Nostalgia washed over me as the sea surrendered me again.

“You trying to drink the whole port?” Garm stomped over to me as the Thizzer dropped me back on the deck.

I coughed saltwater out of my lungs as I knelt over in front of the old Dwarf.

“Get the boy something warm!” The old Dwarf pulled off his warm fur jacket and threw it around my shoulders.

I’d never understood why the thick skinned Dwarf always wore the heavy thing. It had been made from the fur of one of the native beasts on the planet. The captain would tell stories about how he slew the creature, but I’d never heard the same story twice. I wasn’t sure what the real story was, but I knew it was special to him.

A warm drink was shoved into my hands. Most ships would have had a mage on board that would have been able to dry me out, but our ship had a Camadt on board. Mages feared being around the magical voids, something that Vin wasn’t afraid to use to his advantage.

My brother stretched up to his full height to tower over the Elves. The guards backed up. Clashing with the Camadt would be disastrous for the enchantments on their armor. While it wouldn’t be enough to destroy the magic completely, it would drain it of its power, making it useless until it was recharged.

“Call off your cat.” Captain Galaden walked onto the ship. “Unless you want us to do it.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Vin flexed his upper arms as he pounded his lower right fist into his lower left palm.

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“How long will your cat be able to swim once we sink this ship?” Galaden wasn’t giving Vin any acknowledgement, instead only looking at our father.

“Calm yourself, boy.” Garm got up and put his weathered hand on the Camadt’s lower arm. “No sense in getting worked up over a little bath.”

“It wasn't a little bath.” Vin looked over at me. “Sectum could’ve died.”

“Any sailor that can’t handle a little dip isn’t really a sailor.” Garm started laughing. “Imagine what would’ve happened if our boy here hadn’t stopped their pointy from sliding over the side.”

The rest of the sailors laughed and started making jokes about the elves not being able to swim. I could see the golden guard tensing up, but Vin lowered arms as the large feline looked over at me.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“I’ll be fine once I dry off.” I glanced over at the Ogre cook that was hovering behind me. “Phlek, thanks for the drink.”

“Your man is fine.” Galaden nodded at two of the guards, then turned to Garm. “I trust there won’t be any interference?”

“I don’t know what you think you’re going to find.” Garm dusted off his hands.

“There has been a surge of fairy dust in Golden City.” Galaden glared at my adoptive father. “Of all the ships we have coming in, a traitor like you rises to the top of my suspects list.”

I felt wrong calling it Golden City even though it was almost all that I’d ever known it called. After the king was assassinated fourteen years ago, the regent Arkun had declared a restructuring of Hepool into the Golden City. It had been named that because the Elves of the city were governed by the Golden Senate. Supposedly it was to promote stability since the entire royal family except for Princess Alessa, who was barely four at the time, had been wiped out.

Garm started laughing. “Do I look like a Gargoyle?!?” He shook his head. “We don’t have any Fairies here, or any of their dust.”

“We both know what you are.” Galaden nodded at two of the guards. “Get the dogs.”