Merric was finishing tightening the last of the horse's saddles when I walked up with Stryker still trailing behind me. He gave a grunt of greeting and proceeded to ignore us in favor of fussing with the bridle of a dun mare who lipped his shirt fondly. I didn't take Merric's behavior to heart-after all, I'd assigned him this position because of his commitment to the horses he bred specially for this unit.

A soft whicker made me turn with a smile to a leggy black stud impatiently waiting in his stall. I fished out the apple I'd snagged from my tent and produced it with flourish. "Hey Mo," I greeted cheerfully, opening my palm so he could lick up the pieces left behind by his gluttonous snacking. "Ready to get into some trouble?"

Stryker walked over to us and Mo's dark ears flicked toward him curiously. Green eyes met liquid brown in a strange exchange that felt almost like they were sizing each other up. "Mo?" Stryker finally asked me.

I smiled ruefully, "His name is Asmodeus."

"Like in the children's stories?"

I winced at the laughter in his voice. Asmodeus was the clever and villainous sidekick to the hero of fae legend popular in Prythian and Hybern. Together, Asmodeus and Kusak battled to bring an end to a wicked and cruel sorcerer until it was eventually revealed that Asmodeus was really the sorcerer all along. Their battle raged for years until at last, Kusak struck the final blow and wiped the scourge of Asmodeus' magic off the face of the earth.

"Yes," I replied primly, reaching up to stroke my hand over the smooth dark muscle of Mo's neck and shoulder. "He was bred to be a warhorse, but he's a bit of a glutton and tends to get distracted when he's supposed to be fighting. Asmodeus made him sound like he was a brute, so I just shortened it to Mo."

As if to prove my words, Mo nudged Stryker roughly, searching for any hidden snacks in his clothes. Stryker pushed his head away firmly and rubbed his nose, "So why choose him to come with us?"

"Just because he's not mean or aggressive doesn't mean he isn't vicious when he needs to be."

Flicking open the latch on the stall door, I led Mo out to where the rest of the Core were gathered. With them stood a tall male with pale blonde hair and a brutal scar across his face that distracted from the beautiful symmetry of his features. He broke off an casual conversation with Jace to snap into a salute at the sight of me, but I waved it off, "Vaughn, I didn't expect to see you this early."

Vaughn shrugged, "I figured I'd see you off before I started making my rounds." His dark brown eyes moved over to where Stryker stood but he knew better to ask why the former Night Court soldier was coming with us.

As the next in command after my Core, Vaughn was one of the few fae I trusted to keep my soldiers safe in my absence. He was level headed and tough and, perhaps most importantly, absolutely conniving when it came to battle strategies. If Trask or Crissen attempted to take over my camp, Vaughn would make them regret it.

"Good," I said briskly, "While we're gone, I want the camp shut down as much as possible. Don't let anyone go into the main camp without a group and add a few extra sentries to the borders."

"Already done."

I tapped my fist against his shoulder in silent praise and pulled myself into Mo's saddle. The stallion shifted with my weight, eager to be off. While I fiddled with my glaive and the short spears I'd tied to the sides of my saddle, the others mounted their horses and prepared to move out. Stryker threw one long leg over the back of a mahogany colored gelding and took the reins with the confidence of someone who'd spent years in the saddle while Ifrit stiffly tried to keep her wings arched high and off her horse's back, fingers clenched white around the saddle horn.

Satisfied they were ready, I tapped my heels against Mo's sides and felt his muscles bunch beneath me as he surged forward down the path. It was only a few miles to the coastline and our rendezvous point to smuggle ourselves into Prythian. The crossing would take most of the day to avoid the patrols led by the Summer Court water fae and the various low born fae who spied for their High Lords.

Hooves thundered across the well worn path and I enjoyed the opportunity to feel the wind pulling through my hair and clothing like a whispered caress. It was always tempting to let that beckoning call pull me up and over the ground, soaring high above the struggles and worries here on earth.

But one broken arm and leg had been enough to teach me that flying without wings was impossible.

Overhead, the falcons and songbirds of the plains gave way to gulls and the broad winged sea eagles of the coastlines, circling over us in lazy glides. Instead of angling toward the coastal wharf cities that dotted the shores nearest to Prythian's coast, we took a narrow game trail that was barely visible toward the rocky cliffs. I turned our group off the trail toward a small, hidden inlet just large enough to dock a small clipper.

