you getting a personal vendetta out of that?¡± I flexed my fingers. I would have to close the distance fast and hope that I could dump whatever wound he gave me back into him before he killed me since it didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to bring me in alive. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You kidnapped a princess and it was a job.¡± The Manticore narrowed his eyes like he was reading what I was about to try. ¡°I didn¡¯t kidnap my cousin!¡± I started to position myself so I could charge the moment he made his move. The Manticore sighed and reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of folded paper. I caught it on instinct when he threw it at me. ¡°I know that now.¡± The winged feline pointed at the paper. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m giving you this.¡± I unfolded the paper and swallowed. WANTED! 1,000 Dragon gold coins alive OR 800 Dragon gold coins dead Upon delivery of both Sectum Malus and Starna Shellock. They are wanted for the assassination of Lagrev Gratten and Vetal Lestal A thousand Dragon gold coins was a ridiculous amount of money. Most laborers made about 3 Dragon gold coins a year. The average powerless Elf had a lifespan of around two hundred years, which meant this was more money than they¡¯d make their entire life. It didn¡¯t say who had taken out the bounty, but given how the Agate Senate had been harassing us, I had a feeling they were behind it. I didn¡¯t know if the Topaz Senate was involved or not, considering their ambassador had died after almost killing Starna, but it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if I learned that they were. ¡°What?¡± I held up the piece of paper. ¡°Is this your way of justifying why you¡¯re going to try to bring us in?¡± Karse raised an eyebrow as he began beating his wings. ¡°No. This is my way of saying we¡¯re even.¡± I watched him take to the air and fly off. I wasn¡¯t sure how that changed my opinion of the bounty hunter, but it did make something very clear. We weren¡¯t leaving without our weapons again. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 26 Our escort hurried us into the house. I had expected something a lot bigger than a two story house with a stone fence around it. It seemed that the Dwarves weren¡¯t big on greenery because other than a well kept grass lawn, there was no other foliage inside the walls that I could see. Without my attention solely on a Manticore, I was able to look around the upper city. The sun was almost directly overhead, which meant that I¡¯d slept in. Because while the meeting with the king had taken some time, it hadn¡¯t taken four hours. There were a few other houses that looked similarly built, but instead of grass in between them, it was a bunch of gravel, dirt, and large rocks. It seemed like the Dwarves only cared for grass when it was within the borders of the homes that they were maintaining for outsiders. I couldn¡¯t see much of the city, even though the top of the mountain had been flattened to make room for all the buildings and people. It appeared that we were in an elite part of the residential area, and from what I knew about most cities, the elite section was only a small portion. The stonework was amazing, as it appeared that there wasn¡¯t a single seam anywhere in the rock. I wasn¡¯t sure how they compensated for the expanding and contracting of materials during the change in temperature, though I had a feeling that any of the owners of the homes in this area would be able to afford an army of Earth Elementalists to smooth out any cracks that might appear in their flawless buildings. The inside of the house was anything but plain, though everything was made out of some form of stone. The artwork on the walls was carved into the stone with different stones to make up the colors. It was almost like a mosaic, except the way that the stones were mixed together into a single stone rather than individual pieces. I¡¯d seen what I¡¯d thought was Dwarven art before, but I¡¯d never seen anything like this. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult for someone to get the work of Mallen Brighteye here. My master had it dropped from orbit, then retrieved and installed by master stone sculptors.¡± Our escort was beaming as he bragged about the owner of the home. I turned from the depiction of the Dwarf on the wall. ¡°We¡¯ve never been introduced.¡± I held out my hand. ¡°I¡¯m Sectum Irongut.¡± The Dwarf cautiously took my hand. ¡°Ferrous Evengale.¡± ¡°Evengale?¡± Starna looked confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t that an Elf surname?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°It is.¡± The timid Dwarf pulled back his hand and looked down at his feet. ¡°My father was the result of a fling. Rather than kill her, my great grandfather had my grandmother sent here to keep her away from the public eye. We should have taken my mother¡¯s clan name, but my father was proud of his heritage.¡± I could tell by the look on his face that he didn¡¯t agree with that sentiment. ¡°Your grandmother was sent here simply because she had a half Elf child?¡± I knew there were some petty reasons why some of the denizens of Tefira had been sent here, but that seemed particularly petty. ¡°The Twelve have a lot more power out there.¡± Ferrous waved at the ceiling without looking at me. ¡°They¡¯re out in the open here, but out there, they strike from the shadows with no one knowing who they are. The whole family would have been killed to send a message.¡± I sighed. Killing here was easy, but not something that was done by the leadership on a whim. Every able body was another person who could help fight against the natives or the monsters that roamed the untamed wilds. I had a feeling that things would be different if there wasn¡¯t the constant threat of danger lurking outside the city walls. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found a nice corner of the world to live in?¡± I tried to add a positive spin to the dampening mood. The Dwarf looked up at me and smiled. ¡°Of course! Master Gladstone is a great boss!¡± He brushed his uniform as he stood straighter, then motioned towards the stairs. ¡°Allow me to show you to your room!¡± The Dwarf bounced up each step as we went up the stairs. I ran my hand over the rail. It was warm to the touch, not cold like I expected. There was something inside the stone itself that was keeping it warm and that heat was emanating into the rest of the house, keeping it from having the cool edge that I would have expected to feel. The upstairs was lined with a deep red wood that had the smell of nuts. On this floor there were potted plants in the corners and traditional paintings on canvas in frames hanging on the walls. ¡°Master Gladstone has us keep this floor styled after how you surface dwellers live, so you¡¯ll be more comfortable when we have guests.¡± The Dwarf opened the first door on our right and motioned for us to go in. The room was built like something I would have expected in a wealthier inn. A fur rug in the middle of the hardwood floor, a wooden dresser, large canopy bed with a nightstand on either side, and magicstone lights if the large windows on either side of the corner room didn¡¯t let in enough light. There were two doors in the room. One led to a bathroom and the other to a closet where our clothes were hanging. ¡°It¡¯s lovely.¡± Stana¡¯s voice was just above a whisper as she looked around. ¡°Yes¡­¡± I knelt down and touched the rug. It was where I¡¯d probably be sleeping while we were here. Starna hadn¡¯t given any indication that she¡¯d be comfortable sharing a bed with me and I wasn¡¯t going to push the subject. At least it¡¯d be more comfortable than the stone floor had been last night. ¡°If you require anything, I¡¯ll be downstairs.¡± Our escort bowed, then backed out of the room. ¡°So¡­¡± I shed the suit jacket and began unbuttoning my shirt. ¡°What do you want to do first?¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 27 Alessa didn¡¯t look happy. It hadn¡¯t taken long for us to change back into our travel clothes, then after Starna had sealed the room against anyone eavesdropping, she cast the spell to contact us with my cousin. Dark circles were slowly starting to form under the Queen¡¯s eyes and I thought about advising her to try to sleep more. Without being well rested, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do her job as well. I smirked as I heard that admonition in Vin¡¯s voice. It was something that my brother had repeated way too many times. My father¡¯s usual response was ¡®you can sleep when you¡¯re dead¡¯, which had almost turned into a game between the two of them. I had a feeling that Alessa would have a similar response if I told her to get some sleep. Maybe the next time I saw her I could sineat some of that exhaustion. ¡°Is something funny?¡± Alessa glared at me. ¡°Just remembering something Vin told my dad about sleep.¡± I held up my hands. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m paying attention now.¡± ¡°As I was saying.¡± Starna tilted her head towards me. ¡°The Dwarves are open to discussing moving the artifact, but they want to talk to the mages in person.¡± She faced my cousin. ¡°They are also expecting a representative from the Remnant to discuss them taking over guarding the artifact.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been talking to Banrion this morning. She said that she would contact the Remnant, but they are on the other side of the world from us, so it¡¯ll take them two months to get there once they get in contact. We¡¯ll need to put together a provisional force to watch over the artifact until they can arrive.¡± ¡°What about Master Krav?¡± The master ranked mage had been Queen Banrion¡¯s emissary for Alessa¡¯s failed wedding ceremony. I hoped there was a chance that he was still in the area. ¡°Master Krav is on a mission on the Camadt continent.¡± Alessa¡¯s voice darkened. ¡°Magic communication is unreliable there, so someone will have to go get him.¡± I could tell by her tone who that someone was. ¡°You¡¯re sending us.¡± I sighed. ¡°Because of Vin.¡± ¡°He can bypass a lot of the red tape that the Camadt requires to go inland. You¡¯ll need to travel to the Nevnua Capital. That was where Master Krav was going first. Banrion didn¡¯t know what they wanted from him, but he took Psider with him, so she believes that it was something dire.¡± Alessa began playing with the lock of blonde hair that had fallen out of place over her ear. ¡°The only way to get a message to him is for someone to go there and personally collect him. While we don¡¯t know the severity of what he¡¯s doing, this is a matter of great importance that the Dwarves have dismissed as trivial. If Master Krav Drynnur can¡¯t leave, then you should aid him with whatever he¡¯s doing so that he can get to Iron Forge as soon as possible.¡± ¡°What about the tower?¡± I looked at Starna. ¡°They should be able to send someone within a few days.¡± ¡°That was my next call.¡± My Elf companion swallowed. ¡°But I¡¯ll need some privacy. They don¡¯t like discussing personal matters with outsiders.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I was wanting to find the Naledzar handler to see what can be done about that bounty.¡± The two strongest assassin groups on Tefira were the Naledzar and the Treca. If the Elves wanted us dead in a way to send a message, then they¡¯d hire the Naledzar. The native race resembled a rat-man, with the exception of the needle on the back of each elbow. The stinger was filled with a fluid that would begin to freeze the body of whoever they stung. If a cure wasn¡¯t administered quickly, then the victim¡¯s whole body would turn into a block of ice. The Naledzar were known for moving their targets to a very visible place, then smashing the ice statue to send a message. We¡¯d seen a few Naledzar during our travels and I¡¯d fought them a couple times. Just thinking about having to take the frost sent a shiver down my spine. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The Treca were a lot more reserved. While the Naledzar wanted everyone to know that they had carried out the assassination, you¡¯d never see a Treca coming or know that they had been near the scene. Their ability to blend in with their surroundings allowed the reptilian people to get close to their targets and do things like poison food or drinks that have already been tested for poison. Their eyes are able to focus like a telescope, making them the perfect snipers. Without the aid of magic, they can accurately shoot from much farther away than the best Elves, and the few Treca who do have magic are even more deadly. I¡¯d still need to talk to the Treca, but they didn¡¯t maintain public presence in the major cities like the Naledzar. They also investigated their targets before assassinating them. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the Treca to figure out we had nothing to do with the ambassador¡¯s deaths, then they¡¯d refuse to go after the bounty. There was another group called the Hand of Correction that would make people disappear, but that was staffed by various races and I didn¡¯t see the Agate Senate consorting with a group that condoned the mixing of races. ¡°You¡¯re going to the red district alone?¡± Alessa didn¡¯t try to hide the disapproval in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re a prince now. Do you really think that¡¯s wise?¡± The look Starna gave me agreed with my cousin, but I wasn¡¯t as sheltered as the two of them had been. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve been to plenty of red districts in port cities. That¡¯s usually where our higher paying clients were.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have Commander Garm to look out for you or Vin to watch your back.¡± Alessa shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°With that bounty on our head, we¡¯re not going to be able to move around freely. I¡¯d rather fight a room full of assassins now than have them jump me the first time I¡¯m fighting something else.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°I can take care of myself. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Neither woman looked like they believed me, but thankfully they didn¡¯t push the subject anymore. ¡°The Agate and Fulmen Senates have recalled their ambassadors.¡± The Queen sighed. ¡°My father destroyed our relationship with most of the Senates. I¡¯m having to spend most of my time trying to repair that damage.¡± The exhaustion looked like it was starting to wear on her more. Like she was willing herself to stay awake despite desperately needing sleep. ¡°I just hope this doesn¡¯t devolve into a war.¡± ¡°I doubt they¡¯re that foolish.¡± I didn¡¯t know a lot about politics, but I did know that people would do illogical things when their pride got hurt. There were few races that were as proud as the Elves. ¡°With our relationship with the Mebope and the Tower, mobilizing troops would be very costly for them.¡± ¡°Most of the Mebope are half a world away and would take two months to sail here across the ocean.¡± My cousin didn¡¯t look comforted. ¡°And the tower hasn¡¯t pledged its support yet.¡± She looked at Starna. ¡°I can¡¯t get in touch with your mother. The Tower says that she¡¯s on a mission and can¡¯t be reached. She¡¯s my only contact with the Tower, so if you could get Master Ammabus to contact me, I would be grateful.¡± The brunette next to me nodded. She seemed to be lost in thought while we talked about the Mebope. I knew that her mother was an ambassador to the Mebope. All this talk about danger and war must have made her worried about her parents. ¡°Hey.¡± I touched her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure everything is fine.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Starna was staring off into space and I doubted she¡¯d even heard what I¡¯d said. ¡°Well.¡± I looked at my cousin. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you two ladies to finish while I do something about this bounty.¡± ¡°Sectum¡­¡± Alessa glared at me, though there was a lot of concern on her face. ¡°Be careful.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 28 The first floor was empty. Without Ferrous to impede my mission, I was able to get out of the house much faster than I thought I would. I had been mulling over different excuses to use to get around the butler, but in the end, I didn¡¯t have to use any of them. I didn¡¯t hear the usual deep voices of Dwarf work songs as I walked through the residential area. The Dwarves I¡¯d always seen had been busy working on things, announcing their presence with their jovial songs. I was disappointed, since part of me had hoped to hear more than what I was sure had been my father¡¯s own version of Two Boys Better Be Workin¡¯ and No Sleepin¡¯ ¡®til Your Chores Are Done. While my father insisted they were real Dwarf songs, Vin and I had our doubts. The lack of music could have been due to the scarcity of people. The only people I saw weren¡¯t Dwarves, but different representatives from various other races, though strangely not Elven. The few estates that I¡¯d peeked through the gates of had housed Centaur, Dragonborn, fiery Heliades, and Kitsune. Most of the houses looked like they were empty or that the residents were staying indoors with the grounds locked up tight. The presence of so many fire specialized races was strange, especially since Centaur were in charge of a forest and plains to the north, while the others were primarily further south or west. By the time I¡¯d made my way out of the area, I¡¯d come to the conclusion that this was where the representatives from places that didn¡¯t keep an embassy in the city. Hepool should have had an embassy here, though I had a feeling that it was under the ownership of the Golden Senate. It was something I¡¯d have to try to remember to ask my cousin about the next time I talked to her. Once I was out of the representatives area, I was able to flag down a goat cart and have them take me to the red district. While I avoided the pleasure playgrounds, I made my way straight to the Casino. The enormous, three-story, golden building was impossible to miss once we were within a few blocks of it. It wasn¡¯t the largest casino that I¡¯d seen, but it was definitely one of the bigger ones. I had a feeling that was due to the rich ore and gems that were taken out of the mountain under it. The greater the chance for profit, the more resources that the Goblins would invest into an area. With the fun and games also came violence and desperation. So while it was easy to find a game to enjoy, there were also plenty of corners where the less reputable lurked, willing to take coins to do jobs that most people would find unsettling. I paid my driver, then walked through the clear glass doors into the sea of noise. What I needed was someone who would point me in the direction of the red district. While most of the countries had given up on trying to abolish most of the activities of red districts, preferring instead to profit off of the tax revenue, the red districts were the areas that specifically operated in the dark corners of the cities where the average citizen wouldn¡¯t see what was going on. While I was confident in being able to find the Naledzar, trying to walk into their front door would quickly turn into a fight for my life. They weren¡¯t somewhere that you could just walk into and start demanding answers. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. I scanned the tables of people playing cards or dice. There were other tables where bets were being taken over challengers in feats of strength. I also saw a large divination circle on the far right wall that was showing races with people seated or standing around it cheering on whoever they had placed bets on. None of these places were what I was looking for. So I headed for the stairs and went up to the second floor. There were still a few games going on up here, but the largest part of the floor was reserved for dining. I¡¯d hoped that the person I was looking for would be at the long bar that ran almost the full length of the back wall, but I only saw a handful of Dwarves, a golden-shinned Leprechaun, and a green Orc drinking there. It took me a few moments to locate the brooding Naledzar in the far right corner, almost under the stairs to the third floor. The hairy porcine Ogre that was standing in front of the table wasn¡¯t trying to hide that he was acting as the bodyguard for the rodent-faced, gray-skinned native. I was under no delusions that either of them would be unarmed, since there wasn¡¯t a formal patdown when you walked into the building. Magic and Elementalists were a thing, so restricting weapons to what could be hidden was mainly for the optical illusion that no one here was armed. The opposite was very true as it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if there weren¡¯t enough water Elementalists scattered around to drown the entire place in water within seconds. Given their dual usefulness against property damage and mage control, those were the more cost-effective option for the Goblins to employ. Though I was sure that there were plenty of the other Elementalists and Mages on hand as well. Since it was unlikely that either of them would try to attack me, I didn¡¯t bother to sneak up on them. Instead, I made a beeline straight for the table, moving just fast enough through the tables that it was clear to everyone on the floor that I had a destination in sight and that I didn¡¯t want to be bothered. The Ogre moved in between me and my destination. He folded his thick arms in front of his chest and stared me straight in the eye. For most other beings, that might have been intimidating, but Vin was definitely stronger and I¡¯d been stared down by Phlek, the Ogre cook back on the ship I¡¯d grown up on, too many times as he interrogated us after sugar cubes went missing. Usually the culprit was Wizz, our Goblin navigator, who had an insatiable sweet tooth, but ratting on the diminutive man would make me the focus of unending pranks. I could still hear my father yelling after Wizz had thought it was a good idea to hide spiders in Vin¡¯s bedding. It¡¯d taken us weeks to clean them all off of the ship. I cupped the side of his bare left arm with my right hand. The physical connection was all I needed to pull just a little bit of his strength with my Sineater ability. While weakened, it was simple to guide him to his knees in front of me. The Ogre¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to struggle against my gentle guidance, but he bent as easily as if his knees were made out of paper. I stepped around him and looked directly into the beady eyes of his employer. ¡°I believe you¡¯re looking for me.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 29 The Naledzar didn¡¯t look surprised. Irritation was the first emotion that registered on the rodent¡¯s face. A small puff of frost puffed out of the corner of his mouth as he stood up and planted both hands on the table. He was wearing a long sleeved black jacket to hide his arms, but I knew that underneath that fabric, the stingers at his elbows weren¡¯t any less dangerous. ¡°Who are you?¡± The other man¡¯s voice squeaked, but it dipped low, almost like a teenager in puberty. ¡°Prince Sectum Malus.¡± I sat down across from him. I didn¡¯t need to stand over him to prove I was more powerful and the flex that I was appearing to not be concerned about how dangerous he was felt a little satisfying. ¡°That¡¯s a heavy accusation, prince.¡± He spat my title with another puff of frost. ¡°Why would the Naledzar look for a corpse?¡± His face split into a toothy smile as he leaned forward. ¡°You can play stupid all you want, but that is only going to prolong this conversation.¡± I leaned back in my seat and raised my voice just a little. ¡°How are your other clients going to feel knowing that a mark was sitting across the table from you and you couldn¡¯t kill them?¡± Nearly every patron on the floor turned to see what I was talking about. The irritation and rage on the face of the assassin told me that he understood exactly what he had to lose. ¡°Why you¡­¡± I could see the stingers creating points within the jacket sleeve, begging to be released. I¡¯d have to move fast if he did decide to attack me here, but if he was smart, he¡¯d wait until once I left. Unless I could convince them to call off the bounty, I was definitely going to get attacked once I walked out of the casino. While I didn¡¯t see that happening without a fight, I was going to at least make the offer. ¡°I don¡¯t see why this has to be an issue.¡± I held up my hand as I lowered my voice back to normal conversation volume. ¡°You¡¯ve taken a contract that isn¡¯t worth what you¡¯re being offered. I¡¯m simply here to help you see that.¡± ¡°A thousand coins can cover a lot of injuries.¡± The large rodent-man tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°You want to come into my place of business, insult me, and think that I¡¯m going to just let you walk out of here?¡± He glared at me. ¡°I¡¯d kill you for free.¡± ¡°See? You don¡¯t need that bounty. So let¡¯s settle this issue between us so that we can be friends again.¡± I laced my fingers together and leaned in. ¡°Friends?!? HA!¡± The Naledzar threw back his head. ¡°What possible reason do you think that we can be friends after all of this?¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°How much did you look into us before you took the contract?¡± I grinned. For most of my life, I¡¯d had to hide what I was, but now that my cousin was truly on the throne, there was a nation that was backing Sineaters. Attacking one of us, meant we could bring the full weight of Hepool down on them. Granted, until Alessa got everything under control she wasn¡¯t going to appreciate any extra headaches, but I was hoping that it wouldn¡¯t come to that. ¡°You¡¯re a Sineater and you¡¯ve got a proficient level ice mage hidden somewhere.¡± That was basically public information and I knew he had more just based on who he represented. ¡°You left out that I¡¯m a prince and Starna is the Queen¡¯s best friend.¡± I shook my head. ¡°If you try to claim that contract, you¡¯re basically helping the Elves declare war.¡± Someone who killed for a living probably didn¡¯t care much about people dying, but I wanted to paint a picture of just how poorly it could go for them. ¡°And¡­¡± I continued before he had a chance to speak. ¡°If I¡¯m killed here while on a diplomatic mission, the Dwarves will have to get involved in the investigation.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Not to mention that Starna¡¯s mom is an ambassador to the Mebope. Do you really want three nations looking for your organization?¡± ¡°You think your Queen will chase us while she¡¯s fighting a war?¡± The Naledzar laughed. ¡°We¡¯ve been avoiding better hunters here for longer than you invaders have been on our world. We¡¯re not afraid of a few fish and moles.¡± There was plenty of slang for various races. Sometimes people got rubbed the wrong way and they felt like that was the easiest way to lash out. But calling the Dwarves moles in their own city just felt rude. ¡°This is all assuming that you could kill me in the first place.¡± I glanced over my shoulder at a very upset Ogre. ¡°Judging by your muscle¡­¡± I turned back. ¡°I don¡¯t like your chances. Maybe if you were a Treca¡­¡± ¡°ENOUGH!¡± The Naledzar slammed his hands on the table drawing the attention of the patrons again. ¡°Watch your back little human, because the first time you turn¡­¡± ¡°Why wait?¡± I stood up and waved my hands around as I raised my voice. ¡°WHO WANTS TO SEE A SINEATER FIGHT A NALEDZAR?¡± I cupped my hands as I yelled. That got everyone¡¯s attention. In any other restaurant, I¡¯d have been asked to leave, but this was the Casino. Goblins never turned down the chance to make money and I¡¯d just given them the chance to host one of the rarest fights of their lifetime. Within a minute, one of the three foot tall, yellow men in a nice suit ran up to me. His big eyes were full of hope and he was practically gushing. ¡°Is it true? Are the two of you going to fight right now?¡± The Naledzar looked deflated, but I¡¯d come here to make a spectacle if they didn¡¯t want to make a deal. Hopefully, I¡¯d have more luck with the next one. ¡°Unless he¡¯s afraid that he can¡¯t claim a mark.¡± I grinned as I saw all the excuses that he¡¯d been going through vanish. The Naledzar were known for their brutal and flashy kills. If the handler backed out right now, it¡¯d make it harder for them to secure jobs in the future. He was stuck and he knew it. ¡°Fine.¡± He spat on the table leaving frozen spittle in plain sight. ¡°WE HAVE A FIGHT!¡± The goblin motioned for us to follow him. The small man was skipping as he led us to the stairs. I was just glad that Starna wasn¡¯t here. I had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t approve of this way of dealing with our bounty problem. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 30 There was a fighting pit in the basement. There was at least another level below us and something told me that there were more than just one. The casino was in both the upper city and the actual Dwarf city. This way it could cater to the most amount of beings who were eager to be parted with their money. The pit itself wasn¡¯t that impressive. It was in the middle of the level and looked like a thirty foot square space. The walls were a dull white, probably from being stained from the beings who¡¯d fought inside for however long this place had been being used. They only went up to about my waist though, with the rest of it being thick wire that stretched up to the ceiling, providing a mesh between the fighters and spectators. The spectators were flooding in from above and below. With the number of people that were gathering around the cage, I had no doubt that the Goblins were going to make a lot of money. I was also hoping that with all the eyes, word would quickly spread of how foolish it would be to try to bring me in. I stripped off my shirt and threw it to the Goblin that had led us down here. The crowd cheered as I walked into the ring. There were plenty of cat-calls mixed in with the eager screams. Someone threw a sword into the cage. It clanged as it rattled across the floor. While I hadn¡¯t been planning on using a weapon, the hosts seemed to have a different opinion. There was a mix of boos and cheers as the Kaledzar strutted into the cage brandishing a chain. The assassin was also topless, exposing his smooth upper body. I¡¯d been expecting it to be hairy, but instead his skin resembled something tough like a rhino. While skin was all I needed to touch, I could see how he could think that his tougher hide might provide himself with a layer of armor. Even if that was the case, I¡¯d grown up wrestling with a Camadt. I seriously doubted his hide was tougher than my brother¡¯s, and I¡¯d gotten in trouble plenty of times for leaving marks on him when we tussled. I pointed the sword at my adversary. ¡°Call off the bounty and I¡¯ll let you get carried out of here.