The Underground Witch (Incenaga Trilogy) (4 page)

Natan fell to his knees. He met the sad gazes of his sailors before his eyes rolled
back and he collapsed onto the wooden deck.

A heavy silence settled over the ship
as Tiergan wiped his blade on Natan’s tunic. He faced the sailors and searched their expressions. Would they follow him, or attempt to avenge their captain? He glanced at each of them, calculating their weaknesses and strengths. He only needed a dozen to man the ship. The rest could be disposed of.

“You heard
the agreement,” he said. “You either join or you die. The journey will be long, but you will be rewarded. I am offering you an opportunity for wealth and power beyond your wildest dreams. What say you?”

The sailors looked back and forth at one another, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and unease. A tall,
muscular man stepped forward. His eyebrows were bushy and his nose bulbous, but he had all of his teeth, which was more than most of the sailors could claim.

“We do not wish to die,” he said. “We will join you.”

Tiergan nodded and clasped his hands behind his back. “Very good. And you are?”

“First mate to the Captain.
”

“I am Captain now
and Demyan will be the first mate.” He gestured toward a shadow leaning against the mast. Demyan nodded as if in greeting; however, his expression remained void of any emotion – other than boredom, perhaps. Tiergan was always amazed at the neutrality Demyan managed to portray, especially after a fight. His coal black eyes showed nothing of the thrill that should come after a kill. Even his long black hair remained unaffected, the coarse strands still tied neatly behind his neck.

The sailor
lowered his head. “Yes, Capt’n.”

“Prepare the ship for sail
. Have the injured remain where they are.”

A look of alarm spread across the faces of the injured. Several tried to ignore their pain and stand as if unharmed. Tiergan scrutinized each of them. In all, there were fifteen injured, not including the dead strewn about. Some had debilitating injuries, but none were lethal. Most of their wounds would heal over time
, but unfortunately, time was not a luxury he would permit.

“Demyan will care for you,” he said to
them. “I trust him implicitly.”

A gl
eam of hope entered each of their eyes and Tiergan had to keep from laughing. Did they believe him to be a philanthropist? Surely they realized an injured man meant a worthless man? He marched over to Demyan who nodded as if he already knew what would be asked of him.

“Kill them all,”
Tiergan said under his breath.

“Of course, Captain.”
Demyan lifted his pointed nose above the injured men. “Right this way, sailors. I will take care of you.”

Tiergan did not stay to watch the
massacre. He knew Demyan could handle himself, despite there being fifteen against one. Demyan was lethal to the core. He was fast and silent, never missing a mortal blow.

A land breeze swept across the deck, reminding Tiergan that he
needed to set sail before sunrise, before the heat of the day shifted the winds. He barked a few more orders and made his way to the quarterdeck, smirking at the sight of the fallen captain’s remains. With a few well-placed kicks, he managed to roll the body to the railing. The wood groaned. Tiergan kicked again and the captain’s body joined the other dead being tossed into the sea.

Pleased with himself, Tiergan admired the ship he had just commandeered. It was a three-masted ship with a high, rounded stern, and square riggings. The spacious vessel provided more than ample roo
m for his crew and provisions, and more importantly, it did not fly his country’s colors. For his plan to succeed, it was imperative he arrive as a simple captain and not as the King of Griet.

A sinister smile spread across his face as he thought of the ingeniousness of
his plan. It would only be a matter of weeks before he controlled the key to his unstoppable dominion, the Incenaga of unimaginable beauty and power. Yes, failure was a weakness only his opponents experienced. He never failed. And this time would be no different.

Emmeline squeezed her eyes shut and the image of her in another land disappeared.

“Emmeline?” Erick said with
worry laced in his voice.

Emmeline
swallowed. If the vision hadn’t been so vivid, so real, she would have just brushed it aside. But the smell of gardenia still lingered in her nose and the feel of the carpet still tickled her feet.

W
hat did it mean? Why would she ever point a dagger to her own stomach? She knew the answer before her next breath. Her mother had done exactly what she had just seen. She had taken her own life to prevent someone else from gaining control over her power. She had killed herself to save thousands of people who would have been tortured through a tyrant’s control over her power. Emmeline shuddered. Would she have to make the same choice? Was that what it meant? She shook her head. It was just her imagination. None of it was real.

“Emmeline!
” Erick said.

Emmeline’s eyes focused and she
flinched.

“What’s
wrong?” he asked, his face a breath away from her own.

Emmeline shook her head again. “Nothing. I don’t know. It was nothing.”

“What happened?”

“I had a nightmare
, I think. I must have fallen asleep.”

Erick sat up and took her hand.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”

Emmeline nodded
, convincing herself that it had been a dream. A nightmare. She wasn’t even sure she had ever smelled gardenia. She snuggled closer to Erick, relieved when his arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer.

“It’s a beautiful day
,” he whispered. “Only a few clouds in the sky.”

Emmeline looked up and
watched the clouds drift by, seeming to have minds of their own. Each was unique with swirls of pink, grey, yellow and blue. She smiled, glad for the distraction.

“Do you wonder why some clouds float across the sky
on their own while others travel in clusters?” Emmeline asked.

“
I never thought about it.”

“
See there,” she said pointing to the sky. “That one is quite lovely. It’s full and white, but all alone.”

