MARCUS SLOSS

Contents

Prologue

Book 1: Origins of a Pirate Lord

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Book 2: Rise of a Pirate Lord

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Book 3: Vengeance of a Pirate Lord

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Epilogue

Prologue

“I t’s really here…” The Commander of the advanced unit stared up at the towering structure before him. “I thought the scouts had been driven insane by their desire to escape this accursed isle.”

He knew what the scouts had reported, but he still couldn’t quite believe what they’d found—despite the cryptic message that saw the council sending him and his crew to the Monster Isle with all haste.

“Sir?” His second in command turned her gaze from the towering stone walls with great difficulty. Even with the immense threat of the environment in which they traveled, most of the Navy squad couldn’t tear their eyes away from the massive building. “What should we do? I don’t see a way in.”

“The front door seems implausible. Perhaps we can find a side entrance.” Her superior officer took the issue in his stride as he surveyed the area. Their own scouting units hadn’t reported anything, so the chances were high that they’d bypassed the inhabitants of the isle without being sensed.

Not that their trip had been smooth from start to finish.

“Those damn pirates. They must have a hidey-hole nearby.” His follower grumbled to herself as she turned back to examine the ruin before them. “No way they just so happened to run into us as we made landfall. It’s going to be a rough trip, getting back with only one ship.”

“Rougher for those who sleep beneath the waves,” he murmured.

“Ah, yes Sir.”

The Commander scratched his cheek awkwardly as the young elf blushed in embarrassment. He hadn’t meant to call her out, but the truth was that they had lost a good number of their comrades in the unequal exchange against the pirates.

Then again, the battle needn’t have happened. If the idiots who’d manned the guns had even the slightest bit of sense, then they wouldn’t have fired the first shot without his giving the order. It took a few moments for him to push down the remnants of his anger.

Those guilty of insubordination had taken a one-way trip to the bottom of the Lanoi Sea, so it wasn’t like he could punish them for their transgressions. Still, two for one wasn’t bad. They even had a high-ranking prisoner from the exchange, one who would be of great interest to the council back in Keria.

Just as he was about to order his squad to search for another entry into the ancient ruin, the Commander froze in place, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Some tried to hold their fear prisoner, but experienced warriors allowed it to roam free, acting as a canary in the mines.

Controlled. Caged. But still useful. And, thanks to his careful conditioning, he knew exactly what was happening. Something was hunting them. Something big.

“Gather up.” He waved a hand at his soldiers. The group quickly formed up behind their Commander as he stared off to their flank, into the forest.

A high-pitched scream rent the air for a split second before it was cut off abruptly. Every member of his squad knew what such a sound meant, though that didn’t mean they could all take it easily in stride. It wasn’t every day you heard one of your friends dying in a gruesome fashion.

“Ready weapons!”

The squad drew their blades as one as they settled down into a defensive formation. Every person under his command knew the risks they faced when they heard where they were being sent, but knowing the danger wasn’t the same as experiencing it.

Several loud cracks rang out from the forest. A few massive trees tipped and swayed as something huge stomped its way toward them. Those trees were enormous, growing to ridiculous sizes, and whatever they would soon face had just snapped them like a bunch of dried-up twigs.

A tree so huge it would take them several hours to cut down, knocked aside like it didn’t even exist.

“Shit.”

The second in command shivered as she heard her leader swear for the first time that she could remember. Everyone knew how unflappable the leader of their expedition was—it was part of the reason so many had volunteered to go, despite the inherent danger it held.

But as the creature approached, something else caught the Commander's eye. A large hawk flew down out of the clouds toward the group as though there wasn’t an immense monster bearing down on them at that very moment.

The rest of the squad tensed up as their leader held up an arm and allowed the bird to settle on his leather vambrace. A small tube hung from the hawk’s leg, which the Commander tugged off, after giving the bird a treat. Only after it had flown away once more, did he tug open the container and pull out the note it held.

Several awkward seconds passed as the sounds of destruction and death drew ever closer. The Elven Navy soldiers stared into the forest as they waited for their leader to say something—anything, really—but the man simply stood there, staring at the strip of parchment. It soon became apparent, however, that the contents of the message had struck him speechless.

“What is it, Sir?” The second in command finally spoke up on behalf of the rest of the squad. “Is it a message from the scouts?”

“No.” The Commander let out a long, shallow breath as he carefully crushed the message in his hand. His normally friendly nature had vanished, replaced by a look of cold, dead fury as he glared off into the distance. “We’re going back. This place is no longer my priority.”

No one argued with the Commander as he led them into the forest at a mad dash. The team moved through the tree cover with both speed and caution as they used the cover to avoid the oncoming monster. It wasn’t easy, but they managed to skirt around the thing’s path without attracting its attention.

But that still left the journey back to the cliff face at the edge of Monster Isle. Fortunately, their Commander cared little for anything that stood in his way. The soldiers watched in awe as their leader cleaved his way through anything and everything that stood in their way.

Monsters, beasts, nothing could stand before his blade as they carved a quick, bloody path back to the place they had moored their boat. Everyone wondered why the Commander had decided to leave the ruin unexplored and return to Keria, but no one wanted to question him, in case he changed his mind.

Their journey back across the Lanoi Sea passed without incident. Though the crew didn’t speak of it, the fear they felt toward the punishments they might receive for abandoning their mission hung heavy in the air. But not a single one dared to question their leader’s decision. In fact, many vocally supported his order to turn back.

The close shave with the monstrous beast had left them even more wary of the Isle than they’d been before. If not for that brush with her own mortality, the second in command would have worried about how the failure might look on the Commander’s record. That, and the fact that their Commander didn’t care about what others thought of him. The mission, while important to the Elven Navy as a whole, wilted before his drive and desire to get back to his family.

To his son.

Even before they’d set out to reach the so-called Monster Isle, a fair number of the officers had voiced their concerns about the endeavor. Why did the Elvish Navy care about an ancient structure on a monster-infested continent? What did they expect them to find there? Who had made the decision to send a high-ranking official like their Commander along on the voyage?

Questions and complaints aside, their leader had agreed to take control of the expedition on one condition. The instant his son was born, he would return home. That should have left them with more than enough time to investigate the ruin, though.

Compared to the other races, the gestation period of the elves stretched for almost an eternity. With how long they had before the birth of his child, even exploring an entire swathe of the Isle shouldn’t have been a problem.

Then why had he been called back to witness the birth of his son?

None of it made sense, and there was no way to get his questions answered. He’d even sent multiple messages with their supply of trained carrier-hawks back to Keria, but not a single one returned. Those he’d sent to friends and trusted acquaintances must have been intercepted by someone with the power to waylay his runesmith-enhanced birds.

Rage filled his heart on multiple occasions, but none of the crew would have guessed it from the placid expression on his face. Only a few scarred veterans who’d served with him for decades had even a tiny sliver of a hint at the emotions and thoughts roiling about inside their leader’s head.

“Land ho!”

The Commander stared out across the choppy waters of the Lanoi sea as they neared the large docks at Keria, the main city—and self-declared capital—of the Elven nations. The navy crew calmed noticeably as they heaved a sigh of relief, having managed to pass through the contested waters without being waylaid by any roving bands of pirates.

A lucky stroke for them, though the same could likely be said for the unfortunate fools who might have tried to get in the way of the Commander returning to his child.

“Commander, you need to stay on the vessel until we’ve- Commander!” The dockmaster’s face reddened as he stepped up to the man who had leaped down from the deck of his ship in a single bound.

“You need to stay where you are-”

The infuriated dock worker’s sputters faded quickly into silence as the man he’d tried to stop turned a cold glare in his direction. All the dithering bureaucrat could see in that frigid stare was his inevitable death, should he continue with his foolhardy complaints. He dived out of the furious Commander’s path so quickly, he actually slipped and fell into the frothing waters below the dock.

No one else spoke a word as the man strode into Keria without missing a beat.

The Commander wove his way through the winding streets and narrow alleyways of the lower city. He ignored the irritated looks he received from the denizens as they spotted his Navy uniform, though he could understand why they might feel like that, upon seeing his sigil. What had once been an organization created to uphold honor and order had sunk low these last few years.

The only thing that interrupted his journey was a large gathering of armed and armored warriors who stood before the hospital where his wife had been moved to.

“Commander! How dare you show your face here!” A female elf stepped out of the group.

“Olea. I knew you’d be involved in this.” The Commander laid a hand on the hilt of his sword as he glared at the ostentatiously dressed elf before him. “What does an Admiral such as yourself have to gain from moving against me and mine? Do you not care for the familial ties that bind us?”

“Care?” She sneered. “Of course I care, that’s why I did this. For you.” Olea tilted her head to one side as her eyes drifted to the sword at the Commander’s waist, one eyebrow arcing dangerously, as though she was taunting him to draw it against her.

“I care more than you, who fled his duty when given the merest- “

“Olea. Stop this charade. Stand aside, or I’ll cut you down.”

“You think you could best me? You know you could never beat me.” Olea’s smirk dampened a bit when she saw the ice-cold fury in her brother’s eyes. “Hmmm… you don’t care if I strike you down, do you, knowing that were I to do so, it would cost me my rank and position.”

“Stand. Aside. Sister.”

“You know what, fine!” Olea gave him a mocking bow, then gestured for her followers to clear the path. “It most likely failed—just as it did with your weakling of a daughter. You should thank me for even giving my little nephew a shot, Commander Yannisa.”

Though he knew exactly what she meant with her honeyed words, the man didn’t care. She’d probably use his failed mission to strip him of his rank, but his position on the council should be enough to shield his family from harm.

At least for the time being.

And when that changed, well… then he’d just have to improvise, wouldn’t he?

.

Book 1: Origins of a Pirate Lord

Chapter One

Lanoi Sea - 67 days since leaving port

M y keen elven eyes scanned the skies for a drungen.

The drungen was a hybrid dragon and whale creature, notorious for preying on ships. They were easier to spot than the lurking goliaths under the sea, or the dragons who tended to fly so high that they were a spec in the clouds, even to us sharp-eyed elves.

The ship rocked with the gentle sway of the ocean. My fellow crew mates were fed up with me, a fact that was causing more than usual stress. I grunted and tried to focus.

Every facet of elven life was focused on becoming and being the best. If your skills were at a Master’s level, such as my archery, you were paid more through bounties. The Acarian Empire rewarded success—it was a simple fact that my crewmates on the Orilious had started to bemoan.

When I signed on to help defend the shipping lanes, it was a dream come true for my father. He had once served on this very vessel, before becoming a second captain on one of the dirigibles that flew over the cities’ skies.

Mother had wanted me to be an artist like her, living with them until I was fifty and fully matured. No…that wouldn’t do.

I was gifted. My talents with a bow were so abnormally great, it infuriated those around me. Elven culture encouraged us to be proud of our achievements.

I was a Master Archer. Although it was true that most high elves were graceful and accurate with a bow, I was a tier above them.

I was capable of shooting with precision, whether jumping, riding, or performing trick shots.

You’d think that having an amazing archer onboard would be a great boon, especially for a ship that expected to repel sea monsters trying to crush their hull or a crew that would need to drop an attacking drungen with an arrow through the center of its eye.

The problem was that I didn’t know how to let others-

Suddenly, a drungen pierced the low hanging cloud cover, diving rapidly at our ship.

“Drungen!” I shouted. Per procedure, I rang the bell, and gave the alert—trying hard to ignore the chorus of grumbles that arose below me.

Now, once the threat was declared, it became an open competition to claim the reward for the kill shot. My crewmates didn’t want me to win the bounty… yet again.

I’d had to cite regulations to get a single hour up in the crow’s nest atop the mast. And that was why the idiots below me groaned—they knew they’d waste arrows trying to get the kill and claim the bounty.

From this vantage point, there was no way my pink fletching wouldn’t be the killing blow and I’d earn the bounty—just like the dozens I’d earned before this one.

I smoothly hooked my bow string, constructed of the finest sinew, over the top notch of my bow. Reaching over my shoulder, I plucked a hand-crafted shaft from my quiver and nocked the arrow, all while sizing up my target.

The glistening sun reflected off the drungen’s blue scales as it pierced the scattered clouds. The creature’s sleek, long body was bloated in the gut, and it had a wide beaver-tail. The beast’s expansive wings, with which it normally glided above the clouds, were tucked tight against its body.

The drungen grew in my vision as it closed on us at a speed that would make the shot more of a challenge. The beast flapped its wide, flat tail to increase its speed—effectively using its tail like a third wing.

A snarling maw peeled back thin lips to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. Based on the creature’s comparatively modest size, this was yet another juvenile trying to prey on shipping through seas that the Acarian Empire claimed. The drungen would die for its temerity.

I yanked the sinew back in a swift motion, the fletching glided back smoothly until it tickled my release point, just under my right eye. The wind, which caused the flag above me to snap, the smooth rocking of the ship, the drungen’s dive—all were calculated and accounted for in fractions of a second.

Since I held the high ground, I decided I’d not let the others waste their arrows today.

Twang!

The arrow I’d spent hours crafting streaked from my bow. It wobbled slightly before entering a rapid twirl. The shaft, in its vortex of precision, honed in on the oblivious drungen.

The creature might be considered majestic, if it wasn’t so hell-bent on destruction. My arrow disappeared up the beast’s narrow nostril. Yeah, I’m that good.

A smirk crested my face as the drungen’s attack faltered and became a nosedive. The beast was dead and I cheered. The whole crew was eerily silent at yet another of my victories. I heard curses about me float up from the deck.

Let them spit on the deck in vain and whine about how unfair this was. Like I cared. The rules were the rules: a ten-silver bounty was paid out for every killing blow of a drungen. The bounty was paid for by the empire.

After the first few kills, the others had asked in multiple ways for me to split, share and even partition my bounty. None of those propositions were fair or right. The Acarian Empire rewarded greatness, and I was a great archer. The bounty was mine and mine alone, awarded for my superior finesse with a bow.

The captain spun the ship around, having the crew fish the drungen’s floating body out of the water on the starboard side of the ship. There, a young deckhand knocked out two fangs for trophies and tried to find my arrow—she wouldn’t, it was buried deep in the beast’s brain.

When my hour was up, I was replaced in the mast’s upper bucket. I collected my trophy fangs, knowing I’d be paid for them when we finally left these waters out in the wilds for civilization.

Going to sleep that night was like any other. A smug smile of being the best was etched on my face.

Chapter Two

Lanoi Sea, near the Wood Elf realm of Waskis - 68 days since leaving port

A  hand covered my mouth. Additional hands controlled my body as I struggled, fighting the strong grips that held me still. There must have been at least six of them restraining me.

With a muffled cry, I shouted, “Unhand me -”

“Silence, you petulant child,” Captain Kilma demanded. “This is not a pleasure cruise, where you get to steal every single bounty from this crew. Your first bloody voyage and you upset everyone, turning the entire crew against you. You fool.”

“This is against regulations -”

A punch crashed into my temple, knocking me unconscious.

∞∞∞

I awoke without bindings, which was the good news. The bad news was that I found myself in a rowboat, in the dark, about two hundred paces off a jungle infested beach. This, however, was not the worst news.

A siren was pawing at my pants from the side of the boat, waking me with her webbed fingers. Her appearance was magicked to resemble a sexy, sad maiden. That was downright terrifying.

I lashed out, cutting a knuckle open on her scaly cheek with a rapid jab. Her head snapped back, revealing her sucker teeth as her magical illusion faded.

My hands shot out, grasping the oars. Rowing for all I was worth, I raced the small vessel to the shore. The boat shot forward in the surf, the siren fading quickly in the distance with a pout and a sad, crying song.

I shouted to drown out her voice. It was just enough to keep me from succumbing to her orders to turn around, though I swooned from her sweet melody. My initial rapid strokes soon faltered. I prayed that my momentum towards the beach would be enough to bring me within range of the surging waves, as I bent every fiber of my will to resisting the siren’s call.

Finally, the surf caught me and drove me forward. When the waves pushed me into the shallows, where sirens feared to follow because of large crocs, I hopped out and pulled the boat up onto the pebbled beach. The washed stone beach only stretched for about a dozen paces, before disappearing at the edge of the looming jungle. Small, vine-covered green trees became much taller giants, further back from the salty water.

I took stock of what they’d left me.

There was a large bag that was likely a survival kit, my bow with four quivers of arrows, the sword I never equipped, and even rations. The shock of the situation caught up to me. I’d been marooned, in accordance with regulation 239 of the Acarian Navy:

If a sailor is deemed to be toxic to the point of crew morale becoming mutinous, they may be marooned at the first opportunity. To do so, you must leave them with…

I gulped, my face pale. I’d been given every single item required in the handbook.

By a dwarve’s hairy toes!

That regulation hadn’t been enacted since the war of the seventh age, versus the human Lingara Empire. Even that had been a severe case—an elf crewman declared he was boycotting the war, refused to do his job, and sought to convince everyone of the validity of his argument. Eventually, the crew tossed him in a rowboat next to an island, to bemoan the war to himself.

Captain Kilma will surely face an inquisition for this. Father will be irate. By the dungeon of Brixi, the admiralty would pitch a storm… but… the prick of a Captain was retiring soon, anyway. I was screwed, regardless of whatever sanctions his actions received. Not like he’d come back to rescue me, after casting me ashore.

There was only one thing I could do: survive while making the impossibly long trek home. Given where we had been patrolling, I figured it would take at least a year to get back home, on foot.

Taking the rowboat was simply out of the question. Small vessels were easy prey for the monsters of the deep. Though building a larger raft was another idea I considered, kraken thrived on crushing flat-bottomed vessels. I gave a frustrated sigh—it was going to be a long walk home.

The jungle before me was a mix of undergrowth and rain forest, with massive bushes taller than me and vines that served as walkways for critters high above the ground. When I glanced up into the tops of the trees, I noticed at least a dozen sets of small, curious eyes focused on my arrival.

While I wanted to kick at the stones of the beach in frustration, I decided that breaking a toe would be a very bad idea, at the moment. I even bit back the boiling rage I wanted to unleash with a scream

Instead, I dragged the rowboat further up onto the beach, well above the tide line. After a few minutes of gathering debris, I had a decent collection of driftwood piled high just beyond the reach of the jungle. While I was a city elf at heart, I knew the basics about survival.

I lit and carefully stoked a pile of tinder until the tiny embers became flickers of flame. Feeding the flame from a stack of kindling, I kept at it until a roaring fire danced brightly, pushing back the darkness. I laid out everything that had been in the bag before me.

“You followed the regulation, to the last point at least,” I grumbled, sorting through the materials.

I set my bow next to me on a log I’d dragged over to the fire, a full quiver across my back. The rest of my arrows, I condensed into a second quiver, which I stored back in my bag. I normally segregated my shafts by length and materials into trick, long-range, piercing, and sharp-shooting… but that was no longer an option.

For once, I did as the navy expected, and equipped my anti-boarding sword. Feeling secure enough to dig into the forest floor, I headed into the gloomy canopy.

Part of my stranding kit included a small wood-axe, which made a great throwing weapon, or… in this case, a great digging tool. Using a makeshift torch, I dug up a few grubs and worms, which I tossed into a crude bowl I’d carved out of driftwood.

I set up the fishing gear I’d been given. I’d have to risk the crocs and other beach predators to fish the shallows. When I hurled my line into the water, I worried that the throw didn’t go far enough. Obviously, a fine city elf like me was shocked when I caught a fish in moments.

Despite using nothing more than line, hook, and the grubs I’d dug up as bait, I soon had four fish roasting over my fire on an elevated stick.

One of the keys to surviving in the wilds was to keep a full stomach and stay hydrated. I figured cooking the fish was a fantastic idea.

Wrong.

Bushes stirring to my right caught my attention. Massive eyes flicked open, revealing that something huge was eyeing my dinner hungrily.

I sprang up and started backing away when I heard a growl from the forest’s edge. I cursed, because it had not even been five minutes into cooking the fish.

When I saw the massive head of a gigantic puma, I wanted to scream with frustration. The nocturnal predator stalked from the bushes with fluid steps. I saw the flash of white teeth as it snarled a warning.

The growling sounds it made while exposing itself, lifted the hair over my whole body. The beast’s jet-black fur shone in the firelight, which illuminated what was likely to be my killer. With each casual, confident step, its long claws clacked against the worn stones of the beach.

I snatched up my bow, backpedaling towards the lapping waves. I smoothly nocked an arrow while we stared at each other. The snarling stopped when I was well away from the fish. I relaxed my half draw, patiently waiting for the beast to make its move.

The cat batted at my poorly created stand, spilling my half-cooked fish onto the rocks.

“I thought you were supposed to be bigger?” I grumbled at the cat, sour over losing my meal.

There were about a million types of cats across our planet. The Acarian Empire was but one tiny corner of a place so big, that even the high elves had failed to map it all. From my intense schooling, I knew that pumas were a sub-species of panther that came in three variations, but were always a solid black.

The housecat-sized version were nasty little things and the larger, high tree-cat version was normally only half the size of this beast. Then there was the biggest of the breed, shadowpanthers, which should be even bigger than…

Trees creaked as a behemoth of a predator stepped out of the jungle, further down the beach. This was what I had expected of a shadowpanther. This monster was so big, that the stones bounced at its every step, creating a noise that sent shivers down my spine.

A shadowpanther the size of a frigate waltzed casually up to what must be its offspring. Ah, I thought, looks like momma came out to curl up by the fire.

When the younger cat finished eating my dinner, it spun around and whined to its parent, who huffed in my direction. Two large sets of yellow eyes glared at me. I was unsure what to do.

“They want more fish,” a feminine voice called out from just inside the tree line.

I turned away from the fire to peer at the trees, noting that the cats were completely unfazed.

“Who goes there?”

A wood elf exited the tall bushes with her hands held out to the side. She was filthy, covered in caked on mud. Her hair was a matted mess, what should have been its natural white or blonde color, a dirty brown. A thin strap covered her breasts and she wore a skirt so small, my ten-year-old niece could wear it.

She exposed so much skin, that a similarly clad high elf would get fined for public indecency.

“You’ve drawn their interest… and mine, pretty elf,” she said with a quiet, cackle of a laugh. Clearly, I amused her. Her eyes roamed hungrily over my sailor’s outfit. “Your skin is finer than my sister’s, and she does naught more than tend to babies all day.”

“Decorum dictates -” I started to say, but she interjected.

“You’re in the Waskis Woods, you fool. Here, there is only life and death. There are no fancy streets or glistening towers to hide in,” she scolded.

I sighed, mulling over the idea of eliminating her, since she appeared to be hostile. The big cats, however, eyed us casually—which told me she was probably their friend.

I cleared my throat as was proper for an introduction in high society. “I’m Weslilian Yannisa of the -”

“Nice to meet ya, Wes,” the wood-elf interrupted once again with an amused grin. “I’m Dewnishka Harvensen of the Waskis Woods. You can call me, Dew.”

I bowed, as was fitting, to complete the ritual of introduction. She scoffed.

I was about to say something witty when the momma cat shot up with a sudden hiss.

The sound of the crashing waves was accented with bursts of splashing water. Charging from the shallows onto the shore was a croc so big, that the cats darted back into the jungle rather than engage it. Dew yanked a knife from her belt and sent the blade flying at the beast’s face before likewise disappearing into the trees.

Her weapon missed its eye, clattering off the hard ridge of scales along its brow, doing nothing.

I spun around, smoothly drawing my already nocked arrow. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough room to get off my shot. When a twisted, snapping set of jaws tried to clamp onto me around the waist, I leaped up until the tip of my toes landed on the end of the beast’s snout.

Bunching my legs, I leapt higher as the croc flicked its neck in the air, boosting my flight. With my new height, I finally was exposed to a great shot. Flying into the air, I drew to my anchor point, and released.

There was only one problem, I soon realized—and it wasn’t the accuracy of my shot. I watched as my arrow pierced the croc’s eye. While that was awesome, I was still a half dozen paces into the air and gravity always collected its due. I fell fast, and though I tried to soften my landing with a roll over my shoulder, an unsteady landing on the pebbly beach was nearly my undoing.

The pop as my ankle twisted unnaturally sounded deafening. Without hesitation, I swiftly extracted another arrow from my quiver and prepared to fire again from where I lay.

I heard the loud cracking of rocks as they broke under the weight of the rolling croc. The beast was infuriated by the arrow sticking out of its eye, to the point that the croc rolled itself into the fire.

That produced another roar of displeasure, which gave me the opening I’d been waiting for. I shot a trick arrow off a rock, deflecting the shaft into the monster’s mouth at an upward angle, driving the sharp arrowhead into the animal's brain.

There was a loud thud and a billow of cinders floated up into the air, as the dead croc collapsed back onto the fire.

How nice of it to cook itself for me.

I hobbled over to my kill, retrieving my arrow from its eye. I snickered when the cats and the wood elf returned from the jungle where they had fled.

“How’d ya do that?” Dew demanded. Her haughty tone had been replaced with awe.

I ignored her. The way things were turning out pushed me well past grumpy into an abysmal mood. Killing this monster of a croc would normally be worth another ten silver. Now, though… now it brought back three beggars, who ran away at the first sign of trouble.

Bitter thoughts raced through my mind. I figured I could take down Dew and possibly the smaller cat, but would then be in a fight to the death with the big cat. Rejecting such notions, I came to a conclusion—it was a turning point in my life.

“Wes works,” I sighed, continuing our rudely interrupted conversation. “I’m gifted and yet, until recently, have never been humble.” I shook my head and blew out a quick breath. “Dew, how about I hire you? Of course,” I grinned, “we’d need to clean off some of the grime and -”

She frowned and then burst into a laugh, sauntering forward to retrieve her blade from the rocks with a provocative bend at the waist.

Ladies weren’t supposed to… Oh! She was letting me see her shapely backside. I gulped, realizing that she’d even winked at me over her shoulder. She laughed even louder at my furious blush.

I… I was not accustomed to such forwardness.

“Pretty boy,” she snickered, “You have it all backwards. I take it you wish to head back to your Empire?”

I nodded.

“A trip through the Waskis Woods, around the Green Sea, and then across the Viper Sands?” she asked.

“When you say it like that, the way sounds long and difficult,” I admitted.

“You’re cute, but not that cute,” she chuckled, still shaking her head. “If you follow my lead, I’ll escort you to the Green Sea and no further. In exchange, I get to claim this kill and any other epic beasts you slay on the journey.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Nothing about this was going to be easy.

“I’ll need your help carrying the spoils to my den,” Dew said, pointing to the massive croc. “I’ll be praised and paid for the meat this provides. Enough to feel compensated for being your guide on this dangerous voyage to the Green Sea.” She paused. “Assuming you agree to my terms.”

“I was planning on carrying it the whole way, on my back, without your help,” I gave her a snarky reply.

She approached, snapping her hips as she came close—until her lips were so close to mine that a kiss would only take a bit of a lean forward from either of us. The grimy kiss I expected never arrived, though. At the last second, I saw the mud in her hand from when I thought she had scooped up her dagger.

“I like you,” Dew laughed, slapping beach muck into my fine, yellow hair. “This shall be a grand adventure.” Her eyes gleamed mischievously at me. “By the time you get home, you might even be ruggedly handsome—and not a fair maiden, any longer.”

I wanted to protest, but she was loving the moment. The young shadowpanther nudged at my hand as sandy mud dripped from my head, asking for pets.

Dew had a point. This was going to be a grand adventure, indeed.

Chapter Three

Waskis Woods Day 1

I n the hour since we’d left the beach, I’d contemplated and started to reconsider my decision to accept Dew’s proposal.

Though she was nice enough to look at, once I learned to disregard the muck and grime covering her from nearly head to toe, her natural inclination toward carelessness didn’t give me much faith in her skills as a guide.

I’d seen her knife throw out of the corner of my eye, a weapon the smaller cat sheepishly collected for the girl as they waited for her to butcher the croc. Her aim had been average, at best. Common street urchins in the High Elf capital of Keria, would sneer at her knife throwing ability.

But that didn’t mean all that much to me, at the end of the day. I needed to get home, to report that traitorous captain’s deeds. For what he’d done to me, I’d do everything I could to turn his miserable excuse of an existence into a living hell.

I’d followed every single rule—followed them to the letter—and yet, they’d marooned me in order to share the bounties that I’d rightfully earned.

My mind rewound the trip multiple times, looking for any other logical conclusion, but I could only see one explanation for their behavior.

Jealousy.

It made sense. I should have seen it from the start. All the rude looks, the angry cursing, the pitiful demands to share the fruits of my labors.

In the end, they just couldn’t take the disparity between our skills.

My father had tried to teach me the value of discretion, always telling me how important it was to keep those around you content in their existence, but I’d dismissed his lessons as useless twaddle.

And now, those rotten cowards had shown me the wisdom of his words.

“You’re looking a might pissed off there, pretty boy.” Dew paused in her steps, glancing back over her shoulder with a wide smirk to where I limped along behind her. “Want to try riding Samoshi again, do yah?”

“That would be the epitome of idiocy,” I growled. I glared at the huge cat, which had paused to watch its kitten carefully as the smaller beast dashed back and forth through the low vegetation. “How is it that she let you load her up with croc meat, but she bucked me off the instant I tried to mount her?”

Dew laughed at the memory.

“Your pet doesn’t seem to be trained well in the slightest-” I continued, before a low growl interrupted my irritated comments.

Samoshi turned to me, her eyes narrowed dangerously. If I hadn’t been hobbling along like this, I might have taken the behemoth up on its unspoken challenge. But, injured as I was, any chance to defend my honor would have to wait.

“She isn’t trained, you fool,” Dew snorted. “You city elves really are dumb, sometimes.” She reached up to pat the monster’s leg with a gentle smile. “She’s my friend, one of the best I’ve ever had.” Her eyes narrowed at me. “And she understands a lot more than you’d think, pretty boy.”

“I thought I told you to stop calling me that,” I grumbled. I shook my head and raked my fingers through the muck that had dried in my hair. Sand and dust scattered the ferns around me. “I agreed to your usage of ‘Wes’, why do you persist in taunting me with these petty nicknames?”

“I thought a big, strong man like you would like a nice nickname. Seems I was wrong.” Dew giggled and turned her back on me, yet again. “Keep up, Wes,” she called out. “We’ve still got a long way to go.”

In better times, I might have enjoyed her flirting, if it could be called that, but given everything I’d been through lately, it was difficult for me to focus on anything but my future vengeance.

Captain Kilma and the crew would have to be made to reimburse me for all of the kill bounties I’d earned over the course of the journey. I’d petition the courts for immediate reinstatement to the Acarian Navy, so I could get compensation for their decision to leave me to die in the middle of nowhere.

Unlocking back pay would mean time in service and a due promotion. Redeeming my status and reputation was vital.

Of course, that all depended on me reaching Keria in one piece.

Our trek through the forest passed rather uneventfully. It seemed most of the wildlife avoided us—likely due to our oversized guardian, a fact I couldn’t really complain about.

Every random root and low-lying bush, it seemed, tried to snag my feet or trip me up as I stumbled along at the tail end of our little group.

When I called for our third rest stop in as many hours, Dew came over and stared down at my bruised and swollen ankle. Though it was difficult to be sure, I thought I saw a look of sympathy in her pale blue eyes.

Almost.

“Looks painful,” she noted. “Why don’t you just splint it?”

“Because I thought it might heal, or that you’d have figured out some way to get us back to your village that didn’t involve an injured man trekking for several hours through this entire damn forest,” I snapped.

I winced as she prodded at the swollen flesh of my leg. From past experience, I knew it wasn’t broken, but it also wasn’t healing properly.

Walking on it had exacerbated my injury, that much was certain. Still, given my normally robust constitution, it should have started healing by now—or at least not have been this bad.

“Wait a minute-” I sputtered, as she slowly rotated my leg around.

At least her touch was soft and surprisingly gentle, though I couldn’t stop the low hiss that escaped as I turned on my side so she could view the back of my ankle. Something didn’t look right in the dim light. After a short inspection, Dew found the problem. A dark, red twig, not quite as thick around as my little finger, dug deep into my flesh. Only the end of the stick stuck out from the slowly weeping wound.

“Oh, that’s unlucky.” Dew leaned in close, her warm breath tickling the skin of my leg as she examined her discovery closely. “You must’ve landed on a deadlock growth when you fell. Want me to take it out?”

“Do you have something to clean the wound?” I looked her over, noting that she had little to nothing in the way of carrying capacity, just the knapsack tied at her waist.

I frowned. “If you take it out, the wound will bleed profusely, weakening me and I’ll likely die—if not from blood loss, then from infection. If I leave it in, infection will just eat into my leg that much more quickly… and I’ll die.”

“Not expecting to ‘stick around’, huh?” She grinned at her silly joke, despite the severity of my situation. “What if I told you I had a way to clean it out, but that you wouldn’t like it?”

“Would I like your option less than dying?” I raised an eyebrow, curious despite myself. “Tell me your plan, and I’ll consider it.”

“That’s not what you are supposed to say to someone who offers to save your life. I was expecting something more along the lines of…’Thank you for your kindness’,” Dew rolled her eyes at me.

Standing up, she bowed, clumsily mocking my practiced motions from our meeting not so long ago.

“In any case,” she continued, “you’re welcome.” The wood elf stood and smirked down at me. “Kiel,” she called out, “you’re up.”

The not-so-tiny terror rushed toward us, its nose twitching as it glanced back and forth between Dew and me.

How or why the beast figured in her plan to deal with my unenviable situation I didn’t know for certain, but the possibilities that rushed to the forefront of my mind didn’t give me much hope.

“Wait!” I paled. “Please don’t tell me he’ll-”

“Fetch!”

Before I could react, the beast darted forward and ripped the stick from my leg with one tug of its jaws. Pain came quickly, as I’d expected, but I fought down the instinct to scream in frustrated agony as I waited for what would come next.

Either Dew had something more to her plan, or she’d just murdered me by proxy. Either way, there wasn’t anything I could do about it, sprawled as I was on my side, under the ferns.

The massive kitten looked at my bleeding leg, then at Dew, then back at my leg again. Back and forth its gaze danced until Dew pointed at my ankle and offered up an encouraging, “go ahead.” The beast huffed once before stepping close to me. I had a vague notion of what it was about to do and I didn’t like the thought of it at all.

Dew had accurately guessed how I’d feel about her plan—though I considered having my open wound cleaned by a wild animal’s tongue hardly better than bleeding to death, I’d have to find a way to endure it.

I closed my eyes and grit my teeth together as Kiel’s raspy tongue rubbed along and all around my injured ankle. Wet, sticky, nasty, dirty… these words and worse sprang to mind, to explain what I felt at that moment.

I mentally catalogued the multitude of nasty things that could result from this barbaric treatment, one after the other, deciding which one annoyed me the most. Though the first few were quite bad enough, ultimately the thought of what—including the fish heads and croc entrails I’d seen it slurp down—might have passed through the kitten’s mouth in the past day or so, worried me the most.

If even a miniscule fraction of the offal that seemed to make up its messy diet ended up inside my body, infection would consume me so fast that I’d be—

“There, all done.” Dew patted my shoulder gently, though I could hear in her tone how she barely managed to hold back a giggle as she spoke. “Go on and open your eyes, pretty boy.”

I really didn’t want to look at the mess of my leg, but it wasn’t like I’d gotten anywhere in the past by ignoring reality. After a moment, I cracked my eyes open, squinting slightly as I stared down at my ankle. I fully expected to see a bloody gouge covered in cat spittle, with a high probability of what was to have been my dinner or a piece of croc stuck in the wound for good measure.

Instead, I saw a small hole, covered by a thin layer of translucent goo.

“What-” I reached down to press against the covering, only to have my hand knocked aside by a frustrated Dew.

“Stupid city boy. If you break the healing seal, don’t expect Kiel to help you again.” She leaned forward and flicked my forehead, a move I hadn’t received since I’d last suffered under my sister’s petty tyranny, so very long ago. “And I refuse to watch your pretty face shrivel up all nasty with infection, especially after all the trouble we have taken to save you from a miserable death on that beach,” she huffed. “Now try it out. Stand up and see how it feels, pretty boy.”

“Don’t call me that,” I grunted as I pushed myself to my feet and gingerly put weight on my injured leg. I winced a bit as my ankle spasmed painfully. It was better, not fixed, but at least the bleeding had stopped and the wound was sealed.

I knew my manners well enough to give appropriate thanks when someone helped me, so I turned to Dew with a forced smile. “Thank you for your kindness.”

“It’s not me you should thank.” Dew waved me toward the kitten, which stared back at me with its luminescent, wide eyes. “Go on. He wants his reward.”

“Th- Thank you,” I stammered, meeting the creature’s innocent gaze and forcing back bitter thoughts on the sheer idiocy of my situation. Me, thanking a cat for licking my leg with its horrible, rough tongue?

Puuuurrrrrrrrr

Kiel’s deep-throated purr rang out as the cat nearly knocked me over, rubbing itself against my uninjured leg.

Smart, for a beast.

After a beat, and Dew’s pointed glare, I reached out and scratched the monster between its ears, a move which elicited an even deeper hum of pleasure from my new friend.

“Wait here,” the wood elf instructed, “and I’ll go get something to bind up your ankle.” Dew glanced around us at the forest for a moment before she dashed off in a seemingly random direction.

“Wait a minute! Why-”

My yells went unheeded as she rushed off into the densely packed undergrowth.

Again, I’d have to rely on her assistance, not a situation I was entirely comfortable with.

I wasn’t used to having to rely upon the care of others, especially not the assistance of a stranger.

For some reason, though, I’d felt comfortable and secure in the presence of this dirty wood elf and her feline ‘friends’… from the moment we’d left the beach.

Bizarre, I know, but the truth was the truth. And it wasn’t like she’d have left me all alone out here, if it was unsafe, right?

“Look at what we’ve got here, boys.” A lanky wood elf strode out into the open, his face creased with a vicious grin. Several other hunters followed him into the open, seemingly unafraid of the huge beast beside me. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a fancy-pants high elf all lost in the scary jungle. What do you say, lads, shall we show him what we do with his kind around here?”

Chapter Four

Waskis Woods Day 1

F ive forest dwellers up against the greatest high elf archer of this generation? Normally, this wouldn’t even be a contest.

Normally.

Normal didn’t begin to describe the circumstances they’d caught me under.

I leaned against a gnarled root amidst the ferns, keeping weight off an injured leg that wouldn’t hold up under any strain above a steady walk.

My bow rested on a rock, about eight feet away, well out of reach.

It was a stupid mistake, one I swore I’d never repeat—but wisdom is a wonderful thing only those who survive to learn from their stupidity obtain.

“Hello, my friends!” I gave the group a wide smile and started to shuffle towards my weapon. “This is a fine forest you have.” I gestured grandly about us. “How are you-?”

“Shut it, you arrogant prick!” One of the wood elves screeched, her high-pitched nasal tone grating against my eardrums. “You invade our home, walk about as though you own the land, and now you act as though we’re friends? Ha!”

The leader turned to shush his follower, giving me a moment to take another halting step toward the rock my weapon lay propped against.

Kiel had vanished the instant the wood elves strode out of the forest, likely hiding under some convenient bush not too far away.

His mother seemed entirely unconcerned as the gang of wood elves surrounded us.

From the way each side ignored the other, I almost believed they couldn’t see one another. But then, the leader acknowledged the existence of the huge beast beside me.

“Where is your Master, Samoshi? She seems to have left you behind.” He smirked at the cat and then gave me another sinister glare. “Again.”

I didn’t know what the stupid man meant by his insinuations, but I didn’t much care. Why would a deadly shadowpanther need a knife-chucker to defend it? The sheer idiocy of the man’s comments solidified my already low opinion of him and—guilty by association—the gaggle of elves who followed his lead.

Stupid, egotistical, and suicidal pretty much summed up my initial impression.

But why hadn’t the behemoth taken the group down already? It would take far more than five wood elves to threaten a-

Then, I realized something. Knowing is half the battle, and usually, I knew enough to give me a leg up in most engagements, but it seemed like I’d missed a trick this time.

Wood elves were masters of disguise and trickery, making up for their generally deplorable skills and attributes using their natural guile and base instincts.

Of course, this idiot wouldn’t be so stupid as to try to corner a shadowpanther and its kitten, with only four followers under his command.

How many more elves hid in the trees, impatiently waiting for his order to strike from the shadows?

My first guess was that there were at least five more cowards just out of sight, maybe even double that number.

Sure, their archery skills would pale in comparison to mine, but even a broken clock is right twice a day.

By the same logic, it would only take one lucky shot to take me out, permanently.

“I don’t know where Dew went.” I held up a palm as the infuriatingly nasal female wood elf stepped forward again. “I don’t know much about her, or of your quarrel with her, but I have nothing to do with your squabbles.”

“You know what, I actually believe you.” The leader folded his arms and gave me a contemplative look. “What do you say… how about you help us take that witch down?”

It was an offer I hadn’t expected, but one I’d need at least to make them think I’d seriously consider.

At first blush, it seemed a decent offer, given that I didn’t know anything of their history, but Dew had helped me when I’d needed it.

Sure, her feline ‘friends’ had also stolen my meal, on top of the distraction they’d provided resulting in my nearly being ambushed by the croc, but we’d come to an agreement. Not that it was a great deal, to be sure, but an agreement, nonetheless.

And a high elf didn’t give their word carelessly. A high elf would always do their very best to ensure their side of a deal was carried out. Rules were rules, after all.

I tapped my finger against my chin, pretending to consider the offer while edging closer to my bow.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” I finally sighed as the elves started to tense up. I put a little more pressure on my leg, testing it for the upcoming battle I could sense brewing. “I’m afraid we came to an agreement, and I can’t turn around and just stab her in the back, now can I?”

“Oh, yeah. Shoulda guessed.” The leader’s cocky grin returned as he swung his arms back and forth, loosening up his muscles. “You high and mighty types like to blind us lowly folk with your brilliant white smiles while you stab us in the gut, right?”

His gang chuckled darkly.

“What’s your plan now?” he jeered. “Gonna keep feeding us this ‘hail fellow, well met’ crap? You can’t talk your way out of this one.”

“Unfortunately, I have a fully functioning brain, so… alas, no. Maybe one of your little friends might try that, but not me.” I smiled and took another step toward my bow. For some reason, I had a talent for angering my foes, though I’d never quite managed to control that power precisely. “So, what do you say? Want to fight me one on one, or are you a coward like the rest of your people?”

“Let me take him,” the female wood elf growled as she stepped forward, a long, viciously serrated knife in her grip. “It won’t take me more than a minute to put him on the ground.” She licked her lips, hungrily. “I’ll even make sure he stays alive long enough for you to do whatever you want to him, boss.”

“Calm down. Remember what the elders taught us.” The leader laid a hand on the girl’s shoulder and pulled her back, like a Master tugging on the lead of an unruly dog. “Never underestimate the high elves. He’s been trying to get closer to his bow this entire time—he probably thinks he could take us, if he gets to it.”

“Let him try.” The infuriated elf hissed, but she still stepped back as her leader silenced her with another look.

I figured someone might notice my plan, but the complete lack of care on the leader’s face concerned me more than a little.

He knew I’d be skilled. He even knew his troops wouldn’t stand much of a chance against me with my bow in my hands, but he didn’t care.

There was only one logical conclusion that explained his behavior.

The number of his hidden followers must be far above my previous estimations.

But Samoshi didn’t seem to care. The huge cat lounged beside me, her eyes shut tight as she napped in the morning sun, as lazy and content as any cat could be.

Her Master, or friend as she called herself, had abandoned her, but she didn’t let it bother her—though her kitten was likely still in the area, and could easily be hurt or even killed, in the pending crossfire.

But still, she didn’t care.

It had to mean something. That I couldn’t figure out what that something might be, annoyed me even more than the gang leader’s obnoxiously rude behavior.

I wasn’t used to being in the dark, in danger of making a mistake, especially one that could cause me major grief, but now I faced an unknown number of forest-dwelling savages and a beast knew something I didn’t.

But I didn’t have the time to overthink that one, small detail. The gang had spread out, each one eyeing me cautiously as they readied their weapons.

Two knife-wielders, two archers, and the as-yet unarmed leader. I couldn’t see any weapons on him, but with the skillful way the wood elves hid away their blades, that didn’t mean much.

“Too much of a coward to fight me one on one?” I threw out in a final effort to goad the leader into a duel. True, I didn’t have much skill with the blade at my side, but my chances against a single wood elf in a melee fight were better than being ambushed by an unknown number of assailants. With a little luck, I might even beat him and take some control of the situation.

At worst, I could play for time and hope Samoshi or Dew had some way to get me out of the situation.

“Sorry, pretty boy. This is our forest, and we don’t play by your fancy-pants rules.” The leader raised his hand into the sky. “I say when you die. Get ready-”

Before he could drop his hand, a blade shot out of the undergrowth, piercing his leg with an accurate shot. Not the best shot, though, I realized—as Dew had missed the femoral artery, which would have made it a killing blow. The wound was serious, however, and the cocky leader fell to his side, groaning in agony.

“It’s her,” the nasal wood elf cried, “Kill her, now!”

I didn’t wait to see who followed her command. Without hesitating, I took advantage of the distraction and lunged for my bow.

“Stop him! He’s got his-” The angry follower yelled out to her comrades.

An arrow to the forehead shut up her nasal whining before she could finish her sentence.

“No!” A lanky male elf sprinted forward, his eyes blazing with fury as he raised his knife for an overhand strike.

“Yes,” I responded calmly from one knee, knocking another arrow to my bow. The fool tried to dodge.

Too slow.

My shot pierced his heart, sending the dodging elf tumbling to the ground.

Deep down, I wanted to get out of the open, hoping to get to the cover of the nearby trees, but my leg half-collapsed under my weight as I stood to make the leap.

I knew I’d be dead if I stayed out in the open, but my body couldn’t keep up with my intent.

I saw it then, the coming of my demise. Two elves peeked out of the forest, their short bows pulled back as far as they could draw them, arrows pointed directly at my chest.

Of course, I didn’t believe their shots would be as accurate as my own, but surviving multiple arrows to the chest without adequate protection wasn’t one of my many talents.

“Shit.”

The pair loosed their arrows as one and I watched as the projectiles streaked towards me, my mind scrambling to find a way out of this predicament.

Hiisssss

Samoshi’s paw swung out of the shadows, batting the arrows aside with ease. The cat had hardly moved since the battle had kicked off, but now, with things reaching the breaking point, she finally made her move.

“Ignore the cat,” the leader of the wood elves ordered. “Kill the witch and we’ll be done!”

A laugh rang out of the nearby undergrowth. Dew had returned, her arrival announced by the sudden sneak attack from the bushes. Now, though… now she had to face off against multiple enemies by herself.

Ambushing an unaware target was one thing, fighting several trained warriors alone was a different barrel of fish, entirely. Hardly something to laugh at.

Surprisingly, Samoshi didn’t move to protect her Master. Instead, she darted forward, smashing one of the archers to the ground with her massive paw. A dull crunch told me all I needed to know about her victim’s situation.

Dead, hopefully… or no longer a threat, at least.

The other archer panicked and pulled an arrow from his quiver, but he was too slow.

My next shot burrowed between his eyes before he could even put the arrow to his string, knocking him to the ground like he was a puppet whose strings had been cut.

That left the leader, who was trying to crawl away unnoticed.

The noise of battle from out in the bushes had died down, though I could still hear the sounds made by someone fleeing the scene as they crashed through the dense undergrowth.

“Long time, no see.” Dew strolled out into the open. “How’re you doing, Ha’Rhin?” She shared a short nod with her huge shadowpanther, as the beast loomed over the injured gang leader’s bleeding form. “What was it you called me?”

“I didn’t-” The man tried to speak, but Dew cut him off with a quick kick to the face.

“You called me a ‘witch’. Don’t you remember what I did to you the last time you used that word?” She pulled out yet another knife from the pouch at her hip and tossed it casually into the air. “Go on, tell Wes here what happened.”

“I-” The gang leader’s face crumbled, his former cockiness a distant memory as he cowered before Dew’s icy stare. “Please, don’t kill me,” he begged.

“If you’re not going to do it…” I pulled an arrow back until the fletching tickled my cheek, aiming for the quivering man’s head. “I’ll finish him off for you. Your call, Dew.”

“No.” Dew stepped between me and my target, not caring in the slightest that my arrow was pointed at her shapely rear. “I have my own plans for how to deal with this little elf.”

The gang leader watched on in horror as Dew ran a dirty nail along the edge of her blade. I couldn’t see her face, but I could guess what she looked like, from how terrified her victim seemed.

The over-confident wood elf had turned into a blubbering child as Dew leaned forward and set her knife against the side of his head.

“I warned you.” She spoke with an icy tone, not showing any of her former joking nature as she drew her blade downward along the side of his head. “And I’ve learned that keeping your word is a good thing to do.”

The man screamed in agony as her blade slashed down, easily cutting through the flesh of his ear.

In one swipe, she severed the tip of his ear, leaving a bloody mess where the hallmark of our race had once been.

With another smooth flick of her blade, she mirrored her handiwork on the other side of his head before kicking him in the face, not caring in the slightest about the nasty crunch the cartilage in his nose made, as his face bounced off the forest floor.

The disfigured gang leader groaned miserably at her feet.

Dew was not someone to annoy, if I couldn’t see her coming, it seemed.

“What if he tells others what happened here?” I flicked my bow around and set it across my chest, finally letting myself relax as the familiar pressure of the string settled comfortably against my back next to the quiver. “I don’t like leaving enemies behind me, if I can avoid it.”

“Is that another of your rules?” Dew turned around and gave me a sunny smile, which made for an odd scene—given that her hand was still covered in blood. “If we kill everyone we dislike, who will warn the rest to avoid us?”

“Forest logic at its finest,” I grumbled, giving the now unconscious elf one last glance. To be fair, these were her people, and I didn’t know the reason for their animosity.

If I decided to kill this elf, Dew might even abandon me—just as I was getting used to having her around. Her sunny optimism was growing on me, despite how annoying she could be at times. Driving her off would be an unwelcome mistake.

“You’re in the trees now, pretty boy.” Her smile widened once more before she reached down and pulled her other knife from the gang leader’s leg. “He might not survive anyway, but we’ve at least given him a chance. More than he gave us, right?”

“If that’s your decision, so be it.” I kept my tone as neutral as possible.

Her ridiculous nickname for me had slipped back into use but, after hearing it so many times, I couldn’t find the energy within myself to belabor the point. My bitter protests only seemed to encourage her to tease me even more. To tell the truth, it sounded quite nice, coming from her mouth—at least compared to how the gang leader had turned ‘pretty boy’ into a derogatory slur.

That, I did not like.

I turned my gaze to the pair of cats, noting that Kiel had slunk back out of whatever hidey-hole he’d found. The way the smaller beast played with his food, batting the corpses around the glen, was almost cute, in a disturbing sort of way. It seemed that his mother had already eaten her fill.

“So, what’s the plan now?” I asked, tearing my gaze away from Kiel’s antics with difficulty. Dew held a large, green leaf, scored diagonally with the tip of her blade and notable for its multiple, flickering purple undertones. “And what the hell is that thing?”

“This is what you need.” She waved the frond in my direction, like a servant wafting cold air across her Master. “Sit down, pretty boy, and let me take care of your boo-boo.”

My only response was a sigh, though I did follow her instructions. I’d never seen the plant in question, but on the other hand, I’d never traveled through the Waskis Woods before.

Each area of our world held its own wonders, and some random plant having healing properties wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

I didn’t believe she would try and poison me, especially when she had a super beast under her control, which could easily end my life in a far more direct manner.

Unlike her first ‘assistance’, the second treatment passed without any pain. Of course, I felt my leg twinge a bit as she wrapped the leaf around it, especially when she pulled it tight with a small smirk. Even that dull throb faded away, though, as she bound the leaf around my ankle with a short length of vine.

Quick and effective. I wondered if we could find a way to grow those plants in the city.

“Oh, is that a sparkle in your eye, or are you just pleased to see me?” Dew poked at my chest with a finger.

Despite the fact that she used mud for camouflage and to mask her scent, her hands were relatively well kept.

All it would take for her to transform into a true elven beauty, would be a simple bath.

Maybe two, at the most.

“It’s nothing.” I grunted as I pushed myself upright, forcing down my unruly desires with difficulty. The mud caked on her body helped a little, but it wasn’t difficult to spy her lithe form underneath that thin layer. I even noted part of what must be a tribal tattoo on her stomach, and another example of the wood elve’s body art arched across her cheek.

Though permanently staining your body was seen as close to blasphemy in high elf society, I couldn’t help but appreciate her tattoos’ crude beauty.

“You’re staring, pretty boy.” Dew giggled happily as she turned toward Samoshi. “He’s in heat, girl. Keep an eye on him for me, will ya?”

I didn’t rise to the bait, in either meaning of the word. Again, I was reminded of the low esteem most high elves held our distant cousins in. Many saw them as little more than beasts, wild creatures not worthy of their time or consideration.

In the past, it was true, some high elven hunters had taken that line of thinking a step too far—hunting wood elves in their own lands like feral prey, before our own guardians brought them to heel.

High elf culture had survived for so long, because of our military prowess, though many ignored the other reason for our continued dominance—none of the other races had a reason to attack us.

But wood elves were cunning, a fact Dew had proved multiple times already.

She’d taken down who knows how many warriors in the dense forest by herself. Sure, she’d had the element of surprise, but excuses were for the weak and the dead.

She was neither; she’d won, they’d lost.

Just like those who’d gone against me.

I respected her skills, at least if I limited my comparison to the rest of her kind.

I doubted she’d last that long against a gifted high elf, but she should be able to stand her ground.

That fact alone made her worthy of my attention, but it didn’t mean I’d drop my guard around her. Far from it, in fact.

Those who dropped their guard around strangers deserved whatever ill fate befell them.

This rule was kept at the forefront of my thoughts in every one of my interactions with Dew, especially after my mistake in the glen, earlier.

Her repeated teasing about how much I didn’t belong here—that I was alone in the middle of a wild forest and months away from civilization—was a cogent reminder that I was amongst a race who would happily slice me up and feed me to their pets.

“Right, how are you feeling now?” Dew moved back from Samoshi and gave me a long once over. The way her gaze paused at my waist caught my attention, but I pulled myself together before her eyes came up to meet mine. “Full of vim and vigor, are we?”

“Sure.” I bounced my leg against the forest floor several times and was rewarded with a complete lack of pain, for my attempts. “That leaf works pretty fast. What was it called again?”

“I don’t know.” Dew moved back to the forefront of our group and motioned for me to follow. “I found it a bit ago and it seemed to work for Samoshi, so I figured it would do well enough for you. Let’s get going.”

The revelation froze my mind for a moment, and I narrowed my eyes at her before shaking the morbid thought away.

She’d tested a random plant on her bestial companion, a monster which could shrug off anything but the deadliest of poisons, so it must be good enough to bind up a high elf’s injury?

The logic these wood elves used hurt my brain, but it did confirm my initial wariness.

Never trust a stranger.

Chapter Five

Waskis Woods Day 4

T he rest of our journey to Dew’s home passed by in relative comfort. Three days’ travel inland took us deep into the forest, away from my preferred route, but I’d set myself upon the path before me.

If Dew tried any funny business, then maybe I’d alter my plans. For the time being, though, I was as content as I could reasonably expect to be—trudging as we were through a monster-infested hellhole.

“We’re almost there,” Dew shouted back over her shoulder. The way her hair flicked through the air as she swept her head around caught my eye for a moment, but the odd look she gave me a moment later, threw cold water on my delusions.

“No,” I muttered under my breath and paused, steadying myself. I used the same techniques I’d developed with my archery to focus my mind on one objective. Normally, that objective would be my target—the monster, person, or target I wished to hit—but now it had changed.

The face of the Orilious’ captain, as I called him out, my father’s equally righteous fury as he helped me get my vengeance, and the massive payout I expected from the people who’d stolen my justly earned bounties... these were my objectives. They might call me petty, vindictive, or any of a number of other words I’d heard in the past, but it didn’t matter.

They’d pay for what they had done.

“Hey, sleepyhead, hold up.” Dew had stopped her steady jog, her eyes once more looking in my direction. “I need to head into the den and make sure they know you’re with me. Wait here.”

Before I could question her further, the lithe elven warrior had dashed off into the forest once more. Memories of the last time we had split up came back to haunt me for a moment as I clenched my bow, tense and alert, half expecting another ambush. Fortunately for them, given how on edge I was, no one came out to check on us.

Samoshi calmly lay down beside me; she was so big that her body actively radiated heat in my direction. Kiel, who had been bored half to death during most of our long, uneventful trip, darted back and forth through the nearby vegetation, following his instincts as he tore apart plants and pounced on any small forest creature unfortunate enough to cross his path.

“They grow up so fast, don’t they?” I grinned at the cub’s antics, glancing at his mother and then giving her a light scratch, just under her jaw.

The ground vibrated with her rumbling purr.

Our journey through the forest had been helpful in some ways at least, especially regarding Dew’s bestial companions.

It had only taken a few tries to figure out how to get on their good side.

Once I learned where they liked to be scratched or what their favorite treats were, the pair hung around me almost as much as they did Dew—especially Kiel, though he still gave me the occasional odd look, whenever Dew got too close.

Samoshi’s deep purr rumbled through the forest, my feet buzzing slightly from the continuous vibrations rushing up through the ground.

The sound should have been like a beacon, drawing curious beasts and vicious predators from far and wide, but I’d learned early on that it had the opposite effect.

Despite her failure to stick around and fight the croc, Samoshi was an alpha predator in the forest.

On the beach, she’d been out of her element. She was smarter than I’d given her credit for.

Pull a cat into deep water, and they’ll drown. Drag a croc into the forest, and even an average sized beast could give it a run for its money. Pumas and crocs were both ambush predators you should fear.

Samoshi, I was surprised to find out, ruled her territory with an iron claw.

Dew had revealed a little of their past, and the fights she described seemed similar to the legends I’d heard back in the city.

Her stories were the forest’s equivalent of tales passed down from a bygone era, of great heroes and mighty villains.

Whether or not it was an over-exaggeration, or the truth, I didn’t know. At least I now gave credence to Dew’s skills, more than I had after we’d first met.

She wouldn’t tell me for certain how many people she’d killed during the wood elves’ ambush, but the general number seemed to be well into the double digits.

Not a bad kill count, for someone I’d been ready to dismiss after our initial encounter.

Kiel, finally bored of his little games, rushed forward and nuzzled his head against my free hand.

I rewarded him with a rough scratch or three of his own, scruffing up the fur around his ears, then stroking it back down.

What would those who’d known me back in the capital say, if they could see me, at this moment?

Many wouldn’t believe it. The most skilled Master archer of Keria was cavorting with a pair of beasts in the forest, while waiting patiently for a wood elf to return and guide him to her home.

Some might even call me a traitor, though their responses could easily be dismissed as extreme examples of high elves’ generally intolerant attitudes respecting the other races—especially towards our forest-dwelling cousins.

Only humans were loathed by high elves more than wood elves.

Over the past few days with Dew, I’d learned a fair bit about their culture—though not anything that would be particularly helpful.

I knew she’d have to ask her elders’ permission before they allowed me into the den and had learned that she held a relatively high position in their society, due to her friendship with the beasts of the forest.

She wouldn’t tell me the identity of the gang who had tried to ambush me or kill her. Though she tried to say they weren’t important, my well-trained instincts warned me that she was hiding something.

The way she’d treated their leader proved they’d had a long and deep history. Whatever it was, her hatred of the word ‘Witch’ hinted at a past I didn’t want to pry into any time soon.

I liked my ears the way they were, thank you very much. The unspoken threat of losing the pointed tips of my ears in the middle of the night was more than enough motivation to take her flimsy excuses at face value.

I didn’t care what these wood elves did to each other, anyway. That idiot had attacked us, had attacked me.

He’d lost all hope of gaining my sympathy, the moment he moved against me.

The fact that he still lived was due more to my new friend’s generous and lenient nature, rather than my personal preference.

I’d already learned a hard lesson about leaving seeds of anger to sprout and fester behind me, whether the cause of that anger was my fault, or not.

“Hey.” Dew walked back into the small clearing, her eyes bright as she watched me scruffle her two companions. “They’ve agreed to let you in, but we have to leave before the sun sets. It won’t take long for us to turn in the croc meat. You ready, pretty boy?”

“Sure.” I moved my hands away from the shadowpanthers, a move which caused a discontented growl from each of them. “Let’s get going, then. We don’t have much time, do we?”

Dew nodded and turned to lead the way. After her constant, usually subtle but sometimes obvious, attempts at flirtation, this calm reaction set alarm bells to ringing in my head.

Why was she being so quiet?

What was this odd sense of pressure I could feel from all sides?

Who was waiting for us in her home?

I found out the answer to all of those questions and more, as the den finally came into view. What I learned left me more than a little disgusted.

“What are you doing here?” A gray-haired elder demanded as he leaned on his staff, his stern gaze watching our small party’s arrival. The den itself lay behind him. On the outside, it resembled nothing more than a random monster warren entrance—yet another dirt tunnel in the middle of nowhere. “You remember your punishment, correct?”

“Yes, Elder Jarus,” Dew nodded politely and waved in my direction. I stepped forward, leaving the comforting presence of the shadowpanthers as I stepped out into the open. “This one has helped me, so-”

“You want to bring him into our home?” The old elf grimaced as he turned to give me a long, hard stare. “He may have helped you, but he is a stranger to us. Why should we allow his presence in our tunnels?”

“Because my grandmother allowed it.” Dew finally raised her head, her composure returning somewhat, as she fixed the arrogant old elf with a hard glare. “I offered you politeness out of respect to your age and position, but you are here because you wish to circumvent her decisions. If you want to scare me off, it’ll take more than gruff words.”

Samoshi added to Dew’s declaration, letting out a low growl.

The elder, surprised by the sharp response to his question, gave our group another lengthy, sour look before he turned his back on us and wobbled back into the cave.

Dew took a long, shaky breath before she looked back at me, her smile once again present, if a bit dimmer than usual.

“Sorry about that. You high elves like your politics, but we have the same rot here, too.” She waved at the retreating elder’s back dismissively. “Ignore that old fool, he’s hated me ever since Samoshi decided to tag along with me, several years ago.”

Samoshi gently nuzzled Dew’s shoulder, getting a smile and an ear scratch.

“Just a jealous old fool, right Samoshi?”

“I sympathize.” I gave her a small smile of my own. My words were truer than any I’d yet spoken to her. After my experiences aboard the Orilious, I really did understand her problem.

People often looked upon those who’d been blessed with extraordinary gifts with envy and hate. Whether it was the friendship of a beast like Samoshi, my skills with archery, or some other gift, it was all the same to the cretins who only wanted what they couldn’t have.

“Thanks,” Dew replied, and I nodded. She led me into the tunnel’s entrance.

Samoshi and Kiel waited behind, seemingly content to laze about as Dew and myself went about our business in her home.

Then again, Samoshi would never have fit through the relatively narrow entrance and Kiel was still too vulnerable to leave by himself.

Jealousy breeds vindictiveness, after all.

It only took a short while for us to make our way into an inner chamber.

The tunnel system was lit by small luminescent bugs trapped in jars, each sputtering light batting back and forth against the sides of their prisons. It was an ingenious solution to a simple problem, and one I’d not seen before.

Torches could have worked, of course, but then they’d have to worry about smoke and its effect on the air in the den, not to mention frequently having to replace those which had burned through their fuel.

“Are we going to meet your grandmother?” I perked up a bit after noticing that we were alone in the chamber. Dew shook her head but didn’t respond in any other way, as she led me deeper into the warren through yet another tunnel.

The distant sounds of talking, moving people, and the general hubbub of life swept toward us as we moved deeper into the den.

My memory was excellent, so I took care to memorize the way back out as my brain spun through multiple scenarios as we neared the main gathering area of her tribe: What if they moved in behind us to block off our exit? How could we escape if they closed off every route and locked us in with the rest of her clan? Where could we hide in their carefully constructed tunnel network that wouldn’t be easily found?

Dew caught on to my distracted calculations and gave me a quick elbow to the ribs to jar me out of my concerns.

Focused once more, I saw her smirk illuminated in the flickering glow of the bugs above us.

“Perfect,” I muttered darkly and blew out a breath, turning away from Dew’s thin-lipped gaze and quirked eyebrow, realizing how that must have sounded to her. “You’ve trapped me underground with a bunch of wood elves who could easily turn on me if I take a single wrong step. What’s your plan, if this goes badly?”

“Don’t worry about me,” she giggled, “I’ll be able to get away.” She tugged on my sleeve. “Come on, pretty boy, time to meet my family.”

Chapter Six

Waskis Woods / Dew’s Den - Day 4

W hat I saw as Dew led me out into the next chamber left me speechless.

“I knew you’d react like that!” Dew’s smile lit up the cavern. She let go of my sleeve and walked towards the other side of the large room. I couldn’t see any wood elves in the area, though I could hear some voices coming from another part of the cavern that didn’t seem too far away. Instead of the expected family reunion, I’d been dragged into a, well…

A zoo.

“What’s going on?” I glanced at a nearby corner of the chamber and saw a large, spotted lizard snoozing away, right beside a long-feather duck. Predator and prey, slept happily within striking distance; neither one seemed to be concerned about their situation. “How did you-” my words sputtered out in disbelief.

“Samoshi found them in her hunts,” she replied softly.

Dew strolled toward the largest gathering of animals, all of which turned to watch her attentively as she approached. A small, baby flaming goat leaped up into her arms without missing a beat, its face filled with delight as the occasional burst of hot steam erupted from its mouth in a joyous bleat.

“These young beasts were hurt, injured, and afraid. They were brought here for me to nurse them back to health, but returning them to the wild would be hard for most of them, at this point.”

The way her eyes filled with warmth as she gazed lovingly down at the animals arrayed before us reminded me of the distant past—back before my gift had truly awakened.

Everyone had liked me, cared for me, and loved me as a child. That all changed, though, shortly after I began to demonstrate my blessed talent. I was shocked, when, instead of admiration and respect for such feats of skill, even my distant relatives’ feelings turned cold.

Proof, if it was ever needed, that negative emotions like jealousy and envy outweighed by far any positive ones in an elven soul.

But Dew wasn’t like that.

She knew the truth of our world, and though she didn’t hesitate to take down those who stood against her, she remained a fountain of joy and love.

The respect Samoshi gave her, proved that it wasn’t just a front; she really did care for these animals.

The fact the huge shadowpanther had brought such delicious little snacks back to her Master, rather than eating them, reminded me of how our cat had occasionally brought me half-dead mole rats as ‘presents’.

Cute, if a little morbid.

But I wouldn’t speak openly about my doubts.

To a wild predator, bringing an injured animal back for treatment would look the same as bringing a half-dead meal back to their pack leader.

The dynamics of the relationship Dew had with the shadowpanthers wasn’t clear to me but, applying the logic of my own memories of being brought such ‘presents’, I think someone had misunderstood the situation.

And I didn’t think it was me.

“How pleasant.” I glanced down at the lizard and duck, who were now awake, having been roused by the commotion at the far end of the room. The lizard continued to ignore its little friend as the beast’s gaze turned in my direction. Its four large eyes blinked intermittently as it stared at me, unsure of what to make of this strange two-legged invader of its territory.

My instincts cried out for me to put an arrow through its skull with a quick shot, before it burst into a charge, but I fought down the urge after only a moment.

Killing one of Dew’s ‘family’ likely wouldn’t go down too well. I relaxed, reminding myself she wouldn’t have brought me all this way, just to turn me into a spotted lizard’s dinner.

“I know what you want to ask about,” Dew sighed as she laid the little goat down beside its mixed brethren with a kind smile. “The only elf who still openly acknowledges they are related to me, is my Grandmother. She is one of the senior elders. The other elders listen to her, but they know that she won’t be around much longer to-”

Her voice caught, cutting her sentence off short as she turned away abruptly. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been about to say.

Unfortunately, I was far from certain how extending comfort might be received. I was confused, not knowing how to react to the display of emotion from the now silent girl as she faced away from me, her shoulders shaking slightly as she struggled to compose herself.

“It’s okay.” I finally spoke up, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. I recalled an offer which had almost pulled me back from the edge of the bitterness I’d embraced when everyone had first turned against me. “I don’t know if I can help, but I’m here if you need me.”

“- Thanks,” she mumbled, rubbing at her face with her forearm before she turned back to me. That one swipe had cleared a huge portion of the dirt from her cheeks, revealing her flawless skin to the world.

Her pale green eyes were slightly red, but my awkward attempt to comfort her seemed to cheer her up. The warmth I saw returned in her gaze was much more than I would have expected my clumsy words to produce. “You’re more than just a pretty boy, aren’t you?”

“Of course! I’m the best archer you’ve ever seen.” I let my hand fall from her shoulder and gave her a smirk. “On that note, I don’t really want to stay cooped up in these caves for longer than necessary. How about you go get your bounty for the croc meat, and we can set off again, yeah?”

“Sure. Wait here, Wes.” She smiled and turned slowly, her hips sashaying gently side to side as she strolled out of view. Unlike the first two times when we had split up, when she had left despite my efforts to call her back, this time I just stood there, dumbstruck.

How could she have changed so much in such a short time?

The animals all seemed to be disappointed that their source of comforting care had left, but they quickly forgot about her as they refocused their attention on me.

Compared to Samoshi and Kiel, the random assortment of beasts in the cavern chamber seemed more… wild?

Other than their peculiar lack of natural predator or prey behavior, which I had thought instinctual in every animal and monster, they all appeared to be normal, if young, creatures of the forest.

The first to walk up to me was the small flaming baby goat, though its tottering footsteps could hardly be called a walk.

For a moment, I was worried that it might breathe an actual spark of fire at me and damage my finely woven pants, but it only let out a burst of warm air before rubbing against my leg.

The instinct to pick the creature up came and went. Dew had made it look easy, but what if my attempt to replicate her move infuriated the beast, or worse, some of its more predatory companions?

No, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk, especially when I was deep within unfamiliar territory, with relations between my guide and the rest of the tribe best described as ‘touchy’ already.

I didn’t have to wait long, before someone came into the room. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the person I’d been waiting for.

“Greetings, high elf.” Jarus stumbled his way into the cavern chamber, his face still set in a deep frown as he gazed at me. “It seems you’ve already made yourself at home in our humble abode.”

“It isn’t what I’m used to,” I admitted, “but I won’t be here for long.” I shrugged, ignoring the rudeness of his tone.

It was difficult to ignore my instincts, which were screaming for me to take this old idiot down a peg or three. Given Dew’s clearly expressed distaste for the old fool, I told myself he wasn’t even worth my time, but I would be the better elf and remain civil.

Best if I didn’t rock the boat too much, I decided. “Once Dew is back, I’ll be out of your way.”

“You don’t know anything about her or about us.” The elder’s glare irritated me even further, but I held my tongue. “I know you high elves prefer hiding behind your high stone walls, but out here in the wilds, your only defense is a trusted friend. If you stick with her, she’ll-”

“Enough,” I said, waving the old man’s warning aside brusquely. “I get it. You don’t like her and you don’t like me. Hell, there probably isn’t much that you do like, from what I can tell. We are leaving as soon as Dew gets back. Are we done here, elder?”

The elder gritted his teeth, clearly on the verge of erupting into an angry rant, but my flat glare cut him off short. He didn’t scare me. Even if he hadn’t heard of my skill, a high elf like myself deserved more respect from a self-taught forest wanderer. What was he going to do, call his guards and throw me out?

They’d lose, if that were the case, in every single way.

“Fine,” Jarus huffed. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, highborn.” He spun around with all the dignity he could muster, which wasn’t much. “Stay with your eye candy and rot. When she drags you down with her, I’ll be there to see your demise.”

“If you live that long,” I yelled at his retreating back. The beasts hadn’t cared for our exchange much, though I could see a few of them giving the old man vicious glares. The fact they obviously detested the elder, but hadn’t tried to attack him, was a bit of a surprise. Maybe Dew had something to do with that?

If she could train wild monsters this well, her talents were much greater and more useful than I’d imagined. She might even be gifted, in her own way, like me.

“What was that?” Dew walked in from another tunnel, a frown creasing her face as she glanced around the chamber at the animals’ agitated state. “Did someone come in here? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing important.” I shrugged nonchalantly and turned to the exit. “Can we get going, now?”

“I guess so.” Dew gave the young animals another quick round of fussy love, stroking, scratching, or touching each beast once more before leading the way out of the cavern. No one tried to interrupt our journey as we left the tunnels, but I could tell that Dew was frustrated and not her usual, happy self.

Something had happened. Despite my normal inclination not to interfere, I couldn’t resist the urge to speak out.

“What’s wrong? Did someone say something to you?” I asked, my voice slightly stilted in an odd way. “Are you okay?”

“My Grandmother isn’t doing well, but I already knew that. She should be fine for a while, though.” Dew frowned as she led us out into the warm orange glow of the late afternoon sun.

She paused briefly at the edge of the tunnel entrance, looking back into the den. “I heard something about an old friend, though. Apparently, she’s having some issues, worse than mine, even.” Dew narrowed her eyes, her lips tightening. “I don’t know why she’s still staying in that dump,” she muttered.

“Ah.” I nodded, better understanding her odd behavior. The fact Dew had a friend in the den, despite her being something of a pariah, was a bit of a surprise. I guess it made sense, though, that she would be close with yet another social outcast.

I might have done the same at some point, in the past—if that person had proven themselves worthy of my friendship. There weren’t many I could recall, though, who’d even approached my level of skill.

“I can’t do anything to help her, either.” She blew out an explosive breath. “If I step in, it would only make things worse.” With that, Dew dashed out toward the distant pair of shadowpanthers. She buried her face into Samoshi’s fur, and though her next words were slightly muffled, I could still make them out. “Why is everyone so gods-damned stupid?! Who cares what you are?”

I glanced back into the den with a thoughtful frown. I wasn’t one of those extremists who detested the wood elves on principle, but my biases had clearly been shaped by the general sentiment held in the city. What I’d seen here in the wilds had validated some of my preconceptions, sure, but I’d also seen another side of the wild race who dwelled in the forests.

A side I was starting to like, if I was being honest.

“Let’s get out of here.” I moved up beside Samoshi and Kiel, giving the pair a quick scratch before walking into the tree line. “The faster we move, the quicker I can get home, right?”

“About that...” Dew pulled her face out of the shadowpanther’s lustrous black fur. “We kind of have to take a detour before we set out. My Grandmother gave me—well, us—a task.”

“And what task is that?” I turned slowly, struggling to keep my irritation from my face.

“Oh, nothing big.” Dew smiled awkwardly. “We just have to hunt down a beast which is threatening one of our allied clans. Easy, right?”

“Possibly.” I folded my arms and kept my tone cool as I asked, “What beast is this, exactly?”

Dew paused for a moment, chewing on the inside of her cheek, clearly thinking over how to explain the quest in such a way that I didn’t lose my shit. Coming to a decision, she set her shoulders and told me the target of our ‘little’ quest.

“It’s an epic rhino creature, rare though not unheard of in these forests. We have to find and kill a Rhintra.”

Chapter Seven

Waskis Woods - Day 4

“A  Rhintra?!” I closed my eyes, imagining all of the reactions I might have had to such a request in the past.

The quest wouldn’t be impossible for a gifted like me, but taking down a beast of that rank would strain even my considerable talents.

With Dew’s help, though—particularly with the assistance of her shadowpanther friends—it shouldn’t be too difficult, I thought.

“Samoshi will need to wait here, with Kiel.” Dew said, almost as if she had read my mind. “She needs to stay within her territory, and Kiel is too small to be much help against a Rhintra.”

Imagining the cub speared on a Rhintra’s horn, or shocked by the lightning bolts such a monster could generate, left me a bit sick to my stomach.

Not that I particularly cared for the massive cats, of course, but why endanger a child for little to no purpose?

Yes, it made sense to leave Kiel behind. He’d only get it the way.

“Okay.” I turned my attention back to my only companion for what had suddenly become a much more difficult fight. “I need to know a few things, then. Why do we need to kill it? What is the geography like around its nest? And most important, how are your people going to reward us for this quest?”

“Apparently, the Rhintra has been threatening a den that the elders seek to enter into an alliance with. If we kill it, they’ll sign the pact.” Dew shook her head, likely thinking about the fact that she was risking our lives for a clan who shunned her. “It lives near a lake, so we could ambush it in the open near the water, or just outside the cave it has taken for its home.”

I waited patiently, expecting Dew to continue. After it became clear she wasn’t going to add anything more, I broke my silence. “And what are they offering us in return for risking our lives to slay an epic level monster?”

Dew winced but didn’t respond.

I frowned at her silence. “Or more precisely, what are they offering me to keep you alive while you complete this absurd quest for a people who have shown no love for you?”

“I need to pay for them to look after the animals while I guide you to the Green Sea. I thought they’d be willing to take care of them, but-” She glared back at the den entrance, wordlessly telling me all I needed to know.

“Jarus did something, didn’t he?” I guessed, scratching at my cheek as I considered my options. “He probably brought up how many resources they’d have to use, or some other rubbish like that, right?”

“Something like that. They don’t let me anywhere near their discussions.” Dew had the good manners to at least look a little guilty, though I might have missed it if I hadn’t spent several days in close proximity to the feisty wood elf. “I promised you I’d help you, and I know how much you care about your deals, so-”

“It’s fine.” I sighed and moved closer to Dew. “But in return, I expect you to be the best guide I’ve ever seen. Deal?”

“Deal!” She yelled, jumping forward to grab me in a rough hug.

Not expecting it, and generally uncomfortable with unsolicited invasions of my personal space, I locked up, my back rigid. The familiarity lasted for slightly too long, easily longer than what I might have expected. The delighted look on her face, when she finally pulled back, meant that my decision not to push her away had been the right one.

“I have an idea about how we can make something from this, too!” she continued, eyes wide and excited.

“Okay, let me hear it.” I nodded as our interaction shifted back onto a track I was better prepared for.

“They want proof, but they didn’t say what they needed from the kill. Apparently, someone tried to ask for the lightning core from its heart, but Grandmother argued them down to bringing back its horn, as proof. The core should fetch a pretty penny, though, if we sell it to a trader on our way to the Green Sea, right?”

“Indeed it should.” I grinned, my mind already jumping forward to the possible uses for such a windfall. Not much that would be for sale in these forests would be up to my high standards, but at least we would be able to buy some necessities for the road. And when we reached the city…

No. One thing at a time.

With that thought in mind, we finally set off after Dew bid Samoshi and Kiel farewell.

The shadowpanthers were going back to their territorial nest, though the cub seemed less than thrilled with his mother’s decision.

It was clear Kiel wanted to join us on our little expedition, but he didn’t try to go against his mother's wishes.

Respecting the wishes of one’s leader was vitally important—both for beasts and monsters, as well as for the more civilized peoples of our world.

I wouldn’t say that I preferred traveling with Kiel or Samoshi, but the beasts had acted like a natural barrier between Dew and me.

Now that we were alone, Dew’s jokes and flirtation had ratcheted up another level.

Every other comment became an innuendo, and she took every chance to stay close to me that she could find.

From the peals of laughter that met my blushing responses to every such interaction, I soon figured out she wasn’t serious about it.

It did put me off-kilter some—not that I was about to complain, of course.

But a wood elf with a high elf? The very thought raised concerns far above the basic incompatibilities of our very different cultures.

If the city folk found out about my dallying with a forest dweller, many of them would refuse to associate with me, even more so than they already did.

I would certainly be barred from the upper ranks of high elf society to which I aspired.

And from what I’d seen, Dew’s social position would drop even further than mine. Hell, she might even lose her freedom, or her life.

Neither outcome was what I wanted. I hadn’t had any close friends for a long while, and while I wasn’t going to start counting Dew amongst their number just yet, I had made a deal with her.

That fact alone bound me, by honor, to treat her as a companion. And any person who would knowingly endanger their companion’s life was lower than dirt, in my eyes.

So, I held back and let her enjoy her fun with her teasing little jokes. The journey through the forest required most of my attention, as it was, so it wasn’t that difficult to ignore her.

She pouted and whined a bit before settling into a sullen silence, when it became clear I had stopped reacting to her less than subtle flirting.

We found ourselves on the edge of the Rhintra’s territory as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Hunting such a beast in the dark would prove deadly at the slightest mistake, especially considering the excellent night-vision such creatures possessed.

Oddly enough, they weren’t nocturnal, instead roaming around their territory during the day and spending at least half the night awake, guarding their caves.

We sought a decent campsite before night’s cloak fully settled over the forest.

We’d finish the hunt, tomorrow. Fortunately, our target was a loner. If we’d had to face a full herd of Rhintras, I would have refused the quest outright.

Such an engagement would take a full squad of warriors and days of preparation—even then, the likelihood that some might lose their life in the ensuing battle was great.

But for one Rhintra, alone and unprepared? We stood a good chance of coming through the hunt unscathed, given our collective skill set.

“So, your animal training won’t be useful here?” I glanced over at Dew as we set up camp.

It had surprised me when she’d suggested we build a makeshift shelter in the boughs of one of the enormous trees, but her logic soon won over my ignorance. Most of the larger forest animals moved around at ground level, while those who might chance upon our abode would be smaller and more likely to avoid disturbing our rest.

Apparently the first few nights we’d spent sleeping uncomfortably on the forest floor had been more of an exception, than the rule.

Samoshi’s presence had deterred all but the most ardent of predators, and we’d stayed out of the more dangerous parts of the forest.

But now, we needed to take some precautions.

“It takes a long time to gain an animal’s trust, and they can see through your intentions,” Dew responded confidently as she dragged a large branch over to the tree we’d chosen to sleep in. “If I tried to befriend the Rhintra, it’d soon discover my plan and spear me in a heartbeat. I don’t want to be speared by anyone.” She paused and grinned at me impishly. “Well, maybe by you, pretty boy.”

“Maybe later,” I grumbled, blushing furiously. I rubbed at my face and stepped away to grab another large branch before Dew could sidle any closer. “Let's get this shelter set up before it gets too dark to see.”

“Sounds like a plan. I can’t wait to get cozy up there. We can lay side by side, watching the stars, and then maybe-”

She trailed off with a soft chuckle, but I didn’t need her to finish that thought.

Her behavior stood out in stark contrast to the few other wood elves I’d interacted with, principally the gang who’d ambushed us and the crotchety elder, Jarus.

Of course, such a small sample of interactions with an entire race wasn’t appropriate to form a fair opinion, but the differences between Dew and the rest of her kind left me shaking my head.

Her boldness would make all but the most confident of high elves blush.

I was getting used to it, of course, but I had my own goals to take into consideration before I could follow that line of thought any further.

At least she didn’t let her flirting distract her from the task at hand. Together, we created a makeshift treehouse, well above the forest floor.

It wouldn’t have been my first choice of accommodations, especially if we had planned on staying here for multiple nights, but it should be fine for the few hours of rest we’d get this night.

Dew climbed up first, wriggling her shapely behind a little bit more than was actually necessary.

She never stopped in her attempts to get a rise from me and I was tempted to play along, just to see how she’d respond.

I wouldn’t know what to do, unfortunately, if her desires were sincere.

The problem for me was that, despite my amazing gift, I hadn’t had many opportunities to interact with the fairer sex. Ever since my gift had revealed itself, only vapid glory seekers had sought my companionship. And I didn’t want a veneer-thin relationship based solely on social gains and external appearances.

Once I reached our little shelter in the trees, I took a minute to appreciate our collective handiwork.

Dew had woven the branches together in a peculiar way. At first it had looked like nothing more than a random mess of branches, but her careful interleaving of the boughs had created a solid floor that would support our combined weight.

It didn’t make for the most comfortable of sleeping arrangements, but I’d slept in worse conditions before.

But then, she had pulled down several larger leaves from the top of the tree and laid them on the floor, creating a sort of bedroll in the middle of our treehouse.

She laid down another layer of broad leaves, and another, and another.

After three branches around us had been stripped clear of leaves, Dew had created a relatively cozy little spot in the middle of our shelter.

“Come here, pretty boy.” She dropped down onto the leafy bed and patted the spot beside her. I’d noted how small she had designed the area to be—almost too small. It was as though she expected us to sleep together, but I hadn’t had the heart to argue.

If I requested my own spot, she’d just poke fun at me and refuse.

Instead, I moved over and gently lowered myself onto the leafy bower, so that my head would be at her feet.

There were a few twigs from the branches below, each one poking up into my back, but I’d slept on worse in the past.

“Look!” Dew called out softly, pulling my focus from our sleeping arrangements. “Aren’t they amazing?” She grinned as I sat up to look at her, confused, then leaned over to smack my leg before she waved upward.

When my gaze followed her gesture, I realized what she meant.

The sun had set, only the faintest orange glow highlighting the distant skyline. Above us, I could see a myriad of stars, each one a clear and bright pinprick of light in the inky night sky.

An ocean of muted green and dark purple leaves spread out in all directions about us, making it seem as though we were aboard a ship on the most peculiar of seas.

“Nice, isn’t it?” Dew asked quietly.

I looked down and caught a glance of her face in the collection of shadows cast by the stars’ illumination.

Her green eyes glittered as she stared up at the endless sky. I knew then that she truly loved being out here, not just in the presence of nature, but being a part of nature.

“It is quite pretty, yes,” I admitted, turning away for a moment. Despite the battle we’d face tomorrow, I couldn’t help but think back to my initial impressions of Dew, on the beach.

If I could have known then how much I would look forward to hearing her laugh and seeing her smile, and what she’d ask me to do, how might I have reacted differently?

I hadn’t changed all that much, but a small part of me recognized that being around her was making me a different person.

Some things hadn’t changed, such as my confidence in my gift or my desire for vengeance against those who had wronged me, but somehow my priorities—the importance I placed on putting my own goals ahead of all others—had been scrambled and pushed around these past few days.

Dew seemed so happy, despite all the hardships she faced.

Why, with such an amazing gift, was I so bitter?

If she could find joy amidst such troubles, then why couldn’t I?

What did I really want from life?

Chapter Eight

Waskis Woods - Day 5

T he night passed relatively uneventfully.

Thankfully, Dew didn’t try any funny business and we soon drifted off to sleep.

At first, I’d wanted to share a guard shift with her, but she refused, saying that there was no reason.

After considering her words, along with how accurate her suggestions had been in the time I knew her, I decided to go along with it.

Still, I kept my bow and an arrow close, ready to fire the instant something awakened me.

After my past in the city, I was used to being on edge as I slept.

I’d let my guard drop on the ship, mostly due to my belief in the naval rules, but I hadn’t expected them to pull out such an antiquated old loophole to use against me.

Even so, I doubted Dew would stoop to that level.

In a very specific way, my assumption was quite wrong.

Sleep had come quickly, and maybe it was the safety provided by the little nest we had made, but I had a better night’s sleep than I could remember getting in a long time.

I woke, by habit, a little past dawn to feel an odd pressure on my chest.

I was immediately concerned and cursed myself for letting Dew talk me out of setting a watch, thinking that some stealthy predator had slithered into our little house and had me gripped in its coils.

Careful not to give away the fact that I was awake, I kept my body relaxed, but prepared myself to spring up and attack as soon as I identified this new threat.

As my eyes slowly creaked open, I soon discovered what was pressing down upon my body.

The bright morning sun revealed a sleeping wood elf, happily snoozing away, atop my chest.

To be fair, I was shocked she hadn’t woken me with her movements in the night.

I wondered if she had twisted around to sleep with me intentionally, or if it had been an unconscious reaction.

Like a cat, seeking the warmth of another body during the cold night, perhaps.

“Hey.” I poked her cheek gently, expecting her to awaken the instant my finger made contact. Instead, my attempt only drew forth a low grunt and discontented murmur, before she snuggled in even further, holding me tightly. “Wake up!”

“Wha-” Her eyes flickered open blearily as she cast about for whomever or whatever had shouted at her. She caught sight of my irritated face a moment later, but her reaction was far from what I’d expected.

Instead of embarrassed, she looked… happy?

“Good morning, pretty boy,” she purred, tracing her fingers across my chest. “Slept well, did we?”

“I would have slept better if I didn’t have this weight pressing down on me.” I twisted my body and tried to tip her off, but she rode the motion easily, pushing off my chest and gripping my hips with her thighs to straddle me.

“Oh, that’s a shame. I thought you’d enjoy waking up to my ‘perfect’ features.” She grinned as she sat up, staring down at me from above. She playfully rocked her hips against mine. “Oh, what’s this I feel-”

Before she could finish teasing me, I pushed off with my legs, tipping her off into the leaves with a squeal as I rolled to my feet. Her playful teasing had almost caused the very reaction she’d joked about. I still couldn’t tell if she was serious or just enjoyed making me blush.

What might she do if I’d let her get a rise out of me? She’d most like play it off as a joke, but there was also the chance that-

“No!” I growled through gritted teeth. I knew the dangers such a development would cause for the both of us and even if it was something I was openly considering—which it wasn’t, I had to remind myself—we had a job to do.

“We need to get going. The Rhintra will be starting its first patrol any time now.”

Dew raised an eyebrow at me, but didn’t call me out as we made our way back to the forest floor.

She did mention that the treehouse would last a week or two at the most, before it collapsed.

“We could use it again, if we want to,” she said. Of course, she added a giggle and put an unnecessary emphasis on the word ‘use’, but such thoughts no longer distracted me.

We were about to go up against a deadly monster, something strong enough to defeat a squad of unprepared warriors, with ease. Though we would have the advantage of surprise, an ambush plus my overwhelming skills would only get us so far.

We’d have to prepare well in advance to defeat it without risking death or injury on our part.

Dew seemed to pull herself together a little as we set off. There were no more jokes, no more innuendos.

She focused her attention entirely on the plan I’d set out, though she had suggested a few alterations that I agreed to go along with.

They made sense, and she had proved she well knew the forest and its potential hazards.

“So, digging a pit would be the best, but we both know that would take too long.” I looked at the spot we’d picked for our ambush with a frown.

“Too impatient for that, you mean?” She gave me a sidelong glance as she grinned. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah. You find as many of them as you can, and I’ll get into position.”

Dew nodded and headed off into the forest.

She would be able to use her talents in plant identification to gather what we needed, along with the requirement to hide her scent from the trap we wanted to set.

For my part, I’d have a relatively easy time of it while she got her preparations ready, but I’d be doing the lion's share of the work during the ambush itself.

As she darted through the forest, grabbing every edible plant she could find, along with the other hidden ingredients we planned on using, I climbed skillfully into the top branches of a nearby tree.

The route our target patrolled along each day was relatively consistent, according to the information we’d been provided. This was supported by Dew’s remarkable tracking skills.

The beast had worn a path through the trees on its regular rounds. This faint trail passed along the edge of this clearing, next to the tree where I now roosted.

This plan wasn’t the best I’d ever made, but it would have to do. No strategy survives contact with the enemy, of course, but that didn’t mean you should blindly charge into battle.

Dew would be relatively safe throughout, a fact that calmed my heart a little, though the chances of injury to myself were moderate to high if I made any mistakes at all.

So in general, I was fairly certain I’d be fine.

I spotted Dew as she moved back into the open, her arms laden with a massive amount of vegetation.

From the distance I was at, it was difficult to tell the exact nature of her bounty, but I was confident she would follow the plan we had made. It wouldn’t take too much to attract our target's attention.

We had a general idea when the Rhintra would pass by, but the exact timing could vary by a significant amount.

Once she had placed the lure at our agreed upon spot and disappeared back into the forest, I settled down to wait.

Dew would have to remain hidden nearby, ready to strike out if needed. I couldn’t help but go over our plan again and again in my mind as I waited.

Rhintra’s were deadly, if they had the room to build up momentum.

Their huge bodies were reminiscent of rhinos, a fact alluded to by their name, but the similarities between the two species was literally only skin deep.

The Rhintra’s hardened hide could conduct energy from the source of their power, a core that generated lightning--charged by the movement of the beast's body.

That was why Dew had set the horn as our target. Though the supply of energy retained in their core was limited—once the creature died—it could still be used by an experienced Runesmith to supplement the power of their enchantments.

Runesmithing was a rare profession, to be sure, but one that many people paid exorbitant rates to in order to secure their services. It was a dangerous profession, though, since they literally handled the magic of creation, imbuing that power into their enchantments.

To be fair, I wouldn’t have chosen to hunt down the creature if not for the deal I’d been forced into. Killing for sport had never been high on my list of priorities. In fact, I saw it as a waste of my gifts. I preferred to kill only that which needed killing—like the drungen who endangered shipping and free commerce, they were not creatures we could easily coexist with.

Rhintra’s, on the other hand, only interfered with other races if they trespassed on the monster’s territory. That meant that the den who had requested our help must have expanded their reach a little too far. Maybe there were resources they needed in the area the Rhintra had claimed, or maybe the elves in this den really were just that stupid.

Either way, it annoyed me that we’d been called out to deal with a problem that shouldn’t exist. If we had to take it down, though, we might as well make something for the effort.

It surprised me that Dew had been so on board with the plan, given her deep attachment to the beasts of the forest.

I didn’t want to ask about it, in case it bothered her, but—outwardly, at least—she hadn’t appeared to have any great concerns with the task that had been forced upon us.

In fact, she’d quite happily contributed during my little strategy session, hashing out how best to take the monster down.

I finally heard the noise I’d been waiting for, the distant thud of a heavy foot cracking into the forest floor.

It came again, slightly closer. The fine hairs on my arm rising.

Each step moved the beast along its usual path, approaching the ambush point we’d set up.

With the footfalls ever so close, I heard a different sound.

A deep thrum as lightning hissed through the Rhintra’s body, coating its entire form in dizzying arcs of static.

This was a Rhintra’s defense against any and all potential threats.

Anyone or anything that got too close would receive a burst of energy so powerful, their insides would be flash fried.

Although I had no way to avoid that damage if the beast struck me, I did have a good handle on our enemy’s greatest weakness.

The Rhintra stomped past my tree and paused for a moment, seeing for the first time the bounty laid out before it.

So many plants, all of which matched its preferred diet, had been gathered together to offer it a feast fit for the gods.

As any monster with a modicum of intelligence would do, the beast cast about, searching for anything untoward before moving cautiously toward the vegetation.

Finding nothing to interrupt it, the Rhintra dug into its feast.

“Okay, here we go.” I whispered, propping myself up against the solid tree trunk behind me.

It wouldn’t take long for Dew’s trap to take effect, and I had to ensure I was ready to move at the perfect time-

GGGRRROOOAWWWAAAAHHH!

The beast roared in pain and spat out the latest mouthful of leaves it had been chewing on, like they had set its throat ablaze.

I could only imagine the effect such a concoction of poisonous materials might have on its digestive tract.

I decided to take advantage of the distraction and leaped from my tree… onto the Rhintra’s head.

The fall wasn’t too bad, but landing hurt like hell.

Of course, my aim was true. Instead of falling onto the beast's electrified hide, I collided with the one safe place on my target, my feet touching down against either side of its horn.

Bone made an excellent insulator against the lightning running through the beasts system.

Before it could respond, I gripped with my legs onto the one safe spot on its body and raised my bow toward its face.

“Hey, sorry about this.” I grinned apologetically as I released my first shot. There was no way I could miss, and just as I’d planned, my arrow burrowed its way through the monster's eye.

GRRRRIIIIEEEEEEAAAAAOOOO!

The beast's cry echoed through the forest, but unfortunately, it was far from dead.

Even half-blinded, the Rhintra made for a deadly opponent. Its other senses, particularly its hearing, could make up for the loss of one eye, or even complete blindness.

As expected, the monster's eyelids closed, deflecting my second shot before I could take out its remaining eye.

It was difficult to pull another arrow from the quiver slung low across my back, precariously clinging to a madly bucking Rhintra’s horn, but at least my presence there distracted it.

It wouldn’t take long for the beast to decide to flee back to its nest. We had to finish killing it, before it got dug in.

“Now!” I shouted.

A knife flew out of the forest, sinking into the beast’s open mouth.

The blade wouldn’t be enough to finish the creature off, but it would definitely exasperate its current condition.

Every additional wound to the beast’s throat would accelerate the absorption of the poison it had ingested into its system.

Death by a thousand cuts.

Or, to be more precise, a few well-aimed gashes.

The Rhintra bellowed and tried to spit out the knife.

Swallowing the blade would be a bad move, especially since Dew had coated its edge with even deadlier poisonous toxins.

Unfortunately for the behemoth, my beautiful elven companion was familiar with the exact mix of natural components that would cause it major damage, if not death.

But I didn’t plan to just wait patiently for it to die from the poison.

The beast staggered and gagged, reeling from the toxins.

I reached one hand around the tip of its horn, pulled myself up and then flung myself backwards.

I soared in the air, angling for the perfect shot into the mouth. I whipped an arrow from my quiver and nocked it without looking.

Falling while nearly horizontal was not a viable shooting position for most archers, but for me and my gifts… it was more than enough for what I needed to do.

My next arrow burrowed into the Rhintra’s open mouth, raking along its tongue before smacking into the inside of its cheek, pushing the dagger even deeper into the flesh of its throat.

Before the beast could react, I tucked into a one-handed flip, bounced back up to my feet and shot another arrow into its eye.

Dew’s poisoned blade sliced into the tender flesh just inside its throat. The Rhintra stumbled, gagging and heaving involuntarily.

The monster wasn’t out just yet, but our combined assault had driven it mad. Logically, I assumed it might charge me, or if not, figured it would attempt to escape back to the safety of its nest. Instead, though, it did something neither of us had planned for.

It charged off into the forest—directly at the one who had thrown the dagger into its maw.

“No!” I nocked another arrow and shot the creature in the ass, but my shot barely made a dent on its tough hide. The beast's charge continued on unabated, rushing unerringly towards my companion.

Dew darted out from behind the tree she’d been using as cover and tried to get out of the charging behemoth’s path. Unfortunately, it was already too close for her to avoid it entirely.

She dodged at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the Rhintra’s well-aimed horn, which split the tree she had just stood behind.

The momentum it had managed to pick up in that short distance was too much.

Though the impact with the tree slowed it a little, Dew was still blasted into the air as she caught a glancing blow from the monster's shoulder.

The strength of the blow, added to the burst of lightning which would have passed through her system, knocked her out cold.

And the Rhintra knew that.

Vindictive as it was, it ignored me as it pulled its horn free from the tree it had speared before turning toward the unconscious elf off to its left.

I’d witnessed a similar scene before and knew exactly what the beast planned to do.

It would crush her frail body, stomping her to death.

Knowing arrows would do nothing to change its course, I tossed my bow to the side and drew my sword.

Attacking this beast with a metal weapon would be idiotic, at best, I’d become little more than a charred corpse on the forest floor in moments—but I didn’t plan on getting zapped by its charged hide.

Instead, as the beast stomped toward Dew, I sprinted up beside its head.

Sensing my approach, it paused, swinging its horn around to greet me. A quick leap spun me into the air, and I flipped over its horn, landing between the monster and its intended target.

“Fuck you!” I bellowed and with one smooth motion, thrust my sword forward, leaping the moment it turned back to face me.

My aim wasn’t for its uninjured eye, or any other part of its face. No. My plan was far more suicidal than that.

My sword struck true and as its tip reached into the beast’s gaping maw, I stabbed upward. The fleshy roof of its mouth gave way after a brief resistance as my momentum carried me upward and forward.

I thought I knew what the beast would do next—in fact, I counted on it. How else would a wild animal react when its prey leaped into its mouth?

The beast’s jaws started to close as time seemed to slow.

An archer losing an arm wouldn’t be the end of the world, but for a highly gifted bowman such as myself, it could be counted as a tragedy for the ages.

I just couldn’t let it kill Dew. She had become important to me.

“No!” The shout rang out from behind me as a knife flashed by my head, slamming into the Rhintra’s remaining good eye.

The beast’s body froze up as Dew’s blade exploded through its eye and into its head.

The dagger buried itself much deeper than I expected, reaching the monster's brain just ahead of the sword I’d thrust into that fleshy mass.

I didn’t waste the distraction, releasing my blade and yanking my arm clear of the Rhintra’s mouth.

Its body shuddered for a moment before the thing finally collapsed to the ground, dead.

“Dew!” I spun around to look at the woman I’d saved—or had she just saved me?

Her eyes rolled back up into her head as she fell to the forest floor, unconscious once again. Outwardly she seemed to be mostly intact, except for the rapidly purpling bruise on her left side, but I knew that thinking she had otherwise escaped unscathed would be a fool's errand.

I ignored the Rhintra’s cooling corpse as I started to treat my companion.

As was the way of all high elves who left the city, I’d gone through the standard training regimes for emergency aid.

I’d passed easily, of course, but it had been a long time since I’d put up with that boring course.

Thirty years or so, if my memory could be trusted.

Which it could.

My first concern was internal injuries or bleeding. I inspected her side and her chest, checking for any obvious signs of broken ribs or internal injuries, along with a quick check of her pulse.

Nothing came up, but that didn’t mean she was out of the woods just yet. After a moment's thought, I pulled her small pack open and checked inside.

“What the-”

Inside the pack, I found a motley collection of leaves, along with a wide selection of daggers.

Each blade seemed similar, but the differences were noticeable at a glance.

Some were for throwing, some for stabbing, and there were other variants for tasks I couldn’t begin to contemplate.

I recognized none of the leaves, nor were any of the potentially medicinal herbs properly labeled.

“Dew.” I shook her shoulder gently. “Please. What do you need?”

At least some of her collected materials should be useful for first aid, but applying things randomly might lead instead to a painful death.

“Wha-” Her eyes fluttered open for a moment. “Oh. Pretty- boy-”

“Dew, what plants will help you?!” I pulled out a handful of leaves from her pack and raised them to her face. “Tell me. Quickly!”

“Blue- and- red-” She managed to mumble before dropping off again.

Only three of the cluster of leaves I’d held up were blue, but two of them were red.

As I considered the multiple possible combinations of leaves that might be what she needed, I realized my chances at guessing the right combination were slim to none.

I couldn’t take the chance that the wrong plants wouldn’t-

Then I saw it, at the bottom of her bag. There was a single leaf buried deep in the bag, barely visible, its tip poking out of an interior pocket.

Blue, with small red veins.

“It has to be this.” I reached in and pulled the tiny leaf out into the open. “But how-”

There wasn’t any time to think. I placed the leaf into my mouth and bit down, chewing madly to release as much of its sap and juices as I could. After a few seconds, I leaned down and pressed my lips against Dew’s.

If she’d been awake, I could only imagine her reaction.

But, after a moment, her lips parted, allowing me to force some of the sticky sap and pulpy solution into her mouth.

Bit by bit, I fed her the crushed leaf, keeping our lips locked tightly together to prevent any of the medicine from being wasted.

Once it was done I moved back and scraped the last remnants of the leaf from my tongue.

For such a small thing, it had released a lot of sap. Hopefully, it would be enough to save Dew.

A little color returned to her face, though it was hard to tell—with the dried mud and dust that was all but ingrained in her skin. Her breathing, which had been short and irregular, calmed and dropped into a deeper, steady pattern.

These were good signs, but we couldn’t stay where we were. The sounds of our battle with the Rhintra would likely attract any number of monsters and beasts. Even a group of inquisitive wood elves could spell the end for us.

It was with difficulty, but I managed to extract my sword from the behemoth’s throat.

The beast’s stout horn stood up to many blows before I managed to cut it off at the base, leaving the beast’s face oddly… empty looking.

I dug my sword through its tough hide, having to pry apart its sturdy ribs to get at the still faintly glowing core below its heart.

This I carefully wiped off and wrapped up in a bunch of wide leaves before tucking it into my shirt.

I tied a long vine around either end of the horn and slung it over my shoulder.

Though not something I’d want to have to carry for a long time, the thing didn’t weigh all that much… relative to its size.

After I settled the large horn across my back and retrieved my bow, I lifted Dew carefully into a princess carry.

We had to find somewhere we could hole up, somewhere she could safely rest and heal.

I had just the place in mind.

Chapter Nine

Waskis Woods - Day 5

I t was tricky, climbing back up to our treehouse with Dew tied carefully to my back, but I managed it, after a long struggle.

I’d had to leave my bow and the Rhintra horn on the forest floor while I carried her up to the platform, but it didn’t take me long to make another trip to retrieve my weapon and our bounty.

In addition to taking the core and its horn, I’d also pulled out the largest of the Rhintra’s teeth.

I didn’t know if that would be enough proof that we had completed our task.

Given enough time, the disappearance of the monster would have to be enough supporting evidence that we had successfully finished our quest.

Or they could inspect its fly-covered remains if they cared to go take a look.

Dew still hadn’t woken up, so I took some time to check over my equipment.

My bow was crafted so well I hardly worried about the string losing elasticity, even if left strung for months or even years.

I still had more than enough arrows, if in the near future I was able to prepare new shafts to replace those which had been warped or split when they hit their targets.

But my secondary weapon wasn’t doing so well.

The short sword had been given to me as a gift, right before I’d set off on my first naval voyage, by my father.

One of the best smiths in the city had made it specifically for me, but it hadn’t been designed to cut through something nearly as hard as rock—like a Rhintra’s horn.

The edge was chipped and scratched from the misuse, scarring what had once been a beautiful blade.

Still, that could be fixed. I took out a whet stone and started to work on my sword, slowly scraping away the worst of the damage and grinding down the edge to bring it back to a usable state.

The task wasn’t difficult for me, of course—though I wasn’t one who found the steady rasp of stone along blade a soothing sound—but at least it gave my body something to do while my mind wandered.

I could have lost an arm, and possibly my life… to protect a wood elf. Sure, she was pretty, and I enjoyed her company, but how far had my priorities shifted in the last week?

I couldn’t help but be tempted by her flirtatious, unsubtle innuendos. If it wasn’t for the massive problems it would cause for her, I might see if she really was just teasing me.

The satisfaction, for either of us, wasn’t worth the long-term cost. Dew would be exiled by her Den or even killed.

Even if she didn’t care how her Den would react, I knew my own family would disown me in a heartbeat.

That I couldn’t immediately decide which of the two consequences would be worse, was just further evidence of how much I had changed.

Before, the social standing I might have to give up would have been a clear winner.

Now, though… I rubbed my temples and groaned.

The consequences for her, I decided, even more than the impact it would have on my own social standing, was why I couldn’t afford to give in to temptation.

“Hey-”

I turned slowly to see Dew staring up at me with a happy smile. It was clear she was still in pain, but she was at least conscious.

Any significant internal injuries would take far longer to heal without the help of a Runesmith-created device—and she doubtless would already show signs of such were there any.

At least I could dismiss the faint but nagging concern I’d had that she might never recover.

“You really like causing trouble, don’t you?” I leaned over and flicked her forehead gently.

She reached a shaky arm up to pull my head down.

I could have easily pulled back—she was weak as a kitten—but I didn’t.

Looking deep into her blue-green eyes, I smirked. “What would you do if I decided to take advantage of you in your weakened condition, huh?”

“Oh, I think I’d manage.” She grinned, though we both knew it was a joke.

It would be a few days before she’d be in a fit state for travel, and that was if no further complications arose.

I could hunt for food and find clean water, or at least sanitize whatever I did collect, but staying out in the open forest was a recipe for disaster.

“So, what’s the plan now?” she murmurred.

I waved a hand toward the Rhintra’s horn and the glowing bundle of leaves that was its core, both of which rested over by the far edge of the platform.

As an afterthought I pulled out the tooth I’d collected and laid it down beside her. “This should be enough proof that we killed it, right?”

“Yes.” She winced as she leaned over to examine the tooth. “But we need to get back soon, or someone else might claim the kill.”

“How could someone- oh.” I paused, realizing the truth of where I was. “I guess wood elves care less about honor, huh?”

“Some do, yeah.” The edges of her mouth dipped down briefly at the insult I’d carelessly let loose. “But I have an idea about how I can recover… quickly. The Springs of Vitality aren’t far from here. You can sneak me in and I’ll be healed in short order, if you’re up for it?”

“A bath? Sounds like a good plan.” I sniffed at my clothes and frowned. They weren’t too bad, but I didn’t want to travel much further without cleaning both them, and myself.

“What do you mean by ‘Springs of Vitality’? And why would we need to sneak in?”

“Oh, it’s just a magical spring that has healing properties, including replenishing your stamina.” She raised an eyebrow as her eyes raked over my body. “I’m sure you’d appreciate those advantages as much as I would. The only problem is the guards.”

“Guards?” I repeated the word in a dull monotone. “Why is nothing ever simple with you?”

“Hey, they aren’t that much of a concern—inattentive idiots, the lot of them.” She tried to shrug, only to hiss in pain as her chest tightened up. “Easy enough to get by them, and once we do, we can take our time. They only look out, not in.”

“Idiots.” I nodded, agreeing with Dew’s assessment.

After a quick discussion, we decided to leave the horn behind and set off toward the spring, though we did add some extra camouflage to the nest we’d created. No one would spot it from the forest floor and from a distance, it looked like just another part of the tree.

That should be enough to keep our prizes safe for the day or so we’ll need to get to this spring and back.

Dew complained and moaned until I picked her back up into another princess carry.

After a few well-timed innuendos that had my pointy ears flaming red, she settled down, snuggling her head into my chest contentedly.

Oddly enough, I couldn’t help but look down every now and again at her happily smiling face, though doing so almost caused me to trip over a tree root as we neared the spring.

“So, where are these guards?” I glanced around from the bush we’d taken cover behind. Dew kneeled beside me, her gaze also shifting across the area as a confused look covered her face.

“I don’t know. No one’s here at all.” Her tone was unsure as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. “Let’s get in there quickly. We need to both go in at the same time… together.”

“Ah- okay.” I shrugged as I followed her into the spring. The aptly named area turned out to be filled with relatively deep holes, each one holding a large body of water. The steep rocky edges around each pit should hide each hole’s occupants from any but the most prying of eyes.

“Come on in.” Dew spoke confidently from behind me.

I turned around to catch her grin—which was all that she wore. She had pulled off her clothing while I had been studying the pools.

My jaw almost hit the floor as she giggled at me, but I didn’t have a chance to respond as she moved away and slid down into the pool.

Taking a few moments to recover, I glanced around, worried someone else might have seen her display, but there was no one around.

I’d like to keep this heavenly sight to myself.

I smirked and followed suit, stripping down quickly and leaving my clothes in a heap by the side of the spring.

For a moment I considered going in fully clothed, just so I could clean my garments, but that would leave me sopping wet for the rest of the day—unless I found a place to dry them.

“Hello, soldier.” Dew leaned back in the steamy water, her breasts barely hidden from view by the bubbling surface. Despite how much dirt she had used to camouflage her scent, the water remained clear as it cleansed her body, leaving her skin clean and flawless for all the world to see.

Her tribal tattoos didn’t detract from her beauty. Instead, they added a wild appeal to the feisty elf.

Her curves were accentuated by the way she leaned back against the wall, bringing the slopes of her breasts further up out of the water, but not far enough to reveal anything.

Not that I had any difficulty remembering imagining what she looked like, given the show I’d just been given but moments ago.

I noted the cheeky look she gave me, as she glanced coyly in my direction. She was doing it on purpose.

Not that I minded.

“So, how long will this take?” I settled back into the pool with a confident smile of my own. I wasn’t shy. Appreciating each other wasn’t a problem for me; I let her get an eyeful in return. “Like what you see, do you?”

“Finally!” She giggled, splashing water in my direction. “You high elves are always so prim and proper. If you want something, why not just take it?”

“You have to consider the future before you act.” I sighed and cracked my neck to release some of the tension I’d felt for the past few days. “I doubt your clan would be too happy if you did anything with a ‘pretty boy’ like me, would they?”

“Who cares what they think?!” She huffed, though I could see a slight look of worry worm its way into her expression before she quickly glanced away. It was cute, how clearly I could read her emotions with a single glance.

We both settled in for a pleasant soak.

As Dew had said, it only took an hour for the waters to speed up my own recovery, though she had to stay in for twice that length to take advantage of the spring’s full healing effects.

After two hours lazing around in the pool, I eventually stood and turned to climb back up to the lip of the hole.

It wasn’t easy to ignore the jeers from Dew as I made my way up, but at least she seemed to be back to normal.

After I’d dried myself off with a conveniently placed towel, likely left for whoever officially visited the springs, I helped Dew back up and looked on as she dressed herself once more.

Her skimpy clothing didn’t leave much to the imagination, and I didn’t need even that to recall what I’d just seen.

“Okay, let’s go get the horn, and we can head back.” I led her toward the edge of the area, keeping my attention on the forest. It was lucky I had focused on what was ahead of us, and not what followed behind me, otherwise I might not have noticed the guards approaching early enough to pull Dew with me into a nearby bush.

“Why did they make us join for that rubbish?” The first warrior grumbled to his friends. The group were well-armed and armored—for wood elves that is—and I fully expected they’d put up some sort of fight against us if we were discovered.

“I don’t know. Apparently something big is going on, and they want us ready, but they won’t tell us what it is.” A female guard responded, her voice filled with indignation. “What a waste of time.”

The group walked back to their positions and took up their former duties, once more staring out into the tree line, as they defended the Springs of Vitality from any intruders.

Unfortunately, our hiding spot didn’t give us much chance to escape unnoticed.

“What now?” I turned to Dew, who had been watching the guards like a hawk. After a moment she turned to me, her sunny smile turning predatory as she grinned.

“Leave it to me.”

Chapter Ten

Waskis Woods - Day 5

D ew darted off, moving back toward the springs we’d used, not too long ago.

There wasn’t much cover but, as she’d mentioned earlier, the guards didn’t seem inclined to turn around from their posts.

Morons.

With that thought echoing in my head, I turned to watch Dew’s antics. She had picked up a stone from the side of the spring itself and wrapped it up in the towel we had used. For a moment I wasn’t sure what she had planned, but then she rushed back next to me and pointed off to the side.

“Ready?”

It was a dangerous gamble, but there weren't many other options. If we tried to make a run for it, the guards would likely spot us. After a brief moment, I nodded and raised myself up, like a sprinter on the blocks, ready for the mad dash ahead of me.

Dew raised the rock and tossed it with all her strength. The stone rolled through the air as it flew, easily clearing the edge of the forest before it slammed into a distant tree with a dull thud.

The guards perked up instantly as they moved to investigate. We were in the middle of a monster-infested forest, after all, and sending one person to check out a suspicious noise was a quick way to lose a colleague. The group moved cautiously toward the disturbance, their gazes fixed on the source of the noise.

“Go.” I whispered as the last guard moved out of sight.

Dew rose up beside me and we rushed forward, sprinting toward the edge of the forest as quickly and quietly as we could.

It wouldn’t take long for them to find the rock and, despite the fact that the towel had caused the noise to be less obvious than a bare stone against a tree, it would also alert them to the possibility of intruders.

On the plus side, they’d then spend their time investigating the springs themselves, rather than trying to chase us down.

We cleared the open area before the guards could return, though I kept our pace up for a short while after that. The tracks we’d left would lead the guards in our direction but, after I waited for Dew to lay down some false trails and cover our tracks, we set off again, sure in the knowledge that we’d left our potential pursuers far behind.

At least I was until I heard the deep roar of an agitated monster, not too far away.

“Should we avoid it?” I glanced around, giving our potential routes around the disturbance another consideration. Before Dew could respond, a high-pitched scream echoed from the woods before us.

“Freya!” Dew’s expression grew hard as she whipped a knife out of her bag and sprinted toward the commotion. After a brief moment of shock at her sudden impetuous action, I similarly equipped myself with my bow and sprinted to catch up. I’d just caught up to her when we cleared the vegetation and saw what had made the noise.

A small, red-haired elf had clambered her way up a tree, but a pack of rockbadgers were scratching at the base of the trunk, trying to find a way to reach their prey.

Their fur was thick and covered in tiny pebbles, from which the creatures drew their odd name, but the main threat from the beasts was their claws.

Vicious, sharp, and poisonous.

The first fell as Dew’s thrown knife ripped into its skull, followed immediately by another as my arrow pierced its heart.

The pack was a large one, but our surprise ambush had caught them completely off guard.

Before they managed to turn and face us, I took down another rockbadger.

Dew pulled out two more knives and sprinted into the pack without hesitation.

I wanted to rush in and pull her back, but instead, bit back my furious curses and unleashed a barrage of arrows to back her up.

Every time one of the monsters coiled to launch an attack at her unprotected back, I rewarded it with a swift death.

Dew danced like a goddess amid the carnage. Most of the animals died by my hand, but her dancing blades reaped a number of their souls before the stragglers turned to flee the scene.

“Stop!” I yelled, grabbing and holding the infuriated girl from behind as she prepared to chase them down. “They’ll be too scared to even look at an elf in the future. Leave them.”

Dew all but vibrated with rage in my arms. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, sinking gratefully back against my chest. “As you say,” she finally murmured.

Seeing that she was once again in full control, I nodded before stepping back. Together, we turned and looked up at the terrified elf in the tree.

At first glance, I’d assumed she was a wood elf, but after a closer examination, I wasn’t sure.

A loose robe barely covered her shoulders, revealing a lush figure that wouldn’t be out of place in the high elves’ major cities.

She was gorgeous, though in a completely different manner from Dew’s lithe beauty.

While my bold companion was like a wild child, open and raw in her sexuality, this elf’s exquisite looks seemed more refined. She peered down fearfully at us, still clutching the trunk, but was otherwise quiet.

Though I expect any forest dweller would be quiet, after being assaulted by a pack of rabid animals, fearful of drawing more unwanted attention to themselves.

Hesitantly, the elf climbed down out of the tree, pulling her robe tightly about her shoulders.

“Are you okay?” I moved forward beside Dew, who was checking the elf over for any injuries.

“What the hell were you doing so far out, Freya?” my companion snapped angrily at the little elf. The beauty shrank back in on herself, as if trying to disappear on the spot. “Sorry, Dew,” she muttered.

Though Freya was shorter than either of us, it was clear her lack of confidence and submissive posture only exasperated that difference. If I had to guess, I’d say she was around the same age as Dew, if not a little younger.

“I… I’m fine, thank you.”

Dew nodded, though she didn’t pause in her examination.

Freya turned to look at me with her big, incredibly blue eyes. “Your archery skills are superb. Are all the high elves like you?”

“No one is like me.” I grinned and slung my bow back across my body “What’re you doing so far out here?” I asked, repeating Dew’s question. “I don’t think we’re near any dens, are we?”

“That’s true. What happened?” Dew pulled Freya around to face her gently, but firmly. “You told me you were having troubles, but it can’t be that bad, right?”

“Oh.” I nodded and turned to the rockbadgers. This must be the ‘friend’ Dew had spoken about back at her home. After another glance at the girl, I could understand some of the issues.

She looked just enough like a high elf to raise their tempers, but unfortunately, she still had too many features to mark her as a forest dweller to live happily in a high elf city.

I’d heard about mixed-breeds—children born from a union of our elven races, but I’d never seen one.

Such a fate wasn’t a good one, especially if the parents didn’t protect their child with all they had.

“It happened shortly after you left. Something big changed, and my guardian had to sneak me out. Apparently, they wanted to hand me over to Ha’ Rhin.”

“Wait, that moron who attacked us?” I glanced up from the beast I was skinning. “What’s he got to do with this?”

“He’s- His father is the elder of a major den.” Dew winced as she glanced back in my direction. “Maybe we should have -”

“Killed him?” I raised an eyebrow and huffed. Letting that prick go after all he’d done had turned out to be a major error. “So, what now?”

“My Grandmother can sort this.” Dew spoke confidently, though I could tell Freya wasn’t too sure. “We need to get back quickly.”

“Right.” I sighed and stood up from the rockbadgers. Each one wouldn’t give us much—at least in terms of bounties—but overall, the pack could be seen as a windfall. There wasn’t any time for us to finish skinning and butchering them now, though.

“What about you, Freya? If they were planning to hand you over to that ass, I doubt you’ll want to go back?”

“I… I’ll come with you.” She spoke after a moment’s hesitation. Though I could tell she was scared, her tone was relatively confident and sure. Her amazing blue eyes shimmered as she stared at me, almost daring me to refuse her request, and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter in my heart along with a wave of newfound respect.

One definition of bravery that I tended to agree with, was being afraid but still doing what needed to be done, in the face of one’s fears. I was pleased to see the little elf had a backbone.

“Please-” Dew started to say, but I held up a hand and cut her off.

“Of course, you are welcome to come with us,” I looked intently at Freya. Dew stared on in stunned silence, as I continued. “Just so I’m aware what we have to work with, what skills do you possess?”

“Well, I’m good at making things with either metal, or wood.” She glanced down awkwardly. “As far as fighting, though…” She winced and looked up hopefully. “I don’t know. I can try to learn, maybe?”

“Dew, can you please give her a knife? At least she’ll be able to defend herself.” I pulled the dagger my companion had thrown first from a rockbadger’s skull, handing the blade back to the blonde.

She frowned, before cleaning it off and then handing it to Freya.

“But,” I cautioned the little elf, “I want you to stay out of the way when we go back. If anything happens, I’ll be the one to deal with it.”

“He really is dependable, isn’t he?” Freya’s faint smile as she whispered this to Dew pulled at my heart again, but I distracted myself by retrieving my arrows from the rockbadgers’ corpses as the pair started to discuss the events of the past few days.

Never mind the issues I’d have with just Dew, I wondered what the response would be, if I walked back into a high elf city with two wood elven maidens in tow?

Still, it wasn’t all bad. If Dew’s Grandmother truly could resolve the issue with Ha’ Rhin, that would be for the best. No matter how cute Freya was, it wouldn’t be safe to drag her along on our journey.

Though it would be useful to have a crafter, of course, but I could already maintain my own gear and craft more arrows—though they’d be lower quality than I was used to having.

“Oh, I remember this one.” Freya smiled at the dagger Dew had passed to her. “Did it work out well?”

“It's perfect, thank you.” Dew grinned as she pulled a matching blade out of her bag. “I love using these together in close quarters. You made them exactly as I asked.”

So, she could make daggers? An interesting fact, but not something we could use on the road. Metalwork required a number of resources and equipment that was unlikely to be found in the Waskis woods, outside of the larger wood elf dens.

“Let's get going. If we move quickly, we can get back before the end of the day.” I glanced back toward the area where we’d built our treehouse. “I guess we can pick up the horn… later.”

“Horn?” Freya turned to Dew, her head tilted to the side in confusion.

“Don’t worry about it,” Dew grinned. “I know all about his horn.” She stared boldly at me, eager to see my reaction.

Freya looked between the two of us, obviously lost, but that only added to her adorable naivety. Before Dew could further explain her ribald comment, I waved at the two of them over my shoulder, calling for them to follow me as I set off into the forest.

We didn’t have much time and, if the sinking feeling in my gut was anything to go by, I figured we were about to face some major complications in my plans to get home anytime soon.

Chapter Eleven

Waskis Woods - Day 5

T he rest of the journey back to Dew’s home passed in silence.

My two companions were obviously thinking about what was waiting to greet them when they returned to their den.

I was preoccupied by my own concerns.

What if they’d set an ambush? How would Dew react if they tried to attack us? Could I protect Freya if things turned violent?

Of course, I didn’t think a single wood elf would be able to face up against me, as long as I had my bow. In fact, I knew I could take out several before they made a move toward us, as long as I could see them coming.

Unlike the first ambush I’d survived—largely thanks to Dew’s timely arrival—this time I was aware of the risks, and my body was in peak physical condition.

Instead, my worried thoughts turned to my two companions. Though not explicitly spoken, I’d agreed to a deal to protect Freya.

Dew would do fine by herself, if we had to split up for whatever reason, but the naïve, young girl wandering along behind us didn’t have the same experience or survival instincts as her wild friend.

“Okay.” I waved the pair of them forward as we neared their den’s territory. “We need to be careful from here-”

Before I could finish my sentence, a bush off to my right trembled slightly.

In a flash, I’d unslung my bow and nocked an arrow, aiming it unerringly toward the shaking vegetation.

“Wait.” Dew’s sharp yell rang out as she leaped between me and my target, not that I would shoot without confirming what I was aiming at, of course. “Come out, little one.”

I watched as Kiel, the shadowpanther kitten, pulled himself out of the bush.

There was a small cut on one of his ears, sticky and wet with blood, but other than that, he seemed relatively unharmed.

What was clear, however, was that he was terrified.

“Something must have happened.” I muttered darkly, keeping my bow half-drawn as I surveyed the area. “His mother should have kept him safe. Where is she?”

“I don’t know.” Unshed tears danced at the corners of Dew’s eyes as she rubbed the young cat’s head. “We need to find her. Quickly.”

Freya nodded, and I could see a similar level of sadness in her eyes as she stared down at the injured shadowpanther.

After Dew had calmed him down, Kiel turned to lead the way back through the forest.

The route he took looped around Dew’s den—avoiding that area entirely—as he led our group to a small glen, in the thickest part of the wood.

Samoshi lay at the far end of the space, nursing several wounds as a small pack of random animals gathered around her.

It took only a moment for me to recognize several of them as the beasts who had been kept at Dew’s den.

If they were here, it was likely that our meeting with her den would not be a smooth one.

“Oh no.” Dew dashed forward and pulled out several herbs and plants, mashing them together as she began to treat Samoshi’s wounds. The other animals were mostly uninjured, but I couldn’t help but notice how their numbers had been reduced, dramatically.

Either the others had escaped alone, or -

“Dew.” I reached out and laid a soft hand on her shoulder as she finished up with the shadowpanther’s injuries. “I’m sorry.”

She knew what I meant, but Dew didn’t respond for a few moments. When I was about to say something else, she spun around and grabbed me, pulling me close. Her shoulders shook as she cried against my chest.

“Why would they do this?” Freya stood motionlessly at the other end of the clearing, one hand pressed against a tree to keep her balanced as she looked at what little remained of Dew’s years of toil and care. “The grand elder would never let them drive these children out.”

“We’ll find out what happened when we pay them a visit.” I held Dew close and ran my fingers through her hair distractedly. When she heard my words, she pulled back and gazed up into my face with a questioning look, her eyes red and puffy, as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

“This is important to you,” I shrugged, “so it’s important to me.”

“Thank you.” She pulled my head down and kissed my cheek before releasing me once more. I hadn’t expected it, but after everything we’d been through over the past few days, it wasn’t that much of a shock.

Surprisingly, Freya’s face turned as red as her hair as she pointedly stared off into the trees, looking everywhere but in our direction.

“Will they be safe here?” I asked, giving the area a quick once over. “Do we need to move them to somewhere else, or are we ready to go?”

Samoshi’s low growl answered my question, along with a sharp nod from Dew. They would be hidden and protected, or at least be as safe as they could be, in the Waskis woods. Freya had pulled herself together, though there was still a cute red tinge coloring her cheeks as she turned back to us.

“What about me?” She glanced at the animals with a guilty look. “Should I stay with-?”

“No.” Dew walked over to her friend and gave her a quick hug. “You’re coming with us. We’ll sort this out, and you can go home.”

I didn’t add anything to Dew’s declaration. After years of wandering from place to place, I thought I had a fairly good idea of the trouble we were about to come up against, and the circumstances that might have caused it. Dew’s optimism was, in my opinion, sadly misplaced.

But it made no sense, bringing up the worst-case scenario that I feared, before we confirmed the truth of the matter.

The thing that surprised me was Kiel.

I’d expected him to stay with his mother, but instead, the young shadowpanther rushed forward and grabbed a hold of my sleeve as we made to leave the area. Dew glanced quickly at me, then at Samoshi, who made no move to stop her cub from tugging at my arm.

“He wants to come.” Dew leaned down beside Kiel and scratched behind his uninjured ear. “And Samoshi is okay with it—It's time he left the nest, after all.”

“What if he gets hurt? You know that we might -”

Before I could finish my sentence, a low, rattling hiss interrupted me. Kiel’s teeth tightened around my sleeve, pulling it close around my arm as he began to all but drag me toward the distant den.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant: ‘I’ll be fine. Let’s go!’

There was no way I could argue with the half-grown shadowpanther, even with Dew to back me up. Even a relatively small beast like Kiel could come in handy, in a battle, as long as our target wasn’t so large it could afford to ignore his bite.

If he caught an elf unawares, their end would be bloody, painful, and quick.

“Okay.” I pulled my arm free from his grasp after a moment of resistance. “We need to be ready for anything.” I straightened up and looked around, narrowing my eyes. “Dew, stay with Freya. Kiel, stay hidden.”

The others nodded at my orders.

I had lead teams in the past, but none were anything like the ragtag group that followed in my wake: one dagger-wielding hellcat, skilled in ambush and camouflage; one shadowpanther cub who could probably take down a single elf, as long as he had the element of surprise; and, Freya.

She was in a special category of her own, lacking any real combat abilities.

Numbers-wise, we were at a distinct disadvantage.

Skills wise, though, I figured I could make up the differential a bit. Eventually the sheer weight of our opponent’s numbers would wear me down.

Luckily Dew had revealed that they didn’t have a great number of warriors in their den—likely one of the reasons they had attempted an alliance with the other clan.

Still, it would be difficult for us to beat all of them—and that’s assuming Dew could bring herself to strike down her own clansmen and women.

But when the den came into view, I was surprised by what I saw. Only one person stood at the entrance, and he was by no means a warrior.

“Jarus!” Dew hissed the name out between gritted teeth. Whatever had transpired in the den would be related to the elder, but his position as a vanguard set alarm bells to ringing in my head.

“Wait a minute.” I pushed Dew back further into the trees as I looked around the area. Outwardly there was nothing untoward but, after watching for a minute or so, I saw a few telltale signs.

A branch swaying there, a bush shaking here. The wind, such as there was, wasn’t very strong, so that meant something, or someone, was waiting to ambush us.

“Freya, wait here.” I glanced at the red-headed girl, who gave me a quick nod before I turned to the simmering woman beside me. “Dew, do you see them?”

“Cowards. Idiots.” She growled under her breath, her eyes ablaze with fury. “I’ll- I’ll-”

“I want you to loop around and identify as many as you can, without getting caught.” I shook her shoulder firmly. “Dew. Listen to me.”

“Wes-” She shuddered as she bottled her rage and turned back to face me. She was furious, that much was clear, but hidden under the surface was an abiding sadness. “Yeah, I get it.”

“I’ll signal you if I need you.” I gave her a gentle push, deeper into the forest. After a last glance over her shoulder, with a wave she dashed away, lost amongst the trees in only a few heartbeats. “You too, Kiel,” I nodded at the shadowpanther. “Keep her safe.”

The shadowpanther licked my palm before he darted off in pursuit of Dew.

With Kiel as backup, she should be fine—even if someone caught her unawares—not that I thought that was likely.

“What about me?” Freya glanced apprehensively at the elder who stood silently in the distance. “Maybe this is all because of me -”

“No.” I reached out and grasped her firmly around the shoulders, pulling the girl to face me with a stern look. “This has nothing to do with you. Do you believe me?”

Freya’s eyes widened for a moment before her shoulders slumped down.

Once more, I got the chance to see that faint smile, the one that had already started to haunt my thoughts as she looked up into my eyes.

“Yes.” She spoke quietly, with more confidence than she’d had before.

“Good.” I pulled my bow from my shoulders and nocked three arrows to the string, holding another three against the bow with my left hand. It took but a moment for me to move far enough away from Freya to ensure she wouldn’t be caught in the cross fire.

This generation’s greatest archer against an entire den’s worth of wood elves?

This should be interesting.

Chapter Twelve

Waskis Woods - Day 5

“H ey.” I casually strode out into the open, catching the attention of the elder, along with all of his hidden warriors.

I knew their attention would be focused in my direction, especially if they’d heard of my skills.

From what Dew had told me earlier, these warriors would be barely into the double digits, and that number should already have started dropping significantly, if she had anything to say about it.

Either way, I wouldn’t be the main target of his rage, if I could stall long enough, that was for sure.

“You.” Jarus’ lip curled up in an arrogant snarl as he watched me walk toward him. “So, you’ve come back... alone.”

“Here I am. You lot asked for us to clear up a problem for you, so I thought I’d drop by to let you know it's been cleaned up.” I stopped once I reached the midway point between the tree line and the den.

It wasn’t a large space, but I’d given myself enough room that most would have a problem escaping back to the cover of the trees.

Not me, of course, but most.

“Really?” The elder tilted his head to one side, confused at my calm response. “And what’s your plan, now?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” I grinned as I caught sight of Dew as she briefly leaned out of a bush and gave me three quick waves of her hand, the last one with two fingers down. “I’m just going to play it by ear.”

Thirteen left, which meant she’d taken at least three down already.

“Do you really not understand the situation you’re in?” The old man’s eyes flared wide as he pointed in my direction. “You’re already dead, high elf scum! You just don’t know it yet!”

“Typical wood-elven rubbish,” I sneered. “You can’t even tell what’s going on right under your nose.” Dew gestured again, letting me know that she’d taken down two more warriors. I suspected she’d be moving faster, if she’d really wanted to kill them.

Asking a girl to kill those she’d called family not that long ago didn’t sit all that well, with either of us.

“So,” I stared at the old elf, “what happened to get someone as old as you this fired up? They increase your medication, you old fart?”

“Ha! How little you know.” Jarus paused, his wrinkled face twisting unexpectedly into a wide grin that threatened to crack it in half. “I’m the senior elder now, you petulant child! The old hag is dead; I am the Master of this territory!”

I wanted to respond, to goad him further, but it didn’t seem right.

The old fool had pretty much confirmed my worst fears, at least as far as the fate of Dew’s Grandmother was concerned.

He’d also just signed his own death warrant; if Dew didn’t kill him, I would.

Not out of any love or devotion to the old woman he’d killed, but to revenge the loss of a companion. The rules about such were strict, though fair.

“So, you did it?” I moved my fingers along my bow’s string, preparing myself for a tricky shot as I waited for the old man’s response. “Don’t you feel any shame, shouting your cowardice to the world like this?”

“The old bat had it coming.” Jarus slammed his staff into the ground angrily. “That filthy spawn of hers should have been killed long ago, but she kept the witch safe.”

At first, I thought the old fool had merely been seized by a fit of self-righteous anger, but then I saw several well-armed warriors striding out of the cave to flank Elder Jarus.

“The clan is to be cleansed, and I will be the one to light the fire!” he cackled.

I looked at the warriors who’d moved out into the open, trying to gage their strength until I spotted one who I recognized.

“Ha’ Rhin! Love your new look, old boy!” I cackled as the elven gang leader moved out from the shadow of his warriors. He didn’t wear a helmet, but instead had tied a bandanna around his head to hide his truncated ears from the world. Even so, it was easy to tell there was something off about him, at a glance. “So you’ve thrown in with this relic?”

“Not exactly.”

Jarus’s confused look froze as the dagger in Ha’Rhin’s hand burst out of his chest. The elder tried to say something, turning to stare with wide eyes at his assailant, but Ha’ Rhin didn’t give him a chance to say anything before savagely twisting and then ripping his dagger from the old man’s chest.

“How unexpected.” I spoke sarcastically, though I knew the scales had tipped. Dew hadn’t motioned for a while, but I hoped she hadn’t stopped her work in the shadows. Hopefully, she’d have cleared out all but the most hidden foes before the battle began in earnest.

“So,” I smirked, “a hostile takeover, eh?”

“Most of them have already signed on with us.” Ha’ Rhin cleaned his blade on one of his warriors' sleeves before he moved to the forefront of the group. Two of his followers still flanked him, each one carefully surveying the shadows for any hint of danger. “Why sail aboard a sinking ship, when an island paradise presents itself?”

“Have you forgotten so quickly what Dew did to you, kid?” I dropped down a little, tensing myself for what was to come. “How does it feel, knowing you’ll never be seen as a true elf, ever again?”

“It’ll feel much better, once I’ve had my fun with you!” His face whitened with fury as the elf raised his fist into the air. “Take him down-”

“Now!” My sudden shout cut off the petty little man before he could finish giving his order.

A dagger flew out of the shadows from the side, aimed perfectly for Ha’ Rhin’s skull. I knew he would be unlikely to dodge the blow, given the almost complete lack of skill I’d seen him fight with, last time. That should have been enough to end his pitiful existence.

But one of his more alert warriors stepped forward and knocked the blade aside with their shield.

“Ambush-”

Before anyone else could react, I completed the draw on my bow and loosed all three arrows. Two flew off into the trees, aimed at where I’d estimated the closest hidden archers to be, but the last flew directly toward the den’s entrance.

DING!

It deflected off the warrior’s outstretched shield.

Crack!

The stone roof of the den’s entrance deflected it back toward the ground.

Crunch

Ha’ Rhin’s eyes rolled upward and he stared cross-eyed at the arrow buried halfway up to its fletching in his forehead. The warriors beside him watched on in horror as their leader, the son of their grand elder, dropped in a boneless heap to the ground, like the sack of shit he was.

“Get him! We’ll bring him to the elder!” The warrior whose shield I’d taken advantage of for my trick-shot roared, dashing forward.

The others followed him. A heartbeat or two later, a crowd of twenty armored fighters rushed out into the open.

Time slowed as I quickly gauged their skill level, location, and speed—all basic factors for someone such as myself—but knowing who to kill, and in what order, could mean the difference between life and death.

My first arrow flew directly into the slit of the charging warrior’s helmet, cutting his battle-cry off short as he tumbled to the dirt.

His demise wasn’t enough to cow the rest, but it slowed their advance some as they had to jump over, to the left or to the right, to avoid his corpse.

Taking full advantage of the opportunity that moment presented, I fired off two more arrows, felling more of their number as they tried to close on me.

“Shields up!” One of their number yelled, encouraging the rest to raise their defenses.

“Too slow, idiots.” I muttered softly, loosing another double shot. Their shields might have stopped a normal archer, but not me.

Two more of the vanguard fell, tripping those behind them as I darted away to create more range.

I wasn’t afraid of melee, but why risk it?

Especially when I could treat this whole group of louts to an extended session of tag?

The archers in the trees hadn’t fired yet, which meant that Dew had either taken them out or the remainder had fled when Ha’ Rhin had murdered Elder Jarus.

I glanced over at the movement I caught at the edge of my peripheral vision.

I saw one elf trying to rush out into the open, only to have a large pair of jaws fasten around her neck, the shadows seemingly swallowing her up.

She was pulled screaming back into the forest, though the noises she made were quickly cut off.

They’d wanted to kill us, so she got no sympathy from me.

One more down.

But my game with Ha’ Rhin’s fighters wasn’t going to last much longer. I took down four more of them before they learned to keep their defenses set, while continuing to march forward together.

“Close quarters it is, then.”

I didn’t draw my sword, of course. Instead, I rushed at the tight cluster of wood elves, and at the last moment, I ducked down before bounding into the air. Ironic, I snickered softly to myself, as I used one of their shields as firm footing to leap over their heads.

“How-”

The warrior never completed his question, as my arrow found his eye. Not like I was going to explain my maneuvers to him.

I only killed the one warrior before landing just behind the rear of the group.

That provided enough of a distraction, though, for me to take down another warrior before they realized what had happened.

“Rear!”

I swapped precision for speed, rapid firing my bow into the group.

I gladly accepted the slight decrease in accuracy, but at point blank range, most of my shots still found vulnerable spots between the misshapen plates of their mis-matched armor.

No arrow wasted, no quarter given.

“Die!” my next victim shrieked from my left.

I dodged this first attack against me and stabbed out in return, thrusting the arrow I held in my left hand through his eye, deep into the warrior’s skull.

Another sword swung down from in front of me, threatening to cut my arm off at the elbow.

DING!

I had been about to dodge, but one of Dew’s daggers flew out to deflect the blow aside at the last minute.

Before the stunned fighter could respond, I yanked the arrow out of her comrade’s eye, nocked it quickly, drew to my release and loosed.

From less than two feet away, my shot pierced her breastplate in one smooth motion, so that only a few inches of fletching stuck out.

“Turtle!”

The group formed a shield wall as they tried to recover their ground, but it wasn’t enough.

Less than half their number remained, and I would give them a snowball’s chance in hell to regain their composure and the advantage they still had in numbers.

Today, they died.

With Dew’s sneak attacks assisting me from the shadows of the tree line, I slowly picked the group apart, first targeting those who seemed on the verge of taking command.

One fighter after the next fell, raising a mad panic through the rest, as they tried to stumble back to the den.

No chance.

Five left. Four. Three. Two.

“Shit!” I growled in fury as I aimed at one of the last warriors standing.

One of them had chosen a seemingly random direction to flee—but one that took him directly toward Freya’s position.

I snapped off a quick shot at this warrior, but he stumbled at the exact same moment I fired, causing my arrow to pierce his shoulder rather than his heart.

Before I could fire again, the warrior stumbled into the bush.

“Who the hell -”

The warrior’s cry was cut off sharply. With my heart thumping in my chest I ran forward, rushing for the tree line. I couldn’t fire blindly, not without risking injury to Freya; I needed to get there, and fast.

Either she’d be killed, or the warrior was likely to turn her into an elven shield.

When I burst through the vegetation to where I’d left the small elven maiden, what I saw caused me to freeze, mid-step.

Freya stood tall, her bloodied blade still raised high above the motionless warrior.

I could see blood leaking from under the man’s helmet from his throat—either from a lucky strike, or a well-aimed attack.

Regardless, Freya had killed the warrior and protected herself before I could get there.

“I- I didn’t-” She turned to me, the dagger slipping from her grip as she rushed forward to grab me in a rough hug. “I didn’t want to-”

“It's fine.” I stroked her hair, giving Dew a guilty look as she stepped from the forest and saw what had happened. “You did well, little one. Good job, Freya.”

“Yeah.” Dew smiled and patted Freya’s shoulder, her hand next to mine, as though nothing had happened. “Well done, Freya.”

Chapter Thirteen

Waskis Woods - Day 5

I t took a while for Freya to calm down.

She’d taken a life for the first time and even though done in self-defense, such a momentous event wasn’t easy to move past.

Oddly enough, Dew hadn’t seemed jealous in the slightest, when she’d found me holding the red-headed elf.

Instead, she gave me an odd thumbs up before moving back towards the den, likely figuring out how to deal with the aftermath of the battle.

Now that the survivors had fled, she would be safe to loot whatever we needed—and to properly deal with her Grandmother’s remains.

Would she want me there? Maybe not. Either way, I wasn’t going to leave her alone.

“Are you feeling better now?” I asked Freya as her frantic hyperventilation calmed and her breathing steadied after several minutes of my stroking her back. When she didn’t answer, I leaned down to check on her.

She’d fallen asleep in my arms.

“Really?” I grunted in frustration, glancing around and considering my options. I could wake her up, sure, but that felt likely to do more harm than good, once I had the chance to study her peaceful expression.

Instead, I leaned to the side and lifted her gently into a princess carry and made my way back to the den.

Dew had pulled the dead warriors off to one side and stripped them of their armor, which she tossed into a pile next to the bodies.

From what I knew of the forest, their corpses wouldn’t remain in the open for long before a horde of ravenous beasts descended to feast upon their unprotected flesh.

I planned for us to be out of the area, long before that happened.

“Dew.” I spoke in a hoarse whisper, not wanting to wake the slumbering Freya as I glanced into the mouth of the shadowy den. “Are you -?”

“I’m here.” Dew chirped from behind me, striding out of the forest. After I turned around, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at her new gear.

“Copying someone, are we?”

She’d found a bow, not too shabby, but not a patch on my own, though the way it rested perfectly between her breasts, distracted my gaze for a moment.

She’d also found a quiver that she’d stocked with two dozen arrows, along with a beautifully carved spear.

The last item looked like it could have come straight from a high elven display gallery. The amazing craftmanship shocked even my sensibilities.

“Where is that from?” I nodded at the spear, trying to ignore how the sleeping Freya’s robe had loosened and fell slightly open as I carried her.

“That little minx in your arms made it. Took her quite a while… but it’s pretty, isn’t it.” Dew grinned as she glanced at Freya. “Getting an eye-full while she’s out for the count? Well played.”

“I have you for that, don’t I?” I shifted Freya slightly in my grasp and turned to study the den. “Anything else worth taking?”

“Not really.” Dew’s smile slipped a little as she glanced at the den that had been her home not that long ago. “Most of them have left, and those who haven’t… well, there’s no one in there worth saving anymore.”

“What do you want to do?” I asked gently, keeping my gaze fixed on her. I wanted to get home, sure, but a detour to deliver some righteous justice might soothe my companion’s heart.

They’d hurt someone I was starting to care about, someone I’d promised to protect. For that alone, they deserved everything I decided to give them.

“They aren’t worth the effort. You’ve already taken out their elite squads.” Dew let out a low laugh as she indicated the slowly cooling bodies with her spear. “So much for the best of the best, eh?”

“They weren’t all that bad. Not a scratch on me, though.” I stepped past Dew, nudging her with my shoulder as I passed by. “Come on then, let's hit the road. Assuming you’re still willing to guide me, that is?”

“Of course. You won’t get rid of me that easily.” Her smile brightened quickly as she rushed to take the lead. With a slow but steady pace, we left the den and the remnants of the battle behind. It would be well past dark, if we tried to return to the treehouse base we’d created.

Fortunately, we weren’t too far from Samoshi’s hide-away.

And that would give both Kiel and Dew one last chance to say goodbye to the big shadowpanther who’d brought them together.

The walk took longer than expected, mostly due to my slower pace. I was tempted to wake Freya from her nap but every time I looked down at her peaceful features, I decided against it.

Not worth the hassle, I decided.

We finally made it to the small gathering of animals, just as the sun sank below the horizon.

Samoshi greeted us with a happy purr, especially when her cub rushed over to nuzzle her face.

The rest of the animals hardly stirred, most seemed to be recuperating still from their recent escape.

“Where do you want to sleep?” I gave Dew a curious nod and glanced around the area, searching for a likely spot. “Maybe we should stay close by the big girl… at least for tonight.”

“Yeah, that’s fine with me.” Dew dropped down beside Samoshi, letting her head thump back softly against the massive shadowpanther’s flank.

The huge monster didn’t respond in the slightest, but I doubted I’d get away with such blatant misuse of the majestic creature’s fur and warmth.

“What about her, though?” I looked down at Freya. “I rather not wake her up.” I looked around for a comfortable patch to lay down the still slumbering Freya, only to be interrupted as Dew giggled at me.

“You don’t need to worry about that. She’s been awake for a while now.” Dew picked up a small pebble and flipped it up against Freya’s side. The little elf, to her credit, hardly reacted to the sudden impact. “Come on, stop pretending. I know how much fun you’re having, but we’re here now.”

“I just didn’t know what to do.” Freya mumbled quietly as I gently lowered her to the ground. She wasn’t heavy, and it hadn’t interfered with our journey, much.

I worried about Dew corrupting her sweet innocence too quickly.

“If you want to ask any questions, just… ask.” I shrugged and flexed my arms, releasing some of the tension that had built up during the long walk. I had enjoyed carrying the enchanting elf the entire way, to be fair, so I couldn’t complain much.

“Get some sleep,” I ordered, “I’ll sort out our tracks.”

The pair nodded as they settled down together against Samoshi’s side.

Though Dew was much more skilled than I, as far as this specific task was concerned, that didn’t mean my own ability should be doubted.

It only took a few minutes for me to cleanse any evidence of our trail with a series of leafy branches—for all but a Master tracker—as well as laying several false trails, in case someone skilled did decide to poke around.

Easy enough.

After that, using low hanging branches in the trees as footholds, I steadily made my way back to the clearing.

Dew and Freya looked up from what seemed to have been an intense conversation, both of them smiling as I made my way back out of the trees and into the open.

“So, what’s the plan?” I forced myself to remain serious, in the face of their nearly glowing expressions. “Do you have anywhere else you can live, Freya?”

“Not anymore.” The girl shrugged. Surprisingly, her statement didn’t seem to depress her too much. Dew nudged her shoulder, making the red-haired elf blush as she stared up at me. “I had something I wanted to ask you.”

“I told you to ask, if you had any questions, so go ahead.” I waved magnanimously. As long as it didn’t interfere with my plans too much, I was happy to listen to her requests.

“I wanted- I mean, Dew said- I mean.” She stammered, glancing back at her friend for support before looking back at me. “I want to come with you, please!”

“What?” I stared at Dew, arching my eyebrow and expecting some sort of explanation, but the cheeky minx merely shrugged, as if it had nothing to do with her.

“Freya,” I asked, “do you know where we’re going?”

“To the high elf city in the north.” She nodded confidently. “I haven’t been that far before, so it should be an exciting journey!”

“Exciting is one way to put it.” I leaned back against a nearby tree and contemplated her request. “Do you know how dangerous this journey might be? We could run into more monsters, have more battles... What will you do then?”

“Dew said she’d teach me to fight! I promise you I won’t hesitate again, I can help you!” Freya pushed herself to her feet and clutched her hands together as she approached me. “Please, let me come with you. I’ll do anything you want.”

Dew let out a snort, quickly followed by a giggle, but Freya ignored her as she stared intently up into my eyes.

Her gaze was steady and sure, so I knew she believed in what she said—though I doubted she understood the implications of her offer.

“Right.” I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Maybe in the future, I would take her up on such an open offer, but for the time being, I had more than enough on my hands with Dew, as it was.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and groaned. “Okay, say I agree to this… what about your crafting? I doubt you’ll get much of a chance to practice on metal or wood while we travel.”

“It’s fine, I have this.” Freya pulled a moderately sized cube from the small pack she’d had with her the whole time. From the size of it, the odd-looking object would have taken up at least two-thirds of her storage, though it didn’t seem too heavy compared to its bulky appearance. “I can do basic work on the journey. If you need me to, I could even upgrade your bow.”

“I’d like to see that.” I grinned, thinking back on the complex, difficult process that a Master craftsman had gone into, to create my bow. Sure, I hadn’t been the one actually doing most of the work, but I’d been involved at every step.

Not that I doubted her skills, but how good could a random crafter from a wood elf den really be?

“Let her try it.” Dew offered her suggestion confidently, though she well knew my close connection to the weapon. “Trust me, you’ll be surprised.”

I considered her words carefully.

To be fair, the craftsmanship of the spear Freya had created had shocked me, and I’d seen some of the best high-elven weaponry in existence.

At worst, the bow would remain as it was, and perhaps… perhaps I’d have another trick up my sleeve that would come in handy on the long journey ahead.

“Okay.” I pulled my weapon off my back and held it out toward the ecstatic little elf. “This is the most important thing I’ve ever owned, so please be careful with it.”

“Yes, Master.” Freya took the weapon reverently and moved back toward Dew. Her odd response caught me off guard, until Dew clarified it for me.

“Don’t get too excited. All crafters use that designation for those who sponsor their services.” She grinned over at Freya, who was too absorbed in her work to notice our conversation. “Though I’m sure she’ll call you that… in another way, in more intimate circumstances… eventually.”

“One wood elf maiden is more than enough for me.” I tossed my response back without thinking.

Dew froze, her surprised look and wide eyes stopping me in my tracks for a moment before a contented smile settled on her face.

“Don’t get overconfident, missy,” I smirked. “We still have a long way to go before you’ll have paid off your end of our deal.”

“Right you are, Master.” She gave me a mock salute as she leaned back against her beastly pillow, once again. “I’m looking forward to this journey more and more, Wes.”

Her smile was beautiful.

Chapter Fourteen

Waskis Woods - Day 6

I  took the first watch. While we could trust the animals nearby to warn us, I still didn’t quite believe we were out of danger from the wood elves.

I didn’t know much about this den and, despite Dew’s confidence that I’d taken out most of their elite warriors, I didn’t want to wait around until they realized what we’d done.

But traveling blindly at night through these woods was a recipe for disaster.

Dew dropped off quickly, but I had to give Freya a strongly worded order before she settled down for the night.

She had the lowest endurance of any of us, and I didn’t want to have to carry her again, if she started slowing down midway through the day tomorrow.

Fortunately, my time spent on watch passed by without incident. I’d spotted a few beasts passing nearby, but none of them came in to investigate our little spot.

Whether it was blind luck that they hadn’t show more interest, or Samoshi’s scent had scared them off, I didn’t know—nor did I care.

I didn’t feel like sniping monsters for most of the night, so was thankful they’d kept to themselves.

After waking Dew for her watch, I lowered myself beside the silently sleeping Freya.

For her part, Dew winked and gave me a grin as she passed by, but thankfully stayed silent as I laid down to get my own rest.

The night passed by uneventfully, but I awoke to the sound of metal striking metal.

“What the -?!” I flipped up to my feet and pulled out my sword in one smooth motion.

After yesterday’s battle with the wood elves, I feared the worst.

“Good morning, Master.” Freya looked up from the odd stone she’d shown me the day before, a small hammer raised awkwardly above her head. “Sorry that I w…woke you up,” she stammered. She blushed a bright pink, staring at the ground. “I wanted to finish working on your bow before you - well-.”

“That’s one way to wake me up,” I grumbled, though my heart wasn’t really in it. I didn’t berate her any more than a gruff scowl as I sheathed my sword. “So… you’re done already? That was quick.”

Freya nodded with a happy smile as she turned back to her work.

My bow had been understated and flawless the day before, but now it looked to be coated in a layer of carved silver.

Oddly enough the covering hadn’t made the bow that much bigger, and the other features didn’t look like they’d been altered.

While aesthetics were nice, I was much more concerned about the capability and usability of my weapon.

“Hai!” Freya cracked the hammer down once more, sending a small fountain of blue sparks out around her. The stone beneath my weapon shivered slightly as tiny flickering symbols floated to its surface for a moment, unnoticeable to any but the keenest eye.

Like mine.

“Don’t tell me that a Runesmith made that?” I kneeled down beside Freya and laid a palm reverently against the block.

Though outwardly just a small square of rock, it shivered at my touch, almost as though there was something trapped inside that wanted to escape. “Do you know how rare this is? How much it would cost to purchase or commission one of these?”

“Uh, no?” Freya pulled back from the precise magical artifact she’d been using as an anvil. “Did I break it? Oh no, I’m so sorry-”

“Don’t worry. With the number of runes packed into this, it would take much more than your little hammer to damage it.” I chuckled at her guilty expression. A quick check confirmed that her other tools were normal, not a single one harboring any special capability or power beyond their mundane nature. “Who gave this to you? And what did they tell you about it?”

“I- I found it in a cave. I kept it, and no one asked for it back.” She glanced awkwardly at Dew, trying to seek some support as she floundered before my arched brows. The feisty blonde elf merely shrugged, not bothering to join the conversation.

“When I use it to craft things, it makes them stronger. I still need to design and craft my projects carefully, and if I hit it wrong, the stone will break whatever I’m trying to make.”

“Well then.” I clapped a friendly hand to her shoulder and pulled the girl to her feet by her elbow. “I don’t often say this… but you’ve impressed me. It's rare to find someone who can use a Runesmith device, especially one without any instruction or guidance. Well done.”

“Uh, thank you, Master.” Freya bowed shyly, her face reddening at the unexpected praise. Instead of poking at her for more cute responses, I turned back to check out her handiwork and picked up my new, and much improved, bow.

“Flexibility is the same,” I grunted, pulling the string all the way back to my release point, but not loosing the string, “but the strength of the draw- well, that really is something.”

I slowly relaxed the tension in my bow before pulling out one of my arrows and nocking it to the string. “Requires a bit more strength to pull back, but the draw is smooth with no trembling… let’s see what this thing can do.”

I aimed at a nearby tree trunk.

With my prior power, I knew the shot would pierce the bark, but wouldn’t penetrate more than an inch or so into the trunk.

Such striking power was more than enough for me, seeing as I could target the smallest weak spot easily, but I suspected I’d be able to do a bit more damage with Freya’s upgrade.

BANG!

A chunk of the tree blew apart upon the arrow's impact. I looked on in stunned silence to where my arrow lay buried halfway up the shaft in the hefty tree trunk.

This powerful upgrade eclipsed the capacity of my bow from just yesterday, with a barely noticeable addition to the strength required for a full draw.

My weapon had been created by the Master smiths of the highest high elven warehouses over a period of several weeks.

Freya had significantly upgraded it in a single night.

“Wow.” Dew sashayed over to the tree and tried to pull my arrow out, tugging several times with difficulty before giving up. “Seriously, Freya? You still don’t have any restraint, do you?”

“Be nice, Dew.” I called out, stopping the small elf beside me with a smile before she could launch into another stream of apologies. “Freya, could you do the same with Dew’s bow?”

“Uh, I don’t think so, Master.” She stared at my companion’s bow for a moment with a deep frown.

“The materials aren’t great, and the construction is… uh, pretty bad. If you could acquire some high-grade, properly aged wood and sinew from an epic class monster, I could make her a new one—but that would take at least a full day, or maybe two. I don’t think we can afford to delay your journey that much before we reach somewhere safe to rest.”

“Oh, please, Wes! I want one too!” Dew rushed forward and grabbed my sleeve, kneeling down so she could look up into my face with big, blue puppy dog eyes. “We can wait, right? Please…”

I felt her hands creeping up my thighs and seriously considered her offer for a moment before I shook my head.

“We’ve been here for too long already.” Dew pouted, but didn’t try to argue as she got back up to her feet. I grinned and gave her voluptuous chest a quick poke, which made her jump back with a surprised yelp.

“You mentioned there is a community where we could sell the Rhintra core and maybe even the horn. It's not the same den we just fought off, is it?”

“No, they’re explorers, wood elves focused on finding the secrets of the forests.” Dew glanced at Freya and chuckled at the awkward way the girl studiously avoided looking our way while trying to eavesdrop on our exchange. “They won’t give us the best price, but they can make the most use of the core and the horn for whatever expedition they want to do. Should be easy money.”

“And what about you, Freya?” I asked as I walked a few steps her way and gave the little crafter's shoulder a gentle shake. “Still want to tag along?”

Though she was petite and a fair bit shorter than me, the way she bowed her head and avoided my gaze made her appear tiny in comparison to Dew. “Come on. If you want something, you’ll need to speak up and ask for it.”

“Yes please, Master!” She nodded and grabbed my arm between her dainty hands. “Thank you! I promise I’ll do everything I can to help you, and I won’t get in the way.”

“Okay, okay.” I glanced over at Dew, who looked on her friend's antics with an amused grin. “Pack up your stuff and we’ll get going.”

As Freya carefully wrapped the runesmith anvil in a clean bolt of cloth, packing it and her other tools back into her pack, Kiel wandered over from beside his mother. Samoshi seemed to be recovering well, but her lack of reaction to their parting made it clear the young shadowpanther had also made his choice.

I grunted. “One more thing to look after.” I might have been a little gruff, but Kiel didn’t seem to mind as I reached down to scratch the ruff of fur on the back of his neck. His injured ear had healed up, but a small notch remained. He’d always carry that little reminder of their near escape from the den. “You’ll need to look after the other two,” I told the cub. “It’s up to us to keep them safe, got it?”

Dew and Freya didn’t hear my conversation with the little cat, but Kiel seemed to understand my request. After a long, unblinking moment where he held my gaze, the shadowpanther nodded his head. He moved up beside Freya, who had just finished packing up all of her equipment.

“Okay, let’s get out of here.” I glanced back at the huge shadowpanther and the animals resting around the glen. “Thank you, Samoshi.” I gave the massive shadowpanther a formal bow from the waist. “I promise you I’ll do everything I can to keep all of them safe.”

She let out a low growl, so deep it made the hairs stick up on the back of my neck. I didn’t need Dew to translate what the behemoth meant.

You’d better.

“My word of honor, on it.” I grinned back, not letting the huge cat get the better of me. “It is me, after all,” I added with a cocky smirk. “Who could do anything to them, with me around?”

The shadowpanther blinked slowly—not impressed by my bravado. Dew giggled at Samoshi’s reaction as Freya turned away, trying to hide the smile on her face.

“Right, let’s get this show on the road,” I grumbled to my motley crew.

Chapter Fifteen

Waskis Woods - Day 6

W ith my upgraded bow in hand, I strode out into the forest behind Dew.

As our guide, she led the way, following routes and paths she’d learned over the years in these woods.

Elves were blessed with long lives, and although Dew was relatively young for our race, she’d still had long enough to trek through most of the forests that we would be passing through.

Unfortunately, something unexpected happened before we’d even left the territory of Dew’s former den.

“They must still be around here. Find them!” The muffled command echoed through the trees. Whoever had yelled was clearly infuriated, so it was easy to guess who might be searching for us.

“These guys just won’t quit,” I grumbled, pulling myself up into a nearby tree, then reaching down to help Freya climb up alongside me, while Dew and Kiel climbed up an adjacent trunk. We were close enough to talk, but not for long, so I spoke quickly before searching the trees for warriors closing in. “Wait and see if they pass.”

Dew nodded and settled down.

Freya’s breathing had sped up and her hands had grabbed hold of my shirt as she stared down into the forest.

It was obvious she remembered the day before, when she’d had to kill the fighter who’d run into her; I guessed she wouldn’t be able to contribute much to a pitched battle—not yet.

Not that we’d need her, considering how little effort the morons below were making to be quiet or exercise appropriate caution.

Dew motioned, confirming my estimate that we were up against ten fighters.

Not a difficult number to kill, sure, but tricky to take down stealthily. Without a full understanding of the situation, we’d need to decide if we were going to lash out at them, or let the group pass by.

“How could the elites let themselves get taken out by one shitty high elf?” One of the warriors grumbled as he stopped briefly near our tree. “So much for them being the best of the best. Weaklings. We just need to wait around for the others, right?”

As they rounded my tree, I shared a cold look with Dew. Just as I had, she’d made up her mind—these elves weren’t making it out of the forest alive.

The guard who’d been badmouthing me stepped past my tree and glanced around, not bothering to look up.

His helmet might have been difficult for me to pierce, yesterday. But not today.

My arrow punched through the thin metal and dug deep into the warrior’s brain.

The shot was made so quickly, it didn’t make that much noise, but it was impossible for the other warriors to miss the sound of their comrade’s body falling to the forest floor.

As I lined up three more arrows on my bow, Dew slid down noiselessly from her tree to flank the group while Kiel crouched on a limb, ready to ambush his own target.

Without a word, I let my carefully aimed shots fly.

Three armored fighters were knocked off their feet by the streaking arrows.

Even spread amongst three targets, the power of my improved bow was too much for their light armor to handle.

“Am-” A guard started to yell, only to be cut off as Dew’s knife slashed his throat open. The man’s colleague spun around, only to receive a dagger to the eye for their trouble.

The rest panicked, but they were just too slow.

Dew knocked another guard to the ground and stabbed the elf repeatedly in the chest.

Kiel followed her example, knocking down two warriors who had gone back-to-back before ripping their throats out.

Easy pickings.

I finished off the fighter whose head wasn’t currently in Kiel’s maw, then turned to the last member of the group.

“Please!” The elf dropped his sword and held up both his hands. “We were ordered to bring you in, that’s all -”

Before he could finish, Dew’s blade came out the front of his chest as she stabbed through his heart from behind. The man looked down in horror before his eyes rolled up into his skull.

Ten more wood elves dead, in moments.

“Why-” Freya glanced at me in concern as I nodded to Dew. “He’d surrendered though.”

“We killed the son of their elder. Even if we’d released him and sent him back with a message to leave us alone, he’d die in worse ways than that.” I gave Freya a sympathetic look as I revealed the harsh truth of the wilds.

“He’d have been tortured to death and they’d know we were in the area and might be able to pick up our trail from here.” I shrugged. “As it is, he got a quick death, and this other den is none the wiser.”

“I understand.” Freya nodded slowly, though she still grimaced at the corpse below. “It’s just a shame, that’s all.”

“Warriors don’t choose such a role for their own safety. He knew what he was risking when he walked this path.” I grabbed Freya around the waist with one arm and stepped back toward the edge of the branches we’d used as a platform. “You’ll get used to it… eventually. The trick, though, is never to hesitate—because they certainly won’t.”

“I’ll do my best.” I could feel her nod against my shoulder as we slid back down the trunk to the forest floor. Dew, with Kiel’s help, had moved the bodies off the trail and out of the way into the underbrush.

It wouldn’t take much to find them, but at least it wouldn’t be obvious they’d been ambushed here.

“What now?” Dew dusted her hands off as she walked back toward me. “Those guys are bad news, and I don’t feel like fighting my way through an army of idiots all the way to the desert and back.”

“We fight if we have to fight.” I shrugged as I let Freya go and stretched out my arm and shoulder. “Okay, let’s pick up the pace a bit. This should have created an opening in their formation, if they have one. We need to take advantage before they figure it out.”

“Agreed.” Dew pointed in a seemingly random direction. “That way has the densest growth in this area, so it’ll be a good route for us to take to avoid detection.”

“Lead on, miss guide.” I grinned cockily at the sultry wink that was Dew’s only reply. Fortunately, she was all business after that, so we wasted no more time with any witty banter further back and forth. We left the area as quickly as we stealthily could.

We avoided several more patrols of guards before we neared the edge of Dew’s old den’s territory.

