Princess of Wind and Sea Read online

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CLOAK AND DAGGER

  Sean struggled to free himself from the ropes that bound his hands and feet. They were so tight that his arms felt numb. As he wriggled in the dark, he heard a low moan. He called out again.

  “Is anyone there?”

  “It’s Fionn.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “Aye, my head is splitting. Someone hit me and then everything went black.”

  “Fionn, can you tell if Owen is with you?”

  “I think so. It feels like there’s a body next to me on the floor.”

  Sean faced the voice in the dark. “Are you tied to a pole?”

  “Nay, there’s no post.”

  “Can you try to stand? Move over here. I’ll keep talking. Follow my voice. I have a knife hidden in my boot. If you can pull it out, we can untie each other and get out of here.”

  Fionn inched his way over to Sean, dragging Owen’s lumbering form behind him. It was a slow and arduous process.

  In the distance, Sean could hear voices, and they were coming closer.

  “Fionn,” he hissed. “Lie still.”

  The prince and his men surrounded the warehouse. As they rushed into the building, the motionless bodies of Sean, Owen, and Fionn became visible. Ryen’s heart dropped as he looked at the figures.

  “Cousin, are you all right?”

  After recognizing the voice, Sean struggled to sit up. “I am so glad to see you. I’m fine, but Fionn and Owen are both injured.”

  “Aye, we’ll get you all back to the ship.”

  As the men scurried to untie the ropes, Sean turned to Ryen. “How did you find us?”

  “We had a lot of help. The prince, the colonel, our crew, and local support. This is Hidalgo Aiza. We’ve been searching all over San Sebastian for you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” said Sean. “I’m most grateful.”

  “I’m glad we found you,” said Aiza.

  The prince turned to the search team. “Thank you for all of your efforts today.” He walked over and shook Hidalgo’s hand. “Let us know if we can help you, in the future.”

  “I was happy to be of service. It’s not quite over though.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Our informant tells us that he and his men were offered money to kidnap your wife. They ended up taking the crew instead.”

  The prince paled. “Did he say who was behind it?”

  Aiza shook his head. “I don’t think he knows. It seems he was given instructions by an intermediary.”

  “Do you think the others will talk, once you arrest them?”

  “No doubt they are long gone, but we will make an effort.”

  “If you learn anything, will you let me know?”

  “I will. Perhaps we can meet when you’re in town on your next merchant voyage.”

  “Thank you, we’ll look forward to it.”

  The prince bid his farewells, and Ryen caught up with Hidalgo.

  “Someday, I hope you’ll let us return the favor.”

  Hidalgo embraced his friend. “Stop by and see us when you return to Spain. That will be payment enough.”

  With the recovery complete, and farewells exchanged, the seamen headed back to their vessel.

  Aisling paced the upper deck, her spyglass around her neck, as she watched for movements on the wharf. She felt vulnerable and alone. Despite her special powers, she could not think of a way to find Sean and the crew, trapped somewhere in the labyrinth of the city. Just as she was beginning to despair, she saw the search party making their way down the quay.

  She hovered over the railing and motioned to an assistant.

  “The crew has been found. It looks like they’re injured. Please tell Patrick that he’s needed.”

  “Aye, Commander.”

  “Also, inform the captains that the men have returned.” They will be as relieved as I am, she thought, as she made her way to the lower deck to welcome Drayaen and the crew. She embraced Sean, and was shocked to learn about the plot with the Santa Ana. “I’m grateful you are all alive,” she said to the men.

  She pulled Ryen aside. “Thank you, cousin. With your quick thinking, we were able to get local support.”

  “I was pleased I could help. You know I like nothing better than to chart my way through the maze.”

  “That’s true, you’re a great navigator, and not just at sea,” she said, thinking about the pretend trips they used to make as children. They both laughed and hurried down the deck, deep in discussion about the preparations for departure.

  A short while later, Aisling sat at the table, while the prince stowed his weapons.

  “Thank you for leading the charge today.”

  “We were lucky to have found them so soon,” he said. “They were not expecting such a swift response.”

  “How did they lure Sean and the men to the wharf?”

  “From what I gather, they received a note saying that Ryen wished to see them.”

  “Someone is familiar with our staff?”

  “It appears so.”

  “That is worrisome.”

  He paced across the room. “How long will we be in France?”

  “About a week. We’re scheduled to trade with some merchants there.”

  “Tomorrow, I’d like to meet with the captains to discuss security.”

  “Are you still concerned about today’s events?” she asked.

  He turned to her and crossed his arms. “We need to be more prepared.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean,” he said, running his hand through his hair, “that we are always defensive. We wait for people in your covert network to ask for help, rather than reaching out to them.”

  “I understand your point, but I think that’s unfair. I traveled around the world to assist you and your father in the East Kingdom. That required significant planning. We also took action in India and Mauritius.”

  “Yes, you helped the people there, and it made a difference. But do we know who our enemies are yet? Now is the time to strike out and destroy them, wherever they are.”

