Page 103 of The Wolf and Her Shadows

He sweeps into a low bow. “Apologies, Your Highness. My name is Trick, captain of the King’s Bane.”

“Well, I see I have no need to introduce myself,” I mutter, shooting Mariane a look over my shoulder.

“Ah, don’t be alarmed.” Trick straightens, attempting to brush away the dirt caked into his trousers. “My hatred is reserved for King Warvin and his lot, not you. In fact, I had a Noxumbran lover in my youth. He had one of the nicest asses I’d ever seen. And I’ve certainly seen my fair share.”

I grimace at his apparent need to overshare. “Good to know…”

As she lands beside me, Mariane laughs. “I know, I had the same reaction when he told me the same thing. But at least we know he’s likely trustworthy. Considering the name of his ship and all.”

“And what a glorious ship she is!” he exclaims, throwing his arms wide. As if gesturing to said ship. Which obviously isn’t here.

Stephan steps up beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure she is. And we’ll be more than happy to help you steal her back, if you do us a small favor in return.”

Trick nods, twirling a hand in the air before holding it out toward Mariane. “This lovely lady already told me all I need to know. You all need passage to Cyrel. Which I will happily provide.” His excited smile falters as his gaze drifts off into the distance. “But I need you to help me save my crew first.”

“Your crew?” I ask, stepping toward him. “What happened to them?”

He takes a deep breath. “Well, let’s just say a certain king may not be too fond of pirates. Even if those pirates are simply glorified treasure hunters.”

My chest aches in sympathy knowing that the king wouldn’t bother to ask questions before hanging anyone he considers to be a pirate. “Where are they?”

“They’re still here in Zaris. For now.” The ‘glorified treasure hunter’ lets out a pained sigh. “They got recognized while we were attempting to gather supplies for our next voyage. Not sure if it was luck or not that I hadn’t been with them at the time. Which is how I’d gotten myself into the situation you found me in. I was trying to scrounge up enough money to pay their bounties. But as it turns out I’m shit at gambling.”

Kali places a hand on his other shoulder, offering me a conspiratorial smile. “Well, lucky for you we won’t need to pay anything. Vann here is going to go retrieve them for you. Aren’t ya, Your Highness.”

Scowling at her mocking tone, I cross my arms and say, “I can try. But I don’t even know where they’re being held. And if I’ve never been there…”

“I know where they are,” Trick says, his smile returning. “They’re in a cell beneath the guard house. Where all the criminals they snatch up off the streets are kept.”

A jolt of fear shoots down my spine. Criminals aren’t the only ones they like to lock in those cells… Sometimes it’s children who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and covered in their own blood.

Before I can change my mind, I mutter, “I know where that is. I’ve been there before.” I give Mariane a pleading look. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to stay here, Your Majesty. That is the last place you need to be recognized.”

Her brows furrow and she opens her mouth to respond, but Stephan beats her to it and says, “I’ll go too. I promise I won’t let anything happen to her, Mariane.”

Golden eyes pierce into mine for a moment longer before she slowly nods. “Alright. As long as you hurry. I don’t want you away from my side for long, My Love.”

Reaching up to gently cup her cheek, I pull her into a soft kiss. “Nor I you. But fear not, I promise I shall make a swift return to you.”

“You two are disgustingly adorable,” Trick calls out. “Reminds me a bit of my lovely Perx when they’ve gotten a bit too in their cups.”

Chuckling, I release Mariane’s face and turn to face the pirate. “Is your partner also locked up with your crew? Who all should I be on the lookout for?”

“They’re both a part of my crew.” He smiles wistfully. “Perx is a gorgeous bengal catfolk with the softest fur you’ll ever feel in your life and Kovo is a hyenafolk with white fur and adorable black spots all over his muscular chest. The ones I don’t fuck are a grumpy old dwarf named Bolabar and a set of goblin twins, Nix and Nox.”

“Alright.” I nod, reluctantly leaving Mariane’s side to join Stephan where he’s now leaning against the trunk of the tree. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I send Mariane one last smile before shadowing us to yet another place I’d wished to never set foot again.

Bile instantly rises up my throat at the stench that greets us when we materialize in front of a row of cells. Each one is filled to capacity with drunkards, beggars, and anyone unfortunate enough to have caught the ire of whatever guard had tossed them down here. A few people let out gasps of surprise at our appearance, yet many more simply blink slowly a few times before shaking their heads and ignoring us completely.

Most of the prisoners, however, are all fast asleep.

Well then. At least nobody shouted. Considering the loud snoring coming from the only guard I see as well, I think this might be even easier than we’d anticipated.

A flash of white catches my attention and I shift my gaze toward the cell in the far corner. Sure enough, just as Trick had said, it houses a muscular hyenafolk with a striped catfolk tucked under his massive arm, two goblins curled up into tight balls on either side of them, and an ancient looking dwarf currently giving me the stink-eye for waking him up.

Making sure to keep our steps light, Stephan and I creep toward the group of pirates.

The dwarf, Bolabar, gives me a slow once-over before doing the same to Stephan. In a hushed, yet raspy voice, he asks, “What do ye want?”