Sewn & Scarred (The Fated Creations Trilogy #3)

Chapter One

held my hands up to guide gusts of wind into the sails of our boat but eventually had to lower them and will my magic to do as I bid. I breathed a sigh of relief when the blowing air remained strong. Sure, it was still tiring, but it was far less taxing than holding my arms up the entire time.

It’d been a few hours since we left the docks of Rominia when Dean handed me a canteen of water and urged me to drink. I started to decline, but he pushed it closer.

“Wyott and Maddox would have my head if I didn’t keep you hydrated and nourished.”

I laughed and grabbed the canteen to take a few gulps to appease his prying stare. I closed it and offered it to Lauden and Sage, but they shook their heads.

Dean looked to Sage, and it almost seemed as if he was preparing to urge Sage just as he’d urged me, but he instead snapped his gaze back to mine.

He acted almost shy around her, and I wondered if it was because he found her attractive. She was beautiful. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Kova had noticed. Especially now, with the slight pink in her normally fair cheeks and the sunlight shining in her light green eyes.

By the time the sun was its highest in the sky, I had to take a break. It felt as if we’d slammed to a halt with how weak the natural winds were, but I didn’t have a choice, I needed to rest. I leaned back against my seat and breathed a sigh.

When I stopped using my magic and had no distractions, fatigue set in.

“You can sleep,” Dean said, nodding to his shoulder. “It’s more comfortable than the wooden post.”

I shook my head and smiled at him. “No, I’m okay,” I said. “I just need to wait awhile. Maybe I should eat something.”

He opened his pack and pulled out dried fruits, hard meats, and cheese.

We all munched on that and, after, silence fell over us as we sailed without my help for the next couple of hours. It was incredibly awkward. I never wanted Lauden to come on this trip in the first place, but I didn’t have much of a choice after he invited himself. I supposed it was better to have more Sorcerers than less, for protection. I couldn’t help but feel his presence was the source of the tension that curled between the four of us.

Perhaps I was being paranoid. My nerves were lit every moment that we were vulnerable on the water. My eyes darted around with each second that ticked by, waiting for that same pirate ship that I’d sent to the bottom of the Madierian to come speeding over the horizon.

“Okay,” I said, straightening and looking up to the sails.

Dean turned to me. “Are you feeling up for it?”

I nodded. “I’m tired, but it’s okay, I can rest when we get there.”

He pursed his lips and I saw the hands in his lap twitch. “If you need to feed,” he said, low. “To regain some strength…” The blush on his face was deep.

I couldn’t tell whether he was embarrassed to be asking or scared that I’d scream at him like I had screamed at Wyott.

Sage swore as she dropped the compass and bent to retrieve it from near her feet.

“I appreciate the offer but, really, I’m okay for now. I will tell you when I need it,” I said.

The sails expanded like a set of lungs and we were skimming across the water again.

The rest of the day passed without issue and only a few course corrections from Dean and Sage who were working the map and compass.

I breathed a silent sigh of relief when I saw the snowcapped mountains of Correnti rise into view.

Dean whistled and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “You just turned a three day trip into one.”

I smiled at him.

As we drew closer to shore I lowered my wind from the sails. I didn’t want anyone watching to know that a Sorceress was on board.

When we landed, Dean paid the docking fee as we grabbed our belongings and the dockhands secured the sails.

This beach was not made of sand, but gravel; small pebbles rounded from hundreds—maybe thousands—of years of being rocked against the ocean floor and caressed by the waves until their edges were as smooth as silk.

I looked up at the castle, which sat high up above the water, built into the mountain. The walls that surrounded the kingdom looked to be made of the same stone. From here, you could barely see the spires.

The guards let us into the kingdom and we aimed for the castle. Wyott had briefly considered sending a raven to warn Lady June and Lady Harper of our arrival, but decided against it when he realized that, while the white ravens were less likely to be intercepted than the black birds because they camouflaged into the clouds, he didn’t want to risk anyone intercepting the message.

When we got to the castle doors and the guards asked what we wanted, I spoke. “Please inform Lady June and Lady Harper that Kovarrin Vicor’s daughter-in-law is here.”

When the door opened, we were escorted to a private sitting room. One woman sat in front of the fire and turned to smile at us. Her lips were coated in red which contrasted sharply against her porcelain white skin and light blond hair.

Another woman stood near the fireplace. She rushed forward, aiming directly for me, her hand outstretched.

“Welcome,” she said, and then cocked her head, which caused a few strands of her long walnut hair to fall away from her face. Her skin wasn’t as fair as her wife’s but it wasn’t far off.