As we moved further and further from her den, the number of warriors we heard crashing through the woods dropped significantly.

Either they didn’t have as many warriors as I feared, or they were focusing more of their attention on the area around the den itself.

But as we reached the border between their territory and that of another den, we ran into one final group of fighters.

Three strong, each warrior was armed and armored with some of the best equipment I’d seen since leaving the high elf capital.

The two warriors flanking a smaller armored figure were hulking behemoths compared to the elf between them—obviously bodyguards chosen for their size, strength, and power.

That meant the elf they were guarding was important. Too important to ignore.

“It’s him.” Dew leaned against a tree, her knuckles whitening as she tightened her grip on a low hanging branch, glaring at the trio in the distance. “It’s Ha’ Rhin’s father. He’ll be the one who ordered the takeover, that killed my -”

Her words cut off as she took a deep, shuddering breath.

The man before us was the cause of Dew’s distress, and he’d interrupted my plans to return home.

Beyond that, I didn’t believe for a moment that his son’s desire for Freya had been for anything more than to satisfy his basest desires.

“We should avoid them.” Dew finally spoke, her tone bitter as she sighed and took her eyes off the distant group. “Your bow won’t be able to pierce his bodyguard’s armor, so there’s no chance we can take him down, without the others hearing.”

“Oh, Dew, I’m so sorry.” Freya moved next to her friend and pulled her into a rough hug. Watching the two elven maidens share their grief, I came to a decision.

I’d do something for someone else—maybe for the first time—just because I felt like doing it.

“No.” I pulled the two maidens into my arms and grinned down at them when they turned to look up at me in wide-eyed surprise. “He took something from you, Dew… from us. The gods have set him before us, nice as you please—you don’t really think I’d let him go so easily, do you?”

“But- how?” Dew raised a hand to cup my cheek. “It’s too risky.”

“Probably, but you’re forgetting who you’re traveling with.” I moved away and pulled out my bow with a cocky grin. “I’m Wes, the best archer in the world. If they think some stupid bastards in chunky metal can stop me, then they have another thing coming.”

Freya smiled and tightened her hug around Dew, who had yet to respond. The pair shared a quick look before they turned back to me, their gazes showing how confident they were in my declaration.

“What’s the plan, Master?” Freya pulled out her dagger with a grim smile. “Don’t think I’ll be letting you go in alone again.”

“Me too. I want to watch him die to your arrows.” Dew pulled out her blades with a vicious smirk. “I’ll peel those metal pricks apart if they try to stop you.”

Kiel let out a low purr and rubbed his head against my leg, signaling his commitment to my plan. Of course, even if we all worked together, stealthily taking down two heavily armored warriors was still going to be a daunting task.

Fortunately, I had a plan in mind that should work out perfectly.

“Okay, my lovelies. This is what we’ll do.”

I knelt down and started to scratch out my plan in the dirt with an arrowhead. “The best plans are those you can’t mess up—all you need to do is follow my orders to the letter.” I looked up at my motley crew and smirked. “Let’s go and take those bastards down.”

Dew took Freya with her as she made a wide loop around to get behind the group in the distance. Lucky, given the fact we were in a forest, it wasn’t too difficult for the pair to get into position without being spotted.

That left my role in the plan.

To prepare, I pulled out all of my arrows and stuck each one into the ground at my feet.

Pulling them from the quiver would be fine—in normal circumstances—but now, with Freya’s and Dew’s lives on the line, I’d take every single advantage I could get.

After five minutes, I decided that Dew and Freya should have reached their assigned spots.

Any longer and it was possible more reinforcements could turn up, or that one of the other groups would stumble onto the remnants of our previous ambush.

Either outcome would put a big crimp in our plans to make a clean getaway.

With a deep, steadying breath, I pulled one arrow out of the dirt and nocked it against my bow.

Drawing the string back as far as it would go, I aimed at my distant target.

“This is for Dew, you prick.”

The arrow blasted from my bow, streaking through the air toward the group.

One of the warriors sensed the incoming attack, at the last second, but their reaction was much too slow.

SHMACK!

A direct strike, my shaft punched into the old man’s forehead.

Unfortunately for the old fool, my arrow’s flight wasn’t slowed all that much by his skull; my broadhead ripped through his brain before blasting out the back of his head without pause.

“Oh my god!” One of the warriors turned to stare slack-jawed at his former leader, whose head had been blown from his shoulders by my shot. “Defend, now-”

My second attack focused on the warrior who had yelled out.

Three arrows crashed into the man’s breastplate, knocking him back several steps as sparks flew into the air from the impact.

My shafts did not penetrate, but I’m sure he felt them.

It wasn’t enough to take him down, though, not with the quality of his armor.

With both of the bodyguards focused on me, it was easy for the others to move in from behind undetected.

“Behin-” The other warrior tried to warn his colleague, but his yell came out a moment too late.

Dew darted forward from the bushes to sink a dagger deep into the rear of his knee, between the joints of the big elf’s armor.

His leg collapsed as my furious warrior woman drew another two blades from her pack.

The armored man I’d shot recovered his footing, only to be struck by another triple shot.

His armor stood up to the blows again, my arrows shattering against his breastplate, but the shots kept his focus squarely on me.

And that gave Freya the chance she needed.

She snuck up behind the distracted fighter, both hands clenched around what looked to be a large rock.

Before the man could realize just how screwed he was, the little elf leaped up and slammed the stone down on the back of his helmet.

Blue sparks rained down, confirming that she had used her runesmith anvil as a weapon.

I didn’t know if it was because of her own surprising strength or the enhancement of the runes, but her strike battered the huge guard to his knees.

Which made him an easy target for Kiel.

Even as the fighter tried to push himself back up from his hands and knees, the shadowpanther rushed in and chomped down on the man’s arm, hard.

Even from my distant spot, I could hear the cat’s teeth grating against the warrior’s vambraces.

Dew had paralyzed her own target and was in the process of peeling the man’s helmet off.

The occupant of the armor struggled vainly to keep his metal shell in place, but Dew’s persistence won out as she jerked it up enough to reveal the back of the man’s neck.

Blood gushed out as she stabbed into the gap between his helmet and mail repeatedly, finishing off her target.

I could have taken a shot, but this was her chance for vengeance; I was a firm believer in avenging the kind of wrongs this elder and his cronies had committed.

Freya’s target was doing better overall. Despite being outnumbered two versus one, he was slowly overcoming Kiel’s hold on his arm, and Freya’s battering him about the head and shoulders didn’t have the same effect as her first strike.

Maybe the runes had run out of power, I didn’t know, but it was clear the warrior would be able to get free before long. I decided to intervene.

I picked up the rest of the arrows at my feet and nocked one to my bow, the rest held in a bunch, along with the bow.

“Over here, you prick!” I viciously yelled, calling the struggling fighter’s attention to me.

It was tricky to complete a full draw, but I didn’t need that much power. One shot. Two shots. Three shots. Each one perfectly striking the man’s helmet, exactly where his forehead would be.

Though the strikes weren’t likely kill him, it should be enough to daze anyone. Never mind the impacts themselves, the inside of his helm would be ringing like a church bell.

Which gave me more than enough time to sprint to join in the melee.

I swept my bow over his head, so the string pulled taut against his throat. The gap between his helmet and mail hauberk wasn’t very big.

But it was big enough.

With one knee pressed against the huge man’s back, I grabbed the silver-inlaid portion of my bow and pulled with all my might.

My bowstring grated against the armor for a moment before I felt a jerk as it slipped through the tiny gap.

Strangled, choking gasps rang out as my enemy tried to reach back behind him to grab me, trying to do anything he could to rid himself of the weight that was slicing my bowstring into his neck.

Before he could move too far, Dew rushed in and locked up his other arm, giving me free rein to make one final yank sharply to the side with my bow.

Crunch.

With one final juddering twitch, the warrior went limp, crashing to the forest floor once I pulled my bow clear.

“Fuck you!” Dew hissed as she stepped over to the nearly headless elder and stomped her boot down, hard into what was left of his skull.

Though I’d denied her the pleasure of killing him, herself, the raging elf still took her vengeance out on his corpse, carving her name into his chest.

When done, she spat on the bloody mess before she stabbed down once more, leaving her dagger impaled through the man’s heart.

She’d stolen the credit for my kill… but, technically, I’d been the one to steal her vengeance by blasting an arrow through his skull.

It all balanced out, I guess, in the end.

“Let’s get going.” I spoke quickly as I pulled Freya away from the big warrior she’d beaten down. The crafter turned executioner looked up at me with a dazed expression as I stuffed the runesmith anvil back into her pack and pulled her away from the scene. “Dew,” I hissed, “we need to go. Now.”

“Yeah.” She nodded and rushed by me, giving me a small smile as she went past.

Without another sound, we slipped off into the forest.

Kiel followed behind soundlessly, his ears flicking around as he guarded the rear of our group.

The best member for a task should take to their role without hesitating, and it seemed our motley crew had started to meld together.

“You okay?” I glanced over Freya’s head at Dew, worried she might have been affected by the battle. If I had to watch out for her, as well as for Freya, it would make things difficult. I could still manage, of course.

“I’m…” She shook her head as we continued to creep from tree to tree deeper into the forest. “It’s fine. He’s dead, we’re alive. Everything is good.”

“That’s one way to put it.” I looked down at Freya cautiously, my hand still wrapped around her upper arm, but I was happily surprised to see that she didn’t look to be as emotionally traumatized as she had been after her first kill. “Good job, Freya,” I said, releasing my grip.

“Thank you, Master.” She flashed me a quick smile before turning back to focus on the path.

As the least physically capable member of the group, she had to pay close attention to her footing so as not trip or stumble as we finally crossed the border of the territory claimed by Dew’s old den.

“They won’t chase us beyond the borders of their territory, right?” I glanced back cautiously over my shoulder as I paused to let the others catch their breath.

Dew’s breathing steadied before she turned to answer.

“No, not unless they want to start a full-blown war. The wood elves of this territory hate them.” Dew grinned and wiped her bloodied hands off on a nearby plant.

A bit of blood was smeared in a streak across her cheek, giving her a savage beauty that I still wasn’t quite used to.

“They won’t bother me, or those with me. I’ve helped them out in the past, so we should be able to pass through their territory without any issues.”

“Is this the den who asked for our help with their Rhintra problem?” I gave the area a quick once over, but I only knew we were into the new territory based on how far I estimated we’d traveled today. “What do you think they’d say, if we tried to sell them the horn from that kill?”

“That might annoy them. Don’t worry about the horn, though. I have a plan.” Dew had managed to clean off the worst of the blood from her hands, wiping the last remnants away with a cloth tied to her pack before explaining.

“Odd bunch, even by your standards, but they’re pretty trustworthy. Explorers will buy the horn and core in a heartbeat.”

“Yeah, you mentioned them before. Odd that your race has them, too.” I checked my remaining supply of arrows and grunted in displeasure as I counted the few that remained in my quiver. “What kind of supplies are they likely to sell -”

Before I could finish, a small pair of hands seized mine. Freya pulled my attention to her with an annoyed expression.

“I am your servant, Master. No one else will see to your weapons.” She plucked at the bow across my chest with a shy smile. “This is mine as much as yours, and I won’t let any inferior crafters near it… or you.”

“Oh,” I blinked, surprised by the vehemence with which the little elf staked her claim to me. “Alright… I guess.”

I ruffled Freya’s hair with a laugh, eliciting a squeal of discontent as I stepped quickly out of reach. “So, that’s the plan? Meet these explorers, sell the horn, Freya makes us some more arrows. Am I missing anything?”

“Nothing special.” Dew stepped close with a cheeky grin as she looked up into my eyes. “We’ll need to visit our lovenest again, Wes. We need to relieve—I mean retrieve—your horn, don’t we?”

“Indeed, you do.” I winked and smirked at Dew, though I did turn my face enough to the side that Freya missed the byplay.

Now that Dew no longer had to worry about how a relationship with me might affect her position within her den, most of the barriers between us had fallen away.

The only concern left now, was how those stuck up pricks back in the high elf city might react to it.

To be fair, as I took another long look at the glowing young wood elf before me, I had only one response to that line of thought.

Those pricks can say whatever they want, I don’t give a fuck what they think anymore!

Chapter Sixteen

Waskis Woods - Day 6

T hankfully, we managed to get back to the treehouse I’d built with Dew without running into any patrols from the nearest wood elf den.

It hadn’t been in place for all that long, so there wasn’t much chance of it having fallen apart, but I still rushed up to double-check that the Rhintra horn and core were still stored away.

“Told you so.” Dew leaned down beside me and gave our bounty a quick pat. “So, that’s one thing sorted, right?”

“We still have some time,” I said, glancing up at the sky and gauging the time we had left before the sun set. “We won’t make it too much further, but it’s a waste just to wait around here. Any ideas?”

“How about we have a little training session?” Dew leaned over the edge to look down at Freya, who waited patiently at the base of the tree for us. “I’ll give her some tips and it’ll wear her out. Good plan, right?”

She didn’t turn back to look at me, but the way she wiggled her butt back and forth tempted me to move up behind her. Dew giggled as I grabbed her and spun her around in my arms, though I let her go after a quick kiss against her cheek.

“Whatever you say. I’ll join in, my sword skills are a bit rusty.”

“Oh, I do hope that’s a lie.” She stepped in close and rubbed her hand up and down the front of my breeches before skipping back and starting to climb back to the forest floor. “I was hoping your ‘sword’ skills would be as legendary as your archery.”

“Just you wait,” I muttered, smiling to myself as I followed Dew back down to join the rest of our group.

For her part, Freya was happy to hear about Dew’s plan.

She did her best to follow every single order, swinging her dagger back and forth with concerted effort as Dew watched on from the side.

For my part, I stood off to the side and went through the basic sword forms I’d learned years ago during my initial training.

Not a great foundation, but it would do for the common bandits we were likely to run into.

The longer we practiced, the slower Freya got.

She didn’t give up, though, giving Dew everything she had, right up to the end.

I could tell Dew was pushing her pretty hard.

Sure, the session would help the crafter hone her combat skills, but I knew the cunning blonde had another reason for wearing Freya out with her strict training.

It wasn’t until the sun dipped below the horizon that Dew finally called out for Freya to stop, whereupon the little elf collapsed with a groan to the forest floor.

“Help her up to the base. I’ll clear our tracks and come up to join you.” Dew leaned in close to whisper into my ear, but before she could say anything I reached around and gave her juicy behind a cheeky squeeze.

Freya didn’t notice when Dew hopped back out of range with a gasp, wagging her finger at me.

From her expression, it was clear she wasn’t mad that I’d groped her, far from it.

But any more shenanigans might alert our exhausted companion to our hidden agenda.

So it was that I carried the half-conscious elf up to the treehouse while Dew rushed around like a madwoman, clearing up every trace of our trail from the area.

Clambering up a huge tree was tricky without carrying another elf on my back, though Freya wasn’t all that heavy, but the reward that awaited me once we’d settled in for the night would make it all worth it.

Freya stumbled from my back once we were on the platform and with a mumbled thanks, curled up in one corner of the nest.

She fell almost immediately into a deep sleep—between our long trek, the fear and excitement of our ambush and battle, and then Dew’s impromptu training session, Freya was exhausted.

To be fair, even I was a bit sore, given the fact that it was the first time I’d properly trained with my own sword in ages.

Muscles I hadn’t used in a while complained at the sudden exertion.

Although my gift was mostly focused on archery, my enhanced agility and heightened reflexes were a great help with all other aspects of combat, too.

Dew all but glowed with happiness as she pulled herself up onto the treehouse platform once done with her task.

“All done?” I looked on as she pulled off her top and wriggled out of her skirt and small clothes before stretching herself out next to me, on the other side of the nest from our lightly snoring companion.

I hungrily looked her up and down as the last orange and purple rays of the sun faded into night, drinking in her gorgeous body.

She returned my gaze with a happy smile.

“No one will interrupt us now,” Dew smirked as she looked over at Freya’s slumbering form. She sat up as I stood to pull my shirt over my head, a hungry look in her eyes. “So… what do you think?”

“I think that I’m a lucky guy.” I reached down and pulled her up into a rough hug, pressing her perky breasts tight against my chest. “But I think Freya would die of embarrassment, if we woke her up midway through.”

“Oh.” Dew’s smile dimmed a little as she glanced over at our friend.

Kiel had settled down at the foot of the tree, so he wouldn’t be an issue.

To be fair, doing what we planned to do in front of a beast wouldn’t technically be a bad thing… but I felt like it would ruin the mood.

“I’ve been looking forward to breaking your walls down for a while, you know,” Dew whispered against me.

“Trust me, I don’t have any more walls with you.” I pressed myself against Dew so she could feel my need for her body. “I want you… badly, but I doubt you want an audience for your first time, right?”

“I could be quiet.” She whispered, leaning in close to nuzzle into my neck. I pushed down the urge to take her right then and there; that would have to wait for a time when we had a bit more privacy.

“I’d be fine,” I whispered into her hair, “but I doubt you’d be able to keep silent.” I pressed down gently on her shoulders, a smirk on my face. “Trust me on that. We can do something else, though.”

She caught onto what I was hinting at after a moment, her frown vanishing as she pulled my head down for a deep kiss. It was our first of many, and I couldn’t help but get lost in her lips.

I deepened our kiss, pushing her lips apart and letting our tongues tangle together. My wood elf huntress went weak in the knees as I held her in a passionate embrace. She could hardly hold herself up.

Which was perfect for what I had in mind.

Dew pulled back to take a shuddering breath and slowly dropped to her knees, her hands catching at my belt enthusiastically.

While Dew tugged my breeches down, I glanced to the side, checking on Freya while I still had some self-control.

She was out, still snoring softly, though she had turned in her sleep to face in our direction.

Then the air hit my legs as Dew finally freed my member from its confines.

“Oh, there you are… pretty boy,” she murmured, reaching out and lightly stroking my length with her fingers. Her teasing fingers were soft and tender, a new lover caressing her man.

Her touch sent electric shocks through my body, but I didn’t want it to end there.

“It’s been a while since you called me that,” I grunted softly as I ran my fingers through Dew’s hair, marveling at how it flowed back and forth.

Oddly enough, for the first time, the wood elf’s cute face reddened as she blushed at my words. “Oh? Finally embarrassed, are we?”

“Shut up, Wes.” She smacked my leg gently in mock irritation, but I knew what she wanted.

“I guess I’ll have to get you back for all the innuendos and teasing… for how much you made me want you to...” I spoke quietly but confidently as I rested my hands on the sides of her head. I could feel her hot breath against my skin as I turned her head and pulled her closer to the thing she’d wanted for so long. “… to do this.”

“Mmmff.”

“This should keep you quiet, my forest minx.”

As her lips slipped around the head of my penis I couldn’t think of anything other than how good it felt.

The heat, the tightness, her squirming tongue as she devoured every inch she could take.

My dick was bigger than she’d expected, but Dew still managed to take half my length before she gagged slightly and came back up for air.

“Take deep breaths. I promise you’ll get plenty of practice.” My voice took on a semi-serious tone as Dew leaned forward to kiss the tip of her new, favorite toy. “Ready to try again?”

Dew took a deep breath before she pushed her head forward again, this time taking over half of it in without complaint.

I almost moaned out loud as she started to slide her tongue back and forth along the underside, but I held back.

If I woke Freya up, then I’d have lost our unspoken bet.

Dew noticed the response her actions had provoked, which only encouraged her to try even harder.

Her head bobbed rapidly up and down as she sucked and licked along my shaft, her tongue almost reaching the base as she pushed herself to her limits.

At the same time, her hand dipped between her own thighs and she stroked herself, rapidly sliding two fingers along her folds as she greedily pushed the limits of her passion.

Speaking of limits, ten minutes into an amazing blowjob, I was rapidly reaching mine.

“Dew.” I whispered hoarsely, laying my hands on either side of her rapidly bobbing head. “I’m almost there.”

She didn’t stop. My words only spurred her on into a frenzy of activity.

She groaned around my girth, the vibrations tipping me over the edge.

Her sloppy groans were so loud I was concerned, for a moment, that she might wake Freya.

But I didn’t want her to stop.

As I fell over the edge, I grabbed hold of her hair and with a few final shuddering thrusts, a long groan of my own slipped past my clenched teeth.

My dick twitched as I orgasmed into her mouth, I couldn’t help but grin as she greedily gulped down my seed, like it was the best meal she’d ever had.

I noticed her legs were trembling, as she whimpered softly around me.

At a guess, I’d say she’d joined with me in our outlet of pleasure.

“That was amazing, Dew.” I leaned down and kissed her forehead as she caught her breath. Drawing the back of her forearm drawn across her lips, we knelt there, grinning at each other like fools.

It might take a few minutes for me to recover, given that she’d swallowed every ounce I could give her, but the happy smile on her reddened face made me want to take her then and there. “Wait until we have some time alone and I’ll pay you back double.”

“I’ll- hold you to that.” She murmured dreamily, her eyes drifting closed as she tried to keep her gaze fixed on my face.

With regret, I held back from ravaging my elven beauty even further. That would have to come later.

Dew looked content as it was.

We pulled our small clothes on before I snuggled up behind her as we stretched out on the grass mat, happily settling in for a night’s sleep with the wild elven beauty wrapped up in my arms.

It couldn’t get much better than this.

Chapter Seventeen

Waskis Woods - Day 7

“H ey, wake up.” A soft voice pulled me from my slumber as a light touch shook my shoulder. “It’s getting late.”

My eyes flicked open to see Freya’s face, not far from my own. Her reddened cheeks only added to the girl’s cuteness, but the way she kept glancing down confused me a little.

Until I saw what Dew had done during the night.

She had curled up against my chest with a contented smile, but that wasn’t all. While one of her arms cushioned her head, the other had snaked down and was currently hidden from sight.

Inside my pants.

“Oh.” I looked back at Freya with a slight grin. “I guess she needed some heat in the night.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Freya pushed herself up with an irritated frown. “I’ll get my stuff together while you make yourself presentable… Master.”

The way she addressed me seemed a bit colder than it had the last time she had used her nickname for me, but I couldn’t tell what had got her knickers in a twist. It wasn’t like Dew had made any effort to hide her attraction to me. I shrugged to myself.

Something to figure out later, anyway.

“Hey, it's time to get up.” I stroked Dew’s cheek gently, which made her smile softly in her sleep. “Come on lazy, we can rest all we want, later on.”

“I’m up.” Her eyes opened slowly before she turned to look up at me. “I enjoyed our time together last night, Wes.”

“So did I.” I pulled her hand up to my lips and gave it a gentle kiss. “But we need to head out before Freya overheats.”

Dew giggled and pushed herself off my chest, though she did reach down to give my crotch a quick squeeze before she moved away.

Freya ignored our exchange, though it was clear she was pointedly ignoring me, specifically.

Cute, but peculiar.

Dew helped the still furiously blushing little elf down to the forest floor while I clambered down with the Rhintra horn on my back and the core tucked in a rag in my shirt. Neither Freya nor Kiel had the strength to carry the large trophy, and Dew would need to stay unencumbered and mobile, in case we ran into trouble.

So that left me as the only one capable of lugging the thing to our destination.

Still, the pleasant company made our walk through the forest bearable.

Dew didn’t mention our amorous night, instead speaking to Freya about the training she’d done the day before.

Though it had been clear Dew wanted the little elf too tired to notice her other plans, it was also obvious she really did want to improve Freya’s combat capabilities.

Foundations were essential though, and Freya had only just started on the path of a warrior.

To be fair, I thought she’d do well as an archer.

Her fine motor control wasn’t as impressive as mine, but the skill she demonstrated with her runesmith anvil when crafting still shocked me a little.

With a little more muscle, she could easily draw a bow and deal some serious damage.

But that would leave Dew alone on the front line.

Though my cheeky wood elf beauty had proved herself extremely talented in battle, that didn’t mean I wanted to leave her to fight by herself against who knows what.

On the other hand, did I really want Freya stuck in the thick of battle, inexperienced as she was?

Thinking through all the angles, I decided I needed to shift my own priorities.

If we were to ambush an enemy, it should be fine, especially given mine and Dew’s skills in that regard, but a full-on pitched battle?

No. Not anymore.

I needed to improve my mastery of the sword, and quickly. Though my bow was still usable at a middling range, if I needed to dive into the middle of a crowd, I’d have to use something more specialized to the role.

Dew also needed to use the spear Freya had so carefully crafted for her.

Daggers necessitated the user to be extremely close to their target, but her other weapon allowed her to stay further back.

It was safer, more controlled.

The best of both worlds.

As I was finalizing my plans for our group’s deployment in a fight, a high-pitched scream interrupted my speculations.

At first, I thought the sound had been made by a female, but then a follow-up yelp confirmed the subject was a man, and he sounded terrified.

“Let’s check it out.” I unslung my bow and led the way toward the commotion. As we neared the area, other sounds became clear—the deep guttural grunts of some wild creature, the meaty slam of a heavy object against flesh, and the soft whimpering of an injured elf.

“Get back!” I heard the man scream as I poked my head around the edge of the bush we used as cover.

Two elves had their backs up against a tree, and one of them seemed to be holding off two beasts that looked like wolves.

I’d not seen the creatures before, but from the way they were being scared off by the frightened elf’s mad swings, I could tell that they wouldn’t be all that much of a danger to our group.

Oddly enough, the pair were high elves.

Only one group of our race would be this far into the forest by choice, though. It had to be the-

“That’s one of the explorers!” Dew hissed, pointing at the pair’s odd clothing. “I bet saving them would earn us a handsome reward.”

“Say no more.” I moved out into the open and loaded two arrows onto my bow. “Hey! Look at me!”

The wolves spun around at my yell, letting out a deep, threatening growl—which cut off as an arrow slammed into each of their heads, blowing their skulls open. Both of the beasts crashed to the forest floor.

“Wha-” The explorer who was still standing dropped his weapon in shock, proving once and for all that the man was not a trained warrior.

What sort of idiot let go of their weapon when faced with an armed stranger?

“Where’s the rest of your group?” Dew asked, stepping up to flank me, followed by Freya on the other side. Kiel remained out of sight, likely knowing that his appearance might panic the twitchy elf before us. “And you might want to check on your friend while you answer.”

“Uh, yeah.” The man nodded and turned to see to his colleague’s injuries. “We were delving into a cave system and… well, something happened. We… we had to flee, but the others are still in there.”

The explorer’s shoulders tensed as he cut himself short. I guessed that this ‘something’ had to do with him, in some way, from the man’s guilty tone. Not a good start.

“We asked you where the rest of your group is. I’m guessing you aren’t the leader, right?” My words caused the explorer to shudder, his hands freezing up mid-way through bandaging his companion’s injured leg. “Tell us where they are, and we’ll clean up your mess—if you can promise us payment, of course.”

“I’m sure the boss will give you whatever you want.” The man turned to face us with a forced smile. “Here, take this map. It’ll show you the entrance to the caverns, and the route we took.”

“One of the deep roads?” Freya shivered as she looked over the map. “Those places are usually infested by horrible monsters, how did you get out?”

“They were… distracted.” The injured explorer finally spoke up, gritting her teeth against the pain. “We-”

“We did what we had to.” The other elf interrupted his friend. “Please, save the others. They don’t deserve to die like that, trapped down in the dark.”

“What do you think?” I asked the question seriously as I turned to Dew and Freya. We were a group now, and I had to consider their opinions before making my own decision.

“The more danger they’re in, the happier they’ll be when we save them.” Dew shrugged, giving the pair by the tree a long look. “I don’t trust these two as far as I can throw them, but I know the loss of a leader—let alone the rest of an entire party—isn’t taken well by the Explorers Guild. If they return alone, they’ll probably get kicked out… if they’re lucky.”

“If you want to help them, then I’m with you, Master.” Freya nodded confidently, her hand dropping to the dagger she’d borrowed from Dew. “It shouldn’t be a problem for you, no matter what we have to face.”

“We’ll do it then.” Their firm belief in me, while I had fairly earned it, was still nice to hear. The pair of explorers relaxed, as though a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

“Thank… you,” the injured elf forced the words out through teeth gritted against the pain. It was clear she wasn’t in the best state.

“Dew, do you have something that will help her?” I shook my head irritably and glanced over at our resident herbalist. “If she ends up dying, that might change how they feel about our help.”

“Sure,” she smiled at me, “I have some spare herbs.” She nodded and moved toward the explorers. Her hand dipping into the pouch at her waist, she pulled out two small leaves. “Here. Chew on one of these now, then another in an hour.”

After the pair thanked us for our help, we set off toward the cave entrance marked on the map.

This Explorers Guild Dew had mentioned seemed appropriately named, judging from the detailed layout of the chart they’d drawn out.

Unfortunately, the cave system itself had been scribbled in later—likely drawn as the group surveyed the area.

Whatever they were searching for didn’t matter, though if we could make something out of it, I wouldn’t complain.

First, though, we had to rescue the group leader and whatever remained of his party.

“What kind of enemies are we looking at?” I turned to Freya, who seemed to know more about the monsters who inhabited the deep roads than I did. “Any thoughts on our chances down there?”

“Of course, Master,” the little elf paused to think. “Mostly things that don’t want to come out into the light. They’ll have impressive night vision, hard shells, and probably like hiding in the dark.”

She listed off the major strengths of our upcoming opponents in an educated tone. “It might have been an issue before I upgraded your weapon, but your bow should blow them away easily enough. We need to avoid taking any cuts though—as many of them will be venomous; they may hold venom in either their claws, or their fangs.”

“Kill them before they get to us… right.” I paused as we reached the cave entrance. “Should be easy enough.” Though it was odd to see a large cave in the middle of the forest, such openings weren’t all that uncommon once you moved far enough away from civilization.

The creatures below needed a way to sneak out at night, if ever they ran out of supplies.

“Okay, Kiel can take the lead. He’ll have the best chance of seeing them coming.” I gave the shadowpanther a scratch behind the ear as a pre-mission reward for the hard work he’d have to put in.

“No torches or lamps, though. We’ll have to rely on our night vision, if we don’t want to be blinded by the light we bring in with us.” I turned and nodded to my blonde companion. “Dew will go next, followed by myself, with Freya covering our rear.”

“Okay.” Dew and Freya each nodded, ready to follow my plan, as usual.

With our strategy in place, I turned back to the entrance to the deep roads.

“Let’s get this done.”

It didn’t take us long to make our way deep into the cave system.

Our race didn’t have the best night vision, but we’d be able to see well enough to defend ourselves at close range, especially with the early warning our little shadowpanther guard would give us.

I did hide the Rhintra horn and core in a secluded crevice near the entrance; it was a risk I was reluctant to take. We would have to move fast in case some inquisitive soul wandered in and stumbled upon our trophy.

Carrying the clunky thing all that way just to lose it at the finishing line? Not likely.

Freya still kept close behind me, her eyes darting around frantically as she searched for any sign of danger.

Dew, on the other hand, kept her guard up as she watched Kiel, putting more trust into her beast’s senses than her own—it was a sound strategy, in my opinion.

But not one that I would use.

Part of my gift had affected my hearing and sight.

Though I couldn’t quite match Kiel’s keen senses in the dark, it felt it was still better for me to keep my own watch, separate from the shadowpanther’s.

Hidden creepers in the dark would strike without warning, and only having one pair of eyes and ears on the lookout would limit our ability to catch them early.

The darkness of the deep roads pressed in from all sides, as we cautiously made our way toward the last known location of the explorer’s party.

Though we had made good progress, I had a bad feeling it wouldn’t be long before we were discovered.

After that, all bets were off.

At least we’d prepared several torches to light our surroundings and help drive back the light-sensitive creatures of the deep caverns, once the battle proper began.

Still, we’d managed to sneak around halfway through the system’s labyrinthine tunnels towards the explorers’ last known location before Kiel perked up.

Then I heard it, too. The sound was just loud enough to stand out, but quiet enough that I would have missed it, if I wasn’t paying attention.

I held my hand out behind me and touched Freya’s shoulder, causing her to stop.

Dew had noticed the early warning signs of an ambush, so she quickly followed suit, but a moment later. Closing ranks, we focused our attention on what lay ahead.

Though Dew had unslung and nocked an arrow to her bow—finally using a weapon other than her daggers for the first time since we’d met—I didn’t have much faith she could kill whatever creatures stalked us through the shadows.

“Stay still,” I turned and whispered into Freya’s ear as I readied my bow. No matter what enemy had found us, it was unlikely they’d let us go, not now that they’d sensed our approach. Food was a rarity in the deep chasms of our world—I had no intention of lining the belly of some cowardly bugs.

I drew an arrow from my quiver, laid it against the string, and prayed for a bit of luck. Any archer who tells you that luck plays no role in combat is even cockier than I—and a fool. With my limited dark vision, I’d need to not only be accurate, but also lucky.

I cocked my head to the side and listened carefully.

Based on the soft skittering footsteps I could hear coming out of the dark, I estimated the distance and movement of several creatures.

There was definitely more than one of the beasties and less than five; unless they were taking turns to move, but I doubted they possessed the cunning to coordinate their movements so.

It was tricky to be sure, given the sheer amount of legs they seemed to have, but I didn’t call myself the best archer in the world for no reason. My guesses carried as much or more weight than most people’s guarantees.

“Now!” I yelled, loosing my arrow at where I estimated the first of the creatures to be. A short squeal rang out at my shout, echoing down the cave toward us, only to be cut short as my shaft blasted the monster’s carapace to bits. “Light!”

Behind us, Freya pulled out a torch and struck a large stone against the tip.

A moment later, the entire tunnel was bathed in light for the first time in who knows how many years.

The brightness was like a curse to the bugs, who had been about to leap on our party, forcing several of the ugly things to a stop, instinctively backing away from the unfamiliar blaze.

If I wasn’t so experienced, the ugliness of their forms might have caused me to freeze up for a moment.

Dirty, gray chitinous shells, dripping maws lined with needle-like teeth, and syrupy eyes, fully dilated in the flickering torchlight as goopy tears ran down what could only generously be called their faces.

We would be doing a service to the world, wiping these things out of existence.

It turned out my guess had been on point—there were four of the creatures, or at least there had been—so I nocked three arrows to my bow and quickly finished off the last of the bugs while they were still stunned by the torch’s bright glare.

Freya, Dew, and myself had obviously been aware of the plan, so we had clenched our eyes shut the moment Freya pulled out the torch.

But there was no way the other occupants of the cave would miss the sounds of battle.

I quickly retrieved my arrows, those that could be re-used anyway, and led the others in a jog along the tunnel system.

With the torch lighting our way, we could move far quicker, but a sprint would likely end up with one of us face-planting into a wall at full speed.

Not worth the risk.

A chorus of squealing and skittering started up around us, mostly focused on the area to our rear.

Bugs bred quickly, but they didn’t live too long.

The more workers a queen created, the higher the resources required to maintain the colony.

Sure, the freakish little pricks could eat their brethren, but such a tactic wasn’t ultimately sustainable.

That meant their numbers would be high, but not unbeatable.

The sounds of battle rang out in the distance as we moved further along the deep roads.

Though they were named as if the caves were used as a transport system, the truth was actually the exact opposite.

The first group to find the underground systems of caverns had thought they could be used in such a way, and their initial, naive name had stuck—likely for reasons related to the grim humor of the explorers, themselves.

I didn’t know all that much about them, as I’d never planned to delve their depths, but the potentially overwhelming number of enemies I could hear even at this level proved one thing—only an idiot would consider using these tunnels for anything other than a particularly nasty suicide attempt.

“- hold them off! We’re almost out!” A muffled yell echoed up to us, followed shortly thereafter by a shrill scream, cut off before the person in question could finish expressing their horror. It had to be the explorers, no one else would be idiotic enough to go that deep.

“Dew, stick with Freya. Kiel, with me.” I dashed forward, trading places with the blonde wood elf as we neared the battle proper. Kiel’s body remained close to the ground, half hidden and frequently disappearing into the shadows, though we had a torch lighting the area around us. “Kill what you need to, but stay close by. Go!”

He was easy to miss, if you weren’t aware of him already.

“Kiel, keep the leader safe,” I yelled down to the shadowpanther as we neared the entrance to the cavern from which we could hear the explorers’ voices. “He’ll be the one shouting all the orders. We need him alive.”

Kiel didn’t respond openly, but the way he sprinted into the cavern and took a hard turn to stick to the shadows along the walls proved that he’d heard and would obey my command.

I followed but a moment behind him, the scene of the battle finally laid out before me as we came upon a large chasm.

A deep pit separated us from the explorers, who appeared to be on their last legs as they tried to hold back a swarm of bugs.

The bugs’ gray shells merged into the darkness as they skittered back and forth, seeking to find a vulnerability in the explorer’s formation.

From the several corpses I could see that had been dragged out from the explorers’ defensive line, it seemed that their strategy of attrition was working.

Not anymore, though, now that I was there.

Before I made my first move of the battle, I spied something deep down in the pit between our groups.

At first, it was nothing more than a shadow, distorted and flickering in the light of our torches, but as I concentrated further, I realized what it was

“Really? Their brains must’ve melted out of their eyes.” I loaded four arrows onto my bow, my upper limit for a single shot, and aimed down into the darkness. Dew looked on, confused by my actions, as she glanced between where I’d pointed my bow and the distant group of elven survivors.

“What’s down there?” She leaned forward to stare into the pit. “I don’t see anything… oh!”

“Yeah.” I pulled the string of my bow back as far as it would go. “That’s their queen. And I’m going to kill her.”

Before the bugs’ leader could notice what I had planned, I let my arrows fly down into the darkness—a shot directly downwards into a chasm barely lit by two flickering torches. Not an easy shot, not in the slightest, but I didn’t need to watch to know what the result was.

That didn’t stop me from admiring my handiwork.

The queen realized the danger a moment too late as she tried to scurry out of the way, but I’d accounted for that possibility.

The arrows slammed into the thing’s huge body before she could move.

Two shafts to the head and the others into each of her two hearts.

Queens were difficult to take down due to their immense levels of regenerative power. Not that it mattered to me, of course.

The army of bugs froze up as their leader collapsed to the floor, dead in an instant.

Though each of the workers had some limited mental capacity, most of their higher functions were controlled by the Queen who’d birthed them.

And without that link, they reverted to type.

The explorers watched in amazement as the monsters, which had been on the verge of overwhelming them through coordinated hit and run tactics, turned and fled in a big, skittering mass.

The bugs didn’t care about their potential targets anymore; their only thoughts were to escape the dreaded light of our torches.

And to find the body of their mother. Then, the feast would begin.

“Hey!” I stepped up to the edge of the chasm and waved over at the surviving explorers. “Your friend asked us to help you out, and he said you’d reward us for the trouble. Will you honor that deal?”

“Like I have any choice in the matter.” A tall, scarred man stepped to the forefront of the group, a grim look on his face as he glanced back at the last, pitifully few surviving members of his band. “That coward alerted the hive, dragged our best scout away with him, and now he finds a random bandit to save us. Perfect.”

“I’m no bandit.” I flipped my bow back onto my back and fixed the man with a cold glare. “We can make a deal, or I can leave you here.”

“I don’t know, I kind of like the idea of you being a bandit lord.” Dew sneaked up behind me and laid her head against my back. “Oh, my bandit lord… take this servant to your tent and ravish her!”

“Dew! Keep your composure.” Freya moved forward and grabbed my other arm. “Master, ignore her for now. You are no bandit to me.”

“Ha! I like you, kid.” The explorer leader’s face brightened up as he watched our little display. “I promise I’ll pay you whatever you think right, as long as you help as many of my team escape as possible. Sound fair?”

“A deal it is.” I nodded and gave the man a salute, as one of the explorers pulled a long rope from their backpack. “Get that thrown over quickly, we don’t have long before the hive will be out for blood. We need to leave, now.”

Chapter Eighteen

Waskis Woods - Day 7

T he explorers made their way over the chasm one at a time—which was a slow enough process, in and of itself—but what took the most time was how we had to carefully pull the most injured members of their group over the gap in quickly rigged harnesses… bit by bit.

Though normally such a delay wouldn’t annoy me, the hungry swarm of elf-eating insects currently digesting their queen down below us did nothing to help my temper.

Thankfully, Dew noticed my rising irritation and swept up next to me to perk up her man. It didn’t take much to lighten my mood as she leaned in for a deep kiss, pulling my thoughts back to what I wanted to do with my wild wood elf warrior, the next chance we got.

The others pointedly ignored our display, but I didn’t much care. I heard a few muttered comments from some of the men about Dew’s choice of partner—especially given that I was a high elf, like them—but envy and jealousy weren’t new to me in the slightest.

Fortunately, we managed to pull the last few survivors over before the swarm rose up from the depths again.

“Let’s get out of here.” I moved to the front of the group and loaded one of my last few remaining arrows to my bow.

After the last few days of frenetic battles, my carefully crafted ammunition was starting to run a little low.

Sure, I could have made more yesterday, but Dew’s distractions last night had been more than enough for me to put the problem off.

The dozen or so arrows I had left would have been more than enough for a walk through the forest. Fighting off a horde of tough-shelled bugs, though?

Not so much.

Just as if my thinking about our primary concern had reminded them of us, a high-pitched screech echoed up out of the pit as the last of the explorers trooped out of the cavern.

Though I didn’t have nearly as much information about the bugs as I wanted, that noise could only mean one thing—the bugs had finished their feast.

Though they would want to establish a new queen as soon as possible, the swarm would first seek to cleanse the area of any and all potential threats to their new mistress.

Such a creature would be easy pickings, even for amateurs, until it was fully grown.

Unfortunately, the bugs didn’t care that we were already trying to depart their territory as quickly as possible.

“Run!” My bellow caught the group unawares as I stepped to the side and windmilled my arm forward.

Kiel took the lead, leading the way for our less experienced party members, as they frantically dashed back toward the light at the entrance.

The other insects we’d heard near the entrance didn’t show up, likely scared off entirely by the death of their queen, but the collective mass of bugs coming up behind us moved far faster than our slowest wounded could hobble.

“Master!” Freya turned around and threw her dagger over my shoulder as an insect rounded the corner we’d just passed, landing a lucky strike into its gaping maw before two more scrambled over its now twitching corpse. “We won’t all get away!”

I knew that, of course, but I wasn’t about to surrender to a pile of insects.

I dropped back a little, moving to the rear of our group and readying a third of my last arrows.

If I only had one shot, I’d have to make sure it was a good one.

“There!”

I fired my last barrage the moment the wave of insects gathered up, easily blowing through the leading bugs, their gooey pieces painting the walls.

My arrows didn’t stop, moving on to embed themselves in the bugs immediately following the first few, injuring even more of their number.

The messy remains of the vanguard formed a small barricade at the narrow corner of the tunnel, slowing the approaching swarm as I turned and ran to catch up with the explorers, Freya, and Dew.

A few members of the swarm lost their minds, turning and biting into the disgusting remnants of their wounded brethren, seeking to sate their endless hunger.

Chaos ensued—just as I’d planned.

We sprinted around the last corner mere seconds before the first insect caught up to us.

Dew, noticing the danger, whirled around like a dancer and thrust her spear out, catching the freakish creature unawares. Her weapon sank deep into its throat before it could even think to try to dodge.

Unfortunately, even as the bug died on her spear thrust, a burst of dark green blood shot forth and struck her leg.

“Ahhh!” She hissed in pain, ripping her weapon clear of the thing’s corpse as she limped back.

Without thinking, I ripped off my sleeve and wiped away the acidic blood.

Her skin had reddened, and the injury appeared to be superficial, but I wouldn’t risk it.

“Up you go.” I grabbed Dew and scooped her up into a princess carry before turning back to the entrance.

She complained a little, but I ignored her protests without much difficulty.

Our exchange hadn’t taken long, but the rest of the hive had nearly caught up; they were not happy to see us on the verge of escaping their lair.

Their leading members actually nipped at the back of my ankles as we dived out into the brightly sunlit forest.

“Fire!”

The explorers had prepared a barrage of arrows and spears, ready for our arrival.

The projectiles whistled through the air as Dew and I rolled clear, most of them bouncing harmlessly off the bugs’ armored carapaces.

Though they didn’t venture out into the light, the hissing insect mob remained in the shadows of the cave entrance, behind us.

Though the insects were obviously terrified of the bright sunlight, it was clear they weren’t going to leave any time soon. “Why aren’t they running back to their holes?” someone wondered as I pushed myself up and carried Dew a ways from the cave entrance.

If I didn’t know better, they acted like they were waiting for-

“Back!” I yelled out in a harsh tone, grabbing Freya’s arm and yanking her back with me as I leaped away from the entrance.

The explorers paused for a moment before most of them followed my command, not knowing why I’d ordered them to retreat, but trusting my instincts, nonetheless.

They were the lucky ones.

The ground where we had just stood crumbled inwards, like the world itself wanted to rise up and swallow our group.

I saw at least two explorers tumble into the rapidly expanding hole, their screams cut off when a massive creature rose up out of the hole, its maw snapping shut around their bodies with a sickening crunch.

“Deepking!” I bellowed out the name of the behemoth who had risen up from the depths below our feet.

More slug than insect, the thing’s form bubbled and hissed as it forced itself out onto the sunlit forest floor.

Somehow, the Deepking was larger even than Samoshi, Kiel’s huge, shadowpanther mother. Its glistening form bubbled and hissed as it swung to face our disorganized group.

Then it turned its attention in my direction.

“Fuck you.” I dodged back, pulling Freya and Dew along with me as I dodged behind a large tree.

Though slow when exposed, I knew we wouldn’t be able to outrun the Deepking—not if it had truly set its sights upon us.

The ugly bastard would be able to track us through the forest, and no matter where we tried to hide or how long we ran from it, it would not stop.

Why it had come up to the surface at all could be investigated… later. For now, I had to find a way to take it out.

I grabbed the arrows from Dew’s quiver and turned to Freya with a serious look on my face.

“Take her away. Kiel will guard you.” I gently pushed the pair back into the forest and shared a quick look of understanding with the young shadowpanther, who would be their bodyguard. “Find a tall tree, climb it, and I’ll come find you.”

“No, Master! I’ll help you!” Freya grabbed my arm, tears streaming from her eyes. “I promised that-”

“Keeping Dew safe is your job, now.” I glanced at the elf in question, who was wincing as she tried to push herself up. The wound on her leg wasn’t fatal, but her limb would be numb for at least another day or so.

She had to get moving, now, before the Deepking got too close for them to escape.

“I promise you, I’ll come back to you.” I laid my palm against Freya’s freckled cheek and gave her my trademark smirk. “You trust in me, right?”

“- of course, Master.” She blinked, nodded and then helped Dew climb to her feet. Though the Deepking had been distracted by a few of the explorers, who continued to rain arrows down upon its fleshy body, I knew they wouldn’t be able to inflict anything more than cosmetic damage to the monster.

“Oh, I’ll be borrowing this, too.” I reached out and pulled Dew’s spear from her, trading it for my sword a moment later. “Look after yourselves. If either of you get hurt, I might have to cleanse the entire forest to make up for it.”

“I love you too, Wes.” Dew pulled my head down for a quick peck on the lips before the pair turned and moved away with all the speed they could muster.

“Love, huh?” I paused for a moment, considering Dew’s words.

It wasn’t the first time I’d heard such a confession, but the last few beauties who had pursued my attention were vapid wasters of oxygen, temporary distractions from the boredom of life.

Dew, and Freya, were different.

I pushed that thought aside as I glanced back over my shoulder at the Deepking.

Most of the explorers had already fled, only a handful staying strong by their leader’s side as he faced down the lumbering behemoth before them.

Once they died, I knew the freakishly huge bastard would turn its attention back to us.

Vindictive as anything, those things were. So, before it could overwhelm the explorers’ last stand, I loaded four arrows onto my bow and stepped out into the open.

“Hey, you slimy bastard!” I pulled the string back with all my strength, aiming for the Deepking’s lumpy head. My yell caught its attention, causing the thing to roll its dripping maw in my direction. “Eat this!”

Dew’s arrows weren’t as powerful as those I’d crafted myself, but a direct hit by four shafts into the thing’s throat couldn’t be ignored. A fountain of goopy black blood shot from its mouth and a deafening squeal rang out across the area.

I had its full and undivided attention now, that was for sure.

A lone archer against a village killer, and all I could rely on was a few weak spear chuckers, some crappy arrows thrown together in some random wood elf den, and Dew’s spear.

Not a good match for most elves. Fortunately for us, I wasn’t like most elves.

After my first shot hit home, the Deepking’s blubbery maw clenched closed. Other than that one opening, there weren’t any other weak points on the behemoth I could readily take advantage of.

Against the pitiful damage the explorers’ weapons inflicted on it, the thing might as well have been invulnerable.

Hell, my own attacks couldn’t do much more than prick its hide.

But still, each shot I took left an arrow buried halfway in its flesh.

Due to the sheer amount of blubbery muscle and fat that protected the Deepking’s vital organs, the damage inflicted by even my powerful bow might best be compared to an insect’s bite.

That didn’t make my shafts entirely pointless, though.

I had a plan, after all.

The Deepking had turned its attention squarely toward me. The explorers’ leader looked like he wanted to continue his harassment, but I waved him away, motioning for the group to retreat while they still could.

I didn’t need their help anymore.

As the other elves dashed off into the forest, I turned my gaze back to the huge mass of slime and rubbery hide before me.

The gray insects in the cave had fled back down the deep roads once the Deepking had showed up, clearly proving that they had enough brain functions to be terrified of the alpha predator of their realm.

Why they had stayed at all, I couldn’t guess. Maybe they’d hoped some of our number would be scared back into their caves?

SSSSssskrreEEEEIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!

The Deepking’s high-pitched warcry grated on my ears, but I ignored it as best I could. A weaker elf might be dazed by the audio blast, but I’d trained myself to resist such weak attempts to affect my abilities; even the monster before me couldn’t break my resolve.

Though I’d hoped the trees might slow it down as I retreated slowly into the forest, the monster only took a second or two to crush any obstacle that got in its way. Despite the slight delays, it was only a bit slower than me—I had no doubt that its physical endurance would surpass my own, in the long haul.

It didn’t react much as I shot arrow after arrow into the quivering mass of its body. Dew’s quiver had only held twenty of shoddily made projectiles, so it didn’t take long for me to use up every single one. No serious damage was dealt, but that hadn’t been my aim—at least not yet.

My assault had turned the Deepking into a porcupine, its massive body now pierced by multiple rows of jagged wooden shafts. Though I knew it would regenerate eventually, pushing each of the arrows back out of its fatty hide, it would take the behemoth a few hours to clear itself of my handiwork.

And I didn’t need that much time.

If Freya or Dew had still been around, I knew they would have screamed in terror at my next action. Only an idiot would even consider the strategy I planned to implement—an idiot, or someone who had the utmost faith in their own abilities.

Thankfully, I was the latter.

“RRRAaaaaggghhh!” I screamed a warcry of my own and sprinted back toward the blubbery mass rolling over and through the thick trees that stood between us.

The Deepking, unaccustomed to its prey charging toward it paused for a moment, the mushy contents of its brain working overtime to figure out how best to react to this unfamiliar situation.

It rose up, preparing itself to crush me into the dirt. I wouldn’t survive the impact, having been turned into a gooey puddle of splintered bone and flesh—an easy meal for the toothless monstrosity rearing up before me. But, before it could come crashing down, I did the unexpected, yet again.

I leaped up, toward its side.

The thing’s whole body was covered in a layer of goopy mud, formed from its sticky secretions mixed with the dirt that made up its home.

The mixture looked and smelled as unappealing as it sounded, but the main danger was the viscosity of the coagulating goop.

Once my foot sunk in, it would take a miracle to pull myself clear.

Luckily, I’d already prepared for that eventuality.

I touched down atop one of my previously shot arrows, almost a third of the way up the Deepking’s body.

Before it could let gravity take its course, I had leaped up twice more, dodging around to the beast’s side to grab hold of a double-arrow handhold I’d prepared for myself.

BOOM!

It was with the utmost difficulty that I kept a hold of my precarious perch, nearly being knocked clear as the behemoth’s massive form slammed down to the dirt, but I managed it… only just.

Fortunately, its self-sacrificing attack had stunned the beast, giving me the distraction I needed to leapfrog my way further up its body.

I darted back and forth between the arrows, sometimes having to jump straight to the next one in line, if one of them started to snap under my weight.

“Cheap trash!” I hissed through gritted teeth as a fourth arrow in a row cracked beneath my feet.

I was cushioning my landing on each projectile, using my gifted acrobatics and intensive training to limit the weight each had to bear, but even so, the shafts barely held themselves together for more than a second.

Luckily, I’d shot several into the area near the Deepking’s maw.

It would have to open its jaws, and soon.

The creatures own bodily functions meant that it couldn’t keep its mouth closed for extended periods—likely due to how it evolved as a burrowing predator.

I made my way to the top right side of the Deepking’s head, spreading my weight over the several arrows I’d prepared, and prepared to time my strike with its next shuddering breath.

I didn’t have long to wait.

The Deepking’s putrid maw belched open after less than a minute, letting out a noxious stream of pent-up gasses.

I avoided the hazy green miasma as I leaned my body as far out to one side as I could.

I gagged at the stench, but it wasn’t enough to prevent me from taking advantage of the only weakness the creature had.

My plan hinged on this one chance to strike that I’d gambled on with my suicidal route up its side.

Before it could close up the one weakness it had, I lashed around and then up with Dew’s spear, aiming for where I assumed its brain must be.

The thing’s brain was large and flat, but its main thought processes were handled by a particular section, which remained close to the main sensory organs of the beast.

It tasted, smelled, and—in a weird fashion—saw through its mouth.

That meant, if someone was suicidal enough to stand right next to its maw… they could strike directly at the center of its entire nervous system.

Dew’s well-crafted spear easily broke through the thick coating of protective mucus and fat inside of the monster’s mouth.

I’d expected some resistance, but it seemed Freya’s handiwork had enhanced the spear in a manner similar to my bow.

Black gunk spewed from the wound, flowing down the beast’s throat, as its entire body quivered in fury.

I knew it was already dead, killed the moment my spear cracked through the thin layer of blubber around its brain.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Deepking hadn’t realized that same truth—not yet.

And it would do anything to take revenge on the one who’d put it through so much pain.

It was difficult to rip the spear back out, but I managed it with a single, savage yank, causing even more damage to the Deepking’s central nervous system.

I needed to get away.

Fast.

Before it could try again to flatten me against the ground, I used every ounce of my strength to leap directly away, to the low hanging branches of a nearby tree that I’d been eyeing throughout the battle-

But then the Deepking’s body slammed sideways, crushing the tree I planned to use for my escape into so much kindling as it flopped about in its death throes.

“Shit-”

Falling from such a height would hurt.

Sure, I was skilled at acrobatics and everything else, but this was too much.

Without hesitating, though, I sprang up and away.

“Master!”

Freya darted out from the undergrowth and leaped toward me.

We met in the air, the impact reducing my momentum significantly, but we were still heading toward the ground too fast to roll out of—not that I was going to let the little elf go and tuck and roll to save myself.

“Hold on!” I warned Freya, as I wrapped my arms tightly around the little elf and spun my body.

The motion swung us past a tree we’d been about to slam into, but the sudden sharp shock as we crashed into the ground still hurt like hell.

Not as much as dying, though.

We tumbled together through the dirt for a fair distance before I managed to slow our progress.

Though I managed to control our roll, ensuring I took the brunt of any collisions with the ground and underbrush, it knocked the wind out of me.

I ended up atop Freya, her concerned gaze fixed intently on my face as she clutched a hold of my shirt with all her might.

“Master! Are you okay?” She cried, not willing to let me go as she begged for me to answer. “Please, don’t be hurt. I can’t… I won’t…”

“I’m- fine.” I finally wheezed out, then forced myself to smile down at the distressed young elf beneath me. “You really helped me out there, you know. I might have chipped a nail, otherwise.”

“Oh, thank god.” She pulled me into a fierce hug, her face burrowing into my neck as she shuddered beneath me. “Don’t do that again. Please, let me help you next time. You… you just can’t die.”

“I won’t.” I glanced up as several sets of footsteps crashed through the brush nearby.

The explorer leader had found our landing spot, and he was flanked by several members of his group as he walked up on me and my companion with a chuckle.

“Uh, Freya. Not that I’m not enjoying this, but you might…uh… want to let go.”

“Yeah...” Dew snickered as she pulled herself forward into the small clearing, using a number of small trees for support as she rubbed at her injured leg. “You’re kind of taking advantage of the situation… not that I mind, of course.”

Freya’s hug went limp, but only after she held me even tighter for a few moments, as though wanting to confirm one final time that I was still there. After she released her grip, I rolled to the side and pushed myself up, helping the blushing little elf to her feet. Together, we turned to face the explorers we’d rescued.

“So.” I stretched my arms up over my head, checking for any possible injuries as I stared at the leader. “I guess that means our side of the deal is done, right?”

“Indeed, it is.” The scarred elf bowed deeply before waving to one of his followers. “Full payment, plus hazard bonus. Deepking’s don’t have many materials worth gathering, but I’ll add the highest reward we can for that as well. Does that sound fair?”

I looked over the proffered amount and gave Dew a quick glance. I had my own guess as to the value of our little adventure, but a trusted second opinion never hurt. Only after she nodded, did I accept the payment, putting the deal with the explorers to rest with a shake of the leader’s outstretched hand.

“How much would you be willing to pay for a Rhintra horn… and a Rhintra core?” I passed the bulging bag of coin to Freya and turned back to the leader. After a moment of shocked confusion, the man grinned happily at my offer.

“That is exactly what we need! If we’d had that before we headed into the caverns, then it’s possible we’d never have been cornered in the first place.” The two explorers behind the man shared a relieved glance, confirming what their leader had said, without words.

He tapped at his chin. “How about half as much again? That’s double what you’d get back in the city, but you’ve certainly earned it.”

“Okay. I’ll show you where it is.” Freya moved to follow me, but I stopped her and pushed her back toward Dew. “Keep watch on Dew,” I smiled at the petite red-head. “I promise you can hug me all you want, when I get back.”

Freya hid her reddened face and darted over to Dew, ducking down behind the giggling blonde warrior in embarrassment. The leader chuckled at our exchange as we walked toward the cavern and the entrance to the deep road once more.

“How the hell did you get those two to follow you like that?” He asked, flicking a thumb over his shoulder at the pair of retreating elven maidens. “I mean, you’re amazing in a fight, but what’s your secret with the wood elves.”

“I’m just that good.” I shrugged and grinned, drawing forth yet another hearty laugh from the explorers’ leader.

To be fair, what I’d said wasn’t a lie, though I couldn’t help but think of how lucky I was to have Freya and Dew at my side. Despite all my preconceived notions about honor and justice, my thought process had started to noticeably shift beyond such absolutes, thanks to their loving care, kind and cheerful nature, and enthusiastic company.

I’d fight the entire high-elf army, if they tried to take them away from me.

No one took what was mine, not even my own race.

Chapter Nineteen

Waskis Woods - Day 7

L uckily, the insects who infested the deep roads had fully retreated from the entrance, so it wasn’t hard to lead the explorers to where I’d stashed the Rhintra’s horn and core.

Apparently the explorers had a runesmith device which should dissuade the bugs from attacking them, but it needed a lot of power.

A Rhintra core, directed through a Rhintra horn could provide enough for a limited time.

With that extra level of security, the group would be able to delve deep into the caves.

The loss of a few party members didn’t sway the others from their mission.

Such a single-minded drive to figuring out the truth of our world was inspiring to see, if unexpected and a little disconcerting.

I felt absolutely no desire to join them on their mad adventures. I already had my hands full dealing with Dew and Freya—I didn’t need to add a group of insane scholars to the mix.

Unfortunately, before I could leave the explorers to their own devices, two of their old friends turned up—the pair of elves we had stumbled across, who had requested my assistance in the first place.

These were the same two who apparently had alerted the swarm and then subsequently abandoned the group.

Rather than being infuriated at their reappearance, the explorers’ leader strode up to the two elves and grabbed them in a bearhug.

“I’m glad to see that you made it out. I know it was difficult, but you made the right decision.”

“I…we…” The female explorer glanced at her colleague, then turned back to her leader, her face set. “I dropped my torch when I moved to a new spot. I thought they’d missed it, but then one of them ambushed me, and-”

“And I dragged her out, against her wishes.” The man stepped up beside the scout, not daring to look at the fuming woman by his side. “It was my decision to run away, not hers.”

“No, I asked him to-”

“You didn’t do anything of the sort, I made the call to-”

“Stop lying for me!”

The pair spun on each other, their bickering so loud, it attracted the rest of the explorer group’s attention. I watched on in silence, waiting for the leader to interrupt their argument, but the man seemed content to sit back and look on with a faint smile.

“So, these two are into each other, yeah?” I finally spoke up as my patience neared its limit.

“What?!” The man turned on me, his face beet red as he sputtered on. “I… I don’t know- what you mean by that!”

“Yeah. Who’d be into this guy?” The woman spoke up next, her face matching the man’s flushed coloring almost exactly. “This is ridiculous –“

“Oh, just go into the bushes and do each other already.” I waved my hand dismissively at the pair and turned back to their leader. “Don’t die, old man. I’d hate for all my efforts to go to waste.”

“Right you are, Wes.” The leader grinned, his gaze fixed on the two stunned members of his team. It was clear that everyone knew how they felt about each other—everyone except the couple in question.

I’d saved their lives, and now they’d forced me to play matchmaker. What an odd day.

I had my own companions to worry about. Though Kiel was with them, I didn’t want to leave Dew and Freya alone for too long—especially not after a bloody Deepking had poked its head out for no apparent reason.

Such a specialized monster wouldn’t appear above ground, unless something had forced it up to the surface.

But this one had seemed to be actively hunting our group.

Why?

I could think of no logical explanation, but maybe Dew could shed some light on the problem.

Though she would never interact with something as disgusting as that slimy bastard, she did have an odd power to communicate with and control the animals of the forest.

Maybe she’d know what was going on.

I left the explorers behind to poke fun at the newly formed couple and sprinted back to meet Freya and Dew. Fortunately, they’d avoided any further catastrophes, and were happily chatting away at the base of a tree, when I wandered into the small clearing.

“So, did the lovers make up in the end?” Dew looked up and giggled happily when she saw me approaching. “They passed by here and we pointed them in the right direction.”

“I pretty much told them to go off into the bushes and get it over with. They’re both high elves, it’s not like they have any issues like,” I paused, giving Freya a significant glance before continuing, “some other people might have.”

“Smooth.” Dew grinned and poked Freya’s blushing cheek. “It seems we have a spy in our midst, lover boy.”

“What do you… oh.” I turned to Freya, folded my arms and arched an eyebrow. “What do you have to say for yourself, young lady.”

“Not like you try to hide it, and… and I couldn’t sleep.” She muttered as she buried her face in her hands. “It was-”

“Seems like she enjoyed the show.” Dew grinned as she forced herself up to her feet. Her leg still wasn’t back to normal, but at least we could make our way back to the treehouse where she could recover. “Maybe next time we can-”

“Next time?” Freya peaked out from between her fingers. “When you…”

She seemed to notice the peculiarity of her question and she buried her face in her hands, once more. For a moment I thought she might actually faint, from sheer embarrassment, but instead the cute little elf collected herself, squaring her shoulders as her hands dropped back to her sides. She looked up at me with wide eyes.

“Next time you’re planning to do that…” she coughed, blushing furiously, “at least tell me.”

“Sure.” I nodded with a faint smile. Why she wanted to know, could be puzzled out later, though my mind went wild at the possibilities.

Even if she just wanted to watch, then maybe-

“Calm down, Wes.” Dew shook Freya’s shoulder to pull her from her daze, her expression a happy one, though a longing desire smoldered in the look she gave me. “I’m sure we can let her know, don’t you think?”

“Of course.” I nodded and strode past the pair. We wouldn’t be able to get anything done if we talked the day away in the middle of the forest. “Let’s get back to the treehouse-”

“Love nest.” Dew interrupted me, her nickname for the tree fort getting a short hiss of disapproval from Freya.

I snorted, but continued with a roll of my eyes. “Love nest, sure. We’ll rest up there and make sure we’re fully ready before we move on.” I paused and turned back to the pair behind me with a wry grin. “I still want to get back home, but today’s adventure has made me realize that my priorities were… out of whack. Sorry.”

“Wait, you’re apologizing for something?” Dew tilted her head to one side in mock confusion. “I thought you high elves were never wrong? What’s happened to you, Wes?”

“I wasn’t wrong… but I wasn’t right, either.” I sighed and half-heartedly shrugged, not bothering to explain my new thought process to the girls. “Let’s get you two to safety, heal up, then we can carry on with our little adventure.”

I heard the pair whispering to each other behind me, but I didn’t pay it any heed. Kiel was keeping an eye on the rear of our expedition, so nothing would be able to sneak up on the two distracted maidens.

Though I had some guesses about what they were whispering about so animatedly, I didn’t know if Dew’s attempt to talk Freya into playing with us would bear any fruit.

We heard a few beasts off in the distance, but none of them tried to interrupt our journey. After having a Deepking appear in this part of the forest, it was entirely possible that the rest of the occupants of the woods would stay far, far away—at least until it was clear that the behemoth wasn’t alive any more.

Though the Deepking’s arrival had caused major issues, it had also helped us out.

Unfortunately, I had to help Freya and Dew up into the treehouse, one at a time. I carried Freya up first, her body so hot in my arms that she seemed to be on fire. When I set her down on the platform, she didn’t seem to want to let go for a long moment, but then she realized what she was doing, and scurried off to her corner.

Then I carried up Dew, who was far from subtle in expressing her desire.

As I climbed up the tree, she wrapped herself around my body, her face pressed so close to my neck that her breath tickled my skin. Then she moved in even closer, her lips grazing against my neck, my chin.

It was getting difficult to keep climbing, especially when I spotted a wide branch that I figured could probably support the weight of both of us, but I managed to keep going after several tense seconds of internal conflict.

“Hey, Freya.” Dew let me go of me as though nothing had happened when we got up to the platform and moved over next to her friend. “What are you doing?”

Freya had pulled out her runesmith anvil once more and was working her hammer across what looked like a bunch of sticks. After looking closer, I realized she was smithing some random branches she’d pulled from the tree we were sitting in.

“I’m- making arrows.” She looked up for a moment, glancing in my direction for a moment before turning back to her work. “Master needs more ammunition, and I refuse to force him to rely on the trash you can buy in the forest. He’s better than that.”

“Damn right.” I grinned and sat myself down, leaning back onto my elbows to watch her crafting session.

It was peculiar, seeing the woman who called me Master slamming her tiny hammer down atop a row of twigs, but I could tell that she had a plan and wasn’t just randomly smacking them to pieces.

Each whack shaved off some bark and uneven corners, the messy branches slowly turning into straight and true arrow shafts.

Dew moved over next to me and pulled herself in close.

Freya, focused as she was on her work, didn’t notice as my arm curled around her friend’s waist.

“Shafts are important, but the heads are the main focus.” I spoke calmly, but my grin caught Dew’s attention.

“Yeah, he’s right there. What’s your plan for the arrowheads?” Dew shifted her body, resting her head in my lap, as though she was about to go to sleep.

Though Freya was working away before us, Dew didn’t seem to mind at all as her lips brushed against the other ‘shaft’ in play. “You just need to know exactly what you want, and go for it, no matter what tries to get in your way.”

“I have a plan.” Freya pulled out the dagger she’d borrowed from Dew and turned to us with a happy grin. “I’m going to-”

She froze up as she saw Dew’s position, her lips pushed against the bulge in my pants.

There was no way we could hide what we’d been planning, so I didn’t even try.

“I- I’ll get back to work.” Freya turned away, her shoulders hunched as she laid the dagger down on her anvil. “Master- can do what he wants.”

Dew didn’t need any further encouragement as she pulled her favorite toy out into the open.

She paused for a moment, teasing the tip of my dick with her lips and tongue before I grabbed her head and forced it down with a grunt.

Just like she wanted.

Dew settled into a frantic rhythm, her blond hair flicking back and forth as she bobbed her head in my lap.

As the noises from her fantastic blowjob echoed across the ‘love nest’, I couldn’t help but grin as Freya’s neck reddened to a degree I’d hardly thought possible and had never seen before.

But she continued with her crafting, without any further complaints. If anything, Freya seemed to be putting in even more effort than before.

I lay back, thinking over each of my girl’s personalities. I could try to force Freya into a relationship similar to the one I had with Dew, but I knew the shy girl desperately wanted to be romanced.

I wanted Freya, and it was clear Dew was willing to support my pursuit of that desire, but I wouldn’t just take her.

Part of the fun is the chase and, now that she’d all but publicly admitted the truth of her own desires, I set my sights on the cute little crafter without any hesitation.

And if anyone in the high elf city tried to stop the three of us from being together? Well… they’d be wise not to try something so stupid.

I imagined the pair working together to tease me, writhing in pleasure as I had my way with their bodies.

Dew gagged slightly as my cock grew even larger at the thought, but she didn’t seem to mind.

From her bouncing eyebrows, hungry grin and muffled moans, I could tell she enjoyed the challenge of swallowing my extra girth.

Of course, I didn’t leave Dew unattended. While she worked for her reward, I dug my hand underneath her shorts and rubbed between her legs, seeking the center of her warmth.

She was soaking wet, as I expected, which made it easy to slip two fingers into her tight embrace.

“mmmMMMMM!”

She came within a minute of giving her my attentions, proving just how horny the blowjob had made her.

I didn’t leave her wanting.

I matched her eager, bobbing head pulse for pulse, playing with and massaging every fold of her delicate flower.

Gentle swirls caressed and teased her clit before finally turning my fingers up in a come hither motion into her perfect spot.

The combined motions, and the right pressure sent her into another pair of intense orgasms.

Dew didn’t pull her head back at any point, even when her eyes were on the verge of rolling up into her head in pleasure.

She loved every bit of attention I gave her.

And from the frequent, curious glances Freya shot in our direction, it seemed our actions were having a stimulating effect on her, as well.

So, Dew and I continued to tease and play with each other for the next half hour, by which time Freya had finished with a batch of arrowheads.

Almost like she’d been waiting for me to ‘finish’ as well.

After Dew cleaned herself up, we all settled down for the night.

Freya had remained quiet the entire evening, even when she passed me the arrows she’d crafted for my personal use, she hardly said anything, though it was clear she was on the verge of collapsing through sheer embarrassment at what had happened.

Despite the faces she’d pulled, she’d condoned it with her own behavior.

Still, I didn’t want to push her too fast. Part of the fun was the chase, and Dew had made hers almost too easy.

Since the day we’d met, she’d obviously wanted a physical relationship, and only my thoughts about her den’s reaction, atop the ingrained opinions of high elf society, had stopped me from taking her, there and then.

But Freya was different, like an angel in elven form. Her cute blushes and shy glances excited me almost as much as Dew’s innuendos and blatant sexuality.

I wanted to slowly push her toward what I knew we both wanted, but she didn’t yet know how to ask for.

It might take a little while, but it wasn’t like I’d be frustrated and have to hold in my own desires in the meantime.

“That was perfect.” Dew leaned into my chest, a contented smile on her face. “We need to find somewhere to shack up, though. I want our first time to be special.”

“Special, huh?” I grinned down at the wood elf beauty, sneaking a quick grope of her voluptuous breast before I shrugged. “Sure, that sounds good. What’re you thinking?”

“Well, I think watching us actually have sex might kill poor Freya, so we do need a bit of privacy.” Dew leaned in close, her breath tickling my ear as she whispered. “Don’t worry, though, Wes. I’ll teach her everything she needs to know.”

Freya settled down next to me, not touching, but close enough that I could feel the heat of her body.

“I wanted to ask,” she began timidly, “can we visit my family before we leave these woods?” Freya didn’t turn to face us as she spoke, but I could see her shoulders tense up, as though she was steeling herself for the expected, outright refusal. “It’s… it’s on the way, and I would like to speak to my father one last time before-”

“Of course.” I pulled on her shoulder gently, turning the nervous elf to face me. “I’ll always listen to whatever it is you want to ask, Freya. Try to have a little more confidence.”

What I meant by that exactly, she likely didn’t understand—not yet—but the bright smile I received made it worth it, either way.

I thought she might turn away again, due to her shy nature, but instead, she drifted off the sleep facing us, a slight smile still curling her lips.

“Cute.” Dew reached out to stroke her friend’s face, taking the opportunity to snuggle herself in closer to me in the process. “She’s too sweet and naive for this world.”

“A little.” I leaned back, considering what I wanted to do with my life once more.

Returning home was important to me, and I needed closure to that chapter of my story, at the least.

But what would I do with myself after that?

With each passing day, it was getting harder and harder to imagine a life without Dew and Freya.

They were mine and I was theirs. Together, we’d be unstoppable.

Making a wry smirk at my too confident predictions of the future, I pulled Dew’s warmth in close and let my eyes drift shut.

No matter what came afterward, my immediate plans hadn’t changed.

So it was, with a sexy babe on either side of me, I finally drifted off to sleep, content with the world and my place in it.

Chapter Twenty

Waskis Woods - Day 8

T he next day I awoke slowly to a pair of smiling faces.

Freya was collecting her materials and equipment, and Dew was kneeling beside me, as if she had been watching me sleep.

Her glorious smile made me want to take her right there and then, but there would be time for that later—once we found some privacy.

After confirming that we had everything packed up and ready to go, I led the way back down the tree.

Kiel joined up again as we set off toward Freya’s old home, the dwelling where her father still lived.

Alone.

“Are you sure you want to see him?” I turned to Freya, watching for any signs of worry. “I imagine your past with him wasn’t that great.”

“Well, he did abandon me—but he did it to save me.” She smiled up at me, her expression sunny, despite the horrible things she spoke of. “The den he came from hates high elves, but he loved my mother. Mixed race children are extremely rare, so they hoped it wouldn’t be an issue…”

“But then they were gifted with you.” I chuckled and bopped her lightly on the nose, my silly antics drawing forth a giggle in response from Freya.

“You could say that. Unfortunately, with my arrival, they had to make some hard decisions.” She frowned for a moment before forcing herself to speak further. “My mother couldn’t take me back to her home, but they knew some of the most conservative families in my father’s den would be likely to kill me, if they found out, so he asked an old friend to look after me and they sent me to Dew’s den. When I was gone, my mother returned home.”

“I’m sorry.” I spoke sympathetically, pausing and resting a hand gently on her shoulder. “Things won’t ever be like that again, for you. I’m here now—no one will dare raise a hand against you, as long as I’m around.”

“Thank you, Master.” Freya grasped my hand between hers for a moment, her light touch clearly communicating the emotions blossoming within her heart. Blushing furiously, she pulled her hands back and tucked them into the sleeves of her robe.

Staring at the ground, she continued. “But my father refused to move away. He has to live alone, but he still watches over me—even if he can’t meet with me openly.”

“Your father must be a good man.” I nodded, silently thanking Freya’s father for protecting this sweet girl over the years. The mere thought of someone wanting to harm her infuriated me, especially now that I’d taken her under my wing, as it were.

No one would hurt what I claimed as mine.

We continued on in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts. I knew Dew would be thinking about the family she’d never had, and the Grandmother she’d lost not too long ago.

Though she was doing a good job of hiding her sadness, I knew from experience that holding back was difficult for her. She wore her heart on her sleeve.

The woods were quiet as we crossed from one wood elf den’s territory to another’s.

As we moved into the lands owned by Freya’s old den, I unslung my bow and kept an arrow in my right hand, watching for any suspicious movements in the trees around us.

If those idiots tried to attack our group, they’d be rewarded with a one-way ticket to whatever hells they believed in.

We passed through the area without incident, and soon came upon a treehouse, not unlike the one I’d made with Dew.

The platform above us now was clearly more of a permanent structure than our love nest had been, though it was clear that the owner didn’t much care for his home.

Odd branches poked out here and there. I could see a hole or two in the woven matting of its walls, and its sagging floor looked like it was on the verge of collapse.

“You sure he still lives here?” I glanced back at Freya, who nodded confidently. “Okay then. I’ll go first, just in case.”

Though I wanted Freya to meet and say goodbye to her father, just as she had requested, it was possible someone else had taken up residence in the dwelling. While she had learned quickly under Dew’s tutelage, Freya was still more crafter than warrior.

It didn’t take long for me to make my way up to the treehouse itself. I peered in through one of the gaps in the walls and glanced around for any signs of life.

At first, I thought the hut was empty, then I noticed a figure slumped against the far wall, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the wall opposite from him.

“Hello?”

The man glanced up as he finally caught sight of me, his face scrunching up in a scowl as he awkwardly pushed himself to his feet. “What’re you doing there?”

He was calm, despite the fact that a high elf had appeared in his window.

He limped toward the door on an injured leg, but he seemed well used to it, so the damage must be old.

A warrior, I guessed, or at least he used to be one.

Now, though, he was crippled and lived alone in the middle of a hostile forest, yet he didn’t seem scared.

I now knew where Freya got her bravery from, at least.

“My name is Wes, and I’m escorting someone who wants to see you.” I flipped my bow back onto my shoulder and motioned down at the trio below me. “She’s coming up now. Care to let us in?”

The man seemed taken back at my comments, but still limped his way over to the door and dragged it open. The dull scrape of wood against wood proved that the door wasn’t well-fitted or maintained, but he didn’t seem to care much about how it might appear to any visitors.

At least he didn’t, until Freya’s shy face showed up in his doorway.

“Uh… Hello, father.” She murmured, slowly pulling herself into her father’s home.

“Wait, what’re you doing here?” Rather than being happy to see his daughter, the aging wood elf folded his arms across his chest and glared at Freya. “If they see you here, then they won’t stop until they hunt you down. What brought you all the way out here?”

Though his words seemed harsh, I could tell that his anger was caused by worry for her, rather than disappointment at meeting his child. Still, I couldn’t let him speak to her like that.

“She’s going on a long journey, and she asked to see you before she headed off.” I swung in through the window and landed beside the shocked elf girl. Before either side could react, I reached out and pulled Freya close into my side with one arm around her shoulders. “I’m taking her with me. There’s no way I’m going to leave her alone in this forest, old man.”

Her father’s furious stare shifted to my face instantly; I could tell he was on the verge of erupting.

The man’s self-control surprised me as his shoulders finally slumped down in complete defeat, rather than the raging interrogation I’d expected.

“I imagine something must have happened at the den. We… we thought you’d be safe there until-” He paused for a moment as Dew pulled her way into his house. Though I could tell my sultry elf companion didn’t know the man, his reaction at her face proved that he knew more than he was letting on. “Oh! I’d heard murmurs about a possible takeover attempt, but I thought it was still far off.”

“You knew?” Dew froze up, her happy grin disappearing as she glared at the old warrior. “You knew, and you didn’t try to warn us? To warn her?!”

“Wait, did something happen to your grandmother?” The man closed his eyes tight as he shook his head and sighed. “Things have escalated too far, too fast. You need to leave. Now.”

“I’m not leaving until-” Dew strode toward him, but her growled out demands were cut short when a high-pitched yell echoed up from the forest floor.

“Hey, you old traitor! Still alive up there?!”

A chorus of laughter rang out from below as the voice continued on. “We’re here for the payment, and you’d better have more for us than your pitiful excuses this time!”

“Stay quiet and out of sight.” Freya’s father hurriedly limped to his door, which was still open behind us. “I’ll deal with them, then we can talk.”

I watched as he kicked a long, coiled rope out the door, though the old man winced with a grunt as he did so. Clearly, his leg wasn’t in good shape. I imagined that living alone in the middle of the Waskis woods didn’t give him much of a chance to recuperate.

If that was even possible for him at this point.

“Freya, has he always been this bad?” I spoke quietly, still watching as the elf clambered out the door and down the rope. “It can’t be easy surviving out here like that.”

“I don’t see him often, but the last time we met up, he seemed okay.” Freya’s shoulders had slumped downward, and she was yet again looking downward, hiding her face behind a curtain of her fiery hair. “I don’t know what’s happened to him lately, but it can’t be good.”

“Seems accurate.” I slunk over to the door and leaned around carefully, making sure that no one below could see me. “But I think I have an idea about what his current predicament might be.”

A small group of elves were laughing to themselves as Freya’s father slowly lowered himself to the forest floor. There were six of them, and each was well-armed; it was clear to me that they weren’t just stopping by for a friendly chat.

Then again, I shouldn’t judge them until I had more information.

“So, you’ve found it?” The leader stepped forward cockily, waving a hand at the rest of his group to silence them. “We’ve been waiting for a long time now, traitor.”

Definitely not friendly, it seemed. But still, I couldn’t leap out with an arrow nocked just yet.

Dew had made her way to the side of the other window, bow in hand, but she waited for my command before she made any moves.

I slipped my own weapon over my head and focused on the conversation once more.

“I need more time.” Freya’s father kept his head held high, despite the circumstances he was in. Even at full strength, it would be hard for a warrior to defeat half a dozen at once, but what chance did a crippled old elf have against them?

He was dead meat, if the group decided to take him down.

“More time, you say? How… unexpected.” The group’s leader pulled out a savage-looking knife from a sheath at their waist. “Maybe we need to give you some additional motivation? I heard you have family nearby. We could… drop in on them, all friendly like. What do you think of that, traitor?”

He’d threatened Freya, even if only indirectly. That was more than enough for me.

“Dew, take the one on the far left, I’ll take the rest,” I growled to my companion. I laid three arrows across my bow and took aim at the rest of the group. Aiming downward at such an odd angle would be a tricky shot for most archers, but I obviously didn’t expect to have much of an issue nailing the bastards.

But the leader? I had some questions I wanted to ask him.

“Go.”

My arrows blasted down, followed by Dew’s shaft a moment later. The four gang members we’d targeted didn’t even have time to realize what was happening before their heads were blown apart.

The leader reacted more quickly than I had I thought he would, rushing forward to try and turn Freya’s father into an elf shield.

He was too slow, though.

My next shot slammed two shafts through the gang leader’s feet, pinning him to the forest floor, even as Dew’s second shot killed the sixth member of the gang.

As his screams echoed up to me, I knew it would be impossible for him to free himself.

“What did you do?!” Freya’s father snatched up the leader’s dagger and stabbed downward, not hesitating in the slightest as he took the elf’s life. The deed done, he spun around to face me with a scowl as I slid my way down the rope. “You don’t even know who they are! Do you just kill everyone you meet?”

“If they threaten someone I care about… pretty much, yeah. If they do something to someone who I couldn’t give two shits about-” I paused, giving the elf a cold glare. “No.

“Point taken.” The old elf calmed down, clearly understanding what I’d meant. I didn’t quite trust him, and it’d take more than him being Freya’s father to change that.

I’d seen more than a few family members turn on their kin, in the past—like mine had, for example.

“Are you okay?” Freya rushed forward after clambering down the rope and pulled her father into a quick hug. “Did they do anything to you?”

“No… thanks to your friends.” He patted his daughter on the head and stared at me, his eyes showing both anger and resignation. “Want to tell me about your companions?”

“Oh, that’s Dew. She’s my friend.” Freya moved away from her father and nodded at Dew, who had climbed down behind her. She paused, her face suddenly reddening as she shakily looked in my direction. “And this… this is… he’s -.”

“I’m Wes.” I bit back my laughter as I stepped forward and laid a gentle hand on Freya’s shoulder. “I’m her boyfriend.”

Everyone froze as both parties mentally processed what I’d just said. Freya glanced up at me, her eyes wide in shock before a happy smile took over. That only lasted for a glorious moment, however, before she realized that I had just introduced myself to her father as her boyfriend, after which came the usual embarrassment.

Her father seemed less than thrilled with the revelation.

“Oh? And what about her.” He gestured at Dew, who wore a massive grin on her face. “Who is she to you?”

“She’s also -” I paused for a moment, considering how I should phrase what I wanted to say.

“I’m his girlfriend, too.” Dew stepped forward in that momentary pause and pulled me into a close side-hug. I could feel the heat as her breasts enveloped my arm, but it wasn’t about to complain.

“Do you have a problem with that?” I narrowed my eyes at the old elf.

“I- I guess I don’t have much choice. He seems capable, at least.” Freya’s father grimaced, but he didn’t try to dissuade his daughter from her chosen path.

Wood elves were open and free with their love, according to Dew, but that didn’t necessarily mean they would condone open relationships between multiple elves.

Especially when one of them was their daughter.

“Well, seeing as you’ve accepted me, I guess I can do you a favor, father.” I smiled warmly for the first time since meeting the old elf. Though I didn’t fully trust him, and still felt he was hiding something, this was the last time Freya would see him.

“What can you tell me about this gang? Who are they, what do they want you to find, and where are they hiding out?”

“Who they are isn’t important, just another gathering of bottom feeders.” The old elf grumbled to himself, but it was clear from the way he avoided my gaze that he was hiding something. “I just need to find a new place to live. It’s not like they-”

“Is it mother’s spear?” Freya’s tone was clear as she spoke up, finally pulling herself together as she listened to her father’s blundering attempt to avoid revealing anything. “You never told me where you hid it, but you did mention it was precious—in more ways than one.”

“I did say that, yes.” Her father turned to me, an odd, contemplative look on his face. “If she trusts you that much, then maybe I should, too.”

“Up to you,” I shrugged, “but know that I’m going to hunt these fools down, anyway.” I paused as he froze up, clearly confused by my declaration. “They threatened Freya, so there’s no way I’m going to leave a known threat like them behind us. Plus, I doubt Freya would be happy with me if I left her crippled father to be hunted down by a forest gang, right?”

“What? I mean, yes! Thank you!” Freya grabbed my arm again and pulled it close, hugging it to her chest.

Both arms sandwiched between the warm, heavy breasts of my two sexy companions, I once again thought about how lucky I was.

“Fine.” The old elf sighed, his defenses crumbling as he leaned against a tree. “I’d love to come with you, but as you’ve probably guessed-”

“Leg injury looks pretty serious.” I raised an eyebrow as he rubbed at his leg. “You could shoot a few with a bow, I guess, but you seem to be more of a melee fighter, to me. Even then, we’d have to leave you behind if we need to escape.” I shook my head. “Not worth the risk to bring you along.”

“Accurate, if a little harsh.” Freya’s father chuckled softly, showing he hadn’t taken offense at my terse summary.

“I was injured when I helped my wife escape, but they didn’t have any evidence it was me who’d killed the band sent to hunt her down or anyone who cared to argue that it had been a boar tusk and not a fellow hunter’s spear, that had done this. After the den cast me out, I struggled to make a living. Someone spread rumors about the spear a while after that.”

“This spear you’re talking about, I imagine its high-elf in make?” Dew spoke up, her gaze steady as she stared at the injured elf. “Probably crafted from expensive materials and worth a pretty penny?”

“Yes, but I couldn’t sell it. It’s the last thing I have to remind me of her.” The elf shook his head sadly. “These greedy little rats want to steal it. There’s no way I could let them get their grubby hands on her weapon.”

“What about this then...” I stepped reluctantly out of the girls’ grasp and moved up next to Freya’s father, with my hand outstretched. “I’ll solve your little gang problem, and you can give the spear to the one person it should truly belong to. Deal?”

“Deal.” The old elf grabbed my hand solidly, without a moment’s hesitation. His old eyes fixed on mine with a steely stare, clear evidence of his confidence and trust in my word.

“Pretty confident, aren’t you?” I grinned as we shook on the deal. “What if I just took the spear and ran away?”

“High elves always keep their promises, and I trust my daughter’s instincts.” The old elf glanced at Freya, a faint smile on his face. “What about you?” his eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you sure you can live up to your end of the agreement?”

“We’ll be fine, no need for you to worry yourself about that.” I pulled my hand back and turned to face Freya and Dew to confirm that they agreed with my decision, and was met with a pair of happy smiles as they nodded back at me. “We’ll handle it. Now, tell us everything you know about these weasels.”

“Their hideout is nearby. They didn’t spot me when I tracked them back to it a few weeks ago.” I turned back to eye Freya’s father, who grinned evilly to himself.

“I managed to get one of them alone, so I know more than that, though. They have nearly forty elves in total, almost all pretty well-armed, and they have an agreement with my old den. This gang is allowed to ‘work’ in their territory, for which they pay a fee to the den’s elders.”

“Bandit gangs should be wiped out wherever they’re found.” Dew spoke up, her tone frosty. “If a den is backing one, then that’s bad news.”

Freya’s father shrugged. “It’s an open secret in the den. Anyone who disagrees is quietly taken care of, and they’ve cleansed most of those who would speak out against it already.” The old elf spoke casually, even though he was telling us about his old home. “If the elders go down with the gang,” he smirked, “I wouldn’t much care.”

“That’s… actually, that’s perfect.” I didn’t try to hold back my own grin as a plan bubbled up in my brain. “We’ll take care of both sides at once. That’ll give you plenty of breathing space, don’t you think?”

“Oh, that would be perfect, but a den is harder to take down than you’d expect.” Freya’s father frowned to himself as he stared at my face. “But you don’t seem the type to go back on something, once you’ve decided to do it, so I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Yeah, you will.” I took some time to retrieve my shafts from the gang members’ corpses. Freya’s well-crafted arrows were sturdy and light and, unlike the other arrows I’d had to shoot that I didn’t make myself, would probably last multiple heavy collisions before they showed any sign of damage.

“You can trust him, father.” Freya moved up beside me, followed by Dew on my other side. “We’ll be back soon.”

“Keep yourself safe, child.” The old elf sighed as he turned back to his treehouse. “I’ll be waiting for you, here, like always.”

I looked on as her father pulled himself arm over arm back up into his tree house. It didn’t take long for us to hide the gang’s bodies in the undergrowth. Knowing the forest, it was unlikely any traces would be left of them in a few short hours.

“You two ready?” I cracked my knuckles and glanced at the two beauties following behind me. “This could get messy.”

“Things always get messy with you… just how we like it.” Dew giggled, though Freya didn’t seem to get what she meant, frowning at the blonde for a moment before a bright blush lit up her cheeks.

“Let’s get this done, then.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Waskis Woods – Day 8

A fter leaving Freya’s father behind, it didn’t take long for us to make our way to the gang’s camp.

Kiel slunk through the undergrowth ahead of us, voluntarily taking on the role of vanguard for our group as he scouted out any potential targets.

It wasn’t like I was about to assault a gang’s hideout, without having up to date information on their defenses, after all.

A muffled yelp rang out shortly after we crossed into their lands. Dew dashed forward, a vicious grin on her face as she joined the shadowpanther cub in holding down and keeping quiet the struggling gang member he’d caught.

A glance at the man’s terrified face and I knew that he’d squeal like a pig, if he thought he had any chance of getting out of the situation alive.

“So, fancy meeting you here.” I kept my tone harsh as I leaned down and stared into the elf’s face, my expression cold and hard. “I have a few questions for you. Nod if you want to answer them, or shake your head if you’d rather have your throat ripped out.”

The gangster nodded furiously, then froze as Kiel’s teeth dug in deeper around his neck.

I gave the man a moment to appreciate the prick of the shadowpanther’s teeth against his skin before motioning for Kiel to move away.

“What do you need to know? I can tell you anything you want.” The elf moved, as though he wanted to sit up, but at the shadowpanther’s low-pitched, threatening hiss, he froze.

“I know where the camp is, how many elves are defending it, where they keep the loot. I even know where the prisoners are kept.”

“Prisoners?” I glanced over at Dew, but she merely shrugged in response to my quizzical glance.

Either she didn’t know about that aspect of the gang’s operations, or she didn’t care.

I turned back to the gang member and considered my next move.

“We can help the prisoners, right?” Freya stepped forward, her fingers reaching out to grab my sleeve. “No one else would dare to try, but you could do it easily.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” I shrugged, adding that task to what was quickly becoming a long to-do list, and gave Freya a quick nod. She smiled, clearly overjoyed at my agreement, but my expression as I turned back to the elf nervously hunched over below me didn’t reflect any of her delight. “But before we do that, our little friend here needs to help us out with the details about their camp.” I prodded him with my toe. “Spill everything you know, or we’ll spill your guts.”

The terrified gang member told us everything. It seemed the number of gang members had increased, since Freya’s father had reconned their camp, reaching close to seventy elves in total, but that didn’t mean an assault wouldn’t be impossible.

We had the element of surprise, Kiel’s stealth, Dew’s brilliant blade work, and Freya’s inventive crafting on our side.

And that isn’t counting my archery skill, with which I could probably finish the job, alone.

Still, fighting seventy elves, even if the number of those who were battle-hardened was closer to fifty or so, would be a tricky task if we assaulted the base, itself.

Or even if we set up a series of ambushes.

Trying to pick off patrols would take too long, and the gang’s leaders would notice their missing patrols long before we could whittle their numbers down to size—at least they would if they weren’t totally incompetent.

But, after taking another look at the shoddy outfit the gang member we’d caught was wearing, the germ of a plan began to sprout in my mind.

Freya’s crafting aside, our skills were best suited to ambushes and stealthy assaults.

A straight-up battle might be feasible against fewer numbers—but against a force of that many elves, I’d have to stick to unconventional methods.

The other details he provided were useful, if a bit mundane.

The gang had made a small cave system their home, but it only had two entrances.

The ‘loot’ he’d mentioned was an odd collection of items and currency stolen from other wood elves—likely nothing of interest to me—but the prisoners he mentioned had piqued my interest.

Especially the fact that they’d kidnapped the son of a nearby den leader.

But even ignoring that juicy little tidbit, the scout revealed another detail that left me confused.

The gang had started capturing random forest beasts and had caged them up near the entrance.

No one knew what they were for, but it was clear from the way they reacted to how they were treated, that the beasts wanted nothing more than revenge on their jailers.

“What about the old elf living nearby?” I pointed back the way we’d come, toward Freya’s father’s house. “Why do you care about him so much? He must have something expensive that you want, I bet.”

“The leaders don’t tell us anything. After they took the den leader’s son hostage, they shut down the hideout. Only those on patrol are allowed to leave.” The elf quivered in fear before me, glancing back the way he’d come, as though worried someone might overhear his confession.

“I think I know what you’re planning… and I like it.” Dew giggled from the side as she watched me closely. “It’s risky, but no one else seems to care about this fool. If someone were to find out that he’d snuck off -”

“That could work.” I nodded to myself as the gang member glanced back and forth wide-eyed between Dew and me.

I frowned, contemplating every possible angle.

The nearby den wasn’t the same one that had cast out Freya’s father, but it was large enough to cause a serious threat to both the gang and their allies, if they had the appropriate motivation to attack.

“What do we do with this one?” Dew asked.

“I promised him he could live if he told us what he knew, and he’s stuck to his end of the deal.” I shrugged half-heartedly, not really caring too much about this miserable elf, now that we’d gotten the information we needed out of him. “He can go.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” The gang member rolled over and grabbed my boots, bowing down into the dirt as he professed his thanks. “I’ll do anything to live up to your kindness! Just say the word, and I’ll-”

“Okay, strip.” I frowned and folded my arms as the two girls glanced at me, confused. “We need to sneak in, and this guy just volunteered to give us one of their outfits. We’d be idiots if we let that go.”

“I guess so. But that’s only one.” Dew glanced back, then turned away as the elf pulled his shirt aside, wrinkling her nose in distaste. “Don’t tell me your planning to go in alone.”

“No. This time, we’re going in together.” I held back a chuckle as Freya jumped up and grabbed my arm. “Yeah, you’re coming too. I have a plan that’ll require both of your assistance.”

The two girls pointedly refused to look at the elf as he passed his outfit to me.

The gang member, who seemed closer in age to a boy, now that I saw him without the stupid hat, looked to be on the verge of tears.

With a grunt, I passed him one of my older shirts and a pair of pants.

“Go on, get out of here.” I pushed him away after he pulled the pants up and shirt down over his scrawny form. I saw the elf glance at the dagger he’d dropped to the floor, but I stepped between him and his discarded weapon. “Kiel has your scent now. If you even come near this place again, he’ll find you and make sure you regret it.”

The gang member opened his mouth, likely to thank me again, but my cold glare cut him off.

Closing his mouth, he spun around and sprinted off into the forest like a madman.

“What if he runs back to the gang and warns them?” Freya glanced in the direction the gang member had fled to. “He didn’t seem all that reliable.”

“Gangs don’t much care for traitors. Even if he made his way back to them, he wouldn’t live long, once they figured out what he’d done.” I beat a cloud of dust out of the gang outfit, smacking it against a tree to clean off the worst of the dirt before I struggled into it myself. “I doubt he’d be able to explain how he lost his outfit and his gear, right?”

“That makes sense, Master.” Freya nodded and stepped back, content with my explanation. Dew moved beside her friend and stared into my eyes, clearly waiting for my next instruction.

“Okay. We’ll need two more disguises, but that guy did mention the other patrol’s route.” I pulled out my bow and nocked an arrow to the string with an evil grin. “How about we stop by and borrow their outfits?”

“We’re with you.” Freya and Dew answered in unison before following behind me.

Finding the next set of gang members was easy enough, given the patrol’s route that we’d been provided.

As we didn’t need any more information, I didn’t bother giving this pair of idiots a chance to raise a shout, each of my arrows striking the two gang members in the forehead.

I’d held back on the shot, making sure that I didn’t completely remove their heads.

I didn’t want my girls to have to be dressed in crappy, bloodstained outfits.

Luckily the second pair of fools seemed to have taken better care of their clothing, so Freya and Dew each received a relatively pristine set of gang uniforms as I hid the gangster’s bodies in the undergrowth.

Our disguises in place, it was time for us to begin our infiltration.

The area right around the hideout wasn’t being watched, according to our informant. The gang’s leader was worried his scouts might get caught, so he only sent out the few elves he didn’t care much about as roving patrols out beyond the base.

Three patrols weren’t nearly enough to cover the lands surrounding their caves, but he didn’t seem to care. Oddly incompetent of him, but that was a boon for us.

There were just the two entrances, each kept under a close watch every hour of the day.

Though our outfits would give us an air of belonging at a distance, they wouldn’t stand up against a close inspection.

Gangs were close-nit—by necessity—and it was unlikely they’d let a bunch of unknowns enter the caves without direct approval from their leadership.

Fortunately, we’d been given a perfect way to distract the gang—as long as we could sneak up to the cages stacked just outside their hideout.

The disguises should get us that far, at least, seeing as the gang members hadn’t posted guards out in the open.

After setting up our distraction, we’d need to figure things out as we went.

“Freya, you’re very good at making things.” I saw her confident smile as she nodded, accepting the compliment. “How about breaking them?”

“It depends. What is it you need destroyed, Master?” Her tone was steady as she spoke, showing how much she trusted in my strategies.

“Nothing major, just need you to crack open a lock or two.” Freya’s and Dew’s stunned expressions were a sight to behold, as each of them independently figured out the key element of my plan at the same time. “That should give us enough of a distraction, don’t you think?” I chuckled.

“It’s perfect!” Dew pulled my head down for a hungry kiss, unable to restrain her enthusiasm. “Seriously, Wes. What did I do before I met you?”

We approached the cave confidently, not trying to hide in the slightest as we strode up to the hidden entrance.

Kiel stayed behind in the shadows, of course, acting again as an early warning system in case the gang member’s information turned out to be false about the lack of other patrols in the area.

But as I didn’t hear anything from the forest, I assumed everything was going well as far as potential interlopers were concerned.

As we approached the cave entrance—outwardly just a low pit ending in darkness—I glanced back at Freya and Dew.

I trusted the two of them, but it was still a risk, bringing them along. I knew that I could escape, alone if need be, but bringing these two out with me?

Risky.

But I couldn’t keep leaving them behind. Dew was a skilled warrior, talented enough with knife or bow to take on a trained high-elf warrior by herself.

Freya, on the other hand, was still new to battle, though she wasn’t afraid to learn. She’d begged for a place by my side.

I’d decided to give her that chance.

Still, I kept my guard up as we moved down into the pit. At a glance, it looked like little more than a random hole but, after we followed a rough path for a little while, I spotted the flicker of torchlight, a faint glow visible even in the daylight against the rocks at the end of a tunnel.

“Okay.” I whispered as I paused to lay a hand on Dew’s and Freya’s shoulders. “Follow my lead, don’t say anything, and keep your heads down. If they spot your pretty faces, we’re done for.”

“Aw, he wants to keep us to himself!” Dew giggled and nudged Freya, who blushed so brightly it seemed she could light up the tunnel with her glowing cheeks.

“True enough.” I nodded and winked, not bothering to hide my desires, before continuing. “But you two might be known around here, and I’m a high elf—not a great combination for sneaking into a wood elf gang’s hideout. So, let me do the talking.”

The pair nodded, finally taking things seriously when they heard the concern in my voice.

After I’d confirmed that they remembered each of our roles in the plan, I turned and led them toward the distant flickering light.

Going off of the information we’d gotten, there should be three guards in each entrance chamber—hidden away in different corners of the room.

They wouldn’t be able to tell our identities at first glance, but the simple fact that all three patrolling gang members had returned at the same time might alert them to our subterfuge.

But that was what I wanted.

The best time to strike was when your target remained blissfully unaware of your presence, but a close second was when they were unsure of your intent.

Three guards, each of whom wouldn’t be sure of how to respond to the potential intruders.

Child’s play.

The chamber itself was quite large, though not well lit. A few sputtering torches plugged into holes chipped into the walls at random intervals cast flickering shadows randomly about the whole place. Their weak light revealed the cages we’d been told about, and the odd creatures contained within.

“That went well.” I half-yelled to the pair following me as we stepped into the light, my voice a higher, nasal tone as I imitated the gang member we’d interrogated. “The boss will be super happy with this!”

Though it was far from perfect, my impersonation should be close enough to confuse the guards. One of them stepped out into the open, his eyes narrowing as he moved toward us.

“Why’re you back already? They told us you’d be out on patrol for the rest of the day.” His hand rested threateningly atop the hilt of his blade, but it was clear he still hadn’t figured us out. As the elf closed in on us, I noted movement in the shadows off to our right. A nod from Dew confirmed that she had spotted the last of the three guards off to our left.

Perfect.

“Wait, who are y-”

My bow slammed into the guard’s throat, cutting his startled shout off mid query as I spun and turned my aim toward the target I’d spotted in the shadows.

“Gonna kill...”

A single arrow was all it took to permanently silence the guard to our right. The heavy slam as my arrow crashed into his chest, was immediately followed by the dull thump of his body bouncing off the floor. That was all the confirmation I needed.

And, as I’d expected, Dew had taken out the last member of the trio with a well-aimed knife throw.

“Freya, do your magic.” I gestured at the nearby cages as I pulled out another arrow to finish off the initial guard. The man trembled as I jabbed the arrow into his neck, but went limp a moment later. “Dew, hide the bodies while I prepare the bait.”

As my girls went about their tasks, I snuck further into the caves.

Using the beasts as a distraction was a risk, but the bastards the gang had recently recruited were the most vindictive monsters I’d ever heard of.

Though logic would dictate the freed beasts should flee the cave, I knew a fair number of them would ignore logic and instead invade the gang’s hideout in a suicidal rush to get revenge on their tormentors.

But I wanted to make sure that happened.

So, as I waited for Dew to signal me, I moved into position near the hideout’s main entrance. Once you got past the first chamber, the guards were relaxed and out in the open, clearly trusting in the first set of guards to handle anything other than a massive assault or invasion.

I saw Dew lean around the corner and wave at me.

They were ready.

“The monsters have escaped!” My yell rang out as I darted from shadow to shadow. “They’re coming! Get ready!”

The guards pulled out their weapons, at first focusing their puzzled gazes on me.

From behind the group I heard others quickly take up the chorus of warning yells mixed in with a few battle cries as the rest of the gang were alerted to the potential threat of the monsters they’d gathered.

Unfortunately for them, their noisy preparations only signaled to the beasts that their tormentors were just around the corner.

A wave of hungry creatures rushed around that corner like an angry tide, darting for the stunned guards.

The gang members shook off their stunned expressions, reacting quickly as they shot a barrage of bolts and arrows at the invading monsters.

But it wasn’t nearly enough to slow down the swarm.

Freya had broken open every cage and freed the beasts within.

As the tail end of the horde trickled past, I noted two figures dashing along behind them, stealthily avoiding detection as they made their way from shadow to shadow until they reached my position.

“Ready?” I turned to the pair, giving them both time to respond with a nod before I pointed toward the distant entryway into the hideout proper. “That’s our in. Keep up.”

I pulled out the standard arrows we’d taken from the wood elves earlier and shot toward the beast swarm, taking down a boar-like creature that was goring a gang member.

“Take them all down!” I screamed a battle cry as I led Freya and Dew along the edges of the fray. Dew pelted her own shots into the crowd, though her arrows didn’t do all that much damage. I aimed my own shots at beasts that threatened to overcome the hasty front line defenses the gang had formed, taking down the odd monster that managed to make headway against their defense.

“Thanks!” The leader of this group of guards yelled out as I felled a rockbadger that was trying to claw him to death. “Get behind me and load up on more arrows! We can’t let these things get inside!”

With this encouragement, I led Freya and Dew through an opening at the rear of the guard’s defensive line. Though they didn’t have many archers, it was clear the tacticians of the gang had some experience in pitched battles.

But, with the chaos that surrounded us, it wasn’t difficult for our little group to break away unseen.

“Dew, find the den leader’s son and bring him back here, alive or dead.” I spoke quietly, keeping an eye on our surroundings, as I waved Dew in the direction of the gang’s prison. “Freya, stick with me. We need to find the leader of this mess and take him out before he figures out what’s going on.”

The monsters’ invasion wouldn’t keep the guards distracted forever, nor would it kill enough of them to whittle the gang’s numbers down enough to make an assault feasible—there were just too damn many of them. Instead of an assault, I planned to take the gang apart, using their own hubris against them.

Dew darted off into the shadows, disappearing in an instant.

Her talents at stealth and distraction far exceeded my own, though I’d never bothered much with those skills, myself.

Not that I considered myself above them… just that I didn’t need them to succeed and had preferred to spend my time and effort developing other skills.

But they were useful—maybe Dew could help me practice a bit.

I pulled my thoughts back to the present and led Freya toward the gang leader’s chambers, which were near the back of the cave system.

Though the boy we had interrogated had only told us of the two entrances, I fully expected the leader would have his own secret escape route, for when things went south.

Gang leaders who lost control of their followers, were easily replaced, after all.

“What’s going on out there?” A deep voice boomed out from behind a locked door, though I could see flickers of light in the rough gaps around its edges. “Who released the monsters? Where are the guards? This isn’t right!”

Intelligent?

Maybe not, but the man seemed devious enough.

It was an easy enough guess to make that this may be just a distraction, if it was a strategy you might come up with yourself.

Fortunately, we’d found him before he could get his guard up or, even worse, bolt for out his escape route for the trees.

“Okay, get ready to run.” I whispered to Freya as I leaned around to carefully aim my arrow through a gap in the crudely made doorframe. There were three different voices I could hear coming from inside of the room and they didn’t seem to be moving.

Even without having eyes on my target, I had complete confidence in my own skills.

“Get out there and find out who-” The gang leader started to berate his subordinates for the last time.

Then my arrow cut his orders, and his life, short.

“Go!” I grabbed Freya and sprinted off down the tunnel. The other two would either turn on each other, or one might simply take over as the temporary leader of the gang. Whichever occurred, the result didn’t really matter to me. Either outcome would lead to a major upheaval among those who followed them.

And I wouldn’t let them lead for long.

Instead of going back toward the first entrance, I dragged Freya along behind me to meet up with Dew at the second exit.

I spotted her dragging a corpse into the shadows, though she did have another elf tagging along behind her, watching in stunned silence as his rescuer killed another member of the gang who’d captured him.

“You’re the den leader’s son?” I strode out into the open, staring confidently down at the young elf.

“Yes! Thank you for rescuing me.” The boy smiled and bowed. “My name is-”

“We don’t have time for that.” I waved him aside and turned to Dew. “We need to get out of here. Their leader’s down, but they’ll be hunting us soon enough.”

“That’s fine. I’ve cleared the other entrance, so we’re free to go.”

“There are another two cages back there.” Freya waved a hand back toward the distant sounds of battle. “I’ve set them up to break apart any minute now, so that should help cover our escape.”

“Good job, you two.” I laughed and ruffled their hair, receiving a pair of startled, but happy squeals in return before striding toward the exit. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”

Our motley little crew, along with one confused young wood elf, slipped out the other exit without a care in the world.

The gang had lost control of their carefully captured monsters and had lost their leader, while we’d stolen away their chief negotiating point, the hostage who had been all that was holding back a nearby den of wood elves from attacking them.

All in all, a good day’s work. I congratulated myself as we joined Kiel in the shadows of the tree line.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Waskis Woods - Day 8

A t first, I’d wanted to just leave the wood elf boy to his own devices, but it was clear he wouldn’t survive alone in the woods for more than a few minutes.

Thankfully, his den was close by, so after making him promise to keep our identities a secret, we made a deal to escort him back to the edge of his den’s territory.

“Why did you do this for me?” He glanced at our group, a faint frown showing that he was clearly unsure what our motives might be. Not trusting someone just because they’d saved his life? Skepticism is a good survival trait for a possible leader.

“Because we felt like it,” I responded with a smirk.

My words gained a giggle from Freya and Dew before I added in a more serious tone, “But to be fair, we had our own reasons to disrupt those pricks. As long as you promise to tell your father what they did, that’s enough payment for us to rescue you.”

“I’d do that, even if you didn’t ask it of me.” The boy nodded hurriedly, as though he was worried that I’d go back on our agreement at the tiniest sign of him hesitating to follow my orders. “What will you do after- no… forget I asked. I don’t want to know.”

“And we wouldn’t tell you anyway.” Dew spoke up, giving the boy a light flick against his forehead. “Keep your head on straight, kid. You’re going to have to answer a lot of questions soon.”

The rest of our journey continued in relative silence.

The den leader’s son clearly wanted to ask more questions, but we’d made it obvious we wouldn’t reveal more details about ourselves.

Never mind telling him our future plans, we hadn’t even told him our names.

When we arrived at a safe spot close to his den, the wood elf turned to me with a conflicted expression.

“Thank you again for saving me. I know you said that you didn’t plan to at first… but you also didn’t have to go out of your way and bring me out with you.” He glanced at the others, who had moved to flank me unconsciously. “I promise not to reveal anything about you. I’ll tell them that I escaped in the chaos that resulted when those idiots lost control of their pets. Who’s going to argue with that?”

“No one, because it’s the truth.” I shook the boy’s hand and led my companions back into the woods. “Good luck, kid.”

He might end up as the next leader of the den, or he might be pushed aside by someone with more brute strength than intelligence, but I knew from my own experience that power didn’t necessarily equate to leadership.

If I had a choice, I’d rather follow a weak genius than a dumb strongman.

Sometimes the smart ones could be the most deadly, if you didn’t keep an eye on them.

“Are you okay, Master?” Freya stepped forward and pulled my arm to her chest. “You seem distracted.”

“Yeah. Not doubting yourself, are you?” Dew pressed herself close to my other side, her lips brushing against my neck as she added. “We can’t have your confidence flagging now, can we?”

“I’m fine. I was… just thinking about the past.” I sighed and shook my head, dismissing the thoughts of what had happened to me long ago in my home city of Keria. I gave Dew a quick peck on the forehead before turning to Freya. “It doesn’t matter anymore, not now. Let’s get back to your father, before he keels over in worry.”

Fortunately, nothing happened during the rest of our return trip.

We skirted around the gang’s territory—just in case—but it seemed they hadn’t sent out any more scouts.

I figured they must be focused inward, likely going through some sort of internal shake up as different factions fought for control. That was perfect—for us.

The longer they remained distracted, the easier it would be for the den we’d set on them to take the gang apart.

“Hey, you still alive up there?” I yelled at the treehouse, once we arrived back at Freya’s father’s tree house. She had been quiet for most of the journey, lost in her thoughts as she was returning to speak with her father, potentially for the last time.

“That was quick.” Her father poked his head out of the window, giving the group a once over before kicking down the climbing rope and waving us on. “Come on up, I have something to show you.”

After a quick glance at the other two, I stepped forward to climb up the tree once more.

The girls followed silently behind me, though I could tell Dew’s silence was out of respect for her friend.

She didn’t have any family anymore—other than me of course—so she knew how important this must be to Freya.

Interestingly enough, though, as we pulled ourselves up into the elf’s hut, his gaze remained fixed on me, rather than his daughter.

“So, you really did it?” His tone was steady, as though he already knew the answer to his question. “I knew my daughter was a good judge of character, but I never imagined she’d find someone like you.”

“We kind of found each other.” I waved away the compliment without thinking.

While I was happy that Freya’s father seemed to have improved his opinion of me, it didn’t have any impact on my confidence in my own abilities.

I knew how good I was.

“Father.” Freya took a deep breath and forced her gaze upward to meet the elf’s eyes. “I’m going to go with Wes and Dew, and I’m not -”

“You don’t think you’ll come back, right?” Her father grinned, showing neither regret nor displeasure at the possibility he might be losing his only child. “I don’t care about myself. I’ve only ever wanted you to be happy Freya, and if this one makes you happy…” He paused, and gave me a long, hard stare. “As long as he makes you happy, then I’m okay with him taking you away from this place.”

“She’s become important to me; I won’t let anyone make her unhappy.” I folded my arms and frowned. “If they try, then I’ll make them regret such a decision. That much I can promise you.”

“Good.” He nodded, seemingly content with my promise. He stepped forward, his head held high, and reached a hand out toward me. “I’ll hold you to that deal, Wes.”

“Sounds fair to me.” I grabbed his hand and we shook, firmly.

“Then Freya is your problem now. Treat her well.” Freya’s father glanced at his daughter, who had turned bright red as she heard his declaration. “She’s too pure for this world. Don’t corrupt her too much.”

“No promises there.” I grinned as I pulled my hand back, but the old elf didn’t seem phased in the slightest by my jab. “What’re you going to do? The gang should be cleared out soon, and the den who cast you out will likely lose a lot of their power. Any thoughts on your future?”

“I like my solitary life... without the vultures circling around for scraps, that is. I’ll be just fine here, until the woods take me.” He walked past me and pulled Freya into a rough hug. “I don’t care what you do, girl. Just make sure you follow the path that you want. Do what makes you happy. That’s all I ask of you.”

“I- yes.” Freya nodded, giving her father one last squeeze before she moved back to stand beside me. “I love you, father.”

With their final words exchanged, the old elf turned away to the back wall of the treehouse.

Though the girls were confused, I guessed what he was doing.

In fact, I gained a new surge of respect for his daring actions.

“Here it is.” He pulled apart a few of the rough planks that made up the back wall of his home and tugged out a long, thin package, easily as tall as me. The whole thing was wrapped in a beautiful cloth cover, tied on with small chains that seemed to be formed of pure silver. “This was your mother’s spear.” His voice caught, “and now it’s yours. Use it well.”

Freya took the package reverently and slowly pulled the be wrapping aside to reveal a weapon that far exceeded the quality of most I’d seen before—my own bow not excepted, though the two were of matching quality.

Compared to the spear Freya had crafted, it was altogether on another level.

I fully trusted she’d be able to train herself to create such a fantastic weapon in the future. But for now, it was perfect for her.

She passed it to me after she’d finished her inspection, and I confirmed how light and sturdy it was.

It was difficult to figure out the exact materials the spear had been crafted with, but the whole thing was lighter than my sword, and barely flexed in my grip.

“I’ll teach you how to use it later, Freya.” I passed the weapon back to its new owner, then turned back to her father. “Thank you. Here, take this in return.”

The elf watched on in confusion as I pulled a necklace from under my shirt.

Though it clearly wasn’t on the level of the spear itself, the jewelry would fetch a high price if I’d decided to sell it—though there was no way I’d ever do that.

Given that her father had placed Freya into my protection, high elf cultural rules stated that I needed to provide a gift worthy of the girl I’d taken.

“I accept your deal.” The elf took the necklace and bounced it in his palm. Though I hadn’t said anything, it was clear he’d figured out the thing meant much more to me than what it might have cost. “I’ll keep this safe, high elf.”

“What did you just do?” Freya glanced at both of us, her eyes wide in shock. “Did you just-”

“He’s your fiancé now, girl.” Her father’s eyes twinkled as he looked at his daughter. “Do your best to bear him a child and continue our lineage.”

“I- we- I can’t-” Freya’s palms flew up to cover her furiously blushing face as she backed away from me, but Dew stepped up to catch her before she could stumble out the open door. “That’s not- I-”

“I’ll do my best for you, father of my sister wife.” Dew gave Freya’s father a bow before she turned and pulled the blushing girl back toward the entrance. “Let’s get going, Wes, before she faints again.”

After one last nod at the lonely elf, I turned to follow the girls out of his home. It was unlikely we’d ever return, but if we did, it would be nice to share a drink with Freya’s father.

For now, though, it was best we leave. If we stayed much longer, the gang might come up with a link between the disappearance of the group we’d killed after meeting Freya’s father, the old elf they’d been strong arming, and the assault on their hideout.

“Are you okay?” After we climbed back down to the forest floor, I pulled Freya around to face me. Kiel moved back out of the undergrowth, his face showing displeasure at the fact we’d left him alone for so long. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes.” Freya gripped her new weapon with both hands, forcing herself to stare wide-eyed up at my face. “I’ll follow you anywhere, Master.”

“I’ll hold you to that deal, Freya.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek, feeling the heat of her blushing skin as her eyes widened in shock. “Let’s go find somewhere we can lay low.” I nodded at the blonde wood elf. “Lead the way, Dew.”

“I know the perfect place.” Dew giggled and clapped her hands. “You’re going to love it. Both of you.”

The place Dew had mentioned turned out to be a small opening between the large roots of a massive tree, which led to a well sized chamber hollowed out in the trunk and beneath its roots. After I’d checked for any signs of beasts using the place as a den, we settled down for the night.

Kiel once again took up guard, in the entrance itself, but not before Dew pushed Freya in my direction.

“What’s wrong?” I glanced between the two in confusion, but then I saw the impish look on Dew’s face. “Oh… Right.”

Freya caught on to what her friend was trying to do, but she didn’t react as I’d expected. Instead of going into full lockdown mode, she instead stared deeply into my eyes, her breathing quick and uneven as she moved slowly towards me.

“Master.” She mumbled, kneeling down in front of me with careful grace. “I don’t know how you feel about me, but…”

“Honestly, I feel the same way.” I finally spoke up, after she had frozen up for several seconds, pulling her close with a huge grin. “I told you that you needed to be more open with your feelings around us—just say what you want to say, Freya.”

“I- I-” She snuggled into my chest, so close that her next words were so low and muffled that I almost couldn’t understand them. “I love you, Master!”

“See, doesn’t that feel good?” I stroked her hair gently, though the ecstatic look on Dew’s face almost ruined the cute scene. “What now, then?”

“I- I want to do what Dew did.” Freya pulled back and forced herself to look up into my face. “With you. Please.”

“Oh, really now.” I grinned as my hand snaked around to gently squeeze her large breasts. Between her and Dew, it was clear Freya won out in that department—not that my feisty wood elf was lacking, far from it—but Freya would beat most elves I’d ever met. “And what is that, exactly?”

“I- I want-” Freya sank into my chest again, shaking slightly as she forced herself to say the words.

Though it was fun to tease and play around with her, I’d also agreed with Dew that we needed to improve the girl’s confidence. “Tell me what you would have me do, Freya.”

“I… Please, play with me, Master! Do whatever you want to me.”

“Finally speaking your mind.” I lifted Freya’s chin and gave her a gentle smile as my lips closed in on hers. “No need to worry, dear girl. You’re in good hands.”

Her kisses were light and tentative at first, as though she was afraid a single touch would burn her, but with time and my being patient with her, she gained more confidence.

Unlike Dew’s greedy assault on my lips, Freya’s pure touch inflamed me even more—if that was possible.

She noticed the effect her kisses had on me.

“This is-” She slowly dropped her hands to the bulge in my pants, squeezing it gently as she gave me another kiss. “I- I want to see it! Please, Master.”

“Then you’ll need to bring it out, won’t you?” I chuckled, winking at Dew over Freya’s head. Though most women I had known would be jealous if their man started playing around with another woman in front of them, my actions seemed to have the opposite effect on my wild and horny girl.

She held her bottom lip between her teeth and her hand was buried in her shorts and as she leaned back against the far wall.

A contented smile graced her face as she watched Freya’s clumsy attempts to pull my pants down.

“Oh!” Freya murmured softly as she finally freed my penis. It bounced up as it sprang free of its confines and smacked her gently on the cheek, but she didn’t seem to mind. “This is so- It’s so-”

“Big?” Dew interrupted with a soft giggle. “Don’t worry if you can’t take it all. You’ll get plenty of chances to practice.”

Her comments made me laugh out loud as I remembered her first attempt as she’d tried to do that very thing, not that long ago.

I stepped swiftly out of my breeches.

At first, I was worried Dew’s words might hurt Freya’s burgeoning confidence but instead, the girl’s expression turned serious as she leaned in closer and closer.

“I love you, Master.” She whispered as her lips brushed against the tip. “I- promise- you-”

Before I could react, her head dropped down, her smooth cheek sliding along the side of my cock before her head landed just above my crotch. At first, I’d thought it was just an odd attempt at foreplay, but then I noticed how her eyes had closed, a contented smile still on her face.

“Don’t tell me-”

“She fainted in pleasure, from just touching it.” Dew stepped in close and checked Freya over. Once she was sure the girl was fine, she gently eased her down and onto her side, before turning to face me. “You really are powerful, pretty boy.”

Her nickname for me incensed my passions again. Already being in the state that I was, it wasn’t likely I’d be able to calm myself down, and I knew Dew wouldn’t mind if the target of my passion switched to herself.

“Come here!” I gruffly pulled her over to me and into a passionate kiss.

Dew looked surprised for a split second, but shock was quickly replaced by joyous hunger as she leaned into my body. Her nipples stiffened, poking up through the thin clothing of her top, rubbing against my skin as she followed me down, our tongues still dueling, to the pile of leaves on the floor.

I pulled her skirt up and her shorts down. As she wriggled out of them, my hand traced back up her silky thigh. Her center was hot and slick. “You seem as ready for this as I am, Dew.”

“I thought you’d never ask…” She grinned down at me as she slowly lowered herself down onto me. “I’m going to savor every minute of this.”

“I promised you that I’d give you what you desired, the first chance I got.” I grabbed her hips and guided her onto what she’d long wanted to have inside herself, my tip parting her slick lips. “And we high elves always keep our promises.”

Before she could respond, I thrust up into her, her words disappearing into a deep groan as we finally connected in the way she’d lusted after.

Her entire body twitched and shuddered in pleasure, merely entering her had caused her to orgasm.

But I was far from done yet.

“Oooohhhh!” She moaned as I pulled out, keeping my movements slow and steady. When my tip was about to leave her warm embrace I slammed up again, burying the entire length back inside her.

“Dew, you’re perfect!” I gasped, feeling her twitching walls as they pulsed and grabbed along my entire length. I’d done things with other girls in the past, but none of them had been able to take all of me at first.

Dew, as expected, blew them out of the water.

“Don’t stop! Keep… going!” Dew growled and leaned in to cover my face with lustful kisses.

I didn’t need any more encouragement as we settled into a steady rhythm, me thrusting and dragging myself in and out of her pulsing entrance as she rocked her hips against mine.

Dew was loving every minute of it, but I held myself back, making sure she was fully satisfied before I let myself go.

Dew came, again and again, panting and moaning so loud I was worried she might wake Freya, but I was too caught up in how amazing it all was to check.

Even if the little elf did wake up, it wasn’t as if the girl was unaware of the true nature of our relationship.

Hell, she might even want to join in.

After Dew came yet again, this time so strongly her entire body went limp against me, I felt myself getting close.

“Dew, I’m-” I grunted through gritted teeth, but the blonde minx cut me off as she started to grind her hips furiously against me.

Never mind holding back, it was as though she wanted it, needed it.

And I wouldn’t dare go against her wishes.

“Oh ye gods!” She screamed out in pleasure as I unloaded inside her.

My orgasm set her off again and she panted, her eyes half closed, her body trembling atop me.

We held each other for a few minutes.

“That was perfect,” I gasped as she pulled off of me.

The horny girl just grinned and leaned down to press a tender kiss to my lips.

I groaned when she deepened our kiss and her hand wrapped itself around my slick shaft.

My cock jumped in her grip, reacting enthusiastically to her passionate kiss.

“Oh, it seems that my pretty boy still has some energy left in him.” She smirked, gave me a sultry wink, and then took the tip inside of her mouth, running her tongue along its length wildly as though it was the best thing she’d ever tasted.

Only after the deed was done did she release it with a light pop, turning to me with a wide grin. “Want to go again?”

I couldn’t hold back my lust as I pulled her up onto my chest and then flipped around to press her to the floor.

The cowgirl position had excited her enough but, from the way her eyes all but rolled back into her head as I slid deep inside of her, I guessed she liked me calling the shots just as much.

And, given that she was the first elf to be able to withstand my full lust, I didn’t hold back as my hips built to a mad tempo, slamming my shaft balls deep inside her as her legs locked tight around my hips.

She wouldn’t let go; not until I’d given her a second dose.

“Oh- ah- ooh!” She moaned with each thrust, moving her pelvis up to meet with mine.

Our movements synced after a few moments, then we sped up, each of us racing the other to the finish.

My actions were considered, but Dew was acting on instinct, her face pinched in pleasure.

After several moments she pulled herself together and her arms wrapped around my neck. “Come in me, Wes! Explode inside me. Give it all to me!”

Her begging pushed me toward the edge. I could have kept going, but the way the walls of her pussy squeezed down on me was just too much. I came again, deep inside her, and it felt like she wanted to milk me dry.

It took us several minutes to recover, and we spent the entire time together, connected at the hips.

Only after the final aftershocks and shudders of her orgasms faded away did her legs slowly drop down from my hips, letting me finally pull back out and roll to my side next to her.

I looked over at her, tracing a finger down her cheek. “Was that how you thought it would be?” I asked, rolling over to lie on my back, a contented smile on my face as I closed my eyes and luxuriated in post-coital bliss.

“Better than I ever imagined.” She pulled herself close and leaned her head on my shoulder. Even after two sessions of making love, she still reached down to stroke me, but it was playful, more than anything else. “What about for you? Was I as good as your uppity high elven maidens?”

“Better,” I smiled, stroking her hair. “The best I’ve ever had.” I leaned down and gave her a long, deep kiss. “But what about Freya? If she’s that embarrassed… just seeing it, then what will she do when we -”

“Don’t worry about her.” Dew patted my chest and gave me a confident grin. “I’ll train her up. No way she’d be able to last long enough for you—not as she is right now. Isn’t that right, Master?”

“True.” I shook my head and ignored her subtle jab at Freya’s nickname for me. Though I had never asked anyone to use such titles, I liked hearing it when it came so naturally from the petite red-headed beauty.

But how would she act in the throes of passion? That, I wanted to see.

“But before that-” Dew dragged herself down across my body until she was resting her cheek against the very thing which had given her so much pleasure. “I have a task of my own here. Not like I can leave my pretty boy in this state, can I?”

I grinned and settled back as Dew gently licked and sucked at my length yet again. The level of her lust surprised me, though I wasn’t worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up. It was clear she loved every aspect of our new relationship, though, so I was content to let her play with me as long as she wanted.

But then I heard a muffled yelp from beside us and turned to see Freya’s cute eyes fixed on Dew’s face as she deepthroated me.

For a moment I thought Freya might collapse again, but instead, she watched in silence as Dew continued her ministrations, unconcerned with the rapt attention she was receiving.

“We’ll need to work on your endurance, Freya. This will be good training for you.” I paused as Dew again took me as deep as she could into her throat.

“Yes, Master!” Freya pulled herself close to my side and settled her head down on my chest to study her friend’s actions. “I do love you. I’ll do better next time.”

“As long as you’re doing your best, I don’t care.” I stroked Freya’s head gently and leaned my head back. “That’s all I ask of you. Of either of you.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Edge of the Sendrin Desert - Day 36

A fter we left Dew’s hideaway, the rest of our journey through the Waskis Woods passed without too many incidents.

The month-long trek through a monster-infested forest should have been a nightmare, especially to a high-born elf such as myself, but the girl’s company made it more than bearable.

Dew trained Freya each day.

Part of her new regime was the heavy pack she forced her friend to carry as we jogged toward our destination.

It wasn’t too bad for me, of course, but for an elf who had spent most of her life cooped up in a relatively safe den?

It would be a nightmare.

But Freya didn’t complain.

Day in and day out, she loped onward in silence, sweat on her brow, her breathing labored.

Multiple times a day I fought back the urge to call for an early break, knowing that Dew’s training program would only help the girl in the long run.

Fortunately, she relented when we reached the border between Waskis Woods and the Sendrin Desert.

It’s not like anyone could easily carry that much weight when traveling through that hot hell scape.

“It’s odd that the woods end so abruptly and the desert begins.” I glanced at the lush forest behind us and then back to the desolate wasteland before us that we’d need to cross. “I’ve never really considered it before, but is there some reason for it?”

“Something absorbs the moisture and locks it deep underground. No one knows what it is, but the monsters who inhabit the desert are pretty unique.” Dew laid her hand atop the pommel of her dagger with a faint smile, probably imagining fighting those beasts.

“They’re worth the risk for the tribes, apparently. They trade materials harvested from the desert creatures to the high elves, and to the few dens who live on the edge of the forest. Pretty good money in them.”

“Interesting. Too much hassle for me, though. What’s the plan?” I glanced around, getting myself accustomed to the fact that for the first time in a month, my vision wasn’t being blocked by trees and bushes on all sides. “I’ve heard stories of those who passed through the desert in the past.” I grunted sourly. “None of them had good things to tell.”

“Well, I know of a few camps. We can stop at those if we are close, and otherwise just camp under the stars between them.” Dew shrugged, as though the prospect of trekking through a superheated hell wasn’t exciting enough to pique her interest. “It could be fun, right? Fight a few beasties, camp out at an oasis, make love under the stars.”

“You never get tired of it, do you?” I chuckled and shook my head, my gaze surveying the shimmering sands stretching out to the horizon before us. “We need to prepare before we begin our trek. Water, food, protection.”

“You’ve never needed protection before.” Dew’s elbow jabbed me in the ribs and she giggled, but then her face turned serious and she pointed off to the left. “There’s a farming community in that direction where we could rent a room at the inn. We won’t be able to make it there before sundown, though, so we should camp here and set off in the morning.”

“It would be nice to sleep in an actual bed for once.” Freya winced as she rubbed her shoulders, which had been chafed by the straps of her pack. “We could finally get a good night’s sleep.”

“Maybe we could. Maybe we couldn’t.” I grinned and pulled the pair of maidens close. Dew leaned in and pressed her face against my shoulder, but Freya again looked a little lost as to what she wanted to do.

Over the past month, she hadn’t joined in on our nightly activities.

Sure, she seemed to enjoy watching, but the mere thought of engaging herself, turned the girl to mush.

Fun as it was, Dew’s experiments had to be called to a halt until Freya could build up some endurance—and finally get over her embarrassment.

But, going off of how well she had been doing lately, it might not be too long before that changed.

I glanced back at the desert, my gaze attracted to the sight of distant plumes of dust floating up into the air.

At first, I thought it might be sandstorms, a common occurrence in the Sendrin Desert, but then I realized that the clouds of sand were too confined for that.

“Bandits.” I muttered, frowning to myself as I watched the distant signs of movement in the desert. I let the girls go and pointed at the dusty trails in the distance. “Will they be a problem?”

“Maybe? It’s odd to see them this close to the woods.” Dew spoke seriously as she shaded her eyes to survey the distant threats. “We could try to skirt around the desert, but I’ve heard some bad things about the Iklit corridor—it’s not a place you want to be for too long.”

“Elves don’t usually come back from there.” Freya added in a sad tone. “Even for someone as skilled as you, Master, it is a dangerous place.”

“Then we’ll avoid it, if we can.” I sighed and turned back toward the woods. “Let’s set up camp. We can take the rest of the day to recover, then we’ll head over to the farm community Dew mentioned and get our supplies sorted out.”

“Yes, Master.” Freya smiled and gave me a quick hug before she picked up her pack and set it to the side.

Dew grinned as she watched the exchange, but she didn’t make any more comments, nor did she attempt to push her friend to do more at this time.

I led the pair a ways back into the woods—just far enough that we couldn’t be spotted by the bandits crossing the desert—and then we stopped to make our final treehouse.

After our long journey through the forest, we had become quite adept at putting together the makeshift forts, so it took far less than an hour to cobble together a temporary shelter.

The shadowpanther cub, who had been through a growth spurt so explosive that his shoulders nearly came up to my chest, made a little nest for himself off to the side.

No matter how much Dew tried to tempt him to climb the tree and sleep with us, Kiel instead had taken up the role of our guardian each night.

It would be cute if I hadn’t seen the remnants of the beasts who had encroached on his territory the following day multiple times over the past month.

Those slight issues aside, our treehouse nests proved to be quite convenient.

Quick to put together—once you learned the trick to it—they were sturdy enough to last a week or so, as long as the weather didn’t turn.

Thankfully, I’d been abandoned during the relatively dry summer months, so we had yet to run into anything worse than summer showers.

Mostly, it was gloriously sunny during the day with comfortably warm temperatures at night.

Doubly so, when Dew crawled into my arms.

“Dew, I have a question for you…” I looked up at the girls as we made the final finishing touches to our temporary abode. “What do wood elves think about…relationships like ours?”

“Oh, we wood elves are pretty free with our love. Mostly.” She stared at me, head tilted to the side, as though confused by my concern. “Why? You’ve never seemed to care what anyone thought about you, before.”

“I don’t really, but I do care what they might do to you.” I glanced up into the sky, which had turned a light shade of orange as the sun set in the distance. “High elven society looks down on polygamy. I have no plans to stay in Keria for too long, but they might try to split us up in some way.”

“They can try,” Dew growled as her eyes narrowed, turning serious for a moment, as though she was facing a mortal enemy. After a brief glare off into the distance, her gaze returned to neutral as she looked back in my direction. “Is that all? You’re worried some of your high-elf friends might say some bad things to us?”

“I guess we can just figure it out later. It’s not like they can stop me—even if they are stupid enough to try to.” I shrugged and tossed the worry aside. “Let’s get some sleep. We’ll have a long day tomorrow.”

“Right you are, Wes.” She pulled me close for a long, lingering kiss before she moved away again, a cheeky grin on her face.

As I settled onto my back, staring unseeing up into the canopy, Dew pulled Freya over to a distant corner, where the pair started to have a hurried, whispered discussion. Their murmurs were just quiet enough that I couldn’t tell what they were saying. Despite that fact, I could tell from their frequent glances in my direction what the target of their conversation was.

Me.

“Master.” Freya finally stepped away from her friend and moved toward me, her face set. “I want to… t-to try again, please.”

“Oh, do you now.” I stood up and pulled her into my arms, a wide grin on my face. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“I’ll do my best.” She looked up into my eyes, her serious face too cute to ignore.

“I’ll hold you to that, my sweet crafter,” I murmured as I leaned down, our lips touching softly as I felt her arms entwine behind my neck.

She lasted through the kisses, and when my hands started to explore her body but, as my questing fingers finally found their way under her robe toward her nether regions-

Freya trembled, crying out in pleasure, and fainted into my arms.

“She really does love you.” Dew giggled as she stepped forward to pull the still quivering, though unconscious, girl aside. The stimulation had been too much, it seemed, but she had lasted far longer than her previous attempts. To be fair, it was far from an insult that with but a single touch, I had made her orgasm that quickly.

“She is cute when she tries.” I smiled as I watched Dew lay Freya down on one of the woven grass mats. “Maybe next time, right?”

If a light touch was too much, maybe I needed to change my methods, the next time around. I shrugged to myself and prepared to lay back down.

“Oh no, pretty boy. The night isn’t over yet.” Dew sashayed closer, her eyes fixated on the bulge in my pants. “I don’t think it wise to leave a beast like you in…” She licked her lips, “such a state all night. You might end up… attacking me.”

“Get over here.” I grabbed Dew and pulled her into a deep kiss, our tongues entwining as I squeezed her firm buttocks. “I had no plans to let you off the hook that easily, you wild little minx.”

Dew moaned softly as I pulled her down with me to the floor of our shelter, her expression hungry and lustful as she pulled at my clothing. It was going to be a long and wonderful night.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Edge of the Sendrin Desert - Day 37

A fter our steamy night in the treehouse, I awoke just past dawn to find Dew and Freya deep in a whispered discussion. The sun had just risen, so we hadn’t wasted much of the day, but the fact they’d let me sleep past sunrise proved the girls must be planning something.

I decided to let them have their fun.

“Come on, let’s get going.” I waved at the pair after I’d changed into a somewhat less dirty pair of clothes and had packed up my equipment. Freya and Dew each had a spear and a bow, now. Though Dew still favored her daggers over the spear, it seemed Freya preferred the close-range utility of her mother’s spear over the safety of ranged combat.

Still, they had both picked up a lot from my impromptu training sessions during our journey.

We skirted the edge of the forest, keeping our guard up against possible incursions from the desert. Dew had told me that it was rare that the bandit tribes left their territories, but some of the dens who had made their home in the woods close by the border had been raided by the desert folk before.

It would have been nice if I could contact my father and request a dirigible, but such a misuse of public resources would set the city afire with gossip—were it possible.

And even if he was able to send one, it was possible the bandit tribes could find some way to bring the ship down.

It was simply not worth the risk.

Without an easy solution to our problem, I could only see three routes we might take to reach the high-elf capital, each of them with their own set of risks and dangers.

The first was the sea.

We could build a makeshift vessel and hug the coast back to high-elf territory, but the beasts of the sea, along with the Drungen’s who had plagued my last journey, would make the trip difficult, if not impossible.

The second route was through the Iklit corridor, but the density of monster dens and their aggressive nature made that route only slightly more survivable than the sea.

That left us with a trek through the Sendrin Desert.

There were beasts who made its sands their home, but attacks were supposedly rare—both the potential and difficulty of fighting them off lower than the risks presented by either the sea or the Iklit corridor.

The desert tribes mostly kept to themselves, and there were reports they were happy to trade with anyone who passed by—as long as they had coin.

But bandits were a major concern, especially after I spotted another three or more groups crisscrossing the desert while we walked to the farming community at the edge of the forest.

It was difficult, but I finally set that worry to one side as I surveyed the odd scene before me.

Between the woods and the desert lay a large, grassy area, sectioned off by long, low walls into square patches of land.

Each plot was filled with a different type of plant or animal, all being cared for by elves who lived in the cluster of farmhouses nearby.

“Woods on one side, desert to the other, and they’re growing crops?” I glanced at the community again, noting the small lake that sat on the forest side of their pens, which fed a river that flowed right through the middle of their farms. “Seems risky. Do they get attacked by the bandits?”

“Not if those idiots don’t want to die. This place is under the combined protection of a few large dens, as well as the nearby desert tribes.” Dew waved her hand through the air dismissively. “Some have tried it in the past, but got wiped out for their trouble. The rest stay well away.”

“Makes sense,” I nodded, then turned to lead our group toward the farming community itself. The animals in the pens froze as they sensed Kiel, an apex predator in their eyes, but the shadowpanther didn’t give them the time of day.

The farmers, noticing our odd group, paused in their work to watch us walk past.

Though it was odd to see so many elves working the fields, I held my tongue as we made our way toward the nearest homestead. The fields radiated outward from the central complex, surrounding it in multiple rings of low-walled enclosures, bordered by moderately sized paths along their edges.

An intelligent design, given the area they worked in.

But odder still was the outer edges of the farmland. The entire border was surrounded by a wall at least six feet high.

I knew, given the size of some of the predators who prowled the nearby forest, these defenses wouldn’t be enough to stop them—not if they really wanted to invade—but what I found most interesting, were the small pillars that had been set at regular intervals along the wall.

Runesmith devices.

Either they gave off a field which dissuaded beasts and monsters from assaulting the area, or they might act as defensive emplacements and attack those who invaded.

The first was more likely, but even so, such pillars were rare and expensive devices.

This farming community had more connections than I’d assumed at a glance.

“Hello!” I yelled out as we neared a small gathering of buildings. “We’re looking to trade, and would like to rent a bed for the night.”

My booming request attracted attention from all around, but a female elf dashed out before anyone could take us up on the offer.

Her wide smile and glittering eyes as she surveyed me reflected an open interest, but she didn’t come close to being as lovely as either Dew or Freya.

“Nice to meet you. My name’s Kaely.” She reached out and shook my hand firmly. “You want to trade for provisions, I imagine? How many rooms do you need?”

“Just one room, and we need enough supplies to cross the desert.” I gently pulled my hand back, giving the woman a courteous smile.

“One room, huh?” She glanced at Dew and Freya speculatively, then turned to lead us toward one of the buildings. “You seem to be pretty capable, how about you help me out? And then I’ll help you out.”

“What’s the problem?” I asked, keeping my tone even and noncommittal. I didn’t want to go too far out of my way—since setting off at first light would be best—but if we were going to spend the rest of the day in the area, we might as well be productive.

“Worms. They’ve come from the desert, and they’re messing up the fields at the far end of our settlement.” She waved at some distant land, which was pockmarked by several large holes and mounds of dirt. “We have guards, but it’s risky to fight the things. From the looks of you, I bet you could take them down. Interested?”

“Hmm.” I paused, considering our options. The worms she spoke of would be tricky to kill and we’d have to find a way to attract them to the surface in the first place. Clearing all of them out would be next to impossible, and I doubted the girls wanted to spend the rest of the day killing the beasts. “It sounds like a lot of hassle, just for some food and water.”

“Oh, I can offer you more than that. We just got a shipment in of some rare materials. Runesmiths go mad for the stuff, but we haven’t had the time to ship it to Keria yet.” She turned back to us, a cocky grin on her face. “And on top of that, I’ll make you one of my home cooked meals. I bet you’ve not been eating too well during your journey, right?”

“Oh, he’s been feeding us quite well.” Dew snickered from behind, her comments raising an eyebrow from the farmer, along with a muffled hiss of warning from Freya.

“I can see that.” She smiled and waved away the awkward comment. “But I am the best cook in the area, and I bet you’d like to be setting off, first thing in the morning no doubt, with a full stomach.”

“Master.” Freya leaned in and whispered in my ear. “We could certainly use those materials, and it would be good combat practice. Please, can we give it a go?”

“Dew?” I turned to the other member of our party, waiting until she nodded in agreement before I returned my gaze to the expectant farmer.

“So, is that a yes?” She waited with bated breath as she watched our interaction.

“Okay, we’ll give it a shot. We’ll only clear what we can today, though.” I reached out and shook the farmer’s hand once more, sealing the deal. The elf smiled, her hand remaining in my palm for just a bit longer than necessary before she pulled away abruptly, giving the girls behind me a worried glance.

I looked back to see a pair of vicious glares directed at the farmer. It seemed my girls had noted my lack of interest in the woman, and were showing their distaste at her attempts to flatter or seduce me.

While a bit disconcerting, I couldn’t help but be warmed by their emotional responses.

“So, how many worms are we dealing with?” I turned back to the farmer, who quickly pulled herself together.

“A small group… no more than thirty in number.” She frowned at me, her arms folded over her breasts, as she spoke seriously once more. “We don’t expect you to fully clear them out, but if you can significantly reduce their numbers, they might return back to their usual territory.”

“That seems fair to me. Get our stores ready for our trek.” I moved toward the distant holes and mounds, leading Freya, Dew, and Kiel toward our new targets. “We’ll be back soon; I really hope you don’t disappoint us.”

The farmer nodded and darted back into the building behind her as we walked away. Dew and Freya moved in close on either side of me and smothered me in their hugs, each seeking a bit of attention as we made our way to our new goal.

“What’s up with you two? It’s not like you to be jealous.” I looked down at the pair, who both glanced up at me with guilty expressions.

“You didn’t seem to like her, so she needed to be shown her place.” Dew muttered, looking back over her shoulder at the farmhouse behind us. “You already have us; she’s not needed.”

I glanced at Freya, expecting her to say something about Dew’s possessiveness, but instead, I saw her nod in agreement.

“Well, I guess it is fine.” I sighed and chuckled to myself. “It’s not like I want anyone else right now.”

Freya’s slim arm squeezed me again from the side as she beamed up at me.

“Oh, don’t worry. If you find someone else you want to join us, we won’t get jealous.” Dew leaned in and kissed my neck, her breath hot against my skin as she added, “mostly.”

I laughed at the impish grin on my wild beauty’s face.

“We love you, pretty boy,” she said.

The field in question had been ravaged more than I’d expected. It looked like the farmers had used it for some of their least popular crops—likely due to the risk of it being nearest the edge of their protected domain.

Not much was left, after the worms’ invasion. Fortunately, they hadn’t done anything to the neighboring fields as of yet, but I knew it wouldn’t be too long before they spread further afield.

“So, what’s the plan?” Dew leaned on the wall at the edge of the destroyed field, casually surveying the damage. “I’m hoping you don’t have some hidden high-elf talent for tunneling through the dirt. Weird as that would be, I’d still love you though.”

“Fortunately, no.” I blew out a breath, “but I don’t think you’re going to like the plan I do have in mind.” I chuckled as she spun to face me, eyebrow arched and an accusatory glare on her face. “Of the four of us, you’re the best suited to draw them out. I’ll kill them when they appear, and Freya can act as your backup, to finish them off if necessary. Kiel can keep watch for any stragglers that might want to jump into the mix unannounced.”

“Ugh.” Dew groaned as she leaped up onto the wall. “You’ll owe me for this one.”

Freya followed her up onto the wall, but stayed in place as Dew jumped down into the messed up field. I didn’t like using Dew as bait, but I had full faith in her ability to avoid the danger the worms presented. If worse came to worse, she still had her amazing bladework to fall back on.

Not that I’d let things get that far.

“Ready?” I laid a single arrow against my bow and pulled the string back, just enough that I could draw and loose my shaft at a moment’s notice. Dew and Freya each nodded, their attention fully focused on the field before us. “Go!”

I’d expected Dew to hop around, or at least stomp across the ground, but what she did instead caught me off guard.

She started dancing.

I’d never seen movements like hers in the past. Sure, the high-elf entertainers in the drinking houses in Keria had twisted and moved their bodies about in ways to titillate the mostly male audience, but their techniques were pale imitations of Dew’s sinuous movements.

Our task turned into a game. Dew glided back and forth, clearly aware that I had to keep my attention focused firmly on her feet, but she did her best to pull my gaze upward to her gyrating hips and bouncing bosom. Freya kept glancing back at me awkwardly, as though she expected me to ask Dew to tone down her seductive dancing.

Never.

Despite the obvious affect her dancing had on me, her slinky movements still caused her to whirl and stomp all over the field. The vibrations, while not loud to our ears, must have been like an alarm bell on a shopkeeper’s door to the worms who lay far below us.

And it wasn’t long before the first customer came calling.

“Now!” Dew flipped to the side as a monstrous figure burst out of the ground where she had been standing mere moments ago. Viscous green fluid leaked from the worm’s huge maw as it keened and thrashed back and forth blindly, trying to figure out where the prey it had tried to devour had disappeared to.

I answered its call with one, precise shot. My arrow blasted through the thing’s body, easily blowing its fleshy innards across the field for all to see. Unfortunately, despite the massive damage my shaft had done, it was clear the worm still lived.

But then Freya leaped off the wall, and in one graceful arc, her spear slammed down, slashing through the monster’s vulnerable organs.

My blow had been enough to kill it, eventually, but Freya’s strike ended its life abruptly. Only after she’d pulled her spear clear, flicking it to the side to clean off the mucky remnants of the worm, did she jump back up to the wall.

“Next?” I glanced at Dew, who grinned back at me as her dancing started up once more.

I knew that eventually, the worms might get wise to our tactics, but they weren’t the most intelligent creatures. Utterly blind and lacking anything beyond the basic drive to devour and mate, we should be able to thin out their numbers significantly before the last few stragglers fled back to the desert.

What I found weirder still, was the fact that sand worms had invaded the woodlands at all.

Despite the fact that the two environments were neighbors, the makeup of their biomes was as different as could be.

The first was a dusty, barren wasteland; easy to burrow through, and easier still for beasts attuned to the tremors caused by movement to track their prey.

The second was a densely packed, muddy mess—these fertile fields were the absolute antithesis of their favored environment.

Something, or someone, had forced the worms to flee the desert.

The bandit tribes?

Not likely.

Though the worms may be dangerous for lone travelers or small groups, the large numbers of each bandit party weren’t in any danger.

Their collective resources were minuscule, though, compared to what would be required to force a mass relocation of the worms.

The actual clans of the desert? No, that made even less sense.

Why would they drive away the monsters they hunted?

The movements of monsters and beasts through the lands were well documented, given how closely we had to interact with them. We didn’t have to time to pursue a few oddities, though.

There wasn’t anything we could do about it, even if I felt the urge to investigate the anomaly.

Another worm blasted out of the dirt, barely missing Dew as she lithely sidestepped away.

Before it could react, I blasted its body open, once more revealing its vulnerable organs for Freya to leap in and issue the coup de grace.

I could kill them with another arrow, to be sure, but the girl needed the practice.

Kiel grumbled beside me, letting out a low-pitched whimper as he settled down against the wall.

Though worms weren’t a shadowpanther’s preferred prey, the fact that I’d made him stay out of the battle, clearly annoyed the young cat immensely.

“Next time, you’ll take the lead, Kiel.” I reached down and scratched behind his ears before turning my attention back to Dew. “Let’s get another one!”

Compared to the usual method of worm hunting, which involved a well armored distraction and quick reactions from the bait’s allies to free their comrade, our tactics were cleaner and posed much less danger to all involved.

As worm after worm fell for our ploy, Dew avoided any damage with her acrobatic flips, leaps, and even the occasional playful roll. In fact, she treated it as a game, not caring about the mortal danger such a situation posed for most elves.

Freya remained focused, treating the whole thing seriously, as though Dew’s life depended on each strike. I didn’t mention that I could have just as easily shot two arrows at once to obliterate the worms. Instead I let her have her fun.

Twenty-three worms met a gruesome end before the rest fled in terror.

The tracks as they burrowed their way out of the field were barely visible; the occasional oddly raised mound of dirt showed they were indeed moving back toward the desert.

Sure, a few might remain below, but we’d done the job as best we could.

“Good job, you two.” I pulled the pair of beauties close and gave each of them a quick kiss. “Let’s get back and rest up for the night.”

“And receive our just rewards.” Freya’s smile split her face as we turned back toward the distant farmhouse. Her gaze was unfocused as she walked ahead of me, her mind clearly distracted at the possibilities. “Maybe we’ll get enough materials for me to forge Master a new weapon. A new bow, perhaps? No, not needed. Maybe a spear? We would all match, then-”

Dew giggled and pulled me close as we followed the girl back along the path. The other farmers nearby waved as we passed, calling out their thanks for the work we’d done. I gave them a small nod before returning my focus and attention back to the elf at my side.

“I want to receive my reward, too,” she murmured, her lips against my ear. “I’ve earned a prize, haven’t I?”

“If I keep you up all night, then you’ll have a rough time in the desert.” I tapped a finger against my chin, fighting down the wild surge of lust that whipped through my loins with all my strength. “But I’m sure we can figure something out.”

“Oh, I have a few ideas.” Dew kissed my cheek and pulled back, giving me a cheeky grin before dashing off to catch up with Freya.

I let the pair have their time together as I looked back over my shoulder at the distant, sandy hell we’d have to cross. The journey would take us more than a month, maybe two at the most, and the entire time would be fraught with peril.

Though our trip through the Waskis Woods had been bad at times, those dangers paled compared to what we could face on the trek ahead of us.

But I had supreme faith in myself, and in the girls by my side. As long as nothing untoward happened with the weather, I didn’t have too many worries about us making our way to the far end of the desert. Unfortunately, the weather was about to turn as the seasons changed, and the trip could turn perilous if we didn’t move fast enough.

A single day could make all the difference.

“Back already?” The female farmer we had spoken to earlier, Kaely I think was her name, stepped out of her home as we moved closer, a faint frown on her face. “Did something happen? What about the worms?”

“Most of them are dead, the rest have fled back to the desert from what I can tell.” I shrugged and waved off her concern easily. “So, you said something about rare materials we could take a look at?”

“Amazing. I knew I had a good feeling about you three—” Kiel let out a low growl, cutting the elf off, and she quickly amended her sentence. “er… four. Of course, that’s what I meant. Come on. Please follow me.”

She led us into the farmhouse, which turned out to be well made, its wide, open rooms filled with comfortable furniture. Unlike the rustic homes I’d seen in the past, this one more closely resembled a manor house, than a farmer’s shack.

Kaely ignored that as she moved to a set of large, double doors at the rear of the room. Pulling them aside with a heavy tug, she revealed a large storage area, packed to the brim with all manner of materials, provisions, and anything else we might desire.

“I can’t give it all away, but I’ll give you a discount at least—no worse than cost—after all you did for us.” She waved at the display before us and patted a random box. “This is my pride and joy. Runemetal, perfect for smiths of the same name. We were lucky to get this much in one shipment -”

“How much?” I stepped forward, holding out an arm to bring Freya to a halt as she blindly stepped toward the crate with hungry eyes. “For the whole box?”

“Uh...” The farmer winced, clearly not expecting such a request. “Well, it’s pretty expensive stuff, so-”

“This should cover it.” I pulled out a sack bulging with coin, most of which I’d looted from our foes on this journey. “I’ll trust you not to shortchange us.”

Freya didn’t wait for the elf to respond before she dashed forward and pulled the lid of the crate aside. Kaely watched as her most prized goods were pawed over, but the resignation on her face showed that she wasn’t about to argue.

“Fine. Cost price… as agreed.” She pulled out a relatively small number of coins from the bag and passed them back to me. Dew glanced at the amount and nodded, agreeing with the payment, which matched my own estimates, as well. “What else do you need?”

“Food, anything that keeps well and is light. We’ll also need condensed water storage units.” I pointed at a small stack of bottles at the rear of the storage area. “Nine of those, if you’d be so kind.”

“Clearing me out, aren’t you?” Kaely grumbled, but she didn’t otherwise try to dissuade me as she pulled out the items I’d requested. Each bottle was small enough to be easily carried, but the liquid they contained was pressurized to an insane degree—each bottle containing several gallons of precious fluid.

More Runesmith magic, if a low-level technique.

Still, anything crafted by the magical smiths was expensive, so our little shopping spree quickly cleared out all but a few of the lesser coins we had. Kaely even added in a bounty for the worms we had killed, giving us fair market value for the materials they would collect from each corpse. Still, it only just covered what we needed to purchase the supplies.

But they would be worth every coin in the coming weeks.

“Seeing as you bought so much, the night’s stay will be free. I’ll show you to your rooms—” She paused for a moment, to give me an opportunity to give my name, but sighed when I only smiled and held up a single finger. “Your… room. Come on, you three.”

The bedroom was nice, though a bit smaller than I’d have expected. The oddest thing was that there was only the one bed.

To be fair, it was large enough for all three of us to sleep in comfortably, but that Kaely had accurately guessed at our sleeping arrangements gave me a newfound respect for her.

But, rather than a heated night, Dew purposefully calmed herself as she crawled under the covers beside me.

At first, I was confused, but then I felt Freya clamber in on my other side, her naked body both hot and yet shivering lightly as she pulled herself close.

“Practice,” she mumbled, laying her head on my shoulder. A quick glance at Dew confirmed my guess.

“Maybe next time, pretty boy.” She leaned over and gave me a long, deep kiss, then settled down beside me, her back pressed to my side. With how much she was holding herself back, it was clear Freya must have requested this time to get herself accustomed to sleeping together.

“Well, that works.” I shook my head briefly and leaned back, my arm curling around the deliciously warm bundle of nerves snuggled into my side, slowly letting myself drop off into a peaceful night’s sleep, a beauty on each side as unconsciousness claimed me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sendrin Desert - Day 38

T he night passed without incident, though I did wake up to find both girls cuddled around me.

Freya’s head rested atop my shoulder, her arm wrapped around my upper chest and her light breath fluttering against my face as she held herself close.

In comparison, Dew’s head laid just below Freya’s arm atop my chest, her leg thrown across my own as she sought to burrow into me.

“Morning, you two,” I smiled.

Freya awoke first and her expression was a marvel to behold. For a moment she froze up, unsure of how to respond before she tucked her head under the covers and burrowed her face into my side.

“Good morning, Master.” She mumbled softly, barely audible under the sheets.

“Hello, pretty boy.” Dew pushed herself up and gave me a long, lingering kiss before she rolled away. “Sorry you had to hold back last night.”

“It’s fine. Plenty of time for that later on.” I reached down and pulled Freya up into sight, pushing a red lock of hair behind her delicate ear before giving her a deep kiss of her own.

She sighed into my kiss, a pretty blush rushing up her neck. She rose up and stretched, the sheet slipping down to reveal her heavy breasts. Surprisingly, she didn’t snatch the sheet up to cover herself.

I stared for a moment, bemused by her beauty before I pushed myself up. “The earlier we get moving, the better. Let’s get going.”

The girls nodded and dressed, collected their gear quickly and followed me out of the room in short order as we made our way back to the ground floor of the farmhouse.

Kaely welcomed us with a smile and a hearty breakfast—she hadn’t been lying about her cooking talent. With a warm thanks again, for our help with the worms, she then quickly left to go about her chores for the day.

Farming wasn’t an easy job, and not one for the lazy.

Still, the meal had been excellent, so I slipped a coin under the plates as a tip before I led my girls back out into the bright, morning sunshine.

The farmers were already hard at work, and Dew cheerily waved back to the few who greeted us as we made our way toward the exit nearest to the desert. Once we were back out into the open, no walls to shield us from the vast expanse of rock and sand before us, the full extent of our journey was too much to ignore.

“Are you two sure about this?” I glanced over at Freya and Dew, a small frown on my face. “We’re going to be in the desert for at least a month… maybe two, and I doubt it’ll be a fun trip. We could -”

“You need to get home, and we both know you’d never be able to forget about it.” Dew leaned in close and held my face in her hands. “Now’s not the time to start doubting yourself, Wes.”

“She’s right, Master.” Freya grabbed my free hand and squeezed it, firmly. “We’re with you, no matter where you go.”

“Thank you.” I smiled, warmed by their statements of commitment to me. I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, settling the pack firmly on my back. “Let’s get this show on the road, then.”

The pair nodded happily and moved to flank me as we made our way into the desert proper.

Dirt and grass gave way slowly to dusty sand as we walked down the last, final hill.

With but a few wispy clouds to note it, we crossed over into the Sendrin Desert, leaving the green of the forest and yellow of the brief stretch of plains behind.

As we moved out into the sandy wasteland, the sun hit anew from both above and below.

The heated sand beneath our feet acted like an oven, baking our skin through our thin clothing.

Before we moved any farther, I stopped and had Dew and Freya pull on the loose fitting robes I’d purchased to protect their skin, and only once they were fully covered, did I follow suit.

No way I’d let them burn to a crisp in this heat.

Oddly enough, Kiel refused such treatment.

Only after Dew confirmed that the shadowpanther could easily regulate his own body temperature, even in the harsh climate of the Sendrin Desert, did I relent in my attempts to wind a thin cloth around the cub’s ears and head.

Well, cub was a strong word for a creature who, in short order, would be able to look me in the eye, but still.

The heat became bearable once it wasn’t beating directly against our bodies, but it was still uncomfortable.

Even though it was the same bright sun we’d gloried in this morning, the shining rays felt different—harsher and more aggressive.

The whole area seemed to be a peculiar hell designed to destroy anything that dared to move within it.

We persevered and moved deeper into the sandy dunes. I kept my eyes fixed on the horizon, searching for plumes of dust or any other signs of movement.

Our group was small enough that our movements didn’t create much dust, but the desert tribes usually traveled in moderate to large packs.

Unfortunately, the first plume of dust we noticed came up on us from the rear.

“Isn’t that odd?” Dew pointed back the way we’d come, calling out the peculiar sign. “Are they following us?”

“Why would they? The bandits would have had to circle all the way around, or they’d have had to wait for us to travel this far.” I grimaced as I noticed yet another plume of dust off to one side, also heading in our direction. “I don’t like this at all. Follow me.”

The girls remained silent, clearly aware of the severity of our situation as I led them to the top of a relatively large sand dune.

The high ground was a powerful advantage, as many overconfident warriors had learned to their detriment in the past, but the sand could be even more treacherous.

Have you ever tried to sprint up a sand dune? Not an easy task, even without an arrow sprouting between your eyes.

Dew and Freya pulled out their bows, giving me worried glances as a third plume of dust moved in to cut off our last possible escape route.

There was no way such a perfect blockade had happened by accident.

That they’d caught onto us so quickly—the very day we’d entered the desert—was incredibly unlucky.

I was immediately suspicious.

“Hello there!” I called out confidently as the first group moved close. From their outfits, they didn’t seem like bandits, but it was difficult to tell. Rather, they seemed to be actual desert tribesmen. “Any particular reason you’ve decided to surround us?”

“You tell us, high elf.” A cloaked figure stepped forward, his tone harsh as he pointed up at us. “What’s your plan now? Going to try to lie your way out?”

“Lie my way out of what, exactly?” I kept my tone neutral as I tilted my head to one side, keeping as many of the group in focus as I could. Each group of warriors had at least ten to their name, leaving us facing more than thirty enemies, if they did decide to attack. “We just want to pass through the desert. What problems have you had with high elves, exactly?”

“Like you don’t know! How many of our number have been lost because of your experiments?” The desert elf slammed his foot into the sand and pulled a long cleaver from under his robe.

“Look, are you sure you want to do this? We really don’t have any idea what you’re talking about!” I glanced at Freya and Dew, who hurriedly nodded in agreement. “We’ve been in the woods for a month, so we might have missed-”

“Lies!” The leader spat, lifting his cleaver into the air. “Kill them! Vengeance for the dead!”

“Your choice,” I muttered softly, closing my eyes for a moment, and shaking my head. Opening them again, I stared down at the target gallery rushing up to meet us. “I gave you a chance.”

My first shot lifted the leader from his feet, throwing the desert elf’s body back through the air until he crashed down in the sand several paces behind where he had been. His followers paused, shocked by the severity of my strike.

But we didn’t give them a chance to recover from their shock.

The desert tribes didn’t have much armor, but it was enough to interfere with the shots from Dew’s and Freya’s bows if their shafts weren’t well aimed. My arrows, however, had no such issues.

As their losses mounted up, the group became frantic, trying to defend themselves against our unending barrage.

“Take them down! For the fallen!” Another elf screamed out just before my arrow slammed into his chest, another life snuffed out by one of my streaking shafts.

Of the thirty plus warriors who had initially attacked, their numbers had dropped to just over ten.

Still, they didn’t give up.

To be fair, I did feel a bit guilty as I picked them off one after the other, but it wasn’t like I hadn’t tried to talk them down. In fact, they’d throw my attempts at diplomacy right back in my face.

“You will die for what you’ve done!” An elf finally made it to the top of the dune, his large sword swinging high as he dashed toward me. “Die-”

Dew leaped forward before I could shoot, slicing and stabbing the elf several times before she spun around and flung a knife at another warrior who’d crested the rise.

Freya rushed in with her spear to finish off the wounded tribesman, though I could see a look of regret on her face as she did so.

Kiel followed suit, ripping and tearing into a pair of warriors who’d managed to reach the top of the dune.

Their screams echoed out until the shadowpanther crunched down with all his strength on their necks, ending their lives in one final crunch.

So many dead elves, and I still had no idea why they’d attacked us.

But I didn’t let my concerns hold me back as I shot down the last few members of the tribe.

Their tactics had been moronic at best, but it was clear rage had overcome them.

Something dire had happened, and I was afraid this wouldn’t be the last such attack we’d have to weather.

I waved to catch the girls’ attention before I slid down the dune to start picking up my arrows. “Collect any usable equipment along with your arrows and strip them of their coin, and then we’ll head back to the woods,” I called out. Though Freya could craft more, I didn’t want to leave any evidence of who had dispatched this band.

Not that I thought it would stay hidden for long, either way.

Freya and Dew worked quickly, collecting their arrows and pulling any coin pouches from the warriors.

It wasn’t very honorable but, given what we’d just been through, I fully expected we’d need the money before long.

After we’d looted the area, I led the others back toward the woods. Another few plumes of dust rose up in the distance, racing toward our recent battle as we rushed back out of the desert.

Luckily, they had been too impatient to wait for us to move far into the sandy dunes—so it wasn’t hard for us to make our way back to the relative safety of the woods.

“What now, Master?” Freya gasped out, as she leaned against a tree. Her breathing was ragged and deep as she held her hands behind her head, fighting to recover her wind. “How are we going to cross the desert if they keep chasing us?”

