Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 11 - Darius - Pick-Me-Up

Night two in Fredal was another bust, another failure that I can add to my list that is now an award-winning novel.

We scoured every building to its bones all day and night. Went so far as to corner a few wealthy nobles and others whose names were given to us when we started asking questions. Arthur got...passionate when a man a good ten years younger than my father refused to say a word. The others had to turn away when Arthur started getting answers, but I forced myself to watch. I forced myself to look at every drop of blood and listen to every scream or groan the man gave because somewhere in the world Fauna is doing the same.

The man ended up not knowing much, only that Xaxias and his followers traveled through here on their way to Fernweh. We retraced his steps, walking the same paths he did based on the words of Papa Pernell and bystanders who remember the strange foreigners who "felt wrong." I could feel his power when he came into the ballroom, but I thought that it was due to my power that I could sense it. The people here carry no power, and yet they all said he felt wrong.

He looks wrong too, but they said he always had his hood on.

We looked for reasons as to why he'd risk going through a town, but the results were as barren as a desert. It took us most of yesterday to do that, along with a portion of the night. We only stopped to get food, and then we headed to the outskirts and searched some more.

Nothing.

Svenja, her first mate Hough, and the three other men who were with her left yesterday morning. The night before took a while to explain to them, as well as to Mr. and Mrs. Pernell. The Pernell's offered – actually, they didn't really give us a choice to take – their three spare rooms that used to be occupied by their children. Svenja and her crew took one, and the rest of us split into the other two, Vlad taking the first watch.

We redirected Svenja and the two other ships she had with her to a different destination, but the other one-hundred and seventy-two will continue to Fernweh.

I shake my head at the thought again. I can't tell if I want to punch Clarice when I first see her or hug her or kiss her or light her ass on fire. One hundred and seventy-two ships that belong to pirates, and she wasn't even here to see the utter shock on our faces.

Definitely lighting her ass on fire. And then, maybe, kissing her.

We walked Mr. Pernell to his restaurant, leaving Svenja to give her share of our thanks to Mrs. Pernell who, according to Lance, wouldn't put up as much of a fight to our show of thanks as much as her husband would. A few gold coins and rubies from her treasure trove did the trick. Once we left Mr. Pernell in the care of his workers, we set off for another day of searching and listening to rumors being passed from ear to ear. Night fell, and we took one last meal at Papa Pernell's, and then set off into the night towards Cadorelin. Two days along the coast and we'll come upon the Crystal City.

I've been there a few times, invited by King Cyrus and Queen Aria. They're kind rulers, shy when it comes to being social, but sweeter than candy. I've always thought of them as some distant aunt or uncle since they always treated me like their own son when we visited. I suppose that they did that with every child though. As they have yet to produce an heir, their succession may very well end up relying on an appointed heir rather than the traditional inheritance. They've never spoken about it, but you can see their eyes dim when they watch children laugh or play or hug their parents who smile so widely at them that you'd think their cheeks hurt.

I loved all those visits to Declan Cove and watching the dolphins jump alongside the ship when we sailed out for the day. I loved the Crystal City because it was the opposite of Fernweh. Where we had hills and large flower fields, they had the ocean and a wildflower valley that was full of every color and shape you could think of. There's so much light in the city, even at night, but now I fear that the capital will be anything but bright. This is our last real hope of finding her. Sure there are more towns we could search, but none of us think she'd be there. None of us are really sure that she's even on this continent. It would take us months to search the western continent and another year or so for the eastern continent. If we don't find her here, then...