Vengeance Throne (The Callistra Chronicles #2)

THIRTEEN

Chapter Thirteen

Pasiphae woke up to a glaring light in her eyes and something continuously prodding her stomach like the world's most annoying time ticker.

"We're nearly here, my bride. Wake up."

Pasiphae sat up, whacking Seth's jabbing finger away. "Call me that again and I will spin tales to your entire Court about your poor performance in the bedroom."

Seth feigned offence. "Saf, you hit me where it hurts most."

There was nothing in the horizon yet—only swaths and swaths of water—but by simply tracking the arch that the sun made across the sky, Pasiphae knew they were near the very top of the globe.

"What shall I call you then?" Seth kept trying. "Every time I chirp Pasiphae! across a crowded room, at least five court-goers will jump in fear from the name itself."

"Good," Pasiphae huffed. "Fear is more powerful than any magic I could possess."

She spoke confidently, but nevertheless, worry lurked in her heart. When she had entered Khotadi, she was one of the many, a lowly human who only needed to keep her head down. Now in Airesi, there was no doubt who she was: Pasiphae of Eo, one witch in the Seelie country and a target painted on her back.

"What about when we're not trying to induce fear?"

"Light of my life, fire of my heart," Pasiphae offered dully.

Seth grinned. "You're going to regret suggesting that."

Pasiphae would have shot back another retort, but it was then that the first signs of land appeared over the horizon. It was the smallest speck, barely visible to the naked eye. Still, Pasiphae gasped, scrambling to her feet. 


Airesi was nothing like Khotadi. Without knowing it, Pasiphae had associated faery technology with buildings that soared straight into the clouds. She had grown used to neon expanses of light, and a foreign, cold city where magic was snatched from one another callously.

Airesi looked like a kingdom of ancient Earthen times. The boat rumbled closer, and all Pasiphae could see was flat land, with small, stone structures lining the border. There was no fence, no shining gate, no guards. In fact, Pasiphae didn't think the docks were guarded at all.

"Why is it so empty?" she asked.

"The Mors has claimed half our population in casualties and we still haven't found the Unseelie spy," Seth explained grimly. "But if you're looking for border guards, we have none. Royal knights guard the Court inside, and they're hired out by lords to guard the villages."

"So anyone can just come and go into the country itself as they please?" Pasiphae asked.

Seth shook his head. "Anyone can come in," he said, "but there is nowhere to go without being discovered by our A.I. Very little are willing to leave—the nobility are happy here and the villagers do not have the resources."

Seth had been talking her ear off during their entire boat ride, describing all the intricacies and rules of the Seelie Court, but suddenly, as they loomed closer and closer, Pasiphae realised she had absorbed none of it. She would make a fool of herself, thinking she could march in and demand the people allow her to wed their heir.

The boat was close enough to dock.

"If I die at the hands of an angry noble," Pasiphae said. "I demand you marry my dead body to continue the alliance."

Seth rolled his eyes at her.

"I'll protect you above all else," he assured casually, directing the boat to a loading station. "Just try not to offend anyone. You're very good at that."