The Princess and the Blade

[Emora Deen]

Tenara hesitated a moment at Havitharon's words. She wanted to believe them but knew he was playing along, imitating the story. She brushed her fingers lightly across his jawline and cheek, cupping his face. She nuzzled his nose a second before kissing him, her heart fluttering and aching all at once. She retreated back to his chest, lying against him. "Can I sleep here?" she asked softly. She didn't need to ask, though. He would let her do as she pleased. Not because he loved her, though.

It didn't matter, she told herself. This felt like love. This could be love.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi's arms wrapped over the small form resting on top of him. "Sleep," he agreed. He had no desire to return to Laurius's quarters, anyway.

__________________________

A soft shudder ran through the ship, just enough to knock Havi's fine-tuned senses awake. He blinked sluggishly at the fading rays of sun on the horizon. The air had grown cooler, but the woman resting against him was warm and soft. They'd napped all the way until dusk. He scolded himself for falling asleep in such an exposed place. Then again, not much could come for them while they were at sea. He looked up at the fading sunset again, but this time something caught his eyes. The mast should be behind him, so why was it over there....? Was there another ship at their port side?

He caught the sound of footsteps on the deck nearby, and the creak of boots on a ladder somewhere.

"Tenara," he whispered, holding still while he assessed the situation. Whatever was happening, it seemed like they hadn't been noticed yet.

___________________________

A loud slam woke Artisuren from a dead sleep. He whipped his head toward the noise. Shards of splintered wood skittered across the floor from the direction of the doorway, but a lantern blinded him in the surprisingly dark room. It was evening already? His legs and arms scrambled to put him upright, but his body throbbed uncooperatively with the effort. Something cold and sharp pressed up just beneath his chin.

"Stay down, and get apart," a bored voice commanded from behind the lantern's glare.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara blinked her eyes open, feeling groggy and disoriented by how heavily she'd slept. She slid off of Havitharon, coming to half-lie along his side. She wiped a hand across her face, and up into her hair. "How long did we..." Her voice faded at the sight of the ship pulled alongside theirs. Her hand reached down for Havi's arm, clutching it tightly. "I... I don't think that's supposed to be there," she whispered, a tremor running through her voice.

--

Laurius's eyes snapped open at the sudden bursting of wood. He scrambled to pull his trousers closed out of instinct but slowed his movements at the glint of the blade. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Get that away from him."

[Soran Nightblade]

A foot came down on Laurius's chest and pressed him firmly back to the floor. "Hands on the floor, above your head. This'll be over before you know it," a brusque voice warned. Behind them, two men rifled through their luggage and searched the room.

"Take the clothes, boss?"

"May as well. Looks like these two don't have much need for 'em," a voice snickered just behind Artisuren's head.

Ren threw his skull back, hoping to nail whoever was holding him. One of his horns found purchase, and the man cursed.

"Fuckin 'ell, what is this freak?! Got some kinda horns." The knife under his throat twitched up, slicing under his chin.

"Keep him still."

A boot flashed from somewhere in Ren's peripheral vision, and a hard blow whipped his head to the side.

"What else do these pricks got?"

"Hessa said some fancy knife."

[Emora Deen]

Laurius stiffened at the mention of the knife. He felt its weight beneath his shirt, pressed down by the boot pinning him to the floor. Unless they felt him up for valuables, it would be safe. "Pirates," Laurius scoffed, settling back against the floor as he'd instructed, not the the could do much else with the boot on him. He laced his arms behind his head casually. "A bunch of thieves, rapists, and murderers. Wonderful, just wonderful. I thought we paid extra for the safer passage... Look, how about I just point you towards all the valuables and you be on your way? The bottom of the duffle bag has a hidden chamber with a stash of gold coins. The left compartment has some silver cufflinks... What else... Oh, my boots there. Rather expensive...." Laurius sighed, and nodded to Tenara's things. "I'm sure you'd find more expensive bobbles in her—" He paused. Where were Havitharon and Tenara? They'd been gone all this time? "I think there are gold earings."

---

Tenara edged off Havitharon's lap slowly and pressed against the wall, slipping along it to the edge so she could peer around the corner. She saw a large man kick the back of another man's legs out. She realized it was Jim, Laurius's employer. Another man standing next to them laughed and looked around, his gaze sweeping the deck and locking on her just as she darted back around the corner. Her heart thudded in her chest as she whirled back for Havitharon. "We have to hide. We have to hide..." She pushed Havitharon towards the bow.

