Page 10 of Dark as the Cursed Abyss

“Not about anything of substance. Not since I left her…” Farah trailed off.

“Left her? Like in the woods?”

“In bed. Not one of my finer moments.” Had Farah really just said that outloud? She had never told anyone of her tryst with the young wolf, not even Ajax knew and he was her closest confidant.

“I see. You should do it. Maybe it’ll cut some of that tension between you two. If anything, it will make for lovely entertainment for my crew.” Kire bowed in between more of her enchanting laughter.

“Shouldn’t you be sailing the ship right now, not taunting one of your guests?”

“Who’s to say I am not able to do both at the same time?” Kire pointed up at the helm of the ship where the wheel appeared to be held steady by nothing but the wind.

“That is quite the party trick,” Farah said, fascination at whatever power this woman held settling in her chest.

“As you said, I should be tending to the sails or something aboard this ship. Why don’t you scurry along and make nice with the princess over there.” Kire waved her along and Farah couldn’t help but agree.

When Farah turned her head back over her shoulder to say goodbye, the curious captain and her pale blue hair was nowhere to be seen. Gods, she would not get used to that. Even as a spy, she did not move so effortlessly or quietly as Kire. Maybe the captain was no pirate at all, but a trained assassin from the shores of Anatole, hired by Chloe’s father to watch the princess on her travels.

Striding over to where Chloe fought two new opponents, Farah tried to memorize any of the wolf’s typical tactics. There was certainly a grace about her, but her moves were not the same dance-like routine as her two older brothers. Chloe was spontaneous rather than calculated. She fed off what her opponents were doing, keeping in step with every move they made until one of them faltered. It was as if she could read every motion they went through before it even happened.

Her skill was stunning.

But Farah was better.

The wolf shifted back to her human form, panting with sweat dripping down her face and staining the back of her thin white tunic.

“Who is next?” she beckoned to the crowd.

No one answered. The crew was finished getting their asses whopped it seemed.

“Really? No takers? I won’t bite, I promise!” She chuckled.

“I’ll challenge you,” Farah called out, pulling herself right up next to Chloe.

Chloe’s back stiffened and she took a step away from Farah. “Better yet, let’s all take a break. Cards and ale later tonight?”

The crew all muttered in agreement, some taking off toward the galley below for water and some heading back to their duties on the deck of the ship.

“You are going to need to talk to me at some point, you know?” This was getting absurd. The woman had barely said anything outside of normal pleasantries and a few warnings about her aunt and dresses. “We need to show a united front and we can’t exactly do that if you look perturbed every time I come near.”

Chloe wrinkled her nose and let out a scoff. “I do not look perturbed, though I’m fascinated you know such a big word, katáskopos.”

“An insult from a Kirassos…how original. I am serious. We need to talk about what happened between us eventually, clear the air. Make all of this less awkward.”

“Nothing happened between us.”

“Chloe—”

“I need to go. The men will be waiting.”

The young wolf stormed off, but not before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small glittering object. It was too tiny for Farah to see, but the way Chloe flipped it around in her palm before shaking her head and stomping down the stairs was peculiar.

And all Farah could think was at least she had tried.

Chapter Eight

Chloe

Polished cliffs lined the small inlet where Hespali’s port resided. It appeared Grechi-made rather than the natural jagged edged caldera of Nexos Chloe was used to. They rose into the heavens so high she could barely see where the top ended and the cloud-filled sky began. An enormous archway framed the entrance to the inlet, each side sporting a marble statue of a dragon, wings flared to the side and a horn that appeared to be the size of two men. Guards stood along parapets connecting both statues to what must have been tunnels leading into the city and castle. In turn the horns sounded in alert of an approaching ship.