AISLIN | I

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

THE BOAT rattled as it made contact with the dark wooden dock.

Merk sat nestled into the foot of the Black Mountains, which had been founded by Méabh's Viking ancestors before her. Méabh can only be described in one word: passionate. She's talkative, mysterious, thoughtful, and sometimes mean; possibly a little too mean. But there's more to her than meets the eye, which is unsurprising for someone in her position.

She is the next in line to become Merk's Chief and the first female chief the clan had ever had. The pressure to be great like her father weighed heavily on her heart as she grew older. Méabh is quick-witted and can solve even the most difficult problems that life can throw at you, but she's only human.

I had just gotten to know Kingsley when I met Méabh. They trained and grew up with each other. Individually, they were strong, but together, they were invincible.

I have been teaching others the way I have been taught for most of my life. Not only had I made allies, but I had created a family. I have passed my knowledge to others. With love and acceptance foremost in their hearts, each student came together and formed a bond that can't be broken by any external force.

For each other, we would break our backs.

As I stepped on the main deck, I readjusted my leather vest. With her sword in hand, Kingsley made her way up the stairs from under the ship.

"Are you ready?" I inquired as she approached me.

"I am, indeed." She nodded in response.

The shipmates laid down a gangplank for us to walk down. Before I could step onto the plank, I felt a warm hand wrap around my elbow, turning me around. Leland was standing behind me, his hand around my arm. Examining the wooden gates of Merk and the thick fog surrounding it, Leland held an uncertain gaze. He seemed hesitant when he looked back at me, but he spoke anyway.

"Be safe." He said softly.

I let out a sigh and softly smiled. I gently removed his hand from my arm, saying, "Don't worry, I'll be right back."

He nodded, knowing I was capable of looking after myself, but looking as if he wanted nothing more than to keep me on the ship at all costs. He gently squeezed my hand in his before releasing it and stepping back. August's puppy face was visible over Leland's shoulder as he looked at Kingsley. I must have made a face because Leland turned around to see what I was looking at. He shook his head and chuckled under his breath when he saw August.

"Let's go, lover boy." He chuckled as he turned the starstruck young man around and pushed him away in front of him.

I heard Kingsley's footfalls retreat down the gangplank. I turned on my heel and followed. Merk loomed in front of us. The docks were completely abandoned. The last time I had been here, Merk had been a bustling trading port, overflowing with ships of all kinds from all places, but today our ship occupied the only remaining intact slip. The clan wars had clearly taken their toll on the small village.
The stone walls rose 10 feet into the air and were topped with logs. Two heavy gates made of logs bigger around than I was hung under a stonework archway bearing the Merk crest. A single soldier stood guard at each gate, holding spears and donning with swords.

Kingsley and I approached the gates. The two guards saw us approaching and moved together, standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the large cast-iron rings that opened the doors.