[Soran Nightblade]

The man sighed. "You sure talk a lot." He nodded to the man behind him, who took the whole duffel bag and Tenara's suitcase and slung them over his shoulder. "I ain't born yesterday. Off with the shirt and vest, then turn out yer pockets. Then I have a little paperwork for you to sign."

Artisuren's head rolled slowly to follow the conversation. His ear bled where he'd been kicked, but the ringing in his skull was beginning to clear.

______________

Havi followed her pushing hands. He wasn't sure what was happening. What was Jim Preshton doing taking out members of the crew? Was he involved with the pirates?

[Emora Deen]

Laurius pursed his lips together, glowering at the man as he reached for the buttons of his shirt and took his time undressing. He shirked the shirt and reached for the vest, but instead of pulling it free, he grabbed the hilt of the dagger and brought it out, slicing towards the man standing over him.

----

As Tenara and Havitharon passed a gap in the wall, she was too focused on urging Havitharon to the hiding space at the front of the ship, where she knew there was a door to something—a storage area, a crew room, something—she didn't think to check the angle.

Two figures sprung out at them. One scooped her up faster than she could register the movement, an arm tight around her waist, and a blade so snug against her throat that if she moved or screamed or breathed in too deep she might slit her own neck open.

"Shhh," he said into her ear, breath a rush against her hair. Panic tunneled her vision, darkening the edges. The sea became a roar in her ears, the groaning of the ship a keen wail.

The other man pointed his sword at Havitharon. "I have to be wrong, Pete, but I think these two were trying to run away from us."

"Can't be," Pete said, his chuckle rumbling against her back. "Who'd want to run away from me."

"Be a good... whatever the fuck you are..." the man said to Havi. "and empty your pockets. Throw your weapons on the ground, and get on your knees. Be a good boy and no one gets hurt. See?"

A woman's terrified scream rose in the distance. Someone else pleaded for them to stop what they were doing. Tenara felt the world getting far away.

Do something. Do something. Do something she told herself, but terror locked everything tight—her mind, her body. The sea was so loud. The world so dark.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Shit!" the man standing on Laurius's chest howled in pain as the dagger sliced his wrist. He took his weight momentarily off the man's ribs and kicked the hand holding the dagger, hard. The weapon went spinning across the floorboards.

"Stop," Artisuren growled, straining against his captor.

"Hold still, both of you, unless you've got a death wish," the man who seemed to be in charge snarled. "You're more useful alive at the moment, but you'll still be useful dead."

The blade against the phage's neck tightened, reminding him of its presence. He'd nearly forgotten it was there, but now he was conscious of the sensation of something wet dripping down the collar of his torn-open shirt.

"This prick's half naked," the voice just behind him muttered. Hands felt roughly over his ribs, and at the front and back of the pants pulled down around his knees. His pulled the tin free of the back pocket and held it up to the lantern to inspect. "The hell's this?" He inspected the single metallic-looking pearl that sat alone in the case.

"Candy," Artisuren growled. "Don't eat it. It's my last one." Anxious hope sprang up in his chest.

________________

Havi knelt very slowly, his eyes fixated on the knife against Tenara's throat. "We work for Preshton too, you idiot," he said tightly. "And you're making too much noise. Stick to the plan." His gold eyes flashed impatiently at the lackey.

[Emora Deen]

“I just had one,” Laurius mused, eyeing his far away dagger. “It will knock your socks off. Better than Lyrian chocolate. Pure orgasm.” To the other man he said, “What paperwork? This will be the first robbery I’ve ever experienced with red tape.”

——


“Working for Preshton?” the man didn’t seem entirely skeptical. He glanced at Pete. “Do you remember him mentioning some oversized goat man?”

“No, but I remember the debrief on the guards running with his business partner. Nice try, bud. So, this must be that merchant’s woman…”

“Not just a woman, a princess!”

“Oh, yeah. The one who would be too difficult to take,” Pete said, laughing. He pressed his nose against her cheek. “Seems pretty easy to take now…” The hand around her middle slid to her hip and unclipped the sword from her waist. “Here you go, Harvey. For your collection,” Pete shouted and tossed Havitharon’s sword to the other man.