“We aren’t.” I growled and shook my head. “The desert elves are too many in number, and it’s clear something dire has driven them to this insanity. No matter how many we’d kill, they’ll wear us down in a war of attrition.”

“So, what now? Do we try the sea route?” Dew waved off in the direction of the distant waves, though it was clear she didn’t like that option. “It would take longer, but it could be safer.”

“No, it’s too risky.” I stared at the farming community in the distance. “What I want to know, is how did they know we were coming?”

“You don’t think that Kaely…” Freya trailed off before she turned to glare at the buildings in the distance. “She betrayed us, Master?”

“Betrayed is a strong word. The farmers share a lot of information with the dens and tribes they deal with—maybe possible customers heading their way are a part of that.”

I shrugged, trying to ignore the tight, clenching knot in my gut. “But I’ll figure it out. You two get back to the treehouse and stay hidden. I’ll come to meet you when I’m done.”

“Good luck, Wes.” Dew leaned in close and pulled my head down for a long, deep kiss. “And if she did do it on purpose… you know what to do.”

“If that’s the case, then she put each of you in danger too.” I grimaced and pulled away. “There’s no way I’d let her get away with something like that, trust me.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Edge of the Sendrin Desert - Day 38

C ompared to our first visit, when we’d openly walked in through one of the few gates, this next trip I’d need to be far more circumspect.

Luckily, on our last journey through the farming community I’d memorized the lay out of the paths and buildings.

I knew of a route I could take that should keep me away from any curious eyes, all the way to the central homesteads.

Under normal circumstances, I might have pointed out such a massive flaw in their defensive layout to Kaely, but I’d held back for some reason.

Now, after we’d been ambushed less than an hour into the desert, I knew why my gut had warned me not to.

I leaped over the wall at a moment when the nearby guards were laughing at one of their comrade’s dirty jokes and darted into the nearest crop field before they turned their attention back to the job at hand.

Sure, it was difficult to sit in one place, watching an uninteresting view day in, day out, but that was the role they’d signed up for.

“Idiots,” I grumbled, irritated at their incompetence—despite the fact their inattentiveness had allowed me to slip in easily, undetected. The tall crops were bulky enough to hide my form as I slipped from field to field, pausing just long enough between each to check that no one had noticed my presence.

The most difficult part of this would be crossing the gap between the fields and the farmhouses.

Fortunately, the home I wanted to reach was at the edge of the settlement, not so far that I couldn’t make it.

The issue was that there always seemed to be at least one elf wandering around the area, doing this and that, or merely taking a well-deserved break from the sun.

While perfectly understandable, that several of them had stopped to take a break as I crouched near the edge of the flowering bushes near the buildings annoyed me. I needed a distraction.

I looked down and pulled out a loose stone from the dirt at my feet. Roughly shaped, and just large enough to fit snugly in my palm.

Taking care to stay hidden in the bushes, I took aim at a distant farmhouse and pulled my arm back.

Though it wasn’t a bow, my gift came into play as I threw the rock with one smooth motion, sending it speeding through the air toward its target—a large, expensive, glass paned window.

The crash of broken glass echoed across the whole area, drawing the attention of everyone who had been nearby.

I’d throw the stone with enough power to smash through the glass pane, but the resulting noise wasn’t loud enough to draw attention from the fields.

“Perfect.” I dashed out, taking advantage of the farmers’ confusion to slip undetected into the large house at the edge of the settlement.

No one was home, at least not on the ground floor, but I thought I could hear someone moving around on the floor above.

From what I’d seen, it seemed like Kaely lived alone, so it was most likely her. After a moment of consideration, I pulled out a dagger, one I’d borrowed from Dew, and made my way stealthily up the stairs.

“What the hell was that?” Kaely’s voice echoed out as she leaned up against a window on the upper floor. I glanced around the room, making sure she was alone before I moved in through the open door. “Who’d do something so-”

“Me.” I slipped up behind her and laid my knife against her neck. “Stay quiet and answer my questions.”

“Wha- What’re you doing here?” She tried to turn, but I stopped that with a gentle press of the blade against her neck. “Are you mad about the price? I can return the money. I can-”

“The deal we made was fine.” I paused, unsure if she was truly in the dark or just an amazing actor. “The desert elves who tried to kill us… not so much.”

“Wait, kill? Why would they kill their customers?” Kaely turned her face toward me slowly, confused at my revelation. “We let them know whenever someone is passing through their lands, and they make our lives easier, in return. It is customary. It’s always been that way.”

“Not this time, it seems.” I pulled my knife back but kept it between us as I frowned. “What did you tell them, exactly?”

“The same as always. The number in the group, and where they were planning to go.” Kaely took a deep breath as she slowly turned to face me, her gaze fixed upon my dagger. “We’ve never had issues with our contacts passing such information on to the bandit tribes, at least none that have been reported.”

“Maybe it wasn’t the bandits. The groups that attacked us seemed to be standard desert tribesmen.” I tapped a finger against my blade, contemplating the farmer’s words. “Has anything big happened in the desert? They seemed driven by something—kept saying something had killed their people. Something that they blame on the high elves, and their experiments.”

“Well,” Kaely frowned, “there have been rumors of an uprising, but that’s not the first time we’ve heard such gossip, so we ignored it.” The farmer calmed down a bit when she saw I wasn’t about to end her life. “Just the usual stuff, but they did mention that they blamed the elves in Keria specifically about something... Something having to do with the monsters in the desert. That’s all I know.”

“Right, thank you.” I put my weapon away and stepped back. “I believe you, but you understand that I’ll have to ask you to keep this conversation to yourself, right?”

“Oh, the one which would get me killed if I even mentioned it to the wrong elf? Gladly.” She wiped the sweat trickling from her brow as I backed toward the door. “What about you? I doubt you can make it across the desert now.”

“We don’t have many options.” I paused and turned back to her. “It sounds like you have an idea, though… one that I might not like.”

“Well, there is another option.” The woman pulled a scroll off a shelf and rolled it out on a desk against the wall. “If you follow this route, you should bypass the most dangerous areas.”

“The Iklit corridor?” I looked at the map, a deep frown on my face. “From everything I’ve heard, that’s suicide by monster.”

“It normally is, but this map was given to me by an explorer group. They laid out the path for us, in case we ever needed to, uh-” The farmer glanced out of the window awkwardly. “In case the desert tribes started to make our lives difficult.”

“A bunch of wood elves turned farmers escaping to the high elf lands through a monster infested track?” I looked up from the map, one eyebrow raised quizzically. “Why not just go back to the woods?”

“We had to give up a lot to build this place, and part of that was our attachment to the woods. The dens still deal with us fairly, but if we lost our farms...” She shrugged softly, “things would change.”

“Fine. You might want to look into your other options, anyway.” I picked up the map and waved it at her. “You’ve got other copies of this, right?”

“Of course.” She smiled and nodded. “And, this might not sound too helpful after what you’ve been through, but good luck. I liked you three.”

“Four.” I smiled, remembering Kiel’s grumbles, and turned to leave the room. “Stay in here for another hour at least, just in case. Goodbye, Kaely.”

The farmers and guards outside were still distracted, each one blaming the others after they’d found the offending rock that had smashed the window’s pane.

I used the uproar to slip out into the fields once more as I made my way stealthily back to the wall at the edge of the settlement.

But, just as I neared the wall, I saw something that caused me to a halt.

“We’re here to speak with your leaders.” A desert elf, still fully dressed in his flowing cloak, waved at the guards dismissively. “Let us through. Now.”

The guards glanced between themselves before they capitulated to the desert elf’s demands. The group, nearly as large as that which had assaulted us in the desert, strode into the farming community and up along the path, as if they owned the place.

“What’s got into them?” one of the guards turned to his colleague, a worried frown on his face. “It’s not often that a full hunting party drops by.”

“Probably nothing… but keep an eye out.” The other guard leaned in close to her friend to whisper something. As the pair softly discussed what had just happened, I darted by, leaping over the wall and rushing away into the trees before either one noticed me.

Another close call.

Only after I’d kept a close watch on the area for another half of an hour, did I move on, happy that the desert elves hadn’t come out to follow me already.

I trusted Kaely to not reveal the truth to the elves. As she’d said, if they did learn she’d helped me out, it was possible they’d kill her then and there. Still, it would be worth laying low for a while, just to make sure our path was clear of possible trackers.

The tribes would expect us to flee, so hiding nearby—virtually in plain sight—should catch them off guard.

I slipped back to the treehouse, careful to cover my tracks and climbed up, only to be greeted by a pair of spears pointed at my face. It took my girls a moment to notice who it was before they tossed the weapons aside and pulled me up into the shelter.

“Oh my god, you took way too long.” Dew grabbed me tightly and squeezed her body against mine. “Kiel was watching out below, but I almost left to go find you-”

“Several times.” Freya sighed and smacked Dew’s shoulder jokingly. “You should trust Master more.”

“Like you were any better?” Dew pulled back and glared at her friend. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d have sworn you nearly burst into tears a couple times while we were waiting for him.”

I watched the two bicker at each other with a grin. They cared for me, and for each other, and that was enough.

Kiel would act as a guardian down below, warning us if any enemies approached, so our little hideaway should be the perfect place to catch our breath as we plotted out our next move.

“Here,” I said, interrupting, “look at this.” I pulled out the map I’d been given and tucked its ends under a branch for the others to see. “What do you think?”

“That’s… Well-” Freya frowned as she looked over the route and then turned to me, her face set. “If you believe we can do it, Master, then so do I.”

“Definitely still dangerous, but unexpected. I like it.” Dew tapped on the scroll and grinned to herself. “There are several spots along the way for us to rest up, too—unlike in the desert. Not a bad route you’ve found us there.”

“What about Kaely? Did she betray us?” Freya’s expression became serious as she stared into my eyes. “What did you do to her?”

“She said that they customarily pass on information to the desert tribes about parties heading their way—but that she didn’t know they would attack us. I believed her.” I shrugged off the pairs’ confused gazes. “I figured they shared such information with the tribes, but never imagined that it would end up potentially killing us.”

After we’d nailed down the specifics for our journey, we still had some work to do. The provisions we’d collected would still be useful for the trip, especially the cloaks we’d purchased. Though the Iklit corridor was cooler than its desert cousin, that didn’t mean that we’d be able to walk through it without issues, far from it in fact.

The main threat would be the namesake of the area itself.

It was odd that an entire territory had been named after a single monster, but the Iklit presented enough of a threat to warrant it.

They could burrow underground at speeds far greater than the sand worms and their poisonous claws ended most battles before they’d even begun, but even if we could avoid all that they still had a secret weapon in their arsenal.

Their outer shells were more heavily armored than even the strongest wall I’d ever seen.

If my shot didn’t penetrate an eye or go through an open mouth, then even the heavily empowered arrows Freya had crafted would do little more than push the beasts back.

A single Iklit could fight and kill an entire party of adventurers by itself, and a pack of them were normally classed as town killers.

Given their natural resistance to poisons, they could even eat a Deeplord behemoth to death from the inside out.

Fortunately, they weren’t the most sociable of monsters.

Usually, Iklit traveled alone, or briefly in packs of mated pairs.

Even after giving birth to a litter of little Iklit, the mother quickly abandoned her young, leaving the children to fend for themselves.

Usually, they ended up devouring one another, leaving only the hardiest to become the scarred, overly aggressive adults that plagued the corridor.

But all of that was ahead of us.

Freya focused on the runesmith metal we’d purchased, quickly sorting them into different stacks by the base material and quality of each.

After that was done, she then focused on carefully smelting and refining each substance.

Her runesmith forge came out again, and its entire form shivered in anticipation as Freya laid the empowered metals upon its surface.

Power went to power, and it looked like she’d have an easier time working with the mystical material than she’d had with standard, earthly metals before.

“So.” Dew leaned in close as we watched Freya work. “Are you okay, Wes?”

“I’m fine, why?” I gave her an odd look, a bit confused by her concern. “What’s up with you today?”

“Well, you’ve seemed a bit different, recently... like you’ve started doubting yourself.” She snuggled into my lap as she added softly, “that isn’t like you, so I know something is wrong.”

“To be fair, I’ve been thinking about home.” I paused, sorting carefully through what I wanted to say. “Not just Keria… but what I want to do with my life.”

“We’ll be with you, wherever you go.” Dew smiled up at me, but I shushed her, laying a finger against her lips.

“I know, as I will with you. But it’s not you that I’m worried about… at least not directly.” I grimaced and turned away. “It’s the high elves, themselves. While I doubt my family would do anything, I doubt Keria will be a pleasant experience for either of you.”

“Then we won’t stay long in Keria.” Dew waved the worry away without a care. “Home is where we want it to be.”

“True enough, I guess.” I smiled as she snuggled back in against my chest. “I’m probably over thinking it, but I have a bad feeling about the whole thing.”

“It’ll be fine. If anything happens, you can just fix it, right?” Dew pushed herself up and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “Wait right there, I know something that’ll cheer you up.”

I watched on as Dew scooted over to Freya, who was still intently sorting through her new stash of materials. After a moment she managed to pull the petite girl’s attention from her work before the pair settled into a hurried conversation, of which I could barely hear a word.

“- Now?” Freya glanced at me, then back to Dew. “Are you sure?”

“Now or never, kiddo.” Dew pulled Freya to her feet and gave the girl a gentle push towards me. “Go on. You know you want to... more than anything.”

Freya turned back to me and, taking a deep breath, her cheeks fairly glowing, slowly sank down to her knees. “Master, I want to-”

Before she could finish her sentence, I crawled forward and pulled her close. She looked shocked for the brief moment before our lips touched, but then she melted in my grasp. This was all part of the plan I’d concocted—with Dew’s help, of course—over the last few days.

I just had to move quickly, before she could overthink things. I swiftly untied my breeches and pushed them down. Dew helped me undress as I continued to kiss Freya.

“Mhhmmm.” She moaned as I pulled her robe aside in one, swift motion, revealing her body to me. “Slow- Down-”

But I didn’t listen. If I gave her too much time, the reality of what was happening might settle in.

Instead, I gently pushed her to the floor and laid myself atop her, giving her another gentle kiss on the lips before I moved downward. First to her cheek, then to her neck, and further downward. As I approached her heavy breasts, she moved her hand toward my head.

For a moment I thought she would push me away, but she did the opposite, guiding my head until my lips reached her pink, erect nipples.

“Oh!” She spasmed as I took one into my mouth, playfully sucking at her hardening bud before I grazed the sensitive skin with my teeth, lightly, just hard enough to make her feel it.

“Master!”

As I continued working on her breasts, which I’d guessed would be her weak spot, my free hand quested down her stomach. Her thighs were pushed tightly together, acting as a defensive barrier against my fingers, but I managed to worm my way along one thigh after a moment’s effort and gently pulled her legs apart.

She squealed in pleasure when my fingertips brushed against her raised mound. I could feel her tremble under my light touch. The stimulation might become too much if I let it build up for much longer, so I needed to escalate things, quickly.

I pushed down, and in.

Her warm, slick folds enveloped my two fingers in an instant, welcoming me into her as Freya rocked her hips up to meet my palm. Her mouth hung open, eyes squeezed shut, locked in a state of euphoric pleasure as I continued to explore every inch of her beautiful body.

After she’d shuddered against my hand for the third time in as many minutes, I decided that I’d been patient for long enough.

Freya’s dewy eyes fluttered open as she watched me move up against her, and her face showed nothing but desire and willingness as she reached out for me.

“Take me, Master!”

I thrust into her slowly, afraid that if I treated her the same as I had Dew, it might hurt her. She was incredibly tight, so hot and slick that I gasped. I slowly worked my length into her.

She cried out, wincing in pain and biting down on her lip, as she surrendered her virginity to me, but I didn’t feel any end as I pushed deeper and deeper. She took my full length, whimpering in pleasure as the tip of my cock brushed against the edge of her womb.

“Another one?” I grunted, slowly shifting myself back a little. “Don’t tell me all wood elves are like this.”

“No.” Dew leaned in close and stroking the girl’s hair, gave Freya a quick, comforting kiss on the forehead. “Not many of us can take you at your worst, pretty boy.”

“Then let’s test that.” I grinned and pulled back, till just the tip of my cock nestled between Freya’s parted netherlips, before I slammed back in.

Freya bounced up to meet me, her legs rising to lock around my waist as she clutched at my shoulders. Her scratches weren’t painful, but her desire was evident. She wanted more.

And I was happy to give her what she desired.

Dew watched us, her clothing discarded as she played with herself off to one side.

Despite the fact I was railing into her friend with every bit of energy I could muster, the blonde wood elf didn’t mind in the slightest.

In fact, she dug several fingers deep into herself with each push, mirroring my movements with her hand.

But Freya didn’t last nearly as long as Dew had. Her body trembled and her strength failed her, rocked by one too many orgasms in a row. She looked like she was on the verge of collapse again.

So, I thrust in deep once more.

“Oh!” She reached up and grabbed my head, pulling me into a deep kiss as I thrust into her again. She pressed down on my cock, squeezing me as though she wanted me to give her my seed right then and there, but I wasn’t ready for that just yet.

I just kept going, pushing her to height after new height of pleasure. I played with her breasts, tousled with her tongue, and stroked her vulnerable clit so that she turned to putty in my hands.

“A- Big- One-” She moaned, pulling me down for a long, deep kiss. “It’s- I can’t-”

“Let it all out.” I sped up my movements, rocking myself to the edge as I felt her rising up below me.

“Come for me!” she wailed.

Pleasure exploded from my loins as she locked down, her walls clutching at me as I came inside her. Another wave of orgasms crashed through her body as she dropped to the floor, her eyes rolling back into her head as she was barely conscious, her mind gave out under the constant barrage of stimulation.

And, after she was finally done, she slowly woke up and gave me a contented smile.

“Thank you, Master.” She pulled me down and nestled her head into my shoulder. “Did I do well?” she murmured sleepily.

“You did perfectly.” I gave her a kiss as she dropped off to sleep, utterly satisfied.

“Good job, pretty boy.” Dew pushed herself forward to kneel beside us as I slowly pulled myself out of Freya. “But I doubt you’re done with that, right?”

She leaned down and took me in her mouth without hesitation, licking and cleaning her toy from the sticky remnants of my session with Freya.

Though it had been very enjoyable, the warmth of Dew’s mouth enveloping my cock brought me right back to the surging level of lust I’d felt at the start.

“Come here, you.” I pulled her hips atop mine and thrust upward, into her slick entrance in one fell swoop. “You think you can just take advantage of me, eh?”

“No, I-” I thrust again, pulling her hips down to grind on me, cutting her off as I grinned at the happy smile that blossomed on her face. “I can’t-”

“Horny little elves need to be punished.” I pulled her down far enough that I could reach her nipple with my mouth, giving it a quick nip as I pushed myself into her once more. “Or are you going to claim that you are a good girl?”

“I’m… I’m a bad girl!” She moaned, taking over and driving her hips down to meet mine. “I’m your bad girl!”

We settled into a rhythm as she dropped against my chest, lost in pleasure as I took out my desire on her willing body. While Freya’s love was pure and gentle, Dew didn’t try to hide her lust in the slightest. She was the perfect counterpoint to our sweet little crafter.

Still, I couldn’t just ignore her after she’d gotten herself so worked up helping me and Freya, so I gave her a full set of orgasms of her own before I finally let myself release inside of her.

Only once she was fully satisfied, did I settle back down, content—with Freya snuggled against my side and Dew laying on top of me.

“Feeling better, pretty boy?” Dew leaned up and kissed my cheek gently.

“Always, Dew.” I returned her gesture and leaned back, happily staring up at the stars that had started to sparkle in the growing darkness far above us. “You’re right, I was just overthinking things. We’ll just have to take it one day at a time.”

“Good idea.” Freya mumbled at side, curling into me in her sleep to grab ahold of my arm. “Warm.”

“Cute.” Dew shivered in delight as she pressed herself against me. “It’s a shame we won’t get to do this when we’re passing through the corridor.”

“Then we’ll just have to make the most of our vacation, won’t we.” I grinned up at my wild beauty, who returned my hungry look with one of her own.

“Whatever you say, pretty boy.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Waskis Woods - Day 44

W e rested in the treehouse for five more days, giving the desert tribes’ furor time to die down as we prepared ourselves fully for the journey ahead.

Freya spent the time refining her collection of runesmith materials.

Though she didn’t have the skill to create new runesmith devices, the prepared metals could still be used to enhance our weaponry or create entirely new items.

She focused first upon restocking my quiver, creating another forty runesmith projectiles before she fixed up my sword and moved on to upgrade my bow again.

Oddly enough, her hammering didn’t make much more noise than our coupling did late into the night.

Dew, on the other hand, spent her time sneaking through the forest with Kiel, collecting all manner of herbs and flowers to store away in her pouch, which had been bled dry treating various wounds and ailments over our long trip through the woods.

I fully trusted her to avoid detection, but I still breathed a sigh of relief, whenever she returned at the end of each day.

For my part, I trained. Not with the bow, as my skill in that department couldn’t get much higher.

Instead, I focused on my sword, which had been restored and upgraded in quick order under Freya’s hammer, as though it hadn’t been damaged in the first place.

While it remained a truism that I could take out most enemies before they even reached us, having another weapon to fall back on would be useful, might even save my life, depending upon the situation at hand.

An added benefit was the fact that Freya really seemed to enjoy watching me train topless; her hammering became wilder and more frantic whenever I did so.

Even without Dew to encourage and cheer her on from the sideline, she surrendered to her urges multiple times over those days that we stayed tucked away in the woods.

From the few times she’d joined me in training, at least when we stayed upright for any length of time, she showed a rapidly increasing level of skill in her spear work—now that she’d developed the arm strength and endurance to wield it.

Spears were some of the deadliest melee weapons when wielded by the right hands, and I could tell that Freya might already rank at the higher level of that group.

Time would only tell how far she could go.

Dew, on the other hand, remained the black sheep of our group—defying simple classification.

She had multiple skills which neither I nor Freya possessed.

Her intimate knowledge of herbs and their general uses, when added to her peculiar attraction, attachment and link to certain beasts, made me wonder if it was fair of me to take her out of her forest home.

Fortunately, she put that concern of mine to bed early—quite literally, in fact.

But eventually all good things must come to an end.

Freya eventually used up her whole stock of materials, crafting my arrows, and enhancing all of our weapons—my arrows and sword, along with their spears and bows.

Though my bow remained far more powerful than theirs, Freya still managed to bring out the best attributes in their equipment.

She even managed to add a few touches to her mother’s spear, which shocked me more than anything.

“This really is a work of art.” I swept the spear through the air, marveling at how it seemed to cut through the wind like it didn’t exist. “And you’ve never been trained? Where do you find the inspiration?”

“Thank you for your kind words, Master.” She took the spear back gently, a faint smile on her face. “My work has improved tenfold since… Well… Since we-”

“Did it?” Dew stepped in and nudged Freya’s shoulder with a knowing wink. “You two need some privacy again, or are we actually setting off? Not that I mind if we stay for another day, of course.”

“We need to head off eventually, and the later we leave, the worse the weather will be.” I pulled my pack’s straps tighter and led the others back down the tree. “Let’s keep our heads down. I don’t really feel like killing my way back to Keria.”

Though our provisions were stored well, the sheer amount of food we’d need for the trip made the packs difficult to ignore.

If Freya hadn’t stuck to Dew’s training regime so faithfully, I doubted if she could have managed more than a few hours with the weight she now bore on her shoulders, never mind multiple days in a row.

But the condensed water bottles were the best part of it.

They contained a large amount of liquid within their confines, so much that each one would easily outweigh the rest of our bundles, but the weight remained little more than a barely filled water bottle.

Unfortunately, no one had found a way to utilize the same technique for any materials but water, though I had heard of some madcap runesmiths trying to create explosives they called ‘grenades’ using the technique.

Either they’d blown themselves up, or the insane elves had yet to find the missing link.

All in all, our burdens were bearable.

Even Kiel carried his own pack. It was small enough that it wouldn’t interfere with his movement but contained enough jerky and smoked meat to cover his requirements for the journey.

Iklit wouldn’t be on anyone’s preferred menu, even for a growing shadowpanther like him.

“So, this is the Iklit Corridor?” Dew paused as we stepped over the last rise at the edge of the forest, after which the ground tumbled down toward the dirty sands below. “I don’t like it. Too messy.”

Too messy was right, and not by half. Compared to the golden sand and dust of the Sendrin Desert, the corridor seemed to be made up of a madcap mix of the worst colors imaginable.

Sickly yellows, pale grays, and even the odd splotch of darkened purple covered the landscape.

But we’d seen all the warning signs already.

Though outwardly it seemed to be quiet, the denizens of the area would be quick to strike down anyone who tried to sneak by.

Those purple splotches were the nests of those freaks, the result of their poisonous blood leaching into the soil as they killed and devoured their brothers and sisters beneath the sands.

But our route should let us avoid those deathtraps. Hopefully.

“Follow me, carefully, and don’t step on the sand.” I turned to lead our group along the very edge of the forest, skirting around the corridor's mucky sand as we moved toward the green seacoast. Those coastal waters were even more dangerous than the Lanoi Sea, but it wasn’t like we planned to go for a swim.

No, our route would only take us along the cliffs, right up to their edge.

As we skirted along the boundary between the Iklit corridor and the Waskis Woods, I spotted the occasional blast of dirty sand off in the distance and could hear the odd screech as some beast or other met its end.

Even if it didn’t look it from here, the land was alive… with death.

Neither Freya nor Dew seemed to be perturbed by our environs, and happily discussed our future together, literally behind my back.

I even heard the mention of children, a topic I didn’t want to even consider—not for a long while!

Fortunately for me, it was difficult for a high elf to get a wood elf pregnant, and vice versa, so it wasn’t something I’d worried too much about.

On the other hand, Freya was living proof that it could happen, so…

I pushed that disturbing thought aside as we closed in on the edge of the woods near the green sea.

There was still a stretch of the Iklit corridor that separated the two, but we’d have to journey on for at least a few more months before we found a more favorable crossing.

“Okay, I’ll find us a target.” I laid my pack down beside the pair and gave each of them a quick kiss. “Wait for me here, I won’t be long.”

I waved at Kiel to follow me as I moved out. Though the girls wanted to follow, I knew it would be too dangerous. A single elf could sneak in, get what we needed, and hopefully retreat before the main swarms found him. And what I needed to find would be tricky enough to get as it was.

I needed fresh Iklit blood, and there was only one way to procure it.

Kiel and I moved away at a hard angle from the path we planned to take, moving us both well off our intended route.

“Here, Iklit, Iklit, Iklit.” I tapped my foot against the sand as I tentatively moved into range of the corridor. The monsters on the edge of the sandy dunes should be the weakest of the bunch, driven out by their stronger competition, and hopefully hungry for any kill—no matter how suspicious it seemed.

And I didn’t have long to wait as Kiel’s ears twitched out toward the side, a low pitched hiss rattling from his throat.

“Good boy.” I laid a full four arrows against my bow and turned toward the rapidly approaching enemy. Now that he’d called my attention to the thing, it wasn’t too difficult to track its movements, not that it seemed to be trying all that hard to hide itself.

Overconfident or starving, neither mattered to me.

The murky sands blasted aside as a large figure rose up, all four of its front-claws flailing wildly toward me-

Or more precisely, towards the place where I’d been standing, mere moments before.

A quick leap flipped me up and over the things head, giving me an easy shot down into the top of body, directly between two massive sections of plate armor.

“SKKKAARRRIIIIEIEEEEIEEE!”

Its screech was loud enough to set my eardrums thrumming, but I held my cool as I slid along the dust and sand behind the monster.

Before it could turn about, I launched another volley, slamming arrows through each of its hind legs, just below its huge, poisonous tail.

As it tried to drag itself around to face me, I saw why they’d been given the nickname ‘armored, four-clawed devil’. It was like an oversized scorpion had mated with a hyena and then been fed the most intensive diet of stimulants and given the rest of its entire life to train its body, getting ready for one strike.

Its silvery armor looked metallic at first glance, and the way it deflected all but the strongest of attacks could easily fool unknowing warriors into believing that was the case.

But I knew better.

It was trying to escape, but I’d locked up its body and its main digging legs, so I knew it was going nowhere fast.

Even so, its mad attempts and high-pitched squealing would call attention to the area before long, so I knew I still had to move fast.

With my bow flipped around and stored away across my back, I drew my sword and sprinted toward the Iklit.

It clearly noticed my approach, but couldn’t turn fast enough to stop me from leaping atop its back, narrowly avoiding a mad swipe from its tail as I stabbed down into its back, through the wound in the weak spot my arrows had created.

One rattling death cry later, its body thumped to the rocky ground, oozing viscous blood from its many wounds.

“And that was just one, and a pretty weak one at that.” I grumbled to myself as I pulled my arrows loose. If they hadn’t been crafted using runesmith metals, then the thing’s blood would have eaten away at them.

Even with such high-quality materials, the acidic goop had scored the arrow heads—despite their limited period of contact with the creature’s blood.

No time to think it over, I had to move fast.

With Kiel on guard, I carefully collected a large glass vial’s worth of the Iklit’s blood, along with the four main fangs from its jaws, before we turned to sprint back to the edge of the woods.

And not a moment too soon.

Several Iklit, these ones slightly better fed than the first, burst onto the scene moments later and started their own three-way brawl for the rights to the corpse.

Poison, blood, and messy remnants of the losers’ bodies littered the ground before the winner settled down to a well-earned feast.

I’d killed three Iklit for the price of one, technically, but it wasn’t something I was happy about.

“Here it is.” I passed the blood-filled vial to Dew gingerly. “Are you sure about this?”

“Crystal.” She grinned, shaking the bottle at me before she turned back to the small bench she’d prepared. “Just wait there, Wes, and I’ll make us a scent masker like you’ve never seen.”

“As long as it doesn’t burn my flesh off, I’m all for it,” I grumbled, but Freya’s light chuckle rejuvenated my flagging spirits. “I trust you, Dew.”

“Thanks, pretty boy.” She pulled my head down for a quick kiss before she got back to her work.

To be fair, the concoction Dew created wasn’t all that bad.

After she mixed small portions of the blood in with a few specific plant types she’d collected, the Iklit’s acidic blood was neutralized.

After that she added a few more herbs to enhance her potion’s strength, making us smell like an extremely powerful version of a wounded Iklit blood. From what I had seen, a wounded Iklit was just that much nastier.

Anything that got a whiff of us should flee for the hills, or at least that was the plan.

The problem was that, at least with the Iklit, nothing was certain. The blood scent wouldn’t last forever. We needed to move, and fast, before the protection it offered wore off. If we were caught without even that thin veil of deception in the midst of the Iklit corridor, it wouldn’t be long before we were overwhelmed by monsters.

So, I tapped a drop or two of the liquid against my wrist and rubbed them together as Freya and Dew had done, before leading the pair out onto the sands.

More Iklit had risen up to join the feast I’d created earlier, but they ignored our passage, either because they sensed our mask, or due to the fact that they had easier prey in mind.

But that wouldn’t last long.

The first incident happened just after we reached the halfway point. Kiel’s ears perked up as he glanced ahead, giving us an early warning as an Iklit burst out of the sand not too far in front of us.

Bigger and tougher than the specimen I’d killed, this one would prove a difficult foe, even with the girls’ help.

But, after its face shivered in our direction, the monster quickly dug back into the sands and burrowed away with all of its might.

“See, I told you so.” Dew grinned and pointed at the fleeing beast. “Easy, right?”

“You had to say it.” I grumbled, jogging on before Dew could respond. “Come on. If that one’s spotted us, it won’t be long before the rest find out.”

My guess had been correct. More and more Iklit popped up from all around as we hurried toward the green sea. At first, they fled the instant they smelled the mask, but eventually, that reaction gave way to curiosity, then aggression.

They weren’t scared—not anymore.

We’d made it almost all the way to the cliffs by then, and that area was the rockiest of the whole corridor. Though that wouldn’t stop their attacks, it would make sure they couldn’t sneak up on us without opening themselves to attack.

But they seemed to know that, as a group of four Iklit moved to block us just before we crossed the boundary from sand to rock, seemingly working together against the strange presence in their lands.

“It seems we’ve reached the end of the easy part of this journey.” I flipped my bow around and laid four runesmith arrows against the string. Anything less wouldn’t even phase the creatures. “Get ready to run.”

“Wait a second.” Dew pulled out another vial from her pack. “This might be enough to turn them away… or it might just annoy them even more. What do you think?”

“Can’t get any worse. Do it.” I nodded at the distant pack of Iklit, which was cautiously approaching us. “Aim for the middle one, I’d say.”

Dew laughed as she tossed the glass vial towards the one I’d identified as her target.

The vial flew in a graceful arc, spinning through the air before it shattered against the central Iklit’s back, covering its entire body in the blood of its fallen ally.

Even though it wasn’t fresh, the sudden blast of Iklit blood cut into the senses of those around it as they turned as one on their ‘injured’ ally, poison dripping from their maws.

“I almost feel sorry for it… Almost.” I sighed as we edged cautiously past the formerly cooperating pack of Iklit, which had devolved into a full-scale brawl as three of the Iklit attacked Dew’s target. “Let’s get out of here, now!”

We sprinted out onto the rocky cliffs, leaving the last pack of Iklit behind us as we moved to the very edge of the drop. It should have been a suicidal plan, scampering along the edge of the cliffs, but the route we’d been given pointed out something many elves had missed.

There was a hidden path, about halfway down the cliff’s face.

“There!” Freya yelled, pointing down and to our left. “It’s not too far down. You go first-”

“No, you two go, take Kiel between you.” I passed my pack to the girls and flipped around my bow as I turned to face the Iklit who had finally noticed us. “Get going, now!”

If we tried to escape now, the Iklit would realize what we’d done, and there was no way they’d not hound us for the rest of the trip. That meant I had to find a way to trick them. I had such a method, of course, but it wasn’t one I’d wanted to use.

But when they locked onto us before we’d all gotten down the cliff, they’d left me no choice.

“Bastards,” I hissed as I sprinted away from the girls.

As my ladies started to climb carefully down the cliff, I began shooting arrow after arrow at the monsters who had tracked us down.

Though I didn’t use Freya’s runesmith projectiles, my carefully aimed shots were still accurate enough to sink into any weak spots between the heavily armored plates the creatures possessed, forcing them to pay full attention to the archer in the distance peppering them with stinging shafts.

“Come and get me!” I hollered.

My yells and arrows caught the attention of a new wave as Iklit rushed at me from all sides.

From my left and from my right, as well as right before me, they cut off all avenues of escape quickly, boxing me in as they fought amongst each other for the right to the first bite of high elf.

But I didn’t plan to end my life in a monster’s stomach.

“Fuck off!”

With one last yell of defiance, I jumped backwards, leaping from the cliff top with all my strength.

The fall wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it would be, but landing on my back in freezing water hurt, in more ways than one.

I knew my body wanted to shut down in shock, but I fought against the urge to give up as I floundered through the cold water, gasping for air and keeping the cliff in my line of sight as I swam back toward it.

My fall would have sounded out like a dinner bell to the monsters of the sea, acting as a beacon for anything hungry for a quick and easy meal. I had to get out of the water, fast.

And I managed it just in time as a large shark barreled up, trying to chomp my legs right as I pulled myself out of the water.

I’d noticed its approach, though, so was able to roll onto my side and landed a hard punch onto its nose, cutting off some of its momentum before it bounced off the rocks back into the waters below.

But I wasn’t in the clear just yet.

With my heightened agility, I scrambled up the cliff, using any hold that seemed relatively secure as I made my way toward the path Freya had spotted.

Only after I’d been climbing for several minutes did I spot Freya’s worried face, leaning out to stare down from a ledge above me.

“Hey!” I shouted, since I couldn’t very well wave at the girl.

She motioned for me to come up quickly. “Not like I’m not trying to do that already,” I grunted under my breath, pulling myself closer with each hold.

Despite my grumbles, it was nice to see how concerned she’d been.

“I told her you’d jump.” Dew pulled me up as I reached their ledge, brushing some of the water from my clothes before she pulled me into a quick hug. “She didn’t believe me. Freya really thought you’d kill them all, by yourself.”

I shrugged. “Not enough arrows.” I chuckled and shook my head.

“I’ll make more arrows, Master! I’ll…” Freya trailed off with a frown as we laughed at the excitement that had lit up her eyes and voice. “Oh, right… just a joke.”

“Sorry, force of habit.” I grabbed Freya and rewarded her with a deep kiss. “Thank you for trusting me. I appreciate it, truly.”

“Of course, Master.” She smiled softly, her annoyance quickly forgotten. “What’s the plan now?”

“Same as before.” I leaned out to check the sea below. “We’ll skirt around the edge, rest up whenever we can, then cross the Viper Sands at its narrowest point.”

“Let’s get you out of those clothes.” Dew pulled me under the overhang and dragged my wet shirt over my head. “Oh…” she snickered at my grumbling, “all wet and bothered. Just how I like you to get me.”

“Don’t I know it!” I chuckled, but dried myself off with a spare shirt and dressed myself again quickly. “We need to make some space between us and those Iklit before we rest for the night. If they figure out where we are, then our journey will get a lot more difficult, fast.”

“I get it, we need to keep moving… you promised, though, and I’ll hold you to it.” Dew tossed my bow back to me and pulled Freya to her feet. “No time to rest, girl. Your Master is acting like a slave driver again.”

“I thought… you liked that?” Freya forced herself to say the joke, though it was clear from her nearly glowing ears that it was hard for her to do.

“Oh, snarky are we, now? I know just how to deal with you, missy.” Dew grabbed a hold of her friend’s arm and marched Freya right up to me, extending her toward me like an offering. “Naughty girl, right here officer.”

“I’ll take care of this one, then.” I took the chance to steal Freya’s lips for a long, intense kiss, holding her close until I felt the little elf’s knees go weak before I pulled away with a grin. “Punishment over, let’s get a move on.”

The pair followed behind me as I led the way along the hidden path. Much of it was closer to a cave than a trail cut into the cliff face, and at several places the path actually cut into the cliff face, becoming a tunnel for short stretches, but the whole thing remained passable and usable—despite the severity of the tides in the area.

Someone, or something, had kept it well maintained; though nothing seemed to have used it recently, not in the last few weeks at least.

There was the occasional boot print in the odd patches of sand or dirt on the floor but, as most of the path had been carved out of the stone itself, it was difficult to tell anything other than the fact that someone had been through here, at some time in the past.

But that was fine with me. This little path was much too narrow for an Iklit to fit in easily, and I didn’t see any obvious scrapes on the wall to attest to one forcing its way in. I was happy to find I could believe Kaely’s words—that it was a relatively safe route.

Two things I did note, however, were the odd pools of water on the floor, and the high water mark a fair ways up on the tunnel’s wall at the top of the path.

“How long is it until wave season?” I turned to Dew, who frowned as she considered the question.

“Three weeks off, one week on. Probably still two until the next one hits…” she trailed off, her frown deepening as she looked at the mucky walls. “We’re going to have to spend a week out in the open, aren’t we?”

“Probably.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, mentally docking Kaely and her adventurer friends several points in my previously high estimation of them. “Let’s just get as far as we can for now and figure it out later. How bad can it be?”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Iklit Corridor / Green Sea cliff - Day 54

A  week and a half passed without any major incidents other than the occasional large wave that left evidence of its passing on our path, but that didn’t mean the journey wasn’t fraught with peril.

Whenever the path opened up, we had to cross carefully, each of us fully aware that it would only take one monster catching sight of us for the rest to be alerted to our presence. Even though none of them spotted us, the path itself caused us enough trouble, without the monsters’ aid.

Despite my original high estimate, it turned out that later portions of the secret route weren’t as well maintained as I’d initially assumed.

Several sections had broken free from the cliff face, such as the one we were staring at after our long and difficult journey.

Each time we came across an obstacle like that, I’d have to cross the gap using whatever hand holds were available.

Once across, I’d help the others come over—one at a time, securely tied to a rope—while the other watched carefully for any sign of movement far above us.

But the gap we’d come to just as a week of high waves was on the verge of starting up was in a league of its own, both in size and in terms of difficulty.

“How are you even going to be able to cross this?” Dew waved at the cliff face before us. “It looks like something glassed the entire cliff face. What the hell happened here?”

“Nothing natural.” I ran a calloused palm over the smoothed edges of the cliff. “Something big and heavy hit this… hard.” I frowned. “And whatever it was covered in, sealed the mess behind it.”

“I don’t know of any monsters who could do that, Master.” Freya kneeled down to investigate the odd material closely. Even when she smacked the cliff face with her hammer, it didn’t budge in the slightest. “This stuff is insane. There’s no way we could get a climbing spike into it.”

“I know. We’re going to have to move back to the last gap and climb up there.” I grumbled as I turned around and looked back along the path.

“It’s nearly a full day’s hike back, and that won’t give us much time before the weather turns—never mind that we’ll have to get by this whole stretch before we climb back down.” I narrowed my eyes at the long stretch of glossy cliffs before us. “If we can, that is.”

The girls stayed quiet as I considered our options, not that there was much to think about.

We weren’t even a third of the way along the edge of the Iklit corridor and we’d apparently run into an insurmountable obstacle. Even had the weather not been a factor, it was still unlikely we’d be able to get across at this place. Doing so under a tight time constraint and rising winds, was impossible.

“Let’s head back. No reason to stand here and stare.” I sighed, spun on my heel and set off down the tunnel despondently. “I really don’t feel like fighting more Iklit.”

“About that, Master…” Freya dashed forward to walk beside me. “I think I have something that might help with that.”

“What do you have in mind, Freya?” I kept walking but turned to look at her with a warm smile. “Anything would be a great help, so lay it on me.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about your arrows.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “They’re strong, sturdy, and reusable.”

“The three things any archer prizes about their arrows, yes.” I nodded, unsure where she was going with her musing. “What about them?”

“Well… what if they weren’t reusable?” She grinned up at me as she revealed her stroke of genius. “What if I activated the runesmith script?”

The suggestion was enough to freeze me in place, mid stride. For a moment I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right, but it wasn’t like I couldn’t trust my own ears.

My Freya… activate a runesmith script on something she’d made?

“And what makes you think you could do that?” I kept my tone as neutral as I could, not quite accusatory, but with enough of an edge to it that she realized my question was a serious one. “It would be difficult, right?”

“Well, it seems pretty simple, Master.” She paused for a moment, really thinking through the issue at hand before she added. “The work has mostly already been done, right? Some other runesmith put the power in there… all I need to do is tease it out to the surface a bit.”

I glanced back at Dew, who seemed confused—but not shocked, I noticed—by Freya’s offer.

In comparison, I was having difficulties holding myself back.

Freya, our little mixed breed elf from a den in the middle of the woods, was saying that working a metal made for runesmiths, for a task that equated to runesmithing itself... was ‘pretty simple’?

It was too good to be true. It had to be.

“Okay.” I took a deep, steadying breath and nodded at her encouragingly. “We’ll get back to the climbing spot, and you three can wait down here and figure it out, while I go figure out what route we need to take, yeah?”

Dew nodded while Kiel let out a low purr of resignation.

He’d been hit by a few splashes of water during our trip. Each time that happened, he’d seemed to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. Those led to several unpleasant minutes of spitting and yowling, before the young shadowpanther pulled himself back together again.

Cats and water just didn’t mix. I figured that trying to play a prank on him with some water would end badly, with me having several gashes where I didn’t want them to be.

So it was, with Freya wide-eyed and raring to go, I led the group back along the past day’s trek to a spot where we could safely climb back up to the top of the cliff. It was only relatively safe when compared to the rest of the cliff face, but we’d have to make do with what we could get.

“You three stay down here. Dew, help her out, where you can.”

Dew nodded and waved me away as she settled down beside her friend.

“I shouldn’t be too long. Listen for the splash, if I get spotted.”

The girls giggled before turning their focus back to the runesmith metal.

Their lack of reaction wasn’t because they didn’t care, though, more like they had as much faith in my skills as I did.

Even so, leaping from the Iklit swarmed wastes into the monster infested Green Sea wasn’t a journey I’d volunteer to take under normal circumstances.

At least the water was clean.

Still, I hoped for the best while planning for the worst. Leaving my pack behind, it was easy enough to scale the cliff up to the point where my head came level with the edge.

I paused just below the edge.

There was no sounds that indicated movement, no stench of passing beasts or monsters. Nothing to give evidence there was any life nearby.

But that was only the first test.

A quick peek confirmed my initial estimate. Nothing nearby, and only a distant shadow skirting along the desert floor—so far away, that I couldn’t quite make out what it was.

If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it was an Iklit, seeing as they was the dominant species in the corridor, but it could just as easily have been one of the many animals the Iklit preyed upon.

So, with some slight confidence that my immediate area was clear of monsters, I pulled myself up onto the cliff proper—though I did keep my profile low to the ground as I slunk toward a nearby rock which could at least provide partial cover.

“Nothing? Good.” I kept my grumbling voice low as I checked the vicinity again before I set off toward the damaged cliff face we’d found the day before.

Of course, I couldn’t travel the entire way back to where we’d turned around to see how much further the gap continued, but that wasn’t what I was looking for. The map had noted there were a few giant fossils in this area, so there had to be one somewhere around here. “Come on, it has to be here somewhere- There!”

At the edge of the cliff, dug into the side of the cliff face and looking vaguely like a huge sea mollusk, lay an ancient monster’s shell.

No one knew what had created them, or where the beasts had vanished to, but the map described them as good places to camp—in a pinch.

And, given what we’d been through lately and the pending storms, our need was quite real.

But I couldn’t lead my girls into a possible trap, so I had to check it out first.

The entrances were peculiar, the lower end of each shell was open to both the wind and the waves surging up from below.

While it wasn’t low enough to ever be fully submerged, I knew we’d be trapped inside, once the waves rose to their highest point.

Fortunately, the entire thing was slightly porous, so breathing wouldn’t be an issue—if it was empty, that is.

There was always a chance that some beast, maybe even a pack of Iklit, had made the ancient shell their home.

Even with a risk as small as that, I still kept my guard up as I slowly made my way down the cliff face to check out our new, hopefully temporary, home.

“Anyone home?” I tapped lightly against the shell, not wanting to alert anything outside of its confines. Sure, the angry rebuttal from whatever had made it their home might be tricky to avoid, but that was far easier than fighting monsters in the relatively cramped confines of the shell itself.

There was no response.

Either there was no one home, or they were amazing actors.

Though I had never heard of monsters from the Iklit corridor taking up the creative arts, I kept my bow half drawn after I pulled myself up through the lower entrance.

Dark, a bit damp, but usable. I pulled a small torch from my back and struck it against the wall, revealing the interior of the shell was clear of any dangers.

“More than enough room.” I shook the torch vigorously to blow it out, before I turned back to the exit. “Now we just have to move up here. Should be easy enough.”

Of course, I knew it would be far from easy. Kiel would be the most difficult of the bunch, to maneuver over the cliff edge and up through the shell’s entrance.

I had a few ideas for that, not that he’d enjoy any of them. The best I could come up with was a series of straps we could use to lower him down the cliff face a little at a time before one of us—probably me—pulled him up into the shell.

Heaven help us when we tried to get him back out again.

But, as I made my way back to the cliff path, what I found when I linked back up with the girls blew away such minor concerns.

“See, I told you, Master!” Freya held up a glowing arrowhead, though her beaming face seemed to outshine its dazzling surface. “It just needed enough encouragement.”

“That… is absolutely amazing.” I took the arrowhead and gently rolled it around in my palm. “What does it do, exactly?”

“Oh, when it hits a target, it releases all the energy inside of it.” She waved off the effects, clearly lost in the thrill of her discovery. “One shot in the right spot should kill those pesky Iklit.” She blushed. “As long as you’re the one doing the shooting, of course, Master.”

“It’s that powerful?” I whistled softly and slowly lowered the shining metal object to the ground. “Really, you do keep surprising me, Freya.”

“I promised you the very best, Master. It’s what we do.” She smiled as she packed away her equipment. The fact she’d used my odd turn of phrase as a trademark caught me off guard, but after thinking about it for a moment, her comment matched our little group perfectly.

“Okay, well… I’ve found us a place to wait out the waves.” All three of them looked up at me expectantly, but I focused my gaze on the shadowpanther huddled next to the girls. “But some of us aren’t going to like getting into it or back out of it—Sorry, Kiel.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Iklit Corridor / Green Sea cliff - Day 54

I t wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be to get Kiel into the shell.

Of course, it helped that Dew spent the entire trip with him shivering in her arms trying to calm the shadowpanther’s frayed nerves.

“So, this is the place we’ll be staying for the next week?” Dew rubbed a finger along one of the walls and frowned at the moisture she’d picked up. “You sure we won’t drown in here?”

“About ninety percent sure,” I answered casually and waggled my hand back and forth, “give or take.” I shrugged as I set up our sectioned off sleeping area. Fortunately, we still had a few jars of luminescent bugs from Dew’s den, so we used those to light up the space with a pale, flickering glow. “If worse comes to worse, Freya can bomb her way out the top of the shell with one of her runesmith arrowheads.”

“Oh… how encouraging.” Dew pulled out a rag from her pack and started to clean the upper levels of the shell. Oddly enough there were several shelves strong enough to hold our entire party, and they only had a few specks of water and dirt to remove.

“What’s the plan for getting past the destroyed cliff?” Freya asked.

“We’re going to have to improvise.” I sighed and glanced back out the lower entrance at the choppy seas below. “We can’t swim, and even if we built a boat, it would get ripped apart before we even made it halfway.”

“Iklit on one side, sharks on the other,” the redhead groaned. Freya shivered as she pulled her robe close around her body. “I hope you have a better idea than that, Master.”

“Well, one or two. I’m still working out the details at the moment, though.” I scratched at my chin as I considered the few options I’d come up with. “We could just get lucky… you never know.”

“Oh, I bet we will ‘get lucky’,” Dew nudged Freya in the side and giggled from a shelf above me. She flicked her rag toward me. “At least I will, if this one has anything to say about it.”

“On the other hand.” I waved away her dirty joke as soon as I saw the worried look on Freya’s face. “There are some more reliable stratagems we might use now that Freya has given us a weapon we can use against the Iklit—that should be the only edge I need to hold them off.”

The journey back up onto and then around the destroyed portion of the cliff would take a day, and then we’d need to find another safe way down. I could use my gifts to reach the ledge quite easily, but the same couldn’t be said for my companions.

Well, Dew should be fine, and possibly Freya, but shadowpanthers weren’t made for scaling cliffs.

So that would be an extra day, maybe two, and the entire time, we’d be out in the open. While Freya’s inventiveness had given us a tool to destroy lone Iklit, the number she could produce would be severely limited—never mind the expense of each shot we had to use.

Throwing good money after bad.

But the other option was risky, and I didn’t know what the girls would think of my second strategy.

It was clear they loved me, and I felt the same about them, so I figured they would argue incessantly against even the idea of me providing a lone distraction for the hordes of monsters… again.

“What are you thinking about, Master?” Freya moved over and leaned against me, lending her body heat to warm the cold air around me. “You’re just staring off into space. What’s wrong?”

“I’m just thinking about the future.” I pulled Freya close for a quick hug before I turned to put the finishing touches onto our sleeping arrangements. High enough in the shell to avoid the water, but low enough that we could escape at a moment’s notice, if required. “It’s a big world out there, and I’ve only seen part of it—up to now.”

“That’s true. My happiest days have been exploring the lands with you, Master.” Freya lowered herself to a comfortable position, her legs dangling off the edge of the sleeping shelf. “But settling down wouldn’t be too bad, either. As long as we’re together, everything is fine with me.”

“No argument from up here.” Dew leaned over the edge of her shelf and gave us a cheeky thumbs up. “Worst comes to worst, we could always go back to the woods and make our own little love nest. No one to worry over and nothing to care about but each other would be… blissful.”

Freya’s face reddened, but she didn’t argue with Dew’s suggestion. The girls were used to their home, and I’d taken them from it. While I did believe we could make a relatively comfortable life in Keria, was that what I wanted for them, or for myself?

“We could always just… move on,” I said, offering the suggestion gently, testing the waters as Dew and Freya both turned slowly to face me. “After I visit my family, we could charter a ship, explore the lands. Other than all the death and destruction, it’s been pretty fun, right?”

“Yeah, it has.” Dew swung down to our shelf and settled down beside me. “But what about your home? Your family?”

I gave a bitter chuckle. “I never got along with my family—it’s not like I fit in back in Keria, anyway.” I sighed as I remembered the many arguments I’d had or been thrust into, in the past. “Those who are gifted should be seen as favors from above, but usually they’re treated with jealousy and contempt. It’s all just so much of a hassle.”

“I guess your cocksure attitude only works with us, huh?” Dew leaned in close and nuzzled against my shoulder. “More the fool, them, then. Now I get to keep you all for myself.”

“Ourselves.” Freya corrected, speaking up for herself out of the blue. “Master is ours, and we are his.”

“What if we just lived by ourselves?” I watched their expressions carefully as I brought together a possible plan for our future. “Exploring is fine, but I want somewhere to go back to… a home, if we want one. Keria isn’t that, not for me anymore.” I frowned, “but neither are the woods.”

“Something that lets us move around, but that we can still call home?” Freya spoke up, her tone thoughtful. “What about-”

“A ship!” Dew yelled, punching a fist into the air. “We could go where we wanted, do what we wanted, and if anyone tried to stop us-”

“We could blow them away,” Freya added matter-of-factly. “I could make some cannons, if we got the right material. It wouldn’t be too hard.”

“No one would dare stop us. We’d be the overseers of the ocean.” Dew had worked herself up with the idea already. “It’s the best of both worlds—we’d have our freedom, someplace to call home, and still be able to explore the world!”

“Wait, wait, wait…” I pulled my girls close and tried to head off their mad cap plans before things got out of control. “It sounds like you’re planning to turn me into some sort of pirate, here.”

“Well, not straight away.” Dew walked her fingers up my chest, a coquettish smile on her face. “We won’t need to hurt anyone—not if they just let us do what we want.”

I frowned and took a few moments to mull over their idea.

Oddly enough, it wasn’t the worst future I’d heard of, not that it was a route I’d ever really considered in the past.

While I wouldn’t want to become a full-on pirate, living above the law and hiding away in the shadows, the idea of sailing the oceans and seeing all the world had to offer did sound appealing.

But I’d seen what happened to pirates, firsthand. In fact, I’d killed some of them myself.

Death was a common consequence for those who rose up against the high-elf cities, and not many people would give the elves who rebelled against society much sympathy, if any.

“We’ll just file that idea away for now.” I chuckled as I mentally pushed the idea to one side. “Any other ideas? Preferably ones that don‘t end up with us being chased by the entire high-elf navy?”

“We could join the explorers,” Freya offered, though I could tell she wasn’t all that excited about the option she’d presented. “They can be a bit rigid, but they’re always looking into new and interesting things.”

“Or we could just earn a bit of money and retire. Buy a boat, sail the seas-” Dew paused dramatically before she continued on. “And if anyone tries to stop us? Well…”

“Huh,” I grunted. “So, one vote for explorers and one for pirates.” I chuckled to myself as the two girls turned to stare up at me. “Seems like I’m the decider here.”

“And?” Dew leaned in close. “Go on. What’s the verdict?”

“Yes, Master. What do you think?” Freya pulled herself in close next to me on my other side, her breath hot against my cheek. “Don’t leave us in suspense.”

“I’m going to vote…” I paused dramatically, keeping the pair of beauties on the edge of their seats for as long as I could before I let out a soft chuckle, “that we figure it out later.”

“Awh, boo!” Dew slapped my chest playfully and pushed herself back a little. “You high-elves are way too uptight.”

“If that’s Master’s choice, so be it,” Freya smiled and kissed my cheek before she scooted away. “But for now, we should focus on our present issue.”

Freya was right. We’d be safe—as long as we stayed inside the overgrown shell—but we would have to move once the week of waves passed.

That gave me just over a week to figure out the best strategy to get us all around the missing stretch of cliff and down to the next section of the path safely, without being overrun by rabid monsters.

“I’ll think on it. Freya, please make as many of those arrowheads as you can.” I waited for Freya to nod before I turned to Dew. “I need you to figure out if there are any other weaknesses the Iklit have that we could use to our advantage. Maybe you can come up with something in your bag of tricks?”

“Can do, Wes.” Dew gave me a mock salute before she pulled herself back up onto the shelf where we’d stored our belongings. “Promise me one thing though, will you?”

“Yeah?” I looked up to see her smiling face.

“Whatever plan you settle on, make sure you avoid one thing… for me?“

I cocked an eyebrow, wondering what wise crack she’d come up with, now.

She grinned impishly down at me. “Just don’t die. I don’t want to lose my pretty boy.”

Chapter Thirty

Iklit Corridor / Green Sea Cliff - Day 56

T he day after that, the week of waves set in.

No one knew for certain why the weather moved in such specific patterns over a few months of the year in the Green Sea, but some superstitious types told tall tales about an ancient beast far below the surface of the water.

Still, the shell remained mostly dry, with the occasional spray of chilly droplets from below.

Those invasions were quickly resolved when we blocked off the entrance with some waterproof sheets we bundled together, but the damp chill the water brought with it was harder to ignore.

No matter how many covers we threw over ourselves, it wasn’t enough to avoid the dank cold that felt like it sank into our bones.

The Green Sea, despite the sun shining down upon it from on high, wasn’t the warmest of waters.

And there we were, stuck in an ancient shell atop a cliff, which was open to the elements from below.

Dew came to the rescue with her survival experience as she had us strip down to our underpants and quickly pulled us in together with her under a pile of sheets.

“Sh-Share… B-Body… H-Heat…” Her teeth chattered as she pulled both Freya and me into a tight hug against her own nearly naked body.

Freya nodded and closed in on my other side, forming the final link of our bond.

The heat from their bodies, added to my own, quickly warmed the tight little pocket of space we’d made for ourselves.

Kiel ignored our attempts to stay warm, preferring to lay by himself at the end of the shell furthest away from the entrance.

He was sometimes too stubborn by half, but I didn’t try to argue with him.

It took a while for our teeth to stop chattering, during which I repeatedly doubted my decision to wait out the storms in the ancient monster shell.

Sure, trying to find a safe and secure place to sleep on the Iklit plains would be difficult, if not impossible, but at least we’d be warm as we died.

It could have been worse, despite the threat of hypothermia, all things considered. I was huddled under a pile of sheets with two beautiful nearly naked girls, our bodies tightly entwined beneath the covers without a care for the outside world beyond the temperature.

Even that concern faded as our cuddle puddle warmed up the shared space.

And as our bodies started to relax and warm up once more, I noticed some peculiar movements from the other two.

It started with Dew, as it always did.

Her arms, which had been tightly clenched around my waist, slowly loosened as our bodies heated up.

Her hands went from bunched up icicles burrowing into my skin, to smooth palms and light fingertips that traced the flat planes of my abs—as though she was feeling each and every one of my muscles.

Then she lifted her head up from where it had been buried into my side, nuzzling against my chest.

Before I could say anything, I felt Freya move slightly, shifting herself up onto my shoulder so she could look into my eyes.

The simmering heat of that gaze warmed me in ways that had nothing to do with the rising temperature in our cozy nest, easily blowing away all of my worries about the weather and our future.

All I could think about was what that look entailed.

“You two really can’t hold it in, can you?” I chuckled at the pair of beauties in my arms and shifted my arms lower around their waists. “I guess this is one way to keep warm, right?”

“Oh, pretty boy finally woke up.” Dew’s hand dropped below my waist and stroked the bulge she found down there. “And here I was, wondering how to get his attention with all this cold… I just had to bring us all together.”

“I’ll bring you two together, you don’t need to worry about that.” I pulled Dew up for a deep, loving kiss before she disappeared fully under the covers with a giggle. As I felt Dew worming her way down, Freya stroked my chin to get my attention.

“Master,” she pouted, pursing her lips toward me, “don’t leave me out.”

I didn’t need any more motivation than that. Our lips met gently, so softly it might have seemed like I was worried about breaking her. Far from it, in fact, but I’d learned over the last few weeks what Freya wanted, how she wanted me to make love to her.

A gentle approach by itself would build up so much tension in my sweet little elf maiden that it would overwhelm her when released, so I’d learned I needed to mix up my techniques.

As she leaned into my body, I sneaked my hand down and squeezed her heavy breast.

The girl’s nipples were already erect, showing clearly how aroused she was, but I wouldn’t leave it at just that.

My other hand circled around her waist, pulling her close as I gently dug my palm into her pert backside. Just enough stimulation to keep her on the edge, but not enough to tip her over… Not yet, at least.

But while I was working my magic on Freya, her friend finally managed to free her favorite toy from my underpants.

A small hump rose up in the covers as Dew pushed herself around until she looked down at my cock from above, her legs splayed out across my chest.

“So that’s what she wants.” I chuckled, pulling Dew back a bit more by her waist before I slipped my thumbs under her dripping panties and teased her.

Under Freya’s hot gaze I slowly pulled the wet fabric to the side to reveal her swollen, slick lips, ready and eagerly waiting for what was about to come.

“Do it, Master.” Freya leaned her head against mine, looking up at me with wide, curious eyes. “Show me.”

Under Freya’s smoldering gaze, I leaned forward and took a long, slow taste of Dew’s juices.

The blonde moaned in pleasure as I explored her folds with my lips and tongue, momentarily frozen before she dived down and her hot, wet mouth closed over my entire length hungrily.

It was as though she was treating the whole thing as some sort of game.

Which was fine by me.

I took a firm grasp on her muscular cheeks and pulled her down to grind her sex into my face, a move that earned a shudder of approval from Freya as she nuzzled against and kissed my shoulder.

Dew liked it even more.

I could hear her moans, despite how full her mouth was, but she didn’t let that stop her.

The covers bounced a bit as her head bobbed up and down, licking and sucking at me like a woman possessed.

Freya’s hand dipped under the covers and I felt it trace down my chest before burying itself between her thighs as she ground against my side.

The redhead bit her lip with a groan as she watched Dew and I urge each other on as best we could to the finish line, her bright blue eyes watching as our lust filled race played out.

I won our competition, of course, pushing Dew across the finish line several times over.

Each time she orgasmed, I felt her lips clench up around my girth, as though she was trying to milk out everything I had.

Only after her fifth release in a row did I finally feel ready to join her in bliss, and it seemed she knew it.

Freya leaned forward to kiss me, her cheek rubbing up against Dew’s pussy caused my load to burst suddenly down the blonde’s throat.

She didn’t pull back in the slightest, and instead pushed her nose deep into my short curls, slurping and gagging a bit as she swallowed everything I had to give.

Only once I was spent and she’d cleaned up any evidence that had escaped her lips did she turnabout, taking care to ensure the covers remained tightly tucked around us as she spun beneath them.

“You’re next,” she giggled at Freya and pulled her under the covers.

Freya hadn’t actually managed to do much more than kiss me there before she’d fainted in the past, even with our training, but having Dew by her side as a mentor would hopefully be enough to keep her from getting overwhelmed… hopefully.

Still, the squirming covers didn’t leave much to the imagination, not that Dew tried too hard to hide what they were doing.

She kept kicking up the sheets on my chest, giving me fleeting glances of bare thighs, tight asses, and slick vaginas as the girls got themselves situated with Freya sprawled atop my chest and Dew tucked tight against my hip.

“Ready?” I heard Dew ask as a gentle heat brushed against the tip of my quickly recovering cock.

“Yes!” Freya yelped, likely helped along by a cheeky pinch from Dew. “I’ll do it!”

Warm, wet, and tight, Freya’s mouth’s ministrations lacked confidence, but excited me on a different level that couldn’t be compared to Dew’s blowjobs.

While the feisty wood elf gave it her all, using every bit of skill and technique she had picked up as she frantically worked her way to a mad finale, Freya’s light caresses and tentative licks aroused me in a completely different way.

One wasn’t any better than the other… just very different. It was clear that Freya was still trying her hardest.

“Keep at it.” Dew spoke gently, like she was guiding her friend through any other difficult task. “You might not be able to take it all right away, but you’ll get better. Pretty boy is a bit big for you right now”

Freya nodded, keeping the head in her mouth as she pushed down deeper. I could feel her throat shivering as she tried to force me down it, but she only managed to reach halfway down my shaft before she had to pull back again.

Then she tried again, and again.

She built up a slow, steady rhythm, with each bob of her head taking her further and further down my shaft.

Deeper and deeper, up to the point where she reached the two thirds mark and couldn’t go any further.

“Good job, Freya.” I felt Dew’s hair tickle against my leg as she leaned in close to Freya’s face. “You’re doing better than I did.”

Then a second pair of lips joined the first, licking and gently nibbling at the portion of my root that Freya couldn’t reach.

The two girls worked together, one bobbing up and down while the other followed quickly after with her lips and slithering tongue.

Without little else to do, I pulled my hands under the covers up from their hips and gently kneaded their bare behinds.

“Oh!”

The pair clenched around me and raised their heads up to look back over their shoulders at me as my fingers teasingly explored their vulnerable areas.

I teased a wave of pleasure from both of them before they settled back down into their collaborative routine.

Their bodies shivered and shook under my touch as I massaged, stroked, and let my fingers work their magic, giving my girls several orgasms of their own before surrendering to one, myself.

Freya, for all of her relative naivety, didn’t try to move away as I exploded in her mouth.

A little bit must have leaked out, because I could feel Dew licking and kissing around the edge of Freya’s mouth before the both of them came back up and snuggled in beside me, satisfied after our long session.

“I… Told you I could do it… Master.” Freya smiled dreamily up at me, content with her victory. “Praise me.”

“You did fantastic, Freya.” I kissed her forehead gently, finally tipping her over the edge as she started to doze off with a happy sigh, tucked into my shoulder. “Good job, sweet girl.”

“And what about me, pretty boy.” Dew raised herself next to me on her elbow and stared down at my face. “Do I not get a-”

I gently reached up, curling my fingers behind her neck and pulled her down to press my lips to her forehead before she could finish whatever dirty joke she was about to say.

“You too, Dew.” I pulled back and stared into happy, teary, eyes. “Thank you for being with me.”

“Me as well, Wes.” A wave of red swept up her neck and she blushed so hard I noted the pink tips of her ears.

She dropped down, laying her cheek on my chest, and mumbled so softly I almost didn’t catch her whisper. “I love you so much.”

This was one of the first times I could remember her being so embarrassed—since we’d first met. It seemed that a little tenderness at the right time flustered my wild wood elf.

Though it wasn’t on the same level as Freya’s nearly scarlet blushes, the display was still good enough that I had to laugh out loud into the night.

You learned something new every day, it seemed.

Chapter Thirty-One

Iklit Corridor / Green Sea Cliff - Day 62

T he rest of our week of seclusion passed by without much to talk about.

Freya crafted enough arrow heads to wipe out a good portion of the Iklit swarmers while Dew figured out a poisonous combination that she believed might have some effect on them.

Me?

Well, I rewarded them for their hard work.

Not just that, of course.

I also took some time to cut away a shelf into the cliff side of the shell to create a relatively open space.

Once it was cleared away, I set myself to a strict regime of exercising and training, focusing most of my time on sword forms.

Without nearly a lifetime of practice to back up my gift’s blessings of dexterity and agility, I found it tricky at first to gain a similar level of control over my blade that I had over my bow, but it started coming together, albeit slowly.

Flowing from one form to the next, I blocked, parried, and countered, all without missing a beat.

I’d have to see how useful the forms I’d learned so long ago were in actual combat, but I felt confident I should be able to stand up against most elves who might try to stop me.

Freya, on the other hand, took some time out between her crafting sessions to practice with her spear, and the speed at which she improved shocked me anew.

Skilled at runesmithing, and now a goddess with the spear? I had a weird thought that she’d be able to pick up anything and use it with ease.

But then I remembered her efforts to shoot a bow. Unfortunately, she was just as likely to hurt herself as she was the enemy,

Dew also discarded the bow to focus on her daggers, with the spear she’d been given by Freya as a backup weapon.

An odd choice, a bit back to front to my way of thinking, but I was used to that from Dew. To be fair, the speed at which her blades could dance left even me without much of a response at close range.

And Kiel, well… Kiel was Kiel.

He slept the days away, protesting the wind and rain with stony silence.

I knew cats didn’t like getting wet or cold, but the extent to which the shadowpanther went to avoid even the smallest of sprays, curling himself up into a tight ball in the furthest corner he could find, left me speechless.

But at least we finally had a plan for getting past the Iklit. Not a smart one, to be sure, but at least one that would work.

Hopefully.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” I waved at the other two, who grumbled to themselves as they picked up their packs once more. “The earlier we get to the top of the cliff, the sooner we can get back down to the trail.”

I scurried up the cliff first and dropped a rope back down as soon as I’d confirmed the coast was clear.

After a few minutes, I felt a double tug on the line and slowly started backing away from the cliff, keeping the line taut. Soon, Dew was beside me and clambering out of the harness they’d made, along with Kiel.

I let the rope back down and pulled Freya up next. Only once we were all together and ready did I turn my focus fully back on the corridor itself.

“So… you two ready?” I glanced at the girls as I pulled my bow free and nocked a shaft with its runesmith empowered arrowhead to the string. I frowned. “This is going to get messy, fast.”

“I trust you, Master.” Freya squeezed my arm momentarily before she stepped back beside Dew, who merely nodded encouragingly at me.

“Okay, here goes.” I drew back the string, further than it had ever gone, and set my sights on a distant patch of purple sand. “On your, marks, get set-”

I loosed the arrow.

The shaft whistled through the air, arcing beautifully toward the distant nest I’d spotted the day before, when high tide had finally started to drop.

Though it wasn’t clear if the area was still filled with the nasty critters, that didn’t mean we couldn’t use it to cause a distraction.

The arrowhead sank into the sand, paused for a moment, and then erupted.

The shockwave was powerful enough to reach us, despite the hundreds of yards the shot had gone.

The pulse of force merely brushed against our faces, a faint echo compared to the fiery explosion the main hit had made.

The Iklit wouldn’t be able to stand a direct hit from one of Freya’s runes, never mind the mucky sand of their nests.

Screeches rang out across the desert as the wave of noise alerted every monster for miles around.

Creatures burst forth from the sand, fighting amongst themselves as they closed in on the epicenter of the explosion, each one wanting to take a bite out of whatever had caused the disturbance.

I gave them what they wanted.

Another runed arrow slammed down into the skull of the furthest Iklit in the group, spraying the remains of its entire body into the tightly bunched pack of Iklit as another burst of gooey sand was blown into the air.

Those immediately next to it were knocked down by the wave of force from the explosion, but the dazed confusion of those further out faded quickly.

Here was a bunch of food, fresh and ready for the taking.

The swarm fell upon itself in a frenzy, each monster lost to their urges as they scrambled across what remained of the nest to sink their teeth into their injured comrades.

The pile rose up quickly as more and more of the freakish things squirmed and writhed into a disgusting heap.

Before they could run out of food, I shot another runed arrow into their tangle.

“Go!” I waved at the others as my arrow zipped through the air toward its target, giving off a distant whump as we sprinted away along the edge of the cliff.

Although I hadn’t killed many of the hardy creatures myself, their feeding frenzy should leave a good number of the Iklit in this area dead, or at least fatally injured.

That would have to be enough. It should buy us a few hours, at least, to get back down to the path.

The strategy should work again, too, at least another time or two, but even the stupidest monster would wise up, eventually.

After we’d been running long enough to leave the storm of screeching and blood behind, I called for a brief rest to give the girls time to catch their breath as I searched for a new target.

We’d likely need to pull the same trick at least three more times, before we got beyond the damaged cliff face.

“Ready?” I glanced back at Freya and Dew, giving the pair of them time to nod before I let my first shot go. “Okay, that’s the first-”

We’d fully expected the second time to flow much the same as the first and it did—up to a point. A swarm of incensed Iklit rushed forward, crowding around the destroyed nesting area, but I didn’t have time to fire my second shot before the ground beneath our feet started to rumble and shake like mad.

“What. The. Hell. Is. That!” Dew grabbed a hold of Freya and took a wide stance as the trembling only grew stronger. “Something’s coming!”

“Stay down!” I pulled the girls to the ground as a huge blast of stone and sand fountained up from the corridor, covering the area in a choking wave of dust. I quickly drenched some rags with water, and we tied them over our faces.

Still, the smell was too strong to ignore.

But then we saw it, a huge shape in the distance.

“Sendrin Sand Whale.” Freya murmured, her grip tightening on my arm. “We need to go, Master.”

“Agreed.” I flipped my bow back onto my shoulder and pulled Freya and Dew to their feet. “Keep your movements uneven, stumbling occasionally at irregular intervals.”

They nodded quickly. Kiel’s alert gaze seemed to communicate his understanding.

“Come on.”

I didn’t know much about the near mythical creatures, but the legends passed on about these Sand Whales had been catchy enough to stick in my head.

Kings of the sand

Queens of the desert

Lone wanderer

Lost in the dusts

Never to return

Lest he find a guide

Walking unevenly, two by two

Let them know your pride

If you kept your movements uneven, it lowered the chance of Sand Whale attacks.

Even though such occurrences weren’t reported all too often, the few survivors of such assaults usually attested their luck to the rhyme and the fact that they’d been far enough away from any idiots going against its commands.

But how did that work for Iklit?

The behemoths were called ‘Sendrin’ Sand Whales for a reason.

Since the elves first recorded history, not a single elf had reported the majestic beasts moving from their territories.

Despite the fact that our little group could travel relatively quickly—despite being on foot—it would still take us months to cross the expanse beneath which the Sand Whales spent their time lounging underground in the cool and quiet places of the deep earth.

But now we were witnessing a beast that could roll over a village, somewhat literally, and it had traveled into the infested Iklit Corridor of its own accord.

After the ‘mad experiments’ that the desert tribes had mentioned, it was all just a bit too suspicious.

To be fair, the tribes were mostly made up of wood elves who’d departed the woods for a new life on the sands of the Sendrin, so there wasn’t much of a difference between the two types of wild elves.

Their histories and legends were similar, and some believed that the deeplords under the forest were similar—if not the same creatures—as the Sand Whales who lived beneath the Sendrin.

But either way, it made for a perfect distraction.

The Iklit charged forward madly, biting, snipping, and stabbing their tails into every inch of the monster they could reach.

Though each attack didn’t have much effect, the sheer overwhelming number of Iklit the whale had stirred up posed a threat to almost any foe.

But the Sand Whale, usually an ambush predator at heart, didn’t back down from the challenge.

The fight turned messy and the sands were churned to a purple and black mess beneath their battle, scarred and tainted by Iklit and Sand Whale blood alike.

The frightful sound of their back and forth rang out across the corridor, calling ever more beasts out into the light, including a few of the less common variants that poked their heads up to see what was going on.

But most of those curious beasts fled the instant they registered the cause of the commotion.

Though the Iklit were focused on their behemoth of an enemy, that didn’t stop a few of the more cunning examples of the species from using the distraction to snap at curious onlookers.

Unfortunately, that included us.

“This is insane. Why is that thing even here!” Dew waved back at the sand Whale, which was now far behind us as we raced onward with all the strength we could muster. “Something odd is going on here!”

“Agreed, but we can figure it out later, when we’re not running for our lives.” I pulled out another runed arrow and fired it into the distance, causing even more commotion as the explosion blew apart an Iklit and knocked down several of his friends that had caught sight of us.

“We’re going to have to speed up!”

I pulled her pack off the little elf and turned to the shadowpanther. “Kiel, carry Freya. We’ve got to get out of here!”

Kiel didn’t argue as I lifted Freya onto his back. Though she had been training, her endurance was still insufficient for the sprint I expected we’d need to make. I could see that she wasn’t happy about it, but the girl didn’t protest my decision as I strapped her pack to my front.

“Go!” I put more power into my legs and burst forward, leading the others in a mad dash as we tried to put as much room between us and the battle as possible. Dew kept up, using her long legs and well-trained body to bound from stone to rock.

Kiel was in his element.

Freya, on the other hand, had squeezed her eyes tight against the wind as she clutched her arms around the large cat’s neck, her body bouncing repeatedly against the shadowpanther’s spine.

I’m sure it was a painful ride, but not nearly as bad as being eaten alive by a swarm of maddened Iklit.

And with that thought, I pushed my worries aside and focused on pumping my arms and changing up my gait.

We had to get away. Fast.

The Sand Whale kept the Iklit distracted for a long while, but we were still an hour from where I hoped to climb back down to the path beyond the damaged portion of the cliff when things subsided back to normal.

Everything seemed to be relatively calm in the corridor. There was no movement visible for miles, but that didn’t mean a thing.

Lurking just beneath the surface could be hordes of alert monsters, each one simply waiting for the first sign of trouble to rear their ugly heads—never mind the Sand Whale, itself.

I doubted very much that the Iklit had taken it down, despite their sharp numerical advantage.

The sheer size of the behemoth they were fighting limited the deadly effect of their poison, not to mention the fact that its vast girth turned their bites and stabs into little more than bee stings.

I wasn’t sure how to proceed if we were attacked again.

I could attempt the same trick, using a runed arrow to blast apart a distant nest. It might work, creating just the distraction we needed to slip away without being noticed down to the hidden trail, or it might summon an infuriated Sand Whale.

Since we currently ran along the damaged portion of the cliff, there was no way we could hide down there.

Those things loved to chomp down on greedy elves, according to desert legends.

The other option would be simply trying to sneak the last few miles along the damaged cliff face without trying to distract the corridor’s denizens, but that carried plenty of risk, as well.

All it would take was for one creature to notice us, and we’d be done.

The only weapon we had against the Iklit was nowhere near stealthy enough to get us out of that situation without risking attracting the attention of the Sand Whale.

It was a risk, but I decided it would be the lesser risk, distracting the Iklit again. There was a chance it might raise the Sand Whale again, but even if that happened, we still might get away in the battle that should then ensue.

If the whale itself locked onto us, then we still had the option of braving the freezing Green Sea at the foot of the cliff. It wasn’t a good option, mind you, but remained an option, none the less.

“I’m going to aim for the furthest nest I can see and hit it with two arrows.” I pulled out a double shot of runed projectiles and placed them against my bow, giving Freya and Dew a moment to object before I pulled the string back. “You two start running, I’ll catch up. Same tactics as before.”

The girls prepared themselves and then took off in a final, mad sprint as I lined up the shot, putting more focus into this shot than I’d used in a long while.

The nest was barely in range—only just—but shooting two arrows at once increased the difficulty of hitting the target exponentially.

But I was still me, after all, and I had complete confidence in my skills.

The two arrows spiraled around each other as they arced through the air, soaring overhead with a twin whistle as they dropped from the sky toward the mucky purple sand of the Iklit nest.

Two runed arrowheads, combined, multiplied the force of the hit, carving out a huge chunk of sand and raining chunks of gooey purple stuff high into the air.

The shock wave was so powerful that I felt it not only push against me, but surge up through the ground at my feet, the nearby rocks shuddering slightly like in a small earthquake, but the results were instantaneous.

Hundreds of Iklit swarmed up toward the impact spot as the girls sprinted off, leaving me behind to fire one more runed arrow into the air before I whirled around to follow my party.

The travel time of my parting shot, while not that long, still gave the Iklit time enough to bunch up at the edge of the crevice.

Then another blast ripped through their numbers.

Blood and acidic gunk flew into the air as the nearby survivors turned on their injured comrades, and the rest followed suit in a feeding frenzy shortly after that.

I couldn’t quite congratulate myself, though. We weren’t in the clear just yet.

A minute passed, then two, then five. Eight minutes of hard running flew by, taking us along a good portion of the damaged cliff face; it seemed like we might be home free.

Then we heard it before we felt it; the telltale sign of the Sand Whale’s approach.

The Iklit sensed it too, either from the wild vibrations, or the distant sound of mucky sand being blown aside by its swift passage. Either way, they turned as one to focus on their new enemy.

But it blew straight through the crowd, its open maw simply swallowing a number of them before its vast mouth crunched down on their squirming corpses.

“Keep running.” I waved on the rest of the group and spun to face the Sand Whale, which didn’t seem to be slowing down.

In fact, the behemoth appeared to have sped up, its path curving slightly toward the cliff.

Toward our group.

“No!” Freya tried to turn back, but Dew grabbed her and tugged her along. She knew I’d have a better chance of escaping alone and Freya wasn’t yet experienced enough to understand that simple fact.

It hurt to see them go, but I needed to focus.

“Fuck you!” I pulled out a runed arrow and fired it wildly up at the thing’s maw, aiming toward the place where its head should be.

The explosion blew chunks from its flesh, but the Sand Whale continued on unperturbed.

I’d need more than that.

“Come and get some then!” I sprinted back along the cliff, moving away from the girls as I fired arrow after arrow into its waiting jaws. Blood rained down, but the huge beast didn’t even flinch.

Something was wrong, but there was nothing I could do about it.

But my new path had pulled it off course a little.

It had clearly thought we’d flee from its assault, but when I ran back down the cliff it had to alter its trajectory, and rapid alterations for a monster as large as a sand whale were difficult, if not impossible.

It would still get me, but not straight on.

Just as I’d planned.

I loaded up four arrows and fired them as one toward the side of its face, blowing a hole in its cheek.

The wound would be devastating to most creatures, even for something like a Deeplord, but the Sendrin Sand Whale was just too big.

I might not be able to kill it, but I could drown it.

“Damn it!” I flipped my bow onto my back and grit my teeth together before doing the unthinkable.

I sprinted directly at the worm.

The unexpected assault caught it off guard, but it reacted well, speeding up as I approached. Prey running straight into its mouth? Perfect.

But it didn’t expect that I’d leap past its first row of teeth, landing in the blown out portion of its cheek.

“Shit!” I drew my sword and stabbed it down, hard. I didn’t think the attack would damage the beast, but I needed to get a solid grip.

Because, as I’d expected, the Sand Whale was going too fast to slow down.

I’d lessened the impact by leaping backward rather than forward as I entered its mouth, but I couldn’t do the same as we flew off the cliff together.

Weightlessness, the low-pitched moan as the Sand Whale realized its mistake, the shivering of its muscles as it tried to flinch back from the edge.

Too slow.

The whale’s massive head tumbled down from the cliff and slammed into the water, hard, before its body followed suit moments later.

The floundering beast sent a huge wave out into the Green Sea as it wriggled about in the water.

It couldn’t right itself quickly, though, and I—after I shook off the shock from the impact and the cold water—had time to swim out of the hole in the beast’s cheek and climb on top of its body.

“Perfect.”

My ‘bridge’ wouldn’t last long, so I had to make the best of it. Fortunately, the Sand Whale’s fall had taken us further along the destroyed cliff and that meant I’d be able to reach the edge of it by the time I ran to the tip of the creature’s tail.

Whether or not I could get to its tail was a different question, entirely.

The Sand Whale wasn’t down and out, not by a long shot. It had latched its teeth into the foot of the cliff, digging into the oddly smooth surface with all its might. The thing’s immense strength was started to show dividends.

“Give me a break!” I dug deep, pulling up the last dregs of strength I possessed as I sprinted toward its flailing tail. If it managed to pull itself out of the water, I’d either have to ride it back up the cliff, or swim the rest of the way past the damaged face of the cliff in the chill waters of the Green Sea.

Not happening.

I sprinted madly along the beast’s length as it started to burrow into the cliff itself.

I timed my last step just as I reached the tail with one of its mad splashes, using its wildly erratic motion to launch myself into the air at the cliff. Unfortunately for me, the last wave of its tail had been at least twice as strong as the previous ones.

The impact was jarring, my arms and legs went numb, but that was a small price to pay. My face hitting the cliff hurt like hell, though. My vision blurred and my grip failed as I vainly tried to cling to the unyielding rock.

“Wes!” A pair of hands grabbed at my quiver and shoulder, keeping me from falling back into the churning waves and dragging me up onto the ledge.

“Oh my god, look at him.”

“Get him under cover, quickly!” Freya pulled out a rag and started to pat gingerly at the bits of rock still embedded in my cheek as Dew dragged me into the tunnel proper.

“Master! Speak to me, Master!”

“I’m… Fine…” I muttered through gritted teeth. For the first time in a long time, I felt a sticky warmth all along the right side of my body, and down my leg. “How… Bad… Is it?”

“It’ll be fine, Wes.” Dew forced a smile as she started to work on my injured leg. I could feel that it had been damaged, but at least there would be no damn root stuck in there to stop it from healing this time.

“Here, drink this, and get some rest.”

Dew pulled out a vial and tipped it against my lips. I fought the instinct to spit out the oddly colored liquid and let her pour it down my throat.

Shortly after swallowing I felt it begin to take effect.

“What- is-” My head dropped back weakly against a rolled-up wad of clothing. “Did you- drug- me?”

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Dew smiled at me through her tears. “We both know you’ll rush off again when you need to heal, so just relax and get some sleep. Please!”

“You could- have- asked.” I mumbled, fighting against the super powerful soporific. “This… stuff… is good.”

“She kept it for me; we never thought we’d have to use it on you.” Freya grabbed my hand, her guilty look barely visible through my blurry vision as I tilted my head over to face her

“I’m sorry, Master. Just rest and let us take care of you.”

“Fine. You. Owe. Me. One…” I managed to force out, half a grin on my face as my head lolled to the side against the stone of the cliff face, all thought wiped away by the warm feelings rushing up from my heart. “Thank… You.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Iklit Corridor / Green Sea cliff - Day 68

I t took a great effort to force my crusty eyelids apart, but what I saw when I could focus left me confused.

We were in another ancient shell, though I could tell from the layout, it wasn’t the same one we’d stayed in before. On top of that, the walls had been carefully decorated with all sorts of odds and ends, like a show of the jou rneys we’d been through had been laid out for all to see.

“What the-” I tried to push myself up, only to gasp as a sharp bolt of pain zapped my leg and it cramped up. “Ah!”

“Wes!” Dew dived on me from the side and grabbed me, pulling my face into her chest and smothering me between her breasts as Freya moved down beside us. “What took you so long?”

“What do you mean?” I spoke with difficulty, feeling my every breath blow out against her hot skin. “How long was I out?”

“A week, Master.” Freya moved close and laid a finger carefully against my neck, counting my pulse as Dew tightened her grip around my head. “Dew was terrified she’d put you into a coma permanently, but I told her you were too strong for that.”

“It’s fine. I probably just needed the rest.” I rubbed at my leg, which had cramped up when I’d woken up—I must be terribly dehydrated. “Could I get some water, please?”

Freya jumped up and hurried to the wall where a few of our remaining runed water bottles sat on a shelf dug into the cliff.

She returned with one and I gratefully sat up and drank—careful to take small sips instead of chugging down gallons of the sweet, life-giving elixir like my body demanded I do.

It was then that I noticed something peculiar. “Wait… What happened to my clothes?”

“Well, you got sweaty, so…” Dew pulled away and kept her gaze lowered, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “So…umm, we thought, that… well…”

“You thought?” I turned to Freya with an arched eyebrow.

She was intently investigating the shelf above my head.

“What was your scheme, girls?”

“At first, we were worried when you didn’t wake up after a whole day, but Freya persuaded me to let you sleep.” Dew sighed and glanced up at me, awkwardly. “I wanted to make you a wake-up tonic, but she made me wait.”

“Fine.” I sighed, tossing the covers off and pushing myself to my feet. “Next time just be cautious. You’re skilled at herb craft, but we all make mistakes from time to time.”

“You’re… not mad?” Dew leaned back, blinking worriedly as she stared into my eyes.

I reached a hand up and brushed a blonde braid back behind her ear. “Did you mean for me to sleep for a week?”

She gasped. “No! I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“If you didn’t mean for it to happen, then it simply was an accident.” I waved off the mistake for what it was, a mistake. Sure, it could have been worse, but it wasn’t. “Now you know better.”

Any day you learned something, wasn’t a wasted day.

“Thank you!” Dew grabbed me again and buried my head in her breasts once more. “I’ll make this up to you! I promise-”

“Damn right you will,” I growled and pushed her back far enough so that I could give each of her luscious breasts a quick kiss before letting her go. “But for now, we need to figure something out.”

“What’s that, Master?” Freya knelt in front of me, pointedly trying to ignore the fact that I was naked in front of her. A task she wasn’t very good at, to be fair.

“The Sand Whale... How did it get here, what was it hunting, and why did it chase us down?” I held up a finger for each point as the girls looked on, puzzled by my comments. “You both know that thing lives in the Sendrin Desert, not the Iklit Corridor. What could possibly bring one of those behemoths over here?”

“Well… they might be hunting for new food, but I seriously doubt they enjoy the taste of acid in their stomachs.” Dew frowned as she evaluated and then quickly discarded the easy answer. “But the other option is that something forced it here. What could have enough power to do that?”

“Exactly. If we can figure that out, the other answers should fall into place.” I rubbed at my chin, for once wishing I had a beard I could scratch at thoughtfully, like a human. “I can’t think of any natural reason for it to roam this far from its territory, so that leaves its charge against me. Thoughts?”

“Well, maybe it noticed you’d caused the explosions?” Freya offered, though it was obvious she didn’t quite believe the idea. “You did shoot near it, remember.”

“Yeah, but I only hit it once it started directly towards me. The second time I blew up an Iklit nest, I summoned a whole mob of them for it to devour.” I grunted, giving my tight hamstring muscles another long stretch. “If anything, it should have thanked me.”

“Maybe… it wasn’t hunting you, exactly?” Dew spoke slowly, her face pinched in concentration as she considered her words carefully. “What if it was just hunting any elf it could find?”

“Why would a Sand Whale hunt elves? We’re nothing to it.” Freya shook her head sadly. “It would hardly notice if we all jumped in its mouth at once.”

I kept silent, letting Dew’s suggestion bounce around in my brain. Logically, it didn’t make much sense, but the facts were difficult to ignore. The Sand Whale had come straight at me like a beast possessed, and only the fact that I’d distracted it from the others had saved their lives.

It hadn’t ‘wanted’ to kill me… it had ‘needed’ to.

The different behemoth category monsters of the world lived on a different plain to the other beasts. The Drungens I’d killed on the ship, so long ago now, weren’t anywhere near that category of monster, but they could still dive through a sturdy ship in one go, if not brought up short.

Deeplords were closer to behemoth level, tentatively named sub-behemoths. They could destroy small towns if they put their minds to it, but a concerted defense could still scare one of the creatures off—and that’s if it chose to attack a town in the first place.

But a Sand Whale? What did it care for our petty squabbles?

“So, how long until the next week of waves, exactly?” I glanced down at the entrance, which had been carefully blocked off with several layers of sturdy oiled canvas. “I imagine it’s still a while off.”

“It is, but we thought it might be a good idea to stay here for a while?” Freya offered tentatively, giving Dew a worried glance until the blonde backed her up with a half-hearted thumbs up.

“So… another three weeks?” I grimaced, but it wasn’t like I’d be up and about in the next few days, anyway. The longer we waited, the more sense it made to simply wait out the next week of angry tides and monstrous waves.

Unfortunately, the end of the storm season would bring with it a full two-month long high tide. We’d have to be sure to be long gone before then.

More than enough time still, though.

“We could use the time to rest and recover.” Dew spoke up, clearly sensing my frustration at the wasted time. “I could perfect some of my herb mixes, and Freya mentioned she had some ideas about enhancing our spears again.”

“Fine, I get it. It will take another week or two at least before I’m able to run, if needed. It’s just that hanging around in one place for so long makes me jumpy.” I shook my head and lay back down, pulling the covers over my body to the disappointed looks of the girls. “Wait another day or three, you two. I promise to repay you for saving my life, then.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Dew leaned down and kissed my cheek. Before she moved away, Freya joined her on the other cheek, giving me a vision of a beauty on both sides.

“We’ll hold you to it, she means.” Freya smiled at me, tapping my nose playfully before she moved over to her equipment. “If you don’t mind, Master, I had a question. If you’re okay with it…”

“Of course I am. I told you before, Freya, you have but to just ask.” I chuckled and shook my head. “We’re basically family now, remember.”

“Oh, I… Didn’t realize...” A stunned, wide grin took over Freya’s face for several seconds, her eyes all but glowing before she pulled herself together. “Well, it’s about your past. I want to know more about you.”

“Ditto.” Dew sat down beside me, cross legged with her elbows on her knees and her chin propped up as she leaned forward, exposing an amazing amount of cleavage.

It was almost as though she was trying to show herself off in the most advantageous way possible. It wasn’t like I was going to turn down an opportunity to give her amazing assets a good, long look up close.

“Well, I had a relatively normal childhood… until my gifts awakened.” I turned on my side, propping my head up on one elbow as I recalled the distant scenes of my past. “At first, I thought my skills would impress people and gain their respect.” I frowned. “And they did, for a while.”

I paused, thinking back over those difficult times.

“I was only a child when my gift first became known—relatively at least—so the jealousy and vitriolic anger of the other children caught me off guard. Once the differences between us were clearly explained by our tutors, no one would practice with me.”

The girls both stared at me sympathetically. Freya looked as though she was about to cry, but I waved their worries away with a laugh. “I didn’t care much, once I got over the initial shock of it all. That’s when I started to prefer keeping to myself. Only a few other high elves had been ‘gifted’ in my generation—but I was the only one whose talents lent themselves to archery.”

“Even the other gifted were jealous?” Dew guessed, tapping a thumb angrily against her sheathed blade as though she were reliving my past, personally. “Point them out to me, and I’ll-”

“Calm down, Dew. It’s fine.” I reached for her hand and squeezed it gently, pulling her out of her murderous rage. “They may have stood against me, but I couldn’t stand to be around them. It was then that my aunt brought me into the navy, where she trained me on the general rules of the fleet and its crews.”

I recalled my long years of training. All that time, spent memorizing and repeating the rules, believing in the justice of the system… all for what? To be cast aside on my maiden voyage, because of one crew’s jealousy and bitterness.

Could I have shared the bounties?

Yes.

Would anyone else have shared them, had they been in my boots?

Hell. No.

That, I knew for a fact. I’d heard of many other voyages where similar things had happened. Sometimes a few crew members earned the lion’s share of the bounties, and other times, a single warrior took every single bounty. Not once had they been cast ashore in a lonely wilderness.

“Wes... Wes!” Dew shook my shoulder, pulling me from my irritated thoughts. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just… thinking about the past.” I shrugged, pushing their backstabbing to the side for another day’s worry. “I finally get aboard my first ship—after so many years of land-based missions and training exercises—and they jumped me in the middle of the night and tossed me overboard.”

“They just marooned you?! Wait, when I found you…” Dew covered her mouth in shock. “Are you saying that was right after they left you behind?”

“Yeah. Fortunately, I ran into you soon after escaping a Siren’s sticky grasp.” I gave her a winning smile, then turned back to Freya. “Despite how everything went down, I’m happy I got to meet you two.”

“Us as well, Master.” Freya dropped her hammer and rushed forward to scoop my hand up in hers and pull it to her cheek. “You’ll never be alone ever again.”

“Look at you two,” I chuckled, “crying about my stupid past.”

Both women pouted at this and I laughed uproariously, pulling the two of them down with me and smothering the pair of beauties in kisses. “I’m fine with my life as it is, girls. Just focus on the future, and we’ll be fine.”

“Of course, Wes,” Dew smiled, leaning in for another long, deep kiss. “It’s a future I’m looking forward to the most of all.”

“I as well, Master.” Freya gently turned my head so she could lean in and copy Dew’s gesture. “And thank you, Master… You really did save us, no matter what you think of your past.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Iklit Corridor / Green Sea Cliff - Day 89

A fter we’d made the decision to put a temporary hold on our trek to Keria, the next three weeks passed in a blur. It took another couple of days or so for me to recover fully from my injuries, especially after Dew mixed up another herbal mixture to speed up my innate healing abilities.

I had a good laugh, teasing her about trying to knock me out again so she could take advantage of me.

Neither of the girls were happy that I started moving about so soon. It seemed they’d enjoyed treating me as their patient—someone they could look after, someone to protect.

It was quite different from our usual dynamic, but I didn’t make too much of a fuss; it wasn’t a big thing to let them have their fun for a few more days.

Though I did make sure I got a nice reward for my patience with their fussing over me.

Still, as the week of waves began to die away, we knew we had to get a move on. As comfortable as our rest and relaxation had been, there was no way I was going to spend the rest of my life in an ancient monster’s shell at the edge of the Iklit corridor, even if we found a way to keep ourselves fed and watered.

“You two ready?” I glanced back at the pair, who nodded as they shifted their packs up onto their shoulders. “How about you, Kiel?”

The shadowpanther seemed to be regretting his decision to tag along with us. First a mucky desert, then a narrow, damp tunnel, and finally, we’d forced him to live in another monster’s home in the cold and damp shell—perched above the Green Sea’s frigid, choppy waters.

But this part of our journey was almost at an end. The last stretch of trail along the cliff should take just over two weeks to traverse; the point where we’d climb back up to the lip of the cliff was well marked on the map.

From there, we’d only need to sprint across a short section of the Iklit corridor before finding ourselves on the relatively safe Viper Sands.

As we moved closer and closer to the final section of our journey, I couldn’t help but think back to the Sendrin Sand Whale, and its mad charge toward me. Staring down the gullet of a behemoth was something I’d ever imagined myself doing, but the world had had a funny way of catching me off guard these past few months.

Day after day passed without any major incident. We did hear the occasional Iklit screech from above as the ravenous monsters fought each other for scraps of meat, but our journey wasn’t disturbed by the telltale rumble of a Sand Whale’s passage.

Either it had fled back to the Sendrin desert, or it was lying in wait for us in the Viper Sands.

I didn’t mind not knowing which way it had turned once it had burrowed back into the cliff, so much as the fact I didn’t know where it was now, and I hadn’t the slightest clue where it might turn up.

Something that big possibly searching the corridor for us?

Not a good feeling.

Not at all.

Still, the empowered, runed arrowheads Freya created had been powerful enough to pierce its flesh and blow off decent chunks of its massive body, though I’d need to fire every single one of them we had left directly into its innards to cause the beast major damage.

It was better than nothing, at least.

“So, what’s the plan this time?” Dew turned to me when we finally reached the end of the trail, where a series of ledges and chiseled grips clearly marked the route back to the lip of the cliff—which was blissfully whole. “If the Sand Whale is around and it tries to chase us down, what should we try and do?”

“There will be no ‘try’ about it.” I shook my head, irritated at the situation. “I got lucky last time… Very lucky. That’s not likely to happen again.”

“I have an idea, Master.” Freya pulled a short, metal rod out of her pack and lifted it up so we could see the shimmering runes beneath its surface. “This is a fully activated piece of runesmith alloy—with which I can delay the explosion. Would that help?”

“If we have a good distraction… maybe.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I gently took the slender rod from her. I weighed and balanced the not quite two-foot long rod in my hands. “Be a tricky shot, though, without any fletching to stabilize it...”

“If I put anything else on it, then it won’t work.” Freya winced as she looked at the slender, smooth shaft in my hands. “I’m sorry, Master.”

“Don’t be sorry! You’re amazing enough as it is.” I pulled Freya in to my side and gave her a quick, comforting hug. “This will work, I’ll just have to time the shot perfectly.”

Perfectly was a bit of an understatement. Though my accuracy wouldn’t be terribly affected by the lack of fletching, the range of this timed rod would be much less than one of my normal yard-long shafts. The benefit of having it was that I could fire it and then retreat—it would still cause a distraction… just later.

A Sand Whale’s most powerful sense was its hearing—or rather, its sensing the vibrations our steps made—though the two weren’t all that different, really. I’d hypothesized that it had identified my firing spot by tracking back from the radiating sound of the arrows’ explosions, so a delayed explosion would act as a good buffer to throw it off our trail.

“Ready, you two?” I lifted my bow and set the metal rod against it. A normal archer wouldn’t even be able to move the chunk of metal, but my empowered weapon held enough power to launch it a fair distance. “Three. Two-”

Something slammed into the cliff, further back along the trail where we’d just come from. Rocks broke and shattered beneath the weight of the huge monster, cascading out like dust as it clawed at the edge, trying to pull itself out of the water.

“Toughback!” I hissed, pulling the girls down hurriedly to the ground. The new behemoth, around two thirds the size of a sand whale, looked like a cross between a turtle and a dragon—and it had gained the worst characteristics from each of its ancestors.

Acidic breath, tremendous greed, and a never-ending desire to rule over all creatures it came across.

But a Toughback was rarely seen, and only far out at sea—never this close to land. It was rumored that some small islands were actually Toughback shells, discarded when the creatures outgrew their old homes once every hundred years or so.

Its appearance explained one thing, though—the missing part of the trail and smooth cliff face we had been stymied by earlier had most likely been caused by this monstrosity clawing its way out of the Green Sea.

Its breath, while not the most deadly of attacks a behemoth might possess, easily overwhelmed most defenses due to the sheer amount of bile the Toughback could spew.

Then, as if the world had heard my thoughts that things couldn’t get any worse, we heard and felt the sound we’d been dreading for days.

“Sand Whale,” I grunted, turning my gaze toward the plumes of sand rising up in the distance. “What in this side of hell are these beasts doing?”

The Toughback answered my rhetorical question when it let out an ear piercing bellow, stomping its clawed feet down repeatedly on the cliff’s edge. Though it wasn’t all that close to us, the impact of its massive feet made the entire cliff shudder so much, that I was worried the entire thing might collapse.

“Master!” Freya looked at me, her eyes wide in terror. “What do we do?”

“We leave, quickly.” I pushed myself up gently and led the girls away, skirting as close to the edge of the cliff as I dared with these two behemoths shaking the ground with their every step.

The two behemoths faced each other, unconcerned with the helpless prey that discretely tried to flee such a titanic battle.

The Sand Whale, incensed at the intruder into its territory, opened its maw wide to bellow threateningly at the newcomer.

The Toughback wasn’t impressed by the display.

Though the Sand Whale was much larger than it, the smaller behemoth didn’t seem to care.

It charged forward, sending sprays of rock and dust into the air as it lurched toward its opponent with a roar, acting like the Sand Whale was its mortal enemy.

“Hold on!” I grabbed the girls and leaned against a rock as the two goliaths smashed together. Their collision sent a blast of rubble cascading outward, some of which bounced off of the boulder we’d taken cover behind. Only after pausing for a second or two to let the last remnants of shrapnel fall to the ground, did I pull Freya and Dew back into the open. “Go. Now!”

No matter what I did, there was no way I could fatally wound either of the behemoths duking it out behind us, and if I did interfere, it might redirect their attention back our way.

Instead, I choose to let them fight it out as we quietly slipped away.

I didn’t expect to see what popped up, however, as the dust clouds eventually settled.

The Sand Whale, being the much larger of the two, should have had an advantage—but this did not seem to be the case.

Huge chunks from its mouth were missing, evidence of the damage I’d dealt it in our last engagement.

The Toughback had seized on this weakness with cunning ferocity, exasperating the damage as it spewed its acidic bile down the Sand Whale’s throat.

But it hadn’t gotten away without injury.

The Sand Whale’s teeth were large and sharp, and not even a Toughback could avoid injury if it leaped into the thing’s jaws.

Dark blue streaks smeared the sands as the fight raged on, turning the area where the behemoth’s raged into a colorful morass as pools of their vital fluids mixed and frothed together.

This fight would be to the death.

The girls only glanced back over their shoulders occasionally, each disgusted by the sight.

Freya didn’t like it, due to her gentle, naive nature. I guessed Dew disliked the fact that two rare beasts were ripping one another apart, for no apparent reason.

Even Kiel seemed disturbed by the terrible sights and sounds and stuck close to my ladies.

But I couldn’t pull my eyes away.

I didn’t enjoy watching the epic fight but hoped to decipher some clue to their odd behavior and actions, their desire to obliterate the enemy before them.

Ordinarily, neither creature would attack the other, they should never have crossed paths, but they’d each traveled far from their territory for this final showdown.

Why?

But, as the fight began to draw to a close, I discarded that thought in favor of a more pertinent concern.

What should, or even could we do, about the winner?

It appeared that the Toughback had won the battle but lost the war. Its neck and chest were crisscrossed by hundreds of gashes and tears, some of which still had massive teeth embedded deep in them.

The Sand Whale may have died, but its opponent wouldn’t last much longer.

Even so, the dying monstrosity didn’t bother retreating back to the ocean.

It turned to face us.

“You have got to be shitting me!” I growled and paused to pull out my bow once more. “Freya, Dew, go!” I shouted to them, “I’ll catch up!”

The girls stopped, exchanged some emphatic words and then turned and sprinted back to me.

“Not this time, Master,” Freya huffed as she moved beside me, her spear pointed unerringly at the charging behemoth. “We won’t let you get hurt again.”

“She’s right, Wes.” Dew stepped up to flank me, also wielding the spear Freya had enhanced for her. “We’re a family, remember.”

“Fine,” I grunted, “but wait for my signal.” I shook off my irritation and watched the Toughback lurch toward us, one leg dragging behind it. Despite its injuries, it was clear it might still be able to catch up to us if we tried to flee. Better to fight it here and now, in a place of our own choosing.

I did the last thing it expected.

I sprinted towards it, firing arrow after arrow into the worst of its injuries. Though the empowered runed arrowheads’ explosions tore open its wounds, they weren’t enough to kill it.

Dew and Freya followed me after a brief, incredulous moment of shock as I did the unthinkable, keeping pace just behind me as I sent a flurry of shafts at the Toughback’s front legs.

“Now!”

Freya and Dew dashed forward as I released a triple shot at the behemoth’s eyes, temporarily causing it to flinch back to keep from losing its sight. The girls darted in, one on each side.

Their spears, while not long enough to reach the beast’s neck and cause major damage under normal circumstances, were more than enough to literally knock the legs out from under the trembling monster. They slashed its tendons, cut through its muscles, and left it nothing to support its tremendous weight.

Dew and Freya each rolled clear, away from the area as the Toughback came crashing down before me. Even though crippled and fatally wounded, the beast wasn’t ready to give in.

It still had its poisonous breath.

“Eat this!” I fired shot after runed shot into its open beak of a mouth, dispersing the first wave of acidic spittle to the sides. The sheer pressure behind the attack eventually forced its bile back out, of course, but that small interruption was all I needed.

The Toughback tried to snap at me as I sprang atop its damaged leg, but I’d already hopped to a point further up, right beside its neck. The thing could crush me with a simple twitch of its head, so I’d have to move fast.

Luckily, this creature didn’t have the natural defenses of a Deeplord or a Rhintra, so I didn’t have to worry about standing directly on its skin. Its skin was a little slippery, as most sea monster’s exteriors tended to be, but I managed to keep my feet with my well-practiced movements.

Lacking the ability to shake me off, the Toughback thrashed about weakly as I clambered to the pinnacle of its shell, to the one weak spot that could possibly finish off the beast.

“You may have started this fight…” I fired almost every arrow still in my quiver down into the depths of the thing’s enormous blow hole, at the top of its armored shell. “But I’m going to finish it, you prick.”

The runed rod, which Freya had set to a thirty second countdown, glowed blue as I activated it and dropped it down the creature’s blowhole.

“Run!” I shouted to the girls as I slid down the back side of the beast’s shell, landing not far from where Dew, Freya, and Kiel had been ripping at the Toughback’s exposed rear leg, adding insult to injury, in case the monster somehow managed to recover its footing.

“Come on, let’s get out of here!”

Without even wondering about the possibility of other monsters attacking, we sprinted toward a sturdy looking boulder. Only after we’d huddled together behind its safety did Dew turn and look up at me, her eyes wide in confusion.

“How long until-”

The runed rod’s delayed explosion rocked the area, far exceeding any of those I’d caused before.

“That should do it,” I smirked, brushing dust out of the girl’s hair with a cocky grin. “Want to go help me get proof for our bounty?”

The scene of devastation we’d left behind in our wake was epic.

The Sand Whale’s rapidly cooling corpse lay off in the distance, its guts and entrails ripped free by the Toughback and spread over hundreds of yards. The entire side of its face and throat had been dissolved by acid, leaving us in no doubt that it had definitely departed the land of the living.

But that was nothing compared to the gory mess that was left of the Toughback.

A massive chunk of its shell had simply blown apart, revealing a cratered pit where its massive blow hole had once been.

The thing’s furious gaze had dulled upon its demise and its head was nearly submerged in a pool of its own blood and viscera. Various bits and pieces of its body continued to leak out through huge gashes and tears in its skin.

“Such a shame. These things are… or were, rather… legends.” I sighed and shook my head as I surveyed the gruesome scene, followed by a silent Dew and Freya. “We might as well take what we can, though, before the Iklit get past their shock and start lining up for a free meal.”

Though the monsters who inhabited the corridor were ravenous killing machines, that didn’t mean they were entirely without fear.

Two behemoths fighting a brutal battle to the death had forced them to retreat deep into their holes, if only for a short time.

Hopefully long enough for us to collect a few odds and ends.

From the Sand Whale, we picked up several of its conductive scales. While the rest of its body could be sold for a good amount, the relatively small scales it used to regulate the flow of energy along its body were the best value—hundreds of gold per pound—given the price they would fetch.

The Toughback was harder to work with. Its teeth were extremely rare, but they were incredibly dense and very heavy. Not something that we could possibly carry all the way back to the city with us. That left the thing’s eyes, which we could cart off easily, or the cartiledge at the back of its throat.

Dense enough to resist the acidic nature of its breath, but pliable enough to twist and bend around as needed to control the flow of deadly bile, the material was prized by all crafters—especially those who had access to the services of a runesmith.

But we didn’t have time to get all of it, even if we’d had the capacity to carry it.

Instead, I cut out as much of the pliable growth as I could reach and divided it between the three of us.

Once the pieces were tied in batches and covered in cloth, no one would be able to guess at the precious bounty they held within.

Unfortunately, Freya couldn’t do much with the materials in their base state.

“I can look into runesmithing, Master, but for now… I’m afraid these materials are useless to me.” She pinched at the pliable bone, scrunching her nose up as it compressed slightly under her grip. “Maybe you know someone who can help, back in Keria?”

“One or two I can trust, yeah.” I nodded, tossing my share of the spoils into the pack on my back. “Let’s get moving. Once we cross safely into the Viper Sands, we should be in the clear.

The Iklit remained hidden for the rest of our journey, either they feared that more behemoths might appear, or they intuited somehow by some feral instinct that we had been the ones who’d ended the Toughback’s life.

Either way, I wasn’t about to complain, now that things were going our way, for once.

When we crossed beyond the rocky purple sand splotched waste of the corridor into the glimmering white shifting particles of the Viper Sands, Dew sighed and glanced back at the corridor… with regret?

“Don’t tell me you want to go back in there?” I folded my arms, tilting my head to one side in confusion as I stared at her. “Did our time there drive you insane, or something?”

“Well, not there… specifically. I did enjoy our time together, though.” Dew giggled at my suggestion and kicked a rock back over the boundary into the corridor. “Anywhere we’re together, though, is home now, right?”

“That’s right.” I nodded and turned to Freya. “What about you… Are you feeling any remorse at our escaping the Iklit corridor?”

“I’m fine, Master. We survived, we’re together, and soon we’ll meet your family.” She smiled, though I could tell she wasn’t entirely happy with the future she spoke of. “We said we’d follow you anywhere, remember.”

“Don’t worry about my family.” I waved a hand dismissively, brushing aside their concerns. “If they say anything rude to you, then I’ll just leave. I only need to report some things to my father, before we can figure out where we want to go and what we want to do next.”

“The behemoths?” Dew suggested, pointing back to where we’d left the corpses of the Sand Whale and the Toughback. “Do you think he’ll know what’s going on with the monsters?”

“Not our problem,” I shrugged and pulled the two girls in close. “We’ll sell off the loot, get Freya some more runesmith materials, and then head off on our next little adventure. How does that sound to you two?”

“Perfect, Master!” Freya nuzzled against my chest happily. “I can’t wait!”

After giving the two another squeeze, I let them go and led the way toward the distant high-elf lands. A row of mountains rose up in the distance, marking the far edge of the Viper Sands, beyond which I knew we’d find the wide valley and pleasant bay of my hometown.

Keria.

The Viper Sands weren’t completely safe, however.

As with the Iklit Corridor, the area had been named after the primary threat that inhabited the area; the snakes were less than pleased when visitors strode through their territory.

Fortunately, we already had the perfect defense.

Shadowpanthers absolutely loved snake meat.

Kiel leaped around, ecstatic that we were moving away from the ocean after so long, but his playful dancing lasted only as long as it took for the first sand viper to try and sneak up on the group.

In an instant, he was a fierce predator once more, if an overly cute one at that.

The first snake met its end mid leap, its body snapped up and then shredded by Kiel’s rapid pounce and vicious shake. Then another… and another. Fortunately, they didn’t cooperate and attack en masse, preferring to attack us one after the other, with slight gaps between their assaults.

It all became a tasty little game for the shadowpanther cub.

How quickly could he spot them?

Could he kill them in a single chomp?

He darted about, chittering to himself happily as the vipers slinked in toward us.

Freya, after a few close calls, slowly grew accustomed to the waves of snake attacks and began to trust Kiel’s instincts.

Dew hadn’t even needed a scare or two to acclimatize—as soon as we’d set foot onto the Viper Sands, she’d relaxed, as though we were already home and out of danger.

I kept a hand on my sword, just in case.

Even though Kiel was skilled, and his instincts were far better than mine in this instance, that didn’t mean he might not make a mistake in his youthful exuberance.

I’d done the same myself, once or twice in the past, when I’d leaned too much on my gift to carry the day.

But the cat was growing faster and wiser than I’d expected he would.

Though it would still be years until he reached the same heft as his mother, calling Kiel a cub felt a bit of a misnomer.

His shoulder easily reached my chest; it was clear that he had filled out, too, and his weight had gone up considerably to match his beefier form.

Not a pet I’d want in my lap anymore.

Dew still treated him like her little baby, though. Every time he caught a snake, she praised him, giving his ears a quick scratch as he bounded back to show off his prize.

Though logically I should have told them to stop, the heart warning scene wasn’t harming anyone, seeing as I kept my guard up, acting as a second line of defense should a snake attack when Kiel was enjoying an ear scritch or two.

Still, his rapid growth concerned me a bit. Taking him in to Keria would be hard enough as it was—if he grew any bigger over the remainder of our trek, it would only get more difficult. It wasn’t like I could ask him to stop growing, of course, but I still had to think carefully about how we’d need to solve the issue.

The best idea, of course, would be to have the shadowpanther wait in the light forests outside of Keria proper.

But what if a high-elf hunting party found him?

While Shadowpanthers weren’t the rarest of creatures, I didn’t doubt that some hunter would consider him quite the prize and try to track him down, if they spotted him in the wilds outside the city.

There was a chance that my father could pass him through the checks, but I didn’t like being dependent upon his connections.

Ever since my gifts had awakened, the old elf hadn’t treated me quite the same as my other siblings. Everything had a price and was give and take; all done according to a most stringent reading of the rules.

Could he help?

Yes.

Would he though?

Debatable.

“Dew, I have a question for you?” I spoke slowly, unsure of how best to broach the subject. “You’re pretty good at staying out of sight, right?”

“You want me to sneak in to Keria?” She turned around, a faint smile on her face as she jumped right to the main thrust of my thoughts. “Maybe I can take Kiel in with me, too. That would solve two issues in one, wouldn’t it?”

“I’ll stay with Master, until we can meet up again, then.” Freya nodded, holding a hand against her ample breasts confidently. “I’m sure you’ll be able to track us down-”

“Wait, wait, wait.” I held up a hand, interrupting their impromptu little planning session. “Before we jump into things, let’s think through the issue carefully.”

The girls paused and turned to me, their gazes attentive and focused. With the floor to myself, I took a moment to collect my thoughts.

“Freya should be fine with me, but people will try to argue against even letting Dew into the city. I could probably get you past the gates, but I don’t think it will be a pleasant experience for anyone.” I chewed on my bottom lip, thinking about the standoffish nature of the city guards. “But if you’re caught sneaking in… it will be much worse. Are you sure you can do this?”

“Of course. It’ll take more than a few stuck up high-elves to keep me from you.” Dew jumped in close and grabbed me, pressing her body up against mine. “There’s only going to be one pretty boy in my life, no one else could break through these defenses.”

“Dew!” Freya pinched her friend’s side, causing the girl to jump back with a guilty start. “We discussed this, remember?”

“Oh, you did, did you?” I narrowed my eyes at the pair, both of whom at least had the good courtesy to look embarrassed. “When did you figure this all out, exactly?”

“When… When you were unconscious.” Freya mumbled, keeping her gaze low. “We didn’t want to… Cause more issues for you.”

“It makes the most sense.” Dew stepped next to Freya and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I know you aren’t pleased with it, but we’re okay with this. Are you?”

“I’d say that my being ‘okay with it’ would be a bit if an overstatement, but it is the most logical decision,” I grumped, agreeing only after forcing down my disquiet at the idea of having to hide Dew away. “Right, we’ll do it the way you two planned... but I want you to meet us as soon as possible.”

“Like I’d be able to stay away from you for long, anyhow!” Dew giggled and leaned in close for a kiss before she purred, “I’m sure we’ll be able to make up for any lost time when we’re safe in the city, right, pretty boy?”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Viper Sands / High elf lands – Day 140

I t took us another month to cross the Viper Sands, but at least the nights weren’t as bad as the searing heat of the day. The snakes mostly stayed underground during the cool evenings, especially after the sun had set, so we were safe enough to set up a small camp—as long as we covered a large area where we lay down with the canvas sheet.

Kiel still stayed on watch, of course, but nothing untoward happened throughout the rest of our trek.

Even after the shadowpanther got bored of the snake attacks, he still kept up with his role. During our entire trip from the edge of the Waskis Woods to the Viper Sands, he’d not had many opportunities to contribute, had even been a bit of a hassle to the group, but Kiel seemed to be taking advantage of a chance to make up for that now.

When we finally stepped out of the desert near the edge of the mountains, I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

We were clear, finally.

“So, this is your homeland, Master?” Freya glanced up at the mountains rising into the sky ahead of us. “It seems pretty big.”

“Well, that makes sense, seeing as that’s where ‘pretty boy’ came from.” Dew nudged my ribs and giggled softly to herself. “But I’m not seeing any big cities like you told us to expect. Am I missing something here, Wes?”

“Keria is on the other side of this mountain range, but there is a pass we can take to cut through.” I pointed off to the side, at a distant ridge between two of the towering obstacles that stood in our way. “But we should stop at a village on the way there and catch up on the local news—I don’t want to walk into the city without at least some forewarning.”

“Good idea.” Dew nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe we’ll find out something about the behemoths’ movements, if we’re lucky.”

It only took us an hour to circle around to the pass, but that we found it completely unguarded shocked me more than a little.

Even at the worst times of the year, there were several guards stationed at the border to keep an eye on traffic and make sure bandits didn’t try to sneak their way into the high-elven lands.

But the pass was empty, barren of all elves.

“Not quite the welcoming party you expected?” Dew glanced over at me, one eyebrow raised as she noted my bewildered expression. “Some rot deeper than we expected, maybe?”

“Keep close to me.” I waved at the others as I led them up the pass, keeping an eye out for possible threats in the shadows.

The further up we climbed, the more the gnarled trees started filling our vision. Though they weren’t nearly as tall or wide as those in the Waskis Woods, there were still more than enough of them to limit our visibility.

Or to act as cover for potential ambushers.

But no one jumped out at us all the way up to the ridge. We saw no one—no guards, no bandits, no travelers… nothing at all.

Looking down into the valley, I saw the distant signs of life; smoke rose from the chimneys of a nearby village, and I spied a cart traveling from one place to another.

“It’s beautiful.” Freya looked out across the huge space, her brilliant blue eyes wide with wonder. The ground fell away before us, all the way to the edge of the bay far below, next to which we could discern the distant silhouette of Keria itself, though we were still too far away to see anything clearly. “I can see why you wanted to return, Master.”

“It is pretty, sure…but has nothing on Waskis, though.” Dew shrugged, though I could see her eyes soaking up every bit of beauty she could see. She turned to look at me. “I bet you have a fantastic view in Keria of the bay, don’t you?”

“It depends. If you live near the docks, or maybe from up in the high castle.” I shrugged, remembering the cluttered streets around my home. “Everywhere else? Not so much.”

“Can’t see the woods for the trees.” Dew flicked my nose playfully and turned away to walk off down the hill. “Enough sightseeing, let’s get going before night overtakes us.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I followed along behind the girls. Despite the fact we were walking into the lands of the high-elves, a race historically not well disposed toward their kind, neither Freya nor Dew seemed to mind in the slightest.

We reached the village as the last rays of the sun started to vanish behind the distant mountains on the far side of the bay.

No one tried to stop us as we entered.

They didn’t even make too much of the odd composition of our party, quickly renting us a room without complaint in the relatively well-kept inn.

The fact we only asked for a single room, with one bed, did raise a few eyebrows, though.

“Prudes, the lot of them!” Dew grumbled as she kicked her shoes off, giving the room a once over as I locked the door behind us. “Do they really care about their prim and proper rules that much? They can stuff them where the sun doesn’t shine!”

“Dew, be nice.” Freya folded her arms, her tone turning serious. “These are Master’s people, and we need to try to fit in… as best we can.”

I watched the two bicker back and forth as I considered the welcome we’d received. Their fairly uninhibited response to a wood-elf like Dew, and to a lesser extent a mixed breed like Freya, was mostly because this village was situated near the far edge of the high-elf lands.

Wood elves and Desert elves were basically the same race—living under different conditions—and most high-elves didn’t even bother differentiating between the two.

While that annoyed the sub-races some, the general disdain with which the high-elves regarded all who they considered beneath them, infuriated them even more.

In the towns and villages on the border, though, it didn’t matter as much.

They likely kept up a healthy trade with the desert elves.

Such a relationship must have been difficult to build and, given the wrong circumstances, could easily break apart at a single, wrong word.

“I’m going to go down and ask around a bit.” Freya and Dew both turned to me with expectant looks, excited until I held up a palm. “Alone. I’ll send drinks and a meal up, though I shouldn’t be too long.”

“Now that you’re home, you want to go off cavorting with any odd cute high elf you see.” Dew complained, though I saw right through her fake display of anger. “Go on then, pretty boy,” she sniffed. “Go play as you will.”

“Master wouldn’t do that!” Freya spoke up in my defense, not that I needed defending, of course. She turned to me, her eyes wide. “You wouldn’t… would you, Master? Not without seeing how we all feel about it first, right?”

Her open suggestion that I might want to increase our odd little family relationship caught me off guard, doubly so since it had come from the shy Freya, rather than the outspoken Dew. Even the redhead’s sultry friend was shocked speechless, for a moment at least, before she rushed up and pulled Freya down onto the bed beside her and started to tickle her.

“I’ll let you two sort this out between you.” I chuckled as Freya began to giggle as Dew punished her for letting slip another of their little secrets. “I’ll be back soon.”

I closed the door softly behind me and waited until I heard the lock click before I set off down the hallway and walked down the stairs into the main room of the inn. There were a few patrons lazing about, and even a few dancing and singing at the far end of the bar, but I ignored them as I took a seat beside an elf leaning casually against the bar.

“Tough day?” I asked, turning to give him a small grin. “Fancy a top up, mate?”

“Won’t say no.” The man nodded, laying his empty mug on the bar. “Where did you three come from, then? Wood elves aren’t that rare a sight, but a mixed-breed? Now that was a sight to see.”

“We’ve been around.” I answered, dodging the question with a wink before I asked. “So, anything exciting going on in these parts? I’ve heard some rumors that I don’t really want to believe.”

“About the desert tribes cutting us off? The Iklit Corridor going absolutely insane with monsters ripping the place a part?” The elf grumbled, taking a long sip of his freshly drawn drink. “Or Keria locking down entirely, and turning away everyone without a high level pass? Which of those rumors might you be talking about?”

“All of them, I guess.” I bit back the urge to curse in frustration and instead added quietly. “There has to be some link between the monsters, desert tribes, and Keria, right? This is all a bit too coincidental for my liking.”

“It’s the navy! The whole blasted lot of them!” The elf slammed his mug down on the bar, attracting an awkward glare from the rest of the patrons. “They’ve gone and done something, and now we’re left paying the tab for it!”

“Hey now, calm down, friend.” The bar keeper moved forward, her gaze focused on the dazed man beside me. “I think you might have had one too many… again.”

“Maybe I did. Maybe I did.” The elf grumbled, tipping the rest of his drink back and laying the mug facedown before he turned to stumble away. “It is true, though. They’re the ones to blame—did it all, they did.”

I watched as the drunk elf slowly stumbled his way out of the bar and waited for the music to start up again before I turned to the barkeep, an awkward smile on my face.

“Wrong person to ask about local news, I guess?” I offered, taking a slow sip of my drink. Meh…not the worst ale I’d ever tasted, but nowhere near the best, either.

Not that I’d tell that to the barkeep, of course.

“Wrong time more like. You kids must’ve missed the start of this latest mess.” The matronly elf sighed and started to clean up the discarded mugs and win glasses the patrons had left behind. “No one is happy, even those who pretend that they are.”

I followed her gaze to the exuberant crowd at the other end of the bar.

Sure, strained relations with the desert tribes might be good for local businesses, but the dull, lifeless expressions on most of the other patrons’ faces told me all I needed to know.

Things had escalated far beyond a simple misunderstanding.

“Thank you.” I smiled and tipped her with several coins, mostly to make up for the lost business from the elf I’d accidentally antagonized out of her bar. “If you could send up a meal tonight, then again in the morning? I’d appreciate it.”

“Sure can. Thanks for listening to our woes.” The barkeep chuckled as she dropped the glasses into a sink behind the bar. “We’re all the same, deep down. It just surprises me that no one else sees it that way. Take this drink with you, lad,” she said, holding out a bottle and trio of glasses. “Treat your lady friends to a nice night, on me.”

The elf’s words bounced around in my brain as I made my way back up to the room, bottle of elvish wine in one hand and glasses in the other.

The tip I’d given her was actually more than what it would have cost for the bottle, but she hadn’t needed to give it to me.

That she’d cared enough to notice gave me a new respect for the hardworking barkeep.

“If she could see through it all, why can’t everyone else?” I muttered to myself as I knocked lightly on our room’s door.

“Ladies...” I grinned at the two red faced girls the open door revealed before me. “I’m under strict orders to treat you two to a nice night-”

I didn’t even have time to finish my sentence before the pair pulled me into the room with a squeal and locked it shut behind me.

As they pulled me into the room, I noticed that they’d carefully made up the bed with some of our own items.

The inn’s pillows had been tossed aside, replaced instead by those we’d used on our trek, though it looked like they’d been hastily cleaned by the ladies during my brief reconnaissance downstairs.

But the main thing I noticed was that they had both stripped out of their usual outfits and were now perched side by side on the bed in a matching set of lingerie that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“Ooh, now that is nice…” I slowly walked over to the table and set the bottle and glasses down on it. Turning back around and surveying the bounty laid out before me at the end of the bed, I gave a low whistle. “So, was this your plan the whole time?”

“Well, we thought it would be nice if we could… Welcome you home, Master.” Freya forced herself to stare up into my face, obviously extremely conscious of how scantily she was dressed. “And Dew said…” her face quickly matching her burnished red braids, “That you might… like this… Maybe?”

“I do indeed.” I leaned down and sealed her lips with my own for several seconds before I pulled away and caressed her chin. “You are beautiful, Freya.”

“Oh, just her?” Dew grabbed me by my shirt and spun me to face her, thrusting her breasts up and out at me in mock anger. “You turning into a one elf pretty boy now, huh? No more room for little old me?”

“As ever, Dew, you are gorgeous.” I pulled her close and gave Dew the tender kiss she wanted, with a sigh she melted into it. I held the kiss, and her, for a good long while before I moved back to the table. “But we’re going to have a meal delivered soon and I’ve brought us this lovely elven wine--let’s just relax and see where the night takes us.”

“I think we know where it will lead, Master,” Freya giggled softly, but she didn’t refuse as I filled and then passed her a glass of wine. “This is my first time drinking wine... Is it nice?”

“You’ll love it.” Dew grabbed her own glass and tipped it back, as though she was quaffing beer. “It might sting a bit, though, at the back of your throat, so be careful-”

Before she could even finish the warning, Freya had copied Dew’s actions, tipping the whole contents of her glass into her mouth. We watched on in stunned silence as her face scrunched up against the explosion of taste as she swallowed it all, bit by bit.

“Well, I guess your ‘training’ wasn’t wasted.” Dew laughed out loud as I poured her another glass, though she managed to drink the second one a bit more carefully as Freya shivered softly between us.

“Are you okay, Freya?” I asked, concerned.

“That was… Okay.” She mumbled, holding out her cup for a refill. “I’d like to try some more, please.”

“Sure, but this time… take it slow.” I winced as I carefully measured out another half glass for the petite redhead. “We have a big day ahead of us, tomorrow. I don’t want you sleeping in with a headache, girl.”

“Oh, you… Let her live a little. It’s her first taste of wine.” Dew slapped my arm playfully. “Been a whole lot of firsts recently, right Freya?”

The girls started to giggle to themselves as I carefully took a sip of the wine, just in case it was some extremely powerful stuff. The bottle said it was a standard vintage, the same stuff the elves of Keria and its surrounding villages had drunk most of their lives.

Then I realized my error.

“Wait… you’ve never had elven wine before, have you?” I gave Dew an accusatory glare as she shyly sipped at her glass again. “First time, indeed,” I snorted. “You two are cut off!”

But unfortunately, the damage had already been done. When the meal was delivered, the girls could barely contain their giggles as they danced about the room. As the night wore on, Dew’s raunchy stories just got worse and worse until finally, they turned their growing sexual frustration fully toward the only outlet in the room.

Me.

“So… pretty boy,” Dew slurred a bit as she rolled over on the bed, one breast slipping out of her semi-transparent nightgown as she stared up at me. “You’re still much too uptight. You were starting to loosen up and get better, but you’ve slid back into your old ways since we crossed over into your homeland. Why is that?”

“Habit, I guess.” I grinned down at the scene before me. “I’ll make more of an effort to hold my moodiness in when around you, ladies.”

“Oh, please don’t hold it in your pants,” Freya murmured softly before a fit of giggles overtook her.

“You’re a happy drunk, I take it?” I couldn’t help but chuckle as Freya fell back on the bed, holding her chest to keep her bountiful breasts from escaping their confines as she rolled about on the covers. “We really should get some sleep, but I’ve got a feeling sleep isn’t what you have planned, right?”

“Nope.” Dew reached out to pull at my boot, motioning for me to stand up and come to the bed from my chair. “Come over here, you. Bring me my pretty boy!”

“Pretty boy! Pretty boy!” Freya chanted Dew’s intimate nickname for me, pulling herself up until she was laying on top of Dew. “I’ll help, Master!”

Before I could say anything, the pair had worked together in perfect cooperation to pull my boots off and pants down, freeing the object of their desire for all the world to see.

Dew paused, a bit lost in dazed wonder at the sudden appearance of her pretty boy, but Freya didn’t give her friend time to recover as she gently tugged on the tip.

“Come closer, Master,” She begged, taking a firm hold of my dick as she guided me down toward her friend’s waiting mouth. “Open up, Dew!”

Dew scooted back over the edge of the bed and opened her mouth as wide as she could, leaning back and letting me slide deep inside her throat.

I’d never actually done this exact position with a girl, but Dew rose to the occasion.

Without missing a beat, Freya shifted down, pulling Dew’s breasts completely out into the open.

With a wide-eyed impish grin at me, she took Dew’s hard nipple into her mouth.

I felt Dew’s throat clench around me as Freya started playing with her sensitive breasts, but the way her arms swept out to lock around the back of my legs, holding me firmly in place, showed me one thing.

She was loving it every bit of it.

I began to rock my hips forward as she pulled at my legs, encouraging me to thrust into her mouth.

This I did with a low groan… each thrust deep, slow, and steady. With each push, I felt her tongue lash against the underside of my shaft.

And with each pull, I could feel her greedy suction right up until the head tugged at her lips.

It was as though she was worried I might pull her toy back out before she was done with it.

Dew’s toes curled up and she let out a guttural groan as an orgasm seized her body, helped along by the fact that Freya had sneakily dipped a hand down between her friend’s thighs.

Though she wasn’t as skilled with her manual ministrations as I was, just that Dew’s shy friend was working to give her pleasure enhanced the sexiness of the whole thing for everyone involved.

I could feel myself building up, slowly but surely, and it seemed like Freya could tell from my expression that I was close.

She pulled herself back up toward me, up to the point where she was basically kneeling just above where my member slid into and out of Dew’s mouth, so she could take my lips with hers.

That passion filled kiss was all it took to push me over the edge, which in turn set Dew off with another round of groaning shivers beneath us.

“Good job, Master.” Freya grinned as she rolled to the side onto the bed, watching intently as I extricated pretty boy from the blonde’s mouth. “Come here, Dew.”

I watched as Freya kissed Dew deeply, lost in the passion of the moment. I turned rock hard in a moment at the display, but I knew exactly what I wanted next.

“Get back here, you.” I pulled Freya’s delicious curves back toward me as Dew slipped further back on the bed, clearly aware of what I wanted to do, and not only willing, but eager to participate. “You’re getting a bit too confident there, miss.”

“Oh, am I, Master?” Freya leaned back into my chest, her eyes wide and head tipped back in mock surprise. “What are you going to do about -?”

Before she could finish her sentence, I lifted her hips up and rammed myself deep inside of her slick pussy.

Freya’s mouth opened wide as she fell forward onto her hands.

Her body shuddered in pleasure, but that was only enhanced even further as I pushed her hips down far enough for Dew’s tongue to get in range.

Filled to the brim, and then with her friend’s tongue added to the mix, it didn’t take long for Freya to be lost in pleasure.

But that wasn’t enough for me.

Dew held Freya’s legs by her thighs, holding the girl in place as I railed into her, holding her friend up so she could return the love she’d received when it had been her turn.

Freya’s mouth gaped wide, she hadn’t closed it since we started, and it was clear she had yet to drop down from the dizzying heights of orgasm after orgasm crashing through her petite frame.

“You ready, pretty boy?” I heard Dew ask from below.

“Gods, Yes!” I sped up, slamming my hips into Freya’s with everything I had.

The pair’s moans rose in unison as I poured myself into Freya.

I could feel her clenching down hard around me, as though she would never let me go.

But eventually, she rode out the wave of pleasure, her eyes rolling back into her head as her body collapsed.

I gently tucked her under the covers, her hair a wild spray of red across the pillows, with a grateful kiss on her cheek.

“I hope you’re not thinking that was it.” Dew spun around on the bed, her hands reaching out to stroke me back into a rigid state as Freya mewled happily in her sleep at our side. “Come on, pretty boy... show me what you’ve got.”

And I did exactly that until she was satisfied.

Freya even roused enough to take another turn, though it seemed like the alcoholic buzz had started to wear off, if her sudden shyness and blushing was anything to judge her sobriety by.

After I’d made love to each of them another time, I settled back down into a chair at the table, spent but happy as they cuddled together on the bed, lazily smiling in contentment.

“So… did you learn anything interesting at the bar?” Dew stretched lazily as she finally pulled our conversation back to the reason for my short reconnaissance earlier. “Are things as bad as they seem? How many elves want to kill us? And, most importantly, did you find another girl?”

“Yes, none, and no,” I chuckled, taking another sip of the wine before continuing. “I still know of a way into Keria for you, so that should be fine. Apparently the city is locked down, though, which is a bit of a bother.”

“Nothing could stop you, Master.” Freya mumbled, turning over to snuggle into Dew. “Master- is- greatest.”

“While I’m not a fanatic like Freya here, I do agree with the sentiment.” Dew stroked her friend’s red hair. “On that note, we really should get some sleep. Come on, Wes. Don’t let us get cold, all alone in here.”

“Right you are, missy.” I stoppered the bottle and joined my two lovely ladies under the covers at long last. “You two really are too good for me… You know that, don’t you?”

“Probably.” Dew shrugged as she laid her head on my chest. “Who cares what anyone else thinks, though. We’re happy—that’s all that should matter.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

High elven lands / Outskirts of Keria - Day 141

W e left the inn early the next morning after a very filling breakfast, delivered in person by the barkeep herself.

Apparently, our nightly activities had been a little too loud, but it had apparently cheered up several of the elves who were staying here; those who tried to complain had been hushed by the matriarch of the inn.

“Thank you.” Dew gave the matron a quick hug as we left, and Freya bowed her head to the woman.

I knew I was missing something, but I didn’t have too much time to figure it out.

One oddity was the fact that the lingerie the girls had worn had disappeared by the morning.

Not that I complained when I saw their naked bodies lying down beside me, but it was peculiar how they’d managed to find those matching outfits on such short notice.

Either way, it had been a pleasant night, and the girls had thankfully recovered fully from their first run in with elvish wine.

Perhaps it was the hardy natures of wood elves, or maybe their training had enhanced their resistance against its effects.

I didn’t know why they hadn’t suffered as most do after their first time imbibing, but it was nice not having two useless hung over elves grumping sourly behind me, as I’d thought would be the case.

“Is that Keria?” Dew pointed to the city in the distance as we walked along the well-maintained roadway leading through the forest all the way to the edge of those distant walls. “It doesn’t look as… neat as I’d expected.”

“I’ve heard that often enough.” I frowned as I looked at the tightly packed buildings of my home. “It used to be artistically designed, but things have gotten crowded of late; too many elves are born here who never leave the nest.”

“Unlike you, Master?” Freya looked up at me expectantly. “What made you want to leave?”

I shrugged. “I just felt like I didn’t fit in, to be honest. Everyone around me was just too… simple minded sounds so callous, but that’s what it felt like to me.” I glanced up at the towering spires as we approached, remembering my childhood when the buildup of the city had only just begun. “Things here changed in different ways than I changed.” I shook my head, “and I didn’t feel the need to change myself for them.”

“Well, that’s good.” Dew laced her fingers through mine and pulled my hand to her lips, planting a fleeting kiss against the back of my hand. “We’d never have met if you’d been the kind of guy to back off from things you wanted.”

“True.” I smiled and pulled her into a hug. “I just wish I could walk in with you, openly.”

Dew went silent, but she knew as well as I did that it would be a mistake for either of us to be seen like this in high elf society.

Freya should be okay—though she might get a few odd looks as a mixed breed—but wood elves weren’t treated well in Keria.

The high elves foolishly looked down upon the other races.

There were no superior races in the wilds, a hard lesson I had learned these past few trying months.

All creatures had their strengths and weaknesses—a sentiment most fools would scoff at here in their lofty city, with their lavish lifestyles.

Why should I care what my friends thought about the other races, though, when I didn’t give two shits what they thought about me?

I tossed my conflicted thoughts aside. As the drunk elf had revealed at the inn, the outer edges of Keria looked more protected than I’d ever seen before.

Every open entrance was lined with several guards and the walls were spotted with warriors keeping a sharp watch out for anything, or anyone, who tried to get into the city.

“Okay, so… about this secret passageway?” the blonde warrior asked.

I pulled Dew off to the side of the path well before we turned the last corner and came into full view of Keria’s guards. Under the girl’s focused gaze I pulled out a small map I’d sketched out the night before.

“Follow these directions, and keep your face hidden once you arrive in the lower area of the city. The inn I’ve marked out is owned by a friend of mine—they’ll do well by you, as long as you pay the fee.”

“Deals again, right?” Dew took the map and memorized its contents before she tucked it into her bosom. She passed her pack to us and helped us to split the load between us before she paused, giving her friend a long look. “But what about Freya? Are you sure she’ll be okay?”

“One of the old council leaders was a mixed breed, so I doubt anyone would try anything with Freya because of her.” I laid a hand gently on Freya’s shoulder, comforting her as she glanced worriedly up the path. “We’ll be fine.” I frowned once more at Dew. “It’s you I’m worried about.”

“You know me. I’ll just stick with Kiel.” She grinned as she darted away, turning around briefly to blow me a kiss before she vanished into the trees.

“Are you sure about this?” Freya glanced up at me, her eyes wide and her breathing shallow. “I trust you, Master, but I’ve heard some… things about the high elves.”

“If you want, I can take you back to the inn from last night.” I offered, glancing back guiltily to the spot where Dew had disappeared moments ago. “It’ll take her a while to sneak in, and I’m sure she can wait at the inn until we-”

“No!” Freya dashed forward and grabbed my hand between hers. “I didn’t mean that! I trust you, Master. Please don’t leave me behind!”

“What did you mean, then?” I lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. “What’s the problem?”

“I’m worried that they may look down on you… Because of me.” She finally revealed her concerns in a stumbling burst of words. “You’re the best in the world, and I’m just-”

Before she could finish whatever nonsense she wanted to say about herself, I sealed her lips with my own. Only after she’d calmed down and melted into my embrace did I pull back, still holding her face between my hands.

“We’re together, Freya. If anyone tries anything stupid, then I’ll stop them.” I grinned and lifted an arm, flexing it mockingly. “You don’t really think they would try and fight this, do you?”

“Of course not, Master.” Freya giggled and wiped away her tears. “Let’s go. I can’t wait to meet your family.”

With her fears put to rest, if not resolved, I led Freya back out onto the roadway and on toward Keria’s gates.

Various scenarios rushed through my head as we approached my old home.

What if my father was out on one of his random patrols?

What if Dew got caught on her way into the city?

What if the guards tried to make things difficult for me and Freya?

What if, what if, what if!

Those questions were useless to me! I was one of the most gifted high elves of this generation, and had the right—the duty even!—to return home. It didn’t matter who might try to stop me, or whatever trumped up reason they found to use against me.

I’d just power my way through, like always.

But now I had something, or someone, rather, to think about other than myself.

If I managed to get ostracized from Keria by some peculiar turn of fate, that would mean Dew and Freya would have to leave as well.

While it would not be the end of the world for either of them, I did want a chance to show them around my hometown: the docks, a place filled with all manner of sailors and ne’er-do-wells, where I’d first practiced my agility and travel skills; the lower districts, the haunts of many a navy trainee and where I’d first dallied with the elven maidens of Keria; and, the high city where my family officially lived.

Keria had been my home and was still a place of splendor and beauty, if that beauty was marred by some of the more recent additions.

It was only after I’d daydreamed about showing the pair around the city that I remembered my real reason for returning home. I had to report the conniving captain and the crew of the vessel who had marooned me what seemed like so very long ago.

Sure, they’d given me every article required by naval law. But on the other hand, they’d dumped me in the Waskis Woods, a place notoriously hostile to high elves.

I wondered what my Father would say, though?

There was always the possibility that he’d try to wave it all off as a lesson well learned—despite any arguments I might bring to bear. Even were that the case, I still imagined I’d get my bounties returned, and perhaps an official apology.

Would that be enough for me?

The old me? No.

But what about the new Wes, fresh and content after a long adventure through the wilderness in the company of two beautiful maidens.

I should probably find the pricks who’d tossed me aside and thank them, not that I ever would of course.

Especially that female crewman, the one who had hung around me right up until the end.

She’d turned quickly, though, and showed her true colors in the end. I should have seen through her behavior.

But I didn’t. I’d been blinded by the supposed safety that the rules offered, and blindly obeyed them.

That was all something I could figure out once I’d made my official report to my father. Technically I should be bringing the matter up with my aunt, seeing as she was a navy admiral, but we’d never seen eye to eye.

With the rest of my family turning on me, my father had taken up the unofficial role as my contact within the navy.

It was an odd compromise, but again, not one without precedent.

Many gifted, in the past, had used unconventional means to avoid inter-house conflicts, and I was no different.

The only odd point was that the conflict I sought to avoid was intra-house—I didn’t want to speak to someone in my own family.

But still, I’d followed the rules to the letter, as always, and look where that had got me.

Two beautiful babes, packs full of loot, and months of brilliant stories to tell.

“Things could be worse, I guess,” I muttered to myself. I couldn’t help the grin that I wore as we stepped up to the gate.

As we moved closer to the main entrance into Keria’s upper district, I noticed something quite peculiar.

There was no traffic in either direction.

No one was lining up to enter the city and no carts or travelers were making their way out of the gates.

The only elves I could see were the guards, and they looked none too happy to see us walking in their direction.

“Hold!” A tall, armored elf yelled, striding several steps before the group with a hand atop his sword’s hilt. “What is your business here?”

“I’m returning home to speak with my family.” I glanced over at the group of guards, trying to pick out someone I recognized from the crowd.

No such luck, unfortunately.

“Pass,” the guard demanded, his tone cold as ice. “Hand it over.”

“Pass?” I blinked, trying to figure out what the elf had just requested. “Since when do I need a pass to enter my home city?”

“Since two months ago.” Behind the tall elf’s back I could see several armored guards start moving forward cautiously, spreading out into a semi-circle to block any attempts we might make to dart past them and enter the city. “Passes were given to every elf who was given the honor of traveling from our city… Which you would know, if you truly are from Keria.”

“That’s stupid. I’ve been traveling for months from the Waskis Woods. I had to bloody well sneak my way through the Iklit Corridor to get here!” The other guards blanched at my snarled words, but the tall elf seemed unperturbed.

I might have been able to hold my anger in check better if it wasn’t for the nasty looks he kept shooting my companion. “I will not be turned away by some petty functionary with a power complex!”

“Master, calm down.” Freya pulled gently on my sleeve. “We won’t get anywhere by arguing.”

“You’re right, but also wrong.” I turned to the girl and gave her a half-hearted smile. “Some elves just need to be reminded their place, and this idiot fits that description perfectly.”

“Maybe I do, but I doubt you could do anything about it. No pass? No entry.” The guard spat on the ground at my feet and finally gave Freya an openly hostile glare. “And that’s just for you. Your little friend here will still need someone to vouch for her.”

“I’ll vouch for her, you idiot.” My patience, never my strongest virtue, finally snapped as I stepped closer to the guard. “My name is Weslilian Yannisa, and my father is on the high council. My aunt is one of the highest admirals in the elven navy. Send word for them, now!”

“And what proof do we have of any of that?” The guard sniffed and then sneered at the finger I’d thrust at him, pushing it away from his face. “You’re nothing but a-”

“Silence!” An older officer rushed out the gate, cutting off the tall guard before he could say something I was more than prepared to make him truly regret. “Wes, my boy! Where have you been?!”

“I could say the same for you, you old fool.” I grumbled, stepping around the stunned guard and pulling Freya along behind me. “I’m gone for half a year and you try to lock me out? I know we’ve had our differences, Rane, but isn’t that a bit harsh?”

The old elf rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. If it wasn’t for the medals tacked onto his worn armor, no one would have been able to tell his rank. But almost everyone here was well aware of who the Chief Constable was.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but we were-” The guard mumbled, but I spun around and waved him silent.

“Following orders, I imagine? That, I have no problem with.” I made to step back toward the now trembling elf, but Freya held me back. “But remember this: be careful how you speak to strangers, for they might take offense and end your life in a duel at a single, wrong word.”

“You really have mellowed out, Wes.” Rane chuckled and turned to Freya with a slight bow of his head. “I imagine it has something to do with this marvelous lady here, correct?”

“Freya.” The girl bowed courteously to the old elf before she turned back to me. “Wes is my Master, and he saved my life in more ways than one.”

“Oh, that sounds like a grand story, indeed.” Rane laughed and waved the guards back to their posts. “Come with me and I’ll get the two of you set up with passes.”

As we crossed over into the city, I couldn’t quite believe the difference from the last time I’d been on its streets. Elves were strolling about lazily—some were even lounging about without a care in the world. Gone, however, was the normal hustle and bustle of city life.

Rane noticed my frown and confused looks, but he shook his head and led us toward the guard station just inside the wall.

Each entrance had two such stations, for redundancy, and those buildings seemed to be the only places with any sort of purpose to them.

Well-dressed guards with their attentive stares greeted my cool gaze, every single one with a hand on the hilt or haft of their various weapons.

“What’s going on here, Rane?” I blurted the question out the instant his office door closed behind us.

The old elf merely waved us toward the two guest chairs by his desk, its surface overflowing with paperwork as usual, before he lowered himself down into his worn but comfortable seat.

“I was hoping you might be able to help me out with that. I heard you mentioned the Iklit Corridor?” Rane pulled a paper wrapped block out of a drawer in his desk and ripped off a small strip of dark pink, gummy stuff from it. Only after he’d offered the treat to each of us, which I warned Freya against accepting, did he continue with his questions.

“Behemoths rushing about, the Sendrin closing off all trade, and pirates going into hiding, all in preparation for something big. I don’t like it… Any of it.”

“Well, as far as the behemoths go, I have some good news and some bad.” I reached into our packs, which we’d placed at our feet, and pulled out a small piece of Toughback cartilage.

“We killed a Toughback, along with a Sendrin Sand Whale, both at the edge of the Green Sea. Lucky for us, they were more concerned about each other than they were with us. I barely managed to kill the acid spitting prick after it had finished off the Sand Whale.”

“You killed a Toughback?” Rane glanced up at me, one eyebrow raised quizzically. “If it were anyone else making such an outlandish claim, I’d have them thrown from my office… but for some reason, I believe you.”

“It’s true! Master killed it with-” Freya started to speak up in my defense until I clamped a hand over her mouth. “Mmmhph! Mmmmm!”

“Loose lips sink ships.” I whispered into her ear before releasing my hold and turned back to Rane.

I shrugged. “We got lucky. Their battle basically ended in mutual destruction, so I only needed to give the fatally wounded Toughback a final kick across death’s threshold.”

Rane glanced at Freya, who had clenched her lips tight, before looking back at me. I knew he might have guessed something, but the old elf hadn’t risen to his position as Chief Constable acting on guesses and faith. He liked to have evidence to back up his accusations.

Fortunately, I’d stopped Freya before she gave him anything to confirm those suspicions.

The fact that Freya could activate runesmith materials, even altering their effects, needed to remain a tightly held secret.

Dew had agreed with me on this, prior to us splitting the party, but it seemed like Freya still didn’t quite comprehend just how world shattering her skills were.

At best, she’d be offered a position of power and respect in the city.

At worst, though, they’d try to take her away from me, forever.

And I didn’t want either outcome for her. Sure, the former might make our lives easier, but it would be the same as house arrest—locking us down to Keria itself. And never mind the danger it would put her in from jealous master craftsmen.

The moment Freya revealed her talents, the world would know that a new runesmith had arisen.

“I guess you did get lucky, huh?” Rane grumbled, shaking his head as he dismissed Freya’s outburst. “I trust that you’ll be keeping to yourselves in Keria?”

“I might meet up with some old friends, but I’m mostly here to speak with my father.” I smiled, happy that we were back onto a track where I didn’t have to watch my words as carefully. “Would you believe that the Orilious marooned me because I kept and refused to share the Drungen bounties for the voyage?”

“All of them? Well, I can imagine they’d be annoyed about it, but going so far?” Rane’s eyes narrowed and his expression turned serious as he dragged one of his old log books from the bookshelf behind him. “They returned recently, but I haven’t heard anything about your marooning from the crew—not even from your family.”

“Well, my aunt probably hopes I ended up in a Shadowpanther’s stomach,” I joked, provoking a giggle from Freya before I continued. “But my father should have cared, at least enough to make some waves—in private, if not openly. It’s a bit of an overreaction, right?”

“It is an overreaction, indeed. It was your first voyage, and it’s not the first time I’ve heard of such an imbalance in the bounty rewards.” Rane flicked through the pages of his book before he found the entry he’d been looking for. His expression darkened as he read over the line several times. “See, I thought so… This is peculiar.”

“What is it?” I tilted my head to one side, fighting down the urge to ask to see the book myself. “It must be pretty big, if it has got you worked up.”

“It’s the report the captain of the Orilious gave upon his return... It says that he ‘dropped off’ the cargo.” Rane sighed and glanced up at me, “then went directly to meet with your aunt.”

“It’s possible they planned this all out beforehand?” I grunted, my fists clenched as I held in check the outburst I could feel simmering just below the surface.

“We can’t say that Wes, not based on this report alone.” Rane tried to soothe me, though it was clear he suspected foul play. “Tell you what, I’ll make some inquiries. The Orilious is still in dock and I can pull their manifest and journey records without anyone knowing. Give me a day, and then we can go over them together, okay?”

“Fine.” I growled and slumped back in my chair. Freya, sensing my anger, stroked my arm gently with a worried look. “But this is far from over, Rane—not if she had something to do with this.”

“Then she’ll face the law, even as an admiral.” The old elf nodded, slamming his logbook closed as he pushed himself up from his chair. He pulled out two red cards from his desk drawer, scribbled our names on them, and tossed them across the desk to us casually before he nodded at the door. “Best you two get yourselves on out into the city. Have some fun, meet some old friends, and find a place to sleep. All I ask is that you avoid going home until I’ve had a chance to follow up on things. No need to rile them up just yet, eh?”

“If you say so.” I chuckled as I checked over our passes, giving one to Freya as we turned to the door. “Thank you, Rane. I won’t forget this.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Keria / Lower City District - Day 141

G etting into the city’s lower district was easy enough, but I knew the trip back out would be trickier.

Fortunately, the passes Rane had given to me and Freya worked throughout the city, as well as at the gates.

It shouldn’t be too hard for us to make our way about.

Unfortunately, that meant that Dew would need to take a less conventional route, but I trusted her and her skills, along with my own knowledge of the city’s seedier side.

The difference between the upper and lower districts of Keria was like night and day.

While the upper district had been built up quite a bit, that expansion had been mostly upward.

Most of its streets had remained relatively open and free, and the denizens hadn’t really been affected much by the expansion.

The citizens of the lower district couldn’t say the same thing. Nor did they have the same strict building codes, apparently.

Additional floors were stacked on top of each other on rickety buildings, shops on the lower levels, with homes squeezing out over the already narrow streets.

This created a generally dim atmosphere as the cobbled together structures grew taller and taller, blocking out the sun so much that some businesses even had lit torches at their doors during the afternoon.

But the elves who inhabited the winding streets seemed to be happy, or at least happier than those we’d seen in the upper district.

If I had to hazard a guess, it was because their lives were already less than amazing, at least when compared to their entitled upper district neighbors, so the overcrowding of their ever changing city didn’t cause them as much grief.

Fortunately, the inn I’d pointed Dew toward was still alive and bustling with business.

“Keep close behind me and keep a close eye on your money pouch.” I whispered to Freya as we paused in the street outside the raucous building. “In fact… here.”

I took Freya’s pouch of coins and stored it with my own, then pulled her into a close, one armed hug. Once we were locked hip to hip, I led the blushing girl into the establishment, keeping an eye on every passing elf, just in case they wanted to try something stupid.

“Would you look who we have here!” A grizzled elf looked up from the bar, a shocked grin on his face as he watched me lead Freya toward him. “The prodigal son returns! I heard you’d died, Wes!”

“Not yet, you old prick.” My friend’s rough greeting caught me off guard but I recovered quickly as I moved in close under the guise of a gruff bro-hug to whisper, “I need a favor, Taerk. We need a room, three meals, and information.”

“Three? Oh, my specialty. Will your lady friend be staying with you?” Taerk winked at Freya, who blushed and tried to hide behind my sleeve. “I’ll be taking that blush as a yes! You do know how to pick ‘em, buddy!”

“What about the morning rain?” I leaned over the bar and snagged a large glass and a bottle of wine from under Taerk’s cautious gaze. “I hear it leaves something in its wake?”

“Indeed it does. You might find it, if you go looking.” The elf’s mouth turned up on one side as he pulled a key from the rack behind his head and tossed it to me. “Your favorite room. What you want should be calling in soon… or so I hear.”

“Thank you, my friend.” I shook Taerk’s hand firmly and led Freya up the stairs to the room, away from the hustle and bustle of the lower floor. “He’s friendly. Maybe a bit too friendly, sometimes, but he knows his limits.”

“Unlike you, Master.” Freya gave me a hard look as my hand snuck below her waist to hold her tight against me, my hand cupping a rounded cheek. “What if someone saw?”

“What if?” I laughed and pulled the girl into the room Taerk had set aside for us. “So, what do you think of Keria?”

“Its… busy?” Freya pressed down on the mattress, checking its firmness before she gently lowered herself onto it. “Rane seemed nice, but I’ve noticed that the other elves don’t seem to like me too much.”

“Oh, that’s just because they don’t know you,” I joked, waving off her comments halfheartedly. Unfortunately, my attempt at humor didn’t seem to raise her spirits, so I turned to her with a tender gaze. “Freya, we won’t be staying here long. When I’m done meeting with my father, I promise you I’ll take the pair of you somewhere we can live together, happily.”

“Master!” Freya bounded up off the bed and grabbed a hold of me, pulling herself to my chest as she nuzzled up against me. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“What’s all this, then?” Dew’s voice called out as the door creaked open behind us, a wide grin on her face as she watched Freya jump back guiltily. “You two aren’t starting already without me, are you?”

“Maybe later.” I suggested, pulling Dew in for a quick kiss before I waved her over to the bed. “So, how was your trip? I gathered from Taerk that you stopped here and then went back out, is something wrong?”

“Well, Kiel is- Being odd.” Dew set her pack down beside the door, frowning to herself as she walked over to sit on the bed beside Freya. “He followed me in, but then he wanted to explore the city. Alone.”

“A shadowpanther cub lose in Keria? That could be enough for a new night terror story.” I tried to pass it off humorously, but the danger of the big cat being discovered was real. “Are you sure he’ll be fine?”

“He’s even better at hiding in the shadows than I am, so he should be alright.” Dew sighed and let her head fall back into the fluffy pillows on the bed. “It doesn’t stop me from worrying about him, though.”

Before she could say anything more, there was a light knock on our door.

The girls looked confused for a moment, but I guessed it might be a waitress bringing up the meals I’d ordered.

Taerk was nothing if not efficient.

“Come in.” I pulled open the door, allowed a slight, young elf to walk shyly into the room, her silver hair hanging down loosely to hide most of her face. The staff’s uniforms had improved since my last visit, especially in the fancy design around the chest and at the waist of the girl’s dress. She bent over slightly as she placed the tray on a table by the door, revealing more skin than was usual for an elf in Keria.

For a moment I was lost in thought, imagining what Dew or Freya would look like in that get up.

“I’ll take my leave, Sir-”

Before the waitress could back out of the room, Dew tossed a knife, slamming the door shut as she slowly pushed herself off the bed with a growl.

“That was quick, girl. Not quick enough, though.” She walked up to the young elf, who had frozen in terror as the blade blurred past her head. “Want to return what you took, or do I need to embarrass you further and take it from you?”

Freya glanced worriedly between Dew and the waitress, then back to me. For myself, I was a bit lost until I checked the packages we’d dropped by the door.

One of the flaps of my pack was slightly open, whereas before it had been securely fastened.

“I didn’t-” The waitress squeaked, but Dew’s hand shot out to rest a knife against the girl’s neck before she could even finish her denial.

A waitress in Taerk’s employ, stealing openly from the customers? Unlikely, even in the lower city—especially once I took the barkeep’s firm opinions on such acts into account. Either this girl was really that good, or she wasn’t actually employed by the inn.

“Okay, let’s everyone just calm down.” I pulled Dew back a pace and gently turned the young elf around to face me. “So, let’s start with names. You first.”

“My name… is Kaede.” The waitress murmured softly, for all the world the very picture of a very frightened young girl. “I’m sorry if you-”

“Kaede, is it?” I leaned down until my face was level with hers and put a slight grin on my face. “Do you know what Taerk would do if he knew you’d snuck into his place to steal from his customers? He’s a good friend of mine, maybe I should ask him up and see what he thinks about this?”

“No!” The girl looked up frightfully, her eyes darting around the room as she looked for some sort of escape, but Dew had sealed off the doorway, and Freya was sitting on the windowsill. “Please, I’ll return what I took! I’ll-”

She trailed of mid-sentence, but not out of fear. Instead, she stared up into my face, her eyes wide as a glimmer of recognition sparked within them.

“Giving back what is ours is a good first step, but do you really think that will be the end of it?” I ignored the girl’s odd stare as I stood up straight, folding my arms. “You really will owe us if we keep this to ourselves.”

“I like her.” Dew offered from by the door, flicking the girl’s shoulder gently from behind with the flat of her blade, though the elf didn’t flinch at the touch of steel on her skin. “She’s quick, smart, and resourceful. I bet we could use her… Or at least you could.”

“Dew!” Freya squawked from the window, her face turning crimson. “You can’t just suggest that without asking the Master what he thinks about her, first!”

I held up a hand to cut off this particular argument. Despite everything that had just transpired, even Dew’s ribald quip, the young elf’s gaze hadn’t left my face as she mumbled a single word under her breath.

“Wes? Wes. Wes!” She finally yelled the word, my name, out loud, barreling forward to cling to me, her arms wrapping tightly around my chest. “I can’t believe it! Is it really you? Where have you been? Why are you here? Are you on some kind of a secret mission?”

As the girl rambled on, I glanced at Freya and Dew, utterly confused by the abrupt change in the thief’s personality.

The two shrugged, just as confused as I was, so I turned back to the still babbling Kaede and slowly peeled her from my chest.

“Kaede, calm down.” I grabbed her head gently and made her focus on my face. “You know me?”

“Know you? Of course I know you!” She bounced up and down, which did wonders for her cleavage in the inn’s uniform, her hands clapping together happily. “You’re the best archer there’s ever been. You passed all the tests, setting a record on the dock run that still stands—I couldn’t even beat it. How could I have not recognized you at first sight-”

She froze up again, her mouth dropping open as she pulled a small pouch out from her dress, not caring in the slightest the amazing view this gave me as she proffered it to me.

“I’m so sorry! I would have never- I wouldn’t!” She begged, holding the bag up, like an offering to her god. “Please, take this! Take whatever you want. Anything you want! Please, just don’t be angry with me!”

Dew giggled naughtily and moved toward us, but I waved her back as I took the pouch of Sand Whale scales from the young thief.

Though what Kaede had freely offered might be taken the lewd way Dew had interpreted it, I had some questions I wanted answered.

“Kaede, it is fine. I’m not angry!” I finally had to speak, quite loudly, to get her attention. The girl looked up at me, her tearful eyes hopeful, so I quickly added. “But you do owe us for all the trouble you’ve caused.”

“Anything! Whatever you want… just ask.” Kaede paused for a moment, her hand slowly going to the neckline of her dress. “Even… If you want-”

“Calm down.” I grabbed her hands, though I heard a disappointed grumble behind me from Dew. “First, I want you to tell me something—And I need you to be honest.”

“Of course, Wes! Anything, just ask.” She smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Go on, ask away. I know a lot!”

“Tell me who it was that told you about us. Who sent you to do this?” Kaede’s smile froze as I stared into her eyes. “I know someone set you on to us. Just let me know who, and if you know… why. Easy enough, right?”

For an elf, Kaede looked to be quite young—less than fifty. She was old enough to be out and about by herself, but even a human would think she was barely old enough to be considered an adult.

Still, the skill she’d shown in picking out and lifting the most expensive item we had, right under our gazes impressed even Dew. Fortunately, it only took the offer of my gratitude to make her spill the beans on her employer, a mysterious ‘Captain Lira’—not that she’d ever met the elf in person.

“You don’t know anything more than her name, but you do know that she’s well connected to the black-market?” I leaned back in my chair, staring down at Kaede as she knelt on the floor before me. I hadn’t asked the girl to do so, but my attempt to make her stand up and accept a more comfortable seating arrangement while she’d told us all she could about her employer had been met with outright refusal. “That seems a little suspicious, don’t you think? Why would someone like that care about a random traveler who’s just entered the city?”

“You aren’t just any random elf, Wes!” Kaede leaped to my defense before even Freya could speak up. “You’re the best-”

“I get it.” I waved her protests aside. “Please, just be quiet for a moment and let me think.” I winced as I saw Kaede’s defeated look. I knew some people had looked up to me as their idol, but I’d never tried to take advantage of their odd devotion to me.

I was who I was and didn’t need any vapid glory chasers following after me in my wake.

But Kaede seemed different. In fact, she’d mentioned that she’d been trying to replicate my dock run, and that from the rumors she’d heard, she’d come closer to it than anyone else.

Sure, her run didn’t match my time, but no one had been able to match or beat her score.

Skilled, focused, driven. If it were the old me, I’d have already recommended she join the navy’s fast track program.

But I’d seen where that path could lead.

“Kaede, I want to thank you.” I spoke slowly, trying to not excite the girl as I picked my words carefully. “But this could get dangerous. Do you have somewhere you can lay low until things calm down?”

“I do… Wait.” Kaede perked up, then frowned, glancing worriedly between me and the door. “Are you telling me to leave?”

Her sad expression, the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. It was clear the girl didn’t want to go, and I could tell that both Dew and Freya had taken a liking to the little thief.

But I had to keep my cool, despite what my heart or other body parts further south might be encouraging me to do.

