“It is,” I replied as Kaillen drifted closer to my side.

Similar to the capital, the city’s lanes were cobblestone and the houses had thatched roofs, but there wasn’t a wall around Culasberee’s perimeter, nor were there gates guarded by sentries. The city sprawled throughout a valley, unlike the rising mound the capital had been built on. Towering mountains rose along the valley’s sides, and in the distance, the vast glimmering sea sparkled in the growing twilight.

“Is that the Bakken Sea?” I asked.

“Ah, I see we have a geographical scholar in our midst.” Barnabas rocked back on his heels, grinning.

I gave him a side-eye as Fallon replied, “Yes.”

“Did you know that it connects with the Tala Sea?” Barnabas winked. “Quite a lovely name for a sea, is it not?”

“It is indeed.” I gave the vamp a saccharine smile.

Barnabas barked out a laugh.

“Do you think Jakub’s still here?” I nibbled on my lip. Who knew how many hours had passed in the fae lands since we’d heard that Jakub was aiming to escape from here—not to mention the extracurricular activities that had delayed me and Kaillen even further. Time moved differently between earth and the fae realm, which often resulted in tricky schedules when one ventured here, since a month in the fae lands could feel like a week on earth.

Kaillen lifted his nose and took a long inhale, closing his eyes.

“Do you scent anything?” Fallon asked.

Kaillen nodded, and a flash of fire rolled in his irises when he opened his eyes. “Jakub’s been here recently. Let’s move.”

In the distance, mighty ships had docked in Culasberee’s port, their towering white sails like bedsheets flapping in the breeze.

“So, Kaillen said we’re meeting an old friend of yours?” I said curiously to Barnabas as we began walking toward the city, the long grass swishing around us. Since Kaillen’s portal key hadn’t taken us directly to the wharf, I guessed Culasberee had wards that didn’t allow transfer directly into the city.

“Indeed.” Barnabas winked. “He runs the dark side of port life. This area is commonly used by smugglers.”

When we reached the city’s perimeter, Barnabas inclined his head toward a line of domals and carriages.

Fallon prowled behind the vamp to the nearest carriage, and Kaillen and I followed.

The carriage dipped under the heavy weight when the three men climbed on board, and the domal—a fae horse—looked over his shoulder and huffed.

Domals weren’t able to use language, but they were more intelligent than their earthly counterparts, and they conducted their own businesses. A driver wasn’t required.

“Off to The Crow’s Nest at the wharf!” Barnabas called loudly once I’d climbed in. “We haven’t a moment to lose.”

The domal dipped his head after Kaillen placed payment into his satchel, and then took off at a brisk trot, his eggplant-colored coat reflecting an ebony hue in the dying light.

As the carriage jostled and swayed along the cobblestone lanes, Kaillen dipped his head toward Fallon and Barnabas.

“Jakub will inevitably be traveling with weapons and a trained team. From what we’ve learned so far, everyone employed by him sports the same tattoo.” He described the constellation pattern to them, going into detail.

“That’s unusual,” Fallon commented, the yellow-haired fairy leaning back in the carriage as his legs sprawled out in front of him. “And foolish. It makes it too easy to identify them.”

“I’ve thought the same,” Kaillen replied. He slung an arm around me as the scent of salt entered the air. We were fast approaching the wharf. “But from what I’ve seen, Jakub is anything but stupid. There has to be a reason he tattooed his entire crew.”

Barnabas stroked his chin, his indigo eyes flashing with interest. “And he’s after you specifically, my dear?”

I inclined my head. “He believes I’m the key apparently.”

“Key to what?” Fallon asked.

I shrugged. “If we only knew.”

The fairy assassin’s brows furrowed together.

“That’s his brooding face,” Barnabas said. “When Fallon gets that look, it’s best to leave him be.”

Fallon gave Barnabas a withering glare at which the vamp laughed.

“The Crow’s Nest is just up ahead.” Kaillen pointed down the lane we’d turned onto. The domal’s swift trot hadn’t lessened, and the mighty ships I’d seen from the city’s other side now glistened like polished ivory in the fading twilight.

I wasn’t sure what fae ships were made from, but the cream-colored exterior appeared smooth with darker colored lines scouring the seams.

“Bone ships.” Barnabas leaned forward, his eyes brightening with interest. “The fae ships are much sturdier than the earthly ones. Almost makes me wish I was a sailor again.”

“Again?” I cocked my head. “Have you been on many ships?” I asked as the domal pulled up to a tavern with a sign hanging over the door in faded paint informing us that we’d reached The Crow’s Nest. The bar’s windows revealed a boisterous party inside, and if the music, laughter, and noise of scraping chairs were any indication of what was to come, I was glad I’d worn sturdy boots.

We all stepped out of the carriage as Barnabas sighed wistfully. “I have. Before I was turned, I sailed the high seas on earth. Of course, the fun we had then is now a thing of the past.”

“Being a sailor was fun? Seriously?” From what I’d learned in history class, it was a life of hardship. “How long ago was that?”

“Roughly four hundred years ago.”

“Didn’t you get scurvy or something before you turned to a vamp?” I asked as the four of us walked to the door. “Surely, that wasn’t fun.”

“Oh, it was plenty of fun if you were a pirate.” He grinned, his fangs lengthening.

“Don’t get him started.” Kaillen slid an arm around my waist, and my wolf preened at the contact, practically purring to have her mate so close. “Once he gets started about the old glory days, he doesn’t shut up.”

“And whatever you do, don’t mention the B word.” Fallon pulled the tavern’s door open.

“B word?” I scrunched my nose up as a zap of magic washed along my skin when we stepped over the tavern’s threshold.

“Blackbeard,” Kaillen whispered into my ear, then nipped my earlobe.

A shiver danced through me as Barnabas cussed. “That Blackbeard was a wily sonuvabitch who—”

A knife flew right for Barnabas’s head.

The vamp dipped to the side, the movement graceful and executed with perfect ease.

The knife’s blade embedded itself into the wooden post behind him, then a high-pitched scream came from across the room.

“And I see that they’re still quite upset . . .” Barnabas sighed.

Before I could process what was happening, six fairies leaped toward us.

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter 18

Kaillen shoved me behind him, but a fairy barreled into him, tumbling both of them to the ground as I shrieked and scrambled out of the way. Amazingly, none of the patrons in the tavern even glanced at us.

“You fuckin’ twats have a lot of nerve showing your face here again!” one of the fairies yelled.

My wolf snarled, rage firing through her that someone had attacked our mate, but then I realized it was more like a brawl than an actual attack, especially when Kaillen laughed after the fairy punched him clear across the jaw.

“Don’t be such a sore loser,” the hunter admonished when the fairy swung again.

“My wife left me because of you swine!” he replied.

In one fluid movement, my hunter was on his feet, his eyes wild with excitement as the fairy came after him so hard that he shoved Kaillen against the wall.

My jaw dropped. “Are you hurt?” I called to him.