That snapped Tenara out of her stupor just enough. She reached for it, but it was long gone through the air and into Harvey’s hands before she could grab it. She leaned forward, and blood welled to the surface of her skin where her neck scraped along the blade.

Pete tsked her. “Don’t hurt yourself, pet.” Then, to Harvey, he said. “Think they’ve got what Preshton needs yet?”

“Maybe. Don’t know. Probably got some time yet. Wanting to add to your collection too, Pete?” To Havitharon, he said while admiring the new blade, “Pete’s got a weird hobby. He’s fixated on being a father, you see. Likes to leave pieces of himself all over… Though, this is a bit useless. Aren’t they all going to die in a tragic sea accident?”

“Shut it,” Pete said. “Maybe I just want to try a royal cunt out.”

Tenara feigned to cover her ears. The words were a clang, a clash with the roar of the sea and voices springing up from the dark, dark, dark.

Do something. Do something. You said, next time, you’d do something! She screamed inside her own head, but outside she was stone. Empty.

The arm holding her lifted her off her feet, up, and then threw her down on her back hard enough to clock her head back against the deck.

[Soran Nightblade]

The man who appeared to be in charge rolled his eyes and threw the tin over his shoulder, where it clattered under something. He bent down and picked up the expensive looking knife, and tossed it to his man. "Enough. Adrian, get him up here." He swiped the contents of the small desk onto the floor and produced a thick envelope from inside his vest. Adrian hauled Laurius up from the floor and pinned the gleaming dagger to his neck as he dragged him to the desk.

The boss slammed a document down in front of him while Adrian shoved him into a chair. "Preshton wants your factories, both of em," the man said. "And the steel trading permits with Ighten."

Artisuren's heart pounded. He'd never felt anyone but Laurius hold that dagger before. The sensation clung to him like mold. He tried to ignore it and put together what was happening. Why strike a deal at sea?

He knew why. And he didn't know what to do about it. His mind raced for some kind of plan.

_____________________

Havi's composure snapped. They couldn't. They wouldn't! Never again!

His eyes flashed with hatred in the dark air, and his muscles suddenly took on a ruthless, bloodthirsty grace. He didn't waste a single sound as he coiled and struck out at the man "holding" him. The man swung something at him, but he didn't even have to think to block the clumsy strike before whipping a kick across the side of the man's skull. Bones crushed audibly, and the body crashed into the deck. Havi was already diving forward, predator eyes set on the man hurting Tenara.

Something struck him in the side, knocking him out of the air. He tumbled to the deck, barely managing to roll with the fall.

"Didn't see that coming, eh?" a familiar voice chuckled. "These hammers are made to blow through just about anything. Well balanced, too. Say what you will of my partner, but Laurius makes a good product." He sauntered up to Havi and studied him. "Oops. Did I break a few ribs?"

[Emora Deen]

Laurius sneered and spit on their contract. “Fuck Preshton,” he said. “How about you lot go fuck yourselves along with him. I’m not signing anything.”

—-

For a second, the world went dark. When the blurred, blackened edges of consciousness pieced themselves back together, Pete was on top of her with his hand pinched around her throat, pinning her down to the deck while his other fumbled with his trousers.

Tenara screamed. It was the first sound she’d made since he’d grabbed hold of her, and it sounded strangled coming from beneath the grip of his calloused palm. She thrashed, but he’d already found his way between her legs in the seconds she’d been in the dark, and she couldn’t close herself off from him, couldn’t scramble away. He closed his hand tighter on her throat until the scream squeezed into a strained hiss. Her eyes felt like they might bulge out of her head and she couldn’t breathe.

His weight was on her and against her and she felt him nudge the place she only wanted Havi to touch.

Let go.

The voice was hers and… not. It echoed in her head, and she knew then, her problem. Fear. Yes… that was it. Fear. She was so afraid, but not just of this. She was afraid of herself. She knew—she knew, she knew, she knew—that if she let go, if she opened the door to her magic, called it to her fingertips now, it would be worse than the gaping ruin she’d left after seeing Rami.

And people would die.

Just like when she was a little girl. Hundreds of people had died and dozens would die now. Dead because of her—because of this fear.

