Now it all fucking makes sense. Why he needed so many air amulets for his crew. So they wouldn’t drown rounding up the hippocamp mares.

He’s betraying his nereid family by selling those beautiful creatures!

I don’t know how I ever let him touch me!

From the personal journal of Ozora

Dean of Magic

The Bestiary

****

“All the Eastern Reaches are desperate, they just don’t know it yet.” Taenya leaned forward, bracing her forearms on the table. “We don’t have time for you to hear all the scary shit Cleobah has told me. And that’s just what she can tell me.” Her sharp emerald gaze could’ve cut stone. “We need you and your hippocamps right now, and believe me, Cleobah has looked at every timeline. This is the only one that has a hope of success.”

“You are talking to the wrong guy.” Fraser scraped his black leather boots on the table, leaning away from Taenya’s intensity. “I’m not a hero. Not unless you pay me. And my hippocamps are not for hire.”

It seemed like the world tilted underneath me, even though the padded wooden chair I sat on stayed level. Taenya and Fraser’s tense exchange rattled through me, echoing in my head, drowning out everything else.

Hippocamps and Fraser?

I’d heard plenty about hippocamps from Fraser’s trusted friend and second in command, Gordon Derryngton. He’d come to me, knowing my interest in the beautiful half equine, half piscine beasts. What we uncovered horrified me to this day. He was a true friend, letting me ugly cry on his shoulder when we discovered Fraser's plans to capture and sell stolen hippocamps.

As I pondered over Gordon and our investigation, Cleobah's statement reminded me to consider the source of my information..

Why did I believe him all those years ago? The notion struck abruptly, one I’d never considered. I trusted him because Fraser trusted him, but something that had never occurred to me before rose, reminded me.

Everything I learned about Fraser and hippocamps came from Gordon. Every lead we followed. Every seedy bar we sat in to meet up with informants. Gordon discovered and arranged it all. I followed the path he led because everything seemed so clear.

All the terrible things he whispered back were so easy to accept, coming as they did from such a trusted source, not to mention what we discovered together. No one knew Fraser better. Seeing the pens in the Skirmisher only solidified that those awful accusations were true.

Back then, I’d been so sure and I’d never questioned my decision in the intervening years. Not once.

Based not only on what Gordon had shown me, but also on what I saw and heard with my own eyes, the evidence was clear.

Fraser was going to round up hippocamps and sell them. I couldn’t allow that.

Could not allow him to commit such a despicable crime.

Gordon also helped confirm what I suspected from the start. Fraser and I were never meant to be.

“The very last thing I need right now is some magical beastie giving me cryptic advice.” Fraser rose, pulling me from my reverie.

Taenya and Cleobah scowled, and Cassyrra lifted her head.

“This was all a mistake. I am not a mage, and this is not my city.” Fraser punctuated each point by stabbing his forefinger on the table with quick staccato, finishing with a dismissive wave. “I will solve all your problems. Take down you shield and I will go. Now.” He cast one last scornful glance over to me before adding. “Do what you will with Hastrior. Good luck against the Emperor.”

“Gonna steal another ship?” Taenya tilted her head.

He shoved his chair back so violently it toppled. “Damn right I will.”

His back was rigid as his mainmast as he marched away.

“I must’ve missed something.” I muttered. Taenya flashed her eyes at me before closing them, her jaw working.

“He is an arrogant ass.” She growled. “But he can’t leave.”

“You know, high elves consider hippocamps a delicacy.” Cleobah called to his wide back as he crossed into the bright sunlight from the tent’s shadow.

That paused him.

Birdsong and the breeze through the grasses filled the silence behind the Cleobah’s words.

“What high elves?” Contempt dripped from him. “They only ones I saw are at the bottom of the sea now.” He turned his head just enough to send those tight words back at us over his shoulder, then jerked his chin at Cassyrra. “Or burnt to a crisp.”

Cleobah’s feathers rustled as she rolled her shoulders and stretched her wings. “You also know the Emperor will find that little island of yours with the first wave of his fleet. You’ve already figured out he’ll fill the Vauxterel Archipelago with ships before you can move all your horsey friends.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

His teal and turquoise hair gleamed and shimmered when he shook his head, shoulders slumped with defeat. An angry groan ripped from him, as if yanked out with a hook.

Raking his fingers across his scalp, he spun and marched back to the table.

Taenya and I jumped when he slammed both his fists on the oaken planks, making the dishes and flatware rattle. He leaned in close, his face transformed into someone I’d never seen. A person who’d never emerged when we were together.

This was Fraser Connell, Scourge of the Seas. The realization that this must’ve been the face Prince Bartholomew saw last flashed through me, along with a chill.

This Fraser was calm and precise, but menace colored his every move. “I will do this only if you can guarantee their safety.” He looked only at the sphinx, demanding her promise. My heart still gave a couple extra beats in response to his lethal intensity.

Cleobah purred, unmoved by his threatening posture. Her curled lips and curving eyes glowed with satisfaction. “This is the only way you can guarantee their safety.”

****

FIVE YEARS AGO…

Fraser found me an empty shop faster than I expected. I’d made it a clause in our contract. It seemed strange, ordering a hundred air amulets, but Fraser Connell took crew safety seriously. Few ship masters would go to the expense of ordering the protective devices, let alone pay extra for them to be made rechargeable. It was an odd ask and an expensive one, but he didn’t seem to lack the resources. Hastrior was a wealthy city, and now he controlled it.