I waved in greeting to the figure stowing away the sails and watched him leap down to the deck with barely any noise. Tossing the reins aside, I jumped off Mo's back and raced across the rocky shore, leaping into Frey's outstretched arms with a laugh and planting a smacking kiss on his weathered cheek.

"It's been too long, Aria girl," he laughed, spinning me around for a moment before resettling me on my feet. The grey of his skin was pearly in the dawn light, revealing delicate patterns of scales that gleamed like the surface of an oil slick. Dark green hair, the color of seaweed, hung around his face in limp strands that seemed perpetually dripping with water. Frey waved at the others and smiled a shark's smile at Stryker. "Did you bring this one fresh meat?" The odd pattern of speech that was a marker of his water wraith ancestry made me chuckle.

Stryker looked over at me with a question in his eyes that I pointedly ignored in favor of draping an arm around Frey's neck. "This is Stryker," I introduced quickly, "He has the misfortune of being part of the crew I'm taking to the Wall. Stryker, this is Frey, smuggler extraordinaire and our ticket into Prythian."

"He's a pretty one," Frey said with a lecherous grin and Stryker shifted uncomfortably at the attention, glancing over at me with a question in his green eyes.

Finally I took pity on him, "Don't scare him off yet, Frey. He still has to earn his keep."

And how would you like me to do that? Stryker purred in my mind and I blushed at the suggestion in his voice.

Clearing my throat, I tried to pretend I hadn't heard him. Judging from his smug look, it wasn't working. "We need to hit the coast by nightfall or Trask will use my guts for garters."

Frey waved a dismissive clawed hand. "We will fly upon the water like a stormwind."

Pleasantries over, Frey signalled for Jace to help lower the gangplanks that were wide enough to allow the horses to move onto the gently rocking boat. Frey's lip curled at the sight of them and I heard him muttering under his breath about "nasty pooping beasts." Still, he kept his dislike of horseflesh mostly contained to a few pointed glares and heavy sighs.

I stared out at the ocean waves with the familiar pulse of excitement and adrenaline at heading into Prythian keeping me company. Stryker ambled over, his arm brushing mine to lean both forearms against the scarred railing. "So how much did you have to pay to convince a water wraith to smuggle us in? Or is he just another member of your company?"

Behind us, I could hear Frey flirting outrageously with Jace in an attempt to get him to pull off his shirt 'to avoid getting it wet from the spray' and grinned. "I trade him for the privilege fair and square."

It was no secret that the water wraiths were cursed with an almost epic level of greed. They were never satisfied with what they could hunt or kill or steal and were almost entirely despised by the high fae. For good reason, a water wraith wouldn't think twice about stabbing you in the back if it meant they could get something for their efforts. Even as a half breed, Frey was obsessed with the money and goods he could attain through his skills reading the fickle water currents in the straits-which is why he was such a valuable ally.

"For every trip with me or one of my legend," I explained quickly, "Frey gets to borrow me for one of his smuggling runs."

Stryker turned to face me with a curious frown. "Why would he need you?"

Instead of answering, I walked over to where the grey skinned demi fae was casting off the last of the mooring ropes. "Ready?" I asked him.

Frey grinned, showing rows of serrated teeth and leapt up to the rigging to release the sails with a crow of excitement.

Ifrit groaned and braced herself on the main deck next to Talia and Jace. Stryker looked cautious as he followed their lead, eyes focused on my while I raised my arms and called on my magic. The gesture was merely for dramatics since my Core had seen this done dozens of times, but part of me wanted Stryker to be a little impressed.

Ripping an air current free from the sky, I filled the sails with the press of an unnatural wind that had the clipper moving forward with an abrupt jerk. Above us, a seagull squawked in confusion at the loss of air pressure and fell from the sky in a jagged pinwheel that stopped when Frey leapt free from the rigging to snatch it from air. I winced at the sound of crunching bone and tissue as he munched on the treat I'd unexpectedly given him.

The boat surged forward, moving easily double the speed of an average, unladen vessel with the help of my winds. It rattled and jumped as we cut through the waves and moved out of the tiny cove under Frey's expert steering. Stryker watched with wide eyes and I grinned when I poured more power into the winds so that we moved even faster pace, heading into open water.

Ifrit had turned pale under her tan and I saw her hands clench around the railing. Jace placed his hand over hers in a comforting gesture that did little to help her open dislike of sea travel. The poor thing had never enjoyed being on the water and, judging from the green tinge on her cheeks, it wouldn't be long before she puked up her breakfast into the waters.