“I’m afraid so,” I nodded seriously. “If you stayed with us, it would be too dangerous-”

“No!” Kaede raised herself up onto one knee and bowed her head to me. “I promise to do whatever it is you want of me. I’ll be your servant, your slave… whatever you desire. Please, make me your apprentice!”

“Servant or slave, huh?” Dew leaned down beside the kneeling girl and yanked her up to her feet in one smooth motion. “Do you know truly what that means? What we could do to-”

“Of course I know what that means.” Kaede responded firmly, meeting Dew’s eyes with her steely gaze. “I won’t let this chance slip through my fingers. I’ve dreamed of roaming the world by his side my entire life, and you can’t tell me to throw it away.”

“I can, actually.” I leaned forward in my chair, my elbows resting on my knees as I regarded the silver haired, purple-eyed beauty before me. “But… I don’t think I will.”

“Master?” Freya pushed herself up from the bed and moved beside me. “You don’t mean to let her stay, do you?”

“We’ll give her a chance—as long as both of you are okay with it?” I glanced at Freya and Dew, waiting for each of them to nod happily before turning back to Kaede. “Okay, you’re in. For now, though, you-”

I didn’t have time to finish my first order before the girl slammed into my chest, knocking me back over the chair, leaving her atop my chest and the two of us in a heap on the floor.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she sobbed, her fists clutched in my shirt. “I promise I won’t let you down!”

“Up you get.” Dew pulled the crying elf off of me while Freya helped me back up to my feet. Only after the girl had calmed down a bit did I grit my teeth and start again.

“As I was saying, for now, you’ll stay with Dew and Freya. They’ll test you and determine a suitable punishment for your actions.” The two girls in question glanced at me, confused, so I quickly added. “I’m going to check out this so called ‘Captain’. Things just aren’t adding up.”

“Be careful, Master.” Freya pulled me in for a quick kiss before she moved to the side to make room for Dew.

“What she said.” Dew’s kiss was deeper and longer than her friend’s; she even risked a quick grope of her favorite toy before pulling away. “We’ll ensure she understands the seriousness of her behavior.”

Kaede looked up at me with a worried look as Dew and Freya turned to face her, but I ignored the begging look as I slipped out of the room and pulled the door closed behind me.

They’d probably punish her in some odd way for her thievery attempt, and there was no way I’d stop justice being done.

Still, the address Kaede had given us wasn’t far away. The docks ran across an entire side of the lower district, and a small portion of the upper district. The elf who’d pointed our little thief our way was staying in the most miserable part of the entire waterfront.

The perfect place to carry on a black market business, undetected.

As I made my way toward the docks, I carefully considered the few details Kaede had given me. The fact that this Captain Lira wasn’t a well-known entity could mean they were just some lowly scum, not worth mentioning—but it could also mean the exact opposite.

When a pirate reached the top of that particular career ladder, they learned quickly that advertising was bad for business. But that didn’t mean I could simply dismiss this Captain Lira as a pirate, or even worse, report her to the authorities.

Such a claim required evidence, and the testimony of some random lower district elf wouldn’t cut it. Fortunately, I had a plan that should work out well for us—both as a way to investigate this Captain's supposed business and as another way out of the city.

“Hello!” I barged in through the doorway of her ramshackle establishment, a wide grin on my face as I stared at the woman behind the counter. “I’ve heard you're the lady to see if I want to book a hasty passage out of this hell hole!”

The elf before me matched Kaede’s description perfectly. Though a black silk scarf was tied over her head, a few loose braids flashed a fiery orange ginger color in the dim light thrown by a lantern behind her. It was extremely rare to find a ginger-haired elf—meaning she likely had a human relative, at least a grandparent, if not closer. That alone, knowing the contempt with which the progeny of humans and elves were treated, explained much about the conditions I’d found her in.

Even the rough leather coat she wore over a tight outfit seemed to have been designed for use more than looks. A small scar peaked out from her bandana over a green eye, proving that she had been through a battle or two at some point in what must have been a colorful past.

Still, no real evidence that she was anything more than a normal, if a bit down on her luck, merchant trader.

“It's not often we get royalty in here,” the woman joked, flipping her logbook closed as she pushed herself up from the counter. “A pleasure to meet you. My name’s Lira.”

“Wes.” I gave her a flowing, overly exaggerated bow, just as I’d been taught by my parents to do in polite company, many long years ago. “So, did I hear correctly? Would you be able to help me with my ‘little problem’?”

The captain tilted her head to one side, giving me a speculative look as she pulled a small box from a pouch at her waist. I watched as she pulled a small strand of pink gum from the little container before dropping it back in her pouch.

“Oh, don’t worry—I wasn’t going to offer you any… I know you don’t like this stuff.” She grinned at me as she started to chew the sweet candy. “Terrible for your teeth, it is.”

Rane had offered me some of the overly sweet concoction, knowing how much I detested it, but how did this random merchant captain know so much about me already?

“Quite a good guess,” I suggested, lifting an eyebrow as she continued to chew her gum. “Or maybe it’s something more... Maybe you wanted to meet me for some reason?”

“Maybe.” The captain shrugged halfheartedly. “What did you do to my messenger? I told them to pick out their best thief, but I knew you’d figure it out soon enough.”

“Nothing that need concern you.” I waved off the question, not wanting to put Kaede in any danger; not if I could avoid it. “So, let’s drop the facade. Why did you want to meet me?”

“Simple. I need money and you have money.” The elf paused her chewing momentarily as she eyed me up and down. “And I’m willing to bet I can help you out in the future—when you need someone to solve your, how did you phrase it… ‘little problem’?”

I leaned against the shop’s doorframe, giving Captain Lira and her establishment another once over. I’d never seen the elf in the past, nor had I heard of her. Again, that could be good or bad, but it didn’t feel like she was going to blackmail me.

What could she accuse me of? That she’d tried to rob me, and had failed?

“And why do you need money, exactly?” I countered with a question rather than agreeing to help her. “I don’t like to throw the term ‘pirate’ around carelessly, but I’m sure you’ve heard that those who follow the path of the skull aren’t treated too kindly, here in Keria.”

“I don’t like that name either, Wes.” She pulled out another block of sticky, pink gum and flicked her last piece into a bin by the door, replacing it in one fluid motion. “I need repairs made to my boat—repairs that I can’t readily afford at the moment—and I’d owe you a big favor, if you found it in your heart to help a landlocked merchant trader out of a bind.”

Her offer, outwardly at least, seemed to carry little risk.

Sure, I might be seen as an idiot if it did turn out that I was investing in a pirate, but I had no real links with her.

In the past I’d have already dragged her before Rane, but now… after everything I’d seen and heard these past few months, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

“I’ll… Think about it.” I finally responded, turning slowly back to the door. “Don’t send any more ‘messengers’… I’ll find you, if I decide to take you up on your investment offer.”

The captain didn’t say anything else as I left her office, but I knew that she wouldn’t wait forever. Kaede had been collateral damage in her attempts to find a backer, but fortunately the young thief had run into me, rather than some elf who’d handle her virtue with far fewer scruples.

Well, she still might end up losing some of her virtue, if she stuck around me long enough, but it wasn’t like she didn’t know what she was getting herself into.

It didn’t take long for me to make my way back to the inn, but what I saw as I opened the door to our room shocked me into silence, at least for a few moments.

“Hello, Master,” Freya smiled up at me from her position atop Kaede’s stomach, where she had paused, mid tickle. “That was fast.”

“Yeah, you may be a quick shot, but not when it counts. I’m guessing you let her off the hook with nothing more than a spanking?” Dew sat with the elven thief’s head in her lap, giving her easy access to Kaede’s vulnerable neck and sensitive ears. “We’ve almost finished punishing this one, but maybe you’d like to add something to the mix... What do you say, pretty boy?”

“You girls seem to be having fun.” I grinned from the doorway and picked up one of the packs just inside the room. “I hate to love you and leave you, but I do need to speak with Rane again, tonight.”

“Aw, and we’d just about gotten her all ready for you.” Dew’s hopeful expression dropped, but I could tell that she wasn’t serious.

Surprisingly, even Freya looked a bit disappointed, though.

“Tell you what.” I swung the pack up onto my shoulder and pointed at the girls. “You two hold it in, and I’ll give you both something you’ll never forget later. Deal?”

“It’s a deal, Master!” Freya yelled out, dropping her head onto Kaede’s stomach and blowing a raspberry as the girl squealed.

I stepped back out of the room as Dew grinned back at me. “Better get back soon, or we might lose someone, before the battle even starts.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Keria / Lower City District - Day 141

T hough Rane had told me to leave it a day, I decided that things were just a bit too odd. It wouldn’t take the old elf that long to check on the Orilious, but I knew he’d quoted me the full twenty-four hours just to double and triple check whatever he’d found.

But I needed information before I got dragged into the net I could sense pulling tight around me.

Crossing back into the high city took a little longer than I’d expected as the guards used every type of check imaginable on my pass. It was difficult, but I managed to fight off the urge to just storm past them. At least the few who spoke to me were professional and courteous.

Causing a scene just wasn’t worth the hassle, especially if they were just following orders.

After they’d finally cleared me, I thanked the guards and headed into the well built up streets near my home. Most of the stores had closed, and even the few drinking establishments seemed to be drained of patrons. Compared to the heady days I remembered from before, business seemed to be slow all over.

But, as I closed in on the guard post by the gate, I spotted something peculiar.

A small group of elves were arguing with the guards, yelling about their rights, and waving pieces of paper in the guards’ faces. The armored warriors, however, didn’t move from their posts, instead just facing directly ahead. They kept the gate closed and tightly locked behind them.

“Crazy, isn’t it?” Rane stepped out of the store that did business beside the guard post. The little place mostly sold goods to the guards and the odd traveler, but that trickle of trade was enough to keep the business up and running.

It showed how robust the city’s defenses were, if nothing else.

“I’m guessing all travel is being banned at night?” I waved at the group of traders, who had finally given up on departing the city as they stormed their way back up the wide, empty street. “How is that working out?”

“Not just at night.” The Chief Constable grumbled, spitting irritably on the cobblestone pavement before he turned back into the store. “Follow me.”

I glanced back up the street, confused, before I turned to follow the old elf into the shop. The owner looked up but, instead of asking us what we wanted, he merely nodded at Rane then went back to stocking his shelves.

Puzzled, but intrigued, I followed Rane through the back door of the shop, into a storeroom and then out a rear entry into a small, covered yard. Metal rods had been woven in a lattice around the doorway, forming a frame for a large covering of creeping vines.

Thankfully, there was a small torch in the yard, the flickering light allowed me to see Rane’s face as he turned to look at me.

And he didn’t seem happy.

“I figured you might be impatient, so I gathered everything I could, as fast as I could.” He shook his head slowly, lowering himself onto one of the benches in the yard. “And I’ve got bad news for you.”

“You didn’t find anything?” I guessed, earning a grunt and a small nod from the old elf. “Nothing was hidden, just that there was nothing to find... like it never happened?”

“Got it in one.” Rane chuckled as he started to chew another wad of pink gum. His habit usually didn’t bother me, but I could tell that he was too stressed for such a simple thing.

Something had happened.

“So… the city is locking down, behemoths in the wilds are going insane, and I get dumped off in the middle of nowhere.” I dropped down onto the other bench and rubbed my temples. “This reeks of some crazy conspiracy… but I just don’t get it—Who could possibly benefit from this chaos?”

“I’ve taught you well, it seems.” Rane sighed, his slumped shoulders expressing more frustration and despair than I’d ever seen in the elf. “I can’t do anything else for you, Wes. I’d tell you to stay out of it, but I don’t think I’d be able to hold you back, would I?”

“You could try.” I gave him a small smile as I pushed myself up to my feet. “But I have to try something. I’ll see if I can meet my father and make some sense out of this.”

“Just be careful.”

I looked down into the old elf’s haggard face, my sarcastic quip drying up as I noted the seriousness in his expression.

“I will be, Rane.” I held a hand over my heart as I added. “I’ll meet with my father, report what happened, and see what he says. No digging… and Gods willing, no incidents.”

“Then I can rest easy.” Rane leaned back on the bench into the thick vines of the trellis and closed his eyes. “Keep an eye open in front and behind you. You never know where they’ll come from.”

I hadn’t heard those words in ages. Hearing that phrase knocked me back to the years of my youth, largely spent training under the crusty veteran warrior. But it did more to clarify the severity of my situation than any futile warning.

Rane couldn’t help me, and he couldn’t even try to intervene any more than he already had.

I’d have to do this on my own, the same as the last time he’d said those words to me. Back before that nearly suicidal mission against the Sendrin bandit tribes who had been causing issues for the border villages.

But things would be different this time. I didn’t have to listen to anyone else's orders, and I already knew there was a plot afoot. Unlike before, when I had been much too eager to prove myself to a selfish organization like the Kerian council, things had changed. I had changed.

Now? I couldn’t care less what they thought of me.

Getting up to the edge of my family's estate wasn’t difficult, but the guards at the gates wouldn’t even consider my request for entry. I remembered the few hard-working elves who’d protected our home, even up to my departure on the Orilious.

It seemed like they’d all moved on.

“At least let me send a message to my father.” I pulled out a small pad and scribbled a note onto it. “Tell him Wes is here, and that I have an urgent need to speak with him.”

“Sir, I’ll pass your message along.” The head guardsman took my note and tucked it carefully into his pocket. “But the Master is currently meeting with the rest of the council; they have been secluded for a significant while. You must understand when I tell you that we cannot interrupt them.”

“I understand.” I nodded and stepped back from the gate, giving the guards a friendly smile. “Thank you for your time, friend.”

As I wandered back through the town, I slowly pieced together everything I’d learned.

First, behemoths had migrated from their usual territories, chasing down elves like they’d never done before, even when fatally wounded.

Second, the desert tribes had closed down all trade, killing simple travelers merely because they were high elves.

And third, that Keria was completely locked down, despite being a major trading hub in the elven kingdoms.

Last, but not least, the council was burning the midnight oil in lengthy meetings.

Sure, they sometimes met at length to discuss odd pieces of business that affected the city, but those gatherings were usually little more than formalities, petty annoyances my father had waved off with disgust whenever they’d come up in our previous conversations.

And now he was cloistered with the other relics on the council as the world turned to shit around their pointy ears?

Not likely.

Still, I couldn’t think of a way to inject myself into the situation without causing more hassle than it was worth. I could demand that they let me see my father, but that would likely end with them sending Rane, or worse, my Aunt, to lock me away.

The other option, one I was leaning toward more and more, was simply to avoid the whole mess. Technically, I’d done more than my fair share already, killing two behemoths along with a significant portion of the Iklit in the corridor. All we needed to do was to sell off the loot, charter passage with Captain Lira or some other merchant trader to some distant land, and leave this whole stinking mess behind.

But with Keria locked down, I didn’t know how viable a strategy that was anymore.

Or maybe it could still work.

Captain Lira had seemed to be an elf with connections, and maybe those connections could get us out of the city undetected. At worst, she’d just refuse to honor our deal, and at best… she’d give us an escape option, if we needed one.

A good compromise, and all I’d need to fork out was the cost of a new ship—or better yet, the funds to make an old one seaworthy.

Our haul should cover that, and more.

As I made my way back toward the gate to the lower district, I thought back to my journey, and the massive shift my priorities had undergone. I couldn’t imagine myself ever forgiving the crew who’d marooned me in the wilderness and, while I still wanted justice, that had taken a back seat to caring for my new companions.

Freya, Dew and now, to a lesser extent, Kaede. Three beautiful girls, two of whom were in love with me, and the last of which could be counted as a devotee, at worst. Not bad for a smug prick of an elf who’d barely tolerated most of the people he’d met throughout his life.

But what if things went as badly as I felt they might?

We’d need to escape, to hide away in the shadows. While I had no doubts the girls would be happy with such a life—as long as we were together—could I be happy in the shadows?

Would I be able to live with myself if I ran away from my problems? Would I be able to forget every day we were together that I’d forced the girls I loved to live in fear of the high elven navy? For the rest of our lives?

Despite how badly I wanted simply to put this mess behind us, I knew the answer, deep down.

Hell no.

With my mind made up, I crossed into the lower city, my head held high. I wouldn’t do anything to put the girls in danger, but that didn’t mean I’d back down without a fight, either. We just needed to figure out the best way to attack the problem—together.

And maybe, just maybe, our new friend could help us find a way through these unsettled waters.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Keria / Lower City District - Day 141

T hough it was tempting, I decided to let Kaede go with just a stern warning.

She’d tried to steal from us, but it had just been a job—and it was clear she was a changed elf after meeting her ‘hero’. Of course, she hadn’t tried to argue when Dew offered her up to me, but it didn’t feel right, taking advantage of the girl like that.

She didn’t like me for me, she was just infatuated with the idea of her hero. Besides, I already had Dew and Freya. It just felt wrong to sleep with a devotee without getting to know her first.

Maybe I’d gone soft.

Perhaps… but it wasn’t like I needed to hold myself back with Freya or Dew. After her ‘torture’ at the hands of my girls, Kaede was out for the count—even if I’d wanted to take her up on her slightly too open offer.

A quick conversation with Taerk got her set up in the room beside ours, which left us alone in the room once more.

“I wanted to ask you two something.” I grunted as I lowered myself into the chair at the table. “Should we leave Keria?”

“If you want to, Master.” Freya spoke up quickly, her eyes wide and shining. “We’ll go wherever you want. I’m not too concerned about where we end up—as long as we’re together.”

“I think the same, but I can tell there is a reason you’re asking us this.” Dew leaned back against the headboard and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin there.

Her gaze was intense. “What did you find out, Wes?”

I paused, sorting through my thoughts about the situation, along with everything I’d learned. There was no way I’d hide anything from the two beauties in front of me, not after everything we’d been through.

“It seems there is some sort of conspiracy afoot, and it’s possible my family is involved.” I decided to jump straight into my main concern without beating around the bush. “It could be related to the behemoths and the Sendrin desert tribes somehow… or they might just be taking advantage of the chaos. Either way, things could get messy, fast.”

Freya and Dew shared a long look, wordlessly communicating in that way women seem to be able to do for a few moments before they turned back to face me.

“But what do you want to do, Master?” Freya asked gently, a faint smile on her face. “We’d be happy to leave, as long as that is what will make you happy.”

“But we also know how stubborn you can be,” Dew added, flicking her fingers playfully in my direction. “If you spend the rest of your life whining about running away from this, I doubt you’d be in much of mood to play around with us, would you?”

“You want to leave the decision up to me?” I spoke slowly, not quite sure why they were eager to let me make such an important choice for us all, without their input. I frowned. “Don’t you have any ideas about what you’d rather do?”

The girls giggled and jumped up from the bed, locking me from both sides into a tight, warm hug.

“We just want to have fun, and you’re the most fun person I’ve ever met.” Dew looked up into my eyes and stroked my cheek. “It could be dangerous, sure, but that just makes it more exciting, right?”

“I agree with Dew, Master.” Freya’s tone was light and cheery as she tilted my gaze to meet her brilliant blues. “This is your home—so it is ours, too. If you want to fight for it, we’re with you. If you want to leave it behind, then that’s fine with us as well.”

“Thank you. Both of you.” I leaned back in my chair and pulled both girls into my lap, one arm holding each beauty close against my side. “I do want to do… something, but we’ll need to be careful how we go about it.”

Freya and Dew each leaned into my shoulder and planted a kiss on both of my cheeks before they pulled away and sat again the edge of the bed. The room fell silent as we contemplated the issues ahead of us.

On one side, we had our small group. Varied in skills, talented in deception and stealth, above all, an unknown factor as far as the other players were concerned.

But against us was arrayed the entire city of Keria, a mysterious conspiracy, and probably most of the elven navy.

“I need to meet my father.” I finally spoke up after a long silence. “No matter what’s going on, he’ll at least let me know the lay of the land. If worse comes to worse, I think we could find a way out of the city—we could even sail the seas like the two of you had wanted to do—but only if we can’t figure out a way to solve the problems here.”

“Information is king,” Dew nodded sagely, though I could see a glimmer of desire in her eyes at the thought of becoming bandits wandering the seas. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“We need to firm up our escape plans, and I know just the elf for the job.” I grinned and flicked a thumb toward the room next to ours where Kaede slumbered. “Her employer is a merchant trader—an enterprising ship captain seeking an investor to get her ship back in order. She might even know a few of those types you seem to be so drawn to, Dew.”

“You mean a p-” Dew perked up, but I managed to cut her off with a finger to my lips gesture before she yelled out the word in question.

“Possibly. She is having some issues with her boat, though.” I glanced at Freya, who had yet to speak up after my decision to remain in Keria. “Do you think you could help her repair it? If you and Dew work with her, it shouldn’t take too long to fix, right?”

Dew reached down and pulled out a jingling pouch out from beneath the bed and shook it in my direction, her face lit up with a wide grin. “Sounds expensive,” The cheeky blonde pulled out a golden coin from her money pouch and rolled it across the backs of her fingers. “Maybe she could use some funds?”

“I’m not even going to ask where you got that from.” I sighed as Dew closed up the pouch and tossed it back below the bed. “Don’t let Kaede see it. Old habits die hard, you know.”

“She cares too much about what you think about her to try something like that again, Master.” Freya spoke confidently as she slowly stood up from the bed and stretched, drawing my gaze to her generous assets. “But you did promise you’d give us something we’d never forget.”

Dew’s eyes lit up as she leaped up from the bed to stand beside her friend. With the two horny elven maidens eying me like that, it was clear I wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight.

Not that I cared, of course.

“I did indeed.” I pushed myself up from my chair, a wide grin on my face. “Who wants to go first?”

“My turn!” Dew rushed forward and pulled me into a deep, hungry kiss. “I’ve missed you, pretty boy.”

Freya lowered herself onto the bed, her hand dipping into her robe as she watched me slowly push Dew down beside her. My hands roamed all over Dew’s body, quickly stripping her bare as I laid kisses all over her flawless skin.

And, under their eager, smoldering gazes, I started to move down along her neck, eliciting a breathy sigh from Freya and a groan from the blonde.

First, I moved to Dew’s perky breasts, taking each nipple between my teeth in turn, working Dew up to a frenzy before I moved on down to her stomach, and then to her thighs.

Her legs drifted apart at my touch, revealing her beautiful, pulsing flower. She’d shaved in preparation for this reward, almost as if she had known what I planned to do to them, but that didn’t stop her from letting out a sharp exhale as I placed a long, deep kiss on her most precious spot.

“Pretty boy!” She moaned, her hands wrapped tightly in my hair. Her clit, hard under my dancing tongue, was clearly her weakest point, but I didn’t stop there.

I knelt at the side of the bed and fold by glorious fold, explored her insides, searching and questing with my tongue and fingers until I found that one spot that drove her wild, not quite a finger’s length inside her warmth.

With a grin, I made a come-hither gesture, beckoning her to luxuriate in the pleasure.

After that, it didn’t take long before her entire body started to clench up in pleasure, again and again.

Freya had slipped off the bed while I was busy tending to Dew. I only noticed she’d sat propped up against the side of the bed when her fingers unbuckled my belt. Tossing it aside, she tugged my pants down and freed what she’d sought.

“Oh, Master…” She murmured, her breath hot against the tip of my surging cock. The hot, wet warmth of her soft lips closed quickly around the head.

Freya bobbed her head to take me deep into her mouth as I pulled Dew’s leg up over my shoulder.

She let out another moan of pleasure when I buried my face in her welcoming pussy.

It became a race between me and Freya; who could make their lover come first.

Of course, I won… or rather, Dew finished first, many times over, but eventually Freya’s hungry ministrations threatened to push me over the edge.

But, as I felt myself building up to my release, Freya released me from her mouth with a cute little plop.

“Give it to her, Master.” She said, gently pushing me up from below.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she wanted me to do.

With Freya watching from below I slowly climbed to my feet up until I loomed over Dew, who was still riding out the wave of her last orgasm.

The blonde beauty’s eyes flickered open just in time to see me thrust into her up to the hilt, teasing yet another gasp of delight from her.

Dew curled up and clutched at my arms as her whole body squeezed down on me while Freya stroked where our bodies joined from underneath.

The combined stimulation was enough to tip me over the edge as I loosed one of the biggest loads I’d ever shot deep within Dew’s welcoming pussy.

“Oh- My- God!” Dew jerked and twitched beneath me. “That was amazing, pretty boy.”

“We aren’t done yet.” I grinned as I lifted Dew into the air and, ensuring sure we stayed connected at the hip through the whole maneuver, spun us around and laid back so she was riding atop me, my shoulders and hips sinking into the mattress. “I always wanted to try this.”

Freya, realizing what I meant, slowly pulled herself onto the bed and straddled my chest.

We shared a deep, lingering kiss as Dew started to rock back and forth, almost unconsciously seeking yet another release.

I let her grind on me as Freya slowly pulled herself up until I could reach her folds with my tongue, much the same as I had with Dew, earlier.

Their taste was different, but still amazing to me.

I loved them both.

With one riding my cock, and the other moaning and twitching over my face, the rest of our night passed in bliss.

After I finished once more in each of my lovers, we crawled under the sheets to finally take our rest.

“Did you hear her?” Dew murmured, her fingers tracing along the slope of my chest. “She thought she was being so sneaky, didn’t she?”

“Who did?” Freya bolted upright, the covers dropping down to reveal the furious blush that spread from her cheeks all the way down to redden the incredible breasts she showed off. “Was someone spying on us?”

“It was Kaede,” I sighed and closed my eyes, noting how Freya calmed down entirely when I revealed the identity of our little snooper. “She tried to listen in but kept running off. If it had been anyone else, I’d have beaten them to a pulp.”

The girls giggled and leaned against me, their expressions happy and satisfied as they nestled in close and began to drift off to sleep.

It seemed we’d need to punish Kaede again, but I could leave that to Freya and Dew.

I didn’t want to break her, after all.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Keria / Lower City District - Day 142

W e slept a deep, dreamless sleep after our long, steamy session together, waking up happy and content the following morning to find a full breakfast set out for us on the table by the door.

“Kaede.” I shook my head with a grin and rolled out of bed, deftly dodging Dew’s attempt to pull me back under the covers. “She really must want this to work out.”

The fact our latest addition had taken upon herself the role of a servant didn’t surprise me all that much, given how we’d met.

I frowned, disliking the thought that someone I now considered myself responsible for believed they were lower than me.

Sure, I had a gift that placed me far above most elves in one specific way, but that didn’t mean I’d let others denigrate themselves, groveling at my feet for that fact alone.

Such devotion should be earned.

Even Freya calling me ‘Master’ didn’t go that far—at first it was a quirky habit of the crafter’s devotion and now a term of endearment.

The girl really did care for me and I’d promised to care for her and keep her safe for the rest of her life, but I refused to treat anyone as my slave.

After the use, abuse and exploitation I’d seen practiced in the elven navy on new recruits, I’d promised myself to always be wary of the same traits in myself.

Using my gifts to defend a ship and snag a bounty before anyone else was one thing—forcing someone to cook and clean for me without recompense, was another thing entirely.

“You two need to wake up.” I leaned over the bed and gently shook Dew’s and Freya’s shoulders, rousing them from their peaceful slumber before I turned back to study the meal laid out so nicely for us. “We need to eat this wonderful breakfast before it gets cold.”

While the two girls were getting themselves dressed and ready for breakfast, I moved over to the door and yanked it open abruptly, surprising the short elf who had been standing at attention outside the room.

“Kaede. What are you doing out here, exactly?” I gave her a long look with one eyebrow raised quizzically, a half-smile on my lips as I watched her try to come up with some sort of excuse. “Get in here. If you brought up this wonderful breakfast, I refuse to let you skip out on eating it with us.”

The little thief followed me into the room, though she did tense up as Dew and Freya turned to greet her.

Likely some residual trauma from the day before.

“Come and sit down, Kaede.” Freya patted the chair beside her with a warm smile. “Your cooking is fantastic. I’m sure Master will be pleased, too.”

“Oh, she cooked this herself, did she?” I gave Kaede another appraising look, new respect rising in my chest as I glanced at the well-prepared dishes. “Seems you’ve got more skills than just stealing things.”

“Leave her alone, Wes.” Dew stepped in, surprising me as she quickly moved to defend her new friend. “She’s just trying to make a good impression, and you know it.”

I watched as the girls started to dig into the meal Kaede had prepared, an odd feeling of warmth and respect rising up in my heart. These three elves hadn’t had the best starts in life but maybe, just maybe, I had changed their fates for the better.

But whatever their future might be depended on what I did next.

“So… Kaede.” I settled in beside the new girl, who froze up momentarily as I brushed past her arm to reach for a tasty looking dish of potatoes. “Want to tell us a little bit about yourself?”

“I- Yes. I suppose so.” She mumbled, setting down the pastry she’d been nibbling on as she turned to face me. “I was born in Keria, but never knew who my parents were. Raised in the orphanage, it didn’t take long for me to fall in with some street gangs. From them, I… learned the skills I needed to survive.”

“You don’t need to hold back with us.” Dew reached out across the table and clasped Kaede’s hand in hers. “We’re here for you now.”

“I didn’t… I-” Kaede tried to speak, but I could see tears gathering at the corners of her eyes as she looked across at Dew with a big smile. “Thank you. I really do appreciate you listening to me.”

I sat back and listened, eating a bit of each dish as the girls walked through each part of Kaede’s past without my active involvement, though I couldn’t fail to notice that she kept glancing in my direction every time she revealed some of the interesting things she’d done in the past, almost as if she was afraid I might turn her away because of them.

For some reason she desperately wanted some sign of my approval for her actions.

Working with a gang to sneak into the upper district’s heritage museum and steal some priceless artifacts to sell to some greedy collector and then using the funds to help smuggle medications from beyond the walls to the lower district’s hospices.

While her actions were technically criminal, I could tell that she’d had some naïve, lofty goals—not unlike my own old childish efforts to become a hero of the people.

Maybe, if she’d been born in my privileged shoes, things might have been different.

“But then the guards started to catch on.” She bit down hard on a sandwich, chewing it roughly, anger flashing in her eyes as she continued on sourly. “No one wanted me involved with their plans. I was ‘too hot’, they said.”

“Damn right, you are.” Dew giggled and flicked some water at Kaede, breaking her out of the brooding slump she’d fallen into. “So that’s how you fell in with the Captain and her lot?”

“I never met Captain Lira personally, but her people always knew how to find me. They needed a thief and they knew I was the best…” she shrugged. “When they told me the target,” here Kaede glanced in my direction, wincing awkwardly. “They just told me it would be an easy mark. It didn’t matter what I stole from you, but the more expensive it was, the better.”

I nodded but held my tongue, letting the pregnant silence grow awkward for several seconds as I finished what I was eating, casually.

“It was a test—but not for you.” I revealed the truth, keeping a sharp eye on the girl’s expression. “Lira wanted to get my attention, and to make sure I wasn’t a complete idiot at the same time. To be fair, you would have gotten away with it, if Dew hadn’t been paying attention and caught you—so I guess that shows just how much attention I pay to what is going on when distracted by a pretty face, doesn’t it?”

“You’re just easily distracted by pretty girls.” Dew snickered and waved away the compliment with an airy grace, though my words and hers did cause a slight blush to appear on Kaede’s face.

“But what about-”

Before our conversation could go any further, a heavy knock on the door interrupted what I’d been about to say.

The door juddered as a heavy fist smacked into it, a little too sharply for my liking; it sounded like whoever wanted to get our attention wasn’t going to leave without an answer.

“Kaede, stay out of sight. Freya, Dew, keep an eye out.” I pushed myself up from the table and brushed some crumbs from my hands. “Let’s see who this is.”

The girls followed my suggestions as I moved to the door, though I could tell they were all prepared for things to turn messy.

The chances of someone first knocking on our door and then trying something funny were low—especially in Taerk’s establishment—but stranger things had happened.

As I opened the door, I realized that possibility was the least of my worries.

“Wes.” Rane gave me a curt nod, his eyes flicking to the girls for a moment before he looked back at me. “I’ve been asked to bring you to see your father.”

“Of course.” I picked up my bow from where it lay propped beside the door, just in case, then turned to give Freya and Dew a quick wave. “I won’t be long. You two enjoy the rest of your breakfast. See if you can sort out that thing we talked about once you’re done with your meal.”

It was clear the girls wanted to come with me, but things were risky enough as it was.

I winked at Dew before shutting the door behind me.

Once I’d stepped out into the hallway, I saw that Rane had brought backup—in the form of four well armored and armed guards. Their dour expressions showed nothing but hard, cold professionalism.

“Follow me.” Rane ordered and spun on his heel, leading me down the stairs without another word.

The warriors he’d brought with him formed a kind of honor guard around me, though I could tell they were more worried about me escaping than having to protect me from unknown attackers.

Something had gone wrong—really wrong.

Dew and Freya would take my hint, which meant they should at least make contact with Captain Lira.

With their assistance, and Dew’s dubious money-making skills, it wouldn’t be long until the half-elf’s ship was seaworthy once again.

But, as Rane led me up into the high city and toward my old home, I couldn’t help but wonder why my father had called for me using the city guard.

He hated having others do his bidding—it was a pet peeve of his that he had passed on to me at an early age.

Give and take, no deals without fair rewards for each side. If he had requested that the guard officially bring me to meet him, then that meant he didn’t have much time.

The guards at the edge of my father’s estate nodded at Rane but motioned for the warriors surrounding me to stay outside. Though I could tell there was obvious friction between the two groups, it only took a quick nod from Rane before his city watch took the hint and stepped aside just outside the gate.

“What the hell is going on, Rane?” I asked the moment we were out of earshot of his watchmen. “You said you hadn’t found anything.”

“And I didn’t. Your father contacted me directly first thing this morning and ordered me to bring you to him.” Rane kept his back ramrod straight as he strode toward the large house down the paved driveway. “If you want to know more, you’ll need to ask him yourself.”

I nodded, dismissing the flurry of questions buzzing around in my brain as the old elf led me to the door, then turned aside to stand at attention beside it.

“Thank you for doing your job, Rane.” I patted his shoulder, though he didn’t respond as I’d expected. “No hard feelings.”

The house itself was quiet as the grave—as usual. Our family only ever had the occasional cleaning maids come in twice a week to keep the place in relatively good condition, and those staff were well paid. Even the cooks had been treated like members of the family, which made their positions one of the most sought-after jobs in the entire city.

I knew where my father would be.

His study or, as I more accurately liked to call it, his brooding room.

“Enter!” A deep voice rang out before my fist even contacted the dark, carved wood of the doorframe. “Don’t just wait around! Come in!”

“Nice way to greet your son, after he’s been missing for months,” I grumbled as I pushed the heavy wooden door aside. “What have you been up to…? Father?”

The study itself was just as I remembered it—dark, quiet, and filled with stacks and piles of paperwork that covered every available surface, but it was my father’s appearance that struck me dumb.

He had dark circles under his eyes and a sickly pallor to his skin. Though never the most active, he had far less muscle on his bones than I remembered from our last meeting.

“I have been busy. As have you, I hear!” He spoke with his characteristic half yell, but I sensed a slight tremor in his booming voice that hadn’t been there a few months ago. “I’ve read the report from the Orilious’ Captain...” His eyes narrowed. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Nothing, it seems.” I stared back into his burning eyes, hoping to catch a hint of his true feelings. “That it was an overreaction on their part would be putting it mildly, but I imagine you can see that for yourself.”

“Indeed I could, Weslilian.” My father grunted as he fell back into his chair and tossed a scroll across the desk to me. “Tell me, what do you see in there?”

I opened the small, rough parchment and read the report it contained, my scowl deepening further and further with each word.

“Complete and utter bullshit,” I snorted, tossing the offensive scrap of parchment between us on the desk and folded my arms. “Do you really think I’d try and destroy the ship? That I thought it would be some kind of crazy prank, putting the crews’ lives in danger? You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“Does it really matter what I believe, son?” The old elf snapped, tapping irritably at his desk, his molars grating together with such vigor that I worried he might break a tooth. “Enough people think it the truth—or at least like to say that they do. You know who I mean and why.”

“I do.” My thoughts jumped to my aunt, a high admiral in the elven navy. She’d been the one to secure my posting aboard the Orilious and she’d likely been the one to arrange for my marooning, too, if the logbook entry Rane had found originally was to be trusted.

“What can I do to clear-?”

“I’m sorry, Wes.” My father’s voice cracked as he stared up at me in hollow despair, tears silently sliding down his cheeks. “There is nothing more I can do for you, my boy. Nothing I can do for any of us.”

“What do you mean-”

“Weslilian Yannisa,” my father stood, his straight shoulders sagging as if they bore an incredible burden, “you are hereby disowned, disavowed, and stripped of all rank, privileges and membership in the Yannisa family.” My father’s tone was hard, but an edge of regret tinged his words as he strode around the corner of his desk, forcing a wax-sealed envelope into my hands.

I stared on, stunned speechless, as he gently guided me to the door. “If you’ve ever trusted in my wisdom, please heed my final words to you, my son—stay out of this.”

Chapter Forty

Keria / Lower City District - Day 142

I  stumbled back out of my home, or more precisely the place that had once been my home, on auto pilot.

Rane noted the blank look in my stare and, likely already knowing what had just transpired, paused to give me a quick shake to pull me from my dazed state.

“Nothing to hold you here anymore, lad.” He half smiled, though I could tell his heart wasn’t in the expression. “And you still have your lovely companions to go back to.” He sighed. “It could be much… worse.”

That’s… True.” I nodded, stuffing the envelope inside my shirt with a bit more force than was necessary. “Thank you, Rane. I appreciate everything you have done or tried to do for me.”

The old elf sighed regretfully before leading me back down the paved entryway. The loud click of the gate locking behind me rang out with a finality that was oddly fitting, a definitive sound that signified the end of an era—and the start of another.

I was no longer Weslilian Yannisa of Keria. I’d changed more than a little these past months, but nothing like what transformed me now, my identity stripped from me by someone who’d had it out for me for years.

Taking revenge on the crew of the Orilious would have to wait—at least until after I figured out how to get vengeance against one of the most protected elves in Keria.

My own aunt, a high admiral of the elven navy, a gifted elf from an earlier generation—whose skills in the arts of combat were on a similar level to my own.

“Fuck my life,” I grumbled, storming away from the guards. The warriors glared at me as I strode away, but they made no move to follow me.

I apparently wasn’t a concern for them—not anymore.

I’d make the fools on the council regret their decision. The whole damn cesspit was corrupt to the core, and I should have seen it coming.

The fact that my aunt had arranged the expedition…

The way no one I knew and trusted was permitted to join me…

Even the odd behavior of the Orilious’ captain. Why had he specifically requested one of the best archers in existence, only to turn his crew against said by-name request?

As I made my way through the checkpoints into the lower district once more, I finally remembered the letter my father had given me.

A wild surge of fury rose up in my heart and I was sorely tempted to rip it to pieces, to shred this last reminder of my old life. I forced myself to calm down before stepping to the side between two shops and breaking the envelope’s seal.

With the bitter gall of bile tightening my throat, I read what it contained.

‘To my Son,

I am sorry.

I tried to save you from this, though it pained me to play along with my sister’s convoluted schemes. I see I was right to fear that you’d find your way back to the city before her plan was set in motion.

The city is dangerous, especially for you, and I want you to have no part in the changes these old fools are trying to implement. While they play with powers they don’t fully understand, let alone control, I beg of you—please leave.

Contained within are the details for a contact I have in the pirate fleet. Lira is a peculiar sort, but one I know will have a way to get you and your friends out of the city, in one piece.

Whatever you do, do not antagonize your aunt! She is seeking for any and every reason to bring you in—and I fear you would not long survive in her clutches.

Leave this cursed city as soon as you are able, Weslilian. Leave us behind, and do not look back.

Signed,

Your Father, forever and always.

Lord Yannisa’

“He really is an old fool.” I grumbled as I carefully folded the letter and slipped it and its envelope carefully into my pocket. The fact my old man had contacts in the pirate fleet came as a bit of a shock, especially given how straightlaced he usually acted.

One piece of the puzzle didn’t make sense, though. I’d already met his so called contact, and just yesterday, at that.

It didn’t take me long to make my way back across the waterfront to Captain Lira’s office, but I found the door locked and bolted with a sign wedged into the inside pane of the small window.

Out to Lunch, Back Later.

“Useless.” I vented my frustration with a surly kick at the door before turning back to look out toward the distant docks.

Keria had been one of the biggest trading ports in the kingdoms and, even after all travel had been locked down, there remained hundreds of boats crowding the piers along the edge of the bay.

How would I find the girls in that mess?

As I was contemplating the hopelessness of my task, a low pitched purr came from the alley beside me.

“Kiel!” I spun around and rushed into the shadowy gap to give the shadowpanther a well-earned hug and scratch behind the ears. “I’ve missed you! Where have you been?”

The cat gave me a long look, all but rolling his eyes and growling that he’d happily tell me if he could. Instead, his eyes closed tight and he rumbled with pleasure as I scratched under his chin in the spot he loved.

“Can you lead me to Dew and Freya?” I whispered, patting his side to snap him out of his blissful state. “We need to find them, fast.”

Kiel shook his head and then darted back down the alley, leading me away from the main street and down toward the far end of the docks. I’d expected our contact to be squirreled away in one of the seedier parts of the city, but what I found when Kiel led me up to the pier in question left me confused and appalled.

“Are you sure this is it?” I glanced at the ragged wooden dock, which seemed to be one stiff tide from collapsing. At the far end of the pier lay a moderately sized vessel, its sides caked with mud, seaweed and trash. “This seems a bit too low key, even for her.”

The shadowpanther gave me a look of disdain before he rushed down the dock and jumped onto the ship in one fluid motion. I held my breath and waited for a moment, half expecting to hear screams of terror from the boat, but the only sound that came to my ears was the sound of the rigging flapping in the wind and the waves knocking into the rickety pier.

“Hello! Anyone there!” I called out, but I heard no reply.

Either no one was home, or they were so busy inside the bowels of the ship that they couldn’t hear me.

“Looks like we’ll do things the hard way, then.” I sighed and carefully made my way along the rickety wooden planks of the pier.

Several boards creaked alarmingly, as though they’d like nothing better than to dump me into the murky waters below, but they somehow held together under the soft tread of my boots.

I set foot on the bottom rung of the rope ladder that hung at the side of the ship. I climbed up stealthily and peered cautiously over the edge of the ship’s gunwale. Spying no one on deck, it only took a moment to flip myself up over the rail onto the ship.

From below my feet, I heard a rhythmic banging and the odd murmur of voices, but it was impossible for me to identify the voices through the thick planks of the ship’s decking.

Trespassing on another elf’s vessel was a high crime, but it wasn’t like I hadn’t tried to announce my presence. After a brief moment of indecision, I pushed my concerns aside and pulled the door to the lower decks open.

“Who’s this then!” The Captain yelled, whipping her blade from its sheath as she jumped out onto the deck. It took her only a moment to realize who she was about to attack before she let her arm drop to her side, deflated and disappointed. “Oh, it’s just you-”

“Yes, it’s just me.” I gripped my sword tightly, the blade more than halfway out of its scabbard, and glared at the elf I now knew to be a pirate. “Were you expecting someone else?”

I heard the girls chatting behind Lira and forced myself to relax. I narrowed my eyes at her. “I have some questions for you.”

Dew and Freya moved up from below, staring at me in confusion as they filtered out past the captain. The half-elf in question seemed unperturbed by my anger, and instead leaned casually against the wall next to the door.

“Out with it, then lad.” She returned her blade to its sheath and stared at me, her emerald eyes unblinking. “I knew we’d have to have this chat, sooner or later.”

“First question, why did you set your little thief on us specifically?” I demanded, deciding to start with the easiest question first. “Did someone warn you that we were going to come to Keria? Who passed you that information?”

“I have an informant in the guard. My little birdie told me some idiot with connections forced his way into the city, and that they were carrying some heavy looking packs.” Lira shrugged as she casually revealed her secret, despite knowing such an admission could get her locked away for a very long time.

“Once I heard your name, I knew it would be worth a shot. You’re not still holding that against me, are you?”

“It depends. How do you know my father?” I kept my steely gaze fixed on her eyes, looking for any hints of deception.

“Wait, your- Oh shit.” She rubbed her eyes, chuckling softly. “So that’s the mark who found his way into my network? Damn, I must be pretty important if someone like him asks for me by name.”

“That’s right, Lira Keelcracker.” I grinned as I spoke the elf’s comically fake name. “I don’t really care what you used to be called, but do you really expect me to believe-”

“That this was all a coincidence? Think what you want, kid.” Lira pulled out a wad of pink gum, popped it in her mouth, and set to chewing it as though she wasn’t being interrogated.

“But I’m not lying to you about needing your help to get out of the city. Your little chicks have done wonders patching up my old girl, so all we need now are some supplies.”

Freya and Dew stepped forward, giving Lira a worried look before they turned back to me.

“She does seem to speak the truth, Master…” Freya offered, pausing for a moment before adding, “Mostly.”

“I like her, but we could just steal the boat, if you want, Wes,” Dew suggested, a vicious grin on her face. “Your call.”

“You’d make a fantastic pirate, girl.” Lira spoke up from where she leaned against the wall, giving Dew a thumbs up before she turned back to me. “But I doubt they’d just let you sail off into the ocean, right?”

I stared into Lira’s eyes for a few long moments, taking the full measure of her grit before I slowly slid my sword back into its sheath.

We could have a showdown later, if necessary. For now, we apparently still needed one another.

“I’ll go meet our other friend at the inn.” I nodded at Dew and Freya, ignoring Lira’s quizzical look as I turned to leave the boat. “Keep an eye on her at all times and remember these words—never trust a pirate.”

Chapter Forty-One

Keria / Lower District - Day 142

K iel stayed behind, likely choosing to keep an eye on Freya and Dew while they helped Lira put the finishing touches onto the boat. Even if the pirate captain tried to pull a fast one on the girls, not that I believed she’d be able to do so in the first place, the fact a shadowpanther was waiting in the wings to rip her to shreds should be enough to give her pause.

Still, I didn’t like leaving them alone for too long, so I rushed back to the inn to meet with Kaede as fast as I could manage.

Taerk greeted me happily and informed me that she was waiting up in my room, though the lewd wink the grizzled bar keeper tossed my way proved that he didn’t know the history of my relationship with the little thief.

If he’d known that Kaede had attempted to ply her real trade in his establishment, I doubted she’d ever be allowed within sight of the building for the rest of her life.

“Hello!” Kaede pushed herself up quickly from where she’d been lounging on the chair next to the table, standing completely straight and to attention as I softly closed the door behind me. “I’ve been wanting to speak to you again about-”

“Listen, I have something I need to tell you.” I dragged another chair out from under the table and dropped into it, leaning over the back of it with a bit of a frown on my face as I thought about what I was about to do.

“I know you wanted me to take you on as an apprentice, but it just isn’t a good idea for you to be around us anymore.”

“- Why?” The young elf took a half step toward me, wringing her hands together worriedly. “Is it because of what I did? I told you I’d do anything to make up for that.”

“I already told you we forgave you for that.” I waved away her concern quickly. “I can’t tell you why, but we have to leave the city soon, and we won’t be doing so with the agreement of those in control.”

“You’re sneaking out? So what?” Kaede patted her chest confidently. “I can keep a secret as good as anyone, and I can be useful when it comes to sneaking around. Why don’t you want me?”

I scrubbed my fingers through my hair, irritated at how my avoidance of the main issues had caused such a barrier in the conversation. It was better to just rip the band aid off before it got any worse.

“Listen, Kaede. We’re going to be escaping with the help of a pirate.” I held up a palm to stop her from interrupting me again. “And it’s possible—likely even—that the navy will end up chasing us to the ends of the world. Do you really think that’s the life you’d want?”

The girl didn’t respond immediately, which increased my respect for her significantly. Instead, she seemed to seriously consider my words, a focused, contemplative look on her face.

“You’ll be leaving Keria—possibly becoming pirates—and adventuring all over the world?” she finally asked, her purple eyes staring back into mine unblinkingly.

“It’s looking more and more likely, yes,” I answered truthfully.

My words sounded rather shocking, even to my own ears. It hadn’t quite felt real until I admitted it, but that was what the future seemed to have in store for our little group.

“It’s probably best if we part ways here, Kaede.”

“No.” She shook her head and stepped forward, a steely look in her eyes as she stared at my confused face. “I refuse to stay behind. I want to come with you.”

Her request—demand, really—caught me off guard. I understood why Freya and Dew were willing to go along with my crazy plans, but Kaede had only just met me.

Sure, she had some misplaced respect and a naïve desire to become like me, but how could that be enough to entice her from her home when it meant fleeing to a lawless pirate haven?

I could tell from the stubborn set of her jaw that she wasn’t going to back down. Despite her relatively young age—at least for an elf—she was still old enough to make her own decisions, no matter how bad I might believe it to be.

I needed to test her will, though, that much was certain.

“Do you know what pirates are like?” I asked slowly, pushing myself up from my chair and pushing it aside to loom over her. “Do you know what you’re risking, girl?”

The difference in our heights made it so Kaede had to lean back to look up into my eyes, but her gaze was unblinking as she stood firm, not moving an inch.

“What do you think a pirate might do to you, out on the open seas?” I lifted my hand and placed it on her cheek, guiding her bit by bit toward my face. “How much do you want this…”

Before I could even finish what I’d tried to pose as a test, Kaede had raised herself up onto the tips of her toes and planted her lips against mine, her eyes closed tight as she clutched onto my shirt and numbly pushed herself against me.

After only a few shocked moments did I pull back, giving the girl a long, conflicted look.

“I know what I’m risking, Wes.” Kaede finally spoke, though she still kept her eyes pressed closed. “But I told you I wouldn’t lose this chance, no matter what. If it’s for you, I’m happy to lose anything. Please… I beg of you—don’t leave me behind.”

She’d said the same words before, but I could feel something more in this request, as though she had truly poured her heart and soul into the plea. Kaede desperately wanted to leave Keria, and I could understand why, to some extent.

The lower district wasn’t a nice place for an elven girl to live by herself.

“If that’s what you truly desire… then fine.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose and finally dropping my pretense of testing the girl. “Don’t complain to me later-”

“Thank you!” Kaede jumped up, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pulled me down and hugged me tight, her face pressed against mine. “I promise to do anything you want! I’ll live- Up- To-”

Her words trailed away into nothing as she realized the position she’d pulled herself into. She blushed as scarlet as Freya ever had. Either because of a lack of confidence, or because the full weight of the overenthusiastic promises she’d inadvertently made finally sank in.

Kaede seemed to be on the verge of collapsing from sheer embarrassment. Luckily Freya had given me plenty of experience dealing with suddenly embarrassed girls.

“Hey!” I grabbed Kaede and swung her around through the air, laughing as she squeezed her eyes shut and pulled herself tight against me. “You just got what you wanted—No backing out now!”

I dropped her back to the floor, a little dazed and dizzy, but at least distracted from her self-inflicted shame.

It took her a moment to recover, after which she glanced nervously up at me.

Things between us were still a bit awkward, but at least she was smiling again, her enthusiastic personality shining through once more.

“Trust me, I won’t.” She patted her chest again, accidentally drawing attention to a few open buttons at the top of her dress with her trademark gesture.

She cleared her throat. “I heard the others are helping to repair the ship we’ll be using. I’ve got some experience out on the water, so maybe I can help them.”

“Sure.” I chuckled and ruffled her silver hair, eliciting a squeal of displeasure and a few choice muttered curses as I stooped to scoop up the last two packs by the door and led the way to the stairs. “Let’s get going then, Kaede.”

Taerk seemed to know I wasn’t coming back, but he kept our parting short and sweet, as usual.

He did manage to force three bottles of elven wine into my pack before we managed to escape the inn, telling me jokingly that it was a down payment for the wedding gifts he’d be sending in the future.

That comment caused another furious blush to bloom across Kaede’s fair complexion, which I pointedly ignored. Taerk just slapped the bar loudly, laughing boisterously as we exited the building.

I took the lead as we moved back to Lira’s dock. Kaede kept looking around at the city as we walked, likely coming to terms with the fact that it might be one of the last times she’d see these streets—where she had lived her entire life.

It was the same for me, I realized with a start. It was difficult to think about it like that, but it was unlikely I’d ever return to Keria.

Without any link to my family, and with my aunt prowling the streets waiting for a chance to take me into her custody, there were many reasons for me to avoid the place and none to return.

I glanced back at the upper district in the distance, with its towering spires and artistically carved facades. It looked different to my eyes—less refined, gaudy even, and I turned my back on it with more distaste than I’d ever imagined I would.

As we crossed through the dockyards once more, I focused my attention back on the task at hand.

Kaede followed silently behind me as I carefully walked up the old, rickety pier and clambered my way up the net into Lira’s ship. At least the girls had cleaned it up a bit in the time I’d been gone.

If only a bit.

“So, this is… the ship. I don’t even know its name…” I waved a hand disparagingly at the cluttered deck and propped the two packs up against the central structure of the ship. “Unfortunately, it’s all we have to work with at the moment.”

“Hey! Don’t talk about my girl like that!” Lira’s voice echoed up from below the decks before she stormed through the door and stomped out into the open. “Who’s this you’ve-”

The captain froze in place, staring at Kaede in unblinking silence. In return, the young girl glanced first at me, worried and lost, before she turned her attention back to the stunned pirate.

“It’s not nice to stare at people you’ve not been properly introduced to, you know?” Kaede offered, scowling and folding her arms as her previous confidence came back somewhat. “Who do you think you are, glaring at me like that?”

“Kaede? Is that really you?” Lira murmured, taking several steps toward the confused girl. She paused as Kaede, shocked at her sudden approach, dived for cover behind my back.

“It can’t be… How many coincidences can there be in one week?”

I glanced back at the little thief, who was peeking out from behind my back, keeping her gaze fixed on the pirate who had called her by name. It was clear the girl didn’t know who Lira was, but there was something more going on here than just a mistaken identity.

“Explain, please.” I rubbed at my temples with a groan, my voice turning hard. “Now.”

“I knew her… Mother,” Lira mumbled, for once at a loss for words as she tried to sneak a peek at Kaede around my arm. “She worked with me in the past, and I’d promised her I’d check in on her daughter when she… left.”

The truth was coming out, bit by bit. Kaede had told us that she’d never known who her parents were, but that she’d been looked after by an odd assortment of strangers as a child until ending up at the orphanage. Only after she joined the gangs, did she lose track of the people who’d fed, cared for, and clothed her as a child.

A pirate’s baby, raised by pirates, and now… off to join the pirate fleet?

“I imagine you two have a lot to talk about.” I glanced back at Kaede, waiting for her to show she wanted to speak to Lira at all. “Lira, one warning—Kaede is under my protection, so if you do anything to hurt her-”

“I swear on my ship and my soul, I would never harm a hair on her head.” Lira crossed her arms over her chest in the age-old pirates’ gesture of respect that I’d only ever heard of, but never seen.

“My actions almost got her injured once already, do you really think I’d want to risk that again? She’ll be safer here than anywhere else in the world—that I can guarantee.”

“Fine.” I nudged Kaede forward, giving her a gentle push toward the one person who might be able to tell her more about her past. “I’ll leave you two alone, then. Try not to burn down the ship while I check in on the other two.”

Lira and Kaede moved to sit down under the covered area of the deck to start their whispered conversation while I opened the door to the stairs that led down into the lower decks of the ship.

It was clear the two elves weren’t certain how to treat one another, but I at least trusted Kaede would be able to stand up for herself, without my help.

“You two really can’t hold back, can you?” I glanced down at Dew and Freya, who I’d surprised when I’d pulled the door open. They’d taken up a position near the top of the stairs in an attempt to eavesdrop on our conversation. “Come on, show me what we’re working with. Let’s give the two of them some privacy.”

“Fine,” Dew grumbled, pushing herself away from the wall and flouncing back down the stairs into the lower deck of the ship. As I’d guessed, it had two lower levels—the one just below the top deck seemed to be for the crew’s quarters, as well as a possible weapons storage area. “We’re mostly done anyway,” the blonde sniffed, “no thanks to you.”

“I’ve been busy, too, Dew.” I chuckled as I walked toward the side of the ship, where large, cylindrical devices were strapped against the hull. From a distance, they looked like they were just inconspicuous barrels and crates, but a closer inspection revealed the slight glow and shimmer of runesmith designs through the thick leather wrappings that held them in place.

I stared at Freya. “Are these runesmith cannons? Really?”

“I believe they are, Master.” Freya stepped forward and laid a hand on the expensive weaponry, a look of wonder on her face as she stared down upon them. “I’ve never seen something so brilliantly constructed. I’d love the chance to meet the person who crafted them.”

“Well, you might just get that chance.” I watched Freya as she spun around, her eyes wide in excitement. Her expression dropped when she noticed the look on my face.

“What’s wrong, Master?” she asked, reaching out to grab my hand and pull it between her own warm palms. “Did something happen when you went to meet your father?”

Dew moved up on my other side and laid a hand on my arm, a worried look in her eyes as she waited for my response.

The fact that the two of them cared so much for me made it easier, but it was still difficult to speak the words—the wound was still too fresh.

“I’ve been disavowed, thrown out. It seems my aunt persuaded the others to believe that I did something worthy of being disowned.”

Freya and Dew each let out an angry hiss, their eyes burning with fury for a moment before they managed to calm themselves, focusing once more on me.

“It is fine,” I shrugged, closing my eyes and turning away. “I kind of had a feeling she was behind all of this—but it doesn’t leave us many options.”

“Are we going to join the pirates?” Dew asked in a matter of fact tone, as though the decision had already been made. “And what did Lira have to do with all of this? Will we need to… Deal with her?”

The subtle hint of violence in Dew’s voice didn’t surprise me, but the cold look in Freya’s eyes as she glanced up at the stairway to the top deck shocked me a little.

Just how much had my little, naive crafter changed?

“No, not right now, at least.” I pulled the pair in close and kissed the tops of their heads gently. “It seems like another coincidence is all. She’s still our best bet to get out of Keria in one piece.”

“If you say so, Master.” Freya nodded, tearing her narrowed eyes away from the door with difficulty. “I’ll keep an eye on her for you. If she tries anything, then-”

“We’ll sort her out.” Dew finished, her hand dipping to the knives at her waist. “No one moves against you and gets away with it, Wes.”

I let the pair go, deciding then and there not to try and talk them out of their self-imposed monitoring of the newest member of our odd little group. After everything we’d been through, I knew well enough that trying to shift them off a track they’d set themselves on was next to impossible.

And it wasn’t like I fully trusted Lira, anyway.

“So, you’ve fixed up the ship?” I glanced around at the hull, noting where several joints had been fixed and portions of the hull patched together recently. “How much work did it take, exactly? It’s not like Lira’s going to get your time for free, you know.”

Dew and Freya shared a short look, then giggled as they pulled me to one of the side rooms.

Inside, I found a large bedroom, stocked with a huge bed, a table wide enough with enough seats for all of group to eat together, and several closets stacked full with all manner of clothing and equipment.

“We convinced Lira to set this place up for us, Master.” Freya pulled open a narrow door to a large wardrobe to show off a large array of dresses and outfits that lay folded within. “What do you think?”

“I think he’s going to love it.” Dew pulled me back around, planting a teasing kiss on my lips, before rushing over to join Freya in admiring their new selection of fancy clothes. “Tell us what you’re thinking, Wes.”

“I… I like it.” I watched with a grin as the girls pulled out dress after dress, holding them up their chin and modeling them happily for me with gleeful looks on their faces. “I can tell you two love it, and that’s more than enough for me.”

Freya and Dew nodded, but I could tell their attention was still mostly focused on the outfits. Girls loved trying on new clothes—not a task I’d ever cared too much for, myself, but a few of the more risqué, frilly chemise set my mind afire with the opportunities they presented.

I’d have to thank Lira for her hard work, it seemed.

It wasn’t difficult to sneak out of the room while the girls were distracted with the clothes.

Despite how close we were to leaving Keria for good, that didn’t mean we were in the clear just yet. The city was still locked down, and no one was allowed to leave without direct orders from the council themselves.

Somehow I doubted I’d get approval from that bunch of bastards any time soon.

That left Lira, and the hidden connections she’d hinted at previously. A pirate might have a few surreptitious ways to leave the city under normal circumstances—but I wondered how she was planning on sneaking out with the entire bay under heavy watch, twenty-four seven?

Kaede and Lira looked up as I came back onto the deck. I could tell the girl still wasn’t entirely certain how she felt about the pirate captain, but Lira looked like a massive weight had been plucked from her shoulders in the short time I’d been below deck.

“Hey, Wes.” She grinned at me and patted Kaede’s shoulder gently, before standing and waving for me to follow her as she pulled herself up a short ladder to the quarter deck where the wheelhouse sat.

“We can’t leave just yet, but I’ve gotten us permission to go out into the bay to see how seaworthy she is. Fancy giving the old girl a spin?”

“Really?” I glanced over at the ship’s wheel, then out at the calm waters of the wide open bay. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Listen, boyo.” Lira leaned against the ship’s wheel, a calm smile on her face as she peered out across the slate gray waters. “You know what I am, and I’m betting you’ve got your own plans for when we get away from here, right?”

“You’re a pirate, and I’m considering joining up with the fleet, if possible.” I didn’t try to avoid the insinuations Lira was making, instead jumping straight to my general goals for the near future.

“I know the navy is up to something, and that they’ll never stop hunting us as soon as the admiral figures out a way to turn them against me. Figured I might as well take the step myself, rather than be pushed into it, right?”

Lira pushed herself off the ship’s wheel, giving me a long, contemplative look before she finally laughed out loud.

“I knew I’d like you, kid.” She chuckled, pulling me over to the wheel and setting my hands atop its prongs. “If you want to fit in with the rest of the scum, you’ll need to be able to act the part. Hold on tight while I cast us off.”

Lira dashed to the stern of the ship to cast off the lines holding it to the pier, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of disquiet I felt in the air. It was as though a rabid beast watched me from the shadows, waiting eagerly for me to slip up, even a little, so it could pounce on me.

No matter how I tried to dismiss my unease, it wouldn’t leave.

“Lira, are you sure we’ll be okay if we leave the dock?” I glanced back at the streets of the lower district, noting how the guards were watching with disinterest as the ship slowly drifted out to sea. “You haven’t made all the preparations yet, right?”

“Just focus on your task, helmsman.” Lira grinned as she pulled down a wide brimmed hat from a peg in the wheelhouse and plonked it on my head. She admired her handiwork, tilted the hat at a jaunty angle, and waved Kaede in my direction. “What do you think, girl? He makes quite the dashing hero, doesn’t he?”

“That he does,” she nodded, keeping her gaze fixed upon my face as a host of conflicting emotions chased each other across my features. “You look good, Wes… Like this is what you were meant to be.”

Meant to be. Her words echoed in my soul as I slowly steered the ship out of the port and into the open bay. The waters were calm, protected as the bay was from the major currents out in the Lanoi Sea by a series of breakers, but that didn’t mean I could just let the boat do what it wanted.

A boat like this needed a firm hand at the wheel, and I’d learned enough from my training in the navy to bring her under control in short order.

“See, I told you, Wes.” Lira slapped her hand down onto my shoulder, almost knocking the wheel from my grasp. “You’re a natural-”

“Hold!” A loud voice bellowed from ahead as a ship sailed into view from a hidden cove on the side of the bay. “Drop anchor and prepare to be boarded.”

Freya and Dew rushed up to the top deck while Kaede, shocked by the sudden appearance of the navy vessel, instinctively dived for cover under a nearby canvas sheet. Lira was the only one who didn’t look scared by the abrupt change in our circumstances.

She looked furious.

“Someone squealed,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “And when I find out who it was, they’ll wish they’d never been born!”

Chapter Forty-Two

Keria / Lanoi Sea Bay - Day 142

I nstincts were useful things, but only if you knew when to follow them, and when to ignore their siren call.

In this instance, it seemed mine had been on point.

But there was no use crying over spilled milk. Lira dropped the anchor as I kept the ship on a straight course, bringing us beside the naval vessel smoothly so their crew could climb aboard.

Sure, we could try to escape, but I had a feeling the boat which had stopped us wasn’t the only one waiting for us in the bay.

“What seems to be the problem?” Lira yelled across the distance between our vessels, a forced smile plastered on her face as she watched four armored marines clamber aboard her pride and joy. “We have a pass to-”

“I don’t care about your pass,” a harsh voice called out from the quarterdeck of the navy vessel. My heart froze when I heard the elf’s grating tones, and for a moment I wished with all my being that it would be anyone other than who I feared it was.

But as I saw her hop up onto the gunwale of her ship, I knew I couldn’t avoid the scene any longer.

“Hello, Olea.” I forced a wide smile, stepping forward to sketch a bow toward the member of my former family I despised more than any other being in this world. “Long time, no see.”

“That’s Admiral, to you.” My aunt glared in my direction, making none of her usual pretenses at niceties. “First, you almost cause a shipwreck on the first voyage I picked out for you, and now you’re trying to sneak away from Keria in in the middle of a lockdown? What’s your game, Weslilian?”

Freya and Dew moved up to flank me, their gazes cold and focused as they glared at the Admiral. It was clear my girls didn’t think much of the elf before them, or the marines she had backing her up, but I knew a battle with my aunt would be a terrible idea.

I knew from personal experience how deadly she could be when she put her mind to it.

“I’m merely trying my hand at sailing.” I waved at Lira, who nodded tersely in agreement. “This merchant captain kindly allowed me to use her vessel and arranged a pass for us to go out on the bay.”

“Really?” The Admiral glared at Lira, almost daring her to speak for several moments before her narrowed gaze flicked back in my direction. “Did she know she’s harboring a traitor?”

The only sound was the slap of waves against the side of the boats as we all tried to make sense of what Olea had just said.

Me, a traitor? How? Why? And… again, how?!

The only people branded with that title were those who had turned against the greater high-elf community as a whole. Even pirates weren’t branded as traitors, instead being treated as criminals acting outside the bounds of the law.

“I don’t understand,” I responded slowly, keeping my voice steady as I glanced at the heavily armored elves who had moved to line up along the rail of the navy vessel. “How am I a traitor, Admiral?”

Olea sighed as she stepped onto our ship lightly, her hands folded behind her back casually. The navy officers behind her, as though they had rehearsed their roles in advance, stepped forward, and laid their hands on the hilts and shafts of their various weapons.

“Weslilian Yan… Oh!” Olea paused. “I can’t call you that anymore, can I?” Her grin was savage. “It’s just Wes now, isn’t it?”

I held my tongue and laid a palm on Freya’s and Dew’s shoulders, trying to force them to take a step back. If there was a chance they could avoid guilt by association by standing with me, then I’d take it in a heartbeat.

But they held firm, no matter how much I tried shift them away.

“Trash begets trash,” Olea shrugged as she motioned to her marines. “Take them into custody. The merchant Captain can go—we have no use for her.”

My mind rushed thru a number of possible outcomes as the marines moved in to surround us. Either Olea didn’t care that she had a pirate before her, dead to rights, or she truly didn’t know Lira’s identity. That, on top of the fact that she hadn’t seemed to notice Kaede, gave me a faint burst of hope for the future.

“I’m sorry, Lira.” I turned to the captain, giving her an uneasy smile before my gaze flicked to the pile of canvas sheets at the corner of the ship’s deck. “I’ll see if we can meet up, once this is all sorted out.”

“You’d better.” Lira forced a grim smile, though I couldn’t tell if it was acting or if she really was more irritated with me than concerned. “You owe me for this trip, remember?”

It didn’t take long for the navy officers to guide us aboard their ship, after which Olea ordered them to cast off from Lira’s vessel and we set off back toward the port.

Of course, the guards had disarmed us and stored our weapons away in a crate, which they sealed and locked up right before our eyes.

Like they were mocking us.

We hadn’t traveled far into the bay, so the journey back was a quick one, if a bit tense.

None of the navy officers made any attempt to speak to us, and Olea seemed content to glare down at me from her post up high on the quarter deck. There was no gloating, and no demands for us to beg for our lives.

Just silence.

“What now, Master?” Freya murmured, her gaze flicking nervously about at the marines who surrounded our party just aft of the main mast. “Can your father help at all?”

“He isn’t my father anymore,” I responded calmly, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze to comfort the anxious girl. “Don’t worry, I think I know what Olea’s planning. I just need you two to be yourselves.”

“Of course,” Dew grinned, lacing her fingers with mine. “We’ll get out of this. We always do.”

When we’d pulled up to a pier on the navy end of the wharf once more, I spotted a large company of marines waiting to take us into custody. Outnumbered at least ten to one, I gave up on even the vaguest hope of escaping during our trek through the city.

But, as I’d expected, Olea didn’t lead us toward the city’s dungeon.

“Is that-” Dew stared up at the towering building we were being led toward. “Don’t tell me she’s planning to jump right to the endgame, is she?”

“I imagine she is.” I sighed, giving the Admiral a look of deep loathing. “That’s the arena. She’s probably going to skip a trial and jump straight to judgment.”

“But I thought all high elves cared about their rules, Master?” Freya spoke quietly, afraid her comments might enrage the marines who surrounded us as we were led through the city streets. “They can’t just ignore the processes of law, can they?”

I shook my head sadly but didn’t answer Freya’s query. Sure, in normal circumstances, a criminal’s trial was an important, even vital, piece of our justice system. Unfortunately, the state the city was in could in no way be described as ‘normal’.

And my aunt knew it. What better time to deal with a thorn in her side than when the city was falling aprt?

As we were prodded closer to the arena, I spotted Rane, watching from the side of the street. I could tell that he was fighting with himself, likely tempted to leap out to try to stop the miscarriage of justice happening before his very eyes, but I managed to catch his gaze before he moved and shook my head.

As he wordlessly begged for my forgiveness with his eyes, I gave him another sharp shake of my head. ‘Leave!’ I mouthed the word carefully, making sure the old elf understood what I wanted before I turned my attention back to Freya and Dew.

Rane would just be another sacrifice on the pyre of Olea’s ambition. Gifted beyond her peers, she had risen thru the ranks of the navy to admiral faster than any elf in Keria’s long history.

With a sharp mind for battle tactics and even sharper wit, she had turned many a seemingly lost battle into stunning victories.

But then I’d come along, the son of her embarrassment of a brother. Ever since my gift became publicly known, Olea had seen me as her competition, her enemy.

Even when I told her to her face that I didn’t care one whit for power or authority, she still wouldn’t back down. Nothing would change her mind when it came to her upstart of a nephew.

And now she’d finally achieved her goal. I’d not only been disowned and tossed aside by the family, she now had the chance to parade me through the city streets like a common criminal.

But her hubris would be her downfall. Trial by combat was an ancient tradition, only used to judge those who had betrayed not just the city, but the high elf race as a whole.

The only elf to face its rigors had been one of our first emperors—the first and last of our kind to die under the condemning blades of his fellows.

And now Olea wanted me to face the same fate, along with the two elves who had refused to back down in the face of her threats.

She likely thought Freya and Dew were just weak girls, unable to defend themselves against whatever onslaught she had planned.

“Dew, Freya,” I pulled the two girls close, whispering gently in their ears in case the guards nearby were listening. “When we get in there, let me do the talking. I promise you I’ll get us out of this.”

“Of course you will, Master.” Freya turned to smile at me, her expression lighting up what was otherwise a dismal and dreary day. “I never doubted you in the slightest.”

“Well, not much, at least,” Dew giggled, digging her elbow into my ribs. “Just save some of the fun for us, yeah? I owe that bitch for the hurtful shit she said to you, pretty boy.”

Chapter Forty-Three

Keria City, the Arena - Day 142

T he guards dropped us off in a large cell and didn’t even bother to speak to us as they slammed the large metal door, snapped the heavy lock shut and strode off down the corridor.

“So, what’s the plan?” Dew asked, rattling the door several times before she turned back to me, a wicked grin on her face. “I could have this open in seconds, if you want.”

“Then they’d have an excuse to hunt us down like dogs.” I sighed and lowered myself onto the hard, metal bench that was built into the wall. “We won’t be here for long. They just want to see if any of us will break.”

“Break?” Freya sat down beside me and leaned into my side. “This isn’t the worst place I’ve ever been in, Master—they’ll have to try much harder than this.”

“True.” Dew nodded as she explored each of the cell’s walls, searching for any possible weak spots before she gave up and flopped with a heavy sigh down on the bench on my other side. “Waiting is a bit dull, though. Fancy something fun to pass the time?”

Though I could see the subtle glint in her eye that hinted at the potential for amorous activities, I knew it was more of a joke to lighten the mood than anything else. Soon we might be fighting for our lives; the guards could return at any minute to fetch us.

Tempting as her offer was, I fought against the impulse and settled back against the wall with a chuckle.

“Just try to stay calm. They brought us in together, so they’ll have to process us together.” I pulled the two girls close, giving them a gentle, reassuring squeeze as I added, “And I doubt they could put anything up against us we can’t beat together, right?”

Freya and Dew nodded and leaned back into my embrace. Despite the cool air of the cell, it actually turned quite cozy after a while, and I even got to see Olea’s irritated frown when she walked in on what probably appeared to be a cozy, even romantic, scene to anyone unaware of the circumstances.

“Wes, bring your whores with you.” She spat the insult at me, her scorn scathing as we stood from the bench. “If you knew what was good for you, you’d have left him already,” she sneered.

“Fuck you, Olea.” I spoke as calmly as I could, my fists clenched tightly against my sides as I fought against every instinct in my body to rush the bars of our cage and rip the sneer off her face. “I’m going to get you back for this, you know? I’m going to fuck up your whole world.”

“I’d love to see it, you freak.” My aunt grinned at my threats, dismissing them as idle banter.

But what she didn’t know was that I’d set it as a promise in my heart. Eventually, I’d take my revenge on her, one strip of flesh at a time.

It was bad enough that she had set me up, but she’d also dragged Freya and Dew into the mix.

Though her hatred for me was far too ingrained to disappear, that didn’t mean she could just transfer it to a pair of innocents on a whim.

And calling them… that-

Just thinking about her smug sneer made me want to reach out with a snarl and rip her head right off, but I knew it would be a difficult fight—even if she didn’t have backup.

She’d taken my bow, like the coward she was, and I could clearly see she had her favorite saber belted at her waist.

“Stacking the deck, as always.” I grunted as we were led out of the cell and surrounded by a full company of marines once more. “How much did it hurt to lose to someone who’d only just awakened their gifts, Olea? I bet that still stings, even now. Am I right?”

She froze up, her eye twitching furiously as she laid a hand on the pommel of her sabre, but I knew she wouldn’t make that mistake.

She’d carefully arranged this whole situation to skip straight to trial by combat, but murdering a group of prisoners in the middle of the dungeon would be taking things a step too far, even for her.

The egotistical idiot cared far too much about her precious reputation to make such a bold move.

“We’ll see how you’re laughing after the trial.” She finally managed to calm herself with several deep breaths, though I could tell that my goading jabs had bit deep. “Move, prisoners! Now!”

“Right you are, miss number two,” I chuckled, lacing my fingers up behind my head as I strolled cockily toward the arena’s entrance. I could see that the marines around us were confused by the vitriolic bile their admiral was spewing, which meant that they likely didn’t know her full history.

“Oh,” I sneered to the nearest marines guarding us, “if she ever tries to call herself ‘Undefeated’ again, please remind her of the time her young nephew absolutely destroyed her—ten to zero.”

“Get in there!” Olea screamed, giving me once last push into the arena proper. “You’ll die, runt, and no one will ever care!”

Freya and Dew moved into the open with more grace, but I didn’t much care about my awkward entrance. The arena itself had been cleaned up, which must have been quite an unpleasant task for a number of naval recruits, since it hadn’t been used for years before Olea had pulled it out of retirement for our ‘judgment’.

Still, the rules were the rules, and no one had bothered to write the arena out of the law.

“Are you two okay?” I glanced at Dew and Freya, waiting for each of them to nod before I turned back to the weapons rack beside the door. “Typical. She really is a sneaky bitch.”

Two spears and one sword, though not a single one of them was a decent specimen—not in the slightest. I figured they should stand up to some minor punishment, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the weapons fell apart if we crossed blades, edge to edge.

To be fair, that had probably been Olea’s plan all along.

“You two should take the spears,” I suggested, lifting the sword into the air and swinging it back and forth to test its balance. “If I remember correctly, we’ll get two rounds.”

“Two rounds of what?” Freya asked, bouncing the spear she’d picked on her palm with a look of disgust. “This shaft is trash. The blade is trash. Everything about this is just… trash.”

“You and your high standards,” Dew giggled, though I could tell her weapon wasn’t any better than Freya’s. “To the death, or what?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, grimacing at the barbaric nature of the arena. “Anyone who comes in has already agreed to the rules.” I looked around. “This place hasn’t been used since the time of the last Emperor. He was actually the last elf to perish inside its walls.”

“So… it’s a compliment, yeah?” Dew perked up, propping the shoddy spear against her shoulder. “Let’s give them a show they won’t soon forget, Wes.”

“I agree, Master.” Freya nodded, finally stopping her inspection of the crappy weaponry we’d been provided with as she turned to me. “We’ll follow your lead, as always.”

I nodded and turned back to the arena. Though we couldn’t see the audience, I knew the stands would likely be packed.

My father might even be here, under the stern eye of Olea’s cronies, no doubt, to ensure he didn’t try to intervene—not that anyone could change the flow of events at this point.

The die had been cast; it would fall where the Gods willed.

“High Elf Weslilian, formerly of the house of Yannisa, you have been found guilty of treason against the high elven kingdoms! Your companions, the Wood Elf named Dew, and the mixed breed named Freya, have refused pleas of innocence. Thus, they will face judgment along with you!” Olea’s grating voice rang out, enhanced by a runesmithing device designed in the distant past specifically for arena announcements.

“Now you will all face the trial of combat. If you succeed, you will be banished from the high elf kingdoms, never to return. Lose, and you will perish, your life taken as payment for your sins.”

The far doorway opened slowly to admit ten high elven warriors, each equipped with the very best equipment—both armor and weapons.

Even the elite squad I’d fought back at Dew’s den paled in comparison to these champions. If I’d had my bow and a full quiver, things would have been fine.

But Olea had seen fit to remove even that advantage.

“Master, can you leave this to us?” Freya turned to me, her gaze focused and calm despite the severity of our disadvantage. “She spoke ill of you, but this mediocre force isn’t worthy of your time or effort.”

“Well, that was pretty eloquent.” Dew cracked her neck and swung her spear out to the side, readying herself for battle. “But I have to agree with her, Wes. We’ll be more than enough for these amateurs.”

“I guess so.” I shrugged, but kept my weapon drawn and my gaze focused on the slowly approaching team of champions. “I’ll back you up. Just be careful.”

The squad seemed surprised as only Dew and Freya moved forward to greet them, but their confusion passed quickly, replaced by an overconfident swagger.

They likely thought that, since my gifts were focused on archery, that I’d sent the girls out to fight and die in my stead.

In fact, it was the exact opposite. Freya and Dew just felt they could deal with the threat by themselves.

“You coming over here to surrender?” Their leader finally spoke up, his stance loose and unconcerned as Dew stepped closer. “Don’t worry, my pretty, I’m sure we can work something-”

Dew’s spear slammed forward, piercing the champion’s visor and cutting deep into the man’s brain, silencing his degrading comments before they could go any further.

“Anyone else want to talk shit, or are you ready to die?” Dew ripped her weapon free from the elf’s helmet with one savage pull and swung it through the air, cleaning the blood from its rusty blade as the team’s leader slumped to the sand.

“Come on, then. I thought you were the best of the best.”

The other members of the dead champion’s squad roared in fury and rushed forward as one, clearly incensed by Dew’s dishonorable ‘stealth’ attack, but I’d spotted the other variable that they’d failed to account for.

Freya’s flowing spearwork surprised me yet again as she danced along the edge of the group’s formation, her blade flicking out seemingly at random toward their arms and legs.

It was only when four of their shocked number had fallen to the arena’s sand, blood spurting from their dismembered limbs that the rest realized just how screwed they were.

But it was already too late for them.

Dew danced her way through the disabled warriors, finishing each one off with a methodical stab through the visor once Freya had calmly removed an arm or a leg, sharply reducing their combat cohesion to nothing without the slightest hesitation.

Ten warriors, some of the best champions the high elves could offer up, cleaned up in minutes by a pair of unknown girls from the woods.

“Remind me not to piss you two off,” I grinned at the pair when they turned and rushed back to my side, giving them a tight hug. “The next round will be more dangerous, so stick close to me. Olea is probably planning something special.”

“Congratulations, traitors!” The elf in question’s voice rang out again, showing no trace of anger—despite the fact that she’d just lost ten of her best for nothing. “But the next trial has been carefully prepared for you. A single opponent, brought in from the distant lands-”

“Get back,” I hissed. “I have a bad feeling about this.” I pushed Freya and Dew back so I could cover them as the large gate at the far end of the Arena slowly rumbled open to reveal our newest enemy.

“A Grand Zekier!” Olea’s mad screech echoed across the arena as a huge beast barreled out into the open. Easily as large as the Deeplord I had fought in the Waskis Woods, and twice as vicious, I knew the monster would be difficult, if not impossible, for us to defeat.

“This will be your last fight, traitors. Do your best to die honorably!”

Chapter Forty-Four

Keria City, the Arena - Day 142

“H ow the hell is that thing not going crazy?” I muttered, pulling Dew and Freya back into the shadow of the gate.

I watched in stunned silence as the Grand Zekier stomped out into the arena, its head held low and its breathing shallow. The ground shook with each step the monster took and the stone tiles under the arena’s sands buckled and shattered beneath its huge, clawed feet.

“Is that- A bear?” Dew whispered, leaning out around me to peer at the Grand Zekier. “How do we kill that thing, Wes?”

It was difficult to admit, but I couldn’t think of any way for us even to damage the gigantic beast, never mind any chance we might have of taking it down. Unlike the Toughback or the Sendrin Sand Worm, the Grand Zekier had very few blatant flaws for me to abuse.

And those were only flaws if I’d had my bow and arrows.

Armed only with a rusty sword, I felt like I would be lucky to make the thing realize I was attacking it. Its dark brown fur was denser than steel, so it was possible our attacks wouldn’t even pierce through to its toughened hide.

“Master, look!” Freya pointed at the beast’s neck, her words rushed and urgent. “Maybe that has something to do with its odd behavior?”

It was difficult to see, but I spotted what Freya had pointed to after a few seconds of scrutiny.

A large metal rod had been stabbed into the back of the beast’s skull, just above the ridge of its neck. At a glance it looked like an inconspicuous object, maybe a trophy from one of the monster’s previous battles, but then I noticed the sparks coming from end of the rod whenever the Grand Zekier moved its head.

“It must be a Runesmith device.” I stared at the spike, various thoughts running through my head. “Why would those idiots try to do something so stupid as to try and control the behemoths?”

The Deeplord, Sendrin Sand Worm, and even the Toughback… I’d found their behavior more than bizarre at the time, completely the opposite from what one would normally expect. Even given the circumstances of each battle, there hadn’t been a good explanation for their rabidly aggressive nature.

But now, it all made sense.

They’d been failed experiments, prototypes for the behemoth who towered before us; we had been framed to provide a proper example—to demonstrate the council’s power to the city’s elites.

“Freya, Dew. Listen to me carefully.” I pushed them back against the gate, in the shadow of the wall as the Grand Zekier sniffed around, trying to seek out its prey. “I want you two to stay down, out of sight.”

“No, Master!” Freya hissed and grabbed my arm, barely holding herself back from yelling out loud. “We’ll fight it together.”

“Are you sure, Wes?” Dew asked, her arms folded across her chest as she frowned up at me. “This seems like a tricky fight—even for you.”

“I’m certain.” I slowly peeled Freya’s arms from around my chest and gently pushed her back next to Dew. “I want you two to be ready for whatever comes next.”

The girls stared at me, their eyes filling with unshed tears, but they both nodded sadly after a few moments.

This would be my fight, and mine alone.

I waited until the Grand Zekier was looking away from our gate before I dashed out, skirting around behind it along the wall as quickly and silently as I could. It was difficult to balance speed with stealth, but I managed to make my way around half of the arena before the behemoth finally noticed me.

“Come get some!” I yelled out the moment it spotted me, sprinting straight toward its shorter front legs without hesitation. “Try me, you freak!”

The behemoth’s reactions seemed slow, but I could tell that its instincts were still present in some vague way.

Though the monster should have been wreaking havoc the moment it was released into the open, it instead seemed to focus all of its anger and rage toward the only elf it could see.

That worked fine for me, though.

A lone elf armed with a crappy sword against a monstrous beast in the prime of its life? Not a fair fight, by anyone’s estimation. Most elves in my shoes would simply have given up, begged for mercy, or perhaps even tried to escape the arena only to be squashed against the walls when the beast finally caught up to them.

I had a plan, though. A stupid plan, to be sure, but it was better than nothing.

The Grand Zekier roared as it reared back onto its rear legs, raising one of its meaty paws into the sky, nearly high enough to scrape the arena’s reinforced roof with its claws. It paused for a moment, its gaze focusing onto my tiny form far below it, before it finally let itself crash back down.

“Shit!”

My dodge barely carried me out of range of the thing’s foot, but the power of its strike was so great that it formed a shock wave made from pure force. Slivers of rock pelted my body as I tumbled back through the air, shards of tile raining down around me as I slammed back down to the ground once more.

But I couldn’t give it time to realize its attack had missed.

Though my body screamed in protest, I set off like a sprinter from the blocks, rocketing back toward the Grand Zekier as it tried to pry its paw from the mess it had made of the arena’s floor. Stone cracked and crumbled as it pulled its paw from the crater its strike had made, even as the arena trembled in protest.

But it wasn’t fast enough.

My hands closed around its tough, dense, wiry fur before it could step back and keep my small, quick form in focus. The movement of its paw through the air caused ripples of pressure so strong they threatened to rip me from my perch, but I tightened my grip and set my sights higher.

I had to move beyond where it might swat me off. Fast.

I could hear Olea screeching through the microphone, trying to direct the Grand Zekier’s attention to the tiny elf climbing up its leg, but her yells only succeeded in distracting her pet as it cast around for the source of the ear piercing demands.

“He’s on your leg! Crush him! Kill him!” Her demands only increased in intensity as I climbed higher up the monstrosity’s leg. It was a long way to go, but my idiotic aunt seemed unaware she was actually helping me.

But then, as I’d expected she might, she cheated in yet another way.

“Fire on him! Now!” I heard her command echo out as a balcony opened up higher in the arena. Several archers trotted out into the open, their faces fully covered by simple masks as they took aim toward me. “Kill the traitor before he ruins our plans!”

All pretenses of fairness vanished the moment her victory was no longer assured. Six masked and hooded elven warriors drew their bows without hesitation, and all I could do was turn to watch as they prepared to shoot me down.

But then, before the others could react, one of the masked elves swung his weapon, knocking two of his comrades off the balcony. The rest of the group, stunned by the sudden betrayal, swung their aim in the unknown warrior’s direction.

“Wes!” A deep male rang out as the traitor hefted his bow, tossing it in my direction along with the quiver of arrows from his back. I knew that voice, but I’d never expected him to go this far for me. “Take this-”

Before he could even finish his request, the three other archers loosed their arrows, sending the warrior stumbling back weakly into the wall. Three feathered shafts stuck out of his chest as the elf let his mask drop away, revealing the face of my old friend.

“Rane!” I screamed, snagging the quiver by its strap and tossing it over my back while scooping up the bow he’d throw my way with an outstretched foot. Red clouded my vision.

“Fuck you!”

Three shots and there were suddenly another three dead archers.

Olea’s troops didn’t even have time to turn around before I blasted their heads from their shoulders, three hooded forms crumpled sideways, and fountains of blood shot across the balcony.

Rane’s weather face crinkled up into a smile as he slowly slid down the wall, leaving a bright red smear on the bricks.

I had to look on helplessly as he died, right in front of me.

“Olea!” I yelled, nocking another arrow to my bow and swinging it toward her hidden viewing platform. “You’re fucking dead, you bitch!”

I wanted to hunt her down, right then and there, but knew I didn’t have much time. Though Rane had infiltrated her little kill squad, the chances of the most cunning admiral in the elven navy not having a backup plan were next to zero.

Flicking the bow up and over my shoulder, I set off once more up the Grand Zekier’s shoulder, making good time as rage fueled my body to new extents of power.

The beast, its senses seemingly dulled to an insane degree, spent the time investigating a raised balcony and squishing the elves who had jumped down to the arena’s floor below it into paste.

But it finally noticed me when I reached the back of its neck.

Whether it had something to do with its connection to the runesmith device implanted in its neck, or was just a lucky guess, the behemoth didn’t waste any time trying to buck me off its back.

“Shit!” I grabbed onto the spike and pulled with all my strength, trying to wrench it from the monster’s neck as it reared up into the air. “Get- The- Fuck- Out!”

I punctuated each yell with another tug, slowly dragging the metal rod further and further out of the Grand Zekier’s scab encrusted flesh. Even though the slim pole was hardly big enough to cause the beast any pain, it let a roar of agony as I tried to rip the device out of its neck.

It surged up onto its back legs and let a final bellow ring out just as I felt the runesmith rod in my grasp break free from somewhere deep in the beast’s neck. It would only take one more desperate tug and I’d be able to pull it free.

But I wasn’t quick enough.

“Fuuuccckkk!”

The Grand Zekier dropped back to all fours, throwing me clear of its back as its paws slammed down once more through the arena’s floor.

And, as my body bounced off the reinforced stone wall of the arena and slid to the ground, I could only think of my two girls huddled at the far end of the arena and how I’d failed them.

Pain fueled the rage that roared through my body, its hot, fiery tendrils streaking along my nerves as my bones grated in protest. I hadn’t fallen nearly as far as I’d expected to after I’d crashed into the wall; I lay on a balcony, still level with the Grand Zekier’s back.

“Fuck- You-” I spat the words out through bloodied teeth, slowly pulling my bow around and nocking an arrow to the string. “Look at me, you prick!”

Though my yell was far from the loudest sound in the arena amidst the frenzied screams of those who’d come to watch my death, it was enough to attract the monster’s attention to the ledge I’d landed on.

Its crazed gaze focused upon my perch as it swung its massive head toward me, baring its teeth as it snarled preparing to lunge forward and tear into me with teeth longer than my arm.

But, before it could move, I fired off one final shot. A single shaft against the monstrous behemoth of a bear.

Even a perfectly aimed strike shouldn’t have been enough to phase the beast, and I was nowhere near peak condition. It would take a one in a million shot to turn the tide of this hopeless battle.

Fortunately, as everyone who was present that day and lived to tell the tale would eventually bear witness, they were watching a legendary shot made by the best archer who had ever existed.

Chapter Forty-Five

Keria / High city arena - Day 142

S ilence rained as my arrow struck true, blowing the runesmith spike clear of the Grand Zekier’s neck. The metal rod tumbled down, bouncing off the behemoth’s side before clattering to the ground near the arena’s gate far below.

“Told- You-” I turned my gaze toward the hidden platform across from me, a vicious bloody grin on my face. “Fucked- Your- World- Olea!”

Though I knew she couldn’t hear me, I hoped she was at least looking in my direction so she could read this last message from my lips. This was my present to her, a small gift to make up for all of the plotting and scheming she’d used against me over the years.

I’d turned her greatest triumph against her.

A deep, rumbling roar filled the arena as the Grand Zekier, freed from the constraints of its runed bonds, slowly shook the final remnants of haze from its mind.

I’d set a town killer loose, in the middle of Keria’s upper district.

For a moment I regretted my actions, at least as far as the consequences they’d have for the potential innocents who might fall victim to Olea’s scheme in the city, but then I pushed those thoughts aside.

Olea had forced my hand, and there was no way I’d just lay down and die for that bitch.

But still, I had to move fast, and now wasn’t the time to overthink what I might have done. My body ached all over as I dragged myself to the lip of the balcony and painfully climbed down to the sand of the arena’s floor, each movement sending new spikes of pain shooting through my limbs.

“Wes!” Dew rushed over to help me down the last part of the wall, joined by Freya as they carefully set me down in the shadow of the gate, once more. “Here, drink this.”

I sipped the concoction in the vial slowly, my gaze fixed on the Grand Zekier who still stood planted firmly in the middle of the arena, shaking its head from side to side. It wouldn’t take much for the fragile balance to be broken, and then the behemoth’s true nature would once again be revealed.

“Fire!” An elf yelled out from the side of the arena, ordering a team of archers who’d sneaked out onto a balcony to launch a barrage at the monster’s neck. “Take it down, quickly-”

The group didn’t even have time to fire a second volley before the Grand Zekier just charged straight into the wall, crushing them, their balcony, and the viewing platforms behind the wall to dust.

Its low-pitched roar shook the air as the beast slammed into the wall, again and again, burying its upper body deeper and deeper into the reinforced stone superstructure. More archers dashed out onto the other side of the arena, raining arrows down upon the behemoth as it tried to escape.

But their efforts were in vain.

The Grand Zekier crushed its way out of the arena with one final, powerful lunge forward, blowing a monstrous hole in the side of the arena as it stormed out into the city proper.

“We need to go, now!” Freya hissed and I grimaced, tossing back the final drops of liquid in Dew’s vial and pushed myself to my feet. “Follow me!”

The girls flanked me as I sprinted out the gaping hole in the arena wall, ignoring the arrows that skittered across the bricks around us as we dashed out into the open.

The city’s streets ran with blood as the Grand Zekier, its insane rage finally overflowing, barreled its way toward the distant city gates. It wanted out of the city, and it didn’t care who or what got between it and the barriers that stood between it and freedom.

“Over there!” I pointed to a modestly sized building off to one side of the arena entrance. “Freya, get us inside.”

Dew stood by my side, her troubled gaze conflicted as she hastily tried to check me over for any serious injuries, but I pulled my broken arm from her grasp with a hiss the instant Freya had picked the door’s lock.

No one remained inside the building, likely having left to chase down the monster as it terrorized the city.

“Where are they? They have to be here!” I kicked open door after door, giving each room’s contents a quick glance before moving on to the next one. “There’s no way she put them anywhere far from- There!”

I’d finally found what I’d been searching for, in one of the last three rooms we had yet to inspect. I could see a large chest just inside the room from where I lay on my side, peering through the crack under the door—a door which was both locked and bolted.

It didn’t take Freya and Dew working together long, though, to break the lock apart and spring the bolt on the door.

“I thought I’d never see you again!” I cooed as I pulled my bow from the chest, along with the final two runed arrows Freya had made. My sword came out next, followed swiftly by the girl’s weapons. Fully equipped once more, I took a moment to catch my breath before I turned back to Dew and Freya.

“We’re going to escape. Are you two ready?”

“Of course, Master.” Freya nodded, her gaze fixed on the massive bruising along my chest. “Are you sure you’re well enough to-”

“He’ll be fine.” Dew laid a firm palm on her friend’s shoulder, though I could see her glance worriedly in my direction as she asked, “You’ll be fine, right Wes?”

“Yes, it’s nothing serious.” I responded confidently, leading the pair of dust coated hellions back out into the street. “Let’s get out of this hell hole.”

Citizens were running through the streets, still terrified, though the wave of destruction had long passed them by.

A behemoth running free through the streets of Keria had never happened before, not even during the ancient wars between humans and elves. Nothing had ever broken through Keria’s defenses.

But now, during a time of worry and strife, a monster more terrible than most elves’ worst nightmares had appeared out of nowhere to destroy their homes and ruin their lives.

Fortunately, the chaos caused by the monster’s rampage through the city provided more than enough of a distraction for us to slip away unnoticed—all the way back to the gate to the lower district.

I had hoped the panic would have pulled the guards’ attention from the gate, but it seemed several of them had stayed behind to hold the line.

Had cowardice or loyalty to their orders rooted them in place? I didn’t know, nor did I care. They stood between us and our escape.

“Should we?” Dew murmured, fingering the hilt of one of the daggers at her waist. “It wouldn’t take long.”

“If we can avoid killing them, I’d prefer it.” I answered slowly as I surveyed the guards. These were the same guards who had let me through these past few days; I knew that they were simply doing their jobs.

They were as innocent as anyone in this shithole of a city could be.

“Nonlethal it is,” Dew grumped, her hands balled up into fists as she darted into the shadows. I wanted to join her, but my body wasn’t listening to my commands for some reason. Something, or several things rather, inside me had broken when I’d crashed into the wall of the arena. Dew’s concoction had only masked the damage, minimizing my pain.

Freya noticed my sudden hiss of pain, her face whitening as she pulled my shirt aside to peer at the ugly bruise that had spread across my chest. I couldn’t help but gasp as she gently prodded the purpled flesh with her fingers.

“You need-” She started to speak, her voice cutting off with a trembling sob “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I’m tougher than you think, Freya.” I smiled and pulled my shirt closed again. Each breath was a hundred needles lancing into my lungs, but the pain wasn’t going to stop me—not until we were safe. “Don’t worry about me,” I wheezed, “I’ll rest once we’re safe, I promise.”

She nodded slowly and turned back to check on the guards. Dew, unaware of our little exchange, had moved into position next to the small group. We looked on as she crept closer, her body low to the ground as she stalked her prey.

“What’s that-?”

Two guards went down in the first rush as she flew out of the shadows. A punch and a kick knocked them to the floor as the last two members of the squad spun around to face their assailant.

“Too slow, you idiots.” I grunted as lances of fire greeted my every breath and shook my head to clear it.

My estimations were spot on, and as expected, Dew ducked below their wild swings, knocking both of them to the floor with a leg sweep before she spun over their flailing bodies, raining punch after punch into their vulnerable faces.

The guards never stood a chance.

“Let’s go, Master.” Freya moved next to me, forcing her way under my arm to support me as we moved out into the open. Dew spotted our odd stance as she dragged the unconscious guards’ still forms into the shadows.

I could tell how angry she was from the murderous glare she shot in my direction.

“There will be time for that later.” I held up a palm, cutting her tirade off before she could demand answers. “Once the Grand Zekier is out of the city, they’ll turn their attention back to the culprits who set it free. We need to be long gone before that happens.”

“It’s nothing serious, my ass!” Dew snapped, shaking her head furiously as she spun back towards the waterfront. “But you owe me for this, Wes. You promised you’d never lie to me.”

This was true, but it wasn’t like I hadn’t had a good reason for it. The girls would see the logic of my decision once their emotions calmed down, but there would be no time to have that discussion if the city crashed down around our ears.

The lower district had fared quite well, compared to the disaster that had roared through the upper district.

The Grand Zekier had left a path of destruction through the richer sectors of the city as it stormed its way directly for the closest city gates; its route had avoided the poorer sectors of the city entirely.

That didn’t mean the citizens here weren’t frightened out of the wits, of course.

Most elves remained indoors, leaving the narrow, winding streets clear for us to hobble our way toward the docks. The odd face poked out of the rickety buildings on either side of us, watching carefully as we limped our way past their homes.

So much for our slipping away unseen, but a few reports of our passing though couldn’t make the situation any worse than it already was.

Lira’s boat waited at the end of the pier, well stocked and ready for the journey ahead of us. For a moment I was surprised the pirate had actually held up her end of the deal, but then I noticed a worried face peering down at us over the edge of the ship’s railing.

“Wes!” Kaede yelped, her eyes wide as she watched the girls help me drag myself up onto the boat. “What happened-?”

“It’s fine, calm down.” I nearly passed out as she rushed up to hug me. As I slumped weakly against her; the girl noticed my reaction immediately. She stepped back and covered her mouth with her palms as I turned to Lira. “It’s time for you to earn your pay. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Oh, I’m getting paid, kiddo?” Captain Lira grinned as she cast off the lines and rushed up the quarterdeck ladder to the ship’s wheel. “Then I’d better make this a good escape, hadn’t I?”

Chapter Forty-Six

Keria Bay, Lanoi Sea - Day 142

D ew forced vial after vial of nasty concoctions down my throat while I lay propped against the quarterdeck ladder as we sailed from the dock out into the bay and the open waters beyond it.

Each one tasted worse than the last, almost as if she were punishing me for lying to her back in the arena, but I could feel their effects as they numbed the blazing fire that came with every breath.

It would take me much longer than a few days to recover this time, but with the medicine numbing the pain, at least I’d be able to get a good night’s sleep.

I glanced back at the docks, expecting to see several ships full of marines setting out after us, but few of the boats had even stirred from their moorings.

There were a few that started to make their way out, but several other fishing vessels moved in and ‘accidentally’ blocked their paths.

“Was that your plan?” I turned back to Lira, who remained focused on the bay and the open waters of the Lanoi Sea rather than the scene that unfolded behind us. “They’ll get out of that eventually, you know.”

“Maybe.” Lira turned and nodded back toward the dock. “Or maybe they’ll have something else to worry about.”

I turned back to see a large plume of smoke drifting skyward from the docks, originating at the far end of the waterfront. It took me a moment to figure out that it must have been Lira’s old office that had gone up in flames.

Destroying her own property to provide a minor distraction?

Risky, but I respected the decision.

“Kid, if I’d know you were planning on turning big ugly loose on the city, I’d have left my place in one piece,” she grumped, her hands tightening around the spokes of the ship’s wheel.

“A shame that,” she sighed, “but you can’t change the past. Bloody good distraction, though. How’d you manage it?”

“Olea helped us out, there.” I grinned as I tried to imagine my aunt’s furious expression when the Grand Zekier broke free of the arena.

“But we have a serious problem. They’ve found a way to control the behemoths, through some sort of runesmith device. We had to leave it behind, though.”

“Here, Master.” Freya pulled a shard of metal from her pouch and passed it to me. “I couldn’t get all of it, but this should help us figure out how they managed to control that monster.”

The runes still glimmered on the broken shaft of metal, warming my hand as I stared down at their flowing script.

“We knew they were planning something, but this is much bigger than anyone imagined.” Lira glanced down at the shard, then focused her attention back on the calm waters. “I know someone who can take a look at it, once we’re in the-”

“Halt!” A booming voice echoed across the water as a large ship pulled out from a cove at the side of the bay. “Hold your position or we will be forced to destroy your vessel.”

“Damn it!” Lira spun the wheel, letting her boat drift away from the rapidly approaching naval vessel. “I hope you’re as good a shot as they say, kid.”

“Don’t worry about my aim.” I pulled up my bow and nocked one of our two final runed arrows against the string. “I’m better than they say.”

The ship behind us turned, trying to use its superior size and speed to cut us off before we could slip out into the open sea. While it was noticeably larger than our boat, I could tell they didn’t really have any way to damage us, not at range.

They were going to try and board us, which must mean Olea had ordered them to take us alive.

“Whenever you’re ready, kid.” Lira twisted the wheel the other way, causing her boat to slip to the side as the marines on board the navy ship fired a volley of arrows with ropes affixed to their shafts at us, trying to pull us together.

“Sooner, rather than later, would be good!”

Despite the frantic note in her voice, I kept myself calm as I focused on my target. Even with the runed arrow’s explosive power, dealing enough damage to the ship’s hull to sink it with a single strike would be difficult. The navy’s ships were well designed, crafted from some of the best materials known to elves.

But every ship had a critical weakness.

“Go!” I hissed in pain when I pulled the string back with my broken arm and loosed the glimmering arrow in a streak of light at the boat’s stern.

“What? How could you miss?!” Lira yelled, her eyes wide as she watched my shot fly wide, streaking toward the aft end of the ship. It dipped down, sweeping into the water just beyond the edge of their hull. “That’s never going to-”

A muffled boom rang out as my arrow struck its target, just beneath the rolling wake of the enemy vessel. A plume of steam and spray rose into the air as the ship lurched in the water.

And then, as I watched with a wide grin, the boat started to drift off to the left, away from its intended course.

“You didn’t-” Lira just stared at me as the ship, which had been closing in rapidly on us, started to drift in a wide circle. “You destroyed their rudder?”

“I doubt they can fix that in time to catch us.” I set my bow down carefully beside me and turned to Lira, a wide, cocky smile on my face. “What do you think now, Miss Pirate?”

Lira glanced at me, then back at the ship I’d disabled. Her gaze flicked from my bow to my face and back again, as though she couldn’t quite believe what she’d seen.

“You know, I thought you’d make one of the better pirates if I trained you up a bit.” She shook her head sadly and turned her attention back to the open waters of the Lanoi Sea ahead of us. “It seems I might have underestimated you. Give it a few months, some training and a little luck, and you’ll be a pirate lord like no other.”

“Damn right he will!” Dew pulled my broken arm into her firm grasp and yanked to set the bone properly, glaring at me as I winced at her rough treatment. “If he doesn’t get at least that far, then I’ll personally beat him to a pulp.”

“Master is Master, after all.” Freya smiled and laid her hand tentatively against what were most likely a couple of broken ribs. “He’s going to show them just how good he is, and we’ll be there with him the entire way.”

Their confidence in my skills was encouraging, but for some reason, I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe it would be that easy. The pirate fleet was a motley collection of crews, made up from the rag tag remains of a handful of criminal syndicates and the people who lived in the shadows outside of the law.

It would take more than skill with a bow to turn them to my side.

We’d almost cleared the breakwater at the edge of the bay, when yet another navy ship pulled out from a hidden cove. It had clearly seen what had happened to the first ship who’d tried to head us off, so the captain of this vessel kept his boat pointed directly at our stern and laid on even more canvas.

“He’s going to ram us!” Kaede yelled, picking up a clay sphere from a crate at the side of the boat. “Should I use it now?”

“No, kid.” Lira chuckled, then turned her attention to Freya and said, “I think it’s time you showed off your work, little lady.”

Freya stood up on her toes to give me a quick kiss on the cheek before she dashed through the door to the lower decks, rushing into the dark before I had time to question what she was doing.

Dew seemed to understand Lira’s cryptic request, but she still appeared to be mad at me and refused to share what Freya was up to.

“Lira, are you sure about this?” I turned to watch the navy ship gain on us; it was rapidly closing in on us from behind. “They look none-too-friendly.”

“Have some faith in your little bird,” Lira laughed from the wheelhouse as she kept her course straight and true. “Any second now, and… boom!”

A flash of smoke shot out from the stern of our ship as Lira whooped, followed by a distant explosion against the bow of the vessel behind us.

And then there was another explosion. Then another.

“No mercy,” Dew growled as the ship behind us began to sink; its entire bow obliterated by the weapon Freya had fired at them. Fires raged across the ship’s deck as the navy vessel leaned drunkenly to one side, its sails dipping into the water and pulling it under as its hull lost all integrity. Not surprising, after the pummeling it had just taken.

“Runesmith cannon.” I mumbled, peering over the side of our boat, trying to catch a glimpse of the large cylindrical device poking out a porthole in the stern of our ship. “She can really use that thing?”

Activating some runes in an arrowhead was on a completely different level to operating a runesmith device. Most of the powerful artifacts crafted by runesmiths were designed to work as long as they were provided enough power.

But runesmith cannon required the touch of a runesmith to activate their powers. And Freya had used one multiple times in a row.

“You lot are going to be popular when we make it to the fleet,” Lira chuckled, giving me a cheeky wink before turning back to the wheel. “I’d try to keep some of your secrets to yourselves, if I was you.”

Lira’s recommendation certainly made sense.

My gift with a bow was one thing, but if they got wind we had a talented runesmith in Freya, we’d attract an insane amount of attention. It wasn’t much of an exaggeration to say that I was worth little more than a common sailor compared to Freya’s value to the pirate fleet.

Runesmiths were a tremendous investment—taking an immense amount of time, skill, and resources to train. Most never left the organizations who backed them. That made their skills all but impossible to come by for the criminals and loosely organized crews who made up the pirate fleet.

“There’s another one!” Kaede yelled out, pointing up into the evening sky. I turned my gaze upward, confused as to what she might mean for a moment until I spotted it.

A dirigible, flying directly toward us.

“Now?” Kaede spun around to face Lira, her voice wavering slightly.

“Now, girl.” Lira nodded, a vicious grin on her face. “Let them have it.”

The dirigible closed in rapidly, its heavily reinforced hull trembling as the huge vessel dived down towards the water. Kaede moved up to the edge of the ship’s gunwale and hefted the sphere in her hand, taking careful aim at the rapidly closing flying machine.

“Here!” She yelled out as she tossed the sphere with all her strength at the approaching machine. Though it was difficult to keep an eye on her projectile, her throw had been on target.

The clay orb smashed into the hull, just above a porthole on the dirigible’s lower side, covering a large section of the flying craft’s hull in a sticky, purple liquid. She turned to me, a cheeky look in her eye as she lit a match against the side of the ship.

As she flicked it up toward the purple, soaked hull of the vessel behind us, she smirked. “I told you I’d be useful.”

It was only a small ember, barely noticeable against the huge side of the dirigible, but the match was enough to ignite the fumes from the liquid she’d thrown against its hull.

Flames roared into the sky, covering the entire vessel in moments.

It took only a few seconds for the entire thing to lose power as the flames ate away at the vulnerable machinery.

The thing crashed into the waters behind our boat.

“Bloody hell, Kaede,” I muttered as we watched how quickly the dirigible sank below the waves. “Remind me not to piss you off in the future-”

“Traitor!” A high-pitched yell rang out from the waters as a figure blasted out from the waves, arcing through the air toward our boat. Kaede managed to pull me back just in time as a figure slammed down, her saber cutting deep into the decking where I’d been just moments before.

“There you are, freak.” Olea’s badly burned face twisted into a snarl as she pulled her blade free from the deck and pointed it at my face. “I promised that you’d die today, didn’t I?”

Chapter Forty-Seven

Lanoi Sea - Day 142

“O lea.” I hissed her name through my teeth, pulling my bow clear as Dew moved up to flank me, her daggers flashing into her hands as she glared at the soot covered elf before us. “You’re really going this far? Can’t you just take another loss and fuck off?”

“I never lose, and you know it.” Olea’s eyes glinted as she swept her blade through the air, motioning to everyone on the deck of the ship. “I had planned to take you back to the city, just so I could make an example of you. But now? Now I’m going to kill you, like the dog you are.”

Though numerically we had the advantage, the actual scales of the battle weren’t so easy to see.

Sure, I’d beaten my aunt ten times out of ten during our duels long ago, but that was when I had been in my prime, and the rules and Rane’s unflinching refereeing had ensured the rounds were fair to both sides.

But now, Olea was close enough to reach me before I could do more than nock an arrow to my bow; though I’m not sure I had the strength left in my arm to draw it.

I certainly was too weak to dodge away from her next strike.

And worst of all, she knew just how screwed I was.

Freya was still below decks, but one more spear wouldn’t turn the tides of this battle. Kaede had pulled out another clay orb, likely filled with another dangerous liquid, but there was no chance Olea would let herself be hit by such a slow projectile.

That left Lira, Dew, and the one other member of our team who hadn’t shown himself since we’d fled the city.

“I’ll hold her off.” Dew finally spoke up, her gaze steady and focused on the cocky elf before us. “You just need a single opening, and I’m sure I can-”

“No!” I wheezed, pulling the girl up short as she prepared to step forward. “Stay out of this, Dew. This is between me and her.”

Dew glanced at me, her eyes showing regret and resignation, but she finally bowed to my request, stepping back out of the line of fire.

Olea watched our exchange, a rictus grin on her burned face as she waited for me to make the first move.

“Come on then, little nephew!” She spoke gently, as though she was merely playing a game with her favorite relative. “Show your auntie how well you’ve-”

“Now!” I yelled, drawing back on the string of my bow with all the power I could funnel into my battered arms.

Olea’s eyes widened in fury as she lowered her stance, readying herself to spring forward at me.

But she was too slow.

Kiel burst out from under the canvas sheets at the side of the deck, rocketing from the admiral’s blind spot in less than a second. Despite the success of his ambush, Olea still managed to swing her blade around to catch the shadowpanther along his flank.

But not before the cat’s jaws had closed around her leg with a final, sickening crunch.

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!” She screeched, lifting her saber high into the air. “Die-”

“Eat this, bitch!” I interrupted her mad shriek with a bellow of my own as I loosed my final runed arrow at her chest.

Time seemed to slow as I watched my shaft close in on its target. Olea’s gift for bladework came into play as she swept her saber around to block the arrow before it sliced into her chest. I spotted her confident grin as she thought she’d managed to deflect my arrow.

Just as she’d done more than once, the last time we’d fought.

But the power behind this strike was well beyond her imagination.

“Nooooooo-” Her anguished scream rang out as my arrow shattered her blade and slammed into her chest. Kiel managed to release his grip just in time as she was blown into the air and over the railing.

Her last words rang out across the bay. “I reefffuuuss-”

The explosion, delayed slightly by her attempt to parry the shot, obliterated the high admiral of the elven navy in a single, glorious burst of beautiful flame.

The pressure wave from the eruption sent ripples through the water below, rocking our boat side to side as everyone on board watched in stunned silence as the seas settled.

Where a moment before there had been one of the most talented and highest ranked officers in the elven navy, an elf capable of taking down entire squadrons by herself, now there was nothing but a pink mist, steam, and frothing waves.

“I told you I’d fuck your world, you bitch,” I muttered, dropping my bow as a wave of weakness hit me anew. Dew rushed to my side, supporting me as she carefully laid me down on the deck. “Sorry… Dew,” I wheezed, “couldn’t risk losing you.”

“You idiot,” she sobbed, forcing a smile onto her face. “I knew Kiel was there. I could have taken her.”

“Maybe.” I laid a hand on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin against my fingers. “But maybe not. I made a promise to fuck her world, remember, and-”

“Master always keeps his promises.” Freya spoke up as she walked out onto the deck, her spear clenched tight in her grasp. “Let’s get him into bed. He needs to rest.”

I couldn’t argue as my vision alternated between telescoping down to a black tunnel and everything spinning wildly as the two girls carried me down to the room Lira had prepared for us.

Kaede tagged along, clearly unsure if she belonged in our little group, but Dew pulled her into the room before she kicked the door closed behind us.

“What now?” Freya asked as she and Dew laid me carefully on the bed, slowly pulling my shirt aside to check on my ribs.

“You know there’s no way we’re letting him out of here until he’s fully recovered,” I heard the blonde reply.

“That’s fine by me,” I mumbled and then groaned as Freya tenderly wrapped a long bandage around my bruised chest, a little too tight for my liking.

“I won’t ever back down,” I continued. “Anyone who tries to hurt me or mine… I’ll do whatever… needs to be done… to take them… down.” My voice trailed off as darkness reached up to swallow me whole.

Freya, Dew, and Kaede didn’t speak again as they slowly treated the rest of my wounds.

∞∞∞

With a combination of Dew’s varied herbal concoctions, some more standard medication, and a lot of tender loving care, I slowly started to recover a bit of my former vigor.

But I knew, after the beating I’d put my body through, that it would be weeks before I would get back to peak condition.

Fortunately, our journey to the hideout of the pirate fleet would take at least that long, so besides my feeling like a lazy landlubber it wasn’t a problem for me to get all the rest I needed.

Unfortunately, I could tell from the odd glances Dew and Freya had started shooting in my direction after ten days on the open seas, that it might be harder than I’d thought for me to get that much time to myself.

“Okay. We need to decide something, once and for all.” I spoke up, forcing myself up into a seated position against the headboard.

“I’m planning to join with the pirate fleet, and I’m thinking of seeing how far and how fast I can rise up through their ranks. I know it’ll be a tricky journey, but I hope the three of you will be there with me through it all, standing by my side.”

“Of course, Master.” Freya answered with a matter of fact tone, as though our future had already been decided. “We’ll do everything we can to support you on your path to becoming the leader of the pirate fleet.”

“It shouldn’t take that long, right?” Dew asked, a greedy glint in her eye. “Maybe we can head back to Keria and get the rest of our revenge, yeah? I’m sure Olea wasn’t the only one who schemed against us.”

“I’m with you as well, Wes.” Kaede finally spoke up, giving the other two a worried glance before she looked back at me. “Pirate or thief, it makes little difference to me. I made a promise to follow you, and the example I hope to follow always keeps his promises.”

After hearing each of the girl’s declarations, I remained silent for several long moments, carefully considering my response.

Their devotion and confidence in my skills was humbling, far beyond what I’d expected and certainly much more than I deserved, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t planned for such an eventuality.

“Then we’ll all become pirates together.” I grinned at the trio of beauties as I leaned back against the headboard. “A few days ago, I was a member of one of the ranking families in high elf society, and today I’m but a humble pirate. The world really does move in mysterious ways, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed it does,” Lira’s voice preceded her through the doorway. A moment later, she stepped into the room. I could tell that she was serious, in a way I’d never seen her before.

“But before we go any further, I have a proposition for you, kid.”

“Go on.” I stared at the Pirate Captain, giving her my full, undivided attention. “What do you propose, Lira?”

“Oh, nothing special.” She grinned and leaned against the doorframe. “I have some connections, and since you’ve proved yourself worthy of my assistance, I want to put your name forward as a new pirate lord before the fleet. Will you accept the promotion, kid?”

I paused, giving the girls another look to make sure they agreed with me before I turned back to Lira with a wide grin.

“Sign me up, Captain.”

Book 2: Rise of a Pirate Lord

Chapter One

Lanoi Sea – 30 days since fleeing Keria

“A re we pirates now, Wes?”

I looked up from the book I had been skimming through to see a chipper looking Dew peering at me intently. Despite the slow rocking of the Ravensworn as it crested the waves, Dew looked steady as a tree as she waited for my response. Most would hate the thought of joining a band of criminal scumbags, or they might at least be worried about how it might affect them.

Not my feisty little wood elf huntress, though.

“We don’t have much choice, do we?” I flicked the book closed with a sigh. “It was something I really considered after my father disowned me. If they can’t help us, then we’ll just figure it out by ourselves.”

I frowned at the tome in my lap; endless pages about the day to day running the ship and its crew. Pointless details that I already knew from my time in the navy.

“If that’s what you think is best, Master.” Freya piped up from her chair at the other end of the room, not bothering to look up from the runesmith experiment she had laid out on the desk before her. “As long as we’re together, then I’m happy no matter where it might be.”

“Thank you, Freya. Please let me know if you have any ideas or thoughts, though.” I shook my head as I stretched, wincing as a stab of pain lanced its way down my slowly healing arm. “I trust you. I trust both of you.”

“To what extent, though?” Dew smirked, though I could hear a slight edge to her tone. My lying to her at the arena back in Keria had hurt her, deeply. And apparently the wound still festered, despite the month at sea that had passed since we’d escaped the city.

I ignored her jab and pushed myself to my feet. The slow rolling of the ship felt natural, though Freya still had the occasional bout of light-headedness from the rocking.

Lira had yet to reveal the exact location of our destination, and my patience with her evasiveness had just about ran out. She just kept saying it would take us two months to reach the pirate hideout.

But I needed to know where we were going—before we crossed the point of no return.

“I’m going to go speak to our captain.” I glanced at Freya, who merely nodded in a distracted manner. Dew looked ready to join me, but a quick shake of my head cut that off. “I won’t be too long.”

It would be better if I approached Lira alone, though it was obvious Dew had guessed my intentions. The look she gave me as I flipped my bow onto my back told me more than words could express.

Closing the door to our room behind me, I made my way up the narrow stairs to the deck of the ship. Such a vessel normally required a full crew of six to twelve sailors, but Lira made do by herself, with Kaede’s help for the sails. Occasionally the girls pitched in to help, though they had no experience.

Even I’d tried my hand at solo running the sails, and from that brief experience I quickly understood that even if it could be done by a single crew member, we’d have a far easier time once we recruited a few more sailors to our cause.

Kaede looked up at me from her spot near the forward mast, a slight smile on her face as she started to push herself to her feet. Only when it became clear from my serious expression that I had other things on my mind did she settled back, her shoulders slumping down despondently.

She barely tried to hide her emotions these days.

“Lira!” I yelled up to the confident captain of the vessel, catching her attention as I climbed the quarterdeck ladder up to the wheelhouse. “We need to talk.”

“Oh, I know we do, Wes.” Lira grinned at me as she lightly turned the ship to catch a wave at the perfect angle. “About many things. Where do you want to start?”

An odd response, after all of the ducking and dodging she’d done to avoid my earlier questions. The fact remained that she’d risked her life to help us escape and had asked for no reward in return; there was no way I could repay her assistance with violence.

“Where exactly are we going?” I folded my arms and glanced back over the bow of the ship. No land in sight, but we still had a month of travel ahead of us—if Lira’s vague updates could be trusted. “We need to plan ahead, but that’s hard to do when we have no idea where we’ll be, or what might be there to greet us.”

“I get it, Wes. I guess we’ve come far enough to induct you. Kaede, come take the helm for me!” Lira grinned as we watched as the high elf girl jerked in shock at her call. “I’d prefer to wait until we had solid ground under our feet before I did this-”

I waited for a few seconds after the captain trailed off. Kaede dodged past both of us as she took over the wheel, a confident smirk on her face as she glanced at me.

She’s showing off, but she did pick it up rather quickly.

After a quick nod I walked with Lira to the rear of the wheelhouse and looked on as she pulled a small case from a hidden slot in the decking. The hiding place was ingenious in design, even by the standards of the elven navy, and all of that on the 65-foot-long Ketch.

But, as she began to pull out several implements I recognized, I backed off cautiously.

“A tattoo?” I grimaced as I watched her put together the odd contraption, along with the sharp needle that would feed ink under the skin of anyone it touched. “Why does this matter? What’re you planning?”

“Wes, think clearly. You said you wanted to aim for a Pirate Lord’s position. Any idiot can join the fleet, but those higher up need to mark themselves for the cause.” She shook the tattoo device at me with a wicked grin, and I couldn’t help but notice how several parts seemed to barely hold together as she did so. “You’re not scared of it, are you?”

“Well, I doubt you’d poison me, but getting a pirate marking on my body sounds less than… smart.” I shrugged and glanced back toward Kaede, who was shooting us the odd glance over her shoulder whenever she could.

“Unless I cut my skin off, I doubt it can be removed easily.”

The Captain chuckled. “That’s kind of the point.”

“You still haven’t explained why you care so much about all this.”

Lira paused and rubbed her chin as she considered my query. It was a fair question, especially given how we’d met.

I’d been kind and helped Kaede out of a predicament that Lira had gotten her into. After finding out that Kaede was the daughter of Lira’s former first mate, by extension that made me Lira’s friend.

That didn’t explain why a pirate captain like her would risk her position and life to help a stranger.

“It’s a gamble.” She finally spoke up, her words steady and calm as she watched me. “The fleet is fracturing, and I don’t think it’ll last all that much longer without some intervention. Sometimes, though, all it takes is a single spark in the right spot to light the world on fire.“

“And you think I’m that spark?” I shrugged and kneeled down beside the captain. “But if it’s a choice between the fleet and my companions-”

“Then I know you’d choose them in a heartbeat. Got it.” Lira nudged me with her elbow, a cocky grin on her face. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Wes.”

We both leaned back against the wall of the wheelhouse, each lost in our own thoughts as the clouds drifted by far above us. Lira’s logic made sense and, despite my own issues with the tattoo itself, I figured Freya or Dew could figure out some way to remove it.

Marring my body to enter the pirate fleet was irritating, but not that difficult a hurdle to overcome.

“Okay, let’s do this.” I pushed myself up and knelt in front of Lira. “Arm?”

“Good call.” She grinned as she dipped the tattoo needle into a pot of pitch-black dye. “Just below the shoulder. Easy to show off, but easier still to hide.”

“Fine.” I pulled my shirt aside to reveal the skin of my arm. “How long will this take? I told the others I wouldn’t be too long.”

“Do I look like a rookie, Wes?” Lira flicked the area she planned to tattoo, hard. “Just give me a few minutes and you’ll be free to run back to your little bedmates-”

“Wait!” I pulled back just before the needle brushed against my skin as I caught a faint whistling sound in my ears.

“Don’t chicken out now, Wes! We’re almost-”

“No… Do you hear that?” I pushed myself up and walked forward to stand beside Kaede. I flipped my bow off my back and nocked an arrow, ignoring the pain in my arm as I set my sights skyward.

Nothing there.

“I do hear it.” Lira turned serious as she tossed the tattoo device back into the small chest and pushed it back into its hidey hole in the decking. She came up on Kaede’s other side.

“I hope you’re as good a shot as you say you are…” Lira shouted.

A deep bellowing roar echoed from the sky as the clouds far above us broke aside to reveal a huge creature barreling down toward us, dead set on landing a fatal blow to our ship—even if it took some damage in return.

Winged whales, some called then, but I knew them by their actual name.

“Because we have Drungens above!”

Chapter Two

Lanoi Sea - Day 30

I t should have been an effortless task for someone with my skills. I’d certainly taken out my fair share of the flying predators on my last voyage.

But that was before I’d sustained major injuries fighting a behemoth in Keria’s arena.

“Dammit to hell!” I leaned back and pulled the string as far as I could manage. My bow fought against me, thanks to the upgrades it had been through, but I knew how much power it held, even at a three-quarters draw.

“Die!”

My arrow blasted off the moment I released it, shooting through the sky at its target: the beast’s wildly flapping nostrils.

But my shot went wide, glancing off the inside of the nostril before it bounced up into the beast's skull. Still a kill shot, of course, but the difference between a clean hit and a lucky strike rankled me.

“Bloody hell, Wes! What kind of luck was that?” Lira slapped my shoulder in triumph, only remembering about my wounds when I hissed in pain. “Oh, sorry about that-”

“Wait a second,” I muttered, waving the pirate captain into silence as I stared up at the sky. Other than the Drungen’s corpse, which had splashed down into the water beside our vessel, nothing else was in sight—just the thick cloud cover, far above.

But something didn’t feel right.

“What’s wrong, Wes?” Kaede finally spoke up, her gaze fixed on my face as I continued to stare up into the sky. “Is there something up there?”

“That Drungen was small. They usually fly with a pod, until the younger ones are big enough to hunt alone.” I waved a hand at the dead beast bobbing gently in the waves next to our ship. “Either it was cast out of the pod-”

“Or there are more of them up there.” Lira finished my sentence with a grimace as she grabbed the ship's wheel once more. “We need to get out of here. Once we hit the shallows, they won’t dive at us anymore.” Her face settled into an intense frown as her knuckles whitened on the wheel.

Her abrupt about face—from casual, happy-go-lucky pirate to professional captain—took me a bit by surprise, but it made sense. No pirate would last long without the ability to properly judge their situation and act accordingly. Even Kaede had straightened up a bit at the warning, her face whitening a little as she moved back toward the mast.

As Lira piloted the Ravensworn toward the shallows as quickly as she could, I considered the messy nature of my shot. The power of my arrows far outstripped the performance of my bow before Freya’s upgrades, but the slip in accuracy irritated me.

It didn’t matter how hard I could hit if my shots missed.

It wasn’t really a surprise, though. My body was still recovering, and I couldn’t draw the bow as far back as I was used to, without potentially reinjuring myself. If Dew found out I’d been so stupid as to set my healing back another week or three, she’d never let me hear the end of it.

“What’s going on, master?” Freya’s face poked out from the stairs as she glanced around, looking for signs of any disturbance before stepping out onto the deck. “We heard something that sounded like a fight. Are you alright?”

“Of course he is.” Dew shot me a sharp look, one eyebrow raised as she gave me a once over. “You don’t think Wes would do something stupid that might interrupt his healing, do you?”

I sighed and shook my head at her pointed comments. She was still upset about my lying to her back in Keria about the severity of my injuries, not that I could really blame her. I’d been lucky to escape with my life, and she hadn’t been able to help me in the slightest.

I hadn’t let her.

It didn’t matter that I’d done so to keep the beautiful wood elf safe, the fact remained that I had lied to her. To both of them.

“It was a Drungen.” Lira caught Dew’s attention as she spoke up in my defense, though she kept her gaze focused skyward as she continued. “He killed it with an amazing shot before it could become a major threat, but we likely have more of them ahead of us, waiting for the moment to strike.”

Dew winced, even as she glared at me. I could tell she was irritated that I’d risked reinjuring myself, but it was clear she understood why I’d done it. The fact that she cared for me so much still surprised me—though it shouldn’t, given how much time we’d spent together and everything we’d done. That she still hadn’t forgiven me for my duplicity in Keria hinted at something deeper, though.

Before I could broach the subject, a low-pitched whistle rang out from far above.

And then another.

“Two more!” I yelled as I raised my bow once again. Dew and Freya both followed suit, knocking arrows to their bows, though I knew their chances of landing a killing shot were low to nonexistent.

Still, Freya had upgraded all our weapons. They might do enough damage to knock a Drungen off course.

Maybe.

If not, I’d have to do it myself. I shook my head to clear it of such stray thoughts and focused upward just as two enormous beasts broke through the clouds. The pair were in sync, each one ducking and diving around the other to make a shot more difficult. They’d seen what I’d done to the first member of their pod, and they didn’t want to meet the same fate.

That just meant I’d have to deal with them in a more indirect manner.

With the difficulty I’d had with a sure-kill shot up the nostril in my current state, I set my sights on something far easier to hit.

“Aim for the wings, volley fire at my command!” I shouted, drawing back the string on my bow. “Fire!”

Three arrows blasted out toward the swiftly approaching beasts. One, likely Freya’s, fell a little short, but the other two struck home on the same fin on the larger of the two Drungens.

Its deft maneuvering faltered as our arrowheads burrowed into the relatively weak flesh of its wing, ripping a gaping hole through the membrane, and slicing through the tendon that controlled the maneuverability of that appendage.

What had been a controlled dive quickly deteriorated as the monster spiraled out of control.

But its comrade reacted in a cunning and brutal manner.

It dived to the side and rammed itself into its injured ally’s side, driving the flailing beast toward our vessel.

“Lira!” I turned to the pirate captain, who had already caught sight of the oncoming disaster above us. Even if the larger Drungen didn’t hit us head-on with the hardened ridge on its face, its sheer mass could still fatally wound the ship.

And, as far out to sea as we were, that would seal the fates of everyone aboard.

With death literally looming over her, Lira didn’t panic. She kept her gaze locked on the rapidly approaching pair above us as she laid a hand on a large lever by her side.

“Now!” She yelled, pulling down on the lever as she spun the wheel with all her strength. The Ravensworn jerked to the side as something caught below us, causing the entire vessel to turn abruptly.

Kaede worked the sails, clearly aware of the stunt Lira planned. Her quick and sure movements, darting back and forth between the fore and aft masts, shocked me—especially when I compared her confidence to the wet behind the ears land-lubber she’d been at the start of our voyage.

Still, the move worked.

The injured Drungen, along with its comrade, slammed into the ocean beside the ship.

“Take them down before they can get airborne!” Lira yelled out the order as the pair of Drungens rose to the surface. One was gravely injured, possibly even mortally wounded from its awkward impact with the water, but the other looked ready to attempt a lift off.

But Freya and Dew wouldn’t let that happen.

Before I could do anything to stop them, the pair of elven maidens leaped from the ship without hesitation, landing atop the beast as it shook one wing free of water.

I wanted to help, but knew that with my injuries, I’d just get in the way if I tried to copy their tactics. They were more than enough as it was.

Dew darted along its body, easily scaling the beast’s side as though it was the firmest ground in the world. Before the Drungen could right itself fully, she attacked its weak spot, her daggers appearing as if by magic as she slashed the tendon that controlled its fin.

With its flight incapacitated, it was as capable as a fish out of water, but the beast didn’t have time to consider its plight, before Freya struck her own blow.

Spear in hand and red braids streaming behind her, the mixed-breed crafter darted up to the beast’s head. A normal weapon might have had trouble piercing the Drungen’s tough hide, never mind the thick skull underneath that barrier, but Freya’s spear was anything but normal.

A single strike was all it took to pierce the skull and slice through the beast’s brain.

And just like that, the fight was over. The girls had incapacitated and then finished off the beast before it could make its escape. Technically, Freya had landed the fatal blow, but her chances of reaching her target before the Drungen escaped without Dew’s assistance?

Pretty low.

“Those two have some skills, don’t they?” Lira turned the wheel over to Kaede and moved over to the side of the vessel, throwing down a rope ladder for Dew and Freya. “You’ve got a solid core for your crew there, Wes.”

“I know.” I nodded at Dew and Freya, both breathing heavily, but ecstatic with their victory after the short but frantic fight. After so many tedious days locked away in the confines of the ship, it was clear the pair had needed some sort of release.

Other than the release I gave them almost every night, that is.

Dew and Freya gave me quick, wet hugs as I congratulated the pair on their victory, but they quickly dashed below deck to dry off and change into a fresh set of clothes.

“So, getting back to this pirate’s tattoo business...”

I caught Lira’s attention after we’d stowed the rope ladder, waving toward the hidden chest in the back of the wheelhouse. “I’m ready as I’ll ever be, Lira. Mark me up, and I’ll show you just how quickly I can become a Pirate Lord.”

Chapter Three

Lanoi Sea - Day 30

T he tattoo didn’t take long, as Lira had said. All things considered, I thought it turned out rather well, each line and curve sharply defined, drawn on my skin with the same skill the pirate captain steered her ship.

It was a skull-and-crossbones, though the bones had been replaced by daggers dripping with blood.

“Not too shabby, if I do say so myself, eh?” Lira chuckled as she wiped a rag wet with salt-water over my new marking. “What do you think, Wes? You’re one of us now, boy.”

“It’ll do.” I hissed as the salt stung, then shrugged and rolled down my sleeve once more while she carefully packed away the tattoo equipment.

I was officially a member of the pirate faction. This leap into the criminal underbelly of the world wasn’t one I’d taken without significant thought and consideration, but having finally taken the plunge, it felt different from how I’d imagined it would be.

This single act freed me from so many restraints.

Still, it wasn’t like we were about to let such a bounty go to waste. Three Drungens had literally fallen into our laps, and there were many parts of their bodies we could harvest. It wouldn’t be long before the predators of the deep sensed the huge pool of blood, so we’d have to work fast.

Kaede again showed her oddly random skill set as she quickly carved the beasts apart, retrieving the pieces that were valuable enough for us to keep. She even taught a few tricks to Freya and Dew, who each listened intently to her instructions as each of them dug into their own Drungen.

Having one person with knowledge was helpful, but sharing that know-how made for a balanced team. The fact that Kaede hadn’t even considered hoarding her insights boded well for our future.

Soon, we’d all have to learn some new things—especially if I wanted to win my bet with Lira and became a Pirate Lord, faster than any other.

Some of the smaller predators showed up as we hauled the last chunks of our bounty onboard, which hinted that we should leave the area as quickly as possible. If the relatively tiny monsters of the sea had already found the feast they’d make of the Drungens’ remains, I knew something larger couldn’t be too far behind.

And there was always the chance it would turn its hungry gaze in our direction, instead.

Lira knew that as well, so she didn’t delay bringing the Ravensworn back up to full speed as we set sail for the far horizon once more. With no more Drungen attacks to interrupt our voyage, things calmed down some.

Dew, still irritated at me for risking my recovery yet again, wouldn’t speak to me, no matter what I tried.

Freya, on the other hand, took the chance to stick as close by my side as she could, almost as if she were trying to get on Dew’s nerves.

Kaede was the odd one out.

No matter how many times we caught her spying on us, she kept sneaking up to our door and peaking in when we made love. It was as though she wanted to be invited in, but couldn’t find the courage to ask.

More than once, I’d wanted to invite her in—at least to come in and watch openly, if she didn’t want to join us—but each time, Freya or Dew persuaded me to hold off.

Apparently, the girls had their own plans for that.

My body's recovery was accelerated, as Dew carefully prepared a few potions with the limited ingredients she still had. The viscous liquid burned like molten metal as it went down, but that pain died away quickly, replaced by a warm, comforting glow.

Though she checked on my status frequently, other than a few terse words or instructions when tending to my wounds, the blonde still wouldn’t speak to me. Even at night, Dew stayed away, using the excuse that she didn’t want to interfere with my recovery to explain her distance.

Freya didn’t have the same concerns, and eagerly snuggled close each night. She didn’t mind having me all to herself in the slightest, much to Dew’s annoyance.

It took a full week before Dew finally calmed down enough to speak more than a few words at a time to me, once more. “That looks like it’s about all healed up.” She gently prodded my ribs and then tested the motion of my right arm, having me slowly draw my bowstring back to my usual release point.

There was no way I’d let the opportunity slip away.

“What’s wrong, Dew?” I asked, slowly relaxing the tension on the bowstring, and shaking my arm out.

As usual, I aimed straight for the heart of the issue with my concerned query.

Dew settled down into the chair by the desk with a sigh.

“I know I hurt you with what I did in Keria, but you know why I did it, right?”

“I know, Wes. And I do trust you.” She gave me a faint smile before she continued. “Freya’s been pestering me to explain my reaction and why your lie hurt so much, but I guess I’m not half as confident as you think I am.”

I waved a hand dismissively and chuckled at her worry. “I believe in both of you. There’s no way I’d do anything intentionally to hurt you. Please, just tell me what’s wrong.”

“Well, it’s about… my past.” Dew took a deep, shuddering breath before she forced herself to carry on. “I trusted someone once—I… I thought they were on my side—but they lied to me.” Her gaze was distant and hollow as she relived a dark memory.

“You know a little of what my life was like back in the den... even with my grandmother’s support when I was younger, it was hard to scrape by without anyone to watch my back or assist on the hunt.”

“And this person did what, exactly, to lose your trust?” I kept my tone calm and gentle as I watched her carefully. I knew just how much it hurt to be shunned for reasons beyond your control. It must have been lonely, and… dangerous in the wilds, being left to fend for herself. She would have latched onto any act of kindness and friendship.

“At first, Turin didn’t do anything that seemed out of place, but the others turned him against me. He was the first to show any interest in me. He…” She blushed nearly as much as Freya might have, revealing such a personal fact. “He was my first… lover.”

I waited for her to continue.

“It started small, with little lies about things he had to do, to avoid being around me. But then he stopped hunting with me, until… he tricked me into an ambush—” Dew grit her teeth as her fists clenched tightly. “He lied to me, right to my face, about what we’d find in the glade.”

She took a deep breath. “I was expecting to find a wounded animal to care for, but instead found a trap set by Ha' Rhin and his lackeys. Turin abandoned me. After that day,” she looked down, “I always told myself that I’d never give anyone a second chance to break my trust... ever.”

After an experience like that, I couldn’t blame her for how she’d reacted. I’d lied directly to her face and, no matter how pure my intentions had been, the fact remained that I’d broken her trust.

“I’m sorry, Dew. I didn’t know it hurt you so much.” I pushed myself up from the bed and strode over to her chair, lifting the shivering elf to her feet. “Dew, I swear here and now to never do that to you again.”

“Ha! I’ve not heard those words come from your mouth before.” She pulled herself close and nestled into my chest. “You don’t apologize for much, do you, Wes?”

“Only when it’s important—and well deserved.” I cupped her chin and lifted her gaze to my own. “Thank you, Dew. I don’t know what would have become of me if I hadn’t met you.”

Before she could respond, a loud thunk echoed from out in the corridor as the door swung open to reveal a blushing Kaede sprawled out on the floor, a smirking Freya standing behind her.

“I apologize for the interruption, Master.” Freya bowed her head a little, then gave Kaede a sharp look. “I didn’t want to intrude, but it seems like our little peeper didn’t notice my approach.”

“I- Well… I mean-” Kaede mumbled, ducking her head as low as it could go. “I didn’t mean to… It’s not like that at all…”

“Kaede, you really have too much time on your hands, don’t you?” Dew pulled back from my embrace and strode over to the door with a scowl. “It seems you need something to keep yourself busy.” The blonde looked over her shoulder at me. “Wes, how do you feel about our taking her aside for a little… training?”

I watched as Dew and Freya tossed ideas back and forth about how to keep Kaede busy. Sure, the silver-haired high-elf girl was learning about sailing from Lira, but it was clear the pirate captain treated her like a daughter, because of her close relationship with the girl’s mother.

But that didn’t excuse her sneaking around the ship at all hours of the day and night to spy on us.

We’d all tried to stay busy in our own ways. Dew was training her herbalism skills and Freya hadn’t let up on her runesmith experiments. Even I was spending more and more time exercising, seeking to rebuild my body’s lost strength and endurance.

“How about the two of you help her out?” I offered the suggestion with a shrug as the pair argued over who should take custody of the girl. “She uses knives. Dew can help her there. Freya can teach her the spear as a backup, and I’ll speak to Lira about stepping up her alchemy studies, as I take on more of the day to day running of the ship.”

“Uh, Wes, isn’t that a bit much?” Kaede asked, her gaze holding out a flicker of hope as she stared up at me. “I’m sure I could do some of that, but all of it at once?”

“You said you wanted me to train you, this is the first step.” I cocked an eyebrow at the nervous girl and fought back the urge to grin. “Unless you don’t think you are up to it-”

“I can do it!” Kaede leaped to her feet, her face set as she laced her fingers together. “I’ll do whatever you want. Please, don’t leave me behind!”

“Wes, leave this one to us.” Dew motioned for me to get back onto the bed and laid a gentle palm on Kaede’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, don’t worry. Just focus on getting well.”

“She is right, Master.” Freya copied Dew as she placed her hand on Kaede’s other arm. “Do not worry yourself about her; we have everything in hand.”

I didn’t get a chance to ask them what they meant before the pair dragged the protesting Kaede back into the corridor and shut the door behind them. Their teamwork was on point, as always, but the serious glances the pair had shared didn’t bode well for Kaede’s immediate future.

On the other hand, I knew my lovers really cared for the girl.

Dew and Freya hadn’t had the easiest lives before I’d met them—just like Kaede. It was clear that their pasts gave them a high level of empathy to appreciate Kaede’s desire not to be ‘left behind’.

Not that I would ever abandon the girl. I had promised to help her, after all.

Chapter Four

Lanoi Sea - Day 39

T heir plan wasn’t as harsh as I’d imagined, but I’m sure it still felt brutal to their new student.

Each day began with a sparring session with each of my companions, first with knives, then with spears. Kaede, while quick with her hands and on her feet, couldn’t compete with either Dew’s experience, or Freya’s burgeoning gift with the spear.

After that, Lira took over with her own lessons, while I piloted the ship. Apparently, the strict nature of Freya and Dew’s training had spurred her on, because the pirate captain no longer coddled the girl who she’d treated like a daughter.

Even I might struggle with the sheer amount of information Kaede was being forced to absorb.

After a short break for a quick meal, came a second sparring and training session with Freya and Dew, followed by an evening of navigational instruction from Lira. The whole regime kept Kaede more than busy during the day and, even if she had wanted to spy on us at night, she only had the energy to collapse in her bed as each day ended.

Still, as an outsider, I could tell that everyone was keeping a close eye on Kaede’s limits. Every time she stumbled or looked close to collapsing, they pulled back and gave her a chance to recover. Even if the student couldn’t see it, I knew that her teachers cared much more about her than about what she learned.

Freya and Dew even took time out to do some things that were a little bit more fun, like fishing off the side of the boat, or teaching Kaede how to craft jewelry using Freya’s runesmith anvil.

There was no way Kaede could actively utilize the true power of Freya’s runesmith device, but making little trinkets wasn’t beyond her reach.

All in all, they treated her like a little sister.

Two weeks passed in a blur as I finished recuperating. Other than a few twinges now and then in my ribs, or the fact that my endurance wasn’t quite what it had been, there weren’t many differences from how I’d been before my clash with the behemoth in Keria’s Arena.

Better still, Dew had finally forgiven me for lying to her, which solved the biggest issue I’d been worried about. Having that hanging over us was the last thing I wanted when we finally reached the pirates’ hideout.

But we were at least a week out from our destination. Traveling there directly wouldn’t take too long, but Lira still had us on a long and winding route through the sea—avoiding the more common traffic lanes and patrol routes of the Elven Navy.

All it’d take was for one of them to spot us, and all would be lost. There was no way a tiny ketch like ours could stand up to a fully crewed, battle ready Elven dreadnaught.

Slow and steady had won the race, however.

The horizon, which had before been little more than an undulating line of gray in the distance, slowly broke up to reveal the telltale signs of a distant shore. Though it would still take us a week to make our way to the pirates’ main port, the end of our voyage was in sight.

The girl’s training sessions were called to an abrupt halt as we approached the enormous rocky cliffs of Monster Isle.

Usually such a place would be the bane of any sane traveler.

No one actively chose to visit the desolated wastes of the old continent, not after how thoroughly it had been ravaged by the Third Monster Swarm. Each of the citadels and fortresses, every single last stand and courageous defense, none of it managed to hold back the seemingly endless hordes of beasts.

But here we were, sailing along the edge of that cursed land. To be fair, after everything I’d been through over the past year, little surprised me anymore.

“How’s she doing?” I turned and smiled at Freya and Dew, who flanked a tired but happy Kaede. “You’ve been pushing her pretty hard, haven’t you?”

“It’s fine.” Kaede spoke up quickly before the others could answer, stepping forward as her serious gaze met mine. “They promised me if I did well, you’d train me next.”

“Indeed, we did.” Dew chuckled and gave me a cheeky wink. “You can ‘train’ her pretty good, can’t you, Wes?”

“Why did I know you’d come up with an innuendo for that? Lay off, Dew!” Freya cut in sharply, though I could tell from her darkening cheeks and heated glance in my direction, she was having trouble keeping her composure, thinking about what that might entail.

“She’s picking up the skills quickly, though.” Dew continued. “Maybe you should test her?”

I glanced at Kaede, who nodded hurriedly as though worried I’d see her inaction as a refusal of their offer.

Lira snickered from behind and above us as she watched her daughter from another mother’s antics. The pirate captain didn’t try to interfere, though.

That was enough for me, anyway.

“Sure.” I flipped my bow off my back and set it aside. The close shave with the Drungens had proved I needed to keep myself armed and ready at all times, no matter how safe we seemed to be. “I’ll be using my sword. Which weapons do you prefer?”

“Uh, I-” Kaede winced and glanced back at the girls, who each gave her an encouraging nod. “I think I want to use my mother’s sabers. They just… feel right.”

“I guess that will work.” I shrugged and started my usual pre-match stretches as Kaede ducked down into the hold to get her weapons. “What have you two been teaching her?”

“Oh, you’ll see.” Dew grinned wickedly. “You might even have your work cut out for you, Wes.”

“I doubt she’s good enough to trouble Master, but it should be interesting.” Freya stared off into the distance, as though looking at something only she could see. “I wonder if they’ll hold her weight. What if my calculations are off, though?”

Freya’s odd musings were cut short as Kaede sprinted back up onto the deck, armed with a twin pair of sabers, in a beautifully crafted harness sheath—obviously made just for them. But that wasn’t all she’d picked up from her room.

Kaede had exchanged her comfortable felted wool shoes for a clumsy looking pair of boots. They didn’t appear to be the easiest to move around in; I could tell at a glance, though, that there was something odd about them.

And I had more than a sneaky suspicion that Freya was behind it.

Still, the girl wouldn’t do anything to endanger my life, so I decided to let them have their fun. I’d figure out whatever trick the boots might present during our battle, if they had any at all. It might make the fight more interesting.

After all, Kaede had only trained—though she’d trained hard—for around two weeks. I’d trained since the moment I could lift my bow.

“Are you ready?” I asked as I took up a ready stance. Kaede nodded, her entire body quivering slightly as she mirrored my movements perfectly.

When had she learned that? How closely was she watching me?

I pushed such thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand; testing Kaede’s limits without harming the young maiden.

“Ready for this!” The girl shouted as she darted forward, one sabre held low and one held high.

Attacking from two angles to overwhelm your opponent? A good tactic.

Against someone lacking experience, that is.

All it took was a quick push off from the deck to dodge to the side of her mad charge. I even took the chance to sweep my leg around, catching her in the knee as she stumbled, trying to follow my movements.

“Ah!” Kaede hissed in pain as she rolled over her shoulder to the deck, her sabers clattering harmlessly off the wooden boards beneath us. “Damn it! Not yet.”

“Oh?” I took up my ready stance again as Kaede flipped to her feet. Even though her attack had failed spectacularly, she wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.

Good.

“Now?” Kaede asked her mentors, her gaze locked on my face as she once more copied my form perfectly.

“Yes.” Freya answered the odd query, a small smile on her face. “Remember, though, only twice, no more.”

I fought back the urge to question the wickedly grinning pair.

Before I could figure out what she meant with such a cryptic comment, I spotted it. The boots on Kaede’s feet had taken on an odd, blue glow.

“Runesmith devices?” I glanced at Freya, who merely nodded at my guess. “Oh, nice.”

No matter the effect of Freya’s design, I knew it wouldn’t spell doom for me, especially under Kaede’s command.

If the original pair of tricksters had worked together on this, Dew and Freya in combination, then maybe they could have pulled a fast one on me. Still, I decided to take the fight more seriously.

It was only fair to Kaede and Freya.

The boots, which had been building up power, let out a deep thump as Kaede blasted toward me.

Fast… but not fast enough.

I crouched and forced power into my legs before leaping into the air, clearing Kaede’s head as she rocketed past, her sabers missing me by mere inches.

But she wasn’t done with just one attack.

Her rapid charge took her right to the mast. For a moment, I was worried she might slam into it if she’d misjudged her reckless charge.

Then I saw Kaede’s entire body flip as a burst of power from her boots spun her around, enabling her to land feet first on the thick wooden mast, just below the sails.

Instead of trying to right herself, though, she instead ran forward—

Right up the mast.

“What the…?” I muttered in shock as the girl who hadn’t trained actively before the past few weeks sprinted up the mast like it was nothing. “Uh oh-”

She’d gotten two thirds of the way up the mast when it happened. The boots, which had been letting off a shower of blue sparks at each step, dimmed noticeably.

Their power was nearly out.

But Kaede seemed to know that.

“Try this on for size!” She bellowed out as she pirouetted to face me. One final blast of power from the boots launched her from the mast.

Directly toward me.

“Idiot.” I hissed as I raised my guard. I could dodge, but what then?

There was no way I’d let the overconfident girl slam face first into the uncaring deck, after all.

Kaede’s face showed shock at my stance, but that only lasted for a moment before our blades collided. From that one impact, I could tell that Freya had enhanced the girl’s weapons, just like mine.

A sharp jab of pain shot down my arm as I skidded back several feet. I ignored the discomfort as I rode out the pressure of Kaede’s attack, slowing both of us as we came to a controlled halt.

It seemed my straight up demonstration of power had worked as Kaede landed feet first on the deck. The runesmith boots clinked and hissed in protest as she stood before me, panting, and shaking as she pulled herself together.

“Freya.” I ignored the shaken girl and turned to the architect of her ridiculous equipment. “Do you know how dangerous that was?”

“Of course, Master.” Freya moved close and pulled me into a loose hug. “She wants to be with us, and this was the only way I could think of to help her catch up. She did this to prove to you she could be useful.”

“Really?” I glanced back at Kaede, who nodded and winced as she rubbed at her shaking legs. I snorted. “I had enough on my plate with the other two, and now you’re trying to one up both of them.”

Still, I couldn’t argue with the results of their training.

Kaede’s relatively lacking skillset aside, the fact that she could utilize runesmith devices with such skill was most definitely a boon to our group. Sure, Freya could make the devices, but none of us had the talent to use them to their full effect—until now.

“Okay, fine. I’ll train you.” I shook my head ruefully as Kaede’s wide, fearful gaze turned hopeful.

Her hopeful glance turn ecstatic as she sprinted forward to hug me, not caring in the slightest that she had also grabbed ahold of Freya in the process.

“Damn it,” I growled at the two figures who clung to me, “you two are going to kill me one day.”

Chapter Five

Lanoi Sea - Day 55

I nterestingly enough, Kaede hadn’t wanted me to take over her training in melee combat. Instead, she wanted me to train her in archery, at least as a secondary skill set to her already blossoming skills at close range combat—even the young shadowpanther, Kiel, struggled to pin her down when Dew had the two of them duel on the deck.

Kaede didn’t have any gifts that I could see, but that didn’t mean she was useless. Not in the slightest—she picked up the stances and proper technique for the bow far quicker than Freya had, or even Dew. Maybe it was natural talent, or maybe she was trying to show off for her teacher.

Either way, I didn’t let up in our last two weeks at sea.

We started with stationary targets, bales of straw Kaede dragged up from the cargo hold. Lira used it to trick any inspectors who tried to investigate her vessel in the past, and her actual storage area was so well hidden that no one inspector had ever been able to find it.

Dew was sneakier than those inspectors, though; she figured it out within a week of us being at sea.

Lira hadn’t appeared to mind it too much, and all Dew had brought back was a few bottles of Elven wine. It made more sense now, how she’d been drunk so often those first few weeks at sea, especially once I learned about her history with betrayal and liars.

Fortunately, that didn’t matter anymore and we now had several empty bottles that I had the perfect use for.

“Go!” I yelled as I tossed a bottle into the air from my perch high atop the mast. It spiraled up into the morning sunlight, its non-aerodynamic structure not helped by the thin rope I’d wound around the bottle’s neck. I’d tied the end of the rope to my belt.

“One!” Kaede yelled as she fired an arrow at her target.

Wide by less than a foot.

“Two!” She shot again, her expression focused.

Close, but slightly high. She hadn’t accounted for the fact that the bottle had started to fall.

“Three!”

Her third and final arrow slammed into the wine bottle just before it reached the limit of its rope, smashing it into pieces.

“Good job!” I called down as I climbed back to the deck and collected the rope.

Freya was still working on the prototype she’d created for Kaede; a more user friendly set of powered boots would take a while to craft for the rest of us.

That meant I had to climb up and down the mast rather than sprinting up it like a cheetah. It was a good workout for my forearm and grip, though, so I didn’t mind.

“Thank you, Wes.” Kaede tried to keep her expression neutral, but she couldn’t quite hold back the grin forming on her face. “Do you think I’m ready-”

“For the next stage? Not yet.” I smiled as her hopes dimmed. “Sorry, but we’re landing tomorrow. I think you’ve learned enough already, today. Remember what I told you about rushing?”

“The faster you move, the harder the shot.” Kaede recited the saying from memory, as though it was some sage bit of wisdom, rather than a random thought I’d had that sounded cool in the moment.

“Good. Freya asked to see you, by the way.” I patted Kaede’s shoulder reassuringly. “It seems like she’s made some headway with your boots. Don’t keep her waiting.”

“Yeah!” Kaede nodded and turned away, only to stop a moment later as she spun back to face me. “Thank you, Wes… really, thank you.”

“It’s nothing.” I waved off her heartfelt comments as I turned toward the ship’s wheel. “Tell the others to get ready, we’ll be landing soon.”

I watched Kaede dash off to find Freya as memories of my own early training surfaced. There was no way I could fault her enthusiasm, really—especially since I’d been just as enthusiastic when I began my training in the Elven navy.

But that training had taught me much—one of the most important lessons being that haste makes waste. A waste of life, that is, when in combat.

“Wes, come up here!” Lira’s voice called out from the wheelhouse, pulling me out of my brief reverie. “Hurry up, we don’t have all day!”

“Seriously?” I grunted as I made my way up to the rude pirate captain. Sure, I could have ignored her request, but it was likely she’d asked to see me for something important.

Maybe.

“Finally.” The half-elf greeted me with her trademark cocky grin, motioning me to step forward. “Take the wheel, you’ll be guiding us into the port.”

“Sure, I guess.” I shrugged and took over control of the ship. “Any specific reason, or just because you feel like it?”

“You want to make a good first impression, Wes. What better way to make a statement than taking over the famous Lira Keelcracker’s vessel?” The self-proclaimed ‘famous’ pirate waved her arm expansively at the sixty-five foot Ravensworn, as though it was the greatest boat in the world. “Everyone knows I care more about her than anything. On that note,” her brows lowered dangerously, “if you smash her up, I’ll smash you up.”

“You could try…” I muttered, but it was clear her threat wasn’t serious. Still, the last thing I wanted to do was to annoy the one person who had my back on the main pirate island—especially when we had sky-high bounties on our heads.

It was a gamble to take shelter in the den of criminals and scumbags who could just as easily turn us over to the navy for the reward as help us, but Lira had convinced me it was worth the risk.

Kiel, being the most likely to attract attention out of all of us, was forced to make his home down in the secret hold. Dew had persuaded him that she’d reward him well for his patience, and Lira had promised she’d make sure he was well fed and looked after while we were moored in the pirate hideout.

I still winced, watching the young shadowpanther dejectedly slink off down the stairs.

The cove didn’t seem outwardly different to any other we had passed, but a closer inspection revealed several points of interest. What might have seemed like an odd collection of debris in the distance now appeared to be a cleverly disguised watchtower. As we circled around a large stony outcropping in the water, a low cave revealed itself.

To be fair, I hadn’t expected a thriving pirate city to reveal itself to the casual observer. Criminals were criminals for a reason, after all.

The rough carved wooden wheel slid smoothly through my hands as I drifted us cleanly around the obstacles in our way. A less capable captain could easily run their ship aground well before they arrived at the cavern’s mouth—that remained true, even considering the relatively small size of Lira’s ship.

An Elven dreadnought would never make it through the blockades.

That did worry me a little. I knew the pirate fleet wasn’t all that large, at least when compared to the Elven navy, but did they not have any flagship vessels capable of going toe to toe with the largest ships Keria and the surrounding cities could produce?

If it came down to a battle at sea, how could they stand a chance without such capital vessels?

But Lira had made it clear that, if the various pirate fleets united under one banner, the battle would be anything but pointless. Sure, both sides would take major losses, but she insisted that—if united—the pirates had a chance of winning what otherwise might be considered a lop-sided battle.

And that was enough to keep the Navy at bay. For the time being, at least.

As we entered the cave, Kaede furled the sails and the Ravensworn glided forward with its remaining momentum, as the current continued to push us forward. Fortunately, as Lira had warned us it would, the flow carried us deeper into the darkness, toward a distant, hidden corner of the cave.

Then as we drifted around that threshold in the cavern, the true Pirate Hideout revealed itself to our eyes.

I gasped.

Rickety bridges crisscrossed the huge cavern, each one festooned with a hodgepodge of various light sources. Most of these were lanterns, containing luminous bugs of various shapes and sizes, but some chose to forego the safety of bioluminescence for large, sputtering torches.

Each wall sported a collection of ramshackle buildings that reached from a set of rickety looking pilings a few feet above the water all the way up to the ceiling, far, far above. Either the cave was a natural formation, or the pirates had dug it out long ago.

Either way, the sheer scale of the cavern boggled my mind.

How many pirates hid in this one hideout?

Lira had said it may have been the biggest, but was not the only one on the monster isle.

“There.” Lira shook my shoulder as my gaze traveled further upward to a thin slit of natural light far above. I followed her gesture as she indicated a smaller alcove that had been carved out of the side of the cavern. “My dock is on the right, a third of the way along, fifth birth. Think you can manage that?”

I only answered her with a snort as I swept us smoothly into the narrow channel between the docks, though I did note she’d said ‘my’ dock. I expected most pirate vessels would need to find a free spot, or even anchor somewhere out of the way and clamber their way from rowboats onto the relatively safe ‘ground’ the soggy wooden boards provided a foot or two above the waters below.

It took a nifty bit of piloting to drift between the other ships, but I managed it without a single scuff on Lira’s baby. Kaede quickly moored us to the indicated dock, her movements sharp and confident as she secured us to the large post with an overly thick, tarred rope.

“Here we are, then.” Lira strode to the bow and stood with one foot propped on the rail of her ship as we surveyed our new home.

“Welcome to the Ridge.” She ran her mirthful gaze over each of us. “Try not to get stabbed.”

Chapter Six

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 55

N ot the best welcome one might receive, but also not the worst I’d experienced. At least no one had tried to kill me… yet.

“Hey! Who’s that with you, Lira?” A deep voice boomed across the cavern from the dock, pulling the pirate captain’s attention away from her ‘crew’. “Don’t tell me that’s who I think it is!”

“Why in the blazes-” Lira muttered to herself through gritted teeth before she leaned forward to look down at the man shouting from the dock. “Hello, Kray. Fancy meeting you here.”

“Lira, answer the damn question. Do you even know what you’ve done?!” The pirate named Kray bellowed as loudly as he could, his voice attracting attention from all around. “Do you just think you can sneak in here, with-”

“Kray, shut it before I make you.”

Lira’s demeanor took an abrupt shift as she stared daggers at the man below us. Though she hadn’t yelled at him, the frost in her tone was enough to cut the pirate off abruptly.

“This is about us, isn’t it?” Kaede murmured as she moved behind me, subconsciously seeking protection from the crowd that had formed and was staring at us. “What’re we going to do if they throw us out?”

“I don’t know… but I trust Lira.” I gave the girl a quick smile before turning back to watch the showdown playing out before us. “She said she’d get us in, and I know she’ll do whatever she needs to, to make that happen.”

At least, that’s what I hoped. If things deteriorated into open conflict, our chances of escaping in one piece… were slim to none.

No need to mention that little fact to Kaede, of course.

The man who had been playing the crowd hadn’t spoken up again after Lira’s thinly veiled threat, but it wouldn’t take long for the rest of the crowd to cotton on to what had happened. As soon as one or two of them realized who we were, it was possible Lira’s reputation wouldn’t be enough to keep them back.

“What’s all this about, then?” A woman’s loud voice echoed out across the docks, cutting through the tension like a hot knife through butter. “Kray, what’re ya doing over here? I told ya to oversee the watchtowers!”

“I did- I mean, I was there, but-” The man’s voice trailed off, as though he was fighting a losing battle just to reply. “-but then I spotted-”

“Shut yer yap! Get back there, now, before I string ya up!” The newcomer shut him off and a loud slap rang out from below, followed by a muffled yelp. “Go on… get going! Now!”

“Yessir- I mean, I’ll get going- right now! Right now! Yeah-” The man’s voice slowly vanished as his hurried footsteps faded into the distance.

“Ya gonna throw down a ladder, Lira?” The woman called up once more. “I’m parched down here! I hope ya kept yer promise about the wine!”

“Of course, Jean. Come on up!” Lira yelled as she tossed the rope ladder over the side of the railing and moved aside to allow her friend to pull herself up onto the ship. “First, some introductions. Ladies and gent, this is Jean, one of the four Pirate Lords. Jean, these people are-”

“I’m well aware of who ya snuck into my home, Lira!” The pirate lord cut her friend off before she could reveal our identities, her confident gaze meeting mine. She pulled a long-stemmed pipe from her mouth, which she’d been chewing on incessantly, and gave me a long, hard stare. “This the one, then?”

To be fair, she wasn’t exactly what I’d been expecting of one of the leaders of the largest pirate factions.

To start with, she was a human. Not necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself, but their shorter life spans made it difficult for them to keep up—as a species, that is—with races such as the high elves, especially with regard to learning or employing the techniques of the Runesmiths.

An Elven Runesmith was usually an elder by the time they mastered the advanced skills required to utilize the most advanced runes. Humans died long before they fully grasped even the basics.

Her race aside, Jean wasn’t nearly as old as I’d have thought.

In fact, using my limited knowledge of humans, I estimated she was in her mid to late twenties. With her midnight black hair, light gray eyes, and smooth, flawless skin, I found her to be quite pretty—even by my own admittedly biased, high elf standards. Her rough and ready leather vest and pants didn’t detract from her beauty.

For a human, she was enjoying the best years of her life. For an elf, though, she wouldn’t have even reached what we classed as adulthood.

“Had enough of an eyeful, lad?” Jean perked up an eyebrow as she interrupted my thoughts. “Perky one, aren’t ya?”

“Only with people who’re worth my attention,” I responded curtly as I folded my arms. “Who was that idiot? Let me guess… one of the other pirate lord’s lackeys?”

“Uh huh.” Jean nodded without any hesitation and turned to view my companions. “Prolly sent here to pick a fight, so the other two idiots couldn’t stop him from turfing you out. We might be pirates, but we do expect folks to follow our rules. Well… a few of the rules, at least.”

I sighed and turned to Lira, who gave me a halfhearted shake of her head. No help there.

“Lira, ya want to get me something to drink while I speak with yer pretty little skipper?” Jean had finally moved her steely gaze back to me, this time with a little bit more than curiosity in her eyes as she looked me over. “Yer message didn’t quite prepare me for this one, ya know?”

“Calm down, Jean. He’s spoken for.” Lira chuckled as she moved toward the stairs into her ship’s hold. “If the others don’t approve of you, then I imagine you’ll have some trouble luring him up to your chambers-”

Lira’s words were a warning—both to her friend and to me. Jean, despite her looks and station, was a man eater, and it seemed like my race was anything but a turn off. Returning her interested gaze, I found I didn’t despise the idea of being with a human woman.

Damn, I’d bedded a few already—from foreign delegations who’d visited Keria in the past.

After meeting Dew and Freya, though, I chose my companions with a little more care. And while I didn’t quite trust the woman, she had just helped us out, more than a little.