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°You think you¡¯re going to be the one walking out?¡± The rodent-faced man laughed. ¡°They¡¯re going to have to shovel the pieces of you out of here once I¡¯m done.¡± His eyes had an evil twinkle in them. ¡°Hey!¡± I looked over to my right at the Goblin organizer. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel fair¡­ Maybe you should bring him his bodyguard so it won¡¯t be over in a few seconds.¡± The Goblin¡¯s yellow jaw dropped as he gaped at my request. I doubted they¡¯d do that, simply because the bets had been for a fight between myself and the Naledzar. If they stacked the odds against me and I lost, then everyone who bet on me would claim that they had been cheated. There was also the matter of the locked door that they¡¯d just shut, but my comment hadn¡¯t been a ploy to get another person thrown in here. ¡°YOU INSOLENT..!¡± The baritone scream of my opponent told me that I¡¯d been successful. I grabbed the chain that whistled through the distance between us with my left hand and let the excess length wrap itself around my arm. I was already moving faster towards the other man than he was pulling on the chain. In just a few steps, I was within striking distance. The hide on his left arm was thick enough that I only drew a thin black line across it. I¡¯d wondered what color Naledzar bled. The different colors of blood that different species had always fascinated me. Uziah, our Cyclops gunner, had once told me that the ones with black blood tasted like excrement, though he¡¯d used more colorful words. My father had a rule about not eating sentients, but Cyclops were known for eating anything with a pulse that wasn¡¯t considered a friend. And they¡¯d even eat their friends once they were dead. While I wasn¡¯t eager to confirm Uziah¡¯s claim, it didn¡¯t make me smirk when I thought about refuse pumping through the other man¡¯s veins. The Naledzar dropped the chain and spun on his left heel, trying to jab me with the stinger that had jutted out of his elbow. I skipped back a few steps as the stinger softened, slashing like a whip. It wasn¡¯t my first time fighting one of their kind and I was fully aware that the stingers could become pliable. I also knew that the Naledzar could control the stingers as well as they could the muscular tail that tried to hit me. Unlike a rat, the Naledzar had a thicker tail, almost like they were part reptile. It wasn¡¯t as agile as a monkey¡¯s tail, though I knew from experience that it would feel like getting punched if I let it hit me. I didn¡¯t have any plans on letting that happen. The Naledzar still hadn¡¯t realized that the fight was over the moment he¡¯d stepped into the cage. The crowd was screaming for a show and they were going to get to see something they probably would never see again, but I wasn¡¯t going to drag the fight out much longer. It was time to end it. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 31 He¡¯d given me his weapon. My opponent had dropped the chain in order to slash at me with his stinger, giving me full control of it. I yanked the other end of the chain away from him, then flicked it at his feet. I only was able to wrap the end around his left ankle, which he twisted, so that he was stepping on the chain with his caught foot and stepped on more of the length with his right as he knelt low so he could free himself. I moved back in, throwing my end of the chain at his face. He rolled to his right, but as soon as he took his eyes off of me, I slammed the blade of my sword into the floor. I wasn¡¯t able to bury more than the tip into the floor, but that was enough to deny him the slack that he had thought he¡¯d have. His whole body stretched out across the floor like a dog was still running when they hit the end of their leash. I caught his left arm as he tried to roll over to face me and punched him in the gut with my right fist. His hide was just as tough as I¡¯d thought, but with his arm in my hand, I started weakening him, making his entire body more pliable. He pushed his right arm and tail against the floor to try to stand, but a quick kick to the chest had him trying to scoot away from me. I hooked my right leg behind his and sat on his hips, forcing him onto his back. I could see the surprise in his eyes at how strong I was. It hadn¡¯t clicked yet that part of my strength was his and that he was also getting weaker. ¡°You¡¯re done.¡± My opponent gritted his teeth as he struggled to push my arms back. I had him by each of his wrists and was slowly forcing his arms to his sides. A stinger from either elbow jammed into each of my thighs. Triumph was in his eyes as he started to gloat, but nothing but a little frost escaped his lips. The ice that had started to grow on my legs was nothing more than a coin sized spot around where each stinger had stabbed me. Instead of those spots growing, spots in identical places on the Naledzar¡¯s legs had ice crawling over his skin. I wanted to grab my head because it felt like I¡¯d drank a slush way too fast. My teeth were starting to chatter as the cold slowly spread through me on its way back into the Naledzar. I dropped his hands and grabbed the place where the stingers were attached to me, holding them in place, so he couldn¡¯t withdraw them. He tried to buck me off of him and started clawing at my arms, but the lines of red that he drew closed over almost as fast as he made them, only to be replaced by lines of black on his arms. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to have just let him sting me from the beginning, but as soon as he realized that I was a Singiver, he would have retracted the stingers and tried to kill me without letting me touch him. I still would have won, but that would have been a long beatdown until I could have got him into a hold. This way was much faster, though probably a lot more painful. The crowd was screaming, though it was hard to tell how much of it was cheering, how much was booing, and how much of it was people simply excited to see someone die. The Naledzar¡¯s arms fell to the sides of my legs as he stopped breathing. I pulled the stingers out and continued to move the frozen damage into the other man¡¯s body until my powers stopped working on him. I couldn¡¯t move wounds onto a dead body, as convenient as that would be. I stood up and rubbed my thighs. I was still cold and it would probably be smart to see a healer or at least get something to counteract whatever poison was still in my system. I picked up the sword that my opponent had knocked over and with a quick slash, cut the head off the popsicle on the ground. I turned to face the crowd. ¡°He took a bounty to kill me.¡± I pointed the blade at the headless ice statue. ¡°Anyone else want to join him?¡± There were whispers and murmuring within the crowd, but no one stepped up. I walked over to the open cage door where the yellow Goblin from earlier was straightening his suit to try to not look nervous. ¡°I¡¯m Kwish Highlow.¡± He dug into his pocket and pulled out a handful of gold coins. ¡°This is your share of the winnings.¡± I looked at the seven of them gold coins. Most of what I dealt with was silver and copper coins. Until this trip, where Alessa had given me five gold coins to spend on all three of us, I¡¯d never had more than a gold coin on me at any given time. There was simply no need for me to carry around that much. Yet this Golbin was handling the money like it was birdseed. ¡°You also have someone that wishes to speak with you.¡± He took a step back so that the way out of the cage was clear. ¡°Where?¡± I pocketed the coins. I¡¯d have to add them to the bag that was back with Starna. Maybe buy her something nice before I went back. I had a feeling that she wasn¡¯t going to approve of my method of getting the Naledzar to back off. While the group of assassins might not like that I killed one of their operatives, I¡¯d just displayed how risky it would be for them to try to continue to cash in on the bounty. Hopefully, I had shown them that it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. In any event, I doubted any freelancers would try anything any time soon. ¡°Right this way.¡± The short yellow man ducked his head and took off towards the stairs. I wasn¡¯t sure who wanted to talk to me, but I hoped it was someone who wanted to call off the bounty. While I was a little weak, I doubted that I was going to be walking into another fight, so I did my best not to limp as I followed after the Goblin. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 32 He led me to a card table. There was an Elf seated with a Dwarf, a Goblin, and a Djinn. While the first three weren¡¯t surprising, seeing a free Djinn was. Most of the blue magicians served Griffons or other powerful mages like Dragons as magical batteries. Djinn could store a lot more raw magic in their bodies, making them a great power boon to any mage, especially ones that wanted a way to rapidly increase their power. My eyes went to her wrists, then her neck. Bound Djinn had manacles on their wrists or necks so that their actions could be controlled and to ensure that they wouldn¡¯t attack their masters. She didn¡¯t have any of that jewelry, which meant that she was a free Djinn. Free Djinn on the other hand, usually avoided the public. The fear of being bound by a powerful mage and being forced into servitude was a strong motivator for them to stay hidden. Even if there wasn¡¯t a mage here that was willing to try to subjugate the Djinn, I could imagine that there were plenty of bounty hunters that would love the opportunity to capture her and sell her to a mage somewhere. She was barely wearing any clothes. The thin metal top and short red skirt covered less of her than her hip-length black hair that was flowing over her shoulders. She had plenty of runes on her skin, written in various colors, which I assumed was one of the reasons that she dared to walk around so freely. As magic rich as her body was, she could power plenty of runes for hours before she started to get drained. ¡°Your graces.¡± The Goblin that led me to them bowed, then hurried away. I was curious why he was so eager to leave until the Elf stood up and turned to me. He¡¯d been sitting with his back to me, so I¡¯d assumed that he was one of the less important people, since he had his back to the room, but his red eyes let me know that he had probably been doing that to show everyone how little he was concerned about his safety.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Sectum..?¡± The black-haired man raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you go by now? Irongut? Malus?¡± ¡°Just Sectum is fine.¡± I eyed the other three at the table. None of them rose in their seats to greet me, although the Djinn did look me over with her yellow eyes. There was something almost feral about her. Like she was thinking about eating me. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Where are my manners?¡± The Vampire smiled, showing his fangs. ¡°This is Gurin Lodestorm.¡± He motioned at the brown-haired Dwarf. ¡°Mondo Bansi.¡± He pointed at the green Goblin. ¡°And this¡­¡± He took the Djinn¡¯s hand as she rose from her chair. ¡°Is my bondmate, Hera Glynot.¡± I was distracted by her seductive smile for a moment before the name registered. ¡°Glynot?¡± I looked back at the vampire. ¡°So you¡¯re..?¡± ¡°Ford Glynot.¡± He gave me a small bow. ¡°I believe you met my mother.¡± The red coin in my pocket burned just a little. It had been made out of Pera Glynot¡¯s blood and served as a declaration that I was in her good favor. As the matriarch of her coven, anyone under her was bound to aid me with any reasonable request. Knowing that this group couldn¡¯t hurt me allowed me to relax a little, though my curiosity was strengthened. Some of the mental exhaustion from the brain freeze was subsiding, though that meant that my pain was increasing. I really wanted to sit down. Ford must have picked up on this because he began waving his hands at the other two at the table. ¡°As fun as this has been, I think this is where we will end the night.¡± The vampire smiled at them. ¡°I¡¯m happy to take your gold anytime.¡± The Dwarf and Goblin were both grumbling as they got up and each sulked off in a different direction. ¡°The locals can get so moody when they lose their money.¡± Ford grinned, letting me see all of his teeth. ¡°Sit, sit.¡± He motioned towards the empty seats. ¡°I¡¯ve heard great things about you.¡± Considering that I was a nobody until a few weeks ago, I had my doubts about how much he¡¯d heard about me, though there were information brokers, so I supposed it was possible. That didn¡¯t help me shake the feeling that I was about to make a deal with a devil. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 33 I pushed any reservations down and focused on my hosts. ¡°The bookie said you wanted to talk?¡± I was still cold from that fight and while I wasn¡¯t worried about being at the same table as a pair of vampires, I wasn¡¯t the most comfortable being here. As far as morals went, vampires were near the bottom of the list. They were better than your average cyclops because at least they only want to suck your blood and not eat you, but I¡¯d been part of plenty of raids against rogue vampire bleeding houses. There were laws about how vampires could take blood in most nations, which the more public vampire socialites adhered to. But there were plenty of other vampires that felt like the rules were too oppressive and they did whatever they wanted. ¡°Event Organizer.¡± Ford corrected me. ¡°Master Highlow is exceptional at finding the most interesting entertainment.¡± He waited until Hera had sat down before taking his seat. I slid into one of the chairs across from the two. ¡°Not to be impolite, but I¡¯m a little tired after my match and I¡¯d like to get back to my associate.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ford flashed me another toothy grin. ¡°Rumor has it that your little band is going to be heading to New Kazadt.¡± I tried to hide the surprise on my face, but the grin that spread across Hera¡¯s blue face told me that I¡¯d failed. Considering that it had only been a few hours since Alessa had told us to head to the Camadt island to look for Master Krav, I found it very suspicious that he already knew that was my future destination. ¡°I¡¯m on a diplomatic mission to the Dwarves.¡± I pinched the outer corners of my eyes, then wiped my hand over my face. ¡°Why would I be going to the Camadt?¡± ¡°Things aren¡¯t going very well for your little kingdom.¡± Ford clicked his tongue. ¡°You need allies and you need them fast. There¡¯s a Mebope outpost in the Black Sea, but anyone can be sent to fetch them. No, your strongest ally in the area is Master Grim, but he¡¯s gone missing in Kazadt after that Kharm of his vanished.¡± The vampire casually gestured in the air, like his hand was riding an air current. ¡°There¡¯s only one person that could legally get on the main island and that person is currently running around below this mountain flirting with a Silver.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°You¡¯re well informed.¡± I touched my pocket where the coin his mother gave me was. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for us to go to the Tower and have them send an army of mages over?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Hera put her hand over her mouth to hide the embarrassment on her face. ¡°What my dear bondmate meant.¡± Ford acted like her outburst was nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Is that there are only students there, along with a few teachers. Master Ammabus is nearly half a world away and while ambassador Shellock has enough sway to get the master mage to stop in once a month to teach her daughter a few magic lessons, he¡¯s a very busy man with an attention span that a goldfish would be envious of.¡± He chuckled at his joke. ¡°Hardly a reliable ally when the rockslide comes for you.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s obvious what our next move is.¡± I sighed. He was better informed about the political alliances of my kingdom than I was. ¡°Why do you want to talk to me?¡¯ ¡°Well, you were so amicable when my mother asked you for a favor¡­¡± He licked his lips as his eyes swept over me. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you any blood.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Sorry, but I need what I¡¯ve got after that fight.¡± ¡°A pity.¡± Ford shrugged. ¡°But that was a frivolous request anyway. The real reason that I wanted to speak with you is¡­¡± He looked at his wife. ¡°Darling?¡± The runed Djinn reached into her red skirt and pulled a piece of paper out of somewhere. There was no way that skirt had enough fabric to also contain a pocket. She must have some type of dimensional pocket attached to it. Hera unfolded the piece of paper and pushed it across the table towards me. I touched the corner of the warm notice and turned it so I could read it. What was written on it was way more outlandish than I¡¯d expected. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 34 It was an elite hunting mission. ¡°You want me to do a hunting request?¡± I shook my head. ¡°If your assumptions are correct and I need to find Master Krav with haste, what makes you think that I have time to take a hunting request for¡­¡± I scanned the document again. ¡°Nether Cats?!? I might be crazy, but I¡¯m not stupid. Those things are¡­¡± ¡°The size of a panther with the ability to enter shadows.¡± He grinned. ¡°A formidable target for even the most seasoned of rangers.¡± He held up a finger. ¡°But, my dear Hera wants a coat made out of their hide. The current waiting list is years and while we have the time to wait¡­¡± He tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°I could make it worth your time if you were to bring us back a pelt.¡± ¡°Worth my time?¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Well, I understand that attempting such a request would lengthen your stay away from your home¡­¡± He looked at Hera. ¡°My love and I were talking about how we might enjoy a change of scenery. You need allies and it is within my authority to move half my coven with us while we discuss the possibility of setting up a house in Hepool.¡± ¡°Half?¡± I swallowed. This was something that I really needed to run by Alessa first, but my only way to contact her was through Starna. ¡°How many are we talking about?¡± ¡°Only around two hundred.¡± Ford grinned at my reaction. There were around twenty thousand people in Hepool and we had a standing city guard of around a hundred. I wasn¡¯t sure how big of an army Alessa could muster if we got attacked, but having them there would more than triple our immediate defense.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°There are a couple issues.¡± I hated how lopsided the deals with this family felt. At some point I was going to figure out what they were building up to, but for now, it was too good to pass up. ¡°First, you¡¯re making a deal with me, not Hepool. I can¡¯t promise that my cousin will grant you any special favors.¡± I held up my hand as he started to respond. ¡°Second, there is no guarantee that I¡¯ll be able to find a Nether Cat or what condition the hide will be in if I do. All I¡¯ll be able to do is try to spend some extra time while I¡¯m there.¡± ¡°Like I said, we can call it a vacation.¡± Ford held out his hand. ¡°And if someone tries to make trouble for my friend while we¡¯re there, we¡¯ll be glad to help out however the Queen would see fit to use us.¡± I took his hand and felt a zing of magic as the deal was sealed by some type of spell. While I could feel that magic had just been used, I wasn¡¯t proficient enough in my new power to be able to tell the specifics. I¡¯d have to have Starna look at it once I got back to the house. ¡°Well.¡± The vampire stood up. ¡°I thank you for your time and look forward to a positive report after your fruitful journey.¡± He turned to the Djinn. ¡°Now my love, I think we should go prepare for our vacation.¡± The smile she flashed me had zero malice in it, but it still sent a shiver all the way down to my toes. I¡¯d known from the start that I¡¯d be able to take down the Naledzar I¡¯d just fought, but this pair felt way more dangerous. I was just glad that for the moment they were allies and I wouldn¡¯t have to figure out just how dangerous they were. I stayed in my seat until they were gone, then got up and made my way to the exit. If what they¡¯d said was true, then Starna¡¯s conversation with the tower hadn¡¯t been favorable. We still had until the morning to meet Vin. My legs were feeling better, so maybe I¡¯d ask Ferrous where a good place to eat was. Maybe try to end our time here on a high note. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 35 Starna looked worried. I¡¯d used some of my winnings to pay for a goat cart to drive me back to the ambassador subdivision as I was told it was called. Even though I didn¡¯t remember the house number, once we were on the street I was able to recognize the plain building. I¡¯d expected that I¡¯d find my companion disappointed. I¡¯d hoped she¡¯d be happy, but I suspected the vampires knew what they were talking about. ¡°The Tower can¡¯t help?¡± I raised an eyebrow as I watched her pace around the room on the ground floor. ¡°Master Ammabus is on a personal quest!¡± Starna didn¡¯t stop pacing as her voice picked up speed. ¡°They don¡¯t know where he is and the deputy headmaster refused to send anyone to even talk to Lessa!¡± ¡°From what I heard, they don¡¯t have the people to spare.¡± Her pacing abruptly stopped as she focused on me. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I met with Ford and Hera Glynot.¡± I realized that didn¡¯t explain much. ¡°You remember the vampire I gave blood to in Crylus? Ford is her son. Anyway, he wanted to make a deal for a Nether Cat hide. In exchange for going to look for one, He¡¯s going to move part of his house to Hepool. If it¡¯s attacked while we¡¯re on Kazadt, his vampires will help defend the city.¡± ¡°You made another deal¡­¡± Starna glared at me. ¡°With a vampire.¡± ¡°All I have to do is spend a few days hunting for a Nether Cat. Honestly, Vin would probably do that for fun.¡± I chuckled as I pictured my brother running off into the forest. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not permanent unless Alessa can forge an alliance with them, but two hundred vampires is a lot of firepower.¡± ¡°Unless they attack during the day.¡± Starna glared at me. ¡°Vampires can¡¯t spend much time in sunlight without being seriously injured.¡± She shook her head. ¡°And what are they going to eat while they¡¯re there?¡± ¡°Garm once smuggled a barrel of hydra blood into Inamac for a house. We had to get the stuff frozen from Porthy, then make it down the coast¡­¡± ¡°I get it, they can drink other stuff.¡± Starna cut me off. Her brow scrunched. ¡°Really? Hydra blood?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°It¡¯s really acidic, but as far as canned blood goes, it¡¯s one of the vampires'' favorites.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Vin, Forst, and Uziah tried some, it smelled like old boot, so I didn¡¯t.¡± I grinned. ¡°Wizz put some in Garm¡¯s beer.¡± I chuckled as I remembered my father chasing the mischievous Goblin around the ship. ¡°That sounds¡­¡±Starna¡¯s voice drifted off for a moment. ¡°What was it like?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean when Garm spewed tainted beer everywhere?¡± ¡°No.¡± The tanned Elf leaned against the wall on the other side of the room. ¡°I mean, you grew up without any of your family around.¡± ¡°I had lots of family.¡± Even if we weren¡¯t related by blood, Vin was my brother and Garm had raised me, which satisfied the requirement for calling him my father in my book. The rest of the crew felt more like uncles. Usually very irresponsible uncles, but I¡¯d never had to wonder if they cared. ¡°It was pretty crazy sometimes. And I¡¯m sure you can imagine what a ship full of men smelled like after we¡¯ve been at sea for a few weeks. But it was home.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Even with pirates, sea monsters, the threat of city guards finding our stash, and having to hide my ability, I always felt safe.¡± I didn¡¯t know how else to describe it. ¡°I take it that wasn¡¯t what you experienced?¡± Starna looked down at her feet as she picked at her fingers. ¡°My mother is¡­ I mean was Arkun¡¯s cousin. That¡¯s why I was chosen as Lessa¡¯s companion. My dad didn¡¯t like¡­¡± A tear slid down her cheek, which she promptly wiped away with the back of her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t be making a fuss about this when your parents were killed by my uncle.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± I softened my voice as I moved over to her and touched her shoulder. When she didn¡¯t look at me, I touched the side of her face with my other hand and gently turned it so she was looking at me. Those watering blue eyes with gold speckles were leaking more tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I brushed the tears off the right side of her face with my thumb. ¡°Just because you think that what I went through would have hurt worse, doesn¡¯t make the pain you endured any less.¡± I pulled her close to embrace her in a hug, burying her face in my shoulder. ¡°Some people can handle some types of pain a lot easier than others.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I literally take people¡¯s pain.¡± I cut her off with a chuckle. ¡°I think this makes me an expert on the subject.¡± Starna pulled back so she could look at me. I could tell that she wanted to argue, but she was having trouble formulating one. ¡°There¡¯s a good argument to be made that in a vacuum, your childhood was worse than mine.¡± I headed off where I assumed she was going to try to argue. ¡°My parents died, yes, but then it was over and I got to rebuild. Garm had most of my memories locked away, so I didn¡¯t know what I was missing. You didn¡¯t have that luxury. You had a constant reminder of what your family was and that it would never be that way again.¡± I booped her nose. ¡°So don¡¯t feel bad for being upset.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± There wasn''t much confidence in her voice, but she didn¡¯t try to argue. ¡°Want to talk about it?¡± The look she gave me was all the answer I needed. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 36 I had a pretty good idea of how to change the subject. ¡°Alright¡­¡± I let go of her. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of coin now. Want to see if we can find a nice place to go eat?¡± ¡°Ferrous said that he would have something brought to us.¡± Starna waved her hand. ¡°And that money is supposed to be spent on our travel expenses. You¡¯ll need to give whatever¡¯s left over back to Lessa when we get back.¡± I fished the coins out of my pocket and held five gold in each hand. ¡°I¡¯ve still got everything Alessa sent us with, plus my own.¡± ¡°Where did you..?¡± Starna glared at me. ¡°Did you gamble with our travel money?!¡± ¡°No!¡± I winced. I technically had even though I hadn¡¯t put down any bets. While I had been confident that the Naledzar wouldn¡¯t be able to kill me, all the coins on me would have been lost if I¡¯d died. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that the person who tried to collect the bounty on me had one on themselves.¡± Starna closed the distance between us and stuck a finger through the hole on the left side of my pants. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I found the Naledzar and convinced them that it wouldn¡¯t be in their best interests to try to collect the bounty on us.¡± I swatted her hand away from my leg. That didn¡¯t stop her from looking me over to see if she could find any injuries. Thanks to my ability, she wouldn¡¯t find any. My pants were a light brown and might have shown some of the little blood that got out, if they weren¡¯t already stained from plenty of other fights. There was no easy way for her to tell what was old and what was fresh.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I pocketed the coins. ¡°We¡¯ve got one night before we have to be officials again, so why don¡¯t we spend it enjoying ourselves?¡± I patted my pocket. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could think of plenty of things to spend five gold on.¡± ¡°Sectum¡­¡± The tanned Elf blushed, turning her cheeks a deep shade of blue. ¡°Are you asking me on a date?¡± ¡°If you want to call it that, sure.¡± I smirked. ¡°Though that insinuates a romantic ending to the evening.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ You mean..?¡± She glanced at the stairs that led to the room where we were supposed to sleep. ¡°That would be skipping straight to the end.¡± I chuckled as her blush got even deeper. ¡°Have you never been out with someone?¡± Starna bit her lip as she played with the tips of her hair. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t really surprised. If she¡¯d been supposed to stay close to Alessa and the Elves had wanted to save my cousin to be a puppet, then there was no way that they would have been allowed to receive suitors. ¡°And you have?¡± The words came out too fast. Like she was looking for a reason not to feel uncomfortable. I was smart enough to know that talking about past dates was very foolish. We had been all over the world and there was something romantic about sailors, even though we rarely spent more than a week anywhere. While my list of broken hearts was nothing compared to my brother¡¯s, or most of the members of the crew, I had plenty of experience to draw on. ¡°Not with anyone like you.