The Broken Kingdoms of Osvolta (Kingdoms of Osvolta #1)

72. Tempest Cove

Chapter seventy-two

Tempest Cove

T hrough the lingering haze of a much-needed good night’s sleep, Solveig realised two things. The first was that she was hot, unbearably so, as if she were sleeping beside a raging inferno. The second was that something was pressed up against her back.

Slowly, she cracked a single eye open. The ship rocked with the gentle swell of ocean waves. Beyond the portholes, where the sun had long since risen, she could see the barest hint of jagged grey land.

“So much for training at first light,” she muttered as she moved to stand and found it to be a harder task than usual. Her eyes swept down to find a bronzed arm dusted with dark hair across her middle.

Everything came rushing back to her. Whispered words beneath the starry night. Walking hand in hand back to the captain’s quarters. The kiss she gave him before they’d slipped into a dreamless sleep. Side by side, as though it was something they did every night, as if it wouldn’t have lingering consequences in the harsh light of day.

Softly, she moved to lift the prince’s arm from her waist to escape before he woke. As soon as she had garnered enough space to slide free; she was staring up into those incredible blue depths as he watched her.

“Going somewhere, Solveig?”

“I was promised a training session at first light. It appears my instructor has been waylaid.”

“Hmm,” Emmerich grunted, allowing his eyes to drift down her body. Covered by only a thin silk nightgown, he lowered slightly, allowing more of his body to lean into hers. The exquisite heat that bloomed extracted a small gasp from her lips, and his eyes flew back to hers as he smirked.

“I’m sure they have a damn fine excuse for the delay.” His face lowered to hers, his intent to kiss her plain in his gaze, when she hurriedly whispered.

“I’m sure they’re already up and looking for you.”

“Let them,” he whispered, touching his mouth to hers, and she yielded to his touch instantly. Felt his hands drift. One tangled in her hair, the other down lower, caressing the smooth skin of her thigh as he nudged her legs wider, settling atop her. He hooked her leg over the back of his and she allowed him to manipulate her without protest, erasing any space between them. Lost in the searing, blissful dream of his mouth on hers when he released her. Only for a moment. Allowing her a second to fill her lungs. She sighed, stretching her arms before lowering them around his neck, thinking of how this was her favourite dream.

“It’s not a dream,” he whispered, lips grazing hers as he spoke. Solveig’s eyes opened slightly as she stared sleepily into his.

“I’m far too happy for it to be anything but.”

“Then feel it, but don’t forget that this is real.” His mouth took hers again. Harder this time and she gasped slightly, allowing him entry as her hands slid through his tangled curls. The leg over his hip pulled him tighter to her. Desperate to get closer, and yet even through the haze, she felt his lips smirk against hers, as he moved to pull away and she fought to keep him close.

“We should stop.” He laughed. The sound was music to her ears. “I promised you a training session, after all.”

Solveig’s eyes narrowed on him. “I can think of better ways you can help me exercise right now.”

Emmerich’s gaze darkened as his pulse throbbed at his neck. “You’re the one who wanted to see all the sights the realm has to offer,” he fought out.

“I think I’m enjoying the sights in this room far more right now.”

Emmerich quirked a brow at her, eyes rolling playfully. “What am I going to do with you?” he muttered, shaking his head.

“I can think of a few ideas.”

“Oh really? Well, so can I.” He bent over her, lips at her ear. “In my head,” he whispered, “I see you panting, eyes alive with wonder.” He paused, pressing a kiss against her cheek, “soaking wet—”

Solveig gasped, gripping his arm tighter.

“As you learn how to control the waves of the Wrecked Seas.” Emmerich laughed, pulling her from the bed with him as he stood.

“That doesn’t sound anywhere near as much fun as my idea.” She scowled.

“As long as you’re here with me.” He winked, “we can play your games later. But I promised you training and that’s what you’ll get. Meet me on deck in thirty.”

“Aye, aye Captain.” She mock saluted, dropping back down onto the bed with a laugh as the door closed behind him.

If it hadn’t been for the spray of the surrounding ocean, Solveig was convinced she would have melted on the spot. She was a princess used to lukewarm, rain-soaked summers and bleak frozen winters. She wiped a hand across her brow to collect the sweat that beaded there. A warm flush decorated her pale cheeks.

“Is it always this hot in Elithiend?” she shouted across the small dinghy to where the prince was busy rowing them to shore.

Emmerich burst into laughter. Barely breaking a sweat; despite the heat and back-breaking effort, he put in to fighting the stormy swells that grew more intense the closer they came to the shore.

“I suppose it helps that I grew up with it.”

“It’s autumn, and yet it’s hot as summer.”

“It’ll be a few weeks yet before the humidity breaks and the heat dies off. That’s the beauty of living in the south, Princess. Our winters are far kinder than yours.”

“I’m not sure which I’d prefer,” she muttered, drifting the tips of her fingers into the rippling waters. “Freezing to death or burning in a ring of fire.”

“You’ll soon be thankful for the heat. It’ll dry you out when you inevitably get soaked.” She raised a brow at the double entendre of his words.

