The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea - Kerrelyn Sparks Page 0,114

fast.

“Push them back, Darroc!” Kendric ordered, and Darroc sent a surge of wind out to sea. His power collided with Rupert’s, and with nowhere else to go, the two opposing winds were forced straight up into the air, sucking the ocean with them to form a wall of water. Now it was difficult even to see the ships on the other side.

Darroc gritted his teeth as he strained to push his hands forward. “I-I can’t blast through. Why is the wind coming at us so hard?”

“It’s that damned Rupert, King Ulfrid of Tourin,” Kendric growled. “He has the same power that you do.”

Farah gave him a shocked look. “One of the mainland kings is Embraced?”

“I thought the people on the mainland killed all the Embraced babies,” Irene shouted over the roaring noise of the wind.

“That’s what I thought,” Jared agreed.

Kendric waved their questions aside. “Most of them were killed. You were lucky to be sent here. You’ll be the future rulers of the world. But first you have to defeat the mainland kings who have come to destroy you. You’ve trained hard for this, so now prove yourselves worthy!”

“Aye, General.” Alfred nodded. “You can count on us. Mikayla, fly over that wall of water and report back. I want to know how many—”

“I can’t fly in that wind!” Mikayla cried. “I’ll fall into the ocean and drown.”

“Don’t question my orders,” Alfred snarled.

“I never learned how to swim.” Mikayla motioned to Kendric. “Why don’t you go, General? You fly so much better than I.”

Kendric considered going as an eagle, but he didn’t want to land on Rupert’s ship without any weapons.

Suddenly, a barrage of cannonballs shot through the wall of water, headed straight toward them.

With a frantic shout, Darroc stopped the wind he was directing against the ships and focused instead on intercepting the cannonballs. They halted in midair, then plunked harmlessly into the ocean.

“Oh, thank y—” Irene started, but Kendric interrupted her.

“You, fool!” he shouted at Darroc. “You let them trick you into stopping your wind.” He pointed at the ships, which were quickly advancing toward the harbor now that Rupert’s power was unchallenged. Even the wall of water had crashed down. “Push back at them now!”

Darroc resumed his surge of wind against the ships, and the wall of water began to climb once again.

“But the cannonballs were coming straight at us,” Jared protested.

“They never would have reached us,” Kendric growled. “Their ships were out of range.” Dammit, this was the problem with his soldiers: They were completely inexperienced when it came to actual battle.

“Now that they’re closer, I could try striking them,” Alfred offered.

“All right,” Kendric agreed. “If you see a man up in a crow’s nest, moving his arms, that’s Rupert. Blast him. Darroc, stop your power just long enough for Alfred to take aim.”

Alfred extended his hand. “Ready!”

Darroc released his power. The wall of water crashed down, and the invading ships lunged forward. Alfred shot a bolt of lightning toward the nearest manned crow’s nest. With a loud crack, the mast snapped in two, and the sailor in the nest plummeted to the deck.

But the wind was still coming at them.

“That wasn’t Rupert!” Kendric quickly scanned the fourteen ships that were advancing once again. Dammit, there were six that were flying the blue-and-gold Tourinian flag. He pointed at the first one. “Try that one.”

Alfred shot another bolt of lightning, but this time a second bolt crashed into it, sending the lightning harmlessly into the clouds. “What? Where did that come from?”

“Bloody hell.” Kendric clenched his fists. That had to be Leo, the bastard who’d stolen Eberon from him. “Darroc, put the wind back up before they get any closer!”

Darroc did as he was told, but Alfred just stood there with his mouth agape. “How did that happen? Is there someone else with lightning power?”

“Yes,” Kendric growled. “Leofric of Eberon.”

Farah gasped. “There’s another king who’s Embraced?”

Logan’s shoulders slumped. “How are we supposed to win against them?”

“I’m not the only one with lightning power,” Alfred muttered to himself. He raised a fist. “I have to kill him, so I’ll be the only one.”

“Exactly. We need Leo and Rupert dead.” Kendric eyed the wall of water. It seemed to be inching slowly toward the harbor. That could only mean Rupert’s power was stronger than Darroc’s. That bastard. “Mikayla, fly over the wall. I want to know which ship Rupert is on.”

Her face turned pale. “But I—”

“You will follow orders, soldier!” Alfred yelled.

Farah gave the young girl a sympathetic look. “You’ll