¡± I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door before she could start overthinking it. ¡°We¡¯ve got money and time, so let¡¯s go use both.¡± Her blushing had subsided somewhat as she let me lead her outside. I should have done a little more research on things to do, but I had some ideas. That was really all I needed. I¡¯d learned a long time ago that people tended to be very helpful when you had a little money you could spread. With how much I had, there would be no end of friendly people. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 37 The city was starting to wind down. It was still mid-afternoon, so we had a few hours until the shops would close for the day, But I wanted to get any shopping we were going to do out of the way before I moved on to sightseeing. Jewelry and fancy clothes were easy ways to impress the port ladies, but considering that Starna had grown up with access to royal jewelry and gowns, something that cost five gold wouldn¡¯t impress her. Besides, I hadn¡¯t seen her wear anything fancy outside of important meetings back home. That didn¡¯t feel like it was her thing. I took her to Glynot Apothecary. Starna usually kept to herself, at least what I¡¯d observed so far. Her free time was spent going over a small spellbook that she had, though I expected that it contained more than just spells. In our brief time together, she¡¯d also made a few potions, so while the available magic in the city might be low, there was a healthy enough herb market. There were lots of herbs that were plentiful only in mountain and underground regions. Given that Hepool was on a river over a normal day¡¯s journey from the closest mountains, I had a feeling that there would be a lot of ingredients that were common here, while they would have been exotic back home. I felt the red coin in my pocket heat up a little as we walked into the store. I knew it would serve as a type of protection in case any of the vampires here felt like they wanted a nibble. The way it reacted as soon as we walked over the threshold was a little concerning. It was something I¡¯d have to look into later. ¡°Greetings!¡± A red-eyed Elf waved at us. His beep blue skin felt exotic even though I knew that most Elves from the Imber subrace had that skin tone. It was just very strange to see him so far from the island of Onweg where most of the Imber congregated and the Sapphire Senate watched over the much larger island of New Kazadt. ¡°Hello, we¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°The emissary of our Matriarch!¡± The older man walked through the rows of shelves lined with plants to take my hand. ¡°I was told that Mistress had blessed one and that you were in the city, but I never thought you¡¯d come here.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Where are my manners?¡± He backed up a step and gave me a slight bow. ¡°Tuffen Kuel. Expert Herbalist of Barazar Mountain.¡± ¡°Nice to¡­¡± ¡°The only thing you¡¯re an expert of is flashing that smile of yours instead of working!¡± The shrill voice of an older woman came from the back. ¡°You¡¯re barely qualified to pick stoneflowers! Get back to work!¡± I had been expecting an older woman, but the gently floating white hair was all I needed to see of her as she stormed out of the back to make my heart jump into my throat. I¡¯d seen a lot of scary things in my short life, but the wrinkled gray skin showing beneath the dirt caked on her arms, legs, and overalls told me just how old she was. One look into her red eyes confirmed that she was a vampire. I knew that Vampires weren¡¯t very picky about what they turned, but there were some races that were considered too dangerous to try to turn.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Banshees were near the top of that list. Turning someone into a vampire was dangerous to begin with. I wasn¡¯t sure what the exact success rate was, but it was low enough that anyone going through the change would be chained up before being bitten. Anyone who failed to make the change went feral, going on a murder spree until they were stopped or subjugated by a powerful vampire. Even a newly turned vampire that made the transition could become blood crazed and descend into a killing spree. Which was why there was so much oversight and even more rule. Banshees were able to summon the spirits of the dead, that connection, if they were one of the undead Vampires, gave them the power to not just speak to the dead, but to weaponize them. The reason why this was particularly concerning to me was that there was one thing that my powers didn¡¯t work on, the dead. There were plenty of exorcists that could stop someone like her from becoming a calamity, but it felt very strange to be watching one of the few things that I couldn¡¯t fight storming in my direction. ¡°You!¡± The five-foot-tall woman glared at me. I wasn¡¯t sure why she was still talking in a loud voice, but that might just be the way Banshees talked. I¡¯d only heard stories about them, so I didn¡¯t know. ¡°The Master is out gathering the House!¡± She wiped her hands on her overalls, but it didn¡¯t help. ¡°What do you need!?!¡± I forced my heart to slow down. Usually danger didn¡¯t bother me, but this was unnerving in a way I hadn¡¯t felt in a while. ¡°Do you have satchels for preserving herbs?¡± I glanced at Starna, but she seemed enraptured by the almost glowing woman. ¡°Ones that a Camadt could handle without destroying the herbs inside?¡± ¡°Planning on collecting some souvenirs while you talk to the kitties!?¡± She cackled, which I think was supposed to come out as a chuckle. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind getting my hands on some of the exotic herbs from over there!¡± She looked at Starna. ¡°Snap out of it woman! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s not polite to stare!¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± My companion looked away. ¡°Your hair is just¡­¡± She glanced back at the Banshee. ¡°So pretty.¡± ¡°It is pretty dazzling, isn¡¯t it!?¡±The Banshee flicked her hair over her shoulders, but the white strands floated in the air behind her. Not a single lock of hair touched her back. ¡°How does it do that?¡± Starna was staring at the other woman¡¯s hair again. ¡°It¡¯s the spirits!¡± The Banshee ran her hand over her left arm and a thin film of glowing white ectoplasm dripped off her fingers, vanishing before it hit the ground. ¡°Cursed things stick to me like I¡¯m some sort of ghost magnet!¡± She waved her hands in the air. ¡°Always whispering! Always wanting something! I keep asking Pera to let me turn an exorcist, but there¡¯s always some excuse!¡± I really didn¡¯t want to listen to the yelling woman give me a list of her woes. ¡°Do you have a bag?¡± I pulled Starna close to me to jar her out of her dazzled state. ¡°Of course!¡± The Banshee waved for me to follow her, then headed into the back of the shop. My body was begging me not to follow her deeper into the shop. There was still a bounty on our heads, so I needed to be careful, but we were in a Glynot building and I still had the coin. That didn¡¯t make it feel any less like I was about to walk into a drake barn at feeding time with their dinner in my arms. I forced a grin and looked at Starna. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going into the back.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 38 There was no one in the back. Unlike the front where jars of herbs lined the shelves and potted plants were neatly stacked in rows, the back looked like a mess. Tools were just laying on the floor, there was a water can that was leaking its contents next to one of the larger plants that I didn¡¯t recognize. Potting containers were partially stacked in the one organized corner, which was where the composter door was left open. A pile of dead plants waiting in a wheelbarrow beside it to be put inside. There were stairs on the right side of the room that went both up and down, one set on top of the other. The ceiling was almost completely flat glass and I could see a few plants and pots above us. Noises from below gave me an idea of where Tuffen had run off to. ¡°Do you see this!?¡± The Banshee shrieked as she gestured at the mess. ¡°I have you to thank for this!¡± ¡°Me?¡± Her eyes looked way too hungry to be safe. ¡°Yes you!¡± She stormed over to a bench on the far left side of the room and started rooting around the drawers. She pulled out a leather bag that might be able to hold a quart and threw it at me. ¡°Can you believe that I dug this out of the dirt over there..!¡± She pointed at where yellowberry bushes were lined. ¡°Cursed pup just left it there once he emptied out the mana dust!¡± A growl escaped from her throat. ¡°Arkai only knows how long it would have laid there if I hadn¡¯t been sent here to take over!¡± Hearing her use the name of one of the heroes of the Great War as a curse wasn¡¯t something I was accustomed to. Part of the whole reason that the Golden Senate claimed legitimacy in Hepool was because Master Dumas Arkai had used it as his base when he¡¯d been sent by the Elders to drive back the demons. While I had my misgivings about the Elves, I¡¯d seen Garm knock a human¡¯s teeth in for bad-mouthing his friend. The rumor was that Master Dumas was a powerful seer and had used his ability to predict the future to turn the war against the demons. Garm didn¡¯t like to talk about it, but I knew that he held the Master Mage in very high regard. ¡°Did you know Master Arkai?¡± I looked at the bag. It was dirty and still needed to be thoroughly washed, but it was made out of tough, but pliable leather and lined with something very rubbery. ¡°The Deathsword of the Universe!?¡± There was actual fear in her shriek. ¡°That pompous fool can divine answers from the dead faster than I could call them!¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d only see him after he took off my head!¡± She spat into a flowerbed. ¡°His kind have no use for someone like ME.¡± I knew that the Elves didn¡¯t like undead and considered it to be very taboo to mess with them since that was an easy way to tamper with demonic magic. I¡¯d never heard of Master Akai referred to by that title before though. ¡°What¡¯s a Deathsword? Miss..?¡± I realized I didn¡¯t know her name. ¡°Aerillis Alodel!¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ve been around for over five hundred years and you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯ve never heard of the Vampire Banshee!?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I usually stick to the port cities.¡± I tried to ignore the knot in my chest and offered her my hand. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°The little prince Sineater from Hepool.¡± She sniffed the air as her eyes focused on Starna. She moved faster than my eyes could follow and grabbed a handful of my Elf companion¡¯s hair loosely and brought it up to her nose to take a deep smell of it. Her eyes widened. ¡°And it looks like he¡¯s got himself a princess!¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Starna knocked the Banshee¡¯s hand away. ¡°And don¡¯t rub in that I was Queen Alessa¡¯s bodyguard before I was his!¡± I thought about pointing out that if anyone was the bodyguard, it would be me protecting her, but I could feel her drawing on her magic as she glared at the woman that had lived ten times longer than both of us combined. ¡°Delicious!¡± Aerillis licked her lips as she smiled. ¡°But ice magic? I would have thought you would follow in your mother¡¯s footsteps with lightning!¡± ¡°My mother is an Algor from Porthy!¡± Starna straightened, though she was still shorter than the other woman. ¡°I DO take after my mother.¡± The Banshee looked the Elf up and down a couple times then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been around too long. Too many kingdoms to keep straight!¡± She turned to me and nodded at the bag. ¡°What do you think!?¡± ¡°Starna¡¯s the one who¡¯d know best.¡± I offered the bag to my companion. ¡°That¡¯s a remobra stomach inside drake hide!¡± She shook her head. ¡°Those pesky spitters will eat just about anything! Makes it easy to store poisonous plants! The drake hide is almost as good as one of the greater wyvern-kin, though a basilisk or hydra would be better!¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong about that. Anything that strong would be worth a lot, but it would also be exactly what I was thinking would be helpful. ¡°Would a Camadt be able to handle that without draining magical herbs inside?¡± Both women looked at me. Starna seemed to understand what I was wanting, though Aerillis seemed confused. ¡°If you¡¯re that close to one of the voids, then whatever you¡¯re hoping to store in there won¡¯t matter!¡± The Banshee shrugged, shaking the floating hair behind her. ¡°I¡¯ve not dealt with them much, other than their victims! But outside of Dragonhide, which is illegal to own, that¡¯s probably the cheapest thing you¡¯ll be able to find to insulate your magic stuff with!¡± ¡°How much?¡± I motioned at the bag. ¡°It¡¯s worth fifty silver, easily! But that cursed fool threw it around like it was five copper!¡± The Banshee glared at the stairs before looking back at me. ¡°Thirty silver.¡± ¡°I thought you just said that Tuffen was going to let it rot. You still think it¡¯s worth three thousand?¡± ¡°The master might think you¡¯re something special, but I¡¯ve seen your kind die by the dozens!¡± The older woman pointed at the glass ceiling. ¡°See that red plant up there!? That¡¯s lustweed!¡± I met her eyes and could tell just by the look that wasn¡¯t trying to hide that she¡¯d used it before. ¡°That sounds like a threat.¡± My heart sped up as fear crawled over my skin. Lustweed had been one of the favorite things for people to use on Sineaters to keep them controlled before the Great War. The potion that could be made from it translated pain into pleasure and it was very addictive. All Sineaters, as far as I knew, felt a compulsion to take pain away from others, especially those they had a strong connection with. Tempering that urge was something that I¡¯d had to work on in order to keep from taking the pain of everyone around me all the time. Garm had explained how once Sineaters were on that drug, they would keep taking pain until it killed them. He even had a particularly nasty story about a Sineater that once went so far as to kidnap and torture people so that they could have more pain to take. They¡¯d gotten so wrapped up in the euphoria that they killed dozens of people before they over exerted their powers and took on too many wounds. ¡°A threat would be to hold a bottle!¡± The Banshee smirked. ¡°I¡¯m pointing out that you aren¡¯t special and I¡¯m not going to fall at your feet like the young master!¡± She held out her hand. ¡°Thirty silver for the bag!¡± I had the coins in my pocket, but it felt wrong not to haggle. If she wasn¡¯t connected to the Glynots, I would have just walked out of the shop, but for the moment we were allies, though this was a very strong reminder that they weren¡¯t all friendly. ¡°Twenty five.¡± I pulled out the larger silver coins from my pocket. ¡°She¡¯s going to have to clean it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth forty!¡± Aerillis shrieked. ¡°Thirty more than covers the oil you¡¯ll need to care for it!¡± I looked at Starna who nodded. I sighed and dropped the coins into the older woman¡¯s withered gray hands. The Banshee smiled as she pocketed the coins. ¡°Is there anything else you need!?¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 39 They were waiting for us outside. We had been happy to get away from the Banshee. Aerillis had been almost offensive, but I had a feeling that was due to her inflated opinion of herself. Granted, I wasn¡¯t sure exactly how powerful she was, but that didn¡¯t justify basically threatening others because you considered them weaker than yourself. I needed to come up with a way to deal with the supernatural. I¡¯d studied swordsmanship more out of boredom than the need to defend myself. There were very few things that I couldn¡¯t use my Sineater powers on, and with the rest of the crew always close, there¡¯d never been a need to branch out. Now that I was traveling with Starna, I needed to be able to cover my own weaknesses. While the coin in my pocket provided us protection, without it, I¡¯d have been completely reliant on Starna¡¯s magic to protect us from the mage. I made a note to talk to Starna about that later, but right now I needed to focus on the group in front of us. There were two Dwarves, one younger and the other much older that were flanked by seven brown-skinned, blonde Elves, which were indicative of them being pure-blooded Ager. Most of them had white eyes, there was only one brown and one gold. The gold-eyed one looked very familiar, but I couldn¡¯t remember where I¡¯d seen him. The gray-bearded Dwarf looked like he was trying to talk to the Ager, but those gold eyes were focused on the two of us. I thought about going back into the store for a moment. Aerillis would have to help us if I invoked the coin, but it felt like overkill for a problem like this. Though if things got out of hand, it was a decent back-up plan. ¡°Doesn¡¯t hunting down the mark yourself defeat the purpose of a bounty?¡± I touched my sword. No one had drawn a weapon yet, and I wasn¡¯t going to give them an excuse to claim self defense. ¡°Sectum Irongut and Starna Shellock!¡± The mage gestured at the powerless Elves, then pointed at us. ¡°Surrender, so that you can stand trial before the Agate Senate for the murder of Lagrev Gratten and Vetal Lestal!¡± He smirked as he brought his hand down to the staff grip on his belt. ¡°Come peacefully or I¡¯ll bring in what¡¯s left of you.¡± ¡°Sirs..!¡± The older Dwarf began, but was silenced as the earth elementalist pulled on his shoulder. The gray-bearded Dwarf tried to resist, but was forcibly pulled back. ¡°What is your obsession with me?¡± I rubbed my palm on the butt of the hilt of my short sword. ¡°Lagrev Gratten and Vetal Lestal were both killed by a madman.¡± I shook my head. ¡°And both of them were trying to help a traitor force my cousin into a marriage so he could steal the throne.¡± I paused for a moment to keep from losing my composure. ¡°If anything, WE should be demanding reparations from YOU.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°As you are not surrendering peacefully, we will detain you by force.¡± He unhooked his staff. The engraved stick extended to its full length. The dark brown wood began to give off just a little glow as the mage began charging up a spell. ¡°STOP!¡± A rough Dwarven voice was followed by the sound of guards in heavy armor running down the street. It was later in the afternoon, so there were plenty of people staring at over a dozen Dwarves in full metal armor running down the street. The additional Dwarves seemed to increase the older Dwarf¡¯s confidence. ¡°Master Gratten, you have already been informed by our King that you are not to pursue vengeance against these two within our borders.¡± He glanced over his shoulder to make sure he had more power than the Elf. He seemed sure of himself when he turned back to the Mage. ¡°You need to go back to your embassy with these soldiers.¡± The Ager looked like they wanted to argue, but if they tried to fight now, the Dwarves would be able to handle them even without my help. ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡± The mage glared at me. ¡°I will have revenge for you killing my father.¡± He spun on his heel, then stomped off. The other Elves fell in behind him, then the Dwarf guards followed after them. Once they had made it out of sight, the older Dwarf walked up to me. He wiped some sweat off his brow with the back of his hand as he looked up at me. ¡°Sorry about that. I tried to stop them¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You were able to stop it before anything bad happened.¡± I looked over at Starna, who had been beside me the whole time. ¡°You good?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried for a second.¡± Her tone told me that while she was confident that we would have won, she was worried about something. I turned back to the older Dwarf. ¡°So.. Um, what was your name?¡± ¡°Zanser Stormstone.¡± He puffed out his chest a little. ¡°I¡¯m the liaison to the Ager embassy here.¡± He looked up the street. ¡°Finael Gratten isn¡¯t even the ambassador here. He just flew in as soon as he heard the two of you were here and tried to get the King to arrest you. I¡¯ve been trying to keep an eye on him, but there¡¯s only so much an old Dwarf can do.¡± ¡°You did a fantastic job of stopping a fight.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°Though I¡¯m a little concerned about them trying something tonight while we¡¯re asleep.¡± Zanser pointed at the two guards that had stayed behind. ¡°These lads are going to stay with you. They¡¯ll post up outside your house tonight. We¡¯ll have some fresh ones go with you when you leave in the morning.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I glanced at Starna. I wanted this to feel like a relaxing date for her, but it was hard to relax or focus on a date when you had a pair of Dwarves in full metal armor following you around. ¡°I was planning on showing you the pier and how they ship everything over the waterfall in barrels, but given what just happened¡­¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°Do you want to keep going?¡± I could tell by the look on her face that she didn¡¯t enjoy the idea of having babysitters. She played with her hair and bit her lip while she weighed the options. ¡°We should probably just head back to the house.¡± I nodded. It was the answer that I¡¯d been expecting. While it cut the evening short, there were still a few things that we could do once we were alone inside the house. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going back.¡± I took Starna¡¯s hand and started walking. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 40 I expected to be jumped before we reached the house. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was surprised, happy, or disappointed that the Elves didn¡¯t try to attack us again.While I was hoping that I might be able to give the Ager another demonstration of why it was a bad idea to attack us, Starna looked exhausted and I doubted that that a fight would have helped her demeanor. ¡°Copper for your thoughts?¡± I sat down on one of the leather couches in the main room. Unlike a normal house that had a kitchen, eating area, and main room, the main floor to this house was a large main room with two smaller rooms, that I assumed were for an office or meeting area. The stairs were on the opposite wall from the smaller rooms. There was only one bedroom that had been fixed up. Our hosts knew that we wouldn¡¯t be staying long and put in minimal effort to accommodate us. The door on the basement floor was locked, so I wasn¡¯t sure what was down there, but considering the city was built in layers, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it led to another living quarters on the actual Dwarf layer. Starna bit her lip as she glanced at the stairs, then back at me. ¡°Was that a date?¡± I smirked. ¡°Those four words cover a very wide range of activities.¡± I leaned back and patted the spot next to me. ¡°It could be considered one. Or it could have just been two friends killing some time together.¡± Starna came over and sat down next to me, though she was sitting the furthest from me that she could while still sitting on the same couch. ¡°Look.¡± I half turned so that I could face her. I brought my left leg up under me and sat on it so it wouldn¡¯t be crossing over onto her side of the couch. ¡°I can tell this freaks you out a little.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°See? That¡¯s what you should be doing more of.¡± I pointed at her and grinned. ¡°Where¡¯s the attitude of the mage that isn¡¯t afraid to smart off and order around a Camadt?¡± The brunette laughed. ¡°I guess most mages wouldn¡¯t have the guts to yell at Vin.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± I spread my arms. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, so let¡¯s take this slow and see if there¡¯s something here. I¡¯m not going to do anything until you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re ready?¡± Vin¡¯s response here would be to say that I¡¯m always ready. While that worked well for him with the port women, it was a line to use when all you wanted was one night. ¡°If I¡¯m not, then I¡¯ll get that way.¡± I wiped the smirk off my face to show I was serious. ¡°Because you¡¯re worth it.¡± I¡¯d seen enough women swoon to know that her heart had just sped up. Considering she¡¯d basically been locked up with my cousin, that was probably the first time a man other than her father had told her that she was special in a loving way. I had also been with enough women to know that she was about to start acting on impulse, so I needed to dial it back to where her brain would be after she came down from the high. There was a chance she wouldn¡¯t regret anything, but why gamble on a chance when waiting would make sure she didn¡¯t regret anything. That might have been a little presumptuous on my part, but there was definitely a spark between us and I wasn¡¯t going to mess that up.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Hey.¡± I snapped my fingers to pull her out of whatever far away fantasy her brain was starting to paint. ¡°Stay here. In the now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She started playing with her hair. ¡°Good. Because right now there are two Dwarves outside that door.¡± I jerked my thumb towards the front door. Blue filled her cheeks as she blushed. I still found it breathtaking how when a woman blushed, their face started to turn the color of their blood. Vin and I would play a game in ports to see if we could guess what color a race¡¯s blood was, then try to make one of the women blush to see who was right. He was a lot better of a guesser than I was, but I had a feeling there was something in their blood that he could smell and that¡¯s how he was right so often. ¡°That pouch.¡± I pointed at the bag that I¡¯d bought her. ¡°Have you tried putting your moonstone in it?¡± She blinked twice. Somehow I doubted that was anywhere close to what she¡¯d been dreaming about what I¡¯d say. ¡°Why would I put it in there?¡± Her face contorted as she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the egg-shaped stone. ¡°It¡¯s not attuned or anything.¡± ¡°You might want to get on that.¡± I nodded at the stone. ¡°We¡¯re about to be traveling through Camadt territory. Every bump and touch is going to drain you of magic. If one of the inspectors grabs your arm, think about what would happen.¡± There was shock on her face, but not fear as I pointed out something she hadn¡¯t thought of. ¡°After I drain him¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have much magic left.¡± Starna swallowed. ¡°But my magic isn¡¯t going to help us out much in a Camadt city.¡± ¡°True, but we aren¡¯t going to be staying in a Camadt city. It¡¯s a big island and something tells me that if something is strong enough to block master Krav, it¡¯s not going to be close to where other people are.¡± I pointed at the stone. ¡°How much magic do you think you can store in it?¡± ¡°Unattuned?¡± The pretty Elf looked up at the ceiling to count. ¡°Enough to power my biggest spell?¡± ¡°Good enough.¡± I nodded at the bag. ¡°I know mages will start getting weak and sick if they get too low on magic.¡± I left out how I knew that particular fact. Vin found that hugging mages until they started vomiting was very motivating to get them to talk when we were needing answers. ¡°That bag should be insulated enough that you can store the moonstone in it so you can take the edge off if you get low.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Starna looked at the pouch in her left hand and the moonstone in her right. ¡°So thoughtful. Thank you!¡± She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I hugged her back and enjoyed the warmth of the embrace. When I let go, she only pulled back a little, her arms still around my neck and our faces so close that our noses were almost touching. ¡°You need to go to bed.¡± I kissed her forehead, then leaned back, slipping out of her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll stay down here in case the Elves manage to get past our guards.¡± She looked disappointed, but also relieved. I wasn¡¯t sure how someone could simultaneously display conflicting emotions, but she had apparently mastered it. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright down here?¡± She straightened up on her knees in front of me. I almost told her that this couch was more comfortable than the floor upstairs, but that had all kinds of innuendo attached to it. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I patted the couch. ¡°I think this is better than what I slept on in the Bane. I¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Starna nibbled on her lip as she got up. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning then.¡± ¡°Sleep well!¡± I waved at her as she started up the stairs. ¡°You too.¡± She smiled, then sped up the stairs. Despite my assurances, I knew that I wasn¡¯t going to sleep well anytime soon. Not while there were people out to get Starna. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 41 Vin was waiting for us. The guards had been nice enough to take us from the house to the underground stables in a goat cart. I wasn¡¯t sure that it was completely them being nice, or they could have been trying to get us out of the city as fast as possible. The look on Vin''s face gave me another option. They might have just wanted to drive the cart. ¡°Is that for me?!?¡± Vin¡¯s eyes lit up as he jogged towards us. Our escorts reached for their weapons and yanked on the reins to stop the cart. ¡°Whoa!¡± I touched both guards on the shoulders and leeched off a good bit of their fear. It was bitter and left a metallic taste in my mouth, but it calmed them down. ¡°That¡¯s my brother. He¡¯s not going to attack us.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The guard on my right smelled like ammonia. These two hadn¡¯t been briefed on what was waiting for us down here. I wondered how many of the Dwarves actually knew that Vin had been playing around below their city. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I jumped out of the cart, walked over to my brother and gave him a big hug. ¡°See?¡± I turned back to the cart. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly safe.¡± The renewed look of terror on their faces and the snorting that was escaping from Starna prompted me to quickly turn around. Vin tried to get into a normal pose, but his claws were out and his mouth had been open like he was about to bite me. ¡°VIN!¡± I glared at my brother whose laugh was echoing through the tunnels. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get them to like you! How is that helping?¡± It took a moment for my brother to compose himself. ¡°They might be scared now, but they''ll be telling this story for the rest of their lives.¡± He folded his lower pair of arms in front of himself while he shrugged. ¡°Though I bet in their version, I killed you and they valiantly drove off the big bad Camadt.¡± He puffed out his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be ten feet tall too!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just giving them ideas!¡± Starna walked past us to check on the mounts.Stolen story; please report. ¡°They¡¯re already saddled!¡± Vin called over his shoulder. ¡°I got here late last night. Couldn¡¯t get to sleep, so I got them ready about an hour ago.¡± He rubbed his arm. ¡°Kibbles needed a reminder of who¡¯s in charge¡­¡± ¡°You bit the drake again?¡± I realized that probably wasn¡¯t the best conversation to have in front of the two guards. I held up my hand before my brother could answer and give them any more nightmare fuel. I turned to the cart. ¡°Thanks for driving us out here.¡± I stuck my hand in my pocket. ¡°Do I owe you anything?¡± The guards looked at each other. The response was no. They were guards who were escorting a diplomat. What they¡¯d done fell under the responsibilities of their job. While a less-than-honest person would have taken money, I doubted they¡¯d try anything with my brother being so bite happy. ¡°We¡¯re good.¡± The lead Dwarf swallowed. ¡°May your mug never be dry.¡± ¡°And may you never have to pay!¡± The Dwarves looked surprised that I knew the comeback, but that put them a little more at ease. Vin waited until they were out of sight before turning his attention to me. ¡°What happened?¡± He sniffed the air as if to emphasize his point. ¡°Later.¡± There were still guards at the secret door that we were going to have to contend with. I wasn¡¯t sure if they were going to be a problem or not. ¡°Once we¡¯re on the road.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Vin shook his head. ¡°Something happen between you and the ice queen?¡± ¡°I am not..!¡± ¡°Starna and I are fine.¡± I reached into my pocket and pulled out the paper that Karse had given me. ¡°Here.¡± I climbed on my drake while Vin read the page. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Vin folded the paper and put it in his jacket pocket. ¡°How attached are you to the mage?¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± I glared at him. ¡°What?¡± The Camadt flashed me a toothy smile as he got on his mount. ¡°Come on. You can¡¯t tell me that you didn¡¯t think about it.¡± I glanced over at Starna who was looking at me expectantly. ¡°Yes, Sectum. Did you think about turning me in?¡± The ice mage glared at me. ¡°Honestly..?¡± I tried to think back. I remembered thinking how much money that was and how most people could never make that much in their entire lives. ¡°No. Only how to convince them it was a bad idea.¡± ¡°And this is why we can¡¯t have nice things!¡± Vin threw up his two upper arms as he rode past me. ¡°Hey!¡± Starna yelled at him. ¡°I said we.¡± Vin looked back at her. ¡°Seriously, he gets the girl and I get the attitude. How did I get shafted?¡± ¡°What happened with you and the Silver lady?¡± I tried to divert the topic away from me. ¡°She already had too many men in her life.¡± Vin shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t need another.¡± I had a feeling there was a lot more to that story, but we¡¯d wasted enough time. ¡°Let¡¯s get on the road so we can tell you about where we¡¯re going next.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 42 Vin was upset. I filled him in on what had happened and where we were going next. He¡¯d taken everything in stride until I got to the part about the Naledzar fight. That¡¯s when he decided to interrupt. Granted, I¡¯d saved that part until last, but that was only because I knew that he wasn¡¯t going to be the only one upset with me. ¡°You fought one of those popsicle makers without me!?¡± My brother¡¯s mount pulled ahead, forcing him to pull back on the reins. ¡°You told me you convinced the Naledzar that it wasn¡¯t in their best interest to try to collect the bounty, not that you killed one of their operatives in front of a room full of people!¡± Starna was standing up in her saddle as she shouted at me. ¡°You fought a Naledzar? Without me?¡± Vin growled as he repeated his rant, then turned to Starna. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you with him? I thought you were going to make sure he didn¡¯t get into trouble?¡± ¡°I was trying to get help from the Tower in case the Agate and Topaz Senates decide to declare war on us!¡± The tanned Elf fired back. ¡°How was I supposed to know that Sectum was going to run off and kill someone?!¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s Sectum! That¡¯s how he fixes things!¡± Vin was still growling as he turned back to look at the path. Since it was day, Starna was riding behind me, which meant I was between their screaming match. ¡°I don¡¯t always kill people.¡± I looked back at Starna. I wasn¡¯t against killing, but it wasn¡¯t like I was a serial killer. At least, I hoped she didn¡¯t think I was a serial killer. ¡°That¡¯s been your go to move ever since you were thirteen and figured out you had Singiving too.¡± Vin scoffed. ¡°Bad enough trying to hide a reckless Sineater, but at least people might be grateful you healed them and keep quiet, but Singiving? Nothing but fear and demon hunts for that.¡± I thought about pointing out how of the two of us, he had the higher body count in almost every category, but that felt petty. It was like trying to prove that something wasn¡¯t red because you could find something that was a deeper shade of red. ¡°Isn¡¯t that going to make things worse?¡± Starna looked around. ¡°What if they send the Treca after us?¡± ¡°Treca have a moral code they follow.¡± I smiled to try to reassure her. ¡°I doubt the Elves could convince them that we were guilty.¡± I thought about the Treca that we¡¯d fought with in the tunnels. ¡°I guess there are a few rogue Treca out there, but we shouldn¡¯t have to worry about the organization as a whole.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°It only takes one.¡± There was a pop as Starna cast a spell. ¡°Did you just put up a barrier?¡± I could feel something, but it was only behind me. ¡°I¡¯m in the back.¡± The Elf looked up the mountain behind her. ¡°I think I deserve to have a little more protection.¡± ¡°You can ride in the middle and I can bring up the rear.¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± Starna looked at Vin, then back at me. ¡°Besides, having you between us means that you can¡¯t get into trouble.¡± ¡°How do I..?¡± ¡°QUIET!¡± Vin had one hand up in our direction as she cupped both of his upper arms around his cat ears. ¡°What do you..?¡± ¡°SHHH!!!¡± Vin slid off his mount and looked around. We were about halfway down the mountain and if we took too many stops, then it would be very late when we reached Bollilundr. Not that I was looking forward to being in the town, but all the rocks were making me uneasy. I would have much preferred the open water than this barren slope. ¡°Something¡¯s coming.¡± Vin straightened and looked around. ¡°It¡¯s big.¡± ¡°How big?¡± Starna took her staff off her belt and extended it. ¡°You remember the wurm?¡± Vin pointed down the slope to his right. ¡°We need to get over there.¡± He paused as if he remembered that he¡¯d switched answers midway through. ¡°It¡¯s bigger.¡± ¡°Wait, what?!¡± Starna stood up in her saddle. ¡°What¡¯s bigger than a wurm?!¡± ¡°Nothing native to this mountain.¡± I had a bad feeling that I knew what was coming for us. ¡°Is that going to be an open enough of a place?¡± ¡°It beats this path or the slope.¡± Vin was moving beside his drake as the pair headed for the semi-flat place that was about a hundred by three hundred rectangle. I slid off my mount and started moving. Starna had already headed that way and was trying to get as far as she felt comfortable from Vin, which was less than twenty feet. ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡± I looked at my brother while I handed my drake¡¯s reins to Starna. ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Starna started to tie the reins around a rock. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± I shook my head as I looked at my brother. ¡°VIN!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to jinx us!¡± The Camadt had his claws out and had let his drake take off down the mountain away from us. ¡°Too late.¡± I watched the thing that was causing the tremors break through the side of the mountain where we¡¯d been traveling not very long ago. The serpentine head that broke through the side of the mountain was barely a foot wide, but the hole kept getting larger as it pulled its thirty foot long frame out of the ground. It was almost four feet wide at its largest part, making it one of the largest snakes I¡¯d ever seen. Lips peeled back to reveal a row of very large teeth in its mouth. It sniffed the air before focusing its glowing yellow cat''s eyes on us. ¡°What was the Agate Senate¡¯s wyvern class guardian?¡± I looked over at Starna. She¡¯d dropped the reins and our mounts were fleeing in the opposite direction. Her voice was trembling as she spoke. ¡°A basilisk.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 43 It was an act of war. I knew enough about the wyvern-class monsters to know that something that large so close to another nation¡¯s city was just asking for something to go wrong. We¡¯d fought a sea serpent before and that thing had been wild enough that it ran off after a whale as soon as it realized we weren¡¯t going to be an easy meal. Bringing something this dangerous next to a city was just asking for it to go after at least the miners. If the Ager were smart, they¡¯d stay far away from this fight. I didn¡¯t know if the people from Bollilundr would be able to see us, but a fight this big was bound to attract eyeballs from somewhere. ¡°You should have surrendered when we gave you the chance to come peacefully!¡± Of course Finael Gratten would want to watch us get eaten. The blonde Elf mage walked out of the hole that had been made larger, probably by the Earth Elementalist beside him. It looked like the same Elf that had been with him yesterday, but they were the only two. The powerless Elves were either not there, or were hanging back. In a fight like what was coming, they¡¯d only be in the way and could serve as witnesses. Leaving them out of this was probably the first sensible thing that the younger Gratten had done. I pulled my sword out and gripped the short blade tightly in my right hand. Not that it was going to do much against that thing¡¯s scales. I¡¯d thought about getting a darksteel or mithril sword, but those weren¡¯t things that were kept on hand, waiting for someone to come purchase. They were usually made to order, which would have taken longer to craft than I was staying. Even then, it would have taken a lot more than the couple gold coins that I had, so I hadn¡¯t bothered to look. ¡°This is the mud kisser that¡¯s been causing problems for you?¡± My brother flexed his arms as a big smile parted his lips. ¡°Vin¡­¡± I looked over at my brother. A Camadt¡¯s claws were strong enough that he could pierce the scales, but two inches wasn¡¯t going to get anywhere close to the vital organs. It was going to take him a few minutes of being able to slice into the thing before it could be considered even a wound. But he was our best bet for fighting against it. ¡°Demon! If you¡¯re smart, walk away and we¡¯ll let you leave!¡± Finael didn¡¯t have near enough fear on his face as he glared at my brother.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of your little snake?¡± Vin pulled off his jacket and threw it away from us. ¡°I was hoping to get a trophy on this trip!¡± ¡°Are you sure you can take a basilisk?¡± I knew the monster had some way to petrify things. A Camadt might be tough, but I wasn¡¯t sure if he was that tough. ¡°Its eye beams are magic based.¡± My brother laughed. ¡°I could take on all three of these irritants!¡± He winked at me. ¡°I thought that was an adult, they only brought a baby.¡± If a thirty foot long serpent was just a baby, I didn¡¯t want to see how big the adults got. ¡°I gave you a chance.¡± Finael nodded at the other Elf and the basilisk shot towards us. ¡°Starna! Can you take the mage?¡± I rotated behind my brother. I wasn¡¯t sure how far away those petrifying rays would reach, but I didn¡¯t want to get hit by one while there wasn¡¯t anyone around that I could transfer the petrification to. Even though the rays might be magical, the moment they turned flesh into stone, it would stop being magic based, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to transfer it to Vin without my brother taking the petrification on himself. I glanced over at Starna for her answer, but she was already shooting finger-length icicles at the other mage. With both of my allies focusing on two of our three enemies, that left one for me. Vin closed the distance with the basilisk and punched it on the snout, before dancing down the mountain away from us. I wasn¡¯t sure how difficult it would be for the Earth Elementalist to redirect the monster¡¯s focus over to us, so I threw a rock in his direction to distract him while I started running up the incline. The rock stopped just past the halfway point and shot back at me. I¡¯d thrown a rock at an Earth Elementalist. That was like trying to soak a Water Elementalist or torch a Fire Elelemtalist. All I did was give him ammunition to use against me. Not that there was a lack of it, with nothing but rocks and dirt around us for miles. I batted the rock out of the air and kept running. A rock spear shot out of the ground in front of me, trying to get me to impale myself. I twisted out of the way, but the lateral movement caused me to lose my footing and slip back a few feet. The terrain felt a lot looser than it had been when we¡¯d ran down the slope. My palms hit the ground as I tried to keep myself from falling. The ground got even softer underneath me. I pushed off the ground and took a few quick steps backwards, dodging two more rock spikes as I was forced back. ¡°Your kind is always so cocky.¡± The Earth Elementalist looked down at me. ¡°But take away anyone for you to touch and you¡¯re just a powerless human.¡± Before I could snap back, he slashed his hand at the slope between us. It was like half of the slope in between us had been separated from the rest of the mountain. I swallowed as a shipload of rocks, dirt, and gravel rolled towards me. I really needed to work on my magic. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 44 The Earth Elementalist was stronger than I thought. Which I should have assumed if he was the one controlling the basilisk, but my experience with Elementalists was that most of them could only affect what they could touch. Hyer, the Griffon back on the Mage¡¯s Bane, could increase airflow to power the ship¡¯s sails on a calm day, but that was a Griffon. Most people didn¡¯t blink an eye if you told them that they were as strong as a Dragon. Especially if you were talking about their Air Elementalist abilities. ¡°STARNA!¡± I changed directions and ran towards her. We were going to have to double up because I wasn¡¯t going to be able to get close to my opponent without some help. The easiest person for me to help was Vin, but if I moved down the mountain, the two Elves would gang up on our mage. She was good, but I doubted she was that good. A short wall of ice formed between me and the falling mountain. It wasn¡¯t very thick and shattered almost immediately, but it slowed down the rockslide enough for me to get clear of it. Two more rock spikes shot out of the ground, one of them slashed into the side of my right thigh, but it wasn¡¯t deep and on the outside, so it wasn¡¯t dangerous, just uncomfortable. The thing about taking on so many other people¡¯s wounds was that my concept of hurting had been dulled substantially. The fact that the rockslide hadn¡¯t turned into a wave and chased me as I moved laterally and then back up the side of the mountain told me that the Earth Elementalist wasn¡¯t at the master level of power, which gave us a much better shot of winning. Rocks the size of my head shot through the air at me. While my uncle had been able to absorb Lagrev¡¯s magical attack and turn it back at the mage, I had no experience with using my Sineating that way and getting hit with one of those rocks would be enough to knock me out if I was lucky. Finael was probably throwing those rocks around hoping for a quick kill, but that showed me just how little actual combat experience he had. He was going to burn through his magic before I got to him at the rate he was using it. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The other Elf didn¡¯t have to worry about his magic reserves. An Elementalist was only channeling their environment and bending it to their will. As long as they could keep up with the mental exhaustion, they could use their powers indefinitely, like I could. Most Elementalists I¡¯d encountered preferred to throw their biggest move at the beginning, then let their allies mop up. It was an easy way to quickly give your side an advantage, though it also made the Elementalist useless for most of the rest of the fight. Ice shattered beside me again as Starna made another ice wall to cover me. ¡°STOP MOVING!¡± Finael screamed as he pointed his staff at me and fired another head-sized rock from the end of it. I barely had to twist to dodge it as I kept moving towards him. I was starting to wonder how my opponent had thought that he was ready to fight in the field. It was obvious after every time he did something and it didn¡¯t end the fight that he was getting more upset with us. It was like he expected us to stand still and let him wail on us until we died. The ground rumbled underneath me, testing my balance as I kept moving. The Earth Elementalist was still throwing some of his power at me, but it wasn¡¯t enough to be dangerous as long as I didn¡¯t forget that he was there. ¡°SEC!¡± Starna¡¯s voice cut across the battlefield. ¡°DOWN!¡± I didn¡¯t bother to ask her why. I just trusted that she wasn¡¯t going to get me killed, so I dropped to the ground. I had to roll out of the way of a rising sharp rock spire as the Earth Elementalist threw one more parting shot at me before realizing that he needed to throw everything he had at my companion. I¡¯d been a little sensitive to magic before. With my ability to take things from other people, I could feel just about anything they could and I¡¯d siphoned the tingling sensation enough times to recognize that there was a big spell behind me. I spared a glance at her just as she brought her hands down. More magic than I thought she was capable of controlling surged towards our enemies. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 45 The air around me dropped almost forty degrees in an instant. The blast of frigid air was only inches above me as it tried to freeze anything it touched. Hail was mixed inside the snow-filled rush. Even without being touched by the attack, ice crystals formed on the ground as any moisture around us froze. The thing that amazed me the most was that my path to Finael was clear, but the rest of the ground around the two Elves was quickly covered in a sheet of ice. Tiny shards of ice the size of my pinky finger began to pelt the two Elves. The Earth Elementalist had pulled a large rock out of the ground to shield himself while Finael chose to rely on his magic barrier to shrug off the projectiles. That barrier was flashing every time it got hit. Ice was slowly beginning to grow over the shield, obscuring the mage¡¯s view of me. A rock wall rose out of the ground between me and the mage, cutting off the direct path that was clear of ice. I hadn¡¯t stopped moving, and the barrier didn¡¯t stop that. When I juked to my right, the frozen ground instantly thawed, giving me another iceless route to my target. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Starna move from where she was behind me, rotating to her left to try to get an angle where she could hit the Elementalist. With the smarter of the two Elves occupied, I sprinted to close the distance. Finael had stopped casting spells, though I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he was trapped inside a white dome or if he didn¡¯t want to cast blind. Instead of hitting the ice prison with the blade of my sword, I turned the blade away from the ice and slammed the butt of the sword in my hand into the popsicle. The ice shattered like it had been glass, revealing a very shocked Elf on the other side. I grabbed the end of his staff with my left hand and twisted my blade against his throat. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± I nodded at the fight between the other two Elves. ¡°Call off your man and your snake.¡± I spared a glance down the mountain at my brother. Both of them were bloody, but for now, it appeared that my brother had the upper hand.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I will never stop.¡± Finael smiled. As he dropped his staff and spread his arms wide. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me!¡± His voice sped up as he began to rant. ¡°If you do, you¡¯ll give us all the justification we need to take Hepool back and reinstate true rulers back to power!¡± He smirked as he grabbed the blade of my sword, leaking blue blood down the blade. ¡°Surrender now and I¡¯ll let the basilisk kill you before I feed you to it!¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how his mind was rationalizing things, but in this moment, we had been attacked by them. We were accused of a crime that we didn¡¯t commit and even if we had, the two ambassadors were aiding in a coup. Even if you threw out who was the aggressor and who was only defending themselves, I had my blade against his neck. ¡°How about this?¡± I dropped his staff and grabbed his shoulder, feeding the small gash on my thigh into him. He gasped as he started bleeding through his pants from a wound that he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°You call off that snake and stop trying to get revenge for a father who was part of a coup and I¡¯ll let you walk away.¡± I tightened my grip on his shoulder to try to emphasize his position. There was nothing but bewilderment on his face. His mind wasn''t computing that he didn¡¯t have the upper hand. I knew that there were plenty of Elves that were masters of tactics, but this proud Elf wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°How dare..!¡± I slit his throat, silencing his rant. I grabbed my sword with both hands as he fell to his knees in front of me and took off his head. With magic, even if someone looked dead, any small spark of life would be enough for a decent healer to heal their body. There was also a chance that they could come back as an undead, using their magic to give them a second existence in unlife. Which boiled down to the only sure way to be sure that a mage was dead was to separate their head from their shoulders. ¡°NO!!!¡± The ground shook as the Earth Elementalist screamed at me. I readjusted the grip on my sword and pointed it at the crying Elf. ¡°Same deal. Call off your monster..!¡± The basilisk roared, cutting off my offer. It slapped Vin hard enough that he flew twenty feet through the air before rolling a little, then jumping back to his feet. ¡°You IDIOT!¡± The Elf was backing up, not bothering to try to fight us. ¡°You¡¯ve killed us all!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was confused. ¡°He said he wasn¡¯t going to stop coming for me¡­¡± ¡°Not that.¡± The Elf cut me off as he backed up towards the tunnel they had come through. ¡°Finael took over as the basilisk¡¯s Mage. You just freed his guardian.¡± He cast one look at us as he began pulling up rocks to seal the tunnel. ¡°You killed everyone.¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 46 The basilisk had been a guardian. I had wondered how they found a basilisk when they¡¯d been in the city the day before. Finael hadn¡¯t struck me as a mage that was strong enough to bond with a basilisk and have it willingly be his guardian. Which meant that either the dead Elf had subjugated the monster, or part of its power had been sealed to make it weak enough for him to bond with, then it had been given to him. Now that its mage was dead, the basilisk not only had access to its full potential, but the magic that bound it rebuilt its body into actual flesh and blood instead of being a magical construct. I furrowed my brow. If it had been a guardian, then Vin would have torn through it. His ability to negate magic would have destroyed it. There was something else going on with it. A second roar reverberated against the rocks as its scales cracked, shedding a skin of rocks and dirt as it pulled itself free. The Earth Elementalist had reinforced its body with his Elementalist ability, basically giving the guardian a golem to inhabit. I¡¯d heard rumors of such things, but thought that was a fish story. ¡°You two okay?¡± I glanced at my companions. Vin dashed in front of us, flesh crackling as the basilisk spit acid at us, followed by yellow beams of light from its eyes. I pulled Starna back as I tried to get us out of its range. ¡°We¡¯ve got to take care of those eyes!¡± Vin was breathing hard as was Starna. I¡¯d stolen enough energy from Finael that I felt as good as when the fight started, but my companions had already gone through one round of fighting. I pulled some of the fatigue off of Starna. She shivered under my grasp as vitality flowed through her. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She looked at me. ¡°Did you do that?¡± I nodded. ¡°I took some of your fatigue. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll help your magic reserves, but you won¡¯t be as tired.¡± ¡°Warn me next time.¡± Her face blued. ¡°That was weird.¡± ¡°Good weird or bad weird?¡± ¡°It felt like you were inside me, then I felt a lot better.¡± Her blushing deepened even further. ¡°Just warn me next time!¡± ¡°Would you two stop flirting and focus!¡± Vin cut off any response I had. ¡°This thing is really angry!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Starna looked at me. ¡°Shoot out its eyes.¡± I cupped my hands. ¡°Vin! Do you think you can hold its head still?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. My brother glared at me from over his shoulder. ¡°Does this look like I want to get closer to that thing?¡± Most of his shirt was gone, hanging off him in tatters. The petrification didn¡¯t work on Vin, but it did stiffen the outer layer of his clothes before the magic touched him and was canceled out. Coupled with the grappling and the acid, his shirt had all but been ripped off and his pants were barely staying up. ¡°Get its eyes looking somewhere else and I¡¯ll drain it!¡± I doubted I could kill something that big before it killed me, but I could weaken it. That would allow Starna to blind it with her magic and Vin to break through the fully healed scales. Vin grumbled something under his breath and started running towards the basilisk. Starna twisted her staff in the air, then pointed it at the large serpent. Ice shards that were six inches long rained down on its head. The basilisk pulled part of its body up to block the ice from hitting its face. Without clear line-of-sight, Vin would have no trouble getting close since the big snake wouldn¡¯t be able to see him. As soon as Vin was within five feet of it, the basilisk dropped the part of its body that it had been using to shield against the ice and whipped out its head, knocking my brother back up the trail to where we were standing over fifty feet away. Vin shook his head and dusted himself off as he stood up. His pants hadn¡¯t survived the last altercation with the ground, so now he was covered by nothing but his tight undershorts. ¡°Don''t blame me.¡± He winked at Starna as he looked at me. ¡°Once I¡¯m in the buff and she realizes that I¡¯m irresistible.¡± I glared at my brother. ¡°Who needs to stay focused on the fight in front of us?¡± ¡°Once they go Camadt, nothing else is hot.¡± Vin was grinning from ear to ear as he puffed out his chest. ¡°Besides.¡± He pointed towards the monster. ¡°I think it''s done.¡± I looked back at the empty space where the basilisk had been. Sure enough, the wyrm had turned and ran, heading down the mountain, away from us. ¡°Um¡­¡± Starna moved to put me between her and my half naked brother. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bad thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, we have to walk, but at least we don¡¯t have to fight that thing anymore.¡± Vin stretched, then walked over to Finael¡¯s body and squatted down. ¡°I wonder if he had anything good on him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch that!¡± Starna ran out from behind me and shooed Vin away from the dead mage. ¡°You¡¯ll break all the magic items if you go through it!¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± Vin stood up and walked over to me. ¡°She¡¯s right, as much as I hate to admit it.¡± He jerked his thumb at Starna. ¡°That thing has to eat now and it¡¯s probably really hungry.¡± He nodded down the road. ¡°There¡¯s one really big food source with nothing that can stand up against that.¡± ¡°Bollilundr.¡± I groaned. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can catch up to that thing, even if we¡¯re running as fast as we can downhill.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t kill too many people before we get there then.¡± He softly punched me in the shoulder. ¡°Race ya!