But she didn’t want to be so afraid anymore. And she didn’t want this. Not again. Not ever again.

Let go. the voice said, and she did.

Her eyes opened, looking up at Pete, at the hungry, pleased look on his face. Bliss swept over her. Red light burned in her eyes and it was enough to still him rigid.

“What the fuck?” he muttered, not scared enough to move. Poor thing.

“You want to leave pieces of yourself all over?” she whispered beneath his grip. “Let me help. I can help.”

Pete tilted his head. Then, his bones shattered, his body compressing like a large invisible hand had wrapped around him and squeezed. Then, the hand pulled outward, and Pete tore apart, scattering everywhere.

The darkening evening sky filled with shadowed clouds. They swirled down as Tenara floated up to her feet. Where her feet touched, the wood hissed and blackened. Webbed cracks spread across the ship, the planks parting as an unseen pressure filled the air.

She looked at Jim. He was covered in flecks of poor Pete. She frowned and looked down at her bloodied, sky-blue dress. She could not see the red staining her face and caked in her soft hair. She saw the blue flame licking at her feet and felt the pressure of her magic in the air, but not inside her.

She wasn’t holding it in, and it felt… Gods it felt so good. So fucking good. As good as when she made Havi whole or healed him. As good as when he was buried inside her, driving against the part that mended and unmade her. So this is what it felt like to not be afraid. To not hold back. To burn.

Tenara flicked her hand, and Jim slammed into one of the ship walls. She held him there a second. Thought about turning him inside out as he stared wide-eyed at her. Instead, she turned her attention on Havitharon's forgotten sword. It floated up and zipped into her hand. The blade bit into her palm, and she liked the sharp pinch of pain, like a kiss. She wanted a kiss. She wanted Havitharon’s lips and tongue dancing over her skin, her breasts, lapping between her legs.

Tenara knelt in front of Havitharon and set the sword next to them. She reached for him, to blind on power to understand he'd been hurt. She took his face in her hands. They were on fire but felt more like heated rocks against his skin. She couldn't burn him. Wouldn't burn him. She kissed him, hungry and claiming. She wanted to take him on the deck in front of anyone who bothered to look. She wanted to be the Yurivis she thought he craved.

Tenara bit his lip and moaned at the taste of metal on her tongue. She grabbed his horn with her other hand and pinned his head to the deck. Power and pleasure and rage. It all tasted like the sweetest wine. She wanted to drink it down, become drunk on the fire.

The ship beneath them shuddered. Groaned. The pressure grew until the boards split and blackened. Somewhere, people screamed. It was like beautiful music. Chimes. That’s all it was. Beautiful chimes.

She wanted Havitharon to sing for her. To cry out for her. To come for her.

Lost. She was lost. The voice that had told her to let go whispered softly, Come back. But why? Why come back? This felt so good. So, so good. And they were so, so safe… Nothing could hurt them. She was darkness. She was mercy and madness and wrath.

[Soran Nightblade]

Laurius's captor smirked. "Oh. Of course. How can you sign without any ink?" He leaned over the desk and plunged the fountain pen into the muscle at the base of Laurius's neck.

"Stop!" Artisuren shouted, dragging Adrian forward. Adrian regained control of the tall being and threw a knee into his back, dropping him back to his knees. He repositioned his knife to Ren's throat. "This one's a pain in the ass. Do we need him, Lee?"

"Do whatever you like. Just shut him up," Lee smirked. He pressed down with the pen, fishing inside Laurius's flesh. "What do you think. You're not attached to your little whore, are you?" He yanked the pen free and threw it beside the contract. Blood seeped into the grain of the wood. "There you go. All ready to sign."

_______________

Havitharon stared up at Tenara's ruby eyes and made a failed attempt at speech. He'd heard of Ivie who were so thoroughly overpowered by their Yurivis's presence that it rendered them catatonic. He had never imagined it happening to him until now. His sanity was a muffled keen at the back of his senses, buried under smothering wool. He should feel something... pain from the ribs he was sure he'd broken, or alarm at the ship coming apart. Her grip on his horn was the only sensation he could identify, a pillow squeezed over his sanity. His body didn't matter. She mattered. Only she. He made another strangled sound, bowing his horns to her, needing her, worshipping her. He didn't question her destruction. Even if it pleased her to pry his ribcage wide and lick at his organs, he would not think of denying her.

