Page 44 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

“Aye, lock her up!” a pirate dressed in gaudy red agreed behind Hector.

“No, she’s here under our protection,” Aerion raised his hands. “We have granted her asylum. As an original resident of this castle, she deserves at least that.”

“No!” Hector slammed the table. “She has caused our destruction. She’s our enemy!”

“She was misled,” Aryn argued. “Kora didn’t know what she was doing.”

“We’ve seen what she can do,” Cassidy spoke calmly. “She wiped out the Skytor’s allies in the desert. She’s sunken more ships than we can count. James . . .” Cassidy choked. “James is dead because of her.”

Cassidy’s blue eyes brimmed with tears that she blinked away quickly. Raiden faltered, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. They’d always kept their relationship quiet, focusing on their lordships, but anyone could tell Cassidy and James had possessed a love for the ages.

“Aye, I say we lock her up and throw away the key. Give her a taste of her own medicine. All those souls incarcerated to that deathly prison in the south. All the souls fallen to Davy Jones’ Locker. She’s a murderer!” Hector seethed, his face burning a matching shade of red to his attire.

“Enough!” Kordelia yelled in Devanian and the room fell silent.

All seven, plus the pirates lingering behind their lords, swivelled to face her. Leto glanced around the room, his brow furrowed. No one had translated for him, but Raiden was sure he’d gotten the gist of Hector’s rage from the way steam erupted from his ears.

“I know what I’ve done,” Kordelia sucked in a breath, her hands shaking as she addressed the room, speaking almost perfect Devanian. Gods damn. “They stole who I was, and replaced it with a weapon of their own creation. I’m filled with darkness, an ichor has fused itself to my soul. I cannot take back the devastation I’ve caused, but I can fight for the right side moving forward.”

Hector’s lip curled. “How dare ye speak the language of gods? Ye do not deserve such honour.”

“Hector,” Cassidy nudged. “I think she’s true. The empire forbids the language.”

Raiden’s heart shattered at Kordelia’s speech. She thought she was tainted, her soul marred by Barron’s darkness. Could she not see redemption? Could she not see his desperation to save her?

“Kordelia—” Her glare shut Raiden’s mouth.

“Ye deserve darkness,” Hector sneered. “Ye deserve pain. Ye deserve the fates’ hand, and what they may deal ye. I should keelhaul ye.”

Raiden inhaled a sharp breath. “Don’t fucking touch her.”

“Rai!” Skylar warned, her stare flaring.

“As Pirate King,” Hector smugly smiled. “I order ye to stand down. Until Zephyr returns, I say what goes around here. The pirate-killer will be locked up, and ye will not interfere. Savvy?”

“I won’t let him,” Raiden pushed the thought out. Kordelia visibly shivered in return, her stare sliding towards the arched doors behind Hector.

“Let’s dial it down in here,” Aerion murmured. “My title supersedes yours Hector, don’t let the hot air get to your head. I’ve granted Kord—” he paused, “Kora, asylum. That is final.”

“Fine. If ye want to live with a filthy killer who reaps the souls who greet her with open arms. The souls of ye people . . .” Hector stepped back, dramatically gesturing to the ballroom. “By all means.”

The tears in Kordelia’s eyes overwhelming spilled, silently flowing down her cheeks. In an instant, she flung her spindly arms out as she sped for the doorway. The bond shook in Raiden’s mind, and panic consumed him at the thought of losing it.

“Killer on the loose!” Hector leapt back, reaching for his sword. Raiden grappled his arms as Kordelia sped past, visibly sobbing. His heart wrenched, violence dangerously brimming below his surface. A current of wind rattled the windows, the twinkling of glass chandeliers smothering Hector’s squabbling.

“Kordelia!” Raiden charged past Hector as Cassidy unfurled her lasso, her calm demeanour counteracting Hector’s theatrics.

A trail of floating tears guided Raiden to the double-sided staircase, and he followed it up to the third floor, into the west wing. Shimmering tiny balls, a lifeline to his heart, led him down a wide hallway.

As he circled at the end, leading to a suite of rooms, he stopped dead outside a familiar door. The final tear floated, bobbing gently in front of a wooden door with years’ worth of carvings resembling the ocean etched into it, filled with melted moonstone and set with resin.

Kordelia had found her bedroom.

19

Kora

The tears wouldn’t stop. They flowed freely, soaking Kora’s shirt as she slammed the door behind her. She leaned against it, panting as she tried to grapple control over her emotions.