There was always the chance she’d had her own reasons and motivations for stepping forward. What was her agenda?

Dew and Freya had moved to flank me, their eyes fixed intently on the confident pirate lord before us.

Looking down at them, I worried that they might be warning off a needed ally. Instead, I was surprised to see an odd challenge in their gazes.

It was as though they were daring her to tempt me.

“Okay, girls, I get it. He’s yer hunk of meat, not mine.” Jean backed down first, though she did give me one last, long once over as she leaned back against the ship’s railing. “Now then, Lira—care to tell me why I stuck my neck out for a bunch of convicted murderers?”

The fact she already knew about my aunt’s death wasn’t a surprise. Nor was it surprising the label of ‘murderers’ had been slapped on our little group—not after we’d blown an admiral of the Elven Navy to smithereens, never mind the other crew members who’d died in the dirigible Kaede had set ablaze.

Either Lira had told her about it, or the pirate lord had found out through channels of her own. We had taken a two-month long, detour-filled route to get here, after all.

“First of all, I have some information you’re going to want. Details of a scheme that could wipe out your little faction in a few days.” I started big, deciding to jump straight into the deep end. “And secondly, I’m already a member of the pirate fleet, thanks to Lira. I plan to become the next Pirate Lord—and I’m sure you’ll want me on your side, when that happens.”

Jean stared at me open mouthed.

I couldn’t tell which of my revelations had caught her more off guard. Combined, they should have been enough to at least snare her curiosity. It wasn’t like Lira had been subtle about her own plans. Not in the slightest.

“A new Pirate Lord, huh? Interestin’.” The pirate peered into my eyes for a few seconds, her head cocked to the side, before she turned her gaze toward Lira, who came up the stairs carrying two crates of Elven wine.

The dark-haired beauty’s grin split her face as she bounced her eyebrows at Lira. “Ya always impress, my girl.”

Thank god Lira had ordered Dew to dial back her drinking. If she’d drunk all the wine, we’d be sunk. Literally.

Lira laid the crates down and pulled out one of the bottles. With a quick flick of her wrist, the pirate captain plucked the cork from the bottle and tossed the whole thing over to her friend, who caught it without splashing a drop and took a long, slow swig.

“Ah, that’s the good stuff.” Jean gulped down another mouthful of the powerful alcoholic beverage before looking my way once more. “Okay, I’m gonna believe that ya believe what yer sayin’. Personally, though, I think it stinks like dolphin shite… but what can ya do?”

“If Wes says he can do something, then he can.” Dew responded before I could, stepping forward. “Don’t judge him by your own standards, Jean.”

“I agree with Dew.” Freya spoke up before the pirate lord could reply, moving up beside her friend. “He is the one I chose as my master, after all.”

“I think so too!” Kaede mumbled, though she didn’t have the confidence to move out from my shadow. Instead, I felt her press herself into my back as she added. “He’s the best!”

“Three on one? Somehow, I doubt ya have an issue with that, do ya?” Jean smirked at me before she chugged the rest of the wine.

Lira pulled her friend to the side where they had a hurried, muted conversation.

An entire bottle, downed in less than a few minutes? No matter what else I thought about her, Jean could hold her drink—the woman’s stomach was apparently as strong as they came.

Only after the pirate lord had lowered herself back to the dock, now laden with her bounty of Elven wine, did Lira turn back to us with a cocky grin.

“Well, that went well,” she chuckled. “Go and get some rest.. all of you.” She took my elbow and guided me over to the stairs leading below decks, the girls trailing close behind me. “You’ll have time to explore the hideout tomorrow—once Jean’s made some… preparations. For now, we’re stuck onboard, so you’d best make the most of it!”

Chapter Seven

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 56

T he ‘night’ aboard the Ravensworn passed without incident. No other pirate lord’s lackeys tried to make a scene. No one attempted to force us to leave. Nothing.

Either the other pirate lords had been persuaded against acting by Jean’s intervention, or they were trying to remain neutral about the whole situation.

An interesting stance for a pirate to take, I thought.

Of course, I’d made the most of the night with both Freya and Dew, despite Kaede taking on the dual role of guarding our door, but also being our peeping tom. After we woke the following morning, Lira warned us to be well prepared, so we made sure to fully equip ourselves before bidding our farewells to Kiel and making our way onto the upper deck.

I didn’t expect the welcome we got when we stepped out of the stairway onto the deck of the ship.

“There ya are! I thought ya’d be at it all day!” Jean strode forward and laid a hand on my shoulder. “My friends have come down to welcome ya into their little home away from home!”

Despite the fact she was nearly the same height as me, it seemed like Jean was trying to appear taller. Probably had something to do with the audience behind her.

Three other pirates stood at the bow of the ship, each one showing a completely different set of emotions. The trio couldn’t have been more different from each other, but their openly displayed pirate tattoos proved their allegiance, and their confidence.

“Daemon,” the first pirate, a scraggly high elf, snarled as he stepped forward. His glare was full of hatred, bitterness, bile, and any other negative emotion you might think appropriate for your worst enemy.

Probably that Kray idiot’s boss—the one who’d tried to get us thrown out the day before.

“Nice to meet you, Wes. The name’s Wraith.” The second pirate, a pure wood elf dressed in a well-fitted set of leather armor, didn’t seem to care one way or the other about welcoming us to the hideout, though I could tell the man was amused by his colleague's open enmity toward us.

Inter-faction rivalry aside, I didn’t feel any danger from the elf.

But that type made for the deadliest of enemies if you didn’t keep them in your line of sight. His name hinted at duplicity, too, all by itself—although that could just be further misdirection.

“Smith.” The third and final pirate lord spoke slowly. His voice was raspy and crackled with age. Even if I wasn’t comparing him to his relatively young comrades, Smith appeared to be quite an elderly high elf.

I thought he wouldn’t have been at all out of place in a council meeting back in Keria. Unlike the others’ tight-fitting leathers and silks, he wore a light and comfortable shirt and robe that was ill-suited for the rigors of pirating but perfectly designed for an official who worked behind a desk, in an office.

Still, the rapier belted at his waist proved the old elf had more bite than bark to him, never mind the fact he’d managed to hold onto the title of pirate lord, despite his decrepit appearance.

“So, it’s official?” I kept my voice low enough that the others couldn’t hear me while glancing at Jean. “Did you really need to make such a song and dance of it?”

“I’m on yer side, Weslilian,” she whispered as she squeezed my shoulder gently, but firmly.

I scowled. It took a moment for me to realize my irritation was because I didn’t like hearing my own full name anymore.

Jean took my frown to mean something completely different. “Don’t ya trust me?”

“I trust Lira and she trusts you—but the links of trust between us aren’t all that secure. Not yet, at least.” I gave her a soft smile. “I’m sure you’d be the same, if our roles were reversed.”

“Well, I’d probably hop right on ya—jus’ like the others have, but that’s just me.” Jean giggled as she replied with far more openness than I’d expected. “Offers still there… if ya want to give it a go.”

Even Dew hadn’t been that blatant expressing her desire for me, at least not at first.

“This turd is the mark you want us all to ignore?” Daemon barked, flicking his messy hair out of his eyes as he gestured wildly in my direction. “Don’t you know how much he’s worth, even dead? And nearly double that if alive.” He grinned evilly. “And we could sell off the others for a pretty penny, too-”

“Wes, Calm down.” Jean caught me by the arm before I took more than a step in his direction, wondering if I could split the raving idiot in half with one sweeping slash. Rules or not, he’d threatened my companions, and his filthy gaze hadn’t been restrained in the slightest as it undressed them before me.

If it weren’t for the fact that his death might have led to open warfare with an entire pirate faction when we were trying to unite them together, the little toad would already be choking on his own blood.

Thankfully, my good sense won out and I was able to restrain my fury. The other pirate lords seemed disgusted by Daemon’s insinuations, which proved Lira’s short rundown of their roles had been accurate.

Only Daemon had a hand in the pirate’s slavery business; the others all wanted to put an end to it. Unfortunately, such a move would put whoever openly fought with the slaver’s faction at a massive disadvantage—which the others wouldn’t be shy about taking advantage of.

And thus the status quo was maintained, though there were limitations to Daemon’s more nefarious activities.

Still, their aversion to his side dealings should work in my favor. He hadn’t been killed yet, but I knew a reckoning would eventually come, and I’d be more than happy to end the slaver’s life, when that day came.

“Daemon,” Jean glared at the ragged high elf. “He’s under my protection. If ya make another threat against them, I’ll have ta take it personal-like.” Her hand lifted to caress the leather wrapped haft that rose over her shoulder.

Compared to yesterday, Lira’s pirate lord friend was far more heavily equipped. I’d expected her to use some combination of short sword and knives, possibly a bow. Instead, she had an enormous battleax strapped to her back, the haft sticking up over her shoulder—within easy reach, if things turned south.

The enormous weapon’s haft was longer than Daemon’s legs, so it wasn’t too hard to imagine what might happen should she land a blow on the little scumbag.

“True enough. Though it’s clear you don’t like them, Daemon, I think they’ll be valuable additions to our forces.” Wraith’s return grin held no mirth, as Daemon gave him the evil eye. “I second Jean’s request.”

“Hmm.” Smith hummed as he looked between our group and his colleagues. Daemon shook his head repeatedly, but the old elf ignored the scrawny fool and glanced at Wraith.

Who gave him a slight nod.

“I- Agree.” Smith turned back to Jean. “They will be your responsibility. Keep them in check.”

“Sure. That was my plan anyways, ya know.” Jean shrugged off the fact one of her peers had given her a command. “We won’t keep ya any longer than necessary. Thanks for coming by.”

“Of course, Jean. Any time.” Wraith poked at Daemon, who dodged his finger as though it were a deadly weapon. “Come on, you two. We have work to do, remember?”

We watched as all three jumped over the ship’s railing to get off the Ravensworn. Even Smith, despite his clearly advanced age, made easy work of the leap back to the dock—yet more proof that you should never judge a book by its cover.

“So, that wasn’t too bad, was it?” Jean turned back to face us, her arms held wide. “Ya be free to explore the Ridge, but I have something I want to show ya first. Fancy a guided tour?”

“Hmm.” I glanced at the others, who either expressed an interest in Jean’s offer or a lack of interest in forcing the issue. “Sure,” I smiled. “Lead the way.”

Jean jumped down from the ship onto the dock with just as much skill as her colleagues, making up for her clumsy exit the day before—though that had been after downing an entire bottle of strong Elven wine.

Our group followed suit, even Kaede, who once again wore the clunky runesmith boots Freya had designed.

They looked uncomfortable, but I’d seen their power with my own eyes. A little pain would be worth that power, assuming she could master them.

We’d need all the trump cards we could gather—especially since we were walking into the middle of the largest pirate base in existence.

Jean led us away from the docks into the cavern proper. The sheer size of the place caught me off guard and once again I found myself staring up at the slash of sunlight high above us. That ended up helping as Jean jumped up to a ladder and started to climb upward at a rapid pace.

“Stop checking out my arse and get a move on,” Jean yelled over her shoulder, though her tone didn’t seem angry in the slightest. “Come on up!”

I took the lead in our group, as we climbed up the long ladder. This was one of several enormous ladders stationed along the sides of each wall, with a way to disembark at any given level along the way.

But it seemed Jean was intent on taking us all the way to the top.

Thankfully, she stopped at around two thirds of the way up, but the climb was much more than I’d expected.

A fall from this height would be fatal, even if the person hit the water, so I took the time to help each of my companions onto the thankfully stable planks of this level.

“So, who’re we here to meet?” I turned to Jean, who was leaning casually against the thin railing despite how it swayed and warped behind her.

“Oh, you’re gonna love this.” She pushed herself up and walked over to the fourth dwelling down the row. She didn’t bother to knock before pushing open the door and striding on in. “Come on in.”

I rolled my eyes before following her into the dimly lit interior. It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the gloom, but when they did, I couldn’t quite believe who I saw standing before me.

“Hello, Wes.”

Smith, the elderly pirate lord, gave me a warm smile as he motioned for me to approach. “I’ve been hoping to meet you for quite a long time.”

Chapter Eight

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 56

I t made sense that Jean hadn’t told me who we were going to meet.

After all, there was no way I’d have agreed to see the grumpy old elf who had only let us in after seeking his colleague’s opinion.

“You don’t seem unhappy to see us… this time.” I kept my expression neutral as I stared down the elderly pirate lord. “What changed?”

“That’s a long story, and not one I’m going to be able to tell you in one sitting.” Smith took my skepticism in stride as he waved me into a chair opposite his own. After a quick glance at the rest of my group, I took him up on his offer, dropping casually into the seat across from the old elf.

“So, what did you want to ask me about?” I leaned back and gave the old elf a searching look, alert for any sign of odd behavior. No shivering and no odd glances into the shadows; nothing out of the ordinary at all.

Smith was either an excellent actor, or he really had decided to meet us of his own volition.

“First off, is it true what I’ve heard about your friend?” The so-called pirate lord tilted his head and glanced at Freya, who returned his gaze with a look of pure grace and confidence. “I won’t bother saying the words, but if it is true, you know that skill set would put her in high demand for the other pirate lords, don’t you?”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out he was talking about Freya’s runesmithing.

It didn’t hurt that, technically, I was one. On the plus side, if the old elf had told Wraith or Daemon about his theory, we’d have been ambushed long before reaching this hidden office.

As a bonus, I couldn’t sense any threats—hidden or otherwise—from the old elf.

He really did want to talk to us, but there was no way I’d admit to anything without first ensuring the absolute safety of my companions.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shrugged and waved away his less than subtle query. “What about you? Any hidden skills that we should know about?”

“Well, I am a runesmith myself. Didn’t you know?” Smith chuckled as he pulled a cup from the table by his chair, acting for all the world to see as though he was discussing something as irrelevant as the weather. “I can prove it to you, if need be, though Jean was very thorough in her vetting before setting up this meeting.”

“Gotta protect my new friends, ya know?” Jean cut in from the side, giving me a sultry wink as she stretched her arms over her head. “Seemed like a fair trade… a nice opportunity to make some friends on both sides, I thought.”

“Master?” Freya stepped forward and leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “I believe him, though it is your decision about how much you want to reveal. If you wish to take the risk, then I will stand behind you, as always.”

“Thank you.” I turned and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, shocking the girl out of her otherwise calm and confident act as she scurried back behind me, her face blushing scarlet.

I turned once again to the old pirate lord. “You say you can prove your skills? Care to show us a little bit, Smith?”

“Oh, still don’t trust me, eh?” Jean muttered softly, just loud enough for me to catch her words. “That’s enough ta make a girl cry in her bed, ya know? What’re ya gonna do to make it up to me, huh?”

I snorted at Jean’s less than subtle overtures, though I kept my gaze on Smith. Sure, Jean had proved she was willing to help us. But she was still a pirate.

Technically, we all were.

Anyone who trusted a pirate was on the fast track to losing all they had—up to and including their life. That was, of course, not to mention that such trust involved two of the four biggest pirate lords on the Lanoi seas.

They wanted me to reveal Freya’s talents—though it seemed they’d already guessed at them. I wondered how they’d figured it out; I didn’t think that Lira had mentioned Freya in her messages.

So, unless Lira had double crossed us, it must have been a guess based on how we’d escaped from Keria.

A single glance at Kaede, who attentively watched our verbal sparring from the other side of the room, gave little insight.

Lira wouldn’t knowingly put her ‘daughter’ in danger.

“Alright, then.” Smith huffed in displeasure as he pushed himself to his feet. “Follow me, all of you. Maybe your friend will learn a thing or two. That is, if she has any skill in runesmithing, of course.”

We ignored the old elf’s verbal jab as he led us toward one of the back rooms. As expected, I soon saw the back edge of the cliff, which formed the building’s rear wall.

After all, why build four walls when one came prebuilt already?

Smith caught me off guard, however, when he fumbled with several inconspicuous looking outcrops of rock, each of which glowed a faint blue under his confident grip before the glow faded a moment later.

Runesmith magic, to be sure, but not enough to prove the old elf’s claims. Not yet at least.

Less than a minute of fumbling later and Smith pulled back to reveal a small opening, large enough to admit a fully grown elf or human, if only barely. The elderly pirate lord hissed as he squeezed himself into the gap.

“Come on in, it opens up on the other side!” His voice echoed from inside the cliff. “It’ll only stay open for a few minutes, so you’d better make your mind up quickly.”

“Fine. Here goes nothing,” I muttered as I took the lead, stepping toward the opening. “You lot can stay out if you want to-”

“Not on your life.” Dew interrupted as she pushed me deeper into the crack. “We’re right behind you, pretty boy.”

My mind fogged over for a split second when I heard her pet name for me—usually reserved for our bedroom antics—but what I saw on the other side of the gap blew those thoughts away.

An enormous room, easily three times the size of Smith’s office, had been carved out of the unyielding cliff face. The walls, far too smooth and perfect to my eye, hinted that something other than laborers’ hands had made the hidden marvel.

“So, what did you want to see?” Smith waved at the large selection of machines and devices that dotted the area. “I could enhance something, maybe? Making something new would take too long, and the others would probably notice our absence.”

The others had filed into the room behind me, but none spoke up. Even Jean seemed surprised by the size of the room, though she hid her shock well the moment she felt my gaze on her.

She shot me a smoldering look, which I rebuffed with a chuckle, before I turned to Freya.

“What do you think, Freya?” I gently led the girl forward, though I did keep a comforting hand on the small of her back. “You’re the one he wants to test.”

“Try to upgrade this.” She finally found her voice, pulling out her mother’s spear. For a moment, I considered stopping her. Why would she risk her mother’s weapon in the hands of a stranger?

I decided to allow it, at the last second. I did trust her instincts, after all.

“Finely crafted, high elf workmanship of the highest order.” Smith gently took the spear in his grasp and gave it a few experimental swings. “Perfect balance, exceptional power. It seems someone has tinkered with this already, though?”

“That is certainly a possibility,” Freya answered calmly, though I could feel a gentle shiver pass through her body as the old elf laid her most prized possession down on his anvil. “It is precious to me, so please treat it well.”

“I’m a craftsman, girl. I can tell when an item is loved by its owner.” Smith chuckled as he raised his hammer. “Don’t you worry, I’ll have it back to you in short order.”

Even I was shocked when the old elf slammed his hammer down onto the spear’s haft with all his might. While Freya had never been timid in her crafting, she had made it clear that the smallest slip could irrevocably damage the equipment she worked on, even with her light touch.

But Smith didn’t seem to mind. Again and again, he slammed down his hammer onto the precious weapon with wanton abandon, each smack heavy and true.

Plumes of blue sparks shot up into the air at each strike.

“Do you want me to stop him?” I leaned down to whisper into Freya’s ear. Her body shuddered and her hands shook with each heavy thump, and I could tell that she was forcefully holding herself back from rescuing her spear from such treatment.

I couldn’t tell if she was doing this for herself, or to prove her devotion to me as Smith sought to demonstrate his skills… to me.

“It’s- fine.” She bit out between the heavy crashing of hammer on spear. “It hurts- but- I- trust- him.

Trust between Runesmiths? She must have spotted something I missed.

Still, it didn’t take much longer before the old elf had finished his demonstration. After one final, mighty smack, Smith let out a low roar as he lifted the spear into the air, thrusting it into the ceiling.

Where it easily pierced the thick stone of the cliff without missing a beat.

“Here you go, girl.” Smith pulled the spear back out and passed it to Freya. “That really is a fantastic weapon, and your tinkering worked out well. It only needed a few final touch-ups to perfect it, at least as far as my skills could do so.”

“Thank you.” Freya accepted the weapon and bowed to the pirate lord. “I appreciate your work, Master Smith.”

The old elf’s face lit up as he returned Freya’s bow with one of his own. The double meaning of his name hit again when I noted how he reacted to the title Freya gave him.

“So, what do you want from us, Master Smith?” I copied her use of the title, which had given the old elf such a buzz, without missing a beat. “I’m guessing you didn’t just bring us here to show off, did you?”

“Oh, it’s pretty simple, really” Smith leaned heavily against his anvil, tapping his hammer against his palm. He grinned at me. “I want you to kill Daemon and get me the hell out of this dump.”

Chapter Nine

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 56

A ssassinate a pirate lord and escape from his rabid followers, along with anyone else who jumped in the way for their own selfish reasons?

Possible, if tricky.

But taking the pirate fleets one and only Runesmith along for the ride?

Now that might be pushing things too far.

Fortunately, Smith understood my hesitation. Rather, it seemed he’d fully expected it as he pushed himself up off his anvil.

“Of course, it’s not that simple. Though an old man can wish, can’t he?” He huffed irritably as he tossed his hammer aside. “Just a joke… but that is the end goal.” He looked intently at Freya. “You don’t want to spend your life slaving away under lords like us, do you?”

“Hey, watch where ya point those words, old man!” Jean hissed through gritted teeth, finally roused from the daze she’d been in since the Runesmith began his work. “Ya asked ta work with me, not the other way around. Remember that!”

The two pirate lords stared at each other, neither one backing down in the slightest. Despite Smith’s clearly advanced age, it didn’t look like the elf was about to cede any ground to his fellow pirate lord, no matter how much he needed her help.

That must be the only way to survive so high up the food chain in the pirate fleet, I guess. Eat or be eaten.

I shook such thoughts aside as I stepped forward between the two to mediate. We’d get nowhere if the two of them stomped on this brittle start of an alliance in the little hideaway Smith had built for himself.

“Smith, I’ll have a think on it. We’ll figure out a plan and get back to you.” I held up a hand when the old man opened his mouth to speak, cutting him off as I turned to Jean. “And you asked me to come with you, not the other way around, remember?”

She jerked back and narrowed her eyes as I tossed her own words back at her.

“You’re the one who arranged this meeting.” I smiled, softening the rebuke. “What’re your thoughts on all this?”

The old elf grunted as he shuffled back to his anvil, which seemed a little less like a holy relic now that I saw an old, crotchety elf perched atop it without a care. Smith didn’t seem to mind the close shave he’d just had with Jean and instead watched her intently as we all waited for the pirate lord’s response.

“Well, I don’t like Daemon. I’d set him on fire just to pass the time.” Jean shrugged off her brutal revelation as she glanced at Freya, then back to me. “But this is something I can’t ignore. Do ya understand what this means to me? To all of us?”

“Nothing,” I answered abruptly, catching Jean off guard. “Freya is my companion, nothing more, and if anyone tried to take her away from me-”

“Hold yer horses!” Jean quickly held her palms up in mock surrender. “I’m on yer side, ya fool. I just think the aim of yer little plan is a bit too narrow-”

“Wraith.” Smith’s low mutter cut through the tension in the room as he guessed at Jean’s aim. “I want him dead, more than you know, but he’s different. Dangerous.”

“Gifted?” I watched the old man’s body shiver in response to my guess. “Brutal? Merciless? Cunning?”

“All that and more,” Smith sighed and rubbed his face. “That boy took more from me than you could know, but taking him down would require more than just us. At least half the pirate fleets move at his call, and the rest wouldn’t be far behind. What can you do, exactly?”

“At the moment? Nothing.” I waved at the wall which hid the exit of Smith’s crafting den. “But eventually… everything. Let’s get out of here, Smith. I’ve got some work to do.”

As a tour guide, Jean wasn’t worth much.

After our trip to Smith’s office, the only other place she took us was to her own little home away from home, on her ship. At least three times bigger than Lira’s little ketch, the pirate lord’s vessel could go toe to toe with any dreadnought in the Elven navy.

And the only answer I got when I’d asked how she expected to get it out of The Ridge was a cheeky grin and the offer to trade for the information—this last said with a wink as she licked her lips suggestively.

“Maybe later.” I waved her less than subtle innuendos aside and turned back to my companions. Lira had remained on the Ravensworn along with Kiel, who’d agreed to guard our temporary home.

That meant only Dew, Freya, and Kaede had followed me into the den of pirates.

More than enough for me.

“What’s the plan now?” Kaede spoke up first as her gaze darted about to the various sailors and cutthroats wandering across the docks. “Do we just stay here?”

“Master wouldn’t think like that.” Freya admonished the girl softly, her eyes still fixed on me despite the numerous gazes all three beauties were getting. “Anything you can think of, he’s likely planned for already.”

“Big expectations, but he normally does come out big.” Dew didn’t even try to keep her insinuation in check as she stared at my junk before lifting her eyes to mine and giving me a wink. “But yeah, I trust you Wes. What do you think?”

All three of them looked expectantly at me, not a single doubt about my judgment between them. I’d proved myself over the course of our journey, but so had they.

Still, I did have a plan—and it made it that much easier that they’d already agreed with it.

“Lira mentioned your supply chains are having some issues?” I turned to Jean once I’d confirmed my companion’s support. “Something about a sea beast hunting them down? Sounds like a tricky thing to sort, I’d say.”

“And ya think the four of ya can hunt it down?” Jean tilted her head to one side as she surveyed my group. “Pretty big catch, but Lira does keep talkin’ ya up. I guess I can help ya out with-”

“No, we need to do this by ourselves.” I waved away her offer of assistance without hesitation. “Just point us in the right direction, Jean. We’ll track it down ourselves.”

“Oh, it be like that, then? Speak to the scout ship in the bay next to Lira’s little girl.” She huffed in displeasure as she waved us off her ship, though she did manage to slip in a seductive wink just as I was about to jump back down to the dock. “Just don’t go getting yerself eaten… ‘least not before I get a bite.”

Freya and Dew didn’t seem to mind Jean’s open attempts to steal their man, but Kaede positively fumed as we walked along the cavern’s wall back to Lira’s vessel. In fact, I heard Freya and Dew joking that I should give Jean exactly what she was asking for, and see how well she liked it.

A most interesting idea, I thought.

Thankfully, though, the irate Kaede missed the perverted discussion they carried on behind her.

The scout ship in question was smaller and less well maintained than Lira’s vessel, but it was far from the worst looking junker I’d noticed since we’d entered the Ridge. The captain, a surly looking wood elf, only let us on deck once he heard who had sent us his way.

“So, the lord set you to hunting the big one, did she?” The elf leaned back against the ship’s wheel, which creaked and groaned ominously under even his meager bodyweight. “Guess you can’t say no-”

“We offered to do it ourselves!” Kaede half shouted at the elf, clearly still irritated by Jean’s open attempts to seduce me. “If we kill it, that helps you lot, doesn’t it? Are you going to help us or mmmph-”

I covered her mouth with my hand, cutting her tirade off before she could irritate the pirate captain any further. Of course, I didn’t think the elf posed much of a threat—to Kaede by herself, let alone our entire group—but it would be hard to get the information we needed if she taunted him into a full-on brawl.

“Spunky. A good trait in the right people.” The captain smirked at Kaede, then looked back at me. “Fine. I’ll pass you the charts we made. Best we could do to avoid the bugger was to map its territory. Whether you hunt it down, or die in its belly, it’s all the same to me.”

“Thanks for the confidence.” Dew muttered as she took the scraggly papers from one of the elf’s sailors.

“Oh, you’ll know why I think that way when you start hunting the big fish.” The pirate didn’t seem to mind my team’s rudeness as he waved us off his ship. “Good luck to you, you’re gonna need it.”

I only let Kaede go once we reached the dock and, thankfully, it was clear she understood the mistake she’d made. In fact, she looked to be on the verge of tears as she clung to my side, as though she worried I’d toss her aside for making such a simple error.

“Kaede, our Master isn’t like that. He won’t turn you aside because of a single, misguided action.” Freya peeled the girl from my side and pulled her into a loose hug. “Remember what you promised us? You’re not sticking to your word, and you know how he hates that.”

“Right! I know.” Kaede brushed the tears from her eyes and gave me a quick, awkward glance. “I’m sorry, Freya. I’ll do better. I promise!”

“Uh… what?” I glanced between the two ‘big sisters’ and their protege, but neither of the pair felt a need to clue me in on whatever it was Kaede had promised. It seemed to have something to do with me and, for what it was worth, I didn’t really care all that much—as long as it kept the girl on track.

Still, once we’d read over the charts the pirate scout had loaned us, I couldn’t help but curse him under my breath.

“What the hell is this?” Dew made as if to toss one of the charts into the frothing waters under the dock, but managed to hold back her ire as she turned to me, mouth tight.

“This thing’s territory is- It’s everywhere!”

Chapter Ten

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 56

L ira agreed with our assessment of the charts, but thankfully she had taken the chance to pick up a bit more information from her own contacts.

Apparently, the beast could appear at random throughout the Lanoi sea, and its attacks hurt both the Elven navy and the pirate fleet. On the one side, that meant the navy were aware of the monster’s existence, but that also proved it wasn’t under their control.

Yet.

The thought of such a wily predator being turned into a weapon sent a shiver down my spine. I’d gone so far out of my way to ingratiate myself into the pirate fleets, and there was no way I’d let some overgrown fish put a wedge into my plans.

Still, we’d need to find it first. Luckily, Lira had guessed at our target and, of her own volition, had outfitted the Ravensworn with a large, clunky harpoon gun.

Not a scratch on the ‘Reelers’ they had on the Elven dreadnoughts, but it’d do the job.

On top of the new piece of equipment, we still had the five runesmith cannons. Even one had been a deadly trump card for Lira’s baby girl, so when she revealed the full complement, she had shocked me speechless.

Two at the bow, two amidships—one on each side—and the one at the rear. Fore, aft, port, and starboard; every single angle covered.

The harpoon had been bolted to Ravensworn’s forecastle, just behind the prow, but the fixed design didn’t seem to have much rotation to it.

“What do you think?” Lira waved at the new addition to her ship as we climbed over the rail and onto her vessel. “Cost a pretty penny, but it should do the job, right?”

“For a fisher, maybe.” I gave the clunky device a kick, just light enough to avoid a broken toe as the thing failed to move in the slightest. “But we’ll make do.”

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

“When did you figure out my plan?”

“When I noted that eager glint in your eye when I mentioned the ‘problems’ our scouts and suppliers were having.” Lira reached up to flick my nose, but I jerked back with a huff. “Oooh,” she chuckled. “Seems our Jean got under your skin.”

Dew’s peal of laughter echoed across the deck. “You’re too uptight, Wes.” She smirked at me.

“Let’s get out of this place first.” I raised a finger to my lips as I glanced across the deck at the several pirates who had appeared since our last visit. “I’m sure the rest of your new friends will be less than thrilled if you reveal our target, right?”

“Nah, most of them are trustworthy, and some have lost friends to the beast.” Lira shrugged, though she didn’t speak any more about Jean or what the pirate lord might have done to annoy me.

“Let’s cast off then. Feel like steering us out of the port?”

“If you could call this a port.” I muttered as I moved to the wheel, but Lira ignored my snark.

Freya and Dew frog marched Kaede below decks—likely for some sort of punishment for her outburst on the pirate ship—but I didn’t have time to worry about them or their plans.

After all, Lira had made it clear how much she cared about the Ravensworn, and then she’d gone and bolted that monstrosity of a weapon onto her baby girl.

I put my full attention on carefully guiding the drifting ship out of the packed dock area and into the main cavern of The Ridge. Fortunately, there weren’t any larger vessels to get in our way, but even so, it took extreme focus to take the Ravensworn out in one piece.

She was not too much for me to handle, though I doubted I could take Jean’s hulking bruiser out for a spin on the water.

Still, as we moved out into the open air once more, I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. So many cutthroats and scumbags all in one place, with most of them under the command of a raving idiot or a cold, calculating sociopath.

And then there was Smith and Jean, to add to the mix.

The pirates needed me, just to save them from themselves.

“First point is here.” Lira lifted a, thankfully, cleaner chart than the one we’d gotten from the scout. Her finger traced a route I remembered seeing scribbled on the charts we’d gotten from Jean’s captain, though with far fewer stains and smudges in the margins. “Think you can get us there in one piece?”

“As long as your spotters are on their game, I’m sure.” I flicked a finger up at the two pirates who had taken it upon themselves to climb up the rigging to the top of each mast. “You trust this lot?”

“More than I trusted you at first.” The pirate captain wafted the chart in my face as she strode off toward the stairs to the lower decks. “I’ll go check on your girls and make sure they haven’t got into my stash…. again!”

To be fair, we had pilfered more than a few bottles of Elven wine on the trip out, but it wasn’t like I didn’t plan on paying her back for them, eventually. Still, letting her vent on the others would spare me a headache I didn’t need.

I skirted the cliffs and rocks around the edge of the monster isle, steering for the first way point on the chart—a large, triangular rock, perched precariously between two walls about two thirds of the way down a tall, narrow gully in the cliff face.

Not exactly a piece of art, but it did enough by the pirate's standards.

“There it is, Skipper!” the pirate perched high up on the main mast hollered out as we swung wide around a large promontory. “Rock ahoy!”

Multiple bellows of laughter echoed across the deck from the other pirates, but I decided to let them enjoy their little games. Life at sea could be rough, and those who plied their trade on its waters, rougher still.

In such situations, even the weakest of jokes could bring out a laugh or two.

“Good job!” Lira called out as she moved back up onto the deck. The girls didn’t follow, which meant she’d either caught and punished them, or she’d persuaded them to stay put in our cabin, for the time being.

Either was an achievement for her, in my eyes. “Straight east, captain! You have the helm.”

“Uh, captain? Who’s the captain?” One of the pirates spoke up as I turned the ship out into the relatively calm waters of the Lanoi sea. “I thought you were-”

“You lot are in the presence of Weslilian of Keria, the greatest archer and captain to ever sail the Lanoi seas!” Lira jumped up onto the wheel, forcing me to lock it in place as she raised her arms up high. “He obliterated an Elven Navy Admiral in fair, one on one combat!”

“Now wait just a minute-” I started to argue.

“He destroyed an entire dirigible and two Elven battle ships with a single arrow!” Lira continued unabated and, guessing from the shocked, wide-eyed and almost worshipful looks the crew gave me, her spiel seemed to be working. “He led the entire Elven Navy on a wild goose chase across the seas for two whole months! And you refuse to follow him?”

Screw it. Not like I was the one lying to them. No way they’d believe this rubbish-

“No!” The pirate who’d questioned Lira at first shouted his rebuttal, leading the rest in a ragged cheer. “We’ll follow the captain! Death to the sea beast!“

Only after the full crew had raised their various weapons to the sky did Lira jump down, throwing me a wink along the way.

“Good plan, but what happens once they learn the truth?” I muttered into her ear as she leaned against the side of the wheel. “Doubt they’ll be thrilled their ‘captain’ lied to them, huh?”

“What lies? The rubbish the Elven Navy spews about you lot? Who’d believe that wash?” Lira nudged the wheel playfully as I finally got us on a straight course out into the sea along the pirate’s supply route. “I promised I’d help you—as long as you took the first steps, Wes—and I will continue to do so. Just remember who gave you the push when you’re all high and mighty in your pirate lord’s office.”

“You know I’d never let a favor go unrewarded, Lira.” I kept my gaze fixed forward, though I didn’t fail to notice the long, sarcastic glare she gave me from the corner of my eye. “And that includes everything you’ve done for us up to now… including the bottles. Trust me, you’ll get what you’re due.”

“Damn right I will. It’s a good thing Jean’s so hooked on the stuff, she didn’t notice I only gave her one and a half crates.”

I chuckled at that.

Lira’s tone took on a slightly harsher tone as she pushed herself upright. “Keep an eye out for any other ships, Wes. No friendlies are out here with us.”

“Pirate or Elven Navy alike?” I glanced at Lira, who gave me a terse nod. “Great, enemies on both sides. Just how I like it!”

Chapter Eleven

Lanoi Sea near Monster Isle - Day 60

O ne day passed without incident.

Then another.

And another.

No pirate vessels, no navy scouts, nothing to break the monotony of our endless patrolling through the area where the beast was thought to dwell. The predator haunted a wide area, sure, but we passed by every single spot it had been reported without a single sighting.

Something was wrong, and even Lira had lost some of her usual flippancy as we made the fifth cycle through the hot spots without any signs of our target.

“Are you sure your contacts’ information is accurate? Nerker’s aren’t usually the most stealthy of creatures.” I asked again as the enormous cliffs of Monster Isle came into view for the fifth time in four days. “We haven’t exactly been hiding, and this thing had been assaulting your ships on a daily basis. Something’s not right here.”

“I know, but what can we do?” Lira muttered, her words low enough to avoid anyone overhearing the concern in her voice. “Eventually it’ll need to hunt, and we’ll be there when it decides to appear.”

“Maybe. Or maybe we’ll miss it.” I gripped the rough wooden spokes of the Ravensworn’s wheel as I fought to keep my voice even. “Daemon is likely raising people to send against us, and I doubt Wraith will do much to stop it unless it amuses him. Smith is useless as he is, and Jean is- Well, she’s Jean.”

“Your point?” Lira turned to face me, finally giving me her full attention. “You want to be a pirate lord, but—unless you think you can corral the others by yourself—you’ll need some backup. You aren’t going to find any of your precious ‘noble high elves’ in the pirate fleets, you know?”

“Good. Fuck those pricks.” I chuckled as Lira gave me an odd look. “I never saw myself as one of them, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have standards. Jean could be useful, maybe Smith as well… if we keep an eye on him. Wraith? Not so much, and Daemon not at all.” I growled in frustration.

“Just that wasting this much time hunting shadows is pissing me off.”

“What do you suggest, then?” Lira shrugged as she leaned against the wheel in front of me. “This was your call, remember? And it’s not like we can politely ask the monster to pop on up to see us, is it?”

I paused, thinking hard. “You might think that’s just a snarky rhetorical question… but maybe we can.” I pulled out the chart from under the wheel and tapped a point we’d drifted past a few times in our cyclical voyage. “All we’ll need is the right bait, don’t you think?”

Lira stared at the area I’d indicated for several moments as an evil grin slowly spread across her face. That response was more than enough for me, so without another word, I shifted our course toward our new waypoint.

It only took a few hours to reach what the map had marked as ‘the death zone’ near the tip of the monster isle, and it soon became clear why most ships avoided the area.

Sirens. Hundreds of them, maybe even thousands, if you counted those hidden beneath the foamy waves of the sea.

The moment the crowd spotted us a haze descended over the area as they each individually magicked themselves, their hideous scaly forms blurring from view to be replaced by a crowd of barely clothed men and women. Some of the less experienced in the crew reacted poorly, clearly stunned by the appearance of the ‘people’ rapidly skimming toward our vessel as their low-pitched cries washed over the ship, entrancing several of the younger, still wet behind the ears, pirates among the crew.

“Come to us.”

“Join us.”

“Be one with-”

Their calls ended abruptly as Freya blasted off a dual shot from the enchanted cannons.

The cannon balls, fully enchanted and enhanced under my beautiful little runesmith’s ministrations, erupted in the center of the approaching crowd of monsters. Those closest to the impact point were simply turned into a red mist, while those further away lost large chunks of their flesh as the powerful magic dissipated.

I turned the Ravensworn broadside to the remaining crowd so the portside cannon could launch another shot into the dazed sirens.

A full two-thirds of the siren swarm had been eliminated, but the remainder refused give up the chase. They still outnumbered those aboard the vessel at least six to one, and their primal natures had been stirred by the thick scent of blood in the air.

“Weapons up!” I yelled as I handed over control of the ship back to Lira. “Archers, ready!”

Compared to the Elven Navy, the crew under my command was both slower and clumsier, but they made up for it with their bloodlust and fury. Sirens were a deadly curse to sailors everywhere—most of my crew knew a few of their brethren who had been dragged beneath the waves by their scaly palms.

“Fire!” I commanded as I loosed my own shots. Every single pirate who had a ranged weapon followed suit a moment later as our volley of arrows and bolts sliced into the mass of monsters rushing toward the ship.

It was literally like shooting fish in a barrel. I shook my head and fired another three arrows. Accuracy wasn’t as important as volume of fire, given the sheer number of targets, but I still took the extra second to ensure that each one of my shots pierced at least three of the sirens, if not more.

My crew couldn’t match the sheer power of Dew’s or Kaede’s shots, never mind my own. It didn’t matter though, compared to the number of shafts they could send down range.

“Closing in!” I bellowed across the ship, my voice cutting through the cacophony of battle cries and taunts coming from my crew. “Warriors front!”

Those who lacked a ranged weapon moved forward to the ship’s rail, their knuckles whitening as they held their weapons aloft.

Everyone knew how deadly a siren’s claws could be and these pirates wore light leather armor, at best. It would only take a few losses before their morale faltered.

With a grunt, I flipped my bow onto my back, drew my sword, and moved to the front of the crowd.

“Hold fast, move back to the mast if you’re injured! Anyone who lets themselves be killed by these fish will have to face me in the afterlife!”

A low roar echoed back from the crew as they readied themselves for the impact. Dew and Kaede moved to cover my flanks without hesitation, followed a moment later by a soot-covered Freya as she dashed up onto the deck, spear in hand.

We didn’t even have time to exchange a single word before the first siren clawed its way up the side of the Ravensworn.

“Kill them!”

My first swipe beheaded the siren with ease, but that was only the first blow of what was sure to become a brutal melee.

Freya’s stabs with her spear blew the monsters’ heads clear off their shoulders. Hers was the perfect weapon for such a defensive battle.

But that didn’t mean my other companions held back in the slightest.

Dew danced along the edge of the ship, lithely avoiding the sirens’ razor-sharp fins and claws as her knives swept down again and again, stabbing and cutting with ruthless abandon through their scaly hides.

Kaede’s sabers, recently enhanced by Freya’s runesmithing, slashed through the sirens with ease. If she didn’t kill her foe with her first strike, then her target rarely survived a second, follow up slash.

Still, the tide of scaly humanoids seemed never ending. Though we had yet to lose anyone, that didn’t mean we’d be able to avoid casualties for much longer.

“Kaede, do it!” I yelled out as I slashed my sword through three sirens with one swipe. “Now!”

“Take this!” Kaede shouted as she activated her boots, blasting directly into the sky as she pulled several clay orbs from her satchel. “Get back!”

The crew jumped back at her command, and not a moment too soon.

Kaede’s scattered orbs erupted in the middle of the collection of sirens, spraying all around them with a viscous fluid—a simple chemical concoction designed to absorb liquid as efficiently as possible.

Not deadly to elves or humans, sure, but the same couldn’t be said for the sea dwelling monsters who’d just been drenched in the stuff.

Any siren even touched by the fluid tried to escape back to the loving embrace of the sea, not caring in the slightest who or what they ripped apart as they fled the burning concoction that threatened to dry their slick, scaly hides right up.

It was the perfect distraction and worked as planned.

“Charge!”

All that was left of the battle was the cleanup, but the quicker we finished them off, the safer it would be. Some may have escaped, sure, but not enough to pose a continued threat to our crew—or any other ships who passed through the death zone for the next few months.

“So, what’s the plan now?” Lira strode through the crowd after we’d cut down the last of the siren swarm. I could see how such a mess on her baby girl’s deck irritated the pirate captain, but she bit back any snide comments about that little side effect of my plan.

“Nets.” I sighed as I cleaned off my blade with the spare cloth Kaede passed me. “I think it’s time we did a little Nerker fishing, don’t you?”

Chapter Twelve

Lanoi Sea near Monster Isle - Day 61

“A re you sure about this?” Kaede leaned over the rail on the Ravensworn’s stern as we made our way back toward our main target’s haunts in the Lanoi sea. “I’ve never heard of anyone trying this before.”

“Trust me, Kaede.” I turned and winked at the girl, who straightened up a little at my glance. “Everything will be fine.”

Of course, I couldn’t really discount her thoughts on the matter. She was right, after all.

I mean, only a lunatic would slaughter a swarm of sirens, pack their mutilated bodies into a huge net, and drag it through the Lanoi sea, attempting to lure out a monster from the depths below.

Madness. Insanity.

But that was my plan. The only reason I had such confidence in the strategy was because of the companions who fought by my side.

Specifically, Freya and her runesmith powers.

While we didn’t have any runesmith materials to craft more explosive arrowheads, like those I’d used to such good effect in the Iklit corridor, that didn’t mean Freya wasn’t able to pull something out of her hat at the last moment.

And fortunately, we had the perfect foundation for her newest invention in the hold below our feet.

Lira had reacted poorly to Freya’s request for a third of the remaining runesmith cannon balls. Though their individual power was below that of the explosive arrowheads, the cost per projectile was also comparatively lower. The downside was that the cost was still quite high—especially for a pirate captain without the title ‘pirate lord’ to back her up.

Still, the cannons wouldn’t even function without Freya’s intervention, so Lira didn’t have a leg to stand on.

Converting a cannon ball, which a single elf might struggle to toss more than a few feet, into something that could be fired from a bow? Now that would be quite useful.

Fortunately, some of my own attitude toward problem solving had rubbed off on the little crafter. Despite the magnitude of the task ahead of her, she didn’t panic or worry as she set off to do what needed to be done.

Even I winced, though, as I watched her slam the explosive shells with her runesmith hammer without a care.

One single misjudged swing and the Ravensworn and all aboard her would be sent to the bottom of the Lanoi sea on a one-way trip.

She pulled it off in the end though, just as expected. In case the other members of the crew got any ideas, we met in my quarters to discuss the plans for the upcoming battle.

“Brilliant work, Freya.” I lifted the newly crafted arrows she’d brought up from the lower hold for my inspection. Perfectly balanced, as all things she made tended to be, the things were truly a work of beauty. She’d even carved a sigil into the arrowhead, just above where it met the shaft.

It was a bow and a sword, held together with a twine of fabric.

“I appreciate the compliment, master, but they are poor substitutes compared to what I have made for you before.” Freya waved a hand dismissively at the pile of arrows she’d created from the remnants of a third of the ship’s cannon balls. “They’ll do for the task at hand, however.”

“Fancy. You do make pretty implements of death, you know?” Dew lifted one of the few arrows she’d been given. “I like them. Such a shame we have to use them up on some damn Nerker.”

No one complained that I’d been given the lion’s share of the magicked shafts—which made sense considering the differential in our relative skills with the bow—but Kaede did seem a little put off at the low number she’d received.

“Thank you, Freya.” Kaede gave the runesmith a small curtsy as she quickly hid her dissatisfaction. “I’ll make sure to use them well.”

“I know you will, Kaede.” Freya moved forward and pulled the girl into a hug. “You are master’s student, after all.”

Kaede perked up as she heard Freya’s comment, her smile once more lighting up the room.

“So, what’s next?” Dew flicked the arrow back into the quiver on her back. “The big boy pops up, then what? Shoot it dead?”

“I doubt that’ll work.” I pulled out a tome and flicked halfheartedly through its pages. It only took a few moments to find what I was looking for. I laid the book onto the desk, open to a specific image and description for the others to see.

“Nerker’s are basically overgrown sharks… but those spikes look deadly.” Kaede tapped on the large bones growing out of the creatures’ spine. “If it runs under the keel with those, we’ll sink without a trace.”

“Yeah, but it’ll be too busy dying to try that.” I tapped one of the cannon balls Freya hadn’t yet cannibalized with my foot. “Two of these should do the trick, don’t you think?

“For a normal predator… easily.” Kaede leaned over the book, staring at the rough sketch it contained. “But how are we going to get a direct shot? Unless we could shoot into its mouth, I doubt we’d do enough damage to phase it.”

“Oh, it’s going to be a blast, don’t worry about that.” I picked out one of the arrows Freya had prepared and tapped it against the beast’s face on the page before us. “Let’s show this thing how pirates lords’ hunt, shall we?”

∞∞∞

After reviewing the plan once more with Lira, we set the wheels into motion. The bait net was set, ready to be tossed over the Ravensworn’s stern as soon as we were ready.

While Dew had a few misgivings about the plan, Kaede hadn’t found a single thing wrong with it. I attributed that largely to the fact that it had been MY plan, but none of the others could come up with a better strategy.

So, with that strategy in mind, we’d set off for our goal, the last known sighting of the predator in the final stretch of the pirate’s supply route to The Ridge. The crew filled the large net with rotten chunks of siren meat and then lowered it behind the ship until the net danced in our wake, turning the sea behind us a vibrant pink as the crew piled on all the canvas we had on board, the wind driving us forward.

“Everyone ready!” I yelled out as the ship sailed through the last known activity of our target. “Any minute now-”

“There, captain!” The spotter’s high-pitched warning echoed out from above as he pointed behind us. “Incoming!”

“Hold!” I passed command over to Lira as I dashed toward the Ravensworn’s stern. Dew and Kaede stood there ready, magicked arrows already knocked as a massive ‘V’-shaped ripple rapidly closed on the sloppy net we dragged behind us. “Wait until it grabs onto the bait,” I instructed my companions.

“Brace!” I shouted to the crew.

It was then that I caught sight of the creature we’d been hunting for the first time.

At least two thirds as long as the ship and near twice as wide, it wouldn’t be difficult for the beast to chomp its way through the Ravensworn. The beast’s eyes, covered in a thick transparent film, glared at me as though it suspected my plan.

Of course, the monster acted purely on instinct alone. Why else would it launch itself into such an obvious trap?

“Ready!” I called out to Dew and Kaede as our target closed in. “Aim!”

It struck a moment later, its huge jaws latching onto the bulging net before the thing’s whole body started to twist and writhe. The ropes holding the bait to the back of the ship were thick and sturdy, but not strong enough to resist the monster’s raw power for long.

We knew they’d fail within seconds. But that was enough time for us to make our play.

“Fire!”

Three shots zipped toward the beast’s jaws. Sure, it had closed its maw around the net, but the sheer mass of the siren chunks in the wide net made it impossible for the creature to snap its jaws shut.

And that gap was more than enough for us.

Dew’s shot missed as the beast twisted to the side, harmlessly exploding against the thing’s thick outer hide, but both my and Kaede’s arrows slipped between teeth longer than my arm before the monster could react.

“Get down!” I yelled out as the enormous shark jerked back one final time, yanking the rope’s anchor free from the decking before it roared in triumph.

“Cover your ears but open your mouths!” Freya commanded.

Then, as planned, the two arrowheads erupted within the beast’s maw, setting off a chain reaction with the cannon balls wedged between siren corpses in the net.

All other sound was wiped out as a huge shock wave slammed into the ship; the deck heaved wildly, knocking several of the crew from their feet.

The Nerker… well, not much was left of the giant shark’s jaw. Most of its face had been torn away by the force of the explosion in its maw, but even so-

“It’s still alive!” I pulled out another arrow and shot it at the monster, to no effect.

“Brace for impact, it’s coming right for us!”

Chapter Thirteen

Monster Isle / Hidden Cove - Day 61

B efore Lira could even try to turn the Ravensworn aside, our prey took its final revenge, cutting below the ship’s stern and slashing open the hull with its sharpened spine spikes. The impact was so severe, that as the blow suddenly turned us nearly sideways, both masts twisted and shrieked in agony before finally giving up the fight against the sheering force of the wind. They splintered, almost taking several unlucky pirates with them as they toppled over the side into the sea.

“No! No! No!” Lira furiously slammed her fist into the wheel repeatedly. “She can’t go down like this. She can’t!”

“Lira, calm down.” I pulled her around by the lapels of her leather jacket to face me and gestured toward the shark, which had limped away towards the cliff face. “Look where it’s going!”

“What? We’re dead in the water! Why the fuck should I care where-” Lira trailed off as the Nerker, mortally wounded, pushed its battered head right up against the cliff… and the monster’s head disappeared.

It looked as if the creature was pulling itself into the seemingly solid cliff face.

“Do it!” She waved for me to take point on the large harpoon gun, which I did without hesitation. Lira twisted the wheel to face her ship toward the low entrance revealed by the still floundering shark. “We’re going in!”

The harpoon slammed into the shark’s tail just before it could pull itself from view, but adding insult to injury only enhanced the creature’s mad desire to escape to the relative safety of its lair.

And that tug was all we needed.

The Ravensworn rocked and swayed as it fought to stay afloat, but the very thing that had doomed it now worked just as valiantly to save it. Even the masts, shattered and broken though they were, drifted along behind the ship; the rigging tugging them along after us. Each wild pull dragged the ship closer and closer to the cliff’s face. As we approached, the secret of the Nerker’s destination became clear.

“What the hell is this?” Lira stared up in awe as we drifted through the relatively narrow entranceway, only to find the narrow gap opened up into a sheltered bay before us. “This place is perfect.”

“I know, but focus!” I pulled her attention back toward the Nerker’s corpse in the water. The beast appeared to have succumbed to its wounds shortly after dragging its battered body and our nearly as battered ship through the opening. The beast’s body floated in the shallows, pushed by the incoming tide against a beach made up of shale rock and dusty sediments from the cliff face above. “Deep or shallow, sinking is sinking, Lira. Get us onto that beach before you lose your baby.”

“Right... Right!” Lira shook herself and turned to her pirate crew. “Those who can swim, take ropes and drag us onto the beach. Those who can’t swim, bail as if your miserable hides depend on how much water we can shed—because it does! Now get moving, people. Go!”

The pirate’s responded well to the crack of iron in her command voice as they hastened to their assigned duties. At least half of the crew grabbed various bits of rigging and line as guide ropes, tying off one end to any anchor point they could find before leaping into the freezing water.

The rest set up a bucket chain, ferrying water up from the lower decks in any container they could find, fighting against the rising waters below decks with every load they dumped overboard as the Ravensworn slipped lower and lower into the chilly bay.

Dew and I spelled the two pirates who’d been working furiously at the bilge pump this whole time, slamming the levers up and down, time and again.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long before the crew who’d swam ashore were able to pull the Ravensworn into the narrowest section of the shallows, or at least up to where the ship sank another foot or two further before listing to one side, its top deck bare feet above the bay’s limited surf.

“That could have gone better.” Dew tried to speak jovially, but the true extent of the damage just hit Lira anew. The pirate captain stared forlornly at the extensive damage the Nerker had dealt her baby.

Both masts? Shattered from the sheering force of the Nerker’s impact against the ship.

The hull? Gashed and beaten almost within an inch of its life.

But the Ravensworn wasn’t dead, and Lira knew it. Somehow the keel had maintained its integrity. Sure, it would take a fairly long while to repair, but her baby would sail again.

“We beat it, though.” She finally spoke—her voice echoing across the beach after a long, awkward silence. Lira stared at the Nerker’s corpse bobbing in the distant surf. “A single tiny ship took down a Nerker. No one will believe it.”

“They’d better… once we drag that thing’s bones back to The Ridge.” Dew muttered under her breath. “And if that Daemon prick even mentions his slave shit again, I’ll cut his slimy little throat before he can blink.”

“I think master will take him out before you get the chance, Dew.” Freya spoke softly as she made her way back up onto the deck. The redhead looked more like a drowned rat than the brilliant runesmith and warrior we knew her to be. “Lira, I’ve patched up most of the larger holes, but we’ll need some additional material before I can do much more with respect to repairs.”

We all fell silent as we considered the problem. The Ravensworn may not have been in danger of sinking anymore but getting her seaworthy would be an impossible task without more wood and some tools.

Finding this hidden bay had been a stroke of luck, but like most places at the edge of the Monster Isle, our new home away from home didn’t have much in the way of amenities.

Still, the Nerker corpse would serve as food, as long as we mixed in whatever remained of the emergency rations stowed above the water line, to keep our diets relatively balanced. It would be months before we were in danger of starving to death—maybe even longer than that. The meat wouldn’t be the tastiest, even cooked, but at least it would provide all the relevant nutrients we needed to survive.

Water might be a more immediate problem, though we should have enough fresh water to last us several weeks. I’d have to see if we couldn’t set up some sort of rain catch, to supplement those stores. We’d still have to secure wood somehow, if we were going to sail out of here, though.

“Freya, how are the boots coming along?” I turned to our resident Runesmith, though I didn’t hold out much hope. “Any idea how long it would take-”

“To make them usable to climb the cliffs, master?” Freya guessed at my intent as she turned to examine Kaede’s odd boots. “Two, maybe three weeks? We’d need to test them, and they’d only be good for short bursts.”

“That should do it. I noticed a few handholds on the far wall—just not enough for a full climb.” I breathed a sigh of relief as I leaned back against the wheel stand. “Whoever makes the climb can take a bunch of rope up with them. It shouldn’t be too hard for me to make it up-”

“You mean me, don’t you?” Kaede interrupted, quickly. “I’m the best at using the boots, so I should be the one to make the climb, right?”

I paused and gave the girl a long, hard look. The trip up the cliff face would be treacherous, even deadly. A single slip up would mean certain death for the climber; yet she still jumped at the chance to do it herself.

Why?

“Kaede, you know we believe in you, right?” I stared into her purple eyes, forcing her to hold my gaze as I continued. “You’re an important member of the group—you don’t need to continually prove yourself, for us to care about you.”

“I- I know that.” She stuttered awkwardly as she backed up a few steps. “But it’s true, though, right? I’m the best at using these things… and Freya did make them for me. Wouldn’t it be best for her to adapt them for my use?”

I watched Freya as she considered Kaede’s points. It did make sense—if we relied entirely on the power of the runesmithed boots. But I was the best climber in our group. If the boots failed, then the fate of whoever dared the climb would depend entirely upon their speed, reactions, and strength.

On the other hand, Kaede wasn’t a weak little girl. She’d proved herself multiple times during our journey to The Ridge. No matter how much I wanted to, coddling her wouldn’t do either of us any good.

“Master, I think she’s right.” Freya spoke softly as she turned to me. “It would be much easier for me to enhance boots I’ve already made, rather than make you a new pair. Kaede has shown remarkable skill in their use.”

“Give the girl a shot, Wes.” Dew added as she bumped Kaede’s shoulder with her own supportively. “If she wants to save us, let her. I think she’ll do fine.”

“Fine,” I blew out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “It’s Freya’s call, how and when you make the attempt, Kaede.” I frowned at our runesmith. “Make sure they’re safe and you know exactly what they’ll be capable of… before you let her make an attempt.” I scratched at my cheek and glanced up at the cliffs which towered over us. “I don’t like it, though.”

“You’re my mentor, Wes.” Kaede kept her voice low and calm as she stepped toward me. “Do you really think I would let you risk yourself for no reason, especially when I can do the task myself?”

I nodded and pushed myself to my feet with a grunt.

Their logic made sense, and it wasn’t like I’d win the argument with all my girls uniting behind Kaede. Even Lira, who I’d expected to take my side since this choice endangered her ‘daughter’, had stayed silent as she watched from the sidelines.

“Alright, then.” I looked around at the mess we were in and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Don’t think that’ll get you out of helping us down here before you make the climb.” I reached out and bopped her gently on the head, then pointed up the beach to where most of the crew had settled down to recover from the battle. “We’ve got camp to set up.”

Fortunately, we had more than enough canvas to set up several tents. The fabric from the sails, which had been dragged into the hidden bay behind the ship, became shelters for the crew who could no longer stay aboard the Ravensworn.

“This place is perfect, though.” Lira repeated the phrase she’d used as we entered the hidden bay again. “Even the Ridge isn’t as out of the way as this place. We could set up a base here, maybe-”

“But what about everyone else who now knows about this place?” I waved at the pirates in the distance, who had pulled out a large barrel of ale to drown their sorrows. “One person blabs, and it’s not so hidden anymore.”

“I get your worries, Wes, but leave that to me.” Lira patted my arm as she moved toward the pirates carousing around the campfire near their hastily set up tents. “You just worry about what you’re going to do when we get back to The Ridge. I doubt Daemon will be happy to see the triumphant return of his ‘rival’, now will he?”

Chapter Fourteen

Monster Isle / Hidden Cove – Evening of Day 61

I  don’t know what Lira told the crew, but every single one of them swore to hold the location of ‘our’ new base to their dying breaths. Even the youth who’d only barely followed my commands a few days before bowed his head before me.

When Lira revealed how she’d secured their oaths, it all made sense.

“Equal shares in the Nerker bounty?” I glanced at Lira’s damaged ship, then back to the still grinning pirate captain. “And what about the repairs? We could probably get her back to The Ridge, but making her truly seaworthy will take a lot more than that.”

“Jean sponsored the mission, so the repairs will be on her.” Lira waved the issue aside as if it were as irrelevant as the weather to monsters of the deep. “What about you? Not going back on your word, are you?”

“Technically it's not ‘my’ word, you know?” I grinned as she winced. “But no, I won’t.”

I shrugged off her subtle jab at my high-elf heritage as I settled back against the cliff face. “Money isn’t important right now—what we need are a loyal and trustworthy crew. Spending some gold now to gain more later, will be well worth the expense.”

“Spoken like a pirate lord. Only idiots care about the coin they can get in the moment.” Lira slapped my shoulder heartily and turned away. “Oh, your cabin stayed dry as a whistle, by the way. Your ‘companions’ are waiting up there for you.”

Lira swaggered off back to the rest of the crew, who had pulled out yet another barrel of ale from the ship. Luckily, their captain had planned ahead—I knew that she had at least ten more barrels in reserve. The crew would drink their way through all of it, though, if someone didn’t put a stop to it sooner or later.

“Not my problem.” I dismissed such concerns until a later date as I moved back to the Ravensworn. The ship had settled pretty well, meaning the deck wasn’t too far askew, but the damage to her hull was far more noticeable, now that the tide had gone out.

The fact that Lira could remain so upbeat in the face of her injured ‘baby girl’ surprised me greatly.

At least it wasn’t difficult to get up onto the deck, thanks to the many rope ladders which had been tied to its side. Some crew members still preferred sleeping aboard the ship, despite the damage it had taken, but even those few wanted an easy way to leave and join their mates in the revelry on the beach.

“Hello, master.” Freya helped me up onto the deck as I climbed up from the beach, a warm smile on her face as she turned to lead me toward the stairs that led belowdecks. “How do you feel about Kaede?”

“A bit of an odd question, but I guess I can answer it.” I scratched at my cheek as I followed her down the stairs. “I like her. She tries hard—sometimes too hard—but it always comes from a good place. She’s a good kid.”

“A good… ‘kid’?” Freya paused and turned to face me, her expression inscrutable in the shadowy darkness of the ship's lower decks. “Nothing more, nothing less? No stronger feelings for her than ‘liking’ her because she tries hard to please you?”

“If you’re asking if I think about her ‘that’ way, then… umm… yeah, sometimes.” I shrugged, not trying to hide my desires. “But I have you and Dew already; there’s no way I’d throw that aside, you know?”

Freya darted forward and pulled me into a rough embrace, her body quivering slightly as her arms tightened around my chest. I was about to say something before she looked up, tears glistening in her eyes.

She pulled me down for a long, deep though tender, kiss.

“Thank you, master.” She whispered after she’d released me once more. “You know I love you. We both love you so much. But sometimes, you can be… a bit slow on the uptake.”

I guessed where things were headed, but decided to play along with the whole thing as Freya led me by the hand to the Captain's quarters.

Well, our quarters, to be precise.

“Wes!” Kaede jumped up from the chair so fast it fell to the floor. “They didn’t tell me- I mean, I should get going-”

“Wait right there, little miss,” Dew ordered from the bed, her voice high and haughty like a princess commanding her devotee. “I told you we had a test for you, and here it is.”

I glanced over at Dew, who had sprawled out across the bed. As she stared back at me, she ran her tongue slowly and seductively over her lips before biting down on her bottom lip.

So that’s how it was going to be.

“A test, huh? You want me to see how your student is doing, do you?” I grinned at Kaede, who blushed heroically as the clear connotations of the situation hit her anew. “She does seem to have earned some individualized attention, don’t you think?”

Dew peeled herself off the bed and sashayed her way across the room to me.

Under Kaede’s rapt gaze, the cheeky wood elf huntress pulled herself close, sneaked a quick grope of my crotch and, last but not least, helped herself to an extended snogging session for all to witness.

“There you go. All prepped for you.” Dew pulled herself back and gave me one last, sultry look before she slipped out the door with Freya in tow.

“We’ll be back later. You two have fun.”

I waited until the door clicked shut behind my two troublemakers before I turned to Kaede. The girl seemed shocked at the sudden turn of events but, surprisingly, she hadn’t tried to talk her way out of the situation.

Instead, it looked like she was looking forward to what might happen next.

“So… Kaede.” I sidled up next to the girl, close enough that I could feel the heat of her skin on mine. “What was it you wanted to learn from me?”

“Uh- I mean,” she faltered, “I don’t know, exactly. Maybe how to… please you?” Kaede mumbled, her eyes downcast as a cute pink blush spread up her chest all the way to the tips of her ears.

“The student should always follow her teacher’s instructions.”

“True enough.” I moved quickly, lifting the startled high elf off her feet and spinning her onto the bed. She only realized what had happened once she was lightly pinned under my body, our noses nearly touching.

Even then she only rested her hands lightly against my shoulders.

She was tense, as though she were worried I might pull away at the least sign of displeasure. I rolled onto my side, pulling the timid woman with me tight against my chest.

“Kaede, what do you think of me?” I lifted her chin up so she looked into my eyes. “No matter what you say—I promise that I’ll still teach you.”

I expected she might need a shock to wake her up—just in case this whole thing turned out to be some sort of scheme concocted by Freya and Dew. Of course, I didn’t think they’d purposefully make Kaede do something she didn’t want to, but I knew the girl cared a little too much about my opinions and views.

“I- I… I love you.” She finally all but shouted the words as she lunged forward to plant an awkward kiss on my lips. “I’ve loved you the whole time! I just want-”

I shut off her next words with a long, slow kiss of my own. She seemed a bit lost for a moment—unsure how to react—just as I’d expected, but she quickly picked up confidence as she returned my attentions two-fold.

“Well then.” I pulled back and tapped her cute little nose. “Here it was me thinking you just thought of me as your idol.”

“I do!” Kaede spoke quickly, though her fervor died down a bit as she spotted the surprise in my expression. “You’re wonderful. Everything you’ve ever done enthralled me my entire life. You were my beacon. The standard I tried to hold myself to; I never imagined I’d get to travel with you, to train with you, and to- well- umm-”

She stumbled again as her gaze dropped and a fierce blush pinked her cheeks. Fortunately, she wasn’t as awkward as Freya had been during our initial encounters, but I knew the girl's almost fanatical worship of me might get in the way.

“You know…” I paused, giving her neck several quick, loving pecks as my lips nibbled their way up to her earlobe. “I fucked up plenty in the past,” I spoke in a hushed tone, aware that my lips were right at her sensitive ears.

“I even flunked out of my very first archery tournament.” I chuckled ruefully. “I didn’t follow the rules, so they disqualified me.”

“Wait, they- Ah!” I interrupted her confusion by sneaking one hand down to give her firm bottom a quick, cheeky squeeze. “I don’t believe it. You never fail!”

I buried my face in her neck, mumbling against her skin.

“Kaede, I failed today. We could have died—every single one of us.” I pulled myself up and gazed deep into her troubled, violet gaze. “Damn it, we should’ve died. I always do my best, but you have to realize sometimes my best isn’t good enough. That’s why I want people by my side who can think for themselves—like Dew and Freya.”

“Ah, you mean when they offer contrary opinions about stuff, like your plan for the Nerker?” Kaede spoke quietly, my words finally starting to sink in. “You want me to- Ah!”

I pinched her perky ass.

“You want me to tell you you’re wrong?”

“No!” I lifted her off the bed a little and gave her supple buttock a light slap, which made her let out one of the cutest little yelps I’d ever heard. “I want you to think for yourself. I want… I need… you to tell me what you think...” My hand cupped and tenderly squeezed a pleasant handful, “… and what you want.”

“Oh, I will!” Kaede quickly nodded as I settled her back into the comfortable mattress. “Can we start now?”

“You can.” I grinned as I traced my fingers across her chest, slowly peeling back her nightdress to reveal the flimsy undergarments beneath. “And what is it that you want now, Kaede?”

“I- I want you to do the same to me that you did to Freya!” She said the words all in a rush, her cheeks a vibrant, embarrassed pink. “Please?”

I knew exactly what she meant, and it was getting difficult to hold myself back for much longer, anyways.

Kaede had spied on us several times, and on the last such occasion I’d had a one-on-one session with Freya. As demure and gentle as the redhead could be when we were in public, Freya revealed a different side of her personality in private.

“You want me to make you submit?” I growled.

I tugged Kaede’s bra aside and pulled one nipple into my mouth, giving it a quick, gentle tug with my teeth as I stripped the rest of the clothes from her quivering body.

“You have to be specific. Tell- me- exactly- what you want, Kaede.”

“Take me- Take me hard!” She finally begged, her hands buried in my hair as I nuzzled at her perky breasts. “Please!”

“So polite.” I ripped my own clothes off in moments and pulled the final piece of Kaede’s undergarments off to reveal her beautiful, pale form in all its glory.

“Are you ready?” I asked, my tip nestled between her inviting, pink, lips. The girl was so wet for me, the head of my cock was coated in her juices.

“I- AAAAHHHHMM!” She cried out as I buried my shaft as deep into her as I could with that first thrust. Damn she was tight.

“Ahhh! Wes! Please!” she gasped, clutching at my shoulders. “Again! More! Do it again!”

I didn’t need any more of an incentive than that.

As Kaede moaned and writhed beneath me, I pulled back, slowly and gently. Only once I’d nearly left her pussy’s velvet embrace did I slam back in once more.

And then I did it again.

And again.

And again.

Each time I worked more of my length into her tight tunnel until she embraced all of me. I could feel her squirming and shivering beneath me as little orgasms rocked her body. She’d clearly been wanting this for a long time, and I swore I’d do everything I could to provide her with exactly what she’d desired.

After a few minutes of mad coupling Kaede finally roused herself enough to realize what was going on.

“Wait!” She gently held her hands against my chest, stopping me mid thrust. I was worried that she’d reconsidered a moment too late before I noticed where she was looking.

She’d spotted the half open door, and the two pairs of curious eyes peeking into the room.

“Freya! Dew!” Kaede groaned, hurriedly covering her crimson face. “No! Why- AH!”

She barely contained the shriek that threatened to burst from her lips as I slammed balls-deep into her once more. Despite her protests and crimson cheeks, the way she squeezed down on me proved that having an audience did anything but lower her ardor.

“Now you know how it feels to be on the other side... of the door,” I whispered into her ear. Before she could form a response, I hilted myself in her once more, cutting off her excuses as she let out a low, pleasure filled moan.

“And it seems like you don’t hate it either, do you, Kaede?”

Dew and Freya stayed out of the room, as they’d promised, but I could tell that they were getting worked up as they watched me toy mercilessly with the silver-haired, high-elf beauty in my grasp.

I thoroughly enjoyed teasing out every single orgasm from the girl before I let myself go, releasing everything I had, all that I’d kept pent up for much of our extended session, deep inside her.

“That- Was-” Kaede slurred between pants as she flopped back into the mattress, exhausted but elated. Despite the red tinge of embarrassment that still clung to her cheeks, she couldn’t hide the contented smile on her face as she stared up at me. “That was… Perfect.”

“Oh, you think that’s it?” I smiled down at the poor girl as I shifted my hips to demonstrate just how ready and willing my body was to continue. “That’s just round one. What do you think, ready for another go?”

“Yes- AAAAAHHHHHHHNNN!”

Chapter Fifteen

Monster Isle / Hidden Cove - Day 65

T he next few days passed in a blur as everyone adapted to our new home.

Freya worked on enhancing and fine tuning the Runesmith boots while I worked on ‘fine tuning’ Kaede’s responses to my touch. She still wouldn’t do anything openly if the other two were in the room, but it was clear the girl’s confidence had grown substantially since she’d gotten her wish.

Apparently, if I could trust what Dew had revealed to me, Kaede had expressed her wishes before we’d even left Keria.

That meant she’d been holding it in for months. It wasn’t so surprising she’d erupted so furiously when given the opportunity to vent her desires.

Still, as the day finally came around where Freya was ready for Kaede to test out her new and upgraded boots, the girls brought out yet another surprise for me as Dew and Freya dragged me down to the Captain’s quarters to meet the final member of our gang.

“Dew, did you do this?” I stared bemusedly at Kaede’s cute little face, not sure how to take the pale tribal markings that marked her face and arms—marks that perfectly matched the color of her hair. “Did I miss a meeting or something?”

“You- Don’t like it?” Kaede’s expression dropped as she fidgeted awkwardly. “I mean- We thought that- Well, I thought-”

“I love them.” I pulled the girl close and held her against my chest until her tremors subsided. “It’s just quite the surprise is all.”

“Next we just have to persuade Freya, and we’ll be a matching set.” Dew grinned as she flicked her hair aside to show off her touched up markings. “And then maybe you could join in too?”

“Uh, no thanks.” I chuckled and shook my head gently. “I don’t have any issues with whatever you three decide to do, but I don’t think I could bring myself to wear them.” I pulled my sleeve up and showed them my pirate tattoo. “Sorry, one marking is more than enough for me.”

Dew shrugged as though she’d fully expected my response, though I could still see a glimmer of hope in her gaze when she turned to her other friend.

“I’ll… consider it, Dew.” Freya smiled as she lifted one of Kaede’s boots up from the table and held it up for me to see. “What do you think, master? I’ve double and triple checked them for safety; I’m just worried I might have missed something.”

“And you think I’d spot something you can’t see?” I chuckled and pushed the boot over to Kaede. “You two are the experts, you tell me.”

Kaede didn’t respond as she pulled the boots on quickly and tested them out in the room. There were no explosions, and she didn’t accidentally jump through the ceiling—both good things in my book.

The way a muted blue glow was barely visible on the boots’ heels, compared to their prior shimmer, indicated that their power output had been tuned to be far more efficient.

But, again, that was just a guess.

Runesmith devices were finicky at the best of times, and I still didn’t like the thought of Kaede trusting her life to the things as she climbed up the sheer, slippery cliff face.

“I think they’re perfect.” Kaede spun on her heel and flicked out a quick kick that blurred through the air in one smooth arc. “Much more comfortable, how did you do it?”

“Well..” Freya trailed off for a moment as she glanced guiltily toward Dew. “There’s a reason we haven’t seen Kiel recently.”

“Wait, you didn’t.” I glanced out into the corridor down and toward the hold in which Kiel had made his nest. “Don’t tell me you-”

“He won’t miss it! I only took what I needed and only with his permission.” Freya’s fingers tapped against a half open packet on the desk, causing a few long, loose hairs to slip out of the bundle onto the tabletop. “It was so much more efficient for the energy transfer, and Kaede told us they are lighter and easier to use now.”

“Wes, it’s fine.” Dew laid a hand on my shoulder, though the fact she was the one trying to calm me down came as quite a shock. “He’ll grow his fur back on the leg that we shaved in a few days—and it’s not like he’s going anywhere, at least not anytime soon, is he?”

“Fine, but we’ve treated him badly.” I sighed, thinking about the lonely shadow panther cub. In our several months of traveling together, the young shadow panther had grown so massive, he could barely squeeze his way through the stairway out onto the deck.

Lira had said she had a solution if he grew too large to leave, but it didn’t sit well with me that we had to leave a member of our group alone in the hold, down in the dark.

The only positive was that, according to Dew, Kiel actually preferred the solitude. Such explosive growth wasn’t the most pleasant of experiences, so the option of resting up while sitting safe and comfortable in the shadows, with meals regularly delivered to his door was an offer the shadow panther might bite my hand off to accept—even without it being ‘forced’ on him.

“Okay, let’s test the boots out.” I turned to lead the rest of the group up onto the deck, though I did pause before we stepped out into the open to give Kaede one last, searching look. “Remember, I don’t care if you fail. Just keep yourself safe up there.”

“Aww, he’s getting soft.” Dew punched my shoulder softly as Kaede’s cheeks turned red at my show of concern. “What about the rest of us, eh?”

I smirked at the blonde temptress. “Oh, I know the two of you will just do whatever you want, so why waste my breath?” I saw Dew almost snap down on my bait, but the wood-elf huntress held back at the last moment as we walked up onto the deck. “Now then, it’s up to you, Kaede.”

The high elf girl turned towards the bow of the ship, which the crew had dragged up onto the beach to prevent any more saltwater pouring in through yawning gaps in the hull. The very tip of the Ravensworn’s prow rested against the cliff.

I knew Kaede planned to use that point as a springboard for her difficult climb up onto the Monster Isle itself.

It still would be a long climb, made even more difficult by the coiled lines of rope she had to lug all the way to the top, along with a pouch full of anchor points she’d need to set up along the way.

But she didn’t complain in the slightest when we laid the ropes across her shoulders. For the briefest moment I saw her wince as she felt the full weight of the ropes, but that grimace vanished when she saw me looking her way.

“I’ll see you at the top.” She gave me a sunny smile and a peck on the cheek before turning and sprinting at full speed toward the cliff face.

And then she ran straight up the slippery surface without breaking her stride.

“How long can those things hold out now?” I turned to Freya, who was watching Kaede’s rapid ascent with rapt attention.

“Around a third of the way up.” Freya kept her gaze on the Runesmith boots she’d created, likely monitoring their power usage via the slowly pulsating runes spiraling on their surface. “But they’ll be able to regenerate their source at least three times, so that should be more than enough for a one-way trip up the cliff.”

“Yeah.” I grunted and glanced at the pirates on the beach, all of whom had turned to watch the spectacle of our high-elf thief turned pirate sprinting straight up a sheer cliff face.

“I think I’ll keep an eye on her anyways, just in case,” I muttered as I dropped down onto the most comfortable piece of deck I could find. “You two can go back down below if you want. I’ll call for you when she reaches the top.”

“Not on your life!” Dew plonked herself down beside me, wrapping her arms around mine and pulling it between her soft breasts. She snuggled tightly into my side.

“I’ve missed you, pretty boy.”

A quick glance showed that there were at least a few pirates who could see us on the deck, so that ruled out anything too obvious. Of course, there was no way I was going to act on the impulse I had to drag the wood-elf back down to my cabin for a thorough ravishing.

The thought was a nice one, though, and it did help distract me from the niggling concern I had over Kaede’s climb. Dew had probably joined me for just that reason.

Despite my having caught on to her antics, I kept that fact to myself as we settled down to watch our newest member as she clambered further and further up the cliff.

“Damn it, we’re going to have to climb up that thing, aren’t we?” Dew finally realized what would come next, once Kaede reached the top and her face paled slightly.

“And we won’t have her boots to assist us. How long is it going to take us to-”

I didn’t bother trying to stop the burst of laughter that pealed from my lips, even as I pulled the worried looking wood elf into my lap and squeezed her tight.

No matter what happened, these girls found new ways to surprise even me.

Chapter Sixteen

Monster Isle / Above the Hidden Cove - Day 65

K aede’s long climb up the cliff face was stressful to watch, but she did even better than I’d hoped.

The follow up slog of a climb for the rest of us wasn’t as easy, or as quick. It took most of that day for me, Dew and Freya to pull our way up the enormous wall. I made sure that the other two went first, so I could catch them should either of them fall.

Of course, that also gave me a brilliant view of their squirming behinds as they climbed. That little side benefit I decided to keep to myself.

Thankfully, none of us were afraid of heights, though I did notice that Freya refused to look down throughout the entire climb. Once we made it to the top, though, all other thoughts were pushed aside by what we found waiting for us.

Monster Isle was always spoken of—by hushed voices, in dark taverns—as a desolate wasteland, filled with little more than death and destruction. The people who had once lived on the gods forsaken continent were no more; utterly wiped out or scattered to the six winds by the great monster tide that crushed all before it.

We were shocked to find a verdant land, littered with lush vegetation, overgrown woods, and filled with the vibrant sound of bird song in the distance.

“This- This can’t be right... can it?” Kaede turned to us, still confused despite having had most of the day to get used to the apparent paradise laid out before us. “I thought this place had been stripped bare. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know why the stories were so far off, but it’s not relevant right now.” I glanced back down to check on several reinforcements slowly picking their way up the cliffs. “We need wood and other supplies—those trees over there will do. Freya, Kaede, stay here and help the others navigate that last difficult stretch.”

Dew pushed herself up as I rose to my feet, but her usual cheeky expression held an undertone of seriousness as she surveyed the fields between us and the wood line.

“What’s the plan, Wes?” She turned back to me, her arms folded tightly across her voluptuous chest. “Are we scouting or hunting?”

“Bit of both.” I grinned as I pulled out my bow and knocked an arrow. “A diet of Nerker meat would put me off eating fish for the rest of my life, so how about we spice it up a bit?”

Dew grinned as she pulled out her knives. Sure, she could use the bow, but I knew the feisty wood-elf preferred to get up close and personal with her prey.

A fact she’d proved to me many, many times during our nightly ‘pillow fights’.

“Master, we’ll be waiting here for your return.” Freya patted Kaede’s shoulder; the high elf looked ready to burst into tears at the thought of being left behind. “We’ll be sure to keep the others in line, won’t we, Kaede?”

“I mean, yeah. Of course!” Kaede perked up as she flipped to her feet. “Those trees won’t know what hit them.”

I chuckled at Kaede’s exuberant display as I led Dew away from the edge of the cliff. The pirates might get some wild ideas of their own if left unattended, so leaving the girls to supervise their wood gathering was a good idea.

Freya and Kaede should be more than enough to keep them working. And they’d be able to deal with any of the lesser monsters who might happen upon the woodcutting party.

But securing another good source of food required more than a single set of eyes, and Dew’s skills as a tracker and an herbalist would come in handy in the unknown forest before us.

Then again, it wasn’t like we’d need to go all that far to find what we needed.

“Oh, this is perfect!” Dew darted forward and picked an armload of off-yellow weeds from beneath a large bush. Their bulbous roots gave off a sweet scent.

“You normally only find a few stalks of this stuff left behind by the little woodland scavengers—though even that little bit is enough to flavor a few meals. This will do us for the next few weeks at least, once I teach our cute little runesmith cook how to use it.”

“Wait, you can cook?” I turned to Dew, who gave me a cheeky grin as she bound the clump of vegetation into a tight bundle with some twine and stuffed it into her pack. “You never mentioned that before.”

“Can isn’t the same as want to, pretty boy.” She grinned as she pulled out two leaves from her find. It took her only a second to carefully split the pair before she passed one to me and stuck the other into her mouth.

I followed her example, pleasantly surprised by the tangy sweet taste that filled my mouth.

“Freya and Kaede like cooking for you so much, it wouldn’t be right for me to take that away from them, would it?” she snickered.

To be fair, Freya’s cooking had improved dramatically with Kaede’s help. After only one of Lira’s rough and ready meals, the usually shy little mixed-breed and her more experienced high-elf partner in crime—at least when it came to cooking—took it upon themselves to occupy the ship’s galley.

Between the two of them, I swear I’d never eaten so well.

Freya set about cooking up a storm—in between her runesmith experiments and training with Kaede. With the spear, the redhead was mentor and teacher; in the galley, Kaede took over that role, teaching Freya all she knew. Dew might even have had some influence there, more than I knew about.

I can’t imagine Freya doing some of the tricks she’d pulled with me without the blonde devil’s coaching. The petite redhead had even pulled the fabled ‘naked apron’ trick on me once or thrice—I now looked forward to being called into the galley ‘to assist’ the cook.

But I shook such thoughts aside as we moved further inland. Though the area didn’t seem all that threatening in the afternoon sunshine, the continent hadn’t been repopulated for decades for a reason. Sooner or later our luck would run out, and we’d both need to be alert and ready when we met some of the island’s bigger denizens.

It only took us around half an hour to find signs of life that weren’t completely harmless.

“Rock badgers.” I stared at the snarling pile of beasts as they fought over the corpse of some sort of vermin. “What do you think, Dew?”

“Six in the scrum, with two more in the bushes to the rear.” She flicked her fingers toward the distant vegetation, which shivered and rustled as the hidden monsters watched for more prey from the shadows. “We’ll need to take them all down together. I can circle around to kill the sneaky ones if you take the six in the open. Yeah?”

“Hmm. Okay.” I settled down and pulled out six arrows, planting three before me in the turf and knocking three to my bowstring. If we didn’t strike them all down, the sounds of any survivors as they fled the scene might call unwanted attention our way. “How long do you need to get in position?”

“One minute.” Dew leaned in and pressed her lips to my cheek before she dashed off to stealthily sneak up on her prey from the rear.

She seemed confident, but that wasn’t all that surprising. Rock badgers weren’t difficult to take out, especially when they were distracted. Even Freya, before she’d learned to defend herself, had managed to escape up a tree when a group of them cornered her in the Waskis woods.

Hunting with Dew took me back to our long journey through the forests on my way home, after being marooned far from Keria. It had been months since we’d needed to worry about where our next meal was coming from, but somehow the freedom of our current situation triumphed over the dangers we faced.

Still, that would only remain true if today’s hunting trip was a success.

I sighed and focused on the distant monsters, aiming each of the three arrows on my bowstring at a separate target. Neck shots likely would be best, given the power of my runesmith-enhanced bow.

The badgers didn’t even have time to react as my first shots blew half of the group’s heads clean off. The remaining three froze up for a moment in shock.

That was all the time I needed to fire off my second barrage.

“Eight rock badgers. Easy pickings.” Dew grinned as she strode out of the undergrowth dragging two dead rock badgers behind her. “Kiel will like these, won’t he?”

I looked at the results of our hunt, mental calculations of our group’s dietary requirements spinning through my brain. The shadow panther, given how quick he was growing, would take the lion’s share. Literally.

But other than keeping Kiel’s bottomless pit of an appetite sated, what we’d gathered should be enough to last us for at least a week. Dew had also picked up a few more swathes of plant life which should liven up meal times significantly.

Especially one that she had taken great pains to point out—a flowering bush famous for how it enhanced… libido.

“Make sure you don’t use that on me.” I snorted as she dropped the two rock badgers on the pile in the clearing. “I don’t need any help in that area.”

“Oh, don’t I know it.” Dew pulled out the plant, which she’d called Rhintra’s Second Horn, and wafted it in the air triumphantly. “If you got any more ‘powerful’ in that way, I doubt all three of us would be able to satisfy you. Don’t worry though, I have the perfect plan for this.”

Noting the devilish grin on her face, I decided against asking her what she meant. Better that I didn’t know and could rightfully claim innocence whenever she executed her ‘plan’. As long as her scheme didn’t involve me, then she could do whatever she wanted.

Fortunately, Rock badgers weren’t hard to dismantle—most of the weight in their lumbering bodies was concentrated in the beasts’ heavy-set skeletons, especially their reinforced necks and thick skulls.

But all we needed was the meat. Rock badgers didn’t have any other parts on them worth keeping, so the rest could be discarded. At a guess, it would only take a few hours before the scavengers of Monster Isle decided things were safe once more and descended on the ‘feast’ we’d left behind for them.

“That was easier than expected.” Dew sighed as she flicked the blood from her daggers which had been pulling double duty as butcher’s blades. “Before we head back, though, I have a bone to pick with you.”

“Oh really?” I paused for a moment, hearing the edge in her tone, but then finished packing the last of the stacks of meat into a loose package. Running my hands through the dirt to clean them, and the wiping them off on some large leaves, I turned to face the irate wood elf. “What’s the problem, Dew?”

“’What’s the problem?’ he says.” She strode toward me and poked my chest, hard. “You’re doing it to us… again!”

“Doing what?” I glanced around, as if any clues as to what I’d done might have dropped onto the ground. “You’re going to have to start making a lot more sense before I can help you out with whatever is bugging you.”

“You don’t trust us! You promised you’d be open with us, yet you still haven’t told us what your plans are.” Dew shook her head angrily and brushed away the tears that had started to well up in her eyes. “We don’t want much, Wes, just your trust. If you can’t even bring yourself to let us know what you want and hope for, then-”

“Okay, hold on just a second.” I raised a palm, cutting her off once I realized what the issue was before she got too spun up.

“You just want to know what I’m thinking? About the future?”

“Yes!”

“Fine,” I chuckled. “No big secrets, really. Eventually I’ll become a Pirate Lord, and when I do, I’ll consolidate my position so we can finally build ourselves a home—a home for all four of us.”

I smiled at the thought. “And then, together, we’ll investigate what the elven council is doing with the behemoths.”

I took a moment to bring my thoughts together before I continued. “The important thing is that we’re safe.” That was my biggest fear, really, that we’d get swept up into things so big that we’d never be safe enough to settle down.”

“Is- Is that it?” Dew blinked in confusion as she stared at me. “You normally plan so far ahead. What’s wrong?”

“I can’t think that far into the future. Not anymore.” I smiled and pulled Dew into my arms. “I feel like I should do what I can about the council, but honestly… I care more about you three than diving down that rabbit hole. You’re my family now. If making a move against the council or anyone else will put any of you in danger, then that whole mess can just go fuck itself, as far as I’m concerned. It’s not worth losing any of you over—it’s not my problem, at that point.”

Dew fell silent and leaned against my chest. Her tears dried as she pushed herself deeper and deeper into my arms, as though she was striving to meld our bodies into one.

It was surprising how much revealing my thoughts had affected her.

Dew had always been the most confident of my three elven beauties, but the way she was reacting to such a simple revelation proved her hidden depths went far deeper than I had expected.

Before I could bring myself to say anything more, Dew grabbed my head and pulled me down for a long, tender kiss.

I deepened our kiss and she groaned into my mouth. Her tongue played with mine as I hungrily dragged her down to the ground on top of me.

At least I’d had the foresight to drag her with me over to a soft looking grassy knoll, but from how focused Dew was on our kiss, I could tell that she could care less about where we were or what might happen if we were caught unawares.

Quite the opposite in fact.

As soon as I’d pulled her down on top of me, Dew’s hands frantically moved down to her top, pulling and twisting it as she nearly ripped her clothes getting them off as quickly as possible.

I sat up for a moment to drag my shirt over my head before I returned my lips to hers. Dew’s fingers dug down into my pants as she tried to both push them down while giving my cock several hungry gropes.

I didn’t bother trying to calm her down, and instead worked to help her remove my remaining clothes as well as the rest of her outfit. Fortunately, it was easy to remove her shorts.

Dew didn’t hesitate as the cool air met her naked skin. Without breaking our lip lock, she ground her hot, slick sex along the length of my shaft before reaching down with her hand and guiding my swollen head to her entrance.

She wanted it, and so did I.

The first thrust was enough to set off an explosion of several mini orgasms, but I knew that wouldn’t sate her appetite, let alone my own.

Our lips only parted once, as I flipped her around and settled back on my knees while gently but firmly lifting one of her legs over my shoulder. We couldn’t spend hours out in the middle of nowhere, so I decided to go hard and fast.

Our bodies slapped together as Dew trembled at my loving. My free hand found her full breast as I continued to slam into her to the hilt, again and again.

Dew’s frantic moaning only increased in volume as I tweaked and pulled at a rigid nipple, twisting it lightly between my thumb and fingers.

After so long together, I knew exactly what she loved most.

“I- I’m-” Dew bit her lower lip as she let out a long, loud moan. “I’m going to-.”

She cut off with a gasp as I buried myself balls deep inside her pussy and released my load into her depths. Her insides twitched and convulsed around me as the strongest contractions of our session threatened to overcome her. The way she clamped down around me as we both cried out in mutual orgasm was unlike anything we’d experienced together.

The feeling of little aftershocks sparking inside the shivering wood elf made it hard to catch my breath. It took me a minute to realize Dew was crying.

“Shhh,” I soothed her. “What’s wrong, love?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she hiccupped. “I just love you so much.”

I grinned, relieved. “So they’re tears of joy, then?”

“Yes,” she laughed. “You just made me cum so hard, it came out my eyes.”

I wiped her wet cheeks and kissed her again, laughing.

It took a major effort to stop myself after that from launching right into round two, but we had to get back to Freya, Kaede, and the others.

The rest of the journey back to the cliff wasn’t too bad, though I had to prod Dew along each time she stopped along the way to pick various flowers and stalks as she spotted more and more useful herbs, either for cooking, or for other more sinister purposes.

For some reason, as I hauled back two large skins full of meat, I developed a bad feeling about our companions, as though there was a dark cloud hanging over our little expedition. It felt like if we didn’t hurry back soon, something terrible might happen to them.

Dew picked up the pace, catching on to my agitation. We were jogging when we reached the supply team.

My fears were vindicated as a tense standoff came into view.

“Kaede, what’s going on?” I glanced at the silver-haired girl, who was flanked by Freya and a few of the woodcutting team. The rest of the pirate resupply crew stood opposite them, their eyes bloodshot and their expressions filled with rage as they rocked back and forth on their heels.

Their odd behavior aside, I could tell one thing. They weren’t happy, and for some reason, their rage was focused directly at Freya.

Chapter Seventeen

Monster Isle / Above the Hidden Cove - Day 65

“I  don’t know, Master.” Freya glanced back at me worriedly from where she’d ducked down behind Kaede and the rest of the group. She held up a small pulsating orb, who’s slow throb seemed to be mirrored by the rocking motions of the incensed pirates.

“We were scouting out the forest around the grove where the crew were chopping down trees and Freya found an old shrine, which held a device of Runesmith make,” Kaede supplied, shrugging. “She brought it back, but then it activated and- Well-”

“Okay.” I turned to our runesmith. “Can’t you turn it off?”

Freya shook her head sadly, flicking her fingers across the orb again.

No dice. Damn it!

Why now, of all times?

I moved in front of the group who didn’t seem to be out of their minds and stared down the furious, though strangely hollow-eyed crew members before me. Sure, it wouldn’t be too difficult simply to put them down, but such a move wouldn’t endear me to the incapacitated pirates’ friends and comrades.

If worst came to worst, I’d have to give them a quick and painless death—not that I wanted to.

“Master, I’ve got it!” Freya yelled out as I contemplated the agitated, swaying mob. “I think I’ve figured it out. We just need to hold the device against each of their heads for a few seconds, that should dispel the effect!”

The orb, which had been happily glowing in Freya’s grasp, let out a high pitched whine as soon as she’d finished speaking.

And then the blank eyed mob returned with one of their own, but somehow even louder.

“Alright! Knock them down or knock them out!” I unclipped my sword from my belt, sheath and all, and held it above my head as the possessed group slammed their feet into the ground with a steadily increasing rhythm. “The rest of you hold the line-”

“RRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHH!” One of the mind-controlled pirates leapt forward, his sword thrusting toward my chest-

“Too slow,” I grunted.

I parried the blow and slammed my sheathed blade into the man’s forehead, knocking him out in a single blow.

Unfortunately, that brief exchange was the spark that lit the fuse of battle.

Both sides were equally matched, numerically, but the berserkers held an unfair advantage. Though their opponents were doing everything they could to avoid killing or even severely injuring them, they didn’t even have to take care.

In fact, they seemed to want nothing more than to rip apart their former friends and allies, all to reach the Runesmith hidden away at the back of the group.

At least, she was hidden away at first.

Freya dashed out, her spear sweeping across the enemy forces mercilessly. For a moment I thought she had struck to kill, but then I noticed that she had spun the weapon around so she could lay into her opponents with the blunt end of the shaft.

Still, any pirate hit by her fierce blows would still feel it… once they woke up.

The crew who fought by our side struggled to take down their foes in a similarly non-lethal manner, likely due to the cutthroat nature of their usual fights. Dew did well enough, as did Kaede, but the lion’s share of the fighting was left up to me and Freya.

“Duck!” I forced one of the friendly pirates down, narrowly allowing her to dodge a brutal slash from her opponent. The woman didn’t even have time to thank me, before another possessed comrade moved in and caught her attention.

“Damn it all to the seventh hell!”

I had to spend an equal amount of time protecting my compatriots, as I did knocking out my own opponents. Our enemy didn’t care in the slightest for whatever injuries they might sustain as they charged into the group, trying to overwhelm us through sheer force of numbers.

The brutal melee continued on, with me as its epicenter as our group was slowly surrounded. Despite the losses taken by the rage filled pirates, they still outnumbered us three to one and some of our side lay writhing in pain in the dirt.

No fatal injuries, thankfully, but that wouldn’t remain the case for much longer.

“Fuck this,” I snarled. “Freya, guard the rest.” I grit my teeth and forced as much power into my legs as I could muster. “I’m going to end this… now.”

“Master-” Freya called out, likely to try and stop me, but she was too slow.

Because I dived into the crowd of infuriated pirates before she could pull me back.

Blades of all shapes and sizes turned in my direction as I rolled into their midst, but they were all too slow.

Still, the sheer number of opponents I now faced would make for a tricky fight. But it would relieve the pressure on my girls.

Hopefully.

“Shit!” I ducked below two serrated swords, barely avoiding them as they swept through the air inches above my head.

“Come and have a go, then!”

Without having to worry about anyone else, I was free to focus on offense over defense. Sure, I was surrounded on every side by berserk foes—but that just meant more of them were within reach, making it that much easier to whack them in the head.

“Hahaha!” I landed a spinning kick to one possessed pirate’s temple and used the momentum to slam my sheathed sword into the head of another behind me. “Nighty night!”

As my Navy trainer had always said: ‘Offense is the best defense. Best to kill them before they kill you.’

Technically, I wasn’t ‘killing’ my opponents, but the logic still applied.

But as more of the possessed group crowded around me, my ability to take them down in quick succession dropped off. I spent more time dodging and blocking their blows than I did striking back.

“Arghh!” I hissed as one of them finally landed a strike, if only barely. The pirate’s sword cut through my shirt, leaving a thin red line across my chest.

Not deep enough to bleed profusely, but it was the first injury I’d taken in a long while.

Anger raged through my system and I redoubled my efforts, beating down the surrounding possessed crewmen through sheer willpower and fury. Power flowed through my limbs as I batted their wild strikes aside with ease, responding with my own instinctive, brutal counters.

“Wes!” Dew’s voice rang out after I’d taken down yet another enraged pirate with a knife-hand strike to the neck. “We’re almost done. Are you alright!?”

“Yeah!” I darted back from a vicious thrust and slammed my knee into the attacker’s face. A loud crunch as I broke the pirate’s nose caused even me to wince a little. “How many are still standing!”

“None soon!” Kaede darted forward and ducked down, sweeping her leg out in a powerful low kick that knocked the last two raging pirates off their feet. Before they could recover, Freya and Dew sprinted up and rained down further blows until the trio fell still.

Unfortunately, it looked like several members of our group had been injured in the battle.

“Freya, dispel the device’s control. Kaede, stay with her, just in case.”

The pair nodded as they moved to the nearest unconscious pirate as I pulled Dew over to our bedraggled allies. “Do you have anything in your bag to help them, Dew?”

“Sure. Give me a hand.” She pulled out several vials from her satchel and set to work, with me assisting as needed.

Most of their injuries weren’t severe, but a few had taken some nasty cuts as they’d tried to subdue their possessed comrades. Those were sealed up quick under Dew’s ministrations, but the two who’d broken an arm and a leg didn’t get off so lucky.

For that unfortunate pair, I’d had to set the broken bones in their arm and leg before Dew could lock it down in a splint.

Short, sharp shocks—that was my motto when it came to first aid. The pain would be intense, but quick. At least it would be over soon.

My patients didn’t seem to agree with my methods, though they at least tried to show a brave face in front of their friends.

I even learned some new swears. I guess sailors did know all the good ones.

Some of the less injured pirates snickered at the more colorful exclamations—expletives that called my heritage, family… and relationship with a fire goat?... into question.

Seriously, they’d just beat their own friends down and barely escaped with their lives, and they were laughing about it? Pirates really are bizarre.

The thought hit me anew, when I realized I WAS a pirate. The irony of it all forced a chuckle out of me, which my patients didn’t seem to appreciate. I waved their complaints aside as I continued working with Dew.

“We’re done, Master.” Freya walked back over to me, the shining orb still clenched firmly in her grasp. “They’ll be fine in an hour or so.”

“Alright.” I sighed and pushed myself up, my gaze firmly locked on the little Runesmith device that had caused so much trouble in the first place. “But what about that? Can we destroy it?”

“I- I don’t think we should, Master.” Freya glanced down at the orb awkwardly, then looked back up into my eyes. “I think I know what went wrong, and it could be… useful.”

“Hmm.” I glanced back over my shoulder at the exhausted group of pirates, then down at the numerous unconscious crew who had been possessed by the orb.

Well, not possessed so much as compelled to try to kill the one who wielded it.

Mind control was a thing of myth and legend. While you could alter a person’s emotions and desires, directly manipulating their thoughts and ideas was a far stretch. The orb didn’t seem to have done that, which was a good thing, but there was no way I’d want it on my ship if we weren’t clear on its power, and the things origin.

“First, take me to this ‘shrine’.” I put off my decision until I knew all the facts. “Dew, Kaede, keep a watch. Start lowering the injured members back down the cliff, but keep an eye on your backs.”

“Of course, Wes.” Kaede glanced at Freya, who still avoided looking at the injured crew members, then leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “She thought it would be helpful to you. Please don’t be angry at her.”

“You really think I’d do that?” I pulled Kaede against my chest and gave her firm behind a quick squeeze. “You’ve both got a lot to make up for. Just you wait for your punishment tonight, young lady.”

And then I turned and left the blushing high elf with a grinning Dew, who I could tell had overheard my warning slash promise.

“No rest for the weary,” I sighed and shook my head as Freya led me into the forest.

But I’d gladly soldier on, no matter how hard, or deep, I needed to go.

Chapter Eighteen

Monster Isle / Above the Hidden Cove - Day 65

T he so-called shrine turned out to be little more than a stone pedestal, half buried beneath a collapsed stone plinth at the edge of the forest.

At first glance, it looked to be little more than an odd pile of rocks, but up close I could see faint Runesmith markings, long since faded due to age but still recognizable just under the stone’s surface. Freya’s attention flicked to the orb as she surveyed the carved symbols on the pedestal, as though she could read something in the runes that I was missing.

But other than that, there was nothing on or near the shrine to explain its presence. No remains of a path, hinting at a prior pilgrimage route. No obvious hints that there’d been any villages or dwellings nearby.

Nothing.

But why then had such a powerful runesmith device like the orb been stored in such a remote location.

Fear?

Maybe, but the cliff wasn’t far away. Why not simply toss it into the ocean and be done with it?

Reverence? Possibly.

If it truly was an ancient Runesmith device, then it was likely that whoever had found it hadn’t understood its proper use.

Not that I did either, but at least we knew what it could do—in a basic sense.

“Freya.” I pulled her attention away from the shrine with difficulty and indicated the orb in her hand. “What is this thing? And why are you so intent on keeping it?”

“It is a weapon, Master.” She lifted the glimmering sphere up to eye level and stared at its shimmering surface, which blinked back slowly in response. “I know it’s dangerous, but I think I can control it. I can’t explain why… but I have a feeling we’ll need it, eventually.”

“Right.” I glanced back at the crumbling shrine, then down at the orb clenched in Freya’s grasp. “And how sure are you about being able to control it? Didn’t it go mad just a short while ago?”

“Ah… that was my fault.” Freya avoided my gaze as she winced, awkwardly . “I got excited and tapped this rune here-”

“Wait!” My hands flicked out and grabbed her finger quickly, though I did notice a moment later the cheeky grin she had on her face.

She’d finally managed to get one over on me.

I blew out a breath, rolling my eyes at the smirking redhead. “Don’t do that again, Freya. You’re telling me… it’ll make people go mad if you press that rune? Really?”

“Not exactly, Master. I can time it to activate, then anyone already affected by the first effect will try to take it back.” She rolled the orb around in her palm like a toy. “I can also make it stick to whatever it touches, I think. It could be useful, but it’s up to you what we do with it.” She looked back at me with those vibrant blue eyes that I could drown in.

“I trust in your decision, Master.”

The pros and cons of such a ‘weapon’ fought for attention in my mind. High on the list of my concerns was the possibility of it activating mid voyage, but Freya promised me that she’d figured it out.

And I trusted her implicitly when it came to runesmith devices and their myriad uses.

It wasn’t like I had any hold ups about actually using the orb on my enemies. Sure, it wasn’t the most honorable of weapons, but we were pirates for fuck’s sake. Even in the Elven navy, I’d been taught to strike fast, and to strike hard without remorse.

Why not let my foes do some of the striking for me?

“Okay, fine. But I want you to keep an eye on it—don’t let it out of your sight.” I leaned down to give the shrine another once over, just in case Freya had missed anything.

Jack squat, unfortunately. She’d been thorough, as always.

“Thank you, Master. I appreciate your faith in me.” Freya bowed her head slightly and tucked the orb away in her satchel. “We can keep this just between us, if you’d like?”

“Dew and Kaede should know, Lira too. The rest would just freak out.” I shrugged and turned to lead Freya back to the group. “Come on, let’s get back to the ship. I need a rest after all this rubbish.”

“Oh, I doubt you’ll be resting, Master.” Freya jumped forward and wormed her way under my arm. “You’ve got to punish us, remember? And I think I deserve an extra-long, special punishment, don’t you think?”

Again, I was reminded of the differences in Freya’s personality in public and in private. Soon, thoughts of what I’d do to the pair of beauties for their ‘punishment’ washed away all other thoughts.

This was going to be fun!

It didn’t take as long as I’d been afraid it would to lower the injured crew members back down the cliff, once several of the uninjured crew set up a pulley system.

I had a brief scare, when the formerly rage-filled pirates started waking up. After they were made aware of all that had happened, I noticed a sharp shift in their feelings toward Freya and—by extension—myself. But that died down once the Runesmith took it upon herself to apologize profusely to the group.

Even the gruffest, most battle-hardened pirates couldn’t deny Freya’s humble admission and her request for their forgiveness, delivered with such grace and beauty.

Still, the way she deflected their anger and brought the crew back on her side was inspiring. Pirates respected strength and bravado, but Freya had used the exact opposite to win them over.

Not that I found it all that surprising. Honestly, most rowdy men and women secretly had hearts of gold. Or at least the tiny sliver of one, buried deep in their dark souls.

Once everyone was safely back at the bottom of the cliff, with the wood and meat we’d actually made the climb to gather, Lira pulled me aside—along with Freya—for a heated conversation in her personal quarters.

“Let me see this devil orb,” she demanded the instant she’d kicked her door closed. I could tell her attention was mostly on Freya, but she still threw the question in my direction.

“This is your room? It seems a bit small for a captain.” I glanced around Lira’s personal space, which looked to be at best a third the size of the cabin she’d given me and the girls.

“You punishing yourself for something?”

“I’m not the Captain anymore, Wes.” Lira gave me a hard look before she turned once more to Freya. “You going to show me the goods, girl?”

Freya glanced at me for confirmation, so I gave her a quick nod and a shrug.

Lira had heard about the runesmith device from her crew—though we’d planned to tell her, we’d been too busy supervising the lowering of injured and supplies down the cliff to do so.

The former pirate captain let out a low hiss and took a step back as Freya pulled the glimmering orb from her satchel. Though she’d backed away, her hand stretched forth almost longingly.

For the briefest of moments, it looked like Lira would touch the Runesmith device, but she pulled back at the last second, clearly concerned that the merest brush of her fingertips against it might activate the sphere.

“You’re sure it’s under your control now?” Lira stared hard into Freya’s eyes as she spoke. “If that thing goes off again, mid-voyage, then I doubt any of us will make it back to The Ridge alive.”

“I’ve figured it out. It’ll only activate if I want it to.” Freya smiled serenely as she dropped the orb back into her pack. “It’s my weapon, now… and my Master’s.”

“Huh. Another arrow in your quiver, Wes.” Lira sighed and leaned back against the door. “Just don’t use it anywhere near me. I fucking hate those things… no offense, Freya.” She closed her eyes and shivered.

“None taken, Lira.” Freya nodded as though Lira’s harsh words and reaction were nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing harmlessly around her. “I will keep it under control, you have my word.”

“We cut down several trees worth of wood. How long will repairs take?” I dropped into the chair by Lira’s desk and grinned at the pair as they both turned to face me. “I’m the Captain, right? I need to know these things.”

Lira grunted and pushed herself up from the door. I could tell she was irritated, but she composed herself quickly as she considered the issue.

“We have more than enough materials, how long the repairs take is largely going to be determined by the skills needed to get everything back to how they were.” She glanced at Freya and chuckled to herself. “As long as you lend your little genius to me, I doubt it’ll take more than a week.”

“Right.” I scratched at my chin as Freya looked at me expectantly. “Can you go and help her now, Freya? I don’t know why, but I have a feeling we need to get back to The Ridge sooner rather than later.”

“- Of course, Master.” Freya answered after a beat, her expression downcast as she stepped back. It took me a moment to realize why she wasn’t happy with my decision.

The cheeky little minx had been looking forward to her ‘punishment’.

“Tell you what. If you do a good job, I’ll reward you with ‘punishments’ all the way back to The Ridge.” I chuckled as Freya’s entire face lit up at the prospect, though the look of mock outrage Lira gave me about blatantly flirting in her personal quarters made me consider what I’d just said.

I’d opened up more than a little since being dumped in the Wiskas Woods. How my personality had changed since I’d met Dew astounded me anew, as I realized I’d just openly flirted with one of the several girls I was in a relationship with, in front of another woman I thought of as a colleague and friend.

Not that I’d ever tried to hold myself back in the past, but I had lived a repressed life, bound by high-elf society’s rules of courtesy and grace.

“Fuck ‘em.” I finally let out a hearty laugh and pushed myself to my feet. “I’ll be in my quarters, Lira. Please send Kaede and Dew down, I need to… speak with them. Give me a shout if you need me.”

“I think I’ll need to do more than shout to get your attention, knowing what you lot are planning on ‘talking’ about.”

I grinned, winked and gave the half-elf a jaunty two fingered salute. Lira placed a gentle palm on Freya’s shoulder as I walked out of the room, smile still plastered on my face.

“Come on, girl. The quicker we get started and figure things out, the quicker you can join in.”

Chapter Nineteen

Monster Isle / Hidden Cove - Day 70

T he ship repairs took even less time than expected, likely due to the encouragement I’d given Freya prior to beginning the repairs.

Unfortunately, she finished up with the repairs and the crew got the Ravensworn back into the water at the best point of the day to leave the hidden cove.

Lira had made it clear that I needed to be the one to take the ship back out.

It wasn’t too difficult, especially after we found a secondary exit from the cove that we’d ensured was just tall enough to allow the ketch with its newly repaired masts back out to the sea. The entrance through which we’d been dragged by the Nerker was too low for anything more than a large rowboat or the smallest of sailing vessels to make it through.

But now our little hidden cove had a way in and out for larger ships. Yet another point in its favor, as a potential base in the future. That was something I’d worry about later, though.

Sure, the crew Lira had gathered had come to trust and respect me, but they were but a drop in the ocean compared to garnering the support of the rest of the pirate fleet.

If I wanted to become a Pirate Lord, I’d need more than a small ship's complement of pirates at my back.

Lira had a different strategy, though.

As we traveled back to The Ridge, she revealed another part of her plan—one she’d been holding close to the vest until all the pieces fell into place.

“The Seventh Fleet?” I kept my gaze fixed forward as I steered the ship.

Lira, leaning casually against the side of the wheel block, bounced her eyebrows at me.

“An elite force with no allegiance to any of the pirate lords would rush to support me? That seems too good to be true.”

“Well, it is.” Lira grinned and leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “To tell you the truth, they don’t really want to be in the pirate fleet—but they are the remnants of the Monster Isles’ forces, or at least their descendants.”

“What?” The revelation was enough to pull my attention off our course for a moment as I turned to stare at Lira. “Why are they hiding out in The Ridge, then? Something's off here.”

Lira nodded and glanced at the towering cliffs of Monster Isle off to our port side. She didn’t speak for a few moments as she chewed on her lip, studying the clouds thoughtfully.

“I know some of their story, but they’re a cautious bunch.” She finally spoke, though I could sense the doubt in her hesitation.

“My bet is that they’d react well to someone outside of the usual fare of rowdy and aggressive idiots trying to win them over—especially one who could promise to reconquer their old home.”

I snorted.

“Worth a try at least,” she murmured before leaning forward over the railing.

It was clear she wouldn’t speak more about the matter, but I knew most of what I needed to already. The Seventh Fleet had abandoned the Elven Navy years ago. They kept to themselves and only helped out as much as necessary to retain enough of the pirates’ good will to stay in The Ridge.

Jean, Smith, and even Wraith had tried to win them over to their sides these past few years, with absolutely no luck.

But Lira seemed to think I would have a better chance of getting them to join me, which I found odd. I had no illusions about my own lack of diplomatic skills, given that I’d never really cared enough about being ‘diplomatic’.

Lira wasn’t wrong, though, it would be worth giving diplomacy a shot to gain such a valuable ally. The issue was what I could offer in exchange.

The Seventh had enough warriors to make the other pirate lords hold their tongues, along with the ships and resources to hold their own in a pitched battle.

And I had a single, overpowered ketch, a small but loyal crew, and little else.

Well, and a runesmith… maybe two, eventually.

“I can see you’ve figured something out.” Lira poked me in the shoulder and chuckled as she stepped back quickly to dodge my counter. “I’ll leave you to consider your options, Captain.”

I didn’t respond to Lira’s verbal jab. Of course, I’d considered Freya’s skills and what they could do for us—as a whole—but offering her up as a bargaining chip didn’t sit well with me.

On the other hand, she wasn’t the only runesmith in the pirate fleet.

If I managed to ‘save’ Smith and helped him to escape from The Ridge, the old elf would make a brilliant bargaining chip.

As long as the Seventh Fleet didn’t turn me in to Wraith, the instant I put such an offer on the table.

It was a risk, to be sure, but I couldn’t see any other strategy that wouldn’t lead to me wasting my life away slowly clawing my way toward the title and position I desired. Hunting down the Nerker would enhance my standing in the pirate fleets, and likely even bring some of the independent ships to my side, but that wouldn’t be enough to stake my claim.

“Master.” Freya climbed the ladder to the quarterdeck to stand beside me, a soft smile on her face as she looked out across the sea. “Will you be taking a break any time soon?”

“Unfortunately, no. Sorry.” I reached a hand out to stroke her soft braids for a moment before I returned my attention back to the gray waters in front of us.

“We’ll be back at The Ridge today, and I have some things I need to figure out before we get there.”

“The Seventh Fleet?” Freya walked around the wheel and planted herself directly in front of me. “Lira mentioned it to us, and I knew you’d be holding yourself back from using my skills-”

“No, Freya. I won’t offer you up on a platter, just to get them on our side.” I shook my head and snorted. “I will become a Pirate Lord, but I’ll do it my way. There’s not a chance I’ll throw you out as bait for those stuck-up pricks.”

“Ah, thank you, Master.” Freya was taken aback for a moment before she calmed herself once more.

I squeezed her hand.

“But what else can we do, Master? I know how powerful you are, but I doubt the Seventh understand what an opportunity they’d be passing up, refusing your offer.”

“You aren’t the only trump card we have.” I gave her a cocky smile and lifted her knuckles to my lips.

She blushed prettily, as the final pieces of the plan in my mind finally clicked into place.

“Remember, we’re one team with one goal. The other Pirate Lords each have their own aims and agendas and setting them at one another’s throats should be pretty easy for people with our skills and… devices.”

“Oh, you mean the-?” Freya trailed off as her hand drifted to her satchel. “But how can we use it to our advantage? Wouldn’t it be just as dangerous to our allies, as it is to our enemies?”

“Only if we don’t use it well.”

Freya nodded, clearly throwing all her doubts to the wind, having complete faith that I’d succeed in whatever I set out to accomplish.

She came around the wheel and snuggled into my side. Though I knew she wanted something more intimate and personal than just standing beside me for the remainder of the voyage, I couldn’t bring myself to pull away from the ship's wheel.

The new Captain returns triumphantly from his suicidal mission, destroying not only the vicious beast that had preyed upon the fleet’s resupply lines, but also the hopes of all who sought to undermine his endeavors.

If I wasn’t at the helm, then it was possible they might forget just who had killed the Nerker.

Sure, Lira had given her ship and services, but she’d made it clear throughout the whole journey that I was in charge. I didn’t understand why someone with her skills avoided seeking the Pirate Lord title herself, but I could afford to wait for her to reveal that secret to me whenever she saw fit.

But the rest of the crew clearly idolized me. I could see them flicking odd glances in my direction, as if they expected me to do something dramatic and heroic at any moment. The fact I was the one guiding the vessel home only added to the act.

Well, technically it wasn’t an act. I really was a pirate captain, and I did plan on becoming a Pirate Lord. There were just a few minor details I needed to take care of along the way; details I needed to be careful about.

First, I had to rescue Smith, but keep our moves out of Wraith’s or Daemon’s sight.

Second, bargain with Smith's skills to forge a bond with the leaders of the Seventh Fleet. Their forces and ships would be enough to make an impact on the current status quo of the pirate fleet.

If the others tried to rise against me at that point, they’d have to face my new forces—combined with Jean’s fleet.

Wraith, Daemon, and Jean’s power was fairly even, with Smith’s being on the weaker end.

At least, that’s how it would look to the casual observer.

I had no presumptions about the loyalty of Smith’s followers, though. The possibility that they’d all jump straight to Wraith’s banner the instant the old Runesmith left the fold was too great to ignore. There was also the possibility that the two remaining Pirate Lords would form a united front against Jean if I didn’t move fast enough.

My only other option was to slowly win over the trust of the many independent captains, along with that of the Seventh Fleet—all the while fending off interference from Wraith and Daemon.

“Fuck it all to the fourth circle of hell!” I threw caution aside and grinned at the cloud-free sky. “I’ll take them all down at once!”

Chapter Twenty

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 70

T here was no triumphant welcome awaiting us upon our return to The Ridge, at least not at first. Not many knew of our self-appointed mission—and even fewer had expected we’d actually pull it off—but that all changed once Jean was made aware of our arrival back at the hideout.

“So, ya actually managed it, did ya?” The Pirate Lord’s yell echoed out over the dock area, attracting the attention of every single pirate in the area as she strode over to the Ravensworn. “And yer ship lookin’ good as new. How’d ya pull that one off?”

“Ask the captain!” Lira pushed me forward to the railing and stepped back, hiding behind me. “He’s the one who figured it all out, Jean!”

Though Lira’s compliments had some merit, they were slightly over-exaggerated. Sure, I’d made most of the plans and I’d taken a leading role in the clash with the Nerker, but it was also true we wouldn’t have had a chance to take such a risk without her staunch support backing me up.

This wasn’t the time to allow my former virtues, not that humility had been counted as such before, to rise to the surface. I had no issues with boasting of my own achievements, of course.

“Easy!” I slammed a foot down on the Ravensworn’s railing and grinned down at Jean. “We chummed the water with the bodies and blood of the death zone’s sirens and then blew the Nerker’s face off when it tried to take our bait. No one will have to worry about either of those fuckers any time soon!”

It took a moment for my words to spread out across the docks, but once the pirates understood what I’d said, a loud buzz ran through the crowd. It was clear they were shocked by my revelation, but it was equally clear they didn’t believe we’d taken down such a beast in Lira’s little Ravensworn.

“Here’s the proof!” I waved at the crew members waiting behind me, motioning for them to lift up evidence of our victory. It took several strong men and women to drag the large collection of Nerker spines into view, but once the others below saw the long chain of bones, most of their doubts vanished.

They let out a deep, ecstatic roar.

Jean winked at me as she climbed aboard the ship. For a moment I thought she’d try to calm down the crowd, but instead, she picked up one of the long, spiny bones and held it aloft, working the pirate’s below us into even more of a frenzy.

“This is what we can achieve. No navy, no federation, just us!” She bellowed out, her voice cutting through the crowd’s cheers as she lifted the bony spine to the sky. She grabbed my hand and held it aloft.

“No one else could do this, but Wes killed the beast! Death to all who fuck with us!”

“YEEEAAAAHHHH!” The pirates stomped their feet and cheered from below as Jean let go of my hand and turned to me, a cheeky grin on her face as she tucked the Nerker bone under her arm.

“And what do ya think now, Wes?” The tall, dark-haired beauty leaned in so close her hot, needy breath curled against my cheek. “I’ve done enough to win some trust now, yeah?”

“A bit, yeah.” I flicked my hand out and pulled the bone back from underneath her arm before she could react. “But this is just the beginning, right?”

For a moment I feared she’d try to take it back, but instead, she just gave me a pouty look as she folded her arms.

“How dull. I thought I’d at least get a bit of action for that speech.” Jean snickered as she stepped back, her expression once more serious as she continued. “Smith’s been quiet recently, but Daemon has been workin’ to try to set all of us against ya. Thinks he’s being subtle about it, but he’s as shit at that as he is at, well… everything, really.”

“Oh, I have a plan to take care of Daemon. Both of them, really.” I shrugged off her intense look at this cryptic bit of information and glanced back at Lira, who was speaking with Dew, Freya, and Kaede. “But I’ll need a little time to get my ducks in a row before I’m ready to make my move. We need to be one hundred percent sure before we make any more pronouncements, or make our stand.”

“I guessed as much.” Jean nodded thoughtfully. “How long do ya want me to hold ‘em off for? A month or two is about as far as I can go-”

“Just give me a week.” I patted Jean’s shoulder confidently as she stared at me in surprise. “If I can’t get it done that quickly, then I don’t deserve to be a Pirate Lord.”

I left Jean behind at the railing as I walked over and corralled the rest of my inner circle, which now included Lira, taking them down to my cabin to discuss the specific details of our plan.

Unfortunately, Kiel would need to remain out of the way in the hold of the Ravensworn, yet again. If an enormous shadow panther randomly appeared in the middle of The Ridge, it would incite a panic or, even worse, a mass hunt for our friend as the greedy pirates sought to turn a quick profit on his hide, claws, and teeth.

But that didn’t mean he had no place at all in my strategy. It was always a good idea when gambling with company such as this to keep a trump card up your sleeve.

And we had several.

First, the runesmith orb Freya had found at the ruins of the shrine. Sure, its effects were less than entirely reliable, but I expected it would snare between fifty and seventy percent of anyone caught within its area of effect.

Secondly, the Rhintra’s Second Horn that Dew had picked up on our little hunting adventure. We had no need for it ourselves, but a little subterfuge never hurt—especially if we needed a huge distraction, when the time called for it.

And, last but not least, Smith. Of course, I knew that he wasn’t a piece I could actually take advantage of just yet, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t plan for his use.

There were a few other bargaining chips I hoped to bring to the table, but those would rely on my limited skills of diplomacy and persuasion, along with how well my companions went about solving their assigned pieces of the puzzle.

Dew had the most dangerous task, but that didn’t mean the others would be left without critical roles to play.

But haste makes waste, and there was no need to leap straight into executing the plan—we had to wait for news of our arrival and victory to spread. Sure, moving sooner rather than later would give us an advantage—particularly with regard to Daemon and Wraith not having the time to set up obstacles against us, but we needed the rest of the pirate fleets to learn of what we had done about the Nerker and the sirens.

That left me with some time on my hands.

Time I was more than happy to spend making up for a promise I’d let slip for far too long.

“Lira, we’ll be below deck if you need us.” I grabbed Freya and pulled her close in full view of the pirate captain. “I’ve got someone… er, something… I need to deal with.”

“Whatever it is, try to keep it to yourselves.” Lira shrugged and turned back to take command of her crew, who’d been lazing about ever since the exuberant reaction to our arrival at the docks.

“Oh, and I’ll keep an eye on what we discussed. Shouldn’t be too hard. “

It didn’t take long before Kaede joined Freya and I in our quarters. It pained me a little that Dew would miss out on the fun, but she’d already set off, working on her portion of the plan.

Either way, she’d given me her full blessing before she sneaked off the ship. In fact, she’d demanded I man up and take advantage of this opportunity to ‘punish’ Freya properly for her transgression.

“So…” I pulled the door closed behind us and made sure it was fully locked before I turned back to face Freya, who had seated herself on the edge of the large bed. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Kaede remained silent at her side, clearly aware she had already received her ‘punishment’, while Freya’d had to work fixing the Ravensworn, but unable to hide an expectant expression as she watched wide-eyed as I stalked the blushing runesmith.

“I-“

“We!” chimed in a grinning Kaede.

“We- know what we must do.” Freya’s face burned a brilliant scarlet as she pushed herself to her feet and slowly started to strip in front of me. “We’ll do whatever is necessary, Master, to wash this stain from our honor.”

The sharp contrast between the normally meek and polite crafter’s demeanor and the bawdy sight before us set my mind ablaze.

Even as she too undressed, Kaede couldn’t peel her eyes away from the scene playing out in front of her.

“Oh really.” I grinned as I closed in on the now naked girl, allowing my eyes to take in every nook and cranny of her delicious body before yanking her over to me, holding her tight against my chest. “And what are you prepared to do, to make amends, huh?”

Role playing was one of the things I knew Freya loved most. It probably explained her whole ‘Master’ nickname for me, though it wasn’t as if I hated how the word sounded—at least when it came from her sweet lips.

But still, teasing the prim and proper high-elf into a frenzy was the most fun I’d had in a long while.

“I-” She mumbled as she forced her gaze upward to meet mine. Her arms drifted up slowly and entwined behind my head as she pulled me down toward her. “I’ll do anything, Master.”

Kaede looked on from beside us as our lips met for the first of several long, passionate kisses. Freya sucked on my tongue greedily, as though she couldn’t wait to have as much of me as possible inside her, as soon as possible.

“Mmmm.” She moaned into my mouth as my hands slipped down her back, taking in every curve as I traced my way down to her smooth, yet firm buttocks.

And then I gave each of them a gentle squeeze.

“MMMM!” She twitched at my touch and pressed her body against me so roughly I felt the points of her hard nipples pressing through my shirt.

And that was all I needed.

Without releasing my kiss, I lifted her from her feet and propped her back up onto the bed. The mattress sunk down as I settled on top of Freya, pushing her deep into the down comforter as my hands caressed their way back up her body, until I was kneading her bountiful breasts.

“Ah!” She jerked back with a yelp as I tweaked and then rolled her nipple between my thumb and fingers. That distraction lasted but a moment before she’d locked her lips hungrily to mine once again.

I knew that Kaede wouldn’t be able to hold herself back for much longer. Whenever she thought I wasn’t paying attention, the horny little high elf took a sneaky step closer to the bed, to the point where she was within reach at the edge of the bed-

“Come here you!” I reached out and pulled Kaede down beside Freya before she could react. The girl froze up for a moment as my hand slipped beneath the only thing she still had on, a tight yellow pair of silk shorts. The tension in her body relaxed as soon as my fingers brushed over their objective—and oh what a hot and dripping wet objective, it was.

Kaede locked up with a gasp yet again when I sank two fingers knuckles deep into her warm, wet core.

“Master… Ooh!” Freya only just noticed that I’d become slightly distracted, but she seemed anything but annoyed by the development.

Kaede’s eyes had squeezed shut the moment I started playing with her, as usual, which meant she didn’t see the horny look her friend threw in her direction.

I could tell what Freya wanted to do, and I had no hang ups with her naughty plan, not in the slightest.

Kaede’s eyes flicked open in shock as I moved on top of her and just pulled her silk shorts to the side, but she tensed up again as I took one of her pert nipples in between my teeth. I could feel her vagina tensing up around my fingers, which was proof enough that she was about to launch into a second orgasm.

But I pulled my fingers out just before she reached the tipping point, shifting my lower body up toward her head.

“Wha- OOOHH!” Her mouth went wide as my cock swung into view. Behind me, Freya’s head dove between Kaede’s thighs.

The girl didn’t quite understand what was happening for a few moments, since I loomed over her and was filling her mouth with my girth and couldn’t possibly be the one making her moan around my shaft.

The second she figured it out, her expanded cheeks blushed vibrantly.

“Mmmm!” She let out a long, muffled moan as I tilted my hips forward, pushing the head of my cock into her throat. Her tongue lashed back and forth against the underside of my shaft as her cheeks hollowed out. She sucked greedily, trying to swallow me whole.

Pleasure jolted through her from both ends of her body as I thrust myself deep, again and again. I knew exactly what she loved, and Freya had figured out exactly what the purple-eyed beauty’s weaknesses were from the spying she’d done with Dew, during the trip.

Turnabout was fair play; it wasn’t only Kaede who enjoyed watching from the shadows, apparently.

Still, I knew she wouldn’t want me to finish in her mouth, though she really got off on giving me head. But I knew how much she loved the feeling of me exploding deep inside her.

So, after we played with her long enough to work her up into a massive frenzy, I gestured at Freya to let her know my plan.

As I felt Kaede’s body tensing up for yet another tremendous orgasm, I pulled out and shifted down. Before she could react, I slammed myself into her tunnel to the hilt, burying my entire length in her quivering pussy.

“OOOOHHHHH!” She clamped down hard as her body was rocked with pleasure, a pleasure that only spiraled upward as I pistoned into her again and again, keeping her riding high on a wave of ecstasy, all the way to my own release deep within her core.

“Good work, Master.” Freya knelt beside me and pulled me in for a long, loving kiss. I tasted the tang of Kaede’s juices on her lips.

“Sorry, I know this was meant to be just for you.” I gave her a wink as I pulled myself clean of the now barely conscious Kaede.

“I’m not worried, Master—I have you all to myself for the rest of the night!”

Chapter Twenty-One

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 71

O bviously, we hadn’t gotten much sleep the previous night, but our base stamina and endurance gave us an advantage in that regard. In fact, we were more alert than the other members of Lira’s crew, especially after they’d taken advantage of the opportunity to ‘celebrate’ their return with the remaining barrels of alcohol in the hold last night.

Dew had set off the day before, and I had to fight my instincts to check in with her progress. I trusted her of course, but the task she’d taken on was almost as difficult as my own.

Still, focusing on the potential issues she might face would help her not at all and add nothing toward achieving my own goals. Instead, I’d do better to set my sights on the target I’d set myself.

It wasn’t like I’d be able to achieve what I aimed for, simply by wanting it.

With that decided, I took my leave from the Ravensworn without a word to Lira or her still snoring crew—though I did pause to give Freya a long, passionate kiss before leaving her behind.

She would stay on Lira’s ship, alone except for Kiel, until we set the plan in motion.

Kaede kept up with me as we moved along the outskirts of the lower levels of The Ridge. The cavern was big enough to fit several large vessels abreast. To top it off, there wasn’t any way to cross directly over from one wall to the structures mounted on the other wall. We had to walk around the entire area to get to our destination.

The headquarters of the Seventh Fleet.

Each pirate lord had two fleets under their command, each of which was large enough to hold in check any of the other pirate lords’ fleets. No one was stupid enough to make a move on a fellow pirate lord when the others could easily take advantage of their relative weakness to make a move on them.

That didn’t include, of course, the last and technically largest of the fleets—the Seventh.

The only thing that kept the others from trying to take them over was the oath the Seventh’s leaders had taken when they first entered The Ridge. They promised assistance to the other fleets, in return for permitting them safe haven in the pirate’s hideout.

So why should they help me?

It was a simple question, with a complex answer; one I hoped I’d figured out.

“Hold!” A low, booming voice echoed out as we approached the border between the normal areas of The Ridge and the section reserved for the outcasts of the last fleet. Though there was only a rickety looking gate in our way, I knew that passing that flimsy blockade would be difficult, if not impossible, if I’d guessed wrong about the Seventh.

“What business do you have here?” the sailor on picket duty growled.

“I need to meet with your leaders!” I yelled up, my voice strong and confident as I set my hands on my hips. “Will you let me through?”

“And why would we do that?” a second voice echoed out from above, cutting off the gate guard before he could respond. “We paid our dues already, pirate scum! Now scram!”

I’d expected such a response, but I had hoped to at least get past the first barrier before I faced such stiff opposition.

Never mind. I sighed and shook my head before turning to face the new speaker.

“Because I know your secret… and I know how to make it come true!” I shouted back at the upper levels, despite the fact not a single person had showed their face to speak to me civilly.

“I suppose I can go and tell the others, if you want, or maybe-”

“Wait just a minute.” A cranky, wizened voice muttered as someone pushed open the gate. As the rickety enclosure swung wide, it revealed a stooped, elderly man leaning heavily on a polished, carved walking stick.

“You know our secret, do you? Not the first to have tried that line on us, you know?”

“I thought as much. I do have proof, though” I kept my voice light and calm and my hands in the open as I stepped toward the old man. Despite his apparent fragility, I could see a look of steely determination in his eye.

Not that I expected he’d be any trouble.

“So, what did you want to say now?” The man twisted his neck to stare up at me. “I don’t have all day, as you can plainly see.”

“I used to be an officer in the Elven Navy. First class access level.” I couldn’t help cracking a smirk as the elderly man’s face drooped a little. “All sorts of secrets are revealed with that level of access, like what happened to the-”

“No!” The old man hissed as he reached out to grab my sleeve. “I- I mean, the Seventh’s leaders will speak to you.” He spotted me pointedly looking back in Kaede’s direction before he quickly added, “They’ll see the both of you. Come on in, traveler.”

Traveler. Hearing that archaic title added fuel to the already raging fire that was my guess at the Seventh’s identity. Sure, I’d played up what I actually knew, but even that little tidbit had been enough to get my foot in the door.

All I needed to do after that was to leave the right impression with the right people.

Kaede seemed extremely alert and slightly skittish as she followed close behind me through the gate that demarcated the border between The Ridge and the Seventh Fleet’s headquarters. They took up half of an entire wall of The Ridge, a testament to their sheer size and manpower.

“In there.” The old man paused before a building, slightly larger than the others, but not markedly different, based on looks alone. “They’ll be here shortly.”

I could see that no one else approached the rickety looking house. Though there was some movement on the walkways above us—mostly from those who were monitoring us as we walked through their territory—not a single member of the Seventh Fleet loitered around the lowest level of the buildings.

Usually, pirate leaders took the highest and biggest quarters available as only due their rank and station, but I wasn’t in any place to start making comments on their choice of quarters. I still slept on a ship.

The room we entered was sparse, both in furniture and lighting, but that changed once I’d lit a few of the lanterns in sconces on the walls. No one waited for us, as expected, but I made out a large table at the far end of the space.

My companion, unable to keep her curiosity in check, walked past me to check out the rest of the office space.

“Dusty.” Kaede muttered as she rubbed a finger along the tabletop, leaving a clean streak through the otherwise undisturbed gray coat atop its surface. “Not been used in-”

“Years.” An old voice echoed out from the shadows, shocking Kaede so much she jumped away from the desk and half drew her sabers. “I must apologize for the deception, but it was necessary—for appearances sake. My name is Franklin. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

The same old man who’d let us in and led us to the building stepped out into the flickering light of the lanterns, his back now straight, though his face still drooped with the weight of many years. Not quite what I’d been expecting, but it made sense, given the little I already knew.

Or what I’d guessed, at least.

“I didn’t know things were this bad.” I dropped into a chair and folded my arms. “Seriously, has no one else with the blood appeared these past few generations?”

“Ha. I had a feeling you knew at least a bit about us, but it’s not like I can keep going for much longer.” The man winced as he lowered himself into the seat opposite mine. “I’ve heard of you, Weslilian, and of your exploits. And I know what it is you want.”

“Maybe you do, maybe you don’t.” I grinned and shrugged as I settled back in my chair, though I stopped as soon as my chair creaked in protest at the minor movement.

“What if I said I could help you out?”

Franklin grimaced and clicked his tongue, clearly dismissing my words as the guff he believed them to be. Sure, the old man knew he wasn’t in any position to argue with someone like me, especially with what I now knew about the state of the Seventh’s ‘leadership’, but I’d guessed he wouldn’t go down without a fight—not if the determination I’d spotted in his gaze when we first met counted for anything.

“If I said that I knew of another batch of awakened who’d escaped from the monster isle during the waves, what would you say?” I paused to give my words time to sink in before adding, “And what if I said that I knew how to find them, too? Would that be enough to kick off negotiating a deal?”

The elderly leader of the Seventh Fleet didn’t respond to my proposition, at least not verbally. Despite the tight level of control the old man had over his emotions, the thought of saving their race’s future should be enough to affect anyone—even someone like him.

Kaede watched our verbal sparring match with rapt attention. I hadn’t made her aware of my guesses about the Seventh Fleet’s history, mostly because I’d had several theories—hypotheses I hadn’t quite been able to decide between.

I was lucky the old man had accidentally dropped some hints before I tossed out my own bait.

It turned out my initial guess had been correct, and fortuitously so.

“And why should I believe you?” Franklin scratched his wrinkled cheek thoughtfully. “You are but a single elf against the world. We know of the bounty posted on you by the Elven Navy for killing one of their admirals, and of your rivalry with the scum called Daemon. What can one man do to rock the world, more than you have already done?”

“At the moment, I only have two strategies available to me.” I saw Franklin smirk at my words, and I knew he wouldn’t believe me until he’d seen the truth. ”At best, I expect to wipe out the shitty business Daemon has built for himself and turn at least two of the Pirate Lords to our side. After that… it depends on you.”

“On me, or on us?” The Seventh Fleet’s leader waved his stick, motioning up toward where the members of his faction continued about their business without any idea about the fateful discussion going on in their midst.

I had to admit I liked his fire.

“I don’t much care for myself, but I won’t consign the remainder of my people to disaster in the hands of a cocksure youngling like you.”

The fact an elf lived long enough that I, even as a relatively young member of my species, was actually technically not that much younger than him didn’t matter. The old man had spent the majority of his life fighting for his race’s survival, whereas I hadn’t much cared for mine, once I gave up on seeking everyone’s approval for my actions.

“Tell you what, I’ll make you a bet.” I pushed myself up from my chair and stared down at Franklin. “If I manage to do what I said I will, then we’ll have another meeting. At that point, I’ll tell you what I know—as long as you pledge your fleet to assist me. What do you say?”

“As long as your actions don’t lead to the Seventh’s destruction, I agree.” The cagey old leader of the Seventh Fleet cackled as he snapped his gnarled fingers at me.

“Do your best, kid. I’ll be watching!”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 71

L eaving the Seventh Fleet’s area wasn’t nearly as difficult as getting in had been, though we did receive a few heckles from the sailors on gate guard duty as they watched us trek back into the normal areas of The Ridge. Clearly, they assumed our discussion with their leaders had gone poorly.

Not so. Everything had gone according to my estimations.

Dew would need a little while longer to get everything in place, and I didn’t want to go anywhere near Lira’s ship, until we were ready to move on to the next step of my plan. That meant Kaede and I needed to find something, or someone, to distract ourselves with.

And I had just the person in mind.

“Wes! How are ya doing!?” Jean jumped up from her desk as I walked in, obviously not caring at all that numerous letters and documents where blasted into the air from its cluttered surface. “And to what do I owe this wonderful surprise-”

She froze as Kaede followed me into the room, her exuberance dying down a little. It shocked me that the Pirate Lord flaunted her desires so openly, especially in front of her subordinates, but I expected that they were used to her antics.

Either way, I did not doubt that she possessed the skills to back up her title.

“Jean.” Kaede stepped between me and the woman without hesitation. I could almost see her hackles raising as she glared up at the bubbly Pirate Lord. “Wes has yet to show the least bit of interest in what you are offering. What do you want with him?”

Although it was a question I’d wanted to ask myself, her answer didn’t really matter all that much to me—and not at all to my plan. Still, I didn’t mind if Kaede and Jean wanted to have the discussion right here and right now.

I took the chance while they glared at each other to slip away to where Jean’s overladen buffet stood.

“Mostly wine…” I muttered to myself, glancing over its contents. “How… unexpected. But I am a bit famished after last night’s vigorous and invigorating activities; I guess this will have to do.”

“-And what makes you think I don’t have the right to make a play for him, huh?” Jean rumbled as she glared at Kaede. “How was it a waif like you met up with him, exactly?”

“It was a fated meeting!” Kaede placed a palm over her chest humbly. “I knew from that first meeting that he would be my mentor and teacher. I gave up everything to follow in his footsteps.”

I pushed down the urge to call Kaede out on her bullshit. Fated meeting my ass, she’d tried and failed to rob us at my friend’s seedy Inn. She had known she wanted to tag along with us once she figured out who I was, so at least what she’d said held a grain of truth.

“Same for me!” Jean set her legs akimbo and planted her hands on her curvaceous hips. “I knew from the moment I set eyes on him that he was perfect for me. So that makes us the same, right?”

“Horniness is no substitute for respect.”

“It’s the biggest respect there is, ya know? Why do ya think I’m doing so much for ya?”

“Because you want to get into his-”

“Okay, that’s enough!” I finally stepped forward and cut Kaede off before she could launch into a true rant. “Jean, I appreciate the offer, but I’m happy with what I have—for now.”

“For now? That’s good enough for me.” She shrugged as she leaned back, resting the firm globes of what I had to admit was an amazing behind on the edge of her desk. “I can wait, big boy. I’m as patient as the tide.”

“I doubt that.” Kaede muttered out the side of her mouth, but she didn’t make any further moves to reignite her argument with the Pirate Lord.

While their back and forth had been entertaining, speaking for myself, it wouldn’t get us what we wanted. I doubted that Jean would be true to her word; I too expected that her desires were merely based on lust.

It wasn’t like I’d turned down every such proposition I’d received—in the past, at least.

But I now had three girls whom I cared deeply about. Luckily, the trio also cared deeply for one another, but I knew adding a contentious fourth to the mix would rock the boat, both figuratively and literally.

And that is when I decided to ignore the fact that I didn’t fully trust Jean—not yet, at least.

“So, how’d yer meetin’ with the Seventh Fleet go?” Jean yawned and stretched her arms behind her head, throwing her huge breasts into sharp focus, as if by accident. “Ya know, they simply refuse all meetings with us these days. Secretive bunch, that lot.”

She doesn’t know. Interesting.

“It went well enough. It seems I need to prove myself before I can make waves over there.” I shrugged and changed the subject.

“What about you, how’s Daemon and Wraith been treating you lately?”

“Oh, worried about yer girl, now, are ya?” Jean grinned, her pearly white teeth flashing against her dusky skin as Kaede huffed irritably from beside me. “They’ve been quiet, to tell ya the truth.” She paused and frowned. “Not a good sign, ya know?”

The fact Jean had picked up on that didn’t surprise me. It wasn’t like she’d have been able to reach and keep the rank of Pirate Lord without having first rate instincts. Even I knew from my short exposure to the pair that their plots and schemes ran deep.

But I also knew that they’d never expect what we had prepared for them.

“Okay, I’ll give you a tip then.” Jean opened her mouth, likely to make some obscene joke, but I quickly closed in and placed a finger to her lips. “Listen close, I’m only going to say this once.”

“I’m all ears, hun,” she mumbled, her hot breath warming my cheek as I leaned in against her ear.

“Be ready to move on Daemon’s slave business.” I whispered softly, making sure that anyone who might have been listening in would have absolutely zero chance of picking up my words. “Have people in place ready to take over and dismantle it. Send them now, if you can.”

Jean gave me an odd look as I stepped back, merely nodding to show her agreement, though she did attempt to sneak an arm around my waist before I could step away.

Too slow.

I moved over to Kaede and pulled her in for a quick, comforting hug as Jean called out to one of her subordinates, a minute later passing him a tattered page, along with a muted explanation I couldn’t catch.

Her orders, I had to assume, regarding Daemon’s slavery business—scrawled quickly in some code I didn’t recognize.

Though I could tell my companion was still a little on edge at the Pirate Lord’s obsession with me, it wasn’t like Kaede didn’t trust my instincts.

To be fair, Jean’s body was exactly within my wheelhouse. Her form was large, but her tautly muscled arms and expansive chest, tiny waist, and flaring hips showed how well she cared for herself.

There was not an ounce of fat to be seen anywhere on her. And I’d looked, just to be sure.

She kept herself in shape, and she didn’t mind about showing off herself to those she deemed a fit audience. Luckily, that number included me, and me alone.

Still, three beauties was enough to sate my appetite, at least for the time being. Maybe after we’d dealt with the other Pirate Lords and the Seventh Fleet was under my command, maybe then I’d seriously consider her offer.

But as it was, I didn’t even want to tell her about my plans for Smith’s rescue. The less she knew about that, the better, especially as Freya would likely not be finished with her work on the device.

The only reason I’d even shared the part about Daemon’s slave business with Jean was because I needed her help. If Wraith swept in and took over the operation while we caught our breath, all my work would backfire in an instant.

Besides, I knew Dew would have already set those wheels in motion. Even if the details about what she’d done spread before Jean could get all her pieces into place, Dew wouldn’t be in danger.

Fortunately, we only needed to set the first part of my plan into motion. Daemon was the easier of the two Pirate Lord’s to take down; comparatively speaking, it was his comrade I had the most concerns about.

Wraith.

The elf’s skills in combat were legendary, at least by pirate standards. He’d once boarded an Elven Navy dreadnought and taken it over—all by himself. One, two, or even ten trained navy officers, none of that had mattered.

Though the story had been hushed up in the Elven navy, I’d heard whispers of the incident during my time in the academy, and what rumors I’d heard left me with one specific worry concerning our next opponent.

“Jean, one thing.” I spoke up once her officer had dashed out to rouse his men and move toward Daemon’s slave businesses. “Does Wraith have any… gifts, combat wise?”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 71

“U mm, none that I’ve heard of. I hope I wouldn’t miss such a juicy tidbit of information.” Jean muttered to herself as she grimaced at the thought. “I’ve not fought him though, but some of the stories say he’s rather good. Do ya think it’ll be a problem?”

“Maybe.” I sighed as I remembered Olea’s last stand. She had been gifted with the sword, one of the best in the Elven Navy, yet she’d still fallen by my hand.

But what would my chances be against someone else with that level of skill, when it was just one on one?

Well, to be honest, I doubted he’d be able to put up much of a fight against me, at least if the duel was a fair one. Freya had upgraded my equipment so much, that using it against another elf was akin to swatting a fly with a battle-axe.

On the other hand, Wraith had likely forced Smith to enhance his own weapons. I doubted the Pirate Lord wouldn’t have his own set of trump cards ready to counter any moves I made against him.

Still, that worry was for another day.

For the moment, Dew’s efforts should be bearing fruit against Daemon’s shady businesses right about now. There was no way I’d miss enjoying the carnage that would ensue when that whole mess went up.

“Come on then.” I sighed and turned toward the door. “Let’s go and enjoy the show.”

Kaede grinned as she stepped up next to me. I didn’t realize what she was so happy about, until I glanced back over my shoulder at Jean.

The Pirate Lord seemed unhappy I’d taken the lead, but she didn’t say anything about it. Clearly, she was used to being the most important person in any group, but it was just as obvious that she was trying really hard to win my affection. Or some of my attention, at least.

She was cute, in a weird, obsessed kind of way.

The trip to Daemon’s territory didn’t take long, but we heard yelling and fighting before we reached our destination. Several seedy looking men and women were down for the count while several others stared down a crowd of armed pirates, their eyes wide and froth leaking from their lips.

“What’s all this then!” Jean strode forward, her commanding attitude once more making an appearance as she stared down the maddened elves and humans. “I know ya freaks don’t much care for morals, but murdering yer own-”

She froze as she noted the ripped clothing of those who’d gone down, along with the obviously aroused nature of the few who were still standing. Jean gave me a quick, confused glance before she turned back to the last few slavers.

“Stand down. Now!”

“Fuck you!” One of the leading men dashed forward, his sword held high as he sprinted toward Jean. “I’m gonna fuck your-”

He didn’t get to finish his threat before Jean whipped the huge battle axe from her back and swung it smoothly overhead. A single chop was all it took to split the man in two.

“Dangerous.” Kaede whispered as she moved closer to me. “She could easily take one of us, alone.”

I’d guessed Jean’s combat skills wouldn’t be lacking, but Kaede’s estimates weren’t too far off the mark. Dew or Freya might stand a chance against the brawny pirate, but Kaede would most likely lose, unless she managed to use her Runesmith boots to surprise the Pirate Lord.

Of course, I knew I’d win easily, but that was by the by. It wasn’t like I ever planned to fight Jean.

The loss of one of their crew forced the remaining slavers to freeze up for a moment before their instincts took over again. Spittle leaked from their lips and they waved their weapons in the air, almost begging the surrounding crowd to have a go at them.

“Last chance!” Jean slammed the haft of her axe into the planks of the dock and lifted her arm. “No more warnings!”

“Wait!” Daemon’s wheedling voice rang out from behind, cutting through the clamor as he tried to push his way forward. “Let me explain-”

“Fire!” Jean dropped her arm.

And the slavers dropped just as quickly, their bodies becoming pincushions as Jean’s archers filled their bodies with arrows.

“You- I-” Daemon had finally made his way to the front of the crowd, only to see the last of his subordinates fall twitching to the floor. “You murdered my-”

“We took justice on some freaks who tried to rape and murder their way through The Ridge!” Jean lifted her axe and swung it through the air with ease. Daemon jumped back a tick too late to avoid being split in two, but the huge weapon froze in mid-air right in front of his terrified face. “You’ve gone too far. I’m taking over. Now.”

“You can’t do that!” Daemon hissed, his hand diving down to the hilt of one of his daggers. “This is my territory. You fuckers better back off!”

“It was yer territory, now it’s mine.” Jean kept her voice neutral as she stepped forward, forcing Daemon to take another step backward in fear of being impaled upon her axe’s huge spike. “If ya want to have a go, I’m up for it.” A cruel smile tugged at the corners of the large woman’s mouth. “Just try it, ya snake.”

Daemon stared at Jean, his lip trembling as he fought down his raging emotions. I knew he was right on the edge of a conniption but, despite my hopes, the enraged Pirate Lord reined in his anger in at the last moment.

Not on my fucking watch.

“Hey, Daemon. Nice job fucking up your one and only job!” I didn’t bother keeping my voice down as I moved up beside Jean. “Now where are you gonna find someone who doesn’t puke when you pull off your pants, huh? Expect it’s gonna be a few lonely years for you, pal!”

“You!” Daemon spat the word as he turned on me, his fury once more reignited. “This was all your fucking fault! I know it! I’m gonna fucking kill you!”

“Fine.” I glanced at Jean, who nodded quickly to show she understood my aim. “Honor duel, tomorrow, midday. Challenged may choose the weapon.”

“I- Fuck you!” My opponent’s face had turned bright red with rage and he pulled his sword from its sheath. “I’ll split you in fucking half right now, you goatfucker-”

“No ya wont.” Jean caught Daemon’s descending blade with her axe’s spike and twisted it out of the elf’s hand with a single flick of her wrists. “I’m overseeing this duel, and it’ll happen at the time he offered. If ya don’t agree, ya can fuck off right now!”

Daemon looked to be on the verge of collapsing, but he knew as well as I did that he wouldn’t be able to make anything happen between now and tomorrow’s duel. He was alone, surrounded by Jean’s followers, and it was clear she favored me over him.

The only reason he hadn’t been killed yet was because he hadn’t given his enemies an excuse to make the effort.

“Enjoy your last day alive with your cheap whores, you fuck!” Daemon spat on the ground at my feet and spun on his heel, pushing his way back through the crowd.

I wanted to rip him apart right then and there, but I knew it would be a bad move—both for me and for my three girls, whose honor he’d insulted.

The tab Daemon’s ill-mannered tongue had rang up would have to wait another day before I could settle it, unfortunately.

“You okay?” I glanced over at Kaede, who shrugged halfheartedly as if nothing of import had happened.

Clearly, she cared nearly as much about the idiot’s idle threats as I did.

“Wes, are ya sure about this?” Jean moved close after she’d given a few quick orders to her people. “We’ll take over this place, but I doubt he’ll let it go without a fight.”

“Don’t leave anything for him to take back then.” I grinned at Jean as I glanced around at the several buildings which had once held Daemon’s slavery emporium. “Free all the slaves, take them under your wing, and deal with any stragglers from Daemon’s camp who managed to avoid the fight. Should be easy enough.”

“Cleanse it all, ya say? Hmm.” Jean glanced back at the slaves’ housing thoughtfully. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while, but the tricky part was finding a reason to do it. What if Wraith joins with him to put a stop to the whole thing?”

“Then we’ll fuck that asshole up too.” I patted Jean’s shoulder comfortingly. “Think of it this way, what do you think Daemon will be able to do after I’m finished with him tomorrow?”

“Wait, are ya going to-” Jean paused as she realized my plan, a wide grin stealing over her features as she stared at me, new respect filling her eyes.

“That’s goin’ to cause some waves fer sure. What do ya need from me?”

“Oh, that’s simple, really.” I grinned as I leaned in close enough to smell a faint whiff of citrus on Jean’s dusky skin. “I just want you to make sure none of your people are anywhere near the dueling arena tomorrow. Think you can do that for me, hun?”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 71

T he time I’d bought until my duel with Daemon should be more than enough for Freya to finish with her preparations. But the actual results of all of her hard work would depend on Kaede’s skill and persistence in executing the plan.

Fortunately, that was a worry for the future, and there was no need for me to remind the silver-marked beauty of what she needed to do. Kaede, despite her almost fanatical devotion to me, was one of the most reliable people I’d ever met.

Sometimes she went a bit too far, but the same could be said for any one of our little group. Future plans could wait.

Jean’s followers moved fast to dismantle Daemon’s establishment. More captured men and women were shown out of the large row of buildings with each passing minute and, after she considered my recommendations, the buxom Pirate Lord offered each of them a choice.

They could continue to live in The Ridge—in her faction—as workers who would be paid a fair wage. No longer slaves, but actual contributing members of the society.

Their second option was to join the Pirate Fleet. Sure, they’d need some training, but it wasn’t like their future potential would be all that limited, if they chose that route.

Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be allowed to leave The Ridge on a whim any time soon. It wasn’t that they were prisoners, technically, but the truth remained that they knew the Pirates’ main hideout’s location, along with whatever other information they’d gleaned from Daemon’s goons before their assisted escape from the cells.

On top of that, most of them were wanted criminals, at least in the eyes of the Elven Navy and the other nearby races. Sure, their bounties weren’t on the same level as mine, but few could match me—in that aspect, anyway.

Most took the chance to enroll directly into the Pirate fleet, which surprised me, until I heard of the compensation Jean had offered them: full training, equipment, and assistance integrating into her crews. No one would look down on them or treat them badly, as long as they worked hard to learn their new jobs.

What shocked me most was the number who wanted to join me, specifically.

Jean didn’t hide the fact that I’d been the one to put the wheels in motion, as far as putting an end to Daemon’s businesses. She didn’t much care if that information spread, either; not like she had much, in terms of the details, to share with them. But the hints she dropped were enough, and her response—when I asked why—caught me off guard.

“Yer gonna need them more than me, big boy.” She chuckled as she poked me in the chest. “Ya saved them when I couldn’t, so why should I take credit for all yer hard work, hun?”

To be fair, there weren’t all that many of them, at least compared to the number of pirates in each of the fleets. But the ones who chose to join my fledgling group, despite the obvious downsides of such a move, could likely be trusted a little bit more than the standard fare in The Ridge.

After a quick head count, I estimated that we, as a faction, had enough men and women to crew three ships. We could throw out more, obviously, but I’d learned the harsh realities of sailing the oceans during my time in the Elven Navy.

An under crewed ship would find its home in the depths, sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, having more than two vessels to your name was a right only afforded to those of high rank in The Ridge. My own position, even considering the work I’d done taking down the Nerker, was far from that point.

Even Lira hadn’t reached that level, though that was likely due more to her lack of a desire to rise within the ranks, rather than a damning testament to her lack of skills or that she didn’t have enough potential for the role.

Rules, why were there always a set of stupid rules that dictated who could do what and to whom?

I’d gladly escaped from the constraining rules of my former life, from the confines of Keria and its laws and its contracts and its expectations… for what?

To be constrained by some words scribbled down by some old tyrannical pirate who’d merely wanted to keep others down?

Fuck that!

I’d spent more than enough time following the rules and where had that got me?

Marooned. Sabotaged. Betrayed. Exiled.

And look what my life had become simply by doing whatever the fuck I wanted.

Three beautiful women, each of them as loyal and devoted to me as I was to them. They’d do anything for me, and I knew just how far I’d go to keep them by my side.

On top of that, I now had a ship, technically speaking, and a loyal crew—three of them, in fact. And we also had something to fund our rising little fleet.

The Nerker’s parts were worth a small fortune.

Sure, it would eat up a large portion of the money we’d get for selling what we’d collected, but that would be more than enough to buy and outfit two good-sized ships, along with the equipment and training required for my new crews.

In fact, we had enough to get that all settled before my duel with Daemon, as long as Lira lived up to my expectations.

Kaede seemed shocked by my plans, but she quickly agreed with them and set out to deliver my instructions to Lira. I could go about buying what we needed directly, sure, but Lira knew who she could trust and who was worth doing business with. Her reputation was more trusted than mine in The Ridge.

Added to that, if I started making waves by purchasing things myself, it might alert Daemon or Wraith to my plans.

And I needed the pair of them to follow along with my schemes, at least until it was too late for them to be able to affect the outcome. It wasn’t like I expected my movements to remain hidden from their eyes and ears until then, but still.

“Jean, do you have any spare ships you’d be willing to loan me?” I leaned against the cliff face and folded my arms casually as the buxom pirate lord turned to face me. “Two would do, maybe a few more—if you have them to spare.”

“Seriously? Ya think I have some boats I could just up and give ya?” Jean shook her head and chuckled to herself. “Most of my crewed ships are in constant use, and the rest are in reserve—in case someone is stupid enough to damage the ones I have.”

“Really? So you don’t want the Nerker bones?” I grinned as I noted how Jean’s entire body tensed up slightly. “I stopped you from nicking one the other day, you know? What’re they worth to you, miss Pirate Lord?”

“All of them would get ya… two ships.” She huffed and placed a hand on her hip as she finally gave me her full attention. “Ya can take it or-”

“-I’ll just leave it, then.” I shrugged and pushed myself off of the wall with a cocky grin. “Maybe someone else will give me a better offer. They’re worth a great deal, after all.”

I let my words sit as Jean stewed silently. It wasn’t that I was trying to take advantage of her, at least not that much, but I needed those ships.

And any vessels under her command would be well looked after, that I knew for a fact.

“Fine. Half the bones for two ships.” She snorted and tossed out another offer, stretching out her hand toward me. “That’s the best I can do for ya. What do ya-”

“Perfect.” I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Despite my expectations, her skin was smooth, nearly flawless, and far from the coarse feeling I’d expected from shaking hands with a full-time pirate. “You can speak to Lira about the deal, I trust you not to shortchange her.”

“No trust for me yet, hun?” Jean squeezed my fingers a bit tighter for a moment before she released her grip, almost like she was flirting and threatening me at the same time. “The other two are gonna be pissed. What’re ya gonna do about that?”

I knew her warning was spot on. Once I passed the breakpoint of three ships, I’d have pissed all over The Ridge’s unspoken rules, and nothing Jean could do would protect me.

I knew I’d soon be at the top of their priority ‘to deal with’ list, unless they had more pressing issues to resolve.

Such as the results of my duel with Daemon, for example.

Jean had a good guess regarding my plans for the fight, but it was clear she didn’t have all that much faith in my abilities from the way she kept throwing worried looks my direction.

“Just you wait and see.” I patted her shoulder and stepped back out onto the walkway. “Just remember your promise about the duel, keep your own well away and keep an eye on your territory.”

I winked at her.

“Things might get a bit… messy.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 71

A fter dealing with Daemon’s slavery business, inducting the new members into my ‘fleet’, and brokering a deal for two ships from Jean, there wasn’t much left of the day.

Kaede had stayed by my side from start to finish, and she’d helped out a lot with those who tossed their fate in with our tightknit group. She really hated the whole slavery thing Daemon had masterminded, so it was clear she took great pleasure in watching his whole enterprise be dismantled around his ears.

In fact, she’d responded poorly to Freya’s ‘Master’ nickname for me—until the two of them discussed the reasons for it.

She’d come far since our first meeting in Keria. Just how far surprised me more with each passing day. From a thief who’d lived day to day by an unrealistic idealism, all the way up to the confident and vibrant young woman who stood before me, so much had changed. But the wide smile she flashed whenever she caught me watching her made it all worth it.

After the new crews had been sent to be sorted by Lira, who was likely having a breakdown over such a huge influx of fresh-faced recruits in dire need of training, I found an empty shack just inside Jean’s territory to settle down for the night.

Dew joined us just as the sun set outside the cavern—which meant I had a second night in a row without sleep to look forward to. Not that I was going to complain, of course.

I knew Dew had been looking forward to having Kaede join us in bed for a long time. At least with how she had reacted with Freya and I, I knew having my other beautiful companion join us wouldn’t be such a shock to the shy girl.

One thing that did surprise all three of us, though, was when we were unexpectedly interrupted just before things really got interesting. The door to our room slammed open without any warning, revealing a hot and bothered Jean for the whole room to see.

Unfortunately, the Pirate Lord also got a good look at what was going on in the bed before anyone could react to her unannounced arrival.

“What the hell-” Kaede quickly pulled the covers over her naked form as she glared daggers in Jean’s direction. “Haven’t you heard of knocking? Never mind that, just leave and close the damn door behind you. Now!”

“Wait a minute, Kaede.” Dew rolled her legs off the side of the bed, not bothering to hide herself in the slightest as she gave Jean a thoughtful look. “Maybe we should hear what she has to say-”

I quietly and calmly pulled the sheet up to cover my own nakedness but didn’t make any moves to stop what should be an interesting discussion between Kaede and Dew. I could tell the former disliked the thought of Jean even seeing her in a vulnerable state, either emotionally or physically.

Dew, on the other hand, clearly had other plans. Out of my lovely trio, she was the most inclined to include new people in our relationship, as long as she approved of them. They needed my approval first, of course, not that I had any issues about admitting I was attracted to the Human Pirate Lord—at least in a physical sense. The woman was a knockout.

Her personality, on the other hand, didn’t mesh all that well with the rest of our group.

“No!” Kaede’s hand shook as she slowly pushed herself onto her knees, revealing the smooth skin of her back and her seductively plump buttocks for those of us lucky enough to be behind her to enjoy. “Get out. Now!”

It had taken a while to get Kaede used to even myself seeing her lithe curves, never mind that she was still getting over having first Freya and now Dew involved in our intimate engagements. That a stranger should see her like this was the last straw.

Before Jean could react, Kaede leaped to her feet. The covers she’d been using to shield herself were discarded as the furious high elf slammed a powerful kick into the intruder’s midriff, knocking a stunned Jean back through the doorway.

No one spoke as Kaede quickly shut the door and locked it in the Pirate Lord’s face.

“Well, that was interesting.” Dew’s tone was a little unsteady as she awkwardly glanced in my direction. “I guess that’ll have to wait-”

“Until Kaede gives her approval of anyone else joining our little family.” I held out my hand, motioning for the girl, still quivering with rage, to come back to the warm bed. “Come here, Kaede. Don’t stay out in the cold. She’s gone.”

“Sorry, Wes. I don’t know why Jean makes me so angry—she doesn’t deserve you!”

With her purple eyes blazing, and for once completely forgetting that she was standing naked before us, the view before me was stunning. I welcomed the silver-haired beauty back into my arms with a tender kiss as she crawled back under the covers.

Dew came back to bed on my other side and stroked Kaede’s hair as we kissed. When the girl finally came up for air, the blonde temptress leaned in to get her own kiss. The sight was amazing and had me instantly ready to pick back where we’d left off when we were so rudely interrupted.

Leaning back and noting how hungrily I was eying the blushing high elf, Dew grinned. “Now, where were we?”

∞∞∞

As the eventful night drew to a close, Dew left once more for the second phase of her mission, this time taking a worried looking Kaede along for the ride. I knew the high elf was concerned about her role in the plan, but each member of our little team had their own strengths and skills they brought to the table.

And Kaede just happened to be perfectly suited to the part I’d assigned to her.

My role, on the other hand, was much easier, if potentially fatal. That bothered me not at all, of course, but the unknowns in my strategy—there were always unknown variables—did make me think everything through a few more times, just in case I’d missed something.

After an hour of worrying over every detail, I hadn’t identified anything that I’d missed—or at least I hadn’t come up with anything we could be doing to improve our overall chances.

Part of the plan was necessarily left up to chance; and that was what I didn’t like. I was used to being in full control of my destiny, and the notion that my future might be left to a dice roll had me on edge.

That wouldn’t stop me from doing what I needed to do, though. What I wanted to do.

“Ya awake, sleepy bones?” Jean barged into the shack without hesitating, likely hoping to catch another glimpse of me in the buff or as I got dressed for the duel.

Instead, she found me sitting at the desk, pouring over Lira’s notes—details of my new crew and the ships we’d been sent by the pirate lord. She’d done a masterful job summarizing the information, and my training in the Elven Navy gave me more than enough knowledge to recognize that her recommendations were mostly on point.

“Damn,” she muttered. “Was quite the show, last night. Just wish yer girl had let me join in.”

“You’ll need to get her permission before trying another stunt like that.” I grinned up at her to soften the rejection as I flipped the logbook Lira had made her notes in shut.

She frowned, suddenly thoughtful.

Not like I’d expected Jean would apologize. That would have been totally out of character for the sultry Pirate Lord.

“Duel’s going to be starting soon, isn’t it?” I smoothly changed the topic. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about me?”

“I just don’t want ya to die and lose my ships to that idiot, ya prick.” Jean grunted and cocked her head to the side, studying me as she leaned against the wall. “What is it that makes ya so focused, hun? Got someone ya need to prove yerself to?”

