Coyle and Fang: Curse of Shadows (Coyle and Fang Adventure Series Book 1) Robert III (first color ebook reader txt) 📖

crouched and spun and slammed her fist into Veiul’s chin, knocking the fae backward. Veiul kicked Fang’s face.

They both pulled back, Veiul flexing her hands. Fang clenched her jaw, knife wounds burning like fire. The sounds of the deathly feast raged just behind her.

Veiul coughed strings of blood. “You’re an animal, cross-bred from the worst of two weaker species. You don’t belong with humans, fae or the vamperion. You’re a traitor to all the people you ever knew. At least I know where I belong. I know who I am. I am a perfect, created being. And I’ll take pride knowing that.”

“Come, then,” Fang said. “Show me this pride you speak of.” She threw her daggers into the floor. Veiul did the same and rushed, her eyes blazing with murderous fury. They tore at each other with fists, elbows and knee-strikes. Veiul grabbed a chair leg and swung. Fang blocked with one kick and sent Veiul backward with another.

Veiul landed in a heap of splintered wood, wiping blood off her face. “You think you’re going to win,” she said, panting. “But Moreci gave me assurance that you wouldn’t, Charlotte. That’s your name, isn’t it?”

Fang flinched as if she’d been struck. Her dark past crept through her mind, and she fought against the hazy memories threatening to pull her down. Veiul was weak, too. Barely able to move. Yet, Fang had to finish this.

“You thought no one would remember the little incident aboard that ship oh, so long ago,” Veiul said. “Speaking of memories, here’s a little something made especially for you, Charlotte.”

She flung a vial at Fang, and the glass exploded before she could block it. Gold and purple dust filled the air. Fang coughed violently, her chest cramping, her eyes burning. She backed away, swinging her hands, trying to see her adversary. She bumped into the wall, crashing over furniture, coughing again—and opened her eyes to the nightmare she’d buried so well.

***

“Charlotte!”

She gasped and backed away, coughing. She wiped her face, catching her breath, her eyes taking in the room. The floor tilted over the roaring seas. Empty chairs scooted to the side and back again. Wood creaked under the strain of the waves. Hurricane lanterns swayed from their posts along the ceiling and walls, casting shadows and fears throughout the galley. Thunder rolled over their heads, and she blinked, flexing her hands—wasn’t she holding something? Cutlery or... knives? Her eyes focused on the table. A plate of half-eaten hardtack sat next to a spoonful of jam.

“Charlotte! Are you listening?” Embeth asked.

“What? Of course I am,” she said. “I just swallowed my food wrong.”

“Mommy says you need a doctor for that head of yours.” Embeth squinted, her lips pursed.

“I told her I don’t need a doctor,” she said. “I have a bit of fuzziness when we travel is all.”

“Oh, really? Then how come you didn’t hear me—again? It’s like you’re in a different world altogether.” Embeth took another bite of her biscuit, and crumbs dropped onto her favorite green dress.

“I’m obviously not in another world, dingbat. Can’t you see I’m right in front of you?” She grabbed the cup of water, swallowed, plopped the empty cup on the table and wiped her mouth.

“I just want to eat and go back to our room, please,” Embeth said. “Mommy said to stay in our rooms if it got stormy.”

“Mommy’s too busy playing Countess back home,” she said. “Besides, she left me in charge. I’m the older sister, aren’t I?”

“Just by five years. You’re not that much older.” Embeth stuck her tongue out and squinted. “What are you looking at?” Embeth turned around.

“Hmm? Nothing,” she said. “I thought I saw someone back there.”

Embeth turned in her chair, eyeing the dark corner, her dark-brown locks swinging back and forth. She turned back and squinted. “You always think someone’s hiding in the dark. You always wake up screaming. You’re always in another world. Mommy’s right, you know.”

“I don’t need a doctor.” She squinted back and shook her head. “Want another biscuit? I’m still hungry.”

“I just want to go to our bunk before you start seeing shadows again.”

“That’s it.” She grabbed Embeth by the collar. “Let’s go outside for a bit, shall we? Maybe some fresh air will do you good.”

Embeth screeched and kicked her heels as Charlotte dragged her to the cabin door, begging to be released, but her older sister refused to listen. She turned the handle, and the storm ripped the door out of her hand.

Strobes of light flashed across the rolling deck. White water sprayed from all directions at once. Wind howled through their ears. Freezing rain shocked their senses.

“Never mind,” Charlotte said. “Let’s get back inside.”

She pulled herself out of Embeth’s grip and reached for the door. A gust of wind slammed the door in her face and knocked her down. She slid across the wet surface of the deck and into the railing. Crashing waves soaked through her nightgown. She reached up to the sharp sting on her head and pulled back her hand. Red streaked across her palm before it was washed away.

She screamed.

“Charlotte!” Embeth screamed from the doorway.

“Stay—”

A wave crashed over Charlotte, and she slid and tumbled and flopped across the deck. She reached out, grabbing at anything, until her fingers wrapped around a thick line. She pulled herself up, coughing violently.

“Embeth, stay there!” she finally said, peering through the white spray, trying to find Embeth. The salt water burned her mouth and eyes, but she had to find her little sister. She spotted a small shape along the deck.

“No!” she screamed as Embeth crawled out to her. “Stop!”

Another wave crashed over the ship, and the rope bit into her skin. Embeth was on her knees, sliding across the deck. Something crashed into Charlotte, the pain of it jarring her bones.

***

Fang opened her eyes, reeling into a table. She back flipped, set her feet against the wall, and vaulted forward. She crashed into Veiul and rolled away, but not before the aurorium-tipped blades bit into her skin.