The little shopfront had charm, and lots of passing foot traffic. One in a string of stores set along a wide avenue near the market. A sought-after location on a prosperous street, I’d learned a few days after moving in.

I felt odd having an entire shop, a luxury I’d never expected. Moreover, my customer base kept growing. The longer I stayed, the more people stopped in. Soon I had repeat customers and new referrals mentioned my spells had helped their friend and would I put together something for them?

All because I insisted to Fraser that I needed a proper workshop to produce that volume of amulets and keep the supplies I’d need. Now here I am with my own store in Hastrior.

It was exhilarating and terrifying at once. I was dizzyingly happy, but also out of my depth.

With the shop and with Fraser.

He wasn’t at all what I expected. He had a side that … well, you couldn’t ever call him soft … but I caught glimpses of the man he might have been, if he didn’t command the mercenaries of his crew. If he wasn’t a hired killer himself.

I saw a man who didn’t want to go on killing for a living.

I didn’t know if what my intuition told me was right, only that it whispered in my ear whenever I watched his face change, looking out to sea.

Or at me.

Fraser never spoke his thoughts at those times, nor did I ask. We were close, but not that close.

We have a business contract, and we’re having a bit of fun.

That’s all this is.

He is handsome and charming. A romantic summer fling in a lovely seaside resort before moving on does make this a perfect stop. No need to get attached or make this out to be more than casual fun.

So what am I doing with a shop?

There’s no future between us.

Surely we both know that?

Lately he looks at me, especially when he thinks I’m not paying attention, with a question in his eyes. One he never gives voice to, but lets it linger before glancing away. It’s almost comical now. I pretend not to see him staring. He asks me how my day went, and how the shop is doing to fill the awkward gap.

Of course, that’s not what he truly wants to say. I wished he would speak his mind instead of letting me drown in this state of wonder.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. He well and truly swept me off my feet. Impossible not to fall for those looks and that intensity. He found out my favorite sweets and had them delivered to the shop. My favorite flowers waited for me in my rooms.

After he contracted for all those amulets to protect his crew, should they fall overboard.

Amulets of air are difficult to make and I can only make so many in a day. I have to coax sylphs with loads of sugary candies to help me bespell the devices. The airy sprites whistle up gusts and breezes that I bespell into the amulets.

The numin it takes to ensure each amulet is rechargeable is more than double what a regular air amulet requires. I found that my previously inexhaustible supply of numin had limits. After three or four amulets, I needed to pause and recharge my energies.

Plus, with my growing customer base, I needed to reserve my numinous energy for their spells as well.

Numin is like a pool. Each mage has a reserve of magical energy that they draw from to weave their spells. Run your numin dry and you can’t cast. Simple as that.

Fraser initially wanted my complete focus on the amulets. Now he smiles and encourages me as I expand my customer base, even though it's slowing down my amulet production..

He just gave me this shop. Every time I let myself speculate about what that means, I get scared. No one does that in contracts for Journeyfolk. Only Adepts can command this sort of luxury. I made an outrageous demand for our contract and he fulfilled it without a blink.

Now, even though I’m not making as many amulets a day as I could if I didn’t take on customers, he says he’s fine with it.

In the most secret space of my heart, I wanted his approval to mean he likes my work taking longer because it keeps me here longer. That it’s not just a business deal for him anymore, and his extravagance, despite couching it in the terms of the contract, means he too feels this might go deeper.

I just can’t accept that he’d be falling for me. He’s a wealthy mercenary and now a city ruler and when all’s said and done, I’m still a Journey-level mage. I refuse to let my head fall as hard as my heart.

At least that’s what I told myself.

I would not take him seriously. The reasons were so many I didn’t even want to look their way. I only want to have fun and enjoy our time.

That’s what I keep telling myself. Even though when Kiry came through last week, I smiled and waved him on, telling the caravan leader I’d be staying.

I could’ve hurried up, finished and been gone. That was my plan. Next thing, Fraser shows up midday and takes me to lunch, refuses to let me get back to work and ooops, now it’s morning and I’m back at the shop. When I pointed out he was putting me behind schedule, he gave me that infuriating little boy grin that said he’s not really sorry, but he’d pretend by looking cute.

That was last week. This week, he’s seemed more distracted and we haven’t been together as much. What if he’s wondering how to break it off with me? Even with the delays, I’ll be done with these amulets before too much longer. Maybe that’s what those odd staring looks mean?

It’s inevitable. We have to end.

We both knew that, right?

I jumped, startled out of my reverie, when the little bell above the door jangled. I smoothed my silky sundress and shook out my skirts as I rose to greet Fraser’s second in command.

“Hello Gordon, what brings you here today?” I gave him a welcoming smile.

Mostly the crew kept to themselves, and Fraser did not encourage them to socialize with me. Gordon was the exception.

“Hello, Ozora, pleasant day to you.” Gordon’s always polite. “Many customers today?” He raised his brows, looking both sincerely interested and mildly concerned that he’s the only one in the shop.

“Plenty enough.” I answered. “How can I help you?”

“It’s rather what I can do for you.” He said. “I know how strongly you feel about protecting our local hippocampus pods. I thought you might want to know that there’s some scuttle about an illegal roundup being planned. Breeding season is coming up quick. How would you like to help put a stop to it?”