In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens (most motivational books txt) 📕

his mouth was an open smile, laughter loud and teasing as he barreled toward Tal and Dara.

The sea lapped against the shore at their backs. On either side were wild beach grass and slopes of high dunes. And following Athlen between the break in the large mounds of sand was Shay, running full tilt, arms pumping, high ponytail swinging behind her.

“Thief!”

Athlen ducked behind Tal, hefting the apples over his shoulder, chest heaving.

“I brought her,” Athlen said on a laugh. “Now it’s up to you.”

Shay slowed her steps when confronted by the trio, and Tal saw the moment her body language changed from annoyed to defensive. Her boots left deep indentions in the soft sand where she stopped, eyeing them from a distance.

“If this is a poor attempt at a trap, know that I can gut all three of you within seconds.” Shay unsheathed her sword, the blade gleaming in the falling dusk. She leveled the tip at Tal and Athlen. “Which I may be tempted to do. Now, who are you? Speak.”

Tal stepped forward and threw back the hood of his cloak. “I didn’t know you had a flair for the dramatic, Shay. But bravo. You should join the traveling theater group that visits the castle in the summer.”

Shay crossed the distance between them in two strides, shoving the point of her sword into the sand, then grabbing Tal in a fierce grip, her strong hands wrapping around his biceps and holding him still. Her gaze roved over his features, her mouth open, her eyes wide and pleading. When she had found what she was looking for, she pulled him into a bruising hug.

“Tally,” she whispered as she crushed him to her leather armor.

Tears clogged Tal’s throat, and he embraced her as hard, if not harder, tucking his face into the sweep of her dark hair.

“Tally,” she said again, her voice thick. “How? Where? Kest saw you drown. He saw you fall over the side, and we searched for you. We searched and searched, both Kest and Garrett dove into the water and swam through the fire and the bodies, looking for you, until they almost drowned themselves.”

Tal clenched his teeth. His eyes watered.

She thrust him away, holding on to his shoulders, then cupping his face. “Is this really you? Or are you a doppelgänger? A ghost come to haunt me for failing?”

Tal flinched. “You didn’t fail, Shay. You didn’t.”

“I let them take you.”

“They were waiting for me. It was planned. It was all planned. If they hadn’t taken me on the beach, then they would’ve grabbed me on another point of the tour.”

“But how, Tally? Kest saw you!”

“I saved him.” Athlen stepped forward. He gestured to Dara. “And she healed him.”

Shay yanked Tal to her side and eyed Dara and Athlen with narrowed eyes.

“You’re the boy from the derelict, and you’re the girl from the lower town.” She thrust out her chin. “What is going on here?”

Tal pulled his arm from her hold—he’d have finger-shaped bruises—and stepped between her and the duo, his back turned to Athlen in a show of trust. “It’s far stranger than anything you can think of,” Tal said. He smiled broadly at her unimpressed expression. “Relax, Shay. These two have taken care of me. They’re not going to hurt me.”

She shook her head. “You look awful.”

“I was worse. I promise you.”

“What are you doing here?” She retrieved her sword from the sand and sheathed it. “Why haven’t you sent a message to your mother?” She waved her arm. “Kest blames himself for leaving you there. You know how he has bouts of melancholy, but now he’s inconsolable. Garrett is ready to murder anyone who was involved. It was almost impossible to get him to take prisoners instead of killing them all on that marauder’s ship. Isa is about to declare war. And Corrie hasn’t stopped crying since you went missing.”

Tal rubbed his chest, his heart aching. “Why are you leading a royal retinue? Why aren’t you at the castle?”

Shay dropped her hands. “Answer the question, Tally. You’re not cruel, so why have you left your family believing you’ve been murdered?”

“I have been ill. I haven’t been able to send a message.” That wasn’t the entire truth, but it was easier than explaining his struggle with using his magic after what he’d done to Zeph and her crew. “Also, I didn’t know how safe it was. There is far more at work here than you might realize.” He stuck out his chin. “Now you.”

“We’re invoking sympathy for the impending war. Drumming up support for the queen’s and Isa’s decision once they declare your murder a political assassination. The queen knows that you were killed on orders from another royal family. The only hard evidence we have is the word of that captain who had you before Garrett killed her. She said it was Mysten.”

Tal shook his head. “No. They’re wrong. Mysten was framed.”

“By whom?”

“Emerick. That’s why I haven’t sent a message. It was safer for me… for everyone to think I’m dead. And I couldn’t be sure that it wouldn’t be intercepted. Kest said their retinue was large, and they’re all staying in the castle.”

Shay raised an eyebrow, then laughed. “Emerick?” She brushed her hair over her shoulder. “Are you certain?”

Athlen stepped forward, shoulders straight, and stood next to Tal. “Yes. It was him.”

“As much as I want to believe the word of a known liar”—Athlen winced—“Emerick couldn’t find his way out of a barren rose garden. Tally, he’s not planning a coup.”

“What?” Tal exchanged a glance with Athlen and Dara. “We found Ossetian gold on the ship where Athlen was chained. And Zeph, the captain Garrett killed, told me that Ossetia was behind it. They kidnapped me to be a weapon, and when I wouldn’t…” He trailed off, then cleared his throat. “When I wouldn’t give them what they wanted, they planned to kill me and frame Mysten.”

“Emerick is a pile of rocks. He’s beautiful, don’t misunderstand me, but do you know the reason