Erick chuckled.
“I don’t think clouds make friends or leave other clouds out, if that’s what you’re asking.” He smiled but when she did not return the smile, he looked back at the sky. “Maybe they push the other clouds away, somehow. I’ll agree that they seem to have a different quality about them.”

Emmeline frowned. Erick was right, she thought.
Some clouds were too different to blend in with the rest. And if another little cloud came too near, the big cloud engulfed it in itself until the little one no longer existed.

“What are you thinking?” Erick asked.

“I think they are alone because they destroy any cloud that comes near them.”

“We aren’t talking about clouds anymore, are we?”

“I guess not.” Emmeline sighed. She couldn’t get the dream out of her mind.

“What
are
we talking about?”

“My mother. Me. Maybe
the Incenaga Witches are meant to be alone. My mother was a woman with a world of happiness in front of her, but she brought pain and destruction to herself and everyone she loved. She took her own life because of what she was. My father and I had to abandon our home, our people. He lost everything.”

“He didn’t lose you.”

“Not yet. I am the last surviving Incenaga. My very existence is a genocide waiting to happen.”

Erick coughed. “That is a little extreme, don’t you think?”

Emmeline thought back to the mountainside, when she had killed the Pamizakian soldiers with the flick of her wrist. They were innocent soldiers. Men with families, friends, loved ones.” She shrugged half-heartedly.

“
You have the potential to do a lot of good,” he said.

“And a lot of harm.” She cringed, remembering Erick’s brother, Prince Weldon.
She killed him too. Granted, she had killed against her will, but she had still been the one to take their lives. She never wanted someone to control her again. No, she never even wanted to use her power again. Even the sight of fire reminded her of the death she had caused.

“Maybe my mother was meant to be alone,” she said after awhile. “Maybe
fate made her pay the price for loving my father. Maybe that is why Harskell came for her and why my father lost everything. He wasn’t meant to love her.”

“What are you saying?”

“What if my being with you causes you more pain? I’ve already killed your brother. Whose life will be next? How much more destruction will I bring into your life?”

“Weldon made his own choices, as did Harskell. He sought your mother because he was an evil man, not because
fate designed it to happen. He wanted power and your mother was the easiest way to acquire it. He made the choice.”

“What if someone else tries to do the same to me?
”

Erick squeezed her closer.
“I can protect you.”

“I know
. I’ve seen what you are capable of and I’ve seen the strength of your army. But what if, like the big clouds, I’m meant to be alone? What if there is some other force in play here? What if the only way for me to ensure I don’t destroy those around me is to be alone? I can’t help what I am.”

Erick grinned and poked her side.

“What are you doing?” Emmeline cried out, laughing at Erick’s spontaneous behavior.

“You don’t feel big and fluffy.”

Emmeline giggled and then turned serious again. “You know what I mean.”

Erick nodded and looked back at the clouds. “I don’t care if the Incenagas are meant to be alone. I can’t imagine my life without you. I’ll do anything to be with you, even if that means I have to find all the Harskell’s in the world and chain them
up in the deepest dungeon. I don’t care what you are. You belong to me and I belong to you.”

“That sounded very poetic. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to get
a kiss out of me.”

Erick smiled. “Is it working?”

In answer, Emmeline lifted her chin and pressed her lips to his. A soft breeze blew through her hair, bringing with it the scent of pine and spice. Somehow, he always managed to chase away her gloom.

“I miss these simple days,” Emmeline said
, leaning back. “Just the two of us and our adventures.”

“We’ve sure had our share of them
, haven’t we?”

Emmeline smiled but she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. Their lives had been hectic since his return to the palace.

“It won’t be so busy in a few months,” he said, somehow knowing her thoughts.

“I don’t mind. I know what is expected of you. Of us.” Although Emmeline had
been born a princess she had lived her entire life in the remote forests of Pamizak with only her father for company. She wasn’t prepared for the vast responsibilities thrust on governing heads. As the future Princess of Dolmerti, she had responsibilities that sometimes consumed her entire day. As did Erick. They stole every possible second they could find to be with one another, but it never seemed to be enough.

Erick ran a hand through his hair. “I’m so sorry, Emmeline. I promise we will have more time together once I find someone trustworthy to replace Mahlon. And as soon as the trade routes to Pamizak are solidified, I will give some of those responsibilities to my father’s advisors
. I need to learn to trust them.”

Emmeline nodded.
Mahlon had been the King’s closest advisor and together with Prince Weldon, they had designed a plot to kill Erick and send Dolmerti into a war they believed would bring them more wealth. Their plan had been to use her power to provide victories for every war they declared, but Prince Weldon had developed plans of his own for her. 

Since
the betrayal of Mahlon and his brother, Erick had found it difficult to trust his men. There had been so many close to him, working with him on a daily basis, yet their treachery hadn’t been discovered until it was too late. He and his father were fairly certain they had removed most of Mahlon’s followers, but how could they be sure? Afraid to delegate anything but the most harmless tasks, Erick had been shouldering the responsibilities once shared between half a dozen advisors.

“Don’t worry about it, Erick. I know I’ll see more of you soon.” She smiled and stood. “
Should we find our way back? I believe Dolmerti awaits their prince.”

They reached their horses just as the sun began its final decent. A warm glow spread across the landscape like a golden blanket
, bringing with it a false sense that summer had returned. Emmeline sighed and mounted her cherished horse, Filia.