“Evaline,” I offered.

She nodded with a smile. “Welcome, Evaline. I’m Lady June.” She turned to wave an arm toward her wife. “And this is Lady Harper.” June turned back toward us and clasped her hands together. She looked to Sage, then Lauden, then Dean before looking back to me. “You’re Kovarrin’s daughter-in-law?”

She didn’t have to voice her real question for me to understand it.

“Yes, I am Maddox’s mate.”

No doubt she noticed that the only pair of gray eyes before her were Dean’s.

He spoke then, reaching his hand forward to shake hers. “It’s true. We’ve run into an incident, and Maddox was unable to travel. We’re here to gather some information that we’re hoping your kingdom can provide us.”

Lady Harper spoke from the chaise. “Of course, we’re happy to help. As long as this information doesn’t require any violence.”

Dean looked to her and shook his head. “Of course not.”

“Good to hear.”

“This is Lauden and Sage,” I said, introducing the other two. “They’re also friends of Kovarrin.”

The Ladies nodded, and June moved aside and cast her arms out toward the chaise that stood across from her wife.

“Please,” Lady June said. “Take a seat.”

Sage, Lauden, and I sat while Dean stood on my other side.

“What can we do to help you, while you’re here?” Lady June said as she sat beside her wife.

“I’m aware that two Kova live here. Charlotte and James?” I spoke.

Their brows furrowed for a moment as they looked between each other.

“I think they live up in the mountains. Almost at the edge of the wards.”

There were no walls on that side of the kingdom, I’d noticed. But there didn’t need to be. The land was a fortress, with a sheer cliff on one side that no army could traverse.

“I haven’t seen them in years,” June said as she shrugged. “To be honest, I forgot they were there at all until you said something. They keep to themselves; I haven’t seen them since I was a girl.” She looked to Dean then. “I’ve never formally met them, only discovered what they were after my father passed on the knowledge of the Kova and Vasi to me before he died, when I took control of Correnti. They don’t come to any castle events, but I think they’re still up there. Do you need us to make introductions?”

“No, thank you for the offer though. We’ll make do,” I said, not wanting to inconvenience them any further.

“Please, feel free to stay in the castle,” Lady Harper said, and I would’ve objected so as not to impede, but since we were only staying for hopefully one night—maybe two—we accepted.

Lauden spoke then. “I’m the Arch Sorcerer of Rominia. Allow me to maintain the wards while I’m here. It’s the least we can do for your hospitality.”

Lady Harper smiled and nodded her head. “That would be lovely. The last time they were maintained was nearly a decade ago. We haven’t seen Ankin since then. He’s retired?”

Lauden shook his head. “Unfortunately, Ankin passed away this year. Of old age.”

Lady Harper’s brows pulled together as she muttered her condolences and hopes for his restful peace.

“Please let us know if you need anything to help in your ward maintenance,” Lady June offered.

Lauden waved a hand. “Thank you, but I won’t need anything. I’ll run the spell after we’ve talked to James and Charlotte.”

Soon after we thanked the Ladies for hosting us, they handed us over to their house manager who showed us to our rooms and asked how many we’d need.

“Three, please,” I said, and Dean stiffened beside me.

She nodded and led us through the castle. All the guest rooms stretched down one hallway, which made me feel even safer since it appeared we were the only guests here and could all stay close.

She opened the door to one, and I turned to Sage and Lauden. “Go ahead,” I said, nodding to the room. “Rest for a bit.”

They nodded and went in, Lauden’s arm curling around Sage’s waist in the process, and I felt Dean tense.

“Are you okay?” I whispered up to him. He jumped as if he had forgotten I was standing there and nodded.

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

The house manager showed us to the next room, and Dean urged me to take it.

“He’ll be in the next,” the house manager said, nodding to the door beside mine.

I smiled at Dean and closed the door behind me. The room was gorgeous and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. It was clear that this room butted up to the mountain—that the wall I stood across from was the mountain. It wasn’t smooth, but jagged. The floor was darkened hardwood and covered in fur rugs. The bed was big and had a fur blanket tossed over it. Gods, to think that it was summer and still they needed this much protection from the cold.

I threw some logs into the fireplace and used my magic to ignite them. I moved to sit beside the hearth, stretching my hands closer and letting the warmth settle into my skin. We’d reconvene in a few hours, right now I needed to let everyone rest. I should’ve rested, too, but I couldn’t. I only stared into the flames and pictured what it would look like when Maddox’s eyes turned gray again.

Please, I prayed, to no God in particular. Please, let this be real.