“Someone I want to prove myself to?” I snorted and scratched my cheek as I thought through everyone I cared about.

Dew, Kaede, and Freya came to mind first, followed next by Lira and Kiel. Did I need to prove myself or my skills to any of them?

No.

Next came the three who I’d not actually hated back in Keria.

First, my father. Though I knew what he’d done was out of a desire to protect me, it had also enabled the old elf to move into the position he’d long desired. I harbored no ill will towards him; he’d done what he needed to do.

Nevertheless, I knew the next time we met that he’d treat me the same as any other exiled criminal. It was just his way.

Second, was my sister. Arianna had too big of a heart for her own good, but she always expected the best of me. I never let her down.

Finally, there was my old mentor, Rane. He’d died helping me fight the treachery and utter bullshit my aunt pulled in the arena, and he’d gone out with a smile on his face.

At least I’d managed to avenge him against the one who’d forced him to that point.

My fucking aunt, Olea.

But other than those three, and possibly my friend who ran the seedy Inn we’d stayed at in Keria, Taerk, there wasn’t anyone else who came to mind.

Everyone else who knew me had shown their true colors once Olea’s loathing of me became widely known. Not a single one of them had stood up for me, once it was obvious whose ire they’d be risking even to be in contact with Weslilian, the greatest archer in Keria.

Even my talent, skill, and title wasn’t enough for them to show an ounce of loyalty or friendship—not that I’d ever taken advantage of any privileges I didn’t think I’d properly earned. At least not knowingly.

Jean remained silent as I cataloged everyone I actually gave a fuck about in the world. I could tell that she knew I was thinking back over my past, and though I didn’t have the fondest of memories to review, it was likely her own story was filled with at least as much, if not more blood and betrayal than mine.

You didn’t become a Pirate Lord without something driving you.

Something big.

“You know everyone I care for, Jean.” I finally spoke after a long pause, glancing back down at the logbook once more. “Those I consider my family are few and far between, but I’ll kill anyone who tries to mess with them.”

“Anyone, huh? Daemon’s time is numbered then.” Jean grinned and jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the door. “Come on, yer opponents been waiting all morning for ya. I think he’s got something up his sleeve.”

“How… unexpected.” I rolled my eyes as I pushed myself up from the desk and moved to follow Jean out the door.

Daemon having some sort of scheme surprised me not at all—not that I could talk. Technically speaking, this would be a fair duel, and I’d even given him the choice of weapons. That rat bag letting the whole thing go down without trying to pull something was as likely as him choosing a bow for our fight.

When we reached the arena, I could tell instantly that Jean had done what I’d asked.

Every single person was clearly on Daemon’s payroll. They glared and yelled and booed, every single thing they could think of to try to shake my confidence. A few even looked like they were about to throw things in my direction, but even those idiots held back once they saw who was accompanying me.

No one wanted to fuck with a Pirate Lord, especially not one as skilled as Jean.

“Finally, he’s here!” Daemon had pulled a crate out into the middle of the pirate’s makeshift dueling pit. “Thought you’d ran off to your mommy, not that she wants you anymore. Ha-ha!”

The crowd roared with laughter at his shitty barb, but it wasn’t like there was much I could say about it.

Exile was like that, unfortunately.

But that didn’t mean I gave a single fuck what any of these asshats thought about me.

“Same for you. I guess you probably had to get some of these pricks to suck you off, now that your supply of young slave boys dried up?” I waved cheerily at the crowd of pirates, who looked to be on the verge of charging the arena as my words sunk in.

“Ugly little shit like you? I feel sorry for how hard these fuckers must’ve had to work to get your rocks off last night. Oh well.”

“And what about you, spent the night with your head between your mistresses’ thighs, did you?” Daemon hissed, waving in Jean’s direction. “Some fucking Pirate Lord she turned out to be, following around the first highborn twit who walks in through her doors-”

“Daemon, if ya say anything else, I’ll cut ya in half.” Jean’s voice was low and measured, but her words cut right through her fellow pirate lord’s rant. The crowd fell still, not confident enough to make any outward moves to support their boss, in the face of his biggest enemy.

Even with numbers clearly on their side, they were a bunch of fucking cowards.

“So, what weapon did you choose?” I stepped across the border into the arena without any hesitation. “Doesn’t matter much to me, seeing as you’ll be the one eating dirt by the end of this.”

“Oh, confident, are you?” Daemon dropped down off his makeshift seat and pried it open. “I prepared something special for us, don’t you worry!”

I watched as he pulled two long staffs from the box and tossed one at me. The wooden stick clattered on the boards as it wobbled to a stop at my feet, a clear hint at its shoddy construction.

Daemon’s weapon didn’t look any better.

Unfortunately, looks can be deceiving, and my skill at recognizing the potential of a weapon had skyrocketed during my time with Freya aboard the Ravensworn.

“That’s it?” I muttered, not bothering to keep my comments to myself as I kicked the stick up into my hand with a flick of my foot. “That’s the best he’s done with all the time I’ve given him? What a moron.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

D aemon waved his long staff through the air, a cocky grin on his lips as he watched me gently bend my own weapon.

The creaks and cracks as the shitty wood threatened to break at my touch was enough to show just how far my opponent had gone to stack the odds in his favor.

But still, I didn’t have much to worry about, at least from what I knew already.

Though he was technically a Pirate Lord, he was more of a temporary holdover while the fleets waited for someone else to rise up and take his place. It wouldn’t be hard to find a pirate with more courage, skill, or intelligence.

But Daemon was as cunning as they came.

Anyone who looked like they might become an issue… vanished.

Jean had mentioned how she’d investigated some of the disappearances but had gotten nowhere. All clues and witnesses likewise disappeared.

It made sense, to be fair. Wraith would want the status quo to continue without any disruptions for as long as possible, and Smith would never do anything to raise his captors’ ire against him.

But I just didn’t give a fuck.

“So, what’s the deal? First one to give up, huh?” I tapped my staff against the wooden boards below us and sighed. “Or do you just want to fuck off right now?”

“You want me to give in? To you?” Daemon’s grin widened as he took a step toward me. “I ain’t no pansy high born prick like you. We fight till we fall, winner’s choice.”

Winner’s choice, those two words clarified what Daemon wanted from our duel. Whoever turned out to be the victor of our battle would decide the fate of their vanquished opponent.

And I knew Daemon would never let me leave the arena alive.

On the other hand, he likely thought I would hesitate to off him, even if given the choice. With so many of his own men around the pit, it was obvious at least a fair portion of them would react badly to their leader’s potential demise.

“Daemon, I heard you were messing about with the newbie!” Wraith’s voice rang out as the crowd surged aside to let him through, showing almost more respect for the wood elf than they did for their own lord. “Don’t you have business to resolve?”

I figured Wraith would come around for the fight, given how conniving the prick had shown himself to be. There was no way he’d miss out on a chance to stir the pot, especially not if my rise might upset his own grasp over the pirate fleets.

“Keep out of this, Wraith.” Daemon barked, though his voice lacked some of the edge it had held when he spoke to anyone else in The Ridge. “I’m going to make an example of this little dipshit!”

As expected, neither of the other Pirate Lords made any attempt to intervene.

Jean gave me one last look before she turned to leave, taking the opportunity to escape the area just as I’d asked her to do earlier. Wraith, on the other hand, dropped down onto a low box and rested his chin in his hands, as if he were about to watch a piddling entertainment instead of a fight to the death.

Perfect, I couldn’t help thinking to myself. Just sit your ass down right there and stay a while, you fucker.

Though the arena was fairly large, the size and shape of the cavern made it difficult to cordon off as much space as a fighting pit usually required. That meant the space I had for our fight wasn’t as wide as was normally the case.

It was pitiful, actually. Especially considering Daemon’s choice of weapon.

It did make sense, though. He knew I was gifted with the bow, but it was clear he believed that my skills didn’t extend beyond that.

And if the duel had happened a year ago, he would have been largely correct.

Before I’d met Dew and the others, I’d seen no reason to practice with anything but my ‘chosen’ weapon. Why should I? It would have been a massive waste of effort.

Wrong. As I’d learned throughout my journey back to Keria. So very, very wrong.

But my own practice with sword forms, daggers with Dew, and spears with Freya had given me a decent familiarity with most melee weapons. It all came down to balance, control, range, and power.

Staffs had the advantage of range over most other weapons but lacked in pure killing power. Basically, they were downgraded spears, at least in my eyes.

On the other hand, they were excellent tools if you wanted to torment your victim, and Daemon’s deft handling of his stave made it clear he at least had some skill in its use. He wanted to beat me down, the greatest archer of Keria and in the entire Elven Navy, with a stick.

But that wouldn’t happen, obviously.

“Come on then.” I lifted my staff and settled into a defensive stance. “I’ll even let you take the first-”

Daemon’s staff whipped out, trying to score a surprise strike against my head.

Too slow.

I ducked. Easy.

“Really?” I stepped back, just out of range of his attacks as I shook my head. “Can’t even fight fair, can you, you coward?”

“We’re pirates, you moron!” Daemon yelled out and slammed his weapon into the floor. “You think-”

He didn’t expect my brutal counterattack as my staff lanced out, catching him in the gut. It lifted the cocky Pirate Lord from his feet easily and threw him backward.

He managed to keep his balance as he slid back, only stopping when the crowd caught him and carefully pushed him back into the ring.

“You-” He coughed as he regained his breath. “You’re a dead man walking,” he snarled. “Every single person you care about, dead!”

My anger spiked, but I squeezed the red-hot flame down until it became an ice-cold fire—sharpening my focus and energy instead of burning away my ability to think.

Daemon was angry, too—exactly as I’d planned. The more rage filled his veins, the less he’d temper his tactics.

So, I took every chance presented to stoke the flames.

“We may both be pirates, you moron...” I grinned as I tapped my staff mockingly against the boarding at my feet. “But I’m not nearly as stupid as you are.”

Having his own insults spat right back in his face sent the Pirate Lord’s fury spinning to new heights, but he still held back from any truly idiotic moves, like trying to rush me in a rage.

That wouldn’t end well, at all—for him at least.

“Come and try me!” Daemon gripped his staff and pointed it toward the floor, a sinister grin on his face. “Unless you’re too scared to try it!”

His skill with the staff was better than some; I gave it a three out of ten. But at least the little cunt had given it a shot. Still, it was hard to even fake anger with such weak attempts to enrage me. I’d never been much of an actor.

Still, it had to be done.

“Fuck you!” I lifted my staff high and lowered my stance. “I’ll fuck you up!”

Daemon’s eyes narrowed as I dashed forward. He could see all the vulnerabilities in my charge.

All he had to do was take his pick and take me down. A wicked grin split his face as he drew back his staff in a defensive pose, waiting for the right moment to lash out.

But before he could strike, I brought my staff down with all my strength… and let it go.

Instead of a charge, he now faced both my thrown weapon and an enraged, if unarmed, elf.

I thought he reacted fairly well, parrying my surprise throw and responding with a low counter.

“Too slow,” I sneered.

All it took was a moderate leap to clear his staff as it flashed by, low to the ground.

Before he could react, it was all over.

My reverse roundhouse kick caught him on the side of his head, sending the wood elf flying briefly through the air before his head crashed down onto the planks.

Hard.

The dull crunch as his skull impacted into the thick, unyielding boards rang out across the arena. Several pirates in the crowd rushed forward, not showing any concerns about the winner’s choice Daemon had declared at the outset of our duel, sprinting over to check on their leader.

Of course, I already knew the verdict.

“Dead!” One of the pirates hissed as he pushed himself up from the corpse of his former boss. “Murdered!”

In a proper duel, ‘murder’? Really?!

Not unexpected, but I had to play along.

“Fuck off. Winner’s choice, you pricks.” I slipped my toes under Daemon’s staff, which he’d dropped the moment my foot connected with the idiot’s temple and kicked it up into my grasp. “Or do one of you want to give it a go?”

Several other members of the crowd stepped forward, their faces set as they glanced at Wraith, almost as if they were asking permission for what they wanted to do.

And the other surviving Pirate Lord, just as I’d thought he would, stayed silent.

“Seriously?” I glanced over at Wraith, an eyebrow raised in mock confusion. “You’re not going to say anything? And here I thought you were the ‘honorable’ one.”

Wraith shrugged and pointedly turned his gaze toward Jean’s headquarters. His message was so clear I could almost hear his sarcastic words in the pregnant silence.

‘You’ve lost your backer. You’ve overstepped your bounds.’

“Fine.” I turned back to the group who’d moved in to ‘avenge’ their fallen lord. Though most of the crowd held back, their trepidation obvious as they threw glances at the Pirate Lord lounging in their midst, more than enough had stepped out to pose a serious threat—armed as I was with only a staff.

“You’re gonna die, slow.” The greasy headed elf who appeared to be their leader grinned, whipping his chunky longsword back and forth between us, a vicious glint in his eye. “I’m gonna enjoy splitting you open. Gonna make your pretty little chicks come and watch as I cut yer dick off and feed it to you, you know that?”

“Maybe,” I shrugged. “Maybe not.” I glanced upwards and then smiled. “You never know what’s going to happen next, do you?”

And then, before any of them could take another step, a heavy wooden box slammed into the boards right in front of the group.

It took only a moment before all hell broke loose.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

T he situation changed quickly as a wave of invisible force washed over the audience. Freya had prepared the orb from our little adventure on Monster Isle, enhancing its effects while also ensuring no evidence would be left once those effects wore off.

Those hit by the burst of energy only had one desire: to destroy anyone who came between them and the orb.

Unfortunately, I was included in that number.

Of course, I’d known in advance of the ‘surprise’ in store for Daemon’s subordinates and Wraith—which meant I was ready for the rush of adrenaline that blasted its way through my system.

I may have succumbed to the intense desires that washed over me in that moment, had I not known what to expect. Prepared as I was, though, the runesmith device’s surge of energy wasn’t enough to overwhelm me.

The same couldn’t be said for the rowdy crowd of pirates surrounding the fighting pit.

“Interesting.” Wraith pushed himself to his feet as the crowd murmured and twitched around him. The elf’s eyes were fixed on my own, but I could tell that he wasn’t completely unaware of the state of his fellow pirates.

“What is your plan now, Weslilian-”

A wild scream rang out as the woman beside Wraith leapt toward him, hands outstretched-

Only to receive a sword to the throat before her hands could close around the pirate lord’s neck.

Wraith’s rapier pierced the pirate’s flesh without any apparent resistance, bursting out through the back of her neck as it sent a fountain of blood into the crowd.

That was enough to tip the rest over the edge.

Fortunately, most of them set Wraith as their main target, but several still had their sights locked firmly on me, especially the few who had closed in on me previously after I killed their leader in that pitiful excuse of a duel.

The big elf in front charged first, his sword held high as he sprinted toward me.

His charge was easy enough to dodge, and his stumbling run left many openings for a counter strike.

My staff crashed into his knee as he flew past me, knocking the man to the floor. A quick follow up attack to the back of his head put the man down for the count. One down, but there was still the rest of his group to deal with.

Dodging their attacks wasn’t too difficult, especially with how single minded they were in their assault. The few nearby didn’t even bother with defense as they rushed me from all sides.

Which meant it was easier for me to take them down without too much trouble. I did what I could to limit the damage I dished out. Sure, it might not be much, but those who survived might see me in a better light. If I survived, that is.

I didn’t plan on hanging around, beating up the infuriated pirates, despite how they’d acted towards me and my companions barely a few minutes before. In fact, I felt quite the opposite. The fewer of them I killed, the better.

Wraith didn’t think the same, obviously.

I knew from prior experience that the pirates would remember what had happened during their rage, even if it was all a bit hazy. They’d know that I’d taken down some of them non-lethally, and that Wraith hadn’t hesitated before massacring those around him.

Blood drenched his body as he darted back and forth through the crowd, his rapier lancing out again and again and again into the bodies of his fellow pirates. The Lord of the Fleets didn’t even attempt to incapacitate his comrades, but instead aimed for fatal strikes every time.

Head, throat, heart; each were equally his preferred targets. Not a single one of his opponents had a chance of surviving the elf's assault.

All who attacked me were met with quick strikes to their legs and knees, followed by a precise strike to knock them out.

They’d wake up with one hell of a headache, but at least they would survive the battle. I even made sure that any new enemies who approached didn’t step on their comrades as they closed in.

Compared to Wraith, I acted like a saint, but that also meant the speed of my fights were slowed significantly, compared to his brutal slaughter.

But the blood and death only enraged the crowd further, giving me the opportunity I needed, the opening I’d been hoping for—a chance to escape.

Even with my skills, it would be hard to leap over the crowd without a few steps to build up some momentum. Sure, I’d played around with people in fights before, and even once in the forest I’d taunted an entire squad of heavily armored warriors to their death, but my enemies were too densely packed here for that to work.

Lucky for me, I had just the tool I needed to escape the arena with ease.

“Fuck off!” I swept my staff low, knocking the few pirates nearby to the ground as I cleared the space around me.

More than enough space, now.

So then, having created a little breathing room, I set off in a full sprint.

Directly toward Wraith.

“You!” The Pirate Lord turned his bloodied visage in my direction, an evil grin threatening to split his face in two. “This is all your doing, isn’t it? Think this is enough to take me-”

He obviously expected me to join the others in attacking him, but I’d seen the skill with which he had slain the men and women who opposed him.

Wraith had a gift; it looked like he might have even more skill with that rapier than my Aunt and Admiral of the Elven Navy, Olea, had with her blade. Former Aunt, that is.

No. Fighting him was a risk I wasn’t willing to take—not yet. I didn’t have my preferred weapons, and the crowd’s anger could turn on me in a heartbeat.

Better to withdraw, which was exactly what I planned to do.

So, instead of using my staff to attack the murderous pirate lord, I thrust it toward the boards at my feet, catching the tip in a groove I’d spotted earlier.

My momentum kept me going as I pushed off from the floor and sailed through the air, the staff only adding to the height of my leap as I swung up and over the startled Wraith.

With the staff’s aid, I’d gained more than enough height to clear the packed crowd.

“Try to fucking hide, I’ll find you!” Wraith’s voice rang out as I landed on the other side of the surging bodies. “I’ll kill you and your little whores, too!”

It was difficult not to turn back and rip his black heart out, then and there, but I understood the risks such a choice carried with it, both for myself and for the plan I’d set in motion.

Wraith’s come uppance would have to wait.

Grimacing, I turned and ran, leaving the sounds of battle far behind me as I sprinted toward Jean’s headquarters. Getting to the Ravensworn would be too dangerous, as would the Seventh Fleet’s territory.

No, I had to trust in Jean—or at least in her interest in me—to help us weather the storm that was about to blow over The Ridge.

I had to trust her.

Fortunately, I saw that her faction were obeying her orders, after the warning I’d given her. Not a single one of her pirates had been in the area or joined in the scrum at the fighting pit. It was a good thing the arena was cleanly within Daemon’s former territory, none of my allies had a reason to actually be near it.

Wraith would have to free himself from the crowd, but I knew it was a fool’s hope to believe he’d meet his end at their hands. Even I hadn’t had much difficulty surviving in that scrum armed with just a staff. Someone whose gift lay in the art of swordplay?

His death was as likely a swarm of unarmed children overcoming a squad of armored knights. But I’d noted that glint in his eye, the thrill he obviously felt at the sight of blood and the joy he took in inflicting pain.

Wraith’s name made a little more sense, as I recalled his manic, rictus grin as he slaughtered men and women who’d likely been from his own crew.

One, ten, a hundred; I doubted any number of dead followers would change his feelings. If he even had feelings for them. The elf loved his blade more than he cared for his followers.

For me and my plans, that was perfect. The longer that idiot stayed behind tarnishing his reputation with the rest of the pirate fleets, the better the end result would be for our little group.

The distraction he’d already given us should have been enough for Kaede and Dew to finish their parts of my plan.

Still, I couldn’t quite get rid of the feeling that I was missing something. Wraith had walked into the trap a little too easily for my liking; he hadn’t even been surprised when the crowd turned against him.

Sure, he didn’t give a flying fuck about butchering his fellows, but he should have at least shown some confusion or initial surprise at their betrayal. But no, he didn’t seem to have been surprised. Not at all.

The sooner I met up with Dew, Kaede, and Jean, the better.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

G etting into Jean’s headquarters wasn’t difficult. Most of her guards recognized me as ‘Jean’s new boyfriend’, a title I didn’t bother to dispute.

Though I did overhear a few muttered jokes that it was ‘about time’ she had a healthier way to vent her spleen than cursing her subordinates. It had been quite a length of time since her last dalliance, apparently. It seemed the sultry Pirate Lord was more discerning about her choice of partners than I’d first assumed.

A compliment, if not a great one. The guards were a little too brash and loud with their jests, a clear sign they were using humor defensively, to make light of a serious situation.

They were all a little jumpy due to the faint sounds of battle and death that drifted over from the fighting pit. A few even seemed to be on the edge of setting out to investigate, but I could tell others were more confident in their pirate lord’s orders.

No one moves until she tells them to. End of discussion.

When I reached Jean’s office, I was disheartened to find that it was only the Pirate Lord herself in the room. Dew and Kaede were supposed to arrive shortly after things at the arena spiraled out of control—a few minutes before myself—according to the plan.

They might have run into a snag or two on their end.

“Hey, what the hell did ya do?” Jean pushed herself up from her desk and strode toward me, her eyes narrowing as she stared into my face. “All hell has broken loose, and I know it’s because of something that ya did. Now spill!”

“No idea what you’re talking about.” I grinned and deftly slipped past the fuming Pirate Lord, heading straight for her buffet. “Stocked well, as usual. Despite your flirty demeanor, I see you’re quite driven when it comes to your fleet.”

“How do ya get that from a fuckin’ food trolley?” Jean muttered from behind me, almost as if my succinct observation angered her more than my dodging her first question.

“Where do leaders waste the most time?” I turned back to Jean with a sandwich in one hand and a glass of juice in the other. “People say its meetings, and that’s partly true, but that can be negated by competent management. No, it’s leisure time.”

“Trust me, I take my pleasure seriously. You’d know that if ya stopped playing with my heart, ya know?” She winked at me and tapped a finger alongside her nose, but I ignored the flirting as I continued.

“No, you don’t. You spend most of your free time in this office, sorting through everything that needs your attention. You don’t even leave for meals, or sleep.” I waved toward the buffet and then the darkened portion at the back of Jean’s office, where I could barely make out the frame of a narrow cot pushed up against the rear wall.

“Every spare minute, and you spend it here, looking after your fleet—your family. I know the shitty leader type, Jean, and you’re not it.”

She paused, slowly taking in my words as I took another bite out of my sandwich. Sure, I’d extrapolated a little from what I’d heard from her guards, but it wasn’t hard to see the truth. The fact that Jean drank so much should have been a point against her—but apparently, she did even that in comparative moderation.

Seeing her chug an entire bottle of Elven Wine and remain upright had been quite a shock.

But she truly cared for her people, that much was obvious—even to a new recruit like myself. It was part of the reason why I didn’t buy into her wanton ‘desire’ for me. It wouldn’t have been the first time a pretty woman had tried to use her body to get me to help her, or to do the bidding of her masters.

On the other hand, what I’d overheard from her guards led me to believe her feelings were sincere, at least a little. She didn’t seem to be the kind of lady who’d debase herself for no reason, especially for an unknown variable like myself.

Even her assistance with my plan to remove Daemon had been a calculated risk.

The chance to take down a fellow Pirate Lord, who she herself had wanted to kill on multiple occasions, along with the opportunity to throw in a few jabs against the other Pirate Lord who had worked against her in the past? A hard opportunity to pass up.

It had been an easy choice, given that I’d asked her to keep her people out of the way—she didn’t even have to be directly involved.

In fact, I fully believed that she had likely given her guards an order not to let me through, unless I was alone. If I’d been chased over to her territory by Daemon’s followers or by Wraith, who knows how it might have gone for me.

Luckily, my plan had gone off without a hitch, other than the few niggling doubts I still had about Wraith’s odd behavior.

“Jean, Wraith’s gifted.” I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed as I set down my glass. “He’s more dangerous than we thought.”

“Are ya sure?” Her knuckles whitened as her hands squeezed into fists, probably a mix of shock and worry. “I doubt he could have kept that hidden… not for so long. Right?”

“He killed a good twenty or more pirates, right in front of me. I’m sure.” I scratched my chin and glanced at the door. “I’ve seen enough of you to know you don’t have any battle related gifts, at least when it comes to your axe. Hiding anything else, maybe?”

“I-.” Jean paused for a moment before she hung her head. “No, I’m not gifted. Unfortunately, I don’t have the luck the two of ya had at birth.” She shrugged. “How lazy of me.”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that, Jean.” I gave her a quick, comforting smile. “If gifts weren’t so rare, then maybe people wouldn’t misuse them.”

My gift was a strong one, as was Olea’s. Her death had sent shock waves through the Elven Navy. From there, it would have sent ripples out through the other Elven lands.

A former highborn of Keria, an exile, murdering a member of his family was bad enough.

But a gifted one on top of that?

No, even Keria’s council couldn’t hope to stifle the backlash from that. Though my father would understand why I’d done it, he would most likely would have joined in with the rest of the council, denouncing his former son—if only to protect the rest of our family.

My mother and sister.

Fortunately, neither of them had evinced a desire to join the military—either the army of the navy—and neither had been gifted at birth.

Or cursed, as I sometimes thought of it.

“Okay.” I clapped my hands, shocking Jean out of her temporary daze. “We’ve got a lot to do and not much time to do it. You kept all your people away from the pit, right?”

“Of course. I trusted ya when ya said it’d get dangerous.” Jean paused and gave me a hard stare. “What did ya do, exactly? No point hiding it now.”

“Let’s just say I managed to take Daemon out of the game, and at the same time tarnish Wraith’s reputation with the rest of the fleet.” I picked up another sandwich and chomped down. “But what about you? What do you want to do now that a Pirate Lord’s position has opened up?”

“Well, I don’t have any candidates. At least, none in my fleet I can think of.” Jean stepped forward and laid a hand on my shoulder. “I can think of one or two, currently not under my command, who I wished would get under me.” She winked at me, bouncing her eyebrows as she pulled me to her by my shirt.

“As long as they wanted my backing, of course.”

“Maybe.” I smiled and gently pried her fingers from my shirt. “I don’t really feel like stepping into Daemon’s shoes—especially not with where that little fucker walked, in his time as a pirate lord.”

Jean chuckled and stepped back to her desk to riffle through her papers. It was only after a few moments that she turned back, a single sheet in her outstretched palm.

“Then this person is the best outcome I can think of. What do ya think?”

“Uh, you sure you want to ask my opinion?” I took the paper as she shrugged.

I gave her candidate a once over. “Skilled enough, that’s for sure, but maybe a bit wet behind the ears. Not someone I’d want to throw into the shitstorm we’ve just set off, especially not with Wraith on the prowl.”

“Ya think he has some plans?” She ground her teeth and moved back to her desk. “Should we make a move against him?”

“Don’t worry about setting anything up now.” Dew’s voice called out as she stepped into the room, followed a moment later by Kaede and a third, hooded figure. “We already have our own little schemes afoot.”

The cheeky, blonde wood elf smiled up at the taller woman. “Do you want in?”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

I  remained silent as Dew and Jean stared at one another. Kaede stood off to the side, next to the silent figure they’d brought into the office. Her body was tense, and she kept glancing back at the door behind her. Almost as though she fully expected a crowd of angry pirates to rush in at any moment.

Clearly something had happened that we hadn’t planned for.

But they’d completed their assigned tasks, from what I could see—unless they’d kidnapped the wrong person, that is. Well, I knew that they’d successfully completed at least the first of their two objectives from what I’d witnessed myself, long before they’d strode into Jean’s office.

The box crashing down in the middle of the fighting pit had been proof of that.

“Not without full details on this ‘little scheme’ ya pulled out of yer ass, no.” Jean finally spoke up after a long, awkward silence. “I don’t know who ya are or where ya come from, miss, but around here respect is hard to earn and easy to lose.”

“Fair enough.” Dew shrugged as though it was of little concern to her before turning to me. “What now, Wes? Where do you want us to take him?”

“I guess here’s fine.” I grinned as I glanced back at Jean. “Why don’t you take his hood off so we can all get acquainted.”

I expected that Jean had figured out the identity of the cloaked figure, but I still saw her eye twitch with suppressed irritation when Smith’s wrinkled features were revealed.

There was no love lost there, from what I could tell.

“Is this the extent of your plan? Trading me from one slave driver to another?” Smith raised an eyebrow as he glanced between me and the fuming Pirate Lord next to me. “It is an upgrade, mind, but not the one I wanted.”

Jean snorted.

“At least she’s not likely to threaten my life on a daily basis, just for the hell of it,” the old runesmith grumped.

“This is temporary, Smith.” I waved Jean back as she prepared to launch into a tirade against the old elf, barely catching her shoulder as she made to move forward. “Jean, he can help us, and I doubt anything he did to you was of his own accord.”

“I know it,” she grumbled. “But the old fuck just winds me up.” Jean shrugged as she stepped back. “He’s got his head too far up his own ass to hear anything but his own voice. Not sure why ya did so much to save him.”

“Smith?” I glanced pointedly at the old elf, then back at Jean. “How about you give your new friend a reminder of why we saved you?”

I could tell that Smith was tempted to dismiss my request, but it was also clear to everyone in the room just how easy it would be for me to toss him back into the vipers’ pit we’d pulled him from.

Ours wasn’t exactly an alliance built on friendship and trust—not by a long shot.

“Fine.” Smith sighed as he moved over to Jeans desk, pulling a small locket from his jacket as he did so. “Watch closely, I’m only doing this once.”

Again, we were treated to another demonstration of Smith’s runesmith skills as he worked on the small item. At least this time he didn’t need to hammer on it. Instead, the old elf used a fine chisel to engrave runes into the back of the delicate object.

Smith tossed the completed locket to her with a casual smirk before he propped himself against her desk. Once he’d done so, Jean’s expression changed from doubt and suspicion to deep respect.

“Good enough for you, lady?” He tapped his chisel against his palm rhythmically as he watched his fellow Pirate Lord inspect his work. “Best you’re going to get on such short notice.”

“Why did ya work for Wraith?” She looked up from the locket with a frown. “What does he have on ya?”

“Nothing. At least not anymore.” Smith chuckled as he waved in our direction. “This merry band saw fit to that. No more shackles on me from this point on… not physical ones at least.”

“Wraith had captured one of his friends, we rescued her and sent her over to Lira.” Kaede spoke up from near the door before Dew could launch into an overblown story. “It wasn’t easy, but she’s safe, and Wraith no longer has control over him.”

“Two Pirate Lords gone, and one more fucked over royally.” Jean muttered as she flipped the Runesmith crafted locket through her fingers. “Wes, I figured it was a sound bet, setting a good number of my chips on ya and letting it ride, but this is a bit much—even for someone with yer talents.”

I waved aside the compliment as I considered the struggle that lay ahead.

Sure, we’d nicked Wraith’s main trump card, in the form of the elderly Runesmith, but that didn’t mean he was out of the running. Even if I ignored the extreme threat he posed if we needed to confront him directly, there was still the ominous, foreboding I’d had when I first spotted him at the arena.

What was he planning? What had he done? Why did he not care what the others thought of him?

Jean seemed to be on edge as well, and I guessed someone at her level would likely have noticed something about the odd situation. But she hadn’t said anything to me about it. That meant one of two things.

Either she didn’t trust us enough to reveal the information she knew—which, given our current situation, I found extremely unlikely—or she really knew little more than I did, but likewise had a gut feeling that something just wasn’t right.

Trusting your instincts was essential for anyone who wanted to rise up in as cut-throat a field as leadership in the Pirate Fleets.

“Jean, you probably already know the gist of what we want to do?” I waited for the irritated Pirate Lord to give me a terse nod before I turned back to Smith. “But I doubt Wraith will go down without a fight, right?”

Smith nodded vehemently.

“What has he had you working on, these past few years?”

“I can’t rightly say, because he didn’t ask me to do anything specific.” Smith pursed his lips and scratched his chin worriedly. “Odd, right? Not trying to be humble here, but my skills aren’t all that easy to find.”

“Pearls before swine?” Kaede mused thoughtfully as she stared at the old elf. “Maybe he didn’t realize what he had until it was too late?”

“No.” I shook my head as I dismissed her idle musing. “I don’t know much about that freak, but he isn’t the type to let something like this slip through his fingers.”

The room fell silent as each of us fell into their own thoughts. I had a few ideas, each worse than the last, but not a single one of them had tangible evidence I could use to back up the wild claims I’d be making.

“Never mind that, we need to get him out of The Ridge.” Jean spoke up first, waving dismissively at Smith. “Unless ya have a better idea, I’d suggest we sneak him out today while things are still chaotic.”

“It makes the most sense. Any thoughts on how we can get him out safely?” I glanced at Smith and gave him a wink before adding, “preferably in one piece—he’ll need both arms at a minimum.”

“Kids these days.” Smith grumped, but didn’t otherwise dispute my words as he waited for his former colleague’s response.

Jean clicked her tongue as she sifted through several messy stacks of paper on her tabletop before she picked one out, seemingly at random. Frowning at it, she passed it to me.

Only after I’d read over its contents twice, did I understand her plan.

“What do ya think?” She asked, barely able to conceal her grin as she leaned back against her desk, arms folded smugly over her expansive bosom.

“Should work, right?”

“I like it. Hiding in plain sight.” I nodded at her before I handed the note over to Smith.

He had a less than joyous reaction to the paper’s contents, however.

“What!? You must be joking!” He tossed the offending sheet aside in a huff before he turned to me, rather than to Jean. “Do you really expect me to ride out of here on her-”

“Battleship? Yes.” I couldn’t help chuckling as I noticed the vein throbbing on the old elf’s forehead. “Best way out, don’t you think-”

My speech was interrupted as someone rushed in through the door, stumbling over as they crossed the threshold. Smith barely managed to pull his hood up before the newcomer rose to their feet once more.

Fortunately, the intruder was distracted by the steel at his throat from our guest’s identity as both Kaede and Dew laid their blades at the pirate’s neck.

“Wha-” Jean pushed herself up and strode forward, casually knocking my companions’ weapons aside as she pulled the frightened man to his feet. “What’re ya doing in here! I told ya-”

“I’m sorry! I had to come and warn you!” The man pulled himself together a little, though his face was still blanched white in terror as he stared up into his leader’s eyes. “I- I mean, they… ”

“Out with it!” Jean grabbed the man by his shoulders and held him steady. “Spill it!”

“The Elven Navy has found us!” The man finally blurted out his news in a rush, as though he was afraid he’d lose the will to speak, if he said it any slower. “We’re surrounded! They’re here for him.” He nodded at me.

It took everyone a moment to grasp the full extent of what the messenger had just said.

“Jean.” I moved to stand beside the stunned Pirate Lord, peeling her hands off her subordinate’s shoulders before I turned her to face me. “Plans? Escape routes?”

“What? Oh!” She shook herself with difficulty before turning back to the pirate who’d brought the news. “Prepare the fleet, all aboard, leave everything behind that can’t immediately be loaded or disposed of. Now go!”

Her final shout roused the man from his stupor. He hurriedly nodded and sprinted back out of the room.

Surrounded. Not a good word, especially when it came to the sea.

“How many do ya think they sent?” She looked to me, her eye twitching worriedly, despite her calm tone. “Ya know more than I do about their power.”

“My knowledge is a bit outdated, but I’d say it’s not too good if they found out about The Ridge’s location.” I sighed as I rubbed my forehead. “The number of vessels will be lower than what we can field, but they’ll probably have twice as many dreadnoughts and battleships. If they’ve got the entrance covered, then you’ll be sailing straight out into a crossfire.”

“They don’t know everything.” Jean grinned as she pulled a chart from her desk drawer and unfurled it across the tabletop. “See here, secret entrances, two of them. If we-”

“Wait.” I held up a palm as everything finally fell into place. “I’m sorry, Jean, but they likely do know everything.”

“What do ya- Oh fuck!” Jean slammed a fist into the desk so hard the planks beneath our feet shook in protest. “Fuckin’ Wraith. He betrayed us!”

Smith stepped up to the desk and gave me a long, hard look before he turned to Jean.

“Kid, he thinks he’s got you, but we still have a few tricks up our collective sleeves.” The old elf gently laid a hand on Jean’s shoulder. “Calm down and think it through. What would you do, in his shoes?”

“Not fucking turn on my own, that’s what!” Jean hissed her complaints through gritted teeth before she managed to calm herself down enough to give a proper answer. “Well, most of his fleet won’t follow him, no matter what he’s promised them to turn on us. I’d bet he only has enough to man his two largest ships, maybe.”

Kaede pushed the door open and looked down at the frothing waters of The Ridge below. Even from where I was stood, I could hear frantic yelling as the pirates below made their final preparations for whatever was to come.

They’d trust Jean to get them out of it, but things were looking grim.

“Two big ones moving out!” Kaede yelled back into the room, as she leaned over the rickety banister to see what was going on far below. “Probably Wraith’s ships, if I had to make a bet, escaping while he can!”

“Coward!” Jean strode toward the door, her battle axe flying into her grasp as if by magic. “I’ll cut the fucker in two-”

“Stop!” I stepped in front of her as she made her way towards the door. “Jean, we can’t stop him now. Let him go.”

“Ya think I’m some sort of coward? Move!” Jean made to push me out of the way, but stopped as first Dew and then Kaede moved to flank me. “Ya don’t know anything. Get the fuck outta-”

“Is it ready?” I turned to Dew, who nodded casually with a grin as I turned back to Jean. “Come with me so you can enjoy the fireworks.”

The raging Pirate Lord managed to reign in her anger enough to stomp out onto the balcony at my side. As Kaede had reported, we all saw the two flagships of Wraith’s fleet about to exit The Ridge. Rather than sailing out the front exit, both of them sailed into a tunnel at the rear of the cavern—a tunnel which had been covered by a large growth of vines, but the lumbering behemoths passed through the vines without any difficulty.

Secret exit no longer.

“Three. Two. One.” I grinned as I pointed down at the pair of ships and snapped my fingers. “Boom.”

Chapter Thirty

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

T he decks of the two escaping vessels bulged upward for a moment before they split apart. Two huge fireballs rose into the sky from each ship as the blast wave from the dual explosions blew chunks from their hulls. Not much remained of Wraith’s flagships, but what had survived blazed merrily before sinking into the waters beneath The Ridge.

Destroyed, utterly.

“How?” Jean gripped the spindly railing so hard it cracked in her grip. “What the hell did ya do? How?!”

“Dew just left a few presents behind prepared by our resident Runesmith.” I gave Smith a knowing wink, though the old elf seemed as shocked as everyone else at the sudden turn of events.

“As soon as they moved out of range of the controller, the runes activated. Unfortunately, it seems they ignited the runesmith cannonballs in each vessel.” I shook my head. “Unlucky, that.”

Jean took a long, ragged breath as she stared down at the burning wreckage.

Clearly many of the pirates below believed it had been some sort of sneak attack, and it was clear the vacuum of leadership would soon turn the crowd below against one another as everyone tried to escape.

“Let’s get down there and do our jobs!” Smith flicked back his hood and tugged on Jean’s arm. “Come on, kid. We’ll round them up and get them in line while this lot sorts their end.”

Smith knew I had deeper plans than the first few steps they’d witnessed, but it was just as clear the two Pirate Lords needed to get down there, whipping their people into line.

The longer they delayed, the greater the chances they’d lose what little control they had left.

They had to get moving. Fast.

Jean pulled herself together before simply stabbing a finger at me as she gave me one last frightened glance. Her gaze was filled with various emotions, foremost among them wonder, mixed with suspicion.

She respected my moves, but it was just as clear she didn’t fully trust my strategies.

Not yet, at least.

That would come, though, likely sooner rather than later.

She sprinted off after Smith as the odd pair made their way towards the ladder to the lower areas, hoping to regain a modicum of control of the situation. The old elf was lithe for his age as he slid down the ladder, but he was still slower than his younger and fitter comrade.

I’d need to leave them to their roles, however. I had a tougher nut I needed to crack before the day was done.

“Kaede, Dew, you two get back to the Ravensworn.” I grunted, looking down into the chaos below. We had a few options still, from what I could tell, but only one that seemed to have more than the faintest chance of succeeding.

“Lira’s not going to like it, but there’s been a change in plans. We’re going to have to go with ‘Wounded Swan’—at least a dozen or so per entrance. Tell her to get ready, I’ll be there after I stop by at the seventh fleet.”

“Oh, being all mysterious now, pretty boy?” Dew grinned and distracted me by folding her arms under her breasts. “Not trying to hide something from me again, are you?”

“What? Oh, the code name?” I shook my head as I turned back to face my companions. “It’s a strategy used by the Elven Navy; I know she’ll understand what it means.”

Dew just raised her brows at that, her lips tightening to a hard line.

“I don’t have time to explain the full details to you right now, so please… just trust me.”

Dew and Kaede shared a look before Dew rolled her eyes and the silver-haired beauty nodded. Without another word, they set off for the far end of the cavern—where the Ravensworn had docked.

With Daemon dead, and Wraith likely sinking to the bottom of the frothing waters below The Ridge, there wasn’t anything to hold me back from taking what I considered to be my rightful place as a Pirate Lord.

But to be a true Pirate Lord, I needed willing followers. And not many of them were likely to survive the Elven Navy’s trap if I didn’t get every single one of them working together.

To be fair, even if we did work together, our losses would still be significant.

Wraith’s betrayal had handed the bulk of the pirate fleet to the Elven Navy on a silver platter. It was extremely unlikely they’d not capitalize on this opportunity to squash the rebellious faction as thoroughly as they could.

I couldn’t even trust the route Wraith had taken. For all I knew, there were a few vessels waiting on the far side to pick up the newest members of the Elven Navy.

Would he have had to change his name? It’d be hard to be accepted in any official capacity if he insisted on keeping the ‘Wraith’ moniker.

I shoved such idle thoughts aside as I ran to the far end of Jean’s territory and started the long climb down to the lower levels. I noted some movement in the Seventh fleet area, but they were far slower to respond than the rest of the pirate fleet.

Their old leader probably didn’t have many spies in Wraith’s ranks, or at least none who had managed to pass back the true extent of the situation.

But that gave me the chance to pass on the message myself—if I moved fast enough.

Pirates sprinted back and forth across the various levels, each one ducking and diving around like headless chickens as they tried to ready themselves for the battle to come.

From the snatches of conversation I overheard, it was clear details of the Elven Navy’s appearance had leaked out.

On the other hand, most of the men and women I saw wore an intense look of focus and determination. If they were acting on instinct and fear alone, such expressions would have been impossible.

Obviously, Smith and Jean had taken control of their followers. That left Wraith’s and Daemon’s fleets, but I decided to ignore those asshats as I arrived at the Seventh Fleet’s headquarters.

It wasn’t like I’d be able to do anything about them, anyway.

“Hey, I need to speak to your leader- I mean, Leaders!” I yelled up and slammed a fist into the gate. “Come on out! Now!”

“You! I told you last time that we didn’t want-” A voice rang out, but it was quickly cut off before another, much calmer person shouted down: “We’ve been expecting you. Come on in, the council is-”

I sprinted through the half open gate before the guard could finish his sentence.

A few members of the Seventh fleet looked like they were going to stop me, but others held them back, whispering furiously into their comrades’ ears as I quickly made my way to the headquarters building in the middle of their territory.

Fortunately, the elderly leader of the Seventh Fleet was waiting there to meet me. Well, maybe not me specifically, but it would have to do.

“I’ve heard all about your antics, Weslilian. Daemon dead, Wraith burning in the depths below us, and the other two Pirate Lords openly supporting you. Bravo.” The old man chuckled as he leaned on his stick. “Now what can an old man do for you?”

“Elven Navy have found The Ridge. Wraith apparently passed on the details—we’ve got to assume that all routes are compromised.” I spit out the major details in quick succession as Franklin’s face whitened further in shock with each revelation. “We’re surrounded. Jean and Smith are pulling the fleets together, but we’ll need your help to push out.”

Though the situation wasn’t quite what I’d imagined it would be, it was clear the Seventh Fleet would join the rest of the besieged pirates and fight their way out of The Ridge, if necessary. They only wanted to hide, but I couldn’t believe the Elven Navy would leave them be once the rest of the pirate fleet was wiped out.

In fact, the majority of the Seventh would probably just ‘disappear at sea’. I’d never seen it myself, but the rumors I’d heard during my time in the Navy indicated their ‘experimental division’ still thrived.

Such an innocuous, neutral name for something so disgusting.

And Franklin knew what the final outcome would be for his people as much as I did. Death by torture as interrogators did their best to work out the secrets of their bloodline. Any tiny advancement, as far as the Elven Navy was concerned, was worth the sacrifice of an entire race.

“And why haven’t they moved in already?” Franklin mused softly as he glanced down at his desk. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“They’ll try to starve us out, first.” I responded to his question, though it clearly hadn’t been specifically for me. “They think they have all the exits locked down; that’s a safer method to take care of us, right?”

“Rock and a hard place, it seems.” The old man grunted and rubbed his chin worriedly. “What’s your plan, Weslilian? I’m assuming you have one, as always.”

“Wounded Swan.”

Franklin’s face blanched as he heard the code name of the Elven Navy strategy I planned to execute. It wasn’t like I didn’t share his concern. Such a strategy would be dangerous, most likely fatal to those who played the most critical role, and was only the first step in a long, drawn out escape.

But it had to be done, and I was the best person to pull it off.

“I’d love to offer up an alternative, but I can’t think of any.” Franklin clicked his tongue and moved toward the building’s front door. “But I won’t let you do this alone. The more swans we have, the better, right?”

“Thank you.” I patted the old man’s shoulder. “Just make sure you don’t bite it before we get out, you old idiot. Your followers need you, remember.”

“Not as much as they need you.” The leader of the seventh fleet turned to me and handed over an old, ragged badge. “You’re the vice leader now, Weslilian. Do my people proud, and they will follow you into the halls of hell.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

W ith the Seventh Fleet’s backing, my plan would flow far smoother, but that was if the commander of the Elven Navy didn’t see right through the strategy I was preparing.

It didn’t take long to reach the Ravensworn once more. Most of the pirates had moved from the housing levels of The Ridge down to their vessels, though more than usual had piled into the larger ships under Smith’s and Jean’s command.

A number of smaller boats had been manned by skeleton crews. Each of them had swapped out as many of their sails for white cloth as they could possibly manage. The expressions I saw on the pirates faces who stood aboard the ships were all the same.

Fear, determination, resignation.

They knew what was about to happen, and it was likely they’d taken the pivotal roles in the strategy to save their comrades.

Their friends.

My plan was a good one, though. Numerically the pirates held the advantage, but a large portion of the Pirate Fleets vessels were smaller than their adversary, most hardly bigger than sloops and schooners.

The Elven Navy’s vessels I expected to face would be largely composed of capital ships that could be classified as battleships.

Not a good match up.

But size was only one factor in a battle at sea. Tactics, positioning, weather, and luck all played huge roles in any engagements atop the waves.

Unfortunately, Wraith had ceded the first two to the Elven Navy.

We’d have to sail into the face of their ambush, and technically there weren’t any realistic tactics we could use against them.

Thus, ‘Wounded Swan’.

“There ya are!” Jean waved a group of her officers aside and strode over to me, her expression thunderous as she closed in rapidly. “Ya set off this crazy plan after I left on purpose! Ya know I’d never have agreed-”

“All true,” I admitted. My nod casually confirming her accusations. “But it’s the best idea we have… and it’s all on me, if it fails.”

“Like that matters at all!” Her fists clenched and unclenched for a few moments before she looked up at the white sails on the Ravensworn. “Ya even brought Lira in on yer madcap plan? Is nothing sacred to ya?”

“Lira brought herself in, thank you very much.” Lira leaned over the railing of her ship, yelling down at the pair of us. “Wes, your little friends are worried sick up here, and we don’t have much time!”

I gave Jean a quick nod before I bounded up the rope ladder onto Lira’s vessel. As expected, most of the crew had been packed off onto other ships, leaving the bare minimum behind to sail the Ravensworn.

“Did you split the loads?” I looked at Lira, who sighed and nodded irritably at my question. “Okay, sorry. I’ll take over from here. If you want to go join up with Jean-”

“Wait, what’s this all about?” Kaede dashed up from the lower decks, followed closely by Dew and Freya. “Don’t tell me you’re planning some sort of stupid, heroic sacrifice?!”

“That would make sense, knowing how Master thinks.” Freya nodded, though I could see steel in her vibrant blue orbs, as she stared back at me. “He wouldn’t even consider leaving us behind, of course.”

“No way he’d be that big of an idiot,” Dew interjected before I could respond, her arms folded tight over her chest. “He promised he’ never try to pull this sort of thing again, remember? And he always keeps his promises.”

It was three against one, but it wasn’t like I didn’t share their concerns.

No matter how stealthy the fleet’s preparations had been, the actual thrust of my plan wouldn’t have escaped the attention of my three beauties.

They were too smart for that.

“You’ve figured out the strategy, but there are a few bits where I’ll need your help.” I held up a hand, cutting the trio off as I turned first to Freya. “You’ll need to stay with Smith, he’ll need your assistance if he’s going to get his work done on time.”

“I- If you say so, Master.” Freya kept her gaze fixed on my face as she stepped to the side. “I trust you, as always.”

“Thank you.” I nodded at the obviously conflicted redhead before I turned back to Dew and Freya. “As for the two of you, I’ll need you to act as my commanders. Dew, you’ll take over Wraith’s fleet. Kaede, you’re in charge of Daemon’s.”

“You want us to stay behind while you have all the fun?” Dew raised an eyebrow dangerously as she glanced to Kaede, who seemed equally unimpressed with my proposed division of labor.

“And what is it you’ll be doing while we play at being fleet lords, eh?”

I paused for a moment, considering my words carefully. For the briefest of moments, I was tempted to lie, but I squashed that urge as quickly as it came.

No. They deserved the truth.

“I’m going to be on the first vessel through the main entrance.” I winced as I saw all three of my girl’s tense up at my plan. “They’ll need a good reason to not fire on the ships, and it’s likely they want to bring me in… alive.”

Lira gave me a sharp glare as she leaned against the Ravensworn’s mast behind the trio. She obviously disagreed with my plan, but thankfully didn’t give voice to her concerns.

Oddly enough, neither did Dew or Kaede.

Instead they shared another long look before they turned back to me and nodded in agreement.

“Thank you, all of you.” I sighed and stepped closer to the three of them. “I don’t know what I’d do without-”

Suddenly all three of my girls ducked forward and pulled me into a tight, triple layered hug. Freya held me on one side, Kaede on the other, and Dew buried her head against my chest. I felt their conflicted emotions, conveyed through their touch alone.

They were afraid. Not for themselves, but for me.

“I’m sorry.” I kissed each one gently on their cheeks, one after the other. “But I can’t think of any other way—And they’re not likely to take me out, once they know it is me, right?”

“They damn well better not.” Dew poked me in the ribs, hard, before stepping back. “If you end up getting yourself blown into chunks, I’ll personally seek you out in the afterlife and make you rue this day—no matter where you try to hide.”

“Same.” Kaede tightened her grasp on me for a moment before she similarly stepped back. “We’ll be waiting for you on the other side, Wes.”

Freya stayed close for a few moments longer, pressing her body to mine. Her whole body shivered as she forced herself to look up into my eyes. Though tears streamed down her cheeks and it seemed as though she was on the verge of collapse, she tried to smile at me.

“You’ll be fine, and I’ll be fine.” I gently cupped her cheek and pulled her lips to mine for a fleeting kiss before I stepped out of her embrace. “Go and meet with Smith, he’ll tell you what help he needs.”

“Of course, Master.” Freya scrubbed the tears from her cheeks as she turned to leave.

“I’ll see you later. All of you.”

Kaede and Dew didn’t speak as they made their way off Lira’s boat, though each did stop a few times on the dock to glance back in my direction.

Thankfully, they’d let go of their desire to join me on my potentially suicidal voyage.

“So, what now?” Lira pushed herself off the mast and strode over to my side. “I kinda inferred from the code name, but ‘Wounded Swan’ usually involves only one or two ships; you want to do it with several times that number.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “This sort of thing has never been tried before.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.” I turned to face the exit, as if I could see the Elven Navy on our doorstep. “They’ll be setting up a blockade, trying to cut off our supplies and waiting for our food supplies to dry up—there’s no way they’d expect us to try ‘Wounded Swan’ this early.”

I shook my head and turned back to face the pirate captain with a cocky grin on my face. “They won’t see it coming, which means they won’t instantly blow us out of the water. Probably.”

“Hopefully.” Lira spat the word back at me like it was an accusation, but we both knew the truth of the situation.

There was no way we’d all get out of this mess alive; the only option was to limit our casualties.

“We’ll go out first.” I glanced at the main exit from The Ridge. Luckily, it was still free of any invaders, likely due to their concerns with navigating the maze of sharpened rocks waiting just under the water at the mouth of the cavern. “I’ll stand at the prow, clear as day. The rest will follow right after us and fan out once we reach open waters.”

I squared my shoulders and walked up to the bow, stopping next to the harpoon cannon, and leaning against it. Lira followed a step or two behind me.

“Fine. I’ll pass the orders, and we can set off in half an hour.” Lira clapped a hand to my shoulder and laughed. “Let the Elven Navy stew for a bit while the girls make their preparations. Everything will fall into place then, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.” I forced myself to ignore the worried voice that second-guessed every other thought, pushing it to the back of my brain.

“We’ll make them pay for everything they’ve done. No matter what happens… that I promise you, Lira.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Pirate Hideout: The Ridge / Monster Isle - Day 72

T he half hour passed in a blink of an eye as the fleets prepared for the brutal fight ahead. The Wounded Swan vessels, each captained by an experienced officer, ran through the plan again and again, despite the distinct possibility of them not returning from what we were about to attempt.

If they were going to die, they wanted their deaths to mean something.

But I wouldn’t let them go out there alone, not without risking myself, as well. Freya, Dew, and Kaede all had their own roles to play; thankfully, they had acceded to my request, even if they disagreed with the logic behind it.

“So, we all ready?” I called back up to the quarterdeck as Lira climbed up to the wheelhouse. We were near the main entrance of The Ridge, ready to lead the procession of Wounded Swan vessels, each one festooned with as much white cloth as the pirates could find.

Many of the white cloths that draped the ships weren’t clean, but at the very least it was clear what our intent was.

Surrender.

“Of course. Waiting on you.” Lira shouted back to me.

“Fine. Just remember, make your move when you feel the signal.” I looked out over the various ships and boats strung out behind the Ravensworn.

Hopefully, I wasn’t leading them into an ugly, pointless death.

My thoughts turned to my companions.

Dew had asked her young shadowpanther friend, Kiel, to act as Kaede’s bodyguard. No one would mess with the brutal beast, even if he was still, technically at least, only a youth. Dew would be fine by herself.

Kaede, maybe not so much. Much to the young, high-elf beauty’s chagrin, we’d all agreed on that one fact.

With that set up, each of them should be safe. Well, as safe as they could be in the middle of a bunch of pirates, surrounded on all sides by the most powerful dreadnoughts of the Elven Navy. The only thing we had going our way, was that they hadn’t learned how to completely control the behemoths… yet.

Which meant at least we would only need to worry about fighting ship to ship, and not ship to monstrous beast.

The Ravensworn drifted forward, so slowly at first, that it was difficult to tell, but the sturdy little ship built up speed bit by bit. We started on our way out of The Ridge, the rest of the Wounded Swan ships following close in our wake.

The light of the noon day sun blazed outside the entrance as we drifted through the initial tunnel and into the spike filled bay before it. Lira expertly swerved the Ravensworn around the hidden rocks in the water without slowing down.

And then I saw them.

We weren’t completely surrounded, but near enough. Capital ships dotted the seas wherever I looked, each and every single one of them facing in the same direction.

Toward the entrance.

“Stupid.” I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as I saw their setup. So many errors, so many mistakes, and I’d spotted several at a glance.

Too close to their target. All facing the same direction. Limiting the number of archers who could fire in one volley by not setting a second rank facing broadside. Packed together too tightly.

For a moment it felt like their commander may have been working a level above even me. Maybe the person who made the decisions was just far too advanced for my puny brain to understand their tactics? It wasn’t impossible and would have been the case if my aunt had been in command—if I hadn’t killed her, that is.

Or maybe, just maybe, the commander was an idiot.

After Olea’s death, there was only one I could think of who might assume her position.

“Simeon.” I glared at what was obviously the opposing force’s flagship, a lumbering brute of a cruiser whose only purpose was intimidating fools who didn’t understand its weaknesses.

Idiots like the dimwit captaining it, for example.

But that worked perfectly for us. The enemy should already know I was aboard the lead ship. I stood just behind the Ravensworn’s prow, impossible to miss with the farseeing devices they had on board.

My presence would lock Simeon in a conundrum.

Would he take us out, right away, and limit the potential danger to his fleet or wait for us to close so he could personally take me into custody as he threw cheap one liners and shitty quips into my face?

Clearly, from the way the fleet didn’t react to our approach, the fool had picked option two. The distance between our ships dwindled rapidly—without any response from the Elven navy vessels. No attempts to demand we stop, no surprise cannonade.

Nothing.

“Wesley!” The nasal voice rang out from the huge ship as we drew alongside seconds before a helmeted head poked out over the side. “Long time, no see! It seems you’ve got some new friends.”

“Hello, Simeon!” I shouted back up and forced a smile onto my face as I stared at the little man above me. “We’re here to-”

“Oh, I know.” Simeon waved me into silence before he ducked his head back over the railing before he started screaming at his crew. “Get them a fucking ladder, now! We don’t have all day to wait on your incompetence.”

Simeon probably didn’t know the true extent of the council’s actions. In fact, it was possible that he didn’t even know, or believe, that I’d been the one responsible for the Behemoth breakout in Keria, just before my escape months ago.

That didn’t mean I’d change my plans, of course. A fair few of the captains under his command would surely know the truth, even if their commander had been kept in the dark. Simeon was just a figurehead, a self-aggrandizing elf who spun a good tale about his exploits. The tales—some of which were even true—made others want to follow him.

That changed once they rose high enough to have remained in his presence for more than a few hours at a time. Then, they’d change their tunes entirely. I was almost surprised the council had put him in charge.

Almost.

I wondered who was actually responsible for this floating circus. It was certainly an odd set up, in my opinion, but fell well within my expectations from when I’d drafted up our plan.

But that meant we’d need to move fast. My other ‘Swans’ were moving into position alongside their assigned targets as a long rope ladder dropped down over the side of Simeon’s dreadnought.

“Everyone, follow me!” I waved to my small crew as I grabbed hold of the swinging ladder. “Keep an eye out. No funny business.”

A few chuckles rose up from behind me as I started to climb, but they were quickly stifled as my skeleton crew followed me, Lira right behind me. No one spoke as we clambered up the ladder onto the flagship, leaving the Ravensworn behind, bobbing forlornly in the waters next to the monstrous Elven vessel.

Alone and abandoned.

I noted Lira glanced back several times at her ship, her gaze fixed onto it for long moments, as though she was trying to memorize how it looked. I understood why she did so—she might never see it again.

“Wesley!” Simeon’s calloused hand clapped over mine as I pulled myself up onto the deck of his ship. “Nice to see you after so long-”

“Sir!” One of the officers stepped forward, a steely glint in her eye as she rested a hand on the hilt of her sword. “This man is a traitor, and we-”

Simeon gave the woman a blank stare as his trademark expression dropped into place.

Eyes: Cold.

Mouth: Puckered.

Ears: Flaring bright red.

He probably thought it made him look intimidating. For all I knew, someone holding in their laughter might appear to be afraid to the idiot before me.

Still, he was the commander, and his officer had overstepped her authority. No matter if she was right, she had to move back and allow him to take over the situation. Those were the rules of the Elven Navy. And god damn it did we high elves follow the rules to the letter.

Literally, in most cases.

“So, traitor, huh?” Simeon turned to me, his smile several degrees cooler as he dismissed the small number of crew at my back. “They told me you were here, but I never expected the rumors were true. Why did you join up with this bunch of criminals?”

How could I answer that question? Even if I told him the truth, he wouldn’t believe me.

I glanced back at Lira and the rest of her crew. Sure, they weren’t the most upstanding members of society, but they were my friends. At least they were true to their calling.

Unlike Keria’s Council and, by extension, the Elven Navy.

No pirate had ever tried to tame a Behemoth.

No pirate had ever attempted to amass a large enough force to take over a continent.

But the council and the navy had done both, in tandem, and that was just too much for me—even if I did have my own selfish agenda to follow.

“Simeon.” I turned to the confused commander of the Elven Navy’s fleet. “Sorry to have to do this, but you’ll understand soon enough why I had no other choice.” I covered my ears and opened my mouth

“Wait.” Simeon stepped forward and held up a hand, his instincts likely screaming at him that something was about to go terribly wrong. “What do you mean-”

“Now!”

A split second after my shout, all hell broke loose.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Lanoi Sea / Monster Isle - Day 72

E xplosions erupted throughout the fleet as the loads locked in the holds of our ships ignited. First the blast waves hit, knocking anyone not prepared for the barrage of force from their feet. Those few not bowled over could only cling to whatever railing or rigging lay at hand as the deck beneath their feet rocked and swayed from the aftershocks.

But the elves crewing the navy vessels were some of the best trained warriors in the elven nations. Their shock wouldn’t hold them for long. We had to move.

Fast.

So that’s what I did. Instead of attacking the still recovering navy crew all around me, I pulled Simeon to his feet and laid my blade against his throat, stopping any stupid questions with one, cold glare.

“Order them to surrender, now!” I pressed my sword against his neck, so that a nasty streak of bright red appeared on his pale neck, several drops of blood dripping down to stain his collar. “Do it! Quickly!”

“I- No!” Simeon slammed his foot down in an act of childish frustration. “This is too much, Wesley, you’ve g-g-gone too f-f-far…”

Simeon cut off with a stutter as his eyes flared wide in shock. He slumped forward into my arms, unable to keep himself upright as all strength fled his limbs.

And it was then, that I saw the cause.

A large, feathered arrow protruded from his back, right between his shoulder blades. Armor made for sailors—armor the idiot had likely been forced to wear—did away with excessive weight and made it easy to ditch should the sailor fall overboard by lacking protection across the back. The shot pierced his body, only stopping because the breastplate stopped it from emerging from his chest.

I was shocked that his armor ended up saving me.

“Ambush!” The officer who had called for our capture drew her sword with a manic snarl. “Leave no survivors.”

It didn’t make sense, but I knew time was short. Of course, I’d hoped to end the whole mess in as bloodless a coup as possible, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t planned for things to go awry.

But who had shot Simeon?

A quick glance was all I needed to spot the elf clothed in dark leathers at the aft end of the ship. Even at this distance, I could see the fucker’s cocky grin, along with the excitement in his gaze as he looked upon the chaos he’d just created.

“Wraith!” I hissed the name through gritted teeth as I pulled Simeon back into the crowd of pirates. “Lira, keep an eye on him, we need to-”

“We need to seize the initiative while we have it!” Lira gave Simeon a cold look as she drew a pair of razor-sharp short swords from sheaths lashed across her back. “We move, now.”

She was right.

It annoyed me to admit that I was wrong. Simeon may have been an idiot, but he’d been my idiot friend. Despite everything I’d done, it was obvious that he didn’t believe the stories he’d been told. He’d simply wanted to bring me in for questioning, instead of acting as the council’s assassin.

But now he lay dying, and he probably thought it was all part of my plan.

Fucking Wraith!

I drew my sword with steely determination, glaring at the elf at the far end of the ship. His outfit didn’t look that different from your average naval crewman, so calling him out as the assassin would likely get me nowhere.

I needed to take him out. Fast.

“Take them down, cleanly if possible!” I darted forward, ducking low beneath the officer’s first swing as I sliced my sword from her hip to her knee. She collapsed with a yelp. I kicked her in the head, just to be sure.

One down, a good candidate for a potential hostage.

Though I didn’t want to kill the lower ranking crew, I didn’t worry as much about the officers. Most of them likely knew the truth about the council’s radical power play and how they planned to exercise their newfound power.

I strived to keep my blows nonlethal, but it wasn’t at all easy to do so.

Leg strikes could be deadly if miss-aimed, due to the sheer number of major arteries running through the limb. Blows to the head with boot, fist, or hilt were similarly difficult to pull off.

But my opponents didn’t seem to appreciate my hesitation.

Instead, they rushed forward en masse, each one rabid for the chance to take revenge against the one they assumed had taken down their commander.

Even in death, Simeon was giving me a headache. Typical.

Luckily, most of the crew were green, and their training had been rushed in the fleet’s recent, massive expansion—other than the officers, of course. A single pirate, with years of experience fighting in brutal melees, could easily account for two or three of the inexperienced recruits before us.

The officers were a different matter. Those I took care of myself.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time for me to hold back, so I steeled myself and sped up my assault. Simeon’s subordinates fell like a field of wheat under the scythe as I mowed them down enroute to my most dangerous target.

Wraith.

Who, despite everything he was watching, made no attempt to join in the fray. Nor did he try to escape while he had the chance.

“Heads up!” He yelled with a huge grin as he drew back his bow, launching an arrow directly for my head.

Easy enough to dodge, except that I couldn’t dodge, not with Lira fighting to keep my back clear. With a snarl, I cut the shaft in half, sweeping the arrow aside.

“Oh, nice! Try this one!” The prick laughed uproariously as he fired another shot, then another, and another.

Deflecting arrows and dodging the odd, wild swing from the sailors surrounding us, all while doing my best to limit the casualties on both sides, this was not turning out like I had expected it would.

“Lira, hold the front.” I jumped back, letting the experienced pirate captain take my place as I sheathed my sword and flipped my bow off my back. “Let’s see how you deal with this, you fucker!”

Wraith pulled his Rapier out and jumped up onto the uppermost deck—in front of the door to the captain’s cabin, giving me an easy, unobstructed shot.

A challenge.

“Go on then, kid!” He roared at the sky. “Give it your best-”

He barely managed to flick his sword out to deflect my first shot-

“You little prick-”

The second arrow skimmed by his chest as he dived aside.

“Fuck you-”

My third slammed into his sword as he rolled to his feet, knocking him once more onto his ass.

“Stop playing with him!” Lira grunted as she ducked back, a trail of blood leaking from her arm as she thrust her swords out once more. “Take him out, now!”

I fought the urge to yell that I was trying to. Battles between gifted warriors were either over in seconds, if not a single moment, or devolved into a stalemate—usually because one side had set things up in such a manner.

Exactly as Wraith had planned.

He wanted to distract me, to keep me focused on him while the navy crew wore down my own through sheer force of numbers.

But I’d seen through his plan before he even started.

“Fucker!” I yelled as I drew my bowstring back to its limit. “Stop this one!”

Wraith ducked low into a defensive stance as he awaited my arrow. He knew it would be dangerous, deadly even, but it was just as obvious he wouldn’t avoid the challenge of taking it on directly.

“Now!” I yelled as I released the string.

Two more archers loosed their own arrows from the rear of our group the instant my shot screamed toward the cocky elf.

“Fu-” He considered ducking my shot, but it was clear he wouldn’t make it.

He had to parry the shaft.

“Shit!” He gritted his teeth as my arrow slammed into his blade. The rapier, thin as it was, didn’t break from the blow.

I was a bit surprised, actually.

But it did bend so much that the tip of the blade almost reached back to the handle.

The flexible, obviously runesmithed steel absorbed most of my shot’s force, but not all of it, and Wraith had two more arrows to deal with.

Though the other shots weren’t as powerful as mine, they should still be deadly—since the prick had been so cocky he’d not worn any armor.

And I wasn’t done yet.

As Wraith skidded backward, I quickly knocked another arrow and pulled back the string. Not as far as my last shot, but far enough to be fatal to anything it touched.

“Cocky ass.” I grinned as I fired off the shot toward the off-balance pirate lord.

Blocking one arrow, three more on their way. I saw no way Wraith could get out of the situation alive.

But then his path took him by one of the other navy crew members.

“Wha-” I could see the fear in the woman’s eyes as Wraith’s hand latched around her neck and pulled her close. She didn’t have a chance to react before being dragged around to become a shield in front of the traitor.

The light in her eyes vanished as three arrows, one of them mine, slammed into her back.

“Nice try!” Wraith tossed his elven shield aside and jumped back, using the ship’s wheel for cover as he ducked out of sight. “Next time, you and me, one on one!”

I wanted to hunt him down with every fiber of my being, but the battle had started to turn against us. And though the other pirate ships had started making their way out of The Ridge, they needed more time.

Time that only I could give them.

“- wait.” A faint, nasal voice wheezed from the deck at my feet as a hand closed feebly around my ankle. It was only after I looked down that I realized that Simeon must have crawled his way half the length of the ship behind me, from where he’d first fallen.

“What- You should have stayed there!” I hissed, kneeling beside the dying elf. “You could have survived this before, but now-”

It took but a single glance to know how screwed he was. The long journey, for him at least, had exacerbated the Navy Commander’s injuries.

“She’s- here-” He forced the words out with a great effort, coughing up gobs of blood between each one, almost like punctuation marks. “I- brought- her- to- see-”

“Who?” I leaned down, pressing my ear almost to his lips as the elf strained to speak. “Who did you bring to see me?”

“Ari- Anna-” He wheezed out the name, his face pinched in pain as he stared up into my shocked eyes as I pulled back to stare at him. It was almost as though he was begging forgiveness for what he’d done.

And then, finally, he collapsed to the decking.

I couldn’t believe it. Even for someone like Simeon, it wasn’t possible.

Why the fuck had he brought my fucking sister to a war zone?

Chapter Thirty-Four

Lanoi Sea / Aboard the Elven Dreadnought, Stormshadow - Day 72

“W hat is it?” Lira stood by my side, giving the fallen Simeon a single, sad look before she pulled me to my feet. “We need to get ready to retreat. Get yourself together!”

“Wha- No!” I shook off her grasp as I turned to the Captain’s quarters, where my sister was likely being kept.

The thought of leaving her aboard an Elven Navy vessel, especially one with Wraith in the crew, sent chills up my spine. Without Simeon to protect her, it wouldn’t be long before one of the remaining junior officers came up with the idea of using her against me.

One useless girl up against the possibility of removing a major threat who’d betrayed the Elven nations and joined the pirates?

No contest. Not in the eyes of most who’d follow the council’s desires.

“Wes, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Lira grabbed my shoulder again and pulled me around to face her. “What was it he said to you? Whatever it is, you can’t trust-”

“Lira, my sister is on this fucking ship. I need to find her and bring her with us, now.” I paused and took a deep, ragged breath—vainly attempting to calm my raging emotions.

It didn’t work.

“Fine.” Lira shook herself off as she stepped back. “You act as a distraction, then. We’ll hold them here as long as we can. Get going!”

I nodded and knocked three arrows to my bow as I turned to face the crowd of Elven sailors before me. I couldn’t see Arianna, and the captain’s quarters seemed empty from the glances I got through the windows behind the fray.

Unfortunately, I knew those fragile looking panes would have been strengthened so much even my arrows would likely fail to penetrate them.

There was no way I’d hold back if anyone tried to stop me, not when Arianna’s life could be at stake.

“Get the fuck out of my way!” I sprinted forward and, as the first naval crew member threw a mad, panicked slash in my direction-

I jumped high into the air.

The terrified young elf didn’t even have time to react before my foot slammed into his face. Since the boy was knocked out instantly, he didn’t make a good enough foothold.

I quickly moved on to the next in the crowd.

The rest of the group realized what I was doing a moment later, and those nearest tried to back away. Fortunately, that wasn’t possible—not with how packed the melee had gotten.

But that didn’t stop those within reach from trying to cut me down with their blades.

“Shit!” I dodged a wild swing, barely managing to get a foot onto another elf’s shoulder before he, in turn, blindly stabbed upward with his sword.

By the time he managed to lift his weapon high enough to threaten me, though, I was already gone.

Hopping thus from shoulder to shoulder along the crowd was dangerous, and it opened me up to assault from their own ranged division, but there was no way I’d be able to force my way through the wall of elves between me and the Captain’s quarters, not without killing every last fool standing in my way, likely sacrificing the lives of the pirates by my side.

Even if I’d intended on doing just that, there would still be no way to get my sister out safely.

Arianna had next to no skills in combat, despite how closely she’d stuck by my side when we were younger. She’d barely been able to draw her training bow, even after she’d technically outgrown the spindly little faux weapon by several years.

Those thoughts vanished as the first wave of arrows flew at me. They were high and slow, likely loosed as such in an attempt to avoid hitting the archer’s colleagues below my heels, but even those shitty shots were enough to slow my reckless dash to the cabin.

But it wasn’t enough to stop me.

The crowd thinned out the further I jumped from the front of the battle lines, and it rapidly reached the point where my ‘footholds’ were no longer spaced close enough together to make for an easy path.

Bastards.

I used the last one I could easily leap to as a prop for one, final jump. The unfortunate sailor seemed to realize what my plan was, but couldn’t do anything to stop me as I sprang from his shoulders with all my strength, launching the unfortunate elf back into the crowd of confused and infuriated sailors behind him.

“Ari!” I yelled out as I flipped through the air, easily clearing the last few sailors blocking my way before I twisted around and stuck my landing atop the roof of the captain’s quarters. “Ari!” I shouted again, “It’s Wes, I’m here!”

There was no response, which worried me.

Despite my sister’s lack of combat skills, she’d never had any issues with her voice—quite the opposite in fact.

Either she couldn’t hear me over the din of battle, she couldn’t respond for some reason, or she wasn’t even on the ship.

That wasn’t a risk I could afford to take, though.

The archers panicked as I sprinted toward their palisade at the stern of the vessel, several of them backing away, right over the edge of the parapet. The others noticed the precariousness of their situation as they prepared to make a final stand, each one drawing their arrows back as far as they could, lining their shots up on my chest.

Too slow.

All fired at the same time, likely in an attempt to overwhelm my defenses, but that unity was their undoing. All it took was a quick slide along the ground, and I’d avoided their barrage with ease.

Then, before they could draw another arrow, I was in their midst.

Compared to the rookie sailors I’d faced in the scrum below, the archers were unskilled—having had only the bare minimum of training with their thin daggers, probably.

Why the fuck had the Navy rushed these kids out on an actual cruise without completing their training? It didn’t make any sense.

But it did make the fight easier for me as I took the lot of them down in seconds. Not a single death, though I made sure to break each and every one of their bows before I continued on my way.

A wounded viper can still spit poison at you if you turn your back on it.

Without their archers’ support the previously lopsided battle below took a turn for the worse for the Navy side. Lira led a counter charge, her blades rising and falling with swift efficiency as she cleaved her way through the middle of the pack.

The pirates would kill more than a few sailors making their escape, but I couldn’t distract myself with that.

“Ari!” I kicked open the door to the captain’s quarters and stormed inside. “I’m-”

“- Here!” Wraith yelled in a pitch perfect imitation of my voice.

“Wes.” My sister greeted me through gritted teeth, the former pirate lord’s blade resting against her throat. “I’m sorry, I thought-”

“Quiet!” Wraith flicked his sword forward, drawing a single drop of blood at Ari’s throat before turning back to me. The prick hadn’t even grabbed her, and instead simply stood to one side, his rapier outstretched and resting on the nape of her neck.

“Wraith, if you do anything to her, I’ll make sure you die in the worst way possible.” I fought down a nearly overwhelming urge to blow the fucking bastard’s skull apart with a single, well placed shot. I knew I was quick enough to take him before he’d be able to dodge or parry.

But could I get him before he could hurt Ari? Not likely.

The din of battle outside drifted away from the door as I narrowed my focus to the pair in front of me. Even my own breathing sounded loud in my ears, so much so that I held my breath, just so I’d have one less distraction.

“Seriously, you’ve come far, Wes.” Wraith gave me a wide smile, as though we were discussing something as commonplace and inconsequential as the carrying capacity of a swallow.

“Was that your plan all along? Turf me out, take over my fleets? Bold move, that.”

“Nah, I didn’t have a single path planned out to reach the rank of Pirate Lord—you being a prick sealed the deal.” I kept my tone neutral as I glanced out of the windows behind him.

Lira looked like she was winning, but it was taking too long.

I’d have to settle this matter by myself.

“Wes.” Ari called out, ignoring the way Wraith’s rapier dug into her flesh as she stared into my eyes. “You know, I never got you back for what happened in the orchard.”

“What? You can’t be serious… that was ages ago.” I shook my head savagely as I realized what she was proposing. “The same trick won’t work on me, not here!”

“Aww, what a nice, little family reunion!” Wraith hissed as he flicked his sword out once more, cutting a fine line across Ari’s cheek. “Unfortunately, I don’t give a fuck what you-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Ari’s hand flicked out, releasing a fine mist in Wraith’s direction.

“Wha- Aaaahh!” The previously cocky elf madly swiped his sword through the air, trying to disperse the faint, purple mist that had covered his body. “What- The- Fuck- Is-”

“It’s a family secret.” I grinned as Ari sprinted to my side, though the blood streaming from the gash in her shoulder stilled any humor I found in the situation as I turned back to the terrified pirate lord before me.

Wraith didn’t respond to the revelation as his wild assault grew more and more frenzied.

It wouldn’t be likely he’d get out alive, but I wanted to make sure-

“They’re here!” A loud voice rang out from behind as the double doors blasted open, revealing a squad of Elven navy warriors to our rear, led by three brutal looking officers.

“Fuck this!” I spun back around and snapped off a quick shot directly into Wraith’s face, pausing only long enough to watch as my arrow sank through his eye turning back to face the newcomers, my sister by my side.

“Just fucking try it, you bastards! If you want her, you’re going to have to go through me!”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Lanoi Sea / Aboard the Elven Dreadnought, Stormshadow - Day 72

E ven with Wraith out of the picture, the group blocking the door would be difficult to defeat with Arianna at my side.

“Dropped so low that you’ve fallen in with the pirates, huh traitor?” One of the officers grit his teeth and made to step forward. “Such a fucking coward! You shot Simeon in the back!”

The rest of the navy crew roared in anger at the elf’s war cry, as I’d expected they would. The officer likely didn’t give a single flying fuck about Simeon or what had happened to him, but it was clear he fully intended to capitalize on the mess Wraith had caused.

If he could get the lower rank and file worked up and talk them into charging me, maybe he wouldn’t need to put himself in danger.

Cunning and cowardice went hand in hand, and you needed a healthy dose of each to rise high in the Elven navy.

Or you could be gifted, of course.

The only reason I hadn’t made it far as an officer myself was due to Olea’s interference. Whether it was dislike or simply fear I might rise up and outshine her, her reasoning didn’t much matter anymore.

Even at the time, I hadn’t cared about her all that much. For once, I’d actually listened to my father’s recommendations, to leave her be, and to focus on my own life.

But now such attitudes placed my sister in danger, and there was no way I’d let that slide.

“Take him, now-” The officer’s yell cut off as my shaft slammed into his temple. His vicious, confident look vanished as he realized, several seconds too late, what had happened.

Then he fell to the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“Wha-” The other officer stepped back and raised her blade defensively, while the rest of the unruly crowd instinctively closed ranks.

Fear. The best way to counter an overconfident coward.

“Get the fuck out of my way.” I kept my tone low and icy as I knocked three arrows to my bow. “I won’t be so picky with my next shots, and I doubt any of you fancy volunteering to take a shaft, am I right?”

Even the experienced officer at the front of the group tensed up as my bow swung in her direction. She was clearly skilled, but what were her chances of parrying one of my shots aimed directly for her at point-blank range?

Slim to none.

“He’s one elf!” She finally pulled herself together enough to speak again after a long, awkward pause. “We can take him!”

“No, I don’t think you can.” A new voice called out from behind the group.

Before the officer could spin around to face the newcomer, a dagger spun over the crowd to slam into the back of her head, killing her instantly.

“Wes, we need to leave!” Lira yelled out as the crowd spun around to face the new threat to their rear. “Come on, quit dawdling!”

“Ari, hold on!” I pulled my sister close as I flipped my bow onto my back and drew my sword.

Even distracted as they were, it would be too dangerous to sit around picking off the rest of the navy elves.

We had to escape. Fast.

“He’s gonna make a break fo-” one elf managed to get out before my boot slammed into the side of her head. A second tried to thrust his blade into my extended limb, but a quick parry smacked the boy’s sword down into his own leg.

By the time the rest of the group realized what had happened, it was too late. I’d already shouldered my way back out through the door, easily knocking the confused and distracted group of sailors aside as I once more breathed in the tangy, salty air on deck.

“Oh, this is the VIP, eh?” Lira grinned as she blocked a wild swing and countered with a vicious punch into her opponent’s face. “Let’s get gone! Our ride won’t wait for us forever!”

Only after we’d fought our way around the ship’s wheel to the other side of the main mast could I see the true extent of the battle. An Elven Dreadnought like the Stormshadow normally kept a crew far in excess of its running requirements specifically for situations such as this, boarding and close-range, ship-to-ship combat.

They had bodies to spare, and those in charge did not hesitate when it came to tossing their sailors into the meat grinder.

Lira’s group had shrunk in number, every single one of those still standing had numerous cuts and bruises all over their bodies. I spotted the occasional body on the deck wearing brighter colored clothes; they stuck out like bloodied flowers amidst the dark blue uniforms of the Elven Navy.

“Here she comes!” Lira pointed toward a rapidly approaching ship, one only slightly smaller than the Stormshadow itself. “We’ll only have one chance, so get ready to jump.”

“Oh shit.” I grabbed Ari and pulled her behind me to the side of the deck nearest to where the ships would pass. “She’s not going to stop?”

“Of course she isn’t!” Lira jumped up onto the Stormshadow’s railing. “Get ready, kid!”

I knew what the Captain of the oncoming pirate vessel planned, and I didn’t like it at all. Still, it was the quickest way for us to get out of here safely.

Safely, as long as the Stormshadow didn’t cut loose with their large assortment of Runesmith cannons, that is.

“Three! Two!” Lira yelled out as the other pirates leapt up onto the railing beside us. “One! Jump!”

The horrific grating sound of wood against wood filled the air as the two lumbering behemoths brushed against each other. One not moving, the other taking a course that scraped it the length of the immobile hull, right beside the waiting pirates

And myself.

“Aahhh!” Ari’s scream rang in my ears as, holding my terrified sister as tightly as I could, I made the leap across to the pirate dreadnought. For a moment I feared I might actually fall over as we landed on the still shuddering ship, but I managed to get my footing and pull Arianna up short a moment before we tumbled to the deck.

“Now!” I heard a throaty roar from the aft end of the ship, near the ship’s wheel-

BOOM!

A series of huge explosions rang out, starting at the bow of the pirate ship and flashing along it side as it fired a volley of runesmith cannon into the starboard side of the Stormshadow, easily tearing large holes in its hull to reveal the soft, now bloody innards of the vessel.

It wasn’t a fatal hit, but it would certainly slow the massive Navy flagship down, if they decided to chase.

Fortunately, the Stormshadow’s crew wasn’t prepared to fire off their own volley. By the time their cannons had been prepped to fire, our ship had moved out of range.

But that didn’t mean the rest of our ships were equally lucky.

Some of the pirate vessels were caught in a crossfire between Navy vessels, and vice versa as some of the Navy ships found themselves similarly the victim of circumstance. Flames belched forth from the sides of the larger vessels and screams rent the air all around.

“So much for minimizing bloodshed.” I ground my teeth in frustration as I looked back at the destruction that continued to play out in our wake. More pirate ships had made it through the Naval blockade than I’d initially estimated, but there were far too many burning hulks flying the skull-and-crossbones sinking into the uncaring waters of the Lanoi sea.

But the Elven Navy hadn’t come out of the battle without their own rather significant losses.

The Stormshadow listed to one side as it took on water from gaping holes just below the waterline. For a moment I didn’t understand what could have happened until I took the time to glance down at the hull of our own ship and took note of the several large spikes being slowly retracted back against it.

“Fuck me.” I shook my head as I turned my attention to the Stormshadow once more. “They took down a flagship.”

“We!” Jean’s voice echoed out over the deck as she strode toward us. “We knocked it down into the abyss, Wes! Did ya see the panic in their eyes!?”

“I- I guess-” I glanced awkwardly toward Arianna, who had taken the chance to slowly back away from me as she fearfully looked between Jean, Lira, and myself. I winced at the fear and loathing in my sibling’s eyes.

“Look,” I turned back to the beaming pirate lord, “can we speak later?”

“I guess ya earned a bit of a break!” Jean slammed her hand down on my shoulder, the hit so heavy I imagined I could hear my bones protesting the abuse. “But don’t keep us waiting, ya hear! Your little girlies are right behind us, and I doubt they’re thrilled about me getting’ ya all to myself. They’ll not want to give ya time to recover from playing with me before pullin’ ya down for a bit of ‘rough and tumble’! Ha-ha!”

“Wes?” Arianna took a deep breath as Jean finally sauntered back to the Captain’s cabin. “I- What happened back there? Where’s Simeon?”

“I’m sorry, Ari.” I stepped close and pulled her into a hug. “He’s gone, but you’re safe. Trust me, I’ll keep you safe.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Lanoi Sea / Aboard the Pirate Dreadnought, Treasure of the Sea - Day 72

A ri drifted off shortly after I took her to the room Jean had set aside for us, but the way her hand clutched at my arm as I tried to slip away proved that I’d need to stay with her, at least for a while.

Although she’d technically been a ‘guest’ of the Elven Navy, I didn’t doubt Simeon’s subordinates had treated her terribly during the voyage. Their lack of care, plus my sister’s general fragility, had quickly devolved into extreme fatigue and depression.

If only I knew who’d done it to her, I’d happily take another swipe at the Navy fleet, just to come face to face with her tormentors.

But why had she been there in the first place? Had Simeon wanted her to talk me out of my ‘delusions’? Or maybe Ari had made the decision herself, as self-righteous as ever, setting off to ‘save’ her big brother from the clutches of the nasty pirates.

All possible scenarios, but why had my father allowed it to happen?

It didn’t make sense. Something had to have happened to him, back in Keria. There was no way he’d let his daughter risk herself on the open seas, never mind agreeing to let her journey to the largest pirate hideout ever discovered.

“Wes.” Dew pushed her way into the room, her voice soft as she glanced at the comatose form on the bed beside me. “Lira told us a little, but we still don’t know everything.”

Freya and Kaede stepped in behind her, and my heart lightened by several degrees when I noted that not a single one of them had been injured. I had faith in them and fully trusted in their individual skills, of course, but anything could have happened with my half-baked plan.

And there I went again, doubting myself. Why?

All three girls looked on in silence as I contemplated my self-recrimination, reviewing everything that had occurred over the past day or so.

The first spark, Daemon’s death at my hand, or more precisely foot, in the arena.

Following that—as if he’d planned it well in advance—Wraith’s betrayal and the subsequent discovery of The Ridge by the Elven Navy.

Simeon’s naive hopes lifting, when he’d brought me aboard the Stormshadow, and then his death because of Wraith’s cowardly ambush.

Could I have done anything differently?

Probably.

Could I change the past?

Hell. Fucking. No.

But for some reason, sweet little Ari always made me reconsider my actions, my goals. Every time she came into my life, I found myself doubting my single-minded drive to be the best, striving to rub it in my detractors’ faces, just how strong I could be.

She’d always tried to talk me into being more helpful with the rest of the family, mostly worrying that my adventurers would end with me dead in a ditch or something she likely considered equally as depressing, if not as final—being cut out of the family and banished from Keria.

“Dew- Freya- Kaede- I’d like you to meet my sister, Arianna.” I waved my spare hand at my sister, who murmured in her sleep as if she were trying to greet the trio. “She’s usually the picture of courtesy, but she’s a bit tired at the moment.”

“I’ve heard about her.” Kaede spoke up first, her eyes glued to Ari’s recumbent form. “She’s one of the best administrators in Keria- Or, I mean, she was… right?”

“Administrator?” Dew glanced sideways at the wide-eyed high elf beside her. “Like, paperwork and counting taxes and all that?”

“I think it’s a bit more than that, Dew.” Freya snorted and rolled her eyes as she poked an elbow into her friend’s ribs. “Being the best at anything, to the point where others have heard of you, is a great achievement.”

The three girls fell into a hurried, whispered discussion. Clearly Dew was irritated at being called out for her unintended rudeness, while Kaede was trying to describe exactly what it was that my sister did.

Freya, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying this rare opportunity being the one to stir the pot, for once.

“Ha!” I couldn’t hold in the short snort of laughter before pulling myself back together.

That was enough to distract the three of them from their heated argument as they turned back to me, shocked at my unusual behavior.

“My sister was important, yes, but she can tell you all about it when she wakes up. I’d leave something out, and that annoys her more than anything.”

“I’m guessing you’ll have quite a few things to tell her, too.” Dew raised an eyebrow as she smirked at me knowingly. “It took me a long time to break down your barriers, pretty boy. I can’t imagine a highborn lady, who’s lived her entire life inside Keria’s snooty walls, will be pleased that her brother joined up with a bunch of criminals.”

“If only that was the worst of it.” I sighed as I recalled all that had happened since I last met any of the family, other than my father. I doubted my father shared much of our last conversation with his daughter, even if he’d had the time to.

Despite everything that had happened, our father cared more for his family than most high elves, even more so than he cared about the city, on whose council he’d served on for a majority of his long life.

“Enough of this shit.” I shook myself as my thoughts threatened to dip once more into the grim, murky waters of my past, present, and likely future.

“What about you three, how did things go on your end?”

“Well.” Freya stepped forward, pausing only to give the other two a cocky grin before she turned back to me. “I helped Smith figure out the issue he’d been having with a few of his designs. Something about ‘New eyes seeing the full picture’, he told me.”

“Anything useful? Oh, and were you able to get his main project up and running?”

“A few useful things, yes. Though I made Smith promise to keep them to himself until you visit, Master.” Freya gave me an exceedingly happy little grin as she glanced over at the other two. “Smith’s pride and joy is as good as it’ll ever be. It’s ready for a test run—whenever you have the time.”

“That might come sooner rather than later.” I winced as I thought of the technological marvel Smith had created, along with the fact I might be one of the test pilots aboard it in the near future. “Anything else, Freya?”

“Nothing else, no.” She shrugged and stepped back. “Oh, he kept bringing it up, so I might as well tell you. Smith wanted to know how much he owes you, for saving him.”

“Owes ‘us’.” I corrected her quickly, which provoked a quirky raised eyebrow and a shrug from the confused runesmith as she waved the other two forward.

“We took over Daemon’s and Wraith’s fleets. Good job on taking that weaselly little fuck down, by the way.” Dew gave me a quick thumbs up before she continued. “More than a few of his former subordinates are pissed at you for what you did, by the way.”

“That’s an understatement.” Kaede sighed, nudging Dew out of the way. “Kiel thwarted three assassination attempts against me.” She looked questioningly at Dew. “At least that many attempts against Dew, as well. From what information my spies gathered, the only reason they’ve left you alone, is because you’re directly under Jean’s protection.”

“They fucking tried what?” Blood pounded through my veins as the purple-eyed beauty revealed the true extent of danger she and Dew had been in—though I remained calm enough to file away the ‘my spies’ comment to ask about later.

“Who arranged it? Where are they?”

“Mostly dead.” Dew stepped forward and laid a hand gently on my shoulder. “We expected this, Wes. What else would a bunch of pirates do to someone they didn’t know, who just waltzed on in and took the spot they were all fighting over?”

To be fair, I’d considered the possibility of the pirates trying to attack my girls, but I’d hoped the rat bastards would be distracted, escaping from the Elven Navy, and not try anything drastic until I could intervene.

But three attempts each, and that was just the number Kaede was willing to admit to? The true extent of the problem probably exceeded even that dangerous estimate.

“Those fucking-.” I glanced back at Arianna as my instincts raged at me from two angles.

Sure, I could order the flagships from Daemon’s fleet to cross over. The little scumbag had managed to wheel and deal two good-sized battleships under his name, though one had been shifted over to make up numbers in what remained of Wraith’s fleet.

Those who’d arranged for the assassins would be on those ships.

But that would cause potential issues with our escape, never mind bringing Ari back into a possibly deadly situation.

We hadn’t completely lost the Elven Navy’s forces, and even after they’d been dealt with, the remainder of the pirate fleets would have to deal with the logistics of settling into our new home.

Luckily, Lira had shared the location of the hidden cove with Jean, and the hidden bay should have more than enough space to house every surviving ship and then some. There was even a cave system that we could work to enlarge until we could carve a reliable route up the cliff face and less temporary housing could be established above the cove.

That meant disregarding the fuckers who’d tried to kill my companions, though, but that was something I just could bring myself to ignore.

“Dew, can you ask Jean to meet us here?” I turned first to the person I’d known for the longest, aside from my unconscious sister. “Please. I know you’d be able to reach her without much trouble.”

“Fine, Wes.” She reached out and flicked a finger against my chest, barely hard enough for me to feel it through my shirt. “You keep an eye on your sister and I’ll make miss Pirate Lord come to you—no matter what.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Lanoi Sea / Aboard the Pirate Dreadnought, Treasure of the Sea - Day 72

T he mischievous glint in Dew’s eye almost made me call her back, but I decided at the last second to let it slide.

What’s the worst that she could do, really?

I didn’t expect to see a furious Jean being frog marched into my room, though, followed a heartbeat later by my cocky little wood elf.

With a hand up against her back.

“Dew, drop it.” I rolled my eyes at the girl when she gave me an innocent look. “Jean could rip you in half if she wanted to, and you know it. Drop the knife.”

“Only if she could catch me.” Dew snickered as she moved her arm aside to reveal the small dagger she’d rested in the center of Jean’s back.

“What the fuck, Wes?” Jean growled as she gave Dew a long, evil look. “Couldn’t just ask me to visit ya normally, could ya?”

“She won’t say it, but I will. Sorry.” I waved off Jean’s anger, as I knew most of it was an act. If she’d wanted to stop Dew, she could have.

Sure, it would most likely have turned into an all-out battle, but neither one of us wanted that.

She’d come because she wanted to, nothing more.

“First time I’ve heard ya apologize for anything.” Jean grinned and lowered herself into the seat at the small desk by the door. “Must really need somethin’ from me if yer willin’ to go that far.”

“You’ve heard about what happened when Kaede and Dew stepped in as acting Pirate Lord’s for the fleets, yeah?”

“Yeah. Though I didn’t need to hear it to know it would happen.” Jean nodded at the two in question. “These two can look after themselves, right? How many times do ya think those below me have tried to take me out?”

“I understand the logic, but the timing is off. Even if they were trying to use the escape as a distraction, why were they so persistent in such a short amount of time?” I folded my arms and leaned back against the bedpost as Jean opened her mouth to interject. “Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to eat this much bullshit. Not right now.”

“So, what is it ya want to do, then? Clean ‘em out?” Jean chuckled and stretched her back. “Been a while since we tried something like that, and I don’t know if this is the best time for infighting.”

“We don’t need to kill all of them.” I shrugged and gave Jean a knowing look. “Just enough so the rest of the idiots back the fuck off.”

“Surgical, like?” Jean gave me a thoughtful look as she considered my suggestion. “Well, I know some who were most likely involved, but it would take time to nail it down, ya know? The only proof we have to suspect those few, is how close they were to Daemon and Wraith.”

I paused to think through the possible strategies we could use. The rot had already set in, deep down in the other fleets. Leaving it to fester would only cause more issues further down the line.

Assassinations weren’t the worst things that could happen at sea.

The situation reminded me of the stories my father had told of his time adventuring around the world in the Elven Navy as a dirigible pilot before he’d settled down in Keria. Moving from one snake pit to the other, as he liked to describe it, but his recommendation for dealing with snakeshad remained the same—no matter the context of the scenarios he’d told me about.

Heroes are courageous, but the masses are cowardly. Fear spreads easily from a single spark, if given adequate fuel to grow.

It wasn’t like I’d planned to scare the fleets into following me, but their officers’ actions hadn’t left me much choice. Using fear to control the fleets would cause issues in the long run, especially if we couldn’t weed out the worst apples.

But such worries could wait for the future—I had more than enough to deal with right now.

“Fine, give me the names and descriptions.” I pushed myself up and pulled some paper and a pen from the desk drawer for Jean. “I’ll take care of them, as long as you keep an eye on- Arianna.”

“Fair trade, I guess.” Jean shrugged as she started scribbling down name after name on the page before her. “Either way, this lot would be hard to turn to ya side. Probably best to pull out the roots while ya can still reach them.”

Dew and Kaede watched my every move as I picked up the sheet Jean had prepared. At least fifteen pirates had been called out from each fleet, many of them marked down as holding high positions within the infrastructure before the death of their respective pirate lords.

About a third were officers, heads of minor factions within each fleet. Extremely skilled Captains and experienced combatants, their loss would be a blow to the combat effectiveness of the pirate fleet.

At least half were well known, beyond their own fleets. Though maybe newer, many knew of their skills and drive. Yet another blow to morale.

And the last bunch were complete unknowns, possibly the most dangerous of the bunch. It wasn’t clear why Wraith and Daemon had taken these few under their wing.

But it wasn’t likely I’d find out the truth any time soon, especially not after what I planned to do to them.

“Wes.” Kaede stepped forward and grabbed my sleeve. “We could just figure it out later, there’s no need to do this yourself, right this instant, is there?”

“I- I’m sorry, Kaede.” Dew gently, but firmly removed Kaede’s hand from my shirt. “He’s right, now is the best time to deal with this. You saw how rabid they were to take us down, yeah?”

“Freya?” Kaede turned to the petite runesmith beside her for support. “You can’t agree that-”

“When do we go, Master?” Freya avoided Kaede’s pleading gaze as she started unblinkingly into my eyes. “You know we won’t let you go alone, don’t you?”

Kaede looked back and forth between her two friends and me, clearly unsure about how to take our decision. Despite the girl’s troubled past in Keria, it was clear she’d never been forced to take drastic actions against others, to save herself or those she cared about.

As far as she was concerned, those named on the list might be innocent.

In all honesty, she could be right, for a small section of them at least. Most would know their time at the top was limited, and anyone facing a fall like that was likely to do all they could to hang onto their hard-earned power and prestige.

But it would take too long for us to sift the wheat from the chaff—finding the one or two good apples left in the barrel, if there were any to begin with, that is.

“You sure this is all of them?” I held up the page for Jean. “It doesn’t seem like all that many names—considering how big the fleets are.”

“Well, not many liked Daemon, and Wraith always kept to himself.” She clicked her tongue and leaned back into her chair. “Might be more that belong on the list, but not any that I can name off the top of my head.”

“I- Wes!” Kaede jumped forward and pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, I’ll come with you! I didn’t mean-”

“Kaede, calm down.” I gently pried her arms from around my waist and pushed her back a step. “It would be enough with just me, but Dew and Freya are coming along as well. I’d prefer if you could stay and watch over Ari-”

“Oh, don’t trust me anymore, do ya?” Jean grumbled from behind me, but I didn’t bother to acknowledge her grousing.

“I trust you, Kaede.” I lifted her chin and stared down into her eyes, which were already starting to fill with tears, likely at the thought of having failed me and the others. “Please, keep my sister safe. We won’t be gone long, I promise.”

“I- Okay.” She smiled and lifted my hand, giving my palm a fleeting kiss before she released me again and moved to the side of Arianna’s bed. “I’ll keep her safe, no matter what.”

Dew chuckled as Kaede repeated her own statement from not long ago, but I refused to comment on it—at least in front of Jean.

“And how do ya plan to get over there?” Jean smiled, folding her ankle over her knee, fully revealing her toned thighs for the whole world to see. The sexy Pirate Lord didn’t seem to care if I could see everything I’d ever want to in a single glance.

Far from it, in fact.

Instead, she reveled in the attention, stretching her arms up over her head—which lifted up the hem of her billowing silk blouse to reveal even more skin.

Thankfully, I’d grown immune to her attempts to seduce me, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to enjoy an opportunity to appreciate the woman’s amazing body, not when she all but invited me to.

“Oh, that part’s simple.” I grinned cockily, pulling my gaze from an amazing view of underboob and gave Freya a knowing wink. “Just wait and see. You’re going to love it, trust me.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Lanoi Sea / Aboard Smith’s Battleship, the Argo - Day 72

“A re you sure about this?” I gave the rickety vessel another once over as Smith made his final pass of the device.

It didn’t help much that his ‘tests’ included giving the thing several hard kicks at seemingly random spots along its body.

Four feet tall and twice as long, Smith’s ‘marvel of technology’ looked like little more than an overly complicated chest, though the small openings along its length and the large fan like protrusion at the back did hint at more confusing uses for the craft.

Fast and loose were two words I didn’t want to think about when I was looking at a contraption I’d be entrusting my life to in the near future.

Smith and the others had dragged it out to the rear of the captain’s lookout on the deck, so we wouldn’t have an audience for what we were about to attempt.

“This heralds a new age of sea exploration. Can’t you see it?” Smith, his grin threatening to rip his face in two, patted the oddly shaped device beside him ecstatically. “Can you imagine what we’ll find beneath the waves?”

“Oh, I don’t know… Monsters- drowning- death?” Dew quipped from the side, drawing an intense look of disgust from the overly excited old runesmith, who stood proudly next to his shining beacon of the future.

Thankfully, Freya spoke up before Smith could launch into another rant about the vessel’s specific capabilities.

“I trust its design, Dew.” She gave me a quick smile before she popped open the circular hatch. “If it breaks mid-way, you can blame me if you want.”

“Damn right I’ll blame you. If it doesn’t straight up kill us, I’ll beat you up myself!” The feisty wood elf flexed her muscles, but I could tell from the way she was intently watching my face that her actions weren’t just for Freya’s benefit.

Clearly, she was looking for my reaction as she revealed more of her flawless skin.

Accidentally, of course.

“I trust Freya, which means by extension I trust Smith.” I chuckled as the old runesmith grumbled about fair weather friends from the other side of the device. “It is a bit small, though. What’s the plan, Freya?”

“I’ll go first, then Master. You wait until we’re both in Dew.” Freya pulled herself up on top of the device and slid her legs into the hatch. “It’s a tight squeeze, and Master can slide in behind me easier that way.”

“Damn right he can.” Dew warmed up a little as her friend gave her the opportunity to slip in some innuendo. “Actually, we never tried that, did we? I guess that’s another one to add to the bucket list-”

Fortunately for Freya, Dew’s musings tailed off before she really got creative. She continued to mumble to herself, smirking as she glanced at me a few times out of the corner of her eye; the few bits I caught were enough to set my own mind ablaze with the possibilities.

Distractions were the last thing we needed right now, though, so I regretfully pushed those thoughts aside as I slid legs first into Smith’s vessel behind Freya.

Cramped was an understatement.

Freya had seated herself at the controls of the device, but to fit into the narrow space behind her I was forced to slip my legs forward under her arms. There was enough room for me to sit right behind Freya—barely—but that changed once Dew forced herself into the craft behind me.

“Ow. Ow. Ow.” She hissed as she inched her way through the hatch. I was given a fantastic close-up view of her inner thighs, followed by her chest a moment later. It was only when her perky breasts slid past my head, their firm peaks pushing me forward into Freya’s back for a moment before Dew managed to squeeze herself in behind me, that I realized the problem with the layout.

“And how do we get back out?” I glanced up at the now narrow looking opening above us. “I doubt the crew on the ship behind us would be happy to wait around for us to pull our way out, right?”

“That’s what this is for, Master.” Freya reached back, her palm brushing along my leg as she moved to point at a lever to the side. “Push that down, and the upper and lower hulls will pull apart.”

“And then what?” Dew leaned forward, resting herself fully against my back as her hot breath brushed against my ear. “I don’t really want to hop out for a swim in these waters, thank you very much.”

“I know, that’s why we’ll time it perfectly.” Freya turned her head as far as she could managed in the confined space to give us half a confident smile. “Trust me. As long as Master pushes when I say to, everything will be fine.”

“Oh, he’s the best at-”

“Dew, don’t.” I nudged my companion back into her seat before I added in a placating tone. “For now, let’s focus on what’s ahead of us… er… the mission, that is.”

“As you wish, my Pretty Pirate Lord.” Dew giggled as she settled back into the seat, though I could feel her tighten her legs around my waist for ruining her joke. “Let’s get this done, then.”

With all of the minor distractions out of the way and the plan firmly in mind, it was time to set off. Thankfully, it was easy to close and secure the hatch from the inside of the vessel, though a lack of light as I cut off the rays of sun from above became abundantly apparent the moment I pulled the circular hatch closed.

Freya didn’t need light for what she was about to do.

Smith hadn’t explained much about how to operate the device, which made perfect sense, seeing as it was only in the early stages of development. The old elf had been terrified Wraith would stumble upon his prized creation and end up using it for nefarious ends.

The elderly runesmith, despite the Pirate Lord title he held, genuinely cared more about knowledge than power.

But now that I was entrusting my life, and the lives of two of my dear companions, to the strange vessel, the absurdity of our situation hit me yet again.

Here I sat, crammed into a small wooden box with two beautiful, young elven maidens. Alright, that part wasn’t too bad. The next bit of the plan, however, was the part that hurt my brain—and frankly, sounded like it was going to hurt more than just that.

Smith, along with a few able-bodied pirates from Jean’s trusted followers, would lift the pod up…

And drop it off the side of the ship.

After everything that had happened, the adventures we’d gone through, and the ways in which I’d ending up changing from the smug elf I had once been, here I was—being thrown overboard yet again.

At least this time it was by my own choice, rather than a jealousy fueled betrayal.

“They’ll take us out now.” Freya braced herself against the inner hull, pushing her back up against me as she tensed up for the impact to come. “Brace for it!”

“I hate this!” Dew similarly pushed against the wooden hull, which as a byproduct squished her breasts up against my back. “Come on, just do it!”

Time passed slowly as we were rocked from side to side. To anyone else on deck, it would look like the crew had decided to toss an oddly elongated barrel overboard.

Weird, but not impossible. Hopefully, the same confusion would keep the pirate dreadnought filled with traitors trailing behind Smith’s Argo from figuring out what we planned for them.

But then the dull scrape of wood on wood echoed through the confined space, coming from the front of the craft, the sound moved toward the back.

“Fuck.” I grit my teeth and locked my body as much as I could without placing undue pressure on the hull around us.

And then, just when it felt like the horrid scratching sound might go on forever, the whole vessel suddenly tipped forward as we passed the point of no return.

Dew’s yelp of surprise blasted in my ear as gravity took hold, pulling the odd vessel, along with us as its unlucky passengers, down into the water.

Fortunately, the impact wasn’t too strong. I took the brunt of it, acting as a buffer for both Freya and Dew as our craft slammed into the Lanoi sea.

“Okay, no leaks? Nothing?” Dew leaned against my back and ran her hand along the hull as she muttered to herself. “It’s all good, nothing’s wrong. Everything’s fine.”

I kept my mouth shut as Freya activated the crude controls. Some sort of runesmith trickery was used to pilot the vessel, but we were mostly counting on our relative momentum and buoyancy in the water to help us meet up with our target.

Though I did have to say, the rocking of the waves just above our heads seemed far choppier than it had aboard Smith’s battleship.

We approached the shared Dreadnought of Wraith’s and Daemon’s old fleets, the Bloodtipped Gull.

“Get ready, Master.”

In the dull interior, I could barely make out Freya’s movements as she carefully guided the runesmith’s vessel toward our target. “We’ll reach them in twenty seconds.”

“Okay.” I rested my hand on the lever which, according to Freya’s quick explanation, should pop the cap off of our little ship. “Get ready, you two. Keep the targets in mind and remember—No prisoners!”

“Three. Two. One.” Freya tensed up as she leaned all her weight into the lever before her. “Now!”

“Here we go!”

And then, the top half of our ship blasted away, revealing several shocked pirates far above us who had been leaning over the side of their Dreadnought.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Lanoi Sea / Smith’s Submersible and the Bloodtipped Gull – Evening, Day 72

T ime seemed to freeze as the men and women above us realized just what they were looking at.

Unfortunately for them, we were faster on the draw.

I leapt up first, scrambling up the large carved gull at the Pirate Dreadnought’s prow as Dew and Freya followed a heartbeat behind me. The first pirates weren’t quick enough off the mark to stop us from making our way up onto the deck, though most of them managed to jump back and draw their weapons in time to parry our first strikes.

But that wasn’t enough to stop us overwhelming the small crowd who’d gathered to see what had bumped into their ship’s bow.

Freya prioritized incapacitating her opponents with quick, measured jabs to the temple with the butt of her spear and sweeps of their legs. With her advanced spear skills, it wasn’t surprising how she mowed down a crowd like a scythe does wheat.

In comparison, Dew had to focus on a few targets at a time, rarely more than one or two at once.

But that didn’t mean her take down count was any lower than Freya’s.

Pommel slams to the temple, vicious knees to the stomach, and even a few straight up punches to the throat. Every single part of her body was a weapon as she blew through the pirates who rose to stop us.

But the rest of the ship had caught on to what was happening.

The Bloodtipped Gull had been the main flagship of Demon’s fleets before he met his untimely end at my hand, or more precisely, foot. Even after Daemon’s death, his primary officers and trained personnel still worked the ship; many of them had been picked out by the rat bag Pirate Lord personally.

And their ranks had only swelled once Wraith’s previously devoted followers wormed their way onboard.

With such a target rich environment, it wasn’t hard to find someone to fight, and as far as I was concerned, most of them were free game. A second list Jean had provided included the identities of anyone aboard who was worth keeping alive.

And that number paled in comparison to those we planned on dispatching without mercy.

But with even our combined skills, it would take time to whittle our way through an entire Dreadnought’s worth of pirates.

Getting onboard had been the easy part; we needed to move fast. Jean and Smith had moved their own ships back to the Bloodtipped Gull’s flanks to warn off anyone else who might want to join in on the fray, but they couldn’t move close enough to support us, for fear the Bloodtipped Gull’s cannons would light them up in an act of petty vengeance.

We were on our own.

Fortunately, combat skills weren’t the only thing we brought to the table.

“Freya, left side seems clear!” I yelled out as I parried and blocked the attacks of three separate pirates in quick succession. “Do it, now!”

Freya jumped back and pulled a small sphere from her satchel. Those nearby didn’t have a clue about what she was doing, but instincts honed from years of serving under the most vicious Pirate Lords clearly screamed that it couldn’t be anything good.

Try as they might, though, they couldn’t break through the deadly weave of my sword or Dew’s daggers in time to stop Freya from tossing the now smoking orb over their heads-

And into the packed crowd behind them.

A huge blast wave rippled out as the carefully prepared device slammed into the decking in the middle of the group I’d had Freya target. Those nearest the impact zone died instantly, thankfully, while those further out from the epicenter of the explosion were lifted from their feet and tossed through the air.

Their bodies slammed into yet more of the crowd, spreading the carnage another layer deeper.

“Master, your turn!” Freya ducked forward and swept her spear through the crowd, easily knocking an entire row to the floor as she created space for me to back away. “Priorities!”

She didn’t need to remind me of my targets; it wasn’t like it would change what I would do at first—not much.

With the immediate pressure against us relieved, at least temporarily, Dew and Freya could more easily hold back the now terrified pirates while I focused on the targets we’d come to kill—the high-ranking officers who’d directly served under Daemon and Wraith.

Those fuckers knew they were in danger, but they still needed to show themselves if they hoped to retain the loyalty of their crew. It was clear the few who’d survived for long under the former Pirate Lords had learned well how to be a part of a battle, without actually putting themselves in danger.

Unfortunately for them, they’d never faced someone quite like me.

“One.” I muttered as I loosed my first arrow, easily piercing the lightly armored helmet of the nearest officer. I took the time to prioritize the archers who were trying to support their crewmates from behind, but the officers were still my main goal with each shot. “Two. Three. Four.”

As high-ranking officer after officer fell to my onslaught, those still standing started to panic. First, they tried to duck and dodge my arrows, to no avail. Then, they took more drastic measures.

They turned their subordinates into human and elven shields.

In all honesty, it didn’t make much difference. Most of the poor saps they picked out from the crowd were targets anyway, and a single body wasn’t enough to stop one of my fully drawn shafts. In reality, all those idiots did was save me the trouble of having to shoot twice.

But one or two were lucky enough to drag one of the more innocent members of the crew between me and them.

We’d left Smith’s Argo with the plan of taking out enough of the crew to cripple the Dreadnought, but that didn’t mean I was prepared to just slaughter anyone who got in my way. Some of the crew weren’t beyond salvaging, and I fully intended to give Jean and Smith a chance to bring them back into the fold.

I decided to deal with the last few carefully.

All of the officers needed to die, though. Without their leadership, the rest of the crew would turn into a disorganized mess.

“Freya, care to take this one?” I flipped my bow onto my back and drew my sword, stepping into the fray once more. “I’ll mop up… probably two should do it.”

“Of course, Master.” Freya slipped back behind me and Dew and reached inside her satchel.

After their previous exposure to her seemingly harmless orbs, the crowd knew what that meant, and they were having none of it.

The pressure on us instantly increased as the pirates tried to force their way past us to stop Freya. They clearly thought they were next in line to be obliterated, which caused those at the front of the battle to fight like beasts possessed.

Despite their every effort to stop her, Freya tossed out two more spheres before they’d managed to do more than push us back a step.

The orbs flew over the crowd’s heads, easily clearing the majority of them before slamming down to the decking far behind and to either side of the four remaining officers.

Instead of a wave of death and destruction, these balls released a burst of blinding light followed by a high-pitched, deafening screech.

And though they’d tried to brace themselves for another explosion, the shock of the audiovisual barrage was more than enough to blow the senses out of the group in question.

Which forced them to show more than enough openings for me to exploit.

I sheathed my sword and drew my bow as Freya took up her spot beside Dew—who had been fighting non-stop since we’d boarded the Bloodtipped Gull—once more, the petite redhead’s spear whipped through the air as she took out foe after foe.

Both of their fights would be over soon… hopefully.

“Fuck you.” I hissed as I took aim at the first officer, a tall, swarthy high elf who was bent over, pawing at his blinded eyes. “You shouldn’t ever have tried to fuck with me.”

Heads popped, chests exploded, and the last four officers fell to the deck.

Dead. All of them.

“Hold!” I drew once more and aimed into the crowd, who’d just realized that the last of their officers had met an untimely end. “Do you really want to die for a bunch of dead fuckers? Do you?”

“And who’s to say you won’t end us right now anyways?” A short man stepped forward, his blade loosely pointed in my direction. “We should’ve killed your fucking bitches when-”

His speech ended when my arrow slammed into his forehead with enough force to knock the man from his feet. The rest of the crowd fell deathly silent as I drew another arrow and knocked it to my bow.

“Anyone else want to beg to die? Be my guest.” I surveyed the crowd with a steely glare, waiting for a single person to step forward.

No one did. Cowards, the lot of them.

“Bloody hell, Wes. Ya pulled it off!” A voice boomed out across the water as an equally large vessel closed in on us. Jean strode up to the railing, huge grin visible despite the distance between our vessels. “Three against an army, and ya fucked them over royally. Best let me take it from here, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I grunted, lowering my bow. “They’re all yours.”

Chapter Forty

Lanoi Sea / Aboard the Pirate Dreadnought, Bloodtipped Gull - Late evening, Day 72

J ean took charge of the situation, not that we needed any help terrifying the surviving members into behaving. The deck had been washed with their blood, and Freya once more held two conspicuous orbs in her palms, ready to throw them at the first sign of unrest.

Not a single person before us wanted to face that level of destructive power—not after seeing what had happened to their comrades.

Thankfully, only a skilled runesmith could activate the spheres. Unlike the runesmith cannons, which were largely self-contained devices with their own internal mechanisms, the bombs Freya had cobbled together using Smith’s extensive stockpile of runesmith materials were a bit cruder in their construction.

Fortunately, none of the surviving pirates standing awkwardly before us realized that truth.

Still, Jean took full advantage of the situation to flaunt her commanding figure as she ordered the crew of the Blood-tipped gull to line up before her. Splitting them into groups didn’t take too long, one large and terrified, the other small and confused.

Guilty or innocent, they all looked the same to the untrained eye.

But after a few of the smaller crowd were questioned by Jean’s followers, her look of confident cockiness vanished without a trace.

“I need to borrow this one, right now.” Jean leaned in close to whisper in my ear as she laid a palm on Freya’s shoulder. “Those fuckers don’t know when to quit. They’ve set up some sort of dead man’s switch below decks that’ll set off the ammunition stockpile and-”

“Take me to it, now.” Freya interrupted Jean’s explanation hurriedly. “We need to sort it before the runes set off a combination that even I can’t defuse.”

As the sultry Pirate Lord took Freya below decks, I followed on their heels, Dew hovering at my back.

There was no way I was going to let Freya walk into a dangerous situation alone. Fuck that!

The lower decks were well lit and laid out, but the whole space was littered with the debris of the crew’s panicked attempt to scramble for the upper decks. Overturned plates, scraps of food and half-empty mugs of ale—several of them knocked over—lay strewn over the decking, in between knocked over piles of supplies and the odd, unconscious pirate.

The mad rush for the exit hadn’t been kind to everyone, it seemed.

“What about the Elven Navy?” I spoke up once we were well out of earshot of the crowd who’d stayed on the top deck. “I spotted a few scouts trailing behind us, will they be a problem?”

“Possibly. Who knows?” Jean shrugged off worries about our pursuers distractedly as she pulled Freya along in her wake to the ship’s lower hold. “If ya have any ideas, I’m all ears.”

“A few, let’s deal with this thing first.” I sighed and glanced back at Dew. “Seems like it’s one thing after the other recently.”

“What do you mean, ‘recently’?” Dew quirked an eyebrow at my turn of phrase and poked me in the back. “At least it keeps things interesting, right?”

“As long as we don’t all get blown to pieces, yeah.” Jean grumbled from the front as she stopped before a large, half open doorway. “It’s in there, we don’t have much info about it, but one of the few crewmen I’d trust the word of aboard this beast said some of the officers were messing around with a glowing box right before we set out from The Ridge.”

Glowing box, huh? Either those pricks had decided to take a crate full of glow bugs along for the ride, or they’d managed to find a runesmith device or two that would cause carnage and mayhem at the worst possible moment.

Like, for example, if they needed to escape from their doomed dreadnought.

It was quite a compliment, really. Despite having been boarded by a raiding party of only three elves, at least one officer had taken our assault seriously enough to set up the last desperate card in their hand.

Fortunately, we had Freya. No one had counted on a member of our team being a brilliant runesmith. One of the best in the world.

Well, in my estimations, that is—certainly the cutest.

“Shit!” Freya swore angrily as she palmed the box in question, shocking the group as she dropped her cool and calm persona. The object of her hate glowed a dull, pulsating blue at the seams along its edges, as though it was taunting her.

“This is not good. It’s far worse than I expected!”

“Wait, what’s the problem?” Dew stepped forward and reached out to prod the suspicious crate. “It’s nothing you can’t solve, right?”

“Stop!” Freya slapped Dew’s hand away instinctively, then gave her an apologetic look mixed with more than a tinge of irritation. “If I’m right, this isn’t the only device, and they all have to be defused at the same time.”

“What the- Are ya telling me we need more than one runesmith!?” Jean glanced around at the room as she growled angrily. “This ship is one of the fleet’s biggest and best combatants. Are ya sure we can’t save it?”

“I didn’t say we couldn’t save it.” The tips of Freya’s fingers slid over the crate’s rough surface again as she stared off into the distance. “If you can find the rest, all you’ll need to do is break them open at the same time that I deactivate this one.”

“I’m good at breaking shit.” Jean grinned as she pulled her huge battle axe from her back. “Where are they? Won’t take more than one swing.”

“One forward, one aft, and one- one is right below us!” Freya looked down at the deck below us frantically. “It can’t be- They attached it to the bottom of the hull, directly under this one!”

The room fell silent as Freya’s statement hit us like a ton of bricks. Even if we disposed of all the bombs that had been stashed in the hold itself, an explosion directly under the keel would crack the ship in half and send it to the bottom of the Lanoi Sea faster than I wanted to think about.

We desperately needed every ship we had left. Wraith’s treason had seen to that.

“Okay, I’ll get it. Same as that, right?” I pointed to the faintly glowing box. Freya nodded quickly and opened her mouth to speak. “If you’re going to suggest leaving it, we can’t do that. We need this ship, remember.”

“I- Fine.” Freya grit her teeth as she slowly peeled the lid back from the crate before her. “I’ll break this down in two minutes, will that be enough time? If we wait any longer, they could activate themselves.”

“No problem. I’ll see you when it’s done.” I gave the worried runesmith a wink spinning on my heel and racing from the hold.

Two minutes to get back onto the deck, make my way below the ship, find a most likely hidden box attached to the keel in the frigid waters of the Lanoi Sea.

Even I thought the task sounded suicidal.

But it had to be done. My body was sturdier than Dew’s, and Freya was required to deactivate the main controlling device. I had no clue how good of a swimmer Jean might be.

That left me as the best choice to dive into the freezing ocean. This was not going to be fun!

But I didn’t hesitate for a second. The moment I reached the deck, three quick strides and I swung myself over the railing, keeping my grip firm as I clambered down the hull. I could drop into the water, but I needed to keep myself as close to the ship’s midline as I could.

Finding a wooden box in the dark, murky, foamy waters would be as easy as finding a needle hidden in a barn-sized haystack.

The only clue I had was the location of the main controlling crate Freya would soon start working on. Fortunately, hundreds of hours practicing with the bow had made me extremely good at judging distances and trajectories. It wasn’t difficult for me to figure out the best path to the location in question.

The frigid cold of the Lanoi Sea sinking into my bones did its best to distract me from my goal.

The chill invaded my body as I lowered myself into the depths bit by bit as a buzz ran through the confused crowd of pirates who’d leaned over the railing far above to see what I was up to. A few even called out questions to me, but I ignored their queries, took a deep breath, and plunged beneath the surface.

Cold. Freezing cold.

Despite my strong body and excellent condition, the bitter chill of the Lanoi Sea bit deep and hard. It felt as if thousands of tiny frost-snakes ripped and gnawed at my skin from all sides, seeking for that one weakness through which they could then invade my body.

But I remained focused on my task.

The box had better be where I estimated would be directly beneath Freya. I pulled myself from barnacle to barnacle as quickly as I could; the mental timer ticking down in my head didn’t give me much wiggle room to find it. Foot by arduous foot, I pulled myself along the hull, fighting against the pull of the water as the ship continued on its merry way above me.

The thought of asking Jean’s crew to stop while I dismantled the threat had occurred to me, but that would permit our pursuers to catch up to us.

There was no way we’d be able to lose them then—even with the plan I’d come up with on the fly.

No. No distractions.

My mind wanted to think about anything other than the current situation I pushed my body to endure. I could hold my breath if I had to swim or do some other activity for nearly three minutes, so even if I found the box right away, I’d be at the limit of my air before I’d be able to surface again.

With difficulty, I forced my thoughts back onto the task at hand.

The crate had to be there, it had to. This whole thing was too elaborate of a set up for it to have been devised during our escape from The Ridge.

What if it hadn’t been placed along the keel? Or had been fixed to the hull further forward or aft of the ship’s midline? I could only see about a foot in front of my face, so I’d have to come right up on it if I wasn’t to miss it.

I got to where I believed it should be, and could feel… nothing more than barnacles under my nearly numb fingers.

Had they’d hidden it? Or was my estimate off about how far I’d come along the hull? My frenzied mind started to spin, the cold making it nearly impossible to concentrate as I swept one hand along the hull even as I clung to a growth of barnacles with the other.

“There!” I yelled, or tried to. I managed to stop myself before the rush of water could push its way into my throat as my palm slapped the flat side of what had to be my objective.

Just in time.

By my countdown, I had ten seconds before Freya defused the runesmith switch, and I was ready and waiting. I figured I had just over a minute of air left before my brain would start succumbing to a lack of air—hypoxia.

The only way I’d know if I’d failed was if the thing ended up obliterating me.

Not the worst way to go, but at least the trio in the hold above me should be safe. They’d be able to time their movements with ease.

And here I was, trusting in my-

My fist slammed into the box, easily breaking through it, and smashing the delicate device it contained. The contents emitted a blinding flash of blue light as the device fell apart, shocking me so much I lost my grip on the hull as my muscles contracted all at once.

It had worked. If my instincts could be trusted. Flash paralysis or not, I was still alive, and we’d saved the Blood-tipped Gull. By the skin of our fucking teeth, as usual.

As I watched the hull pass above me, I hoped someone was looking out the stern. I didn’t know how much strength I’d have left in my freezing limbs by the time I bobbed to the surface. The tiller swept past me just as I regained some control of my still twitching legs and kicked for all I was worth.

Chapter Forty-One

Lanoi Sea / Aboard Blood-tipped Gull - Pirate Dreadnought - Day 73

A  chorus of shouts rose from the stern of the Bloodtipped Gull when I finally breached the surface and dragged in a lungful of air. Desperately needed oxygen flooded my system and my head throbbed painfully as I floated like a cork in the dreadnought’s wake. I struggled to keep myself afloat but managed to swim a few feet over to the wooden recovery rig someone expertly threw to me.

Fortunately, nothing horrible happened—like a sea monster appearing to chew my legs off as they reeled me back in to the ship—but the bitter chill of the sea was more than enough to make the journey one of the most uncomfortable I’d ever made.

My clothes felt like anchors as I clung to the recovery rig several brawny pirates arduously dragged up the side of the Blood-tipped Gull.

At least I got a good greeting once I reached the railing.

“I knew it.” Dew gave me a huge grin as she pulled me up and over the railing onto the deck. “You look worse than a drowned dog. Even Kiel would look happier after a swim in the sea.”

“I d-don’t d-d-doubt it,” my teeth chattered so violently that my whole body shook as I fumblingly tried to wring out my shirt, forcing as much of the ice-cold water out as I could before I moved onto my pants.

“I- I’m sorry, Master. If I’d known-” Freya stepped forward with a guilty look and laid a trembling hand on my cheek. “Oh, no! You’re absolutely freezing!”

Guilt was immediately replaced by fear, and then just as quickly, determination.

“Dew, strip him out of these wet clothes, now!” the redhead snapped. “You,” she turned to one of the pirates who had hauled me back onboard. “Go find several wool blankets and bring them to the Captain’s quarters.

She sputtered to a stop as I flicked some cold water into her face. I could tell she was confused whether she should be angry, afraid, or if she should continue apologizing.

“I- I m- made the c-c-call.” Even to my own ears, my voice sounded odd as my chattering teeth and blue lips refused to cooperate. “Th-This on m-m-me.” I tried to rub my numb hands together and struggled to push myself up again, only to collapse weakly to the deck.

“Wh- Where’s J-J-Jean, I d-doubt she’d w-w-want to m-miss a ch-chance to laugh at m-m-me.”

“She’s down in the Captain’s office.” Dew replied. After stripping off my clothes and then her own, not caring who might see, she grabbed my arms and pulled me into her lap and embraced my cold body. She used her own heat to warm me up.

Dew looked up at a concerned Freya. “We need to get him into a bed and warmed up, now. It’s gonna take more than just you and I, too.”

Freya nodded. “I’ll go get Jean,” she said, before turning and sprinting off.

“Much as I didn’t like her before,” Dew continued, “she trusted you completely. Today there were no questions at all about how we needed to work together. I don’t worry any more about her lacking faith in you.”

I laughed weakly. No, Jean didn’t lack faith. Given how hard she must have worked to get to her position, and being constantly surrounded by death and deceit, I was more than a little surprised at the trust she’d so freely shown me.

Just then, one of Jean’s pirates came up with a wool blanket and wrapped it around the wood elf and me. A few minutes later, Dew struggled to help me to my feet, though I still shook like a leaf. Waving the others back, she helped me stumble into the Captain’s cabin.

She only left my side, briefly, to pull back the covers and then helped me slide underneath them before spreading another blanket or two on top before joining me. The large bed was wonderfully inviting, if only I could stop shaking. I couldn’t feel my arms or legs, and wanted nothing more than to sleep.

The door opened and then shut quietly.

“Get undressed, both of you, and help me get him warm.” I heard Dew say to whoever had come in.

“Not quite how I imagined it’d be, jumpin’ into bed with him for the first time, but ya won’t hear me complain,” Jean’s surprisingly gentle voice came from behind me.

“Yeah, well if you want to enjoy him getting stiff, you’ll have to help me keep him from getting that way permanently,” Dew chided. “Jean, you hold him from behind, while I hold him from the front.”

An amazingly soft warmth pressed into my back. I felt my wood elf companion turn to address someone over her shoulder as a warm hand reached around my waist to cup my crotch.

“Freya, since you’re the smallest, you’ll lay on top of him,” Dew instructed.

“Lucky girl,” Jean chuckled. I’ll give ya a dozen gold to trade places with ya. What do ya say, red?”

With Dew’s smirk filling my vision, I didn’t see Freya roll her eyes as she wriggled into place over Dew. I didn’t hear the runesmith’s response, but I did hear her growl at Jean to stop playing with others’ toys without permission.

I sighed as the large, warm hand at my crotch retreated. It was soon replaced by a more familiar touch, as Freya’s slender fingers replaced Jean’s hand.

The last thought I had as exhaustion overcame me, the enveloping softness pressing into me from all sides finally warming my chilled body, was to wonder what my girls and the busty Pirate Lord would talk about while I slept.

∞∞∞

Dew was the only one still with me when I awoke.

Bright sunlight streamed in through windows that showed a half dozen other sails in the distance. The Captain’s cabin occupied the whole stern of the big ship.

“Morning, sleepy-head.” Dew smiled at me as I blinked the sleep from my eyes and groaned. My body still felt a lingering fatigue that I’d just have to power through.

She handed me a cup that I eyed suspiciously before bringing it to my lips. The innocent look on her beautiful face guaranteed it wasn’t just some cold mint tea that I’d been given. I rolled my eyes and then quaffed the contents all at once.

Fire burned down my throat and I coughed violently. Laughing the whole while, Dew whacked my back a few times to help me recover. I had expected medicine, not spirits. Wheezing slightly, I glared at the still chuckling wood elf.

“Thought you could hold your liquor better than that, pretty boy,” she smirked.

“Figured you’d dose me with some medicine after a chill like that,” I grumbled. “Wasn’t expecting you to burn me from the inside out to warm me up.”

Dew snorted, then helped me get up. It was mid-morning already—I’d slept for nearly ten hours. While I got dressed, my companion reported that the Navy’s sloops still dogged us, but that we had yet to see any capital ships on our tail.

Reading my mind, Dew explained that Freya was inspecting the Bloodtipped Gull’s runesmith cannon before I could ask where the little redhead had gone. Likely ensuring I had some special ammunition, if I knew our runesmith.

Pulling my boots on with a grunt, I asked what she and Freya had had to say to Jean when I passed out.

The grin on her face dipped into a grimace.

“Freya was none too happy with Jean all but stroking pretty boy to attention when you finally stopped shaking.” She shook her head. “Our runesmith was easier on her than Kaede had been, but Freya made Jean promise she’d not molest, grope, or even proposition you until the Pirate Lord has Kaede’s permission to do so.”

I nodded. That was just like Freya—ensuring the ground rules I had laid out were being followed. I wondered out loud whether Jean would keep her promise or continue to flirt outrageously with me in front of her subordinates.

“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Dew smiled. The mischievous twinkle in her eye let me know that my blonde troublemaker was going to continue to stir the pot. It seemed Jean had won at least one of my ladies’ support. As long as she kept her word, I knew Freya would support her too.

That left it all up to Kaede.

I hoped, for Jean’s sake, that she was able to get onto our little thief’s good side. Well, for my sake too, to be honest. I was finding myself more and more attracted to the tall woman.

Kaede would be crushed, though, if I were the one to upset the apple cart. If ever I was going to sample that woman’s amazing goods, it would only be with Kaede’s blessing and encouragement.

Suddenly, raised voices echoed through the door.

Whatever her prescription might do to my liver, the spirits Dew had given me had left me feeling a lot less lethargic. Time to get back to it.

No rest for the wicked.

Chapter Forty-Two

Lanoi Sea / Aboard Pirate Dreadnought, the Bloodtipped Gull - Day 73

“L et’s go see what trouble Jean has gotten herself into, shall we?” I turned to my blonde companion and offered her my arm as we stepped out into a short corridor.

Dew chuckled and shook her head as we turned toward what was apparently the officer’s mess just down from the Captain’s quarters. The shadows cast from inside that leaked under the rough-hewn door showed a frantic back and forth as Jean, likely besieged by a number confused idiots, argued loudly with several raised voices.

Despite her being a Pirate Lord, I almost felt sorry for her.

“Okay.” I gently pulled my arm from Dew’s grip and brushed myself off as we stopped in the corridor. “How do I look.”

“Charming, pretty boy.” Dew winked and pushed me toward the door. “Go get ‘em.”

Before I could open it, though, Freya came down the stairs and jumped into my arms with a squeal. She squeezed me tightly, burying her red braids into my chest before pushing me back a step and then flicking me on the nose, hard.

“Hey!”

“Don’t you give us a scare like that, Master!” The happy twinkle in her eyes at seeing me up and about so soon gave the lie to her fierce scowl. “Bad enough that I worried about blowing us all up, only to find that I’d almost killed you instead.”

I pulled her back into my side with one arm and snagged Dew with the other. “Thank you.” I whispered. “Both of you.”

We enjoyed the moment and just held each other for another minute before Freya stepped back and made sure we were all presentable. Squaring my shoulders, I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The room fell silent as I strode in, followed by Dew and Freya. Some of those who’d crowded into the room were members of the former crew whom Jean must have spared for some reason, while others looked like they’d been shipped over from nearby vessels.

Clearly there was some disagreement over who would Captain and officer the newly vacated ship. There was also the small matter of two Pirate Lord vacancies to decide.

“Problems, Jean?” I strolled past the now silent audience and stood beside the frustrated Pirate Lord. I leaned over the table she sat behind, facing down the crowd. “We stopped this tub from being blown out of the water, and now you’ve got this lot at your throat, yeah?”

“Like we’d believe a story like that!” A middling tall elf stepped forward, his gaze flitting back and forth between Jean and myself. “There’s two Pirate Lord spots open, and we need to figure out who’s going to take them.”

“Let me guess… You?” I folded my arms and stared at the opportunistic little prick who’d stepped out of the crowd. “And this is the best time for this shit? When we have the Elven Navy on our fucking tails?”

“That’s why it should be a quick decision. We all know what’s a stake.” A calm sounding woman spoke up from the other side of the room. “Whoever gets put in place can just step down later, once we have time to properly decide-”

“Who’s this ‘we’, huh?” The first elf spat his words like daggers at the woman who’d interrupted him. “You’re in bed with Jean, so you can’t say shit. And Smith didn’t send anyone to represent himself, so-”

“Really? No one.” An old voice echoed from the back of the room. The crowd hurriedly parted as Smith himself strode through them and casually pulled up a chair beside me and Jean. “And I know you, Turko. No way I’d agree on you getting even a sniff at a Lord’s seat, so shut your trap!”

Despite his age, it was clear the group both respected and feared Smith. They were equally scared of me, though I knew that terror had more to do with the wild tales that were likely circulating about the battle I’d just been through, rather than any respect or trust I may have earned.

But that would change, with time.

“I vote for Wes to take over Daemon and Wraith’s fleets.” Jean rapped her knuckle on the desk, drawing the attention of the crowd as she turned to Smith. “And you, Sir?”

“Seconded.” Smith grinned as he turned to me. “Welcome to the ranks, kid.”

“No, wait!” The elf who Smith had silenced finally worked up the courage to speak again as he stepped forward once more. “This prick has only been here for how long? And you want to make him a Pirate Lord, just like that? Why should we-”

“Because he killed Daemon.” Jean slowly pushed herself to her feet and walked around the table to loom over the elf. “And Wraith. And soon, he might kill you, if you keep arguing with our decisions. What’s the law here?” she all but roared at the crowd.

“The Lord’s rule is final!” The crowd yelled as one in response to Jean’s sudden demand.

“And what do we do to those who try to fuck with the fleet?”

“No mercy!” The pirate’s bellowed again, their gazes sharpening as they turned to the now terrified elf in their midst.

Clearly, the mood in the room had shifted.

It would be a vain hope, though, to believe every pirate here had come to trust in my skills through this one exchange, but at least the rest of them knew enough to not talk back to an actual Pirate Lord. Certainly not right to her face.

“Get Turko out of here. I’ll deal with him later!” Jean waited for the audience to file out, shoving the now quaking protester along before them before she turned to me with a grin. “So, how’s it feel?”

“Damp.” I pushed my feet down in my boots, letting out a squirt of water as I rose, stretching my arms over head. “Maybe once it’s sunk in, things will be different.”

“Or maybe you just aren’t the type to let your head blow up from hot air.” Smith offered another option as he pushed himself up from his chair. “On that note, I need to speak to our friends in the Seventh Fleet. They got out of The Ridge mostly unscathed—unlike the rest of us.”

“What about the Navy’s scouts?” I asked, stopping Smith midway to the door. “Do you two have a plan to deal with them?”

“Blow them out of the water.” Jean shrugged as she sat down on the edge of the table. “Not many options available, other than that.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” I grinned and pulled one of the blank pieces of paper toward me on the tabletop. “All we need to do, is-”

My plan didn’t take long to explain to my fellow Pirate Lords. Jean was less than willing to go along with it at first. It was only after Smith supported my strategy that she settled down and agreed to give the whole thing a shot.

It shouldn’t be too hard—as long as those involved followed my instructions to the letter. Jean and Smith had even given me the honor of naming the strategy I’d come up with, though they quickly rejected Dew’s proposal of ‘fuck off and die’.

I decided to leave the naming until later. Better to wait and see if the strategy actually worked, before putting any thought into a name for the damn thing.

“Well, that’s that I guess.” I sighed and glanced back into the officer’s mess at the two Pirate Lords who were still hashing out who they’d send in pursuit of any Navy ships that showed up after tomorrow’s shitstorm.

“Maybe I should stay and help them figure out-”

“Enough of that.” Freya forced herself under my other arm before the pair pulled me back towards the Captain’s cabin. “We need to get you out of those wet boots and… talk about a few things.”

“I can think of a few things I want to ‘talk’ with you about.” Dew giggled, her hand sliding down over my chest. “I’m feeling pretty cold myself now. Maybe we could-”

Dew fell silent as she noticed the crowd who’d gathered in the corridor and who watched us make our way back to the Captain’s quarters. Most of the remaining crew of the Bloodtipped Gull had been taken away, leaving only a few to assist some of Jean’s followers in running the ship.

But the two groups shared the same jealous looks as they glared at us for flirting so openly, while they were forced to work.

If only they knew what we’d saved them from.

It surprised me that a few stares had stopped Dew’s innuendos, but then I felt a subtle pressure under my chin as she turned me to face her-

Only to pull my head down and plant her lips firmly on mine.

The crowd hissed in irritation as they watched us share a long, deep kiss. Their displeasure only heightened when Freya followed suit a moment later, her face burning bright red as she pulled me down for her own snogging session.

“Come on!” Dew giggled as she pulled us apart after what felt like an eternity, but also not nearly long enough. “You do need to eat a proper meal, Wes. I’ll see if we can’t find you a dry pair of boots. We can hold off on that… ‘talk’… until later.” She smirked. “Probably.”

The girls dragged me below decks to a little room directly across from the galley. We did run into a few pirates along the way, but most quickly moved to the side when they saw us coming through.

Obviously, news of my new appointment had spread.

When we reached the small dining cabin, a face I hadn’t expected to see looked up from a bowl of fish stew.

“Hello, Wesley.” Arianna smiled as she pushed herself back from the table. “Long time no see.”

Chapter Forty-Three

Lanoi Sea / Aboard Pirate Dreadnought, the Bloodtipped Gull - Day 73

“W es!” Kaede squealed, jumping up from her seat and crashing into me. Her arms wrapped me up tight and she buried her head in my chest. “Freya told me how close you came to really being hurt,” she mumbled into my chest. “Why didn’t you just abandon ship and leave those idiots to their own folly? I’d never forgive myself, if you’d-“

I patted the young elf on her back as I tuned out what she was saying. It took a few moments for me to process what I was seeing.

Why had my sister been brought over to the most dangerous ship in the fleet?

How long had she been awake?

None of it made sense. I knew Ari well, and it should have taken her longer to recover from her collapse. Though I suppose it had been nearly a day since I’d seen her last.

Even if I ignored that, it made absolutely no sense for her to have been brought onto the Bloodtipped Gull, especially as we were still technically only midway through our escape from the Elven Navy.

The only explanation I could come up with was Kaede’s unwavering ‘trust’ in my skills. She really didn’t even bother to consider the option that I’d fail, so she’d made the decision to bring my sister to me so we could speak.

“You’re obviously up already… how?” I sighed and stepped into the room, forcing a smile onto my face as I took a seat at the table. “I thought you’d be out for a bit longer at least.”

“I may have been, but your boisterous human friend gave me a potion.” Arianna lifted up an empty glass vial, her face scrunching up in disgust. “I can still taste the vile stuff now, but it seems to have been pretty effective.”

“Let me see that.” Dew plucked the vial from Arianna’s grasp and pulled up a chair next to us.

She tilted the container, tipping a drop of murky liquid from the vial onto her finger for closer inspection. She sniffed it and then licked it, with a shudder. “I was worried the fleets wouldn’t have good stuff, but this one seems at least to have been made from fresh ingredients.”

“As I said, I feel fine.” Ari’s faint smile hadn’t moved as she watched Dew fuss over the draught she’d been given, likely while she was still unconscious. “I do appreciate the concern, though. Thank you.”

Dew gave my sister a confused look before waving her thanks off dismissively.

“No problem. Wes’ family is my family.” She pushed herself up and moved close to me. “On that note, you really do need to get some warm food into you.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get a single word out, Dew lifted a finger to my lips and slid the last drop of the potion onto my tongue. Ari hadn’t been kidding, though. It tasted like rotten seaweed.

Even from the tiny amount I’d been given, I still felt a boost as it took effect.

Though that might just have been from Dew’s amorous gaze as she slowly and sensually removed her finger from my mouth before she slid back onto her own chair at the table.

“Anyway.” I looked back at Arianna, forcefully ignoring the thoughts being promoted by my little brain as Dew winked at me and blew me a kiss. “Why are you here, Ari? Not here…” I gestured around us at the ship, “specifically, but with the Elven Navy at all?”

“Well, Simeon told me about what he’d-” Ari froze up for a moment as she likely recalled what had happened to our friend. “Is he- I mean, what happened to him? Where is he now?”

“I’m sorry, Ari. He didn’t make it.” I sighed and reached out to take her hand in mine. “I didn’t mean for him to be hurt, but things got out of hand. Even in his last moments, all he wanted to do was help.”

Arianna closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath to calm herself. Simeon, despite his many flaws, had been a close friend of our family for a long time. Even my father, as obsessed with formality and professionalism as he was, spoke kindly of Simeon, even going so far as to defend him from those who talked behind the elf’s back.

And now he’d died.

“The one who killed him is dead, though, and he managed to tell me about you—that’s how I knew to come and save you.” I frowned. “You know what Simeon was like. He’d count that as a win, right?”

“Probably, but he knew things might end up this way.” My sister forced her eyes open and turned to me, tears rolling silently down her cheeks. “He told me to expect something like this, and that I shouldn’t trust any of the officers ‘assigned’ to me.”

I paused to consider what she’d said. Even Simeon had seen through the Council’s scheming, but he clearly hadn’t felt speaking out against them would do anything to change the outcome.

Things in Keria had escalated faster than I’d expected. Much faster.

“Did he say anything else?” I tightened my grip a little on my sister’s palm as I felt her start to tremble before realizing I likely wasn’t helping calm her fears. “Anything at all? We’re still on the run, here, so knowing what’s happening on the other side would be helpful.”

“It all started with the behemoth rampage in Keria.” Ari smiled as I released her hand before she rubbed her palm. “Things escalated quickly. Every free worker was given the same goal, ‘Hunt down the traitor Weslilian, dead or alive’.”

“Not surprising, really.” I shrugged and shifted a little as I leaned forward, setting my elbows down on the table. “I don’t want to spoil the story, but they didn’t quite manage to stop us escaping the city.”

“No, of course not. They couldn’t catch a trace of you.” She sighed again, so softly I barely heard it. “But then they sent out even more bodies, including Byreon… And he never came back.”

“Oh.” I leaned my chair back against the wall as I recalled the elf she’d mentioned. A young, headstrong boy, at least by my standards, but he’d loved Arianna more than anything.

And that single minded devotion had been enough to win our father over… eventually.

Their marriage ceremony hadn’t been finalized when I’d set out on my first—and last—fateful voyage. The pair of young lovebirds had promised to hold off on the whole thing until I’d returned triumphant; rich beyond my wildest dreams, in Byreon’s own words.

I hadn’t had a chance to check in on them when I’d returned to Keria, and when it became clear Olea had set her sights on capturing me, I decided to hold off on even thinking about visiting the pair.

There was no way I’d pull my sister into the middle of a potentially deadly battle ground.

“But then they made a mistake.” Ari caught my attention once more as she brushed her tears aside and forced herself to continue. “They said his unit had found you and that you’d wiped them out. Father was furious and promised to hunt you down himself to make them leave.”

“But he didn’t believe them, did he?” I asked hopefully. Though I’d parted with father on terrible terms, I still wanted to believe that he considered me part of the family.

Despite what he’d been forced to do.

“Of course not. He knew just how close the two of you had been, though no one else in Keria did.” Arianna gripped the edge of the table so tightly, her fists started to shake. “And they tried to say you’d been the one who ended his life. You!”

“And that’s why you joined Simeon?”

“Not exactly. That happened when I overheard one of father’s meetings.” Ari sighed and loosened her grip on the unresisting table. “They wanted his help hunting down another behemoth, like the one which escaped from the arena. Something about ‘controlling’ and ‘directing’ it more precisely. It was then that I decided to come and find you.” She smiled at me through her tears. “You always have a plan.”

Four sets of eyes fixed on my face as I considered my answer to Arianna’s determined statement. Sure, I’d guessed at the Council’s likely long-term strategy, along with how far they might be with those plans, but there was nothing I could do about it—not on my own.

Even if I snuck my way back into Keria, it would take more than a series of ambushes and assassinations to put a stop to their plans. Even if father joined my side, it would end up in a stalemate with protracted accusations flung back and forth, which I’m sure those in charge would just use to prop up their own false rhetoric.

The Council’s ilk were as bad as a hydra—kill one, and another three would rise up to fight over their place within hours.

That Keria had become a vipers’ nest was an understatement for the political center of the Elven nations. Some believed their propaganda, that the Council worked for the common good, but I knew from painful experience that their goals were anything but selfless.

And what would a bunch of scheming, conniving, shit bag politicians want with an army of enslaved Behemoths to do their bidding?

They’d wanted to keep their experiments a secret until they’d worked out all the kinks in it, but why then had they shown their hand in the arena at Keria? At best, that had been an emotionally triggered blunder; my aunt letting her rage overcome common sense.

Given how cold and calculating those fuckers usually were, though, I feared they’d been more than happy to let my Aunt’s known dislike for me play the scapegoat for revealing the behemoth to the city.

That left the worst-case scenario as the most viable: the collection of doddering, entitled ‘leaders’ had finally fallen off their collective rocker into the pits of insanity.

“They’re planning to take over the continent.” I gave voice to the only logical reason for everything I’d witnessed, as the pieces all clicked together in my head. “And we need to stop them.”

Chapter Forty-Four

Lanoi Sea / Aboard Blood-tipped Gull - Pirate Dreadnought - Day 73

A fter I’d revealed the extent of the Council’s plans, Dew forced me to eat two bowls of stew while Freya looked for something which I could ditch my water-logged boots for—at least until they dried.

The rough and ready leather shoes she found fit well enough not to give me blisters and were light and maneuverable, but they wouldn’t be much use in a fight. Still, at least I looked more reputably the part of a Pirate Lord, no longer leaving watery footprints in my wake at every step.

Arianna took the news that I’d been inducted as a Pirate Lord well. Far too well, in fact.

“Lots of paperwork to do. Administering your fleets would be a full-time job in and of itself.” She muttered to herself as she slowly pushed back from the table. “I can only imagine what state the books are in, but if we start soon then-”

“Freya, keep her company.” I waited until Freya nodded and moved to sit beside my distracted sister before I stepped out the door. “Ari, stay here for a bit. I have something to sort out.”

Ari nodded, though I could tell from her glazed over eyes that she was lost to the world.

It made some sense, though. As her lack of stamina had become more and more apparent in the training grounds, Ari had quickly lost herself in the world of numbers and words. The challenge of whipping several pirate fleets into shape had likely ignited her competitive spirit.

But still, she hadn’t quite fully recovered, and that wouldn’t happen if she worked herself to the bone. I could trust Freya to keep her under a careful watch, at least for a while.

We needed to deal with the stragglers following us before we could make any moves of our own.

Eventually the rest of the Elven Navy would catch up to us. Only five of the Navy’s scouts had managed to follow us after the pitched battle outside The Ridge and those few were keeping far back, to avoid any surprise ambushes from the pirates they were trailing.

“There ya are!” Jean strode over to greet me with a wide grin as I once more came out onto the Bloodtipped Gull’s deck. “So, this plan of yers-”

“One second, I wanted to ask you something.” I held up a hand, cutting Jean off before she could launch into a series of questions. “That stuff you gave my sister, what was it, exactly?”

“Recovery mixture. Used it myself many times, and that was one of the best I had.” Jean cocked her head to one side as she stared back at me. “I even took a bit first, to make sure it wasn’t a bad mix. Was there an issue with it?”

Something she used regularly, the best one she had, and had even tested the potion herself first. While I hadn’t expected Jean would have just tossed out a random medicine for my sister, how far she’d gone to help my sister recover surprised me.

“No, there wasn’t. I just wanted to thank you.” I gave her a quick smile and a nod before I moved past her to a desk where my plan had been laid out. “Is everything ready on your end?”

“Smith already left to prepare the diversions. Are ya sure about this, though?” Jean tapped the large paper in several places I’d marked not so long ago. “If this doesn’t work, we’ll be throwing away good ships for nothing.”

“Good ships? Who said they needed to be the best we had?” I pulled out another sheet which had the full list of the vessels still seaworthy in the pirate fleet. “I thought we’d just send out the clunkers. It’s not like they’ll actually be doing any fighting, right?”

“Of course, but still...” Jean rubbed her temples, clearly showing the stress she was under as she leaned over the desk to study the ships I’d put a mark beside. “We need to think about the future, too. Though ya knocked out a flagship of the Elven Navy, they still outnumber us ten to one. I don’t like those odds.”

“We won’t last more than a day if those bastards back there lead the rest of the Navy after us.” I rapped my knuckles on the desk to catch the distressed Pirate Lord’s attention. “Unless you have a better plan, I suggest we get a move on with this one.”

“Fuck it. Looks like I’ll just have to trust ya, yet again.” Jean threw her hands up into the air in defeat as she moved toward the stairs that led up to the forecastle. “Smith’s waiting on our signal. I’ll let ya do the honors, if ya like.”

“Sounds like fun.” I grinned at her.

I followed Jean up onto the forecastle. Though it wasn’t the best spot on the Bloodtipped Gull to see everything, we had a decent view of most of the fleet and neither of us wanted to climb the rigging up to the crow’s nest at the moment.

We had a clear view of the ten vessels Smith had prepared to be decoys for the plan I’d concocted.

“Ten against five, seems fair to me.” Dew grinned as she looked out at the ships arrayed off our flanks.

Though they were still technically traveling with the rest of the fleet, I knew their course would soon take them on an inevitable, one-way journey to the bottom of the Lanoi Sea.

“Here. Hold it straight up and keep it well away from ya face.” Jean passed me a long colorful cylinder along with a flickering torch. “Light that fuse, and Smith’ll send ‘em off.”

“I know how a flare works, thank you very much.” I winked at Jean when she turned to smack me before quickly tapping the torch against the bottom of the cylinder and holding it at arms-length.

A plume of colored smoke rose into the air as the thick stench of burning chemicals washed over the deck. They weren’t the nicest of things to use, but when it came to sending long distances messages across the seas, a flare was better than most other methods—as long as the other side was prepared for the signal and knew what it meant.

“So, their courses are already set?” Dew watched as four ships on either side of the fleet started to slowly drift away from the main section. “Ships’ wheels are just tied off, I guess? But what about drift?”

“Smith sorted all that. Said something about a rune engraved on the rudders.” Jean kept her gaze fixed on the departing vessels as she spoke. “And there go the last two!”

The final pair of ships had a far easier route to take. Their comrades would circle around on a preset path, eventually meeting up with the scout craft behind us.

But the two boats setting out last would take a more direct path to their targets.

Literally.

The pair quickly spun around until they were pointing directly back toward the Elven Navy’s squad and set off at a brisk pace towards them. This close, we could all see that the ships were completely deserted.

But those trailing behind us wouldn’t know that, not until it was too late.

Throwing away ten ships to distract and slow our pursuers wasn’t the best use of our rather limited resources, at least not in a normal situation, but everyone in the fleet knew what was at stake.

If the Navy managed to track us down before we could escape and go into hiding, it would mean either another pitched battle or a months-long chase over the Lanoi Sea.

And that was if other Navy squadrons didn’t cut us off along the way.

The Navy sloops represented the last few undamaged ships from the fleet that had surrounded The Ridge. The Captains onboard would have seen what had happened to their fleet’s vessels a few days ago.

How would they react, then, if ten unknown craft tried to approach them from all angles?

They couldn’t dodge out of the way. Our decoy ship’s pre-set courses would block any ‘safe’ exit. That left them with two options.

Try to take out the attackers before they reached them, or back off and keep themselves and their crews safe.

Fortunately, I knew the Navy’s policies well, so their most likely response wasn’t hard for me to guess.

‘If you have the chance to save your ship without losing any allied craft, you must take the opportunity that presents itself.’

It was a simple rule, but it was the first thing drilled into every junior officer’s head when they joined the Elven Navy.

Even if it made no sense.

I understood why the Navy brass had issued the oddly worded decree.

It all came down to money.

They wanted to keep their budgets in the black, and the easiest way to do that was avoiding the necessity of building new ships or training up replacement crews. Sure, they blathered on and on about how much they cared for those aboard the vessels, but no one besides the naive idiots who trusted blindly in their vapid words believed that horseshit.

No matter how headstrong the pricks following after us might be, they had to abide by the policies and rules set by their superiors.

Though the Navy ships should retreat from a numerically superior force and what would appear to be a losing proposition, rage and anger at their losses outside The Ridge might lead a few of the pursuing Captains to try their luck.

My biggest concern with the plan, was just that. What would happen if the Captains pursuing us didn’t follow regulations? They’d discover our ruse and continue doggedly pursuing us.

It wasn’t likely, given how much we high elves liked our rules, but I knew better than not to have a backup plan ready, just in case my foe decided to go off script.

As I’d feared might happen, two of the pursuing vessels surged forward to engage the two decoys who’d taken a direct approach. The others backed off, per regulations, turning tail and running.

Time for Plan B.

“Idiots.” I sighed, shaking my head. “You’re up, Kaede.” I turned away from the unmanned ships as they approached the two aggressive Navy sloops. I smiled at the young high elf and flipped my bow off my back. “You’re sure you want to be the one to do this?”

“Of course!” Kaede carefully took my weapon, along with the special shafts Freya had prepared before our tussle with the Nerker. “I’ll show you how far I’ve come!”

Jean gave me a confused look, glancing back and forth between the odd scene playing out beside her and the ships in the distance.

The silver haired girl knocked one shaft against the string of my bow and slowly pulled back on the string. She wasn’t weak by any means, but the power needed to draw my bow far exceeded most conventional weapons.

But still she managed it. If only just.

“Take this!” She hissed as she loosed the shot.

The arrow shot off, its path taking it far beyond the range of any normal bow as it flew in a high, extended arc toward its target.

“Good shot.” I patted Kaede’s shoulder, congratulating her long before the shot reached its target.

For someone with my skills and gifts, I obviously knew the second she released that it had been a good shot. I turned back to watch what happened next.

The arrow landed in the middle of the targeted ship’s deck. Though unmanned, the vessels we’d sent out weren’t unarmed. A small explosion lit up the deck as Freya’s recycled runesmith cannonball arrow impacted the wood. Not enough to deal any major damage, but that wasn’t the point.

The crates stacked on deck, filled with runesmith cannonballs, were the real target.

An enormous chain reaction overcame the two pirate decoys just as the Navy ships closed in. A crashing boom! echoed loudly across the seas, nearly three full seconds after the explosion. Even from this distance, the devastation caused by the blast was clear for all to see.

Complete destruction. In one shot, Kaede had taken out two navy sloops, along with all of their crew.

“That should scare the others off, for good.” I patted Jean’s shoulder, shaking the Pirate Lord out of her stunned daze. “The plan worked out pretty well, don’t you think?”

“What now?” The amazed Pirate Lord turned to me, a cheeky glint in her eye as she glanced between the remains of two Navy ships and the remaining three Navy who had fled, their outlines fading into the far distance as she gestured with a hand, palm up. “What’s ya plan?”

I shrugged. “Looks like we need to find a new home.”

“Lira said ya had a secret little hidey hole somewhere,” Jean smirked. “Fancy showing a lonely girl around, do ya?”

“Sure.”

I laughed and grabbed her hand to give it a firm shake. “We’re in this together, Jean. No backing out, no surrender. Pirate Lords against the world!”

Chapter Forty-Five

Lanoi Sea / Aboard Blood-tipped Gull - Pirate Dreadnought - Day 74

T he fleet took an abrupt turn back towards Monster Isle once our pursuers were out of sight. Morale soared amongst the pirate fleet, and more than a few Captains broke into their rainy-day stash of hard cider, strong ale, or even spirits. We’d chased the Navy off and were headed to our new home.

Despite that, though, I couldn’t bring myself to join in with the rest of the fleet’s celebration at our narrow escape.

Sure, we’d disabled a good number of Elven Navy vessels.

Even sunk one of the Navy’s flagships during the battle.

But the remaining power the Elven Navy could bring to bear was more than enough to wipe us out, if they decided to move a significant portion of that power against us.

Fortunately, such a strategy was unlikely. The Elven Navy had more important issues than finding the pirate fleets’ new hideout to deal with.

In addition to protecting their shipping lanes from both monster and pirate predation, they patrolled the waters around their most important bases. The cautious Navy Brass always ensured they retained enough forces in reserve to be ready for any movements from their enemies—who were more numerous than most people knew.

The size of the large armada they’d sent against The Ridge had caught me off guard. If Simeon hadn’t bought my ‘Wounded Swan’ strategy, attempting to bring the whole thing to a peaceful resolution, then the battle could have caused disastrous losses on our side.

It was only at that point, thinking things through, that I realized how my views had changed.

‘Our’ side. ‘Our’ ships.

The pirates’ fleets weren’t specifically ‘mine’, but I finally felt like I was a part of them. Sure, Jean and Smith had named me a Pirate Lord, but that decision hadn’t really hit home yet.

Once everything had started to settle down, however, I noted that my point-of-view had changed. The pirate fleets were no longer just pieces of a puzzle, a collection of strangers I could use to further my goals.

They were now, strangely enough, important to me.

My bemused introspection was suddenly cut off, as the door to my cabin slammed open, revealing a worried looking Freya framed in the opening.

“Master!”

“Freya, it’s good to see you.” I smiled as she skipped forward, springing up to jump onto the bed atop me. “Woah! What’s gotten into you-”

Freya buried her head in my shirt, nuzzling up against my chest.

“I wish you would,” the little red head murmured.

She lifted her head up and pouted at me. “I’ve been stuck helping that crotchety old runesmith, while Kaede and Dew have had you all to themselves. You promised not to play favorites!”

We’d all been busy, lending each of our specific talents to the cause—though Freya had been stuck on the Argo more often than not, as we took a circuitous route back to Monster Isle.

Maybe I should have paid more attention to who was getting the lion’s share of my attention. Maybe.

“Seriously, it’s not like that at all, Freya.” Dew closed the door to my cabin behind her as she came over to the bed, reaching out to stroke Freya’s beautiful red hair. “Can’t you see how happy Wes is to see you?”

Dew gave me a teasing wink as her other hand dipped lower, sneaking in beneath Freya’s body to stroke my nether regions.

Though Freya had been upset with me, it was clear Dew’s reassurances and antics were enough to distract her. Sometimes I wondered if Freya wasn’t the most amorous of my trio.

“Ma- Ster-” Freya mumbled her nickname for me as she laid her palms on my shoulders and rubbed herself against me. “I want you- Now- Please!”

I knew what she wanted.

What we all wanted.

I gently cupped her cheek and pulled her face closer. Dew smiled from the side of the bed, her hand dipping down into her own shorts as she bit her lip seductively.

I brushed Freya’s lips with my own in a fleeting kiss, barely more than a tease, but that certainly wasn’t enough for her.

A split second later, she pulled herself up, climbing up my chest, until our lips and tongues were properly entwined.

“Let me help you two out.” Dew giggled as she moved closer and leaned in. Despite the blonde’s insistent, erotic caress, I had enough situational awareness to realize what she was doing.

Dew was slowly, ever so gently, peeling Freya’s clothing aside.

The little elf didn’t notice what was happening until she’d been nearly stripped. Only her undergarments remained as she finally pulled back from our kiss, her face bright red with a mix of ardor and embarrassment.

But she didn’t try to stop Dew from slipping the last scraps of clothing off her perfect curves.

“Ah!” She moaned as I pushed myself up against her. Even through my own clothes, I could feel her heat, her want, her need for what going to come next.

Freya focused on me again, but I found it difficult to keep my thoughts on just her.

Because Dew had undone my belt and started to tug my pants down, her nimble fingers hooking around the waist of my underclothes, and taking them off, too.

It took only a few seconds for the sneaky wood elf to drag my clothes down my legs and toss them aside, but the moment she did, her favorite toy popped up, nearly smacking her in the face as she expectantly turned back to face us.

I half expected her to help her friend again, probably going so far as to guide the pair of us together, but instead her impish selfishness came out again.

Her lips closed around my helmet as she sucked, slowly and gently at first, but rapidly speeding up as she bobbed her head up and down, losing herself the blowjob as usual. Fortunately, she realized what she was doing before her ministrations pushed me over the edge and she pulled herself off my cock with a light popping sound.

Freya hardly seemed to notice, intent as she was on swallowing my tongue and grinding her hard nipples into my chest.

“Mmm.” Dew gave my shaft one last, loving kiss before I felt her firmly take hold of it at the root and direct it upward.

Toward Freya’s hot, slick, quivering pussy.

“Ah!” Freya moaned as she felt Dew nestle my tip between her netherlips. She was so damn hot and wet I couldn’t help myself. As soon as I felt her entrance pull me in, I thrust into her with a powerful lunge.

“AAAHH!”

She was more than ready for what came next… her, of course.

Dew kept her face so close to the action that I felt her hot breath caressing the skin of my sack. The thought of her being so close, watching intently as pretty boy pulled back and then plunged back into her needy hole, added to the carnal sensuality of the situation.

And it wasn’t just me who was affected by Dew’s lust, hot breaths.

Freya pushed herself up from my chest, revealing her generous breasts for all to see as she sat down hard, impaling herself fully on my erection.

For the first time, she took control. Normally she simply lost herself in the pleasure, encouraging me to ravish her sweet body, but this time-

This time, she wanted to be the one in control.

Thankfully, her full breasts were still within reach. Tweaking and playing with her stiff nipples always set her off—maybe not as much as it did Kaede, but Freya loved it when I lavished attention on her breasts.

“Oh. Oh! OH!” Freya’s buttocks slammed down, again and again as she worked herself into a frenzy.

I wasn’t going to make her work for it, all by herself, though.

As I felt the petite elf close in on yet another tumultuous orgasm, I shifted my hands down and grabbed her by the hips, pulling her down forcefully and grinding her against me.

Before adding my own powerful thrusts into the mix.

I lifted my hips to slam up into her while still grinding her sex into mine, adding extra friction and force to the already overwhelming sensations. Freya couldn’t hold in her loud moans as her body was rocked by multiple waves of pleasure.

“I- I- Give it to me!” She looked down at me, her brilliant blue eyes pleading. “Please Master- Yes! Yes! Yes!”

The moment she begged, I gave her what she wanted.

The strongest burst of pleasure rocked her form as she lowered herself onto my chest, clutching at me as I let loose in her quivering hole.

“Well then.” Dew dropped down beside me on the bed as aftershocks of Freya’s massive orgasm rocked the petite girl’s body again and again.

