Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“I’ll fetch an outfit for you,” Sylvie says, turning away before she completes her sentence.
“I don’t understand,” Killian says, head shaking. “I thought The Regals were helping him. Why would they kill him?”
“Caz said it was because he turned into some kind of creature. He said it happened because of Decius. I don’t know the full extent of it, but I do know he’s gone now.”
“When did Caz see The Regals?” he probes.
“Milandra, one of the guards, came the same night The Council came for us. He transported to Kessel for about an hour and came back.”
Killian releases my wrist and swallows, rising to a stand again. “None of this makes any sense,” he mutters, pacing the edge of the bath.
“No,” I mumble. “It doesn’t.”
Killian stops pacing to look at me sideways. “I’m sorry about your brother, Willow. I’m sure you wanted the best for him. You didn’t know this could happen.”
“I promised to get him help—Caz and I did. We trusted them.” I sniffle. “I just hoped he’d make it back to me. That he’d stay in the manor with us or close by at least.” I swipe my face with the back of my hands. “All I know is I will never forgive Hassha and Korah for this. They said they’d help him and protect him. This was happening the whole time—for weeks—and they said nothing, Killian. Nothing.” I curl my hands into fists. “Caz was right. The Regals can’t be trusted.”
TWENTY-FIVE
CAZ
It’s been two days, and I haven’t heard Willow’s voice.
Something clearly isn’t right. I’ve had every urge to turn this ship around and ride to Luxor just to find her and see for myself that she’s okay.
I thought that if I went on this voyage, I’d at least get to speak with her telepathically, share our tethered gift, but I can’t even do that. They’ve robbed me of it, likely to make sure I don’t go planning her escape.
I can feel her heart racing, her stomach in coils, her throat thick with emotion. She’s scared, sad, angry, and I hate that I’m not there to look after her.
Just knowing she’s in an oversized castle with that piece of shit Vassilis is enough to fill me with rage. Sure, Killian is there, but he’s their prisoner. To them, he’s nothing more than a disposable commoner. Though he carries a temper, Kill is smart. He won’t do anything that’ll put their lives in more peril.
The only thing keeping me sane is knowing they won’t be stupid enough kill her. They wouldn’t dare because they’re fully aware that if I make it off the island and find her hurt or dead, I won’t relent when I kill them. And even if I do die, I’ve made plans for my people to destroy them and set Luxor ablaze if Willow and Killian aren’t returned.
“I believe Inferno Isle is just up there,” Captain Boro yells. He and his crew are the only people in my territory to have traveled the broad seas of Vakeeli. He’s never been to Inferno Isle, never seen it, but he’s had his suspicions of where it could be.
I know exactly where it is thanks to the coordinates Callista left on my desk.
“I’ve never been able to afford enough petrol to make it that far. Good thing this ship’s loaded with it,” Boro had said when I told him where we were headed.
He’s intrigued. The whole crew is, and though they know the dangers, they have no idea what may come for them once I set foot on that island.
I lift my binoculars to get a better look ahead. As expected, I spot a blip in the distance.
From where I stand, the island is a dark, jagged shadow. But the closer we get, the more I realize exactly why the name stands.
Mountains have been birthed from the land, and they stand tall and spiked, lined haphazardly with fiery orange lava.
There isn’t a single bird in the sky, a single organism, a single soul…except for the one I’m meant to wake.
A Regal.
The only kind of being meant to survive an island so perilous.
I lower the binoculars and step down from the pedestal as Captain Boro steers the ship left, facing the island head on.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is it that you hope to find on this island, Monarch?” Boro asks, eyeing me. A few of his men drift by, working the halyards and sails.
“If I tell you, you won’t believe me,” I say, walking past him to collect my bag.
“Oh, there are a lot of things I believe in. I’ve traveled these seas for many years, Monarch Harlow. More years than you’ve been alive. I’ve seen all kinds of sea beasts, but I knew better than to go looking for Inferno Isle. Can’t imagine the beasts lurking these waters, but if I’m lucky, maybe I’ll catch one and take it back to Blackwater. Sell it for enough rubies to retire.” Boro breaks out in a hearty chuckle while I sling my bag over my shoulder.