Guinevere's Grail | ✓ [BOOK 2]

~ 10 ~

The Queen set her jaw. "I understand," she murmured. "I worry for you, you know. Going out on these adventures, taking risks like this. The South doesn't even believe in the Fair Folk, what if they try to hurt you?"

"They will try, mother," said Giselle. "But they won't. I promise you, I'm smarter than I look. And I have the best fighters in the world by my side, I won't let you down."

"If it's any consolation," Astyr chimed in, stepping forward. "I'll be staying, I'll do my best to help here with you, I believe this is where I'll be most useful."

The Queen looked down at the Autumn faery with a thoughtful eye. "Very well, then." Before Giselle's smile could get too wide, her mother fixed her with a stare. "But don't do anything that you know will get you killed. I need you to stay alive, do you understand?"

"Of course, mother, my friends would never let anything happen to me." She bowed her head. "We'll be careful. I promise."

The Queen looked to be on the brink of tears, and Giselle ignored all precautions to run to the throne and sweep her mother up in her arms.

"I love you, darling."

Giselle held her tighter. "I love you, too, mother. Stay safe."

It was hard to leave the room, but every moment wasted was another faery dead, and they couldn't spend a second longer than they needed to on sentiment.

Morgana said his own goodbyes to Astyr, but they were as brief as they could be. Giselle took his hand when they parted, looking at him with the gentlest eyes she could muster, trying her best to comfort him. He loved his mother just as she loved hers, and they were both terrified for them, that much was clear.

They knew exactly where they were going. Redbágh, the bustling port town where the culture was rich and the ships were abundant. This time, thanks to Giselle's love of fashion, they looked like they actually fit in this time.

Just like before, the ports were lively and crawling with sailors. Eurion knew her way around, so she led the way.

"Do we even have a ship?" Kit asked, fussing with his belt. It was a bit bulky, but it would give him an advantage, she was sure.

Eurion walked with the confidence of a woman who was back home already. "Not yet, but we will."

Before anyone else could ask another question, she pointed towards a large ship crawling with crew members, a ship even larger than the Lady they'd sailed in and subsequently sunk before.

"The Black Bonny," Eurion said with a proud grin. "I've been on this ship more times than I have fingers. The crew's a bit ugly, but I know they'll let us on if we try hard enough."

The ship seemed to get bigger the closer they got to it, but perhaps Giselle was just short. She had to tilt her head as far back as it went to see how high the sails went up.

"Captain Crane!" Eurion greeted as she approached the deck. She grabbed the attention of a tall man with dark silver hair to his shoulders and a well-trimmed beard, whose smile was infectious as it was annoying.

"Well, if it isn't the King's thief," the captain said with open arms. "What can I do you for?"

"My friends and I need a ride to the South," she asked. "We don't have money, but we--"

"Ah." Crane lifted his hand to cut her off. "No money, I'll have to stop you there. Sorry, kid, I don't even do favors for my favorites."

He walked towards the ship, but Eurion followed behind. "Listen, this is really important, we really need to go. Is there any way?"