“One and done, or you ready for more? When do I get mine, pretty boy?”

∞∞∞

“Long time, no see!” Jean’s wide grin greeted me when I walked back up onto the deck. What surprised me even more, was the large crowd she gathered behind her, most of whom looked excited, as though they were waiting for the show of a lifetime. Jean turned back to the crowd.

“How about we make this official, yeah?”

“YEAH!” The audience at her back roared and stamped their feet as Jean moved next to me and leaned in close to my ear.

“Wes, sorry about this, but Smith and I decided to go behind yer back a bit.” Jean whispered softly as she laid a hand on my shoulder. “I wanted to wait until we got to yer hidden cave, but he persuaded me to push things forward.”

“Push what forward?” I glanced at Jean, then back at the rowdy crowd. “What’s going on here, exactly?”

As though they’d heard my words, the crowd split apart to reveal a small number of pirates atop the captain’s cabin carrying what looked like-

A throne?

“You’ve got to be shitting me.” Dew chuckled and nudged my back. “I was worried when she said she wanted to ‘make it official’. Thought you’d been sneaking around behind our backs.”

“You know I’d never do that.” I gave Dew a sour look before I turned back to the ornate chair that had been set out on the edge of the small building’s roof. Thankfully, it wasn’t terribly ostentatious, but the thing was clearly too big to be used in any normal circumstances.

“So,” I looked at Jean, half expecting her to reveal the whole thing was just an elaborate joke. “You want me to sit on that… and what then? Will it set on fire? Planning to tip me into the sea?”

“I wish.” Jean pushed me forward, gently but firmly. “It’s just a ceremony, don’t worry ya pretty head about it.”

Despite the odd edge I heard in her voice, I decided to go along with the whole thing. What’s the worst that could happen?

It wasn’t difficult for me to leap up onto the top of the Captain’s cabin next to the chair, and when I did so I finally noticed the other surprise Jean and Smith had arranged.

The entire pirate fleet had closed in around the Bloodtipped Gull, but that wasn’t the worst of it. Each and every deck was loaded to the brim with their crews, and when they noticed I’d jumped up into their line of sight? They all started yelling and hollering, as loud as they could.

“Go on, Wes. Sit down.” Smith stepped out from behind the chair and waved me forward. “We haven’t had much to celebrate recently, so you might as well live it up… for their sakes if not your own.”

“True. Ya don’t need to hold back, ya know?” Jean pulled herself up onto the roof beside me and walked past me to lean cockily against the side of the chair. “Come on then. Not getting cold feet now, are ya?”

The stamping and screaming grew in volume as I stepped closer to the throne. Smith and Jean didn’t show any irritation at the response I was getting—in fact, they seemed quite happy about the whole situation.

As I lowered myself down into the seat, one last “Huzzah!” rang out from the fleet, echoing back a moment later from the cliffs of the nearby Monster Isle, enhancing its volume yet again.

“Pirate Lord! Pirate Lord! Pirate Lord!” They screamed my new title, again and again.

For a moment I was worried that the Elven Navy might overhear our celebrations, but the lack of care Jean and Smith both showed about the Navy proved my worries were unfounded.

To be fair, I half expected them to start letting off flares and fireworks to add to the noise and confusion but, after a few minutes of yelling and dancing, the other ships slowly quieted down as Jean passed me a large, odd looking device.

“It’s like the one at the arena in Keria. Just speak into it, and they’ll hear.” Freya said from behind me.

Jean carefully laid the huge horn into my palm and gave me an encouraging thumbs up. “Don’t need a flowery, long-winded speech, Wes. Just make sure ya speak from the heart.”

“Finally, something we can agree on.” A loud, if raspy voice called out as an elderly man stepped into view in front of the cabin.

It was Franklin, the former leader of the Seventh Fleet. From the looks he got from Jean and Smith, it was clear they didn’t know his actual identity, or the fact that he’d passed over control of his fleet to me before we’d left The Ridge. I’d have to ensure my fellow Pirate Lords learned the truth.

I took a moment to consider my speech.

I wanted to tell them the truth, that things weren’t over yet, but there was no way we could release that information without a lot of preparatory groundwork. Even if we hadn’t just escaped from a Naval armada, such a huge revelation would cause major friction throughout the fleets.

I realized what I needed to say.

“Thank you, both my old friends, my new friends, and those of you who may never be my friends.” I then waited for the chuckles to settle down.

I kept my voice low and steady, trusting that the horn device would spread my words to the surrounding ships. “That was quite the warm welcome, and I appreciate it. I know I haven’t been with you long, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to bring us to the top of the world. That is a promise, from me to you. And the one thing you all need to know about me, is that I always keep my promises.”

The moment I had finished my declaration the crowd started yelling, whistling, and cheering all over again. Clearly my heartfelt speech had won them over.

“Short and sweet.” Smith smiled and patted my shoulder. “Welcome to the crew, Wes. Remember, I’ll always be there to help out, should you need me.”

“And me, of course.” Jean quickly leaned in and grabbed my other shoulder. “Don’t go forgettin’ who helped ya get here, ya hear?!”

The fleet split up once more as they started to file into the hidden cove we’d found during our Nerker expedition. Though it wasn’t as protected as The Ridge, there was enough room in there for every ship in the pirate fleets.

It would have to do.

But there was no way I’d leave things as they were. The elven council in Keria was planning something so huge and dangerous, it would easily impact my new ‘family’. Once they’d taken over their own continent, with the power of the behemoths, who would be their next target?

Us, of course.

We had to stop them before their plans got too far along. Fortunately, I now had the power of the pirate fleets behind me, along with the backing of my beautiful companions, Dew, Kaede, and Freya.

“I want to let you three know my plans going forward.” I grinned at the beauties who’d come up to surround me, then leaned back into the throne and casually laid my chin on my hand. “We’re going to need to move against Keria. How does cleaning up that mess sound to you?”

Book 3: Vengeance of a Pirate Lord

Chapter One

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 15 since arriving at Hidden Cove

“W ho’d have thought making a secret base would be so damn hard?” my lover complained.

I stopped what I was doing, midway through sorting out yet another piece of paperwork, to glare at the feisty wood elf in the corner of the room. Though Dew hadn’t done much to help us set up our new base, that hadn’t stopped her from complaining every step of the way.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand what annoyed her so much. She was used to a life of freedom and adventure, and ever since we’d met, she’d had just that.

But now here she was, trapped in a dark, dank cave watching me fill out forms, while we prepared for our new life together. Before that, she’d been stuffed into a corner of my room aboard my newly christened dreadnought, the Overkill.

But at least we had time to spend together.

Well, ‘together’ might be a bit of a stretch, as was ‘time’.

Freya spent most of her days assisting Smith with rebuilding the pirate fleets, bigger and better than before—Kaede worked right alongside her, as an assistant. After a few failed attempts to similarly be of assistance, Dew had been passed back in my direction, in the hope things might go smoother if she tried to help me, instead.

The answer in a word—No.

Thankfully, I already had someone who’d taken on the bulk of paper shuffling.

“This pile is already done.” Arianna gave me a faint smile as she dropped a large stack of papers onto the side of my new desk. “Keep your chin up, Wesley. We’re almost done!”

“No, we aren’t almost done. At all.” I sighed as I looked at the stacks and stacks of papers strewn about my ‘office’. The mere sight of paper stacks had come to make me want to vomit, and one more glance at the pile before me was enough to make me toss down my pen in frustration. “Fuck this mess, if I spend another minute on this today, my brain is going to melt.” I stood up and stretched mightily, my back popping an unhealthy number of times.

“Take a break, Ari. I’m going to go speak with Jean.”

“Just speak with her, huh?” Dew perked up as she joined me, striding toward the exit of this chamber. “You sure you don’t want it to go any further with her than just ‘speaking’, pretty boy?”

“Not right now, no.” I grinned and pulled my cute little troublemaker close to my chest the moment we stepped out into the corridor. “Why do I need her, when I already have you?”

Dew melted into my grasp with a giggle. She didn’t even bother to check if anyone could see her as she brushed her hand down my chest, lower and lower as she moved toward her target-

“At it again, are ya?”

Speak of the devil… the woman in question appeared as though she had been summoned. I knew full well, though, that she’d likely been hanging around outside my office, ready to strike when the opportunity presented itself.

“Jean. Long time no see.” Dew turned her head just enough to give the sultry Pirate Lord a nod, but even having an audience didn’t stop her hand from inching lower and lower. “And what is it you want with my pretty boy?”

“Believe it or not, it’s business rather than pleasure.” Jean raised her eyebrow quizzically as she watched Dew’s less than subtle flirtations. “If ya get him all hot and bothered now, I won’t see either of ya for hours.”

“Fine.” Dew pulled my head down for one last deep kiss before releasing me once more. “I expect him back in the same condition, Jean.” She winked at me. “Wes, I’ll be in our room. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Jean and I both watched as Dew sauntered away, her hips sashaying from side to side with an exaggerated swagger that couldn’t be accidental.

Even Jean seemed to have been affected by my companion’s seductive flirting, and she had to force herself to look away and back in my direction with difficulty.

“What’s wrong, Jean? Came to save me from the paperwork?” I thumbed back at my office with a disgruntled frown. “Bit too late, if so. You need to work on your timing.”

“Unfortunately, no, big boy.” Jean chuckled softly as she turned away. “Come on, Smith is waiting, along with yer friend from the Seventh Fleet.”

I noted the irritation in her tone when she mentioned our unnamed guest. Only after the elderly leader of the mysterious Seventh Fleet had agreed to it, had I revealed his identity to my fellow Pirate Lords. Neither had taken the revelation well.

The fact he’d already passed control of his fleet over to me —one of the largest, even before our less than casualty free escape from The Ridge—had annoyed them even more.

‘A bloody monopoly’, Smith had called it, not that his anger seemed to be genuine. Jean, on the other hand, had just gone on and on about keeping secrets from her for close to a quarter of an hour.

But after that initial awkwardness, the daily meetings of our new Pirate Lord High Council had gone on without a hitch. Two weeks had passed since our skirmish with the Elven Navy, and still our new home, code named Home base Alpha by an insistent Smith, had only just started coming together.

Our daily agenda had been chocked full since the day we first entered our new home.

First on the list, was supplies and housing. No point in having an army of pirates behind us if they all ended up dying of thirst. Or starvation. Or exposure.

But even those basic needs had been difficult to resolve.

The route up the cliff to Monster Isle far above was slow and arduous at the best of times, and deadly at the worst. Though we’d cannibalized the most damaged vessels remaining in the pirate fleet, housing was at a minimum.

After traveling for so long, only having to provide for myself and my companions, having such fundamental needs driving every decision had become a concern. It wasn’t that I hadn’t considered the logistics required to house, feed, and care for so many people, of course, but the extent of the problem far exceeded my inexperienced estimates.

Maybe we’d kept on too many of Daemon and Wraith’s followers.

Not many looked on the survivors fondly, after their masters had betrayed the Pirate Fleet. It had come out that Daemon had supported Wraith’s plan to abandon The Ridge in an attempt to join up with the Elven Navy.

Well, that may have been a rumor Jean spread amongst her followers, but I wouldn’t have put it past the little prick.

But we needed to get those issues sorted before we could move onto the overarching issue facing the fleet: the Elven Council’s plan to take over the world.

Sounds a bit melodramatic, even after having to explain it several times to Jean, Smith, and several others, but it was the best way to describe what I believed to be their objective. Bringing behemoths under their control, making power moves throughout the continent against other races, including the Desert Elves and Wood Elves—these things all pointed to some grand, nefarious scheme.

“There you are. I was getting worried young Jean had led you astray.” Smith gave me a friendly wave as Jean led me into a well-appointed meeting room. Though Franklin had technically renounced his command of the Seventh Fleet, I had persuaded the other two to invite him to the meetings we held.

“Young ones do like their fun.” The croaky voice of the elderly figurehead of the Seventh Fleet wheezed, as he tapped the head of his cane against the table. “But first, to the matter at hand. What is the plan for our new hideout? My people are getting restless, and I doubt me even another speech from our glorious leader would calm them down.”

It took me a moment to realize who Franklin meant.

I was the leader of the Seventh Fleet and, technically at least, a majority of the rest of the pirate fleets. It’d nearly been enough to break up the council.

Smith wouldn’t admit it, but the only reason he’d kept his seat was because of my repeated requests that he do so. Even Freya had stepped in to persuade the old fool that stepping aside would do more harm than good.

“Good news on that, though.” Smith didn’t respond to Franklin’s off-the-cuff quip as he pulled out a sheet of paper and flicked it across the table to me. “Our scouts have explored the length of the cliff and found a few promising tunnels. It’s still too early to tell, but they should be useful in the future. You never know, some might even loop back out to somewhere further along the cliff.”

“Possible secret escape routes, hmm.” I gave the roughly drawn map of the cave systems a quick look before I turned my gaze back to the still smiling Pirate Lord across from me. “What else? You’re looking way too full of yourself for this to be it.”

“Good eye, kid.” Smith finally lost his fight with his emotions as a huge smile broke out on his face. As we all watched, the old elf gestured for two large pirates to come in and help him pull out a large box from beneath the table. With some difficulty, the three of them slammed it down atop the table with a heavy thunk. “My finest creation… this week at least. It should sort most of our issues in one fell swoop!”

“A shiny box?” Jean asked in a neutral tone as she prodded the crate. She gave me a quick wink before adding, “sure you’re not getting senile in your old age, Smith?”

Smith had to take several long, deep breaths before he managed to get over Jean’s obvious attempt to get a rise out of him. Only after he’d cooled off did he proceed to pull the lid aside, revealing an odd-shaped device sitting inside the box with a grand flourish.

“The automated drilling apparatus. I call it the ADA!” He slowly and carefully lifted the object out of the crate, holding it high for us all to see. “This is what we needed! It’s perfect.”

I shared a look with Jean and Franklin before we all gave the device a comprehensive once over. Mostly crafted from metal, the central cylinder of the thing was about two feet wide in diameter, though most of its length came from a large, drill like protrusion at one end.

Easily four feet long, carved and curved to perfection. Its razor-sharp edges caught the light as Smith lovingly set it on the table before us.

“So…It’s a big hand drill?” Franklin muttered as he prodded the ADA with his cane. “What’s your plan, exactly?”

“No, I’m going to-”

Before Smith could reveal his plan, the door to our meeting space slammed open and a tall elf barged in. For a moment I thought to order him to leave, but then I saw his frantic expression as he turned to face me.

“I- I’m sorry, my Lord, but- but I needed to find you!” He stumbled over his words as he took a single, nervous step forward. “They’re challenging your- I mean, your friends are- They’re-”

“Spit it out, will ya?” Jean lost her temper as her fist slammed down onto the table so heavily the ADA jumped, and the wood crunched in protest. “We don’t have all day, ya know!”

“Some folks are challenging your… companions.” The elf gritted his teeth as he forced himself to speak clearly. “They’re saying Dew, Kaede, and Freya don’t deserve a place in the officers’ ranks, and-”

“Fuck. That.” I fought to keep myself calm as I slowly pushed myself to my feet. “Show me who these fuckers are. I’ll show the fucking fleet what will happen if they try to mess with my family!”

Chapter Two

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 15

M y temper hadn’t cooled by the time we reached the hot spot of activity. A group of around thirty or so pirates were squaring up against my three companions. Somehow Dew had managed to join Freya and Kaede, but I decided to figure out how she’d managed to implicate herself in the shit storm later on.

First, I’d have to pull them out of it.

“What’s going on!?” I stormed toward the large, open area that had been chosen for the standoff. The slowly gathering crowd moved aside like flowing water as soon as they realized who was approaching from their rear. “Someone speak up, or I’ll have to decide myself what shit you’re pulling!”

The gang who’d cornered my three girls shrank back a little as I stepped up, before a few of them made a stand. If only their expressions had caught on to what the pirate’s brains wanted from them.

Worried fear wasn’t the best look, not when you were trying to intimidate someone.

“Wes-”

“That’s Pirate Lord Wes to ya!” Jean stomped up beside me, her arms folded angrily over her voluptuous breasts. “If ya want to forget our titles, then I’ll beat the shit out of ya before he even gets a chance.”

“Fair point.” Another pirate stepped forward and nodded calmly at Jean’s command. Despite how terrified the man’s companions looks, the newcomer seemed relatively in control as he turned to face me. “Pirate Lord Wes, all we ask is a fair comparison of skill and talent. Does that not sound fair?”

I knew what the bastard was insinuating, and I didn’t like it. But, on the other hand, it did make some sense.

While the captain of a vessel could promote and raise their followers as they saw fit, the same couldn’t be said for a Pirate Lord. The rest of the fleet would follow their command, obviously, but discontent would sprout faster than mushrooms in a pile of shit, if they believed their master could be corrupted by wealth or connection.

Or something more carnal, perhaps.

“So, you think these three aren’t up to the tasks I’ve given them?” I nodded in the direction of Dew, Kaede, and Freya. “And what kind of a ‘comparison’ were you wanting, exactly?”

“I won’t say we don’t believe in your skill, Pirate Lord Wes.” The man respectfully bowed his head in my direction, though I could see a few half-hidden glares from the gang behind him that said otherwise. “A duel, perhaps? If they beat whoever tries to pull them down, no one can say anything more for the time being, can they?”

It was difficult not to overreact to what was otherwise a reasonable request. The only reason I held back at all was because I could tell something was off about the short man who’d stepped forward to negotiate.

But still, that little- My followers wanted to fight the women I held dear, and they wanted me to nod my head and say it was okay?

Fuck that-

“Wes.” Jean leaned in close and gently laid a palm on my wrist before I could step forward. “Try to be calm when I say this, okay?”

“What?” I growled, swinging my head in Jean’s direction and giving her a glare. “You want me to step back from this, too?”

“Not at all. I think the anger ya feel is natural.” I could feel her grip tighten for a moment, as though she was worried her words would be enough encouragement to send me off on a rampage. “But why don’t we hear from the involved parties first, before ya wade into the deep end?”

I turned back to Dew, Kaede, and Freya, who’d made their way over to us. Freya, as always, looked calm and composed, while Kaede’s furtive glances at the distant group showed both aggression and irritation mingled.

Dew, on the other hand, looked like she was just out for a casual stroll through the park.

“Master, we should fight them.” Freya stepped forward before the other two could speak and fixed me with her warm gaze. “If we show our skills here, then the rest won’t be so eager to rise up in the future.”

“True. Cut the balls off a few and the rest will scatter.” Dew interjected with a pithy bit of forest wisdom before she turned her attention back to the distant group of pirates. “Issue is, who gets to fight first?”

“I’ll do it!” Kaede took the chance to move closer as she laid her hand over her heart. “You can trust me, Wes. I won’t let you down!”

I paused for a moment to look over my trio. None of them showed a single sign of worry about the challenge.

Or to be more accurate, the challenges.

“So, all three of you want to do this?” I couldn’t help the bit of a growl that came out as I spoke. “But it could be-”

“What, dangerous?” Dew’s eyebrow flicked upward dangerously as her eyes met mine. “I know you want to protect us, but sometimes you just need to loosen up, pretty boy.”

“I agree, Master.” Freya nodded in agreement with Dew’s outburst, which was the opposite of what I’d assumed she’d say. “You know we’re stronger than almost any of the warriors here. If we don’t prove it now, the issue with persist.”

“Okay, fine. Do what you want.” I threw my hands up in the air and moved away from the group. As I walked away, I noticed that the crowd’s gaze followed my every move, so I loudly added. “Just do it quickly, we don’t have all day to waste! Knock them down or knock them out, I don’t care!”

Mostly it was for our audience’s benefit, but I knew my three ladies would understand what I meant—incapacitate or kill, do whatever you feel is safest.

It would be best if my new officers didn’t slaughter several of their potential followers, but I wouldn’t hold it against them if they did. In fact, I would understand the logic behind it. Jean exited the makeshift arena to stand next to me, after she’d shared a short, whispered conversation with the three girls.

“They’ll be fine, Wes.” She moved next to me and nudged me in the ribs with her elbow. “Yer face better clear up, last thing a pirate wants to see is a storm!”

“It’s fine. Let’s just watch.” I turned my attention to the opponents who would be facing off against my companions.

Weak.

Cowardly.

Weak.

Weak.

Potentially dangerous.

Weak.

On average, they weren’t a threat to the girls, never mind me, but that didn’t mean things couldn’t go wrong. If they all attacked at once, for instance-

“Hey, the Pirate Lord wants this done quick, so come on up!” Dew strode into the middle of the arena space, a cocky grin on her face as she stood there in a casually open stance. “Whoever wants to go first, step on out!”

A large, burly man took up the challenge, stomping out onto the field with a large cleaver in his hand. He glared in Dew’s direction.

“I’ll show you what it means to be a-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Dew’s form blurred from view. In the blink of an eye, she appeared behind the pirate, dagger in hand.

“Wha-”

His last, confused gasp cut off as Dew smashed the pommel of her knife into his temple, knocking the brute out in a single blow. Turns out all his bravado and muscle counted for nothing when put up against overwhelmingly speed and technique. Dew gave me a sardonic wink before she strolled back over to the other two.

Freya and Kaede held a short, heated discussion before the redheaded runesmith stepped forward, spear in hand.

“Master asked for this to be completed quickly, so I’ll take on as many of you as care to dance.” The tip of her spear pointed unerringly at the crowd, without a single quiver or sign she had difficulty holding it in the slightest. “Come out and fight.”

Three pirates stepped up to meet her challenge. One woman and two men walked onto the field in a tight group, clearly spooked by their comrade’s rapid defeat at Dew’s hands.

“Three isn’t nearly enough.” I muttered under my breath, catching Jean’s attention.

She raised an eyebrow at me. “I thought ya were worried about the lasses.”

I shook my head. “She even gave them an open invitation. Are the rest so stupid they wouldn’t dare take advantage?”

“Well, I don’t think many of them thought it through, ya know?” Jean shrugged, as though the pirate’s actions were little more than a minor inconvenience. “The others probably didn’t think they’d need to fight. Maybe they figured they could just latch on to the winner’s leg and ride his wake to the top.”

I let out a low, irritable grunt, but it wasn’t easy to argue against her point. It seemed she was more than likely right, from what I could see.

The fight turned out as expected. All three pirates rushed Freya at the same time, in an attempt to overwhelm the harmless looking girl before them. Wrong tactic entirely, it turned out.

Freya’s spear easily tripped all three before she hopped to the side and finished them with a rapid-fire series of jabs to their heads. Fortunately, she’d used the blunt end of her spear.

They’d live, but the trio she’d taken out would have blinding headaches when they woke up. Served them right.

Last, but not least, Kaede took the field.

Not to be outdone by her friends, the young high elf took the opportunity to show off her runesmith created equipment. Her clunky looking boots flared up, launching the girl high into the air where she twirled and flipped before coming to a gentle, smooth stop in the center of the arena.

“Who’s next?”

“We surrender.” The man who’d stepped forward as a mediator held his hands up in defeat. Even though they’d lost the challenge, the man looked oddly happy with himself.

And why was he glancing off into the crowd behind me so much-

“Oh, for the love of-” I looked back over my shoulder to see the elderly leader of the Seventh Fleet standing next to Smith. When the old man saw that I’d spotted him, he gave me a cheery wave and a knowing wink. They’d set all this up.

I returned his cheer with a glare. I would have an explanation before I let them off the hook for this scheming bullshit.

Chapter Three

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 15

“S eriously?” I laid my hands atop my desk, despite the rampaging desire to slam them down with all my strength. “You two decided this was the best course of action, did you?”

The two culprits behind the shit show I’d just witnessed shared a self-assured look from their seats before they each nodded happily. Not only had the previous Seventh Fleet leader gone behind my back, but it also seems Smith had joined him in this chicanery.

If the situation had turned out differently, their actions would have to be counted as little more than betrayal. But I knew the pair and, despite my anger over the matter, it was obvious their intentions were clear.

“We didn’t have time to warn you.” Smith shrugged, then leaned back in his chair, scratching his cheek. “The murmurings were starting to interfere with our experiments, so -”

“- We decided to act.” Franklin leaned forward on his stick, a serene smile on his face. “Of course, we reached an agreement with the three ladies before we made the necessary arrangements.”

“You there were in on this as well?” I turned to the girls, who’d taken the time to sit down on the ground at the other end of the office for a quick chat. “Why didn’t you… Is this why Dew spent so much time in my office?”

“Not totally, Master.” Freya perked up quickly before Dew could defend herself. “She really is a terror if you let her get anywhere near runesmithing equipment, so it was best for everyone to send her to you.”

“Hey, I wasn’t that bad!” Dew pouted angrily as she threw an evil look in her friend’s direction. “You’re exaggerating!”

“Girl, you merely touched a smithing tool and the damn thing exploded.” Smith grumbled, though he didn’t turn to face the one he was accusing. “Each person should be assigned to the role they’re best suited for. That’s leadership one-oh-one.”

I remained silent as both groups started a heated back and forth. Dew had Kaede on her side, though likely only because the high elf felt sorry for her friend. The rest were unmovable when it came to Dew’s incompatibility with ship repairs and runesmith experiments.

When it came to those things, she was a complete failure.

But I didn’t mind. I was happy enough to keep the happy-go-lucky blonde out of trouble. Most of the pirates weren’t helping with the repairs, either. Too many weren’t suitably busy, to the point where a fair number had gathered to threaten my newly appointed officers. I’d known things would come to a head eventually, but the speed at which such issues arose caught me off guard.

“Are you sure they won’t try it again?” I turned to Jean, who shrugged noncommittally.

“What can we do about that, then? We can’t worry about challenges like that popping up every other day.”

The other Pirate Lord’s remained silent, either thinking over the issue, or deciding to leave the decision in my hands. Trust or laziness, it didn’t matter—the fact remained, I’d be the once who’d have to make the call.

“What about a rite of challenge?” I offered the suggestion up after I recalled my studies in the Elven Navy. “Some cultures have a system set up for these sorts of situations. As long as it’s a military position where power matters, a lower ranking member can challenge their superior.”

“I’ve heard about those. They can be pretty brutal.” Smith nodded sagely and glanced back at the three girls who’d been challenged not so long ago. “The challenge continues until one side is either dead or surrenders, then the victor has the choice of how to deal with them. The fatality rate is said to be quite high, even when the loser chooses to surrender.”

“Obviously, we won’t go that far. The loser can just fuck off.” I paused for a moment as I considered the options. “Let’s set some limits to the challenges. Only a certain number—say only one per week—are allowed, and anyone who loses a challenge can’t issue another one for a year. Oh, and no killing.”

“Hmm.” Jean clicked her tongue as she looked at the three elves sitting at the back of the room. “That seems a bit too shaky to me. Accidents happen, you know, and these events are likely to get quite emotional.”

“Master, a word if you would be so kind.” Freya pushed herself up from her seat on the ground before the other two followed suit a moment later. “We won’t take much of your time.”

I shrugged and, after ensuring the other Pirate Lords were happy to wait, followed my companions out of the office and a fair way down the corridor.

“Wes, I know the reasons for what you’re proposing.” Dew stepped forward, apparently happy to act as the group’s spokeswoman. “I just want to make sure you aren’t involving us in your decisions.”

“What?” I looked at each of the three in turn, hoping to spot some clue as to what they were thinking. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Master, we care about you, and you care about us.” Freya blushed cutely as she spoke, as though her words had warmed her heart by their mere utterance. “But the rules have to be the same for everyone—including us. That way, trust and respect are shown to all parties.”

Kaede didn’t add anything else, but I could see her give a slight nod as she listened to Freya’s statement.

“This about the ‘no killing’ thing? Hell, I’d worry more that you three would be more likely to depopulate my fleets.” I rolled my eyes. “Sure, you three were in my thoughts, but that wasn’t my only consideration.”

The trio stared at me with such confused looks that I felt forced to explain my reasoning.

I lifted three fingers and then slowly lowered each one as I ticked off my reasons, one by one “First off, killings invite revenge. Someone kills your friend, and you want to kill them, right? That’s a cycle we’d find hard to break, and it could quickly escalate outside of the dueling arena.” I lowered one finger.

“Next, emotion and logic aren’t usually compatible. People fall out and, if given the chance, they might believe they want to go as far as hurting or killing one another—but after the rush of adrenaline is gone, will they feel the same?” I let the comment tail off as the three nodded in agreement.

With only one finger left standing, I moved onto my final point.

“And finally, corruption. If there is a legal way to fight and kill someone, what happens when one pirate wants to get rid of another, but can’t do it themselves?” I let the question hang in the air, though I could tell they had already figured out the thrust of my point. “At that point, it’s just an assassination with extra steps.”

“I- I didn’t think of that.” Kaede murmured from the back of the group, an embarrassed look on her face. She avoided my gaze. “Maybe we shouldn’t be your officers-”

“No, I believe in you three. I wouldn’t have raised you up if I didn’t. Same with Lira.” I grinned as I mentioned the pirate captain who’d helped our merry band since Keria. “So, does that explain my reasoning sufficiently? If you have any extra points to add, though, I’m happy to listen.”

“Those do make sense, but so does Jean’s response.” Dew glanced back at my office door with a conflicted look. “Maybe we should put it off until later?”

“No, that would just let the issue fester. We’ll deal with it now.” I folded my arms as I considered the options once more. “I just want you three to know my reasons before I make a decision—I owe you that much, at least.”

“Thank you, Wes.” Dew pulled me into a rough hug. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

“Me too.”

“And me, Master!”

The other two rushed forward, wrapping me in a cocoon of warm affection. The hug lasted for a few seconds before they pulled themselves together and released me. I turned back to the office.

“Okay, let’s get back in there.”

The Pirate Lords were quietly discussing something as we made our way back into the room. Jean gave me a suggestive wink as I walked around the desk and settled into my chair, but the other two merely waited patiently for me to speak.

“I’ve made my decision, but obviously we need to agree on the actions we take.” The three Pirate Lords nodded in unison, but no one interrupted me as I continued. “We’ll call them Challenge Duels. Any challenges that are requested need to be approved by at least two Pirate Lords, and then will need to be overseen by at least one of us who isn’t in direct command of those fighting.”

“That- Well-” Jean’s frown deepened as she considered my idea. It took a few moments before her expression cleared as a wide grin came into view once more. “I like it. The process should limit the number of challenges that are fielded and having another of us judging the duel should stop any foul play.”

“It’s not the most elegant solution, but I can’t think of anything better.” Smith shrugged, showing his concurrence with his usual amount of carelessness. “But what about killing?”

“It’ll be an unspoken rule that we do not want it to happen, but if it does-” I glanced at the three girls who waited by the door. “Then we’ll just have to deal with it. Investigate both sides, make sure nothing is going on behind the scenes, that sort of thing.”

“Then we’re in agreement?” Jean slapped the table enthusiastically. “Sounds great, don’t ya think? The perfect rule for a bunch of scumbag pirates! I love it!”

Chapter Four

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 15

O nce the issue of potential challenges was sorted out, we moved on to the rest of the business at hand: our supply shortages, the cave exploration, as well as the initial steps for our eventual expansion up the cliff face.

Unlike back at The Ridge, we at least had an ambitious goal in sight—reclaiming Monster Isle, and all the secrets it contained.

But scaling the cliff without outside assistance made for a long and arduous trip, even with the guide ropes and handholds we’d set up already. Even the sturdiest pirates took far too long to clamber their way to the top.

But Smith, with Freya’s help, believed he’d found a solution.

“So how does this work, exactly?” I looked down at the clunky runesmith device the pair had created. “You said it was automatic, but I assume it needs somebody to operate it?”

“Several bodies, actually.” Smith gave me a toothy grin as he patted the automated drilling apparatus, which he’d lovingly nicknamed ADA. “And a team to clean out the debris it leaves behind it. But with a little luck, it shouldn’t take long to carve us out a path to the top of the cliff.”

“We have a few strong youngsters in our ranks.” Franklin, the elderly former leader of the Seventh Fleet, glanced in my direction. “As long as our Lord wishes it, of course.”

“Play nice, Franklin. Smith, work with the Seventh.” I pushed the task over to the old fools and brushed my hands clean of the whole thing. “While you arrange a more permanent solution to the issue, I’ll check into the cave exploration team.”

“Good idea.” Jean nodded from the side, where she’d been silently watching my back and forth with Franklin and Smith, as though it didn’t involve her in the slightest. “If you show your face, I imagine the odds of us getting some progress made on that front will increase exponentially.”

I didn’t know if she was serious, or joking at my expense, but it didn’t much matter. I’d already made the decision to check on the team’s progress, especially considering how tight things were, space wise.

That issue had likely been a contributing factor to the angry challenges I’d witnessed. But Franklin’s man had instigated the whole thing before it could boil over naturally. In the end I forgave him, seeing as it’d kept the situation under control, though I still made the elder promise to inform me—ahead of time, next time—whenever such issues arose.

Freya didn’t bother to stay in the office to back up her rune smith teacher. When I asked if she wanted to assist with the setup, she let me know that although she’d assisted the old elf in creating the contraption, she didn’t care all that much for it. Seeing the device at work wasn’t much of a thrill, at least not when compared to a chance to explore the caves with me and the others.

Unfortunately, someone had to stay behind to oversee the ship repairs. It looked like Kaede had somehow drawn the short straw.

It didn’t take long for Dew, Freya and I to catch up with the exploration team. The marks and signs they’d left behind them led us to their location easily enough, though what I found as I rounded the final corner sent a wave of irritation through me.

They were sitting around, laughing and joking.

“Having fun, are you?” I moved out into the open, as much as I could in the narrow, winding caves, and loomed over the group. “I know your break times, and none of them are close. What’s going on here?”

I kept my voice calm and even, but the exploration team still shivered and shook in their boots as they scrambled to their feet. Everyone knew I’d caught them with their pants down, literally in the case of one of their members as he took a leak against the wall, but they were hoping I’d let the matter slide.

“Seeing as you’ve had a nice break, I imagine you won’t need the next one, right?” I waited for the whole team to nod miserably before I pointed down an unmarked, unexplored corridor. “Go on, then. The faster you work, the happier I’ll be. And don’t be hoping I’ll forget your faces; not going to happen.”

That less than subtle threat was enough to light a fire under their collective asses. The team’s leader rushed off first, followed just a moment later by his subordinates as they paired off to delve deeper into the cave system.

“I hope you didn’t frighten them so much they get lost.” Dew giggled as she poked my arm. “You really know how to turn on your ‘Mighty Leader Mode’, don’t you?”

“Master has always been a Mighty Leader.” Freya’s faint smile didn’t change as she stared up at me. “He just doesn’t let others see it enough.”

“Okay, enough of that, you two.” I looked down the tunnel once more, making sure none of the teams had doubled back before I turned to walk back toward the base. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

Before we’d even walked back into the relatively open chasm that had become our base, a loud, screeching roar drowned out all other noise. I could only speak to Freya and Dew if I placed my mouth right next to their ear.

It didn’t seem like an attack, but the sound grated on my nerves like nothing else.

Once we reached the base, the source of the noise became clear.

Smith had set the ADA up against the base of the cliff wall, and the machine’s heavy drill bit was mid-way into its journey into the solid rock wall. Obviously, the old elf had known about the sound issue since, when he saw me appear at the mouth of the cave system, he ordered the drilling to cease by waving a pair of red flags.

“If anyone sails by, they’ll hear that racket.” I bit back the urge to kick Smith’s ‘baby’ as I walked towards the grinning fool. “How long did you say this is going to take?”

“Oh, it’ll be far quieter once it chews through the outer layer. At that point, I’ll activate the secret weapon.” Smith slapped his hands together happily as he danced a little jig. “Anti-rotation, smoothing technology. As the drill digs through the stone, the other section will spin in the opposite direction, which will smooth out the path ahead. And then-”

“I’ll explain the specifics to Master, thank you.” Freya quieted the old elf with a single look as she stepped up beside me. “Remember to keep it active whenever anyone is in the tunnel. If you don’t, then-”

“I know, I know.” Smith huffed, like a child who’d been informed he wasn’t being allowed to go to the circus like he’d wanted. “I’ll be in there myself, so I won’t forget. It’s not like I want to deafen our workers, you know?”

“Make sure you get the switchback and pulley systems set up.” Freya’s usually cool tone took on a hard edge as she pointed at a distant set of crates near the cliff face. “The sooner the better. If our people have to wait when they reach the top, it’ll slow down the plan.”

“Fine! Anything else you need, ‘Master’?” Smith bitterly flung out Freya’s nickname for me, but she took it in stride, her cool and composed look returning once more.

“No, I think that’s everything.” She turned back to me, as though Smith had stopped existing the moment she’d passed on her orders. “Shall we go, Master?”

“No, not yet. I don’t think we are ready to get started on this, yet.”

After a quick back and forth, Smith capitulated and agreed to our request to hold off on digging the tunnel for another day. Even if it were quieter, I didn’t plan on being anywhere near the base while ADA slowly and painfully dug its way up to the top of the cliff.

Instead, I went to visit the old leader of the Seventh Fleet.

Franklin greeted me with a warm wave when I walked into his room. Not many in the fleet knew of the old man’s previous role, but those who did respected him enormously, which meant he’d been assigned a comfortable space far in excess of most any other person.

Any pirate who had a problem with it, had to face down a host of the man’s ardent followers, before they could even think of complaining about it.

“So, you’re going to explore the Monster Isle, are you?” He pulled out several old, crinkled rolls of parchment from a desk drawer and started to spread them out before me. “I’ll send a full squad to explore with you, they’re the best we have, and have trained just for this specific situation.”

“Thanks. I’ll take you up on that.” I spotted the odd glances Freya and Dew gave met when I accepted Franklin’s offer. Clearly, they’d expected that I’d refuse his assistance.

“Here are the maps we still have.” He unrolled the parchments across the tabletop to reveal worn and faded maps of a weirdly shaped continent. “Outdated and old—just like me—but hopefully we can still be of some use to you.”

“I won’t say no.” I gave the pages a once over before rolling them up and passing them over to Freya. “Can you please take a look at these and see what you can do to make a copy? You can help, Dew. See if you can repair them, or at least make a better copy.”

“Sure.” Dew took one of the maps and wrinkled her cute nose as she glanced at its contents. “No promises, but I have a few mixtures that might work.”

“And I can figure out a tracing method, Master.” Freya nodded as she took the scrawled drawings back.

Before we could leave, Franklin called out one last time.

“Wes, if you find anything, please let me know.” The old man’s gaze sharpened as he glanced at the maps in Freya’s hand. “This is our past, but it may be your future. Together, we can make it possible.”

“I promised you I’d help, Franklin.” I winked at the former Seventh Fleet’s leader before I turned to leave his home. “And I always keep my promises.”

Chapter Five

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 16

D rilling a tunnel up to the top of the cliff would take a long time. Even with the ADA Freya and Smith had created, based upon the weird path we’d taken along the edge of the Iklit Corridor, the whole thing sounded like a long and arduous process.

So, though Freya made the decision to stay behind, I decided that the rest of our group needed to make more productive use of our time.

Once I’d cleared the rush of paperwork up, Arianna could deal with the steady flow of forms and administrative duties by herself, especially with Smith around to assist, whenever he wasn’t overseeing the route to the cliff top path creation.

So, while our resident runesmiths prepared for their task, I took the team I’d arranged up the cliff using the climbing ropes and rough hand holds we’d created as a temporary measure.

“Are you two sure about this?” I turned to Kaede and Dew, giving the pair a crooked grin after we’d clambered our way to the top of the cliff. “You could always hang around to help with the paperwork, or maybe you could pull some shifts, digging the tunnel.”

Kaede seemed torn, likely thinking about the work Freya would be stuck doing in our absence, but Dew merely responded by folding her arms and giving a snort.

“You want to explore the Monster Isle, and now you’re talking about leaving us behind?” She gave the calm and friendly looking view we could see of the Monster Isle a once over before turning back to me, her expression set and resolute. “No way. What happens if you need my help with some weird creatures you find up here, huh?”

“And then we’d just have to climb down the same route we just came up. No thanks.” Kaede glanced down at the Home Base, little more than a collection of rooftops surrounded by pirates so small they looked like ants crawling over their exposed hill. She shuddered and pulled her gaze away a moment later, clearly disliking the feeling of being so high up, despite the fact we were still on solid ground. “No thanks.”

I found it odd, because her amazing runesmith device powered leaps didn’t cause the same reaction. Maybe it was because then, she felt in control? Peculiar, to say the least.

It wasn’t like I wanted to leave the pair behind, and they both knew it, but her point was still pertinent. Dew’s ability to communicate with beasts would come in handy, and Kaede could use her rune smith gadgets to assist with scouting and the like.

But then came the last members of my little exploration squad.

“This should be fun, don’t ya think?” Jean grinned as she watched our little back and forth. “Camping under the stars, rolling under the sheets. A nice distraction from the hustle and bustle of camp life.”

Kaede shrugged at Jean’s comments, but Dew gave the passionate Pirate Lord a hearty thumbs up and a wink. Though Dew didn’t have any issues with the brash human, I hoped Jean and Kaede somehow managed to get along on this trip.

All in all, our team was well laid out. But the careful balance of skills and abilities might be upended by the Seventh Fleet squad that Franklin had ordered to accompany us. Though the Seventh Fleet had accepted me as their leader, on the whole at least, they still respected the elderly former leader. Not many of them knew of his true identity, but the stern looking men and women who stood before me were clearly in his circle of trusted allies.

They’d climbed up the cliff with little difficulty and no complaints. Good signs for the adventure ahead, but I also knew it was their first time returning ‘home’ in who knows how many years. I knew I’d need to set the record straight before we started out, and Jean made it clear she had no intentions of stepping into my limelight.

“I don’t want to have to say this again, so listen closely.” I waited a second for the squad’s attention to be rigidly fixed on me before I continued on in the same strict and cold tone. “Our priority is to investigate the resources available, check the dangers posed by the creatures in our vicinity, and clear any potential threats for our eventual expansion to the top of the cliff. If you have anything else you think is more important, then you pass it by me, or you ignore it. Are we clear?”

The group nodded in unison, but I could still see a flame burning in some of their eyes. Respect and loyalty were hard to earn, but Franklin had been confident when he told me I’d have their obedience at least. And that would have to do for the time being.

Thankfully, if there were any underlying feelings of anger or resentment, the group hid it well. They hadn’t even commented on the fact we’d dragged Kiel up along with us, even when they’d been asked to help pull the stupidly large shadow panther up like an impossibly long anchor that threatened to drag them back down to the bottom of the sea—or the cliff, in this case.

“Okay, let’s head out!”

I led the group toward the distant tree line with Dew and Kaede flanking me on either side, Kiel rushed off to scout ahead, while Jean strolled along immediately behind us. Though Franklin’s troops were well trained and pretty strong, I still didn’t fully understand the extent of their abilities.

Could they take out a threat at long range better than me?

Impossible.

Was it possible some of them could detect danger with more accuracy than Dew?

Extremely unlikely.

Could any of them use rune smith devices with more skill than Kaede?

Potentially, but there was no way I’d lend them some of her gadgets so they could try.

Fortunately, Franklin’s followers were happy enough to trail along behind us. They quickly formed two disciplined lines, spaced out from each other with a moderate distance between the members of each line—close enough to be able to help their comrades, but far enough away that an ambush would struggle to catch more than one of them off guard.

Dew nodded as she looked over the formation. Clearly, she judged their actions by her own knowledge of traveling through the dangerous woodlands of her homeland, where a moment of inattention could end up being your last.

Her knowledge, my years of training within the Elven Navy; both agreed that our helpers were skilled enough to look after themselves in the harsh environments on Monster Isle.

“At least we won’t be short on wood.” Kaede landed a solid punch against a nearby tree before she nodded to herself happily. “Strong and thick, no deadwood.”

“Just how you like it.” Dew quipped, giving the now blushing high elf a nudge as she winked in my direction. “Pretty experienced, this one is-”

Before Dew could get any more digs in, Kiel rushed into view, his fur bristling as he dived next to Dew.

“What’s wrong?” I glanced over our surroundings, half expecting some ridiculous monster to burst from the undergrowth at any moment. “What could have spooked him this badly?”

“I- I don’t know.” Dew knelt down beside Kiel and rested her head against his. The shadow panthers frantic breathing calmed down as his favorite elf slowly cooed at him and scratched behind his ears. Even after she’d placated the huge beast, it was clear Kiel wasn’t as calm and composed as he usually acted.

Something, or someone, had scared him.

“It’s something off that way.” Dew waved off in the direction Kiel had dashed in from as she kept her attention firmly on the panting cat. “Pretty fa off, but I can’t tell how long it will take us to cover the same ground. He only noticed a surge of emotion. Rage. Anger. Frustration. Nothing good, at least.”

A direction and a general thought that it was dangerous. Whatever could frighten Kiel so much had to be dangerous, more dangerous than anything we’d clashed with before. Even when we faced off against the behemoths on our way to Keria, he hadn’t gotten worked up to this degree.

But what could, or even should, we do about it? If we went looking for trouble, hoping to clear up the threat, it might end up causing a chain reaction in the area. On the other hand, if we allowed ourselves to be spooked by every single thing, we’d never get any further than our first timid steps.

By the time we built ourselves up, the Council would have finished their schemes and destroyed everything worth saving.

“Do any of you have any ideas?” I turned to the Seventh Fleet group exasperatedly. “Even if it’s outdated, some information is better than none.”

“I might do, Sir.” One member stepped forward, his eyes bright and wide as he glanced in the direction Dew had indicated. “An old stronghold is in that direction, and there are some rumors about experiments having been done in the area. Might have something to do with the ‘dangerous’ feeling, Sir.”

“Experiments?” I growled, shaking my head as I tasted how that detestable word rolled off my tongue.

Just like what the Council were doing with the behemoths? Maybe the empire who’d once controlled Monster Isle had tried to tread the same path, or a portion of them might have looked into controlling the behemoths.

Those massive creatures had existed on this continent before its name had been changed to the ‘Monster isle’, after all.

“This is the plan, then.” I glanced at Jean, who merely shrugged and waved for me to go ahead, as though the whole situation was of no consequence to her. “We’re going to investigate this stronghold. If we can clear it out, then good. If the danger is too great, though, we’ll have to figure something out. But no one goes in without my approval, got it?”

“Sir, I feel like I need to say something.” The same one who’d mentioned the old base stepped forward. “We know what you’ve done for us, and for the old leader. I know it might be difficult, but please know you can trust us. Whatever you ask, we will do—even if we have to give up our lives.”

The others nodded without hesitation at the man’s bizarre suggestion. Franklin must have spiked their drinks with something pretty strong, for them to go that far.

I could tell from their eyes that they genuinely believed in what their spokesman had said. But it didn’t matter to me. Not like I was planning to sacrifice anyone on what should be a simple scouting trip.

“Fine, I’ll accept that.” I clapped my hand on the man’s shoulder and fixed him with a friendly gaze. “Until I give my permission, none of you are to die! Is that understood!”

“Yes Sir!” The group saluted and stamped their feet as Dew and Kaede looked on, bemused and concerned, respectively. They’d probably not let me hear the end of it once we got back to base, but I paid their expressions no mind as I raised my fist into the air.

“Then let’s get this done!”

Chapter Six

Monster Isle - Day 16

T he stronghold was our primary goal, but it would take us a while to reach it.

Kiel had adapted to whatever pressure he felt, though he still refused to leave Dew’s side. I couldn’t tell if he was seeking her support or was prepared to act as a guardian, protecting her against whatever it was we were about to face.

I shrugged. Either way, I struggled to see him as anything more than a big, overprotective house cat. Watching him grow from a cub to an adolescent shadow panther had given me a warped view of the dangerous beast stalking at my feisty wood elf’s side.

The further into Monster Isle we traveled, the more life we found. Creatures here ranged from harmless little scavengers and plant eating midgets, all the way up to monsters who could be classed as sub-behemoths, if anyone survived to categorize them.

For the smaller animals, our presence was enough to send them scurrying off, but the others took our mere existence as a threat. Most were content to hiss and growl from the depths of the thick underbrush, as we walked through their territories, but a select few took things a step too far, laying in careful ambush on the path ahead.

So, I struck first.

The first few died instantly without a clue as to what had happened. My arrows pierced their skulls with such power that the monsters' heads were ripped from their bodies. I hoped that would be a warning to others who might plan to waylay us.

Unfortunately, some were too stubborn, or too stupid, to take the hint.

I could destroy them all without much difficulty, but then I’d have to find the arrows, clean them off, and potentially repair any damage they’d taken. Without Freya around, it would be difficult to replace any I left behind.

Of course, I could create my own, but I was happy to admit that Freya’s crafting skills far exceeded mine. I’d gotten used to the extra power they lent my shots.

But I wasn’t traveling alone.

Dew and Kaede had slipped off after I’d scared off the first couple of beasts ahead. While the cheeky forest elf dashed through the trees, her daggers flashing with ruthless speed and efficiency, the spirited high elf used her runesmith boots to blast her way to the tops of the trees.

One cleared the forest floor, while the other cleared the skies.

“Those two make a good team, don’t they?” Jean took the chance while the others were away to walk beside me. “You never did tell me where you met them.”

“I met Dew in the Wiskas woods, but Kaede joined us just before we left Keria.” I kept my eyes peeled as I watched the pair annihilate the potential threats before us. “They practiced together a lot on the trip to join you lot, so maybe that’s when they managed to get so in sync with each other.”

“That short a time? I thought it would take years to acquire their level of synergy.” Jean grunted as she scratched at her cheek awkwardly. “Do ya know why Kaede doesn’t like me? The others seem fine, but she’s a wild one.”

“Ha ha. That’s rich.” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I heard her complain. How could anyone call a tame city elf ‘wild’ compared to someone like Dew? Impossible. “If you want to know that, you’ll have to ask her, not me.” I smirked. “It’s your problem, not mine.”

“Hah. Gonna make me work for it, are ya?” Jean grumbled and huffed angrily.

“Nothing worth your time is free.” I shrugged and turned back to watch the pair of beauties, who, having finished up clearing the immediate area of any threats, were making their way back to the group. “She’s usually quite friendly, but it can be hard to change her mind, once she’s got an idea fixed in her pretty little head. Good luck with that.”

It wasn’t like I was opposed to Jean’s attempts to join our little group, but every person involved had to agree. Dew had been up for it right from the start. Freya had come around to the sultry Pirate Lord’s side, eventually. But Kaede? The high elf had staunchly refused to even consider it.

Why? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care to ask. Busy with creating a new pirate base, my sister's sudden and explosive return back into my life, along with taking care of the three women already at my side, I hadn’t had much time even to think about it.

“Good job.” Jean gave the pair a friendly wave as they returned. “I know ya spent most of yer life in a dangerous place, Dew, so yer skill at this make sense.” She gave a nod to the blonde before turning to our silver-haired companion. “But I can’t believe how good ya are at this, Kaede.”

“Wes taught me, and Freya created some useful gadgets for me.” Kaede shrugged as she moved back to my side. “If I wasn’t at least this efficient, I’d not be pulling my own weight and put their names to shame, seeing as how I am their student.”

“Oh. Okay.” Jean nodded and moved back a few steps once more, clearly unhappy, but willing to give us space as we moved out once more.

“Kaede, what’s up with you?” I heard Dew whisper to her friend. “Jean’s just trying to be nice, and you’re still acting like a prickly rock badger.”

“She’s far too pushy. If we let her worm her way in with just a few nice comments, she’ll never change.” Kaede glanced up at me, a faint smile on her face. “Nothing worth your time is free, right?”

“You heard that, huh?” I gave the cheeky high elf a wink, showing I didn’t care if she’d overheard our conversation. “It’s up to you, anyway. If you keep Jean at the end of her tether for much longer, though, she might just snap.”

“Oh, I know.” Kaede wormed her way under my arm as she pushed herself into my side, fingers dancing across the front of my leather breeches. “You’ve taught me a lot, Wes. I know how to keep someone right on the edge, you know?”

The fact it was Kaede rather than Dew making a dirty joke caught me off guard for a moment, but I couldn’t hold back my laughter as the pair giggled beside me. But our happy walk was interrupted as Kiel, once again, froze in place.

The big cat stared off into the distance.

“What’s wrong now?” I grumbled as Dew moved over to calm the shadow panther. “Are we getting close?”

“No, this is something else.” Dew pushed herself up and stepped back toward us, a heavy frown replacing the warm smile that had been there only moments ago. “The place he sensed is still pretty far off. He’s found something else that may cause us a problem.”

“Oh, great. Thanks.” I lowered the impact of my sarcastic comments by giving the shadow panther a quick scratch behind one ear. “Do you think you could show us the way, Kiel?”

Kiel let out a low, rumbling growl, little more than a purr, before he turned to lead us from the path we’d been following. I hoped it wouldn’t be too far out of our way—I still had to keep track of the time we spent journeying on Monster Isle. Never mind getting back late, there was always the chance we could lose our way and never find the cliff and hidden route back down into Home Base.

With Kiel’s sharp nose guiding us, we walked on, not entirely sure what we were journeying towards. Kaede kept a hand on one of her sabers while Dew’s gaze flicked through the shadows.

Even with our group’s collective skill at detecting threats, it was good to know they hadn’t learned to just trust those abilities. Any lazy idiot traveling through a dangerous, unknown land might taunt death with every step. But what we found when we neared the edge of the forest we’d been walking through stunned the whole group into silence.

“Are those… Shogoliths?” Kaede muttered as she stared out into the enormous open plain that stretched out into the distance. “What are behemoths like that doing all the way out here? Aren’t they supposed to be nocturnal?”

She’d only ever seen two Behemoths: the Zekier which had rampaged through Keria, and the Nerker we’d hunted in the Lanoi sea. Of course, Kaede had taken the time to study up on the creatures after seeing the destruction they’d caused, but she was still the least knowledgeable of my ladies on their behaviors.

“Yeah, Shogoliths are massive, hairy, four-horned beasts. They may look big, hairy cattle, but they have rows of razor-sharp teeth and most definitely eat meat. They aren’t normally out in the daytime but look over there.” I pointed to a large number of pitch-black rocks that jutted out of the ground near to where the behemoths gathered. “They want to attack something in those rocks, for some reason, but something is stopping them.”

“Is it the Elven Navy?” Dew gripped her daggers as she ground her teeth angrily. “If they’re here, maybe we should hunt them down. It shouldn’t take us long.”

“No, I don’t think so. The rods they used in Keria were carefully chiseled down, but these look almost… natural.” I stared at the seemingly random grouping of stones. “It might be related, but I bet getting too close would just end up with the behemoths fighting us.”

“And that’s too dangerous?” Jean nodded, as though she’d already accepted my logic. “There’s no way we could take all those monsters down, right?”

“Nah, it might be possible. We just don’t have the time.” I chuckled as Jean turned to face me, a confused look on her face. “I’ve fought worse in the past, but we’ll leave them as they are for now. Come on, let’s get out of here before they notice us.”

Chapter Seven

Monster Isle / South Eastern Quadrant - Day 16

W e continued on toward the distant threat Kiel had felt without much more difficulty. The behemoths didn’t notice our presence, distracted as they were with the odd black rocks sticking up out of the earth, so at least we didn’t have any issues simply leaving them behind.

But the further we traveled, the more difficulty I found it to contain my curiosity. The Seventh Fleet had to know something about this place—maybe we just hadn’t been asking the right questions.

“Hey, there.” I waved for the rest of the group to continue on as I moved back beside the man who’d stepped forward earlier. “I have a few things I wanted to ask about. That okay with you?”

“You’re our leader, Sir.” He kept pace with me as he bowed his head respectfully. “Ask away, and I will answer to the best of my ability.”

“Do you really know nothing about this stronghold, other than its existence?” I jumped straight in with the most pertinent issue.

The officer merely sighed and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Sir. Our members originated from all parts of this continent, so perhaps some of the others have stories of their own.” He paused for a moment to glance back at the other members of the Seventh Fleet trailing along behind us. “I’ve spoken to the others, though, and all we know is that it existed. Not many were given permission to enter it, and even fewer dared to speak of their work within its walls.”

His eyes, clear of anything other than sincerity and regret, showed he wasn’t lying. If he was withholding something, then I’d just have to chalk it up to my own ineptitude in reading people.

“What about those black rocks we saw?” I motioned back toward the field full of behemoths we’d left far behind us. “If something like that existed, surely some of you would know about it, right?”

“Nothing more than myths and hearsay, Sir.” The Seventh Fleet officer once more grimaced as he revealed his lack of information. “Some legends spoke of a mysterious force that could hold back any monster with ease, but no one really believed it. Maybe the stories were true?”

I nodded but stayed silent as we continued on towards our unknown destination. Myths, legends, and folk tales were usually rooted in some underlying message or truth. Some were clearly wishful thinking, likely thought up by some overly imaginative scribe, but the rest?

They likely had a nugget of truth buried deep within their tales.

“Tell me this story, then.” I finally pulled myself out of my thoughts, surprising the officer who’d walked along beside me without another word. “Maybe it’s unrelated, but I’ll not know unless I investigate it.”

“There isn’t much to tell, Sir.” The man shook himself without breaking stride. “The legend is that a creature exists who sits atop the world, and that nothing can withstand its pressure.”

“Like, its strength, the actual pressure of its body weight, or something else? How big is this thing, then?” I held in my amusement as I stared at the man with mock seriousness.

Apparently, he didn’t get the joke.

“It’s not really a physical thing, or at least that’s what I’ve heard.” He kept his gaze fixed to the front, scanning the forest for any threats as he spoke. “They say that any beast or monster who tries to approach is simply unable to fight its will. If it decides they should die?” He shrugged. “Then they’re dead.”

“Sounds rather farfetched, but I guess I’ve seen and heard worse.” I recalled the desert elves’ stories of the immense sand worms living beneath their feet. Though they wouldn’t give themselves up to the creatures that easily, their society as a whole accepted it as a natural thing—almost an act of the gods—if one of the behemoths decided to swallow one of their tribesmen whole.

It probably made it easier for the rest to keep on living, with such a threat hanging over their heads—or rather, under their feet.

“So, before the monster wave broke over the land, what was this place like?”

“I don’t really know. We only hear the stories of its past and not much beyond that.” The officer finally turned to me, a faint smile on his face. “But that’s enough for us. This is our home, even if we’d never set foot on it. Before our people were forced off the continent, I’ve heard it was a peaceful land, filled with laughter, merriment, and enlightenment.”

“Hmm. Okay.” I shrugged and turned my attention back to the monster strewn forest around us. “It seems to have gone downhill, since then.”

“True, Sir, but maybe we can change that.”

I turned back to the man, confused as to why he was speaking with such optimism.

“Together, we can do anything. As long as we focus our efforts, nothing can stand in our way.”

Though it sounded like Franklin’s followers had been drinking the spiked punch a little too much, I couldn’t really say anything about their goals. They wanted to go home, back to THEIR home, and they knew how difficult that was going to be.

But still, they wanted to try.

Why had the Seventh Fleet’s forefathers been forced from their homes in the first place? From what I could tell, every man and woman working under Franklin had skills and abilities that far exceeded those of the other pirates, never mind the common folk I’d seen during my journeys.

They weren’t ‘Gifted’, per se, but some were pretty close to that level.

‘Enlightenment’, the officer had called it. I’d skimmed over his words at the time, but the odd connotation of the words he used kept coming back to bite me. I’d heard it before-

Then it hit me. I’d overheard a conversation about the experiments ran by the Elven Navy. Their forces were always on the cutting edge of any technological advancement, to the point where they’d sacrifice whatever was needed to reach their goals.

Resources, time.

Lives.

And what had they been seeking? What buzz words had the leaders of those projects used to justify their ruthless actions?

‘Seeking enlightenment’.

The officer beside me hadn’t shown any displeasure when he’d used the word, so it was possible he hadn’t made the connection. Those who’d told him the stories of their old home had likely sugar coated it to some extent, so it made sense that they would view it with such misty-eyed gazes.

As I considered possible links between the Seventh Fleet and the advancement of the rest of the world, the sun started to dip toward the distant horizon. There was no way we’d reach our destination before it had fully set and traveling at night through hostile and unknown lands wasn’t a good idea, even with such a talented group of people as I’d brought with me.

“Hold!” I called out to the group as I lifted my first into the air. “We’ll set up camp here, then move on at dawn. Pick a tree, make your beds, and decide on the guard shifts.”

The Seventh Fleet troops moved out without any complaints after acknowledging my command. Jean, Dew, and Kaede watched them scurry about, amused, but thankful I’d called a halt to our journey, at least for today.

“That means you, too.” I winked at the three of them and waved at a nearby tree. The trunk was so wide it would take at least three of us to encircle it with our arms, which I took as a good sign that it would take our combined weight. “Come on, let’s get up there.”

Kaede was the first to make it to the top, thanks to her rune smith boots, but I followed quickly on her heels. A beat behind me, Dew appeared. Jean scrambled up last, but I didn’t call her out on her tardiness. In fact, I was surprised she’d made the climb so easily, given the heavy battle axe on her back, and the bountiful bosom that strained at its cloth prison.

“Not much room up here.” She muttered to herself as she surveyed the treetop. “Maybe we should find another one?”

“It’ll be fine.” I waved away her concern after a quick glance at the area we had to work with. We had several thick branches, each one wide enough for one or two people to rest comfortably and safely.

But Dew wasn’t going to settle with a restful night’s sleep.

“What’re you doing!?” Kaede swung around to see Dew lowering herself into my lap and wrapping her legs around my waist. “This is no time for that-”

“I’m just making sure I don’t fall out of the tree, Kaede.” Dew leaned forward, resting herself against my chest as she pouted at her friend. “You’re just mad you didn’t think of it first.”

“Well- No!” Kaede cut herself off before she could reveal her true feelings, despite the fact everyone in the tree had already caught onto her desires with that one word. “But we need to rest! What happens if something happens?”

“We’ve got a guard, haven’t we?” Dew turned her head to look in Jean’s direction. “You don’t mind taking first watch, do you?”

Jean bit her lip as she watched us, her gaze dancing between mine and Dew’s bodies, and then over to the silently fuming Kaede. Obviously, Jean wanted to say something, but she managed to keep it to herself as she let out a low sigh.

“Fine. I’ll keep an eye out.” She shrugged and lowered herself onto one of the other branches. While she’d toned down her usual attempts at seduction, I noticed how she’d chosen a spot where she could watch as everything played out. “But I’ll need to swap with one of you, once you’re done.”

“Wait, what exactly do you mean by that?” Kaede fixed the Pirate Lord with a long, hard stare.

“I need sleep as much as you do.” Jean met Kaede’s gaze calmly, though I did notice a half-hidden grin on her face. “So, when you’re free, one of you three will need to pull guard while I rest. Is that okay with you?”

Obviously Kaede’s imagination had run wild. Either that, or she’d decided to step in between our group and the intruder, of her own accord.

It was cute, in a weird sort of way.

The silver-haired beauty grumbled something under her breath that not even my sharp ears could catch. “I’ll take the first watch, so-”.

“Don’t think I’ll let you get off that easy!” Dew’s hand shot out and closed around Kaede’s arm as she tried to step back. Before the shocked high elf could react, Dew had pulled her down beside us onto the now cramped branch.

“What’s your deal!” Kaede struggled to push herself back, but Dew’s arm had encircled her waist and locked the elf in place beside us.

“Oh, nothing much. It’s just that fun is more enjoyable when you share with your friends.” Dew pulled Kaede in close and laid a gentle kiss on her blushing cheek. “You don’t hate me, do you, Kaede?”

“Uh, no.” The girl mumbled, avoiding my gaze as her face burned hotter and hotter. “But what do you want to-”

Kaede’s question was answered before she could even finish it as Dew used her free hand to pull my pants down, revealing my already rock-hard shaft for the world to see. She only paused for a moment, her hot gaze fixed on it, before she repeated the same process with her skirt.

From Jean’s perspective, nothing would have changed, but from mine-

“Here we go.” My hands sank under her skirt, lifting the wood elf up so she hovered above me. The little minx must have been thinking about this for a while now. I could feel the heat and wetness as my head nuzzled between her netherlips. “Are you ready, Dew?”

“I aaaahhhhmmM!” She grunted in surprise as I firmly pulled her down, impaling the lovely maiden in one thrust. Kaede looked on, her wide eyes glued to my crotch as I buried myself in her friends warm, wet, and most importantly, tight folds.

“Mmm…” Kaede groaned and bit her lip cutely as her fingers dipped in between her legs. Obviously watching Dew get railed had triggered her enough that she’d forgotten about our, until that point at least, silent audience.

I gave Jean a quick look, warning her in that glance to hold her tongue, before I turned my attention back to the girls beside me.

Dew let out a series of seductive moans as I lifted her, gently but firmly, then let her slide back down until I filled her up, just like I knew she loved. Kaede knelt at my side, her gaze now hot and cloudy as she her hand disappeared beneath her skirt and between her legs.

Even with one arm wrapped around the wild wood elf, as Dew rode me with reckless abandon, I still had the strength to wrap my free arm around Kaede. Before she could ask what I was doing, my hand dove down, dipping under her skirt as I reached up to stroke inside her slick folds.

That was enough to set the pair of them off. One bouncing up and down on my crotch, the other shivering and moaning under my experienced fingers.

Jean’s hand shivered as she held herself back. I knew she wanted to join in, if only by extension, but she grit her teeth and turned her attention back to our surroundings.

“Wes, I-” Dew leaned her head on my shoulder, her hot breath brushing against my ear as she bit her lip, trying to hold in her moans. “I’m- Going- To-”

“Now!” I slammed balls deep one into her last time before letting myself explode. I simultaneously tweaked and played with Kaede’s clit, setting her off in her own series of orgasms.

It took us a bit to settle down, but Dew and I remained connected. The warmth constricting my dick writhed and clutched at me as waves of pleasure washed over her. And that was enough for me to be ready right away for another round.

“I thought it wouldn’t be so damn hard.” I heard Jean muttered as she watched the two elven maidens switch places. “This is going to be one long night.”

Chapter Eight

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Day 17

A fter a night in the treetops, we continued our journey toward the stronghold.

Jean had remained silent throughout the rest of our nightly activities. Afterwards, when I’d taken over for my guard shift, the sultry woman had seemed like she wanted to say something but again held herself back as she simply sat back against the tree trunk and drifted off.

It was then that I noticed how different Jean looked when she slept. Calm, vulnerable. Cute. Not the words I’d have ever thought I’d attribute to the boisterous and loud-mouthed Pirate Lord.

When we woke up, she wasted no time in asking me for the juicy details—right after the other two climbed down. I didn’t tell her much, instead choosing to leave her with the suggestion that she ‘speak to Kaede about it’, if she wanted to know anything more.

Though Kaede had been little more than a street urchin back in Keria not all that long ago, the mere mention of her name had become powerful enough to stun a full-blown Pirate Lord into silence.

Dew took the chance to communicate with her shadow panther companion as we made our way along the forest floor. From what she could gather from him, Kiel guessed that we still had around six more hours of traveling at our current pace. The stronghold wasn’t particularly close, but it would be difficult to investigate it and return to our little camp site in a single day.

Well, it wasn’t like we’d needed to put much effort into picking out a camping spot, at least. The Seventh Fleet members had found their own perches, two per tree, while we’d taken the largest tree out of all of them.

If worst came to worst, then we’d just need to sleep apart on the journey back. Maybe Kaede and Dew would draw straws or something to see who stayed with who.

When we reached the stronghold, however, it became clear we wouldn’t be heading back any time soon.

“This is- How did this place survive?” The Seventh Fleet officer stared at the towering construction before us, his jaw agape as he looked over its relatively pristine exterior. “It should have been a prime target, but there’s no sign of damage. This should be impossible.”

“What should be impossible and what actually happens are only linked inside your mind.” I patted the man’s shoulder, trying to bring his attention back to the here and now as I turned to survey the building in the distance. “Either way, we’re going to need to find a way in. I doubt the prior inhabitants left it unlocked.”

“Agreed,” the officer nodded as he pulled himself back to the task at hand. “Should we scout it out, Sir? Maybe we can find a side entrance.”

“That’s fine, though I have a better idea.” I glanced at our group once more before I turned my attention toward the willful high elf who stood nearby. “If what I have in mind doesn’t work, though, I might just take you up on your offer.”

The man nodded and moved back to the rest of the Seventh Fleet members. Though the others were similarly confused by the stronghold’s state, their superior calmed the rest of them down enough that they formed back into their disciplined ranks once more.

I couldn’t help but sigh as I compared them in my mind to the rowdy and aggressive pirates who made up the rest of the fleets.

“Kaede, how do you feel about a little scouting.” I moved up beside Kaede and gave her arm a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “I doubt there’s anything at the bottom, but maybe we can find a way in further up?”

“Of course.” She nodded happily, as though the dangerous task I’d asked her to complete was little more than a house chore. “But what will we do if I can’t find anything?”

“I’ll have to think of something else, then.” I stared up at the stronghold’s imposing walls with a thoughtful expression. “I’d prefer to avoid that, though. If we have to fall back on something more… direct, it might alert our friends back there.”

Kaede nodded in agreement as I waved back at the now distant behemoths. It would be best if we could avoid a confrontation, at least until we’d figured out the potential dangers hidden inside the stronghold’s walls.

“I’ll check out the ground level, then.” Dew stepped up beside me, a confident grin on her face as she winked at Kaede. “Many hands make light work, right?”

Her offer made sense. Though I’d be able to investigate the foundations or the walls myself, Dew was better suited to a stealthy operation. Kaede could use her gadgets to scale the building without much difficulty. And if I stayed behind, then it would be easier for me to keep an eye on each of them—in case either of them needed help at a moment’s notice.

“What about me?” Jean interjected from the side, cutting into our conversation with her usual clumsy nature. “I didn’t hear ya mention anything I could do. Don’t tell me ya want me to just stand around looking pretty?”

“I’ll need your help if we can’t find a way in.” I stepped forward, taking the chance to jump in before either of my companions could try to stir things up. “At that point, you’ll need to watch my back. Is that good enough for you?”

“It’ll have to do.” Jean shrugged and moved back, apparently happy to go along with my plan. “Just don’t expect me to sit on my ass all day, doing nothing.”

I gave Kaede and Dew a warning look, cutting off any rude comments before they could respond to Jean’s statement. We needed to act professional in front of the Seventh Fleet, at least.

Dew rushed off, followed a moment later by Kaede. The pair dashed toward the stronghold, keeping to the undergrowth where they could and sprinting across any open spaces they couldn’t avoid. Nothing noticed their approach, or at least I didn’t see or hear anything react to their presence.

I kept my gaze firmly locked on the stronghold itself. The large, dull gray structure rose into the sky, its walls pockmarked by windows set at seemingly random intervals. Hopefully one of those was open, or perhaps Dew would find a side entrance we could sneak our way in through.

The Seventh Fleet soldiers held their breaths as they watched my companions search the building’s exterior. Though the squad Franklin had assigned us were skilled in their own rights, each would struggle to equal either Kaede or Dew in direct combat.

Dew vanished for long stretches as she worked her way around the base of the stronghold, searching every nook and cranny for a potential entrance. Even from a distance, I could tell that she had yet to find anything useful.

Kaede, on the other hand, sprinted along the building’s vertical walls as though she was running on level ground. She darted from one opening to the next, pausing at each for a moment as she investigated them for possible flaws before she moved on, focused on her task as always.

It took a long time for them to search each wall, but I shifted around the edge of the clearing to keep them in sight as they made their way from one section to the next. Even though I had my bow half drawn, I still needed to keep them in sight, in case something terrible happened and they needed my assistance to escape.

But, after a long while had passed, the pair returned with grim looks on their faces. Together, we reunited with the rest of our group.

“Nothing.” Dew shook her head angrily as she stomped up next to me. “No doors, no gates, not even a secret passage.”

“All the windows are bolted shut and covered by heavy metal coverings.” Kaede reported her findings with a little more accuracy, though I could tell she was just as annoyed with the wasted trip as Dew. “The roof is made of a similar material. No matter how hard I hit it, I couldn’t break through.”

“It’s called a stronghold for a reason.” I muttered as I stared at the towering structure. “Well, I can only see one option from here.”

“Straight in through the front? I like it!” Jean grinned as she stared at the enormous stronghold’s doors.

The fact they were so big played on my mind. Why would those who worked in the building need an entrance that large? What could possibly be so big they’d require such an entrance to move it in and out?

No matter which way I turned the problem around in my head, I could only come up with one answer to the question—it had to be related to the behemoths.

“Okay, we tried playing nice, looks like we’ll have to do it the hard way.” I glared at the stronghold, half blaming the stubborn, inanimate building for standing in my way as I waved for the others to follow. “Everyone, come with me! Let’s kick that fucking door down!”

Chapter Nine

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Outside the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 17

T he stronghold’s defenses were on point, but that wasn’t exactly a surprise, given how pristine it looked despite the time it had stood, abandoned on a monster infested continent.

With every other option checked out and marked off, we only had one route left to take. We’d have to break in through the front entrance. Normally it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest to kick the door down, but the chance that our attempts to enter the enormous building might alert any nearby monsters to our presence set my teeth on edge.

We didn’t have the time to clear out the entire area, though. Freya and the others were expecting us back in a few days, a week at the most. So, I decided to try some of the more subtle methods to gain entry.

First, the simplest option: Prying the door open with brute strength. No matter what we tried, though, it proved impossible to budge the oversized metal plates of the entrance gate in the slightest. Pointless. Obviously, whatever device held the door closed was much stronger than a simple lock.

So, I ordered the team to move onto something a little less subtle: Directly attacking the huge hinges set into the frame itself. Some damage showed after a combined effort, but ripping the chunky metal bindings apart would take hours, perhaps days, and it wasn’t exactly a quiet process.

The longer we battered the unyielding stone and toughened metal, the more likely it was that something would overhear us.

With those two options pushed aside, I finally gave in and moved onto the most direct route. Blowing the hinges apart using the arrowheads Freya had prepared. I didn’t have many left, but each one had enough power to blow through a behemoths outer hide with ease.

Jamming a few into the gaps of each of the hinge’s potential weak spots took half of the runed arrowheads Freya had created. It would be worth the loss if the plan worked as well as I expected it to.

“Okay, everyone ready?” I glanced at the Seventh Fleet squad’s members, then back over to Jean, Dew, and Kaede, waiting for each to nod in turn before I pulled my bow back to its fullest draw. “Cover your ears, this is going to get loud!”

My shot pierced the air like lightning, slamming into the bottom corner of the door, right beside the first of the prepared caches of runesmithed arrowheads.

BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The explosions cascaded, accelerating exponentially as each new collection of primed rune-engraved arrowheads erupted under the insane pressure. The whole door was shrouded in a cloud of choking steam mixed with shards of metal and clumps of dirt thrown up by the continuous blasts.

When the dust and smoke cleared, I saw the results of the devastation I had wrought.

One whole leaf of the door was blown from its frame and had dropped into the inner hall of the stronghold. It hadn’t fully fallen, likely remaining propped up by something inside the structure, but the formerly solid door had been turned into a ramp into the building itself.

“Go!” I waved at our group before I dashed forward myself. The deafening waves of sound would likely attract monsters from an insane distance, so we had to get into the relative safety of the stronghold before the first beasts arrived.

Maybe whatever Kiel was terrified by would keep the others from entering. Dew half dragged the shadow panther along behind her as she sprinted into the hall just behind the Seventh Fleet squad. Kiel wasn’t happy in the slightest but, after Dew spent some time in direct communication with the agitated shadow panther, he calmed down a bit.

The interior of the stronghold surprised me a little in how elegant it was, compared to its stern and cold exterior. Though everything was covered in a layer of dust, we could still see paintings lining the walls, and even a few tapestries hanging from the ceiling far above our heads. A couple of them had been ripped off by the falling door, but it all still looked pretty fancy to my eyes.

“You lot, keep watch.” I waved at the Seventh Fleet officers, then pointed them to several elevated positions and balconies that surrounded the entrance hall. “If needed, retreat further inside and create a barricade. We shouldn’t be too long.”

The soldiers accepted my commands with a salute and moved to the spots I’d indicated without any hesitation. It was possible they’d have to face off against a large number of monsters and enraged beasts, maybe a behemoth or two.

I decided to give them a trump card.

“Here.” I called out to the Seventh Fleet squad’s leader and my second in command. He dashed over to me and took the bundle of arrows I offered him with a confused look. “Lay these around the door. If you need to escape, activate one and shoot it into the rest, that should cover your retreat.”

“I- Thank you, Sir.” The man nodded and set off to lay the trap as I’d advised.

Though they wouldn’t do much damage to the stronger behemoths, the combined power would at least inconvenience the lumbering monsters. That would have to be enough.

There was a side tunnel large enough for one of those enormous freaks to push their way through, but the rest of the exits from the hall were far too small. There were way too many for our team to scout out in the time we had.

But there was a factor that would make our search easier.

“What have you found out?” I moved next to Dew, who was still resting a comforting palm on her bestial companion’s side. “Even if Kiel can only point us in the right direction, that would be better than nothing.”

“He’s trying, but the presence is too strong, it’s like it is everywhere, all at once.” She winced, likely feeling some sort of backlash from the shadow panther’s attempt to scout out the location of our target. “It… it feels stronger toward the back of the stronghold, so the most direct path would be the best.”

“Okay, we’ll stick together, then.” I saw that Jean was about to speak up, so I quickly continued before she could interrupt. “We don’t know what we’ll find in here, so it’s not safe to split up. Let’s take that route.”

They turned toward the corridor I’d pointed to. The door itself was inset at the back of the hall, directly in the center of the rear wall. The destruction of the collapsing door had left the area mostly clear, though some debris had managed to make its way that far back.

“Fine. I said I’d follow ya, so this isn’t my show.” Jean sighed and then grinned at me direction. “Just tell me if ya need my help, I’ll be right behind ya.”

I decided to ignore her assumption that I’d be in the lead, seeing as that had been my plan in any case. Kaede would be best placed in the middle, where she’d have time to use her gadgets to their best effect, while Dew could work most efficiently as a rearguard against any potential sneak attacks. That left Jean and Kiel to guard the flanks of our diamond-shaped formation.

Not the best layout I’d ever thought up, but it would have to do. The others followed my suggestions without any complains, which showed at least that they didn’t have a better idea.

Journeying along the corridor took longer than expected. At regular intervals we ran into sturdy, bolted doors, but Jean’s heavy battle axe made short work of those barriers. I could have used my bow, but the power of my arrows wasn’t enough in the confined space.

I never thought I’d see the day where her axe was more useful than my bow for clearing obstacles. Instead of blasting the doors from their hinges, I’d instead need to blow whole chunks from its frame. That meant I’d need to shoot several arrows to create the same effect as one of Jean’s wild swings.

Other than that, we didn’t run into anything else to slow our steady progress. The corridor continued on without any side entrances, at least none I could see, which made me hopeful that I’d chosen the right passage. Whatever was causing Kiel’s reaction had to be important.

It made sense the stronghold would have a pathway specifically assigned to its area.

“We’re close.” Dew spoke up as we closed in on yet another door. “Whatever it is, I think it’s on the other side of that door.”

“Thanks for the warning.” I turned to Jean, who watched silently, apparently happy to follow my lead. “I have a bad feeling about this, so let me deal with this one.”

“What do ya mean?” Kaede stepped closer as she glanced around uncomfortably. “Is there something wrong?”

“Don’t be silly, girl!” Jean slapped the young high elf’s shoulder with a wide grin before she stepped toward the door. “We made it this far. What could possibly be so bad here that-”

Before she could even finish her attempt to calm Kaede down, a heavy crunching sound rang out through the corridor. And then the ceiling shattered, cracked, and rained down upon us.

“Shit!”

Chapter Ten

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Inside the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 17

I  jumped backward and to the side, kicking and punching at the chunks of stone and masonry raining down upon us. If the entire stronghold collapsed, then we were dead, but I had to believe this was just a trap designed to take out intruders in a single corridor.

Dew easily cleared the area, dragging Kiel along with her as they backtracked, but Kaede wasn’t so lucky. Though she’d tried to dodge, I could tell her rune smith boots weren’t working for some reason. Maybe a piece of debris had struck them, or perhaps they weren’t responding to her commands, but either way she was frozen in the middle of the corridor.

I couldn’t get to her, but there was one person who could reach the struggling girl.

Jean charged back from the door, catching Kaede in her arms as the pair rolled to the floor and out of the main danger zone. I saw a few rocks and stones bounce off the Pirate Lord’s back but, as they’d moved out of my field of view, there wasn’t anything else I could do to help them.

With no one left to save, I had to make good my own escape.

Fortunately, the collapse had been just the shattered remnants of this corridor’s ceiling. No single slabs had been large enough to overwhelm my strength. Once the raining debris had settled into a few scraps falling down from above, I darted around the wreckage and joined the rest of the ladies.

“Is everyone okay?” I glanced at Dew, who nodded as she nursed a battered and bruised Kiel. It seemed they’d gotten out relatively unscathed, given the circumstances.

Jean, however, hadn’t been so lucky.

After she’d knocked Kaede out of the way, at least a few of the falling rocks had caught her as the pair rolled across the floor. Even now, she still hadn’t stood up. Kaede lay still beneath her, dazed and confused.

“Jean, can you hear me?” I knelt down beside the pair and gently helped Kaede wriggle out from underneath the Pirate Lord’s bigger form. “Hey, no time to sleep. Wake up, Jean!”

No response.

Several ugly bruises had started to form on the backs of Jean’s arms, along with a few scratches and dents to her armor, but other than that, I couldn’t see any damage. Blunt force trauma could be deadly, though, even without any obvious external injuries.

“Dew, she needs treatment.” I called out to the wood elf, who left the shadow panther behind to recuperate as she dashed over to Jean’s side. “She’s unconscious, probably took a few hits to the head. Do you have anything that could-”

“I- I can hear ya-” Jean winced as she slowly turned her head in my direction before forcing an awkward grin once more. “That was close, wasn’t it?”

“Why did you do that!?” Kaede dropped to her knees beside the injured Pirate Lord. “You got hurt helping me! Why!?”

“It was my fault, ya know?” Jean tried to push herself up, but her strength failed before she raised herself more than an inch or so. “Ah, that hurts. Ya got any of those nice tonics yer famous for, Dew? I’m parched.”

“Wes, can you move her onto her back?” Dew ignored Jean’s query as she looked at me, her gaze focused yet worried, in equal measures. “Carefully, though. Take your time.”

“Sure.” I nodded and moved so I could lift Jean up, taking great care to ensure my grip was secure before we started the procedure. Kaede moved beside me, intense and driven to help out in any way she could.

“Oh, this isn’t how I imagined things turning out.” Jean tried to joke as we slowly levered her onto her back. “I always thought ya’d first take me into yer arms, all romantic like.”

“Save that for later.” Kaede muttered as she knelt down once more at Jean’s side. “And save your strength. You need to rest.”

Dew ignored the pair’s back and forth as she finished creating a curative mixture. It didn’t look very appetizing, but seeing Jean’s obvious pain, downing the mushed up gooey remnants of the wood elf’s herbs should be an easy choice.

“Ugh.” Jean retched as we tipped the concoction into her mouth. “Calm down, I’ll drink it!”

Dew ignored the big woman’s complains as she poured her potion down Jean’s throat. Some sticky plant fibers stuck to the glass, but Dew ensured even those were consumed as she tapped the base of the vial, forcing the last few soggy pieces to fall into Jean’s mouth.

“That- Was disgusting.” Jean grumbled as she swallowed the pulpy mixture with great difficulty. “What the fuck did you put in there? It tasted like rancid piss mixed with acid!”

“And how do you know what rancid piss tastes like?” I grinned at Jean’s displeasure, though she was too distracted to note my amusement. “Just lie down and let the tonic do its job. We’ll move on when you’re ready.”

“I’ll go check on the main hall.” Kaede glanced at Jean, then back up at me. “We didn’t hear anything, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Good idea.” Dew nodded as she tracked the effects of her mixture on Jean. “She’ll be out of action for at least an hour, so take your time.”

Jean opened her mouth to complain, likely intent on saying she’d be up and running in no time, but no words came out. She’d fainted.

“That was quick.” I glanced at the vial which had held the horrible looking mix of plants and liquids. “An hour, you said? Will she be fine after that?”

“Maybe. She was conscious and talking, so I doubt she was hurt too badly for it to help.” Dew leaned forward and tapped on the Pirate Lords forehead, which she responded to with a pained murmur. “I think her thick skull protected her from most of the damage.”

“I guess that’s that, then.” I glanced up at the ceiling, then back down the corridor. The chunk that had fallen down revealed a void above us, which proved the whole thing had been set up as a trap for those who tried to move along this corridor. “Any sounds of movement from the other side of the door? Has Kiel noticed anything dangerous?”

“No. Whatever is in there seems to have calmed down for some reason.” Dew gave the shivering shadow panther a quick scratch behind the ears. “Maybe the trap spooked it?”

“For some reason, I can’t believe that’s the case.” I sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Seriously, if this wasn’t likely something really big, I’d be mighty tempted just to knock down this entire fucking stronghold.”

“Ha ha! I don’t doubt you’d find a way.” Dew giggled as she lowered herself beside me and casually wiggled her way under my arm. “But wait until we’re out of it, first.”

Kaede returned after her reconnaissance and reported that the hall was still clear. Apparently, some creatures had investigated the opening in the stronghold’s door, but none had dared approach too closely. Whatever was hidden within the depths of the building still held sway over them, from what the Seventh Fleet soldiers reported.

After she passed the details on to us, Kaede spent the rest of her time at Jean’s side. She obviously felt guilty about what had happened, despite it being Jean who had set off the trap.

Fortunately, Dew’s estimates had been on point. An hour after Jean had been force fed the potion she awoke, grumbling and moaning as she pushed herself up from the cold, solid stone floor.

“What did ya put in that vile tonic?” She stretched out her back and, once she’d managed to do that without issue, moved on to testing her arms. “That crap did the trick, whatever it was. Everything seems as good as new.”

“Really?” Kaede carefully helped the Pirate Lord to her feet with a relieved expression on her face. “No other problems? You’re not dizzy? How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been kicked by a bull, but I’ve been through worse.” Jean’s wide grin showed up once more as she clapped a heavy palm onto Kaede’s shoulder. “Good to see yer worried about me. I thought ya hated my guts.”

“It’s not like that.” Kaede winced as she avoided Jean’s warm gaze. “I just- I mean, I-”

“What she means to say, is that we’re all happy you’re feeling better.” I pushed myself to my feet and approached the pair, who had yet to move apart after Kaede had helped her new friend up. “You ready to continue, or should we take another break?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Jean released Kaede’s shoulder and stretched once more. “What about you lot, anyone hurt?”

“We weren’t dull enough to let ourselves get hit.” Dew moved beside me, a cocky smile on her face, though she continued to look the Pirate Lord over carefully. “Next time, you might try dodging one or two—the big ones at least.”

“I’ll keep that in mind!” Jean waved off Dew’s attempt to rile her up. “Thanks for the help, though. I’d probably have been monster chow if you hadn’t stepped in.”

I watched as the three of them chatted back and forth. It was difficult to tell if Jean was happier about her recovery or that Kaede was no longer giving her the cold shoulder. Either way, we were ready to continue on with our exploration.

“Come on, then.” I called to the trio, pulling Jean’s attention back to the last door standing in our way. “You’re up. One last opponent. If you can still lift your axe, that is.”

Jean took me up on the challenge and hefted her huge battle axe. A single swing was all she needed to demolish the last obstacle between us and our target. Once I saw what was on the other side of the door, though, I couldn’t help but pause.

I froze as I tried to take in what I was seeing.

“Is that-” Kaede muttered from the side, her eyes wide in shock. “Is that… is that a behemoth emperor?”

Chapter Eleven

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Inside the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 17

I  moved in front of the rest of our group, shielding them as best I could as I stepped over the threshold into the huge room Jean had revealed.

“How did they get that thing in there?” Jean leaned to the side to look into the huge space that housed the silent, unmoving behemoth. “I can’t see any other entrances. Did they simply build this place around it?”

“Wait.” Dew stepped up beside me, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she stared at the beast. “It’s not dead, but it’s also not asleep. I think… I think it’s… waiting for us?”

I turned to Dew and fixed her with a long, hard stare. A behemoth, waiting for us? As in, not trying to ambush the group, but waiting to… meet us?

How did that make any sense? I trusted Dew’s instincts when it came to the animal kingdom and that, from what I could tell, seemed to include the behemoths themselves.

Kiel refused even to approach the threshold into the slumbering monster’s room.

Dew held no such fears as she stepped forward.

I kept my bow half drawn and a close eye on Dew as she stepped toward the beast. If it tried to attack her, at the very least I’d be able to get a shot off as I sprinted in to pull her back. Thankfully, it turned out my concerns were unwarranted.

The behemoth didn’t move as Dew cautiously approached. In fact, it didn’t even look like it was alive, but I trusted Dew’s words when she’d told me otherwise.

“I think it wants to talk?” Dew spoke as though she was questioning herself as she stepped up beside the monstrous beast. “I’m going to try.”

“Be careful.” I nodded and tightened my grip on my bow as Dew slowly lifted her hand and placed it on the things body.

If that fucker tried anything, then I’d find a way to blow it into tiny fucking chunks.

Dew fell silent as she buried her fingers into the behemoths messy fur. Her eyes closed as she concentrated inward, listening to the silent communication from the beast. Only the occasional twitch and the wood elf’s involuntary gasp showed that anything was happening at all.

“It’s weak.” She finally lifted her hand clear and turned to face us once more. Her expression had darkened considerably as she glared up at the pitch-black roof far above our heads. “They managed to capture it as it hibernated. This place was built around it, like a tomb.”

“But why?” Kaede muttered.

Dew merely shrugged irritably.

Whatever the reason, it was clear she didn’t know why. I glanced at the behemoth once more. Though we could only see a small fraction of its body, it was easy to see that the thing was powerful, far beyond any of the other beasts we’d fought. And that included the Grand Zekier back in Keria.

Most of the things body was covered with thick, black fur, but I could see several large, dark spikes sticking out of its body. Several were chipped and scarred, but it looked like most of them were relatively undamaged. From a distance, they looked exactly like the black rocks we’d seen on the way to the stronghold.

How could that be possible?

“So why did it want to ‘meet’ us?” I looked back at Dew once I’d finished my inspection of the area. “Was the pulse something like a call, or were we just the unlucky group who caught one of its dying shouts?”

“It’s not strong enough to speak that much.” I could hear Dew’s teeth grind as she looked back at the behemoth once more. Despite the immense strength the beast held within its body, I could tell that she looked at it like an injured rabbit, left behind by callous hunters in the woods. “There’s something holding it here, stabbed into its body. They’re like the rods the Elven Navy are using, but far stronger. If we took those out, then-”

“It would eat us up.” Jean interjected as Dew paused to consider for a moment. “This doesn’t seem like a great idea to me. What do ya think, Wes?”

I glanced between Dew, the behemoth, and the corridor we’d just traveled through. There were only a few options, and it was tricky to figure out which one I hated more. First, we could finish off the behemoth while it was still weakened—not honorable or nice, but it was a logical response to such a situation.

Another possible reaction would be to simply leave the stronghold and act like we’d seen nothing. That felt weak to me, though, and I knew there was no way Dew would accept such a course of action, so I discounted it without any serious consideration. And last, but not least, we could go along with the request it had communicated to Dew.

If we managed to extract whatever had been placed into its body, then we might learn more about the whole situation. Or it might just rise up and try to make us its first meal in ages, once it was free of its bonds.

The possible results and repercussions of each option played back and forth as I considered my response. We wouldn’t just leave, and killing the behemoth, though logical, felt too much like the easy way out.

If worst came to worst, we could always kill the thing after we’d freed it.

“Okay, do you know where these rods are?” I sighed as I flicked my bow onto my back. “We’ll take them out, carefully, but if that thing turns violent-”

“Then I’ll help you to take it down.” Dew nodded confidently, though I could see a faint smile flicker across her face as she pointed out several areas on the behemoths body. “They’re set at regular intervals around its body. It knows we’ll be taking them out but please try to do so as gently as you can.”

“I doubt a rod designed to hold that thing down will be easy to remove, but sure.” I shrugged and moved toward the nearest road where Dew had indicated. “We’ll take the last few out together, just in case.”

The others nodded before they made their way toward the behemoth. It was difficult to believe what I was doing, but the truth was square in front of my face as I approached the first of the rods Dew had mentioned.

The black rod wasn’t as large as I’d imagined, but it would still be tricky to remove, even more so if I tried to do it as painlessly as possible. From what I could tell, the rod was about a foot in diameter and easily twice as tall as I was.

Heavy, sturdy, durable.

I tested my sword against it and found I couldn’t scratch its surface. Maybe a full-on strike would make a dent, but the impact would likely cause the behemoth some discomfort, so I tossed the idea aside and took a firm grip on the rod itself.

“Three. Two. One. Now!”

The whole thing came out smoothly, as though it hadn’t just been impaled through a behemoths flesh and into the rock-hard floor beneath its body. It was much lighter than I’d expected. I quickly tossed it aside before moving on to the next one.

Once we’d cleared up most of the rods, I joined the others back by the entrance. During out patrol around the behemoth, I’d noted that there weren’t any other exits from its prison.

Maybe the whole stronghold had been designed as a solid block, just to hold this thing in place. The idea made the whole thing even more intriguing. How much effort had gone into designing, building, and maintaining the structure? Why would they go that far just to trap a single behemoth, even one of the emperor class variants?

“This is the last one.” I stepped up to the final rod and gripped it firmly. “Dew, get ready to speak to your friend. If it tries anything, then let it know what will happen to it.”

“It’s fine.” Dew clenched her eyes closed as she laid a palm against the behemoth’s side again. “It’s getting stronger, and it knows we’re helping it. From what I can tell, its grateful.”

“As long as it’s not grateful for a free meal, we’re all good.” Jean quipped from the side in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately, it didn’t help.

Kaede had stepped back and dropped her hands to the hilts of her sabers. Out of all of us, she had the best chance of leaping up onto the behemoth’s weak points, so she’d taken the rear-guard role as I prepared to remove the final rod.

“Here we go then.” I tugged at the large stone pillar, gently pulling it up and out of the beast’s flesh bit by bit. “Just a little bit further. There!”

I tossed the rod aside and jumped back, in case the behemoth tried to land some sort of surprise blow the moment it was free. Instead, it flexed slightly as it let out a long, deep breath.

Dew remained in place, her expression finally calm and peaceful as she communicated with the beast we’d just rescued. “It says thanks.” She smiled softly as she kept her attention focused inward. “It knows we’ve traveled far to meet it, and it wants us to know it will do whatever it can to help us in return for freeing it.”

“Oh, really?” I raised an eyebrow as I looked up at the shivering behemoth’s form.

“That’s not- Really? How?” Dew shook her head, as though she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. It was only after several awkward, one-sided refusals, that she finally sighed and turned to face the group again.

“It says that it knows how to control the other behemoths.” She frowned as she glanced back up at the behemoth, then back to us. “And it’s willing to teach us how.”

Chapter Twelve

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Inside the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 17

“O h really?” I looked up at the silent behemoth, contemplating its sudden, bizarre offer. I turned back to Dew. “So, it can show us the way to control the others, can it? By any chance did it teach this little trick to someone else, first?”

“No.” Dew shook her head firmly, clearly understanding which group I was suggesting. “The Elven Navy just picked up the scraps of prior experiments, like those shards we saw on the way here. Their methods are simpler and relatively unrefined.”

“It really told you a lot, huh?” I clicked my tongue as I glanced at the large, black shards we’d pulled from the behemoth’s body. “Would its way work better? How can we trust that it’s not planning to turn the whole swarm against us?”

“Because it’s going to show us the way… I think?” Dew titled her head, as though she was still trying to wrap her brain around whatever information the monstrous beast had provided her with. “And it requires another piece before we can use the technique it’s going to teach you.”

“Wait, teach… me? As in, me specifically?” I couldn’t help but feel surprised at the odd caveat in Dew’s translation of the beast’s words. “Why me, exactly? Wouldn’t it be easier for it to show you, seeing as you’re the one who can actually communicate with it.”

Before Dew could answer, a deep, rumbling sigh echoed through the room, so low in tone that I could feel my eardrums vibrating in response. For a moment I couldn’t tell where the sound had come from, but then the behemoth shifted slightly and turned its enormous, grizzled face toward our group.

‘That- may be true-’ The thing’s breath ruffled the matted fur of its beard as it spoke. Its words seemed to reverberate directly into my skull, as though the sound waves were jumping straight from its throat to my skeleton, bypassing the air between us. ‘But you are- The best suited- For this task.’

I paused and glanced at the rest of my group, but their complete lack of reaction to the behemoth’s words showed that they hadn’t heard its speech. More accurately, it was clear they’d felt its attempts to communicate, but obviously only I had understood it. The one question pulsing at the forefront of my mind before any of the thousand others that clamored for my attention, though, was... why was I ‘suited for this task’?

‘You share- The bloodline-’ The behemoth shivered as its old, wise eyes stared down at me unblinking. I could tell it struggled with each and every word, but that didn’t stop it from trying to explain itself. ‘You and I- Are- Connected. Not by choice- Nor- By birth. But it exists- Can you feel- It?’

“Feel it?” I frowned as I considered its odd comment. How would I be linked to a monstrous race like the enormous beast before me? What possible link could there be between us?

Then I realized what set me apart.

I was gifted. The origin of the chosen few in each generation was shrouded in mystery. Most were born to high-ranking families, closely linked with either the Elven Council, or other organizations who had direct links to those shadowy puppet masters.

What if the ‘gifted’ weren’t naturally produced, but instead created via some sort of experiment? That would explain some things, but not others. The remnants of the Monster Isle civilization, now named the Seventh Fleet, were on average stronger and fitter than most other races. Why?

Maybe they’d inherited those things from their ancestors who, like me, had been ‘gifted’ their abilities. That would explain why my father had tried to protect me so vehemently, especially after my sister showed the first signs of her illness-

“Fucking bastards!” I grit my teeth so hard I could actually hear them groan under the pressure. “They tried to experiment on her, didn’t they!? I’m going to fucking kill them!”

“Who experimented on whom? What’s wrong?” Dew darted forward and grabbed my arm, followed a moment later by the others as Kaede and Jean worriedly moved closer. “What happened, Wes? Tell us!”

“Give me a moment.” I waved them off as I tried to calm myself. “Just let me talk to the thing, elf to beast. I need to figure some things out.”

The trio shared a confused look before stepping back. They were all clearly conflicted, but chose to acquiesce to my request, despite that.

My theory was still just a vague guess, based on a rumor passed on by a behemoth who’d been imprisoned for who knows how many years. But it felt RIGHT.

‘You- understand-’ The beast slowly nodded its head, shocking the other three as they spun around to face the monster. ’It is not- Your choice- Nor mine- But we must make do-’

“Fine, I get it.” I rubbed my temples, trying to force back the rising headache as I contemplated the enormous truth that had just been revealed. “Do you have a name, by the way? It feels a bit weird thinking of you as ‘It’ constantly.”

‘My name? Lost- To the sands of time.’ I could sense a regretful tone to its communication before it spoke again. ‘You may call me- Gran.’

“Gran, huh? Fine. Let’s say I believe you, what then?” I called up to the behemoth as my fists tightened so much that my nails dug into my palms. “This method of yours, how does it work, exactly?”

‘I have part of the source- Within me.’ Gran’s tone brightened a little as it realized I was coming around to its request, but it still couldn’t get out a full sentence without a short pause between its phrases. ‘My shards can control- Weaker creatures- But it requires the bloodline- To force them to obey-’

“So that’s how Olea controlled the Zekier.” I spat out my aunt’s name angrily as I recalled how she’d sent the huge behemoth against me and the others back in Keria’s arena. “But you said their methods were simple? What’s different with the way you’re suggesting?”

‘It’s a- Pact.’ Gran shifted his body, lowering his head so he could face our group more comfortably. Even that small moment was enough to cause the floor to crack and crumble beneath the behemoth’s immense weight, but it didn’t seem the beast was injured all that badly. ‘You may use- My shards- And those of my mate.’

I considered its offer as I glanced back down the corridor. The former masters of Monster Isle had likely learned the behemoth’s secret technique to some degree. If that was the case, why had they been wiped out by a wave of monsters and beasts? Wouldn’t their allied behemoth army have trampled down any force that could pose a threat to their empire?

But clearly, their civilization had been ended so thoroughly that no one dared speak of them. Part of that could be fear of the empire itself, especially given how powerful they had become, but what other reason could exist to terrify the leaders of each surviving race so much that they classified the entire continent as a death zone?

We’d walked through it for several days without an issue. What was the deal?

Franklin didn’t know anything, and his followers were even more in the dark than their aged leader. Asking the Seventh Fleet for information wouldn’t work, so we’d have to figure it out for ourselves.

The former rulers of Monster Isle had been powerful, but they’d met their end at the hands of the creatures they’d experimented on. Something had stopped the monster wave from spreading, which ended up saving the rest of the world from a protracted, potentially unwinnable war.

Despite all that, the Elven Council were still following in the forgotten Empire’s footsteps. Even their initial trial runs had decimated the Elven nations’ capital. Keria. My old home.

What would happen if they continued along their suicidal path? Never mind the Pirate Fleets, they’d end up destroying every remaining race on the planet.

“You mentioned your mate?” I glanced around the room, looking once more for any potential exits. “Where is she, exactly? We only felt your call. Did they hide her somewhere close?”

‘Unfortunately- Not.’ Gran shook his huge head irritably. ‘She was taken- Long ago- To the other lands. I know where she is. I can- Show you. Will you save her?’

I paused to consider Gran’s request. If we had to travel to one of the other continents to save his mate, that meant we’d have less time to prepare for the Elven Navy’s inevitable vengeance. On the other hand, if we could find her, and the reunited pair gave us a secret technique to control the other behemoths...

That would be a game changer.

“Where is she, exactly?”

‘Far away- Under the sands.” Gran grunted as he forced himself up before he motioned in a direction with his huge, scarred paw. ‘As the crow flies- Several days will pass- Before you find her cage- Where the sand burrowers call their home.’

“Wait, don’t tell me.” I sighed and closed my eyes as I realized what area he was speaking about. “You’re telling me your mate is being kept in the Sendrin Desert? Really?”

Chapter Thirteen

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Inside the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 17

W ith a new goal in mind, we returned to the front hall of the stronghold while Gran took the time to recover from his wounds.

The Seventh Fleet soldiers were still in position, surrounding the door on all sides to create a crossfire for any beasts or monsters who tried to invade. Once Gran had explained why the other creatures on the monster isle were so terrified of his species, the cautious looks on the others’ faces were almost amusing.

“Everyone, to me!” I called up to those hiding in the elevated positions. They moved instantly and without hesitation to follow my command, not even questioning why I was asking them to give up their tactical advantage.

“Sir.” The squad leader saluted as he came close, a steely calm look in his eyes as he looked over his comrades. “Some movement reported outside, no incursions while you were investigating the stronghold interior!”

“Thank you for the report.” I nodded to the man and forced my amused smile back down with difficulty. “So, we’ve found our target and confirmed it won’t be an issue. Unfortunately, we’ve also figured out where we need to go next!”

“Sir!” The officer stamped his foot and stood at attention, a move that was mirrored a moment later by the rest of the Seventh Fleet soldiers. “We follow at your command!”

“Good. You’ll need that confidence where we’re going.” I patted his shoulder gently, though I noticed his sharp, focused gaze didn’t flicker in the slightest. “I’ll be visiting the Sendrin Desert, so I need you to arrange a vessel and a crew when we return to the base. Nothing huge, this is a stealth mission, but we will need a similar sized squad just in case things don’t go as planned.”

“It would be my pleasure, Sir!” The squad leader gave me a sharp nod before he glanced at the other members of his team. “Everyone here would be willing to travel with you, if that is convenient.”

“Of course.” I accepted the offer without any hesitation. I’d seen how skilled and disciplined the group were, so I didn’t have any issues taking them along for the trip. “You’ll need to speak to Franklin, though.”

“Sir, you are the leader now. We’ve all accepted that.” The officer kept his unflinching gaze locked on the middle distance as he spoke, though I could see a faint glimmer of respect and admiration deep within his eyes. “We saw what you can do, and we want to follow you. We respect our old leader, but he has backed your decisions.”

“So, you lot volunteered to come on this mission?” I watched as the group gave me a quick, confident nod in unison. There wasn’t a speck of hesitation or regret in any of their gazes, from what I could see. “Okay then, I accept. We’ll need a crew to man the ship, but you’ll form the main exploration squad.”

“Thank you, Sir!”

“I will warn you, though.” I stepped back and surveyed the soldiers who had given me their loyalty. “I don’t fully know what’s waiting for us in the desert, so we’ll all need to be on guard. This mission is vitally important to the future of every single fleet, including your own. Remember that.”

“Understood, Sir!” The group stamped their feet and called out as one. After they’d calmed down, I waved them back to their former positions and moved over to Jean, Kaede, and Dew.

Their amused looks were enough to guess what they thought of the little command act they’d just witnessed.

“More under ya banner, eh?” Jean chuckled as she nudged an elbow into my ribs. “Ya got three fleets, ya know? Going to make this whole thing a monopoly sooner or later.”

“Not surprising, though.” Dew glanced back at the Seventh Fleet soldiers, who had quickly and efficiently resumed their posts. “Are we going to tell them who passed us this information, Wes?”

“Maybe later.” I winced as I thought about withholding the truth from those who’d volunteered to follow me. “I don’t think they’d turn against us, but the less who know about it, the better.”

Jean nodded, agreeing with my decision, and Dew merely shrugged as though it was unimportant. Only Kaede looked conflicted, but she didn’t raise any concerns, so I decided to let it go without any further questions.

“You three stay in here and keep an eye on the door, just in case.” I turned back toward the corridor once more as I left the three behind. “Come on, Kiel. Let’s go check on our guest.”

The shadow panther huffed as I walked away, but he followed behind me as I made my way back toward Gran’s pen. Even though the fear inducing energy had calmed down, the presence of the emperor level behemoth seemed to set Kiel’s teeth on edge.

Still, a few of the other things I’d discussed with Gran might be relevant to the adolescent cat.

“Hey, how’s it going, Gran!?” I called up to the behemoth as we walked back into his room. Gran had shifted around into a more comfortable position where he could lean against the opposite wall, but there were many jagged scars from the restraining rods all around his body.

‘I am recovering. Thank you again, young one.’ Gran’s huge head turned in my direction. His aged eyes stared down in my direction, as though he was trying to peer through me into my very soul.

I gave a brief bow, acknowledging his gratitude.

‘I understand it was a hard decision to help me, given what you’ve likely faced throughout your life. Please know that I respect the courage it took to act as you did. Not many would have attempted to help one such as I, even more had they found my vulnerable body as you did deep within this monster infested continent. I believe many others would have ended my life on a whim, and my existence would have faded away into the ashes of time. So-”

“Okay, no need to get maudlin.” I waved Gran into silence as his murmuring communication threatened to go on forever.

Now that he’d recuperated to the point where he could easily speak, shutting him up had become a difficult task.

‘I apologize. What was it you needed, young one?’

The title he’d appointed me smarted a bit, but it was true. Compared to the ancient emperor behemoth sitting before me, any elf would be counted as little more than a sapling. Some other races might have longer life spans, but even their lifespans were but mayflies compared to the steadfast, ancient tree this behemoth had become.

Flickering embers, fast to rise, and quick to vanish.

“You mentioned something about the other pens in this place. That some of them may contain other beasts and monsters?” I glanced at Kiel, who was staring up at the elderly behemoth with rapt attention. “If I heard right, you said there might even be a shadow panther living down there?”

Kiel’s head snapped in my direction when he heard my words. Though he couldn’t understand Gran’s communication with me, that didn’t mean my own words were wasted on the cat.

And now he might have the chance to rescue another of his own species.

‘Indeed. An unlucky one.’ Gran sighed as he nodded back into the corridor behind us. ‘I’ll explain how to reach their section but be warned: They have lived within this prison for far too long. The female shadow panther is the last living specimen, and she herself had to fight and kill her siblings for survival. Food is scarce, and love is scarcer still. Be cautious, please.’

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning on become a meal for a caged kitten.” I grinned and slapped Kiel’s side. “This one will do most of the heavy lifting. If worst comes to worst, we’ll just have to leave her behind.”

Kiel didn’t look happy with my last comment, but he didn’t growl at me. Clearly, he understood the situation must be dire if I’d even mention leaving a shadow panther behind.

After listening to Gran’s directions, I made my way back to the entrance hall and discussed the possible addition to our party with Jean, Dew, and Kaede. I decided to take Dew with me, just in case we needed her ability to communicate with the shadow panther.

But first we’d have to find her.

The pens spread out underground and were lit by sunlight filtered in through many vents set in the roof. Many species lived in that enclosed space, enough to keep the majority of them in a happy balance. Something must have happened relatively recently, though. Why else would the shadow panther population have dwindled to a single member?

I took the lead as we moved deeper into the stronghold. Most of the other corridors led to a small collection of rooms that had likely housed the workers who ran the facility before the monster waves scared them off. It seemed the rest of the building only existed to keep Gran contained.

That did worry me about how we’d get him out, but the aging behemoth had been confident when he said he had a way to escape his prison.

The lower enclosure had a few entrances, but Gran had pointed us toward the largest of them. Apparently, the idiots who’d experimented on him while he was captured never worked out that he could understand their words, which helped him figure out quite a bit about the stronghold, as well as the state of the empire who’d ruled the continent.

Self-important idiots, he’d called them.

When we reached the lower pens, I decided to let Dew and Kiel take the lead. One was a wood elf who’d spent most of her life in a dangerous, volatile forest, while the other was a beast who’d inherited his mother’s abilities to survive in such a harsh environment. I trailed behind them, an arrow knocked but not drawn.

With our squad line up in place, we set off.

“Time to find Kiel a girlfriend!” I grinned at the shadow panther, who seemed to be embarrassed by my shout, as he studiously avoided my gaze. “Come on, kiddo. Time waits for no cat!”

Chapter Fourteen

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Beneath the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 17

F inding the female shadow panther turned out to be much more difficult than I’d anticipated. First of all, Kiel couldn’t sense her. To be more accurate, he could smell her trail, but it was so widely dispersed, he couldn’t figure out which way to go.

Dew couldn’t do much better. There were so many beast and monster tracks, that they’d started to cover each other up entirely. Guessing what species they were, though, was even a challenge, never mind figuring which one was traveling where.

I turned to the one thing that could help us.

Gran accepted my request to release his overpowering ‘energies’ once more. Though it only felt like a dull pressure to me, most of the other animals in the lower enclosure wouldn’t be able to do much more than to cower, wait and hope the enemy above had passed them by.

The behemoth warned us that there were a few individuals who’d managed to overcome their instinctual response to his presence, and that those beasts were truly monsters to fear. Unfortunately, the female shadow panther, despite her relative youth, was counted in that select group of apex predators.

At least our potential enemies had been reduced from an entire underground forest to a small number of beasts—powerful though they might be. I wanted to move fast, though. The monsters who could ignore Gran’s presence wouldn’t hold back as they hunted the now vulnerable portion of their fellow captives.

That set a definite time limit on our little adventure.

Eventually the strong would devour the weak and turn on their rivals. If that happened, I had a feeling the comparatively inexperienced shadow panther would lose out sooner than later.

Kiel had caught onto that fact as well as he dashed into the forest beside Dew. He’d adapted to Gran’s pressure faster than expected, likely due to his long companionship with Dew and I, but I still noticed there was a slight lethargy to his movements, compared to his usually lithe steps.

He wasn’t unaffected, he merely forced himself to ignore it.

The artificial forest spread out underneath the stronghold, with many areas hidden in pockets of darkness. The vents shining light down from above had likely been damaged or otherwise blocked in the years since the monster wave had scared off the caretakers, but there was still enough sunlight filtering in for us to see most of the area we had to search.

“Any movement, lock on and guide us.” I patted Kiel’s firm shoulder as I looked around at the deathly silent woods. “We’ll be right behind you, just be careful.”

Kiel let out a low growl to show he’d heard my suggestions. As the shadow panther darted off into the dimly lit undergrowth, the true nature of his species’ namesake became clear.

It was difficult to track him when he slipped into the shadows. I had better eyes than most, though, and Dew had her connection with her bestial companion. Even when he dashed far ahead, we could still follow his movements.

The search began as we swept the forest, sector by sector.

Our first find was a horned crocodile feasting on the carcasses in a rock badger nest. It had obliterated the creatures, slashing apart its victims with viciously curved horns, to the point that it was difficult to identify what species its victims had been for a moment. At least we’d stumbled across it while it was distracted.

Dew struck first, slashing at the beast’s eyes, while Kiel kept onto its back and ripped at its toughened scales.

The horned crocodile’s roar echoed through the cavern as it tried to throw the pair off, but the damage was already done. Blind and unable to dislodge the massive cat from its body, there was only one way the fight would end.

I could have left the others to finish it off, but I stepped in and delivered the killing blow myself. A single arrow, straight through the roof of its giant maw, easily pierced the monster’s brain. With a final, shuddering twitch, the life in its eyes faded away to nothing.

“Come on, let’s move.” I hissed at the others, motioning for them to follow as we made our way toward our next target.

The noise of our battle would attract more predators. We needed to clean up the other apex predators one by one before our actions accidentally forced a showdown with more foes than we were ready to handle.

Next, we ran across a Rhintra. The bursts of lightning zipping across its hide was almost nostalgic as I thought back to the first one of its kind I’d defeated back in the Waskis Woods.

“I’ll take this one.” I laid two arrows against my bow and gave the other two a quick look. “You two, keep me covered. If anything else shows up, distract it as best you can.”

Divvying up the work was the best strategy. Sure, we could all dog pile the Rhintra, but it would be hard for Dew or Kiel to land a significant blow on the lightning infused rhino stomping through the undergrowth toward us.

Fortunately, I planned to take it out before it could utilize its primary offensive abilities.

“Now!”

I loosed the dual shot just as the Rhintra moved into view. My two arrows sliced through the space between us, slamming into my target’s eyes with dull, messy thunks.

The Rhintra, shocked and blinded by the sudden ambush, did its best to protect itself. Vegetation, trees, unlucky animals who were too close to the enraged beast; all of those and more were smashed and crushed beneath its mad stomps.

It wasn’t a threat anymore, once I’d removed its primary sense, but I decided to put it out of its misery. In a method similar to how I’d killed the first Rhintra I’d faced, I drew my sword and carefully approached the beast.

Each wild stomp and frantic flick of its horn could spell the end of my life if I allowed it to connect, so I moved with forward carefully, exercising the utmost caution as I crept closer and closer-

“There!”

My sword lanced out, slamming up and into the roof of the Rhintra’s mouth. Like I’d done with my arrow to the horned crocodile, my main target was the beast’s brain and spinal column. This time, however, there was a deal more flesh, muscle, and cartilage between me and my objective.

Fortunately, Freya had enhanced my sword, which stabbed easily up through its sinuses into its brain. Unlike my first battle with such a creature, this time I snatched my weapon clear as I leaped away from the monster.

It was dead, but a body that size would take a few moments to realize there was no longer anyone at the helm—Boom!

It stumbled and then tripped, its body slamming into the ground as it lost all control of its muscles. A moment later, the Rhintra wheezed its final breath.

“Two down.” I waved at Dew and Kiel, who quickly dashed into the open to inspect the Rhinta and our surroundings. “How many are left? “

“Two, but they’re both in that direction.” Dew pointed off to match Kiel’s fixated stare. “They seem to be getting closer to each other.”

“Let’s go!” I pulled out the arrows I’d used to blind the Rhintra before we sprinted off once again. I spotted several terrified and quivering animals as we rushed toward the remaining two unaffected monsters, but we ignored them, our sights on our goal—saving the female shadow panther.

“They’re fighting!” Dew yelled as we closed in on the pair. “Kiel can smell it. It’s bad!”

I didn’t think it was possible for us to move any faster, but Kiel surprised me as he pulled out an insane burst of speed, rocketing ahead as he hurried to rescue the other shadow panther.

By the time we reached the showdown, the battle had devolved into a brutal, two versus one melee.

“Flame wolf!” Dew hissed as skidded to a stop and drew her own bow. “We need to take it down, now!”

The two shadow panthers were doing their best to dodge in and out of the wolf’s range, but the wavy cloak of fire that covered its body made it difficult for either of the massive cats to land a significant hit. They’d taken severe damage each attempt they made to dart in for a strike.

The area stank of singed fur, wet blood, and billowing smoke. The stench was appalling, but I didn’t let that distract me as I took careful aim at the flame wolf. My empowered bow and arrows did the trick, easily piercing its defensive field. Each shaft burrowed deep into the beast’s flesh as it tried to dodge and weave out of my range.

But Kiel and his new lady friend weren’t about to let it escape.

The pair slammed into the flame wolf’s flank, forcing it back into the clearing the battle had created. I could imagine the pain they endured, tackling the beasts flaming shell directly, so I quickly capitalized on their assistance.

Three shafts later and the wolf collapsed, hacking up bloody foam. One final shot in the neck, and its flaming coat drifted away, like fog brushed aside by a strong wind.

Dew rushed in to finish it off with a brutal slash along its throat.

“Kiel!” She darted to her friend’s and checked his wounds over before dipping a hand into the satchel at her side. “Hold still, I’ll help-”

“Dew!” I sprinted forward and blocked the female shadow panther’s sudden assault before she could attack the distracted wood elf.

Blood leaked from several still smoking gashes along the strange cat’s body, clear signs of the brutal fight it had been in, defending itself from the wolf. And now, it believe we were its enemies.

“Kiel, stop-” Dew tried to pull him back, but Kiel ignored her as he forced himself to his feet and turned to face the female shadow panther.

Silenced reigned as the two beasts stared at one another. Kiel’s focused, cool gaze met the unknown female’s ferocious rage in a battle of wills.

It was touch and go who’d win but, eventually, the injured female shadow panther backed down as she dropped to the floor. I didn’t know if it was the damage she’d taken, or Kiel’s calm stare, but either way, she submitted to Kiel. Hopefully, that meant she’d consent to Dew seeing to her wounds.

“What now?” I glanced over at the defeated flame wolf, then back to the two injured shadow panthers being treated by Dew. “This mess is going to take a while to clean up.”

“About that.” Dew turned to me, a worried look in her eyes as she glanced at Kiel. “He- Kiel wants to stay here. For now.”

“In this dump?” I waved at the enclosure, not able to understand her companion’s request. “Why would he want to stay caged up in a shit hole like this?”

“Not forever, just until-” Dew looked back at Kiel, who had started to clean the other shadow panther’s wounds with his tongue. “He wants to stay by her side and help her recover. When we come back, he’ll persuade her to join us.”

I looked at the two shadow panthers, who’d dropped to the floor beside one another. Now that we’d cleaned out the most dangerous beasts, leaving the pair behind wouldn’t pose much danger, but I didn’t like the idea of abandoning one of the few companions I’d found since being betrayed and abandoned myself.

But… it was his choice.

“Fine. If that’s what he wants.” I chuckled as I flipped my bow onto my back. “Make sure to tell him that I expect a big, happy family when we come back. No excuses!”

Kiel grumbled in response to my demand, but his new friend merely stared at me with a wild, contemptuous glare. Clearly, she’d accepted my challenge.

Chapter Fifteen

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Inside the Eastern Experimental Stronghold - Day 18

L eaving Kiel behind to care for and possibly recruit the other shadow panther was a difficult decision, but eventually Dew agreed to let him stay, after the pair had a long, tense back and forth argument on the subject. I decided we’d stay the night in the stronghold and check in on him in the morning before leaving, just in case something happened, and the little shadow panther change his mind.

Though calling the adolescent shadow panther ‘little’ was quite a stretch, to be honest.

When I confronted Gran after we woke up from a restful night’s sleep, he confirmed that he’d find his own way out of the stronghold.

Dew was worried the behemoth’s breaking out would cause some issues for the underground enclosure—inviting new monsters into the structure.

This was not a problem Gran said we’d have to worry about. In fact, he promised to leave behind a few of his shards, to ensure no monsters or other freaks of nature tried to invade the space while we were away.

There was one thing that he passed on that surprised me, though.

‘There is another group of your kind nearby.’ Gran’s grizzled muzzle shook irritably as he motioned out toward the front of the stronghold. ‘They are about a day’s travel in that direction, from what I can tell.’

“And you’ve only just realized they’re there?” I muttered angrily. “Really? You waited until now to tell me know about them?”

‘Perhaps it was my former weakness that hid these intruders from my senses. I apologize, young one.’ Gran bowed his head, or at least he dipped his huge face lower down to the ground. ‘I believe they are investigating a trap laid out by those who experimented on me. That place will be dangerous, so take care.’

“I think I know where you are talking about.” I groaned and rubbed my eyes as I recalled the group of black rocks we’d stumbled across on our way to the stronghold. “Any idea how many of them there are? Anyone with the same ‘bloodline’ as me?”

‘Unfortunately, I can only tell their existence as they are interacting with something related to me. I know nothing more than that.’ Gran’s claws tightened a little, crunching the toughened rock beneath our feet with relative ease as he showed a fraction of his anger, for once. ‘I would prefer you deal with them before they abuse my power, if you would be so kind.’

“Of course.” I pushed myself back up and moved to the corridor beyond Gran’s cell. “We’ll pick them up on the way back to our base. Just make sure you’re ready when we come back, Gran.”

‘I abide by my promises, young one. We are the same in this way, I think.’ I could hear Gran’s chuckles echoing through my brain as I walked out of his room. ‘Farewell. I hope we meet again under more fortunate circumstances!’

It was best to leave the old behemoth before he started going on about himself again. He might be emperor class, but the greatest danger he posed was to my sanity when he went on one of his long winded, rambling rants about the past, or his desires for the future.

In either case, I trusted him.

Only so far, of course, but I believed his words and his stated goals were sincere. The fact he’d also given me a way to destroy any of the shards we found helped as well, though we’d need someone like Freya to craft the material into something usable.

A thorough search of the upper rooms of the stronghold had yielded a satchel full of the stuff the former occupants had been researching and working with. Fortunately, we’d found a single prototype arrow the former denizens of the stronghold had created from the obsidian material. That would have to do for the journey back.

The walk back down the corridor didn’t take long. The Seventh Fleet officers, once they’d accepted the fact that no monsters would invade the newly opened stronghold, worked tirelessly to clear the collapsed section of the roof while the rest of us prepared for our journey home.

“There ya are!” Jean strode toward me, a cheeky grin on her face as she waved toward a large, gaping hole where once had stood the imposing entrance door to the stronghold. “We’re heading off soon, right? I might go insane if we have to wait around here much longer!”

“No patience.” Kaede muttered, though I could see a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she watched Jean’s antics. “Haste makes waste, you know. What’s the point of rushing forward only to walk off a cliff?”

“Oh, calling me daft, are ya?” Jean tone took on a mock seriousness as she turned on the young high elf behind her. “Maybe we should have it out, right here, see who’s the foolish one!”

Dew casually strolled past the pair as they started yet another argument. While Jean and Kaede’s relationship had improved in some ways, in others it had worsened. I’d noticed the two of them verbally and physically sparring several times during our stay in the stronghold.

“They’re at it again, aren’t they?” She gave the pair a frown and rolled her eyes before pushing herself under my arm. “They kept me up all night with that crap.”

“It wasn’t just them, was it?” I grinned and pulled Dew’s warm body closer to mine. “It’s a shame we didn’t get much time to ourselves on this trip.”

“Hey!” Jean’s head snapped in our direction as she noticed Dew’s obvious attempt to snuggle against me. “We’re setting off soon, so ya can cut that out!”

“I hate to agree with her, but that is true.” Kaede turned around and gave us an unhappy look.

“I knew that would work.” Dew winked cheekily at the pair as she sneaked a quick kiss before we parted. “Let’s get going before they’re at each other’s throats again.”

Dew had played the pair like fiddles, but they hadn’t reacted to her obvious goading. Instead, Kaede and Jean both kept their focused gazes fixed firmly on Dew, as if they expected her to leap on me like a ravenous beast the moment they turned away. Not that I would mind being ravished by the feisty wood elf, but it was true we needed to set off sooner rather than later.

The Seventh Fleet soldiers were prepared and ready to start the journey back to home base. Kaede and Jean, despite their bickering, were both full of energy and raring to go. I was a little surprised by their spunk, but believed they’d calm down once our journey back to Home Base Alpha was under way.

They did cool off a little once we set out from the stronghold. Dew kept close to me, giving them both an enemy to unify against. Odd, I thought, because before Kaede had been firmly on Dew’s side against Jean. Their antics amused me, though, so I decided to let it slide as long as it didn’t interfere with our trip back to the base.

I did make them all calm down as we approached the field where we’d spotted the black rocks earlier. Everyone was aware that we’d likely encounter some enemies around that zone, though the Seventh Fleet squad didn’t understand how I’d figured it out so far in advance.

Fortunately, they accepted the information without any complaints. As we moved closer to the field, which had been a gathering spot for Shogoliths and other monstrous creatures, we heard the tell-tale sounds of people.

Most notably, we overheard shouted orders and commands.

“Careful with that!” One high pitched voice rang out furiously, as though the speaker either wasn’t aware there might be others here or simply didn’t give a fuck where she was. “If you break it, I’ll break you!”

“Sorry, madam!” Another, deeper voice answered quickly, though I could hear a quiver in their voice as they added. “Where are we taking these? There are too many for us to carry back to-”

“Too many for what!? You want to shirk your duties, you weaklings!” The crack of a whip sounded out from the distance as we crept through the forest undergrowth. “You will take them where I say, when I say! End of discussion!”

As the irate leader finished her speech, we reached the edge of the field. The behemoths were still there, but a squad of high elves had reached the group of black rocks and, under the furious gazes of the monstrous beasts surrounding them, proceeded to load the rocks onto several huge sleds.

I didn’t see any other mounts. Likely those creatures would have been far too terrified to be of any use on Monster Isle. All it would take was for one of the tamed beasts to break, and the rest would scatter to the four winds, taking their cargo along with them.

Instead, the sleds had large ropes tied to them, which would be dragged by teams of elves under the supervision of their superiors. When I saw the uniform of those in command, I had to struggle to keep myself calm and hidden.

“Elven Navy.” I hissed the words through gritted teeth as I watched the officers in command callously cajole and threaten the workers, as they struggled to load the black rocks onto the sleds. A few threatened to leave anyone behind who dared to refuse their duties.

Despite all that, I knew they’d most likely volunteered to come.

“What can we do?” Kaede stared at the team as they dragged yet another of the black shards onto a waiting sled. “There’s too many of them for us to take down easily. If some escape-”

“None of them are going to leave.” I gave the area another once over, confirming again exactly how many commanders there were, compared to the number of rank-and-file Navy recruits.

I gave my group a predatory grin. “We’re going to take them all. Alive.”

Chapter Sixteen

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Day 18

E veryone moved into the positions I’d assigned them once they heard my plan. Jean, Kaede, and Dew didn’t hesitate to remind me it was a risky endeavor.

Like I didn’t know that already. I knew it was a long shot but, ironically enough, long shots were easy for me.

“Hey!” I strode out of the forest, directly in the path that the Elven Navy group were planning to take. “You seem to be having a bit of trouble there!”

“It’s him!” The officer who seemed to be in charge pulled out her sword and pointed it in my direction. “Take him down-”

Before she could finish her command, an arrow streaked from the undergrowth and slammed into her head. It wasn’t as powerful as one of my shots, but it was more than enough to pierce her skull with ease.

The others looked on in horror as their leader stood for a ghastly moment before her leg twitched and she tumbled to the ground, dead.

“Anyone else want to try anything foolish?” I flipped my bow from my back and knocked an arrow. I half drew my bow as I looked over the other commanders, most of whom still had their attention rigidly fixed on the shadows under the trees.

Several members of the Navy team stealthily sought to draw their weapons. Clearly, they thought they’d seen through our initial gambit given that we hadn’t shown ourselves openly.

But that wasn’t the only step of my plan.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you.” I slowly lifted my bow and sighted on the nearest sled. More precisely, I took aim at the large, black behemoth horn shard strapped to the massive wooden transport. “Don’t test me.”

“Or what?” One of the other commanders stepped forward, his face twisted in rage as he thrust his finger angrily at me. “You want to scare us with just this? No more tricks, no more games! Show us what you’re made of, traitor!”

“Fine.” I added a little more draw to my bow and focused on the surface of the black horn shard. “If that’s how you want to play it.”

My shaft slice through the air, zipping past the infuriated officer before slamming into the solid chunk of behemoth bone. I knew how strong they were, but I’d also destroyed one before, back in Keria.

And now I had the perfect weapon do repeat that trick once more.

The prototype arrow crafted back in the stronghold cracked through the exterior of the shard, digging deep into the things core before resistance finally slowed it to a halt. The impact left a large crack in the horns surface, a fact that clearly shocked the Elven Navy workers who’d been standing close enough to see the damage.

“Is that it?” The officer shook himself a bit after seeing the results of my shot. “Is that the best you can-”

CRACK!

The huge hunk of behemoth bone shattered into thousands of pieces, turning from a solid rock into little more than a pile of debris which spread out to cover the sled. Those workers nearby had to dodge out of the way lest they be caught up in the sudden maelstrom of sharpened horn chunks.

Silence reigned as the officer tried to comprehend what he’d just seen. Though they still had a good number of behemoth horn shards from Gran’s species, that didn’t mean a thing if I could destroy them with a single shot.

And if they lost that protection, the Shogoliths surrounding them wouldn’t have a reason not to rush forward and rip the officer and his followers into tiny, screaming pieces.

“Wha- How!?” The commander shook his head, refusing to believe the evidence in front of his eyes. “No, you can’t- This isn’t-”

“Oh, it really is!” I drew another arrow and took aim at the next sled’s cargo. “So, how do you want to play this? Still think you can hold out?”

The rest of the Navy team were terrified by my actions. Some of the commanders started to call out, clearly struggling to hold themselves together. Only the officer who’d strode out to face me looked like he might still want to stand up against my demands.

“I’ll let you all decide!” I called out before the commander in question could pull himself together. “Toss your weapons aside and lie down, get down on your stomachs, on the ground with your hands out in front of you where I can see them, or die a pointless death. It’s your call!”

“Never-” The officer started to yell, but one of the workers nearby grabbed the man and dragged him to the ground. Another stepped forward, eying the struggling commander before he turned to me with a respectful look.

“Do you promise not to harm us?” He shivered as he spoke, but the worker’s words were still steady and his gaze confident. “We trust that you will treat us the same as we would treat you.”

“Some of you, sure.” I glanced at the officer, who had quietened down once a few of the other recruits had worked together to restrain and gag the idiot. “As long as you don’t make trouble for me, I won’t make trouble for you.”

“I-” The worker glanced back at the crowd of Elven Navy recruits and officers behind him, as though he wanted one of them to step up and reaffirm his decisions.

Not a single one moved an inch.

“What’s it going to be?” I pulled back the string on my bow enough that the wood creaked, which caused the self-appointed spokesman's gaze to shoot back my way. “It’s your call how this turns out.”

“I- We surrender!” The man pulled a knife from the sheath at his waist and tossed it to the ground. “Please, no more violence. We accept your terms!”

The others followed suit after a short, awkward pause. Even the commanders, those cowardly fools who should have been the ones to negotiate such an action, tossed their swords to the side and sprawled on the ground. Even though the angry officer who had stepped forward hadn’t been the brightest of the bunch, he’d at least had the courage to put himself into line of fire in an attempt to call my buff.

He, at least, I could respect a little. The other officers would be the first in line to become examples, should the others falter in their capitulation.

“Good.” I waved at the shadows, calling Dew and Kaede to my side. “Make a pile of their weapons at the front of the group.”

Though they clearly weren’t happy with being disarmed in such a dangerous location, the Navy team didn’t have much of a choice, at least from what they could see. The small gathering of weapons grew rapidly into a heap of knives, swords, axes, and bows.

The rangers even tossed their arrows into the pile after a simple, stern reminder.

“Take the weapons and load them onto a spare sled!” I waved my companions forward then turned to the others, still hidden in the shadows of the forest. “Keep the shards in sight. If anyone makes a move, destroy every single one!”

That threat was enough to hold the navy team in place as Dew and Freya loaded one of the sleds with their dangerous haul. They used several of the large boxes the recruits had brought along to safely store the weapons in, just in case the officers or their followers got any funny ideas about attempting a revolt on the way back to our base.

“Good!” I strode forward and pulled the worker who’d negotiated the surrender to his feet. “You’re their leader now. Form teams for each sled, get the last few shards loaded, and prepare for departure!”

“I- Others will be better qualified to-” He tried to refuse my offer, but I quietened him down with a wave of my hand.

“You were brave enough to step up when no one else would, so you are the one I want to lead them.” I leaned in close and whispered so those nearby couldn’t overhear. “You are the leader. They are the followers. Put whoever you think is best for each role in their place.”

The worker clearly understood what I meant as he tried, unsuccessfully, to contain his grin.

I’d just given him permission to get revenge on the overbearing commanders who had been acting like slave drivers to him and his fellow recruits not that long ago.

“Are you sure about this, Wes?” Dew stepped close as she eyed the Elven Navy team. “What’re we going to do with them when we get back?”

“The officers are in too deep. I’ll hand them over to Jean and Smith and they can deal with them.” I shrugged off the cowardly former leaders of the group and turned my attention to the recruits. “The others might be useful, though, if we keep an eye on them. As long as we tell them the truth, some might even come over to our side. I actually know a few of them from my time in the academy.”

“And the others?” Kaede’s gaze drifted over the group as they cleared off the remnants of the destroyed horn and pulled yet another shard of horn onto a spare sled. “What about those who refuse to comply?”

“Then they’ll be kept as prisoners of war.” I shrugged and turned to look over at Kaede, who seemed conflicted by my suggestion. Though she’d fought against the Elven Navy when we‘d escaped Keria, she clearly disliked the thought of mistreating unarmed recruits. “Though we didn’t start the war, we’re still in one. Best get used to it before it chews you up and spits you out whole.”

Chapter Seventeen

Monster Isle / Eastern Quadrant - Day 18

W ith our new prisoners acting as sled teams, the rest of our journey back to Home Base passed without much incident. A few of the officers tried to escape that evening, likely aware of what awaited them once we reached our headquarters, but their attempts were easily thwarted by the Seventh Fleet squad who guarded the perimeter.

I left the others behind and led the Shogoliths who had been intent on chasing us all the way back to the cliff on a merry chase through the woods. Despite their huge size, none of them were fast enough to catch me, so I led the enraged beasts away from the rest of my party, and eventually gave them the slip when I figured we were far enough away that they wouldn’t catch up, and then slipped away in the shadow to rejoin the procession as we made our way back to our base.

We had to camp for the night on the way back, but unfortunately the size of our group made it impossible for Dew or Kaede to find any time to spend with me, individually or together, during the overnight. That could always wait until we were safely back at Home Base Alpha, not that it stopped the pair from pouting as they set up in nearby branches for the night.

“Good to see ya up early!” Jean waved at me from her spot at the front of the crowd as I dropped down from the tree we’d spent the night in. “Come on, won’t be much longer now!”

Though the Pirate Lord had been irritated by my request, she’d complied and spent part of her night watching the prisoners, on a shift with some of the Seventh Fleet squad. That meant she hadn’t slept in the same tree with me, Dew, and Kaede, which seemed to have set her teeth on edge.

Kaede seemed to be thinking about a snarky reply, but she held her tongue after Dew shared a hurried, whispered conversation with her friend.

“How are things going?” I looked over the Elven navy recruits and former officers who had been press ganged into pulling the behemoth-horn laden sleds. “Any issues during your watch?”

“Nothing. Not even a single escape attempt.” Jean grumbled and shook her head irritably. “Waste of my time, ya know? Such a waste.”

I ignored her barbed comments and turned to the officer in charge of the Seventh Fleet soldiers.

“What about the behemoth shards.” I nodded at the sleds, which had been carefully checked over and secured once more by my new followers. “Any concerns?”

“These idiots couldn’t tie their laces even if they had three hands.” The officer glared at the Elven Navy officer for a moment before he turned back to me. “We’ve secured everything correctly, Sir. No issues with the cargo.”

“Great. Then let’s get this stuff back to the base.” I couldn’t help but grin at the thought of Smith’s expression when he learned about the ridiculously heavy shards he’d have to cart down the cliff face.

“You’re thinking of something mean again, aren’t you?” Dew sidled up and poked me in the side with a knowing look. “What’re you planning now, huh?”

“Oh, nothing.” I shook my head and cleared away such thoughts as I returned my focus back to the present. “Just thought of something funny, is all.”

The three women gave me confused looks but didn’t press for an explanation as we set out once more towards Home Base Alpha. Other than our uneventful night’s rest in the treetops, nothing else slowed our journey, which helped us reach the cliff top entrance to our base in record time.

Kaede dashed down the cliff first, using her rune smith boots to easily sprint along the sheer vertical cliff face without any issues. Her former dislike of heights had, once again, vanished the instant she was in control of her descent.

She looked like she enjoyed the trip, in an odd way.

Only after Dew’s repeated assurances that she’d be fine overseeing the prisoners and their cargo by herself did I follow in Kaede’s footsteps, Jean following a few beats behind me.

Not literally, of course. I still needed to use the climbing ropes to slow my descent, but it wasn’t that difficult to half-way run down the cliff using a securely fastened cable as a brake whenever necessary. Jean took a little longer, but I didn’t get a chance to look back up to see where she was before an irate voice called out from below.

“Seriously?” Smith didn’t even wait for my feet to touch the ground before he’d stormed over to me with a face like thunder. “The tunnel won’t be done for a week, and NOW is the time you decide to bring something like that? Why?!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault you’re slow.” I chuckled and gestured at Smith’s autonomous drilling apparatus, which sat clinking and hissing as it cooled down in an opening about a quarter of the way up the cliff. “I assumed you’d be done by now. Maybe I overestimated how powerful your little gadget was.”

“Don’t you say anything about ADA! She’s doing a great job.” Smith held up one finger as his expression turned dark and threatening. “What are these horn things actually good for? Kaede here didn’t explain much beyond the fact that you wanted them brought down to the base as soon as possible. Seems that’s all she thought I needed to know.”

“Well, can you do it?” I watched the old elf grumble underneath his breath to himself for a full minute as he considered the problem I’d dumped on his doorstep. It seemed his internal monologue might go on for a while longer, so I decided to prod him a bit more. “If you can’t do it, that’s fine. I can always ask Freya if you aren’t up to -”

“I never said I couldn’t do it!” Smith spun on his heel and jabbed his still outstretched finger into my face. “I’ll have them down before you can blink! Just you wait.”

I gave him a long, look, clearly indicating my doubts about his abilities, before turning to walk toward my office.

“Alright, then.” I waved at him back over my shoulder as I strode away from the still fuming runesmith. “Do your best, Smith.”

I knew poking at him using Freya’s name in vain would work. The elderly elf had fully taken her on as his apprentice, but Freya’s insane talent and thirst for knowledge had quickly turned her from the perfect pupil into a threat for the wise old rune smith.

If he got lazy, for even a moment, the student would become the master.

Freya had joked about their back-and-forth banter repeatedly while they’d worked on repairing the ships. Though she didn’t much care at first who was the best between them, another hidden corner of her personality peeked out as she became more and more competitive.

“What now?” Kaede asked. She walked up beside me as I made my way back to my office slash quarters slash love nest. “I imagine it’ll take him a few days to move that lot down the cliff. Freya said she’d be overseeing the ship repairs until later tonight, so we’re all free for now.”

Jean strolled up beside her casually without a word, though I could see the smirk on her face as she looked back at the wildly gesticulating old elf I’d goaded into a rage behind us.

“I’m sure I’ll have some paperwork to catch up on.” I let out a long, irritated sigh as I pushed open the door to my office. “That shit just piles up like dust in a corner if-”

“It’s done!” Arianna stepped forward and gestured at my desk, whose surface was as clean and clearer than the day it had been moved into the chamber. “You need a break, Wesley, and I won’t take no for an answer!”

“Wesley?” Jean snorted from behind before quickly pulling herself together. She gave me a wide-eyed, somewhat contrite look when I glanced back over my shoulder as if nothing had happened, but my sister’s nickname for me obviously amused her.

“Ari, I have something I need to talk to you about.” I took her hand and guided her over to the guest chairs at the front of the office. “Jean, Kaede, I’ll see you in a minute.”

“Sure. Take all the time you need.” Kaede nodded, likely guessing the subject I was planning to discuss with my sister.

Jean, on the other hand, opened her mouth to speak, but instead of saying something, the oddest sound came from her lips.

“Be- HEERkk!”

Kaede had jammed an elbow into the Pirate Lord’s ribs. Hard.

The pair shared a silent, angry stare before they both strode off toward the rear of my office and into the bedroom at the end of a small, adjoining tunnel.

“So, what’s the problem, Wes?” Ari’s warm smile cheered me up as she fell back to her usual name for me. Clearly, she loved the effect her childish nicknames had on the others, but in private it was easier to default back to the usual flow between us. “It’s not like you to get so serious all of a sudden.”

“Yeah, well.” I scratched my cheek and leaned back in my chair. Everything I’d found out during our trip to the stronghold would be difficult to explain. Especially the parts that affected our family directly.

“Okay, I want you to try to stay calm.” I laid a hand on her arm and stared into her eyes. “What I’m about to say might sound strange, but from what I can tell, it’s all true. Let me start at the beginning.”

Chapter Eighteen

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 19

I  skimmed through most of the journey to the stronghold, because I knew Ari wouldn’t let me skip such an interesting story. It also gave a bit more context for the revelation I was about to hit her with.

“So… you broke into this ‘stronghold’, and found an ancient emperor ranked behemoth?” Arianna’s eyebrows had crept further and further upward with each twist and turn my long-winded tale took, to the point where it actually looked like they were threatening to disappear into her hairline.

“Not only that, but you also want me to believe you could actually speak to it… with your mind?”

“Yes.” I nodded seriously, though I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at the absurdity of it all. “I didn’t want to believe it at first, either, but there it is.”

“I still don’t.” She rubbed her forehead as though what I’d told her had been enough to give her a headache. “You’re really telling me the truth? This isn’t another of your wild adventures and legendary tales, is it?”

“You know Dew can communicate with beasts, why not me?” I pulled myself together and gave my sister a serious look. “Trust me, we communicated. Gran even warned us about the Elven Navy team. If I’m just pulling your leg, then how did I figure that one out?”

“Gran? The ‘emperor behemoth’ you befriended had a name?” Arianna tried to hold in her laughter, but a giggle or two escaped at my genuinely sincere tone as I spoke of such an absurdity. “Okay, I believe you, but this still doesn’t explain why you are so worried about me. What are you hiding from me?”

“It’s about the reason I could communicate with him at all-” I paused to let myself cool down a little as another wave of indignation threatened to overcome me. “How we BOTH might be able to speak to him. It’s all related, as far as I can tell, though I don’t know how far it goes.”

“Wait… what?”

“You know they only find out about our ‘gifts’ when we are a year old or so, right?” I interrupted Arianna’s confused query with a question of my own.

She paused, clearly thrown by the bizarre question, but she nodded a moment later. “And your illness was first diagnosed when you were one as well, right?”

“I don’t understand-”

“From everything I’ve heard and seen in this recent trip, as well as the stuff I heard while I was in the Elven Navy, there’s only one explanation that makes sense.” I decided to stop beating around the bush as I revealed the truth, or at least my estimate as to what had to have happened to us.

“They must have experimented on us as infants. I gained my ‘gift’, while you rejected it… or maybe they just did it wrong. I don’t know-”

“How- No! That can’t be true, it-” My sister lifted a trembling hand, as if she were begging for me to take back what I’d just revealed. “Father never said anything about this. Why? He wouldn’t keep such a secret! He would never lie to me. To us!”

“What if he saw it as his only option? If the result of him revealing the truth to us would be our deaths, what do you think he would do?”

“You think- No, you can’t think they’d go that far, can you?” Arianna fell back into her chair as all the strength left her body. “No, it makes too much sense. All those vague hints, the meetings I’d heard rumors of, Olea’s horrible jokes about my condition… All of it.”

I snapped my teeth together with such force that I my jaw hurt as I ground them together. I tried to hold in my outrage. Olea, former Admiral of the Elven Navy, our aunt—she’d known the truth.

How could she not? Olea had been one of those ‘gifted’ few, and she’d been close to the council. There was no way they could have hidden the truth from her; those conniving old fucks had probably told her everything right from the start.

That’s why she’d hated me. That’s why she’d treated Ari like a worthless waste of space whenever she visited my father.

She’d seen me as the one who’d ruined her perfect record. I hadn’t known anything about the experiments, but still, I’d managed to adapt to the new powers I’d been given with even more skill and control than even she had shown. Right up until her last moments, she’d detested my very existence.

And she’d taken it out on the one member of our family still within her reach.

“I guess it makes sense why she went after you like that.” Arianna had managed to calm down a little, though there was still a slight tremor in her voice. That only lasted a moment before she continued, a darker, vindictive streak to her tone. “Thank the gods you blew her into fucking pieces. I always hated that bitch.”

Hearing my normally gentle mannered and polite sister swearing up a storm was enough of a shock to pull me out of my rage fueled recollection of our hate filled aunt. I grinned wildly at the new memory flooding my brain—Olea’s hate-filled screech as my arrow blasted her from the face of the planet.

“You should have seen her, though.” I made a rectangular picture frame shape with my fingers and held my hands out, as though I was imagining the image of her last moments as a piece of art, framed on my wall. “She shrieked like a banshee, just like always.”

“Seriously? Good riddance.” Ari picked up her pen and a notepad from the table beside the chair and looked up at me, one more totally businesslike and professional. “I’ve heard you brought back something useful. Spill.”

“Oh, nothing big. Just some chunks of emperor behemoth horn that we can use to corral and scare off monsters—up to and including behemoths.” I waved my hand like I was dismissing the whole thing as unimportant.

“Nothing to get worked up over. Standard stuff, really.”

“For you, yes.” My sister rolled her eyes as she scribbled down a long, complicated note on her pad. “Anything else?”

“We captured a squad of Elven Navy recruits, along with most of their officers.” I noted that Arianna quirked her eyebrow at the word ‘most’, but she didn’t question me any further as she continued to take a note. “And that’s it? Nothing else.”

“A profitable trip, then. A sentient emperor behemoth, possibly a way to thwart the Elven Council’s plans to use the behemoths as weapons, chunks of monster horn that we can use to secure a base atop the monster isle, and a full squad of Elven Navy members captured and ready for interrogation… or for integration?” She tapped her pad once for each point as she spoke, punctuating each staccato tap with a single click of her tongue. “Did I miss anything?”

“See, this is why I knew you’d be a great administrator.” I spread my arms wide and gave her a cocky grin. “Too much for you to handle?”

“No, of course not. I’ll keep handling all the boring stuff for you. Your friend, Lira Keelcracker, has been busy setting up the base, but she can take care of most of this stuff with the workforce she has at her disposal. Give her time, and I wager she could challenge you for a Pirate Lord title, herself.”

Ari tore off the page she’d written her notes on and set it aside. “But before that, I need to tell YOU something!”

“Oh, and what’s that?” I leaned forward and set my hands together as I ignored the comment about Lira’s desires. She’d made it clear multiple times that she detested the very idea of becoming a Pirate Lord. I’d had to force her to just step up to a sub-officer position under myself by promising she’d never have to go any further than that.

“I’m all ears, Ari.”

“Wes, thank you for telling me this.” She grabbed my hands and gripped them as hard as she could. Though she didn’t have the strength for it to be painful, I could still feel her emotions through her tightly clasped fingers. “I need to rest for a bit, but you do too!”

Arianna pulled my hands towards her and nodded toward the tunnel to my bedroom at the back of the office.

“You sure you’ll be okay?” I pushed myself up from the chair and stepped toward my bedroom before I looked back at Arianna cautiously. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

“Go!” She picked up a pen and tossed it at me, a warm smile once more tugging at the corners of her lips as she shooed me away. “Don’t keep those two waiting! Their ears might burn off if they eavesdrop any longer!”

A dull thud and a few choice curses echoed from the bedroom as the pair in question jumped back from the door. The fact Arianna had guessed that the two would be listening in wasn’t surprising, I’d also assumed as much, but the subtle way she’d controlled the pair was a bit of a shock.

Compared to how timid and quiet she’d been in Keria, it seemed like in the wilds, my sister was coming into her own.

“Maybe it was a good thing after all.” I muttered to myself as I rested my hand on the door to my bedroom. “Eventually, we all need a change. Even me.”

Chapter Nineteen

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 19

“Y ou two were eavesdropping, weren’t you?” I strode into the bedroom and stared at the pair, who had both quickly taken up spots well back from the door to make it seem as though they hadn’t just been leaning against it and listening in on my conversation with my little sister. “Bit rude that, don’t you think?”

“Of course we weren’t!” Jean slapped her thigh and fixed me with an angry stare as she refused to admit the truth. “Who do ya think we are, a bunch of sneaking, no-good, little-”

“Sorry, Wes.” Kaede rose from her chair and took a single step toward me with a contrite look on her face. “At first I tried to persuade her it wasn’t right, but then I joined in, and-”

“Okay, hold up.” I waved the two of them quiet. One brooded and shot the other an irritated look, while the other did her best to avoid my gaze. “You’re saying this was all Jean’s idea, Kaede?”

“Now ya wait just a minute there-” Jean prepared to launch into a well thought out defense, but Kaede beat her to the punch.

“Initially, yes, but I take full responsibility.” Kaede bowed her head again as she once more spoke over her furious companion’s sputters. “I assumed it would be something about our journey, so I didn’t see the harm in, well… listening.”

Jean didn’t add anything to Kaede’s explanation, instead being content to sulk to herself in the corner. I stared at Kaede for a moment before I turned to Jean, fixing her with a long, hard glare.

Despite her apparent lack of shame, even the normally boisterous Pirate Lord had the good graces to look a little guilty as she took a sudden interest in one of the pillows.

“So? What do you think?” I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed and turned to face the pair. Kaede looked a little confused, so I snorted and turned to Jean, who was still trying to avoid my gaze.

“Any thoughts on my hypothesis, or are you going to keep pretending you didn’t listen in on my conversation like a drama hungry schoolgirl-”

“No need to go tha’ far!” Jean’s head snapped in my direction as, for the first time that I could remember when she was sober, a blush crept up her cheeks. “I am not drama hungry, ya know?!”

“Oh, so you’re just a schoolgirl?” I rose to my feet and took a step toward the faltering Pirate Lord. “Who secretly wants to eavesdrop on my private conversations?”

I paused and turned to Kaede. “That seems like something that should be punished, doesn’t it?”

“What? Oh!” Kaede blinked briefly in confusion before she realized what I meant. After a quick glance at Jean’s lost and worried look, a wicked grin popped onto her face. She managed to hide that mischievous smirk as she pretended to take my question seriously.

“Yes, I do think it deserves some form of penalty.” Kaede ignored Jean’s imploring stare as she continued, her tone unabashed and calm. “What kind of a punishment were you thinking of, Wes?”

Kaede’s breathing had quickened slightly as she spoke. Jean likely hadn’t noticed the change but, after my many, MANY, close encounters with the purple-eyed beauty, I’d learned to pick up on her tells and reactions.

“Uh, what does this ‘punishment’ entail, exactly?” Jean slowly lifted herself from the chair and, as quietly as she could, started to edge toward the door, her gaze never leaving my face as I stared blankly at the back wall of the bedroom, one foot tapping absently on the floor.

“Might be best that I leave ya alone, at the moment. I’m not needed here, right-”

She turned around to make a rush for the door, only to find Kaede blocking her path, a wide grin on her face. Before the Pirate Lord could respond, Kaede jumped forward and tackled her onto the bed.

Though it wasn’t the gentlest of moves I’d ever seen, I decided to let it slide. As the pair scuffled atop the sheets, I stepped past the bed and locked the door. The bolt clicked shut with a final, solid turn of the key.

Jean stopped struggling for a moment to watch as I pulled the key from the lock and, under her shocked gaze, tossed it under the chest of drawers.

“Now then.” I stepped forward with a confident smirk. “Where were we?”

“What exactly is going on here?” Jean glanced at Kaede, who had rolled aside to lay beside her on the bed, before returning her gaze to me. “I thought ya- I mean, it’s not like I’m against this, if it’s what I think it is, but-”

“You’re cute when you’re flustered.” Kaede grinned as she prodded Jean’s vulnerable, brightly blushing cheek. “After all that bawdy bravado, I thought you’d have more fire than this. How disappointing.”

“I thought, well-” Jean glanced awkwardly at Kaede. “I mean, ya made it clear ya didn’t want me to be involved with… him.”

Her final word held a slight edge to it as she shot a look my way. The slumbering fire in her gaze had sparked back to life, but it was clear she’d managed to temper her usual brassy and outspoken nature, at least when it came to her desires.

I let her question sit for a moment as I stared down at the pair. Kaede was prim and proper, or as much as she could be, given that she still wore the rather revealing outfit Dew had gifted her, but their short fight had rumpled a good deal of Jean’s casual outfit.

Her slightly muscled chest showed clearly, along with an amazing cleavage and tantalizing glimpses of the underside of her voluptuous breasts. She noticed my gaze and, instead of trying to hide her shame, instead shifted slightly to reveal even more to my sight.

“Naughty!” Kaede reached across and slapped her mostly exposed chest.

Her ill-timed whack had unintended consequences.

Jean’s shirt, which had been held together by a single, valiant silver button, pinged open like the doors of heaven before a saint.

“Ah!” She squealed in shock and quickly covered herself, though I’d already seen more than enough. Along with her dewy eyes, her cute, red faced embarrassment clashed so much with the normal veneer of cocky confidence with which she carried herself, that I couldn’t help but clap once in astonished praise.

Kaede winced as she saw what she’d wrought but, after a moment, she shifted along the bed until she was eye level with Jean. “You wanted this, right?” I heard the high elf girl mutter to the still silent Pirate Lord. “Why are you acting so scared, now of all times?”

“I- Ya aren’t gonna give me a choice, are ya?” Jean removed her palm from her face and looked between the two of us sheepishly. “Not that I’m complaining, but-”

“Of course you have a choice.” Kaede smiled, likely already expecting the answer she’d get as she asked. “What do you say?”

“Damn right!” Jean threw her arms wide and beckoned to me. “Come on then, big boy! Let’s see how good ya are!”

Kaede shook her head and rolled aside as I began to shed my clothes. As I removed my pants, I noticed that Kaede had moved quickly to pull the remainder of Jean’s clothes aside—though that didn’t include the jacket still looped around her arms and chest.

“Wha-” Jean glanced over at Kaede, who’d taken a hold of her coat, and tried to pull it from her grip.

She couldn’t.

“Uh, what’s this about?” She looked at me as I approached the bed, step by slow step. “I thought we were all friends, now. Yer not gonna just let me have him to myself-”

“Oh, that’s another thing, entirely.” Kaede gently turned Jean’s head until the pair were staring into each other’s eyes, though she didn’t loosen her grip on the woman’s clothes in the slightest as she did so. “And I have a feeling someone like you, so loud and boisterous… You prefer it this way, right?”

“Well, I-” Jean blinked and shifted her eyes away from Kaede’s intense gaze. “I mean, maybe- Ah!”

She tensed up as I hopped up onto the bed and, without a moment’s hesitation, took one of her perky, stiff nipples into my mouth.

Though the size of a woman’s breasts weren’t indicative of their sensitivity, I’d already noted Jean’s breasts as one of her weak spots from the times I’d spotted her playing with them as she watched me fool around with the others in the past.

“No- Ahhhh!” She moaned as I used one hand to tweak and pull at her other erect nipple while my other hand dipped lower and lower, sneaking ever closer to the warm, tight crease between her thighs. “Ya don’t need to- AAAHHHMMmmm!”

Kaede looked up at me and seductively licked her lips as she watched me play her new friend like a violin. Every moment that passed brought stronger and more intense surges of pleasure through Jean’s body as she drew closer and closer to a heavenly release.

And then I stopped.

“Wha-” Jean panted as I pulled back a little to look down on her sweaty, beautiful form. “Why did ya- OOoooohhh!”

She wasn’t prepared for me to shove myself deep inside of her with a single thrust, hilting her on my entire length in one fell swoop. That one thrust was enough to rock her over the edge, her entire vagina pulsated and clenched rhythmically around me.

“All the way?” Kaede glanced down at the point of our connection and bit her lip. “She’s really good, isn’t she? Maybe-”

“None of you are better than the others.” I opened my eyes and gave Kaede a warm smile as I slowly pulled myself back, ridge by glorious ridge. “I care about you all equally, you know that.”

“Ahhh. Yeah.” Kaede pushed herself up and planted her lips on mine as I shoved myself balls deep once more into Jean’s quivering pussy. She rocked her hips, matching my thrusts with her own as best she could, despite the fact that her arms were being held down by the jacket locked under Kaede’s legs.

“Wait, what?” Kaede broke off our deep, passionate kiss and pulled back to look down at Jean, whose face was flushed with ecstasy.

“You…” she began, then shook her head ruefully. “Seriously, what am I going to do with you?”

I watched, amused, as Kaede slowly slipped her skirt off, along with the lacy undergarments she wore to ensure no lucky fool managed to get a true glimpse of her while she fought.

Before Jean could respond, Kaede lowered herself onto the Pirate Lord’s face.

“Oh, she’s good!” Kaede kept one hand on her knee to keep herself steady as her other palm reached up and sneaked under her tight-fitting top to squeeze a perky breast.

“No way I’m letting that slide.” I grinned and unclipped the last bit of her outfit, though I did have to thrust myself deep into Jean to reach far enough forward.

“Ah! Fuck!” Kaede moaned as Jean shuddered beneath her. Even she looked shocked at the extent of her reaction as she looked up at me, blushing even brighter than Jean had before we’d initiated this encounter. “That was- AAHH!”

Every thrust into Jean produced a muffled yelp of pleasure, which was followed a moment later by a squeal from Kaede. Their cadence matched my movements.

I moved faster and they worked themselves into a frenzy.

I slowed down, they trembled on the precipice.

The rhythm was intoxicating, but I didn’t want to keep it going so long that either woman got frustrated. Instead, I waited for the pair to sync up once more before I started railing into Jean one last time.

“Mmmph.”

“Ohh.”

“MMMpph.”

“Oooh.”

“MMMph!”

“OOH!”

“MMMMMPPHH!”

“OOOOOHHHHH!”

The pair both rocketed over the edge into another tumultuous series of orgasms as I released my own pent-up lust deep within the still-shuddering Pirate Lord. Kaede collapsed forward into my chest as she twitched and moaned through her own waves of pleasure.

I let her rest against me for a moment before I gently laid her down in the bed beside a now comatose Jean.

“Well, that was fun.” I glanced at the two and, from a quick, experienced estimate, guessed they’d need a few minutes to recover. “I guess I’ll let her rest for a bit.”

I turned to Kaede and stroked a hand up her thigh. “We have a busy night ahead of us, after all!”

Chapter Twenty

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 20

I  left Kaede and Jean to their restful sleep as I sneaked out of the room the next morning. Freya hadn’t returned last night, though I’d waited up to greet her, just in case. I decided to go and check in on her progress. I figured she’d gotten herself caught up in another frenzy of rune smithing and forging.

“Hey, Smith!” I strode through the construction site that was quickly transforming into an actual base as I made my way over to the elderly elf overseeing the whole project. “Where’s Freya? Hey, I asked-”

“Yeah, I heard you!” Smith huffed as he turned around, red faced and irritable as always. “I thought you’d have spoken to her last, seeing as I made sure she promised to actually go to your room to rest. Wait… you did let her rest, didn’t you?”

Smith’s narrowed eyes showed just how little he trusted me, but I wasn’t a complete lust filled moron. If Freya had come home to our room last night fatigued and listless, then I’d have known to let her sleep and recover, no matter what else was going on.

But she hadn’t come back to the room. At all.

“Fine, where was she when you last spoke to her?” I glanced off toward the temporary ship repair yard the pair of runesmiths had set up, where I could see a large, newly crafted mast being hoisted atop the hull of a carefully restored battleship. “Don’t tell me. She was still working on her little program, wasn’t she?”

“Ah, yeah.” Smith had the good manners to look away guiltily as he admitted the truth. Freya had persuaded the old fool to let her take over the ‘secret project’, as they liked to call it. Though the elderly rune smith had shared the basics with me, he’d refused to reveal any of the details—at Freya’s insistence, of course.

Apparently, she wanted it to be a surprise.

But he’d at least let me know how much time, effort, and resources she would need to complete her self-appointed task, whatever it was. The fact she might have accidentally stayed up all night toiling away on it didn’t surprise me, given how fixated and withdrawn she got when she started runesmithing. At least that is how it had been for any of the other items and gadgets she’d made.

As I strode into the temporary dry dock that had been constructed after our initial landing, I noticed that many of the workers stopped for a moment and a ripple of whispers spread across the area. Each of the pirates turned to their colleagues and listened to what they were saying before turning in my direction.

Eventually, every single worker in the yard had stopped working and was staring at me.

“What’s this? Never seen someone come to check on your work before, have you?” My bellow rang out across the docks, shocking those who’d stopped to gawk at my approach—so much so, that several of them dropped their tools.

Most of the workers snapped out of whatever spell had snared them and spun back around, each doing their best to at least appear busy. Some had to nurse an injured toe or foot first, before picking up their tool, but even those did what they could to appear as if they were hard at work.

A few stepped forward, however, and as a group, moved toward me.

“Uh, Mas- I mean.” The leader stammered, cutting herself off as she started to call me by the nickname Freya had used since we’d met back in the Waskis Woods. “I mean, thank you for coming, Sir. This is- I mean, we know you’re busy, so- Um.”

“Anyone else want to take over here?” I glanced at the others who’d stepped forward to greet me, but every other member of the group avoided my gaze, trying to hide behind whoever stood beside them.

A weird sight, even by my standards.

“Uh… Pirate Lord, Sir.” The leader by right of refrain from the rest of the group bit her quivering lip, hard before she spoke again. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know what we could do if you didn’t visit us!”

“Okay. Explain, please. Now.” I pinched the bridge of my nose as I glanced at the others nearby who were doing their best to make it look like they were engrossed in their tasks, while actually straining their ears and their minds to listen in to our conversation. “The rest of you, scram. I’m sure you have better things to be doing that some idiotic interpretive dance routine. Shove off!”

The others froze for a moment before scattering, each rushing away as fast as they could sprint back to their assigned quarters. Before she could blink, the solitary woman was left alone and bereft of moral support before me.

“I came here to check in on Freya, not your work.” I held up a hand, cutting her off as she looked ready to apologize, yet again. “But if something is wrong, tell me now.”

“Yes Sir, Pirate Lord, Sir.” The overseer nodded furiously before she spun on her heel and pointed toward the large, dangerous looking ship at the back of the yard. “That’s the problem, Sir. I’m glad you’re here, because even we think it’s gone too far. The noises you hear coming from its hull-”

“You’re saying this ship is the problem?” I looked across at the imposing vessel resting in its own, solitary dry dock before the frothing waves. “If you don’t start making sense, and soon, I’m going to stop being so patient with you.”

“Sir! It’s Freya herself, Sir!” The lady turned back to me with a worried, frantic look. “She’s been working on that thing all day, every day with her team. No one can get a single word out of any of them that makes any sense. She just keeps speaking about you- I mean, her Master, and how disappointed she is with their progress, but- It’s not right!”

The overseer clenched her hands together as she yelled, clearly distraught about the whole situation. I didn’t know what Freya had done to the other workers, but maybe she’d taken things a step or three too far.

“Her work outstrips ours, in both results and efficiency. And all she speaks of is how terrible it is, how nothing is PERFECT!” The lady grabbed a spar from a nearby pile and snapped it over her knee in frustration. “Anything that doesn’t meet her standards, she destroys! If she merely tossed them aside, we could use them on the other ships. She is an artist, of that there is no doubt, but she destroys anything less than the masterpieces she creates! It’s not right, I tell you- Wait, where are you going?”

I strode past the rambling woman without another word. Her irritation made sense, given how involved and focused those working in certain fields could be, but I knew there wouldn’t be much else she could tell me that would be helpful. Instead, I decided to go straight to the main agent of chaos who’d brought the whole situation into being.

Freya herself.

“Hey! Anyone home?” I slammed my fist against the hull of the massive ship several times. No response came back, other than the rhythmic hammering of tools and a vague, murmuring, sea shanty. The words of the faint song were so low and dull, it was impossible to understand them, but the meaning and intent were clear.

