Page 34 of Crownless Heirs

“That.”

His finger landed squarely on Maelan’s chest. The moonstone. It glinted faintly beneath the collar of Maelan’s tunic, the edge of the chain visible in the low light. The pale stone rested against his skin, half hidden but unmistakably there.

Maelan’s jaw tightened, his hand rising instinctively to cover it. “No.”

The River Man just smiled. “It is not a request.”

Fingers still curled protectively around the chain, Maelan took a step back.

Sorcha stood almost in front of Maelan now. “We have gold, blades, magic; take anything else.”

“This isn’t for barter.” The River Man’s voice deepened.

Sorcha stepped toward him before she could stop herself. “Please,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “Isn’t there something else you’ll accept?”

The River Man looked at her for a long, silent moment. Then, slowly, he turned away.

“Wait, ” she began, but Maelan’s hand caught her wrist.

She looked up at him, and in that brief glance, she understood what he had already decided. His lips parted, but the words never came. Instead, he unclasped the chain with a slow exhale, his shoulders stiffening as the weight of the decision settled across them both. The moonstone dropped into his palm, its glow muted now, heavy in a way it had never been before. He stared at it for a long time, his thumb brushing along the surface, tracing the lines. It was his mother’s and one of her favorite pieces she wore daily. Losing it was like losing her again, but he knew without this, they were stranded. He stepped forward and extended his hand.

The moment it passed from Maelan’s fingers to his, the mist across the river stirred. The glassy surface shifted and rippled outward, breaking the stillness. A faint smile tugged at the corners of the River Man’s mouth.

“The toll is paid.”

Maelan’s hand curled into a fist, and without another word, the River Man stepped aside. The fog parted slowly behind him, and from within it, a boat began to emerge. It rose silently from the water. A small ship that looked just as old as he did.

Sorcha turned toward Maelan, searching his face, but he didn’t meet her eyes.

“Let’s go,” he muttered, already moving toward the dock.

She hesitated, but then followed. Kyron lingered behind, his gaze shifting uneasily between the River Man and the water. After a moment, he stepped onto the boat with quiet reluctance, his hand hovering above the edge before he finally made contact.

The River Man didn’t speak, his robes whispering against the wind. As the mist started to swirl and thicken, his voice suddenly cut through the quiet, reaching them over the water. “Clutch those fragments that are left, child of the moon.”

The river swallowed the sound. And the boat slipped forward, vanishing into the fog, carrying them deeper into the unknown.

16

That lake moment

The river’s eerie calm stretched behind them as they stepped onto solid ground, leaving the ferryman in their wake. Sorcha barely noticed him leaving. Her mind was elsewhere, stuck on what Maelan had just given up: the moonstone necklace. She cast a glance at him, but his expression was blank, his eyes staying fixed ahead. The tension between them lingered until a shadow moved, fast and silent. Sorcha’s heart leapt as a massive black form flickered into existence at her side. The damn hound. The hound had reappeared, materializing from the mist like a wraith. Its eyes gleamed as it trotted alongside them.

Sorcha inhaled, pressing a hand to her racing heart. “You really need to stop doing that.”

The hound tilted its head.

“I need to name you instead of just yelling every time you appear out of nowhere.” She mused, studying its sleek, shadowy form.

Then, with a small smirk, she said, “How about Noctis? Seems fitting for a girl of the night, wouldn’t you agree?”

The hound gave a low, breathy sound. Then, to Sorcha’s surprise, it dipped its head up and down as if it agreed.

“Well, that’s that then,” she muttered, feeling oddly satisfied.

Before Sorcha could retort, Maelan smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “That’s how it starts, you know.”

He nudged Kyron with his elbow. “First, you name them. Then, before you know it, they’re sleeping in your bed.”