¡± He knew I couldn¡¯t catch him, so I didn¡¯t try as he took off at full speed down the hill. ¡°Why?¡± Starna stood up. ¡°There¡¯s no way of knowing for sure that the basilisk is going to Bollilundr. We¡¯re tired and we¡¯ll be even more tired if we run to the bottom.¡± She collapsed Finael¡¯s staff and hooked it next to her own. ¡°Those with power should protect those without.¡± I patted her on the shoulder. ¡°How are you going to feel in the morning if we walk back and find Bollilundr leveled by that thing when we could have ran and given them a fighting chance?¡± Starna closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two of us took off down the road. I just hoped we could make it before too many people got hurt. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 47 The town was a mess. The basilisk had broken through the outer wall and was making its way towards the residential area. Starna and I ran past broken statues that had once been living guards. Starna stopped and touched the waist of one of the statues that didn¡¯t have an upper half. ¡°It didn¡¯t kill them for food or to protect itself.¡± The Elf surveyed the carnage. ¡°It killed them for fun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably revenge.¡± I picked up a head and touched the pointed ears. ¡°It looks like there are only Elves here.¡± A scream, then a roar came from the direction of the stables. I dropped the head on the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I tried to ignore the burning in my limbs as they protested being pushed any further. Starna had her staff in her hand and extended it as she fell in behind me. ¡°Do you think Vin is okay?¡± She looked at the buildings and the people screaming while trying to get out of town. This wasn¡¯t a large city by any means, maybe two thousand people. At the foot of the road to the Dwarf capital, there was bound to be a steady amount of traffic, but not too many monsters, as the Dwarves would take care of anything that got too close to their mountain. This was probably the first time in a while that Bollilundr had been reminded of just how untamed of a planet we lived on. ¡°We need to find the Basilisk and get it out of town!¡± A wave of people surged past me, pushing and shoving to try to get me out of the way. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting close!¡± Starna moved closer to one of the buildings to avoid the group that seemed to only care about going the direction that we had come from. There was a crash, then Vin bowled over a few of the Elves as the building he had been thrown through collapsed.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I grabbed my brother and helped him up. ¡°GET OUT OF HERE!¡± Vin picked up a young kid he¡¯d knocked over and set him on his feet. The Elf child was too shocked to do anything. Stories of how Camadt ate disobedient children were a staple bedtime story and the sight of a mostly naked Camadt probably had this kid living a nightmare in his head. ¡°Where is it?¡± I pushed the kid, leeching off some of his fear so that he¡¯d start moving. That did the trick and he took off as his fear washed over me, urging me to get away from my brother. Starna was busy dropping the temperature of the area around us as she moved away from the demolished building. A single yellow light tried tracking her from the wreckage, prompting my brother to move in front of her. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Vin ran and punched the basilisk in the nose. The giant serpent¡¯s body twisted, lashing out its tail to try to knock us all down. Starna managed to get back fast enough, but Vin and I weren¡¯t so lucky. My brother took the brunt of the hit, while the part that hit me felt like a very big whip. I earned myself a gash down my right arm, though it didn¡¯t knock me over. Vin went rolling until he crashed into another building. ¡°It¡¯s cold-blooded!¡± Starna shouted as if that was all the answer she needed to give my brother. I didn¡¯t have time to think about what she meant because the tip of the tail flicked back at me. I swung my sword at it, only to have the blade ripped out of my hand as it made contact with the much tougher scales. My hands ached as I watched the two pieces of my now broken weapon fall a few yards away from me. The basilisk hissed as it turned around to face me, the lone good eye searching over the space between us as it rose up into the air. Vin was still inside the building and whatever Starna was trying to do wasn¡¯t having a noticeable effect. I needed to move, but I¡¯d been knocked towards the middle of one of the buildings and there was a door for me to run into. I doubted that I¡¯d be able to make it around the corner before the petrifying beam hit me. If I didn¡¯t know that basilisks weren¡¯t sentient, I would have thought it was enjoying itself as its face split into what eerily looked like it was trying to smile. ¡°Use this!¡± I didn¡¯t know where the feminine voice was coming from, but it wasn¡¯t Starna. An orange light built in front of me as someone used magic to send me something. Trusting that it was someone trying to help, I grabbed it before it was finished being summoned and moved it to block the beam. I just hoped it would be enough. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 48 They¡¯d sent me a shield. The beam hit the shield and reflected off of it, striking the lone remaining post from the building Vin had been thrown through earlier. The wood turned to stone and the Basilisk smashed it with its tail before launching the appendage at me. ¡°SWORD!¡± The rough feminine voice was vaguely familiar, but I couldn¡¯t remember where I¡¯d heard it. I grabbed the sword out of the orange light. After the tail slapped against my shield and pushed me against the building I slashed at it with the silver blade. The edge cut through the scales like they were made out of paper. The basilisk roared as it slithered away from me. Bolstered by the confidence in my new weapon, I charged, trying to give it a more serious wound. The serpent was smart enough to recognize that I was holding something that could hurt it if I got close, so it switched from offensive to defensive, curling back into itself, then trying to slither away. Vin staggered out of the building that the basilisk was heading towards. I couldn¡¯t outrun it, even if it seemed like it was slowing down. There was something else I could do though. ¡°Vin!¡± I pulled back my arm and threw the sword at him. ¡°It can hurt it!¡± My brother blinked a few times, but even in his dazed state he was able to pluck the sword out of the air. His arm swung to cut into the monster and if it could do as much damage in my brother¡¯s hands as it did in mine, it¡¯d cut a big gash in the middle of it. My brother¡¯s empty hand punched the serpent.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The sword had vanished almost as soon as Vin had touched it. My tired brain was trying to wrap my head around what was happening when the owner of the rough feminine voice walked around the building to my right that was still standing. ¡°You gave a Cam a magic weapon!¡± Velt Soberthinker¡¯s voice dripped with rage. ¡°I thought you were smart!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize¡­¡± I noticed her right arm had turned fully to stone. The Dwarf stablemaster could still move her shoulder but from halfway to her elbow to the tip of her fingers, her arm was nothing but stone. ¡°Cursed thing got me while I was trying to get people out the south gate.¡± She waved her hand and summoned another sword in front of me. ¡°Try not to break this one. I ain¡¯t got much left.¡± We¡¯d come in through the western gate and if she¡¯d been wounded by the southern gate, that meant that most of the south west side of the city had probably been either petrified or destroyed. The monster was moving east, which meant it was going towards people that hadn¡¯t been attacked yet. ¡°Can you do anything else?¡± I tried to stifle a shiver. I could see my breath, Starna had dropped the temperature in the area so low. Her comment earlier made sense now. Freezing the entire area would slow the cold-blooded monster down, giving us a little more of an edge. ¡°I might be able to make a dagger.¡± Velt shook her head. Her red braids had come undone, spilling hair over her shoulders in a tangled mess. ¡°I¡¯m spent. I might be a mage, but I¡¯m nowhere close to what people think a Soberthinker is.¡± Vin had caught the basilisk by the tail and was trying to drag it back up the street. ¡°You¡¯ve done a bunch!¡± I waved as I forced my muscles to move. ¡°Try to rest up while you can. We might still need you!¡± Velt nodded and sat down on the ground, propping up against the building that she¡¯d been hiding behind. I turned to the fight and watched Vin drop the tail so that he could avoid the rest of the body coiling around him. Even with his tough skin, I had my doubts that he¡¯d last long if the basilisk was able to wrap him up and squeeze him. There wasn¡¯t a lot of time left in this fight. One side was going to win soon because we were both worn out. I just hoped the edge that Velt had given me would be enough to tip the balance firmly in our favor. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 49 My brother was doing an amazing job at being bait. Storbek had told him more times than I could remember that he could find a way to irritate a rock. That skill was being put to good use here as Vin did all that he could to make sure the large serpent was focused solely on him. Which was where we had good news. The monster seemed to have forgotten about me. As if to emphasize that fact, it reared back and spat acid at my brother. ¡°NOT THE DRAWERS!¡± Vin danced around, avoiding the flying venom. I wasn¡¯t sure if the shield would disappear if I let go of it, so I only had the sword in my right hand as I sliced parallel to the ground into the basilisk¡¯s back. The serpent roared as it dropped to the ground, the part below where I¡¯d cut was unmoving as the upper part tried to focus on me. I¡¯d been a little worried that I hadn¡¯t done enough damage when the blade had only bit a few inches into the body, but that had been enough to cut the spine, taking almost two-thirds of the serpent out of the fight. I crouched behind the three-foot square shield as my opponent tried to petrify me with its only good eye. ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡± Vin landed on its back and wrapped his lower two arms around its throat and yanked backwards. He wove the fingers on his upper two arms together and slammed the fist down on the thing¡¯s skull as he pointed its face towards the sky. ¡°KILL IT!!!¡± Vin gritted his teeth as he strained to hold the monster in place.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. I dropped the shield and as soon as it left my hand, it vanished. That was fine, I wouldn¡¯t need it in a little bit, but it did confirm what I¡¯d feared about summoned weapons. I gripped the sword with both hands and sliced into the basilisk¡¯s throat, spraying green blood all over myself. The blood burned while the basilisk gurgled as it tried to roar. I ignored the pain and sliced again as Vin pulled the head back further. Then again and again and again, until we¡¯d removed the head from the monster¡¯s body. I dropped the sword and staggered as my body finally started losing against the exhaustion now that there wasn¡¯t a threat to fight. Starna grabbed me and pulled my arm over her shoulders to steady me. ¡°You¡¯ll get your clothes bloody.¡± I wanted to pull away, but I had no strength. For a second I thought about taking the strength from her, but she was trying to be nice and that would be rude. ¡°Are you going to prop me up too?¡± Vin grinned as he wiped blood off his face and bare chest. It looked like some of the black fur had started to melt off, leaving a few patches of bare black hide showing. ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t give me magic exhaustion, I would.¡± Starna looked me over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I smiled to try to emphasize my claim, but I was pretty sure that just made me look drunk. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I had the easy job.¡± Starna motioned at her breath freezing as soon as she spoke. ¡°It helped.¡± Vin declared as he ripped a few scales off. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I shook my head. I knew the answer, but I couldn¡¯t believe he was doing that right now. ¡°Trophies.¡± Vin motioned around the city. ¡°How long do you think this will lay here before it gets stripped down? Do you have any idea how much a basilisk is worth?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get some of the guys to haul it to the Ranger¡¯s Station. They¡¯ll make sure you get your cut.¡± Velt limped towards us. ¡°You should get that looked at.¡± I tried to motion at her petrified arm, which almost knock the two of us over. Starna braced to keep us on our feet. ¡°We need to get you cleaned up before you start trying to heal everyone else.¡± ¡°But..!¡± ¡°You can go with her, or I can give you a bath.¡± Vin bounced his eyebrows. ¡°Your choice.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I let my shoulders sag. ¡°Great!¡± Vin turned to the Dwarf. ¡°Where are these boys?¡± Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Chapter 50 Velt let us stay at her house. Vin had to stay in the stable portion of the house since getting Camadt fur everywhere was an easy way to slightly drain her depleted magic. After a few days, it didn¡¯t matter and he could move into the house, but he decided he liked being close to the drakes. His was the only one that made its way back to the stable and he¡¯d gotten quite fond of the belligerent mount. I wasn¡¯t sure what had become of the basilisk corpse, though I told Velt to use my cut to help pay to bring a healer for those who had only been partially petrified. Starna refused to leave me for very long, fussing over everything, though I had a feeling that her hovering had just as much to do with not wanting me to try to aid in the recovery effort as it did her concern about me. While Bollilundr had a larger population of Elves and Humans, it was in Dwarf territory. A representative had been sent from Iron Forge along with a crew to fix the walls and the broken buildings that could be salvaged. They never came to see us, though I had a feeling Velt had a hand in that. She might have downplayed her influence, but the Soberthinker name still had a lot of pull, especially when she¡¯d almost lost an arm defending the city. I looked out over the busy city from the second story window of Velt¡¯s house. It was one of the few buildings in the south west corner that had survived, but that meant that I had a clear view of the recovery efforts. ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡± Starna walked over and leaned against the other side of the window. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°A little over a month ago, I¡¯d never been out of Hepool or seen a monster.¡± She looked down at her hands. ¡°I¡¯ve done more fighting in the last month than I ever thought I¡¯d do in my whole life.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I looked her over. ¡°Did you really think that you¡¯d stay Alessa¡¯s companion for life?¡± ¡°Once uncle Arkun married her, his plan was to stash her in a tower and only bring her out when the public needed to see that she was still alive.¡± Starna shivered. ¡°I was one of the few people he trusted to look after her.¡± ¡°And yet you betrayed him.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Not really.¡± Starna shrugged. ¡°He thought that I would fall in line because he was family, but my loyalty was always to Lessa.¡± She looked embarrassed, yet angry. ¡°That¡¯s why I helped her run.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°So why are you here with me if your loyalty is to my cousin?¡± I smirked as her tanned cheeks flushed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She fidgeted with her hair as she looked back out the window. ¡°Vin and I can handle looking for Master Krav if you want to go back to the capital.¡± She glared at me with a look that dared me to keep going. ¡°No one would blame a mage for not wanting to go to Kazadt.¡± I held up my hands. ¡°Do you want me to go to the capital?¡± There was a hint of sadness in her accusatory tone. ¡°Logically it makes sense.¡± I swallowed, then quickly added. ¡°But I¡¯d miss you.¡± She looked like she didn¡¯t know what to say about that, so she turned to look back out the window. ¡°Storbek is going to be in Crylus in a week. He¡¯s already agreed to take us on the Wind¡¯s Shadow to Kazadt. Talia arranged for him to do some trading over there, which will give us a few weeks to poke around, maybe more.¡± ¡°You said us.¡± I grinned. ¡°I can¡¯t leave you and Vin unsupervised!¡± She lightly slapped my shoulder, then pointed out the window. ¡°Look at the mess the two of you made!¡± ¡°To be fair.¡± I held up a finger. ¡°That was the Agate Senate.¡± I scrunched my brow. ¡°What happened with that?¡± ¡°The Agate Senate is claiming that Finael acted on his own and the other Elves that were with him didn¡¯t know that he didn¡¯t have the authority to bring us in.¡± Starna shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re claiming that they don¡¯t know who the Elementalist was or how Finael got his hands on a basilisk.¡± ¡°At least it¡¯ll probably give Alessa a little breathing room.¡± I leaned against the window sill. ¡°But what if they¡¯re right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡¯ ¡°What if there is someone else out there that was pulling the strings, goading Finael to come after us?¡± The thought seemed far-fetched at best. While I might be a prince and Starna was Alessa¡¯s best friend, neither of us were that important to mess with on the scale of national conspiracy. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Starna shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no way to know for sure if the Agate Senate is missing a basilisk or not, but how else could he get that kind of power?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± I shrugged. ¡°But hopefully that¡¯s the end of it.¡± ¡°Hopefully.¡± Starna pushed off of the wall and started towards the door. ¡°We should head down for dinner, then we can pack up so we can leave in the morning. Even if we don¡¯t have to be at Crylus for a week, it would be better to wait for them there than here.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± I stretched, then followed after her. I hoped the thing with the Agate Senate was over, but there was something in the back of my mind that told me it wasn¡¯t. I hoped I was wrong. Sineater - Book 2 - The First Quest - Epilogue Arkun was barely alive. Whoever had him captive was giving him just enough fluids in that bag by the table that was attached to his arm to keep him alive, but not enough that he could move. King Arkun had tried to count the days, but everything blurred together after a while. Whatever room he was in would be completely dark while his captor wasn¡¯t there, which made it even more difficult to keep up with the days. He couldn¡¯t be sure, but there was a nagging part of his mind that believed that he¡¯d been drugged for multiple days, but even that was hard to remember since the haze obscured everything. The one thing that he did know for sure was that he was a king, though he couldn¡¯t remember what his kingdom was called. The darkness melted away as the door to the room opened and the masked captor walked inside, powering the magic lamps too fast, which burned King Arkun¡¯s eyes going from complete darkness to bright so quickly. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± The captor¡¯s voice sounded happy, though it also sounded a lot farther away than the other side of the room. They had something big in their arms, though by the time he had realized it, his captor had moved it onto a table that he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Such a clean cut!¡± The room started to smell like vinegar as his captor began to fawn over whatever he had brought. ¡°They played their part perfectly!¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. King Arkun coughed as the smell burned his nose. It stung his eyes worse than onions, causing precious fluids to start to seep out. Fluids that he couldn¡¯t wipe away because his hands were restrained on the bed that he was strapped to. ¡°They ruined the eyes though¡­¡± The captor shrugged as he moved in front of the room and began rooting around the many vials that were stacked on shelves that lined the walls. There were more chemicals in this room than King Arkun could remember there being in the royal alchemy vault. King Arkun closed his eyes tightly as a new wave of burn washed over him. ¡°Found it!¡± The captor lifted up a tubular vial in one hand. It was impossible for King Arkun to tell what color the liquid was, his eyes were watering too much. ¡°W¡­ Wh¡­?¡± His throat was so dry, yet his eyes were watering so much. It didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°You want to know what I¡¯m doing?¡± The captor walked over to him and patted his cheek. ¡°Trust me, I have big plans for you, but first I need to preserve this head. I can¡¯t have it going bad before the big event!¡± King Arkun tried to follow the other person, but his head could only stretch so far. He fell back against the bed, that little bit of effort had been enough to stir up exhaustion. Sleep began to stalk him, though the king fought it. He needed answers almost as badly as he needed more fluids and more sustenance than what was being pumped into his veins. Unfortunately, the captor took too long, or maybe he was just too tired. King Arkun drifted off to sleep before he saw the captor. Next time he¡¯d do better. He let his mind drift off as sleep completely claimed him. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 1 It was easier to walk than ride in the wagon. As a prince, some would think it undignified to walk, but I¡¯d known about that title for just over a month. Then the rest of my life I¡¯d been Sectum Irongut, the adopted son of the Dwarf smuggler Garm Irongut. We¡¯d sailed the seas, sneaking goods the Elves deemed illegal to various races who needed medicine or items for their species¡¯ rituals or traditions. I looked over at my traveling companions. The four-armed, black-furred, seven-foot-tall feline man was wrestling with a drake the size of a horse. Dwarves preferred Ibex as mounts, and Humans and Elves preferred horses, which left a small demand for the rideable reptiles. It had been our only mount to survive the Basilisk attack on Bollilundr and Vin had decided to use part of his reward money to buy the stubborn thing. ¡°Why YOU!¡± My brother managed to scream before the two of them started wrestling again, tumbling on the dirty road. Starna let out a chuckle from behind the wagon. ¡°I¡¯d bite you too if I had to carry you in this heat.¡± The tanned Elf woman was our party¡¯s Mage. The brunette had been my cousin¡¯s companion, growing up next to her with the charge of using her magic to protect the princess. Except Starna Shellock had used those lessons to help get Alessa to us. We almost got away, but everything worked out in the end, with Alessa on the throne and her enemies expelled from the city. ¡°I think they¡¯re both bored.¡± I sped up a little so I could walk alongside the open wagon. They were transporting bricks to Crylus, the port town where, in the morning, we were supposed to meet Storbeck, the Minotaur Captain of the Wind¡¯s Shadow, a ship we¡¯d captured from pirates while fleeing with Alessa. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. There wasn¡¯t much risk of bandits attacking a wagon train full of bricks, but even so, I was trying to stay alert. There were plenty of monsters in the world that would love the chance at an easy meal. I had a feeling Vin would love to educate them on how wrong that assessment would be. ¡°Plus, he¡¯s going to be in a bad mood once we get there. Storbeck is NEVER going to let that thing¡ª¡± ¡°NIPPER!¡± My brother cut me off as he shouted out the mount¡¯s name from the dust cloud that somehow was keeping up with the slow wagons. ¡°You know you¡¯re going to have to stable her!¡± I yelled at the cloud. Every so often I¡¯d see some black fur or green scales. The laughter coming out of the cloud made it hard to be concerned for either of them. I shook my head and turned back to the beautiful woman that had the grace to put up with me considering it included my brother¡¯s antics. ¡°Since we¡¯re not being chased by pirates and bounty hunters this time, I¡¯d like to show you around. I¡¯ve been to Crylus enough that I know where a pretty good theater is. Before she could say anything, the dust cloud vanished, with Nipper pinned under my brother. He was breathing hard enough that he had to pause before he could speak. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s a couples-only place tonight!¡± The deep blue blush in Starna¡¯s cheeks moved up to the tips of her ears. I shrugged. ¡°So?¡± ¡°So what am I going to do?¡± He smirked. ¡°Maestra Holly goes on a six on Fridays. That gives me less than an hour to get cleaned up and find a date!¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± I turned to the blushing Elf. ¡°So what do you think? We go get you a nice dress, then have a nice and quiet meal while listening to the best Siren this side of the Naledzar Mountains?¡± I expected a positive or embarrassed reaction out of her, but instead her squeal turned into a scream as she pointed behind me. ¡°SECTUM!! WOLVES!¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 2 The pack was too large to be natural. Most packs were under ten, and while I¡¯d heard of wolf packs of up to thirty, there was almost double that coming out of the trees. Thankfully, we were on the road with short grass around us, so we didn¡¯t have to worry about being ambushed. The wolves were also all behind the caravan, which was too odd that predators would rush at the defenders first instead of going for the unprotected horses seven wagons ahead of us. I pulled my sword off the scabbard on my back and pointed at the wave of teeth and claws rushing towards us. ¡°Vin, Starna! Hold them off the best you can. I¡¯m going to the fro- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?¡± I ran up to the Human driver of the wagon Starna had just hopped out of. The old man shook his head as he looked down at me. ¡°I know you¡¯re a sea boy, but when something attacks a wagon train on land, you circle up.¡± I looked around, but there was nothing out of the ordinary other than the wolves had slowed down. What he said made sense, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that circling the wagons was exactly what whoever was behind the wolf pack wanted us to do. ¡°We¡¯ve got to keep going.¡± I pointed up the road. ¡°That¡¯s the Wagon Boss¡¯ call, not mine.¡± The old man shrugged, then slapped the reins.. ¡°Yah!¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± I ran to the front of the caravan, but by the time I reached the pig-faced Ogra in charge, the wagons were already in a circle. ¡°You¡¯ve got to keep going!¡± I pointed at the wolves, which had stopped shy of the reach of Starna¡¯s spells. ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± The green Ogre shook his head, his tusk swaying. ¡°You might be a prince, but this is a land fight.¡± He started to pat my shoulder, but froze before he made contact and pulled his hand back. As a Sineater, I could take wounds, pain, and other ailments from people. Something that was starting to get around was that I was also a Singiver, so I could drain someone¡¯s life force, or give them any wounds I had with just a touch. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I¡¯d had to use my singiving to defeat my uncle, who had gone mad from sineating the lifefore out of rodents and bugs for almost fifteen years. The battle had been witnessed by too many Elves, so it was inevitable that I¡¯d be able to keep my powers a secret for long. ¡°Someone is controlling those wolves!¡± I pointed at where the whole pack was pacing in a semicircle behind the wagon circle. ¡°You need to keep moving!¡± ¡°Anyone who can control that many monsters is strong enough to rob much better trains.¡± A Goblin sneezed as he loaded a second crossbow. The smaller yellow man with slick black hair smiled. ¡°Plus, isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re here?¡± For a brief moment I thought about how if I drained one of them, it might motivate the rest to follow my orders, but intimidation only works to a point and I¡¯d rather not have to watch my back the rest of the trip because I strong-armed a driver. There were three Humans, two Orcs, a Goblin, an Ogre, and a Sively in our little train. There was little love between Humans and most of the other races and the Orcs were just as likely to cheer if I tried to intimidate the Ogre than they were to fall in line. The hairless, orange-skinned humanoid with black, leathery wings were some of our main competition in the smuggling business, with most of their contracts coming from Goblin sources. They also enjoyed a good fight, so he¡¯d be more likely to attack me for entertainment than be intimidated. ¡°Fine.¡± I shook my head and walked back to my companions. ¡°They¡¯re not attacking.¡± Vin pointed at the treeline almost 300 feet away. ¡°I saw someone over there. They had pointy ears.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too helpful.¡± I mused. Tefira was a prison planet where the High Elf Alliance sent all of its undesirables. Since the EMF of the planet killed anything electronic and an Anti-projection field kept a mage that was Master rank or lower from teleporting off-world, anyone who ended up here, stayed here. There were colonies of every race in the Universe on a planet that housed twelve native races itself. The list of the races that had Elf-like features was too long to list. ¡°I guess we should go introduce ourselves.¡± I turned to Starna. ¡°As soon as Vin is far enough away, cast a barrier over the caravan. I don¡¯t want someone sneaking up on you while we¡¯re chasing down the handler.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± I held up my hand. ¡°We need to go after the handler and they need a bubble.