  Aisling pondered his question for a moment. “They’ve been different at each place. In every kingdom, evil forces have vied for power.”

  Drayaen frowned in frustration. “Perhaps, but I’m not convinced. We need to find out who else belongs to your secret society. That will give us a clue as to who is trying to grab control. If one or more of these members turned to the dark side, we should identify them. That way, we won’t be in a weak position.” He stopped and locked eyes with Aisling. “I believe they will approach you soon and force a confrontation. We have to be ready for it.”

  “There is something I need to tell you,” said Aisling, looking out the window.

  Drayaen tensed, and took a deep breath. I don’t like surprises, he thought. “What is it?”

  “I didn’t say anything because you were recovering, and it’s painful to talk about.”

  His mind raced as he wondered about the nature of her disclosure.

  She tapped her fingers against the wood and sighed. “Before he passed away, Maológ claimed some responsibility for the death of my parents.”

  “What? How is that possible?”

  “He said my father received threats. Uncle hid them.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “Maológ cared a great deal about my mother,” she said in a low tone. “I’ve always believed that he was in love with her.”

  “Did your father know?”

  “I don’t think so. Uncle was a good friend to both of them. I believe he kept his feelings to himself. He tried to protect Colleen by hiding the sinister messages.”

  “Did he say what was in them?”

  She shook her head. “He tried to, but I didn’t understand him. I learned, though, that he hid the communications somewhere near the estate. We may find them, still.”

  The prince clenched his jaw. “From now on, tell me things, a
s they happen. Please. Even if I don’t want to hear it. I can’t operate in the dark. We’re both used to making our own decisions, but that’s not going to work now.”

  “You’re right, of course, but I’m still learning about my legacy, and the contacts within the network. I don’t have all the answers.”

  “I don’t expect you to know everything,” he said, trying hard to control his frustration. He paused and put his hand on his forehead. “I’ll be back later,” he muttered as he left the chamber and headed for the deck.

  The prince inhaled the crisp air and looked out over the terrain. The moonlight cast a glow over the water, illuminating silver sparkles that mirrored the stars in the sky. He rubbed his jaw in frustration.

  Aisling spent days at my side, trying to save my life, he thought, and yet, she was the target of my anger just now. He shook his head. These circumstances were as new to her as they were to him, he reflected.

  When would he ever learn to control his emotions?

  In his defense, he considered, he sensed a coordinated effort. In his years as a soldier, he knew the difference between a lone enemy and a complex conspiracy. He leaned against the railing, impatient to learn more about their biggest threats.

  And there was another issue. As Aisling’s power increased, he felt that his was compromised. The recent illness didn’t help, either. How was he supposed to protect them, when he didn’t have all the relevant information?

  In the East Kingdom, he directed the soldiers, and all intelligence flowed to him. Now, he was reliant on his wife to keep him informed. “I don’t need total control,” he muttered, “but this is aggravating.”

  He rubbed his neck and watched as the waves rose into fiery peaks before plunging into the rocks, flinging a bitter spray into the mist.

  Aisling sat at her desk, reading her father’s notes. She grasped her necklace and wondered what Drayaen was doing. He’s right, she thought, as her eyes darted across the room. I should be spending more time trying to learn about the network. Then, there was the new mission. “I have to change history,” she muttered. “I’ve helped people, but is that enough? Are there other things I need to do, to meet the goal?”

  She was disappointed with herself. It was one of her many flaws, she reasoned. She always tried to handle things on her own. Collaborating with others was not yet second nature. “I know he’s trying to help me,” she murmured, “but I’m not sure how some of the pieces fit yet.” Aisling told herself she was going to have to try harder.

  After pacing for awhile, she threw on her silk robe and climbed into bed. She tossed and turned, but sleep was elusive. Her arm flung to the other side, but instead of encountering the Prince, she felt something else instead.

  Her eyes snapped open, and she bolted upright.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CROSSROADS

  There was something cold in her bed.

  Her dagger. The original, inherited from her father. She grasped the hilt and examined the instrument.

  There must be a reason why it’s here, she thought. Then an idea came to her.

  She took a deep breath.

  “I need to identify my enemies. Who are they?” she asked, peering at the sword.

  Nothing.

  “Show me what they will do next.”

  A mist swirled around the pommel. A vision flashed before her eyes. The fleet was in a battle. After a few seconds, the image faded. She hid the instrument and ran off to find the prince.

  As she rounded the corner, they collided. He held out his arms to steady her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I need to talk with you,” she said.

  “Come. Let’s go back to our quarters.”

  Once through the door, he pulled her into his arms. Pressed against his chest, she could feel her tension ease.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “You have every reason to be irritated. It’s just that I’m worried about you, and the fleet.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist. “No, you were right. From now on, I’m going to experiment more with my magic. It will give us a chance to understand the limits, and also create new strategies.”

  He tightened his grip.