"Ifrit!" I called over the crashing sea, "Scout ahead!"

She nodded gratefully and spread her massive, scarred wings wide, beating against the current of the wind. Even now, I winced at the thick bands of scar tissue that kept her from stretching them open to their full extent. My only regret in our meeting was that I hadn't taken longer torturing cruel bastards that left her for dead in the Illyrian mountains all those years ago. Even now, she could never fly without assistance.

Once she perched on the edge of the railing, bracing herself against the movement of the boat beneath her, I pushed a warm air current in her direction. Faster than any Illyrian warrior could achieve, Ifrit shot upward into the sky in a burst of wings and wind. I smiled at the sight of her racing along the clouds and circling overhead, high enough that she looked like one of the eagles that nested along the cliffs behind us. It was second nature now to keep her aloft so she could glide and spin among the birds above us.

Jace watched Ifrit's path through the heavens with a note of longing and I watched his hands open and close where they once touched hers. Quietly I walked to where he was still standing and bumped his shoulder gently, "You know, one of these days she's going to notice that you look at her with your heart in your eyes."

Jace flushed bright red, his olive coloring doing little to disguise his embarrassment at getting caught. "I don't-" He cut himself off with a frustrated sound, "She's not ready to trust another male."

"She trusts you."

"And I don't want to ruin that," he replied with a grim expression.

"You don't have forever to wait."

It felt like cheating to bring up his mortality, but it was an unfortunate truth. As much as I wished it wasn't the truth, Jace was already 28 years old. I wasn't sure how long mortals typically lived, but as long as he stayed in my legion his life expectancy would be even shorter.

Jace sighed and turned away from me to walk towards the upper deck. "I'm going to check on Talia."

My heart ached for him. Ached for the longing in his voice and my inability to help him.

I glanced back up at the sky where Ifrit was barely in sight and ran my hand through my hair, carding it against the knots created by the wind. Some of my frustration channeled into my magic and the clipper was buffeted by a cool wind pulled from the highest altitudes.

"Impressive," Stryker murmured next to my ear and I pretended my jump was only because of the movement of the ship beneath my feet.

"It's useful."

He leaned forward, letting the wind ruffle his hair into a wild dark halo. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

The sound of his husky voice curled through my body leaving me flushed and glancing away awkwardly towards the line of sunlight cresting on the horizon. If I strained my eyes, I could begin to make out the coastline of the Summer Court. Although we were only a few miles off Prythian's coast, it would take the better part of the day to weave our way through the navies and scout vessels that patrolled these waters. Frey handed the wheel over to Talia to scale the main mast and take down the red flag of Hybern for the blooming rose of spring.

"Will you be able to manage this?"

Stryker looked up from watching that distant coastline to stare back at me. "Manage what?"

My dark hair whipped around my face as I turned into the wind to focus fully on him. "We are going into Prythian and there's a high probability that we will be forced to fight fae who were once your allies to protect my people. I can't have you become a liability."

There it was. The line in the sand that would always exist even with a mate bond. Even if it meant giving up a chance of a lifetime of happiness, I would not betray my Core. My family.

"I made a bargain with you."

I pursed my lips, eyes flat. "All bargains have loop holes. You may not directly harm my unit, but a moment's hesitation, one moment of weakness, could destroy everything I protect. Everything that matters to me."

The last bit of warmth disappeared from his expression and I felt hollow from where it once rested. He turned to face me directly and I reached for the bond between us, wanting to ensure his honesty even if I understood his loyalty was not truly for me.

"I won't harm them." He said it simply, as though that resolved everything.

I couldn't help but notice he made no guarantees for my safety. Fair enough, I never expected that.

"Will you defend them?" I pressed.

Stryker hesitated, eyes raking over my face. "Yes."

Frey called out a warning and I glanced up, only just now realizing I had released my hold on the air currents pushing us forward. Stryker was too much of a distraction and my emotions were already fluctuating too much for my liking. He was too much of a wild card in an already tense situation.

So I let the mantle of commander settle like a protective armor over me and narrowed my eyes at him in warning, "Good. Even if you are my mate, I won't hesitate to kill you if you even think about breaking our bargain."

Without waiting for his response, I turned on my heel and walked towards Frey, pretending I didn't feel his eyes like a brand on my back.

Still a long way to go before Aria trust Stryker with her precious cinnamon roll friends. Jace's crush on Ifrit is so sweet to me. :( Hopefully y'all ship it too.