“What’s that look for?” He smirked. “I was merely referring to an incoming wave drenching you.”

“Uh huh,” she muttered, “sure, that’s what you meant.”

They fell into an easy silence as the prince focused on getting them safely to shore. Meanwhile, Solveig was more concerned with not losing the contents of her stomach over the side of the dinghy.

“Hold on,” Emmerich said as the shore grew closer. “This could get bumpy.” Solveig wasn’t sure exactly what he expected her to hold on to. Except for the boat, that she was already gripping so tightly her knuckles had turned white.

Not a moment too soon, the dinghy came to a shuddering halt, but Solveig kept her eyes shut. Even as she heard the prince jump out, with the echo of his booted feet in the stony sand heading toward her.

“You can open your eyes now, Princess. We’re safely on dry land.” She cracked a single eye open to find his hand outstretched and waiting. She gripped onto him tightly as she rose to her feet on unsteady legs.

“If you ever try to get me out on this ridiculous thing again, you’ll go mysteriously overboard.”

“Not a fan of the dinghy?” He chuckled.

“Next time, take me somewhere your ship can dock.”

“As you wish, my lady,” he laughed, bowing dramatically at the waist. “This way, times a wasting and I heard a rumour that you were complaining about your trainer being delayed this morning.”

“I’m wishing I kept my mouth shut now,” she muttered, kicking at the pebbled shore.

“I bet you are.”

Hand in hand, they travelled at a leisurely pace along the shore, gentle waves crashing around them until they reached a secluded cove. Dread taking over as she realised exactly how this small rocky outcrop had got its name.

Here the waves crashed impossibly high, sea spray flying out in all directions, spattering her face even from a distance. She turned to stare at the prince.

“You seriously mean for me to bring that raging beast under control?” she demanded, an arm flying out to where the water drew back and then surged again through the tight channel of jagged black rocks. The push and pull of the suction causing an almighty display. “It’s not possible.”

“In the months I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you walk away from a challenge. Don’t tell me you plan to start now.”

“This isn’t a challenge, it’s humiliation. My magic is not strong enough for this.”

“Says who? You or your parents? How much training did you have before they gave up and decided you weren’t worth the effort?”

Hot angry tears simmered at the edges of her eyes as he continued flinging all her deepest hurts in her face. “You are a manipulator. You cannot evaporate, but you can stop it in its tracks, even for a moment.”

“Never with this amount.”

“The amount doesn’t matter, that’s all in your head. You can do this. Deep down you know it too.” He stepped in front of her, taking both her hands in his. Noticing for the first time that she was no longer wearing the engagement ring, a faint pale ring of skin was the only reminder it had been there. His thumb stroked gently across the naked finger as he drew his gaze back up to hers, one hand cradling her face with reverent care.

“If I succeed in anything on this trip, Princess? It will be that when the time comes that I am forced to leave you, you shine as bright in the light as you do in the shadows.” He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “They have manipulated, belittled, and twisted you. Now it’s time for you to prove them all wrong. Stop the wave Solveig. Control it, master it. Show them you’re stronger than they know.”

Hours ticked by, and the blinding blue of the sky and sparkling ocean darkened as tumultuous grey clouds roiled overhead. At the edge of the cliffs, the two young royals stood facing the oncoming storm.

“Again,” the prince commanded, his clothes soaked through with sea spray. Beside him, Solveig stood on shaking legs, her brow drenched in sweat, clothes dripping with water from wave after wave that she had failed to stop.

“We’ve been at it for hours,” she shouted through heaving breaths. “This is hopeless.”

“Look at me, Solveig,” She turned on the spot, anger, and bone deep tiredness clear in the slump of her shoulders and the clouded green of her eyes.

“You can do this. Focus your mind.” He handed her a skin of water and an apple from the sack he’d brought with them. “Take five minutes and we’ll go again.”

He swept a hand out, stopping the next wave in its tracks with a dense shield of air, giving Solveig a few precious moments of reprieve from its onslaught.

As more waves continued to thrash against the prince’s barrier, Solveig stared out at the vast ocean, as though it were mocking her and her inability to bring it under submission. Anger simmered in her blood. She bit back the bitter taste of overwhelming tiredness that threatened to drag her to the floor. Handing the prince his skin of water back, she turned back to the inky black ocean.

“Shut off everything but you and your power,” Emmerich whispered at her back, fingertips stroking briefly across the nape of neck before he stepped back. “Just you and the water.”

Solveig closed her eyes, and sent her mind tumbling down on a slow, deep breath, searching for whatever dregs of power remained within her. Dragging, raking, and pulling all of it together for a final showdown. She would not let it defeat her.

When at last she could feel every drop of the ocean that raged toward her, she nodded. Opening her eyes to see Emmerich lowering the shield. Time slowed as she took in the swell of the fresh wave, barrelling closer and closer. She reached out with her power; forcing her will against the oncoming rage, and for a moment, it halted in its tracks. Churning and roiling in place. Solveig smiled in disbelief as she and the prince stared at the wave when it shook. Spurts flying free from her hold at the same time something wet dripped, thick, and hot from her nose.