¡± I pointed at the circle behind us. ¡°Vin will destroy the barrier just by being here, so he has to go. You have to stay to maintain the barrier if it comes under attack.¡± I looked between the two of them. ¡°The only question is where am I going and I¡¯ll be more useful with Vin.¡± I grabbed Starna¡¯s hand and pulled her close. There was enough anxiety in her blue and gold eyes that I only kissed her on the forehead. I pulled back and grinned. ¡°For luck.¡± The innocent woman was breathing as hard as if I¡¯d kissed her on the lips. She leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. ¡°For luck.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 3 The wolves attacked the moment we charged. They were normal wolves, which was like throwing a puppy at my brother. His skin was as tough as dragonhide. Maybe if there¡¯d been a dire wolf, an alpha wolf, or even a hellhound we might have been concerned, but this was going to be a one-sided fight. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the wolves!¡± I pointed at the forest. ¡°Catch the handler and we can end this.¡± I swung my sword at the first wolf that pounced at me. Its head came off in one slice. I punched the next one in the nose with my left fist, dodged another, and ran my sword through the fourth like a pike. ¡°GET OFF ME!¡± My brother looked like an uncle that was carrying around a mob of nieces and nephews as he ran through the pack. He had three wolves on his back, one biting each leg and his two lower arms. He was using his upper arms to pull the canine¡¯s off, but as soon as he removed one, two more were ready to latch on. Vin fell down as he tried to kick off one of the wolves on his right leg and lost his balance. His jeans were ripped off, leaving him wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Nipper tackled a wolf and pinned it to the ground, ripping a chunk out of its throat. She looked over at me and gave me the closest thing to a smile that a reptile with the intelligence of a dog could, then charged into the fray. I shook my head and knocked another wolf out of my way. I grabbed the next one by the throat and drained it just enough to knock it out. I threw the unconscious canine at another wolf, then sidestepped the next lunge. Most of the wolves were creating a dogpile on my half-naked brother, which gave me a mostly clear path to the woods. ¡°You got this!¡± I grabbed another wolf and pinned it to the ground, draining it just enough to knock it out and give me a little more energy. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Seck! Don¡¯t you dare leave me!¡± My brother sat up and pulled a wolf off his face. ¡°I swear! I¡¯ll bring a Gorgon to dinner!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Talia you said that about her!¡± I waved at him as I folded the stolen power into my legs. Our snakeless Gorgon boss was a Mage, but she had scared Vin when we were little and the Camadt still gave her a wide berth despite her magic having no effect on him. ¡°SECK!¡± The rest of the insult was buried under a mound of fur. The wolves could smother him, but I doubted they would be able to. Plus, if the situation got too dire, I was sure that Starna would throw a spell at him. The magic wouldn¡¯t hurt him and it would get rid of the wolves. ¡°Alright.¡± I took off towards the woods. I was running faster than Elf as I breezed by the wolves. Almost a dozen peeled off and chased after me, but they weren¡¯t fast enough to keep up. I left the wolves behind as I reached the trees, but I didn¡¯t slow down. Something big was crashing through the underbrush and it was a lot darker inside the forest than it should have been for noon. I came to a stop and looked around in the artificial darkness. ¡°You might as well surrender.¡± I pointed at my brother. ¡°That Camadt isn¡¯t going to take long to finish off your wolves and when he does, he¡¯ll be coming for you!¡± I heard a twig snap to my left and sidestepped as I turned around with my sword in both hands. There wasn¡¯t an attack, just more nighttime-level darkness. ¡°If you surrender, I promise not to kill you!¡± I slowly started rotating. The wolves had almost caught up. While I could still fight in the trees, it was a lot easier to swing a sword in the open grassland. ¡°You think to win, young Human?¡± The owner of the deep voice pushed down a dead tree, which I easily avoided, though it cut off the eastern escape route. I turned to the south where the voice had originated. ¡°If you¡¯re so sure you can win, then why don¡¯t you face me?¡± Hooves knocked down the underbrush as an ashen Centaur trotted through the darkness. ¡°I don¡¯t have to challenge you.¡± His backside was very naked, which left me thankful for the darkness.¡±I just have to keep you here.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 4 It was a trap. I¡¯d known that the wolves were a distraction, but we were stuck with a wagon circle until the trap got sprung, so I¡¯d poked it. For a moment, I thought about running back to Starna, but that would mean leaving my back exposed to a decent mage. If I wanted to help her, I¡¯d need to finish this, but as I reasoned it out, there were few beings that would be able to break through a proficient level mage¡¯s barrier in a short amount of time. Plus, Starna was fully capable of handling herself in a fight. I waved my sword. ¡°You want to keep me here?¡± I slid it into the scabbard on my back. ¡°Then talk.¡± The quadruped glared at me. ¡°You keep company with that abomination and think to make demands of Hikar Windrun!¡± He snorted. ¡°Windrun¡­¡± I let his family name play around in my head. I snapped my fingers. ¡°Isn¡¯t your family one of the arms of that protects Queen Temara?¡± The man-horse narrowed his gaze. ¡°Keep my queen¡¯s name out of your mouth.¡± He glanced at where Vin was still wrestling with the wolves. Most people would have thought the screams he was unleashing were him panicking and in pain, but that was just how he laughed. My brother was having a blast. ¡°I¡¯ve never met your people.¡± I leaned against a tree opposite the male. At least that way one of his wolves wouldn¡¯t be able to sneak up on me. ¡°As I said, you are fortunate it is not you I am after.¡± He folded his arms in front of him. ¡°RIght.¡± I jabbed my thumb towards my brother. ¡°But this is as far inland as Vin has been since he was six.¡± I studied the Centaur for a reaction. ¡°I mean, I know he can be a bit much¡ª¡± ¡°He is an abomination and must be destroyed!¡± The mage oozed more magic out, sending an order to the wolves.¡± I sighed. ¡°You know that¡¯s never going to work. Camadt hide is too thick¡­¡± I held up the pendant on my neck. ¡°I¡¯m Prince Sectum Malus Irongut.¡± I pointed in the direction of the wolf pile. ¡°That¡¯s my brother and since you¡¯re part of the Centaur leadership, that makes this an act of war.¡± I lowered the golden pendant. ¡°Take your wolves and walk away and I promise to forget that this ever happened.¡± I was supposed to be trying for more peaceful solutions. A few months ago, I would have neutralized him as a threat and brought him back to the ship for the others to interrogate. Between a Camadt, Ogre, Cyclops, and Werecrocodile, most beings started talking real fast. All four races had a reputation for cannibalism and it didn¡¯t take much of their poor acting to convince the prisoner that withholding information would lead to them being eaten alive. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I¡¯d never seen any of them eat someone, though I knew that everyone on the ship had a checkered past of some sort. My father had an eye for broken people that needed just a little care to make whole again. The man-horse didn¡¯t look fazed at the declaration. He trotted closer. ¡°You underestimate who has the power. If it were not for my honor¡ª¡± I pushed off the tree and sidestepped to the right. A Centaur couldn¡¯t kick to the side and while they could stomp, most preferred to kick with their hind legs, since the attack would be more powerful. The larger man began to rotate with me, proving I¡¯d been correct about him being right handed. In the heat of the moment, he¡¯d tried to keep his dominant side towards me. Since my opponent was a beast tamer, I took a chance that he¡¯d resort to instinct, not that I wasn¡¯t prepared to dodge one of the sharp as blade hooves. I moved faster than he twisted, slapping my left hand on his rump as he tried to bowl me over, but the physical contact was all I needed. The man-horse stumbled and fell over. I backed up to keep him from falling on me, and put my right hand on the back of his neck, draining him as his thrashing grew weaker by the second. I pulled the knife off my belt once he stopped struggling and pressed the blade against his neck. ¡°Call off the dogs.¡± His yellow eyes hardened as he strained to glare at me. ¡°Sin¡­¡± I flicked his forehead with my other hand. ¡°Yes, I know what I am.¡± I palmed his brow and pulled, exposing his neck even more. ¡°Look, I¡¯m trying to not turn this into a whole thing. Call off the dogs.¡± A howl from deeper in the woods sent out an order to the wolves. I turned to see if they were retreating, but instead of running away, every remaining wolf charged at the wagon circle. ¡°The¡­ Impure¡­¡± I didn¡¯t care to listen to a speech from the Twelve, the group of Elves that advocated for racial purity. I used my ability to pull enough energy out of him that his eyes rolled back into his head. He¡¯d be unconscious for days unless he had some sort of enhanced recovery that I wasn¡¯t aware of Centaurs possessing. I stood up and used my burst of energy to start running towards the wagon circle. The wolves weren¡¯t there, but I could see that they were already fighting under the dome. ¡°VIN!¡± A deep howl made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I looked at the treeline farther east and watched an alpha-sized dire wolf walk out of the woods. The monster was bigger than a mother grizzly bear and looked at me like I¡¯d just kicked her cub. I amended the shout I¡¯d been about to give. ¡°I¡¯ve got the caravan! Take care of that wolf!¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 5 I stopped trying to take it easy. Every wolf I reached, I zapped with my power, making me just a little stronger and dropping them like a tranquilizer. Starna was in the middle of a magic duel with one of the Humans, which let me know that she wasn¡¯t a Human. Humanity had been able to use magic for almost two thousand years, which meant she was either a Sineater or a Succubus. While the thought of finding someone else like me made my heart speed up, I knew that it was far more likely that she was half Succubus. The temptation demons would have children that looked like the father, regardless of the race the mother took after. The Dark Legion used them as assassins, training a generation of Succubi and Incubi that looked like other races to infiltrate and gain positions of power. Using a Human for a template was a great way to get the majority of the Universe to underestimate you. While Earth was sealed away from outside influence, there were plenty of colonies of Humans scattered throughout the Universe. Even here, Humans were regarded as the weakest of races, but that didn¡¯t answer the question of why the caravan was being attacked. The Twelve wouldn¡¯t knowingly work with a Succubus, since they were all about purity. I could see the Sively working for the Goblin, especially since the two were hunkered behind the same wagon, but the small, yellow-skinned man was shooting at the other woman. I knocked out a few more wolves as I pushed my way to the front of the pack. There were just over a dozen left by the time I reached the barrier. ¡°Starna! Make a hole!¡± I didn¡¯t stop running as a three foot circle appeared in the barrier in front of me. I dove through the opening and rolled to a crouch beside the lovely Elf. Thuds and screams reached my ears as the wolves were unable to repeat my maneuver. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Starna pointed her staff over the top of the wagon and blasted a cone of ice at the other mage. Half the horses were dead and the other half were kicking the barrier from the inside, trying to get out. Our driver was one of the casualties as were both Orcs. The Ogre was fighting the Sively and didn¡¯t look like he was going to last much longer. The youngest Human, he wasn¡¯t even eighteen, was hiding under the wagon in front of us. Starna had encased the other side with ice, making it the safest place he could hide. ¡°Centaur in the woods. Vin is handling the Alpha!¡± I looked around. ¡°What happened here?¡± Starna ducked down. ¡°Quiggy was smuggling gold out of Bollilundr. Nheglek demanded he surrender the gold. When the shooting started, Francine made a barrier to deflect a stray bolt. Brahmin called her Tempest and said something about a bounty, so she killed him and started shooting at me!¡± I looked down at our dead driver as I tried to figure out who was a friend and who was a foe. ¡°QUIGGY! STOP SHOOTING AT THE MAGE!¡± I put my hand on Starna¡¯s shoulder and sent some of my stolen energy to her. Her eyes widened as the rush of vitality filled her. ¡°You good?¡± I looked into her blue and gold eyes. She nodded. ¡°Why stop returning fire?¡± ¡°Because NHEGLEK IS WORKING WITH THE TWELVE!¡± I raised my voice. ¡°THAT MAKES US THE ALLY OF THE SUCCUBI RIGHT NOW!¡± I looked over at the fight between the Ogre and the Sively. ¡°I¡¯m serious Quibbly!¡± Two crossbow bolts landed in the wood of our wagon as an answer. I shook my head. ¡°I tried¡­¡± I glanced over at the young woman hiding two wagons clockwise from us. She had shifted closer to us, but wasn¡¯t attacking. I held up my hand for her to stop. Just because we didn¡¯t have a reason to attack her right now didn¡¯t mean that she might not be trying to collect the bounty the Agate Senate had out on us. ¡°Keep an eye on Tempest.¡± I looked over at the fight. ¡°I¡¯m going to go end this before our lead gets killed. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 6 Crossbows were easy enough to dodge. Whizz, our Goblin navigator, had gotten Vin and me a pair for Ogna, which was an Ogre holiday, but we hadn¡¯t cared since there had been presents. The bolts had rubber tips, which served two functions. First, it was easy for one of our aquatic crew mates to find the floating white projectiles when they were shot off the side of the ship and second, they didn¡¯t hurt when we managed to hit one another. Unlike bows, which could fire arrows as fast as the archer could draw, someone with a crossbow had to point it at the ground to reload it, then re-aim once they picked it back up. That left huge windows when my opponent was defenseless. I vaulted over the wagon and charged across the open area. Most of the fighting had happened inside the circle, but it wasn¡¯t hard to weave around the two dead Orcs. ¡°DRIAR!¡± Quiggly squeaked as he fumbled with his weapon. The Sively turned to see why his boss was yelling, but the distraction was all Nheglek needed to grab the orange man¡¯s wing and slam his opponent face-first into the ground. The Ogre was on his back a moment later and the two began grappling as they rolled on the other side of the wagons. While Sively were large, their frames were very light, so it would be an even match until the Ogre was able to break a bone, then it would be Nheglek¡¯s fight to lose. Quiggly threw the unloaded crossbow at me, which I swatted out of the way. The Goblin tried to lift the other crossbow, but before he could aim, I slid over the bricks and kicked him in the head. I landed on top of the smaller man, grabbed his left wrist to stop him from stabbing me with the dagger it held. I used the physical contact to drain him enough to knock him out. The pair were still tussling, so I walked over and leaned against the wagon next to them and watched. All it would take was one touch to knock one of them out, but it would be a lot easier to subdue the second one if they were both tired. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Glass shattered as Vin walked through the barrier. He was breathing hard and had more red on him than black, but most of the blood didn¡¯t look like it was his. He let out a growl that stopped the struggling as both men looked up at the larger man. Vin used his upper arms to grab both of their heads and knock them together. ¡°Were you taking bets?¡± My brother dropped the unconscious bodies on the ground. I shrugged. ¡° The fight was over, I was just letting them get the struggling out of their system.¡± My brother eyed me. ¡°Which one¡¯s the badguy?¡± ¡°Both¡­¡± I sighed and walked over to them. A simple touch evened out their wounds, then I touched my brother. Cracks formed on my skin as the cuts he¡¯d earned from alpha transferred to me. ¡°Remember to-¡± ¡°Leave the scars.¡± I cut him off as I started bleeding on the grass. After fourteen years of using my ability, I¡¯d started to get used to the pain, but that didn¡¯t mean that it didn¡¯t still hurt. ¡°I know. You want to be able to woo the women with tales of how you almost died.¡± My brother laughed. ¡°You do the same thing! It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t keep the scars too!¡± I glanced over at Starna, who was talking to Tempest. I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t need them.¡± I moved my hand off my almost healed brother and put it on both men¡¯s chests. ¡°There¡¯s an Arm for the Centaur Queen over in the woods.¡± I nodded where I¡¯d left the tamer. ¡°You were his main target. What did you do?¡± The smile my brother flashed me told me he knew exactly what the man-horse had been upset about. ¡°She was old enough to be my mom!¡± He laughed as he took off. I shook my head. My brother had philandered with a member of the Centaur royal family. Probably the Queen¡¯s sister since the princess was half our age and a cousin wouldn¡¯t be enough of an embarrassment to get caught with a Camadt. I didn¡¯t want to know when he¡¯d found the time to run into a Centaur Princess, but it didn¡¯t surprise me. He was dangerous enough to check the ¡®badboy¡¯ box and exotic enough that all he had to do was smile to make most women swoon. I finished transferring the wounds to the two men, then stood up and headed for Starna. It was time to see if I could get some answers. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 7 Tempest was nervous. For a Succubus operative, I found that to be very out of character. They could release a pheromone that would relax people, which they tended to use the moment they needed something. The fact that I wasn¡¯t feeling her charm let me know she either didn¡¯t think she needed to use it or that it wouldn¡¯t work. ¡°Thank you.¡± The blonde woman gave a slight bow. She cast a glance over at the wagon that was blocking our view of the Goblin. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still alive.¡± I peeked under the wagon. ¡°George was it?¡± The boy nodded as he crawled out from under the wagon.. ¡°Grab what horses you can and get them hooked up to the wagons.¡± I looked at the mess. Tempest was an air mage, and Starna specialized in ice, so the wagons were mostly intact. If they¡¯d been fire, electric, or one of the other more destructive specialties, most of the wagons would have been destroyed. I looked at the Succubus. ¡°There¡¯s a bounty out for you too?¡¯ The woman looked down at Starna¡¯s hand, then back at me. Her golden eyes threatened to swallow me as she hit me with the most powerful blast of lust that I¡¯d ever felt. I slapped my hand on the rump of the horse that George walked up with and dumped all of the magic into the stallion. The horse bolted, giving chase to the other horses. George flinched and gave me a worried look, but I just shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Miss Temptress was just showing me what she could do.¡± I motioned at the running horse. ¡°Could you cancel it please, so George can do what I asked.¡± The older woman¡¯s shoulders sagged and she waved her hand in the direction of the stallion. It staggered like a drunk as it tried to come to terms with the sudden missing libido. ¡°You can¡¯t fault a young woman for trying¡­¡± The blonde smirked as she hugged herself.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°You!¡± Starna turned a dark blue and lifted her hand, then looked at me, confusion all over her face. Her blush got deeper as she turned back to the other woman. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you tried that!¡± The slap wasn¡¯t that impressive. I knew Starna could have put more force in it, but what got my attention was the golden tattoo around her ring finger. A tattoo that hadn¡¯t been there this morning. ¡°A baby could tell that¡¯s just a promise.¡± The older woman rubbed the green color that was filling her pale cheek. She chuckled. ¡°A quick defense against my kind, but it only protects the mage.¡± The blonde looked at me. ¡°Sineaters are as strong as they say.¡± She held up her hands. ¡°No hard feelings?¡± I shook my head and turned to my brother, who had just arrived with the Centaur over his shoulders. ¡°Vin, put the tamer on the wagon and¡­¡± I turned to the Succubus. ¡°Bite her.¡± Vin¡¯s eyes lit up as he tossed the unconscious man-horse onto the wagon. ¡°All RIGHT!¡± ¡°WAIT!¡± The blonde tried to conjure a spell, but the moment Vin¡¯s hand grabbed her arm, the magic in her died. ¡°Please! No! It was just a test! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± I shook my head. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t attacked me, then we could have been allies, but now, I can¡¯t trust you.¡± I nodded at my brother. ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°NO!!!¡± She shrieked and thrashed as my brother bit into her shoulder. He made sure to dig his nails into her skin, leaving twenty small holes in her arms. Vin licked the wound on her left shoulder, then switched to her right and bit down again. He held her in his mouth longer than he had to for effect, then released her. She fell to the ground sobbing. I knelt down next to her and touched her hand, using my ability to scab over the wounds so she¡¯d stop bleeding, but mainly so that my brother¡¯s saliva would stay inside the wound for a little while. There was a rumor that a Camadt¡¯s bite would kill a mage outright. What it really did was neutralize their ability to use magic. A powerless mage didn¡¯t live long, so the few who did survive after being bitten hyped up the story. Mana depletion was also very disorienting and most mages would be completely useless while under its effects. I grabbed the back of her head and laid her down on the grass, then rolled her over and tied her hands. Once the unconscious woman was restrained, I picked her up and put her on the wagon next to the unconscious Centaur. I turned around and saw Vin pointing at Starna¡¯s left hand. Thankfully he wasn¡¯t touching her, but the amusement that was plastered on his face promised mischief. ¡°I was gone for two minutes!¡± My brother smirked. ¡°When did you get engaged?¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 8 Starna turned blue. ¡°I-I¡­ It was-!¡± ¡°L-o-v-e.¡± My brother mimicked a kissy face. ¡°The Succubus tried to charm her.¡± I smacked the Camadt between his ears. ¡°It was the only way for her to ward off the charm.¡± I looked turned to the brunette Elf. ¡°It was smart.¡± ¡°How were you not¡­¡± Her tanned skin flushed more as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her long ear. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time one of them has tried to charm me.¡± I pointed at the stallion that was doing a masterful job of staying away from George. Vin held his sides with all four arms as he cackled. ¡°You dumped all your lust into the horse!¡± ¡°Yes, now go help George round up all the horses so we can get out of here.¡± I pointed at the struggling boy. ¡°But I haven¡¯t got to sing the kissing song yet!¡± The large feline cackled as he ran off after the work animals. I shook my head as I turned to Starna. ¡°Ignore him.¡± I touched her hand and looked at the enchantment she¡¯d placed on herself. Around the same time as we were in the middle of the Great War on Tefira, the Succubi had launched a campaign to overthrow the High Elf Alliance in the Universe. By accident, it had been discovered that having a mage magically seal two people together in what had been considered an ancient tradition of ¡®soulbinding¡¯ made the two people immune to a Succubi¡¯s charm. Elves in any leadership position were required to be soulbound to prevent something like that from ever happening again. A mage couldn¡¯t cast it on themself and another person, nor would it take hold on someone who wasn¡¯t willing. To give single mages a means to protect themselves, a variation of the spell was refined that would allow the mage to bind themselves to someone else as a type of proposal. It warded off most charms and could be broken by a simple refusal by the target of their promise.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to leave some of the wagons.¡± I pointed at Quiggly¡¯s wagon. ¡°It¡¯s probably safe to assume that Nheglek and the Orcs weren¡¯t carrying contraband. Those should be the first three we ditch.¡± ¡°I can fuse the wagons together with ice. We¡¯ll move slower, but we won''t have to leave anything behind that way.¡± She looked away from me. ¡°Hey¡­¡± I touched her chin to turn her to look at me. Her golden eyes seemed to have more blue flecks in them. ¡°Are you worried about the spell?¡± I smiled. ¡°I can find a mage in Crylus to link it, if you want.¡± Strana hesitated before she answered. ¡°Is that what you want?¡± I pulled her into a quick hug and kissed the top of her head. That was already bordering on giving Vin more ammunition to tease her with. I looked down at her. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m here to see where this goes. You aren¡¯t a fling and I have a feeling this is going to be a permanent thing.¡± I felt her pulse quicken. ¡°But it¡¯s also really easy to let the rush carry you too fast without realizing it.¡± I squeezed her, then let her go. ¡°So I¡¯ll make sure to take things slow enough that you can make sure it¡¯s what you want.¡± I¡¯d seen my brother use that initial rush to woo more women than I cared to remember. It was great if all you wanted was something to burn bright, burn out, and then move on to the next surge. But for something that was going to last, a foundation needed to be built and we still had plenty to do. ¡°It¡¯s just, you¡¯re a prince and I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Beautiful, smart, a powerful mage, the queen¡¯s best friend?¡± I smirked. ¡°And you don¡¯t need any of them to justify staying by my side.¡± ¡°There¡¯s just a lot of implications that we have to consider.¡± Starna took a deep breath. ¡°I can abdicate any claim to the throne.¡± I waved my hand at the grassland and the forest. ¡°I''ve been around the world¡­¡± I tried to remember how many times, but we¡¯d never made an actual trip to circle the planet in one go. It¡¯d always been from port to port. ¡°A lot.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Growing up on a ship taught me that you can live anywhere, especially if it¡¯s with the people you care about.¡± Starna¡¯s face got bluer as she bit her lip, then she let out the breath she¡¯d been holding. ¡°Fine, you rogue.¡± She turned to the wagons. ¡°Now help me get these wagons lined up.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 9 We rode into Crylus as the sun was going down. With only George to help us, we¡¯d each had to drive a wagon. The horse refused to obey my brother, so Nipper had been lashed to one of the wagon pairs. The drake proved smart enough to know what it was supposed to be doing and strong enough to pull a pair of wagons by itself. We¡¯d doubled up all the wagons and thankfully the two without drivers were trained enough that they stayed on the road. We had three extra horses, nine of them had either run away or been killed by wolves. Guards in golden armor ran out to meet us, pikes at the ready as we approached the main gate. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± A decorated Elf with a sword at his hip pushed his way through the semi-circle to address us. I hopped off the wagon I was on and ran up to the lead wagon. George was in front with an empty wagon between him and Starna. There was a wagon between me and Starna and then Vin had been behind me. ¡°I am ambassador Starna Shellock of the Malus Kingdom.¡± The brunette pulled a pendant of a golden hand out of her shirt. ¡°Crylus is still part of the Malus Kingdom, is it not?¡± The golden Elf¡¯s white eyes narrowed. An Elf¡¯s eyes proclaimed what power they held and white eyes meant he had none. ¡°Crylus is ruled by the Golden Senate.¡± The Captain looked at me. ¡°And this looks like bandits to me.¡± He turned back to Starna. ¡°How do I know you didn¡¯t kill the ambassador?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Look, we can play the ¡®I don¡¯t know who you are¡¯ game all night, but I¡¯m tired and we¡¯ve got criminals here that need to be processed.¡± I nodded at the Goblin and Sively. ¡°Those two were smuggling gold out of Bollilundr.¡± I turned to the wagon where the Ogre and Centaur were. ¡°Those two are working for the Twelve and tried to kill us while robbing Quiggly.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The Captain eyed me. ¡°When has working for the Twelve been a crime?¡± He ground his teeth. ¡°Without them we wouldn¡¯t have the little civility that we have now.¡± ¡°The Twelve tried to assassinate Queen Alessa and have openly waged a war against the Sineaters. That makes them the enemy of the Malus Empire.¡± I leaned against the wagon. ¡°Last I checked, none of the Senates swore allegiance to the Twelve.¡± I looked around at the guards. ¡°Has that changed?¡± The Captain chewed on his cheek for a moment, then walked right up to my face. ¡°Why are you speaking for the ambassador?¡± I grinned and held up my hands in surrender. ¡°Sorry, I was just trying to help.¡± The Captain grabbed my arm as I started to back up. ¡°I asked you a question. Who are you?¡± I thought about draining him, but there was enough tension already. I pulled out my own pendant, except mine was set with a ruby. The gaudy thing was only two inches tall, but it was recognizable enough that all the soldiers snapped to attention. ¡°Prince Sectum Malus Irongut.