  “While you were gone,” she said, in muffled tones, “I made a new discovery.”

  “What was that?” he asked, nuzzling next to her ear.

  “My dagger moved on its own, without a command.”

  He pulled his head back to look at her, his eyes widening. “What?”

  “After our discussion, I was upset. I kept asking myself about our adversaries. Then the sword appeared next to me and showed me a vision. It was as if it knew what I wanted.”

  “What did you see?”

  She waved a hand. “It was blurry, but our fleet was being attacked at sea, around dusk, or early morning.”

  He paced in front of the table. “How large were the opposing forces?”

  “As strange as it sounds, we outnumbered them, unless, of course, it was a partial view.”

  “This could be very helpful,” he said. “It means that the dagger is a source of information. I know you’ve tried to decipher the code in your Book of Magic, but timing is critical.”

  “I’ll try again tomorrow. You don’t think this is odd?”

  “It sounds unbelievable, but I will tell you something. When you were kidnapped in the East Kingdom, the colonel and I climbed the mountain range to search for you. I called out, a number of times, but there was no response. I know now it was because you were ill and had sought protection in the cave. But at the time, something guided me to your exact spot.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your dagger. It lay on the ridge and illuminated the space around it. If I hadn’t seen it then, our team may have missed you altogether.”

  “I never knew that.”

  “I didn’t say anything because it was confusing. When I found you, there was a wand next to your body. I looked for the one on the ridge, but it had disappeared.”

  “Well, now we know that the instrument is our ally.”

  “It could be an early warning system, if we’re lucky.”

  She nodded. “Tomorrow, I’ll ask some more questions. We’ll be vigilant until we have answers.”

  “I’m sure of one thing.”

  “What is that?”

  “I love you. You’ve no idea how much.”

  He blew out the candle and grabbed her hand, pulling them over to the bed. Thrusting her against his steely frame, his lips covered hers as his fingers laced through her hair. His hands caressed the layers of silk until she became dazed and overheated. He kissed her with such intensity that she tried to catch her breath. They moved together, entangled in a powerful tide.

  Sometime during the night, Aisling woke. She peered into the dark. All was quiet, except for the soft creak and moan of the ship as it swayed to the motion of the waves. Locked in the arms of the prince, she tried to sit up, to no avail.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” he murmured into her ear.

  She laughed and turned to face him. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “Not anymore.”

  “It’s almost dawn,” she said, smiling. “I should get up.”

  “We have half the night ahead of us,” he said, in a low, seductive tone. He pulled her closer and caressed her soft curves. His lips brushed her fevered skin, surrounding her with a cocoon of warmth, until everything else became a distant memory.

  The next morning, light shone through the window, casting a soft glow across the chamber. She glanced at the space beside her, remembering that the prince had left earlier to meet with the colonel. Her cheeks flushed as she recalled his parting words and lingering kisses.

  After a ship’s assistant delivered coffee, she retrieved her dagger and Book of Magic. Sitting at the desk, she pored over her notes, and then stopped. “I don’t know why I haven’t seen this before,” she murmured. Her brow furrowed. Some of the notations looked new.


  Within the Secret Society, it seemed, there were stakeholders from every part of the globe, from the East Kingdom to Europe. Each major power, and some emerging nations, had representatives. Much of the focus, it seemed, revolved around helping one another with domestic or humanitarian issues, and encroaching threats.

  She scanned the pages. Those who possessed special abilities were not always part of the official network. That explained why Rémy’s name wasn’t listed among the members, she concluded. To identify the dark armies, she needed to go where there were extreme levels of greed and corruption.

  Those negative spirits, she thought, are present wherever people suffer. Her own region came to mind. Years of oppression, domination, and lack of regard for personal freedom was a plague that had swept across the land, long before her birth.

  Their enemy could be one individual who had amassed a serious power base, or multiple people manipulating the dark forces. Either way, they invaded a kingdom or country, perhaps without warning, and created a chokehold over the weak.

  She thought back to her conversation with the Nawab, in Bengal. His adversaries fed off of each other like leeches, growing bloated and foul, exploiting whatever they could. They were aimless, and faithless, sequestered in remote enclaves that were built with the blood and tears of those whom they considered inferior and dispensable.

  Aisling inhaled a deep breath. She needed to start sharing knowledge among those who cared about humanity. At the same time, she had to fight the members who sought to destroy others. They were vile forces, willing to do anything to satisfy their insatiable thirst for personal gain.

  She retrieved the dagger she had found in the pirate’s cove in Melaka. It was heavier than the first, and more weathered. Grasping the hilt, she intoned, “Who is the rightful owner of this lost sword?” As she examined the crystal, an image of her surfaced. Perhaps this is a sign that I should keep this wand, she thought.

  She leaned closer and spoke in low tones. “Which member of our secret society is trying to steal the instrument?”

  A pale mist surrounded the item, and the crystal burst into color. There were violent images in rapid succession.

  A face appeared, angry and twisted.