Kiss the Sky

13

“I thought the Air Realm was the wealthiest kingdom,” Slade said.

Reven put on his twin swords. “It is. But it also has the weakest guard and the smallest division of the Onyx Army. The people here are peaceful, fat, and happy, with no desire to fight. Which is why thieves run wild here, and why getting in and out of Stormhaven will be easy.”

“I hope you’re right,” I said. “Have you done…jobs here?”

“Two,” Reven said. “I poisoned a man who was beating his mistress, on behalf of her sister. I also strangled a woman who was smuggling children on the black market.”

A part of me wished I had never asked, and a part of me was fascinated by Reven’s cold brutality and how he spoke so matter-of-factly about murder, even if the targets seemed like people who’d deserved it. I’d killed before, numerous times, but only in self-defense. I didn’t think I could ever be as casual about taking a life as Reven was. Perhaps that was why the Water God had chosen him—to teach me to do what needed to be done without letting my emotions get in the way.

If so, I had a lot to learn.

10

Kira

W

ithout magic guiding our ship we seemed to creep into the busy harbor, passing boats both bigger and smaller than ours as we approached the dock. Reven shouted out orders to the other men to hoist the sails while he steered the wheel, his dark hair flowing in the wind. With his black clothing and his twin swords at his waist he looked like a pirate captain from the Water Realm. He'd originally claimed to know only a little about sailing, but luckily he'd remembered more than he'd let on. Without his expertise we would have no idea what to do, especially as we brought the ship up to the dock, but he'd clearly spent some time handling a ship before.

Maneuvering a ship like this with five inexperienced people was a challenge, even if the boat wasn't that big. As we neared the dock we came disturbingly close to another larger ship, and it was only with a touch of Reven's magic washing us to the side that we avoided colliding with it.

"Careful!" Jasin called out as he hauled on a rope.

Reven only glared at him as he turned the wheel and eased us up to the dock. Slade dropped the anchor and Jasin leaped out to tie the boat off, while Auric remained below deck, much to his dismay. He was the opposite of Slade and hated being in confined spaces, preferring the open air and the sky around him.

When the ship was secure I took in a breath of fresh air tinged with the smell of fish and something else like faint perfume. We'd made it to Stormhaven, and all around us the port was bustling with activity. Sailors hauled goods on and off boats, men and women in colorful clothing strolled along the marina with umbrellas to block the hot sun, and people at nearby stalls called out to offer food and more. Behind it all, the great city rose up with its many silvery spires glittering under the sun as they reached toward the sky. In the distance, the palace stood on a hill with the tallest spires of all, which disappeared into the clouds.

Jasin drew me in for a hug. “Stay safe.”

Our lips brushed and I nodded at him. “We’ll be fine.”

The plan was for Slade, Reven, and I to go through the city and look for supplies and some new horses, while Jasin and Auric waited on the ship. Jasin had argued he should go with us too, but Reven was the only one beside Auric who had been to the city before, and Slade said he wasn't spending a second longer on the boat. I’d insisted on going too, which meant Jasin had to stay behind to protect the ship with Auric, who needed to stay out of sight until we returned. After night fell we would sneak him out of the city with our new supplies and horses.

"Are we ready?" I asked Slade and Reven.

Reven nodded and hopped off the ship. But as Slade and I followed him onto the dock, a number of soldiers suddenly approached us. They weren't wearing the black scaled armor of the Onyx Army, and instead had smooth metal armor that gleamed gold, with the symbol of the House of Killian etched on their chests. Royal guards.

"Halt," called out the one in the front. He was the only one with a white feathered plume on his helmet, which I assumed meant he was their Captain.

Reven rested a hand on the hilt of his sword, his muscles tense as though he was ready to start slaughtering them all, but I shook my head at him.

I stepped forward with a smile. "Is there a problem, good sirs?"

"All ships that are not registered with the Harbor Master must be searched by order of the King,” the Captain said.

I tried to keep my face calm, though my heart was pounding. "Is that truly necessary? As you can see, our ship is small. We don't have anything of interest here. We're simply weary travelers looking for a better life in the Air Realm."

"That may be so, but I have my orders." The Captain glanced between me and the other men, his eyes lingering on Slade's large form for an extra second. "Have you traveled from the Earth Realm?"

He must think that because of Slade's dark skin, which was more common in the Earth Realm. Slade nodded. "Yes, from Mudport."

Jasin drew a bag of coins. "Listen, how about you say you searched the ship and go on your way. We can make it very worth your while."

"Is that so?" the Captain asked, and I held my breath, hoping he'd let us go. Instead he drew his sword and shouted, "Detain these people and search the ship!"