¡± I smiled as the Captain backed up and slammed his fist on his chest to salute. ¡°It¡¯s too late for formality.¡± I waved for him to stop. ¡°Just help me get this taken care of.¡± The Elf snapped and motioned for the soldiers to take the wagons. They froze when my brother hopped down and started untying Nipper. ¡°He¡¯s with us.¡± I glared at my brother, who was making menacing looks at the soldiers. ¡°Ignore him.¡± Starna agreed as she threw her own glare at my brother. The beautiful Elf started to say something else, but stopped herself. The Captain nodded slowly and motioned for the soldiers to continue. ¡°Captain Aegos Lungali of the Golden Guard.¡± He took off his helmet, letting his short green hair be seen. ¡°I can book the pig and horse for an attack on the crown, but it is not illegal for them to be part of the Twelve.¡± He sighed. ¡°And as they are not a public group, we are not at war with them.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Works for me.¡± I turned around and reached for the Succubus. ¡°Was she with them?¡± The Captain took a step back as my brother walked up beside his drake. I glanced over at Starna, concern all over her face, but her obvious opinion didn¡¯t change my own. ¡°No.¡± I picked up the unconscious woman and threw her over my shoulder like a bag of grain. ¡°She¡¯s with us.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 10 The Embassy didn¡¯t stop us from entering. Vin peeled away to stable Nipper, then he was going to look for a date for the evening event. There was less than an hour before we needed to be at the theater, but Captain Lungali had sent a guard to make sure there was a table reserved for us. My brother had to use special accommodations because his very presence would disrupt the magical energy that was used to power the lights and appliances. There was a place for workers to stay in the barn loft, which would keep him from disrupting too many things. The Embassy had its own wing for the royal family to use, which was far nicer than any accommodations that I¡¯d ever stayed in while traveling. Granted, I almost always slept on the ship, so even the local hotel was going to be better. Starna sent the staff away, giving us the whole wing to ourselves. Once we made our way to the second story where the three bedrooms were, I went into the second largest room and dropped Tempest on the bed. ¡°Why did you bring her?¡± There was a hint of jealousy mixed with the concern in Starna¡¯s voice. I dusted off my hands and turned to my Elf companion. ¡°I know she attacked us, but¡­¡± I glanced at the unconscious woman before turning back to Starna. ¡°If I would have handed her over, the moment that Quibbly woke up, she would have been outed, if not sooner.¡± I took her hand as we walked out of the room. ¡°Instinct is a powerful thing and if she tried her luck out of self preservation, then I¡¯d rather not have her be killed.¡± Starna¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What are you going to do to her?¡± ¡°If she¡¯s innocent?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Let her go.¡± I wiggled my fingers in her hand. ¡°If not, then there¡¯s no reason to leave that dangerous of an enemy alive.¡± The tanned woman nodded, then pulled me towards the main room. ¡°There should be a wardrobe here that has things to fit the royal family. Starna and I¡¯ve never been here, but I should be able to fit into some of you aunt¡¯s¡­¡± I stopped at the doorway, my fingers slipping out of hers as she turned around. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Flashes of memories came flooding back as I remembered coming to this room with my cousin. The crate of toy wagons and ships was still in the corner where we¡¯d left it. There wasn¡¯t a speck of dust in the room, so I knew things weren¡¯t exactly like they had been when I¡¯d been here fifteen years ago. I wouldn¡¯t be able to remember the exact placement even if they had, but the flashes brought a tear to my eye. I wiped the water away and smiled at the woman whose face was starting to wear concern every time she looked at me. ¡°Sorry, this isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve been here.¡± I blinked as I shook away the memory fragments. ¡°Still getting used to being able to remember before Dad rescued me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± She glanced at the room. ¡°Should we not be in here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I walked over to the maple wardrobe and opened the doors. The scent of lavender washed over me. Dresses of every color were hanging on the left, while dark blue suits were on the right. I passed my fingers over the clothes, the tingle of magic altering me to the magic that was woven into some of them. Protective wards were useless around Vin, so I made sure to select one that wasn¡¯t enchanted. Starna looked at the blue suit that I¡¯d chosen, then she selected a strapless yellow dress with a slit in the side all the way up to the hip. ¡°What do you think about this one?¡± She held it up to herself, but not so close that she¡¯d get it dirty. ¡°I think that even the most positive answer when complimenting a woman on clothes is a trap.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°If you like it, then you should wear it, because any outfit will benefit from your beauty.¡± The tanned Elf blushed, looked down at the dress, then reached for a pair of black heels. She averted her eyes as she ducked out of the room in search of the washroom. I shook my head as I took my clothes and walked over to a door on the right. Memory served correct and inside was a large bathroom, complete with a shower, a separate hot tub, and more mirrors than I¡¯d ever seen in a room before. I thought about calling out of the room, but I knew that Starna was still too shy to shower around me and there were bathrooms in each of the bedrooms, so she would find her own soon enough. Having to think about modesty was a new concept. Growing up on a ship full of demi-human men, we¡¯d never had a need for it. But if it concerned her, I was willing to take up the exercise, for her sake at least. I turned on the hot water and laid out my clothes. I didn¡¯t have much time to get ready, but I had a feeling that I could allow myself a few extra minutes to bask under the hot water. But only a few. The luxury of hot, running water wasn¡¯t worth being even a few seconds late for the evening¡¯s event. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 11 Starna looked like a princess. The fact that she was wearing my mother or aunt¡¯s formal dress helped, but not much. I wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d curled her straight, brown hair in the twenty minutes that she¡¯d taken to shower and change, but she walked out of the spare room looking like she was ready to charm a nation. ¡°What?¡± The beautiful Elf touched her face. ¡°Did I miss a spot?¡± ¡°No.¡± I chuckled and offered her my arm. ¡°You look amazing.¡± I patted her hand after she linked her arm with mine. ¡°You could get young men to go to war for you looking like this.¡± ¡°We already did that.¡± She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. ¡°I¡¯d rather not do it again.¡± ¡°Same.¡± I grimaced as we walked out to find a carriage waiting for us. The Elf driver opened the door of the black vehicle so that we could climb inside. Starna sat next to me, facing the driver that we couldn¡¯t see, and looked at the weapon on my back. ¡°Are they going to let you take that into the theater?¡± I waited until the door to the carriage closed, then looked at my date. ¡°Unless they have Camadt bouncers¡­¡± I remembered my brother, who was supposed to meet us there. ¡°If they let us in.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they¡­¡± Her face fell. ¡°You think your brother is going to make a scene.¡± I sighed. ¡°Think is a generous term.¡± I leaned back in the leather seat. ¡°Vin didn¡¯t grow up around other Camadt, but he still bares all of the prejudice that everyone has against them.¡± I shook my head. ¡°He acts like it doesn¡¯t bother him, but instead of rising above it, he leans into it.¡± ¡°Like?¡± Starna shifted so she could look at me without having to twist her head. ¡°Pranks mostly. Whizz taught him the art of practical jokes, which was one of the reasons there is almost no magic on the ship.¡± I snorted. ¡°You think kid tantrums are bad, think about what a Camadt can do when touching a thousand gold piece of navigating gear destroys it.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The Elf touched the brown pouch that she¡¯d tied around her wrist. It was just big enough to fit in her hand, but inside I knew she had a moonstone. She was storing magic in it to use while we were on New Kazat since the constant exposure to the magic voids would leave her drained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not going to break that as a bad joke.¡± I touched her hand. ¡°Dad started making him pay for everything he broke.¡± I chuckled as I remembered some of the jobs that dad had found for him. ¡°And he knows that what he does now reflects on the kingdom, but he¡¯s definitely going to use the inclusivity that Lessa is promoting to rub it in the Elves'' faces.¡± Starna chewed on her lip as she thought. ¡°No modern conveniences must be hard. I never really thought about it since your brother is the first Camadt I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°Some really old people, or the ones just deported here have told me stories about how out in the universe, the Camadt use electricity to power their devices like we use magic.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Something about our world makes it so that those devices don¡¯t work here, but¡­¡± I grinned. ¡°When we get to New Kazat, you¡¯ll see that the Camadt are really good at finding ways around even natural restrictions.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t all of those devices restricted?¡± Starna looked out the window, then back at me. ¡°Arkun tried sending spies one time. The Camadt sent a letter back that read ¡®Send more. Those tasted great!¡¯.¡± She shuddered. ¡°We¡¯ve been there twice and getting around wasn¡¯t a problem. Once my dad demonstrated that he was raising Vin and me as sons and not slaves, they were a lot more receptive the second time.¡± I shrugged. ¡°So don¡¯t worry. As soon as they know you¡¯re with us, we¡¯ll be able to do some sightseeing.¡± I waffled my head. ¡°But we should probably find Master Krav first.¡± ¡°Why would the Camadt let a Master Mage in their country?¡± Starna figited with her pouch as she thought about the Grim. We¡¯d met him briefly while trying to rescue Alessa and while his race frightened most people because of their exoskeleton, which made them look like living skeletons, he was very pleasant and had helped us as much as he could considering he was the representative of another country. ¡°They hate mages.¡± ¡°But the Nevnua don¡¯t.¡± I wondered what the Rhino race had discovered that required the attention of one of the strongest mages in Tefira. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope it¡¯s not too serious.¡± The wagon came to a stop and I opened the door. The driver scowled at me, but his displeasure at not being able to hold the door for me was eclipsed by who was waiting for us in front of the large building. Leaning on one of the large white pillars was my brother, dressed in a suit with all the works, vest, tie, belt, shoes, and a couple accessories that I¡¯m sure had been enchanted before he got them. Threaded around his arm was a woman that was probably older than our father even though she looked the same age as Starna. She¡¯d fought in the Great War four hundred years ago and just seeing her made the blood coin in my pocket warm. My brother¡¯s date was the Vampire matriarch, Pera Glynot. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 12 The crowd parted as the couple moved. ¡°Sectum!¡± The red-eyed woman pulled away from my brother, her long black hair falling behind her pointed ears like silken threads. ¡°And his alchemist¡­¡± She sniffed the air, then glared at me. ¡°Promised?¡± Her frown intensified as she grabbed my hand. ¡°You let her take the vow alone?¡± I pulled back my hand. She was making a scene, yet was still acting like it was just the two of us that were standing in front of a crowd. ¡°We were going to find a mage tomorrow-¡± ¡°Scandalous!¡± The matriarch licked her blood red lips. ¡°I knew I liked you, but you¡¯re a prince now.¡± The pale woman turned to my companion. ¡°May I see your hand?¡± Starna swallowed and stepped out of the carriage. As soon as she was clear, the driver hurried the horses. He might have been interested in what was happening, but even the Elves feared what the Vampires were capable of. That didn¡¯t stop the crowd of well dressed Elves, Goblins, Sively, and Dragonborn from forming around us. There were even a couple Minotaurs and Mebope mixed in with the crowd. Mebope looked like Elves until you noticed the gills on their necks. The aquatic race could transform their legs into a tail to help them swim underwater. Once underwater, they resemble Merfolk, just with pointed ears like an Elf instead of the wide, fin-looking ears of their water-restricted cousins. The nail of Pera¡¯s right index finger scratched the mark on Starna¡¯s finger, drawing a thin line of blue blood over the golden mark. She turned towards me. ¡°Hand.¡± I hesitated for a fraction of a second, then gave her my left hand. There were plenty of things that she could do to me with magic and her knowledge of herbs and poisons was even more dangerous, but there was a crowd watching and I didn¡¯t want to give Starna a reason to doubt that I was serious. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The old woman bounced her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s been decades since I¡¯ve done one of these.¡± She cut a circle around my ring finger with her nail. The blue blood kept my red blood from leaking out as a gold tattoo formed on either side of the blue ring that she¡¯d made out of blood. Pera lifted up my hand to inspect her work and smiled at me. ¡°When you¡¯re ready to make it permanent, come see me. I¡¯d be honored to officiate for a prince.¡± I nodded and took back my hand. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I fished in my pocket. ¡°How much do I owe you?¡± The older woman put her hand on my arm, stopping me from pulling out any of the gold coins I¡¯d brought with me. ¡°Please, what friend of the crown wouldn¡¯t be honored to protect their friends?¡± She nodded at my brother. ¡°Blood magic is also a lot harder for him to cancel out with a handshake.¡± I swallowed as I realized just how many people had been able to hear her. She was using me to publicize her alliance with the Malus Kingdom. ¡°Madam Glynot, I thank you so much for your charity, but what type of prince would I be if I took advantage of my friends?¡± I pulled out a gold coin, which was worth ten times what a master mage would charge for what she just did. She smiled and took the coin, sliding it into the top of her strapless black dress. The older woman clapped her hands as she turned to face the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m sure you want to congratulate the couple, but we don¡¯t want to be late for the show!¡± People backed away, but they didn¡¯t start really moving until Vin cleared his throat. The rumble reminded everyone that there was a hungry Camadt and none of them wanted to be in between him and his dinner. I waited for the older woman to go first. Most of my life had been spent walking behind older people and it was an ingrained habit of how I should show her respect. Pera must have picked up on that because she motioned at me. ¡°It is rude to enter in front of royalty.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a queen?¡± Starna countered. ¡°Too long ago for it to matter.¡± The older woman chuckled. ¡°Matriarch has muddled that title into history, where it should stay.¡± She pressed herself up against my brother. ¡°And freedom has its perks.¡± I took Starna¡¯s left arm in my right and led us into the theater. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 13 We had our own box. Floor seats in front of the stage would have provided the best view, but we were on the second floor directly across from the stage. The seats were made so that they could recline and pivot, while the ledge had trays that unfolded so that we could have our plates in front of us while we ate. The box had six seats in front, with enough space for three rows, though only the front row would have trays for their plates. We sat in the middle four seats, with Starna on my left, Vin on my right and Pera on his right. The Vampire seemed like she wanted to talk, but I didn¡¯t want to spend all my time talking to my brother¡¯s date, especially not since Maestra Holly was a once-a-week show. I¡¯d seen her once before, but I¡¯d had to book the show a month in advance. My date hadn¡¯t been impressed by the seats at the back row or the little cafe I¡¯d taken her to before. I couldn¡¯t even remember her name, which worked out because the woman sitting beside me was a much better fit. A silver-skinned Mebope woman in a sleek uniform walked in front of us. ¡°My name is Alwen Doronde and I¡¯ll be your server tonight.¡± She gave a quick bow, then her blue eyes locked onto me. ¡°Would you like to see a menu or¡­¡± The raven-haired woman swallowed. ¡°Do you know what you want?¡± ¡°I think-¡± ¡°I heard that there was a shipment of Frost Stag that just came into port.¡± Pera leaned forward and gave our server a sweet smile. ¡°My companion has also never tried Roc wings, and I assured him that you always keep some on hand.¡± She looked at my date. ¡°Have you ever tried Lava Bass? The flavor is as spicy as a ghost pepper.¡± Starna swallowed, then shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of spicy food.¡± ¡°A shame.¡± Pera frowned. ¡°But you prefer fish to deer?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve not had anything exotic. Just regular deer from the Centaur forest and brim from the lake just beyond Ammabus Tower.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°We¡¯ll remedy that tonight.¡± The Vampire snapped her fingers. ¡°One plate of fried Roc Wings, the biggest Frost Stag steak you have, and a bowl of your volcano soup for Vincent.¡± She patted the Camadt¡¯s leg. ¡°The three of us Frost Stag steak with the house salad and a roll.¡± Her red eyes twinkled. ¡°Be sure that your blood is fresh.¡± She looked at us. ¡°What do you want to drink?¡± ¡°Water.¡± Starna shrank into her chair. ¡°Water is fine with me¡­¡± I glared at my brother because I knew what he was about to say. ¡°Beer!¡± ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°You know you¡¯re not old enough and I¡¯m not going to pull rank here.¡± I looked at the server. ¡°Get him some juice. He likes lemonade with cherries.¡± The timid woman glanced from me to Pera, then back. She started recapping our order under her breath as she memorized it, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be back with your food as soon as it¡¯s ready.¡± My brother turned in his seat to watch her leave. ¡°If only she was a little older¡­¡± I shook my head. I never understood his fascination with older women, but if my guess was correct, she¡¯d need to be at least twice her age to hold my brother¡¯s attention for long. ¡°Don¡¯t you already have a date?¡± Starna scoffed as she folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Miss Glynot could be busy next time!¡± Vin grinned. ¡°Gotta make sure I¡¯ve got options the next time the two of you decide to try to run off and do mushy stuff without me.¡± I shook my head. I would¡¯ve pointed out that it was only for one night, but our accommodations left him by himself ¡°You¡¯re about to be stuck with us on a ship for a few days.¡± I eyed him. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want some alone time?¡± Pera patted the black-furred feline¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your brother. I¡¯ll take good care of him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡± I held up my hands. The whispers from below and the other boxes died down as a pale, blonde woman slithered onto the stage. The yellow scales on her belly were a sharp contrast to the purple ones that covered the rest of her body. Just enough purple cloth for her to be considered modest covered the important parts, allowing most of her pale skin on her upper half to be seen. Her face looked like an Elf, blue eyes and short, blonde hair mixed with the confidence of someone who knew they were about to demonstrate their mastery of a craft looked straight at me. ¡°It is an honor to perform for the House of Malus again.¡± Madam Holly bowed and then she began to hum. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 14 The show was magical. Almost all Sirens had the ability to mix their suggestive powers into their music. The hypnotic feeling gave listeners a type of high that was so contagious, their home planet of Scylla was said to have a place to help beings detox so they can leave the planet, since it can be so addictive. Years of sineating had dulled my senses to suggestion, and while I could have just dumped the pleasure that danced into my ears, I allowed myself to listen to the songs. Starna and Vin were both consumed by the lively music, and even Pera tapped her foot along with some of the beats. When Alwen came with our food, I noticed ear plugs in her long ears. I¡¯d wondered how the staff would be able to operate during the show. I knew there were some who were resistant to it and that there were various forms of suggestion that they could produce as well. Unlike the Succubi, the Sirens rarely tried to tempt their targets with lust, instead focusing on lulling them into a state of contentment and bliss. The first break was three songs in and just after our food was delivered. The crowd booed as Madam Holly slithered off the stage so that we could eat. The crowd changed their tune when a Bastet woman danced onto the stage. The cat-woman had a long, bushy black tail with a thick white and gold stripe underneath. Her gold and black skin tight outfit was more conservative than Madam Holly¡¯s allowing us to see the white fur over her collarbone on her otherwise black coat, but the fluidity of her dance was just as entertaining. I looked over at my brother, whose mouth was hanging open. Before I could say anything, a voice spoke up behind us. ¡°Have you enjoyed yourselves?¡± I turned around to see Madam Holly in the doorway. ¡°Holly!¡± Pera got up. ¡°It¡¯s been too long!¡± ¡°Not long enough.¡± The siren waved off a hug. ¡°Martin hasn¡¯t been the same since your brood drained him.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The Vampire looked hurt. ¡°I told you, that wasn¡¯t my coven.¡± She waved it off. ¡°Besides, those rogues won¡¯t be bothering anyone anymore.¡± The pale woman shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s always violence with you.¡± ¡°Once upon a time, you were very happy to have my violence.¡± The matriarch grinned. ¡°But tonight isn¡¯t about us.¡± She turned to me. ¡°Madam Holly Alaquar, may I present Prince Sectum Malus and his promised, Princess Starna Shellock.¡± ¡°And his dashing brother, Vincent Irongut¡­ uh Malus.¡± My brother got up and bowed. ¡°I¡¯m an ambassador, not a princess.¡± Starna stuttered as she stood up and smoothed her dress. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Pera grinned. ¡°If you are the promised of a prince, then you are a princess.¡± The Siren shook her head. ¡°You just can¡¯t help yourself, can you?¡± The Vampire shrugged and stepped to the side. ¡°You have a lovely voice.¡± I held out my hand for her, which she shook. ¡°Is there anything that I can get you?¡± Madam Holly looked at each of us, her eyes settling on my brother. ¡°I could arrange for you to meet Irdis, if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°We¡¯re good.¡± I glared at my brother, who was about to contradict me. ¡°For now.¡± Vin glanced over at his date, but still had to think about it for a moment before he nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± The Siren bowed. ¡°If you need anything, then let one of my attendants know.¡± She looked at the older woman. ¡°You snuck in here, but don¡¯t do it again. Your wounds may have healed but ours haven¡¯t.¡± She looked at me. ¡°I hope you enjoy the rest of the show.¡± I watched her leave, then turned back to my meal. Vin was still staring at the lithe feline woman on stage. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want an introduction?¡± I eyed my brother. ¡°I¡¯m sure Pera knows who to talk to.¡± The large feline looked over at his date, then shook his head as he flashed us a grin. ¡°I¡¯ve already got a lovely date.¡± Starna scrunched her brow. ¡°About that¡­¡± She nodded at my brother¡¯s hand that had just been placed on the other woman¡¯s bare arm. ¡°How¡¯re you not in pain?¡± The Vampire smiled, revealing her teeth. ¡°When you¡¯ve been around as long as I have, you learn a few things that become lost to time.¡± She patted my brother¡¯s hand. ¡°Depending on how the night goes, maybe I¡¯ll tell your friend and see if he can explain it.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Starna swallowed. ¡°That¡¯s okay, I was just curious.¡± The Bastet woman danced off the stage to the back of the theater as Madam Holly slithered out and took the microphone. The four of us returned to our seats and settled in for the rest of the show. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 15 We headed for the herb shop afterwards. While Vin seemed a little disappointed that Starna and I were following him and his date back to her place, I had a feeling that there was more to his ability to find the date than mere chance. I¡¯d traded some of my blood to the Vampire almost a month ago for an open favor and recently, we¡¯d agreed to hunt a Nether Cat on the Camadt continent in exchange for her son to bring a small army to Hepool and wait there for our return. There were plenty of warnings about getting in too deep with Vampires and while I was uneasy about how close we were getting, right now we needed allies and the most powerful ones we had were on the other side of the world. The shop smelled like roses, though I didn¡¯t see any. The earthy smell of the soil that she grew her plants in. There was a sweetness to the shop that made it feel like a trap, but that was probably just recognizing how dangerous the situation could become more than any actual danger. If Pera Glynot wanted to harm me, she¡¯d already had plenty of opportunities. ¡°Stay inside the flowers.¡± The old woman motioned at the ring of pink lilies near the center of the shop. ¡°Sagequill dampens the Camadt¡¯s magic disruption, which will let me keep a barrier up so we can talk.¡± My brother eyed me, but compiled without creating a fuss. There weren¡¯t any chairs, so he sat down on the dirty floor. Starna winced as he wiped his dirty hands on the suit. My ears popped, letting me know the barrier was in place. I turned to our smiling host. ¡°Is this about the deal with your son?¡± ¡°His hobbies are his own business.¡± The Vampire shrugged as she moved behind the counter and began filling a pot with water. ¡°Tea?¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯d rather not. It¡¯s been a long day and I still have a problem waiting for me back at the embassy before I can go to bed.¡± I looked over at my date, who was busy looking at the pink flowers around my brother. Vin was bored and it wasn¡¯t going to be long before he started looking for a way to entertain himself. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Straight to business.¡± Pera put a tripod burner on the counter and lit it, then put the pot on top of it. She stepped through the curtain behind the counter into the back of the shop. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out after I change into something more comfortable.¡± I shook my head, but there was no point in rushing her. She was operating on her own timetable, I just hoped that whatever she wanted wouldn¡¯t take long. I touched one of the pink petals, then looked at Starna. ¡°I wonder if these could be powdered¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡± The beautiful Elf shook her head. ¡°The power comes from the plant itself. The Centaurs tried planting fields of them to counter the Camadt¡¯s magic dampening, but the Camadt burned the fields.¡± She picked up one of the pots and rotated it to look at the flowers better. ¡°It¡¯s too easy to neutralize, so it¡¯s only useful when the Camadt are wanting to be hospitable.¡± Vin grinned. ¡°I¡¯m always hospitable.¡± He plucked off one of the petals and popped it in his mouth. ¡°BLEH!!!¡± His face contorted as he spit it out. ¡°Tastes like soap!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t put everything in your mouth.¡± Pera clicked her tongue as she walked out. The Vampire had changed into jeans and a low-cut long sleeved tan shirt that she¡¯d rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. Her bare feet padded against the tile as she walked towards us. ¡°Just wait for a little while longer.¡± She scratched my brother under the chin like a cat. Vin closed his eyes as he enjoyed the attention, then pouted once she stopped and turned to me. ¡°What is it that you need, Pera?¡± I put my hands on my hips. ¡°Tonight has been great, but I¡¯ve still got a lot to do and I¡¯m leaving in the morning.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t an old woman enjoy good company?¡± She winked at Starna, who backed up. ¡°Fine.¡± The Vampire sighed. ¡°You might want to sit down for this¡­¡± She looked around, but there wasn¡¯t anywhere for us to sit. She started to turn over a planter, but it was covered in dirt. She paused as she looked at the fancy clothes the rest of us were wearing. The old woman flipped over the bucket and sat down on it. ¡°My son wasn¡¯t entirely honest with his request.¡± She took in a deep breath. ¡°Let me tell you what you¡¯re about to walk into.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 16 I folded my arms across my chest. ¡°I assumed that we¡¯d be inheriting your enemies, but it sounds like there¡¯s more than that.