So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)

Six rubbed his eyes. “Am I dreaming?”

Four pulled the scholarly Six to his feet. “It’s real. Seven kept his word. We’re going to live!”

“Come on.” Rupert motioned for them to follow. “We have a boat ready on the river.”

“You mean we’re leaving Tourin?” Five jogged to catch up with him. “You didn’t win the competition?”

Rupert winced. He would not admit defeat. Brigitta was his. Tourin was his. “I’m not giving up.”

They mounted the horses he’d left on the playing field, then rode to a nearby pier on the Loure River where Stefan and the others were waiting. The Eberoni soldiers had stocked the boat with food and drink, so as soon as the newly freed prisoners came on board they settled down at the makeshift table to eat.

Rupert remained on the pier. “Take the boat out to sea, so you can meet up with Ansel,” he told Stefan. “I’m going back for Brigitta.”

“No.” Stefan quickly crossed the gangplank to join Rupert on the pier. “You can’t go back. We have to move forward. Our first step should be defeating the Tourinian navy, and we can’t do it without you.”

Rupert dragged a hand through his hair. Dammit. How could he plan for a future if it didn’t include Brigitta? Several days had passed, and he still couldn’t figure out what the hell had happened. “What if she’s in trouble? I can’t leave her—”

“She left you!” Stefan insisted. “She gave the seal to Mador.”

“It had to be a mistake!” Rupert yelled.

“She made her choice, dammit.” Stefan gritted his teeth. “She’s Gunther’s sister.”

Rupert’s anger stirred the wind around them, causing the boat to rock and pull at the ropes that tethered it to the pier. He couldn’t lose Brigitta. Dammit, he would not lose her.

“We need to get out of here before the soldiers come.” Stefan grabbed Rupert’s arm and dragged him on board.

With a groan, Rupert collapsed on a bench by the table. “It must have been a mistake.” Brigitta would have never betrayed him.

“Raise the sails,” Stefan ordered, then helped the Eberoni soldiers since they didn’t know what they were doing.

Brody, who had been sitting on deck in eagle form, shifted into his human body.

“Holy Light!” Five jumped in his seat, while Four and Six choked on their food.

“Hi, guys.” Brody walked over to the table. “What’s for breakfast?”

With a snort, Stefan threw him a pair of breeches. “You’ll make them lose their appetite.”

“Then it’ll be more food for me.” Brody pulled on his breeches.

“Y-you’re a bird?” Six asked.

“Sometimes,” Brody replied as he poured himself a cup of wine. “While I was flying around, I did a lot of thinking, and it could be true that Brigitta made a mistake. Since the Chameleon is there, he might have tricked her.”

Rupert sat up. “You think he impersonated me?”

“It’s possible.” Brody stuffed a hunk of ham into his mouth.

“Who is this Chameleon?” Five asked.

“He’s a shape shifter who can take on any form,” Brody explained as he buttered up a piece of bread. “I don’t know what he actually looks like, but I can detect him by his smell.”

“He’s a murderer.” Rupert rose to his feet. “Brigitta won’t be safe around him. I should go back.”

“No, you won’t!” Stefan shouted. “You think I don’t understand how upset you are? Fallyn is there, too! I’m worried sick. But we’ll have a better chance at rescuing them once we have all the power. First we need to defeat the Tourinian navy and take over the country.”

“What?” Five jumped to his feet, while Four and Six stared with dropped jaws.

“I think Stefan’s right,” Brody said with his mouth full. “We should take the throne first.”

Five stepped closer. “You’re taking over Tourin?”

Rupert glanced at the three former contestants. “I’ll understand if you want no part of this. We can drop you ashore wherever you like.”

“You saved our lives.” Six stood, and Four joined him.

Five gave Rupert a speculative look. “What is the plan?”

“We join my fleet and defeat the navy. Then we attack from the west.” Rupert turned to Brody. “I need you to fly over to King Leofric. Ask him to move his army to the border on the south. Then go to General Dravenko. He can send the Norveshki army to the eastern border and unleash the dragons.”

“Got it.” Brody dropped his breeches, shifted into an eagle, and flew away.

“Damn,” Four whispered. “He’s fast.”

“A lot faster than us,” Five muttered. “At this rate, it will take us all day to reach the sea.”

“Not really.” Rupert gathered up some air, then shoved it forward. The boat lurched, causing Four, Five, and Six to stumble.

“What the hell…?” Five gazed around as the boat zoomed downriver, then he gave Rupert an incredulous look. “You’re doing that? You’re controlling the wind?”

Rupert nodded.

“You’re a Wind Sorcerer?” Six asked.

Rupert shrugged. “Some call me that.”

“How many ships do you have?” Five asked.

“Ten.”

Five’s eyes lit up. “Then you really can defeat the navy.”

Rupert smiled. “I’ve been defeating them for years. Half of my fleet are former naval ships.”

Four eyed him suspiciously. “You’re not a farmer, are you? You’re not even from Eberon.”

Five crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re Rupert, aren’t you?”

Six gasped. “The infamous pirate?”

Five nodded. “He’s the only one on Aerthlan who can control the wind.”

Rupert moved his hands again to keep the wind filling the sails. “Yes, I’m a pirate. If you don’t want to be associated with me, I can put you ashore.”

Five snorted. “You’ve been harassing Gunther for years. Why?”

Rupert shrugged. “He’s an ass.”

“Everyone knows that.” Five stepped closer. “Who are you really? Why do you want Gunther’s throne?”

Rupert gritted his teeth. “Gunther’s father killed my father. His family has taken what is mine.”

Five drew in a sharp breath. “The lost prince.”

“What?” Six stared at Rupert.

“I am Ulfrid Trepurin, the rightful—” Rupert paused when Five dropped to one knee. “You believe me? I have no proof.”

Five smiled as he straightened. “My grandfather was chieftain of the Trevelyan clan, and he told me a secret before he died. Only a few of the king’s closest friends knew that his oldest son was actually Embraced and gifted with a magical power. That would be your ability to harness the wind, right?”

Rupert nodded. “True.”

“When my grandfather was dying,” Five continued, “King Manfrid came to see him. It was over twenty years ago, but it was my first time to see a king, so I have always remembered it. The proof is in your face, Ulfrid Trepurin. You have your father’s eyes.”

Rupert swallowed hard. “You saw my father?”

Five nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “I’ll take you up on your offer to be set ashore. If you can drop me off in the north, close to the Trey River, I will rally the clans. In four days, we’ll have an army of three thousand marching south.”