He was hard beneath his clothes, his body instinctively offering itself to her. Hooded eyes swallowed in black looked up at her, thoughtless and waiting.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius might have cried out if he weren't so fearful the fool had punctured something important. He ground his teeth together, growling as the pen twisted and tore free. His hands shook over the table. "He's good at sucking dick," Laurius muttered. "You should let him try." Laurius was hoping Artisuren would bite it off. Maybe he'd bleed out.

His hand wrapped around the pen. "Don't know if courts honor contracts signed in blood," he said, and began scribbling his name when a shudder ran through the ship. The wood around them groaned, the walls expanding. Everyone froze. Laurius tried to place the familiar pressure. The sound of the ship splintering.

He remembered red eyes gleaming in the dark.

The exterior walls stretched out, the seams coming undone, which was fine if you were above the waterline but...

"We're going to sink," he muttered. "We're sinking."

----

"Havi," she whispered, and dipped her head, dragging her tongue across his neck. She tasted blood. Probably Pete's. Her hand snaked down his waist, beneath her to the part of him that wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Blue fire danced across the deck around them. It caught the sails on the foremast, stretched over the deck, and blew over to the next ship, catching the rigging. It spread like cancer. Like sickness, infecting and devouring anything it touched. Screams filled the air. Someone shouted for the lifeboats.

Tenara didn't notice. It was just chimes.

Come back... the voice whispered.

"No," she replied. Never. She'd never feel helpless again. Burn. Burn everything. Burn the world.

[Soran Nightblade]

"He's good at sucking dick. You should let him try."

The words shocked him still. What?

The man holding him snorted in disgust. "Hear that, buddy? You're expendable. Unfortunately for you, if I wanted to fuck a goat, I'd own a farm."

A terrible groan went through the floorboards and walls. "We're going to sink," Laurius spoke. "We're sinking."

"The hell?" Adrian growled. The knife against Ren's throat loosened in his distraction. Artisuren grabbed it and tore his head backward, ramming his horns into the man's face. Adrian didn't finish screaming. Ren had gotten lucky, and one long horn had torn straight back into the man's eye, and on into the soft tissue behind it.

The phage tugged free as the body sagged to the floor and locked eyes with Lee. "You piece of shit," Lee snarled, but he seemed distracted by what was happening to the ship. Lee's hand tightened around the dagger pressed under Laurius's chin. "Move and I'll rip this through his neck."

The window shattered, and the impossible pressure of something wrong in the air filled the small space of the room.

"You won't. He's not done signing," Artisuren said flatly, yanking his pants back on. He gestured to the room collapsing around them. "Is that really what we should be worried about right now?"

_________________

Havi stared up at Tenara with empty eyes, dizzy from forgetting to breathe, and not caring.

Then a dark form approached them from the side. A huge black muzzle pressed just beside Tenara's neck and drew a long, deep sniff. With all the focus of a dog inspecting an owner who'd been away from the house, Stalker snorted at the magic pouring off of her. He let out a whine that would make most men shit their pants, and butted his muzzle firmly under her chin.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius felt the ship pitch ever so slightly, the bow dipping downward. "If we don't get on deck, we are going to drown," Laurius hissed. "Look, there is a woman on this ship with powerful magic, and I don't know what you're men are doing, but someone has pissed her off. Do you want to drown over Preshton's fucking ambitions?"

----

Tenara closed her eyes at the feel of Stalker's muzzle nudging her chin up. She felt soft fur brush her neck, felt him slip in against her like a hug. She was a little girl again. A scared little girl with her large dog coming between her and her fear. Safe.

Safe. They were safe now.

Come back... the voice said, and she did. Tenara blinked, looking around at the ship as if seeing it for the first time. The fire snuffed out. The pressure running through the air fizzled out. Tenara sagged, leaning heavily on Stalker's head. Tears brimmed her eyes, and she clutched his fur, hugging him a second. Tenara sniffled, and wiped a hand across her eyes, turning her gaze down. "Havi..."

Beneath them, the ship made an awful sound. The deck tilted. A bell began to ring shrilly. "To the lifeboats! Everyone to the lifeboats!"