Page 140 of Spar of Hearts

“No,” Roderick said. “Bernard is right. We tried everything. We thought we found a lead in a mage tower tome, but it was just a dead end.” He buried his face in his hands. “Now she’s being bound and married to the Prince to fulfill the deal they made.”

Annette crouched beside him, prodding his shoulder. “A deal? As in, a magical deal?”

“I’m not sure about magical,” he said, wiping his eyes in a fruitless attempt to restore his composure.

“Mother Moon,” Bernard breathed. “Annette, do you think—”

“It’s a gesh,” she finished. “A magical, binding deal. And I know first-hand that they can be broken in…let’s say ‘creative’ ways.” She and Bernard both looked at Captain Verden, who was still staring down at the kelpie.

“What? How? I thought you said the captain paid to fulfill it.” A foolish flicker of hope sparked in his chest until he remembered they were already past the Gates.

Annette rubbed her wrist, looking up at her husband. “In a way, he fulfilled it. But not in the way my father wanted.” She waved a hand. “That’s a long story, and every gesh is different. The point is, Her Highness is a strategist, right? If it is a gesh, I’m sure she’ll find a way to break it and return to you. A technicality, maybe a double meaning. Something the Prince didn’t account for.”

“She’ll need a damn miracle.” Roderick sighed. The tone of Anya’s letter wasn’t that of a scheming strategist. It was a goodbye through and through.

A horn blared ahead of them, sending a stun through Roderick’s body. The kelpie brayed, and the ship lurched to top knots. A sliver of sunlight cut through the thick mist as two towering bronze gates creaked open, gears grinding and creaking with every inch, revealing the shimmering sea on the other side of the bottleneck. A stone tower jutted out of the rocky side of the fjord.

The stun quickly turned into a rush of adrenaline. These had to be the Gates of Hav. It wasn’t too late. He worried about the gesh and the mana stones for split second but quickly remembered Anya’s letter. It said the chests would open when the ship passed through the Gates.

Not when he did.

Yomira screeched as he climbed onto the baluster and stood. The wyvern’s shifting weight threw the ship left to right. Rod! Rod! Stop! Yomira snagged the back of his shirt and yanked him down.

“I won’t leave her!”

I’m coming with you! she rumbled.

“No!” he shouted, freeing his shirt from her teeth. “The watchmen will see you. We don’t know what kind of magic they can use. Stay here, and when the ship gets close enough to Valeria, fly as many stones as you can back to Balcott. Millicent needs you.”

Yomira gave him a pleading look, bringing her head beside him. He patted her nares and smiled sadly, then shared a thought only for her.

You saved me from falling. You heard me when no one else could, even when I tried to hide it. Every second I’ve lived after that, I have you to thank you for.

Tears bubbled in Yomira’s ruby eye as she stared at him, grumbling with sorrow. Millicent may be my sister, but you are my brother.

He gave her nares one last pat. I can think of no greater honor.

“Sir.” Octavio had a stalwart expression, but his glassy eyes betrayed him. He held up a leather pack and Roderick’s rapier. “You’re going to need these.”

Roderick grasped Octavio’s hand and pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you for being there for me.” Octavio patted his back the way all knights did when they embraced. Roderick appraised him as they separated, then shouldered the pack and sheathed his rapier. “Take care of Lady Rowan.”

Roderick cast a glance at Lady Rowan, who was still poring over Anya’s letter with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Bernard put a firm hand on his shoulder. “You’re coming back.”

“And your pack will be waiting,” Ornella added. “There will always be a place for you here. Both of you.”

Words failed him as he took the whole crew in one last time. Then he swallowed hard, nodded, and climbed back onto the baluster, watching the cliff side get closer and closer. Water gushed between the rocks and the belly of the ship below. The land jutted out on either side of the ship, with no room for error. If he misstepped, he would be dragged between the ship and the rocky wall. But if he timed it right, he could roll onto the land and disappear into the forest before the watchmen noticed.

With a tight grip on the ropes, he steadied his footing and jumped.

His stomach flipped as the chasm passed beneath him, then tensed the moment his shoulder slammed the dirt.

“Wait, where are you going!?” Lady Rowan shouted, leaning over the baluster.

“I’m staying with Anya!”

“Then I’m coming with you!”