¡± ¡°We shared most of the same enemies to begin with.¡± Pera shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like the Rangers or Primordial Concordat are going to blockade one of the Malus cities because the Glynot Coven is working with you.¡± She looked at Starna. ¡°The Mebope Monarchy aren¡¯t our biggest fans, but I trust your father can help me smooth out some of the fins I¡¯ve ruffled over the past hundred years?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t speak for my parents, or the nations that they work with.¡± Starna looked at me. ¡°These two are my responsibility at the moment.¡± Vin leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°She means that she can only make deals on behalf of us.¡± I smirked as my brother sat back down.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°She¡¯s also our babysitter, but¡­¡± I held up my hand before the feline could complain. ¡°That means she¡¯s the one who has the boring conversations with the other diplomats so we don¡¯t say something we shouldn¡¯t.¡± I raised an eyebrow as I waited for my brother to complain. Except he didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m just here to be the muscle when there¡¯s a fight.¡± He held up his hands. ¡°So can you hurry up and get this over with so I can start enjoying the rest of my night?¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± I turned to the older woman. ¡°It sounds like you know something about what Mast Krav was doing.¡± ¡°I know about the demons.¡± The Vampire managed to say with a straight face. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re not a fan of the Cult of Kinwell?¡¯ I eyed her. ¡°You¡¯re old enough to have been here during the Great War, but so was our dad.¡± I glanced at Vin before looking back at his date. ¡°What do you know other than how to fight them?¡± ¡°I know what it is that the Imperadae is looking for.¡± Pera shook her head and took a deep breath. ¡°Three hundred years and he¡¯s still trying to find it.¡± ¡°Find what?¡± I knew that Kinwell¡¯s army had breached into our world, but that it had been defeated by an alliance of the other nations that had been led by my ancestor. Elder Dumas had shown up to help, but there had been a lot of casualties. The Kimor had been all but wiped out by a zombie plague. I thought the reason he¡¯d attacked was just to set up a base on our world, but it appeared to be more than that. ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t need to know.¡± Pera shook her head. ¡°We were young back then and it¡¯s a different story for another time.¡± She held up a finger. ¡°What you do need to know is that at the end of the war, the Primordial Concordat was each entrusted with a weapon to use if the Demons ever tried to come back.¡± She looked over at my brother. ¡°One that even the Camadt couldn¡¯t destroy.¡± Vin¡¯s eyes got wide. It confirmed our theory that whatever was locked up down there had some sort of elemental ability instead of or maybe in addition to magic. The thing is didn¡¯t explain was how whatever it was seemed to be alive. ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s locked up in the Exindo ruins?¡± Starna swallowed. ¡°A weapon that even the Demons are afraid of¡­¡± ¡°Just the Demons.¡± Pera corrected her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, just rumors, but¡­¡± She tilted her head. ¡°If the natives had something that powerful that they could use against the rest of us, don¡¯t you think they would have done it by now?¡± She had a point. The Thizzers in particular, snake people with arms, were very tribal and very aggressive to anyone who crossed into their marshes. And that would explain why it hadn¡¯t harmed anyone who tried to mess with the ruins under the Dwarf Capital. ¡°Okay, so the cultists are trying to destroy these weapons¡­¡± I swallowed when she nodded as an answer. ¡°I think we¡¯re seeing the signs of an imminent Demon invasion and they¡¯re trying to take our best defenses off the board.¡± Pera looked at Starna. ¡°This diplomatic mission of yours is a lot heavier than you think it is. I know the Nevnua have been conducting research on theirs and that was why Master Krav was called.¡± She looked around the room at each of us. ¡°And if he can¡¯t be reached anymore¡­¡± I swallowed the lump that refused to leave my throat. ¡°Then we may already be under attack.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 17 We left Vin at the flower shop. Starna was quiet as we rode back to the embassy; there was a lot to think about and even more to report back to my cousin. I didn¡¯t blame her for wanting to be alone with her thoughts, since the magnitude of our mission had just exploded. We were dealing with material that could start another Great War, and it didn¡¯t have to be voiced just how inexperienced we were. If Vin wasn¡¯t the easiest way for us to get on the island, then I would ask my cousin to send someone else that was a lot more experienced, like my dad. When we reached the embassy, Starna hurried to one of the side rooms, which was probably the one where she¡¯d showered and changed earlier. The glow stones sprang to life as I walked down the hall. I was used to using lanterns when I needed light, but I¡¯d gotten used to walking around in almost complete darkness. Almost all of the others on the members of the crew had either night vision or could see in the dark, which meant there weren¡¯t a lot of lights, and definitely not any magical ones. I felt like royalty as I walked to the room where I¡¯d left Tempest. The irony that I was royalty wasn¡¯t lost on me, but I wasn¡¯t sure that I¡¯d ever get used to the finer things. I had been raised on the sea and all of the buttons and clasps had me feeling like I was part of the rigging. I touched the unconscious woman¡¯s neck to make sure she was still unconscious, then went back to the main room and changed into my travel clothes. The staff had washed them while we were out, which I hadn¡¯t been expecting. Once I was back in my own clothes, I felt more like myself. I pushed the weariness from the day away and walked back into the other room. I used my ability on the unconscious woman to pull her out of mana depletion and wake her up. She was still weak, but at least she wouldn¡¯t be able to cast a spell and her ability would wash over me not that I was promised to Starna. The thought drew a smile across my face. I¡¯d never been able to fully embrace the ¡®girl in every port¡¯ mentality that most of the crew had. Now that I¡¯d found someone that I enjoyed being around on a daily basis, I felt like I was even stronger. I poked the woman laying on the bed beside me in the leg. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The Succubus didn¡¯t stop her slow, rhythmic breathing. I sighed and touched her arm, checking her vitals. The wave of exhaustion that I should have felt if she was asleep never crested. Satisfied that I¡¯d confirmed my suspicions, I stood up and walked over to the wall, so I could lean on it while I talked to her. ¡°You already know that I¡¯m a sineater. What I just did was verify that you are awake, so you can either keep pretending and not participate in this conversation or I can talk.¡± The voluptuous blonde didn¡¯t stir, so I continued. ¡°Right now, I have to decide what to do with you. Defending yourself is one thing, but attacking someone who offers you a hand isn¡¯t something that I can ignore.¡± I paused. ¡°Turning you over to the Elves is a death sentence and I¡¯d rather not do something that drastic until I¡¯ve heard your side of things.¡± The fake Elf on the bed opened a single eye. ¡°You¡¯re going to turn me over anyway.¡± ¡°I only kill my enemies.¡± I smirked. ¡°And if you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯ve got multiple senates trying to kill me, so I¡¯m not exactly the biggest fan of the Elves at the moment.¡± ¡°Or ever.¡± I added mentally. How the stuck-up race managed to stay in power was beyond me. At some point, I would have thought the other races would have had enough and usurped the senates, but it hadn¡¯t happened yet and I doubted it ever would. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Tempest struggled to pull herself up enough to half-sit, half-lean on the pillows at the head of the bed. ¡°I can feel that Elf girl all over you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t condemn a person for the crimes of their people.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Starna¡¯s uncle killed my parents.¡± I eyed the Succubus to see if what I was trying to say was getting through. ¡°So tell me your story and I¡¯ll decide what to do to you based on who you are, not what others think you are.¡± The pretty blonde started laughing, though she was still so weak that it came out as more of a wheeze, which turned into a coughing fit. I shook my head. ¡°Look, what do you have to lose?¡± I waited for her to catch her breath. ¡°If I¡¯m going to kill you anyway, then talking lets you live longer and maybe you¡¯ll go free.¡± Tempest stared at me for a moment before her face softened and she touched her neck. ¡°Your demon¡­¡± ¡°I fixed it.¡± I waved my hand. ¡°The venom from the Camadt¡¯s bite is gone.¡± She let out a sigh of relief and let herself sink onto the pillows. ¡°Fine.¡± She turned her head to look at me. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 18 That was a good question. Asking for a simple ¡®are you my enemy?¡¯ wasn¡¯t a good question to ask. Even if she wasn¡¯t my enemy right now, that didn¡¯t mean that she couldn¡¯t be later. It was much too broad of a question as well as one with too open of an answer. ¡°What¡¯s your real name?¡± I decided to start with something easy. ¡°Tempest is a handle, so how about you start with that?¡± The blonde fake Elf closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°Which one?¡± She turned her head and looked at me. ¡°I¡¯ve had dozens.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°How about why there is a bounty out on you?¡± Her response came almost before I finished the question. ¡°Elves are pricks.¡± ¡°The Agate Senate has¨Chad¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if it had been rescinded yet, but after the debacle of the Basilisk rampage, the Agate was supposed to have rescinded the bounty. ¡°There was a bounty out for me because an ambassador died during a failed coup.¡± I shrugged. ¡°So I get that the Elves can be unreasonable.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just a loose end.¡± Tempest stretched her hand towards the ceiling, then let it drop by her side. ¡°My dad took a job with Mariene family. They wanted to plant a feeder in the Authority, then use my abilities to take over the Aquamarine Senate by collecting thralls in all the major families.¡± The blonde twirled a finger around her long blonde hair. ¡°But Alger have silver hair and a lot lighter skin, so from the start, I was never going to be allowed near any pure-bloods.¡± Her face fell. ¡°Dad said my grandfather was furious that the bloodline had been tainted and tried to nullify the deal.¡± She stifled a sniffle. ¡°We still don¡¯t know where the other blood came from, but the only way for me to look like this is if there was Ager and High Elf mixed in somewhere.¡± The Authority was based out of Porthy, with the main office staffed by Algor, or Ice Elves as some people called them. The thing was, I didn¡¯t recognize the Mariene family name. ¡°What happened to your host family?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Dad said there was an investigation by the Twelve. My grandfather was executed for treason and a bounty was put out for me when I was two.¡± Tempest closed her eyes. ¡°Well, the first bounty.¡± ¡°What about your mom?¡± The fake Elf shrugged. ¡°No clue. The family was large enough that there were plenty of cousins, but they all vanished, so either the Twelve did a purge¡­¡± Or they were on the run. The Succubi War was still talked about enough that trying to use an Incubi to create a weapon to infiltrate an organization would have harsh consequences. ¡°You got dealt a bad hand.¡± I shook my head. ¡°So how about we ignore the sympathy story for now and focus on the present you.¡± The pale Elf sighed. ¡°You¡¯re as heartless as that monster of yours.¡± I chuckled. ¡°No, just well versed on the sympathy card.¡± I nodded at her. ¡°Something tells me that you¡¯ve used that initial injustice as justification to do all kinds of bad things to the Elves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You know if you stay on this path, you¡¯re eventually going to get killed.¡± The blonde woman glared at me. ¡°What do you care?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± It was the truth. This woman had attacked me and made my life more difficult, but she¡¯d been conditioned to go from relaxed to survival mode for who knew how long. Being on the receiving end of her lashing out wasn¡¯t justification enough in my mind to kill her. But it also didn¡¯t mean that I was going to stop her destructive trajectory. ¡°We¡¯re leaving in the morning.¡± I pushed off of the wall, which drew a flinch from my prisoner. ¡°You can stay here tonight, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend trying to stay here after we¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re letting me go?¡± The woman¡¯s voice cracked as she spoke. I stopped at the door and looked at her over my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not my enemy right now and I doubt we¡¯ll wind up on opposite sides in the future.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Your magic will return in the next few days. If you want to come after me for defending myself, then next time there¡¯ll be a different ending, but..¡± I tossed my hand. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll ever come to that.¡± I left the dumbfounded woman in the bed and walked out into the hall. The light in the room that Starna was using was off, so I left her alone as I went to the master suit. It was past midnight and I was looking forward to some sleep before meeting Storbek in the morning. As I laid down on top of the blankets I found myself wondering if Tempest would still be in her room in the morning. A Succubus Mage could be a strong ally, though one that would galvanize the Senates against us. None of that mattered though, because I had a feeling she¡¯d be gone before we got up. When I woke up, my assumption proved correct. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 19 Crylus was bustling. As one of the larger towns in the Malus Kingdom, as well as the only other major port town, there were a lot of traders coming and going. Sailors were getting ships ready to leave and fliers were buzzing around, directing incoming ships to open berths. The Golden Guard was out in force, inspecting ships for contraband before the crew would be allowed to disembark. I pointed at the ship coming towards us with a large golden hand sewn onto the main sail. ¡°Right on time.¡± I squeezed Starna¡¯s hand as I looked around. ¡°Now all we need is for Vin to get here.¡± The beautiful Elf leaned against me. ¡°He¡¯s going to wait until the very last moment.¡± Her gold and blue eyes looked up at me. ¡°Are you worried about him giving the Vampire some of his blood?¡± The thought had occurred to me. I hadn¡¯t let Vin handle the bloodcoin just in case his touch would destroy the magic. If Pera was strong enough that she could manipulate a Camadt¡¯s blood, then she could make herself a very formidable weapon. ¡°My brother gave Madam Rosa some blood once and dad chewed him out.¡± I scanned the crowd, looking for the towering feline. ¡°We had to watch a demonstration of just how destructive of potions she could make with it. I doubt he¡¯d let her do anything more than feed on him, but considering that would put her into mana exhaustion, I doubt she¡¯d do that.¡± ¡°There he is!¡± Starna pointed behind us. I turned and shook my head as I watched the Camadt ride down the street on the back of Nipper. Vendors and customers alike hurried to get out of his way as he rode like a king coming back from victory. The smile that split my brother¡¯s face was too pleased at the berth that people were giving him. ¡°He brought the drake.¡± I turned towards the port where our ship was getting tied off. This was nothing more than a quick stopover for the crew and a chance to grab some fresh supplies. There was no reason why we shouldn¡¯t be out on the water in a couple of hours at most, but I had a feeling that the argument between the two men was going to last longer than that. Vin and I had always had a knack for finding strays and trying to smuggle them onto the ship. There had been a kidnapping misunderstanding with a Griffon chick that we¡¯d smuggled on board in Egrond. Eight-year-old Sectum had thought helping my brother smuggle the young avian on board would be a grand adventure. The Larimar Fleet had chased us to Laleah where my father had discovered our blunder. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I winced as I realized that was another senate that we were probably not on good terms with. Supposedly, we¡¯d been cleared of any wrongdoing, but we¡¯d never been back to the Griffon dominated city. ¡°He brought a cage.¡± I turned to look where Starna was pointing. Farther behind the reptilian was a flatbed wagon with panels of metal bars the width of my arm. I sighed as my brother rode through the parting sea of people towards the dock where the Wind¡¯s Shadow was being tied off. The density of the crowd made it more difficult for us to get to the ship, which allowed my brother to beat us there. ¡°You¡¯re not bringing that Lizard on my ship!¡± The Minotaur Captain roared. My brother motioned at the cage walls behind him. ¡°Nipper can stay in my room. You¡¯ll never know she was there.¡± He looked over at me. ¡°Tell him what a good girl she is.¡± I held up my hands. ¡°I¡¯m not getting in the middle of this.¡± The large, black-furred feline rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Storbeck-¡± ¡°It¡¯s CAPTAIN now.¡± The slightly shorter bull-man cut my brother off. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t your father¡¯s ship. It¡¯s mine. And my rules stand.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you supposed to be transporting the Ambassador?¡± Vin smirked as he gave my girlfriend his best kitten eyes. ¡°Your brother told you that the Captain wasn¡¯t going to let Nipper aboard.¡± She gestured back the way we¡¯d come. ¡°The Embassy will take great care of her while we¡¯re gone.¡± My brother¡¯s shoulders slumped as he realized that he wasn¡¯t going to have anyone agree with him. The Camadt slowly turned around to leave, but paused mid step with a grin spreading across his face. ¡°What if she isn¡¯t on the ship?¡± I followed my brother¡¯s eyes to a longboat with a large ¡®For Sale¡¯ sign on it. ¡°If you want to let her swim behind us¡­¡± The Minotaur chuckled as he envisioned the drake swimming behind the ship. ¡°Fine by me.¡± ¡°GREAT!¡± My brother took off towards the dock, leaving his mount standing on the cobblestone road.. ¡°Is he-¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I grabbed Nipper¡¯s harness to keep the green, horse-sized lizard from following after her rider. I turned to the woman I¡¯d just cut off. ¡°This is the point in my brother¡¯s schemes where we tell Whizz to get the popcorn.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Storbek turned to look at my brother talking to a two-foot-tall Gnome fisherman. ¡°Vin! DON¡¯T YOU-!¡± He turned back to us. ¡°Sectum, you know your way around the ship. Help the lady get situated while I stop that bird-brained brother of yours from¡­ VINCENT IRONGUT! DON¡¯T YOU DARE BUY THAT BOAT!¡± I chuckled as I turned to look at Starna¡¯s shocked face. ¡°Well, we might as well get aboard.¡± Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 20 It took the rest of the morning to get Nipper¡¯s new pen situated. I sat on the rail with Whizz and ate popcorn while the rest of the crew helped get the cage set up on the longboat, then hauled it up beside the deck with Nipper in it. ¡°You could help, you know.¡± The Goblin sitting next to me popped another kernel into his shark-tooth-filled maw. ¡°If Storbek wanted my help he¡¯d let me know.¡± I looked over at the short, yellow man and smiled. ¡°And if you¡¯re so worried about them needing an extra hand, why aren¡¯t you pitching in?¡± Whizz puffed out his chest. ¡°My job¡¯s the wheel.¡± He threw another handful of popcorn in his mouth. ¡°And that¡¯s where I¡¯m staying.¡± I chuckled. Many people would assume that the shorter man was weak, but I knew that he could throw around heavy objects as well as any powerless human. I ran my hand through my black hair as I looked at the crew. ¡°Looks like most people stayed.¡± ¡°Your dad didn¡¯t want there to be a lot of concerns about having the Dark Tribe as guards.¡± Whizz spit out the name most Elves used to classify those they deemed unworthy of associating with. ¡°Like any of us here have time for that!¡± He waved his hands in the air. ¡°Ain¡¯t none of us going to be leaving here anyway!¡± Of the crew, Frosu, the five-foot-tall Frigazi¨Ca race that resembled a humanoid penguin¨C was the only one who didn¡¯t belong to a race on the ¡°unfriendly to Elves¡± list. Unfortunately, the list was long enough that it was easier to name all of the races that the Elves tolerated than all of the ones that they considered undesirable. ¡°You know dad doesn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± I took a handful out of the bowl between us. ¡°I know.¡± The navigator nodded at the big golden hand on our main sail. ¡°Might as well have made it a finger instead.¡± The yellow man cackled as he held his belly. ¡°Quit trying to get sympathy out of the boy.¡± Uziah, the yellow-skinned, bald Cyclops stomped up the stairs to the upper deck. ¡°Captain gave Storbek a promotion and we get to fly under the banner of the royal navy.¡± The tall man folded his thick arms as his lone eye glared down at us. ¡°Bah, you¡¯re just happy that you aren¡¯t cooped up in that castle anymore.¡± The Goblin waved for the larger man to leave. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. While Elves were almost all six feet tall or more, they kept many of their hallways between seven and eight feet, which was very restrictive for the larger races. Dragons were the only of the larger races the Elves liked and the older Dragons were able to shapeshift into a smaller form, which allowed them to travel in even the three-foot-high tunnels of the Gnomes. ¡°I was made for the sea.¡± Electricity crackled over Uziah¡¯s arms as excitement crept into his voice. ¡°Who wants to hide in caves and eat rabbit food?¡± I couldn¡¯t disagree with him. If I had my choice, I would rather be on the ship than stuck in the castle. I was about to agree with the larger man when Starna walked onto the deck. She¡¯d been below getting her room situated. Both of us were wearing gloves to hide the soulbinding rings, though I had a feeling our subterfuge wouldn¡¯t last the whole trip. The tanned Elf wasn¡¯t ready for a closer relationship and there would be no end of teasing from the men who were like uncles to me if I wasn¡¯t staying in her room. Her presence destroyed my answer. I realized that for me, it didn¡¯t matter where I was as long as she was there and happy. My bed had been a hammock in a corner or under the extra sails for most of my life. I could live anywhere and even if that meant no longer traveling the world, I knew I¡¯d be content. ¡°You¡¯ve got it bad, huh?¡± Whizz elbowed me in the ribs before grabbing a handful of popcorn out of the bowl. ¡°Wha-?¡± I swallowed trying to think of what to say back. ¡°You¡¯re a prince now!¡± The smaller man cackled. ¡°I mean, you were always a prince, but now you know that that!¡± Whizz smirked. ¡°That means she¡¯s not out of your league!¡± I took a deep breath as I weighed my words. Denial would only lead to more trouble and a confession would yield similar results. ¡°We¡¯re on official business for the Queen.¡± I tried to fill my voice with a serious edge that I realized was only going to encourage him. ¡°There will be time for that once we get back to the mainland.¡± The Goblin¡¯s eyes got big. ¡°You did something!¡± He stood up and was barely able to look down on me. ¡°She turn you down?¡± I sighed and brushed myself off as I stood. The longboat was secured and Phlek, the Ogre cook, was coming back with a wagonload of supplies that would need to be brought on board. ¡°I¡¯m going to help finish loading up so we can leave.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Whizz cupped his hands so that most of the port could hear his shout. ¡°THE LUV WIZ IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING!¡± Starna raised an eyebrow as I walked by her. ¡°What is that about?¡± I looked at the yellow man, giving me a pair of thumbs-up, then turned back to my girlfriend. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡± I shuddered as I remembered a ¡®love doll¡¯ that the Goblin had made one time that had been supposed to make women weak in the knees. The Mermaid he¡¯d gifted it to had thrown the pieces of it on the deck along with some words I¡¯d never heard before and that my father had forbidden be repeated. I gave the smaller man one last look, then headed off to help get the loading finished. I just hoped he didn¡¯t do anything too drastic. Sineater - Book 3 - The Camadt - Chapter 21 The voyage was uneventful. Starna spent most of her time locked in her room, working on attuning the moonstone she¡¯d received from the Dwarves.Her ability to generate mana would be almost nonexistent the moment we stepped off the ship, so all she would have was whatever she could store in the gem before we got there. My own budding magical talent was a source of concern for me, but I¡¯d been in physical contact with my brother a number of times since it had appeared in the last month and I hadn¡¯t suffered from any of the negative effects that any mages in his grasp displayed. It was something that I wanted to explore, but it was going to require plenty of downtime when Starna wasn¡¯t busy with her own tasks. I was the first one off the ship once we docked. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± Starna sniffed the air as she jumped down beside me. ¡°Kazadt grass.¡± I nodded at the red fronds that covered the top of the wall to the city. ¡°It¡¯s one of the few things the Camadt were able to bring from their homeworld that weren¡¯t eradicated by the senates.¡± The tanned Elf¡¯s gold and blue eyes bulged. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I patted her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not invasive and it¡¯s too bitter for most things to eat.¡± I pulled off the bandana on my arm and offered it to her. ¡°This will probably help.¡± The brunette took the offering and tied it over her mouth and nose. ¡°A little.¡± ¡°The Camadt only plant it on their city walls, so once we get out of town, things will get a little easier for you.¡± I looked at the green Goblin that was speared to the wall. ¡°It¡¯s highly illegal, but that doesn¡¯t stop opportunistic people from trying to steal some.¡± I nodded at the body. ¡°Punishment for climbing the wall is death and display, so make sure to stay on this side of the barrier.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Starna looked around the near empty port. ¡°Ambassador Tu¡¯Rik was supposed to meet us.¡± She looked up at the sun to gauge the time. ¡°We are a little early.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯ve never dealt with an Ambassador from here before.¡± I looked down the dock at the two other ships that were loading cargo. ¡°The merchants deal directly with the Captains and escorts are kept to a minimum when they let you through the gate.¡± I pointed at the large iron bars guarded by a pair of the four-armed felines. ¡°So there¡¯s no bazaar here like back at Hepool.¡± ¡°Sectum! Give me a hand, would you?¡± My brother threw me one end of the rope that I hoped he wasn¡¯t planning on using as a leash for Nipper. ¡°This is way too long to use on your Drake!¡± I held up the rope that was thicker than my thumb. ¡°Plus, she can cut this in a single bite!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Vin threw open the cage door. The caged reptilian shot out of her week-long confinement and landed on the dock next to me. ¡°Stop!¡± Vin dropped his end of the rope and jumped down after his mount. I heard the gate opening, joined by the shouts of the guards. I had a feeling they would jump at the excuse to harvest drake meat, which meant I needed to get the mount under control before they found an excuse to kill her. ¡°Stall them!¡± I moved to cut off the horse-sized reptile so she couldn¡¯t go closer to the gate, but that meant her only other way to go was farther up the dock or towards the wall. The drake did not want to go back into a cage, nor was she interested in the water, so she scrambled towards the twenty-foot-high stone barrier. I heard the scraping of metal on stone as the tip of a ballista was heaved over the top of the parapet . ¡°NO!¡± My brother tackled Nipper, but she slipped free. The scuffle slowed her down enough that I was able to get a hand on her back leg. The momentary contact with the scales wasn¡¯t enough to bring her down, but it did make her back left leg slip out from under her. The drake tried to bite me as I landed on her, her claws digging into my arms as I was forced to grab her jaw to keep the sharp teeth away from my body. Green liquid started oozing around her scales as I transferred the wounds back to the large reptile. She¡¯d stopped struggling by the time Vin knocked me off of her and started tying her off. ¡°PUT THAT THING AWAY!¡± Starna cupped her hands as she yelled at the guards. ¡°I am Starna Shellock, Ambassador of her Majesty, Queen Alessa Malus. You are threatening an ambassador with your weapons. I demand that you summon Ambassador Tu¡¯Rik here at once!¡± I brushed myself off, making sure that I hadn¡¯t gotten dirt in the healing bite marks while the Elf shouted at the unwavering guards on top of the wall. I ran my hand over Nipper¡¯s green scales as my brother finished tying the rope around her weakened body. ¡°That could¡¯ve gone better.¡±