Work. Work until the job is done.

Without any answer, there was only one option left to me. Muttering the whole while beneath my breath, I crouched down and with a quick leap, landed on the ship’s deck. There, I spotted a few bedraggled workers, hammering and sawing in various places. None of them spared me more than half a glance before turning back to their tasks, glassy eyed, and humming to themselves.

If I didn’t know better, I’d have had to assume they’d been cursed.

But I left them to their duties as I made my way to the lower decks. I wouldn’t be the best person to help them anyway, and the nearest therapist would be hundreds of miles away. It would be best if I addressed the source of the issue, rather than the symptoms.

“Freya!” I stomped into room after room, searching for the lithe form of my mixed-breed lover, but all I found were stockpiles of supplies, the shattered remains of various devices and gadgets, and more dead eyed workers.

It had been a while since I’d seen the red-headed beauty, but there was no chance I wouldn’t know her at a glance-

“There you are!” I finally found her in the main storage area of the ship, hunched over her rune smithing anvil, which had been carefully set atop a large, wrought iron desk. “Freya, what’s going on here?”

“No- It’s not finished!” She spun around, her eyes wide and full of life as she waved at the walls around us, which had been adorned with so many different rune smith devices that I couldn’t even guess at a number of their uses. “Master, you shouldn’t be here! Smith! Smith said he’d keep my secret, but he-”

“Now wait a minute.” I darted forward and plucked the small hammer from her grasp before pulling her into my arms. “Freya, listen to my voice. Just calm down and speak to me.”

“Wha- Master?” Freya blinked blearily as she looked up into my eyes. “I- Wait, where am I? What’s-”

Before she even finish her question, the cute mixed-breed’s head drooped against my chest as she fell asleep on her feet, secure and comfortable in my arms.

“What the hell?!” I muttered as I looked down at the peaceful girl in my grasp. “What am I going to do with you, huh?”

Chapter Twenty-One

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 20

I  contacted one of the overseers to ensure the members of Freya’s little crew were given time to rest and recuperate before I carried their leader off to my room.

A few pirates gave me odd looks as I princess-carried the unconscious runesmith from the dry dock back to my office, but none were stupid enough to get in my way when they saw the irritable look on my face. Even Smith took the opportunity to make himself scarce the moment he saw me stomping towards his post.

Jean had woken from her stupor by the time I made it back to the room, though she hadn’t yet managed to get herself dressed. I found her sat on the edge of the bed, sharing a friendly conversation with Kaede, who—by way of comparison—was already fully clothed and ready for action.

Well, not the type of action she’d most recently taken an impressively active part in, but it wasn’t like I had time to think about that right now.

“Hey, Wes- Wait, is that?” Jean pushed herself up from the bed to look “What the hell did ya do to her? She’s out like a light!”

“She’ll be fine.” I waved Jean away as I lowered Freya gently onto the bed. Thankfully, the two of them had changed the sheets after our sweaty, lust filled night, so Freya was able to recover in a clean, warm, and cozy environment.

“Jean, do you have any of those energy potions? If we feed her some little by little, that might help her recover.”

“Of course!” Jean spun on her heel and prepared to rush over to her cabin.

I barred her path with an arm and grab her around the waist before she could kick the door open.

“Wha-”

“Clothes?” I pointedly glanced down at her curvy, seductive and, most importantly, naked form.

“Oh, yeah,” she muttered, a rosy blush coloring her cheeks as she looked around the room for her discarded clothing from the night before. “I don’t have anything-”

“Here.” Kaede opened the cupboard and pulled out a simple yet cute looking costume made of tight-fitting leather inlaid with mail and steel plate along the chest and hips. “This should fit. We had to guess at some of your measurements.”

“Uh, what? When did ya-” Jean shook her head and quickly accepted the outfit with one of the most genuine smiles I’d seen on her face—at least when she wasn’t on her back.

“Thanks. I thought ya hated me.”

“Not really. Well… not entirely.” Kaede shrugged as she lowered herself gently onto the bed beside Freya. “The others talked me into giving you a chance. Seems they were right, as usual.”

Jean merely nodded in response as she tightened the buckles of the tight-fitting outfit. It really did accentuate her figure and, unlike her former messy collection of armor pieces and loose clothing, didn’t seem like it had been cobbled together off a scrap heap.

Her huge battle axe didn’t quite match her new look, but the shocking contrast between her oversized weapon and the professional, understated outfit gave her a peculiarly cute look to my eyes. Not a term I’d have expected to use when describing the loud, brash, and unruly Pirate Lord.

She left the room shortly after to fetch the vitality mixtures she kept in her quarters. I knew she’d probably get waylaid on the way by subordinates taking advantage of a target of opportunity—most likely to resolve some personnel issues that had cropped up while we’d been gone—but Freya wasn’t in any danger and Jean wouldn’t be missed for a while.

Although using a vitality potion on her was most likely wasteful, if it eased her recovery at all, I didn’t give a flying fuck what anyone else might say about my decision.

“I think Dew will be down soon.” Kaede smiled and looked up as she gently stroked Freya’s hair. “Jean mentioned that they’ve started bringing down the Elven Navy prisoners. A few started spilling everything they knew, before anyone had a chance to ask them any specific questions.”

“Good.” I nodded with a grim smile as I remembered the cowardly officers and how poorly they had treated their recruits. “We know the basics, but some of them might be able to fill in the blanks.”

“That was your plan, wasn’t it?” Kaede frowned as she returned her gaze to Freya’s calm and composed face as she slept. “I didn’t notice, but this is why you behaved the way you did on the journey back, isn’t it? To make them act like this?”

“Partly.” I chuckled and looked at the pair on the bed. The sight of the two of them, so calm and quiet together warmed my heart, despite what we were discussing. “It was a risk, but I figured some of them would crack. I’d told the Seventh Fleet officers what information I needed, and a long wait at the top of a cliff seemed like it would be more than enough to get their imaginations flowing.”

“Ha! I was over thinking it, I guess.”

I didn’t answer Kaede’s unasked question as I stood up and moved back into my office. Freya would be fine with some rest; she would be safe with Kaede, one of my most trusted companions.

While they recovered, I needed to prepare for our upcoming voyage.

“Hey there pretty boy, long time no see!” The door slammed open, revealing a grinning Dew, framed by the dim light outside my office. “What’s up with that face? I thought you’d be happy, given the circumstances!”

“Keep your voice down a bit, Freya’s sleeping.” I pointed at the closed bedroom door with my thumb as I pulled a sheet of paper from the ‘in’ box on my desk. “It’s good to see you, though. How did everything go up top?”

“Oh, they’re singing like canaries in a mine. One of the officers even told me the exact location of this cave of yours in the Sendrin Desert.” Though she’d lowered the volume of her voice, Dew’s tone retained its usually perkiness as she slumped in the chair opposite mine. “On top of that, I’m told your new ship is nearly ready?”

I looked up, confused for a moment. “My new- Oh.” I figured out what she meant.

The vessel Freya had been working on. The project she’d refused to leave to anyone else.

My new ship.

Our new home.

“Yeah, that old idiot wouldn’t let me see it, though.” Dew’s expression soured as she glanced back out my still open office door. It didn’t take much thought to realize she was talking about Smith, especially considering the promise he’d given Freya to keep her little ‘surprise’ a secret.

Still, Dew had known about it. She’d probably managed to overhear some rumors on her way to the office.

“We can go check it out once Freya has recovered.” I raised my hand, stopping Dew as she was preparing to push herself up. “Kaede’s with her, and Jean’s fetching her a vitality potion. She’ll be fine.”

“Well, I could whip up something better than that.” Dew muttered as her hand dipped into the satchel at her side. “Just give me a few minutes and I’ll mix something together.”

“Save your herbs. We might need them.” I pulled out a large, rolled up map and spread it out atop the desk. “We have a bit of a journey ahead of us.”

“Oh, great.” Dew muttered angrily as she looked at the destination I’d marked on the map. “Why us?”

“Why anyone else?” Jean answered Dew’s question as she strolled back into my office with several large vials of murky liquid in her hands. “I didn’t take ya for a coward, Dew. Interesting.”

Dew ignored Jean’s obvious attempt to bait her as she studied the chart, adding her own notes for the cavern system we’d be infiltrating once we’d crossed the Lanoi Sea to the Sendrin Desert.

Jean shrugged and walked past the desk and into the bedroom.

“I’ve told the others that I’ll be busy for a while.” She looked back in our direction and gave me a sultry wink. “I’ll let ya know when Freya wakes.”

She closed the door with a final, ringing click as she locked it behind herself.

“Is she coming with us?” Dew looked up at me, one eyebrow arched high. “Doesn’t she have things to do here? She is a Pirate Lord, right?”

“So am I, in case you forgot?” I chuckled as I looked over the marks Dew had laid across the map. “If she wants to come, I won’t say no.”

“Damn right you won’t,” Dew giggled as she reached across the table and poked me in the chest. “I’m not an idiot. How was she?”

“She was fine.” I glanced up at Dew, once more caught off guard by how open Dew was about our complicated relationship. I shook my head as I lowered myself back into the chair. “More than fine, actually. She’s getting on well with Kaede.”

“Good for them.” Dew darted around the table and slipped into my lap. “Looks like we’re going on another adventure. When are we heading out?”

“Tomorrow, probably.” I leaned around the wood elf to give the map another look as Dew wiggled suggestively in my lap, innocently acting as if she wasn’t acutely aware of what she was doing—or more to the point, what it was doing to me.

“But before that, I have something to say to you.” I lifted Dew from my lap, turned her around and laid her back across the table.

She followed me with her eyes, confused but definitely aroused, as I crossed over to the front door of my office and locked it.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” I grinned as I sauntered back to her, already working at my belt. “We set sail tomorrow, but I’m sure you’ll love the cruise you get today!”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 21

F reya didn’t wake until the following morning.

Kaede and Jean spent the night in the bedroom alongside the fatigued elf, keeping a watchful eye on her just in case something unexpected happened. Dew and I joined them after our long and tender reunion session drew to a close in the office.

It wasn’t easy, all five of us crowded into the same space, but I let the girls sleep together on the bed while I took a nap in the large, comfortable chair in my office. As the dull rays of the dawning sun filtered in through the hidden entrance far above, we finally stepped out of my office together, each of us ready for the adventure ahead.

“Other than the Seventh Fleet squad who will be coming with us, who else is coming along for the ride? What about an actual crew?” Dew strolled along beside me with a casual smirk as she looked at the various pirates and workers who moved aside when they spotted us approaching. “Not that I doubt their capabilities, but I think we’ll need a few more bodies to run your new ship-”

“Hey!” I heard Freya hiss from the side as she rushed up to Dew. “I’ve sorted that. Just be patient and quiet!”

Freya admonishing her longtime friend wasn’t a common occurrence, but I could guess why she was so annoyed. Though she’d spent an inordinate amount of time preparing the new ship for our return, I’d accidentally ruined the ‘surprise’ when I came to check on her.

She thanked me for rescuing her from herself, of course, but the fact remained she wanted to reveal it to me on her own terms. Fortunately, she still had a chance to show off the results of her hard work.

My short foray into our new home had been brief—to the point that I barely remembered anything about it, as concerned as I’d been at the time about Freya and what she was doing to her helpers. That included my pointedly ignoring all the highly advanced devices and gadgets she’d prepared during our absence.

“Hey! Wait!” Smith waved off a small crowd of workers and rushed to our side with a worried frown as he glanced in Jean’s direction before turning his gaze to me. “I heard you’re setting off again, don’t tell me that you’re planning to-”

“Smith, ya gotta step up and take over while we’re gone.” Jean stepped forward and slapped a heavy hand on the worried elf’s shoulder. “We’ve got something important to see to, ya know?”

“Jean, don’t do this to me!” Smith grabbed her hand with both of his and stared at her pleadingly. “You know I don’t want to be a-”

“Well, want to or not, you are a Pirate Lord; now ya have ta act like one.” Jean’s expression turned serious as she tightened her grip in the old rune smith’s hands. “Ya have the skills and the know-how, ya just need to hold down the fort. Can ya do that?”

“Franklin will be around if you need him, and Lira is still overseeing the housing and supply side of things,” I injected soothingly, motioning toward the home of the Seventh Fleet’s former leader and part-time Pirate Lord. “Just keep things ticking over, finish off the path up the cliff, and start sending out hunting and foraging squads. Other than watching over the ship repairs, there isn’t much else you’ll need to do. Easy, right?”

“I- Fine. I owe you one anyway, I guess.” The unwilling ‘Pirate Lord’ Smith waved in my direction, though he kept muttering to himself under his breath angrily. He turned back and looked up to where his workers must be; it seemed they had finally reached the last series of switchbacks in their cliff tunnel project. “

Just a few more days, that’s all,” he grumbled. “How bad could it be? I’m patient. I really am-”

Jean waved at us to hurry along behind her as she stepped quickly toward the base’s dry docks. Though Smith might not have noticed the major flaw in her reasoning at a glance, we all knew it wouldn’t be long before the old fool would be out for blood.

After all, he was being left to look after the pirate fleets alone with the logic that a Pirate Lord should be able to do that. The reason he had to take over all of that work, though, was because the other two Pirate Lords were skipping out of the base together. Even if he had a former Pirate Lord and one of the most respected pirate captains turned officers at his back, it wouldn’t be easy keeping everything on track.

“Here it is, master!” Freya darted ahead as we entered the shipyard proper. Her smile widened as she rushed toward the ship she’d created, along with her workers while we’d been exploring Monster Isle. “

This is your new ship, master! What do you think?” She looked back, a hesitant smile on her face. She was clearly worried I’d dislike the vessel she’d designed and built just for me, but I couldn’t find the words to describe it as I looked it over properly for the first time.

Though it wasn’t the most overstated design I’d ever seen, the sheer size of the ship as it rolled gently just beyond the surf caught me off guard. Not a dreadnought by any means, I wouldn’t classify the boat before me as a battleship, either.

It seemed to fit neatly between those two categories.

The odd thing was that I could see no cannon ports anywhere along its extended, smooth hull. Normally, a covered opening was easy to spot on close inspection, but I couldn’t even identify a seam, never mind any points for our weapons to poke out into the open.

Another peculiar thing was the mast, or more particularly, masts. There were three in total, and their setup wasn’t standard by any stretch of the term, specifically the size of each canvas. Though not tiny, they seemed a bit undersized for the vessel, and the arrangement of their rigging didn’t look to be organized or controlled in any way that I could recognize. I had to trust that Freya had designed it that way purposefully.

There had to be some method to the madness.

Ignoring the odd design, someone had organized a team of painters to cover its smooth hull with a layer of faint, gray dye.

Overall, the ship looked deadly, if decidedly odd.

“It’s… interesting?” I turned to Freya, who didn’t look perturbed by my lukewarm response. Instead, she seemed rather thrilled that I hadn’t reacted even less enthusiastically as she grabbed a rope ladder hanging down the side of the ship.

“Come on, I’ll show you the command deck!” She scurried up the ladder easily, likely due to her life in the Waskis woods before we met, along with the advancement of her combat skills since then. Kaede used the ladder as well, forgoing her runesmith boots for a more mundane method of reaching the deck of our new ship.

“Go on, then.” Dew nudged me forward and winked in Jean’s direction. “I think Freya might go insane if she has to wait another minute to show off her hard work. Don’t keep her waiting!”

I chuckled before I used the rope ladder to zip up to the deck in a few smooth movements. It looked the same as my previous visit, sans the dazed and glassy eyed workers, but another chance to examine the deck itself revealed a host of details I’d ignored the first time around.

The complicated mast and rigging setup still seemed rather messy, but it all came down to a few adjustment stations. A single crew member would be able to make rapid adjustments to each of the sails without having to travel far, as long as they understood how the system itself worked.

But Freya’s attention wasn’t on something that simple. Instead, she was motioning for me to cross to a large, glass fronted structure at the rear of the ship.

A commander’s office, from what I could tell.

“Here, master!” Freya got bored waiting for me. She jumped forward and dragged me into the wide-open room by the arm. “Chart table, space for meetings, full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree vision, and best of all-”

Freya slammed her fist against the glass, hard. For a split second, I was worried the sheet might shatter and slice her hand, but it held up against the force of her blow without any issue. Never mind not breaking apart, I couldn’t see any damage on the window from her strike.

And I knew how much strength ran through Freya’s beautifully, slender arms.

“Not saying it could withstand a runesmith cannonball, but arrows or swords won’t do much to it.” She turned to me with a wide grin as she motioned at the rest of the windows. “We gave the hull the same treatment: impact resistance, fireproof and, as an added bonus, easy to clean.”

“So that’s what the gray coating is, then?” I looked at the deck, which had been painted a slightly lighter hue than the hull. “It’s tough, but what about speed?”

“I’m glad you asked, master!” Freya rushed past me like an excited schoolgirl. She sprinted to the front edge of the command room and picked up a large hand bell from the desk under the window. “If you could do the honors?”

“Sure, I can do that.” I smiled and took the proffered bell. A single swing sent a low, sonorous chime ringing across the deck. The sound seemed to reverberate through my body directly, as though it didn’t need to travel via my ears to be heard. It was an odd feeling, but the efficacy of the strange bell showed its utility as several groups of workers rushed up onto the deck a moment later.

“Are those-” I set the bell down carefully as I looked out across the perfectly arranged crew members before me. “Freya, what’s this?”

“As you’ve guessed, these are the ones who helped me build your new ship, master!” Freya waved a hand at the professional looking crew, who bowed their heads in unison at her gesture. “These are our crew, and they are ready to serve as you see fit!”

“Damn.” I carefully surveyed the worker’s faces but couldn’t see any signs of the fatigue or glazed expressions they’d shown the day before. “And what the hell did you do to get them like this?”

“Oh, nothing special, master.” Freya’s calm smile belied her words as she spoke with a happy tone. “I just told them about everything you’d done; they jumped at the chance to serve. That’s all it takes, you know?”

“So, you brainwashed them?” Jean’s attempt at cracking a joke was met with a cold, angry glare from the one who’d ‘persuaded’ her workers to crew the vessel they’d almost died to create.

“Are we ready to set off then?” I interrupted the muffled argument that had started up behind me as I turned to face Freya once more.

“Of course, master!” Freya flicked her fingers at the workers, who quickly jumped to attention as they rushed to their posts across or under the deck. “We just need to pick up your soldiers, and then we can begin our journey!”

“Finally,” Dew grumbled as she dropped into one of the chairs around the central desk. “I can’t wait to leave this dump behind!”

As the others all started to talk amongst themselves, I looked out across the deck of my new ship. The Seventh Fleet officers were likely already on their way over. Once they were onboard, we’d be once more be setting out upon the seas. Though I didn’t want to openly talk shit about the base we were setting up, a single day in the office had made my thoughts on the matter crystal clear.

Between a stuffy, safe, dull office and the dangerous, wild, and uncaring seas, my choice was obvious.

At least the seas weren’t boring.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lanoi Sea / Command Office aboard Master of the Seas - Advanced Pirate Warship - Day 21

A fter the Seventh Fleet squad had loaded up, we left the base without any further fanfare. Many pirates turned to stare at my odd ship as it drifted out into the open seas, but none of them knew who owned the peculiar vessel just yet. That was probably for the best, as the fact that—not just one, but two of—their Pirate Lords were sneaking off on another adventure while they were being left behind to finish building our new lair might unravel a few frayed tempers.

There were other pirate scouting vessels that had left to keep an eye on things in the Lanoi sea, so it wasn’t like we were alone out on the water. Though I had to admit that running across one of them was unlikely, unless something unexpected occurred.

“Remember our first trip after we left Keria?” I leaned against the desk of the commander’s office as I looked out across the deck to the choppy waters of the Lanoi Sea. “We had to loop and backtrack so much, it took a ridiculous amount of time to cross this strip of water.” I flicked a hand at the map. “Lira really is a master of the seas, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. She is.” Kaede smiled as she recalled the woman who’d helped us escape Keria and brought us to join the pirate fleets in the first place.

“Why didn’t she want to come along for this journey, by the way?” Dew wondered. “I’m sure she hates being cooped up just as much as we all do.”

“Lira told me she wanted to keep an eye on things while we were away.” Freya glanced up from her appointed rune smithing table at the back of the room. “We spoke a lot while you were outside the base. Apparently, the life of a Pirate Lord’s officer and administrator suits her.”

“Ha! No way I’m believing that.” I snorted as I turned my attention back to the charts laid out on the central desk. “Knowing her, she’s probably sticking around to ensure Smith doesn’t go off the rails.”

The ladies giggled before turning back to their own conversations. Our journey wouldn’t take nearly as long as our first crossing from Keria to The Ridge, but it was a trip fraught with peril.

Freya’s ship design made it difficult for anyone to spot us. Even though our vessel, named Master of the Seas by a four to one vote, was larger than most, its relatively sleek hull and the oddly hazy paint job would make it tough to see even on a clear day.

And we’d set off at the tail end of a large, brooding storm.

“How about we test out some of the things that make this an ‘advanced’ warship, shall we?” I chuckled to myself as I pulled out a schematic of the Master of the Seas and rolled it out on top of the sea charts before turning to Freya with a bow. I motioned for her to come forward. “What do you suggest first? Ladies’ choice.”

“We tested them before- I mean, I’m sure they’ll work-” Freya’s cheeks burned a little as she stepped up beside the desk to take another look at the design she’d penned not that long ago. “If we’re starting with the basics, then maybe the Weaponized Execution System.”

“Oh!” Dew’s grin widened as she watched her friend’s face redden even further. “The WES, you mean? Nice naming sense.”

I decided to let the very specifically chosen acronym slide as I looked over a short description of its usage.

Basically, the system permitted the hull to remain in place up until we needed to take a shot with the runesmith cannons loaded on the lower decks. At the moment their payloads were loosed, external shielding panels would shift aside and allow the cannonballs free reign to fly out to their targets before those same panels slammed back in place a moment later.

Offensive cannons without the usual weak spots on the side of the ship? An amazing idea, in principle, as long as the WES itself didn’t fail.

“What about this one?” Kaede stepped forward and tapped one of the other devices. “That sounds interesting.”

“Oh, yeah. I think ya picked a good one.” Jean kept her expression cool and professional as she slowly read out the gadget’s name. “The Motorized Accelerated Spin Traversal Engine Regulator.”

“Yeah, the MASTER.” Kaede tried to keep her cool, but she wasn’t as good at hiding her emotions as Jean. The corners of her mouth twitched as she turned to Freya, who had buried her red-hot face into her hands. “And what does that one do, exactly.”

“It- Uh- It allows the ship to move and turn without relying on the wind or the waves.” Freya’s voice was muffled as she spoke through her hands. “It’s just a prototype so- It doesn’t last- That long-”

“Okay, that’s enough.” I stepped between the cowering girl and the other three, cutting their jokes off with a wave of my hand. The three women had the decency to look properly chastised as I handed each of them a copy of the ship’s schematics. “We’ll try those two out. Dew, Kaede, go and check the inner bonds for the… WES. Jean, you go and check the MASTER, make sure it’s ready for a trial run.”

Dew, Kaede, and Jean nodded before turning to leave the office. Once they’d walked out onto the deck I turned back to Freya, who had yet to show her burning face to the world as she sank lower and lower into a chair across the central chart desk from me.

“Did you really get all of this done while we were out exploring Monster Isle?” I dropped down into the chair beside her and kicked my feet up onto the desktop. “Seriously, that’s amazing work. If we could get this stuff working for the rest of the ships, our fleets would be unstoppable.”

“It isn’t that easy.” Freya glanced up at me with a guilty look in her eye. “The parts are actually rare. Smith didn’t have many to start with, and now he has hardly any at all.”

“Wow. How did you get him to agree to lend you that much- Oh.” I barked out a loud, bellow of a laugh as I realized what Freya had done to her so-called teacher’s carefully collected pool of resources. “I guess that’s why you wanted to leave so quickly, right?”

Freya nodded slowly, a small smile peeking into view once more as she some. Though the others knew exactly how to press her buttons, I trusted Freya’s work, along with those she’d selected to crew this ship—despite their odd idol worship of the one who’d forced them to work until she’d literally fallen asleep on her feet.

We talked about her time designing and crafting the Master of the Seas as the others learned the basics of each device. The WES worked using some internal switches linked to each cannon, so Kaede and Dew would need to check over each of those, to make sure they were calibrated correctly. Not hard to do, but the number of runesmith cannon on the ship dwarfed those on even the most dangerous dreadnoughts I’d heard of.

As far as the MASTER system went, Jean would have a harder time making sure it was ready to function as desired. Three crewmen were assigned to the device around the clock to ensure it was operating at maximum efficiency, even when not activated. She’d have to get a full report from the engineers before she came back up to the command deck.

Even Freya thought those three were a bit too ‘involved’, as she called them. Not a great sign, though she credited their drive and dedication as the main factors behind the MASTER system being finished at all.

“Done!” Dew stomped back into the room with an angry glare as she tossed the schematics for the Master of the Seas back onto the desk. “Those things might look nice, but they’re really awkward if you have to check and alter the settings.”

“I thought they weren’t too bad.” Kaede gently laid her copy of the plans down on the desk before seating herself calmly beside Dew. “It’s not Freya’s fault you thought you’d finish your side faster than me.”

Dew grumbled to herself angrily as she avoided Kaede’s smirk. The pair turning my request to check the WES into a competition wasn’t exactly a surprise, nor was Dew’s response to losing. She’d always been one of the most competitive of my girls, both in and out of the bedroom.

“By the gods!” Jean walked in a moment later, brushing a healthy covering of soot from her fingers as she tossed the schematics I’d given her onto the desk. “Do those idiots not know when to shut up? I feel like ya chose them just to wind me up!”

I watched with a smirk as Dew, Kaede, and Jean complained incessantly about their appointed tasks. Though they were clearly overexaggerating their annoyance, I still felt it had been a fair request, asking them to check over the systems. Ultimately, it was karma for their many jokes at Freya’s expense.

“So, we’re ready?” I pushed myself up from my chair and moved to the front of the desk in the commander’s office overlooking the ship. “Let’s start with the-”

“Sir! Ship to the starboard side!” One of the crewmember’s yells rang down from the crow’s nest he pointed off into the distance. “It’s one of ours, and it doesn’t look good!”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Lanoi Sea / Command Office aboard Master of the Seas - Advanced Pirate Warship - Day 21

W e closed in on the vessel spotted in the distance, but what we found as we closed in made it tricky to decide how to approach the situation.

A single pirate scout was trying to outrun two Elven Navy vessels. The larger ships were faster than the Pirates, but their maneuverability was far outstripped by the nippy little boat they were trying to lock down. Even so, it was clear the pair had landed some good hits on their prey from the damage visible to its port side hull.

“This could be tricky.” I scratched my chin as I surveyed the battle taking place in the distance.

If we closed in, the Navy ships would try to escape. They could split up, meaning we’d have to pick one to chase down while the other escaped our clutches. And they would report what had happened.

The chances the Elven council might figure something out from that information were too high to be worth the risk.

On the other hand, though, we couldn’t just ignore the situation. Eventually the Elven Navy vessels would run down the pirate ship, and then they’d bring the survivors back to Keria for interrogation. No scouts had been captured recently, thanks to the wily captains in charge, but that lucky streak was about to be broken before my eyes.

“How do they have enough vessels to send out a pair to hunt down scouts?” Jean slammed her fist into the desk, glaring at the cat and mouse chase playing out in the distance. “This is ridiculous. Ya have to do something!”

“I know, just calm down and let me think.” I turned to Freya, whose gaze hadn’t left the Elven Navy vessels as they tried to pin down their target. “Freya, what are our chances of taking both Navy ships down if we use the WES and the MASTER?”

“Both at once?” She blinked, considering my question for a moment before she looked at me with a predatory grin splashed across her face. “One hundred percent.”

“… What?” Jean, likely the most experienced out of the women when it came to ship to ship battles, fixed Freya with a glare. “How can ya be so sure, girly?”

“If she says it is so, then I trust her.” I ignored Jean’s curt query as I made my way to the controls at the front of the Command Office. “Let’s get in there then.”

I rang the bell, giving the order to activate the MASTER and bring up full sail. The wind was at our rear, adding even more speed to our approach as we almost skimmed across the waves toward the rapidly deteriorating battle.

The deck beneath our feet jolted as Freya’s devices purred to life. The MASTER added additional speed above and beyond what the wind and the waves gave us, sending the ship skipping across the Lanoi sea like a rock flashing across the surface of a pond.

“Freya, you know the timing.” I passed her the bell to order our first assault on the Navy vessels. “Get ready. We’re coming in hot!”

Both our targets had noted our approach, but their ungainly craft didn’t permit them to react quick enough to avoid our charge. The Master of the Sea shot toward the pair like a bolt of lightning, sliding between their hulls as we slipped past.

“Now!” Freya flicked her bell with all the strength she could muster, sending the signal to the cannons below decks.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Our ship shuddered as every rune smith cannon on both the aft and starboard sides cut loose at once. The barrage of explosive ordinance shattered the enemy’s hulls, two shots smashing into one Navy ship, cracking its hull below the water line, while the other sustained enough hits to send it spinning through the waters.

“Come about!” I shouted, giving the signal for a tight turn with my yell.

The Master of the Sea heeled sharply to starboard and used its remaining forward momentum to turn around in a tight arc. It should have been difficult to bring the cannon to bear again on our target, tacking into the wind, but the MASTER system compensated for our speed, allowing us to get around the surviving Elven Navy vessel before it had recovered from the stunning blows it had taken moments ago.

“Prepare to fire again!” I yelled, pointing at the limping ship in the distance. “Take them- Stop!”

I caught Freya’s hand as she prepared to signal the final assault. She looked up at me in confusion as I quickly muffled the bell and signaled a full stop to the crew of the Master of the Sea.

“What the… Why?!” Jean shook her head, the shock from our rapid maneuvering falling away as she stalked up beside me. “Ya can’t just let ‘em get away!”

“I know that ship.” I stared at the Elven navy vessel as it wallowed forward in the choppy waters of the Lanoi sea. “Keep the cannon ready. We need to get closer for a better look.”

The others in the room were on edge as we drifted closer and closer to the stricken Navy vessel. Most of the boats in the navy were similar in design and look, but the more enterprising captains personalized their vessels. Some were altered for logical reasons but others, like the one before us, were changed on a whim.

“Do you see that design stenciled on the side?” I narrowed my eyes as I stared at our target’s hull. The pirate scout had moved in to flank the ship but, seeing that we’d stopped our assault, the captain in question decided to hold off launching any further attacks of their own.

“What about it?” Dew gave the flowing image of a fish riding a flash of lightning a closer inspection before she turned to me. “The captain would have to be a complete moron to do something like that, right?”

“Oh, don’t I know it.” I chuckled as I laid down the signal bells one final time. “Come on, let’s go and negotiate.”

The others followed me out onto the deck as I moved toward the bow. The crew watched nervously as the Navy ship rocked and swayed in front of us. We were well within the effective range of their cannon.

I had to trust that my old friend wouldn’t do anything stupid.

“Hey! I know you’re there, you moron!” I called out to the enemy ship as I leaned over the Master of the Sea’s railing. “Show your ugly mug, you prick!”

“That’s a horrible way to greet an old friend, don’t you think?” An old, grizzled face poked up above the edge of the Navy ship’s rail. “Seriously? You don’t expect me to add this shit to your tab, do you?”

“Is that- No, how is that even possible?” Kaede muttered to herself as she unconsciously took a step back. “Did he chase me all this way-”

“Calm down, Taerk isn’t that bad.” I grinned as I remembered why Kaede might be concerned. After all, the last time we’d seen the elf was back in Keria when he’d been running his bar in the Lower District.

Kaede’s almost successful effort to infiltrate his business and steal from his guests had probably annoyed my old friend immensely. Then again, he probably found the whole situation as amusing as it was irritating; she was likely in the clear.

“I see you keep good company still. Mighty fine line up you got there, kid!” Taerk waved at his crew as he spoke to me, probably signaling for them to calm down as he negotiated with the ‘enemy commander’ of the pirate vessel. “Look, we want to surrender. Quite a few of us, in fact. You up for that, or were you planning to blow us out of the water with that fancy looking ship of yours?”

“Surrender? What sort of Elven Navy captain would surrender willingly to a pirate vessel?” Jean stared at Taerk’s face angrily. “This is a trap; it has to be. There’s no way-”

“We accept. How many?” I ignored Jean’s muffled curses as I accepted Taerk’s offer. The other Pirate Lord glared at me but didn’t outright object to my decision, though we both knew I’d have to explain the whole thing to her—sooner rather than later.

“Oh, I’d say those who didn’t want to have been dealt with by now.” Taerk’s wicked grin lit up his face as he turned back to the crew aboard his ship. “Ain’t that right, boys and girls?”

“Yeaaaahh!” The loud shout echoed across the water as the crew behind Taerk pushed several of their comrades up against the railing of the Elven navy vessel.

“So, what do you think?” Taerk patted the head of the gagged, shivering officer beside him. “Be this enough to buy our way into your little crew?”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lanoi Sea / Command Office aboard Master of the Seas - Advanced Pirate Warship - Day 21

E veryone aboard the Elven Navy vessel, minus those who’d been bound and gagged, surrendered to our crew. Numerically, they still held the advantage but, after seeing how powerful the Master of the Seas was in combat, there was no way the few naysayers could postpone the inevitable.

Taerk was the first to cross over from the Elven navy battleship to our vessel.

“Pretty cozy.” He looked over the deck, giving our crew a short, friendly nod and a wave before he turned to me as he motioned back at the ship he’d been captaining not so long ago. “Seriously, those bastards forced me out of retirement and then they tossed that pile of shit my way? What a joke.”

“Retirement?” Jean’s sharp gaze had fixed on the former Elven Navy captain from the moment he’d appeared. She didn’t seem to want to blink as she watched the grizzled elf stride over to our group, as though she was expecting him to launch a surprise assault on us at any moment. “I’ve heard of ya. There’s no way the ‘Hero of the Lanoi Sea’ would turn his back on the Elven Navy. What are ya planning? What’s yer scheme?”

“Seems like your friend doesn’t like me, Wes.” Taerk winced as Jean’s glare turned icy and grim. “Look, Wes can explain things. Can you stop staring at me like that? I’m getting goosebumps, and not the good kind, either.”

I watched as the pair squared off before me; one cold and defensive, the other fractious and evasive. As much as I trusted Taerk, the fact he’d been drafted back into the Elven Navy indicated that the situation had gotten worse than I’d expected.

Why else would the Elven council drag back a disgraced former Vice Admiral?

“Taerk, my friend, you have some explaining to do.” I sighed as I stepped between Jean and my friend. “Are they really scraping the bottom of the barrel? What’s going on?”

“Not just scraping at the bottom, they’ve dug through it, near as I can tell.” Taerk spat the self-mocking insult without a care as he looked back at his crew aboard the Elven navy ship. “Most of them are good folk, but the council is bound and determined to put an end to the ‘terrorist traitor Weslilian Yannisa’. Can you believe that? They tried to get us to believe that you brought that Grand Zekier into Keria and set it loose to cover your escape.”

“Well, about that…” I winced and scratched my cheek awkwardly as Taerk glanced at me in confusion. “They brought it in to show off their power, and then we kinda… let it out.”

“You know what? That actually makes sense.” Taerk grunted and then shrugged, as though the fact I’d loosed a behemoth onto the city was less important than the sea breeze. “Serves them right, I guess. Play with fire and you’re gonna get your ass burned sooner or later.”

Taerk taking the revelation that half of the Elven Council’s propaganda was true on the chin wasn’t that surprising, given his personality. I’m sure responses would differ if it were any other high-ranking officer in the Elven Navy. The truth was, we’d caused major devastation throughout Keria.

We’d been forced into it by the council and Olea, my not-so-dearly departed Aunt and Elven Navy admiral, but that wouldn’t matter to most elves. Thankfully, Taerk was different. He seen the truth behind the curtain, especially after he’d been stabbed in the back and betrayed by his commanding officers back when he still served.

He’d been one of the voices advising me not to go on the patrol arranged by Olea aboard the Orilious, though I doubted very much that he—or anyone else, really—could have foreseen the final outcome of that voyage for me, Keria, or the Elven council itself.

“What about my father?” I pulled myself back to the present as I tossed aside memories of the past. “Have you seen him? Is he still serving on the council?”

“Technically, yes, but no one believes in technicalities.” Taerk’s grin faded a little as he shifted closer to me and planted a large, meaty palm on my shoulder. “Basically, he’s under house arrest. After little Ari went missing, they seized on the opportunity to take him out of the picture.”

“I thought so.” Despite my anger, I couldn’t help but feel relieved at the news. At least he was still alive.

Things could always be worse, after all.

“One more thing, Wes.” Taerk frowned as he looked off in the direction of the Elven nations’ home continent. “If you’re heading to the Sendrin, watch out. I’ve heard rumors that the council is intruding into their land, and you know how kindly the desert dwellers take to that. No blood in the sand yet, but it won’t be long from what I have heard.”

“Great.” I sighed angrily as I considering the implications of his warning.

The council had already made moves against the elves living in the Sendrin desert, before I’d even got back to Keria. Their anger at our attempt just to cross the desert had been clear evidence of that. Not like I was about to ignore the bizarre attack from the sand whale in the Iklit corridor.

No. Something was wrong, and I’d bet my bow that it was related to Gran’s mate, the other emperor behemoth secretly being kept under the Sendrin desert by the council’s lackeys.

“So, what now?” Taerk glanced back at his ship, and the crew standing awkwardly aboard its deck as it rocked back and forth on the choppy waters of the Lanoi sea. “Most of them see through the bullshit, Wes. If you’ll have us, then I’m sure they’ll make it up to you.”

“If you trust them, so do I.” I felt Jean’s glare burning a hole into the back of my skull, but I ignored her unspoken criticism of my decision as I gestured toward the slowly sinking Elven navy ship across from us. “What about the other ship? They think the same as you?”

“Some yes, some no. I’ll filter them out for you.” Taerk turned away and started to make his way back to the edge of the Master of the Seas’ deck. “Any that are dead set against it can spend some time in the brig while they consider their life’s choices. Want to take us back to your secret base, Wes?”

“No, we have something to check out in the Sendrin, first. Don’t worry, we’ll be back before too long.” I chuckled to myself as my friend hopped back up onto his ship from the edge of our vessel. “Don’t get lost, you moron! You still owe me a drink!”

“You want it? Come and get it!” Taerk waved back at me as his ship started to drift toward its stricken comrade. “Don’t die! I’ve got good money riding on you making it out of this in one piece!”

I didn’t bother to respond to Taerk’s obvious bait as I turned back to the others who had quietly, if impatiently, watched our exchange. Kaede waited for my response, though she did keep glancing awkwardly at the departing Elven Navy vessel. Dew and Jean, on the other hand, didn’t have the same level of composure as their friend.

“Seriously? Why did ya let him go so easy?” Jean huffed angrily as she stared into my eyes. “Do ya know how dangerous he is? That elf-”

“You said it yourself, he’s the ‘Hero of the Lanoi Sea’.” I interrupted before Jean could finish her angry complaints and shook my head, amused. “Imagine what a coup it would be, getting that sort on our side? It’s a big win for us, Jean.”

“We met him before. He seemed alright to me.” Dew interjected smoothly, as though we were discussing something as inconsequential as the weather. She grinned wickedly as she motioned toward a concerned looked Kaede beside her. “He could have turned on us when missy here infiltrated his inn and attacked his guests, but he held back.”

“Hey, I apologized for that-”

“It’s fine, Kaede.” I quieted the high elf maiden before she could get worked up again. Clearly her attempt to steal from us back in Keria was a sore spot, and we didn’t have time for the girls to start arguing between themselves. “You three prepare the ship and ensure the WES and the MASTER are ready to go again. We’ll be setting off soon.”

Jean, Kaede, and Dew moved off to check on the ship and discuss its systems with the crew. Freya still hadn’t appeared on the deck, so I guessed she was still checking over the systems herself. Having a few helpers might speed up the process a little.

What would we find in the Sendrin desert? Would we have to fight the Elven Navy again? Who or what could they bring out to stop us? Those questions were difficult to answer, so I shrugged them aside and focused on the most important query bouncing around in my noggin.

What was the best way to turn the Elven council’s own actions against them?

Chapter Twenty-Six

L anoi Sea / Command Office aboard Master of the Seas - Advanced Pirate Warship - Day 43

Taerk had loaded the survivors from the sinking Elven Navy vessel aboard his ship and then, escorted by the pirate fleet scout, headed off toward Monster Isle.

It was a risk, to be sure, but a calculated one. I trusted Taerk, and his instincts when it came to his followers had always been top notch. If the grizzled elf believed most of his crew wouldn’t cause us any trouble, then I believed him.

The rest of our journey to the edge of the Sendrin desert passed without incident. We spotted a few Elven Navy scouts in the distance but, thanks to the advanced runesmith devices Freya had developed, we had more than enough warning to skirt their patrols as we made our way to the shore.

Though we didn’t have an exact location for the entrance to the secret holding facility, I had a good idea where we’d need to search. After finding a secluded cove to hide the Master of the Seas, I prepared to set off with Kaede, Jean, Dew, and half of the Seventh Fleet officers. I’d decided Freya should remain behind with the rest of the crew.

She pouted when I revealed my plans for the split, but there was no way she could argue against it. As she herself had said, the Master of the Seas still needed a fair bit of work, tweaking and improving upon the rune smith devices she’d built and installed throughout the ship.

Unfortunately, Freya had created the circumstances for being left behind, herself.

“This place is horrible.” Jean grumbled to herself as we walked into the Sendrin desert from the shore. Despite her apparent distaste for the desolate plains of the desert, she’d refused to remain behind on the Master of the Seas while we investigated the facility holding Gran’s mate.

Her anger at the Elven Navy far exceeded her aversion to the sandy wasteland before us.

“Come on then, let’s get going.” I waved at the rest to follow as I made my way up the first of many dunes. An entire tribe of the desert elves could remain hidden from sight up until the point where we stumbled into their camp, so we had to be cautious each time we crested a significant rise in the desert.

Obviously, though, no one lived right next to the Lanoi Sea. Though most of the effects from the storm season hit the other side of the stand the hardest, there was always some flooding and damage to the regions bordered by the sea.

Living here wasn’t worth the risk, from what I could tell.

“Should we spread out?” Kaede perked up after we crested yet another rise to survey the endless sands. “It should be around here, but it could take us days to find it, if we go about it like this.”

“Maybe in a while, but for now I’d rather we didn’t split the party.” I smiled at Kaede to soften the blow as I declined her recommendation. “It’s not just Elven Navy guards we have to be worried about, you know?”

“Who else would- Oh.” Dew frowned in irritation as she realized who I was talking about. She hadn’t been with us when we’d first tried to pass through the Sendrin desert, so she hadn’t witnessed the harsh welcome we’d received from the desert elves when we attempted to cross their lands.

“What should we do if they try to stop us?” the purple-eyed beauty asked.

“I’m hoping they will, actually.” I grinned as I looked across the span of the Sendrin desert we’d already crossed. The Lanoi sea was hidden behind a multitude of sandy mounds and scraggly clumps of thorny bushes, which made it feel like we’d gotten lost on the endless, dusty plain without no hope of rescue.

“It might help us find the entrance, but only if the tribes don’t show their faces can we safely split up and search the old-fashioned way.”

“Wait, ya want to keep us together to make it easier for them to spot us?” Jean stared at me, confused and worried at this revelation of my plan. She glanced around at our surroundings cautiously. “What if they decide they want us gone, permanently? This seems like too much of a risk to me.”

“Maybe, but I have a good feeling about it.” I stretched languidly and, without any hesitation, stomped my way to the top of the next dune before us, before stopping and calling back over my shoulder. “See, I told you it wouldn’t take long.”

The rest of the group followed me, though they all froze as soon as they spotted the thing that had made me stop.

Thirty desert elves stared up at us unblinkingly. Their eyes were fiery as they aimed their weapons in our direction but, as I’d expected, the desert elves’ leader had yet to give her troops the order to fire.

They knew WHO we were, but they clearly didn’t know WHY we’d come to the Sendrin desert.

“Hello!” I waved at the desert elves as I stepped over the top of the sandy ridge and started to make my way down toward them. “You’re the leader, right? I have something important to both our futures to discuss with you, if you have the time?”

The female elf standing at the forefront of the group waved at her followers, motioning for them to remain calm as she watched me approach without a care.

“We know who you are, Weslilian, and we know what you have done.” The desert elf acknowledged my guess had been on the mark as she took a single step forward toward me. “Your actions have set into motion a war of attrition that is killing our kind. Why are you here?”

I paused mid step when I heard the leader’s cool response. Despite her neutral tone, I could hear the simmering of furious anger in her words as she glared at me. If I made one wrong move, I didn’t doubt she’d order her followers to turn me into a pin cushion.

It was worth the risk, though. As the others had already noted, finding the Elven Navy facility on our own would take far too long. And the more we searched, the greater the chance the guardians of that sick place would realize we were looking for them.

“I know what I have done, as do you, but perhaps you do not yet know the full story.” I kept my tone calm and steady as I set my feet in the rolling sands of the dune. “It is not me or my folk who are moving against you, nor will it ever be. That is my promise to you.”

“A promise, is it?” The corner of the leader’s mouth twitched at the corner as she fought back the urge to smile at my comment before she continued in the same cold tone as before. “We are aware of your kinds approach to promises. Do you think we will believe your words again?”

“Not without proof, of course. We hope to make an equal trade, nothing more, nothing less.” I raised one hand, motioning for the archers below to keep their cool as I pulled a rolled-up parchment out from the satchel at my side. “Come, take a look at this, and I will explain why we are in your lands.”

The rest of my group watched from above as I explained our reasons for coming to the Sendrin desert. Of course, I skimmed over the fact that I’d been advised the Elven Council were holding an emperor behemoth beneath the sands of the Sendrin by that same emperor behemoth’s mate.

That might be a bit too big of a pill for the Desert elves to swallow.

But the rest of my story rang true, from what reactions I could see. Taerk had given me fair warning the Elven council was making moves on the Sendrin and the tribes that inhabited its sands. When I told them about the secret base hiding in plain sight, the leader of the desert elves couldn’t help but reveal some emotion at my words.

“We want to search for this facility. Once it is found, we will take the base down, end their experiments, and leave anything resulting from the work found within to your folk.” I stared at the leader and waited calmly for her response.

From my previous exchange with the desert elves, I knew they were an emotional people. The Elven Council saw them as lesser beings, merely because they refused to abide by the Council’s rule. Thus, they treated everyone living in the Sendrin as second-class citizens. That they’d built a base to contain a ridiculously dangerous emperor behemoth beneath their homes was proof enough of that.

“Suppose we believe you, what then?” The leader looked over her followers before turning back to face me. “We destroy this ‘facility’ of yours. You leave. The Elven Council finds out. Then we-”

“Don’t worry about the Council. I have a plan to deal with them.” I took out a letter I’d written previously and handed it over to the cautious elf. “This should work, don’t you think?”

She read over the short note several times before she looked up into my eyes once more. I could tell I hadn’t won her over but, despite that, her gaze registered a new emotion in the look she gave me.

Respect.

“I will take you to our home.” She spoke again as she folded up the letter and placed it in her own satchel. “You will receive guest right, but do not test us.”

“Same to you and yours.” I winked at the leader before turning to walk back to my group. After a few steps, I paused and turned back to the desert elf with a cocky grin. “Oh, and tell the ones hiding behind the dunes to come along. It’d be a shame to mess up our friendship accidentally, before it can even start, right?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Western edge of the Sendrin Desert - Day 43

T he Seventh Fleet squad accepted my request that we accompany the Desert elves back to their camp without any complaints, but Jean didn’t have the patience to keep her gripes to herself.

“Wes, I trust ya, but this is a bit much, isn’t it?” Jean shifted closer to me as she shot a conspiratorial glance at the desert elves who were striding out ahead of us. “Do ya trust this lot?”

“Not completely, but more than most.” I couldn’t quite keep the grin of my face as I saw Jean try to act all stealthy about her concerns, despite the fact I’d already directly discussed them with the leader of the elves, myself. “

They might hate me for saying this, but they share a similar culture with the High Elves. Their leader said she’d take us to their camp and offered us guest rights, which is equivalent to them inviting us into their homes. If they turned around and attacked us after such an offer, things wouldn’t go well for them.”

“I’ll trust ya, Wes.” Jean huffed irritably as she leaned against me. “But try to give me some warning next time ya plan to pull something like this outta yer ass—fine ass though it be. This is my first time here, and I don’t really fancy the thought that it might be my last.”

“Sure.” I nodded and dropped an arm around Jean’s waist, pulling the pouting Pirate Lord into to my side. “When this is all over, I promise you that we’ll go on a little trip of our own. There are a few places I want to show all of you.”

“All of us, huh?” Dew darted in from my other side and poked me in the ribs jokingly. “You aren’t trying to sneak off with your new squeeze, are you?”

Kaede blushed as she overheard Dew’s crude attempt to get a reaction out of either me or Jean, but I laughed it off as the joke I knew it to be. Dew knew that I cared for each of them equally. Anyone who tried to say otherwise would face my wrath if they tried to make something of it.

“You aren’t what I expected.” The leader of the Desert Elves slowed to speak to me. Her gaze flicked over our little group, lingering especially long on our own personal huddle at the center of our party, before she turned away once more. “I have heard stories of how stuck up you High Elves can be, but you seem to be quite the opposite.”

“Wes is unique.” Dew answered before I could speak. The vixen turned and gave me a wink. “You wouldn’t know it, but he’s changed quite a bit since we met.”

“Indeed? Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot.” The desert elf closed her eyes for a moment, obviously thinking to herself before she stepped closer. “May this be seen as our first meeting. My name is Elaenor, it is a pleasure to see you atop warm sands.”

“The pleasure is mine, Elaenor.” I held out my free arm and took the proffered grip in mine. “May your wells run deep, and your travels wide.”

“Interesting. I didn’t believe a High Elf cared enough to learn our customs.” Eleanor blushed and let out a short, almost girlish giggle, before quickly pulling herself back together again.

“We’re almost there,” she said, shading her eyes with a hand. “Our elder is strict, but wise. Please be as polite as you can.”

“Of course.” I nodded and encouraged Dew and Jean to step away from me once more. I wasn’t such a prick that I wouldn’t give someone else a modicum of respect right off the bat. I hated with a passion the fools who believed they could treat others like crap because of their position, or some other inane factor, that they believed made them better than those they scorned.

Respect is a mirror to the soul, a wise elf once said. Giving respect to and acknowledging respect from those you met was one of the best ways to take their measure.

“Here we are.” Elaenor gestured as we crested another seemingly random dune. She pointed down at a set of roughshod looking tents in a gully between two large dunes. The tents were surrounded by several large pack beasts tied to posts near the center of the collection of dwelling. “The rest of the tribe out are hunting and scouting, but the elder is present. Follow me, please.”

Several Desert Elves came out of their tents to watch our approach, including one whose outfit made him stand out from the rest of the crowd. Colorful, tight fitting, and generally not well designed for life in the desert, his ridiculous outfit and the oversized staff he used to keep his balance as he tottered out to greet us, didn’t give me a good first impression of the Desert Elf elder.

The other desert elves were dressed in loose fitting robes designed to protect their skin from the unremitting, harsh rays from the sun above, while also keeping them cool during the day. They also had other items to fight off the intense chill of the long, icy nights in the desert.

“Elder Rand, these are the… intruders we spotted earlier.” Elaenor winced a little as she looked back over her shoulder in our direction. “I have spoken with their leader, and he has-”

“Don’t tell me. He persuaded you he could help us, didn’t he?” The elder’s expression darkened as he glared at Elaenor, completely ignoring my existence as he yelled at his subordinate. “You think now is the time to ignore your orders? I told you to remove the threat, no matter the cost, yet here it stands in front of me!”

“Elder Rand, it isn’t like that, he-” Elaenor started to speak, but the old leader of their camp huffed angrily and swiped his staff in her direction. If the old elf were quicker, he might have struck her in the face, but the quick-witted desert elf instinctively managed to dodge before the blow could land.

The other desert elves shifted awkwardly as the old elf waved his hand manically at the tribesmen surrounding our group. Elaenor seemed shocked at the elder’s harsh response, so much so, that she actually took several steps back. Not what I’d have expected from someone like her, but there must be more to her personality than what I’d already figured out.

“Okay, that’s enough.” I stepped forward and placed myself between Elaenor and the raging elder. Even if she weren’t yet a friend, Elaenor had taken a chance, offering to help us out and it turned out she’d done so in direct opposition to her orders.

“Your name is Elder Rand, right? We came here in good faith. I understand you might not want to listen to us, but do you also want to ignore your campmates offer of guest right? That doesn’t match what I’ve heard of the Desert Elves’ Elders, not at all.”

Elaenor nodded and bowed her head in my direction. She was smart enough to see the way the wind was blowing. An elf like that didn’t deserve to be treated like shit by their leader.

“And here you are, threatening me in my own home!” Rand slammed his staff down, sending a spray of dusty sand billowing into the air. “They told me you’d be like this! Kill him, now-”

“You can try.” A low voice rang out from behind the elder as a knife shimmered into view pressed up against his throat. “Go on, say another word. Let’s see who’s quicker, shall we?”

Dew had moved so quickly that none of the Desert elves could intervene as she’d darted from my side to behind the elder. I’d spotted her movement, of course, but it wasn’t like I was going to stop her.

Things had already devolved too far for us to resolve the situation peacefully.

“Wes, you promised-” Elaenor turned to glare at me as her hand dropped down to the sword sheathed at her hip. “Why did you- This isn’t-”

“I’m sorry, but it seems there is more at work here than either of us expected.” I glanced at Elaenor and sighed as she glared back at me angrily. Clearly, she hadn’t caught as much from the elder’s words as I had.

“What should we do with him?” Dew raised her other dagger and placed it against the Elder’s ribs. She dug it just deep enough into the old elf’s side that he could feel it through his thick outer layers of clothing. “Say the word, and I’ll-”

“Relax, Dew. I just want to ask him a few questions.” I smiled at Dew and gave her a nod as I stepped closer to the now silently fuming elder. “I have a few questions that you will answer with either a yes or a no. Do you understand?”

The Elder quivered with fury as he stared daggers at me but didn’t respond. I waited a moment, to give him the chance to speak, before nodding my head once.

“Ah!” The elder hissed in pain as Dew’s knife cut a thin, bloody streak across his neck. The wound wasn’t deep enough to threaten the old elf’s life, but it was enough to get my point across.

“I have some questions. You will answer with a yes or a no. Do you understand?”

“… Yes.” Rand spat the word out, as though he’d had to drag it from his mouth against his tongue’s will.

“Fine. Thank you for agreeing.” I winked at Dew as she pushed the blade of her knife up against the Elder’s neck once more. “Okay. You mentioned that someone spoke to you about me. Were they related to the Elven Council?”

“Wha- Ah!” The captured desert elf leader hissed as Dew slashed his cheek. The older elf shivered as he collected his wits before fixing me with a furious glare.

“Were they related to the-”

“Yes!” Elder Rand yelled his answer as he tried to struggle against Dew’s firm grip. “They told me everything about you! You betrayed your friends, your family, and now you’ve sneaked back here to turn us against ourselves. They already know you’re here! You’re dead already, you just don’t know it yet!”

Dew allowed the old elf to rant. She simply stared at me, waiting for my signal to take him down. Elaenor’s furious gaze froze as she watched her tribe’s leader rave about his dealings with the Elven council. The same Council who had been fighting the residents of the Sendrin desert for months, if not years.

“What do you think?” I turned back to Elaenor, who refused to look away as Elder Rand continued to mutter furiously to himself. “You know why we’re here, and it looks like your Elder is indisposed. How do you want to play this?”

Elaenor’s face grew pale as she looked around at the members of her tribe. Numerically, they had a distinct advantage, but if it came to a fight, it wasn’t clear who would win in the end.

What was clear, is that we’d both face some serious losses.

“I-” She bit her lip, glancing back and forth between me and the Elder, who had finally fallen silent as he realized just how deep he’d dug his own hole. “I- I think we can trust you, but I’ll have to see what the others believe. If they agree to back you, then we’ll help. If not…” She squared her shoulders, blowing out a heavy breath, “then we’ll see how things fall, won’t we?”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Western edge of the Sendrin Desert / Desert Elf Camp - Day 43

“S o, anyone want to step up and defend this one?” I pointed at Elder Rand, who had gone completely silent under the weight of the intense stares from the other members of his camp. “I think you’ve all heard what he had to say. Any volunteers?”

The crowd shifted awkwardly as a few hesitated, some even going so far as to take half a step forward before they fell back into the crowd of desert elves. Elaenor looked on, clearly unsure how to respond to the peculiar situation playing out before her.

“I’ll make it easy, then. How many of you believe the Elven Council is working for anything that benefits you?”

Silence met my query. Several elves glanced around at their neighbors in the crowd as they looked to see if anyone was going to step up and take a stand, but no one made a move.

“Okay, so does anyone believe a single word that your ‘so called’ Elder actually said?”

“Hey, I am an Elder!” Rand’s head swung in my direction and he spat his words out with venomous force. “You come here, take me prisoner, and try to usurp my position? No one will-”

“I wouldn’t take the role, even if you begged me to.” I turned my back on the crowd and focused my glare on the Elder’s quivering face. “You are a coward and, by your own admission, a traitor. If I had my way, you’d be dead before your body hit the ground.”

“What? You dare threaten me?!” The Elder’s expression turned sinister as he looked up at Elaenor with a vindictive gaze. “You heard him! He wishes to depose me! Kill him, now!”

I looked at Elaenor and waited patiently as she contemplated her Elder’s demand. He was clearly in the wrong, especially if the clan considered all the Elven Council had done to stir up trouble in the Sendrin desert.

The Desert Elves had attempted to murder us merely for attempting to cross its sands not that long ago. Things had deteriorated rapidly since then. On the other hand, Rand was their Elder. Technically, Elaenor should have tried to remove my head from my shoulders.

But she hadn’t. Because she wasn’t a fucking moron. None of the clan were.

“Okay, let’s do it this way, instead.” I stepped forward and laid a hand on Elaenor’s shoulder as she stared off into the distance, stunned into silence by her own indecision. My touch shook her from her stupor, and she turned to face me, confused and lost amidst the bizarre revelations.

She turned her troubled gaze on me.

“You watch him, under guard, and we’ll search for the base I mentioned. If it’s here, then you’ll know we’re telling the truth. If not, then you can do whatever your rules require you do. How does that sound?”

A stifled shout rang out from behind us as Rand attempted to answer in Elaenor’s stead. The desert elf glanced over my shoulder at her former leader, then back to me, before sighing and dropping her shoulders in defeat.

“Take the El-“ She paused before continuing. “Take Rand to his quarters and confine him under guard. We will investigate his dealings with the Elven Council at a later time.” Elaenor’s words rang out over the camp, setting the crowd ablaze with murmurs before she followed them up with another shout.

“Take him, now! Hunting party, with me! We will scour our lands and drive out all intruders!”

I didn’t miss the fact that the ‘Intruders’ she wished to drive out included us, but that detail could wait until a later date. We’d lost enough time coming to the Desert Elf camp, which meant I had to make sure the rest of the search progressed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I pulled out our map and rolled it out on a large, flat rock in the middle of the camp. “We’ll split up into teams, four to a team.”

A crowd gathered around the rock.

I looked at Elaenor. “You know these lands better than me, so what do you think would be the best arrangement.”

“I believe we should arrange ourselves like this.” Elaenor took out a small feather quill that she dipped into a small bottle of ink to mark up the map, marking out several long, winding routes through the desert sands. Of course, the dunes and gulleys changed throughout the year, but the major landmarks could still be used to confirm each team’s location.

That, along with being able to quickly figure out the compass directions from the sun hanging far above our heads. As long as we didn’t run into trouble, then the routes Elaenor had laid out would enable us to cover the most territory with the limited number of troops that we had.

“Okay, I’ll set up my groups, and you do yours.” I nodded at the Seventh Fleet soldiers who stood at the entrance to the camp alongside Jean, Dew, and Kaede. “Once that’s done, I’ll let you decide which route each group takes. Give a shout when you’re ready to set off.”

I spotted Elaenor’s thoughtful look as I turned away. The fact I was letting her arrange each group’s path through the desert likely surprised the cautious desert elf, considering how close we’d come to an all-out brawl, less than an hour ago. But, despite all that, I trusted her.

She seemed, if not righteous, at least honest and true. That was even better, in my book.

“What’ve ya gone and done now?” Jean was the first to challenge me as I moved back to my group. “That lot seem jumpy as hell. Why didn’t ya just cut the fucker down to size?”

Kaede calmly stood there, waiting for me to speak. Dew stared at the distant Elaenor with a wicked grin on her face, though I didn’t see either anger or animosity in her gaze. It seemed my wood elf companion was sizing up the tanned desert elf, like a warrior in a gladiator pit coming face to face with their latest rival.

“After he so helpfully admitted to all the things he’s done in the shadows? Why would I let that chance slip through my fingers?” I grinned and quickly flicked my finger out to tap Jean on the nose.

The confused Pirate Lord blinked and covered her face before she gave me a cute, angry snort.

“He’s an idiot...” I chuckled and gave the brawny woman a shrug. “But a useful one. I doubt Rand will live all that long, judging from some of the nasty looks I saw his former campmates shooting his way.”

“Enemy of my enemy, huh?” Dew perked up as she finally pulled her attention off of Elaenor as the desert elf quickly formed her hunting party into several smaller teams.

The feisty wood elf turned to me with a sly grin on her face as she glanced back at the firm, toned desert elf in the distance. “You certainly know how to pick them, Wes.”

“Calm down, you minx.” I chuckled as I waved away Dew’s pointed comment, at least for the moment. “Look, we don’t have long. I want each of us to take a team of three, then the rest can split up. Elaenor will give us our routes, but I want us back here as quick as possible.”

“Elaenor… I like her name.” Kaede glanced at the new leader of the desert elf camp with a faint smile before she turned toward the Seventh Fleet soldiers. “What about them? We’ll need to arrange the teams, right?”

“Hey!” I turned to the officer who’d now official stepped up as my second in command over the Seventh Fleet troops at my command. “Four teams of three, the rest set up as their own team. One scout per group.”

“Yes Sir!” The officer gave me a salute before the members of the Seventh Fleet squad quickly moved at his command.

Unlike the desert elf hunting party, who were still slowly forming themselves into smaller teams for our combined outing, the Seventh Fleet soldiers moved with trained efficiency and professional grace. It took them less than a minute to form up in the arrangement I needed. I waited for Elaenor’s side to finish their preparations.

She gave her hunting party another once over to confirm the set-up of their teams before she walked over to me, a slightly annoyed look on her face.

“We’re done, finally.” She grumbled irritably as she stepped closer, giving the other members of her camp another angry glance before she turned to face me, once more the picture of professional courtesy, before she continued. “Are you sure you’re okay with me arranging our routes? I would understand if-”

“Calm down, girl. If he says he trusts ya, then so do we.” Jean winked at Dew before she draped an arm over the shocked desert elf’s shoulders. “You’ve got it all laid out, right? Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Uh… okay.” Elaenor shifted uncomfortably, clearly showing how unfamiliar she was with such a direct approach as she handed me a more accurately marked up map. “Your routes are marked with the ‘H.E.’ notations. When each patrol is finished, we’ll meet back here to discuss what we’ve found.”

“All good by me.” I motioned for my team leaders to move forward to investigate the map, along with Dew, Jean, Kaede, and myself. “Looks like a fair arrangement, to me. Let’s get this done, shall we?”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Western edge of the Sendrin Desert / Desert Elf Camp - Day 43

I  took command of a team of three Seventh Fleet soldiers as we set off on our designated route through the desert. Each team leader had been given details on how the Elven Council would likely have hidden the entrance to their secret base. That information had come from my stint in the navy, plus Jean’s experience of investigating such things in the past.

All in all, I rated our chances of finding the facility as good, but not great.

Elaenor and her hunters were treating the matter seriously, though. As each squad left the desert elf camp, I could see the others were carefully investigating any and every possible clue, even those in close proximity to their home.

The fact that their Elder had been dealing with the Elven Council behind their backs had clearly shaken the elves who’d worked for that old fool for who knows how long.

Each route took their assigned team on a long, looping path through the Sendrin desert. Though we were covering the majority of the area marked as likely zones on the map as efficiently as possible, our constrained numbers meant it would take most of the rest of the day for every group to return.

Unfortunately, my team’s trip through the desert passed without incident.

Though we did find some signs of movement, it wasn’t possible to identify them as belonging to the Elven Council’s lackeys or their hidden base. Most of the footsteps or hoofprints we spotted had all but faded from view as the constantly shifting sands raced across the desert, pushed by the endlessly blowing winds.

We did our best to search, though, despite a lack of results. Though I had some skill in tracking and investigation, the Seventh Fleet squad leader had assigned an experienced tracker to my team. In fact, every single four-person team we’d sent out had at least one skilled tracker in it.

But even our experienced tracker couldn’t find much of note.

We returned back to camp in the late afternoon, irritated but optimistic to hear the results of the others’ searches. Other groups slowly filtered back in, some made up of Seventh Fleet soldiers, while others contained the hunting party members Elaenor had sent out.

My troops reported the results of their reconnaissance, or more precisely their lack of findings, directly to me upon their return. Not a single actionable clue had been found, despite the best efforts of the trackers involved. From the murmurs I overheard from the hunting party’s teams, they’d come up just as empty in their searches.

“Wes!” Jean strode back into the camp, a thunderous look on her face as she fanned herself with a hand. “Did ya find anything out in this blasted wasteland?”

“I think you can guess that already, can’t you.” I sighed and shook my head as the irritated Pirate Lord strode up beside me. “What about the others? They’re taking a bit longer to get back, aren’t they?”

Every other group had returned, except for the teams led by Dew and Kaede. The pair had been assigned routes close to one another, but they should have been among the first to arrive back at the camp, given their relatively short routes.

If they’d found something, then either of the pair would have sent a runner back to inform those who’d already arrived back at the camp. Unless…

Unless something had happened to them.

“Calm down.” Jean noted my narrowed eyes and slight frown as I stared out at the sands of the Sendrin Desert. “Ya trust ‘em, right? They’ll be fine.”

Elaenor walked back into the camp followed by the team she’d taken with her into the desert. After the desert elf leader conferred with her other team heads, she turned and walked over to us, a troubled look in her eyes.

“Nothing?” She asked as she approached, but no one responded to her query. Our own bitter looks were all she needed to answer her question. “We searched the most likely spots, so maybe we missed something?”

“We still have two squads out there.” I pulled out the map and tapped on the routes Elaenor had assigned Kaede’s and Dew’s teams. “Can you double check they haven’t arrived back yet? They should be here by now.”

Elaenor nodded as she took the map and went to confer with her fellow desert elves. As she spoke with her camp mates, I noted some odd movement by the edge of the village, near the Elder’s tent.

Someone was up to something, and I didn’t like it.

At all.

“Hey, come here.” I pulled the Seventh Fleet officer close so I could whisper in his ear.

The man’s expression turned from confusion, to shock, to outright anger before he calmed himself. A moment later and he’d vanished, taking a number of the Seventh Fleet soldiers along with him as he vanished into the camp itself. Thankfully, the move was lost in the general noise and hubbub of the hunting party’s discussion.

After a few minutes Elaenor returned, this time showing concern as she strode toward me.

“No one has seen them.”

She winced as I turned my gaze to the other members of her hunting party, who were recovering from their treks in the distance. “The others who could have passed their way didn’t spot any tracks, but they assumed the trackers in each team had hidden such things. Sometimes even an experience traveler can be led astray in the endless sea of sand.”

“I’m not going to accept that.” I shook my head and took the map back once more. The routes Kaede and Dew had been assigned clearly marked, but their locations could be anywhere along those long, winding paths. They could even have gone even further afield than that. “We’ll form four teams to follow each route until we find them.”

“No, you won’t!” A loud voice boomed out from behind them as the formerly disgraced Elder Rand strode into the open. Several armed warriors looked down from atop each of the dunes surrounding the camp. Fully armed and armored, they stared menacingly down at the surprised desert elves below them.

“What’s this!?” Elaenor was the first to react as she spun to face the triumphant looking Elder Rand. “Those are Elven Navy troops. What are they doing here? What’s the meaning of this?!”

“They are our friends and allies!” Rand waved his hand, silencing the murmur of dissent rising from the hunting party as they looked up at their new visitors. “They are here to see justice done.”

“That little rat.” Jean hissed as she stared up at the troops surrounding us on all sides. “How could he be so blatant. Ya should have just killed him, Wes.”

I just grunted, though I didn’t agree with her brutal. If I’d cut him down, the desert elves may have turned their blades our way. At the very least, they wouldn’t have helped us in our search.

Not long after Dew and Kaede failed to return, the camp happened to be surrounded by Elven navy troops. It was as though they’d known the area we intended to search and used our blind spot to sneak into range.

How had Rand communicated with them? It shouldn’t have been possible. Unless there was at least one more spy in the desert elf camp.

“What should we do?” Jean glanced at me as her hand drifted up ever so slowly toward the handle of her oversized battle axe. “If ya have any great plans, now would be a good time to share ‘em.”

“True.” I pushed myself up and slipped my bow into my hands. Though they clearly didn’t know our exact identities, the Navy troops glared at me as I took the overly aggressive action of arming myself. Every single one of them fixed their attention squarely on me.

Exactly as I planned.

“Die!” I knocked four arrows onto my bow and loosed my first barrage before the Elven Navy soldiers could respond.

One shot, four down.

The sickening crunch as my arrows blasted their comrades aside woke up the rest of our foes. Most drew swords as they prepared to charge down the dunes, while the remainder drew their own bows, most of which were quickly aimed in my direction.

Before they could exact vengeance upon me, though, the archers started dropping like flies as a rain of arrows flew out of the camp itself.

Though the Elven navy members had the tactical advantage of high ground, they didn’t outnumber the desert elves and our squad combined. Clearly, they’d been expecting a quick and easy brawl as they ambushed two factions who’d been forced to work together. Instead, my troops and the desert elves worked in perfect unison to fight off their assault.

Jean rushed up the dune to meet the enemy head on. Her huge axe swung through the air, easily smashing through any and all defenses put up against it. Even though those she fought were above her, Jean managed to cleanly cut them aside without missing a beat as she darted toward the surviving archers.

A new target had presented itself to the enemy’s ranged unit.

Unfortunately for them, I wouldn’t give them a chance to fire upon their target. With my first ambush strike completed, I switched to a rapid-fire technique as I picked off any visible archers with pinpoint precision.

One down. Two down. Four down. Eight down.

The enemies weren’t heavily armored, so even a half draw was more than enough power from my bow to blow each and every one of them away with a single shot. Panic set in quickly as they scrambled to retreat.

But they were too slow.

“Hey, don’t run now, ya hear? I was just gettin’ started.” Jean crested the rise as she turned from prey to predator.

I couldn’t hear anything but the crunch of her axe and the distant screams of her enemies. I knew none of them would escape, especially when the hidden Seventh Fleet archers I’d deployed earlier rushed up the dune to provide her with extra covering fire.

With that, the battle was over. We’d taken some fire, it looked like my forces had survived intact, though the desert elves looked like they had taken some casualties in the initial assault, despite my best efforts to attract the attention of our ambushers.

“What now?” I turned to Elder Rand, whose wild grin had frozen in place as he watched the Navy’s defeat at our hands right before his eyes. “Want to tell us where the hidden base is, or do you still require additional persuasion, you prick?”

Chapter Thirty

Western edge of the Sendrin Desert / Desert Elf Camp - Day 43

R and didn’t last long under interrogation. In fact, he spilled every single bit of information he could think of, to save his shitty little life.

Of course, I didn’t take everything he’d said on faith. We’d captured a fair number of the Elven Navy troops during the battle, and it wasn’t hard to corroborate the weasily Elder’s information with theirs to confirm the validity of Rand’s rabid rambling attempts to keep his skin intact.

Unfortunately, judging from the expression on the faces of many of the desert as they glared in their former leader’s direction, I doubted he’d have a good time of it, even should he managed to survive.

Not that I gave a fuck about him after I heard what had happened.

Dew and Kaede hadn’t been captured, thankfully. The pair had found the entrance to the base and, after investigating it a little, had been forced to rush into the hidden elven navy facility when a patrol of their exterior guards returned.

I trusted they were still okay, but there was no way I was going to just stand around in the desert elves’ camp when I knew they were in danger.

Thankfully, Elaenor agreed with my suggestion that we raid the base without any further delay. Rand would be held, along with the captured prisoners, by other desert elves in the camp while we rushed off with the remainder of her hunting party and my Seventh Fleet troops. More than enough to slaughter our way through an Elven Navy experimental base.

The chances that anyone involved directly with the emperor behemoth wasn’t also aware of the Elven Council’s end goals were so low that they could be classified as nonexistent. Still, if anyone did try to surrender, I’d do what I could to take them alive. But if they stood in my way, they’d soon learn the meaning of the phrase ‘making a fatal mistake’.

Our trip through the Sendrin Desert to the disguised entrance Rand had revealed passed without incident. Our scouts were in top form as they scanned the area, looking for any signs of life or movement, but none of them spotted anything of note as we sped to our destination.

An uneven pit settled between two towering dunes.

Even if someone had spotted the place during their travels, they’d be more likely to avoid it than take the risk to investigate it more closely. Quicksand pits weren’t common but did exist out here. They were still classed as one of the worst ways to meet your end in the harsh, endless sands of the Sendrin Desert. But we knew the truth behind the crater in the sand.

“I’ll go first.” I pulled out my bow and knocked a single arrow. Though Rand had repeatedly assured us that no one was guarding the entrance, his vague recollections from the single time he’d visited the base weren’t reliable enough to trust my life to. Especially not if the base’s guardians had picked up on signs that outsiders had invaded their facility.

I prayed my girls hadn’t been caught.

“Follow me down after a minute. I’ll make sure it’s clear.” I took a deep breath and sprang forward, landing in the center of the deep impression before me. The sand beneath my feet swirled and dipped, pulling me beneath it in moments. Anyone else faced with such a rapid descent might experience fear or anxiety, but all I felt was rage.

Dew and Kaede were trapped within, along with the six Seventh Fleet soldiers who’d accompanied them. If anything had happened to them, I wouldn’t rest until every single elf in the base felt the full extent of my wrath.

“Wes!”

A voice rang out a second after I cleared the sand at the other end of the hidden entrance tunnel. Before I could clear my eyes, two pairs of arms grabbed me from each side, pulling me into a tight, two-way bear-hug.

It wasn’t painful, but warm.

“Hey, you two.” I grinned as I blinked the remnants of the sandy trip down into the base from my eyes. A weight I hadn’t noticed lifted from my shoulders when I saw Dew and Kaede smiling up at me from either side. “How did you get away? They said they’d chased you down here.”

“Those idiots couldn’t chase an old, barely conscious drunk out of an inn.” Dew giggled as she waved back at the members of the Seventh Fleet who were waiting awkwardly over by the far wall. “We took out the ones who followed us down here but couldn’t risk anyone else spotting us. I wanted to send you a message-”

“But we couldn’t figure out a way to leave.” Kaede used her free hand to slap the inner edge of the sandy tunnel.

Despite the ease of my entrance, the wall didn’t react at all to her solid punch. Kaede ignored this as she waved down the warren of sandy tunnels leading into the base. “And there are way too many of them down there. From what We could tell, we’d need at least-”

Before Kaede could finish her thought, the sandy wall behind us broke apart as another person slid into the tunnel system. Elaenor brushed her eyes clear of sand before glancing around. Checking her surroundings, she noticed we were all staring in her direction.

“I’m glad you are okay.” She gave us a rare smile before stepping aside as another member of our crew broke through the entrance tunnel.

“I heard they’d sent out a ‘collection team’ to deal with an upstart camp.” Dew finally released me as she turned to face the Desert Elf leader by our side. “That wouldn’t have been yours, would it? I didn’t think that would go too well for them.”

“Upstart, is it?” Elaenor’s eyes blazed as she turned to look down the tunnel laid out before us. “Our Elder must have been less important to his ‘friends’ than he thought. If that’s what they think of us, it seems we’ll have to show them the error of their ways.”

“My thoughts exactly.” I nodded as Elaenor turned to organize her hunting party. The Seventh Fleet soldiers made their way over to our side of the tunnel and got into formation, readying themselves for any orders I might decide to give. Their training really was first class.

I needed to thank Franklin for asking them to join me in the first place.

“Dew, you’ve scouted most of this sector, right? Any thoughts?” I turned to the cheeky wood elf, who gave a snort before following it up with a quick, sure nod in response to my question—as though my posing the question had been an insult to her skills.

“We’ll need to split into two parties.” Dew set a hand on her hip as she pointed at each entrance in turn. “More activity on the right-hand side than the left, but both are pretty dangerous.”

“Then we will take the right-hand side.” I noted Elaenor’s confused expression as she glanced in my direction, so I turned to speak to her directly. “You’ve already taken some losses, and we have more experience against this enemy. This division makes the most sense.”

“I- Yes, that does make sense.” Elaenor grumbled to herself as she turned away with an irritated frown. “He thinks I’m weak,” I heard her mutter. “No, that can’t be true.”

I decided to ignore the desert elf’s rambling as I led my troops deeper into the hidden base. Every time we reached an intersection, Dew indicated the direction we should go before we continued on our way. We could always clear it out completely, once the biggest collection of workers and guards had been dealt with.

As we moved closer to the hall Dew had scouted out, I started to hear the occasional words and clipped sentences from discussions. As we stealthily approached, it became clear our attempts to find the entrance to the facility hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“- but you said we’d be safe!” A high-pitched voice echoed down the tunnel, so loud and piercing that my eardrums trembled in protest. I figured the speaker was male, but it was clear he was on the verge of a mental breakdown as he carried on yelling at the top of his voice. “We have done EVERYTHING you asked. EVERYTHING!”

“No, you haven’t.” A low pitched, grim voice responded to the first, barely audible though we’d reached the edge of the hall itself.

Though I knew I’d not heard that voice before, for some reason I felt like I should know the person speaking. Before I could figure it out, the icy tones continued. “You fashioned rudimentary collars, but they are defective. They provide no more control than being able to send a rabid beast off in a specific direction before it goes insane. Useless.”

“You- You don’t know that!” The first man denied the cold statements as he shouted once more, this time with a little more confidence to his tone. “You’ve only been with us for, what, a few weeks? Now you’re here, acting all-”

The high-pitched voice cut off suddenly with a weird, rattling squeal.

“Shit!” I pulled out my bow as sprinted out into the hall, but I was too late. As expected, a spindly scientist-type dressed in a loose-fitting robe had been the owner of the screechy voice. The reason he’d stopped his bellowing became clear the instant I burst into the hall.

A heavily armed figure had thrust a large, vicious looking sword through the scientist’s chest. Only the blade impaling the gangly elf stopped his body from tumbling to the floor. I watched his feeble attempts to pull the blade from his bod, but it had been a fatal strike, straight and true.

Whoever he was, the stranger was dangerous.

“You!” Icy tones swung his head in my direction. “Interesting. You’re here, not there?”

His face was hidden by a mask that only had one slit from him to see through, but the covering was too thick for me to see the figure’s eye.

“Back the fuck off! Now!” I aimed directly at the masked man’s chest, but he didn’t bother to drag his weapon clear from the now deceased elf’s chest as he stared directly at my face.

“Unfortunate. I’d kill you now, but I can’t.” He didn’t even flinch as the rest of the Seventh Fleet troops filed in behind me. His head tilted to the side as he lifted his free hand to show a large, shining object that had been hidden behind his back. “We’ll meet again, Weslilian. Or not.”

“No!” Kaede rushed forward, grabbing my arm. “Wes, run! That’s a-”

Before she could even finish her warning, the man’s fingers crunched the orb into splinters—And the world turned white.

Chapter Thirty-One

Western edge of the Sendrin Desert / Beneath the Hidden Experimental Base - Day 43

M y vision returned slowly, followed by the pounding of my own heartbeat ringing in my ears.

Darkness had flooded the cavern as I lay over Dew and Kaede, who I’d managed to grab onto as the trapped room exploded around us. They were unconscious but, after I pushed myself off the pair, it became clear they’d avoided anything more than a few cuts and bruises from the fall.

It only took a moment for me to prop up their heads with my rolled-up jacket before I gave our surroundings another once over.

Unfortunately, the rest of our team—including the boisterous Pirate Lord, Jean—were nowhere to be seen. At least, they weren’t within the small sphere I could barely make out in the dusty gloom of our new home. It was starting to clear up, a bit at least, but I decided not to do anything drastic to speed up the process, in case I caused another cave in of the already damaged roof.

I had to believe they were okay. Jean had to be, at least. It took a lot more than this to kill a Pirate Lord.

We’d fallen into a lower tunnel, from what I could tell, though part of it was blocked off by debris. That left us only one route to take. The darkened corridor glimmered slightly, as though the walls themselves pulsed with a faint energy.

Maybe rune smithing was somehow involved. Or it might just be a natural phenomenon. Either way, as my eyes grew accustomed to the dull glow, it enabled me to make out more of my surroundings. As the dust settled, I could see even further—far enough to spot a single figure slumped against the wall not too much further along the tunnel.

“Jean!”

I dashed forward, arriving at her side in a moment. Other than a moderately sized gash on her arm, it seemed she too had managed to avoid any life-threatening injuries. The rest of the team couldn’t have been so lucky. At least some of the Seventh Fleet soldiers had met their ends in the explosion, never mind Elaenor’s lightly armored hunting party.

I felt a slight shiver in my heart at the thought of her demise. I’d found myself coming to like the taciturn Desert Elf, despite our only having interacted a handful of times in the short time we’d been together.

“Wes?” Jean’s eyes slowly open and she looked up into my face. Even with the dust coating all our features, I could still tell that she was doing her best to ignore the pain she was in. “Ya- Look like shit.”

“Great. I guess you’re fine then.” I muttered to myself as I looked back at the two unconscious elves lying in the distance. Jean tried to push herself up, but I quickly reached down to hold her in place.

“Stay right there, young lady! When Dew wakes up, she’ll check you over, just to make sure you didn’t break anything.”

“I- Don’t break- Easily.” Jean grumbled softly, but she went along with my request, slumping back against the wall. “Long time since- Someone called me- A- Young lady.”

“Maybe you should stop drinking so much then.” I grinned when Jean glared up at me, but she didn’t say anything more as I tended to her wounded arm. After cleaning the gash with some water and sacrificing a sleeve from my shirt to serve as a bandage, the injured Pirate Lord perked up a bit as she looked past me down the tunnel.

I turned around to see what had got her so worked up, only to find that both Dew and Kaede had pushed themselves to a seated position on the floor.

“What happened?” Dew brushed her eyes clear as she took stock of the situation while Kaede tried and failed to get to her feet using the nearby wall as a support.

“Who- Ah! -was that?” Kaede turned to question me before interrupting herself with a sharp gasp, though she tried to play it off as if nothing had happened. Despite her best attempts, it was clear something was wrong. Her hand shot to her side as she leaned against the wall.

She almost collapsed before Dew and I rushed to offer her support, lowering her gently down to the floor.

Kaede was hurt, but I couldn’t see evidence of any external injuries. It was a miracle I’d avoided major injuries during the fall, especially since I’d used my own body to shield the girls.

At least Dew was up and about. She started to mix up one of her patented healing potions.

The image of the masked man rose in my mind once more. It felt like I knew him from somewhere, but it was impossible to place the feeling. His voice didn’t match any I’d heard in at least the past twenty years. What about the weird way he only had one eye hole in the mask he wore?

No. It couldn’t be him. Impossible.

“That masked freak…” Jean spoke up as I tried to gather my jumbled thoughts. “Are ya thinking… the same as me, Wes?”

“Maybe. But how could he have gotten out of there alive?” I scratched my cheek in irritation as my speculations solidified some. “Last time I saw him, he had an arrow sticking though his eye.”

“It had to be him, though.” Jean grit her teeth as she pushed herself to her feet, her back sliding up the wall. “I don’t know how or why, but it’s clear he already had a deal with the Elven Navy.”

“Who are you talking about?” Dew perked up as she finally finishing mixing together a vial of viscous liquid for Kaede, though the high elf seemed none too pleased with the results of her friend’s hard work.

Judging by Kaede’s pained expression as she forced herself to down the concoction, it was vile tasting in the extreme.

“We think the masked prick who activated the base’s trap might have been Wraith.” I sighed as I finally spoke the name out loud. “Seriously, if that fucker thinks he can betray me when he was a Pirate Lord, then just wander off to join the Elven Navy and I won’t take him down again… Fucking bastard, I’ll-”

“Wes, calm down!” Dew moved next to me and laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. She knew the reason for my rage, despite the fact I hadn’t mentioned it.

I’d been the one to ‘kill’ Wraith before. I’d planted an arrow in his eye when he first betrayed the Pirate Fleets to the Elven Navy. That should have been enough to end his life. It was more than enough for most folk, after all.

But somehow, the vicious little dickwipe had managed to scuttle away. Alive.

“Wes, just look at this in a positive light, eh.” Jean chuckled from her spot up against the wall as she forced herself to grin up at my irritated face. “Now ya get to kill him again, yeah?”

“Sure.” I gently shrugged off Dew’s hand and motioned for her to check on Jean. Though Kaede seemed to be the more injured of the two, I wouldn’t let any of us to set off until everyone was ready for whatever trials lay before us. After all, Wraith had managed to activate one trap in the Elven Navy’s experimental base. What was to say there weren’t more surprises waiting for us ahead?

Dew forced Jean to glug down yet another mucky looking concoction before she checked me over, just to make sure there weren’t any injuries I’d neglected to mention. For some reason, it reminded me of the time shortly after we’d first met, before we’d even begun our journey through the Waskis Woods, and I’d been poisoned by a deadlock twig.

Thankfully, she didn’t find anything that would delay our journey, so I returned the courtesy, closely checking her body for any signs of injury. Nothing. Not that I didn’t enjoy running my hands gently over her deliciously tight form, of course.

Once we had all fully recovered, I led the ladies deeper into the hidden corridor system. We were below the main base itself, that much was clear. It appeared that the explosion in the hall above us had choked off a majority of the paths, leaving us only one route to take.

We traveled deeper into the base, step by arduous step. Only after we’d been walking for nearly half an hour did we find a potential exit from the seemingly endless tunnel.

“Well, that’s not foreboding at all,” Dew remarked as she looked at the heavy set, carved stone door before us. “What now-”

Before she could finish her question, I pulled out my bow, knocked an arrow against the string, kicked the door open and strode into the room beyond. But what I saw before me tempered the furious rage rolling through my body.

It was a behemoth, and a big one at that.

‘Ah. A new one. How strange.’

It was Gran, the behemoth trapped below stronghold on the monster isle. No, it wasn’t, but the similarities were remarkable.

“Do you know Gran?” I lowered my bow slowly, keeping the huge beast’s face in sight as I watched for any signs of aggression. “He sent us here to help you.”

‘That old fool. I thought he’d have forgotten about me, by now.’ I could almost hear the thing chuckle as it shook itself. ‘My name is Kimo, traveler. I think you and I have a lot to talk about.’

Chapter Thirty-Two

Western edge of the Sendrin Desert / Beneath the Hidden Experimental Base - Day 43

K imo informed me of the general layout of the underground layer around her holding cell. After we’d scouted it out to make sure no one was in the vicinity, I allowed the others to go lie down in one of the more comfortable adjoining spaces to recover while I discussed the situation with Kimo.

Our back and forth didn’t take nearly as long as I’d thought it would. Kimo wasn’t shocked by anything that had happened to Gran, which wasn’t surprising, since she’d experienced a similar capture herself. It seemed the Elven Navy’s attempts to reverse engineer the miracles accomplished by the former masters of Monster Isle had not been going well.

One thing Kimo mentioned early on, was that she had sensed us the moment the explosion had gone off in the chambers up above. Though it was only a guess, it made sense that the trap had somehow interfered with the runesmith array designed to hold the humongous beast captive.

Of course, the Navy had used the same rock-hard spikes on his mate that we’d found pinning Gran in place, as well. These I removed as carefully as I could as we continued our talk.

Kimo’s abilities caught me off guard yet again, though. When Dew brought over a map of the facility from the office they’d been using to recuperate, the huge behemoth marked out the areas where she’d sensed the others falling.

I wanted to go and investigate them myself, but Dew talked me down—successfully arguing that I should finish my conversation with Kimo, while she checked for survivors. Though it did make the most sense, it was still irritating to watch her dash off down the tunnel, alone.

‘You love that one, don’t you?’ Kimo’s deep grumbling speech blasted a wave of dusty sand into the air as she stared down at me with huge, emotion filled eyes.

“Yeah, I do.” I smiled and nodded, feeling no embarrassment at admitting the truth.

I did love her. I loved them all. And they loved me.

‘I feel the same for my Gran.’ Kimo sighed softly before perking up as she added. ‘Not trying to compare the two, of course. I miss Gran, but I appreciate you coming all this way to help me at his request.’

“It’s quite alright.” I couldn’t help but laugh as the huge behemoth shifted awkwardly before me. Despite her size, it was clear Kimo cared a great deal for her mate.

I swore I’d do whatever I could to reunite the two.

Everything she’d told me didn’t ease my mind, though. Most of the experimenters who staffed the hidden base had disappeared about a week ago. Ever since then, a skeleton crew had remained behind to keep the place ticking over once the others had destroyed any documentation or evidence about the experiments they’d conducted beneath the sands.

That was likely why we hadn’t run into much resistance. One burning question singed my fraying nerves: Why?

Why had they left? Why didn’t they try to take Kimo with them? Why had the Elven Council sent Wraith to clean up the survivors? There were too many question and not enough answers.

Kimo couldn’t give me any concrete information to explain their reasoning. That only annoyed me further, especially when I considered the Elven Council’s usual methods of conducting business. They only abandoned a resource when it no longer held any tactical advantage for them—having wrung all they could from it, first.

As our conversation drew to a close, Dew reappeared in one of the entrances to Kimo’s huge cell. Her warm smile as she strode out into the open proved that she’d been at least partly successful in her search.

First came Eleanor, along with a large number of her Desert Elf hunting party. The Seventh Fleet soldiers covered the rear, still marching in unison despite the battering they’d taken. Unfortunately, even my quick head count showed both sides had taken some losses.

The Seventh Fleet squad had lost four, while the hunting party seemed to have lost seven. Though the losses weren’t horrendous, given the deadly trap we’d walked into, it still rankled that Wraith had been the one to hit us so hard. Although he hadn’t killed them directly, I swore I’d exact an equally painful and deadly vengeance, when next we met.

“Is this-” Elaenor froze up for a moment before she shook herself and took a few steps toward Kimo. “Who did this to you? Why?”

The other members of the Desert Elf tribe were similarly affected, though they instead remained where they were, staring up at the behemoth before them like moths transfixed by the flame that would end their lives.

It was then that I recalled the reverence the Desert Elves had for the Behemoths who lived beneath the sands of the Sendrin Desert. I’d never thought about it, but it made sense that this veneration would include other members of the same category of beasts.

“Elaenor, it’s fine. We’re here to help her.” I smiled as I moved up beside the stunned Desert Elf and shook her shoulder, pulling her out of the dazed stupor she’d fallen into. “This is Kimo. Her mate, Gran, requested we come here to free her. That’s how we knew about this base in the first place.”

“You- You knew this, but you didn’t think to tell me?” Elaenor punched me in the shoulder, clearly vent her frustrations with the blow before turning back to Kimo. “I apologize for the treatment you have faced, great one. We will assist you in any way we can.”

The rest of the hunting party mumbled their approval of Elaenor’s offer, and I didn’t see any reason to refuse her assistance. Kimo would likely require their help to escape the confines of the Elven Navy base, after all, and we needed to return to the Home Base Alpha as soon as possible to prepare for whatever other tricks the Elven Council had up their sleeve.

If they’d moved the workers out of the hidden base over a week ago, it was clear they were preparing for something big. Something like an assault on the last great Pirate Base, for example.

Even if they weren’t, we now had all the keys we needed. With both Gran and Kimo on our side, the Elven Council couldn’t ignore us, especially given the fact that both behemoths would be more than happy to utilize their unique powers to aid us. In the unlikely event the Elven Council let us be, they’d eventually face a swarm of behemoths—all controlled by yours truly.

Although there was no way I’d simply let them escape judgment—not for their many crimes against me and mine.

Elaenor took over the process of helping Kimo break out from the hidden base. There were a few paths she could take, but the hunting party would scout out the best route before they made the attempt. That left me, Dew, Kaede, Jean, and the Seventh Fleet squad free to return home and report the successful rescue of his mate to Gran.

Thankfully, our trip the next morning back to the Master of the Seas passed without incident. No more Elven Navy troops had invaded the area, though that didn’t surprise me given that they’d mostly evacuated their experimental base in the desert. Given the Elven Council’s normal practices, the next time they’d return would be to wipe the area clean with an army of behemoths they controlled to do their bidding.

But, if the newly formed strategy percolating in the depths of my brain went according to plan, they’d never get the chance. I wanted to make sure I studied the problem out from every angle, though, before I communicated the plan to my team. It wouldn’t do to get them all spun up yet, not until we could set things in motion, at least.

The three-week long trip back across the Lanoi Sea was similarly event free. No Elven Navy scouts, no merchant vessels, not a single sighting of another ship on the whole route. Something was off, and it didn’t take a genius to link the lack of shipping back to the Elven Council’s twisted plans for the future.

It did help that, technically at least, I was a genius.

Our arrival back at the Home Base passed without much fanfare. Franklin and Smith were happy we’d returned, though I could tell that both had sensed something was amiss. They quickly led us back to my office for a celebratory meeting, rather than a party—though Freya’s warm greeting to the old runesmith lifted my spirits somewhat.

“Our scouts have noted no movements on the seas for nearly a month.” Franklin began, tapping his staff against the floor in irritation. “Nothing at all across the Lanoi seas and beyond for a good distance.”

“Other than finishing off the tunnel to the top of the cliff and completing the final touches to our new home, I’ve not heard a peep either.” Smith scratched at his chin as he glanced across the table at us. “But somethings off… I can feel it in my bones.”

“Okay, I have an idea, but I want everyone to do their best to remain calm.” I tapped the table once as I considered my strategy one last time. Everyone turned to stare at me, showing their agreement via quick nods or halfhearted shrugs, as if they expected something completely out of left field from me, as it was.

Though I found this a little annoying, it would at least dull the blow. A bit, maybe.

“Right, here it goes.” I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment before squaring my shoulders and explaining my new plan: “We should reveal that we have the emperor behemoths used for the Elven Council’s experiments into controlling other behemoths.”

A few around the table grumble, unhappy with my suggestion, but I waved them to silence quickly. I wasn’t done yet.

“And also…” I paused for dramatic effect as I snapped a wink at Jean, who’d likely already figured out my plan, from the stunned look on her face. “I think we should leak the location of our new base, directly to the Elven Council if possible.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 65

T he others took my crazy suggestion about as well as I’d expected they would.

Smith and Franklin, though they repeatedly expressed how much they usually trusted my judgment, argue vehemently against such a scheme. They laid out the risks of my plan, all of which I’d previously considered, in shocking detail for all to see.

Dew, Kaede, and Freya decided, as a group, to stay silent. Obviously, they believed I wouldn’t have offered up such a bizarre strategy without first weighing all the pros and cons. Most importantly, they knew I wouldn’t make the suggestion if I thought there were better alternatives available.

We’d likely be caught in the crossfire anyway, no matter how my gamble played out.

Jean was the wild card, here. Technically, she was the deciding vote in our back and forth, seeing as only myself and Smith were official Pirate Lords. Though Franklin’s words, as the old head of the Seventh Fleet, still held some sway, officially he’d stepped down.

I worried he might regret having turned the Seventh Fleet over to me once he heard the full extent of my goals involving the Elven Council and their lackies, the Elven Navy.

Surprisingly, Jean… didn’t say a word.

I’d expected her to speak up, either in defense of the plan or to tear it apart as too risky to even consider. Instead, she kept her mouth shut as she watched the elderly members of our impromptu ‘Pirate Council’ bicker and grumble themselves into an awkward silence.

“Jean, what do you think?” Smith shook his head irritably at my lack of response before turning his gaze from me to his sister-in-arms and current Pirate Lord. “This is insanity, right? There must be a better option than this!”

“Smith, use that mighty brain in yer head and come up with one, then.” Jean tutted as she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Is it risky? Sure. Do I like the idea of leaking our location? Not at all. But do I think it’s a strategy doomed to failure? Not really, no.”

Smith gave his expected ally in the argument an exasperated look. Jean took the opportunity to sneak a glance in my direction, giving me a quick, cheeky wink. She was up to something. As usual.

“We have to consider the gains and losses of the situation.” Franklin spoke up, bare seconds after Smith’s apparent defeat. His aged voice creaked a little as he leaned forward on his cane, giving him the look of a wise old elder passing on his sage wisdom to the youngsters below him. “If this goes wrong-”

“Then we lose. Everyone in the fleets will either be captured, have to flee the battle, or die trying,” I responded, laying out the cold hard truth of the matter. I didn’t try to sugarcoat the gravity of our situation in the slightest. “The only other option we have would be to escape, right now, before the Elven Council can track down the location of our base and pin us to the wall. I refuse to take that route, but if you insist, then-”

“Wait just a damn minute.” Smith held up a hand as I stared at the two old codgers, his eyes burning with a fire I hadn’t witnessed since we’d last discussed his rune smithing experiments. “No one said anything about running away, kid.”

“Then ya agree?” Jean leaned forward and rapped the table with her knuckle. “We fight for our freedom, and we do it on our own terms, yeah?”

“I… wait.” Smith glanced at Franklin, who simply shrugged, a resigned look on his face. With his final support collapsing before his eyes, Smith had only one response left he could give.

“We’ll go with your plan, Wes,” he grumbled irritably before dropping back into his seat. “I hate it, but I can’t say it’s suicide, unlike your last successful gambit. God damn it!”

It was a risk, we all knew that much, but there weren’t any better options available—not with the cards we’d been dealt.

My first thought had been to delay the inevitable. We could bring Gran and Kimo into the fold, attempting to replicate the results of the Elven Council’s experiments, which they themselves had only copied from research they’d stolen from the stronghold on the Monster Isle. It was a long shot. One even I wasn’t certain would be likely to succeed.

Secondly, we could go on the offensive. After the brutal showdown at the former Pirate Fleet Base, it was common knowledge the Elven Navy had yet to recover their lost ships and personnel. If we used our full numbers and launched an assault on Keria directly, we might be able to overwhelm the bay’s guardians and take over the council itself.

But that was probably what the Elven Council wanted. They’d pulled back their troops, after all. Keria had been specifically designed to repel assaults from the sea with relative ease.

There were other overland routes we might consider, but those were even more easily dismissed, given the lone pass the Council would have to defend. That left us with only the strategy I’d suggested, drawing the snake out of it hole, so we could strike off its head.

With the plan I’d suggested approved by the other leaders of the Pirate Fleets, if reluctantly, we could finally move on with preparations for the upcoming battle. As I laid out each step of my strategy, I noted various emotions raging rampantly across my fellow Pirate Lords’ faces: concern, irritation, anger, regret, and finally, resignation.

But no one tried to raise any complaints about their assigned roles. At last, we were ready to start.

Smith, Jean, and Franklin took over command of the Pirate Fleets’ forces, along with Kaede, who agreed to act as my temporary stand in for the battle ahead. Dew, on the other hand, had a more direct, if only a little less arduous task assigned to her—visiting the stronghold on Monster Isle, finding Kiel and Gran, and bringing them back here.

Only Freya would remain at my side, as she frantically worked on the tasks I’d assigned her. Though she had investigated the behemoth horn slabs we’d salvaged from Monster Isle with the unwilling help of the Elven Navy expeditionary team, the task of turning them into useful weapons was an almost impossible mountain for her to climb.

But I fully believed in her skills, so decided to let her do what she could while I completed my own preparations. The plan I’d pulled together needed one person to take on the most dangerous role and, despite the arguing from the girls, we all knew I was best suited to shoulder the potentially deadly duty.

No one else could offer what I could, with regard to the plan, and that was even ignoring my immense combat skills.

Even though we’d set the wheels in motion, it would take the Elven Council time to react, so I added a time limit to our threat, which we then broadcast as widely as possible. Our boats communicated the message to ever single city and village we could access, and I prepared a more personalized message for the scheming bastards on the Elven Council itself.

After I hand wrote the message and passed it on to the captain who’d be ferrying it to Keria, I allowed myself a moment to relax. All wheels were in motion. All I could do, was train and prepare for the battle ahead.

Hopefully, it would be enough.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 92

‘D ear Elven Council,

We know about your horrendous experimentation on the noble creatures of this land, along with the vile intentions planned for the results of your work.

You have tried to bend the behemoths to your will and, as is clear from the destruction wrought upon your shining capital not long ago, you have yet to gain the control you require.

But the Pirate Fleets will not stand idly by as you seek to force the world to kneel before you.

Unless you destroy all of your research materials regarding this project within the next thirty days, we will have no choice but to reveal the evidence we have discovered to the world.

The clock is ticking. Do not test us.

Yours Truly,

Weslilian Yannisa, Pirate Lord’

“My god, you actually sent them this?” Dew couldn’t hold in her laughter as she read through a copy of the note I’d passed to the Elven Council through Taerk’s contacts. “No way they’ll ignore this. You’ve kicked the hornet’s nest this time, Wes.”

The threatening letter had been taken over to the mainland directly, not long after we’d begun our preparations, which meant it should have arrived in Keria already. Unfortunately, the others had been so busy since then, that we’d barely had the chance to meet up, never mind letting them see the message I’d sent our enemies directly.

“This is perfect. Well done, Master.” Freya smiled up at me after she’d read the contents of the note and passed it on to Kaede, who was slowly stretching her neck to relieve some of the tension she’d built up over the past few days.

“What now?” Kaede scanned the contents of the message before she folded it up and tossed it onto the table. “We still have some time, right? Is there anything else we can do to prepare?”

I could tell that Kaede was concerned about the upcoming battle. Even though Freya and Dew hid their fears a little better, it was also clear to me that they weren’t confident about our chances in the pending showdown I’d forced with the Elven Navy.

“From what I can tell, no.” I dropped into the bed between Kaede and Dew with a wide grin on my face. “Freya has almost finished on our secret weapon, and you’ve already taken full command of your fleet. Everything is ready, we just need to keep an eye out to make sure nothing slips by us, is all.”

Kiel had returned, though he’d elected to stay up on Monster Isle rather than returning to Home Base itself. Dew reported that his new mate, the other Shadow Panther we’d found beneath the stronghold, had journeyed with him, though she was far less open to the concept of communicating with anyone outside her own race.

Thankfully, she seemed happy enough to listen to Kiel’s requests, according to Dew’s report. Gran, on the other hand, had promised to return by himself. He knew the rough time frame for the Elven Navy’s expected assault, so it was unlikely he’d miss the battle.

I trusted him to keep to his promise to help us, after all.

Even though her journey across Monster Isle was done, Dew’s tasks weren’t complete. She’d only just returned, though, so we’d all agreed to take a short break from our preparations. After that she’d join Kaede and take over the command of one of the divisions of the Pirate Fleets.

But before that, we had a day to ourselves. The Elven Navy wouldn’t arrive for at least another week or two, given how long it would take them to cross the Lanoi sea, so there was little risk in taking some time to relax.

Jean had picked up on our plan, though, and she’d made it clear just how irritated she was that we hadn’t included her in the whole deal. To be more precise, she had slumped into the chair against the far wall of my room and hadn’t done little more than glare in my direction since she’d arrived.

“I think she’s angry with you. Seems a bit pointless, to me.” Dew rolled over beside me and, without any hesitation, dropped herself into my lap. I could feel her firm behind grinding into me as she squirmed about, turning so she could look over her shoulder directly into my eyes with her cheeky, hot gaze. “This might be our last time together, so its best we make good use of it.”

“And how do you propose we go about making the best use of our time then?” I grinned and pulled Dew back against my chest. She let out a low purr of satisfaction as my hands stroked along her seductive form, but she didn’t answer my question, forcing me to ask again. “What’s your plan, Dew. You’ll need to tell me, or I won’t be able to do what you want.”

Kaede and Freya were amused and aroused in equal measures as they watched from the sidelines as I played with Dew and Jean—one physically, and one mentally. Though the Pirate Lord clearly felt she needed to keep up her act to ‘punish’ me, it was clear from how she was biting her lip and fidgeting in her chair that she wasn’t having an easy time, keeping herself in check.

“I- Ah!” Dew couldn’t even finish her own sentences before she leaned in against me, panting slightly to contain herself. “What is it you want to do, pretty boy?”

Hearing her nickname for me fired me up more than I would have expected. What had once been an insult had turned into something seductive and almost otherworldly when it slipped out from between her luscious, wet lips.

“Mmmm!” I quietened her moans by turning her chin my way and locking my lips to hers. All sound, all feeling, everything besides the horny Wood Elf squirming in my lap faded away. I could still sense the others in the room, but they were little more than observers as I pulled Dew’s clothing away, piece by piece, revealing her perfect, curved body for all to see.

Without the usual preamble, I laid her down on the bed, mounted her firm, ready form, and thrust myself deep inside of her with a single, ardent push.

“AAHHHHNNN!” Dew’s loud moan rang out across the room as her warm, tight folds enveloped me. “AHH- Couldn’t- Ahhnn- Wait- OOH- For it- NNNHH- Could you!”

I increased my pace, the bed bouncing and rocking beneath us. After long, dull days of preparation and training, I needed this. She needed this.

We all needed this.

Kaede and Freya crept over the bed, lowering themselves down on to either side of me, their faces flushed with lust as they watched me pound their friend. The normal shyness the pair demonstrated in public vanished before my eyes as they each leaned forward to kiss Dew’s blushing face.

“Ah! I can- AHHH! Feel it!” Dew’s legs swung up to lock behind my back, pulling me even deeper into her hot embrace. “Do it! Give it to mmmmmeeee!”

Her back arched, her nails biting into my shoulders as I thrust deep within her one last time and released into her core, just like she wanted. The waves of pleasure crashing over Dew were too much for her to handle and she flopped back into the mattress, exhausted but fully satisfied.

“Wes?”

“Master?”

Kaede and Freya approached from either side, their gentle touches stroking my body as they moved in close. It was obvious that watching what had just happened to Dew had excited them, and I knew exactly what they wanted from me.

Fortunately, the bed was large enough for all of us.

Kaede’s shocked peal of laughter as I rolled her onto her back, fired me up. The situation was only enhanced when Freya crawled up beside us and slowly undressed her friend for me. Kaede didn’t know where to look but, after she began to calm herself, focused her gaze on my face.

Despite everything, she trusted me the most.

My cock, slick from the first round with Dew, slid into Kaede with surprising ease. She felt tight, like a vice—a warm and exceedingly wet vice. It was perfect. She was perfect.

They all were.

Kaede’s eyes lost their focus as I slid into her slowly, again and again, just like I knew she loved. She gave herself to the pleasure, allowing it to wash over her, enjoying every ridge stretching her folds. She was blissfully unaware of anything else that was happening around her.

Freya took that chance to lean in and pull me into a long, deep kiss. It was tender and passionate at the same time. Our tongues didn’t duel one another but twirled around in a scintillating dance.

“Mas- ter.” She groaned, her breath hot against my cheek. “I… Please.”

She couldn’t wait, it seemed, but it wasn’t like I didn’t have a way to satisfy her. I kept up the tantalizing, slow rhythm as I made love to Kaede while I sneaked a hand down Freya’s body. My hand glided around the full swell of her breast, teased along her side, and the plunged below her belly button—

Until it found what it was looking for.

“Ahhn!” Freya hissed, unable to keep herself from making the sound as I grazed my fingers through her soaking wet bush and parted her lips. I knew exactly where to aim as slid two fingers inside her core and curled them. My fingers pressed up against that perfect spot, deep within her, eliciting another groan of pleasure as she clutched my steadily rocking body.

Freya and Kaede’s moans synced together as I began to increase my tempo within each of them. Slowly, I stoked the fires burning deep inside them until, tipping over the precipice together, the pair of beauties exploded with a series of ecstasy filled yells. Mewling happily, they cuddled together, stroking each other’s hair and basking in the warm afterglow of their orgasms.

I took a deep breath as they both dropped curled up on the bed. Though I hadn’t come a second time, I was satisfied—watching as they rode the warm aftershocks rocking their bodies. I noticed that my body and soul felt lighter, better prepared to face the day. So, I closed my eyes and lay across the foot of the bed.

Only to feel a firm, wet suction on my dick.

“Wha-” I opened my eyes and looked down, to find a glittering pair of narrowed eyes staring back up at me.

Jean had taken me deep into her mouth, and it looked like she wasn’t prepared to let go. “Finally.” She pulled back, my cock exiting her mouth with a light pop, as she licked her lips. “I thought you’d ignore me forever, ya know.”

I chuckled and shook my head. Of course, I’d known she was there, but it wasn’t going to force her to take part against her will. That wasn’t how I rolled. On the other hand, I’d known that watching our sexcapades, fornicating on the bed before her, would excite her so much it’d make it difficult for her to act in any other way.

I knew well the personality she tried to hide from everyone else in the pirate fleets.

A slight blush crept up her cheeks as I gently pulled her up, bit by bit, until her firm behind rested just above my once again erect penis.

“I do owe you an apology, though.” I grinned as I scooped up a handful of her muscular ass, lifting her up so she was resting on the tip, ready to impale herself at a moment’s notice. “Now then, what should we do about that, hmmm?”

“Ya can do whatever ya want to, as always.” Jean played along, huffing irritably to herself as she studiously avoided my gaze. “It’s not like ya UGGGGHH!”

I buried my entire length within her in a single thrust. She shuddered and came, letting out a long, guttural moan when I released her ass and pushed her hips down sharply, hilting my shaft deep inside her. Short of breath, she straddled my legs.

“Ya mighta warned me.” She slapped my chest in mock anger, though I could tell from both the red tinge on her cheeks and the wetness that trickled down my thigh, that she’d loved it at least as much as I did.

I did what any male would do, who found his cock buried deep inside a warm, wet, and willing pussy. I kept going.

Jean slapped down atop me, again and again, slowly building a rhythm and intensity that overwhelmed her body and soul with waves of pleasure. I could feel the tension leaking from her body as she reveled in the bliss of multiple orgasms.

As I’d guessed, she needed the release as much as we all did. But I couldn’t let her hog all the time with me. So, I sped up my thrusts, matching her downward, grinding hips point for point. The increased friction pushed her even further over the edge, her body bowing inward, as it prepared itself for her biggest orgasm yet.

“OOOOooooooOOOHHH!” Her back arched and her core locked me down as the surge of a tremendous orgasm possessed her body. She dropped breathlessly forward onto my chest, juddering and shaking as several aftershocks washed through her. I carried her even further along, with several more thrusts, before succumbing to my own pleasure. Releasing deep within her, I sent a final wave of pleasure pulsing through her .

“Well, that went well.” I sighed and leaned back into the bed. Dew, Kaede, and Freya were still out of it beside me. Jean hadn’t moved from her comfortable perch on top of my chest. Others might think five people on a bed—even a large bed—cramped and uncomfortable, but not me.

To me, this was perfect. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle – Day 117

T he remaining time passed by in a flash. Dew, Kaede, Freya, and Jean each managed to sneak in some intimate time for us to hook up, but most of our day-to-day activities were taken up with preparations for the pending battle.

Even though we had weeks, it wasn’t easy getting fleets of ships and their crews ready for such a titanic show down. Everyone knew the Elven Council would send everything they could muster to crush the threat we posed, so it wasn’t like anyone felt the need to relax once we received word a massive armada was a few days sail to the east.

As the day of our long-awaited showdown finally dawned, I felt a new feeling rising up in my chest, one I hadn’t noticed in a long, long time. I sat atop the cliff above our base—my base—and carefully considered the emotion tugging at my thoughts.

Was that… doubt?

The plan was risky, not only to me and mine, but to the Pirate Fleets as a whole, and by extension, the rest of the world. If we failed, there’d be no one left to stand against the Elven Council once they completed their research into the process of controlling and ruling over the various behemoths within their reach.

My battle in the arena back in Keria had highlighted to them a major flaw in their methods, so I had little doubt they’d keep using the same design. That would be too easy, after all.

I’d played my hand as best I could. Thinking back over everything I’d done, though all of the situations I’d been forced into this past year, I couldn’t see a different way things could have ended. Those fuckers had forced my hand.

“Hey, what’s up? Why the long face?” Dew strolled over and punched my shoulder. She paused when I frowned, unable to dispel the tendril of hesitation rising up in my heart. “Seriously, are you okay, Wes?”

I shook away my doubts and gave her a shrug. “This fight, this battle… this is my problem.” I finally looked up into Dew’s eyes, though it was clear from her expression she didn’t understand what I meant. “I could have taken my fight to them, but I didn’t. Why?”

“Seriously? The others wagered you might be having second thoughts, but I never thought I’d see the day you regretted one of your decisions.” Dew chuckled to herself as she dropped down beside me. Her tanned, perfectly formed legs tapped against the cliff’s edge as she leaned back, propping herself up with her arms as she continued. “Wes, we’re all in this together—everyone agreed with the plan.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just annoying is all.” I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. The cool sea breeze pushed my golden hair back from my face as I thought of my past. “If I’d have known what their plans were, I’d have put a stop to them before they sent me out on that fucking ship.”

“And then we’d have never met.” Dew’s response caught me off guard as she poked me in the ribs, just hard enough for it to smart a little. “Could have and should have are pointless. Just think about what you are going to do, like always, alright?”

I knew what she was trying to do, though I didn’t really need it. It wasn’t like me to be paralyzed by self-doubt, but the damage caused by the Elven Council’s selfish actions hadn’t truly hit me until I’d had time to consider them.

But now I had a purpose, a reason to defeat them. And there was no way I was going to back down from that.

Before either of us could say anything else, though, a deep, sonorous gong sounded from the base far below. We both knew what the signal meant, though neither one of us had been looking forward to hearing that tone.

The Elven Navy had been spotted; they’d be on us within the hour.

“Go on, I’ll see you later.” I pushed myself to my feet and pulled Dew into a quick, rough hug before we separated. “Just be careful, alright? If you manage to get yourself hurt, I’ll have to punish you later.”

“Oh, is that a threat or a promise?” Dew giggled seductively as she ducked back in to sneak a quick kiss on my cheek before dashing away. “Same to you, pretty boy! Show them what your made of!”

I waved to her as she sprinted back down the tunnel and then turned to look out across the choppy waters of the Lanoi Sea. It wasn’t long before the first sails of the Elven Navy scouts appeared in the distance.

First, I saw a lone mast, poking up above the horizon. It was soon joined by another, and then a third. With each passing minute, the number of masts increased significantly to the point that it seemed the entire sea before me had sprouted a tall forest. The waters from horizon to horizon were choked with Elven Navy vessels.

“More than the others guessed, but not by much I think.” I grinned as I pulled out the device Freya had created for me after she’d finished her other preparations for the battle. Though she didn’t see it as her best work, the awkward, tube like contraption looked surprisingly good, I thought, considering how rushed its construction had been.

As the Elven Navy closed to surround the base, I raised the device to my lips, took a deep breath—and pressed the activation switch.

“Welcome, travelers!” I spoke normally, but the tube enhanced the volume of my words exponentially, so that they blasted across the sea to the ships waiting far below. “I assume you’re here to surrender, no?”

About a minute passed after my query rang out across the waters before I saw a lone figure step forward on the biggest ship, a device in his hand much like the one I held in my own.

“Weslilian, I take it? You dare threaten us? If you jump off that cliff right now, perhaps we’ll grant your followers a painless death!”

I knew who was speaking, though it surprised me the Elven Council had permitted him to command the armada facing us directly.

“Wraith? Long time, no see! How nice to meet another Pirate Lord.” I upped the volume of my own speech as I pointed my device down to face the stick figure far below. “How did it feel pulling my arrow out of your skull? I bet that messed up your crazed brain even more, am I right?” Though it wouldn’t be enough to turn the Elven Navy against him, it might make some of their Captains doubt the orders of the leader who’d been assigned over them.

But our negotiations would never go any further, of course. The Elven Council knew that they needed to end me; there was no way they’d offer anything but lies and deceit. And they clearly understood I’d never fall for such a shallow ploy.

“This is my last warning! Surrender now!” I called out, giving the crew aboard each of the ships one final chance to give up, though I didn’t expect any of them to take advantage of the opportunity.

“That’s enough!” Wraith’s mad shout echoed up from below. Though I obviously couldn’t see his facial expression, the way he was madly gesticulating made it clear how furious my taunting calls for surrender had made him. “Everyone, battle stations! We’ll take these fuckers down, right now-”

“Fine.” I dropped the voice enhancement device from my lips as I raised the other, less conspicuous object Freya had prepared for me. Wraith’s mad ranting continued unabated as he berated the Elven Navy crews. I ignored his noise without much difficulty as I admired the gadget in my hand.

It was a simple, small, carved cube, inset with a single button, ready and waiting to be pressed.

“Then let’s get this show on the road, then.” I chuckled and shook my head as I pressed down on the button. “No backing out now.”

It started with a dull, shuddering boom. The ground below my feet cracked and splintered as additional explosions rang out.

And then, under the terrified eyes of the Elven Navy directly below me, the entire cliff crumbled and collapsed on top of them in a brutal rain of stone and rock.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 117

T ime, or at least my perception of it, slowed to a crawl as the ground beneath my feet crumbled and began to break apart. The bombs we’d planted deep within the cliff face blasted apart rock and stone with ease, the precise series of detonations launching showers of debris onto the Elven Navy armada far below.

That was just the beginning of their troubles. Their biggest concern would soon be massive boulders and rubble large enough to smash right a battleship in half if they took a direct hit. I could have jumped back from the crumbling cliff with ease, but instead I chose to allow the crumbling rockslide to pull me along with it.

It was the quickest way to reach my enemies, after all.

Thankfully, despite the terrible nature of my footing, I had just enough control over my descent to aim my bow at the primary target of my wrath, the cloaked figure who still stood atop the forecastle of biggest dreadnought in the Elven Navy armada.

The former Pirate Lord and all-around dick head, Wraith.

One arrow, two arrows, three arrows. My shafts pierced the air, easily crossing the ever-decreasing distance between me and my opponent. Against a normal foe, I’d have only needed a single volley to finish them off, given the height advantage I held, never mind the panic the crumbling cliff face had caused.

But Wraith was too powerful for it to be that easy.

I kept shooting off additional arrows as I watched the masked elf below me block and dodge my shots with his brutal, oversized great sword.

It wasn’t clear why he’d switched from his slight rapier to such a clumsy weapon, but the speed of Wraith’s attacks weren’t slow enough to give me an easy opening. Still, I had to close the distance. If I let the fucker get away, he’d cut a bloody swathe through the forces of the Pirate Fleets.

Even though the most ardent of the Elven Council’s followers would have been at the front of the armada, and thus most likely to have been smashed by our rockslide ambush, that wouldn’t matter if we ended up losing in the showdown I’d forced between our fleets.

On that note, I noted the second stage of our ambush had started.

A motley collection of vessels poked out from various hidden caves and bays along the cliff’s face. Each hidden cove only held a few ships, not a great concern to the fully deployed Elven Navy squadrons arrayed in line of battle before them.

Despite the fact that the Elven Council had apparently deployed every single vessel available to crush the Pirate Fleets, the number of ships rushing out onto the Lanoi Sea was still enough to pose a real threat to the distracted and confused Elven Navy armada.

It would be a close fight.

“Fuck you, Wraith!” I put as much power as I could into my battle-cry as I rode a large rock down the cliff face to the roiling waters of the Lanoi Sea.

Though I couldn’t hear his response, it was clear the fucker had accepted my challenge as he readied himself for my assault, yet again.

Unfortunately for him, he hadn’t planned for my final move.

“Dodge this, fucker.” I grinned as I used the runesmith boots Freya had created for me to leap into the air as I pressed the runesmith device clipped to my belt once more, activating a final explosive device—which shattered the massive boulder I’d been riding upon just moments before.

What would have been a single, great impact directly into the choppy waters instead became a scatter shot blast of razor-sharp rock and stone splinters. The smaller ships at the front of the fleet were simply swallowed up in the rain of debris. Some ships managed to limp away, barely, while several were hit so badly that they became little more than unsteerable chunks of wood, barely able to remain afloat as their crews abandoned ship with as much speed as their panicked limbs could muster.

Wraith did his best to duck and weave his way back through the deadly onslaught, even going to far as using nearby Elven navy crew members as living shields as he made his way to the aft section of his ship.

I wasn’t about to let him escape that easily, though.

“Wraith!” My bellow rang out as I blasted my way to the dreadnought’s severely damaged main mast. The sails had been shredded by the rock shrapnel, but there was enough of a yard arm left for me to secure a foothold and take aim at the fleeing figure below me. “I’ll kill you, here and now!”

I expected Wraith to continue to further his escape attempt, but instead, he stopped… And turned to face me.

The mask, which had previously hidden his face from the world, tumbled to the deck, revealing his twisted, ugly expression for all to see. One eye glared at me, burning with fury and rage, but the other hung empty and black. No. I looked again. Not empty, something had been placed in his empty eye socket, directly into the gaping void my arrow had created when last we’d fought.

“What in the seven hells?” I blinked, for once at a loss for words as I looked upon the abomination before me.

He’d implanted a shard of the emperor behemoth’s horn… directly into his head.

“You think you’re all high and mighty!” Wraith spat his words, not caring in the slightest about his crew, who at first had moved to support him but now backed away in disgust and revulsion. The elf’s voice, which had before not been at all hard on the ear, had dulled to a grating, gravelly roar since the last time we fought face to face.

“Everything was going fine, according to plan, in fact, then you showed up! Did you think I’d come here empty handed? Did you?!”

I wanted to kill him, then and there, but the chances that my arrows would reach him were slim to none. The Pirate Fleets were closing in, bit by bit, but it was clear the Elven Navy was starting to collect themselves and their brighter Captains had repositioned their ships in a defensive formation.

We needed to break them, and fast.

Before I could say another word, Wraith waved his hand back at the officer’s deck of the dreadnought. Though the superstructure had taken some damage, most of it still stood, a testament to the extraordinary skills of the craftsmen who toiled away on Keria’s military dry docks.

The slight figure who was pulled out into the open at Wraith’s command, however, cut all such thoughts off. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach and I felt a dead, cold sensation begin to twist and writhe in my gut.

“Weslilian.”

My father shivered as he was dragged before me. He didn’t pay any attention to the knife that was held to his throat, or the confused and worried looks he was getting from the Elven Navy crew who looked on from the sidelines. “I thought I told you to leave.”

Various plans and strategies raged through my mind as I looked down upon the tableau below me.

Could I kill Wraith?

No, not before the prick’s underling slit my father’s throat.

Maybe I could land a shot on my father’s captor?

Not much chance, given how cautious the man was being about revealing any part of his body as a target.

Then what could I do? Sacrificing my father wasn’t an option, but there was no way I’d stand around and watch the forces under my command fight and die while I dithered away, unable to make a single decision.

I needed to kill Wraith before anything else could happen.

There was only one option, though I didn’t like the thought of it at all.

“Father.” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment before looking down once more at the one who’d done everything he could to raise me. “Do you trust me?”

“Ha ha! I know you, ‘Wes’.” Wraith’s grating laughter rang out as he lifted his great sword and pointed it up at me. “ You may act the vicious scoundrel, but you have standards. You have your ‘promises’, don’t you? There’s no way you’d-”

“Of course I do.” My father’s peaceful smile as he stared into my eyes hurt my soul a little. “You know I do, as always.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Wraith spun around, raising his weapon up into the air in my father’s direction. Only to watch as an arrow pierced the man’s chest, easily spearing through his body and into Wraith’s underling with a dull, wet thud.

“Wha-” Wraith’s single remaining eye blinked in confusion as he watched my father slump to the deck.

“Vicious scoundrel, is it?” I called out, taking a shaky breath, trying to calm the rage coursing through my veins as I took aim once more at the dazed former Pirate Lord. “You don’t fucking know the meaning of the word ‘vicious’, you fucking bastard! Let me teach you, right here and right now!”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 117

M y first shot skimmed past Wraith’s head as he dodged away, but the second was only barely deflected as he wildly swung his gigantic great sword.

The distance between us was too great. I needed to close in.

I engaged my boots and surged across the rigging, cross over to the next set of sails as I made my way closer to my target. Wraith continued to dodge, avoiding or deflecting each my arrows, using the smallest motions he could to keep, in order to keep himself from harm.

The analytical side of my mind fired back that he had to be doing such a weird thing for a reason. Despite the fact Wraith knew I was the most dangerous target, he was trying to conserve his strength.

Why?

I didn’t think he had any tricks left to pull out and turn our duel around, but perhaps the Elven Council had given him a trump card—one that would be dangerous to the Pirate Fleets.

And if they were wiped out, it would only be a matter of time before I met my end.

No matter how skilled and powerful I was, there wasn’t a chance I’d be able to defeat an entire armada of Elven navy vessels and their crews, each ship filled with heavily armed and expertly trained warriors.

Eventually, they’d wear me down. I wasn’t about to let it get to that point, though.

“Being a fucking coward again, aren’t you?” I leaped forward and landed atop the last of the dreadnought’s ragged and torn masts. “You and me, Swordsman’s Duel. Right here, right now!”

Wraith froze in place as he heard my challenge. He knew what it meant, and how much of an advantage he’d have. A Swordsman’s Duel was quite strict about the weapons that could be used, after all. The clue was in the name.

“You- Think I give a fuck what you want?” Wraith’s scarred face twisted horribly into a vicious grin. “Promises? Duels? Fuck that and fuck you! I’ll kill all of you, and I don’t give a flying fuck what you any of you think about me!”

Before I could launch another shot, Wraith reached up to his face and firmly grabbed the shard of black monster horn embedded in his eye socket—and twisted it.

A deep, shuddering wave of pressure blasted out across the bay. The others nearby weren’t all that affected, but I could feel it, and I knew what it meant. Wraith was using the emperor behemoth shard to summon… something.

Something big.

Panicked screams rang out in the distance as several ships rocked and swayed with ever increasing power. The waves of the Lanoi Sea rose up, higher and higher with every passing moment until a massive beast broke out into the open.

Then another one appeared. And another. Three Grand Zekiers.

Each was a larger specimen than the one I’d fought in Keria’s Arena.

A trio of disaster classed monsters, and they were all bearing down on the Elven navy and the Pirate Fleets—and their target was firmly set.

Me.

“Fuck.” I glanced down at Wraith, who was keeping up his guard as he started at me with gleeful, vindictive rage.

“What will you do now? Nothing can stop them!” Wraith hopped from one foot to the other, not caring in the slightest as the behemoths rammed and shattered Elven Navy ships who were unlucky enough to be between them and their primary objective.

He clearly thought he’d won the battle already. What else could he think, given the cards we’d both shown? But I still had a few tricks up my sleeve.

“You’re not the only one with big friends.” I shook my head and glanced back up the destroyed cliff behind me. “You’re up, Gran.”

A thundering bellow rang out across the land, over the sea, around the world it seemed. The noise was so loud, I felt a physical force pushing against me. I watched several of the dreadnought’s Elven Navy crew fall to their knees in terror.

And that was before Gran’s enormous figure appeared at the top of the cliff face.

The forces arrayed below him only had a brief moment of shock and terror before the unthinkable happened. Gran, the towering emperor behemoth, whose size dwarfed even the largest dreadnought class ships in the Elven Navy, lunged forward—

And jumped off the cliff.

Even though I’d half expected it, seeing Gran’s huge form sailing through the air far above my head sent a chill down my spine. He was so big, his body caused a shadow to be cast over the whole area of the naval engagement as his forward momentum quickly fell away, turning the lumbering behemoth into a huge, deadly mass, falling directly down into the mess below him.

Fortunately, Gran’s aim was true.

Even though their size difference wasn’t too far off, the Grand Zekier Gran landed on couldn’t do little more than let out a single, terrified squawk before he smashed it into the waves of the Lanoi Sea.

At that speed, I knew the water would feel as stolid as a rock to the unfortunate beast crushed beneath Gran’s enormous bulk.

“One down.” I turned my gaze to the other two Grand Zekiers. Even though Gran was an emperor behemoth, I knew the old fool was still recovering from his long imprisonment down in the stronghold’s subbasement, whilst his opponents seemed fresh and young in comparison.

Two black shadows leapt from Gran’s back, landing atop the Grand Zekier closer to him before they began to rip and tear into the behemoth’s flesh with reckless abandon. Kiel and his new mate had joined the fray, but it would still be a tricky fight for Gran to win.

With their help, maybe he could win defeat one of the beasts, but two?

Fortunately for Gran, only one of the Grand Zekiers turned to face him. Unfortunately for me, the other ignored the impending death of its comrade and continued on its previous path—directly towards me.

“You think I give a fuck?!” Wraith’s mad cackle echoed across the deck as he pointed his great sword wildly in my direction. “You’ll die, one way or the other. I’ll make sure everyone you care about-”

I cut Wraith off with another arrow. My shaft, as expected, was blocked at the last second. It wasn’t difficult to keep up a steady stream of shots on the evasive prick, but I knew I didn’t have long to take him out directly.

The Grand Zekier was closing in far too quickly for that to be feasible—and there was no way I could let that monster crash into the ship.

“Fuck!” I grit my teeth angrily as I fired one last, furious shot down toward Wraith. “Fuck this shit to the seventh hell!”

I needed to focus on the Grand Zekier, and that meant Wraith would seize upon the chance to get away. But what else could I do? Alone, I couldn’t—

“Wes!”

I heard a chorus of voices, calling my name in the distance, pulling my attention away to a distant vessel, closing the gap between us with each passing second. I knew who it was who’d yelled, and there was no way I’d forget the shape of the ship hurtling toward us.

Freya had found me, and she’d brought the Master of the Seas with her. But she wasn’t sailing it directly toward the dreadnought whose decks I stood upon. Instead, the advanced pirate ship took one last, arcing turn—and slammed into the side of the approaching Grand Zekier.

I could hear the crunching of flesh, bone, and hardened wood as unstoppable force met the immovable object. Neither fared well from the impact, but it was clear the Master of the Seas wouldn’t be able to escape, as it had impaled itself deep into the behemoths flank.

But the Grand Zekier wasn’t finished, not just yet.

Either from its own survival instincts, or thanks to the mental conditioning and control Wraith had used on it, the behemoth struggled forward despite the fatal blow it had taken. One huge limb slammed down on the deck of the Master of the Seas, snapping the mast like a dry twig and smashing through the stricken vessel’s top deck into the waters below.

The strike flung the ship to the side, wrenching it free from the Grand Zekier’s flesh. The behemoth ignored the fountain of blood gushing from its flank as it closed in to deal the finishing blow.

“No!” I pulled back on my bow once more, taking aim toward the weakened Grand Zekier. But before I could loose the shot, yet another player joined the battle.

Kimo, Gran’s mate, finally made her appearance.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 117

T he wounded Grand Zekier roared furiously as Kimo’s claws dug deep into its flesh. Despite the fact she was considerably smaller than her mate, Gran, Kimo was still an emperor behemoth. She didn’t lack much in size, compared to her opponent.

But still, the possessed beast didn’t give in. Despite the blood gushing from its various wounds, the Grand Zekier pushed onward in its single-minded desire to land a final, fatal blow on the stricken Master of the Seas. It was as if it knew how dangerous the ship could be if it was allowed to retreat from the battle.

Kimo did her best to hold the creature back, but it wasn’t easy for her to land enough damage in a single blow to incapacitate the enraged behemoth. And that was before a number of nearby Elven Navy vessels joined the fray. Likely captained by followers loyal to Wraith, several ships moved into range and opened fire on Kimo’s flank.

Though their runesmith cannonballs weren’t strong enough to pierce her thick hide, it was clear their explosive payloads weren’t easy for the emperor behemoth to ignore, pelting her, as they were, with such ferocity.

“Defend the empress!” A loud yell rang out from above as a crowd of figures rushed into view across Kimo’s back. It took me a moment to realize who they were. When I did, I couldn’t help but stand there, mouth agape, in shock at their appearance. Elaenor, along with her hunting party, had ridden Kimo all the way over the Lanoi Sea to assist in our battle.

The Desert Elf tribe, seemingly enraged by the cowardly attack on the beast they revered, leaped from Kimo’s back down toward the ships crowding the behemoth’s flank. For a moment I thought they might have taken a suicidal leap, but each member of the hunting party skillfully stabbed their knives into the sails of their targets to slow their descent.

Even if the bastards still working under Wraith’s orders wanted to continue their assault, they’d have to deal with the furious onslaught of Elaenor and the band of trained warriors who had rained down on them from the skies above.

Not the easiest of tasks.

But still, the Grand Zekier continued on its single-minded mission, unfazed by the commotion going on around it. It seemed like Kimo and Gran, despite the fact they were emperor behemoth royalty, weren’t able to exercise their unique abilities to control the Grand Zekiers—at least not after they’d already been through the Elven Council’s experiments and preparations.

If I didn’t do something soon, though, then Freya and the rest of the crew aboard the advanced warship she’d created for me would meet their grizzly ends at the bottom of the Lanoi sea, crushed beneath the Grand Zekier’s final, vindictive strike.

Before it could reach the Master of the Sea, however, another vessel blasted through the Elven navy encirclement and cut loose with a barrage of runesmith shot directly into the behemoth’s face.

“Lira!” I recognized the ginger haired pirate at the wheel of the brave ship that had intervened. Only one person could be brave enough to place herself between an enraged behemoth and its prey. “Took you long enough!”

“Kill that fucker already!” Lira shouted back as she swung her relatively small vessel alongside the Master of the Sea. “We’ll deal with this.”

Even with her timely intervention, it would be a close thing for the Master of the Sea’s crew to escape. I wanted to leap out and stop the behemoth from reaching the Master of the Seas, but there was no way I could cross that distance in time, and that was even if I ignored the rapid deterioration of the battle going on all around me.

Explosions and screams rent the air all around as the three-way battle between Wraith’s loyal followers and controlled behemoths, the remnants of the Elven Navy, and my own Pirate Fleets continued on unabated.

I noted the ships captained by Dew, Kaede, and Jean at different points across the huge mess of splintered ships and burning wreckage that littered the sea. Though they were still active in the ongoing battle, it was clear the superior numbers of the Elven Navy were causing them issues as they valiantly sought to come to my aid.

“Fuck!” I shot off another arrow in Wraith’s direction, mostly in an attempt to break his concentration, but the agile fucker dodged it at the last second yet again. “Fuck you!”

I needed to do something to pull his attention firmly back my way. Clearly, Wraith was forcing the Grand Zekier toward the Master of the Seas against its natural instincts—instincts that should have sent the creature fleeing for its life—likely because he’d somehow learned it was my personal vessel and knew it would most likely be crewed by people I cared deeply about.

There was no way I’d let that go on. So, out of other options, I stowed my bow, drew my sword, and leaped from my perch, directly down onto Wraith’s cloaked form.

“Finally!” Wraith hissed as he met my blow head on. The momentum of my fall added extra force to my strike, knocking the gifted swordsman back a step, but he quickly recovered as he used the immense weight of his weapon to push me aside. “No more tricks, you said! Let’s see who has the last laugh, now?”

The Elven Navy crew still standing on the deck looked unsure of how to react. Some were on the verge of stepping forward to reinforce their ‘commander’, while others were clearly torn after the vicious comments Wraith had yelled about how little he cared for his new ‘comrades’.

Either way, I doubted any would have the skills to help or hinder me in my battle.

It looked like Wraith wanted the pleasure of defeating me one on one—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Die!” Wraith took the opportunity to launch the first strike as he leapt toward me, his huge great sword held aloft. The downward strike had more than enough power to cut me in half, had I tried to block it.

I didn’t make an effort to block the blow. Instead, I slipped a step to the side and used my smaller blade’s superior speed to thrust at the rapidly approaching elf’s chest.

But then, despite his dire situation, a vicious grin popped onto Wraith’s face.

“Shit!” I forced as much power as I could into my legs as I dove to the side with all my strength.

Just in time.

Wraith spun like a top in midair, cleaving a massive gash from the ship’s deck where I had stood a moment before. Black flames flared along the edge of his blade as he hefted it once more, a vindictive glint to his single eye.

“Good dodge. Let’s see how you do with this one!”

The maddened elf’s assault raged on as he swung his great sword with reckless abandon. Though we were both gifted, my own powers were mostly related to the bow, though I had undergone years of harsh practice and training to force my body to fully utilize the enhanced reflexes and strength at my disposal to their fullest extent.

It was far from a fair fight, and Wraith knew that; he counted on that. But clearly, he didn’t care in the slightest. Blocking the massive sword’s sweeping cuts was out of the question, but I could still dodge or deflect his blows. Where not so long ago I’d been the predator, hunting my prey from above, now it seemed Wraith was the hungry lion, doing everything it could to pin down the wily wolf before it.

Fortunately, my plan had worked.

While Wraith focused all of his rage and spite in my direction, his control over the Grand Zekier waned. The behemoth’s formerly single-minded desire to destroy the Master of the Seas had faded, being replaced instead by a clear and unhesitating instinct to escape the battle.

And that had given Lira more than enough room to drag the severely damaged Master of the Seas away from the behemoths’ tussle, back toward the waiting Pirate Fleet’s forces in the distance.

I couldn’t afford to give them any more than a quick glance, though, as Wraith’s sword came within inches of separating my head from my shoulders. I backed quickly away, moving step by step to the center of the deck. It was clear Wraith thought he had me against the ropes. He did all he could to force me closer to the still unmoving body of my father.

“If only dear old dad could have seen you now, trapped like a rat!” Wraith let out a shrill cackle that barely registered in my mind as a demented laugh. “Run, Wes, Run!”

“Enough.” I took a stand as Wraith pulled back his blade for one final thrust. “I’m done with your shit. Come at me, Wraith.”

The sudden declaration of intent caught my opponent off guard, but he quickly recovered, and a huge grin threatened to split his scarred and ragged visage in two.

“Defiant to the end!” He took up a stance, more akin to an executioner’s than a warrior’s, preparing himself for our final exchange. “You should have run. Ending it like this… it’s too easy!”

I focused on his blade as it approached my chest. Wraith was a vindictive prick, but he had been extremely intelligent. There was no way he’d have made it to the rank of Pirate Lord, otherwise.

But he’d let his rage and ego overcome him at the last moment, as most villains were want to do.

“Hah!” I planted my feet and raised my sword. No dodging, no evading.

We’d meet, edge to edge, blade to blade.

An ear-piercing screech rang through the air as our weapons connected. Wraith’s blade felt like it weighed more than a battleship as it crushed down upon me, pushing my sword back toward my chest as he tried to cut me in half, from shoulder to waist.

But… I blocked it.

Wraith’s great sword crashed into my shoulder, slamming into and breaking my collar bone before coming to a stop against my upper ribs.

Somehow, I’d survived.

“Wha-” Wraith blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing as he prepared to wrench his sword free once more, obviously missing the fact that I’d reached around to the quiver at my back with my uninjured arm.

But he was too slow.

“Die you fucking bastard!” I used my free hand to thrust the arrowhead into Wraith’s face.

He tried to dodge, but the distance between us was too small. Still, Wraith was skilled, and he knew the advantages he held.

As my arrow pierced forward, he turned his face to the side—and blocked it with the shard of monster horn stuck into his skull.

“Ha ha ha!” Wraith roared with twisted laughter as he stepped back, leaving the great sword embedded deep in my shoulder as he waved madly through the air. “Is that the best you can do? Weak and pathetic last-ditch effort, I tell you-”

But then he paused as he noticed the odd thing protruding from his face.

My arrowhead had buried itself deep within the rock-hard mass of horn wedged into his unseeing eye socket.

“What is this? How the hell…” He reached up and grabbed ahold of the arrow’s shaft but, try as he might, he couldn’t pull it free. His anger turned to panic as lines of pulsing energy lit up along the shard of monster horn in his eye socket.

He paused, taking a step toward me as he pointed wildly in my direction. “You fucker! I’ll kill-”

BOOM!

Before he could finish his threat, the shard of monster horn exploded, turning the gifted elf’s head into a red mist of blood and brain matter. His outstretched finger, pointing accusingly at me, twitched once before Wraith’s headless corpse tumbled to the deck.

“Now that’s what I call vicious, you bastard.”

I grunted as I pulled Wraith’s blade free from my shoulder and turned to face the terrified Elven Navy crew who stood, wide eyed all around me. “So, do you want to surrender now, or should we carry on with this shitshow?”

It only took them a few seconds for one of the few remaining officers to make a decision and a few more before the signal bell rang clearly from the dreadnought’s upper deck. The Elven Navy armada, after losing their commander and nearly half their ships, surrendered to the Pirate Fleets without any further aggression.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Pirate Hideout: Home base Alpha / Monster Isle - Day 117

W e accepted their surrender without too many ‘incidents’. A few officers of the Elven Navy didn’t want to give in until the last man fell, but they were quickly disarmed and restrained by their own crews. After everything they’d seen and heard during the battle, it was clear the vague orders they’d received to capture the ‘traitor’ Weslilian Yannisa weren’t the whole, complete story.

Kimo and Gran shared a few words with me, thanking us for reuniting the pair and wishing us well before they left to find a new home. They made sure to let me know they planned to keep in contact, once they’d settled down, so it wasn’t likely I’d not get the chance to repay the favor after all they’d done to help us win the ‘Battle of the Monster Lords’, as it came to be called.

No matter what they named it, my main priority remained on those I counted as family. Not until I knew the fate of my girls and my father, did I let them carry me down to the captain’s cabin to wash and bind my wounds.

Freya had been injured when she’d steered the Master of the Seas into the Grand Zekier’s flank, but she would make a full recovery after a few days of rest, along with the most of her dedicated crew.

Kaede, Jean, and Dew each sported minor wounds, but nothing life threatening, especially since Dew had prepared several cauldrons worth of her vile concoctions for the wounded to share between them.

But the luckiest of all, was my father. My arrow had pierced the old elf’s body with ease, sliding between his upper ribs before it threaded its way out his back—missing all major organs along the way.

It had been a risky shot, but there hadn’t been any other way I could save him. Not that my father blamed me in the slightest. In fact, for the first time I could remember, he actually seemed… proud of me.

I recuperated on the dreadnought for nearly a weak—when the adrenaline finally wore off, my body crashed, hard. I woke after gagging down one of Dew’s vile concoctions two days later. I was surprised to find Elaenor sitting in a chair beside my bed when I awoke.

“Oh, you are finally awake.” The desert elf’s words sounded hesitant, shy almost.

I gestured weakly at the wooden tankard at her elbow and she hurried to help me sit up and take a drink of water. Once my throat didn’t feel like her race’s namesake, I gave the tanned huntress a smile.

“I was surprised when you and your hunting party leaped up to defend Kimo from the Elven Navy.” I chuckled. “Not as surprised, I bet, as they were when you launched yourselves from on high into their sails.”

She smiled, nodding shyly at my praise.

This was the first time I’d seen the desert elf without a loose robe and hood. Her light brown hair was done up in a number of tight, intricate braids bound in gold clasps. It looked lovely, matching her hazel eyes and tawny skin.

“You look amazing, by the way.”

She ducked her head, embarrassed, then raised it defiantly to stare at me. “I’m glad to hear you think so. It’s not often a desert elf clan leader cleans up to present herself to a high elf warrior.”

My eyes might have gotten a bit wide at this declaration. ‘Presenting’ oneself in desert elf culture was the equivalent of courting in high elf society. I’d come to respect, appreciate, and liked being around the quiet huntress, but I didn’t know her feelings for me ran so deep.

I hesitated only a moment before taking her tanned fingers between mine. I brushed my lips to her knuckles, then lifted her hand to the corner of each of my eyes. “May we enjoy the shade together. When next I find an oasis, you will be the first one I tell.”

The hazel-eyed beauty threw back her braids and laughed. It was a light, joyful sound I could listen to all day. Clearly my knowing the culturally appropriate words to say at such an occasion came as a pleasant surprise. I chuckled with her before growing serious once more.

“My acceptance of your courting pledge…” I hesitated and then frowned. “My acceptance has to be conditional until you obtain the approval of my four companions: Dew, Freya, Kaede, and Jean.” I shrugged, then winced as pain shot through my shoulder.

“It is alright,” Elaenor said. “I suspected such might be the case. I have already sought and secured the approval of three of your ladies.”

My eyebrow arched. “Kaede didn’t put up a fuss, did she? I thought we were past that when she finally accepted Jean.”

“No.” The tanned beauty at my side shook her head. “I was surprised when Dew said I’d first have to spar with before I could ‘have access’ to you.”

It sounded like my feisty wood elf was up to her usual tricks. “Did you have to best her in order to come see me?”

“No,” Elaenor dipped her head, hiding behind her braids. “I lost, every time, no matter how hard I fought. She said I could meet with you, regardless of whether or not I won or lost, though.”

“What?” I asked, confused.

When the desert elf raised her head, I noted she was blushing so hard her dusky cheeks had nearly turned purple.

“If I won, my first time with you—assuming you agreed to my courtship—would be just us two. Since I lost…” she ducked her head again and hid behind her braids. “Since I lost, we will be joined by all four of them—and… and I can’t be with you until after I accept my punishment.”

Her head snapped up and she glared at me when I burst out laughing. Knowing Dew, Elaenor’s punishment would most likely be the same one she and Freya had administered to Kaede after they’d accepted her into our little group. Between chuckles, I explained it wasn’t something to worry overly much about—just Dew’s way of welcoming new friends and sisters into our unusual family.

After that, we talked for another hour before my eyes grew heavy once more. I kissed Elaenor’s knuckles again before she departed and I sank back into the mattress, exhausted. I heard faint voices at the door before sleep claimed me. I hope Dew hadn’t been too hard on the girl.

Smith came by a day or so after that. He gave me a succinct report on the engagement with the Elven Navy; while we’d taken a number of losses, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d feared it would be.

I can’t imagine the amount of crap Jean likely had to put up with while I was unconscious. I owed her for that, and she knew it. She wasn’t shy about declaring how I’d have to give her some special one-on-one attention to clear the debt.

My sister, Arianna, gave me the evil eye when she came to see me, though she spent most of her time tending to our father. Clearly, she was angry I’d hurt him, though that didn’t stop her from giving me a rough and ready hug before returning to his side once more. As ever, she knew what I’d done was for the best—even if she disproved of my methods.

Kiel and his mate came through the battle unharmed. Gran credited the pair with landing several fatal blows to the Grand Zekier during the fight, though the behemoth had ignored the ghastly wounds as it raged against the world, right to the end.

The shadow panther cub, or—stated more accurately—the fully grown shadow panther alpha, shared a short bonding session with me, Dew, and the others before returning to the wilds of Monster Isle.

According to Dew, Kiel would still be around, but he needed his space. Though it was natural for a child to leave the nest eventually, it was obvious Dew still took the parting hard. I guess every mother finds it tough to cut the apron strings.

I wasn’t allowed much time to recover in the chaos that followed the aftermath of the battle. Dew dosed me with her vile medicines daily and I’d need to keep my arm in a sling for at least another month for my clavicle to mend, but the ripped muscle and ligament in my shoulder healed nicely thanks to those nasty potions Dew kept pushing on me.

Once the details of their surrender had been worked out, Jean, along with Franklin and Smith, took me to meet an interesting group of passengers who they’d found aboard Wraith’s vessel after the fight and who now shared a communal stateroom… in the brig.

“You lot!” I glared at the quivering, pale-faced figures huddling at the back of their cell. After everything that had happened, the world conspired to surprise me one last time when I recognized the elves Jean had taken prisoner.

They were the Elven Council. Every single one of them.

“What the fuck are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be hiding away in your offices, sipping wine while you send better elves out to die for you?”

“I- You- Can’t do this to us,” one of their number mumbled as he started to step forward. The old coward tried to push himself back into the crowd of lily-livered cretins behind him the instant my gaze turned his way. “This is- We surrendered. We’re prisoners of war- You can’t- You wouldn’t-”

“What do ya want to do with ‘em, Wes?” Jean ignored the councils’ disjointed attempts to talk their way out of the situation as she winked at me. “They could just, ya know, go missing... No one would know the difference, right?”

“No.” I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “We’ll take them back to Keria.” I saw the relieved looks on a few of the councilors faces, but their expressions dropped as I added. “I’m sure their victims want to see justice served for the many crimes these fuckers committed. Whatever the outcome of the trial, that will be their punishment.”

The finality of my tone brooked no argument. The council members were too distraught to beg for forgiveness. They knew what the judgment would be delivered for each and every single one of them—Death. But only if they were lucky.

After a week to recover, I finally agreed to my father’s request to meet up with the remnants of the Elven Navy’s command structure.

Most had been loyal servants of the elven nations. Strong willed men and women, every single one, it was clear what their responses had been once they realized what the Elven Council was planning. But they’d been rounded up and imprisoned before they could do anything to change the orders of their beloved navy.

Fortunately, Wraith, in his never-ending ego trip, had decided to drag them along for the journey aboard his ship. Taerk, a former high-ranking officer of the Elven navy, had been the one to find and rescue his comrades in arms, which probably rankled their spirits more than a little, given how wide my old friend’s grin had remained throughout the meeting.

And now, they would be the bridge between myself, a Pirate Lord, and the rest of the Elven Navy in which I had once served.

But there weren’t any admirals remaining to oversee the Elven Navy. Given the battles we’d been through, along with the ‘untimely’ end of their former Grand Admiral, Olea Yannisa, and the unfortunate demise of her stand in, Simeon, the navy had yet to promote anyone back up to that rank.

The one suggested to take on that mantle did surprise me a little when they first mentioned it.

Under my father’s calm gaze, the collected leaders of the Elven Navy turned in my direction.

And begged me to take over as Grand Admiral of the Elven Navy. At first, I tried to refuse, but the positives of the new title they dangled before me far outweighed the negatives: all my former ‘crimes’ washed away, my record clean and spotless; the Pirate fleets, fully integrated into the Elven Navy, if they wished it; my father and sister, taken back to Keria and given their old lives back, along with enough wealth to permit them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

I decided to accept their proposal—on one condition. I demanded my father be the one to head the new council, along with affording him the right to select new council members to oversee the Elven Nations. Despite all that had happened, the high elves needed a leader, someone they could trust to look out for their best interest.

Fortunately, my request wasn’t all that hard for the Elven Navy leadership to accept. After the former Elven Council’s deeds were made public knowledge, the Navy were the only ones who had any real power, so their backing ensured the transition would be relatively painless.

Dew, Freya, Kaede, and Jean made it clear that wherever I went, they would follow. I felt the same, of course, but it was heartening to know I had people I could trust with my life at every turn, beside me on whatever path I chose to take.

Elaenor stepped up at that point to act as the liaison between the Desert Elves and the new Elven Council. Though the relationship between the two sides had been worn thin, Elaenor was confident she’d be able to persuade the other clan heads to at least listen to our proposal for a truce.

And that had the added benefit that she’d be able to visit Keria at any point. Or, more precisely, she’d be able to come see me whenever she wanted. Desert Elves are incredibly open and straightforward in expressing their desires. Thankfully, my girls didn’t have any real complaints when Elaenor had come to them to make her intentions clear—though Dew did take the opportunity to play her little prank on the desert elf.

Hearing the story from the wood elf, apparently for the first time, Jean threw her hands in the air and stomped out of the room. Kaede couldn’t stop laughing, though, and Dew’s grin stretched ear to ear. After that was all sorted, Elaenor departed with a kiss on my cheek.

“Pirate Lord and Grand Admiral.” Dew giggled as she poked my good shoulder. “Any other titles you plan on picking up, pretty boy?”

“Master is master, after all.” Freya smiled gently as looked out across the finally empty meeting table. “Maybe we should improve your ship? Extra power, enhanced engines... Hmm-”

“Seriously. I think all this has made me immune to being shocked anymore.” Kaede sighed softly as she leaned back in the overstuffed chair beside mine. “I’m glad I joined you, though. I wanted an adventure. This was certainly enough of one to last me a lifetime.”

“Well, it isn’t over yet, ya know.” Jean grinned as she came back into the room, waving a hand at the intricate drawing of the world inscribed in the top of the massive table before us. “Where to next, Wes? The world’s open to ya, it seems.”

“Anything is possible.” I looked at each of the beautiful maidens before me before I turned my attention back to the map. “But I think we should start… here!”

Epilogue

T he noon day sun filtered through the canopy far above the group of five young elves. Though they all knew the danger of their little expedition, not a single one wanted to give up on their self-appointed quest. They’d all known that their lives might be in peril if they found what they sought.

Still, the group had set out seeking a treasure sure to impress even their father.

“Are you sure about this, Fran?” one of the girls spoke up from the rear of their column as they moved deeper into the overgrown woodlands. Her messy blonde hair fluttered in the breeze as she stared out into the forest and played with the string of her bow. “Seems like a long shot, to come all the way out here on a rumor.”

“But still, you came, didn’t you. Not much we can do now other than try, right?” The boy she’d questioned smiled as he lifted his spear and pointed into the distance. “What do you think, Aqua? Want to head back?”

The eldest, a blue-haired elven girl, didn’t bother to give the boy an answer as she turned to regard the other two members of their group. As she had fully expected, the hammer wielding, red-headed half-elf ignored the taunt without any hesitation. Clearly Rose had inherited the gung-ho attitude of her mother.

But the other boy, being the youngest of them and her full brother, would be her most likely ally. Though Aqua didn’t really want to ‘run away’, per se, the idea of trekking across a monster infested isle just to investigate a wild rumor they had overheard during their stay at an inn seemed foolish, at best.

Foolhardy, even. Brave, but foolish.

“I get what you mean, Aqua, but I’m with Fran here.” Dean shrugged as he spoke, only to worry a moment later as his movement awoke the dragonette on his shoulder. Though tiny, baby Kara would eventually grow into a monster capable of destroying a city. If her handler stopped babying her, that is.

“Yeah. We should just do it.” Rose glanced at the boy beside her as he coaxed his little pet back into a peaceful slumber before she turned back to the blonde girl and magenta-haired boy, her half-brother and half-sister, the two ‘leaders’ of their merry band. “You two decided to do this, I’m just tagging along- ”

“So your mom can throw you out onto a ship as a punishment, is that right?” Fran grinned as his jab caught the redhead off guard. Rose huffed angrily as she hefted her oversized hammer, only to freeze a moment later as a deep, roaring bellow blasted over the group.

“I knew it.” Grace flicked an arrow out of the quiver on her back and laid it against her bow. The arrowhead shimmered as its runesmith enhancements came to life, but even the upgraded power of her weapon wouldn’t help, not if the true masters of Monster Isle happened upon their group.

Even one created by a grandmaster runesmith like Fran’s mother.

But Grace was the only member of their group with any real ranged capabilities. Sure, her mother had taught her a style of combat which could flow between close and long range, switching when necessary to the long dagger at her belt, but she still felt most comfortable when she had a bow in her hands.

The group jumped as a large shadow burst from the brush to their rear, but they all calmed down once they spotted what, or more accurately, who, had just appeared.

Aqua let out a shaky breath as Grace kneeled down beside the large, shadowy panther which had stealthily followed their group ever since they left the outpost at the upper ridge of the cliff face over an hour ago.

“Kay, can you scout and find out what we’re up against?”

The cat responded with a deep, rumbling purr as it butted its head against her outstretched hand. A moment later, it vanished back into the vegetation, little more than a fleeting shadow weaving its way through the forest.

Time slowed to a crawl as the group waited silently. The distant roars and crashing of trees drew closer, but they all knew that attempting to run at this point would likely lead to their doom anyway.

The creatures who lived atop monster isle, even several decades after it had been officially ‘quelled’ by their parents, still consisted of predators and prey. No beast could survive more than a few days in the wild without the ability to either hide from their foes, or track down the lesser monsters and beasts who served as their primary source of food.

Fortunately, Grace’s shadow panther slipped back to their group before the beast tracked them down. The elven girl fell silent as she communicated telepathically with her companion. Only she had the ability to speak with the beast directly, though Dean could empathize and synchronize with the behemoth’s brood for some reason.

That ability wasn’t much help in their current situation, though.

“Rhintra.” Grace finally spoke as she lifted her palm from Kay’s shoulder. The young shadow panther stared off into the distance in the direction of their approaching foe, as it bared its teeth in suppressed rage.

“If we can’t run, then we fight, yeah?” Rose, her wafer-thin patience finally at its breaking point, shouldered her hammer and strode through the trees up to the edge of the small clearing.

“Dad told us the story of his first Rhintra hunt. He managed it, with just Momma Dew to help him, and we have five...”

Kay’s angry hiss cut Rose short.

“Okay, six, then… that’s, like, double the chance of us winning.”

Dean couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his half-sister’s remarks. His short, silvery hair ruffled as the dragonette on his shoulder stirred once more. It paused for a moment, looked around at the trees and then focused on the distant sounds.

Suddenly, it squawked and flapped its stubby wings, flying back into the forest, alone.

“Coward!” Fran yelled after the baby behemoth, his irritation overwhelming him for a moment before Aqua could slam a hand over her brash, half-brother’s mouth. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been quick enough to stifle his shout.

“Incoming!” Dean’s bright blue eyes sharpened as he drew his twin daggers and darted off into the low vegetation. At a glance, it looked like the boy had also fled the pending battle, but none of the other members of the group saw it as such. They trusted each other completely.

That was what family did, after all.

The other four moved into position, as they had practiced in the past—Rose stepping forward as Grace stepped back, with Fran’s spear on the left and Aqua’s sabers on the right. Though Rose was only a half-elf and the second youngest of the siblings, she still had more than enough strength and power to wield the heavy hammer, which easily weighed more than twice as much as she did.

But that wouldn’t matter if she got swatted aside by the monster they were about to face. It was her job to keep the beast’s attention without getting trampled. She knew it’d be up to Fran and Aqua to deal the most damage—though hopefully Grace would get in a lucky shot or two while Dean got into position.

Fran took up his spot on Rose’s left as he hefted his spear. Long enough to give him the reach advantage against a normal foe, the weapon would barely be able to pierce the hide of the mighty beast heading their way. But they didn’t have any other choice.

Before the three young elves standing should to shoulder could share any further words, the last line of trees which had blocked their sight of the monster were blown aside, revealing an enormous, grey skinned Rhintra. Lightning sparked and spiraled around the thing’s toughened hide as its muddy eyes squinted to take in the three juicy targets before it. It paused for a moment, as though it couldn’t quite decide which one it wanted to snack on first, before it stomped the ground and rushed toward the member of the trio to its right.

“Fran!” Grace shouted as she pulled the string of her bow as far back as it would go before releasing her shaft. Exactly as planned, it blew through the air toward its target before slamming into the Rhintra’s eye.

Only to deflect off the hide off its eyelid as the beast shut its eyes, a protective lens sliding down over its weakest spot. Before the monster could realize what had happened, the arrowhead detonated, with enough power to knock its head to the side. The blast dealt no real damage, but the powerful explosion stunned it. Its eye swelled a little and its charge came to a grinding halt, as Grace reached back for another arrow from her quiver.

Both Fran and Aqua raced forward before the beast could react. The elven lad thrust for the beast’s throat, his spear lancing out. The Rhintra switched its focus from the archer in the distance to the charging spearman, barely managing to sweep its horn downward to bat the boy’s thrust aside before skewering him on its horn.

At least, that’s what it tried to do.

Aqua took advantage of Fran’s distraction, her sprint turning into a slide as she ducked beneath the beast’s massive body. Her momentum carried her forward, past the Rhintra’s shoulder and down under its stomach. There, she took the opportunity to slash upward and drag her rune engraved sabers along the monster’s unprotected belly.

Though the wounds weren’t enough to severely injure the Rhintra—only managing to slice thin lines across the tough hide—the pain still caused it to bellow in fury as it tried to stomp the annoying ant beneath its feet. Aqua ducked and dived out the far side as the monster's feet slammed down and gouged massive holes in the dirt.

Fran got its attention when he sliced into the Rhintra’s ear. His spear glowed blue as it absorbed the electricity sparking around the monster’s head. The sharp blade cut a bloody notch into the beast’s ear, causing the Rhintra to thrash its head about, seeking to end whatever had caused this latest pain.

A single blow from the wildly swinging horn would have been enough to turn Fran into little more than a smear on the forest floor. Fortunately, the Rhintra was distracted once more as his youngest half-sister rushed forward to save him. Rose’s hammer slammed into the monster’s side, crushing its flesh and breaking a rib with a sickening crack.

Though she clearly wanted to do more, Rose didn’t outstay her welcome as she jumped back away from the Rhintra before it could spin around to face her. Her distraction gave Fran the space he needed to roll back away from the beast. Having scrambled to her feet, Aqua twirled her sabers at his side.

Injured, bleeding, and half blinded by the burst of bright light before its eye, the Rhintra pawed the ground and huffed in fury at the group. There was no way it was going to flee, but clearly its evaluation of the four young elves had changed. They were no longer prey in its eyes. They were rivals it needed to smash and crush into a pulp.

Unfortunately for the beast, there was still one last factor it hadn’t accounted for.

“Now!”

Dean dropped from the branch where he had climbed at the beginning of the fight. The Rhintra didn’t realize what was happening before the boy crashed down atop its head, using the momentum of the fall to sink his twin daggers deep into its other eye.

“You got it!” Rose yelled in triumph as Dean was knocked back from the beast’s head by the sparks of lightning the skittered over its hide. With her hammer raised high, the red-haired half elf rushed in to slam her hammer down on one of the protruding knives’ handles, seeking to bury it deep in the beast’s skull.

Before her blow could strike home, the Rhintra let out a deafening bellow, the sound piercing enough to crack glass and shatter eardrums. Rose’s charge faltered as she tried to push through the noise, but she stumbled as she fought the effects of the wave of pressurized sound.

“No!” Having run towards where Dean’s twitching muscles spasmed from electric shock, Grace raised her bow, but she wasn’t quick enough.

The Rhintra stumbled forward, not quite a graceful move, but enough for it to slam a massive shoulder into the stunned girl. The lightning empowering its defenses added to the strike as it knocked poor Rose head over heels into the brush a dozen meters away.

“Die!” Fran rushed forward to block the Rhintra’s deadly advance and keep it from stomping Rose into the ground. Aqua slashed at its shoulder, one blade darting forward to catch the large creature behind its knee as the other slashed its tough hide. Dean moved forward as he drew a spare knife from a secret sheath behind his back. Grace knocked her second, and the last of her runesmith arrows, against her bow.

Even Kay joined the fray as it rushed up to flank Fran as the group waited for their inevitable defeat.

“Well done, kids. Let me take it from here.”

The Rhintra swung its head toward the new voice, only to see a spread of five arrows zip through the air toward its shocked face. Three struck the monster's horn, shattering its main weapon in a titanic explosion, while the other two slammed into its remaining, swollen eye.

A piteous whimper escaped the beasts throat as it collapsed to the ground. Its own horn had been turned into a blast of shrapnel that had carved several deep gouges in the monster’s face. It struggled to remain conscious, stumbling back.

Before it could regain its footing, a tall, well-dressed elf blurred to its side and stabbed his sword behind the beast’s large front leg, digging deep into the Rhintra core to pierce the beast’s heart.

Rose groaned as she pushed herself up from the dirt, helped up by Fran. Aqua ran to check on Dean, who still twitched slightly. Only after they’d confirmed Rose wasn’t badly injured by the impact, most likely due to the inherited toughness from her mother, and Dean had recovered from the nasty shock, did they turn to the one who had saved them from what might have been a gruesome end.

“Dad!” Grace breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly released the tension on the string of her bow. “We thought you were busy…”

“Yeah, I was.” Weslilian Yannisa, the Pirate Overlord and Grand Admiral of the renewed Elven Navy Fleets, grinned as he stared down at his five adventurous kids. “But when Dean’s little Kara flew in, frantically picturing a Rhintra heading your way, did you lot really think I’d miss out on something like this?”

He lifted his eldest daughter’s chin, wiping away her frown as he tucked a stray blue lock behind her ear.

“Now… how about you tell me about this quest of yours. We’ll need to get this done and you five back to the hold before your mothers get worried, don’t you think?”

The End

Table of Contents

Contents

Prologue

Book 1: Origins of a Pirate Lord

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Book 2: Rise of a Pirate Lord

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Book 3: Vengeance of a Pirate Lord

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Epilogue